This weekend we had a lovely time with Scott & Patricia visiting us. We also had the grandparents over for a couple meals. Grandpa & Grandma Sankey will have been married 60 years in a couple months time and Scott & Patricia are just starting their married journey!

Patricia opening the wedding gift from us - a KitchenAid stand mixer. We know she loves to bake & is really good at it. Hopefully Scott won't put on too much weight!!!

On Sabbath afternoon we took a tour to see some newborn calves . This is the first year we are having some black calves.

I think Herefords are still the prettiest!


One of our bison bulls surveying his domain.

Snow 'n Stuff

Last evening we had a 2 hr. heavy dump of snow which seems to have been centered here as Hemaruka didn't get any! Just as our snow almost all melts we get more - 4 inches more!
It does look pretty though!

On my way home from Calgary on Wednesday I stopped in Airdrie to welcome Baby Charlotte Jackson - daughter of neice Jennifer and Keith. Charlotte was born March 23.

Charlotte

Keith, Jen & Charlotte.

We also welcome baby Kiara Pierson born yesterday April 2 to Bibi & Jeremy Pierson.

Our family is receiving many wee blessings lately.

Baby Lucas Sebastien

I have had an eventful couple weeks when I was summoned to Kim's early cause Kim thought she was in labor. Well 6 days later Lucas arrived (March 26)! All is well & as you can tell from the following pics he is very loved & welcomed - especially by big brother Nicholas!Brothers getting acquainted.

Grandma with Lucas in hospital a few hours after he was born.

Sleeping peacefully at home.

More brother time!
Daddy & the boys.
The happy family.

Second Grandson

Sorry no pics yet but we are happy to have a second grandson born today (March 26) at 9:49 A.M weighing 7 lb 11 oz. Lucas Sebastien Senechal and his Mom are doing well. Grandma & Daddy are exhausted but thrilled!!!! Big brother Nicholas hasn't been introduced yet due to a very runny nose so he wasn't taken to the hospital.

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.