Monday, January 30, 2006

i'm getting...

...all kinked up here from using this here computer, so just a few highlights of late:
-spontaneous dinner at Abraham's last night when we went to pick up my bike.
-walk/run in pouring rain yesterday to Value Village - nice destination journey.
-Sun today that we actually got out in
-reading "Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning...good stuff in there about not focusing on ones failings but on God's grace and provisions. Yeah...maybe quotes another day.
-a few good naps in the upstairs guest room.
-being content with less fresh produce at month end...we try to think of others around the world and what they have...


Still needs help with caps...look at those 2 scattered in the kitchen. :)


Artist mid-creation.


hands.


My new dress!!! This is a big deal...it's a nursing dress. Haven't been able to wear a dress when I want to nurse her. Ordered it from Motherwear.com...nice stuff they have. Sneaky openings for breastfeeding. Picked it up from Sumas, WA (Dad's postal box there) today.


Detail of fabric.


Sarah's art...been getting really good at coloring. Any interpretations?


Homemade applesauce with Abbotsford apples we picked.


Mom K Andy dug around and found your aqaurium stuff...thought maybe he'd start one (decided against it), but here SA and AA are checking out the stuff.


Mommy feeling goofy.


Enjoying the meal.


Broiled (?) salmon...one AA caught. SA loves fish.


Green beans we grew also.


another shot. It's a nice place...want to go back...open marsh area near the Misson/Abby highway...lots of dog-walkers.


Sat. morning adventure. Here we are grabbing a snack at the start of our walk which got rained out pretty much just after the picture was taken. We had our picnic in the car as the rain poured. It was still nice to be out, but we got poured on...pants got all wet.


The next series is one of our favorite meals Andy makes. Roasted veggies...includes our garden's beets, fraser valley potatoes, local turnips etc.


So, then we went to the pet store. Amazing creatures - the salt-water tanks are the most interesting.


beep beep...the car we play with in the backyard. It was dry for a bit.


Sarah greeting the goldfish. They are no longer with us...don't think they got enough oxygen in the jars they were in...left them out for the neighborhood cats to get...no takers, so AA flushed em. Awh...kinda sad...


Munching away on one of those cookies.


The millet-lentil cookie goodies...slightly sweet (or am I imagining it?) with the brown rice syrup. The jar in the back is awaiting the arrival of the gold fish.


grainy moose.


The new wave...happy day in Cara's test kitchen. The new wave is the creation of a good cookie...good and good...tasty AND good for you.


3 way b-day party. Heidi, Grma and James...we sang 3 times.


More fun together.

Sunday, January 29, 2006


From Heidi's visit...Mom and Heidi were reading Dr. Suess to Sarah in unison at one point -- very special reading time! So good to see you Hedid. I love how enthusiastic Mom is here.

the missing link

Andy taught me how to upload pics from our camera onto the computer so now I can post pictures anytime I want rather than wait for him to load a batch on the computer - exciting.
So, Sarah just went to bed less than half an hour ago. She's been having these 3 hr. naps yest. and today which pushes back her bedtime, so my much-looked-forward-to time of blogging has been cut way short. Spent most of Sun. morning at church outside of the service with Sarah - not up for the nursery today either...got to talk to Andy's uncle Tim (Mom's side) which was really cool...in the coffee shop in our church. Ok, bedtime, but maybe I can get one pic up for you.
More tomorrow.

Friday, January 27, 2006

Provisions

Some things Sarah has been doing/enjoying lately:
-Dancing! moves from one foot to the other...and fast.
-Flying! like an airplane in her Daddy's arms...all over the house. Always signs more for this.
-Sandwiches! I make a pb sandwhich and use a cookie cutter on the bread and she'll eat the whole sandwhich. It was fun saying, "Here's a teddy-bear sandwhich for you Sarah." and standing it up on the tray for her.
-Kissing! And she'll kiss anyone on the lips...we're going to encourage on the cheek kisses now, so feel free to offer your cheek if she comes to you all puckered up.

Feeling the end-of-the-month grocery fund crunch and blessings currently. 2 days ago I was just about to collect all the loose change for some fresh produce when I get an email from my mom who had just left town saying she's left a bag of stuff for us in her fridge that needs to be eaten. Thank you God for apples, stir-fry veggies which tasted great by the way (last 2 bucks bought tofu to add with 'em), celery and carrots. Also, tonight I enjoyed a kiwi at Andy's folk's and I found some blueberries in the freezer last week...wowzers.

Been kinda cramped up lately - tendonitus - but am appreciating some improvement after a chiro and massage appointment.
2 days ago when it was nice and sunny and Mom and I and Sarah walked to the chiro. We waited 1/2 hr. there and to come out and it rained for the rest of the day. We had brought no umbrella and just suited up Sarah with grocery bags from the veggie market and I decided too to give her my coat when a friend of mine honks and pulls over for us...she didn't have her son with her so had a carseat and everything...so she took us home. Thanks Crystal. That was a hard day, I guess I was counting on it being sunny longer, so I actually felt mad at God that the rain was back so soon. Today, we were out and the rain wasn't too bad and I was very thankful for some sun rays that touched our face.

Had a fun time in the kitchen this morning making healthy shapes. I really enjoy inventing healthy baking recipes. Here's a go at what the recipe was:
1 3/4 C. cooked millet
1 3/4 C. cooked red lentil purree
1/2 C. brown rice syrup
3/4 C. ground almonds
1/3 C. tahini
3 TBSP. ground flax
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. quick oats
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp.cloves
3/4 tsp.cinnamon

roll out and cut shapes... bake for 5 min. at 350 F.
I never measure when inventing, so the recipe is a guesstimate. I wrote it out for my benefit mainly, but if anyone tries it, let me know how it works.

Our windowsill herb garden got overrun with bugs so Andy dismantled it and now we have some goldfish there instead. The trip to the pet store 'got him.' They are in 2 big jars.

That's it for now.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

please see

Please see my Mom's blog (see links) for pics of us sending Aimee maternity stuff and great shots of the weather today. Heidi - Andy's sis - is in town. Birthday party for 3 people tonight. Fun. Bedtime now though.


So content and snuggly, I say.


With our 30 some days of rain in a row...got to try out our rain suit from Sport Junkies in Vancouver.


Lots of teeth I have says SA.


Updated 4 generations photo with my Mom's mom.


Mom and daughter photo shoot.


Andy had some days off and took this picture before a walk of ours.


Hi.


snuggle.


hey babe.


We made some cookies a couple weeks ago...healthy shapes actually...ingredients included cooked oats, molasses, pumpkin, beans...


The cookies.


Had fun picking shapes.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

some words..a couple days

Today is going a lot better than yesterday. Yesterday started with us seeing sunshine outside and planning a daytrip (or before nap trip). Andy had Thur. and Fri. off cause work is slow. As we were packing up, I got tired...I actually woke up crying because it was morning and I did not feel rested...it did not feel like the night was over. I thought, as I lay there, my brain awake and body not so...about this song I knew from my childhood, "Be still and know that I am God"...and then later, "I am the God that healeth thee." And I cried because of those truths. Most of my days start with my head in the pillow calling on God for strength for the day because my physical body needs it...my spirit too, of course. So we didn't go 'crabbing' at Belcarra as we'd planned, but I tried to sleep while Sarah and Andy went to the pet store...and the day went on.
Today felt better. Slept better. Sarah has been taking a long time to put to bed...I think yesterday was 1 hr. and 45 min. Whoa. Andy did a lot of work in the kitchen...canned 3 batches of beans, made granola (yum), and did major dishes. Sarah and I did groceries in the stroller (a few...got oats for the granola) and then we went on a family walk around Mill Lake...The amount of time I spent outside today felt just right :) When we went past one playground Sarah got all excited like she wanted to stop, so we told her we'd stop at the next one. We pulled up to it and were talking about it was all wet and we looked at her and discovered she was sleeping...back to home and got her into bed. Picked up our movie we've been working on for a couple of days - 'School of Rock' :) and I got a bit of rest too. Tonight was date night but we couldn't find a babysitter, so Sarah came with us to the House of James for a simple dinner. Later home for a granola dessert. Andy cracked open some olives - which Sarah loves - and we heated up some soup for her too.
New batch of pics to load soon...stay tuned. Welcome Jennifer to the links...Meredith's sister and cousin of Andy's who lives in Oregon.

Monday, January 16, 2006


My friend Crystal had a housewarming/b-day party at her house. Little guy Lucas...almost One...in Feb.


Bleh he he. Felt so awful, felt I should record the moment. This is Cmas day I think.


New muffin 'tins' - stoneware - from James for Cmas.


Waiting.


Together.


Cool container...the stove goes in it.


Learning from Dad...stoves are hot. That's our new 'pocket rocket' stove for Cmas.


Dad and Mom Klassen took us on a lights tour on a train in the rain...fun.


Dad and Mom...drip drip drip goes the rain.


Tanya and her boys dropped by for a quick visit after Cmas. This is a crazy shot capturing some 'great' mom-faces as Zach talks on the phone.


We stopped at Lee Valley Tools on this day...Sarah was intrigued with this rolling chair thing, but couldn't get off on her own.


On a road-trip day...snack stop first.


Here are the smiles. Great to see you guys!