Estelle

Quote of the Day

2006-05-23T09:04:00.000-06:00

"A good day or a bad day is your choice.

Either way, it will cost you exactly the same - one day"

Author Unknown

Our Five Year Anniversary

2006-05-12T09:53:00.000-06:00

Five years ago today Jayson and I made a commitment to each other, before God and our family and friends, that we would spend the rest of our lives together. And so today I just want everyone to know that I have the most wonderful husband, to whom I am so proud to be married to, and that I can't wait to see what the next 60 years and beyond hold for us.

Jayson, you are the by far the most beautiful person that I have met. Your physical beauty is matched by a beauty that shines through in your character. I love you, I love you, I love you...

Here are a few pics from our wedding day:

One of my favs of us.

Ooh Laa La!

One of my fav candids

Roll Up The Rim To Win!

2006-03-14T09:17:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had my very first Timmies since the "roll up the rim to win" season started.
And guess what I won!

Nothing.

Very disappointing. I think they should have at least let me win a donut or something...
But I will say this - I think that your chances of winning anything are decreasing every year, as I think that more and more people are buying more Timmies during this season, just so they have a chance to roll the rim. Very smart marketing scheme.

Here I Am

2006-03-12T20:01:00.000-06:00

Well, its been so long since we last chatted. And oh my goodness, has it been a busy time (but what else is new?).
But you know what they say
"All work and no play makes Estelle's blog a boring place to be" :)

It hasn't been all work though, so I can't even use that as my excuse.
Here's some of the bigger highlights that have been happening in my world as of late:

My sister is getting married! Roxanne is two sisters younger than me, and got engaged in January to Curtis. They've set the wedding for this summer. I am super excited for them. Have I mentioned before that they make a beautiful couple?

My work is moving to a new building this week. We are just moving to the office space right next door, but there is still a lot of work that has to go into it. And this week is the actual move, so lots of physical. And the highlight - I was given final say on what paint colour the new place was painted. So I got to do a little of that interior decorating thing that I love so much.

Massey Place has been going great. Yes, it has been a hard go with people from our church passing away. But the people have been so good. Yesterday evening we had an old-fashion family games night at church. I was one point shy of being crowned queen of the board games for the evening. Ahh yes, my competitive spirit was given a bit of a go too.

Well, more later...

Play Dough Recipe

2006-02-22T14:25:00.000-06:00

Yesterday evening I made us a whole bunch of fun in the kitchen.
I cooked up a batch of playdough, as we are having a bunch of people from church over for the evening tomorrow, and some of them have kids. As we have so few toys right now (and a smaller house) I decided to make something to play with that can be done in a small area. I think that it'll be a hit with the kids, and some of the adults too!

Play Dough Recipe

2 cups Flour
1 cup salt
4 tsp Cream of Tartar
2 TBSP Cooking Oil
2 cups cold water
Food Coloring or Unsweetened Kool-Aid

Mix dry ingredients in a large saucepan.
Add wet.
Cook over low-med heat, until dough becomes thick and forms a still ball.
Store in an air-tight container

I like to color my playdough with unsweetened Kool-Aid instead of food coloring, as it gives it this wonderful smell and very bright colors (like the batches I made yesterday are "Ice Blue Raspberry" and "Very, Very Cherry")
And a single batch can easily be done in 10 - 15 minutes.
Oh I can't wait... I love playdough!

Opps!

2006-02-21T08:45:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I know that it has been two weeks since my last post.
I'll try to gather my thoughts soon...

The Day After I Got Older

2006-02-07T14:55:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my birthday. And once again, Jayson spoiled me rotten.

He filled my day with so much of the things I love… things like him bringing by a Timmies to my work in the morning… roses at lunch (and spending the lunch hour with me)… he took me to the chick-flick that I’ve been wanting to see (Ten-Thousand-Villages (coffee, chocolate and treating people fairly – how can you go wrong?!)… AND a VINTAGE BLUE LEATHER KNEE-LENGTH TRENCH COAT!!!

See, I’ve had this one vintage leather coat for about 9 years now. Its kind of a caramel / burnt orange color and I just love it. But due to the design of it and the fact that I live in Saskatchewan, I can only wear it for a select number of months every year. That and it was already fairly old when I was given it and I’ve been wearing it for 9 years. Anyways, this new coat is just my style and I love it. What a perfect gift!

So yeah… Jayson spoiled me all day… and I feel totally special.

Thanks dude!

"Sexy" Computers

2006-01-31T16:40:00.000-06:00

So, I had a client come in today to drop off his laptop for repair.
In the course of our conversation, he proceeded to tell me how "sexy" he thought this one new line of laptops were. And then before leaving, he gently patted his laptop and asked me to make sure that his "baby" was treated ok.

I never thought that "sexy" would be an adjective used to describe a computer.... but I was wrong.

Our Old Acerage

2006-01-19T22:22:00.000-06:00

Do you want to see something interesting?
Well this is for those of you who had the chance to come out and visit us in Outlook on the acerage that we owned.
Jayson had the chance to drive past there a few weeks ago, and got a picture of how they've changed the place.
I do like what they've done to it so far (even though I was going to paint the house a light mocha color, with a deep forest green trim - this looks really good too)

This is how the place looked when we owned it.

This is how it looks now.

Just thought this was interesting and wanted to share it with you :)

Friday's Feast

2006-01-13T15:20:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
Name one chore you don't really mind doing.

It’s actually mood dependant. If I’m feeling good, then I find the whole house-cleaning thing quite energizing and I love getting it accomplished and seeing the results.
But if I’m not feeling quite so good (lack of energy) or just plain moody, that’s a whole other story. Every chore weighs on me, and seems to take longer than normal and gets done with a long stream of negative self-talk.

Soup
How many times have you moved homes in your life?

I only moved three times in the first 18 years of my life.
And then I’ve moved 12 more times since I was 19 (9 of those times were in my 4 years in Calgary)
Yeah, I really hate moving already… for Jayson and I, when we spend more than one year in the same house, it’s a long time for us (going on 13 months right now in our current place).

Salad
How old were you when you had your very first kiss?

This is a really special question for me.

I was 19 years old, and starting to wonder if I was ever going to be kissed.
But that winter I met this great guy who fast became my best friend. We kept saying that we would never date - we were too good of friends. But as these stories go, after some time had passed he professed to me that his feelings had changed and that he liked me as more than a friend, but he was scared because he didn’t know how I felt and didn’t want to lose my friendship. I quickly put his fears to rest, and declared my feelings of more than friendship for him too. We slowly ventured down the road as boyfriend and girlfriend, and found that the base of friendship we started with was a great foundation but continued to grow with every passing week.

And one day, that beautiful man pulled me close into his arms and gave to me the most wonderful kiss that I will never forget. My very first kiss.

And since that day, on every day that passes, he stills pulls me close into his arms and gives to me the most wonderful of all kisses.

Thank you Jayson, that on 7 years, 2 months, and 5 days ago you took the step and professed your feelings to me. I am the luckiest woman alive to have you as my husband.

Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel your best?

About 2 hours after I get up, then for the next few hours following that.

Dessert
Using three words or less, describe your current local weather.

Floggy, mucky, mild

Small Rant

2006-01-10T08:38:00.000-06:00

So, we were at a Petro-Canada on Saturday to fill up gas. I went into the station to pay, and there at the til was a whole new display of EASTER CANDY!

Easter Candy. Not even two weeks after Christmas, and they are already pushing the commercialism of Easter. And Easter is late this year too. April 16. 14 weeks until Easter, and they are already pushing their product. And don't get me started on the whole commercialism of Easter anyways, this would then turn from a small rant to a very, very long rant.

Turkish Delight

2006-01-05T16:42:00.000-06:00

So, Jayson and I went to see the Chronicles of Naria: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe a few weeks ago. It was awesome (Jayson has a post about it here).
One of my co-workers saw it yesterday, so we ended up talking about it a lot today. The topic of Turkish Delight came up, because in the movie Edmund requested this candy as a special treat from the White Witch. So I ended up looking up a recipe for Turkish Delight, and it really sounds quite gross. Must be a cultural thing, and the recipes I found do vary some, but this seems like one of the basics….

Turkish Delight

1lt (1¾ Pints) Water
900g (2lb) Sugar
285g (10oz) Corn Flour (Corn Starch)
225g (8oz) Icing Sugar
1½ tbsp Rosewater
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Cream of Tartar Red Food Colouring (optional)

Place the sugar, 285ml (½ pint) water, and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage 114 - 118°C (238 - 245°F).
The sugar mixture will form a soft ball which can be squashed flat.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a second large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together 225g (8oz) cornflour and the cream of tartar.
Gradually stir in the remaining water until no lumps remain. Stir constantly, until the mixture boils and forms a thick, gluey paste.
Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly.
Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, to prevent sticking, for about 1 hour, or until the mixture has become a pale golden colour.
Stir in the rosewater and add food colouring (if used). Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread evenly.
Cool to room temperature, uncovered, allow to stand overnight to set.
Sift the icing sugar and a little cornflour onto a large cutting board. Turn out and cut into 1-inch squares with an oiled knife.
Roll pieces in the icing sugar mixture to coat well.
Store in an airtight container with sheets of waxed paper, dusted with the sugar mixture, separating every layer.
Makes approx.80 pieces.

Hmmm… tonnes of sugar, boiled in water with food coloring, and then rolled in more sugar (but to be honest I did suck on sugar cubes as a kid and thought that was great, so how much different it that?)

Christmas 2005

2006-01-04T09:50:00.000-06:00

Another one of our candids from the photo-shoot that we had at the Besserer family pictures.

Cinnamon Bun Recipe

2006-01-02T14:04:00.000-06:00

Today, I am going to give you a very special gift. It is my recipe for cinnamon buns that are clone to “Cinnabon’s” Cinnamon Buns. Now the only thing with these is that they have to be eaten warm, so right out of the oven or a quick zap in the microwave will do, right before serving.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Warm Water
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
2 tablespoons White Sugar
1 package Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (3.5 Oz)
1/2 cup Butter -- melted
2 Eggs -- beaten
1 teaspoon Salt
8 cups Flour

***Topping***
1/2 cup Butter -- melted
2 cups Brown Sugar, Packed
2 tablespoons Cinnamon

***Frosting***
8 ounces Cream Cheese -- softened
1/2 cup Butter -- softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 tablespoon Milk

Directions:
In small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. Yeast should bubble.
In large bowl, make pudding mix according to package directions. Mix until slightly thickened. Add butter, eggs, salt; mix well. Add yeast. Blend. Graudually add flour and knead until smooth. Place in large greased bowl. Cover and let rise in warm draft free place until double in size, about 1 hour. Punch down. On lightly floured surface, roll out to 34" x 21" rectangle.
Spread 1/2 c melted butter over surface. In small bowl, mix topping (brown sugar and cinnamon). Sprinkle over top of dough. Starting at the long edge of the dough, roll up very tightly. With a knife, cut every 2 inches. Place rolls into each baking pan, 2" apart. Cover and let rise in warm draft free place until double.
Bake @ 350 for 15-20 minutes, remove when golden brown.
Combine all frosting ingredients and mix until smooth. Spread on warm rolls. Serve warm.

Candid Camera

2005-12-29T22:57:00.000-06:00

Ok, so we had Besserer Family pictures done on Tuesday at Sears. Our photographer had to leave the session for a bit to help another client. So there we were... in a photostudio... there were some props... we just happen to have our camera in my purse... well, check out some of my favs!

Yes, that is Jayson... on a kids sled... on white fur.

Ok, so I had to try it too :)

Sick

2005-12-13T12:19:00.000-06:00

Well, I have picked me up one of those Christmas colds.
They come complete with sore throat, stuffy nose, and general cotton-head. And, for a limited time only, I also got one of those raspy, deep sexy voices! What a deal!!

I can always seem to find them this time of year. Always in December, and usually one of the its-just-turned-warm-outside-so-I-think-I'll-have-a-cold version, in the summer.

These can be enjoyed with large handfuls of echnacia, with a side of Vitamin C.

It's pretty mild right now, so I can still work and socialize but just with some added effort.

So if you happen to be hanging out with me for the next little while, make sure that you don't eat any of the food that I have licked. Just as a precaution.

How to Keep Your Husband Happy --- 1940's Style!

2005-12-09T23:29:00.000-06:00

Check out this article I found. I love it!

"Darling, I'll Be Home Late

Will the care and feeding of husband and house compromise your career? In June 1943, one young bride shared her tip sheet.
PRODUCER: CHRISTINE PITTEL

Responsible women leading full and demanding lives were still characterized as "girls" during World War II, but just like today they juggled family, house and job.
On the next two pages, one young bride lists her tips for how to manage household chores -- and bring one's husband into the loop.

DON'TS
• Don't feel that housekeeping is purely a woman's job; let your husband be a partner in the maintenance of your home.
• Don't plan fancy menus that take hours of preparation; eliminate the first course.
• Don't have a lot of bric-a-brac around that has to be dusted.
• Don't wait until things are obviously dirty to clean them; it takes less time to keep them clean than to have to do a hard and all-out job.
• Don't collect potted house plants; watering them and picking up dead leaves requires too much of your precious time. Postpone this delightful hobby until you are a woman of leisure or until you can afford a gardener.
• Don't set up for yourself the impossible goal that you'll keep house as perfectly as your mother did.

DOS
• Do arrange your schedule so that one whole day -- possibly Sunday -- is completely free of housework. For example, Monday night, clean the bedroom; Tuesday night, the kitchen; Wednesday night, do the laundry; Thursday night, iron, mend and darn; etc.
• Do discuss this schedule with your husband and let him designate the duties -- in addition to the obvious ones like firing the furnace and sweeping sidewalks -- for which he will be responsible. Let him help with the dishes, wax the linoleum, polish the silverware (men love this little chore because the results are so obvious), keep his clothes picked up.
• Do post the week's menus in a conspicuous place in the kitchen; then if your husband arrives home before you, he'll know what to start for dinner."

I actually think that it is very progressive for the 1940's. You go girl.

Christmas Tune-age

2005-12-06T09:52:00.000-06:00

For the past few days, I have had nothing but Christmas tunes playing in my head. And I haven't even been listening to Christmas music yet!
I think that part of it is that our social life is filled with quite a few Christmasey-social-things over this next little while, so that is where some of my head space is. I've been busy planning the Christmas party for my work (did I tell you that I am the Social Committee Director? Fun! I get to plan parties and make lists at work, what else could I ask for). You'll never guess what kind of game tournament we have planned as the entertainment (I'll give you a hint, I have asked Jayson to come and teach everyone).
Well, gotta go plan some more...

(**humming softly to myself**)
"...Rocking around the Christmas tree, Have a happy holiday Everyone dancing merrily In the new old-fashioned way... humm, hummmm, hummm..."

Friday's Feast

2005-12-02T15:32:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
When was the last time you did something you would consider courteous, what was it, and who was it for?

I let someone pull-in in front of my on the commute home from work. When its at the Idylwyld / 22nd St intersection at 5pm on a weekday, you know that’s being courteous.

Salad
If you were to have a painting done of you alone, what would you want the background to be?

A fireplace with Victorian mantel, wingback chair, and lots of warm sunlight streaming through a window that can’t be seen.

Soup
Describe your voice.

Warm Caramel Sauce, or the color Sage Green.

Main Course
What is something you would like to do, but you're afraid of the risk(s)?

Drive a motorbike.

Dessert
What was the last television show you watched?

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

Angel Biscuits Recipe

2005-11-30T10:25:00.000-06:00

I tried these for the first time this weekend. They do take some pre-thought but they are definitely worth it.
If you try them, make sure that when you place them on the pan, they are just barely touching and then brush them with melted margarine.

Angel Biscuits II

"Make 2 dozen light and airy buttermilk biscuits with this recipe which calls for baking soda."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups buttermilk
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
3/4 cup shortening

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add buttermilk to yeast mixture, and set aside.
2.In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in yeast mixture until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead 4 or 5 times.
3.On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheets, barely touching each other. Cover, and let rise in a warm place free from drafts for 1 hour, or until almost doubled in size. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
4.Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until browned

Friday's Feast

2005-11-25T11:16:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
What did you look like when you were a teenager?

Well, at the height of my teenage beauty, I was as tall as I am now (6’) but I weighed about 25-30lbs less. But somehow I thought that I fit into size 12 womens’ clothes (when I was probably more like a size 2 or 4), and so everything kind of just hung on my frame. I had a home permanent that I was trying to grow out, so I would just brush my hair lots to try and straighten it, but the end result was a whole lot of frizz and not so much straight.
A couple a years later I cut off most of my hair, and dressed like a hippy (in clothes that actually fit this time).
You should remind me to post some pics later, they really are funny :)

Salad
Whose advice do you listen to?

Jayson’s.

Soup
Name a book you would like to memorize.

I don’t really think that I would want to memorize any book. I’d love to read and remember what a lot of books are about, but not to the extent that I could quote them line for line (with exception to the bible).

Main Course
How often are you sick?

Maybe once or twice a year. I have a fairly good immune system. When I worked in Outlook’s High School for 2 years, my immune system went through the roof, and I barely got sick at all.

Dessert
Do you like or dislike change?

Yes.

In the long term, big picture aspect I LOVE change. I am all for it. Things are constantly changing in life, and I’m not one who wants to stay in the same-old, same-old. But that being said, I don't think you need to change something just so that it is changed. I see the value in many traditions and things were done a certain way for a reason and I think you need to examine the reason. So yes, change is good but I try not to be so intent on changing things that I don't respect the value of what others have done.

But in the immediate, if I have certain plans set for the next few hours or for that day and you spring change on me, it takes me a bit to adjust. I feel quite flustered until I can think through the process and straighten out the details in my mind. Maybe I’m too much of a details person. All the lists I write may suggest such a thing…

Can you read this?

2005-11-23T16:49:00.000-06:00

From an email I received today. Kinda interesting...

"Olny srmat poelpe can.

cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the
rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!"

2005-11-18T21:53:00.000-06:00

My sister Cheryl with her youngest

7-Eleven Story

2005-11-17T16:42:00.000-06:00

Here’s a funny little story from our trip down to Calgary last weekend.

We had stopped at a 7-Eleven on the drive down for a quick washroom break. We walked up to the washrooms, and there was a guy standing outside them and waiting. I noticed that the one washroom had the door slightly open (they were individual washrooms).

So I asked the guy who was waiting in line for the washroom, “ Is that one empty?”.

He giggled nervously, and said “You can try”, and then real embarrassed, he said “There’s someone in there”.

About a minute later, a young guy about our age walked out. He didn’t apologize or anything, but acted like everything was ok.

All I have to say is, who doesn’t lock the washroom door in a public place like that. Even worse, who doesn’t close the door completely when they use a public washroom?

Jayson & Little Scott

2005-11-15T22:41:00.000-06:00

This is one of my fav pics from the weekend of Jayson with our newest nephew, Scott (son of my wonderful sister, Cheryl)

Family Pictures

2005-11-10T16:25:00.000-06:00

On Saturday my family is getting together to take a family picture. We haven’t done this in a very long, long time. But when you have so many people to coordinate (I have parents, ten brothers and sisters, in-laws, and eight nieces and nephews), I understand why we don’t do it often. I know that we are going to have to photoshop in two of my siblings who are on the west coast and can’t make it down. But my sisters have been planning this for months, and so here we go.

If I can my hands on a copy, maybe I’ll post something later.

Friday's Feast

2005-11-09T17:43:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
What was the last game you purchased?

The last game that I purchased was "Tile Rummy" or sometimes called Rummy-Cube

Soup
Name something in which you don't believe.

That if we are good enough people, then good things will happen to us.

Salad
If you could choose a television personality to be your boss, who would you pick?

The "Designer Guys" Steven Sabados & Chris Hyndman

Main Course
What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?

That you don't need to shake a wood stain, before applying. An even better lesson was to always make sure the lid is on tight if you choose to shake the wood stain, before applying.
Let's just say that the guest bedroom of our first rental home together ended up with brown stain everywhere, along with the housecoat that I was wearing at the time.

Dessert
Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.

Fireplace, lots of throw blankets and pillows, candles, loveseats and overstuffed armchairs, close proximity to coffee maker, fresh baking, large area rug on a hardwood floor, soft music in the background...

Massey Place Community Church

2005-11-04T17:38:00.000-06:00

Here I am!

Well, I am ubber-excited about Jayson receiving and accepting the call to pastor Massey Place Community Church. We have been in conversation with this church for a while, and now that we are here there is just so much to think about. I am looking forward to what is going to happen, having the chance to be a part of these people’s lives and them in ours. It is very scary at the same time, as it’s not just a job, this is our life and our life style. We plan on immersing ourselves completely and seeing what God has in store for us. That’s scary, but oh so good too.

From the first time we visited this church, they’ve been very warm and welcoming. We’ve already made some new friends, who would have been friends whether or not we came to Massey Place. The church building is located in on the west side of town. This speaks volumes about the character of the church. Most churches in Saskatoon would rather be on the east side of town where there is more money and safer neighborhoods. A few years ago Massey Place had a choice to make, either expand at their current location or build new on the east side. They choose to stay on the west side and expand in that neighborhood.

There are going to be many changes ahead. Big life decisions seem to have that effect. I am thankful to be given this opportunity here in Saskatoon. This city has grown on me, and I value the relationships that have formed here. We get to continue on in the things that are already happening, but our community will have grown.

Thank you so much to those of you who have spoken, emailed and blogged your support for us. To feel the warmth of your encouragement means so much...

Peanut Butter Cookies

2005-11-02T12:25:00.000-06:00

Easy, easy , easy... and soft.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Heavy, yummy, and very peanut-buttery. You'll need lots of milk to eat these!!
Makes 1 dozen (6 servings).
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Stephanie T.

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2 Combine ingredients and drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet.
Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Recipe doesn't make very many, so you could double recipe as you desire.

All About My Needs

2005-10-26T15:21:00.000-06:00

Well, I thought that I would give this a go – its good for a couple of chuckles.
What you do is in google you search your first name + needs (ie. "estelle needs") and then you post some of the better results. So here are some of my favorites:

Estelle needs no introduction (got this one over, and over, and over again)
Estelle needs so much help
Estelle needs to brush her hair and the mirror is a bit too high (now that's gotta be pretty high!)
Estelle needs to keep him on the "straight and narrow,"
Estelle needs to be apprenticed
Estelle needs more people so give her a call on 592-7750. (not my number by the way)
Estelle needs new tires and some minor electrical work
Estelle needs you to return to her ship urgently
Estelle needs cheerleader friends
Estelle needs to sort her hair out
Estelle needs to round up her minions and drag them, screaming
Estelle needs permission from no one

And I’ve added this line that I found too cause it’s just to funny
“Have a go and find the cheapest, discount Estelle imaginable!”

Friday's Feast

2005-10-24T22:08:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
Do you button shirts top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top?

I always start at the top. I always have. I also always put on my right sock first, and I think that if I were to put on my left sock first it just wouldn't feel right. Small, weird habits we all have.

Soup
What is your favorite sandwich?

The clubhouse. I love a triple-decker, toasted clubhouse on white. The bacon must be crisp, the veggies fresh, deli-sliced turkey breast (not a whole chicken breast, though) and the cheese can't be too melted from sitting under the heat lamp. And the most important part, it has to be cut into quarters diagonally, or it just won't taste right.
I know, picky, but its worth it! Now don't tell me that you aren't just a little hungry for one right now...

Salad
What was a family project you helped work on as a child?

Butchering chickens. It was always a few days ordeal and the whole family helped out. I would start to share chicken-butchering stories here, but I will spare those of you who have weak stomachs.

Main Course
When have you acted phony?

I've worked in jobs that have involved customers, ever since I was 14. Sometimes you just have to suck it up, bite your tongue, and move on.
Saying what you really feel or think is not always the best thing, and you gotta smile even when you really don't feel like it.

Dessert
Do you write letters or postcards? If so, to whom?

Yeah... I don't really do either anymore. With phones and emails so much a part of my life, the handwritten letter has almost become extinct. But I used too, and lots, and long-long letters.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

2005-10-21T12:46:00.000-06:00

Incredibly easy and very delicious. There is no crust on this cheesecake, but you won't even miss it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup Splenda (or white Sugar)
1/3 tsp maple extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 can pumpkin
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor. Pour into 9" pie pan and bake at 350 for 30-45 min til knife comes out clean. Cool, refrigerate.
Serve with whipped cream.

Baseball & Religion

2005-10-20T22:24:00.000-06:00

I was talking with a guy at work yesterday. He said that he had come up with a great analogy while watching baseball last night. He said that what he saw in baseball were 50,000 people who had paid to watch 14 other people put on a great performance. He then said that he thought church was pretty much the same thing.

Now, this guy has let me know very clearly that he does not need “that religious stuff”, and I think that he was waiting for a reaction from me. Well, I reacted… I agreed with him. There are churches out there that are all about the show, about the 14 entertaining the masses. It is all put together in a neat, tidy, power-hour. Some churches even have their own concession stands set up in the entrance area (no, I was not trying to spell ‘confession’ – I mean the Tim Horton’s and McDonalds in the foyers). We joked that in some churches all they are missing is the big foam pointing hands, with God written on the front of them. There are churches about the show.

Now his analogy was not an earth-shattering revelation, nor was it even a very new thought. But it was his thought, and he is someone who is not involved in the church by any means, yet this is what he saw. And it sucks. It sucks because there are also churches out there that are not about the show (we did talk about those too). They honestly care, they are about community, their focus in not on producing a slick time for people to come to and get all excited about God so they can go home and not have it effect their life because its only a show and not part of who they are.

End Rant.

I know you’ve probably heard this all before, but it’s frustrating when something so powerful in my life is diminished to something that I am not in the eyes of those around me.

River Runs Through It

2005-10-17T09:30:00.000-06:00

Friday's Feast

2005-10-16T21:38:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
Who is someone you would consider to be a calm person?

Krista. She is a full time mom to 4 children under the age of 7 with another one on the way, and she makes it seem so easy !! I am often taking mental future-parenting notes as I watch her care for her children.

Soup
What was your last "gut feeling" about? Were you right?

I had a 'gut feeling' on Friday that gas prices were going to rise for the weekend, so I went out at lunch and filled up our car. Two hours later the gas prices dropped 2 cents.

Salad
List 3 words that you really don't like how they sound.

stupid
pooper-scooper
massachusetts

Main Course
What kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use?

I have been a devoted Herbal Essense girl for quite a long time, but as of this week I am going to try Garnier's Fructis "Long and Strong". We'll see if their claims are real or not.

Dessert
If you found out that you definitely do have a guardian angel, what would you name it?

Yeah, I'm not to sure about this whole "my-very-own-guardian-angel-that-I-can-name" thing...

Sisters Three

2005-10-12T21:59:00.000-06:00

Crystal, Roxanne and me

This is a pic we took when my sisters were down. I tried to upload it after the weekend, but blogger was giving me grief at the time.

Dinner Tonight

2005-10-12T10:39:00.000-06:00

I found this wonderful recipe today while browsing my favorite recipe site:
(I wonder if I can find all the ingredients at our local Superstore… hmmm…)

Slow Cooked Squirrel

It is easy that you can go to work while it simmers in your pot and when you return home, dinner is ready.

Prep Time: approx. 20 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 8 Hours . Ready in: approx. 8 Hours 20 Minutes. Makes 6 servings.
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Bobbie Jo

2 squirrels - skinned, gutted, and cut into pieces
4 large potatoes, quartered
1 pound carrots, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 onions, sliced
2 cups water
1/4 medium head cabbage
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:
1 In a slow cooker, place the squirrel meat, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, onions, water, cabbage, salt and ground black pepper.
2 Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours.

******************************************

The best part is that it serves six, so we can invite some guests over for dinner. But I think that the key to making this recipe happen, is to make sure that the squirrels are gutted and skinned, as the recipe calls for. A quick shave will just not do…

From Where We've Been

2005-10-11T14:00:00.000-06:00

Well, the turkey’s been eaten, the coffee’s been sipped, the pie savored. The butt’s been flattened by over 12 hours in the car, the conversations have been enjoyed, the pictures have been downloaded. The “Serenity” toques have been admired, the poker has been played (and apparently my butt was also kicked by Tamara, Matt and Jamie), the hockey skates have been put away. The hugs were warm, the brunch was delicious, our spirits were encouraged.
We are back home from what used to be our home.

The Weekenders

2005-10-04T16:41:00.000-06:00

What a great time!
Having my sisters Crystal and Roxanne here for the weekend was so much fun.
We drank a lot of coffee, looked at a tonne of pictures (I asked them to bring up their albums), talked a bunch, hung out, played poker (making converts of both of them, as they went home and bought a set so they too could host their own poker nights), amongst other stuff.

I got to grill my little sister Roxanne on her boyfriend Curtis. I used to know Curtis fairly well, as he and Roxanne were friends in the youth group that I lead when I lived with my parents. They lost touch for a few years, but met up again in a new city and now make a very cute couple. I love hearing stories of people who were childhood friends and become a couple after many years and some time apart. And after the pictures I saw, they do make a very cute couple!

My sister Crystal starts her first job this week as a Registered Nurse. She graduated in August, and now her first job is giving Flu Vaccinations for months on end. She's looking forward to it, so all the power to her. Got to hear some funny nurses-in-training stories too.

Well, work is just about over, so we'll chat more later...

Weekend Visitors

2005-09-30T10:58:00.000-06:00

Two of my sisters, Crystal and Roxanne, are coming to visit us for the weekend.
I'm quite excited as we haven't spent time togethor like this is quite a long time. Actually, the three of us have not spent time togethor like this (without the rest of the family) since I moved away from home when I was 19.
It's going to be good (or in the words of my sister Roxanne "They will like it as I have planned that they will" ;) )

Friday's Feast

2005-09-25T22:30:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
Name something someone has done lately that impressed you.

George Clooney was the guest on Saturday Night Live the other evening. He talked about how he is starting a new casino in Las Vegas, and he has committed to giving 25% of his profits from the casino to Make Poverty History. It’s a large commitment and on-going. I’m impressed

Soup
Do you have any relaxing rituals? If so, what are they?

Snuggling with my hubby in bed, and talking about our day.

Salad
If you could spend the winter season somewhere other than your current location, where would you choose to stay?

Well, I’m torn. I really do love Saskatchewan, and am very proud to call myself a Saskatchewatonian, but I’m not too fond of the cold. Cause when it gets cold here, oh its cold. So, if I had my way we’d still live in Saskatchewan all winter, just a warmer Saskatchewan.

Main Course
When was the last time you had dinner out, and what was the name of the restaurant?

Last Saturday, Ryeshy came up to Saskatoon to spend the day with us. We all went to see Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (way better than Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder) and then we had dinner at East Side Marios. After dinner I proceeded to kick some serious butt at mini golf (and I almost didn’t play due to being cold and tired)

Dessert
If you had a boat, what would you name it?

I would call it the Queen Mary, in honour of the car I drove for a while when I was 19. It was a boat of a car, and I lovingly called it Queen Mary. The car was one of the classics that had seating for six, could fit all of your earthly possessions in its trunk and was older than I was.

Me and My Wisdom

2005-09-25T21:54:00.000-06:00

Well, my two wisdom teeth were pulled on Thursday. I have found such a good dentist. She has great chair-side manner. Very friendly, warm and it seems like she really cares. She even let Jayson come sit beside me, when she wasn’t actually doing the pulling of the teeth thing. My dentist also believes in using freezing. It was great for during the actual visit, the only down side is that the freezing lasted over 6 hours. I was starting to wonder when I would start to feel my tongue again.

Jayson was awesome. ***insert awesome husband story here***
We were at the dentist and they were giving me instructions on how to care for the new holes in my mouth and what I would need to do for the next few days. Jayson told me not to worry, as he already had the couch at home set up with lots of pillows and a quilt for me. That we would spend the next few days watching whatever movies I wanted and that he had stocked up on soup and ice cream. Well, one of the dental hygienists’ who was working a few chairs over, she said to my dentist, “What is she having done? Cause I want whatever she’s having, as long as I can have her husband come home with me too!”

And Jayson was true to his word. He has taken great care of me. I took Friday off from work, and now I feel ready to head back to work tomorrow.
I’ve healed quite swimmingly - I’ve heard horror stories from other. Why is that? You tell people that you are going to get your wisdom teeth pulled and they feel the need to tell you about the worst wisdom tooth pulling situation that they know of, whether it has happened to them or a friend?! I’ve heard that it is the same when you are visibly pregnant (which we are not, but thanks for asking). When people see that you are pregnant they LOVE to tell you the worst birthing story they know. Funny, eh.

Well, here’s off to another week…

Faith Community

2005-09-21T12:41:00.000-06:00

Here is a great paragraph from the book I've been reading called “Postmodern Children’s Ministry: Ministry to Children in the 21st Century” by Ivy Beckwith.

"Faith is not something that develops in a vacuum. Having faith , understanding faith, exploring faith, and questioning faith are not solo activities. These things are meant to be done with others who are on the same path or looking for the same path. These things are meant to be done with people older than us, the same age as us, and younger than us. These things are meant to be done with people who look, think, and live differently than we do. In other words, faith only matures when it is exposed to the spiritual hothouse of a biblical covenant community. When our churches segregate chirldren from the rest of the community, we stunt the spiritual formation of the ENTIRE community." (emphasis mine)

Amen.

I have long been saying that we need to keep the children integrated in our faith communities. So often I feel that people think that this is for the sake of the children only, that they themselves will only . But as this paragraph pointed out, the ADULTS need the relationships with the children for their spiritual growth too. I know that we are all more comfortable hanging out with people in our age bracket and with similar interests, but there is so much to be said for knowing those outside our normal group.

This is easy for me to say, and I will be the first to admit it. This comes many years of working with children and having a love for being a part of their lives. But not everyone is like me. I have met so many who are scared of children and have told me that they couldn't possibly work with the kids, cause they just don't know what to say to them. How can integration happen then.
Good question... I have some ideas, but need to get back to work now, so I'll post more later (some of my own ideas, and some inspired by this book).

Friday's Feast

2005-09-16T15:01:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
Do your closer friends tend to be male or female? Why do you think that is?

Female. Always female. I connect way easier with other females (mostly I think they understand how my brain works). I feel way more comfortable around other females, even though I have been known to hold my own in a group of all guys. When we lived in Calgary, more often then not it was Estelle and the guys, as we had a lot of single guy friends. But what made it comfortable for me was having Jayson there. All the other guys knew that we are happily in love and so hanging out wasn't taken the wrong way.

Soup
If you could wake up tomorrow with a new talent, what would it be?

My talent would be the ability to sing well. See, I sing now - all the time, but just not well. And for the sake of those who have to listen to me all the time, I wish I could sing well.

Salad
Name a household cleaning item that you would recommend to others.

Scrub Free Orange Cleaner. Nothing is too tough for this stuff - and it the smell is do-able (unlike so many other cleaners)

Main Course
What do you strive for in life?

I'm going to copy Jayson's answer here, as it is so inline with my goals in life too (with a small change):
"A life following Jesus Christ as his disciple and to be a good wife and in the future a good mother." (italics are my changes)

Dessert
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how funny do you consider yourself?

On a good day, if I'm in my total comfort zone, and things are really clicking in upstairs than I can be a high 8 (in my opinion of course, but I get some good laughs).
If I am out of my comfort zone, hopped up on coffee, too tired and not in a people mood, then I am shooting in the -2 area. People don't even laugh, cause they don't even realize that I was trying to be funny. What I say just doesn't make sense at all.
So, with that said - on average I'm about a 3 - 4. Mostly amusing, but no bellyaches from anything that I said.

Household Tip

2005-09-15T16:48:00.000-06:00

Menu Planning.

I do it. I know of others who do it.

For people who are busy or on a budget, let me tell you – this can be a big saver in many ways.
I have a calendar set up just for my menu planning.
Once a month I’ll sit down with my recipes books and a list of food that we really enjoy. I mostly only plan out our suppers, but I’ll plan something for everyday, and brunches too for the weekends. Any special events that we have coming up in the month that I know of goes in there too (soccer, weekends away, visitors…).
So with pencil in hand, I like to plan out a month at a time. I used to do this on a weekly basis, but found it to become burdensome on my Saturdays (I would do it on Saturday cause that’s when the grocery flyers for the coming week came in the mail, and I would use that as a help for planning. Hmmm, how thrifty is that!). Now I can usually complete a month in 1 or 2 lunch breaks, and then we’re good to go.
We only have the freezer that is above our fridge, so not a lot of extra space, and this helps me plan what meats we’ll be needing too.
And the time it saves me. No worrying about what we will have for supper tonight, or what I need to pick up at the grocery store. 5 minutes with my menu, and my list is ready to go.
One of my co-workers (Orest, who is a bit older than my dad) bugs me that I am the only person he knows that plans a menu. We often have our lunch break at the same time, and he’s always quick to share new recipes as I plan out the coming month. Today’s recipe was small amounts of bread-dough wrapped in beat leaves, and then baked in a fried onion / butter / cream combination. Yum!

Well, that’s a snippet from my life. Menu planning. And for all you list-makers out there, you should try it, it can be addicting.

Sorry

2005-09-14T08:23:00.000-06:00

Sorry about the lack of posting recently.
We've actually been out every evening since last Friday and work has been busy too... but no more excuses. I'll try to have something later on.

Tonight

2005-09-07T22:15:00.000-06:00

The dishes are all done, a fresh loaf of banana bread is almost ready to come out of the oven (and it smells delicious), and I already have my pink flannel pajama pants on.
I spent a good portion of the evening with a good friend of mine who is pregnant with her fifth child (she has really bad morning sickness that lasts all day, everyday for the first 16 weeks of her pregnancy), and her four wonderful kids who are all under the age of seven. We played light-sabers and invisible shields, lego, and cleaned up the toys in their bedrooms. I helped with a round of baths for the kids and even the dog managed to get through the tub too. We tucked them into bed, and then I snuck off into the night, as mommy-to-be (or is that mommy in the 4.5 version?) was ready for bed too.
I'm exhausted, but hoping to read a bit more of my Children's Ministry book before bed.

Wisdom

2005-09-02T15:47:00.000-06:00

The title is not to imply that I have gained some, but rather that I am going to be losing some. My wisdom teeth that is...

ok, I know - it's barely even funny, but a little laugh/grunt is all that I was looking for anyways.

My wisdom tooth on my lower right side has become infected and its time for it to go.
I've had issues with all of my wisdom teeth from the time that I was a teenager. They come and go, and come and go. I relate well to babies that are going through teething. My gums will get swollen until they finally break through and soon after they disappear again. Its an annoyance, but nothing to rush to the dentist about. Well, this time its bad. The right side of my jaw feels swollen (thankfully you can't really tell, as I have still been working this week) , but everytime something touches it, I know. Last night, when ever I would roll over onto my right side, it would wake me up. I went to see the dentist on Thurs. night, she put me on antibiotics, and has scheduled the removal of both top and bottom wisdom teeth on my right side for Thursday, Sept 22. I asked why they couldn't just pull them out that night, and she said that because the one is infected, that the freezing wouldn't take and I would feel everything. I am ok with waiting til Sept 22. The one drawback is with the antibiotics that I have to take, is that they need to be taken on a FULL stomach every 6 hours for 7 days. That's 4 meals a day. Now I am a firm believer in the whole 3 meals a day thing, but 4. 4 is a little much. Oh, and my last full stomach needs to happen pretty much right before I go to bed every night. This will prove to be an interesting week. Hopefully I don't pick up any bad late night snack habits.

Just a note - I have all 16 teeth exposed on my lower jaw right now, which is probably partly why it really hurts too. You can see a diagram of adult teeth here .

Broken

2005-09-02T15:44:00.000-06:00

Jayson bought me a book last week. Its definitely an 'estelle' kind of book. The book is called “Postmodern Children’s Ministry: Ministry to Children in the 21st Century” by Ivy Beckwith. Now I’ve just started it, but what I really appreciate so far is that the author is speaking from experience, as someone who’s been there. She has been the Director of Children’s Ministries in large evangelical churches, worked for several curriculum publishers and spoken at many children’s ministry conferences. She has since gone through some deconstruction in terms of church, the faith and children’s ministry and has come out constructing on the other side trying to find a way that is relevant to the culture that we live in today.
Here is a quote from the introduction that I appreciated:

“The church’s ministry to children is broken. A cursory look doesn’t reveal its brokenness. From the outside children’s ministry looks healthier than ever. But it is broken. It’s broken when church leaders and senior pastors see children’s ministry primarily as a marketing tool. The church with the most outwardly attractive program wins the children and then the parents. It’s broken when we teach children the Bible as if it were just another book of moral fables or stories of great heroes. Something’s broken when we trivialize God to our children. It’s broken when we exclude children from perhaps the most important of community activities: worship. It’s broken because we’ve become dependent on an 18th –century schooling model, forgetting that much of a child’s spiritual formation is affective, active, and intuitive. It’s broken when we depend on our programs and our curriculum to introduce our children to God – not our families and communities. It’s broken when we spend lots of money making our churches into playlands and entice children to God through food fights and baptisms in the back of fire trucks. And perhaps most importantly, it’s broken when the church tells parents that its programs can spiritually nurture their children better than they can. By doing this, we’ve lied to parents and allowed them to abdicate their responsibility to spirituality form their children. A church program can’t spiritually form a child, but a family living in an intergenerational community of faith can. Our care for our children is broken and badly in need of repair.”

Dad's Blogging

2005-08-30T15:20:00.000-06:00

My father-in-law has started a blog about his journey through cancer.
Check out Andy's blog here and I've added him to my links too, over here --->

Thanks for taking the time to write out this part of your life, Andy. I've really appreciated the emails that you have sent out already (they are posted on his blog too) .

Jayson's Birthday

2005-08-25T14:55:00.000-06:00

Today is my beautiful’s birthday.
Jayson is the most wonderful person that I know, and today as we celebrate the day in which he first got to see the world, I want to tell you just a few of the reasons why I think he is so darn wonderful:

1. Jayson is full of passion. It shows in every area of his life. Social justice, connecting with the disenfranchised, preaching, soccer and so much more.

2. He cares for those who often are not cared for. He has taken the time to volunteer at both the Food Bank and Aids Saskatoon, because he cares. That is just a example of how it effects his life. It seems that everywhere we go he connects with those who are hurting and feeling the weight of a hard life on their shoulders. He doesn’t offer the answers; he offers support and genuine care.

3. He is the most romantic man that I have ever met. Honestly. No exaggerating at all.
He is constantly bringing me flowers, I find little love notes written on my grocery lists, and by phone numbers that I’ve written down. He lets me warm up my ice-cube feet on him ALL THE TIME! One of my favorites – Jayson wants to hold my hand when we’re out together, driving in the car, at church, at home when we’re watching a movie together, anytime is a good time to hold hands.

4. Equality. Jayson believes in equality for everyone. Women, marriage, different ethnic races, those with different social status, everyone.

5. hmmm… there are a whole bunch that could be mentioned here, but this is a public forum and you know, censorship ;)

This is just the start to a very, very long list.

Happy Birthday, Jayson.
I love you and am so glad that we get to celebrate your birthday together.

Weekend Chillin'

2005-08-23T21:29:00.000-06:00

What a great weekend! (I know its Tuesday already, but I was just thinking about the weekend).
We went to bed at about 11pm on Friday night, and I slept right til about 12pm on Sat. You know you're exhausted when...
Later that day it was BBQ with friends, and good conversation.
On Sunday, Jayson preached at a church that we have never been to before. They were really friendly there, and I ended up having a great conversation with the youth pastor and her husband. As we drove home from church, who ends up driving beside us, but some friends from Outlook that were in town for the weekend. In a side-by-side driving conversation, we invited them over to our place (oh yeah, did I mention that we had tried to call them only 30min before, but couldn't get a hold of them). We started off with some good, relaxing hang-out but all of us became increasingly tired. After a while, a general consensus said that it was time for a nap. Between the 5 of us (they have a 21 month old), we spread out on the couches and different beds that we have around the house and proceeded to take a 2 hour nap. As we started to wake up, we call slowly congregated in the den, and good conversation started up again. We topped off the evening with awesome Chinese take-out and more hanging out. I love having good friends like that, that we can all just take a nap when hanging out, and not feel obligated to sit there and entertain each other.
What did I say... it was an awesome weekend.

Auntie Estelle

2005-08-22T21:09:00.000-06:00

My big sis' just had her fourth baby today.
Scott Dion Billyard (sorry guys, I forgot to ask how you will be spelling it).
Scott was born at 4:03pm on August 22, weighing 8lbs 4oz.
Jim and Cheryl already have three beautiful children - 2 boys and 1 girl.
My brother-in-law Jim just called us about 10 minutes ago, and I'm really excited for them.
Jim told me that Cheryl has been having contractions all week (and not nice ones either), and finally last night they became more urgent. Many hours later, their son was born. All play and no sleep makes pushing hard :)
I guess my little niece told her daddy that she was hoping for a 'pink' baby, but she'll be ok with a 'blue' baby too.

My Husband

2005-08-19T15:47:00.000-06:00

I am so proud of Jayson.
Why?
He is an amazing person and has so much courage.
Jayson did the sermon for his grandpa's funeral. I can not even start to imagine how hard it was to make that decision. Jayson loves his grandpa very much, and when Grandma specifically asked if Jayson would do the sermon for grandpa's funeral, it was a huge honor.
Jayson's mom called on Saturday in the early afternoon to ask him, and at that point we were planning to leave for Calgary not even 24 hours later. That was going to leave very little time for actual prep. But Jayson prayed hard about it, sat down and put his heart into it. From his hands flowed words that honored grandpa's life, brought our focus to what we can look forward to, he spoke of God and Grandpa’s baptism the week before.
The next two days were crazy stressful. Jayson preached in Rosetown that Sunday morning, then we jumped into the car and booted it for Calgary. Oh, did I mention that Jayson invited a 14 year old guy from the Rosetown church that was looking for a ride to Calgary to come down with us. And when I fell asleep for the last part, Jayson took the time to try and connect with Ben.
The next day, Jayson stood up in front of 450 – 500 people, and proceeded to share the hardest sermon that he has ever had to do, and with close to the least amount of prep time too. He had to stand up there and look into the eyes of those he loves and watch them weep and hurt, as he gave tribute to Grandpa and honor to God. There was a few times that I thought it would be to much for him, but he carried it to the end, full of passion.
When the service was over, Grandma gave Jayson a long hug and cried in his arms for awhile. She thanked him, and told him how proud she was of him.
I’m proud of you too, Jayson. You amaze me all the time.

Friday's Feast

2005-08-19T15:30:00.000-06:00

I know - on time!

Appetizer
Do you get excited when the season begins to change? Which season do you most look forward to?

I love watching the winter turn into spring.
There is so much excitement in the air, as nature starts to stretch its wings again. And spring is also my favorite season. It’s the longest time away from the next winter. Most of the time, Jayson and I can agree on the temperature (it’s a small margin though) and I desire to be outside, cause I’ll start to feel cooped up after all the snow.

Soup
What day of the week is usually your busiest?

Usually Wednesday. I go from 6:25am in the morning, til 11pm at night, as something is always happening on a Wednesday.

Salad
Would you consider yourself to be strict when it comes to grammar and spelling? What's an example of the worst error you've seen?

I am horrible at spelling, not a perfectionist in grammar either, but I hate improper punctuation in people’s writing. Weird, eh? Maybe it’s the proofreader in me, but you think that would spill out into the other areas too.

Main Course
Who has a birthday coming up, and what will you give them as a gift?

Jayson’s birthday is next week… hmmm, maybe I’ll get him a poker tabletop (hehehe)

Dessert
If you could have any new piece of clothing for free, what would you pick?

A great winter coat that was thin, but incredibly warm and stylish. I had a big, down-filled, bright yellow jacket for quite a few years… yeah, nothing like that at all.
Or, a dress that actually fit me (being close to 6’ tall has its disadvantages at times) that could be worn to weddings, ‘does’, and other more semi-formal stuff.

You'll Be Missed

2005-08-16T19:39:00.000-06:00

Grandpa, yesterday we took the time to say good-bye to you.
There were so many tears, as you had impacted so many people.
They spoke of your kindness, selfless-ness, laughter, and every-readiness to just accept everyone you came into contact with.
We all have so much to learn from you.
Thank you for taking the time to simply care.

Thinking

2005-08-16T19:23:00.000-06:00

What a weekend… what a month… what a summer!!

There is so much that has gone on in our lives recently. So much to think about and I feel like I am only at the tip of the iceberg of this whole emotionally / mentally processing thing. It’s going to take awhile.
This weekend brought on many thoughts about life, character, death, those I love and hold dear, relationships, losing loved ones, what really matters… and everything else between. It has definitely been an intense thinking time.
I was back at work this morning, and the everyday came crashing back in a hurry. Orders that needed to be filled, clients to call back, office dynamics… you know, everyday. It wasn’t bad, it was just everyday. My head has been so full other larger issues. It felt kind of hard to mentally switch back.
I don’t want to forget all that has been swirling inside my noggin. We need to be challenged and then take the time to chew on it awhile. I don’t want stuff like this to not effect me. It is to easy to just shrug your shoulders and go back to what you were doing before.

Disjointed thoughts. Yes, lots of disjointed thoughts. Maybe more later, maybe not.

Forwards

2005-08-12T12:57:00.000-06:00

Ok, so this morning I received one of them Christian, sentimental, forwarded emails.
I've deleted the “heart-warming” story at the beginning (I guess it just didn’t warm my heart enough), but here’s the list from the end. Make sure that you read the last one:

“TEN THINGS GOD WON'T ASK ON THAT DAY.

1...God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2...God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothed

4...God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5...God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of our ability.

6...God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7...God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8...God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.

9...God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10...God won't have to ask how many people you forwarded this to, He already knows whether or not you are ashamed to share this information with your friends”

Hmmm… guilting, Christian, propaganda on the internet. I wish I had a Homer Simpson quote to finish with right here.

Grandpa

2005-08-10T11:35:00.000-06:00

There is something so beautiful and other-worldly about Baptism. As you share in this part of one’s journey, you are so aware of God, and His presence in our everyday.
Jayson had an amazing opportunity to baptize his grandpa this weekend. It was a small gathering – grandpa and grandma, Jayson’s mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law, two aunts and their husbands.
There was simplicity to the afternoon, and I think that was wonderful.There was not a dry eye as we witnessed grandpa confessing with whom his heart lies, as tears streamed down his face. Grandma said that he was been wrestling with this for a quite a while, but she said something that rings so true for everyone, “You can’t make this decision for someone else. You have to let them work it out in their own time”
... and now was grandpa’s time.

Healing, Penance, Reconcilliation

2005-08-05T11:26:00.000-06:00

Wendy has an incredible post over here about healing, penance, and reconciliation. The whole post is incredible, and there is not just one snippet that I wanted to quote, so I am going to quote the whole thing, but go visit her site anyways, as Wendy is an incredible person who exudes so much love and care. This post is so well written, and so many of us can relate on one level or another. Thank you Wendy for the time and feeling that you put into this:

"Healing :: Penance :: Reconcilliation
I have been thinking about relationships lately. For the sake of example, I'll use Jordon because he uses me at times for illustrations in Spiritwood and his blog has more traffic then mine, so if he ever wants to retaliate... Here goes...Jordon and I do not have a perfect marriage. We argue at times which is okay as it is perfectly okay for Jordon to be wrong at times. We even say some hurtful things to each other once in a while. One of the things Jordon and I work at is reconcilling those situations. One thing that I have learned is that if I hurt Jordon, I can't be the one that sets the terms of the healing, penance, and reconcilliation. Tonight I want to talk about all three things.

Healing :: Once Jordon is hurt, I can't make it go away. The example that Jordon uses is two years ago when him and I were kicking the soccer ball around. Mark was running around. I kicked it too far into the front yard and Jordon went to go after it and kicked it back. The only thing wrong was that he got a side of it and it looked like a David Beckham cross. It curled big time. Mark meanwhile had made a 180 degree change in directions and came back towards it. The end result was the ball hit Mark in the mouth and he had a fat lip and was scared. While it unintentional, Jordon had hurt Mark and nothing he could say would take away the fat lip and the pain. The truth is that words and actions have consequences that often spiral out of our control. When people get hurt, they have to heal. Now Jordon and I never want to hurt each other but when it happens, it is the person who is hurt that determines when they are healed, not the person who hurt them. Other people in my past have really hurt me. One of the things that I keep hearing is, "I never meant to hurt you", "We need to leave this in the past", and "Let's move on". The problem is that a) I was hurt b) It still hurts right now c) It hasn't healed and by minimizing my pain, you are hurting me all over again. Even if I wanted to move on, if it isn't healed, it will come back to haunt me later. You can't fake healing. Since getting sick, Jordon has desprately tried to tell himself he was okay. There have been days where he awakes at 5 a.m., gets showed, dressed, and ready for work. I find him downstairs in horrible pain at 6 a.m. He went through the actions but the pain is still there. I have felt like that. Let me decided if I am hurt or not. The other part of it is learning to accept that despite the fact that you don't like it, I may still be hurt years later. The person that hurts the other may say, "It wasn't that bad" all they want but they never really do know. Some pain is complex and takes a long time to figure out it's impact let alone heal. There has been a long term study on the impact of divorce on children of divorce. While couples that divorce are generally over it in 2-3 years, it often takes 20-25 years for children of divorced parents to heal. When Jordon mentioned that survey in a sermon at Lakeview Church, some (divorced parents) people were upset he mentioned it. Just because you don't like the impact, doesn't mean it isn't there. I have felt like that at times. The people who hurt me are mad at me for being hurt. That doesn't help our relationship heal very much at all.

Penance :: As evangelicals we don't have a good idea of what penance is. We speak of grace a lot and we love grace. Some people in my life have demanded grace but have ignored both that I have been badly hurt and also the one that is hurt is the one that decides what needs to be done to heal. When Jordon hurts me, I know it is unintentional. When I tell him, he accepts that he has hurt me because I have told him that he was out of line. Like all well trained husbands, he wants to make it right. The penance is generally an apology. Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink helped me understand this a lot. If Jordon hurts me, I know he doesn't intend to do it intentionally. It outside of a pattern of behaviour and of course I know it is accidental. (we couldn't have gotten married if it happened too often) Since I know he doesn't mean it and will change to make sure it doesn't happen again, I don't tend to hold things against him or bother keep score because as far as I can remember, it never happens again (unless you count him stealing my pillows of which is unrepentent) However if the same kind of thing kept happening, it is harder to believe that he is sorry about it. That's where I am with some people who have been in my life. They want grace but they dont want to make any changes that hurt me. It's not just that they desire grace, they demand it from me. Grace turns from a gift into a free pass to hurt me. Again Blink is helpful. As I am hurt again and again, I start to expect to be hurt again. Saying sorry doesn't do anything as I know it will keep on happening. Instead of expecting the best of someone, I start to fear the worst and in many cases, my fears are true so I distance myself and remove myself from the situation. According to Gladwell, this is a kiss of death in most relationships and according to the marriage counsellors interviewed, very hard for a relationship to recover from.

Reconcilliation:: Reconcilliation can happen but it depends on how badly I have been hurt and how committed the person who hurt me is the to the process of making it right. Regardless of their response, I can and do forgive. The problem in my life is that people have taken my forgiveness as reconcilliation and amnesty for what they have done. It isn't. Forgiveness is not reconcilliation. Forgiveness means I don't have the desire to hit back (although Jordon may have that desire if you have hurt me). Forgiveness means that I can move on with my life. It doesn't mean that I want to share a coffee with you or chat about the weather. I can forgive you and not trust you. Not hitting back doesn't mean trusting one with my son or turning my back. Reconcilliation happens once I heal and feel safe again. Once I see that ammends have been made and can see that things have really changed. One I see that I won't be hurt again."

Nothing

2005-08-04T14:36:00.000-06:00

I want to be creative. I'm not feeling creative though.
I want to say more, but I'm feeling so repetitive right now.

What I really feel like doing is redesigning my layout on here. Call it interior decorating for the web, or whatever, but maybe that would help me feel more creative.
Or, maybe I should paint our livingroom at home. That's fun too.

Mother and Daughter

2005-08-01T19:35:00.000-06:00

When we were at our acreage on Thursday, our tenant showed me their horse that had just had her baby. Here are some pics of the two:

Brand new pony

2005-08-01T19:34:00.000-06:00

Breathing

2005-07-28T15:47:00.000-06:00

I’m feeling like I have a bit of space to breath, finally, and the week isn’t even over yet.
This last little while has been crazy… meeting with the lawyer to close the deal, finding ways to move the last few things that we had left on the acreage, getting the contractor to the site to close in the old sewer hole, talking to our agent… yada, yada, yada.
It’s mostly done now.
Jayson and I are taking a quick trip out tonight to see what we can see, and collect some items. Hopefully our tenants choose to clean up after themselves, and we won’t have to go do that on Monday.
I don’t think things would have been this hairy for me, if it wasn’t for the fact that it is quarter-end at my work too. That means physical inventory count, cleaning up of the files, pushing clients to come pick up their stuff, and for others to pay-up. The other admin girl just started in June, so this is her first time through quarter-end, which means lots of questions. I don’t mind, it just takes up brain power to think.

Do you want to hear a cute story though?
Yesterday I was really feeling the stress. The morning had been tough, and I was quite tired.
During my lunch break, I decided to go grad a Tim’s Large Double-Double from next door - both a comfort drink and a much needed energy booster. Just to let you know, I very rarely drink coffee in the afternoon. This was an exception for me.
About 15 minutes after I had gotten back from my lunch break, Jayson comes through the front door. He said that I had sounded quite stressed out during the morning, and so he had brought me a Tim’s Large Double-Double, to help me through the afternoon.
At that point I showed him that I had just gotten one, for the same reason. It was so sweet though, without having to ask, he had known exactly what I needed at that moment. And it was about more than just the coffee.

By the way… I drank both coffees.

Stress

2005-07-27T22:02:00.000-06:00

Well, next week could not come fast enough.
With our house being sold this weekend, and it's quarter end at my work, my stress level is fairly high right now.
I think I will sleep like a baby come Monday (a long weekend here in Saskatchewan).
Til then...

Stand Firm

2005-07-26T09:04:00.000-06:00

"Stand Firm

Bent down, broken up, busted wide open
Chained down, locked up tight with no backdoor exit
That is what some of us were

Bankrupt, burned and tired like a bombed out city
Thinlipped, stony-eyed with no joy or pity
That is what some of us were
Until the Bridegroom turned and called our name out

It is for freedom that Christ set us free
Stand firm
Don't be burdened, burdened again by slavery
It's misery

Gentle, full of peace, love and patient kindness
Guarded by self-control and faith and goodness
That's the hope of what we'll be

Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice
Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say Rejoice
That's the hope of what we'll be
When we turn and take the hand of the Bridegroom

Lyrics and music © 2005 by Paul Mossbarger"

Friday's Feast

2005-07-22T16:04:00.000-06:00

Appetizer
What kind of car do you drive? If you could make an even trade for any other car, what would you want to drive?

We have a Toyota Rav4 2003. We got it when we were living on the acreage, and had to drive about 10-15km of gravel/grid roads everyday in the winter. And let me tell you, I was very grateful to have the 4-wheel-drive on many occasions.
It’s a great little vehicle, and wouldn’t trade it for much at this point.

Soup
Take your phone number and add each number together separately (example: 8+6+7+5+3+0+9=38) - what's the total?

25 – Home number. It’s 34 with the area code.
34 – That’s our cell number.
See a pattern…

Salad
When were you last outside, and what were you doing?

I went for a walk this afternoon during my lunch break. It was a 30min round trip, 24 degrees out, cloudy, with only a slight wind.
Pretty perfect, if you ask me. But now my feet are sore. Must remember to wear better footwear next time. I guess you can’t win all this time.

Main Course
What is your favorite restaurant, and what do you usually order there?

I really do enjoy Red Lobster. I usually end up getting the Shrimp Feast where you can choose a few different varieties of shrimp. That and the biscuits. Hmmmm… biscuits… cheesy-goodness biscuits… *drool*

Dessert
Name 3 things in which you occasionally indulge

1 – Sitting back on the couch with a big mug of coffee, and watching back-to-back episodes of “Designer Guys”
2 – Warm Chocolate pudding cake (that’s the kind with the fudge sauce baked on the bottom of it) topped with real whipped cream
3 – A shopping trip at the Sears Outlet in Calgary, where I can get women’s pants that are actually too long for me.

Remember When…

2005-07-21T09:39:00.000-06:00

These phrases were the ‘in’ thing to say

“That’s so funny, I forgot to laugh.”

“I’ll see you there… NOT!”

“Don’t have a cow man!” (thank you Bart Simpson)

“Tubular” (thank you Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

“And so, like, I was, like, walking down the street, like…”
(or even better)
“Like, yeeaah” (both sarcastic and/or in agreement)

Friday's Feast

2005-07-18T15:49:00.000-06:00

Friday’s Feast – better late than never, eh?

Appetizer
What is your middle name? Would you change any of your names if you could? If so, what would you like to be called?

My middle name is Rae.
I do like my name quite a bit, and you would not believe how many people comment on it. The thing that I would change though, is having people pronouncing it correctly, and them not having to ask me to spell it (both first and last) ALL THE TIME! (can you tell it gets a little tiresome…)

Soup
If you were a fashion designer, which fabrics, colors, and styles would you probably use the most?

Polyester. It has come so far since the 70’s and taken on a lot of forms. It’s pretty wrinkle resistant, holds it color well in the wash, is washable (kid friendly!) and comes in so many textures. Very good for busy people, not so good for sweaty people though :)

I can tell you what colors I would NOT use – Fluorescent anything.

Salad
What is your least favorite chore, and why?

Week-old dishes. Dried on, smelly, and way to big of pile – which is probably why I keep making Jayson do them. I don’t mind same-day, or just a small batch, but a combination of the three just seems to take forever to do.

Main Course
What is something that really frightens you, and can you trace it back to an event in your life?

Car accidents, and bad weather heightens my fear level. My dad nearly died from a car accident, due to blizzard conditions on the highway, when I was 11. It forever changed my life.

Dessert
Where are you sitting right now? Name 3 things you can see at this moment

I am at work. I have a black & white picture of Jayson and I that was taken at his brother’s wedding, right next to my computer, along with my coffee cup (hmmm coffee…) and a Kleenex box (my nose always seems to run when I am at work, but they tend to crank the A/C too)

Enough is Enough

2005-07-16T15:59:00.000-06:00

Jayson and I have been on the receiving end of comments that have not been appreciated, and at times hurtful, on both of our blogs.
We wrote a post togethor and it can be here found on Jayson's blog.

House Churchs & Children

2005-07-13T16:05:00.000-06:00

I have found some really interesting articles. I'm not through them all yet, but wanted to post a taste of what I'm thinking through right now. To give context, I have been working through the whole children and church issue in my head for about 6 years now. I go back and forth on what I believe methodolgy wise, and my value system regarding this. This will spur on more thought, which is good:

House Church and the Children

"In discussing practical ways to integrate children into the life of the home church, we must understand off the bat that if parents bring the traditional mindset of the institutional church into the house church, nothing will work for the kids. The system church has the mentality of juvenile segregation: push them out into the Sunday School wing, so everything can be Holy and Quiet. This, of course, is unbiblical. How quiet do you think the kids were during the Sermon on the Mount? The system church is liturgically rigid in its "order of service," and kids, being as unprogrammed and unpredictable as they are, can never fit within that rigidity. So: the first practical thing to do in the church in the home is to relax-- there's going to be more noise and interruption in the house church. People with children need to quit feeling guilty about it, and people without children need to exercise more tolerance than they would in the institutional church"

Note - even though this is talking about house churches, I believe that the same can be translated into any church setting.
More to come...

2005-07-12T21:38:00.000-06:00

The most incredible day of our life

The Countdown is On

2005-07-11T21:15:00.000-06:00

22 days until the acreage is no longer ours.
This is such a load off our shoulders.
AND… in less than 22 days we are going to have our hot tub again. Boy did we ever miss it. Not during the summer months, I mean who wants to sit in hot water when they are already sweating. But in the winter months… oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about baby!!
Things are moving along quite swimmingly as far as details go. Things are falling into place. Details that go well make Estelle a happy girl :)

I Have a Personality

2005-07-07T21:34:00.000-06:00

Thanks to a link from Ryeshy's blog and 5-minutes of my time, you can now find out what kind of personality I may have...

From an Adaptation of the Myers-Briggs test:

INFJ

You're future-oriented, and direct your insight and inspiration towards understanding yourself and thereby, human nature...your work mirrors your integrity....reflects your inner ideals...solitude and a chance to concentrate thoroughly on what counts most is important to you...you like to quietly exert your influence...you have deeply felt compassion and desire harmony with others...you'll go to great lengths to avoid conflict...
You understand the complexities existing within people...you don't call a lot of attention to yourself...you like to let your accomplishments do your talking....you look for a small group of people who understand and appreciate you and hang with them....you're gentle and don't like violence...

You'd rather have a few close friends instead of be at a big party ...you'll do well in college as your "day in the sun" where your brains count more than they did in that ol' shallow high school...you want your work to contribute to the general good...
You have a strong love of learning...you get along well with teachers and older people...you write well 'cause you can formulate your ideas clearly... you have integrity and consistency....you don't like the "politics" at work.. you'd rather be able to talk honestly with people than "play games." (you still play games on the Storm Palace, but would rather post! :) )...intuitive insights into situations...

You're quiet yet persistent and determined in your efforts toward long-term goals....when you work toward your vision, you win cooperation rather than demand it...even if you don't lead others, you still facilitate things... leisure time usually is solitary or involves the company of others particularly important to you...you're perfectly happy just sitting around with close buds discussing feelings...you'd rather have longstanding friends than make many new acquaintences...these deep friendships are important to you, even though you may not share much about yourself...

You become attracted to someone special and prefer this one deep one over many superficial ones...this depth, though, is only partially communicated outwards...you like a regular "date", revisiting the place where you first met your mates, or doing other symbolic things that help to continue or confirm the existence of the bond.

You may have an ideal standard of the way love is...you're often disappointed when reality doesn't quite match up....you want to give love and be loved... you enter into relationships just to be cared for...when you meet the right person, though, you are quick to get involved with them and make it a serious one...

When you're scorned, you take it personally and retreat inward...you may obsess about the relationship and your role in the failure...you blame yourself for a failed relationship and might even need a period of mourning.

You should watch out for becoming blinded by the idealism of your visions or if you focus only on your ideas...this could make you ignore reality when it contradicts those lofty ideals...you could stay with a belief or commitment beyond what the facts would support (stubborn?)...you're loyal...

Also, you could lose out if you don't act assertively and are reluctant to intrude on others with your ideas...as a result, you could keep many important things to yourself...you'll then feel that your ideas are underestimated or unappreciated...maybe you should develop political saavy or assertiveness to sell your ideals...finally, you should be forthright with criticism of others...you're always doing the "If you can't say some- thing nice...." stuff. After you hold it inside, you'll blow up eventually.

INFJ: "Inner Nuances Fosters Journeys"

Ok, so it doesn't pin-point me exactly, but enough of it rang true.

2005-07-07T21:15:00.000-06:00

Dreaming of the mountians...

2005-07-07T21:09:00.000-06:00

Anderson - our 11 month old friend.

Full Moon

2005-07-06T15:48:00.000-06:00

What is it with a full moon changing up people's behaviour?!
Now you may think I'm crazy, but I really do think that it is true.
Tonight is a full moon, and you would not believe what kind of situations I had to deal with today.
And when I worked as a Teacher's Assistant at the High School in Outlook, I could totally tell from the mood in the school if it was full moon or not.
One of the girls that I work with now also has a job at Sasktel and she told me that all the crazy's call in on a full moon.

Remind me next full moon to bring an extra batch of chocolate to help me through the day :)

Friday's Feast (on Sunday)

2005-07-03T21:30:00.000-06:00

Well this will be a Sunday’s Feast, rather than a Friday’s Feast. It’s the long weekend and I am a little slow in getting around to anything.
My husband Jayson has done a Friday’s Feast this week, and it was so interesting, cause so many of our answers are so similar.

Appetizer
Where do you plan to go on vacation this year, or where would you want to go?

Jayson and I already spent our vacation time in Canmore and Calgary earlier in May of this year.
I hope we have the chance to get away again, as the year wears on, but we’ll see…
Ultimate vacation though – Europe. For me, I really want to experience England.

Soup
What color is your bedroom? If you could redecorate it, what would you change?

As Jayson explained, we’re renting. What you get is what you get. I am a HUGE lover of the red walls too. So far, since we’ve been married, we’ve lived in 4 different houses that have had a red room. 2 of these rooms have been at our own doing.
As for a dream bedroom, think deep walnut sleigh bed, with trim (4” baseboards, chair rail and crown moulding) in a matching wood. Lots of damask fabric in varying shades of tan and cream , with sage green accents. French country style (think Victorian without all the clutter).

Salad
Do you have a bumper sticker on your vehicle? What does it say?

Bumper Sticker… on our car? Uh-uh, no-way.

Main Course
What's the worst pain you've ever been in?

Thankfully I have never broken a bone, or ever had surgery. The worst is my sciatic joint that gives me pain from time to time (it’s a numbing pain down the my left
leg, like its fallen asleep and you can’t wake it up), but nothing that a little chiropractor work can’t help

If you want to hear about the worst pain that I have felt, well, let’s go out for coffee. Its more of a one-on-one conversation, than a few words posted on the internet.

Dessert
Who is your favorite celebrity? What do they do that inspires you?

Tom Hanks has always been a favourite of mine. He may not be the hottest chip in the bag, but does he ever know how to act. All I gotta say is “Forest Gump” - ‘nough said.

2005-07-02T19:36:00.000-06:00

Last weekend - a rainy bridge walk over the South Saskatchewan in Outlook

It's the Weekend!!!!!

2005-06-30T16:21:00.000-06:00

BBQs – Poker – Sleeping in (3 times in row!!) – Babysitting an amazing 10mnth old – Vegging with my honey – Maybe hitting a beach close by, if the weather permits – Watching movies late into the night – Tim Horton’s (are you tired of hearing that yet?) – ICE CREAM BARS (chocolaty dipped goodness) – Talking way to late into the night, but not caring cause there’s nothing pressing going on the next day…

These are a few of the things that I am looking forward to for our long weekend. With 10 minutes left at work, I’m bouncing in my seat already!

Fun In The Rain

2005-06-29T10:22:00.000-06:00

Here are some fun facts that I found on the Internet today:

From Environment Canada for today:

“HEAVY RAINFALL WARNING

Up to 60mm of rain is expected in a few localities.

A slow moving disturbance tracking across Southern Saskatchewan is bring heavy rainfall to portions of West Saskatchewan this morning. Heavy downpours are being reported in a few localities. At 8:00am the City of Saskatoon has already picked up 32mm of rain over the last 8 hours. Rainfall amounts are expected to be varied… up to 60mm under heavy downpours.”

From Saskatoon Soccer Association:

“Tuesday, June 28th: All games are cancelled tonight due to the weather and field conditions. Field conditions are danger to the player safety. Games will be rescheduled to a later date”

… this is when playing in the rain is NOT fun.

From City of Saskatoon:

“For Immediate Release: June 27, 2005
RIVER SAFETY UPDATE - SPADINA CRESCENT NOW OPEN TO TRAFFIC
The City of Saskatoon has opened Spadina Crescent from Ravine Drive to Pinehouse Drive to traffic. This section of the road had been closed since last week because the South Saskatchewan River had spilled over its bank and covered the road. The water has now receded from the road.”

They were forecasting that our river should start to recede today… all I have to say is “NOT” (now that’s a blast from my past:))

From Saskatchewan Watershed Authority:

“FLOOD WARNING - Saskatchewan River Basin – 3:00 p.m.
June 28, 2005

The headwaters of the South Saskatchewan River Basin are currently receiving some additional heavy rains. By the end of the day, Environment Canada is expecting between 20 – 80 mm of precipitation to fall in the headwaters. The heaviest rainfall is expected over the Bow and Highwood Rivers and upper areas of the Oldman River basin. Preliminary estimates suggest that peak inflows into Lake Diefenbaker could rise near the 2000 m3/s range again by the weekend. This event is expected to be lower than the last two events, where peak flows were in the 3600 m3/s and 2700 m3/s respectively.

Lake Diefenbaker was at 556.34 metres (m) at 2:00 p.m. June 28, which is about 0.5 m below the Full Supply Level. The discharge from Lake Diefenbaker was reduced to 1200 m3/s yesterday. Water levels in the Saskatoon area are expected to drop between 0.15 to 0.3 m by Thursday. This drop may alleviate some of the flooding of crop land, access roads and parklands along the South Saskatchewan River. With the additional rains in the headwaters, we will be updating our analysis over the next day, based on the expected inflows and will adjust the releases as required.”

Like I said… NOT.

2005-06-27T20:48:00.000-06:00

Foreboding horizon over the dam

2005-06-27T20:43:00.000-06:00

At the bottom of the spillway.

2005-06-27T20:42:00.000-06:00

Gardiner Dam at Lake Deifenbaker

Friday's Feast

2005-06-24T14:01:00.000-06:00

Well, dinner's on. I know that some have already eaten and even had time to wash their dishes, but I do like to have a bite to eat in the mid-afternoon...

Appetizer
What time do you usually wake up each day? If you could choose your wake-up time, when would it be?

I wake up at exactly 6:25am on weekdays (not a minute more, not a minute less). On a good weekend, we’ll wake up anytime after 11am (but of course, stay in bed for at least another hour).
And if I could rule the world, I’d probably wake up around 9:30am – 10am. There’s still time left in the morning, but I wouldn’t be so tired by the time evening rolls around.

Soup
When was the last time you bought groceries? What store did you go to? Name 3 things you purchased.

I bought groceries on Wednesday at the Extra Foods just done the street from my work.
What did I buy, you ask:
1. Salad Supplies (lettuce, orange & green peppers…). It was way to hot to cook anything in the oven that night.
2. Coffee Grounds. A must-keep-on-hand staple in our house.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar. An excellent rinse for my hair. Mix as 1 part to 3 parts water, and pour over wet hair before shampooing. All that product build-up, instantly gone. It has a strong smell though, so you probably should shower alone for this one:)

Salad
How many books have you read so far this year? Which was your favorite and why?

I know… I was book tagged by Wall, and I haven’t done it yet. I will… soon.

But the book that I have enjoyed the most this year is “A Generous Orthodoxy” by Brian McLaren. I know that I posted about it a few times.
It challenged my thinking so much, and confirmed what I was thinking, and caused me to do more thinking. This makes it a good book, in my mind.

Main Course
What is something you consider to be very elegant? In particular, what about that item/place/person conjures up the feeling of elegance?

To me, elegance is how someone carries themselves. It’s their poise and grace. It’s a confidence in themselves, but not arrogance. It’s not the clothes that make someone elegant, but rather their attitude and an aura of quiet maturity.

Dessert
Who taught you how to drive?

We lived on an acreage outside of town so it’s a combination:
My Oldest Brother Jason – He took me down the back grid roads, in his sprayed-painted black, station –wagon, with a beer-can attached to the hood.
My Dad – He let me drive the farm pick-up, to and from work. He let me drive as fast as I wanted. Or there was the time that he let me drive when I was 8 (and yes, on a road), but we won’t talk about that right now.
My Mom – She let me drive the 15-seater family van. She had her knuckles dug into the dashboard, and kept telling me that I shouldn’t drive so fast.

TV Commercials, Part 2

2005-06-23T11:41:00.000-06:00

Rant number 2 about annoying TV Commercials.
This one is about the images shown, that lead to discrimination or certain prejudices, even though the message spoken is not that at all.
There is a commercial that is playing right now for one of those charitable organizations that offer child sponsorship for third world countries. I am not going to say which one it is, as I do not want it boycotted because I believe that they are doing good, and I checked out their website and my issue is not present on the site, just on their commercial.
Here is my issue – throughout the duration of the commercial, they show pictures of children in need, but they only show black children. Now I went through their website and there are pictures of children from quite a few different races on there, as they are currently involved in 11 countries worldwide. But the commercial only shows that of black children with dirt on their faces, and tears in their eyes. I believe that this is instilling prejudices. That only this race is in need of help and live in poverty and have to live in harsh conditions beyond their control.
And guess what, when they showed the family that was sponsoring a child – they were white..
I’ll bet that they did not intend to come across like this. But they did. And this message is being aired.
Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe that children like the ones they showed do need help. But I also know someone who sponsors a child who has fair skin and red hair. And I know that he is not the only fair-skinned kid living in a third-world country. I’ll even go so far as to say that I bet he has family, and that his family has family… get what I’m trying to say. They/we need to stop portraying these children with discrimination.
Don’t just go for the emotional card, to elicit donations. Make sure you double check what message it is that you are sending. We are watching.

Crazy, Crazy, Crazy

2005-06-22T17:39:00.000-06:00

What is with this crazy weather? Has anyone else here seen “The Day After Tomorrow”? Sound familiar much?
The only thing with that movie, is that Canada is quickly obliterated by the elements. Or were we… maybe we just survived in our igloos that of course we live in all the time. Man, what I would give to sit my igloo today, eh.

The talk of the town, here in Saskatoon, is how high the river is and which roads have been closed due to flooding, or close calls. And we’re not anywhere close to what southern Alberta is experiencing. Last week I was talking to a farmer in a small town just south of the city. I asked him if this was a good thing, and he said that he really hated to complain, but it is TOO much rain. Some of the fields that he had already seeded are completely under water and won’t be growing much this time round.
All I know is that our lawn is acting like its on steroids.

TV Commercials

2005-06-21T17:26:00.000-06:00

Do you what really annoys me?
Commercials on TV.
Now, I know that these annoy most everyone, but I sometimes feel exceptionally annoyed by them. And their inconsistencies. And the messages that they are sending.
Ok, first for a stupid one. It was a commercial for Nestle's Drumstick ice cream cones. For the majority of the time, it showed a bunch of young and beautiful men and women (in bikinis of course) playing chicken fight in the ocean. Just a few shots of them actually eating the ice cream. Who eats ice cream cones while swimming anyways?!
Ok, more on this later...

Friday's Feast

2005-06-17T14:14:00.000-06:00

I was graciously invited to feast this week, and so I think I will...

Appetizer
What's one word or phrase that you use a lot?
“Good Morning MicroAge Service, Estelle speaking.”
Or
“So I got this great deal on a ______ , they practically paid me to get it!”

Soup
Name something you always seem to put off until the last minute.
Making supper on Friday, if it’s been a long and busy week. Hmmm… delivery.

Salad
What was the last great bumper sticker you saw?
I hate bumper stickers. Very tacky, so none of them are ‘great’ in my mind.

Main Course
If you could be invisible for one day, how would you spend your time?
People watching, but not in a creepy or stalker-like way. I just love to people watch. Watching their facial expressions, their reactions to others, guessing what their story is, that sort of thing.
OR
I’d sprinkle invisible-dust on Jayson too, and we could tour around Europe, cause if we’re invisible, then it’s completely possible that we could tele-port too. So much fun to be had.

Dessert
Describe your hair.
Naturally blonde (but I do use some helps, to keep it looking fresh) and quite long. You know what, why don’t I just post a picture instead…

This is my school picture from last fall, when I was working as Admin Assistant at LCBI.

Creative Juices

2005-06-15T14:33:00.000-06:00

Yesterday evening I had an amazing time doing some faux painting with a friend (while sharing some Timmies, of course!). We tried our hand at creating an ocean. They are in the process of turning their boys’ bedroom walls into this incredible space - with elephants, zebras, lions, trees, starfish, ships, and of course, an ocean. We kind of made up our own technique, but it closely resembled the ‘ragging on’ style. It was a lot of fun. I love that sort of thing. After, we sat back and relaxed a while, and talked more of decorating and faux finishes. It really got my creative juices flowing. I went to bed with dreams of old-world style, parchment-like walls dancing through my head.
I did get to try my hand at some faux-finishing in our house near Outlook. I don't really like the whole prepping the room thing (filling in the holes, washing the walls, etc…), but I love it when we get to the painting part. And with faux finishes you can become so creative, and most often it’s an original. You can follow a technique, but with the colors you choose, and just how you do it brings out such different results.
I left my Debbie Travis’ Painted House book with my friend. Time to spread some faux-finishing-love around!

Pat's Posting!

2005-06-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

Pat Williams has started posting!
Check her out here.

2005-06-13T19:43:00.000-06:00

The bridge in Outlook

Friday's Feast

2005-06-10T14:29:00.000-06:00

I was trying to think of a way to share more of my thoughts and life on here, and I think that I will give Friday's Feast a try (kudos to Jeremy for the idea, as I always enjoy reading his answers every week)

Appetizer
Name one thing that made you sad this week.
Reading about and seeing photos of the discrimination that happened during the Holocaust, at the Anne Frank in the World Exhibit that we went to on Monday.

Soup
What was the last object (not person) you took a picture of?
I think that it was the face craved into one of the stumps in our front yard. Maybe I'll have to post that later. It's pretty cool.

Salad
Who do you talk to when you need help in making a decision?
definitely Jayson. Most of my decisions effect him too.

Main Course
If you were a weather event, what would you be, and why?
I would be a light, warm spring rain. Most everyone welcomes a spring rain, and I hate being the overpowering, forceful type. When the rain is warm, you're encouraged to linger a while, and you aren't driven indoors to escape from it. A spring rain can be helpful, if there at the right times!

Dessert
Suggest a website that you think your readers would enjoy visiting.
Allrecipes.com - I go here all the time for any recipe I need. And I only print off 4 or 5 star recipes.

2005-06-08T21:57:00.000-06:00

Calgary Moms, now don't get any ideas!

Anne Frank & I

2005-06-07T21:10:00.000-06:00

Yesterday evening was intense. I'm really glad we went. I learned so much, and felt even more. Some I already knew (I read most of the way through "Diary of Anne Frank" as a young teenager), but there was a lot I didn't know. The exhibit did tell the story of Anne Frank, but also told of many other things that happened during the Holocaust. The discrimination and racism extended beyond the Jewish nation, and onto those who didn't fit into the "white supremacy" mold that the Nazi's had. According to Wikipedia "Other groups deemed "undesirable", especially Slavs (Poles, Russians and others), Rroma (or Roma), Sinti, the mentally or physically disabled, gay men, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, and political dissidents, were also persecuted and murdered. Taking all these other groups into account, the total death toll rises considerably. Estimates place the total number of Holocaust victims at up to 26 million men, women, and children, although the number 11 million is usually held as more reliable." They have estimated that the number of Jewish victims is around 6 million.
There was a picture of a girl. She was being held up by her head/ears from an adult who was behind her. She was mentally disabled, and they had stripped her naked. The caption read that this picture was taken just moments before they choose to kill her.
She was just a child. And she was murdered only because she was handicapped.
After working with mentally and physically disabled children in Outlook for a few years, I am very sensitive to these things. There is little that outrages me more. But the propaganda of the time was that 'these' people were taking up the precious resourses of the 'regular' people. ARRGGGHHH!!!

The thing that really hit me hard, is the fact that the Holocaust may be over, but the discrimination hasn't stopped. It is such a real part of our everyday life. And it's not just discrimination against Jews, its discrimination against anyone who isn't like 'us'. I live alongside people who think it is ok to spit out racial slurs against the First Nations family that lives next door. My boss in Calgary was a Muslim, and after 9/11, he was fearful for the safety of his wife and 3 small children. I have friends in the city whose beautiful blonde children are called f****** white kids, and only because they are caucasian.
When will it ever stop?

Exhibit Tonight

2005-06-06T15:19:00.000-06:00

Jayson and I are planning on going to the Anne Frank In The World 1929 - 1945 exhibit at Diefenbaker Canada Centre tonight.
I'm looking forward to learning more, and for the boundaries of my current knowledge to be expanded. I'd encourage those who live here in Saskatoon to check it out too. It's running until the end of June, with free admission. There is a disclaimer though, that this exhibit is intended for audiences 10 years of age and over.
Link

All In The Family

2005-06-03T10:34:00.000-06:00

I had an interesting conversation yesterday with one of my co-workers at lunch yesterday. We were talking about families and divorce. My co-worker made a comment about something that I hadn’t really thought about. He said that with the increasing rate of divorce, re-marriages, and couples having children with each new partner that soon some people will end up marrying a close blood relation and not even realize it. I can totally see it happening though. It seems that a lot of people have kids once they get married, or move into a long-term committed relationship, even if they have children from a previous relationship. And then there are those who don’t even keep their scattered children in contact with them. And we won’t even get into all the unplanned pregnancies, with people who never make it to a committed relationship.

If I were to make an uneducated guess, I would say that over half of the people who read my blog have parents who are divorced, or have half-blood siblings. And if I were to make another uneducated guess (how scientific am I?!), I would say that everyone who reads this has a divorce in their close family (a sibling, aunt, uncle, grandparent). It’s a very real part of our lives. I have realized how unusual I have it. My parents have only ever been married to each other, and they are still married after almost 35 years of marriage. I do have adopted siblings in my family, but all of my other brothers and sisters are ‘full-blooded’ siblings (is that the term you would use?), and I have 10 siblings! But my close family is not free of divorce.

Maybe it’s time to research your family tree… you never know where you may find a long lost brother or sister.

Blessed Be Your Name

2005-06-01T15:30:00.000-06:00

So I have had this song rolling around in my head for 3 weeks now (ever since we got back from the Minister’s Retreat). Well, I haven’t been humming the whole song ‘cause I only know a few of the lyrics, but rather just the same 2 lines, over and over (don’t you just love it when that happens?!)
I thought that I would share it with you, so that you can sit there and hum it with me (or you could even sing it, if you are so blessed with being able to carry a tune)
It was written by Matt Redman, but has since been done by Newsboys, Rebecca St. James, Kathryn Scott, and tree63.
The chords sheet for it can be found here

Blessed Be Your Name
Written by Beth Redman & Matt Redman

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to stay
Well Blessed be your name

Miss Universe Contest

2005-05-31T16:00:00.000-06:00

Stumbled across this today, as it was the ‘Top News” on MSN.CA. It was kinda weird, as I haven’t really seen much to do with the “Miss Universe” pageant in years, maybe even within the last decade. But there it was. I used to love watching the pageant when I was younger. I would pick my favorite contestant, and then sit through the hours of these girls being paraded around like the sex-symbols that they are made out to be. All so tall, thin, and tanned, with shining white teeth.

It now grates against so much of what I believe in and value. Apparently it was shown “before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 600 hundred million in over 180 countries”. So more than 600 hundred million people in over 180 countries were subjected to a very distorted view of what a beautiful woman is. I took a look at a few of the different contestants, and you know what, not one of them was wearing glasses, or had stretch marks from bearing a child (thank-you swimsuit category), or could have been bigger than a size 6 (and that was the ‘larger’ women on the show!), or were over the age of 28. And I can only guess at how many of the people watching were young girls or teenagers, who have been given the message that only this is beauty. And it’s a crying shame! We live in a harsh enough culture that we don’t need to narrow down the description of beauty to such a minuscule description (no pun intended!). And I won’t even go into the topic of the young, teenage boys who may have watched the show, and the distorted view they’ll probably get of what a beautiful woman looks like.
I have been appreciating Dove, and their “Campaign for Real Beauty”. Different ones of their advertisements, commercials, and billboards feature real, honest-to-goodness women of all ages, sizes and race. And they are beautiful. Dove quotes research from “The Real Truth About Beauty: A Global Report”:
“A Global Report uncovers startling information about how women physically perceive and define their look. Supporting the current and narrow definition of beauty, the respondents are hesitant to claim ownership of the word "beauty," with more than 40 percent strongly agreeing that they do not feel comfortable describing themselves as beautiful.
Furthermore, only five percent feel comfortable describing themselves as pretty and a mere nine percent feel comfortable describing themselves as attractive. Additionally, just 13 percent of women say they are very satisfied with their beauty; 12 percent say they are very satisfied with their physical attractiveness; 17 percent are very satisfied with their facial attractiveness; and only 13 percent are very satisfied with their body weight and shape. In fact, in a society captivated by diet and makeover programs, a third of women around the world are very or somewhat dissatisfied with their body weight.”

They then go on to say

“Respondents said they felt pressure to try and be that "perfect" picture of beauty:
Sixty-three percent strongly agree that women today are expected to be more attractive than their mother's generation.
Sixty percent strongly agree that society expects women to enhance their physical attractiveness.
Forty-five percent of women feel women who are more beautiful have greater opportunities in life.
More than half (59%) strongly agree that physically attractive women are more valued by men.”

This isn’t right. We need to step up and start saying something loud enough for others to hear.

Awesome Weekend!

2005-05-30T10:31:00.000-06:00

I think that I may even get this out before Jayson this time. I find that’s what happens when you have two bloggers from one house. Not that it’s a bad thing to repeat each other, but I know that most of those who read my blog also read Jayson’s, so I try to give a different spin on what’s going on.
Anyhoo… we had a tonne of fun. Lots of conversations, coffee, conversations, poker, food, conversations, meeting new people, conversations, creating car-line-ups (I think it is aka “car’lups”) and thanks Thorin for letting me join you in this, worshiping together in a livingroom, getting our first sunburns of the season (and hopefully our last!), chilling out with my best friend (ok, we made-out for a while too), late evening neighborhood tours, and a bunch of other stuff.
And if I feel so inspired, I’ll write more on this later.