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. Anniversaries to celebrate

Sixteen years already?  Wow.

2. Mutual Cheering

I'm not happy with how our team ended up (It was a very painful ending. I was reminded of why I'm not allowed to watch hockey games at home; I get animated and yell at the tv and try to coach the team from my couch! haha.)  But I did enjoy the games, and I liked watching them with the kids.

There's always next year...

*sigh*

3. a great school that the kids enjoy

Our school had their Student-Led Conferences this week and so Rhys and Bryn got to show off their work to me. They were both excited about this opportunity. 

{{I look tired here but I wasn't. I'm just not photogenic!}}

I am so thankful that they get to go to this school and that they are growing and learning. I am so thankful that this is an opportunity that we get to have each year. I am thankful for planned nights where we can spend time getting to see what they are learning or how they are doing in school, no matter what their level or marks are. The kids are excited and you get to see them shine more!

4. Blessings in the mail

Is it wrong that I am so thankful that a friend got a surprise in the mail this week and that surprise was that I mailed her a get-well package? She and her kids have been under the weather a lot with various illnesses and they are run down, and so I wanted to send her something fun and good. So I made a get well card and added some tissues, hand sanitizer and some facials for fun. I also included some small Crayola travel packs for her kids. It was relatively easy to put together and didn't cost a heck of a lot. (I got most of the supplies at Dollarama. It was just the time it took to actually get down to the post office to mail it off that took the longest)

I am just so happy that she was surprised and that it made her day. I am so thankful that I could bless another with a simple act.  It made me feel good.

5.  Crafty Affaire

This past weekend, my Mom and I went to White Rock to check out Crafty Affaire, a Market of local artisans. It was a great afternoon to do that too. I was impressed with how everything looked...the displays were nice and elegant, and there were so many different crafty businesses.  It's a Market that we hope to participate in next year (or even in their winter one) as a vendor with Once Again designs.

{{our newest, and most colourful so far: wild & free sign. It's 5x5 and made out of reclaimed fence boards.}}

I am thankful for afternoons out with my Mom, and for talks and for de-stressing. I am thankful that I have such a good relationship with my mom and that we share similar interests. I am so blessed!

6.Thy Word

I am so thankful for my BSF group. We are finishing up the Life of Moses and I have gotten so much more out of it than I was expecting. I am thankful for His Word and that I have been able to study it and learn it more this year. 

What a blessing it is to be able to read this book! We live in a country that allows us some freedom in our beliefs, and we take it for granted; there are a lot of countries that don't and many believers risk a lot to grow their relationship with our God.


7. cookies!
 
Who doesn't like warm cookies from the oven? Yum!

8. My Hunny home

I am so thankful that my Hunny was able to take the day off of work so that I could go on a class field trip with Rhys (little siblings weren't allowed to come due to space). We also had an appointment with the paediatrician immediately after, so that I wasn't able to be at the school to pick up the kids when they got out. I am thankful that he was able to be with Eden and take her out for lunch and to pick up the Olders.  I am thankful that he has a good job and could take the time off when needed.

9.  my nephews

I got to babysit my nephews again this week. It feels like I haven't seen them in a long time! (especially since I had to cancel last week due to pink eye. Phooey) I love these boys!

 {{Micah and Eden stacking blocks}}

10. water power

Kai used the pressure washer to clean out the back of the truck from all of the dirt we filled for the gardens. He really does love that machine and will always volunteer to use it if it comes out!  I love that he will work hard at a project. 

That's my week in a nutshell. I have so much to be thankful for and I have many more that I didn't mention. What are you thankful for?

Student Leds

Our school does Student-Led Conferences every spring where the kids come with their parents in the evening to show off their portfolios and recent work and just things around the classroom.  It's a fun time for the parents to share in their lives. (they do happen to spend more time at school than at home, you know. It's crazy to think of. But then I guess, working parents do the same.)  Most of them like doing this, at least, my kids have all been excited about it!

I don't remember if we did this when I was in school. I really can't remember at all. I'm sure that we did events like this, and I'm sure my parents went to the ones they could go to, but I just don't recall. 

This week was the Student-Leds at the Elementary School and Bryn and Rhys got to show things off to me. I love seeing their classroom and work through their eyes.

 Rhys had fun showing me his Farm booklet. But then he got distracted and had to finish a page with cutting and glueing, so I looked through his portfolio while he did that!  He really does enjoy school, and he is gaining in his knowledge, which is so exciting to see.

Bryn was so excited about tonight! He really does love school.  He is excellent at math and reading and is very serious when it comes to his work. He even actually sits still and listens well.  Which is so funny because as soon as school is done, he is bouncing all over the place and hyperactive!  We are often telling him to settle down at home!  I'm glad that he is well-behaved at school though. But wow, what a change in a boy once that bell rings!

 {{B as described by his classmates.}}

We are so blessed to be able to attend the school that we do, and it is a privelege that I take to heart. It costs us a lot to be able to do this, and each year we approach it with some measure of worry that it won't be available to us, but somehow it all works out. We have a wonderful group of teachers who really do care and support our children. And the kids have such great friends. I love our school and I am so pleased with how they are growing and learning.

Middle Child Day

I am a middle child.  This made me laugh.

I have heard that the middle child often feels left out; they aren't the oldest and the privileges that come with that, nor are they the youngest and the baby of the family.  They don't quite know where they fit in.

In my extensive experience being the middle child, I have had to say I only have one distinct time in my life where I felt that way. I was nine and we were living in Toronto and I remember feeling that I was acting *so much* older than my older brother, who was chasing our younger sister around the house.  I thought that wasn't very mature since we were home alone after school (my parents worked until dinnertime, like most parents, and so we were alone for a few hours. Something that kids can't seem to be allowed to do now.) I felt that I was definitely the Oldest that day and knew how to behave better! Haha.

Other than that, I'm not too sure if I felt like I was left out. My parents were pretty good at not babying my sister, although I did feel that my brother got the best of things since he was the oldest. You know how it is, the parents give something great to the oldest intending to reciprocate with the next children when they get that age (like a car when they turn 16) but then they find they actually can't afford to do that later on in life for the next child. Yeah. Stuff like that always happened. 

Life, you know.

I still think my childhood/teen years were pretty good!

Somehow I managed!

I read that Middle Children tend to be the most capable and self sufficient of them all in the end anyways. So there's that!

Sixteen Years

My Mountain Man and I celebrated our Sixteenth Anniversary this weekend.

Sixteen years!

It doesn't feel that long and I certainly don't feel as old as it sounds!

Of course, being as the Old Marrieds that we are, we didn't do much to celebrate the day. We're at the stage where kids are more expensive than personal celebrations. But we're hoping to maybe one day soon get away for a night.

Or a weekend.

Or a week. That's what my doctor told me that I needed to do when I saw her last week. She honestly suggested that I go away for a week and asked if I had someone who could take the kids.  I looked at her blankly.  Great idea. But not feasable! One day.

Look at how young we were!!!  There really is a big height difference between us, but I was wearing ballet flats and he was wearing dress shoes with a bit of a heel! My friend said that we look "very Jane Austen", which made me laugh.  I honestly had never read her books (or seen the movie adaptations) until a few years ago. (I know!!!  Pride and Prejudice is now one of my favourite books and movies!)  But, I guess I've always had a Victorian-era heart; I am a *bit* "old fashioned". 

If I could go back and re-do our wedding, I'd do it the same, but more iron-ed out. I'd also have a bigger budget! We put together a wedding without a lot of money but with a lot of help and support of family. I thought it turned out perfect though. The day after our wedding, I told my new husband that I wanted to get married again!  He laughed at me, but I was serious! It was a great and fun day!

I love this photo.  I made this photo holder out of pallet wood just so I could display this picture.  I am pleased with how it turned out.

Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week to remember our blessings.  It is so good to see the blessings that have 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. Beautiful weather

Seriously, could we live in a more beautiful area?  We had such a hot weekend here, so we spent most of it outside! I am so thankful for days like this.  (not so thankful for the sunburn on the back of my neck while mowing the lawn, though. oops)

2. picnic dinners

We got together with the extended family to celebrate another birthday (and to move some dirt for gardens), and with our warm evenings we ate out on the deck. The Cuzies got a blanket and had their dinner as a picnic. 

Did I mention how beautiful it was this past weekend?

3. chore chart and no screen weekend success

We have been trying to get a better hold on the excessive use of our internet by making a No Screen Weekend. I'm so thankful for our sunshiney weekend that made it easier!  We also are trying to get the kids more involved in helping out, and so I put up a Chore Chart on Friday. The kids had easy-enough tasks that had to be finished by Saturday evening, and they would get paid if they finished them all. (they were informed that half finished tasks resulted in no allowance at all!)  It took some kids the whole 24 hours to complete their chores, some were almost done on Friday night (that would be Bryn! He was quite eager to get his done fast!)

I am thankful that we had success in both the chore chart and no screen time! Yay!  I think I will pull this out again!

4. Found Surprises

While spending time in the backyard on the weekend, I found a missing Suckie from one of my Babies.  It was bittersweet to find.  It reminded me of how little my kids once were. 

I miss holding a bitty baby. I guess it's a good thing that there will be another one in the family this Fall! (not mine! just to clarify!)

5. Learning skills

I have been working with Eden and teaching her to write her own name.  It took Rhys a long time to learn his (he was already five years old before he could write the letters; he seemed to lack the skill or strength or connection of sight to ability) and now he is able to write more letters on his own. He still is learning the alphabet by sight, but he's remembering how to write many and that is exciting!  Since he is practicing at home, Eden is starting to get interested. 

I was so proud to see that she managed to do it this past week!  (she still needs help to remember to write the lower case E)

6. Respirology Tests

Our doctor scheduled an appointment for Abi to have a Respirology Test done this past week, which was a surprise. She had already done a breathing test in office, and those results weren't too helpful, but I didn't get the impression that the doctor was concerned further. But off we went.  It wasn't a long appointment. Basically, Abi just redid those breathing tests that she did a few weeks ago. 

I am thankful that since she had already done this she knew how to do it better. Not to cheat because I don't think you can really cheat on a breathing test. But I think you can perform better to your ability when you know what you have to do and what it takes and when it is better explained how to do it and how to push further. (which is what I spend time talking to her about on the drive to PAH!) 

I am also thankful that we have a doctor that is willing to look further into ways to help Abi deal with her asthma.  Hopefully this will give us more answers and will help us make this condition almost-non-existent.

7. Grandparent's Day

It was Grandparent's Day at the Middle/High school this week. (the elementary school had theirs in Decemeber to coincide with their Christmas program)  I am so thankful that Abi and Kai had both of my parents and my Hunny's mom visit them in the morning and that they could enjoy lunch together. What a blessing to have family nearby and to have them interested in the lives of my kids!  When my family moved out west, that meant leaving behind all of our family, which left us with no one to support us or visit or be a part of our lives. It was sad for me since I put such an importance on family. That my children are surrounded by relatives who love them and want to be included is a blessing that not many get.

8. Healing

We have been dealing with pink eye now for over a week. First Bryn got it in both eyes and missed school. Then the day he got better and returned, Rhys stayed home with it. And then I got it!  It was terrible! So irritating and itchy! Yuck!  It looked worse than it felt too!  I am thankful that things are clearing up now and we are healing.

9.  Sunshiney Mornings

I am so thankful for the mornings that we wake up to sunshine. There is something about that warm glow of the sun that gives me hope and a renewed spirit.  It really does get my day started on a good positive foot.  I'm not a morning person at all, so having that to greet me is helpful!

10.  Snuggles

I love that on lazy mornings, I can rest on the couch and that I will ususally find one or two kids to snuggle with me!  I love that Eden and Rhys love cuddling with me still! There isn't a lot of room on the couch when we do, and we're going to have even less room each time they grow, but for now they can fit in my lap and wrap their little hands around me. I need to savor this for as long as I can, while I can!


So that was my week in a nut shell. How about you? What are you thankful for?  If you write a list, I'd love to share you blessings with you; let me know!

just breathe (wordless wednesday)

ETA: (ok, so that wasn't very "wordless". oops.)

Just Surviving

I didn't think I was doing to make it through the last week. I really thought that I'd just collapse and be done with life by Wednesday. But I managed to pull through. I don't know how other than by receiving strength when I needed it.

I don't do well with too much busyness.  With having five kids, I've had a lot of comments on how busy it be at our house, but really it's not. The kids don't do sports, so we aren't going to practices every day. They aren't interested and we are part of the 60% of Canadians who can't afford sports teams for our children, or whatever the percentage is. (I'd love to put Bryn into soccer, and Kai into Tae Kwon Do or the kids into gymnastics.)  Really it's just Abi's youth group and babysitting that we have weekly.

But some weeks we have so much going on that every day has a scheduled event. And too many days like that in a row add up to me. I feel like I can't rest. There's too much to plan for and prepare and think over. And it's been that way for several weeks now. 

Busy busy busy

Ever since Spring Break last month.

We've had important doctor appointments, birthday parties, and play dates.  Then immediately we went into Easter. And then more important doctor's appointments, and meetings, and big school projects. Add some contagious infections and a weakened immune system and there you go.

I felt weary.

Oh so weary.

I kept up my Thankful List. (think Thankful Thursday but done daily. Every morning, I'll start the day with devotions from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. And I'll end the day by writing in my journal about all the things that happened and the things that I can be thankful for.  Some days are wonderful and easy. Some are boring. And some are tough and frustrating. But I have always found something to be thankful for.)  I also kept up my BSF homework. So I really should have felt a closeness to God as I drew near to HIm in my weakness.

But instead I felt weary.

And alone.

I knew He was there, and I knew that He was listening and I knew He cared. But I didn't feel Him. Not because He and I were different but because I felt so numb, and when that happens you just go on autopilot.

I was so grateful for the strength to do what I needed. By Friday night, after driving from one end of Cloverdale to the other end of Aldergrove twice in two hours for a birthday party, I collapsed in my bed and buried myself under my pillows and blankets. Like my own blanket fort.  I would've cried, but even I was too weary for that.

I wish I could say that I had a miraculous moment or a break-through that changed everything, but instead I mustered up the energy to go on. Somehow the kids got fed. And somehow they got tucked into bed. And I fell into bed by 11:30pm myself. (and early night for me)  Then the night turned into day and the sunshine greeted me after a good sleep, and the day held promise and hope again.

It's amazing how suddenly one day everything can change. I don't know how it happens. You can guess that it's because I got enough sleep (I managed to sleep in too) and that would help. Or you could argue that we were finally all feeling healthy again. You could even suggest that it was God blessing me with a new day and change.  I'm willing to agree to all three.

Whatever the reason, I am so grateful to be able to wake up to sunshine and a renewed spirit and to hope and healing. It was the first day in over a week that I didn't feel weighed down or fatigued or depressed. I didn't need to muster up more strength to make it through.

Somehow I survived!

By the grace of God, I stumbled through the trials of busyness and came out intact.  There is something about having no major plans, a good sleep in, beautiful weather and a fresh day to renew your spirit.

I hope that whatever you are going through, you feel cared for and that you can find rest.  I don't know when your break will come, but I know that it will. I pray it comes soon for you.  We all need hope to be able to carry on.

Medieval Street

We were told of a few Big Events to look forward to at the beginning of the year. Our child(ren) would be involved in some field trips, a sailing trip, Medieval Street and their own graduation at the end of the year.  So many fun things!

Medieval Street happened last week and it was just as much fun as the teachers made it sound!

Of course, it started out with more stress than fun, but that's how things tend to go, don't they?

In Humanities class, the grade eight classes were studying life back in the fifteen century, and had to pair up and chose something they wanted to study further. Abi and her friend Hannah chose to take up Woodworking, or wood carving specifically.  They were to find information on it and answer certain questions and gather all they would need to be able to present it at the event.  Abi's father and I had been on her case for three weeks making sure she was actually doing work on it, and asking her about her project, but it was difficult for us to tell what she was doing or where she was with it. That was hard for us!  We didn't want to take over, and we definitely did not want to do the work for her, but we also knew how much work should be put out to get a good project done and a good mark! 

It didn't help that the week that Medieval Street was held on was also during a busy week at our house. Abi had to babysit three nights in a row (we ended up having to cancel one just so she could work on her homework) and we had family plans, and it didn't seem to work out for her to get together with Hannah; it just felt stressful.

But isn't it funny how things tend to work out in the end anyways?  I mean, even if they didn't have the proper clothes to wear, or even if they didn't have much to display, or even if things looks meager, it was going to happen anyways.  It would be as it was, and we would have to make do and make it the best regardless. I went to bed thinking that it would really end up just fine.

And it did.

All the worry about what costumes they'd wear (and finding clothes for friends to borrow), and having tools to display, or even the worry of knowing enough on the subject, wasn't necessary.  The girls did a great job!

 {they found an apprentice!}

It was so fun to walk throughout the grade eight wing of the school and see all of the work the other students made in their projects.  There were several breadmakers (with free samples, too. The shortbread with honey was so yummy!) and a meat cutter. 

 Even a King and Queen! 

 And the Stocks, as well as a list of laws.

A friend of theirs made up his own chess set, which I thought was creative.  I did not realize that chess was that old of a game!

There was some jousting, and even the black plague to NOT catch!

It was an impressive afternoon. 

Afterwards, everything was cleaned up and the kids played some games (the teacher came up with some sort of medieval kick ball game that was confusing) and then the parents gathered for a big pig roast!  It was a lot of fun!

I look forward to doing this again with Kai in two years!

*may contain allergens

We found out a month after Abi's extreme asthma attack, you know, the one where she almost died, that she had a whole list of things she was allergic to. It was quite an overwhelming appointment at the allergist for both Abi and Kai three years ago! They share a few allergies to trees and grass (I feel bad for them as their grass allergy gets bad in Spring-early Summer. They break out whenever the grass is being cut at school and even sitting in it with friends causes a rash), as well as dogs and cats.  But Abi still came out with the longer list. Some of those trees that Abi is allergic to also gives her a possible allergy to many foods, due to a similarity in origin. 

Apparently, Alder and Birch could make her allergic to:  *cherries *peaches *nectarines *carrots *bananas *chilli pepper *celery *hazelnuts *almonds *peanuts *kiwi *tomato *pineapple  *papaya.

We have found through trial and error that some of those really do bother her, the biggest being tomato and peaches, which sucks. We have had to change our family eating habits (we used to eat a lot of pasta with tomato sauce) and she had to give up a lot of things she likes. Peaches and corn are ones she misses the most.

Despite her allergy to peaches, she still loves them!  She can't touch them though, or she will get a rash. Watching her eat without touching food is fun; she has quite the talent! She really can only eat about two or three pieces before it begins to bother her anyways. But she likes to walk on a dangerous line sometimes, so I packed her a very small container in her school lunch.

And me, being the geek that I am,  had to put a whole bunch of warning labels on the container for fun!  I pictured her shaking her head and saying to her friends with a sigh, "oh, my mom, she thinks she's funny!" (eventually she will say that, I'm sure!) But it made me laugh.

Across the top, I wrote: "Do not touch contents inside/ container is safe."  Just to let her know that she could touch the outside without reacting.

Across the front, I added  *may contain allergens

I'm so funny.

Sometimes you have to live dangerously.  

(that is, if you aren't deathly allergic. I don't recommend purposely putting yourself in a dangerous position where your health or life is at risk. I am thankful Abi only gets itchy.)

banner (Wordless Wednesday)

Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week to remember our blessings.  It is so good to see the good things that have 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. BSF

I'v been thankful for my Bible Study Fellowship group before, but I wanted to specifically say that I am happy that we are meeting again! We took two weeks off for Spring Break, but then had to take an extra week off since the church we meet in was doing some construction. We are now back on and yay! It feels so good!  

2. Egg hunts

Every kid loves Easter egg hunts!   What's not to like about having to do a scavenger hunt in search for candy, chocolate and money?

I am thankful that my mother-in-law loves to do them as well and that we had nice enough weather to do it outside!

3. Easter surprises

What a funny and happy surprise to see that our caterpiller from all the way in August FINALLY emerged as a moth this weekend! We thought for sure that it didn't survive. I was pretty excited! I felt like a proud mama for not killing it, haha!

 
4. Ice Cream Makes Everything Better

Bryn complained of sore eyes on Tuesday after school, and by dinner time I could see why, so off to the clinic we went when it opened the next day. The doctor walked into the room, took a look at B and said, "Oh!" then started writing out a prescription for his double pink eye!  I found it humerous that he didn't have to ask any details, but knew right away what was wrong. But I also found it a bit frustrating that he didn't give any information to us. But hey, we now have some medicated drops to heal him up and he gets some more days to relax at home in pjs and play computer games!  (he likes school though, so he's missing that, and his friends. I guess you can't have everything!)

After the doctor's visit, we got ice cream, because ice cream makes everything better.

5. Surprise friends!

Abi decided to miss out on her class grade 8 grad sailing trip, even after fundraising for three years and friend's trying to convince her, and my telling her how much fun it was when I went on my trip in gr 7.  I was a bit disappointed, but we let her make up her own choice and told her from the beginning that we wouldn't push her.  

I was worried about her having to go join a different class this week (two of the gr 8 classes went on their trip last week, and 8X is going this week, just as scheduling works for the S.A.L.T.S program works, so Abi joined 8W) and having to be without any of her friends, but God surprised us!   We found out that one of her friends is actually in that class, and another good friend of hers ended up not being able to go on the trip either, so she has been  able to spend the week with two of her guy friends! Hooray!  Small blessings make for much better weeks!  God is good and I am so thankful that He answers even small worries and prayers!

6. Good dental appointment

Kai had his teeth cleaning this week, and I was happy to hear he has no cavities! Yay! And they did a more advanced x-ray to check on the placement of his adult teeth (they are almost all in now) and they look good too. No worries of his mouth being too crowded or pushing other teeth out of place. Phew!

7. birthday parties

Rhys was invited to a classmate's birthday party and I am so happy for that. Maybe one day, those invitations will slow down. So for now I am grateful for the parties that include the whole class!  He had such a blast at Go Bananas!

8. free air!

I am thankful that the gas station near our house still has a complimentary air pump. Our one tire has a slow leak from a nail (yay, dang constant construction in Langley) and so I need to fill it every few days. Most gas stations want you to pay for it now, and I don't tend to carry change with me, so I was thankful to see Chevron didn't install pay meters on theirs! 

9. sunny days to play

I am so thankful for sunny and warm days again! The kids are often playing at the playground after school. Hooray for chances to burn some energy. Not that it has made them more sleepy at bedtime yet, but hey, at least they're outside running around!

10. Happy Dances!

I love Rhys' Happy Dance!  It makes me smile.

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

Incident on the playground

When I picked up Rhys from kindergarten today, his teacher told me there was an "incident on the playground" which left him with a scratched face. I didn't think much of it; he must've fallen. He trips easily. But after half an hour I thought it looked suspiciously like scratches from a hand. 

Sure enough, when I asked him, he said one of his classmates did it. But he couldn't really remember a lot of the incident (part of his delayment issues come from lack of memory and ability to explain or speak properly), so I don't know what happened. Something about the girl being tagged or not being tagged while they were playing on the playground. (it was just the two of them, plus another boy, during free play. The rest of the class was inside the room, which is steps from the playground. So no adult witnessed this either.)


Sadly, this girl has been rough with him a few times.  I'm not too sure what to do about it. I want to mention it to the girl's parents, but I also don't want to come out as if Rhys was completely innocent in it either, since I don't know if he was.  Did he say something to her? Was he being mean? Did he shove her or retaliate? Not that that excuses her scratching in any way, but it does make it less of a 'your girl is beating up my boy' and more of a 'our children don't get along' thing.  I've never had to deal with this in the other kids.  

It makes me sad because he is a sweetheart. It also makes me frustrated that it is shrugged off by the teacher.  He already talks about how one girl (a different one than this one) is mean to him and always shoving him!  And I don't understand why.  Is he doing something? What causes them to shove him? (the two girls seem to like to do this) My poor boy, who can't explain himself very well.