Merry and bright!

Our wonderful Christmas was spread out over three weeks, first with my husband's family, then with just our little family the following week, and finally with my side of the family Christmas week itself. In between, we decorated sugar cookies, counted down to Advent, played with the Little People nativity set, and went on Christmas outings including a parade, train, and rides, spending lots of quality time with family members. Afterward there was more fun with a mini-vacation my mom traditionally and kindly hosts for the 10 of us; this year it was in the beautiful coastal city of Victoria where we visited museums and castles, swam and shopped and laughed together, and ate lots of delicious food.

This year, the delight was even richer than previous years with Jack being old enough to greater understand visiting family, sharing and giving, and the nativity story—and get extremely excited about the presents under various family trees. The fact that he opened Christmas presents over a period of time was perfect; he had time to play with each and truly enjoy them. The thrill on his little face as he ripped open paper and discovered new toys is already a treasured memory. Another precious memory is helping Jack pick and package gifts for a boy his age who has fewer resources than our family. After we arranged the items in the box, he walked around our home selecting various toys "for Daniel" (although I had to explain we were limited in what we could send). And thereafter, he frequently says during prayer time, "Pray for Daniel." I'm so honored that I can be Jack's mom and help instill kindness, giving, love, and other important lessons (which I pray are life-long) in his little heart.

Like in 2008, Christmas was also extra-special because of the incredible joy of our new little one on the way. Being pregnant at this time of the year makes me feel a little closer to the biblical account of Jesus' birth, as I imagine Mary being visited by the angel who announced the Messiah's conception; her growing belly; the dusty, rough ride to Bethlehem; the agony of labor; and the fresh cries of a tiny boy.

Here's hoping you enjoyed a joy-filled Christmas—and have a rich and full 2012!

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

A very happy little Easter

Everything—especially Easter—becomes a bit more delightful with a little one in tow. Something about the beauty of the Resurrection and of new beginnings and of spring winds and blooming flowers makes the heart a little lighter.

Conveniently, Jack recently learned how to put items into a container, so that will be helpful when we have our own little Easter egg hunt tomorrow. He got some practice (below) at a playgroup Easter party.

Oh, the wonder of spring!

Seven sweet months

Jack is enjoying all the holiday festivities during his seventh month. He's got five feisty little teeth (and one on the way), is steady sitting up, and pushing himself up on his hands and knees (but so far has only mastered going backward).

During an every-five-year photo shoot with my side of the family, the photographer took a few of him so we have even more precious pictures to treasure.

Happy December!

Here are some Christmas smiles from our home this year. Enjoy the lights and delights of the season!

A little festive fun

What we would look like as elves, apparently...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

All I want for Christmas...

Really, kids are the fun of Christmas. All those toys and smiles and that just-can't-wait excitement are some of the best parts of the holiday season.

Yesterday, I proved this with a phone conversation my 5-year-old nephew and I had:

Him: Can I get a hamster for Christmas?
Me: I'm not sure. You'll have to ask your mom and dad.
Him: Yeah (sigh). I asked my mom, and she said no. I asked my dad, and he said no.
Me: Maybe when you're a bit older you can get a hamster.
Him: Yeah! If the dogs and the kitty die, maybe I can get a hamster.
Me: We really shouldn't hurt our pets.
Him: Maybe if my little brother lets the plug out of the fish tank so the fish are in the air and can't breathe?
Me: There is no plug in the fish tank, and remember, we shouldn't hurt our pets.
Him: My little brother doesn't know any better.
Me: Is the hamster on your Christmas list?
Him: That's a good idea! I'll add it to my list. I put a check mark beside the things I really want, and a star by the things I really want. I'll put a star by it.

Traditions of gratitude

Lately I've been contemplating how to make Christmas meaningful and I sort of skipped over Thanksgiving. Hard to believe, since I generally celebrate it twice (once for Canada and once for the States).

Gratitude is a certainly a character quality I want to instill in my son (and myself). Thanksgiving traditions should help me be purposeful about doing so. Here are a couple ideas I've run across in the last little while:

• Decorate a small box, jar, or similar container (or just purchase a pretty one). Throughout the year, when God's blessings are especially evident, write notes of thankfulness on slips of paper and drop them in the container. On Thanksgiving Day, open the container and read all of the blessings, big and small, that you might have otherwise forgotten: recovery from an illness, a conflict resolved, an extra-special treat, a lovely spring day.
  
  
• Use a countdown calendar to generate excitement about the special day and learn more about gratitude. Every day leading up to Thanksgiving, write down one thing about which to be grateful, and stick it in the calendar. Gather the notes of appreciation and save them in a scrapbook or box for future years, or simply read them all on Thanksgiving Day.
  
  You can purchase such a calendar, or decorate your own using a pre-designed one. Here's a downloadable one for kids that you could adapt for such a project.You could even make your own. Ideas include making it from a placemat or in the shape of a tree with leaves. Or, you could simply use sticky notes to affix tidbits of appreciation to the square representing each day on a regular calendar.
  

I'd love to hear your Thanksgiving traditions, too—both the meaningful and the just-for-fun ones.

Christmas without craziness

I love Christmas. Part of the reason it's so special to me is that we didn't celebrate it in my family when I was a child. I think it's fun and I'm looking forward to my child (and future children) enjoying holiday traditions.

I'm not a fan of the Christmas craziness, though; in my family and my husband's we have done some things to eliminate a bit of the stress. In his family, we give gifts only to children and to his parents (it's the most fun to watch them anyway) and in my family we do a gift exchange so we only have to purchase one meaningful (but inexpensive) gift for one relative.

I also love to do Christmas shopping very early when I find coupons or deals to cut the cost on gifts, and before the malls are madhouses. And shopping online reduces the hassle further. I love free shipping sales (!), or buying all my gifts at once on certain sites that offer free shipping for spending a certain amount.

With Christmas stress out of the way (well, mostly at least!), I am in search of meaningful holiday traditions. I bought an advent calendar to use with our son, but I'd love more ideas to make the season extra special.

Would you share yours? Please leave a comment about your traditions and ideas. Thanks so much!

The last of the 00s

It's difficult to believe that we are now in the last year of the first decade of this millennium. It seems strange that "Party like it's 1999" is antiquated, along with fears of Y2K and musings about entering the 2000s (what will we call them—the Os?). Even my college graduation in 2002 seems so far away. At the time, it was exciting to start my official adult life just as the millennium dawned.

I think of how our little boy will never remember this decade, or the last century. He's starting out afresh as a person of this millennium, who didn't see the entrance of personal computers into society and can't remember cell phones larger than land-line sets. The only absence of the Internet he'll ever know will be when our cable is down. The Gulf War and the Y2K scare and the horror of 9-11 will be history lessons.

But there's a bright future ahead—for him, for all of us. It's exciting to imagine what adventures life will take us on as we add him to our family in 2009. In addition to the gobs of baby gear that we have yet to entirely accumulate, the changes will be dramatic. As I feel him jostle and kick inside me, I imagine tickling his toes, rocking him to sleep (no matter what the experts may say), and kissing his tiny cheeks. Then I dream of watching him grow: sharing uproarious laughter, hearing "Are we there yet?!" on road trips, watching his dad play catch with him, and seeing delight dance in his eyes during holidays.

I just can't wait to see what life beyond the first decade of the Os will bring us. The adventure has barely begun.

Delights of the season

My husband and I just returned from a lovely time with my family.

We were treated royally by my parents, who hospitably hosted us and generously treated us to all sorts of wonderful things. My mother made delicious meals, helped me sew a baby quilt (far from perfect, but I like it and I doubt our tiny son will notice my imperfections), and shopped with me. My dad took me to lunch at our favorite Japanese restaurant and gave me great big dad hugs. The whole family (parents, two brothers, sister-in-law, and two nieces) was together much of the time, eating, laughing, opening presents, playing games, visiting museums, taking a ferry ride, staying in a hotel, soaking in a hot tub (just feet for me), and laughing some more.

Highlights included a night out for my parents' 39th anniversary, a scrumptious Christmas dinner, an overnight trip to Victoria, seeing the 2010 Olympic Oval, watching our 10-year-old niece sing with her choir, and having great chats.

Thank you, Dad and Mom, for making our time there so extra special! Indeed, it was a very merry Christmas.

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 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!

So much joy

October may seem dull next to September, which is filled with birthday fun. A nephew wrapped up his first year; another turned four. Their adorable Western party was complete with cowboy hats and horseback rides. A neice celebrated her fifteenth birthday, and my husband and I turned 31 and 28, respectively. It was priceless when our four-year-old nephew called to sing my husband his rendition of "Happy Birthday." My in-laws celebrated 32 years of marriage, as well.

There will be at least one chance to celebrate in October—Canadian Thanksgiving. Even though I'm half American and have lived in the United States for more than a decade, I love to have a big dinner party, potluck-style, a tradition I began in college. Every year, the cool, crisp weather and changing leaves make me breathe a little more deeply and make me a little more grateful to be alive.

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.

Welcome, warm!

I'm loving the warm weather. What a pleasant ending to a terribly chilly Colorado winter!

This weekend, I hope to tackle the yard/garden with my husband. The garden is a pitiful little mess, and the lawn has some need of fertilizer and even grass seed in spots. I've been convicted lately because acquaintances of mine have been talking about the hours they spend on landscaping-type tasks, and our poor yard stands neglected without even a glance in its direction (except to cringe now and then). I have a difficult time caring about the outside of our house sometimes, which deserves at least some love.

Now with the splendid weather, coupled with the holiday weekend, I have no excuse. It will be more of a delight than a hardship to be outside, digging in the dirt and making things look a bit more attractive.

Thank you, God, for warm and lovely sunshine!

By the way, if you're a green thumb type and have any tips (or words of motivation) whatsoever, I would be most gratified to hear them.

Mother of mine

For the first time in many years, I will have the honor of sharing Mother's Day with my own precious mom (she and I live thousands of miles apart). I'm excited to be with her and to show her how much I appreciate her—both now, and for all she did while I was growing from baby to little girl to teen.

There are many, many reasons why she is wonderful. Here are a few:

1. She gives warm hugs and is almost always adorned with a cheerful smile.
2. She's been there for me at every stage of my life, blessing me with love each step I take. A recent memory: When I got married, she sewed my wedding dress, three bridesmaids dresses, two candle lighter dresses, and the ring bearer's pillow, and put countless hours into other special details.
3. She's talented at crafts and sewing.
4. She is an excellent cook. I love her scones, ice box rolls, roast beef dinners, and so much more. Yum!
5. She calls now and then just to chat.
6. She opens her home and her heart to so many people. In the past, she's taught Bible studies, ESL classes, and children's classes, had people over for dinner or tea, babysat young children to give mothers a break, volunteered as a youth camp cook, baked cookies for people, and done many other loving things about which I may never know.
7. She has a great sense of humor. Family gatherings are a joy.
8. She is very diligent, always keeping her home in order and working on her home sewing business.
9. She is caring and offers a helping hand or equally helpful advice to me and others in need.
10. She's smart, especially in the areas of math and science. She's a nurse, so she has great medical tips for me when I ask.

I love you, Mom!

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.

A tiny new beginning

Spring is my favorite season. The warm air, pretty blossoms, and windy afternoons breathe freshness into the everyday and offer hope of a new beginning after a winter of shivers, snow, and blah moments.

New life is a significant part of the season, too; baby birds and tiny flowers appear. Easter is a beautiful reminder of spiritual rebirth.

But what better way to celebrate warmer days than not just to wax poetic and treasure springtime symbolism but to really welcome new life? My friend is having a precious little boy in a couple of weeks; this weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a baby shower for her. She had a glorious glow (even though she said it's just because pregnancy makes her feel warm all the time).

Babies are born every day and I think for this reason I fail sometimes to see the miracle they really are. To think that only nine months ago this child didn't even exist—and now he is preparing to poke his head into the world and see the faces of those who already love him dearly. Every tiny body part—from little lips to squirming toes—will be in perfect proportion, lovingly formed by the Creator of all.

He will be fresh from heaven, just in time for spring.

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!