Hope You Had a Spooktacular Halloween

I'm not in the habit of posting every time something occurs unless we are on vacation, but Halloween seems to warrant a separate grandma post!

Every year we've made it in to Edmonton to see the Camerons and I was excited to also see the Stecyks this year. These things would be easier if the girls didn't live on opposite ends of the city, but a way shorter drive than Fort McMurray. These are the cutest 5 grandchildren and so my apologies to all other grandparents for that!

So here are the photos...

Some of the funny things you don't see from photos. Mason's back "hump" was adorable when he crawled. Emerson wore several different costumes through events this week. My favorite was her school costume of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz:). Reese's favorite teddy is a Dalmatian so I wonder if that influenced the costume. She was actually Arial for all other events. Connor loves monkeys and he is quite practiced at the sounds. Monkey might not have been Lindsay's first choice but the kid has to love it:)

Blake was set on his costume from the start, a Marvel comic character Rocket Racoon. And Mason still just goes with the flow:)

Lots of candy was gathered by all from what I understand. I hope they save me some chocolate!

Talk soon...

There's Just No Excuse

It's actually embarrassing to see that I haven't posted for a month!  I hope you can appreciate that it only means we've been enjoying the quiet side of being home. 

Although Don has not been flat out busy he has had a steady influx of work, field and office. I've been in the same position as well. My work with the Co-op Board has been heavy, but enjoyable. 

Facilitating for Volunteer Alberta has also increased, and I have a new client with a longer term need, that should take me through the winter. So all is well:)

Our first order of business when we arrived home at the end of September was a family photo shoot. 

I think it's fair to say that this is my favourite!

We had a great Thanksgiving, a day with the family and a beautiful fall drive to see Ivan for a visit before he heads south. Days are spent doing some work, some play and some exercise. 

We've both been fighting some sort of cold/flu, and it has really set me back. I'm struggling with my yoga and weight training as my ears are blocked and I can't seem to move my head around too much without pain or nausea. Hopefully soon I'll be back on track. 

Blake is back into hockey full swing, Emerson and Reese have started playing Ringette, Connor is taking swimming lessons (although I haven't made it to see yet), and Mason moves around the house like a pro!

Don also celebrated a birthday in there and the cake was enjoyed by all. 

Fall is the company's annual safety audit time and I have just started the process. Good thing I like paperwork!

So the days go by and life is great. I will try to touch base a bit more often but sometimes no news is good news!

I've Got a Peaceful Easy Feeling

No we did not go to another Eagle's concert, but I'm sure this song was meant to highlight our second week of travels. 

After leaving Surrey we headed south and east to Wenatchee, Washington.  The skies were a bit overcast and foggy, but nonetheless still created a feeling of peacefulness. 

As I said before we have not travelled this area. Although we were looking forward to new places, we were not prepared for the beauty of the area!  We were primarily on Hiway 2. It climbed and winds through old towns, still vibrant with life and community, as well as coulees and farmland; all along offering a peek into the beauty of fall and what it presents. 

The region is known as the apple capital of Washington, and production was at maximum while we visited. Miles and miles of orchards that offered apples, peaches, nectarines and pears were being harvested. I kid you not when I say it even smelled like apples. 

The trees, row on row, are heavy with the fruit. 

We stayed at Lincoln Rock State Park. This park needs to be visited again. Not only were the campsites roomy and serviced, but they also offer boat mooring, an enormous playground and access to many walking trails. The trees were a mix of oak, maple and poplar, as well as others I didn't recognize. The show of colors almost decadent.  Especially when right out your back window. 

We took the opportunity to tour along theColumbia  River as well as the shores of Roosevelt Lake. 

Wednesday morning we headed off to a new destination. Farragut State Park just north of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Our readers will know this is an old favorite of ours. We spent our day here just wandering the area, and I must admit shopping. 

It has been a quiet little break as we did not set up our US phones and hence did not have wifi and phone service 24/7. That allowed is a few more games of Yahtzee and a few visits to Statbucks for wifi. 

Today we are headed home but first a night with Pat and Walter just south of Calgary. We always enjoy those stops. 

If you don't hear from us for a while  no alarms. We have a busy week when we return home!

Enjoy these days of fall, and check in soon. 

Close To Home

Often we forget the amazing opportunities we have almost in our own backyards. It wasn't until I travelled to Japan that I finally understood just how privileged we are to have the Rockies in our province. 

Needless to say then that Jasper National Park is one of our favorite classic areas to camp. So the first night of this short escape was spent there. 

The scenery along the way was just as nature promises at that time of year. The leaves are beginning to change and the colors of summer and fall blend majestically!  Excuse the windshield but that's how most of my photos roll. 

What is a visit to Jasper without a picture of the bear?  However faced with several vertical differences between Don, Jasper and myself, it's not the best. 

After walking the town, stopping in at my favorite stores, and a great dinner back home, the day was complete. 

We set off to Kamloops on Wednesday morning. We have some old friends that live in Falkland, which is about 40 km from Kamloops. The history with Keith and Marcia is that Don went to high school with Keith. After they were married they ventured to British Columbia. Fast forward the years and here we are. We try to touch base every couple of years. The best part is after all that time we still have such wonderful visits. Keith recently was ordained in the Anglican Church, and I only wish I could attend his services. Many challenges and events through his life allow him a unique perspective of life that shows through in conversation. Every darn time we are together we forget to take a picture. Maybe next time!

Normally we would stay at Kamloops RV park, but this time we tried Steelhead Provincial Park. Great choice!  Best spot for 2 nights in the area. 

Friday morning we were off to Surrey and home of Stewart and Susan. As with most visits we abscond their driveway and allow them to play tourist guide. Always a great time - eating, drinking, walking White Rock, eating, drinking, visiting uncle Ed and Auntie Ethel, eating, drinking. You see the theme here?  Oh and this time we added a hike!  Saturday we headed out to Quarry Rock in North Vancouver. Although we are used to elevation changes on our hikes I have to admit the humidity challenged me. And although my hiking boots are broke in, I got the worst blisters for the first time in years.  Thankfully the end of the climb was worth it, as we were greeted with the most inspiring view of North Vancouver!

I was trying to look as tall as the guys. LOL. Still didn't work!

After our descent we lunched at a local pub, then continued our adventures. Ever the patient tour guide, I wanted to see the Lululemon lab, and Stewart complied. 

 

Anyone who knows me will understand the shattering impact this stop had for me!

With a drive through Stanley Park and a short walk on a beach completed, it was time to... you guessed it - eat and drink!

We had dinner at a fantastic Greek restaurant and enjoyed the warm summer weather on the patio. 

Not to be outdone by Saturday, Sunday found us walking the boardwalk at White Rock. Of course this included EATING and DRINKING!  How exciting to discover that our favorite pub had a Sunday breakfast special with mimosas!   

We had to eat earlier than usual to make room for dinner at Auntie Ethel's. It is always special to visit with Ed and Ethel. They open their hearts and home to us time.  

Tonight we are packing up as tomorrow we are going to venture a bit south, then east to Wenatchee, WA. This is unusual for us as we will be driving completely new territory. 

Talk to you soon!

Hate to talk about the WEATHER!

But it's been quite some time since we had snow in September.  Absolutely disgusting weather for the season, but hopefully we see some Indian Summer now.

This post is mostly about grand-kids, so if you read this for our travels talk to you later...

September so far has been kind of a sad month.  Our grandchildren are growing up way too fast.  I thought that pace might seem slower with grandchildren than it does with your own kids, but not at all.  So sad in that every day we need to capture the memories and file the pictures.

Mason - well Mason feels like our last chance to hold and cuddle a bundle of babyness :(  He is 7 months old now, and his smile is ever present and fills your heart.  It is so great to watch him learning to get up on all fours, laugh at his brother, and just hold him.

Connor - nothing more precious than a 2 year old!  Connor takes delight in all things that move - trucks, planes, trains, loaders, tractors, school busses, etc.  He is happy, funny and ever cuddly.  But because he is 2, sometimes you are told no when you want a kiss or hug.  LOL

Reese - Sweet Reese, who should still be Mason's age, has all of a sudden grown up.  She is in pre-school 3 days a week, and loving it.  She is the coolest little 3 year old, soon to be 4, that I know.  So independent.  And quick with a hug.

Emerson - There has never been a little girl ready for Kindergarten as much as Emerson, except maybe her mom at that age.  Emerson soaks up life with a big smile, and has quite the outlook on things.  Conversations with her are always entertaining and her hugs are easily shared.

Blake - Grade 2, hockey evaluations, etc.  All the signs of growing up.  The other day after hockey we had a great conversation, which was so sad for me.  Little kids don't have conversations, so this new grown up skill is just another indicator he is getting old.

All of the kids are quick to hug, still act excited no matter how many times we see them in a week, and we live them all like crazy.

The whole family got together on the long weekend to help Lindsay and Jeremy build a shed.  The guys built, the girls cooked, and I took 3 of the kids to an indoor play gym called the Treehouse.  Fantastic place!

My mom stayed with us for almost 2 weeks this month, while my brother and his wife had a break.  It coincided with Don working away, and I enjoyed the company.  It was so wonderful having her around.  I may have exhausted her taking her all over, visits with the kids, dinners out, a fishing day, shopping and hockey and ringette practices...  But she has gone back to my brother's now and is probably sleeping.

I also had my cousin Diane and her son Rylan visit.  Rylan has just been sworn into the Canadian military, and is on his way to Quebec for basic training.  I really enjoyed my visit with Diane, and she really needed a friend by her side as she waved good-bye to her son on Saturday.

Tomorrow Don and I are getting on the road for a couple of weeks.  People still always ask me if we are taking the trailer.  Yes we are.  How else can I pack everything I want, all my exercise stuff, and still be in the comfort of our own home.  Trust me if we ever go on a holiday and hotel it, you will know, as we will probably both be cranky (in a good way I hope).  I'm not really sure where we are headed but first night stop is Jasper, and after that you will have to read the blog to find out.

Enjoy the rest of the month - the weather is predicted to be nice, school and schedules are settling in, and Don is Driving Miss Donna.  Doesn't get better than that!

“It’s a Great Day to be Alive"

“It’s a great day to be alive, I know the sun’s still shinin’ when I close my eyes / There’s some hard times in the neighbourhood, but why can’t every day be just this good?”

SInce I like songs so much I picked this one to talk about August.  What did we do in August?  Well nothing really, just went to a Rod Stewart concert, enjoyed a 5 day camping and boating trip by ourselves, went to the zoo with the girls and our fantastic grandkids, had the basement insulated and a new ceiling put in, had supper with the Ken Smith family and some of ours in Saskatoon, attended our incredible godson Murray's wedding to the beautiful Stacy, visited Don's mom and dad in Tisdale, had the Cameron kids for a 2 night sleepover, numerous coffees and visits with friends, completed the company year end, Co-op meetings and finished it off with a few days at the amazing Abraham Lake, camping by ourselves but having company drop in.

FANTASTIC month.

Talk to you in September

The Fun Side of Life

Now that I've bored you with house details let's talk trailer life!

We spent 4 days at Ole MacDonald's Resort with the girls and their families. It was perfect weather, perfect activities and perfect people. So nice to have some family time with everyone in a setting where the kids are so happy. 

Pictures say a thousand words so here they are:)

Our next trailer adventure was a trip to Saskatchewan to join Ken and Brenda. I think we were more excited to hear that they bought a trailer than they were to have it!  We spent a lovely two days together. Slow and easy days visiting and catching up. Life has sped by for us and now we are all grandparents, enjoying our families and long healthy marriages. It's great to be able to share that with them. 

 I had meant to take at least one more photo but here we are.

Home for a day and then we were off again. Here's our newest news. WE BOUGHT A BOAT!

So our next adventure, after trying to ensure that all parts and pieces were working, the Journey had a hitch, etc was a trip to Cross Lake. I was tentative about this journey with my Journey, but was pleased with how it pulled and the experience. Don has been a saint in teaching me to back up, hook up and everything else involved. Not unexpected we had a few mechanical snags, but we are very pleased with the performance of the boat, and the power of the motor. It is a 1985 16' Edson with a 140HP Evinrude. Out first trip was to ensure it floats, followed by an evening fishing outing. Don caught this magnificent perch. 

I caught air. 

The next day Tracy and the kids came out to try the tube. We had a delay due to the warning horn, which turned out to be done and needed replacing. But the kids were oh so patient and we finally got them out!

I can't wait for the next trip, and days and weeks to follow as they grow up enjoying the water. Hopefully we can find a time that Lindsay and her family and our schedules work so they can join us for a day this summer, but if not we have forever. 

I also forgot to tell you about our beach lunch with everyone. Lindsay and Jeremy live on the south side of Edmonton in a community called Summerside and they have a beach!  It's so cool. 

 

Anyway I'm sure I've missed lots of adventures. Some day I will tell you about our new adjustments in health and exercise, but for now we are getting ready to head out for an overnight visit to a retirement party for a colleague of Don's. 

Enjoy life - we are!!