Friday 23 January 2015

Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins

For my birthday Matt gave me tickets to go watch my favorite NHL team, the Ottawa Senators, play in Boston. This was my first ever real live NHL game and I was SO excited to experience it!! We left Brett with Grampie and Grammie McFarland and made the trip down to Boston for the Saturday night 7:00 game. We both missed Brett SO much, but once we got to TD Gardens, I was so glad we didn't bring him. I don't think I've ever seen that many people in one place all at once!! The place was swarming with thousands of people jostling, and bumping, and hurrying their way through to wherever they wanted to go!!! It was almost like a city of its own inside the building. We got there almost an hour early and the line to get to our seats was already backed up all the way outside for quite a long way. When we finally did get inside, our seats were quite high up. I kept picturing Brett getting wiggly, and falling all the way down to the bottom of the arena. I was quite thankful that he was safe at home at Grampie and Grammie's, and I didn't have to worry about that happening. It was so high up that I had to hold Matt's arm for the first five minutes because it made me very dizzy every time I looked down. But once the rows of seats below us started to fill up with people, and the players came out on the ice for their warm ups, I was able to forget about the height, and enjoyed myself SOOOO much!! The game was awesome, even if my team did lose, and Matt and I enjoyed a little bit of friendly rivalry between us since it was my favorite team playing against his favorite team. I was a bit of a fish out of water first of all because I was a Senators fan at the Bruins' home arena, and also because in the section where we sat I was the only Senators fan, so I was the only one on my feet cheering every time the Sens scored a goal. One of the guys in front of us kept trying to high five with me every time Boston scored, and he soon learned he did not have an ally in me! Matt however was happy to high five and celebrate with him, so he was happy! :-) Matt and I had a great time enjoying an evening together, and as soon as the game was over and we were headed home, I was ready to do it all over again. Only this time we better make it an Ottawa home game so I can cheer to my heart's content!! Haha!!

The skyline of Boston as we drove into the city.

TD Gardens

The view from our seats.

The players warming up.

My love and I enjoying the game.

The national anthem before the game.


The game.

The Ottawa Senators bench.

The first star of the game being introduced after the game was over.

In front of the ice at TD Gardens




Heading out of Boston. 
The pictures don't really do this bridge justice. It was lit with green lights the whole way, and made a really neat glow across the city.

We were so glad to go get Brett at Grampie and Grammie's after having been away from him most of the day Saturday and all Saturday night! We brought him back a little Bruins hockey stick and a Bobby Orr hockey puck as souveniers from the game.


Thursday 15 January 2015

Christmas 2014 Part 2

We had our Christmas Cantata at church the Sunday evening before Christmas, and Brett was part of it this year. Of course, he needed to get dressed up for the occasion, and I tried to grab a nice picture of him before we headed to church. He was too interested in the camera though, and it proved to be quite difficult to get a decent picture. I still think he looked quite dapper, even if the picture quality isn't the greatest



Christmas morning, Grampie, Grammie, and the Aunties, came over to our house for a breakfast of fruit salad, french toast, and bacon. Grammie and the Aunties were such a huge help in getting breakfast ready since this Momma was quite sick that morning! After breakfast, we all gathered in the living room and lit the last candle of our Advent wreath while Matt read the Christmas story to us. Of course, Brett had to help light the candles, because he had learned that whenever Daddy got out the lighter, the wreath candles got lit, and he would run to the wreath carrying the lighter trying to make the "fire" come out of it.


After our Advent wreath, it was time to open presents, and Brett enjoyed it to the fullest! Last year he was only 6 months old and didn't really get what he was supposed to do with the presents. This year though, he definitely knew what to do and enjoyed ripping the wrapping paper off his presents piece by piece. Every new present was a fresh excitement  for him.


Opening his stocking.








Opening his hedgehog book that he got from the "far away Grampie and Grammie." He immediately took it over to Grampie to have him read it to him. 

Trying out his new tractor.


A new sled from Daddy and Mommy. Daddy took him for a little ride around the house, and when they got done, Brett didn't want to get out, so he opened more presents while sitting in his sled.

We had to take a bit of a break around 11:30 because Brett was getting too tired and needed a nap, and Matt's family needed to get home to check on the roast beef they had in the oven for Christmas dinner.

Brett slept for about an hour and a half, and when he woke up, he was just as excited about his tractor as when he opened it. :-)

We went to Matt's parents' house for a delicious roast beef Christmas dinner and then opened gifts at their house after that. We got so busy celebrating that we didn't get any pictures of us opening presents at Grampie and Grammie's house. 

Later on in the afternoon, we were able to Skype with Tim and Becca and cousin Paul, and Brett enjoyed "talking" to another little person about his age. 

Jason and Rosanna arrived at Dad and Mom's in the early evening, and we had another round of opening gifts with them. We didn't get any pictures then, but the pictures below are of Brett enjoying the present they gave him a few days later.


We left Matt's parents around 7:00 that evening and were able to Skype with my folks in Nova Scotia before calling it a night. We enjoyed Christmas so much this year, and can't wait to celebrate as a family of four next December!


Wednesday 14 January 2015

Christmas 2014 Part 1

It seems as though Christmas came and went in a flash this year!! I had every intention of being overly prepared for the festive season, and even began Christmas shopping early, but then a wonderful thing called "morning sickness" overtook me, and I ended up scrambling around at the last minute trying to get everything ready in time.
 Morning sickness or not, we did enjoy our Christmas season immensely, especially with a little boy around our house who enjoyed every aspect of Christmas so thoroughly this year. I don't think Christmas would be half as fun, if there weren't little people around to share in the wonder of the season. Everything is new and fresh to them, and every new decoration put up or present wrapped is a cause for exclamation and excitement in their eyes. I loved watching Brett's eyes light up this year every time we lit the advent wreath, and smiled with pride as I watched him learn how to blow out the candles all by himself.  I enjoyed watching him point to the Christmas tree with a big "OOOHHH" face as we lit it for the first time, and treasured each moment of watching him tear the wrapping paper piece by piece off his presents, and anybody else's that would offer him a turn at opening their present.
I want to cherish the memories of this past Christmas forever in my mind. Next Christmas we will be a family of four, and although we are beyond excited to meet the newest little member of our family, there was something special about being able to make memories with just Brett.

 We decorated the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. The day was extra special because Matt had the day off and was able to decorate with us.

 Brett had to pull his special Christmas hat out and wear it for the occasion.

 He enjoyed "helping" by pulling things out of the Christmas box and exclaiming with excitement "OOHH" at every new thing he pulled out.

 Brett had to go for a nap halfway through our decorating, but when he woke up and Daddy brought him out of his room, his face was priceless when he saw all of the decorations we had put up.


His favorite decoration was the train that Daddy got to go around the bottom of our Christmas tree this year. He stood staring in amazement the first time Daddy turned it on for him to see.

Brett even got his very own Christmas window clings to decorate the window in his bedroom.

The first Thursday in December we got together with Matt's family to go get our Christmas trees. We always make a big celebration out of it and decorate a tree at one family's that night, and then at the other family's house the next night. We make a special supper and have a party, while we decorate the tree. We decorated our tree the first night, and Dad and Mom's tree the next night.



 Looking for the perfect tree is always half of the fun of getting the Christmas tree. And of course, Matt and Dad have to try to out do each other claiming that their respective trees are the best! :-)

 Brett helped Daddy cut down our Christmas tree this year. (Or in his words, "Daddy helped him cut down the Christmas tree.")

Pam cut down the Christmas tree for their house. We were so happy she was able to come along to pick out the tree this year! Usually she has to work, and only gets home in time to decorate it.


The tree going through the "Grinch machine."

Helping Grampie cut the string before putting the tree up. 



 Getting the lights on.

"Helping" with the lights.

The finished project.


Enjoying a drink at the party.



The next night we went over to Grampie and Grammie's and helped them decorate their tree.