First on the chopping block?

I've started to go over my committments and have started to outline a plan to reduce them, as per my previous post. But its not easy... with some of them, I'd really be letting people down. With others, I'd be taking away something that I enjoy. I've been debating it over and over in my mind these past few days...

But then, a bit of drama ensued in my mommy group over an issue that really saddened me. This is the mommy group that I've been a part of since Luke was a newborn. And one that I've debated saying good bye to in the past, but just couldn't, for sentimental reasons. Then just yesterday the little bit of drama grew into something that I'm really having a hard time overlooking.

Then I started taking a look at how much time I've spent on the computer with this group and started thinking about how much I'd accomplish if I didn't spend this time online...

Decisions, decisions....

If only I wasn't so darn sentimental! My decision would be sooo much easier!

Rest assured, this decision will be prayed over.

Feeling Overwhelmed....

Between illnesses, doctor's app'ts, studying for my job competition, more app'ts, various events, work, filling in for employees who are ill, more work, ill family members etc, etc, etc - I'm feeling just a tad overwhelmed lately.   And stretched very, very thin...

I said this last year, and yet I never did it.  But in 2010 it will be my top priority to reduce the committments that are not directly related to our family goals. There are so many things that we want to accomplish as a family, that we are not doing because I'm just too busy.  

I need to get ruthless and learn how to say no; even when faced with a guilt trip (although I think the guilt is mainly self induced and not imposed on me!)...

For now, I need to get through the year and slowly start weaning myself away from some of my busy-ness; so that I can enjoy the more meaningful events that are planned for the next couple of months.

What's up Butter Cup?

One of my little quirks (I guess you could call it), is that I'm always saying the silliest phrases to Luke...
Today for some reason, he suddenly just 'got' the humor and he laughed and laughed and laughed when I came home and asked him "What's shakin' bacon?".  He then immediately asked me "What's your story morning glory?" (which he's heard countless times before)..  So for the next few minutes the convo between John, Luke and I went something like this:

"What's the deal, Banana Peel?"

"What's cookin Good Lookin?"

"Ready Freddy?"

"Ready Betty!"

"Okay dokie Artichokie!"

"Eat your lunch honeybunch!"

"Nice thinkin' Mr. Lincoln"

"What's the word, Hummingbird?"

"Chop Chop Lollipop!"

"Put on your jeans, Butter Beans!"

"I'm the boss, applesauce!"

"Easy peasy lemon squeezy"

"Know what I mean, Jelly bean?"

"Come on out, Brussel Sprout"

And it was about that time that Luke decided that he had to throw in the word dinosaur (cause that would make it EXTRA funny, right?).  So he was cracking himself up by saying "what's new dinosaur?" and then would collapse into giggles....

We DO have a weird sense of humor, I guess!!

Peace out, Boy Scout!!

Hungry Hungry Herbivore...

is the title of Luke's latest favorite song.  It's from a great new PBS Kids show called Dinosaur Train.
It's such a cute show.  Highly recommended by Luke... and me....

In addition to learning what a hypothesis is, Luke has also learned what a herbivore is.  We did THIS activity the other day.

Oh and if you want to listen to the Hungry Hungry Herbivore song, click here to watch the episode "Triceratops for Lunch".  The song is about 8:02 minutes into the video.  

But be warned that if you listen to it, it'll be buzzing around in your head for the next day or two!!

Today's Blessings!

A Morning Hug by Robert Duncan

*  A morning hug by my little Ray of Sunshine (who has the sweetest sleepy smile).

*  Purchased my favorite fridge calendar (http://www.motherword.com/). Don't you just love a fresh calendar?? The possibilities of the year ahead!!

*  I drove my aunt to a doctor's appointment in the next province - and while I was waiting for her,  I got to spend a very peaceful hour reading in the car with a fresh cup of coffee.  Not a single interruption!  (Luke was with Nanna and Poppa) Heavenly!

*  A little boy who has been telling EVERY SINGLE person that we've seen today that "My Momma is making me a sock monkey and we're going to name him Socks.  And he's going to be waiting for me under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning!"   He told it to the cashiers at the store, to everyone who called on the phone and even to a little girl at the park.   I just LOVE that he gets so excited over such little things!!  I know it may not always be this way... pretty soon it might be gaming systems, computers and other expensive items that he'll be chattering about.  But for now, it's a blessing that he appreciates the simpler, homespun gifts. And really - what could be simpler than socks and stuffing?!

Thinking About....

SOCK MONKEYS!!  Do you know the kind I'm talking about?  The ones that were originally made from the Rockford socks... that moms have been making for generations and generations now?  I love them.. and have been meaning to make one for Luke for a couple of years now (procrastination!!).  But this year I must... for Luke apparently seen a sock monkey on a tv show called Mr. Moose (I've never seen it - so I can't confirm if that's the true title of whatever show he saw).. and then he came to me and asked me for a sock monkey named Socks... how can I say no?!

Apparently a local toy store carries them for the steep price of $29.99 plus taxes.  There is no way I'm paying that price for socks and stuffing!! I'm going to attempt to make it myself. So I'm on a hunt for a pair of men's work socks with a red  heel or a red stripe near the top.  I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished product, no matter how funny or forlorn he turns out to be!

Prayer Answered!!

We received the most BLESSED news today!! 

My mom will be placed on the kidney transplant waiting list!!
Thank you to all who kept her in their prayers for all of these months!! I'm truly, truly grateful. 
 It was all I could do to keep from crying when the doctor told us the news today during her app't today.  All of these months (almost 36 of them!!) , through all of the tests she had to go through - she's finally deemed a suitable kidney transplant recipient!!

God is indeed amazing, amen??

AND not only that - but the doctor had even more good news to share.. Mom's waiting list "start date" is retroactive from the day she first began dialysis - which was almost 3 years ago!! So in effect, she is kind of boosted to close to the top of the list - since the average waiting time for her particular blood type is about 3 - 4 years.  This means that she could very well get a call anyday from the transplant team (on the other hand, it could be next year - there are no guarantees WHEN a compatible kidney will become available).

What a truly wonderful day!!

I know we still have a few more hurdles to got through... so please, don't stop praying!! A compatible and suitable kidney needs to become available, the surgery needs to take place successfully and then finally, her body needs to accept this new organ.  So please keep the prayers coming? 

Thank you!!

My Favorite Things - Movies

I'm not a regular movie-goer or movie-watcher.  I have a hard time sitting still for more than a few minutes, let alone a couple of hours.  There's also the fact that John and I have very different tastes in movies - I can't stomach any sort of violence or disturbing issues.... and he "says" he doesn't like historical fiction (but I know that his protestations have no bite to them). 

But there are a handful of movies that I've watched over the years that have made it to my "favorite movies" category:

When Harry Met Sally:  My favorite movie of all time.  Its the only movie that I've seen dozens of times.  And I laugh everytime.  The script is sooooo clever and soooo quotable!!

Immortal Beloved:   I am a huge fan of Beethoven's music.  And so when this movie was released - it was a must-see for me.  It did not let me down.  Although the film's writer took liberties with the plot (contrary to how the movie plays out, Beethoven's Immortal Beloved has never been conclusively identified), the movie is absolutely gripping.  Gary Oldman deserved an Oscar for his performance -it's mind boggling to me that he was never even nominated.  And after watching this movie, I can no longer listen to Piano Sonata #8 without detecting the heartwrenching emotion behind it.... BRILLIANT movie.

Fireproof:  See this link to read what I think of this wonderful movie.

The Notebook:  An unforgettable love story.  And this movie get's it RIGHT... I know that romantic movies are a dime a dozen.. but the ability to convey a love story with this much chemistry is not easily attained.... I know of very, very few.  This is one.   And the characterization is quite outstanding.

The Chronicles of Narnia:  It feels like I waited forever and a day for the production of these movies... I am so thrilled to see how remarkable they are! I can barely wait till 2010 when The Voyage of the Dawn Treader arrives in theatres.  I rarely buy movies - but this is one that I had to have!

The Princess Bride:  This movie brings back fond memories. Another unbelievably quotable movie!

Anything starring Audrey Hepburn:  One of my all time favorite actresses.

A Charlie Brown Christmas & Polar Express:  A yearly tradition to watch these two movies at Christmastime.

Raiders of the Lost Ark -  Best eaten with cheese fondue and black tower wine.  The Indiana Jones movies bring back memories galore.  I don't think I'll ever tire of them.

Pride and Prejudice - Really - can anyone ever look at Colin Firth again and NOT think of him as Mr. Darcy?! I love anything Jane Austen - but this one holds a special place in my heart...

Elizabeth (starring Cate Blanchett) - This movie really pushed the boundaries for me - I almost stopped watching it after the first couple of minutes because I didn't think I could handle it... but it was my fascination with this remarkable female historical figure that pressed me to continue watching it.  Oh my gosh, I'm so glad I did.  Cate deserved a thousand Oscars for this performance - but of course she lost out to Gwneth Paltrow that year for her role in..

Shakespeare in Love.  Such an entertaining movie! Loved Gwyneth... loved Judi Dench....It totally deserved the Oscar for Best Picture that year!

That's it.. my favorite flicks!

Today's Blessings!

*  John was actually home on a Sunday!! He normally works every Sunday.  But not today!

*  And not only was  he not working, but he also came to church with us! I L.O.V.E when my whole family is able to go to church together.  It happens so rarely but is so special when it does happen!

*  A new recipe for Sunday dinner which was quite nice - Beef Chimichangas from my freezer cookbook.  I'll definitely be making this again, but in bulk this time, so that I can add some meals to the freezer.

* Two rows completed on John's blanket. 

*  Finale for So You Think You Can Dance Canada!!  Go TJ!

*  A loooong email from my sweet friend Heidi! Love you toots!

*  One more sleep before we hopefully find out whether my mom will be able to be a kidney transplant recipient!  And not a day too soon, I've been on pins and needles for months.

*  Still savoring a super fun, and much needed evening with friends on Saturday night. 

*  Still pinching myself because I now have a dear friend who is almost a neighbor.  Not since my friend Heidi went and moved across the country on me, have I had a close friend live within walking distance! So exciting to me to again have someone to borrow a cup of sugar from, or to invite myself over for tea!!

* A nice evening walk with the fam after Sunday dinner to check out the neighborhood pumpkins!

My Favorite Things - Comfort

Since most of my blog will be printed into a yearly book (Blurb.com).... I'd like to capture a snapshot of what some of my favorite things are at this point in my life. 

I fully realize that if allowed the space and time, this post could run on and on and on... so I'm going to try and divide  it up into multiple posts with various categories.... not that it'll be organized in any way (aside from the categories).. it'll just be random things that I like...


So under today's category of comfort here are a few of my favorite things...

Quiet Time with God - the rest of the list is not in any kind of order of importance... except for this item.  It truly is my number one source of comfort.  I'm not trying to be overly philosophical or profound.  It just very simply is the one thing in my life that gives me the most comfort.  The days that I don't start my day off with my Quiet Time, are the days that I somehow don't feel as grounded.  First thing in the morning, with a cup of coffee and my favorite Book. 

The Lazy Boy Chair in our bedroom.   This chair belonged to my mother in law for years and years.  When she felt it was finally time to retire it and buy herself a new lazyboy chair, I begged her for it. It doesn't match anything in my bedroom. Its ancient.  It's not pretty. Yet I love it.  It was the chair that I nursed Luke in. Its where I read bedtime stories to Luke. This is where my Quiet Time takes place, its where I journal, its where  my best thinking often takes place.  Its where I go to pray and its where I go to cry.  And somehow it connects me to my mother in law who has since passed on and who I've learned much from.

West Coast Dark Roast - THE best dark roast coffee around for your buck.  And believe me, I've tried them all.  I do prefer the Kicking Horse organic dark roast... but with the amount of coffee that we consume - that one is kept for special occasions! And besides, West Coast Dark Roast will always remind me of many wonderful conversations my dearest friend Heidi and I had over countless cups of our beloved West Coast Dark Roast!

Stash - Double Bergamot Earl Grey Tea & Yorkshire Gold Tea - I love trying new teas.  I have many different kinds.  But these two are like old comforting friends that I return to over and over again.

The Electric blanket that John bought for me.  My husband is not known for his gift giving.  And I'm more than fine with that - he has so many more finer qualities.  But one gift that he did buy for me was absolutely PERFECT.  An electric blanket.  We have a running joke that John can tell when summer's finally over by the fact that my feet turn to icecubes.  I'm always cold.  And he's always warm.  Every winter I would pile on 4, 5 or even 6 blankets... and he would be stifling. And then one Christmas while shopping for a gift for me, he stumbled upon a display of electric blankets and knew that it was the perfect gift for me.  He was right! Thank you John!!

A crackling fire in the fireplace - self explanatory - who doesn't like a crackling fire in the fireplace in autumn and winter?

Sundays are an  anchor to my week.  I always reserve Sunday for going to church and for family.  My favorite day of the week for sure.

Yankee Jar candles specifically in Sparkling Lemon and Sparkling Pine scents.  Mmmmmmm.....

My journals - I've mentioned a few times already about my quirky obsession with writing things down.  So it comes as no surprise that I count my journals as being among my few prized possessions.  Journal writing is unbelievably therapeutic for me.  I've been journal writing since I was a young girl. Its one of the most comforting things in the world for me to sit down, if even for a few moments, to write down my blessings of the day or to read a page or two from one of my journals.


And last, but most certainly not the least of my favorite comforts are books. My love affair with books started when I learned to read at age 5. And has only gotten stronger over the years.  For me, a room does not feel complete without at least a few piles of books scattered around.  I cannot fall asleep without reading at least a few pages of a current read. And I don't feel comfortable leaving the house without tucking a book into my bag. (is that weird?!!) My next "My Favorite Things" post will cover some of my favorite books.

Maintaining Friendships....

Kindred Spirits - Anne of Green Gables

Something that's been on my mind lately is the topic of friendships.  I'm realizing (perhaps too late in life) that I'm not a very good friend these days...

Oh I have some qualities that redeem me:  I'm a loyal friend.  I'm a great listener. I love to help solve problems.  I love to help, period.  I think that for those reasons, I have the capability to be a GREAT friend.  But what prevents me from being a great friend lately?

I want to say lack of time... but aren't we all gifted with the same 24 hours? 

Whatever it is, I find it hard to keep in touch.  I'm not a phone person.... I love email.. but then I find that days and even weeks go by before I respond to emails. Notice I say 'respond'.  Because rarely, it seems, do I initiate contact.  And that's NOT because I'm not thinking about my friends. Because I do - ALL of the time.. I just kinda get sidetracked...

For me family will always come first...if a family member is need, I will cancel any and all plans to help them...

But I also have to admit that my calendar is overstuffed these days...I'm the type of person who works best with LOTS of blank calendar space... I get crusty when I have back to back to back to back engagements.
The other day, I was having an email convo with a new friend.. and we were trying to come up with a date to get together... and I  had to tell her that the earliest I could get together with her was in November - three weeks away... I really felt awful telling her that.  

And lets not even talk about the recent episode where I wrote the wrong date for an open house a friend was having... I had it marked down for a completely different day... yowsers..!!

Life is hectic, we all have our own version of hectic-ness... but the reality is, the choices we make with our time tell the people in our life how much or how little they mean to us.  Even if that is not our intention.

Life is all about the relationships.  I need to create more blank space in my calendar... more space for last minute coffee dates and cups of tea... I'd like to work on finding ways to nurture the relationships that mean a lot to me.  I want to find little ways to let my friends and loved ones know that I'm thinking of them...

How do you maintain and nurture the friendships in your hectic life?

Life with Luke - Memorable Conversations!

Bad-quality action shot of the Flying Dragon

This is more of a one-side conversation - with him doing the talking... but still - we think its memorable... AND funny!

One of Luke's 'jokes' lately is to ask us:  "Have you ever seen a Luke do this?"  and then he'll do something that he thinks is a riot... and we always answer: "Nope, I've never seen a Luke do THAT before!"...

The other night was particularly cute because he had gotten on his dragon costume (which he likes to insist is a dinosaur costume) and was jumping quite enthusiastically (and quite high too) on our mini trampoline; with his little arms wings outstretched to make us believe that he was in fact a flying dragon.  And all the while he kept asking us "Momma, Daddy - did you ever see a Luke do THIS before?"!

No little one, we have never seen a Luke do that before...but just love your adorable quirkiness, your hilarious sense of humor and your vibrant imagination.  We hope you never change little Luke!

A Serious Case of the Giggles

Tonight Luke and I were invited to Nanna and Poppa's for dinner and to watch the hockey game on tv. 
But just before the game, Luke, Nanna and I played hide and seek.  For a smallish-apartment, my parents home sure has some great hiding spots.

I haven't played hide and seek indoors since I was a child.  At least that's the last time that I remember playing it.  And considering just how much we laughed and giggled, I'm not sure why we don't play it more often!

Luke loved it best when I hid and he got to be the one to search for me.  I had the best time trying to come up with so-called clever hiding spots... and landed up looking like quite the fool when I would get stuck or cramped up and couldn't get out!  Apparently I'm not as small as I think I am! (understatement of the year!!)

But oh - the giggles... I had forgotten that delicious sense of anticipation when hiding and waiting for someone to find you.... there were quite a few times when a serious case of the giggles got a hold of me and ruined my perfect hiding spots!!  And even a few times when I could not STOP giggling!!  Giggles that turned into full out belly laughs..!!!  Medicine for the stressed-out soul!!

Blessings!

*  My niece was discharged from the hospital and is now back at home!! YAY!! I can only imagine how happy she must be to be back to her own bed and her own bedroom!  We love you so much M!!!!

*  A surprise visit from Nanna and Poppa during Luke's swimming lesson!  He was so happy to show them how much he's progressed since the Mom & Tot days! LOL!!

*  A new very warm and very cozy down parka for me!!  This winter we have LOTS of outdoor activities planned - snowshoeing, hiking, skating, sledding, etc.. and since I always seem to get cold so easily - I'm hoping this down parka will do the trick and keep me toasty!

*  A FULL 7 hours of sleep last night!! WOOOHOOO!! 

*  Finished my menu planning for next week.  Hey - this is a big deal in my world!!

Luke's Favorite Evening of the Week!

Tonight Luke told me over and over again how much he ADORES Thursday nights... except he calls them AWANA nights... For those who aren't familiar with AWANA... it's a bible club - with clubs all over North America.. very well organized - lots of fun and games as well as learning....according to Luke - it's the "bomb"! (his father taught him that phrase!!)

I am so impressed with the AWANA program... I'd heard many testimonials over the years about how AWANA instills very strong leadership skills and how much kids adore it....but I've only just recently witnessed first hand how amazing it is.

We are blessed in that there is a church right in our neighborhood that hosts an AWANA club - and it's literally right next door to my parents home!  It's quite a large club - maybe 60+ kids of all ages.

What has really impressed me and is soooo cute to watch - is how the older children go out of their way to take the younger children under their wings.  There are a few children (I would say 10 to 12 years old) who from the very first week took an interest in Luke and took the time to show him around and introduce him to some other "Cubbies" (that's what they call the 3-4 year old group!).  And they did this all on their own accord - no coaxing from the adults at all!  And talk about gracious manners - wow! Already these children are showing incredible leadership qualities....

I have to admit.. I was nervous about Luke memorizing bible verses.. I initially thought that 3 years old would be far too young to learn bible verses... but Luke LOVES it... every night before bed  HE reminds ME to bring his Cubbie book and bible so that we can read the verse of the week.  That child now knows more bible verses at 3 years old then I did at 23 years old!! And no coaxing on my part - i'm astounded.....

I love that he's tucking Gods word away in his heart... and I love that he has such heart for wanting to learn about God. I love how his eyes light up when he sees his teacher "Mrs. Stewart". I love seeing how excited he gets when I pick him up at the end of the evening and he just HAS to show me the craft he's done...  And I love to see how utterly excited he gets when it's Thursday AWANA night!

Puddle Jumping and Miss Suzy

Puddle-jumping has definitely been on the back burner these past few weeks.  But not tonight... Tonight we made time for the small-but-important-stuff.... After dinner we all dressed up in our best puddle jumping gear and went out for a long walk and lots of splashing.  It was fun.  It was really, really fun.  When's the last time you jumped in a puddle?

A recent theme we've been learning about is Squirrels, Nuts and Preparation.  It's been a cute theme; Luke and I have really enjoyed it.  A neat coincidence though:  a few months ago, I had asked my local library to purchase a book that they did not have in their collection. One of my all time favorite books as a child was Miss Suzy; and I really wanted to share it with Luke.  It came in just before we ended our theme.

I'm  happy to report that Luke adores this book - it's been his bedtime request for the past few days. 

Its been a nice switch from Dinosaur books!

I wish I could remember more titles from my childhood though.... I remember one about a unicorn that I just adored... but I cannot for the life of me remember the title!

Blessings!

It's been a very hectic few weeks for our household. I mean, hectic is the usual pace for us.. but recently it's even MORE crazy than usual.  And I have been battling major fatigue lately.

I'd like to thank you all for your  prayers and thoughts and support.  My niece was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease... she's been in the hospital for the past week and will continue to be for a little while longer....this will obviously be something that she'll need to battle for the rest of her life, as there is no cure for Crohn's.. but I'm so thankful that it was not anything even more serious.

John's father is still not doing well.... if you could continue to keep him in your prayers, I would be ever so grateful.

Despite the hectic pace, we had a lovely, lovely Thanksgiving.  I have been blessed with so much and it was a nice time for me to reflect on all that I've been gifted with.... a generous and giving husband, an amazing son, fabulous parents, a cozy wee home, a modest living.

As well, I have a few other random blessings to be thankful for:

*  My nephew came over for a visit and sleepover on Saturday.  We had a jampacked visit, full of fun:  Popsicle stick crafts, wooden toys to paint, dinosaur bone excavation and a movie night - an old favorite, The Jungle Book.  Luke was grinning from ear to ear during the entire visit.  It was so cute to see... he definitely thinks that his big cousin hung the stars and moon!!

*  A little boy who told me today that he loves me "more than beans!"  Beans, I tell you!!! It just does NOT get better than that!!

*  A nature walk, where we collected various autumn leaves and came back home to do leaf rubbings.  Remember doing those in school?!!

*  A new-to-me apple pie recipe that's the bomb!

*  Finding a tiny green dinosaur placed 'just-so' on my pillow the other night.  Boys are so precious!!

Flashback Friday

These pictures bring back a flood of memories.... my year long maternity leave was the very best year of my life... hands down...

Being there for my family, every day and in every way for that whole year was a dream come true... I cherished each and every day.

On this particular day, I had propped Luke on my bed while I folded some laundry. Each time I would look over, he would break out in huge giggles.... I dropped the laundry and grabbed my camera... I took dozens of photos - but these two in particular capture the spirit of that moment the best... of the two of us sharing a joy-filled, giggle-filled moment.

My sweet child, my heart....

And Still More Prayers Please.

I realize that you can barely turn around these days without me bombarding you with yet another prayer request. But if you could make room on your prayer list for a very special young girl, I would truly appreciate it.  My beautiful niece has been feeling quite ill lately.  She has a number of worrisome symptoms that have yet gone undiagnosed.  She will be going to the local hospital tomorrow in the hopes of getting to the bottom of things.  Please pray for God's healing touch on her.  That whatever has been ailing her will prove to be something quite manageable and curable. 

Thank you for keeping my family in your prayers.  God bless!

Apples Apples Apples!!

We went apple picking the other week and we've been up to our armpits in apples ever since - but delightedly so!  This is Luke's third year apple picking - so it's definitely become a yearly tradition.

Here's a pic of Luke and his best friend on the day we went apple picking.

Eating on the job!

Today we made applesauce:

While we waited for the applesauce to cook, we did a little apple craft.

Remember stamping with apples??

The finished product:

And we decorated this little gift bag for the applesauce we're giving to Nanna & Poppa: