Christmas Tree Hunting 2020

Our Christmas tree adventure started a couple of weeks ago when I looked up the "you-cut" farms in our area and found that yes, they were open during Covid, but that we would need a ticket to enter this year. 

Tickets were free but would control the number of people on the farm at any given time. And they were also sold out for last weekend. We were, however, able to reserve a spot for Saturday, Dec. 5, at 11:30 a.m.

We wore our masks and explored the trees, which were beautiful this year. I think we made our unanimous decision in record time.

Then Jason cut down the tree with a little help from Ben. (Someone from the farm offered to hire them both on the spot because they were already wearing the "lumberjack uniform.")

Eric enthusiastically jumped in to help carry the 8-foot tree to the truck.

It was not only the fastest but also the warmest and driest Christmas tree hunting experience we'd ever had--11 degrees in the sunshine!

We also think we found the nicest tree we've ever had--although I think we might say that every year :)

Unfortunately, we found out on Thursday that our landlords sold their house and will be moving back in here mid-February, making this our last Christmas in this house. 

So, we will have a different spot to fill with a tree next year, but I'm sure we will still enjoy this Christmas tradition.

Primary Songs from Home

The kids at our church usually do a presentation in our sacrament meeting around this time of year. Since we aren't meeting in person this year, each family recorded their children singing or giving talks. I thought I'd share Eric's and Alaina's, which were both very sweet :) Janae accompanied both of them on the piano.

Eric singing "Book of Mormon Stories" (link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq0tD9-Zalo

Alaina singing "He Sent His Son" (link below)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUK9jGjRJ3g

The Light of the World #GiveThanks

I have always loved going to see Christmas lights around town, a tradition my sisters and I started with my dad when we were teenagers. Dad would take us out to look at lights while Mom wrapped the presents at home. My sisters and I clapped for each house that put up lights--whether a small clap for effort or big cheers for outstanding displays. When we found a truly amazing house, my dad would honk the horn :) 

Lights are such a beautiful symbol of Christmas: the way they shine in the darkness and bring feelings of happiness and peace. 

               

I am grateful for Jesus Christ, who is the Light and Life of the world, and for the Christmas season when we celebrate His birth.

I am also thankful for the hope that His gospel brings, which is like a light in the darkness to me. 

                                                 

Have I Mentioned My Master's in English? #GiveThanks

When Jason and I were first married, he used to tease me about how often I mentioned my master's degree in English. I still consider it one of my greatest accomplishments, but more importantly, I appreciate the years I spent earning that degree.

I love to sit in a classroom and learn, and as an English major, I got to read stories and poetry that affected my attitudes and values--that made me who I am. I had amazing teachers who become powerful role models to me. Just walking on campus at BYU, I would often feel overcome with gratitude at my opportunity to learn at a school so committed to excellence in scholarship and service, its motto "Enter to Learn; Go Forth to Serve."

I am grateful I was hired straight out of graduate school to teach at the also incredible BYU-Idaho, where I had hundreds of eager learners to instruct in essay writing. I grew to love these kids, as well as the small town in Idaho where I lived.

Then, when my temporary visa ran out and I had to return to Canada, I was amazed to be hired over the phone to work as an instructor at Douglas College, teaching academic writing and introduction to literature. This was an eye-opening experience, but it allowed me to meet hardworking and committed students who were trying to improve their lives. Later, I experienced another miracle--and learning curve--as I was hired to teach technical and business writing at BCIT. I felt grateful to work with these students and marveled at their abilities, which were so different from my own. 

Now, as a mom, I am so thankful I can use my degree to work from home as a freelance writer and editor. Three years ago I was hired to edit then write a series of dialogues for English-language learners, and this was my first experience with being paid for my creative writing. I considered it a dream come true.

I have edited books for people I know and even a set of personal journals, giving me unique and valuable perspectives on life. 

Over the past several months, I have completed a series of contracts to help students revise and edit their college application essays, and every day I feel inspired by these young people's achievements and aspirations. 

I have also been grateful just to work at all at this time. It has given me a sense of purpose, allowed me to use the rational part of my brain, and provided me a break from the difficulties and sadness I have faced. 

I love working with a piece of writing until it is smooth and effective, and I am so grateful I can use this skill to help support my family.

A Family of My Own #GiveThanks

Growing up, there was nothing I wanted more than to be married with children. As I got older, though, I thought this might never happen. It wasn't until I was 30 that I met Jason, but so many blessings have come to us since.

We were married December 19, 2002, in the Seattle temple, and ever since then I have been grateful for Jason's low expectations of me, his willingness to watch British period drama, and just his general commitment to giving me whatever support I need. He works hard, loves to laugh, takes care of our family, can (occasionally) beat me at Scrabble, and has even been known to rip up his shirt for me when necessary (details at https://literarylamb.blogspot.com/2020/09/). 

Without a doubt, he loves me, which is an important trait in a husband.

Ben was born in June 2004, transforming my life by making me a mother. I held him all the time, not wanting to put him down even to make lunch or clean the house. I was so happy to finally have a baby!  

Ben has gone through many phases, with interests ranging from bats to Thomas the Tank Engine to Star Wars and Lego to movie making and novel writing. He has added so much to my life with his ideas and with his personality, and he's created an exceptionally strong bond with each of his siblings.

Next came Janae in March 2007. I had really prayed to have another baby, not wanting Ben to be an only child, and I was so grateful when this little girl came along!

I loved seeing Ben and Janae together, and even today, it is great to know they are good friends.

Janae has helped me learn so many things--from how to cope with separation anxiety to the importance of monitoring a teenager's Instagram account. She loves to be loud and adds life to our family with her sense of humor and many talents.

Alaina came along next in September 2009, immediately a very loved daughter and little sister.

Since I'd had three sisters, I was especially thankful that Janae and Alaina would be able to share this bond, too. My two girls have enjoyed many common interests, from dress-up and Polly Pockets to musicals and Barbie productions.

 

Alaina is usually calm and thoughtful. She loves animals and learns everything she can about them; she can talk for at least an hour straight about mice, even though she knows I will never let her have one :) She is also a bookworm, just like her mama.

Eric completed our family in January 2014. My greatest wish at the time was that I could have "just one more baby," even though I was already 40 and didn't really think it would happen.

Having this little boy was a special gift to all of us, and I am grateful every day to still have someone small to cuddle up with me, hold my hand, and read stories with me.

When I look back on the time I got to spend with these four as babies, I am more grateful than I could ever express, and I am thankful for every moment I have spent with them since. Along with Jason, they brighten my life in so many ways, and I love them all very much.

A House to Call Home #GiveThanks

Six years ago--when we lived just around the corner from my parents--our landlords told us they were going to sell the house we were living in.

It was hard for us to move--we loved being able to walk to Grandma and Grandpa's, and we really felt at home in that house. It had beautiful woodwork inside and all the bedrooms were together down a single hallway, so I always felt close to the kids.

It took six months to find a new place to live, and in that time we looked at a LOT of houses we didn't want to live in--or houses where the owners weren't willing to take a chance on a self-employed landscaper with his wife, four kids and cat. But finally we found a place that had enough bedrooms and a nice-sized yard--we thought it had potential to work.

Jason transformed the yard, astonishing neighbors who didn't even know there was a house behind all the dead trees and overgrown shrubs. He put in a beautiful lawn and we planted nice, low-maintenance shrubs that flower at all different times throughout the growing season.

We bought curtains and carpets; we painted and cleaned. We trick-or-treated in the neighborhood, spent time at the local park, and brought a Christmas tree home. We celebrated birthdays and holidays, had friends and relatives over, planted vegetables, cooked and baked, played music and read lots of stories. 

Within a year or so, we felt comfortable here, and since then, our little house has felt more and more like home. I have been grateful every day for a place to live and raise our children.

      

Now, about a week ago, we found out that our landlords have other plans for this house. So, we will once again have to find a new place to live, hoping that over time it will feel like home.

It is overwhelming to think about moving, and--more than ever--I appreciate the time we have had here. But still I hope that there are more good things to come.

Lifelong Friends #GiveThanks

Throughout my life, I have been thankful for wonderful teachers, roommates, friends and neighbors who have inspired me to be better.

I am especially grateful, though, for the constants who have been with me "through it all."

My parents and sisters (Dad and Sheri are missing from this picture),

Emily (my BFF from Grade 7),

Evelyn (my BYU roommate), 

and these guys.

These lifelong friends are a comfort and blessing to me--I am grateful for their ability to love me despite my many faults (which they all know about!) and their willingness to be with me through whatever comes our way.

Childhood Memories #GiveThanks

I had a unique childhood, growing up by the beach in White Rock, B.C. My parents took care of a 14-acre campground, with cabins and other buildings to play in, a pool to swim in, blackberries to pick, a tractor to ride on, forests to explore, and the ocean just down the cliff. 

                

Plus, I had three sisters to play with!

    

 

We also had wonderful grandparents, whom we visited often. I remember listening to my Grandma Winters read to me--she taught me to love British literature and history, which led to my major in English.

                                           

I grew to love the Finnish culture from my Grandma and Grandpa Kurki and enjoy sharing this with my own children through baking pulla and attending the Scandinavian festival.

 

I am so grateful that my dad took lots of pictures and that my mom saved them in albums where we could look at them over and over while we were growing up. They have preserved some wonderful memories for us, and I have so many great stories to tell my kids!

A Little Late for a Back to School Post #GiveThanks

This week we heard an inspiring message from our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcILxGmVrI 

In it, he encouraged us to apply gratitude as a form of healing from the difficulties we are facing, posting what we are grateful for and why on social media.  I decided I would use my blog to fulfill this "prescription," posting for seven days with the hashtag #GiveThanks.

So, today I am going to talk about the school year. I've been meaning to post about this since September, but with all the uncertainty around whether we should send our kids to school at all during a pandemic, I hadn't written about it yet. 

Before school started, we worried about where to send Alaina (who was starting middle school) and how Eric would handle the transition back after six months off, especially with all the difficulty he'd had with kindergarten. I had my doubts about Ben cramming a semester of learning--particularly in math--into 9 weeks, and I wasn't sure what would happen with music classes for Janae and Alaina.

But, we sent them all back, hoping for the best.

And I am so grateful that the best is exactly what has happened.

First, I had to drop Eric off in front of the school, rather than parking and walking with him up the hill as I have always done at the elementary school. This year, parents were asked not to even leave their cars. I anguished over this for weeks, but when the day finally came, all went well. The drive-by area was chaotic, and I wasn't sure how the school would handle the "new normal," but I was reassured by how Eric handled it--he jumped out of the car, waved goodbye and ran in the direction of his classroom door.

Since that day, I have dropped off and picked up Eric from the car without incident. Sometimes I cry seeing him walk away with confidence, but I am so proud of him.

At parent-teacher conferences (over the phone), Eric's teacher told me he is "friends with every single person in his class." He is participating well (though wiggly at times) and progressing nicely. 

Here he is in his Harry Potter robes (not his school uniform) counting out coins to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation before his class run in September. They took nickels on Monday, dimes on Tuesday, quarters on Wednesday, loonies on Thursday and toonies on Friday to raise money for cancer research.

I am so grateful Eric is happy at school this year!

Now Alaina. She was changing schools, going from a very structured elementary school environment to a much different middle school experience at a fine arts school. When she went to the orientation day, Alaina felt a little intimidated--and I have to admit, I was more than a little stressed about sending her into a new school where she did not know anyone, wearing a mask and hoping to make friends. 

But, Alaina made friends on the very first day, and by the end of the first week, she was feeling comfortable in her new classes. Every day, she told me she had talked to someone new and that she loved her teachers. 

At our Google Meet with her teachers, we heard that she has an incredible "growth mindset" that makes her a pleasure to teach. One of her teachers actually said that if she could have hand picked students for the fine arts program, she would have chosen Alaina. This was such a relief, and confirmed to me that Alaina was at the right school.

Alaina has continued her cello lessons over Zoom and performed beautifully in her fall concert, despite being extremely nervous.

I am so grateful that Alaina is thriving at middle school and with her music!

Janae is in Grade 8 this year, her last year of middle school, so she is pretty comfortable. Janae despises Google Meets and Zoom meetings, so our decision to send the kids back to school was largely based on the reality that Janae needed to be in school, in person.

Janae has had dance at school this first semester, and her class performed a dance/drama titled "Call to War" for their Remembrance Day recording. They went to school in stage make-up and dress for several days, doing dress rehearsals and waiting for their chance to film their performance. When the day arrived, Janae came out of school so excited about the experience--she said she'd felt like she'd been in a Broadway play, being on stage the entire day with cameras filming from different angles. I am so proud of her--the way she gives her all to her passions, whether they be dancing, playing the violin/piano/flute or drawing.

I am so grateful that Janae can attend school in person and be so involved in meaningful arts-oriented activities.

Now Ben. When Ben was filling out his "getting to know you" form for math at the beginning of his first 9-week term, he had to indicate the grade he hoped to achieve in the course. When I read over the sheet, I saw he'd said "A." I hesitated a minute, then asked, "Should you say B?" Ben gave me a somewhat hurt look and then asked, "You don't think I can get an A?" Before you think I'm the worst mom ever, I should explain that Ben was happy to pass math last year, but I should have known that if he thought he could get an A, he could.

It was a lot of work, but Ben achieved this goal.

Ben's other class was called Directing and Script Development, a course he was probably born to take. He surprised me with every assignment--his creativity in crafting believable characters and interesting plots seems endless. 

This class also required Ben to stretch beyond his comfort zone, participating in a Remembrance Day monologue titled "Faces of War" and writing/running portions of his school's Halloween escape rooms. Watching the Remembrance Day video, I felt so grateful Ben had the chance to be involved with such a powerful presentation.

For Ben's final script development project, he wrote a 10-minute screenplay and animated a small portion of it. Ben stressed about this endlessly, worried about his idea and the animation (which was shorter than he'd originally planned). He had got "exceeding expectations" on almost all of his assignments so far, and even though he had 98.4 percent in the course, he was worried about his grade.

His teacher sent me this message at the end of the term: "Ben completed great work for the course and he was a pleasure to have in class. His final project was excellent, and downright creepy, which was what he was going for! He should be proud of the accomplishment." His final overall grade was 98.8 percent, rounded up to 99 on his transcript :)

You can imagine how grateful I was to see Ben having so much success in an area he loves and plans to pursue as a career.

So, clearly I am thankful for the experience each of my children is having this year at school. As much as I loved having them at home, I am grateful our decision to send them back was right for every one of them.