It's a New Year!!!

Again... I know that's it's been a little while since the new year but.... :)

It's been a busy year already! Some things that have happened since the beginning of the year.
-Kelsey has taken her first steps (actually that happened Christmas day... but she's getting better day by day!)
-Kelsey has figured out crawling.
-My parents came to visit for a short 5 days
-I finished and shipped a huge order for hats to the states... and continue to get more orders... hoping that I can keep making and selling hats this year and looking forward to where it will take me
-have confirmed that I will give child care to a little boy close to Kelsey's age (though not as much as I was hoping, it still is a huge blessing!!)
-Kelsey had her first fever - as a result of teething
-Went to Science World and the body world exhibit for the first time - so amazing!

So that's what's happened already.... and it's only Jan.13th!! can't imagine what the rest of the year will bring!!!!

I'm not usually one to make resolution lists... but there are some things that I hope to work on this year and maybe if I write them here then u my friends and family will hold me accountable! :)

1. I know this is typical... loose some weight. I have a few more pounds of baby weight that have been stubborn and I hope to loose it before the summer!
2. Spend more time with my husband - after having K it's been hard to set time aside for just the 2 of us. I want to spend more time talking and playing games together and just continue getting to know each other.
3. Spend WAY more time in the Word. I have been putting spending time with God way to low on the priority list and i want to change this!! I want to feel closer to Him and I know the only way to do that is to spend time with Him!
4. Spend more time being productive. This past year I have often felt unproductive. I know that a lot has to with the fact that I have a baby, but I don't want that to be an excuse any more! :)

So that's a lot to work on! good thing I have a year!! :)

Here r some pics of this year so far

Christmas 2010

It's been awhile since I've written on here and I have so much to say so I'm not really sure where to start.
I'll start with Christmas - I know that Christmas is over already but I haven't said anything about it so.... here it goes
Christmas was different for me this year. I didn't go to Manitoba. I love my family and I never knew how much I loved the traditions and the events of Christmas that I enjoyed for so many years till I couldn't partake of them. While growing up Christmas was a very special time of year, and we celebrated it whole heartily. Some of my favorite things about Christmas are.....
1.Going to church more than usual - especially Christmas morning and singing the Hallelujah chorus!!
2.Christmas carols
3.playing games and spending lots of time with family
4.hearing my Dad read the Christmas story
5.Going to our barn at home and sitting on hay bales, reading the Christmas story and sharing with each other about what God has done in our lives and what we are thankful for.
6.my Mom's egg nog :) and all the other wonderful goodies she makes
7.Sharing and praying with my Mom's side of the family (a tradition that we have is after sharing what God has done in our life we join hands and pray together... it brings tears to my eyes many times)
8.good food
9.Giving gifts (although in the past few years our families have decided that instead of giving gifts to each other we would give to a charity)
10.and above all remembering why we celebrate this season... To remember the Greatest Gift ever given.... Jesus Christ!!!! Thank you Lord for giving your Son to us...

So Christmas out here this year was a bit different. We didn't have 3 Christmas gatherings to go to, there were very few gifts under the tree (and what was there was for Kelsey :) ) and I didn't have my immediate family to laugh and joke with. Even without all of this it was still a very good Christmas and I had a good time. But I will say, my heart was sad that I wasn't with my family. I know that our family will make new traditions but the process of getting there may be a bit painful at times.

Here are just a few pics of our Christmas this year - it sure is different with a baby! :)


In her Christmas Dress


In Christmas pj's


Our Tree


Kelsey opening her first Christmas gift

More hats

Thought I'd show a few more hats I've been working on:
1st ear flap hat with stripes

Custom order of ear flap hats - sent to Manitoba

Newsboy hat

One of my favorite color combinations :)

Some crocheted clips I've been trying out

"Do not worry about tomorrow...."

For anyone who knows me really well, or not even too well, they know I worry. I worry about so much... I know that God desires me not to worry and to give Him everything... but my human nature fights against that regularly.
Lately I've been worrying about money. I'm sure that everyone worries about money at some time in there life. Well I've been worrying about it because in less than 2 months I am no longer getting mat leave. So of course we have been discussing about how we are going to live on several hundred dollars less each month, especially when there are so many things that we want to do next year.... like travel to Manitoba at least once... and hopefully in the future move to a home with a back yard for Kelsey and our future children (Lord willing) to play in. Of course I desire to stay at home. I've always dreamed of being a stay at home Mom and now more than ever I don't want someone else raising our daughter and knowing our daughter better than we do. I have spent the past several weeks worrying about where the money was going to come and how I could make several hundred dollars extra a month but still stay at home. I wasn't coming up with much to say the least. Most of you know that I have been making crocheted hats and selling them. This hasn't brought in tons of money but I would like it to bring in some but wasn't sure if the need/want/demand was out there and yea.... worrying.... then last night I received an email with an order for 9 hats, then shortly after that I heard back from a Mom that I had talked to a few months ago about babysitting her son while she goes back to work. She was still very interested in having me care for her son. Nothing is confirmed yet but just the fact that there is a chance gave me hope. And as I was telling this all to Brian I started crying. I realized at that point that GOD was in control and that HE would ALWAYS take care of us. Somehow or someway we would be cared for. God just reassured me of that last night. God is so good and His Love is forever, and I know that He will always care for me!!

.... for tomorrow has enough worries of there own!"

Loving my life!

I just have to share how much I'm loving life right now!! I love being a wife and a mother!! I have a fantastic husband who loves me unconditionally and I have a beautiful daughter who has a wonderful personality! I love taking care of her and being her Mom.
That's all... just wanted to express what I'm feeling! :)

7 Months old

I can't believe our little girl is 7 months old. I was just telling Brian today at supper that these have been the fastest 7 months I've ever experienced! They have also been some of the most trying and most wonderful 7 months I've ever had!
Kelsey is growing up so much. She doesn't even feel like a baby anymore and has such a personality! Her favorite thing to do (other than eat of course) is standing and walking. She loves to be helped to her feet and to walk around the house. I'm sure that this is part of the reason that she gets SO excited when Daddy comes home. Because he does a lot more walking with her than Mommy does! But that's ok, she only gets a few hours with him and I have her all day! She isn't crawling yet and this is most likely due to the fact that all she wants to do is stand and walk, when she's on her tummy she just gets mad and frustrated because she can't go anywhere. I'm sure that once she figures out that she can move on her hands and knees nothing will stop her... and Mommy will have her hands full!! As excited as I am to see her learn this I'm also glad that it's taking awhile because I can get so much done now that she plays on her own, but once she's moving I won't be able to take my eyes off of her.
Other than that....
I've been busy busy busy crocheting!! I'M LOVING IT! I love having projects to do and am having so much fun creating this little business. It really was the perfect time of the year to start it up with it being winter and all! I was really excited today because I sent my first order off to the States and off to someone I don't know! (most of my hats have been people that I have some acquaintance with)
Brian's been busy at work, it's actually busier than it normally is at this time of year so that's been great!
We are really looking forward to this Christmas. This will be the first year as our little family. I'm really excited to start our own traditions and to begin teaching Kelsey the reason that we celebrate Christmas. This year comes with excitement but also with some sadness as it will be the first year I will not be celebrating with my family and I am sad about that. I love the traditions that I grew up with and it will be hard not to have some of those things this year. But I know that this is part of growing up and leaving home and also that we will make new memories and traditions together. I'm really glad for Wonderful friends and family here that will make the season special.
Well, I should sign off now and go to bed and hopefully get rid of this cold!




I should also mention that we have a new addition to our household. She's an 8 yr old Shepherd cross dog named Keesha and no we did not name her, that was the name she came with. She loves to sleep, sleep and sleep a little more. Her favorite spot is either on the couch (were working on that) or in front of the fire place.

PIZZA

Today I made homemade pizza for the first time from scratch. I know, I know... I've been a wife and a mother for how long??... and I haven't made pizza yet??!! I know.. it's horrible, but I've been cheating and buying frozen pizza. But a few weeks ago I bought a pizza crust and put our own toppings on it.. and WOW I forgot what I had been missing... it was SOOO much better than frozen... then I decided to try the crust too. I know, it's not really that hard, but I'm a chicken when it comes to yeast.. I don't know why but I just am!
Well, I did it and I have to say... I think it turned out pretty good. There will have to be a few adjustments but overall it was a great pizza...
here's a few pics of the process, just for fun! :)

Putting on the sauce




Before going in the oven :




The final product!


One half was Brian's - Green pepper, Banana peppers, mushrooms and pepperoni
My side was the same minus the banana peppers... I don't do hot! ;)
Well, it was yummy and I will definatly do it again... and even though I love homemade pizza, I'm sure I'll always have a frozen one from the freezer "just in case"! :)