What Can I Say

I have to say that this year so far has been weird.  Every time I have sat down and thought, 'hey i should blog'...I have been at a loss.  Its not because I haven't had anything going on but quite the opposite.
I posted the above you tube clip 1 - because it is VERY funny and 2 - because I totally get this whole 'crisis of confidence' phrase right now!


Our family is in a weird season of what feels like transition and change.  I feel as though there are seismic waves, of varying intensity, sweeping through our life and challenging the way we view stability.  "Oh you thought that was a given?? A sure thing?? Lets just shake that up a bit!!" 
And that sure leaves me feeling insecure and given to a certain amount of anxiety.  When shaken down to its root it always seems to come back to two foundational questions for me. "Is God big enough to deal with this" and the even more importantly "Is He Good."  They are such hard questions to grapple with and you know a couple of months ago I would have had very little trouble answering YES! to both.  
Right now, it is only by faith that I can even squeak out a small little yes . I know what I believe but sometimes that 'crisis of confidence' is absolutely immobilizing.
I hug my chest and cry to the Father to help me see and to walk through this season with some measure peace even though I am blind to His hand moving and guiding us.


So pardon my 'tongue tied' blog as we navigate these unknown waters before us.  I am so grateful for all of you who share in our life and our journey - day to day and 'virtual' friends alike :)

Ice Fishing....Really??

Really??  That was my whiny response to Ed's request that we all head out ice fishing Sunday after church.


Fishing I get...lay in a boat in the warm sunshine with the a great excuse that nothing else got done in the day...


Ice Fishing is a whole other matter...sit out in the freezing cold with nothing to do but think that you are freezing cold - on top of 10 inches of ice which is also freezing cold waiting for some fish to bite some rotten piece of shrimp (which got thus by sitting on your kitchen counter for 2 days) just in the hope that something will occupy you mind other than the fact that you are freezing cold.


Although, as you may have guessed I gave in; my husband LOVES ice fishing...even though I can't understand why and I knew it meant a lot to him AND I figured it would be some good family memories and time spent together. 


On that point I was right.  The kids were super cute with their little fishing rods that they diligently held for all of 5 minutes and the rest of the time they had a blast playing in the snow and scooping ice from the fishing holes.
It was a beautiful afternoon and I had fun playing around with my camera despite the cold.

Pardon the poor quality here but it was just a cute moment and I didn't want to miss it by fiddling with settings...Gabe was SOOOO tired after being out eliana was able to cuddle the sleeping Gabe on her lap and give him kisses without him ever knowing...he was so out!!

i heart Faces - Winter Wonderland

As soon I took this photo of this little guy I knew it was one of my favourites of the whole session.  He was just pumped to be outdoors and eating snow off his mittens!!

Pop on over to i heart faces to check out all the great winter wonderland pics.

i Heart Faces - Smiles

This couple immediately came to mind when the theme of 'smiles' came up for the i heart faces challenge this week.  These two had me smiling and laughing all day long and the smiles they had for each other were just breath taking.  So in love and absolutely thrilled to married!!

Walking into the New Year...

We had a wonderful Christmas season that just now is drawing to a close.
My one sister left yesterday and of course school starting stole my other one. My brother leaves friday and then I am afraid I am going to feel quite alone in our little house!!


As always we were busy busy busy but it was the good fun kind of busy.  Christmas is really my favourite....


But as I look towards this New Year our family is facing a year of change and some very big question marks....
Its not a year that I can plan for or anticipate (although when do things go the way we think they will anyway)
And so I find my self a little tentative this season...trying Not to hold my breath...trying to remember who God is in our lives and who I am in Him.

Delivery!! Christmas Card for you :)

I usually am so on top of the Christmas Card game but this year it was a no go.

Well at least for a card that you'd receive all bright and cheery in your mail box. 

BUT...

I really didn't want you to think that I have forgotten...or even failed to try - it came more down to the technical difficulties of trying to take our own family picture and then finding a photo that everyone was happy with. (Some sympathizers out there??)

Anyway to make our long christmas photo story short - I just collected a couple photos from some of my favourite trips this year and made you a digital card.

Please feel loved and appreciated :)

Thought I'd add my parents card too! lol at least its a better photo of my family!!

A Christmas Lighting Rant...

Ok I know, this may be an odd thing to rant about.  Rant might not even be the right word...I am not angry or frustrated but I am a little saddened..


WHY??


Well I just can't stand the LED christmas lights that are ever where.  Don't get me wrong - I love the power savings and world cataclysm avoidance they represent...I just cannot get over how anemic and understated they are.


Like really understated...the other day I drove past a place that used the blue and purple LED and I would almost venture to say they produce anti-light.  The dark vibrant colour emits so little light they are hard to focus on but because its not normal to the landscape your eye is almost inexplicably drawn back to it.  It really is like some sort of Christmas Light Black Hole of Anti Light.....You get sucked in wether you want to or not.
This does not bring me Christmas joy and make me want to celebrate....It makes me want to rub my eyes and go unplug the darn things.


Remember when Christmas lights not only illuminated the snow along the eves but the entire face of a house!  How cheery and warm and welcoming was that!  These poor little LED's if they get a true Canadian size dump of snow on them become faint orbs of colour again creating the CLBH of AL. I just find it a little disheartening. I love colour - I love light.....Christmas lights are supposed to bring those two things together, without giving me a headache.


Although I have to admit two things....I see hope for the LED's because someone has taught the manufacturers about the concept of colour temperature and they are now offering 'white' or clear lights that are not blue in tone but rather a nice warm cream....A big step in the right direction if you ask me.


And the second I have to admit rather abashedly - We have anemic Christmas Lights creating Black Holes of Anti Light on our house right now.