Christmas

Experiencing Christmas

/ admin

Welcome to my blog. If you are new, I’d love to hear how you found my blog. Did you stumble upon it, or was it an intentional visit? I’d love to know whose reading or if I’m just mumbling out into space these days. I know we are in February and Valentine’s was just yesterday but you see, January was a write off for me as I had a bad ski accident at the end of December. Recently, I shared the experience with my writing group and thought, gee, maybe my blog friends and family would like to hear the story too. So without further ado, here is the story I wrote about our Christmas 2023 experience. At the end of this blog post, I will include the video I just made sharing snippets from our memorable ski holiday.

Grab a cup of coffee, tea or hot cocoa and I’ll tell you all about my recent holiday experience.

After taking down our 2022 Christmas tree, (yes, this all started over a year ago) and our older kids returned to their respective homes, I started contemplating how I wanted our next Christmas to look. After thirty years of buying all the gifts, wrapping them, decorating the house, baking dozens of cookies, and cooking the turkey with all the trimmings, I was tired. I wanted something different. Also, I wanted our family to be mindful of our environment and do better. I didn’t want Christmas to come in an Amazon box any longer.  It was time for a change.

But as things happen, life took hold and Spring came and then summer. By the time the kids were heading back to school in the fall of 2023, I started seriously thinking about my intention for a different upcoming holiday. David and I had always dreamed of having a vacation home up at our nearby ski hill, Silver Star. But, with raising eight kids, it seemed like  just a dream. We were able to afford to teach them to ski, and even took them on several ski holidays over the years, but we’d never gone away for Christmas.. I started running the budget numbers in my head and one day I went into David’s office and presented my idea. What if we rented a home up at Silver Star and took the kids skiing instead of buying   gifts. I could tell he loved the idea when his eyes lit up and he leaned back in his office chair with a big smile on his face. After that, planning our Christmas ski holiday fell into place easily. .  

 Fast forward, here I am, gloriously flying on my silver Blizzard skis with the optic snowflakes etched on top. Snow capped evergreens blur in my peripheral vision, as I zip along the Aberdeen ski way. I’m heading to our last run of the day in the Silver Woods area. Around another corner and across a slight slope, I spy my husband David waiting at the top of the run. When I’m only a few feet away from him,  I turn quickly, allowing my ski edge to dig deeply into the snow, which sends a mini blast of white powder into the side of his black outfit.. Momentarily, he looks like a snow wizard, who smiles approvingly at me as if to say,  “you got me.” We both laugh.

I scan the run below us. Cloud Nine, is an intermediate blue run, with a few moguls thrown in here and there. Considering it’s Christmas time, this part of the mountain has been relatively quiet, with only a few skiers sharing the runs with us. We’ve been able to ski onto the lift without any wait all day. .A little way down and to the side of the run, I see our daughter Grace and son Harrison chatting, with snowy green sentinels, eavesdropping behind them. I click the picture, and tuck it into my mind’s album. On this last day of our ski holiday everyone has gone off on their own. Our oldest son Clark is skiing with his fiance Jessica, Our fourteen year old son Will is with his snowboarding friend Miller and our twelve year old twin daughters, Victoria and Kathryn, are skiing the back side with their best friend, Molly. 

Everyone’s agreed it’s been the BEST holiday ever. We’ve been hitting the slopes every day. When we aren’t skiing, we’ve been soaking in the hot tub, or gathering around the large kitchen table, chatting and snacking, on an array of crackers, meats, cheeses, and endless plates of brightly decorated Christmas cookies. The younger kids have been dancing to the 2024 Nintendo, “Just Dance” video game, they got for Christmas. and if they aren’t dancing, Victoria’s been in front of the T.V. belting out tunes, on her new karaoke microphone and challenging everyone to join her.  If I hear the song “Last Christmas,” by Wham, one more time, I may scream, but in a good way. While the younger kids have gone off in the evening to TubeTown, Clark and Jess have been huddled over the 1000 piece puzzle they found in our Air B and B, game pile. They work well together, he picking out and placing the coloured pieces in various piles and her putting the puzzle together. We’re all excited about their wedding next summer. 

 

Back on the mountain and present time, I start to move my skis. I yell back at David, I’ll take the lead,” I push off and pass Harrison and Grace. I point one of my poles downhill, motioning for them to follow. It’s late in the day. It must be around 3 pm. Everything is starting to be peacefully muffled but the wind is picking up and it’s growing colder on this east facing side of the mountain. I’m thankful for my new goggles, which shut out a lot of the wind but don’t improve the worsening white out conditions. A crust is starting to form on the top of the snow and I’m needing to dig my edge into the hillside more aggressively, in order to turn well but inside I’m singing, “Best Run Ever, Best Run Ever,” while planting my poles and turning to that beat. Looking up I wonder if we’ll finally get some snow tonight since the heavy clouds are closing down above me and that’s when I spot the black crow again. We’d seen him flying while riding up on our last chair lift.  Gracie had said something about him being a harbinger of something. What did she say? A harbinger of what?

Out of nowhere four hot shot skiers fly by me, their knees bump up easily to their chest while they dip in and out of the grooves in the moguls. I think to myself,” keep up, keep up, Lee. You’ve been skiing for years, before they were even born.” I watch them fly straight down the last of the run and soar on to the ski way below me. With that “Best Run Ever,” song playing through my mind, I follow them. Only the flat white, prevents me from seeing the trough at the bottom of the run, which I hit way too fast. It propels me up into the air with such force that I have no time to think, except, in the seconds before I crash onto the icy ski way, I see the image of that black crow again. Then I hit the ground.

I land on my back, a bit to my left side and hear a crack before almost losing consciousness, but I hold on  because out of the darkness, I sense a person has skied close to me. “Are you okay,” a man’s voice floats down to me, from far away. Somewhere deep inside, I know I need to try to move and so, even though my legs are bent awkwardly back, I lift them slightly. Pain rips through my back but I know I’m not paralyzed.  Thank God. “I think I’m okay,” I answer from my throat, not wanting to take a breath. When he sees me start to move I think he must have thought I was okay and he slowly skies off.  I relax, not having to stay strong in front of a stranger. Where is David? I start to assess my condition. I slowly move again and knife-like pain floods my back. Don’t move, don’t move I think. Then I take a breath and then sharp, stabbing pain fills my chest, making me want to vomit. Shallow breath, shallow breath, Lee. Where is David? Finally, what feels like eons, David, Grace and Harrison arrive T on scene and I know,  somehow I’ll get off this mountain.

Later that night, in our cozy Air B and B bedroom, with Advil and Tylenol pumping through my body, I’m thinking about my stupid accident and the black crow again. He was, a harbinger of something. He was trying to tell me to be careful. To listen from within and not allow my ego to get in the way. It’s been a wonderful Christmas. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any of it.  Even the pain. Isn’t it when we experience pain, we learn the most? So in a few days, when we ring in the New Year and in the upcoming months to follow, I think I will still be singing my Best Run Ever song, but I’ll be watching for crows.  

The End

I want to thank you for coming to my blog today and reading about my recent experience. Looking back it was such a magical holiday in so many ways. The picture above was captured as we were leaving our ski rental. Even though I was heavily drugged with Tylenol and Advil, I wanted to remember even this moment for isn’t it when we have the perspective of the highs and lows, when we see life clearly? It puts everything into a chiseled focus for me. Family and Friends are everything. Taking care of the earth is everything. When we spent most of our holiday outside skiing (during a holiday when our ski hills snow pack was at historically low levels) I realized how much the earth nurtures my soul. I need it. I think we all need it. As 2024 unfolds for you, I pray for peace in the world but also hope you find what you need on your path.

And before my final goodbye, here is the link to the YouTube video I did sharing our Christmas 2023 moments. Enjoy!

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

And keep your eyes out for crows!

Blessings from Hope

Shortbread Cookies ~Magic in the Air

/ Lee Reynolds

Our valley has once again been covered in a sparkling, blanket of white. Driving my kids to school this morning, I uttered the words I have said several times in the last two days. “Isn’t it breathtaking?”

It’s so stunningly, beautiful, it makes me cry.

As I write this post, it’s snowing again lightly. You can’t even see the lake below our house. Magical!

Although winter has it’s draw backs in many cases; the biting cold and it took us longer to get going yesterday morning, as both David and I had to clear the drive way, but what it brings to my life is well worth it.

We are forced to slow down a bit more, take our time as we move out into the world. In that pace, a beacon of light shines into my soul and insights often occur. They are light houses, guiding me safely on my journey. Inspiring me to keep going.

As the snow lightly fell as I was shoveling yesterday, I was thinking how each of us is like a precious snowflake; unique and stunningly beautiful. We have the ability to change the world by the choices we make every day. And yet, many of us squander that time. We rush around with our to do lists running through our heads like a chiming mantra.

Do we feel joy?

Do we feel peace?

Do we feel hope?

and most important of all…..

Do we feel love?

I can tell you the answer to that, at least from my perspective, and that is a resounding, “NO!”

While this is a magical time of year in so many ways, many of us are driven by the lists running in our heads. We are stressed and burnt out. We get sick easier, as we are not sleeping long enough to get a good rest. We are generally feeling unwell. It’s like a vicious circle that keeps us down.

One of my sons, dealing with University exams and deadlines, was recently finding the stress debilitating. When he would call me in a panic, I would simply remind him to fill his lungs deeply and slow down to get grounded.

Stop and

BREATHE!

Are exams life and death?

Let’s put things in perspective here.

We have a choice how we want to feel.

We have a choice how we impact the world around us too.

The other day when I was walking around the grocery store, list in hand, trying to get out as fast as I could so I could pick up the kids from school, I saw a neighbour in the produce department. I think she saw me too out of the corner of her eye and she quickly moved on…. probably with a similar list in hand. Just as well, I thought as I moved into the bread section, as I can get out of here more quickly.

Then we literally ran into each other in the dairy section. We had to STOP and talk to each other. I’m so glad too as that short little, sweet interlude, catching up on each other’s lives; each other’s Christmas holiday happenings,propelled me forward, reminding me why we are on this planet together.

We are here to support each other and make life more pleasant. I left the store with a smile on my face and I hope she felt some warmth too.

We can make a difference in each other’s lives by caring about each other, by smiling and giving a hug, by wishing each other all the best in life, not just at this holiday time, but ALL year through.

My kids get this. They don’t move through their days with lists in their heads or their hands. Nope…but if there was a list running through their little brains, its would be for them to experience

fun,

fun

and

more FUN!

And they are naturally kind too. They don’t need to slow down because they are already at a perfect, in sync pace with the world. They live in the moment. They breathe deeply. They laugh from the belly, and they hug without restraint.

Huh!

I can take a few lessons from them….oh and dogs and cats are good at teaching life lessons too.

So I hope that you are able to take a moment this holiday season.

STOP!

be still,

listen to the silence

and

BREATHE!

Chat with a neighbour, hug a child, sit with a pet.

Listen to the bells of silence,

They are ringing with magic.

Let it resonate deep into your soul.

Let the beauty of the season make you weep.

Rejoice.

This life is so precious.

You are so precious!

And speaking of magic…..I want to share my whipped shortbread with you. Yes, they are magic in a little cookie. I got this recipe from an dear, dear, co-worker, Elaine, years ago. She gave it to me when I was in my twenties and I’ve been making it every year since.

Now it is part of our Christmas tradition. Each time I make it, I think of Elaine and smile.

If you don’t have a great shortbread recipe, let this be part of your tradition too. Plus……it’s so easy!

Last night, I stayed up late making these cookies and watching, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “Yawn!”, but it was worth it. This movie is also a yearly tradition. It reminds me how deeply each of us touch each other. Instead of giving gift cards to our children’s teachers this year, we decided to give them a piece of our Christmas tradition….a tin of these cookies and some tea and a little snowflake ornament, reminding them how unique they are.

I hope you try making these cookies and years to come, and as you make them, you will think of Hope and smile.

Hope’s Whipped Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

1 lb of unsalted butter
3 cups of flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Opt: package of Toblerone chocolate
Christmas sprinkles or glazed cherries

Directions

Cream butter, add remaining ingredients and beat until fluffy. Roll into balls, press down with a fork.
Decorate with little chunks of Toblerone chocolate and Christmas sprinkles. You can also grate the Toblerone and add it to the cookie dough. A classic for this cookie, is decorating them with red and green glazed cherries.

Bake on an ungreased pan at 325 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes

This morning I was getting the tins ready…glade I stayed up late and did my baking!

I

Magic is in the air.

Can you feel it?

Merry Christmas my dear blogging family.

You are a precious snowflake.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

Almond Cookies ~A Simple Christmas~

/ Lee Reynolds

My favourite month has arrived!
                                     Welcome December!

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

Oh the joy of season with the twinkling lights and carols playing, fills me with happy anticipation. I’ve always had a quiet faith in the magic of this season and this year is no different. But with only three weeks until Christmas, I’m also feeling a bit stressed.

 


My husband, David and I have decided that this year, the holiday season will be different. Even though we have eight children, we are on a minimalist path. Oh, I know, it’s a bit of an oxymoron, to have a large family and be minimalists but it wasn’t always that way.

In the beginning, our four older children were raised in a very consumer driven household and they have been used to having most of their wishes and dreams wrapped up in fancy paper and put under a glittering tree. Over the years though, as our younger children arrived, we have become more concerned about the state of our planet. Even though, yes, we are guilty of over populating the world, we now hope to set an example and teach our children to be conscious consumers; walking the earth as gently as possible.

Still, their Christmas wish lists are spread out before me and I struggle to know what would be the best gifts to give them this holiday. Some of the lists were emailed from University, with detailed pictures of tangible items desired. Although there’s a post script at the bottom, relaying extreme appreciation for their parent paid, post- secondary education. Then at the other end of our family spectrum, we have pencil written lists that begin with, “Dear Santa, I hope you are well.” Do I want to burst these innocent bubbles of magical expectation?

 Victoria holding up a Christmas card that says BELIEVE….you can see the window seat behind her and our view of the lake and mountains

“Oh,” what will we give them this year?” I ponder, as I fill my  red tea pot with boiling water to steep some Earl Grey tea. I look around my cozy kitchen with the old school charm.  David renovated it himself a few years ago and I love it. He took off all the cabinet fronts and stained them a calla lily white and then brushed on a tea stain, so they look old and worn. Perfect to weather our large family!

My favourite part of the kitchen is the window seat, which frames the lake view below our house. I take my big tea cup and curl up on the red checked cushion and look out the window. Kalamalka Lake is a slate blue grey this morning and the hills surrounding it are covered in white, as if Mother Nature took icing sugar and sprinkled it liberally while we slept.

Looking out at the new snow, takes me drifting back to a Christmas over 50 years ago.
It was1963 and one of the last Christmas’s my Dad was alive. A year and a half later he was killed in a truck accident. That holiday, in our sleepy, little town of Hope, B.C. which was guarded by tall, forested mountains, we received a huge dump of snow. What a magical appearance it was to wake up and find a sparkling world of peaceful white, beyond my frosted bedroom window. 
I don’t know what day of the week it was. I had just turned four years old. My days and years blended into one another, like mom’s endless laundry blowing stiffly in the winter wind on our backyard clothesline. Dad probably had worked that day. I’m sure he was tired after a full day driving truck for the Esso oil company but after dinner on the night of that big snowfall, with a glimmer in his grayish green eyes, he suggested we go and play in the snow. My sister J,  eight years old at the time, whooped with joy and was the first out the door, having perfected the art of winter dressing. My older sister’s C and B who were both teenagers, stole furtive glances at each other, to see who would proclaim they were too grown up for such childish play. Surprisingly, they started layering on sweaters, coats and hats while jabbing each other playfully. Perhaps they sensed this moment would ring in our memories for years to come. 
My mom bundled me into my red, one piece snow suit, asking again, if I wanted to use the bathroom.  I shook my head, impatient to get outside and she sighed. She put on my wool hat and tied the bow then wrapped a red plaid scarf tightly around my neck. I could barely breathe. The final touch was stuffing my hands into the mittens that were tied to the ends of my sleeves. I waddled outside like a penguin, barely able to walk. 
My Dad was artfully throwing snow balls at my sisters, who were laughingly, dodging them, as they busily worked together making a snow man. By the time I came outside, the bottom half of him was already built and his lower half was not just one big ball, but a large bottom with a wide lap to sit upon.
The air was biting cold. The sky was ink black and looking up, it felt like we were covered by a heavy quilt of quiet stillness that went on forever. The snow was wet and perfect for packing. Our snowman grew quickly into a giant. I looked at our little white clapboard house to see mom moving around, through the glowing kitchen window. Occasionally, she would peek out and I would wave my snow covered mitten and she would wave back. My Dad and sister’s voices were muffled and seem to come from far away and yet my vision was crystal clear. Everything was sharp and in focus.
Me with our magical giant snowman
Mom brought out shriveled apples for our snow man’s eyes and walnuts for his mouth. Completing his look she reached up high to stick a black top hat on his head. We stood around our snowy creation and mom, wearing only her indoor clothes and an apron said, “brrrrr,” as she snapped a picture of us. In the picture, I was nestled between our snowman’s knees, surrounded by my sisters and my Dad. Although the picture was in black and white, the colours are vivid in my memory. 
Dad had never smiled so brightly.
Me with my three older sisters and my Dad in Hope, B.C. over 50 years ago

 

We piled into the house, with mom clucking over the fact that her grey, linoleum kitchen floor had more snow on it than our yard. With red cheeks and good cheer, we sipped the hot cocoa and nibbled the cinnamon, sugared toast, waiting for us on the kitchen table. Out of the radio, strains of Bing Crosby crooning, “White Christmas,” flowed into our warm kitchen, with the white cabinets and red checked curtains. Oh, nothing had ever tasted better or sounded so perfect, than sitting in our little home in Hope that night, surrounded by my family. 

My dad left a legacy. Even though we didn’t have much in terms of material possessions,it was the magical moments of simple living that allowed the notes of our days, to create the music of our life. These moments played a rhythm that rooted us deeply as a family. Now that I’m a parent, it’s my turn to make these musical moments for our children.

Thank you mom and dad for bringing simple, magical moments into my life
I am consciously aware that we only have so much time with our children and then we are gone. Whatever imprint we want to leave on them, whatever wisdom we want to share, the moments are ticking by. 

Coming back to this time, I sip the last of my tea and look at my children’s Christmas wish lists laid out on the kitchen table. With a smile I wash my tea cup and start to hum, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.”

                           I know exactly what I want to give this year.

I hope you enjoyed that little piece I recently wrote for my writing group. I regret not finding more time to write on my blog this fall. But there are times in life when I just need to live the experiences ….do you know what I mean? I think it was Rainer Maria Rilke who said, 

“be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”

So that has been what I have been doing…living everything and not stopping to ask anything.

But oh! I love this season and want to share that joy with you. I hope with only three weeks until Christmas you take some time to truly enjoy the magic of the season. Let it seep into your soul and let the simple moments of life bring you the greatest happiness.

Speaking of simple moments; I have to share my recipe for snow topped almond cookies. With vanilla extract being so expensive, I have been baking with more almond extract. I forgot how much I love it. I hope you enjoy it too. When you frost these cookies with a white glaze, you can sprinkle them with red and green sparkles….or with toasted almonds to make them even more festive.

Come into my old school kitchen and let us whip up a batch to share with our family and friends.

This snowman was given to me by my mom, who loved Christmas and Christmas music…he plays the piano and sings

Snow topped Almond Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup margarine (I find the texture better when I use 1/2 margarine and 1/2 butter)
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

 

Glaze:

1/2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tbsp water

Instructions 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium size bowl, cream butter/margarine and sugar. Add almond extract and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine well. Now scoop up teaspoon size cookie dough and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Place in hot oven and cook for 8 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet. Glaze with icing sugar mixture and top with toasted almond slices and if making at Christmas time, add some sprinkles of your choice to make them look even more festive.

I made these for my writing group and took them in on our last day together…hope to see you all next year!

Now make a cup of tea and sit in your favourite place and munch on a few cookies. Don’t you think it’s the simple things that make us happiest in life? As you listen to the youtube video below, “Bing Crosby, singing; White Christmas,” think about how you can create some magic this holiday season. Sledding or skating with the family?….or cuddled together watching a Christmas movie? Whatever it is, I hope peace, joy and love settles into your heart and stays for the whole year through.

 

From my family to yours……may the light and love of Christmas find you this season!
In the front row are from Left to right, Victoria, William and Kathryn/ in the middle are Alyssa, me and Grace and in the back are David, Harrison, Mitchell and Clark…and our cat Ryuuki

This blog post is dedicated to my Mom and Dad……and to our daughter Grace Elizabeth, who was born 15 years ago today. What a Christmas blessing you are!

 
Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.
Blessings from Hope
                                                                                                                                            

Merry Christmas! Dreams Come True

/ Lee Reynolds / 1 Comment

 

I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it al the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!”                                                      
                                         ~Charles Dickens~  A Christmas Carol

In the early hours of Christmas morning I wanted to take a moment and wish you a very Merry Christmas. I’m sorry that I haven’t written more posts this month as I had inspiration after inspiration flowing in and out of my life. I wanted to share them with you but December had a life of it’s own and I let it just unfold as it wanted. 



If you have read any of my blog posts though you probably understand a bit of my journey and some of my life philosophy as well but boy, this month the lesson of simplicity was reinforced….BIG TIME! It truly is the simple things in life that fill me up and restore me.

Paper snowflakes and paper chains decorate our Christmas tree from the mountains

Like going with my husband and our oldest two children and cutting down our Christmas trees in the mountains, or staying up late to make my youngest girls Christmas angel dolls even though the sewing machine and I aren’t the best of friends. Being creative and making things from the heart is so enjoyable.

I made these little felt stockings to put the Teacher’s gift cards inside
Going to the little girls group piano Christmas party…our plate of baking and tins of cookies to give teachers….shortbread, sugar cookies, peppermint fudge and little kids fav, Rice Crispie squares

 Another special moment was spent teaching the little ones to make snow flakes and paper chains for our family room Christmas tree and oh, another moment I savored, was taking time to read a Christmas novel….nothing of any literary quality but the sweet message touched me deeply and reminded me of the spirit of the season.

The moments at the mall were tedious and so I hope I remember next year to do less commercial shopping and more time just experiencing life with my friends and family. One night, David and I did go to the mall together and both were hit by the different energy we felt when we went from the bright lights and noise of the main mall and copy cat stores and then drifted into a tiny shop called, “The Lucky Bamboo,” where they have a lot of imported goods from around the world.

David and I at our family photo shoot….easiest photo session EVER…David zipped home for lunch and we were all ready to go

 The lights were dimmed, meditative music was playing and calming scents were in the air. We were greeted happily upon entering the shop but with a laid back peace. Instead of feeling pressured to spend and bombarded with sale signs, we were asked how we were and what brought us in to the shop. Ahhhh….I could have spent a lot more time shopping in that store and the items we did purchase felt more authentic.

Mitchell home for the holidays catches up with Will and what he’s learning on the cello
Harrison practices Christmas music for our family concert

Another thing that made me really happy was choosing to give our children some second hand gifts. I I found a book for one of our older sons by Robert Thurman called, “Infinite Life; Awakening to Bliss Within.” Absolutely perfect since we have been having some deep discussions about life’s meaning, and religious beliefs, especially lately. Our older two daughters chose to be Christmas Elves this year and pass on beloved toys to their little sisters; a Victorian doll house and American girl dolls, Molly and Kit.

Our amazing Grace….she was my Christmas baby 14 years ago
Our oldest Alyssa is a talented photographer and gladly agreed to do a family photo shoot….with older children you never know if this is the last year you will all be together for the holidays

The little girls saw these dolls in a magazine and have been talking about them all month and Victoria in particular was thrilled when she saw Molly with glasses just like her and has asked me again and again if I thought she would get Molly for Christmas. I’ve told both of them the story of when I was a little girl and how I had two baby dolls named, “Suzie and Cindy,” …in my heart of hearts I had dreamed of having twin daughters but never, NEVER in my wildest dreams thought that wish would come true and yet, here my sweet little girls are and so I have reminded them to hold fast to their dreams and believe with their whole heart.

                                  DREAMS COME TRUE

Victoria holding a Christmas teddy

Then the children also drew names and have been busy this last week making homemade gifts; peppermint bath salts, peppermint bark, for the girls and tie dyed shirts and fudge for the boys. Alyssa made a POP UP board game called, The “Incredible Journey Finding Christmas” based on the movie our younger children love, “Homeward Bound,” with the two dogs and a Siamese cat who are lost in the woods….similar story line but they are looking for their family AND a Christmas Tree. Then our oldest son Clark, who is an wonderful writer and we often tease him about winning the literary award in high school and yet he took the Science path….well, anyway he wrote a story called, “The Christmas Angel,” to accompany the little angels I made for the twins. It’s about a Christmas angel who is looking for a little girl to watch over at Christmas time. It’s lovely and sweet and I know the girls will want to read the story over and over. (made me cry!) 

Harrison, Mitchell and Clark waiting for our in house photographer to take photos
My sons taking a serious picture after I said they looked like an Old Navy or Gap line up

So the simple things are the best and often I make things so hard….ha….I had 8 kids didn’t I? But oh, I think it’s possible to walk life and always, always be asking, “is this the path of least resistance?” Because when you take THAT path, you truly are happier and life unfolds with ease and grace. 

There is also magic in that place……..

Victoria, Will and Kate….stop for a quick picture before heading out in the cold for our family photo shoot

While all our children were my best gifts ever…these three were Dreams Come True and completed our family

Will who this Christmas has reminded me of the real spirit of Christmas…it’s about love

 

So tomorrow, I’m going to remember my words and just try to relax a bit and enjoy the precious moments of watching my children unwrap their Christmas memories. I hope some day they know I’m leaving them the keys to a happy life. It’s not about stuff, or food, or even keeping traditions alive, it’s about letting go and moving with the flow of life. I think they have already learned by watching me do it the hard way. Be mindful of the experience and hold the joy of life in your hands. 

Merry Christmas from me to you….love Hope


So I will close for now but I wanted to send out a Christmas wish to you….may your holiday be filled with peace, joy and most of all love. 

Love is really what it’s all about…not just at Christmas but all year round.

Merry Christmas dear friends and family.

Back row left to right, David, Harrison, Mitchell, Clark, (middle) Alyssa, Hope, aka Lee, Grace (Front) Victoria, William, and Kathryn….and our cat Ryuuki who just happened to be strolling by and Mitchell scooped him for the picture…he’s our show kitty


Until we connect again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope

 

Homemade Eggnog and Miracles

/ Lee Reynolds

 

“Allow Miracles to Happen”

Happy New Year dearest friends and family. Today is a new day. Today is the beginning of a new year of endless possibilities. It’s thrilling to contemplate, especially if one is of the mindset of feeling limitless. What is that quote by Goethe? “Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” That is the place I choose to reside and the perspective I choose to take in life.

If you are interested in the Homemade Eggnog portion of my blog, scroll down to the bottom, but if you are interested in reading about receiving miracles in life, read on. Of course, I believe each moment we are on earth is a miracle but we are living a human experience and that often gets in the way of viewing our life as a sacred journey. We get caught up in the world and listen far too much to our ego. Dr. Wayne Dyer used to say our ego is our “earth guide only,” or our way to “edge God out.” Day to day, it’s easy to get sucked into what we think is reality and we forget the expansiveness the Universe provides. We just need to tap in.

Even though I live in a state of gratitude and have observed miracles happening all the time in my life, I still was amazed when another one happened on Christmas Eve. We have been having problems with our stove since our Canadian Thanksgiving in October. This is a big deal for our family, since we rely solely on homemade meals. It is a rarity that we bring in a pizza or go out to eat. So when an error code kept coming up and my oven was shutting down, or over heating whenever I would cook, it was a big concern. David googled the problem and thought he had solved the sensor detection issue and for at least the last 2 months, my oven has been working pretty well. Then I started to do my last minute Christmas baking. 

On the night before Christmas eve, with a fridge full of sugar cookie and gingerbread dough, and right in the middle of baking a batch, my oven started to emit that loud annoying beep, and on the stove top panel, a familiar error code was flashing in red again. I wasn’t so concerned about my cookies, as we could live without them. What was a bigger issue, was early the next morning I would have to decide whether to take the turkey out of the freezer to thaw for our Christmas day dinner. I didn’t want to be in the middle of cooking the bird and have my oven shut down, or worse over heat. 

Throughout the evening of the 23rd, Grace and I put batch after batch of cookies in the oven. Some came out under cooked and then as I continued to bake, the remainder came out well done. At the end, as I opened the oven, a flood of smoke filled the kitchen, setting off our piercing smoke alarm. Then the oven didn’t cool down, even though I had turned it off. Our sweet daughter Grace, who is 13, told me later that she thought our house was going to burn down. She also told me that she was sending forth prayers for all to be well.

Our sweet daughter Grace, who is learning a lot about faith this year

                                                                    Image result for praying hands

David, who had been doing our last bit of grocery shopping, came home to the chaos and said the sensor panel would probably need to be replaced. Who in the world had that part and would be able to install it on Christmas eve? We went to bed with heavy hearts the night before Christmas eve. We had worked so hard getting ready for Christmas. David had gone out of town the month before on two separate occasions, which meant long days and no breaks, as both times he worked 10 day stints. The extra money was making Christmas possible for our family but there wasn’t any extra.

We were almost there. In the last month, I had bought a few gifts and done some baking that would be sent with my sister J, who was going to the U.K. for Christmas and had generously agreed to take them to our oldest daughter in London. We had celebrated 3 of our children’s December birthdays with thoughtful gifts and special dinners for each. The kids had participated in donations to the local food bank after raiding my lazy susan, and had also happily put together shoe boxes for children less fortunate in other countries. We had dropped money into our local Salvation Army kettle at our grocery store for local families. Finally, the children had participated in all the year end Christmas concerts, recitals and parties, of which there were many and of course, something was always brought as a contribution, usually my baking, and a small gift for each teacher.

A few nights before the stove incident, David and I had spent the whole evening wrapping and labeling the gifts we had squirreled away for our children. I had spent a lot of time looking at their wish lists, reading the flyers in the local paper and doing on line comparison shopping. David and I had battled the shopping crowds on several occasions to select  the perfect gift with equal fairness in mind for each child. Then there was the grocery shopping which seemed endless. I was done. But happily done. The only thing left to do was a bit more baking for our family and attend our church’s candlelight service on Christmas eve. But what to do about our oven.

With my venture towards minimalism, a desire to live a more sustainable life, and move in the direction of eating mostly vegetarian meals, I thought it was interesting that a broken stove was in front of me. I felt blessed to have a working microwave, and although I personally try not to use it to heat food, much preferring the slower stove top method, it WAS in our kitchen. Also, if we filled our propane tank, we had a working barbecue, although David didn’t think it would be an effective way to cook a turkey with our plummeting outside temperatures. Still, we had options and I wanted to focus on that. Also, maybe this holiday we could eat a plant based diet. All these thoughts and ideas swirled around as I went to sleep that night but my final thoughts were, I put it in your hands God. 

Now, some of you may have wondered why we didn’t just go and buy a new stove, but with two children in University and others to care for, this isn’t an easy option for us. Also, we haven’t used our one credit card in years…I don’t even have one in my wallet any longer. We save it for life emergencies only and a broken oven doesn’t factor in that category. This is where the miracle comes into play though, because if we had been able to just go to the store and throw down our plastic or even had the cash, God/the Universe/, whatever feels comfortable to your ears, wouldn’t have been able to show his hand.

The next morning, David got up early as he had a number of projects to complete at the office. I awoke to our younger ones, excited for Christmas voices. We had breakfast and then we got dressed. After that I decided to call David to see if he had come up with a solution. He told me to leave it with him a bit longer. A short time later, he called back and asked me to take the turkey out of the freezer and also if I could meet him at Parnell’s Appliance store, which is a small appliance retail outlet in our little town. I hurriedly asked our older children to get up and get dressed so they could watch the little ones and I flew out of the house with expectation.

When I arrived David was already talking ovens with a salesman. He had a big smile on his face and as he greeted me, I sensed a lightness about his shoulders. We talked about the various benefits each stove featured and finally, I settled on the one that really excited me. It had a convection oven, which meant I could cook on all three racks at the same time and there was also a warming tray. Another bonus, was the moveable griddle that could cook pancakes, etc on the stove top. Our old electric griddle was ready to pack it in. Another bonus, was all the stoves were marked down with boxing day special prices. When Brad, the salesman, went to see if this stove was in stock, I whispered to David, “but how are we going to pay for it?” And that is when he smiled, telling me he had been given a bonus at the office that morning. It would cover the cost of the stove.

We weren’t expecting any bonus since the company had just started a program which would reward  staff members with accumulated safety points and various products could be purchased with the redeemed points. Safety, is a big theme right now in all industries but especially the electrical industry where David works. In past Christmases, the company had thoughtfully given gift cards from Walmart, the Super Store, Boston Pizza, the Movie theatre, etc. but with the new safety bonus program, we thought that would be it for Christmas. What makes me believe in miracles is that this bonus was totally unexpected and it couldn’t have been timed more perfectly. 

                                     Miracle!

What is an even bigger miracle, is Brad came out of the back room to say, they not only had the stove I wanted in stock….but they could deliver it a few hours later. Wow! 

                                     Merry Christmas!

We called home to tell the older boys to clear the drive way as we had had another snow fall throughout the night and flakes were still softly falling off and on. When I got home they had cleared the drive way and the steps going down to our house too.

 

The boys have shoveled a lot of snow this holiday season….Christmas eve was a big dump

I came into the house and everyone was so excited. A new stove would be arriving soon and we would be eating our turkey with huge gratitude.

Saying a sad goodbye to my old oven…all the memories of past Christmases, birthday cakes, soups, pizzas travel with it.

A few hours later, two delivery men wearing Santa hats arrived at our door. Nothing was sweeter than seeing our new stove.

The delivery mat was still in place and I had to capture the moment….joy filled

And while this oven is very much of this earth, it represents a tangible miracle this Christmas.

                         

 
I couldn’t have been given a better gift this Christmas. It came first as a miracle wrapped in a much needed stove but continued after that with my eyes wide open. Later, when our family filled a whole church pew and I looked down to see them all singing,”Silent Night,” with candles glowing in their hands, I was over whelmed with the miracle of the season. When the clocked struck midnight on Christmas eve and I was able to connect, via Skype, with our London based daughter, again the feeling flooded through me. Even though we are so far apart, I could wish her a Happy Christmas, see her beautiful face, listen to her voice. Someone had to dream BIG to be able to make it possible for us to connect in such a way.

As my pumpkin pie cooked on Christmas Eve, David read the book I have had since I was small, “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” to our little ones but our big ones were listening too.

It’s not Christmas without my classic pumpkin pie….I use the recipe on the “Libby’s” Pumpkin pie can…and use the Tenderflake pastry recipe for the crust…the star is my personal touch…of HOPE
David with the book, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”….it was given to me on my 2nd Christmas.
Harrison and our Siamese cat Ryuuki listen to the classic Christmas Eve story…..this after hearing the one about baby Jesus at church an hour before

Then a few hours later, I was up early, preparing the dressing and stuffing the turkey. This year I was in a state of pure gratitude for the turkey and for the oven that would roast him. For everything that fell into place perfectly.

It’s going to be a beautiful Christmas day!

 

Christmas morning….me up early getting the turkey in….I used all my dried baby’s breath on the tree this year…simply beautiful and even though last spring I did a mass declutter in the name of minimalism,  I cut our holiday decorations in half….we really didn’t miss anything….some greenery, some fairy lights, a few memorable tree decorations….oh and a poinsettia…the house was lovely

Then, holding the little ones back no further, they stopped for a picture and rushed to see what Santa had left them in their stockings and under the tree.

After my stove was delivered, everything was just as bonus and it got me thinking about life and how I walk my path. Over the holidays as time allowed, I was able to connect with some of my cyber friends, some whom, are still trying to have their first baby, or to complete their family. One of them said something really impressive to me, considering all she has endured on her path. She said, “One of my mantra’s I hold close is ” my life is none of my business” I try to remember to just show up and let life just take care.”
 
I loved that because I think we get too caught up in what seems like the BIG things in life and we try to control too much. In doing so, we block the flow of miracles into our life. If we just remember to show up, that is all we really need to do…..and if we show up with gratitude, I think that is the key in living a miraculous life.

So we are at the beginning of a new year. A time when dreams are fresh and our heart is strong. If we listen to our heart, and trust it is life’s rudder, we can’t go wrong. I don’t know about you but I have big dreams, and little dreams. My little ones are by becoming more sustainable and also environmentally conscious. I want to use less packaging and rely less on other people to make what I love. One thing I love at Christmas time is eggnog. I have always wanted to learn how and this year my dream came true. I didn’t buy one eggnog latte while out shopping…..instead, I learned to make eggnog from scratch and made my own lattes. 

It was so easy and delicious. I don’t know why I haven’t made it before. I  learned to make eggnog latte’s last year, which accompanied my cranberry bliss bars (inspired from a trip to Starbucks) but this year, I’m happy to say, that I made everything from scratch and while it is more expensive to make the homemade variety…the taste is well worth it. Absolutely no comparison, so if eggnog is your thing….maybe try making a batch.

Chances are you already have everything you need in your home…. all you may need to buy is some “whopped” (our little girl Kathryn calls it that) cream, and some sweetened condensed milk.

So grab a pot, an apron and come join me in the kitchen…….for

                                    Hope’s Homestead Eggnog

“Eggnog may have originated in East Anglia, England; or it may have simply developed from posset, a medieval European beverage made with hot milk; eggs were added to some posset recipes. The “nog” part of its name may stem from the word noggin, a Middle English term for a small, carved wooden mug used to serve alcohol.|”

 

Here’s what you need to make egg nog…behind my cinnamon is the “whopped cream”

 

Non-Alcoholic Eggnog
Ingredients
4 cups of milk
1/2 tsp of cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
 1/2 cup sweetened, condensed milk…I use the light one if I can
8 egg yolks…the fresher the better
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 cups of whipping cream….full strength, the heavy stuff
2  tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of nutmeg…plus more for garnish
 
Opt: 1 can of whipped cream…and a few cinnamon sticks for stirring….kind of old fashioned too

 

Instructions
1. In a large sauce pan heat milk, cloves, cinnamon, and the condensed milk over low heat. Slowly increase heat until mixture is just about to boil….be careful not to boil.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the 8 eggs with the 2 cups of sugar, then using an electric mixer, combine mixture until it’s light and fluff….it will have a lovely soft yellow colour.
3. Slowly add the hot milk mixture, 1 spoonful at a time to the sugar and eggs……(I ladled the last little bit)..once about 1/2 of the hot mixture is introduced and it has tempered, add it all back to the sauce pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. When the mixture thickens it is done.
3. At this point, slowly add the 2 cups of whipping cream, nutmeg and vanilla and heat through. do not bring this to a boil. You are getting close now to tasting a delicious, thick, nog…yummy! I really love being able to choose how much spice to add as well.
4. At this point, you can either use the mixture to make eggnog lattes, or you can find a jar with a sealed lid…..I put my eggnog into several mason jars with screwed lids and cool well before serving.

We made lattes when the eggnog was still hot. Use some canned whipping cream and sprinkle some nutmeg on top for a garnish…serve with a cinnamon stick.

 

This batch of eggnog made enough to make four eggnog lattes and 4 cups of plain nog for the kids

 

I don’t mind if I do

  

When I called, “eggnog is ready,” everyone came for a taste test

 

 

I was so engrossed with making my eggnog and then drinking it that I never noticed my Santa apron was inside out….as David said is doesn’t matter, either way, it says, “the holidays are here.”

 

 

 

 

As 2016 unfolds for you and your family, I hope you allow miracles to happen.

 

 

 

 

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.
Blessings from Hope

 

Cranberry Bliss Bars and Eggnog Lattés~Happy Holidays

/ Lee Reynolds

I had many creative ideas and things I wanted to share with all of you over the holidays but once December came, an avalanche of birthday parties, Christmas affairs, concerts and basketball games over took me. There really wasn’t even time for me to do my usual monumental baking fest. All I was able to squeeze in, were a few evenings of baking some sugar and shortbread cookies to take to the various parties, Christmas fundraisers and holiday events.

One morning I had the little girls do a photo shoot..this is Victoria Hope with Mr. Nutcracker
And Kathryn Mira…she was trying on several dresses as you will see

Also, I spent most of December in a shadow of gloom which causes writer’s block for me.  Even if I had time or energy to write, I didn’t have any spirit to do so.

It all started with the things that had been breaking down in our household (zippers, dryers, furnaces…see previous blog) in the fall and then just as December started to unfold, I broke one of my back molars eating popcorn. I was hoping our dentist could repair my tooth but the first words out of his mouth after looking into mine were, “you are going to need a crown.” Which I knew meant, anything we had squirreled away to give the children an awesome Christmas was going to be residing in my mouth. At least I would be  able to eat turkey dinner.

 

I’m so glad that I saved a few of Grace’s fancy dresses as the little girls had fun dressing up on this photo shoot

As upbeat and hopeful as I am, most of the time, I have my moments of sadness and often the holidays trigger my lack of faith in the greater good. This year, I was recalling the dream I held close to my heart last Christmas. We had just toured a beautiful Christmas tree farm for sale and D had said, as soon as the New Year began, we would work really hard to get our house on the market so we could sell it and purchase “my” dream home/acreage. But, things didn’t work out that way. For one reason or another, by the time we did have our house ready for the market, the Christmas tree farm had finally sold.

I was sad that my life wasn’t where I had imagined it to be this holiday season. I really do believe, that when we put our attention and focus on ANYTHING, that is what will manifest in our life. It’s after all, the Universal law of attraction.  And yet, this Christmas my faith was shaken. How could I feel hopeful about the future when  my dream from this past year had not come true? And now, as I write these words, it is so obvious that what continued to show up for me once I started feeling blue, was more feelings of lack. A lack of faith, trust and belief.

All these feelings, despite the fact that this BELIEVE sign sits above me daily in my kitchen…why I didn’t look up a bit more during the holiday, I don’t know. We should all keep our head up!

One night when D and I were on our way to the mall with a bundle of Christmas Wish letters stuffed in my purse from our children, I broke down. I let my sorrow pour out, telling him that I felt so bad about my tooth and wondered aloud how we were going to make everyone’s dreams come true on our budget. (not to mention my lack of faith) He didn’t have a solution but reminded me that  Christmas wasn’t about commercial gifts. (I should have known that!) Around this time, I spoke with a dear friend one day after we had each dropped our little ones off at preschool. We go back quite a ways and have both experienced the sadness of infertility…and now here we are with our daughters in preschool together. (that should have been miracle enough!….hello!)

I was feeling really bad that we may not be able to contribute to the preschool’s fundraiser and their December donation request for contributions as of yet and further to that, Harrison’s band teacher had just made a rude comment about the small poinsettia order we had placed for the jazz band’s fundraiser. I was feeling really stretched and vulnerable.

It was my dear friend, whose own husband has had a precarious work situation all fall, who inspired me to look at the bigger picture. She said, “at least we aren’t sitting helplessly beside our sick child at the Children’s hospital and we certainly weren’t homeless.” As I left her to go to the mall to find stocking items, I pondered her words. She was so right. We had a warm home, food to eat and I was grateful that all our children were  healthy.

We were blessed this Christmas to be able to send a few shoe boxes filled with gifts via Samaritan’s purse…I wish we could have watched the children’s faces as they opened the things Grace and Will carefully selected for them.

 

Amongst the flurry of activities in December, there were moments of pure bliss. And not surprising, they had NOTHING to do with the whole commercialized aspect of the holidays. One moment, was sitting through a basketball tournament where our son Harrison’s team did not win any games. They came close but didn’t win once. They never gave up heart though and played with all they could to the bitter end. When our son accepted the tournament’s all star award for his team, I couldn’t have been prouder than if their team had come first place. It wasn’t about winning or losing, it truly was about how they played the game. That buoyed my spirits.

They were boosted further when Clark got a call from the Science Centre, where he works through the school year, to say that he had won a turkey. Hmmm, we didn’t even know we were in the running.

Then there was the moment I was sitting in the front row of the audience and watching our daughter, Grace perform the lead acting and singing role in her school’s Christmas concert. The play was called, “The Holly and the Ivy,” and she played Holly Day. Holly, wanted to be a deputy Santa, with the hopes of being the REAL Santa one day. In the play, she experienced gender discrimination and fought to teach others to accept differences and recognize everyone’s mutual strengths. Her voice was clear and strong as she sang, “A heart full of love.” In that moment, with tears in my eyes, I thought the Christmas message doesn’t get any clearer than that…it’s about treating others with love and kindness, being accepting and having eternal hope. At moments like this, I wondered if the whole play had been orchestrated and my daughter chosen to play the lead, just so I got the message.

Grace before her piano concert…she was our Christmas baby in 2002..reminding me to believe in dreams

Then D and I shared a magical afternoon as we headed up to the mountains to search for our family’s Christmas tree. We were unable to take the family this year since we don’t have a roof rack on our new van and there was no way to put a tree in the back portion of the van since the little ones have their car seats safely fastened in the rear. We decided to drive our new little Honda Fit  up the mountains one Sunday afternoon before Christmas. The kids were contentedly watching a Christmas movie and besides, I think a “real” tree was more my thing than theirs.  After all, we did have several artificial trees throughout our house, all various sizes and the little ones had helped me decorate a few of the trees earlier in December.

So D and I headed up the valley, and turned onto a road that eventually becomes a forest service road, where it is legal to remove Christmas trees. D was a bit reluctant, since he had traveled to Vancouver and back the day before, picking up our son, Mitchell, from the Vancouver Island ferry as his first University term was finally over. D had traveled 900 kilometres in one day, so being back behind the wheel wasn’t really how he wanted to spend the rest of his weekend. Not to mention, the last time we went tree hunting in the forest he seemed to remember sparse trees so he wasn’t very optimistic that we would find anything. On top of that, was the fact that our little Honda Fit wasn’t exactly the front wheel drive sleigh we were driving during our last visit to the woods. I, on the other hand, was adamant I would not purchase a real Christmas tree since my dream to have a Christmas tree farm had not come true this past year. I wanted to cut my own tree and not spend any money doing it. We worked our way up the mountain with our little car, the air growing colder every mile. In the valley we hadn’t had more than a skiff of snow but as we climbed higher the snow lay deeper and the trees glistened with heavy blankets of white.

It seemed like forever before we came to the forest service sign and snow started to softly fall. Other than a few four wheel drive vehicles, it felt like we were all alone in the forest. Since we had left quite late in the afternoon, the sky was darkening. I had visions of being stuck on the side of the road and I regretted not packing a thermos of hot cocoa, some snacks and a blanket…until we turned a corner in the road and then I saw it. Like that moment in the movie, “Christmas Vacation,” when the Griswold family comes upon their tree for the first time and it’s lit up and angels are singing, I knew our tree had been found.


There wasn’t a break in the clouds and music playing but the tree appeared illuminated nonetheless. Even D saw it. Since it was on the opposite side to where we were driving, D slowly did a U turn further up the road and as we started to move back in the direction of the tree, we jumped as a loud blast broke through the forest silence and we were further shocked to see a sanding truck thundering towards us. It was scary how quickly that truck came upon us.

For a moment I had visions of us on the evening news with the headlines,”Local couple and parents to 8 children, who were up in the mountains looking for a Christmas tree, were killed by a sanding truck.” I know, morbid hey? Thankfully, D’s reactions were quick. He put on his right signal light, and easily pulled over to the edge of the narrow road just as the truck barreled past us, making our little car shake. D put on the hazard lights, grabbed his saw and jumped out of the car. I was still in shock over how close we had come to having an accident. It felt mystical how we were spared. By the time I opened my door, D had climbed up the slight incline, moving through the snow and was already assessing the tree. I joined him still wondering how he could just move on from that close call. I felt like something amazing had just occurred and as I looked around, everything seemed more intense and heightened. The air was crisper, the silence deeper, the forest around us felt sacred.

The tree was enchanting. It was the perfect height for our family room and nicely full. I could just imagine it in our house decorated with the children’s homemade ornaments and popcorn strings. I had saved some dried baby’s breath from my garden and thought that would give it a whimsical look as the white lights twinkled. As I got closer to the tree though and actually felt the branches, I had a moment where I just wanted to turn around and go home, leaving it to grow another year in the forest. I knew that if we cut it down, it would not be a home for birds, or a refuge for little animals on the coldest of days. It’s beauty would be enjoyed only for a few weeks, camouflaged beneath our ornaments. Then D asked me if this was the one and I just nodded and said,  “it’s perfect!”

The next thing I knew, we were lifting it into the back of the little Honda Fit and the top of it was

Our beautiful tree 2014

hanging out of the car at least 4 feet. As we slowly drove down the mountain, the snow glowed white as the skies drew a dark purple curtain over the valley below.  The one benefit of the sanding truck was that he had started to spread dirt as soon as he passed us, so our drive down the mountain wasn’t as precarious as D feared as the road was getting icier. As we drove along the country road in our bright red Honda sleigh, I thought we must be a sight for sore eyes with our tree hanging out the back of the car. Inside, both D who had been chatty on the drive up the hill, were suddenly quiet, immersed in our own thoughts. The smell of fresh fir filled our nostrils and for the first time it felt like Christmas. When the kids heard us come home, they piled out of the house to see our new tree and I was just so happy to see their beautiful faces.

The final magical thing that happened this Christmas was that somehow we were able to give our children everything they had asked for on their wish list. As I was telling my sister J, and brother-in-law B, who popped in this afternoon for a New Year’s Eve visit, Christmas ended up being a bit like Jesus’s loaves and fishes story. There was enough for everyone.  Enough for our children, enough for the places we wanted to donate, and even bigger dreams came true when D came home with a small bonus from his office. Why did I ever doubt? Have I not been blessed, time and time again? There is ALWAYS, always, ENOUGH!!!

Of course the Christmas story is the BIG one this time of year (and Will loved to remind his little sisters that Santa isn’t in the word, Christmas…(I should have been listening to him!)

 

This is the manger, my Dad made over 50 years ago…this Christmas it sat on the dresser in my bedroom…reminding me of what the season is about…..gifts of love.

….but for me this year…the loaves and fishes story was also huge….in case you have forgotten, here’s how it goes, …

 

Matthew 14:13-21New International Version (NIV)

 

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

After setting up our real Christmas tree in the family room that Sunday night before Christmas and decorating it with the kids the following day, (and not even saying anything when they only decorated the top three feet of the tree and often put a dozen ornaments on the same branch) I started seeing clearly all the goodness in my life.

Our fishes and loaves stretched beautifully. Again and again little miracles kept happening. As I looked down the pew, where our family sat enjoying our church’s Christmas Eve candlelight service, I felt an enormous sense of peace and bliss. The season of love and light was upon me and I realized that just like the first Christmas when Jesus was born in a simple stable, it was the smallest things that held the most joy for me this season. Sitting together with all of my family in one place and knowing, Alyssa was also being cared for in the U.K. by a dear, kind cousin J (my Dad’s first cousin) and her generous family, well what more could I ask for than that?  I was filled with peace and bliss

And now I will share a few Christmas moments with you….bliss abounds.

On Christmas morning, to allow the older kids to blissfully sleep in longer, we got the little ones bathed and ready for the day…hence all dressed up…it was hard to drag out the morning as they were so excited to see what was in their stockings

 

Finally, they are in the family room….Harrison and Grace are still in their Christmas Eve  P.J’s
I’m showing this picture as our cats were lingering in the back,looking for their share of the fishes and loaves…yes even miracles stretch for kitties and they received treats too. The little girls had asked for dolls as well as a kitty for Kate, and Victoria had asked for a puppy. When I found these dolls holding a kitty and a puppy, I thought I had struck gold! This is what I mean about everything working out perfectly.
Harrison’s basketball team are called the Lakers…since we live near a lake I guess…he was thrilled when we found this hat for him

 

Grace desperately needed socks this Christmas and she was very blessed because even her Auntie must have mysteriously got a hold of the wish list…she is laughing as she opens a second package with socks…warm feet, warm heart!
Mitchell is just happy to be home from University…there is nothing like moving away from home to make you appreciate the littlest things
Clark’s boots got a hole in them right before Christmas…we were not going to get him new boots but when we found these on a “deal”….like they were meant for him…we bought them and they fit perfectly..he was overjoyed!
Will asked for a telescope, a watch and a yo yo this Christmas….he was thrilled to be looking at the heavens

 

Here’s Clark, our oldest son setting up Will’s telescope late in the day on Christmas and giving the kids some astronomy tips
I stopped between mashing potatoes and making gravy to snap this picture on Christmas day…it was blissful

Another magic moment came when it started to snow after Christmas.  It has been an unseasonably warm fall and early winter and it’s almost unheard of in these parts not to get a good dump of snow by Christmas. Then, it started to fall gently, enveloping our little town with a white, peaceful blanket and a few days after Christmas we had enough for the kids to go sledding and making forts in our yard.Will was thrilled since he received a new sled for Christmas.

Here’s a picture of the kids outside today…on New Year’s Eve 2014
And what’s great about going outside…coming in for hot cocoa and watching the movie, “Frozen”

 

And so those were a few of my Christmas 2014 memories. Last Christmas, when D and I were out doing a marathon holiday shopping fest, I was absolutely exhausted and desperately needed to eat and drink something. Unlike most people, over the holidays I usually lose 5 or so pounds since I’m so busy. I swear that having a bunch of kids is a weight loss program, especially at Christmas, (who knew, maybe more people will have a large family now) so I probably hadn’t eaten much on that day. We were in my favourite store, “Chapters,” where there is also a Starbucks located inside.

I’m not a coffee drinker. Never have been and was planning to steer myself through a lifetime of “not” getting addicted to the brown stuff but that night, I needed something and the deep, rich smell of coffee was enticing. I was going to order a herbal tea but then I was lured by the lovely sounds of an eggnog latte. In addition, since they were about to close up the store, they offered some free cranberry bliss bars on the house. Well, normally I don’t indulge in too many sweets but I was starving and needed a serious sugar boost, so we gratefully accepted the free bars and took our drinks.

Well I should have been more wary of becoming a coffee addict since my mother LOVED it and I know most of the world also enjoys it. I thought I was strong enough to have one cup and then return to my tea habit but nope. It turns out that if there is eggnog AND coffee in the house, I will be drinking it…and lots of it. I still mainly drink tea but at Thanksgiving time, I’m all about pumpkin spice lattes and during the Christmas holiday season, it’s all about eggnog lattes…..

Also, as if that wasn’t bad enough, I’m also an absolute steadfast fan of Cranberry Bliss bars. If you have not tried these….oh for heaven sakes, you haven’t known bliss.

So even though our family has a recipe book full of our Christmas favourites, I want to share my recipe for Cranberry Bliss bars and Eggnog lattes with you. Last year I tried various recipes and this is my favourite……I hope it will become a family favourite for you too.

Now, when I get up in the morning, the first thing I ask D to do, is make a full coffee pot, so I can drink them all day. Yes, I will have to start doing my green drinks and my juicing in the New Year….but for now, I’m going to enjoy what I call, holiday bliss, I hope you will join me.

Oh, Alyssa, I wish you were here this Christmas…you LOVE CRANBERRIES….this is for you dear daughter and for all my blog buddies who haven’t tried these…YET!

Here’s what you need for some bliss….

Cranberry Bliss Bars

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
Cake Base:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1¼ C brown sugar, packed
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp ground powder ginger
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1½ C flour
  • ¼ C minced dried cranberries
  • ¼ C quality white chocolate. I used a Lindt white chocolate bar, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ C minced candied ginger
Frosting:
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1½ C powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp grated orange rind
Drizzle:
  • 2 Tbsp minced dried cranberries
  • ⅓ C white chocolate, melted

 

Instructions

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 pan
  2. Beat together butter and sugar and then add eggs and vanilla beating until light and fluffy
  3. Add flour, powdered ginger and salt
  4. Beat well
  5. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate chunks and minced candied ginger
  6. Spread batter in pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown
  7. After cake cools, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread over top of cake
  8. Sprinkle with minced cranberries
  9. Use a cake decorating bag of melted chocolate with a small round decorating tip to drizzle the chocolate over the cake
  10. Cut into triangles…or bars…your choice but I like the look of triangles

 

 

I like to cut them into triangles but warning these are really rich…oh I love the ginger in them, yummy!

And to accompany the perfect Christmas treat….an eggnog latte

Holiday Eggnog Latte

 

Ingredients
  • 2 shots espresso OR ½ cup of double/triple concentrated coffee
  • ⅔ cup eggnog
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • sugar…to taste
  • optional whipped cream and nutmeg
  • Variation: If you want to make this as an evening cocktail, add a shot of rum.

 

Instructions

 

  1. Pour espresso/concentrated coffee into a mug and add steamed eggnog/milk mixture.
  2. If you prefer your eggnog latte sweeter, add a little sugar.
  3. Top off with whipped cream and a pinch of nutmeg.
  4. *If you don’t have an espresso machine, do what I do most often. Just warm your eggnog/milk mixture in the microwave. Cook times may vary but I prefer heating mine for 2 minutes.
I love Starbucks Christmas blend…but any medium roast coffee is great for your latte

 

This is bliss in my house….happy holidays!

Another special moment…once Mitchell came home for Christmas we had our annual photo shoot at our local Super Store….this year we got out in record time and everyone was smiling…gotta love that!
Here is a picture of the twins, “they always have each other’s back” wearing their beautiful plaid dresses
Although this picture didn’t turn out..I had to show it to you…this was the holiday cards we sent out..note the Christmas tree on the card…very meaningful this year

So that is a wrap dear blog friends and family. If I have learned ANYTHING at all this year…it is to believe in magic and miracles…because again and again they keep appearing in my life. I hope your upcoming year is full of what your heart desires.

Bliss at the very least.

 

Here’s an appropriate song for the occasion, “The Last Goodbye” sung by Billy Boyd, from the third Hobbit movie, (we went last night and I thought it was the perfect song as we say goodbye to 2014)

Good bye 2014

And…..

May all your wishes and dreams come true.

Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessing from Hope