T'is the season...

... to start the Christmas preparations. I've said it a million times before ''my favorite part of Christmas is the weeks leading up to the big day''. The kids, Dave and I have always celebrated Christmas on the 24th. For me, everything is blaaahhhh on the 25th. We jam-pack a whole lot of goodness on Christmas Eve day.

Yesterday Dave and I headed deeper in the woods to fetch the necessities for the outside decorations. We keep things plain and simple outside... inside, well that's another story. Now that outside has been taken care of, let's start inside.

I am putting up stuff one bit at a time.

I was in New Brunswick over the weekend and picked-up this beauty. I can't remember the german name for it; I call it the wooden german merry-go-round. (Note to self - yes, you have to keep an eye on it when it's lit. Two of the propeller thingy almost caught on fire).

I am starting to prefer roasted pumpkin to boiled for making purée for baking.

This week I am also getting ready for our annual ugly christmas sweater party taking place this Saturday. Pictures to follow I'm sure.

Wild Things

I've mentioned here before - I have a niece that's only 7 years older than I am. She's also my best friend. It is unfortunate that we live 4 provinces apart, we can't visit in person like we'd like but there's always the telephone, emails and skype. She's the one that started me (gave me a little push in the back kinda thing) on this simple living journey that we are living around these parts. Did I tell you she's smart and knows a lot about healthy eating and Mother Earth and so much more.

Yesterday this came in the mail for me with a beautiful message in the card. And yes, it's from Colleen. She and her daughter went into the woods to collect the items for that Christmas tree ornament she made for me... an early birthday gift.

There are three books that show you how to make projects with natural found items. She made the ornament from that first book you see over there.

Thank you so much Colleen. You know how much I love handmade gifts, especially those made by you and that it's made from nature is a double bonus.

Unrelated, but I wanted to let everyone know that I participated in my first drumming circle Friday evening. WOW !!!!! it sure won't be my last. The energy in that room was uplifting to say the least. Friday afternoon I sewed-up that linen bag for my drum.

Halloween 2011

This year our group's theme for Halloween was ''Martini cocktails''. We went to the dance last night; it was so much fun. I have such an awesome group of friends.

That is a wig I am wearing but a lot of people commented on my new hairdo. They actually thought it was my real hair.

Canada Day weekend

And the weekend isn't over yet. Yesterday was Canada's Birthday. We had two fabulous days so far - weather wise and fun wise. We went to a beautiful lake, drank cold refreshing drinks, made a campfire, had a clambake on said fire, found a cache and went on a two hour all-terrain drive on the trail and much more. We'll see what's in store for tomorrow... maybe we should rest to go back to work on Monday.

Father's Day s'mores

Father's Day evening we had a nice fire going at Luc and Liette's house. We enjoyed the sticky deliciousness of s'mores.

Vacation Day 3 - still nice and sunny. Making progress in the flower gardens (lots and lots of weeding).

Fun day away

We spent the day today in Halifax at my brother's for my niece's confirmation. I won't post pictures with my niece in them because I don't have permission. It was a lovely celebration of love and joy. We left at 3:30 pm with our bellies full of delicious food. Dave and I headed one way and Ginette and André the other.
Entertained !!! what people do for fun now a days...

While we waited at the church for the rest of the family, we took pictures of course.

It was fun to get away even for just the day. Back to work tomorrow. I have a week's vacation coming up after this week.

Happy 2011

Wishing all my family and friends a very happy beginning of a new year. What I wish the most for each one of you is health. A couple of days ago Dave and I decided to go for a hike in the trail. It was the most gorgeous day in a very, very long time... plus, we needed the fresh air. About half way on our route you can take a shortcut and go through the woods and end up at our son and his fiancé new home. And yes Dave has a stick, to ward off coyotes (luckily none were seen).

And I had to leave you with a picture of my lovely ladies enjoying their new dry straw.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian Family and Friends.

We had our turkey dinner today. The picture above sums up what I am so grateful for. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

Ginette and André with their wedding cake top from August 29 last year (2009). We ate it today and it was still delicious and moist.

Luc and his fiancé Liette.

I am very much aware that I have been absent from here; sorry. Things got a little hectic there for a while and will probably still be for another few weeks. I'll try and report here more often in the coming weeks.

I am never too busy for Christmas music... yes, I played xmas music today and still love it very much.

Vacation :: patio party

Vacation is still going great ! I spend most of my days doing pretty much what I please - weeding, watching and talking to the cooks, drinking iced tea or sometimes it's hot tea, reading in the hammock. I hardly ever leave our property - I love my simple home.

Saturday we went to some friends house to celebrate their new patio.


Yup, that's Dave on the far right.

This last picture has nothing to do with the patio party. It's to show you how calm the water in the rain barrel was this afternoon.

Earth Day 2010

As we do each year on Earth Day, Dave and I headed across the road from our home with garbage bag in hand.
On a stretch of no more than 300 feet of ditch we picked up a bag full of ''human inflicted'' garbage.
I should point out that we celebrate the Earth every day in our family. Dave and I try and do our best to protect our dear Earth and picking up garbage isn't something we do on only one day on 365.

In honor of Earth Day and for a nice treat with tea afterwards, I made these unbaked (no oven used) Swedish chocolate balls that this wonderful blogger mentioned in her post today.

Thank you to everyone that found time today to honor our Earth. Yes, it's ''ours'' so we should take good care of it.

Annual Maillet Easter Egg Hunt :: 2010 edition

This was the sixth year for our family's Annual Maillet Easter Egg Hunt. I say it every year, my brother and SIL are the best-est ever to host this family reunion on Easter Sunday. Weather was perfect, everyone stayed outside to watch or to participate. The ''rule master'' atop his big rock going through the rules of the game.

First part of the challenge was to find plastic eggs hidden in the little wooded area. Inside each plastic colored egg was a foil wrapped chocolate egg.


After this was completed we had to head back to find out what the rule master had to say in regards to part two. Ginette, me and my little brother Marc heading back.

Listening attentively to part two of the rules - Denise and Ginette.

Which was to play mini-putt to try and hit a plastic '' very wably'' plastic egg in the hole in the least amount of hits... I had to hit mine 19 times before I got it in. Did I say it was a very wably egg....

After the mini-putt challenge (and no I did'nt have the least hits, Dave did with a hole-in-one) the rule master announces that as we know there is always a twist to the egg hunt challenges. The winner of the trophy wasn't the one with the least hits but the one participant that had a green foil wrapped chocolate in his plastic egg from part one of the hunt. The winner was a friend of the family, Greg White. Dave won second prize for his hole-in-one.

Easter weekend

We've been having amazingly beautiful weather since last Thursday (first day of my 5 day break from work). Sun, Sun, Sun that's all we've been seeing and enjoying. Flowers are starting to pop-up everywheres.

Our daughter arrived from New Brunswick on Friday, with Mr. Puss. We've been, cooking, eating, thrifting, nature walks, visiting family and friends and enjoying this time together.

Ginette's rubber boots - getting ready to leave this afternoon for our annual egg hunt.

Hope everyone had a good weekend and found time to relax with the ones you love.

Earth Hour 2010

The dog was a little confused on why we were turning off all the lights and having only candles to illuminate the room but other than that Earth Hour in our home was honored again this year at 8:30 p.m.
Our tiny village of 10 houses was half dark and half lite, which is good.

Theme party :: glam nite

We had another theme party last night - glam nite/red carpet. These are house parties with a bunch of very good friends wanting to laugh and enjoy life.

Here I am arriving on the red carpet.

Another themed party... tacky christmas sweaters

Remember the Cowboy themed party last month. Last night we had another one, this time the theme was ''Tacky Christmas Sweater/Outfit''. As I've mentioned here before, I don't have a lot of friends but those that I have are the best. We had fun last night. Everyone was in a very festive mood - we sang christmas carols, santa dropped by for a visit and laughter, oh ya, there was lots of laughter and cheers.

Fifty

WOW, I don't know where to start. My husband, kids and friends (the best people in my life) made sure I had a wonderful 50th birthday celebration. My birthday is today but the celebrations started yesterday. Actually, Friday when Ginette and André arrived from New Brunswick. I had an all day meeting yesterday. Got home at 4 p.m. and the laughing, eating, hydrating started. We had a rappie pie supper and for dessert - yup, that's right BIRTHDAY CAKE. Ginette brought me this amazing and delicious cake from Croissant Soleil. The candles said ''OH NO THE BIG 50''.

Than it was time to head out and meet my wonderful friends at the home of one of them before heading out to the dance. (I have so many nice pictures of this part of the celebration but some people in the pictures I did'nt ask permission to post their pictures; and I won't).

Below - two pictures of Clarisse and I.


Laughing is good therapy.

This morning I was presented with fabulous gifts. This one is from Dave. Christmas carolers handmade by a local artist. I already have a few pieces from this artist and Dave knew I had my eyes on these carolers since I had seen them at an exhibit this summer.

Afterwards the six of us headed out for brunch.

Thank you a million times to everyone for the wonderful birthday celebrations. If I had known that turning 50 was so much fun I would have speeded up the processes...

In my 50 years - the two most cherished gifts I've received are Ginette and Luc. They put pure joy and love in my heart.