Christmas 2008

Unfortunately, I have been here for the last 30 mins trying to upload pictures from the last month yet there has been no success. I can't figure it out but I figured there at least 2 people who have asked for my blog to be updated (my dad and his brother, Uncle Bill). Therefore, I'll simply write...boring I know.

I arrived home on the 15th to an abundance of snow, good Canadian weather and a long awaited urge to see winter climate. I was not disappointed. It was fantastic to be in cold weather after being in Singapore for the last 2 years. I didn't come home last Christmas and let me say, Christmas without snow is an odd feeling. However, it is my decision to live overseas (as Mark always points out) so let me just say the weather was perfect.

The first week flew by with a visit down to Lethbridge for a night as well as catching up with old friends and family. Was great to see everyone. I even got to go Christmas tree hunting! We found one for our family friends, the Tanners, and cut down a small one for our house. Quite fun to play in the snow again, and even eat it!

As most people know by know, the rest of my holidays (at least after Christmas until now) has had to do with May. I proposed to May on the 27th, surprising her with a quick outing that meant something to us followed by me coordinating (with the help of both her and mine parents) a family dinner at a Greek restaurant. Although it was too loud for the elders in the group, it was quite a fun evening with dancing, laughter, and most of all, sharing the experience of our engagement with the families. The Diaz's were all to great for help organise the dinner and keep the secret from the 30 other relatives around at the time. Not even her brothers knew why they had a special dinner with the Turners on the 27th! But we had been planning since October so they had a lot to do with it. And to my family - for driving up for the evening as well as Mark and Daniel joining May and I, her two brothers Mark and John (eery names to have as brother in laws heh?) and John's girlfriend Vanessa for swimming at the WATERPARK in West Ed!!! A great 2 hours of fun but we definitely showed our age - only being able to go on each slide once and being spent after such a short time!! All in all, the engagement plans worked out wonderfully, she did show a lot of emotion (even after the famliy dinner when we went back to her Aunt's house where the other dozens of relatives were waiting in anticipation!) Can't wait for the 3 pigs and 2 water buffalo to be sacrificed as promised by her grandma!!


Also, I had the chance to see my first Oiler's hockey game with May and her family - was great fun and even ran into some old acquaintances from our University of Lethbridge days.

We followed up the weekend by coming back to Airdrie for a few days, then heading back to Edm for New Year's with May's friends (and of course it was May's bday...) and again back to Airdrie until Sat morning. It was great to get some Turner family time in as even John and Leah came up from Lethbridge for the days after New Years. Good fun and Mark didn't make May do the dishes too much. (luckily my father and mother are all too kind to let me use their cars!)

I had the chance to see my parent's house that they are building on the land several times throughout the holidays. It is truly remarkable. You must see it if you have the chance - mom and dad love having guests!!! But it is stunning and pictures do not do it justice how unique it really is. There have been some hiccups but I'm sure everytime they do get up there and realize how close to actually being able to stay up there, makes it all worthwhile.

As for me, I leave tomorrow (Jan 8) back to Singapore. It has been a wonderful break. Back to Singapore which I do look forward to. School keeps me busy, as well as coaching the high school boys basketball team. We have a few tournaments to get ready for as well as coaching the SE Asia games school team. Should be fun! Also keeping busy with ultimate frisbee on the weekends (and soon to be on the weekdays)...have a tournament in Bali on the Easter weekend that I will go to (and hopefully May) but we have just found of a great chance to go to Japan in April. We will definitely go very soon (either Easter or summer) as it has been too long since we've seen our lovely samurai parent in laws. And I hear Anna is quite the character now! Other than that, waiting until the summer when May's parents and brothers will be coming down for a few weeks and we will join them in the Philippines. Good fun to be had!

Sorry again about the pics - if you know of people on facebook, simply go to my profile and check those photos there of Christmas 2008 #1,2,3. Lots of good memories...