CHRISTMAS 2014

 

 

The prospect of an outgoing Christmas letter was in great peril earlier this year. One might assume the culprit could be the ever so rising costs of postage, the ongoing expenditure in Rep hockey, or perhaps our latest investment into orthodontist care and Dr. McLaird’s new BMW. But in actual fact, our pause this Christmas season was thanks in part to our darling daughter Faith. It seems recently that she ventured into her mothers iPad, discovered the password and purchased some extra credits to fuel her addiction in that ever so popular game Pet City. As the confirmation purchase emails began to fall faster than Bill Cosby’s endorsement deals, the final tally came in at $745.72 . As I began to tremble and fast, thankfully the iTunes employees responded well to tears from grown adults and reversed the charges… thus this Christmas script can continue.

It would seem every Christmas season, one of our appliances tends to take a holiday and break down. This Christmas, without fail, we feel doubly blessed as both our dishwasher and freezer felt best to stop working. Mercy sakes. Ah well, Nothing says Merry Christmas like a freezer full of rotting meat and a sink full of dirty dishes. Joy To The World #LGFAIL

Isaac’s school year began with him starting off in High School. It seems the kids new school wasn’t ready in September so they were sent to empty classrooms through out the city. Isaac started off Grade 6 at Quinte Secondary School and aside from hanging out with the kids down in smokers hall, it turned out to be a good experience. Isaac continues to be involved in soccer, hockey and also other school sports and annihilating his father in hockey pools.

When Eva was younger, I distinctly remember being faced with the question… do we try and reform her of her habit of sucking her thumb or let it continue and just get a good nights sleep. Sleep won out and now, several years later, I’m in a position to know the exact cost of that decision … that cost is $3, 600 just for phase 1☹. Phase 2 or as I like to call it, the Porsche phase, will commence in a couple of years. Certainly makes Faithy’s iTunes habit seem quite tame. Eva’s adjusted to life with braces, is active in Soccer and Tap dance. #Daddysnumberonehelper

Aside from nearly bankrupting the family fortune in iTunes, Faith continues to be the self-starter of our three and is extremely motivated with her musical talents and her continual quest to learn how things work and teach her older siblings. This summer, Faith point blank asked us where one goes to buy puppies as if she was fully intending to go there on her own. After years of relentless requests, we caved in to the pressures and welcomed Ginger into our family, our golden doodle.

After 4 years of billeting, we bid farewell to Scott who’s off to University. We will miss him a ton but know he’ll always be considered a member of our family. Other bulls players have mused that Scott has been replaced by a dog to which I replied, although there are similarities, they eat a lot and don’t shed but at least Scott didn’t have accidents on the carpet… at least that we’re aware of anyway. This in fact could be my final Christmas Letter though, between failing appliances and never ending dental work, it seems that Ginger’s carpet “duties” have expedited Tanya’s wish to replace carpet with Hardwood. #CHA-CHING.

It has become my quest to slow down and simplify somewhat. I answered that this year by getting a dog, becoming a deacon, and buying another brokerage in a neighboring town. So apparently I suck at this slowing down thing.  As our family continues to grow, Tanya and I remain active in their sports, helping out with Awana, ladies ministry, church ministry and the Bulls Chapel program. Between dentist visits and waiting for repairmen, we manage to fill our schedules to capacity.

As our house prepares for this advent season, the festive smells of apple cinnamon glade candles, decomposing meat, Gingers accidents on the carpet, and just a hint of febreeze permeate throughout our humble abode. I’m sure we’ve likely got some mould in the house by now with our leaky dishwasher to only add to our festive potpourri of aroma.  So as you prepare for Christmas complete your holiday expenditures, whether its new appliances for the home, dental care and gum grafts for the family or iTunes purchases for the addicted, take time to pause, forget about the costs and reflect on the things that are truly important… celebrating the birth of a savior, time with family making memories, and never buying another LG appliance again! From the Mackay’s, #MerryChristmas