2010

I cannot believe the year is coming to an end! I have not had too many minutes to reflect or sit, even though there has been lots of relax time. We're home tonight enjoying chocolate fondue, a movie (if we can all decide on something for everyone that is appropriate, I'm taking suggestions for future movie titles), and then I'm heading off to work to look after all the crazy people who come in around 2 am. Actually I'll only see them if they need to have surgery, so don't anyone go punching your fist through a plate glass window (last week). I do really hope for a safe New Year's Eve for everyone. See you in 2011! Can't wait to see what's around the corner for us this year!

The boys had a super day at Big White! Gorgeous blue skies!

Lakeview the other day but super windy.

Speedy girls!

WOW

Merry Christmas!

I'm always a little behind on my posts, but we've had a great few days.

Enjoying Christmas dinner together...

Jacob and Cam sporting their new "Pook Toques"

Where is My Nose?

Waiting for some key pieces...

Awaiting Flight 0183

Our special Christmas visitor is en route. The Christmas music has been playing since our early awakening at 0655! The gifts are all opened, the sun is shining, the turkey is in the oven (I hope.... my sister-in-law is bringing it), and all I have left to do is peel potatoes. What a glorious day!

We had our traditional Christmas Eve fondue last night after church and the most angelic, spine tingling "Oh Holy Night" solo ~ that had to be the highlight of my night.

And what has become the tradition of dragging out the mattresses to sleep under the Christmas tree. Makes for a cozy place in the morning to hang out and watch the excitement on faces :)

Even Ditto snuck in the actionErin sporting her cute new outfit from Gramma.

Expecting some yummy treats from this one :)

Merry Christmas FRIENDS!

Birthday Bits

Still just finishing some cleaning up from my birthday and getting ready for Christmas. Thanks everyone for making me feel so loved! I can't wait for Christmas, more now since we're having a surprise visitor!

My lack of blogging is mostly due to the fact that all my photos (and Erin's) for the past 5 years are scattered randomly throughout my hard drive in no particular order. At least they are there, but are requiring about 20 hours of organizing. Definitely a job for 2011!

She Loves Him

Love this writing today, if you have a little time. An advent moment of worship.

Volleyball

Erin has had a super duper busy week besides planning my party and sharing her room with Gramma all weekend. She had 3 brutal serious try-outs for the Kelowna club volleyball team. There are so many girls in this age group that are skilled players. Just to give you an idea, at BC provincial finals, grade 10 Kelowna teams took 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. If you can play with this club through to U-18, they have a 95% sign on rate to play post-secondary level, which Erin would love to do. There were about 35 girls trying out, the last one being for 4 hours on Sunday! We've been checking and re-checking the roster (click on the sidebar "rosters" and scroll down to U-16) almost hourly ever since to see if they've posted the teams. We all really thought she was sitting on the fence, could go either way if she made it or not, she hasn't had opportunity to play ever on a really good team, so she doesn't have the same strength and skill as a lot of girls, but now she'll have great opportunity!! We've been praying that God would make the right choice for her if it something she should be doing, that He would be the goal ,not how good you can be at something, that sport would not be a focus, but He would be....and if it doesn't happen, to ease the disappointment. I have always felt a strong calling to use your gifts for His glory whatever they are.

You should have seen the shock on her face when I called her up to read the list :) See you May long weekend in Calgary for Nationals!
YEEHAW!

The BIG 40 Party

Well our external hard drive crashed yesterday while trying to upload photos off my camera, so KD has been in recovery mode. I didn't want to put up this post without photos though!

Saturday night was the big event. Kevin and Erin, with some help from a few others have been busy planning. My Mom was in the kitchen all afternoon getting things ready for a great spread! Chicken satay skewers, ginger beef, spanakopita, dips and crackers, baked brie, egg rolls, salads, fruit, platters of Christmas baking and CAKE! Yummy, yummy food, and I forgot to take a photo of the food table all decked out. And I was told to stay out! I did my best.

Erin and her friend getting ready in the kitchen..

I am so blessed and amazed, well not amazed that they couldn't do it, but just all the details they planned. This amazing cake made by my one and only girl:

It was so cute how she had the lap top propped up in the kitchen following along on the You Tube "how to make marshmallow fondant" video. Somehow it looks way less purple and much more gray in this photo.

Reindeer cake pops.. :)

Erin and Jacob made 2 great games, a "Linda Quiz" and "Name that distorted face". So hilarious!

I feel so weird celebrating ME, I don't really like the attention, but I love having a house full of faces that I love! And the house was full... of very many boys especially!

Thanks everyone for making it an awesome night!

And before heading to bed, I wore the "Barbie" slippers my BROTHER sent me!

Puzzled

My daily trip to the mailbox has been rather exciting lately with the arrival of all these blue envelopes starting last week. They've also been showing up in other odd places especially after Saturday's party, on my bedside table, hanging off photo frames, in the kitchen, and more in today's mail. I love the one that, oops, the baby got a hold of and there is scribbling on the front too. I am LOVING all the sweet things people are writing and just the whole idea. I have BRILLIANT friends! I am so blessed! Can't wait to fill it in!

I'm pretty sure I know who's behind it all, because I think I'm recognizing who took this photo!

Bad Dog

Oh Ditto, what have you done?
Did someone forget to feed you, so you had to fend for yourself?
That poor little birdie...

"Stay away from my bird!"
Crunching noises ensued shortly thereafter and only a few feathers remained!
He even was chewing on the feet!
And the children learn the cycle of life.

I'm Lovin' the View out my Kitchen Window

KD has been busy flooding the rink to a crystal smooth surface. It's lovely, unfortunately the weather has been warming up and it's melting.... I have tried to fully embrace having a birthday in the winter this year and encouraged a full out winter party, but now the weather threatens to spoil our outdoor fun! I guess if all else fails, we'll have to sit inside and drink egg nog :) KD better get on the homemade stuff :)

Can I Say Finally??

Remember these? Well they have finally been turned into this:

I love the outcome, just have to finish the edges. I wanted to so badly for it to be done when Mom comes on Thursday, but I don't think it will be. I just can't believe how long it took me to get going on it. I am not normally a procrastinator at all. Usually once I'm into a project, I go until it's done, but this one has not had that blessing. So it has a different blessing on it, time and love.

Fossil Grey

I've been busy painting and here's the old color on the left and the new on the right. It doesn't look a whole lot different in this photo, but it is SO different! The old "Havana Cream" was looking so caramel, peachy colored and the new is a lovely, homey warm gray, actually "Scroll Beige" and then the caramel wall became "Fossil Grey". The names are important. I would like a job naming the paint chip colors. Then I had to do all the trim white because the light cream just didn't go, and the ceiling needed it too. So I'm tired :) but satisfied.

The front entry got it too. Even the window got cleaned :)

Advent

I love advent! And it's here! Somehow it sort of snuck up on me and I'm not ready, but I guess that's what it's all about... getting ready, anticipating, waiting, mounting excitement, preparing our hearts for His coming.

We spontaneously headed to the woods last Sunday for our tree. The "plan" was for this weekend, but it couldn't have been a better day! Perfect snow, perfect company, and a perfect tree found in perfect time.. just before it got too dark to head back home. We brought it inside and the house is filled with a deep forest scent. Almost more than we can stand, but maybe it's because it's still damp.

I've barely finished painting the entire (minus the bedrooms) upstairs. Just in time to bring out the Christmas decor!

Kevin on the hunt for our perfect tree

Jacob doing the official sawing of the tree!! Yippee!!

painting the house... working night shifts.... photo updates soon.. maybe

Totally Random

** These are fun
**When you have something you just LOVE doing, you just HAVE to do it. I saw this on my girl's face yesterday when she was on a horse for the first time in 6 months or so. She was glowing and nearly vibrating when she got back in the car. It's good to know your passions. Being able to watch someone use theirs is also a pure gift
**I guess there's a birthday party in the works...I like the airbrushing on the invitation and the purple-ish eyes
**how often do we tell people their value to us?
**I'm happy for a dog so eager to please someone that he'll wear a saddle, if only momentarily
**a girl wearing a saddle with her brother riding is an even funnier sight, where was my camera?!

The Faves of my Faves

KD did a quick and painless (??) family photo shoot for our dear friends last weekend. These are my best pics for you to enjoy ~ especially if you know them :)
I love this one, there's always a few boys running in the background when you have 4 of them.

Brotherly love

I think Marcus may have cracked a smile once :)

Real Beauty

Sometimes when I look at her, I can't stop. She is.. this beautiful gift of grace, a wonder of mystery waiting to be fully discovered, like a budding flower yet to open. This sprite of girl turning young woman. A creation mimicking His glory and then I see too the amazement God must feel and see in each of His creations, the depth of love He feels in His child. It appears like moments frozen in time; photographs and memories held in my mind.

I love the sharp wit and the sometimes thoughtful, delayed humour. The perfectly smooth lines of face. I see the playful 2 year old spraying the hose and pouring over books, the keen learning 5 year old with a mind that is a true gift, the tentative, crafting and fun loving 8 year old, and the struggling, yet somehow secure 13. Now turning, as if before my very eyes into graceful strength and courage.. and wisdom that appeared from somewhere. I heard a friend of a 2 week old say how fast her baby was growing up already, and thought to myself, " you have no idea yet". I dare not look ahead to what lies waiting, the joys and heartaches yet to face on her own journey. My heart feels too full to imagine she was entrusted to me, for me to show her beauty and how to live, how to follow the heart of Jesus. What a mess I must be making that anyone would follow me, but I am the chosen one for this task. And so we have grace for one another. And I realize my need for HIM. To let more of myself disappear and more of Himself to take over.

Sewing up a Storm

Finally, I have pulled out my sewing machine and been creating, and loving it again, and having moments of frustration (that's what happens when you don't use a pattern!!) We've been shopping for a sling bag and haven't been able to find what we want, so this is where it all began. Found some fabric she LOVES... and she agreed to model the end product.

A quick flip inside out
And voila, a new purse on the other side. Lovin' the zebra print!

Mercy House

I have recently stumbled across this organization and I love everything about it! It speaks to my heart. My heart for women and young girls, my heart for those in crisis pregnancy situations, my heart for Africa, my heart for walking along side people, not just attempting quick fixes, my love of craftiness, my heart for health. I LOVE that the woman leading this Home is African, has grown up in this very place, and seen JESUS radically change her life. Check out Mercy House and their vision page, or buy some cute Etsy Christmas gifts for a great cause.

Attitude of Gratitude

193. Working in place where people are sick all the time makes me so thankful for my health, my ability to do most anything I want to do, not like climb Mt. Everest, but you know, things I'm able to do.
194. My new kitchen "chandelier" has replaced the paint peeling 80's white ceiling fan. I know it's "stuff", but it's pretty.
195. Amazing black sky the other morning, storm clouds against the bright sun lighting the yellow leaves.
196. Desire, born deep within, even if it never goes anywhere, the desire brings life and dreaming
197. Family, wonderful family
198. A father-in-law turning 74, sounds much older than he is!
199. Lazy days, and staying up to late because I just can't put down the project
200. The overwhelming, bring tears to my eyes generosity of complete strangers to a should have been new Mom
201. Women, friends, willing to do anything to help
202. Flannels
203. My girl on the upswing (I hope) of yet another illness
204. A library visit with a friend
205. New glasses

206. Early morning drives with my boy to school
207. A deal on new and well liked winter coats, thanks Lord
208. Interesting, enjoyable read
209. Fall fabrics, deep browns, rich reds
210. Being on the other side of waiting
211. "Hey Mom, listen to this one", giggles and belly laughs from his perch on the heat vent

Snoopy and the Red Baron

I got these actually for dogs goggles at a "friends only" garage/boutique sale! Scored some other great items too, but thought these would be a great for Ditto who loves dressing up :) I think we're going to have to track down the original Red Baron because the kids don't remember it.