Time flies by when you are having fun!

I am writing today, pretty much in awe at how lucky I am and how fast my life has changed! Three years ago, I was sitting in my room unable to sleep because I was so excited and nervous for the day ahead. The day I finally got to marry my best friend. I know it is cheesy, but there is a country song called "Broken Road" that I just love. Basically it is about how all the trials and heartbreak in our lives are what lead us to the one person that we fall in love with! Without all those broken hearts and stupid choices, as well as the fun adventures of adolescence, I would not have found the great guy I have today. Aaron and I have been through some crazy times in our marriage, but we have always seemed to come out no worse for wear. You know the phrase, one day we will look back on this and laugh? Well I don't know if we laugh or not but we are definately so grateful for what we have now.

Along those same lines, I did not think on the day that I was waiting to become a wife, I would be spending the next year EXTREMELY pregnant and waiting to meet my baby boy! What a blessing our Coen has been in our lives. I look at the things that "might have been" and am so glad that I wasn't able to pursue many of the things I wanted to. Oddly enough, Coen seemed to have a better idea of what was "right" than we did. It wasn't easy at times, and heaven knows money was not always there, but you know, we made it through probably the craziest year of my life, and two years later, we have the cutest, most fun boy in the world. Yes I am biased! So I guess you can say I cashed in my University degree and became a mom. And you know what, I don't think I would have it any other way right now. The time will come where maybe school will be an option again, but honestly, there is NO better job for me than being a mom. I love being able to be home with Coen, and wonderfully enough, my job of teaching piano from my home, makes that all the more realistic. I love it.

I am not one to preach or to get super religious or anything, but I really do believe as I look back on things, that my Heavenly Father has definatly seen my needs even before I have. Aaron and I were put on certain tracks in our lives to find each other, and to go through everything we have and raise the boy we have. I'm just so glad I was able to follow the "blue print" so that I could find the treasures I have today!

I love Christmas! I love the hustle and the bustle and even the stress!! It seems like this year there has been a lot more stress than normal, but I think things are finally settling down. I was able to have my Christmas Recital last night, and the kids were phenominal! I was so proud of them. The night was great... (even if it was about 15 minutes shorter than I had planned) I had three students play, and they each did simply amazing. When I decided to have the recital, I was so excited to show off my kids. Then I got to thinking that the last time I was able to play the piano as a solo was probably about 6-7 years ago! So I decided that now was the time I was going to buckle down and learn a new song. I don't think I have worked that hard for anything in a LONG time. But it was so rewarding to be able to play a song again. There is something great about seeing the fruits of your labours. My kids, really I can't say this enough, were so wonderful! Cole was dressed up so snazzy, and played his songs wonderfully! He was so set on playing them perfect, and assured me that he was NOT nervous! Elora did wonderful! She was dressed in her beautiful Christmas dress, and played her two songs great! Her curtsy was the hit of the show! Quentin did awesome too! We were able to play Yankee Doodle as a Duet, and he was great! I think he definatly showed the kids that there was more than just the first book in piano. I'm so proud!! Teaching is just something that you can't replace. To know that two of those kids had never really sat at the piano before, and now to see them play songs like Scarborough Fair, and Sailing! Man oh man, nothing that beat that.

My other job is being a mom, and let me tell ya, nothing can beat that either! Coen is now able to say and point to Purple, Blue, Red, Pink, Orange, Brown, and White! He still counts to 3, but can do so forwards and backwards! He knows almost any animal you can give him, Cow, Lion, Turtle, Snake, Pig, Cow, Cat, etc. It is so much fun to listen to him!

Well that is about it for our update! We love you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!

Thank you

What a wonderful amazing time of year! We are so blessed to have the freedom to be able to celebrate the holidays however we feel is appropriate. I have become a CNN watcher, and as I look at the chaos around us, I can't help but feel so grateful for my freedoms that I definately have taken for granted. A lot of countries are not able to put up Christmas trees whether it is because of poverty or government. Many don't have a warm place to sleep Christmas Eve, or a wonderful meal to share with family. Children aren't given the wonder and magic of Santa Claus and his amazing sleigh of toys. I am just so happy that I am able to have all of this! I am so grateful to family who braved the impossible to come to Canada so that I could enjoy these things. Without them I would not have the family I do now. My grandma Campbell, my Myschuk grandparents, and the Tyslau's. Thank you so much. Your choice to come to Canada has blessed us and generations to come.

Wonderful Nights!

I don't think I have had a day like today in quite some time. Aaron was simply amazing, because after working a night shift last night, came home and stayed with Coen until I woke up, in the mean time cleaning our entire house and starting the laundry! Superman!

Then we went out to Jason's place and picked up some firewood for our fireplace. We got to bundle Coen up in his snow pants, boots, toque and the whole kit 'n' caboodle! He was so cute! He loved running and falling on his bum in the snow. It just made me so happy to see him truly enjoy the snow! When it was time to go home he was so devastated. It broke my heart, but after I left the car door open, he climbed into the front passenger seat, sat on his bum, and said "Go Go!" made me giggle. We scooped him up and put him in his chair, which he wasn't too keen on.

We spent the day playing cards and lining up Coen's cars to make a "choo choo". Next Aaron made a wonderful supper, and we sat down to watch some favorite Christmas movies. We started with Charlie Brown Christmas which I had never seen before and absolutely fell in love with, and then we watched a new Christmas show called "Prep and Landing." If any of you haven't seen it I highly recommend it! It was soo cute! Coen sat through the whole thing, and was so sad when the elves had to say buh bye.

Then we put our monster to bed, and got to watch the hockey game. Wow. Don't think I could top tonight. Great family, great memories, great traditions.

Victory is mine!

I realize that I have already posted a video under this but words really can not describe the joy I feel. I have successfully (hopefully) introduced drums into my home and , for this week at least, they seem to be a hit. (haha no pun intended.) It all began with getting Coen out of the tub. He wiggles and runs around every time we have to dress him. So I asked him one day if he wanted to listen to the drums. I turned on a Josh Groban song that is my new favorite, and he sat still as long as the drums were playing!

Two weeks later, I asked him if he wanted to hear the drums again, only I decided this time to show him the real drums that I knew and loved. I turned to DCI 2004. haha. He sat infront of the tv pointing the the bass drums in the front over and over saying boom boom boom! Loved it! So then (thanks to DCI's little knick knacks) I put the show on the "drum cam" and oh my! He ran around and lots of "OH WOW"'s later, We brought out the pots and the wooden spoons. I wish I was exaggerating when I say this, but he sat through the ENTIRE Blue Devils and Cavaliers performances playing his little pot. I am going to be honest and say I cried a little. Not so much because he was watching DCI, but mostly just because for the moment, I have a little guy that loves something that I loved so much. I may not get a lot of say in his looks, but I sure can try to pass down my passions. So now everyone can say how identical he is to Aaron all you want... I got myself a little drummer boy for Christmas!