The Dress

Ever since having Primrose it has been on my mind to make her a special white dress for when she turned eight and was baptised. I had originally thought I would use my wedding dress for the fabric but everyone was universally horrified by the idea of me cutting into that dress so that idea was shelved. A few years ago though, Hanna asked me if I would like the train to her wedding dress, so I've held onto that and it turned out to be the perfect fabric and amount for the project! Not to mention incredibly special for this keep sake dress. 

Primrose Gets Baptised

In June Primrose was baptised. She spent a bit of time after she turned eight considering the decision and ultimately decided she's interested in learning more about God and taking this step to show him that. She's a deep thinker and took her time coming to the decision that was right for her. It was lovely to see her confidence in making that decision her own.

Blessed

Like so many things this year, Lily's blessing was postponed until we could attend church and have our family with us to share in our little girl's special day. She was such a little angel, all dressed in white in a vintage dress I wore as a baby and the same one that Primrose wore on her blessing day too. Mum, Dad and Courtney were able to attend. Dad participated in the blessing along with Levi, Bishop Heselhurst, Levin Flake and Michael Tomsik. The men were laughing after that she was kicking her legs and wiggling about, being that much older than a new born baby. It's been a strange year but it feels nice to be able to be back living life as we like.

Finley's Special Day

We had a lovely day as a family for Finley's eagerly awaited baptism. Covid restrictions went in place right before Finley turned eight early in the year and our plans for him turned out to be delayed for eight months. But we got there in the end. On Saturday 5th of December Finley was baptised by his Dad and it was a lovely and very powerful experience for us all. 

Quill's Blessing Day

It was lovely to have the blessing of our darling little boy in the Halifax Ward, where Levi and I have been so loved and supported through a difficult pregnancy and the weight of Levi's calling as Bishop. Halifax is a very special place. Quill was born here and blessed here, wearing the same outfit Finley wore for his blessing, surrounded by men we love and value. Levi had Rob Johnson, Josh Blakeney, Chad Quist, Mauro Decosta and Al Landingin in the circle with him and Quill was calm and quiet as Levi gave him a beautiful blessing from his Heavenly Father. It's something that I hope he treasures and I want him to know that as a tiny baby he was welcomed and loved by an entire ward. 

A Perfect Fall Day

 

When your time in a place is quickly drawing to a close, those would have's, could have's, should have's start to rear up. Nova Scotia really is so packed with beautiful things to see that I would have needed a good few more years to get through all I would have liked to see, but with just over a month to go until we would be leaving her shores a few old favourites and a few must do's became the focus. One of which was Victoria Park in Truro, best admired in fall when the leaves are just so and the air calls for rugging up in your finest.

Easter and Every Good Thing

We had a lovely and low key Easter weekend. I stand by it as my favourite holiday. It's got the meaning and tradition like Christmas but more low key. I never feel any stress or pressure, I just do the bits I want that year and enjoy it. Levi would say that I need to just take that approach for Christmas and he is probably right. Probably less cooking would be a start ...

Jade's Workshop { Christmas 2017 }

This year I volunteered to do the Ward Christmas party. I'd had an idea bouncing around in my head since my good friend Nicky did this amazing carnival activity in Salt Ash Branch years ago. I had wanted to do something similar but Christmas themed and here was my big chance.

Two Cheeky Bunnies

We have had an absolutely wonderful Easter weekend. I love Easter, next to Christmas it is my favourite holiday with all it's joy and symbolism in tribute to our Saviour, Jesus Christ. With Spring finally beginning in Nova Scotia the concept of new life and hope feels all the more real. Our little family's traditions have formed over the years and have culminating into lots of delicious food and fun for the entire weekend. Carrot cake, hot cross buns, lamb and salads were made and shared with our new friends the Spears family and we had lots of time to enjoy leftovers all weekend between play time with the kids. 

Fa la la la laa, la la la laa { Christmas 2016 }

The kids and I arrived home from Australia just a few days before the start of December. It made it easier to leave the sunshine knowing that A. my husband was at the other end and B. that I could spent December in Christmas preparation. Last year we didn't have our house yet and were living in temporary accommodation so I missed doing some of the things I love. So prepare I did. I hit the stores and added a few things to my collection (which levi had limited to two boxes and is now three...opps). I decorated here, there and everywhere. I also baked lots this year. I did snowballs, clementine cake, chocolate covered pretzels, coconut mousse cups, gingerbread and I had a cupboard stockpiled with various christmassy treats. And we spent each weekend doing something Christmassy and Canadian. We picked our tree (a true highlight, yes we know it is HUGE), enjoyed the ward Christmas party (amazing food), had a little party with a few friends over to get into the holiday spirit, went to Sugar Moon Maple farm and enjoyed seeing the snow and eating pancakes in a log cabin, skated at Halifax's outdoor skating oval and watched the Stake outdoor live nativity pageant. It was all wonderful.

Elder Renlund in New Brunswick

      

             

We had a wonderful opportunity last Sunday to travel from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Sackville, New Brunswick to hear the newly called apostle Elder Renlund and the President of the Quorum of the Seventy, Elder Gong and their wives speak. I had only ever heard an apostle speak in person when Elder Oaks came to Sydney when I was 8 and at a Christmas devotional when I visited Utah when I was 18. Both felt like very distant memories and I was excited to be in the presence of an Apostle of the Lord again and gain all I could from the experience.