The most wonderful time of the year---- or is it

Turkey, tree,

 jingle bells and santa Claus, 

chocolate, presents

Wrapping paper, 

cookies, friends and family, 

christmas carols and Ho Ho Ho's...

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year or is it?

For most people it is a stressful time of the year, 

stressful because they are without a job so there is a financial strain

or

they are stressed because they have a job and their budget does not permit them to buy much in the way of presents. 

This is when people turn to plastic as in a credit card

( I am NOT saying credit cards are BAD),

I dont understand why people will max out there credit cards for christmas and then be until Easter ( or longer) to pay it off

I do not Own credit cards and we budget everything, right down to buying milk or as little as a pencil, WHY?
because we do not want debt- ( I am planning a post on this)
why would you use a credit card to pay for something for a special occasion, then before you pay for it, it is broken... sorry, maybe it is just my opinion.
We pay cash for everything we buy for Christmas-
off course having one kid makes it easier and cheaper
- although the older she gets, the more expensive is her christmas list and we can't even ask Santa as she knows he isn't real.

her list this year includes:
Laptop
clarinet
boots ( black and brown)
Taylor Swift CD- 1989
paris stuff
there is so much more, she will not get everything on the list

Just because it is Christmas, you do not need to spend $1000 on each kid ( my friend has 3 kids and she spends $1000 on each kid.. Whoah!!!)

How about you? How much do you spend on Christmas? 

Weekend Recap

Friday:

My baby girl left school at 2 pm for a friends Birthday party in Bangor Maine, ( 4 hours away), they went for the night and went roller blading, laser tag, swimming, shopping etc. Sounds like a fun birthday. 

Hubby and I had a building viewing with some other members at church, we are buying a new church and it was open for a viewing.  I am one of those people who cannot see what a place is like until the renovations are done etc. 

Hubby and I were going to go out to eat but we decided to come home and watch hockey it was my team ( Bruins) vs his team ( Jets)- my team won :) 

Saturday:

Wide awake at 5:30 am, got up and cleaned Brooke's room while she is away , I did go back to sleep around 7 am for an hour or so, but I cleaned the rest of the house after that and relaxed, read the paper , had my morning coffee and chat with both parents , it is very slim that they are both home at the same time on a Saturday morning, it started my day off right :) 

Hubby and I went to town to get coffee and breakfast, we stopped at Monkey cakes to try their new coffee but not selling it until this coming weekend 

While we were out, my sister sent me this 

We did some christmas shopping for Brooke, the child is spoiled #perksofbeingaonlychild 

We shopped all day, my feet were so tired, it felt like they were on fire. 

Sunday:

It was a warm winter day, it really was with no wind chill etc.

I cooked a turkey dinner and we had invited some friends over, when we got to church we realized they were not there, I was looking around for someone to invite, we ended up asking our Assistant pastor and his wife, they are such a sweet couple and it was nice to have them in our home. 

I also made a chocolate cream pie for hubby as it is one of his favourite pies. It was a lovely sunday, we invited Moses and Corey over for turkey nachos later in the evening. 

Whats on your mind for this week? I am travelling this week, but will check in at some points. 

Wednesdays for Women- What type of Shoes are you wearing

To uplift and encourage 

1) FLATS: 

 

is your spirit flat? DO you need to be motivated? Many times we find ourselves moving around without much life in our steps.  The spirit of God is energizing, and the joy of the Lord is our strength, There was a time in Kind David's life when he was forced to encourage himself in the Lord

2) LOAFERS

 

Each of us has been given a talent to use for God.  Are you using yours for the glory of God? Get involved. We all have to be active for the body of Christ to effectively accomplish his work 

3) PUMPS 

 

are you a pump person? Do you find your self always pumping people up? What a great pair of shoes to wear.  Everyone needs and enjoys receiving a word of encouragement.

4) TENNIS SHOES

 

When our feet are laced up in this type of shoe, we are better equipped to walk, or run, long distances.  When putting on the full armour of God, our feet are to be shed with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 

5) PLATFORMS

 

Platform shoes make us taller then we actually are, Also. platform shoes can affect our balance if we don't walk carefully, In there kingdom of God there is no big "I's" or little "You's". We are all equal in his sight, we are told to humble himself before God, we will be exalted

6) SANDALS

 

These shoes are usually comfortable to wear, Sandals are often referred to as leisure wear.  Christians must never get too comfortable and leisurely in their walk with God, May we never be satisfied being "average" Christians, but always strive for higher heights and deeper depths in God

7) SLIP ONS

 

This type of shoe is very easy to slip into and out of. True Christianity is not something we slip into on Sunday and out of Monday.  It is a command consistent life style 

8) WORK BOOTS

 

Work boots are usually not pretty and stylish, yet they are the proper foot wear when there is hard work to be done.  Sturdy boots protect the feet from metal, wood and stone as well as other debris that would cause injury.  Working into the harvest fields of God and going into the highways and the byways, compelling people to come into the kingdom, is not easy work. Our life of servitude to God is not just banqueting around his table but working diligently to reach the lost. 

May we endeavor to always wear the type of shoes that are befitting for a Christian, the kind of shoes that will enhance our walk with God 

Guest post- Swim Lessons

This is a great post by a great friend, one that every parent should read:

 

 

Why Kids Swim Lessons Are Essential

When I was a kid, I was fascinated by the water. I loved being in it or around it, and wanted to be at the pool with my friends whenever I could. I want to foster that same enjoyment of the water for my kids, but I believe safety is a big issue. That will mean signing them up for swim lessons, just like my Mom did for me.

The safety factor. It’s just a reality that being around water has inherent risks. Unintentional drowning is one of the greatest causes of death in small children. It is suggested that formal swim lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by as much as 88 percent. Even though I will supervise my children carefully around the water when they are small, good water skills provide another layer of protection in keeping them safe. Here are some great resources with more information:

Learn To Swim: The Importance of Swimming Lessons

Swimming Pool Safety: Layers of Protection

Drowning Happens Quickly – Learn How To Reduce Your Risk

A gradual introduction. If I just take my child to a first swim lesson, and they haven’t been around the water, that’s a lot for them to take in at once. It made good parenting sense to me that my children would benefit from a gradual introduction to the water. I wanted to see how they responded, because not all kids react the same to the water. We had to take baths anyway, so I smiled and laughed a lot while bathing them, to reinforce the water as a positive place. The joy of splashing was especially fun for them to learn.

The first class. When my first child was about six months old, I signed up for Mommy and Me classes. I found a class taught by someone who had studied child development, and she tailored the class to the babies. It was a great way to let my child find out about the water, and learn a few basic skills, like floating on his back while I held my hands under him. He enjoyed playing with the other babies, and I bonded with the Moms. It was a wonderful experience.

The hesitant child. My second child – who I could easily see becoming a researcher some day – wasn’t so sure about this water thing. He wanted to study the whole process. I felt a class would move a little too quickly for him, so we did the introduction to the pool in a different way. We took him to our community pool (wearing swim diapers, of course) and my husband sat with him back from the water, just holding him and letting him watch. I went into the water and laughed, splashed and played. Patience was the key, and was rewarded when he finally reached out to me, and I took him in my arms. Now, he’s just as much in love with the water as his brother. I’m glad we went slow.

Formal lessons. We decided to sign our kids up for lessons in the fall. We felt the classes would be smaller, and the kids would be back into the "school" mindset and be more receptive to learning. Let’s face it, during the summer, they just want to be playing with their buddies. I went and watched a lesson in progress, and asked the instructor for his credentials. It is suggested that kids are ready for lessons when they are 3 to 4 years of age, and that’s when we started. We have continued with intermediate and advanced lessons, and I have watched the confidence of my kids steadily grow in the water.

I smile when I watch how relaxed my boys are in the water – swim lessons have given them a skill that will benefit them for a lifetime.

Kaitlin Gardner started An Apple Per Day to explore her passion for a green living lifestyle, and healthy family living. She and her husband have just moved to rural Pennsylvania, where they enjoy exploring the countryside to discover interesting and out of the way places. She is also learning how to paint watercolors.

Weekend Recap

Another Weekend here and go, before we know it, it will be ( dare I say it...) Christmas. I'm excited yet nervous for our first Christmas, just the three of us.. I hope to make some new traditions and have a great time as a family.

Friday: This was a bitter sweet day, Brooke is all done at day care, after 8 years she is finally able to come home after school with me, it is a new adventure for her and we are excited to begin, she has had nothing but the best teachers both here and back home, we are so blessed.

Worked til 7 pm, I asked hubby to bring me dinner home, he didn't do it and we ran out to get dinner after work.. our presents from my in laws had arrived thru Sears so we needed to go pick it up.  I have no idea what is in the pkgs, one looks like a guitar box but it is the one for me, and I haven't asked for a guitar, so I have no idea what it is..

I ate dinner at Thai Express- but there is nothing express about it , they have 2 people working there and it is the busiest place in the mall. I also needed to return a shirt that I decided I didn't like after I got it home. My dinner was Pad sew with Chinese broccoli, so good.

After that we came home and watched hockey, great job to the Bruins who were down by 3 and came back and won in the last period.

Saturday: Early morning to go shopping in the US for the day, we are only an hour from the Border so the shopping is so much better there. We had such a great time, I bought hubby a ton of things, can't give any details on here as he reads this. I had such a great time and really I thought about taking some pictures but it slipped my mind so fast, we laughed a lot, ate some good food and got in some retail therapy= a great day.
When I got back home hubby took me to pizza delight for dinner, it was a nice family date.


Sunday: It was our christmas banquet day at 6 pm, I helped decorate and set up, it was so beautiful! The caterers are amazing, we have used them for 3 years now and it will continue Im sure, they do a full turkey dinner, the dessert is amazing. Here are some pictures of the evening:

Some of the guests

We get a band in each year, this year was great as well 

One of my favourite friends- her and I laugh a lot and we have so much fun together. 

I love this couple, they are like grandparents to me, they have spent time with Brooke for her quizzing as well, we make special memories with them 

We can take nice pictures too 

This lady makes me smile, so happy to be her mom 

My girl and I 

Brooke and her "brother" Moses 

I love this girl too, such a beautiful person inside and out. 

It was the first of many christmas parties and I am in the christmas spirit. 

Enjoy your week! 

Confessional Friday

Linking up with Leslie over here

Confessional Friday

1) Thanks to my pharmacist I have gotten lots of great sleep, she suggested I try extra strength melatonin, I have been sleeping 12-14 hours each night and I am so rested.

2) Wxcited for a shopping trip to the states tomorrow, for those of you who don't know, I am 1 hour from the border to the US, and shopping is so much better there, I am going with some friends.

3) Brooke is about to cost us anywhere from $3000-6000. At her dentist appointment last night, she needs to get braces on top and bottom, she is very excited, crazy kid.

4) I have almost completed my Christmas Shopping, every year we say we are not spoiling Brooke this year, but we always end up soiling her, and this year is no different.

5) Big changes coming to the blog, Won't give any details yet but it may happen early in the new year.

6) Our first christmas party is this sunday- this one will be the one of the best ones, the caterer's are amazing, the food and service is truly the best.