Phew! It's Over

Well, we survived the Christmas chaos here in the Goerzen home.  It was wonderful and great and exhausting and overwhelming and wonderful.  You know? 

I found my heart being so full, as I prepared for Christmas this year.  I kept meditating on, "God with us....God with me...."  And so He was, and is.

As I prepared dinner for the ones I love, and watched them open presents, I was so incredibly thankful.  Not for the presents under the tree, or the food on the table (although that was fabulous, if I might say), but for the people around the room.  People whom I adore.  People whom I have laid down my life, my selfish desires, my wants, for.  People who bring me such joy and blessings, people who make me want to be a better person.  My people.  My family.

Now, the decorations are down, the house is clean(er), and the quiet(er) is here.  And I am sad.  And happy.  And thankful.  And tired.  And ready for what the New Year will bring.  Are you?

Happy New Year, friends. 

Immanuel

Well, Christmas is coming....sooner rather than later.... and I feel behind the eight ball this year.  My presents are not quite all bought yet, and definitely not wrapped.  My grocery lists aren't made, and my baking is not done.... definitely not ready.

And yet, it's okay.  This week has been filled with hard things in the lives of family and friends.... kids who are sick and need medicine that cannot be provided, children dying senselessly, health issues abounding, financial struggles of dear ones....

And I need to remember, Jesus has come.  To be the Saviour of the World.  And to make it more personal, to be MY Saviour.  MY help in times of trouble.  MY rock, when things are rough. 

....the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means "God with us"....   (Matthew 1:23)

This year, I am celebrating the season of "God with us".  God with us when things are good, bad, and ugly.  God with us when I am rejoicing or grieving.  Full of joy, or full of sorrow.  Immanuel.  God with us. 

My prayer for you, my friends, is that you too will be filled with knowing of God with us. 

Merry Christmas. 

Immanuel.

Sisters

Yesterday, the little Girls were enjoying an afternoon snack.  Molly had cut up some apples for them to have with peanut butter, and they also had a gingersnap.  I was working in the kitchen, and glanced over to see them like this.  They were chatting and giggling and just enjoying each other's company.  I don't think they even noticed me taking this picture, they were so engrossed in their own little world. 

 

 

I feel so blessed that these Girls will have each other, and hopefully, they'll continue to be the best of friends throughout their lives.  As I see my little ladies grow up, I almost feel a bit jealous of them....wishing that I had all these sisters myself... Oh my, do I ever love my Girls!

Taking Time

The other day, I was sitting at the kitchen table, getting caught up on some paperwork.  I glanced outside, and was greeted by this beautiful view...

...the sun was setting, the lights of the tree were warm.... it was beautiful.  And, to top it off, it was +1 C, so the Girls were outside playing!  I could hear their laughter from inside the house.  So often, I get caught up in the day to day work of running a household, and I forget to take some time to smell the roses, so to speak.  And then, when I do, it seems almost bittersweet.  I love these days of Girls laughter, rosy cheeks, and bright eyes from being outside.  The days of wet clothes laying everywhere once they come in, mitts piled two high on top of the heat register so they're toasty warm and dry for the next outside adventure.  The endless chatter and giggling and singing....and I know that one day, I will miss this season dearly.  So today, I'm remembering....to enjoy this season. 



Grandpa's Caramel Corn

When I was a little girl, my grandparents all lived in Manitoba.  Every summer, and often at Christmas, we'd load up the car and drive out to visit them.  My Mom's parents farmed out there, and my Dad's parents lived in town.  My Grandpa on my Dad's side was known by his family for 2 things.  The first was his oatmeal.  Every morning, he'd have oatmeal for breakfast.  IF you were lucky enough to wake up in time to have oatmeal with him, he'd let you put on as much brown sugar as you wanted.  That was a huge treat!  The second thing my grandpa was know for, was the maker of caramel corn.  I think every time we went to visit, he'd always send us home with his caramel corn.  It was a huge treat, and highlight of the visit.  Later on in his life, he had cancer, but I remember hearing stories of him being in the hospital, and when he was released, he made caramel corn for the nurses who took care of him while he was in the hospital.

 

Every Christmas, I haul up the hot air popper, and make some of my Grandpa's caramel corn.  I don't know why this only happens at Christmas, frankly.... but that's the way she goes.  Perhaps this year, I'll make it in the Spring too, just to take a walk on the wild side!

 

Last night, while the Girls were decorating their little Christmas trees, I thought I'd make this special treat.

 

Here's the recipe:

 

Grandpa's Caramel Corn

 

Pop 2 pails (ice cream pails, that is) of popcorn

 

In a pot, combine

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1 c. butter

 

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.  DO NOT STIR!  Add the following:

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

 

 

Stir and pour over the popcorn, mixing gently until covered.  Spread the covered popcorn on cookie sheets and bake at 200F for 1 hr.

 

After it's done baking, I let it cool a bit and store it in ice cream pails in the freezer.  I find that if I "hide" it in the freezer, it lasts more than 2 days.... if I'm lucky.

 

It's hard to have this yumminess sitting on the counter without munching at it a bit, so last night, only about a pail and a half made it to the freezer.  Oh well, I suppose it's better than nothing! 

 

 

Really, Mom? Really?

The  Day has come.  It's a day that I knew would come, however, I thought that it would be further into the future... But alas.  It is here.  And it's official:  My kids are smarter than me.

I have memories of a child of me telling my mother, numerous times, how to set the timer on the VCR.  She would want to tape something, and didn't quite remember how to do it.  So she would ask me.  And in my child-mind, I would think, "Really Mom?  Really?  This isn't rocket science...."  And I am positive that my Girls now think the same about me.

We were driving home from Montana, and once we hit Calgary, it started to get cold.  Like, really cold.  -20C cold.  And the back windows on the van had totally fogged up, and were, in fact, iced up.  The Girls couldn't see a darn thing through them.  Art and I had tried everything to get them clear, and I think the Girls were having trouble breathing, it got so dang hot back there.  But, to no avail.  Finally, Molly pipes up, "Mom, if you would just take the lock off, I'm sure I'll be able to fix it."

Art and I look at each other knowingly...."Mmmm hmmm, ya right.  You go for it Molly.... I'm sure you know best" (not sarcastic. at all.  After all, don't all 7 yr. olds know everything about vans?)

Molly fiddles with her knob back there, and wonder of all wonders, within 5 minutes, the windows are clear and dry.  And I think to myself, "Really?  Really Teresa?  This surely isn't rocket science...."

Let me tell you friends, this is only one of the many ways my Girls are smarter than me.  Hannah knows how to turn on those smiley faces on my phone (I think they're called emojicons?).  I have no idea.  Abby knows all the shortcuts on the remote for the tv.  I have no idea.  Even Ellie Mae, who's 5, can beat me at games on my iPhone.   "Really Mom?  Really?   I know this isn't rocket science...."

Ahh, the circle of life.  Isn't it a bugger?!

Home is Best

We just got back from a quick jaunt down to Montana for a long weekend.  It was so great to get away for the weekend to relax....and shop.... and swim..... and eat!

We left on Thursday morning and drove the whole day in heavy fog until just before Great Falls.  Unfortunately, we missed out seeing all the scenery because of the crazy fog.  We arrived just before dinner, got checked into our hotel and had some dinner before hitting the pool for the rest of the evening.  The Girls were thrilled because the pool was empty, so they had it to themselves.  Truth be told, I was thrilled too!

Friday morning, we headed over to the CM Russell Museum with our own, personal guide for the whole morning, provided for us from the museum free of charge because we are homeschoolers.  Yay for us!  The tour guide was a wonderful, 85 year old, spunky lady who was a wealth of information!  She graciously shared much of her knowledge with us, and I really had no idea that Russell was so famous.  He was the highest paid artist of his time, and has a huge painting in the state capital building in Helena, among other places, as well as over 4500 other paintings.  He loved the West, and the cowboy lifestyle, and most of his paintings have a white horse in them, as well as something red.  One painting that was in the museum was bought from the Elks a few years ago, whom he was a member of.  They were going to auction it off, but ended up selling it to the museum for $1,100,000!  It look them a year to raise the money, and over 2000 people donated to enable them to buy the painting.  It was absolutely stunning!  Ellie Mae had my camera throughout the museum, so I have many pictures to remember the day....none of them in focus, of course.  Here is one that Art took outside the museum of us girls....

Of course, we did a fair amount of shopping while we were down there.  We drove to Helena one day (just over an hour south of Great Falls) to hit the Costco and Murdoch's (a new store for us that we were recently turned on to), and hit the usual stores in Great Falls - Big R, Target.  I also did a bunch of online shopping on Black Friday, before we left, and that was all waiting at the hotel for us when we got there.  We went and hung out at the grocery store a bit too, simply because I love walking the aisles and seeing the selection of (junk) food that we are not privy to here in the Great, White North. 

 

One of the best parts of going away is not having to cook dinner every night, so we enjoyed a few nights of pizza by the poolside, as well as another favorite, Sonic, and our old faithful while in Great Falls....Chilli's. 

 

As much as going away is so great, I sure do appreciate getting home again.  Back in the land of the freezing cold (did I mention that it was 30 degrees warmer in MT than it was at home?!), where everyone has their own bedrooms.... (or lets be honest, Art and I have our own bedroom); where I can be reassured that if we get in an accident, it won't cost us $100,000 to go to the hospital; and I pay way more for my home and food to eat and clothes on my back.... home is best. 

 

Nativity Sets

I have always loved Nativity Sets.  I try and look for unusual ones, and always say that I'd like to collect them.  I think I have about 4, so I guess I'm on my way....

 

Every year, when we set out the nativity set, we take some time to read the real story to the Girls while we set it all up.  It's a tradition that I've really come to enjoy.

 

This year, we picked up a new nativity set.  It's different than any other ones I have, and I absolutely adore it.   After we set up the first set, we told the Girls that they could put this one together, but then they'd have to tell the story back to us.  The thing I love about this set is that I'm not afraid that they're going to break it....because it's Playmobil!!  It's so cool!  There's even little gold coins to put in the urns for the wise man, a mouse for the in the stables.... Have I mentioned that I love it!  My only regret is that we didn't get it sooner....

Big Days for Little Girls

We've had a few little ladies here with Big Days. 

 

First of all, Molly's been talking about a loose tooth for oh, about 2 years.  Every once in a while, the topic comes us, and she remarks, "Well, I have a loose tooth...."  And then we all promptly forget about it. 

 Sunday night, this topic, once again, came up, with the typical, "Well, I have a loose tooth...." 

 

Uh huh.  Yup, sure.  Right-O.  Apparently, this time, she wasn't kidding.  Monday morning, during breakfast, she (finally) lost her first tooth!  I was in the shower, and up she came, looking just a little bit pale and a little bit shaky, holding her little baby tooth in her hand...."Mom!  Guess what?!  I just lost my first tooth!  Umm....what do I do now?!" 

 

Thankfully, she has a bigger sister who just loves to take care of, and get into everybodies business.  While Molly was talking to me, Abby was scurrying about, getting toilet paper to put the tooth in, getting the Tooth Fairy pillow.... And all was well.  This 7 yr. old is pretty excited to have finally lost a tooth!

 

Secondly, Ellie Mae has been talking and talking about getting her ears pierced.  For quite some time.  And every time the subject comes up, we say, "Oh sure.....maybe next time when we're in the city we can take you to get it done..."

 

Monday, the older 3 Girls were at a writing workshop, so I decided to finally take Ellie Mae in to get the deed done. 

 

She was fairly quiet on the way in and when we got to the store, she quietly picked out her earrings.  She quietly hopped onto the high chair to sit while they marked the spots, and kazam!  It was done!  She didn't want to look in the mirror to see how they looked, but instead, cuddled for a few minutes.  Then, we had to go and celebrate with hot chocolate and a cookie! 

 

She didn't want to tell her older sisters, but instead, "See if they notice..", which Hannah did at lunch time.  Ellie Mae proudly showed off her new earrings to her sisters, beaming with pride while saying, "I didn't cry as much as Molly did..."

Christmas Is Coming!

 

This week, it looked like a bomb went off in my house; like a tornado hit it; like Christmas up and puked. all. over. my. house.

 

It started last Friday, when I took down my fall decorations, and brought up the Christmas bins....

 

 

Saturday, we spent a few hours (yup, you read that right!) putting together one of our Christmas trees.  Every single branch needs to be fluffed and put into the tree.  It crazy, because our Girls really do enjoy the process, and I keep thinking to myself, "This is 3 hours of my life that I can never get back!".  But whatevs.... it ended up looking great!

 

Our other tree, which is pre-lit, and several years old, when we went to plug that little sucker in, 3/4's of the lights were burnt out, and we had no way to figure out how to get them working again.  So, again, Art spent probably 5 hours taking each light, which was zip tied, off the tree.  It's a good think I'm married to such a patient man, who loves me very, very much!

 

Finally, on Friday, we finished mostly everything.  The trees and garlands are put up, candles put out.... the only thing that needs to be done is the nativity sets need to be done, which we will do as a family this weekend. 

 

It seemed like quite a bit of work this year, but I (mostly) loved doing it (well, not dealing with the trees, but that's ok, that's what Art is for!)

 

And so, it seems, that Christmas is in the air.  Now, if only I had my shopping done....

Perseverance Pays Off

The other day, I woke up with a wicked bad headache.  The kind of headache that leaves you wanting to crawl out of your skin.... your eyes hurt, you feel nauseous.... you know the kind.  I felt terrible!  I asked Art to tell The Girls to get started on school, and I would be down in a little while.

Thankfully, I fell asleep for a while.  When I woke up, Abby came into my room.  She whispered in my ear, "How are you feeling, Mom?"

"Rotten," I replied.

"Just stay in bed," she said.  "Hannah is doing laundry, the little girls are doing the chickens, and we're all working on our school... Can I do anything for you?"

Let me tell you, friends....I almost started weeping.  I was so thankful that these little Ladies are growing up to be helpful, compassionate young girls.  When they were really little, I remember times when Art would come home, and ask how my day was.  And I would say, "Frustrating!  It feels like all I did, all day long, was say "NO!" and spank their little hands or bottoms, trying to train them..." 

Thankfully, those days of such intensive training (in that way) are gone.  And we are now enjoying some of the fruits of our labour.....perseverance has paid off...  And I rejoice!

If you are in that season, remember, this too shall pass.  If you keep on, keeping on; being faithful and working hard, training their little minds and spirits, you will one day be thankful that you did.   And then, you can sit on your butt with me and eat bonbons.  all.  day.  long.

The Heavens

Last night, Art had to pop back into his office for a few minutes.  When he got home, he came running in the house....beckoning me to come outside. 

"The northern lights!" he exclaimed... and I knew.

So, over my jammies, I through on a jacket and my bogs, and trudged out into the cold, white night.  And I looked up.  And was in awe....

I went in and grabbed the 2 older girls, telling them to come outside.... and they looked up.  And were in awe....

I can't even begin to describe the beauty associated with watching the northern lights, bright green, dance all over the autumn sky.  The Girls, of course, wanted to take a picture, but I knew my skills wouldn't be able to capture such a moment.

Art and the Girls headed inside, and I stayed out for a moment longer....looking, watching, admiring.... And I was struck by how this amazing God that we serve, makes the skies come alive at night, for what purpose.  For me?  To see?  To be amazed?

The Girls asked me this morning, "If people don't believe in God, how can they see the Northern Lights and not think that He's real?"

And I have no answer.  But this I know....

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hand. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 

They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 

Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world...."

Ps. 19:1-4

Life School

This week, I decided that instead of doing "book school", we were going to do "life school".  My parents came in last Sunday night, so I knew the week would be full.  Very full.  And so it was....

 

My Mom brought us a whole schwack of apples from the Okanagon, including some baking apples, so we had to make up a few pans of apple platz!

 

Then, we had crazy amounts of snow..... (13 inches, I think!)

 

Which was beautiful, but it meant that we had to cancel some plans and have a couple of snow days!  Nana had brought some princess dresses for the Girls, so they had a tea party, complete with scones and hot chocolate.  They thought that was wonderfully fun!

 

 

All the while, the Girls continued to practice for the Canadian Dummy Roping Championship that was taking place at Farm Fair this week.

 

We ended up at Farm Fair a few days, and although we didn't have a chance to take in the CFR like we did last year, we did make it to watch some team penning, which was quite fun, as well as the Ranch Rodeo.

 

Finally, the Big Day....competition day!  Abby and Molly were quite nervous.  They started out the day by practicing roping out in the shop for about an hour.... in their pajama's.  I told them they had to practice with their hats, so they were quite the sight....

 

 

In the afternoon, we headed out to Farm Fair once again for the event.  We got there extra early so they could get some more practice in, and get a feel for where it would be taking place.  They were quite nervous, and rightly so.... I figured there was at least 300 spectators watching!  Molly's age category was second up, after watching the boys 5 and under - boy, were they ever cute! 

 

 

Each competitor takes 3 throws, and depending on how everyone does, they continue to rope off until they've placed everyone.  Molly missed all 3 throws, so she tied for 7th.  Then there was another boys category, and then Abby's category.  I'm not gonna lie - watching those girls practice, I thought that she wouldn't place.  However, I don't know if it was nerves or what, but she roped 2 of her 3 throws, and continued to catch until she ended up in 3rd place.  3RD PLACE!!  We were very, very proud of her her, and definitely surprised!  She won a nice halter with a leather nose band which has 2012 Canadian Dummy Roping Championship embroidered on it, and let me tell you friends, she wore that halter on her shoulder for the rest of the day like a badge of honor! 

 

 

What a great event it was, they had members from the Canadian Team Roping team on hand to help with ropes, give some tips, hand out prizes, as well as judge the event.  They had an MC, the rodeo princesses came to say hello....and parents and friends all cheered for our kids.  It was fabulous!  They said that this was their biggest event to date, with 76 competitors on hand. 

 

So there you have it... a great, exciting, busy, fun week of life school. 

 

And now, tomorrow, it's back to the book school....

Productivity

I find at times that one of the (many) hard parts of being a stay at home Mom is that I don't often feel very productive.  Sure, I'm busy... all day long....doing....something.  My house is (somewhat) clean, we're all (somewhat) fed and clothed, yet it seems like I have nothing to show for all my work.  Nothing really, well, tangible.  We all know that as soon as the house is clean, the very next minute, it's well on it's way to being dirty again; and as soon as we're done eating, well, it's time to clean up and think about the next meal.  And this goes on, and on, and on.... Oh, the monotony can bog me down and get me in a bit of a funk!

 

However, today, I have something to show for my morning.  I feel somewhat productive!  After a quick trip to town first thing this morning for a doctor's appointment in the crazy, freezing rain, we made it home (in one piece, thankfully!), only to see the rain turn to snow.  We had plans to go into the city this afternoon, but I figure the roads are gonna be an ice rink, so, we decided to stay home.  And make jam. 

 

We ran out a couple of days ago, and you'd think it was the end of the world, with all the complaining and whining (mainly from Art!) that we were out.  So, 22 lbs. of sugar later, we finished up 8 batches.  I think we ended up with 21 jars, so I am hoping that this jam will last us a month or two... The other benefit to getting all these raspberries out of my freezer?  I can almost see the bottom of my freezer.  It's been a while, let me tell you.

 

 

Keep safe on the roads, and warm in your homes, friends.   Now, I'm off to make some biscuits (only to be eaten right away) to go with that jam!

The Girl Turns 10

The Girl turns 10 today.  The Girl who isn't my oldest.  And I cannot believe that this girl, who was once a screaming, terribly unhappy baby, is in the double digits.  The Girl who has an unnaturally strong faith;  who hears God speak to her; who laughs and cries with everyone she loves; who hugs people she barely knows because she feels what they are saying; who talks.  and talks.  and talks;  Yes, this Girl, is turning 10.  And I think to myself, "How did this happen?!  How can she be 10?!"

 

 

 

The Girl who was prayed for incessantly when she was still in my tummy; who befuddled all the doctors and specialists, because they didn't know what was 'wrong' with her; the Girl who was born a pound and a half bigger than she was expected to (and hey, when you're only 4 lbs., that's a big deal!); the Girl who loves to serve others. Yes, this one. This Girl is turning 10. And I think to myself, "Where has the time gone?!"

This Girl, who I love to listen when she prays, because she has such...insight;  And I love to listen to her giggle, because it's a bit infectious - especially when her eyes start to water; and I (sometimes) love to listen to her talk.  and talk.  and talk.... because every once in a while, in the midst of all.  that.  talking....  I get to hear her faith.  This little Girl is turning 10.  Today.  And I think to myself, "Oh God, Thank you.  Thank you for the miracle of her little life, and how she has changed our lives."  And so, I say, Happy Birthday, Abigail Grace.

 

Not Much To Say

Those of you who know me "in real life" may find the title of this blog post to be a small miracle.... Me?  With not much to say?  Is that really possible?  Well friends, it's true.  I was talking with a girlfriend today, and she asked me what was new with us. 

 

"Not much..." was my reply.  And really, I find myself these days with not much to say.  We've settled in nicely to the fall routine.  I find that our days are full, but (not usually) too full.  Life is always going to be full during this season, with 4 Girls at home.  But it's all good.  I feel like I have some good balance going on these days.... I'm feeling happy with our routine, I'm in a good space with my mental stability (in the past, some days, it felt like I was on the edge of losing my sanity....), and all's quiet on the western front. 

 

Truth be told, this could all change in an instant, but for now?  Not much to say. 

 

And quite frankly....I like it!

 

Have a happy Monday, friends! 

A Hitchhiker

The other night, we had my cousin and her daughter, who were visiting from Winnipeg, over for dinner.  Along with them, we had a mutual friend and her husband and kids come as well.  We enjoyed a dinner and short visit before it was time for kids to go to bed.

 

About 20 minutes after they left, I got a phone call from them.  I immediately asked, "Oh no....what did you forget?"

 

My friends reply...."It's not what we forgot...it's what you forgot!"

 

"What?  What do you mean?" I asked.

 

It turns out, they were almost back into the city when my cousin felt something at her feet....playing with her feet.  She told the driver of the van, who I don't think really believed her, but pulled over anyway.  It turns out, our kitten had snuck into their van and tried to adopt a new family... he tried to hitchhike into the city with them.  I guess our lives aren't exciting enough, and he wanted to see the world a little bit....

 

I can certainly imagine that if it was me, sitting in the back of the van, feeling something playing with my feet, I would be screaming my head off! 

 

We all had a good chuckle, Art met them half way to pick up the crazy kitten, and they were off again.  I'm thankful they figured out the cat was with them before they got home, about 45 minutes away!

500

I noticed, when I went to post today, that this will be my 500th post.  I can hardly believe it! 

 

At times, I think to myself, "Why put all this useless drivel out there?!"  But on other days, I take a moment to look back over the last few years, and this little blog has served as a sort of diary.  And since I'm not really that diligent in keeping other records, I like that I have something to look back on.... something to watch how things have changed, and our Girls have grown over the last several years.

 

And so, the drivel will continue...

 

I first started this blog as a way for family and friends who we don't live close by to have regularly updated pictures of the Girls, and to hear what's going on in our lives.  And so, in that, it has served it's purpose well.  I know that a few of my family members regularly raid this blog of it's pictures... mission accomplished!

 

The unexpected has also happened:  I've made a few friends via this blog. 

 

And that, has been truly wonderful.

 

Here's to another 500 posts...

 

...and boring y'all of all the craziness that goes on in our home and in my head. 

The Weekend....Finally!

Well, I finished the day out yesterday and went to bed early.  I got my beauty rest in, so scary Mom didn't make an appearance this morning.  Yay for everyone! 

 

Hannah and Abby were babysitting (kinda) this morning, so I dropped them off at a friends house at about 8:30.  It's actually pretty great, what happened this morning.  Hannah will soon be 12, and we have numerous friends asking her when she's going to start babysitting.  I won't let her yet, nor is she quite confident enough to start, but this morning, while my girlfriend was out substitute teaching, the big Girls watched her little girls.  All the while, her husband works from home, so he is home in case the Girls needed something.  It's a great little way to introduce them to the world of babysitting, while building their confidence and making things seem not too overwhelming.  And, to boot, the Girls both got paid....which they were very excited and surprised about.

 

It's definitely times like these that I (once again) realize the importance of community.  I've said for ever and a day that it takes a village to raise a child... and I am so very thankful for the friends that God has put into our lives to help us bring up these Girls. 

 

While my older 2 were "babysitting", I dropped the little Girls off at Art's office to clean it for him, and I popped out to the barn to get a ride in.  It was a great little break for everyone, I'm thinking.  And now, here we sit, in our cozy warm house, everyone having some alone time, and I'm just waiting..... Waiting for the weekend to start.  It is Friday, you know.  And you know what that means at our house.... pizza and a movie!  Even though I'm not "at work" (oh wait.... I'm "at work"  all.  the.  time.), today I find myself watching the clock....waiting for Art to get home so that our weekend can begin. 

 

Happy Friday, y'all!

A Day Gone Awry

Do you ever have those days, that almost as soon as you open your eyes, you think to yourself, "Oh crap.... we're not off to a good start!"  Yah....me neither.  NOT!

 

That was this morning.  And all my fault.  Completely.  It started out with me staying up way, way, WAY too late last night.  And I even said before I went to sleep, "Tomorrow's gonna be rough!"  Now you may argue that I brought it on myself.  And I partially did.  But really?  On those days, don't you just wish that everything would run smoothly, you could put yourself on autopilot, until the afternoon (at least in our house), when you can then usually find a moment (or 6) to get yourself sorted out?  That definitely wasn't how things went down this morning in the Goerzen Household of Girls.  Art stopped in for lunch, took one look at me, and asked. "Rough morning?"....

 

Ummm...."YUP!"

 

However, in the midst of it all, when I have reason to pout and pitch a fit, I still have a choice.  Am I choosing to take the high road, and deal with things as they come up in a mature manner, or am I going to give in to my emotions and throw myself on the floor, weeping and wailing.  Truth be told, today I did a little bit of both. 

 

This all sounds so dramatic, and really, it wasn't too big of a deal.  Some issues arose this morning, but it's just a reminder of how constant parenting really is.  It's definitely a marathon, my friends, and there are times when I think, "I'm not cut out for running marathons!  I'm a sprinter!"  But God knows.  He knows how much I suck at some things.  And those are the things that He's refining in me, if I'll let Him.  And it's hard and uncomfortable and painful and exhausting.  But here's hoping that (one day), I'm the better for it.  So I submit.  And I apologize to my Girls for my crankiness.  And they apologize to me.  And we cry.  And we hug.  And we make waffles for dinner, complete with strawberries and whipped cream and waffle sauce and chocolate.  

Because it's been one of those days. 

I Have A Dream

I've been doing some dreaming lately....

 

I think I'd like to live here....

 



Welcome!

 



And sit and read a book here.....

 



 

Oh my.  I think I'm in love....

 

 

*sigh*  Maybe one day....

It's Done!

Well, Thanksgiving is long over, and with the little bit of snow this week, I'm starting to think about Christmas! 

 

We had a great Thanksgiving - lots of down time, relaxing, and just being together.  It was nice.  Dinner was fabulous (if I don't say so myself!), and I didn't have to cook for the rest of the week.  Yay for me!

 

Last week, we also spent a few days at the barn.  I was helping break some colts, and the Girls just came along for fun.  They helped with chores, hung out, rode, and got a roping lesson from the farrier that was there.  I should say, we ALL got a roping lesson.  He gave me lots of exercises to help them practice, and the Girls have been doing LOTS of that!  Abby and Molly have been entered in the Dummy Roping Competition at Farm Fair in a few weeks, so that will be a fun and new experience for them.  I told them that I wouldn't enter them unless they practiced at least 15 minutes a day.  I must admit, I'm fairly impressed with them.  They've been very diligent in their practicing - even with the snow and cold that we had last week. 

 

Now, another weekend is gone, and I'm thinking ahead to the week ahead.  It's amazing how full life sometimes feels, but most days, I wouldn't change it for the world!  I am thankful for Sunday, though...a day to rest and relax, have a nap.... It's all good.

Holidays Aren't What They Used to Be

When I was a girl, I loved holidays.  Loved them!  What's better thank spending time together with your family and friends, enjoying an extra few days together?!!

 

Now, as a Mom, I kind of find holidays to be, well, a LOT of work!  The work starts early in the week, making lists and checking them twice.... making sure I have my menu planned out and all my needed groceries on a list.  Then, we head off to the grocery store, braving the crowds to try and find all that we require.  2 days before the holiday, I always start with making bread crumbs for the stuffing.... letting them hang out in a bowl in the oven to get nice and crunchy.  The day before, I make my mashed potatoes, pies, buns, cranberry sauce, jello, cut up everything for salads and stuffing.  Finally, the big day arrives.  Thankfully, I've done most of my work before, so I can enjoy the day with family, and only have to put the stuffing in the crock pot in the morning, Art gets the turkey going, and the final foods to prepare are sweet potatoes and gravy. 

 

When the Girls were really little, it really kinda stunk to do all that work by myself when all they wanted was to eat the jello. Now that they are a little older, they are my helpers, and they enjoy the meal as much as I do.  They all helped me this morning with preparations, and are already talking about who's going to set the table, what dishes and decorations they're going to use and who's going to light the candles.

 

In the past, I had a hard time if I didn't make a big spread on Thanksgiving, because I am always thinking about what kind of memories my kids will have when they get older.  I didn't want them saying, "We never celebrated holidays because my Mom was too lazy to make a turkey dinner!".  That just sounds wrong!

 

So, alas, I work like a dog, preparing everything for my loved ones.  I guess the silver lining on this cloud is that I don't have to cook for the next several days because we're eating all the leftovers!  When you're a child, you're fairly oblivious (or at least I was) to the amount of work that goes into making the holidays special.  In my life, a huge part of the specialness is what food we are going to eat.  And so, I plan and prepare and get excited for the memories that we are making with our own children, and hopefully, they'll say, "Holidays?!  I loved the holidays as a girl....My mom would prepare for days to make the best meal, and we had to help too!"

 

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.  Enjoy working your butts off and eating way to much.  Enjoy being with family and friends.  Enjoy cleaning your floor once it's all done because your feet keep sticking to it.  Enjoy your husband eating "vegetables" for breakfast, which is actually pumpkin pie.  Enjoy the whole house smelling of turkey. Enjoy a walk after dinner, with leaves crunching under your feet. Enjoy having the ones you love sitting around your table, and being sad because some are missing.  Enjoy a whole holiday around the idea of being thankful.

Thanksgiving is Coming...

....and the turkeys got fat.  So we butchered them!

 

 

This morning, for school, I had the Girls journal about what they are thankful for.  It was interesting what their answers were: family, friends, chickens, turkeys, lots of room to run around outside...

 

And I was reminded, once again, at how my actions and attitude affect these little ladies.  They parrot what I do and say, my heart attitudes, things I am cranky about, dreams I have for our lives, and what I am thankful for.  It runs over onto them.  And I need to check myself constantly to see what I am putting on these Girls.  What am I teaching them to be thankful for.  I am content with where I am at?  Or am I always wanting something more.  Am I choosing to rejoice in all circumstances?  Or am I getting through the circumstances, grumbling and complaining along the way.  I know what I would like to say....that I am always thankful.  But I know, if I'm being honest, that I'm not always thankful.  That I do complain and grumble.  And I don't really want to be that woman.  Nor do I want my children to be those children, who are never content with what they do have, but are always wanting more.... And so, I fight.  I fight myself and my carnal, sinful nature of wanting more.  I choose to be content.  I choose to have joy.  I choose life.

 

In the past year, I read the book, "One Thousand Gifts", by Ann Voskamp, and I'm not gonna lie, it really challenged me.  Challenged me to not only have an attitude of gratitude, but also, to do something tangible about it.  So, I bought my Girls and I gratitude journals.  They are all in the middle of the kitchen, where they can easily reach them, and they write in them whenever they want.

 

 

 I help Ellie Mae by writing what she wants first, and then she copies it down underneath.  It's very cool and humbling to look back over the past year, and see what God has done, and how we have so very much to be thankful for!

 

Be joyful always. 

Pray continually;

GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, fir this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

1 Thessolonians 5:16-18

 

Thanksgiving is coming.... but let's not only be thankful in this season, but always.  Continually.  Because thankfulness breeds joy.  And joy breeds life.  And I choose life.

A Goal Attained

The Girls have been saving up their egg money for just about a year now.  They've been biding their time, trying to figure out what they would like to purchase with their money.  All four of them finally decided on the same thing.  Here's what they wanted to use a portion of their money to purchase:

 

Carhartt overalls!  We stopped in at UFA the other day, and they got some kids/youth Carhartt's in (finally), and the Girls were thrilled to find them.  They've been wanting them for quite some time, but I told them that they had to save up for the overalls themselves and they did!  These overalls came in quite handy for haying....way fewer scratches this way!  I think that they look quite adorable!

 

After many people encouraged me, I sent a picture and story over to the folks at Carhartt.  Low and behold, they put the Girls on their website!  Now, they're famous....kinda! 

Haying Season

It's been a full week here of school in the mornings, and then heading out to the barn to help with haying in the afternoons and evenings.  The count, as of last night, was about 4200 square bales, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little bit exhausted!  It was good fun though, to be able to help out, sweat our butts off, and get a good workout!  I said that instead of doing "hot yoga", like some friends of mine do, I did "hot haying"!  We not only used the bale wagon, which picks up bales and stacks them, we also had a few trailers which took crews out to the fields to load and stack bales. 

 

Hannah got some more practice driving the truck and trailer while we stacked bales. It's a great place to get practice driving...an open field, with nothing but hay bales in the way. She did great, although she was a bit nervous at first. By the time we were done, she was a pro!

 

Every night, we got to witness another beautiful Alberta sunset. 

 

*sigh* I love this time of year!

 

Now, we need to turn our attention back home and get our place all ready for winter!

15 Things About Me

I have had this post written and rewritten a few times, struggling to find a balance between fun and serious, and wondering how deep to go... So this is what I've come up with..... Here we go. 

15 Things About Me
 
1. I am outgoing, but the older I get, the more introverted I become... I used to be the life of the party, but now, I'm more content to get together with a friend and have a good visit.  I've realized that quality trumps quantity in friendships every.  single.  time.
2. I'm in my mid-thirties, and have found relationships harder to navigate now than any other time in my life. 
3. I always wanted to be a Mom.  Always.  But I don't love children... I love my children, and my friends children, but put me in a room with a bunch of kids, and I can do it, but it sucks the lifeblood outta me.
4. I always wanted Girls.  Never boys.  I can't even count how many times people have asked me if we're going to try for a boy, or have wanted boys, or how "terrible it's going to be when the Girls are older".  I call your bluff, people.  I love my Girls.  I'm not sad to have never had boys.  My hubby loves his Girls.  All is well.
5. I love the country (in case you couldn't tell), but grew up in the city.  After being out in the country for so many years, I think I'd shrivel up up and wilt if I had to move back to the city.
6. I love to bake.  I find it therapeutic.  If I'm upset, or thinking, or stressed, I'll often bake.  I especially love making anything with yeast.  Something about the feel of the dough in between my finger I find very relaxing. 
7. I never took swimming lessons.  But I love the water and love to swim.  I chalk it up to being the baby of the family, and being forgotten about *sniff, sniff*
8. I enjoy working in my flower gardens, but not my vegetable garden.  I know, I know, it doesn't make sense, because weeds are weeds... This year, we plowed over our garden, and Art made me a few raised boxes for a square foot garden.  Fewer weeds, only planting the things I absolutely couldn't live without.... It's all good!
9. I don't love the mornings.  Not really.  I love sleeping in.  When our Girls were smaller, we trained them to not get out of bed before 8 am.  To this day, they still don't get out of bed earlier than that.  I guess it's a good thing we homeschool!  If I do have to get up early, usually it's for a really good reason, and then I do enjoy it.  But mostly, I'm a night owl.
10. I'm afraid of moths.  They always come for me...they're so unpredictable!  Art is the moth killer in our home.
11. I am afraid of time.  Time seems to pass so quickly, and before you know it, our Girls will be grown and gone, and I'm not really sure what I'll do with myself.  I know it won't be sudden, and that it'll happen gradually, but I'm still afraid.  I just can't imagine, after spending so many hours and days and years with them, that they'll leave.  I want them to live healthy, full lives and have families of their own, as long as they're close to me. :-) 
12. I love to decorate.  Period.  But I really love to decorate using re purposed, old, unusual objects (usually rusty, or with paint chipping off) that I find anywhere and everywhere.
13. My perfect day would include a drive on an unknown road in the country, meandering through old, abandoned buildings and homesteads, and finding cast off items I could use in my home (for free, of course!); a garage sale at an old farm that had been in the family for many, many years; riding a horse with purpose (working cows or whatever); being with people I love; and sunshine.
14. Fall is my favorite season.  I love the smell, the leaves crunching beneath your feet, the colors on the trees, the cooler weather with NO BUGS, and the preparation for winter.
15. I never expected my life would look like it does today.  In some ways, it's beyond my wildest dreams, in other ways, it's much harder than I imagined.  We've gone through our share of sorrows and joys, but really, I wouldn't trade most of it for anything, because it's helped make us who we are today.  Having children is much richer than I thought, but also a lot of work!   Marriage is much richer than I thought, but also a lot of work!  My relationships are much richer than I thought, but also a lot of work (you get the picture....!)

 

Cupcakes, Anyone?

A good friend of mine owns a country store in town.  Every once in a while, I make my way in there to check out her goods.  The other day, she had a big sale in the parking lot, so I of course had to pop over there to take a look.  I found these cute little ditties on her $1 table.  I was only going to take home a couple, but for $1 each, I thought I'd take them all!

 

I put the cupcakes on 2 cake plates that I stacked to make a display.  They're a fun little addition on my counter right now...

Chicken Update

Yesterday, we got 15 eggs.  15 EGGS!  The Girls are awfully excited, because they know that getting more eggs means selling more eggs, and selling more eggs means making more money.  We're still waiting for 5 of the girls to start laying, but that should be happening any day now....

We are still having a problem with the foxes....they have become Art's nemesis.  Hopefully, we'll soon be rid of them!

 

The turkey's are growing like crazy, only a couple more weeks until we butcher them... The meat chickens have been awfully tasty, so I'm looking forward to seeing what Thanksgiving and Christmas will taste like.

 

I've decided that I love having chickens.  A lot.  Except when we have to clean out their mansion.  But even then, it's not too bad.  And with 15 eggs a day, the Girls figure they're gonna be rich!

 

 

The Flurry of September

I read an interesting article the other day on the internet, entitled Busyness as Moral Laziness.  I especially loved this:

Busyness acts to repress our inner fears and perpetual anxieties, as we scramble to achieve an enviable image to display to others. We become “outward” people, obsessed with how we appear, rather than “inward” people, reflecting on the meaning of our lives. 

 

Busyness also seems to be a determination not to “miss out on life.” Behind much of the rat-race of modern life is the unexamined assumption that what I do determines who I am. In this way, we define ourselves by what we do, rather than by any quality of what we are inside. It is typical in a party for one stranger to approach another with the question, “What do you do?” Perhaps we wouldn’t have a clue how to reply to the deeper question, “Who are you?”

 James Houston

After having the luxury of 4 months of summer holidays, having little to no organized activities, September always seems to be extra full.   School starts up again, we try and get into some sort of routine, and figure out which activities which we will or will not be involved in. 

Part of our deciding to homeschool is our desire to be less busy, to spend more time together as a family, and not be running around like chickens with our heads cut off, taking our kids to things that we deem important.  Since I have the Girls at home all day, I try and choose a few activities which can be done during the day, which really helps reduce the number of evenings that we are out in a week.  It's often hard to stick to my guns when there are so many cool things to do.  But I've realized over time that me/us being busy equals cranky, scary Mom coming out.  The things that really are important, like school, family time, or down time, gets left behind, and we're so busy running, doing all the "fun things", that the fun things become something that we dread.   

I need to be more of a person of being, not doing.  I think many Mom's can find it difficult, because we are so accustomed to doing everything for our family.  I know I find it hard to just be.  To sit and relax, and not think about the dishes in the kitchen sink, or the dirty floor that needs to be cleaned, laundry that needs to be put away.  But we need to "be".  To sit and worship.  To cuddle with our children, scratching their backs and chatting about the things that are on their minds.  To watch them play on the swing set. 

And so, in this month that is normally a flurry of activity, I am trying to "be" more, and "do" less.  I think it might be working, because so far, scary Mom hasn't even shown her ugly face!

This is Why

We just got back from our summer holidays.  We headed off to Kelowna to see my parents, and enjoy the lakes and sun and orchards and bug-free existence there.  It was a great trip - very relaxing and full of family and laughing and fun times!

 The Girls enjoyed different dress up clothes at Nana's

We spent some time at the spray park....



And lots of time at the beach!

We went to the Armstrong Fair and Rodeo

 



 

Made some new friends there!

 

Learned how to milk a cow

and had a little afternoon nap while we watched the draft horse pull

Abby fell asleep during the rodeo...

 

We took an 8 km. hike through the Myra Canyon Provincial Park.  It was beautiful outside, and we walked across 14 of the 18 railroad trestles.

We got to ride in Grandpa's convertible....

and spent more time at the beach.  Where it was deserted, because school had started already.  But not for us!

There was a new petting zoo just down the road from my parents.  They had chickens and goats...

 

As well as a baby albino kangaroo, and many other kangaroo's 

 And emu's.  Can't forget the emu's!

 

Then, we spent MORE time at the beach (yay!!)

We left on Friday morning, feeling very relaxed and refreshed.  On our way home, we stopped in Jasper at the river that runs parallel to the highway.  A number of years ago, we stopped there as well, and the river was really low.  So low that we could walk across the whole river, which was sandy and soft, without the water going past our knees.  We made it about 3/4's of the way across, which was probably about a mile, and the little Girls were starting to get quite tired, so we turned back. It was beautiful outside, and good to stretch our legs!

 

 

We love taking vacations in September.... the weather is still great, but it's not nearly as crowded as it is in the summer.  This is one of the reason why we homeschool!