Special Time

Quite some time ago Mark and I started something special with our girls,

hence the name "Special time."

We wanted to make sure that each girl was not overlooked or ever left out.

At first I thought they would not be interested in it, but it seems to have picked up in popularity.

So it goes like this.

We have a six week schedule.

 The first week I have special time with Jillianne, a few hours on a week night,

then the second week it's with Ireland, followed by Kerrington.

Then we switch and it's daddy's special time with each of the girls.

        Now, we are not rigid in this schedule, we genuinely try to protect this time,                                       

  but sometimes it takes us 8-9 weeks to go through our rotation,

because life happens.

We let them have a choice as to what they would like to do with us.

We give them sort of an outline for the six weeks, so each special time will be similar, again making it "fair."

This year we have already done "it has to cost nothing,"

which the girls were very good at coming up with ideas.

A movie at home with dad, pool at the fire hall, games with mom or snuggling in bed while watching the Precious girls club.

They actually impressed us with their creativity.

This time around it was a dinner or something fun to do while going out, completely their choice.

Jillianne jumped at the chance to go with daddy to see the Lorax.

"I want to go to you know the place with the big screen and they sell popcorn there."

Ireland has requested a hockey game.

I think Kerrington is leaning toward a dinner out with dad.

We never use this time to grill the girls or talk discipline or about school.

It is just a time for focusing on getting to know them more and laughing, lots of laughing

making a special connection with them.

We try to end each time by thanking them for spending time with us,

because we really do cherish the time we have with them.

I am amazed at how often I hear Jillianne asking when her next special time is.

Her excitement is contagious, I love that she loves this time.

The other two may not be as verbal with their excitement toward special time,

 but I know they enjoy it very much.

We are so honored that God has given us the awesome privilege of raising part of the next generation, we take this wonderful responsibility very seriously, so we want to make sure we pour into these sweet girls

everything we have.

"Special time" is a small, but very important part of that.

Until next time,

Joceline

February 14th

Happy Valentine's Day.

We have been celebrating since last Friday when the girls each had a few

friends over to celebrate friendship.

It was a great time.

The girls and I made these sweet sugar cookies to share for dessert.

They turned out so pretty, probably because they are decorated in pink!

I am quite predictable when it comes to holidays, the stores must know it, because

shortly after Christmas is over I get the urge to buy anything pink or red.

Now that Valentine's is over I am looking into those soft spring colours,

baby yellow, spring green, robin's egg blue.

It's a sickness!

My Sweetie bought me this lovely card with one of my favorite scripture verses.

I have been wanting to incorporate this verse into our bedroom decor.

He's been listening;)

My mom stopped by before supper to drop us off a special valentine's

message and dessert.

The girls have also gotten feathers in their hair.

Kerrington's is double drop feather, Ireland has a single blue one and Jillianne's is a black and white polka dotted one.

This is one of those trends that we didn't mind saying yes to, that way when a weird one comes out,

 I'll have no problem saying No!

Some yes, some no.

That is small philosophy of mine ;)

Until next time,   Joceline



Magnified Fun

There are really no words needed for this post.

Aren't they lovely?

Love these girls, they make me laugh so much.

Until next time,

one proud mama!



Remembering

So in the busy month of December a very special girl

in our family turned 14.

Where has the time gone.

Mark and I sometimes laugh at this, we are parents to a teenager, well actually for over a year now.

I am going to pause and let that sink in.

Nope still can't believe it!

Well in any case believing it or not, it is a reality and we are loving it.

Kerrington is a sweetheart.

We have been blessed by God with her.

Remembering back to two days after she was born,

I was released from the hospital and she was not,

Mark and I were driving home and we were so overwhelmed

by how much we loved our little girl.

It just came on so naturally.

She had turned us into parents.

At 20 and 22 years old we in some ways were babies ourselves, but we rose to the awesome responsibility

of taking care of another human being and we haven't looked back since.

We have so loved being her parents.

Kerrington is a beautiful girl with a tender heart.

She is always looking for ways to help or bless anyone she comes in contact with.

She is very loyal and very dependable.

She loves to make lists.

She is very crafty, the stuff she creates is so wonderful.

She is quite organized.

She is fourteen, but she is still my little girl.

Even though her face looks fourteen, there are some days when she makes a certain expression and I am transported back to when she is only two and a half.

It all goes by so fast.

So Happy 14th Birthday, Honey.

Thanks for being patient with us as we grow right along with you.

We love you more than you'll ever know.

Until next time,   mom

Back to Life

I have been so wonderfully busy making the sweetest memories with my family

 and was actually excited for December because I'd have so many things to post.

As you can tell I never did.

For the sake of our own memories, this will be small

 re-cap post for the girls.

If I posted any more pictures I'd have to do a Christmas one through ten!

December 2011

I am usually part of a cookie exchange but this year

I wanted to do all my baking with the girls and I let them choose.

That was a lot of fun.

We made sugar cookies, ginger bread cookies, snowman cake balls...

all the girls favorites.

The ginger bread house was Mark's and the girl's creation.

We almost didn't do one this year, but I stumbled upon a pre-built one for $6.99.

It turned out so cute.

We added the Christmas tree sugar cones, they were left over from the

fire hall kid's Christmas party we organized.

That too turned out great!

Mark and I celebrated sixteen years on the sixteenth!

I really doesn't feel like we have been married for that many years already,

I love him more today than the day I married him.

He is my best friend.

I can't get enough of him!

I'll post more on that another day.

We made our annual homemade donuts with mema.

She is pretty sure this was her grandfather's family recipe.

Christmas eve is spent opening presents at my mom and dad's house but not until Grandpa has

read the Christmas story.

He has been doing this for quite a few years.

I love it.

This year it was from a book I picked up a the dollar store, and it is the best children's version of the Christmas story I've ever heard.

We enjoyed the fire place up at Mark's mom and dad's house while the power was out,

because of all of this.

We didn't have a white Christmas this year, but a white December 28th, we'll take it!

Every year I say to myself this was the best Christmas ever.

This year it really was!

 ( til next Christmas ;)

Until next time,  Joceline