Happy New Year!!

Well,here we are with another year almost through....it's been quite a year for us. A year of happiness and also sadness. I think almost every year is but this year I think I noticed it more than ever. We're staying home tonight with pizza and salad and some games. We'll enjoy a quiet evening together and then 2 of us might ring in the new year together although Crispin has a cold so I might just send him to bed instead!! I'll be back again either tomorrow or Monday. Thanks to each of you for sticking with me even when I haven't had a lot to say and when I've disappeared for weeks at a time! it means a lot to know that you are all still there :) And with that, a very happy 2012 to you all!

Friday Tea Time

All week long I`ve been joining in with Dawn for tea time at 4:00. Some days it has been rushed and some days a bit more leisurely. Today was probably the best yet....everyone playing nicely and a quick cup of tea for me. Here's a quick pic:

Nothing too fancy...a cup of Christmas Morning blend Stash tea, a slice of apricot/raisin bread from a local bakery (toasted with butter and delicious!!!) and a mini clementine. It's been a lovely break from the busy busy of today. Steve and Crispin are out at TinTin this afternoon...a long looked forward to treat!! Speaking of Crispin, here's a picture of him and his new bird Jackie. She's such a love but is on antibiotics due to an infection. She's doing well now and the vet said lots of hand raised birds have an infection in the first 6 months of life as their immune systems aren't built up yet. She's just turned three months now.

Well...I have gingerbread cookies to roll and cut with two kids so I'm off but have a very happy Christmas each of you!! I'll try to pop round in the next day or so to your blogs to say the same there. Joyous times every one!

Outside My Window:beautiful grey skies with a hint of sun showing through. It is pretty mild out today...maybe 9C?? At any rate, we haven't needed our winter coats for a few days and have been enjoying walking up to school with no mitts on. I'm OK if it gets colder though...actually, I'd love to have a bit of snow in the next week!!
I am Listening to: The hum of the dishwasher and otherwise silence. Steve has the kids outside so I can have a much needed quiet time. We sang for nearly 2 1/2 hours at an outreach lunch to about 300 people. It was with a group but still a lot of meet and greet with the other volunteers and some of the attendees. This introvert is exhausted!!
 I am Wearing: jeans, candy cane striped shirt and socks :)
I am so Grateful for: so many things but today, that our kids did really well at the singing and outreach dinner :)
I'm thinking about: Making Christmas lists...I need to carve out some time to do that.
I am Reading: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
I am Creating: play food, felt gnomes, possibly tents though that's under discussion
Organizing: bedroom boxes and right now laundry.
Children and Bird: Kids are good~a little Christmas Brain going on right now. Bird is great...she's so loving and affectionate with Crispin :)
Around the House: Cookie baking next week with a few theme days too. I'm looking forward to it!
From the Kitchen:see above!
 Favorite Thing today:: This few minutes of quiet to recharge....always so needed.

Thursday Morning Daybook

Outside My Window:still pitchy black as it is just about 6:30

I am Listening to: coffee maker brewing and kettle boiling. Our has an automatic off which I love. (It's been a long time since we had an electric kettle that wasn't!)

 I am Wearing: Pyjamas and my housecoat, bare feet

I am so Grateful for:  that no one was hurt Sunday afternoon as a driver avoiding police crashed through our little street doing 80 km/h. He took out a neighbour's shed, fence and ended up in a creek. So often our kids (and others) play outside on the street on Sunday afternoons or ride bikes. I am so thankful for God's protection...we were all indoors on Sunday.

I'm thinking about: making lists....I`m so behind this year with all my planning after losing my computer in early November and not getting another substitute until just last week.

I am Reading: mostly recipes

I am Creating: christmas secrets....tents, felt puppets, and a playscape

Organizing:  right now, Christmas decs so I can finish decorating


Children and Bird: children are all good. Crispin and Gregory were both extremely grumpy last night from too little sleep the night before so that wasn`t fun but Greg certainly has woken up happier this morning. Fiona has been going through a contrary stage but it seems to be easing off as I back off about some things. (going to preschool, potty training, weaning...)

Jackie, the cockatiel, is doing really well!! She`s very interactive, has learned  to fly up to Crispin`s shoulder and has also (mostly) adapted to the fact that he is at school all day. He really loves her and they are bonding quite well.


Around the House: I've got a multitude of things to do and many lists to make. I'm finding it hard this year to add my Christmas stuff on to the regular run of the mill stuff. I'm trying to use my crockpot more so that dinner prep is done and finished during the day.

From the Kitchen: starting to think about Christmas baking and goodies

 Favorite Thing today:: taking this time to post- it's been in my head for a while and I just haven't made time for it. Writing my thoughts down really helps me focus and get more done. That being said, I should post every day!!!

Daybook: End of November Rain and Illness

Outside My Window:black as night cause it's 12:33 am. Pouring rain out. The kind that makes you hope your basement won't flood!!

I am Listening to: Silence, dishwasher running and the rain on the skylight. I've needed a bit of time to myself and though I'll regret this in the morning, right now it is exactly what I need.

 I am Wearing:pink PJ's with hearts on them, robe, bare feet

 

I am so Grateful for: having a child who is getting better- hopefully he'll be the only one!

 

I'm thinking about: Planning for Advent, hoping that all the rest of us stay healthy, Greg's hearing test tomorrow  

I am Reading: holiday mags in prep for Christmas still

 

I am Creating: nothing yet but homemade gifts in the works...more on that another day

 

Organizing: household tasks and it is coming along nicely!

 

Children and Bird: C on the mend though still quite wiped out, Greg full of beans and naughtiness (!!), and Fiona is grumpy, stubborn and clingy. (oh, and the cutest 3 year old in this house too!!) 

Around the House: say it with me, Sanitize!!

 

From the Kitchen: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies tonight, must meal plan for tomorrow but having a hard time balancing everyone`s diet right now 

 Favorite Thing today:: an hour to myself tonight....so needed. Amazing how just a little time revives you.

Well- it's been quite a (few) weeks. Last night, Crispin started being ill and has been ill pretty much every 30 minutes from then until 6 am this morning. Twice he missed the toilet which meant I cleaned up the bathroom twice. (Which takes close to an hour) I'm trying to decide if this is the same virus Greg and Fiona had in a different form (that's the hope!!) or a new one (that's the fear!). Right now he's sleeping which is probably the best thing for him. I'm very much hoping this is an old virus and we don't have something new to spread around.

Having more sick kids wasn't on the agenda this week but here we are- that kind of thing happens and I am learning (slowly I might add!!) to roll with it.

The computer front is looking both gloomy and semi-bright at the same time. For those who don't know- our computer hard drive went Pfft almost 3 weeks ago. It was in hostage at our local retailer for nearly 10 days before we rescued it. They were supposed to be doing a data pull before sending it off to Gateway but, they had a hard time getting the data out and didn't bother to tell us about it. We ended up phoning, finding out and then taking the computer back. Steve has an IT guy he uses at work so we thought he might be able to help. Right now he's jumping through a few hoops as the computer is still under manufacturer's warranty so if he opens it up, it will void the warranty unless he has permission. We're getting there but it may be a long time before we have our computer back!!

This has presented problems (as you can imagine!!), not the least of which is my online ordering for Christmas! I also am working on getting some etsy goods that are upload style purchasing so I've been very thankful for my smartphone :) Even so, it has it's drawbacks- some friends blogs I'm not able to comment on and I can't surf quite as quickly.

Thankfully, Steve has a laptop coming at the end of today! Technically, it's a work laptop but I'm going to use it until we sort out our other one. If they can't repair, then we'll get a new computer.

And...our family grew by one member yesterday! Crispin got his very own cockatiel! Her name is Jackie, she's grey with a yellow stripe and she was hand raised which means she's very tame. She hates the cage and wants out as soon as she sees you! Crispin is amazing with her- he's so good with animals. She's a bit confused today as he hasn't been able to interact with him but I did have her out of the cage for a while which helped :) He's just so pleased to have a pet he can hold.

Well- I'm off. My third load of Sanitize laundry is nearly done and I have folding to do. Then it's on with the regular laundry. Take care!

Outside My Window: incredibly blustery night has made way for weak sun and showers today. We're sitting at about 7C right now.

I am Listening to: classical music up here and the sound of Mario Kart being played downstairs.

 I am Wearing: jeans, red l/s shirt, socks (wish I had slippers!!)

I am so Grateful for: hearing the sound of playing in the house as it means that my G is finally feeling better! He was pretty sick Tuesday and then went downhill again Wednesday afternoon. Today he seems 100% again- even after a "test" trip to the grocery store!

I'm thinking about: How much I would love to homeschool my middle child! It would be fun and satisfying for us both but I decidedly don't want to HS my oldest. (And nor does he want to be!!). It's food for thought, I guess
.
I am Reading: flyers for the grocers this week

I am Creating: ack- not much right now!

Organizing:. Working on my File Crate system- using my first folder this week!


Children : pretty good once we all made it through the nasty flu that F started. (And I say that as one who had a shortened version of it!!) C bombing along this week though ready for Friday. G finally back to normal again and will return to school tomorrow. F a bit clingy these days- we think cause of the illness.

Around the House: planning my errand day today and finishing off bathrooms/laundry/ironing.

From the Kitchen: choc chip cookies this afternoon


 Favorite Thing today:: just enjoying having the two younger ones healthy and happy. Oh, and Cocoa Camino Hot Chocolate!!

Well- it's a cold and frosty morning out there! Greg woke up with an upset tummy so he's home today and Crispin was super tired so we scraped the van and drove up to school today. Now we're home and cosy again. The two little ones are on separate sick beds in the living room watching Bananas in Pyjamas right now and I'm drinking up a mug of tea before I get on with my daily tasks.

Truth be told, Fiona doesn't really need a sick bed today as she's a lot better but she thinks she does and it isn't big enough to argue about :) She's been coughing, croupy and feverish for a few days now.

Tuesday is towels and bathrooms day so I have a few tasks to do yet- I've gone back to breaking up my household chores into 5 days (more thanks to Dawn and her routines) and am finding it much better.

I've suffered from a lot of anxiety and worry over the past almost year or so and my ability to maintain the house went waaay downhill so these are huge steps for me. I'm very careful not to let myself get overwhelmed with doing too much at once and I'm still amazed at how much I can get done. Fiona sleeping longer and better makes a huge difference too- we got rid of her nap this summer and she started sleeping by 7 pm instead of 10! Made a huge difference to this Mama's sanity!!

I'm on my way now- have a wonderful day!!

november rains and autumn leaves

Outside My Window:
cloudy sky, rain on and off, dark coming soon
I am Listening to:
Crispin practising trombone and Steve practicing his trumpet at the same time.
 I am Wearing:
jeans,grey shirt, bare feet
I am so Grateful for:
relative peace in my house and being able find a way to post!
I'm thinking about:
organizing my week- loving starting to use Dawn's File Crate System :)
I am Reading: Christmas mags as I prep for baking.
I am Creating:
felt gnomes and tents for the kids for christmas
Organizing: the art supplies
Children :
2 sick with the croupy littlest one taking up a lot my time and energy. Greg his usual wild and crazy self :) He's learning to read and is loving it!
Around the House:
decs out for autumn finally, got to think About christmas soon :)
From the Kitchen:
not much today!!
 Favorite Thing today:: seeing a familiar posting page on Blogger after fiddling about with it!! I'll be back regularly!

dipping my toes in....

Well, this isn't an actual post but a warning that I'll be revamping this blog in preparation for posting again...probably first week in October or thereabouts. The kids are all settled at school and our routine has become more predictable....life isn't any less busy for me but I miss blogging a lot and I need to just bite the bullet and *try*! So try I will!

See you soon!

early may daybook

Outside My Window: cloudy and rainy....it's looked like this for about oh, the last 10 days mostly.


I am Listening to: sound of Steve getting ready for work, Greg is behind me on the couch waking up


 I am Wearing: red stripey l/s shirt, jeans, bare feet (I'm trying to dress early these days)


I am so Grateful for: God's grace and second (and third and fourth) chances


I'm thinking about: being more present with my kids; so often I'm distracted by my own thoughts or by media and I'm not really here. I'm trying to be really "here" this week.


I am Reading: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It's a Wow book.


I am Creating: some little peg people. Am loving the painting aspect of them!


Organizing: laundry, clean and dirty...things are kinda all over the place when it comes to laundry!!


Children : Children are pretty good. C has a busy week this week....lots of stuff going on at school right now and a track meet tomorrow. Greg is good. Enjoying kindy, riding his scooter a lot, but still going through the challenging "sixes" right now. Fiona is getting better although we still have our grumpy days and days when she won't accept anything but cuddling and my full attention at all times! I've never had a child like this who wasn't even content with doing things with me but just wanted me all the time. It's a challenge for sure.


Around the House: got to deal with the leftovers from our flooring pack up. (I know, we still have boxes left from then??!!)

From the Kitchen: lots of fruit and veg to buy today and I have to meal plan which is always a challenge!!


Favorite Thing today: having a bit of quiet time this morning before anyone else woke up. Feel so refreshed :)

Posting pics to Blogger is crashing my computer so this post will have to be pic-less!

mid march daybook

Outside My Window: rain, milder temps but still feels cold if the wind is up. we're at about 9C for a high these days.

I am Listening to: quiet~ woke up at 4:50 today and decided to get up rather than be groggy later



I am Wearing: PJ's and robe



I am so Grateful for: spring, happy kids



I'm thinking about: a long list of to dos for the weekend~ it's time to accept that spring is here.We always put off the first lawn mowing cause once you start, you don't stop until October (or sometimes even November!) we've got to de-winterize the outside and do a bit of spring cleaning.



I am Reading: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Such a good read.



I am Creating: umm...at present, nothing but I have plans for some peg people in the works. They just arrived yesterday :)



Organizing: spring decorations and kids toys. It's time to get into a toy rotation system.



Children and Fish: Spring Break right now so boys are home. So far, not bored and happy but sick with this cough that goes on forever. (which might explain why they aren't bored) Miss F is a bundle of energy as per usual. Fish are looking sickly but I need to change water which might explain things :o)



Around the House: still unpacking from our flooring install. We lost two appliances during the install (not the install's fault just one of those things...) so it was very chaotic. Think of living with 5 people in about 200 sq feet with no easy access to a kitchen *and* having no laundry services or dishwasher for almost 10 days. It was C.R.A.Z.Y. Post install, we had sick kids for almost all of February so now I'm trying to get on with unpacking and spring cleaning kinda all at once. To say my stress level has been extremely high would be an understatement!



From the Kitchen: finally back meal planning though I need to remember to buy meat. I'm sourcing a better meat supplier (ie: free range/organic) so I've been buying minimal but the boys and Steve are missing it. Must bake today as cookies from two days ago are gone.



Favorite Thing today:: actually getting some *real* time on the computer (which means nobody sitting on my lap or trying to talk to me while I'm typing). It feels good.

Pictures from the flooring install:

Before and during our chaos time....all the furniture from the bedrooms is in our main living area...

After....it was almost three weeks from these first pictures to the next ones!

And a few from Crispin's 11th birthday.....we bought him an R/C mini helicopter which he loved!

I'm going to end this (extremely long) post here. I do hope to make posting a regular thing again...it does help when I can actually sit down and type without being swarmed. This continues to be a rare occurance in my house of non-sleeping children!

that floor's coming when??

We've had a few delays and adjustments to our flooring schedule. Waited all day Wednesday for said flooring installers to show up, got a phone call late Wed. to say the flooring product was delayed. Reschedule for Monday (yesterday), they show up, tell me they want to pull all the flooring out that day (we had been told just the new lino and stair carpet were going in), so I frantically rushed around getting some parts of the house ready for them to demolish. By the end of the day, we had new lino and stairway carpet and the carpet was out of Fiona's room. They made arrangements to show up today to pull the rest of the laminate and install the new floor. Walked home from school drop off this morning to find them waiting with bad news. Our new floor is somewhere between Ontario and here but the bad snowstorms has delayed and backlogged everything! So no floor today and actually, prob no floor for another week~ which means we're living in limboland for a while. Thankfully, as we didn't have everything ready for them to pull the floor out, we still have upstairs laminate (except for in Fiona's bedroom which we'll keep off limits) and in a week perhaps, we'll have new floor laid. It's been quite the week already (and it's only Tuesday!)

It's been a crazy sleeping week too...we're dealing with some sleep fears on Fiona's part as backlash from an incident that happened last month. She's become quite scared of sleep and it's been trying having a little 2 year old up until 11 or so each night~ scared to sleep and overtired. I've been trying to spend a bit of quiet time every day on my own...if I got too long without Tanya time, I get grumpy and I've been *there* a few times in the past weeks. So right now, when she is sleeping on Tues/Thurs, I make the time to do something fun for me. I've got the urge right now to do some crafting with wool felt, just to see what it's like and the difference in feel. Anyone used the new eco-felt or wool felt?? I have some Valentine goodies I'd like to create and there's a shop in town that sells wool felt which means it will be affordable (no shipping and CAD). The only hitch is that it is right downtown which means a trek and parking and an unhappy Fiona. However, it might be all worth it just for wool felt! 

It's been grey and rainy here....many days of drizzle and not much sun. La Nina in Victoria. I really wouldn't mind a good dose of winter. (dodges large object thrown by sister in Manitoba...they've had record amounts of snow) It just doesn't seem likely that we'll get much though...sadly.

I'm off...there are a few things to sort out downstairs and Miss Fiona is sleeping downstairs too in Greg's bedroom so I prefer to be close to her. Speak soon.

a thinking kind of daybook...

Outside My Window:  about 4C, cloudy with rain on the way...rain pretty much all week actually

I am Listening to: washer and dryer humming, quiet as Miss Fiona is sleeping



I am Wearing: dark wash jeans, brown l/s shirt, heavy socks


I am so Grateful for: a little bit of quiet in the midst of a very busy week. Sleep.


I'm thinking about: all the work to come this week. We've got new floors going in our main area, upstairs bathroom and staircase. The fun starts tomorrow and won't stop until Monday. Thankfully, we have a downstairs to sleep and "live" in until things let up...oh, and two bathrooms!

I am Reading: "The Discipline Book" W and M Sears; "The Secret of Platform 13" Eva Ibbotson, and "Organized Simplicilty" Tsh Oxenreider

I am Creating: an empty upstairs....almost completed boxing up our stuff and moving things downstairs that we'll need. (yikes, it's been quite a long haul!)

Organizing: (see Above)

Children and Fish: Kids are good. C happy and busy this week...got a big science project for school due early March so we're busy with that. G and F have been wired the last few days and not sleeping well so I'm really tired. (Like *Really* tired...so thankful for coffee!) Fish are happy fish that get to move house and go downstairs today.

Around the House: looking pretty empty up here now and we'll be busy getting things organized for tomorrow later. Wed is bathroom and stairs. Thursday they'll start on the bedrooms and main area...prob won't have net access from Thursday on~ we'll see how things go.

From the Kitchen: crockpot meals a lot this week....trying to keep things out of the upstairs and made in advance.

Favorite Thing today:: these quiet moments. I'm trying to savour them as much as I can and savour *life* as much as I can. we're still reeling from Char's death and it's just amzing how someone you don't really know can impact you so much. I've got a lot going on in my head right now but am having a hard time getting things out on to paper. (both because of time and because of well, words!)
I'm going to try and post a bit in the next week so please bear with me if things aren't nicely said and neatly packaged up. So much is going on that it makes it difficult to talk about it all. Thanks for your understanding in advance :)

in the New Year early morning daybook

Outside My Window: dark and cold, it's about -1C out there and finally the rain has stopped. A lover of rain, even *I* have been ready for clear skies as we've spent days in the latest West Coast storm. Other people got snow from this system, but not our southern tip of the Island.....rain, rain and more rain!

I am Listening to: mostly silence. G is awake and drawing, the coffee maker has just stopped perking and everyone else is sleeping. I haven't had a lot of silence in the past few weeks and I've needed this morning.

I am Wearing: Robe (see first heading) and PJs. Warm socks.

I am so Grateful for: Life and family. One of C's friends from school~ a family who recently moved just down the road from us and who Steve knew growing up at the same school~ had a terrible tragedy happen this week. C's friend's Mum (and Steve's friend from school) died of a heart attack at the age of 39. It's been a real shock and something none of us was prepared for. We've spent a lot of this week praying for this family, hugging our kids and making sure we say goodnight and goodbye every day. I don't think you really sppreciate how something like this can change your whole perspective on life until it happens.

I'm thinking about: my word of the year. I've never had one before even though I tried really hard. This year, we had a busy Advent season and during this time the Lord impressed on me that my word for 2011 was "Present".

 Be present. Be in the moment.

I worry a lot (like, a LOT!!) and I'm always thinking 20 steps ahead. Part of this is personality, part is dealing with up to now two very active toddlers ( first C and now F) with whom you *have* to be 20 steps ahead.  So often though, I'm listening with half an ear, focused on something outside of the situation I'm in. I find church and social events a blur as I"m thinking about other stuff and trying to stay with my climbing, running, jumping Fiona. I get frustrated and resentful and I feel like the Lord is encouraging me to slow down, enjoy this moment....look at my life with eyes wide open and take it all in. SEE it instead of just allowing it to blur all out of focus.

So I'm starting the New Year with a new focus. When my kids are awake (particularly Fiona or once the day has begun), I try to be off the computer and away from my lists as much as possible. I'm trying to focus on them and not do 20 things at once. When I clean, we clean together or I set them up with an activity and then start, encouraging them to join in. And, I'm trying to let me mind be focused on what's happening now. I'll block in some time to do some forward planning~ and I try and surf to collect ideas and read blogs/Facebook when the kids are asleep.

There are downsides to this of course.....Fiona's sleeping schedule being one of them. However, I know the best thing about being present is the reward of enjoying this time with my children and just enjoying life.

Steve and I were talking in the days after New Years as we returned the house to normal and scarily, he also had been impressed with the very same idea. Enjoy life now.....stop worrying about the future, wishing the kids were a little older, house was less cluttered etc. Be Present.

Please pray for me as I try and Be Present with my family~ to enjoy what is happening and create a fun, happy life at home for my children. I so want them to remember a childhood full of moments with Mama, not a Mum who was constantly on the computer or distracted by other things.

I am Reading: Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider. So good so far and Steve is reading it too. I think we'll try her 10 day plan for organizing....this is all to the good because (see below)

I am Creating: boards with flooring/carpet and lino samples on them. Our laminate floors are just about done, the carpet on the stairs and in our bedrooms is really showing signs of wear (who chose that colour anyway??...oh yeah, We did.) and the lino in the bathroom is also stained (thank you food colouring). we have one big house project a year and this year it will be redoing the flooring in our upstairs. (2 bedrooms, bathroom, hallway and great room). It will be at least a 3 day install which will be nasty but hopefully Fiona and I will be OK. (She's terrified of loud noises so she'll be strssed out but thankfully we'll have the downstairs to live in.) I've got a lot to pack up and move though as the rooms will have to be empty as they transition from one area to another. I'm starting to pack away some of our heavy stuff into boxes now, we probably won't have work going on for another  few weeks.

Organizing: see above.

Children and Fish: doing fine. Crispin has been quite subdued this week as he thinks about his friend H. Greg was happy to get back to school and just happy in general. Fiona was well Fiona. Loud, active, running everywhere and a bit grumpy as she adjusted to the transition back to school and no brothers home all day every day. Fish are happy. Blowing bubble nests and flaring their fins all the time. Love the look of a happy betta :)
From the Kitchen: granola and lots of Mexican food. (don't ask how those go hand in hand....I don't know either)

Favorite Thing today: a little morning quiet and this picture from Christmastime. An unintended user of Jessa's new coat.

See you soon! Apologies for the extra long post!