holidays

We're gearing up for holidays. I can't believe how much our holidays have changed. When we were first married it was a matter of packing the night before, throwing things together the morning of. When it as Kaylin our vehicle got a bit more full. Now the reality has hit of packing for four, hard to imagine what packing for five will look like! But one year at a time!

Something about pregnancy makes me like to relive past memories. Right now of vacations. Here are some of my favorite ones from last summer.

Last summer we headed out into the States and went cottaging with my family. Sadly Jacob is missing from most of these pictures as he choose to scream his way into the night and sleep his way through the day....such is life! Kaylin had a blast though.

One highlight to being on vacation with others means you can leave your kids at times outside the stores, Laura and Fran watched the kids a couple of times so Drew an I could go inside....only to walk out a minute later holding our breath at the cost. Although the chocolate cherries at 6 dollars for a tiny bag were pretty good...


One day we went to see the local blacksmith. Jacob wasn't sleeping, although he was going through "all I want is to be held by Grandpa" stage. After the cottage he would put his arms up for any man with a mustache. Seriously...






Last summer there was four grandchildren. Since then two more babies have been added and by the end of 2010, the Lord willing, another two. Crazy to think about future get-togethers!

The Beauty in Time

There is something beautiful about looking back in time. Seeing families grow, children change, parents embracing the joys of becoming grandparents, the first time and then for the sixth or seventh time. I get a bit impatient when I hear people complaining about ageing. Worrying about wrinkles and grey hair. Although, as I have been wisely told, its easy for me to think like that as I have 5 more years before turning 30. Perhaps I feel this way because my husband is 7 years older. I'm not naive, I'm sure I'll a hit a birthday some day where I struggle with these feelings. Time does perhaps do negative things to our worldly views of what we should look like. The world is constantly fighting with the signs of aging. The proof is in any cosmetic store, magazine, tv. But the Bible shows the beauty of embracing this time, our faith has time to grow, our ability to wisely hold our tongues grows (hopefully :), being able to understand that different parenting styles are okay that we are not all the same even though we study the same WORD. That God has created us unique and special. I want to remember these things and to embrace each year instead of dreading it.



Our attempt at a family picture. I a laugh remembering how many pictures it took for us to get one where we were all looking at our camera. It was our last attempt at a family picture done by us.



This was holiday celebrating my parents 30th anniversary.



There are so many pictures that show what happens when time passes. I pray that I remember this when I do face the temptation to struggle with a gift that God has given us. A chance to grow in HIM, to grow as a wife and as a daughter, friend and mother. To love the time He has given us.



Its my mother-in-law's 60th birthday today! A beautiful testimony of what the LORD can do with 60 years. Wishing you a wonderful day Mom!

hot hot HOT

Its been HOT the last couple of days. At least to a pregnant women and to kids that have grownup with the luxury of air condition..so what do you do on hot days. You hand the kids a hose and let them go nuts. And you stay far away....

and the water fights begin!

And when its really hot you stay inside to watch the Holland game.....and feel no guilt..

Taming the wild

The fun of buying a house in the winter. The gardens are a complete surprise to you. Ours was once loved by the original owners. They lived here for 25 years, you can see signs of time spent long ago. The last owners neglected this and Drew and I are going to bring it back. With a lot of work, and a lot of patience and no experience, as I really don't have a natural green thumb. Neither does Drew but we can have fun. This weekend was spent with Drew and a friend filling up the dump trailer with weeds and plants that had been left for to long. We saved quite a few and the next couple of springs will be slowly adding to what we have and perhaps replacing a few we don't love.



Our backyard is slowly being transformed. I can't claim much credit as I was babysitting and spent the day chasing kids in and out of kiddie pools and feeding the men who slaved in my backyard. But I am enjoying it!



We were debating cutting this tree down, but the kids play under it every day. Its become their "tree house". Kaylin sits under it and reads. Jacob stands under it and tries to climb it. They eat lunch under it some days, Kaylin puts her babies to bed under it. We started trimming the bottom branches and Kaylin started to cry. "Don't cut my tree Dadddy, please don't" we couldn't cut it down. Our task for this week, prune and tame those wild branches!



And our new home is slowly becoming our home. And we love it! Now if only we could get Jacob to sleep a bit better....perhaps we'd have more energy to do the things we need to finish!