Happy New Year! All the best in 2023!

 I realize that some of my blog friends have already ushered in 2023.

Here in British Columbia, Canada, we are still counting down!

It was -31C when I left last Thursday (the 22nd) to head to Jasper Alberta, to spend Christmas with my northern Alberta family, and friends from Calgary, Alberta! Lovely drive, however the road sign that said, "The next 230 kms of road are Sporadically Maintained" was amusing! The drive is through the Rocky Mountains!

I pulled up at the hotel right behind my daughter & her family!

 

Because our friends weren't arriving until the 23rd, on that day the kids tobogganed, and we just did some sight seeing.

We found out we could meet Mr. & Mrs. Claus at Santa's workshop, so did that!

Bryson was excited, he told me that he'd never met Mrs. Claus!

 

Look at her face! The 'elf' that was directing Santa traffic told us that they had been there a week, and no one had ever went straight to Mrs. Claus and hugged her! There were a lot of Awwws!

Santa got a hug too, and we all got to be in a picture!

The Claus's were very good! Asked lots of questions, Mrs. Claus told Bryson that her and his gramma go way back! Haha 

We weren't rushed, it was very well done!

On the 24th we went on the Maligne Canyon ice walk.

We're ready! Helmets, cleats, uncomfortable boots, and way too many warm clothes!!

 

It was great!

Bryson was sleeping in the grammas room, and on Christmas eve, he told us that it didn't matter when he went to bed, because Santa wasn't coming to our room. He was going to his parents room! Haha

I reminded him that, 'he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake!'

I, of course, was in charge of putting the carrots out for the reindeer. I said, where should I put them? Bryson said, on the roof. Haha

After a little discussion, he decided I should just find a nice landing strip! Our hotel was on the outskirts of town, and on our way back from the ice walk, I noticed a herd of elk in the field next to the hotel! I cut up carrots and threw them over the short fence! I am sure something enjoyed them!

And Santa did come! Our group also decorated cookies on the 24th, so Santa tasted a couple of them!

Christmas day, Carol's boys went skiing. 

We put the turkey in an electric roaster, and the stuffing in a slow cooker, and went on a roadtrip!

I had booked us a wagon ride, as no one at the sleigh ride site was answering their phone!

 

After the wagon ride, we went over to Pyramid Lake, the kids went ice skating on the lake.

 

 

It was great! It had warmed up, Carol & I checked out the gift shop at the lodge, then we headed back to the hotel for our turkey dinner. While we waited for the scalloped potatoes to cook, we did our Christmas sock exchange, and it was fun! There were a few cans of beer in some of the guy socks! I got really cute gnome pot holders and gnome kitchen towel, along with other fun stuff!

On the 26th, everyone went skiing. Except Bryson, Carol & I, and we spent quite a few hours in downtown Jasper, shopping and eating our way down Jaspers main street!

 

Brysons cinnamon bun was as large as his plate! Yes he did eat it all!

That night in the pool/ hot tub, a couple told us that the highway we came in on was closed! SNOW! We were to leave on the 27th. Carol's boys had to be home for the 28th, Harley and Vanessa were good to go, highway was good east and north. I was going to stay until Thursday, when they were supposed to open the highway.

Plan B. My friend Carol drove with me, the boys went ahead, and we took the long way through Hinton & Edson, and down highway 22 to Calgary. That was on Tuesday. I came home yesterday. Friday. 

It's me, or winter, or the Christmas season! Last year was an adventure to get home!

Anyhoo, goodbyes are hard!

Bryson already asked his mom when the grammas can have him again! I told him we would go to Calgary, and go to the zoo in the summer!

It was a great fun, kind of relaxing get away!

Kalen cooked Christmas dinner for mom, and they listened to The Shepard on CBC!

I'm sure I will be doing crafty things soon. Mom had Christmas packed up all over the place when I got back! I spent quite a while today putting it away!

Better go, I can hear fireworks outside in the neighborhood somewhere! A bit early, but that's ok, don't know when I stayed up until midnight last( oh right, over Christmas)!

Talk to ya later!

Hope you're well!

Stay safe!