Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! December has been a really fun month for us. We have been gradually acquiring things to help the baby feel comfortable in her new world and Marty has been hard at work putting it all together! People have been really generous to us and we are grateful. Although we have missed family, we have loved being near church, celebrating with our housemate and good friend, Dawn, and being quiet here in BC as we await our new arrival. Advent extended, in some ways. Lots of love to you all - and welcome to yet another new arrival - our niece Suzy! Next month we await two more babies of our very good friends Jonathan & Leah and Lucy & David...

November update

Remember the grape juice Marty started last October for wine? Well these are the pics from the bottling stage. He decided to leave the wine in the carboy a little longer and we are excited to see the results. It should be ready to celebrate the baby in February or March.

The barley is in a middle phase for beer. Marty is interested in malting, so we'll what that turns into! It is a lot of fun to make these projects in our neighborhood. We all have a good time together and usually, there is something for everyone to do. The guys at church are doing a beer exchange instead of a cookie exchange. It's a great way to come together and share different recipes.

Marty is helping me out with eating well and turned his lovely carrots into an amazing carrot soup. The baby loved it - she's getting stronger everyday with her kicks!

Thanks to Granny, I was able to make some very cool cork boards for our handmade sale. She sent me all the supplies I needed and the end result made a lot of people happy. My housemate, Dawn, gave me some coins from Asia that I turned into push pins for keeping notes on the boards. I used some fancy ribbons on a few and when I ran out of corks, I covered some old sheets of cork with fabric, painted the boards and made tacks out of buttons. Thanks, Granny - Happy 80th this month!

And, for all of those who would like to see the latest on this growing baby... here's a pic for you. I think she's about 2.5 lbs right now.

We want to congratulate Jodi and Patrick Wicker on the birth of their daughter Sophia Therese! We are so glad you are all doing well.

You should'a seen the one that got away!

Yes, this fish was caught a couple of weeks ago on Marty's weekly fishing trip. But, this one was his buddy Teak's. Marty had just let his biggest one go because he didn't catch it properly. Apparently, legal catches have to be in the mouth and he caught it on the fin. Teak's fish was 47lbs! What a day - and a pic to go with the story this time!

It's been a while...

and lots has happened. The first three/four months of pregnancy were hard and I'm glad to be feeling better now! We had a much needed break in VA for a couple weeks and Marty's parents graciously drove up to see us so I wouldn't have to be more carsick than necessary on this trip. Traveling any more than 20 min on a straight road is a rough situation. Thanks guys! Marty and dad built mom a compost bin for her birthday. We had a really good time.

Marty has been fishing with a good friend for the past couple of Mondays. Today was a great haul - 3 large pink salmon. Elvis, you need to get a Canadian visa!! He wade into the water up to his chest and saw salmon swimming all around. Tonight we will try them out with our house dinner. Each region has its specialties and apparently this is it for BC. When we were in VA, several guys told Marty they had vacationed out here specifically to fish. So glad Marty can enjoy it while we're here.

All of that and I turned 32. Kind of hard to believe. Thanks for keeping in touch with us. We love and miss you.

Summer Update

Marty & his friend Matthew have been working with a kids camp this summer teaching them about gardening. They planted corn and basil next to the church using compost from the church's neighbor and are currently planting a "you pick" garden next to the community garden. Marty hopes they will bring their families by in August and September to pick some of the things they planted together.

This is one of our first roses this summer! We were so proud of it. What a beauty. The front herb and flower garden have had to have a lot of strength this summer with all the painting going on. Our landlords painted our house and their own and it has been a work in progress for the past two months. Nothing like waiting for sunshine, only to have to stay inside with your windows closed and people passing by all the time. Needless to say it's been a bit tense. But, they have done a good job and the house needed it. I'll post a pic later of the end result.

Garlic! Marty just picked 60 heads for us. He planted them back in Oct/Nov and they were ready to harvest this week. Matthew also got 60, so there is definitely more room in the garden patch to plant more things!

Here's a more personal note to the garden. Our littlest gardener is petting (touching?) a bunny for the very first time. Franklin the bunny lives next door and our friend Michelle brings him out for a run in the vegetables every once in a while.

And last but not least, Marty and I are expecting a baby in February! It's still early, so we don't have a lot of information. But we're starting to meet with our midwife this week and should have an ultrasound by the end of the week. Please pray for us when we cross your mind. Hope you are well. Missing you, Sara & Marty

He did it!! - Congratulations Marty!

Friday Harbor, WA

    
   


   


    

   

   


        
Marty and I got away for a couple of days this week. We highly recommend taking a ferry every once in a while to feel the salt air. We were able to visit with some of his old friends from SP and enjoyed the wintered beaches and lovely b&b. On the way back up, we stopped at the Tulip Route in Mount Vernon, where our friend Sara lives. Just before the tulips are ready in late April, daffodils steal the show. If you look closely, you can see just the beginnings of yellow peeping out of the daffodil's hulls.