Cake Creation

My little girl loves Dora the Explorer.

Her birthday was coming up.

i wanted to make her a Dora-themed cake.

so i decided on doing her favorite map.

She told me she wanted pink candles and blue icing.

thankfully she loved the Dora's Pirate Adventures,

the map scene is water. 

therefore,

Blue icing.

I made Map for her.

out of Fimo.

then I made the singing bridge and the treasure chest.

also out of Fimo.

I made a couple of cakes ahead of time.

One i used my star cookie cutter and made little star cakes.

these were for her friends at Sunday School.

the other cake was for the party.

i don't know how long i spent icing the cake, and making it look as i wanted it to.

the boy got to help me by placing Map,

the treasure chest,

and the singing bridge with the chocloate stones.

then i finished off with the writing.

i'd have to say i was quite pleased with how it turned out.

the girl loved it too.

Add a Backpack pinata and the theme was complete.

Outdoor Fresh

Today i hung a load of laundry on the line.

the first one of the season.

i love hanging laundry.

i love taking the time to hang it all up,

to enjoy being outside for that time.

sometimes i get to do it with no one out there.

time to myself.

peace.

other times i watch the kids play and laugh....

and fight...sigh.

sometimes the boy likes to sit with me and hand me the clothes pins.

my favorite time is truly the alone time.

i love knowing the clothes will swing in the breeze

warm in the sun

smell like the outdoors.

i look forward to this day all winter long.

everytime i load or empty the dryer.

sure, clothes in the dryer seem softer...

have less lint...

but dryer dry and line dry just don't compare.

this is actually from last summer but you get the point.

**i had thought about taking a picture of my clothes hanging up, but didn't in the end.**

happy birthday little one

My baby is turning 3.

what a beauty she is.

i wanted to share a look at her over this past year

on her 2nd birthday.. enjoying the spoils of the pinata.

Snow is melted in gpa and gma's backyard..lovin' the puddle (as always)

my beautiful girl, enjoying the summer weather.

Smiling for gramma

You can't see me!  sleeping out in the tent.

Haha mommy, look what i can do and you can't!

look at the caterpillar i was playing with - why isn't he moving?

Sleepy head - she passed out during quiet play.  oh so tired from growing up.

My jumpin' queen!

Lovin' the chocolate.

haha, look what i did when you weren't looking.

my beautiful puppy.

Happy Birthday to my fun-lovin', crazy beautiful girl.



The Girl

My beautiful little girl turns 3 in just under 2 weeks.

She is my baby.

She is my 'Kota-girl

She is my "friend"

She is my 'little miss attitude'

She is my snot nosed little brat

She is my truck lovin', steamroller wanting, mud eating, pretty in pink, princess.

She is a pony some days.

She is a puppy some days

She is my clean freak...yet eats her snot, mud, dirt, crayons....

She is my 'fluent in Dora/Diego spanish' kid

She is my 'bop her head to the music', dancer

She has fear, yet no fear

She has a best friend: the boy.
Lamby is a close second though
She admires and adores her big brother... so much she annoys him often.

She loves her papa and her grandpa

She is Grandma/Gramma's girl

She will forever be daddy's little girl.

i have a daughter, and i am so thankful for her.

School Days.. Part 3: tears and more tears

I told you about the bus pick up...

I told you about choosing to send him 3 days a week...

well, i haven't yet told you how he did going to school.

oh my.

well, the bus was a challenge for the first week or two.

tears every time he thought about the bus.

tears the night before when he realized it was a school day the next day.

tears as he begged me to drive him.

tears as he begged me to let him stay home.

tears if there was a supply driver.

happy when he came home.

He got better.

he didn't cry about the bus ride anymore.

i talked with his teacher and reailzd he wasn't crying so much at school.

then he got the flu.

he went to school on the wednesday.

he cried all day.

he had a fever that night.

sick all day thursday.

i kept him home on friday.

Monday was not a good morning.

tears were back.

and school was scary again.

thus began the daily tears.

he didn't full out cry about the bus anymore.

He asked every school morning if he could stay home.

I went to pick him up one day.

i talked with his teacher and she was saying that maybe a shorter day would be better for him

for them too - since he cried almost the whole day each day.

he wouldn't participate, except with small groups.

if the tears weren't coming, they were always near the surface.

we decided i'd come each day at 11:30

the hardest transition for him was going outside

i would arrive once they were outside.

the tears were starting to be less,

knowing that i would be coming when he would be outside.

He loved coming home after half a day.

i didn't know how to get him to want to go for longer days.

how did i feel?

my son, the one who loves learning, hated school.

i always heard how smart he was.

i always heard how easy school would be for him.

i knew he was shy.

he usually got better once he understood the routine.

this seemed different.

i felt like a failure.

i felt like i hadn't prepared my kid for entering school.

i cried myself to sleep some nights.

i wanted to cry when i put him on the bus.

i wanted to cry when his teacher suggested sending him half days.

it didn't matter what people said, i still felt that way.

i went to the observation time and had a chance to watch him interact.

I bribed him.

no tears and i'd buy him a rocket popsicle after.

don't judge me.

like you've never bribed your kid at some point.

he cried that day when i was leaving. 

eventhough he knew i'd be back to get him later.

no popsicle.

i talked with his ECE teacher for a while before I left.

in that talk i told her about BEAR.

Bear is the boy's best friend.

he goes everywhere with him.

when he's scared he brings Bear.

Bear doesn't go to school with him.

She told the teacher about Bear

when i picked him up later that morning i had a chance to help elijah pick out a best friend for school.

something that could go outside with him,

somthing that he could hold and bring with him to each aspect of the day.

He picked Jaguar.

a plastic jaguar.

no hesitation.

he knew who he wanted.

Jaguar goes into the boy's cubby when he's not in school.

since that day, the boy asked if he could be picked up later in the day..

then changed his mind and told me that he wanted to take the bus home.

he missed doing that.

I wanted to cry.

I was so thankful to hear my son making that decision on his own.

He started going full days again.

Jaguar is his buddy

sometimes Jaguar doesn't stay with him, but he knows where he is.

he loves school.

his teachers tell me he is full of smiles now.

he is making friends now.

he participates in all class activities.

they are finally meeting the boy i know and love.

will i have a part 4? i think so.  i need to tell you about his amazing teachers.

Oh yeah, he did got that popsicle.  the next day, actually.

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I love to read. 

I love to get lost in a good story.

I love feeling like I know the characters, and what stirs them.

So, I had a recommendation to read The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

Theresa wanted me to read it so we could go see the movie when it came out in March.

OK.

why not. 

sounds interesting.

I put my name on the waiting list for it at the town library.

Title: The Hunger Games

First in a Trilogy.

Author: Suzanne Collins

Target Audience: Young Adult

Fiction

North America in the future. 

Not how we know it. 

It has been destroyed and now all that's left is The Capitol City and 12 districts.

The Capitol has the money, the food, the clothes, all the pleasures of life. 
it rules the 12 districts. 

each district has it's own specialty.  Coal, Fabrics, Fish, Trees....etc.
They send all their goods to the Capitol. 

They are guarded by Peacekeepers, they are fenced in, with electric fences. 

The people live in poverty. 
The people starve to death. 

The people have to give one young man and one yong woman (between 12-18) to fight, to the death, in the televised Hunger Games each year. 

If one of their fighters happens to stay alive and win they are a Victor and the Victor's district receives extra portions of food etc. each month for the next year. 

Why do they send their kids to fight to the death? 

The Capitol does this each year to remind the districts of their power and how the districts (formerly 13 of them) attempted to revolt one time, only to see number 13 completely destroyed, and the others into even harsher submission. 

Keep the power where it belongs.. in the Capitol. 

The Hunger Games is reality Television at it's worst. 

The Capitol residents love the hunger games, cheering for their favorites to win, and cheering when the others die, usually in bloody fights. 

each district sends one boy, and one girl. 

Katniss is the girl for district 12. 

the district that mines.

She volunteers when her 12 year old sister's name is drawn. 

it's her sister's first year with her name in the draw. 

Katniss steps up to save her sister. 

She will fight in the Hunger Games. 

The book is about Katniss. 
She lost her father in the mines at a young age. 
She cares for her mother and sister. 
She is a hunter, in the woods around district 12. 
She hunts illegally, her father taught her how to use the bow. 
The Hunger Games is her story. 
She is strong, but feels weak.
She, along with everyone else in the district, hates the Capitol, and that they hold these games every year.  but she will be a part of it, she took her sister's place, and has promised that she will win and come home.  She needs to do everything she can in order to stay alive. 
Peeta is the boy from District 12.
Can she kill him when she needs to?   

and then go back home and face his family. 

This book had me within the first couple paragraphs.  I liked Katniss.  She's hard, but her life has been hard.  I think Suzanne Collins has written the characters very well.  even the ones who only appear for a short time.  

There were descriptive killings, but not overly, and not disturbing. 

Enough to understand what had happened. 

It's a story about Love: for family, for friends.

It's a story about strength.

it's about fighting against Big Brother.

it's about standing up and being proud of yourself.

i love to read, and i'm glad that i read this - in 2 days.  

Suzanne wove a gripping tale.

i'm glad my friend recommended it - it lived up to her praise.

i just finished the second book Catching Fire, in another 2 days of reading. 

and have my name waiting for the third one MockingJay. 

if you dream about the books you read i don't know if i'd recommend this to you, you will want to stay up reading it.  but you may dream about the deaths, and that may not be so fun.

I am looking forward to seeing this in the theater.

Papa John vs. Big Cat

In September my dad ran the Terry Fox Run with me. 

At that time we had no idea that Cancer was stalking him.

i say stalking because that's how i see what it is doing.

unfortunately, in some people cancer ravages them.

cancer grips a hold and tears apart.

it destroys and kills.

in my dad the cancer is a lion.. a panther.

it is slowly, quietly stalking him.

deciding how to destroy him, but biding it's time.

it had already began scratching at his tonsil

it had made a place of rest in a lump in his neck.

it is circling, patiently.

if you have ever seen a cat, large or small, stalking prey

that is how i see the cancer in my dad.

it has not ripped, torn, shredded.

it is stalking him...

waiting for the right time to lunge, to attack with full force.

believe me, even a stalking panther is dangerous.

it's quiet and light on it's feet.

it is stealth.

it is killer waiting to happen.

thankfully my dad has attacked before it had the opportunity to lunge.

his chemo and radiation end over this next week. 

then we'll see if the cat is killed or just tranquilized.

i pray it's dead.

because i don't want it to wake up mad.

More on my dad's cancer see: my mom's blog

Date Nights

2 nights of amazing movies.

the second night we even got to go out for dinner first:

Subway!

You will love the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour if you like the following:

movies

laughter

the outdoors

outdoor adventures and pursuits

travel

people and their lives

learning about cultures

seeing people accomplish goals

heartpounding, seat gripping craziness

dreams coming true - or at least people attempting them

i recommend that you check out the tour in a place near you.

out of the ones dan and i saw i had a couple favorites:

Reel Rock: Origins Obe & Ashima - crazy awesome boulderer: 9 year old girl.

Kadoma - an amazing story about kayaking in the Congo. 

(a story about adventure, dreams, life and, unfortunately, loss)

C.A.R.C.A - the way avalanche rescue should be.

(for a full list and descriptions, go to the BMFF tour site)

Praying for my kids

I became a mom 4 1/2 years ago. 

My church has a thursday morning women's Bible study that i used to go to weekly.

it's called TLC. 

thursday ladies conversation?...tender lovin' care?....the ladies connection...(i never knew what it actually meant until recently) 

Anyway, I met some amazing women there.

learnt some wonderful truths about life and the Bible.

Shared prayer requests, and prayed with others.

it was always a time to go and spend time with other young moms, and some special senior women.

there was always child care, which made it so much easier to focus on the teaching that day.

i haven't been going lately - i got out of it when the boy had swim lessons on thursday mornings.

anyway,

one day Christine, who was leading it, brought in an article about praying for your kids.

I liked that idea. 

I had thought of it but beside the "dear God, please help my kids grow up loving you, and keep them safe" i never had a specific prayer time for them.

The article had 31 character traits to pray for - one a day (for most months) 

it talked about this guy's discovery as he began to pray specifically for his kids daily.

Well, i have adapted some, by merging a couple or adding a new one,

but i have been attempting to do this each morning..

i will be honest.

i was doing awesome, every morning...

 then i missed a day..

and another..

it's been a couple months and i just started again. 

3 mornings in a row now.

one thing i try to do, as well, 

while I pray for the specific character traits for my kids

i also pray them for myself and for my husband. 

if we don't have character traits then why do I expect my kids to see the importance of it.

Here the list as i do it. 

with verses for reference (some from the article, some i chose).

1. Salvation (Isa 45:8, 2Tim 2:10, 1Thess 5:9,10)
2. Growth in Grace (2Pet 3:18, 2Tim 2:1)
3. Love (Eph 5:2, Gal 5:22, Prov 3:3)
4. Honesty & Integrity (Ps 25:21NLT, Prov 12:17)
5. Self-Control (1Thess 5:6)
6. A Love for God's Word (Ps 19:10, Ps 56:4)
7. Justice (Ps 11:7, Micah 6:8, Ps 106:3)
8. Mercy (Luke 6:36, Matt 5:7)
9. Respect (for self, others, authority) (1Pet 2:17a, 1Pet 3:15b)
10. Strong, Biblical Self-Esteem (Eph 2:10)
11. Faithfulness (Prov 3:3)
12. Courage (Deut 31:6)
13. Purity (Ps 51:10)
14. Kindness (1Thess 5:15)
15. Generosity (1Tim 6:18-19)
16. Peace, peaceability (Rom 14:19)
17. Joy (1Thess 1:6)
18. Perseverance (Heb 12:1)
19. Humility & Compassion (Titus 3:2 & Col 3:12)
20. Responsibility (Gal 6:5 TNIV)
21. Contentment (Phil 4:12-13)
22. Faith (Luke 17:5-6, Heb 11:1-40)
23. A Servant Heart (Eph 6:7 TNIV)
24. Hope (Rom 15:13)
25. The willingness and ability to work hard (Col 3:23 TNIV)
26. A Passion for God (Ps 63:8 KJV)
27. Self-Discipline (Prov 1:3)
28. Prayerfulness (Eph 6:18)
29. Gratitude (Col 2:7, Eph 5:20)
30. A Heart for Missions (Ps 96:3)
31. Forgiveness (Col 3:13)

when a day is missed feel free to pair up the ones missed and just keep praying.  

Praying for our kids is very important for us as parents, grandparents. 

if you're planning to have kids, adopt kids, raise any kids, it is never too early to begin praying for them.

Keep pressing on. 

School Days part 2: how many days a week?

We're in the district of the only school in town that currently has 5 day a week JK/SK.
that is 5 full days a week, for the 4 - 6 year olds. 

when we were looking forward to sending the boy to school i had a problem with that above fact.
He was turning 4 the summer before he started school, and i knew my son enough to know that sending him 5 days was not a wise choice.  He needed his alone time in the day, and if i'm home why do i need to send him.

personally i feel like it's to accommodate those families with both parents working or the single parents who have to work.  it's free and the kids are somewhere learning.  for those families, great. Glad there's the affordable option for you.
For our family, i am at home with our kids, and we chose to send our boy 3 days a week.

I honestly expected a fight.  i expected the school to try to convince me i needed to send him all week.  I was ready.  I was defending it as soon as people asked what school he was going to.  Now i know that i didn't need to be defensive.

the school told me just to let his teacher know what days i was sending him, she would be in charge of knowing what days, since other parents were doing their own schedule. 
What? other parents aren't sending their kids all week long? 
we are really allowed to choose the days, even times, that our kids will be there?

No school information told us that.

they boy's teacher told me she was glad that parents were doing that, since we know our kids and if they can handle 5 full days or not. 

What a relief!

Kids don't legally have to be in school until they're 6, so, i guess it only makes sense that we - as parents - should have the authority to choose how often they go. 

the boy started the year, you know how it started with the bus..., well he started the year with a lot of tears! i do mean a lot! 

i figured he'd get used to the 3 full days a week once he realized the schedule..
wow,  things don't always go as planned.

stay tuned for part 3.

Step in Time

Well....

I LOVED IT!

Dan and I are back from watching the Broadway Musical (in Toronto)

MARY POPPINS

I loved it.

The stage

The transitions

Bert

Mary

the songs

i will admit - not too big of a fan of the dancing statues..

but other than that

two thumbs way up

spectacular performances.

wish i could go see it again.

i get so crazy weepy when i watch performances like this..

but i can't bring myself to let the tears out. 

so hard to control today.

The live performance is so different than the movie,

but so amazing in it's own way.

Reality of Life and Loss

A friend of mine just lost his father on Dec 31 2011
The end of a year... the end of a precious, amazing life (here on earth).

People go into New Years Eve taking stock of their past year.
The amazing memories, the wise choices, but also the regrets.
A new year is coming so they look forward to making more memories and hopefully no regrets.

My hope for this coming year is to cherish my loved ones.
My friend's loss has reminded me how quickly and unexpected loss can happen.
i have been facing those thoughts over the past month as I have been facing the mortality of my own dad.

He has recently discovered he has cancer and as of January 2012 he will be undergoing both radiation and chemotherapy.  the reality of this has been hard to take.

Some losses come unexpectedly. 
accidents, heart attacks...
some losses may take years to happen.
illnesses, or natural causes...
but losses will happen. 

We don't know how long each of us has to spend on this earth.
I hope that any regrets that we have as we look back on the past year have nothing to do with showing love to those we care about. 
may the regrets we have be nothing about wishing we had spent more time with those we no longer can.. or never telling them how much we loved them. 

As 2011 ends and 2012 begins let's make sure we remember to love each moment of each day. 
forgive, love, cherish, hug, kiss, laugh, share, build memories that you'll enjoy remembering. 
i love my dad...he is one of the most special men in my life.
my friend loves his dad, and misses him like crazy.
but i know his dad knew he was loved by his son.

let's make sure to cherish the lives around us and not regret when they are lost.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar...

I got an early Christmas gift from my parents.

i know it's after Christmas right now but I got it the weekend before.

My dad figured it would help us as we decided when we were heading to Toronto to visit them over these holidays.

I love Mary Poppins.

I love theatre & musicals.

my dad got me 2 ticket to go see Mary Poppins the Musical in Toronto.

I think i said thank you.

i do know that i suddenly couldn't stop talking.

When i get excited i begin to babble - and babble i did.

i have introduced the movie to my kids and they like most of it.

(the girl doesn't like the 'pirates' that shoot their cannons at the 'guys dancing up on the white house')

i am looking forward to going.. to experience this musical.

i'll tell you about it after.

A Journey Home

I love being on stage.

I love watching a performance come together.

I love sharing this experience with the rest of the cast and support crew.

we have been rehearsing since mid September(?)

and on Sunday night we wrapped up our 2 performances.

it's always a bitter-sweet night.

yay, we're all done, and now maybe i can get some rest.

but, oh, we're done.  All that time, energy, excitement... wow, that was so fast.

(the following pics were taken at the dress rehearsal)

Thank you to all who were a part of this year's performance.

Janice for the words and drawing the picture for us.

Matt for the dream that became a reality this weekend.

Barb for believing in us and guiding us through it all.

Tech guys for all your crazy hard work and dedication

Robin & Cami for your amazing stand-in work, commitment, stage help, prompting and encouragement.

Construction crew for.. well, the amazing set.

HHS, and anyone else who donated books... that was a HUGE library we had to fill.

spouses, families, friends who supported these crazy rehearsals, for praying, for coming and inviting others.

anyone i missed - - sorry.  but please know you were appreciated!

and thanks to Jade for taking some pics for me since I couldn't do it.

too cute

Dan and the boy are heading to Illinois for a wedding. 

- Dan's cousin is getting married -

the boy is Dan's date and will get to meet some family he's never met before.

Yesterday, in the car, i listened to the boy telling his sister what he was going to be doing.

I couldn't hear what the girl was saying

"*I'm going on a road trip."

(* pronounced I'n)

"No, Papa's not coming"

 " Not with you.  with daddy, gamma, gampa and Cooper (the dog)" 

"I don't know...."

"I'm getting married to somebody."

I had to tell him that he wasn't the one getting married and that he was going to watch someone get married.

His face fell.

He looked so sad about that.

a prayer for the Cast of our Christmas Performance.

It's raining out.

the crazy snow we had is melting.

there are 11 days until Christmas.

but only 3 nights until our Christmas Performance.

A JOURNEY HOME

this week is crazy.

i am at the church every evening.

Last night i stayed after the rehearsal to prime the stairs, on the set.

i got home at 2:15am.

tonight is dress rehearsal #1

"Oh Lord, please help us all know our lines.

Please don't let us play a character, but let us BE that character.

when we step on stage, each night, i ask that we see through our character's eye, speak with his/her voice.  hear with his/her ears, may our actions, mannerisms, laughter, be the character we have become.

Thank you for the talent of the people involved.

i love them like family Lord. 

I am so honored that you allow me the opportunity each year to be able to be a part of these performances.

May the performances this year be pleasing.. very pleasing to you.

You have gifted us.

Our directors, writers, tech guys.

our builders, painters, creative geniuses.

our actors, stage crew, prompter.

and everyone else involved that i have no idea about.

Thank you for our families

who allow us to take the time to be out there doing what we are passionate about.

Help us as we strive to bring you the best.

to bring the community of Huntsville the best.

Help us not be shy, not be distracted, not be sick.

Help us to be confident, be strong, bold, healthy.

I ask for your blessing on those of us in this production.

i ask for your blessing on each of the audience members.

some don't know if they'll go yet. 

Use us to show them who you are.

Thank you for Christmas.

Thank you for sending Jesus, your son, as a baby.

thank you for easter, Lord.

without Christmas, Easter would not have happened." 

"Wow, Anna, it sounds like there might be a lot more to this story!" - Gail



School Days.. part 1: bus pick up

My 4 year old started school in September.

He was going to love his teachers.

He was going to make the bestest friend ever.

He was going to have so much fun at school and love going each day.

He was going to ride the bus, as he had been dreaming about.

Elijah driving a school bus in 2009

those were my plans.

Reality is so much different sometimes.

The first couple days of school he didn't ride the bus - the bus company had never sent me info - and for a first time mom of a school kid, that was quite irritating.

The info the school had for me about it didn't make sense.

we live directly on the bus route but the info said we had to walk along our busy road - with no shoulder on it - to another house 5 minutes away. 

Day 2 of school we walked to the stop and the bus drove right past us.

Needless to say, i was quite frustrated.

We walked back home, loaded into the car and drove to the school.

(now, i never had to take a bus to school, so the whole bus aspect of school was new to me too, so i was beginning to hate the idea.)

The boy was quite upset since he had wanted to go on the bus so badly.

I was upset because 'the system' was stupid. 

don't make us walk to some random house when no other kids were waiting there..
only to have the bus not even pick up my son.

we arrived at the school and dropped off my little JKer

I went to the office with the girl and planned to get the number for the bus company. 

i was ready to complain and fight.

i got the number and explained my situation to the amazing woman behind the main office desk. 

She checked in their computer to make sure I was given the correct info. 

I was.

as i was preparing to leave, the tears started. 

I couldn't help it.

She called me back to her desk and did the calling for me.

She told them the driver had not stopped and confirmed info. with them.

I had also asked if they could pick him up at our house since we are on the route.

that was a school board issue. 

She called the school board for me.

the girl was, thankfully, quite happy reading some books they had in the office.

well..

after some phone calls the realization was there that the computer had us down as a HOME PICK-UP.

but I didn't live at that address.

a little correction and a call to the bus company.

and LOTS of apologies, since she figured it was her own clerical issue that had caused this mess.

 The boy is now picked up at our house every monday, wednesday and friday.

how he likes it is for another entry.

snow angels

so it snowed today. 

the kids were so excited to see it.

after lunch we went out to play in it..

so you know, the grass is currently still visible.

but my kids...

they laid right down and began their first snow angels of the year.

too cute!

then we made a little army of snowmen to guard our steps.

only daddy the t-rex (king of the jungle - according to elijah) can get by them.

i grabbed my camera.

turned it on.

held it to my eye...

oops, the battery is dead.

but picture this:

two snow-clothed little rug rats.

smiles, laughter...

plopping their bodies flat onto the grassy snow..

and swinging their arms and legs for their angels.

light snow falling all around them.

priceless.

wish there was enough snow to actually leave an angel imprint.

a big Thank You

Courage is standing and fighting even when you want to turn and run. 

to all our veterans and current members of the Canadian Armed Forces:

THANK YOU.

I wrote more last year:  Remember.

creativity

I married a creative genius.

that may not be how he would describe himself.

he can build and create some pretty spectacular pieces of work.

i have a page on this blog dedicated to the things we make, but this piece...

I had to make sure it was seen by everyone who checked out the blog.

He made me a lamp this year.

from a tree in our back yard.

my job was to paint the lantern covers.

we're a pretty good team i'd say.

Sick Day

So, my son is home from school today - sick.

honestly he's getting over whatever he had yesterday but i kept him home to rest a little more. 

he's so tired lately.

School's a big adjustment for a little body.

well, we decided to have a party tonight
- and to have a party, one needs a cake -

so we got to work on it.

the kids donned their aprons
(hand-me-downs from my mom's kitchen)

and we got to work.

flour.. check.

sugar.. check.

milk... oh crap. 
i had maybe 2/3 a cup of milk.

i was going to go to the store this today after the girl and I went to a friend's house but my plans all changed when the boy still ran a slight fever.
(or he was just warm from his comfy bed).

into the car we piled and off we drove to Kawartha Dairy.

love the drive thru window.

after a stop at Tim Hortons,
and halloween sprinkled donuts,
 we came home to continue the cake.

we got everything else into the bowl and I mixed it.

then the kids were done.

time to enjoy their treat for helping.

i may blow up some balloons and i'll put some icing on the cake. 

it's a party for all of us,

just because we all love eachother.

name a better reason for a party.

good idea kids.

just doing some thinking today.

4 years ago I had a baby boy.

we did almost everything together.

today he is in Junior Kindergarten.

he is dressed as a soccer player.

2.5 years ago I had a baby girl

she did almost everything with me and my boy.

today she is making a tower beside me.

There is a cow standing on the tower.

don't wish the days and years of playing and learning to be gone.

cherish the children in your life.

love the children in your life.

hug and kiss the children in your life.

or they will grow up before you realize it.

they go from learning to walk on the living room floor

to walking right out your door

and into their own grown up lives

and you will wish you could have those days and years back.

(the cow is now off the tower and she has made a duplo motorboat)

for Vanessa

the following photos are for my friend, Vanessa.

She misses our Ontario Autumn.

Vanessa, I hope this helps you on the days you miss home.

(remember how much you are loved from here too)



Job 38 (partially)

1. Then the Lord answered Job out of the storm.  He said:

... ...

4. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me if you understand.

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

12,13. Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn it's place, that it might take the earth by it's edges and shake the wicked out of it?

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

22.  Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the storehouses of the hail...

...

24.  What is the way to the place where lightning is dispersed, or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?

25.  Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm...