IT'S A LOVE STORY OR COULD BE ANYWAY

When you make a new friend and she's married the conversation will eventually lead to how she and her husband met. It's a natural question to ask as you get know your new friend better.  Most often the answer to that question is rather mundane and not very romantic.  Rarer still are the stories of love at first sight, and falling head over heels in love.  Our son Nathan and his wife have a pretty cool beginning to their destiny together and being the glory hog that I am, I am not content with just one of those kinds of stories in our family.

So single ladies out there, how cool would it be to tell your friends that you and your future husband met because his mother (me) wrote a blog about her son (Adam) and you plucked up enough courage to write to him to wish him a happy birthday (today) and he wrote back(not very likely because he barely writes me) and it snowballed from there? That would be pretty romantic (or at the very least interesting) right?
So go for it, take the plunge, shoot for the sky, you never know, you just might be the one and what a story you get to tell if you are.

So here's his email address.  Have fun!   jenneradam@hotmail.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM : )

JANUARY ROUNDUP

Contrary to some people's read my children's opinion, I do not spend all of my time browsing the internet or playing games on my new ipad.   In fact, I sometimes do quite useful things with my time (other than regular housekeeping chores).

I made a quilt for my granddaughter...

a kitchen centre for the grandkids....

a piece of valentine art...

and finally, a little valentine shirt for Lilah...

I confess that I did get all these ideas from browsing the internet.  (I am not the creative genius my friends think I am.)

On a different note, look at what I found at our local op-shop...

for the grand total of one dollar.   Lilah loves it and I am sure Ava will too.

IT'S HOW COLD?

I was telling Ian about this video on our way in to town this morning.  I was thinking about it only because the thermometer in the car cut out at minus thirty degrees celsius.  It just wouldn't read anything lower than that.

Ian told me he thought the video was probably doctored in some way so I told him I would show it to him when we got home and he could see for himself and decide.  When we got home later this afternoon, instead of pulling out my laptop and searching for the video, I boiled a kettle of water and took it outside to try it for myself.  Guess what?  It worked and it was pretty darn cool!  I was having so much fun that I almost forgot to save enough hot water for our hot chocolate.  
I would post a video or some pictures of my very own but there was no convincing Ian to come outside and oblige me in taking either pictures or video.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

It's been cold around here these past few days.  I awoke to this the other morning.

When it gets cold like this, I don't want to leave the house so I don't (unless absolutely necessary).  Instead I stay inside where it's nice and warm.  Sometimes I read by the wood stove, sometimes I play games on my computer, and sometimes I actually do something useful like clean or something boring like that.  The past couple of days I have been working on a little project I saw on the internet.  I thought it was so cute and had to make one for Ava.  

WINTER

It was -30 degrees celsius outside this morning when I got up.  I had almost forgotten what that felt like... almost.
I was reminded of the year my in-laws came and spent an entire winter with us.  Being from New Zealand, they had no idea what they were in for.  There were a few good laughs over the course of the winter.  So to all my kiwi friends, here are some facts about a northern Canadian winter.

Just because there's snow, doesn't mean we can build snowmen or throw snowballs.  If it's too cold outside the snow just plain won't stick together. In fact the temperature has to be right around the freezing mark, anything below -10 degrees celsius makes the snow too dry and powdery.

As long as you have enough snow you can ski...

go tobogganing...

or go snowmobiling.

For some people  (not me) this is a fun recreational activity.  These girls are doing it the good old fashioned way...

Most men do it this way...

wimps! (there are wood stoves in those huts)

The ice on the lake gets thick enough to drive a car on but you need to check first.

We can have weeks on end when the temperature never goes above the freezing mark even during the day!

But that is okay, we have central heating in our well insulated homes.  That means we can go from one room to another without freezing our buns off... don't lie Kiwis, you know what I'm talking about.

We drive on snow packed roads most of the winter and think nothing of it,

and just about every Canadian  has rolled in the snow in their bathing suit at some point in their life.

So armed with these facts, you can imagine how funny I thought it was when my wonderful mother-in-law was afraid to go for a walk on the frozen lake with me, (I did manage to convince her finally) and when she pointed out to me the fact that it hadn't rained once in the entire two months that she had been there already, (I pointed out to her that the snow that was falling from the sky was basically winter rain) and then the night she asked upon seeing a beautiful pink sunset, if I thought there would be a frost that night.  I observed that seeing as how it was already -25 degrees out, it was safe to assume that yes, there would be a frost.

Winter is not my favourite season but I do appreciate its beauty.

I love snow that sparkles like diamonds,

and hoar frosts,

and snow laden trees.

My only problem with winter is that it lasts too long.    Oh well, only another 10 or so weeks until spring.   (happy dance)

.  

ANY TAKERS?

For Christmas, we sent Adam some money to buy himself a new winter coat because he had left his old one here at home a whole year ago.  He called today from Korea and I asked if he had purchased one yet.  He told me no but that he had been looking.  He had found one he quite liked but he was waiting to see if he could find something he liked better.   It was then that I realized that my hopes of him getting married in the near future are pretty much dashed.  He can't even commit to a winter coat let alone a relationship.
"What's so hard about buying a coat?" I asked.  "You go shopping, find something you like, and try it on.  It fits? great. It looks good on you? wonderful.  Others think it looks good on you? bonus.  Buy the thing!

Since he is turning 29 in a few weeks I have decided to take matters into my own hands.  I am now accepting applications for a potential daughter-in-law. So all you single ladies out there take notice.

He's

• handsome
• bright
• musically talented
• kind
• mormon
• has a great sense of humour

What girl can resist this? 

I hope he has enough of a sense of humour to forgive me for this.  : )

THE GIFT

Ian isn't known for his gift giving prowess.  I don't hold it against him or show disappointment when he gives a less than stellar gift, after all most men are a bit clueless in that department.  In fact most of my  friends have complained to me at some time or another that after dropping major hints as to what they would like for their birthday or for Christmas, they are most usually disappointed  by what they receive.  Let's face it ladies, hints don't work with men.  You basically have to spell it out in bold letters for the guys to get it.

Some of Ian's infamous gifts?

A vacuum cleaner.  Okay, so we needed one... badly... but a vacuum cleaner?

A garden wagon which just happened to match the riding lawn mower and which I had to put together.  His comment?  "I know how you like to put things together."  um ... Thank you?

A dog training book by the Dog Whisperer for Christmas.  Might have come in handy if we had a dog!  It prompted a false excitement that we were getting a dog. (Ian knew that I enjoyed watching the show)

Liqueur filled chocolates.  Now I know of a few of my friends who would have been happy with those but I don't drink.


These gifts were chosen with a lot of thought and I appreciated both the gifts and the giver.   We did need a vacuum and the garden wagon was very handy and much used, the dog training book I was able to pass on to a friend with an unruly dog.  I don't think she read it.  I can't remember what I did with the liqueur filled chocolates, perhaps ate them in a a moment of weakness brought on by PMS?   I most likely passed them on to someone who would enjoy them.

Sometimes, Ian surprises the heck out of me by presenting a gift that exceeds all expectations like the time he took me dog sledding for my birthday.  It was an amazing almost death defying experience that I will never forget.  This Christmas this is what I found under the Christmas tree...

That's right, an ipad.  Months of hinting and begging and imploring paid off.  Ian you are honestly the best husband ever and not just because you got me an ipad (but it helps).

THE ANSWERS

I sent out our annual Christmas newsletter a few days after Christmas.  What's new right?  Anyway, for those of you that have received it, here are the answers.  For those of you that didn't... I am sure it's because you live so far away and your letter is taking it's good old time getting there.  This post will make a lot more sense once you receive the letter.

ANSWERS

You got to fill out the newsletter because quite frankly, I thought you would enjoy filling it out yourselves. You got it late because yes, I procrastinated yet again.

I visited New Orleans for the first time this year.  I especially enjoyed visiting the French Quarter and I earned enough beads to keep my grandchildren happy for years to come.  Okay, I didn't actually "earn" the beads ( Ian got as many as I did).   Unfortunately I visit the dentist at least once a year and the cleaning supply aisle in the store even more frequently believe it or not.

Although I give Ian a hard time about colour coordinating his closet, he spent most of his spare time golfing.  He doesn't get a whole lot of free time now though with his new calling as a Stake President in our church.

Adam is still living the bachelor life in Seoul Korea.  We miss him and want him to move closer.  We hoped with all the tension between the north and south (to the point of talking of war), that it would be enough for him to hightail it out of there.  At least he calls fairly often.

Matthew and Kere are expecting their fourth baby in July of this year.  They are thinking it's going to be a boy but there have been no ultrasounds yet to confirm.  I cannot speak for Matthew but Kere is definitely a Harry Potter wannabe.

As much as I'd love to announce that Olivia and Daniel are expecting twins, I cannot.  They're not even having one.  Slackers!  They did move to New Zealand and of course they miss us terribly.  They plan on returning sometime later this year.   We can hardly wait.

Brittany and Ben bought their first home, a townhouse in Burlington.  They will take possession sometime in late January.  I get my own room and can decorate it any way I like.  I am thinking 70's disco style with black lights.  Brittany and Ben welcomed a little girl into their family last September.  She is a sweet little thing and even though she is clone of her father, we've decided to accept her anyway.

Nathan married his brother in law's sister which gave him automatic citizenship in Arkansas.  He and Emily got new phones which may not seem newsworthy but they are Blackberry Torches which is apparently a big deal.  I have discovered that Nathan's newest goal in life is to become a vampire.  I think he enjoyed the
"Twilight" series a bit too much. He probably thinks he could win "The Hunger Games" too.

Our four grandchildren do make more mess than a category five hurricane (actually just two of them do)but the fact that they are so cute saves them, and for the record I have never caught them playing in the toilet.  That doesn't mean they haven't.

Ian and I both wish you health and happiness and all the best for the coming year.


Those are the answers.  How did you do?

Oh, and here are the pictures I promised.

CHRISTMAS 2010

I can't believe I have let so much time pass between posts.   I guess my life just got busy with Christmas preparations?  I really don't remember being so busy that I couldn't take a few minutes out of my life to write.

I remember hosting a baby shower for a friend...

and week later, hosting a little craft day with a few friends.

                                                         One of the finished products.

Then we celebrated Lilah's first birthday...

 and I made these for the little girls to wear on Christmas morning.

The rest of us wore these...

I love that my family humours me in dressing up.

We had a great Christmas holiday mostly spent lazing around watching movies, playing games, and eating way too much junk food.  

I loved spending time with these little people...

and these people...

A sign of things to come perhaps?????

Of course I enjoyed spending time with Matthew and Kere too but they were feeling a little camera shy it seems.  

Although we missed Daniel, Olivia, and Adam we were able to skype with Daniel and Olivia and talk to Adam on the phone.  Hopefully next year we can all be together.

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine.  

Happy New Year