Miscellaneous Updates

Oh dear, I am so delinquent on blogging.  I don't mean to be.  I love to write to you, but somehow it has fallen a bit by the wayside since my return home from Europe.

So this post is a miscellaneous bit of updates to keep us connected while I pull myself together enough to get back to being regular.

Update One:

I got to do a gallery wall at Tanya's gorgeous house.  You may have already seen it on Facebook but here are the before and afters again with the middle process added in.

Before:

Tanya wanted to fill up her wall space above the living room sofa.

Her home has a very beautiful and distinct style
so it was easy to help her make a list of what to look for.

Once she shopped I came by and we set it all out on the
floor and moved things around until we were happy.

 Next we traced each piece on paper including the exact 

position of the nail hole and hung them all up.

Once a nail was in each spot and the papers were removed, we could hang the art.

The finished look is lovely. Tanya is a super seasonal decorator (MY FAVOURITE) so we included options that could be changed up to create holiday looks...the metal bins can hold anything from Christmas balls to fern sprigs, different photos can clip to the birdcage and the door handle can also provide a spot to hang something seasonal...mistletoe ball anyone??

Update Two:

 My pen pal was here!
Michelle came to see winter in Winnipeg and unfortunately what she saw was an unseasonably warm fall.  The day she left we got the blizzard.  Go figure.
But we had fun all the same.  We saw a few sights and I dragged her around to many stores.
We seem to be blocking his face a bit but we're posing here with a bison.

Update Three:
Buddy returned!
No one here is really interested in him except Cate, but she adores him.  It's been fun to hide him for her...she is pretty easy to please so I haven't had to conjure up any major naughtiness on his behalf.
Here he is eating cheesies.
(Can someone please fix my strip of dead lights???)

Update Four:
I got BUGS!
I did not notice any Italian or Irish ivy crawling with millions of grossy little spidery creatures!
Hmf.
I was gonna just throw it out but then I caught a streak of stubborn and I marched it into my shower and dishsoaped those little stinkers off of there.  I don't know if it's a done deal yet.  I'll keep you posted.

Update Five:
Heated seats. Are. Amazing.
I love them I love them I love them I love them.

Update Six:
We started a new tradition this year.  When I was little my mom would have straw sitting beside our nativity scene.  If I did something kind without being told, I was allowed to take a piece of straw and secretly put it on Jesus' manger.  It is a tradition I've always remembered so this year I adapted it a bit and decided to offer it to my kids.  Whenever they add value to someone they can put an ornament on this little tree.
They seem to be into it!

Update Seven:
I am loving using this advent book with the kids.  We've read it in past years as well but a few days last week I added silence to our devotional time.  We did this during our trip last summer and it was so fantastic.  I hadn't realized how much I missed it.  Even 30 seconds of silence brings everyone into such a peaceful and more open posture.
It is a beautiful spiritual discipline that we practice far too little.




Update Eight:
I've been visiting some scissors.

Update Ten:
I still have not done a thing with our trip pictures.  I have wanted to but other things just keep getting in the way.  It will be first priority as soon as the wrapping is done!  I'll leave you with a pic that I haven't ever posted cause I was keeping it as a possible Christmas shot...it didn't make the cut though.

I hope your next few days leading up to Christmas will be full of fun and rest and peace!!