Christmas in Canada

We crossed the border for the week of Christmas

heading towards the North Pole.

I was telling my WA neighbor what a beautiful drive it is to Whistler.  He said the highway was built for the Vancouver Olympics.  I think Lonny was dreaming of his future boat for many miles.  Just to relate a weird coincidence, our neighbors in Peru went to Whistler for Christmas last year.

We stayed at the Fairmont Chateau in Whistler.  I had spent the previous week watching Christmas movies while wrapping presents and addressing cards.  I thought I had entered a Christmas movie at the resort.

The gingerbread house was edible.

These singing girls made me laugh.

The view from our room.  

The weather had been sunny so there was snow on the mountain but it was melting on the ground.

These people were excited to ski Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

A view from the gondola.

Emily likes to take selfies with willing participants.

There were lots of reminders of the Olympics on the mountain

and off.

On Christmas Eve we enjoyed a fondue dinner, our sleigh ride was canceled for lack of snow on the flat but Santa made an appearance.  Apparently his sleigh was still functioning.

Look how excited our two little kids are anticipating Christmas morning?

Having a tree in our room was awesome.  In hindsight, if we had not had the tree, Christmas morning would have been weird.

Emily can be weird with or without a tree.

We went to Victoria, Canada maybe five years ago when we took a similar photo of Emily so we just wanted another photo for our Canadian moose collection.  

We went snowmobiling the day after Christmas
and took this awkward photo.

Our route was really beautiful and lots of fun.

Our guide took these photos

while we stood on the edge of this cliff.

  Emily flung her glove over the edge and Eric risked his life to retrieve it.

Then our guide took a photo of himself which we found later.

Lonny, Eric and Emily went zip lining on Canada's supposedly longest zipline. 

After you sign the forms saying you won't sue if you die they hand you a boatload of gear.

I could imagine going back to Whistler.
We had a merry Christmas there.

I hope you dance

when I can go to the performance.  In Peru the school year ends in December so the end of the year dance recital is in December.  The particular date unknown until weeks before.  My flight home took me away before the performance. They danced Monday and Tuesday night.  Fortunately Emily had school and church friends and Lonny in the audience.  One friend's entire family attended.  I am sure they were not sitting home bored while serving as president of the Lima East Mission but we love that they were all so supportive of Emily.  

The dance studio presented portions of

Sleeping Beauty and Black and White.

I am sorry I missed the ballerina third from the left.  I heard she was great.

The Holidays

are not what they used to be. 

(And we are discussing the holidays now just for proof they happened.) 

I would love to dress Emily up in a Halloween costume that might take some thought or a bit of effort.  She likes to be more nonchalant.  She prefers to just casually throw something together but still be awesome.  We have differing opinions on this outcome.   Last year she did not have school on Halloween but this year she arrived without a costume.  Her friends found that outrageously unacceptable and transformed her in the ladies room to this gem of a schoolgirl.  My contribution was in giving her those glasses in Seminary that morning.

For the ward party she was Dirty girl which may or may not be considered dressing up.

To a friend's party she was a doll.  That may be too much dress up for one Halloween.

And Thanksgiving.  An American holiday.  Not acknowledged on the fourth Thursday of November anywhere but the USA.  (One of the things I have realized living out of the country is how we Americans think our way is the only way.  When people complain about Christmas shopping, singing, decorating, etc. starting anytime before Thanksgiving, just remember the fourth Thursday of November is just another day everywhere else in the world. You sound odd mentioning your unwavering convictions over your preference.)

Lonny worked a full day and then we dined with friends at the Marriott for Thanksgiving dinner.  No leftovers and no dirty dishes.  My parents dined with our children and grandchildren.

Emily had gone to the beach for the weekend with friends so no stuffing for her.

She was the stuffing.

While I was in North America Lonny's coworkers reminded him he was another year older. 

 His birthday often gets overlooked, because honestly no one wants another dessert by the 19th of December and no one needs another reason to throw a party unless you are here.  

And finally the Christmas Tree room where the natural light from the summer sun can shine brightly on all the snow indoors.