The End of 2010

So I haven't blogged in a while because the 'insert image' STILL doesn't work.  I'd been thinking and hoping that the feature would work so I could post this last 2010 entry with pics.  Oh well. 
It's 5:49pm right now on Dec 31.  I'm sitting in the front room with the laptop on my lap while my niece and nephew are playing and watching Barney.  My parents are watching Barney as well.  Caitlin & Brad went out for New Years' Eve dinner so we have the kids.  Mom made homemade pizza with breadmaker crust and it turned out really good....but ohhhh soooo full right now.
So what has happened in the last 12 days since my last post?  On Dec 17th, at work, we had a Secret Santa gift exchange and potluck.  There was way too much food and I had just gotten over the "24 hr flu" the day before so didn't eat much.  I received a scrapbook album and I gave a homemade recipe box and recipe book to my person.  I still don't know who gave me the book....I've been asking around.  The GE went well even though not everyone took part.
On Dec 22nd, I went to Vanderhoof after work for a small get together at the Reid with my Vanderhoof pharmacy co-workers. I had a fun dish of natchos and caesar salad.  We did a mexican gift exchange and I got a 'costco' style pack of 3 big Starbucks mugs with coffee and biscotti.  I gave the extra bold one to Brad.  I had 2 absolut vanilla cokes and they were yummy.  We visited for about 3.5 hrs and left at 8:30pm.   I spent the night at Jean's so I didn't have to drive 1 hr in the dark back home.  Jean and I chatted for about an hour or so, drank some tea and hoped our dinner would digest before trying to sleep.  I left the next morning around 8am.  I didn't have to work on the 23rd & 24th.
On Dec 24th, a large production at church called "Imagine Christmas" was performed at 4:30 and 6:30pm.  Rebecca K and I sat upstairs while mom, dad and Saibry and Corbin sat downstairs.  Brad and Caitlin were both performing in it.  Brad was an angel but not with white wings....just a fleece jacket, jeans and huge snow boots.  Caitlin was a dancer.  It was well done...a couple technical blips at the beginning but all good otherwise.  I even got good pics taken with NO flash...maybe I actually mastered the dark room pics.
After the play, we all went to Caitlin & Brad's place to open stockings, eat some goodies and hang out for a few hours.  We had a good time opening gifts and got some good pics too.  Silly me thought I had recharged my camera but didn't so used Caitlin's camera the most.  Over 100 pics were probably taken of the kidlets opening stuff.
On Dec 25th I had to work from 8-4pm.  Such an odd feeling to work on this particular day. Before going to work I opened one gift of 4 bottles of nail polish and mom and dad each opened a gift from me.  I gave dad a DVD of converted 8mm film from approx 1977-1984.  there's no sound and it looks just like you're watching it via a projector onto a wall.  I know he really liked it.  I gave mom 1 of 2 knife blocks.  One of them ended up being short one knife and a few days later I returned both blocks and bought a nice set from Costco instead.  I then went to work from 8-4pm.  The shift went alright, non-eventful and in pharmacyland that's a good thing.  The first part of the shift went slowly but the last 2 hours sped by, so happy about that!  Afterwork I headed back home to clean up and headed to Tenille & Dave's place for a gift opening and roast beef dinner.  T & D gave me the Xyron sticker maker, super cool.....that was one item on my list too.  Alicia and Cassidy were there too but Cassidy felt ill so she hung out in her room for the first part of the evening.  After dinner she came out and opened her gifts and was able to eat a bit of dinner.  Afterwards, we just chatted until about 9pm-ish.  Good nite.On Dec 26th, which I was supposed to work but gladly gave away, another gift opening was happening here.  Around 8:30am, Caitlin, Brad and kids came over and we opened the gifts we exchanged.  Saibry and Corbin behaved rather well and Saibry liked to help open the presents too.  Corbin wasn't having the best day, was cranky and cried but he did enjoy opening his gifts.  Brad and I were taking the most pictures of all of us opening gifts.  (I wonder if I was any of them.) This year we all down-sized the spending, unfortunately.  It was hard to not spend too much on others.  Maybe next year we'll all be able to spend more, who knows.  I was happy with all the gifts I received and only exchanged one.  In the afternoon, Tenille, Dave and girls arrived and they opened some gifts that were given by Caitlin & Brad.  Dad received the new Wii Golden Eye game and started to play that downstairs with the girls and Dave watching then he let the girls play the old Super Mario 2 game that he downloaded.  They had a riot playing.   Then Tenille & Caitlin played, probably for a couple hrs too.  One of Tenille's gifts to Dave was the downloaded 3 seasons of "Big Bang Theory", that I downloaded.  I had to finish d/l the 3rd season and then transferred all shows to his new 2TB external harddrive that he just purchased at Staples for $100...good deal.  So I guess the effort was from me and the idea from Tenille.We had a turkey dinner with brussel sprouts, corn, peas, buns, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing.  Unfortunatley Saibry wasn't eating or wanting to eat any of her dinner so time outs were had by her.  Not sure why she didn't want to eat.  Could tell it was frustrating Caitlin & Brad.  Corbin has no problems with eating.  We had some cookies etc for dessert.  I had given Caitlin Balderdash as a gift so dad, Brad, Caitlin, Alicia and I played.  What a riot that game is!!  I think Caitlin won but man, did we laugh.....especially dad.  Here's an example of a 'weird word' that needed to be defined: drumlin.  Dad's definition was "the uncertain distance between the distance of raindrops".  Dad was laughing as he was writing it....man was he laughing.  He laughs occassionally but during this game he was letting loose!  Was fun to see.  The evening lasted till about 8ish (I think) as the little kids had to get to bed.  Having Christmas over 3 days was fun and less stressful.  It was unfortunate I had to work on the 25th but earning 2.5 x my hourly rate isn't too shabby either.  It also didn't see as overwhelming for the little kids too, compared to last year.On Dec 27th, dad took Caitlin, Tenille and I out for our annual 'boxing' day breakfast.  We went to White Spot this time. I had the waffle with strawberries and whipped cream...mmmmmm.  Tenille had to work so she didn't come with Caitlin, dad and I to Rogers Video to check out if there were any deals.  No deals were to be had.  We went to Blockbuster and I bought 3 dvds.  I'll watch them oneday....not much of a TV/movie watcher.It sucks I can't post any pics but I'd be here all nite loading them up anyways and I need to get this blog post done before 10:30pm, preferably.  I work tomorrow (Jan 1st) at 8am so no watching fireworks tonight.  When was the last time I stayed up till midnight on New Years' eve anyways? Well Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and let's behave in the 2011.....well legally behave.  Bring on the adventures!!  What will mine be in 2011?  Still thinking about it.p.s. This is the last post of 2010 and in the new year I will be making another blog book.  It will have 2009 & 2010 in the next one....main reason why I had to get this last blog in before midnight.