December 2016




OK... there is lots to show for the month we've had so hang on to your hats!

On the first day of December I picked the last of the dill in the garden since the weatherman said it was going to freeze!


We fretted about our hummingbirds getting out of bed before they did to get their breakfast set out. 


And then, just as promised the cold snap began and  we had a bit of snow to make it feel like Christmas. 


This bird, not one of the regular flock showed up and tried without success to be like a hummingbird.


I had never seen a bird like this around these parts.  Any idea what kind it is?
We put out some chicken feed for it but it didn't fancy it and flew away.


This young man turned 9!   I baked a Buche de Noel to go with the theme he picked of woodland. 

He is a kind, considerate, strong, athletic, and he loves Jesus!  

We love him more than he knows.  


OH the snow was pretty.  
I'm sorry but you will have to indulge me with extra photos of snow.  


As it typical in the Pacific Northwest, just when you think the snow is going to stick around awhile, it doesn't.  
The temperatures hover around 0 and the precipitation turns to rain. 


I'd have liked to cut some branches off to take inside,
but we know how that would go.



We went away for one night and so we had to come up with a more permanent solution to the feeding situation

Heat tape, pipe insulation, and a heat lamp has these little ones basking in warmth while they sip their drinks. 


Feeling assured that the farm would survive one night without us, we went into Vancouver to enjoy the Chris Tomlin concert. 


The Sutton hotel is always beyond beautiful at Christmas time.



We next morning we went home early to do chores and then to my Aunt Tina's funeral.  
Aunt Tina was the sister next to my Mom in age.  She lived 20 years minus one month longer than my Mom did.  

Her family rejoices in the knowledge that her deepest desire to go home to be with Jesus became a reality.  They'll miss her but know they will see her again. 


The next day, Anneliese and I along with the ladies in our Community Group and a few more besides,  served dinner to the Pastors, Staff, Elders and all the spouses. 


It was an experience to cook for a group that large.
We would never in a million years been able to do it without the great help we had.


A decorating team led by Jennie Loewen came in and made Center Court beautiful for the evening.
The men from our Community Group and a few extra, set tables, did dishes, and what ever else we needed to be done!  


The day after that we attended the most delightful dance recital where these two darlings, danced with delight!

They didn't wear those boots though when they danced!


After the recital, we rushed off to church to attend the Children's Progam.
We took the other kids out for dinner and I quickly grabbed my phone when I saw this darling girl have a cuddle with her Daddy! 


The next day,  we realized at about 4:30 on Sunday evening, that they were serving farmer sausage on a bun and Jeff was preaching so we hustled ourselves to church.
When we came out, the poplar trees were glistening with ice.


The next morning, I finished packing all the gifts for Christmas. 


What better way is there to end the work week before Christmas than to ask you mama to bake cinnamon buns for the steel workers.  I hashtagged that one #softbunsforhardworkers


One of my favourite things to do when the different dishes are as prepped as they can be is to putz with the little details like where everyone will sit.

I made little scrolls which had the Christmas story in them and tied them to a placecard which was stuck between two sticks glue gunned to together.  


It worked with my natural greens theme. 


On Christmas Day, the family came around noon for dinner.  
I looked out the window and saw that someone had opened a fun present that morning.  


These three little ladies came in looking ever so festive!


We dished out the kids food first and they patiently waited for the Christmas crackers to be snapped!


We ate our meal together and before we left the table, we read the Christmas Story, taking turns opening our scrolls. 


I loved that they mostly knew their part by heart but read it because it's fun to show you can read!



After sitting around for awhile, we decided we would open up gifts. 


The kids all had the same things in their big sacks so they tried very hard not to see what the others had if they got theirs open first.  Some even went and hid in other rooms to open theirs. 



When they saw the pajamas that went with the camping theme in the sack, they had to try them on.
Only the littlest who was fighting an earache didn't feel the need to swap clothes for pajamas.


Everyone was happy!
I am getting regular reports since this day on how the baking is going and how the family is enjoying the skills she is learning. 


This one wanted a fun keyboard and she worked all day to get a song down pat. 
She can play by ear and if she keeps this up, I think Santa will want to do some upgrades on those keys. 


Once the gifts were opened, they took their new pillows and new sleeping bags and went to watch a movie. 


The day after, is the best food in my opinion.  



It snowed again and I asked if our real vintage cross country skiis and poles were fairly accessible.
They were.  
These skiis, shoes, poles etc belonged to my beloved parents.
It's fun to remember how they skiied together but we always feel sad when we think that Dad has been gone so long.  




He skiied up to me and said,  hashtag this! 

Funny guy! 



Sometimes you just have to create a picture op when it is so easy.  


The next day we woke up to this! 

The temperatures soared to 6 degrees and the snow melted as fast as it had come. 



Our digital box in our main living space was hissing and driving us nuts.  
We asked our techie what we could do and he said well, you can get rid of that TV if you don't watch it much anyways.

When my beloved came in for lunch I asked him what he thought.

The big old cupboard that has been perfect to tuck the little tv away when we are not watching it 


I feel like I have more space! 


On the last day of December,  I made a wedding cake for a friend's daughter. 
It was an honor to be asked even though it was a scary fun project.  


When I got to the part of making little bouquets to tuck into the cake...
it was all fun!





and I held that cake with both hands all the way down the snowy roads to the venue.    
  ( I did change for the wedding =)





Wishing Rachel and Dave God's very best for their marriage!
May they love each other well as long as they live. 


And may they always eat cake together!


That was 2016.

A new year is ahead of us and I'm thankful that God knows all that is coming our way and we can trust him to lead and guide us.  

Happy New Year! 


Comments

  1. Well that certainly was a month packed with many good things. That snow really was something! Happy New Year!

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  2. Okay, forgive the sappiness, but it is no wonder that you have such a beautiful family; the camaraderie and love shine. Those happy campers sure make me grin. The wedding cake is stunning! And, you and your Beloved have never been a more good looking couple. Happy New Year🎈

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  3. December joy upon joy upon joy! Thank you God for blessing Lovella and her family richly in 2016!
    (That mystery visitor was an American Goldfinch I believe. They hang out in cheery flocks going after thistle seeds and we constantly have them feeding outside our kitchen window. Kathie in PEI gets visitors too. If you can hang a yellow feeder designed for thistle seeds, or even wrap a yellow ribbon around the feed hanger generally they will come. They love yellow! And no the thistle seed does not, thankfully, sprout!)

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  4. So many good things packed into one month...and documented so beautifully here! I love the grands sleeping bags and jammies...what a great gift! The celebrations, the hummingbirds, the snow, the food, the gifts, the family pic's...all beautiful!

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  5. Loved your 'album' of 2016 ... so many lovely photos and memories. A full year ! May 2017 be daily filled with God's richest blessings!

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  6. Yes.. loved reading this and seeing the photos of the kids opening their gifts even though I already knew what they were getting. If only they knew the work and thought that went into all of it! They are loved and I know just how much because I'm a Grammy too. Love the cross country skis brought out and the beautiful wedding cake! So fun to share so much of the same things in life. Happy New Year!

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  7. Lovella, as I looked at these pictures, it struck me that you are so good at loving your people! And your birds too...to be so thoughtful as to figure out how to make sure those hummingbirds would be taken care of while you were gone is just amazing! Happy New Year to you and yours!

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  8. Oh Lovella - what a wonderful post! I just love the gifts you made for your grandchildren and how you encourage their interests and activities. I only hope I can be half as good a grandparent to my little one! You are such a great example of how to love and live!
    I'm not certain but that bird looks like a Bullock's Oriole (according to my bird book). We get Orioles here in the Spring and they love a feeder with orange nectar - similar to the hummingbird feeders, and blossoms. Orioles sound like a Robin that's had voice lessons - so beautiful! That wedding cake is simply stunning - wow! Happy New Year to you all!

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  9. What a beautiful way to record memories for each month Lovella. Gosh - some of that ice looked like lace and the hummingbirds like little jewels. Just lovely.

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