HEARTFELT GIFTS of LOVE!

"May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness and tied with love."
L.O. Baird

"Love is always bestowed as a gift-freely, willingly, and without expectation...We don't love to be loved; we love to love." - Author Unknown

"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance."
Brian Tracy

Beau and Mariah here with SANTA at the
Wheaton's kid's Christmas party held last Sunday.

Here are SANTA (AKA- STEVE!)... with Brian...
and Steve, Robin and Cindy as well.

Here are the kids thrilled to bits with their gifts...
Mariah got a mini sewing machine, and Beau got a Helicopter.
They made these adorable snowglobe crafts, and got candy out of the
Santa piñata, too!

Beau was thrilled with his SPIDERMAN tattoo... so perfect for him!

Here is Mariah, with her mom, anxiously awaiting her turn for
her tattoo... she changed her mind 3 times as to what to get,
but ended up with a very cute Betty Boop tattoo!

Also offered at the Wheaton party... was a fun Photo Booth...
Here are some of our photo booth fun photos...
It was a great idea and got so many involved young and old alike!

Our good friends... Jacquie and Trona at the Wheaton party Sunday.

Earlier Sunday we did our weekly tradition of dining out at Fuddrucker's
for breakfast. Above friends, Jacquie and Ella,
Below Brian and I... holding a very cute little gift I got from Jacquie,
These adorable polka dot snowman napkins.
Missing from the photos... friends... Bob and his son, Dan who
were also there!

Later Sunday... the kids came here while their mommy and daddy
shopped for Christmas gifts!
They love to put on jammies when here and get cozy and comfy.

This past week I have been busy wrapping up gifts... to give from us,
as well as ones I wrapped for Jana to give to her family members as well.
I LOVE to WRAP GIFTS... so I was in my glory.

Friday I met with dance teacher friend, Kristy... and saw her beautiful tree.
Saturday after meeting my friend, Ella at the gym, we went to her home
for a coffee... and I snapped a pic of her by her tree as well.

Thursday we met Mariah and Beau at my in laws' house for a little visit.
Mariah had a little surgery that day, so we brought
 the Kermit the Frogs as a little recovery gift...
As you can see the kids LOVED them!

The kids also cashed in on some spaghetti supper with their great
grandparents, too while there... always cherished times when we can connect
as a family to make more special memories!

Tuesday night following dance lessons, my niece,  Rowen,
popped over for a quick visit to pick up her little birthday gift,
she is such a sweetie... hard to believe she is already 14.

Monday this cute hat came as a gift in the mail for Brian
from my relatives in Chicago.

I also received a gift in the Chicago package... these warm fuzzy
lounging jammies. I got the nice scarf too, earlier as a gift from
Auntie Betty and cousin Dawn when they were in town...
special heartfelt gifts!

Last Monday our friend, Vern treated us to a lunch outing at Montana's.
Later that day he treated us to supper as well before Ella drove him to the airport,
for his little month long vacation to visit his family in Australia.
That was so generous of Vern!

Yesterday Brian and I went for lunch at Broadway Cafe
 where we saw waitress and long time friend, Nichole.
She gave us these little darling home made Angel candles as a special
gift from her, too! They remind me of some my mom used to have
when I was a little girl... so sweet!


First of all to all my blog readers... 
THANKS for stopping by to see my past week 
filled with lots of love and heartfelt gifts.

I usually try not to let so much time pass in between blog posts, but as my photos reveal... it has been hectic around here lately with sharing of  fond memory making with
friends and loved ones.

As well as the above mentioned things this past week...
I attended a funeral for a dear friend... and our hearts go out to Dale and Mildred Morrison on the loss of their beloved son, Ray who passed away on December 7th.

I have also done many routine things around here which include taking good care of my hubby! As many of you already know he has been on a journey since last spring. We have had many treatments...and I am so happy to report he is doing so well. We are staying strong and positive as we continue to journey forth... we take each day as it comes.


I want to say thanks to all the people in our lives who have contributed and supported us along the way.
 Kellie and Cathy are two of those friends who have taken us to and from treatments. For that we are grateful.

Yesterday I was out shopping and ran into my cousin Bev, and we shared a nice visit over a coffee... nice to catch up on her and the things in their family lately. I really need to go visit her parents one day soon... my dear Auntie Mary and Uncle Charlie.

I have enjoyed the lovely cards in the mail lately... really appreciate all the photos and family news and letters included in those, too. I hope to make my next blog post our family Christmas card from us to you!

Among those cards received were two special ones from my son, Colin, yesterday. His girlfriend, Caro's mom is a crafter and  so his cards were very heartfelt and 
picked out especially for us.

I can see why I don't have as much time to write my blogs as often... I am just so busy living life from day to day...
and making the most of each and every moment.

I am still loving the TV shows I have been watching...
the competition music ones... 
The Voice, The Sing Off, and X Factor... 
along with Ellen and Marilyn... 
as well as Modern Family and Big Bang!
It is nice to sit with Brian at night time 
and not only watch TV together, 
but enjoy the twinkling tree lights at the same time.


Tomorrow I am meeting for lunch with good friends at Moxies...and Thursday I look forward to helping my good bud, Brenda wrap up her Christmas gifts, too.
As I mentioned... I do enjoy wrapping gifts... it is one of my most favourite things to do at this time of year.

I thank Brian's boss, Ross Wheaton, for the lovely 
and very generous Christmas parties... 
both the staff one two weeks ago and 
the childrens' one this past weekend.
They truly thought of everything... and I know our grandkids loved every minute of being there, for sure.
Beau is still a bit timid of Santa, but there is comfort in going to sit on his knee, when he is with his big sister,
who he admires so much!


I am grateful every day for the friends, family, and love I have in my life. Although this time of year is a time of many GIFTS... the most precious is time.
I continue to enjoy making many memories along the way, and try hard to capture them along the way, too, whether on the iphone or the camera... I am glad I take lots to keep them fresh in my mind as well as in my heart!

On that note...
here is my rhyme of the day!

This season there is lots to give one a lift,
Whether sharing support or a heartfelt gift.
This is the time for family and friends,
Where faith hope and love just never ends.
And it's just how we share it, in all that we do.
Gifts come in many ways, I believe this is true.
It's not about money... the dollars or the dime,
It's more about the
HEARTFELT GIFTS of LOVE
... and TIME!

TIME for FAVOURITE THINGS

"My favourite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time."
-Steve Jobs

"I love to dance; it's one of my favourite things."
-Melissa Peterman

"Don't count every hour in the day, make every hour in the day count."
Author Unknown

Here is Mariah... doing some of her FAVOURITE THINGS...
in my messy basement last Thursday...
She had a little TAP practice, then a little SCRAP BOOKING fun!
Cleaning this basement isn't one of my FAVOURITE THINGS...
as you can see....but the fun we enjoy
down there makes up for the big mess!

One of my FAVOURITE THINGS is to share joy at STARBUCKS!
Brian and I met with Jana and her good friend, Shelane there
this past Thursday...I love STARBUCKS year round!

Thursday my father-in-law, Greg, treated us to a fun lunch outing.
We went to the restaurant where my dance studio used to be...
called "Somewhere Else "...
lots of precious memories here...
memories are another one of my FAVOURITE THINGS.

I love to wrap gifts and do up gift baskets and especially at Christmas time,
here is a basket full of some FAVOURITE THINGS,
I am working on  for a special friend.

Each year we get dressed up for the annual
Wheaton Christmas Party
which was held on Saturday night.
I love that I have a series of pics by our tree
 each year on that night!

Jana came by to drive us to the annual party on Saturday night,
so I got a pic of her with her dad by the tree, too.
These two are two of my favourite people and we share many
FAVOURITE THINGS in life together.

One of BEAU'S new FAVOURITE THINGS
is his cute Spider Man Hat...
he also finds coming to Grandma and Grandpa's house
to be a FAVOURITE, too!

Not only do I like to WRAP gifts... I found it fun to WRAP up the studio
bulletin board yesterday. Mariah came to help me...
she said it is a FAVOURITE thing for her to do.
I also LOVE POLKA DOTS... so used this fun and DOTTY
Gift Wrap on the board.!

My efficient helper here filling the stapler!!!
One of my FAVOURITE THINGS is doing things with the ones I love most.

Another FAVOURITE THING at this time of year...
CHRISTMAS TREES with GIFTS!
This is the tree at my daughter's house...
and Mariah wrapped the gifts you see there, too...
I love that she loves doing the same things I love!

Another FAVOURITE THING is watching my two grandkids
happily dancing and enjoying entertaining us!
We were invited for supper at their house last night and were well
entertained after we ate our delicious meal!

Another FAVOURITE thing... is watching history repeating ...
and dancing through traditions!
MARIAH took her very first ever ADAPT DANCE EXAMS
on the weekend.
Back track to 1987 when my daughter Jana took her very first
ADAPT TAP EXAM...
(Jana is #3 in the red under our TOP HAT Exam Theme)
It is fun to make the comparison of my little dancers!


Thanks for stopping by my little blog post of the day...
This time of year is filled to the brim with so many FAVOURITE THINGS...
the hardest part is making TIME to fit every thing in,
within the busy schedules we all have.


I LOVE CHRISTMAS... for so many reasons...
there are just so many FAVOURITE THINGS
about it.

I love decorating, shopping, wrapping, and just spending the time with special people and loved ones we don't maybe see as often as we would like to.

I find my focus at this time changes each year... not sure if it is because I am getting older... or just don't have as much energy... or both... but I do still love many traditions at this cherished time of year.

The weather outside is definitely frightful... but we manage to brave the elements and get out and about to do the fun filled things we need to do at this busy time of year.

Just this past week, I met Jana and her friend, for coffee, and my father-in-law for lunch, and attended a Christmas party, had supper at my daughter's, and did more bulletin boards, along with some shopping and wrapping... and the beat goes on!

Today my hopes are to go shopping on my own to try to get some of the shopping finished and later all wrapped up. It is amazing just how fast the 25th is approaching so TIME is a ticking... Time to TAP into the fun part of the season!

Tomorrow my niece, Rowen will be 14 years old... so
I am wishing her the HAPPIEST BIRTHDAY yet!
It is so hard to believe how fast she is growing up...
Time sure flies when you are having fun doing all of the FAVOURITE THINGS in life!

Speaking of FAVOURITE THINGS...
there is a song named after that from the famous movie, The Sound Of Music.
There was a remake on TV the other night, featuring Carrie Underwood as Maria Von Trapp, however... I must say for me nothing is as good as the original of that show...
it will always remain as my FAVOURITE version!

On saturday when I met my good friend, Ella at the gym for our 8:30 AM BODY VIVE class... the gym was not open.
Apparently there was a mix up as to was to open the gym up that day, but we patiently waited for it to open. Luckily for us we cashed in on not only a fun class... but we got rewarded for waiting by getting a GOODLIFE T-shirt and gym bag...
That was our FAVOURITE part!!! hehehe
That and the coffee time we shared following class!


MUSIC is definitely one of my favourite things, and I am so excited for the new season of the TV show called
THE SING OFF to begin tonight!

Anything that involves...
FAMILY, FRIENDS, DANCING, STARBUCKS, MUSIC, POLKA DOTS, GIFTS, TREES, FESTIVE, FOOD, FUN, TRADITIONS, LOVE, ANGELS.... and so much more
are many of my FAVOURITE THINGS!

On that note... my rhyme of the day...

Tis the season... and what fun it brings...
So much to do with my FAVOURITE THINGS!
From shopping to wrapping and decorating to do,
Baking cookies with my family, too!
Spending time doing things that I love,
With special people watched by Angels above.
CHRISTMAS is truly my FAVOURITE time of year,
It makes me excited for all things so dear!

FESTiVE FUN!

"If there is no joyous way to give a festive gift, 
give love away."
-Author Unknown

"I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a handful of joy. Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun."
-Charles R. Swindoll

"Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one."
-Dr. Seuss

The grandkids here on last Saturday night for a little sleepover
and sharing of FESTIVE FUN!

Mariah playing with a cute puppet from our good friend, Vern,
he bought it at the Sundog Fair last weekend,
and dropped by on Saturday to deliver it.

Beau by the bin of toys on sunday morning looking somewhat sleepy still
after his late night at Grammie's!!!
Today he will get his 2nd "EVER" haircut... in his 3 years of life!
I think maybe a little LONG overdue, but I am getting used to his very long hair!

A BELATED BIRTHDAY SUPPER for our dear friendROBIN
with  her fiance, Alex... last tuesday night at
Montanna's.

A FESTIVE and FUN pic of our dear friends,
Jacquie and Bob at a lovely dinner they hosted last Thursday
at their beautifully decorated home.

The lovely and festive looking table at Bob and Jacquie's...
my picture really doesn't do it justice, but it was so beautiful,
and so was the meal and good company shared there as well.

More dance exams... means more Themes at BSOBAD Dance studio...
I have been putting up fun and festive exam themes since around 1984
at my own dance studio and now at Brenda's dance studio since 2002.
This JAZZ EXAM theme is "SOCK MONKEYS"...
here's hoping the DANCERS all SOCK it to 'em and don't MONKEY around!

Our good friends, Ella and Vern...
this past Friday night at The Bistro... when Vern treated us to
a delicious meal and evening out in honour of our
37th Wedding Anniversary last week.

Brian and Me... at the Bistro on Friday...
this is what 37 years of wedded bliss looks like!
We have shared lots of FESTIVE FUN in our years of marriage...
and I hope for many more!

Our friend, Vern ... Friday night peaking through trees at the Festival Of Trees
at WDM... this was very FESTIVE and FUN!

A special evening with our family at Jana and Nels's house
on Sunday evening...
when they had a delicious supper for us in honour of our
anniversary too!

Mariah sharing some love with her special Auntie Ingrid,
 who was visiting here from Edmonton this weekend.

We have shared lots of FESTIVE FUN with these two lately and
almost daily at this Willow Grove STARBUCKS!

How FESTIVE and FUN is this lovely plant?
We received this from Jana's friend, and store partner, MELISSA,
this past Tuesday... so beautiful and thoughtful!

A couple of FESTIVE FUN ornaments on our tree...
the little Angel represents all angels, and this one especially reminds me of my mom.
The BELIEVE ball was given to me by a dear friend, Gailene, a couple seasons ago...
this season more than ever we are "BELIEVING" in many miracles
and other FESTIVE and FUN things to come!



Welcome to my blog post...and the last month of the year!
It seems time goes by faster and faster with each passing month, and blog post!

I glanced back at blog posts gone by to see how many have been written since I began this venture nearly 3 years ago.
My first blog post was written on December 31st, 2010.
My main purpose at that point was to write about things that were positive in my life. My mom had recently passed, so it geve me a new purpose to focus on and a reason to stay positive in my day to day life.

Since that post...I have written 351 more blog posts... most of which have included photos, poems and quotes along with the things in my life that are FUN and FESTIVE!

I used to post pictures from my camera to the computer, and am now back to that format again! I started taking pictures with my iphone in April and since then have filled the photo capacity up on that. I need to organize the many photos I
 take, so I can add from my iphone to the blog again. I can collauge them together and share more from that format, and they attach much faster from there as well.

Until I get around to sorting through the photos, this is my format for now! Which ever way I add them, is good... I do enjoy sharing my photos with whoever stops by, to see what is going on in our little corner.

Believe me... lots has been going on lately... in fact so much that I needed to take a day to just sit and catch up!
I have not been to the gym since last Saturday... but hope to make it there again this weekend.

Since my last post... we have been dining out with friends lots, and also enjoying the FUN and FESTIVE season upon us. We have fit in many other things as well...
my life seems very busy lately.

Yesterday we did an afternoon of Christmas shopping with Jana...and I am excited to get WRAPPING once again. It is by far one of my favourite things at Christmas...
oh the joys of giving!

Later today I will pick up Mariah from school and do a little practice session with her before she takes her first ever ADAPT Tap and Jazz exams this weekend. I am so excited and nervous for her. Jana did her first ADAPT Tap exam at the age of 6 in 1987... with the founders of that syllabus...
Brian and Faye Foley from Toronto. I was  hoping Mariah would have them as examiners, too...
but maybe another year...as they only come every second year to Saskatoon now and have several other examiners doing the exams now as well.


My photos are self explanatory... and as you can see we have been busy from outings, to sleepovers to just enjoying our own FUN and FESTIVE surroundings here at home.

I have enjoyed all my favourite TV shows in the evenings and am ever grateful for PVR, so I can cut back on viewing time by spinning through the commercials!
I was happy for the winners on Dancing With The Stars last week... and as I predicted...
 Derrick and his partner Amber won... YAY!


Well... Christmas will be here before we know it... and I have lots to do before then... lots of FESTIVE and FUN stuff... so on that note... here is my rhyme of the day!


My life has been a whirlwind of FESTIVE FUN...
Going out with my friends, my family and my hun!
'Tis the season for so much to do...
Making the most and just dancing through.
From celebrating with family and with friends,
To drinking wines and lattes of the perfect blends.
Watching my shows on TV in the nights,
And snuggling by the the warm
twinkling Christmas Tree lights!

SWEET ViCTORY!

"If you think you can win, you can. Faith is necessary to victory."
-William Hazlitt

Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat."
-Malcolm S. Forbes

"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."
-Laura Inglas Wilder

We were married on Grey Cup Weekend in 1976...
since that day forth... we have experienced
lots of "SWEET" and lots of "VICTORY"!

Here I am on Sunday whipping up some SWEET
sugar cookies!

Here are some of the first batch iced  and ready to share with family!
I put GREEN sprinkles on the STARS in honour of our Rough Riders
playing in the Grey Cup on sunday!

Here is Beau and his great grandpa Greg on sunday
when family gathered there for a little  lunch
family get together.
Beau has his mini stick from the Friday night
Blades Hockey game he went to for his first time.
They had a SWEET VICTORY that night, too!

Cousins... they always have fun in the basement at the Grandparents...
Here is Mariah, Emily, Rowen and Beau on Sunday...
playing store in Grandpa Greg's bar!

Later Sunday... the girls joined me at our house to make more SWEET sugar cookies...
and SWEET memories, too!
Here are Emily and Mariah rolling dough for another SWEET batch!

Here is Rowen adding her artistic touch to the
icing of some more cookies.

Another SWEET memory...on sunday... visits with
our sister-in-law, Gail and niece Emily
visiting here from Vancouver.

The girls bonding SWEETLY over some scrapbooking...
while Brian watches the start of the Grey Cup Game.

Watching the second half of the Grey Cup football game at our friend, Vern's,
on Sunday... and Cheering SWEETLY when we were VICTORIOUS!
Here are friends... Jacquie, Ella, Vern,  and Bob all sitting together with Brian.

Saturday night we had a SWEET little family gathering here before the
cousins went out, and the ladies went for a Girl's Night Out...
Here are sisters-in-law, Bev, Gail, Brenda, my niece Emily and nephew Maxwell
all with Brian . 

Another pic from our Saturday night fun...
here are my nephews, Luke and Sam... and Luke's girlfriend, Kirsten,
before the cousins all went out for  a sweet evening of fun together.

A few more pics from Emily's visit... this was yesterday... when we took
her to Jana's SWANK SHOE LOUNGE store, followed by a trip to
the Bess, for brunch and then off to see the Garden Architecture Trees.
We enjoyed our SWEET visits all round this past weekend.



First of all thanks for stopping by my little blog filled with SWEET family fun !

Saskatchewan fans were showing lots of RIDER PRIDE following the big Grey Cup WIN on this past Sunday.
I was also married on a Grey Cup Weekend 37 years ago...
I could not tell you who played or who won, but I can say our marriage has been a SWEET VICTORY... kind of like the Grey Cup game on Sunday!


It was a cold but not snowy day on November 27th, 1976, when Brian and I were married at St. Francis Church in Saskatoon. And since then we have shared so many things and our life has had so many SWEET and VICTORIOUS memories along the way.

In my previous blog post, I mentioned how when ever relatives come to the city from out of town, it makes a reason for the local relatives connect. Just last week
my Auntie Betty and cousin Dawn were visiting here from Chicago...and this past weekend, my sister-in-law, Gail and my niece, Emily were in town from Vancouver ...and so this past week or so has been SWEET with many connections and family gatherings.

Brian and Nels  took the grandkids to a Blades hockey game this past Friday night...it was Beau's first time of going to a live game... and he loved it. The Blades were victorious, too, so it was even SWEETER!
Mariah was very insightful... she thought lots of the fans were rude going to a BLADES HOCKEY game in their Green ROUGHRIDER FOOTBALL jerseys! I guess many of the hockey fans are also football fans and were dressed in prep to cheer not only the Blades on to Victory, but in anticipation of the big Grey cup game on Sunday.

I love competitions... but am more inclined to follow dance and music ones than sports related ones. I will be tuned into this season's Dancing With the Stars tonight when they crown the winners and give out the famous Mirror ball trophy... not sure who will be celebrating the
SWEET VICTORY on that show... as it is a tight race,
but my picks for the winners would be
Amber & Derrick.

I am also stilled tuned into The Voice and X Factor singing competitions on Tv, as well...and look forward to the new seasons of The Sing Off to begin on December 9th, and the American Idol to start up on TV in the new year.
I do enjoy all the entertainment shows like those and enjoy seeing new talents emerge.

I did enjoy seeing our relatives both the in town ones as well as the out of town visiting ones over this past bit.
I feel lucky to experience SWEET family around when ever I get the opportunity.

I do enjoy celebrations with friends always too. As well as sharing the fun of the SWEET GREY CUP VICTORY at our friend, Vern's home on Sunday... later today we will join friends, Robin and her boyfriend for a meal out. Later this week we will go to friend's Bob & Jacquies' for a little supper evening, too.

Last night we heard from my son, Colin, when he phoned us to just have a SWEET visit on the phone.
Just this morning I had my friend, Ella, here for a coffee following our sweet workouts at the gym today...

My life is like a SWEET VICTORY!

Tomorrow I wish my SWEET HUBBY a very loving Anniversary... here's to many more SWEET years to come!

Also I want to wish all my American friends and relatives a very SWEET THANKSGIVING this Thursday!

On that note... my poem of the day,

We just experienced victory and it was sure sweet,
Our Blades and our Riders... just couldn't be beat!
Icing SWEET cookies , was also quite fun.
Time spent with my girls made me feel I had won.
37 years ago, on a Grey Cup weekend, too,
I was married and scored a
SWEET WIN, through and through!
So VICTORY has truly been SWEET all around,
Lots of SWEET memories, and more will abound!