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| 2008 Denis Family Pictures |
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
My wish list....
So lately I have seen all sorts of blogs by these crafty women(mostly) who are making a living by selling their creations on Etsy and elsewhere. Some of these artisans donate to charity and some provide for their family... regardless of what is done with the income- I am seeing the most treasured, beautiful handcrafted items, everything from quilts and knit toques, to beaded jewelry and ceramic dishes.
Jealousy is my first feeling.... where did everyone get these talents? Did their thirst for sewing come from their Grandma or did they just keep practicing after grade 9 Home Economics? Were they forced into stitching Christmas presents every year as children and the art of elaborate quilt making just stuck with them all these years? I sure wish I was born with this instinctive desire and ability to create something from nothing but a picture in my mind's eye.
The second feeling that comes to mind almost immediately is fear.... no maybe panic. Due to the lack of know-how I am down right fearful of my sewing machine. I want to use it, I really do. It is hiding from me in my basement and I know that it is as scared of me as I am of it. You see, my sewing machine was a great find at a garage sale about 5+ years ago. It was one of those gems that was probably given to a bride on her wedding day about 60 years ago. The lucky bride knew how to sew everything, more that likely, so it was well loved. It was the only sewing machine that she had until one day she decided to treat herslf to a newer deluxe sewing machine. She sold her old one to me, probably wishing better things for her old faithful.... but I had the money( and a car to haul it away). So she let it go.... and it has been in hiding ever since.
Please don't judge me.... I have a deep conscience about sewing. Every Mother is 'suppose' to know how to make a Halloween costume from scratch. I wish I was that Mother. Maybe if I had lived at home longer as a teen, or if I had my own Mother or Grandma to pushed me along the way it would be different. Did I not pay attention to their efforts? Maybe I don't have the time to learn.... no that is a poor excuse.
I just don't know what to say. One day.... one day.
Happy holidays to every woman who knows how to sew... you are my inspiration ( I say that with my teeth clenched)! ;<)
Sherri
Jealousy is my first feeling.... where did everyone get these talents? Did their thirst for sewing come from their Grandma or did they just keep practicing after grade 9 Home Economics? Were they forced into stitching Christmas presents every year as children and the art of elaborate quilt making just stuck with them all these years? I sure wish I was born with this instinctive desire and ability to create something from nothing but a picture in my mind's eye.
The second feeling that comes to mind almost immediately is fear.... no maybe panic. Due to the lack of know-how I am down right fearful of my sewing machine. I want to use it, I really do. It is hiding from me in my basement and I know that it is as scared of me as I am of it. You see, my sewing machine was a great find at a garage sale about 5+ years ago. It was one of those gems that was probably given to a bride on her wedding day about 60 years ago. The lucky bride knew how to sew everything, more that likely, so it was well loved. It was the only sewing machine that she had until one day she decided to treat herslf to a newer deluxe sewing machine. She sold her old one to me, probably wishing better things for her old faithful.... but I had the money( and a car to haul it away). So she let it go.... and it has been in hiding ever since.
Please don't judge me.... I have a deep conscience about sewing. Every Mother is 'suppose' to know how to make a Halloween costume from scratch. I wish I was that Mother. Maybe if I had lived at home longer as a teen, or if I had my own Mother or Grandma to pushed me along the way it would be different. Did I not pay attention to their efforts? Maybe I don't have the time to learn.... no that is a poor excuse.
I just don't know what to say. One day.... one day.
Happy holidays to every woman who knows how to sew... you are my inspiration ( I say that with my teeth clenched)! ;<)
Sherri
Friday, December 5, 2008
Our 2008
Happy Holidays from all of us here in the prairies. This has been a great year for our family. We have all stayed healthy and continue to be blessed in every way. Our prayers and thoughts encompass so many people everyday and I am happy to write that the graces of God and all of you are with us always. I have re-capped 2008 for you and hope that it has been blessed for you too.
Let me start at the top..... my wonderful husband.
Cyril is working hard and keeps very busy with the volatile markets and ever changing dollar. He speaks highly of the team that he works along side.... they really have fun times at the office. I am grateful that Cyril loves his job and is able to continue to support our decision to have me stay home with the kids during these younger preschool years. We pray that this decision pays off in the long run.... granted it doesn't make me insane first!! Cyril does his cycle of broom ball in the winter and slow-pitch in the summer. This fall he joined a floor hockey league and has the bruised shins to show for it.
This year I have tried to educate myself a bit more on two major issues that are affecting huge populations around the world: poverty and climate change. We are making more and more greener choices in our home and around our community. I am the newest indoor coordinator in our area and joined Alex's school parent council as well so hopefully I can be a strong voice in these groups. Recently my application was accepted for volunteering with World Vision which is so exciting for me because I am so moved by the stories that I hear about communities becoming self sustainable and fighting poverty first hand. I look forward to sharing my personal experience of child sponsorship(refer to older post for details) with others and hopefully I can represent World Vision's mission with pride.
Alex has grown up so much this year. He will be 7 in May and is loving grade one. He is in a 1/2 split class in a French Immersion program and enjoys teaching all of us how to speak and write in French. His favorite subjects are Math and Phys. Ed but he also loves to draw and spend time with friends at recess. Alex says that he wants to be a writer when he grows up. He just finished a level in swimming and will continue in the new year. Alex chose to participate in a evening floor hockey class and also enrol in Scouts this fall instead of picking ice hockey alone. We explained to him that hockey is a huge commitment and that he may not have time to do other activities that he really wanted so he chose the easy alternative. We think that he made a great decision.
Manny,4, enjoyed a preschool multi-sport class this fall and is also doing well in his swimming lessons. He is in a French Immersion preschool class three mornings a week. He loves his teacher and has grown in leaps and bounds with colouring and drawing. Manny is our little 'live wire' but is an absolute angel at school.... I have had so many compliments on how well behaved and polite he is...... I sometimes question if they have the right Manny. We were so excited the other day to see that a drawing that he had sent to our local newspaper, illustrating how we are going to make our Christmas 'green' this year, was published!! He had to take the section of the newspaper for 'show and tell' today.... so cute!! Manny says he wants to be a surfer and a construction worker when he grows up.
Tao was such a wonderful addition to our family. Sometimes I still cannot believe that I was blessed with a girl! She'll be 2 soon and we see bits of that 'terribleness' coming out in her. She has to be in the middle of everything, whether she is invited or not. The boys have lots of patience with her and also know how to get her giggling. They really are best friends and show so much love for each other every day. Tao will start swimming lessons in January.
One of the most exciting parts of our summer was the upgrade from our tent trailer to a new expandable 23ft trailer. It was a decision that we knew was inevitable yet we kind of jumped in with both feet. It is glorious!!! We felt quite spoiled after spending a week in Cypress Hills with our dear friends, the Meiers. The heater really came in handy, as did the heated mattresses!!
Funny how Cyril remembers being a teenager, cramped in their family tent trailer with his brothers Rejean and Claude, travelling to the mountains. Our kids will have little, if any, memories of 'roughing it'. Tenting was so much fun when it was just Cyril and I. We spent our honeymoon tenting at Waterton National Park in Alberta nearly 8 years ago. After Alex came along.... well we took him tenting when he was 6 weeks old on Father's Day weekend. It wasn't soon after that that we bought a bigger tent to accommodate all of the 'stuff' that goes along with having a baby. We camped many times in that massive Costco special....we called it the Hilton.
Manny was a year old and not quite able to walk when we camped in the Hilton one last time at Green Water Provincial Park. After finishing up our dishes from a bacon and egg breakfast we hear news that a young black bear just wondered through the sites across the road from us. I'm not sure what put us over the top.....if it was the paranoid feeling of always wondering if the bear would return or if it was the downpour of rain that we got the entire morning of packing up a soggy tent, dining tent and tarps all the while listening to 2 screaming boys melt down in their car seats. Needless to say the tent trailer came shortly after getting back from that trip.
So camping is going to be so different next summer.... with heat, a freezer and a lou!!
I have to say that time just seems to go by whether you want it to or not. It is easy to lose track of time while you're in the hustle and bustle of life. I am thankful for the Christmas season because it is a time to reflect on the year passing and it makes me want to reconnect with so many people that are important to me. This was my purpose for blogging.... to share a bit of my world with you if you wish.
So from our family to yours, please remember to grip life by the horns and never let go, love like your honeymoon hasn't ended and take good care of yourselves cause when we see you next we want a big hug!! Merry Christmas to my dearest friends and family.... you know who you are.
Love from the heart,
Sherri, Cyril, Alex, Manny, and Tao
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Let me start at the top..... my wonderful husband.
Cyril is working hard and keeps very busy with the volatile markets and ever changing dollar. He speaks highly of the team that he works along side.... they really have fun times at the office. I am grateful that Cyril loves his job and is able to continue to support our decision to have me stay home with the kids during these younger preschool years. We pray that this decision pays off in the long run.... granted it doesn't make me insane first!! Cyril does his cycle of broom ball in the winter and slow-pitch in the summer. This fall he joined a floor hockey league and has the bruised shins to show for it.
This year I have tried to educate myself a bit more on two major issues that are affecting huge populations around the world: poverty and climate change. We are making more and more greener choices in our home and around our community. I am the newest indoor coordinator in our area and joined Alex's school parent council as well so hopefully I can be a strong voice in these groups. Recently my application was accepted for volunteering with World Vision which is so exciting for me because I am so moved by the stories that I hear about communities becoming self sustainable and fighting poverty first hand. I look forward to sharing my personal experience of child sponsorship(refer to older post for details) with others and hopefully I can represent World Vision's mission with pride.
Alex has grown up so much this year. He will be 7 in May and is loving grade one. He is in a 1/2 split class in a French Immersion program and enjoys teaching all of us how to speak and write in French. His favorite subjects are Math and Phys. Ed but he also loves to draw and spend time with friends at recess. Alex says that he wants to be a writer when he grows up. He just finished a level in swimming and will continue in the new year. Alex chose to participate in a evening floor hockey class and also enrol in Scouts this fall instead of picking ice hockey alone. We explained to him that hockey is a huge commitment and that he may not have time to do other activities that he really wanted so he chose the easy alternative. We think that he made a great decision.
Manny,4, enjoyed a preschool multi-sport class this fall and is also doing well in his swimming lessons. He is in a French Immersion preschool class three mornings a week. He loves his teacher and has grown in leaps and bounds with colouring and drawing. Manny is our little 'live wire' but is an absolute angel at school.... I have had so many compliments on how well behaved and polite he is...... I sometimes question if they have the right Manny. We were so excited the other day to see that a drawing that he had sent to our local newspaper, illustrating how we are going to make our Christmas 'green' this year, was published!! He had to take the section of the newspaper for 'show and tell' today.... so cute!! Manny says he wants to be a surfer and a construction worker when he grows up.
Tao was such a wonderful addition to our family. Sometimes I still cannot believe that I was blessed with a girl! She'll be 2 soon and we see bits of that 'terribleness' coming out in her. She has to be in the middle of everything, whether she is invited or not. The boys have lots of patience with her and also know how to get her giggling. They really are best friends and show so much love for each other every day. Tao will start swimming lessons in January.
One of the most exciting parts of our summer was the upgrade from our tent trailer to a new expandable 23ft trailer. It was a decision that we knew was inevitable yet we kind of jumped in with both feet. It is glorious!!! We felt quite spoiled after spending a week in Cypress Hills with our dear friends, the Meiers. The heater really came in handy, as did the heated mattresses!!
Funny how Cyril remembers being a teenager, cramped in their family tent trailer with his brothers Rejean and Claude, travelling to the mountains. Our kids will have little, if any, memories of 'roughing it'. Tenting was so much fun when it was just Cyril and I. We spent our honeymoon tenting at Waterton National Park in Alberta nearly 8 years ago. After Alex came along.... well we took him tenting when he was 6 weeks old on Father's Day weekend. It wasn't soon after that that we bought a bigger tent to accommodate all of the 'stuff' that goes along with having a baby. We camped many times in that massive Costco special....we called it the Hilton.
Manny was a year old and not quite able to walk when we camped in the Hilton one last time at Green Water Provincial Park. After finishing up our dishes from a bacon and egg breakfast we hear news that a young black bear just wondered through the sites across the road from us. I'm not sure what put us over the top.....if it was the paranoid feeling of always wondering if the bear would return or if it was the downpour of rain that we got the entire morning of packing up a soggy tent, dining tent and tarps all the while listening to 2 screaming boys melt down in their car seats. Needless to say the tent trailer came shortly after getting back from that trip.
So camping is going to be so different next summer.... with heat, a freezer and a lou!!
I have to say that time just seems to go by whether you want it to or not. It is easy to lose track of time while you're in the hustle and bustle of life. I am thankful for the Christmas season because it is a time to reflect on the year passing and it makes me want to reconnect with so many people that are important to me. This was my purpose for blogging.... to share a bit of my world with you if you wish.
So from our family to yours, please remember to grip life by the horns and never let go, love like your honeymoon hasn't ended and take good care of yourselves cause when we see you next we want a big hug!! Merry Christmas to my dearest friends and family.... you know who you are.
Love from the heart,
Sherri, Cyril, Alex, Manny, and Tao
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Brain Food
This is a site that is doing what it can to feed the hungry. Play everyday and you'll get smarter too. There are different subjects with a variety of levels for all those keeners out there; I am NOT a keener however. For every answer you get right, the sponsors of the site will donate twenty grains of rice to the UN World Food Program. Although I did allow over 6000 grains of rice to be donated today.... geography is my best subject, math.... not so much!
Over 52 BILLION grains of rice have been donated since the site originated just over a year ago. Now that is impressive! Who knew multiple choice questions could have this kind of impact.
Enjoy...
http://www.freerice.com/index.php
Over 52 BILLION grains of rice have been donated since the site originated just over a year ago. Now that is impressive! Who knew multiple choice questions could have this kind of impact.
Enjoy...
http://www.freerice.com/index.php
Risk
(Author unknown)
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to others is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to do nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave, they forfeited their freedom.
Only the person who risks can be free
So I got this little bit from a post that I frequent and it just hit me that this awareness is becoming more and more evident in my life right now. 'Joyce', the ' bag lady' as I have come to know her, is really living this message. She makes a bag a day and sells it for Darfur. She is raising awareness and being charitable for people who struggle to survive. Her bags are designed and sewn from bits of material that she has collected.... it really is amazing to witness.
What's even more amazing is her heart. Now as you can tell I am not the best writer... my thought process could use a bit of work!! Or rest!! However, I love reading a good post that pushes me to think outside of my current 'self' and be a little risky.
So is sewing 'therapy' for Joyce, does she feel pressure to get a bag done every single day? How the hell does she sew a bag a day, and still have time to blog, feed herself and her family, plus the countless other things that go along with life? I wish that I could spend a day with this woman and have her rub off on me a little.
I'm getting there... but I have so much farther to go.
(Author unknown)
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to others is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to do nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, and is nothing.
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.
Chained by their attitudes, they are a slave, they forfeited their freedom.
Only the person who risks can be free
So I got this little bit from a post that I frequent and it just hit me that this awareness is becoming more and more evident in my life right now. 'Joyce', the ' bag lady' as I have come to know her, is really living this message. She makes a bag a day and sells it for Darfur. She is raising awareness and being charitable for people who struggle to survive. Her bags are designed and sewn from bits of material that she has collected.... it really is amazing to witness.
What's even more amazing is her heart. Now as you can tell I am not the best writer... my thought process could use a bit of work!! Or rest!! However, I love reading a good post that pushes me to think outside of my current 'self' and be a little risky.
So is sewing 'therapy' for Joyce, does she feel pressure to get a bag done every single day? How the hell does she sew a bag a day, and still have time to blog, feed herself and her family, plus the countless other things that go along with life? I wish that I could spend a day with this woman and have her rub off on me a little.
I'm getting there... but I have so much farther to go.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Christmas is coming... really... it is!!
I can't believe the weather these days. There are four days left in November and the temperature is 3... plus 3. We had a mild Halloween (which always seems to be miserable). And now, less then a month till Christmas and I have a front lawn instead of a front snow bank.
I love it. However, there is a down-side! Advent starts this Sunday and we are suppose to get excited about Christmas yet the weather is so balmy and mild I am just not there yet! I need a good blizzard to bring on the festive cheer! Ho,Ho,Ho!
I just jinxed us!!
I love it. However, there is a down-side! Advent starts this Sunday and we are suppose to get excited about Christmas yet the weather is so balmy and mild I am just not there yet! I need a good blizzard to bring on the festive cheer! Ho,Ho,Ho!
I just jinxed us!!
Monday, November 24, 2008
My heart aches...
We sponsored a little boy from Dominican Republic through World Vision and he has changed my life. His name is Luiyi Orlando and he is 7 years old. His parents have been 'separated' from him for some time and we think that he is living with his Grandmother. We received our first letter from him a few weeks ago and it was hand written by his Aunt is Spanish and also hand written by a translator in English. She made no mention of his Grandmother or if he has any siblings so I hope to learn more if they write again. The letter included a drawing of 'mi casa' (Luiyi's house)that was colored with pencil crayons. It really made the whole process very real for me. Our kids speak of him daily and he and his community are in our prayers each and every night.
I have become so passionate about this charity and my heart aches when I see and hear of others experiences while doing missionary work in areas devastated by poverty. I am humbled by others acts of love and selflessness. I really value the relationship that our family will develop with Luiyi and my hope is to help our kids understand the consequences of poverty and the power of kindness. My husband and I thought that a $35 donation every month was such a huge commitment, but when I breeze over the MasterCard purchases on our bill statement I see that there are dozens of purchase made that are not a necessity( liquor store, department store, theatre, dollar store, even many grocery store purchases). The donation for 35 bucks just gets lost amongst the numbers. I'm sure that if I clipped coupons more frequently I could save that amount or more. We can do this... we have money sitting in a bank and kids like Luiyi are getting sick because they don't have water. Water!! Something as simple as a water pump, yet absolutely vital for life.
I seem to reflect a bunch these days on our lifestyle and our excessive consumption of just about everything. I feel honoured to have Luiyi in my life but helpless and frustrated that I am not doing more to help him and millions like him. I think I have just scratched the surface...
Thursday, November 20, 2008
I'm feeling lucky!
So a few weeks ago I stumbled onto a blog by a girl named Nikki. Her blog features many tales of the places she has been and how she is living her life as a humanitarian by sponsoring children and most importantly.... spreading the word. Nikki and her (boy)friend are planning to do more traveling to Ethiopia and Dominican Republic next year and help out in any way they can, I'm sure.
Anyway Nikki held a charity raffle with half of the proceeds going to World Vision, and the other half towards their upcoming trips. I bought tickets and WON!! How great is that! So Nikki also designs blogs and she has donated her services for her raffle and my blog is going to get help... I can't wait. I am also going to get an Ethiopia pouch in the mail 'cause I won twice!!
So am I lucky? Yes. I am learning more through Nikki's experiences and for that I am thankful!
Anyway Nikki held a charity raffle with half of the proceeds going to World Vision, and the other half towards their upcoming trips. I bought tickets and WON!! How great is that! So Nikki also designs blogs and she has donated her services for her raffle and my blog is going to get help... I can't wait. I am also going to get an Ethiopia pouch in the mail 'cause I won twice!!
So am I lucky? Yes. I am learning more through Nikki's experiences and for that I am thankful!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
It's official!!
I'm a blogger!!! This is exciting stuff.
And just in time too!! It started snowing today and this means I'll have about four months to hibernate and blog myself silly. Brrrrrrr
And just in time too!! It started snowing today and this means I'll have about four months to hibernate and blog myself silly. Brrrrrrr
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