Morning time plans

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Another big helper!


This was the tail end of her concentration, she did nearly half the load!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Christmas day, a joy-filled celebration!


There were stockings full of good things. Hope is still to finish opening her's, it is too much fun taking things out and putting things in!


This was transformed into....


This beautiful creation. Heidi has the perseverance needed to create such a master piece, we loved it so much it became the table centre piece later.

Sledging fun was had by all. Hope most of all I think. She sat at the top and rocked and rocked, then gave up on the imaginary sledge and popped onto her tummy and pushed off. We caught her! It is all on video along with a classic of Kurt and Heidi going so far at the bottom they cross the path and go through a hedge at the bottom! I will post them when I get them (on a different camera).

Presents were a wonderful end to the day, so much love and care went into them all. THANK YOU to everyone who made the effort to get them here. We are blessed by you and love you. I am always humbled by others organisation and motivation. I will strive to meet your high standards next year.

The snow is falling again this afternoon so we are cosied up making a paper dolls house out of cardboard boxes, imagination and sticky tape. There is laughter and joy filling the kitchen, we are blessed.

Friday, December 24, 2010








Merry Christmas!
We are enjoying the preparations here, as many of you are getting tucked into bed!
May Christmas day bring the joy that was intended by the most wonderful gift, Jesus.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010

Hope's party day

We had a fun packed day on Saturday with friends, which we used to celebrate Hope's birthday.
There was sledging.....which we all enjoyed.

Babies bundled up ready for hitting the slopes.


Heidi has a red coat this year. She is with her friend Audrey and her beloved Little Jones.
Then back to Kurt and Holly's for food....


and drinks. Holly makes the best coffee's in the world!


We had birthday cupcakes after a loud rendition of "Happy Birthday".

The plan was to have a catterpillar cake, but after a few mild disasters we christened these cupcake bushes and realised that they were cute enough!

Adorable! She was so thrilled to be allowed to pick one and have it to hereself!

Mmmmn, icing is good, why is it that you never let me have it before?

Suddenly this was all that was left!

And if that wasn't enough in the day, we headed off to Zoolights. Basically the whole zoo is swathed in lights and there are things like fire-pits and people making ice-sculptures and crazy fun games like making igloo's out of polystyrene blocks!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Happy 1st Birthday Hope

We have had a beautiful day celebrating the gift of Hope.

We started with breakfast. Mmmmn, baked oatmeal and pears. Our Hopie loves to eat but she always polishes off large quantiities of this.



Onto pressies. Thank you everyone for all the lovely things that you sent. She gave us a wonderful entertaining time opening them and playing with the paper :)

Her big sister bought her this ball with her own money!
And it smells like a blueberry. Which is a little gross, but Heidi was thrilled with.


After pressies we took the girls swimming. It was a lot of fun and Hope was thrilled with it.
She slept very well too this afternoon.

In a slight change to the expected order of event we had a little soiree for Tom's birthday more than Hope's, although the loud singing was for both of them. A curry feast was enjoyed by all.

By the end of the day my small girl cuddled onto my lap and snuggled for a while. Instead of nursing she just closed her eyes and fell asleep!

Wonder what time of the night she'll be up for a feed?

We love you Hope. You fill our lives with so much joy.

BTW we are having a Hope party on Sat :)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Just one more sleep

My mind is wandering today.

I remember this day last year, one of fun. Trip to the midwifes to check my little ones heartbeat, sledging (for everyone else), supper at IKEA (I only ate 3 meatballs and wondered why I was not feeling well), picking out the Christmas tree and good friends bringing it home for us, siting with them long into the night with the white board with many combinations of names and Tom's tally chart and my pleas for the ones I liked, then running upstairs when they had gone and being very ill.

I spent the day so carefree, and not knowing that I could be getting excited.

Today we are getting excited, and praising God for this monkey we love so much.

It's coming Hope, just one more sleep :)

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Glimpses of Christmas decorating fun


Our sweet kitty came to live at our house on Saturday night.


She is a farm cat, and was run over.

When we were out helping (a very tiny bit I have to say) with cows, I took a look and decided that there was no break in her front leg, most likely nerve damage. With the help of google it was decided that rest for 5 weeks was what she needed most and so she is here for it. Hurray.

Yes, I am allergic. Yes, we have a baby. Yes, we have a kitty.


But she is so cute.

Heidi got to name her.
Me: Heidi what shall we call the kitty.
Heidi: Berry
Me: She is a white kitty, is berry a good name for a white kitty?
Heidi: Oh yeah!...Cherry.

And so we have called her Cherry. She is sweet. Getting her confidence in walking with only 3 legs and one to drag around. She is using her licorice box (another Heidi-ism) and sleeps for long periods in the bathroom. She avoids Hope at all costs.


For now we are all happy.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Fun in the s___ (now)

You should always be glad when you have the chance to use sand toys all year round. Granted I would like to have been using these at the beach,but the stingy side of me is glad that at least I am using them! Snow castles are fun too.




These were taken late last week. Today is -33 with a wind chill on top.

It was not fun to shovel the path. I had left it 24 hours since snow had fallen and it had to be done.

It was fun to find parcels in the mail box. Thank you everyone, you made my frozen hands worthwhile.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

7.47 Thursday morning

This was us on Monday

Yes, Heidi is running in the middle of the road. Rain is rare here this time of year, you have to take you chances to splash where ever you have opportunity.

Seriously though this road is super quiet and I was on watch the whole time!

Falling, falling, falling.

It has only stopped snowing briefly since Monday. The novelty of shoveling walks in -17 plus wind chill is wearing thin.

But.

We are enjoying the time together.
Birthday plans are being made for a small girl and her not so small Daddy.
There are lists being made of Christmas crafts to start and finish.
The decorations are being dusted off. I may even break out of the white and silver only mold.
We have made plans to borrow an unused fake tree this year, as someone we know and love will eat all the dropped needles.
Heidi wants to know if there will be presents. She is just the right age to catch the excitement and to let it shine in her eyes. Gorgeous.
I am catching up on the sewing/upholstery/quilting projects that have been building up.
Heidi is getting extremely useful with baking and enjoys it.
We are planning to fill the house with smells of mince pies and butter tarts and millionaires shortbread and toffee. Mmmnnn.

It is a good time to be snowed in.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

It came.

Our new toy arrived!

Drifts and dunes of brilliant white powder, just right for getting the bucket and spades out for!

Perfect day for baking, rolls,coconut bread and cornbread muffins. Yum.

Monday, November 15, 2010

I think winter is on it's way!

Our weather forecast for the week. We may be sledging before too long!

Today A few showers ending late this morning then cloudy. Rain beginning late this afternoon. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light this morning. High 7.
Tonight Rain changing to snow at times heavy late this evening. Snowfall amount 5 to 10 cm. Wind becoming north 30 km/h gusting to 50 late this evening. Low minus 8.
Tuesday Periods of snow. Amount 2 cm. Wind north 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light in the afternoon. Temperature falling to minus 14 in the afternoon.
Wednesday Periods of snow. Low minus 14. High minus 10.
Thursday Periods of snow. Low minus 13. High minus 11.
Friday Cloudy with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 17. High minus 13.
Saturday Cloudy with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 15. High minus 11.
Sunday Cloudy with 60 percent chance of flurries. Low minus 15. High minus 10.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Hope says Heidi


If you watch to the end you are treated to Hope calling out for Heidi!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.


Thursday, October 21, 2010

Who gets to lie outside on a blanket reading Charlottes web to their children on an October afternoon, and then come inside because it's too hot!?

Only in Calgary.

It will snow tomorrow I'm sure of it!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Working cattle

Tom was helping move cattle on Sat, so we all tagged along for a fun morning out at the farm.
There was a slightly stressful start when I set the alarm an hour late, and so woke the house with cries of 'Get up, we have to leave NOW'. In the end we were the first there! The mornings are so dark these days that it was still dark when we got there, but it was a time to make precious memories like these.



I have a movie of Heidi riding Honey but I can't get it to load, will keep trying. It is a huge blessing that our girls have places to run and play and ride in wagons safe. I had a teary eye watching my big girl chase after the kittens in her little wrangles and red ladybug sweater. We have much to be grateful for.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Calaway Park

Today was the Thanksgiving holiday. Our local theme park (more of a fair ground meets theme park) had their appreciation weekend, which meant that we could attend for free with a donation to the food bank and showing a Co-op card.
Never ones to pass off a bargin we set to, and took our little girls the park.
I have to say I did not expect too much of Heidi. The carosel for sure, perhaps a tame ride with a parent.

Well I was wrong. While Tom went on the rollercoaster with some bigger kids, Heidi was game to try the kiddy rollercoaster.

Take a look at her face she loved it. In fact she rode it over and over again. Around 13 times in all!


This is not nearly as high as it looks and there was someone else with her.


So in the spirit of her new found need for adrenaline we took her on the log flume. Wow was it high and we got soaked, but it was fun.
Here was are at the top of the big slide.

The first time she rode it she wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry, but after hearing us all laughing about how fun it was and how funny it was that we were wet she was desperate to go right back on.

Fun fun fun.