The rest of them :)

Ok, so as with most blog series, I am losing momentum and updates are coming less and less frequently again.  SO...here's the rest of the questions answered in the "getting to know myself" series.  Enjoy!  I'll try not to make them too long but no promises!

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

I think I would be a cat.  They can sit in the sun happily for hours and hours but still have the energy and agility to climb trees and hunt and pounce on each other.  They do whatever they feel like and can be both lazy and active.  In that way, I would say that if I were an animal, I would be a cat :)  Oh, and our one cat can go DAYS without seeing a human and I think that applies too ;)


16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments? (in no particular order)

- I got married

- I brought my kids into the world

- I completed a seminary-level counseling course with flying colours.  I felt pretty good about it at the time.  I still feel pretty good about it... ;)

- we bought an acreage, something we didn't think we'd accomplish until much later in life.

- I've managed to be a stay-at-home mom for 3.5 years now without ever throwing my hands up and walking away for good.  I've wanted to.  I've been tempted.  But I never have.  At least no further than the driveway...


17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

I wish I were great at talking to people.  I wish I were great at mingling and small talk.  I feel like it would be easier to make friends if I felt like I had stuff to talk to people about.  I feel like it would be less awkward to hang around the church foyer every week if I could easily strike up a conversation with absolutely anyone.  I wish I were great at conversation. 


20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

- I remember once when I was probably 6-7 years old and I was in the middle of a water fight in my yard, probably with my siblings, maybe some friends too.  I was standing on the outside of the 2 foot fence and laughing so hard.  I remember thinking, "This is the best day of my life!  This is a perfect day!  I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life!"  And I remember that moment exactly.  So I would call that a significant memory from my childhood, whether or not it had any meaning or weight to it :)

-  I remember shucking corn at my grandparents' farm when I was probably 8 years old and loving how soft the corn silk was!  While Mom and Grandma kept talking and working, I went to the treeline and made a little "log cabin" out of branches and twigs and carefully filled it with corn silk.  Then I put 1-2 baby kittens in there and added a roof so they would stay nice and cozy in their new little house.  I went back after supper/right before we were going to leave and the kittens were gone.  I was so worried that they would be lost because they were so little.  As an adult, I remember how close the treeline was to the house and they would never have been lost.  But I was so worried for them.

- I remember that my family used to have family nights where we would spend the evening once a week playing games together.  We would either play board games together or "find the stuffed animal by lantern-light" or whatever we felt like that evening.  One evening, we were playing sardines (basically a version of hide-and-seek where one person hides and everyone looks.  When someone finds you, they hide with you until everyone is there).  I remember climbing carefully behind Dad's guitar case that was propped against the wall beside their dresser.  I was tiny so I could fit into spaces nobody ever even thought to look.  I hid there a LONG time and remember needing to pee so bad but I couldn't leave my PERFECT hiding spot!  Finally I think I made noise - a lot of noise! - and people started finding me but yeah, I always remember that.  I remember it especially much these days as Levi has discovered hiding behind HIS daddy's guitar case and hides there on a daily basis when we play hide-and-seek.


22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

5 years
I see myself hopefully still living here, Nathan working at the church.  I'm still a stay-at-home mom, most likely.  I don't see much being different except our kids would be older...Levi would be 8 and Kayden would be 4.  Crazy.  Perhaps more kids, and perhaps done growing our family.  Who knows.

10 years
I see myself hopefully still living here, Nathan working at the church.  At this point we might start asking ourselves if God is calling us somewhere else or to something else, though I'm hoping we can stay here a long time!  I see us being done growing our family, unless adoption is something we feel God is calling us to.  Levi would be 13 and Kayden would be 11.  Yikes.  I suddenly see myself having lots more time for drinking tea and reading books.  Haha.  I might start working part time at this point because kids would likely all be in school during the day.

15 years
This one is hard!  I've always found 5 years to be hard, never mind 15 years!  Let's see.  Levi would be 18 and graduated. Kayden would be 16 and driving.  Whew.  I would be looking ahead at us being empty nesters.  I might be thinking about what I might want to do once the kids are out of the house.  Might go back to school or start working towards goals that I would hope to have accomplished once the kids are all away from home (perhaps running a small business or something of that nature).  Again, I still hope that we will be here with Nathan working at the church or somewhere else in the area.


23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

- crocheting - I like it because I can take it out if I don't like it or change my mind and I haven't lost anything but time.  I also like it because it involves just enough concentration to keep me interested but not so much that I can't do other things like watch tv at the same time.  I also like that it can make me money ;)  But that is more of a bonus than a reason why I like it.

- reading - while I was getting up during the night - every night - with the kids, I couldn't read because I had no concentration whatsoever.  Years of interrupted sleep impacts so much more than your typical sleepiness/dragging feeling.  I couldn't concentrate so I couldn't read books.  I thought I had lost my love for reading but now that I'm sleeping so much better, I've been able to read again and I find that I still really enjoy it!  I love that I can escape everything that is going on in my mind and just be somewhere else.  I love that I can travel - both distance and time - just by opening a book.  I love that it's portable and that I can read anywhere.

- playing with finances/numbers.  It's not unusual that I spend an evening working on the "numbers"...bank accounts, excel documents, etc.  I love it because it gives me a sense of satisfaction to see everything line up and balance.  I love it because I can see exactly how long it will take us to reach financial goals.  I like it because I can plan and put things neatly into slots and it's all organized and it's one part of my life that nobody else can touch/mess up!  I'm just kidding about that last one.  Mostly.

- gardening - I always forget this one because it's so new!  As a kid, I hated everything to do with gardening.  I thought it was the most boring thing ever.  But now that I have my own gardens, it's all different. I enjoy planting things and watching them grow.  House plants?  Yes please.  I love to just wander around the house and look at how the different plants I have are growing and changing.  Unless, of course, the change is that they're dying.  Then it bugs me until I can figure out what's wrong and turn it around.  Most of the time I can't...

- cleaning - I love it because it needs to be done so I may as well enjoy it.  Right??  I also like the immediate results that come with a good cleaning.  There's nothing so calming as a freshly cleaned house.  That said, I find it futile as ever to clean with two young kids underfoot, so if you come into my house and it's untidy or a bit dirty...just know that I've let myself be ok with a little clutter and mess for this season of my life.  There will come a day when I'll have everything as clean as I like it again but for now, it's not happening.  I would drive myself nuts.  And hobby #6 is doing whatever I can to keep myself from going nuts. ;)


24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.

I would say it is fairly similar.  Very warm home.  Kids know that parents love them unconditionally.  Lots of laughter.  Lots of play.  We pray together.  We work together.  We eat meals together.  It's a calm home without yelling/violence.  Dad works out of the home (also in a church, no less!) and Mom stays home.  If I had to come up with some differences...I'd say spanking is one.  I was spanked as a kid and we have chosen not to spank.  I am not necessarily against spanking, but with there being so many Christian homes who are "for" spanking, we didn't want others to see that and associate Christians with child-abusers.  At least that's one of my reasons.  We also see how Levi looks at us with fear when we discipline him physically (pinch/flick) and I can only imagine what a spank would do.  But I'm not getting into the whole spanking/not spanking debate.  I think both can be done well and both can be done poorly.  Another difference between my childhood family dynamic vs my family dynamic now...I don't know!  It's probably hardest for a stay-at-home mom to come up with differences unless she is trying to intentionally do things differently than her parents!  I just do what comes naturally as I make this home and a lot of that comes from what I was raised with.  Therefore, I think the family dynamics are fairly similar.


28. What is your love language?

My top love language... ... ... let me just go quickly find online quiz... ... ...

http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/#discovery-whom

QUALITY TIME!  I probably didn't need a quiz to tell me that.  It came out WAY ahead!  It's always been like that. It was fun to try to explain that one to Nathan when we were dating because it was close to the bottom of his list. 

Me - "Yes, Nathan, if you make eye contact with me from across the Ad, I feel VERY loved!"
Nathan - "But...we're not even touching...?"

Acts of service was a not-so-close second (but still there!).  This one has come up on the list since having kids.  I used to not mind doing things on my own but now that there are kids to take care of in addition to getting things done, I feel VERY loved when Nathan serves me by either taking the kids or getting things around the house done when he can see that I've had a long day. :)


30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

- that I loved my family
- that I cared for people
- that I fed people well (I'm serious! haha)
- that the home I made was welcoming for everyone who entered
- that I knew how to laugh
- that I was easy-going
- that I was good with kids and loved babies (???) - this is getting hard!
- that I was generous
- that I put others ahead of myself - need to work on this one!
- that I was present with people


Well, that's the last question!  It feels good to be done.  I have tons of stuff floating around in my head these days but I'm just not sure how much of it I want to share here.  Perhaps my days of blogging my deepest, darkest secrets are behind me.  It was freeing and wonderful in its season - and I think God used my willingness to share - but I think now it's time to pull the curtains a little tighter and ponder more than share.  Maybe it will be time to share again one day.  Until then...this blog will be more of a surface update on family and life.  That is, if I ever find the time!  Thanks for reading!

Number 11 - Pet Peeves

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.

1. People being extraordinarily cheerful first thing in the morning...and expecting me to talk, be chipper, look alive...

2. Related to #1 yet completely different...people waking me up and then being grumpy in the morning. If you're going to be up early, and wake me up early, at least be happy/neutral so I don't have to deal directly with you until I've fully woken up. You can probably imagine who those people usually are in my life. :P

3.  People not replying to emails quickly.  Now, I understand that some people are not online checking emails/messages more than once or twice a day...so then I don't expect an answer before the next day. I also understand that some people are busy and can't reply right away, even if they see my message (it happens to the best of us). But I know that other people are online every hour or two (thank you, fb) so how is there time to check the news feed but not time to send a little response?  I guess it's just me growing up in the age of everything being instant, but it bugs me when people take their time replying, even though I can see that they saw my message already (6 hours ago!). 

4. Grammar mistakes. Many of us are wholly dedicated to one language, let's see if we can master it, shall we? Or at least make an effort? In particular, the use of lend/borrow gets me EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.  If you're reading this, please take note of the following:

If I am receiving the item, I am borrowing it.
If I am letting someone use something that is mine, I am lending it. 
If someone is taking something that is mine to use for a while, they are borrowing it.
If someone else is letting me use something that is theirs, they are lending it.

end rant.

5. People who chew with their mouth open bug me to no end.  Or rather, their habit of chewing with their mouth open is what bugs me.  The people themselves are often quite nice.

6. When people ask me for recipes.  Most of the time it's ok because I just got the recipe off Pinterest or whatever.  But there are a few things that I've been making for years and every time I serve them, I get compliments.  I'm not sure why it bugs me; why would I care?  I guess I just want to be the person who makes those things. If everyone had the recipe, would it still be special when I made it for them?

7. Whiny kids...mine or anyone else's.  This excludes tired or hungry kids.  I understand that (though it can also be annoying).  I'm talking about kids who whine because they know it will help them get their way.  Also, lippy kids.

8. Rude people.

9. People who complain about how people use their cell phones and then do the exact same thing.

10. When someone rides in my seat in our van and adjusts the seat.  Don't tough the controls, people.  I have them just how I like them. 

Things Levi says...

I've been collecting a list of things Levi says at this stage in his life.  He is so entertaining!  This list goes back as far as January (he doesn't say all of these things anymore) but is added to daily! Ones that are starred (*) are things he is still currently saying...

*"Deeeeelicious!" - when eating something he thinks is yummy
*"No thank you." - said when many other two-year olds would yell "NO!"
"Moooooommy!  Where arrrrrrre you??" - yelled as he's looking for me in the house
"Mommy, stay happy."
*"Lettuce" - Lennox (our dog)
*"Lettuce and Cucumber" - Lennox and our second dog (that we are NOT getting)
*"Kinny" - kitty
"Oh well." - what a passive aggressive little phrase...
"No boy like.  Too yucky." - when he doesn't like a food (or thinks he doesn't like it)
*"Not bedtime, night-night time!" - he refuses to call bedtime by any other name than night-night time
"Oh yes it is _______." - when he thinks he knows better, for example: "oh yes it is Friday!" (when it's really Monday
"Look at this called?" - instead of "what is this called?" - he's figured this one out now
"A, B, vie O, U!" - vowels
*"Gamma Bapa Tick Tock" - Buhler grandparents (now gamma gampa/bapa) - have a clock that he's noticed and associates them with
*"Gamma Bapa Lello Puppy" - McC grandparents (also now gamma gampa/bapa) - have a golden retriever
*"What you doing here?"
"Where did that puppy (Lennox) go?"
"Where did that Baby Kayden go?"
*"Boy type please?" - use word on my computer to type letters
*"wheels on the bus go round and round all day long puzzle" - school bus puzzle (also calls school busses that whole thing minus "puzzle")
*"Open the door peas?" - when he wants the door open or for us to open our arms and let him free
*"Put it riiiiight overrrr there."
*"Moogit" - music
*"I turn the moogit on for you, Daddy/Mommy!" - everything he does is for someone
*"Grey-bear" - threadbare except his socks are grey, therefore grey-bear
*"Long-berry" - library
*"Jumpoline" - trampoline
*"Mow-mows" - marshmallows
*"doodoes and dot-dows" - noodles and hot dogs (favourite lunch food)
*"Kayden eats out of mommy's tummy" - I'll take it
*"Room-a-room" - living room
*"Vroom nigh-nigh" - his bed (because daddy brought it to our house in a truck when we bought it, which he called a vroom at the time)
*"wee!" - slide
*"Tempurpur" - temperature as in "take my tempurpur please?" when he feels sick
*"Daddy...me" - switching daddy to mommy or vice versa when he realizes he said the wrong name
*"Sweetie" - calls Kayden this
*"Miss Kayden"
*"Daddy stuff" - daddy's pomade that he lies to have is hair done spiky with (but only on Sundays or when we're leaving the house for something special but NOT on days when we're just hanging out at home)
*"Loop-a-loop" - Froot Loops
*"Doodle-doo cereal" - Corn flakes
*"A B Cereal" - Alphabits
*"No, nigh-night time!" - he corrects us if we call "nigh-nigh time" by any other name (bedtime)
*"I'm two me-olds." - I'm two years old, said whenever he wants two treats or two stories or more than one of anything
*"Quiet-bye" - lullaby

A few of his favourite things...

Happy due date, Levi!  A year ago today I was wishing that today would be the day I would finally get to meet you.  I really, really didn't want to have an October baby and September is quickly running out!  But you waited.  And waited.  And your birthday ended up being the perfect birthday for you!  Can't believe my due date was a year ago already...

In celebration of this little anniversary, here are a few of Levi's favourite things these days (in no particular order):
-  Lennox
-  pulling up our shirts and pinching our tummy skin
-  being chased by us
-  chasing Lennox with us
-  going for walks
-  grabbing my arm and trying to bite my elbow during diaper changes
-  snuggles with mommy (he's becoming a snuggler!)
-  Cheerios, raisins, Gerber Graduates Puffs, corn, chicken, slurpies, ice cream, anything off our plate (hence slurpies and ice cream making the list)
-  pushing chairs, stools, tables around the house while walking behind them
-  electrical cords...specifically chewing on them, though trying to plug them back in is also alot of fun
-  taking everything out of a box/cupboard/etc
-  putting blocks into and out of a box
-  parks, especially the slides
-  eating paper
-  touching things he's normally not allowed to have
-  climbing stairs
-  playing in the bathroom (why do all little kids LOVE the bathroom?  Ick.)

And while I'm in the list-making mood, here are a few of my favourite things about being a mommy:
-  snuggles
-  words starting to form and Levi being able to communicate with us ("MUM!" whenever he wants something, for example)
-  toys and books all over the house
-  little shoes lined up by the door
-  nap time
-  schedule wide open so we can go to the park when we want and stay home and read books when we want
-  picking daddy up from the office for lunch with Levi and Lennox
-  going down the slide with a squealing boy on my lap
-  little arms reaching up for me
-  always having someone to make a toque for

This really is the best job in the world for me.  I'm so thankful that God answered my prayers with our little Levi.  There are certainly hard parts about being a mom and times when I'm just SO tired that I don't want to do anything at all.  But seeing that little smile and having that little body completely relax in my arms...I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Happy almost-birthday, Levi! 

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for...
-  God's saving grace
-  Nathan
-  Levi
-  this house that we're renting
-  a yard that is fairly private and fairly large
-  summer!
-  the opportunity to live in California for a year
-  the job search likely being near its end (!!!)
-  things finally seeming to be straightened out with the Canadian government and that we should be receiving our first Child Benefit Cheque shortly...should be here by Levi's 9 month birthday!
-  student loans...without interest
-  Levi sleeping through the night (though I do miss those middle of the night snuggles that we had for 7 months)
-  Vaseline Cocoa Butter hand lotion...it's the only thing that works on Levi's baby eczema...and it smells amazing!
-  Infant Tylenol
-  the fact that my family is healthy
-  our Toyota that keeps going and going and going and goin...
-  friends who we've been able to reconnect with over this past year
-  indoor plumbing
-  Nathan's graduation and that he's almost done all his homework!
-  the happy noises that are resting their head on my knee and grabbing my keyboard...gonna and go hug the maker of those noises right now!

These are a few of my favourite things...

Lately I have really been enjoying spending my allowance. : )  I often end up forgetting that I get an allowance, or just not buying anything for a few months and, before I know it, I am able to treat myself to a few things!

A couple weeks ago I treated myself to this:

(A one year subscription to Canadian Living...nothing like paying someone to send you mail each month!  They sent me a special offer and I was tempted.  Then they sent me an even better offer and I accepted.  $15 for a year.  My Mennonite roots are happy.  Or maybe my Mennonite roots would have held out for yet a better offer...or gone to MCC to purchase a whole box of previous issues.)

Then, this week I ordered this:

(It's a kit for that very adorable afghan.  I like to have a "winter project" each year so that I have something to do on those long winter evenings.  I like to choose something that will take longer than just a week or two.  Hopefully this blanket will keep me busy for at least a month!  And it's just so cute!  Hopefully Levi likes it...)

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Ok, so that's not much that I've treated myself to.  But our allowances aren't terribly big given our student budget (aka no income and paying tuition out the wazoo) so even this feels like a great treat!  But, just for fun, here are a few more things that I would have no problem treating myself to, if the budget allowed.

Laugh with me now.  Who wouldn't want to treat themselves to a house?  Nathan and I really enjoyed most aspects of being homeowners and are looking forward to buying our own place again one day.  One.  Day.  I'm sure it won't be this year!

         _________________________
 

A new sewing machine would be fun.  Though the one I have works wonderfully and does basically everything I need and want it to do...

_________________________

A serger.  Ever since I used one of these in high school home ec class, I've been in love.  For those of you who haven't discovered the greatness, it's a machine that makes all your edges finished (cuts off loose threads and binds the edge AT THE SAME TIME!  Love it.

_________________________

And to go with my two new machines...stacks and stacks of fabric to make things out of!  I'm especially enjoying quilting right now, but other things like bags, clothes (especially fun if I had little girls), and home decor items are lots of fun too!

_________________________

Maid Service.  Normally, I have no problem cleaning my own house.  In the past, I have found it relaxing and enjoyable.  When we got a dog, cleaning got a bit harder to stay on top of but Lennox was our baby so I did it and still rather enjoyed it.  Now we have a real baby.  Now dog hair gets on my nerves...dog hair swirling on the floor (and we sweep every day, people), dog hair on the carpet, dog hair on our clothes, dog hair in my crocheting, dog hair in Levi's hands and mouth (and he doesn't even play with Lennox yet!).  Add to that the muddy dog prints that every once in a while sneak their way across my kitchen floor and I'm ready to hire someone to keep this place clean!

_________________________

My slow cooker died (again) right in the middle of cooking us some beef dip the other day.  It's died before but Nathan was able to fix it.  This time, when I plugged it in, it didn't go on.  I wiggled the cord a bit and it worked.  Knowing it was likely to lose connection again, I checked back on it often.  About 3 hours in - 4 hours from being ready - I went to check it and it was off.  And not hot anymore.  And wiggling the cord didn't help at all.  I put our beef dip in the oven to finish cooking and threw my slow cooker across the room put my slow cooker away.  Part of the greatness of a crock pot is not having to worry about supper.  If I have to check on it constantly, doesn't that take away a little bit of the convenience?  A new slow cooker definitely makes my "treat" list!

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A moss green coverset from Creative Memories to do Levi's baby book.  They didn't have this color when I was a consultant and I really really like it!  It's not the typical baby blue, which I like.  Hmm...I might have to save up for this one...

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What would you spend your allowance on today?

A list (the random kind) - in no particular order

• I love sunshine.  Today there is sunshine.  Therefore, today will be a lovely day.
• I bought a sewing basket yesterday.  My sewing supplies were taking over the denim bag that I was trying to keep them all in so I splurged and spent some of my allowance (yes, we do allowances...best idea ever!) on one.  But don't picture a typical "basket".  Oh no.  This is a heavy duty plastic one with compartments galore!  If you couldn't tell already, I'm pretty excited about my purchase!
• We are now back in Hepburn...for another week.  And then we head to PA!  Time for a visit with Marsha!
• I dreamed last night that my mom was having another baby just a couple weeks before I was due.  I was pretty excited because I would get to spend tons of time with a baby but didn't have to wait ALL THE WAY until my due date.  Random crazy dreams I have these days.  Nathan thinks it's something that I eat before bed (no clue what that would be???).  I just tell him that I've always had random, weird, vivid dreams and pregnancy probably just isn't helping matters much these days!
• We bought our nursery furniture yesterday!  We found a great deal on Kijiji (of which Nathan and I are rapidly becoming fans) and went to see it/pick it up yesterday.  We got a crib, armoire, and small cupboard/change table all for less than we were hoping to spend on the crib alone!  And I really like it too!  It's really simple, but I love simple.  I'll post pictures once we have it all set up.  It'll be more exciting then anyway... : )
• I realized yesterday that, when we got pregnant, I was super-excited but the idea of this pregnancy actually ending one day with a real, live baby was a pretty abstract thought.  Have any other women out there had this feeling?  It just sorta feels surreal and like this pregnancy is a new reality that you just have to live with now (forever!).  Well, I'm over the halfway mark now, almost in the third trimester, and time is flying!  Seriously...there are only 15 weeks left until we meet this little person who likes to punch and kick and squirm in there.  Fifteen weeks is a long time and yet...it's not really that long!
• Nathan and I have been enjoying having our dog back.  True, he does spend alot of time outside, but last night Nathan made a comment about how he's glad that we have such a decently well-behaved dog.  It really is a good thing that I had so many hours to spend training him when we first got him.  For the first few weeks/months (starting September 2006), I would spend literally hours at a time just working with him and training him.  And as a result, he (usually) does listen to me quite well.  I'm so glad for that.  I don't think I could ever keep a dog that doesn't listen!  I've been on farms with untrained dogs (or even worse, been with untrained indoor dogs) who just don't respect and listen to humans and I just couldn't do it.  There are certain habits that, if our next dog had them, they would be out the door in a matter of weeks!  Really, the longer I have a dog, the more convinced I am that the joy in having a dog comes from having a well-trained dog.  There's my little rant.  I guess now I should actually make a point of spending some time with Lennox today!
• I guess I should also give a little update on McBaby.  He/she is around 2 lbs now and 9+ inches long.  I'm definitely feeling the extra length.  When baby lies sideways across my stomach, I am quite comfortable and marvel at the feeling of movement both on my far right side and, at the same time, near the middle of my belly...about 9 inches apart.  When the baby decides to turn, though, and goes into the "upright" position, life is quite a bit less comfortable.  My ribs have been sore the past couple days as the feet/head press and push and try to make room in there.  There's no slouching now when I sit!  Baby needs all the room he/she can get in there!  Sleep is also progressively more disturbed.  I haven't slept through a night in months already.  And some mornings when I wake up, I'm convinced that my hips are only a fraction of an inch away from being dislocated.  Ouch.  But oh the joy of knowing that this pain and discomfort is due to a tiny baby growing in there and needing more space.  What a blessing!
• Let's see...what else?  I mentioned a couple months ago that I love to read during the summers.  Well, I haven't been reading anything interesting lately.  Ever since the end of last semester, I just haven't been able to really get into a book and have it hold my attention.  I used to get lost in books for hours upon hours.  Now my mind just wanders while I read and I end up having to re-read pages over and over again just to track with what's happening.  I think I may pull out some of my old childhood fiction.  Maybe that will be able to hold my attention!  I got a few suggestions back when I last posted about summer reads, but I'm open to more suggestions!  One of these days I hope to stop by the library, pick up a stack of books that you have recommended, and spend a good long time sitting on the deck, with Lennox at my feet, reading the summer away.  Ideally I would be in a hammock, but I doubt it would be very comfortable at this stage in the game. (game being pregnancy and stage being 6 months)

Facebook Statuses, ABC style...

Because I feel like making a list and telling you all about life at the SAME time (efficient and impressive, I know), behold, 24 facebook statuses in alphabetical order:

Niki...
...aims for perfection...but usually settles for less. : )
...burrowed under blankets and enjoyed a day inside when she saw the weather today.  Oh wait, that's what she should have done...
...could just jump for joy every time she feels a kick...but only kicks from one certain McCorkindale.  No one else.
...dreads hours 3-31 of the upcoming road trip.
...enjoys Sherlock Holmes as I type...with chicken alfredo pizza (yum!).
...forgets words quite often these days and has to spend forever just sitting and thinking until she remembers them again.
...giggled when the dog farted.
...hints at certain things, like chores and gifts and other such things...it's so much less presumptuous than asking outright.  That is, if you're subtle about it...
...initially thought that Ikea could do no wrong...until they discontinued the exact piece of furniture that she'd been hoping for.
...jokes around daily with her husband...it's just so fun to laugh together.
...kan't think of anything to write for her "k" status because it annoys her when people write "c" words with a "k" just so they'll suit their purposes...
...loves that she'll be able to spell words like neighbour and favourite the RIGHT way again soon!
...modified her sandals today so that they won't hurt her feet anymore AND will accommodate the swelling that is sure to come later this summer.
...notices the little look that her husband gets on his face that gives away exactly what he's thinking!  (Oh, the power I have...it's almost like mind-reading...)
...opened a strange letter from Manitoba Hydro today...would have rather had a taste of home in a more personal, less confusing form.
...packed alot of the apartment with her husband today. *sigh*
...questions their ability to fit everything into the car on Friday.
...randomly sees cars that remind her of old friends, like bright blue Geo Metro convertibles and light blue, old Honda Civics.
...says that she won't miss the sirens...but she might.  Then again, the silence of Saskatchewan WILL be nice...
...turned a 650 square foot apartment into a home over the last 9 months...and now back into an apartment in just a few hours.
...understands that life is tough...but doesn't understand why.
...values each and every thing that her husband does for her.
...watches the sky get darker and and cloudier and more like rain every minute...
...x-rated movies are not my favourite.
...yells in her mind when she drives...but just occasionally.  Usually she just sighs at the misfortune of others not knowing how to drive properly.
...zebras have stripes, not spots. (didn't you know?)

The move is coming quickly.  We're into our last week here.  It is so unreal.  We only have three more full days here.  I did laundry for the last time here today.  We packed alot of our stuff today.  We only have enough food to last until Friday...but not enough to have a balanced diet until then!  That's just how it is right before a move, though.  Eat what you have and try to get rid of most things before you go.  I'm getting more and more excited every day to see our Lennox again and to see the drab prairie brown again and to sleep in my bed again and...to be home.  California has certainly become home over the last 9 months, but it's not like Saskatchewan.  Saskatchewan will always be home like nowhere else.  I guess that's what living there for almost 20 years of your life will do...it's where I grew up.  It's where I met the love of my life.  It's where I got married.  And it's where I'll (hopefully) give birth to our first child.  Manitoba really, really became home more than I ever expected it could be.  But Saskatchewan does hold a special place in my heart. *sniff, sniff* So cheesy, I know.  Deal with it.

Thanks for all your prayers for our upcoming trip.  Please continue to pray.  I've been feeling very well lately and don't anticipate any problems with the drive.  But it is also a long trip and there are many miles between major cities on the route up.  Please remember us in prayer this weekend as we travel.  Thanks!

Passes quickly

Thank goodness for sickness that passes quickly.  I feel much better today!  Funny, I had a similar thought about Bethany muffins though.  Hm.  Maybe that's a sign that I should make some muffins one of these days?

So while I'm speaking of things passing quickly, and as I'm in need of some blog updating, I suppose I'll share with you things that pass quickly.  Take note and enjoy the moment:

-  childhood - where did that go?  While I was young, I just wanted to be in my mid-20's and now I'm here.  And time has only sped up.  I fear I'll be wishing for these days back before I know it!

-  school years - have you ever noticed that, especially when you're in post-secondary education, the semesters just seem to FLY by?  We're nearing the end of our second semester down here...almost halfway done!  I keep wishing that it was over already so that we could get on with our "real" lives, but then I keep reminding myself that "real" life comes with mortgage payments and property taxes and permanency.  And right now our entire future is open before us!  What an exciting time (even though it sometimes just feels ungrounded)!

-  pay cheques - these pass pretty quickly, unfortunately. 

-  cars on a freeway - these pass VERY quickly, so if you see a nice one, drool quickly because it'll soon be gone

-  baby's first year - I hear this passes quickly.  About a year ago many of my friends had babies all at once and they're all nearing their first birthdays now.  I can't speak for their mothers, but wow their first year passed quickly for me!

-  time when you're having fun - ever notice that when you're bored time just seems to crawl, but when you just wish time would stand still for a while, it seems to jump forward a couple hours at a time?  Yup.  Enjoy those fun moments in life!

That's all I've got.  Until next time, take note of the things that pass quickly and enjoy them while you can!

200th Post!

I can't believe I'm at 200 posts already!  Wow.  In the past I have done various lists using the number of significance on the given day...but I don't think I have 200 of anything that I can put into a list form, and I doubt that any of you would make it through reading a list of 200 anything.  So 20 it is.  (Like a tithe! - 10%)

1.  My parents arrive in one week and two days!  There will be here for a week before they continue on in their other adventures.

2.  I haven't been working on many projects lately.  Well, I should say I haven't been finishing many projects lately.  I have an afghan on the go as well as two baby quilts (that I mentioned earlier).  But the quilting on the latest one kinda shifted the backing fabric - I guess I was getting too cocky after such a good first quilt - so I'm in a bit of a slump, not wanting to mess up the next one.

3.  I miss our puppy.  We haven't seen Lennox for 6 months!  Poor guy probably doesn't even remember us!  Nah.  He remembers us.  But I still miss him!

4.  It is a rainy day today.  Apparently when it is foggy for a few days in a row, it means rain is coming and apparently that clears the fog for a day or two.  Interesting weather patterns here.  Personally I was enjoying our week of sun and warmth...

5.  Tomorrow I have a class from 9am-5pm.  I anticipate it feeling like a LONG day.  This particular class is split up into two weekend sessions.  After tomorrow, I have another full day of this class three weeks later.  Hopefully I really enjoy it, otherwise I'm really not going to be looking forward to March 13!  The class is Counseling Couples, though, so it sounds interesting!

6.  Nathan, as I type, is plugging away beside me on a book that he just wishes he was done already.  It is called "The Souls of Black People" and was written back in the 1800's or something crazy like that.  He's on page 200-something, so he's getting there...but he's not enjoying it!  Sucker...

7.  I bought Nathan a box of Raisin Bran this morning just because I love him.  He mentioned this morning as he poured his bowl of Corn Flakes (with tons of brown sugar!) that he was getting sick of them and really wished he could have some Raisin Bran again.  So while I was out running errands, I picked up a box.  And he was happy...at least I think he was. : )  Not a huge thing, but fun to walk in with them just a couple hours after he mentioned that he would like some.

8.  I got the cutest letter ever from one of our friends' kids the other day.  She had been at a birthday party and got a palm tree eraser in her goodie bag and wanted to send it to me because I'm living in California!  And the note was hand-written.  So special.  It is definitely hanging on our fridge with the eraser still attached (of course).

9.  Our house has not been as clean as I would like, lately.  (Obviously I'm running out of things for my list of 20.)  I usually go through phases of keeping it perfectly spotless (yeah right) and letting it slide.  This is one of those slide-times.  Haha.  It's still not bad.  The floor is vacuumed/swept/washed, there are no clothes on the bedroom floor...but the dishes haven't been done in a day and there are papers/books (homework) laying all over our coffee-table, there are shoes piling up at the front door (because we really have no entrance or shoe rack) and the cereal is just sitting out on the counter because I don't feel like organizing the cupboards so that it will fit (because there just isn't room, even if I do organize).  You know the feeling when you live in a place that just never looks "shiny clean" even when you clean all day?  It's hard to feel motivated to work hard when it's a rental and an OLD, rundown rental at that!  But that is no excuse, really.  I should spend a day tidying/cleaning/organizing.  *sigh*

10.  We have been watching Olympics here and there.  We've watched some moguls, snowboarding, and speed-skating.  Oh, and some ski jumping.  We really haven't watched that much, but some.  And we've even seen some of the Canadians, though only if they are doing really well, because let's face it, American coverage mostly just covers American athletes.  Logical...

11.  Nathan just finished his book!  He's keeping a count of how many books he's read in 2010.  He's at 15 now.  I'm so proud of him.  He works so hard. : )

12.  I've got nothing else.  You got 12.  I guess that can be one for every month since I moved over to this blog from ThoughtsFromSecondStreet.  It's been almost a year!  March 18 was officially the switch date, I think.  Wow, it feels like so much longer.  Feels like it's almost time to switch up the blog address again...but don't worry.  If I decide to do that, I'll give you much notice and walk you carefully through the transition so that nobody gets lost along the way.  hehe.

Happy 200th post everyone!

What am I doing these days?

I run from one activity to another like a 3 year old with a high on sugar life.  Among my latest are:
-  reading "The Gospel According to Lost" by Chris Seay
-  reading " Paul's Idea of Community" by Banks (and writing a paper on it for class - I finished this one yesterday!)
-  making my first actual "quilted" baby quilt - this I also finished yesterday
-  cleaning all the loose threads off my first rag quilt - this one gives me blisters, so I haven't picked it up for a few days
-  crocheting a scarf for my Etsy shop - would only take an hour or less to finish, but it's kinda nice knowing that there is a project sitting there in case I get bored with something else
-  thinking about a pattern for my next baby quilt - any ideas?

I guess while I'm making a random list of mostly projects, I'll share a few pictures of the latest.  Yesterday was a warm, sunny day, so I took advantage of the natural light and got pictures of everything.

A toque that I have listed over at my Etsy shop:

Scarf that's going to my Etsy shop just as soon as I finish it:

Baby quilt from the fabric I showed you here.  It's not perfect or professional, but I'd say it's pretty good.  Hand-stitching the binding was BY FAR the most time-consuming part of the entire project.  But I enjoyed it all. : )

And last but not least, a flanel, double-layer receiving blanket.  I found this fabric at Walmart in their sale basket (end of the roll) and loved it.  So I picked it up and later found that I actually had some navy blue flannel on hand from another project that would work perfectly for the back.  It took a bit of piecing (added white flannel strips to two sides of the back) to make it all fit together because it was made from all scraps, but I really love it.  I haven't been able to decide if I'll sell it or keep it in my stash for future gifts or (perhaps) personal use?

PoSt SoMeThInG...aNyThInG!

Don't you sometimes just want to post but have absolutely nothing to write about?  Yup.  I thought so.  I guess I'll just share random thoughts.  Those can end up being entertaining (not to mention, enlightening), right?  Let's see...

-  I started doing homework again today after almost a month off.  I was just not feeling like this was the right time to become a full time student again, so I put the books aside and re-evaluated what I was thinking.  I ended up deciding that I would go through with the whole application thing and then take whatever courses caught my eye.  So I won't be actually trying to complete any sort of degree while I'm here, but I feel so much more peace about this decision.  And this way I'll have some seminary credits sitting around in case I ever get around to finishing my BA and decide that I would like a Masters degree.  How is the homework going, you ask?  Well...how do I put this?  There are a few other things that I would rather be doing right now...

-  I wrote a bunch of letters yesterday.  It always takes me so long to actually get myself to sit down and write a personal letter.  I LOVE getting them though, so I can't expect any to come if I don't write them myself every once in a while.  So naturally, when I picked up the mail later that day, I expected our mailbox to be full of mail.  If I write some, I should receive some, right?  I DID end up getting a book in the mail that was part of a Christmas gift, though.  That was exciting.

-  Right now I'm babysitting our friends' daughter.  She's NAPPING so I'm sitting here at their place, with my laptop and homework reading, hoping that she won't wake up too soon so I can actually get some homework done.  But then again, if you remember my comment from earlier, obviously I would rather be having fun with an 8 month old than reading about Paul's idea of community!

-  It's raining outside...well, misting/sprinkling really.  It's been so foggy lately that we haven't really seen the sun for a couple weeks.  I thought California was supposed to be sunny all year round!  Apparently not.  It is foggy and cloudy and today it's raining.  We are in the middle of a drought, near a desert, though, so even when it rains, it doesn't get you too wet and doesn't last that long, so I really can't complain.  And it has been around 7 degrees during the day, so I really can't complain about that either. : )

-  I am working on a scarf for my Etsy shop...also almost finished binding a baby quilt that I plan to list.  Fun stuff.  Thing is, it takes money to make things, so the beginning has been unfortunately slow...

-  Does it seem to anyone else like pregnancies go in spurts?  It seemed like there was a huge amount of pregnant women that I knew back in 2007/2008.  And now there seems to be another swell (no pun intended) for 2010.  I counted the other night and there are 12 women I know who are either pregnant or who have had babies in the past week.  And most of those babies are due in June and July.  Wow.  Is it that alot of those 2007/2008 babies are going to be older siblings, that the timing between kids is the main factor?  I guess that could make sense.  But alot of the babies are firsts for the parents.  So I have no idea why they all group together like that.  Weird.  Must be some kind of conspiracy...

-  Nathan has started blogging again!  He wanted to get in on book reviewing, like I'm doing, so he has resurrected his old officehourthoughts.blogspot.com.  You can find him on my sidebar as "A Short Step Down From Thought Provoking."

Well, I really have no idea where to go with this post from here.  As always, I am open to post suggestions or random questions in my comments.

Have a good week!

Time for another list!

I like lists.  I like crossing items off of lists.  I like writing lists.  Everything in life just seems more organized with lists.  So today I will be making a list of all the different types of lists that I've made!

-  shopping list (duh)
-  to-do list (another given)
-  list of books I want to read
-  list of books that I've read
-  list of things I'd like to make
-  menu items for easy supper ideas
-  Christmas gift suggestions
-  qualities I'd like in a husband (who hasn't made one of these sometime in their high school career?!)
-  girls names that I like
-  boy names that I like
-  all the clothing items that I have (and consequently what I still need)
-  Christmas card/letter list (though there hasn't been a Christmas letter for two years now)
-  list of instructions of how to make something
-  things I'm angry about list (for theraputic reasons only! haha)
-  things I'm thankful for
-  friends I have (good one to do when feeling lonely: it always surprises me how many people I consider friends)
-  boys I'd date (another one from high school!)
-  who, of our high school friends, will get married (first to last) - I believe Mike won that one...and we totally called it

Come to think of it, back in high school my friends and I made TONS of lists!  We had pages and pages of lists about everything under the sun.  I wonder where those lists are now.  I'm not sure that I have any...no wait!  I do!  I totally have a whole binder somewhere that's stuffed with notes from high school!  I'm going to have to find that when we move back to Canada and open all our boxes again.  Sweet.

Over the Top

I got this award from my good friend, Kelsie-Lynn. The rules for accepting this award are to copy and change the answers below to suit you and pass it on. Answers can only be one word! Pass the award to a deserving blogger and alert them they have been awarded.

Here are my answers to these questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? nowhere
2. Your hair? frustrating
3. Your mother? loving
4. Your father? steady
5. Your favorite food? pizza
6. Your dream last night? forgotten
7. Your favorite drink? water
8. Your dream/goal? kids
9. What room are you in? living
10. Your hobby? crocheting
11. Your fear? hopelessness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? motherhood
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren’t? energizer-bunny
15. Muffins? please.
16. Wish list item? house
17. Where did you grow up? Hudson Bay
18. Last thing you did? sneezed
19. What are you wearing? comfy-ness
20. Your TV? football
21. Your pets? faraway
22. Your friends? thankful
23. Your life? transition
24. Your mood? lacking
25. Missing someone? yes
26. Vehicle? Toyota
27. Something you’re not wearing? Sunglasses
28. Your favorite store? Superstore
29. Your favorite color? lots
30. When was the last time you laughed? ??? uh-oh
31. Last time you cried? ???
32. Your best friend? Nathan
33. One place that you go over and over? email
34. One person who emails you regularly? Nathan
35. Favorite place to eat? parents'

I will pass this award on to Marsha! Because I'm always curious about what I'm going to find there...

If I had a Million Dollars...

Ever played the game of trying to think of what you would do if you had $1,000,000 in your bank account that was yours to spend? I'm not sure I know anyone who hasn't at some point thought about what they would do with a large sum of money. But anyway, here are some things I would do "If I had a million dollars..."

- I would put a certain amount into a "reserve" fund and then at later dates, I would surprise family, friends, and charities with gifts as they were needed.
- I would put some into the pursuit of growing our family.
- I would help people I know with fertility treatments and/or adoption costs so they could grow their families.
- I would buy a moderate family home where I could grow old with my husband...sidenote: it would probably be on an acreage.
- I would save a chunk for a rainy day and use the interest (when the interest rates actually mean something) toward something important...not sure what yet, but it wouldn't just sit there and do nothing.
- I would go on a worldwide trip...Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and North America. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I would skip Antartica and possibly also the north pole.

The thing I love about this game is that we always dream big, but how much of this would we actually do and how much would be different? I do like to think that I/we would be generous with it...

Classic Thanksgiving Post

What does everyone do around Thanksgiving time? That's right. In one form or another, they compile a list of things they are thankful for. And I will be no different.

Behold, my list of thankfulness (one for every year I've been alive):

(oh yeah, and it's in no particular order, because the first few come to my mind instantaneously and I am VERY thankful for each of them)

1. Nathan - my wonderful husband (who happened both cook supper AND do the dishes tonight!)
2. Our families - Mom, Dad, Mom, Dad, Alicia, Andrew, Karis, Jared, Josh - very loving, supportive, close (but far), and God-serving families...a true blessing
3. Our friends - I won't even try to name everyone, but I am thankful for so many people who cover us with prayer and encouragement and who hang out with us. Sorry for leaving you guys all back in Canada to deal with the cold...I hope it doesn't reflect poorly on our love for you guys...
   
4. Food to eat whenever I'm hungry, or even when I think I may be hungry, or even when I'm not hungry and just feel like eating...wow.
5. A place to lay my head - under an unleaky roof, behind locked doors (important in this neighbourhood), and on a brand new Sealy Posturepedic mattress
6. That our house sold - we didn't have to heat it all winter, we don't have to think about how often it's being shown, we don't have any more paperwork to do, we are officially non-homeowners (and it's almost as exciting as becoming homeowners in the first place)
7. The court community - there are so many wonderful people who we are living with here...I am thankful for a good group of court-dwellers
8. That cooking comes naturally - I can't imagine the frustration if I didn't know how to cook
9. That I can afford to buy some craft stuff to keep my creativity flowing and my hands being productive
10. That we have little extras like a laptop and a camera and a car...
11. Scented candles
12. Free laundry machines here on campus
13. Electricity
14. Lennox - that we got him in the first place and that we have a place for him while we're here at school (thanks B & C & J!)
15. That I don't have to see snow and cold this winter unless I travel to it
16. Comfy clothes
17. That I know how to sew
18. That I know how to read
19. That I grew up in Saskatchewan - and therefore am a lifetime fan of the Riders, not the Blue Bombers...
    
20. Inexpensive junk food in the States
21. A furnished apartment - so we didn't have to drive a U-Haul through the mountains on the trip down
22. That my coldsore is almost gone
23. That there are almost always more options...
24. And, of course, I'm thankful for the most amazing gift - salvation through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour - and for the relationship that goes along with that gift*

I am so incredibly blessed...and thankful (because those can be two very different things). Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone!

*if anyone wants to know more about that gift I mentioned on number 24, leave me a comment or email me...I think my email is accessible through my profile somewhere.