The Milkshake Talk

Holly just bribed the thirteen year old to write her (Holly's) sacrament meeting talk for her. The bribe a Milkshake. Not sure whether to high-five her for her ingenious ingenuity or scold her for the shirking of duty.....regardless I think its dang funny.

Holly's  been begging me to help her all day....but there was never any mention of a milkshake, so I told her she was perfectly capable of doing it herself.....

So my first born was left with no other option than to bribe my fourth born to write....


Alex (with the help of Sarah) wrote the following....

Good morning brothers and sisters.  Today I was asked to speak on how I much I loved young womens and what it has meant to me over the years.  I just totally love the young womens program, like ya.  It has tought me soo much stuff but I’m like to blonde to remember so… like totally ya.  The young womens program was totally neato and I like, am so gonna miss it but I don’t won’t cry because then my make up will like totally start running and that would like be like totally not rad. Also I just totally love my younger sister Alex, she is like totally my favorite person ever.

This made me laugh, hard....and no I would never condone such irreverent behaviour. (It must be superman's fault)

Apparently Alex's first attempt was not milkshake worthy....So a not too shabby talk was quickly authored and the milkshake handed over.


My girls make  me so proud!?!

Praying for James

I'm sure Wednesday morning started like any other for our dear friends....but in an instant everything changed. A parents worst nightmare....an accident and critical injuries. My heart sank when the call came. First we prayed and then we offered help here at home. Little things, phone calls, errands and welcoming a few extra teenagers into our home...I feel honoured to be in a potion to do something, but what has been most amazing is witnessing the out pouring of love and support from our Church family and our community.

So as most in are community are praying and fasting for James today....We feel honoured and humbled to join them.

Creative Kramers

We found out on Friday that my sister is having a little girl ....So excited for them. So when I came across a free baby booties pattern on line...I had to try it....

turned out cute, but super finicky to make, so I will be looking for a simpler pattern. Okay I probably will never make these again.

Dallyn has been talking about his Cell Cake project for weeks....But in true Kramer style, he left it 'til last night...it was due this morning. I told him he needed to do it himself...

But I'm pretty sure Madison hijacked helped with the project. He was very pleased with his work.

Grad Dress Adventures

This last weekend had been slated for the acquiring of our first born's grad dress for some time.....

Anyone who knows me even slightly well knows that grad dress, dress, clothes shopping in general is a stretch for me. Okay getting out of my sweats before noon is a stretch...

So when we woke up Friday morning to heavy wet snow, I thought for sure I had received my "Get Out of Jail Free" card....Not so lucky, mid afternoon it had changed to heavy rain and wind....So by dark we were heading south to Victoria.

We have lived on the Island a long time and honestly I have never seen it rain so hard....we're talking rhinoceroses and elephants....plus gale force winds. We never broke 85 km/hr (52 miles). It was crazy but we made it safely and the Superman only has slight claw marks that shouldn't scar :)

By morning the weather had improved slightly....And thankfully didn't hinder the shopping odyssey (yeah)...

I had asked Superman if there was anything other than Grad dresses he wanted to do while we were down Island...."See the brand-new Wal Mart in Uptown" Sigh,  Really?!? Haven't had enough of your own store honey?!?...So between dress shops, I got to tour yet another Wally World....Did you know none of them are the same....No really... 

This Store has two floors....Oh no, how can I get my cart up or down the escalator (my first thought too?!?)

That's what a MO-VATER (sp) is for....{escalators are on either side}

Push your cart in and it even keeps the cart level on its journey....

Take a closer look at the warning on the left, Carts only, No children .....It was also flashing in neon green above the gate..... Now I'm no parent of the year but if you need that warning....parenthood might be a stretch for you.....maybe a house plant is a better option ...

Sorry, I almost forgot why we were in Victoria.....

First stop was "Shades of White" we ended up not finding a dress here but the shop and service were AMAZING...so impressed with them.

Yup those are spring clamps on the back. They even say mastercraft on them. Who needs altering we'll just raid Dad's tool box...Apparently I am the only one with a sense of humour whilst dress shopping...

We joined up with my more fashion savvy Sister in Law for the second shop. Having a favourite Aunt there meant the world to Holly. Holly found the ONE after more than a dozen. Watching her face light up is a moment I will treasure. I promised not to post a picture until Grad....But will say, its classic, elegant, and beautiful. A true refection of our daughter. She picked well and paid for it entirely on her own.

Grad dress shopping was relatively painless....Which is a very good thing considering its one down, three to go :)

Spending time with family and hanging out with the best pug I have ever met, made for a perfect weekend.

They never left her side...so sweet!

She`s Having A Baby!

My twin sister is having a baby and we could not be more excited for the Stilson clan. Few know what a triumph this is for them. More than a decade of infertility, multiple miscarriages, the blessings of adoption, birth and now the blessings of another baby....

I will never know the depth of their heartache....but I have shed tears of sorrow and cried for joy with them.

For me, now is the time for joy.....For our father its a time of deep fear, anxiety and confusion....

Kelli put off telling Dad for months....worried about his reaction. Less than two weeks ago and nearly half way through this pregnancy, she finally felt the moment was right. "Dad you're going to be a Grandpa again!" No reaction, none at all, she might as well been mentioning the weather....

Why can't he share in our joy?......

Days went by....Then the question "Are you still pregnant?" At least he remembered, I guess....He called me several times in two days...."Is Kelli going to lose this pregnancy??" "Is this pregnancy viable?"  Over and over I answered his questions and reassured him that this was a happy thing. Nothing but fear....

Over the last week his fear has turned to obsession....

Dad is phoning Kelli eight plus times a day...."Are you still pregnant?!?" always the first question.....If she doesn't answer the phone he will phone her work, her mother in law, me....demanding to know where she is....if she is still pregnant....

Dad phoned me four times yesterday afternoon/evening....Where is Kelli, is her pregnancy okay?? His voice full of fear and trepidation....Kelli lives two thousand miles away...but "I'd bet a million dollars that everything is just fine", I reassure him over and over and over and over.....

My heart breaks for Kelli that our Dad can't share in this joy. Its hard to know how to react with him....His behavior is inappropriate and ridiculous. {Exacerbated by his boxed wine obsession} We swing from sorrow for him to frustration and anger....Anger towards a parent seems so wrong... I guess its anger towards his choices, not him.

Joy, happy, ecstatic, excited....that's what every single Krazy Kramer here feels for our much anticipated new niece or nephew, the awesomest Aunt and Uncle and the soon to be big brother and big sister. Joy is our choice.

I cannot compensate for my Dad, but I want Kelli, Jason, Zach and Mya to know how excited we are for you. We love you. Thanks for sharing the joy!!!!!

My {Almost} Snow Day

My {not-so angelic} SNOW ANGEL.....

Today was almost a snow day....My prayers were answered, the rug rats' were not. I would never snicker as my children walked out the door ;) It was -7 C with a windchill -15. pretty cold for us west coasters....

I didn't have to do anything today and took full advantage of the peace and quiet....Stayed in my jammies, cranked the tunes and fired-up the sewing machine....

Such a relaxing quiet day...my biggest problem, running out of thread :)

I love my publicly educated rug rats and the 7 plus hours I am given daily by their dedicated teachers :)

Thank You Sister Dawkins.

I was sitting on the stand (front riser of our chapel) today. {I'm the ward chorister} When it was announced that Sister Dawkins had passed away...... the lasting effect this  beloved Sister has had in our Ward was evident on the faces of all who knew her....

Sister Dawkins made a lasting impression soon after we moved to Courtenay....

She was the elegant, graceful, women in the back row, who welcomed everyone with kind eyes and a warm smile...

|While serving in Relief Society I had the privilege of visiting her in her apartment at a Seniors home...As she welcomed us in I felt like I had entered the home of a wise and trusted friend. She talked of her love for her children and her departed sweet heart. She spoke of her love for the gospel and bore the most powerful testimony I have ever heard on tithing....We had come to share a message of love and hope with her. We left with our buckets over-flowing. 

She was an angel on earth. I will miss her. The sure knowledge that she is now back in the loving arms of her sweat heart brings nothing but happiness to my heart. Thank you Sister Dawkins.