Awana Grand Prix

The kids attend Awana Club at a local church every Thursday night while I teach. It works out great because they get to go and have fun instead of having 4 nights of babysitting in each week. This week it was the Awana Grand Prix. Each child was given a piece of pine wood and needed to carve and paint it into their own car.

The kids designed the cars on Monday night - Emma wanting a batman styled car and Kaleb wanting one shaped like a baseball cap with Frankenstein in jail on it. After they went to bed on Monday Brade got out his tools and went to work making them what the kids had requested. We then drilled in a few holes in the back and inserted some fishing weights to help have the cars go faster. The kids puttied in the holes and then painted the cars how they envisioned . . . with Daddy's help :)

Then on Thursday night they went to Awana club with Gramma McGifford (who was visiting for the week) and Daddy to race the cars. There were 4 heats and the kids had a blast racing them.

Kaleb's car coming in 2nd

Emma's car coming in first

Emma with her ribbon

The kids both received ribbons for competing and they are already talking about what their designs are going to be next year and how they're going to make the cars even faster.

This is Our God

Okay - this post is a bit off the regular posts, but I just felt like doing something a bit different today . . .

A little while ago Braden and I stumbled upon this song and we're going to do it this Sunday at Rechurch. I've just been listening to it, a "technical" listening to it - figuring out the lead lines, the piano, lead vocals, background vocals, etc and out of nowhere tears started running down my cheeks. I guess I can't truly do a "technical" listening :) I think my heart misses doing worship more than I thought.

This song says so much - no matter where we are in our journey - God loves us so much. He doesn't have a list of "to-do's" for us (which right now my list is overflowing and I'm sinking in them). He gave us everything, freely, and what are we supposed to do in return . . . just love him? It doesn't seem right. He gave us so much and all we can do is say thank you and love Him. His grace covers everything that we have ever done. I was listening to Beth Moore this morning and she said that you don't need to tell God that you love him, because He loves us first - instead try saying, "I love you too."

Here are the lyrics and the video is of Hillsong. Today I will let everything go - I will fall at His feet and I will worship Him. I may stumble along the way and go off course, but He is always there. I will believe. This is my God.

"Your grace is enough

More than I need

And your word I will believe

I wait for you

Draw near again

And your spirit make me new

And i will fall at your feet

I will fall at your feet

And i will worship you here

Your presence in me

Jesus light the way

By the power of your word

I am restored

I am redeemed

By your spirit i am free

And i will fall at your feet

I will fall at your feet

And i will worship you here

Freely you gave it all for us

Surrendered your life upon that cross

Great is your love

Poured out for all

This is our God

Lifted on high from death to life

Forever our God is glorified

Sovereign king

Rescued the world

This is our God

And i will fall at your feet

I will fall at your feet

And i will worship you here

And i will fall at your feet

I will fall at your feet

And i will worship you here

Freely you gave it all for us

S urrendered your life upon that cross

Great is your love

Poured out for all

This is our God

Lifted on high from death to life

Forever out God is glorified

Sovereign king

Rescued the world

This is our God"

Happy 9th Birthday Emma!!!

On January 15, 2001 we welcomed the first child into our family - a beautiful baby girl - with blond hair and blue eyes that no-one could figure out. She still has the same beautiful hair and eyes, and yes - we still can't totally figure her out . . . but we love her more than anything!

She woke up Friday morning and we opened gifts (which she says huge THANK-YOUs to everyone - she loved them all!!!) and then she was off to school while I spent the day getting things ready for her party). When she got home she had a couple of hours to help get things ready for her party and then at 5:45 the first guest arrived and at 9:30 the last left - except for the 3 girls that remained to have a sleep-over. Then on Sunday Emma and I went out to get the annual build-a-bear - this year it's a black puppy in a biker outfit, named Rex.

She's growing up soooo very fast and it's really cool to have deep discussions with her and see who she is turning into - a very bright, thoughtful, loving, curious, adventurous, insightful, creative, compassionate, gentle, empathetic, beautiful, smart, intuitive, tender-hearted and perceptive girl who shares her love for her God with those around - oh, and she's a great big sister and daughter too!

Emma received this in an email and it's cool to see pics of her from the summer

- can you tell she loves horses?

For Emma's 9th Birthday we did something a bit different - we had boys and girls, and because she's in a grade 3/4 split class we invited grade 3 and 4 boys and then her best friends who are in grade 5 - yep - there were kids ages 8 - 10 . . . a little different for her parties. Her actual birthday was on Friday, so we had the party that night - from 6 to 9 pm.

We wanted something a bit different so I did some research online and found a site that did murder mystery parties and also age appropriate just mystery parties. We found one that she thought would be fun - an older western called "The Legend of Goldie Rushmore's Lost Loot". I spent some time figuring out how to get it together and then printed off everything that was included in the pdf download. Because we were so late in getting it together and we needed at least 6 people to participate we invited 13, figuring that most wouldn't be able to come . . . well . . . we were wrong!!!

The Townspeople of Eureka (the "serious" pose)

Scooter Smith, Mayor McShin, Blue Eyed Susan, Sylvester S Foxx, Irena Pyrite, Kelly Stasher, Bo Vineman, Scoops Smith, Navia, Goldie Rushmore, Casey, Dr. Cass E. D. Butch (Luke E Duke missing)

Yep - 12 out of the 13 came (1 boy is missing in this picture because he had to leave early)

The "smiling" pose

The "Goofy" pose

As the kids arrived they were split into teams for a game of "Quick Draw" (pictionary) with the theme of various western objects . . . can you guess this one???

a saddle :)

Next the kids were gathered together to begin the mystery - they were handed bags with the character's secret clues, heirloom and information about themselves that they were to reveal.

Here are a few of the heirlooms that were given out - newspaper article, "cattle brand", reward poster, photograph, etc.

A serious Bo Vineman, ex-cattle rancher checking out her bag of information

After they introduced themselves to each other with their new information we had tacos are during the meal they were given a question to ask a specific individual and also a secret clue that they needed to try and conceal - but if they were asked a direct question they weren't allowed to lie.

After they ate we figured out what everyone thought - who stole the gold and where is it now??? We voted on who we thought were the good guys and who were the bad guys and then used those groups as teams for an obstacle potato sack race.

When the race ended Scooter asked one last question, which got the kids trying to figure out a morse code message that was actually the beginning of the scavenger hunt. The hunt ended with the kids finding the missing gold and an old journal of the thief. In that journal it told of how each of the townspeople helped or didn't help - who really was good and who wasn't. The kids loved hearing about how they were apart of it or how they were clueless. Needless to say, no one guessed what really happened, although one boy was very close to it.

Once that was done we ate cake and then the parents came - 3 hours after it began.

Navia getting ready to blow out Emma's candles - yep - we had to re-light them!

Emma giving thank you hugs to a good friend

Emma and two of her good friends

Navia just had to dress up - and loved being a bit of a tag-a-long

Emma had a blast at her party and the kids seemed to have fun too. She was so happy to have a western theme and it was nice to figure out something to do with it - the mystery party was a success!!!

So, we now have a 9 year old in our house . . . We love you Emma Rayne Bailey!!!

Happy Birthday Braden!!!

January 13, 1974 was a special day . . . it was the day that Braden was born!!! So on Wednesday he got SMOTHERED with kisses and hugs!!!

Emma made a birthday cake for him all by herself (not even my supervision!) and they all decorated it together :)

And then it was time for presents - - - well - - - daddy had already bought himself this . . .

. . . which was his Christmas and birthday present so he insisted that we didn't buy him anything - and for the first time I actually listened to him - hehehe!

Instead I thought that I've been making things for other people in our lives, but not him, so I wanted to change it. Trying to figure out what to MAKE Braden is a hard thing, but I know how much he loves having a blanket on him when he's watching movies, etc and the only one we have downstairs is a pretty one with holes all over it so it's not very cozy. So . . . I made him a cozy reversible blanket that he can use - and he loves it! It's very warm and snuggly - and the kids are now fighting over it - but Daddy gets first dibs!

(poor navia - she's getting some bad pics this post - hehehe!)

So, Happy Birthday Daddy - we love you more that we could ever say!!!

We are yours forever and a day . . .

"i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no worlds (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)"

e.e. cummings

A Productive Weekend!!!

This weekend I completed 3 (or four!) projects!!! I completed my first knitting project that was for me, 2 stuffed 21" monkeys and Navia's other fingerless mitt (which she has been asking for as she has been wearing just one outside - so cute!) Oh, and I think that knitting is my new thing . . . it's very relaxing and you can do it with people all around you (unlike the sewing machine in which my hubby "kindly" has requested that I don't sew while we're watching a movie . . . I really don't know why...)

The first project that I made for myself was a cowl. I found the pattern online and wanted to give it a try as I LOVED the way the inside had the raised line. I went to my very first real knitting store (wow - is really soft yarn expensive!!!) and purchased the yarn that I needed in the budget that I was looking at :) It only took a few days to make and I did it on circular needles - for the first time. I now know what people are taking about - was it a pain to go back to straight needles to do Navia's mitt . . . always turning it from one side to another. Yep, circular is the way to go!!!

So, let me give you a "tour" of my cowl - it is soooo warm and can be worn in various ways . . .the first way I'd suggest you don't do in public though . . .

I can't believe I'm actually posting this!!!

It's meant to fold over to expose the raised knitting...

It works with my everyday jacket . . .

And my dress jacket . . .

And if I'm out at the bus stop waiting for the bus to come (that isn't on time) and I forgot my hat I can then turn it up a bit and ta-da . . . my head is now covered and I'm in a much better mood not freezing at the bus stop!!!

Just ignore the fact that my roots need done - yikes - bad angle!!!

Now onto my monkeys . . . I found a pattern for the cutest stuffed monkey, Mollie Monkey, and I couldn't wait to give it a try, but the problem was that now that I can, I needed boy monkeys . . . so I just altered the pattern a bit and ta-da . . . I present to you my monkeys!!!

Friends of ours have been going through process of adopting a little boy from Haiti for over 2 years now and this past Monday they were able to bring their little boy home!!! This is such a huge answer to prayer and I wanted to make something special for him. His name is Noah and I remember his older brother wearing camouflage so I thought that I'd make his monkey's outfit include them too. The other monkey is for a friend of ours that we've known for the past, oh, 10 years. She just had a little boy and I wanted to make something special for him to. His name is Traeten . . . can you guess which one is for him :)

I loved the shoes - the only thing removable on the monkeys.

The last thing that I just "whipped up" (ya right!!!) was Navia's matching fingerless mitt. The only problem was that I had altered the pattern and couldn't remember the amount of rows of each that I had done, so it took a little longer than I wanted (more that just one movie) because I had to keep on counting to figure it out. Lesson learned for next time . . . ALWAY WRITE IT DOWN!!!

The kids had fun this weekend too. Daddy took them back to the big hill to go tobogganing and then today Emma and I spent time figuring out her birthday party that will be on Friday. We got all the info to Daddy who made a great invitation, but you're just going to have to wait and see . . .

I followed a knitting pattern . . . well . . . kinda . . .

Today on the way back from Edelweiss tubing I finished my very first project that I used a pattern for (well, mostly . . . I made it longer on the wrist and smaller in the palm of the hand and used a smaller needle so that it would fit Navia as the pattern was for an adult) But this is the first time that I have succeeded at ribbing!!! I ribbed the wrist and the finger end and made the palm in stitchenette so that it was smooth. I love it . . . but as you can see, it doesn't have a parter yet . . . hopefully tomorrow though it will be joined by a matching friend!

Navia showing off her hot chocolate mustache and new mitt.

The reason that I made these was due to Navia's red wrists . . . there is always a big space between her jacket sleeve and mitts as she's outside playing (even if it doesn't start like that it ALWAYS ends like that). I figured that if she wore these under her mitts and jacket that hopefully that red spot would disappear . . . so we'll see what happens!!!

Tubing at Edelweiss

This morning we kinda skipped church on the last day of Christmas Vacation so that we could go on one last winter vacation adventure . . . tubing! Now, normally when you think of tubing it's on a hill that will require a lot of walking up that hill that you're swooshing down . . . but not this time!!!

We went to a ski hill that also had tubing runs with their OWN CHAIR LIFT!!! Yep - I'm pretty sure that's what made it so appealing to Braden and I (knowing that the kids wouldn't be carrying their own tube and all). It was a blast!!! The kids had never been on a chair lift before so just that was exciting to them - and 3rd run Emma and Kaleb were riding them by themselves. Actually, those two were pretty hard core - we're finally catch up to them and they'd be off again - just the two of them taking on the hill and chair alone :) It was a little cold so I only took out the camera one time because my fingers were freezing!

Daddy and Navia waiting to be pushed down

There were a couple guys at the top of the tubing hill that would help you slide down - in a chain (holding each other's feet in a line), or a flower-type formation (all over the place, holding whatever you could of each other) or just solo. Then they would either push you so that you'd go straight down, or they'd swing you so that you'd go around and around in a circle as you are trying to catch your breath due to high wind of going so fast and flying snow that kept hitting your face! The kids thought it was amazing!!!

Kaleb waiting (very impatiently!!!)

The only "small" problem was that one of the runs made you go so fast that when you got to the end of it you would hit the small hill and start sliding down - towards where everyone was walking to get back to the chair lift. Usually not a problem, unless of course you are walking along and are suddenly hit from behind with a person on a tube and therefore flying into the air like a rag-doll (which is actually really funny to watch - sorry, but it is!!!). We know this not because of being hit, but because of running into people - in fact, within 1 minute we (Brade/Emma and Carrie/Navia) hit the same girl. She must have just gotten up and recovered when Navia and I took her out again (kinda funny because no one was hurt!!!)

Navia and Emma picking up their tubes from the top of the hill

So, if you are in the Ottawa area and feel like tubing, you NEED to check out Edelweiss - only 30 minutes from downtown (across the bridge in Quebec). Oh and if Grandparents would like to proven themselves to grandkids, I'm sure they LOVE to take you on with the tubes!!!

Daddy and the kids

Mommy's turn for a pic with the kids