Sunshine and Honey

Lovely days = time spent outside

We trimmed a few hooves and then got Honey out.

Honey was our foal that was born last Christmas 

(can you say ACCIDENT)

She's a really sweet girl.

It helps that our girls

(mostly Lucy)

mauls her.

She is a total pet.

Flat-Lander Sledding

It was so beautiful here today so we decided to bust out the new sled Santa brought for us!

It took Dusty a while to get all set up so we jumped on the tramp for a bit...

Once we got going it was so so so much fun...

I even convinced Dusty I was "safe" and he got in the sled! Mwah ha ha ha ha (evil Laugh)- Good thing he's never heard any sledding stories from Brianna!!

Jolly Old Saint Nickolas

Was very very good to us this year.

I am sad that Christmas has almost come to a close. I usually try to stretch it out till New Years but honestly once boxing day has rolled around I think I hear a leap of joy from Dusty. He can now listen to other music besides the Christmas playlist.... the kids disappear to the basement to play with their new toys and books.... and I take a deep breath and clean off my counter-tops from all the deliciousness that has surrounded us.

Today my house is clean (ish) and the baking is mostly in the freezer. The children are passed out in their beds trying to recover from all the late nights. and Dusty..... he has disappeared back out into the man-shed.

It has been a fun filled month and a half. Many highlights. As I get older I really appreciate the quiet times spent with my family. And also the joy found in our extended families.

The girls have been sick on and off through December and Christmas was no different. Both Lucy and Penny happened to be sick the last two days but were troopers and pushed through.

Santa brought the girls a trampoline. They are thrilled (until they got their tongues stuck).... a story for later...

and my parents gave Dusty and I (mostly I) a new camera.

I am thrilled. My camera has been on the fritz for quite sometime and Dusty and I have looked at cameras... The problem... I wanted a nice camera but something always came up and we never committed to buying one. I am absolutely in love with it and can't wait to actually start learning to use it. I have already been looking for new lens' for it. 

So without further adu......

This is Mabel.

She hopefully can many more awesome photos to my walls.

Twas the week before Christmas....

And all through the home,

the girls were all shrieking,

'cause Mom was grabbing the comb...

Just kidding.

about the shrieking.

The girls have been asking to get their hair cut for quite some time....

but I get totally freaked out cutting their hair.

because I am not a hair dresser....

and if I was smart I would just take them to see one

but somehow the thought of 

dragging three little girls to a salon 

seems even crazier than 

just attempting to cut it myself

Without further ado...

Miss. Ellie

and

Miss. Lucy

Slowcooker Chicken

I thought I would just post one of my go-to recipes when I need a slow cooker meal. It makes a ton of food and its really simple. The kids love it. Its not like its a gourmet recipe but it is a simple, yummy dish.

Slow cooker Sweet BBQ/Asian Chicken

1 package of chicken. I use boneless thighs.

In a bowl mix:

1/2 cup of soya sauce

1 750ml can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of minced garlic

cook for 8 hours.

if you want it to taste more BBQy then add some Worcestershire sauce and some chili powder and cumin and dried mustard.

More Asian- some ginger or a tablespoon of peanut butter

More Indian- curry paste and fish sauce

Super simple base recipe.

creepy-not Halloween but Christmas- cookies

Lucy is the *hopefully* last victim to the flu.

I am glad I kept them home today just to be on the safe side

(I am just trying to redeem myself)

Anyways, the girls and I made cookies.

Penny feels sick but probably not a recurrence of the flu.

Most likely it's all the chocolate chips she ate in the decorating process.

I saved candy corn from Halloween for these frosty's...

Ellie told me they look creepy...

I guess we'll just stick to trees.

Rest

On Friday I got sick. 

Really sick

(Don't worry my beloved readers... this is not a whining/pity post).

Although really sick doesn't even scratch the surface of what Friday was.

I was delirious.

and not in the good..." I took too much cough syrup way..."

 (not that I have ever done that..... er.... much)

Anyways,

back to the point.

Dusty forewarned our beautiful little girls that I was a mess.

They got up. 

Got themselves breakfast.

Dressed themselves. 

Hopefully brushed their teeth and hair 

and got on the bus.

I was in bed. 

and

unaware of what was going on.

Mother of the year award please!

(but it gets better)

At some point (most likely at 1045) Lucy arrived home.

I say most likely because I have a very responsible friend who drives Lucy home from school.

I do not know though.

I was still unconscious.

She must have gotten herself a snack and watched TV.

(I know this from my keen observations I made on Saturday.... crumbs on the floor and YTV on the TV)

Ellie arrives home from school.

I do vaguely remember this...

She was kind enough to come in and check on me. 

She got me more drugs.

(yes I know my drug cupboard should be out of reach from children 

but ..... Mother of the year award #2 or 3)

and ginger ale.

She then left with her shirt over her nose

 (she is a bit of a germ-a-phobe..... 

I don't know where she gets that from)

They had a scheduled play date with the neighbour girls. 

At some point they were picked up.

and then again,

 at some point, 

my father came 

bringing food for the kids 

and soup for me 

and to do the chores.

I don't really remember him being here.

I know he was here

 because 

there was food in the fridge and french fries in my bed.

(which I was unaware of until Saturday when I changed my bedding.....

apparently 

Penny who was sick with me 

became a trader and got better 

and decided to eat and sleep and drink ginger ale with me.... 

in my bed..... 

which again, I was unaware of....)

So... 

The kids came home sometime that night 

and woke me up 

and told me they were home.

Ellie says 10 well 9 

so I'm not sure when they got home.

but

 I guess the important part is

 that they got home.... 

probably from a play date that I was supposed to pick them up from....

OOPS!

The point of this really flattering tale is apparently 

1) I have either raised really mature self-sufficient kids or 

2) my job is not as hard as I make it sound to dusty 

(hopefully he doesn't read this thing) or 

3) I should take more days off and actually enjoy them!

The true meaning of Christmas

Christmas Party

Tonight was our church's Christmas party. Here's a sample of the entertainment....

 

 This is Penny showing her friend her pretty shoes.

They are so darn cute together. 

They play so good and they always look for each other.

Lucy and Santa.

She asked for a trampoline.

Penny and Santa.

She didn't ask for anything.

She was thrilled he came.

She was the first one to march up there and sit on his knee.

Ellie.

She took this very seriously.

She also asked for a trampoline.

The primary children singing.

Oh Holy.....pose when the camera comes out!

I was trying to take a couple pictures of new craft.

Penny insisted she needed to get in on the action. 

It's a good thing she is cute!

The new craft.

The new craft in action.

and Darling Penny.