November 2016





This was how our November started.  


The weatherman was forecasting storms so we finished doing what needed to be done outside and the gutters were cleaned out once more.  Somehow they make perfect traps for leaves. 



Early in November some of us from Mennonite Girls Can Cook did a cooking show that we donated at the local MCC sale.  

Bev offered to have it at her house and she put together a table fit for the group of young husbands along with their Bible Study leader.   She made this perfect centerpiece for the table. 


We did the first part of the class outside.
Bev showed them how to make coconut shrimp.  They loved them! 


This is how you know you are hanging out with bloggers.  I laughed when I saw that we were taking pictures of the food before taking it to the table. 


Who doesn't know that our friends to the south finally had their election day.

After following the Primaries and conventions, I thought we deserved a party on the day that they would have their election day. 



The guys had the big TV and the girls had the little TV.  We had a great time and at the end of the evening we squeezed into one room and had a time of prayer for our US friends. 


We had a cousins camp sleepover. 


I love to bake with them.  The recipe didn't need quite this many eggs but they love to practice their egg cracking techniques.  


I always divide every ingredient into however many are baking with me so they all have a chance to add every ingredient.  It takes more time but why would we want the experience to be over quickly?


It is amazing to me how skilled they are already. 
 They will do just fine in cooking classes at school someday. 


I let them wash all the dishes.  
They enjoy doing this and again, it is something to do that they don't necessarily do at home.



I smiled when I saw how neatly this girl left the sink and dishcloth.

She has done this job before!


All that was left was for me to put all the dried dishes away.  


After lunch they all headed outside for another one of Grandpa's famous treasure hunts.



There is a lot of attention to detail in these treasure hunts.



The clue seen in the above map led to this spot.
The next clue was in a container across the ditch.  


The longer the treasure hunt takes...
the more successful I consider it to be.


You can be sure he sends them back and forth across the five acres as many times as possible. 


The youngest one found this clue!  



They had every shovel available at the ready when they paced off the spot they felt was right to dig. 


There was a lot of bow and arrow practice. 


One of them got an idea that they should build something from Grandpa's scrap pile.
I went back in to make supper while they worked on their project.


After an hour or so they were calling me to come see their wheelchair that they built. 


We took the whole kit and caboodle to go see Trolls. 


More baking the next day.


More dishes to dry.


Chicken noodle soup for lunch. 


After the dishes were done...
it was icing on the cakes!


They still love playdough.

It is cheap like borscht and I'm not a stickler for non mixing of colors. 


There was a lot of this.

I kept worrying she would lose her grip and bang her head but she just laughed and did it over and over again.


We got our hair done. 
There was a long discussion between these two about hair / beard color.  
She refused to comb his beard which made us laugh. 


This morning was so beautiful after a very wet night. 


OH and look!  I finally found a new rug for the living room.  Since this picture was taken, the rug has been centered properly.  


Can you believe they were called to come bake for me again?



I have things figured out!

You must wonder if I do any work at all when they come to visit. 


If you need your peppernuts cut, I can hire out a girl or two for you. 


Somehow the hummingbirds are multiplying at the farm.

Last time we counted on a particularly busy feeding session we counted 15 but we think there are more. 


We were given a most wonderful gift of a night away at Harrison Hot Springs by the Mennonite Girls Can Cook group. 



We walked and relaxed.
We sat in the hot pools and read books.
We enjoyed wonderful food and stayed in bed as late as we pleased.


When we went for breakfast we enjoyed this beautiful view.



This morning the grands will be cracking open the first box of their advent calendars.

This year I downloaded these beautifully crafted Bible Verses from HappyHomeFairy.


I take the inside out of the box it comes in.


I add lots of hugs and kisses.


Top it with their Bible Verse for the day....
and put the insides back into the boxes and wrap them up!



 We heard last Friday that there wouldn't be another dry day for awhile so we went out to get our tree.


In the evening we attended the birthday of this dear nine-year-old.
She was Rey this year from Star Wars.

If you are going to have a Star Wars party you had better be prepared for unexpected guests.


She was blessed.



She was celebrated!


There was even a bit of time at the end of the party to open up a few new books. 




 On Saturday we were going to bring in our tree but discovered that the bungalow is more vertically challenged than we thought.

Out came the sawsall to take the tree down a notch. 


So, it is not a secret that we live on the wet coast.
It's rained plenty this month and this little old Rhododendron must be thinking spring has arrived.


We had 317.4 mm of rain for November 2016.  
For those of you that don't think in metric, that is over a foot of rain.  

I wouldn't know it from the pictures I reviewed this month but I can testify that it has felt very wet and I am hoping this sunset that we had last night is a sign of things to come!  

If you could all sing with me....

Mr. Sun...Sun... Mr. Golden Sun...
Please shine down on me!

ha ha...

I hope you all have a wonderful December.
May you find joy and hope in the ways you prepare your heart and home for Christmas.  

all for now...

Comments

  1. Long time reader, horrible at commenting, but....your posts are always like reading a wonderful letter from a friend. Thank you for continuing to blog. I enjoy reading so much and seeing the beautiful pictures of the farm and your lovely, welcoming home. Your hospitality and warmth shine through in everything you write,

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  2. No, I can honestly say that I do not wonder what you are doing while the grands are visiting. =D I only have two and I know that you must be very busy indeed with these wonderful five. And how they must love being with you and their granddad. So much activity and fun and they sure are creative! Sorry about all that rain. We are bookends this week with the rain. It is freezing rain sometimes, but not today...just the regular variety. Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas season. (I always liked having those extra boughs for decorating outside. I imagine that you put them to good use, too.)

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  3. Those grands keep you busy and with plenty of baking! How much fun you have with them. The rain has been steady, but today the sun is coming up between the houses and there is frost on the ground. So lovely to see. Enjoy your Christmas preparations.

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  4. Oh, you were busy this month!! I know the kids don't do it all even if it looks like it. I'd almost forgotten what all happened this month. You keep track of it so well when you review the month.

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  5. So many good things in one month...and you covered them well! Your grands are quite the pros in the kitchen. Love seeing them all in there together...quite a team! :) I so enjoyed today's sunshine. It puts a different light on everything!

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  6. What a great month with your family! Lots of good cooks are being made over there. Love the creativity you find to entertain them with. Rain or sun....we always have lush green...and my plant is thinking spring too. Happy December.

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  7. Well, one thing I know for sure...MGCC grands are the most blessed grands in the world. Love seeing how you enjoy and celebrate and entertain them. Glad you and Terry have the energy and creativity to keep up with them. I'm hoping for some sunshine with you!

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  8. This post is full of so many wonderful things that I'm having a hard time responding! The cousin's camp is just the best idea ever!!! Your grandchildren must be such a joy to you and you to them. What fun and creativity. I giggled out loud when I saw the picture taking bloggers.
    Seeing your son praying over his birthday girl just touched my heart - what a blessing! You look so cute out there selecting your tree - Christmas will be here before we know it!!!

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  9. You are so gifted at documenting your life with both pictures and words! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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