A Joy

July 11, the 3 year anniversary of the day that Adam's dad passed away.
We headed out to the river about 9am where we were meeting up with Adam's 3 brothers.
Since it is Adam's holiday time right now, our whole family went out to be together. What a day!
Throughout the day I had to take Joshua and Annabelle to VBS and did a coffee run but over all we were out there from about 9am till 6pm. When we arrived Mark had already caught a lovely 15lbs spring! Nice!
Here is the crowd of us taking up half of Ferry Island. Such a beautiful day!
Waiting for my bell to go.
Mark's fish is in the water tied to a rock.
Andrew got a couple on but this one he brought in and it was lovely! About 8 lbs and it was just shy of being a spring... so a jack it was. And a beautiful one!
Proudly hugging his bloody fish.
Then Adam got one, very close to 8lbs and also a jack, the twins caught almost identical fish... very funny! But Andrew's was a titch bigger and he was very proud :)
Then about 1:00pm David caught a nice little sockeye. By this time everyone was starting to get burnt.
Joel found a couple of these bugs and cherished them for our time out.
About 4pm everyone except Andrew, me, Adam and the kids headed off home. So we chatted about how long we would stay. Decided that we would be there till 6pm. The kids were getting hungry and no fish had been caught in a couple hours.
The kids can always find some way to keep busy.

Adam and Andrew having a little brotherly fishing talk.
And then the bell rang, about 5:45pm and this little beauty was on my rod.
Me and my beauties. It was about a 2 pound jack. Loved it! So, God sure did bless us all. A day of fishing and everyone goes home with a fish! Awesome. My sis-in-law and her boys came out for a couple hours to visit too. It was a very nice way to spend a day that could have been very sad. Then Andrew even treated our whole family to McD's! What a great end.
We gave my little fish away and then cut up Adam's. And vacuum sealed it. So nice! Scrumptious meals coming up!

Did I ever tell you?

Did I ever mention the reason I really wanted to sell Tupperware? I want to have everything in my kitchen sealed in Tupperware containers and it is expensive to do that. Like every kind of dry food and cake supplies and all sorts of stuff into containers that fit it properly. Why you might ask would anyone spend the money on and want that?

1. Because I am an organizational fanatic and I work very well when things are organized and I have next to no motivation when things are disorganized. As well, it looks so nice to have everything in appropriate containers and filed into the cupboards so everything is visible and stacked nicely.

2. Bugs... 3 stories here but the very short versions. One time my grandmother bought flour from a local store and it just so happened to have flour beetles in it. This of course is something you don't know until they are in everything else in your kitchen. And exterminator and a lot of food thrown out and the rest is history. Next, last year I bought some straws from a local store and it just so happened to have "book lice" in it. Something you couldn't tell until the eggs all hatched, bugs left their shells and were all over the counter tops of the kitchen. 15 hours of 2 people (Adam and I) bleaching the whole kitchen and a lot of food thrown out and the rest is history. FYI... we got them all and have not seen one since, it has been a year.

That brings us to the point of the post, to show the most recent story and the reiteration of my pleasure in starting to sell Tupperware. The seal of our front window has started to come out, we didn't really take any notice till about 5 days ago we started seeing a lot of these little buggers tramping around the counter tops. The only food they really seem to have liked was the honey container.

The ants having a little snack of Ant-b-gone to take to their tiny babies to feed them and hopefully a full death of a colony!

After 5 days it looks as if the colony has stopped sending out the troops to retrieve the treats and we have managed to do some necessary cleaning, next... to fix the seal and then the rest will be history.

A Tupperware demo

Gotta love a demo now and then.

This is one of the items I wanted and it came in my starter kit so I thought that I would keep it. I think the best thing to use this for would be pancake batter but I decided to try it with cake and it was great. So, first of all it is a measuring cup so I was able to measure the water in it and use less dishes.

Water, eggs and oil are added now.
And cake mix is added and the splash guard/ partial lid goes on.
Mix it up, no mess because there is a splash guard!
And pour into the cups. Very enjoyable! Easier clean up and easier making. Also, I finished one tin of cupcakes and then had to go out so there is also a seal that fits in the whole at the top to make it a full lid. And there is an anti skid ring on the bottom. So nice.
The finished product, just what my girl wanted, rainbow bit cake with orangy pink icing and a 5 on top! Yay!

The news on Adam

July 8th... Annabelle's b-day.

Hey everyone, see these pictures? It was 2 days ago at Annabelle's party at Ferry Island. A week ago, Adam wasn't able to do this at all, or at least with out a few times yelling out in pain. It was too painful to bend or lift or anything much. So the doc said after seeing that all the tests were coming in normal and the pain had been going on for over a month without letting up (I mean 2 T3's every 4-5 hours or he couldn't even function) that the only thing it really seemed like it could be was Fibramialga. This was not a diagnosis but was the only thing they could even suspect. So, this was very bad news. And we finally thought that we better prioritize some corporate prayer from the elders and body of our church.

We went to church on Sunday. Adam took 2 T3's before he went at 7am. The pastor called us with some other people with physical illness up to the front for prayer. These were just awesome prayers! We felt so blessed going down from the front after the prayers were finished.

At about noon Adam realized that he hadn't taken any T3's since 7am and was quite surprised that the pain was not bad enough to need to take any. So he held off and we prayed for continued healing. This was July 6th and today is July 10th and Adam is about 95% back to normal with only the slightest pain left.

All I can say is, once again, thank you our wonderful, faithful and beautiful God for healing and breathing new life into us and giving us joy abundantly even in a bleak and daunting situation. You are so good to us!

John Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

Annabelle

Today is Annabelle's 5th birthday. I would do a lovely video post but alas, it is 2:35am and I am far too tired! I need to be up around 8:30 for the last little bits of prep for the "tea party" birthday that Annabelle wanted. Can't believe she is five! How exciting!!!

Hey all!

Hope everyone is very well!

My bro in law is in town so I am assuming that I will be busy in the next while. Here is a quick update.

1. The Tupperware order I put in with the below sale on there ended up being about $300! That was pretty good. There were a few people who really wanted one or two of those.

2. Adam is still in a lot of pain. He is going through blood tests and ex rays and stuff to figure it out. There has only been one thing they have suggested it might be and that is something we are really hoping it is not. So, we are praying that it is something much more fixable and that God will heal him soon.

3. May 22nd I posted...Weight 136 pounds Waste 33 inches Hips 41 inches
June 10th I measured-Weight 134 pounds!Waste 33 inches Hips 39.5 inches!!! 39 31
July 6th I measured - Weight 133 pounds Waste 31.5 inches!!! Hips 39 inches!

Seems like my goal is so in reach... goal-
weight 130 pounds: 3 pounds to go!
Waste 30 inches: 1.5 inches to go!
Hips 37 inches: 2 inches to go!

Not bad! I am pretty happy with that.

4. I am not babysitting full time anymore. My sis found it was just far too many hours to be away from her babies. She is going to be cleaning houses. So, anyone need someone, call me and I will give you her number.

5. Adam is on his holidays for 2 weeks! Hopefully we can get some camping in!

6. I have a sinus infection. Not fun, on antibiotics.

7. Joshua and Annabelle are starting Vacation Bible School in a few days!

8. Annabelle turns 5 on Tuesday! So excited!

Have a lovely night and I will try to post some pics tomorrow.

Just in case

I was just about to go and bath the kids when I thought, I better just post this.

Tupperware sale...

You know those Modular mates that can hold 10kg of flour?

They only bring them out about once a year and tonight is the last night of a week long flyer offer. They are on sale for $25 from the regular $50!!! If anyone wants one or two, let me know ASAP. I have to have the order out by about 10pm tonight. It is 8pm now. And it is Friday. If you don't have my number, leave a message or email me and let me know in the next 2 hours. I am sorry such short notice but I just found out about this today!

Guess what this is?

Basically, laminin is a protein found in the "extracellular matrix", the sheets of protein that form the substrate of all internal organs also called the "basement membrane". It has four arms that can bind to four other molecules. The three shorter arms are particularly good at binding to other laminin molecules, which is what makes it so great at forming sheets. The long arm is capable of binding to cells, which helps anchor the actual organs to the membrane.
Laminin is vital to making sure overall body structures hold together.

Quite a coincidence that this reminds me of
Colossians 1:15-20 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and “he holds all creation together”.

Thanks for your video post Sirena!!!

Any Guesses What This is a Picture of?

The picture of the center of a black hole.
An image of the core of the Whirlpool galaxy M51 (NGC 5149) taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. It shows an immense ring of dust and gas that is thought to surround and hide a giant black hole in the center of the galaxy.
Cool hey!!!

Babysitting, Tupperware, and sickness.

I have no time to write these days. Life is so busy but great! I am now babysitting full time for my sister and it is wonderful as I love her kids like they are my own. This will also give us a little extra cash to pay off our little bit of debt and hopefully help out for my trip to Heidi's wedding in October. I don't really need much.

Also, my little business adventure is now full force. I am selling Tupperware! I love it... I mean the products and I am so excited to be selling it. If you want to book a party or you need some wonderful item then let me know. I have a little bit in stock also. I love this because I would love to one day be able to totally outfit my kitchen in Tupperware so that everything is organized in bins of all shapes and sizes, instead of scattered across my cupboards in a fashion that I don't even like to discuss! More about all this and before after pics to come of many things as I purchase! The greatest thing about Tupperware, quality products, great function and lifetime guarantee not to break, leak, etc. So nice. Just ordered the kids some beach buckets from there (pics to come when they arrive) because I am so sick of replacing buckets every year. This way, if they break I get new ones for free, for life! It rocks. Anyway, on with life.

Adam is quite sick with all sorts of problems but one is a severe pain in his collar bone which has been going on about 3 weeks now, two prescriptions and a couple bottles of pain killers later, still hurting. If you pray, please pray for relief and healing, we have no idea what is really wrong yet. God only knows. And he has a cold and some infection that started in his foot. It is all hard on the household. We all have a cold but no infections so I am praying for the healing hand of God to come on our house and release our family from all this sickness. I know He can do that for us.

Adam starts his holidays in a couple days, so excited. The kids are signed up for Vacation Bible School next week. Annabelle's birthday is coming soon. My dad is in town. My brother in law is on his way to town probably in the next week. Annabelle starts school this fall so we have been starting the prep for that, shots, school fees, testing for Kindergarten, class visit, and I got her her lunch kit from Tupperware, I just love them. Pics to come in the days to come. But in the mean time just check out my handsome hubby with that YUMMY fish we had for supper last night! What a wonderful hunter/gatherer I married! he he The kids must have been missing the salmon dinners as they ate the fish like it was candy!

Goodnight everyone! I will update more properly with pics and such soon enough!

Let The Games Begin!!!!

I went fishing this morning at Ferry Island with my bros. Caught this little 9 pound baby!! First spring salmon of the year. 10% of my quota. I hope to caught 10 this season as I have July 3-21 off!!!

My two brothers are on the left, David and Mark. The guy on the right was just checking out the river and walked down with me. Within 10 minutes of being there... Blamm!!!!
I got to make the tourists happy!!

Go Joshua!!!

Here's Joshua graduating from kingergarden. What a smart little man, he makes me so proud!!! (I'm so glad he got Charlene's smarts and charms.)

My church has been enjoying The Truth Project which has comments from R.C.Sproul. I just finished his book The Last Days According to Jesus. I googled his name and found this video on YouTube. Enjoy.

PARTY!!!

I am having a Tupperware party! Normally I am not totally into Tupperware although I do love it but never have much money for it. This time there is something a little extra special. The gal who does Tupperware is a friend of mine and she had purchased a huge amount of stuff for the trades fair and then had hardly any sell. So she wanted to know if anyone wanted to have a party by the 16th and she would be discounting all her stuff that she has anywhere from 10-50% off. I am pretty excited about that. And then of course there is always the regular stuff you can order. I have invites for anyone who would like one and all you ladies from here are invited to come and check it all out. Jen might also be doing a demo of some food using some of the kitchen gadgets. I hope we can help her get rid of some of her stuff!!! Anyone who wants to come, please let me know so I can plan for about how many we will have.

Monday June 16th... yes this is this coming Monday... at 7:00 pm!

Hope to see lots out. Should be a great night. Check out Tupperware stuff here if you want to know some of the new products but remember that Jen will have lots on sale!

Who was your favourite New Kid?

There are so many of you out there that talk about 80's music. I sometimes feel a little out of the loop. I listened to music in the 80's but not much. Just what my uncle would play for us which was more than some. But the years of my music love came when the 90's hit and yes oh yes... New Kids were "it"! And I had the neon plastic earrings with "I love NKOTB" written on them. I wanted albums and was jealous of my sisters because they had them... I think I even dreamed of these guys. My favourites... well Jon and Jordan of course! But alas, we all grow up. The music seemed kind of corny and there was not much to it. I mean, come on! When you watch this make sure you don't miss...

-That they dance on stairs. Why? Step by step!
-The lovely leopard print vest.
-The side ways hat (in the new live video he still wears it slightly like that)
-The bib overalls, man were they ever cool. I am surprised that he didn't have one strap undone and hanging behind him!
-The neon shirts half on and half off, hanging off the shoulder of Jordan
-The running, but it has a little extra to it.
-Not sure what's up with the tuxedo and bow tie
-The sprinkler dance... very nice!
-Jordan's fab voice. I always kinda disliked that he could sing so high but now realize that is a talent most guys can not even hope for and takes a lot of work to be able to keep doing.
-Jon wearing a hoodie and looking totally normal?!
-Step one, we can have lots of fun. The part I laughed at most as a young teen!


I was a little shocked though that when I heard about the New Kids getting the band back together to release an album, I just had to hear what they sounded like and see what they looked like. I am far less obsessed of course and can honestly say it seems odd to call them the New Kids on the Block. They are older than my hubby and in all their interviews they are wearing full suits with ties... not really my cup a tea. But this is neat none the less. I can't pick a favourite now as no one can top my man in my books! And what is up with Jordan? He doesn't look like him! And Joey, I guess he had to grow up too but he looks so different as well! Donnie and Danny never changed a bit right down to the hat! Enjoy a little, Old Dudes on the Block! ha ha. They are pretty good but there is a heck of a lot more skin in the recent videos. I think I like the innocence of the old ones more now. At least the dance a little! I think I will leave the neon earrings at the thrift store along with everything else neon that I used to think was oh so fine though!
Enjoy!!!

The weigh/measure in

May 22nd I posted...

Weight 136 pounds
Waste 33 inches
Hips 41 inches (it seems that the only thing that grows is my rear)

Today I measured

Weight 134 pounds!
Waste 33 inches
Hips 39.5 inches!!!

Okay, so, I have not been doing a whole lot except trying to be as active as I can but life has been busy so that is not very active. The thing I really want to be loosing is my belly... as little as it may be, because it is the waist of the dress that I am going to be busting out of. Oh well. I am pretty happy with the results so far. Trying to drink when I feel really hungry, eat more fruit and smaller portions at supper and lunch. I will keep going with that. And we haven't had money for chips so that is probably helping a lot! Hope all of you had a great night!

Taste buds

Must have missed this one somehow on Michelle's blog and anyone who knows me well knows that I love food. Probably one of the main reasons I have not posted my weight and measurements for a couple weeks. So I thought that I would do it tonight while I sit here bored.

A little quiz on taste buds.

1. Margarine or Butter?
Butter for sure but we only buy margarine. Sucks to have limited funds!

2. Favourite meat- chicken, pork, beef, or fish?
Beef... well steak-rare of course! Never get to buy it though.

3. Salty or Sweet?
Salty all the way, even sweet stuff should be salty or spicy in my mind. Like my favourite cookies are peanut butter or ginger snap cookies. A fine mix of salty or spicy and sweet.

4. On a sandwich Mustard or mayo?
Both! and whatever other dressing is available.

5. What is your favorite soup?
I think cream of broccoli or minestrone... YUM!!!

6. Drinks- tea, coffee, soda, water?
I suppose tea although I LOVE iced tea which doesn't really count as tea. So, Earl grey with either of my sisters is one of the best things imaginable!

7. Popcorn or Chips?
Chips- Miss Vickie's original! But I also love popcorn made in the pot with salt and butter. Yum!

8.Which is your favorite fast food restaurant in town- McDonald's, KFC, A&W, Subway, Timmy's?
Definitely Subway. And the kids love it too. How wonderful!

9. Which is you favorite sit down restaurant- Don Diego's, Golden Star, Pizza Hut, Boston Pizza, Denny's, Mr. Mikes, L'ambiance?
With the kids, pizza hut. On my own or with the love of my life... it would probably be Don Diego's but I have only been there once before. It was awesome!

10.What is your favorite starch- potatoes, rice, pasta?
I am a huge fan of those little potatoes slathered with butter and with some salt and pepper.

I was just discussing food with Adam yesterday and saying how I think my favourite meal ever would be barbecue steak, little potatoes and corn on the cob. Couldn't get much better than that. Besides the golden flame's Pepper steak which was the best thing I have ever tasted in my life! Too bad I will never taste it again. Boo Hoo! Have a great night. And happy mouth watering!

My Church Rocks!!

This song was sung at my church today. I have been thinking about this song for about a month now and how true it is. I remember the thousands of empty days and years of my life before becoming a Christian.
I am very proud of my church! Passionate people who love God. I would say one of the verses that best describe The Rock is
Acts 17:11 (NIV) Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Say Hello To My Little Friends!

A stitch in time saves nine

Was thinking about this today. Things dealt with at the right time seem to save a lot of time later, sometimes a lot of heart ache, a lot of undo stress and all kinds of problems that issues unresolved tend to cause.

I thank God everyday for the peace and rest that our little home seems to find ourselves enjoying lately. What a blessing. But there sometimes just seems to be turmoil around that makes for some amounts of unrest. So, in friendships, marriages, "vices", pain, raising children, babysitting, work, or stitching literal clothes for family or friends may God help us to find the place to mend and mend the fabric of brokenness well and in proper time. And may God help us save nine.

Daily bible verse

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right.
James 2:8 (Read all of James 2)New International Version

Joshua

A little clip of Joshua at his soccer game. He is loving it like you wouldn't believe and is actually very skilled. He is the only boy on the orange team in this clip and #8. Here is one of the goals he got in the game last Saturday. He scored 4 or 5 goals in that game and was feeling awesome! He is also really good at not hogging the ball which I am very proud of. Can't wait to see them play again on Saturday!

To the farm we go!

Joshua's class did a field trip to a farm. It was so fun! We loved it. Here are a few of the kids enjoying petting a chicken. What a great opportunity for children!


There is the beautiful rooster in the background. I drove for the field trip and so I had the little kiddos and I was babysitting so we all went. So fun!
This Hen had just hatched these chicks days earlier. They were so cute!
When we took the chick away, the hen was not very impressed. She was calling for the chick the whole time.
Cute hey?

Running to go see the pony.
Pigs first...
Then the pony. Annabelle loved her. Her name was Shadow.

The girls in the loft with the hay. So fun! There were also bunnies but I didn't get the pics of them because I was helping the kids hold them.

The boys
The play ground at the peoples house.
Playing on the tire swing.
What a cutie!
Washing up...

And the people who own the farm made hard boiled eggs for all the kids from farm fresh eggs! Yum! With salt and pepper. The kids all peeled their own.
Then she talked to them about where the baby chick comes from in the egg.
And one shot with the whole class.
Their unit this month is the farm so this was just perfect!
The boys in the "jump seat" of our car. They loved it!