The oldest grandkids are being potty trained, and I'm sure my daughters exchange notes occasionally. Here is one conversation from my daughters facebook page:
Josiah: I go peepee on the potty. And Haley goes peepee on the potty. I'm a big boy. And Haley's a big boy.
Me: actually, Haley's a big girl right?
Josiah: yes.
(A bit later)
Josiah: I'm a big girl. And Haley's a big girl too.
Me: Josiah, you are a boy, and Haley's a girl.
Josiah: I'm a big girl, and Haley's a big boy.
(...he'll get it eventually)
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Dress up
We went to a Halloween party at the Forks on the Saturday prior to Halloween. The girls were pretty cute in their costumes, and I was pleased to get a few non-cheesy smiles for the pictures.
Family Picture
Last time we were all together as a family, it was our intention to go to Scarecrow Forest for our Thanksgiving activity, and take our family pictures there. That didn't happen. It was a very cold day, there was snow on the ground (yes, in October), and almost everything at Scarecrow Forest was shut down. At least all the things my grandchildren were looking forward to doing.
So the party moved to our house, and we had our picnic lunch on the living room floor. We still managed to get family pictures. You know the kind... set it all up, and then run into the picture and say 'cheese' together. With three impatient toddlers, we didn't really have time to check and see how they were before letting them go, so I think they are pretty impressive. I didn't set us up... my girls know that if it weren't for that part, I'd love photography. So they chose the setup. I like it (except that Einar could have been a few inches higher.)
This is the result.
So the party moved to our house, and we had our picnic lunch on the living room floor. We still managed to get family pictures. You know the kind... set it all up, and then run into the picture and say 'cheese' together. With three impatient toddlers, we didn't really have time to check and see how they were before letting them go, so I think they are pretty impressive. I didn't set us up... my girls know that if it weren't for that part, I'd love photography. So they chose the setup. I like it (except that Einar could have been a few inches higher.)
This is the result.
Another thing I really wanted was a picture of the two of us with our grandchildren. That proved a bit more difficult, and the results are better viewed as a series than individually. What wiggly, giggly, fun grandchildren we have!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Roughing it
Roughing it means different things to different people. The daughter that planned this camping trip 'dumbed it down' for the little kids. Or maybe it was for me. Or maybe for her brother-in-law. All of us probably appreciated what she considered an 'easy' paddle and 'easy' portage to get to our campsite.
We all appreciated the 'surprise' of having a shed on site where we could store our food so the bears weren't as tempted and a primitive potty out in the bush. I wasn't looking forward to digging my own holes each time, so those were unexpected 'luxuries'.
I remind you that my last holiday was at Cove Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Luxury takes on a different meaning when you've experienced places like that.
But compared to digging holes, the potty in the bush was a luxury. I knew my back wouldn't take sitting for long on rocks or buckets, so I asked for a chair. Hubby brought one for me, though he insisted he didn't need one. No one seemed disappointed though, that the tarp next to the shed covered a load of camping chairs. They were also used.
Highlights of the trip: the beauty of Ontario wilderness.
And best of all, spending time with the family. I love being anywhere they are, so I can put up with a few mosquitos and outdoor potties if I have to. (Okay, the outdoor potty is a bit of a stretch for me, and I don't look forward to that part of camping again anytime soon.) But it is a fact, that I would go almost anywhere to be with the grandkids. They are all very different, but so much fun! Here, Josiah was so excited to see Annika, that he got down on her level (crawling) to see her. Haley followed.
Learning to stand... in a canoe!
Annika being silly... while Haley cleans out her shoes. It's tough being a princess on a camping trip!!
Sand everywhere!
Daddy time!
Changing hats... it works!
Fresh braids... wonder how long they'll last?
Just Chillin'
Daddy time
A bed outdoors
Annika loved living outdoors - even though crawling was a real pain... literally sometimes!
Enough sticks around to keep any boy happy... he found them all.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
There is beauty wherever you live...
When I was 15, we moved from rural Manitoba to coastal British Columbia. That was an exciting time! We heard that it didn't even get cold enough for skating in winter in BC. I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. I was thrilled to have a chance to experience something most of my friends couldn't imagine. In our first winter in BC, I kept sending my Manitoba friends pictures of our roses which kept blooming and blooming and blooming. I think we had roses until December.
There were so many things I loved about BC. The stuff we could grow! How green it was! The short winters. The towering mountains and the nearby ocean. How green it was! Oh yea, that green... Well, that brings me to the hardest thing about our move. The rain. It rained in the summer. It rained in the fall. And it rained in winter. We used to joke that it rained until February and then we got the rainy season.
It didn't rain all the time. We enjoyed sunshine as well. But it did rain a lot, and I remember occasionally not seeing sun for a month at a time. It was depressing sometimes. I was ALWAYS cold. In Manitoba you added another layer and warmed up. That didn't work as well in BC. The cold seemed to go right through you.
I suspect my Manitoba friends were somewhat jealous of our move (and I certainly encouraged that). And our new friends in BC reminded us regularly that we were now in "God's Country". We put up with their jokes about being able to see right across Manitoba if it weren't for the one tree in the way. We were used to calling the bush around us 'bush' and endured much ridicule for that. In BC, there is no bush. There is forest. Everyone considered us fortunate for having escaped Manitoba to live in BC.
Fast forward to 1991. We had a chance to move to Alberta, and given the economy and the fact that my husband didn't expect the company he worked for to be around long, and we took the opportunity. This time we were teased about moving to "Cowtown" and warned about the horrible winters we would have to endure. Many Albertans seemed totally shocked that we would move to Alberta from coastal BC. What were we thinking!!
We discovered, though, that moving from "God's Country" wasn't all bad. The sun shone in Alberta. We had sun every season. We had long evenings in the summer that could be spent outside - the light disappeared fast in our town in BC because of the mountains surrounding us. Now, in Alberta, we were still only an hour from the mountains and awesome hiking. Winters were often mild, and if we got too much snow, we seemed to only have to wait a bit for a warm chinook wind to come and melt all our snow. Seasons were a bit more distinct and I liked that. The weather was much drier, and what I liked most about that, was that I finally wasn't cold all the time.
The dryness meant, though, that I needed to have hand lotion in several spots in the house, and carry chapstick as well. Chinooks were wonderful in many ways, but sometimes it was brown in Calgary much of the winter because there was no snow, but not enough warmth for anything to grow. Spring would be very green but then summer could also be dry and brown. The mountains to the west of Calgary that allowed for chinook winds to warm the air in winter, also sometimes caused weird summer weather. We often had a blizzard on the long weekend in May, or even sometimes the first weekend in June. I remember being told that Alberta weather is very changeable, and it was possible to have all four seasons in one day. That was proven true our first year there. But we found much to love about living in Alberta.
Two years ago, we were given an opportunity to move back to my home province: Manitoba. Everyone knew we'd hate it. Manitoba was too cold in winter, too hot in summer, and had too many mosquitos. Even Manitobans seemed to have that mentality. It really baffled me. We have found Manitoba to have many things going for it. Distinct seasons. Yes! I love this about Manitoba. When it's winter, expect it to be cold, and bundle up. There are not that many days that are unbearable outdoors, if you dress for the weather. After winter comes spring. And once spring arrives, you know that summer isn't far behind. Many Manitobans don't believe my stories about snow in May & June in Calgary. Because they've been told that nothing is as cold as Manitoba winters. Summers here have been beautiful for the past two years. We use our deck a lot, and live more outdoors here, than anywhere else we have lived.
A lunch spot we found today for our lunch picnic. One of two rivers that runs through Winnipeg. There are many river walks in Winnipeg, and parks along the rivers.
Each place has it's own charm and beauty, as well as some downsides. Just recently I read in a Manitoba publication that a certain camp was on a spot so beautiful that it didn't seem like Manitoba. What kind of a statement is that? No, we don't have BC's mountains or majestic forests. But Winnipeg has the most beautiful tree-lined streets, and we have beautiful rivers and lakes. We have sunshine, and can grow things that cannot be grown in Calgary because of their erratic weather. We need to stop apologizing and start seeing the beauty around us!!
At our kids cottage near Arnes in the Interlake Region of Manitoba. Loving the outdoor life...
At the beach... the water is shallow enough for my 2-year-old granddaughter to be able to stand up herself way out there...
The marina near the cottage. Just a few glimpses of this beautiful province.
There were so many things I loved about BC. The stuff we could grow! How green it was! The short winters. The towering mountains and the nearby ocean. How green it was! Oh yea, that green... Well, that brings me to the hardest thing about our move. The rain. It rained in the summer. It rained in the fall. And it rained in winter. We used to joke that it rained until February and then we got the rainy season.
It didn't rain all the time. We enjoyed sunshine as well. But it did rain a lot, and I remember occasionally not seeing sun for a month at a time. It was depressing sometimes. I was ALWAYS cold. In Manitoba you added another layer and warmed up. That didn't work as well in BC. The cold seemed to go right through you.
I suspect my Manitoba friends were somewhat jealous of our move (and I certainly encouraged that). And our new friends in BC reminded us regularly that we were now in "God's Country". We put up with their jokes about being able to see right across Manitoba if it weren't for the one tree in the way. We were used to calling the bush around us 'bush' and endured much ridicule for that. In BC, there is no bush. There is forest. Everyone considered us fortunate for having escaped Manitoba to live in BC.
Fast forward to 1991. We had a chance to move to Alberta, and given the economy and the fact that my husband didn't expect the company he worked for to be around long, and we took the opportunity. This time we were teased about moving to "Cowtown" and warned about the horrible winters we would have to endure. Many Albertans seemed totally shocked that we would move to Alberta from coastal BC. What were we thinking!!
We discovered, though, that moving from "God's Country" wasn't all bad. The sun shone in Alberta. We had sun every season. We had long evenings in the summer that could be spent outside - the light disappeared fast in our town in BC because of the mountains surrounding us. Now, in Alberta, we were still only an hour from the mountains and awesome hiking. Winters were often mild, and if we got too much snow, we seemed to only have to wait a bit for a warm chinook wind to come and melt all our snow. Seasons were a bit more distinct and I liked that. The weather was much drier, and what I liked most about that, was that I finally wasn't cold all the time.
The dryness meant, though, that I needed to have hand lotion in several spots in the house, and carry chapstick as well. Chinooks were wonderful in many ways, but sometimes it was brown in Calgary much of the winter because there was no snow, but not enough warmth for anything to grow. Spring would be very green but then summer could also be dry and brown. The mountains to the west of Calgary that allowed for chinook winds to warm the air in winter, also sometimes caused weird summer weather. We often had a blizzard on the long weekend in May, or even sometimes the first weekend in June. I remember being told that Alberta weather is very changeable, and it was possible to have all four seasons in one day. That was proven true our first year there. But we found much to love about living in Alberta.
Two years ago, we were given an opportunity to move back to my home province: Manitoba. Everyone knew we'd hate it. Manitoba was too cold in winter, too hot in summer, and had too many mosquitos. Even Manitobans seemed to have that mentality. It really baffled me. We have found Manitoba to have many things going for it. Distinct seasons. Yes! I love this about Manitoba. When it's winter, expect it to be cold, and bundle up. There are not that many days that are unbearable outdoors, if you dress for the weather. After winter comes spring. And once spring arrives, you know that summer isn't far behind. Many Manitobans don't believe my stories about snow in May & June in Calgary. Because they've been told that nothing is as cold as Manitoba winters. Summers here have been beautiful for the past two years. We use our deck a lot, and live more outdoors here, than anywhere else we have lived.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Family Gathering
Wilderness Edge is the place where my family has chosen to meet every two years. Our first one at this location was in 2003. Then 2006, 2008, 2010, and this one in 2012. Much has changed since 2003... the place as well as our family.
In 2003 our family numbered 4 - our 2 daughters and us. We've slowly added family members, and now we are 9. That has made a significant difference for us in the family gatherings! We are quite happy to be kept busy with the little ones.
In 2003, Mom was still with us. She also made it to the 2006 gathering, but went home that fall. We miss her, and I often think how much she would love my grandchildren. I'm glad my Dad can still enjoy them with us. He is slowing down at 96, and for the first time, this year he uses a cane. We are so thankful for him and his ongoing prayers for our family.
Our gatherings have differed in size, and this year was definitely smaller than last year. But it was still good to connect with those who could come, and spend a bit of time getting to know our scattered family once more. All of the families have changed in the last 10 years!!
In 2003 our family numbered 4 - our 2 daughters and us. We've slowly added family members, and now we are 9. That has made a significant difference for us in the family gatherings! We are quite happy to be kept busy with the little ones.
In 2003, Mom was still with us. She also made it to the 2006 gathering, but went home that fall. We miss her, and I often think how much she would love my grandchildren. I'm glad my Dad can still enjoy them with us. He is slowing down at 96, and for the first time, this year he uses a cane. We are so thankful for him and his ongoing prayers for our family.
Our gatherings have differed in size, and this year was definitely smaller than last year. But it was still good to connect with those who could come, and spend a bit of time getting to know our scattered family once more. All of the families have changed in the last 10 years!!
Wilderness Edge http://www.wildernessedge.com/ does an amazing job of hosting groups. Our food was superb, including a safe weekend for those with dietary restrictions. The place feels like a home away from home by now. The staff is friendly and helpful. Every year we talk about finding a cheaper option in the future, and every time we get there, we remember why we love it there. We had our own large room set up with games, photo albums, etc, so we could have a crokinole tournament and a scrabble tournament going all the time. Dad was pleased to play either game with whoever was available. One corner belonged to the kids, and their crafts could be spread out and left for the next time they ventured inside. 
This year we had our second Ladies Tea - put on by 2 of my nieces. They bring the teapots, teacups, tea and desserts, and we ladies dress up (hats and all) for the tea party. One of my great-nephews served us this year, and was so pleased to do so. This has already become a tradition that we wouldn't want to lose.
Oops, I forgot my hat at home. Dress, too... but someone was kind enough to lend me one.
One of our organizers with her daughter.
The other organizer with her son, our server.
The little girls love the tea party. The littlest one (right in the middle) is my granddaughter.
This year our organizing committee planned a LOT of activities. Too much for one person to take in. But perfect for a group who wanted variety. There were water sports - rafting, body surfing, and a beach day morning. There was a tractor-pulled wagon tour of Pinawa. That was my grandson's personal favorite. What could be better than being behind a tractor for an hour and a half!
We had our usual Sunday morning Hymn Sing and sharing time on Sunday morning.
One of my nieces brought her nail polish kit and played with our nails with great results.
The youngest and the oldest sibling.
The goodbyes are hard. But we are looking forward to the next one in 2014!
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