Visiting Kim & Nicholas

On March 2 I flew to Comox to spend a week with Kim & Nicholas until Yan arrived home. The day after I arrived Nicholas got sick with a cold & cough so he pretty much only wanted Mommy! Anyhow I was able to do other things around the house and let Kim get out to apntmts, etc. Towards the end of the week Nic was feeling better then Kim came down with it!

Both Mommy & Grandma took their turns cuddling a sick Nicholas.

Nic "helping" grandma make carrot cake.

Nic holding his baby.

Nic & Kim playing hide and seek around the tree.

Nic loves the slide at the park.

Posing for grandma.

The day after Yan arrived home was moving day for the crib. and baby furniture.

Yan & family here putting together the bed. Now Nicholas has a "big boy bed"!!!

Yan arrived home on March 9 & I flew home on the 10th. Now we await the "baby's coming" call and I get to go back & welcome him and spend more time with Nicholas!

In the video below Nicholas was copying grandma in some moves!

Welcome to the family Patricia

Haven't posted for some time but there is definitely something to blog (brag) about now! Scott & Patricia totally caught us by surprise by announcing to us via conference call (I was at Kim's ) last Saturday that they had been married the day before! For more go to www.scottandpatricia.com. We are thrilled that Scott has chosen such a wonderful lady to be his lifemate and wish them God's blessings. Talks are in progress for a reception at a later date.

Janauary 2009

January was an action packed month so here are a few highlights.After spending almost 2 years in braces...........
Murray's smile became more genuine when he had them removed Jan. 9. Now he wears a clear plastic retainer that is still a hassle but is removable for eating at least!

The evening of Jan 10 we flew to Las Vegas. Sunday (11th) we had dinner with Debby & Chuck Schmidt, Stephanie & Robbie , friends who live down there.
Also Sunday evening Ev & Ken flew down from Kelowna & joined us. In 4 days we tried to show them all we have found interesting over the last number of years! Ev said she has never walked so much! Here we are in the atrium of the Bellagio where the decorations were for the Chinese New Year.

We drove out to Red Rock Canyon.

The red rocks formations with the city of Las Vegas in the background.

At Madam Tussauds I had my picture taken with George Cluny.

Murray with Julia Roberts

The four of us in front of some slots. We found the slots very selfish & not giving back even what we put in!

Evelyn learned a little about Roulette.

On Friday Ev & Ken returned home. We had such fun with them. I don't think we have ever holidayed together. We will have to do it again soon.

Also Friday we flew to Fresno to visit with the Piersons.

Sunday Ken & Gloria took us to the coast to see the elephant seals who come ashore there at this time of year to birth.

Here is an elephant seal bull. They have a very unusually shaped head.

All those bumps you see are not rocks but mostly cow & calf seals with some bulls who like to defend their harem! We learned the cow seals come ashore to birth, then nurse on land for 28 days, are bred, leave their young and go back in the ocean . They calves have to learn to swim and survive on their own. Some are crushed by the bull seals when they fight and the mortality rate is high. However they have come back from the brink of being endangered. We were able to get quite close on walkways constructed to keep the public out of danger.

That evening we had dinner at Jeremy & Bibi's house. Bibi sets such a lovely table and her delicious food is a work of art.

Thanks guys for the lovely dinner and visit. Briana is such an affectionate little girl!

The next day we left for home but my camera stayed behind thus the late post! Thanks Ken for sending the memory card with camera to follow when Ron & Connie visit there later this month.

On Sabbath at Ken & Gloria's I was thrilled to reconnect with an old friend from high school days in Saskatoon. Gaylene Soloniuk is now a physician in Visalia. Bob, (Gaylene's husband) Gaylene, me & Murray.

Many Thanks to Ken & Gloria for being such terrific hosts. We always love getting together and they have such neat places to show us.

Christmas 2008

We were a bit worried about getting to Comox for Christmas when we heard all the horror stories about people stranded in airports, but we were only an hour late leaving Calgary Christmas Eve and 2 hours late leaving Comox on Saturday night (Dec 27) to come home so we can't really complain.

Here is the amount of snow that greeted us in Comox.This is Kim & Yan's back yard. Although it rained all Christmas Day night there still was quite a lot of snow when we left - more snow than we have ever seen when we have been there.

Of course Christmas is so special with & for kids & we thoroughly enjoyed Nicholas & his first responsive Christmas. Here he is digging into his stocking, which to him would probably have been plenty!However Santa was much more generous so (with daddy's help) Nicholas enjoyed ripping the wrappings off his presents.

He loves to sweep & vacuum so here he is with his own miniature cleaning set.Kim exploring her bag of presents.
Nicholas got a train set and by the end of 3 days was able to navigate all the way around the track.We had such an enjoyable time playing and interacting with Nicholas. He is such a treasure.He loved his work boots - now all he needs is the coveralls!

We were so pleased we could catch up with Yan about his course in Winnipeg. He will be home again the end of February.

Kim is doing well. She did such a great job of preparing for our visit and the house was so cozy and decorated. Thanks for a great time and can't wait to see you all again.

From us to you - May God abundantly bless in 2009.

December has definitely been colder than usual - we had been so spoiled with a long mild fall. Here is some of Jack Frost's handiwork on the windows in the - 25 -30' C temps.

On Sabbath we had a church fellowship dinner at our house.

L-R Father Sankey, Pastor Streifling and James Letniak.

Ryan Letniak is home for the holiday break. Here he is with Jaren, Kevin Lawrence & Ron.
On Sunday we had the Kerr family over for supper and they gave us this lovely picture for Christmas. You plug it in and it lights up & the waterfall looks like the water is flowing!

Tonight was the annual Hemaruka supper and carole singsong.

Marlene Magill, Angie & I led out.

Trevor & Dayleen Kerr had a trumpet duet.

Landen was the littlest elf!

And of course Santa paid us a visit!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Start of the day

This morning I thought I would go out with Murray for a few chores to see what he does before the bitter cold arrives. So just before daybreak we were out chopping water holes for the bison. Here they are silhouetted on the dawning sky.

On our way back it was a little more light so here they are grazing on the open prairie.A closer view.

Then we went over to where the weaned calves are to check them for illness. After weaning they usually go through a period of various illness from the stress & we have been treating quite a few over the last couple weeks but they are starting to do better.

Many were still sleeping on their straw bed.

These 2 must be "morning" calves as they were all perky and ready for their picture at daybreak!

So that was just the first hour of Murray's day. I didn't tag along much after that but it was an enjoyable start to the day.