Day 7 - Favourite Movies

So...it's movies today. I think in day 1 I said that I'm not a big movie person...and it's true. Do you know how hard it is to find a good, clean, quality, character development movie? That's why I say it's too much work. I've tried to like chick flicks but 99% of the time I'm horribly disappointed in them (which is sad when Jason tries to be nice and takes me to one!) However, there are a few movies out there that I do really enjoy.

1. Shawshank Redemption - this is probably my favourite movie ever. It has everything I could want in a movie. It is one of the few times I have ever walked out of a movie theatre and said "Wow. That was good."

2. Letters to Juliet - I just watched this movie at Christmas and it was sweet and touching and I put it on my "I could own this movie" list.

3. Ella Enchanted - Fun, witty and thoroughly enjoyable. A great mix of fantasy and romance (with a song or two thrown in).

4. Anne of Green Gables - I loved the books and I love the movies. Spirited, amusing and such a simple place and time. I watch them at least once a year (that's a lot for me!)

5. Apollo 13 - I don't know why I really like it but I do. It was a good movie.

6. Pirates of the Caribbean - OK...the plot kinda sucked and making a movie based on a ride is just silly (the second two really sucked) but Johnny Depp's character simply made this movie. Seriously, they could take everything else out and leave Johnny Depp and that would be just as good. I can't actually say I love the movie but Johnny Depp made it fun! PS Speaking of Johnny Depp (an amazing actor, in my opinion) I also really enjoyed Edward Scissorhands but this list is getting long for a person who doesn't really like movies!

There you go...a few of my favourites and, to be honest, I don't have much more than that on my shelf! (I do have a few and Jason has more than that).

Until next time...

Day 6 - A Picture of Something That Makes You Happy

Well, there are so many things that make me happy and I was trying to decide which way to go! I can think of simple little things like chocolate covered chocolate chip cookie dough. Or, there is the obvious and I can say my family. Or, I could think of one special time in my life like my wedding, the birth of my kids or a favourite trip to France. I could think of family vacations from my childhood. Or making cakes in my EZ-Bake oven and taking them to my favourite teacher. I could think of school and learning new things or coffee dates with friends. There's also hanging out with my husband for a whole day or playing with snow in the tub. All these things make me happy, but I wanted to stick with one photo! Now, while my family does make me happy, there are photos of them all over my blog...just go back a few posts so I wanted to do something different and this is what came to mind...water.

Now you'll think I'm strange...especially for a prairie girl who has lived pretty much her whole life in a land-locked province! It's true, though, there is something about water in nature that just soothes me. I can feel a physical reaction when I get close to it. I relax. I calm. It's amazing. This is always where I have felt closest to God - when I'm sitting in front of some water. It's not any one type, either...it could be a pristine lake in norther Saskatchewan, a stream winding through the bush behind a friend's farm, a waterfall tumbling down a mountainside, the vast expanse of the ocean in front of me...these all have the same effect. It is best when there are few other people around. In fact, I'd rather wander the rocky shoreline of a body of water than sit on the beach with a bunch of other people. There's something about the power and the majesty there...something that always makes me stand in awe of my Creator. I love it. Too bad I now (and for the last 15 years) live in a place where lakes are few and sometimes even man-made. Though, I think this makes the joy of visiting these places even greater. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE where I live!) Anyway, we went out to the Oregon coast a couple years back and drove Route 101 along the coast. This is one of my favourite photos of the highway travelling along the ocean!

There you go!

As for other life things...we did fill the tub with snow and then play in it this morning! It was great fun (mostly for Xander) and we built a snowman, threw snowballs and shovelled. It was a bit cold to go outside so this was a really nice break! It is also amazing how long it takes a tub full of snow to melt. We had to help it along! That's about all that's interesting since yesterday!

Until next time...

Day 5 - Your Favourite Recipes

Ohhh, yummy! This is a bad one because now I wanna make all this stuff that I so shouldn't eat (at least not in the quantities I cook!!) I enjoy cooking...more than that, I enjoy baking. Desserts are actually my thing. I enjoy making a nice meal, too, but if there's no dessert it is just wrong! My Mom is a fabulous cook and I like to think that I've inherited/learned some of that from her. I love to look at recipes but I like old, tried and true recipes...ones that people actually prepare and eat. My favourite cookbooks are the fundraiser ones put out by schools and churches because I know people actually eat them! However, time and having to do it everyday sometimes saps the creativity and desire! These are a few of my favourites:

Main courses:

Pineapple Chicken - delicious with rice and SOOO easy to make!!

6 to 8 pieces of chicken

3/4 c brown sugar

2/3 c ketchup

1/2 c vinegar

1 can pineapple pieces plus juice

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp soya sauce

Mix together everything but the chicken. Pour over chicken in a roaster and bake, uncovered at 375 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Chicken & mushroom stew (this is THE BEST the next day...I love mine on a toasted sandwich and I substitute grape juice for wine because we never have wine in the house)
3 tbsp of olive oil
8 x chicken thighs
1 lb. of cremini or button mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 x Portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 x onions, sliced
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup of wine, red or white, your choice
salt and pepper
Preheat a large skillet over a medium-high heat then add the oil and a single layer of the chicken thighs. Because you will be adding liquid and lowering the temperature of the chicken, this is the only opportunity you will have to add the rich flavours of caramelized chicken - so be patient. Brown evenly on both sides. When they are done remove and rest on a side plate. Pour off most of the accumulated fat.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté first until they begin to release their juices then as they start to become golden brown. Place the chicken thighs back into the pan; then add the stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow simmer; a boil will toughen the meat. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid so that no moisture escapes and simmer slowly until the meat is very tender and falling off of the bone, about 45 minutes.

Now to the desserts - I have so many! The biggest hit this Christmas was actually chocolate dipped chocolate chip cookie dough. I found a cookie dough recipe that didn't include eggs (it was made so you could eat it raw) and then just dipped them in chocolate - SO good. I also make a version of Reese Peanut Butter cups but as balls and mint patties...mmmm, I love chocolates. Another big hit is my banana cream square (I make it in a 9x13 pan because pies don't keep their shape, anyway!) It's so simple - graham crumb crust, slice bananas on top of that, add instant vanilla pudding over that and top with whipped cream - HUGE hit and TOO easy!

The two that first popped into my mind, though, are Skor Trifle (this is Jason's favourite and always his request!) and hot fudge pudding!

Skor Trifle

Cake:
1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c boiling water
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c oil
2 tsp vanilla

Layers:
1 tub Cool Whip or whipping cream
6 SKOR chocolate bars
1 lg pkg & 1 sm pkg instant chocolate pudding

Cake: Combine all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Cut into 1 inch squares.

Layers: Prepare whipping cream. Crush bars. Prepare instant pudding according to directions. Put a layer of chocolate cake squares in a large glass bowl (huge). Pour half chocolate pudding over cake. Spread half of Cool Whip over pudding. Sprinkle half crushed bars over Cool Whip. Repeat. Eat at your own risk :)

Hot Fudge Pudding - I haven't had this in ages because it's best eaten hot but it's kinda much...though as I'm now reading, a 9x13 pan is a double recipe so maybe this would be doable. I've never made it smaller than a double!! :D

1 c sifted flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa
Sift the above together in a bowl and make a well.
1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp melted butter
Pour above into well
Beat together and add 1/2 c nuts (optional). Turn batter into a greased pan (9x13 for a double recipe)

Mix together:
1/2 c white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
Sift over mixture in pan.

Pour 1c cold water over mixture. Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. Turn upside down to serve.

This has a nice chocolatey sauce - yummy!!

I could go on and on, but I won't. These are a sample of my favourites!

I'm really enjoying this 30 day thing. Today was quiet around here as there was no school so the boys wanted to go to Auntie's house. It's been kinda nice having some peace and quiet as spring seems SOOO far away right now (coming from someone who doesn't usually care how long winter is, as long as she doesn't have to drive on icy roads!). It will come sometime. It's been really nice this week but it's hard to get outside too much during the week and, of course, it's supposed to be cold tomorrow! Oh well.

Until next time...

Day 4 - My Parents

My parents...I love them to pieces! Everybody says this and lots of us mean it but I have the best parents! My Dad is a retired teacher and now works as a pastor at a small town church. My Mom is a nurse, though she stayed home with us for most of my growing up years. So picture this...6 kids all on a teacher's salary. Now that I am grown up I have finally realized how little there must have been to go around and yet we never wanted for anything! We always had everything we needed (not that it was brand name) and were content. We went on vacations and had a lot of fun as a family. I had friends growing up who thought we were rich...my dad just knows how to shop a deal! (He still does and would probably love to tell you about his latest!) I learned so much from my parents growing up. They were great examples of how to love the Lord and to love others. Their faithfulness to God and the church we grew up in (through good AND bad times) was a great example to me. My Mom is one of the most hospitable people I know and it is great to be adult friends with her! My Dad is full of wisdom that we get to benefit from! My parents aren't big gift givers (though we do get gifts) but they are always willing to give of their time. When it's at all feasible, they will drive 5 hours to come to their grandkids birthday parties or child dedications or just to visit. If something is wrong, they have been known to drop everything and come help. I really appreciate that so much. Anyway, that is just a bit about my parents! I love them so much and I even have a picture to show you (it's good, too - my Mom hates having her picture taken and she always says that as someone's trying to take a picture so then we get a picture of her talking! ;) )

Edit: I had something I was gonna say then forgot when I was posting this but now I remembered so I'll post it! One of my favourite things that my Dad always taught me was that attitude is a choice. Circumstances are just that and it's how you choose to react to them that matters!

Until next time...

Day 3 - Your First Love

I was trying to think of something clever to write, but alas, I am only clever when there is no one to hear (or in such a nerdy way that no one else thinks it's clever!!) Though, when I told my husband the topic, his immediate reply was "chocolate". Hmm, I thought, I do love my chocolate...darker is better - not a big fan of the milk version and white is not a chocolate!! I'd always shop at those boutique chocolate shops, if they weren't so expensive!

Anyway, my first love...this seems to be a popular answer but it is my husband! I had silly school girl crushes when I was a kid but never really even had a boyfriend. I had some good guy friends but that was about as far as it went. As I grew up and moved away, I realized that I could never have dated, let alone married any guy I knew in high school! However, I did meet my husband about a week after I left home! I went to this new church (since it was a new city and all) and got introduced to some college & career aged girls. One of them introduced me to this guy named Jason (gee, born mid-'70s, aren't they all named Jason? My brother is, too - quirky fact). I was honestly immediately intrigued but we didn't start dating right away (though, within the year :) ). My dear brother Jason liked to play "match-maker" and would invite the other Jason (see how hard this gets?) over to watch football or do other things. We dated for 5 years and were married in 2002, so it will be 9 years this spring! I'm not a big romantic, sappy kinda person so I don't have lovey dovey kinda stuff to write so I'll just leave you a photo of the happy couple taken this past Christmas Eve - as much in love as ever :).

Until next time...

Day 2 - Meaning Behind Your Blog Name

Well, today's post should be incredibly easy because I am so incredibly not clever in naming things!! My blog name is really very basic - it is what it says it is. We are the Berkans and this is our life - you can join us here, if you want!! Every once in a while I come up with something clever but not usually when I actually need it so guess you'll just have to live with my boring old blog name! Also, unlike some of my friends my name is not an actual word that can fit into really cute little sayings :) It'd be more fun if it did!

Really, not much else has gone on around here today...just the usual. Well, I did get to have coffee (well, tea and water) with a lady from church this morning and we had a fantastic visit! I can't wait to do it again. Now, I really should be doing dishes and getting ready for care group tomorrow night so I guess I'll go...I don't have any more photos edited to show you, either, so this is kinda a boring post. Since these 30 days are all about me, I guess you've learned that sometimes I'm boring :). I did forget to mention that these prompts came from Heather who is a designer over at ScrapMatters (my favourite forum to hang out at) so hi all you SM girls dropping by!!

Until next time...

Day 1 - Introduction, Photo and 15 INTERESTING Facts!!

Well, today is the day...I'm starting the 30 days of blogging and here is post number 1! I really should do this before late at night but who knows if that will ever happen!

An introduction...who am I? You know, I hate that question. I'm me. That's who I am. There are just too many facets to really be able to explain. I'm a wife to Jason, a mother to Alexander, Evan and Jonathan, a daughter, an aunt, a cousin, a sister, a friend, an acquaintance, a nerd, that strange lady at the Robert Munsch concert, an accountant by trade, a stay at home mom by choice...yet none of these fully describes who I am. In fact, all of these together still don't describe who I am. I guess the closest I can come is that I am a unique child of my Heavenly Father. Maybe the 15 interesting facts will help you to peer into who I might be!

First, the recent photo of me. Do you know how hard these are to find?!!??! I am behind the camera, basically unless I hand it to someone else and tell them to get some photos with me in them! Though, at that point, they tend to seem a bit forced! :) Plus, I got a bad haircut just before Christmas so a lot of my photos (without my hair done) are not what I really wanted to post. I do have a couple cute ones from Christmas Eve when we were opening gifts so here is one of me with my eldest son.

Now, I'm not so sure there are actually 15 interesting facts about me. I guess that will depend on your definition of interesting!! i'll try to make these as good as possible so that you won't get bored! Here they are (in no particular order):

1. I am the second oldest of six kids. I loved having so many siblings growing up. It was especially fun to watch people as we would pile out of the van. Fairly often, you could see people standing there and counting as we came out - especially when we would go on vacation and have an extra person or two along! It really did make us laugh! However, I have no desire to have six kids of my own!

2. I have taken the Wilton Cake Decorating course, Levels 1, 2 and 3. I enjoy making cakes but I mostly do them for my kids. I have made 3 wedding cakes in my time (and I was a photographer for one wedding but that was my sister!)

3. I love to travel. My favourite places to travel are: anywhere I've never been before and whatever place I just finished reading about! :) Currently, on my dream trip list are: Galapagas Islands, Egypt, Austria, New Zealand and the Antarctic.

4. I went to university on a full scholarship and I managed to maintain it for all four years! (That's how I came out debt free!)

5. I have taught Sunday School to 2 and/or 3 year old kids for 10 of the last 13 years (and I love them...they are so smart and have such great memories!)

6. I have a great memory! I have been asked if it was photographic. No - I don't think so, but I don't think it's far off!

7. I have a genetic, degenerative eye disease called Lattice Dystrophy. It affects the corneas. Obviously, I've had it all my life but it wasn't diagnosed until I was 18 years old. Trust me, some of the comments you get from eye doctors aren't particularly encouraging when you're 12 and they have no clue what's wrong!

8. I am horrible at finishing projects but I usually have a list of 5 or 6 on the go and about 20 or 30 more that I want to do!

9. I love school. Always have, always will. I miss high school (not the social part but the academics) because you got to learn a bit of everything. University it too specific! I'm excited that my boy is in kindergarten and I can't wait until I get to help him with homework (they'll probably never need my help and I'll be sorely disappointed!) So, maybe I actually just love learning.

10. I am generally an optimistic person. One of my favourite quotes is by a guy named Gilbert Keith Chesterton and goes like this "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." This is especially true on vacation - just ask me about first days in foreign countries!

11. I wish a spoke a second language fluently. I know some French (more if I only have to read it) but I am NO WHERE near fluent in it.

12. I'm not a fan of movies. Don't know why and occasionally I really like to watch them but I guess I'm just really picky about which ones I watch so it seems like too much work. I hate having to say "That was a good movie, except...." I'd rather play a game.

13. I would rather do algebra than geometry.

14. I have a knack for picking out the most expensive item from a series, even when I don't know the prices. I call it an eye for quality - you can call it whatever you want!

15. I made it to the last one and am having trouble coming up with something. Hmmm... I love curling. I used to play but I don't anymore. I love to watch it, though. I look forward to February - April so that I can watch the Brier, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and whichever world's is broadcast that year. The men's world championships are here this year and I have had tickets since September.

I made it through today's post and I hope you've learned a bit more about me!

Until next time...

More Photos Before I Start...

OK, tomorrow I start the 30 day blog! But, before then, I want to share some more photos. Not much has happened since I last blogged! Saturday we went downtown and I was going to get my watch sized. The salesman seemed surprised but I couldn't get it done up. When he looked at it, he told me that it was a common mistake with this watch but BOTH sides of the clasp open. Apparently, he was surprised because these watches (my birthday present!) usually fit big. In fact, he did end up taking a link out! Slight blond moment! I also spent the gift card my Mom & Dad got me for Christmas. I got a new winter coat, which I really needed so that was good (I didn't get the pretty one I really wanted but it would have still been $230 on top of the gift card so maybe another time!) Today was busy with church and then a meeting at church tonight but it was all good. Now I am just relaxing a bit! Here are some more photos from December!

We went on our very first school field trip just before Christmas. It was to Government House and was a lot of fun. I love that, at this age, they still want you to come with them and sit on the bus with them! The Christmas decorations were really beautiful...I was glad to get to see them because we had missed the family Christmas party that was held there the week before. Part of what the kids got to do is decorate a gingerbread cookie.

Here is Xander's cookie. He ate it for snack when they got back to school! Only my son doesn't totally cover it in icing!
A couple days later and you can actually see Jonathan's tooth!
My dear cousin got married just before Christmas so we went to her wedding in Saskatoon. I had some photos from the wedding that I had a lot of fun playing with and editing. I really like how the second one turned out, actually!
This is 3 out of the 4 of us who used to hang out together growing up. We are all within about 1 1/2 to 2 years of each other and it was great having cousins so close in age!
Of course, we had to go watersliding at the hotel. The boys LOVED it but it was a lot of stairs for Jason to do over and over again so they didn't get to go as much as they wanted to!

That takes me up to the week before Christmas. I'll try to post a few photos with my 30 days blog posts, too!

Until next time...

More Photos!

Well, December will continue...at least here on my blog. I've gotten some more photos edited. But first, some chatter! I'm surprised that it's only been a week since I last posted - it seems like longer! Not much has been going on around here...which is good. A few things have gotten accomplished and some things haven't...that's just the way it goes. I did buy an exercise DVD before Christmas and I finally got around to starting it this week. I did the easiest level and I am so sore!!! I don't think that I've ever been sore after a workout before so either it's really tough or I'm REALLY out of shape (I'm guessing the second one may have something to do with it). However, I made it through the second time today and am proud of that! It'll be good since it is so hard to get to the gym now. Guess I'll just have my own little gym at home! Hopefully this will help my back, too. For some time now I've had a really stiff back every morning. It goes away after a bit but is really annoying. It was suggested to me that exercising would help and since I wanted to, anyway, I am trying to kill two birds with one stone!

Anyway, here are some photos from December that I have finally gotten edited:

Sorry! Sliders - this is one of Xander's new games...he got it for his birthday and he just loves it! It's kinda like curling, too, so that's fun. Even Evan can play it so it's great because the whole family can join in!

The boys are finally eating the candy canes (I won't mention that these are leftover from LAST Christmas :) ). Evan's not the biggest candy fan but it's so much fun to make a sticky, sweet mess!
Jonathan's getting a tooth! You can't really see it well here, but on your right, his left...there is a tooth coming in. At this point in time, it was really more of a bump!

Jonathan loves his big brothers. Here he is following Xander around the living room. It is so sweet to see his face light up when he sees them and they talk to him or play with him!
Trying to stand...seriously?!?!! He's about 6 1/2 months old here and I am SO not ready for the whole standing/walking thing! The other boys didn't learn to walk until they were almost a year!
Our ticket to the Wizard of Oz...I believed I blogged about how crazy this week was! The show was OK but not as spectacular as I was hoping for.

That takes me up to December 16 - see I'm getting there! I've edited a few more photos but not in order so hopefully I'll have more to post soon!

I've also decided to do a fun little challenge. Do you think I can blog for 30 days straight? One of the girls on a forum I frequent is doing this and wanted some people to do it with her, so I will try. Basically, you get to learn a little more about me for thirty days. Every day, I will blog something about myself. We're using a series of prompts to get us started...if anyone out there wants to join me, I'll be starting Monday. Let me know so I can follow yours, too! Here is the list of prompts that we will be using:

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your favorite recipes
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite TV shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-What's in your makeup bag
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

Well, it's late so I'd best head off now!

Until next time...

December - the first week!

Well, I haven't gotten a lot of photos edited but here are the ones I have! This is roughly the first week of December in review. I was hoping to get more accomplished today but I am pretty pleased that we got the boys' room cleaned and organized today. I'm trying to get it all arranged so Jonathan can move in, too, and some of their toys can join them upstairs! Otherwise, we're trying to stay inside and off the roads! It keeps snowing and by Friday evening, the roads were crazy slippery. I did have a great day on Friday helping out at Xander's school. It was a lot of fun to chat with some of the other Moms and do some work for the teachers!

Here are the photos I have...

Time to decorate the Christmas tree! It's fun that the boys can help now...I still have to do all the unfun stuff (fluff the tree, put on the lights etc.) but I try to do that while they're in bed so we can do the fun stuff together!
We did advent calendars this year for the first time. We got these really cool ones from LEGO. Each day had a different little LEGO character or item to build. The boys loved them - Jason even got one for himself, too!

This is our other advent calendar. It's a bunch of little books that you read and then hang on the tree. It's kinda fun! Every night, we would read a book, hang it on the tree and then do the LEGO calendar. The boys loved the books, too - they took turns - one would take it out and the other would hang it on the tree!
Playing patty-cake - this became one of his favourite things. We don't play patty-cake much now but he still really loves clapping!
This was the day of Xander's birthday party! It was really sweet that he WANTED to help me clean the bathroom. If that's what he wants to do on the day of his birthday than I am perfectly happy to let him! He's also old enough that his helping actually helps, too! :D
Then came the fun part...party and cake! This is what he finally settled on - a football stadium. I wasn't necessarily thrilled because I figured it would be a lot of work. It kinda was but it turned out so cute! Those green gummy bears are the Riders and the red ones are the Stamps!
Here the boys are playing with one of Xander's gifts - a paint set! He just loves crafts and, of course, little brother must tag along to everything big brother does!
This is one of my ornaments. I got this idea this year to hang Christmas balls from ribbons. I put them in my kitchen window and thought they looked really pretty! I always feel like I need a bit more Christmas in the kitchen so they were great for that, too!
My baby - growing up so fast! The time is just flying and he is still as content as ever!

Part of the fun of Christmas! I showed my boys Christmas orange peel elephants! They thought this was great and, while they didn't master it, they would pull of pieces and tell me "that's a race track"!

More birthday! Xander and I made cupcakes for his class for his birthday. I iced and he put on the Smarties. He made patterns on some of them because that's what they were learning about at school!
December...the time of so little sunlight! I can't remember if this was sunrise or sunset (I think sunset) but you see both regularly at this time of year!

Well, that takes me to the eighth of December. I'll have to get more photos edited but now it's time for bed! Oh yeah, I turned 33 this week, too! Obviously very important since I blogged about it and all! I can never remember how old I am, anyway, so the birthday thing doesn't bother me. We had care group on my birthday, anyway. One of the other ladies had a birthday two days before me so our leader's wife brought birthday cake for us - it was very yummy! The day before my birthday, I went out with Jason and the boys. We went to Tony Roma's for VERY yummy ribs (for me, anyway). Also, they baked me a cake (since Xander doesn't like ice cream cake) and we had that for dessert! It was nice to have a quiet birthday!

Well, I'd best head off to bed now!

Until next time...

My Favourite Verse

Hi all...pictures next time, I promise!

I was thinking about this and just wanted to share. Growing up in Christian circles, especially, you're often asked what your favourite Bible verse, book of the Bible etc is. I always hated those questions because as soon as someone asked, I would blank and not be able to come up with anything. Also, I never really had a "favourite" verse...my favourite was always the one that God was using to challenge me at the moment and that was constantly changing. So I never picked a life verse or anything like that. But recently, I've realized that I do have a favourite verse(s). I never would have thought of them when someone asked but they've always stuck with me. And they're in Daniel of all places. In my quiet time, I'm in Daniel...I'll admit, it's not the first book that I jump to. Then, our pastor announced his next sermon series on...you guessed it...Daniel. This was just about the same time that my 3 year old really took to the Veggie Tales version of Daniel in the Lions Den...do you see a pattern? Can't escape that Daniel! (Rack, Shack and Benny was a favourite about 2 favourites ago). I get it, already :). But the combination has meant that I've heard a bunch of this stuff multiple times lately. I've also realized that my two favourite verses are in there (they've been favourites since I was a teenager, I just never realized it). They're from the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and they are in answer to King Nebudchenezzer's threat to throw them in the fiery furnaace

Daniel 3:17, 18

¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

I realized that this is what I have always wanted for my life...to have such faith and conviction that I can say "God can do this but if He chooses not too, I will serve Him anyway".

Just thought I'd share.

Until next time (and pictures)....

Now it's January

Well, Christmas is over and we all survived...had fun even!! We did have a good time with family and really enjoyed the break from school and work. It was very relaxed. At new year's we had Christmas with my family at my sister's place in Loon Lake. It was a good time. We got to take the kids out sledding and they just LOVE it! Everyone was there except my one brother whose flight was delayed so he didn't make it. My other brother and my parents both got home from vacation in time to celebrate with us all. We had a couple days of routine again this week and it took me a bit to settle back in. Things have changed a bit, too, since the boys learned how to sleep in towards the end of vacation...until 9 a.m., even! This could make getting out to Mom's group next week a challenge but we'll figure it out.

I have a whole bunch of pictures picked out for December. I edited some and was going to post them until I realized that I haven't resized them for the web yet so I guess I'd better do that before I can post. It's late and it will take too much time so I will post them in a day or two! I hope you are all having a fantastic 2011!!

Until next time...