Traveling Circus

On boxing day Mom, Dad and I all headed out in our van to visit just about all the relatives in the Maritimes :D First stop was PEI, then on to Fredericton, Moncton, and back home...

Can you believe that we drove 31/2 hours just for seafood chowder?? Well, we did :) We were having a big Boxing day dinner at my Uncle Steven's place on the West Cape by Nanny and Pappy's farm. He made what has to have been the best seafood chowder I have ever had... seriously. It was a great time seeing all the cousins, playing crokenol all day long, eating... then eating again, Nanny and Pappy opening presents, playing touch football out in the snow, playing Taboo as a big family and watching Nanny's antics... sigh...I love being home :D

We weren't in the door 5 minutes before Aunti Paula beat Jess to telling us the news that Jessica was engaged! Mitchell, her now fiance, asked her to marry him over Christmas...it's a really cute story-very well planned Mitchell :) She was pretty excited needless to say, and I guess, so was Aunti Paula :) The wedding is next December... another winter wedding in store for this family!

Since the farm house and Uncle Barry's house was closed for the winter (they go to Charletown) we were dividing up family for sleeping which means that mom and dad and I got to go hang out at Jacklyn and Randy's new house! We had fun looking at their wedding pictures from the summer (which I just barely missed when I was back at home) and talking into the wee hours...Jack and I had a "for old time's sake" sleep over in the basement, where I almost fell through the hide-a-bed, but that is another story ;)

From the Island we headed off in the snow toward Fredericton, New Brunswick (were most of Dad's family is, as Mom's is all on PEI). I hadn't seen Sarah's new house since she got married to Jon in the spring and it is very cute, very "Sarah" :) While we were there Shauna and Hannah came for a visit... Hannah is just gorgeous! It was so good to see all these cousins too, even if it wasn't for too long. It's funny how both sides of my family (mom & dad's) are so comfortingly familiar and do wonders for my heart to be around... but both sides are SO different in energy, humor, and personality!! :D

While in Fredericton I was able to spend a few hours at the Longworth's house, who is the couple that headed up our team to Benin 6 years ago (although I don' t have pictures from this visit) and I got to see Don and Erin, who are expecting in the summer, for the first time in a few years! Also I finally got to meet Matt, my cousin-in-law of almost 2 years, Steph's husband! We met them at Cora's for breakfast before leaving the city. He seems like a really great guy, funny, and he sure makes Steph smile :D It was so nice to see them...

Then on to Moncton to see Sonya and the girls (Pat was at work). There has been a new addition to their family since I was at home last, so I was very pleased to finally meet Payton Faith Watanabe! She is very cute and very much loved by her big sisters! We had fun playing with the girls for a few hours... they wrestled with Dad, played "restaurant" with mom and I, and showed me around their new house. Jada got some new lip gloss for Christmas and Sonya is constantly reminding her to put on just a little bit... Jada however likes to lick it off and put on more! She was pretty cute trying to sneak more on when Son wasn't looking :P

Then we were homeward bound once more.

I have a pretty precious family... on both sides! And it blessed my sox off to be home long enough to see them all :) Love you guys! XOXOXOXO