Christmas 2011 - Let the making merry begin!

Trevor and Christy came over the weekend before Christmas.....so we began a full-on family celebration time that continued right through to the New Year. 

Grandma Rosie and GG got some cuddle time with the latest and greatest g-babies.

Oh, dear Paisley....you are sweetness itself!

Having tea at Grammies......Shawna had tea at Grandma Rosie's in that very same cup and saucer.

Jacob was not too enthusiastic about his part in the Christmas concert....a grave understatement! 

He called out to his Mommy during a quiet part...."Mom!  Do you have my present?"  He had been to Cole's concert a few days before, and knew that a present was forthcoming.....he just wanted to make sure his torture would be rewarded.

 

So great to have BOTH uncles there to see the concert.

We made our trip to downtown Spaghetti Factory and then on to the Stanley Park Train.....such fun!

What is it about boys and trains?  We picked a terrific dry evening to go downtown which is hard to do in Vancouver in December.....we felt very blessed to be able to spend such good times together as a family.

With having a business that ramps up right before Christmas, it is a joy to come home, sit under the tree and take time to reflect on the gift of Christ to us.

Crazy friends and family times....laughing, playing games, and eating, of course!

~I just simply LOVE Christmas~

The family times ~ The fellowship with friends

~The way the carols cause my heart to sing~

God's son came down from His heavenly home for me

~I am thankful~

The big 3-0

This was a milestone year for Shawna.....WOW....my girlie is 30!

So her dear friend Lisa planned a surprise brunch.....and we were all surprised when we actually succeeded in surprising her....she is so nosey and perceptive!

(click on the photo - check out her stunned look - she was really confused!)

Paul planned another dinner event in the evening with a whole different group of friends.....so needless to say she was well celebrated and loved-on this year.

Sorry, I don't really know what I was thinking, but I didn't take a single photo of the lovely group of ladies.
We had a wonderful time together....thanks Lisa, for hosting such a lovely brunch!

My lovely girlie.....she is such a delightful daughter!

Fall family birthday celebration

We have alot of birthdays to celebrate during November/December....so this year I announced that we would be combining our celebrations throughout the year to better solve the coordinating of events.  Although it was met with some disagreement.....most agreed that it was just more sensible to have two or three joint events....instead of a dozen dinner dates to try to work into our already busy schedules.

So we celebrated Paul, Shawna, and Christy with the traditional ice cream pie.
I sometimes can't believe that I have such grown-up kids....they are all a joy to me.

Visiting the Royals

Always a joy to visit the Island Princesses...and we come away with the riches rewards.....hugs, cuddles and kisses.  Oh, and we really do love to see the royal parental units as well.....just so's ya know.

We had a free night's accomodation from expedia, so we took advantage of it and stayed in Victoria before we headed home.  It was a great day....and it was so relaxing since it was just before the madness of Cranberry Creek overtook our life for a season.

I am blessed and thankful for each one of our family.

I hope you are able to spend time with your loved ones.

Is it here yet?

We've had a few sunshiny days around here and it SO makes me want spring to be sprung!  I know it will be short lived and the rain and blustery clouds will form again.....but in the mean time....my word for this year is.....

MORE:  in greater quantity, amount, measure, degree or number; in or to a greater extent or degree


More of Him
Less of me
Christ in me

I desire to seek Him more intently, look for and find Him more often in the everyday things of life.  I want to practice being less and work at having Him be more.  I want His grace to be seen, not my ungracious, self-serving attitude.  I want His mercy to shine through, just as He pours out mercy on me.  May I have the grace to show mercy regardless of how unmerited it is.  For I have oh, so much grace and mercy shown to me by Him.

I want to shift my time spent....more of Him; less of me.
I want my days to count more for him; less for me.
I want to find my worth in Him; not in me.

I don't really know what MORE will look like by the time 2011 is done, but I know that it has already pushed me towards a stronger pursuit of God and His purpose in my life. 

 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  II Cor 12:9 


Be blessed, dear ones, and I pray that you may be encouraged to find MORE of Him in your day.

Cole's Third Birthday

This dear wee man is so full of life....he is always a joy and often a surprise.....

We had a great time celebrating his special day.

Hmmm....his birthday was in November....I'm catchin' up....only 4 months behind!
I have been spending time categorizing my photos, and saving them....feels good to have the job almost done.  Now just to catch you up with the last few months....oh, and start to clean out closets and cupboards.  I do love rainy days for pushing me to clean and organize.

Hope you are spending your time well......be blessed, dear friends!

Cousins...

 Although the cousins don't get to see each other every other day...they make up for it by lovin' each other real good when they do get together.  I so enjoy watching them!

 

Just one word
~ DELIGHTFUL ~

Thank you Lord, for our dear G-kidlets.

Time marches on....

And I think sometimes I get trampled by it.  First my word for this New Year....well, how 'bout my word for last year.

It was PURPOSE....I decided on it but didn't post about it....coincidentally Shawna had chosen the same word.  But it was interesting how different the word meant for both of us.  My intent was to find a truer purpose....to set out to ensure I continue to have purpose...not to just let my life be lived, but to live it with purpose.  To mark things with a purpose, not just to put in time.  Does that make sense? It did to me.  So I worked at looking for the purpose God placed within the common living and doing of life. 

What I found was that there is great purpose in the smallest of tasks....I just need to be willing to see the greater picture and not underestimate what I can do within my sphere of influence.  I will not belittle what God's purpose is for me just because it is not a world recognized "big deal".  I will continue to be me, and be me with a purpose.

I'm still working on finding purpose...it's a definite work in progress.  I trust you too can work at finding God's purpose in the mundane tasks of life.

I am standing firm on God's word....

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

Waiting on Baby

Back dated post - actual date - end of September 2010....
We got the call that waters had broken....so we didn't waste any time to finish packing up our wee house-on-wheels and catch the big-hairy-goat over to the Island. 
Well, as baby would have it....we were in for a bit of a wait.  But we had a wonderful time visiting in the mean time.....Christy was such a trooper....with  no complaints.

We lunched together (while at lunch on the first day there....wee Denay just quietly reached over and took my hand in hers.....oh, how I love that wee girlie!)

Christy and I had time to relax and have pedicures together.

Denay and Grampy doing computer work together.

The weather was gorgeous, so we took a drive up to Lake Cowichan....stunning.

Check out the serial photo op.....ha! we really did have time on our hands.
(click on the pics for a closer view)

Denay in charge of the camera....we were out celebrating our 38th wedding anniversary....still no baby.

Finally

Since I posted about her arrival before....it comes as no surprise that Paisley Joy finally came with little fuss or commotion.  What a joy to finally hold that wee babe....so wanted and loved.

I can hardly believe that this tiny newborn is already over three months old! 
Bless her dear heart.
As an aside, I'm hoping to not EVER get so behind in posting again.....I REALLY like order, and this muxed ip way of blogging is annoying!

I still have some catching up to do...so come back real soon!

Weekend with the boys

We had the joy of spending a weekend with our g-boys while P&S celebrated their anniversary back in September.  As you can see....it takes alot out of us, but we love every minute of it. 
Each of our grandkidlets are so individual, and each one holds a special unique place in our hearts. 
I love them so and thank Godd for them each day.