Alleluia, Alleluia...

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Claire's christmas concert was last night and it was fabulous. My filming was shaky but you will get the idea....

Rested and rejuvenated...

Girls night away is over but I am still feeling the effects. Home again, rested and ready for the busy next couple of weeks. We had a fabulous time, with much laughter, and even some serious conversations, wonderful food, great location and accomodations, and not bad weather. We sat around all afternoon, threw supper in the oven, enjoyed a before dinner drink, ate and then ventured out to see what we could see in the dark. Walking in the dark on a snow covered beach with only one flashlight proved to be very interesting as we were never quite sure what we were stepping on. Turns out that the ocean had heaved up much seaweed. We made our way to the top of the property where the restaurant was, meandering our way through a lamp lit path in the woods. Very Narnia like, it felt adventurous. Our host, being a young man, wasn't quite sure what to do with four unleashed woman but he managed and we enjoyed our fabulous desserts. It proved to be a stormy night, high winds and lots of snow. We made our way down the hill again and hunkered in for the night. We watched a movie sort of, made a couple of christmas cards, played a game, and just enjoyed each other. Aside from a rodent of some sort scurrying over the ceiling all night we all managed to get a good sleep, waking in the morning to a snow covered world. Snacking on popcorn and tea and coffee we passed the morning until it was time to go up for brunch. We took a road trip to Mahone Bay, stopping along the way at various pottery studios and the like. Christmas gifts were purchased in the fabulous small town and it really felt very festive as the snow kept falling. We finished off the night by getting chinese food but because the restaurant was freezing, we brought it back to my house. The girls left eventually as they always do, and I was sad as I always am, but the promise of our New Years dinner together, not to mention baking with Karen this weekend has me full of anticipation which makes the sadness lessen. Here's to fabulous friends and the fun that goes along with them. Such a gift they are!!!


Our fish headed bed!!! We loved it but we imagine that if you were a "couple" you might want to remove it. I knocked it off just fluffing the pillows!!!

Hooper and Nancy also had fish beds...

Nancy excited about something....

Karen checking out the available movie list...

 

What the night deposited
Good morning fair Karen our hauler of wood

 

Interesting piece in the middle garden pretty self explanatory...
Karen chiseling the ice off the van
our home away from home....

 

view from the water at the cottages buffetted ducks...they had to be cold!
not sure of the purpose but we loved it
Karen and some local bunnies who seemed quite tame

 

Peggy's Cove as seen from the Swiss Air memorial site making the icy trek to the memorial
Hooper the siberian goddess and Karen bundled to keep out the wind

 

stark terrain
warnings well heeded
a winter surf

 

three frozen damsels an interesting pattern in the ice that actually looked like an arial view
icy waves
Hooper breathing in the fresh air so as not to throw up from too much laughing

 

Please take a moment...

to pray for the Bollines. You will find them at www.thebollines.blogspot.com (my links are not working) They are going through a very scary time right now. Adam and Andrew need our prayers and Mom and Dad do too. The twins were born on December first, three months early. As one can imagine there are many things to pray for. Pop on over to their site to fully understand their prayer needs, and join me and others in lifting them up to the Lord for healing and growth. Thank you!!!

Fish Sauce and a countdown...

I'm not sure that there is anything worse than fish sauce spilled in ones vehicle. Craig and I both needed some, neither of us had any, so we decided to split a bottle. I picked some up, took it to his house, we opened it, poured some out for him, recapped it, and then proceeded to Grandmothers. When we got back into the van, I noticed that we could smell the fish sauce. Criag questioned whether or not it was upright, I pulled over to discover that it was in fact tipped and had slowly been leaking onto Claire's booster and down onto the seat of the van. Foul smelling fermented anchovies. NICE!!! We grabbed some wipes and mopped up, put the fish sauce in a cup holder, and took off for home, opening the windows so as not to hurl. Claires booster was washed, and turned out fine, but I'm not so sure about the van. I'm afraid to go out and check....

Only four hours to go and the girls will be here and we will take off for the cottage we rented. I need to get the massaman curry ready, and I'm almost tempted to leave out the fish sauce. So here's to fabulous fun, relaxation, and more food than necessary!!!

Oh, and of course our snow is gone as it is spring again. It was nice while it lasted!

Let it snow....

The snow came fast and heavy so we ended up with a good dump. Everything is covered and it is so very pretty. Calming almost. This morning the temp was very cold but it is rising fast and we are expecting rain for tomorrow. We'll enjoy the snow today, sledding down the backyard "hill"


The window box buried even more....
lights on the garlands on the front porch railing
Sam and Jacob enjoying the fabulous sledding conditions

 

 

There is hope yet....

This weekend has been super busy but it's over now and I can breathe again. Friday night Hud and I were out at a Christmas party. It was so very entertaining, I have not laughed so hard in a long time. Well, I guess I did just last week with Emily but anyhoo.... On our way home I noticed a tree lot had been set up so first thing Saturday morning we took off with the kids and picked out a tree. They delivered it for us while we were at the Alice Housing Christmas party that we hold every year for woman and their children who live at the Alice Housing homes as they are in need of shelter from abusive relationships. The kids and their moms join our youth for bowling and then gather back at the church for a full turkey dinner, and amazing desserts. Santa arrives and the children all receive gifts purchased by people in our congrgation. Each child has two requests met and it is such a gift to watch their eyes light up as they open each present. This year the moms were a group who let the pain of their lives slide for a couple of hours and threw themselves into the festivities. It was a real treat to be with all of them.


On Sunday Craig came and helped us decorate the tree, working with our funky cantankerous lights and endured my singing of the christmas songs.... Hud was glad that I had someone else to torture while he was at work. I was all sung out really by the time he got home. Of course today we have been blessed with some slush falling from the sky, so the music is back on and I am singing away. The house smells festive and the "snow" has my spirits full, not to mention the fact that there is a tree all aglow in my living room.... Family and friends...that's what makes it even more special, this celebration of hope and peace... the window box is somewhat sheltered under the eaves but it still has a sprinkling....

 

It's December but....

The weather outside is far from frightful, feeling more like spring than anything. When in December can you go for a walk and stop at the store for a popsicle because it is just too warm to keep going? This has been the case the last few days, and there is still no sign of activity at the usual christmas tree spots. Sam is trucking around in shorts and a tank top, and all of our heat is turned off. I'm hoping winter will arrive soon, and the fun outside can begin. Here's to snow days! Bring 'em on!

O Christmas Tree...

O Christmas tree, where are you hiding? Aside from Canadian Tire's sad selection of squat little trees, there is nary a tree to be found. Usually at this point there are tree lots all over the city. We prefer to go and cut one down, but now living well over an hour away from the lot, we buy from a gentleman down the road. He doesn't even have his yet. We always decorate it on the first weekend in December, and that would be this one! I am utterly distressed! The corner in the living room is bare and calling out for a tree to grace it.

In other news, Daniel's bedroom is coming along, and the excitement is building. I'm amazed that he hasn't told the others that they are not welcome to cross over the framing. Instead I found them all playing a game in his "room" this afternoon.

Biscotti in the oven, the house is smelling grand, and it even looks as though it might snow although the weather report is calling for rain and highs of sixteen for tomorrow and beyond.

Midnight madness on Saturday night will find my friends and I at the mall, enjoying the frantic pace of looking for a good deal. I'll go with my list and see who I can knock off this time...

Next weekend is the girls getaway, and I am so ready. We are renting a cottage and look forward to just hanging out, eating much, soaking up the heat of the woodstove, some fabulous hiking, and just being together.

Only 26 days left in which to get the shopping done!

Deck The Halls.....

A wretched picture of the house decked for the season... the little cluster of lights in the middle of the living room window are actually the ones on top of the piano. The ones on the roof line are red, not yellow and red as it would seem. The street is becoming alive with colour and although the weather is balmy and rather summer like(I went around in barefeet today), the excitment is building more everyday. Andrea is buried in snow and I am so ready for that here! 

In A Lather...and then some

After much deliberation, "we" have settled on a name for the soap making extravaganza. In A Lather suits perfectly as I am always in a tizzy or "lather". The first craft fair was yesturday and it went very well.

Emily came into the city yesturday afternoon and we hit the mall trying to shorten our christmas shopping lists. As per usual we went to Eastside Marios to grab supper part way through, only to be told that they couldn't make anymore food as they had experienced a kitchen fire. Nuts! Driving home we got into the most ridiculous conversation that had us laughing so hard I was thinking perhaps we should pull over.

The boys finished up this session of swimming, both moving up to the next level. All three start up again in January.

Renos start in our basement tomorrow to make Daniels bedroom....hoping to have it all settled before Mom gets here.

The outside of the house is decked for the season and the inside is underway. The tree goes up next weekend, and then the baking frenzy begins. Karen and I always take a day and go nuts stocking both of our freezers for the onslaughts of visitors.

Here's to the beginning of the fabulous chaos that surrounds this strangly peaceful season. The season of hope and joy!

What would you call yourself...

if you were starting a soap business? This new endeavor is going well except for the name part. So....I am putting a challenge out to all of you to come up with a name. I will send a selection of soaps in a variety of flavours to the person who comes up with the winning name... I would like it to be a fun name, catchy and memorable. How's that for pressure? Anyhoo...have fun with it, and I look forward to your creativity! "Contest" closes on Friday night!

The girls....

The valley girls came into the city today so we could all go to the Designer Craft Show together. We mananged to spend three hours walking around being utterly amazed by the talent displayed at almost every stall. Hooper and I managed to scratch a few people off of our christmas lists, which was a treat in itself. We sampled amazing jellies and liquers, antipastos and marinades. We laughed at pottery lemon juicers that looked rather like distorted male anatomy so hard that I started choking, and was offered a mint by the vendor of said item. We tried on fabulous hats, Karen being the queen of such things, and felted belts, found Hooper the perfect ring, and generally just had a great time all being together. Nancy found the perfect set of iron fireplace tools for a mere six hundred dollars so she felt she had to leave it. There was a gentleman who etched miniscule pictures on pieces of ivory in such intricate detail it was astounding. Blown glass and more metal works, never mind the textiles. A fabulous way to spend an afternoon.

After the show we went for greek food. We ate beyond our fill, enjoying much laughter and planning for our overnight getaway that is only three weeks away. The gift of friends is probably one of the greatest gifts ever and I treasure all of them.

Thursday Ramblings....

Well, the weather may be summer like, but the festivities are underway already. Everyday Claire comes home wanting to know if I have done anything else decorating wise. So far just the lights in the windows, which of course she finds so soothing at bedtime.

It's rainy today after I was all excited that it was going to be sunny but we did manage to get out for our trek this morning. It's wonderful to have wooded trails so close to the house that you can just disappear into, meeting friendly people along the way doing just as you are.....enjoying the peacefulness of rushing water and wind in trees.


Andrea is helping me decide on supper and I think I now have it figured out. The kids have swimming so I am alone again as they wanted their father to take them. I was thinking pancakes but I guess I should do better than that seeing as I have all kinds of time to myself. I could get used to this thursday afternoon freedom.

Craig is off in Italy for snowboarding. He had me pick him up early for the airport, and when I got there he told me that he needed me to finish shaving his head. It would never do to go looking as ones normal self. One year he dyed his hair blue. Glad I didn't have to help with that one. The shaving was easy enough.... I was just a little scared.

Karen and Nancy and Hooper are heading in on Saturday so we can go to the Pier 21 art and craft show. We have never been but it is supposed to be quite the event. Early December we head away for our 24 hrs+ of freedom. We have booked a cottage, and are so looking forward to just hanging out.

I am having a challenge coming up with ideas for the kids for christmas. They have asked for things but nothing astounding. Sam wants balloons and bandaids. that I can do but as far as anything else goes I'm rather stumped. Daniel is getting his own bedroom. Big gift, major renos but it's all good.

Anyhoo....off to create a meal, and maybe read a little too.