HOME

We are finally home.

The kids were only just containing themselves for the last week. Thanks in whole to Santa who was just a little too clever. Knowing that last year he spent all night trying to find them and eventually caught up with them in Switzerland (they hadn't left a note telling them where they were). This year, they left very specific instructions on where they were on Christmas eve.

Knowing that they couldn't possible take a Barbie cash register and a Lego viking ship home from Canada - he gave them a photo of their present with a note telling them it was waiting under the christmas tree. C girl got a soccer top and hat - she had asked for something computer or soccer related (her birthday was the day before and she got the accessories for the laptop (which was her combined present that she had been given 3 weeks before we left (we thought it was too fragile to take for 3 weeks away)). Anyway - her words were - I think I should have been more specific - I don't like this team. TOUGH.

Anyway - Bear and Munchin carried the photos of their gift with them everywhere they went from Christmas onwards and were seen whispering "I can't wait to get home".

When we landed - contained excitement. One of the suitcases were lost (still in Vancouver - but on it's way now - Singapore Airlines (at least they knew where it was - left behind)) - that took an extra half hour.

When they saw the drivers they ran up to them and laid on the biggest hug you have ever seen from 3 kids at the airport - not sure if it was embarressment or pride on the drivers face - not what people at airport see every day.

When home - two youngest ran out of the car - the housekeeper and nanny were thinking they were running up to give them a hug - thankfully, they gave one - then kept running - all the way upstairs to the xmas tree. Bear went straight to the Lego room and was in there for the next 5 hours making his viking ship. Munchkin and C girl spent the time setting up a shop upstairs.

I like that everyone was happy to get home. We had a fantastic holiday. With 9 days of skiing (8 days of 7 - 8 hour lessons a day) plus living in apartment / hotel rooms that are smaller than our bedroom. Everyone is exhausted (although you wouldn't know it - we were all up at 4 this morning). But we have tonnes of photos and experiences.

We had snow for the entire time that we were away. Which is unheard of for Vancouver. The day we had landed - snow everywhere, when we went back for the train (after a week) - huge snow everywhere. For the two days we were there at the end - remainder snow - and on new years eve - another huge dump of snow. For all our travels around BC and Alberta - every scene had snowfall. 3 weeks of white.

We left on new years day (our 15th wedding anniversary). Two days earlier we had hired a stretch limo to get us from the airport to the Sheraton (cheaper than two taxis). On the 2nd day there - we hired a car - so we drove to the airport in snow on the wrong side of the road.

School tomorrow - and we were even responsible - home 2 nights before school starts - not the day school starts like last year.

Photos will follow when I have downloaded AND backed up (we lost 99% of our Europe photos due to this little oversight (and it was totally devastating)).

Happy to be home - life will now continue as normal (aren't we the most BORING people in the world). Next year we are going to go around Italy for 2 weeks and do 1 week of skiing in Austria for christmas (we had a family vote - Hubs is outvoted - 1 week skiing next christmas) - we are not in the military (someone gets upset if we want to sleep in).