Christmas Pics

Here are some pics from our little Christmas, and I'm sure that I'll post a few more in a couple of days.

Curtis (and Craig) got a bag-full of Nirvana cds from Santa, Meg got a box of treats, I got a cashmere scarf all the way from Ireland. (I've never felt cashmere before - its like a little bunny's tail - I'm in LOVE, and Craig's bank balance may live to regret introducing me to this material). Cadence received too many gifts (its so easy to buy for girls:) but I think her fave was an ihome alarm clock and ipod player.

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without Crackers just before our Dinner. Everybody has to wear the crown and tell the joke - and everybody gets one token Brussel Sprout with their meal ... and they MUST eat it! Between dinner and dessert, we do the dishes, then make room for dessert by 'jumping down the dinner' - something my dad started years ago. I unfortunately am banned from serving Christmas Pudding though, as I'm the only one who enjoys it, so apple pie and custard is what we serve.

I hope your Christmas was sweet and filled with traditions and new memories.

The snow has almost gone now, Curtis has his car insurance (from Santa), so I'm going to be chauffeur-driven around town for the next week!

The Food Nazi Strikes Again!

So, we're out buying winter boots in Everett yesterday. We visit K-Mart and the kids start whining ... yes, Curtis isn't to old to whine. They wanted soda pop and candy! I only allow diet soda pop, which they don't care for, so they opted for the candy ...

I let them choose their sweeties, then we get sidetracked when we pass the entrance. A blizzard going on outside! We hurry and pay and take a short, but hazardous and very slow drive home.

We arrive safely, unpack the bags, get dinner, etc. and the candies get forgotten about. Good thing really, because I confiscated them until I could get at the kitchen scales and start looking at the stats on the package.

The kids are not impressed. The big bag of Starburst Jelly Beans would last Curtis a morning, usually. I split the bag up into servings - 9, yep folks NINE servings (won't necessarily last him 9 days, but oh well). I feel sorry for Cadey - she bought Reeces Pieces - only 3 servings :(

Yep, the Food Nazi is alive and kicking during the Holidays too!

A Day I Will Always Remember by Muriel Curtis (My Mum) c. 1977

My most memorable day was Christmas Eve, 1967. That was the day I arrived home from hospital with my new baby daughter.

I had spent 6 weeks in hospital prior to her birth and longed to be home again with my husband and two other children, Jonathan, just five years old and Sindee, seven and a half.

Because of complications, I knew my baby was going to be born prematurely, so it was no surprise when she was small at birth, weighing four and a half pounds. She was placed in an incubator, and for five days, her life hung in the balance. I could not give up hope, yet, every time the doctor came into the ward, I expected him to tell me the baby had died.

When she was five days old, I was able to go to the special baby unit to see her taken out of the incubator and to hold and feed her for the first time; she was so tiny I was almost afraid to hold her!

I went to feed her every three hours in the baby unit and could see she was beginning to gain weight, but was told I would not be able to take her home until she weighed five pounds.

We decided that because she was so small we would give her a short name. We named her Lisa.

Two days before Christmas Day, I decided I wanted to be at home with my other children. When the doctor came on his rounds that morning, I asked him if I could go home the following morning, which was Christmas Eve. He said I could, but that Lisa must be left in the hospital.

I was happy at the thought of going home after seven weeks, but not about leaving my baby behind.

On the morning of my discharge I was asked to go to see the pediatrician who had come to examine Lisa. After examination, he told me she had overcome her difficulties and, provided she weighed that magical number 5 pounds, I could take her home with me. I held my breath, I could not watch her being weighed, then sister (ward nurse) told me all was well, by baby had reached five pounds and half an ounce.

I was thrilled with the news and telephoned my husband and children at once. Just two hours later the three of them arrived, laden with baby clothes. We all went to the nursery to collect Lisa. Sindee and Jonathan helped the sister to dress the baby; they were thrilled with her. She looked beautiful in all her new white clothes, but everything was far too big for her.

After we arrived home, my children would not leave the site of the pram (baby carriage), they watched her every minute of that day, they even had their meals beside her. I don't think they could believe that at last they had the baby they had waited so long for, but there she lay, just nine days old, weighing five pounds and half an ounce.

It was Christmas Eve and five-year-old Jonathan had just learned his first carols at school. He sang Once in Royal David City as he rocked the pram. They thought that she was the best Christmas present they received that year, and I agreed with them.

When I look at my robust tomboy today, its difficult to believe that she is the same child that caused all the anxiety that Christmas ten years ago.

Christmas Memory

Cadence and I were chatting about Christmas and my memories of when she was little this evening.

We were laughing about one memory, which happened on a very hot day in June 2000 (she was 4 1/2), I promise you that it is Christmas related.

We were visiting the Cougar Mountain Zoo. Cadey was wearing a Barbie Pink Cast on her leg as she'd broken it the month before on our neighbour's trampoline.

(Yes, I was wracked with guilt over this accident. I was less than 2 feet away from her when it happened - she simply fell on the tramp. with one leg tucked underneath her bum - and she broke her tibia, had her leg in cast for 8 weeks, then 2 days after the cast came off, she came down with Chicken Pox .... 2 weeks after that, Curtis came down with the Chicken Pox!!!).

Back to the story ... so, we're looking at the parrots, cougars, etc. then we get to the reindeer. They'd had babies (calfs ... ?) There was a lady Ranger at this viewing area, educating us on reindeer. She was very knowledgeable, explaining their natural habitat compared to WA state. Everybody was interested in the babies - they were so cute! At the end of her lecture, she asked if anybody had any questions.

Cadey raised her hand and she asked:

"Can they fly yet?"

Nobody laughed at her, but everybody sighed and said "Awwwww" I think she melted a few hearts with that question!

Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child is such a thrill and making memories are even more thrilling! Looks like we may make some snowball fight memories this weekend!

Where's Your Christmas Card ...?

Craig and I sometimes wonder how many Starbucks Gift Cards, spa products and novelty socks one person can actually possess and gain enjoyment from at Christmas-time?

It seems like everywhere I turn, the commercial Christmas theme is trying to sell me $5.00's worth of and $10.00's worth of crap, which I can't live without, or which would be perfect for my friend, a great thank you gift or teacher gift. It's all a bunch of baloney! I feel the same way about Hallmark cards too.

With this in mind, plus a few other reasons like: wanting to simplify Christmas, enjoying our children and remembering the true meaning of Christmas, ie, Christ's birth ... we have decided to make a purchase of a farm animal through World Concern to be given to a family in Africa - for everyone we know who is on the 'card and present worthy' list.

We're going to purchase a goat - they are one of the best sources of milk (which can then made into cheese and yogurt and sold at market) and they eat virtually anything. A goat can turn a family's life around, improving their health and wealth and giving them a hope for the future.

If you're like us - you see the need in the world, you see the hunger in the world and you feel overwhelmed by it all ... wondering how your small donation can help these desperate families.

We have figured out that by not buying Christmas Cards, little insignificant token gifts and paying for the postage that we can use the money we would usually spend to do this instead!

Good warm, fuzzy feelings are what Christmas is all about! We hope that you feel this way about learning why you haven't received a card from us this year.

So, Merry Christmas! And please ... if you feel inspired to do the same ... we won't miss your card either! www.worldvisiongifts.org

With much love at Christmas-time,
Lisa, Craig, Curtis & Cadence xoxo

Happy 13th Birthday Cadence!

Happy Birthday, Sweetpea!

I love you, and I'm so glad that you have had a wonderful day,

Mum xx

A Dream come True

Between the ages of 10 and 15, I had an obsession. Nope, it wasn't with pop music, cutesy teen singers, soccer players or movie stars - oddly enough, it was owls!

My bedroom walls were covered with pictures of owls, paintings of owls, and my own artwork. I researched them, learned all their Latin names, their calls and what area of the world each specific owl lived in.

I had a collection of ornaments, friends and relatives always knew what to buy me for my birthday and Christmas. I still have some of these ornaments, although now they're tucked away in a box someplace safe.

I had a fascination with nature at large at that age. I loved working in the yard, growing plants from seed, loved being outdoors in general and I LOVED owls.

I remember once, my Dad took me to collect owl pellets (Mum was totally repulsed) - we found some, brought them home and soaked them in bleach, then investigated what the owl had regurgitated (bones and skin). It was such an adventure for me!

I've seen owls from a distance, mainly at night - just out of sight of vehicles headlights. I've seen them at the zoo - perched oh so tamely in the raptor exhibit.

But last night, (as I let Meg out for her bedtime pee), on our birdbath - 25 ft away from me - was an owl, startled by us, taking flight, coming towards me!

I just stood there in awe! It flew above my head, then over and into a tree ... in complete silence!

My memory of those couple of seconds were of wonderment, trying to drink in this birds beauty, its size, its feathers, its eyes ... its silence. That was eerie - its true - their feathers do not make a sound AT ALL.

I knew that there were owls in the neighbourhood - I've heard their calls over the years. I feel so lucky, I'm still on a high from this encounter ... I'll be on the lookout again tonight. I think it was a Barred Owl ... I think ...

Meg was as bewildered as me for a moment, then proceeded to go potty and sniff around the birdbath for a few minutes - no big deal to her! I think I need to check her breed characteristics - I thought she was a retriever, gun dog, (bird dog) - but she's turned out to be a plain old sofa dog!

Hearts not Lips

Every day, I receive an email devotional.  This is today's - and I found it worthy
of posting it upon my blog, especially as we enter into Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They
worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men" (Matthew 15:8,
9).

You've heard people say:

"Talk is cheap."

"He's just giving lip-service."

"Put your money where your mouth is."

These sayings are all just ways to express that the words you speak have little
value if they are not followed up with action.

Even more than your fellow citizens, God is interested in the attitude of your
heart rather than your words.

God sees our hearts; He knows our thoughts; He discerns the attitudes and
motivations behind our actions.

When we say we love God, but haven't surrendered our will to Him, we are just like the Pharisees He
addressed in these verses from Matthew (also in Mark 7:6, 7
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%207:6,%207;&version=31;)).

The Pharisees had become caught up in the rules they had created for daily life.
Their worship of God became an opportunity to show everyone how well they
followed the rules.   Thus, rather than worshipping God, they were merely
glorifying themselves. By focusing on external conduct they forgot that unlike
men, God looks at the heart:

"The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%2016:7;&version=31;)).

"God does not judge by external appearance" (Galatians 2:6
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%202:6;&version=31;)).

Let us be mindful of the fact that our words are meaningless to God if they
don't reflect a heart that is seeking Him.

God, I want my heart to be near to You. Thank you for this reminder that You are
more concerned with my thoughts and motivation than You are with my words.
Forgive me for trying to look good while harboring wrong attitudes in my heart.
Amen.

Questions: When you consider the frustration you have experienced when people
say what they think you want to hear without meaning it, how do you think God
feels toward us when we do the same thing?

STRIPPED

It is not until it is stripped of its leaves that you can see the peculiar characteristics of each individual tree: the massive and generous bough structure of the beech, the majesty of the oak, the straightness of the larch and the grace of the birch. And so it is with our friends. It is not until we have shared some great experience that we see one another as we really are. It is when the winters come and the big winds blow that superficialities and pretences are stripped away revealing the bare bones of true affection in all their strength and beauty.

~Patience Strong

Do I miss my home?

We've lived here for 15 years now. We still get asked if we miss our home. I don't miss my hometown at all, not even my homeland, but I do miss my family...

Some days, I'd give ANYTHING for a cuppa tea and a hug from my Mum, go visit any of my sisters-in-law and have a glass of wine and a good laugh, or visit with some old friends and share a nice meal and catch up with them. Right now, I'd love to visit with a certain new baby girl :)

We do all this and more when we visit anyways, so, although it doesn't happen as often as we'd like it to ... it still happens.

For two very important people in my life, Mukilteo is their home - they don't know anything different. Curtis was 14 months old when we moved here, (two suitcases, a stroller and an infant car-seat were all we possessed, but that's another blog entry). Cadence was born here.

The kids think that a trip back home is a vacation, which it is, kind of. For me, its primarily to visit the family. My idea of a vacation is sunshine, sand, relaxation... The kids enjoy the differences in the cultures - Cadey revels in the spotlight of attention that her American Accent brings - she glows! And, they gain some understanding about why their parents are a 'little different' (we're not different at all - just displaced - everyone in Hull is like Craig and me).

Hull is very flat - extremely flat ... it sits on the plain of Holderness - a glacial moraine deposit, so is very fertile and so lots of agriculture, but these days lots of flooding too. There isn't scenery anything like WA state, but we do have the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds, the North Sea with its fishing towns, cliffs, and wonderful beaches (when its not raining). Of course, there's always old places to explore - old settlements, castles, churches, museums ...

It is strange ... being raised in Northern English culture with very little disposable income and a "make do and mend" attitude. Friends were raised the same way - we have a common bond there. Very few people moved away and people with different skin colour or accents were few and far between. Leaving that place of normalcy and trying to become entrenched in a different environment has been interesting and fun. WA State is very diverse in its population, so you're free to be who you want to be and do what you want to do, because of the many cultures blending here already. We're just adding to that huge melting pot.

We felt for many years that we didn't completely fit in here. But those feelings have changed, thankfully. We realize that now, we don't quite fit in back home either. We've been gone too long, don't know the recent history, who's famous in that land, don't know the music, news, in-jokes, etc.

I must tell you about a funny thing happening to us on our last trip home. During our car journey north after landing at Heathrow, we stopped off at a 'motorway cafe' to get a meal and some 'goodies' for the trip.

This was quite a performance ... two jet-lagged adults, stressed, because they've just had to try to remember how to park a little (stick-shift, steering wheel on the other side of the) vehicle into a minuscule parking spot, two kids who really didn't want a meal because to them, its waaaay past their bed-time, but instead wanted to scarf down all the Cadbury's Chocolate they could get their hands on. Then the kids paying for their items with funny money - a 15 year old (with a British accent) asking for help counting out coins ... not knowing the value of each coin ... holding up the queue ... we were quite a sight!

Anyways, the style of ten pound note (or Tenner) in our possession last year had been taken out of circulation several years prior ... we didn't know this ... we tried to pay for our 'sweeties' with it ...

The cashier looked at us ... we knew something was wrong ... she looked down at the Tenner ... she looked at us again ... she must have thought we were nuts! (especially since we'd just had the fiasco with Curtis and his coins).

We sounded like her, looked like her, but judging by our blank expressions, we were utterly clueless.

"Ooooooh no, luv, you can't pay wiv this ..... where've ya bin fa 3 an arf years? ... ey June! come and 'av a look at this! This fella's got wun-a-vem old tennas"

The four of us turned purple with embarrassment and I whipped out my Visa card pronto.

We paid for our stuff ... on credit ... then as we were leaving, the cashier says (and Cadence does a fantastic mimic of this next line) ... "Fanks luv, fanks a bunch!"

I am proud to be British ... even prouder to come from Yorkshire. Would I ever want to return there to live?

No.

BOLLOCKS!

Erm ... no, I don't use bad language! And in this case, it isn't used as a 'bad' word ... well, maybe it was initially, but over the years it became a standard response ... almost a "Ditto" meaning, for those of us who've watched the movie "Ghost".

Let me explain, but first, here's the Wikipedia meaning of the word:

"Bollocks" is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, meaning "testicles". The word is often used figuratively in British English, as a noun to mean "nonsense", an expletive following a minor accident or misfortune, or an adjective to mean "poor quality" or "useless". Similarly, the common phrases "Bollocks to this!" or "That's a load of old bollocks" generally indicate disgust about a certain task, subject or opinion. Conversely, the word also figures in idiomatic phrases such as "the dog's bollocks" and "top bollock(s)", which usually refer to something which is admired, approved of or well-respected.

OK, now that you understand the meaning ...

Tomorrow is what was my Dad's birthday. He would be 74 if he were still walking this earth. I like to remember his birthday rather than the day he died.

I was Daddy's Little Girl. The youngest of 3 children, and quite an age gap between my 2 siblings and me. My sister, Sindee Jayne, is almost 8 years older, my brother Jonathan Mark is almost 6 older, and then me.

Dad and me had a special relationship. I think he had more free time when I was growing up, so I benefited more from spending time with him than my siblings. I truly enjoyed his company. I enjoyed hanging out with him in his workshop and garden - he taught me wood-turning, how to make fishing floats, tie knots, fix a flat bicycle tire, prune roses, grow Brussel Sprouts, Potatoes, Beans. We enjoyed bicycle rides, fishing, walking the dog and also a similar dry, quirky sense of humour. I'd quite often get myself in a pickle with whatever I was helping my Dad with, so I also became affectionately named (by him) at those moments as "Cack-handed Annie."

Then, I hit the teenage years. Everything changed. I was rebellious and we didn't get along too well. I didn't get along with my Mum either ... I was a difficult, angry teenager for several years there. I think it was about then that the 'bollocks' word came into play! He'd say "I love you" (in jest) and I'd reply ... 'bollocks'!

Fast forward 10 years or so, and I'm living in another country. I wrote letters every chance I got and made weekly phone calls to Mum and Dad and 'that word' began to get spoken again. One of us, before saying goodbye would say "I love you" and "that word" was ALWAYS the response! It became a game we'd play, wondering who'd say it first.

I did love my Dad. He loved me. In fact, it amazes me that he's been gone for almost 9 years, but the love I had for him is still in my heart, still as strong. My memories of my time with him are so rich.

He was a stubborn man, quiet, loved to potter about in his workshop, he loved to read, loved to learn new things, he had terrible handwriting, he enjoyed a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale with his Sunday lunch and he loved and adored his wife, children and grandchildren.

So tomorrow, in remembrance of my Dad, I'll say a prayer ... and just before I say "Amen," I'll add a quick "Bollocks" just for him - he wouldn't expect anything less! (Jesus understands).

Welcome to the world, Imogen Grace!

My sister's youngest daughter, my niece, Stephanie gave birth to a baby girl last month.

Welcome to the world, Imogen Grace! Although I've never seen you, I love you more than words can say. You'll probably be walking and talking by the time I do get to meet you.

My prayers for Stephanie right now are for her to have the energy and confidence to take care of this baby as a single, and very young, mother. I can't imagine how hard that is.

I'm so excited to be a great auntie! Every time I look at this photo, my heart strings are pulled 4952.32 miles and all I want is to have a moment with Imogen ... right now before she grows up. If my friends catch me in the act of giving extra cuddles and snuggles to their babies, this is the reason why!

Cuppa Tea

I've had these thoughts saved in my drafts folder for a few weeks now. Seems apt to post it now, following on the heels of yesterday's Tea Time Title.

Tea is the BEST drink in the whole wide world!

I know, living in Seattle - the COFFEE capital of the world that I should embrace the cuppa joe philosophy ... and I do - once a day!

Tea is what I drink with my breakfast, lunch and dinner and supper and anytime in-between. Before I begin a project. Before I go out. When I come back home. When anybody calls round. When I want to take a break. I'm sure you get the picture by now. The kettle is always on.

The hot amber nectar (orange pekoe/Tetley British Blend) and a splash of milk just works magic on me - giving me what I need to make it through...to the next cup!

Craig and I laugh about this because he's just as much of a tea freak as I am. He calls me on his cell-phone usually for one of two reasons: (1) when he's leaving work to tell me to "Gerra-brew-on", or (2) he forgot to set the video and needs a soccer game recording. I must admit that I have learned to enjoy other varieties of tea, but Craig, unfortunately has not.

He calls my other teas "foo-foo" tea, meaning anything not resembling that milky, malty elixir aka The Great British Cuppa.

My personal Foo-Foo Faves are Rooibos/African/Red tea/honeybush - they're all the same - caffeine free - but strong, full-bodied and sweet, Green Tea, but only with a berry infusion and oddly enough at bedtime I enjoy chamomile tea.

I've kind of flirted with coffee for many years. I seriously began to appreciate its energizing benefits when I began working out, well, AFTER working out! I can go home and vacuum right through the house, without stopping for a ... cuppa:) I drink a tall Americano, extra room and a tiny splash of cream, sometimes with a little cinnamon on top.

Craig, like I said, will not try coffee AT ALL - "nasty stuff" he calls it. Hot Chocolate, Starbucks Strawberries & Cream Frappucino, Raspberry Green Tea Lemonade are his faves. We quite often take a 'date walk' up to Starbucks - approximately 20 minutes walk away (with Meg). I'll order low-fat versions, or half the amount of sweetener (he's sweet enough already) of his drink, and embarrass the heck out of him for asking for something 'different'. As soon as I open my mouth and speak, I've got their attention anyways!

I see that there's a Pumpkin Spice Latte back on the chalkboard at Sbux this week ... hmmm, I believe Lattes are for people who don't really enjoy the taste of coffee. I'm sure by making that remark, I'll get some comments:)

Tea-Time!

I just read this today on the BBC News website. Pretty good news for us tea drinkers! Go on, give it a try ... you know you want to ... this article might convince you to do so ... Cheers!

Tea 'healthier' drink than water

The researchers recommend people consume three to four cups a day

Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers.

The work in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition dispels the common belief that tea dehydrates.

Tea not only rehydrates as well as water does, but it can also protect against heart disease and some cancers, UK nutritionists found.

Experts believe flavonoids are the key ingredient in tea that promote health.

Healthy cuppa

These polyphenol antioxidants are found in many foods and plants, including tea leaves, and have been shown to help prevent cell damage.

Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so its got two things going for it Lead author Dr Ruxton

Public health nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton, and colleagues at Kings College London, looked at published studies on the health effects of tea consumption.

They found clear evidence that drinking three to four cups of tea a day can cut the chances of having a heart attack.

Some studies suggested tea consumption protected against cancer, although this effect was less clear-cut.

Other health benefits seen included protection against tooth plaque and potentially tooth decay, plus bone strengthening.

Dr Ruxton said: "Drinking tea is actually better for you than drinking water. Water is essentially replacing fluid. Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants so it's got two things going for it."

Rehydrating

She said it was an urban myth that tea is dehydrating.

"Studies on caffeine have found very high doses dehydrate and everyone assumes that caffeine-containing beverages dehydrate. But even if you had a really, really strong cup of tea or coffee, which is quite hard to make, you would still have a net gain of fluid.

"Also, a cup of tea contains fluoride, which is good for the teeth," she added.

There was no evidence that tea consumption was harmful to health. However, research suggests that tea can impair the body's ability to absorb iron from food, meaning people at risk of anaemia should avoid drinking tea around mealtimes.

Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink Claire Williamson of the British Nutrition Foundation

Dr Ruxton's team found average tea consumption was just under three cups per day.

She said the increasing popularity of soft drinks meant many people were not drinking as much tea as before.

"Tea drinking is most common in older people, the 40 plus age range. In older people, tea sometimes made up about 70% of fluid intake so it is a really important contributor," she said.

Claire Williamson of the British Nutrition Foundation said: "Studies in the laboratory have shown potential health benefits.

"The evidence in humans is not as strong and more studies need to be done. But there are definite potential health benefits from the polyphenols in terms of reducing the risk of diseases such as heart disease and cancers.

"In terms of fluid intake, we recommend 1.5-2 litres per day and that can include tea. Tea is not dehydrating. It is a healthy drink."

The Tea Council provided funding for the work. Dr Ruxton stressed that the work was independent.

Nope, its not Leprosy ...

... its an auto immune disease called Vitiligo - yeah, just like Michael Jackson has!

It is very visible at the moment because of my tan. The brown area is tan, the pink is my skin with the Vitiligo. Every summer it appears visibly larger.

This began somewhere in time between having the kids (92 - 95) - just areas in between my fingers which didn't tan in the summer.

Apparently, its very rare - affecting one or two people out of every hundred ... although I believe it to be genetic because my aunt and a great aunt (on my Dad's side of the family) have this too.

You can Google the name of the disease if you like - it comes up with various stories, alternative medicine, laser treatments, etc.

I just wanted to draw attention to the fact that it is NOT contagious, nor is it the beginning of Leprosy (honestly, folks have asked me that in the past), and it is not a scar from an accident.

As I was cuddling a friends baby at the weekend, I became acutely aware of the fact that my hands wrapped around this little bundle were being viewed just as much as he was! I'm not embarrassed by it at all, I just don't like the thought of people thinking that they can catch it from me!

It is appearing elsewhere on my body too - toes, elbows, hips, underarms, even around my mouth and eyebrows. The funny thing is that I'll notice a new outbreak, then several days later I'll notice a new patch on the other side of my body in exactly the same place. So mine has symmetry!

Areas of my body which have not seen sunshine in over 20 years - i.e. my hips, are affected, so Vitiligo is definitely not caused or accelerated by the sun. I wouldn't mind showing off my hips right now (with my weight loss), but only on a beach ... Hawaii springs to mind, but a Greek Island called Rhodes would be perfect (if you're ever wondering what to do for our 20th ... Craig ...?)

One day soon, I'll visit the dermatologist. I've read that treatments can be very hit and miss, and its not like its a serious condition, although it can be linked to other auto immune diseases, for example diabetes (which I have). Maybe I should follow up on that doctor referral after all ...

I count my blessings that I'm a white girl who can get away without covering it up too much for the time being.

Some people with darker skin suffer greatly through this disease. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4075652 tells the story of Lee Thomas, a black news reporter with Vitiligo.

It can also turn your hair white, if it appears on your scalp - hmmmm..... so that's nothing to do with my age right ...?

Does anybody else have this disease running in their family?

We're all Sisters!

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER
by Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean livin,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

The Family Room

We've started redecorating our Family Room ... yet again!

It is such a dark room and we're struggling to give it the light it deserves. I've felt like a cave-woman, living in a dull and darkened room these past few years.

So, in order to correct the 'cavey-ness', Craig removed the 'pair of boobies' light fixtures from the ceiling and installed recessed lights in the spring - that helped, but it didn't help much:(

I picked a new paint colour - Swiss Coffee, aka White with a hint of cream. First coat is on ... it needs a second coat today.

If this doesn't help, then I'll need to address the big white elephant sitting front and centre ... well, its brown, tan, stoney, floor to ceiling with a big black metal box sitting in the middle of it. The fireplace! I'm either going to take a paintbrush and my Swiss Coffee to the 'beautiful??' 1970's Yellowstone inspired 'work of art' or simply have an accident with the sledgehammer!

Although, I know that touching the fireplace will then have a knock-on effect ... new fire maybe? Folks admire our stove and say things like "wow - that's unique" or "is that a vintage stove"? I simply reply that its the crappy stove which came with the house and I think it looks like it came off a steam engine. Its only saving grace is that it kicks out some serious heat in a wintertime (along with a ton of black soot which, gets into everything).

Then, of course, there's my wonderful 'blotter' carpet - original 1979 chestnut brown - nope, I'm not going to say any more about 'blotter' - those of you who've seen her, know how she is - and life will be a lot less carefree when she's not around ...

I'm getting distracted by my list of home improvements. I wanted to discuss being overwhelmed and procrastinating.

You see, I've been wanting to start re-painting the Family Room all summer long. I kept putting it off and putting it off. Then, an opportunity arose ... and I put it off. Another opportunity ... I put it off. I was kind of frozen at the thought of 'all that work'.

Last weekend, Craig simply picked up a paintbrush and began cutting in for me - just like that! No big deal! He doesn't see that we're going to be living in a mess for a few days, with no curtains and Family Room stuff strewn about the rest of the house. He just picks up the brush and starts painting. Of course, I'm not too far behind him with my roller (and Cadey behind me with hers)!

I could tell you of many instances that my husband has just needed to give me a push in the right direction! He knew that by simply picking up the paintbrush and making that first brushstroke that I'd be there right behind him!

How all this is true for me and my relationship with Jesus! He's waiting for me to make the first, small move and then He jumps in to fulfill my spirit and soul. Jesus has called me to obey several times in my own walk of faith. I struggle greatly to obey ANYBODY!! But, when things are laid upon my heart by means of the Holy Spirit, of course I struggle, but its a struggling to understand why.

I still put things off, pray, struggle, pray struggle, put off, pray, pray, pray ... come to a point of acceptance or understanding, and allow my heart to be changed, obey (or even simply strive to obey) and my life seems so much brighter.

Just like my Family Room ... I hope:)

Childish Talk

Even though my kids are growing up - heck - one almost has his driver's licence! We still use the childish and very cute pet names for items and stuff which, as little kids, they mispronounced. Here's a list of some:

Mulk = milk
Basketti Bominase = spaghetti bolognese
Tra-bat = battery
Tertis = Curtis
Pancar = Grampa
Tanks = thanks
Wossat fang? = what's that smell?
"Tertis is a wierdo-headi-yack" = Cadence's term of endearment for her brother

Our 2 favourites are:

(From Cadence) ... No-nee = a word used to describe the feeling of touching something velvety, furry or silky. Eg, toys, animals, the sheepskin rugs at Ikea or my pj's. When she was little, the word also incorporated the action of grinding her teeth - I think that it conjured up something emotional within her.

(From Curtis) ... Testicle = Popsicle (ice lolly). He was only 3 1/2 years old, but we still laugh about that one!

Hope I gave you a chuckle, and I hope your family is as silly as mine!

A dog's life

This week is always happy but tinged with sadness ... every year. We remember the passing of our old dog, Bailey. But then we celebrate the birthday of our new dog, Meg.

Bailey came to us as an answered prayer - literally! I'd been in the depths of grief and depression for many months after losing my Dad. I felt so empty inside, and I was seriously considering having another baby ... only one problem there - Craig didn't want to!

So, we decided on getting a dog. The kids and me visited PAWS twice a week, fell in love with a few dogs, but for many reasons, we were unable to adopt from PAWS. We prayed at the reception area of PAWS for Jesus to lead us to our new family member, on several occasions.

Then, my friend Carol called me. She told me about a free dog in the Pickle Press (our local free classifieds newspaper). The dog was Bailey - a lab mix - 18 months old - and she was free (many people were interested in her, so we left our phone number her owners, but didn't hold out much hope of even getting to look at her).

We immediately fell in love with Bailey - she was like a bigger version of Craig's Dad's dog, Sooty, and she was sweet. We had to teach her lots of things - she was soooo submissive! She learned quickly - not to eat the kids toys, to go outside to use the bathroom, not to pull on the leash and to be friendly to other dogs. She was so gentle and affectionate and loved being part of our family.

I began walking with her immediately - in the rain or shine - that was good for me. My depression lifted as soon as she arrived in our home - it turned out that she needed us much more than I needed her though. There had been some neglect in her life - physical touch was lacking, exercise was lacking, affection and love were missing. She got all that and more from us. She was the perfect dog!

We had her in our lives for just a few short years, but she was the centre of our family time and never really made any demands on us, except for food and exercise. She was suddenly diagnosed with Leukemia after an episode of nose-bleeds, she'd spent a day underneath our deck - not wanting to come out. There was nothing we could do, but to have her put out of her pain.

Our lives were empty once more. The kids didn't want to be home alone, I hated coming home to an empty house, I forced myself to walk and people would ask me where my dog was:(

The only thing to do was to get a puppy! We'd found a breeder up in Canada with puppies born a couple of days after we lost Bailey. The kids and I drove up one weekend to visit them - 11 little black balls of mischief! We decided that yes, one of these pups would be ours. We were waiting to get our pick - it felt like forever!

We bought puppy books and videos to educate ourselves and Cadence needed to go out and buy puppy toys. My Mum suggested we call our new dog "D-fer" which we liked, but since we were getting a female, shouldn't it be "B-fer"? Anyways, the name Meg seemed to be a winner - the first dog in my life was a Meg - my grandparents dog.

So, Meg came home at 10 weeks of age. What a nightmare! It was like having a baby again! Having to get up during the night to go potty, watching her like a hawk all day long. Worrying about her when I went to work. It was stressful, but looking back it was also a good thing.

She's such a trusting dog, because we're all she's ever known. We've never been mean to her, never hurt her, so she has no reason to fear us. She is just as loving as Bailey and definitely much more affectionate and she loves to cuddle, sitting on our laps, being cradled like a baby even!

She lives for love, food and walks ... well, that actually should read food, food, food, love, walks! We all adore her and wonder where her 3 years have gone.

I'll quite often think about Bailey - even now, especially when I'm outside, working around the trees in my yard. Her ashes are scattered around my trees - she'd spend hours sitting under them, waiting for the squirrels to venture down. Then, as I'm bending down to prune a plant or do some weeding, I'll get side-swiped or even 2 paws on the back of my shoulders and get pushed to the ground, or "Megged" as we call it. A face full of kisses and I'm immediately brought back into the present day ... Bailey would NEVER have done that!!

Camping Lessons

I'm 'camping' on the camping theme for another day. I came up with some valuable lessons - all of which happened to me and I wish to pass my knowledge on to you!

1. Do not go camping if there is the slightest chance of the tail-end of a hurricane around (even if the weather reporter strongly doubts that it will hit the area). This may cause you to: spend the night in your vehicle, or sleep with total strangers in their tent, or even sleep on the floor of the shower-block.

2. Do drink plenty of water when camping in the summertime. If you only drink beer, you will dehydrate, get constipated and have to spend two days of your vacation inside the tent, in agony, waiting for the laxatives to work.

3. Whilst hanging around the camp-site for your "movement", do not fraternize with other campers. They could be terrorists, plotting to assassinate a governor.

4. Do not let your dog see the dozens of cute little bunnies all over the camp-site. Especially when the lights are shut off at 11pm. Your dog will try to eat and dig her way out of the tent ... all night long.

5. Just because you're camping at a small, rural camp-site at the other end of the country (albeit a very small country), it doesn't mean that you're not going to bump into somebody you know.

6. Do not use baby wipes to wash your hands immediately before putting in your contact lenses ... believe me ... you'll regret it.

7. Unfortunately, no matter how quickly you zip and unzip that door, mosquitoes are still going to get inside the tent - and feast on your blood all night long.

Hope you learned something from my mistakes!

My daughter, the 12 year old photographer

Cadence took these photos last weekend when we went camping ... she blows me away with her talent ... enjoy!

Meesh, Meg (x2) and Mullens

I was feeling flat on Saturday – both emotionally and physically. We’d just said goodbye to Michelle and Megan late on Friday evening. We enjoyed a 2-week whirlwind visit from them. It passed by so quickly – I’m sad that it was only for a fortnight.

I have always enjoyed Michelle’s company. She and Craig are only 14 months apart in age and so they are close through their shared childhood experiences and have similar character traits. She’s a warm, tender-hearted lady and has turned into much more of a sister to me over the years than my own sister (but that is another blog entry in itself).

But I just want to say that I enjoy all my sisters-in-law (all 5 of them). I think that living away from home and the missing relationship I have with my own sister, Sindee, makes me appreciate family even more.

Michelle and her 19 year old daughter, Megan first visited Vancouver for 4 days.

Megan, or Meg for short was a good sport over sharing her name with our dog! – And yes, that did cause some laughter and strange answers, especially when I was talking to my Meg, ie, “Meg, let’s go outside for a pee-pee” or “Meg, want to go for a walk”? The dog was NOT named after my niece; she was named after my Nana & Grandad’s dog – an all black border-collie mix.

They spent the remainder of their vacation with us – visiting Seattle numerous times (Pike Place, Downtown, Pioneer Square, Space Needle, Alki Beach, the Waterfront, the zoo), Whidbey Island, Hurricane Ridge, Leavenworth and shopping Alderwood Mall and the Outlet Mall).

One image of Meg I’ll never forget is of when we turned the corner from driving up to Hurricane Ridge – up onto the plateau … and “BOOM” the view came into view! It took her breath away and she had to stop and stare to drink it all in … not at all what she was expecting! I think she was impressed.

We were exhausted! Not by them, but from being tourists again. They were so easy to entertain.

They left on Friday night.

We’d also agreed to go camping with friends out near Rockport on Saturday. All I wanted to do was spend a day in my PJs on Saturday. But Craig pushed us out of the door. And I’m glad he did.

We found a little piece of paradise! The peace and quiet, the friends, the river, the sun … it was just what my spirit needed. The kids went off and hung out with their friends – it was a true break. Thanks Jim & Charlene for everything! We can’t wait to be invited back.

So, we’re home now, thoroughly refreshed - and some of us resemble dot-to-dot puzzles – thanks to the mosquitoes – some were almost the size of dragonflies!

My Best Friend

My best friend is brown, flat, 7 inches in diameter and called a whole-wheat tortilla.

I have to admit it - I have an obsession with food! Nowadays, its an obsession with juggling my daily totals of 7 grains, 3 fruits, 3 veg, 2 milk, 2 meat and 2 fat (serving sizes) and I do really well with all but one - grains/carbs!

I LOVE pasta, bread, spuds, rice, oh yeah, and beer ... all to my downfall!

I choose a tortilla over ANYTHING else at mealtime. I know that there's only 1 1/2 serving of grains in there (a serving size is 15g), so then I can eat a few bites of something else, ie, spuds, rice, chips.

I serve them a variety of ways:

1. Microwave them with spinach & cheese & salsa
2. Toast them and folded with the same ingredients for quesedilla
3. Toasted, rolled up with deli-meat and cheese - on my George "Formby" (Foreman) grill. You Brits will understand the George Formby reference, but for you Americans, look him up on YouTube - he's one of Northern England's heros (if you're over 70 yrs old).
4. Toasted to resemble an Indian pappadum
5. Toasted and cut up to resemble dipping chips
6. Individual pizza bases
7. Baked with ground turkey breast and enchilada sauce - only if I'm feeling extravagant though!
Nothing is off-limits as tortilla filling - so long as it doesn't get too wet when being heated. They're great for using up leftovers and making food go further
8. Cold with PB&J which is great for school lunches and picnics

Craig jokes about my 101 ways to serve tortillas - I can get very creative in the kitchen. There are only 2 choices for my family at mealtime - take it, or leave it and the family always seem to clean their plates and serving dishes:) I always make plenty of food - they help themselves - and eat more than I do.

My kids call me the 'Food Nazi' too (all in fun), but I worry about them and the amount of sugar they consume in a cookie here, chips there, soda or juice ... which, by the way, probably isn't any more than YOU consume. I worry because its in their genetic make-up, both my grandmothers, my mother, me ... they were both big babies when they were born ... so the odds are stacking up against them.

I only wish I could buy these tortillas from the 'used bread shop' as my friend Allison calls it! The bread outlet sells white, but not whole wheat tortillas (me and my short arms and deep pockets again). BTW, they sell cheap Tullys coffee too, Bobolli pizza bases and sugar-free cookies.

If you have invented other ways that you eat tortillas, or have a good recipe to actually make them from scratch, please send me a comment, or if you'd like more information on the diabetes guidelines, drop me a line.

Flower Fairy

I promised some photos taken by my daughter, Cadence. Here are some from the Spring. I love this collection of 3 - she's like a little flower fairy nestled in amongst my flower garden!

Her favourite subjects to photograph are: 1. Flowers. 2. Friends. 3. The dog.

No, I'm not wearing my 12 year old daughter's clothes ... yet!

I mentioned in a previous post that I've lost 30 lbs since last summer. My weight loss began just before Thanksgiving (November) last year when I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. This came as no surprise to me - I'd had gestational diabetes with both my pregnancies, and had been described as "glucose intolerant" by my doctor for years.

It came at a bad time for me though ... I'd just had implant surgery on my gums ... and I turned 40 :( For a time there, I was fragile and became acutely aware that I had to "own" this for the rest of my life - and that I am responsible for what I eat - and that I have to learn what is good for my body and what is not.

I'd lost 10 lbs by the New Year and have "whittled" away another 20lbs since then.

Ironically, last summer, I spent quite a lot of money on new clothes, resigned to the fact that I was almost 40 and just gaining some extra weight. I gave lots of my old skinny clothes to charity and prepared myself to enter into a new decade. I wore a size 10 (UK 12), but I was in denial of actually being a size larger than that, as I'd squeeeeeeze into my jeans.

I was excited about the new style of the empire waist/babydoll tops in the stores, because they'd hide my "muffin top" (or "mushroom" as I wrongly described it to my kids once, who rolled around the floor with laughter so much that it has now become known as a "mushroom").

I'm still loosing weight, my blood glucose levels are still elevated even with my diet and medication and this can lead me to feel like I'm not in control and to feel down about it. I have to remind myself that the big picture is in the form of a 3-monthly blood test called A1C, which will tell me how my overall blood glucose levels have been ... and of course, the grace of God.

A friend asked me about my weight loss on Sunday at Church, and told me not to get any thinner. He asked if I was wearing my daughter's clothes! That made me laugh! Being on the outside and looking at my weight-loss must be alarming. I am eating food and plenty of it, just ask my husband:)

On the upside, I have so much more energy now, don't get headaches or that afternoon 'sleepy' feeling and I'm feeling like I'm nowhere near 40, plus Craig can't keep his hands off me!

Skagit Valley Highland Games & Celtic Festival

Curtis competed in the Junior (under 18's) this past weekend. The air is called Niel Gowe's Lamentation for James Moray of Abercurnie, then his set of march, strathspey & reel are Father John MacMillan of Barra, Belladrum House & The Spey in Spate.

Enjoy!

my HOT husband

My husband, Craig, is soooo HOT! Well...I mean...I think he's hot (but I'm talking about his body temperature type of hotness today).

For most of the year, I can cuddle up to him in bed and warm up my hands, feet, nose (yeah, I admit it, I always have a cold nose) and another area which I won't mention. I make Craig giggle and squeal with my coldness - sometimes he shrieks so loud that he disturbs the kids and the dog!

BUT ...

This time of year, the roles are reversed. Craig cuddles up to me because I'm so cool - he tells me that its "repayment time" for the rest of the year! Its a good job that he falls asleep so quickly (in under a minute), because I can't stand his hotness in the summer. We bought a king-size bed a few years ago, so I simply move over a little more to get out of his hot zone ... and he's sleeping like a baby and he doesn't even know!

When we were first married, we rented a flat (apartment) for a year. It was in a converted Victorian house. It was all self-contained, we had 2 rooms (Living room with a huge bay-window and bedroom) and 2 box-rooms with no windows as a kitchen and a bathroom - all joined together with a hallway.

We married in May (1989), so it was spring when we found this flat. We failed to notice that the only means of heating the place was a small gas wall heater in the living room. By October, we noticed that it was getting much cooler, by November we'd discovered that we needed more than our love to keep us warm!

We invented another use for the hairdryer ... We would take turns blowing hot air into the bed with the hairdryer. One of us would be in the bed, getting all the warmth, and the other one of us was standing (shivering) at the bottom of the bed with the hairdryer pointing under the quilt. We'd argue over whose turn it was, but it was always more beneficial if Craig was already in the bed because of his warmth.

Guess what our first Christmas present was to ourselves ... an electric blanket! Very romantic, I know.

Looking back, we've always been able to laugh at ourselves and our situations. We may be as different as chalk and cheese in many ways but our humour (no, its not a spelling mistake, British people spell it that way) has grown so very similar over the years. We finally 'get' each other.

I'm wondering, though, if he'll be laughing when I begin to experience hot flashes ... those will be coming soon ... I'd better suggest we get a ceiling fan for our bedroom remodel too :)

Strawberry Fields Forever ... and ever ... and ever

We went strawberry picking yesterday! We took a quick drive to Biringer Farms in Marysville, about 20 minutes north of us. Well, it is about 20 minutes if you know where you're going! Took us a little longer:)

We took a trolley ride out to the field then, within 20 minutes, we had what looked like half a ton of big, beautiful shiny red berries. They were lovely and clean, thanks to the 24 hour thunder and rain storm which hit us last week. Oh, yeah, and we ate probably another half ton when we were picking them (they were soooo good).

We had strawberry shortcake last night, berries for breakfast and berries at lunch, I can only eat half a cup of fruit at a time, so I'm freezing the rest of them (before they go bad) and we can put them into smoothies from now until .... Christmas probably:)

Raspberries will be at their peak in a couple of weeks, so I'm hoping to go back.

My Voice

For those of you who know me, I'm a pretty quiet gal. I don't say much - I know that some of you think I'm shy, I've even been accused of being "stuck-up/snooty", but I am neither! I am very down to earth, non-judgemental, plain-speaking and easy-going, but I need for you to understand where I'm coming from:

I hate my PHYSICAL voice! I always have, even when I lived in Hull. If you're my family, you'll notice how my inflection has become Americanized over the years living here, but I still detest hearing my voice. Its not that I hate the Hull dialect - its great! (If you live there).

I also have a slight speech impediment - not a major lisp - I just have problems pronouncing my "ch", "j" and "s". I had speech therapy as an elementary schooler, which was OK, but it was a half-day out of school, (which meant I missed Art Class). In middle-school I had some horrible teachers who'd ridicule me in front of my class-mates - making me stand up and pronounce what I'd just said, but CORRECTLY (which of course, I couldn't do ... they assumed I was being lazy). Kids, of course, were quick to catch on to this, and they were just plain mean.

Living away from home has proved to be a challenge for me in this area too. Folks over here are so endeared to ANY foreign form of the English language (they don't hear the 'lower class' northern sounding voice I possess). People tell me that they could listen to me speaking all day long - either that, or they try to seduce me and my "sexy" voice! After 15 years (and now feeling like a local), it gets OLD!

In certain circumstances, I choose not to speak, or I get my kids to speak for me. I just don't want the attention.

Some people, no matter how hard I try, just cannot understand me. Then I get flustered at having to repeat myself and my childhood insecurities come flooding back ... and my words stumble and I BLUSH!

I KNOW my voice isn't perfect, but my dialect, my challenges and insecurities are a core part of who I am. I could work on this area and pay money to sound 'nicer', but I feel in a way that its a 'badge' I wear. You're either going to like me or not and I'm not going to try too hard either way for you to make up your mind - I like to think that I am kind hearted and I would like to say that my heart speaks louder than my voice.

Maybe I'm just starting to discover my inner voice ... through blogging:)