Peace Airlines Flight #1975 continued..........

While we were in the different countries, we were able to "Duty-free" shop at our Silent Auction!! There were lots of different baskets that we could bid on. So fun.

We listened to the Norwegian sisters, Olga and Lena (Karen and Sharon) singing the well-known song, "Ufta, it's hard to be humble, ven yer Norske in every vay!!!" Lena had a bit of a problem with her rhumitism, her enyoying poor health all veek and her memory not so goot. She even forgot her sister's name!!! However, they made it through!!!!

While in Norway, we also listened to the "Karmoy Gospel Choir" singing "Amazing Grace", two verses in the musical language of the country and two verses in English. The choir was dressed in the traditional and beautiful sweaters of Norway.

Peace Airlines Flight # 1975 continued..........

Bonjour, mon ami!! Our third country that we stopped at was Quebec, Canada and here is our Frenchman, Ernie singing a touching tribute to his mom (which he composed). Very appropriate for this occasion, honoring our mothers.

Landing in Mexico, our final country, beaches, flowers, spicy foods. We were served tortilla chips before arriving.

Our Mexican tourist guide, Hose (Linda Cricket) telling us all about the great country of Mexico. This is Becky and Darlene at the Mexican Resort in Cancun, making beds and waiting for the days work to end so they could hit the beach.

Lisa's Kaylina tried her best at breaking the pinata!

Jemma getting ready to whack it good!!!!

Siri trying as well!!

Finally the pinata (spelling, I hope I have it right!) broke and the kids were able to gather up the treasures!!!! After this stop in Mexico, we had an uneventful flight back to Canada. We were served strawberry shortcake and coffee on the flight back. Our wonderful stewardess, Kayla Ratz made sure that we were comfortable and relaxed!!! What a fun filled and great evening with the flight crew (who were all men by the way except for Janet who kept them in line!!!! They always serve at our Mother/Daughter teas and do such a great job!

Jemma's birthday!

Last Saturday around 4:00 P.M., we went out to Heather and Duane's for a barbeque for Jemma's birthday. She had had a fun afternoon with 4 of her friends and Siri, her sister, doing a craft, playing in their new playhouse that their Grandpa Danielson built and having cake and of course presents. She won't be turning 7 til tomorrow and on the weekend, they will celebrate with family in Camrose.

Kalle not too happy

They love their new playhouse.

New little outfit and new little monkey. How fun!!

In memory of my mother......

A HUMAN ROSE

One day long ago I saw a rose.......a human one I mean.......a woman who portrayed to me.......the beauty of a queen........her face was filled with character........that only years can mold.......her smile held real sincerity.....that shone as purest gold......her graying hair caressed her head......much like a silver crown.......the tenderness within her eyes......caused her to look renown......I marveled at the way she walked.......each step a work of art......old in years but all the same.....so very young at heart.....her countenance was that of "FAITH"......and hope in days to be......lined with a velvet sweetness....which fashioned Heaven's key.....and so I write this verse for her......in effort to disclose......the little things which made her seem........to me.....a human rose.

I found the above poem in one of my books and it so describes my mom. She was an incredible lady......she gave birth to 12 children, many of whom were born at home. My father would work from dawn to dusk trying to put food on the table for his family (we were poor as church mice in material things but so rich in the love, laughter and security of a wonderful home and childhood) so my mother spent most of her days washing clothes by hand, baking, cooking, cleaning and doing all the things for the children and with the children that had to be done each day. She was absolutely amazing and I so admire her and what she had to sacrifice for her children and what she went through in her life. But you know she was young at heart at 92. She was a fun person and such a sense of humor and I loved that in her. I also loved visiting her in her cozy little apartment in Saskatoon, she would always let me have her bed and she would sleep on the hidebed in the living-room cause she got up at 5:00 in the morning to get things done (in her words). She loved going out for lunch and shopping so we would go to the Mall, stop and have coffee, then pick up her groceries. She loved going out for ice cream and didn't like to miss anything that was going on. I loved her so much and miss her to this day.

Blessed be her memory!

Happy Mother's Day!!

To our daughters........who are now mothers.......

How we thank the Lord for you and your families, each one of you is so unique and special and our hearts overflow with gratitude that as you parent together, you are raising your children to be loving and kind, wanting to serve God, church, community and country.

But because this weekend is Mother's Day, we want to especially thank you, Heather, Sue and Nanc, for being the wonderful Mothers that you are.....It amazes us when we see how you interact with your children, how you spend time with them, how you play with them, plan special things for them, teaching them everyday to go to Jesus with their problems, pray about their joys and sorrows, and have joy and love in their hearts.........

Have a wonderful Mother's Day!! We love you!

Gramma's birthday!

Last Thursday was Gramma's 87th birthday so this afternoon, we took her to Swiss Chalet (her and Grandpa used to go there quite often) for supper. She enjoyed it.

Gramma wearing the shawl that Ida knit for her for her birthday. It is cozy and warm to put around her shoulders when she is cold. Because her eyesight is going, we got her a phone with large numbers on it so it is easy for her to use.

Happy Birthday, Gramma!

Siri's little dance recital!!

Last night we went to Siri's dance recital. She was so excited to have both her grandparents, as well as mom and dad and Jemma there to see her perform in their little routine. They were just the cutest!!!!!

Doing all her little dance moves!!! Great job, Siri!!

It was so fun to watch this youngest class perform. They did so well and they were all so cute!!!

Receiving her certificate.

Siri with her teacher.

"Snowflakes keep falling on my head!!!!"

Yes, this is what you think it is!!!! Snow on May 3, large white flakes coming down covering the ground out at Hannes and Margaret's. Bev and I go out there for Bible Study on Thurs. afternoons and this is what we were treated to this time!!! Sometimes it is deer, most times it is birds of all kinds, they even have had bears come down into their back yard but Thurs. it was this...........!

Vale's Nursery!!!

I tell you it is fun to go out to Black Diamond to Vale's Nursery. Last Wednesday, that is exactly what Ardy, Laura and I did. It put us all into the gardening mood. The gal that runs this place has so many different varieties of plants and we were kind've looking for something for the church plant pots. And after looking and looking and looking and ........ purchasing, we were ready for some good strong coffee. "Well," Laura said, "there is a bakery and coffee shop right on main street that we should try!" So we did and I bet you could never guess what we had for a treat with our coffee!!!!! KRANSKAKE!!!!! Can you believe it!!! Ardy said (in a very loud unbelieving voice and tone), " you have KRANSKAKE!!!!" The gal that was behind the counter was Norske!!! How fun was that......it made our day.....but of course we had some danish pastry as well........all our calories in one shot!!!! But boy, was it yummy!!!!!

Invermere!

Happy belated birthday from my husband. A weekend away in my most favorite places ..... the mountains.

There is still alot of snow in the mountains.

Your dad thinks I should buy a red convertible!!!! What do you think? I said, "In your dreams, buddy, in your dreams!!!!!"

Reaching Radium!

We seen lots of mountain sheep around here!

How can you tell we enjoy this place? Grinning like the cat who swallowed the canary!!!!!!!

Having lunch on the ridge at Radium. Beautiful!

"She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes......" I love this valley!!

Having coffee down by Windmere Lake on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. It is warm enough without jackets.......how wonderful to feel the sun on our faces!

Just before leaving for Cranbrook on Sunday afternoon.

Windmills at Blairmore.

Coming back to Calgary via Crowsnest Pass and now heading for Longview. This picture is so peaceful, I think with the cows out in the pasture.What a wonderful and relaxing weekend in one of my favorite places.......The Rocky Mountains!!

My Sister.........

My sister is a character.........always has been, always will be and I love her to pieces. She has made us laugh til our sides ache and I have tons of memories in my growing up years as well as my adult life being with her at different times. As a young child, I loved when she would come home from Saskatoon for a weekend....I followed her around like a little puppy. She would do my hair and I could play dress-up in her beautiful clothes that she didn't want anymore. You see pictures in magazines of little girls dressing up in high heels, big hats and long, flowing dresses......that was me in her clothes!!!! I looked up to her and wanted to be just like her when I grew up. She went down to California to work and she stayed with my sister Gwen and her husband Bob. She met this handsome, young resident doctor, (a woman from their church who worked at the hospital where Ted was doing his residency introduced them), fell in love with this guy and married him. I was about 11 or 12 at the time of their wedding and he came to Canada in this red Mustang convertible bearing thoughtful gifts for his family - to - be and instantly made a hit with all his in-laws. As for me, I was incredibly shy of this person who was stealing my sister from me but also thought that the two of them were soooooo romantic!!!! Besides that, they asked me to be in the wedding party. How unbelievable was that!!!! He tried to make friends with me but I would have none of it........I think I was too in awe of him and therefore hardly spoke a word to him the whole time of the celebrations. That changed however in later years!!!!!

That is her husband in the red shirt. Anyway, I went out to North Van. one summer when their son, Stuart was about 21/2 yrs. of age and babysat for a month. That was an incredible, fun time for me and enjoyed being with them so much. Then when she was expecting her second child, I went out and lived with them for about 7 months, (this was after I had been at Bible School for a year so I was about 18 yrs. of age) looked after their little baby daughter, Jennifer as well as Stuart. I was their nanny. I loved it and learned so many things. I guess I was blown away by the fact that they trusted me enough to love and look after their children. My sister and I bonded so much at that time and it was good because she had left home to go to the city to work when I was just little so I really hadn't spent alot of time with her in my younger years. I grew to love her even more as we spent many hours together, shopping, talking, laughing, crying...... doing all the things that sisters do. It was an amazing time!

So, early in March of this year, she sends me this card that says in her handwriting, "Dear Shari Babe, this is to inform you that I can't possibly tell you when your birthday card is going to arrive from us ......... maybe in April.......but QUITE LIKELY it will arrive in the year 2007!!!!!!!"

This is what she does with all her sisters, sends them a pre-birthday card just being a tease so we never know when we are going to get the card but we know we are going to receive one eventually!!!!

I GOT MINE TODAY!!!! YIPPEE!!! Now I don't have to worry or fret that she has forgotton!!!!! Thank you, Florencie, my sister and forever friend!!!! I love you.

Another special guest at Archies "B" n "B"!!

About 2:30 P.M. today, we drove out to Okotoks to pick up our grand-son. He came over to have his first "by himself" sleep-over at Gramma and Grandpa's house. He is three years old. Heather told him last night that he was coming here today and at 7:00 A.M., he was waiting at the door for us. I was humbled and awed when I heard how excited he was to come to our house.

" I never knew my one set of grand-parents. They died in their forties. My other grand-parents by the time I can remember them were too old to have grandkids around too much. My grandpa Ganes was sick in bed for much of the time that I knew him. I loved them both dearly and respected them so much but never played with them or heard stories from them. I heard stories.......wonderful stories about them from my mother and others but never really knew them. But I do remember going to their home and Grandma bringing out her best dishes, setting out cookies and filling up the coffee cups til they were overflowing! We had to be quiet as little mice in their house because Grandpa was resting. I do remember going into the bedroom and giving him gentle hugs. And I remember his eyes..........his eyes, filled with so much love and tenderness for his children and grandchildren. They were role-models in our lives and left us a wonderful Christian heritage and the thing that they desired more than anything was to see their children knowing that Jesus loved them and cared for them."

I'll say it again, it humbles me to think that we are role-models for our children and grandchildren and if we can somehow be a "safe place" for them at any age, a place where they feel unconditionally and totally loved and a place where our Heavenly Father becomes their Anchor and their Rock, then I will be forever grateful and eternally blessed.

Our first stop when we came back to the city was 7-11 to pick up an envelope for Great-gramma at the Post Office. Nate heard 7-11 and his ears perked up and he informed us that there was kid's bubblegum there........so guess what...he got to come in and pick out sugarless bubblegum. He also informed us that he would share with his kind sisters (his words) who shared with him some of their treats from the Birthday party they got to go to the night before. Then we carried on to the Beverly and he is such a talker that he has to talk to everyone that he sees. The old people love it. And the nurses love it! And of course Great-gramma loved having him come to visit.

Saying good-bye to great-gramma. "I wov you, great-gramma!" She

of course has treats for all the kids that come to visit and today was no exception. Nate enjoyed his little blueberry muffin.

Who is this "cool dude"? Behind those groovy sunglasses, we have Nate, the Great!!!!

Nate and his Grandpa sitting on the motorcycle. Grandpa doesn't take them for rides until they are ten or if their feet can reach the foot rests on the sides and then it is usually just around the block. They love it. Mikenna and Noah have both been for rides and Jemma is still waiting for hers. But this little guy is just happy "sitting" on the motorcycle!!!

Grandpa reading to him one of his favorite books about a fox and a piglet called "My Lucky Day" after he had had his bath and crawled into his cozy pyjamas. Grandpa is trying to put in words that are not in the book but Nate knows it right away and giggles when Grandpa does that. "No, Grandpa, that is not right!! That word is terrifac!" And every sentence that Grandpa would read from the book, Nate would recite it right after.

Now, it is Nate's turn to read and even though he is only three, he knows this storybook almost off by heart. Gramma got to read to him about David and Goliath. He wanted to sing the song about Pharoah but because I can't remember the words to that song, he settled for "How did Moses cross the Red Sea?" Then he talked non-stop until I told him that I was going to sleep and we had to be quiet like a little mouse!! So it wasn't long before......off to dreamland!!

Sweet dreams, little Nate!!

Can you believe it?

Here it is April 20th and the ground outside is white!!!!! I guess I shouldn't be too surprised cause in this city, I think we have had snow every month of the year at one time or another. But I shall be patient and wait for this:

It's spring in the mountain country,

Green life leaps from every root;

Streams sing and the pussy willows

Have silvered each slender root.

An hour or two in the springtime

Can shift a whole mountain scene;

A slope that was white when the sun rose,

By noon is a field of green.

I have seen a robin, some crows, pussy willows and my plants are showing a little bit of green out in the back yard but right now, lovely, white snow covers it all!!! And if the truth were to be told, I don't want to see any more flurries or flakes or white falling from the skies.........give me the warmth of the sun and the color GREEN!!!!!

"In everything, give thanks!" even for the snow.

Special lady.......

This special lady had a birthday last week and some of us went to celebrate her special day.
Louise remembers so many people from our church on their birthdays with special cards that she picks out......it is a ministry to her and she loves giving.

Happy Birthday, Louise from just a few of your friends!

Weekly blog!!!

Another busy week has gone by. Heather and Duane were in Fairmont for four days this last week which they enjoyed. They saw friends from Saskatoon and spent some time with them at Radium Hot Springs on Thursday. The kids got sick though after they got home so Heather took them to the clinic today and the three youngest have nasty colds. No bronchitis which she was glad about. When it happens, it goes through the whole household.

Last night, Ernie Fortin was invited to sing at the Fundraising dinner in our church in Okotoks. Well, he wanted his friends to sing with him (that is the worship teams from our church) so that is what we did. They named our group "Ernie Fortin and Friends, in faith" We had a lovely meal, there was a silent auction and then we sang. We had a blast!!! And I think the people enjoyed it. Ernie composes songs as well so the picture above is him and his son Tyler singing one of his songs.

This afternoon, Jim and I took our annual drive out to Elbow Falls in April knowing full well that it was going to be cooler out there and snow in the pines. I made a picnic lunch after church, some yummy turkey sandwiches on ciabatta buns and took some veggies and dip and coffee of course. It was sooooo wonderful to get out into the mountains and smell that crisp air and the fragrance of the pines. We were remembering the time that we went out around this time with our girls quite afew years ago and hiked back along the river a couple kms. The girls jumped into the icy water in their clothes!!!!! We had brought towels and extra clothing along and the sun was shining bright so they sat drying off on the warm rocks. We weren't quite so brave!!! But what a fun time!! Today the parking lot was almost full and the cars were lined up on the highway. Families with their kids and dogs, people on bikes and motorbikes were out enjoying the fresh air. It was a very relaxing Sunday afternoon.