New Year's Eve

We had the grandkids today.  All day.  This afternoon when I put Haley down for a nap, I thought that if I had to use one word to describe her, it would be obedient.  She really didn't want to nap, but the nap was overdue, so as I lay beside her in the big bed, I asked her to close her eyes and go to sleep.  Dutifully, she closed her eyes, and I watched her.  For 10 or 15 minutes (or maybe more), she lay there with her eyes closed, and if it weren't for all her fidgeting, I would have thought her asleep.  In fact, I was ready to chalk up the fidgeting to an inherited trait from her mother, when her hands finally fell to her side, and I could tell she really was asleep.  Finally.

But my little angel isn't perfect.  Her demands for Josiah to give her things because "I want it!" weren't very polite, and I knew it was again bedtime.  This time it wasn't as easy.  We started getting her ready for bed at 7:30, and now, at 9:30, we've won the battle.  Her stall tactics have been perfected!  The nighttime bottle took a very long time. Reading books while having a bottle is the way they do it, so we do too.  But I only managed to read a handful of books before I had to get Josiah's bottle ready, so Einar took over rocking Haley.  There were a few interesting conversations, including a teary one asking to go home to Daddy & Mommy's house.  I'm glad that her home is her favorite place to be, and also glad that it didn't take long to move on to other things.  Josiah was down just as Annika started fussing, so I moved on to Annika, did the routine, and put her to bed.  Then Josiah was back up, and took a few minutes of rocking and he was back asleep.  Haley still wasn't sleeping. 

So I went to sit with her.  I told her I wanted her to sleep.  She said no, she didn't want to sleep.  She wanted to cry.  I said if she cried, maybe Bestemor would cry too.  Would she like that?  No, she didn't think she'd like that.  She decided she wanted to go home to her house and cry there.   So I offered to sing to her, and apparently that was preferable even to crying.  She's sleeping now - finally - and I'm not surprised that the kids sometimes look exhausted!  And yes, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

From MorMor's Journal: Moving

I want to combine my blogs into one so that I can manage them better.  Since this one was unique - about my children's growing up years, I have renamed each blog entry with "From MorMor's Journal" and then the previous blog title.  That way they remain unique while mixed in with my other entries.  My current blog is http://www.debsandlandsjournal.blogspot.com.  I do also have a food blog since we've gone gluten-free, and that one has been even more sporadic than the others, but maybe I'll do better in 2012!!  That address is: http://glutenfreenow.wordpress.com/.

Grandchildren and Joy

I spoke to my daughter and granddaughter today. Seems Haley has an obsession with the song, "Wise Man Built His House on a Rock". I seem to remember a similar obsession in her mom. Actually, I wouldn't remember that, except that I have it on tape. Our conversation on the tape goes something like this.

Me (After singing the song once): Shall we sing another song?

Her: "Wise man built on a rock"

Me: "We sang that already. Can we sing a different one?"

Her: "No.' Wise man built on a rock!'"

Me: "How about 'Jesus Loves Me'?"

Her: "No. 'Wise man built on a rock'!"

Ah, yes. Now its a similar story with Haley. I asked her what she was singing this morning. She said, "Built House on a Rock!" She sounded pleased with herself. As she well should be. She's a singer, and knows her words and she's not yet two.

Annika Pearl with her great auntie Eunice Pearl

Annika also gives me joy each time I see her, but she's not chatting on the phone yet. That'll come.

I met my other daughter and grandson this morning at a factory outlet, where my daughter wanted to try on some clothes. There were only three customers there this morning: us.

Josiah is not heavy and for the first while I carried him around while he played with the bluetooth device I wear around my neck.

Josiah the lion.  He's got a good roar... watch out!

Then we were in a smaller, more contained area, and I thought he could run a bit. His laughter is infectious. He ran between rows of clothing and laughed out loud. Once in a while he peeked out from behind jackets and trousers and laugh some more. Then he'd stop for a bit, put the bluetooth device to his ear, and 'talk' on it as if it was his phone. (He's been known to use matchbook cars as his phone as well.) And then he'd run some more and laugh out loud. Even the staff couldn't keep from smiling!

My grandchildren are very high on the list of things that bring me joy these days. But so do my kids. And my husband. And my family and friends.

Annika Pearl

Our newest granddaughter, Annika Pearl, was born on July 27, 2011, to Kirsten & Matthew. 

She is a very beautiful sweet baby.

Newborns always bring to mind the verse of the Gaither song

that I sang over and over when Rachel was born .

How sweet to hold a newborn baby

And feel the pride and joy they bring

But greater still, the calm assurance

This child can face uncertain days because He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And live is worth the living

Just because He lives!

July 2011

Having grown up on an acreage with a huge strawberry and raspberry patch has not made me shun berries.  I love picking berries when I can find the time, and I have one daughter that loves to pick and one that loves to preserve anything and everything, so we are happy to work together, as we did one day in July.  At 8 1/2 months pregnant, Kirsten wasn't able to pick very easily, so she watched the kids while Rachel & I picked berries - 11 buckets in all.  Having friends Arlene & Audrey there with us, made the time fly by.

Kirsten met us at our place with the kids, and we got to work.  Putting away 11 buckets of berries is only a lot of work if you do it alone.  With us all working together, it was lots of fun.

Mmmm... freezer jam!

And the kids?  Well, when they weren't napping, they were playing together so well, it was hard to believe they are only 13 and 18 months old!

We just woke up... can you tell?

More of Josiah & Haley

Anything outside is lots of fun!

Even better if there is water involved!

A cheesy grin just for the camera

Reading with Bestefar

Raspberries!  Yum!

Integrity Foods

We were introduced to Integrity Foods last year.  (The title is the link to their site.)  I'm already thinking of it as a summer tradition.
Integrity Foods is a wonderful place to have your Friday or Saturday evening supper.  All they serve for dinner is pizza, you bring your own drinks, salads, or whatever else you want.  The pizza is baked in their large outdoor oven that was built for making the spelt, kamut and ancient grains breads that are made and sold there and in shops around Manitoba. 
The setting is the farm.  There are a few animals around for you and your kids enjoyment.  They have picnic tables set in the garden and on the lawn, and you go to the house, order and pay for your pizza, and then wander through the garden or just relax with your family or friends until they call your name.
And yes, we were thrilled to find out that gluten-free crust is available.

July 1

One of the reasons we chose the church we did, was their ministry to international students.  Over the years, we have gotten to know many international students, both through MCC and through International Students Ministries of Canada.  And we are always blessed by them. 
At this time in our lives, though, it seemed to be harder to get as involved as we have in the past.  Maybe it's our location - we're not in the city, so we need to be very deliberate about it; or maybe it's the fact that we are close to our kids and grandkids, and our lives revolve more around them. 
Either way, it was a privilege to be asked to join in with a pre-planned activity and we each took a vehicle with students to Lower Fort Garry on July 1st.  Admission was free that day, and interpreting our history to internationals gave me a new appreciation for it, as well as reminding me of how much I don't know!!  They ask great questions!

 When I mentioned that the petals of the wild rose were edible, there were a few brave students who were willing to try them.

 Spinning wool for use in knitting scarves, mitts, etc.

Ye wanted to see exactly how the woven beading was done.

Taking a break in the shade.

 Lunch was a picnic with whatever food was brought.  Here is a down-side to the gluten free lifestyle... Einar couldn't try any of their food.

 While I always hope to catch some sun, the Chinese students use every means to avoid the sun.  And they all have beautiful skin as a result.

Trying out an old wooden game... I wasn't very successful!  But it got others trying it as well.

 At the Blacksmith shop... where they once would shoe the horses

Saying good bye to my friend Amanda.

Our day wasn't over when we got home around 6 pm... We picked Rachel & Josiah up an hour later to head to Assiniboine Park to see the fireworks.

 First we had to check out the new playground at the park.  It was pretty spectacular, but this was the only place where we could have a wee bit of space of our own... it was very crowded.  That was okay, because Josiah loved these pipes.

This is a very tired boy, but he sure was enjoying himself in spite of that.  We did manage to get him to sleep before the fireworks.

These are taken again without a tripod.  I did remember the tripod.  But the attachment to it was at home in my camera bag.  One day I'll have it all together!!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!