We drove to Halifax for the holidays. We left just before the big storm... barely. It was beginning as we drove out. Thankfully we drove out of it before lunch; it was enough of a trip without having lots of snow driving! You see, Michael caught the tummy flu from the girls the day before we left... so our trip took a bit longer than expected, making the decision to do it in one day through Maine look rather a bad idea. We're taking two days to go back :o)

We're much enjoying our holidays here...

The weekend of Aunty Ruth's birthday we had a special Sunday birthday breakfast. Uncle Jamie made the plates special with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Grace thought that was a great beginning to the day! She wasn't that interested in the rest of the food until it was all gone from her plate.Notice also the colored-on place mat. Imma gave us each a colorable place mat to fill up over the holidays. We all had fun with that at various meals.

The girls really like Imma and Abba's house - I think there are more toys here than at our house! On top of that, Imma was able to borrow an indoor slide for the really cold days... It gets used alot! Thankyou Imma!


Christmas morning before presents we had a story telling and a song time to remember exactly why we were celebrating. Here is Imma telling the story with pictures to Grace and Jasmin. Unfortunately they were more interested in the drawing bit than the story. But later she made a short little book which they did really enjoy and took in much better.


The girls' main gifts were dolls and strollers. A very big hit! They spent the rest of the morning zooming Ju-En and Kar-En around the house. Grace immediately wanted to give Kar-En a bath and was puzzled by her sewn-on pants and shoes. She couldn't give her a bath like that!
Jamie's gift to everyone was a cooking/baking session together. He is doing a baking course at NSCC and can bake some fabulous things now. Here we are in proper jackets about to begin making spring rolls. They were yummy - only one lasted until the next day :o)
More later, no doubt.

We've had lots of snow this week. Grace and Jasmin enjoyed shoveling the driveway with Daddy. Daddy didn't enjoy having to do it 3 times in one day though! Notice neither of them will keep their mittens on... this has limited our outdoor time considerable since it is -12 or lower. I have to use the button on mittens of Jasmin's snowsuit to keep her hands from freezing and she doesn't like that because she can't grasp anything at all. At least Grace likes hats now :O) and Jasmin will tolerate one at times.

So we've done lots of indoor things... baking Christmas cookies being one of them since we have hosted one church potluck party and are hosting another for the youth group this evening. Grace and Jasmin's main helping activity...

The main reason for this post is to pass on this exciting thing Grace did today...
Just after putting a tray of cookies in the oven, I had to go hang up laundry to dry in the basement. I had just got down there when I heard Grace calling for Daddy (why not mommy? you'll see.)... and then Daddy asking me if I knew what they were doing and if I had left eggs within reach... I didn't and hadn't. Grace had decided to make eggs for her sheep (her current "doll"). So she had gotten the egg carton out of the fridge, but unfortunately it didn't get much further than the floor... the last of our eggs smashed! Jasmin enjoyed learning the properties of raw egg until Daddy began cleanup. The exciting thing was not all this. It came next. After Daddy's scolding she just stood there with a sad look on her face, and when Mommy came up she said to me, "I'm sorry, Mommy." Something we have not been intentionally teaching her yet. We were excited that this is something she has picked up - and not just the words, but the attitude and meaning; Grace was truly contrite. A great teaching moment :o)

Other happenings of the week:

Grace is fully potty trained now. She just decided, it seems like. She even cleans up after herself and flushes it down the toilet! Of course, there are still some wet clothes, but more often from a missed pour in the toilet than not getting to the potty in time. Jasmin is very interested in the whole thing and goes with her to the toilet every time. Once I even got there in time to see Jasmin pouring the potty contents into the toilet!

Grace really likes to wear this hat - I find it on her all the time. Now to get Jasmin to like hats too!

See the scab on her nose? She got this falling out of bed. reasonable until you know that "bed" equals mattress on the floor! We have a bedside cube table about a foot from the bed... We are still trying to figure out how she managed to fall far enough to hit the edge of it hard enough to break the skin. Almost as if she were throwing herself or jumping out... but she was sound asleep - until she hit of course.

We've been collecting juice boxes for a few months now to make building blocks. Cut off the top then cut the body in half. Fit them together to make an easy cube. We finally have enough for the girls to actually build something with them. I found this idea on the Net, and really liked it: other than the long time to build up a decent set, it is a great way to get building blocks. The only problem is how light they are. I think my next ones I will put in a bit of sand or something and figure out a way to seal them better.

This weekend we spent at church with the youth: "lockdown" weekend. Only there wasn't much locking...
**all the girls but one could only stay for Friday evening and not overnight
**the water was leaking profusely so the water was turned off at the mains so we had to gather snow periodically and various teams of workmen were in and out trying to fix it for Sunday
**Michael had to run home to download a proper media player onto his computer so we could watch the movie we had rented
**Michael managed to put our car in the ditch in the church driveway on said trip so CAA had to come as it was not recoverable even with all of us pushing
So. It was a fun and memorable weekend :o) I learned to play two video games that I actually enjoyed, and enjoyed improvising with no water. Grace and Jasmin spent the time at NiNi's and did really well overnight there. We only got one phone call to calm some crying down. Unfortunately, that meant that they had more than twice as much sleep as mommy and daddy....!

Fun story.

Yesterday we went to the library. it is in a big sports complex so there is far to go once we are inside. I had my hands full with book bag, diaper bag, and Grace. Jasmin was trailing along behind, enjoying the sights along the way. A sudden surpized hello from a stranger made me look back. Jasmin had taken this woman's finger and was leading her down the hallway! We both had quite the time of persuading Jasmin that she needed to switch to my finger. A little embarrassing, but kinda cute too.

We've been attempting to make a beaded curtain for our entry closet this week. First attempt failed with the realization it would take about $90 worth of beads to make it work. Second attempt failed with the reality of two little girls who would play with the strands... mommy spent the morning stringing and hanging, and in the space of 5 minutes, the girls reduced the number of done strands in half, and mommy spent most of the afternoon chasing down all the run away beads. The third attempt is currently on hold until mommy can buy some more of the right color beads.

Grace enjoys the third attempt because the string mommy is using is stiff enough for her to string beads too... and Jasmin enjoys it because she can play with the resulting curtain! Also because mommy is distracted/absorbed enough that she can get away with shaking handfuls of beads all over the living room!
Hopefully we won't be waiting too long to see the final outcome, though so far I have been unsuccessful in tracking down more beads... no one seems to stock such vast quantities, and I vastly underestimated the number needed :o)

Things I'm learning about my children:

Grace will eat chicken a la king - if I can make it close enough to YeaYea's

Jasmin likes to "taste" test her food - by mashing it in her hands

The best way to having Grace sleep through the night in her own bed is to leave the heat on and not be upset - she picks up on our emotions in an incredible way

Jasmin is into coloring. I think she is trying to decide if she's a leftie like Grace or not. Thing is, she has no inhibitions about coloring on anything with anything...

Grace can identify and continue simple color patterns

Jasmin dislikes having anything on her head - something we have to conquer before the really cold weather comes!

Grace can undress herself completely. I can often follow a trail of puddling clothes to find her playing quite happily stark naked.

Grace can unlock and open the front door...

Jasmin likes playing hide and seek

Grace can shake a maraca and sing along passably - and this without mommy showing or encouraging!

Jasmin loves to make noises with anyone

Imma's Christmas Finger Rhyme

Here's the baby ( one finger)
Here's the manger ( other hand cupped)
Here's the baby safe from danger ( finger in cupped hand)
Mother Mary rocks him just like this ( swing hands back and forth)
Mr Joseph gives a kiss ( kiss the finger in your cupped hand)

See the angels in the sky
Telling where the baby lies ( link thumbs and flap hands)
See the shepherds running fast
To see the baby king at last ( run two fingers along forearm)

See the stars up in the sky ( wiggle fingers above head)
Three wise men go riding by ( hold reigns and move hands up and down)
Bringing gifts to the baby small ( cup hands together)
Because you see he's Lord of all! ( move hands in a big circle to include everything)

Been a bit of an odd week for us. Monday my back was not too good, so Tuesday I looked after it better by doing a lot of things with the girls on my stomach on the floor (supposed to be a good position). Wednesday, I woke up so stiff and sore that I've spent the rest of the week doing the bare minimum around the house and with the girls so I can stay in my lazyboy being good to my back. I guess it worked, cuz yesterday I woke up with a nearly normal back again - at least my normal :o)

Add in the rain outside and some difficult issues inside to deal with and you have our week. Some very good things happened too, though. Like a rare Skype session with a friend; a trip to the library; Grace learning Imma's Christmas finger rhyme; Grace deciding to take afternoon naps with Jasmin...
...though she did choose the oddest places to fall asleep! A result of Mommy being more out of commission than usual?

Travel there went smoothly, and Grace handled saying goodbye really well. Skype seemed to satisfy her that Mommy and Jasmin weren't gone forever! Jasmin and I had a great visit, but near the end we both were ready to go home. We eagerly look forward to Christmas when we can enjoy Halifax AND family all together.

The trip home has a story... the trip went fine until Toronto. I got VIP service to our new gate, but then I was left to myself and Jasmin had had enough. First she managed to get her leg stuck between the seats and it took 3 passengers to get her loose! Then she was tired and hungry (she hadn't slept on the plane) and was in a lie-on-the-floor-and-cry stage. There was a Tims right there so I went to order something for her: an egg salad sandwich without the bread. Lots of funny looks but I did get it. :o) To top it all off I had a wicked headache. She cried in protest until the plane took off, and then fell asleep. I tried to as well, but my head hurt too much. I wanted to order tea to help it, but they were only offering coffee and water! So Michael received a sleepy grumpy girl and a sick wife :o( It was really bad - on the way home he had to pull over so I could throw up :o( So I got in and crawled into bed with some pills. A few hours later (11pm) we got to properly say hello to each other! Grace was so funny. At the airport I said "aren't you going to give mommy a hug?" so she went to hug Jasmin! I think she missed her more than me!

Saturday was the main reason why Jasmin and I went to Halifax: newlywed cousin Matthew and Debbie were there for the Canadian side of the family to share in their wedding. We held a small ceremony in the Dingle park... beautiful but rather chilly!

Afterwards, we had to take lots of pictures, of course, especially since we had three serious photographers there!

In chasing the sun and shelter from the wind, we ended up at the small playground there. Jasmin - after the short nap she took throughout the journey there and the ceremony - made a beeline for the swings. As usual! Aunty Ruth obligingly pushed, and pushed, and pushed...Imma had made a wedding cake for us to celebrate with, and Jamie, who is studying to be a baker, tried his hand at decorating it... Here he is in his chef's uniform and the new bride, showing off the finished product.

A few things Jasmin enjoyed at Imma's house:After Uncle Gavin played for us (and Jasmin danced), Jasmin had to try make music too...

Jasmin met Hamilton, our resident marionette pet. She was quite intrigued... and then got too familiar and bit mouthfuls of hair out!

Playing peek a boo with everyone from behind the door curtain...

It didn't take Jasmin too long to figure out where her special stash of cookies were... especially since it was on her level!

A few more fall leaf pictures (when my friend Sarah was here for the weekend) can be seen on her blog: goingsarah.blogspot.com

We enjoyed the snow today! In fact, Grace wouldn't leave me alone until I let her go out to explore it! She wasn't about to wait all day until NiNi came with her snowsuit, so I managed to get her into Jasmin's and let her out. She was so excited - and then shocked and upset at how cold it was :o) She didn't like having mittens on - she took them off to properly play with the snow! Of course, it didn't take us too long to pursuade her she did need them on. Even so, she still prefers to have them off for the first little while. This is her third time outdoors, this time with her very own snowsuit and boots that NiNI brought with her.
Jasmin was not too impressed with the whole affair. She found it highly annoying that she has to relearn to walk! Boots, snowsuit, and snow all make it a new exercise entirely. She never moved from where Daddy put her down! And, of course, the only thing she thought snow was good for was eating!
The promised event! Daddy came out to play too! And to build that snowman Grace had been pestering for all day. She was quite intrigued by the whole process, but was a bit too rough with her additions - the poor man had to be patched a good number of times. They built another after this one, then they had to come in for supper. Grace was beside herself with tiredness, but came in with great protest because they needed to make a mommy snowman; after all, they had a daddy and a baby one...
Grace actually fell asleep during supper. She ate some and then curled up on her chair making fake snoring sounds. Daddy took the hint and settled her on a beanbag chair with her blankie. She is still there now at 9, waiting for Daddy to transfer her to bed.

An all morning pastime - sorting and resorting, pouring and spilling beans and pumpkin seeds. Grace was too absorbed to bother looking up, but Jasmin knows exactly what to do for a camera: "cheese" :o)

Random thoughts before bed

It's snowing!! A proper storm, too; no starting off slowly with small dustings!

I guess this answers my question as to whether or not we should rake the leaves off our front grass.

And puts an end to my makeshift compost pile... I'll really have to make a proper enclosure now, if I want to use it this winter. How could I have forgotten so easily about the practicalities of Canadian winters? Even while looking forward to it?!?

I'm excited, but it has caught us quite unprepared...
As in, tomorrow morning if we want to use the car, we'll have to shovel the driveway with a toy shovel that Grace has - bigger than a trowel and with a longish handle, but what a sight that'll make :o)
As in, should we even use the car, since it still has summer tires only?
As in, Grace and Jasmin both don't have winter boots, nor do I have a proper winter coat.

Last week, Michael's computer died....
It began as an annoyance - overheating and needing to be put in the garage to cool down so it could be used again. But annoyance quickly became an I-can't-work-with-this type of problem as it began happening too often too quickly after cool down. So, we lost 2 and 1/2 days to buying a new computer, setting it up with all the needed software, and recovering data.
I say we, because of course it meant that mommy had to give daddy concentrated time with no interruptions to get it all done - meaning mommy had to keep girls happily occupied all the time instead of the usual calling on daddy from time to time. Not all that hard (they're great girls to hang out with), but a bit challenging with the restrictions on my movements still!
Of course, once the computer was bought, the old one functioned fine - for a while. Once all the data was switched over, the old computer died completely and refused to turn on. So we made the right decision!
The whole thing reminded me just how blessed we are that we can, at a moments notice, go out and buy a new laptop! Wow! Now that deserves some serious gratitude :)

Did you notice the haircut?


She was getting a little bit too wispy to look brushed - even when she was :o) I kept seeing this cut hidden in her looks, and one day after cutting Michael's hair I gave it a whirl. If you don't look too closely it is a neat cut :o)

More pictures I'm catching up with...

Grace "walking" NiNi & YeaYea's dogs. She was so proud of herself!

We had an evening at the park with Bu and Ming (Uncle and Aunt) before they left for Vancouver enroute to a new job in Korea...
Mommy and Daddy have a lot of playing to live up to on the playground now! The girls loved all the attention of course.

And Jasmin here insisting that she CAN do it by herself...

She did actually make it all the way to the top - but not without a hovering saviour or two :o)
This is how high she was climbing.

We've had a peaceful weekend with a great friend visiting from Sherbrooke. It was so nice to share a few days with her - and them not to be horribly busy ones too! We went for an explore in a patch of forest near our house (yeay!) this morning before she had to leave. It was so cold we had hats and mitts on the girls (which Jasmin was NOT happy about) but we still had fun. I don't think Jasmin liked it though - we had to hold her or she would cry! But after awhile she settled down and looked at the towering trees rustling with yellow and orange leaves with interest.

Random pictures from the last month or so!

Jasmin enjoying breakfast on the train coming back from Toronto (Sept 29th).The truth of the matter: kids left to themselves just a little bit too much during the move. Jasmin started her nap underneath their kitchen table... once she got bored of the playdough stars Grace had made. A bit like a cat, don't you think? Finding an out of the way sunny warm place for a nap :o)


Grace and Jasmin both really like playing wiht the camera. Here are a few of Grace's attempts:
A great one of Jasmin anxious for her turn!

and I'm not too sure how she managed this one...

And more to follow...

I'm finally getting to my pictures! Here's a random one from getting our new house together...Michael was trying to rehang the cupboard door and needed to see it from inside. The girls thought this was a great idea! This kitchen has some BIG cupboards!

Still no pictures as the one room as yet unpacked is the computer room :o} That's because we have to do the floor in there as the carpet is bad enough that Michael can't work in there without triggering his allergies.

We are in our own house now and things are finally settling down enough to enjoy it and feel it becoming home. Grace and Jasmin are particularly fond of the backyard and the place underneath the chimney: it is full of chipped rocks... and, of course, the strip of dug over garden: almost as good as the sand in the park! We've finished painting the main floor, and are leaving the rest until we've had a bit of a break. "Mostly" is the answer mommy has to give to questions of "all settled in/unpacked?" There is still plenty to do, but now it can fit in with living rather than living needing to fit in around it!

Ming Christina and Bu Sangi took Grace and Jasmin to buy some pet fish for the fish tank they gave us. In the end they came back with a small fish bowl and a fighter fish... the big fish tank turned out to be too much work, they thought. Thanks for thinking this way for mommy and daddy :o) The fish got named Jace (JA - smin and Gra - CE), which Grace already calls him consistently. Grace reminds me every morning to give breakfast to Jace, and during the day excitedly says to me, "Let's go see Jace!" and carefully reminds me not to scare him :o)

I had a check up with the surgeon on the 2nd, which was very encouraging. He said that the amount of strength recovery that I'm already showing means very likely I will recover all my leg strength in time. I begin physiotherapy next week to speed that along. Such big thanksgiving this causes in us as it has been such a long wait and so many prayers have been offered for this very thing! Now I just have to discipline myself to continue to be careful even though I mostly feel normal.

Wow, crazy life right now! A few scattered thots to keep you more or less up to date:

We're moving to our new house tomorrow... this in the middle of back surgery recovery, a weekend in Toronto (we just got back yesterday) for a missions conference in which Michael preached, still showing our rental place to potential sub lessors, meetings with the youth of our church, living life with two delightful toddlers, and, and, and...!

When I have a moment or two to reflect, and I don't fall asleep, I think we are managing to find it all interesting and fun.... but still there are times that I long for a few months of "normal life", whatever that is - I'm not certain we've had any since we got married! I certainly hope this is not our normal!!

We just did the final "walk thru" of our new place. It needs painting throughout and new flooring on the main floor, but it is livable until we find some time and energy to tackle that upheaval. It will be so nice to settle there knowing we are there for over a year, God willing. It is a lovely house and I'm glad we held out for it, despite all the hassle and waiting that was involved.

I'm SO incredibly thankful that God has given us such adaptable, sunny girls who are taking all this in their stride!

I do have a few pictures - but they'll have to wait till I have a longer time to spend at the computer.

Grace and Jasmin are currently spooning beads and water from cup to cup... or were. Now I'm hearing far too many beads bouncing on the floor... the end of my computer break, I think!

We've had an interesting time since my surgery... The Saturday after my surgery Michael sprained his knee playing soccer with the youth. In the 4 years I've known him, he's never gotten hurt or hardly even sick! So why now, when I can't do anything either?!?! Fortunately we had NiNi to bail us out - she stayed with us until Wednesday, and by then Michael could limp around. Thankfully we found it more funny than terrible, even though it was rather inconvenient! The girls have done really well, and seemed to enjoy their extra freedom, but they are showing some signs of stress.

All the same, Grace has taken another big leap forward. She now works hard at zipping things:

It is very useful! She now likes to pick up her lego and zip it into its bag.

She also has jumped ahead in language, and both of them really enjoy recording themselves... you can hear one recording by downloading this file: http://www.eazypaper.com/binary/grace singing - sept 14, 2008.zip

Another favorite thing to do: enjoy library books - especially ones that are songs to be sung!

Recovery is going well for both Mommy and Daddy. We are no longer housebound as Daddy can drive now, and Mommy is learning the new discipline of doing very little even though it no longer hurts. We are very thankful for all the help we are getting, and for the quick passing of the very painful part of surgery recovery. All very good as we move into our new house come October!

This week has been... interesting so far. Monday we spent trying to finish the many things we'd like to get done before I was put out of commission by surgery. We cut it pretty fine, but did manage to finish the absolute necessities like grocery shopping!

Tuesday morning began all too normally: Jasmin stirring at 6ish, waking Grace so mommy starting the day much earlier than hopped and planned. But this time NiNi is here too, so a much easier breakfast and getting ready for the day time. I had the recommended shower with anti-bacterial soap, and said my goodbyes and we left for the hospital in the rain, leaving NiNi with 2 wailing little girls (who we knew whould be happy enough once we were properly gone!

We get to the appointed place just on time: the Surgical Daycare Center. What a name, eh? What does that make you think of? No place to send your kids, I hope! We arrive at 10am, and even though the surgery isn't scheduled until noon, I am quickly swallowed up in the system - and have to sneak out to get a quick goodbye hug from Michael. Later, lying in bed just waiting for noon, I am miffed to see other patients coming in with husbands/wives/daughters, etc. Why are they allowed when I wasn't? And I did ask specifically a number of different times.

I am prety sick of old People magazines and watching the 'traffic' by the time my turn comes. The nurse almost makes off with another girl in my place (so that armband checking IS useful!), but does take me in the end. To wait some more. This time just outside the O.R. The 'traffic' is slightly more interesting, and the heated blankets they bring me are a definte plus - such a delicious feeling of warmth and security! - especially since I have an extra 1/2 hour wait while they clean and prepare the O.R. inbetween patients.

Once inside, I am quickly prepped: blood pressure, pulse, I.V., etc. all given with cheerful talk from the nurses. Then comes the oxygen mask and I don't know anything more until it feels like 1/2 dozen people all trying to wake me up at the same time. Waking means waking to pain so I'm rather loathe to come to. Not sure how long I stayed in between the blackness and waking - but ti was long enough to exsaperate one nurse, who, after asking me for the umpteenth time about my pain levels, more or less told me off for saying I still hurt alot! "There's no way you can still be in that much pain - not after what I've given you!" is what she said. And, indeed, while she was talking, the meds did conquor pain and I could agree I didn't hurt that much any more. Five hours after leaving the ward I was back: 6 pm. Only an hour to wait before Michael could come in to see me.

While I waited, I got that first delicious sip of water - the first since 10 pm the night before! - and a face wash to get rid of the sticky gunk left from having various tubes taped down. And, believe it or not, some snoozes, even in a very busy 14 bed ward! The nurses were excellent and efficient at keeping track of 14 patients in various stages of recovery and leave taking. i'm so glad I didn't have to face leaving that evening! I could have, but I/m glad I didn't take that option. By the time Michael arrived to visit, the ward was quieter and only the overnight patients were left, so we had a short but good visit.

Staying overnight didn't actually mean more rest or sleep for me... after all, when are hospitals ever good places for sleeping? But the few times I had to tackle getting to the bathroom, etc. are something I'm glad I didn't have to face at home! By the time Michael came for me in the morning, I felt much more mobile and ready to face the world. (And surely the last shot of morphime helped too !)

So far so good at home. Grace and Jasmin have done marvelously with NiNi while mommy was gone, and continue to be happy and helpful even with mommy aroud but not doing anything. I am not attempting much at all, but stay in my lazyboy most of the time. Still, this evening of beautiful sunshine and warm weather was too much and I made it out to the park with everyone else. So glorious to be outside in the green and blue!

I hurt plenty, but already I see more movement and strength in my foot; I can know I have "hit bottom" and am working my way to recovery now; and all has gone so smoothly with the girls so far.... our hearts are very full of thanksgiving! It has happened and now we can get better and move on. PTL!

We've been doing a lot of coloring this week:

Grace concentrates on it for hours some days! Jasmin likes to give it a try - and then she'd rather chew on the crayons as she is teething her molars - before getting her eye teeth!
We

I've gotten my (hopefully final) surgery date today! September 9th. This is such a wonderful answer... exactly what I was asking for, even though I was told it was nearly impossible to get! But God is bigger than hospital administration :o)

Hopefully we get done with potty training Grace before then :oP We've been lazily introducing the idea, but now we are focusing on it for real. No more diapers for Grace! She is doing well, but backwards: all the "harder" things like night time and naptime being dry, park time dry, number 2 pottying she has down no problem. Just the main part left :o)

We've had fairly lazy times at home lately. Interspersed with lots of meal-time visitors and other arrangements. We've enjoyed early morning walks- we found a field of wild flowers and crickets nearby to explore! - and the park, but also lots of home time:


Jasmin enjoying a soak in her "tub". Not exactly what we bought it for- but it kept her happily occupied for a good long time!

We've also begun having some Fallish weather.... One evening walk even required their new raincoats, which Grace was extraordinarily pleased with,hence the odd smile. And Jasmin! Such a little girl now!

Here's a try at something new... a video clip of Grace and Jasmin enjoying their reading corner. Grace is "reading " a book to herself - and doing a very accurate job, too! - and Jasmin is imitating her.

Yesterday we had a huge thunderstorm. Unfortunately, we had to go out just as it was approaching. Fortunately, we had shut the windows before we left home (not because we saw the storm coming but because it was so muggy we wanted to use the aircon for awhile to make our house bearable). It was kind of neat though. We got to see it coming, a dark threatening sheet slowly being pulled across the sky as we drove into it. it got so dark! Saw some awesomely clear lightening strikes too! I ran in to get my blood test done, and before I came back out the storm broke. From inside a 2 story building, on the first floor in the middle of the building I could hear the rain! When I came out it was sheeting down rain and as dark as late evening. I had to take three uncovered steps to the car and was soaked through before I got the door shut. Grace was awed, and Jasmin slept through it. Even the hail we drove though on our way home! We had fun juggling umbrella, bags, babies, and keys to get into the house relatively dry :o) It has to be one of the first storms that I have really enjoyed and not feared.

Today it is like Fall. The sun is shining brightly in a blue sky, but the air is cold enough to redden cheeks and make Mommy thankful we bought Grace sneakers yesterday - and she wore them when we went to the park this morning. A few more days of this and I'll have to dig out the girls long sleeves and socks. I love weather like this - it makes me feel so alive. I just wish I could be doing all the things being outside in this weather makes me want to do: dig over gardens, go for hikes, have a bonfire... We did spend the morning learning about apple trees as we found on with baby apples on it on our walk this morning. Almost as good :o)

This weekend was the Cambodian Fellowship Annual Conference. The youth and young adults went to Providence Point, and the adults had theirs at our church. Five or six churches participated from St Thomas, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Michael was the main speaker for the youth, but because there was no childcare there, I stayed at home and attended the adult conference. It wasn't hard for me being on my own, because I wasn't! I was so very well taken care of that I only had to look after the girls on my own for about 1/2 hour in the morning and again at night!! The days were long: 8am - 9:30pm, but good. I enjoyed the weekend of Khmer talk, food, and family, and the girls enjoyed all the kids and the new/old activities:


Canadian-Khmer style cooking. Still outdoors and in huge woks and pots, but on nifty propane burners instead of charcoal pots. Here they are frying battered banana for snack. The cooks worked full tilt all weekend, cooking three meals a day for 60 odd people... they did a fantastic job!
Playing in the dirt is always good fun!!
So is dressing up:


Another very Khmer thing: informal sing-a-long/karaoke-type sessions breaking out during free time in between formal teaching sessions:

We attempted gluten-free playdough this afternoon. It is a hit! In fact, I think I like it better than "normal" homemade playdough... Jasmin quickly discovered that the taste isn't that great though :o)

Going gluten-free as a household certainly has made Jasmin a happier, healthier child, but it is taking a lot of getting used to! It requires a thorough vigilance: not only must her food be not made with gluten, but neither can it be touch any gluten-containing foods, nor even be cooked with the same utensils without thorough cleaning! The hardest part is going out and remembering to take food for her along! The big test will be this next weekend when we attend the Annual Cambodian church conference... a weekend worth of meals and snacks to remember!

I guess it is good for us - we eat more made-from-scratch foods, are forced to be health conscious all the time (no cheating allowed!), and mommy has to finally conquer being organized and on top of things in the kitchen. But right now there isn't all that much inner resource to rise to the challenge... after all, moving house, dealing with needed back surgery, one child ready for toilet training, a new "family" job - each one needs a fair bit of inner strength to cope with! We are managing though, and even having fun as we do have many wonderful friends and family to help.

It's been a busy week! On Friday last we moved into the rental we need until the house we are buying is available. Saturday my parents came for a visit - from Halifax! So Friday and Saturday morning were chock full of moving and unpacking and sorting our new place out so we could enjoy my parents' visit. And we made it too! This is what it looks like:


The pictures are taken from either side of the counter dividing the living room and kitchen; a beautiful compact yet open and spacious place!

As you can see from the kitchen picture, we overlook a park. Everyone enjoyed that this week: Grace and Jasmin learning to conquer the slides and meeting neighbourhood kids, Mommy for the green view and activity for the girls, Daddy and Abba for the convenient view of soccer and baseball games!
(a side note: this picture captures a rare moment - Grace has left her hair tied up! Mommy had to cut her some bangs as she is pulling out everything that gets put in her hair - and then spends so much time brushing it out of her face!)

Then on Sunday, our church held its service at a park on the St Lawrence river for a baptism and picnic. It was rather a chilly day and mommy didn't pack any warm clothes for the girls :o( But a friend of Jasmin had some to share with her. I guess mommy was still rather turned around from moving and all, as she also forgot to bring some food Jasmin can eat... there was an interesting mix of things she could eat, but she didn't mind as she got to chow down on her beloved watermelon.

I'm not sure just what Grace and Jasmin make of the move, but they handled it well - even the change in grandparents :o) Grace enjoyed listening to Abba's stories - and telling him lots too!
Park available, but there's nothing like parking lot puddles after the rain...