five out east

The best turkey ever!

2011-10-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know this is late, but this is about Thanksgiving. I have been wanting to cook a turkey in a pit for awhile now. We did it on Trek , but as a girl I was never involved with the actual pit, fire and cooking part. I have been trying to tell hubby that it would be fun to do at a reenactment, but he was extremely skeptical about how well it would work. He, however, is the one who decided we should do it for Thanksgiving. The afternoon got a bit hectic, so I only got pictures of the fire, and the pit after we buried the Turkey. I have however turned hubby into a believer. It was the best turkey I have ever cooked. add one more survival skill to my belt. We are even considering cooking turkey dinner for our entire regiment next thanksgiving, as the Americans always plan an event for that weekend.

Temple Blessings

2011-09-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous weekend! We had the opportunity to go to the temple on Saturday, and do some long awaited work. The time finally came (and then some), to do the work for John's grandmother. We also did the work for his mother's grandmother, and a child who died very young. It was a very spiritual, and long day (six hours) at the temple. We started with our neice being baptized for these three, and then confirmed. The day ended with sealing spouses and children together. I am so greatful that we live in a place where the temple is close enough to go to regularly.

ups and downs

2011-09-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

The last two weeks have been full of ups and downs. I found out the painful way that I have an abscess tooth. It is no longer hurting or infected, but I find that I still have to be careful not to over stimulate the over sensitive nerve. I am now saving up, to get a root canal.
We went to Trenton, to our District Pioneer Days last Saturday. John and I were asked to do some cooking demonstrations. I was completely surprised to learn that they have a fire pit at their chapel. It is up the hill, at the back of the property, but I did not know you could do that. We were a complete hit. We made a pie, a stew and some fine cakes. They devoured them all. I borrowed clothes from our local fort, because none of mine were right for the time period. I curled the front of my hair in rag curls, and had several ringlets. We got asked a few times if we were supposed to be Joseph and Emma, so I guess we got the look right.
I am back to sewing, and realizing just how much work I have ahead of me. It is turning into quite the business. I have decided to start a new blog, focused on the sewing. We will see if I am able to keep it up. My new blog is astitchofhistory@blogspot.com.

Trials and blessings

2011-08-24T09:32:00.000-07:00

So I recently wrote about how blessed I was to have such wonderful friends in my life. They really are the best. We pushed ourselves crazily hard, and managed to finish the order I had. The coats were delivered, and payment was received. I also had another order in the middle of all this, that had me pushing to dress 9 musicians. As I have been taking a break for a few days (my machine is in for servicing and my house desperately needed cleaning), I have found other struggles. I developed an abscess tooth over the weekend. I was nearly in tears as I wondered how I could possibly pay for this when I received word that the money for the musician coats came in. John's business has been slowing greatly, and I have found that I am being blessed with the ability to earn enough to make up the difference. It looks like we are in for a bit of a roller coaster as John transitions from being self employed, to working for someone else. The Lord is opening doors and providing a way to take care of ourselves as we make the transition. Now I have to keep myself organized, and keep moving forward on the orders still waiting for me.

Sooo Blessed

2011-08-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

This week has really been an interesting one for me. I have been under a crazy schedule lately. I make a point of meeting my sewing commitment, sometimes to my detriment. There have been a few late nights sewing the last of a lining, and several buttons. I am a procrastinator, so last minute has somewhat been my thing. I have worked really hard with these last few contracts, to change that habit. As I was sewing this week, I realized I was ahead of schedule. I was so pleased with myself, that I let a bit of pride creep in. I imagined how impressed people would be when I delivered more coats than were expected. The thought in my head was, "Just call me a sewing Goddess!" The next moment I was hit with a very quiet, humble thought,"No, I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me. He loves me so much he gave me the talent and ability to complete an insane amount of work, in a very short amount of time." I was able to enjoy that thought and the feelings it brought me, for a couple of days. I felt great peace and joy. I was overcoming my procrastinator tendencies, and felt I was progressing in that aspect of my life.

Last night brought total chaos into my world. I had sub-contracted half of a job to another lady. I do not really know the pattern, and I really did not have time to do it all. In checking in with her, it was revealed that she would be unable to complete her portion. The reasons as to why, and the fact that it is not even started are beside the point. I am on the hook for this order. Panic set in for a brief period, because I went from having 5 coats to 10 coats still needing to be started (with a delivery date 2 weeks away). That is on top of 14 I am trying to finish for next weekend.
It occurred to me that I needed to turn to my dearest friends for help. I have been blessed with two amazing ladies in my life. When I called the first, she calmed me down, and assured me that I am not alone. Both ladies have committed to helping me meet this obligation, and are actually starting the first part of the order, while I finish one of the other orders. Both of these ladies are my counselors in relief Society. I feel so blessed to have such dear and special friends, who are there to help me.

I gained a further testimony of the love my Heavenly Father has for me, and the influence he has in my life. As I grew in this testimony, the adversary threw a trial in my path. I was blessed yet again, to be made aware that the Lord has placed people in our lives to help us through those trials. I know He loves me, and is mindful of me as an individual.

Snow Balls

2011-05-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it is spring, and the snow has melted there are no snow balls. I must beg to differ, and my goodness they are delicious! Our reenactment season is starting again, and with it comes the annual "Cast Iron Chef" competition. John and I have decided to enter this year, so the practice begins. We have been pouring over our 18 century cookbook (the recipes have to be accurate for the period). For desert we decided to try Carolina Snowballs. They are actually easy to make, it is plating them that is tricky. You take a piece of cloth, on it you place about 3 tablespoons of rice. On top of that you place an apple that has been peeled and cored. Place a little lemon zest in the hole, and tie the cloth tightly around the apple. This is far easier to do with two people, and I found that it helped to push the rice up, and around the apple (smoothing it out a bit). These pouches (Parker said they look like money bags) are placed into a pot of cold water. The water is brought to a boil, and then left to boil about 25 minutes. The tricky part is removing them from the cloth, without breaking the layer of rice that has formed. There is a sauce that is poured over this snowball. It is made with a 1/4 pound of butter, a cup of white wine (we used white grape juice), cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. It is so tasty, I think this will be one of our favourites for quite some time. We have learned that the recipes of old were very rich and had an extremely high fat content, it reaffirms how different life really was. This one though, is not too bad for fat. If you choose to try it, you won't be sorry. I best go, I think I want to try to get the last snowball.

Blue Cheese!

2011-05-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

I seem to have recollections of liking blue cheese as a child. I have vague memories of going to visit Rodgers, and eating it with Chris. At the time, I was also on a schedule of getting two needles three times a week, to keep my allergies under control. As I grew, I somewhat outgrew my allergies. That is, until I went to high school, and they started construction. Going to school in that environment, had brought my allergies back with a vengeance. What brings seemingly meandering thoughts? I went out to dinner with my dear husband last night. I decided to try the veal cordon-blue. Not thinking things through, it did not occur to me that it had blue cheese in it (I know, the name says it all). I thought nothing of it until later in the evening, when I started to break out in hives. I know I have been told that cheese mold is close to penicillin, so I guess I have to pay more attention to what I eat. It sometimes amazes me, how seemingly small things can become big things, yet we take it for granted.

SHOES!!!

2011-02-03T07:00:00.001-08:00

For those of my family who are on Facebook, you already know that I have been trying to make shoes. It has been an ongoing process, as I try to get the shape right. You may wonder why I would try something so crazy. We really enjoy our reenacting hobby, but some aspects can be quite expensive. One of these aspects is footwear. I was fortunate enough to be given a used pair of shoes that work well for everyday wear. I have however been desirous to have shoes that went nicely with my fancy gown. Shoes of the 18 Century had a particular shape, and so I cannot just go down the street to buy a pair at Walmart or Payless.
These shoes would only be worn a couple times each year, and so I did not feel that I could justify paying $100-200 for a pair of fancy shoes. (yes, some people do pay that for a nice pair of leather shoes) I started looking online to see if I could alter a modern pair and fake it, but I did not find much I could use. I did however find a book that teaches ladies how to make their own shoes. The techniques are modern, but I figured I could alter them enough to get the look I wanted. I have a friend who had a pair of shoes made after she embroidered the pieces 20 years ago (they are the ones in the bottom picture). She let me trace her shoes, and the fun began. The shoes are not perfect, but for a first try I think they turned out pretty good. I used scrap pieces from my camp gown for the first pair. With some minor readjustments, I think I will be ready to make another pair soon. If they are right, then I can use the remnants of my fancy gown to make another pair. I will be dressed for high fashion indeed.

Back from the West

2011-02-01T06:06:00.000-08:00

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the west to see family. It was great to get together and just enjoy each other's company. For those who did not know, this trip also included our girl moving out. We stopped in Manitoba on the way back, to visit friends and get her settled. She starts her first day at the bakery today.
Our trip home from Manitoba, was the least enjoyable part. We faced horrible weather delays, to start. This had us arriving home a full 24 hours later than planned. There was one poor girl who was sick the whole time, and we had the unfortunate circumstance of having to hear her in the bathroom for 24 hours.
All of that being said, we are happy to be home, and returning to our regular routines. I just received a bolt of wool to start sewing coats again, Hubby is back to the hectic pace of two jobs, and the boy is back to school. (We all took yesterday to sleep, and recuperate. Two nights on a bus do not amount to a good rest.) We are also starting now to put a little money aside, to allow us to FLY out again. We hope to come in the summer.

Happiness

2010-10-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have some wonderful news to share with you! Zac has been doing an immense amount of growing over the past few months. He went out to Winnipeg, and has settled into life on the base. On his weekends, he has been traveling South to visit our Friends the Kelleys, who moved to Glenboro a year and a half ago. He has been doing a lot of pondering, and spends a lot of time talking to Dave. Zac has come to the conclusion that he really does want the gospel in his life, and all that it brings. It took him some time to come to this conclusion, but he has made the first steps. He went to church this Sunday, and met with the bishop. He is determined to come back to full activity, and set his life in order. We are so happy, and amazed at the change in his desires. Already we notice a difference in him, and look forward to seeing the great things the gospel will bring into his life. We only ask that you keep him in your prayers, as he travels the somewhat difficult road back.

Happy Turkey Day!! (minus the turkey)

2010-10-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

Hey family! Happy Thanksgiving! We just finished having the family over today. We did not have turkey though. On Wednesday I got a call from an old acquaintance, and he had two geese for us. I went to pick them up, but there was a catch. I had to clean the geese myself. (I actually knew this from when he gave us a couple ducks years ago). I had never cooked a goose before, and wild geese are another story altogether. We weren't certain it would turn out, or that anyone would like it, so we had a ham, too. The geese did turn out, so needless to say, we had a lot of food. It was great to get together, but I look forward to getting together with family out there again. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!

Highway of Heroes

2010-10-05T09:08:00.001-07:00

I heard this song on the radio the other day, and it just brought me to tears. The first thing it brought to mind was the powerpoint I got in my email, I think from dad. (It was a year or so ago)

I don't know if it would have affected me so much a year ago, but now I understand it. Earlier this year we were heading to Kitchener to spend time with family, and to go to the temple. Car trouble caused us to have to pull off and get repairs. When we finally did get back on the road, we had the privilege of getting caught at the end of the traffic delay of one of our heroes coming home. Had it not been for that email, we might not have known exactly what it was. It was amazing to see the fire trucks, police cars, and thankful people lining every overpass from Trenton to Downtown Toronto. It is so humbling to witness. For those who don't know what I am referring to, let me explain what the Highway of Heroes is.

When one of our soldiers is killed while serving over seas, they are flown into Trenton. They are driven from there to the Coroners office in Toronto. Their remains are sent on to their families from there. The Stretch of the 401 Highway from Trenton to that exit in Toronto was renamed The Highway of Heroes. As the video showed the people line the overpasses, and the lights on the fire trucks and police cars flashing. This is true of every overpass on that stretch of road.

John heard this song a couple days after I did, and he found that it affects him stronger now with a son in the Air Force. All I know is that I find it sad that we do not always see as much support for our troops while they are still alive. I am so thankful for the sacrifice they make, and the families who sacrifice to allow them to serve.

Nostalgia

2010-08-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has been one of remembering. Hubby had his 25 year high school reunion. It was interesting to watch as some of the old groups formed again, almost immediately. Then there were those who have drifted from their old friends, and looked for new relationships. There were those who had kept in touch, and those who were reunited with the group after so many years. There was even time taken to remember those who had passed on since high school. It was an interesting experience as old feelings of hurt were put to rest by some, and rekindled by others. New bonds were formed, as life had taken them all down its various paths. We never know how our connections made now will change in the future.

Military Family?

2010-08-03T18:56:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I wrote, I know. I have been busy sewing like a crazy woman, and still have a lot to do. The sewing is good, as long as I take breaks and sew something different, I don't get tired of it (yet). It also helps to bring in some extra money, to help pay down some debts.
We have found though that we may be turning into a military family. The girl informed us a couple of weeks ago, that she is going to enlist. She is not absolutely certain which branch she will join, but she knows which bases she would prefer. We have a recruiting officer in our reenactment group, and he is working with her to determine what to do. It looks like we will have two military kids, and the third thinks he wants to join when he grows up, too. Do you count as a military family when the parents are the ones not enlisted?
We have also had some stress here. Around the time mom went to Calgary, our instructor car died. We managed to get a new one, and it is wonderful. We thought things were going to settle down, but now we have to find a new classroom. This came as quite a surprise to us, but our landlord has decided not to renew our lease. This might not be too big an issue, if we were in another industry, but driving schools have to be inspected by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, to change locations. That can take awhile, and really is the stressful part of this change. I guess we will just keep going and see how they work out, it can be hard though.

ZAC

2010-05-21T05:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an update on Zac. He left boot camp and went to Borden. After waiting around for a couple of weeks, his next round of training finally began. He has been learning to drive all the different types of vehicles, and getting the various licenses. When this part of his course is finished, he will have the equivalent of a class 1 in Alberta. He will also have extra licenses for other equipment, too. He just found out where he is going from there. When his course is finished in mid to end of July, Zac will then be posted to Winnipeg. If I recall what he said previously, he will have three postings during his service (if he does not reenlist). There you have it. That is what is happening in his life.

Special boy!

2010-04-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

Today I deal with many emotions. I find myself weepy this evening. My thoughts are on a very special boy who crossed our paths for just a few short days 13 years ago. I sit here with my bunny, so glad that I was able to help him find the family the Lord wanted him to go to. I do not regret my decision, I know it was best, but there are some days he is more strongly on my mind.

I thought it was fitting that the Relief Society had planned a district service project. We spent the day making baby bundles for the Humanitarian Center to send to places like Haiti. Our goal was to complete 100. I think we actually finished 70, with various branches taking parts of projects home to finish. It was wonderful to feel the love pouring out from the women in that room.

Success!

2010-04-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

So I have spent the last week and a half trying to create my own patterns for kids coats for 1812. I had adult patterns, and a coat that fits Parker. I traced Parker's coat to make a small pattern, and scaled down my smallest adult pattern to make an XL. From there, I had to create medium and large patterns. I have to fit kids from grades 4 thru 8. Today I sewed mock ups of each pattern size. I was so pleased to see that they all went together on the first try, with only one minor adjustment on the smallest size. The collar was too long, but a small adjustment at the back, cleared that right up. I think I am getting the hang of this whole pattern altering and creation (scaling?). It gives me confidence for a project I hope to tackle later toward the end of summer. I found an 1812 dress I want to make in a book. The pattern is shown on a grid, and now I think I might actually be able to bring it to full size. Then I just have to make it my size. I have learned so much about sewing, that I think I might actually one day figure out how to make my own patterns from scratch. Wouldn't that be something.

Busy! Busy! Busy!

2010-03-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

So, or should I say Sew? It seems that word has gotten out that I sew, and sew well. I have been working for awhile on two regimental uniforms for a couple of guys in our group. (Actually, they have mostly just been sitting waiting for me to get yellow wool so I can finish them.) I finally got the yellow wool that we have waited for months for, so they will be finished soon. Before Christmas I made some double breasted coats and some vests for hubby and a friend of ours, that they both showcased in February at the Battle of Ogdensburg (see earlier picture of John). From there the work has started rolling in. A local lady asked me to make her a gown for the bicentennial celebration this summer, and the Mayor asked me to make a Regimental Uniform for the guy who is a direct descendant of the founder of Prescott. I will be making him a pair of breeches, a shirt, a waistcoat and a jacket. I also was just contacted by the 1812 Alliance bicentennial committee, and asked to make 24 children's tunics. They changed their order to 32 yesterday. It is a good thing I like sewing! It is crazy that it is all happening at once, but it will certainly help us clear some debts. I am actually pretty excited, because I am learning so much. I have learned how to resize patterns, and even how to alter them to what I want. I could do minor alterations before, but to take a single breasted jacket pattern and make it into a double breasted pattern was a little scary for me. I am so glad that my mom taught me how to do mock ups with old bed sheets, when we made my wedding dress. Well, I should go get back to work, because I have some personal sewing I want to do eventually, too.

Lookin' Good

2010-03-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Hey family! Here are the promised pictures. The group picture is of Zac's platoon. You can sort of see a little purple flag it the back row. That is the Commandants flag. They got it, because they were the best in rehearsals with their drill. The faint picture was in a slide show they were showing before the ceremony. As it was playing for the who knows how many dozenth time, we decided to try to take a picture of the screen. He cleans up pretty good. We will let you know when we order pics from the grad, and get some out to everyone.

Time to Brag!!!

2010-03-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

It is a proud day in our house. It is 6:30, and we have just left BP after having dinner with Zac. Today was graduation. He survived boot camp, and tomorrow ships out to Borden for his next round of training. Boot camp was hard, but he did it. He looks so sharp in his uniform. We took pictures, and when we get home I will be able to upload them ( It uses too much data to upload on the mobile internet). Visiting with him after the ceremony, we see just how much he has grown. The angry young man who was dropped off in November (and scared out of his mind), has become a confident young man, with a future ahead of him. Once in Borden, he will learn to drive again (they treat evryone like a new driver), and then move onto the various types of trucks and equipment. He says he will take any extra training he can get, because every little bit will help him move closer to his goal. He is still focussed on becoming an MP, which leaves him the option to switch to RCMP when this contract is up, or to re-enlist and continue with the military. I promise, pictures of our handsome Air Force Soldier will be posted tonight or first thing in the morning!

Busy Month

2010-02-23T18:12:00.000-08:00

So this has been a fairly busy month for us (or maybe just me). I spent the first three weeks sewing like a crazy woman. I was attempting to make two new tunics for a couple of guys in our regiment, but in the end the yellow wool was not available in time. My focus shifted then, and I spent last week sewing for John. We raided Ogdensburg on Saturday again, and surprise, surprised we won again. It is not the best sight for a battle, as far as spectators go, but it is nice to be able to get together with our friends through the winter and not just the summer. After the dinner we went to the ball again, and I finally got a picture of my ball gown. You can't really tell, but the top is smocked, and I embroidered around the hem. I think John and I make a very handsome couple. Now I just have to make Parker some civilian clothes for 1812, and we are fully set (and some new military pants, he grew).

Fan

2010-02-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

We went "antiquing" this weekend. We have a couple of local shops that we like to browse through. Once in awhile, we find some really neat things that we want or would be useful for our reenacting. Of course at the same time we are always looking for a deal. Hubby found the most amazing fan. It needs some work, though. It is an oriental silk embroidered fan. The silk has come off of the ribs though. This being said, we got it for $5. I am going to try to remove the glue stains before reattaching the silk, and then it will be my fancy fan for 1812 reenactments. It had rice paper glued between the ribs and the fabric, so I will probably use some of my acid-free paper. I have learned that the symbols on the bottom of the box say Autumn, and that the label on the end is a poem, but some of the words are missing. I am assuming that the symbols on the tips of each rib are numbers, but am fascinated with the carving on each of the end pieces. It is so intricate and detailed. It really is an amazing find, that we are so excited about.

Adventure

2010-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:00

So this week has been somewhat better. I seem to be finished with kidney stones for the time being, so that is a good thing. We went for a quick trip down Toronto way. We left on Friday, hoping to make a temple session. Unfortunately I had a caliper seize on my car, and we had to stop to get it fixed. We waited a couple of hours, and left $300 poorer, but at least we had caught it before someone got hurt. John and I got up early and managed to take in a session Saturday morning, while Kierstan and Parker hung out with their cousins. John and Parker and Jason and his kids all went skiing in the afternoon. I decided that we needed to come home that night, so that I could be here for RS, so It was a late night for us. We really enjoyed our trip , even with the adventure of the brakes.

Quite a week

2010-01-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

It has been a week of discomfort for me this week. On Tuesday I found out I had my first kidney stone. I spent six hours in emergency, and luckily passed the stone before I left. To be honest it was not all bad, it gave me six hours to get some hand sewing done. I altered my stays for Rev War, so I can do them up myself while I was there. Unfortunately that was not to be the end. I had two more stones this week. Hopefully that will be the end, but if not I may have to go to the doctor.
It was my first official week acting as Relief Society President. We had a very productive first meeting, and found that having counselors who are supportive makes it easier to plan. I spoke briefly with the District RS Pres., and she is also pleased with our planned direction. I think that this may be the year that the sisters accept the counsel to become self reliant.

New Calling

2010-01-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

Today was a day of big change at church. I have been the Nursery Leader for the last two years. Today I was released from this calling, and called as the Relief Society President. It will be a big change from playing on the floor with the kids to addressing the needs of the sisters. I do have to say though that I am quite excited. The Visiting Teaching message this month is on Self Reliance. I felt that that was to be my focus with the women here, so it is going to be the theme for the year under this presidency. We had a previous president who felt this way, unfortunately the sisters were not ready to receive and accept this direction. I hope and pray that this time there may be some who are ready now, and that I may be directed in the best way to help them in the journey.

New Year!

2010-01-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hi Family! It is a New Year, and the last one ended with a lot of craziness here.
We had mentioned before that Zac was going into the Military. Here is the update on that. He had applied for the Air Force, but after much waiting, they called and said he could get the job he wanted if he switched to the Army (it would be awhile yet for the Air Force). He wanted Special Equipment Opps. He decided that he would make the switch, as stacking wood for a living (which he was doing while he waited) was not his idea of fun. He went in in November. When he got to boot camp they informed him that he was in fact Air Force, so he is happy all around. It is going well, and he is learning a lot.
We have had a fair bit of stress with the driving school, as the examination centres went on strike at the end of August. This was long a drawn out, finally ending on New Year's Day. We were fortunate in that Hubby had a backlog of students, and we were able to weather the storm (without racking up extra debt). Many here were not so lucky. We are excited about this start to the New Year, as it should mean that ware busier than normal for this time of year.
Our Reenactments were a great source of family time for us this year, and we are all looking forward to the new experiences that it will bring this year. I have been able to help bring in a bit of extra income, by taking on sewing jobs from some of the guys. The more I do, the more they are noticing, and so I get more inquiries. I have been able to stretch my sewing skills, as I learned to alter patterns, and even make them into something else. (I made a single breasted coat pattern into a double breasted pattern, and reshaped the pieces for a closer more period correct fit.) Our town is celebrating its bicentennial this year. It coincides with both eras we reenact, so I have even started receiving requests from the town to assist with some clothing for special events.
We have our girl living with us full time now, and we are really enjoying having her here. She is finishing up her high school , and looking for a job. She has started learning to play the fife, and enjoys playing with the Fife and Drum Corps. at our reenactments.
Our sweet little boy is growing up. He is always learning and doing new things. He loves grade 4, and his new school. Sometimes he has a hard time focusing, or relating the instructions to a new problem, but he is determined. He is ever intrigued by the computer, but surprisingly does not aspire to be a programmer at this time. He wants to be a scientist and an inventor.

Everything is dying

2009-07-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I wrote. Things are still crazy around here. We are busy this summer with soccer and reenacting. We have had several events over the past couple of months. I cannot show you pictures though, because my computer has issues. It started behaving funny about a month ago, and just continually got worse. It has now lost its operating system and Staples has sent it off to the depot for repairs. Thank goodness we bought the extended warranty. We bought a laptop in March to help Hubby teach his new curriculum. The first time he used it to teach was at the end of June. As he was starting the afternoon class on the first day, it seemed to be going well. That was just an illusion though. The hard drive crashed during his powerpoint presentation. Nobody was even touching it. That was fixed and returned within three days, so we are not completely computerless, but I do not want to put my photo program on the laptop. We thought our bad luck was changing, because there were no other computers in the house. They say bad things happen in threes, so we should have known better. Two days ago, while preparing to enter the freeway, my car died. They are pretty sure it is the torque converter, and that would mean a whole new transmission. The cost of such repairs wold be more than we paid for the car.
This means we have had to reevaluate some of the events we were planning on attending, but thankfully it is just stuff and not those dear to us.

so busy

2009-06-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

I know that I am not consistent in writing, but this time I have a good reason. The instructor who said she had gotten on full time with the City in March, quit a week later. John and I have been putting out fires, and trying to keep his appointments straight just to catch up the 32 kids who sat in the March course. That is not including the April and May courses that were both already partially booked at the time. We are finally starting to feel like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have taken some time off to do a couple of reenactments, because that is the only way we get to see John. If I don't get him completely away from the house, He is being pulled in all directions. The Summer will be busy, but I think that things will finally settle down in September.

On another note, we have been contemplating what has been going on with the business and what it means for us. As some of you know, we have contemplated selling the business and the house and moving. The things that hold us back are:
1. what do we do for work if not this?
2.Are we being ungrateful for the blessings the Lord has given us?
John and I were discussing it this weekend, as we have been having trouble finding help. When we do find it, they back out at the last minute and leave us floundering. The conclusion that we have come to, is that this has one of two meanings. The first is that we are to keep our classes small enough that John can handle all of the in class and in car lessons on his own, or the Lord is telling us it is time to move on (by keeping us uncomfortably busy). I personally am leaning toward the latter, as we are having trouble limiting class size. This may be the perfect time to sell, but again the question is what do we do if not this? Please keep us in your thoughts as we ponder this and try to do as the Lord wants.

Zac Update

2009-06-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hey, I know it has been awhile. So, Zac has is definitely going into the military (if he doesn't mess things up). He has submitted his papers, and referrals (who have been called). He was supposed to have an interview last Monday, but missed it. I won't go into why, but we were unimpressed. They called to rebook, and he will not miss the next one. He is going through an interesting/infuriating phase right now, and both his mother and I feel September cannot come soon enough. That being said he signed on with the air force, and his preferences are MP, Search and Rescue or Airplane Mechanic. I am not sure how, but I have become his enemy again. This being said, we are just waiting for September, when we know someone else is helping to mould him into a man.

Turn of events

2009-03-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

So, some of you knew that Zac was looking to join the Ontario Provincial Police (O.P.P.) and that he was going to take a course to get his large equipment licenses, including his AZ or Class 1 license. He went to a meeting to have EI pay for it, only to find out that he has to fill out a whole pile over paperwork with a councilor to prove he has no skills first. This would mean that he will mis the start date he had figured on. Being a somewhat angry and fickle young man, hequickly vented and said that he was not doing it if he has to wait till the next one. He went to his mother's house for the weekend, and when he came back he informed us that he has put his name in with the airforce. So, we are back to the military, and his name is actually on the list. He has to go in to Kingston to the recruitment office there to do some testing at the end of the week, and then he will move forward from there. I think he still plans to go check out the O.P.P. recruitment at the end of the month, too, but who knows at theis point? Time will tell, and we shall see.

not much to say

2009-03-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

So, I missed a couple of weeks but, I don't really know what to say. It is March Break here, and we were blessed with a very large class at the driving school. We have been busy trying to stay on top of things. One of our instructors retired, and the other informed us she just got on full time driving for City Transit. She is not abandoning us completely, but it certainly is going to cut her hours back. Our computer monitor died suddenly last night, but fortunately for us we had bought the extended warranty. I was able to get a new one this morning, and now we are back in business. As long as the tower holds out we are good, that or it has to go before September (but we are not hoping one way or the other). We have a new curriculum now for the school, but still have to tweak it to make it work for us.

Reenacting in the cold

2009-03-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

We had our first reenacting event this year. It was a reenactment of the battle of Ogdensburg. This was from the War of 1812. It took a fair bit of preparation, but was worth it. I made uniform jackets for John and Zac, and borrowed one for Parker. I still have to teach Zac how to do the pants up properly, but the guys look pretty sharp to me. These next two pictures are from the battle. Zac is in the group of soldiers on the left, and is the on closest to the flags. John is in the group on the right, and is in the middle of the three soldiers in light grey. If you look closely, you can sort of see Parker standing behind the flag bearers. The other one is Parker running towards us. He stepped in a puddle, so they sent him to me to warm up and dry them out once there was a break in the fighting.

This final picture is Kierstan and I playing at the ball (I am behind the camera). They do English country dancing. The first time we went to a ball, we felt like we were just fumbling. This time John said we looked like we completely comfortable and graceful. We both will tell you that the way you dress makes a huge difference. We only had one pair of gloves between us, but they just seemed to be that reminder of grace. So fun, I think we are hooked.

SIGHS OF RELIEF

2009-03-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

I know that I have been slack on writing the last few weeks, but when I get stressed this seems to be the first thing to go. I have had a lot of panic and stress moments, or so it seems. First we had to write a curriculum for the driving school. The guidelines were vague, or just downright confusing. If we called the ministry of transportation to try to clarify what they wanted, they left me more confused than when I called. After a lot of writing and editing, we had something we could live with (but we didn't like). It would at least allow us to operate in April when the rules change. We sent it in with the understanding that it would take 4-6 weeks approve. This meant the we should hear about it at the beginning of January. We didn't hear about it in January. With plans for a baptism in play, I tried to push it to the back of my mind. We had a meeting with CAA to see if we might be interested in using their curriculum. They had not even been approved yet, so the decision to call the MTO was made. I was informed that they had not even seen ours yet, it was still in the pile. We knew it was not up to the level that we wanted it to be, but didn't know where to start editing it. That, mixed with the uncertainty of what happens in April if we haven't heard from them, had me right flustered.

With planning the baptism, we had to wait until the day before to get a baptismal interview. (the Branch President has a strange work schedule). It did not occur to us until after we returned home form the interview that we did not know who was presiding at the baptism. I began calling branch presidency members to see who it would be, only to learn that the ball had been dropped. The BP was working,and both of his counsellors (father and son)were going on holidays. I was told I might just have to rebook to the next weekend. After informing them that that was not an option, with grandparents already here and aunty J. already on the plane, a scramble was on to sort this out. In the end, it was decided that the second counsellor in the Elder's Quorum would both conduct and preside. It still felt a bit crazy and disorganized, but we did it. (YAAAAAY!)

After sadly returning family to the airport to go home, we shifted focus to income taxes. I had to ensure that paper work was in order, not sure if I had even entered things into the books correctly. That has been a fiasco that I think we have finally found a way around, and then we found out that the date for our new curriculum was pushed back to September. Small Sighs all along, but I still did not know how to fix the curriculum we did not like. We received an email about an opportunity to learn about an approved curriculum, that is available for us to purchase. This was exciting, but with undertones of stress, as we had a ministry audit to ensure compliance on Friday. We were fine, but I had to make sure all the paperwork was in order.

This weekend we spent with family in Kitchener, as we had decided to attend this information session in Scarborough. I was going into this thinking and hoping it was an answer to prayer. Dear hubby went into this thinking he would buy theirs, and use it to fix ours, making it our own. After hearing what they have to say, we realized that it is what we have been looking for, and more. It would not benefit us in any way to make it fit ours, as they are calling it a "Living Curriculum". This means that as changes are made by the gov't, and in technologies, they will send us updates and how to use them. These will be sent via email, therefore making them free to receive. The cost would then only be incurred if we "chose" to print it off the email. (the choice would be ours.) The cost is only $5 per student, as opposed to the $50 per student that CAA wanted. It is such a relief to me to know that we are able to switch to a new approved curriculum that meets all our needs, and they will provide us with all the technical, and learning support we need. We have decided to switch to this new curriculum in June. This allows our old students to make up any classes they are missing, prior to the change. I can now start to look back at the pictures and moments of fun over the last few weeks, and start to put the memories together. I will be putting pics up next time.

Count Down

2009-02-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

The kids are so excited that this week has finally come. I have been asked almost every day this last week, are they coming today?? Now we are down to one more sleep until we go to the airport. Then we get to go at the end of the week, and all of the cousins are coming from Kitchener. Oh the excitement from the smallest member of our house is about to explode out of the windows.

no more snow

2009-02-04T12:06:00.001-08:00

After all the snow we got last year, we were relieved that they were forecasting less snow this year. I guess they changed their minds. These two pictures are looking out the front window at the snow on the front lawn. This is the approximate height the snow was last year at the END of March. The plows push thesnow onto the sidewalks here. That would mean that there can be no more snow here this winter. This is not what the weather is forecasting. On the plus side, it is supposed to be warm most of next week. Some of the snow will melt while the grandparents are here. Unfortunately, it is currently saying that it will cool off the day aunty J comes out. She has already been warned to bring a sweater, old houses are drafty.

We are sure excited to see the family, even with the snow and/or slush.

I'm still here

2009-01-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say that I haven't forgotten about the blog. It has been a little stressful here trying to keep our finances in order. With Zac losing his job, it put unexpected strain on us. He just found out that EI has approved his claim, and that a cheque is in the mail. He will get enough to cover his bills, and start to pay off some of his debts (mostly to us).

Home at last

2009-01-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

We just got in from visiting family in Kitchener. What a crazy drive home. It snowed all the way home, the plows were out and oh so slow. It took us two hours longer than normal. We did enjoy our time there though. I had an opportunity to get together with the ladies involved with reenacting the Revolutionary War, and learn about the requirements for those costumes. The helped me with patterns, and I am starting to get an idea of fabrics and patterns. It also takes a bit, because their ideas on matching colours and patterns differed greatly from ours today. While I was learning (and planning), the boys went skiing at a nearby hill with a brother and cousin. We also managed to get to the temple while in the area. Before we really got on the road to go on Friday, I had to drop some stuff off in Kingston. I took the opportunity to go to best buy, and bought a camera. I did take one picture, but I still have to load the cd on the computer to read the manual. I will get around to that this week, so I can start taking pics again. Well, I am tired of sitting, so we'll chat later.

CRAZINESS!!!!

2009-01-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

So... I went to the doctor before Christmas, because the orange spots around my eyes were starting to spread. I was very quickly told that they are cholesterol deposits. My doctor ordered blood work, and made a referral to another doctor. The good news is that the spots can be treated with lasers, or chemical peels, and I managed to lower my bad cholesterol to a normal range. The rest is leaving me a little stressed out. It turns out that my good cholesterol is very low. I now have to get a special ultrasound on my carotid arteries (neck), to check the levels of plaque build up. My doctor also orders ekg's when ordering blood work, and this one came back different from the last one. So, I now have to go for an ecg. I feel like I am falling apart, and part of me would like to just go back to my ignorant bliss, where my biggest concern was that I still have 20 pounds to lose. At this point that is the only one that I can do anything about. I will just have to continue to get my but out of bed, watch what I eat, and be consistent. For those who didn't already know, I committed to this back in September, and lost 22lbs between Sept. 29 and Dec. 13. We all got sick, and I had to stop for awhile (its hard to work out when you are coughing). I put 5 back on during the holidays, so that means I still have 15-20lbs. to lose. That will put me at 150-155lbs. Right about where I was in highschool.

I have also been looking at various cameras, and starting to decide what I want. We will definitely have one before Parker's baptism.

Sooooo Tired

2009-01-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Just thought I would send you a note to let you know what we have been up to. We spent New Year's Eve with friends in Kingston. They used to live right across the road from us. We had a pajama party with them last year, and decided it was so much fun that we would join them again. Then we decided to get dressed up, on Friday night, in our reenactment clothes and go see the lights at Upper Canada Village (it is like heritage park, but bigger). We got up real early today (Saturday) and took the family skiing at Titus Mountain. Kierstan and Parker took lessons, and they all had fun going down the hills all day. I sat in the lodge where it was warm, and read and made jewelry. Sadly, I do NOT have any pics, because my camera has decided to die. It will only take 1-3 pictures on a set of batteries, and then flashes low battery. We have been having this problem for awhile, but it has gotten so bad now that I cannot hardly take a picture anymore. We will have to save up and see what we can find for a new one.

Answers about Christmas Card

2008-12-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

Mom says that the cards created more questions and needed elaborating. I will make an attempt at clarifying some of these. If you have other questions, feel free to email them to me, and I will do my best to answer. First of all, I did not make John, Zac, or Paker's coats, just their pants. I will be making a new red coat for John, when the wool arrives. 1812 falls right in they middle of the regency era. This is a time when king George was extremely ill, and his son Prince George was acting in his father's stead as the Regent. He took over the throne upon his father's death. Fashion was usually set by the French, and copied by the British (even though they were at war). During this time the trend for women was to go with much simpler lines, reminiscent of the ancient Greek statues.

Waist lines climbed to an extremely high level (higher than our modern empire waist line). During this time it was all about the natural shape of a woman, so the use of stays/corsets went out of fashion. It quickly became apparent that this only worked for small busted women. Those who were more endowed, continued to wear stays, but less restrictive. They were also shorter, as the goal was not to shape the waist, just lift things up.

A stay was worn over a shift, allowing you to have fewer stays. The shift was worn next to the skin, to absorb the excess moisture, and was much easier to wash than the stay.

In the camp Photos (state of undress), I must admit that the clothes that Kierstan and I are wearing, are not actually accurate. They are about 20 years out of date, but we did not know that at the time. We were told they were appropriate, but it is also a very relaxed group. Parker, on the other hand is correctly dressed. He is wearing the "undress" uniform of the Canadian Fencibles (including the hat). When they were not on the battle field, this is what they wore working around camp. A state of undress has nothing to do with being clothed, rather it is a reference to the type of clothes one is wearing. Their pants are called "fall-front pants". They pre-date the fly. The waist band over laps in the front, and then the flap is brought up aver top and buttoned. The hat that Brittany (Zac's Girlfriend) is wearing is called a mob/mop cap. It would be worn around the house as one was working to keep the dust, flour and all else out of her hair while working. John's Green coat is also out of date. It is the uniform of the King's Royal Regiment of New York, or the Yorkers. They fought in the revolutionary war back in 1776ish. We did not have all the patterns, or supplies, to get everyone appropriately dressed, so we made due. I sewed for Three weeks almost straight to get done what I did.

This Picture shows the results. There are 3 dresses, 3 shifts one pair of pants, one stay and 2 spencers (short jackets). I cut out 3 other dresses, one was for my friend Sue to sew up herself, I also made her a shift. The other two dresses are works in progress. They will be fancier gowns to be worn to the various balls that are held at many of our reenactment events. I am taking my time with the embellishments, but I will post them when they are finished. I hope this is helpful, and I will try harder this year to keep the blog going.

4X as long

2008-04-07T11:24:00.000-07:00

It always amazes me that our projects seems to take 4 times longer than we expect. As we start a project, we find all the little bits that we need to finish (so that we don't have to undo things later). I now have to go back to touch up paint in both the den and the loft, but each step is a forward one, I think.

Keep trying

2008-04-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

I don't seem to be too good at keeping this thing up to date. Here is an update. We are almost done sorting out the inside of our house. As each room gets finished, I am starting to see that I may be able to keep up with the house with just a few minutes /room/day. I really think I may have this whole maintaining a house well under way of gaining control. I hope after this weekend, I will have more time to do things I want to. I realized a few weeks ago that even if each room took 10 minutes to straighten, I would still be done in 2 hours. That would mean the rest of the day to myself. (Well, at least until school is done.) We are finally seeing spring, so we are going to try to get the last of the trim done before and between conference sessions. On a side note, I am experimenting with leftovers. I made a turkey to feed the missionaries yesterday. With the leftovers, I am trying to make jerky. I don't know if it will work, but I figure it is worth a try. I even added cranberry sauce to one batch. Could be fun.

Home at last

2007-09-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

It has been a hectic summer! We got back from two weeks in B.C., and left to go camping for a week. It was fun, but a long time to be away from home. We got back and had the hectic rush to get school supplies. Things are continuing to run at a hectic pace until at least Thursday, but maybe not until next week. Trying to keep every on organized, and making sure they have everything is a routine we have fallen out of. I guess we will have to learn that one again. We will also have to get back into proper eating and sleeping routines again. the weight has increased a bit for all of us, except the puss. He just grew like a bad weed. Well, gotta get supper started, and try to get pics on the computer this evening.

Starting again

2007-04-15T18:49:00.001-07:00

Well, I know that I have not been keeping this up to date. This is the new green colour of my room. Not one room is done yet, but we are still trying to get ourselves settled. I still have more pictures to take, but slowly we will get the rooms done. I think the living room will be the first one completely done. We finished the floors in the kitchen, dining room and hallway last week end. I am going to work on the living room floor this week. It just leaves one more floor downstairs.

Tough decisions bring unseen blessings

2007-04-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it has sure been interesting the last couple of weeks. We had a tough decision to make a short time back. Our car has been having trouble off and on, which leaves me to drive the van (an old ambulance). It cost me $40-80 a week, just to drive my little boy to school and back. I sat with the hubby, and tried to see how I could make the budget work , so he would not have to change schools until the next year. It just was not possible. We sat with him and explained that he would have to change schools. I think I was more upset than he was. He switched at the beginning of the month, and things have just gone on from there. The new class he is in, is not a split class, and this school has a teacher that just focuses on reading with students who are struggling. She doesn't really have room for him, but there are a lot of students who are away for various reasons. In just a couple of weeks his reading has improved so much, that it is like night and day. He is writing and spelling better already, too. I can not hardly belive the change. If we had stayed in our other home, or let him finish the year there, he might have just continued to struggle. Now he has the opportunity to get the extra support that seems to be needed, when one is almost a year younger than some of his classmates.

Are we done yet?

2007-02-25T17:56:00.000-08:00

I promise more picture are coming, but I left the camera at the house. We have been painting like crazy, and just have the hallways, livingroom and den left to paint. The guys aren't quite done working downstairs though, and I don't want to have to repaint everything downstairs again. We still have to lay linoleum in the bathroom, and put it back together, but it is painted. We are almost done the kitchen, but we have to change the plugs on the oven and range. They were origionally hardwired in, but that is against the electrical code. The counter is almost in (still needs a back splash). We then will have to stain and seal the counter top, and it will be done. Well, it still needs a new window, but that will wait till spring. All the little things never seem to end, but we will get there. I will post before and after pictures of each room as they are completely finished. I still have to do all the woodwork, but alot of them are close.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

2007-02-25T17:37:00.000-08:00

As if this whole project isn't stressful enough, I broke my glasses on Thursday night. As I took them off, to get in the shower, I felt/heard a click (kinda both). Then the arm fell off in my hand. I called the optometrists office to see if they could order a new arm for me, but they said the model was probably discontinued. I guess they do that every 3 years. I had to go in to get a new eye exam. I got a sample pair of contacts, to see if I can wear them again (and because it was faster than glasses). I stopped wearing contacts a few years ago, because after getting a chemical burn in my eye, I kept getting eye infections. I haven't had one since the switch to glasses, so thought I would give it a try again. It all seems to have cleared up, and the contacts are fine. I have found that mascara gives me allergy type reactions in my eyes though (I learned this at Christmas). It seems to be an ongoing adventure as to what quirks my body develops next. I seem to struggle on occasion with fasting. It makes me light headed some months, and I have to break my fast early. What I thought was a latex allergy, turns out to be an allergy to the powder they line the gloves with. I just remind myself that my patriarchal blessing says my health will be one of my trials.

Another Discovery

2007-02-11T15:22:00.000-08:00

We ripped up the old flooring in the halway this weekend too, and found more newspapers. These ones were dated April, 1939. Unfortunately, they all got wet at some point, so they are stuck to the floor. There is no way to save them. I did take some photos though so they won't be completely forgotten.

a lop-sided world

2007-02-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, the house adventure continues... We started to put in the cupboards we were given this week end. The challenge that arose was not fully realized until they were all connected. We knew that the floors were uneven, but decided to leave them, as they don't feel too bad. This meant shims to keep them level. The first cupboard starts on the floor, but the get gradually higher as you move along. The cupboards are kinda low, and I am not exactly short, so this is not a big dael. The larger challenge arose when we placed the original counter rop on just to get a real height idea. this brought us to the realization as to just how UNsquare my walls are. There is no way we could even use a little bit of the old counter. STRESS!! We then thought of all the different possible ways of making our own, as it would have to be custom built. For about the same cost of a standard pre-made counter, I will have solid 1 1/4" thick maple counters. Our friend knows a guy who installs hard wood floors in semi trailers. He was able to get us a deal, and get it delivered. We measured and cut it ourselves, and now just need to assemble the pieces. Then the holes for the sink and range can be cut. That just leaves routering the edges for a softer look, and screwing it all down (or up, as it is done frome the bottom). The end of next weekend should see me with an installed kitchen, and running water in both the kitchen and bathroom. We also will be totally ready to paint most of the rooms. I know I said I wanted to be ready for that by the end of this week-end, but the counter top trouble had to sorted out first. That is alright though, because paint goes on sale this Thursday. It just gives me an few more days to finalize colours. Oh yeah, the mud worked on the walls, so I will be ready to paint all the bed rooms, I have a couple of days of sanding though.

OH MY!

2007-02-05T12:54:00.000-08:00

Well, it is quite the interesting adventure we are having. I was scraping some of the paint in the bedroom, so I could mud the cracks before painting. It is just peeling off in huge chunks. In some places the paint is 1/16" thick, and in other places it is only a couple layers thick. There are some areas that won't peel at all, then when I turn around it loosens and will peel off some more. I think I have gottenall the loose chunks now, but it is all I did ALL day. Tomorrow I am going to try to mud the walls and blend in the parts that don't peel. Maybe I won't be ready by the end of the week to paint that bedroom.

Cool discovery

2007-02-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

When we pulled up the old linoleum in one of the bedrooms, we found 12 local news papers, and one Toronto Star from 1947. They were spread out under the floorin, so I took some time to sort them to see what I had (I guess that is the scrapbooker in me). They were all complete issues, and we are giving them to the local historical society. We spent a few hours reading them, and were fascinated by the old adds. There is also burlap under the linoleum in the bathroom. it is kind of neat to see what they did in the past, when decorating. The most common thing seems to be to just add another layer of linoleum. If the piece you have isn't big enough to cover the entire floor, paint the border to match the background.

Here it is!

2007-02-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks better outside than in at the moment. The second picture is of the den. It had the plaster ripped off before we looked at it, but it allowed us to see that the main house is of cut stone. The bottom picture is of the living room. We have pulled off all the linoleum tiles, and are in the process of pulling up the ply wood that was under it. Beneath that is another layer of linoleum, a felt backing and finally wide pine plank tongue and groove floors. We are taking it all back to the wood floor, except maybe the bathroom. I am still undecided on that. I finally figured out the layout for my kitchen, so we had to have the electrical moved, and put up dry wall. By the weekend I should have some of the rooms ready to paint. The three bedrooms, the living room, the dining room and the upper and lower hallways. I just have to pick a paint colour for my room. By the end of next weekend, the kitchen will be ready too. That leaves the bathroom, den and family room. All need a fair bit of work, So the bathroom is first. The other two can be completed after we move in if necessary. The yellow colour on the wall is going to be the main colour in the living and dining rooms, with different accent colours for each that will be tied together in the den which will open into both rooms.

ours at last

2007-01-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we got our house on Friday. Everything seemed to happen at the last minute with this house. We got financing an hour before the deadline, the mortgage insurance wasn't sent to the lawyer until after we were there to sign the papers, and the other law office made a mistake so it took until just before closing time for the lawyer to get everything registered. Well, we are in, and on our way to fixing things up so we can move in. I do believe that it pays to be a full tithe payer. There is another couple in our branch who bought a house and got possession the same day. They are gutting their kitchen, and we get all the cupboards and sink. We also get their dishwasher. They have a gas stove, which some friends of ours want (so we get their stove), andthe church is getting a new fridge, so we get the old one if there is not a greater need. It all just seems to be falling into place.

The North Pole

2007-01-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

I had a little boy, who had a winter birthday. He wanted to play in the snow, but we had none. I thought and I thought, and got an idea. I covered the furniture with white sheets, and decorated with shiny snowflakes. After making scarves of scrap pieces of fleece (you have to bundle up to play in the snow), we flew to the North Pole to have a snow ball fight. We used white balloons that I had blown up previously. This was the favourite game of the day, and the kids kept coming back to it throughout the party. He had a white cake, upon which Ihad built an igloo and a snowman outof marshmallows. It was a great way to turn six, and was enjoyed greatly by all.

YEAH!!!!!!

2007-01-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

I know I am WAY over due to write, but it has been crazy around here. Most of you know we were looking into a house earlier this month. Our offer was accepted, and then the stress of finding financing began. Our Dealine was 11:59 pm yesterday, but really 4:00 pm yesterday as the bank is the seller (apparently they go home then, too). We got the call yesterday at 3:00pm that the broker had found us the money. On January 19, 2007, we will be taking possesion of a 150 year old stone house. The work just begins then, as we have to put a kitchen in before we can live there (it was completely gutted). That is alright though, because Ontario Law requires us to give Two months notice to our Landlord. I will post pictures when I get some.

FINALLY!!!

2006-12-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

For those who didn't know it was happening, John's mom went to the temple yesterday. She recieved her endowments, was sealed to her parents, was sealed to Don and John and Jason were sealed to their parents. John's brother Don will be recieving the priesthood on Christmas Eve, so we will probably be going to the temple again before the end of 2007. We have certainly had some trials before going...I started losing my voice on Monday night, the thermostat went on my car, and John has been having back trouble since she decided to set a date. My voice came mostly back at the temple (I still can't sing), John is less stiff, so, I am hoping that the thermostat is an easy fix, and things settle down until after Christmas. Now we just have to get John's oldest two brothers to join the church.

Braces

2006-12-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

Kierstan got her braces on today. She got green elastics on the top, and red elastics on the bottom. (The orthodontist said he couldn't alternate them this time.) She goes back on January 3 for her second appointment. He said that she is still faily crowded, even with the expansion, and he may have to look at extraction, too. He also said that she may need head gear, as he needs to align vertically too. Kierstan is annoid by this, but we will just have to wait and see.

WATCH OUT!!!

2006-12-04T15:33:00.000-08:00

Well, he did it! Zac went for his driving test today and he got his G2! Now he is free to drive on his own, so count this as fair warning. Just kidding! He's pretty good. How did mom and dad survive the first time we took the cars out on our own???

pondering

2006-11-26T16:56:00.000-08:00

I sit and think of the ways that we let ourselves go. We quit doing some things, or caring about things we used to find important, and wonder what happened. I look back at how I was, and then I guess I got lazy in everything. The physical is what everyone sees, but how do we change back? What is the defining moment that kicks us in the but, and makes us CARE again? I saw a photo, of what I had become, and it hit me hard. I guess that if it is just in the mirror, we can pretend it isn't true. Between that, and someone not believing the picture on the wall was me at 19, I knew it was time. I have worked hard to change the physical aspect, and found myself beginning to care about the other aspects too. My interests became important again, and so did my house and family. As I become more aware of myself, I wonder if I am becoming vain, but realize that I am learning to respect myself. I think trhat is the key. If we respected ourselves in the first place, would we let ourselves go? I am thrilled to report that, while I was 217lbs a year and a half ago, I have managed to lose much of my excess weight. I am now 159lbs, and have only 4lbs to go to reach my goal (Family pictures being taken tomorrow, and anxious to compare with the one from two years ago). It has been a journey of self discovery. I am finding that some interests have resurfaced, and some are completely gone. The neat thing is the ones that I never knew existed. I have also found out what a strong and determined person I can be. It leaves me to ponder the kind of person I may yet become.

"All I Want for Christmas is My 3? Front Teeth"

2006-11-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, Parker lost his first tooth a couple weeks ago. He lost the second, two days later. He just lost his third tooth on Thursday morning, and the fourth tooth is on its way out. The two bottom front teeth are already growing in, and they pushed and are pushing the rest out. With any luck his jaw will grow, because these twonew ones are taking up theentire space of the four. It makes it a little hard for him to bite though. We may hve to change the song to "All I Want For Christmas is My Four front Teeth". He isn't complaining though, the tooth fairy is going broke.

catching up

2006-11-19T12:24:00.000-08:00

Mom thought this would be a good way to keep everyone posted on what we are doing, but I am apprehensive as always. It seems to take me awhile to get used to new computer programs, so with nervousness I begin. It seems a good Sunday activity. Since no one lives out here, and has seen our house , here is a pic. We are across the street from the St. Lawrence, and can see clear across to the USA. As this is the first enry, I will leave it here (until I see it and get accustomed to it.

five out east

The best turkey ever!

Temple Blessings

ups and downs

Trials and blessings

Sooo Blessed

Snow Balls

Blue Cheese!

SHOES!!!

Back from the West

Happiness

Happy Turkey Day!! (minus the turkey)

Highway of Heroes

Nostalgia

Military Family?

ZAC

Special boy!

Success!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Lookin' Good

Time to Brag!!!

Busy Month

Fan

Adventure

Quite a week

New Calling

New Year!

Everything is dying

so busy

Zac Update

Turn of events

not much to say

Reenacting in the cold

*SIGHS* OF RELIEF

Count Down

no more snow

I'm still here

Home at last

CRAZINESS!!!!

Sooooo Tired

Answers about Christmas Card

4X as long

Keep trying

Home at last

Starting again

Tough decisions bring unseen blessings

Are we done yet?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Another Discovery

a lop-sided world

OH MY!

Cool discovery

Here it is!

ours at last

The North Pole

YEAH!!!!!!

FINALLY!!!

Braces

WATCH OUT!!!

pondering

"All I Want for Christmas is My 3? Front Teeth"

catching up

SIGHS OF RELIEF