Eight years since Sexy Neck and I have skied together downhill… and yesterday we skied together for the first time as a family of five.
Amazing to stop and reflect on the past eight years.
Incredible to hear the stories of when Nana skied with Sexy Neck and JC two Christmases ago.
Awesome to feel the swoosh under my skis.
![IMG_7424[1]](https://beenough.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/img_74241.jpg)
![IMG_7426[1]](https://beenough.me/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/img_74261.jpg)
We still are planning on doing some nordic skiing with the boys.
Here they are getting ready:
What rituals or traditions do you have, intentional or unintentional?
I love me some traditions!
Yearly activities to look forward to.
Our God, seasons and people to celebrate.
Four years ago we started a pumpkin carving party with some very good friends. We have managed to make it happen every year, even during last autumn’s cancer journey with mom. Here are 2013 photos!
My heart overflows with gratitude for this incredible evening we got to share together carving pumpkins.
Simple fun.
Together.
Memory making.
Creating.
Laughter.
Competition.
Food.
Friendship.
Fun!
Look at these creative people:
Proud boys.
Their very own creations (with help from Papa, Lizzie and Princess Penny).
Who knew what these last twelve months would bring?
Surprise after surprise, both wonderful and heartbreaking.
My self-assessment twelve months ago would have used the descriptors: mom, wife, daughter, previous jock, teacher-on-leave, Vtown girl…
I no longer live in Vtown, nor think of myself as a teacher, neither do I have a living mother anymore… The fact that I am painting makes me lie of the floor.
I was introduced to watercolour painting by Herta at this retreat. Sexy Neck bought me a set of paints for my birthday in a month later.
My heart is full of gratitude for having the luxury to play with colour on beautiful watercolour paper. My boys love it and always join me. We paint quietly together often talking about cool new colour creation or telling each other what we can see.
Creative.
Peace.
Soul care.
Colourful.
Uplifting.
Unexplainable.
A pure gift from God.
Beyond anything I ‘thought’ I could do.
Have you lived beyond your expectations today?
Two year old OC:
Almost Five year old CC
Seven year old JC’s paintings including a hairless one of me.
My paintings from my soul, feelings and things I see in God’s creation.
Expectations.
Chains or freedom.
Choosing freedom.
Living in the beyond.
Painting.
Playing.
Expressing.
Me!
We have had lots of love pop into our hood this week! Thanks family for reaching into our world. Two sets of cousins I haven’t met their children before and another family we haven’t seen together in about a year.
I love it when everything comes together.
Full of gratitude for the Cousin love this week:
Sam, Terry & Dani (almost 3) from outside Cowtown
Uncle R, Auntie R, M and L from VCity
Uncle D and Auntie J with Emi (3 1/2) and Nic (18 mos.) also from VCity
Kitchen Renovation anyone? Just say No!
I had no idea why kitchens cost so much to renovate.
My family (including my mom and dad last July) has put so much sweat equity into this kitchen it should be worth $100,000. We spent less than $5000, new-to-us appliances included.
Here is our work at this humbling progress. From brown wood and lino floors to white walls, avocado cupboards and engineered hardwood.
We found a guy who makes laminate countertops in his garage. Perfect!
Our amazing contractor installed the wood floors, a new door and my parents put their skill into painting the cupboards.
We bought a secondhand Bosch dishwasher for $200 and splurged on a new faucet, fridge, stove and hardware.
Here is what we started with:
1960’s kitchen with ‘newer’ appliances.
First week: Paint June 23, 2013
Week Two: Laminate Countertop July, 2013
Week Three: Engineered Hardwood floors and copious amounts of coats of paint. I think it was FIVE coats of paint to be exact. July, 2013
Week Four and throughout the NEXT YEAR!: Final paint and new hardware. Viola c’est fini! June 15, 2014!
This kitchen is inspired by this photo from houzz.com and our designer friends Robyn and Angela.
Many, many hours of painting by Steve, my mom and dad made this $5000 transformation possible. It was a labour of love.
Let’s review–
BEFORE:
TODAY:
With God all things are possible.
With Sexy Neck’s ideas and vision a smokey house became a home.
With my parents labour of love, our roots have grown deep.
With our boys love of fort building, creating and playing every corner of our home has been explored and filled.
With old and new friends stopping by laughter and memories have brought us home.
A long road north.
Incredible companions.
My boys hearts soared.
Freedom.
Family.
Friends.
Tears flowed.
Time was shared.
Memories created.
Life interwoven.
Past.
Present.
Future.
Celebrating my mom.
Holding a new baby.
My heart overflows.
I pray these photos capture one tenth of this deep, rich trip north to my roots, my branches and my growing fruit.
Glory to God alone for how He weaves EVERYTHING together for good.
Thanks for welcoming me home PG!
Our time with Auntie M, Uncle J and our new baby cousin was sacred and beautiful.
We also spent time at lake with some very ‘old’ friends.
Past shared moments.
Birthday parties.
Sleepovers.
Walks to school.
University debacles.
Sports teams.
Now our children meet.
My boys meet these incredible women.
Sharing life.
Visiting mom’s spot in PG! It was a ‘thin place’ for me. We put two types of silk flowers, shells, a silver butterfly and rainbow loom bracelets by JC and CC in the brass base marking Nana’s spot at the cemetery.
My grandparents:
See you soon PG!
We did it! A major milestone. I did not need to push, pull or drag anyone to school this week. All three boys scootered the whole way…
Footprint Days 2014.
Imagine around 200 people walking throughout your neighbourhood on a five kilometre route. Add in bright orange shirts and you have a mental image of what my son’s school organized. They walked four different routes on four nights in a row. There were apples and water afterwards plus each child was entered into draws for different prizes.
We chose to go on Thursday night. The night they decided to go up towards Knox Mountain. Ha!ha! The route ended up being 5.6 kilometres and I laughed as I pushed our stroller with sweat running down my back. I made some mighty footprints. My boys had a great time walking and running with their friends. OC enjoyed watching all the people as he rode in the stroller. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a new friend, M!
We are ready to walk:
Looking in front of us:
Looking behind us:
JC with his classmates and CC with his friend J (This photo was taken when we had walked for over an hour.):
Walking together.
Friendship.
Nature.
Community.
School.
Well done everyone!
"Be" ENOUGH 