the boy knows what he wants

 for the second Christmas in a row, Cree said he wanted a lamp.  the first year, Santa had a super cool motorized electric car picked for him instead, so the lamp never came.  and...while Cree adores his extra fun car to this day, he totally remembered that wish for a lamp when Christmas rolled around again.  thankfully, this year there was a lamp under the tree for this super intelligent dude.  and i dare say it was his favourite gift.  Layla added some twinkle lights and he now goes to bed with his star lamp and string lights lit each night as we tuck in and say prayers and sing.  pretty cute.  

some good advertising

 when your daughter is cool enough to bring your Venetian Hustle espresso blend to the mountains with her, you take the free advertising.  love that Bean on a Mission beans are now on the west coast!

  so fun, Joelle!  beautiful pics, as always.  you make it look so easy! ❤

2025 wrap up

 it was a blur, i'm not gonna lie.  the last two months of the year felt like two seconds long.  still, there were moments of real deep joy to be found, and for that i'm grateful to step back and note them here.  

a picture recap.  for a stroll down memory lane one day.

Cree met Buzz...that was a riot!

new wheels, and an unbelievable gift of reliability and comfort that i'm loving every single day.  can't wait to blast the A/C in the summer

lots of sibling hang outs as Layla was marking the days before her journey to California

Jack and Layla on another adventure

green beans arrived at the cafe, finally!  it is really happening!

somehow Cree had all his winter gear on but his coat.  unfortunately this wasn't discovered until we got all the way to the tree cutting farm!  we made it work!

a graceful moment pour moi.  caught in the zipline straps.  Layla enjoyed watching the struggle.  Cree was clearly thinking "mom, you're embarrassing me"...more of that to come buddy, more to come...

 

Cree could not believe that he got to meet Mrs. Claus as well. 

every year our fresh and twinkling tree brings me so many moments of joy.  

last sleepovers with his sister in her bed.  he misses them so much already.

Jeff's masterpiece.  he works so hard on this and Cree is a speedy little skater because of it...

i love setting a holiday table from things in and around our home.  it's simple and festive and symbolizes time connecting with dear ones.

lots of blessings that are so glaringly obvious when you start to pay closer attention.  they are countless and wonderful, and the end of 2025 was a gift.  there were challenges, difficulties, and hard pieces, of course, yet so many gifts of grace too, even in the whirlwind of it all.

October recap

i'm backpedaling a bit.  on purpose.  good things happened while i was on a blogging break.  

nervous to turn his head on that large toad, just in case it jumped into his lap

SK school picture proof...a solid "A" for effort, buddy...you took the "smile big" task so seriously and you did good!  you bet i ordered it!

  

below, a much more authentic smile

these are the sweet years...waiting for his bus in a costume.

wardrobe change for evening trick-or-treating.  Lay came along for the adventures, and i was reminded of the many years it was her bag being filled with treats.  

kind of surreal in lots of ways.

cousins and ATV rides with his cool uncle.  the best combination!

in the dead of winter with lots of snow and an arctic chill currently.  autumn feels like a bit ago.  a reminder that seasons change and before we know it signs of spring will be popping up all over the place.  it's gonna be so great!

our hockey player

 i'm back...two weeks in a row even ;) woohoo!  

when thinking about what to blog about first, i knew i wanted to remember the little hockey player who is developing right before our eyes. i was undecided on the whole hockey idea, honestly, and still not entirely sure i want to choose this lane for him, but Cree really wanted to give it a go.  Jeff thought we should let him try at least....so he started his first official organized hockey league this fall.  it runs on Saturday mornings.  it's instructional- mostly drills with an occasional scrimmage, but overall working on the fundamentals of skating, stick handling, hand-eye coordination, gross motor skills, etc...it's an hour of adorable on-ice practice with kids of various skill levels- all learning to be better than they were when they started.  add in a bunch of patient dads and moms who help facilitate the drills.  naturally, Cree's amazing dad somehow found himself in a main role out there, even though he didn't sign up for it.  i just sat back and grin at the masterful way he leads in sport- with the most encouraging and organized approach. :)  

age is just a number to Jeff- and Cree is the most blessed little man to have a hands-on dad who is happy to do all of this....ahem....all over again.

a sweaty little Timbit with his awesome dad.

well that was long

 sheeshhh...that was a long break.  which really felt more like an extended marathon than a break, if i'm being honest.  i'm not even sure where i should start, but considering it's probably just me here at this point, i'll focus on the main reason i'm here.  my kids.  one day when i'm not longer with them, i sooo want this to be a place to recall all the bigger and better parts that we shared in together.  to remember what i've documented, from my perspective, at the time it was written.  to reminisce a little and hold a bit of the past.    

so, a short recap.  first i was a nurse from 1994-1999.  then, while still a nurse in 1997, i became a mom- my happiest role- to date, so i resigned from my nursing career and settled in and raised "the crew".  fast forward 2.5 plus decades before any real outside employment opportunities ever seemed realistic or suitable.  then, in the spring of 2024 i was approached by a close "visionary-type" friend, Dave, to help open and operate a café.  by the end of September of last year we were finally able to "soft launch" our café~ Bean on a Mission.  after more than a year of dreaming, planning, scheming, renos, self-educating, purchasing, hiring and training, we actually took the keys, unlocked the doors and bravely let customers in to the shop early on a Saturday morning.  we nervously and excitedly exposed all that we'd worked so hard to create.  thankfully, the response was overwhelming and wonderful.  people were so supportive and generous to come and taste and sip and share about their experiences at the new space we'd opened.  it was one of the most gratifying, terrifying and exhausting adventures.

i knew it would be busy.  i knew it would be intense as we got our feet under us.  i didn't know that it would derail my workout routine for 3.5 months and eliminate any of my free time to read or blog or nap or watch a movie or visit people (outside of the café).  it's been a massive undertaking.  and largely, i love it!  i'm learning sooo much~ conversing with dear customers all day long, working alongside an amazing team, and seeing the many hours of work pay off in a bright and cheery space where customers seem to want to return.  i'm learning so much about coffee, and business and people.  it's been a crazy ride.  God has been so good.  He has sustained me, for now at least,  when i'm certain i should be run down and wiped out.  i'm so thankful for that.  

so last night i very tentatively got back on my Peloton- got a sweat on as i cycled for 30 minutes, and figured tonight was as good a time as any to get back to my blog.  ultimately, for my kiddos.

and it's good to be back.  i'll try to consistently show up here again, although i make no hard promises.  giving myself grace for a change. :)

a few photos...

this one below, the day before we opened.  buzzing around all day getting things into place.  i looked calmer than i felt.  my lists saved me!

moments before we unlocked the doors! eekkk!!  so fun having Layla with me that day!  it was really fun while it lasted! and E. was her usual lovely and calm self.  she rocked the front bar, and still does, as our lead barista.

Greg- our fearless team member, and now my dear friend who has literally taught me anything i've learned from a business/operational standpoint.  and let me tell you- i didn't start with much.

real deal customers!:)

Mark and Greg, during one of our many coffee "cupping" sessions.  we have learned sooo much from Mark's "coffee guru" status.  and he also has become a dear friend.  great people AND great coffee are now a regular part of my work day.  

so fun to be a part of all of this.  there is stress, there are issues from time to time.  it's hard to turn it off, i'm learning.  working on that.  but there is also sooo much fun and satisfaction in the process and ongoing journey too. 

we completely hope and pray Bean on a Mission successfully establishes itself in our community and creates a lasting impact both here and beyond...and only time will tell.  but i'll always know i gave it my all, regardless.  

coffee break

 such a clever title, if i do say so myself! :)  quite literally, i'm taking a coffee break.  a break to focus on "all things coffee".  as i've mention, we are in the process of bringing to life a start-up coffee shop.  Bean on a Mission, to be exact...it is so much fun!  it is also a lot of work.  i feel internal and external pressure to get this going.  we've been at it for over a year.  and it's time. 

soooo, as we inch closer to opening, i need to keep my nose to the ground, my head in the game, and limit other non-essentials.  i'd rather eliminate laundry or cooking or cleaning toilets, honestly, but i made the wise decision that blogging should be paused first.  my family would agree.

thus, the break.  it might be a few weeks, it might be more.  but one thing is certain, no~ actually two things~ i will miss this space, and i'll be back. 

❤