Christmas 2019

It's the most wonderful time of the year. (you're singing it now aren't you?) I love Christmas and now that I have a family to celebrate with, it makes it that much more sweet. This year we squeezed in so many fun things to celebrate the season. It was filled with wonderful memories I've tucked away for years to come!

• We joined Abby in KW for a tour of lights and live nativity
• Celebrated with our Hamilton family at the annual Christmas Tree Party
• Annual Christmas shopping with Cody for Mummy/Daddy
• Enjoyed the Ladies' Tea at our church (with Devin & Cody serving)
• Celebrated at the farm with the Mills family
• Headed to Niagara for the Cooksey Christmas - complete with a trip to Niagara On The Lake, dinner at the Mandarin and the Christmas lights in Niagara Falls
• Feasted on the Festive Special with the Drysdale clan
• Took in a festive performance of Mary Poppins at The Grand Theatre on Christmas Eve afternoon
• Christmas brunch with two sets of grandparents
• Loads of Christmas movies, special festive snacks and all the twinkly lights!

Camping Adventures

This summer we've had the opportunity to test out our tent trailer which we bought last year. It's been so fun to spend time together, relaxing, playing games, riding bikes, cooking our supper over a campfire... It's the stuff family memories are made of!

I'm looking forward to many more Drysdale adventures!

Why I Broke Up WIth Young House Love

It was the mid 2000's and I was starting to look at buying a house. I was certainly taking more interest in my decor than I had before as I was moving out of college-shabby-chic and into a more mature-adult-phase of my life. I would search the world wide web for tips on decorating and I happened upon John & Sherry's blog - Young House Love.

They had lots of great ideas for DIY projects to do on the cheap but looked good. Also tips on decorating, furniture placement, etc. Things I needed to learn. So, I followed along. So did my friend Jodi, so we would talk about their latest project as if they were friends of ours.

When they put out a book, I dutifully bought it! I even got it signed. They were such an inspiring success story - turning simple DIY projects into a money-making blog. When I bought my first house, I used many tips and projects from Young House Love. They were around my age and stage of life, so it worked well.

Somewhere along the line, my following trailed off and I heard they "took a break" from the blog and disappeared from the internet. You could still look up old stuff on their blog, but they were nowhere to be found otherwise. Then, they came back. They started a podcast. They bought a beach house to renovate. They stopped DIYing and hired a contractor. They became a "home makeover" blog rather than DIY projects. Obviously they were making bank and bought a duplex beside the beach house so they had more content to share. And share they did. Instagram was on fire with posts of their progress.

At first, I found it kinda fun to follow along. The before/after pics were neat. Sherry's voice irritated me on the podcast and the content seemed pretty shallow, so I didn't bother subscribing. And the more I paid attention to what they were doing, the more disheartened I became. The CONSTANT "swipe up" on Instagram was my first clue that they were falling out of my favour. A couple that previously boasted a tight budget, cooking at home for a birthday, economical ways to make your house look great and chemical-free cleaning products for the home/personal care suddenly became the couple that was constantly showing off what they ate at a restaurant, complaining that meal kits are too much work, and as I mentioned earlier - hiring out many of the projects. Sherry became a fashionista - despite her claims that she has a "minimalist" wardrobe and constantly brags about it, she links to her favourite jeans, shoes, bathrobe, tank top, jacket, etc. multiple times a week. (ie: she gets money from other people buying stuff that she's flogging). For someone that claims to be ultra low maintenance, she's giving tutorials on Instagram on using fake nails, fake eyelashes and what kind of mascara she uses.

In fact, I don't even think they care about home renos anymore. Clearly they can make uber money by swiping up and she can do that from the comfort of her couch or walking down the street. Out of curiosity, I checked Instagram before writing this and she was showing off a pair of shoes she found at a thrift store. Now, you can't link to an online site that sells these shoes because....they're from a thrift store. Not to worry though.... Sherry found a similar pair from Nine West and linked them so you can "swipe up" and have your very own pair so you can be just like Sherry.

I can't say I've ever felt the need to write about another blogger before but I've just reached my max of how annoying this couple is. And what really irritates me is that they keep making money from all the people that click and swipe the stuff they''re pushing.

I'm done with the Petersiks. They need to go and get a real job and join the real world.

Mummy Date Nights

We started a tradition in our family of having some one-on-one time with Cody - Mummy date nights and Daddy date nights. It's a good chance for us to connect and talk, have fun together and discretely teach him some important life lessons :)

Recently we've had a few fun times on our date nights including dining at Subway, painting pottery, seeing Toy Story 4 and Lion King movies!

It's been a fun summer and I love spending time with this kid. He is the cherry on top of my already-sweet life. <3 p="">

The Rocking Chair

Most kids will have similar memories to this. Visiting your grandparents meant stepping into a home where the furniture rarely changed and there was a familiar sense of hominess. I had a similar childhood.

Visiting Grammie & Grandad meant feeling the warmth of the stove in the front room. It meant hearing the tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock GONG from the clock. It meant looking at the photos proudly displayed on the buffet inside the front door. And, it usually meant Grandad would be relaxing in his favourite rocking chair.

For many years, I never sat in that chair because it was Grandad's chair. After he passed away, Grammie would often sit in it but occasionally, I had the chance to sink into it's soft cushion and be wrapped in it's comfort. I loved that chair.

This is the only photo I can find of the chair previously.

I loved that chair so much that Grammie promised that one day I could have it. And she followed through on her word when she sold her house and moved into an apartment. By that time, the chair was in pretty rough condition. The wood was nicked and scratched, the upholstery had seen better days and it needed a good clean. It also needed a bit of a tune up as it was a bit rickety. But, I had a vision.

Now, just because you have a vision doesn't mean you are motivated to complete the vision immediately! I didn't have the skills nor the money to complete the project so it sat in my garage for quite a while. After a time, it made it's way to my dad's shop where he squared up the frame so it was good and solid. He also gave it a coat of white paint at my request. It stayed in that shop for quite a while.

During this time, Grammie would occasionally ask "did you get that chair done?" She wasn't prodding but she was pleased that I wanted to breath new life into it and was anxious to see the final product. Each time I would have to report "no, I haven't gotten around to it."

We got married three years ago and Grammie made it a goal to attend the wedding. We were elated that she accomplished that goal considering it was a very early morning for her and a bit complicated to get there via special transportation and with one of her workers from the nursing home. She was beaming. She was so happy that I now had a husband AND a family.

She asked me what I would like for a wedding gift as she wanted to get us something special. My response was that her attending the wedding was the only gift I needed. But, of course, that didn't sit well with her. She wanted to give us something. I thought about it and I had an idea. I suggested she give us some money towards upholstering the rocking chair. We both thought that was a great idea.

Grammie passed away five months after we got married and sadly, she never got to see the chair completed. The chair now sits in our livingroom and is beautifully restored. Special thanks to Rene at Frantic Upholstery for creatively recreating this chair. The new colour and fabric blends in nicely with our furniture but it's a wonderful reminder of past visits to see Grammie & Grandad. I know they would both love to see the chair enjoying a new lease on life.

The Bus Stop

Each morning this is what I start my day with. Most days we haven't had enough time to be grumpy, have a meltdown or get behind, so we are both in a pretty good mood. We drive up to the corner and wait in the car for the school bus and then I continue on my way to work.

Sometimes we use these minutes to practice memory work but sometimes we use it to talk about what happens at recess, who is a good friend at school or (most recently) play "would you rather".

I treasure these moments.

I'm not sure what it is about watching him walk away from the car, but it hits me every time.

1. He's growing up.
2. He is the most precious gift.
3. I am incredibly lucky to have him in my life.

The Kiss

Everyone knows that the big moment at a wedding is when the minister declares "you may now kiss your bride". Usually there is an approving uproar from the attendees as this kiss seals the deal.

On our first anniversary, we returned to the Elm Hurst - where we got married. We had received some gift certificates as wedding gifts and thought it was the perfect place to celebrate one year. It was lovely and much more relaxed than the year before! As we walked around the beautiful grounds, we snapped a few pics - including a kiss in front of the same fountain as "the kiss" the year before.

It has now become a tradition to kiss at the fountain on May 22. I love that we now have 4 photos in our collection and it will continue to grow.

I suppose it's one of the benefits of getting married 10 minutes from home!

Happy Anniversary to us!

I could never understand people that said they loved their spouse more today than the day they married them. That sounded odd and surely I could not love Devin any more than I did on May 22, 2016.

Well, three years later, I'm here to say that it is possible! Each day I fall more in love with him.
God selected this man for me and we fit together perfectly - where he is strong, I am weak; where he is weak, I am strong. And as we both look to God to anchor our relationship - a cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Three years have gone by in an instant and at the same time, it feels like we've been together forever. I'm so excited to spend the rest of my life with him. 39 years was a long time to wait, but it was so worth it.

I'm Not A Stepmom, I'm the Mum That Stepped Up

I know I am way overdue with updating my blog. I have so many words in my head I'd love to flow through my fingers, but finding the time to sit down and make it happen is challenging.

Speaking of challenging, I had a challenging day yesterday. The kind of day where you wonder what the right thing is for your kid and desperately wanting to make the right decision but it's difficult to discern which way to go.

In the evening, I was working on the computer and a message popped up from Cody's piano teacher. She sent me the following words. Tears streamed down my face as I read them. It was exactly what I needed to read yesterday. Thank you Lord for speaking through her!

A good stepmom is not made, she is built. She is built by the hardships of her role, the tears she cries in secret, and by the lessons she learns through trial and error.

The passionate stepmom makes mistakes. She has strong opinions that she often can't express. She remains quiet when she wants to scream. She makes sacrifices others may not be capable of. She learns how to love in many different ways. And she gives. She gives her heart, her soul, and her life to making sure a child she didn't give birth to smiles, has wonderful memories, and - most importantly - feels loved.

Spring Break!

This year, we decided to head somewhere warm for March break. We had tossed around a variety of ideas of places to go during Cody's time off school including a cruise, Florida and Washington, DC. Washington was a front-runner for a while. It's been on my "list" for a while and it's a day's drive from home. While it wouldn't be hot during March break, it would be pleasant. In fact, when I mentioned our plans to my sister Jo-Anne, she thought it sounded like so much fun that they might want to go too! We started looking for a house we could rent for all 7 of us.

As we researched our trip to Washington, we were getting excited about the interesting places we would see and things we would do. We found a great house to stay at just outside the city. Things were coming together. Except the public service workers were in the middle of a work stoppage and we weren't sure if it would still be happening during our stay. If that were the case, we could not see any of the places we had planned to see. This required a change of plans and direction. We decided, instead, to head to Myrtle Beach.

We found a great beach house inside a gated community. It had four bedrooms - each with its own bathroom, two large covered decks. It was right on the water and had tons of stuff to do including a skateboard park, basketball, ping pong, indoor pool, mini golf and, of course, the ocean! The only downside was it was about 5 more hours of driving than Washington.

We survived the LONG drive - which included a snowstorm through the Virginia mountains! We opted to drive there in one day but take 2 days to drive home. We were exhausted when we finally reached our destination but we made it one piece.

The week was filled with:

• coffee & reading on the deck
• cousin adventures
• many games of mini golf (a Myrtle Beach staple)
• Bingo (both Devin & Cody won a round)
• snacks
• Monopoly Deal
• independent boys with a walkie talkie
• splashing in the ocean
• fresh seafood
• memories to last a lifetime!

 We had such a fun time and it was a beautiful spot. We made friends with our neighbours who own multiple properties within Ocean Lakes. I think we will return at some point in the future.

Serving Up Love

When you truly love someone, you are willing to serve them. Not so it will be reciprocated, but rather because it is a way to show them how you feel. Last night my husband did just that. He took the time to pamper my feet - sanding away calluses and hydrating them with a creamy lotion. We commented when he was done that we should've taken a before and after pic because the change was phenomenal!

I'm not overly focused on my feet in the winter - which are typically covered up by socks. They were dry and rough. He made them smooth and luxurious.

Who am I that I could be so lucky as to have this man for my husband? Truly, I wonder this most days. I thank the Lord for bringing us together and for the blessing that he is to me and our family. Saying I love him is too great an understatement to appropriately express my feelings for him. I need to shout it from the mountaintop. (or my blog)

He Did It Again!

Last year we were excited to go on the Top Tech adventure with Devin's company - Cummins. After winning round one (a written test combined with his safety record, efficiency rating, manager's comments, etc.) he competed in a hand's-on competition in Montreal for round two. We were thrilled when he won this round and we travelled to Indianapolis for the finals! He didn't place in the top three but we had a wonderful week hosted by Cummins - including a trip to the Indy 500. So cool.

Anyway, we just found out that Devin has, once again, won round one of Top Tech 2019! I'm so proud of him for getting an amazing score of 95.6 on the combined elements. We can't wait to see how he does in this year's competition with the experience of 2018 behind him.

Double Digits

They say time flies when you're having fun. The past four years of my life have been one wild ride that I have enjoyed to the fullest! So, when I look at Cody now and compare to a photo from the first day we met, I can't believe how much he has changed!

He was just a wee little six year old when we met for the first time. It was the day before Mother's Day and Devin planned a special event so we would both remember the day forever. We went on a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls. I don't remember a lot about the ride, but I do remember that sweet little boy sitting next to me.

I am so incredibly proud of how Cody has handled the many changes in his life since then. He moved into a new house in a new community and started at a new school with new friends. He had a new mum in his life and new routines and new traditions.

He is maturing into such a thoughtful and kind young man. He makes his bed each morning and packs his lunch when he gets home from school. He is working so hard on his reading and writing and is astounding us with test results in his Bible, Math, Science and Spelling classes! He holds the door, saying "Ladies first" and helps people put their groceries on the conveyor belt. He is very aware of and concerned for other's feelings and is often there to give me a hug or pat my arm and assure me "it will be ok". He has become the apple of my eye.

Each night I sneak into his room, long after he's gone to sleep, and I watch him. (usually in some contorted position that looks totally uncomfortable) I can't believe how lucky I am. To think that God found me suitable to be his Mum and brought him into my life when I fell in love with Devin... it's beyond my comprehension but I am so grateful.

We celebrated his big day by having dinner at Subway. Of ALL of the restaurants, that is where he wanted to eat. It was a great deal for us plus he was thrilled to get TWO six inch subs AND chips! LOL. The next day we hosted 10 little boys for a party and had family over in the afternoon. A great time celebrating this great boy.

Double digits. Time flies.