Good Ole' Canadian Pond Hockey

We have quite the large pond in our backyard, which finally froze over. Minus 27 degrees Celsius for a few days would do that. It does normally take awhile to freeze over because it is large and deep. And when it does freeze over, the ice is usually bumpy, due to the wind and snow that blew and fell on it during the freezing stages.

But this past Saturday, we started shovelling it off to discover that the ice was absolutely purrrrrrfect. And so, after 2 hours of shovelling, we enjoyed a beautiful Saturday afternoon outside.

Our spectators, watching while mom and dad are sweating away....

There. All done. Now, doesn't that look wonderful?? Looks almost too nice to skate on....

...but skate we did. This was Keziah's 2nd time on skates, and wow, I was impressed! She was able to stand on the ice and walk with her skates on without help. She did fall a bit but near the end of the afternoon, she was able to get back up onto her skates by herself. I was so proud of her! It was like when she first started to walk!

Oh, but this is way more fun!!

A few people came out to enjoy it with us. Uncle Nick and Aunt Ash were the first to arrive, much to the relief of our backs :o)

Another family joined us a little while later. Let the hockey begin! We played till the sun went down!

Can't play a game of hockey without a scrum!

Uncle Nick is great as he has so much patience for the little kids. Although he is quite good at hockey, he doesn't mind to take the time to teach the younger ones. Now if only he would do that with us "older" ones instead of skating circles around us...:o)

Our goalie.

Don't let the pink gloves fool ya! I dare you to try and score on him! (Opa, you know who to call if you need to ever miss a game :o)

Another family came out at night, but we were toast by that time. Maybe next time we can enjoy the pond at night.

And it's a good thing we enjoyed it on Saturday as now the temps are supposed to go above 0, like 12 degrees!! The pond is now wrecked as it snowed last night. With the rising temperature, it is not safe to get out to shovel the snow off so it can freeze up again. Oh well. Hopefully we will get to use it again yet before the winter is out.

Helder Helpers

It's a wonder that I start my housecleaning on Monday but don't get done until Friday (if I am lucky). I mean, it's not like I am doing it all by myself. I do have two very considerate, cooperative, supportive, and friendly little helpers that like to help me every. step. of. the. way. even if they are in my way.

We'll start with Keziah. Keziah has always loved to help me out in all my tasks. If only she would have the same enthusiasm for her own tasks, like cleaning up her toys. Oh well. Can't have perfection, right? ;o)

Dusting. She LOVES to dust. Her job is to dust after me (that way I know it's still getting done :o).

She also likes to find other things to dust, like my bed wheels. I bet you haven't dusted your bed wheels in awhile, if at all!! But mine, they are all squeaky clean, thanks to this girl :o)

After dusting comes vacuuming.

Even with a smile!!

Her latest "I can help you with that, mom." is drying the dishes.

How could I say no to her?

Now, onto my second helper, Lincoln. He helps me without asking. I don't even think he realizes he is "helping". To him, it's all just an adventure!

Like, being allowed to move my chairs. I take this as a hint to vacuum under the table. He, on the otherhand, just does it because our kitchen is big, which gives him lots of ideas on furniture rearranging. Either way, he's a stinker and my chairs are very rarely by the table.

One of his favourite things to do is "help" me with the dishwasher.

And he has just figured out how to close the fridge door, which "helps" me when my hands are full. You wouldn' think that's a big deal, except it is hilarious to watch! You see, the fridge part is on top, with the freezer below. And because he is taller than the bottom of the door, he has to duck his head or else it'll bonk him on the head. I took a video of it, but I don't know how to upload a video on to the blog (help, anyone?). So you'll have to do with pictures. Maybe move your mouse or arrow key down really fast, and you'll get the idea :o)

And that is why my house is always presentable by Sunday. Cough, cough.

No, I do not show you these pictures to brag about how helpful my children are. I am documenting them for future use, when they decide that they are no longer going to help around the house and especially not with a smile plastered on their faces. But until then, they can help out all they want! Besides, giving them responsibilities helps not only me, but also them, to see that they belong in our family, and as part of a family unit, we help each other out.

Now off to scrub some toilet bowls while my two helpers are sleeping (see? I am not a tyrant afterall, insisting on child labour! There are some tasks that are just best for me to do without little hands getting in the way.) Happy cleaning!!

2013 - Ponderings

So. Here we are, entering the 4th week of January already. That means we've all been keeping our New Year's resolutions for 3 solid weeks already, right? We're all down a few pounds, up a few dollars from budgeting, more patient with our children/spouse, content where God has placed us, and all around a better person from 3 weeks ago. No? You mean to say that those well-meaning resolutions made just a few short 3 weeks ago are already resolutions that have been broken?

"They" do say that by the time 3 weeks has come and gone, most people's resolutions are long gone from being kept. And that is why I don't make them. Not really anyway. I can't make them. You know why? Because I am a perfectionist, and if I set out to change something and aren't able to, I can get very down on myself, feeling very frustrated, inadequate, and I take on the attitude of "what's the use? I am a failure anyway." That, my friends, is very unhealthy thinking. This attitude does not only affect my thinking, but it affects how I treat those around me, namely, my spouse and my children. You see, it's very easy to blame them for getting in the way of my resolution being perfected.

Let me give you an example. Although I've tried to stay away from making yearly resolutions, I have tried to make weekly and daily resolutions. My daily resolutions usually sound like this:

• I will do my daily devotions
• I will be more patient today with my kids. Let's tackle the morning first, then worry about the afternoon once the morning is complete
• I will be a more supportive wife, in that I won't complain when he tells me he will be in at a certain time, and it's an hour later; or that he has a meeting over the dinner time/bed time
• I will do one thing with my kids, like colour, or read books, or play a game.
• I will do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day
• I will go to bed earlier as today I did not meet my daily "patient" resolutions
• I will start tomorrow with the words "New mercies every morning."

So there you have it. A brief overview of my daily resolutions. Do you see now why I don't make yearly ones??! There is no way I could keep resolutions for 365 days of the year! I can't even keep most of my daily resolutions for 24 hours!!!

It's amazing then that I even try to make weekly resolutions.

Often my weekly resolutions are made while listening to the Gospel being preached to me on Sunday. It is there, sitting in the pew, that I resolve to put God first in my life, to immerse myself in Scriptures through daily personal devotions. Monday this resolution is usually met, as is on Tuesday. Possibly Wednesday. But definitely by Thursday, the resolve is gone. Out goes my daily devotions and in comes my selfish need to fill that time with mindless activities. It is so much easier to pick up my novel or cross-stitch or sit behind the computer, then it is to pick up The Word. Shameful. I know. (and I know, those activities listed don't have to be mindless and not good, but they are when they come in the way of Him).

Thankfully though, before too many days pass, here comes Sunday again. Where I sit again, in the wooden pew, bound and determined to make the following week a better week. One that maybe, just maybe, I can do my daily devotions till Friday this time. The key though is to make this resolution with God's help. Besides, if it weren't for His Spirit working in me, I wouldn't even be sitting in that pew, for that would be the last place I would want to be!!

And that is what I need to remember, whether I make daily, weekly or yearly resolutions. I can't do it all alone. I can't do it at all. I am but only dust. Thankfully I have a Father in heaven who knows this and knows my weaknesses and human frame. He was human once, too. He just was holy and perfect, never succumbing to the pressures of the evil one. And boy, am I so glad He was successful. That He is perfect. Because I can't imagine putting my trust into a god that isn't. It is He that I rely on each and every day, to help me get through and tackle the tasks He has placed before me.

Do I do it well? Not usually. Do I do it perfectly? Most definitely not. But I have His grace and His Spirit. And that leaves me humbled, relieved, and encouraged. May you also look to Him every day He has blessed you with, remembering His Words:

Toboggan Fun!!!

Just after New Year's we managed to hit the hills with the kids, to go tobogganing. What fun this winter activity is!!! We lasted all of a half hour in the chilly and blustery weather, which we didn't think was too bad with a 38 and 34 year old, I mean, a 3 and 1 year old :o)

Keziah did very well and she climbed back up every time! By herself!!!

On your mark, get set, GO!!!

Dad then took both Lincoln and Kez down at the same time.

Mom thought that she would try as well. Yeah, it didn't go so well.

Someone's going backwards who shouldn't be going backwards. He seems pretty relaxed about the whole thing though :o)

Our "scared of every new situation" girl came to the conclusion that she wanted to go down by herself!!! So before she changed her mind, we pushed her down! And she loved it!!!!

And then Lincoln's sled decided to go by itself as well....with Lincoln on it!!

Looks like he didn't mind....which totally doesn't surprise us.

We had a great time and we hope to be able to toboggan again before winter is done!

New Looks All Around

So Lincoln isn't the only one sporting a new look. While I asked for your opinion for Lincoln, I didn't with the rest of us. Maybe I should have? :o)

We decided that Keziah could pull the look off best, with Nathan being a very close second. So she won! Which meant she could use them for what they really were for:

Thanks Aunt Tam and Uncle Arie for the fun gift!!!!