* not with ink

First stop on the Christmas train is a pedicure with the ladies - it's become an annual tradition that my mom treats my sisters & I to foot care & dinner...it's a bit fun, wandering through a mall in flip-flops in the middle of winter. We get some looks, which always makes me laugh. Oh wait! Pre-boarding on the Christmas train was an e-reader from my boss (it is difficult to balance the thoughtfulness of a fantastic gift with my day-to-day discontent in the job) and an incredible meal of Spanish tapas with Karen . We ate. so. much. And laughed even more. I can't even explain... Back at the parents' - church visit to see delightful friends on Sunday. Coffee with cute-as-a-button-Baby-Makaela and her mom. Christmas tree decorating. Sound of Music and tree decorating with Grampie. Love him fiercely. Also love that movie fiercely. Sleep. Sweet sleep Oil change for the borrowed car while I visit with my sister and read and lounge. It's handy having a me...

I have not really observed Advent this year - I did for the past two years, and I'll be honest, I am missing it. December has been different than expected. Not better, not worse, just different. And now it's almost the holidays, and in 26 hours I will have a very very long weekend... It's so easy for all this holiday hullabaloo to get out of hand in my head. I have some opinions and hypotheses about Christmas in our culture and the ways I want it to look in my own life, but haven't had the time to write them all out in a thoughtful way. Also, they may stir up more conflict than I'm ready to handle :) So for now, if you haven't already seen this video, it is one of the cutest kids' nativity stories I've seen. The accents certainly don't hurt, and that little wise man toddler at the end... ACK!

Sarah is a delightful friend who lives too far away from me (or maybe it's the other way around). Her husband and I were on the same work team for a few years, and before long, this proximity grew into a full-fledged friendship. Her candor, kindness, and quick wit have been blessings in my life time and time again. I read her blog not only for her adorable children (twins Soren and Marlow have just turned 2), but also for her creative organizational skills, her thoughtful approach to living simply and her humour. With the arrival of Baby #3 just around the corner, Sarah asked a few of her friends to contribute content for the next few weeks of likely chaos…I’m honoured to share some thoughts with all of you and all of her friends… These thoughts on comparison have been ruminating through my heart and my mind for weeks now. There’s more to say (there’s always more to say), but let’s start here, on Sarah’s blog, okay? And to those of you who are here because you followed Sarah...

Despite the rainy weather, my Sunday afternoon was full of laughter and light, as my friends Tammy and Drew let me capture the playful dynamic between the two (soon to be three!) of them.  Drew was a fantastically cooperative husband (once I bribed him with a beer), despite trying to convince me that he's not photogenic, and I've loved Tammy's beautiful profile and long dark hair since we first met in 2010. Tammy & Drew banter easily, and whenever we hang out I see how much they value each other. It's a lovely thing to see; an honour to capture in images.  My favourite moment of the shoot was when Tammy told me that Drew sings to the baby every night.  "Can you sing for him now?" I asked. And as he held her belly and softly sang, I tried to take a few more photos. My camera viewfinder seemed suddenly unable to focus...I blame the lens and not the possibility of tears. I can't wait to take some photos of this tiny baby next month - ...

I am dogsitting this weekend. An old, slow-moving dog whose thick hair is not so robust as it used to be. I am generally fond of this dog, although my fondness does not preclude a great disdain for the inevitable picking-up-of-his-poo. I am mostly hoping that he doesn't pee on the floor because I stayed out too late with my friends and his bladder is not so great. Also, looking forward to the gorgeous house the dog lives in, and spending a good chunk of my weekend wrestling with some creative projects that have been put on hold for the last few weeks while soup simmers on the gas stove. -- I dislike saying that I'm "busy" or that my life is "crazy" or that time is "flying by" because all of those give the impression that I am somehow not in control of my schedule, or that my days are full of unpleasant things. But I will  say that when I write down today's date, I wonder, How has this happened!? A whole YEAR almost done??  And it makes me...

Did the Monday blahs get you down? Is Tuesday being threatened by more gray clouds? No more gloominess for you. I have the antidote, via Youtube and some fun-loving families somewhere in the US. Unless you hate children, these videos will make your day. I am offering a 92% guarantee that you will laugh at least once. Karen laughed so hard she slid off her chair. Without further ado, I present to you…. KID SNIPPETS! And their sister-production, KID HISTORY!  

I cancelled my Wednesday night plans, then I cancelled my Thursday night plans, and then I emailed in sick to work this morning and slept until almost noon. It was glorious. I hardly listened to the guilty voice that said, " You're not sick enough to stay home. What's your fever? Where's the vomiting? " I am tired and my head is heavy and my body needed sleep, so my body got sleep. And then Karen texted to say she was coming home early because she's not feeling well, and OH NO IT'S THE WEEKEND AND WE'RE BOTH FEELING SICK and what a miserable time to be sick. Sick should happen during the week when you get to miss work, not on the weekend when you have friends visiting and fun things planned. I can't bail on this evening's plans, so I am going to sneak in one more nap before I put on some actual clothes and head outside in the cold, and even though I am tired now, I know I'll be glad to go, because I'm helping at a Christmas dinner...

Friends of mine are in Europe right now, at the tail end of a six-week journey that’s taken them to half a dozen countries. That may not seem unusual (it isn’t, in and of itself), but if you read a couple excerpts from their update emails, you will see this is no ordinary “holiday.” Vienna: We visited the Prater, which is an area that consists of mostly trafficking victims. They occupy the street by country, with their pimps sitting in warm cars on the other side. We came early in the night, when pimps were dropping off their girls. It's really awful. We were not allowed to film in the car we were in, plus the area is very dark anyway, but wow, what a horrific place. It is right next to a convention centre, so when business conferences come to town, the girls are in high demand. We were able to get a piece of footage of a refugee selling newspapers, thanks for praying about that. It is all part of the racism in the laws towards refugees, like we explained in our previous pray...

So I told you all I'd write more this month, and then I had a whirlwind weekend (not an unusual occurrence)  and now I'm realizing that the only way I'll be able to write anything this week is if I do it while at work (shhhhhh)  but it's almost 2pm now and the afternoon-sleepies are in full force. I've been trying to go to bed at 10pm this fall/winter, but I've been a bit lax this past week and am currently feeling the effects. So here's a bit of a light-hearted post, because at least I'm posting content. Can I tell you that last week's episode of 30 Rock  was maybe my favourite yet? If there is any way that Liz Lemon and I are alike, it is on our view of the wedding industry and secretly wanting to be a princess. I loved all her rants. If I get married, I'm pretty sure my wedding will look nothing like the one below, but I hope it is as unique, fun-filled, and exactly-what-the-couple-wants. I hope my husband is as handsome as James Marsden...