Sigh....

Here we go...

It is hard to believe that summer is over.  

When I look through my journal, I feel so grateful for each experience we had, however overall - 

this summer was just really really hard.   For the first time ever in the history of Septembers, I am mostly OK with school starting.

...Except for when I consider how fast my kids are growing!  (Then I've got issues;)

My baby (Nate) is now in grade 3, and is the lone one in our family at the Elementary School.

He has expressed some anxiety about this over the past few weeks, which means that I have experienced some anxiety about this too.  (When the kids are nervous- mama's nervous.  That's a fact)

Jess is a brand new Junior High girl and assures me she is ready for this.  (Glad one of us is;)

She bravely decided to run for Grade 6 Girls rep, and won by acclamation a landslide.  Haha . 

On Friday night Jess learned that several of her friends had a "start of Junior High" party which she was sadly out of the loop about.   Ouch!   One week into Junior High and it already feels rough.  

Her and I went for a walk that evening and talked about how ok it is to feel like we are missing out, but how not ok it is to expect to always be included.   We devised a plan that involves her working hard to be a friend to everyone (widening her village as much as she can) and she took that one step further:  Jess decided that every time she feels left out, she is going to look for a lonely student and make them feel welcomed.   Gasp!  I can't help but feel a little bit more certain that this girl is ready for this.   Yes, she is going to be just fine.  

Sam is king of the castle (at least his own little castle) as a grade 8 student at the Junior High.   Sam has so much personality and everything needed to be a really kick butt human being.  He ran for student body President this past week, and won.   I was really proud of him for sticking it out through the election and putting himself out there.  I hope that he has the confidence to be a kind and willing leader this year.    I really like this kid.   I pray for him - a lot, and he kinda drives me insane at times, but... I really like him.

Abby is starting her last three years.  As a grade 10 student she has lots of hope of getting a vehicle, scholarships, and a job.   She's highly motivated and (if she can stay away from Netflix) I really think she has a chance of getting earning at least a couple of the above.  

John is back at it this year, and started off running.   The only difference for John though is that he is coaching girls JV volleyball instead of boys Varsity ball.   That is a major change for him, but one that enables him to watch/coach Abby.  

And then there is me.   This post could have done without this photo, but John was sweet enough to include me as a "back to school" family member.    I am returning as an Educational Assistant this year AND have begun plugging away on my first University class EVER!   I'm mildly afraid that I won't be able to find time to work on anything.  When I get stressed, I procrastinate, and I have discovered that Netflix is certainly my downfall.  

Welp.  Here we go!

Smoky Mountains - and all its irony

A year ago, almost to the day, a wildfire (Kenow Beast) raged through Waterton Park, changing it forever.   It has been a beautiful and fascinating twelve months as we have watched this park that we love recover.   Ironically - this past spring and early summer was one of the most BEAUTIFUL I have ever seen.   The scorched earth presented the most vibrant and abundant wildflowers.  

It was spectacular!   

This past Friday after surviving the first week of school, we grabbed Max and headed out for dinner out in the fresh mountain air.   The nearer we got to the town site however, the more apparent it became that the air would be anything but fresh.   

Thick, billowing clouds of smoke were funnelling into the sky from somewhere beyond Bertha Lake.

Naturally we had to stop in at Wieners of Waterton to get the scoop.  (And a couple of baskets of sweet potato fries too;)

As it turned out last weeks Boundary Bay fire had flared up again and made a lot of ground.  Though the town site itself is not currently at any risk, the fire was now officially in Waterton park boundary.

It felt a little bit like Deja Vu as we watched park employees drive throughout the town site clearly occupied with planning and contingencies.    

Luckily, unlike last year, this fire is relatively contained.   Despite the smoke filled skies and busy parks employees, there is reassurance in knowing that this flare up will be able to be controlled and put out.   

Let's hope that is sooner than later!

A really corny day

Once a year we help Grandpa harvest his corn.   

The kids all help husk, we have competitions to see who can find the most unusual cob, we bask in the beauty of Grandpas back yard, and Nate hides in an apple tree

Same thing.  Year after year.

(We had two extra "helpers" this year because cousins Marilyn and Blythe are staying with us.

Here's hoping they loved the experience as much as I told them they would;) 

Part way through the process the younger kids got a little restless and I sent them to the park down the street with Jessica, only to have them return a minute or two later with a teeny little bird.   It had flown into a school window and appeared injured/unable to fly.   It was the cutest little thing!   

After some online inquiry we found out that it was a Wilson Warbler, probably migrating south.

After an hour or so, but long before John and I had to contemplate the idea of a bird for pet it lifted it's spectacularly colored wings and took off.  I'm not sure if Jess was disappointed she'd lost her chance to have it forever, or in awe of its beauty and new found health.   

Thanks for gracing us with your beauty little bird.

In AWE of August

August brought some very fun experiences, a few of which will get just the briefest highlight below:

Naamtok:

Due to a scheduled appointment in the city, we were able to stop by Chad and Heathers house, which also means we were able to enjoy "the BEST meal ever known to mankind."   Naamtok!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I am in awe of the flavor in this dish, and in Heather's willingness to make it for us. 

It is seriously yummy x100.

Bat watching:

There was one impromptu evening in Waterton when we connected with Jewel's family.  The kids paddle boarded, ate s'mores, and told stories until the sun went down, thus giving stage for the Bats! 

We watched in awe as 20-30 bats began swooping down from the forest trees, over our heads to drink from the lake and catch insects.   They were everywhere!!!    Pretty darn cool!

I was absolutely in Awe of the hutterites this month.   John and I went out to pick up cucumbers for pickling and were so impressed with the system and community that exists out there.  They are crazy hard workers and always provide me with the veggies I need each year.   #50poundsofcukes

I am still in awe of the fact that John allowed our kids to babysit Chad's dog Orco.   We are a no pet family, despite all of our kids' begging and pleading.   It was kinda nice to have this little pooch wondering around though, and I am proud to admit that Orco liked ME bestest of all!

I am in awe of my kids and how capable and able they are.  (At least when forced to be;)

John and I have grown tired of Nathan's picky eating habits and have decided that we need to involve him in our dinner prep.  This past Sunday Jessica made the meatloaf and Nate made the baked potatoes.   Cha Ching!!

I found out this past week what mark I got on the Math Diploma exam that I wrote a few weeks back, and Awe of Awes (is that a phrase?) I got 80%!!!  I am not going to lie- I am 50% relieved and 100% shocked!  haha.   It is so nice to have that Math class finished and out of the way.  

Now- on to English and Psycology.   My English textbooks arrived in the mail this week.

Gulp!

Girls Camp

  This past week, Abby and I got to attend our annual girls camp.    We held the camp at nearby Badger Valley thanks to the fact that our Young Women's President married into the owners' family.   Our Pres had chosen the theme "I can do hard things," and we celebrated that theme by doing very little!  

We ate, visited, went on walks, did crafts, played in Waterton lake, and went horseback riding. 

(These are four of my Beehives, who happen to be four of the sweetest girls you will ever meet.) 

Definitely a fun way to spend a few days!!

Birds of Prey

We have talked of visiting the Birds of Prey center in Lethbridge for a couple of years now.  Yesterday we decided it was time to go, and I am so glad we did.  

Kestrels, Hawks, Ducks, Eagles and Owls make for a very fascinating day!

It's BEAN nice

109 pounds of BEANS!

Need I say more?

On top of ol' Smokey

We arrived back late Friday night from a camping trip in Banff.  

My family LOVES camping together.  We.Love.it.  This was a week we had been looking forward to for a long time, so much so that I think I forgot to consider the amount of work it takes to actually get there.  I swear it is worth the work though;)

We left for our trip early Tuesday morning as I had an appointment to get to in Calgary first and so we decided to have our lunch in Calgary.   We sort of stumbled across Bowness park and had a blast picnicking and watching the ducks.  (We want to come back now in the winter time!)

We arrived in Banff Tuesday afternoon and immediately felt right at home in lot D43.  John sure knows how to set up a lovely little campsite.   A hammock... welcome mat in front of the tent....even a badminton net.    We want for nothing when we camp! 

Sam turned 14 while we were camping.  We celebrated by making him stir the taco meat;)

Nate was SO excited to gift Sam with a blue Gatorade with a label that said POOP on it (simple minds.  haha;) and we tried our best to help this boy know how loved and adored he is in our family.

We explored the shops in the town site, played games and dined on Caramel Apples!

On Wednesday morning we forced  coaxed the kids out of bed at 6:00 in the blessed morning so that we could drive to Lake Louise and beat the crowds.  I had high hopes of getting to the famous Morraine Lake this year, but knew it would require an early morning.   

Apparently it required an even earlier morning as by the time we got to the turn off for the Lake, we were being directed on by Parks Canada (darn them!) as they were not allowing anymore people into the Morraine parking lot.   Grrr......

So- we settled for enjoying a cold/smoky/early morning glance at Lake Louise and then hopped back in the van to head back to Banff.   I'm pretty sure my kids thought this was all so very worth it.

(sarcasm intended;)

There are many forest fires burning in BC right now, and as a result, much of Alberta is blanketed in smoke right now.  

We stumbled across this little gem in the Rockies - Herbert Lake and seized the impromptu opportunity to pull out our paddle boards.

By Tuesday evening, John's friend Terry (and his family) had joined us as we have grown accustomed to camping together each summer.   It is always fun to get to see them and explore places as a group.   

We hiked/strolled up to Johnston's Canyon.  (Always a favorite, even if it is so "ridiculously, jam packed, crazy swarming with people.")

A highlight for the kids was paddle boarding at Two Jack lake.   I think they all enjoyed doing this more than anything else, and I was happy to sit on the shore and watch them while visiting with Shauna.   

Does this set of photos require an explanation?   I have none.

We took the kids to the Hot springs for the first time ever, took pictures at Bow River falls, and explored the beautiful Banff Springs Hotel before saying goodbye to the Salmons and parting ways.  

(They are such a nice family!)

 Once back in Calgary we stopped at the Canada Olympic Park (COP) so the kids could look around and then drove up to the airport for a bit to watch the planes fly in and leave.  

The drive home was a quiet one, all of us no doubt exhausted and cranky from sleep deprivation reflecting on the family moments that had meant the most to us this week.   

We were definitely ready to be home again.

Heritage days

Oh man it is a blessing living in a small town.

Our little hometown has come under fire this past week (and made national news) due to complaints of racism that have received far too much attention.   It's not that I don't think racism exists because I know for a fact that it does.   I do however feel as though the tactic of placing blame and pointing fingers is only adding to the divisive feelings that exist.   I wish more time was spent CELEBRATING the KINDNESS that exists here too.  

Jessica made our way down to the annual Pow Wow this past week and I am so glad we did, as it truly was an evening in which community members came together to celebrate a really beautiful culture.  

Heritage week brings with it the mud bog, ranchers rodeo, pancake breakfasts, fireworks AND the local parade.   We tried to enjoy as much of the above as possible!!

We can't watch a parade without drawing poop circles on the road.   (If a parade horse poops in your circle - you win!)   Nate one the prize this year with his lucky circle.

It is weeks like this that make me happy to live in a small town. 

No one can convince me I am not blessed to be here!

Zoo Zoo Zoo...

I had a scheduled Rhuematology appointment just two days after our epic family reunion, and conveniently (since deciding to return to university) I also had a Diploma Math exam to write the following day as well.   Seeing as we would be in Calgary for two days, we decided to make a little family trip of it, and do some things with the kids that we wouldn't normally do.   

First of all, we had a picnic lunch with my folks.  

Well, I mean, not with with them, but at their resting place.   We've only brought the kids here a couple of times before and it was nice to see them interested in hearing stories of my Mom and Dad.   

We spent an afternoon at the zoo.   

It was a hot HOT day, but we braved the heat and enjoyed visiting some of our favorites.

(Hippos, Penguins and Panda bears topped our lists for #1.)

The kids did back to school shopping with John while I wrote my Math 30 Diploma test at SAIT.  

It was pretty darn intense (I guess they do have to make sure we aren't cheating or anything) and I am not too sure how well I did on it, but it is done!    I'd spent literally hours a day for a couple of weeks trying to learn this course as best as I could.   I am crossing my fingers and hoping that that hard work reflects in my grade.   I'm also hoping to handle the disappointment gracefully if the mark is a poor one.   Sigh...I sure wish I was smarter;)

2018 Family Reunion - Pine Valley

John's siblings (Rachel and Jordan) and their spouses were in charge of planning the 2018 family reunion.   What an event it was!    

I'll admit, my family was feeling a little apprehensive of the location (just 20 minutes from notoriously hot hot HOT St. George Utah) but this not-so- little Pine Valley Lodge was the perfect spot for a family to gather!

I loved trying to wake up before anybody else each morning.  It gave me a chance to enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of the morning.   FYI, watching the sunrise over a desert landscape while listening to the far off mooing of grazing cattle, and the nearby buzzing of hungry humming birds - is a pretty dreamy way to start a day.   Just saying.

Our reunion organizers approached the reunion in a fun way. 
They designated a major holiday to each day of our stay together, and we spent the day celebrating in ways that this family traditionally did growing up.  (ie: steak and seafood dinner on Christmas Eve, breakfast pizza on Christmas Day, etc)

Of course it wouldn't be a reunion without fun and games.   Christmas Day included the much loved "Family Auction", poker with Uncle Brent, Christmas Tree (cone) decorating contest, and the always enjoyable family photo session.  

New Years Day took us to Zion National Park.  

My little family was a little overwhelmed by the HEAT (41 degrees!) but they powered through it and spent the day doing small hikes in the park and playing in the muddy, but slightly cooler creek that cut through the red rock.  

There was one day in which we celebrate every ones birthdays.  

We went into St. George and let the kids swim at a fun pool, the Dad's all helped kids build and launch rockets, and we continued to enjoy the evening routine of games and watching family TED talks.

Halloween brought us the traditional family reunion carnival.   Thankfully we were able to use a nearby church for this, which meant we did not have to go out in the heat.  

Uncle Aaron through a fun and intense curve ball when he put $1000 on the table as an award for whichever family one his Curling Tournament.   Now he really knows how to inspire a group to try their hardest!    John and I (Italy) didn't win, as the prize went to the Finnish family, but it was fun to watch.

My family were able to feel consoled when we won Jordan's carnival challenge, which required that each family devise a way to pop our designated balloon using the tools and supplies provided by Jordan.  It was really cool to watch families focus on the challenge and work together.   

Us Moms ducked out early so we could enjoy our favorite evening out together.  

We missed Sarah H this night (darn flu!) but enjoyed the fancy restaurant and conversation.  

Our plan was to enjoy CINDERELLA at the Tuacahn Theatre.   I think I was looking forward to this more than anything else.  Unfortunately, as soon as we took our seats, it began to rain.  (Pour!)  We sat there in the rain for a bit hoping for the storm to pass, but ultimately the show was cancelled on account of the weather.  Boo!!!

Easter brought us a fun competition of Egg Jousting, a yummy Ham dinner, and (after a bit of Math Practice with Brent) a trip to Snow Canyon.

(Studying for my upcoming Diploma Exam.  Brent trying to prove that he could do better at it than I, which was probably true;)

I LOVED Snow Canyon!

I liked that the hikes we did were always short (way hot!) and I really liked how fascinating the terrain was.  

Really really a beautiful time with the kids!

Our reunion organizers made sure we had lots of time for visiting, evening reminiscing, and games!

(Family Feud, The Newlywed Game, and some Family history fun.)

Thanksgiving Day was a sweet day for me.  

It had been arranged for our family to go to a St.George nursing home to put on a musical concert.  (In honor of Marilyn's past music recitals)   It was very sweet to watch the family gather and share their love of music with each other.   

John shared a song he had composed (inspired by his Mom) and titled "Soaring." 

It was lovely.

We took a detour for a bit down into the Arizona desert where we foraged for Utah Ice.  It was a whole new level of HOT for my family, but really really fascinating!

My kids enjoyed their first ever dining experience a the Golden Corral.   (The whole "Buffet" thing was pretty darn fun for them all;)

We spent some time that afternoon visiting the St.George Temple. 

I LOVED watching Sam and Abby do baptisms with some of their older cousins, and I am glad that I get to say that I have seen this beautiful temple.   

We all enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner that night before a couple of us families left.   

(The reunion was to officially end the next morning, but some of us needed to make a dent in our trip home.)    It was a nice day to leave after having celebrating all that we were thankful for.   

Most (if not all) would agree that we were so very blessed to get to have that week together.  To get to celebrate Max and Marilyn and their posterity, to strengthen, support, and learn from each other.  

A special week with a special group indeed!