wow. Kind of in shock!

I know someone left me a note and said they were nominating me for this but....wow!
I'm actually not worthy of even being in the Canadian Blog awards. I'm a terrible inconsistent whiney blogger BUT thank you so much!

Having said that, please vote for my friend Kris. She is a fantastic writer, blogger, friend, mom and so many other things. She's also know as Mighty Morphin' Mama and you'll find her here.

Have a look and vote. vote. vote.

Oh and we have someone new at our house! Well two someone news actually. This was the only thing on my kid's Christmas list....

meet Columbus and Zeni:


and yes, we are a tiny bit crazy. Thanks for asking:)

another random thought or two....

I know I promised you a post on my homeschooling but...well you're just going to have to wait because today is NOT the day. I never know exactly what I'm going to write about but I generally have a feeling. I'm not getting the homeschooling feeling today. I mean it is Saturday and I have been on facebook so perhaps I can be forgiven for this lack of motivation.

I should also explain that after all the whining about my birthday and and all the "moan...sob...it's going to suck so much etc etc..."
I haven't even had my birthday yet. All my pissiness (is this a word?) comes about before the day. It's all about the anticipation of the suckitude for me. Don't I sound like a good time?! Yup. I am. Party in a bag. Anywho, the offical day is Monday and it's looking good actually. On Thursday, I got roses from my bible study ladies AND a cake. A cake and presents and I'm totally happy. Very easily bought am I. I'm always awed by the fact that hubby has yet to figure this out but I digress....
I'm going out for lunch on Sunday with my sil and mil which may or may not also include a walk or shopping but will most certainly include eating - yum! AND I get to go out for dinner with hubby on THE DAY. I do love him despite to serious lack of flowers and I love spending time with him. He's still my best friend which is crazy to think after 14 plus years of marriage. There will be no Mexico or diamonds but I am reminded every day of how loved I am. See how I'm growing up?! ha

Oh and I'm happy to be training again! We run half marathon number two on February 15th. I'm a teeny bit freaked out about it actually. This one is supposed to be hillier ... yikes. I just finished week one of training and it's been pretty good. I'm only running three days a week right now but I'm also going to bootcamp 3 days a week so hopefully it's enough to get me to the goal feeling strong. It's much more fun to run these things if your all trained up and ready to go. This whole running/training thing has been an improtant life lesson for me actually. I'm sure God is using it to show me that it's not actually about the race, it's about the process getting to the goal. I'm such a procrastinator in so many areas of my life but somehow I'm usually able to pull it out and get it done. I'm a mess and I don't enjoy whatever I've been asked to do but I get it done.
There's no way to shortcut the training for a run process. I just can't do it if I don't do the prep work. So many applications to my regular life.....

And the kid's bedroom addition is finally taking shape. I'll get out there and take some pictures if the giant tarp is down. The giant green tarp is such a classy addition to our home;-)
Can't wait to see it finished. Closets - yay! and a girl's bathroom, double yay!
Stay tuned!

I should be remembering....

as today is Rememberance day here in Canada. We honour all those who bravely gave their lives so we can enjoy our freedom. I am always brought to tears by these ceremonies. I can't help being keenly aware that each on of those gleaming white crosses or headstones represents a lifetime of grief and loss.

I wrote this post before I watched the ceremony however so beware...total babyish whining coming up:

Birthdays suck as an adult. don't get me wrong, I love my birthday. It was always so special when I was a kid. A whole day (or at least a few hours) filled with friends and fun and cake (love me some cake!). We used to joke that I had a "birthday month" rather than just a day.

But as an adult...stupid thing sucks hard.

I've had some wonderful ones over the years so I shouldn't be such a whiner. Hubby took me to Sechelt for a couple of nights where we stayed on the side of a cliff in a Yurt (sp?!) which is essentially an upscale tent. There was a storm. Amazing. Oh, and one year I got diamond earrings! YAY! Presents...love me some presents!
I've had birthdays where I had to make my own cake and birthdays where everyone I knew brought a cake over and one with no cake at all...won't go there.

I get so pissy around the time up to my birthday. Like my husband says, I do have expectations. I don't even know what there are, but I do know they aren't being met. See...stupid and juvenile!

Mostly I like people. I'd love a day filled with different people and doing interesting things....but it's ceased being about me long long ago, which is what you find out when you're the mom. My hubby had the helpful suggestion that I should plan my own event.

"If you want a party, Shay. You plan it!"

Cool right?! ...Can you feel the sarcasm?

... but he might just be onto something. I might just do that

...next year. (Maybe I want to be in Mexico on my birthday?! Becareful what you encourage me to do!)

This year, I think the hubs and I will go out for dinner and maybe a movie, which I also love. And my sil and mil are taking me for lunch on Sunday and it may even involve some shopping! It's all good.

Here's to my birthday! I obviously need to stop being such a huge baby about the whole thing and just get overmyself already.

And I will.

On Tuesday, which is the day after my birthday.

Until then I will have to pray for an attitude adjustment I guess. The whole thing usually turns out great. I'm always struck by how much everyone loves me and how good God has been to me.

So.....maybe I am growing up! Birthday months are over rated anyway!

halloween musings...

As a Christian I've struggled over what to do with this holiday based in traditions which quite honestly celebrats many of the things that my faith deems to be evil or not to be worshiped
...but many of our contemporary holidays are based on some crazy pagan rituals and traditions. The early church tried to redeem many of these days by placing holy celebrations on the former pagan celebration days. They just never got to Halloween I guess.

I've never been a big celebrator of Halloween as a day or a holiday. As a child we would dress up and find ourselves braving the freezing cold to go to a few neighbors for treats. My mom always made candy popcorn balls because this was back in the days when we knew all our neighbors and people could still eat baking tossed into treat bags. I think I was a gypsy which meant make up, a shawl and big earrings clipped to my head rag. Oh Joy!

But we only did this until I was 7ish because my mom began to feel we should not be celebrating this pagan godless holiday and, much to my great sugar deprived regret, we stopped. My husband grew up in a family where they did not partake at all. I think they were hiding in their basement watching tv with the lights off? Not sure.

I've never really cared either way. When the boys were little, Levi was terrified of the dark AND people in costumes so it was hardly a noble decision not to take him out into the dark night filled with people in costumes. How crazy would that have been?! We always handed candy out though cuz I'm just crazy that way I guess.

I got an email the other day with this note in it and it got me thinking:

"With this in mind, I offer you the five “scariest” things you can do this Halloween:

The scariest thing you can do this Halloween is to not make light of evil. Halloween was conceived in evil and has remained a celebration that uses children to promote a fascination with darkness and superstitious fear. Simultaneously, it makes light of things that the Bible describes as evil. Stand against such things, and the world will find you very scary indeed. The fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil (Proverbs 16:6)."

Have I allowed my culture to dictate my faith? Is this something to get all crazy about? Or does it just make us look silly and weird to those who don't share our faith? If you're a Christian how do you handle the Halloween thing?


Being someone who tends to compromise AND obviously doesn't take things nearly seriously enough, I think we'll continue to allow our kids to wear cute costumes and beg for candy. While I agree there is nothing very redeeming in this practice, I also don't agree it teaches my children to live in fear or celebrate death and evil. How to know what the right thing to do is......


Here they are with their cousins off to beg candy from strangers, really what a strange tradition!