A little surprise from my hubby

If you know me, I am not exactly a conesieur of name brands, etc.  I figure if it fits, if I like it, that is great.  My hubby stumbled across this at our local "Share Shed".

 Did you know some things like purses come with their own ID numbers?  Well this one did, he looked it up and it sold for around $400?  I would never purchases anything like this.

It has nice soft leather, a great sturdy snaps and buckles and happens to be a "Coach".

My Junior Mints fit inside !  Ha ha. Merry Christmas from my love to me!

Reflections of years gone by

I clicked on a few entries of this blog from 2005.  We were potting training Mei.  Weird.  That seems like so forever ago, and yet when I read it again, it feels like yesterday.  Maybe that is why doing a journal or a blog is a good thing.  To see growth of where we have come from.  I want to be continually learning and growing into a better person ~ if only that ugly sinful me would never show up again!

It is eye opening, encouraging and fun to look back.

I will post on Christmas in this Thiessen household later.  I'm still digesting.
 Merry Christmas to all!  Savor the Saviour!

Winter Joys

There is something in the deepest part of my heart that beats true to my God and the wonderful world He created every time I am in His wilderness.

I was born in Manitoba then moved to a Northern Ontario community where my Dad worked for Great Lakes and also worked a remote trap line.  The fun times we had travelling my truck, then boat, then quad then boat just to get to our cabin.  The evergreens and rocks surrounded us with an indescribable beauty as the waves on the lakes sang us a gentle lullaby every night.  Some say your heart beats for that which you grew up with.  I had the evergreens, rocks and lakes first before I had prairies, and my heart rests whenever I drive down this road.  AHHHH

Now for something else that makes my heart beat ~

I feel so close to God when I see His creatures enjoying the world around them.  These cuties surprised us the other day.  The baby looked a bit like a lion with all his fluffy hair around his neck.  He was in great form, strutting around, shaking his "mane" and frolicking around for us.

See his fluff?

I know God is looking out for us.  My Mother- in-love reminded me how incredibly blessed and crazy my garden was this year and how Gregg got both a mule deer and a moose without putting very many hours in.  God is showing me total reliance on Him to provide the basics.  We have a roof, we have food (yeah red meat) and somehow the bills will get taken care of.  I am learning to trust Him in everything, I have never liked debt and now ours seems like a mountain to me.  We never dreamed that neither of our houses would not have sold by now.  Maybe God is taking me to utter reliance and forcing a re-mortgage. No rent money coming in and that we would be this long with little to no income.  We have learned to tighten up our belts even more than I thought possible, but have learned the joy of spending evenings together and enjoying nature even more.  It is free, but so valuable to the soul!

Photo shoot bloopers

Taking photos on the ranch has it's own set of problems.  Great sets, great pets!

Travelling

I have posted before on our travelling adventures and how we travel "Thiessen style".  Our latest trip was very similar, just started off a little differently.  My dear hubby had been in Vancouver on a business trip on Monday and arrived home just after midnight.  He decided the weather was not looking good for travelling through the mountains and that we should rise early to beat it.  So the alarm rang out with it's weird East Indian tunes (the only station we get lately, we can't understand a thing but it seems to be a lot of chanting) at 3 A M.  Yes, 3 A M.  Both my hubby and I didn't get a lot of sleep, but we had to unpack the van from the business trip, then repack up all our things.  A little stressful trying to remember everything this trip, as Christmas presents were involved.  I only forgot 1 thing, so not too bad!
By 6 am we were on the road and happy to enjoy a tail wind and clear roads the whole way.
We always pack snacks and sandwiches for the trip and made our regular stops in Salmon Arm BC along the way.  First, the DeMille's Farmer's Market type place (girls run off to see the animals) and we bought some local fruit, etc.
Second, off to the Wholesale club and picked up some carrots, etc for snacking.
Third, the highlight, is always the 2nd hand store.  The churches in Salmon Arm do this little store and we happened to get there on the 1st day of their $2 bag week.  WOW.  It was busy, but fun.  I found a whole bag full of sewing patterns and lace, etc plus lots more goodies.  Gregg also had the chance to show us the upstairs boutique in the shop...all retro style clothing.  You ask to be let in with a supervisor and browse.  Oh so fun.  We all loved it.  Kate bought some old fashioned gloves, girls got some pretty hankies, and I just enjoyed the eye candy it afforded me.
We arrived in Calgary just in time for supper of perogies.  Very nice.  Had a great sleep after a few days of not really sleeping, it was wonderful!
So here we are in Calgary, hoping to do some shopping with the girls, they want to go to Dollarama and find some treasures for their friends.  Kate did most of her shopping on Ebay this year, that was fun.
Have a happy day all, do all your baking and preparing for Christmas with joy in your hearts and thanksgiving for all that you have!