Category Archives: Boys

Be Having a Papathon

I am sure you have heard of a triathlon or a duathlon or perhaps even the heptathlon from Olympic events.

But have you heard of one of the greatest sporting events to hit 2014? IMG_6941.JPGPapathon!

A weekend of activity.

Celebrating Papa’s 69th birthday.

Lovingly planned over two weeks by myself, thoughtful Sexy Neck and my three insightful boys.

Papathon began with swimming, a backyard eight hole golf course with prizes, cake, dinner out with my dad, sleepover then skating and brunch before Papa headed home. IMG_6942.JPG

IMG_6943.JPGWe tried to plan a three event weekend, like a triathlon, but it ended up being so much more than what we did.

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Laughter.

Joy.

IMG_6946.JPGTears.

Grief.

Wrapping paper.

Gifts.

Necklace for Nana’s rings.

Lottery tickets.

Golf balls in a dump truck.

Steak dinner at our old favourite restaurant.

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Swapping lies.

Creating memories.

Celebrating life!

Pouring out love.

For our dear Papa!

Happy birthday Dad!

Be Halloweening

I am sure if I looked into the history of Halloween or asked one of my non-Halloween-going friends, we may not participate in October 31st activities. But we do and we do it well! IMG_6818.JPGIMG_6819.JPG
Decorating the front of the house for trick or treaters.

Getting together with beloved friends to carve pumpkins.

Creating costumes that express themselves and empower our boys. IMG_6815.JPGIMG_6816.JPGIMG_6817.JPGTaking snacks to school to share with classmates during the Halloween party. (This year it was watermelon cutouts.)

Going door-to-door to meet our neighbours and share a story or two. IMG_6820.JPGGiving out chips and chocolates to each person who comes to our door.

Looking at photos of our cousins who dressed up.

Celebrating relationships.

Allowing Uniqueness.

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Being a part of Community.

Accepting Neighbours.

Treasuring Friendship.

Loving our Family. IMG_6827.JPG
Pouring out.

Pouring into our boys.

Building roots.

Going deeper.

Eating lots of mini chocolate bars.

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Witnessing one of the most incredible sunsets I have seen in awhile.

Glory!

God gets all our praise for this night and the people who surrounded us this Halloween!

Be Resonating with Beth Moore

Sometimes I read Beth Moore’s daily devotional called “Breaking Free” and the words float on by. Often, I am in the exact same place as I read her word and scripture for the day and I am blown away.

Here was yesterday’s devotional:

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I was blown away as we ponder our time together as a family, our life in church, my new job and the ‘shoulds’ we perceive in our life.

May prayer continue to be our priority. I know I could ‘should’ all over myself every day and miss opportunities to truly live!

Glory to God!

Thank you Beth Moore for your depth of insight.

Be Click Click Clicking

I love family photos with a professional photographer.

I love thinking about meaningful locations, picking out matching clothing and being able to look back on family photos many years after.

I have numerous treasured photos of me as ‘getting ready to grow girl’, ‘getting ready to grow into my teeth girl’ and my personal favourite ‘mullet hockey hair girl’. Priceless memories.

Today, I was again able to instil this torture love of family photos onto my boys.

It started with me asking them to wear jeans and good shoes then proceeded to asking them to wait to play at the playground so that we could do our rapid fire fifteen minute PAC fundraiser photoshoot traipsing around the top of a local mountain for family photos.

Pure awesomeness.

Memory morning.

Family time.

I had to take a few of my own after we were done:20140921-220638-79598923.jpg

20140921-220641-79601789.jpgThanks boys for humouring your Mama! It was wonderful to see you climbing trees, sitting on fences and making chairs out of stumps. The dust on your shoes, your uncomfortable jeans and beautiful smiles will create wonderful family photos.

I can hardly wait!

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Be Gobsmacked

Gobsmacked.

Flat on my face in awe.

Humbled.

Grateful.

Watching God’s miracles (coincidences) on a daily basis.

Living the presence of God.

This week, a friend was healed from months of pain in her foot. God’s touch healed her.  In one moment her pain was gone.  I have never experienced anything like this before in my life!

On Thursday, I took out a jacket that I bought for my mom last autumn to bring her warmth and comfort as her body shrunk during chemotherapy. I placed this jacket over my shoulders and I was overwhelmed that this beautiful jacket fits me.

20140914-102410-37450382.jpg How is this possible?

Last night, Sexy Neck told me that he wanted to keep a few large blue Tupperware bins that I was going to give away. I unpacked each of these bins. One of them had 0 to 3 month old boys clothing and at the bottom of the bin, I found a ring Steve bought me for our fifth anniversary that I lost SEVEN YEARS AGO! I am grateful Steve asked me to keep the bins.

20140914-102704-37624893.jpgThis beautiful ring now sits back upon my finger. I am amazed at God’s goodness. I grieved losing this ring when my oldest was a newborn.

And now this morning…

Often I leave colouring or activity sheets or notes for my boys on the table when they wake up in the morning.

This is the sheet I picked out for OC.

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Notice the scripture on the bottom of his colouring sheet?

As OC was colouring his sheet, I opened my bible to look up some scripture on a 40 day challenge I am doing from Igniting Hope Ministries. If you are curious, here is the website.
Anyways, I open my bible to look up the scripture I was wondering about AND IT IS THE SAME SCRIPTURE THAT IS ON OC’S SHEET! I had to underline this word in my bible.

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Flat on my face.

Wondrous God.

Gobsmacked.

Can’t think of a better word.