Waterton Days

Our favorite National Park opened up a couple of weeks ago and we have been doing our very best to make up for lost time!

We had a BBQ with my sister and her family out at Pass Creek.   We chose pass creek because this was the only camp kitchen in the whole park that didn't have signs and red barrier tape across the doors and windows.  We weren't sure why this one was allowed to be open, and we wondered if we'd get in trouble for using it, but we weren't going to waste too much time wondering about little technicalities like that.   It was pouring for heaven's sake and there was a picnic to be had!

It's always fun to get together with family and my kids have definitely been missing their cousins!

We've gone out several evenings to fish (John could a big trout which he was thrilled about), paddleboard or explore whatever part of the park is newly opened. This week Akimina Road opens up for the first time since the Kenow Wildfire a few years back.  I am so excited to check out a few o four favorite old stops that we've been unable to get to until now.  

Abby recently got hired at Beavertails, so she has been making this journey almost daily.  

I kinda envy her.   I mean, I don't envy the hours she spends over a hot fryer cooking dough and fries - BUT I do envy the drives she gets to have.  

Sigh...everything is beginning to feel right in my world again.   

The other side of the Hill

This was the day I woke up 40.

I'm not trying to be dramatic or anything, but I really did wake up feeling different. 

Older, but in a good way.

I've been looking forward to my 40th birthday for years.  Perhaps that is because my Mom never got the chance to see 40, not even close.  Perhaps it is because I have just come out of a decade of surgeries in an effort to combat my genetic predispositions.  Whatever the reason - aging RULES!  

Bring on the grey hair, the laugh lines, and the added weight.  I'll take it all and relish in it. 

My sister and her kids covered my lawn with Birthday candles and 40 signs.

I left it up straight into the next day.  Both Jewel and Crystal always go all out to make this day a special one for me.  

The kids created a Birthday Wall of shame fame for me, Jess made one of her beautiful banners, and the table had fresh flowers.  

John had prepped for days to make sure that our family had a special Birthday outing that evening out at Payne Lake.  

                            He filled the cooler, making sure to pack everything needed for hot dogs and smores,  pulled the paddleboards out of storage, loaded the boat and tackle, and even remembered the Birthday Cupcakes.   Say what?!  Cupcakes even?  What a guy!

After we fished and ate and paddle boarded our little hearts out, Abby took the kids back to town.  John and I stayed out on the boat until the sun went down.   

While John fished I watched the water and the sky until it almost hurt to stare anymore. 

Then I just listened.

Water lapped against the boat. 

A nearby by let out its soulful call.

A pair of geese passed by, honking their way past us.

Three drunk guys off in the distance hollered and laughed as they rocked their rowboat so much that it sunk.

Sigh....Serenity...Serenity...

It was all a perfect end to a beautiful day.

I like 40.   I think I will be happy here.

Church in May

I really love church at home.  

Like, really so much.  

John makes sure that we give it the respect it deserves.  

We always dress up.

We sing.

We Pray.

Everyone takes turns giving talks.  

After a 45-minute sacrament meeting, we prepare for Sunday school, where again, someone takes a turn teaching a lesson.  

The kids listen better. 

Everyone bears testimony more frequently.

We've gotten to hear from Grandpa more in the past two months than we have ever before!  He has shared stories of his mission, testified of the truthfulness and importance of the book of Mormon in his life, and shared comments during Sunday School.  I hope my kids remember this time with him!

Sam caught me trying to take a photograph of our Sunday School meeting one day, and being the hoser that he is, did his very best to thwart every effort.  

He was almost successful.

I really love and admire the way John has continued to make the sabbath a special day. 

The temptation to show up in jammies and bring chips and salsa to class is real, but this guy won't let our Sunday mornings be anything but what they should be.  

It's why I married him.

Perhaps my old self somehow knew that one day I would rely on this man to see us through a new and unfamiliar situation.   

He's kinda done an amazing job at it.

There are lots of things we haven't loved since COVID shut the world down, but home church?  

Well, it's not been bad at all! ;)

The Birds of Spring

Oh, this spring was good to us. 

It was slow. 

 It took its time coming and gave us lots of time to enjoy.

It was full of wildflowers, and evening drives and birds, many of which we'd never seen before.

We watched Hawks and Eagles and Ducks, and Geese and noticed their beauty in a new way.  I think it is because we had nowhere to go or be.  With athletic games, youth activities, school, and meetings of every kind canceled - we were gifted with the only thing needed to really enjoy spring ...TIME!

It's AMAZING what you notice when actually paying attention!

We were also lucky to find an American Bittern, a Blue Heron, Mountain Bluebirds, the most beautiful Tanagers, and Sandhill Cranes.  

Slowing down and making time to watch the birds is good for the soul.

North Drywood Falls

With COVID keeping us inside for much of the week, John and I resolved to find a new neck of the southern Alberta woods to enjoy.  A friend from work recommended a hike near Pincher Creek and I am sure glad we took her advice.   

After a very, very inactive February- April (literally spent in a recliner) I wasn't sure if I would be able to physically do a hike, but this 8km round trip stroll along an old service road proved to be the perfect length and level of difficulty to keep everyone in my family happy.  

I think this mountain chickadee just may have been the CUTEST thing I'd seen all week.  It was SO small, but its song could be heard from quite a ways off. 

I honestly think my kids get along better once we get them out of the house, away from phones, and back into the fresh air.   Go figure!

This was titled the North Drywood falls because after an hour and a half of walking, this is where you end up - at the beautiful North Drywood falls!

Of course, John and the kids had to pull over for a bit and try fishing at the nearby Butcher Lake.  

Unfortunately by the time we finished the hike, a cold rain had started to fall reminding us that none of us were prepared for changing mountain weather.  How have we not learned this lesson yet?!

They all fished with socks on their hands until they could stand the cold any more.  

We drove home with the heater blasting, had warm soup for supper, and took naps that were much longer than they should have been.  

This first hike of the season sure tuckered us all out, but it was a lovely one to enjoy!

The place to go when there's nowhere else to go

One of the silver linings of this COVID pandemic/isolation is that we have been forced to explore some of the more local areas, places we've perhaps overlooked for far too long.   When you live in an equal distance from two National Parks it is easy to forget about all the beautiful areas that exist in between - one of those places being Police Lake.   

We've been to police lake before, but this spring (after being cooped up inside for months) we enjoyed it with new eyes and a deeper appreciation for all living things.

For a good week or so, Jessica and I drove out here weekly in search of birds, because apparently, this is where ALL the birds come to play.     

We've heard tales of large trout being in this lake and we've seen a couple pretty good size trout, but so far John and the kids have not managed to trick one onto their lure. 

While they fish, Abby and I lounge around, read and snack on whatever food I may have had the foresight to bring out with us.  

We'd stay out until the sun had almost gone down completely, which is my absolute favorite time of the day.  Everything stills, almost stops, until all you can hear is the quiet lapping of the water as it meats the shore or the distant sound of a bird call as it drifts across the lake.  

And really, listening to the sound of a Loon or an American bittern - is not a bad way to end a day.  

Not at all.  

May...Marvelous May

After a grueling and trying few months trying to recover from my surgery, May marked the beginning of real improvement.   With each day of improvement, came warmer temps, added sunshine, and opportunities to enjoy the kids just a little bit more.  Some of the highlights from this past month:

The kids are still loving the trampoline and have grown quite creative in the games they play on it.  

With all of his newfound time, Nate has taken up baking.   I think he has realized that so long as he is baking, I won't nag him to do any school work.   (I know a good thing when I see it;). He's gotten so good, I don't even have to be in the kitchen to walk him through things anymore.   You just throw a recipe at him and watch him go!   He's actually started his own cooking show titled "High pants cooking."    So far his youtube channel has featured him demonstrating how to make crepes, cookies, and his most famous chocolate brownies - all while wearing his hiked up high pants. 

 Why the high pants?  Who knows!

His culinary explorations have even taken him to the BBQ as he is now the one John calls when he needs an extra set of hands at the grill.  

Don't let this fool you, Sam has NOT taken to baking in the kitchen.  He did find this one egg in our fridge though that would NOT crack.   For some reason (heaven knows why) he wanted to throw some eggs off our deck into Sunset Park and for some reason, I said he could (heaven knows why.)

For some reason though (I know what you're thinking) this darn egg would NOT break.  Sam chucked it hard, the egg went far into the field that our house backs on to, it landed just below a maple tree and honest to goodness - did not break.   

We thought this was the strangest thing.  Sam ran out and got the egg, determined to try again and low and behold it survived another long-distance throw!   Truth be told, it wasn't until Jessica ran out to retrieve it, but accidentally let it fall from her hand that it finally broke.   

Eggs are weird.  

So are my kids.

April and May consisted of many many trips to Calgary to see specialists and surgeons.   I felt grateful when I was finally able to make the drive myself.   I LOVE driving in rainy weather and on this particular day, leaving the Calgary sunshine behind and driving home into a sweet little storm made me happy. 

Mother's Day rocked. 

Lazy morning.  Church at home.  A plant from a ward deacon delivered to my front door.  A homemade banner from Jessica.  Yummy food.  Evening walks.   Presents.   

What else is needed. 

May brought us our first can cooker dinner of the summer!   

I love throwing everything from my fridge into this baby and letting everything stew and steam outside, while my kitchen stays nice and cool ...and clean;)

Top this with shredded cheese and ranch dressing and it just might be our favorite summer meal.  

Speaking of meals - our dinner table has been a lot more interesting since COVID came into our lives.   Nate's been known to show up in costume, which always makes for more exciting conversations at the table.   (I suspect the isolation is getting to him;)

We drove out to the Beazer cemetery one evening and were delighted to find a field full of crocuses, shooting stars and more.  Both Jessica and Abby instinctively hit their knees to photograph and smell the flowers and maybe pick a few too.

Sigh...May was good for us.  

A restorative, feel good, gift of a month!