Saturday, May 29, 2010

A Niece!

Nieces are nice.  We are happy to welcome Brianna Kaitlyn Ward to our collection of nieces and we can't wait to meet her.

Kevin and Jen welcomed her to the world at 5 am on Wednesday, May 26; she was a tiny (comparatively!) 7 pounds 8 ounces.  She is dainty little one with lots of dark hair and her sister Raelene loves her.

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M is away at a birthday sleep over tonight & we are shortly off to a movie; date nights are nice, too.

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I just finished reading Jane Eyre.  I do find myself thinking now in the same style of language as it was written, however, I am trying to keep it just in my thoughts; I am sure of the ridicule I would command from my immediate loved ones if I should speak in such words as their ears are unaccustomed.

Anyone care to comment on the similarities / differences between Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights?  I have it on my shelf and may open that one next.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Almost too much...

A couple of weeks ago I picked up this cupcake cookbook from the library.  We've been drooling over it (lots of pictures), but I hadn't made any until yesterday, when I happened upon some spare time when our soccer game got canceled.  I picked this yummy looking one, and I think they turned out ok - I think the one in the picture in the book is a half view because they do turn out funny looking.  Chocolate and peanut butter... yum.  These are so sweet though, I nibbled on mine all night before I finished it.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Zach

We had a great weekend in Winnipeg with family.  Got to meet this little guy, finally - what a great baby.  I also got to golf with my husband, brother and brother-in-law - 3 of my most favorite men ever.  And all so patient with a rookie golfer, too.  Another highlight was hanging out with Becky, my best friend from high school and meeting her 2nd child.  We've got so much history, so it was great to spend time together again.  And it was very cool to see Jess & Dave's pictures from Israel.  Lots of good stuff crammed into one weekend.

Friday, May 21, 2010

SIS is no more.

SIStv officially shut down on May 15th, 2010, 3 years after it started, and 2 years after I joined. 

It was a great place to post my scrapbooking layouts, and have other scrapbookers comment on them; the forums usually had some interesting stuff going on, and the style there inspired me more than any other scrapbooking community I've found online.  I don't even know if I'll look around for another one.  Maybe I'll just post them here for you and leave it at that.

I'm sad to see it go. 

Farewell, SIS.  It's been good. 

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Kenyan Speed

This post was published yesterday on my other blog, the "churchy" blog.  I haven't posted much on there lately, but am starting to again, along with some of the others on our church staff.  We've got a new "staff blogs" button on the top menu bar if you want to check out the others.

I remembered something this week.  Something that's going to help me.

The weather warmed up, and I started wearing sandals again.  I haven't found any sandals that I like in the last few years that have a back-strap, so most of the ones I own now are slip-ons.  They never seem to stay on as well, but wearing them again made me remember being in Kenya.  While I was there, I wore a simple pair of flip-flops that I've had for ages (I bought them for Byron & Lori's wedding, actually) and found that I had no problem keeping them on.  The reason, I figured, was that we walked slower there.  Here, it seems I rush wherever I'm going - I have too much to get done to saunter along; don't want to waste my time.

But I also get headaches because I get tense in my shoulders and neck; I'm too focused on what I need to get done.  My rushing and busy-ness cause me stress and pain.  I need to slow down.  I need to recognize that my life is more important than the items on my to-do list.  They will wait for me.  They will get done.  And they will get done better, even if not sooner, if I am feeling better.  << sigh >>  This shouldn't be a hard lesson to learn, and yet, it's the one I'm facing again this week.  This season.  Patience.  Patience with others and with myself.  My God will be served much better when I slow down.

Every time I slip on my sandals, it will remind me.  Walk slower.  Be patient.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

She Shoots, She Scores!!

Ezra, Evan, Evan, Madeline, Ezra, Quinton, Madeline, Zach, Evan.

That's who scored our 9 goals yesterday.  The other team got 3.  They had only 7 players, so we matched them and played 6 on 6 (plus goalies).  We had 13 there, so had a full line for subs.  The score may not have been quite so high if they weren't running tired, but we do have some great hustlers out there.  You know the ones; the kids that make it from one end of the field to the other while the others jog leisurely along...  

And did you notice MADELINE'S name in there TWICE?  Yep.  The most she's scored before is once in a season, I think.  I'm curious to see what this does to her confidence and perception of what she can do.  I'll keep you posted.  This blue is the colors of our jerseys, and our team name is the Thunder. So far in the season we're 2 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie. 

Monday, May 17, 2010

Craft Socials & Some Layouts

The way we scrapbook has morphed over time to suit our changing needs.  The latest incarnation has been to move from every Tuesday afternoon to once a month on Tuesday nights.  We've had around 10 out each of the three times we've met so far & I've done about two half pages each time.  That's more than what I've been doing at home.  This weekend M was in Moose Jaw for the Great Centennial Sleepover for Girl Guides and Sean was out golfing, so I just relaxed and enjoyed playing and finished most of those half pages.

I left the first two full size so you can click on them to enlarge and read the journalling.





Friday, May 14, 2010

New Little Friend

This little guy kept me company today on the windowsill in my office.
If I see him again, I'm going to name him.  Any suggestions?

Sunday, May 09, 2010

Wonderful Lazy Sunday

Here's a nod to motherhood: 
This photographer, Nick Brandt, has stunning shots of East African animals - lots more to see here.

And here's a quote from Madeline from the other day:
"This is the best lunch I've had since yesterday.  I like sandwiches.  Especially the ones you make."
Happy Mother's Day to me!


Saturday, May 08, 2010

the "later friday post"

Well I sure planned to come back and fill in the details...  Here is where we're at in our mainly uneventful lives.

November's sewer issues left us a mess in the front yard.  So far, since the snow has gone, we have watered and rototilled and watered the dirt mound in the front yard to help it settle and seeded the other side of the front yard.  In the back, we have seeded parts that were bad, dumped the nasty barrel planters that I've wanted to see gone for a decade, and started to pull apart the raised garden that grows better grass than the lawn.  It was a productive day today doing lots of that and ended with blizzards at DQ!

Soccer started this week.  Tuesday we met most of the players, handed out jerseys and schedules and played in the zero degree weather (and lost 5-1).  Thursdays game was cancelled because of the cold wet week and the state of the fields, and today's player's skill's clinic was postponed till next Saturday, when M is away and can't go.  I am already loving coaching with Sean, instead of by myself.

Oh, yeah, I was going to tell you about the 5 pairs of cleats: Madeline of course grew out of last year's soccer shoes, and we were running out of time to pick some up, so on Monday, I hit 3 stores and came home with 5 pairs that I thought would fit.  We did find the right ones and got the rest returned.  The reason I could pick shoes up for her?  (Other than the obvious, that I just got the right size number...)  I could TRY THEM ON for her.  Last year's pair that she grew out of?  Size 9.  Yes, my 10 year old wears size 10 women's shoes.  Same as I do.

Last weekend our church did something called Westhill Serves.  We had 12 service projects that 115 of our people got involved in, some even going to 2 or 3 events.  Not only did they jump at the opportunities to go and serve in the city (none were projects for our benefit; all were with community groups), but we had our people making new connections between them as they served together.  It was great, and if you'd like to do something like this at your church, give me a call and I'll let you know how we did it.

Girl Guides wrapped up this week; next weekend she is off to Moose Jaw for a camp.  There are supposed to be thousands of girls there for it, so watch the news for parade footage.  They've got a weekend camp in June, too.  That badge scarf of hers is getting pretty full!

I went to a digital media conference the day.  It was the pre-conference workshop of the Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan conference, so geared to women in business, and full of information about helpful things.  Some tech stuff, some online tools, some 'how social media can work for you' info.  I'm glad I went, and I'll be processing some of that for a while, I'm sure.


And just for fun, here is the old cluster map that was on the side of the blog.  I've had it for a year, so they've rolled it over to a new one.  It is pretty cool to see where all my readers have come from.

Let the comments begin!  I will accept comments today about soccer or coaching or girl guides or yard work or digital media or where you would go if you could go anywhere in the world.

Friday, May 07, 2010

Early Friday Morning

Madeline has today off, so I'm going back to bed right away.  I only got up to send a message in to my work and to see Sean off to his work.  But now I find myself with a not pressing day, so here I am. 

I compose blog posts in my head all the time.  I wish there was some way I could mentally send them...  Watch the tweets on the side - I may update that way when I have a thought worth sharing and a minute to text twitter.

I will be back today with more, but here is a snapshot of what we're up to:
  • waiting for the weather to warm so we can do yardwork
  • coaching & playing soccer again - I'll tell you about our 5 pairs of cleats!
  • I went to a digital media conference yesterday
  • Westhill Serves
  • Girl Guides windups and camps
Have a great day & check back soon for the stories behind those.