Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year!

I'm going to go take a nap :) so I can stay up ALL night :)


This photo has nothing at all to do with New Year's, except that it was taken today at the sledding hill, and it's getting close to evening. He's catching snow balls, this was after he took off with Dad's Christmas mitt and we spent 10 minutes chasing him and then literally dog piled! I think he got the hint it was bad.

I'd like to hear about your New Year's resolutions. Maybe you'll give me some good ideas, because mine are the same every year, obviously means that I don't achieve them.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Myst

You might not know this about me, but I can get addicted to certain computer games, especially ones that end up in my stocking at Christmas time, and then I like to play them a LOT. Well... don't get me wrong... I'm not a total couch potato... I do know my limits... just ask Randi- my university Tetris friend. It only happens during weeks like this one where we are really being SUPER casual.... ie. it's 6:18 pm and the doorbell ran to see if the kids wanted to go out and play some hockey on our back rink (word has gotten out to the neighborhood), and Erin had to get dressed out of her PJs to go out. Most of the day has been frittered away indoors playing games, reading books, computer games, and just generally being lazy, at least all the Christmas baking is either gone or stowed away to the freezer for some later date when it will be much more appreciated than in our over-full bellies right now. When the rest of our lives are so structured, it is so nice to be able to have days like this. This is the 5th in the series of games that I have played all of, but it's been at least a year since the last episode of quick frozen dinners so Mom can get back to "Myst". It's like a strategic/ puzzle game, so it's not like a big shoot 'em up all day :) Here's an online one you can try out that is a little more brainless, and also slightly addicting, I think I'm up to level 59. Beat that! I am so OK with not always being productive!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

I Love Christmas

Although this is the first year our tree barely made it through the season (don't touch it or all the needles fall off), we all had a wonderful, relaxing few days!!

Christmas Eve was church and singing all the good carols, I love that! We came home to play games, and make banana splits at the sundae bar :)

The kids dragged their mattresses under the Christmas tree to sleep--- a tradition we take part in only when we're at home. JD has his head in that pile somewhere:

and were up at the crack of dawn to open stockings:


and presents:

Erin was hiding from the camera while I was trying to get a one of her in her full length PJs with feet that I made her!

We had a great relaxing day and had some dear friends over for dinner:

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night (Jacob with his new duvet cover made by Gramma) :

Friday, December 26, 2008

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

You Guys are so Mean


"My family is so mean to me.... they make me wear this polka dotted muzzle sometimes. It's not like I grab the hockey puck, run off and chew the Calgary Flames insignia into oblivion or something! It's not that as soon as someone drops a mitt, I grab it and run for the hills. It's just that everything is so chewy and yummy. What am I to do? I can't help myself."


"I wish so bad I could pick up that ball or that mitt, it's just right there within my grasp."

"It's so depressing! All I can do is watch."

"I can't even kiss my downed friend"

"Oh there she is! The one I love. Maybe if I try to look really pathetic, it'll help"


"Maybe she'll save me"

"Mommy, save me!"

Isn't he handsome? Oh, this is now no longer Ditto speaking. I especially know how much my mother-in-law loves when people make the family pets talk, so for your benefit Mom, this one is for you!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Oh Glory


Ughh, waking up from a night shift.... but what glory did I see when the curtains were opened and the veil, or was that sleep, washed from my eyes. The kids were actually out with the neighbors going door to door promoting their new business, snow shoveling :) They made $20 between the 4 of them. And quickly after, we bundled up again to enjoy the glorious day!



Orchards are beautiful in the springtime when they're blooming and in the summer when the fruit is ripening, but there's something amazing about orchards in the wintertime.




My little snow angel








Sunday, December 21, 2008

Reflection, Collision

This is an amazing REAL story, read with pleasure! I love this girl who writes these things! Merry Christmas Bri!

Advent .... waiting....

I feel a sense of relief! We can just wait and play. The baking is done, the groceries are bought, the gifts are wrapped, and it's going to be a quiet, no traveling, no guests (except Christmas dinner with friends), just an US kind of Christmas. I know there will be moments on Christmas Day where I'll wish for the hub bub of a house full, but we're ready to be quiet. I'm ready to sit and listen, maybe curl up and read a good book, or think about my Saviour a little more than I have been.

Our sermon last night was on Revelation 12. An interesting text pre-Christmas, check it out. The pregnant woman is giving birth to a son. A dragon hot in pursuit, ready to devour the child the moment he is born. The child is rescued and whisked to the throne room of God just at the right moment, and the woman escapes fleeing to the desert. The wrath of the dragon is poured out on mankind, and the children of this world. Not your cozy Currier and Ives kind of Christmas card we like to envision this season as. It's a battle going on and the birth of the child is the initiating incident- to go back to jr. high school short story unit theory.

I was listening to a Christmas CD yesterday and caught by the words of the first stanza:
"It is the greatest story ever told,
The Prince leaves his palace and his noble throne
To fight a battle for His subjects' soul
The weight of the world in his royal hands.

It was an unlikely battle ground,
The cows and the sheep and the shepherds gathered 'round..."

We watched Prince Caspian with the kids the other night, and so were discussing battle plans. Was it a good idea to attempt to battle the king's castle and take seige there, or was it the better idea to stay at the fortress and defend from there? Which plan was it that Aslan wanted them to follow? The one plan was more about personal pride and ended up with more loss. Sometimes our plan doesn't make sense at ALL! Sending a baby, who is totally at the mercy of another human- a young servant hearted girl who became a mother would be a good choice- I suppose... Still seems kind of risky. I asked the kids what sort of plan they would have if they were God and wanted to send Jesus to earth. Erin said, of course, that sending Him as a King on a big stallion would be a good way. Isn't that what they were expecting? So again I change my expectations... My hope for the new year is that God would surprise me with something that I don't expect in my journey with Him. Something new that I could have never thought of!

And imagine, being that Prince and leaving His throne, and being confined to the body of a baby. All that power harnessed into one little, confining body. Hmm... I have the Holy Spirit harnessed in this body (note I did not say little, confining yes).

Some photos of the festivities around here:
Yes you can always tell when they are Kevin's. I love this first one!

Our little backyard rink that is growing bigger as we speak! Not enough room for hockey. I could never take a photo that lovely!


Jack Frost has been by, which is a rarity in this part of the woods.

A hillside of hoar frost, another rarity


Ditto with his new harness on- we had to open that gift early because we didn't want to miss the opportunity and have the snow melt on us! Don't tell :)

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas in the Eyes of a Child

The elementary school Christmas concert was fun. Unfortunately, my boy was so sick he missed the dress rehearsal 2 days prior, and the show the day of, but managed to feel OK enough to go watch, but not actually be in it. They sang "I saw My Mom kissing Santa Claus", a round version that had several parts making it sound like a lot of voices, not necessarily in time, but still very cute. During the weeks while the practicing was going on, and we heard him singing it around the house, Kevin admitted that he never really understood the song. Why was Mommy kissing Santa? Gross! He's a strange man, why would she do such a thing? I lovingly explained to him that Santa is not real, and that the song is actually about Daddy dressed up as Santa and so Mommy kisses him under the mistletoe. I thought we all knew that by now!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

A little Behind

I know I'm a little behind on the blog- not that any one keeps track, or that it's some sort of task I have to accomplish. I just know my readers really care what I have been up to. My mom was here for 4 days and so blogging is just put aside momentarily while we shop and lunch and go to kids' activities.

Erin had her horse show, if you haven't seen her post yet, check it out and make rave reviews! You really can't believe how difficult it is to make horses do all those fancy maneuvers! Bri is actually a real horse woman and she was out to take in the festivities- what a cute picture of the 2 of them, except look I think Erin is now taller than her even though she is wearing boots there's a few inches there.


The back yard skating rink is up and ready for action! Kevin put in lots of time checking the ice and re-flooding to get the perfect smoothness, apparently you can't just leave the hose running for a couple hours. We should be able to get some good 1 on 1 hockey going on. I think 2 on 2 will just have to wait til we make a bigger rink- maybe next year :) It's the perfect size for Jacob to learn to skate anyways. Apparently Ditto likes to fetch the hockey puck and not bring it back!





It has been just dumping snow for days here, when the sky opens up it's so beautiful!
This is the hill behind our place that we get a nice view of!

In other Drew family news, we were treated out to dinner by ma Mammy on the real day. Thanks Mom. I got yummy treats!

Erin had her few closer friends over on Tuesday to do a gift exchange they planned. Oh the giggles! Oh I remember what it was like to be 13! I planned to make pizza for the girls for dinner and to my dismay my oven died.... Lovely... still need to check into that one.... honey.....

And it's only 7 days til Christmas! YIPPEE! I did a baking day with a friend yesterday, we planned to do 4 things and each take half of what we made. Well with all the chatting, one recipe got baking soda instead of powder, a few batches got a little overbaked, and a few gingerbread boys lost their limbs (oh that's right they were supposed to- I'll have to show you my ABC cookie cutters- "already been chewed"- too cute!) but the gingerbread didn't get enough of something!! Not sure what! We might have to concentrate a little more next year :)

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Winter Wonderland

With the storm, literally that blew in on Friday, we have gone from NO snow to this overnight!



We are going to attempt to have a little skating pond in the backyard this year.... I'll keep you posted. Kevin is hosing down the first layer.

Christmas Drill Team

Today was the big show, after weeks of practicing, the girls and horses were in fine form. I'll leave most of the details for Erin to blog about herself. This is REALLY hard to get synchronized! Here's a teaser:





Friday, December 12, 2008

Shopping shopping shopping

My mom is here for a few days! Yippee! We were out ALL morning shopping for Christmas and driving around on our first big snow fall! I think she brought it with her from Calgary! How's your shopping coming along? I was very intrigued by this website someone sent me on the preparation for Christmas. Substituting compassion for consumption. Check it out. Love it! Give the gift of presence!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Gingerbread is so Tasty

So I caved and bought the KIT this year. We haven't done a gingerbread house for a few years, it used to always be a tradition that we'd come up with a new design and make it. When we lived in Seattle we made a lighthouse. But it's sort of gone by the wayside, but that's the great thing about traditions, you can change them or quit if you want. They are only there to bring richer meaning, ritual and fun. So in the spirit of the season, I picked one up at Costco, because I love Costco.
Here's my boy, I wonder how much more went in his mouth than on the house.
Great Job Jacob!

And come serious concentration on her side of the house

The best part is the next morning as it was lovingly displayed in the dining room, Ditto decided that he wanted a taste and ate both the people and the tree before I wondered what that loud munching sound was. No breakfast for you buddy!