xmas letter

Dear Friends and Family

Another busy year for the family. It was a toss up between a paragraph hand written in the card or a page typed from the computer. Then I saw a note posted on facebook and decided on a bit of both, so here goes 12 paragraphs about the 12 months of 2007

JANUARY

The year started at Ralph's Texas Bar and Steak House where we rang in the new year with friends and family. 13 year old Jesse got his tonsils out on January 5th and missed 2 weeks of school and hockey. Derek was busy studying for his learners and playing hockey. Both boys were on the same team this season; it was enjoyable since next season they would not.

FEBRUARY

February 5th Brad turned 24. We all went to dinner at Moxies and then to Ruckers for games. My first time ever. Too much fun. Even more fun was Valentines Day, a flight to Cancun and 6 days at Holiday Inn Arenas. My first time to Cancun Mexico was wonderful despite getting a major cold and chest infection, but we explored the Mayan ruins of Chichenitza and partied hearty at Coco Bongo (and our new American friends STILL want to vacation with us again)

MARCH

The boy's bantam team made it to provincials in Killam Alberta. We spent 3 days between the rink and hotel in Camrose. We volunteered for a few games, with me doing the music and we had a great view from the press box. The annual Laval sisters ski trip was in Fernie instead of Banff this year. Chris and Liz were unhurt for a change and Derek fell off the chair lift mid-ride. Luckily he didn’t break anything, including his neck, though his dad wanted to.

APRIL

Easter dinner was spent at the farm with Mary & Simon and Larry and his family. Liz won the egg-decorating contest with her pair of eggs, a girl walking her dog. (Liz has a white Chihuahua/miniature pincher cross by the name of Izzy) During Easter break, Ray's oldest, Lisa and her daughter Sierra visited from Penticton. We spent lots of time on the quad and dirt bikes and even went to the musical CATS at the arena.

MAY

Derek got his learners license and has now turned 15 and his was the first of our hot tub/pool parties. I threw a surprise party for my man’s birthday on the 26th and BBQ Bonfire and BYOB being the theme. It was also the beginning of golf season with lots of weekends on the bow island golf course with either the boys or our friends.

JUNE

This month included lots of fishing, camping and golfing. Father’s day golfing with all the kids ended up being rained out, but we still had fun. Although it was late being organized this year, I was once again the poll captain for Bow Island for the Canadian Cancer Society's door to door campaign so weekends were spent busy with that, and one weekend was spent in Lethbridge at Chelsey and Jared’s tearing down the old fence (which my husky Kiko had a paw in bringing down, he now has a home in Seven Persons with friends with his own futon in the den)

JULY

Too many events and not enough time. Ray stayed in Medicine Hat for his best friends wedding while I drove home to Souris for the strawberry tea for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. The next weekend I was broadcasting live from Craven Country Jamboree. VIP camping in the new 5th wheeler with a slide out. Then it was camping at Writing on Stone Provincial with tubing down the Milk River to the truck and needing a tow home. 

AUGUST

August began with camping and watching the Chevelles band perform @ 40 mile park, bush camping with our friends north west of Calgary. Quading on the trails in the forest and HUGE campfires were the highlights, and Ray bonding with a bear – but that is another story in itself. We also went to the chuck wagon races for the first time. Such great memories.

SEPTEMBER

September also began with camping, this time at golden sheaf park, AKA rattlesnake for their fall festival and a friend’s birthday. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary (year - of the day we met, we celebrate it monthly as well), My parents came to visit and we then winterized the trailer and boat and put the golf clubs away. Did I mention I got a new set last month for my birthday? Derek and Jesse are back to school in Bow Island and Chelsey and her boyfriend Jared are back to U of L in Lethbridge. Brad had his hip operated on and is back to work at Moduline and Lisa got a promotion at Moduline in Penticton.

OCTOBER

Boys are back in hockey and this season on two different teams. Jesse turned 14 and studied hard for his learners. We had two thanksgiving dinners at the farm this year, family on the Sunday and friends and co-workers on the Monday. My shifts have changed at work; I am now Tuesday through Friday from 6 - 11 p.m. and Saturdays noon to 6. I record my solid gold sunday show Jesse found a free dog in the classified ads, Maggie the golden lab, so my dog Jake (border collie/blue healer mix that also did not work out because he is a roamer) is at my house in town so at least oreo still has company.

NOVEMBER

Chris moved down from Sherwood Park and is all settled in my house in town. He was around for about a week before heading to California to visit and wait for his work visa papers to be approved. Liz continues to work at Staples and has been promoted to inventory control manager. Basically this month is work, hockey and getting the boys passports in order for our trip to Orlando/Daytona beach at Easter.

DECEMBER

And here we are, so far, so good. Great actually. We had my work Christmas party on Friday where not only did I win $100 as the runner up for employee of the year, but also won $500 in mall bucks, so tomorrow, it's shopping, That’s the news from here. Hope this finds you and yours happy healthy and if not wealthy, at least well fed. Bye for now, until next year, xo Corinne