Ballet Performance

Tonight was Olivia's last ballet class until after Christmas. The class had been working on a routine for the parents and grandparents to watch today. Olivia had been excited all week for us to come and watch her practice and then show us her routine. Grandma and Grandpa Reimer came with us to watch. She did great!!

Afterwards Grandpa and Grandma came to our house and enjoyed supper with us. It was a very fun evening. We are very proud of Olivia! She is having fun in class and it has been so good for her.

Tomorrow is a day off from school for us as we have a field trip in the city. We will tell you about it tomorrow!

See you later.
Sandy

Phase Two is Under Way!

Thanks to the new snow the kids and Gerald spent part of this afternoon working on Phase Two of the slide. They built a backdrop and piled snow in front of it. The kids had the job of going down the slide again and again to harden it before Gerald iced it. There still needs to be some work of the second half of the run but it is getting there.

Olivia rounding the corner

Caleb waiting to "high five" the next slider

Papa Bear hard at work

Andrew making a test run

As we have said before the kids have had a blast on the slide already this year. Some days they have been impatiently waiting for more snow to keep working on it, but they have spent hours and hours out there.

We have an early morning tomorrow as Gerald preaches in Brandon. We will leave around 7 am to get there in time.

Have a good weekend,

Sandy

Merry Christmas to Me!!

Merry Christmas to me!!!! For a few years I have asked for a new cookbook for Christmas. This year I handled it a little differently. I opened the website on the computer and sat Gerald down in front of the screen. I said, "I want this one and this one!" They arrived yesterday in the mail. I had a blast last night looking through them. I told Gerald he could gladly wrap them up and put them under the tree but not until Christmas Eve.

I came into the living room yesterday to see Olivia's doll sitting on the couch, with a head covering (see picture below). I got the giggles as I looked at her doll. Apparently her Mennonite background is coming into effect here as she thought her doll needed a head covering. But really, panties?? As I was laughing she explained to me that they didn't fit on her bottom so she put them on her head. Now, what am I missing in my parenting my sweet daughter for her to assume that when panties don't fit we wear them on our heads? I can safely assure you that she hasn't seen that modeled in our home. In this photo you will also see Olivia's own creation of a hairdo that she calls, "The Crazy Eighties". I really have no explanation for that either.

We will close with a video of the kids coming off the slide and going over the jump. No other words are necessary.



Sandy

Flu Shots

Andrew and I both have asthma. Because of that we both got our flu shots on November 21st. At that time the nurse informed me that the best way to protect us is for the whole family to get the flu shot. So, Gerald made appointments for the rest of them. He just picked up Caleb and Olivia to take them to get their shots. You can look at that two ways. Because of Andrew and I the rest of them suffer through the shot. Or, because of Andrew and I they will also have the protection of the flu shot.

So, that has got me thinking! What kind of protection am I taking with my faith, my spiritual walk? How am I surrounding myself with God's protection? How well am I covering my thoughts and heart in what I know to be moral and truth? What chances do I take, what roads do I willingly and knowing walk down that I should have avoided? I take steps to protect my health. How serious am I about purposely taking steps to protect my heart, to keep it tender and sensitive to Him? I know, you can't answer those questions for me, but I think it is time for me to do some evaluating.

Sandy