Winter in Paradise

We are enjoying a beautiful winter day in Ontario. There has been heavy snowfall for the past 12 hours, creating a winter paradise here in the bush. This is our front yard. The front walk is completely snowed in. This scene is why I love Canada and most particularily our little corner of this great nation. The beauty of each season is breathtaking. I love each season as it arrives but I'm usually quite happy to see it leave.

We are still working away at our renovations. We are trying to get them finished before Dean, Siobhan and Cooper arrive. We don't want to waste one minute of our time with them, working. We have them for such a short time and it has been way too long since we last saw them all.

Cooper took 2 steps last night which means we missed another milestone. But, we are so grateful to his mom and dad for keeping us well informed so that we feel like we have been involved with each new stage he moves into. All of our children (most especially our sweet daughter-in-laws) have kept us involved and included in all of the events of our grandchildren's life stages. We are very grateful for our family. We're not sure how we we became the parents and grandparents of such awesome people.

Our Christmas tree is finally up. I like to have it up and lit by the first week of December but we just couldn't find the time to "get r done". We have been consumed with our annual Santa Claus Parade and Family Skate, that almost everything gets put on hold until it was over. That took place on Saturday evening and it was a great success! There were many well lit floats along with Santa's spectaclar arrival on his big beautiful wintery float (built by our fire dept). It was a crisp night and the snow was falling like beautiful crystals from the sky. The evening was everything you would hope to experience at a Christmas Parade in Canada. The main street was lined with families drinking hot cocoa and eating cookies made by the firefighters and served on the street corners. It is always alot of work but so worth it.

We had two birthdays in the Nielsen Family this week. Darryl turned 30 (yeow) on Sunday and Stephanie turned 1 on Monday. What a blessing they both are to our family. Darryl is the oldest of 3 siblings and Stephanie is the youngest of three siblings. Along with Stephanie, it was also my mom's birthday on Monday. Two great females born 75 years apart.

We wish a very Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends. Please take time to remember Him who's birthday we celebrate during this holy season. I believe the greatest gift we can share with those we know and love this glorious time of year is TIME. Spend TIME with family, friends, neighbours, and those who are alone this holiday season. Presents disappear over time but memories last forever. We hope your Christmas is filled with forever memories and so very much love.

Winter Wonderland

We have been enjoying a winter wonderland here in Woodville. The trees are covered in snow and there is about 5 inches on the ground. We live in the bush, with trees all around the house, so it really looks like a wonderland from my windows.

I've decided to try and do some Christmas decorating. The snow helps to bring out the Christmas spirit in people, me included. I have noticed more Christmas lights being turned on as

I drive about after dark so I guess I'm not the only one affected by the snow.

We (meaning Wayne) have been busy trying to renovate the shower room downstairs. We want to have it done before Dean, Siobhan and Cooper come home for Christmas vacation. It has been a huge undertaking. Wayne has had to knock down a block wall and a 4 inch cement slab where the old shower used to be. We are adding a toilet and new vanity so we had to extend the room by 5 feet. The shower will be "family size" when it is done. As we get older (and bigger) we need more room to work in. LOL The bathroom should be finished by the end of next week, hopefully.

I have started to get Christmas things ready to ship out to the kids and grandkids in Alberta. They will not be coming home for Christmas. Dean, Siobhan, Wayne and I drove out there last Christmas for two weeks. We are planning to go out again next Christmas so this if the OFF year where we won't all be together. Wayne has to work Christmas eve so it will be a very quite Christmas. We can't wait to see Cooper. We haven't seen him since the summer. Babies grow so fast.

We were in Alberta for hallowe'en last month so I am including a few pictures of our grandchildren dressed for the occasion. I am also including some pictures that Dean and Siobhan have recently sent of their awesome family.

Pic 1- Cooper's ready for church

Pic 2- Dean, Siobhan & Cooper travelling to PA, US

Pic 3- (l-r) Cowboy Brandon, Spanish Princesses Rebecca and Emma, Cowgirls Stephanie & Natelie

Pic 4- Superman Dallin saving Mommy

We are looking forward to our family Christmas dinners with the Nielsen's and the Good's. Our gathering of the Good's will be on Dec 13 and the Nielsen gathering is on Dec 20th. We can't wait. Family is most important to Wayne and I. Being with our family is a joyful, heartwarming time for us. We wish that for you this Christmas. Enjoy your families and remember the reason for the season. HE made it possible for families to be together forever.

Us

Wayne & Donna Nielsen

Hello family and friends. We are joining the ranks of bloggers and creating a record of our life for all to see. We are still trying to figure out how it all works but we thought we would go ahead and get started anyway.
We are the parents of three wonderful sons. Darryl, Derek and Dean (we see all things in 3D) Those wonderful sons brought into our family three glorious daughters when they married Amber Voroney (Darryl), Melissa Liscombe (Derek) and Siobhan Bovie (Dean). Those amazing couples have blessed us (to date) with 7 adorable grandchildren. Emma (5), Rebecca (3) & Dallin (1) (Darryl & Amber), Brandon (4), Natelie (2), Stephanie (11months) (Derek & Melissa), and Cooper (9 months) (Dean & Siobhan). Our newest addition is expected to arrive at Darryl and Amber's home in late February.

Our life began together on Canada Day in 1977. Since then we have seen our hearts and family grow. Wayne is a very hard worker who comes from a family of hard workers. He is a fulltime firefighter with Toronto Fire Services (stn 242) and Donna is a firefighter with City of Kawartha Lakes, Woodville Division (stn 14). Two of our sons, Derek and Darryl, have followed the same path and are presently involved with the fire service in Alberta. Dean is finishing up his teaching degree and will be bringing his family home to Woodville in March (hooray).

In the past couple of years we have been adjusting to the "empty nest syndrome". Our children and grandchildren are living far from home. So, we spend alot of our time on the highway that stretches from Woodville to Strathmore, Alberta or on a Westjet Flight to Thunder Bay, On or Calgary, Alberta.

We love our life, we love our family and we love our country. LIFE IF GOOD!!