Friday, December 31, 2010

2010


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

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

Lakeview the other day but super windy.


Speedy girls!


WOW

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Merry Christmas!

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

Enjoying Christmas dinner together...
Jacob and Cam sporting their new "Pook Toques"

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Where is My Nose?

Waiting for some key pieces...

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Awaiting Flight 0183

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

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

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


Even Ditto snuck in the actionErin sporting her cute new outfit from Gramma.
Expecting some yummy treats from this one :)


Merry Christmas FRIENDS!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Birthday Bits


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

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

Monday, December 20, 2010

She Loves Him

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

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Volleyball

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

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The BIG 40 Party


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

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

Erin and her friend getting ready in the kitchen..

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


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

Reindeer cake pops.. :)

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

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


Thanks everyone for making it an awesome night!

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

Monday, December 13, 2010

Puzzled

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

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

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bad Dog

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


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

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I'm Lovin' the View out my Kitchen Window




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

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Can I Say Finally??

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

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

Fossil Grey


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

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

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Advent

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

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

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

Kevin on the hunt for our perfect tree

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