Time sure does fly when you're having fun! I have been busy as a bee cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring, teaching,etc. All is well. The kids are doing great.
The boys are doing soccer this summer and Hannah is having a blast in summer gymnastics training 6 hours a week.  Elisabeth's burn is healing well and our preemie princess no longer looks preemie. I hope to bring this blog back to life this autumn.

 Until then, enjoy the rest of summer and God Bless. 

Sarah likes to eat.

Sarah likes to sleep.

Sarah is such a pleasant baby! We feel so blessed to have her!

She is growing so fast just like her siblings. She is the biggest of our five, despite being preemie. Just look at her cheeks!

Rice again...

Those are the words I was trying to avoid tonight when I ordered pizza and wings, because who really wants to eat fried rice for supper, then lunch and then supper again. We ate the pizza it was alright at best , I looked at the bill and realized that I was overcharged nine dollars. Five full bellies for $41, DH can make a gourmet pizza for a quarter of that. There is a knock at the door which eventually leads me here. My stomach turns, I feel so sick, so silly. For the same price of our over charged pizza I can sponsor a child for a month.

   Not a doubt in my mind that the Lord led me there. 

We are going to sponsor a little girl. Our God is an awesome God.

Sarah ~ day 20

Sarah ~ day 20
Originally uploaded by Christina.Kimberly

Sarah has arrive early.

Sept 19th
1990 grams
at 11:19 p.m.

after 9 nights in the nicu she is home.

We are soooo busy! I will fill you in eventually.

:)

We are busy, busy, as usual. We will be starting our homeschool year on Monday the 2nd, so that when the baby arrives this autumn we will be free to take off as much time as we need.

Blessing # 5

Meet Hannah

Hannah is our resident drama queen, we are working around the clock to mellow her out before it is too ate. lol

She is three and a half and very smart. Sept 2009 she started doing preschool work. She is learning to read and write and is doing quite well. 

Hannah is a early riser and really enjoys doing all things domestic. When she is not tending to her dollies she usually can be found by my side baking, cleaning or helping out with laundry.

She is growing too fast!

A reintroduction....

Since it has been quite some time since I have been posting regularly, I plan to reintroduce everyone. The kids have grown quite a bit!

Here is Elisabeth Ruth, this little miss will be one year old on the 22nd of this month!

11 months right now with 5 sharp teeth.

This is her last year with here big sis.

Three months and basking in the sunlight.

Her she is at 10 months in her favorite pjs.

11 months and teething.

Wow it has been more than a while!

Please pardon my absence I have been quite busy just catching up on life. I plan to be blogging again before march.

Thanks

Christina B

So what are you doing this Christmas?

Wordless Wednesday

A lost Virtue

Modesty is know these days as the lost and forgotten virtue. It  is an issue that has been on my mind quite a bit lately and I have been studying scriptures and doing a ton of reading, about modesty and the present obvious lack of it in our western world.  


One of the books that I am currently reading is 

A return to modesty: discovering the lost virtue

 By Wendy Shalit 
It is extremely thought provoking and covers so many areas of life where modesty should com into play.
I am half way through it and  so far I like it despite the cover (that I have been hiding with a cotton book cover).
 I might post a full review when I am done. Also when I get a moment  am going to post my full reading list in the sidebar.

Gratitude

31.Time for a bit of crochet each day.

32. Elisabeth finally sitting sans bumbo

33. Autumn crimson

34. Autumn gold

  

35. Growing girly, dressing herself

36. Little ones, no longer too timid to venture out.

37. Forgiving friends

38. Out to the movies with the kids 

39. Sunday supper, made by my hubby

40. Caterpillar crayon creations, scribbled beside my desk

Have you signed up yet?

So November is NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth are you writing?

Pancakes anyone?

Our Kids love pancakes, as do. I am not picky and like pretty much any variety of them, and I have become accustomed to making them in different was for different days. Small, light and fluffy when DH is on the his way out, thick and filling dish size, thin dollar size, with berries or chocolate chips. Maybe we will have them  today some bananas and tomorrow with vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Our table is always set up with many spreads, jams, butters, fresh fruit etc. My husband ( being from Quebec) he loves 100% maple syrup and has an abundance of childhood stories and memories of school trips to make syrup and making it at home :) He also prefers French crepes over pancakes. I make one or the other every weekend.

Here are some of our families favorite recipes. To make them I simple mix wet and dry ingredients separate then together and then I make them in a non stick pan. I usually double or triplet these recipes based on who is eating and how hungry I think they might be.  Also many times I quadruple the recipe, cook them, and freeze them in ziploc bags of three or four ( one serving).    Vanilla, cinnamon, diced fruit, berries, nutmeg, chocolate chips, or what every your family likes can be added right before you cook them, just stir it in.  As for the crepes these are the ones I make. To make a thinner batter add more milk, for a thicker one add more baking powder, and for a more filling one add an extra egg and a bit more flour.

pretty thick pancakes

1.5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/4 cups milk

1 egg

3 tbsp melted butter

simply yummy pancakes

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 egg

2 tbsp veg. oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp baking powder

Light & Spongy Pancakes

1 cup flour

1/4 tbsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

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Enjoy your pancakes and your weekend!

Eight years...

Eight years ago yesterday I was 15 years old and in excruciating pain.

God was there.

It was just a few weeks earlier that I had discovered that I was expecting my first child.

I was lonely, lost, confused and sad.

I was called a loser, an embarrassment, pathetic, and many worse thing that I dare not utter on this here blog.

God was with me.

I was not a Christian.

I did not believe that  could love someone like me.

It was a lie, whispered to me daily.

My Heavenly Father loved me unconditionally.

October 27th 2001 I had an appointment.

Not at the dentist but with a doctor, the kind that kill.

An appointment not made by me
 ,but one I was told by an elder that I MUST attend.

A threat that I shall not repeat.

For the first time in my life I prayed.

Not a Hail Mary, or Our Father that we recited each day in school.

A true prayer from my tarnished blackened heart.

I pleaded with the Lord.

He listened with opened hear, arms and ears.

" Please, please, please I beg of you! You say you are Lord Most High. Do something!  Do not let tomorrows' appointment come. I will take my life if I have to do that. I cannot live with myself. I might not be a good person but I am not a murderer. You said ask and I shall receive; I am begging you. "

He watched me, heard me, He was with me, then He answered.

As I sat in the bathroom in unbearable pain crying for help,
 but no one cared for me except Him.

With a sharp pain, a pop, and a massive gush,
my waters had prematurely ruptured.

Apparently despite my slim figure I was further along
than previously thought.

The details of what happened next will remain with me,
perhaps to be posted at a later date.

In the end in the back room of a hospital with the help of to "God sent" midwives, I gave birth to a breech baby boy who never took a breath outside the womb, strangled by the cord on his way out.

I never looked at him... I did not have the required courage.

It is one of the biggest regrets of my life, I should have looked.

I named him Jesse Johnathan which means

God Exists and God has given.

"...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." JOB 1:21


I have have experienced much distress, hurt and heart break in my little 23 years of life. But it is only recently that my eyes have become open to see and understand that I was never alone. I used to cry out to the Lord "where were you when ______________. " Now I see how my Heavenly Father was there more than any other. I see how He watched over me, loved me,  guided me.

I am eternally gratefully that God exists and God has given.

Blessings

Christina B

Thanksgiving Everyday

Elisabeth is sick for the first time.

I am thankful it is nothing too serious.

late night talks with my little sister.

immediate family all present to share a meal.

 plenty of food when so many have none.

little ones singing in harmony.

Hannah's signature all over my paperwork.

Proof that when it goes in one ear it does not all come out the other.

cozy feather-filled duvet

sending the autumn chills away

ricotta cheesecake for dessert

it was my first attempt

the children run eagerly to greet their father this morning as he comes in from work

"HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!" they all chime in unison

and he says...

"But don't we give thanks everyday?"

Nostalgia

Both my sister and I had easy bake ovens.  I had wanted to give mine to  Hannah but it is currently a condo for the massive spiders in my mother's basement. The spiders are so big that even my husband would not touch it. A friend of mine gave her one for her birthday and today we finally got around to using it.

Hannah amazed that she actually made a cake with a light bulb.

We were out of sprinkles so she suggested chocolate chips.

I am glad she did :)

She was eager to share.

Some mango lemonade to go with, as per her request.

I cannot believe that she is three already! She loves to sing as she works and is eager to learn how to read. Her daily enthusiasm pushes me and makes me strive to be a better teacher. When she meet s people she likes telling them that her Heavenly Father is The King of Kings   and she is a princess " fearfally end wondafally made"
  Oh how I love this little girl!

Gratitude

I have been meaning to participate along with the gratitude community from since it began many months ago. I sort of did, just not in the blogosphere. Better now then never...right.

perseverance of my hardworking husband
he works so hard it melts my heart

giggles and cooing
of two little girls 

joyful grins
all in a row

autumn skies
are my favourite

morning sunsets
from the 21st floor

Hannah rising early to join me in prayer
makes me smile
thriving business, allowing me to stay at home
where I belong

bamboo on my desk inching higher and higher
bouncing back from neglect

little fingers by my side
just because

laundry almost finished before dusk
:)

heart-felt apology
from a straying soul

freshly blueberry cookies fresh from the oven 
smelt so good

baby peacefully napping
even if only for a few minutes

sick eyes now healed
praise the Lord

toddlers reciting memory verses
instead of tv commercials
honesty
most of the time

innocence of a child
is amazing

baby girl in blue

she makes anything girly

bookshelf overflowing

so much to read

son eager to learn more and more
was behind,now caught up,striving to be ahead

well loved chalk board
my homeschool helper

Autumn

Around here autumn means birthdays! Our Nephew turned eight this past sunday, monday Isaiah turned seven, Hannah turns three on friday and we have a tea party planned.

Aunts, uncles, more nephews, friends, in-laws and Imanuel on November 5th, so many people to celebrate between now and Christmas. If I become scarce now and again it is probably because I am knitting, sewing, crocheting,baking , or cooking something for someone's big day.

Autumn is truly birthday season around here and it is one of my favorite times of the year.  No snow (yet) , and no scorching sun rays. Mild uneventful weather. All the non home learners are back to class and places like the science centre and the museum are quiet again. Apple from the farm to my pies. We enjoy apple crisp, apple cider, fresh apple juice, apple sauce; we like apples.

Early autumn sunsets from our high-rise so pleasing to my eyes. A new sets to knit and crochet. Hats, scarves and mitts times six. Getting a headstart on making Christmas gifts, it is less than 100 days away (92 to be exact).