NATURE kids!

I took the kids out to one of the provincial parks in our area yesterday morning.  It has a wonderfully HUGE play structure.. a great view of the river and a very educational session for the kids sit (well mostly ☺) and listen, touch and learn about the wildlife where we live.

It was a beautiful day.. breezy but warm.  Here are some pictures of our day:

I would like to go back again before summer ends.. although I think fall would be wonderful there as well!

Ugly Duckling Chicken Pot Pie... huh?

OK... so I will agree with you all that is certainly not the nicest looking chicken pot pie I've made.  I always make mine with a double homemade crust.  But yesterday I just wanted to throw one together.. and honestly I did so about 45mins before hubby was expected home for dinner.  Thaw some chicken boobies (barley.. they are WAY easier to cut up when they are partly frozen anyway).  Chopped up a couple carrots, celery, onions and potato's... those I boiled.  So here comes they ugly part.  I've always wondered what a pot pie would be like with the bottom of the pie plate lined with bread.  Sooo... while my chicken was browning and I added my veggies... I lightly covered the bottom of my pie plate with some butter and then lined it with some whole wheat sliced bread.  Yup.. that's what I did.. broke a couple pieces in half for the sides. Squished them down a bit.... added some gravy to my filling... and pored it all in my pie plate.  Topped it with smashed potatoes.. a few dollops of butter.. and popped it in the oven for 30mins. 

It CERTAINLY didn't look as pretty as my usual pot pies.  BUT this quick verison of a "one pot" comfort food dinner did the trick.  The kids hated it... but they usually don't like pot pie anyway.  But hubby and myself thoroughly enjoyed it. 

OK... so I've held back the pictures long enough.. here you go gawk away at my ugly duckling chicken pot pie!!

(forgot to take a picture before I poured the filling in... so I took it from below.. thank goodness for glass pie plates!)

  And viola.. another dinner served that the kids hate...! ☺

Mess = FUN

I wish that I could be ok with my house looking like this more often.. but frankly my brain can not function and my mood is not *stabilized* if it is like this for more than a day or two (a functioning and stabilized mommy is a good thing! ☺☺).  But for the periods of time that it does look like this... it is fun!  Don't misunderstand me.  My kids DO make a mess when playing.  BUT when they are *done* and lunchtime or dinner time is approaching I am very happy to see the floor again.  I know there will come a time when I will miss all this craziness... but for now.. mess is fun... but I like clean-up at the end of the day too.  I'm teaching them skills right?  To take care of themselves and their stuff? ☺

Happy Thursday Y'all!

13.5lbs - yay me!

Slow and steady wins the race?  Well in my case this is true!  I am soo happy!  I've been steadily loosing weight... 13.5lbs to be exact!  And I have been able to keep it off!  Even with family visiting.  Even with going out to dinners.  Even with enjoying *some* desserts.  Even with just living!  I think I am FINALLY getting it!  In moderation.  Enjoy life.  Enjoy food... but be moderate.  I also remind myself of all my hard work up to this point when I get that feeling of just mowing down on everything insight.  That is what keeps me motivated to get out on my own and run as well.  I don't want to leave it for 3 or 4 days because then I just feel that much more behind. 

As for running,  I am still really enjoying it.  I really like pushing myself.  Seeing the results both on the scale, in my clothes and on the stop watch.  Taking time for me.  And I've meet some really great people too.  What I've learned is that you are never to old to get out there and get fit.  Soo many of the women that I have met inspire me.  There are days that I get down on myself.. and think "why didn't I start this sooner"... but that old saying is true "better late then never".  I am thankful that I have started at an age that I can see results relativity quickly.. and I won't break my hip in the process!! ☺☺

So yay.. I'm going to revel in my little accomplishment today... 13.5lbs lost... 38.5 to go!

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!

I am OVERJOYED to write this post!  5 days after having brain surgery.. the young man that I wrote about is HOME..  TODAY.. RIGHT NOW!  The doctors and nurses are in AMAZEMENT of his recovery.. he woke up ON HIS OWN.. while doctors were talking to his parents about the procedure they were considering to wake him from his comma.  He is walking.  Talking.  Joking around with his family.  All I can say is OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD! 

I don't know what you believe in.. but how can you deny a God that is soo good?  So powerful?  So merciful?  So gracious?  So fair? 

Our God is an awesome God!  In the good and the bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38V8jnN1Kpw

Blessings!  And hug your family and friends tonight!  And thank God for them!  Truly!

heat wave, flash thunderstorms, movies in 3D OH MY!

We've been having quite the heat wave where we live.. I think we are into week two.. but who's counting right?  I can't complain really.. we enjoy our time outside in our pool.. and share it with family and friends as much as possible.  Then we quickly dash into the air conditioned house... so again I can't complain.

However with this heat wave.. almost always comes some wicked storms.  The sky turns dark grey, then has a greenish ting.. then voila.. thunder, lightening and a down pouring of rain!

We've been stuck inside a few times this week and last.. sooo here are a couple of cute pictures I snapped of Gracie.  She wanted to watch Bobbi (aka Barbie)... in 3D but of course!  Enjoy some cutie pictures of my baby Grace!

Needless to say... I think Gracie is quite thankful for these flash thunderstorms.. she does enjoy her Bobbi.. in 3D!

PRAISE GOD!

Received GOOD NEWS today!  The young man that we've been praying for is out of the comma, talking, recognizing all his family members!!  God is SO good!  Even though we struggle and experience pain in life.. we can ALWAYS lean on God and know that he has a plan.  His plan is good.  He is in control.  He is all powerful!

Just wanted to share this AWESOME news!  The power of prayer!  A miracle - truly!

ANYTHING can happen...

Received some news today...not good.  I do not want to get into any details.  But we are PRAYING.. HARD!  My heart is just sinking with stress.. the waiting.. the unknown.  All we do know is that God is in control.

Cherish your family.  Love your friends.  Soak up all the time you can with your loved ones.. your children.  ENJOY life.  TRY to LOVE every minute of your life.. because we don't know when it will be our last.  Whatever 'problem' you seem to be facing right now.. it IS small.... YOU can face it. 

Praying for our friends and their family.  Oh Lord.. hold them in your arms.  Give them comfort.  Give them strength.  Give them hope.

HEAT + POOL + BBQ + WONDERFUL FRIENDS = a GREAT time!

Hosted a bbq/pool party/potluck tonight.. it was awesome.  Couples from our church that were also in our small group.  We loved having everyone over.. but more importantly we loved that we were able to share our home and our pool .. both of which are not ours.  Huhhhh?  Yes.. this technically is our home, pool, bbq etc... (the mortage is in our name and comes out of our account bi-weekly *sigh*).  But it's NOT OURS.  We feel soo completely blessed by God.  I don't understand why we have been blessed.. but we have.  And so what I do know and what we want to teach our children as well.. is that when you have something that you can share - THEN SHARE IT!  It wouldn't be as fun or satisfying to 'own' something if you couldn't share it and watch the joy it brings to the another person.

I guess it's kinda like the whole 'pass it on' message.. EXCEPT this one is better.. share what you have.. but MORE IMPORTANTLY share the message of salvation through Christ Jesus who died for YOUR sins.. accept Him into your heart and you will have eternal life.

We are soo very thankful that we were lead to this home with the property and all the amenities... but WE do understand that it is not OURS.. and we can't TAKE IT WITH us... so...  Lets enjoy it.  Share it.  Be thankful for it.  And remember WHO it came from.

Blessings to your weekend.. and spread some joy where you can ☺

Blueberries! Blueberries! Blueberries.. everywhere!

I went blueberry picking last night for the first time.  And it was a lot of fun!  As I stood and picked (and sometimes sat down).. I was listening to the birds and the breeze.. and I could just picture what it would have been like a long time ago.. when ladies would gather their baskets and gather their children and spend the day picking wild blueberries.  It was just so peaceful.  It was strange.. who would have thought going to pick blueberries would be peaceful - but it was! 

Since going strawberry picking and blueberry picking for the first time this year.. I have now developed a serious appreciation for food (I didn't think that was even possible!).  The time spend planting, growing and watering them (which I have not mastered quite yet).  Harvesting and storing them in many ways for our family and friends enjoyment during the months when we are not so fortunate to just go out and pick fresh fruit or vegetables.

Last night was just wonderful... and even more wonderful was watching my children enjoy fresh blueberries on their cereal this morning!  And for me .. enjoying them topping my yogurt, granola and flax seeds!

Ran Tonight..

Ran tonight.  At night.  On the road.  With my awesome new running best friend.  Love it.  It was hard.  These were all firsts for me (well except lovin' it and being hard.. 'cause I feel that all the time).  My sentences are simple and to the point because it's 11:08pm my day is finally ending after doing all my 'motherly' and 'wifely' duties.. and picked 8litres of blueberries (before I ran thank-you).

So I am done...  I am going to shower... and HIT MY PILLOW!

Nightie night.  And THANK-YOU ALYSON! ☺☺

Yes YOU always knew what I needed..

I am finally feeling like I am taking root here in our new town.  It has taken me 22 months.. but it feels like my life is starting to focus again.  Now that I have made it to 'the other side'.. I can look back and see what I came through from, how much I've changed, the bad that was part of me and just my soul has been overhauled.  Thank you Jesus.  That's who I have to thank.  God always knew my heart.  I am thankful that he is in my life, directing me, coaching me, holding me and just loving me.. just the way I am.  But I am thankful that he sees potential in me.  Wow - thank you.

We are settling into a new church.  There is something strange though.. I feel like I've always attended there.  The message .. is well.. the truth.. and that is first and foremost important to our family.  But the people.. other believers.. it just feels like home.  I am really starting to feel like I am apart of a family, our church family.  We've hosted a small group, I am now in a ladies book study for the summer and we've had several social bbq's.  It just feels right.

I've also started running.  God must have known that's what I needed.  For me.  He knew my desire to be healthy, stronger to loose weight and be happy.   I have to say I do love running.  I like the way it makes me feel, I like that I am able to just strap on running shoes and go.  As a parent you want to be a good example, to do the right thing and show them love, but I will never forget when my husband told me that our son Gabriel was running after me when I passed them as they were cheering me on at my race.  WOW!  And I will also never forget my daughter Ava telling me that she wants to run just like me.  That made my heart explode!  WOW!  I can have that kind of an affect on my kids. 

God also knew that I needed to be surrounded by good friends and I am starting to make those here as well.  My heart is feeling settled and happy.  I am really starting to understand who I am.  The example I want to be to my family.  The wife I want to be.  The person I want to be.  These last 22 months has really changed me.. and previous two and half years before our move.  What a roller coaster life it's been.  But if I didn't go through all the trials and hard times.. I wouldn't be where I am today.  I wouldn't be who I am today.  But most importantly my heart wouldn't be open to God to say: "Yes Lord.. where you want me to be.  Yes Lord.. what you want me to do". 

My life is his.. and all I can say is Thank You.

on the Track again...

OK.. so my first night with a new running group that I joined was track work.  Saaayyy what?!  Shissh I haven't been on a track since grade 8.... surprisingly I *was* athletic.. *sorta*... I used to run the 200, 400 and 800.  I also use to compete in shot put (actually I broke the record at the year end meet)... ok ok... I'm done with my "younger days" stories...

So anyway.. I have to admit it was totally weird and awkward being on the track again.. and doing 'track work'.. but I loved it!  It made me feel focused.. and I really enjoy the coaching and I am feeling like I am getting better, faster and stronger. 

I am getting used to all this running talk.. but I am slowly getting the hang of it!

I DID IT!

I did it!  OK.. so I am totally playing catch up... my head just feels soo scattered right now.. but here I am.

I ran my first 5k on Canada Day!  It was soo exciting!  It was soo hard!  It was soo fun!  It was soo wonderful to see my family and friends cheer me on!

I ran the longest that I've ever been able to do.  I ran 15 mins straight.. that got me to the half way mark, I had to walk 1 minute.. then again for 30 seconds, then I finished the 5k.

My totally running time was 32:00.  I've been told that is a really good time considering it was my first run.. but to be honest.. I was a bit disappointed in myself.  I can't explain why.. but I was just hoping to do better.  But that's ok.. I have new goals.  What I like about running is it is a race only against myself.  Always trying to do better.

I feel soo supported by my family and running friends.  For the first time in my life I am taking time for myself.  I am sticking to something.  I am enjoying something.. just for me.  And I am seeing results... so far I have lost 12.5lbs.  I enjoy running.  I enjoy the way I am eating now.  I really do feel like my life is changing.. and more importantly I can handle it.

That's me ☺☺  I will continue to update y'all on my running adventures!

Yeah.. I'm here.. somewhat..

Hi y'all... I'm still here.. just trying to beat the major heat wave we've been having.  I have a lot to blog about but for some reason.. I just can't get my thoughts together.. Lots of new stuff in our lives.. if anyone is interested.. or waiting.. I will blog about them soon. 

But for NOW... I'm going to crash on the couch with my hubby and enjoy some quiet time!