Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

Christmas Eve was spent shoveling snow for 4 hrs. for my poor husband. I was able to clean off the car and the patio but due to my weak back I wasn't able to do anymore without putting my back out and then that would lead to a migraine and I didn't want one of those over Christmas.

Even with all the shoveling we were snowed in for the day / night. So we didn't get to the Christmas Eve service but thankfully our plans after that were upstairs to our landlords for dinner and presents. They have adopted Lance and I like family and we are so priveledged to spend Christmas Eve with them and their family.

Christmas day morning was nice and relaxing as Lance and I took our time opening our stockings, making brunch and thanking the Lord for Christmas day through our Advent wreath, opening gifts and calling all of Lance's family to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANKYOU for the gifts. We are so blessed!

In the afternoon we dug out the car again and Lance shoveled so we could try to head out to Ben & Heather's place for Christmas dinner. We made it there thanks to the roads being okay in the afternoon. We had a fun time of feasting on turkey dinner, singing christmas carols, playing games and of course more presents for the kids.

It was a wonderful Christmas that I will never forget. We are so blessed from the Lord and look forward to a wonderful new year of more promises coming to pass and growing deeper in Him.

So that was our Christmas, how was yours? :)

Snow, Snow and more SNOW

The following Wednesday was our Staff Christmas Party! Always a lot of fun but all day it snowed and snowed! We didn't know if we would be able to get there but thankfully the Lord drove our car and we were able to enjoy the fun evening.

Some of the prizes given out were vests, ties and jackets made out of the old orange pew material. Lance got a tie!

The snow kept coming on Saturday and Sunday of that week. We had the Lang (My mom's side of the family) Christmas on the Sunday in Abbotsford! So we were able to drive to my Mom & Dad's place to us all carpool into Abbotsford together. This festive event was a BLAST. There were around 45 people with the newest little Great Granddaughter (Brooke) born a week before. We have so much fun catching up with Aunts & Uncles, cousins and spending time with Grandpa.

We got home okay to a week off work which was a good thing as more and more snow kept coming! Here are a few pics.

Birthday celebrations & Christmas Train

Next on the calendar came Lance's birthday. My family had a special birthday celebration for Lance but I forgot to bring my camera. AHH! But on his actual birthday a bunch of friends along with us headed down to Anton's restaurant in Burnaby for a feast of PASTA and then back to our place for gifts and cheesecake. It was a very fun night.

That evening it snowed over night and dropped to -15C. Super cold for the West Coast! We had my parents over for dinner and then headed down to the Stanley Park Christmas Train. This is a tradition of my family since I was a child but this was the first time I remember it being so cold and snow on the ground. It was picture perfect! We bundled up and enjoyed the train with all the lights and the snow dusting each display. What a fun night.

Decorations

Lance and I had fun decorating for Christmas this year. We usually decorate the 1st weekend in December or the weekend before December. I didn't get around to our 'Christmas House tour' that was going around in the blogging world, but here are a few photos of our decorations.

My husband's amazing Christmas Tree


Decorations on top of the piano


More fun decorations







My nativity set I got in New Brunswick this past summer along with all the Christmas cards we have received.

New cousins

I come from a LARGE extended family. My Mom is one of 6 children and growing up we all lived near by and the majority of the cousins were around the same age. As time has gone on we are now starting families of our own and welcoming the next generation of 'Langs'. My cousin Katie just had her first child, a baby girl in November. We went to a shower for her in early December. We met another little new cousin born in October and 1 more was about to arrive any day. To date there are now 14 great grandchildren with 2 more on the way for the New Year! I didn't take very many pics but here are a few.

Cookie and a Gingerbread house

At the beginning of December we received a phone call to see if Lance and I could watch our nieces for a couple hours while Heather went to pick up an early Christmas present. We knew what it was but the girls had no idea what 'errand' Heather was doing that they couldn't go as well. We had fun playing with them until Heather came home with a surprise. A puppy named Cookie! The girls didn't get it at first when Heather handed out a card with his picture in it (Yes, finally another boy in the house for Ben), but then Heather brought out the dog and the girls went crazy. He is the cutest dog you have ever seen and fits into their little family perfectly. Here are a few photos of their reaction.



The following week we had our 4 little nieces over for a 'Christmas project - the gingerbread house' We did it together and then they got to take it home. Ben was away a lot over December and this gave Heather a chance to do some Christmas shopping while we took the girls for a while. We had a blast as Lance and I hadn't done a Gingerbread house since we were kids.

After the gingerbread house we pulled out my little 3 foot tree and they helped decorate it. It was a great afternoon to kick off December.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Just a quick note to say MERRY CHRISTMAS! I have so many things to blog of this fun December here on the west, snowy coast, but due to time running out this will have to do for now. I'll try to post more between Christmas and New Years.

As I look at the snow coming down outside I'm reminded of another way God's shows us His beauty through creation and nature. What a picture outside our front door of the beautiful snow. Unfortunately this has meant travel plans for so many canceled but from our home we pray you have a wonderful Christmas full of God's love and celebrating His miraculous birth.

Merry Christmas from the Rourkes!

Happy Birthday LANCE!

Today is my hubby's birthday! He is quite proud of the fact that his birthday is in December. In his words, 'You get to celebrate and party ALL month long!'

There are so many things I love about Lance but I think one of my favourite things is the kid in him. :) He can find the joy in any situation and has such a gift in compassion and care for people. He makes anyone feel 'at ease' when you chat with him and you feel like you are the only person in the room. My life is so rich with Lance as my husband.

Let today be a day where not only people celebrate this amazing Man of God, but a day to be thankful for who he is! I know I thank the Lord daily for him as he truly is a gift.

I love you Lance, more than words can say! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

December 11 already?

I love this time of year as the Spirit of Christmas is everywhere, yet the other part the season seems to fly by with something happening every evening and every weekend.

I can't believe we are already 15 days away from Christmas! Let's see what I have accomplished, shall we?

- Gifts bought?....check
- Stockings stuffed?....check
- Parties planned?....check
- Decorations up?....check
- Gotten a cold?....CHECK! Why this happens every year I know not! Thankfully I'm at the end of it and I got it now instead of Christmas day!
- Christmas Cards done?...check
- Christmas cards mailed?...No
- Baking done?....NO
- Gifts wrapped?....NO
- Actually enjoying the chaos?...CHECK!!

I LOVE everything going on and in the midst of the craziness my mind is at peace celebrating Christ's birth.

So no matter what has been checked off your list, still enjoy this season and what it represents.