Life at Oak Grove

I don’t think I am the kind of person who will stay in the past.  But sometimes if you look back at a year that is almost finished, you can see what God has done…

And 2010 is no exception for this.  

At the beginning of the year, I decided that it was necessary for me to get into the habit of reading my Bible daily.   So using the Bible League of Canada devotional Day Planner, I followed the reading suggestions to read through the Bible during 2010.    Tomorrow is the last day and I must say that even though sometimes I didn’t feel like it and might have skipped a day here and there, I rapidly came to my senses and catched up the next day with the double readings…   And I only have four chapters of the book of Revelation to read – which is schedule for tomorrow.    I am happy to say that reading through the Bible in 2010 helped me to growth and discover a new side of God.   I am so ever glad that He is my Father in Heaven and that He adopted me as His daughter.

2010 was also a year of blessings.   As some of you know, I review products and books on my blog Canadianladybug Reviews!.   Earlier this year I was asked to rejoin the TOS Homeschool Crew for the remaining of year 2 and right away I was blessed with a geography curriculum which we had not in our homeschool.   I also extended my requests of reviews to various companies including toys and the response was above and beyond what I was expecting.     I think I have established precious relationships with them.   I also established fun relationships with PR companies and Mom Central Canada.    We shall see what 2011 will bring but I have a couple of ideas for next Fall season…

On the homeschool front, we started a bit later this past September since we were on the road with my husband due to a contract opportunity in the Northern Ontario area.    Nevertheless, we brought some work to do on the road and we visited a few museums as well.  So technically we still learned a lot.  The kids are still talking about the Zoo in Toronto and the Science North in Sudbury.  

We were able to squeeze two trips during 2010.   One in May when we went to the Boston area for a week and a three weeks road trip to Toronto – Sudbury – Elliot Lake back in August/September.    We had a blast both time (even though the first trip was mixed with sickness).   

I was blessed that my father-in-law agreed to come and build a play structure for the kids.  I don’t think our backyard was more used than this year.  It is amazing what a structure do.   But I must admit that it is a cool structure that I designed.   We bought the wood and father-in-law with hubby and eldest son worked hard on it.    Honestly, I think that if an earthquake happens, the structure will outlast the houses around… LOL

In the end, we had an interesting year on many levels.  

For 2011, I am still debating what to do for devotional.   I have an idea but I wonder if I want to tackle my plan.    I guess I see a HUGE mountain in from of me right now…   I still have one more day to decide if I jump in the water or not.

I am planning to continue homeschooling and I pray that God will continue to pour patience in me every morning.   I hope that He will also bring challenges and open opportunities for us as a family, as business owners, as a reviewer/blogger, as a wife, as a mom, as a friend and more.    I know He will bless me again in 2011.

Happy New Year everyone!

It’s Christmas Eve today and while doing my devotions I realized that it is also the 10th anniversary of the death of my dad.

He died before any of my kids were born.

But honestly I didn’t have much of a relationship with him…  You see he left my mom while I was in the 20s.  And let me tell you that separation and divorce affects children of all ages.    (I won’t go in details today though.) 

As I look back at my youth I wonder if he was ever present.   Oh!  He was there physically but emotionally that is another story.    But I don’t want to go on on his behaviour and how he was.

I just know that he passed away due to sickness (cancer) which has eaten him inside after he left.   And I don’t think I would wish that to anyone.  But it’s what happened.

But as I think of him, my earthly father, I see that he gave me a love of photography.   He always took wonderful pictures and through him I think I got a love of photography.    He also loved tennis but it wasn’t my piece of cake.  

Dad also volunteered for driving when I needed to go somewhere but he never talked much.    I say volunteered but I wonder how much my mom tried to make him spend time with me in that way.

Dad had his faults but because of him photography is part of my life and I love it.    And if you wonder – the picture his me when I was about 3 or 4 years old… taken by my father on winter day.   It is one of my favourites.

So thanks dad for giving me a lot for capturing the memories of my family.    I appreciate it.

I guess part of me regret not spending more time with him at the end of his life.  But I disagreed with his choices.   I also regret not sharing more about my Saviour with him.   

But there is no point of living in the past – I know it is not healthy from experience in my family.   So I look toward the future and ask God to guide me in building a special relationship with my kids.  

In the meantime, I want to share other pictures he took when I was younger.

This is me when I was 5 days old in 1969.

Playing in the toy box.

Summer of 69 – camping.

Christmas 69 – the famous Fisher-Price ball.   Note: the fuzzy soccer ball still lives and my kids had it when they were babies.   Not it is stored for the future grandkids.

Fall 1969 – in the woods that my uncle owned in Valcourt, QC.

Recycling 101

There are more – mostly slides.   Eventually I will scan them and have them on my PC.    He had a gift in taking pictures and somehow he was able to pass this on to me.

Thanks again dad.

Today is the 3rd birthday of my sweet little Jasmine.    I wish her an marvelous birthday on this December 19th, 2010!

Personalize a photo slideshow

On December 5th, my kids and I took some time in the afternoon to put up the Christmas tree.

Our Christmas tree is artificial – a slim tree which doesn’t take as much place as a regular one.  This year, we opted to put it in our dining room which had more place than the living room.

Having kids that are a bit older is nice because this year, I asked Alexandre my 9 year old to put the tree together and spread the branches while the younger siblings were napping.

Then once the younger kids woke up, we tackled the tree.  

Having the kids to help now is extremely nice.  I don’t feel stressed or pressured anymore.   And they enjoy it so much.   Even my soon-to-be three years old participated eagerly and was VERY careful with our ornaments.

As much as I would like to have lights in our tree, it has been a couple of years since we put some in it.   The reason is very simple.   One set of the lights has only the red and blue that comes up.   Somehow the green has stopped functioning.   And personally I don’t like having only one or two colors in our tree.  One of these days I will be new lights but not this year.

   Here’s the final result of our tree this year.    As a tradition, only dad can put the star on top of the tree.   This star has been part of my youth believe it or not.   But it is still nice so we continue to use it every years.

The decorations in the tree comes from old Christmas and new ones.    We have a mix of ornaments from our younger years as well as new ornaments that represent our family.

 

As comic fans, we had to have some well-known characters in our tree.   Batman, Robin, Superman, Spider-man, Ironman, Wonderwoman, Catwoman, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy as well as the Ewoks have joined our older collection of ornaments.

 

 

I also painted some.    A lady leaded a fun activity a couple of years ago at the church we were attending and I went.  Honestly, I wasn’t too sure I would be able to paint something but it turned out quite nice and I cherish this painting very much.

Also in our Christmas tree, each kid has three special ornaments.   One being a Christmas ball with picture of them during their first year of life (one as a baby and one a bit older).   My daughter Jasmine was born on Dec 19th so her older picture is about a year later which was her second Christmas.   Also each child has a Baby First Christmas and Grandchild First Christmas in the tree.   Having four kids, that makes 12 special ornaments in there.   Other special ornaments are also included in the tree like our new house, our dating ornament, as well as two special figurines for our wedding year.

Intertwined with Christian ornaments, there are Christmas balls.  Most of them I made myself one year with glass balls and paint.   It gives a marble style to the ball.   Another one that is included in the tree is the ornament on the left side in the picture below.  This is an older Christmas ball that used to be in the tree at my parents house.   Somehow, this one is my son Alexandre’s favourite.   *grin*   It is very different than the ones I made…

Other decorations are around the house.  But this year, I took out my LEMAX small collection of houses.    I’ve decided to put it on the mantle above the fireplace.    One of these days, I would like to put it under the tree like my mother-in-law.  

Voilà! – That’s our Christmas tree for the year.  

Merry Christmas everyone!

Five years ago, my sweet Jérémy entered the world.   
Jérémy is special as he is our last boy.   He loves to rock, learn, play with his siblings, discover new places and have fun.
I love you lots my son.   I pray that God will be with you all the days of your life.  
HAPPY FIFTH BIRTHDAY JÉRÉMY!

Customize a slideshow design

I am part of a mom’s bible study on Thursday mornings at the church I am attending.   We are going through psalm 23 and create crafts at the same time.   The first craft we made was a painting of a lamb. 

This painting is based on Psalm 23:1.   Let’s read the verses together.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

What does it mean not to be in want?  For me it means that God knows what I need and provides.   And this year, he did indeed provided in unexpected ways – on the homeschool front especially but other ways as well.   

In the painting, the lamb represent me hence the reason why my name is written across it.   God is my shepherd – He guides me, protect me, provides for me.   He is there with me at all times.   The red on the background represents the blood of Christ who died for me.   Around the edge of the painting, the scripture is written in French and at the back the word TRUST is written.  

The second craft we made was a little garden which we decorated with various things.  

This craft is based on verses 2 and 3 of the psalm.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.   He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

A little path of rocks is going from one edge of the pot to the other.   This path reminds me that walking with Christ can bring some bumps in the road sometimes.  But the important thing is to trust him no matter what happens.   The bench reminds me to slow down.  To rest.  To spend time with him on a daily basis.    The word love reminds me that He loves me deeply.    The two birds represent my husband and I.  The other bird is hiding under one of the leaves but if you lift it you will see that it is sitting on a nest with four eggs – my children.    I also put a frog there…  for a while I wonder why I put it there.   I thought it was cute.  But then I remembered the acronym F.R.O.G.  “FULLY RELY ON GOD”   How appropriate!   The sic yellow flowers represent also my family.   And the ladybug also represent me – ie the Canadianladybug that is!  *grin*

We are currently working on our third project.   I am having fun meeting with these women and talking together while doing our craft.    It permits me to have some adult time while the kids are in the homeschool room and doing homework.   

I needed this time and I am forever grateful to be able to be part of this bible study.

I’ve been blogging for book reviews for over three years now.  And I have a stack of books waiting for me to be read – just for fun.

So I have decided to reduce drastically my reviews in the book area for a little while.   I am completing some right now and I have more to come in January but after that I will be very picky regarding book.

Here’s the books I want to read

Dr. Dobson Bringing Up Girls

Tim Kimmel Books

Raising a modern-day knight

Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr

These are only a few titles…

I would also like to go through the Narnia series with my kids.

I find people are irresponsible these days.    Not only teenagers but adults as well.
The past few weeks after Halloween, it seems to be always the same thing.   People just leave their pumpkins on their porch or at the end of their driveway and on week-ends while most people are sleeping, younger people come and crash them in the middle of the streets or right in front of our mail area.  
How hard would it be to pick up the pumpkins and put them in your green recycle bin for garbage day? 
Two weeks ago we had the whole section where we go pick up the mail smashed with pumpkins.  Yuck!    I thought of going with my oldest and pick it up but never got around to it.   Someone did…  I wonder if it is the postal services that came or the city or it could be a neighbour which is located in front of that area.   Anyhow, it got picked up.  Thank you whoever did it…
This morning though, we woke up with pumpkins smashed in front of our house and our other neighbour.    In the street mind you but still….
One half pumpkin was right in the way for our truck when we back up.  We were going to church.   So I went and picked it up and put it on our grass with the plan to put it in our green bin when we come back.
Well an hour and 30 minutes later, as we are coming back, I realize that the said pumpkin that I picked up earlier is back in the street to say the least.   Now, let me tell you that it didn’t walk there by itself – no sir.    Someone deliberately threw it again there.    Mmmm!     Makes me think that it is someone living in the area – a teenager more than likely.   Great!
Hubby took the green bin and picked up ALL the pumpkin mess that was in the street.  There was at least three to four pumpkins for sure.  Now the street is cleaned up and cars can go by without swerving all over the place. 
Geeez!

Today is my first ever party for a product I have been asked to present to other moms and their boys. 
Last month I was offered the opportunity to host a Mega Bloks Party for their new line called Dragons Universe.   My job is to invite a group of moms and their boys ages 5 to 8 and present the new line from Mega Bloks.    Food is also planned.
As I write this, my eldest son is vacuuming the first floor while his younger siblings are picking up the toys…
I am looking forward to this first ever party and I am a bit anxious about it.
In the box that I received from MommyParties, there was lots of goodies to share with the people who will attend.   Each child will receive a Mega Bloks Dragons Universe Egg to take home with them.  Inside there will be either a dragon or a fighter.    Also they will receive a Dragons Universe CD which contains a little video game.    For the moms, there will be a 25th anniversary coupon as well as a contest cards to fill in.   
Did I mentioned contest cards?  Yes indeed.   In my package I received the following product to give away as a draw.   Isn’t it amazing?

For more information about the Mega Bloks Dragons Universe, please go to http://www.megabrands.com/Shop/MEGA_Bloks/Dragons_Universe/
You can also visit their Dragons Universe website at http://www.megabrands.com/en/kids/dragonsuniverse/

I missed one post in the National Blog Posting Month.
Oups…
Maybe I had too much things going on this week…   But yesterday was also Remembrance Day.   During our mom’s Bible Study we watch a small video about the veterans in Canada and we remembered them for 1 minutes at 11 o’clock.  
In the afternoon, I was so tired that I had to nap for 30 minutes.    When I woke up I was refreshed. 
It was also AWANA night… and I needed to go pick up the friends of Alexandre to bring them.   He had invited them to come for the evening.  
Tomorrow I have a busy afternoon.   I am hosting a Mega Bloks Dragons Universe party and there will be a bunch of kids ages 5-8 with their moms here.    So the objective today is to clean the first floor and keep it clean… LOL

Yes I know….  Winter is not even here yet.  

I miss the trailer and the peace at the campsite.   I miss discovering new places with my family.   I miss having time alone while hubby bring the kids fishing.   I miss the boat.  I miss the birds near our campsite.

It so much quieter there.  More like a go with the flow.   

However, when I am there, I find there isn’t enough space.  I miss my King Size bed.  

I guess somehow we can’t never be satisfied.    It’s part of being human.   Ah!

I need to learn to enjoy the moment and not look for what I don’t have at that moment.

Easier said than done sometimes….

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Today I find that there isn’t enough hours in the day.
I feel like I have so many things to do and not enough time this week.   I think it is partially linked to the special project we worked on yesterday (which is not finished by the way), the fact that we are going to the dentist tomorrow morning, and that I have a special get-together in Saturday afternoon.  
And there is swimming tomorrow as well as the bible study on Thursday morning.  OUF!
Fortunately the weeks are not the same.   It is the first one since September that I feel like this.   I trust that God will help me go through this week.
In the meantime, I need to prepare my favourite recipes for Thursday morning.    Gotta go.  I don’t have time tomorrow to do this…

In the Bible, a name has a special meaning.

Abram means “exalted father” – problem was he didn’t have any kids.   Then God changed his name to Abraham “father of a multitude”.   God had a plan for him.   A grand plan…

Sarai got her name changed to Sarah but both names means princess.

Isaac’s name means “laughter”.

Theophilus means lover of God.

And I could go on like this throughout the Bible.  Even places had their special names.

Beersheba means well of the oath.

Jerusalem means city of peace.

Gethsemane means oil press.

God himself has many names (as well of Jesus) and each of them represent a special aspect of Him.

El-Olam is the Eternal God.

El-Elyon is God Most High.

El-Shaddai is Gold Almighty, the All-Sufficient One.

You might wonder where I am going today.  For my post on NaBloPoMo, I thought of sharing the meaning of my kids’ names.

******************************

From the name book written by Dorothy Astoria

Alexandre Emanuel – age: 9 years old

ALEXANDRE
Language/Cultural Origin: Greek
Inherent Meaning: Defender of Mankind
Spiritual Connotation: Brave Protector
Scripture: Jeremiah 22:3  TLB

“The Lord says: Be fair-minded.  Do what is right! Help those in need of justice!”

EMANUEL
Language/Cultural Origin: Hebrew
Inherent Meaning: God With Us
Spiritual Connotation: Gift of God
Scripture: John 3:16 NKJV

“ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

Dominic Matthias – age: 6 years old.

DOMINIC
Language/Cultural Origin: Latin
Inherent Meaning: Belonging to the Lord
Spiritual Connotation: Faithful Disciple
Scripture: John 6:39  NLT

“And this is the will of God, that I should not lose every one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day.”

MATTHIAS
Language/Cultural Origin: Hebrew
Inherent Meaning: Gift of God
Spiritual Connotation: Honor to God
Scripture: Psalm 104:1 KJV

“Bless the Lord, O my soul.  O Lord my God, thou art very neat; thou are clothed with honour and majesty.”

Jérémy Jonathan – age: almost 5 years old.

JÉRÉMY
Language/Cultural Origin: English
Inherent Meaning: God is Exalted
Spiritual Connotation: Humble
Scripture: James 4:10 NKJV

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

JONATHAN
Language/Cultural Origin: Hebrew
Inherent Meaning: Gift of the Lord
Spiritual Connotation: God’s Precious Gift
Scripture: Psalm 92:4 NKJV

“For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your works; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.”

Jasmine May – age: almost 3 years old.

JASMINE
Language/Cultural Origin: Persian
Inherent Meaning: Jasmine Flower
Spiritual Connotation: Messenger of Love
Scripture: Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

“ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void.”

MAY
Language/Cultural Origin: Hebrew
Inherent Meaning: Gift of God
Spiritual Connotation: Blessed
Scripture: Psalm 92:4 KJV

“For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.”

As you can see, the middle names of each of our kids have the Gift of God in either the inherent meaning or the spiritual connotation.   It was important for us that this was reflected in their names because they are indeed gifts from God to us.  

And this week-end, we saw that Alexandre was carrying his name very well.   We were invited to a birthday party and he was the oldest child there.   Nevertheless, he helped a lot with the younger kids during games with his brother Dominic and was overshadowing his little sister at times.    Result:  People around us were impressed by the two older kids and kept telling us about it.   This was so nice to hear and to “digest” as well.    As a mom, hearing these kind of comments is important as it confirms that what I am doing as a parent is good. 

Thank you Lord for our four kids.  They are indeed precious.   May your hand be upon them throughout their lives.

Have you thought about expressing your worship through the means of Arts, whether it is singing, dancing, drawing, acting and so on?

Well I think it is a wonderful way of serving our Lord.    And I personally like the drawing part and the acting part.

I don’t act much but I used to do it more when I was in high school.   Yes that’s me in secondaire 3 while I was acting the main part of a little thing at the Collège de l’Assomption.

The years have passed by and I didn’t do much of acting anymore.   Until a few years ago when my husband was preaching about the trinity.    I was acting as though I was his daughter asking him question about the trinity.   Unfortunately I don’t have pictures to remember this.  

Drawing is something I discovered a few years ago.  One of these days I wish to take some painting lesson.   But for now, I will stick with crayons and pastels.

I know there is room for improvement.  But expressing my faith through Arts is something that I love.

I am currently in a bible study of Psalm 23 with a group of women at the church we attend.   Throughout the weeks, we will also create three crafts.    I am enjoying the Thursdays mornings very much.  

How to you express your faith?