Movin'!!!!!!!

Who said movin' was easy? It is a huge job and I am glad that I can still stay in my humble home for a few more years yet!!!! Heather and Duane are in the process of moving out to an older home in Okotoks and with the flooring guys putting hardwood down plus painting the bedrooms plus packing and frustration on the legal end of things plus four kids running around, it is quite a production!!! It will happen however and everyone will survive!!!!! I have kept the kids for the afternoons so they are out of the house and they have been good. Jemma has gone to VBS in the mornings and she plays with Carter in the afternoons. Heather is on the phone many times a day to the lawyer, the real estate agent, etc. etc. Last Sunday night, they were invited to the Kargs, bless their hearts, for a welcome to the neighbourhood party as well as good-bye to the people who are moving out of the house. It was such a good time for them all and they got to meet their neighbours in the cul-de-sac!! What a thoughtful thing for the Kargs to do. But then that is how they are, thoughtful and kind. Jemma got to meet a girl the same age as her. The big stuff will be moved on Friday morning so everything has to be good to go then!!!! I say, it will happen......it always does!!!!!! In the meantime, we pray for patience and good old-fashioned strength plus some good sleeps!!!!!!

Wedding bells!

It was a glorious day for a wedding! Pastor Anthony and Kim were married yesterday - a day that all the congregation had been praying for. They looked so happy and enjoyed the entire day which included the ceremony, a reception with cake and coffee at the church immediately following, pictures out at Kim's parent's farm and then another reception at the Canyon Meadows Golf Club at 6:00 P.M. Kim looked beautiful and Anthony, very dashing!!! Weddings are so fun and it just brings back memories of our own wedding. Their wedding was meaningful and God-honoring and everything went so well. We just congratulate them and pray that God would go with them as they fly out Monday for beautiful Oahu for a 2-week honeymoon. Blessings to a dear couple.

What a blast!!!!

Yes, I can definately say that it was a BLAST being with my sisters who by the way are all over 70 yrs. and two of them are into their 80's!!!!! (I am the youngest sister.) But they don't look it and certainly don't act it!!! My second oldest sister who turned 80 last year drove all the way from California with her husband who just had open heart surgery in April/06!!!! I am truly amazed at that!! We all had more fun talking, laughing, drinking coffee, laughing some more, drinking coffee, going for walks, talking, talking and more talking, doing some crying, sharing our lives with each other, as Gwen says, we can let our hair down when we are together and still know that we are loved unconditionally...... some talked more than others. Viv and I are the quiet ones!!!!!! NOT!!!! We also talked about how good it is to have our Christian heritage, a childhood that was difficult sometimes because of being so poor but so rich in knowing that our parents loved us more than life itself and faithfully prayed for us as we were growing up and prayed for us til their dying day! Not only did they pray for their children but their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and many others! O how we still miss them. Cedar Lodge was the place and the people that work there are so nice. They have a wonderful ministry to the homeless in Saskatoon, providing meals for so many. Christ's love in action. It is a retreat center so they do wedding receptions, conferences, family reunions, etc. The Cadets had been there for the weekend before we came and they were catering to another big group the weekend after. They treated us like VIP's, made us the most wonderful home-cooked healthy meals and one of their cooks, a gal from the Phillipines played in the kitchen (her very words). She made roses and birds out of apples, a mouse out of a lime, a bouquet of flowers out of green onions, carrots and honeydew melon rind. I got pictures of them all. They had soft music playing at every meal and were so glad we liked the Christian music they played. We watched home videos (I had made one of the last three sister reunions) so we watched that, Viv's grandaughter's wedding and "Love's Enduring Promise"!! We swam in the pool, Ida G, Joyce, Auntie Jewel and I and had so much fun. Precious, precious times together. We stayed from Tues. at noon to Thurs. noon. Then I went to the farm with Joyce to help her get ready for everyone coming down on Friday for a big dinner at noon. Do you know what she served? New potatos, new carrots, new peas, tomatos and beans fresh from the garden. Beet and dill pickles that she had done, homemade buns, a pork tenderloin roast with mushroom gravy and for dessert, a raspberry, blueberry and banana trifle......raspberries from her garden of course!!!! One word......Yummy!!!! I guess there was 11 of us around her table in her country kitchen. She makes such a good farmer's wife!! It was so good to have that time together but it was so good to get home too!!! I rested alot today because I woke up with a sore throat and headache this morning (I had been fighting a cold all week) so stayed home from church and slept and slept. My co-worker phoned this afternoon and wanted to work tonight so she could have next Sunday night off. I was so glad so I am going to bed early. This coming week is going to be busy again. Til next time, my family and friends..............

Praying for you Stephen and Julene!

Larry, Irene and I sat today and watched the military ceremony for Jason Warren, Stephen's brother on CBC. He was buried in Ottawa at the military cemetery there. It was almost surreal seeing Stephen, Julene and his sister, his mom and dad standing there, sometimes emotional and sometimes sombre, grieving for their son and brother and brother-in-law, yet knowing that Jason had died doing what he wanted to do and that was serving his country. Irene cried as she watched. It brings it all close to home when a family member is hurting. From all the reports, Jason was a very good soldier and well respected by his colleagues who were also grieving his death. He was known for his wide smile and infectious laugh and oh how much he looked like Stephen. It is so hard to lose a loved one. Stephen and Julene, we just want you to know that we are continually praying for you that God in His great love will be your strength at this time. We love you.

What a weekend!!

What a weekend, Friday night and all day Saturday at the first Calgary Women of Faith Conference! It was wonderful!!!! We had many great speakers, funny, inspirational, ordinary women who through various experiences, sometimes painful experiences have such JOY in their lives, who know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are loved by God and that they CAN reach out and touch someone who needs a friend and needs to know that they are loved. We are unique as women and God has made us special. We sang some wonderful praise songs, heard the group Avalon, laughed til the tears came and cried with the women as they shared what they had learned. Speakers like Luci Swindoll, Patsy Clairmont, Sheila Walsh, Marilyn Meberg and Donna VanLiere. What encouragement to hear what they had to say. And to hear Max Lucado speak on Friday night. I definately want to go again next August when they come back to Calgary. Nanc and Sue, Heather and I can definately see why you spoke so highly of this conference. Wouldn't it be fun to be at one together. Maybe someday..........

Women of Faith!

Yes, we finally get to go to a Women of Faith Conference. There are about 8 of us going from our church and we will meet tonight at 5:30 P.M. at Peace and then take the C-train down to the Saddledome. My two daughters from the states have told me how much they have enjoyed the last I think it is about 3 years that they have attended one and so it will be interesting to hear the speakers and the music. I am excited to hear Max Lucado speak. Patsy Clairmont as well. I have read her book. Will update after the conference.

God loves Me!

Sometimes I get to thinking - of the way you care for me
And I feel so very humble, that such a thing could be.
For I'm only just a creature that you fashioned out of clay,
But you're always making sure that I have all I need each day!!

Sometimes when I am worried and I don't know what to do,
And things don't seem to work out, I always run to you.
And what I thought were problems, simply vanish beneath your Hand,
You take the time to listen and you always understand.

My dwelling may be humble, but You share my small abode,
And when I feel I'm sinking, You are there to lift the load!
And I count myself most blessed, that anyone can be,
Because I KNOW beyond a doubt that my Savior loveth me!!!

Help me, Lord, to count my blessings. To know that every good and perfect gift comes from your Hand. You are MY STRENGTH!!

Good day!

I woke up earlier than usual yesterday as I was invited to Laura's house for coffee and she lives 7 minutes out of the city on a beautiful golf course. Actually the invitation came from my daughter's best friend, DeeDee who lives in Vancouver and she was home for a few days. It has been the tradition for many years that if she comes home to visit or if Susanne comes home to visit that we, Ardy, Laura and I along with our daughters who live so far away, get together at some point during that time just for fun, either a lunch date or coffee to get caught up on each other's lives. Although, this time it seemed that the grandchildren was the main topic of conversation!!!! I wonder why!!!! Don't we just love to do that!!! Lisa, DeeDee's sister came too with her two older kids and her brand new baby. Aunty DeeDee got her hands on that baby and nobody else could hold him which was as it should be cause she does not get a chance very often to do that. It was fun. Of course, Laura did not just give us coffee but had a platter filled with fruit (strawberries and blueberries to keep us looking young) and fun breads with humus!! Yummy! Before we left, we got a tour of her beautiful garden! Wonderful time!

Fun weekend!!!

It started on Friday night with Art (Sheri-lynn's dad), Kathy (his wife) and his son, Morgan coming to our house for supper which we had out in our outdoor room (our backyard). The mosquitos surprisingly were not too bad at all and it was beautiful and warm. We then took our guests up to the Home to visit with Gramma while I did her hair and of course we had tea and cookies. Saturday morning we got up and chatted around the breakfast table. They were on their way out to Drumheller to go to the Passion Play later on that day but wanted to go the Drumheller museum first so they wanted to get a good start and I had to go up to the church to help prepare food for the Stampede Barbeque we were going to have on Sunday. After I got home from the church, I packed a picnic lunch - fruit, cake, cereal bars and coffee and we took off for the Kananaskis - the Kananaskis village to meet my cousin and her husband who had just come through the mountains from Golden on their motorbike. I guess we got there about 2:oo P.M. It was gorgeous in the mountains. We drove up to the lakes and had coffee there! It was beautiful!! Then they got on their bike (they are in their fifties - good for them!!!) and we got in our car, (they decked out in their leathers and we in our shorts - it was hot!) and we drove highway 40. They had never been that way right to Longview!!! It is one of our favorite drives through the mountains. Finally arrived at Turner Valley where we had supper at a cute little restaurant called Route 40. Then came home to baths and a comfortable bed. They had been camping in a tent the whole week and had driven to Jasper, Ft. St. John, Prince George, Kamloops, and then on to Banff and Canmore so they were so glad for a bed in a house!!!!!! Sunday was sunny and hot. We went to church and had the service outside. The musical part of the service was special guests from Arizona who sang then and also when we were having our barbeque. It was great!! Our pastor always has a good sermon for us and also a story for the kids. We got home and changed into shorts and sat outside under the lilac bush in the shade. About 3:00 P.M. we decided to take them out to my brother's place in the country where at the moment, they are living in their R.V., soon to be moving into their son's brand new house in the parent's suite which is being built unto the garage. When we looked to the west, we could see huge thunder clouds and we knew we were in for a storm so again, all the plants went into the garage!!!! We got out there, had our coffee and before you know it the rain started!! We quickly got into our car and started back to the city!!!! OOooo, the sky was black!!!! We drove right into the storm, decided we better take some shelter, so we drove into a driveway lined with trees and waited for about 1/2 hour while golf-sized hailstones rained down upon us!!! We couldn't see very far at all because the rain and hail were so intense!!!! The poor horses out in the pasture were galloping back and forth trying their hardest to get away from the hailstones. I felt so sorry for them! Anyway, finally started home, had to drive slow but made it. We had not gotton any hail at our house, just rain and thank goodness, the only damage our car received was two little dents in our roof. A town east of the city had hailstones as big as apples and windows of a van was broken by the hail. The people down at the Stampede grounds had to take shelter anywhere they could find it!!!! By the time the sun was setting, the sky was clearing and the sun was shining!!! O the awesome power of wind, rain and hail!!! How small and finite it makes us feel when we see it!!! Dale and Darlene were definitely glad that they were not on their bike!!!! They left yesterday morning, they were anxious to see their children and grandchildren!!!!! So fun to have them.

Thunder, lightning, rain and hail!!!!!!

Went grocery shopping last night about 5:30 P.M. and when we got out of the store, the sky was dark in the east, thunderheads all over, lightning lighting up the sky and we knew there was going to be a storm!!!! We hurried home and put away all my containers of flowers in the garage and got the groceries into the house. Then it poured and poured - I love watching it - but only when it is not real severe!!!! This was not and thankfully we didn't get any hail like some parts of the city - it passed over fairly quickly!! I just remember the time in Minneapolis when we took the kids and sat under the stairs because of a tornado that touched down about 3 miles from our daughter and son-in-laws place!!! Ooooeee......now that was abit scary!!!!!!!! We also have had tornados close to our city sometimes. But it doesn't last and after the storm is the calm! As I was driving to work last night, the sky in the west was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful!!!! The sunset was just as gorgeous as any sunset I seen in Hawaii!!!! And with the mountains in the background.........I can't express in words.........it is like God sitting at His easel and painting a picture just for us.......

Sisters!

I have four wonderful, crazy sisters that I love with all my heart. I miss them so much. We all live many miles from each other and this year we are having a reunion in Sask. They are all quite abit older than me (I am the baby of 12) and they grew up together so when we get together, I love to see them relate and interact with one another. They are interesting and fun, have travelled alot and experienced many more things than I have. My oldest sister now in her eighties ( I can't quite believe that yet but yes time marches on) had to quit school when she wasn't very old to help mom in the house with all the little ones plus go out to work at a very young age. I admire her so much. My sister from California married a guy who went many years to university and they lived very frugally in the states during his school years and they have never come back to Canada to live. She is an organizer, has a heart of gold and loves to have fun. My next sister lives on a big farm and she is a perfect farmer's wife, plants a huge garden in the spring, is crafty and started oil painting in her 70's. I say, good for her!! And then there is my sister in B.C. who also has a heart of gold, was and still is a comedian. I guess I spent more time with them because when she was pregnant with her second baby, I went to live with them for 6 mos. and basically was their nanny. I loved it. I learned alot about looking after kids and keeping house. Their daughter was the first baby I ever looked after. So you see, I am so blessed to have these sisters in my life. We talk on the phone every once in awhile and we love getting together for our reunions. We laugh alot, we cry together and we reminice. It is just so good. Thank you, God for my sisters.

Happy Canada Day!!!!!

It is July 1st and Canada's birthday!!!!! We usually have our Canada T-shirts on, sit in our Canada chairs, sing the national anthem, take a picnic in our Canada picnic bag and wave our Canada flags. I haven't done one of those things today yet. We usually go to a park and watch the fireworks in the evening too and we probably might still do that. We have had company so that is my excuse!!!! Anyway to all who read this, I hope you are having a wonderful Canada Day!!!! Yeah C A N A D A !!!!!!!

Busy days!

We have had 3 very busy days around our household. Gramma's two sisters, Esther and Helen came to visit. They had not been together for 7 years so it was so exciting for them despite the fact that Helen was very nervous about flying from Saskatchewan. Esther and her two daughters drove by car from B.C. on Sunday. They all stayed here and when you have elderly people around, everything moves in "slow mo" and being able to get to the bathroom is a huge priority! Helen is a single gal with a servant heart - she has helped all her brothers and sisters in their homes at one time or another throughout her entire life and now she still lives by herself in her little apartment. I love pampering her when she is here and she loves it too. So every morning, we would decide what she was going to wear (decision making becomes harder and harder as you get older) and then I would do her hair. She is a sweetheart. Esther has worked so hard all her life with raising 10 kids and taking in a foster child. Now she is living with her daughter and has to be helped with things although she does quite well. She knits these little dish cloths that I just love so she was busy doing that while here. And I am using the one she gave me. I love it. They both use walkers and still can get around that way. They have seen joy, sorrow, hard times, happy times and sad times in their life and I honor and appreciate them so much. God has been their strength throughout all these years and still is. It was so touching when we brought Esther up to see Gramma at the Home. I can't explain it in words but you could see the love connection of these two sisters right away. I couldn't hold back the tears. The four sisters that were in that family lost their parents when they were very young and had to be raised by the older brothers and their wives so in those years, they clung to each other and were very close all their lives. I just can't imagine what that was like to lose your parents that young. My heart hurts for them and what they missed. But their faith in their Heavenly Father has brought them through all this and they have a sweet, sweet spirit. I learn alot from them. And the best thing is they are still learning. They love to play Scrabble and had a game every day they were together. I just think that is the best!!!!!! It was a blessed time for them and for us.

I'm done!!!!

Whoohoo, I finally finished "SCRAPBOOKING" our trip to Hawaii. It was fun but I sat for many hours cause I wanted to get it done before all this company arrives and I want to take the two albums to my sister reunion in August. And every comment and picture was just reliving the whole experience. I am so glad to be done.......but much more fun doing this type of thing in a group I think! Company starts arriving Sat. and continues pretty none stop until the second week in July. Then Larry and Irene come around the first part of August and I am so looking forward to that, just visiting with them. I get so lonesome for them sometimes. Then my sister reunion and then our precious grandson from down south comes for a couple of weeks. And in between we get to have our other grandchildren that live right here in the city come to visit every once in awhile too!! What a fun-filled, busy summer!

Nice Day......

I asked my better half what he wanted to do for this Father's Day weekend. He thought he might like to go to the Car Show in Wetaskwin.....however when we got up this morning, he decided that he didn't necessarily want to do that so he said that we were going to drive out west via Bragg Creek and then do the Highway 40 circle.....so that is what we did. Took a picnic lunch and took off, of course stopping by Timmies for coffee....mmmmm, that first sip of that coffee is so good!!!!! We picked up some Homestyle Bacon and Egger's at the A and W. The day was sunny and the trees were just so green from all the rain. The mountains take your breath away. It was beautiful. Stopped at the Kananaskis Lodge, took some pictures and continued on........drove to Cat Creek, had our lunch there, took more pics and then carried on to Longview, Turner Valley, Black Diamond and Millerville. The creeks and rivers are running pretty high....Millerville Farmer's Market was cancelled due to the road into the Market being washed out!!! It isn't as bad as last year but some of the residents of these towns are a little nervous. It was a great day and now we are watching the Oilers and Carolina play hockey and having steaks for supper. My friend from Edmonton was supposed to come tonight to stay here til Tuesday but opted to stay at her sister's cause she thought we weren't going to be home until tomorrow. Anyway, tomorrow we decided to go to Okotoks for church as it is Jared's confirmation, Jarle and Judy's anniversary, Nat's 50th birthday and Father's Day so they have alot to celebrate. Judy wanted us to stop by which we might do as they are having an informal get together to celebrate everything. We haven't seen them in awhile as they have been in Saskatchewan on the farm doing some seeding, etc. The next few weeks are going to be busy at our house. We are getting company from Kelowna possibly (Aunty Esther's daughter wants to bring her out to see Gramma. They would probably be here about a week), Dave and Donna are coming the last few days of June, then the following weekend, some relatives from Saskatoon are coming out to stay with us. So it goes.......the Archies B n B is up and running........

Scrapebooking!!

Today it is raining outside and is supposed to rain all day!!! So that means that I can't work out in my garden so I have all my tools (my scrapebooking tools, that is!) laid out on the dining room table and it is warm and cozy inside and I am about to scrapebook to my heart's content. I am going to do an album on ..... guess what......yup.......Hawaii!!!! That way, instead of carrying around 4 packs of pictures, explaining them each time, a person can just pick up the album and take a little tour!!!! I have done this with reunions, weddings, etc. and it is fun, so fun. My girls did an album couple of years ago for us and gave it to us at Christmas. And the thing about the albums these days is that you can add pages and update them. What a wonderful gift and so interesting. I love it. So if you don't hear from me in awhile.........well, you will know the reason!!!!!!

I want to be there even more!!!!

They called this afternoon from Sue and Eric's and they were having a BIG BARBEQUE in their back yard with everyone including my brother, my sister-in-law, my niece and her family and then all the rest of our family. The kids were having fun in the little pool, Nanc and Wayne ran out for hamburger meat and I just wanted to be there even more!! They had just finished a photo shoot with Larry and Irene and fam and of course they were in Fergus to attend the Convention as well. So now you guys, I want to see pictures and details, O.K.? Love you all. I spent a very pleasant afternoon with Margaret out on their beautiful acreage. Guess what I brought them for dessert? A lovely, juicy, fresh pineapple of course!!!!! And we had part of ours for supper. Yummy!!! We ate so much in Hawaii. Until next post...........

I want to be there!!!

I want to be there - having coffee with my girls!!! They are all together this week just having a good time. I am so glad. The kids can play together and they can talk mommy talk now that Nanc is going to have a baby next Jan. I want to see Nanc and Wayne's house - Sue said it is so cute! I want to go shopping with them too. By the way, I gave Nanc my order from Bath and Body. I am thinking about you all right now. You are probably still sleeping. Have a great day! Love you so much. Blessings.

It's raining......it's raining!!!

I love the rain.......it makes everything smell so clean.......and especially now when I have just planted my containers and flower beds.........We made a little patio this year for our discussion bench...I refuse to call it a gossip bench.......it is under my lilac tree and the grass did not grow there so we cleaned it up a bit with sand and blocks. Looks ever so much better!!! The lilac tree is higher than the house and it is special because it came from my mother's garden many years ago. The little runners that come up every year drive me crazy but I would not get rid of it. The smell from the blossoms in the spring is just out of this world and the birds love to chatter together in the branches!!!!! And their chattering gets even louder when an enemy comes to visit......the magpie!!!! They have, of course little ones in a nest in the bird house and boy do they get mad at that particular bird!!!!! I guess it is going to continue raining tomorrow as well. It is cozy to hear the droplets hitting the house and know that the coffee is on and there is a good book sitting nearby..........and to top it all off, two little girls fast asleep in bed at Gramma's house!!! What could be better than that!!!!!!

Back to Reality!!!

It has been a week and a half since flying back from Oahu, Hawaii and I really didn't want to leave!!!! I could have stayed another two weeks easily. I can see where friends of ours go for a month at a time and still want to stay longer. I miss the mornings having breakfast on the lanai, the sound of the surf, the flowers - brilliant and beautiful, the air - balmy, the breeze that cools and the people, gracious and friendly! And yes, even Garth - our resident gecko in our cottage. He would wake us up in the morning with a sound almost like a cricket and we would see him peek his head out between the crack in the ceiling! I even was able to get a picture!!!! It freaked me out a little the first time I seen him but they told us that geckos eat pesky insects (almost like our Saskatchewan dragon flies!!!!) and are considered good luck if you have one living in your house. So he was a friend!!! (I did empty our my purse one day just to be on the safe side!!!! I didn't want to open it up and see him peeking out from there!!!) We ate shrimp, mahi mahi fish, pineapple, mangos, papayas, even tried mashed taro root called poi (yuck). It is a staple in Hawaii - they even have it at MacDonald's like apple pie!!! And of course, macadamia nuts which are just too yummy!!! Another thing that we just loved was pineapple whip which is a little like frozen yogurt and it was very refreshing and to top it off, it was low fat and not that many calories!!!! We walked and walked and walked, downtown, the beach and if we didn't walk, we rode "the Bus"!!!! Their bus system is excellant!!! And we sat in the park just watching people - families, newlyweds, grammas and grandpas. We would think of our families back home and think how fun it would be to all go to this island someday!!!! We were on the 11th floor of our condo in Waikiki and every morning (like 6:00 A.M.) we would be out on our balcony having our coffee and poor fellow that moved very slow but had his grocery cart and all his belongings would come and make a little bed under a tree and go to sleep, obviously didn't have a home to go to but considered the park as his home. The second week we had a car so we explored the island from one end to the other. It is beautiful, hiked up to some falls at Waimea Park on the North Shore, saw the surfers ride some huge waves there - they are very dedicated these surfers - they go from morning to night riding the waves!!!! Sundays, we went to a church on the beach which was so interesting and inspirational. This particular group have been there in front of the beautiful Hawaiian Hilton Hotel for 35 years singing, speaking and sharing just a simple message of faith, love and hope in Jesus. We enjoyed it so much. I could go on and on about our trip. Did we enjoy ourselves? How can you tell!!!! We would go back in a heartbeat!!!! Aloha!!!!