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.

weekend links! {let it snow!}

Of course it would snow practically every day that Jamie's been away. I haven't shovelled the driveway yet. Eep. It is beautiful and it seems like it's here to stay so we'll have a lovely white Christmas!

I'm sure you've seen this video, but if you haven't please watch it! It's happy and it made me teary. Well done, WestJet!

So I wanted to share how excited I am about something big coming up: we're doing a Christmas drop in for our street next Friday! Me and the boys will hand out the invites today after school and I'm hoping we'll get to know a bunch of people on our street! We'll be serving hot drinks and Christmas goodies and I'm thinking I might serve up this awesome cinnamon infused hot chocolate! I mean, it's Joy the Baker. You can't really go wrong with Joy.  Although I might have to test it this evening. You know what they say, never try a new recipe when you have people coming over. Right?

Another great post from the Art of Simple. Three simple tips to keep the joy in entertaining and at this time of year, it's always a good idea to do a heart check.

So I have really dry hands. I think it's a combination of my skin adjusting back to this cold, dry weather and perhaps just getting older {eep!}, but I have never seen my hands look and feel so cracked and dry. It's horrible and makes me want to weep. I'm constantly moisturising but what I really need is a pair of dish washing gloves. Yes. That is what I need. So anyway, I came across this list of 7 ways to keep your hands soft this winter and I might try all of the things. What do you do to keep your skin (specifically your hands) soft and moisturised? Please tell me you have a magical cure and what it is.

And one last video. Check out The Lower Lights for some fabulous, folksy tunes. They have two Christmas albums and I can't get enough of them!

Happy Weekend!

weekend links!

Today we went with my family for the annual Christmas tree hunt and chop. It sounds so barbaric. But it's always so much fun, even if it is ridiculously cold and the baby is melting down by the end of it. And this year's tree {my parents'} is bigger and better than ever before. At least I think it is. Noah snagged a stray branch and I just finished cutting it up into smaller pieces and placing them in jars around the house. My house smells like a Christmas tree and I'm loving it!

Have you started listening to Christmas music? If not, WHY!? If so, check out this free album from Sleeping at Last on NoiseTrade {you can leave a tip if you wish}. It's a great acoustic album and if you like Sigur Ros or Bon Iver you may like this too! Plus, it's free. Just sayin'.

I have a confession. I don't like egg nog. It kinda grosses me out. But egg nog waffles? Now that I can get on board with. For reals. I do feel bad about not liking egg nog as it just seems so festive, but with these, I can partake in the merry without feeling like I'm drinking a raw egg {which is what egg nog has in it, folks. Just sayin'.}.

My friend wrote this blog post a little while ago and it went viral. If you're buying presents for a child this Christmas, please read this.

And on a materialistic note, I am absolutely in love with this shop and this shop on Etsy. Such lovely, beautiful things on Etsy. I can't go on there too often. It makes my heart want, want, want.

Okay, it's 9:45pm on Saturday so I'm going to just post this and call it a night. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

weekend links! {Canadian version 1.0}

Weekend links are back, folks!

Blaise's hat / Joe Fresh {bought in store}

The tree is up, the candles are burning, some presents are even wrapped! I have not started any Christmas baking but in an attempt to curb my sugar intake, I'll only be baking for specific events and not to stock up and just have lying around our house. But I'll for sure be making the ever-favourited Cheese Stars. Other than that, I'm not too sure. Definitely some sort of shortbread, possibly a Vanilla Bean Shortbread since I still have tons of vanilla beans from Uganda. I'm on a charcuterie/cheese platter kick right now so it'll be lots of lovely cheeses and fruit and yummy crackers {like these} and meats that I'll be bringing/putting out for different events.

Advent envelopes are assembled and our first activity on Sunday will be to make bird feeders. We have this lovely bush in our backyard that tons of tiny little birds love to gather and sit upon so I'm hoping it'll be the perfect addition and a nice treat for those sweet little guys. There are also three squirrels {two black and one grey/brown} and a chipmunk that like to terrorize each other and the neighbourhood so I'm kinda looking forward to seeing what they'll do with the feeders. So anyway, I dug up an old Weekend Link from last year because I had remembered posting this sweet tutorial on making your own bird seed hanging. We'll be following from this one and possibly making this one too. Stay tuned for pictures on the outcome!

Finding your way through the commercialism and loud materialism during the Christmas season is not easy or pretty. I know in my own heart I yearn for simplicity and a sweet, simple focus and anticipation of the return of Jesus and the celebration of His birth. And yet I am a walking contradiction because my heart also longs for all the pretty things in all the stores, sparkling and gold and white and oh! How I want it all. And so my friend Kelly posted this exact same thing on being torn between the two things this season and how ultimately we want Jesus and we want our lives to reflect Him. I also found this post helpful with 5 things we can choose to do with our families during Advent to help us eagerly anticipate Jesus' birth.

My friend Barb blogs about the lost art of letter writing and all things relating to it. {You can check out her blog here.} This relates in that I bought a little something special and exciting - a personalized return address stamp for all our Christmas cards {and other letters and cards we send throughout the year}. It's lovely and it makes me happy. You can check out tons of designs on Etsy but the one I bought was this one. And it's on sale today!

Happy first weekend of Advent, everyone!

a new friday links

somehow i've managed to crochet and try out new recipes. in a lot of ways it refreshes me, even though it does tire me out sometimes.
but...you get to benefit from my experimenting with new crochet patterns and recipes!

so here's a variation of friday links for ya!

this adorable crocheted elf-hat has been a pattern that's been saved on my computer for months. maybe longer. i finally got around to crocheting it with this incredibly soft golden yarn that my mom brought over for me. the cream-coloured yarn is not as soft and a bit bulkier, but i think it works. you can find the pattern here.

yesterday i tweeted that i had made homemade graham crackers. they turned out deliciously! i froze half the batch but the first half is almost all gone so i'm thinking of baking up the other half today. these are delicious and simple and the boys loved them. i followed this recipe exactly and i will definitely be making them again.

now these are only half done. yep. i still need to slice 'em up and bake 'em again. what you are beholding is a recipe for rosemary raisin pecan crisps {although i substituted craisins for raisins. i also omitted the flax seed because i didn't have any, but i'm sure it would be delicious and extra healthy with the flax added in.}. in similar fashion to biscotti, they need to be baked twice. they smell delicious and i'm excited to see how they turn out. i'm sure they'll be gobbled up just as quickly as the graham crackers. many thanks to my friend hannah for recommending that i try this recipe.

and i didn't take a picture, but last night i made a delicious slow cooker {o slow cooker...how i love thee!} meal; coconut chicken curry. it was a bit time consuming to get the chicken off the thighs, but worth it. it was delicious. i don't remember where i got the recipe from, but if this is yours, let me know so i can give you credit!

coconut chicken curry
makes 4 servings


8 oz red potatoes, cut into small cubes
1 tbsp chopped dehydrated onion
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 (14 oz) can tomatoes
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 tsp regular chicken bouillon granules
3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
salt and pepper

1.  stir all ingredients (except salt and pepper) into a 3-5 quart slow cooker. 
2.  cover and cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
3.  salt and pepper to taste and add in additional seasonings, if needed.
4.  serve over rice.

my boys {the older two} often play well together, but lately they're starting to fight more as well. whether it's noah's quiet, but antagonizing comments {o hello fellow eldest child! how i know you well, for i am also one.} or jude's mass chaos and destruction to noah's carefully constructed lego the number of fights in our household is increasing. rapidly. i came across this website today and was drawn in immediately by the honesty and frankness in the style of writing {it's a marriage website, by the way}. then i came across the idea for a "kindness jar" and i was hooked. in fact, i'm making one today. we'll see how it goes and i'll report back here if it has worked for our family.

and one last link. i may be addicted to starting new blogs. i'm not sure how long this one will last, but lately jude has been doing and saying too many funny things. so i made up a blog specifically to document them. they probably won't always be long entries and they might not even seem funny to you, but they'll serve as a great way to remember this stage he's in. you can check it out here.

happy friday!

still pregnant friday links

yes i am both still alive and still pregnant. {why yes, i am 13 days overdue now.}

bottom line:
i've been hiding from social media. no one likes a whiner.

but i'm actually doing well. just in a bit of hibernation.
saw the doctor today. my blood pressure is good for the first time in awhile! baby B is still a mover and a shaker and his heartbeat is good. everything looks fine so we wait.
i'm thankful for my doctor who is so understanding and flexible. he's listened to my questions and concerns and not tried to push me into anything.

my brother arrives with his girlfriend in uganda on sunday night. i did not think i'd still be pregnant at this point. but here i am. it'd be great if this baby was born before keven got here, but it is what it is.

no need to ask me if i'm still pregnant or tell me to have that baby already {really? i would if i could!} or give suggestions/advice on how to get this baby out. believe me. i've tried it all. babies come when they come and nothing can make them come earlier.
so don't worry. when he comes, i'll announce it here for sure. and then you'll know. and we can all celebrate together. preferably with a large glass of wine. and soft cheese.

in the meantime, i've been crocheting like a madwoman. i picked up a single row of a baby blanket i started months ago. today i have even more than this picture shows {picture a thicker stripe of rust-coloured yarn and a bunch more grey}.

so here are a few links for you this friday:

this blog post had me crying and laughing as i related to so much of what this mom went through when school started up.

oh i am so making these for my boys some day. adorable. and easy!

any thrifters out there? here are 5 must-know tips for you!

beautiful pictures on how to style your outdoor area. i know most of you are thinking of fall and autumn and putting away those summery outdoor patio sets, but i can't help but be in perpetual summer mode here, even if it is moving into {my favourite} rainy season.

yummy. peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels. make these this weekend.

well, happy weekend everyone!

power's out friday links

so here we are. tomorrow i'm 41 weeks. pregnant. still.

the days go by and there are no new signs that i am any closer to having this baby. my belly gets bigger. my stretch marks get more noticeable. my sleep deteriorates. i walked up and down our ginormous hill in our compound 10 times this morning in some sort of ridiculous effort to both get out of the house and do a bit of walking which everyone here asks if i am doing.
we get at least one phone call every day asking if i've had the baby from local staff here. apparently they are all getting anxious. sigh. i'm not sure if women here have "due dates" or what, but perhaps they shouldn't have been told mine. i wouldn't doubt now if this baby comes later than jude did {41 weeks exactly}. apparently my body likes to hold onto babies longer each time. what's up with that?
i'm ranting.
i don't care.

the boys are happily playing with jude's duplo set that i just gave back to them. {i had taken it away after jude refused to clean it up the last time. this happens somewhat frequently around here. especially with lego/duplo.}
i feel a bit queasy after polishing off the last bit of eggless cookie dough i made earlier this week. stinkin' pregnancy cravings.

my budding photographer, noah took this the other day. i was impressed.

alright already. friday links! here they are!

i thought this was a cool link. make your food taste awesome. go ahead, do it!

if you like languages, you might find this interesting. just a list that shows how the english language falls short - specifically in communicating emotions.

straight up - this is for parents or anyone who interacts with kids on a regular basis. good tools to have when talking to and with children and expecting them to listen to you!

such a cute DIY and i think one that would be especially delightful in these coming cool, fall evenings {for everyone in my home and native land - and those that neighbour it. :)}

ever feel like listening to every song u2 has ever sung? or maybe jay-z is more your style. no? well, anyway whatever your preference is, you should check this site out.

i need to re-read this. on keeping your soul refreshed as a mother.

and so, it's now friday evening. the kids are ambushing nick, we've just finished a delicious pepperoni pizza and i had a delightful half glass of chardonnay {shhhh!}.
enjoy your weekend!

friday links.

so here i am. hanging on with this pregnancy. i had a few rough days, but the last couple have been pretty good. my feet haven't felt so swollen in the late afternoon/evenings and i've had a bit more energy which has been good.
tonight my sweet friend aletha brought over the most delicious pulled pork sandwiches, salad, chips and homemade banana bread for us. so amazing. also? enough for leftovers for possibly saturday and sunday! i love leftovers!
here's to having great friends! cheers!

also i guess since today is the last day of august, i can officially declare that i will be having a september baby. trust me, this baby ain't coming before midnight tonight. he's a mover, but he ain't coming. sigh.

onward and upward to other things...

this is commonly seen around our house when daddy gets home from work:

just because they've used up their screen time tickets, doesn't mean they can't watch daddy play sonic racing on the iPad. oh these boys...

friday links!

i'm obsessed with this blog. i love the philosophy and practicality of living a clutter-free life. not just in material possessions, but also how it influences how you function emotionally and mentally. i'm implementing the things i can now so that when we get back to canada, i can continue to make changes that will enable our family to prioritize the things that really matter instead of just choosing to fill up our house with stuff. {oh hey, remember our garage sale? yeah. i never want to get to that state of things ever.again.}

along the same lines, i love the idea of an alternative gift registry. this is an idea that i hope to implement in our families when we get home as well. the idea that the gift of time is far more meaningful than adding yet another car to our toy collection or another cool shirt from that cool store is a radical one, but one that rings true for me and our family. this particular link, though is a creative idea that i think would help people getting married to think outside the box of your typical "12 sets of china plates" items or the new parents who don't want to fill up their house with hordes of primary-colored toys and gadgets to request really useful, meaningful things like babysitting, a free meal, laundry or dish services, etc. need i go on? just check out the link. :)

now this is my kind of DIY. a pillow cover that doesn't require sewing! what an easy way to change the look of your living space/bedroom without making a permanent change! you could even add a bit of seasonal touches if you wanted!

beautiful, free, seasonal downloads. 'nuff said.

yeah so i made this. my friend kelly posted it to my facebook wall and i dared to try it. 1. sugar coma 2. deliciously addictive. make this at your own peril.

so here i still sit. still pregnant.
i'm hoping by the end of next week i'll have to cancel friday links because i will be too busy cuddling my new baby boy and posting delicious pictures of him. {'cuz you know with this growth spurt he's just had, he'll have cheeks you wanna chomp on!}
either way, you'll hear about it here!
happy weekend!

friday links!

well i've been on some kind of blogging roll these days! lots to say and the courage {gumption?} to say it, apparently. or maybe i just have verbal diarrhea. or maybe i know my time will be severely limited in a week or two {or three}.

noah playing with some fun popsicle sticks we got from jamie's aunt & uncle in canada.

right now i'm listening to mumford & sons, the boys are using up their screen time tickets {these kids!} and my hair is freshly washed {for the first time in 6 days. seriously. i'm disgusting. except that, i'm not. i am so thankful for my hair. God gave me some beautiful, low-maintenance hair and for that i give thanks.}

i'm finding it harder to breathe {drop, baby, drop!} and i get heartburn any time i eat anything and yet i feel a million times better than i did when i was pregnant with jude and a complete grumpster, impatiently waiting his arrival. i'm in no rush for this wee boy to arrive. i'm excited and anticipating his arrival, but i feel good. and i'm fine to wait for him to be ready. i love to think of it as him and God talking away and having conversations and then God says, "okay little man, it's time to meet your family now. but don't forget. i'm always with you." love it.

anyway, enough baby talk. here's some friday links!

i stumbled upon this article about adoption and how it affects all our families. even if you don't have an adopted child in your family, you need to be talking about adoption with your kids and educating them so that one day when they come across someone who is adopted, they are informed and sensitive instead of rude and confrontational.

another blog post about books for kids! this time it's chapter books for younger kids. i want to read them all!

the token DIY. but i honestly love this. it's SO gorgeous and yet extremely practical. done and done.

the only time i've ever missed having a microwave since moving here. it's probably a good thing i don't have one, though. right. that's what i'm going with.

and for the inner geek in all of us {or most of us?}. it's dr. seuss meets star wars. love it.

and now i'm off to make some chocolate chip cookies with my boys because we've all got a hankering for something sweet!
happy weekend!

friday links

yesterday both my boys agreed to let me cut their hair. noah sat like a champ but jude screamed as if i was committing some sort of horrible torture on him. i still have to fix up parts on both their hair, but for now? it works.

for some reason, when i buzz noah's hair {yes, it's meant to be a subtle mohawk}, i think he looks younger. afterward i sat back and said that now he reminded me of "baby" noah {what i meant was toddler noah}.
but jude just doesn't quite look the same to me anymore. i miss his hair already. thankfully {unfortunately?} both boys' hair grows like crazy and they'll both have mop heads before i know it!

here are some friday links!

for all you crafty-types, this seems like a fairly simple DIY. i think even i could sew it! and so handy for traveling with your flat iron!

and these. i am making these. especially with the amazing vanilla beans we get here - and for so cheap! i've missed vanilla coke and this is my opportunity to relive those memories.

this is a sweet reminder for me as i re-enter the season of mothering a newborn.

and i am drooling. and also making these. and i might eat half the pan.

how fun is this site? i like to just keep entering different bands just to see what drink will come up.

and now i'm going to down a couple Tums to counteract this wonderful heartburn. ha!
happy weekend to all of you!

full-term friday links

okay so technically i'll be full-term {37 weeks out of 40 weeks for my non-pregnant friends or friends who don't have a need to know all the pregnancy terms} tomorrow, but i'm a sucker for a title with alliteration.

this morning we are playing with lego and i'm about to make myself a cup of tea. it's a cool morning here in kampala!

we got a lovely package from my sweet friend tamsin, yesterday and she included our very first edition of Go Fish! and of course it was an instant hit with noah. i love that he's into games and it's so fun that he actually gets it. even jude joined in and played with us this morning.

oh yeah and we're all still into jamie's iPad. especially this kid:

tamsin also sent a pack of 2 moleskin notebooks. i may possibly be a convert. i had to crack them open this morning. there really isn't anything better than starting a fresh notebook. especially starting a new moleskin notebook with a sharpie pen.

here are some friday links for ya!

i came across this blog post last night and i wanted to shout "amen"! especially to the first part where she talks about how there's often two camps of people when it comes to babies and both sides have value and neither side should say that how they do things is best for everyone. i'm excited to go into this newborn gig for the third time with the eyes to see the fleeting moments for what they are and cherish each second because o! time really does go by so fast.

and of course, speaking of newborns and young children, every mother is familiar with "the witching hour" - whether you call it that or not. here are some helpful tips as you prepare dinner with a young child who needs distraction/entertainment.

and onto something completely different...
anyone like beer? and road trips? {but not at the same time, right?} i love this map of the US with craft breweries you can visit for almost every state {idaho, nothing?}. i'd totally be up for this with jamie some day.

how many of these children's books have you read? i've read just under half. i'd love to go through this entire list with my boys at some point.

anyone made these? they look divine. again with my obsession with peanut butter and chocolate.

and who doesn't like freebies? organizational print-outs that are pretty! i especially like the flow chart on how to clean your house. nesting, much?

anyway, my boys are entering yet another shouting match - soon to be a wrestling/hitting-fest so i should go, but please, enjoy your weekend!

friday links!

jamie's family is visiting right now.
they got in late tuesday night and the boys have been loving the attention and each morning they ask to wake up "Nana & Popi & Auntie Erin". it's sweet.
the boys have also been enjoying and exploring daddy's new iPad. i think noah may be addicted. we may have to crack out the timer to regulate usage. but for the most part it's been fun to have a new "toy" around. it's amazing the amount of apps there are out there! if anyone has any recommendations {for mamas, kiddos or daddy's}, i'd love to hear about them!

friday links!


i have scoured the interwebs watching adorable pregnancy announcements and looking at cute photography ways to announce pregnancy, but this is probably the cutest video i have ever seen to announce a pregnancy.

and my friend, beth {the same awesome friend who came to visit me!}, sent me this video via twitter and i gotta say, she knows me well. i loved it. kids who tell stories + people who make them a reality = awesomeness.

last week i wrote about making life lists, and then this week i found this great free printable for making a visible life list - more like a bucket list, but you can use it however you choose!

i just can't get enough of reece's peanut butter cups. just....YUM.

i will be 35 weeks pregnant tomorrow. just started feeling like my feet were getting a bit tired and puffy, but not really noticeable by how they look, more just how they're starting to feel. anyway, i didn't bring any of my heels with me to uganda, but these? i love. and want. i'm slightly obsessed with wedges.

sunday is jude's birthday party and i'm excited! we'll have a bunch of kids and some friends {and family!} to celebrate with and the boys ask every day how many "sleeps" 'til the party. no doubt there will be many pictures taken, delicious food eaten and probably a blog post about it all.
enjoy your weekend, folks!

friday links

hello friday! how did you get here so quickly?

4 more days until my in-laws come for a visit! we're all really excited and our guest house {i know, right? we have a guest house. crazy.} is freshly painted and mostly done being cleaned.

i started picking up a few things for jude's birthday party {next sunday!} and making lists of things we'll need and eat. he's very adamant that he is having a monster truck birthday party so i'm going to do my best. the main thing is the cake, right? most three year olds aren't too concerned with games, i don't think, so mostly it'll just be friends and family and yummy food {i let him pick out some candy today; he picked "bananas in pajamas" and gummy worms} and probably some sort of monster truck play area set up with ramps and whatnot in our sandbox. good times!

right now i'm attempting to read my bible and spend time with Jesus and let him calm my heart and speak to my soul before jude's nap is over and noah's quiet time ends. 

but first, some links for your perusal:

i stumbled across this article and loved it. it's more than just making a bucket list. and i love making lists. now the question is, do i get a small notebook for each list? or have one notebook that contains all my lists? {i love notebooks!}

this is such a cute idea. i love that you can do this craft with bottle caps like we have here {from the glass bottles} or in the ones on the plastic bottles back in canada. my kids would love this!

yesterday the boys and i {okay, mainly just me, but the boys were there and started, i just helped them finish} coloured some flags and the olympic rings to get into the olympic spirit! i used this fantastic website to print off the country flags and some are up on our wall. some have yet to be coloured. i am thinking of also making some sort of cookie or cupcake olympic rings similar to this.

and speaking of sweet things, how amazing does this recipe look? rocky road. mmmm. the boys would love this. okay, i would too. but shhh.

and lastly, i spent a good hour or two last night researching car seats online last night. you see, back in canada, we have a kia spectra 5 that still belongs to us. we have no desire to upgrade to a bigger car just because we'll have three kids when we return {for various reasons}. so i've been trying to find the most narrow car seats on the market. it's kinda like one of those crazy brain-teaser puzzles. there's an answer {i think}, it just takes a bit to figure it out.
i think i have found my solution and will probably blog about it when we get back {as i can't really try anything out just yet or give pros & cons, it's all in theory.} but if you've fit three car seats {technically we will only need 1 car seat and 2 booster seats, and also i can only buy canadian car seats or ones approved to be used in canada, just FYI} in the back of a smaller car, i'd love to hear from you!

that's all for now, friends.
happy weekend!

lucky friday links

i'm not superstitious. at all, really. but it is friday the 13th. i think i like that it's friday the 13th mostly because it doesn't happen too often.

2 more sleeps until jamie gets home!

this morning we had some friends over and played and read books and danced to disney songs. i love that i have a couple really sweet friends here. i am so thankful for how God's shown His love to me in this way over the past year.

we all had a little lay-down after they left, then cleaned up and now the boys are sitting watching the lion king. i'm thinking about what to make tonight. i was planning on doing my usual friday night = pizza night but i have no cheese. so...it might be pb & j or whatever else i can scrounge up.

last saturday we went to mishmash but my bagel lady wasn't there. nor was the tortilla chip lady. sad times. so we'll try again tomorrow.

i posted this picture on facebook the other day and a friend commented that soon enough i'll have 3 little musketeers! crazy.

here are some fun friday links for ya!

i don't even remember how i found this link, but when i did, i almost died a sweet, sugary death as i imagined how delicious this dip would taste. yum. dessert. dip. make this. i made a tiny version of it for myself the other night. it was perfect. if you can't go camping, why not have some of the benefits? :)

and then there's the whole phenomenon of fruit & vegetable chips. here's a fantastic site that give tons of options {beet chips? kale?} with possible seasoning combinations.

and this? i am absolutely and completely in love with. every child's {and maybe a few adults, too} dream backyard hideaway. and they made it all. just...love. did you have a tree house in your backyard growing up? a fort? we had these oversized bushes on the corner of our townhouse property that had an empty space in the middle for us kids to have secret club meetings or create booby traps in. sweet memories, right there.

and this is a blog i'm crushing on right now. she's cute. and she sews. {just like how i will one day. right? right.} and it's a pretty blog. check it.

and these? genius. they're cheap and chemical free! i think they'd be perfect to give in a little "get-well" porch fairy gift. and also just to have for you and the kiddos when you've got the sniffles. if i can find the essential oils here, i might try and make them here. otherwise they're on the "to-do" list in about a year's time.

and for my Toronto friends and readers, you need to go here. please. just go. now. {donuts. chicken. need i say more?}

enjoy your weekend!

friday links

it's friday!
last night jude woke up with a fever and so i brought him into bed with me {since there was ample room without jamie - missing him!} for who knows how long until he was ready to fall back to sleep in his own bed.
this morning he still wasn't entirely back to himself so beth watched him while i ran a few errands with noah. so we spent the rest of the day playing and cuddling and watching cartoons. we filled our bellies with delicious pizza for dinner and then the boys went to bed. beth and i filled a couple of basins with hot water and soaked our feet while we watched friends and polished off an entire bowl full of the most amazing homemade kettle corn. {courtesy of joy the baker. of course.}

oh! and beth took some amazing maternity pictures of me yesterday! it was fun and i am so happy with them! i've never had maternity pictures taken before. and it'll be so great to look back on these pictures and see this home, here in kampala.

some friday links for ya!

my kids aren't typically "early" risers {although to this night owl, 7am does come awful early.} but i really like this article on some creative solutions to having kids who rise early.

and it's about time. i need this. it's a round up of online tutorials so you can teach yourself how to sew! i'm saving this bad boy for when i return to canada and have a sewing machine again. i think it's one of my life goals. learn how to sew.

i'm trying this easy art project with the boys. either this weekend or next week. it's so cute! {and easy!}

and these two? yum. cold drinks on a hot day. is there anything better? this one is for when you crave sugar and chocolate and this one is for when you  need something packed full of vitamins and fruit! they both sound delicious. i think i'm going to try and make the second one. for more than one reason.

have you guys heard of PicMonkey? love this site. seriously easy and gorgeous picture editing. fun and free! winning!

happy weekend! tomorrow we're going to my favouritest place in kampala, MishMash. and we'll possibly be going on sunday as well as they're starting up a family day with face painting and balloons and free kids meals - oh my!

o canada friday links

what a week! we had a massive rain storm on monday that knocked out several power lines plus created a landslide that actually killed some people here in uganda.
we said good bye to nick and trevor {on tuesday morning}and said hello to my sweet friend beth {on wednesday night}.
beth brought some lovely goodies from friends and family back home and i feel very blessed. blessed for this life i have here in uganda. blessed for the friends and family back in canada that love and think and pray for me and my family. blessed.

today we took beth to the friday market and i picked up a few things. here's a sneak peek at some accessories i'll be using to help with organizing our room when baby B comes:

i'll also be needing some help from you lovely readers on what i should do with a piece of furniture that we'll be using in our room for the baby so stay tuned for that post!

here are your friday links!

so it's canada day on sunday. my home and native land! i've not yet decided what we'll do, but i have decided that cupcakes are a prerequisite for any sort of celebration. {using the festive canadian cupcake liners my mom sent me, of course.} i'll probably use this recipe for strawberry cake as it's the same one i used for jamie's birthday cake back in november and it was delicious then. so...can't go wrong with a good recipe, non?

i came across this article on taking care of introverted toddlers and i loved it. noah is an introvert to be sure and i strongly identified these things are being extremely helpful in relating to him and other children who are introverted. some great suggestions for friends and family in how to relate as well.

this past week {or was it last? i can't remember now.} i came across a website specifically for moms of boys. what a treasure! there are so many things out there for moms of girls be it crafts or conferences or books or whatever. but for boys? i've struggled to find solid and creative websites and blogs. anyway, it's a fantastic blog. every month they put out a prayer calendar with something to pray for your boys every day. click on the link for the calendar for july and join me in praying for our boys!

maybe you don't have boys. or maybe you're not a pray-er. or maybe you have a desk that needs a cute little 3D calendar? oh you do! well, here's a really cute template for the month of july at Go Scout Creative.

okay so ask me how much i love this little DIY project. ask me. c'mon.
how much do i love this little DIY project you ask?
SO FREAKIN MUCH! okay. it's adorbs. it's vintage. it's journal-y. it involves post cards. this is me swooning.

with all the pretty blogs and their fabulous DIYs and pinterest and facebook it's super easy to compare houses. at least, i find it easy.
anyway, i've been learning lots about contentment and finding joy in what God has blessed me with but i still want and need to keep Christ first. above what my house looks like. or where it's situated. i don't want to become prideful about how talented i am at DIYs {i am not. sadly.} or how trendy my house is. {it is not. at the moment. but one day back in canada i will be re-reading this post. it will be a good reminder.} or how amazing i am to be raising a family in a small-er house in the heart of a busy city {one of the dreams in my heart}. because that's not what being a keeper of the home is all about. my house and home should always be pointing people to Jesus. not to how amazing and fantastic i am. so. after that rant, here's a fantastic article on keeping Christ our treasure. not our homes. no matter where we live.

and lastly? um, so beth brought me both reece's peanut butter cups {my absolute weakness. seriously. i can hear them calling me from my pantry. but i.will.resist. for now.} and fluff {you know, the marshmallow spread stuff?}! i am so making these. you should too!

and with that...happy canada day long weekend to all my canadian friends and family!

friday links with jude

this morning jude said he had "a word" for the baby so i lifted up my shirt so he could talk to the belly. but then he changed his mind and said he had a secret for me first and that i should "put my belly down". so i covered up my belly and this is the story he told me: "one day, once upon a time, there was a little jude named 'me' and he climbed up a tree. the end."
the kid's got a future in storytelling methinks.

jude & noah are punching {or swiping} each other and aiming for the other's head. jamie sees and says, "hey, boys! no punching in the head." jude quickly asks, "what about the tummy?"
jamie says, "no." jude says, "what about your tummy?"

often he'll say with a furrowed brow and arms crossed over his chest, "i'm not saying a WORD."

right now i'm sitting on a single seater with two other little boys. upon climbing up to join me, jude says, "scooch over, mom!" i say, "sure. because I have such a little bum." jude: "no you don't. you have a big one." i totally set myself up for that one.

weekend links!

bad hair day or just not enough time to shower in the morning? i am totally trying out every single hairstyle in this blog post. try it with me and let me know which one you like the best. won't ya?

okay so i'm so not a lipstick person. but do you buy this? really? can everyone wear red lipstick? i'm intrigued.

it's wedding season! ever wander up the card aisles and are bored with every wedding card you see? jamie and i have a tradition of buying the most non-traditional wedding card we can find - usually a funny card. once we gave a friend a jewish sympathy card as a wedding card. that's just us, though. here's a great article on making your wedding gift mean something. 

i'm in love with this shop and specifically all the plates and cups. so cute!

and how freakin' adorable is this little guy? want. {for me!} actually, i had trouble choosing between all of them. they're so hilarious and adorable.

and i did promise pictures of the donuts, but i made them last night and yeah. i just don't take pictures at night. and i'm feeling quite sick now from all the sugar. i recommend pacing yourself. but you should make them. so. stinkin. good.

father's day friday links

how is it friday already? i asked at least 3 times yesterday if it was really thursday. it's crazy.
our staff and students have all gone back to canada and it's quiet. i definitely miss them, but we needed some space and "normal" back in our lives again. i can see it in my kids' behaviour. more tantrums. more disobedience and "angry hearts". we need to come back together and focus on us. we'll have a few weeks to do that before jamie takes off for the philippines at the beginning of july {eek!}.
anyway, i've got heaps of links for you. so many, in fact, that i save a bunch and i'll post them next week. because they're all so good i don't want you to be overwhelmed!

so here are your father's day friday links!

i don't even know how i found this website {pinterest maybe?} but i love it. i love colours {i was just discussing how i love the names of colours of crayons and paint and nail polish the other day while getting a mani/pedi with the staff women.} and this is a fantastic site to give you some colour inspiration for the mommy-to-be. although you could hypothetically answer the questions and get some ideas as well.

and i'm adding this to my list of things i should be able to sew by now. it's DIY blackout curtains. seriously. i should be able to make these. right?

i'm not sure if you know this, but i kinda like to research things. not everything. just things i'm interested in. it's called being a "knowledge specialist". and so i've been researching things like giving birth in a hospital and what to bring as i've never had to deal with this before! anyway, with father's day being on sunday and all, i thought this was an appropriate list for what dad's should bring to the hospital.

and i just generally love all things pregnancy and baby and that includes fantastic birth stories like this one. i've got to admit that before, the thought of having an unassisted home birth freaked me right out. now? not as much. doesn't mean i'm planning one, but if it just so happens to come upon us too quickly i would rather stay home and get comfortable {as much as possible} than have this baby in the car. thank you very much!

um. i love these. i think they're on my list of things to make when we get back to canada. so hipster!

and oh yes! here's your friendly reminder. it's father's day on sunday! we're not so big on the grandiose celebrations around here, but i love these two ideas that you can do with your {slightly older} kids who can at least answer questions. i'm going to attempt at least one of them with the boys for jamie.

and there you have it! happy weekend!

first friday in june links

i'm on day 2 of solo parenting with jamie in mbale until monday. it's going pretty well so far.
i think it helps that the boys {and i!} have been sleeping well. thank you, Jesus!
this morning noah was up early and shortly thereafter jude was, too. they played for a bit and then we all got dressed and i made those banana muffins i've been craving while the boys watched noah's birthday videos {i asked friends and family to send videos to noah wishing him a happy birthday last october and he still loves watching them. so thank you to those who sent them!} and ate yogurt while they waited for the muffins to finish baking.
then noah proceeded to eat three muffins.
seriously. he's already eating me out of house and home. it's a good thing i doubled the batch.

potty training with jude is going so well! we go on outings with him in underpants and he lets me know when he needs to go. if we're at home, he'll run to the bathroom and go on his own. yesterday he peed standing up. i'm one proud mama. thankful this has been a low-stress undertaking.

jude had a blast wearing water wings while we were in jinja. my little water babies.

here are your weekend links!

recently i have a love-hate relationship with LEGO. noah loves to dump it out, but getting him to clean it up is sometimes like torture. this morning it wasn't so bad, but last night? brutal. and the teensy, tiny, itty bitty pieces? that's going to be trouble when baby b is born and crawling around. anyway, i have a feeling it's just going to be part of our lives for the next oh, 10 years or so. more? yikes. anyway, i love this LEGO birthday party for a 6 year old. 

and i am so making this popcorn. sweet and salty? you had me at hello.

and it's june 1st! crazy how fast time is just flying by. i love this website. there are "ways to play" for each month of the year. this is from last june, but it's a great list and you can download the list from each month.

i'm totally crushing on chevrons. and picnics? who doesn't love a picnic? combine the two and it's a beautiful thing.

101 spring freezer meals. 'nuff said. {this list is AWESOME.}

this blog post. it's so tragic that things like this happen all the time here in uganda and in other countries in africa. i am facebook friends with keren and she is fighting for justice for women and families here in uganda and for cihldren to stop being taken from families and placed up for adoption or other heart-breaking situations. please check it out. let's all get educated about what's really happening behind the scenes of adoption.

friday links

we went to the craft market today. there's a few things i've been wanting to pick up for awhile. the dress i wanted was just too expensive and the seller wouldn't come down low enough {for jamie's liking} so we walked away. {lesson #1 when shopping at a craft market: be willing to walk away.}
but the boys got these sweet african fabric stuffed animals {a hippo for jude and a rhino for noah - they both named theirs 'rocky'} and even a tiny rhino for le bebe.
i got a kikoy {pronounced "chi-koy" and also called a 'kanga' in tanzania}, which i've been wanting for awhile. they're versatile {wear it as a skirt, a shawl, use as a blanket if you're cold, a mat for your baby, a carrier for your baby, etc.} and they're pretty. winner!

we almost got a uganda cranes jersey and short set for noah but it was on our way out and the seller wasn't coming down enough {again, for jamie's liking} so we left. plenty of time to pick one up for him on another day.
tonight i'll be doing pizza for 13 people! epic. but i'll have heaps of help so it's good times.
also? jamie's gone vegetarian until the end of the summer project {mid-june}. random. but true.

links! you want links? i got 'em.

how asking yourself a question can put things into perspective and give you a second chance.

do what you love: love this!

it's garage sale season! i held an epic one just over a year ago. if you're planning on having one, here are some helpful tips.

photography tips to get good expressions from kids {photography}

it's almost strawberry-picking season. pick a bunch for me and eat 'em. then pick another bunch and make these amazing cookies.

but these? these i can make. and likely will.

lastly, i'm in love with this website. vintage children's books = heaven.

happy weekend, everyone!