Christmas Vacation

View outside my nana and papa's front window

I spent this year's Christmas in good 'ol Trail. No, I don't expect many of you to actually know where Trail is, but that is where my mother's entire family lives and we attempt to alternate where we spend Christmas each year.

Trail is a small, well tiny actually, community nestled in the mountains of the Kootenay's. There was much snow and the drive to and from was rather unnerving due to the snowy weather and slippery roads through high and windy mountain passes.

This is the view from the front seat of our car....eeek!

Another road view

Side of the road...pretty snowy trees

Despite the town being painfully small it is the family that I go to see! I got to spend time with my nana and papa, aunts and uncles and my cousins and their kids. It was so much fun running around after my cousins kids, especially when I only get to see them maybe once a year.

Papa holding my cousin Ashley's newest baby, Darren

Nana!!

Christmas morning was spent with family at my nana and papa's house with many gifts to be opened. My cousin Ashley and her husband and both her son's were there to join in the festivities along with my aunt and great aunt!

Tree and some presents! This picture doesn't show the true ugliness of my nana and papa's tree, it has fiber optic strands and it flashes different colors, it could induce seizures! But they love it!

My cousin Ashley in her P.J.'s

My cousin Ashley's 2 year old, Brady, what a cutie!

Yikes! Me opening my iPod radio charger thingy

My mommy holding new baby Darren, and my mom's sister Janice sitting next to her

My sister Kimberly holding the adorable Darren

After a wonderful Christmas day and tasty dinner it was time for some more family fun on boxing day. My nana's side of the family (about 40 people) always gets together on boxing day at a hall and we eat left overs and do a gift exchange and Santa even makes an appearance for the kidlets. I just enjoyed the extra cuddle time I got with my cousin Michael and his wife Stephanie's twin girls! They are sooo cute!

This is twin #1 Kaitlyn looking lovingly at her cousin Darren

My uncle Wes holding his granddaughter Kaitlyn

Stephanie holding twin #2 Sarah

And one final cute picture of Brady!!

So once again Christmas in Trail was snowy and great! We broke the trip up on the way home and spent one night at my aunt and uncles house in Penticton and we were able to visit with them and three of my other cousins before returning home to rain, rain, rain! I hope everyone's Christmas' was as fantastic as mine! Happy New Year all!!

4th Year Here I Come!!

As I walked out of my Lab final today with a huge grin on my face I became a bit giddy. I was done my 3rd year of nursing!! The thought was finally allowed to enter my mind. Although the lab exam was rather difficult and I have a bit of rage about the questions asked on it, it is done and over with and there is nothing I can do about it. I have spent this past week drowning in my notes, text books, and cue cards. I have ignored my family and friends and been hauled up in my room getting a kink in my neck from studying. If I never see another study cue card in my life it will be too soon!

Three finals down and third year becoming just another fuzzy memory to pack into my already full brain! I know I don't have the final marks officially but I have a wonderful sense of completion of yet another year of nursing done. Phew! Only one more year to go. The light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine brighter and let me tell you I am sprinting for it, and pushing people out of my way to get there! :) Kidding!! Well maybe Darla, but no one else.

So now I embark on a much needed glorious 3 and a 1/2 week break from school that I will jam pack with work! (stupid tuition payments) Weeeee!!!

Some of my study cards...yah I had to know all that junk!

Oh, and this is a queen sized bed! My head hurts....

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Well, as long as I don't have to drive in it that is.

Don't get me wrong. I am all for the beautiful look of snow capped trees and glistening snow flakes falling softly to the earth, but seriously people, driving in this stuff sucks!

As soon as the white stuff falls, it seems that people forget how to drive and become homicidal maniacs in their cars. I pride myself in being a decent in-the-snow-driver. I have had some experience from visiting family members each Christmas in Hicksville where there is always many feet of snow to deal with. I am not proclaiming to be an expect snow driver, but pretty decent!

I certainly don't think that I can drive the same speed as when the roads are clear and stop on a dime without sliding into the intersection and causing a huge accident. I avoid driving in the snow whenever possible so that I don't have to deal with the other idiot drivers. Especially those in SUV's that believe there vehicle is super human and will not possibly slide in such weather. They are the ones that you see wrapped around a telephone pole farther up the road or found to be the cause of the 10 car pile up because of their arrogance.

Alright, enough of my rant. I love snow, it's beautiful and seems so Christmasy! I will simply stay off the roads whenever possible while the white stuff is falling.

Here are some pics from my house this morning:

My Car...some of it!

Outside my front door

Another from my front door

Cute snow topped garden light

View from the back yard