Corners of My Home

This was our dining room table setup for book club night.  The tablecloth is a Masai cloth, the plate is alabaster and the photo was taken in Serengeti National Park.  Just a little snippet of Africa as we read Baking Cakes in Kigali this month.  

Sewing Projects

I had fun sewing pyjamas for Helayna and pyjama pants for Silas this week.  Helayna is in love with Jillian Jiggs books and Heather made her a stuffed pig for Christmas so this flannel with pigs on it was perfect.  I added ruffles at all the hems to make them more girly!  With all the excitement around Olympic hockey, Silas' pants are made with a great flannel hockey print.   Thanks to Heather for sending me pictures of them modeling :)

Ten on Thursday - Olympics Continued

1.  Yeah, Canada!!!  Bronze medal for Joannie Rochette tonight in women's figure skating - what an amazing woman she is.  And I am absolutely certain that her mother is so, so proud of her!

2.  Yeah, Canada!!!  Gold medal in women's hockey - and a shut-out - WOW!!  And my friend's daughter was there watching the game tonight - how cool is that!

3.  Yeah, Canada!!!  Women's gold medal curling game tomorrow - you can do it!

4.  Yeah, Canada!!!  Men's gold medal curling game on Saturday - and we'll miss it :(

5.  Yeah, Canada!!!  7 - 3 over the Russians - gold medal game, here we come!

6.  Yeah for Olympic gear to wear the last 2 weeks :))  Thanks to my sister for the coolest sweater ever - I'll show it to you one day.

7.  Yeah for crossing the second big thing off my to-do list today!  One more to go  - and then I am so getting back into sewing, quilting, scrapbooking - and maybe even painting more walls.

8.  Yeah for new shoes - that fit - and at half price too :))

9.  Yeah for parcels at the post office!

10.  Yeah for these guys -

who we are going to visit soon!  But the littlest one doesn't look like that any more!  So excited to see how he's changed and to cuddle with him.

Gratitude Gifts Today

Blessings abound in my life:

- waking without the alarm clock

- clean dishes waiting to be put away

- oatmeal and bananas for breakfast

- sunshine, glorious sunshine!

- branches etched with white frost against a blue, blue sky

- our living room 'cocooned' to keep the cold winds out

- gazing at blades of green grass in the pictures on other blogs (Oregon and Maine)

- hearing the real-life stories of Olympic athletes

- hearing that Meadow is feeling better and had a good night's sleep

- piles of paper, alphabetized, filed, finished!

- Canada Cake - sponge cake + whipped cream + strawberries = delicious

- attitude adjustment - by me

- looking forward to seeing Samuel again

- branches unwrapped by the sun

- evidence / proof that God is taking care of us - every single day

- realizing that in one month our son will have been married for one year

- wedding memories

- bacon, cheese, tomato and spinach sandwiches

- hanging photos in the kitchen window

- burning CDs of pictures to share

- phone calls to loved ones

- chicken stir-fry

- my husband's parents

- words of encouragement




Blogger absolutely refuses to post pictures today so here is my list in all its simplicity.

Simple Woman #77

For Today . . . February 22, 2010

Outside my window . . .  a damp, grey, chilly winter day.  We haven't seen the sun very much at all this winter and the temperature has fallen from weekend highs of +6 degrees C.  I hope spring comes soon!

I am thankful . . .  for God's promises, repeated again and again through His word down through the ages - and straight in to my heart!

And I also am thankful . . .  that Naomi, Jerry, Meadow, Blake, Darrin and Kelsey are all safely home again after skiing this weekend.

I am praying . . .  that Meadow will soon feel better.  She's been sick for a few days and had a visit to the doctor's today.

I am thinking . . .  about our book club gathering.  We have good conversation, laugh a lot and enjoy being together, sharing our love of reading.  We read "Baking Cakes in Kigali" by Gaile Parkin and I served Savoury CheeseCAKE, Chocolate CupCAKES with Chocolate Ganauche and a Canada CAKE.  It was a white sponge cake with strawberries and whipped cream between the layers, a covering of whipped cream and strawberries laid out on top to make a Canadian flag.  And I forgot to take a picture - drat!

I am creating . . .  a care package for my nephew who is away at university.  I'm thinking that halfway through the semester would be a good time for some TLC :)

I am celebrating . . .  a gold medal win for the Canadian ice dancers tonight - yeah!!!!!!!!

From the kitchen . . .  Bacon, Cheese, Tomato and Spinach sandwiches and book club snacks.  

I am wearing . . .  black cords, black tshirt, black and red Canada sweater and red slippers.  I think there's a theme going on!

I am reading . . . Mark 5 - Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."  The words still ring true for me too!

                            Yesterday's Promise  by Linda Lee Chaikin - more on that later this week.

                           

I am hoping . . .  that Joannie Rochette has an amazing skate tomorrow as she competes while dealing  with the sudden, unexpected loss of her mom yesterday.  What a shock!

I am hearing . . .  the Olympic theme song, "I Believe".

I am going . . . to bed soon!

Around the house and yard . . . spotless!  Bob even gave the bathroom sink a major scrub today.  It's sparkling!

One of my favourite things . . . getting new books to read.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . .  1 day of subbing, a Health Advisory Council meeting, a hockey tournament and a big stack of to-do tasks.

A quote for today . . . “The best portions of a good man's life, His little, nameless, unremembered acts, Of kindness and love.”

—William Wordsworth
(1770-1850); poet

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . .  .  Hearts for Haiti hanging in the library window at school.  This local project saw the kids purchasing paper hearts and all donations going to Haiti.    

Poetry for a Sunday

In Storybook Land 

by Virginia Katherine Oliver

In storybook land there is magic,

With the power to take you away

From worries and cares all about you

And the problems you face every day.

There is mystery, romance, humor,

Hidden between the leaves of each book;

Wonderful thoughts you will find inside 

If you just take the trouble to look.

Just wander away in your fancy

To the days of the long, long ago,

Or a glorious world of make-believe

Wherein the breezes of dreamland blow.

Once under the spell of its magic,

You will then evermore understand

What it means to leave the world behind

And drift away to storybook land.

(picture taken in our daughter, Naomi's, garden)

Corners of My Home

I hung this batik wall hanging,

 purchased near Lake Manyara in Tanzania, 

in our home today.  

It's definitely a reminder of our amazing trip!

Ten on Thursday - Olympics Edition

(Image from Total Prosports.com)

1.  Gold medal in men's freestyle skiing.

2.  Silver medal in women's freestyle skiing.

3.  Bronze medal in short track speed skating.

4.  Silver medal in men's snowboard cross.

5.  Gold medal in women's snowboard cross.

6.  Silver medal in women's short track speedskating.

7.  Gold medal in women's long track speed skating.

8.  Sydney Crosby scores a shootout goal to give Canada a hockey win over Switzerland.

9.  CTV is providing awesome coverage of the games, the people and the extra events in Vancouver!

10.  Still one more week of the Games to go!  Go, Canada, Go!!!!

And we hope the world is enjoying it too.

Gratitude Gifts Today

Today I was blessed with:

- a long ten hour sleep (almost unheard of for me!)

- a body that felt rested

- canned peaches for breakfast

- lunch pieces quickly gathered

- lemon ginger tea

- dry highway

- computer knowledge

- Olympic gold excitement

- finding out tidbits of information

- an eager ESL student

- hockey questions and explanations

- no supervision :)

- juicy sweet green grapes

- pencils scratching down answers

- learning a new way of supporting readers

- headphones in the computer lab

- reminders of Valentine's Day

- talking - for it means they are social and enjoy each other

- vehicle registration paid for another year

- quick suppers

- extensive Olympic coverage on TV

- desserts

- interesting conversation

- meeting new people from diverse backgrounds

- being part of the change I want to see

- good news from these guys

- bargains

- cheerful cashiers

- safe travels

- sneak peeks

- beauty in the drifts of winter

- fresh fruits and vegetables

- another day of subbing

- rest at the end of the day

- His presence with me, every step of the way

Simple Woman #76

For Today . . . February 15, 2010

Outside my window . . .  it's almost like spring today!  The sun is streaming in, snow is melting, thermometer reads +10 degrees C!  We had lots of wind on Saturday and it blew big drifts across the end of our driveway and in front of the garage door.  Bob had to bring the tractor and plow things out yesterday.  

I am thankful . . .  that my husband understood how much I wanted to sew today!

And I also am thankful . . .  for God's constant provision in all things for us.  He is so, so good!

I am praying . . .  for our grandson, Samuel, who had a sick weekend; for Helayna and Silas, our grandchildren, who were sick too; and for all families as Alberta celebrates Family Day today.

I am thinking . . .  about the Winter Olympics.  Stories of personal trials, challenges, training and now success for many, many athletes!  It's an exciting time for Canadians and people around the world. 

I am creating . . .  a skirt for Meadow and pyjamas for Helayna.  They both are very cute!

I am celebrating . . .  Family Day in Alberta today - no school and provincial offices are closed.  It's a nice mid-winter celebration with many communities having special snow activities or free admission at recreation centers.

From the kitchen . . .  Scrambled Eggs and toast for lunch :) and Cheesy Cauliflower Soup, Apple Oat Bread and Life by Chocolate Cupcakes (from Tasty Kitchen.com).

I am wearing . . .  black yoga pants, black and pink tshirt, black hoodie and crocs.

I am reading . . . Mark 1 - "Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else - so I can preach there also.  That is why I have come."

                           A Woman from Jerusalem - by A. B. Yehoshua (translated from Hebrew) - a Los Angeles Time Book Prize winner - the author examines the question, "What does it mean to be human - humane - especially during troubled times?"

                           

I am hoping . . .  to put up a new textile wall hanging this week. 

I am hearing . . .  the sportscasters on CTV announcing the men's 500 metre speedskating race.

I am going . . . to check off three items today from my very long to-do list.  One of these is a very big one and I will be so happy to have it finally finished!

Around the house and yard . . . the sewing machine moved on to the dining room table this weekend.  With the Olympics on TV, it makes sense to be in the center of the house :)  Along with it have come the cutting mat, piles of fabric and loose threads.

One of my favourite things . . . playing and having fun with our family, whether it's under the blanket in the play tent or at the bowling lanes. 

A few plans for the rest of the week . . .  2 days of subbing, a dessert meeting in the city, baking, and lots of Olympics to watch on TV.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . .  . we celebrated our niece's 29th birthday yesterday and this was the cake her Mom made.  It was actually red (not sure what's up with the color on my camera!) and she even made all the flowers and leaves.  It was definitely a work of art!