Callaway Park

In August we took our first ever family vacation. We had gone on trips before but it was always to visit extended family.

The start of our vacation we did stay at my sister's house and then they came along to Callaway Park. We had a great time together. The next morning when we had gone our own ways, Brandon asked where his cousins were I told him that they had gone home to which he replied. "Oh....I want them."

The boys loved going on the rides, and even went on the biggest rollar coaster there, and it was cheaper than going to the fair that comes to town once a year.

Anyway our vacation was great. More to come....

I Survived Two Nights in a Tent.

This last weekend we went camping at our local regional park with Doug's family. I'm never crazy about sleeping in a tent, maybe because my first experience in a tent was terrible. This time was different though. I was a little cold the first night, but the beauty of camping so close to home is you can go home and grab extra things if you need.
Other than sleeping in a tent, I love camping. I love sitting by a camp fire and going for hikes. The boys really enjoy camping as well.

We were able to go on a house boat tour, and go on a fishing boat. The river is so beautiful and the temperature was perfect for boating.

Cameron loves going a the zip line. Anson on the other hand is too scared to go down.

Anyway we had a great weekend with family.

Quick Trip

This past weekend we took another trip to Manitoba. This time it was for a Kroeker camp out. We were only there for a day and a half, but it was well worth the trip.
I love how Doug's single cousins spend time with the boys.

We have a picture of the first Kroeker camp out that I went to where Doug had his cousin Rylan on his shoulders... so I thought it was kind of neat that now Rylan had Brandon on his shoulders. Where does time go?

We had a good time of fellowship. Everyone gets along wonderfully and when we get together with them we always have a time of praise to God.

A visit with Nana and Papa.

This past weekend the boys and I along with a friend of mine got into our Explorer and traveled 10 hours to visit some family and friends in Manitoba. The boys travelled amazingly well (with the help of a portable DVD player and a couple new movies). Our time there was a blessing. It was especially nice to be able to see Nana and Papa (Doug's grandparents). Nana is the most creative person I have ever met and she is also a great planner. The first morning there she had the boys prepare a birthday breakfast for Papa.

The boys had a blast putting together the smiling face toast.

A Great Visit

Yesterday we said good-bye to my Mom after having her here for a week. We had a great visit and it was so nice to spend time with her, but I couldn't stop her from cleaning my house. I guess that is a Mom thing. The boys enjoyed having their Grandma around as well. It had been a year and a half since they last saw her. It was nice to have her come here to us. When we go to Ontario there are always a lot of people around and I don't think that they get to know her well that way.

Today Brandon has been asking where Grandma is. I hope that it isn't another year and a half before they see her again. But we will take what we can get.

Summer 2009

Auntie Janelle with her nephews on the days of her wedding. The boys really enjoyed having their cousin Noah around for a week.

I didn't notice when I uploaded this picture that it was missing Dad and Mom. Maybe I'll have to post a picture of the whole family some other time.

Here are some more pictures of my time in Ontario. The highlights of my trip were definitely the times spendt with family.

Me and 5 of my sisters went for a pedicure and manicure. It was a lot of fun spending time together relaxing, talking and laughing. The bonus was that we found a place that had a special on and it was only $35 for the manicure and pedicure together.

My Mom and all of us girls were also able to go out for supper at an awesome restaurant that serves Mexican and Mennonite food. The food was super and so was the fellowship.

I was able to meet my niece Lyli-Anne for the first time. She is a very content baby and my sister is a great new Mommy. She definitely is a natural.

My love language is quality time and after this trip I felt very loved. Also after this trip I just long so much to live closer to my family. But I know that this is where God wants me to be right now and I have to learn to be content with that.

I have this new hope and dream that me and the boys will be able to visit my family every other summer for a month or two. I think that it would be great for my boys to be able to get to know their grandma and cousins better.

The Last Wedding

I have been back for nearly a week now after spending eight exhausted days in Ontario. A lot of my time was spent helping bridezilla...I mean my sister get things ready for the wedding. I was also able to go to work with my Mom for a day and help her out. She definitely works hard for her money. I am so proud to have her as my Mom. She went to work every day the week before the wedding and was still able to get the food prepared for the reception to feed 350 people.

The wedding was beautiful. Both Lisa and Dave have a love for Jesus, and a desire to have others come to know and love our Saviour and that even showed on their wedding day.

It was a tiring week, but a good one. I missed my four boys like crazy. but had a great time visiting with my family. I cherish the time that I do get to spend with them.

The New Mr. & Mrs.

Rhys and Janelle had a beautiful outdoor wedding. The weather was gorgeous for it.

My cute little niece was one of the flower girls. Rhys's sister was the other one.

We're Back!

On Tuesday we arrived home from Ontario. We had a wonderful time visiting, swimming, visiting some more, and of course attending my sister's wedding. I'm so glad that the boys were able to get to know their cousins a bit better and their grandma also.
Now it is time to get back to a normal routine, which is going to be different for the summer. Anson only has two more days of school left, and I am going back to work for the summer. I am working at the Regional Park at a store selling fishing gear and ice cream and such. The odd time I will work at their restaurant which is in a different location. It is not my dream job, but it works well because I will only be working when Doug can watch the boys.
I am excited for the summer even though it will be a busy one.

This and That

On May long weekend we went to the city for our friends Lindsay and Rob's wedding. It was a very nice wedding. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if we wouldn't have had Brandon with us. Oh well, I'm so happy for them and was glad to be able to share their special day with them.

In less than two weeks I fly to Ontario for my youngest sister's wedding. I'm looking forward to it and am extremely excited that the whole family is going to be together. My Mom, all eight sisters, 7 bothers-in-law (counting the groom), and the 27 grandchildren. Anyway it is going to be a blast. I'm sure that the boys will enjoy playing with their cousins. They don't have any cousins close by, which really is too bad.

This week has been a crazy one. On the weekend some of us were starting to get sick and then by Monday all five of us were sick with a respiratory cold. So there has been a ton of coughing going on, and I haven't had a voice for the last three days. This is the first time that it has ever happened to me and it is very annoying to me and to people who have to try and listen to me. At least it has really made me appreciate the fact that normally I can talk, it is a lot easier raising the boys with a voice, now I can only glare at them when they are misbehaving.

Trip to visit my sister

We had a great time with my sister and her family last weekend. Doug had to miss the Rider game though. As you can see from the picture they tried to get the tv working but to no avail. Oh well at least the Riders won and it would have been a real nail biter to watch anyway.
Like I said we had a great time. The boys had a lot of fun too. It was so nice that they could go outside and play together and we didn't have to be out there supervising. Now Anson and Cameron keep asking when we are going back to their cousins house. With it being a ten hour drive I don't know how often we will get out there. Unfortunately those are the closest cousins. Our boys have 25 first cousins (another one on the way) but none live in Saskatchewan. They have the four that live in Alberta and the rest live in Ontario. It's really too bad that they wont get to know their cousins very well. We are really thankful that they have one set of grandparents close by though.