February

I just remembered about this so I don't have very long to write as I need to get a good sleep. This afternoon, Graham, Kohen, Lily-Anna, and I walked 5 kilometers with friends for The Coldest Night of the Year to raise money for Ray of Hope. This site raised the most money of all the sites in North America. The walk ended with a delicious bowl of soup at Ray of Hope.  It was still a chilly -10 degees or so, but I wasn't complaining that it was not technically the coldest night of the year as it was colder the last couple of years.  

I started a program to help me become healthier but I'll write about it next month as I am just finishing my first week so I'll know more in a month's time. I have made some positive changes including exercising and eating and sleeping well so I am both thankful and hopeful. 

Early Birthday Celebration with Family

For Lent, I am not going on FaceBook and that has been a real blessing too as I wasted too much time there before bed in the past.

Every February, I look forward to my Valentine's dates with my kids.  I still need to go out with Isaac but our schedules haven't allowed that yet.  He wasn't feeling the best this past week but is much better now.  

My dad is in a program at a gym so I take him there twice a week and help out.  He has also been going to physiotherapy so I help with his exercises at home.

Isaac took his First Aid and CPR training last weekend and also took his Food Safety training online.  He's working on trying to get a job.  We also celebrated his last visit to the orthodontist.  This weekend he played the keyboard in the youth band for the Junior High Youth Retreat.  I hope I get to see him do this one day.

I loved reading an Andrew Clements' book to the kids last week and happily listened to a Kate DiCamillo book while walking on the walking pad.  Junior fiction is great.  

Graham and I enjoyed attending a Marriage Summit at our church earlier this month.  

It's definitely time to get ready for bed so I'll say goodnight.  I'll briefly see if I can figure out photos.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Psalms 19:1-2

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

P.S. The spice racks have been WONDERFUL!

January

We started the year with ebelskivers filled with either Nutella or cheese and red pepper jelly.  Yum yum!!!  We use this pan once a year.

We have certainly had a cold and snowy start to 2026.  Thankfully we've had a break from snowfall these past few days but the snowbanks are high.  Four out of five Faulkners have been sick this past week.  I'm hoping it's going to skip me.  Lily-Anna missed most of her school week and Kohen missed Friday.  This was an exam week for Isaac so he was also home a lot.  

The four of us watched David at the theatre

My dad had his follow up X-ray on his collarbone this past week and the doctor said it is healing well and he is able to start physiotherapy.  Thankfully he never had much pain.  I take him to an exercise program twice a week and my brothers have been taking him to a walking track where he regularly increases his laps and time between rests.  

Dad loved having my brother Matthew staying with him for almost a week.  Matthew was able to work from Dad's home.  

We had new interior doors installed this month on our three bedrooms, washroom, and the door to the basement.  Our old doors were showing their age.  They came primed but we'll see how long it takes us to paint them.  

Isaac enjoyed playing his trumpet in the Ontario Band Association's Honour Band earlier this month.  Students met at Laurier University Friday night and Saturday and then presented a concert on Sunday afternoon.  It was a great concert and included one piece that had never been performed live before.  This is the third time he has taken part.

Before I added the 2nd set

My big excitement this month (no joke) was spice racks and spice jars.  I have stored my spice packages in the freezer for years.  They may stay better in the freezer but I have no regrets.  I am very happy to be able to open my cupboards and see all the beautiful spices in alphabetical order.  My biggest decision was were I wanted to store them.  Ideally I would have put them in a drawer but that is not an option in my kitchen.  I also love some magnetic boards on walls or the side of the fridge with all the beautiful, colourful spices showing ... but I am fully aware of the dust that would eventually attack them.  So, I went with the see-through acrylic racks and a kind man at Home Depot recommended screws to use.  Someone used to using a drill would have installed them in 5-10 minutes but I was quite happy to take my time when the kids were at school.  I saved some money by finding a second set of new spice jars on MarketPlace.  

I am very happy with how it turned out and forever grateful that a number of years ago my brother-in-law Craig taught me the wonderful saying, "Done is better than perfect!"  Amen to that!  A lovely bonus is the extra space I have in the freezer and unfortunately there was a sale on ice cream ....

I almost forgot - I installed a new toilet seat as well.  I was a little worried that I would need a hacksaw to get the bolts off (as a number of Youtube comments mentioned this), but I was able to get them off.  The old seat has discolouration from using potty seats on top years ago so I was very happy to say good riddance.

Lily-Anna and I had a little tea party this week while she was at home (she's rarely too sick for a tea party.)  She wanted to use her special set that Grandma Lucas gave her for her birthday last year.  It was my mom's Old Country Roses teapot, cream and sugar holders and cups and saucers.  It brought back memories of tea being served after meals with company or perhaps at Christmas.  I'm so thankful that my mom thought to do this just four months before she passed away.  Thank You Lord!  

Isaac received his results from his Level 8 Theory Exam for piano.  He received 99%.  Congratulations Isaac!  Isaac has started working on Level 9 pieces with his wonderful teacher.   

It's time to get ready for bed.  I've been enjoying the After Life sermon series at our church this past month but something new starts tomorrow.

(Sorry - we didn't take many photos this month.)

Blessings,

Elizabeth

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.  But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.