Kananaskis country and Ikea on Wed. and Thurs....

Boxing Day........We took off for the mountains. It was a gorgeous day even though it was cloudy. Heather and the kids came with us....Duane had to work...that was a bummer but Grandpa drove with Heather and the kids and I went with Wayne and Nanc. On the way home, we told Heather to go with them so they could get a chance to visit more and we took Heather and Duane's van with the four kids. They watched "The lady and the tramp" on the way home. We had such a good time walking, sledding and just being outside in the snow. We took coffee and a picnic lunch along.

Having our picnic lunch at the fireside room at the Kanananskis village. That would be such a fun place to spend a couple of days during Christmas vacation. One could rent cross-country skis, skates, snowshoes and they have a swimming pool and hot tub. Alot of people were skating.

Nate loves Wayne.........

The girls enjoying their sandwiches and veggies and rice krispie squares.........and of course - mandarin oranges.........

Yummy lunch......

Grandpa and Nate having fun.........

Jemma walking back up the hill..............

Heather and Kalle through the trees......

Siri playing in the deep snow.......

Nanc and Wayne going for a walk with Breiden.......

It was beautiful out in the Kananaskis.

Thursday morning: We met Heather and the kids, Uncle Ron and Aunty Delaine at Ikea for breakfast. Ikea is so kid-friendly............ Uncle Ron and Aunty Delaine are Nancy's godparents.

How much fun is this, having our grandchildren come to visit. Heather's kids loved being with Breiden.

"So much fun to have one of my sisters home," Heather said.

Breiden loved to walk with Grandpa.........

All set and ready to go back to Fergus. We will miss you guys so much. We loved having you home for Christmas.

12 Days of Christmas.......

Last Sunday was an absolute gorgeous day in our fair city so we decided to meet Duane and Heather and kids at Heritage Park for the 12 days of Christmas that they have every December. When we started driving into the parking lot, it was AMAZING!!!!!!! Never in all the years we have lived here and the many times we have gone to this place, had we seen it as BUSY as it was Sunday. We have passes so we didn't have to wait in the LONG line to get in and we were meeting them at the Wainwright hotel. When we got there, they were in line for the wagon (pulled by horses) ride so we took pics and sat on a bench and looked after their backpacks and watched the mass of people. Isn't it just the most interesting thing in the world to watch people. I love it. After the ride, the kids were thirsty for hot chocolate so Grandpa and I sent them all over to the maze and the pile of bales that they could play on and we waited in line for probably 45 minutes for hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies.
And here we are, having our picnic. The kids loved especially playing in the bales!!! What a good idea. When we were waiting in line, we seen so many families that had grumpy kids, hot and thirsty and hungry among all the crowds. I felt so sorry for the parents. Thank goodness for the person who had the wonderful idea of putting up a maze, a skating rink and bales......yeeeah for bales........and snow and room to play........

If that is all they did that day, they would have been entirely satisfied.

Yum, yum good......

Played and played........

Grandpa getting in on the action........

and Kalle........

A beautiful afternoon at Heritage Park. Grandpa and I did not stay too long as we had to go over to Anthony and Kim's open house.

Things that have been happenin' in our town........

Yesterday, we had our annual Christmas pageant at our church. It was so fun to see the little ones and the bigger ones put on the Christmas story. Rhonda, two weeks ago took over the organization of the program because our superintendant couldn't. They both are very good at doing this type of thing. Anyway Rhonda did such a great job and the kids did fantastic with little time they had to practise and get it together.
Pastor Anthony welcoming everyone and leading the song, "One small child".

Mark Thomson playing the offertory on the piano. He did so well.

The kids walked up in their scarfs and hats and sang with the congregation, four Christmas carols.

Our little angels singing "Away in a manger"..........

King Herod telling the wise men to go and find the child..........

Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus in the stable.......Anna playing Mary......It was a wonderful program and of course everyone so enjoyed it.

A couple Saturdays ago, the "Adults" had a hayride!!!! Jim and I don't know where we fit at this point in our lives so we go to the younger Adults stuff and the seniors stuff. Aren't we blessed!!!!!????

Of course eating is high on the agenda...........

Acting goofy!!!!! Jeff, we love you!!!!!!

And then of course the "pirate Christmas present stealing your gift game" that we do every year and have a hoot playing it. Janet, you are too much but I have enjoyed the cozy throw that you gave me so much after I had whined about you stealing it. Me and my big mouth!!!!!! What a fun evening and we were NOT the only older ones there!!!!!!!!!!!

Santa, the elf and Rudolph........

One day when the kids were over, they came upstairs dressed like this.

I am so glad our Heavenly Father is in control........

In the last couple of days, I have been reminded again how very fragile our life here on this earth is.......we can be on our way somewhere and all of a sudden......an accident.....a whole family wiped out......or a disease can strike at anytime, any place and it can be the most devastating and heartbreaking trial to go through especially if it is one of our children......or someone can be going through surgery not knowing the outcome and we wonder how on earth do we make it through these times......The song that came to my mind as I sat last night at work praying for different ones going through some tough, tough times is the one we are singing at our Christmas Eve candlelight service. I have been singing it every day and it goes like this......

At His Name, the mighty oceans roar

At His Name, the wind stands still

At His Name, the eagle takes the sky

At His Name, the mighty nations cry

At His Name, a newborn baby breathes

At His Name, a flower grows

At His Name, the rushing rivers yield

At His Name, a broken heart is healed.......

At His Name, the mountains stand in awe

At His Name, the seasons change

At His Name, the sunlight floods the sky

At His Name, the stormclouds hurry by

At His Name, our guilt is washed away

At His Name, our spirit's freed

At His Name, the gates of Heaven open wide

At His Name, He welcomes us inside.....

At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow

Every tongue confess him, the King of Glory now

Every voice lift Him up!

His power and majesty proclaim

Every knee shall bow down

At His Name.

I am so thankful that the God of Heaven is also our Abba Father and loves and cares for us so deeply, He knows about us and what we are facing and in His tender way, gives us strength for the moment, for the hour, for the day.

"Come unto Me, all who are weary and heavyladen....and I will give you rest..."

Jemma comes to visit........

Last Friday afternoon, it was Jemma's turn to come for a sleep-over. After putting up the rest of the outside Christmas lights with Jemma's help, we went to South-Center for a bite to eat and to see the decorations there .......and then went to see Great-gramma and spend time with her.

Saturday morning having breakfast with Grandpa and watching the classic....Anne of Green Gables..part one...(I loved those books when I was growing up and still do) while I went up to the church to practise a song for the Christmas Eve service. After coming home, Jemma and I got to work baking a cake!

Working together.......

Mixing........

Greasing the pan......

The finished product and as you can see, she put a present on top of the cake made with M n M's.

Having lunch by candlelight......

Jemma doing some reading during quiet time.

Having a chocolate frappichino at Starbucks before taking her home for supper. Thanks Jemma for coming to visit us. We had so much fun........we hope you did too!!!

One of the cutest members of our congregation..........

Last Sunday having a little chat with Evan. He is so cute. He didn't give me a smile right then but when he does, his whole face lights up................

Jemma and Siri's project........

Yesterday afternoon, the kids had a presentation at the Okotoks library and here is Jemma with the di..a..rama (sp) that she made...all about dolphins, fish and sea creatures based on the books she has been reading. It was very interesting. She wrote about it and then read it to the other kids.

Siri telling (with a little help from mommy)about her ABC book that she made.......

Kalle and I watched from the doorway because it was quite crowded with all the kids and their parents.......

Listening to the other kids present their projects that they had done. Very creative, all of them.