Caution: Fun Zone!

Jack loves trucks (and cars). He races big ones around the house at high speed and plays for a long time with little ones, driving them over tabletops and furniture and Mommy and Daddy and himself. He calls each a "ruck." So this year his party was all about trucks and other construction vehicles—and dirt, of course.

We had various snacks, including Muddy Buddies (not shown), served with a toy shovel. Yum! I had never made them before, but I may make them again :-). The tablecloth was the "road" (thanks to a creative mom  for this and other party inspiration). And I was excited to find truck balloons at the dollar store. 

It was a super fun party to plan. (I have to admit that I adore planning parties. It's just got a whole lot more fun since I've had a little guy. My husband teases that I start planning one party before the current one is even over. He's exaggerating—but just a bit.) While I love to spend plenty of time collecting ideas online and finding thematic products to make the party extra splendid, I still have a ton to do the week before the actual party. Ha! (I'll probably never quite kick my super-ingrained procrastination habits.)

Of course, a party's not a party without people to join in and celebrate, and we're really grateful for everyone who made it fun.

Some of the loads of fun we had:

Eating dirt (crushed Oreos, pudding, cake, gummy worms) cake!

 

We had games, a craft, a pinata and trucks for play.  A wonderful friend let us borrow her stoplight for extra fun.

We decorated with caution tape and "road signs" (and balloons and streamers of course). (I found some signs at Mardel and printed some off that I found online or adapted.) All of the kids got a construction hat and a party horn.

Favor bags—I love having fun with candy molds; these ones were dump trucks. And candy rocks, as it turns out, are delish!

Now, off to third birthday party planning! Just kidding (sort of). I do already have a possible theme in mind...

Celebrate September

September might as well be called Celebratember in our family (except that would be a mouthful). It is filled with birthdays and all of the fun that comes with them. It kicks off with our oldest nephew's birthday, followed by our oldest niece. Another nephew, me, and my husband follow.

The month of celebration is especially nice after a summer during which two close family members left us to go to heaven. Lots of balloons and party hats and candles and smiling children can't help but bring a little joy.

The only slight wrinkle in the September bliss was my birthday. The celebration itself (over the weekend since I had a Sunday birthday) was lovely—a family trip to the zoo, eating out (for free!) at several favorite restaurants, dessert fondue with great girlfriends, cheesecake with family members, opening presents and cards—but it struck me as that birthday when I had to be grown up for good. Yep, I'm now 30.

I mentioned this to my husband. His response? I am pretty much already grown up if I am married and have a child. No turning back on this grown-up thing now, I guess. Still, it seems my 20s were still sort of "young." And it is when so many big, exciting things happened in my life—college graduation, the launching of my career, engagement, marriage, my son's birth, new friends. It feels to me as if that particular "young" chapter in my life is closed (which it is) and I am officially old (please don't snicker, people who are much older than me :-).

A few days after I turned 30, life seemed a whole lot less grim. I didn't feel really that old (although I do have plenty of gray hair). I felt like life was fresh with possibilities.

Exciting new things continue to happen in my life, regardless of my big birthday. My family is healthy and happy and wonderful. God is good and gracious and faithful, no matter how old I am. And that fills me with all the joy a 30-year-old heart can hold.

Money-Saving Monday: Family fun

Saving money doesn't have to be painful. Consider these suggestions (and please share yours!) for free or cheap ways to enjoy meaningful family time this summer. Actually, I've discovered that some of the cheaper activities are sometimes the most fun and memorable.

• Get outdoors: Pack a picnic and play in a nearby stream afterward, go for a walk in the woods or on the beach, go for a night hike with flashlights, play at a park you don't usually go to, fly a kite, throw a ball or Frisbee, play tennis, camp in the backyard, splash in a neighborhood pool (usually cheap), go berry picking, or invite a few friends over to run through the backyard sprinkler or play on a slip and slide. If it's raining, don rain boots and coats and let the kids splash away through the neighborhood. Even if you're not a child or don't have children, some of these activities can be very refreshing and fun.
• Cook together: Make a homemade pizza—or another dish that everyone can have a part in—adding sauce, cheese, and creative toppings. Then, make sundaes for dessert. Provide as many toppings as you can think of—nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream, fudge, bananas, candy pieces—and admire and sample each other's creations. Or make cookies (or one giant cookie) and decorate them together. If the weather's nice, enjoy a cookout in your backyard that everyone helps to prepare, and play outdoor games together. 
• Find free fun: You may have free (or cheap) attractions, festivals, concerts, or other family friendly fun within driving distance that you've never before experienced. Take in an evening of music in the park or browse a hometown museum. Also, several stores—including Home Depot and Micheal's—offer free crafts and activities for kids on certain days.
• Stay home: Pop some popcorn or make some indoor s'mores (in the microwave) and rent a movie for cheap or free (free Redbox codes are available constantly online). Have a family board game tournament, or just play a variety of games and enjoy the friendly competition. Get out old home videos and photo albums and reminisce and laugh. If you're musical, have everyone pick up their instruments and play (or sing) a few tunes in your inpromptu band. If you're artsy, set up a project you can all do and enjoy together. Or one family member can share a talent; maybe dad can teach the kids how to do a simple woodworking project. If you're ambitious, throw a thematic mini-party just for your family, such as a luau, using simple items you have around your home (or ones that are inexpensive to purchase). Do the limbo, don your Hawaiian shirts, eat a pineapple, and play luau music.

A Barnyard of First Birthday Fun

Jack is one today.

That means one whole year has passed since those 12 hours of labor and ensuing C-section and waking up from the anesthesia to a brand new baby—and a whole new beautiful life with him. I remember coming to and thinking, in my morphine-engulfed state, "I just had a baby. I had a baby. Somewhere in this hospital is my baby." I asked the kind nurse all about him—how much he weighed, how he looked—and after what seemed like forever my husband stood at the door of the room with a little hospital-blanket-wrapped bundle.

I didn't look like those mommies who are made up and ready for photo ops. I looked completely awful—sweat-soaked hair, glasses, and all. I felt more than out of it from all the medication the surgery necessitated and the surprise C-section and the previous hours of labor. My husband placed him in my arms; I held baby Jack and just stared and him. I had waited to see what no ultrasound could reveal for so long. He was mine.

Fast-forward a year. So much has changed. He's grown tall (as in more than the 95th percentile tall) and has a cute little personality. He giggles and crawls and loves to be tickled. He's all boy, exploring, climbing, and reaching for everything. He splashes in his bath and intently watches Daddy work on home improvement projects. He does other not-so-adorable things, like throwing food off of his high chair tray, and letting out angry little shrieks when he doesn't get that thing he so desperately wants.

To celebrate his big first birthday, we turned our backyard into a little "farm" with a fish pond, hay field, petting zoo, chicken coop, and craft barn (all pretend of course), and invited some folks to join in on the fun. We decked out a farm-and-animal cake (see the instructions), played games, gave out barnyard-themed prizes (everyone wins when you're that small), and served up "cow pies" and "hay stacks" (cookies). The party culminated with the big cake-tasting by Jack himself. Once he figured out the cupcake animal was indeed edible, he ate it. And ate it. He only got a few crumbs on his shirt (we dressed him in it with the thought it would be nearly destroyed) because he was so excited about eating it. He also loved his first taste of ice cream.

One little baby and one short year has changed my world in the biggest—and happiest—ways imaginable.

The food table, with a wheelbarrow holding drinks

The cake

A banner of monthly photos

Jack loved his party guests pulling him around in his new wagon.

Playing games: fishing, finding eggs, and sticking the tail on the donkey (or on its stomach, actually)

Discovering how much he loves cake

Our birthday boy, ready for his nap after the big bash

Money-Saving Monday: Good gifts

I love giving gifts. It's quite fun to pick out presents for bridal showers and baby showers (really, what better excuse to look through teeny tiny clothes and find the cutest ones and ooh and ahh), discovering stuff for birthday gifts, and thinking about what I should get the person I randomly chose in the family Christmas gift exchange.

But let's face it: Gifts can add up.

As usual, I'd love to hear your ideas for saving on meaningful gifts. Here are some of mine:

• Shop all year. As I find quality clearance items in online and brick-and-mortar stores, I purchase them. For example, I take advantage of Black Friday sales. In 2009, I only made it to a couple stores' sales, but I scooped up Christmas gifts for my son and gift exchange person, a birthday gift for my father-in-law, and a Father's Day gift for my dad—all great deals. My husband chuckles that I purchase gifts so early, but why not? It saves not only money but also later time and the stress of finding a suitable present.
  Some items that I purchase are more generic, which I use for prizes at parties or hostess gifts or something similar. Some are just perfect for a particular person, and I tuck them away for that individual's birthday or other special occasion, even if it's months away. If online, I purchase several gifts at once so I have the minimum purchase amount for free shipping (for stores that offer such deals).
• Ship in a suitcase: I only visit my far-away family a couple of times a year, but when I do, I try to bring with me gifts for the next several months' birthdays and celebrations. This saves me shipping costs and no doubt the gifts are a little prettier since I bring wrapping supplies with me and put the presents together there.
• Offer your talent: It's true that the most meaningful gifts come from the heart. Use your talent to offer a loving gift or a thoughtful act of service.
  I'm not too crafty, but it's fun to make my own greeting cards on occasion, which save a little and seem more personal. I've also made people small photo albums of memories and written and framed poems.
  A few years ago, I purchased a frame with three photo openings to give my dad for Father's Day. On one side, I inserted a picture of my little-girl self with my dad; on the opposite was a picture of the two of us walking down the aisle on my wedding day. The center photo opening held a poem of gratitude that described our close relationship through the years.
• Recycle: You might think this is terribly tacky, but I know I am not alone: I re-use gift bags and tissue paper that are in good condition. I think I'm set for life for baby gift bags after many generous people gave me beautifully wrapped presents in anticipation of Jack's birth.
  I admit I have on occasion also recycled gift cards. If I receive a gift card I am not particularly excited about using for myself, I use it to purchase a gift for someone else.

Showered with joy

To help welcome our little boy, my sister-in-law and three other thoughtful friends hosted a baby shower for me. A couple weeks ago, 27 people gathered to share my joy at a local restaurant. We enjoyed a delicious brunch (thanks to my brother-in-law for cooking up a wonderful meal) played a baby bingo game, and munched on a cake almost too cute to cut. And I unwrapped a mountain of delightful little clothes, tiny toys, and baby essentials.

The decor was adorable; baby blue tablecloths were accented with rubber duckies floating in little fishbowls lined with blue glass beads. Artfully displayed shimmering iridescent Easter grass gave the tables and cake table an extra bit of elegance, and a few balloons added to the festive atmosphere.

I can't completely express my gratitude for all the friends and family members who came to so kindly and generously celebrate the upcoming birth of our little Jack. I came home with gifts galore—and lots of love.

One-word fun

Becky tagged me to share this info about myself. The idea is to respond with one word that comes to mind (or a few more, depending on the question). Here are my efforts at being concise. Check at the bottom to see if you've been tagged. :-)

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your significant other? Adorable
3. Your hair? Shorter
4. Your mother? Generous
5. Your father? Warm
6. Your favorite thing(s)? Hugs, sunshine, little surprises, cozy blankets, days off
7. Your dream last night? Weird
8. Your favorite drink? Five Alive
9. Your dream/goal? Motherhood
10. The room you’re in? Office
11. Your fear? Heartbreak
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Content
13. Where were you last night? Taste of India
14. What are you not? Extroverted
15. Muffins/donuts? Muffins
16. One of your wish-list items? Seeing England
17. Where you grew up? Canada
18. The last thing you did? Work
19. What are you wearing? Maternity clothes
20. Your TV? NCIS
22. Your computer? Lifeline
23. Your life? Full
24. Your mood? Mellow
25. Missing someone? Family
26. Favorite pastime? Scrapbooking
27. Something you’re not wearing? Necklace
28. Favorite Store? Archiver's
29. Your summer? Unforgettable
30. Your favorite color? Blue
31. When is the last time you laughed? Today
32. Last time you cried? Wednesday
33. Four places you go over and over? Church, Chipotle, work, Subway
34. Four people who e-mail me? Bill, Dad, Gina, Natalee
35. Four of my favorite foods? Avocados, cheese, chocolate, eggs
36. Four places I would like to be right now? Vancouver, PEI, England, here
37. Four people I tag? Cherissa, Shawn, Tracy, Marianne

A day for thanks

Tomorrow is a big day. For the first time, my husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner. (I've hosted many a Canadian Thanksgiving, but they were potlucks—I only had to provide the turkey, fixings, and beverages.)

It will be a small affair, with six adults and two little children. And others are bringing bread and dessert. Nonetheless, it's been fun to plan and prepare for a traditional dinner this year (although it may get less fun Thursday when I am fighting with the not-completely-thawed turkey and worrying over a new recipe for sweet potato casserole and dusting at the last minute).

It also brings to mind plenty of blessings:

• Salvation and grace through Jesus Christ
• My family, including my fabulous husband and our precious little one, due next May
• Extended family (including a wondrous, recent transformation of one family member)
• Friends
• Plentiful food and warm home
• Hugs
• Music
• Smiles
• Oh, and did I mention the baby?

Have a splendid Thanksgiving Day, whether you're feasting or hosting or both!

A tale of crazy women

This past weekend I innocently attended a scrapbooking retreat with two friends, thinking there would be a couple dozen mothers lovingly pasting down photos of their children and adding precious little embellishments.

I was so wrong.

About 50 people filled the log chapel, cutting, arranging, and gluing. These were no cute little mothers. These were die-hard women (and even one man). A few seemed desperate. Now, I can't say that everyone fit into the crazy-for-scrapbooking category. But several did, clad in pajamas and greasy hair protruding from under baseball caps, obviously forgetting personal hygiene and common courtesy for the sake of their beloved books of memories. Others stayed up until the middle of the night, reluctantly put aside their adhesive and paper cutters for a few winks, and were back to work in the morning. One older lady told us that she laid on the couch in the chapel (not sure why she bothered to pay for accommodations) for just an hour each night, determined not to miss a moment of opportunity.

The most classic example was a woman who followed me into the restroom when I woke up to use it in the accommodations area at about 6:45 a.m. For some reason, her desperation led her to believe that 1)It was OK to harass a complete stranger while she was using the bathroom, and 2)I was the fount of retreat knowledge. Keep in mind that I was in the stall the whole time, so I never even saw her face. Our conversation:

Her: "Do you know how I can get into the scrapbooking room?"

Me (sleepily): "No, I'm sorry, I don't."

Her (slightly wailing): "I can't get in and all my stuff is in there!"

Me (thinking she's had a family emergency): "Oh, dear. Do you need to go home?"

Her (higher pitched wailing): "No! I want to scrapbook!"

Me: "Well, you could try walking around the camp and see if any staff members are up."

Her: "I did! I've been walking around for an hour. Do you know how I can reach the director?"

Me (thinking: Let the poor man sleep!): "Hmmm...maybe there's a sign posted on the office with a number you could call."

Her: "I tried that already; I couldn't get any answer. Do you know what time the room opens?"

Me: "I think at 7."

Her (reluctantly): "Well, OK."

An entertaining weekend to say the least. And I got 20 pages done and spent some great time with my friends.

Sometimes sunshine comes to life in, er, rather unexpected ways.

A day for thanksgiving

On days such as Canadian Thanksgiving, it's easy to miss my far-away family: parents, two brothers, a sister-in-law, and two nieces. But there is no shortage of friends, and they make celebrating the holiday a great deal more enjoyable.

Each Saturday before Thanksgiving, my husband and I welcome numerous guests (mostly Americans :-) for a big, potluck dinner. This year, 36 people warmed our home, including some children and a couple adorable babies. They brought sweet potatoes, fresh-baked bread, scrumptious pumpkin pie, and many more delectable dishes. They also brought laughter, cheer, and friendly conversation—so much for which to be thankful to God!

My favorite moment: One little girl, upon taking a bite of her dinner, exclaimed, "I love this place!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

A day to celebrate

While I no longer celebrate with party hats, goody bags, and an animal-shaped cake, I do enjoy having a little fun on my birthday and just cherishing the day. It reminds me how much God has loved and cared for me the past year, and signals to me that He will continue to provide during the year ahead. When I think of His blessings, I am easily overwhelmed.

I also love family traditions: my husband sings "Happy Birthday" to me immediately when I wake up, my long-distance family members call and do the same, and my in-laws often kindly take me out to eat. And I get together with good friends (including one who shares my birthday) for some sort of party.

This year, my husband sent me flowers at work—very romantic! I was thrilled to receive them.

I love that God gives us little moments to celebrate, little moments of joy and family and hugs that remind us how good He is.

Ten crazy years

I spent last weekend at my 10-year high school reunion. In the day to day, I rarely pause to reflect on the past year, let alone the past decade. So it was an enlightening time to reflect on the people, places, and happenings of the high school years.

Certainly, 10 years makes a big difference in people's lives. Marriage and four kids, for some people. Exotic travel and new businesses for others. The most pleasant difference was the general absence of high-school behavior and divisions. Never remotely popular in high school, I discovered that the popular types—good looking, confident, friend- and opposite-gender-magnets—were actually very similar to me, both then and now. Most of us seemed to really struggle through high school for one reason or another, whether we put on a brave face or were more shy and under-confident like I was. Now, it seems, those high-school barriers have been removed and we can discover how much alike we truly are. In our more mature state, we're actually more similar than different in some ways—with a bond that comes from spending years of our lives together in a boarding school in the middle of nowhere, South Dakota.

Another pleasant surprise was that most of my classmates seemed to have retained their core personalities. None had changed so dramatically that I had trouble believing I had attended high school with them. God had dusted off the immaturities and teenage awkwardness, revealing beautiful, adult souls.

I must admit that the negative memories that were a part of the high school muddle were not completely absent from the weekend. But more of it was about spending time together talking, laughing, traipsing through tourist traps, and praying together.

Certainly, my last two years of high school was not among the most pleasant times in my life. Moving in grade 11 to a different country—let alone to a boarding school where the kids were super close—was the source of many tears and a little bitterness at the time.

But seeing members of my class again makes me thankful I was part of the 19 of us that graduated from that small school, that I had such a unique secondary experience—and that I am here, 10 years later, to reflect on and be grateful for it.

Still scrapbooking

Amidst celebrating the Fourth with a family BBQ and fireworks, joining in the joy of some friends' first anniversary party (and losing at a newlywed game my husband and I were solicited to participate in—quite fun, but slightly embarrassing), teaching kids the essence of Romans chapter 9, and sleeping in, I worked on my scrapbook.

I had looked forward to this weekend (I even took a half day off today, just for fun) because I've recently managed to sidestep my scrapbooking goals completely. This weekend, I glued, cut, and created my way through 14 pages.

Since my last update in the beginning of May, I've made 34 pages, landing me within two layouts of completing April 2007. This is somewhat short of my 20-page-or-three-months-of-photos-per-month goal (I should have 40 pages done or be working on May memories), but I'm still pleased that I've made some significant progress.

Here's a layout I made this weekend about the fun my husband and our little nephew have together:


P.S. I must confess that my very first card (see previous post) had a spelling error. I discovered quite accidentally that yippee is spelled with two p's, and not one. My husband, being the sweet guy that he is, was content with his card, foibles and all.

A Praying Day

The power and importance of prayer was just a little bit more real to me today. My niece and a friend's mom—who live thousands of miles apart—had surgeries in the early afternoon.

It was a coincidence that they were on the same day, but their being about the same time ensured I did not forget to lift both of them before God's throne. For different reasons, both were nervous about the surgeries and needed a healthy dose of heavenly peace. And of course both wanted their procedures to be safe and effective.

Thanks to God and the gifts He has given to the medical staff, they came through beautifully and are recovering. Thank you, God, for answered prayer today—when Your power seems close and Your light vivid—and every day.

My beautiful niece recovering in the hospital.

What I haven't done

It's been a while since my last post, and in that while I've been procrastinating blogging because I've felt I haven't accomplished much. I have had little time to scrapbook, and I haven't motivated myself to clean up the garden as I intended to do in May.

But as I reflected on life since I last blogged, I realized that life brings you little joys, even if you're not looking for them, and are swamped with work from two jobs, and are feeling stressed about certain aspects of your future. Here are some joys God has given me the privilege of experiencing recently:

• A good friend of my sister-in-law's, who has become a fun scrapbooking friend, had a precious little boy with a head full of dark, soft hair. He's adorable indeed.
• I visited my family and joined in on important celebrations—Mother's Day and my eldest brother's birthday—as well as the everyday delights of a picnic, stops at tourist attractions, and warm hugs.
• A conference I attended left me inspired to write more—perhaps even a book someday.
• I celebrated a friend's birthday with delicious food, deep conversation, and delightful smiles. And a party to celebrate more is planned for Sunday.
• I cleaned out part of my closet and various areas of my house and piles of paper that ordinarily don't get as much attention as they deserve—a great feeling.
• I taught Sunday school to second- and third-grade kids; the childlike prayers and innocent (but often humorous) questions and responses warmed my heart.
• I laughed and cooked and prayed and cleaned and lived with my wonderful husband.

Accomplishments are important to me. I like to have checked off a list and made progress in projects I've assigned myself. But sometimes it's important to set aside organization and calendars and perfect plans and be surprised by joy.

Gotta get a goal

This past weekend, I went to a one-day scrapbooking extravaganza. As I walked in, the 1,500 people in attendance—all busily cutting card stock and taping down photos at paper-covered tables—gave me the feeling that I was going to a convention for some kind of cult. (One of my friends likened it to a Star Trek Convention.) People were rolling in bags and bags of supplies; one lady I saw had a whole luggage set packed, I'm sure, with punches, pages, and embellishments of every shape and size. (It made my two medium-size bags look rather like tiny purses.)

I got 10 pages done; some of the five friends I went with got 25 or more pages completed. I'm not the speediest, I'll admit. But I still have fun—especially when scrapbooking with delightful friends.

While fun is fabulous, the reality is that I am only now wrapping up the pages featuring August 2006 photos. (This is in part because my first attempt at scrapbooking was to preserve memories of my August 2006 wedding; I made three albums containing dating and wedding photos, which took me almost a year.) So I've decided to set a goal: 12 pages or three month's worth of photos each month, whichever comes first. At this rate, I will at least be up to date by the time Christmas comes to town (in all its dozens-of-photos-from-many-parties glory).

I'll post about my progress and share one of the pages I like best each month. This, I hope, will keep me motivated and get all my photos neatly into albums.

Here's one to start; it's the first—and only—page I've made since the event. It's the final page in my wedding album; I've been procrastinating it for a while.

A brand-new miracle

One of the most beautiful things in life is a precious baby, fresh from God.

In an earlier post, I mentioned a friend of mine was expecting a little boy. She had him Friday; he was perfect, with an adorable little tuft of black hair. It was such an honor and delight to meet him and hold him and watch his dark, tiny eyes open just a little.

Somehow, all seems right with the world when a gift of such precious proportions is in my arms.

An Easter hug

I was walking through the grocery store today toward the egg section (so my husband and I can enjoy some egg-decorating) when out of the corner of my eye I saw a little girl. Before I knew it, I had been hugged. Startled, I looked down and saw it was a child who is in my Sunday school class.

What a surprise of love and joy! It truly made my day.

Later, I reflected on the fact that her hug, in some small way, represents what Easter is all about. God surprised us with love when He sent His Son to die and rise again for us. We didn't deserve it and we didn't expect it. And that love, when accepted as a free gift, produces unspeakable joy—now and forever.

So many blessings

In Bible study last night, the leader asked us to close our eyes and think of the blessings that God had given us within the week—and then thank Him for them. She provided a litany of inspiring suggestions, and the goodness of God flooded my mind.

I thought of my husband, my home, my friends, my family, my health. I thanked God for the smell of flowers, the warmth of hugs, the joy of conversation, and the simple pleasure of breathing in fresh air.

I try to thank God for his blessings daily in my prayers. But how often do I truly soak them up and attempt to express a sense of overwhelming gratitude to my Creator—and then realize the wealth of gifts I've received makes that impossible?

To take the time to do that is a blessing in itself.

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What blessings do you have? I'd love to read about them in my comments section.

A spring wish come true

It has been terribly cold lately. The weather has necessitated lots of bundling up and carting around heavy jackets. And I have been saying over and over, "I can't wait for spring!"

But this weekend, it was beautiful—60 degrees, in fact. I celebrated with a trip to see a wonderful friend I haven't seen in months. We ate brunch, and walked around and went shopping at an outdoor mall. On Sunday, I took a lovely, scenic walk with my husband and actually wore a T-shirt.

Now, it may not be spring-like for long, but while it is, I'm going to treasure the sunshine!