Friday, January 30, 2009

Friday Fill-Ins # 108


To read other fun fill-ins, click here

Here we go:
1. I'd really like some poutine right now as I wait for my husband to get home and then I want my bed.

2. Fiddlesticks is the word you'd most often hear me say if I stubbed my toe.

3. Possession is 9/10's of the law.

4. Johnny Depp is the only Captain Jack Sparrow.

5. Marshmallows and fire go together like wieners and beans.

6. This is the song that never ends, it goes on and on...

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the fireworks, tomorrow my plans include finish cleaning inside my van that I washed Friday and Sunday, I want to stay awake long enough after night shift to go to church!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Happy Winter!

WINTER Poem

It's winter in Canada
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Canada
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Canada
I'm frozen to the friggin' ground!

I DON'T Think So!!

I've known that potty-training my youngest is going to be difficult but this afternoon he made a comment that really worries me. "Mommy you can wipe me for the next 10 years."....NOT!!!.....Along with being able to dress himself, my son also knows how to put on a pull-up and open the sides to take it off. I don't want to rush him to do anything he's not ready to do but I'm almost certain he knows when he has to go , he's just too stubborn (I have no idea where he gets that from :)) to go to the bathroom instead of in his pants. I know he has a bowel movement every other day and so I'm quick to find him anytime he all of a sudden "disappears" upstairs. Rather than going to the toilet to have a bowel movement Liam goes upstairs and does it and if I come up looking for him he tells me to go away. Once he's done, he comes back downstairs and stinks up the place until someone catches him and changes him. HELP!! How do I get him to go to the toilet rather than hiding....He is so ready for school in the fall except that this will not be tolerated and much to his chagrin, I'm definitely not wiping him for the next 10 years, in fact I hope it's not even one more year. Any suggestions as to what to do? Do I just leave him and hope he grows out of this stubborn streak? What? I was so spoiled with my first child, he was only in pull-ups two weeks and then potty-trained, my daughter was around 3 years old but Liam.....

Monday, January 26, 2009

Gong Xi Fa Cai 4707!






4704 (or 2009) is the year of the Ox.

Try Chinese New Year Quiz here and test your knowledge of Chinese New Year beliefs and traditions!



Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4707 begins on Jan. 26, 2009.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

An Obstinate Year
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in ox years tend to be painters, engineers, and architects. They are stable, fearless, obstinate, hard-working and friendly. Jack Nicholson, Jane Fonda, Walt Disney, and Anthony Hopkins were all born in the year of the ox.

Famous Ox:
Barak Obama




Fireworks and Family Feasts
At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival
In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.

The lantern festival is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

What Year Was I Born Under?




You Were Born Under:



You are solid, methodical, and you do things right the first time.

Even when no one else does, you always believe in yourself.

You tend to see the world in black and white, right or wrong.

A good memory and eye for details means you tend to thrive at near impossible tasks.



You are most compatible with a Snake or Rooster.

What Year Should I Have Been Born Under?









You Should Have Been Born Under:




You are totally loyal, faithful, and honest.

However, you don't trust others to be as ethical as you are!

Straight forward and direct, you really aren't one for small talk.

You are a great listener - and an agreeable companion when you're in a good mood!



You are most compatible with a Tiger or Horse.


Friday Fill-Ins #108



Come play with me and click on the link here to visit others' fill-ins. Here we go:

1. Oh, I am so tired!
2. I don't like changes, big or little.
3. During movies, I always get emotional .
4. We were the coldest place IN THE WORLD last week; are you kidding me???
5. Right now I'd like to be enjoying 42* in New Zealand and enjoying the "summer" .
6. My computer is my favorite gadget.
7. And as for the weekend, Friday I enjoyed taking my kids swimming at the YMCA , Saturday my plans include driving our new (to us) Echo to work and Sunday, I want to go to church with my husband and children!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

New Leadership

Yesterday was a big day for the people of the United States (and many other people watching). Probably many of you were watching your t.v.s yesterday morning and taking in the inauguration of the first black American president. Even at work (I was working on the palliative care unit) anybody who wasn't immediately busy was flocking in front of the flat screen to listen To President Obama give his speech. Unfortunately I didn't get to watch it as I had to attend to a patient however I did watch it on Youtube this morning. It seems that many people every where paused yesterday where ever they were to watch Barack Obama make history. As President Obama was swept into power on promises of hope and change at a time of crisis, many are regarding him as some new kind of savior who will heal broken relationships, save the environment, and bring an end to bloodshed and war. I couldn't help but think about the sermon series my pastor shared titled "Letters to the Prime-Minister" during our own elections last fall. The first part was titled (1)"The Need For Moral Authority" and the second part titled (2)"Let History Judge Your Actions". I just want to share these and pray that Obama will lead the country with these values.

(Part 1) If we are having a problem with someone in authority, the reason we may not respect the authority is because of a discrepancy between something they say and do. "I will obey but I won't respect"...that is a lack of moral authority. Moral authority comes from a consistency between the values a leader espouses and the values they live out. Moral authority positions us to influence people at their deepest levels: their hearts, minds, and consciences. The Bible shows an excellent example of this in the life of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 5). Nehemiah confronts the illegal practices of the people of Israel. He demands they pay back what they owe and meanwhile Nehemiah refuses to take from the people what is rightfully his (ie taxes). He knew if you want to be first, you have to be last. If you want to be a leader, you have to be a servant. In the movie Braveheart when William Wallace, a commoner fighting for the people, speaks to a leader of the people he basically says the same thing when he says, "You think the people exist to provide for your nobility but I think nobility exists so that they might provide for his people." Leaders need authority that goes beyond 'I'm the president and I say so' The sermon was closed with this letter to the new leader : Dear President Obama (leader's name), Over the next few years, you'll be reminded daily of our approval of your performance. set your sights beyond our approval. We want you to lead in such a way as to gain and maintain our respect. For that to happen there must be consistency between what you say and what you do. This alignment will allow you to lead those who selected your party and those who did not. Be the first president to give away 20% of your annual income publicly. So as to remove any doubt that you are truly a man that cares about the less fortunate in our nation & the world. A quote by Lewis Fisher reads, " History is the chronicle of divorces between creed & deed. We pray that won't be the case for your administration. Our hope is that you'll be a president whose actions reflect the promises you made and the values that you claim to embody and if that is the case, you'll have something more valuable than our approval. You'll have our respect.

(Part 2) We need a leader not as concerned with making people happy as bringing people back to being disciplined and having a margin. They need to lead as then is now. Living in a rich nation, such as Canada & the U.S.A leads to rich nation problems AKA indiscipline problems. An example of this in the Bible is the story of Joseph & Pharaoh (Genesis 41 & 47). A rich nation is about to go through a rough season of turmoil. The leader (Pharaoh) needs to make tough decisions even though he doesn't understand and it won't make everyone happy. In the story, Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery. As a prisoner, Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams. He will have 7 years of abundance and prosperity followed by 7 years of famine. Then all the abundance will be forgotten. In the end, Pharaoh made some great leadership decisions:
  • He led with the future in mind.
  • He didn't assume unending prosperity.
  • He prepared the nation for what he believed was ahead.
  • He listened to outsiders.
  • He didn't let personal prejudice blind him from good advice.
We as a people in a "rich nation" see prosperity after prosperity. We need a leader not worried about what people think but will do what 's right for the nation. That's the type of leader that solves problems in a nation that's affluent, that lives beyond it's means. Pride is often easier seen in others, especially leaders. One of the dangers of pride is that it blinds us to the needs of people around us. The opposite of pride is humility and this is a virtue we look for in a leader. Ken Blanchard points out, "Humility does not mean you think less of yourself. It means you think of yourself less." The sermon was closed with this letter to the new leader: Dear President Obama (leader's name), Lead us, don't try to please us. This generation will always be consumed with this generation. We are accustomed to getting our own way. Don't let that influence you. Lead this generation with the next generation in mind. Lead as if then is now. Be content to let history judge your actions rather than current public opinions. We don't want you to be fair, don't aim for fair. Fairness rarely leads to compassion. It often leads to confusion. Instead, do what's right. Remain open to the voices of outsiders and God may grace you with a Joseph.

Weather Update

Sorry I didn't get back Sunday like said I would. I've been working the last four days and I can't remember the last time "I" spent time on the computer. Also, I've been enjoying our "balmy" weather. Ok, so it's not the high of +2 they forecasted for Sunday but it did get as warm as -3 (and NO windchill!!). And that I'll take anyday over -50 windchill. And just for the record, that is waaayyyy warmer than I imagined it possibly getting in less than a week.....I sure hope weather forecasters don't have stinky feet....;)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Friday Fill-Ins #106



To read more fill-ins on other blogs , click here
Here we go:

1. It's January; and its C-O-L-D!

2. A trip to somewhere warm is what I crave most right now.

3. Cork and wine go together like a mom and her kids.

4. God's Word is so nourishing.

5. Let us dare to do something wild and crazy without worrying about what others think.

6. We need more money to continue renovations we want to do to our home.

7. And as for the rest of the week, tonight I'm looking forward to taking Wynn to Beavers and then going grocery shopping (heh! any reason to get out :/), tomorrow my plans include taking Liam to playgroup in the morning and going to my lecture (Elder Care Interest Series) in the evening about "The Relationship of Caring" and Friday, I want to play with the kids as they have the day off school!

Yeah Right!! (*with a note of sarcasm*)

I definitely want it to warm up, considering we've been in this deep freeze for a month and a half now but really......To go from -50 windchill (today)to +2 degrees (Sunday)!!??! Despite the cold weather, I've been in spring cleaning mode for the last week. Perhaps being cooped up in the house for so long and having to constantly look at my cluttered house has given me to motivation I need to get things organized. Whatever the reason, I'll take it. Cleaning is one of those things I need to be in the mood to do (well). By the way, my cleaning spree has been the main reason I haven't posted for so long, sorry.
I'll keep you posted on whether the weather man is actually right this time. If he is, I'm going to have to find out who this guy is and kiss his feet. (If I'm not too frozen).

Thursday, January 8, 2009

2008 Ryden Family Newsletter

Here is the letter that I finished and am getting ready to send out. Sorry it is so short but I figured if I made it too wordy I'd never get it finished, you probably wouldn't want to read it and I realized that next year I need to be more organized. Maybe I'll discipline myself to keep a journal or record monthly happenings through the year and it will be easier to look back at year end. Anyway here's what I manged to hen-scratch together and please feel free to ask me questions if I left something out or something doesn't make sense.


2008 In Review

Hello Everyone. Just the fact that this is getting from an idea to paper is a feat in and of itself. Each year I think "I'm going to write a letter re our year and send it at Christmas"...but alas I never do. Well rather than waiting until next Christmas to try again, I'm going to do it right now since much of the busyness of the holidays is settling down now. For those of you reading this in paper letter form (vs. cyber-letter) please forgive me that the paper isn't Christmas but I thought if I waited for different paper it may just be another excuse to procrastinate. Just think of it as a Valentine's letter :). So, here's what we've been up to:

Rachael: I started off the year taking some driving lessons as I prepared to go for my driver's license. Learning to drive in Winnipeg winter can be fun to say the least. But I'm sure glad I have that experience to fall back on now....If I'm able to drive in our winters I bet can can drive anywhere! :) I ended up becoming fully legal at the end of March. :) I must say being able to drive has freed me up to do alot more. But even with only the one vehicle it is hard to do everything. I'm blessed to have my mom close by and offer to be "my personal taxi" when able and drive me when Cliff has the van. Since I work weekends, there is one weekend a month that Cliff & I both work and it's then that my mom & Cliff's mom take turns babysitting once a month. With the onset of warm weather in the spring, the kids & I eagerly drove off to the greenhouses. I made two more flower gardens this year. The kids now each have a garden of their own and enjoy watching the new growth come up and tending their gardens. Also in the spring we found a new church to attend. They are growing and have to build a new building so currently meet in a school gymnasium (and basement for Sunday School). The congregation is mosly young adults. The kids and I really enjoy it and Cliff has joined me occasionally when not at work. We've also found a Life-Group to be a part of and it is great since I can't always make it Sunday due to work. In June, my mom , my brother(Matt) & I went to New Zealand for 10 days. The initial reason for the trip was to be present for my Aunt & Uncle's 40th anniversary. This was the first time I've been back to New Zealand since coming to Canada at 2 months of age. It was awesome to see the beautiful country...even in winter! Extinct volcanos, tropical flowers, palm trees on the roadsides, the ocean, mountains, animals, caves....God is an awesome artist. I also got to meet many relatives for the fist time. I want to go back again in their summer season and take the rest of my family with me. They have GOT TO see this place to believe how beautiful it is and I want the rest of my NZ family to meet my husband and kids. The only thing that may be a problem is convincing Cliff to board a plane for 13 hours straight, much of it over the water! I'll cross that bridge when it comes. :)
Then in August, more visiting. One day I received an unexpected phone call from my mom & dad (Jim & JoAnne) in Calgary asking if is ok to come for a vist. three days later, Mom, Dad, Shi-anne, Ben & Ashley along with their dog, drove out for a visit. It was great to see them and my kids really enjoyed meeting their relatives from Calgary. They are still asking me when we can go back and see them "Can we go this weekend?..." Near the end of the month, I left my hubby & kids again and went to NB for a week. I was able to see one of my best friends get married. The last time I saw her, she was a bridesmaid at my wedding 8 years ago! It was great to see many old friends again and see my my old stomping grounds.
I know it sounds here like I run off from home alot but I don't really. Most of the time I'm at home busy being a mother of three and wife. Since Liam was born I went down to a 0.2 at work. My schedule is every other weekend and I occasionally pick up extra shifts when our schedule allows. I still work as a registered nurse at Riverview Health Centre but am working on a personal care unit (PCH) now.

Cliff: Cliff is still employed as a full-time registered nurse at Riverview Health Centre. He workds on the Special Needs unit which is mostly Alzheimer's care. Both times this past year while I was off globe-trotting, he stayed at home with the kids. It was great bonding time for Daddy & his kids and they got to go spend time at Grandma & Grandpa Ryden's (Daddy's parents'). Over the last year we did many exterior renovations to the house including new windows and the stucco was removed from the house and replaced with vinyl siding. Also we got a new patio door. It is much nicer cosmetically and less drafty in our Winnipeg winter. Future renovations that Cliff would like to do "when we win the lottery" (his words) would be to replace our shingles with a tin roof and to build a larger garage.

Wynn: Wynn is Wynn is 7 years old now (will be 8 in just a couple months!). He's in Grade 2 and is an excellent reader. He doesn't like to stop and read or do any sort of work. He's always on the go but I'm told "he's just a boy!" He has a vivid imagination and likes to play video games (XBOX 360) with his dad. He keeps growing and is now up to my shoulders (not that that's hard ;)). A couple more years and my baby will be taller than me!! He's lost several baby teeth already and infact lost another last night. So along with his gaping grin he also sports two adult teeth. He is very sociable and makes friends easily. Wynn is in his third year as a Beaver (Scouts Canada) and is looking forward to being a wolf cub in the fall. He started 2008 off with skating lessons once a week and really enjoyed that. Then in the summer he took swimming lessons and wanted to continue so last fall and now he is taking swimming lessons at the YMCA and is a Seal. In the summer along with riding his bike, he also enjoyed roller-blading around the block.

Autumn: Autumn is 5 years old and turning into quite the little lady. Although she tells me she'll always be MY little girl. :D Autumn is also growing up, she now weighs as much as Wynn. Last year Autumn went to Kindergarten Here We Come twice a week and really enjoyed it. It was then that I realized just how much she was maturing and not attached to my leg like she used to be. In the fall she started Kindergarten - full day, every day. Autumn REALLY enjoys crafts of any sort, reading and writing. She can write and spell everybody's name in our family by herself! As well, Autumn enjoys dancing & singing. Autumn is in her third year of Rhythmic Gymnastics. She enjoys it and is very good at it. If the interest continutes she wants to do it competively "like the big girls"...we'll see. Along with Wynn, Autumn took skating lessons last winter and is now in swimming lessons. She is at the Otter level. Just this fall, Autumn started Sparks (Girl Guides) and is really enjoying it and has made many new friends. She enjoys selling cookies door-to-door. Especially in the fall cause she got to ride her bike around (without training wheels :) ) I guess this time I'll be pulling her on the sled.

Liam: My baby is no longer a baby, he is now 3 years old. We call him a "string-bean". He is almost as tall as Autumn but very slim so needless to say finding the right size clothes to fit him can be a challenge. Liam enjoys going to playgroup two mornings a week and is looking forward to when he can go to school "like Autumn & Wynn". The one thing we are still working on before that can happen is his pottytraining. He knows when he has to go but refuses to go to the toilet....He's very stubborn like his parents. Liam has a large vocabulary - I guess that comes with having older siblings. He enjoys playing with others or alone. He also enjoyed riding his bike when the weather permitted and is now in swimming lessons. Last summer it was Parented L'il Dippers (I'd join) but now he's in Unparented L'il Dippers and he is sometimes hesitant to put his head under the water unless I'm beside him.

2009:




(A blank paper that has yet to be written on. How exciting!, may this be a great year!)

Monday, January 5, 2009

Inventory Time

The following is a devotional that I read today and really puts things into perspective for the New Year. I so need to take inventory of my spiritual life.
This is a New Year...a blank page that has not yet been written on...

Today's Truth
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Friend to Friend
The tree is down, the decorations are packed away and the company has all gone home. I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and have emerged, relatively unscathed, ready to face a New Year. If you have ventured out into the malls, you have discovered those stores that were crammed full for a solid month are now almost deserted in comparison. The store clerks that just days ago welcomed you with open arms and flashing smiles now ignore you as if you were an intrusion. There's a reason. They are busy taking their yearly inventory. We need to do the same.

A spiritual inventory is an important tool of growth in our walk with God. How can we know where we are headed if we don't know where we have been? What lessons did we learn during the last year? What do we want to keep and what needs to be tossed aside as we face a new year? What changes need to happen and what needs to remain the same? What new choices do we need to make in order to achieve new goals -- the right goals?

It is often so easy to keep on doing "the next thing." We put one foot in front of the other, casually drifting through a life without purpose, only to wake up one day to discover that we have wasted much of that life on the "unimportant." I don't know about you, but I have reached the point in life where I absolutely refuse to live in survival mode. I want my life to count ... to make an impact.

For several nights, I have found myself lying awake for hours, pondering the "next step." I am on my knees asking God for His direction, and trusting Him to make those steps clear. I have decided that when I can't understand the plan or see what's just ahead, I will choose to trust God. It is a decision I make continually.

This New Year, 2009, is not just another year; it is another chapter of life, filled with opportunities, challenges and fresh purpose. I choose against my "old nature" that wants to just sit back and rest in the warmth of yesterday's victories or hide in the darkness of yesterday's defeats.

Instead, I choose to strain both victory and defeat through the promise of Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good, learning the truths and lessons that need to be learned while embracing God's highest plan for my life. We do not have to settle for anything less than knowing God and pursuing all that He holds in His hands for each one of us. Right now, pick up that pad and pencil and get started on your own personal inventory. May this be the most God-honoring year of your life.

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for all that You have done in my life this year. There are so many times during the past year when I would not have made it through the day without Your power and presence. Help me to apply the lessons of 2008 in this New Year so that I will grow and become more like You, leading others to seek and know You. I love You, Father, and praise You for all that You have in store for me in 2009. May my life be a trophy of Your grace, mercy and love.

In Jesus' name, I pray
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Set aside a few hours this week to review 2008.

What lessons have you learned? How did you learn them?
What new truths has God given you? How are you applying those truths in your daily life?
What new perspective has God given you this year? In what way will that perspective change habits and behaviors in your life during 2009?
Make a step-by-step plan for implementing a daily quiet time alone with God. Choose the place, gather your materials and select the time of day when you will most likely have a few minutes of uninterrupted time.
When you fail, begin again. God will honor your commitment.

More From The Girlfriends
Around our house, the "after-Christmas" activity of choice is what one of my friends calls "purging". Every year, she packs up the Christmas decorations and begins a diligent room-by-room, closet-by-closet, box-by-box search for anything she did not use during the past year. Family heirlooms and items of sentimental value are the only treasures excluded. Everything else is fair game, and if she hasn't used it in a year and doesn't foresee using it this year, out it goes! We should apply the same tactic to the attitudes, behaviors, habits and disciplines of our spiritual journey. We have hopefully learned valuable lessons, gained fresh truths and molded more godly perspectives during the past twelve months. Now is the time to plug each truth and perspective into daily life.


Each year I plan on writing a letter of our year in review but as you've noticed it never happens. I am not very good about writing letters at the best of times. Things get busy and it is too easy to procrastinate and say "I just didn't have time...". So even though it is AFTER Christmas and the end of 2008, I'm going to attempt writing a summary of our year in review and send it to my family and friends that we rarely, if ever see and would appreciate hearing about our year. I'm also going to post it here for those of you to read once I get it done.

I've been reflecting a bit on the questions above and must admit I've had some difficulty in finding answers to them. What lessons have I learned? A rather general lesson but very important all the same is to appreciate our friends and family and not take them for granted. We are all here for a time and do not know when our Lord will call us home. Also I need to keep myself a devotional journal. I'm sure I've learned many things but find it difficult to recall later.
New truths and perspectives? God's love is unconditional and He loves us and accepts us just as we are. He wants us to come to Him just as we are. As much as we may try, we can never be like Him until He works through us and changes us to be like Him. Changes in behaviours and habits? Change me Lord and make me less judgemental of others. Step-by-step plan for implementind a daily quiet time alone with God? I'm making it my goal to spend atleast 15 minutes each day alone with God. I have so many materials but don't use them. I plan to use the Girlfriends In God devotionals and the weekly online Bible Studies "Life For The Journey". Also, for Christmas I got a Message Bible. As for the place, I'm thinking probably in the livingroom after the kids have gone to bed. So often when I've tried in my room I get distracted by the tv or get comfortable in bed and....well you know.

Anyway I should get going and get kids to bed so I can start writing my year in review letter which you will hopefully be able to read soon.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

LATE ENTRY

That is what we have to write in the patients charts at work when we want to chart something later than when it actually happened. Last month we went to the Assiniboine Valley Railway as an outing with Wynn's Beaver's group. I had every intention of blogging about it but as you can see, it never happened. I finally got the pics on my computer and figured better late than never. The kids were all so excited to go. Even I was looking forward to it as I've been in Winnipeg 12 years now and still never gone here. When you drive past their treed in lot all you can see are Christmas light covered arches going down the driveway and disappearing into the trees Who would have known what lay beyond those arches.... A seven acre property with a one mile railway track for a 1/8 scale miniature train on a 7.5 inch gauge railway. Each Christmas they have a Christmas Light Run and you can ride the train and enjoy the over 95,000 lights they had this year. Unfortunately it was soooo cold that even the tracks were too cold for the train to run properly so they were only taking about 4-5 people at a time and rather than using both our tickets we only used one and will have to go back later when it is warmer. However we did get a few pictures before we froze solid and had to go home for hot chocolate and thaw out.













Saturday, January 3, 2009

A Fun Day

Wow, the day is almost done and I accomplished .....nothing; zilch; nada; zip....but I had fun. Just after lunch mom picked the kids and me up and we went downtown to the IMAX theater to see Madagascar 2 . It was hilarious and a definite must to buy and add to our library once it is out in stores. Have any of you seen it? The kids love theaters anyway but this was awesome. With the screen so big and the surround sound, it was like being there. Unfortunatley, since Cliff had to work and Ted was also working, we ventured through the mall and then went out for supper to Applebee's.

Now we are back home, it is back to the real world. Gotta make a casserole with some of the leftovers in my fridge and get kids ready for bed. I'm looking forward to going to church as we haven't been there for a couple weeks with work and the holidays. Also it is hard to believe that school (and everything else) will be starting up again the day after tomorrow.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone out there! Sorry about the sudden stop in posting, I honestly don't know where the last two months of the year (2008) went. Busy with work and family and Christmas preparations but even with all that I'm sure I could of had time for blogging......?????.......Anyway......
A few people have asked me re my New Year's Resolution(s) and I honestly couldn't tell them. Well, since a chat with a very good and wise friend of mine, I think I can honestly say I now know my resolution....To make regular (monthly?) "ME" time. "Taking time for yourself will contribute to better parenting." I know this in my mind but it is hard to put into practice.
Oh my, look at the time, end of night shift and time to go. I'll be back later. Have you any New Year's Resolutions?