Just a "quickie" ...

and not that kind either....ewwww! Mind out of the gutter.

Moving on....
Today is one of those curl up in your warm fuzzies, sip hot chocolate, and have a roaring fire kind of day. It's gray, dreary and rainy but not in a bad way. Does that make sense? I love these kinds of days! I am not, however, particularly motivated by them but they are wonderful and relaxing. Even with a million things to do this week I can't help having that peaceful, all right with the world feeling today.

I'm listening with quiet joy to my kids happily playing downstairs, thinking about the abundance in which we live here in North America. My hubby and I watched Blood Diamond this weekend. In all the pain and horror of the world there are decent people just trying to live and raise their kids. It was hard to watch and hopeful at the same time. Who am I to complain about the fact that I can't shop as much as I want or if I wanted to throw a party for 40 people (which funny you asked, I actually do) the plates might not all match.
...In a completely random thought, how much do people actually care if their plates match? Why do I care? Am I prideful? Hmmm....
Anyway, this is a very long way of saying I found myself with very many things to thank the Lord for today:

I love this picture of my niece at Easter. She's hunting for eggs and looking so cute....

Have to post this

I so have to post this link to the "mom jean" ad lmao!

After a long hiatus...

A consistent blogger I am not! It's been a month, a month?! How does that happen?!
I have been feeling overwhelmed by my life this month and the things to fall off? Blogging. Cleaning. Reading. I didn't miss the cleaning, actually but the other two, very much.

Thoughts on weight....
I'm at my goal weight! YAY! I am actually below it and I'm running 5 - 6 times a day. It's great to be "me again". Anyone who's had a couple of kids will know exactly what I mean. I did suddenly find myself however, struggling with some old demons. I thought they were gone but there the were, just waiting for me:( I was feeling so great and then I started to compare, compare my clothes, my weight, my fitness, my life to those around me. Crazy people, people in magazines and in mall, people I don't even know. Why do I care? Is this something that I need to battle one last time as an adult at my proper weight. I'm not a model and I just need to get over myself. It doesn't even matter. Stupid that at 34 years old I still battle this. I do not want this for my daughters!

Our trip to Victoria....


My sil and I took the boys (and her girl) to Victoria last week. The museum has an exhibit on the Titanic. I was expecting it to be heartbreakingly sad and sort of like treading on some one's grave. I felt the need to be quiet and respectful as we entered the exhibit. BUT it wasn't like that at all. It was a hopeful place, full of testimonies of bravery and valor. The failure of this great piece of human technology was very evident but the personal stories were sad and hopeful at the same time. Men gave up their lives for their wives, sisters, and children. Crew members let passengers go first and people selflessly gave up their own lives for others. No one got to keep their "stuff" and most of it lies still at the bottom of that cold dark sea. Hmmm, kind of a good reminder don't you think.

My verse for today:

Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Psalm 127:1

It seems I need to be reminded daily that it's not by my own strength that all things need to come to be. When I begin to feel overwhelmed it's my cue that I'm carrying things I need to give to the Lord. Yet another thing that I'm struggling over and over to learn.

One last thought...
I read a blog yesterday that spoke to me. It was on the school shootings in Virginia. It helped me connect to a tragedy that seemed so far away. My prayers also are with those families.

Trying again to post pictures...

I can not for the life of me remember how I did this before lol. Nice eh?! Anyway, here are those beautiful (read with sarcasm) shots of me and my gals...





does anyone know if I can go back in and edit/add too my blog after I've uploaded it?
Thanks,

Where to start?

I was freaking out last week because I'd signed up to go on a women's retreat with our new church. As the day got nearer, I found myself feeling all those high school, teen aged feelings again. "What if no one talks to me? What if I don't like them." Or more importantly, "what if they don't like me?" "What if it sucks and I'm stuck there?" Mostly I was just worried about no one liking me. VERY much like high school for me lol. Shows how mature I really am, eh?!

Well, it was wonderful! I left with new friends. Not just acquaintances, but honest to goodness friends. We laughed, cried and prayed together. I also left feeling challenged to live my life in a more deliberate way. What does it really mean to be a Christian wife, mother, friend in 2007?! And encouraged in my faith. God is bigger than all these petty little challenges that come my way. He's never asked me to even do anything really hard, not really.

Oh and I laughed until my tummy hurt. Here is a group of us at the "What not to wear ball" We all got dressed up in our finest...
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p3/zoodlesmom/dressup2me.jpg

I went '80's, others dug the prom dress out, while still others found truely disgusting combos of just what NOT to wear (Debbie we're all looking at you!).

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p3/zoodlesmom/Greenteam.jpg
Here's the whole team. We didn't win but we had a blast on the journey!

All I can say is that, "God is good." I was hoping for an okay time and I had a wonderful time:)

I came home to a houseful of people and kids and life resumed full force right away. It's so good to have some regrouping and refreshing time! It made the rest of the week much easier to manage.

The rest of the week flew by in a blur. I had extra kids staying here, a couple of groups of people over and a birthday celebration. Here we are back at Sunday and I'm having a moment, thinking of the week to come...

Thursday thoughts...

Whew...is it Thursday again already?! Where does the week go?
We are all happy (mostly) and healthy.

I've had a bunch of thoughts, ideas prayers going around in my head this week so forgive me if I'm even more disjointed than usual.

Littlest girl-y is hungry, again! I swear this kid has a stomach the size of a thumbtack, or she asks for food when she bored (read: tv goes off).

We got SNOW! Again. Last year when we lived in Calgary, this would not have been even notable, this year, in Langley, it's a bit weird. I'm so cold and anyone who knows me knows I'm a serious whiner about the cold.

I've been thinking a lot about what kind of parent I am. Does this every plague anyone else? What will my kids remember about me? Do I spend enough real time/energy on them? Am I kind? Do I yell to much (I already know the answer is yes - yikes!) We have been studying women in the Bible at my Wednesday am bible study and I'm starting to feel some conviction. My life does not alway reflect God's love especially not to the people I love the most. I'm so inconsistent sometimes it kills me.

The weight is coming off soooooo slllloooooooowwwwwwwwlllllllyyyy. I'm a bit frustrated by it! Kev says he sees a difference though and my pants are way loser - yah! New clothes shopping in spring! I ate a pbj for lunch and it made me feel like I weigh 600lbs. Silly but true. Why is weight/looks such a big deal for women in our culture. We get so much positive attention for weight loss and outward beauty. It's not eternal...I am hoping to learn perseverance through all of this. I really suck at that OH and patience too- yikes!

I should sign off. My house looks like a small bomb (well 4 small bombs actually) exploded and I need to shower and get ready to go out.

God Bless on this winter, but almost spring day:)

cheers,
Shay

calm in the midst of the madness that is life...

I love these kinds of days. I have nothing booked for today. No skiing, swimming, skating, meeting, classes, NOTHING! My mom and dad are safely home after a week visiting and my husband is busy working in the basement. LOVING today! The kids have their cousin over and they are happily basking in the glow of the computer. (what is it about computers and kids anyway?!) - just so you don't think I'm a totally neglagant parent, they have been outside and are also playing dress-up- and I have a minute to write.
Oops spoke too soon. Tiny girl first peed in her pants and now is hungry.....

Here are some great pictures from Sunday. It was gray and drizzly at home but we decided to head to Crescent beach for a walk. It was windy and cool but the sun was shining and the kids had a blast!
Here's my crew with their dad:


Look at the shell...


Playfighting on the beach...


Gramma time!


I need to mention one more time how totally thankful I am that God brought us to Langley. I love it here! Even with the windstorms and power outages.

Oh and one last thought. We have started going to a church (finally) and love it! It's good to be in community. Anyway, we had kind of an ice breaker question that I've been mulling over for a few days now. I'll leave you with it:

"What would you do differently if you knew you only had five years to live?"

Kisses...