What a lovely Christmas day post Zee!

Lee here...hard to top that one! No exciting news here!

I have the majority of the day to myself. Dh took the girls out to run some errands and go shopping. Its been a productive day...lots of tidying up since the house looked like it threw up Christmas, the dishes are done and now I am hanging out online..alll by myself since Kathee is at a wedding today and Zee is putting in a sink:)

This is a piece of art that I have in my house that I treasure....it was made by my LLL leader, artist friend Peggy.

There's Zee...pregnant and ready to dance! Im the fat lady there for her support!

Summer Arrival

Life Happens, 

Once again I am blessed with this awesome gift of Life.  It’s a wonderful and timely surprise. Three years ago I gave birth to my tenth child during an extremely stressful and sad time of my life.  Almost loosing my daughter to cancer had me experiencing a roller coaster of emotions that often had me over analyzing the connection between my unborn child's arrival into this world and the possibility of loosing my daughter at any moment.  The joy he brought our entire family, especially my daughter who fought to hang on was a powerful gift, something positive and joyful to hold onto when times were so difficult.   

Just a few weeks ago, after discovering this baby’s presence, I realized that this little one has planned his or her arrival during another rough patch in our lives, no doubt another positive force that will help us weather the storm.  Not everyone can understand or appreciate the desire to have a large family, and honestly its not about wanting a large family, its about the desire to nurture and parent, the uncanny feeling that your not done yet... not unlike the strong feeling parents get when they say they know they are done and ready to move onto the next stage of life.  I've fostered, adopted and cared for children consistently for decades now, believing this would ease that longing to nurture and mother a child, but alas, it only has reinforced my desire to do so until I'm the ripe old age of ninety-two.  

I’m hopeful things will progress easily and remain positive, Life is Good!

 "Everything has a cause, and each birth is part of an ongoing continuity in the cycle of experience through eons" 

~ Tibetan Art of Parenting

Zee's 2009 Resolution ~ Creative energy to harness and use wisely

This New Year, not unlike all New Years of the past, seems to evoke a sense of renewal even though I try not to let time be the muse that inspires.  Almost like that diet that begins Monday morning, instead of the moment it came to be.  As much as I try I can't escape the desire to make a resolution or two.  I've been fighting this want to make things.  I keep thinking I'd love to explore new mediums, and then I remind myself I don't need to make stuff, but I do need to make the stuff I already have more desirable and useful.  My New Years resolution is to do just that.  Old sheets and blankets will become new blankets and throw rugs.  Old towels and the like will become reusable bum fluff for those who are so inclined.  I'm putting my effort, time and resources into making our living space more creative giving me lots of opportunities to paint and draw to my hearts content.  I'm good with knitting only useful items using appropriate materials.  I feel this surge of creativity that needs to be let loose and dang it, I've found a way to go to town.  I think tiling my counter top has awakened a sense of urgency for ART... I'm still going to get myself into a pottery class, but only to make some useful things for my kitchen.  Glass blowing is on hold as are a few other things I believed to be a must do.  This New Year is inspiring me to plot a productive and creative garden space that will offer me more opportunities to recycle and create garden art.  I'm planning indoor space dedicated to year round gardening, using this plan to burn up some of that creative energy that seems to come it waves.  I'm excited about designing a home for herbs and small hearty veggies that will tolerate indoor cultivation.

This New Year brings change, hope and life... leaving behind the shadow of 2008, with all its good and difficult times, a reminder of today's potential and tomorrow’s possibilities.   With a fond farewell to 2008 I'm truly excited to begin 2009.

 

Happy New Year!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Its me, Lee...This was fun..playing the game Careers..I know one of Kathee's favs. So nice to spend time as a family doing something everyone enjoys. The holidays remind us to make time for fun always!

baking

Lee on board..I made some cookies that my mom made when I was a child. Its a different recipe but must be pretty close since they taste how I remember. They are candy caned shaped where you take half the dough and color it red and add some peppermint oil. I remember them being very plain but when you're a kid, call it a cookie and its good enough. Altho they are cute, they were a bit too boring and tasteless for my liking..I wont make them again. I dont want to make or eat something that is just ok. The peppermint patties on the other hand are FABULOUS! They are so easy to make and you just cant go wrong giving these beauties as gifts or to contribute to desert.

This gingerbread house was made by my husband and Kate and Annie last night. It turned out really well:) You cant see the rock garden at the back. This is more about creativity and a treat.....other than the candies and hardened icing, the rest goes to waste. Someone might naw on some gingerbread, but these store bought kits are generally too hard to eat!!

I really feel certain that we are done baking and craft making for the year. I think Kate wanted to make some more ginger cookies but she can run that show herself.

Christmas Recital

Stefanie playing and singing Ron Sexsmith's song "Maybe this Christmas" with her vocal coach Amanda holding the mic.

Stefanie belting out "Rockin around the Christmas tree"

Maybe this Christmas will mean something more

Maybe this year love will appear

Deeper than ever before

And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call

Someone we love

Someone we’ve lost

For reasons we can’t quite recall

Mmm, maybe this Christmas

Maybe there’ll be an open door

Maybe the star that shined before

Will shine once more, ohhh

Mmmmmmm, mmmmmmmm

And maybe this Christmas will find us at last

In heaven, at peace

Prayed for at least

For the love we’ve been shown in the past

Maybe this Christmas

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Lee here...Ok..I feel terrible about this..We got new windows and this is the last one that needs to be replaced...its in the girl's bedroom..its ice!! We are going to order a new window and have our guy come and install it whenever he can..It will take about 4-6 weeks for it to come and even if he can install it for march that would be great. I think in the meantime we are just going to cover it with insulation (they have another window thats newish). We usually have it covered with plastic by now but we were so excited to not have to do that to our wall of new windows, that we kinda forgot!

This is our snowy day....

..Ahh my favorite kind of day...calling for snow during the day, we dont have to go anywhere or do anything..we are making pepermint patties today and watching a movie later and making some hot chocolate with a candy cane stir stick. I think I will make a pot of soup.

The kids are still in bed. It is cold and windy and damp out at the moment and I cant wait till it starts snowing! Annie will want to go outside for a while and I do have to bring in some wood (Ok, so I do have to do something!) It is warm inside and the tree lights are on. Im going to put the kettle on for some tea. I think I will stay in my jammies all day!!

Finally, a few more photos for the blog...this first one is our little miniature Christmas scene that Annie very lovingly set up for us during our visit. Thank you Annie! It's perfect.

And doesn't this look like the perfect christmassy treat! fruitcake (with brandy) and dark spicy chocolate with a hot cup of coffee....mmmm!

We decided to decorate the mailbox too!

I will post our Christmas tree photo soon
too...

Our Christmas branch

with our new windows in the background:) We found the tree the other day in a neihbours woods.. I dragged it home on a beautiful snowy but not too cold day. We brought out the container of decorations and the girls went to work. Our decorations are everything from my parents first ornament, special bobbles from my inlaws, a syrofoam ball adorned with sequens and pins that Chris made when he was 5, to many homemade things the girls have made over the years. Its always a trip down memory lane opening up that box. We dont have room to hang up all the ornaments either...they try to cram on as many as possible but at some point, someone says.."thats enough".

I really miss my grandparents this time of year because it is with them that I have one of my favorite memories. When Chris and I were dating and then first married and before we had children that needed to get home to bed, we would all go to my grandparents Christmas day. The best part of the day came at night time when the other family members (party poopers) would leave, Nan would always whisper to me "you and Chris are staying right?" and we would. We would stay up late, have some wine and snacks and chat. Lee

Aidan was also in a parade this year. He was part of the Junior Fair Board's float...although they didn't really have a float, they walked. They were "Rudolph and his Fire Brigade", since this was the 50 th year of the fire dept. He wasn't too thrilled to have to 'dress up', but then a friend lent him an authentic set of coveralls from the local Fire Dept.

Christmas buzzzz

Yes folks, you saw it here first...STEFANIE IS BAKING...she looks a little buzzed like she may have been eating the sugar!

Lee here again! Annie is so excited over Christmas I had to send her away for a few days to play with friends....lol seriously, thats alot of holiday energy to be around. I like that the girls are excited but I must say it is difficult for me to be out in the crowds trying to finish up shopping. It just all feels like greed and now on the news they are saying so many people are backing out of their loans, mortgages etc yet here we are, bombarded with what feels like the main Christmas message of "buy more presents". We have never been over the top and most folks we surround ourselves with arent either...so, next year, I really need to be finished shopping by Dec 1 so I can enjoy the parts of the holidays that I love....Christmas music, being with friends and family and doing crafts, decorating, baking and remembering why we celebrate Christmas. Here it is Dec 12 already..our tree is up and I will post a pic when I change the batteries in the camera:)

Stories come to Life!

That was the theme of the library's float in the Christmas Parade. Hello...Lee here:) Annie and Kate are bunnies:) It was cold but they had fun getting to ride the parade route. Let it be known that parades have never done anything for me but the girls were interested in being part of it so there ya go:)