Christmas Continues

Tonight my husband finally works his last shift for the next week. He has been either working or on-call for the last week. He is currently training a new fresh-out-of-depot recruit so he hasn't even been able to split the shifts or on-call with anyone else.

Nope. Just John alone.

He is really a one-man show!

Actually that is one thing that he really likes about the RCMP. Getting to experience "it all"; the arrests, the interviews, the evidence collection (including footwear impressions and fingerprints), court, etc.

For Christmas one of our friends got "us" this really cool book called "M Is For Mountie". An ititial glance would give you the assumption that it is simply a children's book about the alphabet with slight references to the RCMP. However each letter gives a very detailed description of something from the past or present day on the force.

It's really neat.

But I'm not allowed to keep it on the girls' bookshelves.

No way.

John is keeping it with his stash of other memorablia. He is just in the beginnings of this collection hobby but each year he adds one or two things.

I'm glad that we have something to help the girls understand what Daddy does at work all day now. If he'll let them read it that is!

This week, with John being restricted to stay at home or at work, we have had a quiet time at home. The girls have been having fun playing with all their new toys and they are anxiously looking forward to tomorrow when we drive to Saskatoon for a few days to visit with family.

Here's a few pictures of Christmas morning in our home.


The girls opening their stockings (Only girls would be excited about socks and princess panties! Actually we put in some bath stuff, dressup hats, gum or chocolate, and a barbie outfit too)
Ella is itching with excitement to begin the unwrapping frenzy!Brie is equally excited but shows restraint.
Trying on new clothes with the big gift (they each got one train set) put together already. They have worn out the batteries already. Battery charger here we come!
Today I should really take down my Christmas tree.

I don't feel like it at all.

But it's either today or on January 1st when we come home.

Neither day sounds appealing to me.

However, January 2nd is Brianna's birthday and it's really nice to have Christmas put away before the birthday week hits. Family is invited to come to our place on the 4th for a joint birthday party for the girls, and then Ella's birthday is on the 6th. Then Brie is going to have her first friend-only party to celebrate being 5 years old. I think I may just get this over with on the 10th.

I'm tired just thinking about it.

How do families with multiple births handle birthdays each year? How do they give each child their own identity and desires when there is no way to spread it out throughout the year?

Having both of my girls' birthdays right after Christmas is tiring. I spent a few days making birthday invitations this week and I still haven't wrapped a single thing for them yet. I still have to finish shopping for them first.

Sigh.

It's fun to celebrate birthdays but I really wish they weren't so close to each other, or that it wasn't so soon after Christmas.

I'm looking forward to the end of January when it's all over for another year. Plus, have I mentioned that we are going to MEXICO?

Just checking.

Have a happy new year everyone!