tend v to have the care of; watch over; look after
dwell v to live or continue in a given condition or state
Hey there- thanks for stopping by!
Here’s my place to share some of the everyday happenings of our home: the good and the beautiful, and a little bit of the bad and the ugly to keep it all real! Life has its challenges and I don’t intend to gloss over those just for the sake of creating another pretty place to visit. But this also is a place for me to come and be inspired to choose the good.
There’s a certain accountability with sharing life online- you gotta really be you who you say you are! And in that, I hope to encourage others & keep myself focused in this journey of living life well. Keeping it simple, sharing honestly, treading lightly and loving deeply are all things I hope to do better, every day.
More about me…a list of 41 randoms, in no order of importance:
1. I turned 41 this year.
2. Al and I have been married. 20. years. I seriously can’t believe I’m old enough to have been married that long.
3. We live in an old farmhouse on a 6 acre property, co-owned with our wonderful friends who I hope to blog about one day soon.
4. I love coffee & chocolate; good cheese & crackers; club soda with lime and all cold slushy drinks.
5. I lived in Axbridge, Somerset England for 9 months when I was 18. (This is where I also became a lover of marmite.)
6. I’ve never had a cavity. My kids have unfortunately had many. I’m hoping to reverse this trend.
7. I loved all things aquatic as a child: swimteam, diving, synchro and lifeguarding. All recreational though and as soon as it became competitive, I moved on.
8. I also loved gymnastics and when I was 12, I vowed that I would still be able to do a back handspring and splits when I was a Mom.
9. I can no longer do a back handspring but I can do a backflip on the trampoline.
10. When I attempted the splits a couple years ago I pulled a hamstring. Badly. But I remain hopeful.
11. I love nearly all vegetables but despise turnips and parsnips. Even the names are yucky to me. I must not be a grown-up yet.
12. I’m 5’5.
13. I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of British Columbia. University years were super fun for me.
14. I had our first baby 3 months after graduating- and have worked as a casual RN ever since.
15. (With the exception of my nearly 5 years of maternity leaves.)
16. I loved being a labour & delivery nurse and worked there nearly 12 years (minus some of said maternity leaves.)
17. Studying healthy food and natural living have been my “hobbies” for years- though I sure do love my treats.
18. Yam fries with chipotle mayo are near the top of the treat list. Savoury wins over sweet, as a rule.
19. I’ve only read my bible through once, and listened through it once. I’m in the midst of going through it again.
20. I played flute for 7 years.
21. I started taking piano lessons when I was 26, and did the Royal Conservatory Gr 6, 7 & 8 exams in two years, just for kicks. (Thanks Bev!)
22. I had to give up watching E.R. when I took up piano and haven’t really watched TV since. I’m clueless about what’s on these days.
23. 6 boys and 2 girls makes for a very boyish household. Lots of blue, green and stripes around here but me & the girlies add some florals, beads, bracelets and braids in where we can.
24. I adore swirls, tendrils, leaves, paisley and other loopy textured patterns.
25. I also adore fonts, and would spend summers as a kid trying out a new handwriting design & accompanying signature for the next school year. Seriously nerdy, I know.
26. Black extra fine tip pens bring me alot of joy.
27. So do nice journals, or scrappy notebooks- I love them all if I have a good pen.
28. Libraries are awesome.
29. My mom is an amazing sewer and made me many of my favorite clothes as a kid, including a red pantsuit, jeans with piping and rugby pants.
30. She also created two grad dresses & my wedding dress.
31. I really, really love Jesus and am so thankful for what He did for me.
32. I got the travel bug at age 18 when I did a whirlwind month around Europe…
33. since then we drove across Canada & the US in a beater motorhome with four kids,
34. took three to Germany for my sister & brother-in-law’s wedding in 2005,
35. spent three weeks in Uganda in 2009,
36. …and I’m feeling very ready for another trip.
37. I just realized that of my 41 years, I have been pregnant for more than a total of 5 years and breastfeeding for more than 14, so far. Hilarious.
38. Dancing with huge, colourful gauzy fabrics makes me really happy.
39. Being outdoors every day is necessary or I go bonkers.
40. My Dad can make or fix pretty much anything, my father-in-law works harder than anyone I know, and my hubs is the perfect mix of both. I am so thankful for the handy men in my life.
41. I love my friends…you know who you are!