Just For Fun

OK. I got this fun little challenge from another blogging friend to complete these lists. (Thanks Kerry!) Hopefully some you will find this fun enough to do this post on your blogs. Let me know in the comments so I can check it out:)

10 Years ago today
-I was anticipating the birth of our second baby (born March 3rd)
-I had really short, ugly hair. I like short hair...but just on other people.
-I couldn't wait to have a *drink*, you know what kind;)
-I wanted to see my feet and ankles again

Yesterday
-I worked a full day at the office then worked the evening shift at home;)
-Ate yummy pulled pork sandwiches for dinner (from Lepp's Market)
-Went for a walk in the rain.

Tomorrow
-I'll work in the morning then hopefully will go pick-up some groceries for my very bare cupboards and fridge. Costco here I come!

5 snacks I enjoy
-Nachos - fully loaded with guacamole
-Boursin cheese with red pepper jelly and multi-grain rice crackers
-Brie cheese - prepared any way:)
-Chocolate dipped strawberries
-M&M's

5 things I'd do with 1 000 000
-Go on a holiday
-Give money to Haiti
-Buy Canuck season tickets
-New house
-Buy a Jeep Rubicon

5 locations I would run away to
-Italy
-Paris
-Anywhere in the Caribbean
-Hawaii
-Australia

5 bad habits I have
-Interrupting
-Cracking my neck and fingers
-Quick temper
-Randomly grabbing (and eating) handfuls of chocolate chips
-Not being consistent with devotions.

5 things I will likely never wear
-Leather pants
-Clogs
-Stir-up pants (these may never come back in style but if they do...NO!)
-Super low-rise jeans.
-Leg warmers

5 movies I like
-The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
-The Proposal
-The Sound of Music
-Pride and Prejudice (the A&E version)
-Shawshank Redemption

5 biggest joys at the moment
-my family
-sleeping in on the weekends (it's small but still it brings me joy)
-planning/dreaming about trips I'd like to go on
-reading
-having enough time to plan and make a big meal complete with dessert.

Full-Time Mary

I'm not a full-time office working girl. I'm more of a 2 1/2 days in the office per week kind of girl. So a two week full-time stint was/is (one more day to go) a bit of a struggle.

I know there are many, many women in our culture that do work full-time...but HOW? How do they work, make dinner, clean the house, and do groceries? I'm too tired at the end of the work day to even contemplate these tasks. And the weekend? A girl's gotta have a little fun! It can't be all catch-up! Nanny? House cleaner? Personal shopper? All you ladies out there...I need to know the secret!

Truth be known...my family isn't starving (the crock pot was used lots), they have clean clothes, and the house is kind of a surface-only clean but clean nonetheless.

The true struggle for me is that my personality is more Mary than Martha. You know...less concerned with tasks...more concerned with fun (that's kind of the gist of it). So when I come home the last thing I feel like doing is work.

Blah, blah, blah...I'm trying not to be a whiner here! Just processing as I write:)

Are you still reading? A miracle if you are.

Well then you might wonder what's new with us??

-We've been skiing up at Hemlock the past few Fridays and have at least three more to go. Sierra is taking snowboarding lessons and the rest of us ski. Very fun:)
-Shawn had a birthday...four more years til 40! Yikes!
-We went as a family to a Canuck game
-Sierra is in basketball, baseball, and dance....and loving it!
-We have cable!! Ah, cable. Good to have you back, my friend. Many of you have teased our rabbit ears over the years...which gave us the three main Canadian channels: CBC, Global, and CTV. We figured it would be good to see the athlete's faces while we watch the Olympics:)


There you have it. An update for all you update hungry people! (I know there's a couple of you out there;)

Happy 2010!

As we begin 2010 I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back to 2009. Some events were wonderful family experiences and some....well, some weren't exactly highlights. Our family has been so richly blessed this past year and I'm looking forward to seeing what God has planned for us in 2010.

Here are just a few highlights (and low lights...always gotta have pics of the low lights! Keeps you in check;).

Kaitlyn placed 3rd in the Abbotsford District Speech Finals.

Sierra's ball team placed 1st in the year-end tournament.

Kaitlyn turned into the character of Sprintze for the school play Fiddler on the Roof.

Oohh, Sheri and Sue go to Vegas! Yeah, Baby! You may ask, "How is this a good family memory?" Well, if Mama's happy...then everyone's happy. Enough said.

July - A trip to OK Lake with good friends.

We headed up to the lake again for some family time. We really like our ice cream!

Study time. Shawn was very diligent in his studies...and we look forward to the BIG graduation in June.
At the beginning of September Jeff, Sher, and the kids came HOME! Sierra and Luke played like they never were apart and we were able to hug and kiss the kids non-stop!First day of school. Sierra - grade 4. Kaitlyn - grade 7.

First gym class. Kaitlyn breaks her wrist. Not a good way to start the school year.

Then, to top it off...both girls get pink-eye! If I ever see one more pussy eye.....

Kaitlyn got her cast off just in time to shoot her second deer. There was major concern for her trigger finger:)

Shawn's highlight: going up North and shooting this nice white tail deer. Nice self-portrait:)

Sierra and Alexa's dance recital.

Christmas morning is always a highlight!

Praying all our family and friends experience God's richest blessings in 2010!

Christmas - Part 2

Ahhhh...Christmas morning. There was one rule. No waking up until 8:00. I know, we're mean...but really, we just like sleep. It's a long day and you need as much rest as you can get:) The girls jumped on us right at 8:00! How do they do it? How do they set their internal alarm clocks like that??? Amazing.

The very unexpected Wii. So fun! Sierra's expression says it all.

Shawn usually gets a shirt whether he wants one or not.

Look how big my girls are getting!!

Brunch with the Burkinshaw's was next. We didn't have far to go...just downstairs. After that the kids unwrapped their gifts, we ate some more, and finally all collapsed on different couches (after playing Wii, of course)

Mom with adorable Madi.

Emily and Alexa in their new Christmas Pj's. AdORaBlE!!!!

Christmas - Part 1

Christmas Eve is spent with my family - the Tempel's. It's a long-standing tradition which I'm especially thankful for today as there is never any worry about who we spend Christmas Day with. We gather in the afternoon, eat way too much food, and then once every last dish is cleaned (torture for the kids) we open presents.

The table is set.
Sierra is ready to start.

Perfect gift for the dreamer-girl!

Thanks Papa!

Elijah and Brian.

Ooh...pretty earrings. Who picked those out??

I LOVE this pic of Holly! Shawn was so happy to get a digital picture frame and she obviously is sharing in on the excitement!

Little Dancer

Here's our little beauty of a dancer. Sierra had her first dance recital this past Saturday. In September she began taking a worship dance class that was being offered by a girl in our church in her dance studio. What a great experience!! Sierra loves the use of creative movement and expression. Sierra's little cousin Alexa was also at the recital showing off her ballet talents. So cute. They were dressed up like little cowgirls!

Our Tree

This year the tree search was accomplished in record time. The tree was spotted, chopped, and hauled off in about an hour-and-a-half. Believe me...that's good:)

Our elf daughters.
The traditional family picture by the tree. Ummm...note the strategical placement of a branch. Shawn would not have been happy if I sent this one out....but it sure would have been funny:)
Ah, here's the one.
Cute pic of the girls while decorating.

Ta-dah! Our beautiful tree. We kind of noticed the crooked trunk after we set it up...I think it kind of gives it a little character.