Oma's 71st Birthday!!

Oma and Opa, happily celebrating Oma's birthday. It is our prayer that she will be blessed with another year of health and happiness together with Opa. You look great mom!

Everyone enjoying soup and buns...

Courtney, Kelsey, Connor, Matthew, Maggie and Trent, having a blast bombing around in Oma and Opa's gigantic unfinished basement.

John and Ev joined us for cake and coffee after supper, here we are, just lounging around, enjoying one anothers company. We are all so thankful that Oma could celebrate another year among us. She is still so very active, always willing to help and providing meals for lots of people, a blessing to us all!!

Sunday Dinner at Aunt Mare's and Uncle Doug's

Aunt Mare invited us all for a delicious turkey dinner last Sunday. We accepted with thanks! Below is our happy hostess/cook...you did a wonderful job Aunt Mare! Thanks for an enjoyable dinner and afternoon. Next time, our place...Easter??

The diners....

Cousin Ashleigh comes for a visit

We had the pleasure of entertaining Ashleigh on Saturday while Kevin and Carole were at a wedding. The kids were awaiting her arrival all week. Many time I would see the twins peering out the window days ahead of time watching for Ashleigh to arrive!

Here she is drawing her new baby! The excitement is growing!

As you can see they enjoyed eachother's company tremendously!

They went outside in the snow and it was so sunny they needed sunglasses for the glare. Trent hasn't caved to peer pressure yet as you can see.
They were all so good! They entertained eachother, Kels and Con took them out on the hill and it was a good day for all of us! I think they all slept good that night!

Spring is around the corner...?

This grainy picture is yes...a picture of a robin that was perched on a hydro wire in front of our house on Saturday morning. We didn't think any one would believe us so we had to capture is on camera. There you go Ontarians...spring is around the bend...

 

Another one of Connor's statements...

Thursday was a snow day and the kids had the day off. Connor ran down to tell Kelsey (who was still in bed), "Kelsey, school's been deleted for the day!"

Thanks Oma and Opa!

Opa and Oma unselfishly gave 2 days up out of their week to come help us paint the interior of the kitchen cabinets. What a job! As you can see, the counters and floors were covered with cabinet/drawer contents. Connor came into the kitchen the next morning and with a sleepy look on his face questioned me, "Why is it such a dump in here?" Thankfully the task was completed and what a difference it makes!

Oma was more than willing to do some alterations and mending for us...a seasoned seamstress! She did a beautiful job, I can't let her see the "hack" job that I do when hemming our pants!!

Aunt Mare (and Dad) popped by for a coffee that day and we had a very enjoyable afternoon, lots of work was accomplished, lots of coffee was consumed, lots of laughs were shared and lots of conversation was enjoyed. Thanks everyone!

A view from our kitchen window

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,

for the love which from our birth over and around us lies,

Christ our Lord, to you we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.

Connor's Speed Stacks

This is the latest competition sweeping the schools, Speed Stacks. The kids (teams) are timed stacking these cups in certain formations and "downstacking" them. It really is amazing how quickly they can do it. It's harder than it looks! Good for the hand eye co-ordination no doubt.

The 10 Stack

Down Stacking

Another Sign!

The best things in life aren't things.

(pretty self explanatory eh?)

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! (original I know!)

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Hopefully everyone had an enjoyable one! Our day was packed with Valentine themed events! The day kicked off with my hubby bringing in a beautiful bouquet of flowers!! Maggie and Trent were quite impressed as you can see!

Connor decided to take heart shaped sugar cookies for his class treat. He helped ice them and topped them off with red sugar and cinnamon hearts. A real hit at school!

Kelsey opted for a cake this year. Way to change it up Kels!

The quiches

After Bri took the kids to school with their goodies, Maggie, Trent and I went to our Tuesday morning Bible Study at church (CoffeeBreak). ILast week was our final week of studying Mom to Mom - Heart Talks, so today we had a breakfast brunch potluck...very enjoyable, I made my first quiches (an asparagus/cheese and a spinach/cheese) The food was fabulous! We will begin our new study next week on the book of Acts.

Love is in the air!

Interesting Sign

This week I was driving Connor to guitar lessons and saw an interesting saying on a church message board. It has stuck with me all week since it is so true. Here it is everyone:

"A PERSON THAT ANGERS YOU CONTROLS YOU."

Something to think about for sure! Comments?

OUR PRIDE AND JOY!

YEP! THEY ARE ALWAYS THIS HAPPY!@?*!

Some Shots from the Weekend! CONGRATS KEV AND CAROLE!!!

On the weekend we heard some wonderful news! One of the little girls here is going to be a big sister in the coming months D.V.! NO! Not Maggie, Ashleigh!! We are all so happy for them. We hope and pray that all goes well and by August the number of grandchildren will be up to 9! Saturday we welcomed Kev, Carole (with child) ;) and Ashley back from Cuba. We had a Mexican feast here, our famous Nacho Belle Grande and tacos, cokes, cake and a mean game of MAD GAB. Thanks guys for a fun night! You too Nic and Dad! Nic is travelling the globe again, she just got back fro HAWAII in January and we bid her farewell to Halifax for the weekend and in two weeks she's off to Georgia to see cousin Kate! Have fun Nic!

Maggie has found a new hobby...shuffleboard, she manages to score between 14-21 points per game! Puts her ma to shame!

Twins of sorts!

RIBFEST!

Tonight we feasted on chicken and ribs. It was definately finger lickin'. Papa joined us as mom is in a home for the week to give dad a week of respite. Connor leaned to the chicken as his fav but the rest of us liked the ribs hands down. Mags and Trent surprised us by chowing down 3 ribs each!! Bon appetit!

FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!

Something to think about...

The past few sermons at church have been focussing on using our talents to further God's kingdom and the well known story of Peter being called to be a "fisher of men". The other day I was reading a devotion and the last paragraph really challenged me what as to what I as a Christian was doing in this world. Which one of these believers am I?
"If you are a believer, do you simply stay in your "holy huddle," waiting for Jesus to take you safely home? Or do you circle back, getting close enough to the drowning so that you can reach out a hand and bring them on board the lifeboat of Jesus?"
I realized that many times my light is hidden under a bushel, busy worrying about my own problems but there is a mission field right in our own backyard! Lots of people looking for answers to life's problems. Time for me to get out of my "huddle" and share what God has done and is doing in my life (our lives) and share the message of God's grace and love.

January Shots

Kelsey ready to go skating with the GEMS

Papa (a.ka. table maker) with Mags

A morning spent with little sister Nicole at her apartment in London.

Connor taking his practicing seriously!

Mags and Trent get into face painting (with markers)

Is this really January?

Kids just being kids

You the man Con!

I've got it!

Tea for Two!