Wednesday, March 31, 2010

My Only Girl


We decided, OK well I decided, that we needed to do a pre-braces photo shoot. You know get all the smiles in before all the joy and pain of braces. Some comparison shots of the teeth for "before". The condition for the shoot was no blogging of the photos. That is a pretty stiff condition, but I took it anyways. So here's a little cheat (with permission), no full shots :)


the rubber ducky had a good time...

This week in my Garden

I love the crocus!

In addition to the last post, check out Erin's video she just posted called "Boing"

Photo Contests Out-takes



Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sports of All Sorts

My two have had a fun and busy winter sports season. Volleyball still has another 6 weeks, but basketball is all wrapped up.

Nice block against the Kelowna A team who just won a provincial bronze. A close game!

Another girl on Erin's team. Cool shot from above (courtesy of KD). They had the privilege to play at the UBCO gym! Pretty cool!

Jacob often playing whatever position it is that takes the jump off #27.
I know NOTHING about basketball!

His best friend #44 looking on anxiously

Saturday, March 27, 2010

List

Windows inside and out- check
Bedroom- check
Power rake grass- check
Bathroom- check
Kitchen - check
Rescue live bird from Ditto's mouth - check
Kids' rooms - AVOID!
Clutter control - Desperate need!

Feels so good to check stuff off the list, doesn't it?

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Spring Cleaning

Today is the day to start the major spring cleaning!! I don't know who started this tradition, but it makes a lot of sense. Everything that's been stuffy and boxed up all winter can go outside to air and the windows can be flung open to let in the light and freshness. I got to say it's pretty gross in here. Bucket after bucket of water was tossed out black with dirt from the walls and floors, and I'm not that bad of a house keeper! And we (and I mean we because I got some great help from KD today) only did the living room, dining room, and the kitchen. I LOVE having tile floors but every year, or more often if you really care, you have to get down there with a scrub brush and do all the grout lines and corners and we plan to reseal it all. And those nasty little venetian blinds... cleaning every little one of those slats...

Anyways, before you toss this out as the most boring post ever...

This is a great Brownie recipe I made last night, because I need to expand my hips:

1/2 c. flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
4 T. butter
2 squares bittersweet chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
1 large egg
2 egg whites (i just used 2 whole eggs instead of both these)
1 c. sugar
1 T. oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. coffee powder ( I didn't use this!)

Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside. Heat the butter and chocolate in saucepan until just melted. Let cool til tepid. In another bowl whisk eggs, then add to chocolate mixture, along with sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir together then add the dry ingredients.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

They are yummy! Best ones I've tried in awhile, even better a la mode!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Photo Contest

The kids are entering a pet photo contest with some shots they took the other day. Here's the link so you can vote for them. You actually have to make an account to vote, so it might not be worth your while, except Gramma since it was your idea to begin with! First prize is $800, not too shabby! We can only upload one per day, so they aren't all there yet.

Here's a few of the favorites:

the Luck O'the Irish to Ya


Happy St. Patty's to you! With an good Irish name like Erin and the touch of red hair she has, of course full green attire and a full celebration is in order! There will be no shamrock cookies though today, too many sweets have been coming and going around here lately.

It's a good day for this though. It's so nice they can pretty much do it all themselves ;)


It's nice the grass is cooperating with the occasion a little bit.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Daisy on Monday

Today I am thankful for....

106. An afternoon of puppy sitting, well actually we borrowed her for a photo shoot, and just couldn't give her back. She was the New Year's puppy- Daisy. We're totally trading Ditto in, he's super jealous, pretty much just wanted to eat and drool all over her. Where did he learn his manners? Can't you just cuddle that little one all day- we did!



107. Encouraging blogging friends
108. Afternoon tea with one of my favorite people. Sadness that our little peanut won't become our niece after all... only in our hearts and mind. Pray for her new family.
109. Forts that little boys like to sleep in. He's in there somewhere!
110. Sunshine
111. A husband that still thinks I'm OK after all.
112. A husband that is pretty amazing himself!
113. Taxes, that pay for so many things that we really take for granted most days.
114. Cherry tree fruit fly spray (I'll be really happy for it in about 3 months time when there are no worms in my berries)
115. Frozen cherries still in my freezer
116. Raising over $3000 Friday night for our Africa bound friends... and a lot of left over baked potatoes. Thanks everyone! Kevin and I ran the bar for quite awhile, the total non-drinkers in the crowd. And we don't want anymore negative press about selling alcohol to send a family to the mission field. It wasn't a church event :) more about community awareness!
117. Crocuses
118. Potluck dinner at our new church campus
119. Sleeping in
120. Warm chocolate chip cookies in the shower (I didn't get it wet, funnier still, it was blended inside the fort, don't ask me why, I am just trying to not control all decisions made by 14 year olds)
121. One fully functioning vehicle and no need for 2 this week.
122. My knitting night girls that I missed the last 2 times, but I refuse to work again on a Thursday evening!
123. An amazing group of women who met to throw a baby shower for a woman no one had met, but needed to be blessed. I love seeing beyond ourselves, and little brown babies with big dark eyes.
124. Spring break!!
125. Dairy Queen
126. Corporate worship to good music
127. Hopefulness
128. The ability to laugh at oneself
129. Feeling like when you are grumpy, your family still loves you
130. Watching movies all cuddled up in blankets with warm drinks
131. Getting free stuff due to my Canadian Tire Mastercard.
132. Last minute deals to Mexico for #108


holy experience

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Moping

The sun came out today and broke into my melancholy mood of the past week or so. It hasn't been the greatest week. The kids are on spring break and I had to work the first 4 days of it. I sprained my knee last week, and then our van died. I mean literally it has died, like it is smoking! It's only 8 years old and a Toyota, we thought they went forever. We finally brought it to our wonderful mechanic who lovingly broke the news that it needs a new engine!!???! So the spring break road trip is canceled. On top of that our "finally" news of work for Kevin is teaching us great patience or showing us our lack of it, one of the two. It might be at least another 3-4 weeks until we know for sure, and the paperwork gets approved for him to work cross-border.

And so, life seems to continue on in all its mundane continuing day to day sameness. So I think in my mind of all the things I have known to be true. The depths of God's love for us, the freedom and opportunity we have in Canada, the reality that there are people in so much pain that we can't even fathom or compare to, the fact that life is more how we react to it, than what happens to us. How my reactions to life aren't gauging my character so well? I feel empty and yet it seems to be so hard to go to the 'fount of every blessing' to be refilled. Everything I feel is so circumstantial, but it can really drag you down. I really continue to see my need to learn and grow so much more, my real need for a Savior who doesn't base His love for me on my childish temper tantrums.

I had a long discussion with a friend who I know has been struggling with basic faith questions and left church. Who can't understand how a God would keep certain good and wonderful, loving people out of heaven who have been hurt by church, like her Mom, because they haven't decided to follow Him. That is a tough question!! She'd rather take her chances on the scale of good deeds. How so much I needed that conversation too, to prove that Jesus is my Only Way, and to rediscover how to explain that to someone.

I got some left over spring flowers from a fundraising dinner a bunch of us put together Friday night for some friends who are moving to Uganda. They are brightening up my day!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Saturday morning in the ER


I can't handle all the injuries we've been having around here. Erin's event last weekend, me doing a nice twist and slide that's made the ice pack my friend all week, and this morning's trip to ER with Jacob. Tuesday he came home with sore ribs from running into metal bars on the playground during a rousing game of tag. We've been icing them and all seems well. Last night he and Daddy went skiing, had a minor tumble, and this morning he twisted his body, heard a crack and starting screaming. I figured an x-ray was in order, so off we went. Verdict, nothing broken, maybe some bruised ribs (my nurse friend who was working this morning thinks a torn intercostal muscle), but after chest and abdominal x-rays, the Dr. advised a good cleaning out for a FULL bowel. So here we sit and wait. :) I know too much information. Little boys :)

Monday, March 1, 2010

Gratitude Monday

Today I am EXTREMELY thankful for one thing in particular... this riding helmet... note the muddy section! A head/ shoulder first tumble off the big guy made for q-4 hourly wake ups in the night to check for consciousness and give more ibuprofen. Thankfully last nights prayers were answered and there is a little headache and stiff back today, but pretty good.