Beyond Measure

| Thursday: Around the House |

2012-02-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Good Morning & Happy Thursday!

Today is an around the house day for me....I know, such a glamorous life I lead! Its a home day to get the house cleaned up, all those random things floating around back in their designated spots, get the bathrooms sparking and fold a few piles of clothes.

We've also been working on getting some window quotes for our home, so I have quotes to review and energy rebate paperwork to fill out....all this while keeping Little Boy Baker from prying off any more trim work with his screwdriver and before school ends and the girls are home.

Now, I know we all have our own way to keeping on top of our homes and all the things that go along with that...but, it never hurts to learn from others. So, taking a tip from my class discussion yesterday I want to open up a "How You Keep Your Home" discussion so we can learn and get tips from those around us who do things well.

Instead of doing what us women are known to do: "compare" - lets learn from each other and find out what works best for keeping up with our homes.

I'd like to hear what yo do to keep up with your home? Do you have the same routine each week? Do you do things randomly as they come up? And do you have any FAVOURITE products that help you get the job done.

Share ladies....and let's learn from each other.

| She'll Be His & He'll Be Hers...and We'll Party! |

2012-01-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

I am excited to see February just around the corner...because that means March is THAT MUCH CLOSER.

In March, she'll be his and he'll be hers....and we'll party!

Matt's sister, Naomi, is getting married to Ivo. I was honored not only to be asked to be in the bridal party but also to design their wedding invitation and wedding program for the ceremony.

Naomi is not only gorgeous, she's a fiery woman of God; she's smart, savvy and an amazing business woman. Asides the fact that her legs probably come up to my bust line (not jealous at all *grin*) she's had her own massage therapy clinic for years. Recently, she invested herself into establishing and running a non-profit organization and now she has developed her own consulting business. She's the whole package...and it was going to take someone special to keep up with her.

It was almost a year ago when I said to her, "when you're ready to let it all go, when there is room for someone to come in, then God will have a chance...." And somehow, as we all know, when we just lay our stuff down - even if that means we have nothing on our plates - God has a way of moving in and bringing us THE BEST gift....enter, Ivo.

It was shortly after than that Naomi met Ivo, and as they say, "it's was a done deal."

Ivo is the perfect complement to Naomi, and Naomi is the perfect complement to Ivo. They strengthen each other and are better together than apart. Ivo's life is a story full of God's faithfulness and goodness....making him the strong, courageous yet gentle man he is today. Its so good, I have goose bumps!

As for keeping up with her? Well, Ivo's a martial arts trainer and kite surfer....he can keep up with her no problem. As a matter of fact, they got engaged after skydiving....how's that for keeping up?!?!

I'll be sure to share the finished version of the program after the wedding....so stay tuned for that and pictures of the big day.

I'm off to get my run on...this bridesmaid is on the countdown to tone up before wedding day.

Have a great Tuesday.

| Recipe Card | Mini Meatloaf

2012-01-30T09:10:00.000-08:00

I originally found this recipe in a Kraft Canada magazine and have now adapted and tweaked it depending on what I have in the pantry.

These little meatloaves are a great go to meal that will please anyone...serve with mashed potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes and a fresh salad and dinner is on the table in a flash.

| Mini Meatloaf |

1 pound ground beef - or ground turkey works great too!
1 box of Stovetop Stuffing mix
1 C. water
Garlic Powder

BBQ sauce
Cheese

Notes:
* You can switch up the spices, sauce and cheese to give different flavours
(use Italian spices, marinara sauce and mozza cheese for an Italian inspired meatloaf)
(use taco spice, salsa and tex-mex cheese for a Mexican fiesta)
* If I don't have stuffing mix on hand I just through in some bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, one egg and some dried parsley & salt and pepper - and leave out the cup of water!

* Combine ground meat, dry stuffing mix, water and garlic powder.
* Scoop into muffin tins - make sure mixture is well packed
* Make a small hole in the middle of each muffin - fill with BBQ sauce

* Bake at 350* for 25 minutes, remove from oven and top with cheese
* Return to oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted

These freeze well so you could certainly double the recipe and put half in the freezer for another dinner down the road, or even better, package them up and drop off dinner for a friend or neighbour.

Have a lovely Monday!

| Friday Fabulous |

2012-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

Can you believe is Friday again already! Wow, I don't know about you, but this week flew by. I hope you've had a few minutes to enjoy the precious and beautiful moments of sunshine we've had this week...ahhh, what a gift that sunshine is to getting motivated.

For today's Friday Fabulous post I wanted to feature an item in my closet I love that I use all the time and has lasted me well:

| Sweet Nothings Footless Tights |

I originally found these tights at the Wal-Mart in the USA and was a bit skeptical with the price tag being $15. For a pair of tights??? I mean, I've had many o' times where I put my finger right through a pair of tights and into the garbage they go...what a waste.

But, I like the idea that these tights are shape wear as well...meaning, they have a hidden inside tummy control panel that keeps things (aka: your lumps and bumps!) held in nice and tight. :-)

So I gave them a whirl and I LOVE them.

* They are nice and thick so they work perfectly with a tunic or a dress (and no one can see if you didn't shave your legs *wink*)

* They are not 100% cotton so they don't fade after multiple washings

* They stay UP...because we've all had some sort of leg wear sagging our knees - NOT FUN!

* They come in black, grey and brown

You can click here for the link to the Wal-Mart web page to check 'em out.....if you really want the shape wear function then maybe go down a size...you don't want them too loose or they won't be holding anything in.

I love wearing a dress...its an easy peasy outfit to throw on before the start of a busy day...there is no pinching, pulling or sagging of pants or waistbands, no pant hems to worry about getting soaked if its pouring rain, and with these tights under any dress or skirt you've got a great outfit for any day of the week.

And just a heads up, I've seen these tights on eBay too for a bit cheaper...so you could try there as well.

Here's to a Fabulous Friday.

| Can I Have and Do it All, Please? | It's All About Value

2012-01-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

This week at Women By Design we dove into chapter two of "Can I Have and Do It All, Please" which is entitled "All About Value."

This is my favourite quote of the entire chapter:

"If we don’t understand the value of something we will often mistreat, abuse and discardthat thing.” – pg 36

Using this quote as our jumping off point we looked at how the world around us values women, how they are treated and what ideas and expectations are placed on women today:

* We talked about the horrible tortures of human trafficking

* We discussed how life experiences, trauma, words spoken over us and even poor examples of Godly women can affect how we see ourselves

* We recognized expectations society puts on us in terms of beauty and image

* We identified how we see ourselves and why?

:THEN:

(and here's the good stuff)

We wiped the slate clean and refilled it with all the things that God tells us to be true

* God created women on PURPOSE, by design

* Jesus valued women immensely, so much so that He included them in His ministry

* Jesus revealed Himself as the Christ - for the first time - to a Samaritan woman...someone that His culture and society would have dictated He never interact with

* We were created in the image and likeness of God - so who are we to mistreat and underestimate what God has made?!?

Genesis 2:18 says:

Now the Lord God said, Itis not good (sufficient, satisfactory) that the man should be alone; I willmake him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, complementary) for him. (AMP).

* We looked at the idea of being a helper, not a slave or servant, but instead one who works together. The Hebrew word for helper is "e'zer" which means "helper like unto God" and is used more than 19 times. This is a significant helper - that's for sure!

* And finally, we were encouraged and reminded to keep on going:

"Becausesometimes all it takes is believing that you are worth it.” –pg 44

When we understand the significance, value and purpose God has created us - as women - to have, we will begin to do even greater things. How exciting is THAT?!?

| Penny Pinching |

2012-01-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

I'll be back later today with my weekly recap of yesterday's class: Can I Have and Do it All, Please?!?! But I wanted to be sure to share a real DEAL with you:

Do you often re-negotiate contracts you have with service providers, such as cell phone, home phone, cable or internet? If you don't...you SHOULD. Why? Well because your business is worth it, and most often your service providers want to KEEP YOU!

As we have been working through our New Year budget, renegotiating some of these things was at the top of our list to save us a few bucks this year.

We currently have services with Shaw Cable and through some lengthy conversations with a Telus customer care representative we were able to bundle our services and switch to Telus and save ourselves $100 per MONTH.

You see, our cell phones are with Telus (and have been for some time)...they want us back as a full service customer and are willing to make it worth our while.

We opted not to take any of the "free" electronics that are often used to suck you in....why...well because they never end up being "free" you end up paying a bit more each month for them.

So, with a few simple phone calls we've saved ourselves $1200 bucks this year already! How's that for a great way to start the year!

So, maybe this is something that can put a bit of cash back in your 2012 budget! You never know, its worth a phone call, or two.

| My Wee Man | God's Living Promise to Me

2012-01-24T11:44:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that in one month {actually, one month yesterday} my, not so wee, Zachary James will be two years old.

Zachary means: the Lord remembers.

And yes HE does. Zachary is a living promise of the Lord remembering my hearts desires and so graciously giving me those desires at just the right time.

Our Zach-man has been the perfect completion to our little family. He is a sweet little man who always has a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his face.

At almost two Zach is speaking clearly, putting words together and even making jokes.

He has just started going pee on the potty and likes the cookie he gets as a reward if successful.

To say he LOVES his daddy is a gross understatement.

He is ALL ABOUT TOOLS, ALL THE TIME.

{"daddy tools, daddy fix" is his most commonly spoken phrase}

He loves his sisters, Emma and Mi-Mi, and knows just how to push their buttons.

He is tall. Like taller than some 3 1/2 year olds we know.

Big surprise right!?!?! Not sure where he got that from ;-)

He actually doesn't like the snow - at all. The only reason he has a huge smile on his face in the last picture is because he had daddy's shovel.

{"daddy shovel, daddy scoop"...over and over and over again!}

He loves music and often goes into a hypnotic trance watching the drummer at church.

He has an easygoing nature but is by no means a pushover {like his dad}.

He knows he wants banana loaf at Starbucks.

He's mine. And I love him to bits!

| Recipe Card | Crock-Pot Beef Stew & Baking Soda Biscuits

2012-01-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was a bit of a slower one around our place...the kids have all had their turns being sick; the past few days its been our turn. So much so that hubs was home early on Friday and in bed before the kids....this is NOT a normal thing for my hubs.

Yesterday was my turn, I felt beyond ill when we got home from church, so hubs and the girls played Wii and Little Boy Baker and I napped...I knew it was my only chance to rest before Monday greeted us again and the week was in full gear.

I've been on a "use up the stuff in the deep freeze" kind'a kick. Part of getting the home refreshed and reset at the beginning of the New Year.

I'm sure I'm not the only one...but it's amazing how much you can accumulate in the freezer and the pantry. The deep freeze can become an abyss in no time....so its great to be able to see the bottom ;-)

Crock pot beef stew has got to be one of the easiest and cheapest dinners to throw together, and, if you have stuff in your freezer and fridge that needs to be used up, its a great way to do just that!

I apologize for not having pics of the the assembly of the stew....hubs did it for me :-)

Crock-Pot Beef Stew

2 lbs stew meat (1" cubes) {this time we used up some flat steaks that had been in the freezer}

1/4 C. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. beef broth

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic or chopped onion

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. paprika

4 sliced carrots {no need to peel, just give them a good wash}

3 diced potatoes

1 stalk celery - diced

1. Put meat in the crock-pot

2. Mix flour, salt, pepper and paprika and add to meat - stir to cover

3. Add remaining ingredients and stir

4. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 4-6 hours

5. Stir well before serving

*you could easily experiment with adding different winter vegetables or adding tomatoes to make the stew more tomato based - possibilities are endless*

Serve with warm baking soda biscuits.

Baking Soda Biscuits

1 1/2 C. flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 C. shortening (or butter)

2/3 C. milk

Bake at 450* for 8-10 minutes

Combine flour, baking power & salt.

Cut in shortening or butter. I used a pastry cutter but a fork works great.

Stir in milk until just combined. Don't over mix or you'll get tough biscuits!

Gently kneed on floured surface.

Roll out to 3/4" thick and cut into circles.

Bake at 450* for 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Serve with piping hot stew or soup. YUM.

Wishing you a wonderful Monday!

| Friday Fabulous |

2012-01-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Well we made it! Its FRIDAY...whoot hoot! I don't know about you but its been a long week around these parts...and today I am extra grateful for hot lunch day at school!

In honour of Friday I'm starting a "Friday Fabulous" series....where I'll feature one of my favourite items of the moment or one of my household staples. Things that if I had to, I would put in my own "mom's tool box!"

And as thanks for coming back to check out my fourth post in one week.....a record for me, I'm sure....I'll feature four things, from four avenues of my life:

| Home |

I recently became an iPad owner (more on how I got it later!) and I have to admit I LOVE it. It has become a staple in my kitchen (maybe a strange place, but whatever!) and my home in general. Everything from listening to music or pod casts while I cook or clean, menu planning, grocery list organizing, family calendar, devotional, as well as acting as my recipe book.

| Beauty |

I am not a huge hair product girl, I usually will find what I like and stick with it...not venturing out from the norm unless I find its not working for me. But when I heard about this great volumizer and saw the results I gave it a shot...and I love it!

Aquage Uplifting Foam

I got mine when I was down in the lovely USA one weekend, it can be a bit hard to find as Aquage products are not carried in all salons, but the search is worth it. Check out the company web page at www.aquage.com to find a salon that carries it in your area. And if all fails, order online ;-)

| Blogs |

I do enjoy reading a good blog....I have been following this one for some time and totally love it! www.thesmallthingsblog.com - by Kate Bryan.

Kate is a hairdresser by trade and posts the most FABULOUS hair video tutorials. I used her tutorials a number of times through the holiday season to help spice up my holiday hair-dos. If you're not great with hair styling, or, you find yourself in a hair rut but don't know how to get out, then check her out. She is a huge fan of Aquage Uplifting foam and I first saw the product on her blog. She also has a great sense of humor and designs lovely jewelery with her sister.

| Home |

This was on my Christmas list so I was so happy when I found it under the tree on Christmas morning. My dutch oven by Kitchen Aid is a fabulous addition to my kitchen.

I love that this can be used on the stove-top or in the oven, it distributes the heat evenly and can make a killer pot roast. Apparently you can bake bread in it, I haven't yet, but I'm going to for sure! I love that if well taken care of it can last for generations.

So that's it for my first "Friday Fabulous".....I hope you enjoyed.

I'm a bit under the weather today so I'm off to grab these:

out of my "mom's tool box" and enjoy a hot drink while Little Boy Baker is still fast asleep.

Have a fabulous weekend.

Can I Have It All and Do It All, Please?

2012-01-19T10:03:00.000-08:00

Doesn't that title just grab you and pull you in? I know it did for me the first time I read it.

I was instantly interested in reading this book to discover if I really could, have it all....

Since first reading it I have had the privilege of teaching a ladies Wednesday morning bible study based on this book. Not so much me teaching anything life changing, more me facilitating discussion based off what Christine Caine (Hillsongs church) has written.

And God....is His graciousness....speaks to my heart and challenges me, maybe more than anyone else in the classroom. Gotta love God's gracious and caring ways, hey?

This week I started my second class based on this book and I decided that some of the life truths were too good not to share. So, as a means of encouraging and inspiring YOU AND ME to push for "God's all" in our life I am going to post a weekly recap based on the class discussion.

This week we kicked into full gear discussing the infamous "All" we strive so hard for. What is this abstract idea of "all" and where do we get it from? What does it look like? How does it make its way into our personhood?

Its pretty clear that as a society we are bombarded with media imagery and ideas representing the flawless, well rounded, clean, organized, decorated, nice home kind'a life we should be living. The pressure is immense to "keep up with the Jones's" as some may say.

So we strive to make it all happen: loose weight, dress better, cook better, decorate great cakes, have well behaved kids, host birthday parties fit for the Queen, maintain the ideal marriage, be on the PAC, the prayer team and feed the homeless....all with excellence, grace and in your designer duds.

Truth be told, none of those things are wrong....(and if you have been waiting for the big IF, here it comes)...IF we are doing all of these things because they are the "ALL" that God has called us to and created us to be. If they aren't, we strive in our own strength and get no where.

In chapter one, Christine Caine writes:

"the “all” we should want to have and do is tied in to God Himself and His purposes for our lives.” – pg 23

Here is a great promise we need to claim and believe:

"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), [a]recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the
good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. (Ephesians 2:10 - AMP)

What a promise! God has predestined a plan for you and me. If we only lay down the "all" we want to have and instead embrace the "all" He has for us.

Here we'll find such great freedom.

Christine Caine encourages us to lay down a super woman mentality and replace it with a super-natural mentality. With a supernatural mentality we can, and will, have and do it all....all the things God has created us for.

I love it! And I don't know about you, but I'm going for it....a supernatural life full of God's ALL.

Be blessed and encouraged today.

| Word for 2012 |

2012-01-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

For the last number of years I have asked the Lord to give me a word as I approach the New Year. This has become almost a New Year's tradition of sorts for many wonderful girls I know...a tradition that pushes us to listen to God's voice speaking to us, taking the time to hear Him and silence ourselves.

It signifies moving fully into the New Year with direction and confidence in where God wants us to go....and I LOVE it!

Last year my word was "identity." And true to His word, God was ever present in changing, shaping and reforming my identity. I feel like 2011 was a year of growth and refinement... anyone that knows anything about refining something knows it often takes pressure, heat and sometimes pain to refine something...but the end is oh so worth it.

As for this year, I am really excited and encouraged with the word I feel God has given me:

The word "promises" is the plural form of the word promise...according to the dictionary the word promise is defined as:

1. a declaration that something will or will not be done, given, etc., by one.

2. an express assurance on which expectation is to be based: promises that an enemy will not win.

3. something that has the effect of an express assurance; indication of what may be expected.

4. indication of future excellence or achievement.

5. something that is promised

There are many things I believe God has promised, things shown that have not yet come to pass, and things not yet seen that He promises through His word. I am filled with faith and looking forward to 2012 being a year of fulfillment.

Within days of God giving me such a great word I heard this song for the first time. For some of you it may be old news....but for me it was confirmation that yes, I did hear HIM right!?!

http://youtu.be/NYj1dp5rMaU

If you haven't asked God for your word for 2012 why don't you?!?! I'd love to hear what He shares with you.

New Year | New Word | New Blogging

2012-01-17T11:44:00.000-08:00

Hello Blog-land! I am so glad to be back. It's been years - literally - since my last posting and so much has changed in our life. I have been debating resuming my blogging for quite some time...really assessing why I blog, why I don't and what kind of life I want represented on my blog if I did resume.

I am looking forward to sharing bits and pieces of our life's journey over the past year as well expanding the direction of my blog focus.

One of my most treasured items is a hand written recipe of my mom's, a special occasion recipe that I remember signifying love, comfort and mom. I love that its hand written, I love seeing her hand writing and I love the memories that resound for me each time I look at it. I want my blog to be the same type of thing for me and my family....a written note filled with faith that brings memories, love and comfort.

So as I venture back into the blog world I pray that faith would abound in my posts, encouragement would be found, memories would be preserved and creativity would bubble up.

I look forward to sharing with you my word for 2012, a few insights from the class I'm teaching at our women's bible study at church and even some recipes my family loves and some new ones I'm itching to try as I continue to try and bring healthy food to my kitchen table.

Here's to a fabulous and inspiring 2012!

FALL WREATH | Bring out the Burlap!

2010-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

Last night I need some therapy!

The world has been spinning around us in a million directions and I needed some time to relax & not think anymore about how life was going to fall into place.

I take no credit for this idea. However, the moment I saw a post by Emily @ Jones Design Company....I knew this project was high on my to-do list.

Even with having our house for sale I NEEDED some FALL in the place! I have been trying to keep things so tidy that I have cleared out all decorations and have missed FALL terribly.

Enough with that I said, and out came the burlap!

Here's what I came up with:

Here's a close up:

There is no way I can do Emily's tutorial justice so to get the step-by-step visual guide to make one of these beauties go HERE.

The burnt orange wool flower I added on is also one of Emily's creations, click HERE for the flower tutorial.

The wreath form and leaves I got at DollarTree in the USA

The FALL twigs I had from an old wreath/garland.

The fabric I picked up at FabricLand - have you even look through their remnant bin/section - some good stuff in there!

It was just the thing I needed last night and I love seeing it on my front door.
Hope you have time to enjoy Fall in all it's splendor.

*L.

Back to School | The Love of Routine and All things FALL - PART TWO

2010-09-09T11:41:00.001-07:00

Back to school was EQUALLY exciting - if not more so - for another little lady in our house. Miss Emma-Bemma was starting her second year of preschool and she was bouncing around the house once Wednesday morning arrived.

She was adamant she got to go to school on Tuesday when her sister did, so, she packed up a backpack FULL of treasures to take to school and put on her nicest dress. Unfortunately all she got that day was a date to Starbucks with mom and the backpack stayed in the car.

But, once Wednesday came, it was Emma's day and she was ready:

I am so thrilled to see Emma have the time - without big sister around - to really let her own little personality shine. She is a sweet girl, she always has been, and I pray she'll always keep that soft & sensitive little spirit of hers. Along with that she is silly and such a goof ball. And really is Miss Personality.

I know she is going to have a fabulous year ahead full of learning, fun and a great memories.

When we arrived at school it took everything I had to convince her I DID have to come in with her. She was ready to jump out of the van to head in on her own.

And when I picked her up she said, "Mom, I had a fabulous day at school!"

Doesn't that just make you smile.

Back to School | The Love of Routine and All things FALL

2010-09-09T11:11:00.001-07:00

Tuesday marked the first day of school for one very big girl in our house!

Miss Madelyne is a serious school girl this year - I mean we're talkin' first grade, all day, every day. Lunch at school and fun on the playground with all her friends.

Her supplies were labeled, organized and ready to go:

We had stopped by the school on Labour Day to see who her teacher was and check out the class list:

Here's my big girl all ready to rock grade one:

Did I cry, you ask?? Well, the day of school - NO - I know this is going to be such a great year from her, the day before as I prepared everything - YES - and here's why:

Part of me wonders if I've done all I needed to do to prepare her for this big, and sometimes, nasty world we live in. From now on she'll get just as much "deposited" into her from others as she will from her daddy and me. In her six years of life she really only been a part from me for a handful of days, so to release her into this big world of ours is overwhelming at times.

Sounds a little dramatic when you put it in the context of grade one, so, here is a taste of what my prayer for Miss Mo has been as she embarks on years ahead of full time school:

Lord, she's yours. She always will be. I'm here to teach her, guide her and help her be the girl YOU made her to be. I pray that all she knows to be right and true would stay deeply routed in her soul. That as each day goes by she would learn and grow but always stay firmly grounded in the roots we have established for her. Thank-you Lord for the good things you have for her, for all that is to come and how you will use her - even in grade one - to shine for you. May she not be affected or drawn away by all that the world can tell her, would she hold tightly to what her soul knows to be true. May this year be full of learning and fun, new friendships and more quality time as our time together is now so limited.
Amen

UGLY LAMP Makeover

2010-08-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovelies!!!

It's been far too long (so long that even hubs emailed me and told me to update my blog! - haaa!) so I guess it's about time to catch up.

I'll fill you in on all we've been up to around here over the next while, but, I was excited to show off my newest project: UGLY LAMP makeover!

Not sure if this is how things play out in your house, but this is what happens in mine:I had been searching for a buffet or sideboard of sorts to use for the dining room. Nothing to expensive...I've got kids and I know it will get damaged at some point...and I came across this beauty on Craigslist. $40 later and a trip into Vancouver and it was mine. I love the lines and shape of it, the femininity of it...so girlie and pretty. I had hopes of using it as a large dresser in the girl's room, but alas, it was too long, so, down it went to the dining room.

So, now the buffet needed lamps....so I moved the lamps from my bedroom to the buffet as they were the tallest lamps I had in the house. "Shop Your Home" as Nester says!

Next problem = now I have no lamps in our bedroom! Bahhhh, I can tell hubs is thinking this is going from bad to worse.

So, fighting my human nature and love of shopping I avoided going to Home Sense and buying the most lovely, pretty FULL PRICE lamps for my room and instead ended up at my good friend Sally's. Sally Ann's to be exact. And this is what I came home with:
At $9.99 each I couldn't pass them up. I loved the shape of them and knew with a bit of TLC they could be stunning. I had a pair of white round barrel shades at home from a previous set of lamps that were 'busticated' by you guessed it - kids - but I saved the shades for such a time as this.

My plan was to spray paint them a metallic chrome silver so they would have a beautiful reflective quality and look elegant and pretty in our room. This is the photo journal of what happened next:
|From left to right |
Top row: Lamps in garage ready to be primed | my friend SPRAY PAINT - primer, silver and clear gloss top coat |one primed one to go |one silver one to go!

Bottom row: Lamp inside to inspect and give final verdict | shade option 1 | shade option 2 | final verdict = don't like them! Silver is not chrome finish at all...next step..find paint in the house and redo them!

So, last night after my house was still, the windows were open and a cool breeze was coming in I did what any mother would do: re-do them in the peace and quiet!! I decided to avoid the metallic thing and stick to a neutral color as I change my bedding often. I love the trim work color of our house, its an antique white color. So I pulled out our gallon of paint and went for it.

First I rubbed down the high spots with the candle to keep the paint from adhering in certain spots - give it a more rubbed/antiqued finish. Then I grabbed a brush and painted.
I painted two coats last night and rubbed off the high spots in between coats. Hubs even commented on them this morning and said he really liked them. I did one more coat today and then sprayed them with the clear top coat and here is the end result:
And yes, if you look close enough there is a faint round ring on my table - apparently the paint wasn't totally dry when I put the lamps there for their photo shoot! Ooooppps!

Total cost:
Lamps: 2 @ $9.99 (no tax at Sally's!)
Spray paint: 3 @ 4.47 (but I will return the silver because its junk!)

So for $30 +/- a few pennies I will new beautiful lamps for our bedroom. You can't get one lamp at Home Sense for that!!!!

I also have visions of attaching a wide band of lace to the shade or hanging a tassel from the lamp base itself...if I find something that will work when I go to the USA next I'll show ya!

Next project: Laundry room....making it pretty so I want to fold laundry!

| May I Introduce |

2010-03-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that two weeks and two days have flown by already. Pardon the delay in this post, I'm sure you'll understand my hands have been full - beyond measure - the past sixteen days.

Now, I'd like to take the time to joyfully introduce you to our son:

Zachary James BakerBorn on February 23, 2010 @ 10:08am
Weight: 8 lbs, 9 oz
Length: 21"

Also known as "Zachary-Baby," "Zach," "Zach-a-wee," & "big boy"!!! Baby Zachary is truly a joy to our little family. Not only has he added a bounty of love to our house, he's added a significant dash of blue to our oh so pink world.

(Stay tuned for new posts, entitled, "Dash of Blue" - featuring stories of Zachary and what its like adding a boy to a girlie world)

:: It's Time! ::

2010-02-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time; that time that we have of for a very long time. We've prayed for this moment and now it's here.

We're heading into the hospital to meet our little boy, I will update you as soon as he's here!

Any last minute guesses as to his weight and height? Just leave your guesses in the comment section...Have a great day, I know we will *wink*!

For the Travelin' Man...

2010-02-16T12:28:00.000-08:00

This post is dedicated especially to the travelin' man....our Uncle Josh, more affectionately known as "Unkie J!"
Since December 27th "Unkie J" has been traveling through South America...he's due to arrive home March 5th, but until then here's a few pictures of us Bakers celebrating the Olympic spirit and having some bowling fun.

We love you Uncle Josh, we can't wait to see you! And when you get home we'll have our new baby to show you.

xoxo
Madelyne & Emma

And the Winner Is....

2010-02-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

I am excited to announce the winner of my blog contest is:

Kristin Erickson

Actually, we have chosen TWO of Kristin's suggestions, we loved them both and couldn't pass up either one of them.

One being the blog title and the other being a subtitle of sorts:

A dash of blue in a pink Baker world makes for a life full...
Beyond Measure

Thank-you to all those who took the time to put in your suggestions, we love your creativity and your humor.

Kristin, I'll be in touch with you to deliver your prize...a sweet little B&BW travel pack perfectly sized for your purse, car or overnight bag!

Oh Lord, Don't Bother!

2010-02-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

As the parents of two lovely little ladies, Matt and I make a conscious effort to really speak into them positive words of affirmation and love. Things that will plant themselves deep in their spirits and over time grow into a strong and beautiful self image centered deep in the heart of God.

This past Sunday we were reminded of this again as we listened to a speaker at church share a humorous story of his experience doing this with his own little ladies.

In the past our girls listen and just eat up what we have to say, but this week Madelyne seems to have decided its time to put in her own "two cents."

Last night, after a particularly long and difficult day, full of not listening, Matt was have some quality time with Miss Mo. He again started telling her all sorts of lovely things about herself and this is how the conversation went:
Daddy: "M - you're the most beautiful girl in your class."

M: "No I'm not, Brooklyn is."

Daddy: "No love, you are, and you are the most beautifully dressed girl too!"

M: "No dad, Brooklyn dresses way nicer than I do."

Daddy: "M - you are the fastest runner in your class."

M: "Nope - Ben is!"

Daddy: "Okay M - we're going to pray and tonight we're going to ask Jesus to show you how He sees you and how I see you - as the best and most beautiful."

Daddy's prayer: "Jesus, thank-you so much for M, tonight I pray that you would show her just how beautiful she is..."

Miss Mo interrupts with: "don't bother!"

Daddy: "Pardon love?"

M: "Oh Lord, don't bother!"

Daddy: "Why would you say that?"

M: "Lord, don't waste your time. I already know I'm the best."

Needless to say, we had a good laugh when Matt came down and shared this story with me. I guess, in some strange way what we're doing is sinking in - even if it doesn't always sound like it.

And maybe, just maybe, we could learn a thing or two - embrace the things we know to be true, don't second guess them and let God work on the bigger things instead.

Winner - You Are Not Forgotten

2010-02-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Winner,

Just a note to let you know you have not been forgotten. You see, my nesting instinct has TAKEN OVER the house and at one point I was wandering the house at 2AM with a pen and sticky note making a list of all the things I NEED to have done before the end of this month.

So, the past couple weeks have been jammed full of painting the nursery, cleaning carpets, painting furniture, finishing odds and sods around the house, cleaning, dusting, laundering, washing blinds, transforming my guest room from a play room back to a guest room, organizing closets, going to doctor's appointments, getting the girl's hair cut and all that GOOD STUFF that comes with preparing the "nest" for a another wee one.

I will admit I have had to control myself and resist my urge to outfit the ENTIRE house with new pillows and linens - seriously, this is outta control!!!!!

I promise, promise, promise I will announce the winner and my new blog name tomorrow!

Setting the Stage

2010-01-20T10:44:00.000-08:00

I'm gleaning from another blog this morning......as I attempt to tackle my three running to do lists this post was and is a gentle reminder of how and why we do the things we do.

Check out Nester's post at (In)Courage on "Setting the Stage" here.

Have a blessed Wednesday!

L.

Winner - To Be Announced

2010-01-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Y'all!

Just a note to THANK-YOU all so much for your interesting, amusing, creative and colorful blog name suggestions.

Tonight the hubs and I are hosting our small group so we will discuss them tomorrow and then I'll announce the winner!

Until then, and I know you will all be waiting with baited breath (ha!), I'll share one of my favorite pictures of late.....my hubs and our pinkies.

Lisa

My First Blog Contest!

2010-01-06T21:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I hope that you and your family had a wonderful and blessed holiday season. We truly had a great Christmas surrounded by family and friends, a little bit slower pace than years past, but with a very prego mama running the show it seemed like the perfect speed.

I am excited to kick off 2010 with my very FIRST blog contest:

"New Baby, New Name!"

I need your help girls, Baby Baker is due sooner than later and in case you hadn't heard - we will be adding a significant splash of blue to our oh-so-pink house. We are very excited about our new family member and each night from 9-11pm as he wiggles and dances around I get more and more anxious to see this little man in person.

But, with two pink and one blue we can't really continue as "The Pink Bakers" - and yes, pink plus blue would make some shade of purple, but somehow the "Purple Bakers" doesn't have the same ring to it. So, I thought what a better way to get a new name for my blog than to make it into a contest - with the final prize yet to be revealed - don't worry, it WILL be something good!

Of course, it's not just up to me - the "hubs" will have his say and we'll review the entries together - if you know him at all you know he's particular and has opinions - so get your thinking cap on.

You can submit multiple entries for what you think my new blog name should be anytime from now up until 10pm next Wednesday - January 13th. Then "hubs" and I will review them and decide on our favourite and announce the winner within 48hours of the contest closing.

I look forward to hearing all your great ideas.

Outstretched Hand | A Call for Prayer

2009-09-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

I saw this on another blog I like to peruse by and was really touched by the authenticity that such a small post revealed.

In my heart I've been challenged to do the same, to reveal that, yes, there are times we have needs, spoken or unspoken.

At church we have a "red box" that we can write down prayer requests and place them in, the box gets prayed for by the congregation and at different prayer meetings, but sometimes life gets in the way and those needs don't always find their way to that red box.

So here I am, with my hand up, saying, I too have an unspoken prayer request and I'm asking you to please pray for me and for my family.

(Nothing to do with baby, all is well, just in case you're wondering!)

With thanks,
L.

Must Bake | Anna Olson's Cranberry Orange Scone

2009-09-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe yesterday for the first time, they were so easy and tasted so great I turned around a whipped up another batch - a double batch to be exact. It literally takes five minutes to mix this together, no kneading, just rolling, and whola...scones in the oven and smelling divine!

Anna Olson's Cranberry Orange Scone

1 1/2 C. flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
1/4 tsp fine salt
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup half-and-half cream (plus extra for brushing)
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375* and grease baking sheet or line with parchment.
Place flour, sugar, baking powder and orange zest in a mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles a coarse meal, then add the cream. Mix just until dough comes together.
Stir in the cranberries.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough to an inch thick, fold in half and repeat again (this is the secret to a flaky scone). Roll out the dough a third time to a disc 1" thick and cut into six wedges. Place on baking sheet and brush with remaining cream.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until tops are nicely golden.

Makes six large scones (I would cut the scones smaller to get more out of the recipe)

**Slice open a cooled scone and layer with a couple slices of cheddar cheese - a great snack or fast lunch on the go**

Summer Re-Cap | What NOT To Do When Visiting Your In-Laws!

2009-09-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

What a better way to kick off September than with a long overdue summer re-cap! As I'm sure many of you would agree, summer has flown by, and, with a Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand (mmmmm) I am welcoming in fall with everything within me!

But, since summer has been a blog free one for me, I thought a summer recap would be in order.
Our summer started on a fantastic note. Right after school was done we headed out on a jet plane to the oh so tropical...drum roll please...Ontario!

And before you ask, nope, we're not crazy! "To the land of snow and ice," you ask? Well, since all Matt's family lives in that land of snow and ice (can you tell I'm BC girl through and through?) we thought it was time to go for a visit and in the process get some babysitting from Grandma and Grandpa B.

After only being there a few days I had a strange feeling that something was "up." While we were out doing some shopping I thought, ahhh, it can't hurt, and tossed a pregnancy test in the cart. Matt's reaction was hilarious, "what, you think you need that?!?!" (You see, I've done so many in the last while it's become slightly comical!) I couldn't wait once we got home and thought it was best to do it right away, get it out of my system and then forget about it.

This is where the "what NOT to do at your in-laws" would apply:
Don't pee on a stick in the downstair bathroom....because, when it comes up glowing POSITIVE there's no way you're going to be able to keep that secret and then you're going to have share the secret and in the process confess you went pee on a stick to your mother-in-law in her house and confess that you had S*X with her son in the last month!

Can you say W I E R D?!?!

Thankfully the excitement of a new grandbaby on the way soon overshadowed the wierd. The journey we've travelled the last year and a half all of the sudden ended and the faithful prayers of many (including yes, my MIL) were answered!

To me, in that one moment I knew so strongly why God had been telling me to let go of being in leadership at Women's Wednesday. He gives and takes away.....when I agreed to give up WW little did I know all He had in store.

So yes, baby number three is on the way and we are truly delighted. I am due at the end of February and looking forward to not going through another summer being fully pregnant.

More on Baby B to come soon!

Mother's Day Minus Mom

2009-06-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer:
| This post is late intentionally.....not out of negligence, only out of needing to get it "just right" and out of consideration for others, by no means do I ever want to dampen your joy and celebration of the wonderful women around you |

As much as a don't want to admit it, Mother's Day for me will now always be bittersweet. Twelve years ago my mom was in a coma, tired from the battle against the cancer that had developed in her brain, but at the same time waring to survive. Her faith never ceased and her hope never wandered from the Cross.

At the time I was young, 18 to be exact. Never could I imagine the odd and wild things I would long to talk about with my mom in the years to come. Things that only become important later on in life's journey; getting married, babies, labor and delivery, stretch marks, health history, parenting, faith, death, family dramas, you get the gist.

This past week I was reminded again of mom as we submitted an application to top up some insurance. Cancer will be with me forever, a part of my history, a facet that pops up in the strangest parts of your days and in the most mundane of things - like insurance.

In no way would I sit back an idolize my mom simply because she's gone. No one is perfect, and neither was she, but on random days when the kids are wild and the house hasn't been cleaned and it's 5pm and you're still in your pj's sometimes there is deep longing in my heart to hear, "you're doing a great job & I'm really proud of the woman you've become." Sometimes hearing that from your mom can do wonders for you on days where you feel like crawling under a rock and sometime you don't know the importance of things like that until they're gone.

As I look back and think about my mom I realized I learnt a lot from her:
*The ability to have faith that never ceases
* Have fun and laugh
* A passion for Greek food | I (heart) it!
* Have a few good girlfriends to do life with - it makes a world of difference
* Value every moment
* Make sure to keep dreaming

On the downside, mom also so generously gave me:
* A round mid-section | no washboard for me
* A tendency towards stretch marks (joy!)
* A stubborn will power to do things on my own | this has potential to get me trouble

My world will never be the same and hopefully I'll be a better mom for the things I learnt and the things I wish I had had time to learn. Now being a mom to my own girls I hope and pray I can instill into them everything they'll need to be the best woman God designed them to be.

Sending love to all you mothers today and everyday. And if you read this, I hope you're inspired to take some time to encourage a mom around you...young, old or somewhere in between...you have no idea what it may do for their day.

Raggamuffin' Garland ~ The Reveal

2009-05-28T21:10:00.000-07:00

Alright, as I type this post I have awarded myself "the most negligent blogger" award of 2009! Seriously, life has just gotten away from me, and no offense, blogging has not been even remotely near the top of this girl's list. But, I'm back at 'em now and have a number of things I'm ready to blog about...so let the fun begin!

A while ago a did a post on my newest project - a Ragamuffin Garland - I saw on Nester's web-page. I loved this idea and thought it would be a perfect addition the girl's bedroom. Here are a few of the reason's I like this idea for a kid's room:

1. It's cheap
2. You can make it in less than a day = instant gratification
3. It's child friendly - even for the most meschevious of wee ones
4. It's so dang cute!

So, I made two garlands, the first one I ended up having to tweak at the end as I learnt a few things between the making of garland one and garland two. But in the end I love them....I did pick up a few embellishments to add a bit of bling and texture, as well as their initials (which I already had but you could buy at the dollar store and paint). They are up and I love the look of them, it fills up the space about their beds nicely and is easy to move or change as time allows.

If you're interested in making one of these and want some tips let me know, I'll gladly share what I learnt.

Keep checking back as I have another project complete that I will be posting on soon and one more future project in my garage that will be done this summer.

Be blessed my friends,
L.

Springin' Around

2009-03-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are.....almost into Spring.....I will be glad to finally hear that there is NO CHANCE of more snow coming our way...as of right now, we may get another dusting tomorrow - geepers! At any rate, we're kickin' around this week - spring break - and hoping to see the sunshine at some point.

We were in the garage yesterday and all our rain boots were so neatly lined up I had to capture it.....Matt's are so big most of Emma's body could fit into one.....Emma's are so tiny you could barely get your hand inside them.

I hope you all have a lovely spring break.....wherever the days take you.

My Newest Project

2009-03-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you but when Spring is just around the corner I get itch'n to move.....move furniture, rearrange, paint, redecorate, pack away the heaviness of winter and embrace the freshness of spring. Well, along with many of you, I'm "on a budget" and can't just whip of and pick up a handful of new diddies like I wish I could.

So, I was perusing through some blogs and found a great blog that I'm sure you've checked out before...I know SL has mentioned it....Nesting Place....this girl is full of so many GREAT ideas for decorating for free or little to nothin'.

I loved the "Ragamuffin Garland" she created and posted on, now she also sells
some in her Etsy store.

I decided to create my own, as I knew this would be a great addition to my girls' room...
and it would add a little something fresh above their beds.

Step 1:
Gather fabric...search through cupboards, linen closets, clothes that may be heading to the VV boutique....anything!

I dug out some old bandannas from a b-day party, the ends of drapes I cut off when I had to hem them, fabric remnants from baby blankets that never got finished, old receiving blankets that I would have just gave away, then I popped into a local store to check out their remnant section...luckily they were selling off old 12 x 12 fabric swatches so I got a handful that had the same colors that are in the girl's duvets (pale greens, yellow & coral).

Cut the fabric into strips, I'd say about 1" wide and 12" long.

Here's a snap of a couple fabrics and some I already cut into strips:

Step 2:
Next, find some embellishments, pieces of ribbon, lace, tassels, glittered chipboard pieces
from scrap booking, pictures, mementos, anything you want!

Step 3:
Get yourself some drapery rings...I had some stashed away from a rod set
that I bought but didn't use the rings:

Step 4: Assembly:
Cut a piece of ribbon the length of your arm span, attach a ring to each end
so you don't loose the ends and you have something to attach it to the wall with.

I also attached a few rings along the ribbon so I could clip on extra things
like embellishments, pictures, baby booties, initials, etc.

Then start tying on your fabric and ribbons...and just keep tying.
You will think it's done and then you hold it up and it needs more...so keep going.
This is a good project to do while watching a movie.

I'm not done yet, but when both are done and in the girl's room I'll show you.

Thanks again to Nesting Place for amazingly cheap or almost free decorating ideas!

Hope you have a wonderfully creative day,
L.

I'm Still Alive

2009-02-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not I'm still alive.......by my lack of blog posts you would wonder....but I'm here. Getting organized and preparing in advance for all that February will bring with it.

I'm taking on a whole new set of challenges for the month of February as I'm working full time at CLA as the assistant to the Director of Women's ministry and Hospitality. So, Sunday to Thursday I'm full speed ahead, wreaking havoc on the oh so quiet glass cubical world so many CLA'ers call home :-) I am by far one of the loudest...except for JR of course! I'm also most opinionated and have to learn to bite my tongue.....I'm trying hard, but sometimes I still say things in my outside voice.

I'm having a great time and the girls are adjusting well to mom being away, actually, I walked in the door today and Madelyne said, "oh mom, go away!" I guess she was having too much fun with our great babysitter MK.

So, in preparation for being gone all day Matt and I did a mass cook the other weekend. Needless to say dinners have been a snap.....this is what's on the menu this week for us Bakers:

Sunday - Matt's on duty (chicken in red wine with mashed potatoes & veg) - it was delish!
Monday - Chicken Tetrazini with garlic bread
Tuesday - Steamed Rice and Hawaiian Chicken
Wednesday - Taco Salad with Ground Turkey and All the Fixin's
Thursday - Crock-pot beef stew with homemade baking soda biscuits
Friday - Pizza (with a good helping of salad on the side for mommy!)
Saturday - Mini meatloaf with roasted potatoes and salad

I'm always on the hunt for great new recipes...if you've got any favorites or tried out a new one that you love and want to share let me know - it's always great to mix it up a bit!

Clean Easy, Clean Fast!

2009-01-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

Hey Girls,

Have you heard about Norwex? Click here to go to the Norwex web page...I was introduced to them a while ago via my aunt (okay, my hubs aunt, same diff!!!) at a home party she did down here on the coast (she lives in Kelowna) for a friend of hers. They have some AMAZING products that make cleaning your home (or office) a snap, but best of all you don't need to use chemicals. They lessen the time you spend cleaning and give you a safer, healthier, chemical fee home.

I decided to try a couple things and I ordered the dusting mit (for ALL my slat blinds) as well as the microfiber cloths. Needless to say I love them!!! I have one for the bathroom, one for the kitchen and one for misc items/dusting through the house. I also have a window polishing cloth that makes windows, mirrors and glass shower doors shine beautifully.

I will say that the products are a bit more expensive to start off with, but if you add up what you spend on swiffers, swiffer refills, cleaners, paper towels, mops, cleaning cloths, etc......you will spend less (who doesn't like to save cash?!?!?) overall.

What's the difference between a Norwex cloth and a cloth from the dollar store? Well, Norwex cloths have silver - a known natural antibacterial agent, used in space by NASA - woven into them. This is what works to kill the germs you pick up while cleaning. The fiber in these cloths is 1/100th the size of a human hair - most dollar store microfiber cloths are only 1/3.

At the party I was at, my aunt, Esther, took a glob of butter and smeared it on a glass window. Then she took a damp cloth and wiped it off - the window was cleaner than when she started and the microfiber had basically "eaten" up the butter. She passed the cloth around and there was no way you could see or feel or smell where the butter was in the cloth. It was crazy!!!

Here's a few other products they have that are fabulous:
The Wet/Dry Mop - way better than any swiffer

Personal Products - bathrobes, towels, spa socks

Natural based home essentials - hand soap, carpet stain buster, cleaning/polishing paste, mattress cleaner / descaler (for hard water build-up on shower doors), laundry and dish soap

Fresh wash - cleaner for fruits and veg

If you want to clean faster, clean easier and clean healthier then Norwex is for you!!!! If you are interested in Norwex products, would like to learn more or see a catalogue, let me know, I am hosting a catelogue party and will be accepting orders until January 28th.

Happy Cleaning!

A New Family Member

2009-01-17T21:01:00.001-08:00

Okay, so today was a typical Saturday for us....a hodge-podge of household chores, a birthday party thrown in for good measure and some baking to finish off the day.

Part way through the day Madelyne is telling me about her baby - this week its a soft and cuddly stuffed cat that she got ages ago, but, it's THE buddy this week so it goes everywhere. Okay fine, she's playing with her buddy and tells me her baby has a name....this is quite unlike Miss M because even with a real pet - her fish - she refused to name him.....this is how the conversation went:

Madelyne: "come on Pissy, let's go for a walk..."

Mom: "pardon-me?"

Madelyne: "mom, I'm taking my cat Pissy for a walk"

Mom: (laughing so hard I almost wet my pants! - which isn't hard to do after having two ten pound babies!!!)

Mom: "Pissy, hey?!?!"

Madelyne: "Yep, Pissy, isn't she pretty?!?!?"

So yes, the newest family member is a toy cat...fondly and most innocently named Pissy.

'nough said :-)

New Year...New ???

2009-01-10T22:06:00.001-08:00

Well, 2009 is well on it's way and it seems like the calendar is quickly filling up. Over the past couple weeks I've really been pondering what I want this new year to look like. Not that it's
completely in my control, but, as God speaks to me I really want to heed His words and shape this year to be the best it can be for me, for my family and for my God.

Something I'm going to really choose to focus on this year is "prioritizing" which first and foremost means putting me back at the top of my priority list. I don't know about your house, but in mine mommy is the last to get ready, the last to eat and the first to clean-up!!! God has really been speaking to my heart about how important I am as a wife and mother. How I have been designed to be the hub of the wheel of my family. Nothing will work properly if I am out of line, I will effect - both positively and negatively - the rest of my family and the dynamics of my household. So, to be the best I can be, to have a happy house and and a thriving family, I need to make myself a priority.

It's not a new concept, I know, but I think we just trudge along for so long doing all that NEEDS to be done without really taking the time to stop and make conscious changes.

With that said, we have scratched some activities from the calendar (at least for a short season) in order to ease my days and my running to and fro. I have designated specific "at home days" to allow myself and my kids to rest & and Matt and I have set some specific goals we'd like to reach together.

So with this New Year what's New for you???? What does your calendar look like and what's your focus going to be. If you haven't thought about it yet, I encourage you to ask God what He wants for you this year, and if you have thought about it, I'd love to hear where you see 2009 taking you.

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

2008-12-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-14T12:15:00.003-08:00

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

2008-11-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

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

2008-10-17T12:05:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-10-14T21:55:00.000-07:00

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!?!?

2008-10-02T13:32:00.001-07:00

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?

2008-09-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-09-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-13T22:36:00.000-07:00

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

2008-09-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-08-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

(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?

2008-08-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T20:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T19:55:00.001-07:00

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

2008-08-02T15:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

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

2008-08-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-30T21:06:00.000-07:00

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?

2008-02-13T21:59:00.000-08:00

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...

2008-02-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

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

2008-02-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

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

2008-01-21T11:41:00.001-08:00

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.

Traditions - Part 2

2008-01-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

Another special holiday tradition is the making of the famous gingerbread house. Last year Madelyne & I made the gingerbread house together so this year it was daddy's turn. Paul, Shawna and the boys came over and the festivities began. The daddy's took over the majority of the house building while Shawna & I entertained the kidlets and snacked on the decorating supplies (don't tell!).

Paul turned their lovely house in a Starbucks mansion and Matt and Madelyne created a snow covered cottage.

Both Matt and Paul decided that next year it will not just be a tradition but a competition! Since then I have researched many gingerbread house options and next year we will make one from scratch with homemade icing and "glue"!

Traditions - Part 1

2008-01-17T09:52:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite traditions around the holidays is spending time in the kitchen doing some good ol' fashion baking. Shortbread, nanaimo bars, almond bark, bird's nest (or thumbprints), spiced nuts.....mmmmmmm yummy treats to fill our tummy's while visiting with family and friends.

This year Shawna and the boys came over and we spent the better part of one day making two different types of cookies - keep in mind we were also taking care for four kids ages three and under. We decided to try two recipes we had sampled at our Happy Housewives Christmas party: Chocolate Espresso Coffeebeans (a shortbread cookie) and Chestnuts (peanut butter balls). Both batches made a crazy amount of cookies - I think we averaged around 200 coffee beans and 250 peanut butter balls.

It was a fantastic day and a great tradition...as the kids get older it will be fun to see them get involved too.

A Visit With Santa

2008-01-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

This year Madelyne and Emma (along with a number of other friends) got a very special visit from Santa. We were celebrating the Christmas season with some friends at a Christmas Brunch and what to our wondering eyes appears? But good old Saint Nick!

Both girls thoroughly enjoyed their visit with the big guy in red.......Madelyne received a Dora Alphabet game and Emma received a Veggie Tales DVD - good choices Santa!

The Spirit of Christmas

2007-12-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, let's face it, sometimes when you hear about a free "family-friendly" holiday event you wonder........what am I getting myself into? Is this just going to be a cheese-fest with one dude dressed up as Santa on a stage strumming a guitar and playing a harmonica?!?!? Or, is it going to be an event done in excellence, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas with tons to do and the opportunity to make some family memories.

Well, I am so glad to share that The Spirit of Christmas @ TWU was most definitely the latter. A fantastic, FREE, family event with tons to see and do. And did I mention FREE?!?!?! We enjoyed a beautiful snowy Saturday afternoon taking in all the Trinity had to offer: crafts for the kids, free snacks (oranges, popcorn, candy canes, hot chocolate & apple cider), musical entertainment of all sorts, a petting zoo, a parade of trees & a live nativity scene.

We made the most of the day and spent a better part of four hours wandering around & with everything covered in a blanket of white it made everything feel that much more festive.

Madelyne getting her face painted as a lion.

The boys and the kidlets attempting the zoo!

Crafting it up - Matt & Madelyne make a snowflake crown.

Daddy and Emma-Bema! (the pink marshmellow)

Madelyne enjoying the bunnies at the zoo (This is my new favorite pic of Miss M)

Let's Celebrate! MB Style

2007-12-20T20:35:00.000-08:00

Our first event to welcome in the Christmas season happened to be Matt's Christmas work party. For the most part, Mercedes does a huge sit down dinner in a ballroom with live entertainment, gift give-aways and dancing.....but not this year. This year found us at the Marriott hotel downtown Vancouver enjoying a more modern lounge style reception. The room was sectioned off into a few different zones all comprised of different food and various styles of seating.

Here's a few pics:

At one end we had: roast beef, buns & the fixin's, a mashed potato martini bar & a pasta buffet. The middle of the room had skewered chicken and lamb (with dipping sauces), assorted fine cheeses and crackers & fruit kabobs. The other end has Asian inspired dishes...sushi, spring rolls, spicy shrimp in pita bread & a few other appys. And last, but not least, my personal fav......the dessert buffet.....really, who could ask for anything more. Who needs dinner when you're got every kind of dessert a girl could every want?!?!

Even though we didn't walk away with any great prizes, it was a great date night with delicious food, a fun reason to get dressed up and a night out WITHOUT kids.

Showers of Blessings

2007-12-20T20:20:00.000-08:00

With only days to spare before Auntie Jo was heading "up the creek" for pudding season, and only days after Cole's arrival, we were celebrating with a shower of blessing for Shawna and Baby Cole.

It was a fantastic night of great food, games, cuddles with Cole and lots of girl talk. The house was full of a wonderful group of ladies who all love Shawna and value having her in their life. Cole was blessed by his multiple "aunties" who hopefully will keep him dressed in style for the next little while. And Shawna's baking supply was bumped up as guests were asked to bring some holiday baking to help stock her freezer (and ease the holiday to-do list!).

Thanks to all who came to bless Shawna and celebrate the safe arrival of the newest Laderoute Lad!!!!

(I must share...the banner in the photo on the top right was made by Baker&Baker Creative Co. That's right ladies, my husband and I crafted it together - how 'bout that for a date night at home!!!!)

Mommy & Me Movie Night

2007-12-18T21:33:00.001-08:00

As Madelyne gets older the things we can do seem to get that much more exciting!!!!!! Being that most of the time she has energy to burn, it's not too often that we find ourselves being able to relax and watch something on TV or even a movie. Just in the past while has Madelyne actually been able to sit still enough to watch an entire movie....so, one Saturday night early in November Madelyne & I had the first of many....

"Mommy & Me Movie Night"

The feature for this occasion was Charlotte's Web, which Madelyne and I both thoroughly enjoyed. Madelyne was careful to make sure we both had a buddy and a blanket with us on the couch. It was a night full of popcorn, fun, giggles, wide eyed wonder and a few cuddles (snuck in by mom here and there!). What a great way to spend the first part of a cold Saturday night.

I love you dolly, thanks for a great date!

All in the Name of Love

2007-12-18T20:56:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I have a confession..........
Don't get too excited, it's not that juicy! Most of November found me planning, scheming, organizing, shopping, stashing and preparing for a big surprise:

MATT'S SURPRISE 30Th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Set to happen just over a week before his actual birth-day I was fairly confident that he wouldn't suspect anything.

But how would I get him to take care of the girls the morning of the party so I could go prep food at Paul & Shawna's.....tell him I'm off to a Kids Swap and pray he doesn't ask if I found anything.

And how to get him to the church on a Saturday night.......well plan an "Amazing Date" with clues that lead him to the church on a hunt for the next clue box.

How do I get him to rearrange bedrooms of furniture to accommodate his mom and sis who were flying out from Ontario as a surprise.......tell him we're getting more international students.

How do I communicate with people about the big party.....FACEBOOK! And monitor it daily to make sure no one has made any comments that may be visible to him.

So after months of planning it all paid off. We had a fantastic time with family and friends. Enjoyed a great spread of food and soothed our soul with some sweet tunes from Jim Bugg on the sax.

As I said at the party, Matt lives in a HOUSE FULL OF FEMALES.......he needs a man's vacation....so that's exactly what he got: a week long canoe trip through northern BC for July 2008.

Thank-you to all who contributed to the group gift, as well as to those to worked hard setting up the party on my behalf.

Here's a few pics from the evening:

Ah Ha! I KNEW IT!!!

2007-12-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

~ IT'S A BOY ~

Everyone screamed as Cole Robert Laderoute made his grand entrance into the world on Thursday, November 1st @ 11:57pm.

Weighing in at 8 lbs 13oz & 22 inches long, Cole was beautiful and Shawna did amazingly well.

Being that both my girls were born via C-secion it was a special treat for me to watch my future son-in-law enter the world. I was in awe of the process and walked away wondering how someone could not believe in our mighty creator after watching a woman carry a child and give birth.

CONGRATULATIONS to Paul, Shawna & Jacob

WELCOME to Baby Cole

We love you all and can't wait to enjoy life together.....we'll bring the pink, you bring the blue!

Baby Cole only minutes old

Happy Halloween

2007-12-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I can most definitely say that Madelyne's Tinkerbell costume got a lot of wear......she wore it to a birthday party, party day at school & Halloween.....not to mention numerous days at home.

This year we (as in our family as well as Paul, Shawna & Jacob) decided to gather at Shawna's parents - Auntie Jo & Uncle Bob's. After serious calculation we decided that their neighbourhood had the greatest number of homes in the smallest walking distance - this is a crucial fact when toting THREE kids ages THREE and under!!!!

It was a great time had by all, Auntie Jo had the best candy to snack on, the kids looked super cute in their costumes and Shawna & I stayed warm and dry inside while the men-folk took the kids around the 'hood.

Madelyne was Tinkerbell, Emma was a lion cub and Jacob was a chicken!

Congratulations Lance & Treena

2007-12-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, October 27th Matt and I had the honor of attending the wedding of Lance Rourke & Treena Stewart.

* * *

We know Treena from CLA, her and I led a cell group together before I got married and she also lived in the basement suite of our first house here in Langley.

It was an exciting and special day as all God's promises for both Lance, and Treena, finally came to pass. God is so faithful to give us the desires of our hearts - I mean HE puts them there to begin with so HE may as well give them to us!

* * *

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Lance & Treena - it was a beautiful day.

(for some reason Blogger will not let me add a few pics...I'll try again later!)

Whoot Whoot ~ Party Day, October 2007

2007-12-17T15:08:00.000-08:00

The last class of every month at preschool is party day. Parents, friends, grandparents and even aunties are invited to join the class for the first 30 minutes. The class performs the songs and poems they have been working on and we get updates on all the happenings for the month ahead.

October party day found Wind & Tide Newlands with a race car driver and a TinkerBell that were too cute for words.

In true October - Thanksgiving - spirit their song for the month went something like this:

Give thanks everyday, for everyday things

Be thankful (echo: be thankful)

For the day you are given

Be thankful (echo: be thankful)

For the life you are livin'

Give thanks everyday, for everyday things

Opppps....

2007-12-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'm not going to try and waste precious blogging time apologizing for the lack-o-blogs as of late. Life gets in the way and no offense, but the blog gets left on the sideline sometimes.

I'm back and bloggin' it up....so get ready to catch up on the PINK BAKERS and our life!

I'm One and Having Fun

2007-10-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

"Littlest" as she's often referred to.......otherwise know as Miss Emma, is having tons of fun being one year old. Just around her first birthday she got her four top teeth, she's been crawling/furniture walking for months and just yesterday finally started taking around 8-10 steps at a time all on her own. She boogies up the stairs in a flash and loves to do anything that her big sister is doing.

All that fun and then, the downside of being a big one year old: immunizations. Today I took her for her 12 month shots and I think everyone in the entire doctor's office heard her sing. She was not happy and I felt so bad for holding her there for not one or two needles but FOUR - talk about torture! She cried for about an hour after we were finished......and I have to admit I was almost ready to join her.

After a good long nap this afternoon she seems to be recovering just fine from the morning's events.....now I guess it's my turn to recover.

At the Patch!

2007-10-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had the pleasure of enjoying a beautiful sun-filled Sunday afternoon outside.....and what a better way to spend the day than with great friends at the pumpkin patch - or should I say "patches."

We ventured out to Art Knapps in Surrey with the Laderoutes to ride the train out the pumpkin patch - who could pass up this deal for $2 per person?!?! Much to our surprise, the patch was actually a big patch of dirt with pumpkins all over it. Decorated for fall with lots of potted mums, a big tractor, and a peek-a-bo scarecrow you can pop you head in for a fun picture, it was great for the kids. The perfect size, easy to get around and lots to explore. Pumpkins on the other hand were weighed by the pound, which equals expensive. So, after enjoying Art Knapps we hopped back in our vans and headed to a U-Pick Pumpkin Patch Matt had seen signs for on 32nd Ave. And what a deal we found!!!! Pumpkins ranged from $1 (for a small) to $4 (for an extra large), the field was huge and there were TONS of pumpkins to choose from. The kids had a blast exploring, getting dirty and being outside. The dads had just as much fun and we ended up with six great pumpkins between the two families.

We had such a great time, and as the kids get older it can only get better. What a perfect fall tradition.

Dream Verses Reality

2007-10-09T21:53:00.001-07:00

Alright...I don't seem to really understand why but the mystery camera "glitch out" virus seems to be attacking more than just our house! I have heard of numerous friends over the last couple weeks who have suffered at the hands of the camera "glitch out" virus - and let me tell you: IT'S NOT PRETTY!

So, after borrowing, and borrowing some more, and trying to investigate all the options we have on our video camera (which by the way is just back up and running too!) we finally had to break down a buy a new digital camera this weekend.

This is where the dream vs. reality comes in........

Dream: The Canon Rebel XTi (can't you hear the angels singing!)

Reality: The Canon PowerShot A550

Now, I'm kind'a an all or nothing girl, which in times like this makes life difficult. I'm working on changing but for now let's put it in the "still in process" file. In this case all or nothing was a difference of $1000 bucks - which at this moment is for sure out of our price range. So, I had to choose "something" over "nothing" and this is what I ended up with.......the Canon A550 a great point & shoot camera that's super light, has a fantastic zoom and I can tote around with me to document life.

So for those of you out there who need a new camera - check it out! Oh ya, and I haven't forgotten about the Rebel - it will come......eventually!

~ Let's Party ~

2007-10-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Madelyne is thoroughly enjoying preschool. Everyday she comes home with new stories to share. One special part of preschool is the last class of every month is Party Day! Parents and grandparents are invited into class for the first half hour to watch the kids perform the songs they have been working on that month. For September the color of the month was RED and the theme was APPLES, so all our songs and crafts were focused around those two ideas.

Above are a few pics of Madelyne's first PARTY DAY at the end of September....with new babes coming left and right and the woes of camera glitches (thanks to Auntie Roo for lending us her camera) it has been hard to get all the pics I've wanted and to get them up here to share.

Here's some of the words to one of the songs they were learning:
I'm going for goodness through and through
I'm going for goodness through and through
I'm going goodness through and through, from the inside out, from me to you!

One of the great things about Wind & Tide is that they provide the families with learning materials on CD so we can keep up with what Madelyne is learning - which means, we're all "going for goodness" all day long!

~ It's A Girl ~

2007-10-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 1, 2007 at 7:39am,

our friends Grant & Jenn welcomed their third child into the world...

Elise Lucia Lynn Van Harmelen

~ 8 pounds 11oz ~ 21 inches

Elise was born on her Grandpa Van Harmelen's birthday, a sweet moment for the family since Grandpa has already passed, so her middle name - Lucia - is in honor of her Grandpa who's name was Luke.

Congratulations to Grant, Jenn, big sister Lauren and big brother Luke on the newest member of your family. You have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend.

~ It's A Boy ~

2007-10-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Fall 2007 is sure to be a busy one! We have three couples that we're great friends with all due to have babies within FOUR weeks of one another!

The first CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Amy & Jason on the safe arrival of their second son:

Jeremy Alexander White
Born September 28th, weighing 8 pounds, 11 oz.

Mom & babe are doing great and Amy is home recovering from a C-section.

Our warmest congratulations to Amy, Jay and new big bro Elijah, may life always be full of joy, laughter and tons of blessing from above.

Let the Celebration Begin! - Emma's Birthday Continued

2007-09-27T20:36:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Emma's birthday with an apple themed dessert buffet which included:

Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Apple Struesel Pie, Caramel Apple Bars, Homemade Apple Pie, Social Apple Betty w/ice cream or whipped cream, and last but not least a #1 shaped birthday cake adorned with apples.

In addition to all those treats, all our friends that came to celebrate with us got to take home bags of homemade caramel corn with a recipe card attached.

Emma's day began with a few presents, an activity table from Grandma and Grandpa Baker and the cutest pair of brown shoes from Uncle Aaron, Auntie Martha & Cousins Blake and Seth.

Emma LOVED opening all her presents and especially eating all the envelopes and tissue paper. She had lots of friends close by to help her out when she got a bit tired and a couple crazy aunties (who will remain nameless) who were dressing her up in all the new clothes she received.

Thank-you to all those who celebrated with us. It was a memorable evening and we were so blessed to have you be a part of it.

Let the Celebration Begin! - Part 3

2007-09-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Would the cute girl celebrating her FIRST birthday please raise her hand!!!!!

~ Happy 1st Birthday to Our Littlest Emma ~

Let the Celebration Begin! - Part 2

2007-09-27T20:02:00.001-07:00

Our weekend of celebrations continued Saturday morning as Madelyne had been invited to attend Caleb's third birthday. The theme was dress as your favorite superhero, when we asked Madelyne who her favorite superhero was she said she wanted to be Tinkerbell.

(I think she just ignored the "superhero" part and saw this as her chance to get a fairy costume!)

Except for the masks the other kids were wearing she had a fantastic time - even a little pizza in her wings didn't stop her from buzzing around at 100 miles per hour.

Funny thing is...she happens to respond better when I call her "Tink" than when I call her "Madelyne" - so, if you happen to be within earshot and hear my call my daughter Tink, don't think I'm crazy.....understand that my motives are to get a three year old to listen to her mama.

Let the Celebration Begin! - Part 1

2007-09-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a marathon of celebration after celebration...

Friday night, Rhonda and friends hosted a birthday party for a friend of ours - Tony. It was a great night full of good friends, fun times and some interesting conversation (for those who stayed till the end, you'll know what I mean!!!) Madelyne got to hang out for the first half of the party - then she had to say goodnight. Here's a few pics of the party girl!

Madelyne with her Transformers party hat for Tony's party!

Madelyne as the DJ working the iTunes on Auntie Roo's computer!

" Thousands Elsewhere "

2007-09-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Madelyne LOVES music. She loves to sing, dance and get her groove on & every once in a while there will be a song she hears that sticks with her. She remembers a few lines and its in her head for a long time. Such is the case with with a worship song by Matt Redman......

Better is one day in your courts

Better is one day in your house

Better is one day in your courts, than thousands elsewhere

Somehow this chorus got locked in her brain. The other weekend we're speeding through Wal-Mart trying to pick-up a few things. Madelyne's in the cart because she was not cooperating and with no inhibitions she's loudly singing this chorus - over and over and over again.

Earlier this week we were in the van and a great song came on a radio so I turned it up a bit. Madelyne promptly instructs me from the back seat, "No mommy, thousands elsewhere!!!"

~ Thousands Elsewhere it is ~

Thank-you Lord that your word touches even a three year old, in its most basic form your Word takes root and can not be shaken from an innocent heart. Help me be a mum who encourages Madelyne to learn your word. May it always land on good soil.

Mother of Many!

2007-09-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, so if you have more than five kids you can join a mom's group called, "Mothers of Many." Personally, I don't know if I could ever handle more than five kids - but this week I am - at least part time anyways.

Our great friends, Grant and Jenn, are expecting the arrival of their third babe anytime now. In fact, Jenn has had some major contractions for the last few days. All of this adds up to two false alarms, one Sunday and one today.

So right now I'm a part-time "mother of many" - here's the list:
Madelyne (mine biologically!) - age three
Emma (mine biologically!) - days away from being "1"
Lavonne - our ESLI Trinity student
Lauren - age 6 (belongs to Grant and Jenn)
Luke - age 3 (belongs to Grant and Jenn)

So I've been coordinating university, school, preschool, gymnastics, ballet and transport to and fro all these things for all of the people above.

Oye vey.......

I applaude those true "mothers of many" - you are amazing!

When You Stop By, Please Say Hi!

2007-09-15T14:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Blogger-Land!

I'm thoroughly enjoying my new project (this blog) and I hope you are too! If you check out my blog please let me know you were here.

Regardless of whether you are a blogger or not you can add a comment to anything I have already posted. At the end of the post you will find a "comments" link, click on it and add your two bits, or bites, which ever you prefer. You can sign your name or be anonymous - and voila - your comment will be added to my blog.

Look forward to hearing from you soon!

xoxox

Lisa

Adventures In Applesauce

2007-09-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

Today I embarked on making applesauce on my own for the very first time. I'm sure there are some expert canners out there, but not I. I don't recall my mom doing much canning when I was growing up, so, I am not well versed in the art of canning. And let's make it clear - it is an art! A couple years ago Matt and I tried making jam, so I knew I had all the tools I needed for today's adventure so why not give it a shot?!?! The process was actually very simple - the most difficult part was cutting, peeling and slicing all the apples.

I guess that just means I have a reason to buy a few more Pampered Chef tools to make my next applesauce adventure that much more efficient :-)

My Favourite Time of the Year

2007-09-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, so anyone who knows me even remotely well can attest to the fact that I love fall! I am a turtleneck girl through and through and the fact that the air is getting crisp, its been a tad foggy in the mornings and the leaves are starting to change all gets me pumped for FALL. I love it when the air is crisp enough for a great sweater, but the sun is still shining enough to warrant sunglasses. Ahhhh, it's delightful!
Last week I hosted a Spa Party at my place so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get out my fall decorations and make the house feel a little more cozy.
I can almost smell the pumpkin pie in the oven.........doesn't it just make you feel good inside?!?!

Apple of Our Eye

2007-09-11T22:08:00.000-07:00

Another exciting event this month is the first birthday of our "littlest" girlie - Miss Emma! On September 23rd we will be celebrating her birthday with a delicious dessert buffet. Emma's birthday theme is apples and our buffet will be full of various apple treats.

Slim in September

2007-09-11T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, September is here and rushing by at a rapid rate. I have to admit I love September. It means fall is almost upon us and things go back to regular routine. This September brings the Bakers a new routine: preschool, ballet and gymnastics for Madelyne, more one-on-one time for mommy and Emma and a "new year's resolution" of sorts for me!

Time to burn off the baby weight that has made itself quite at home here on my bod.....so, when September hit I went full steam ahead, with the goal to loose twenty pounds and keep it off. I went back on my SureSlim eating plan I did before having Emma and I have already noticed results.

In my first two weeks I lost 7.5 pounds (I don't know how many inches as I haven't kept track, but I can certainly feel the difference). I am into my third week and hoping with wise choices and few distractions that my success will continue!

I'll keep you posted!

A Big Milestone

2007-09-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

What a better way to kick off my blog than with a huge family milestone...

Today, Madelyne attended her first day of preschool. It's hard to believe our fiesty, energetic, always inquisitive, first babe is already off to school. Needless to say she was pumped! No tears, no worries, geeshhh, I could hardly get a good-bye kiss. Back-pack in hand, stocked with snacks, her thermos, and her slippers she was ready to say good-bye "litle girl" hello "big school girl!"

I must admit, I welled. Not full tears, but a few good wells. I had to bite my tongue, realize she doesn't always need me by her side, say good-bye and tell her I would be back in a short while to pick her up.

Life will never be the same.

Congratulations BIG GIRL MADELYNE on your first day of school.