We're back from the cabin, and soon celebrating my Riley-boy's 10th birthday!!
more later...

Merry Christmas!

I can't say I'm feeling so "merry"! but I'm hoping the next few days will be good ones. The kids have been home all week while I've been busy cooking/baking up a storm in prep for our weekend away with the Engel clan. We are renting out a nearby camp and will have one main hangout lodge and cabins around it to spread out at night. I think it'll be great once we get there, but right now I'm feeling quite bah-humbug-ish. The kids don't like being home (or together) much, and with Shea and I fighting colds and with the huge amount to prep for, we haven't gotten out enough. (Apparently hockey, sledding, sleepovers, shopping, playdates, movies, skiing etc. just doesn't cut it.) My kids will enjoy being outside with their cousins, and we're praying for snow so they can sled sled sled off all their angst.
Hubby spoiled us all this Christmas, and you'll be able to enjoy one of the gifts I got as it is a new lens! Once I figure out how to use it, I will show you what it can do!

When we get back from our Engel Christmas, apparently the Davidson's are all coming down, so we'll be busy til school returns. Rileys birthday is next week as well.
I am sure I will be glad to get back into our routine again once this "holiday" is all over!

(Don't they look so calm and peaceful!)
But for now, enjoy the season! And as you may have noticed, I did NOT write any letters/cards or send a picture this year. I think I will wait til I can get a decent family shot. A Christmas letter seems pointless in a lot of ways as well, since you can all catch up with me here anyway!!

Setting up

Christmas is coming!!

There are so many great homemade gift ideas and decorations on Pinterest that I love to browse through...and some I actually TRY!!
Here are some fancy 3D stars I made to hang from my ceiling fan.


Now here is my "baby" fake tree I found at the thrift store and have had up in the kids bedrooms until recently. Now we have it right by our table.

Then we went and picked out a beauty (real tree) from Pedro's where G's dad works. It is a 9 ft. huge thing. So pretty!


Love the view of the tree while I'm making dinner.

Photo catch- up

I turned 35!!?!!


My family held a surprise party for me at my house, and managed to keep it a surprise til they arrived! We all had supper and cake and played one of my favorite games, Elfenland.


On my actual birthday, my good friend came over, surprised me with a new basket for my cruiser bike!! Then we took off to the school Christmas concert. Our family went for supper at our favorite Mexican place. Yum!


That night, I joined my knitting friends and we had a little party there too. So I was truly celebrated (besides all the greetings on facebook)!
Thanks everyone!
And now we're busy getting ready for Christmas!!!

I know I've been absent a lot lately. I haven't found much inspiration for writing these days, and have been spending my "me" time less on the computer and doing more exercising and knitting! So it's all good and I don't feel sorry about that.
I need to take pictures of my latest projects in knitting so far this fall. I've done a bear hat and mitts for Isaac, a pair of fingerless mitts for Anna, two toques for the boys, and I'm working on the last one for Riley at the moment. I think that's all so far.
And as far as exercising, I've been going to the local ice rink where they have a huge walking circle up above the stands. I can do over 4km in 45min and go twice a week. Then I also have been swimming laps for 45 min. and doing an exercise video one day a week. I hope to see some improvements soon, but so far nothing other than feeling a little more spring in my step.
We've also been going skating once a week, and I've nearly got Shea independently skating! He walks around the ice like a little penguin and it hurts my back less now since he doesn't hang off of me!

Anyway, more later...little Hugo is coming for a visit!

The party continues...

Heather turned 30 this weekend! She and Hugo are here visiting for the next 2 weeks while her hubby is working out of the country. The boys had a lot of fun with Hugo last night and Hugo seemed to enjoy Shea's singing!
Happy birthday Heather! Now all the siblings are officially in the 30's!

smoochie smoochie

Another whirlwind weekend!!

Life hasn't stopped rolling. I tell you, it has been SO crazy around here!
Mostly fun, though also some stressful times.
This weekend we had a great time celebrating Anna's 30th birthday!!








Our cabinets are full of candy and our floors are covered in costumes. It might take me a week to catch up on housekeeping and sleep, but that's ok.
We seriously had SO much fun.
Thanks for making the trip down, Anna and family!!

baby love

I got to meet a sweet smelling, precious baby nephew today! My brother and his wife had their fifth early this morning, right on his mom's birthday! His name is Isaac.
We had the four big siblings here, so we're all very tired out but had a great weekend anticipating, celebrating and meeting this beautiful boy!

Problems posting comments?

I have heard that some people can't comment on my blog.
If you are reading this, can you just kindly say "hi" in the comments to let me know if you can post. I don't have any privacy settings, so I'm not sure why it is a problem.

Thanks.
S

Clown day!

so so so thankful

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17


We've had a wonderful thanksgiving with the crisp fall weather and bright sunshine.

We managed to get all the Davidson cousins together for the first time in Salmon Arm with the two newest members, Neve and Hugo. They've added a new dimension to the party!



We also had my grandparents come up, so have spent time with them as well.




Looking forward to more family time ahead when we meet the newest baby Engel and have my sister (and fam) come down to celebrate her 30th! Wishing my nephew Levi a happy birthday!!
Thankful for all you, my friends, and hope you enjoyed this weekend as well!

Riley boy!

Ok, ok...I'm done with the school pictures now...I promise. Just had to make it fair.
Now my 3-banger frame in the hallway is updated with the boys current photos.
This boy is growing up. In more ways than physically getting taller.
As long as we can keep him well rested and fed (both a challenge), he is capable of some pretty great things!!
...more on that later.

Sweet little apple pickers

new haircut

They always look 5 years older when they get their hair done.

Grade 2.

He looks so much older lately.
This kid has always actually talked, acted, and looked much older than he is.
And this year, he's especially handsome.

Productive!

Things are good. Life is busy and we are enjoying fall.
Greg has been busy with contracts and now it is looking like it will turn into full time work. We are so thankful and happy that things are working out (even though it was right down to the wire!).
All the boys are doing well in school and enjoying their teachers. Liam's teacher taught for a few years in Africa, and her husband will come in on occasion to tell interesting stories from the wild!
Shea is enjoying helping me cook and clean while the boys are out, or will beg me to draw with chalk on the driveway with him. He seems to prefer that so much more than coloring on paper! His teachers are creative and have him paint with marbles, fingers and today...chocolate pudding!
I had to buy myself a watch today because I can easily lose track of time while Shea is in preschool and I'm off wandering downtown! Last week I got to go out for coffee with a girlfriend sans the preschoolers and it was so relaxed!! Today I managed to grocery shop, put the groceries away, clean outside windows, and drive back downtown to find a new watch all in the time that Shea was in school. Productive!!!

Pictures of projects...

Here's the pears I finished up today...I had done 14 jars on Saturday and did 21 more today. So I have 35 of pears and peaches!



I put G to work, stripping the old finish off our door and sanding it down. BIG job!! It was covered in a few old layers of varnish that was yellow, cracked and peeling. It will look SO great!!



This is my kitchen now that I painted the window wall taupe. (Yes, now it's a lot of taupe/cream/white going on.) Definitely brighter and will have to do til we get tile.