suspend

when your nine year old beats you two out of two times in the game of Suspend.  

luck i say, pure luck, :) especially when you see how carelessly he flings those pieces up in to any open spot.  no "slow and methodical" with this kid.  no strategy of careful consideration and anticipation of weight shifts once his piece is hung...nah, no need!  apparently the strategy is working for him just fine!

fun game though!  one of our favourites!

bathroom performances~ part 2

Hudson has a thing.  he's always enjoyed singing in the bathroom.  it brings me joy.  so much joy.  on this day, last Friday, i captured some of it.  and i'd say the Remembrance Day assembly at school with the choir performance made an impact.  this is part of "God Save the Queen" and "Oh Canada".

the video starts out slow, and there are a few sniffles in there too, but the crescendo ending makes it worth it, i think!  you can hear him before he restarts asking the "audience" to stand for the singing of the national anthem...there are quieter parts of audio that didn't pick up from the other side of the door, where he is making reference to everyone clapping, etc...always in the moment, imagining the actual event as though he is the star.  because why not?!?  love it so very much.

my own personal chef

well, not exactly....okay, not even close really.  still, Jeff is my guy.  always has been.  my best friend and my person who makes each day a wee bit lighter, brighter....and even sometimes tastier??  once or twice a year~ yes! that's it though~ quality, not quantity, right?  so this is why i'm featuring his two creations of 2016 here!  otherwise they might simply get lost from our family memories in the passage of time.  

culinary giftedness is not a label i'd attach to this husband of mine, but probably if he tried to cook more he'd be a master at that too.  just ask him! :) cooking is one of those things i really like to do, and i'm certainly home more and available to do it.  it works best for us this way.  he brings home the bacon.  i cook it.  literally.  on occasion, however, he has a bright idea of something he'd like to try and usually it's more of a fun family event than simply a meal created.  that's why i love it.  the kids pause and notice.  it strikes them as curious to see him prepping and buzzing around the kitchen, and we all enjoy the sight.  

they are pretty used to him finding fun and unique gourmet items when we are out shopping.  that is something that always makes me smile.  when Jeff and i are on one of our weekly shopping/grocery dates i can often find him at the back corner of TJ Maxx, or Kroger checking out cool food items that i'd almost certainly skip over...things like unusual protein bars or crazy Greek yogurt flavours or spicy pickles on skewers or Hawaiian coffee beans or sea salts...some have been amazing, others average, and some just fun family experiments as we all test out the purchases...

when that creativity translates to the kitchen, it always involves making something that would be "fun" for the kids to eat or be involved in.  it's a refreshing change and break when the daily grind of turning out large meals gets me weary.

his signature dish (not really a dish at all, but sounds more impressive) is "bulls-eyes".  really super yummy and even worth the clean-up (ahem...think tornado).

  

(awwhh, hi Joelle! miss you!)

he has discovered that when these are made with cinnamon raisin bread they taste even better!  the perfect salty/sweet combination....

and the most recent venture was homemade panzerottis.  the kids watched him create the first one and then custom made their own.  

it was fun and they actually tasted delicious!  

i think all the children preferred regular pizza, which both Jeff and i cannot understand, but maybe it's because he and i have such fond memories of panzerottis shared together over the years~ take out and eat-in.  we love them, and the homemade version was really yummy!  

wonder what his next creative idea and creation will be...next year... :)

running mates

these two crossing the finish line at the Terry Fox Run not too long ago....

photo credits to one of the race volunteers, i believe, but i loved the moment it captured between #2 and #6.  littlest brother had to have the win!

my handsome dishwasher

he's learning~ not super happy to be learning....but learning nonetheless....

 

he also really enjoys just playing with the trickling water...

not sure where his drying partner went~ those dishes are piling up!

i think i only had to re-wash two items on this particular day! :) 

Haiti

i don't even know what to say....Haiti continues to surface in my thoughts throughout my busy days since hurricane Matthew ravaged southern parts of the country on October 4th.  i don't even know where to put "it"~ this most recent disaster, in my brain.  i admit, it's like i almost feel numb to the news that dribbles out from this land so near and dear to my heart.  i feel so sad~ i read articles, here's a recent one and another and i look at photos and see snippets on the news (short, rare snippets, because the media's ongoing obsession with Donald Trump seems to strangely take precedence over life and death survival and suffering and disaster affecting millions...what is wrong with us??) and it just horrifies me, the complete paradox of our two worlds. while mothers and fathers sit on concrete floors with no covering overhead from the sun and rains at night, while attempting to shelter their traumatized and hungry children, my children hop on a school bus that picks them up at the end of our driveway, with lunches in backpacks and jackets and shoes, and i go off to the gym to exercise and maybe stop off at the grocery store on the way home if i feel like it, hoping there is room in my deep freezer for the meat i bought on sale.  how is that even real? seriously, my freezer is too full! what a ridiculous problem....it makes my stomach hurt and i feel guilty.  we also just came through Thanksgiving, where twice (yes twice, not including the leftover meals that followed!) i sat around a table laden with plates of deliciousness, surrounded by my dear family members whom i love, and never once did i experience the grief of losing a loved one to disaster.  no, we were there together, grateful and carefree, while i wondered if i had room for that second helping of stuffing...yes, i'm thankful, so very thankful, but it almost feels like my head is stuck in the sand somewhat, because i'm soooo out of touch with the real agony these Haitians face as they yet again attempt to rebuild from the devastation...i don't know, just wrestling with this lately...and kind of thinking out loud here...which is a scary thing, i know :)

of course there are still things to be done, many ways to help.  it still feels a bit removed for me, i admit (geography is kind of a legit obstacle...it's not like i can just hop in my car, after all), but obviously there are those real people and organizations there now, like right now, and many who were there long before hurricane Matthew and the earthquake of 2010 and the disasters in between.  they are reputable and doing the day-to-day grind of ministering to the hurting and displaced and broken lives they see day after day, with skills and experience and cultural awareness that is so key....

i will provide a few links, and stop rambling for now....check out these websites and consider ways you might want to support these groups in Haiti, as they slug through the hard stuff and step-up with love and care that so many Haitians are so desperate for.  consider the ways you can be an extension of their mission~ prayerful, hands-on in country, financial backing, etc...

Real Hope for Haiti ~ they are kickin' it themselves and their work is nothing short of life-sustaining and life-changing, but they also mention other trusted organizations there on their website. check this post for a more extensive list.

and a few more, 

Heartline Ministries

Apparent Project 

Compassion Canada and their projects in Haiti

rise again, Haiti, rise again...

October!!

oh how i love October.  so many reasons...changing leaves.  falling leaves.  orange pumpkins, white pumpkins.  bubbling baking casseroles.  new recipes.  soups, sauces, muffins, granola, breads...warm kitchen.  pumpkin spiced lattes, or pretty much anything pumpkin spiced (okay, i do draw the line at Twinkies.  who ever decided it was a good idea to mess with a Twinkie?!?).  crisp air.  cool breeze through house.  a/c turned off.  heavy blankets on beds.  flannel sheets.  perfect for sleeping...sweaters, jackets and jeans.  routine of church and school.  fall sports.  kids training for cross country, running their energy stores low.  basketball, hockey, wrestling gearing up to start!  tall corn stalks dry and beige in colour, still standing tall.  restoring some order to house after summer busyness.  sorting, pitching, organizing.  candles scented and glowing with lights dimmed.  first crackling fire in the fireplace.  baseball playoffs (go Jays!).  green lush grass happy to have the scorching summer sun less oppressive.  allergies wind down, mosquitoes disappear.  bursting colour from healthy mum pots.  bumpy gourds.  Thanksgiving with family and delicious recipes enjoyed around a big full table.  full hearts.  and now, a first~ our oldest home for Reading Week.  so nice to sit eight around our table again...even for a bit.  quiet time with God easier to schedule.  catch up with close friends over warm beverages.  all refreshing my spirit and perspective.  cinnamon and spices and homey aromas.  harvested vegetables and fruits.  juicy apples. rosy cheeks and chilly hands from outdoor play.  movies, cards, puzzles.

fall is lovely.  i'm especially thankful for this season every single year.  something about it.  hoping it drags out this year and winter's arrival is delayed as long as possible...

happy October everyone! :)