Category Archives: Christmas 2012

Jan17

A week in Punta Cana

Posted on January 17, 2013 by seijasgypsyspirit

Another destination wedding was certainly the reason for our week in the warmth of the Caribbean but by no means the only reason ….. It is just so freeing, so cool and bohemian to run around barefoot or, at the very most, in flip flops all day 🙂 …. clad in a swim suit or the lightest of clothing, basking in the sun’s healthy rays, refreshing my vitamin D storage tank … I swam daily, explored Bavaro Beach with Sarah and Aliana and filled up on a daily feast of freshly squeezed watermelon, mango, papaya and pineapple juices, delicious passionfruit, grilled fresh grouper …. yumm …. yes, all great reasons to head south to the Dominican Republic on a chilly January morning! …. And a beautiful wedding to boot !!

It was a busy party week for Stacey and Craig Adolph …. a sweet, well suited couple … it is obvious both picked the long straw in partners …. loving, kind, caring and attentive …. they were a total delight to be around … a fun week of socializing with the Adolph family and friends! The wedding …. lovely …. the vows spoken with refreshingly definitive strength …. there was no wavering …

What I enjoyed the most? …. no contest … being around Aliana of course! … she fell in love with the sea and beach … we could not keep her away! Aliana was Stacey’s flower girl at the wedding, proudly carrying her little basket of rose petals, but loathe to drop any of them …. she is so very heart bracingly sweet natured! Sarah continues on her journey as an awesome enthusiastic mom …. it is so much fun to watch her share her love of the tropics with Aliana …. never tiring of running after her on the beach, gently introducing her to the force of the tides, playing with sand toys, digging in sand drifts … I do believe Sarah even managed to lasso Rob to join her on a few beach walks with Aliana … a miracle in itself, as it is not an understatement, just simple fact, that Rob is not much … ummmm … into physical activity …. Sarah on the other hand (they are total opposites in this regard), loves sports and physical pursuits of just about any kind ….. it is apparent that these two apples do not fall far from their respective genetic trees 🙂

So, yes, all in all, despite a few blips and blops, a most welcome respite from winter.

Jan1

Christmas Moments …

Posted on January 1, 2013 by seijasgypsyspirit

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Scrooge took a hiatus from my consciousness and Christmas spirit took a hold, albeit a brief and tenuous hold …. all with the aid of a host of family get-togethers ……. Webb/Cullen/McMechan/Hawkes/Overmann potluck and gift exchange, Susan’s church Christmas service, where a talented Michael and Andrew entertained with melodic guitar music, a special Christmas Eve dinner with Brian and Tim, breakfast at the junior Overmann’s, where Brian cooked our traditional Christmas morning Finnish pancakes …. followed by a small Christmas dinner at our home with my sister Marg, Brad, Jen and Jordan and good friends Arlene and Berendt, joining Brian, Tim and I …. all good pleasant heartwarming times ….. pictorial follows …. words fail me … still figuring out these new dynamics of family Christmas since Sarah’s marriage … I had a dream once, that when my children marry, my family would grow and that family celebrations such as Christmas would be full of new extended family … hmmm …. reality intervened ….. I adjust easily (well, okay, not sooo easily, but I am getting there 🙂 Much to be grateful for as a new year makes it’s appearance ……

Dec18

The Joy of Christmas Season in Calgary

Posted on December 18, 2012 by seijasgypsyspirit

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Christmas season 2012 …. hmmmm …. wondering if I have a touch of the Ebenezer Scroogia virus happening … I, who have been, um, rather a Christmas ‘enthusiast extraordinaire’ for most of my life, am finding all the forced gaiety, the more often than not, booze fuelled party scene, silver tinseltown decor, continuous festive music playing wherever one goes (and I normally adore Christmas music!!) … and oh my, that incessant “are you ready for Christmas” … well, I am finding it all rather annoying this year … Scrooge keeps hopping on my shoulder! Need to reacquaint myself with my Christmas Spirit mojo 🙂

It IS a season of hope …. celebrating the birth of that hope via Jesus, saviour to those of Christian faith … have always somehow loved that about this season! I wonder how many, as they glitz up theirs homes and themselves, know the roots of Christmas … some of that rooting also dates back to European pagan traditions and celebrations …. which a good part of our celebrating reflects today. Personally, although I am not religious in any traditional way, I do love sitting in a church at Christmas time … it is peaceful and depending on the church, one can feel hope, love, joy while quietly sitting in the pews.

Our own little ray of hope, light, love and unbelievable joy, Aliana, warms both the Overmann and Webb families …. children are just like that 🙂 The older I grow, I find myself yearning for a simpler time, escaping the madness of the season ….. A log cabin in the woods, pine boughs decking the halls, fire crackling in a wood burning fireplace, stew simmering on the stove, hearty bread ready to soak up the delicious broth, a smooth cabernet to savour the flavour …. family getting ready for some outdoor fun … Aliana and I creating a field of snow angels … skiing and boarding, our own Rocky Mountain high … later, perhaps a board game or two, basking in the quiet companionship of family …. Brian playing softly on the piano … oh, a rude break in the fantasy … of course, no pianos in the wilderness!! But the rest of it …. ummm … going to work on that for next year!!!