Happy New Year - may the force be with you

Star Wars pancakes anyone?

CHRISTmas gifts

The last month has been a bit of a blur but brought many blessings, memories and laughter. As things start to return back to "normal" (whatever that is) I finally get a chance to reflect on this special time with our friends and family.
Why does it seem the holidays inevitably mean some sort of sickness going around? This year was no exception but I can't complain too much. Days before our house guests arrived, the kids were coughing and hacking. Numerous times I got sneezed and coughed on right in my face. I figured I was doomed. The Lord had mercy and delayed any sickness on the part of Wayne and myself until Grandma and Grandpa had gone and things started to settle down. A minor inconvenience - maybe even the excuse I needed to lay around for a few days!!
Mom and Dad and my Grandma and Grandpa arrived from Wisconsin to attend Will's Christmas Recital.  He had his own cheering section and did a great job. He had chosen to play the "Huron Christmas Carol" inspired by the Canadian history he has been learning and he did a great job. And he managed to get some mileage out of it by playing it for church with my Mom accompanying him on the piano.

Another highlight from their stay was just the women enjoying Holiday Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in downtown Ottawa - just down the street from the Parliament buildings. We each enjoyed our own pot of tea with the exception of Zanna - she got a pot of hot chocolate - lucky duck!!! We each had our own three tiered tea caddy that include divine scones, finger sandwhiches and holiday desserts. It was lovely!!

How cute are they?!!!

Christmas is usually a very hectic time between services in Quebec and our own church in town. Wayne, Will and my mom went to Quebec for Christmas Eve day service and my mom played the piano for the service. As soon as they came back and walked through our front door I had dinner ready, inhaled food, cleaned up and got to church. Christmas Eve is traditionally the children's pageant they were both participating in. It was a lovely evening and the kids did a great job singing and saying their parts.  Back to church the next morning for Christmas Day service. I had the privilege of playing with my mom some music for the service (me - violin, mom - piano). When all this is done and Wayne can relax, we have our birthday party!!! Jesus' birthday cake and appetizers and the birthday song and we open presents.

We were extremely blessed to be surrounded by our family here at home and have so many generations under one roof! We went through a lot of coffee and toilet paper and had a quest for the perfect pillow. We ate a lot of food - oh my goodness, did we eat! And my house guests actually took turns cooking - including my Dad who treated us to some Bangers and Mash (inspired by their regular trips to the UK) which was bloody brilliant :) Dad even attempted to make wreath cookies - you know the kind, made out of corn flakes and marshmallows? After realizing that neither myself nor Grandma made them this year - he took matters into his own hands and turned out some "wreath clumps" we affectionately called them. 

But in the evening after the kids had been put to bed (sometimes even before then - a couple times Will had to put himself to bed) the cards came out, whiskey old-fashions were mixed, girls against guys in some good natured, a little rowdy (Grandma) hand and foot. 

All good things must come to an end and before we knew it - everyone had left. I hope we didn't scare them away.....

Thanksgiving, Advent and everything in between

What does Mr. Turkey say?

Gobble Gobble Gobble

When it is Thanksgiving Day

Gobble Gobble Gobble

  I have discovered the secret to doing it all - the good, traditional Thanksgiving fare and the adorably decorated table. A secret Martha herself learned long ago. You ready for it? Have somebody else do part of it. Profound, I know! In American Thanksgivings past, we've had neighbours join us, our Chinese Canadian friends or people we just wanted to reach out to. This year we did something different. I propositioned an American friend of mine - I'd do all the cooking if she'd like to do crafts with our kids, do a table scape and a fun kids table. She agreed and it was a hit! I wish I had better pictures because this seriously doesn't do it justice - it was adorable. I kid you not. It can sometimes be a challenge to pass on to my kids important holidays and traditions from my upbringing while living in another country. Canadian Thanksgiving is in October (which I really like having it then) but the history of it is different. For one night I was like every other "normal American", celebrating with friends and family the first meal of Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and Native Americans so long ago. Thanks, Dina!

Other things we've been up to? We've been busy! Both kids have had their cooking classes at the local grocery store. I stay with Zanna but Will is a drop off.

Since I last posted, we've been to the National Arts Centre for a wonderful show, visited the recently reopened Museum of Nature, took a tour of Canadian art at the National Art Gallery (I love living in this city!), Will had a karate tournament, we toured the bird sanctuary (hospital) along with all our regular activities. I gotta slow down....

And now it is Advent. As I start busily decorating for Christmas, celebrating Advent slows me down and forces me to focus on who we are celebrating. 

Here's my mantle this year. I thought I would change it up and use the wall art I made at a local art store a few years ago. The store's since closed which is too bad because I'd love to do more!

Here's some of what we're doing to prepare for Jesus birth - a journey through history leading up to His birth. I downloaded a free Jesse tree devotional complete with ornaments. I then laminated the ornaments. That's right - just call me the LAMINATOR. In an Arnold voice. I laminate everything that's not nailed down. But I digress. 

Blessings on your Advent celebration!

October memories

 Can't believe it's November - October is just a memory. We made lots of fun memories though! (after my nervous breakdown!)
Will is pictured here with his Senseis from karate after having tested for his brown belt. He worked hard for this one! It took him about an hour and a half to complete all his kada's (spelling?) leading up to this point and had to spar against his Senseis as there was no one else testing in the same belt that time. We celebrated with a trip to Dairy Queen after!
Will also played violin for his first funeral. A lady from the retirement home that Wayne does a service for weekly and the kids usher and throw around hugs and smiles - passed away and wanted Wayne to do the funeral. Will did a great job as he accompanied an organ and a singing group in "Amazing Grace".

October ends with Halloween (or Reformation Day as I like to focus on!) and the kids went out in freezing cold weather lead by their Dad who, although bone tired from a 13 hour workday and freezing temperatures awaiting, took the kids around the neighborhood to collect a feast of sugar. What a guy! The pumpkin never did get carved but the kids didn't seem to notice (maybe because of their face being immersed in the candy jar?).
Anyway, will was some Star Wars character and Zanna was - what else? - a princess!
Also this month, we were able to go to the National Art Centre to see our first opera - Hansel and Gretel. Quite a morbid story but they managed to "fun it up".
We also survived Wayne being gone for 6 days (who's counting) in Calgary for WELS Canada AGM.  We were all happy to welcome him back home!!

A long tradition in my home growing up was to go on a nature walk and put together a nature poster board that we would display for Thanksgiving. This year we did a twist on that - more of a nature corner. I hope to continue this corner for other seasons so we can appreciate a bit of God's creation as the seasons change. The kids like this and they often come back from a walk with some treasure to add to the table.

They also did some art with leaves that I posted on the bulletin board - got this great idea from a book called "Look what I did with a leaf" by Morteza Sohi - I got from the library. We'll be sure to do more with these!
Enjoy the last days of fall!!
I have yet to make our leaf cookies.....

Fall adventures

We've been busy with studies and getting into the routine of a new school year. We've gone apple picking and visited a farmers' market on Saturdays where we've picked up farm fresh eggs, vegetables and meat.
We accompanied Wayne to Vermont for pastors' conference and explored the resort town of Stowe, toured Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory and roughed it in some very dingy but pricey hotel. We've gone on a nature walk and attended the butterfly exhibit at a local university.
We enjoyed a visit from Jake and Fran last month. Life has been busy but .... fall is fun!!

Why do I bother?

When people ask me what I do, I often hesitate. Where do I begin?

I'm tempted to reply with "What don't I do?"

Truly, I don't want to come off sounding like some martyr. I feeling truly blessed to do what I am able to do -

Care for my family and home.

And yes, often times that looks like the above pictures. Not glamorous, no paycheck at the end of the day

but more often than not, rewarding and important. Payment in hugs and kisses and knowing that

I'm serving and glorifying the Lord in the seemingly mundane tasks I do in any given day.

I find great joy and reward in decorating for the seasons, cooking creative meals,

home educating, finding ways to show love for my husband.

But then there are those days that I ask myself......

Why do I bother?

That day was yesterday.

Why do I bother cleaning a house with the exception of the basement - you know the one that has large

dust bunnies following you down the stairs, an area that has seemingly exploded, laundry in piles

and unmentionables hanging from the drying rack....

only to have my husband take our guest down there to show him something?

Why do I bother cooking a Thanksgiving dinner only to have something so embarrassing happen

I can't even type it because I'm so mortified?

Why do I bother spending hours practicing a violin piece to play for church on Sunday only to have my

daughter run circles around me while I'm trying play so that I hit her in the head with the violin bow

before I've barely started so that I'm so angry I give up, pack my stuff up, haul her out of there and leave the

service before it's even over?!!!!!!!

Why do I bother spending thousands of dollars over 4 years on violins and violin lessons for my talented

son who brought his violin to church to accompany the Sunday school choir on a song they are to sing

for church next Sunday - knowing full well that

It's broken in half.

Oh yeah.

Quite honestly, the wounds are still fresh so that the answer to this question is still a little blurry. I do seem to recall

through my haze a passage from Scripture

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9a

Paul goes on to say that he will boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses so that Christ's power

may rest on him.

So in taking advise from Paul I declare ....

I am not a perfect housewife!

I am not a perfect home educator!

I am not a perfect hostess!

I am not a perfect musician!

I do not have perfect kids!

For when I am weak, then I am strong - through Christ who gives me strength!!

Back to Homeschool

We spent our last hurrah of summer at the Labor Day Retreat in Massachusetts. My parents were able to attend the retreat by making it a part of their fall Harley ride. It was lots of fun to have them there and we all had a great time at the camp. It was the perfect way to end summer and start fall - surrounded by Christian friends, fellowship, Bible study and activities. We left refreshed and ready to go!

Tuesday was the first day of school and what better way than to have a field trip! We stayed an extra night in Albany, New York and visited the Battlefield of Saratoga. We explored the visitor's center, dressed up, watched a film on the Battle of Saratoga that was the turning point for the Americans in the Revolutionary War and drove to the checkpoints in the park where key events happened. Having never learned any of this in Canada, Wayne enjoyed the history lesson too!

Today was our first day of school at home and to celebrate the occasion, the kids make some back to school cupcakes. We started our day with a Bible lesson focusing on Genesis 1 and creation. What a great way to start our year! From there we started a new spelling program (I hope this will help!), began a geography program that has us become geographers exploring God's creation, Saxon 5/6 and continued our study of American history.

It never fails that at the start of every school year I go into a panic attack as the yellow school buses drive by. I wonder if we're doing the right thing? Do I know what I'm doing? Are we using the right curriculum? The doubts can overwhelm me! I'm thankful for the moments of clarity that come only through being in God's Word. We strive to do our best as parents and make decisions based on how we can best serve the Lord, even when that means going against the norm. It's sure not easy yet I somehow find that comforting.....