Weekend Fun

This past weekend - family day weekend for those of us in Alberta - we worked on Eric and Becky's wedding gift some more. They've been married for a few years now - we should get this done! Before long they will have the room for a complete ensemble of bedroom furniture. Right now they don't have the space and all they have is bed with headboard and footboard and two night stands. We've been after them to come and work with us to finish the remaining pieces to their suite. Not that we are desperate for help - rather this was a woodworking project the four of us have been working on together. And what did Keira puppy do this weekend? Romp through ALL the snow in the backyard. Calgary doesn't have - or get snow like this - that lasts. So she had a grand time turning the backyard into what looked like a war zone! What a funny pup she is! But if the dog is happy - you get more work done! Every once in a while she would pop into the shop - but not for long. I don't think she cared for the sounds the power tools were making as they turned pine boards into an armour for Eric! When this piece is done it is Becky's dresser! Yah!



KEIRA GUARDING HER FRISBEE



LOOKING LIKE IT SHOULD!



YOUNG LOVE!

SNOW!

Who would even think we could get the snowfall we did yesterday afternoon and into the night sometime! It certainly wasn't in the forecast. Apparently the whole province didn't get this - so why us? I guess we had to have a turn sometime. And we had a turn! At least the sun is out today. Looking out the living room window yesterday evening it was beautiful. Coming straight down, and heavy! At least it looked heavy. When we shoveled this morning it was fluffy and light. Just needed to figure out where in the world to pile it! This morning when we arrived at the office the fellow doing our snow shovelling had the sidewalks by the building done and was using a small skidsteer to move our winter downpour to the edges of our parking lot. We get another downfall like this and it will have to be removed from the property altogether.

Here's a picture of our "waterfall" downspout. At least it is a waterfall in the summer during a downpour. Right now it is an "icefall". This is a real test for the chain downspouts! At least this one for sure. It seems to get the biggest ice buildup because of it's location on the south. Looks really cool anyway!

Even the train tracks have been buried under our snowfall! There is barely visable the far main line that has been used. The other three tracks are somewhere underneath all the white fluff we were given yesterday. Actually have to listen for the next train and watch the snow swirl up and around it as it passes through! We should have a snow day today. At least look outside at the snow when we think something interesting might be happening out there because of the snow! All in favor?

February the Fifth!

OK Brent and Kirstin! Here is our Feb 5th Pancake day picture story book!



Every good story has a beginning. Ours starts with the waffle iron. This waffle iron has faithfully made waffles for our family for many years. Sometimes on Feb 5th. Sometimes on the first snowfall of winter. Sometimes just because we wanted to have waffles.



The proper way to make waffles in our house is "from scratch" as Grandma would say. Not with a powdery mix from a bag. Oh the times we made mountains of waffles to feed hungry boys! Those ones were made "from scratch". But tonight we used the powdery mix and water. For added fluffiness we put in an egg. Not just any egg I might add. A BROWN egg. Then we were sure we would have light as a feather waffles! No white store egg would do!



Hmm. Something more was needed to celebrate tonight's Feb 5th supper. Ah ha! Up from the freezer there appeared a package of smokey sticks. Those wouldn't take long to cook. Surely they would be allowed at the special supper? There they are! Waiting quietly while the last waffle was baking!



Waiting quietly too was someone looking forward to waffles and smokies!



See! There's a waffle all ready to eat!



Every good story also has an ending. Ours ends with a plate holding a crisp golden waffle, pockets filled with butter and syrup and peanut butter and sugar! Now which bite to eat first! Num! Almost as good as the ones "from scratch" as Grandma would say!

50!

COR & JOANNE

This morning we woke up to a "bone chilling", "skin freezing", "teeth chattering" minus 49. Yes, I did say MINUS 49. Not really weather conditions for venturing out on the QE2. But we did need to come home - after all, the party was over. We spent the weekend in Calgary at Cor and Joanne's (Peter's brother and wife). Cor turned the big five-oh this past week so we felt it was important to help him over this hill and prod him up the next one. Besides, who would want to miss the roast! Family and friends were actually quite nice and eased him into the next decade with only a gentle reminder that he is becoming more and more chronologically gifted. Those of us who are not far behind were very careful - our day will come too!


Highlights of the weekend would be:

- Late night visits.

- Picture tours of Cor and Joanne's trips to Holland and the Dominican Republic. The lush green of Holland and the aqua green water and white sands in the D.R. created a longing for warmer days and possibly more "adventure" ideas!

- A good "girl chat" while the guys went to the store of all stores - Lee Valley.

- Seeing mutual friends from our much younger days.

- Second viewing of the fantastic video created by their kids for Cor's birthday.

- Day spent together in Banff. Browsing. Visiting over breakfast, coffeee at Starbucks and an early supper. (We did lots of visiting this weekend!)

- One more evening of visiting (and cake) seeing as the roads were taunting drivers to dare to venture out with the snow blowing across them creating low visability.



40 + 10


Our host graciously had us put our truck in their warm garage last night so with the sun shining and the heated seats turned on we didn't really feel the numming effect of the arctic wind on our delayed drive home. No matter what the weather was - we had a good time with family, friends and especially with Cor and Joanne. We've needed a good visit for a while now and this was an excellent reason to get together! Thanks for the visit Cor and Joanne - the good food - the visiting, sometimes serious and sometimes just plain fun - and sharing with us your home and catching up on news and your travels! Let's not wait so long to do this again. After all - we are all empty nesters now!

I had a fun weekend!

I had a fun weekend - I am assuming Peter did too! Friday night Kev and I started on MY HOUSE! No - we are not building again. No drywall in this house! Thursday night after work we picked up MY HOUSE. Peter found and bought me my own first real Lego kit. I received a little hummer in my stocking - but this is a big kit! I have instructions for 3 houses. So Kev and I made one of them on the weekend. How exciting to receive your own Lego! Saturday morning we finished putting on the roof. I can hardly wait to build the other two houses. I know that means pulling this one all apart - but that's what Lego is for!




Then Saturday afternoon and evening I helped Peter in the shop with Nicole from Crossroads create the pieces for a Sunday School Project for the "Faith Begins at Home" class the next day. I did lots and lots of sanding! But it was so worth all the work when you see a small child and parent walking in the foyer the next morning with their finished "Prayer Roledex". It was good to get back into the shop after a few years of not spending time there! The station took time and effort away from the "fun stuff". Now we can get back at being creative with things like this. A blessing we've been missing for a while now!

Good Morning, Friday!

What better way to start a Friday morning than with a nice big steaming cup of coffee. Now both Peter and I have gargantuan mugs! Mine is bigger! Thank you Brent and Kirstin!

It was good to the last drop! By the way - I almost emptied the coffee pot just filling these mugs once! That's a lot of java!

Birthday Boy!

Saturday morning bright and early we went to Calgary (with Kelsey along) to celebrate Eric's 26th birthday. We had a fun day wandering around doing bits of this and bits of that and then supper together with a bit of visiting time before heading back home to Lacombe. Here are a few candid shots of the evening together.



WAITING FOR SUPPER!



ONE CANDLE FOR HIS SWEETHEART!



DISCUSSING TOOLS OVER CAKE!

Happy birthday - Birthday Boy! We wish you and Becky many more years full of God's best for you!