A rockin' evening walk...

7:49pm yesterday, Mark was putting the kids to bed (thanks Honey!) and I laced up my runners, stuck my earbuds in, selected my Praise and Worship playlist on my iPod and hit Kildonan Trail.  As I walked I could feel my spirit lift...looking at the dragonflies darting around, feasting on mosquitos, studying all the different trees with different bark, different leaves, different heights, passing so many different people each so unique.  I walked to the beat of the music praising God, the arms of my little heart raised to Him, thanking Him for so much in my life, in our world...

I thought I'd share my playlist from my walk, they are so uplifting, 

1. Our God- Chris Tomlin
2. Because of Your Love- Paul Baloche
3. All the Earth will sing Your praises-Paul Baloche
4. You are Holy (Price of Peace)- Michael W. Smith

It wasn't a long walk, but it was so awesome!  

Tiny spaces...

I don't know if it's just that more people are doing this now or that yahoo news just has more stories about them, but I'm seeing a lot of small, but functional spaces lately.
I'm in love!
I'm not the neatest person in the world (Mark, stop laughing!)
Ok, fine, I can really be quite the disaster, but I really love it when my house is all organized and there's a place for everything and everything in it's place.  Even if only for about an hour on Saturday morning after our family clean-up.
I dream of having cabinetry and storage solutions for everything and not seeing the clutter constantly.  I love the coziness of little spaces and the contented attitudes of the people who live in them.
Here's three that I LOVE...

What makes a good friend???

Lately I've been watching other people, and being aware of myself with the question in mind...what makes a good friend?  I've noticed some things in my friends that I really appreciate, like a short phone call in the afternoon, a few minutes of emailing back and forth in the morning, meeting at the park so the kids can play, a compliment, real concern in their voice when they ask "how are you?", connecting with my kids...the list goes on.  I've often been frustrated with myself because I see myself as a person who has trouble connecting with others...I interrupt people, I don't keep in touch, I hole up at home by myself.  Lately though I've been trying to put some effort into being a good friend instead of beating myself up about what I'm bad at.  I'm trying to ask questions instead of giving all the answers, I'm trying to be the one to email or call, I'm trying to put thought and care and concern into these relationships.  And you know what?  It feels so good!  I like it when I see my friends smile or hear them laugh or know that their day maybe got a teensy bit brighter.  I have SO far to go, but I'm really enjoying focusing on my friends a little more.  You are all so awesome and incredible people and I learn so much from each of you.
(((((HUG))))))

A good cry...

Yesterday, even though we were already getting to bed way too late, Mark and I lay in bed and talked.  I am so blessed to have a husband who wants to talk to me, who probes into not just my day to day goings-on but my thoughts and feelings.  Who lets me share with him and will offer his advice if I want it but will respect me enough not to give it if I really don't want to hear it.  He's a gem I tell you!
Anyway, for some odd and unknown reason I've had a lot of things going on in my head as of late.  A lot of negative self-talk.  About my body, my personality, how I interact with others, on friendships or lack thereof, whether I am loved, my parenting, my ability to keep house, to be a wife...oh my goodness, the list goes on and on.  And I've been miserable.  It's like having Eeyore in the house with a little black cloud above him.  I'm one of these people who needs a good cry every once in a while.  It's so cleansing, it releases the dam of pent up emotion and makes it so I can think straight again.
So last night Mark let me talk, and cry, and talk, and cry some more.
I'm truly amazed at the difference this morning.  Sure, the thoughts are still there but now I feel like I have the strength to fight back, to counter the thoughts, to pray about it and to ask God to reveal the truth to me and not allow myself to get bogged down with lies.  To sort out what I need to work on with what simply isn't true.  Yep, there's a little more light at the end of the tunnel today....
...though I told Mark, I may just have to rent a really sad movie to get any residual tears out.
He said that I could always watch his old-school animated Transformers movie.  When Optimus Prime dies it always makes him a little misty.
:o)

Mini vacation of the mind...

Last week when Mark and I went out for a date we inevitably ended up at Chapters to check out the books and browse around.  We spent some time downstairs first scouring the sales (ok, that was mostly me) and then headed up the escalator.  I was babbling away to Mark when a book caught my eye and I rushed toward it, squealing all the way.  "The Pioneer Woman- Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" the cover read.  I was this close to just paying the money for it when Mark mentioned that they might have it at the public library.  I looked at it longingly, not even cracking the cover to peek inside, and put it back wishing I could freely buy pricey books without having to consult the budget or take from my personal money.
When we got home I looked up the book on the library website and sure enough they had it.  AND IT WAS IN STOCK!!!  I requested the item and waited.  On Thursday I got an email, the book was in, I emailed Mark to see if he could pick it up for me...wonderful man that he is, he already had.  I could hardly wait :o)
Thursday afternoon I ate lunch, put Sawyer down for a nap and picked up the book.  An hour and a half later I roused, realizing that I'd so totally immersed myself in the book that I hadn't hardly moved!  I felt so beautifully rested and rejuvinated, I puttered around for a bit, then picked it up again.  Today at lunch I finished the book.  All 340 pages of awesomeness.  I've loved her blog for years, her stories, her recipes, her humour and the way that she puts words together.  I keep trying to win one of those trips that she hosts at her ranch, where you get to stay and cook and talk and laugh all weekend.  Yup, that would be right up my alley.
For now though I'm just going to enjoy the aftermath of my mini-vacation.  The joy of reading a good book that you totally connect to, that feels like you had a great nap, or ate an amazing meal.  Ahhhh....

We've got a toddler on our hands...

 Sawyer's still our baby, but he's showing more and more signs of toddler hood everyday.  He's in relentless pursuit of all things electronic, the cordless telephone being his current favorite.  It's excruciatingly hard to do dishes when he's awake because every couple of seconds I have to dry my hands and get him down from the computer desk.  Unfortunately this is where the phone has to live so he's just gonna have to learn...and I think I'm gonna start getting more exercise :o)

Summer Food...

Ah, winter food.  I love you.  I love the comfort from the warmth of my stove and the savory smells in my house.  I love the warm feeling in my belly when I eat you and how I feel happy afterwards.

Ah summer food, I find you so difficult.  My kids are picky about you and I find you hard to plan for.  We aren't big bbq'ers so the house gets hot from cooking inside.  You are full of fresh and expensive ingredients.  Summer food, I'd rather eat you at a restaurant than make you myself!

Yes, the warm weather is upon us (most days at least!) and already I'm finding cooking stressful.  I was talking to a friend today who I did a Bog Cook with in winter and we were trying to figure out how we could do a big cook but for summer.  What kinds of things could we make?  I'm not big on freezing veggies and our older two are not big meat eaters, but I had one idea...

We could freeze stewing beef in a marinade to be thawed and threaded onto skewers with veggies later.  Serve it with noodles or rice or garlic toast.

What other ideas do you have for summer meals?  What do you cook for your family?  Any ideas of things to freeze ahead and cook later? 

The camera cord is found!!!

Oh, I'm so happy!  Mark found my camera cord yesterday behind the couch, YAY!
Come outside at our place, sit on the deck, enjoy a cup of coffee and see what I see...

My little garden!

I'm not a gardener by any means, in fact this is the first year I've had one.  Other years I've done a few plants in pots but really it can't compare, the weeding alone is crazy in a garden!  

My little plants are coming up nicely, soaking in the sprinkles of rain we've gotten and waving hello to the sun.  

My raspberry bushes are totally wild (I might need to look up how to trim those yet)

 but are starting to bloom and even the strawberry plants are trying to produce.  

I've had to attempt bunny proofing my garden because of the crazy amount of them that live around here, and hopefully it'll keep the little neighbour dog out too since the fence is half done between our property and he thinks our house is his.  Oh, and this vine has totally taken off and is quickly covering up the ugliness that is a chain-link fence.

 Last year I was so busy with caring for my little baby that I didn't even enjoy our yard much.  

This year we set up the camping chairs on the deck and I'm finding myself out there for a bit during the day enjoying the air and sunshine...oh, and coffee :o)

I {heart} weddings...

I saw this on she {hearts}it the other day and it was so beautiful it made me cry.  Whoever the Schultzes are, they are incredibly talented and fantastic with photography and videos!  Enjoy...


whitney + matt from The Schultzes on Vimeo.

A week in the bush...

During the summer we've booked a week away for us and the kids at an awesome resort in southern Manitoba, Falcon Trails.  We've loved going there since our Honeymoon (almost 14 years ago!) and have been back for many weekends, 2 Christmas' and even brought the kids.  We just love the pine cabins and the style that the place has.  It's still quite wild, there's no playground, there's nothing that feels fake or put on about it.  It feels real, like this is the way life is supposed to be. 

Two things we've never tried though are going to Falcon Trails for a whole week or staying at one of the Eco Cabins.  A few years ago they put in 2 Eco cabins that you have to hike/bike 2.5km to get to.  The cabins face a different side of Falcon Lake so they are much more private.  Also, the energy is solar (so no hairdryer, coffee maker or straightening iron), the toilets are composting toilets and there's no hot tub to be had.  There are the regular fridge, stove, microwave amenities though since they run on propane :o)

Thanks to someone who was selling a gift certificate to Falcon Trails on Kijiji, we were able to book a whole week for much less money than almost any other vacation would cost us.  Our kids are thrilled because they get to tromp around the bush for a week and have campfires and play games in the evening.  There are also 2 canoes complete with life jackets to use to explore with and trails to hike and bike.  

I'm not big on the bush.  I hate bugs.  I'm a total wimp in the rain.  I wear makeup when I'm in the bush.  But...I confess, this city girl is slowly being lured in.  I like the quiet.  I like the solitude.  I like the natural playground.  I love the air and the sounds and eating outside (in a screened in porch that is!). 

I love how even just thinking about being surrounded by creation makes me think about God...

Romans 1:2

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

 Psalm 19 (in part)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

(all photos taken from Falcon Trails website.  Check them out and if you book, tell them Mark and Jobina Westman sent you.  Awesome people, awesome place for a vacation.  Enjoy!)

Cuties...

I love it when my kids play together well...it makes me happy :o)

Trinity and Sawyer decided to get into the closet the other day and play "dress-up", it was so cute because Sawyer was just as into it as Trinity!

Sawyer has been LOVING the outdoors too and it's so cute to see his personality coming out.  And just look at his hair!  Isn't it awesome??