just another day of vacation...

Today after church we went out for lunch, Maddie gave the meal a "thumbs up"! Then we went to the movies to see The Tale of Desperaux. It was a really cute movie. Caleb had a hard time sitting still but he made it with a little help from some candy and a bit of popcorn! After the movie we went to the Bittle's and hung out and had dinner. What a perfectly fun and completely relaxing day.

I am beginning to like this vacation thing. I don't want it to end!! I love hanging out with our family when we have none of the pressures of everyday life. I wish we could somehow maintain this relaxed feeling in our home even on those "everyday life" days when we are running around from here to there and in a hurry and can't find the socks and forgetting the backpack....

Snow Day

Yesterday we went 11 miles down a logging road to get to a good sledding spot. The park across the street is possibly a bit more my speed but doing a big trek like this once a winter is definitely FUN! There was a fire and lots of friends... A few times I even forgot that my feet were frozen :)

Of course the trip would not have been complete without some pictures...

Mikayla caught snowflakes on her eyelashes...can you see them??

(The one that looks like it's on her lip is actually suspended in air,

falling from the sky)

Mailee had two big sledding spills early on and after that she was quite satisfied hanging out with me, watching the sledders.

Maddie was gung-ho. She kept going till the end.

Caleb had a good time, too. I offered to go with him at one point and he turned me down to go with Aunty Tammy. Go figure :) She is one FUN Aunty!!

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to everyone. We pray you had a fantastic day with your family and friends. We love and miss all of our special people down in the States.

When you have 4 kids in a picture, it is a little hard to get 8 opened eyes and 4 nice smiles... I'll settle for 6 opened eyes and 4 nice smiles!

The Latest

Mikayla did a fantastic job as the Angel Narrator in the school's Christmas production.

I was so pleased (as I am every year) to hear my kids singing about Jesus at school!

We are so blessed that Christ is accepted and focused on in their school.

One video is a little hard to see...but it is her "big part" , the other one is a good feel for the whole show....so one video would just not do!

Here is an updated photo of that baby bump. The kids are super excited about a new baby. We can not agree on a name but I'm sure we will figure it out!

Thanks Mom for the awesome dress/top!

We are officially on "vacation" right now...no school or obligations! I'm so excited for all the Christmas festivities. We most look forward to Christmas Eve, watching the kids open gifts and stockings on Chrsitmas morning and skating with the whole Banman family up at Big White the day after Christmas.

Here is a photo of our crew:)

So Busy

Today we enjoyed a Christmas production at church, walked thru Art Knapp's, and relaxed at home the rest of the day. We iced some gingerbread cookies tonight too. Today was fun and relaxing family time, it was great!!


But I don't feel relaxed...I have realised that anything else that I want to send to my American family or friends will now officially be late from this point forward and that those Chirstmas cards that I have not started will probably not be happening till the new year. How did our life get so busy? How do I slow down when all of the things we are doing seem manditory? How do I make every moment count with the kids when I feel spread so thin?


I want to focus on relationships and enjoying these moments together but I can't let go of all the fun things that are calling my name! How do I say "NO" to costumes for school plays and cookies for this party and appies for that function? I love it all, I just wish it wasn't all smooshed into one month! Perhaps I'll throw my fabulous Chirstmas party in July...

Trip to Portland...Just Two of Us!!

Mika and I had a chance to go away together this past weekend. It was so great, 48 hours seems like a lot longer with no kids!!! Our family in Kelowna made sure our kids needed to get everywhere they had to be and I am so thankful! If you click on the picture you can see the rest of the photos with descriptions. This time of year, I just can't sit here and type out clever post...so sorry!!!

First Ballet Show

Maddie had her first ballet show last weekend. Here she is and if you would like to see more, click on the image!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my Mom's birthday. How do you properly honor your own mother in a single little post? My mom gave me life and attentively, sportively, interactively, willingly raised me and embraced every stage, every challenge. She took me to church faithfully two times (or more) a week, painted my room sea foam with a peach flamingo border when I felt that was the way to go, loved me when I was a teenage brat, stayed up with me and listened to hours of English papers over the phone while I was away at college, created and continues to fuel the fire within me for crafts and parties...(have you heard about our "craft closet" growing up? It was the best!!) How do I ever communicate to her or anyone the magnitude of warm fuzzy feelings I have toward my mom???

And now I have the privilege of seeing through her eyes the amount of love, care, concern and involvement that a Mother feels for her children. I have the honor of feeling the regret of the rude things I may have said through a few selfish years, and the pleasure of being at a place where her wisdom is now more readily accepted and welcomed...(it is so much easier this way, I hope my daughters figure it out sooner than I did :)

ANYWAYS.... Mom, you are so special to me. I am thankful for your empathy, your kindness, your glass-always-half-full attitude, your positive example in your friendships and your faithfulness in your commitments over the years, to AWANA, to the D school, to 3rd grade Sunday school, to my family... You are reliable and trustworthy and caring. I love you so much and I am so thankful for you and the very important role you have played and continue to play in my life.

Happy Birthday, I love you!

And now, some photos!!!!

Special Memories!

9 years ago today, you held your 3 day old first grandchild!!

4 generations...

Taking Mikayla to her first "show" Sesame Street LIVE...

you always think of fun and different things for the kids :)

So many great memories growing up going to the 4th of July picnic at Lamonica (and then Buchanan)

The kids feel so supported and loved by you!

I just love this pic...it's a good one!

Another good one I couldn't pass up...

Now this is dedication; writing postcards to us from the Eiffel tower AND snapping a photo to prove it! I still have the letters you sent every day to Hume Lake camp...that was so special!