Grace

God is continuing to teach me about his grace.  Today I lay in the snow looking up at the clouds moving past.  I haven't done that for so long!   It was so beautiful and refreshing and I was reminded of God's presence again.   His great, awesome, presence and that He shares that sort of greatness with me!  Lots more of this topic on my heart, but I'm just not sure yet how to write it down... 

Before and After painting

We've finally finished painting the main rooms in our house!  I am quite liking the results!

Living Room BEFORE

 Living Room AFTER

 

Bathroom BEFORE

Bathroom AFTER

 Dining Room BEFORE

 

Dining Room AFTER

 BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

 

AFTER 

Winter time

When I started this blog I knew I wouldn't be very good at it. haha  It's definitely not been a priority for me and to be honest it's not the first thing I want to do when I have spare time.    But here I am again...

We have been trying to find things to do inside as the temperatures are quite cold these days!  Adalyn doesn't really care for snow still which doesn't make it any easier to get fresh air.  I have tried to pull her around on a sled, but she will have none of that, so the extent of our outdoor activities is going for a walk with the stroller.  Thankfully she still loves that!

After Christmas Mark and I took a short trip up to visit Mark's brother.  He needed some help to insulate his new garage, and I took the opportunity to come along and see his new house.  It was nice to go away together this time as we have done a fair bit of separate traveling over the last few months.  Adalyn wasn't feeling very well the whole time we were there which was quite sad.  She had about the worst night of her life while we were there.  We maybe slept an hour that night.  Needless to say, it wasn't the best time ever just for that reason.  She was exceptionally clingy and whiny the whole time, but I still managed to do a bunch of baking while the guys worked out in the garage and quite enjoyed myself.  I think they liked the products of my enjoyment too.

Adalyn did really well on the 9 hr drive as well which was a relief.  We drove 2 cars there and so I got to drive some of the hours alone which was so great.  I sang at the top of my lungs for a good hour by myself.  haha  Before we had Adalyn I didn't realize what a great thing it was to travel a few hours without having to wonder how to entertain a child (though she probably would have found my singing entertaining anyway).  It makes a few hours a lot shorter than it is with a child!

I've been doing some sewing and crocheting projects as well and just made this hat for myself which I'm quite pleased with.  I wish my great ideas and projects turned out better for me more often.  I've had quite a few failed crochet projects lately.
 

Mark is away at a job again this week so Adalyn and I have done a fair bit of visiting.  We've been out every morning this week which is unusual for me as I tend to be a bit of a homebody.  I've been spending my quiet evenings watching Robin Hood episodes mostly.  Lame, I know, but I have to do it while Mark's away because he's seen them all already.

Adalyn has been having a great time playing in the big box from our new toilet.  (Insert happy cheers here for the new toilet...)  She was also so very helpful in folding her diapers the other day and carefully stacked all the liners in a neat pile after sorting through the basket and finding all the right ones.   I was so proud of her.  I can only hope she is always so willing to help me!

My cheery little helper, hard at work.

Potty training has been on my mind a bit lately, but I don't want to start before she's ready as that is the one thing I hear mom's say all the time.  I'm not sure how I'll know she is ready, but I just don't think it's quite yet.

We have put her in a big bed a couple of nights now.  Not consistently yet, we are still alternating between bed and crib.  She always climbs onto the big bed for her bedtime story and pulls back the covers and gets all cozy in there, so one night Mark figured why not just leave her there.  She did fine and so we've done it a few times since.  She looks so tiny in that big bed.  It's a regular twin, not just a toddler bed.  I found out it's more work if her diaper leaks during the night though.  :(  haha

Well, I ought to be heading off to bed.  It's getting to be late again...  Morning comes too soon.
Until next time...
   
 

Welcome!

I'm pretty excited about this sign post my mother-in-law made me for Christmas!  She made a few different signs as well so I can switch it up every now and then.  I can't wait to see how it looks with pots full of flowers around it in the summer time.  

Adalyn's Christmas Present

Over the last year, I have been working on a Quiet Book for Adalyn.  She was 18 months in December, so what a perfect gift for her for Christmas!  She did so well opening her gifts this Christmas.  She knew what to do and got it done!  She has most definitely learned some more gift unwrapping skills since her birthday in June!  She loves her quiet book and it's doing it's job keeping her relatively quiet during church the last month.  :) Yay!

There are so many other neat ideas out there for more pages, and perhaps I'll add more one day.  The pages are also SO fat, so if I make more pages I may have to separate them into two different books.  I got most of my ideas from other blogs, specifically this one...  http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.ca/  
 

 

 

 

 

Time for an update!

Thought it was time for an update!  Haven't written anything since spring!  We had a great summer, here are some highlights in photo format...

We celebrated Adalyn's first birthday! (June 30)

Silly uncles and Daddy trying out Adalyn's birthday present.

Now it's Adalyn and Isabelle's turn to try it out for real!

Ladies outing to the zoo!  Grandma took us all to the zoo on Adalyn's birthday!  A hot but fun day!

 

Trip to Manitoulin Island with the McCrae's!

Adalyn and I went on an adventure without Mark to Ontario to hang out with the McCrae fam!  We drove about 20 hrs to Manitoulin Island. 

Reading at the hotel with Auntie

 

Granny passing on her technological advice.

 

A fortunate visit with Matt and Rachel!

Bridal Veil Falls

Making friends

These photos credit to my cousin.  She's very talented!  (jbirchwater.photoshelter.com)

 

  

What a great time that was with family!  It was great to have a holiday and great to come home again to Mark who had been busy working while we were away!  

I came home to meet my new nephew who was born 2 days before I got home!

We had our annual camp out with Mark's extended family.  Uncle M is always a good time!

 

On one of our dates Mark and I happened upon my brother who cleans windows in the city.  It was a very inexpensive, fun date! We saw the city from great heights.  

A kitty showed up on our door step and became Adalyn's new playmate!  It gave me a lot more freedom and reprieve from entertaining her.  She still loves that kitty!  If ever I need a break I let the kitty inside!

A day at home in the garden with family before MB had to leave!

 

Adalyn helped me harvest my little garden, I got enough potatoes for a few meals at least!

 Isabelle came to play!

 I'm making owl hats to sell at a craft sale in November.

Playing with the kitty some more!  

A lot of happenings this summer!  It was a good one!  Until next time!  Taa Taa!