Our House in the Middle of Our Street

  Whistler in early March on a bluebird day Sigh. It's September 5th when I'm writing this. I hate that I'm so late with these because I can't remember much from 5 months ago. I remember liking or not liking a book, and I might have a memory or two - an image or a sentence I liked, but I didn't keep great records of some of these. So, peanuts. It's what I can offer! Above Ground by Clint Smith - This book of poetry was (very likely found) via Padrig O'Touma's Poetry Unbound podcast, where I find most of my poetry books to read. I remember liking this book, but I can't remember anything else about it. Sorry! Parasitic Oscillations by Madhur Anand - I also remember liking this one. There was nature, grieving the poet's parents, and tension. Darn it I wish I could give you more, but I guess you'll just have to read it and get back to me.  Somehow by Anne Lamott - I will read anything this lady writes. This one was okay. It wasn't her best...

Happy 14th Birthday, Anikka! It is getting harder and harder to find pictures of *just you* because you love to be with your friends, whether it's taking the bus to hang out at the pool, have sleepovers, or get together at the mall (?? that's a new one, and even though you don't like the activity you don't care because your FRIENDS are there!), we are now to the point of cropping people out of public photos so we can post them! You have grown in confidence, ability (on pointe shoes!), and beauty and you continue to put in the practice for any goal you want to accomplish. "Slow and Steady Wins the Race" is a motto I'd attribute to you because  you take your time, do things with intention, and make progress over time that you are proud of--an excellent life skill!  We love you so much and look forward to your next year!  Ani showing off her cozy hoodie, toque, and socks What is your favorite color? green Who are some of your friends? Marie, Anya, Audrey, Mya...

Every year I type out a list of 10-20 items that I want to complete in the year. Some are silly, some are big, some are (potentially) life-changing, but they are written here, and written in my journal at home that I use near-daily, so they are around and 'out there'. It helps keep me accountable to plan intentionally our weekends, fitting things in I want to make space for, whether they're an afternoon roller-skating or following a specific way of eating for 30+ days. If it matters to you, make space for it.  People ask me how I accomplish so much, and I *know* it's because I plan ahead of time, and am intentional about putting it on the calendar weeks, if not months in advance. Maybe once in a blue moon it's days in advance. Having the life you want takes a lot of work and a lot of thought, it doesn't happen by chance. How few things in your life that you're proud of, that you worked hard for, just fell into your lap? Yeah, I can't think of very m...

Happy Birthday, Anikka! It's hard to believe our baby is now fully in tween-hood and double digits. We love you and love who you are: an artist, a good friend, a deep-thinker, a cuddler, and someone who shows courage. We pray health and joy over your next year! Candid of Ani checking out Frida Kahlo's art and self-portraits during a co-op Art class   What is your favorite color? blue and purple Who are some of your friends?  Isla, Kathryn, Rachel, Nyah, Marie, Anya, Phoebe, Audrey, Charlee, Charlotte, Ana, Anna, Ashlyn What do you want to be when you grow up?  a mom What makes you happy?  art, and Copper What makes you sad? death  Ski bunny Ani! What is your favorite animal?   cat, dog, horse, unicorn , bird What is your favorite book?  Wings of Fire (series) What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?  read or bake What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?  play games What is your favorite thing to do with Lukka?  bou...

view from the top of Salt Spring Island, BC I always love making an intentional list for the year ahead, but as I've been reflecting on the past year in my personal time, along with reflecting on our past half of our homeschooling year thus far, I've staretd to jot some 'things' down for this year as in years past, but I haven't been able to fill up the whole list and I have no idea why.  Maybe it's that I don't feel I have the brain space, maybe because it's nearly Feb. 1st already and I'm feeling behind already, or maybe it's because I just haven't let it sit and stew enough. That's ok. I'm learning to just go with it. I have about half.  I add to my list in my bullet journal, I more than likely won't remember to edit this post but (shrug), Oh Well. Such is life!  19 in 2019 (or, ahem, a few less) 1) Watch Lo & Behold technology docuseries with Lukka. We watched Cosmos last year and that was a wonderful ex...

looking into 2019 like Yes, I totally used this photo at the beginning of the year, too, but I love it. It represents looking forward, of course, at the year to come, but also a great reflection of what happened within a year that just passed.  There is nothing special about New Years to me, aside from the fact that I have, at one time in my life, been a big List Person. As the kids grow up and our days get fuller, them going this way and that, it becomes imperative that I write down some sort of tangible activities we can do together (or I can do on my own!), and experiences I want to be intentional about getting to. Science says writing things down means they are more likely to happen.  Even if I only get to half my list-half is better than zero any day! So, here's my 2018 list, and here's what actually happened :  I tried to make an honest effort to be in more photos as opposed to being the one always taking them. I made Stefan do more selfies wit...

looking into Vancouver from Jericho Beach I first saw this type of list from Sarah VonBargen's blog Yes and Yes , and I immediately understood the practice. I'm pretty sure I've been doing lists in this vein for at least 6 years on the blog, and I love it. Every year I leave a few blank to fill in at later dates, but here's my tentative "18 Things in 2018". What are you really hoping to do in 2018?  1) Be in More Photos (and all the moms said "preach!") 2) Getaway on the Sunshine Coast 3) Visit the Night Market in Richmond   4) Visit Britannia Mine ( completed !) 5) Go to Shop Suite during the Christmas Season (I have yet to find a worthy handmade market up here but I've heard good things about this one!) 6) Buy a better swimsuit (for the love ). 7) Visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead in De Smet with Grammy + kids. (Booked our airbnbs for #7,8!) 8) Take the kids to Ashfall Fossil Beds . Same trip as a...

Ani reading the Sibley while watching the ducks If there's one thing I love about a new year, it's a new batch of titles I'm excited to read over the coming 12 months. My 2016 list was a bit full, and what I found out over the last two years-here's 2015 's- (I think I was in denial in January last year), is that I need to start with a small list, because the book club books, new releases I can't wait for, and recommended books by my favorite people, podcasts, or magazines inevitably are the ones I read. I have so many awesome thrift store books-upwards of 20-that have been vying for my attention, so a lot of this list are those hopefuls. I average 60+ books a year, and if I have 30 on that list? Well, I can count on maybe 10 of those getting read. Maybe.  This year I'm finally being realistic. Right now on my list are 2 that I'm currently reading and will finish by the end of the week. One is a book club pick that I'll be picking up in abou...

Day 1: Giving love to the giant farm dog Day 2: our first peek of snow! Day 3: Ani playing catch with snowballs + Copper Day 4: potentially the only picture in 2016 of just us Day 5/6: fort-building on Christmas break  Day 7: cozy Christmas in the basement suite

 Day 1 - playing in Blaine after some errands Day 2 - knitting for my grandma Day 3 - the paperwork for our  sponsored Compassion child  Day 4 - Ani decorating the tree  Day 5 - quiet hours while my kids are at co-op (!) Day 6 - a gorgeous and chilly day for a walk, after nearly 2 months solid of rain and overcast Day 7 - the goofball posing for me

My friend, Rebecca, from View from the Prairie Box , has been doing the DPP for years. I've loved joining her each December because it makes me realize I just have to snap a photo or two of something I'm enjoying, engaged in, watching my children do, whatever, and I have these awesome memories of our Advent and Christmas time to look through.  They don't have to be holiday related at all. Her friend Jenn , made this amazing Blue Room series last year (ack! I can't find it to link up to it, trust me it was epic), and I love following the facebook page to see how hundreds of people, all across the world, are now playing along. It's a pretty neat thing.  Go here to sign up, play along on your blog, IG, or the facebook page, and enjoy! All photos can be tagged with #DPP2016. Easy peasy.

family shot in Salmon Arm, BC Our family lives in Ft. Langley, British Columbia. This small village is part of the lowermainland of BC, which encompasses many large cities, farmland, mountain towns, and Vancouver metro that total about 3 million people! We love living right on the Fraser river where The Fort started the province of British Columbia as a famous trading post.  My husband is from this area, and I'm from Nebraska, where our two children were born. We've lived in the Pacific Northwest for almost 4 years (we lived in Blaine, WA, while I finished my immigration work while my husband commuted across the border every day to work in Canada), and in BC for two.  Here in Langley, we have a fantastic homeschooling community, and my children Lukka, 9, and Ani, 7, spend many of their days riding bikes through town, going to the library, playing with Copper, our dog, or listening to loads of audiobooks. We hike on the weekends all over 'Beautiful BC', hit t...

At the end of June we finished a monumental task- we finished the entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series; nine books where the shortest one was 150 pages, and most were well over 300. It took us a solid 7 months of reading aloud, during school time, bedtimes, bored times, etc. and I am so glad I made this a year-long goal, because quite frankly, it was a doozy. I had never read the entire series myself, I remember reading at least two of them, but I knew my kids were at the right age to enjoy these books. There are a number of series I have 'planned' to read to them through the next 3 years or so, and these were the books that I thought best to start with, because the kids would enjoy the simple stories of pioneer life, and were considered the 'youngest' of the series. The last two large books, Little Town on the Prairie, and These Happy Golden Years, were listened aloud on audio with Cherry Jones (thanks for the tip, Jamie Martin! ) because I needed a break, and my ...

Fort Langley river houses      * Currently trying to cook my way through this delicious (and I mean delicious ) cookbook.   *Every Tuesday on my 20ish minute drive back, I'm listening to my favorite reader match-make books with others on her new podcast!   *The newest obsession of mine in expensive children's clothes that I'll never buy. Could it be they'll take over my love affair with Tea? That plaid top with snaps!   *When I seriously need a good laugh about this year's election...   *Every prayer and hopeful thing she writes, but this week, this one .   *I just caught up on the first season of Invisibilia , and I'm hooked. You've got a few more months before they start season 2, plenty of time for those hour-long episodes.   *My kids are starting a coding subscription and I'm super excited for it to be a part of our curriculum next year!   *Can. Not. Wait . (Summer 2016)   * Rise of...

 The 30 ft. pool at Lynn Canyon The list that I've tried to come up with has been a little harder than in years past but as I let it sit and brew for a bit, I had plenty of fresh ideas. The yearly lists (you can see 15 in 2015 , my 29 before 30  birthday list here , and 28 before 29 here ) help me focus on small/big, personal/family/friend, and creative/mental goals I have in any given year. Sometimes they are silly and sometimes I get them done before even writing them down, as you'll see below. They are just things I want to try, things I want to do, or things I want to enjoy with others. Some are big Bucket/Lifetime goals (1 below!) but most are pretty small things that niggle the back of my mind and writing them down helps me attain them quicker than forgetting about it 3 times.  16 in 2016 1) get a dog! (this didn't happen for various reasons last year, this year we're still considering it) 2) make ' sweet treat ' hair clips for the gir...

view from Ft. Langley bridge of Brae Island's chapel For many years I've set up some sort of a yearly list of things to do. They're sometimes small, sometimes big, sometimes silly, but always things I just want to make a little bit of space and thought to do and 'name it', if you will. I got 1/2 done on my 2015 list, but in my defense, I planned it around my birthday, which means I only gave myself 9 months in 2015, not 12. I'll have a new '16 in 2016' list soon, but for now, here's what happened, and what didn't. See the original list HERE .  I'll start and link to what did actually happen: I got professional family photos done , I wrote an actual Christmas letter and sent it to family, I * tried * turning Ani's bone & shell collection (it didn't look as great as it did in my head...) into artwork, hiked Deep Cove/Quarry Rock with my family, watched The Sound of Music with my kids , baked Confetti Cookies , and ...