On Christmas Day

Merry Christmas!

~lg

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Getting ready for the big day!

Crooked Creek Tree Farm

On the hunt on a snowy, blowy day

Trail breaking

One of our fastest finds, ever! It's cold! Quick, cut it down!

Happy hunters

The kids helped decorate, and did quite a good job!

A quiet winter world on the morning of Christmas Eve

Daddy and Arden getting the new incubator set up

Arden figured out how to take pictures with the camera. This is one she took.

Making pie crust for tourtiere and apple pie.
That pound of lard is almost as big as she is!

Tourtiere pie - Christmas Eve family tradition

Christmas Eve Service

Candy bags!! 

~lg

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Second Week of Advent

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Brought to you by Like Mother, Like Daughter

This morning Arden asked me to open the Book of Common Prayer to where we were reading this week. I opened up to the appropriate page, and she promptly began marching around the house, book in hand, singing, "On the second week of Advent, my true love gave to me. . . " which soon morphed into Jingle Bells. I just love how their little minds process things!

{pretty}

Winter has really arrived! The snow was even crunchy today. :)

I've got a few decorations out, this wooden star included, but we haven't really decked the halls yet. All in good time. (And maybe after a coat of paint in the living room?? We'll see…)

Prettier than a star by far:

Arden and Cinders are becoming fast friends.

And here is a joint colouring project by Arden and moi, the angel Gabriel. Arden is really taken by the angels in the story this year.

Gabriel is sitting on one of our old pump organs, moved recently from the living room into the dining room. We are hoping to pass it along to someone else, but until then, it will have a home here.

Also gracing the organ, a pair of lamps I picked up second hand. I love the bases, but the shades are a little fussy for me, so I think I will end up switching them out for something more modern.

{happy}

This room is a happy place in the morning, especially with the sun shining in!

We now have three rocking chairs by fire. The smallest was a gift from Micah's Dad, a true heirloom that has been in the family for years. We are very happy to make it part of our home!

A few bits of family life this season - small and simple joys.

{funny}

Of course, Jack loves Cinders too, but he really needs to learn how to show his love in an appropriate way! (I.e. Not by chasing, holding by the neck, puling by the tail, etc.)

I think she managed to escape this time.

She is still small, but getting bigger!

{real}

Trying to capture pictures of children in motion and moods.

"Intent on feline capture"

"Just warming up to the day"

~lg

{pretty, happy, funny, real} December 5

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Brought to you by Like Mother, Like Daughter 

It's been awhile! I have a lot of lovely fall photos, but I think I'll just jump in where we are right now in this first week of Advent. It's all a bit random over here. . .

{pretty}

Here is our Advent wreath! This year I finally purchased the brass candle holder and some "real" Advent candles. Arden and I went for a walk on Tuesday and cut spruce branches and ferns from our little woods and picked up pinecones from the spruce hedge for the greenery.

There are also a few little red berries and bits of birch bark hidden in the green. Arden helped me to "arrange" it all, and the results are quite pretty, I think!

{happy}

Our dear black and white kitten, Pickwick, met with an unfortunate end this fall. We decided we liked being a home with two cats, so we brought home this little barn kitten when farmer friends of ours had an excess! Meet Cinders.

Arden is smitten. (And the kitten is tolerant!) Cinders is so named because she has not a speck of white on her, and spent the first few days hiding out (from our other cat Milly) behind our fireplace!

And here is Jack, growing by the day. He is a happy little thing.

It's hard to get him to sit still for a picture!

{funny}

Creating our own indoor fun!

These days there is almost always some sort of "tent" or "house" made in the living room.

{real}

Morning chicken run in pajamas. (And Jack in Arden's old pink boots!)





~lg