Merry Christmas to All....and to All a Snow Shovel!

I'm writing this to you from the comfort of my cozy warm home....I'm staring out the office window watching people shovel snow like crazy...just trying to keep up with the flakes that seemed to be falling faster than a shovel can scoop.

At any rate....I wanted to take a few minutes to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. This year is a quiet Christmas for us, one which I am very much looking forward to.

I pray that God's peace and joy would flood your homes this season and that you would be a true testimony to those around of what Christmas is truly about.Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year to you and Yours!

xoxo
Lisa

Update - Part Two

Well, as they say, no news is good news, right?!?!

Nothing to report from the doctor as everything seemed clear and in working order.

I was so puzzled as to why they'd call to have me come straight in for nothing. I basically asked the doctor why she was wasting my time and hers (and I probably asked with a touch of attitude!).... "just to follow up" the doctor said.

Geese louise doc, don't you know how stressful getting a call like that can be!

Thanks again for all you prayers, I'll take 'em and trust in His perfect plan.

Have a great rest of your weekend.

Deep Desires - Update

Just a quick note to update y'all....

I had an ultrasound on Wednesday, and last night received a call from my doctor. She had already received the results and would like to see me. So, Saturday morning at 8am I'll meet with her to find out if anything conclusive finally showed up.

Part of me is hoping that yes, they found something and "it" explains why we have yet to conceive our third baby, but, on the other hand, I have a full day Saturday as I am the wedding coordinator at a wedding that afternoon and bad news might throw a real wrench in getting through the day with ease.

Anyhow, just thought I'd update. Thank-you all for your encouraging words and support. It's great to feel the love of community....online and in person ;-)

Deep Desires

I sit at the computer this afternoon a bit torn....but willing to dive in and share the journey my heart is traveling as of late. I know God is all consuming and all powerful, but sometimes don't you just want a peek at what the "plan" looks like? I do, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

At our last Women's Wednesday I shared a bit of my hearts journey. Being Thanksgiving, we took a few moments to remember all the things that we're thankful full, in faith, I decided to share what I am thanking God in advance for, believing and proclaiming for.....a baby, our baby, our last baby.

I never grew up dreaming of being a mom, or having kids, I never thought of how many I would have, what there names would be or what they would look like. It just wasn't me. So to be thinking and feeling the way I have seems somewhat strange to me. You see, Matt and I have been trying for our third baby for just about a year. It is a deep desire of my heart to have one more child, as I feel as though our family is not yet complete. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I wonder, "why would I add another to this chaos!?!?" But, in my heart of hearts I still feel as though there is to be one more. Both of our girls were planned and thankfully they were created and formed easily - without much work on our part. But this one, well, this is where a glimpse of God's plan comes into play.

In the mean time, I've been through a number of tests and ultrasounds to find out exactly what's going on inside. My cycles have been so heavy that one would think I was having a miscarriage, when in fact I'm not. More than anything, it's exhausting.

Every month I'm filled with feelings of doubt and disappointment. I have to fight the lies of the enemy that work to try and tell me I'm not good enough or patient enough or worthy enough to raise and nurture three kids. I fight the urge to condemn myself and conclude that there must be something wrong with me. It's a battle I keep fighting, some months are harder than others, but I'm determined to believe truth, not lies, and trust God's plan. So, on the good days, I try and stand firm, knowing that His timing is greater than anything else, that it is only Him that has created the deep desires of my heart (remember, I never dreamed about kids or motherhood) and that it is Him that will bring them to pass. For the plans and purposes of this child are far greater than I could ever imagine, and to complete those plans he or she must be born in His time, not mine.

So here I stand today, home from yet another test. This time an ultrasound, to look for fibroids or internal scarring that would be causing the excessively heavy cycles and impede my body from getting pregnant. The waiting is the hardest part, the wondering and the wandering of the mind.

So, I leave you with that, the journey of my heart. The growing and stretching of my faith and my spirit. I don't write this or share any of these things to gain sympathy, but to be real. Because sometimes, when people ask, "how are you doing?!?!" it's so much easier to mutter "I'm doing great" than to say "I'm struggling, but not giving up!"

So here's to being transparent my friends, not always doing great, but not giving up.

Check This Out

What a way to celebrate!!! Fellow blogger, Sandy, aka: The Reluctant Entertainer, is celebrating her two year anniversary in blog world. If you haven't clicked over to her page yet you need to do so, you will be so encouraged by her words, ideas, recipes and thoughts on how to entertain and have fun doing it!

Check it out and let her know you stopped by, if you do you can be entered to win her BIG GIVEAWAY - an entertaining gift basket - as seen in the pic above.

Have a great weekend!

Coffee Time!

Girls! Grab a girlfriend and treat her to a coffee......Women's Wednesday style, that is!

Tomorrow night is our second event and we are looking forward to a great night of "Prayer, Praise & Pastries." Come for worship, prayer, delicious treats, girl time and coffee too....what more does any gal want....shopping? Alright, we'll make sure the bookstore is open too.

Looking forward to seeing you at 7:30pm.

Lise

Just In Case You Were Curious!?!?

Say, per chance, you were looking for something in your make-up bag and your FULL bottle of OPI "Lincoln Park After Dark" nail polish popped out of your make-up bag and fell onto your bathroom tile floor....
(I mean let's remember it's early in the morning and you probably haven't had enough coffee yet to stimulate your cat-like reflexes)

Just in case you were curious.....tile floors and bottles of nail polish plummeting to the ground with the full pull of the earth's gravitational forces DON'T WORK WELL TOGETHER

Just in case you were curious if the bottle shatters into a million pieces...IT DOES

Just in case you were curious if the polish splatters everywhere like graffiti...IT DOES

Just in case you were curious if you'll be more mad about loosing the nail polish than the floor....YOU WILL

Just in case you were wondering if you'll need a whole bottle of nail polish remover to clean up the mess......YOU WILL

Just in case you were wondering if you'll have to wash the floor about three times after...YOU WILL

Just in case this happens to you....take heart, it happened to me this week.....so now you know how I spent my relaxing Tuesday morning at home.

Just in case you were curious.

Does Your Kitchen Have One of These?

Continuing along the Fall theme for this post.....cooking in the winter months always evokes warm dishes with seasonal root veggies, comfort foods that fill up the belly after a long cold day.

To make the most of my day, and my dollar, I often use a CROCK-POT.

Does your kitchen have a crock-pot...and more importantly, do you use it? If not, you should!

Here's a few benefits of a crock-pot:
1. Busy days with non-stop schedules still allow for home cooked, healthy meals
2. Stretch your grocery budget by buying cuts of meat that are cheaper (cheaper usually means it is not as tender) but in the crock-pot it cooks over a low heat for a long time - which tenderizes the meat
3. All in one clean up - you can cook your meat, potatoes and veggies all in one pot - one pot to wash after dinner is done makes clean up a breeze
4. You can cook almost anything in a crock-pot, last Christmas I did my stuffing in the C.P and it was the best stuffing I've ever had! You can also do cakes, chili, dips, soups, etc.
5. Crock pots are great for cooking in larger quantities - cooking in bulk is often cheaper and is always more efficient - double your recipe and freeze a meal for another night.

~ Happy Cooking ~

Let's Brunch!

As I look outside today at the rain pelting down and flowing down our hill at a rapid rate I'm inspired to stay inside. Are you? With the arrival of Fall and the coziness of the season I love to have delicious food in the house.....I especially love breakfast food and I love to have brunch on Sunday after church.

Big or small, fancy or simply, brunch seems to be a meal the pleases most and it usually offers a warm comforting hug at the same time, with nothing expected in return.

Today I challenge you: DO BRUNCH WITH SOMEONE!

Think of someone (this may be a couple a single or a family) that you haven't connected with in sometime and invite them over. Forget about your house, your carpet that needs a cleaning, your kids and even yourself......you'll be surprised how much you enjoy the time around the table when you share it with others.

Let me know if you brunch, and, if you have a favorite brunch recipe you want to share, I'd love that too!

Happy 2nd Birthday Emma

Today is my sweet Emma's official "second" birthday....two years ago today at 6:39am Emma Faith Baker joined our family & we have loved every minute of her since.

The best word I can use to describe Emma is sweet. Right from the start Emma has had the sweetest little spirit....she's a bit softer, a little more sensitive and a real ham all at the same time. She truly has her own little personality and is not content to stand in the shadow of her big sister. She loves to color and refers to any sort of coloring utensil as "la colour", she answers the phone with a French little "hallo!", she loves Dora - but especially the map (once he's made his appearance she will call for him for the remainder of the show) she has a "cheese" face for taking pictures that will make anyone burst into stitches and she is obsesses with shoes.

Happy 2nd Birthday to our Emma-Bemma!

I can't wait to see what kind of little lady you become in the next year.

Women's Wednesday

Earlier this year a few of us had the privledge of attending a wonderful women's conference. We left with a stirring in our spirit. We had been encouraged, challenged and inspired to do something in our own church - really - with the size and all it's only natural it would be a hub for the community and the body of Christ. Little did we know that God had something exciting in store......

Before we knew it "Women's Wednesday" was born. A once a month evening gathering for women of all ages. A time and place to come and be encouraged and strengthened in our walk with our amazing God. Some nights are more fun and some more serious, but all in all a delicate balance to meet the needs of our women.

Shawna and I have been going a hundred miles an hour since. We wrote up a business plan and budget in one night, presented it the next and as they say...the rest is history.

Our heart is for women, for the struggles they face, for the hats they wear, for the power they have but don't realize it or they don't want to realize the impact they could have in this world. We long to see friendships dive to new depths as we become real with one another through the good, bad and ugly.

The above pictures are a few shots of the beginning of our vision. We hosted a by invitation only event at the end of July to share our hearts and our vision for Women at CLA. It was a wonderful night full of laughter, tears and the uniting of hearts. We were amazed at the support we received and the team we have begun to form.

I write all this not to toot my own horn, but to submit this to you for prayer. This Wednesday is our first OFFICIAL event of the season. We joke when we see an announcement in the bulletin or on the screen at church, "there's no turning back now!" But really, for us this happened in a single moment. One moment we were talking about it and the next we had walked into God's plan and purpose for our lives right now.

So, will you pray? Will you believe that God will use the dreams and visions of two stay at home moms to touch women inside and outside the church in a new and powerful way? Will you pray that we grow leap and bounds, that each night God's presence is so strong and so powerful that lives are healed and transformed into all God wants them to be? Will you pray we have fun, that we don't burn out & that we still love each other at the end of all this (okay, joking.....kind'a!)?

Believing for great things....

Lisa

This summer Madelyne celebrated her fourth birthday. This year the theme was western - cowgirl, to be exact. She's been on quite a cowgirl kick for a while now, so much so that we've collected boots, a hat, a denim dress and a skirt with a matching jacket. She loves to yell out a good "yeeee haaaawwww" and has even done so in the middle of the sanctuary as her Sunday morning greeting to Pastor Brent (thank goodness he's gracious!).

We had a wonderful time celebrating with a group of friends as well as Grampy (my dad) and Uncle Josh (my brother) thrown in for good measure. Here's a few pics of the down home western fun we had...

This is a picture of part of the the Happy Birthday banner I had up in the kitchen.

The CAKE:

Two tiers of chocolate goodness with a cowgirl hat on top. Thanks to Auntie Shawna for all your help into the wee hours of the morning to perfect this beauty!

We couldn't have enough cowgirl hats - we had them hanging everywhere!

The goodie bags - "M" for Madelyne

The Birthday Girl:
We had a saddle set up on a hay bail on the deck, as each child arrived they got a turn and we took their picture on it - I used these pics for the thank-you cards.

Madelyne & Luke (aka:Lukie) good buddies!

We had hail bails set up in the back yard for seating and after crafts, food and cake Sheriff Matt arranged them in rows and supervised hail bail races. It was a big hit!

Three little blond cowgirls all in a row:

Daddy & his four year old girl.

Pleading the 5th!

(This is a pic of Miss M & her b-day cake...more on that in my next post!)

I just had to share this with you since it has me in stiches every time I think about the coversation in my head....

On Wednesday Madelyne and Emma were playing together and, as usual, in no time at all one of them was screaching at the other. I walked into the room where they were playing to see what the battle of the moment was. Emma was on the floor crying and Madelyne had a toy in her hand that Emma was pointing at. Mom's intuition told me that Emma had a toy Madelyne wanted so Madelyne pulled it from Emma and pushed her to the floor in the process. This is the conversation that followed:

Mommy: "Girls, what's going on?"

Madelyne: "Mom, Emma had the Barbie & I wanted it..."

Emma: "Me Emma!"

Mommy: "Thanks love, yes I know you are Emma."

Mommy: "Madelyne, did Emma have the toy first?"

Madelyne: "Yah"

Mommy: "And how did Emma end up on the floor?"

Madelyne: "She fell down"

Emma: "Me Emma!"

Mommy: "Did you kind'a push her when you were getting the toy away from her?"

Madelyne: "NO!" (In a defensive tone that tells me she totally did!)

Mommy: "Love, give the toy back to Emma..."

Mommy: "Thank-you, now do you want to tell me if you pushed Emma or if she fell?"

Madelyne: "No" (getting more and more frustrated)

Mommy: "Love, in the Bible it tells us not to lie, you need to tell the truth....we need to obey what Jesus tells us to do and how to act."

Madelyne: In a fit of frustration yells: "Well I haven't read that part yet!" And storms off.

I was laughing so hard I didn't even follow her.....out of the room.

Pleading the 5th at four years old......Lord, give me strength!

Are You Authentic?

This past weekend, in the spur of the moment, I whisked down to Seattle to meet up with my dearest friend Rebecca for a mini girls get-away. Rebecca is married to an American and has lived in the USA for the last nine years. As life has changed and families have grown it has become harder to widdle out "girl time." So, with 24 hours to ourselves we met up in downtown Seattle and had a wonderful time together.

Rebecca & I have been friends since the beginning of grade eight and have truly journeyed through life together. We've graduated high school & university, found Rebecca's birth parents, mourned the loss of my mom, gotten married, had babies, gained weight, lost weight, had every color hair and every style of hair, talked daily and not talked for weeks.

Rebecca & I have a true authentic friendship.....we've seen the good and the bad in each other and love one another for it. We have an understanding that we pick up where we left off - regardless if that was a week since we spoke or a month. Monday morning she forwarded me a daily devotional she got via email....it was so timely and so true, I thought it was perfect to share with the blogging world:

Authentic Friendships by Rick Warren
But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:7-8 (NCV)
*** *** *** ***
In Christian fellowship people should experience authenticity.
Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It's genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level, sharing. It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer. Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking, superficial politeness, and shallow conversation. People wear masks, keep their guard up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship. It's only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship.

The Bible says, "If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. . . . If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves" (1 John 1:7-8 NCV).
The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures, and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are.Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection, and being hurt again.
Why would anyone take such a risk? Because it's the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy.

The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed" (James 5:16 MSG).

It was a reminder and confirmation of my heart's desire to always walk in honesty and live a truly authentic life with authentic relationships. It is so easy to stay in a place to comfort and familiarity but the blessings you find when you open yourself and dive in head first are so rewarding.

So I leave that with you today......are you investing in authentic friendships?

Facial Hair

Okay, so a week before "man-cation" was scheduled to begin Matt stopped shaving.......and he was gone for ten days....so that's 2.5 weeks of facial hair growth.

Here's pic of the unshaven and shaven Matt....you decide which one you like better and I'll let him know, heck, he'll probably check the blog himself.

Girl Par-tay 2008

Last fall for Matt's 30th birthday I decided to organize a group gift: a 8 day camping & canoeing trip in Northern BC. As a surprise we managed to get the same trip for his brother Aaron for Christmas.

So, the day finally arrived when the man-cation began.......and so began: Girl Par-tay 2008.

Matt's mom, Faye, and sister, Naomi, flew out from Ontario to hang with Madelyne, Emma & I while the boys were off forging through the forest and paddling down glacier rivers. We had a blast! We did everything from shopping, to the library, to picnics and a trip to the zoo. We ordered in if we didn't want to cook, we watched "chick flicks" and even went to the beauty supply outlet to stock up on essentials (thanks to Naomi for her membership).

Here's a few pics to document our week together:

(Backyard fun, a trip to the library & a picnic)

(Make-up, crafts, Robson Street & waterpark)

(Waterpark, swimming lessons, ice cream)

(The joy of ice cream)

(A trip to the zoo)

Thanks to Mom Baker & Auntie Nome for making the trip out - it made the week fly by. We sure did miss Matt when he was gone, but the busyness help keep us distracted & the memories we made will last a life time - regardless of how far apart we live.

loves,

Lise

Summer in All it's Glory

What really is better than a sunny day spent at the beach?

Where the sand is in your toes and you don't mind too much...
Where benches, blankets & chairs call your name and you stay a little longer than normal....
Where you eat ice cream just because you can...
Where lunch & dinner are easy fare that you could have time and time again without a care....
Where the air fills your lungs and refreshes your soul....

A day at the beach is truly like nothing else.

Preschool Year End Party Day

It's hard to believe that I started this blog when Miss Madelyne was just starting preschool. I remember the day, her outfit, the excitement, the nerves. I remember wondering how she would be, what she would do and if she would miss me.

So...she did great, she had a blast, she learnt about plants, how things grow, animals, colors, numbers & the weather. She learnt she didn't need me there all the time & I learnt she was almost too independant for her own good.

It has been a year full of learning, growing, singing, dancing and tons of fun. We celebrated the year end with sports day at the park. If you have never ventured over to City Park in Langley it's a fabulous little park complete with playground, huge field, picnic tables, covered cooking area (you can rent for parties, etc) outdoor pool (Al Anderson Memorial Pool) and waterpark.

This party was extra special because they were going to be celebrating all the birthdays that happenened in the months of June and July. Madelyne could hardly wait until it was HER turn to have the class sing "Happy Birthday" - I'm sure if she could she would have put them on "repeat" and listened over and over again.

(This is a shot of the melted fondant cupcakes I made for the treat bags she gave out to all her friends)

So, onward and upward we go......the year from three to four was such a huge year developmentally. Most of the kids in her class don't act or look like the same kids that started the year with her in September.

Madelyne is excited about being four and more excited about returning to preschool in September.

I'm excited too....it's three mornings a week ;-)

Father's Day 2008

This year we celebrated Father's Day here at home for Matt & my dad. After church my brother and dad came over for a great lunch - BBQ burgers, a real guy's meal - followed by frozen lemon pie for dessert. We had found a great Nautica cologne set for my dad on one of our USA shopping trips and the girls & I found a couple nice button up short sleeved shirts for Matt.

It was a wonderful afternoon and a great time was had by all. I think the guys all napped after lunch - which really is what Sunday afternoons were made for.

Matt, it's not only Father's Day, but all year through, that I recognize the amazing dad you are to our girls. In everything you do, from digging in the yard to painting their toes you choose to love on them and invest all you have into them. Thanks for always being a patient, loving, goofy, creative and wonderful dad.

xoxo
L.

Ballet Recital 2008

This past May Madelyne had the great pleasure of being part of her second ballet recital. This year her class' theme was Bo Peep & Her Sheep. There were three black sheep and seven white sheep.

Of course, at three years of age, regardless of how much practice they have, it's basically a free for all. They usually steal the show with their OWN on-stage performance & this year was no exception. At the end of their dance on Saturday night Madelyne decided to run back on stage after Bo Peep had hearded her sheep off stage. She stood front & center smiling and waving to the crowd - until she was again hearded off by Peep.

The first show on Saturday night, I was a back-stage helper with Miss M's group, and Sunday afternoon Matt, my dad, my Grandma Totland (Madelyne's GG) and I went to see the show. It was as beautiful as ever. At the end of the show Madelyne received three bouquets of flowers - just right for the prima ballerina that she is ;-)

A special thanks to Miss Leah for watching Emma for the afternoon on Sunday - it was nice to go and be able to watch without being interupted.

To Make You Smile

I'm dreaming of the day when the sun will warm my back again, when the windows will stay open and the cool evening breeze will be a welcomed relief to the heat of the day......until that happens here's a bit of sunshine to make you (and me) smile.

Have a blessed day (rain & all!)

xoxo
L.

Just Delish

Like most you...you think your kids are just delish....seriously, there are days I could just chew on Emma's face for ever!

When Matt's mom came to visit a couple weeks ago she brought some "baby's first markers" for Emma. The girls had a fabulous time trying them out and when they realized they could kiss or lick each other's faces and smudge the color even more I couldn't keep them away from one another.

Here are a few pics of the color extravaganza!

How Do You Measure?

Okay, this post is inspired by a wonderful email I received from my husband. Words full of encouragement, hope, love and grace.

This is my question to you: "How Do You Measure the Work of A Stay at Home Mom?

Now, think about this for a minute....

My love is a mechanic by trade, if every car he fixed never ran smooth again or continued to break down - would he be a good mechanic?

If a lawyer never won a case for their client - are they a good lawyer?

If a doctor always gave the wrong diagnosis - should he/she still be practicing medicine?

If a mom's kids continue to misbehave - is she a good (meaning: successful) mom?

If the food from dinner doesn't get vaccuumed off the floor but instead gets swiffered up by the toddler crawling around once dinner is done - is she a good/ successful mom?

If the laundry doesn't get folded and put away - but instead is used all over again right from the basket - is she a successful mom?

If your kids end up turning from God - are you a successful mom?

Ladies.....I'm interested to hear you thoughts on this....please share.

It's All For You...

Sometimes, life has a way of creeping up on you, waying you down and getting the best. Wife, mommy, woman of God, sister, daughter & friend - sometime its a challenge to wear all of these hats (and more) with excellence. This song so accuarately reflects my heart's desire as of late.....

Nothing compares to
Life I have in You
Nothing of this world satisfies

So, I want to let go
I want to let You know
All that I have to give is Yours

Here I am
As gold to the fire I will surrender to Your hand
To this place Lord, I have come ready for Your touch

It's all for You It's all for You
I'm letting go
I'm letting go

What is it in me
That hangs on for so long
Why do I fight the tears that come?

I work so hard to
Keep in control when
All that I want is to let go

Here I am
As gold to the fire I will surrender to Your hand
To this place Lord, I have come ready for Your touch

It's all for You
It's all for You
I'm letting go, I'm letting go

I'll take this life
And lay it down
I'm letting go, I'm letting go
My hopes and dreams
Here at Your feet
I'm letting go, I'm letting go

And I am ready for Your life
And I am ready for You now

It's all for You

~ Starfield ~

Father God, once again I surrender all things to You. You are the author & finisher of all things and you don't need me to make anything happen. Help me God to continually give everything, everyday back to you. Give me strength, wisdom and faith to hope and dream for more than I could imagine.

Happy Birthday Miss Leah

One Friday night in January friends gathered together to celebrate wonderful "Miss Leah's" (as Madelyne & Emma call her!) birthday. What better way to bring friends together than with a few good games of bowling. Most of us had not been bowling for years but somehow the strikes were flying and the laughter was loud!

After the games were done everyone came back here and we continued the celebration with ice cream cake and a few rounds of "Apples to Apples" - if you haven't played that game before it's super fun. You can find it at Target for $24.99.

Happy Birthday Leah....may this year be full of great things!

Say Ahhhhhhh

Prior to preschool resuming and life getting back to normal post-holiday rountine I thought I should try and get Madelyne into the dentist. This has been on my to-do list for months, but with one cold or flu bug after another this fall there hasn't been a great time - until NOW!

Having heard some rave reviews about "Child's Play" here in Langley I called to book an appointment and I was thankful they had had a cancellation & we were able to get in the next day. The office and staff are fantastic! Madelyne had an amazing time and didn't want to leave. The entire office is decorated in a jungle/animal theme with amazing artwork on every wall.

Madelyne's first trip to the dentist was a huge success - whooo hooo!

Christmas 2007

This year we celebrated Christmas at home. It was probably one of the most quiet Christmas' we've had yet. My Grandma Totland - so Madelyne & Emma's Great Grandma (hence, the name "GG") - came over Christmas Eve and stayed with us until Boxing day. My dad spent most of Christmas Eve & Christmas day with us & my brother joined us Christmas day. We had lots of food, an abundance of gifts and great family time.

One of our traditions is getting new pj's on Christmas Eve. Usually this is just for the kids, but this year I was spoiled with two pairs of jammies for myself as well.

After the girls were tucked in bed, and we were certain they were fast asleep we started the work of hauling out all the gifts, filling the stockings and putting together their new playhouse. Matt played elf and assembled the playhouse while Dad, Grandma and I played a wild game of Scrabble.

Christmas morning was a bit less "frantic" than I imagined it to be. The girls were pretty calm and didn't really freak out like I expected. The playhouse was a huge hit and they were occupied with that most of the morning. We had a delicious brunch mid-morning then continued on with opening gifts. The afternoon found most people napping or relaxing while I prepared for dinner.

This year I cooked a turkey roast, because there were only a few of us it was much easier than doing a whole turkey. It was so moist and delicious and we had lots of leftovers. I made my stuffing in the crock-pot and it tasted amazing (this was the first year I tried that as well) along with pecan yams, mashed potatoes and green beans.

All in all it was a wonderful day........a true celebration & rememberance of Christ's birth.