Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week and remember our blessings.  It is so good to see all that has happened, especially if you have had a particularly tough week. Being grateful is good for the soul. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for...

1. Pretty Nails

Eden found some nail polish and I relented and let her paint her nails. I know. *cringe*  And then I let her paint my nails too. *twitch twitch*  She got it all over my fingers and it makes my cuticles look even worse, but she was pleased with herself. So we showed off our fingers to everyone and we ooh'ed at how sparkly they were and it was fun!

Don't be jealous.

2. fort building

The Youngers are getting good at fort building in our house. I love memories like these!

3. this girl

seriously.  How did I get so lucky?

Happy 14th birthday, Abi!


4. oh Christmas tree

I love our family tradition of going to a tree farm (support local!) and finding our own special tree!  I grew up with a fake one that we pulled out each year on the 3rd of December, which I love and miss that family tradition, but I love that my own family can have their own.  I'm thankful that it wasn't that cold this year for our outing!

 {group hug for our fave tree!}

5.  strength and covering

I was suddenly thrust into the role of leading the whole morning with my children's group as my co-leader wasn't able to come, which made me a bit nervous, but mostly confident. And let me tell you that I wouldn't have that confidence if it weren't for the Holy Spirit. It's one thing to have the talent to lead a group of kids, but it's another to have no worries as you rest in the fact that it's His words that are being said.  I am so thankful that even though the kids were restless more than usual, the morning went really well. I had energy and spirit and Joy!

6. new-to-her princess dresses

Eden found a bunch of old dresses that Abi used to wear (and make her brothers wear too, come to think of it!) They're still a bit big on her, but she is so excited!

I let her wear one to bed, along with her new "hair pretty" and she giggled while being tucked in, saying, "Mama, I'm in love with you!"  She melts me.

7.  beautiful voices in harmony

I'm not too sure if you can tell or not, but I love music! :)  I love choirs. I love orchestras. I just love beautiful harmonies and lyrics. My heart was so lifted this week to hear a bit of Abi and the high school choir practicing after school. I am thankful that we are created to sing.

8. sudden visits to my parents

I am so thankful that I have been able to just suddenly go with my sister this week to visit my parents while my Opa was in the hospital. We don't live near our extended family (they are in Ontario), and so it's been difficult, but we have eachother. I am thankful for tea, tears, laughter, and comfort.

9. Crafty Affaire

The girls and I had a morning outing which started with a walk around the Crafty Affaire market in White Rock (support local!) and ended with lunch together. And, yet again, I meant to take photos but forgot to. Oops. You'll have to trust me that it was a fun time. It helped that I won tickets for entry through Instagram! yay go me! (I won last year too, but wasn't able to attend as it fell on the same day as Kai's bday party.)

10.  almost meetings

I am thankful for laughter and being silly. I was walking through the grocery store with my husband when I saw anther man I recognized. We had already had a strange day of many coincidental meetings with people we knew, so I thought it was another friend. That is until I realized I recognized this man through his wife's blog that I read often! I suppose I could've said Hi when I saw the whole family, but I thought it may be strange since they didn't really know me, but now I'm realizing that was silly and I should've! Maybe we'll have another chance encounter....now that I know where she shops! *wink*


So that's my week (or two) in a nutshell. How about you? What are you thankful for?   

Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week and remember our blessings.  It is so good to see all that has happened, especially if you have had a particularly tough week. Being grateful is good for the soul. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for...

1 .Fun Mail

I got such a wonderful surprise in the mail this week from a friend in Scotland. She had posted on FB that there was a Doric version of the book Gruffalo, which is a dialect where she lives. I thought that was pretty cool and asked her to record herself reading it. She offered to send me a copy instead. And she did! I wasn't really expecting her to. I was so happy!

 I could read the book in my head, but reading it out loud was a bit more difficult! The kids listened, but they got confused. (not surprising)

("a mouse took a walk in the wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good.")

  Abi and I had fun reading it, although she sounded more like a pirate to me! HAHA

2. rebate cheques

I got a letter from ICBC this week (the Insurance Corporation of BC, the company that you have to insure your vehicle with to be able to drive it legally here.) that they had been overcharging me (oops. dang corporation) I am thankful for the cheque they sent though. It is enough for us to be able to rent the uniform Abi needs for her choir performances.

3.International Festival

The grade ones have been studying different countries this unit and have come together to do a few fun events. They had a few soccer matches (or, rather, Football in most of these countries) and ended with an International Feast, where each class hosted foods from their country. Rhys' class studied France, so some parents brought in crepes, croissants and quiche---which was impressive because my mind went blank and all I could think of was French Fries, haha!  The other countries represented were Netherlands, Guatemala, and Italy. 

It was a fun afternoon!

4. acceptance
  
I think just about everyone knows by now that Rhys is a huggy boy. He loves to give random hugs to people and he will love and hang on you if he knows you. I think it's great about him as it shows his genuine love for others. But I know that people we don't know may not enjoy it as much. Such as classmates of Abi's. But Rhys still runs up to them and hugs them and wants to hang around them!  

I am so thankful that Abi's classmates are okay with that. They not only endure his clinging, but they are so kind that they even encourage him. It warms my heart to see that they don't look down on him, but accept him. I had to pull him off one girl as we were leaving school the other day because he kept hugging her leg! She laughed it off thankfully.

5. balloons!

We got confirmation this week that my niece is now allowed to have latex without having an anaphalactic episode!  Woohoo!! After 8 years, she can now play with balloons!!!  This is such an amazing gift! We all kind of take it for granted that we can play with balloons at parties or not have to worry about what the rubber balls in school are made out of or avoid certain foods that cross relate.  I can't wait to be able to give her a balloon!

6.  visits with old friends

And when I say "old", I mean Dear...not OLD! haha.

Shannon and I have been friends ever since we worked together 14 years ago. (gosh, now I feel old!) For a while there we would get together monthly, but she started to full-time work as a nurse and life got busy for me and we weren't able to anymore. After a few cancellations, we finally met this week for tea and a visit. My heart is happy again. (having hugs from her daughters, saying they missed me, helped too!)

 7.  friends 

If you were to ask Eden who her best friend is, she'd probably say Joey, our next door neighbour. We are so blessed to have this family beside us. But with night coming earlier now and so many after school events, they haven't been able to play as much; they look forward to the weekend!

8. gaming night

For Kai's birthday party, he invited his friends over for a gaming night. We got him a PS3, and we borrowed an old-school Nintendo and an extra tv, and a friend brought over his Ninetendo 360, so they had plenty to do! We fed them and they played games and had a lot of fun. I had to laugh though that by the end of the night, they were all on the couch with their own devices playing Minecraft together!  It was a fun evening! (and cheap!)

(this is the picture we used for his invitations!)

9. extra long weekends

My kids are out of school for two days this week, giving them an extra-long weekend! I love that! As much as I love their school and I love that they can go, I also love those special days where we can relax and sleep in and stay in our pjs!

10. Colourful Garden Carrots

I am so thankful that we had a bit of a garden this summer that yeilded a lot more beets than expected, as well as beans and these carrots. I love all the fun colours! (I think they were called Rainbow variety, but I could really be totally wrong. I don't pay good attention to these sorts of things)

 So that's my week in a nutshell. How about you? What are you thankful for? 

Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week and remember our blessings.  It is so good to see all that has happened, especially if you have had a particularly tough week. Being grateful is good for the soul. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for...

1. Birthdays

Kai is 12 now, which is crazy because I thought for sure he's already been 12! He's more of a teenager than a tween with adolesence hitting. I am loving this new stage of life for him, to be honest. It's so good to see maturity and passion and kindness show up more often.

2. healing

It took her the full 10 days to finally be able to control the pain better, but I am so thankful that Abi is starting to get back to normal again! Her voice is still weak and sore halfway through the day, but she's back at school and all feels right!

 3. big brother help

I caught Rhys one morning zipping up Eden's jacket for her as we were leaving for school. How sweet! Sometimes having an older brother is the best!

I am so thankful for his gentle spirit and for his seeing a problem and doing his part to fix it! It made my heart happy.

4. Remembering the sacrifices made

With Remembrance Day just past, I am so thankful to consider all of the lives that were effected to keep us safe in our homes and our country. The soldiers, the doctors and nurses, the families that had to give up husbands and sons and daughters.... so many sacrifices; it's overwhelming.
 

I am so thankful.

5. warm safe home

I am so thankful for heat and protection and blankets and boots and jackets and warm meals...all the things that we had to keep us safe and cozy while the world was pelted with rain and harassed with wind over this stormy week.  We have it so good! I am thankful for so many things.  (*I am also thankful that my parent' power only was out for 12 hours and that they were still able to stay warm despite that. In the same theme...I'm thankful for cell phones so we can still be in contact despite no power!)

6. Giving friends

I was out for lunch with a friend this past week when my debit card was noticeably missing from my purse. (which is strange since it is always in this one spot.) I searched and searched, feeling perplexed, when my friend offered to pay for my lunch so that I didn't have to put the small order onto my credit card. I am so thankful for her quick willingness to do that. I can't think of any of my friends who wouldn't, but still...it is such a blessing to have a friend who does that immediately! I am thankful for her gift. (and I am thankful that the kids found my debit card in the back of the van...after an unnamed preschooler took it out....and that I was able to give back to this friend)

7.  coffee dates


I am thankful for the times that Hunny and I are able to pop out for a quick coffee date just to spend some time chatting without kids always at your feet or demanding attention or just irritating you with their bickering.     

 My Hunny is a Starbucks drinker, so we often end up at the one near us. (I'm not as picky.) I got my plain red Holiday cup from Starbucks and I wasn't offended. It's a bit boring this year, but nothing that effects me too much. (haha. What a huge waste of time and attention that non-story was this past week!)

8.  Upcoming change

My Hunny was offered a part time teaching position at a local college , starting next semester! This job wasn't something he was trying for or something he was thinking he'd end up doing, but it was something that was presented to him about a year ago just as an idea. Funny how God moves things and opens doors you hadn't thought of before!  I am thankful that this has come up and that it has brought excitemement (and nerves) to my Hunny. I am thankful that God loves surprises too!

9.  Babysitting Play Dates

I got to babysit all of my little nephews this week and it was wonderful! I haven't babysat them in months, since they didn't need me anymore. It was fun! It was only for an hour and half, but it was actually enjoyable!  I had Eden there and the three boys, so four kids aged 4, 3, 21 months and 2 months old! It reminded me of the days when I had little kids all around. (I never had four in that short of an age gap, but I always seemed to have a toddler and a baby at the same time, lol ...Or so it seemed.)

10. Classes that go better than expected

I teach a class of 3-yr olds at my Bible Study group (BSF) and this week our classes and Leaders changed, so we weren't too sure how it would go. Instead of me being in a team of 4 leaders, we were now separated into smaller classes so it was just myself and another woman. I am so thankful that it all went well and that we felt confident and that the kids had a good morning. Phew!



So that's my week in a nutshell. How about you? What are you thankful for?