Sun, Ski and Sky

Just the other day, Kevin and I went skiing to the mountains for the day. We chose to go skiing at the Sunshine Ski resort near Banff, Alberta. This was the first time this season for me. It was an absolutely fabulous day!!


The skies were clear for majority of the day and the snow was very very good. We covered majority of the available runs that were either black or blue. Not double black mind you and NO moguls! I had enough of moguls when I was a teenager.


It was without doubt the best day of skiing I have had in years. Especially because of the company! A great way to connect!

During the day, I could not help but acknowledge the absolute wonderful job God did in making the mountains, trees and snow. These photos attest to the beauty and still do not do it justice. Being at the top of the Continental Divide chair ready to go down and seeing all that beauty all around us, it was beyond words.

Book Review - Grizzly Heart

A few years ago, this book was recommended to me from a member of our family. Considering that we love the outdoors, hiking, camping etc, I thought this may be a good book to read. It was not long before I started reading the book and once I started, it was very difficult to put it down. I was intrigued by the two authors life with bears in Kamchatka, Russia. Lots of preparation was required to have these two arrive in another country and then position themsleves in a remote, very remote area of the country to study bears in their natural habitat. With bears never really have seen humans before and not knowing what they were like or the potential for harm that they could cause, three bears were befriended by Charlie and Maureen. They decided to name the three, Biscuit, Chico, and Rosie. The bears became used to the humans since they were not threatening. The cover of took certainly is a great example of the relationship that was created. The story emcompasses a few years over the life of the bears.

I read very few books, but I tell you, I was very happy reading this one. We did not own the book. It was borrowed from family, but this past Christmas a copy was given to me by Lorraine saying, "if it was worth reading, it is worth owning". Well, it was worth reading to me. It does move slowly in a few places but the overall impression was very good. I am going to read it again and would recommend the book to anyone else who is interested in nature, animals and the study of animals in their own natural habitat and trying to make a minimum impact on their world.

Another point of interest, the co-author Maureen Enns is a great artist. She has done paintings of the bears noted in the book as well as other bears. We have seen her work at a Gallery in the Banff Springs Hotel. I have to save up to buy one sometime.

"BISCUIT"

Christmas 2008

This year Christmas was different for Peter and I. For starters - it came a day later than it usually has. That's OK, since basically we had two slower weeks in the office that made everything feel mumble-jumble anyway! We had the kids around on Christmas Day in the evening and then on Boxing Day we had our "Christmas Day". Christmas Eve, Eric & Becky arrived in time to go to church with us. We had a good service and then in the remainder of the evening we had coffee and spent time together.

On Christmas Day the kids slowly started to wander back and by mid evening we seranaded Eric & Becky & Keira puppy in with some singing. Thanks so much to Kirstin for her accompaniment on the piano! Since this was now our "Christmas Eve" we opened gifts and enjoying the thoughtfulness each had taken to pick gifts suitable for the interests of others.

Boxing Day Lego was the focus of the morning and afternoon (after stockings). A couple of laptops also found their way into the Lego Room/Peter's Old Office so there was other happenings down there as well. I tried a new recipe from a new Swedish Cookbook (sweet and sour cabbage) and Brent and Kirstin made dessert which was a wonderful rice pudding with fresh cherry sauce. I think we have some new Christmas Dinner Traditions to add to Cinnamon Applesauce Salad! I think Kelsey also has a few ideas we can try out for future Christmas Dinners. I think we will end up over the years with a truly International Dinner. Something to really look forward to!

Saturday (our "Boxing Day") Peter and Eric spent a few hours in Red Deer "stimulating our economy". Now we can watch our movies with big picture and big sound! We've lots of new gift DVD's to watch. Good plan for those cold January nights yet to get through!

During the holidays Cor and Joanne also stopped by for supper and a visit. This was opportunity for the brothers to discuss the technicalities of big screen T.V.s, Receivers and Surround Sound. Us girls will just watch once everything is installed! (I've yet to figure out the remotes now sitting on the coffee table.)

After a few more days of work we spent New Year's in Calgary at Eric and Becky's (minus Kev who spent the week in Lacombe). There we got to try out their Wii and attempted Guitar Hero. The songs were very retro and turned back the pages of time for us personally - but my almost 50 year old fingers aren't as nimble as they used to be!

We brought Keira back with us so Eric and Becky could take a holiday with friends before heading back to University. That silly dog just marched right out and jumped into our truck waiting to go without so much as a whimper for her masters! She did miss them later though! And she missed Kev everytime he left the house! And the weather didn't help keep her entertained with a snow romp! So - we watch the entire trilogy of Lord of the Rings with Kev. I have never sat through all three in one consequetive sitting. I would recommend it to anyone who has 10 hours to spare. It all makes more sense doing that!

This pretty well brings the holiday celebrations to an end. The holiday came and went and without pictures would feel like a blurr. We've almost finished "un-decorating" the house. Before you know it time will be here to eagerly unpack the boxes once again and rediscover decorations carefully packed away. From my childhood memories, one of the best parts of Christmas was waiting patiently(?) for the tree to unthaw to open up the boxes of ornaments still chilly from months spent in the attic. Sweet memories that surround the season! It's our wish that our own children will have cherished childhood remembrances and also be building memories and traditions for their own homes at Christmastime!

A SONG OR TWO. MAYBE THREE OR FOUR!

A FEAST


A SNOOZE


WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?


PICK UP SOME KNITTING NEEDLES!


CAN I COME LIVE WITH YOU?

IT'S A GIRL!

Our family is growing! IT'S A GIRL! Blonde, cheerful and we are so excited to have her as the newest member of our family! I think everyone is! Especially Kevin!

No we are not new grandparents - we are going to be new parents again! I knew the guy/girl ratio in the family would balance out some day! I just needed to be patient. Kev's been anxious for this weekend and I think she was waiting too knowing ... someday ... just when!

KELSEY DAWN & KEVIN JAMES

We haven't heard a wedding date. We haven't even seen them yet - just a phone call a little while ago! I'm sure their smiles will melt away any snow or warm up any minus 20 + weather! We're excited for them and look forward to God's best in their new life together! More blogs to come!

Craft Sale 2008

Another craft sale has come and gone! Now that it is turning into a fading memory, I have time for a quick little update. My collection of pictures is severely lacking from 7:00 Saturday morning before the sale to after church the next day. So .... if you want a visual for those in between hours, you need to check with someone who actually captured pictures for that missing time period. One couple in attendance (B and K) have posted a gorgious picture on their blog spot! I'm hoping they will do more! I guess when we reach the actually "selling time" I pull a blank when it comes to getting the camera out from amongst the tissue and bags and boxes stored under the tables and actually take a few photos to share with you. Sorry, but I can share what I do have though!

Final prep before the sale

A bit of post-service MUSIC ...

... MARIO ...

... MUNCHIES ...

In between, we had a good sale. Considering the economic upheaval we find our world and country now entering, we had a really good sale! Without the help of our children we wouldn't have been able to pull off the final preparations and actual day itself! So much thanks to Kev and Kels for helping dad get the final signage out and tables prepared themselves for vendors to arrive at 7:30 that morning! Thanks too for helping get our own tables set up for the sale and then helping with the sales! Also for being back at the hall to take apart and pack up what will now go into the sale for 2009! Thanks to Brent and Kirstin for watching the little ones at home early that morning so the guys could help the girls get their stock in and get things underway! Tak as well for helping with the selling and for the words of advice for next years sale! Good ideas and advice are always welcome! Again, thanks to you both for helping get things packed up once 4 o'clock rolled around! I know spending time with the younger cousins was fun, but thanks so much for keeping restless bodies and minds busy and happy. It was truly a pleasure to hear the laughter in the next room of age range of voices playing "Clue". Hum! Have to keep in mind the closet full of games for the coming family celebrations!

Thanks to everyone who came and participated and then celebrated in our mini family reunion that evening and next day! Let's do it again! Same time next year? Sure thing!

Giving Thanks!

With the Canadian Thanksgiving long gone, and the American one just about the same time distance away yet, it seems funny probably to do a post about giving thanks! Tomorrow, Lorraine and I look forward to sharing Thanksgiving will all our kids! Now that B&K are back from Denmark(they were gone during Thanksgiving), we are going to share some time together at E&B's house, each bringing along some food.

I want to share with you though, our readers, that I cannot tell you how much I am thankful for a very special person in my life! That person happens to be my wife Lorraine! She has been beside me all the way through our marriage and sometimes during all those years, it wasn't always easy to do! I thank God for letting me have such a special person in my life, over thirty years together since we started dating! My love for her continues to grow and grow!



We had the wonderful opportunity on our anniversary earlier this month to share some time together in an old hotel in Banff. Wowsers, what a beautiful hotel! We had a wonderful time and what great service! We will do that again! It was suggested to us that we take the opportunity to stay in all the old CPR Hotels in Canada. We just might take on that challenge!

Bit of this and a bit more of that!

I haven't blogged in quite a while! This is a busy time of year for me so if you have been waiting for something more to read in our adventures "over the fence" - sorry! I'll fill you in on a few things since Fairmont!



We did get to go camping once more with Cor and Joanne out to Red Lodge. And yes, there really is a fire this time! If you look back to a former blog you will see us "pretending" to warm our hands over the fire. There were no fire pits down at Chain Lakes. Red Lodge certainly has them though and we were thankful for that. And for a trailer, and a furnace, and power hook-up to bake potatoes for supper in the microwave, and a nice big kitchen to do LOTS of dishes in! September is a bit nippier than August. But it is exciting to go camping comfortably in the Fall!

Peter and I went out Thursday night after work to secure a couple of spots and Cor and Joanne arrived on Friday night. The drive back into Lacombe wasn't too long even if it was to work again for one more day before being able to enjoy camping for real! So this summer we managed to camp three weekends which is pretty good considering we didn't pick up the trailer until the end of July!

The trailer is fully cleaned and winterized now so it is down to business here at the office and at home! Speaking of business .....



For years now I have wanted to see this Giant Roadside Attraction in person. We needed to go to another small town to present a building proposal to a church in the town. By the time the meeting was done it was getting late and dark already. BUT before our long drive home we drove to the park displaying this landmark so I could see it - lit up in all it's splendor! To get an idea of the size - imagine my tall husband standing underneath this Pysanka. He would still clear the bottom by a couple of feet! It truly is a magnificent tribute to the people of the town. So if we have to work we can still make it fun!

This pretty well brings our adventures up to the past weekend. That is a blog all on it's own though and I have to get a few business things done now. I did say it is a busy time of year!