Strange Findings

Clara likes to putter around the house doing odd and strange little games that I'm not aware of. She likes to put little cups of water in the freezer to see them freeze, and take toilet paper balls wet them and make pretend concoctions and here in the pictures is a green pineapple ice cube tray filled with chocolate chips that she had forgotten about and left behind, to Benjamin's delight!

A Little Lesson:

I'll admit I don't get in the way of imagination activities that I'm not a part of, even if it will require heroic clean up afterwards. Yes, I believe in letting our children spread their wings. But I am even a bigger fan of the 25-75 minutes it occupies them that I can keep on doing what I'm doing!

My Muses

My  w i n d  b e n e a t h  m y  w i n g s  husband recently purchased a 'recording studio' for me so that I could put all the songs I compose down on something more permanent.  I try to weave composing time into my sock-finding, bath-filling and bottle-fumigating day.  (bottle fumigating for those of you who live a less gong-show life than I do, is when you find a bottle that has been discarded by the infant child in a place you were not aware of and discover it many, many days later) We actually live on a hill that allows me to see out my window the snow covered mountains, the beautiful cityscape and hundred year-old trees all year round.  But what I most like to use as my muse while composing is the artwork of my children.  I never tire of staring at it.  

    

A Little Lesson:

     All mothers face the same conundrum of what to do with all of the artwork that comes through the house.  Some say, store it in bins. Others will say, take a picture and make a book. And some mothers will mount their children's art in frames for all to see. Whatever you do, DO NOT CASUALLY THROW IT ONTO THE TOP OF THE GARBAGE UNDER THE SINK WHERE AN UNSUSPECTING CHILD DISCOVERS THEIR BELOVED WORK OF ART LAYING BESIDE THE EGGSHELLS AND ORANGE PEELS FROM BREAKFAST.   Believe me when I say, there are not enough words in the english language to explain that one away!

O Canada

 I didn't mind that our hardworking Canadian athletes only brought home 3 gold medals.  It was tough competition, we only have a small pool of people to choose from (34 million) and it's cold up here in Canada, we are lucky to even be invited to the summer Olympics.  But I'll tell you what I was most sad about...the world only got to hear our anthem three times.  I think it is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.  I like to weave it into every song I play on the piano.  Especially prelude music for church.  I gently bring in it's beautiful melodic phrases as my fingers swirl in and out of hymns.  It even has the phrase God keep our land glorious and free....I love that!

Today Jordan will be accompanying his school when they sing the anthem in their assembly.  It was one of his summer projects to learn it.  

A Little Lesson:

     Imagine the pressure to compose a piece of music that will stand the test of time.  The words have to have meaning generation after generation and even centuries later.  Thank you Lavallee for the music and Weir for the English lyrics and Happy 100th Birthday as it was first performed in English in 1908.  

Ten Days...

click here to see what she's sleeping with...

Clara came ten days overdue on January 10th, which also turns out to be 10 days past the kindergarten entry for 2008/9 cut off.  As the older kids prepared their new backpacks and new lunch bags and new school clothes, Clara looked on with longing eyes.  She of course would love to go to school.  She is ten days too young.  She improvises and carries around her 'homework' that she likes to do throughout the day.  She found a workbook that had a two on it and thought this is a low number it ought to be good for me.  (grade two!) Yesterday we sat on the couch together and did 'homework'.  She is a trooper.  An extra year home with my darling Clara is just fine with me.  

A Little Lesson:

     You just never know why things work out the way they do.  Perhaps Clara will meet a lifelong friend in grade five or maybe get that teacher in grade eight that inspires her to become a zoologist.  Things always just seem to work out in the end.

Remember when...

First Day of School 2008

First Day of School 2007

(Woops, no pictures taken - just of our newborn baby Benjamin)

First Day of School 2006

First Day of School 2005

First Day of School 2004

A Little Lesson:

They really really do grow up. My favourite stage would be, whatever one I'm thinking about at that present moment.Oh what I would do togo back in time for just a few days and hold my baby Jordan again, stop the clock today and make cookies with Clara forever, or jump in the future and visit my grandchildren. This quote used to hang on my wall in my missionary apartment in Japan...

Time is too slow for those who wait

Too swift for those who fear

Too long for those who grieve

Too short for those who rejoice

But for those who love...

Time is eternity.

I Can't Remember!

"How many?"  Four scoops. "How many mom??"  Four.  "One........two.........how many scoops?"  Four. "What number am I on?"  I don't know.  "I think I'm on two."  Okay. "two...three"  "I can't remember mom."  Don't worry it will still taste great.

I give her a small measuring cup so that she gets to scoop it lots of times.  She almost always looses track.  We almost always have extra chocolate chips in our cookies.  It's one of those mistakes we like around here.  

A Little Lesson:

When we really get why we're on the earth, we will see the mistakes we make and learn from, are the chocolate chips in our cookie.  

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

Ether 12:27 (Book of Mormon)

Even better, we are promised we have a loving Heavenly Father who has told us if we repent he will also say of our mistakes..."I can't remember!"

All Better

His fever is gone and his smile is back.  I was sure grateful to my mom and dad who took my little sweetheart for the day on Saturday so we could travel around the city on public transit, and he could rest.  His latest is folding his arms while he waits for everyone to sit down, food to be brought to the table and start the prayer.  He likes prayer time, it's calm and quiet.  He looks at each of us during the prayer and grunts out something to see if we'll look at him.  He likes people to look at him even more than he likes prayer time.  

 A Little Lesson:

     A little bout of sickness always reminds me how wonderful it is to be healthy.    

They Don't Match Up

We love it when the Loose family comes into town.  They have four children.  We have four children.  None of them match up properly though, Jenna plays with Emily even though she is the same age as Jordan.  Jordan plays with Jacob even though Jacob is the same age as Emily.  Tyler plays with the boys, and Clara plays with the girls.  All of us parents smile and think just wait about seven or eight more years and they will all be so happy we are all friends.  

 A Little Lesson:

    Hardly anyone ever marries their parent's best friend's kids.  I know that.  But it's sure fun to smile and think with such a wonderful bunch of kids surely one of them will end up with one of them! Giggle giggle.

 

The Spread

Colleen, Violet and I headed out to see Tami Lyn who recently moved to a beautiful new home in Pitt Meadows.  When we arrived, there was a spectacular spread of delicious appetizers on her marble island all beautifully manicured and coordinated to perfection.   I think I'm doing great when I rip open a bag of nacho chips and serve it with my home-made salsa.  After eating prawns, crab dip, sweedish meatballs, pistachios, melted camembert cheese, roasted walnuts, artichoke dip, french bread etc.... we moved into her living room and reminisced of days gone by, caught up on the present and shared our dreams about our future.  Thank you Darrin and Craig for watching all ten children, putting them to bed, and tidying up all so a few chicks could have a little visit.  

 A Little Lesson:

   Great getaways often come at the cost of others helping you out. Thank you again.

Baptism

Emily is eight years old and so are all of her friends at church.  These days we are spending at least once a month (if not twice) attending all of her friend's baptisms.  Tonight is Ariyana Milad's, one of Emily's dearest friends, special day.  Ariyana asked Emily to sing a primary song with her as a duet for a special musical number.  It was beautiful.  The evening was filled with inspiring music and testimonies.  

A Little Lesson:

    Sometimes we get dressed up on a Sunday evening because we know we should come out and support a church activity.  And then there are times we smile and relish in the opportunity to support those we love in their special days.  This was one of them.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

We wanted to do something different.  We wanted to do something exciting.  We wanted all fourteen of us to have a fun, memorable and breathtaking experience...

D e s t i n a t i o n :  Make it to the top of Grouse Mountain!

We drove to Granville Island.

We took an aquabus to BC Place Stadium.

We took a skytrain to Waterfront station.

We took a seabus to Lonsdale Quay.

We took a citybus to the bottom of Grouse Mountain.

We took a gondola up the mountain.

We took pictures of the spectacular view and then...

we took all those things back home again!

A Little Lesson:

Who new that public transit could bring so many smiles to so many children for so many hours!

Hot Baby!

Last night my little guy spent the evening fighting a fever.  He woke up about every two hours trying to find comfort tossing himself between his parents in the big bed.  He was that kind of hot that you can hardly hold them, as it makes you too hot yourself.  His eyes were glassy, his cheeks were flushed and his cry was soft and raspy.  It's no fun being sick!

A Little Lesson:

     When a child goes down for the count my head quickly projects forward and thinks, okay, what will we be missing, what will I have to cancel, who will I have to fill in for me for whatever it is I am signed up for, what will Craig have to go to that I will stay home etc.  Perspective.   I am grateful for the ease and comfort we have as parents with sick kids.  In modern days, parents don't worry if a fever is life-threatening, the latest strain of some terrible disease raging through the village, or what the neighbour children had that took their sight and put them without the use of their legs.  We just have to worry if we have enough infant tylenol to make it through the night.  

Internet DOWN!

The only thing that made the past four days bearable was the fact we had our wonderful friends the Looses and Keelers over for the weekend. On Saturday morning at exactly 6:03 am (when I usually like to post my blogs) my internet service stopped. Just like that. No warning, no phone call, no message telling me, don't worry we'll be back up in a few minutes. I waited. I waited some more. I hung out with my friends. FOUR days later, approximately 20 minutes ago, my internet returned. I would like to grumble loudly about Telus (my internet provider and my husband's employer), but they are the company that pays for me and my family to have a roof over my head and food on the table. Instead, I will grumble quietly to myself.

A Little Lesson:

Checking email, posting a blog, a good crepe recipe, the daily weather report, directions to my friend's house out in Mission, what does it cost to put in a pool, when to pick Japanese tomatoes, what time is the baseball game playing, how much does the gondola at Grouse mountain cost, Rachel's phone number, that hilarious youtube spot to show my buddies are just a few of the reasons I went to my computer room, stopped, realized my computer was down, and felt completely helpless. I would like to say instead I read more books to my children, cleaned my house even more thorough, and wrote letters to distant relatives overseas. That would be a lesson learned indeed. No, that did not happen. Instead, I realized we need to buy a generator. If in fact this city is going to be in an earthquake I want access to my computer no matter what!

You Go Girl!

This is the cake I bought from Safeway for my son's first birthday.  It was chocolate with some kind of gooey pudding inside.  

This is the cake my buddy Judy made for her daughter's fourth birthday.  Clearly I have extraordinarily talented friends.  You are my cake idol Judy!

A Little Lesson:

    I have come to learn that when you meet people who are super dooper in what they do, and you kind of stink at it, there are three responses you can choose....

1. "I am such a looser, I can't do that, I'm not good at anything, I'm so lame." 

                                            or

2. "Wow! You're amazing! I hope one day I can do something like that too - can you give me some tips!"

                                            or

3.  "You GO Girl!"  "Not going to try that any time soon but...YOU GO GIRL!"

I hope all of us dabble in and out of number 2 and 3  - it sure makes life a lot happier!

Proud Sister

My little sister Jenn, mother of three/entrepreneur/homemaker/dabbles in the gong show life like her big sister, announced last month that her company Alphabet Garden Designs was selected to have an article written about her in their Arthritis Today magazine.  We giggled and gave her a standing ovation.  Yeah Jenn!  She sells vinyl lettering for home decor and weddings.  So we thought, hey, people with arthritis have decorating ideas too!  Last week, however, Jenn announced her company is going to be featured in an actual BRIDAL magazine!  I was so proud.  We didn't giggle, we gave her a standing ovation and did the wave!  So proud! 

I've watched Jenn say hey I'm going to start a company that sells vinyl lettering, bought the machine and got started.  She has come to master the art of climbing the Google search latter and finding ways to become visible.  She has never taken a business course in her life but has managed to work with over 50 wholesalers, hire employees, and gets dozens of orders a day!  I feel like I am watching that famous saying by Thomas Edison:

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration!

Go Jenn go!

A Little Lesson:

Practically everything there is to have in this life will come to us based on how badly we are willing to work for it!

Looking Happy

Last night I was at a "visiting teaching" dinner with a group of friends.  I sat next to my buddy Rana who explained to me how she decided to become a librarian.  It went something like this...

I was trying to decide what to do next.  I had my undergraduate in drama from BYU.  All of the teachers I knew, and I knew many, were frustrated and so unhappy with their jobs.  All of the lawyers I knew felt they were overworked and underpaid.  And then one evening I was at a party where it seemed half of the people there, were librarians.  They were so happy.  They enjoyed what they did.  They loved going to work.  And hey, they were all dressed so great!  I will become a librarian!

A Little Lesson:

    I thought as Rana told this story, what great advice for all of us.  Would someone spend the evening with me and conclude hey, that's a great life she's got there.  Do we really look happy in what we've chosen to do?  Food for thought.

Paint Date

The last three nights, Craig has spent the evening with Benjamin...Benjamin Moore that is.  Our house still has about 57 door, window, and baseboard frames t0 be painted.  And about 2 million nail holes to be filled with putty.  I call it the Never-Ending Reno, a B-movie that went straight to dvd.   Craig finds a little time between dadhood, stakehood, telushood and husbandhood to dig out the brush and go to work.  He's really good at it.  He takes his time, he is meticulous and he keeps on pluggin along. Our home is in many respects beautiful because of him.  I just like to go to Pottery Barn and Ikea.  In our marriage I am absolutely the hare and he is the tortoise.  I am the burst of energy kind of worker, he is the slow and steady win the race kind of guy.  I didn't know this when I married to him.   He was tall, dark and handsome, he loved the Lord and he was head over heels in love with moi!

A Little Lesson:

   I've always given the advice to youth and YSA in speaking assignments I have given over the years, when finding a companion to spend the rest of your life with, find someone who really loves the Lord as much as you do.  That one quality over all the rest will mean you will marry someone who is striving constantly to become a better person.  A more Christ-like person.  The other personality traits whether charming or annoying will evolve and develop into what will be your companion's greatest potential.  

Von Trapps We Are Not

When I came home from the pawn shop, after having bought my first guitar, the first thing I did was learn three chords and write a Family Home Evening song.  It was titled Comfy Couches.  We've been singing that song at Family Home Evening since Jordan was four.  At the beginning of the summer I decided we needed a new one, and We're All in This Together was born.  (Influenced by High School Musical I?  Not so much...same title, different tune)

Recording Woes

-one of us had the hiccups

-one of us was very tired

-one of us was anxious to get back to painting the stairs

-one of us, it seems is entering puberty early

-one of us forgot to save the tracks and 

we had to record everything all over again

-one of us had the time of their lives

C a n   Y o u   G u e s s ? 

A Little Lesson:

     Learning the gospel of Jesus Christ is an ongoing lifelong journey.  Putting some of that learning to music makes the journey a little easier and a lot more fun!

Instruction Manual

A Little Lesson:

     And they say babies don't come with instruction manuals...

(Click on image to enlarge)

Heartfelt Thank You

I don't remember when Benjamin started sleeping through the night.  It was several months ago.  I didn't even say thank you.  I would just snooze away, wake up refreshed and go on with my day.  Sleep or the lack thereof is what can determine a mom's stability or the lack thereof.  Thank you Benjamin for your slumber.  I am deeply grateful.

A Little Lesson:

    Credit should be given where credit is due.  

Christmas Songs

Over the past week Clara has selected  for her personal listening choice christmas music, as she goes from room to room with her cd player in hand, set's up her toys and plays.   O Come All Ye Faithful and Silent Night have been bellowing through our home at all hours. Coincidently, my calling in the church is the Stake Activities person and our major event is the Festival of Nativities.  We set up hundreds of nativities from around the world for a three day event that celebrates the birth of Christ here in Vancouver at Christmas time.  I'm sure I will be referring to this event a lot over the next 3 months, as it is a big part of our lives.  I am slightly behind in our preparations this year and feeling the guilt of that. With Nat King Cole belting it out to the sleigh bells it is hard to not to get my head in the game and work on the necessary assignments!

A Little Lesson:

    I used the word coincidently, but I actually don't believe in coincidence.  I believe even the workings of a four year old can be part of our Heavenly Father's gentle nudgings to get a move on!

Sepia Moment

When I first got my camera I wanted to take all my pictures in the 'sepia' setting.  It felt more artistic and hip when I did that.  Not black and white.  Not colour.  It just seemed to capture the moment I was experiencing...relaxed, enjoyable, old fashioned, like the days when people would sit on porch swings and drink lemonade.  This past Sunday afternoon, Emily and I laid on the couch together and watched the Book of Mormon video The Iron Rod.  

Emily asks, "Mom"

I responded, "Yes"

"If you weren't a member of the church...do you still think you would hold on to the rod?" (holding on to the rod in our church represents keeping the commandments)  

I think for a second, "yes Em, I think I would."  

A few minutes go by...she says, "me too." 

It was a sepia moment.

A Little Lesson:

   There is a certain way our children say "Mom".  It's drawn out.  It descends and then goes up in intonation.  It is reflective and curious.  I try to watch out for these.  I know waiting on the other side is a window into our children's intricate thinkings.  

Baby Steps

The 'Faith in God' primary assignment:  make a healthy meal for your family.  I suggested wraps, chicken and rice, spaghetti, etc.  Jordan decided a can dedicated to one vegetable fit the bill.  Last night we enjoyed a lovely tomato soup meal prepared by my oldest son.  

A Little Lesson:

Although the preparation of the soup was a valuable lesson for Jordan,  when his sister decided she didn't like what he had prepared, he looked at me as if to say "ah...I get it now."  

No lecture, explanation or complaining would have had as much impact as that moment where he experienced just for a split second, his mother's life.

Always Laughing

I am what they call an 'easy laugh'.   I find most of the people in my life hilariously funny.  My gut and cheeks hurt the most however when Colleen is on the other end of the phone.  Today I woke up and didn't post a blog.  I returned home from church with this email waiting in my inbox.

Sunday 7:45am

Subject:  Where's the Blog?

It is 7:48am and I am wondering where the blog is.  Now that you are part of my morning routine you can't just take it away.  Perhaps you could bring your laptop and camera to church and drop a few lines during the intermediate hymn.  Or I am sure you could borrow Craig's new blackberry as well.

C

A Little Lesson:

   Clearly she has not read my "Sabbath Day Race" entry.

Hardly Wrapped

"Is that how you're going to wrap Austin's present?" Clara looks on with skepticism as I curl the green ribbon with a pair of scissors.  I reassure her that he will be so excited about the pink pig (Austin LOVES the colour pink!) and the Cat and the Hat colouring poster that he will forget all about the fact there is no wrapping paper.  She is not convinced and announces she doesn't want to go to the party.  In steps Emily, who by the way has negotiating skills that would put a top billing corporate attorney to tears, manages to calm her younger sister and convince her the party is worth giving up this one detail.  Clara relents and heads to the car with her hardly wrapped present.

A Little Lesson:

     I thought I was doing great having the present ready to go, we didn't even have to do the 'Toys R Us on the way to the party' run like we usually do!  There is a saying I've always loved...

God wisely designed the human body so that we can neither pat 

our own backs nor kick ourselves too easily.

Middle Child

My Clara is the middle child in our family.  Mathematically speaking she is not, but...she is.  I was also the middle child.  I can already hear people saying the things I used to hear when I was a child...she is such a character!  She sure beats to her own drum!  The other day as I was watching my little wonder, a song started to flow in and out of my mind.  I decided I would put off finishing it until another time.  This morning when I saw her from my bedroom window on the swing set in full swing, wearing her tie- die bathing suit, black cowboy boots and sunglasses singing at the top of her lungs I decided I would finish the song and put it to some memorable pictures.   Speaking from experience, I want my middle child to know...I hear ya sister!  And when you feel your world doesn't 'get' you...I will wink and smile at you and say...no explanation necessary.   The song is titled "So Beautiful"... I love you Clara.

A Little Lesson:

     I believe nothing equips you for raising children more than remembering deeply what it was truly like to be a child.   As I have mentioned before, I was not so good at the diary thing, but I feel like I have thousands upon thousands of memories of what it was like to be me.  So far that seems to be helping my little Clara the most!

Practical Wishes

I overheard my older kids talking.

Emily announces to her big brother, "I wish that I could wake up and find 10 million dollars on my bedside table."

Jordan responds with authority,  "Emily, first of all, if you ever have a wish, you have to wish that you will have like 20, 000 more wishes, then you have to start wishing for real things like never having to go to the dentist again."

A Little Lesson:

   After hearing the quote on getting drapes and blinds for my windows,  I think I'll vote for Emily's wish.

What Fun!

Today I have been bloggin' now for exactly one month.  I have more journal entries in the past 30 days here in blogland than I do for my entire high school life...what a shame.  Here's to looking to the future!  Thank you for all of you sweet people who left kind words for me to find.

A Little Lesson:

     I am still not crazy about the word 'blog' but I have come to love the exercise of putting to paper (or I should say screen) an ongoing narrative otherwise known as, my life.

We Didn't Notice!

I spent 2 hours at Arlene's, a window covering store today.  It was brought to our attention from our house sitter that we might be living as border-line exhibitionists.  Since we finished our reno (two years ago) we haven't bought drapes or curtains...yet.  Our house sitter couldn't figure out how we moved around, especially in the evening, especially in our upstairs bathroom. I have never been a fan of sheers.  I am such a big fan of light pouring into our rooms, old leaded-glass windows and curved molding, I just always thought it was a shame to cover them up.  So what if we have to shower in the dark!  We live on a hill, sort of.  The window consultant gave me a thorough education and I picked the ones I liked the best.  They were approximately $2000 per window.  And exhibitionists we will be!

A Little Lesson:

   I find more often then not it is the almighty dollar more than anything else that breeds ingenuity, flexibility and patience in the common homeowner.

Sacred Work

On the way home from camping we stopped in on our temple to see how it was doing...glorious!  It was this time last year that those piles of wood and concrete were actually a beautiful grove of trees and the primary children came from across the stake for a special activity to hear the exciting news about the temple that was coming.  It was such a beautiful day.  Emily was asked to sing "I love to see the Temple" and I accompanied her on the guitar.   President Christensen told the story about how President Hinckley chose this spot for the temple even though he couldn't even see it, as it was behind a row of 40 foot trees!  Everyone here in the lower mainland loves that story!  

A Little Lesson:

     Although it is going to be so convenient and comfortable to drive a handful of minutes to now go through the temple, the real and ongoing challenge is to allow the temple to go through us and our lives.  Is it's sacred work and purpose woven into the fabric of our days, weeks or months, or is it just a place we attend out of duty and obedience.  One of our prophets said it best:

"May you let the meaning and beauty and peace of the 

temple come into your everyday life..."

~President Howard W. Hunter

The Phone Call

This morning I woke up with a kitchen full of peaches waiting to be finished, shortly there after my older children asking for their chore assignments (Jordan & Emily are actively earning their final summer "reward"...I'll explain another time!) there was putting away the final three loads of 'camp' laundry, keeping Benjamin off the stairs - WE NEED GATES, teaching Jordan O Canada on the piano, which he was asked by the principal to play for his school assemblies for this upcoming year (which starts in 14 days by the way), and helping Emily resurrect her violin pieces from last year. It seemed doable when I started the day, but as the day progressed I realized I hadn't really recovered from camping and I was tired. I also realized I had been with my children 24/7 for what seemed like weeks without a break from these sweet people called my offspring. We were having fun of course...but even a break for just a few minutes! The day went progressively downhill. It started with a full jar of peaches cracking open in the boiler. This creates a really big mess that has to be tended to immediately. The kids took turns being annoyed with each other in various combinations: Emily with Clara, Clara with Jordan, Jordan with Clara and Emily... I don't remember hearing the violin at all and on and on and on it went, by five o'clock...I made the phone call. It went something like this...

"Craig...?"

"Yes..."

"When you come home tonight will you take all of our children out for a long drive far away."

"Where?"

"Seattle"

"How about I take them to A&W on the outskirts of town get them a root beer, head over to Rogers and get them a video which I will watch with them down the basement?"

"I love you..."

"I know"

A Little Lesson:

The entertainment world, in the common sitcom or movie, likes to portray men as insensitive and clueless to the needs and wants of women. It portrays the female as a complex creature, demanding, complicated and impossible to please. This is fantasy. My husband, a.k.a. love of my life, completely 'gets' me. He is acutely aware of what I need and more importantly when I need it. He doesn't always get it right, but he tries. In this kind and simple gesture I am renewed and ready to take on my world again. Thank you my love.

Sweet Service

I came home from camping with the 8 boxes of peaches in my garage that my wonderful buddy Tami Lyn brought me from the Okanagan last week when she was driving back to the coast.  As I stood in my kitchen with Emily at my side canning away, all I could think of was my dear Tami Lyn.  Not because of her generosity, pulling the car over to pick me up some peaches...on her birthday I might add  No, that was just the tip of the iceberg.  Last year when I discovered I was pregnant I thought of two things.  Wow I am going to have another baby, and oh oh this baby is coming the week free stone peaches are on!  I usually can 70-80 jars, and have done so for many years now. Knowing this, Tami Lyn quietly came over to my house the week before peach season, (I was 9 months pregnant) picked up several bins of jars, quietly drove to her hometown of Nelson for a week, canned my 70-80 jars of peaches and quietly brought them back to me all done, even with little material tops tied on with raffia.   I stand in my kitchen today with sticky counters, peach juice on the floor, jars in the dishwasher, jars on the counter, jars in the sink, boxes of peaches in the dinning room, canning paraphanalia everywhere, my windows steamy from all the boiling water, my eyes welled up as I thought... she did this for me! 

Most people when they hear you are going to have a baby, think, I will buy her a cute sleeper or perhaps bring her a meal when she comes out of the hospital, all wonderful gestures for sure. Tami Lyn thinks, what does my friend really want...that is what I will do.

A Little Lesson:

     If my chances of making it to heaven are based on the examples of the people I call friends, I will surely have a fighting chance. 

Another Good-Bye

This past two weeks I received the sad news that two of my dear friends Sariah and DeEtte are going to be moving away.  DeEtte and her husband Art are going to be heading up to Naramata to live in a beautiful home on the beach.  There is a big guest house on the property that already has our name on it!  Sariah and her gang are heading out to Mission to live in a wonderful house in the Silverdale area.  Living in the middle of Vancouver has meant that I have spent the past 30 or so years saying good-bye to people.   It's always comes with an awkward love/hate roller coaster ride.  You are so excited for them to have a new home, a new job, a new adventure and even a new life.  Quietly,  you are also aching that they will not be down the road, at church on Sunday, someone to wave to at Stake Conference, over for dinner, or just available for when you want to go out for lunch...

A Little Lesson:

I am grateful for all the inventions that make saying good-bye a little less painful - phone, email, internet, blogging, digital camera's and of course the obvious one...the car!  Can you say... R o a d  T r i p s ! 

365 Beautiful Days

My baby boy is one years old.  I really can say it didn't fly by, or feel like it was just yesterday, or that it seems ten years ago when I was in labour.  It feels almost exactly 364 days and a few hours.  I can say without any hesitation he is the happiest, smiliest, most cheerful human being I have ever met.  Since he was two weeks old, he has been flashing his big gummy smile at everyone and anyone who will lock eyes with him.  Our home is different since he came to stay.  He is Switzerland.  He never takes sides, he never tattles, he always loves you, he doesn't mind if you're in trouble with mom or dad, he still thinks you're wonderful.  He is our beloved Benjamin.

A Little Lesson:

     Some of the greatest blessings I've enjoyed here on earth are the things I didn't plan, didn't organize, didn't prepare for, didn't weigh the pros and cons, and didn't overanalyze.  Thanks again Jordan for wishing our little Benjamin to our family!

It's Called Glamping

This past weekend, the Umbachs and Wolseys joined us in what is referred to as "glamping", otherwise known as glamorous camping.  

What's the difference...

cabanas instead of tents

electrical outlets instead of flashlights

mini golf, swimming pool, paddleboats, ice-cream shop

hot water showers

internet access...sort of

trips to the county fair

a front desk that sells wood, ice, spaghettios and dental floss

What's the same...

smore's around the campfire (or should I say schmores)

biking around the lake

dutch ovens, camp stoves, fishing poles

finding spiders and beetles,

late night camping chair discussions

sunscreen, life jackets, 

hot days and cool nights

smelly clothes, delicious food

fun fun fun!

Here are just a few of the fun times 

we had at the Lynden KOA...

A Little Lesson:

"Glamping" with children under two years old (Benjamin and Nathan) is the way to go!  

side note:  I intend on investing in some new music soon, 

for those of you who recognize songs from past videos!

Peace of Mind

We're home...the animals were fed, the flowers were watered and the vegetables are still growing. Thank you to Nikki C. who made it possible for me to leave and completely forget about the duties of home and enjoy a vacation away with my troops!  Paying someone to live your life for you for a couple of days is truly an investment worth every penny.  I know there is always the neighbour who could pop over, pick up the mail and do a few chores.  But the peace of mind of someone keeping the fort going... completely worth it.

A Little Lesson:

Vacations have many stages to them.  The idea stage... let's go camping.  The planning stage... booking the site.  The organizing stage... we need to get a new camp stove, book house sitter, clear schedule etc. The packing and cleaning stage... don't forget sunscreen, I can't leave my bathroom looking like this!  The executing stage... what fun we are having in the woods.  The coming home stage... picking up your life where you left off.  And of course now, the blogging stage... how will I condense 527 memories into a few sentences.

Back to the Bush

We are heading out again to go camping with our buddies from Tsawwassen the Umbachs and Wolseys.  This "bush" however has        e l e c t r i c i t y !  So I may continue my bloggin' habit now that I'm a complete junkie!  If not, I'll be back on Sunday!

Side Note:

We have another friend/house-sitter coming to watch over the zoo of animals and plants while we're gone.  My hope was to leave the house in spotless condition to give the illusion to our house-sitter that we live in a squeaky-clean abode.  After daybreak this morning, as the sun started hitting my windows, my walls, our furniture and every other fingerprint infested item in our home, I realized I will be lucky to give the illusion we don't live in complete squalor.  So much for squeaky clean!  

A Little Lesson:

The exercise of looking at your home, every drawer, cupboard, corner, closet, carpet, linen, dish, mirror, sink, railing, garbage can, toilet, stair etc. through the eyes of someone who will stand before these things without your presence is humbling to say the least.  And without you standing behind them reminding them quietly. . . I  h a v e  f o u r  c h i l d r e n . . . t h e y  

d o n ' t  c l e a n  u p  l i k e  t h e y  s h o u l d . . . 

Genetics

You could offer me steak, pie, lasagna, ribs, cake,  you name it and it would still come in second to my love for Campbell's Tomato soup with about half a box of Premium Plus crackers smushed on top.  Is it possible that I have produced a child with the same crazy love!?!

A Little Lesson:

    Hey, if something out of a can, that cost 68 cents, brings a smile to my little girl's face - count your blessings!