This is SUCH a cute pic... I think that the twins are three and I am four....
I think that we are about... five or six here....
I think that we are about... eleven or twelve here...
These were taken in 2000.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Memories
So... for one reason or another... I've been thinking a lot about childhood... specifically my childhood. That might sound really weird... but that is OK. I've recently gotten kind of back in touch with some friends of mine... not totally in touch, but still - talking.
I was basically raised beside this huge dutch family... since I was four years old. There are seven kids in the family... and I was close with the last four... Esther, Aletta, Lisse and Tessa. They were really like sisters to me, that I never had... because I didnt have any sisters growing up. But we had a lot of fun together. I just remember some of it.. and will probably think of other things later... but we used to run around the neighbourhood, barefoot, playing cops and robbers, jumping on the trampoline, riding bikes... we put on plays, they were neighbourhood producutions and we charged people to come and watch them, we snuck into the RBG after hours and played there... hide and go seek, babysitting together, building forts... there are SO many things. We spent A LOT of time together, A LOT of days and had a lot of slumber parties where we may or may not have slept. I went to church with them sometimes, on Sunday nights, and sometimes on Sunday mornings... and I went to Dutch school a couple of times. I know some random words... and I know their Christmas story thing... ha.
We never like, stopped talking because we were really angry at each other or anything, it was just because we kind of drifted apart because life took us in different directions. It probably really started with high school - because I went to public school and they were to private school - and then I was competing a lot in high school at a higher level, so I was never really around. At all. Ha.
Basically, if you know me well... you will know that I am totally hooked on droppies and pepernoten (ha, I CANNOT spell those AT ALL, but if you know what I mean, then you know what I mean, if not... go to a dutch shop... haha). Basically, I love those things because I had them at my neighbours house all of the time. Other things? There are probably some randoms... but I cannot think of them right now.
But anyways, it is fun that we are kind of back in touch now, and I've been totally remembering all of the good times that we have had. And I've been going thru my pictures... which is diffficult, because they are at home and I am at school... but... I have a couple here. I want to get some more on the computer (these are from the era without digital cameras being so popular, so I had to scan them). But anyways, I am going to find some more older ones.. .these are the most recent ones I think that I have actually... from around 2000/2001 ish.
Esther was my very best friend for years and years. I spent so much time with her, we had SO many HUGE fights... AND... I remember something REALLY embarressing... But, one time we sang "doe a dear" with actions at a Talent show at her church... SO bad.
One summer, cousins stayed at their house for the entire summer while their aunt had her baby Marie... So this is Tessa and I with Thomas and Enna.
Lisse and I
Lisse, Tessa, Aletta and I
Tessa, Esther, Lisse and I
I was basically raised beside this huge dutch family... since I was four years old. There are seven kids in the family... and I was close with the last four... Esther, Aletta, Lisse and Tessa. They were really like sisters to me, that I never had... because I didnt have any sisters growing up. But we had a lot of fun together. I just remember some of it.. and will probably think of other things later... but we used to run around the neighbourhood, barefoot, playing cops and robbers, jumping on the trampoline, riding bikes... we put on plays, they were neighbourhood producutions and we charged people to come and watch them, we snuck into the RBG after hours and played there... hide and go seek, babysitting together, building forts... there are SO many things. We spent A LOT of time together, A LOT of days and had a lot of slumber parties where we may or may not have slept. I went to church with them sometimes, on Sunday nights, and sometimes on Sunday mornings... and I went to Dutch school a couple of times. I know some random words... and I know their Christmas story thing... ha.
We never like, stopped talking because we were really angry at each other or anything, it was just because we kind of drifted apart because life took us in different directions. It probably really started with high school - because I went to public school and they were to private school - and then I was competing a lot in high school at a higher level, so I was never really around. At all. Ha.
Basically, if you know me well... you will know that I am totally hooked on droppies and pepernoten (ha, I CANNOT spell those AT ALL, but if you know what I mean, then you know what I mean, if not... go to a dutch shop... haha). Basically, I love those things because I had them at my neighbours house all of the time. Other things? There are probably some randoms... but I cannot think of them right now.
But anyways, it is fun that we are kind of back in touch now, and I've been totally remembering all of the good times that we have had. And I've been going thru my pictures... which is diffficult, because they are at home and I am at school... but... I have a couple here. I want to get some more on the computer (these are from the era without digital cameras being so popular, so I had to scan them). But anyways, I am going to find some more older ones.. .these are the most recent ones I think that I have actually... from around 2000/2001 ish.
Esther was my very best friend for years and years. I spent so much time with her, we had SO many HUGE fights... AND... I remember something REALLY embarressing... But, one time we sang "doe a dear" with actions at a Talent show at her church... SO bad.
One summer, cousins stayed at their house for the entire summer while their aunt had her baby Marie... So this is Tessa and I with Thomas and Enna.
Lisse and I
Lisse, Tessa, Aletta and I
Tessa, Esther, Lisse and IThursday, February 15, 2007
SNOW... Part II
So... this week here in the B dot... we got a TONNE of snow... like... a lot.
Campus was closed from 5:30PM Tuesday night until 8am this morning (Thursday). My hometown (region) cancelled school before the storm even hit because it was so bad.
BUUUUUT - THERE IS SO MUCH SNOW.
Of course - Vanessa and I went out to play again... this time around 11pm. I made snow Angels on every corner between Palace and Pearl, all down Albion to West and back up again... and wrote messages of Jesus' love for us in the fresh blanket of snow.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ho-Downing It UP
*GASP*
Yeah... planning the Ho-Down at my church recently, I heard all of the jokes. From everyone. "You're going to a Ho-Down... Are you dressing Ho-Downy?" Well - the answer is... OF COURSE WE ARE!!!!!!!!!!! Ho-Downy, Valentine's Day-y - the entire works!
What is a Ho-Down, you ask? Well - that is what I was asking when I first got the email asking me whether I would plan this year's Ho Down from Alison. Of course, I said YES, I would LOVE to plan the Ho Down (especially since I was going to be planning it with Jessica, who is awesome, and Alison herself) - after all, events planning is one of my favourite things to do.
A "Ho-Down" or, to be specific, a "Sweetheart's Valentine's Day Ho Down" is a Western/Country themed Square Dance party. That RIGHT, I said Square Dance; with a professional square dance caller and everything. He teaches everyone how to square dance in groups of eight. Very fun looking... although I only did get to try it once!
We rallied our Youth group together, dressed in our best country western clothes (although, I have only ever had to dress country once, which was for O week and all of my o week stuff is in Burlington), did some amazing set-up and decoration (Including strategically placing hay around the room... and might I add, I grew up in the city and have never carried hay around before.... and I learned that I really dislike delegating to people who are older than me!!!)
We rallied our Youth group together, dressed in our best country western clothes (although, I have only ever had to dress country once, which was for O week and all of my o week stuff is in Burlington), did some amazing set-up and decoration (Including strategically placing hay around the room... and might I add, I grew up in the city and have never carried hay around before.... and I learned that I really dislike delegating to people who are older than me!!!) 
We took some awesome pictures... made some announcements... picked some best dressed winners... It was a BLAST and the Youth raised a lot of money (it was a youth fundraiser after all) - but we are going to have enough money for a bus to Winterfest in a couple of weeks. That is very exciting, it is going to cut the cost for everyone!
And even Super Skittles came (aka Samantha Marie)! Even though she was reallllllllllllllllllly late!!!! And she brought this guy, named Ian - who I think that I am going to be having some religious debates with in the future (just a feeling).... I think so... *nods head*. And, just for the record... coming into Square Dancing during the third segment... when everyone else already knows what they are doing... I wouldn't recommend it. Good thing we were with an understanding crowd.
The moral of the story? If you EVER have the chance to go to a Ho Down, ESPECIALLY at our church... or on Valentine's day... and MOST especially if it is a Youth fundraiser... and if it is all for goooood fun... i strongly recommend doing it! AND if you ever get asked to plan one... go for it. It will be an experience. And you only live once!!!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Growing Up
I just got a load of recent pictures of my nephew William... but I cannot help but look back and remember when he was such a little baby. It has been since Thanksgiving since I've seen him at all, so I think that that might be one of the reasons why it was such a shock that he is such a little boy now... not even a baby anymore... even though he is only one. It makes me so sad that I don't get to see him grow up... or very much at all.... BUT - I write him letters and his Mom reads them to him and everything... but its just not the same. And I miss him a lot. No wonder - check this out!! Look how adorably CUTE he is!
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Hours old... end of last summer!
October - about 5 weeks old
Bathtime... SO cute
When William stayed with us this summer...
In the leaves in the fall....
When my brother went to visit a couple of weeks ago...
Hours old... end of last summer!
October - about 5 weeks old Bathtime... SO cuteWhen William stayed with us this summer... In the leaves in the fall....When my brother went to visit a couple of weeks ago... Saturday, February 03, 2007
SNOW
This morning was just what I needed.
Somehow… every year… I seem to get just what I need in the form of nice… fluffy… white… cold… SNOW. I cannot describe how much I LOVE SNOW. It brings SO many opportunities. Skiing is the best sport EVER… And just walking and hearing the crunch, crunch, crunch under your feet. It is pretty awesome. And it brings people together. I’m NOT even kidding… it REALLY does. Last year, during this HUGE snow storm during a HUGE struggle in my life… I realized that I had some good people in my life (none of which are actually STILL in my life, but that’s a totally different issue). I realized that God works in the most mysterious ways – and He has a plan, and He totally knows what He is doing and He knows SO much that He knows that something as small as a snow storm can totally bring glory to Him and peace to any situations that someone might be facing. Peace is SO important, and when I think snow, I think PEACE: God’s peace. God has peacefully blanketed everything with snow to protect it through the bitterness and coldness that winter brings, so that once the snow melts, it is able to grow again. New growth… Hmmm… Interesting…
This morning I went TOBOGANING!!!!!!!! CAN YOU SAY "super nifty callafragalicious wackily swelled expeielodociously amazingly fun"???? I haven’t been for a really, really long time (probably at least eight or nine years – you know, when childhood ended and I decided I was too old for that stuff and also WAY too mature and all that jazz). Tobogganing… It was fun – to say the absolutely LEAST. We went with Operation God, a Children’s program through my church that I volunteer at on Saturday mornings. So… my first run... I didn't go all out... as I was with a five year old who was oh so cute but afraid to go all by himself. But... then we worked it out. He went once with me, and realized that it was really fun and then wasn’t afraid. I think that he actually wasn’t afraid to start with, because he was pretty pro once he got used to the sled etc. My second run included me... on a GT snow racer made for a ten year old... and the ten year old who owned it giving me a mighty push. Also fun.
THEN I was racing these two older kids (by older, I definitely mean that they were ten and twelve… not older than me – just older than the majority of the rest of the kids)... and the one kid TRIED TO TAKE ME OUT... I swear and know it, probably because he TOLD me that that is what he was trying to do... haha... so... he was in a GT and he was trying to cut me off (because, they can steer a little better than toboggans)... so, I had to roll outta my sled and purposely WIPE OUT so that I didn’t SMASH into him... which is actually what he wanted, but as a leader and all, I didn’t think that that was such a good idea.
THEN... These three girls were kind of not so into it, and I was like... "We should ALL go down on ONE sled" so... we obviously didn’t all fit on one sled, so we grabbed a second one and we all linked arms etc and went down, four of us... all together, in two sleds… that were attached… by US. We did that about five times, wiping out in a variety of fun, fun ways. We only REALLY messed it up (and by messed up, I mean it was HILLLLLLARIOUS and totally… Hilarious) when Mary switched with Chelsea and decided she was toooo coool to SIT in the sled (haha... ooooh funny) and knelt instead and then we separated somehow (probably because we weren’t holding on to the other sled tight enough) and basically I ended up (with the other three)rolling down the majority of the hill (or maybe not even that far)... BUT SOOOO FUN! Tobogganing = good times. Snow = AWESOME.
THEN two MORE friends came, and they wanted to join us... SO... since six of us wouldn't all fit SITTING in two sleds... we squished to the front and then the two other girls STOOD on the back of the two sleds. THAT TIME we ACTUALLY made it ALL the way to the BOTTOM and NO ONE fell off or wiped out or ANYTHING. Which is good, because I was a little worried about the “standers” and whether they would make it safely to the bottom. It was pretty cool.
THEN... you know when you are stepping on snow and the depth of the snow suddenly changes but you have absolutely no idea that such a thing is going to happen so you end up going from NO snow to PAST YOUR KNEES DEEP IN SNOW... and then falling... because of the depth? That is ALSO really fun.... followed by a "First day with your new legs?" comment. Oh yeah.... funnny... hahaha . And I am really not being sarcastic about the funness of ANY of this… because… well – because I’m being serious.
I repeat, this morning was just what I needed!!! I am also definitely heading out to… some park (if we can find one) near my house in my snow gear RIGHT NOW (its eight thirty pm) to play in the snow with my roomie. It is going to be a blast. This reminds me SO much of good times last year when we all played Capture the Flag at two in the morning at Vic Park downtown (yes, middle of the night, vic park, downtown Brantford… we were totally being safe there). The only DIFFERENCE is… this year, I have SNOWPANTS… which will avoid the frost bite on my legs.
Thank God for snow. And thank God that He is God.
I have posted some of my FAVOURITE snow pictures here. I have always been drawn to snow. No wonder why!!! Let's give this a try....
| View Show | Create Your Own
Somehow… every year… I seem to get just what I need in the form of nice… fluffy… white… cold… SNOW. I cannot describe how much I LOVE SNOW. It brings SO many opportunities. Skiing is the best sport EVER… And just walking and hearing the crunch, crunch, crunch under your feet. It is pretty awesome. And it brings people together. I’m NOT even kidding… it REALLY does. Last year, during this HUGE snow storm during a HUGE struggle in my life… I realized that I had some good people in my life (none of which are actually STILL in my life, but that’s a totally different issue). I realized that God works in the most mysterious ways – and He has a plan, and He totally knows what He is doing and He knows SO much that He knows that something as small as a snow storm can totally bring glory to Him and peace to any situations that someone might be facing. Peace is SO important, and when I think snow, I think PEACE: God’s peace. God has peacefully blanketed everything with snow to protect it through the bitterness and coldness that winter brings, so that once the snow melts, it is able to grow again. New growth… Hmmm… Interesting…
This morning I went TOBOGANING!!!!!!!! CAN YOU SAY "super nifty callafragalicious wackily swelled expeielodociously amazingly fun"???? I haven’t been for a really, really long time (probably at least eight or nine years – you know, when childhood ended and I decided I was too old for that stuff and also WAY too mature and all that jazz). Tobogganing… It was fun – to say the absolutely LEAST. We went with Operation God, a Children’s program through my church that I volunteer at on Saturday mornings. So… my first run... I didn't go all out... as I was with a five year old who was oh so cute but afraid to go all by himself. But... then we worked it out. He went once with me, and realized that it was really fun and then wasn’t afraid. I think that he actually wasn’t afraid to start with, because he was pretty pro once he got used to the sled etc. My second run included me... on a GT snow racer made for a ten year old... and the ten year old who owned it giving me a mighty push. Also fun.
THEN I was racing these two older kids (by older, I definitely mean that they were ten and twelve… not older than me – just older than the majority of the rest of the kids)... and the one kid TRIED TO TAKE ME OUT... I swear and know it, probably because he TOLD me that that is what he was trying to do... haha... so... he was in a GT and he was trying to cut me off (because, they can steer a little better than toboggans)... so, I had to roll outta my sled and purposely WIPE OUT so that I didn’t SMASH into him... which is actually what he wanted, but as a leader and all, I didn’t think that that was such a good idea.
THEN... These three girls were kind of not so into it, and I was like... "We should ALL go down on ONE sled" so... we obviously didn’t all fit on one sled, so we grabbed a second one and we all linked arms etc and went down, four of us... all together, in two sleds… that were attached… by US. We did that about five times, wiping out in a variety of fun, fun ways. We only REALLY messed it up (and by messed up, I mean it was HILLLLLLARIOUS and totally… Hilarious) when Mary switched with Chelsea and decided she was toooo coool to SIT in the sled (haha... ooooh funny) and knelt instead and then we separated somehow (probably because we weren’t holding on to the other sled tight enough) and basically I ended up (with the other three)rolling down the majority of the hill (or maybe not even that far)... BUT SOOOO FUN! Tobogganing = good times. Snow = AWESOME.
THEN two MORE friends came, and they wanted to join us... SO... since six of us wouldn't all fit SITTING in two sleds... we squished to the front and then the two other girls STOOD on the back of the two sleds. THAT TIME we ACTUALLY made it ALL the way to the BOTTOM and NO ONE fell off or wiped out or ANYTHING. Which is good, because I was a little worried about the “standers” and whether they would make it safely to the bottom. It was pretty cool.
THEN... you know when you are stepping on snow and the depth of the snow suddenly changes but you have absolutely no idea that such a thing is going to happen so you end up going from NO snow to PAST YOUR KNEES DEEP IN SNOW... and then falling... because of the depth? That is ALSO really fun.... followed by a "First day with your new legs?" comment. Oh yeah.... funnny... hahaha . And I am really not being sarcastic about the funness of ANY of this… because… well – because I’m being serious.
I repeat, this morning was just what I needed!!! I am also definitely heading out to… some park (if we can find one) near my house in my snow gear RIGHT NOW (its eight thirty pm) to play in the snow with my roomie. It is going to be a blast. This reminds me SO much of good times last year when we all played Capture the Flag at two in the morning at Vic Park downtown (yes, middle of the night, vic park, downtown Brantford… we were totally being safe there). The only DIFFERENCE is… this year, I have SNOWPANTS… which will avoid the frost bite on my legs.
Thank God for snow. And thank God that He is God.
I have posted some of my FAVOURITE snow pictures here. I have always been drawn to snow. No wonder why!!! Let's give this a try....
| View Show | Create Your Own
Happy February?
Welcome to the wonderful month of February <3>January RECAP: January totally flew by! It was pretty awesome though. Some of the highlights include family Christmas at my sister's house now that she is back from Aussie Town...... a very.... mature family, I must say!!!!
On top of family Christmas back home... we also had our roommate Christmas Secret Santa dealio. See our lovely Christmas tree?? Tiny, but important. I got a beautiful bracelet from Vanessa with all different beads that tells the Christmas story! It is lovely & beautiful! Charli has been CUTE AS EVER.... crawling into boxes and bags and whatever suites her fancy. Look at her little FACES!!!!!!!!!
Above: The event that I was worried about... went FANTASTICALLY!!! I had a lot of volunteers end up coming to help out... especially with set up. I left us an hour and a half for set up... and we were done after a half hour - so i sent everyone for a half hour dinner break. It was AWESOME. Lots of kids came and they had an awesome time! One of my highlights was one of the activities that I made up being such a hit. It was a Scavenger Hunt featuring the book "The Paper Bag Princess" (of which I got for Christmas, THIS year). The kids did a march/hunt around the building before coming back to the lounge for their treats. It was awesome. I am SO grateful for all of the help that I had and for everyone who came out and supported or who wanted to but weren't able!
Other than that stuff... well.... classes and such... January was not that exciting. I am down to four classes and also taking at least four in the summer - so I am going to be graduating early I hope. I am taking Law, Morality and Punishment; Crime in Context; Theories of Crime; and Evil and Its Symbols right now. This summer, I am tackling Love and Its Myths; Grief, Death and Dying; Cults, Sects and Other New Religious Movements; and Global Governance, the UN in the 21st century. WOW, that is a mouthful. I am also trying to get into french so that I can get back into the language. I've decided that I never should have quit and that it is going to be very useful - but I have to get permission to get into the class that I want and the permission is not coming just yet. Praying about that one!
January was ended with a Breakthrough Blessings Conference at Freedom House. It was... well... Amazing. Breakthroughs? So many! In so many ways! Just... Awesome. God is SOOOO amazingly awesomely super duper! The conference had a pretty big impact on me... more than anyone will likely ever know!
WHATS NEW in FERUARY?
This month is already off to a good start. Last night with the Youth, I went to see the movie "Facing the Giants" at Evangel church. This movie was apparently banned in Canada because it mentions God too much (I'm actually looking into that as we speak, because that's just NOT right and I am going to write a letter if that is really the reason why)... but was a FABULOUS movie that made us laugh and cry. Amazing. It was pretty awesome. A church in the states made it on a limited budget to raise money for something... or... something (Also looking into that). Its good. I recommend watching it. Really!
February is going to bring midterms, essays, work, events planning... a Sweethearts Valentines Day Ho Down Square Dance at yes church... and much more... (i.e. Hitting the slopes AT LEAST once!!!! If not WAY more than once).
Looking forward to it...
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