Bread and buns day Jan.10. This much lasts us about 10 days because the last time I made bread was on the 1st. This is Rye bread (lighter) and oatmeal spelt bread.

Helping Isabelle play with the new gardening playmobile set from Klassens.

Here S. is in a cleared out 'house' area for us.

These guys fit in the cave - Mom, Dad and Sarah and Bonnie Bear from the Wellunschegs. Andy said these guys look like orcs - :)

The crazy no-nap day I spoke of the other day started this way...out playing in the snow. No, Sarah doesn't fit in the cave.

While picking out clothes one morning, I came around the corner to find Sarah in her 'shirt box' - no my clothes are not in the box, the label on the box is from moving.

Andy had just finished knocking down the huge icicles from the front of our house. You couldn't even use the front door.

New toque from Klassens, tea party stuff from Abrahams, new gloves the snow doesn't stick too from Andy and I. Is it obvious she likes eating snow?

Tea party outside on a not-so-cold day.

All the animals have houses. She lined them up so they are looking out the windows as well.

Gardening in Jan. Sarah helps Andy sift soil.

Me and Keela got to do coffee one morning...and the night before was with Cherise (forgot to take pic). So good to be together again!

Piano time.

We had a sleepover at my parents one night. This is our room. Sarah slept most the night on the little mattress on the floor.

Odegard family Boxing Day.

Eva opening presents.

Carolyn and Anna on Boxing Day.

Cmas morning. Sarah and James hand out presents.

More from Cmas - Sarah with animals from James, and Grandad in the background.

uff-da (norweigan for 'oh-my' or something like that)

Hi! Whoa, it's been a 'tired trip' this last while. Somehow I got way behind on sleep and yesterday was a landmark VERY hard day. I didn't feel like I woke up all day. You know how sometimes I get a second wind. Mine never came. Sarah didn't nap and my tiredness manifested itself in dizziness (still present), full body shivers kinda thing (hard to explain), extreme irritability etc. When I got to finally lay down without having to keep an eye/ear out for S. I wept some because I guess I was so wired that my body couldn't relax...anyway, the night was better, but still felt pretty out of it today.
Went to town for playgroup and errands and everytime the 'action' let up a little, the wave of tiredness hit me and I'm like, 'ok, let's keep this going here' - somehow driving was relaxing though - oh, the road conditions were great, that's prob. why. We were I think the only car I saw on the road, not in town. Me and the trucks.
Anyway, had some encouraging conversations at playgroup, got 2 hugs (one girl from church was there too) and we came away with a grocery bag of free apples. A few months ago they were giving away apples and I snagged a whole bunch and they still had some there. I was able to select, avoiding the rotten ones, a bag for me and my friend Alyssa. Groceries - do you ever get tired of buying these? Everything was full price today. Library - anyone else enjoy Ron Sexsmith, like Andy and I have been? And "I Spy Seymour" books by Walter Wick for Sarah. "Bunnies on the Go" (Rick Walton and Paige Miglio) was another we read today with great art and rhymes.
Today's encouraging word came from a friend when we were talking about being irritable when tired. She said, "My girls don't need that environment to grow up in." (environment meaning us as parents 'freaking out' cause of tiredness etc.) It made me realize that I am in control of what I do and Sarah hasn't done anything to 'deserve' my freak outs when I'm overtired. So, nap story today...went poop and pee on toliet, she had milk (usually nurses to sleep), then soup (seemed still hungry), then major squirming in the bed saying over and over, "Sarah not sleepy," and some 'seems like Sarah's not sleepy,' but she was totally sleepy. We talked about her day some and about sleeping and she said once she wanted to go downstairs. Sometimes if her pleas get too impationed and it really does seem like she's not tired and I am tired of trying to get her to sleep, I let her play and we don't sleep. So, today I thought I'd see what she did if I just lay there and let her squirm and proclaim what was quoted a few sentences ago. So after more squirming she finally asked for more milk and fell asleep promptly...and slept for 2.5 hrs.
Enough sleep talk. We skipped Bible Study Sun. night (has been moved too) cause A. feeling under the weather. Church was encouraging - seeing people and having little conversations. Great song selection too. On the homefront, Cmas tree still up, swept the floor for the first time in a week :)
We made a nice easy fruitcake recipe when we got home.
I was so out of it yest. that I called my Mom-in-law at her home and forgot she is in California with her new grandson. Opps.

he hemm

Hello,
Back at home now. We were in Abb. for about 7 days. We stayed with Andy's folks and had a sleepover at my folk's one night. It's been a bit of a shock being back - so quiet, but we already had visitors yesterday. The Nesbitts came for lunch and Carol and Karla (helped in the summer here and she's up for new years) came for an evening visit. So that was nice. Both on the way to Abby and on our return trip we didn't have to stop for Sarah. She is growing up - we told lots of stories and she made it.
That was written Jan.1

This is from today:
Andy's sleeping right now, Sarah too - I just came back from a tiny ski. Sarah got the wrong night for New Year's and went to bed at 12:25pm (midnight) last night - whoa. We are tired. You can pray, if you do, for perseverance. We are being sent to a BC Camping Conference at Stillwood early Feb.! It is quiet and still around here.

We are excited to announce that we have a new nephew - Josh and Heidi (Andy's sis) had their baby boy Tristan Jan.1!

Grma Abrahams gives a new set of pajamas every Cmas Eve...what's inside (Sarah said when opening presents) these pajama pants?

Grandma Lillian Abrahams and me looking at a DVD player (her first) she recieved for Cmas. There was an Abrahams gathering on the 24th at Andy's folk's place, where we stayed. I post this pic. in honor of far away new mommy Heidi.

Now we're in Abbotsford. This picture reminds me how both Grandma's really enjoy just 'taking Sarah in.' I love how they enjoy, love and invest in her.

Heavy snowball. We set up a family of snowballs also - sorry no picture, you can imagine it right?

Just before going to Abbotsford we played outside. Throw the ball in the circle - but before that, sing a song. :)

First hair cut. We trimmed just her bangs cause they were getting in her eyes. She enjoyed the experience after seeing Mom give Dad a few haircuts.

At the end of the night. She hadn't had a nap all day, so was very tired. These are second hand 'Christmas' pajamas she's in and the afghan Grma Abrahams made - very cozy.

Looking at her new 'turtle light' we got from MEC. It's designed as an emergency LED light to hang from a handle bar of a bike.

We found a small fair trade dark chocolate bar for Sarah - the wrapper is in her hand - that she very much enjoyed during the 'festivities.'

No rush, but here's some underwear for when you get the hang of using the toliet all the time Sarah.

Nose cloth in one hand, new toy in the other. Sarah had a cold and is discovering her little ballerina toy.

The beginning of our 'Christmas' as a family together. We celebrated the weekend of the 17th, starting with reading the Christmas story from this board book. That's Mary you see in the book.

Before the celebration time of Jesus' birth we made a very rustic gingerbread house. It was fun. The sugar/cement was too sweet to consume.