December 29th 2010 (I think. . .)

I haven't been doing too much on the computer lately, because I am still pretty turned around from working nights and doing holiday stuff.

The kids have generously shared the head cold with me now. I am still trying to convince my body that daytime is for wakefulness and nighttime is for sleeping. . .

It has been quite wet here and there was some minor flooding in the ares, but today is just gorgeous!!! The sun is out and the skies are an azure blue against the snow on the mountains.

Monday we drove to Shawnagan Lake and were able to visit with Ron's Mum, sisters and nieces. The food was good and the company was great. Yesterday the kids were at the Temple for the day, so Ron and I basically laid low all day.

Today we are starting to get a few of the neglected chores caught up around here, but it is still a pretty low energy kind of day.

I got a REALLY nice camera from Ron for Christmas, and am looking forward to having the energy to go out and put it to good use.

I guess that is it for the ramblings from North of the 49th. . .hope all is well in your world. . .

Here goes nuthin'. . .

Headed off for my first overnight shift in awhile, we'll see how it goes. . .

Oh, and here are a few of the swans that are visiting our area for winter.

November 27, 2010

Thursday found us celebrating "American Thanksgiving". There were 15 of us here. Ron, Adam and I had the day off work, and the other kids got the day off from school for parent/teacher conferences. Ron took care of the turkey while Dax and I baked 3 pies. It was a very relaxed day and we were almost comatose by the end.

I managed to contact one of my cousins who has been out of work for quite an extended spell. . .it seems he will be starting a new job soon. I am really happy for him, though it may require relocation (to Portland Ore. from Whitbey Is. Wash.)

I have the annual letter started and am in possession of school pictures. Now I need to get Adam's face recorded and have my proof-readers go over the correspondence before I can get it all in the mail. I am hoping to have them out soon (unlike last year!)

This time next week I will be preparing for my first overnight shift at Wallyworld. I will have the 11pm-7am shift 'till Christmas. I am interested to see how it goes. . .

We had snow here for Thanksgiving (a wet 2" of it), but it has all been rained away now. The sun was out this morning, but it seems to be clouding over again.

That's the report for now. . .

Adam's Birthday 2010

Yesterday was Adam's 19th birthday. We have had colder than normal temperatures and a little snowfall, so the tire shop where he works has been CRAZY. For his birthday he got to go in to work early and stay late. In the afternoon, Ron and I stopped in with a tray of cupcakes and candles. He hadn't told anyone at work that it was his BD, but his boss paged everyone to the front counter and they all sang to him. He is fortunate that it was -11 C with the wind chill, or they would have immersed him in the "dunk tank" in honor of the event.

I have been working lots and we got the report cards for Kaili and Dax the other day. There were 7 A-s and 1 B between the two of them. . .they are doing quite well in their new surroundings.

We will celebrate "American Thanksgiving" at our house tomorrow with about 10 others joining us for turkey dinner. It is supposed to snow a bit again tonight then be raining by the week-end.

That's all for now. . .

So . . . if your parents go with you, is it still a date?

Last night was the Harvest Ball in our stake (church). It is a semi-formal dinner and dance for those aged 16+ and was held about an hour from here in Nanaimo. Dax had invited Holly (it was a first date for them both). Holly's Parents drove Ron and me, Dax and Holly, another teen-aged couple and our Bishop's wife down in the "Loser Cruiser" (15 passenger van). The kids hid in the very back seat while the adults crowded to the front of the van and everyone attempted to give everyone else plenty of space. It was actually pretty funny, because I think the adults did a better job of ignoring the kids than the other way around. . .A certain mortified teen-aged girl "had" to reprimand her father for his embarrassing facial expressions while he was dancing.

The meal was good, the entertainment was entertaining and the dancing was enjoyable. I think everyone had a good time. . .though I was badgered into buying some "nice" clothing for the occasion, and now have little twinges of. . ."did I really have to spend THAT much on an outfit?" Hopefully we will have a few more opportunities for me to get use out of my new duds.

Adam had to work, so he and the girls kept the home fires burning while the rest of us partied into the wee hours.

The sun was out yesterday, but the rain has returned again today.

November 3, 2010

Sorry I have been so lax about posting lately. I am slowly adjusting to working again and will probably be back in the swing of things soon.

Adam carved the pumpkin that graced our front step for the TWO trick or treaters that came by our house. Kaili dressed as a cowgirl, Elizabeth chose to be a ghost (with a dark wig and wand?) and Dax decided to be a "chick magnet" for their first halloween celebration on Friday night this year. Ron and the kids had spent Saturday at a demonstration in the mall. Kaili and some of her friends were made up with various wounds and the cadets demonstrated their first aid skills on the casualties. That evening (in the pouring rain) Elizabeth and Dax wore their St. John Cadet uniforms. Kaili was a casualty complete with realistic wounds at the ward's "Trunk or Treat" activity. Adam and I were both working, so arrived at the end of the festivities.

Yesterday and today have been stunningly beautiful, with brilliant sunshine and fall colors mixed in with the greenery. The rain is supposed to be back with a vengeance beginning tomorrow.

That's the report for now. . .

October , 2010

I have begun my 2nd full week of work now. I am feeling a little more at ease now, and starting to feel like I have half a clue about what I'm doing. This mornig Adam and I carpooled to work, so I had about 1/2 an hour to kill in the parking lot before I needed to go in. The sunrise was drop-dead gorgeous! There were ever-changing layers of blue, pink, and grey all across the sky.

The kids have been at halloween parties/activities for the last 2 evenings. They should have enough sugar to power a rocket after this. . .PLUS we bought a ton of stuff for tomorrow night, which I doubt will ever leave the premises.

October 16, 2010

The nice weather continues. . .cool days (mid-50's) and cooler nights (into the high 30's / low 40's). The trees are changing and painting portions of the landscape in shades of yellow, gold, orange, red and plum. There is still plenty of green around too. Today has been exceptionally quiet here. . .Adam at work, Dax in Vancouver for the week-end and the girls are "hangin' with friends" for the day. Ron, the dogs and cats have all found little niches in which to catch 40 winks as the sunlight pours in on them through the windows.

I have been puttering here and there, I finished reading Eat Pray Love this morning. I really enjoyed it and was amazed how true the movie stayed to the book. She has a few good pearls in there that caused me to stop and ponder a bit too.

I had an hour and a half conversation with Melissa this morning (She said to say "Hi", Mom and your place falls in among her fond memories). It was really good to get caught up with her again. That's all from North of the 49th for today. . .

October 12, 2010

We had a really nice Thanksgiving here yesterday. When it was all said and done, we had 23 people here for dinner. Do the 5 dogs and 2 cats count as part of the crowd too? We ate turkey, dressing, yams, holiday potatoes, cranberry 'n' orange relish, gravy, green beans with bacon & almonds, two different green salads, brussels sprouts, multigrain buns, pumpkin pie and lemon meringue pie. . .plus the grape centerpieces, olives, pickles, crackers, cream cheese with pepper jelly that people picked at. . . .I guess you could say it was a feast!

The food was good, but not the best part. We were surrounded by family without any family drama. We swapped stories, laughs and gave Ron's family the nickle tour our our place. The Kramers were here, as were the sister missionaries. Ron's Mum and step-dad, his sister and niece, and my mom and step-dad were all here. After we all had our fill of dinner and shared what we were thankful for, some had to leave, some had a good sleep but most of us watched a movie together in our semi-comatose conditions.

Today we try to get back into our "normal" routines. . .

Some non-medicinal uses of triangular bandages. . .

Last week-end Ron and I attended Brigade Officer Training for St. John Ambulance. As part of the course, we were to choose a topic from a listto make a short presentation on. The topic I chose was 3 non-medical uses for a triangular bandage, though "ways to eat an Oreo cookie" was a tempting one for me.

My presentation went something like. . .

There are many non medical uses for triangular bandages; I am here to share just a few with you today. Let's say you are going on a vacation somewhere, and being a good Boy Scout Girl Guide or First Aider, you like to be prepared. One way to insure preparedness is to make yourself a TB (Triangular Bandage) travel pillow for the flight. You simply make a packet with 6 bandages like such. . .

Once you reach your destination, Cuba, Hawaii, the Bahamas, etc. You will likely find your checked bags went to Ontario, Siberia or somewhere like that and you are left with only your carry on items. No worries, your TB Travel pillow can easily become beach attire, including a skirt, bra, head covering and a towel.

If you happened to forget your pillow in the plane seat, again, no worries. Your hotel or motel will have bed sheets or a shower curtain. Simply tear them into 40 inch (or 1 metre) squares. Then cut or fold on the diagonal and you have triangular bandages. So there you have it 3 non-medical uses for triangular bandages. . .a travel pillow, beach attire and a towel.

Thanks again, to my good sport husband who acted as my model.

Last week we got our new fireplace insert installed, Kaili has decided that it makes too much heat when we had a test fire in it during last week's rain storm. It is essentially an airtight wood stove. It will definitely keep us toasty this winter and should use a LOT less wood than the 40 year old Heatalator fireplace system did. We still need to get a piece of custom trim done for the top of it because I want to keep the nice arch element of the original brickwork.

Yesterday the piano got tuned for the first time in 10+ years and 300+ miles. I can't really tell the difference, but I am sure anyone else who hears it will. Adam and Elizabeth have both commented on how much better it sounds and I'm sure Elizabeth's piano teacher is relieved not to have her ears assaulted by the discordant sounds emminating from it anymore.

It was rainy at the end of last week, but the weather has been gorgeous the last couple of days and is expected to continue for the next week or so. Elizabeth and I have finally succumbed to the NASTY cough bug that Ron and Kaili had been dealing with, so I haven't been able to get out on the bicycle. Hopefully, I will soon.

We are all looking forward to visitors soon, hopefully the weather will still be nice for them. . .

There it is. . .

Sept 23, 2010

Sunday night's dinner went off without a hitch. The kids were of great help serving. We ended-up actually feeding around 140 instead of the 100 we had planned for. As a bonus, we also managed to spend about $80 less than our $300 budget and everyone really seemed to enjoy the food.

The weather and my schedule haven't been too conducive for bike riding lately, so I have started doing Wii fit work outs again. I did skip today, because I think I am finally coming down with the sickness that Ron and Kaili have been battling for several weeks now. I woke up at 4-something this am with a pounding headache. I took some T-1's, did the netty-pot thing, had a little juice and read for a bit, but I still couldn't get back to sleep.

This week has flown by. . .Monday I sent off the citizenship paperwork for Elizabeth and me. Our Permanent Resident cards expire in a few days and I found out that it will take almost 8 months to get new ones. We only need the PR cards to get back in to Canada, but the application is a pain; in part because we have to track how much time we spend outside of Canada and submit an accounting every 5 years as a part of the application process. The citizenship application process seems pretty straight-forward so far. I will have to write a test at some point before being granted citizenship. The Canadians don't seem to have a problem with dual-citizenship, but I have heard that some of the American border guards can get a bit testy if they find out you carry both citizenships.

We have spent a bit of time stacking firewood this week. Fortunately, the Kramer kids helped ours with a BUNCH of it on Saturday. Without their help, we would be piling wood 'till next Christmas. We should have about 6 cords all put away when we are finally done. About half of the wood is a load of mill-ends; really cheap, but they tend to be on the small-side (and LOTS of work to stack).

Last night Ron and I went to Elizabeth's school for an open house and corn roast. Her teachers commented on how focused she is and that she continues to be complete her assignments way ahead of her classmates. She is now helping one of the slower students with some of the classwork. Later, we went to the open house at Dax and Kaili's Secondary School. Ron met Dax's teachers and I met Kaili's. The kids are both doing very well so far. We were both very impressed with the programs available to the kids there. The school seems to be placing a special emphasis on attendance. Tonight I was teasing Kaili about how cute her English teacher was. I asked her how she could concentrate on her lessons with such a hottie teaching her Kaili's response was "EEWWW!!! He's married and he's like FORTY or something. . .EEEWWW!!!!"

This morning the two cats got to go to the vet for check-ups and vaccinations. They both got a clean bill of health and we were told they probably won't need to go back unless something drastic happens since they are indoor kitties. Missy had three of us on the run this morning trying to box her for the trip. Ron nearly had her in the crate, when she turned into hissing fangs and claws. We finally cornered her in Kaili's room, then we nabbed Patchy when she came to find out what all the ruckus was.

Tomorrow we will be getting our 40 year-old Heatilator replaced with a high efficiency fireplace insert. Ron will be out for the day, so I will probably get to be the one to Christen it with the first fire. It has gotten gray and rainy here, but it has still only gotten into the 40's at night so far. The tomato plants are loaded and I will probably bring in a bunch to ripen on the window sill.

Not much else to report from here for now. . .your turn, Mom.

Still scrambling. . .though the dust is settling. . .sort of. . .

The thought of going to school made Kaili sick. I think the cats just figured she was there to cuddle with them.

The kids are beginning to adjust to school life and busy routines now. They are really beginning to like some of their classes and teachers. Dax has joined the robotics club and is enjoying his dance class (I wonder if the 1 guy: 27 girl ratio has anything to do with it. . .). Kaili has finally gotten over her sick-making fear and has joined the science club and the improve team, she also attended her first Highland dance class on Tuesday. Her favorite teacher so far, is her Spanish teacher. Elizabeth has made lots of new friends and seems to be thriving in her new environment. She is taking piano lessons at home and has chosen to study clarinet at school. The three younger kids will be participating in the St. John Ambulance cadet program. Adam is still really liking his job, and plodding ever-so-slowly along with his schooling. He is also joining the St. John Adult brigade with Ron and I. All four of the kids are also choir members at church. We have such an unbelievable pool of musical talent in this ward. There are several very accomplished, talented and well educated members leading the way.

Ron and I will be attending officer training next week for St. John Ambulance. They seem to have plans for us. . . The brigade here has gone through a MAJOR shake up recently and is in the process of rebuilding, hopefully, Ron and I can help with that process.

Last night Dax and Kaili had a youth dance to attend in Duncan (Almost 2 hrs South of here). Kaili had Improv after school, so we got a late start. The kids had a great time and it was actually a pleasant trip, with nice conversation. We didn't get home until 1 am. Elizabeth spent the night at the Kramer's place. We have LOTS of wood to stack today. It is raining and everyone had a late night, so we'll have to see how that goes.

Robin and I are also preparing dinner for about 100 men and boys for tomorrow night; we drove to Nanaimo and back yesterday as part of the supply gathering mission. We will enlist the aid of various youngsters for this task too. Since tomorrow is Sunday, we will do almost all of it today, and just combine and heat things tomorrow. Pulled pork sandwiches, baked potatoes, green salad and pumpkin cake is on the menu.

Tonight there are 2 baptisms happening at church. Adam has been assisting the sister missionaries in teaching one of them, so that is pretty cool too.

Other than that, not much happening here. . .

Oh, so THAT explains it!!!

Today we were told the following story:

When God created dogs, they were given 20 years to spend their time napping on the porch and barking at passing cars. Dogs decided that was far too much time for this task, so they decided to ask God if they could just do it for 10 instead; He agreed and the dogs gave God back 10 years. Next God created monkeys. They were given 20 years to be spent goofing around acting silly and entertaining people. The monkeys also decided this was twice as much time as they needed for this task. The monkeys struck up an agreement with God and returned 10 years. Cows were created next and God gave them the task of being a beast of burden and serving people. The cows were to toil in the baking sun, battering winds and endure the freezing storms for 50 years. Of course, the cows felt this was far too much time to be engaged in such activity and offered to give God back 40 years, choosing a 10 year lifespan instead. When God created man, he was to grow in health and vigor, exploring God's creations for 20 years. Man felt that 20 years seemed hardly adequate for this task and asked God if perhaps, man could be granted the years the the others had given up. God assented, and that is why man is healthy, vital and inquisitive for 20 years, spends the next 40 years in toil and labor for others, then spends10 years playing and acting silly for grand kids, and finally does 10 years of napping on the porch and barking at passers by. . .

The picture was taken on our bike ride last week. The maple trees are just beginning to change in a few places.

Kaili is still lethargic and will be headed back out into the thick of it tomorrow. She and Dax have their first seminary class in the morning. I think she is really overwhelmed by the 1500 person student body of strangers and I wish there was a way to make it less scary for her. She will need everyone's prayers this week as she makes another attempt at it. . .

I know it's tough, but some-body's gotta do it. . .

Today was another horrible day in Paradise. Several of us got together and went to the beach to pick more berries. This is the view we had to put up with while there. After we gathered berries (along with the requisite scratches, thorns etc.), we just relaxed on the sand with a bunch of other friends who had showed up to enjoy the great weather. Ron and I had to leave a bit early to pick up Ellie, then we got a call that Kaili was in the Nurse's office at school. The kids were really tired after school yesterday, but they stayed up late last night watching movies anyway. Kaili was beyond exhausted, really stressed, and now she seems to have the flu. I hope she feels better soon.

I was at a baby shower last night and borrowed an idea from one of my friends in Kamloops. This fruit skewer "bouquet" went over really well.

Labour Day (Canada) aka Labor Day (USA) 2010

Yesterday we had our first "family-type" visitors to our house. Sean, Desiree, Alexis, Vienna, Debbie (Des' mom) and Mike (Des' step-dad) came over for the evening. We had a really nice visit. I think they liked our place, and Debbie commented on how comfortable and homey it felt to her. (Watch my head swell now!!!)

Alexis had a great time digging through Aunt Elizabeth's Barbies, and Vienna really enjoyed the blackberry pie we had for dessert.

I had plans to hit the blackberry bushes one last time today, but it is raining. We ran a few little errands with the kids then rented movies and we are doing the movie/veg thing for the afternoon today. Kaili has been getting upset every time anyone mentions school starting tomorrow. . .so, of course it is being mentioned plenty just for her benefit.

I bet Martha has never done this!

Tonight we had a bunch of friends here for dinner. Afterwards we did smores in the living-room. We used Teddy Grahams and Vanilla Flavored Shreddies (a cereal similar to Chex) mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. We toasted the marshmallows with fondue forks over candles. Everyone really seemed to have a good time with this and it was fun watching the kids puzzle over what we were going to do with the various item I had assembled.

I would love to take credit for coming up with this idea, but I actually borrowed it from friends who were talking about making "mini-smores" over candles a couple of weeks ago. Robin tells me they used to do this on dates.

Sept. 2, 2010

Tuesday night we went out for cheap movie night with Don and Carolin. We saw "The Expendables" and to quote a friend. . ."That's 2 hours I'll never get back." I was not impressed, it was over-the-top gore and violence. I don't mind a weak story if there is snappy dialogue, some suspense or lots of action, but this one was pretty thin on all of those. It seemed like the "good old boys" just got together for old time's sake and happened to film it.

The sun's out and the temps are in the 70's again. Ron and I have been working on exams for St. John Ambulance, now we may be attending a course later this month to learn even more about the organization. We finally got the exams completed and turned in today.

After I made dipped candied ginger in chocolate for Ron, the kids and I (with Milena in tow) went for another short round of berry picking. I made some syrup and jelly with Splenda (Milena has DM) and a couple of pints of syrup for us. Tomorrow I will bake the BB pie I promised my picking crew.

Augst 31, 2010

The weather has been really nice up until this morning. Today, it seems as if fall has arrived all at once. It is rainy and blustery. . .I hope my tomatoes make it; they are all still green! I was also hoping to get out for another session of blackberry picking this week. . .we'll have to see what the moisture does to the berries.

Last week Ron and I went ot Vancouver for the Regional Mona Vie conference. We have been taking a hiatus from our business (and as a result haven't been drinking it either). My joints have been really acting up lately and I am really glad to be getting started again. We finally tasted M(mun) (reminiscent of pears) and we learned Mona Vie now has 4 patents and that they have changed the juice formulas to include more fiber and vitamins, etc.

While we were in Vancouver, we were also able to see Alexis, Vienna and Sean for lunch. Vienna is already walking, and is quite shy. Alexis shared my lunch with me while we had a nice chat with Sean (Ron's oldest).

The kids stayed home while Ron and I were gone. They did take and bake pizzas for dinner and played non-stop Wii. They also did a good job of deciphering and following the chore list that was posted for them. Adam worked and the others went to a birthday party for a friend on Saturday afternoon.

I called and got Kaili and Dax`s course line-up today. This semester Kaili will have fashion & design, guitar, Spanish, English and science. Dax`s classes include electronics, drafting, social studies, and Spanish. We got most of the school supplies yesterday, though I`m sure we missed something.

Today`s chore list includes cookie baking for the kids and I think a big pot of beef barley soup for dinner will have to be on mine. I am also hoping to finish a course for St. John Ambulance and do some required Immigration paperwork . . . I just LOVE red tape and bureaucracy!

August 26, 2010

Yesterday was a long, fun and productive day. The weather was beautiful, sunny and warm. The night before, the kids had 5 friends for a "sleep"-over, so everyone was in a festive, even if slightly sleep deprived sort of mood.

After Adam left for work, we took one friend home and picked up several more. We went all went berry picking behind the Superstore near our house. After a while there, we picked up a couple more and went to Air Force beach for more berry picking. There are feral rabbits all over and some of them are quite habituated to humans. Some even would eat out of your hand. Robin had one little guy (or girl) climbing into her berry bucket for a nibble. After just over an hour or so we had about 5 gallons of blackberries.

We were all pretty warm (and hungry) so after another quick trip home for the dogs, a change into shorts and walking shoes Robin treated us all to pizza. 5 pizzas were inhaled in 6 minutes. . .it was something to see. Next it was time for a quick dip, so we went to Angel Falls. . . What a COOL spot!!! The kids had a great time jumping off the rocks into a nice swimmin' hole. Robin and I even took a quick dip. The water was very refreshing and soothing.

Next, it was back home again to make dinner and process the berries. I put a big roast and a BUNCH of potatoes into the big roaster and let'er go. Robin and I worked on berries late into the night (with various assistance from kidlets). Thank goodness for the covered deck and scookum camp stove we have. It made the whole thing a whole lot less unpleasant than working in a hot kitchen. When we were all through, we ended up with 42 jars of jelly, jam, and pie filling, 3 quarts frozen berries and 1 berry puff pastry thing. The pastry lasted for about 5 minutes (only because it took that long for me to distribute it.). Hopefully the canned stuff will last a bit longer. I hope to get a few more berries next week and do some syrup, freeze more berries and do a pie or two. I think I will let my scratches heal and get the thorns out of my fingers first, though.

August 20, 2010

We have spent this week at home! Ron's birthday was Tuesday, so we ate out on the deck. We had some nice steaks, twice baked potatoes, "Asian" salad (actually a North American pre-packaged version, but yummie non-the-less) with devil's food cake for dessert.

I have been trying to get the kids up and going before 8 with some success. School starts for them in just over 2 weeks. These guys haven't had to get up for school in almost 5 years now, so I think it will be quite the adjustment for them.

Since we have been gone for the bulk of the summer, nothing has really gotten done around here. I have been writing a chore list on an erase board; once they finish what is there, the day is free for them to do whatever. We have actually managed to get quite a bit done that way, and the house is staying fairly tidy for a change.

Thursday night the 3 younger kids attended "Movie under the stars" in Comox with their friends. They saw "How to Train Your Dragon". I went to a picnic at the beach with the Relief Society where we had taco salad and a gab fest. It was very relaxing. Ron had a quiet evening at home alone with Adam.

The weather was record breaking warm last week-end, but has cooled off into the 70-80's now. I am really enjoying the more moderate temperatures and have actually ventured out on my bicycle a couple of times.

I guess that's the report from Courtenay for this week. . .

August 15, 2010

We spent most of this week (Tuesday-Saturday) on Gabriola Island visiting with Ron's folks again this week. Adam stayed home and did the bachelor thing, because he had work and a beach party to attend. It was a very relaxing few days. We did have a bit of excitement when a pod of killers passed in front of the place. The neighbors came and told us they were there, then several of us gathered on shore to watch for a good half hour or so. There were also a couple of seals hugging the shoreline at this particular time. 3 or 4 boats drew in for a closer view and a couple of kayaks headed out that way (they got a late start and missed the show, though). The boat people are much braver than I am! We could see that there were several babies and at least one VERY large orca in the pod.

It has been very hot here. . .90's, humid and smoky from the 300+ fires in the province. The ocean is very calm and much warmer than I am used to, so it is actually nice for wading and swimming.

We are planning to cool our heels around here for the next little bit, and the kids start school in about 3 weeks or so.

August 7, 2010

Entrance Island as seen from Gabriola

It seems forever since I have had internet access. Monday was BC Day, so while Ron and I volunteered at the first aid post with Saint John Ambulance, the kids wandered around Nautical Days with friends. The evening was topped off with a drill by the Sea Cadets (marching and many LOUD guns and cannons being fired), then there was a nice fireworks display.

Tuesday morning we met with our friends, Grant & Robin (and 4 daughters, 1 son) and we all headed for Gabriola Island. On the way there, we stopped at Parksville and visited the sandcastle competition. The sand sculptures were completed several weeks ago and preserved with white glue. They are unbelievable! (I will post pictures soon) My favorite was called "The Missing Links", though, it was tough to choose just one favorite.

We spent the week exploring the various beaches and neighborhoods of Gabriola, shopping at the "recycle", napping, watching the ferries pass in front of the house and generally relaxing. We also made a trip to visit the petroglyphs on the island. The kids pretty well ran amok and had fun. Dax got to have a 10 year old boy hang on his every word and the girls had friends to run with. The dogs ran so hard, they slept the whole way home and continue to sleep even now we have arrived.

The weather was good, but the 400+ fires in BC added to a thick smoke layer for a couple of the days we were there. It was a rainy day today as we left; maybe the island was mourning our departure?

August 2, 2010

It seems I have been too busy to turn on the computer the last few days. . .I'm not sure what I have been busy with, though!

Ron and I volunteered to cover the 1st aid booth at Nautical Days in Comox for St. John Ambulance on Saturday. We were there from 9 am- 10 pm. Fortunately, it wasn't too busy for us in the booth. The weather was perfect and the music from the stage was awesome!

Ron just left to cover the booth again today, and I will join him in a few hours (hopefully I will remember to take my camera this time). I will get a few more things packed and ready to go to Gabriola Island tomorrow. The Kramer family will be joining us, and I am really looking forward to the trip, even if it will be a short one. Adam will stay behind for work this time, though he may join us for his day off later in the week.

This morning is overcast, but pleasant and it is predicted to clear off for this afternoon.

July 28, 2010

Today Dax had a bunch of friends over to celebrate his birthday two weeks late, since we left for Girl's Camp on his "real" birthday. They made 5 different pizzas and gabbed. Dax had requested a strawberry crate cake, and I am pretty happy with the way the chocolate sides came out on this one. The kids are now all watching "The Clash of the Titans" and eating popcorn and candy with Ron.

My back has been "speaking" to me since just before we left California. It has been stubborn about feeling better, even with rest, and was beginning to get pretty swollen, so Ron got me in to a chiro today. Man, what a difference! I will see her again on Friday to get another tune-up before going to Gabriola Island next week.

July 24, 2010

It seemed to me as though I was in a beer commercial for much of the day today. You know , the ones with the beach umbrellas in the idyllic settings.The illusion was broken a few times though. Once when, much to his daughter's horror, Ron modeled his "man-kini" for us.We spent nearly the entire day at Goose spit, roasting hot dogs, making smores, snacking on salami and crackers, fresh fruit, chatting, wading in the water and watching the kids and dogs all romp. This is a leash optional beach for the dogs and there are also a few fire pits to use. The weather was just perfect and it was surprisingly uncrowded. . .well except for the crowd we brought with us. The day was topped off with a fireside discussion with the sister missionaries about Pioneer Day. July 24th commemorates the first wagon trains entering the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah.

July 23, 2010

Wednesday evening we (a group of women from church and Ron) went for a stroll to Nymph Falls. It was a very easy walk, and was really beautiful. The teen girls baby-sat the toddlers at the church, so we were able to relax and chat for a bit at the falls.

Yesterday I thought we were going to have Ron's family up for a visit,but they had some things come up and couldn't make it. Instead 4 teen girls stayed here for the night. They are really good kids and I am so glad they all get along so well. We also had one set of parents join us for mexican food dinner on the deck with the kids. Everyone seemed to have a good time, but somehow the cookies that were made yesterday afternoon didn't make it beyond morning (I guess that is one way to get your oatmeal). . . I wonder how the cookies disappeared like that . . .evaporation maybe?

Today, after doing a few chores, the kids spent the afternoon with their friends at the "free pool day" down the street. I pulled a few weeds and did a little housekeeping stuff, but I really have been taking it pretty easy lately. Tonight Ron and I went out with friends to see Salt. I really enjoyed it. Tomorrow looks like a beach day for the family.Well, except Adam who gets to go to work instead.

The weather has been pretty great, sunny and mid-70's during the day with mid-50's at night. It is pretty hard to take, but I think I'm up to the challenge.

July 18, 2010

Here is the last month or so in a nutshell~

We meet the newest addition to the family, Haley. In this photo, she seems pretty happy to be in cousin Adam's lap.

Next, the older kids attend EFY in Santa Barbara, they probably look so happy because they just had In 'n' Out Burger for breakfast. . .

There were a few days spent gold prospecting on the beach with Grampa Bill.Here, Ron H. inspects the resident king snake. . .and Ron D. shows off some of the Daniel's Woodland creations. (Check out their website http://www.danielswoodland.com ) Mom, Bill, Ron and I got the "nickel tour" while the kids were visiting with Grampa John.

After Farmer's market in San Luis Obispo, I showed the kids "Bubblegum Alley". When I was a kid it was only on one side of the alley. Our kids didn't make any contributions this time (I think they couldn't quite get over the "eww!" factor.) Maybe next time. . .

This is the cake I did for the farewell bar-b-que at Mom's place. The sides are dark and white chocolate planks. The bottom was devil's food cake with strawberry jam filling, the top was vanilla with apricot/pineapple jam filling. The whole thing was covered with butter-cream icing and fresh strawberries.

After the blazin' heat the last day at Gramma Gale's place, it was almost surreal to drive across the fog enshrouded Golden Gate as we made our way North. We stayed on the 101 (with a quick overnight at cousin Liz's in Rio Dell) until Reedsport in Oregon. The second day of our trek, Ron drove from ~9:30 am 'till 3 am. We made it home at about 5:30 pm the 3rd day (Monday).

Tuesday was spent getting unpacked, doing laundry, shopping for supplies and packing for Girl's Camp. I was asked to drive and be a "tent mom" at camp. . .It was AMAZING! There were about 50 women and girls, one small boy and two older men (who made themselves extremely scarce until they were called into action for something). I could not believe the lack of drama with that much estrogen floating on the air. There was very little sleep to be had, outhouses and fairly primitive circumstances, but very little complaining. The weather could not have been better and Sprout Lake is unbelievable . . . huge, with clear water and just about the perfect swimming temperature (you know, refreshing without being bone-chilling.) It was really nice for me to be able to relax and get to know a few of the women from our stake a little better. I also got to feel useful without really being responsible for too much. I helped with a few packs, answered a couple of orienteering questions, bathed in the lake, went on a few short walks, sang songs around the campfire with everyone and did a few other minor things here and there. This was Elizabeth's first year at Girl's Camp and Kaili's fourth. The fourth year girls went on a canoe trip and camped over night across the lake.

This week is looking like it will be a pretty busy one too. . .

July 2, 2010

We searched Paso for the Canada Day festivities yesterday! I know it will be shocking for you to hear, but we were unable to locate any. We took Elizabeth to see Eclipse at the movie theater to celebrate instead. Then, we shopped for the supplies that she and Kaili will need for girl's camp when we get home.

Ron and I have been laying low while the older kids are away at EFY. Tuesday night, Elizabeth went with the youth to a bonfire and beach party for the evening. They paddled around the bay at Hearst Beach in San Simeon and BBQ-ed burgers and dogs for dinner. She had made snikerdoodle cookies to take with her, then forgot to put them out for everyone to eat. She brought home a bag of cookie crumbs home. . .I think the chickens will enjoy them when they finally make it into the coop. While Ellie was at the beach party, Ron and I went to see Knight and Day. We really liked it and thought it was smart and really pretty FUNNY. I enjoyed the blend of romantic comedy and action.

Wednesday evening, we all went to Uncle Gary and Aunt Doris' place for a really nice dinner on the deck. It was a very relaxing evening and the mosquitoes seemed to have been kept at bay by an application of Listerine before we got there. Gary gave me a BIG surprise by presenting me with my great-grandma and grandpa Sheffer's old phone. I have been asking for it and threatening to steal it for a long time now.

I borrowed these "culinary mystery" books from Mom. I have been reading about 1 a day. They are the Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joane Fluke (her web site is www.murdershebaked.com ) We refer to them as bubblegum-type books. . .they aren't really very challenging or too deep, but they are fun. There are also more than a few new recipes I want to try in them.

Unfortunately, Rocco is still on the lam; I am relatively certain someone decided to appropriate him when they found him. He was wearing tags, a collar, a halter and was dragging his leash when he took off. I have been alternating between anger, sadness and guilt over his disappearance. I hope my brother and Jamie will be able to forgive me for their loss.

I can't believe it is almost time to get ready to head North already, just one more week before we leave.

Thankfully, the weather continues to be on the cool end of normal here. . .

June 28, 2010 (I think)

Today we dropped the 3 oldest kids off at UCSB for their Especially For Youth Conference (EFY). The boys have been twice before, this is Kaili's first time. We took Hwy 1 up to 46, stopping to shop in SLO and enjoying the views along the way.

It was Hades-like here yesterday, and didn't cool off as much as normal last night. Today it was a nice day on the foggy and cool coast. Apparently, it didn't get quite as hot here today either, and it has cooled off nicely this evening.

Elizabeth has a party on the beach to attend with the Paso youth tomorrow evening; we may escort her there, but we don't know yet. Right now her nose is buried in the "Diary of a Wimp" books that she bought today.

June 25, 2010

All is well here (except I managed to lose my brother's dog today. We are praying Rocco shows up safely at home before too long.)

When we got home from baby-sitting at Ben and Jamie's and dog searching, Ron and I saw Mom's king snake. He/she is about 3 feet long.

These dial-up speed posts are PAINFUL. . .I will post pictures and probably a little more often when we get back to faster internet availability (at home).

We are all headed to the beach tomorrow. . .

June 22, 2010

The weather has been in the 90's; cooler than normal for this time of year here. Dax went gold prospecting at the beach with Grampa Bill today. Adam is still flogging the books (I hope he is finished soon). The rest of us went to SLO bought train tickets for the kids return trip from EFY next week and hit Costco with Mom. Other than that, we have been doing laundry, other minor errands and just driving around.

We may do a little geocaching tomorrow, then take the girls to their favorite discount clothing store before their money burns holes in their pockets.

June 19, 2010

My blogs will probably be even spottier than usual while we are here. We have continued the cleaning and rodent hunting exercises. . . we are getting one or two mice a day now. I think we have just about gotten them all now and the house has been pretty well gone over with disinfectant. There are a few minor repairs to take care of around the place, but nothing like last year.

The weather has been especially gorgeous and I am anxious to have a "no car day" soon. My brother, Ben, Jamie (his GF) and their baby girl, Haley came out for a visit last night. We went to their house the other day too. Haley seems to have eyes for Dax. She was cooing and talking to him a lot.

Tomorrow, we will be going to church earlier than we do at home, then we will come back to a roasted sirloin and potatoes with garlic (in the dutch oven) for Father's Day dinner. Mom dug the hole for it today and Bill will start the fire for it early in the morning.

June 12, 2010

We have had great weather and have been busy getting ready for the trip South. Ron and I went out with two other couples last night and saw "The A-Team". We really enjoyed it and I was pleasantly surprised.

Adam changed the oil in the 'Burb and gave it the once-over today. The result was 2 new tires. . .I guess it is better to deal with it now than once we are on the road somewhere.

This afternoon-evening (2:00-9:00) Ron and I did the Saint John thing at a Cubaree. . .a scout camp for cubs. Ron was selected as a judge for their cook-off, so he ate 6 different dinners this evening. He has been waddling around since about 7:30 when he finished the last meal. I sampled a few of them too, the cooking was really quite good.

We are headed to Gabriola after church tomorrow, then will take the ferry over to the mainland on Tuesday and head South from there. We should be in SLO area around Thursday or Friday.

June 8, 2010

It was sunny here today, so we got most of the watering system put in, the lawns mowed, the trailer has been cleared and partially loaded, and the 'Burb has been vacuumed. We also took Elizabeth to her new school for a little tour today. Ron and I are very impressed with what we have seen of this school district so far. In Kamloops, it was not unusual for them to be figuring out which teachers had what classes well into the first week of school. Here, we already know who the teachers will be for her grade next fall.

We rounded-out the day with dinner at the Atlas Cafe. We used the $120.00 in gift certificates from our realtor and the 6 of us had a very nice dinner.

Not much else to report from here. . .

June 6, 2010

Had a great day at church, though many of us were dragging.

Yesterday was the annual Scripture Bowl, Seminary Grad and Dance for the Island. Ron and carpooled with friends to Victoria (3hours South) for the event, since Kaili and Dax were competing this year. The Courtenay Ward looked very sharp in their "BOM Squad" tee shits. (BOM=Book of Mormon). This picture was taken while they were listening intently to a clue. Once the clue is given, the moderator says "go" and they find the scripture alluded to, and stand up before time runs out. These kids were very fast with their scriptures. There were also periodic knowledge questions and answers given. After the Scripture Bowl, we had a nice dinner, the Graduates for this year had a graduation ceremony, then there was a multi-stake dance held. The women's rooms were transformed into wardrobe storage, since the dress code for grad/dance is more formal than for the competition. The dance ended early (9:30) so we stopped for ice-cream on the way back North. On the way home, the van the kids were riding in wouldn't start after gassing-up. After some prayer and a helpful gas station attendant, a temporary solution got them back on the road and we all got home safely just before 1 am. It seems everyone had a great time.

Adam was working yesterday, so he stayed in Courtenay and Elizabeth went to her friend's house for the day. They took a long bike ride and it sounds like they had a good time also.

June 4, 2010

The week seems to have gotten away from me again. . .

We took Dax and Kaili to the new student orientation at the school they will be attending in the fall. They are very excited, there are TONS of course selections, activities and clubs to keep them busy.

Ron and I have completed the shelving projects in our bedroom. Next we will be focusing on getting ready for the trek South. Today we found an irrigation supply place, so we get the drip system set up in the yard. We then took a stroll along Goose spit.

Adam is enjoying his new job immensely and Ron helped our friend with the vending machine stuff yesterday.

Ron and I were supposed to go to a St. John training meeting last night, but we threw an impromptu, surprise, birthday party-open house-pot luck thing for one of the sister missionaries instead. Even with very short notice, Ron counted 45 people here at one point in the evening. I was really impressed that so many could make it since Thursday nights are crazy busy in our ward (Young Men's, Young Women's, Faith in God, Choir, etc). Adam helped me put together 6 pans of enchiladas, Dax and Kaili made a green salad and the kids made a huge birthday card and decorated the house with balloons and streamers.

The day started with brilliant sunshine, but it has clouded over again this afternoon. The weather-guessers are calling for more sun next week.