Christmas Traditions

A few of my fellow blogger friends have posted their Christmas Traditions. This is something I love to hear from others what they did as a kid and what they do now as Christmas Traditions. So I thought I would post a few of my favourites from when I was a child and some new ones today.

1) CHRISTMAS TREE - When I was a kid we would have the 1st weekend in December the time to decorate the house for Christmas. This included pulling out the tree and all of us decorating it together. From lights to tinsel, homemade ornaments to beautiful store bought, every touch made the tree beautiful and ready for Christmas. Since I got married my husband and I had to come to a compromise. That meant setting up 2 trees. I have my own little 3 foot tree that I decorate with fun, tacky ornaments. My husband on the other hand has his 'show home tree' that takes him 3 days to do, but WOW it is incredible. :)

2) CHRISTMAS TRAIN - Sometime in the month of December, our family would travel down to Stanley Park in Vancouver and ride the Christmas Train. We would get our tickets, go for dinner at the White Spot downtown and then drive over to Stanley Park. This is still a favourite as the lights are spectacular and the train plays Christmas music while you see different Christmas displays on each side of the tracks. Loads of fun for any age!!

3) DATE WITH DADDY - My Dad and I go on our annual date every year to Christmas shop for my Mom. He spoils me with dinner out - usually at the Pantry - and then we shop till we drop finding everything for Mom's stocking and gifts from Santa and Dad of course. :) I look forward to this every year spending quality time just me and Dad! Long, FUNNY, story how it all came about but I'm thankful this still happens every year.

4) LANG CHRISTMAS - My Mom comes from a LARGE family. She is the second kid of 6 and all us cousins, Aunts & Uncles and Grandparents live near. We have the Lang Christmas usually the Sunday before Christmas. We are now a group of about 50 people. 6 siblings with spouse, 14 grandchildren that are all married except for 4, and by 2009 there will be 16 great grandkids!! We all get together and have fun as family! As we have gotten older it is harder to see each other throughout the year so we all really make an effort to be there for Christmas. We play games with fun gifts, eat incredible food, and enjoy catching up with each other and enjoying the blessing of 'family'. We come from an amazing heritage and I love to see Grandpa 'beam' as he watches all his kids. :)

5) ADVENT CANDLES - This is a new tradition that we have started since Lance and I have been together. Every Sunday night we spend with our landlords and their family. They have Advent candles that they light each week of December and each candle represents a different meaning and theme for that week. It is a great way to bring the focus back on Christ in the midst of the busyness of December. I look forward to it every year.

6) CHRISTMAS EVE - When I was a kid we had a fun tradition of getting all dressed up and going for Chinese Food at the Rickshaw in Surrey. It has the BEST Chinese food around. From there we would go to the Christmas Eve Service at CLA and then back to the house for delicious desserts. Usually Cheesecake or Mud Pie. Yummmm!!! Now that I'm married, Lance and I still attend the Christmas Eve Service but then spend Christmas Eve with our 'other' family. Our landlords and their family are such close friends of ours and we enjoy spending Christmas Eve with them.

7) CHRISTMAS DAY BACK THEN - When I was a kid we spent Christmas morning just our family. We would wake up early but weren't allowed down stairs until after 7am. That was never a problem for me as I wasn't a morning person, but my brother would make sure I was awake WAY before 7am so we could wait on the top stairs for Mom & Dad to say, "Okay, come on down!" We would race to see who could get to the family room first! :)

We would open stockings together in the family room by the fire place, then have breakfast that Dad & my brother would make, and then get ready and open gifts under the tree in the Living Room. After that Dad usually read the Christmas story and then it was Turkey Dinner either at our house or at a relatives house. Over the years we have had others spend Christmas with us that didn't have a place to go. Missionaries, friends, adopted 'Grandmas', etc. That made for great memories as well. Such a fun day.

8) CHRISTMAS DAY TODAY - We have kept the tradition of having just our family Christmas morning. That now means Lance and I have a great morning starting with sleeping in (we aren't morning people) A cup of coffee by the fire and taking our time opening stockings together. Then we both have fun making breakfast and then opening gifts. After that we talk to all of Lance's family across Canada to say MERRY CHRISTMAS and hear about their Christmas and wishing they were near. :) From there in the afternoon we head to my family's place for Turkey dinner. We usually end the night with music (played by some of us), games, puzzles and treasuring family.

Well there are some of ours, what are some of yours? I would love to hear about them.

I gave in

When it comes to the holidays I'm a December 1st girl. No decorating, no baking, or listening to music until December. Otherwise I find I'm sick of it all by Christmas and I want to enjoy it. Well this year I gave in and today started listening to Christmas music at work. Part my own fault, part my husband's (He is a Christmas FANATIC!), part my family's as they start listening to music from Thanksgiving on! So I guess I was destined to listen before December.

Shopping is on a different rule for me. I try to have all my shopping done by Dec. 1st! I have been shopping the past couple weeks on lunch hours to find stocking stuffers and I'm getting quite a bit done. But I just couldn't do any more shopping without hearing the songs of Christmas!

So if you give in this year to starting Christmas a bit early . . I'm saying its okay for anyone who needs permission . . . .just don't tell anyone I gave you that permission. :)

Routine

I know I haven't posted any new blogs lately due to life being 'routine' the last little while and not much new to post on here. Life keeps going as work, teaching, home, husband, friends and family fill each day. I wouldn't change that for the world!! I am so thankful for 'life'! And especially life in Christ. We have had some hard news hit around us this past week that makes you appreciate each day God gives us.

So while some people think 'routine' is boring and nothing happening, I see it as blessings to have 'routine' and appreciate each day filled by Christ.

Enjoy 'routine' today and thank God for His blessings. :)

Happy Birthday Heather!

Today is my sister's birthday! We had a fun night yesterday celebrating Heather and everything she is to us. Heather has always been my best friend from growing up till today and I'm so thankful for her life. She is an incredible woman of God that daily lives out Christ to others. She blesses anyone who comes in contact with her due to her friendliness and joyous personality. She has been blessed with so many talents and abilities that she uses in everything she does.

Heather we pray today would be full of people celebrating YOU as your life is a gift to so many around you! May this next year to come be full of great things. We love you so much!!

Celebrating 1 yr of marriage bliss!

It's hard to believe it has been a year already since Lance and I got married. October 27, 2007 was a day we turned a new chapter into our lives. Seriously the year has flown by full of ups and downs but especially full of so many memories and blessings. People told us right before we got married, "The first year is the hardest but if you get through it the rest will be a breeze." Our reaction has been, "If this year was the hardest, then we are in for a GREAT marriage!" God's plan really is the best for our lives . . all we have to do is choose it. :)

A friend blessed us with the use of their time share in Whistler for the weekend. We have wanted to go to Whistler all year and just haven't made it there so this was such a treat. If you ever want to go to Whistler and not face the crowds but want to enjoy INCREDIBLE scenery, go in October! It is their slow time and there was hardly anyone around. The weather was PERFECT and we were in awe of God's magnificent creation through nature. We enjoyed reflecting back to our wedding day, the days that led up to it, and the people involved in our day that mean so much to us. What a blessing to know this is only the start and we are excited and anticipating what God has for us in the next year.

Our visitors when we arrived at our condo in Whistler

The sights of Whistler in the fall - breath taking

Fun at the hat store and in the village

Card, gifts and a romantic dinner at the Keg

A great book for a day like today

Today on the west coast it is very damp, dark, pouring rain and a bit windy. It is a day to curl up on the couch with a blanket, listen to the rain, have the fire place on, listening to classical music while sipping a cup of tea, and reading a great book. 'Sigh' how nice that would be. :)

I'm currently reading a book I received for my birthday back in the summer. It is 5 stories in one from Francine Rivers called 'A lineage of Grace - 5 unlikely women who changed eternity'. It is the story of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba & Mary. The line (women) that Jesus came from. I've never read her books before (I know - how could I have not until now) but LOVE how she has taken 5 stories from the bible and written them in detail including the culture of that time period. WOW! It has made scripture come alive regarding these stories and shown how God can use anyone who is willing. I highly recommend it. I have another one of her books waiting for me to read once I'm done this one. My Mother-in-law let me borrow it. It is the story of Gomer from Hosea in the bible. I'm excited to read it next.

So if you have time this weekend, pick up a good book and let me know which is your choice to read.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is Mom Rourke's birthday! We wish you lived near so you could come over for cake and we could sing to you, but thankfully technology allows us to do this much. :)

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear MOM, Happy Birthday to you!!!"

May this year to come be full of so many more blessings in your life!! You touch everyone who knows you through God's love and being who God created you to be. We love you so much!

P.S. There is a card coming in the mail - just on Lance's famous timing :)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays! Not only for TURKEY DINNER (one of my favorite meals) but for a time to reflect on being thankful for the blessings that surround us daily from the Lord. We were over at my sisters place this past Tuesday evening and she really hit me with a new revelation of a piece of scripture. "Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." Ps. 100:4 Before we praise the Lord we should thank Him. Once we become thankful for everything He has done, our praise means so much more to Him.

I know a lot of people who are in a tough spot right now and as I was praying for them, I was impressed to start to thank the Lord for what they do have and what God is doing in the midst of the storm. We serve a great God! And His greatness doesn't change no matter our circumstance. He gave His life for us as a pure gift so we can have eternal life. That in itself should be what we thank Him for daily! Not only did He give His life, He blesses us daily. Why? Because He loves His kids. :)

This year in particular I'm so thankful for health! Last year my Mom was walking through the beginning stages of breast cancer. This year she is CANCER FREE and we rejoice at how God brought us through the long journey.

So what are you thankful for? Start counting, because you are surrounded by blessings if you start looking. Before you know it you will be overwhelmed with thankfulness to the Lord that it turns to praise.

Organization and Pumpkin Soup

This weekend Lance and I had free. Our plans had fallen through so we had a whole weekend free to be around the house. What a luxury. :) I had a bunch of things I wanted to do - fun projects of organization that have been sitting at home just waiting for me to jump in. I'm a little weird in that area. Anything to do with organization I go crazy about and get giddy! No joke! You can't wipe the smile off my face. Ya, a little strange. :) Thankfully Lance has embraced my weirdness and in the long run is thankful for me loving to organize things.

We have had boxes in our second bedroom since we got married that needed a place to sit. You know the kind: extra books that don't fit on the book shelf, keepsakes from when you were a kid, extra picture frames that you can't put up due to the lack of wall space. Yep, we had a bunch of those to store. We have a storage room that Lance filled before I came along and we wanted to go through it. So Saturday was the day we finally did. We not only reorganized the place to fit all the boxes, we have room to spare for Christmas decorations as well as Lance taking a trip down memory lane through each box opened. I feel I got to know another bit of my hubby through childhood memories and items that brought back those memories. So neat!

I was able to clean up the second bedroom and now it is a fun, multi purposed room that you aren't knocking over boxes to get in and out of. It feels GREAT to have that done. I have a trunk load full of recycling and items for the Salvation Army, but it feels so great to be organized and everything in a place.

I also had fun this weekend making fall recipes. Slow cooker chili on Saturday and pumpkin soup after church on Sunday. 2 favorite fall recipes that I love. Yummm!! I've put the pumpkin soup recipe below. It is quite easy and taste delicious! A great fall soup.

1 - 16oz. can of pumpkin
1 cup chopped white onion
2 potatoes (peeled, cooked & mashed)
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups chicken broth (whole box)
1 cup half / half
1 tsp curry
1/4 butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp coriander
Melt butter, cook onions & garlic in big pot. Add spices & cook for 1 min. Add chicken broth, boil gently 15-20 min. Stir in pumpkin & half/half. Cook 5 min. Add potatoes. Then put in blender & blend for 1 min. on high.

Have a great week everyone enjoying the season we are in.

The Fall and a little update

It's hard to believe September is almost over and we are into October. I LOVE the fall! It has to be my favorite season. Warm sweaters, crisp clean air, leaves turning colour and the smells of cinnamon & pumpkin. Ahh, how nice it is.

We have had a very busy few weeks since we returned from our wonderful holiday but thankfully things should now level off and every day we can enjoy this beautiful season.

I've started teaching piano again and was reminded of how much I love introducing kids to music through the piano. What a blessing it is for me to be able to do that. It is my 'fun' job that I love. It is a great break from the office every week to focus on others and give back to them the joy in playing piano. What a gift music is from the Lord.

The office has been a crazy couple of weeks but thankfully things should now even out and everyone back into routine for the fall. Still busy but isn't it always? :)

Lance and I continue to enjoy life and the season we are in. God's blessings are unending and as we are believing for a few in particular, the Lord reminds me in the impatient times that He LOVES to bless His kids. In the heavy things we carry, we can choose to cast our burdens on the Lord and He will direct our path. We choose to trust the Lord in ALL times and see His promises come to pass.

The fall is a great opportunity to re-evaluate things in our life and start fresh . . . like the start of a new school year, we can make new goals to learn, to grow to give and see God move through those things. We look forward to what is next in our lives while enjoying today and thanking the Lord for 'what is.' I hope you are enjoying 'what is' today and throughout the fall, while looking forward to what could be. The possibilities are unending. :)

The Maritimes

We had a wonderful trip back East and found it very hard to come back. There is something so relaxing about the Maritimes and it is hard to explain unless you have been there. This was my third trip back and each time I'm drawn to it more and more. Here are some highlights from our trip.

We flew into Moncton and spent the night. Mom & Dad Rourke met us the next day and we traveled down to Halifax for a couple days. We stayed in Darmonth and took the passenger ferry over to the harbour of Halifax to tour around and of course shop. It is a great city full of history and wonderful people proud to be Canadian yet thankful for their roots in Europe.

The next day we went to the Citadel and learned a lot about Canadian history.

We then traveled to Prince Edward Island where we stayed in Summerside. I haven't been back to PEI in 7 years and it felt like I had never left. Half of my heritage is from this beautiful island (Stewart side) and it is a place that I would love to live one day. We had fun exploring the island that included Anne of Green Gables home of course, as well as Cavendish Beach, Charlottetown, the Confederation House and incredible fabric store and lots of wool stores for mom. :) The men were troopers as Mom & I loved to look in every little store. We found the Stewart gravestone as well and learned more about my heritage. We also enjoyed the beautiful scenery that only PEI can show off and the people that have a great way of life. We ended our trip with crossing the confederation bridge and cows ice cream before heading 'home', back to Bathurst, New Brunswick.

Mom & Dad live just outside of Bathurst and we had a great time relaxing, traveling to other parts of New Brunswick and enjoying their friends and meeting more relatives. We even had 'Thanksgiving' with family as we usually aren't there. It was a great turkey dinner, pumpkin pie and all. We are so spoiled. :)

One of the main reasons we went back was Mom & Dad were celebrating their 40th Wedding Anniversary. With the help of Aunt Donna and friend Kay we were able to organize a surprise dinner at a great restaurant and dessert back at Aunt Donna and Uncle Dale's place. Mom & Dad were COMPLETELY surprised and overwhelmed by the generosity of their family & friends. It was really special to be there and celebrate with them over this wonderful milestone in their life.

The trip was a gift and we hope there will be more to come with more memories made and wonderful times enjoying the Maritimes.

We're home!

We are home! Have been running ever since so I haven't been able to put up blogs about our trip but hopefully tomorrow in between organizing things for my piano students this year I'll get some time to blog. :) It was an incredible trip full of adventure, fun, family history, and laughs. More to come . . . . .

Classical music

I have such a love for all styles of music but especially classical music. Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Handel are just some of my favorite composers. I was raised on classical music, developed a love for it and had the privilege of playing it as I learnt how to play the piano.I used to listen to it when I was studying in school. They have found that classical music actually helps motivate and stimulate your brain to focus and work efficiently. I now listen to it at work. Especially when I need to focus on minute writing. I love to put it on at home as well on a day like today where it is raining, damp and cold. What better than to sit on the couch snuggled in a blanket, with a great book, listening to classical music while the fire place is on and sipping a cup of tea. "Sigh"

It is hard to explain but classical music you experience more than just listen too. I love to let the music soak into my bones and relax me. There is nothing like seeing it live at the VSO. (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) If I were rich I would have a season pass to go throughout the year. I have gone a couple of times and love every time I do. No words can be expressed to explain the instruments sound & the musicians interpretation of the composers music that has been around for centuries. Just glorious!

I'm so thankful for the gift of music. If this is what it is like on earth, I can't wait until heaven to hear God's symphony of angels for all eternity. :)

Happy Anniversary!

A quick note to say HAPPY 37th ANNIVERSARY to my Mom & Dad! Thank you both for being such an example on how to make a relationship work. Even through good and bad you reached for the Lord and as He showered you with His love, you then in return showered each other with love. I hope today is a day full of remembering the story of how God brought you together. Who says blind dates never work? . . . . You are proof it does. :)

We love you both!

One week today

One week today we will be off to see Mom & Dad Rourke in the Maritimes! As each day passes I get so excited and anxious all at the same time due to what I have to get accomplished at work before I leave. On top of that there are my piano students to have all lined up for the fall, errands to run and laundry and packing. It will come together as it always does but it is the initial look at everything on my list that is a bit overwhelming. Good thing I still have 7 days to get it all done.