Christmas morning 2013

So I did it! I did adjust the position of the camera a few times and it's not perfect, but it's real life. Here's a taste of what our Christmas morning looked like! Enjoy!

Christmas morning 2013 from Vanessa Strickland on Vimeo.

weekend {before Christmas} links!

It's the day of our Christmas party and I'm excited and happy that I got a lot of what needed to be done ahead of time so I can enjoy the day with my family.
The boys and I built a snowman this morning and I got to Facetime with my friend Kelly and see her brand new baby girl!
About an hour before the party I'll put together the cinnamon infused hot chocolate in one slow cooker, and the wassail in the other {thanks to my friend Christina for lending me hers!}. The cookies will get put out, the candles will be lit, the music will be playing and we will wait for our first guests.

You like the way those cookies above look? They're gingersnap s'mores and they were ridiculously easy and the perfect party food as far as I'm concerned! While I'm all for making everything from scratch, when you have a lot to do and you're hosting a bunch of people, sometimes it's best for your sanity to do things the easy way. There ain't nothing wrong with easy now, is there? Check out the instructions here for Gingersnap S'mores.

Have you seen the video with Jean Claude Van Damm where he's standing between two trucks and then does the splits? If you thought that was impressive, you can be sure Chuck Norris can make that look like doing hopscotch! Merry Christmas from Chuck Norris.

I read this blog post from Jamie the Very Worst Missionary about how Christmas isn't always candy canes and presents for everyone. It can be a difficult and painful time and we need to be aware of this {if you aren't already}. Sometimes Christmas can be sucky.

My friend Beth wrote a post the other day that speaks to this balance of experiencing joy and peace in our own lives, and yet holding in our hands the pain and suffering of those around us. She quotes CS Lewis in this: To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. Check out her post here. It is both beautiful and vulnerable. 

On the same note, if you are the praying type, would you please pray for my friend Andrew? He is battling Leukemia for the second time around and his situation is not looking good. Just today, his white blood cells have jumped to a very dangerous level and there is risk for stroke and brain hemorrhage. He's married to a close friend of mine, Suzanne and they have two little boys (aged 3 and 8 months). My heart is breaking for them and we are praying our hearts out for a miracle for Andrew.

I've posted this video before {this is a typographic version}, but every year it speaks to me so strongly and I pray it encourages you and reminds you of what we wait for during Advent season and why we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

friends and birthdays and Halloween {o my!}

Last week worlds collided. Our best friends from Uganda came to visit us from New Jersey! The Hallahans {you can read about our times in Uganda here and here or you can check out Kelly's blog here} were doing a road trip across America and stopped in to visit with us for a few days. It was awesome and such a gift. 

Kelly and I. I was super pumped to be able to see her and her baby bump {a girl!}.

Happy {loud} times with these boys reunited. 

It was great to catch up and chat with friends who understand what life is like in North America but also what life is like in Uganda. That is a precious gift to me that I honestly didn't think would happen. So glad they came!

Their visit was perfectly timed with Noah's birthday {and party} so after school on Noah's birthday we had his party which included a couple friends from school, the Hallahan boys, a friend from church and Jude. Of course. 

Noah wanted to have a Star Wars Angry Birds party and I {of course} waited until pretty much the last minute until calling in a {HUGE} favour from my Mom to bust out the cake skills and make one for Noah. 

Right? I mean, mind = blown. 

So that was awesome. And we played Star Wars Angry Birds bingo and one of Noah's friends kept winning but he had THE BEST declaration of bingo I think I've ever heard which made me laugh every time so it was all good.

And then yesterday was Halloween! 

We totally rocked the group theme costume.

These crazy kids. Such troopers and highly motivated by candy. Seriously. They walked around the neighbourhood with no complaints in the wind and rain and cold. For candy. Reminds me of this:

"EVERYONE WE KNOW IS JUST GIVING OUT CANDY!?!?" Love it.

Noah was Clone Commander Rex {from Star Wars The Clone Wars}, Jude was Darth Vader and Blaise was an Ewok. Cute, eh? {I'm biased, I know.}

And then my family came over for dinner to celebrate my sister's graduation ceremony from University. It was such a happy night and I love my house being full of noise and love and laughter. Exactly what I had pictured in our living room {which is coming along! Hardwood laminate floors and white walls. No art or baseboards but it's getting there.}. Good food. Lots of laughter and love. Can't go wrong there.

Happy Weekend to you! I am trying to keep up with my blogging. Eventually I'll figure out a way to stay up to date here while also staying present in the real world. Thanks for hanging in there with me!

make ya smile Friday!

Last night I was up until 1am but it was TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Know why? {I reminded myself of Jude right there.}

I removed the last piece of that wretched, wretched textured wallpaper from our hallway! Self five! 

And this morning I painted one of the walls in the boys' bedroom this morning! While I was taking a breakfast break I came across this video on Facebook {sorry about the cussing in the status. I couldn't figure out how to get rid of it.}.
Consider your day, made.

Happy Friday everyone!



*edited to add this full-length video minus the cussing Facebook status. 

Make Ya Smile Monday {09}

I missed last week but it's okay. Things are crazy 'round these parts.

So last week a friend posted this video to Facebook and I couldn't help but giggle. And then Noah and Jude watched it with me and now Noah requests it. Of course he's not quite aware of the context, but that's probably for the better. Mother of the Year Award right here, folks.

Hope your Monday is full of smiles!

"Two Chips" / An Animated Short from Adam Patch on Vimeo.

Make Ya Smile Monday {07}

Um, how adorable are these two?


- Watch More Funny Videos

Seriously, if you don't smile at that, well then, good luck to you!

Happy Monday, everyone! Also, check out this video of the current state of affairs in our home - nothing is safe now! Hide your wife! Hide your kids! {Or just your paperback books and tiny lego pieces, whatevs.}

Blaise crawls from Vanessa Strickland on Vimeo.

Make Ya Smile {04}

This isn't a new video, but man is it FUNNY! I'm not sure about you, but I can be easy to scare {just ask my husband or siblings}. But it's definitely funnier if someone other than me is getting scared, that's for sure.

Happy Easter Monday to you!

Oh and April Fools! {What an appropriate video. *pats self on the back*}

home is wherever I'm with you

I remember when I first got married and my parents' house still felt like "home". I had two homes. The apartment I lived in with Jamie in Kitchener and the semi-detached house in Toronto that my parents and brothers still lived in. 

The longer we were married, the more the house that Jamie and I lived in seemed like home.

And then when we started having kids it was solidified. We moved a bunch of times, but home, our home was wherever we all lived together whether it was on Brant Avenue or Gaw Crescent in Guelph or Plot 334 Kampala, Uganda. 

With our move back to Canada closing in on us, I oscillate between calling it "Canada" and "home" when I talk to the boys. I think for Jude, Uganda is home. For Noah, home is in Canada. But for both of them, we will be changing it all up. The house we left is not the house we'll be moving back to.

This house in Kampala has become my home, but growing up in Canada for 29 out of 31 years, for me we are going home.

Make Ya Smile Monday {02}

Have you heard of Kid President? I love this kid. Seriously this kid is hilarious and adorable and he's got the moves like Jagger. Or Jackson. Or someone.
Happy Monday to you!

Make Ya Smile Monday {01}

Yesterday I watched this on my news feed of Facebook and couldn't stop smiling. It made me think that we need to smile more. And what better day to smile than a Monday?
So I'm starting something new around here; Make Ya Smile Mondays!
Every Monday I'm going to try my dangdest to post something that made me smile and hopefully will make you smile too!

Enjoy this awesome video.



*If you have a picture or story or video that you think will make me smile, please feel free to email me the link/picture at vmstrickland (at) gmail (dot) com and maybe I'll feature it on one of the upcoming Mondays!

laughter

Blaise Laughs from Vanessa Strickland on Vimeo.

Just try NOT to smile. I dare ya.

our Christmas favourites: music and movies

it's no secret we love our christmas movies and music. in fact, last year someone told me that i own more christmas music than anyone else they know {my iTunes "christmas jollies" playlist has 191 songs.}. i take that as a compliment.
and then this year jamie suggested {aka challenged} me/us to watch all our christmas movies. in the words of barney stinson, "challenge accepted!".

so... music and movies - christmas style. {insert gangnam style music here.}

first up is boney m. seriously. does anyone NOT like boney m at christmas? maybe i shouldn't ask that. i'm sure there are some out there who very much do not like boney m. but me? LOVE it. i wonder if it's because it makes me think of my sister and i love my sister. last year i bought mary's boy child and have already had numerous dance parties to it. besides, if there's any christmas music that feels appropriate to listen to in africa, it's mary's boy child. by boney m. watch this video. it's a-maze-ing.

and mariah carey. i love her christmas album. i love mariah. is it really christmas if you haven't listened to "all i want for christmas is you"? i think not.

last year i was introduced to an incredible band called folk angel. they first released a christmas EP in 2009 and then an entire album in 2010. last year i bought both and loved listening to both old favourites and new songs that they cover. their music goes deeper than santa and christmas trees. i blogged last year about their spoken word piece called "god with us" - the lyrics are incredible. definitely worth a listen to. they just released their newest album. it's likely i will buy this one as well. {because i'm so close to 200!}

i love chris tomlin and diana krall and michael buble {seriously. check out that link! so fun!} and sufjan stevens. third day and christmas with the rat pack and jewel. i love 'em all. there's tons of fabulous music out there. but i need to get onto movies!

 so. this year we're attempting to watch all our christmas movies. we made a list and we've got 21 christmas movies. here they are {if you're curious}:

the holiday *

love actually *

how the grinch stole christmas {cartoon version}

how the grinch stole christmas {jim carrey version} *

national lampoon's christmas vacation *

the santa clause

the santa clause 2

the polar express*

home alone

home alone 2

white christmas

charlie brown christmas

8 crazy nights

elf *

christmas with the kranks

miracle on 34th street

christmas carol {the old version}

simpson's christmas special 1

simpson's christmas special 2

all i want for christmas

muppet's christmas carol

the ones i've put an asterix by are our favourites. national lampoon's is a family favourite and tradition from jamie's family and i've grown to love it. {that's marriage for ya.}

the grinch is a big favourite of mine because i love jim carrey. {the holiday is also quickly becoming a favourite of mine. because really? i love jack black. i think i have a thing for funny guys.}

and the boys really love the polar express. i like it too. 

i've crossed out the ones we've watched already. so it looks like we're 6/21 so far. 

we have a bunch of other kids christmas movies that we haven't "counted" towards our list, but the boys have already watched a bunch of them. one i got last year that is sweet and tells the story of christmas without annoying music {actually, the music is pretty good!} or voices is the very first noel. i highly recommend it. it's told from the viewpoint of one of the wise men and it's all in rhyme. it's very well done. you can actually watch the whole thing on youtube. 

so those are some of our favourites. what are yours?

lip-dub proposal!

best proposal ever. i just couldn't wait until next friday's links to post this.
enjoy.

little world traveler

the other day noah said, i want to travel the world. like mouk.
i laughed and said, buddy, you are mouk! you've been to more places than a lot of kids i know! and you're living in africa! not very many kids from canada get to move to africa and live there for 2 years.


so what {or who?} is mouk? well, it's a show that the kids have started watching on tv here on disney junior and it's adorable. it's essentially about these two animals that travel the world and experience different cultures and then they skype back home on the computer to their friends/family and share their experiences. i love it! and our boys really relate to it, especially noah.



anyway, i think it's super cute. and thought i'd list all the places noah has been to in his short little life {for posterity, of course!}.

toronto, ON
guelph, ON
vancouver, BC
{road trip to} quebec city, QC
{road trip to} florence, SC
{road trip to} chicago, IL
london, england
all over northern ireland
madrid, spain
nerja, spain
amsterdam, the netherlands
all over tanzania
kampala, uganda
jinja, uganda

i think that's it {so far}.
that's huge! what a little traveler. and more places to come...

green

almost 10 days since i last posted. goodness. where has the time gone?
well, we've had water back. then lost it again for a couple days and now it's back again. praying it stays on.
we're spending a lazy saturday morning with cartoons on my computer because the power is off, drinking starbucks coffee and eating biscuit cinnamon rolls and playing impromptu games of baseball in our front yard.
and it's St. Patrick's day today!
we won't be eating any green food {except for the beans and zucchini that were in the leftover stir fry we had for lunch} but i did make the boys some lovely green play doh this week in honour of st. patty.

best play doh

you can triple or quadruple this recipe and cook it in a large pot with good results

1 cup flour

1/4 cup salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 tbsp food colouring

1 tbsp vanilla extract (optional) 

combine the flour, salt and cream of tartar in saucepan. add the water and food colouring and whisk until smooth. cook over medium heat until playdough is nearly set. add the vanilla extract {i did the first time but vanilla here is kinda weird smelling so i didn't add it this time.}. stir until blended, then remove and knead ad when cool. store in an airtight container or a ziploc bag.

we made a batch of this to give to our friends and even added green sparkles for some st. patty's day fun! this play doh is incredibly smooth and soft and so much cheaper than the store bought stuff! i give my boys tooth picks and popsicle sticks and googly eyes and it's hours of entertainment.

and here's the story of st. patrick {a la veggietales!} for those who aren't familiar with where we get mixing green beer with lucky charms from. {er, scratch that. not really sure who made that tradition up. i could do without the green beer, but i'd LOVE some lucky charms today. oh well. maybe i'll whip up something green for dessert. it's pizza night tonight!}

aaaand....if you're looking for something sweet for you to whip up for that special someone, try the white russian cupcakes with kahlua buttercream that i made last year. YUM.

lemon poppy seed pancakes

yesterday was pancake tuesday!
did you eat pancakes? we sure did.
i made our favourite banana pancakes as well as trying out a new recipe; lemon poppy seed pancakes! they were delish. i wish i knew where i got this lemon poppy seed recipe so i could give credit, but i don't know or remember. {please let me know if you recognize this recipe as yours!}

lemon poppy seed pancakes
aka pure deliciousness
2 cups unbleached ap (all-purpose) flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup poppy seeds
zest of 4 lemons
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted

butter, to serve (and for pan)

to make the pancakes combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a large bowl. 

in another bowl the buttermilk, eggs, butter, lemon zest and poppy seeds. 

add the wet to the dry. stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. don't worry if the batter is a bit lumpy, you don't want to over mix.

heat your skillet, pan, or griddle to medium-hot and brush it with a bit of butter. pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter into the skillet. wait until the pancake bottom is deep golden in color, then flip with a spatula and cook the other side until golden and cooked through. repeat with the remaining batter. 

right now? i'm sitting in my living room with the smell of freshly cut grass, trying not to be angry with the stinking power company who has again shut off our power {after almost 24 hours of no power and no power the night before that either}. sigh. this is africa.

i think i'll go enjoy a leftover pancake.

and watch this video {please watch it here on hulu if you live in the united states as the quality on youtube is ridiculously bad}:

ps i totally heart kristin wiig.

books + music

it's only one of my most favourite things to see ever. my kids. reading {well, they're really just looking but still...with books!}. love this.

christmas in africa

i know christmas has past but i couldn't resist this after a friend sent it to me knowing my love of christmas music and also? the last song they do? perfection.
enjoy.

the paradox of christmas

wishing you a very merry christmas.

God With Us

about a month ago {maybe more?} i read on twitter about a band called folk angel and so i decided to check them out. 

they had a couple christmas albums.

and they were good!

they would be releasing a new christmas album this month and i knew that when i got my hands on some iTunes credit, i'd be purchasing that album.

and then they tweeted that they were giving away the entire album for free to the first howevermany people used the special code. and i got it for free!

and it.is.incredible.

but i think my favourite song is not actually a song at all. 

it's something called spoken word. it's not rapping. it's sorta like reading a poem. sometimes with music. and it's extremely powerful. 

anyway, the last song on the album is called God With Us and it blew my mind. every time i listen to it, i break. i want to fist pump. i want to learn it all and perform it someday. i want to let it sink down deep and permeate my entire being.

and i've been trying to figure out how to share it with you guys and today i found it. 

please, if you watch anything this christmas season, watch this video. 

this is what it's all about.

jesus. 

coming down from heaven. the rescuer. the saviour. pure and blameless lamb of God.

taking the penalty for our sin.

THIS is the good news. THIS is what makes Christmas so amazing, wonderful, joyful, incredible. THIS is why we celebrate on christmas day.

GOD WITH US

Poem by Isaac Wimberley

The people had read of this rescue that was coming through the bloodline of Abraham

They had seen where Micah proclaimed about a ruler to be born in Bethlehem

Daniel prophesy about the restoration of Jerusalem

Isaiah’s cry about the Son of God coming to them

So for them—it was anticipation

This groaning was growing, generation after generation

Knowing He was holy, no matter what the situation

But they longed for Him

They yearned for Him

They waited for Him on the edge of their seat

On the edge of where excitement and containment meet

They waited

Like a child watches out the window for their father to return from work—they waited

Like a groom stares at the double doors at the back of the church—they waited

And in their waiting, they had hope

Hope that was fully pledged to a God they had not seen

To a God who had promised a King

A King who would reign over the enemy

Over Satan’s tyranny

They waited

So it was

Centuries of expectations, with various combinations of differing schools of thought

Some people expecting a political king who would rise to the throne through the wars that he fought

While others expecting a priest who would restore peace through the penetration of the Pharisee’s façade

Yet a baby—100% human, 100% God

So the Word became flesh and was here to dwell among us

In His fullness, grace upon grace, Jesus

Through Him and for Him, all things were created

And in Him all things are sustained

God had made Himself known for the glory of His name

And this child would one day rise as King

But it would not be by the sword or an insurgent regime

It would be by His life

A life that would revolutionize everything the world knew

He would endure temptation and persecution, all while staying true

Humbly healing the broken, the sick and hurting too

Ministering reconciliation, turning the old to new

A life that would be the very definition of what life really costs

Saying—if you desire life, then your current one must be lost

And He would portray that with His own life as His Father would pour out and exhaust

And Jesus would be obedient to the point of death, even death upon the cross

So just 33 years after the day that He laid swaddled in the hay

He hung on a tree suffocating, dying in our place

Absorbing wrath that is rightly ours, but we could never bear the weight

So He took that punishment and he put it in the grave

And He died

And when I say that He died, what I mean is that He died

No breath, noheartbeat, no sign of life

God is a God of justice, and the penalty for our sin equals death

That’s what Christ did on that cross

Then… On the third day, in accordance with scriptures, He was raised from the grave

And when I say that He was raised, what I mean is that He was raised

Lungs breathing, heart pumping, blood pulsing through His veins

The things that He promised were true

He is the risen Son of God, offering life to me and you

Turning our mourning into dancing

Our weeping into laughing

Our sadness into joy

By His mercy, we are called His own

By His grace, we will never be left alone

By His love, He is preparing our home

By His blood, we can sing before His throne

Jesus paid it all

All to Him I owe

Sin had left a crimson stain

He washed it white as snow

So now we, as His bride, are the ones waiting

Like the saints that came before, we’re anticipating

He has shown us that this world is fading

And He has caused our desire to be for Him

So church, stay ready

Keep your heart focused and your eyes steady

Worship Him freely, never forgetting

His great love for you

Immanuel, God with us