The Parmar Life

Another year draws to a close...

2011-12-31T14:43:00.000-08:00

There have been many memories over 2011, and here is a small glimps of our year. I am blessed to have the family and friends that I do.

Happy New Year everyone!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

From our place to yours, Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas is Jesus!

Photo shoot

2011-12-09T10:06:00.000-08:00

Our dear family friend (aka cousin) Taylor took some amazing pictures of our girls. Here are just a few to enjoy. I can't wait to put some of these up on our wall... eventually.

Celebrating my people

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

In admist my busy life, there are priorities that I cannot forget. Celebrating "my people" (as Nat likes to say) is on top of the list. Even if it means that things get a little hectic before and after the day. Fall keeps me busy as three of my people have birthdays within a few weeks of eachother. I must confess, no super fancy cakes this year, but fun treats none the less.

First, Chelsea. She has a bunch of friends over at the house for a party... and we supplied the sweet treets... owl style.

Then Nat. This year we celebrated five little girls all together, as they all have birthdays within 3 weeks of eachother. Here is their birthday celebration...

And then Nat's family birthday. She loves her pet bunny, hence the bunny cake.

And finally daddy. We don't do the big party, but we do celebrate with cake. I must confess I had to pull a Mr. Mexico pic from last year, as we took a video of him this year rather than pics on his b-day. I am glad to report that Mr. Mexico has left and my husband has returned (another reason to love December).

A family get-a-way

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

I have had a very busy summer and fall due to my new adventure in academia. I have returned to school to complete my master's in business, and it has been tough (to say the least). Balancing family, school, work (I am teaching two classes this fall), friends, church commitments, and my ever so patient husband are challenging. It feels like they are all flying in the air, and some dropping without my ability to even pick them back up (right now... just temporary... I hope).

Well, this, and the fact that our summer vacation was not the relaxing vacation I was hoping for, I was in desperate need of a get-a-way. We got to take off to Birch Bay for the Thanksgiving weekend, and it was an excellent retreat for me (and my family too). We got to spend some quality uninterrupted time together as a family... and a little shopping at the end. The only downside to our little get-a-way... the bed in the master was miserably uncomfortable.

Here are a few pics of our little retreat... I can't wait to go back!

No longer a baby

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Tis a sad thing when you celebrate the last 1st brithday in the family (sad for me, at least). I am still coming to grips with the fact that our family is done growing (the Lord willing... we hope we're done growing). I have this motherly longing for another baby, but when I think of the crying and sleepless nights (the practicality of a baby), I know that our family is complete just the way it is.

Now, on to this little one-year-old... I cannot believe how fast time flies (I think I say that all the time). I wanted to put a lot of effort into Anna's birthday, and so the rainbow theme exploded in our home. Thinking that the summer is a perfect time for a BBQ, that is what we planned for... but our summer did not co-operate. The last-minute tent went up, and we still enjoyed the BBQ party (my husband does an amazing job on the grill).

So, here are a few fun photo's of Anna's big birthday bash! She LOVED the cake, the people, the fun. She's a true party girl.

Family Camp

2011-12-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

...just a couple of more important catch-up posts, then on to advent.

Our family vacation this year entailed going to family camp at Barnabas. This is an amazing little spot on Keats Island in the Howe Sound. The setting was fantastic. We get to this island via a little ferry with the other campers, and the view took our breath away.

They cater to family, which is why we chose family camp this year. Our family has a large split in ages of out kids, and finding something that will be fun for everyone can be a challenge. Well, family camp was perfect for our kids. Anna was still a little small to appreciate everything that family camp offers (especially with her two naps a day). Chelsea found some amazing friends that she hung out with all week. Natalie had the most amazing camp leader, and had so much fun playing with the other kids her age. We enjoyed a great speaker for the adult sessions. There was even water activities that we got to do... Nat went tubing for the first time, and Cheslea had a blast on the hot dog thingy.

Family camp was not all perfect for me, though. I was stuck with a school schedule that started earlier than anticipated, so I was reading and doing homework in some of my free time. Also, the weather was not very good, mostly cold and rainy (and lots of rainy), which really affected me emotionally. The Thursday I broke down emotionally... I was supposed to be enjoying our family vacation... and it just didn't feel very fun (for me only, of course)! I prayed that the Lord help me appreciate the good and accept the weather and the dreariness and that He lift my sprirts. Well, I serve an amazing God, and He cares for me, because that was the turning point in the trip for me (a little late, mind you).

Barnabas was a fantastic family vacation... next time I just need to make sure my heart is in the right place to truely enjoy the wonder of what I have been blessed with...

Ariving at Barnabas. (click on the pic to better see the view)

Water activities.

Family photo time.

Saying goodbye...

The best birthday ever!

2011-11-27T22:05:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrated my husband's birthday, which takes me back to my birthday at the beginning of summer. Can you recall your BEST birthday ever? Well, this was mine, and I am thrilled to share it with you, as I got to with so many this year.

The day was not about me. In the morning we had a formal engagement party to attend in Surrey (Depak's cousin), and went to our church family picnic right after in Hope, with lunch and a change of clothes on the way. And with all this happening, I had to miss out on the ball game in the morning.

The most amazing part of my day was what happened at the church picnic...

I praise God for my children, they truely are blessings to our lives. But when I see my child make faith an integral part of her life, now that is worthy of PRAISE! Along with a couple of other youth, Chelsea was baptized in the lake at the picnic. She followed in the will of her Heavenly Father and made a public declaration of her faith in her Saviour.

Her testimony left both Depak and I in tears, along with so many others there. She shared some of her struggles, and how she had to place her dependence on her Heavenly Father for strength. To know that she is a child of the King is special, to see her depend on the strength of her God is amazing. Chelsea is a beautiful young lady, and I know that God will work out His perfect will in her life.

Thank-you Chelsea for the best birthday ever!

Crazy...

2011-11-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know how else to describe it... LIFE. My hiatus from blogging over the past six months was not intentional, life just didn't allow enough breathing room to spend on frivilous things. I will share some of the why, and some of the happenings over our busy six months, I just wanted to connect here again.

Manitoba

To start, my little girls and I took a trip to Manitoba to visit my family and brand new nephew Braysen in May. Here are a couple picture collages. It has been too long since I've seen my nieces and nephews, and it was good to connect with them again.

I got to take the girls to the zoo for the first time. We went with a former Abbotsford friend (who now lives in Wpg) and her two kids, Kristene, Zach & Emma. Kristene was two days away from delivering her 3rd child, what a brave woman.

We stayed with my parents in my uncle Cornie's trailer, as my parents don't live in Steinbach. It would have been so much better if it wasn't so cold for the first 3 or 4 days were were there.

Connecting with family. Nat and Hayden played well together, most of the time.

Baking cookies with my nieces

We got to have a barbeque with my family - to visit everyone all at once, and the sun came out.

The girls hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa at the trailer. It was hard to be confined to the small space, but we had a good visit.

Steinbach has an awesome indoor pool. We love going with my brothers and their families.

DQ after a swin, and saying bye to Grandma and Grandpa. We will miss them, its hard having Grandma and Grandpa so far away.

Hanging out with some special friends.

On our way home. A good trip, but now we're tired.

Beautiful girls of mine

2011-06-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of my girls and I on Mothers Day. Its the best we could get of Natalie. I am a very lucky mom to have these three beauties in my life.

I don't get to take a lot of photos of Chelsea. Stage of life thing, I guess. She's not as available as the other two (she's away at school and youth, etc.). So, the fact that she takes photos of herself make my job a lot easier. She's a beauty, and I'm torn between showing her off to the world and hiding her in a closet. We definitely are protective parents, and sometimes it feels easier to hide our daughter from the world so as to try to protect her then to allow her to grow up and discover the good and bad that she'll eventually encounter. We are learning, and seek God and the wisdom of others around us, so that we can raise Chelsea to be a young woman in Christ in our secular world. "He's got the whole world in His hands...", now its our turn to trust the words to this song.

There's more to April...

2011-06-02T15:30:00.000-07:00

I found this on the living room floor by Nat's little table. It's a lock of her hair. If you've ever seen her hair, it has yet to be cut. Well, she took care of that for us. As her hair is so curly, I'm not sure where she cut her hair, but a lock is now missing. Her daddy was pretty sad to hear this, as he doesn't want her hair cut.

Just a few pics of some happenings at our place. Anna has been moving quite quickly in the development, as she started shuffle crawling, on to full out crawling three days later, to walking along furniture, climbing up stairs, and standing by herself for short periods of time. She's been busy this April. Nat is forever doing "art", from drawing to coloring to painting. She loves Mr. Maker and wants me to make crafts with her. Daddy's been busy this month with work, but we got a nice pic of the little girls with daddy goofing off after a long day at work. Oh, and the blue picture, that one's compliments of Chelsea. Her creative photography leaves some strange pictures on my camera. Guess what that is...

We also got a couple of play dates with friends.

And a VERY special HaPpY bIrThDaY goes out to our little Arjun Bahji. Love ya little guy!!! p.s. the Elmo cupcakes were pretty awesome.

The Easter Outfit

2011-06-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

After one look at my girls on Easter Sunday morning, so many older ladies told me of the times when their moms would dress them and their sisters in matching Easter dresses. The girls received so many compliments on how cute they were (yes, Chelsea was extra cute too).

I got the idea after I saw a friend's daughters in matching tutus. I googled how to make a tutu, and off I went. It was easy to find video instructions on the internet. I bought the tulle using 40% off coupons from Michaels (took a few trips). They were so easy to make, the hardest part was cutting the tulle (buying the 6" tulle rolls made that easier).

And what can I say, these girls were soooo cute.

After church we enjoyed our traditional Easter dinner with the Lusty family (only one Cornwall this time). Uncle Walter got the usual loves from Natalie. Anna took to everyone (auntie Barb in the top left), which was good for mom. We even had the egg hunt in between the drizzly rain. We left before we got too disappointed with the game (which had an eventual good ending).

Just as an aside... Tasha (one of the beautiful dogs in the top pic) will be missed. Easter was the last time we got to see her... she was a wonderful dog.

A bunch of April...

2011-06-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

I've not been able to take time to get my blogging done, so I'm catching up (such a common theme, do wish I could be ahead).

The kids got to participate in the Easter season with performing a play on Passover Sunday. A lot of work went into preparing for the play, and it was fantastic. Nat was supposed to be with the 3-5's and sit on the floor through most of it, but she was so excited about singing with the choir she just had to be on stage. She sat when she was supposed to, stood and sang her best when the choir sang. I was so proud of her. Anna wasn't in the play, but she was cute none the less.

SNOW... in APRIL, yikes!!! Good thing it lasted only a morning. (apr 14th)

Little princesses... Nat got to go to a princess party. The girls dressed up in their pretty dresses, made crowns and wands, and even had a tea party. Even a couple of us ladies got all fancied up (we're hiding in the very top left of the photo - click photo to expand). Such a beautiful bunch of girls.

OK, so I'm not actually potty training my 9 month old... just allowing her to get familiar with the potty. Oh, but she was so cute sitting there... I'm sure she's not going to like me for these when she gets a bit older. Love ya Anna! ;)

Nat had her first real tooth checkup this month. She visited the dentist last October, but it was really for a chair ride and a quick glance at the TV. She allowed the dental hygienist to clean her teeth while she wore sunglasses and had her eyes glued to the TV above. Although she behaved spectacularly, it wasn't a good trip... turns out those little teeth had 4 cavities. She's got her grandmother's teeth, what can we say. And... no more chocolate Bhabba Ji.

We look forward to the Good Friday service at church every year. Breakfast served by the men, a very reflective art walk, and a service that draws our focus to the CROSS. Its a tradition that is so meaningful to our existence as Christians. Well, we even got sun in amidst this rainy April. We enjoyed a fantastic walk around the lake with friends, which included fishing a grocery cart out of the water (compliments of a Mr. Koetsier).

Sunny days mean the kids get to escape to the back yard. Not very many of these nice days this spring, so enjoying it while we can.

Here are a few more of Chelsea's creative photos. Anna at 9 months.

Hi ho, hi ho, its off to school we go...

2011-04-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

One morning I asked Chacha Ji (uncle Parveen) to take Nat to school as Anna was having a late nap. Nat wanted to go on her scooter, so he walked Arjun and Nat several blocks to the preschool. Well, the trip took a lot longer than anticipated, as Nat did not last very long on her scooter. Parveen put the scooter on the stroller and got Nat to walk. Again, that didn't last very long, and Parveen ended up putting her on his shoulders and carried her to school. I am so thankful for my extended family, they care so much for us and would do anything for our kids. Thanks Chacha Ji!!!

Nat does look pretty cute though.

Spring break and a childhood friend

2011-04-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

This year we got to host a childhood best friend, our sweet Tarryn. Tarryn is an extension of our family, a piece that has been missing for three years. Chelsea was so excited to find out that she was coming to Abby for spring break, and we got to have her in our home for nearly a week. These two girls were so excited to be together, I'm surprised our roof managed to stay on the house (with all the screaming they did all week). Chelsea's already planning on going out to Calgary for a visit as soon as she can. We are glad these two were able to reunite again and continue where they left off.

Some March happenings...

2011-04-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Spring so far has been pretty full for us, but just busy without major milestones to show for it. But, the family is still having fun, loving eachother, growing bigger and smarter every day. Here are a few pics of my family. I love them!!!

(Oh, and my husband barely made the collage... he's so busy with tax season. I'm so glad April is nearly complete.)

A comment on the picture of Nat and the balloon. She wanted to take the balloon to nap, and she fell asleep with it.

And our Anna, she keeps getting bigger. Here she is at 8 months. She was not crawling at this point, but she did like to stand next to furniture. She still had no teeth, but that doesn't stop her from eating everything she can. She loves toast for breakfast, and chicken and rice for dinner. She's our pumpkin.

The Frugal Parmar Life... I think this should be our new title

2011-04-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

If there is something this Parmar household is, it would be FRUGAL!!!! Sometimes to a fault, and my teenager would definitely agree (although I did buy something regular price for her not that long ago, and not at Walmart). You put two accountants in a house and what do you expect. We live for sales, we love to get a good deal, we stock up when a sale can't be passed up, and seriously, the latest "style" is so short lived that you don't really NEED it (but we don't look like the bag lady by any stretch).

Now, to add to this frugal lifestyle, I've ventured off into couponing. I think couponing is great, never had a problem with it, I just NEVER remembered to USE the coupons sitting in my purse. So, I've had to take this on seriously to get any benefits out of it. I've scoured the couponing world on-line and discovered some neat tricks, some amazing coupons, and a whole new world of SAVING MONEY!!!!!

My husband got me started by showing me a news clip about extreme couponing (we don't have cable, so I haven't been able to watch the show). Now he thinks he's created a monster. My teenager has been telling her friends that her mom is crazy like the people on TV. And now my 3 year-old (after watching me clip and organize coupons) asks if I have a coupon before I buy something. Yup, these coupons have invaded our life.

Sometimes I save a little, sometimes I save a lot. I'm not extreme, but I'm glad to say that I'm trying to be frugal. We continually thank God for the blessings in our lives, which include our jobs and finances. He has called us to be good stewards of what he has given us. This is one thing I can use to try to honour God in our daily lives.

Where did my camera go... again!

2011-03-08T20:03:00.000-08:00

A common occurance around here is a missing camera. I like to have it handy, but there have been several times when I cannot find it. It took me a couple of times to clue in, but we have a teen camera swiper at our place. Sometimes you'll here 'click' 'click' coming from upstairs. Sometimes I go to look for our teen and can't find her anywhere, only to discover she's been outside freezing, but has got my camera in tow. Well, here's a little of what she's been up to. I think she's getting pretty creative, and I will now hand the camera to her to take pictures for me.

Five years and getting stronger every moment

2011-03-01T21:00:00.000-08:00

My husband and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary early February. We got eachother Husband and Wife cards that were great symbols of who we are and where our marriage is at (even if those don't always change from one year to the next, eh honey). Depak's parents had us over for dinner to celebrate with some family, and gave us some pretty nice treats. We also got to enjoy a really nice dinner out with the kids at the fake parents.

This was a milestone anniversary for us, not so much in the actual number, but in the growth of our marriage. We will both be honest and admit that marriage is hard work. We've made a committment to eachother, and desire to be honouring to our Lord in how we live out our lives and our marriage. This anniversary we truely felt some of the fruits of the labor of our first five years, and I'm so thankful to say that it was a labor of love. I love my husband and I know that he loves me. I am thankful to be married to a committed and Godly man, and I pray that I will be honoring to him as our marriage continues to grow.

Love ya honey!

2011... We're nearly two months in...

2011-02-28T21:10:00.000-08:00

2011 has been a very busy year so far at the Parmar house. Some reasons will be shared later, some are captured below. Lets see how much of this I can get done today!

Ringing in the New Year: we joined our care group this year to ring in the new year. It was a very nice and relaxing evening. Chelsea was hesitant to play crocinole (a traditional mennonite game), but she was a good sport. Anna did not nap well during the evening, and decided to ring in the new year with all the adults (and teen). Nat was excited about sleeping at Uncle Kevin and Auntie Lianne. We picked a sleeping Nat up and brought her home. She woke up at around 2:30 am screaming, as she was not sure where she was (she didn't wake up in the bed she went to sleep in). It took about 1/2 an hour to assure her that she was at home in her bed.

Another party? Nothing like starting the new year with yet another party. Just to get together with friends, the Tams opened up their home so a bunch of us brought our kids, our left over Christmas goodies and snacks and had a great evening with a whole lot of laughter. There were a few crazies that showed up, not sure who invited them, but they were pretty funny looking. :)

Happy Birthday Chacha Ji. For Parveen's birthday we enjoyed some good hockey: Heat vs. Moose. The arena was full, and the majority of the crowd was cheering for the Moose, except for Mukesh (and his new recruit). Nat loves watching hockey, but told Phuphar Ji that it was too slippery for her to play. She did want to be a part of the green team though (the Moose).

Nat's first sleepover! Actually, I was watching the Tam kids for the night, but Nat loved that her friends were staying over. The girls had fun dressing up, watching a movie, and reading stories. She was very jealous that she couldn't sleep in the games room with the kids. Between all the kids (mine included), I was up four times. Alas, the life of a mom!

She's chowing down on veggies! Anna started eating veggies at the beginning of January. She was totally OK with the green veggies, until I introduced the orange ones. Now the green ones will not get eaten. Can't blame her, purreed green goup looks (and tastes) disgusting. She's moved on to mixed veggies with meat, and she loves her fruit. She also loves Baby Mum Mum's and the veggie puff stars. I think she'll enjoy real food, can't wait to get out of the mush stage.

Snow! Snow! We actually got some SNOW! This was to be a cold and snowy winter, but we've seen so little of it. We got a decent amount at the beginning of January, so Nat and I went sledding with our crazy carpet. It was getting late in the afternoon by the time we finished shovelling the driveway, but we went for a short while. She loved it, and its fun for me too.

Chelsea had a snow day too , so we ventured out to the Stadium to sled with the rest of the neighborhood. The snow was melting by then, so we got soaked. As for Anna, she wasn't a fan of being so bundled up, so she didn't enjoy it as much. She stayed with Grandma while I took the other girls sledding.

Nat started preschool! In the fall I wasn't comfortable with Nat going to preschool, as she was only 2. But, being home with her I realized that she needed more socializing and stimilus, which she wasn't getting enough at home. Having the baby around makes it harder to go out, and trying to be a preschool teacher every day is challenging. We were lucky to find a good preschool by our place that had a space available for her. Here's Nat on her first day. To say she was a little excited is an understatement.

Look who's 6 months old already. I can't believe this little babe of ours is getting so big already. She's sitting well, reaching around for all her toys, eating her fruits and veggies, trying to stand and walk around (with our help, or course), and definitely getting our attention (if it's not her yells, it's her smiles). What a joy she is. Love you our little Anna Simran.

The Christmas present finally got completed, only 3 weeks late. I had started Anna's blanket at the beginning of December, and was trying hard to complete it in three weeks, but it took 6 weeks before it was finally done. But, its beautiful and Anna loves it. Now, on to the next project: my nephew's making his arrival in May so another blanket is under way. I've also got an idea for next Christmas for all the kiddo's (nieces and nephews included, if I get the time to get it all done). I am glad I took up crochetting again.

Oh Anna...

2011-01-31T12:58:00.000-08:00

Our little bundle of joy is not so little any more. She's six months old... and getting bigger by the minute. Here are a couple of cute moments in her life that we had to share...

Anna started sitting at Christmas. She loves her new ability, and really enjoyes sitting on the floor, playing and reaching for toys. She does not enjoy laying back or "tummy time", but sitting is great!

Her first food: we love to say that Anna is our rolly polly baby. She is not all that chubby, just very solid. Well, when it came time to introducing food, she was all for that (very different than the struggle I had with Natalie). She devoured the rice cereal, and wanted more, and more... So cute!!! Just like her older sister, though, she's very particular about what she eats, and now does not care for the bland food that we try to feed her. And although the green veggies were OK when I first gave them to her, now she does not want to eat the green stuff.... she much prefers orange veggies. Don't say I blame her.

Christmas, at last!!!

2011-01-31T10:56:00.000-08:00

To say this has been a very busy start to 2011 would be an understatement. So many happenings at our place, which have to still make it onto the blog... but I'm still in catch-up mode. As soon as I complete 2010, I can work on getting our year book done and published.

So, without further ado...

Christmas Eve:

Depak got a "gingerman" (as Nat calls it) kit at his work gift exchange. He spent Christmas eve morning making the gingerman house with Natalie. Chelsea and I were busy making cookies. It was a nice morning at home with my family.

In the evening, as is tradition for our family, we dressed up in our Christmas best and went to the candlelight service at church. The service was a great reflection of Christ at Christmas, with a lot of amazing talent displayed by the ladies, teens and kids. Afterward, we spent some time with our Cornwall/Lusty family, opening gifts, eating yummy food, enjoying wonderful people.

Christmas:

We have created a routine for Christmas morning that I look forward to every year. First thing... STOCKINGS!!! We only buy gifts for the kids at Christmas, but we do try to put a lot of effort into our stockings. The highlights this year... well, I got a pack of Justin Bieber cards... not sure what to do with them. The usuals show up annually: socks, toothpaste, chocolate. The girls got a couple of movies. Depak and Walt got some very stylish scarves. And I got some oranges (along with some other nice things). I will have to remember to put oranges in everyone else's stockings next year.

Depak's parents and Parveen, BJ and Arjun joined us for breakfast and gift opening. We do a simple breakfast... fruit, crescants, muffins, coffee. Simple, but enjoyable.

The gift opening was chaos. Although we didn't go crazy with gifts, they still add up when the kids get a gift from everyone. It was a bit overwhelming for Natalie, who wants to play with one thing and not just open up boxes. Anna loved the colors and the noise, and was having a blast sitting in all the mess. Chelsea, like always, gets some pretty awesome stuff.

I tried to finish Anna's Christmas present by that morning, but wasn't successful. Here's a photo of Anna with her blanket as it was that morning. I did finish, and she does like it, which makes me happy.

We took a group photo of everyone that morning. Its amazing how its easy to miss someone in the photos, so I love doing the group shots. Everyone is great about letting me have that. It did take six tries to get a good one.

We definitely missed Phua Ji this Christmas morning... just wasn't quite the same. We got to spend the evening with Gurpreet, her new husband Mukesh, and their family. I forgot my camera (go figure), so I didn't get any pictures, but we had a great time chatting and eating with family. Natalie and Pierre had a special time together, especially at the end of the night with both in their PJ's.

Christmas with the Zseders:

We didn't get to spend Christmas with the Zseders until the 27th this year, a Monday. We got there for noon, ate leftovers for lunch (they had turkey/ham dinner the night before), and spent the afternoon hanging out, playing games. We had a great steak dinner that evening, and then packed up for home. We look forward to the relaxing day each year.

December synopsis...

2011-01-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

So, here's a synopsis of our December activities... (sorry if this is too long... it'll help me for when I put together our annual Parmar Life photo book, and its not even complete to boot!)

Caregroup Christmas Party: We are so blessed with a wonderful caregroup! We have an annual Christmas party, with lots of yummy food, a fun gift exchange, and just a good time hanging out (usually involving a few games too!). Kevin and Lianne were gracious enough to host the party (what an amazing place they have). Anna discovered the jolly jumper, and loved it!

Santa shuffle (see earlier post).

Disney on Ice: Nat just loves Mickey, so when we heard Disney on Ice was coming to our town, we decided to get tickets. We purchased cheap seats, so we were sitting quite a bit higher than these pictures would indicate, but we had a great view and really enjoyed the evening. Bhabba ji and Grandma spoiled the grandkids and bought them cool light up toys and a snow cone. Nat wanted to go skate with Mickey, and it was hard to try to convince her that Mickey went home. Anna loved the lights and music, and was mesmerized the entire time. Chelsea loved the snow cone... and troll doll! Arjun enjoyed the night too, but wasn't as into the show as the girls.

Ladies Tea: I got to help some lovely ladies with decorating and getting door prizes for our church ladies Christmas tea. Several ladies brought centerpieces, so there was a really neat eclectic mix of displays. It was a beautiful evening with a really neat speaker, and a bunch of wonderful ladies!!!

Dinner at Kamala Phua's: We enjoyed an evening with family and friends at Bob and Kamala's. Amazing food. Kids had a blast playing on the exercise bike and watching TV. I love when we get together with the family. Because we live a little ways apart, the cousins don't get to play as often as we'd like. I put little ponies in Anna's hair for the first time... too cute!

Kids Christmas Program: One of my favorite parts of the Christmas season is watching the kids participate in a special program of their own. I love watching them sing and tell the Christmas story in a way that is child-like and beautiful. Nat was dressed up for the occasion, and even Phua ji, Phuffar ji, Chacha ji, Chachi ji and Arjun came to church to watch her. All the kids were special, but our Nat was super cute... walking back and forth on the stairs, and taking in the singing and parts just as much as the crowd.

Dessert Theatre: Another annual tradition at our church is the dessert theatre. Its a nice evening out enjoying the choir and a little drama. The decorations are always amazing, I'm trying to take notes and maybe be as creative some year. Caleb and Alayna did an amazing job with their duet... and those are angels in the paint suite.

Another HAC Baby Shower: HAC is a growing family... literally. It is so precious to celebrate the many births in our church. Here are a few of the little girls from this year, all born within 5 month of eachother... and our Anna the biggest of all: Anna, Alyssa, Faith and Jennika.

Work Kids Christmas Party: We were able to attend Depak's work kids Christmas party, where the kids got to put together crafts, decorate gingerbread cookies (even daddy made one), eat pizza, and best of all... a visit from Santa. Chelsea is our good sport, and helps Nat with most of the crafts, and takes the token picture with Santa (for mom, of course). Natalie really enjoyed the crafts this year, and wanted to do more, and more, and more... She even did a great job and sat on Santa's lap to receive her gift. She got what she asked for, a belt! Anna was as cute as ever, got many snuggles, and even took a picture with Santa. She fell asleep before she got to open her gift, so under the tree it went until Christmas morning.

HAC Family Skate: This is a favorite tradition of ours. I don't think we've missed a family skate in years, and we enjoy it every time. This year Nat got to skate on the ice. The arena had double blades that tie onto your boots, so we put these on Natalie. She loved being out on the ice with the help of others. I even got her to try to stand on her own and move forward. Little steps at a time, but she did try. Chelsea and Steph are always good about helping her, and staking with the stroller. Anna didn't mind the cool air, and we stayed on the ice for a long time. At the end of the skate we enjoy some goodies and carolling together. Nat especially liked singing Gloria In Excelsis Deo (very cute).

Lights of Christmas: We took some time to see the lights of the city, as there are some spectacular displays around town. It was a short trip, as Anna cried and cried, but we got to see a few places.

The rest of Christmas is yet to come... finding time to get these all done is challenging with little ones. At least this is a start.

2nd Annual Santa Shuffle... at least for our family

2010-12-20T20:23:00.000-08:00

We participated in the Santa Shuffle again this year, with the whole Parmar family. Last year we started the tradition, and as long as the weather is good (not raining), I think we'll keep it going. Its fun to go out and support a good cause, enjoy the fresh air, and hang out with the family all at the same time.

It's Christmas!

2010-12-16T08:30:00.001-08:00

Nat is at the age where she comprehends a lot of things... but time and waiting she does not seem to understand. Once we started talking about Christmas and decorating the tree, she assumed that now it was Christmas. We tried to get her to understand that it was a long ways away, but to no avail. Each day she would wake up and declare that it was Christmas. One way we tried to get her to understand the countdown to Christmas was through an advent calendar... but it still isn't working all that well. Its eased the urgency of Christmas, but she wants to open up every day 'right now'. She's a work in progress.

I want to be able to instil in our children the true meaning of Christmas, and not the commercial version they see displayed all around, but it can be hard to not get wrapped up in what is all around you. Nat thinks that Santa lives in the North Pole and will bring her a present... do I allow her to continue to believe this? I haven't been able to bring myself to change her view point. Would she understand if I told her Santa is a mythical character?

We talk about Christmas as Jesus' birthday, and it is because of Jesus that we celebrate Christmas, but all she sees is Santa... I know that we have time for her to understand the truth, but... should that time be now? Chelsea never did have any inclinations that Santa was real, so we haven't gone through this decision before.

Movember

2010-12-15T15:00:00.000-08:00

November is Movember - a month to raise awareness and support for prostate cancer. This is not new, but was new for our household this year. Depak participated in Movember with his work, and was able to raise some money for a good cause. Gotta love the stash...

Not quite the smile I fell in love with...

Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

A family tradition is putting up the tree together. Nat was so excited she wanted to put the star on first, but we got her to wait until the end. I'm usually the one to fuss over how the tree looks, but Chelsea was the one to make sure the tree looked great this year. No new decorations, no personal touches, just a simply green and gold tree. We'll have to make it a Parmar tree next year with a few hand made ornaments, but this year we can enjoy the simply beauty.

And Nat got to help daddy put up the star too.

Another birthday at the Parmar household

2010-12-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

Daddy's birthday is the last of our fall birthdays. Unfortunately Depak had to work on his b-day (a Saturday). We were still able to have some special family time, and some amazing chocolate cake (dairy free too)!

We got daddy a present, all be it one that he picked out, but a present none the less! It was a very sharp looking wool jacket. Its not easy buying Depak a present for a couple of reasons... he doesn't usually want much, and what he does want has to actualy fit him... so, he picked out a jacket this year. It looks great on him!

I am also getting more and more successful with the dairy free deserts... which is good and bad. They taste great, but we don't need that many sweet treats. It is good that I am able to make something that daddy likes and that he can eat too!

Hope you had a special day honey, love all your girls!

November snow

2010-12-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

A novelty around here... a November snow fall. The snow didn't last very long, but we enjoyed it for a moment. Nat helped me shovel the driveway... daddy bought her a snow shovel for just such an occassion.

It's catch up time... again!

2010-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

I love being able to record our life in this format... but some times I get behind. Life, as busy as it can be, is worth recording, so here's a catch up post (or more).

One thing I've wanted to blog for a while is the life I now live as a full-time "home" mom. I have been truely enjoying my time on mat leave, and am very thankful for this time at home with the little girls. I get to see as much of Chelsea as before, as I always picked her up after school while I was working, but I get to spend my days with the little ones, and am having a blast (at least most of the time). Sure, it is exhausting, and some days I desire adult conversation and don't really want to play play dough, but all in all, we're having a good time!

Natalie still desires to be the center of attention. I guess that's what you get when you're center of life for 2 1/2 years... you just want it to continue. She is not so much of an attention seeker; she just wants me to be playing with her rather than playing by herself. She's not too bothered by Anna, and is just starting to pay attention to the baby in the house. When Anna was small, Nat just ignored her. Now that Anna is playing and making noises, Nat is starting to notice her and interact with her.

Anna is a pleasant child. She is our chubby little girl who eats and sleeps, and now plays too! She does not like to be by herself either, she wants to be where the action is. If you give her a toy and walk away, she's not very interested... if you give her a toy and she can see you (at your level), then she's happy for a while. We've had to pull up the high chair just so that she can sit where she can see us in the kitchen. The floor just isn't fun anymore. She also loves the jumper, but only if you're near so that she can smile and make faces with you.

Both girls ADORE their big sister. Its so neat to see Nat's bond with Chelsea, and even more neat to see Anna follow suit. As soon as Chelsea walks in the room, both girls are enamoured with her. Nat can be fussy all day, and then when Chelsea gets home, Nat will be content to follow her around, sit in her bedroom to listen to didi's music.

Aaaahhhhh... its been a good fall for me.

Retreat!!!

2010-11-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

Our church has put together a ladies retreat every other year for several years now, and I've attended the last three retreats. They've been held at this amazing little retreat centre in Northern Washington, which is an amazing setting to truely marvel at God's creation, either rain or shine. The group of ladies changes each retreat, and I love being able to get to know ladies I don't chat with every Sunday. Its a small weekend away, but an amazing refresher from the everyday life.

The focus of the retreat was loving well, as seen in 1 John 4:7-21. So often I try to fulfill my desire to be loved from others, but the retreat brought be back to the truth: that God IS love and he is all I need to be loved. It is too easy to just look to the physical world for our desires, as it is in front of our faces, but the physical realm always lets us down. If I allow God to fulfill my hearts desire for love, and drawing on his love and strength, I can love others in my life. Those that are easy to love; those that are a challenge to love; those I do not love (I have a hard time using the word hate, as we are called not to hate); and those that are not a part of my life, the strangers I am called to love.

Jesus said in John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." This is a longing in my life, and I trust that God will continue to do a good work in me.

"The best birthday party ever"

2010-11-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

According to Natalie, it was "the best birthday party ever"! Its wonderful to see how life to a 3 year-old is so AMAZING! Nat had her 3rd birthday last week, and we had a few family over for dinner, cake and gifts. She was showered with love, and some very cool toys, what a lucky girl.

Nat has a love for care bears. A long while back she asked for a care bears brithday cake. So, I set off to figure out how to do this. I found a cake pan on craigs list (complete with instructions) and made my first drop icing cake. It was a lot harder than I anticipated, but once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun. Nat helped make the cake, and discovered that licking the beaters is the best part. Now Chelsea will have to share that honor. This cake is love-a-lot bear, just like her care bear (which in fact was Chelsea's from long ago).

Nat also discovered that we had a small #3 cake pan, so she wanted that kind of cake too. It was small and easy, and Chelsea did the honors of decorating it for her. Although she wants candles on her cake, she's still a little afraid of the flame and did not want to blow it out.

Trick or Treat!!!

2010-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

One thing I have always enjoyed doing was dressing up for Halloween. As kids we would find things in the closet to dress up as, which, more often than not, included a cowboy hat. One year I even used a curtain for a skirt. It was fun trying to be creative and come up with costume ideas. As an adult I've had several opportunities to dress up as well, which is even more fun. I love rummaging through the thrift stores to find gems to use. I have this awesome shaggy orange jacket in the closet that I'll keep for future dress up opportunities.

There are many things about Halloween that I am not a supporter of. We also have friends that have chosen not to take part in the day, which I fully respect. I think it is important to understand the dangers that the day presents, and to take extreme caution, especially with our little.

All that in perspective, we still dress up and take part in trick or treating. We dress the kids up and go to Grandma and Babba Ji's, and then off we go trick or treating. Grandma and Babba Ji enjoy taking the kids out. We were out for nearly 2 hours and came home with toooo much candy!

The kids had great costumes also. Chels and Steph combined their options from their mom's old stashes, and looked cool in their rocker and pirate costumes. Nat got to be a monkey again this year, as the costume fit really good. Anna got to use Nat's first costume, and was a pumpkin. She even came out with us, but slept in the stroller the entire time. Chacha Ji and Chachi Ji were awesome looking nerds, and Arjun was an adorable spider.

Family visits

2010-11-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Seeings as the majority of my family lives in Manitoba, it isn't often that we get family visitors. This year we've had an abundance of family come out to BC, and we've enjoyed having them over for a visit. My aunt and uncle came out for a wedding a couple of weeks back, and we got to see them before they headed back home. Nat, who tends to be shy with almost everyone these days, really took to Aunty Hilda.

Some of our other family stopped by that evening as well.

Birthday season has begun at the Parmar household

2010-10-23T22:17:00.000-07:00

I love birthdays, they seem to generate so much joy. As a parent, I think birthdays are particularly special... we set aside a day to celebrate our child. Our first birthday celebration is Chelsea's, and what a nice day it was. Chelsea, you are blossoming to be a beautiful young lady, and we continue to pray that God molds you into the woman He has in store for you. We love you... baby girl.

Oh, and for her birthday this year, I made her another special cake. Chelsea has a love for art, and we got her an art easel for her birthday, so I decided to make a paint pallet for a cake. It turned out pretty neat. I got to play with fondant again, which I do love. Now I have a whole year to come up with another cool cake idea (and a few more cakes to make in between).

We had a fun small family party for Chelsea. It doesn't take many to spoil her. We are so thankful for the people in her life... they love making her feel special.

My beautiful family

2010-10-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

This is my beautiful family... and I love 'em! God has truely blessed me!

Wedding!!!

2010-10-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

I am a typical western Canadian, with a little bit of Mennonite heritage. I did not grow up with much tradition aside from regular family gatherings at the various holidays. Having a multicultural family has really brought new experiences to my world, and traditional Indian weddings is one of them. We were able to take part in my brother-in-law's wedding two years ago, but there is nothing like an Indian wedding from a female's perspective. My sister-in-law got married this past weekend, and here is a little snapshot of our experiences (and I truly mean a "little" as there was so much to take in that it'd be hard to share it all).

Let's start with the ENGAGEMENT... These are nothing like are western engagements, where the man proposes on one knee (which Mukesh did do, and with a ring pop none the less - at a much earlier date though). It is customary to have an arranged marriage, and the men from the girl's side goes to the guy's house with a "dowry". So, the men who supported Gurpreet took gifts and sweets over to Mukesh's place - this took place on the Saturday.

While this took place, the rest of us ladies did our best to decorate the house for the parties.

On the Sunday, the engagement continued, where the ladies from the guy's side brought gifts and sweets over for Gurpreet. There is a lot involved in these gifts, including combing the bride-to-be's hair and putting on bracelets and henna... so many customs that I don't fully understand.

And then there was the MEHNDI party (or henna). This is a ladies party, which involves food, music, and best of all, mehndi. The lady that did the mehndi was amazingly fast, and did an excellent job. Gurpreet had her hands and feet done, and it looked great.

Then, there are the Mayan (the "n" is almost silent) events, one on Thursday morning and one on Friday evening. The Friday is a large party, with lots of food and dancing, including the Juggo dancing (with a type of pot on our heads). At the Mayan we spread a turmeric colored paste all over the bride, and then wipe it off with a type of flour. This is to "cleanse" the skin, although it looks like it would actually stain the skin. The bangles and jewelry are also presented to the bride by her "mamma ji's" (which is mom's brothers).

And then the WEDDING DAY!!! For us, this started at 7am. We took family pictures at the house before heading out to the Gurdwara together (all the extended family). That means we were up super early getting ready; I believe Gurpreet was up at 4:30 am. At the Gurdwara, the bride's family greets the groom's family and the men exchange flower garlands. Then is morning tea (with sweets and pastries), before heading up to the ceremony.

The ceremony is all in Punjabi, so I was at a loss for most of what was happening. They provided a small pamphlet for us "white" folks to try to follow along, which helped, but I still did not understand everything. It is a bit of a teary celebration, as the bride's family almost mourns the loss of a daughter, which is quite foreign to what I am used to, but in their culture, the bride leaves her family and goes to live with her groom's family. In India, this can be in a village quite far away. We are fortunate that Surrey isn't too far from Abbotsford, but Gurpreet has left our home and is now a part of Mukesh's family.

After the ceremony and a quick family photo, we all head back to my in-law's place, as more tradition abounds. This is around 1pm. Once Mukesh and Gurpreet arrive at the house (after their pictures), Gurpreet came in, but Mukesh has to "buy" his way in to get his bride. The "sisters" from the bride's side try to get as much out of the groom, while the "brothers" of the groom support him and try to "push" their way in with little cost. We made a compromise and prepared a "deal or no deal" type of game. Mukesh was lucky, he got away with only paying $200.

After the groom's family left, it was time to get ready for the PARTY. We got our hair done, outfits on, and off to the reception. It was a great reception, they did an awesome job. Mukesh and Gurpreet even did a choreographed number for their first dance, which was so much fun. They also had a photo booth for the guests. Most importantly, the bride and groom looked stunning.

And that is not all... on Sunday, after the wedding, the bride's family invites the groom's family over for a meal. We had the traditional Indian food, as we've had all week, but since it was Thanksgiving, we also made a turkey (compliments of Lois - thankyou).

Yikes... I think that covers most of it. Now, let the normal everyday routine begin!!!

Showers and salons

2010-10-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

A fun part of weddings are the bridal showers and the pampering that goes on before the wedding. There were two showers for Gurpreet, a small friends shower, and then a family shower.

We also took an evening away and had our nails done. It was a nice time away with the ladies. I do wish I picked a brighter color, as gold is shiny, but doesn't stand out enough.

Special moments in life

2010-10-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

The biggest reason why I own a camera is because I love being able to reflect back on special moments in life. Here are just a couple of precious moments recently.

Natalie playing at the park with Grandpa.

Grandma getting to snuggle Anna.

Nat and her friends having a "sleepover" during a movie.

Nat missed a nap one day and fell asleep in the stroller when we decided to go for a walk, which she never does.

I took this while Nat was painting, cute photo.

Grandma and Grandpa come for a visit

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

My parents were able to come out from MB this summer, and it was great for them to meet our Anna. Anna's namesake is my grandma (dad's mom), which was pretty special for my parents. We had a nice visit, making some traditional mennonite food from scratch, trying some amazing Sockeye salmon, playing cards, swimming... we even tought mom how to use a digital camera. We didn't venture out too far from home, as the weather wasn't the greatest, but we had a good visit none the less.

We got to celebrate my dad's birthday while they were out here, so we had a picnic in the park for lunch, and went out for dinner in the evening.

My parents don't get to see these grandkids as much, so it was great to have them visit. Nat took a special liking to grandpa... he's a fun grandpa. She was especially sad when they had to go. Can't wait for the next visit, probably in MB.

Anna's baby dedication

2010-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

We were able to have a baby dedication for Anna at the end of August while my parents were out. We had our close friends and family come to church that Sunday to be support for us. We are so thankful to our Lord for how He has provided for our family, especially our three girls. Our desire is to raise our children in a way honoring to Him, and we dedicate ourselves as parents before the Lord.

Its also a bit of a release of control for us as parents. It is so easy to try to do it on our own strength and control the on-goings of our children, but to realize that we do not have control and trust our daughters into the Lord's hand is extremely refreshing.

We chose a scripture passage for Anna. Philippians 1:9-11 "And this is my prayer: that your love may about more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.

We desire that Anna love Jesus and lean on Christ as she grows, and to live a life that is pleasing to God. We hope to help Anna learn about Jesus and his gift of salvation. With God's strength we desire to raise our beautiful daughter.

The Cottage, continued...

2010-09-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

We took so many pictures on our family vacation, that this is just a taste of our trip (by major category). Definitely a trip full of memories, we had such a nice time. So, here goes...

The beach life was fabulous. Although it was too cold to go swimming (Chels & Steph did attempt to on the first day), we had a really nice time beach combing, hanging out, etc. We were at Porpoise Bay, which is not directly on the rough ocean, which made the water really calm. The water was very shallow for a long ways out, so it was pretty safe for Nat. The only thing you had to worry about were the sink holes. I sunk all the way to my knees one time. And when you sank, you could feel all the clam shells just below the sand, pretty creepy.

We didn't get bad weather on our trip, it just wasn't the warmest weather. But it is definitely the sunshine coast, and we got sun every day. On a cold day we ended up swimming in the local rec centre. But still we get a view that is spectacular, especially at dusk.

It was cold enough to start the wood stove in the cottage. As BC was having a province wide burning ban, we were not able to have a camp fire, but we really wanted to roast marshmallows... so, we roasted them in the wood stove. Not sure if it was the safest thing to do, but it was a lot of fun, and very yummy!

Gibsons is the town that the ferry lands at, and we spent a part of one day enjoying the beautiful port. It is a very quaint little town, a great B&B get-away for hubby and I some day. Gibsons is where The Beach Combers was filmed many years ago. We even ate at Molly's Reach, which was on the show.

As an excursion, we went on a boat tour of the bay. Depak so graciously stayed behind with Anna, and I got to take Nat and Chels. It was pretty awesome viewpoint, and we got to see a bunch of sea lions and a plume of jelly fish. Super neat. It just fueled Chelsea's desire to study marine biology.

One of the things I was looking forward to was going out to see Skookumchuck rapids. This is where the three narrows join into the big ocean. At high and low tide, a tidal wave or rapid is created. It's apparently a hot spot for experienced kayakers. The rapids happen to be about an hour outside of Sechelt, and with having a little one we debated if it would be worth the trip. We went none the less, packed a picnic lunch, enjoyed the hike (4km one way), and the rapids were very neat. We didn't make the peak, so the rapids were coming down as we were there.

And if there is one thing my family can count on... its the infamous family photo. I love the self timer function on my camera, and love to subject my family to the vacation family photo. This time I had us posing at a couple of different spots. I love my family, and want to see their smiling faces as much as I can, so...

The Cottage

2010-09-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

This has been such a busy month that I have not had a lot of chances to get away and blog. This one will come in two parts, hopefully that way it'll be easier.

This year our family booked a cottage in Sechelt for our family vacation. I asked my husband to do something low key but still fun for the kids, as I really wanted to get away together as a family, even with a newborn. We searched the internet and found this amazing cottage, and what a beauty it was. It was very quaint... about 80 years old, and well maintained. Depak is used to a few more modern amenities, but I thought it was so charming. Chelsea and Stephanie were dreaming up their future in a cottage like that one. It just so happened that the cottage was for sale, so we were all dreaming what it would be like to live there (the price-tag made it a bit unrealistic, but fun none the less).

So, here is the little cottage... it had two rooms plus a loft, a full kitchen (minus the dishwasher), a bath with a shower and claw foot tup, and a laundry room. The furnishings were old, the bedding was purposefully mismatched (in a very matching sort of way), the kitchen sink was old style ceramic... just lovely.

Then there was the view... the most amazing part of the trip was being able to look out the window and see that view... to be able to walk out the back yard and onto the beach below. It was great for the kids to be right on the beach and be able to enjoy the sea life anytime they wanted. Although the beach is public, there weren't that many people out in front of where we were staying, mainly as it was a little cold for sun bathing, and we had a lot of rocks. This is why the pricetag of this little place was soooo high!

Chelsea had the priveledge of bringing her BFF with us for the weekend. It is such a treat spending time with Stephanie, she's like another daughter for us, we truely love her. It was also very nice for Chelsea to have a friend, as the remaining time we were there, Nat was on her heels. Thanks for joining us Steph.

My adopted parents also came to visit us at the cottage for a night. It was great to spend some time with Harold and Lois, play games, get to talk as we haven't in a long time. Nat really warmed up to Grandpa, and Grandma got to get her baby snuggles in. Thanks for the visit!

A summer favorite...

2010-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Crescent Beach is always a favorite spot for us to go every summer. We usually make it out once or twice, enjoying the beach combing, having a picnic, and always ending the day off with delicious ice cream. This year, Depak got to take the girls, as I was home with babe. It was a nice outing for them, and much cooler at the water than our hot inland temperatures.

To the river

2010-09-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

There is something captivating about our Heavenly Father's creation. One thing I truely delight in is being able to be outdoors and taking in the beauty of the created world around us. I am drawn especially to water, and am blessed to live in a place where water is in abundance. We took some time on a hot summer evening to stroll along the Fraser River. Its a beautiful place for breathtaking sunsets, and good pictures too.

This always brings to mind the Brian Doerksen song "The River", a favorite of mine. The Sunday before we happened to sing this song at church, so I reflected on the words while enjoying the peacefulness of the setting. "He is calling, he is waiting, Lord I need to meet you there." When life seems overwhelming, I am so thankful that I have a savior that desires to have me "cast my cares on Him for he cares for me."

Summer of memories

2010-09-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a while, so let the updating begin...

What a wonderful summer it was! We were very busy as a family this summer, even with having such a little babe. The summer flew by too quickly, such as it goes every year, so it seems.

Here are a few fun photos from our summer:

We have adored having our little Anna a part of our family this summer. She's growing too fast, she is definately out of the newborn stage. She's already holding up her head, looking around, and she loves to sit up. As a third child, she seems so much more content to go along with the flow.

Family day trips

2010-08-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Being summer vacation, we've been trying to make the most of it by taking small day trips. With having a newborn, it requires a little more planning, and a lot more patience from the older girls, but we've been having a great time anyway.

We spent some time at very dear family friends of ours one afternoon. Chelsea was invited over to swim, and Natalie was able to spend a little time in the water as well. They had a good time swimming with Taylor. Chelsea stayed for the afternoon and evening, while we took a cranky Nat home (she didn't want to leave the pool).

Our first major outing was Cultas Lake. We packed a small lunch and headed out to the beach. I hadn't been there in years, and Depak had never gone, so we weren't familiar with the beach... we didn't realize that there are geese everywhere... makes for dodging of do-do everywhere you walk. It was a nice get-away, and not too much work with Anna (there is lots of shade to protect her skin). Depak didn't like the bonnet I put on Anna, but we didn't have anything else to cover her head.

Chelsea is such a great sister and always plays with Natalie in the sand. We were making birthday cakes, and Nat was singing happy birthday to each of us. It was fun. When we wanted to go into the water, Nat was hesitant, as always, and wouldn't go in. Chelsea did, though, and swam around by herself for a while.

We also made it out to the Agrifair. We saw the animals, took in the Flying Fools High Dive show, the Rodeo, some rides, and the Brian Doerksen concert. Natalie really enjoyed the kids zone this year, and went into the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse bouncy structure (took some coaksing). She loves Mickey, so it was neat to be able to play in the Clubhouse. Nat also went on a couple of rides (the dinosour train and car), and had a blast. Her first fair experience (that she can remember).

I had the priveledge of going on a couple of rides with Chelsea. The first two were great, and we had a blast (the octopus and the hang gliders). The third ride did me in... the Sizzler. Chelsea loved them all, but I think I'm getting to old for this stuff. We had a great time throughout the whole day, but glad the fair only comes around once a year.

All dressed up for church

2010-07-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

As we did not know what we were having during pregnancy, we did not purchase any gender specific clothing for our little one. So, as we were headed to church the next day, we ventured out to the mall on Saturday to find little Anna a dress. I don't believe we dressed Natalie in a dress for her first Sunday at church, so we didn't have any little dresses from when Nat was a newborn. As Anna was only 4 days old, the venture to the mall was a little much for me, but it was worth it as Anna looked too beautiful on Sunday. Since we were all dressed up, we got a family photo taken as well.

And heres Nat and Anna at the mall.

Introducing our newest sweetie

2010-07-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Anna Simran joined our family in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. We waited patiently for her arrival... and then she was in a hurry to come. But baby Anna did wait for her big sister to come home, completing our family of 5.

My labour was very short and very intense, not at all what I was expecting. I thought we'd have some warning with the labour, and be able to go to the hospital with plenty of warning, but Anna had other plans. With my first two, each time I went to the hospital I had not even started dilating, and each was born about 12 - 15 hours later. With Anna, I was contracting in the evening, about 10 minutes apart, and definitely manageable. At around 9:30 at night, the contractions were still 10 minutes apart, but they were starting to get painful. I thought we were in for a long night at that rate. At 10:45, my contractions started and didn't stop... we rushed to the hospital! We got to the hospital around 11:30pm (after dropping Nat off at her grandparents - Chelsea was already there for a sleepover), and were rushed into a room. Anna was born at 00:16 am.

The doctor barely made it (he was getting his gloves on as she was coming out), and Anna was blue (she had the cord wrapped around her neck). There were lots of nurses taking care of her. I was worried as she was not crying, but they took excellent care of her and she came around quickly. After the first hour, her vitals were great, and she weighed in at 8 lbs 1 oz.

Since bringing Anna home we have truely been enjoying our family time. Chelsea adores her, and Natalie is curious but adjusting so well to having a baby around. Daddy is the best, he's taking such good care of the two of us (giving me rest when I need it). Anna feeds very well; she is sleeping great, and allowing me to get sleep at night as well. She is so content (so far).

Anna is so precious, we are so blessed! God knew what he was doing when he knit her in my womb, and we trust her to His care as she grows. We have three daughters, and each one is unique and special!

Enjoying the park

2010-07-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

As I'm getting too tired to do much, but still needing to keep Nat busy, we took her out to the park. Good thing Daddy was willing to play. I just sat on the nearest bench / picnic table and enjoyed watching them have fun.

A bunch of friends met at the park for dinner also, just an impromptu bring your own dinner kinda evening. It was nice relaxing evening out, and lots of friends for Nat to play with.

Keeping cool

2010-07-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

Although we haven't had much warm weather yet, the one scorcher week we got last week required a lot of "keeping cool" tactics. We headed out to the water park in town and played for a small bit in the water. Nat does not like the sprinklers, and she didn't want to get wet. She'd rather play at the park, and she really wanted to play in the pool next to the water park. At least we had watermellon to cool down.

The next day, I took Nat to the pool. Since its pretty deep, I had to hold on to her the whole time, but she loved being in the water. It was hard to get her to come out when I was tired. To top the day off, Nat got a mini ice cream cone.

We also went to the kids play time at the local rec centre, and Nat had a blast running around in the gym. She does have to learn to share and not take toys away from the little kids (but she's too intimidated to play with the bigger kids). We escaped to various shopping centres in the evenings to avoid the heat, and slept in the basement to keep a little cooler at night.

Now, we're back to a week of cooler weather... go figure!

Anticipation

2010-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

We are getting so close to meeting our newest little one... and with much anticipation. The green and yellow baby things are washed, the crib is set up, the car seat all ready (and base installed in the van). Now we wait. I am 39 weeks already, and I can definitely say I would like this little one to wait another week (or so), as I am hoping to rest before its arrival (and we'd love for Chelsea to be home to complete our family).

I would love to know who this little one inside me is... it is exciting not knowing what we're having. I know already that it is a squirmy one, and loves the sound of music. Although the first little while will be exhausting, we are so looking forward to this new addition to our family, and the new dynamic that a baby brings. We pray that God is watching over it now, through the delivery, and as it grows.

Canada Day

2010-07-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

I love all the celebrations around Canada Day! It is such a festive day, when everyone comes out to celebrate in red and white. And friends love to get together. This year was no exception, although the weather didn't make it much fun.

We started at the annual Abbotsford parade... although it was less exciting than in years past. Not sure if it was sitting in the drizzly weather, or if there was just less excitement in the parade itself. None the less, a whole host of friends from church showed up at the same spot as usual and enjoyed the floats and the kids got candy (most important part).

We headed over to a friends for a BBQ at lunch, which is always a bustling fun time! Some of the kids braved the cold pool... I was too tired so we headed home so that Nat and I could nap.

The evening fireworks at the stadium are always a hit. Although we didn't meet up with too many friends, we did enjoy the outdoor concert with some hot chocolate, jackets, hoodies (we contemplated bringing out the toques and mitts). This was Nat's first experience with fireworks, and she and her buddy Zach loved them (it was very cute watching them sit beside eachother under a blanket).

Here's to hoping the summer warms up... July 1st was a cold one.

Newest family member...

2010-07-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Depak's cousin and his wife had a baby at the end of May, and we got to go and visit the family and the newest little one. We love getting together with Depak's family, and the Nat just loves hanging out with the young cousins (especially since they are boys... she has a thing for boys!). Chelsea isn't as enthusiastic about holding the new babies... we have to force her to hold them, but she'll mostly oblige.

Here is a very pretty Jasmine...

Birthday fun

2010-07-05T15:36:00.000-07:00

Every year some friends and I celebrate our June birthdays together, and every year it is getting harder to plan as we all lead such busy lives. We did get to go for dinner this year, which was at ABC. I must commend the restaurant on their excellent choice of dessert, which they provide free to someone celebrating a birthday. My all time favorite dessert is the hot fudge Mt. Baker, which we didn't even have to pay for... yeah!!!!

I didn't get a good photo of my friend Joce, but happy birthday to me, Barb and Jocelyn! (Joce... I cannot remember your beau's name... how awful of me... it was his birthday in June too.)

Another milestone accomplished... Middle School

2010-06-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

I can't believe our daughter is done Middle School... and is going off to high school in the fall. Time flies far too quickly, and before you know it, she'll be driving, then off to university... and beyond. These next few years will create a swell of memories for her to build her lifetime on. We trust that we can be there for her in the years to come to help build the character that God desires in her.

Here's Chelsea off to her grade 8 dinner... what a beauty.

Daddy dearest

2010-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

It is fathers day, and there are many special dads in my life that deserve highest praise today and every day. My heavenly father, my dad in Manitoba, my brothers who are dads to their cute kids, my father-in-law, so many men who have been father figures for me throughout the years, and then a super special dad in our home.

My girls (and little one on the way) are very lucky to have a dad that loves them beyond measure, who would do anything to care and protect them, who loves spending time with them... and the list goes on.

Daddy dearest, we love you and hope you have a special fathers day!

Faith of a teen

2010-06-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

We have been amazed at the faith of our oldest daughter for years... her love of her Savior and her boldness in Christ. This was especially aparent as she's been mentioning the talks her and a friend have been having with another class mate about Christ and their faith. We were even more encouraged when she asked if she could give two of her friends Bibles. Wow... what an encouragement. How often do my own personal inhibitions keep me from being a testimony for Christ? She is someone we are so very proud of... and we can learn a lot from.

Not only are we blessed by her zeal, but we did not want to put any hinderances in her way... so, Daddy took her to the local Christian book store and they picked out a couple of Bibles for her friends.

We trust God's blessing on our beautiful daughter... she is beautiful in so many ways!

A little vacation in Osoyoos

2010-05-29T22:25:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to be able to take some time away this May long weekend to see the beautiful Osoyoos. We were a little worried about the long drive out there with Nat, but she slept for a large portion of it... and it didn't feel all that long once we were driving.

We got to the suite and were blown away by the view. This is such a beautiful province we live in, and the sunset on the water was spectacular. We were amazed every day looking out the patio... I coudn't help but take pictures of this every day.

The hotel we stayed at was amazing as well. We got a one bedroom suite, so we had a kitchen (with a dishwasher), living room with a sofa bed, large bathroom (with laundry), and a king-sized bed. It was a home away from home. We were able to eat all our meals in our suite, without feeling closterphobic. We had a small patio that overlooked the pool... just a fabulous place to go.

And the pool was a lot of fun for us. We enjoyed the pool every day, even though it wasn't the warmest outside each day. The pool was heated, and there were two hot tubs. It was a neat experience sitting in the hot tub and overlooking the lake. Nat hasn't spent much time in a pool, but she loved it. Sure helps that her big sister is so willing to play with her in the pool. Chelsea is a very patient big sister.

There was also a small private beach for the hotel residents, with a dock. In the mornings we saw the bass swim up almost to shore. They were so large. This was Depak's favorite place to be... I think because he wanted to catch the fish and cook it. Nat did not like getting sand in her shoes (she would stop every two feet to take the sand out), but she did enjoy playing in the sand. I got to make sand castles for her, and then she'd smash them down. Chelsea was content with just sitting and relaxing.

We didn't stress about doing a lot while we were there... just relaxing and hanging out. It was great family time, and very relaxing, which was very needed after the busy season that we just finished... and the busy season we are about to enter with a new addition. Here is a family pic from on the beach.

Just having fun

2010-05-24T20:53:00.000-07:00

May has been quite memorable for our family... with something planned for every weekend. We've been keeping busy, but having a great time at it.

Natalie loves to be outside, and is content to just play in the dirt with me while I'm weeding the garden. I love that she's becoming such a little person, and is able to enjoy just being with us where ever we are.

Family is so special too... with Bhaba ji and his grandbabies... Nat discovering cousins (she's actaully able to play well with them at this age)... we've really been enjoying all the birthday get togethers this spring. This one is a special happy birthday to Phua ji!

A friend told us about the customer apreciation day out at Hell's Gate, so I convinced our family to go. We got to take a special friend along, and enjoyed some time out past beautiful Hope. We spent way more time in the car than we actaully did at Hell's Gate, but it was fun none the less. I'm glad we went, as the regular rates to take the tram are a little pricy for us. We are very fortunate to live in beautiful British Columbia.

And then there's my growing bundle... I'm quite hesitant to take pictures in this state, but it is good to look back and see the stages of this little baby's growth. Here I am at 32 weeks... only 8 to go! (the photo is a little fuzzy as there was a large fingerprint on the lens)

Annual track and field

2010-05-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

I love track meets, they were one of my favorite days in school growing up. Chelsea isn't the most eager to participate in track, but since its still mandatory this year, she took part in a few events. The weather was fabulous, with the sun shining down all day. Nat and I met Chelsea at the track for lunch and then hung around to see her take part in shot-put and long-jump (no ribbons, but Chelsea doesn't seem to mind - its more about the social aspect for her).

One thing I am amazed about over and over is the bond my girls have. To see Nat adore her didi (big sister), and to see Chelsea love on her little sister (I don't have a punjabi word for that one)... just makes my heart melt. I'm excited and hesitant to see what a new little one will add to the mix.

What a great family!

2010-05-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed by the wonderful family that I have. My husband and girls took me out for a buffet lunch on Mothers Day, which I truely enjoyed. The chocolate covered strawberries alone were worth it! Chelsea and I got to spend the afternoon outdoors. Although it involved washing the car and planting flowers, it was so nice to be in the sun and spend time together. Natalie was napping, otherwise it would have been great to just hang out with my girls.

We spent Mothers Day evening with Depak's family, just hanging out. Its great to see the cousins playing together, spending time with Bhabba Ji and Grandma. I am so glad that we have some family close by.

Although I didn't get to spend the day with my mom, I do get to look forward to her visit this summer after the baby is born. My parents seem so far away some days, but I've developed a relationship with my mom over the phone recently which I was nevery really good at. We talk on the phone frequently now, and I will always be kept up to date on the happenings of my family back in MB, as my mom is very quick to call with news. Love ya mom!

Such a wonder to watch these stages in life...

2010-05-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how wonderful it feels when you witness your child trying something new. Nat loves these white shoes, and tries so hard to get them herself. Sometimes she's successful, other times she gets frustrated... but it is wonderful watching her learn. It is such a blessing being a parent... I trust that God will continue to lead us in raising our children, and cherish all the little things.

I love you...

2010-05-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

... you love me... you know the rest of the words. Its not my favorite kids song, as the big purple dinasour isn't allowed at our house, but Nat is too cute when she sings it. She was singing for her cousin Pierre.

A season of busy...

2010-05-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

This winter/spring has been extremely busy for our family... work has kept us on the go for too long. But, now as this season is passing, I have free time to sit here and jot my thoughts down. Its surprising how it is hard to slow down after being on the go for so long, but I am glad for the slower next couple of months, as I need more rest as this baby's arrival draws nearer.

Its been tough going through these last months, both physically and emotionally. Physically my body is having a hard time adjusting to the largeness of this baby inside. I'm aching more than normal... but it may be partially due to exhaustion. I'm hoping some walks outdoors will help as we count down to this baby's arrival - only 10 weeks to go (plus a week as I'm usually late).

We've tried so hard to make sure we get some good family time in here and there, but juggling both our busy schedules has made it hard for Depak and I to see eachother. Its so hard to make the effort to connect at the end of a hectic day when we're both so spent. I hope we get some much needed time out soon just to reconnect. I'm also looking forward to reconnecting with friends, which comes easier as the weather warms also.

During this past month, although I haven't had much time for much, I do make sure I enjoy the girls as much as I can. Here are some photos of Nat playing on the Trampoline one afternoon (Depak got to take Chelsea out to see the Globe Trotters - I opted to hang out at home). She's starting to get some air too.

April has so many birthdays for us to celebrate as well. Natalie loves to wish people happy birthday... and especially her special uncle Walter. Its a birthday I remember wanting to forget, and I think Walt felt the same way... the big 3-0! I was fortunate enough to get to make his cake... angel food cake with chocolate whipping icing... yum! And the 30 turned out pretty good. Hope you had a great day Walt!

Our nephew Pierre also had a birthday, which was so much fun. They rented the gym at the Guilford Rec Centre, and had a bunch of toys out for the kids to play with. Pierre also got a special Thomas the Train cake... he loves Thomas!

And our little Arjun celebrated his first birthday too!!! Happy birthday Arjun!!! He has this amazing cake, and a "little slugger" themed party with a baseball piñata. His mom did a great job with the decorations.

Easter Reflections

2010-04-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I love about Easter... family, fellowship, but most important is our reflection of our Saviour. We are so thankful for the sacrifices that Christ paid for us on the cross. We have been given a salvation in Christ Jesus that doesn't require our cost, as Jesus paid that cost on the cross. And even more, our Saviour did not remain in the tomb, he rose again! We serve a risen Saviour!

We celebrated Easter with many dinners and church services. Natalie discovered the Easter egg hunt this year... she calls it Easter Party! She loved looking for chocolates with her big sister. And now we know she LOVES eating chocolate.

Now that Easter has passed, the fun spring clothes get to come out of the closet, the flowers are already blooming, time to plant more, mow the lawn. I love this spring season! (too bad it involves a lot of work for us at the office as well)

Anticipating the summer...

2010-03-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

There are many things I get to look forward to this summer: a new baby, some time off, my parents visiting... and a summer vacation. I held a very strong desire that our family take a vacation this summer, nothing to strenuous, as we will have a wee little one in the mix, but some time to get away and spend just as a family. Even though we know it'll be hard to fully relax with a newborn, we did some research and we found this amazing cabin on 3 acres on the Sunshine Coast that we get to call home for a week. We are so excited, or should I say I am so excited. The place has two bedrooms and a loft with beds, a full kitchen and living room, full bathroom (shower and tub), fire pit... and is right on the water. It'll be a perfect getaway for our family. I am very thankful that my husband responded to my need for some time away.

Getting bigger every day...

2010-03-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

Here's an update of what I look like these days. I must say, I am large for 24 weeks pregnant, despite what all my friends try to say. And to think, I have another 17 to go (I always go 1 week overdue, so I'm planning for it ahead of time this go around).

The most frustrating thing this pregnancy so far has been the moods / emotions that I cannot seem to get under control. I am way more frustrated, upset, and emotionally drained than normal. Physically its been a good pregnancy (aside from the size), but feeling so down / moody is taking its toll, not only on me but I'm sure my family has had too much. The moods have affected my eating habits, and I am making very poor food choices, which doesn't help the moods (and the cycle starts again). I am determined to do something about this, but can't seem to get it right.

Spring Break

2010-03-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

Spring break came early this year, and it's been a productive break, but probably not the most fun for Chelsea. Our number one goal was to clean out the basement. Well, did we ever! I still have a couple of boxes that I need to sort through, and a pantry that needs some organizing, but we gained about 700 square feet of space down there. Chelsea was a big help, and Nat didn't get in the way either. She got a trike from a friend, and she would ride around, color, and just generally play. And we had the music going, which Nat just loves. Now that there's space in the basement, she's always asking to go down and play.

Well, this photo came during our major cleaning spree, which was too cute to pass up. We are so fortunate that our girls share such a close bond.

We also made it to the park one afternoon. We are so blessed with amazing weather. I wanted Nat to ride her trike to the park, but it was mostly us pushing her or carrying the trike. I think we need to stick to the driveway until she's a little more accomplished. Chelsea gave Nat a ride for part of the trip home, which was too cute.

And then we get snow. Nat said its raining, and I looked, and it was actually snowing. She wanted to go out to play in the snow, so she ate her breakfast, I bundled her up, and by the time we go outside, the snow was a lot thinner, and turning to rain. We still played.

Olympic Memories!

2010-03-09T21:02:00.000-08:00

Finally I get a chance to post our Olympic memories. The Olympic withdrawal has subsided... but it was great while it lasted. It was spectacular to be apart of something so big... a time for many nations to come together to cheer on our countries! And what a way to end it, Canadian athletes did Canada proud!

The Olympic torch came through Abbotsford, and we celebrated with so many other proud Canadians in the rain... our true winter weather. It was exciting to get on our red shirts and cheer on the torch bearers.

Abbotsford got to host the Russian figure skaters at the local rink, so the girls and I went, waited in line, and got to see them perform some of their routines. On our way out, there were a couple of skaters that were taking pictures with fans, so I got a picture of Chelsea and Nat with the one couple we saw practice. It was pretty neat.

Chelsea and I headed into Vancouver one fabulous Friday afternoon. It just so happened that we both had the day off. We toured some of the pavilions, got to see the torch, and got our pictures with two of the mascots. I think that was Chelsea's highlight of the day. Sure we waited in lines (even for a free vitamin water), but it was a great day, and the atmosphere in Vancouver was so fun.

The next day we went in again, to check out more sites, as it is impossible to see them all in a day. More lines, more sunshine, and lots of people. We walked from Science World, around to Yaletown, then to downtown... we were almost lost in the big city. We didn't get to see all that we wanted to this day, as we were heading over to the Canadian Mint pavilion to wait in line to see the medals.

So... after a 4.5 hour wait (Depak brought Nat into Vancouver in the evening, and joined us just outside the pavilion), we got to hold the Olympic and Paralympic medals. They were heavy, and beautiful. Nat even wants to get in there and touch one, but she wouldn't keep her glove in, and you cannot touch the medals without the sacred white glove.

There was a million dollar coin at the pavilion that was pretty neat, and very shiny. Apparently pure gold. We also took in the torch at night as a family. It was great that we could do some of this together, as it is difficult to haul a toddler around in such a crowded city.

Chelsea and I also took another afternoon and went into the city again with a dear friend, Lynne. It was a very rainy day, but we got to see a few more sites that we hadn't visited yet, and some we had. Our favorite pavilion was the BC one, which we saw on our last trip in. We were also able to find the toque that Chelsea wanted at the end of the evening. It was a nice visit with Lynne, even in the rain.

Overall, what a fabulous time we had. We didn't get to see one Olympic event live, but watched many on TV. We had Olympics on TV, computer, radio... everywhere we went... I'm almost glad to be done and have the focus shift to our every day lives again.

Once in a lifetime experience... I'm glad we got to be apart of it.

International Smorgasborg

2010-02-14T12:01:00.000-08:00

It is an annual tradition at Heritage to have an International Cafe where various caregroups present a country with food and decorations. This year our group did Greece, with tzatkisi, hummas, pita bread, greek salad and spanakopita. Other countries represented were Canada, Mexico, Italy, Germany, one African country (can't remember the name), and even the North Pole (they served ice cream sundays - very fun - Nat especially enjoyed this part of dinner). The food is always great, but the best part is the fellowship with others.

Two natural beauties looking extra beautiful!

2010-02-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

I love watching these girls grow into beautiful young women. Even though only one is ours, we consider them both our girls. They are naturally beautiful, but it is fun to see them explore makeup and trying to present themselves in a way that is flattering, yet modest.

Committed for a lifetime... accomplished 4!

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Another year has gone by, so out comes another wedding photo. This one means a lot to me as it captures how we envisioned the start of our marriage... done in prayer and with God's blessing.

One thing I am very thankful in our marriage is the prayers of others. We were honored to be blessed by Pastor Ron on our wedding day, and I know that many others have prayed for our marriage since that time.

We choose to honor God in our lives, and try to live that out in our relationship with each other. I think that is the hardest place to try to be in God's will, as it is also a place that contains the potential for most hurt. I love my husband, but since he's my most comfortable person, sometimes he doesn't get the best in me. Marriage is one of the hardest things I've ever done, and I think it is because I can't do it on my own. I need to rely on my husband, and more importantly on God.

I do pray that in this next year we will continue to strive to live out God's will in our marriage, and continuing to bring our relationship before God in prayer. I also hope that others continue to pray for us, as we cannot make it to a lifetime without God's hand in our marriage.

Happy Anniversary honey! Four down, a lifetime yet to come!

Look at that smile

2010-01-27T21:44:00.000-08:00

How do you say it nicely... the metal mouth is gone! The braces are off. Chelsea was sooo excited to get her braces yesterday.

Here is a pic of her before braces. We didn't take a good before picture.

Here are the before and after from yesterday.

I made buns!

2010-01-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

I love the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog, and check it often for dinner ideas. Today honey bran buns were posted. I have never made buns before, aside from rolling buns for my mom when I was a kid. I felt like I should try this, so I did. Watching my mom take all day Saturday to make a batch of bread (and then cinnamon buns), I knew it would take some time, but it was surprisingly easier than I thought.

And they turned out great. They don't look the best (I need to learn to roll buns better), but they tasted surprisingly good. They are 2/3 white and 1/3 whole wheat flour, with bran cereal and honey. I wasn't sure if they'd be heavy, given the bran and whole wheat, but they are nice and light and tasty.

Depak was glad (and surprised) to come home to fresh baked bread. I have to admit, the house smelled good. So, I think I'll make buns more often. There's something satisfying about home baking, although I didn't appreciate it much as a kid.

Its a big girl bed for our big little girl!

2010-01-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

We got the big bed up in Nat's room over the Christmas break. She wasn't sure about it right away, and slept in her crib for a night, but then on the Sunday she had a nap on the bed, and hasn't wanted to sleep in the crib since. I think she really likes the fact that I can snuggle with her in bed, as she makes a spot for me to lay down.

We put Chelsea's old bedding on the bed, but that's going to change soon. There is pilling on the sheet, and she does not like that at all. Also, there is a tear in the comforter, and she's pulling out all the batting... so a new bed set is in order. They don't last forever, and Chelsea's had this set since she was too.

We've kept the crib up in her room, as she's going to be sharing a room with the new little one. Hopefully we will be able to introduce the baby idea a little more over the next 6 months (or less, hopefully).

Pretty girl off to a birthday party

2010-01-10T20:42:00.001-08:00

Nat got to attend her first birthday party at a friend's this weekend. Our friends live just down the street, so we got to walk on the nice Saturday. Nat insisted on the umbrella, made for a pretty cute little trip down the road. And the cute clothes: compliments of uncle Walter. She now refers to the jacket as uncle Walter jacket (its new name). He treats our girls well!

Nat is getting used to playing with other kids, and isn't quite good at it. She plays independently at home, or we're playing with her, so she isn't used to sharing. Hopefully a few more play dates and some more time in kids church will help as she grows. Since she's the size (or bigger) than her three year-old friends, sometimes I just expect her to play as well as they do, but I have to remember, she's a year behind them. She does so well for her age, we're more than proud.

After the party we had some wind down time before nap, hence us cuddling on the couch. My preggo belly is already showing. I should expect my body to respond quicker, as this is the third. I have been very cold this pregnancy, so I found the cute sweater at Thyme. When Chelsea saw it, she asked for one. It is nice it is not distinctly "maternity" wear. I do like it!

Expressions and bubbles

2010-01-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Natalie gets the majority of our picture spotlight for several reasons, one of which is her ability to say cheese. Its so cute it cracks us up every time. I love capturing her other faces too, as her face tell so much.

And thanks to Chacha ji and Chachi ji, bubble blowing is so much easier. Nat can be outside everyday blowing bubbles, and now she can blow her own bubbles. We love the bubble blower!

Skating with Mel

2009-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Before she came out, Mel had asked to schedule a skate night. Sounded like a great idea, so we dragged our lazy selves out of the house to go skating. Well, we showed up so sullen face and tired looking that Mel felt bad for asking us to go. We really did want to skate, we're just being lazy from taking time off. We had a great time, although Depak's back didn't hold up as well as last time.

It was nice to be out and exercising, even if it was slow and not very graceful. Mel, don't worry, you skate just fine for us. And Chelsea did great skating; she always worries about the fall. Nat enjoys the fast stroll on the ice (I think, as she doesn't complain).

Before we finished, I let Nat walk on the ice in her boots (and yes, no helmut - but I was holding on to her real tight). She was so excited to be on the ice. She "dragged" me around the little rink a couple of times, and then used the skating "helper", and we went around a few more times. She was not pleased to leave the ice.

Daddy's helper

2009-12-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

Depak was out sweeping the leaves on Christmas Eve, and it was too nice to keep Nat indoors, so I sent her out with him. She wasn't content to just be outside, she wanted to help daddy. So, we got out the broken broom, and let her sweep. It was so cute!

Turkey on Boxing Day with the Parmars

2009-12-29T22:35:00.000-08:00

We managed to get through Christmas with only one turkey dinner, which was more than enough for us. Parveen and BJ hosted, and made the turkey, with Gurpreet and I making the appetizers and sides. The cousins were able to make it out. Dinner was great!

Nat played so well with Pierre, and Arjun and Shushmita were as cute as ever! Nat discovered Arjun's guitar, and Cha chi ji taught her to say "rockstar" when she played it. It was too cute.

After dinner we played Password (I think). It was a fun game that was simple, and was able to involve everyone (except the little ones). At the end of the night we broke out guitar hero.

Christmas with the Zseders

2009-12-29T22:28:00.000-08:00

Another adopted family we share our time with. We were able to spend the afternoon and late evening just hanging out and relaxing, eating too much food, playing games and chatting. It was a great day! Thank you Zseder family!

And, yeah, Mel came out earlier this year! It was great to see her Christmas day!

Christmas Morning!!!

2009-12-29T22:13:00.001-08:00

Christmas morning we start with stockings. This year, breakfast was made, Depak and I had showered, and stockings didn't start until after 10am (that's when Chelsea got up). It was a very nice start to the busy day.

This was our first Christmas with Arjun, and what a cutie he is! Depak's brother, sister-in-law, and sister came over for continental breakfast (yummy muffins) and then we opened some presents. Nat loves her Bha Ji, and was trying to help him with the raspberry teether (but not the presents).

It started too look like a wrapping paper pile when the gifts were open. We love being able to put smiles on our girls faces at Christmas. We try hard not to go overboard and commercialize Christmas, but some special treats are always warranted.

Nat wasn't too impressed with all the gifts. Too many for her, I think. Once all the wrapping paper was gone, and she could play with the presents, she was happy. She probably was tired of all the clothes too!
And then the present that topped all presents: the snowboard from Uncle Walter. Way to go Uncle! I am so proud to see the bond that has developed between Walt and Cheslea over the years, and you can tell that Chelsea holds a pretty special place in Walter's life too. Just wait Nat, Uncle Walter will spoil you just as well.

Christmas Eve!

2009-12-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve the festivities begin, and so does the food.

We start our Christmas Eve by joining our Church family at the Christmas Eve Service, which is a candle light service with carols, reading the Christmas story from the Bible, special music, etc. I especially enjoyed the special music this year, with Rachel and her Dad sining a duet together, as well as the ladies singing O Beautiful Star. Depak had not heard that song before; it is one of my favorites. Nat kept singing "shine on, shine on".

Afterwards we join our Cornwall/Lusty family for appetizers, good fellowship, and a few gifts. We look forward to this every year, just makes the holidays feel like they've started.

This year I had Chelsea bring her flute to play Christmas carols for us to sing, which she played for the kids Christmas program. When I was a kid, each Christmas we would have to do our part from our Christmas programs in front of the grandparents and aunts and uncles, so many times I had to bring out my trombone and play a piece, or say my lines. I was glad to pass on that tradition, although I don't think Chelsea was.

Merry Christmas from the Parmar Family

2009-12-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from the Parmar Family!!!

Love: Depak, Tillie, Chelsea, Natalie, and a little one on the way!!!

Kids Christmas Program

2009-12-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

Our church kids did an awesome job with their Christmas production this year. Its so great to see them get involved. All kids from the small 2 year-olds to the teens playing in the orchestra. The kids in the play did great; there is definitely some talent in those kids. And the choir sang out very loud. Kudos to Elise, our great director!

Our Nat was a cute little cow in the manger scene, and sang Away in a Manger and Silent night (not so much sinigng on her part as much as sitting a looking cute with the other little animals - although she wouldn't wear the ears).

Chelsea played her flute in the orchestra, which sounded great for every song.

HAC Christmas Skate 2009

2009-12-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

There are a few things I look forward to this time of year, and the annual HAC Christmas skate is one of my favorites. We don't go skating much, but we look forward to skating with our church family. it is so much more fun to go skating with friends then to go with just a couple of people, as you know almost everyone on the ice.

We also get to enjoy some home baked goodies and carroling afterwards, which is a treat.

Each year uncle Walter joins us skating, and this year Depak's brother, sister-in-law and our adorable nephew came out to. It is so great to do things with family, we are so priviledged to have great family close by (although we do miss our farther away family this time of year).

The girls photo shoot

2009-12-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the pictures from the girls photo shoot a couple of weeks ago.

Daddy's Work Kids Christmas Party

2009-12-15T15:56:00.000-08:00

We got to enjoy a Kids Christmas Party at Depak's work this year. The organizers did a great job. Nat got to decorate cookies and paint a jar, and her big sister was so willing to help out. Chelsea loves to do those types of crafty things, but not for herself, she'd rather be helping Nat.

After lunch, we sang a lovely rendition of Frosty the Snowman (too many words in that song), and then Santa came. Depak's co-worker was a good sport and dressed up for the kids.

Because this was a family event, we told Chelsea she had to sit with Santa for a picture. I think she is getting too cool for Santa (at least when her friends aren't around).

And Nat, who loves to see Santa from a distance ("Santa, ho, ho, ho," she says), and will wave ever so cutely, did not want to sit on his lap. Depak took the token picture with Nat and Santa this year (I got to do it last year).

It was definitely a nice way to spend some time with the family.

Decorating the tree

2009-12-13T12:00:00.000-08:00

We bought ourselves a fake Christmas tree this year. Last year I plugged the central vac with pine needles, so it was probably a good time to make the switch. Although getting a real tree is fun, it is also a lot of work, and for two accountants who are too busy as it is, we would probably not have gotten around to getting a real tree.

Well, we opened up the tree, plugged it in, and decorated, all in one night. Not bad for the Parmar family (we never do things quickly).

And now our house seems just a little more cheery. I love the glow of the lights, the reflection in the window, even if the fresh pine smell is missing. We may not be ready for Christmas this year (the only presents ready for the tree are for all the cousins), but we have a good looking tree.

Chelsea decorated the little tree, and put a string of lights on it. She did a great job.

The Santa Shuffle

2009-12-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

Shuffle is about as much as we did at this walk, but it was great to get out and support the Salvation Army. My sister-in-law organized the event for us, and we all got out and walked the very cold early December morning.

Some Santa Shuffle highlights:
1. Arjun so cute in his hat
2. Santa was there!
3. Depak leading our walking group, which never happens, except Depak was cold :)
4. BJ organizing a fun morning out with the family
5. Hot chocolate and cookies, can't forget the treats
6. I did beat 'em all in the end, as I couldn't help but run to the finish

Daddy's b-day

2009-12-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

I was so diligent about posting our girls b-days, and was not very successful at posting daddy's. I'm sorry honey. No excuses are good enough.

Well, it was our daddy's b-day a couple of weeks ago. Depak forever gave me hints of what to get for his birthday, but I was completely oblivious to these hints, as I had no clue what he wanted. He still hasn't told me, says I can still get it for him. Wow, he's harder to read than a wife (haha). Anyway, we got him a touque and some candy. Not very exciting, I know.

Chelsea made the cake, and Nat attempted to help blow out the candle, but she was too afraid of the fire. It was very cute.

Here's to hoping I do a better job next year! Happy birthday honey!

CDG and Abbotsford Heat

2009-11-28T16:12:00.000-08:00

Chelsea got the opportunity with her band to play the national anthems for an Abbotsford Heat game. They had to know the music by heart, and boy was there a lot of practicing at our house. It was exciting to see the school get an opportunity like this, and special to see our daughter performing.

Note: I tried so many times to upload their performance, with no luck, so I'm posting this as is. We had a great time at the game, and can't wait to support our local team again. (Dec 11th)

A special cake for a special 2 year-old

2009-11-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

I made a special cake for our two-year old. Natalie loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouses, so I set out to make her a Clubhouse cake. She was so excited when she saw the cake (Mickey House, as she calls it). She wanted to cut the cake right away, but then when we did, it was "uh, oh, Mickey House". Its kinda neat to see how much she remembers, as days later she still wants her "Mickey House cake".

Nat got a Mickey for her B-day too. She had Minnie from Disneyland, but Mickey is so special to her that we had to get one for her.

Looking forward to a new year, looking back on so many milestones...

2009-11-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are definately looking forward to this new year with Natalie. I cannot believe its been two years since she was born.

We are amazed daily at how she's growing, her unique personality... here's a little bit of who Nat is today:

- her favorite person: Babba Ji
- she loves Mickey House (aka Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) - she knows all the characters
- she can sing the ABC's by her self, although she hasn't quite figured out the L-M-N-O part very well, but she knows when to say P
- she can count to 10, and then she keeps going, although not very clearly
- she adores her big sister
- she loves Franklin Hurry Up (sounds more like "hur hup")
- she thinks yellow is "purple"
- she runs (not walk)
- she has a smile that is contagious, and everywhere we go people can't help but love her
- she has this facination with "guys", particularly the pastors young boys that came over
- she looks like her daddy (long curls and all)
- she loves to see the moon and stars in the sky (we've convinced her they're sleeping when they're not out at night)

She keeps us busy, but its been such a joy to watch her grow. We are definately looking forward to being able to see her develop, and be able to teach her so much about God and his love for her. We trust God's blessing and great influence on her life.

Happy Birthday Natalile!!!

Halloween fun

2009-11-02T17:43:00.001-08:00

We had a fun Halloween dressing up. We had a bumble bee (home made costume via the local thrift store), a monkey, and a lizard (the Parmar cousins).

Even Phua Ji dressed up to hand out candy; great pirate costume (bird and all).

Nat enjoyed trick or treating. We walked with her to each house, and she said "trick a treat". She couldn't get enough of the candy and pumpkins. Hopefully she doesn't want to dress up all the time and go "trick a treat" in the neighborhood.

The cake for our birthday girl...

2009-10-27T21:47:00.000-07:00

Long before her birthday Chelsea was searching the net finding super cool looking 13th birthday cakes. I couldn't let her down; I had big plans for Chelsea's 13th birthday cake. Fondant! I had never used the icing before, but I was determined to try. I wanted to do something fancy with zebra print and dots, two of Chelsea's favorite things.

So, off to the internet I went. I found so many neat designed, I learned how to make zebra cake, and I found an amazing fondant recipe. For all you ladies interested in making easy fondant, check out this site:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/PegW/Fondant.htm

First came the cakes. I made four cakes, two 6" cakes for the top and two 9" for the bottom. I found a site that had instructions for a zebra cake. I made two cake batters (straight out of the box) and then layered the white and chocolate cake batters. You take a ladel full of white, pour in the centre of the pan. Then a seperate ladel for the chocolate, and pour in the centre of the white cake mix. You continue alternating and pouring into the centre of the previous one until your pan is full enough. It was surprisingly easy, and turned out awesome.

I then iced the layers with buttercream icing before applying the fondant.

Then came the fondant. I followed the instructions pretty closely. When rolling the fondant onto my roller, it kept sticking to itself and then becoming useless (had to reroll the stuff - good thing its pretty forgiving and you can reroll the stuff over and over). I decided to put a layer of plastic wrap on top, so that the fondant couldn't stick. It worked, yeah!

The fondant is really stretchy. As you can see its stretching down the cake tray. You need to work pretty quickly to stretch and smooth the fondant in place around the cake before it pulls too much. It wasn't very difficult, just a little tricky. As you can see, definately not a smooth cake, but you can't tell once its decorated.

Then came the decorating. I used a lot of black dye to get the fondant this color (which was a dark grey), but it looked pretty good. Next time I'm going to let the fondant sit longer before I use it to absorb more of the color. The zebra stripes were so fun, and easy because they don't have to be perfect I used a knife and scissor to cut the strips. The second layer was harder because you have to space the dots to look somewhat nice. I bought fondant cutouts for the circles.

(note: the second layer is supported with dowels in the first layer, and is on a covered cardboard piece)

Ta da!!! The final cake. I also cut out letters (fondant cutouts from Michaels) for the top. I was so impressed, that I called a friend right away. Now I can't wait until the next cake.

And most importantly, the party girl and her cake. We had a family party (even those get pretty big at our house). I kept the cake hidden until everyone was over, then we sang, Chelsea blew out candles (she did have to take a second breath to get that last candle), and ate the cake. It was hard cutting into it, but it tasted great!

Most importantly, Chelsea loved the cake. That's why I did it.

As an aside, while we (my friend Jocelyn came to help) were trying to roll the fondant the first couple of times, it was not working and I was starting to feel that it wouldn't turn out. We took a break, Jocelyn had to go finish her studies, and then I started again. But before that, I prayed that God would allow me to do this for Chelsea. Well, it worked on the first try. Praise the Lord for considering the small things in life important enough to listen to. I couldn't let that pass, as I needed to ensure praise was given where it is deserved.

A precious gift from God

2009-10-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Thirteen years ago I was blessed with a gift that I did not fully understand. But it was a beautiful gift that I fell in love with the moment I laid eyes on her. Chelsea came into this world at a time in my life that presented a lot of uncertainty. I moved into my first place the day this photo was taken, bought groceries for the fridge on the way home from the hospital, and then spent my first night on my own with a small baby who had no idea of how she came to that place. (wow, I have tears just trying to write this) I didn't know what I was doing as a person, let alone a mom.

(I don't have a scanner, so I took a picture of these old photos)
She was so small, and I was so young. God has brought the two of us a long way from that hospital room in Steinbach. Through amazing people and an abundance of God's love, grace and blessing, our lives have changed from that night 13 years ago.

And look at the beautiful teen she's become. She's not actually 13 here, (only 12 and 364 days old). I trust that God will work in her life. I know that God will continue to bless our lives because of her.

Chelsea, we are so proud of you. We are excited to see how God will work in and through your life, and see Him shine through you as you seek to honor Him. We pray that you will continue to seek God's will for your life, because the safest place to be is in His will, wherever that takes you.

We love you Chelsea. Happy birthday sweetheart.

Love mom and dad and Nat.

Our newest family member

2009-10-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

We have a new family member in Depak's family: Shusma Salomae Chua Parmar. She's a beauty. Depak's cousin Shushma and her husband Armondo have two: Peirre (middle in the top picture), and Salomae.

The AppleBarn

2009-10-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a beautiful fall afternoon with the family at the AppleBarn. Parveen, BJ and Arjun joined up with us. It is such a fun place to take the kids. I love fall colors, especially the orange pumpkins. At the top of the photo you'll see Arjun, our pumpkin in the pumpkins. Nat was tentative with the animals, and Chelsea didn't like the fact that a bunny bit her. We brought home apple juice and a bag of apples, which made their way into some yummy apple pies.