Birthday List {35}

Each year for my birthday I've been making a list of goals for the coming year. The goals are mostly personal or family oriented goals, as in our ministry I need to make sure to be aware of the privacy of others. Our ministry goals are also done together with our church and our missionary team, so those are left for another time and place.

My goal above all is to glorify God and become transformed more and more into a godly woman. I desire to be a godly wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend etc. and to know God more and more intimately. That is daily life, ongoing, and the thing that over arches each and every thing I ever plan to strive for, whether personal, family, or ministry oriented.

Without further adieu then, here is my list for Birthday #35!

Bolded = completed
Italics = in process

1. Memorize all of the words to the Mexican National Anthem.
2. Go on a holiday as just a family of 5. Completed May 15-30, 2017 to Paraguay!
3. Go out on at least 6 dates with Dallas. Completed 6/6
        1. Beatlemania concert in Gdl. 
        2. Movie
        3. Quick lunch sans kids :)
        4. Movie and Supper
        5. Park
        6. Falcon Trails Resort - 2 nights
4. Read at least 10 books. Completed 11/10
        1. The Broken Way - Ann Voskamp
        2. The Armor of God - Priscilla Shirer (Bible study)
        3. Lies Young Women Believe - Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Mentoring purposes)
        4. Boundaries with Kids - Henry Cloud and John Townsend (Mentoring purposes)
        5. The Undoing of Saint Silvanus - Beth Moore
        6. Jesus Calling - Sarah Young
        7. If I Run - Terri Blackstock
        8. If I'm Found - Terri Blackstock
        9. The Patriarchs - Beth Moore (Bible study)
       10. The Whistler - John Grisham
       11. The Prince Warriors - Priscilla Shirer
5. Do a surprise activity for each of the boys and Dallas' birthdays, or they call the shots for the day.
6. Do a new activity. Completed August 13, 2017. Four-wheeling as a family in Tapalpa, Jalisco to the dam. Completed September 23, 2017. Hiked up a (inactive) volcano - el Nevado de Colima.
7. Furlough time in Canada - planning for winter 2017.
8. Take new family pictures.
9. Memorize a longer Bible passage.
10. Learn to make at least 4 new Mexican dishes or drinks. Completed 5/4.
         1. Rajas con Queso
         2. Enfrijoladas 
         3. Salsa de jitomate 
         4. Carne en su jugo
         5. Chicken with Salsa Poblana
11. Visit a new place in Mexico. Completed April 2017, went to 6 Flags in Mexico City. Completed September 23, 2017, el Nevado de Colima.
12. Teach Brady to tie his shoes. Completed April 2017.
13. Go to the Iguazu Falls in Brazil. Completed May 2017.
14. Go to Kerith Pines if possible while on furlough.
15. Volunteer at the orphanage Ranchito con Esperanza as a family once a month. 12/9 (gone for 3 months in Canada)
16. Visit my childhood home - Paraguay. Completed May 15-30, 2017.
17. Make my own pasta from scratch. Completed December 2017, with Mom and Rosey.
18. Do pencil drawings of each of the boys.
19. Go through our things in storage in Canada.
20. Learn something new. Studied up on HIV. July 2017.
21. Learn a new skill.
22. Make family calendars for 2018.
23. Update the boys school record books.
24. In Canada during the winter (boy's bucket list): Build a Quincy, make snow angels, build a snowman, go tobogganing, have a snowball fight, go skating outdoors.
25. Complete pending adoption paperwork and applications. Completed July 2017.
26. Family bike in the "big"park or Bosque at least once/month. 10/9 (gone for 3 months in Canada)
27. Record all of our blood types.
28. Meet all of the new moms at school in fall 2017 (in my kid's grades).
29. Finalize Brady's Mexican passport process. Completed October 2017.
30. See every single person in our immediate families (and as many extended as possible!).
31. Visit a new place in Canada. Completed November 2017. Falcoln Trails Resort in the Whiteshell.
32. Make Advent bags for the boys in December (changed this to an Advent book that we read together daily).
33. Take an online course or study up on planned specific subject.
34. Bike/exercise as planned/week.
35. Train and give leadership/service opportunities to specific people in specific Bible study groups (thinking particularly of the women and young girls I mentor and teach).

And if you're interested in past Birthday Lists:
Birthday List {34}
Birthday List {33}
Birthday List {32}
Birthday List {31}

Gdl Living: Quinceañera (15th Birthday Party)

 This event was actually a couple of weeks ago already, but while Dallas was away in Canada, the boys and I attended a Quinceañera.

Here in Mexico, when a girl turns 15, it's the "big" birthday. Maybe comparable to Sweet Sixteen or to turning 18, but this is much bigger yet. The girl in this party had a fairly simple dress, as often the dresses are like wedding dresses (in different colors) and can cost just as much. But the party was beautiful and a lot of fun to be at!

 We are friends of the family of this girl, having met her parents but not her. Her aunt and uncle, some of our best friends here in Gdl, had asked me to make a cake and cupcakes as they were in charge of putting together a dessert table. So then we were also invited to the party.

 It ended up being a little crazy, as Dallas went away, so I had the boys to take care of plus get this all ready. But I think I thrive under a bit of craziness ;) I had no power the morning of the party, so I took everything to the party (already baked) to decorate there, which ended up being a good thing as the boys could run around with their friends and let me do my thing!

 

The parents of my friend

I let Brady take some pictures of the event since he is fine with going up to random people and taking pictures of them :) Most parties here have people hired to serve drinks and food, this was the drink cart. 

These 2 girls are the daughter of our friends, one is in Carter's grade and one is in Logan's grade. Our boys often don't enjoy playing with girls (they're more the run and play with cars type) but they are super good friends with these 2. They even play house with them.

And Brady loves their older brother, who lets him play on his iphone.

A paper and a paintbrush

 I have always loved art...painting, pencil drawing....that kind of thing. My mom and I used to do folk art painting together and it was always a lot of fun. Pencil drawing I never practiced long enough to improve it but it's something I've always wanted to practice more.

Since moving here though, I have not done any of it!! That was one of my goals on my Birthday List {32} but it didn't happen.

This week though, a friend, Karen, that goes to the missionary ladies Bible study I'm a part of and also a son in Carter's class at school, invited our group to come paint at her house.

She had hired a painter to come and teach a 2 hour class, just for fun.

So myself and one of the other missionary ladies went, and a mom from the school, and 2 other ladies that were friends of Karen's.

And we got our painting on!

We all followed along step by step as the teacher showed us what to do.

All of our background were the same, but each person did the tree a su estilo. Their way, according to their style.

So it was neat to see how they all turned out a little differently....

Like each one of us is unique, even though we have the same Creator/teacher!

I did find it interesting that at this evening, between the 6 of us there, we represented 4 different cultures! I love the mixing of cultures and the richness that brings. Some find it difficult to interact with people that are not like them, but I find it interesting to observe and learn about what makes each person tick.

So, I had my fun evening out {sans kids! what a rarity} and got a little creative juice flowing.

2 weeks...in sentences

 I have been awful at taking pictures lately and just have a few cell phone pictures to show for it! I much prefer pictures from "real" camera, although cell phones pics taken outdoors during the day are acceptable :) With that said, cell phone pictures are all I have for now!

Anyways, the past couple of weeks in sentences, here we go.

2 weekends ago we were invited to an Indian party to celebrate Diwali, which is when they celebrate the Festival of Lights, the day that darkness is said to have been defeated. We have friends here who are from India who like to attend our events so we wanted to go and support them also. There were about 600 people there from India, and there are close to 2000 we are told that live here and work for various business'.

It was very interesting and we had a good time! The boys also have several friends from school that are from India so they had a blast running around and staying up late.

Our run of parties has continued, right up to the end of October. We had 2/week for the past month and while it was a lot of busyness (and gifts!) I am thankful for these parties b/c we were able to meet some families that we didn't know before.

And one of the mothers I met just last week started attending the ladies Bible study with us this morning! The group has steadily grown and we are now 7 ladies. It has been so good and encouraging, and I just need to remember to leave the results in God's hand and not in mine. One that was invited by another is a Christian from another church, one is from our cell group, and the others are Catholic.

We have also been encouraged by our cell group lately again! We have had several good talks about being intentional in life and reaching out to those around us, and it has been good to be together again as a group, since the summer was hit and miss with us and others in the group being gone.

The dentist...Dallas and I have gone for check-ups and a filling each, and I took Carter in also for a check-up since his teeth are coming in improperly and his top teeth are causing his bottom teeth to grow inward. Anyways, that's just part of it but he is now in the process of having a spacer/retainer put on his upper teeth. He is actually excited about it :) and does soo well at the dentist!

He's holding his hand up in this picture as he didn't want me to take one. Well...

Dallas has gone biking 2-3 times a week, although twice a week is at 9 pm till midnight! Most men here work long, hard days and the time they are available to get together is later in the evening, so Dallas takes advantage of that to meet with them at biking.

This is one group, from Thursday nights (although I stole this from his facebook page and I think there are more that usually go in this group). He also just recently became part of another group that goes Saturday mornings and he is loving that group. They are guys more his age, in our stage of life, and he has a good time biking with them. They get together sometimes as men or as families for bbq's so that will be the next step!

Parent/Teacher interviews....this self-portrait of Carter was outside his classroom :)

Some bowling....

Carter's best friend has always been Leo, his friend that moved away almost 2 years ago, who moved to Mexico City. So he wrote this letter for him the other day, and Leo wrote him one back. I love it that they are still such good friends even though they were 5 when they stopped living close together.

He now has other "best friends" here at school, who he loves just as much and I think it's great that he can have several good friends at the same time.

Party planning!! Carter and Logan are having b'days in December and early January, so we are going to throw a big joint party and invite all of their school friends. We are inviting all of them (48 kids plus siblings and parents!) and are excited to meet more parents through it and deepen relationships.

The other day we went to the craft store here to look for some party supplies and pick up some photo booth props :) I must admit that the mama is the most happy in a craft store but the boys find plenty to entertain themselves. Dallas on the other hand said that next time we go, we go sans boys as it's a bit of a handful keeping them from not knocking over glass, pottery..etc...

Other than that though, we are prepping for the Prayer team that's coming next week, as well as having our regular cell group/Bible study times, and Dallas is meeting every Wednesday evening with a neighbour here now! This came about as coffee get togethers and has turned into Spiritual talk and Bible study at the coffee shop so that has been great.

It does mean we are apart several evenings a week, between biking and coffee and Bible study...but we are working on finding some scheduling that works for ministry, family, life, and figuring out priorities as we seem to run here and there a lot of the day and attempting to fit everything in that just seems to come up. It's hard to say no to things especially when they are good things that involve getting together with people and visiting and sharing about God, and at the same time we need to give time for our kids and as a couple. So thankful that our kids love life and also love visiting people (especially if their friends are involved) so that makes things so much easier.

Dallas is home now from biking...adios!

The art of cakes

 In the past few years, I have gotten into cake and cupcake decorating. Pretty well since my kids were born I guess, as I've always made their cakes for their parties.

I am in no way super good! I know that...when I see pictures of professional cakes they put mine to shame. But, I also really enjoy it and use each time I'm asked to make a cake as a learning process! I don't tend to just go with what I know when making a cake. I usually watch youtube videos on some new technique and attempt it.

The bad part with that is that then when it doesn't turn out as I pictured it, I get a little frustrated :) but in the end, it always seems to work out for the most part.

Can cake decorating be used for ministry?? I wouldn't say that it's been a ministry tool per-say, but maybe that depends on how you define ministry ;)

 I (and Faith, our previous co-worker!) were able to get together with ladies and teach them some basics of fondant decorating. And in the last 6 months or so, I have been asked to make cupcakes and cakes several times for friend's birthday parties. So it's been a good way to get to know people, and also a good way of helping people out for their special day!

Brady's going to be having a birthday in August (augh!!! he's turning 4 which means he will be starting school here in Mexico just 4 days after his birthday!). He has already informed me that he wants a BLUE DINOSAUR cake. Oh dear.

The easy route would be to make a simple round cake and make a flat dinosaur picture on the top of it. Will I do that? sigh Probably not. I will most likely drive myself crazy till midnight the day before the party attempting to make a big ol' 3d dinosaur. We'll see ;)

What I love about this though is that I get an opportunity to do something I enjoy, and it gives me the chance to be artsy once in a while, something that I don't get to do very often. I also love being able to use this as a point of connection with people, as fondant cakes are not common at all here in Gdl! There are some specialty bakeries, but not a lot.

(so if you ever want to come down here and start a custom made fondant cake shop....you'd do well! Assuming you knew how)

I just gotta show you my tool kit :-) I love it. Dallas got me this for Christmas this last year...he knew I needed a place to store all of my cake decorating things and I really love that he picked out such a hardcore thing haha! It reminds me of him every time I use it and to me it's special. And it works super well!

Spring is FINALLY here!!

I say FINALLY because even though we are at 30 degrees, Carter has been adamant that it is not spring or summer, it is still winter, because that's what the calendar is. In all actuality, our hottest time of year here is May!

So anyways, today to celebrate Spring, the kindergarten had a Spring Parade, where the kids had to dress up and do a little parade.

Carter still had to be at school at the normal time, 7:50, so we dropped him off and went for a coffee while we waited for Logan's party...and I did some face painting while we were coffeeing!

My ferocious lion, Logan

 Logan's friend got a butterfly, so fun painting girly things :-) and his other friend was also a lion

Logan with some friends...the Peter Pan and the girl on the right are twins!

After the parade, the kids could buy tickets to go into different classrooms and do little craft workshops...Brady is all into it and wishes he could be in school already!

 I had to say good-bye to a really good friend afterwards. Gaby (second from the left) is moving away to Costa Rica for her husband's work...we only met in August but we very quickly got to know each other and as we share our faith, we connected through prayer and she has been a big encouragement to me as a friend! She has a daughter in Logan's class (the one sitting with Brady) and also a daughter in Carter's class! The one in Carter's class is the one he says will be his wife.

travel journal

As I mentioned in the last post, I was going to make a travel journal to use during our time in Canada. Now that I've figured out that I like "organic" scrapbooks - with bits and pieces you've gathered and notes that were written, etc. just glued in - I've decided to do that for this trip also!

So as we go, we'll glue in airline stubs, notes, pictures, bits of maps...see where it takes us.

I started the first page off together with some notes from each of us. Dallas and I wrote above this what we were looking forward to doing in Canada and here I got the boys to write!

I loved their answers! and that both Carter and Logan wrote their own answer in.

Brady just cracked me up. He says "girls" with a little sly grin and a "you know it" nod.
And yes I know I spelled "nod" wrong in the book! oopsie as Brady would say.

Birthday List {31} - Sappy Scrapbook ~ and some songs and poems from our wedding day!!

Afternoon in the sun with the scrapbook and some terere...

This afternoon I completed one more thing off my Birthday List {31}, and it was a fun one to do! I worked on it a few other days before this and finished it up today.

What I was doing was pasting and organizing all of the tons of notes and letters and cards and ticket stubs etc etc from 2000-now into a notebook....the things that Dallas and I wrote to each other since we started dating. Till now they were all thrown into a box. I love how it turned out! I am realizing I like the less formal look of this type of scrapbook and I plan to make another one with all the cards and drawings the boys have made us for birthdays and all that, and have it something you can continue to add to.

It was a lot of fun for me to do b/c it was a riot reading everything we had written to each other, and also was a good reminder about the things we have always liked about each other and how our relationship has changed and grown over the years.

Well, as I was going through this stuff, I came across some wedding keepsakes and had to laugh. Thought I'd share some with you :-) Here's a song that my brothers, Travis and Jared, sang at our wedding, as though they were Dallas. They were the MC's and the song was to the tune of the Arrogant Worms song - Me like hockey.

Aug.2.2002....Jared and Trav

Please Kenny Zac, let me marry her...
Marry her, marry her, marry her, marry her, marry her,

Me like Tara, Me like Tara
She work hard 5 days a week, comes home gives me food to eat
Me like Tara, Me like Tara
Me like Tara she so small, she make me look really tall
Me like Tara, Me like Tara
She let dog lick her plate, Me think that is really great
Me like Tara, Me like Tara
Me play golf in underwear, all the rest they end up bare. Ha Ha.
Me like Tara, Me like Tara
Me sing Tara Spanish song, me think this song way too long
Me like Tara, Me like Tara
Me like Tara, ME LIKE TARA.

Those brothers of mine...best mc's ever eh :)

And then there was this poem that Dallas' Grandpa Wiebe shared at our wedding! He is so good at writing and we still get letters in the mail from him all the way out here in Mexico and we love reading them.

Here's the poem...

How imporant is a day? Or are they all the same?
For wedding bells to ring I'd say, to make it special is their aim.
I'm referring to this happy pair who promised to be true;
Despite the challenges out there when skies are grey or blue.
Now Dallas was the cutest child when he came on the scene.
His many photos we have filed, to prove just what I mean.
His brothers two then came along, now there was more to do;
To play with toys or sing a song, their varied interests grew.
It wasn't always rosy though. At times their wills they clashed.
Surely the oldest is in the know, and then some hopes were dashed.
Well, Grandma, Grandpa lived nearby, and much we shared together.
The questions as to "How" or "Why", and Who makes all the weather.
Our babysitting skills we honed, our country home the venue.
When their mom or dad had phoned then treats were on the menu.
Schools days started, bus rides too; the goals is education.
But what with chores, homework too, there's call for a vacation.
To Brandon's Curran Park we'd go, with camping gear and such;
The sportsplex swimming pool they know, 'twill please them very much.
Now Dallas is quite daring; there's a challenge from his dad.
For us who are all-caring, all we can see is red.
The highest diving board his mark; the steepest hill to ski;
So pay attention where you park, he clearly does not envy me.
Dallas went a -biking upon this cliff so weird,
Where most would not go hiking his folks the worst they feared.
His bucking bike had just enough; it threw him for a loop.
The landing was so very tough, his mind was like some soup.
Dallas is not afraid of work, and he's had his talents tested.
When planting tress, no time to shirk; he tried it while it lasted.
While on the farm he worked the fields, is that what prompted higher yields?
He dug the trenches for the pipe, and filled them in when the time was ripe.
Then on to college Dallas went to equip him for his life.
Was learning then his only bend, or a potential for a wife?
A mission team they headed north, and so the Word of God went forth.
Then to Belize, a warmer spot, the friendly children, they'll forget them not.
And what's in store for future days? The Lord leads in mysterious ways.
How or where it came to pass, this I have yet to know.
Dallas meets this lovely lass and a friendships starts to grow.
Tara's initials are T.Z. - Is this coincidence or what?
She holds her own quite easily, and is not put on the spot.
Now, Taralin, I understand, you have missions on your mind
That noble aim deserves a hand a goal that's good and kind.
Our prayers, good wishes, go with you. You are meant for each other.
Only to your God be true, He is closer than a brother.

31

Tomorrow I will be 31 years old.

That is so strange to type, but yet so not strange. I really do feel like a 30 year old. I loved my 20's and am also liking being 30 so that's all good.

A few weeks ago I came across this post about birthday lists on a blog I like to read every once in a while, A Beautiful Mess. I thought it'd be a fun idea for this list maker to do and maybe this will push me to check more things off my list that I usually don't end up having the time to do as they aren't in the "urgent" category, even though most of them I enjoy doing and need to be done at some point.

So, the birthday list. Write down 31 things (or however old you're turning) to accomplish in the next year, before your next birthday, and post about each one as you complete it.

 I decided to make them more everyday life type of things, not work or ministry related for the most part. Except that my everyday life is my ministry. hmmm. More so personal/family things I guess than having to do with other people's lives.

And some of these days are with the fact in mind that we'll be in Canada this year :-) and want to do those things while we're there.

Here goes.

Bold - Completed and Date Completed
Italics - In Process

1. Get rid of the baby clothes. There, I said it. Why is that hard to do when you have no babies? Completed on April 1, 2013.
2. Make (or get made) large canvas' of each of the boys as babies or toddlers.
3. Take a family photo of each of our families all together. Completed in June, 2013.
4. Go camping. Completed in July, 2013.
5. Finish the sappy letters from dating Dallas scrapbook. Completed on March 23, 2013.
6. Finish one digital scrapbook.
7. Take our boys on a canoe trip. Completed in July, 2013.
8. Go on a getaway with just Dallas. Completed in July, 2013.
9. Make more of my own coffee creamers or syrups. Completed on February 6, 2013.
10. Put up something on the guestroom walls (big map...). Completed on September 9, 2013.
11. Memorize a Scripture passage. Completed on May 11, 2013.
12. Go on a 24+hr road trip to BC and Alberta and make it fun for all (except for Dallas who doesn't think stopping for coffee every 2 hours is fun). Completed in July, 2013.
13. Learn where all the States of Mexico are located.
14. Learn how to make a new Mexican recipe. Completed on April 23, 2013.
15. Make family calendars for 2014. Completed in December, 2013.
16. Buy no junk food to keep in the house for one month. The theory is that when it's in the house, you will (and do) mindlessly eat it in the evenings or whenever and therefore eat that much more than if you just have a Coke, let's say, out at a restaurant once in a while. Completed on February 28, 2013.
17. Go through our stuff in storage in Canada. Completed in August, 2013.
18. Go down that steep waterslide at the West Edmonton Mall. I love waterslides but had a bad experience with this particular one many years ago... Completed in July, 2013.
19. Get a haircut by an actual hairdresser and not just by my own self.
20. On that note, attempt to get my hair (closer) to my natural hair color. Dallas is wondering what it is (as am I...!). Completed in August. 2013.
21. Have church presentations ready before we go on furlough and pass along there what God is doing in Gdl! Partially completed on May 11, 2013.
22. Buy some black sandals (I'm running out of ideas here. It'd hard when a large chunk of our life is our ministry and revolves around other people's lives!!).
23. Make at least one Mexican meal for our families or friends in Canada. Completed in June, 2013.
24. Go on a family holiday with just us and the boys. Completed December 2013.
25. Complete an Advent calendar with the boys for Christmas. Completed on December 3, 2013.
26. Practice piano weekly at least until finishing the adult lesson book that we have and then see where it goes from there.
27.  Make/decorate each of the boy's birthday cakes. Completed January 2014.
28. Teach the boys a new table game. Completed on October 6, 2013.
29. Have the boys give away the toys that they don't play with. Completed January 2014.
30. Give away the clothes that nobody in this house wears. Completed on February 11, 2013.
31. Pray through our prayer bulletin board with the boys in rotation so all pictures are prayed for regularly.

Advent Calendar

Things are starting to look Christmasy already here in Guadalajara!

The malls have all the decorations up...
the large manger scenes are going up...
poinsettas are being planted in the front and back yards (that was a hard one to get used to at first! Planting your poinsettas with your green grass for Christmas. But it's really pretty)...
Christmas decorations out in the stores...
live Christmas trees for sale all over the place...

We still have our lights up from last year so we're good to go with that :-) and we planted our poinsettas, so now we wait till Dec.1, the day our tree goes up.

This year, Dallas and I decided to do something we havn't done before. Kids tend to anticipate Christmas and the excitement of it and what they're going to do and get and give at Christmas time, and so with that,, we were thinking about how to make the whole month a time of anticipation and celebration as a family. We want to do fun things with the boys and also help them focus on and remember why we even have celebrations at Christmastime.

So through looking on Pinterest and other sites, I came up with the idea of making our own Advent calendar.

It's very simple as you can see! I didn't get all elaborate. All I did was cut 24 squares of scrapbook paper and glue them to cardstock. I then stapled another square over top of those squares and wrote the numbers on them.

Each day of December, the boys will tear off the number and see what they will do that day. I think they'll be pretty excited about it.

We need to think of some more yet, but some we included are
- Set up the Christmas tree and decorate it (on the 1st).
- Watch a Christmas movie and drink hot chocolate (the boys think it is ubber special to have a "hot" drink).
- Have food in the van so when we drive that day they can give it away to someone.
- Buy a present for their teacher.
- Do random acts of anonymous kindness around our neighbourhood (we need to flesh this one out a little...).
- Read certain passages on certain days to do with Jesus' birth.
- Do something nice for your brothers.

There are others but those are some ideas. We think it'll be fun :-)

Question: What are some things that you and Dallas do for fun - together, seperately, or with friends?

 So here's Question #1...and in no particular order, here are just some of the things that Dallas and I like to do for fun here in Guadalajara!

 *Getting our kids to try new things! This was this last weekend and Logan (age 3 1/2) went ziplining for the first time. It's also a lot of fun for us going out and doing fun things with the boys.

*Something that is really common here for women is going out for breakfast after dropping your kids off at school. There are tons of little cafes and restaurants in the city and if you go in the morning, they're pretty much all full of groups of moms having breakfast together. So this is something I do with moms from school and also moms from our neighbourhood.

This pic was taken at a lunch, and a dad actually came with us that time :-)

Dallas and I like to have fun together, as a couple, and it seems we rarely do anything out of the ordinary together anymore. We try to go on a date about once a month but often it ends up being coffee, or supper, or a movie. Those are all fun...but something different is fun for us both!! Back in January we went as a family to a cabin here and there was ziplining across the mountain valleys so Dallas and I did that! It was suuuper fun. Ziplining does seem to be popular here, as there are numerous places to go and do it, both for adults and little kids.

*Biking as a family is another thing we do for fun, and Carter is just learning now to ride without training wheels!

*Dallas got into running when we moved here and met Fabian shortly after we got here. They have been running together a couple times a month. Dallas would say he still far enjoys biking over running, but it's something he does with other people, for fun and sometimes in 5km or 10km races.

*I love getting into my crafty side every once in a while. Sometimes I just have the urge to create something so I do little projects that only take an hour or so...after that my urge is gone and I move on to something else. Here I made a canvas with a pic of the boys, to test out how to use mod podge.

*Dallas' favorite thing ever to do is go mountain biking. I think it may be a tie with playing hockey and soccer, although I can't say for sure as he is not home at the moment :-) He does love it though, and goes out to the bush/forest close by at least every other week.

Dallas and John

Question #2 coming tomorrow!

nuts

 When Carter is gone at school, Logan and Brady typically ask for a snack around 11 am...they have breakfast between 8-9 and then lunch is only at 2:30 or 3 pm, so it's a good snack time. And right before naptime.

Sometimes I let them pick a snack from "the green container", which is where the "non-healthy" snacks are. Mostly it's stuff from candy bags at previous birthday parties which take forever to get through when 3 of your sons get candy bags and when those candy bags are honkin' huge.

Most of the time though I tell them they have to pick a healthy snack first. A fruit, a granola bar, some trail mix {even though it has m&m's in it!}, a yoghurt, cheese, crackers, etc.

Today it was trail mix.

And this is their preferred method of eating it.

a rolled flower attempt

I got a new black purse the other day...I wanted to get one that wasn't just a plain old purse but I couldn't find much here that really stuck out to me. Unless I wanted plenty of silver studs and that just ain't my style.

I've seen these rolled fabric flowers on several websites and thought I'd try my hand at making one to perhaps add to my bag. you can see that the blue one is more loosely rolled and the yellow ones are more tightly rolled...depending I guess on the look you're going for.

well here's my results :-) below...a little lopsided but not bad for my first attempt haha

There was kind of a flat empty space in the middle so I stuck one of my earrings in there.
who knows I may try again with a new one...

In the 5 minutes that it took me to make this, I realized that I miss making things!! I've always liked crafty things but haven't done anything for a while. And the one that I had been doing, scrapbooking, I've switched to digital, and I do think that I'm not enjoying it as much as regular scrapbooking but I think I'll stick with it anyways. I may need to get back into drawing or some such thing.