Three in Three

I have THREE minutes to share three highlights from the last little while.  Ready, Set....Go!

1.  

Jessica is turning 8 in one month and she is in constant planning mode.   She has lists that contain the plans for her "Friend Party,"  lists for her "Family Party," and lists for her "Baptism Party."  When did it all get so complicated?!!  I finally had a little chat with her and she's decided to focus her efforts and planning on a Baptism Party.  (Thank goodness!)  

We wanted her to understand why she was getting baptized as much as possible and so we asked the missionaries in our ward if they would mind teaching her the discussions.   So, for the past few weeks we've all enjoyed sitting in while they teach her.   Jessica is soaking up the attention, but she's also doing the homework reading and praying on her own about what she's taught, so we're thrilled too!  

 We laughed so hard this past week when she showed us the Lego Baptismal Font that she'd made! 

Definitely a one track mind!

2.

Back in the fall Abby was recommended to be a part of a provincial honor choir and just before Christmas we learned that she'd been accepted.   It involves a lot of home practice, one rehearsal in January and then a three day session in February, culminating in a concert on the last day.   

Last week, I took Abby and two of her friends up to Calgary for the first rehearsal.  

It was held in a spectacular old church just off of 17th.  It smelled old and had a tonne of character, I just love it!!  Even more though, I loved hearing the beautiful sound that these 30+ kids made together.   It was SUBLIME!!   They'll be back together next month for the three day session and I am so excited to attend the concert.  I hear the church they will be performing in, (and the acoustics)  is even more spectacular.   It's going to be SO good!!!

3.

We heard around Christmas time that the owners of this house will be back April 1st.   APRIL 1st!!!  yowsers;)   John and I have begun looking around for homes to buy, but nothing really jumps out at us.  We know of a great home that we both know we could like, but it is a tad bit outside of the budget we've set for ourselves.    We keep trying to remember that our goal is to find a great house, that doesn't however require that I go to work in order for us to pay for it.  

Time is starting to tick away on us, and though we should perhaps be a little more worried, we just feel really confident that everything will work out exactly as it should.  It has in the past, right?  

If we don't find a house to buy in the next month and a bit, we'll simply rent until the right thing comes along.  

Or maybe we'll just become squatters in Waterton!!   

I think we could easily pull that off.  (For a few months of the year at least;)   

New Years!

Well we started this New Year running, that's for sure!!   

For weeks I've wanted to update on some of the things that are going on around here, but there has.been.no.time to do that!!   

Our New Years party was a blast though.  My family all met at Jewels house New Years Eve for some great fun, games (ie Mafia) and late night visiting.   Grandpa Max 

It was especially fun for my kids because there were four dogs that joined us for the festivities as well!  FOUR!! (Jewel and Kendall recently got a dog for their kids, and Chad and brought their little guy and two other dogs with them, so the odds were very good that my kids always had a furry friend to play with;)   

I always get ridiculously lazy during the holidays, but even more so when we all gather at Jewels house.   With my kids occupied by cousins and four legged friends,  I just sat around for two days eating, holding my little nephew Remy, and visiting.   It was so nice!

On New Years Day we went down to the hotel pool for a bit so the kids could swim off some of their energy;)  

 I really love how much these cousins enjoy being together.  There is such a range of ages, but even my oldest nieces love doting on the younger kids and there are NEVER disagreements or arguments, it's awesome!

I thought that whole week long about the goals that I wanted to set for this new year but I just never got it all sorted out in time for January 1st.   I like to set goals, and then set sub-goals that will help me accomplish the bigger goals.   For some reason though, it all just seemed to busy for me this time around;)  Here we are a month in and I'm still trying to figure out what I want to accomplish in this great year!!  There are a LOT of changes coming our way this year, that is for sure.

Perhaps my goal should be to just simply BE.    

Here's to embracing whatever the year brings.

Happy 2015!!!!

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and more!

Wow this Christmas was great.   Special.  Awesome. Delicious.  And so fulfilling!

I think the pictures do a good job of depicting some of the highlights for us, so here are about a gazillion photos:

It's become a tradition in our family (thanks to the Hardy clan) to enjoy seafood on Christmas Eve.    

It was a perfectly long and drawn out dinner that was served in courses.   Grandpa Hardy and I worked together on this dinner (with Grandpa providing the seafood!) and it was sure fun to watch how excited the kids were.  First Course:  Mussels, French Onion Soup and bread.  Second Course:   Steak and Lobster with Baked Potatoes  Third Course:  Salad and Crab

Mmmm MMmmm - it was delicious!    The kids were initially very thrilled to see so many live crustaceans in our home and they were convinced for a time that we'd actually allowed them to have a pet!!  They named the lobsters "Scary" and "Larry"  and the crab was affectionately dubbed "Cranky."    (Don't worry- these little guys were so tasty, the kids didn't mind one bit saying goodbye;)  

After dinner (and after a fabulous group of carollers stopped by - thanks Jewel;) the kids all got dressed up to reenact the nativity.   It's always a special part of our Christmas Eve and gives us a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the season.    Our little Joseph couldn't quite contain his excitement this year.    

He was beyond irreverent!  (But he's 5 and it was Christmas Eve -not sure we could have expected anything more from him;)

After the kids reenacted that beautiful story, the kids all said goodnight to Grandpa and then (for the one and only time in all the year) they started asking to go to bed.  Yes- ASKING!!!

   But first - they had to open up their new Christmas Jammies!

Once that was over though, it was straight to bed without so much as an argument.   Nate was quite panicked actually as he worried he wouldn't get to sleep in time.   When else does that happen?  NEVER!  (It stands as proof to me that kids are in fact capable of falling asleep without resorting to a string of crazy stalling tactics.  Who knew?)   

Each Christmas Eve, the kids like to sleep under the tree in hopes of catching Santa.   That tricksy guy though- he always sneaks past them.  (It's a good thing we always have two trees!!)  I love the softness and tenderness of this picture.   Each of the kids were sleeping contently and I was convinced that there really may have been "visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads."

John and I, ahem...I mean SANTA got all the gifts ready and barricaded the stairs with wrapping paper.  (We learned this from Jewel and Kendall.  It prevents kids from getting to the loot early the next morning and it also gives them something to SMASH through when they are finally permitted to find their stockings and gifts!)  haha

Speaking of gifts- I really think Santa nailed it this year.   Not a single video game or electronic device was given, yet they didn't complain!  Again, who knew? ;)    They each have a favorite gift.  Nate's is his super speedy sled.   (It's a little too speedy for his Moms comfort;)  Sam has been mastering all sorts of magic tricks and loves confusing and astounding us all.   Jessica spends hours hunched over her art pad.  This week she's been working on pictures of birds and has drawn a Puffin, an Avocet,  an Owl and a Hummingbird!

Abby got this bust and sewing supplies.  She's been fashioning and designing clothes all week long!   I was really impressed with her skills considering she has NEVER sewn before.  She seems to have an eye for it, not to mention a keen interest.  (Perhaps a sewing machine is in order for her Birthday?)

Ben and Kat came down Christmas day and stayed for a few days.  It definitely helped add to the festive mood to have family around.   We enjoyed a Turkey Dinner (which included Max's traditional shrimp Cocktail), the kids played board games, we lit our BBQ on fire (literally;), watched the Hobbit down at the theatre and spend an afternoon sledding out in Waterton.   So FUN!!!

They left on the 27th and we were grateful to have lots of memories of a lovely Christmas week.   We're leaving the tree up for a few more days as there is just something delightfully cozy about it.   (Jess in particular loves to sit by it while she knits or draws.)

I sure love this Christmas season and all the blessings that come with it!!

Twas two weeks before Christmas....

The last two weeks have been jam packed with Christmas fun.  So jam packed in fact, that I've barely had a moment to pause! ;)    This little town of ours seems to be inundated with flu's, strep throat and colds right now, and luckily, I was able to avoid it all until the busy-ness was done.   As soon as our "break" started?  It hit.   So now I sit here, snuggled up in a blanket, box of Kleenex in one hand and a cup of hot chocolate in the other - trying to document all the fun of the past to weeks!  

Our Christmas season officially began early in December with the CES choir concert.  This year THREE of my kids were able to be a part of this choir, and that is definitely a first for me.   I was thrilled to get to watch them all.  

  Abby is sad that this is her last year as a part of this choir.  Jessica LOVES performing and sings her heart out.  Sam was thrilled to get the opportunity to join this year, though he was admittedly VERY disappointed to discover (on concert night) that he would have to wear blush and lipstick for the performance.   The whole time he kept coming to me and saying, "Mom, I'm very uncomfortable with this."  ;)   Bless his heart though, he did great, make-up and and all!!!

That same week, we were lucky to enjoy a visit from John's two sisters.   Sarah travelled up for a few days, and Rach and her family have been in Alberta for a couple of weeks so that little Maddax could receive some innovative treatment/rehabilitation.    It was great to see them each for a few days.  We ate lots, laughed lots (huge thanks to Uncle Brent for the laughs;) and my kids loved being able to follow their cute little cousins around.    One afternoon, everyone embarked on a gingerbread house making challenge and I must say, I love the way John's family always thinks big.   Like, ALWAYS!!!  This simple little activity soon became an EXPLOSION of glue guns, crackers, ice cream cones, icing and more candy then you could ever imagine.   I felt sick after, and I just watched!!!! haha.

A couple of years ago (on a beautiful boxing day morning) I snapped this photo of the temple and it's been a favourite of mine ever since.   Two weeks ago, I posted it on my Facebook page.  It has been shared over 130 times and without even trying, I sold 22 prints over the past two weeks.   My niece told me that a guest speaker from Calgary came and spoke to her seminary class this week and apparently he was using this photo as part of his lesson!  The interest in this picture has been a fun and unsuspecting surprise, which I'm sure won't last much longer;) haha

We've also been enjoying our monthly tradition of candle light dinners each night.  I swear it helps slow down our dinner time and I keep hoping it will encourage/produce more thoughtful manners at the table?   (Though the verdict is admittedly still out on that;)    It's a childhood tradition that I hope the kids love as much as I do!!!

This photo depicts some of the other December highlights so far:  

1.  Sam, Jess and Nate joined Dad outside yesterday and went cross country skiing around the neighbourhood.  They were skiing on nothing but hardback, but that didn't dampen their spirits!   Even Nate got the hang of it.    2.  Speaking of Nate- he's turned into quite the little cook extraordinaire.  He's learned how to pop microwave popcorn himself and as a result, pretty much eats an entire bag in-between each and every meal.  It's sad, really.   A parent should intervene.   3.   We've been playing LOTS of fun Christmas games with the kids, and I'm pretty sure Family Game Night has to happen every night now!    4.  Some friends of ours gave us Hot Chocolate this year as a gift, and so I've got a fun little Hot Chocolate Nook going on.  It makes me happy, and the kids (yes even Nate!) love being able to make their own "cup of chocolate" anytime they want!    (Our little Elf even enjoys it;)   

Yesterday the kids spend all afternoon watching Studio C episodes and decorating gingerbread cookies.   Sigh...it was such a mess.   WHY does Christmas have to be so MESSY!!!!  ;)

On Friday night, we were tempted to do our regular "Family Movie Night," but decided to switch it up a little.   Inspired by Aunt Sarah (who spent an evening reading with Sam) we decided to have a Family Reading Night.   We all made a cup of hot chocolate, Nate popped popcorn (of course!) and we each grabbed a book.  Sometimes we read to each other, other times we read to ourselves.   It was so delightful!!!   Of course, everything is more enjoyable when done while sitting by a Christmas tree.

Christmas is just half a week away!!!    

Hope it is a MERRY one for everyone we love!!

"Oh Martha, ...Oh CHRISTMAS!!!"

Every year we set up the Christmas tree on November 11th.    (Unless we get a real tree and then we wait a couple of weeks but this year we didn't get a real tree, so November 11th it was, and now I'm just trying to make this the biggest run on sentence possible;)

The kids were SO stoked to get to use the Ridleys tree this year as ours is packed away.  (or perhaps we donated it to the Bargain Barn?)    

Abby made sure to crank up the Christmas tunes real loud, Nate had to get into his coziest jammies (in the middle of the afternoon;) and the kids all loved each other a little bit more the whole day long.   Setting up Christmas is seriously the happiest day in our home, in fact it can get downright cheezy!! 

I love getting the kids to bed and enjoying the soft glow of the Christmas lights with a snack that I've kept secret from them all day long good book and a blanket. 

  

I'm pretty sure that there is nothing better then this time of year!!

Now that Daddy's back!

It has been two weeks now since John's last volleyball tournament (which means I'm two weeks late with my journalling;) and we still get excited to wake up Saturday morning to the smell of one of Dad's breakfasts!!   The kids LOVE his hash browns and french toast and I just love that I can stay in bed a little later and smell it;)

Everyone is happier when Dad is around!!!

It was a good season though, and John had a lot of fun with his boys.   They improved so much throughout the season and I seriously feel as though John improved right along with them!   He always says he isn't a very experienced coach, but he's been doing this for six years now and he gets better and better each time.       To celebrate the end of a good season, we had his team over for a dinner (Cafe Rio) and a movie consisting of some of their highlights.   It was fun to see them interact with Joh and the kids were glad to get to be included.    

 Awesome group of Young Men right there, that's for sure!!!

Now that John is around a lot more, the kids have resumed their favourite winter pastime - 

Skating!!   

Not a single one of my kids are very accomplished skaters, but slowly (ever so slowly) they are improving.   We generally try to carve out time each weekend to get to the rink, but the kids would go every single day if we let them! 

Thoughts on Growing up...

My baby is 5.   Yes, that's right. 

 My baby.  FIVE!!

How did this happen?   Like, really, at what point did time start flying?  

One moment I was crying on a pew in sacrament meeting, juggling four kids under the each of 6, trying to remember my own name - LONGING for the day when my kids would be older, and the next moment - WHAM!!!   My baby is five.   

It's just not fair, that's all there is to it.   Nobody told me that I would look back and wish for those days back again.   Oh wait, yes they did, I just didn't believe them!! ;)

Well, I am here to say, it is all true!

On day you will look at your wee little babe and wish that he/she really was still your wee little babe.  You'll wish for the tantrums, the late nights, the feel sick cuddles, and the sticky fingers.  You'll want it all back, every last bit of it! 

Sigh...despite all of my recent pleading, this little guy is determined to grow up on me!

 He welcomed his 5th birthday wholeheartedly and made sure to tell everyone around him just what his expectations were for the day. 

(I tried to make our customary ghost cake with flaming eyes, but Nate didn't like the fire eyes, so out they came;)

John got home late late Saturday night, but Sunday was so busy with church stuff and attending Uncle Jordan's pornography seminar that we didn't actually get to celebrate John's birthday until Monday evening.    (Luckily, John handled it like a big boy;)  He sat all by himself at the table while we sang to him though, because all of the kids apparently had to act out the Happy Birthday song, they couldn't just sit there and sing to him.   haha.    

For the past few years, John has always gotten upset at me every time I say he's "almost forty." 

  I'm just really really thrilled that he is 39 and that now I really can say that this ol' man of mine is indeed - almost 40!!

Abby didn't celebrate a birthday this week or anything, but she did come home this week with a recipe from Home Ec class that she wanted to test out, which is a new milestone.  It was a recipe for baking powder biscuits and they were so delicious!  She made them from start to finish all by herself and she was proud as punch when we all ate them for dinner.   

She's really turning into a beautiful young woman and is so so helpful here at home.   She's cooking more and more meals and really has a love for baking.   

If there had to be a silver lining to watching my kids grow up, I'd say getting to enjoy fresh baked treats like this is one of them!!!

Halloween Highlights

Halloween made for a busy couple of days around here.   

John left Thursday night (Oct 30th) for a four day trip to a tournament in Edmonton so as a result - we postponed his birthday;)   Despite that though, there was still lots and lots to celebrate:

1.   Last Halloween with a Preschooler.    

Yup!  It seems this is the last time one of my kids will ever wear this delightful spidey hat home from school.     They've each had their turn with it, and they've all been equally adorable!  Nate almost broke my heart last Thursday afternoon when he clamored off the bus, proudly showing it off.   Sigh....it's almost enough to want another future preschooler!   ...but not quite;)

2. For Family Home Evening we did the annual pumpkin carving.  Each of the kids got to chose and design their own pumpkins, which turned out great! 

 (I watched from a distance as John got his hands dirty for this one.   Everything is easier when he is around;)   I loved sitting back and enjoying the glowing jack o'lanterns!

3. The kids all chose their own costumes this year (and paid for them themselves too;) so it should not have surprised me what they all ended up going as.   

Abby knew the moment she saw this bacon suit that this is what she wanted to be.    I'm pretty sure that Abby loves bacon so much that if she could marry it, she would.   She's been known to eat an entire pack on her own, she has bacon flavored bath soap, and throws "um...bacon..." into random conversations.   She's all kinds o' crazy, this one, and no other costume would have suited her as well.  

Sam went as Gandalf, which for him, was a dream come true!   He's only ever seen the first half hour of the first movie (right up to when Frodo leaves the shire;) but it was all Sam needed to be able to impersonate Gandalf to a tee!    Phrases such as, "You shall not pass!"  "A wizard is never late..."  and "Fool of a took!" were things we'd hear every time the costume was on.   

Jessica went as the cutest little Granny EVER!  Both at our ward party as well as the entire Halloween day - she managed to stay in character the whole time!   She walked to school shuffling her feet, doubled over with her cane;  when she had to write her spelling test instead of putting her name at the top - she wrote "old Granny;" and apparently she struggled during gym class because everyone else was running, and she just couldn't quite keep up!   haha

I LOVE this kid!!!

Nate's costume was a total copout this year, as it was the first thing he saw at Extra Foods and I didn't have the energy/ resistance/ backbone to refuse him.  Luckily, it was 40% off so that is how I justified it;)   He insisted on wearing the cheap plastic mask which sorta took away from the cuteness of the costume (in my opinion) but such is life.   This is a 5 year old who obviously got his way this halloween;)    

Because John was away, and because we'd cancelled his Birthday, the kids ate supper in about 2 minutes flat and were out the door!   It was a GORGEOUS evening especially considering it was the last day of October.    17 degrees, not a bit of wind...the kids were trick or treating without coats for most of the evening!     

They came home a couple of hours later, bags FULL of candy and halloween goodies.   As a kid, the best part of trick or treating for me was always when I got to take inventory afterwards, dumping it all out, sorting and arranging it all! 

 I'd have to say the best part about trick or treating for me now though,  is the hour after the kids go to bed when I get to snack on all my favorite treats- and they never have a clue;)

Best part about it - hands down!!!

Halloween Party

Abby came to me one day, in the middle of October and announced to me that she was "having a party" and needed to fill me in on the plans.    I had to admire her approach.  She didn't ask me IF she could have a party, yet came to me with a well thought out plan, making it virtually impossible for me to refuse.  I had to laugh as she opened up her journal to a page titled "The PLOT of my party" that consisted of every last detail.  Naturally, I changed a few of her details due to the fact that they were wildly unrealistic nor were they safe but for the most part, I chose to honor this little plan of hers.   

So, one week before Halloween, Abby had 15 friends from school over, costumes and all!

They spent the night: eating, decorating cookies, delivering the cookies/playing commando, eating some more, dancing, playing mafia and (once John came home that night from his tournament) they all climbed onto big school bus John had brought home for a late night tour of the town and screaming at the top of their lungs!    

Oh my it was loud.

I didn't actually realize how loud a group of girls like this could be!;)

Thankfully, John did make it home for the last bit of the party and managed to entertain them by spitting grapes high into the air and then catching them again.    In case you were wondering, the only thing worse than 15 screaming girls is 15 girls spitting grapes in the air and missing every one of them!  (Just kidding- there is nothing bad about 15 girls.  Honest!)

Abby had a great time with her friends and I enjoyed getting to know some of these kids she spends a large chunk of her days with.    

I may just let her do it again one day!

...maybe.

Thanksgiving and beyond

Thanksgiving weekend was a beautiful weekend.   It provided a few days reprieve from school, schedules, and volleyball, and gave us all some much needed time - together.   

We drove out to Waterton one evening with a crock pot of hot fajita casserole and our fishing rods.   

There is nothing I enjoy more than a warm meal while in the mountains, and this evening in the mountains was spectacular!  The trees were full of rich autumn leaves, the temperature was well above normal for this time of year, and wildlife was everywhere.   This Bighorn even tried to join us for dinner!!!

After we ate, we went down to driftwood bay so that Sam could fish.  Nate surprised us by learning how to cast all on his own.    John spent all summer fishing with Sam,  Nate must have decided it was time to join in the fun;)  I did what I always do when John fishes with the kids - took pictures.   (And a couple of them were were about as cooperative as always;)   It was a perfect evening!!

The rest of the weekend was spent working in the yard, both at our house and at Max's.  John helped Max shred and till the gardens.  I prepared the flower beds for winter and we mowed the lawn one.last.time, and by the time Monday came, when all of that work was done - we prepared a Turkey Dinner.   Yummm!!!   

It was sort of a team effort between Max and I, with him doing the Turkey and Stuffing, and me doing everything else.  (I'm no dummy, he cooks it best!:)   We invited a dear sweet couple from our ward to join us and the kids (primarily Jessica) worked hard to set the table and make everything as fancy as possible.   

 This past weekend the kids and I travelled to Medicine Hat to watch John's volleyball team compete in a tournament.    We were able to see two of his games on Friday night which they won!!  The kids had fun watching John coach, and I had fun trying to navigate my way around a city I've never been to before.  (I was being sarcastic with that last bit there.  I swear I got lost no less than fifty hundred times!;)     On Saturday morning, we checked out of the hotel, wished John luck with his second half of the tourney, and journeyed on to Rolling Hills where we were able to be a part of Chaim's baptism and my newest nephew's baby blessing!   Unfortunately, this was the ONLY photo that I bothered to take during that entire event!  

Well, that's not true ....I also got THIS one:

Sadly, neither picture really helps to document the awesomeness of this day.    I guess all I can do is try my best to describe it:    Chaim was excited to be getting baptized,  Remy was adorable, I enjoyed seeing all of my family, and my kids loved seeing all of their cousins!    Sam had been asked to give one of the talks, and despite the fact that he was super nervous about it, he did a GREAT job!   I was proud of him because he wrote it himself and despite my efforts to edit and revise it, he really tried to keep it his own.     Once the baptism was over, and we'd all stuffed ourselves with delicious food, we got to go walk through Crystal and Jeremy's absolutely beautiful new home!  It was absolutely stunning and we're looking forward to future family get togethers at their place.

We also spent hours the past week re-organizing our lego.  Sam has accumulated quite a large collection of it over the years, and we spent way too much time sorting it all into color coordinated compartments.    It was a big job, but it has done lots to re ignite their interest in it all.  They've been building things ever since!    I loved this temple that Jessica created the other day.  

She built it after we'd gotten home from a great weekend together and after we'd been with many of our loved ones.   Love the message behind it, and I LOVE that her little heart feels this way!

Family is what I am Thankful for, most of all!!!