Random Pictures

Art's aunt sent me a few pictures from the wedding we just attended in Kelowna.  I chuckled as I looked at them. 

 

Here's Art and I, probably being ridiculously inappropriate and having a good time...

 

 

The picture is of Art and his brother, the father of the bride.  Jeepers, if you'd talk to either of those guys on the phone, you wouldn't know who it was, they sound so much alike!

 

How great to be able to celebrate this special day with them!

 

In other news, we survived the crazy snowstorm yesterday.  Thankfully, every commitment that we had was cancelled due to weather so we didn't miss anything, 'cuz there was no way I was going to leave my house!  I think we got over a foot of snow!  Highways were closed, ridiculous accidents all over the place.... Happy Spring!

We're Back!

Last night, we arrived back home after spending a week in Kelowna at my parents.  The trip originally was going to be just a few days for Art's nieces wedding, but then we kept adding another day....and another....and another! 

 

We drove out to BC last Saturday, and then Sunday morning, we headed up to Silver Star for a bit of skiing.  The Girls had never been, so they had lessons in the morning (thank goodness for that patient, wonderful, goddess of an instructor!), and then my Mom and I skied with them for the afternoon on the bunny hill.  I'm not gonna lie, it's a wee bit scary, watching your beloved child hurl themselves down a mountain, through the snow fence and clear outta the bunny hill bounds to be stopped only by running into a complete stranger who happened to be standing at the wrong place at the wrong time (or, as I see it, the right place at the right time!), in order to stop said daughter from going down the "big hill".  A wee bit scary.  Or, watching another daughter from halfway down the hill come barreling towards you, skies straight, legs bent, crouching to go faster, assuming that you'll "catch them" to stop them.  A wee bit scary.  But whatever.  Like I said, thank goodness for patient, wonderful, goddess ski instructors!  Next time, another lesson may be in order before they tackle the "real mountain"....

 

I hadn't skied in probably 15 years, so it took a run or two to get my groove back, but it was a lot of fun!  We even did a black diamond run...just so I could say that I did it!

 

The next day, we spent the day relaxing and hanging out.  We took the Girls for a walk down to the lake, where they loved throwing rocks in the water.  What is it about throwing rocks in the water that is so darn wonderful?  I love it too!

 

 

I think it was close to 15C that day, and then, we woke up the next morning to this...

 

 

 I couldn't believe it!  And truthfully, I felt strangely satisfied that Spring seems confused in Kelowna too.  I'm sick, I know...

 

After lunch with my grandma on Tuesday, Art and I headed out for a 2 night stay at the Sparkling Hill Resort.  It was the first time in I don't know how many years (or really, ever?) that we went and stayed in a hotel by ourselves.  The Sparkling Hill Resort is a European style spa/hotel.  Included in your stay is a wonderful full buffet breakfast, plus access to a variety of saunas, hot tubs, swimming pools and lounge rooms.  It was wonderful!!  We napped, sauna-ed, relaxed, read, ate, went for a walk....basically, we did whatever we wanted.  For 2 days.  With no children (kids under 16 aren't even allowed in the spa area!).  Blissful!  The rooms all have floor to ceiling windows which open, so you get fresh air if you want (which I do!).

 

Back at my parents, we relaxed and visited some more, saw an old friend for an evening, and then on Saturday, were blessed to witness Art's niece get married.  Such a fun time to be able to get together with family and celebrate.  Funny enough, before Art and I headed off to Sparkling Hill, we actually ran into Art's brother and his wife at a bookstore, whom we didn't even know were in town, and got to have lunch with.  That was great, since it was their daughter getting married, and we knew we wouldn't have much of an opportunity to visit at the wedding.

 

Yesterday, we left at around 7 am, and headed on home, back to Alberta.  The roads, except for a short stretch between Valemount and Jasper, weren't bad, which we were thankful for!  Driving through Jasper, we saw a bunch of wildlife, including some on the road, licking the salt.  The Girls thought that was pretty cool!

 

 

We arrived home to 14 inches of snow that had fallen over the last few days, plus another inch overnight!  Needless to say, it feels as though spring like weather is something in my imagination.  But I know, its-a-comin'.  Sooner or later.

Spring Fever

Well, it's March in Alberta, and that means that we are...confused.  We had beautiful weather early this weekend, followed by a blizzard and a 3 hour power outage (right in the middle of having company....nice!).  This morning I woke up, and the window was open, the birds were singing, and the sun was shining in my eyes.  I said to Art, "Oh, it feels like spring!"

Then, I realized that my heated blanket was on, there was a foot of snow on the ground, my toes froze when they touched the floor, and the thermometer said -14C.  oops!  Not quite spring yet!

We are desperately trying to finish up our upstairs renovations so that when spring does really hit, we will be able to be outside, enjoying the sun and mud!  This week, on the agenda, the entire contents of our upper floor need to be taken downstairs, because carpet is coming.  Can I hear a "Hallelujah"?!  Anyone who has stayed in my home has seen the nastiness of the carpet, and I've lived with it for 12 years.  Now, it's (almost) gone!  Yeehaw!

Art painted all the ceilings on the weekend (such a fun job!), and I will paint our room this week in the midst of taking 1000 trips up and down stairs.  It's a good thing I have such great little helpers!  Then, after carpet, the trim work will be done, just like that, the end will be here.  It's only taken 8 years!

I'm most excited about having a whole 'nother room in my home to fill with rusty, chipped junk to make it into an inviting space... Perhaps some more of my bounty will make it out of the storage room and see the light of day?  Now that's a pleasant thought!

I am looking forward to tulips blooming, chicks arriving, and grass showing it's face after a long, northern winter.  Girls coming in covered in mud with smiles on their faces and dirt in the ears, and muddy paw prints from Moses all over my entrance way.  Ahh, spring....

Another Birthday!

February is a full month of birthdays for us, and Ellie Mae's finishes it off.  She turned 6 this year, and oh my, she's quite a little character.  She loves learning to read, and has just started swimming lessons, so that's very exciting too.  She is my good little helper, and is very affectionate with the people she loves.

 

For the month leading up to her birthday, every day, I would ask her, "Ellie Mae, what would you like for your birthday?"

 

"Camo."  Was her standard answer.

 

"A camel?"  I would say.

 

"NO!  Camouflage!  So I can go and hunt the fox with Daddy!"

 

Well, her birthday wish came true!  Between Nana and Grandpa, her sisters, and us, the girls is DECKED OUT and ready to hunt!

 

Happy Birthday, baby Girl!

Egg Money

The Girls have been saving their egg money all winter long, and decided that they wanted to make another big purchase.  Last fall, the made their first big purchase using their egg money, and have been so thrilled with their Carhartt's.  Now, they've decided that they want to buy a gun.  So, we did a bunch of research, talked to many people, and finally decided on one. 

 

Yesterday, we took a drive and picked up their gun.  It came in seven different colors, so there was much discussion about which color they would chose, but they finally ended up with black, only after finding out that the wood wasn't in stock.

 

They bought a little Savage, and it's going to be great for them to learn on and build their confidence!

When we got it home, and cleaned, they were itchin' to get out and start learning, and shooting gophers.  Unfortunately, it was bed time.  And there's still snow on the ground.  Hopefully soon, we'll be out and practicing!  Between the bows and the fun, the gophers won't stand a chance!

Family Day Weekend

This past weekend was a long weekend for us, which is always so wonderful!  Hannah was off for her birthday date to beloved Auntie Frieda's from Friday until Sunday.  She was so excited about it, and although I love that they get to do these special dates, I do miss each of my little chickens when they are gone. 

We worked on our ongoing renovations on Saturday (complete with a ladder falling out from under Art while he was climbing into the attic, moving electrical outlets, stacking dryers...good times on a Saturday night!)

Sunday, we had a young couple over....they used to be some of our 'youth kids', so that was fun to catch up with them.  They have 2 kids of their own now, which always makes me seem SO old!

Finally, the pièce de résistance was on Monday, when we had some new friends over, whom we have come to adore!  Our kids played with their kids, our husbands played in the shop, and her and I got to have a wonderful visit.  We ate, we laughed.... it was a great day!

Now, another weekend is upon us, and we will do much of the same - that is, work our butts off on our house!  The "reno room" is coming together, finally, and the mudding was completed this week. We started painting tonight, and tomorrow, we'll finish painting and start putting up some of the trims.

We have to move our entire upper floor of our home somewhere.....I'm not sure how that's gonna work yet.... but since we are replacing the carpet, it must be done.  It's gonna be a terrible job, that's for sure, but I keep telling myself that the end product will be worth it.  We'll see about that...

Today this is what I know.  I know that it's Friday.  And I love Fridays, because it means that I get to spend the next two days with my favorite people...my family!

Happy weekend, y'all!

A Full Life

When I think of the phrase, "A Full Life", I think of living life to the fullest.  Seizing every opportunity.  Carpe Diem.  However, it's definitely not felt that my "full life" has been "my cup runneth over" lately.  It's just felt, well, full.

We're doing a(nother) renovation upstairs, so our bedroom has been literally stripped down to studs and is slowly getting put back together.  We've been ripping off cedar siding and tile and plywood and putting back flooring and drywalling and doing electrical and mudding and painting.  We've had school work, babysitting courses, birthdays and celebrations.  That's all in addition to the regular "full-ness" of having 4 kids...4-H and Awana and riding and taking care of critters.  If you would've told me 8 years ago that this is what my life would look like these days, I would've told you that you were crazy!  But alas, it's true.  And although it's a good "full", it can also be exhausting. 

So my focus has been lately on paring down things - not only in our home, as we're going through tons of junk that's collected upstairs, but also on activities and relationships that happen around here.  I've had to be very purposeful in trying to maintain the lifestyle that we desire, and not being too "busy" (oh, how I hate that word!), but also realizing that we have 6 people living in this home, and that requires a bit of juggling.  And driving.  And dying to my desire of wanting to live in my pj's for days on end. 

I know that they day will come, and I will think, "Where has everyone gone?  The house is empty!"...and then I can live in my pajamas for days on end.  But for right now, I'm thankful for one of those days in a week.  And it's good life.  And filled with joy and laughter (and sometimes weeping and gnashing of teeth).  And full.  A full life.  A good life.  A blessed life.