Cowgirls or the 3 Musketeers...

... Not sure which title better suits us

The laughter was endless; the memories are priceless

A close group of friends and I were all part of the bridal party for another good friends wedding just this past Saturday. This wedding has been a long time in the works.  With engagements parties, dress shopping, Bridal shower, bacherlorette and of course the big day. I have been working hard at assembling a wedding guestbook/ photo scrapbook for the happy couple.  It has consumed much of my creative juices the past couple of months. I was quite please with the outcome but was glad to hand the gift over to them for further enjoyment. 

As for the big day...   The drive to the brides house and to the church was more stressful and problematic then we expected.  Let's just say I my car was the transport vehicle and it was suffering from a burnt out headlight and temperamental windshield wipers.  Once we were all at the house safely the morning drifted by as we calmly spent time getting our makeup and hair done and patiently steamed the wrinkles out of our dresses.  As the time came to walk down the aisle I was more nervous then the bride was.  The reception was held at Timberline Ranch and well we couldn't help but not pose for the camera with cowboy hats on.  

Thank you S & N for not being shy in front of the camera.  Thank you V, M, & S for taking numerous pictures and sharing in the laughter. I never get tired of hanging out with you because  I know the time together will be spent with most of us in laughter or finding creative ways to make your windshield wipers work... dental floss dosen't work.

The Nativity

Growing up we always had a nativity displayed somewhere in our house or on our front lawn to remind us of the Christ's birth and the reason for Christmas.  Originally we would set up our three feet wooden Mary and Joseph along side the shepherds and Wisemen.  A small stable was used as the shelter for the manger where baby Jesus lay.  This scene adorned our front yard for many years until it became very weathered from the elements.  In the past we have also set up a glass figurine Mary and Joseph and the other key figures in the nativity on our mantle.  Instead of a small stable to create small home we covered the entire mantle with real straw and strategically place the figures facing towards the manger with baby Jesus.  For the past few years we have been setting up our Playmobile nativity set.  

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:13-14)

3 things

Warm woolly Christmas socks with pompom tassels

Fresh earthy pine sent welcoming you into the room

Wrapping your hands around a hot mug of delicious coffee

Christmas Cards

Today is Dec 9 and I still haven't put my Christmas cards in the mail, which would first require me to write something in them , address them, stamp and seal them.  I thought I had it all under control especially since I finished making the cards during the last weekend of November.  Oh well, I hope I can at least get half of them on their merrily little way before the week is over.

Sugar & Spice and everything nice

Making Gingerbread houses goes way back in our family. Typically we create our own house, often inspired from pictures we have seen in Holiday recipe books.  It usually requires majority of the day from the making of the dough, designing the structure, cooking of the dough, building the house, and finally decorating the house with enough sugar candies to satisfy anyones cravings. Over the last few years we have not kept up our Gingerbread house reputation.  This year my brother came home with his graham cracker house.  The poor roof was caving in due to the smartie roof tiles.  It was an easy problem to solve and now the graham cracker house sits on our dining room table looking rather naked.  A few side walls still remain in tack along with the Shreedie walk way.

December 5th

Sinterklaas visited our house last night and left a little treat in our shoes.  Every since I can remember we have celebrated the coming of Sinterklaas, an old man dressed as a bishop, and the dutch version of Santa Claus.  Near the end of November Sinterklass arrives to town by boat and rides a white horse through town for all the children to greet him.  On the night of Dec 5th he leaves presents in the children's shoes or clogs while they sleep.  He is accompanied by Black Peter who keeps a list of the nice and naughty children and helps Sinterklaas on his very busy night. Every year we leave out one shoe at the end of our hallway in hopes the Sinterklaas will once again leave a little treat.  In the past it has been an Archie comic or chocolates, and sticking to his traditional ways this year was now different as we found a package of 3 Lindor chocolates sticking out of our shoes.  It is also tradition to receive a Chocolate shape as the first initial of your name or as we like to call it a Chocolate letter. This year my Oma came for a visit and left behind 6 chocolate letters one for each of us.  

 In the past we have celebrated this dutch tradition with my mom's side of the family.  We usually came together on the closest sunday to Dec 5th and share in a Christmas meal and often open gifts. When I was younger I loved being able to open a few Christmas gifts several weeks before Christmas Day because I could play with them all the days leading up to Christmas. I also loved writing in my school journal and sharing with my school friends how our family celebrates Christmas early.

Crafty

I am always in a crafty mood. I see something, get inspired, and create.  I saw these Christmas baubles in a store recently and decided to try and make my own version.  The white flock is fun to use and gives a soft texture to the ornament.  It was very difficult to photography due to the transparency of the bauble and my light source disappearing behind the trees.

Steps to making your own:

1) Cut or die cut a snowflake design onto double sided adhesive.

2) Remove one side of the adhesive backing and adhere it to the glass bauble

3) Smooth out any wrinkles

4) Carefully remove the remanding adhesive backing 

5) Roll the bauble in white flocking powder making sure it adheres to the adhesive

6) Brush of excess flocking with a clean paint brush

7) Attach a ribbon and hang on a tree branch

Advent Calendar

Advent n 1. Arrival that has been awaited (especially something momentous) 2 The season including the four Sundays preceding Christmas. 3. A calendar of the Christian year indicating the dates of fasts and festivals.

Another type of advent wreath we always include in our Christmas celebration is the one with four candles surrounding the Christ Candle.  In grade 10 I crafted my own advent wreath, in wood working, as a gift to my mom.  It is made entirely out of wood that has painted crimson and gold.  Every year when it is pulled down from the attic and carefully unwrapped  the star candle holders have all become detached from the base.  I would complain about poor craftsmanship. Before the candles can be fixated to the wreath the glue gun is put to work fixing minor repairs.  I love lighting a new candle each week as a symbol of the anticipated arrival of baby Jesus.  Our advent wreath either adorns the coffee table or the dinner table where it is front and center in our daily living and can be light often.

Advent Calendar

Just finished putting together this Advent calendar tonight. Not a moment too soon, seeing as tomorrow is December first.  I love how it turned out.  Now I just need a little elf to fill it up with chocolate. The yummy Lindor kind that melts in your mouth.  I love the creativity that has been flowing for me this weekend.  I hope that I can be this inspired and productive all month long. Stay tuned for more creative Christmas projects.

Pumpkin Time

Pumpkins, another medium where one gets to express their creative side.
Looking forward to....
...dressing up as a fisherman.... hip waiters included.
...fireworks hosted by the neighbours
...making my students search for pennies amongst pumpkin guts...blindfolded
...watching my students flaunt the runway in the mummy garbs
...eating chocolate bars

Have a safe and fun Halloween.

The year of weddings

I am at that age when many of my friends and relatives around me is getting married.  In August I attended an amazing wedding.  Let's just say Cheryl you can be my wedding planner.  I loved how the afternoon flowed nicely, the videography, the photography, and  all the small details.  There is nothing like an outdoor wedding.  The sunlight and nature always produce a beautiful setting to capture the moments.  If you have a spare moment check out this.  The videography and photography team worked together to capture the preparations, the ceremony, and reception and assembled  all their digital data for a same day edit.  In other words they were downloading their video clips and pictures onto computers while we were enjoying dinner and editing a short video presentation to show the guests later in the evening.  Seriously go check this out.  They do a perfect job capturing the wedding.  I am still waiting for them to post the TTD (trash the dress) photo shoot pictures that were taken a few days after the wedding day.  Take a look at some of the other weddings they have also posted on their blog.

Cheryl, if you are reading this, then enjoy these pictures I captured on your wedding day. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the celebration of your marriage. Loved the blackberry centerpieces, loved the tall columns, loved the first dance on the veranda, loved the boquet toss over the veranda, loved the poloroid pictures, loved the feathers in the hair, loved catching up with friends, loved the bridesmaid dress, love your red shoes, loved the day.

Love these picture right now

Sun Sand and Surf

Thanks Cooper. All I was able to type in my previous post was the title before my dog came and joined me on my bed and pawed at the keyboard pressing the enter key causing just my title to be posted into the blogging world.

Anyways, what I really want to share is my highlight of my Summer holidays.

  I look forward to summer every year because it is a chance to sleep in, hang out with friends anytime of the day, sleep in, go on day trips, visit some favorite hideaways, and to venture out and try new things. This summer Nicole and I signed up for surfing lessons.  I have been wanting to try surfing for a few years now and finally the timing was right.  

We spent a week camping in Tofino, just the two of us, surfing, hiking, soaking in the sun, and escaping the city life.  

We both loved it and can't wait for next summer. 

 We were decked out from neck to toe in a neoprene wetsuit,

 which kept us comfortable in the coldish water.  Our  nine foot soft top board was attached to our ankle by a nine foot leash.

 The best way to describe the surfing technique would be with the following words: spot your wave, hop on your board, paddle, dig your hands and arms into the water, paddle hard, feel the push of the wave, paddle twice more, pop up and enjoy the ride.  Well the pop up is not as easy as it looks and well, I only popped up for about 2 seconds before loosing balance and submitting to the surf.  Feeling the push of the waves and even riding the wave in on your knees was awesome. 

 I am excited to try again next season.  Gnarly dude!

Sun

Back to School

Sharpened pencils, labeled notebooks, coloured pens, pencil cases, decorated folders, organized binders, new agendas and a fresh start.  It can't get any better then this.  I am easily distracted by stationary items and always looked forward to sorting out school supplies the night before school started.  My siblings and I would spread out the new stash and divvy up our new supplies by colour and quantity, followed by fine liners busy scribbling away our names marking everything in sight.  I love the back to school giddiness.  This year I have my own classroom two days a week teaching those lovely, challenging, moody, eager, intriguing and quirky pre-teens (the grade seveners). I am sooooo excited about the new school year. 

Goodbye Summer...Hello September

Goodbye...

lazy summer days

sleeping bags and tents

campfires with s'mores

fireworks

movie nights

star gazing

roadtrips with friends

croquet

strawberry picking

kayaking

farmers markets

beach combing

summer fruit

cornmazes

surfing

 ferry rides

 sunsets