9 and 10 month Favourites

As Ry turned 11 months this week it was time to organize digi-photos for more scrapbooking and clear the camera to take more in the months to come.

Here are our latest favs...

Standing all by myself

This is Thelma, named after the generous woman at a
retirement home we visited who made and gave her to me.

Nap time

I love my tiger and napping.

The best of 6 taken for Christmas Cards!

Of course with pictures, comes videos...a little rough as they were taken from Daddy's phone...but entertaining nonetheless. The summary: Rylyn likes dunebuggies but not dancing Santas.

Bible Reflections:

Luke 2

¹⁶ So [the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

-As the holidays approach, take time to ponder your blessings from God, especially those that may not initially appear as blessings, and treasure them in your heart. For these are the real gifts of the season.

10 Things I love about the Christmas Season

This weekend I found myself eagerly looking forward to Christmas break, which, ahem, by the way officially starts for me this year on Christmas Eve! Yikes! I shall not complain about my two weeks of bliss, as I know there are those who will get the weekend and nothing more or even worse...have to work the weekend. Nonetheless, although my halls are not yet decked, the anticipation of the break has put me in the spirit of the season a little early this year.

Here are ten reasons I love the Christmas Season:

10. Shopping. Not only the gift buying, but spending money...it's bad I know, but it makes me feel good to spend. I also love wrapping...

9. Making Christmas cards. Pull out the stamps, ink and ribbon. If I had a BeDazzler, I'd pull that out too.

8. Bazaars. Sweets. Crafts. Penny Sales. Fun.

7. Light tours. Grab a cup of Hot Chocolate and go for an evening drive. I know where the most extravagant display is in my hometown and I drive by every year (at least twice).

6. 2 weeks off. Being that I took two 2 hour naps in one day this weekend, I would say my body, mind and spirit are in need of some rest.

5. Christmas music and movies. For music, more so the traditional Jesus versions than "the Frosties". My current favourite is Joy to the World. For movies, anything Muppet.

4. Silent Night in a candle lit church, provided my husband is not feeling like a pyromaniac and attempting tricks with his candle. That makes me nervous.

3. Time with family. Whether it be laughing after dessert or opening stockings Christmas morning. Traditions. Family. FOOD. Love.

2. The inner child. Since having a child of my own, I realize that children at Christmas allow us to relive our own memories.They keep the joy young and real.

1. There is something simply perfect about heaven's plan of salvation being welcomed to earth as a baby.


Isaiah 7:14
New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁴ Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.^[a]

Trick-or-Treating Jesus

"I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father's house. They will hang on him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the posterity, all vessels of small quality, from the cups to all the pitchers." -Isaiah 22:22-23

While reading this strange passage in Isaiah, prophecies about the Lord's judgment on the unfaithful in the Old Testament, I initially found myself puzzled. Normally, I resort to a bland prayer of, "Lord help me understand this." This time, rather, I decided to say, "Whatever, God," and leave the text alone and pray for my family. Then, I prayed that God would make my children like pegs in a secure place. That He would root them in His goodness, such that good things would hang over their lives. That they would make us proud and bring Him glory. And, I understood.


Halloween has never scared me, I love it. I grew up with it. I think I love Halloween because I am "a peg in a secure place." My celebrations are not to give glory to evil. They are to love the community and the people in it from my doorway. A night to say, "My door is open." The roots of Halloween are quite different from its meaning today: a celebration of community coming together in their creativity, costumes and sugar. The intent to scare is optional, but can also remain on the fun side of the continuum, as opposed to the occult side.

On the other hand, another meaning of Halloween for me today is still oddly similar to its original roots: driving away evil. One of the greatest roots of evil in the world is fear. "There is no fear in love: but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:18

I choose to love instead of fear and open my door. And in doing so, I have actually opened my door to Jesus trick-or-treating on my doorstep. ;)

Enjoy the photos and video from Rylyn's first Halloween.

Moving around

Hiding in my blanket from Auntie Laura

PJs I woke up in

Playing with Bones in a Box

Hiking at Spencer Gorge in Ms. Mary's pumpkin outfit

Mom and Dad are winter and I am snowman!

PJs I went to bed in