Goodbye 2021!

Happy New Year!!!

This may be short as I want to get back to the festivities (movie and snacks in the basement with Graham and the boys).  Lily-Anna just said a sleepy goodnight, though she wished she could stay up until midnight.  Maybe next year.  We were actually able to watch a movie together as a family, which is quite rare: Paper Planes.  We looked through a lot of reviews to find one.  

December was a full month up until the 26th when we relaxed.  We began the month by going to the Coping Centre's Memorial to remember Josiah and hang an ornament with his name on an outside tree.  There was an extra surprise for Lily-Anna.  A boy who lost someone this year arranged for a number of stuffed animals to be given to kids who were attending the memorial - all those five years of age and under.  Lily-Anna chose a beautiful soft wolf pup and named him Wolfie.  He is keeping her warm as I type.  

On the 8th, the kids were able to get their Covid vaccines.  I took all of them together and Kohen and Lily-Anna both wanted to go first but Lily-Anna called it first.  When we walked into the main room, we could easily hear some small kids screaming and the person taking our information was apologizing to me but thankfully my kids took it in stride and were fine.  All the staff and volunteers did a great job.  

The next big event was Isaac's 11th birthday and party on the same day as Kohen and Lily-Anna's piano recital.  I was praying that everyone would stay healthy so these events could happen and they did.  Isaac and his friends had a great time at SkyZone.  I'm so thankful they were able to have fun together as kids.  We also celebrated Isaac with some extended family the following night.

Both Kohen and Lily-Anna did a great job at their recital and both enjoyed playing.  This was Lily-Anna's first recital and Kohen's second in-person recital as he has had online recitals since Covid began.  Kohen played Little Drummer Boy and Lily-Anna played Go Tell It On the Mountain.  Isaac recorded and submitted We Three Kings for an online show of sorts and all three took part in playing their songs for a spontaneous family concert.

We were able to be with Graham's parents when they were honoured at their church for their 50 years of ministry with the PAOC - a great achievement.  It was special to be there.  

Our new stove was delivered on the 14th and I am very happy with it.  It's so nice to have burners that fit my large pans and a glass-top that cleans easier than my coils.  I did think to buy one of those silicone "lids" that stop saucepans from boiling over (as I am an expert).  In fact I was reminded to use it the first time on Christmas when I watched the potatoes boil over.  It worked really well ... now to remember to use it from the start!

Okay, I have sort of redeemed my horrible turkey-cooking-experience from two years ago with a tasty turkey this year.  I had actually decided to just make a roast beef as we had already had turkey when celebrating with my side of the family but when shopping I could not find yorkshire pudding so I was definitely not willing to have roast beef (I know I could make my own yorkshire pudding but it's been a very long while and I wasn't willing to gamble).  That worked out well because the turkey and gravy were great (I now know to write down the weight of my bird and the time I put it in the oven) and I was able to make lots of turkey soup with the broth.  My food thermometer did decide to die while I was checking the temperature but the two Grandmas were able to advise successfully.  Next year's meal should be even better as I should have time to practice keeping food warm.  That's not my forte yet but I can improve.  Next goal: a delicious HOT turkey meal. :)  I also have a new super-duper thermometer which even came with an extra battery.

We were able to celebrate Christmas with both sides of the family and we had a lovely time.  I was on for making chili and was able to find a yummy recipe which called for some cocoa powder.  I made it again tonight.  I'm used to making vegetarian chili but I think this will become our new go-to recipe.  Actually, I heard an idea on an episode of Adventures in Odyssey (which we listen to during breakfast six mornings a week as it is on the radio): corn chips in chili.  So good.  New norm.  I love the added crunch.  Yum yum!  Even my mother thought they were a good addition.  I usually make corn bread in my cast iron pan but tonight it was just corn chips.

I thoroughly enjoyed our Christmas.  Stockings in the morning with the kids.  Cinnamon Rolls while listening to the birth of Christ from the Bible.  Opening a few gifts followed by bacon and eggs and fruit.  More gift opening and then kids playing while preparing for our turkey meal.  Snacking all day and then enjoying our meal.  Cleaning up and having dessert.  Saying goodbye to the grandparents and putting the kids to bed.  Good family time.  Thank You Lord!

Graham and I have both had our booster shots.  It sounds like school is starting in person just two days late, next Wednesday.  We'll see where these Omicron numbers are.     

One exciting piece of information I learned on Christmas Day - Graham does not like his napkins folded in a triangle, which is my preferred shape over the rectangle when it comes to napkins.  I shall endeavour to please.  Yes, we have been married for 17-and-a-half years. 

Shortly before Christmas, a neighbour came to our door with a big basket of goodies from Hickory Farms.  He told Graham he should just consider it as a gift from the whole neighbourhood as everyone sees what he does to make it a good neighbourhood and to help out.  That's my man!  He does lots of driveways and lawns.  

Graham and I watched The Most Reluctant Convert: The Untold Story of CS Lewis last night and enjoyed it.  I think it's only available to rent until January 2 and it's certainly not cheap for a rental but we enjoyed it (you wouldn't call it action-packed!)

We visited Josiah's grave this afternoon and took flowers.  We love you and miss you Josiah!  Thank You Jesus for Your birth, for coming to us, for saving us, loving us, dying and rising for us and sending Your Holy Spirit to live in us.  Amazing.  Incroyable.  Thank You.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.  

Pictures in the snow

Advent has arrived and December is moments away.  Tomorrow we will get out our candle wreath and move Mary-on-the-donkey one step closer to the stable each day.  We'll do a reading and light the candle as many nights as we can, as we anticipate Christmas, remembering the birth of Jesus and being thankful for His daily presence.  

I neither grew up in or am part of a church that follows the church calendar but I appreciate the depth of meaning these historic traditions can bring, helping to move my eyes from my long December to-do list to what really matters.  Our wonderful Children's Pastor provides Advent activities for families.       

Speaking of the to-do list, I have had a lot of screen time lately.  In addition to ordering Christmas cards and formatting photo calendars online, I have also had to research stoves.  I've been okay with the wire hanger that kept the front glass of the stove from falling off but when elements start making noise and getting a little warm on their own, we draw the line.  Looking at reviews was a little stressful.  It seemed like every stove I looked at was a lemon for someone.  Anyway, we ordered one and it sounds like it might arrive before Christmas.  In the meantime, our 17-and-a-half year old stove works well, I just unplug two elements when they are not in use.  

The kids are still eating from their Hallowe'en stash, though it is hopefully soon coming to an end ... just in time for birthday party and Christmas treats.  Isaac turns 11 in less than two weeks.  

We were able to clean the garage out this month so we can park the van.  I don't like brushing off snow or scraping ice from the windshield.  The boys have helped on those days when I've forgotten to put the van away but they need to be a little taller to reach the roof.  I'm thankful for their help and will always be thankful for a garage.  It's a tight fit and it sometimes takes me more than one try to reverse without hitting the side mirror but it saves me time and cold in the morning.  I'm not a fan of feeling cold.  

Lily-Anna has transitioned to three full days at school and two half days.  At first she was all half days and then just full day on Fridays but one of her lovely brothers keeps telling her that she is missing out on lots of fun and that she should go to school all day every day.  She likes patterns so she chose to go every other day.  It's actually a good balance, especially for a busy month like December.  I appreciate even more the one-on-one time we have together for baking and crafting, reading, tickling and laughing, airplane rides, bubbles, etc.  We made a fun car out of a box, some Christmas decorations and an experimental cake with her additions of Nutella, coconut, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.  It was yummy.  She said her favourite part of baking is making experiments.

Lily-Anna is also preparing for her first piano recital.  She is playing Go Tell It On a Mountain and Kohen is playing The Little Drummer Boy.  Unfortunately, due to Covid, their grandparents can't be in the audience but hopefully we can record it.  

We wanted a family photo for our Christmas card so we are thankful God sent some snow.  Graham and the boys raked the last of the leaves from our yard on Saturday and then the snow came.  We took our tripod to the cemetery and you can see the results in this post.  

Lily-Anna had her third Covid test of this school year on Saturday.  This was the first time she had a fever.  I picked her up from school and she came home and went straight to her bed and fell asleep.  I'm thankful that she could have a test the very next day, that the test for kids does not hurt or go far up the nose, that the results were available the following morning and that she bounced back right away and didn't have to miss any school, though she and I had church at home on Sunday.  

It's time for me to get to bed so I'll say goodnight.  Tomorrow night is our annual Christmas memorial at the Coping Centre where we will hang an ornament with Josiah's name on a tree outside.  The following night I have an outside social with my Bible study small group.  We've been looking at a book about forgiveness and it has been a very fruitful time to meet together with these wonderful women to learn, grow, and pray for each other.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

October Fun

Well, my knight, ninja, and princess have a LOT of candy and they are excited!  It's raining now of course as it is Hallowe'en but while the kids were getting their haul, the weather was great - the best I can remember for Hallowe'en.  Lily-Anna returned for mittens and a jacket over her princess dress but it was dry and not freezing.  Graham took the kids around in our neighbourhood and I gave out candy from our front step, though it wasn't overly busy.  I wore a mask and put hand sanitizer on a few times.      

I've once again added the photos to this post before writing.  I think this is the first pumpkin I have carved.  I used a template and it was easier than I thought.  I am hoping the pumpkin seeds I roast tomorrow will also be tasty.  

We went to Niagara Falls last weekend.  We were visiting a friend and our friend's lovely dog last weekend.  She lives about fifteen minutes from the Falls so we stopped there after our visit.  It was Lily-Anna's first time there and I don't think Kohen remembered his trip with Graham and Isaac when he was two.  The boys each bought a keychain (they attach to their school bags) and Lily-Anna bought a magnet which she put on the fridge so everyone could see it.  Isaac kept saying what a great day it was.  

The boys love playing soccer.  Soccer is usually the highlight when I ask Isaac about his day after school. 

 

Once again, Lily-Anna asked to make 'experiment' cookies.  She did let me refer to a previous recipe so we used up our excess pumpkin and molasses along with oats.  We were happy to eat them.  

Here's my Ninja Kohen at his piano class last week.

Kohen was so excited to leave this surprise for Lily-Anna.  He wanted to give her his pajamas that are too small. 

Our church hosted a paint event for the kids.  Kohen and Lily-Anna enjoyed painting owls.

Lily-Anna needed some bloodwork this month.  She is the first of my children to need it.  A nurse recommended that I use Emla Cream to numb her skin.  She's not a fan of creams so that was the first challenge but it helped as the nurse didn't think she felt anything.  Anyone at the blood lab would have thought she felt a lot given the number of decibels she reached but there were two nurses and they were great.  It didn't take long to calm down afterwards but I thought she'd earned a Cake Pop.

We were thrilled to be able to travel to Ottawa to visit my brother and his family for Thanksgiving, along with my parents and my other brother and his family.  We haven't been there in two years so the kids were extra excited.  It's been a long time since we've had a long drive but we all made it in one piece and it was wonderful to see the cousins playing together after such a long time apart.

My celebrated my dad's 75th birthday while we were together.  

We also had Graham's brother visiting from B.C.  which was a special treat.  

Swimming lessons have finished for a while as I couldn't get them into the classes that start next week.  They all improved but we have missed our nicer breakfast on Saturday mornings.  I am thoroughly enjoying being part of a women's Bible study.  It's a blessing to connect with others.  

It's time for bed as I will get up early to make lunches.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. 

Sunshine in September

I've been feeling guilty about the lack of photos on my previous blog posts so I have spent the last couple of hours adding photos.  If I add them first from now on, it should be a faster process.  That also means I have very little time left to write.  

I think the highlight of this month has definitely been the return to school.  Isaac is in his final year at this school (Grade 6), Kohen is in Grade 2 and Lily-Anna is in SK.  It is so nice to see them together with friends again.  They actually missed a week of school due to colds (Isaac didn't have one but due to Covid rules he understandably had to stay home.)    

Before heading back to school, Graham decided we would go to a hotel for a night.  We just went to St. Jacobs so we didn't have far to travel.  We were able to book a time in the pool in the evening and the following morning.  It was our first time in a hotel since pre-Covid.  We followed up the hotel with a visit to a park and the Wallenstein store for ice cream.  

We also spent one night in a tent outside Grandma and Grandpa Faulkner's home.  It was an adventure.  There was a loud and bright thunderstorm but Kohen and Lily-Anna slept right through it.  Thankfully Grandpa Ray made sure the tarp over the tent was tied down really well.  It was very nice to be able to wake up in the morning and go inside for breakfast and a hot shower.  

Learning from Grandpa in the garden

Our tent for a wet night

Annual First-Day-Of-School Letters

Graham and I went to Toronto for a doctor's appointment for me.  We were able to enjoy a delicious Thai lunch of Som Tum and Khao Soi.  We were not back in time to take Lily-Anna to her first piano lesson so big brother Isaac filled in and did a great job as he went through the Music for Young Children program with the same teacher.

Out for Thai food

Graham's favourite Thai salad

Lily-Anna's first day of Piano!

Cutting practice

I've started volunteering again in Lily-Anna's Sunday School class.  I've also signed up to join a Women's small group that starts in October.  I'm looking forward to that.

Graham has been back to work one day a week for the last couple of weeks.  He'll be there two days a week next week.  (Oops!  Graham pointed out that it sounds like he has not been working.  I meant that he has returned to his office at the university for the first time since before Covid.  He usually works from our basement.)  

One brief story:  Graham was putting Lily-Anna to bed one night.  As part of his prayer he asked God to, "Say hi to Josiah."  Lily-Anna asked, "Does God put Josiah to bed?"

One more briefer story: We were in a store with cards and Lily-Anna said she wanted to buy a card.  I asked her who the card was for and she answered, "For God."

It's time to get to bed.  My sweet husband did the kids' lunches so I don't have to get up early in the morning!!!  What a blessing!

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.