As May begins

We are just over here enjoying the realities of spring!

Long walks, sunny days, warmer temperatures, the opening of roads in Waterton and the emergence of wildflowers. Sigh.... it has been too long. 

Nate has been doing a great job at Dairy Queen.

He was taught how to scan receipts to claim points that go towards future food. 

Silly boy is trying to milk the system by hanging on to any receipt that customers don't want. haha

Apparently he has acquired enough points to buy himself a large ice cream cake, which he will need, one of these future summer days. 

Easter Break

Holidays are strange without the older kids. I worried that Easter would be a challenging time for Nate and Jess. Though it was difficult, we found a way to enjoy the day and we even made a new tradition. 

1: This year, the Easter Bunny (aka ME) filled a bunch of plastic eggs with money and hit them around the house. (Loonies, toonies, 5s, 10s, and 20s were placed into eggs. In the giant egg, Nate and Jess both got a treat and a note that stated that their was $120 for the finding. This actually turned out really well. It was so nice to not have to buy a bunch of sugar and it was oddly enjoyable watching Nate and Jess clamour through the house, each wanting to find more cash than the other. By the end of the day, they had found every eg, but one, which happened to contain two $20 bills. It was driving them crazy, which I found quite thriling. This was definitely a thing we want to repeat next year. 

We also got to hear from our missionaries and enjoyed an Easter dinner with Trevor and Mandy Butler's family. 

Easter Sunday was only the start of our partying, however, as we got to enjoy a week long break immediately after. We planned an impromptu getaway to Invermere to enjoy the Radium Hot springs, Windemere Lake and more. Despite the fact that Nathan had a flu for a large chunk of that time, we all had a blast! We had such a "devil may care" attitude about this trip, we even let Jess invite her boyfriend. The more the merrier!

We drove the long way there so that we could show Grayson the secret "Heart Creek Bunker."

The condo that we stayed at, on Lake Windermere, was the perfect place. At night we would play games or watch movies. During the day, we went paddle boarding, explored, and ate yummy food. I LOVED getting to see new spaces and spending time with the family. 

I am convinced that we need to make "getting away" a priority in life!

 

Random Marchness

March was ALL about basketball. Here are some recaps:

Nate was coached by his uncle Kendall. We always have a fun time watching these boys play together. They been friends and teammates for several years.

Jessica played against LCI on their Senior's Night. It is always fun because Jess and one of their players (Nyla B) have developed a friendship. On this particular night, the clippers beat the cougars, but its nice they can still be friends. 

Jessica made me laugh so hard one day, after she told me about her grand efforts to arm herself for her an evening in Lethbridge. Her antics did not pay off however, as most of those things fell out of her pant leg before she could use them. Poor girl was not only caught unprepared, she had to accept the reality that she was likely dropping them in sporadic places where anyone could have noticed. (Good try, kid!) 

During my Mountain View practicum I got to enjoy the occasional visit from local farmyard animals. One day the bunny group brought in the newest batch of bunnies for us to hold. On another day, while being examined by my supervisor, the classroom door creaked open and in ran a little lamb. Where does that even happen?! Mountain View School, that's where.

 March marked the first month of my last practicum ever!

Let's return to some basketball talk, shall we? 

Jessica was thrilled to get to play in the League AllStar tournament, hosted (this year) by Raymond.  Two players from CHS were chosen, by other schools coaches, to join one of the all-star teams. It wasn't Jessica's best night as far as plays go, but she laughed a lot, had fun with the other girls she'd played against all season long, and enjoyed the game. I love her attitude. 

Nate was an awesome cheerleader that night. I mean, I didn't want to sit close to him or anything, but I was proud that he was willing to be so vocal about his support;) 

It was a fun month, supporting those I love!

 

The BUZZ around here

This post is all about Nate!

He spent several months (since Sam left for his mission) working out at the gym, doing his best to "get those gains" like his big brother taught him. Nate's strength and stamina definitely improved. Throw in his long hair, and this kid was looking and acting much older than my 14 year old baby boy. 

It was scaring me!

So when he told me that a bunch of his friends were going to come over for a party, and that they were maybe going to cut his hair, I had absolutely no objections.

That evening, while watching a movie in our room, we tried to ignore the screams and shouts that were coming from the basement. Obviously t here was some haircutting happening, we just couldn't tell if it was going well or not. All of the sudden, we heard a knock at the door and a whisper frm the other side. "Bishop Hardy...can you come fix Nate?"

We laughed so hard as Nate emerged from the bathroom, hair hacked off, all his friends freaking out.  What a scene!  John was able to clean it up a bit and Nate seems to be relatively okay with the new look. Will he ever do it again?  I don't know. Was it worth the laughs? I think he would say, "Absolutely."

Nate has competed on the archery team for a few years now. This past March, he travelled to Edmonton for Provincials. Jess and John drove him up and watched him compete. He didn't get his best scores (perhaps his power was in his hair) but he had a great time!

                          

Family Day Week

Family Day is one of my most loved holidays as it usually kicks off a week long break from school. 

Part way through February, with spring on the horizon, I'm usually feeling antsy and ready for some down time. This year was no exception. 

With just Jess and Nate at home, I tried to be extra intentional about how we spent this time. We weren't travelling anywhere exotic, which is always a hard pill to swallow, so the challenge was to find a way to still make it a great break for the kids. 

There are only so many walks along the Beazer road that we can do. Somehow, Jess acts like she loves it, every time. 

We had the Sister Missionaries over for dinner, one evening. I'm trying to be better at having the missionaries over, as that is exactly what I am hoping others are doing for my kids. 

This was actually a really lovely evening. 

Jess turned 17 during the break and I desperately wanted to make it a momentous event, so part way through the week, we planned an impromptu road trip to Kalispell. The goal - birthday dinner at HuHot! 

Of course, we went early enough to -

....do a little bit of shopping....

...have lunch at Chic Filet...

...shop some more...

and finally, gather for our celebratory supper at Jess' favorite American restaurant. 

This moment was to be the climax of our trip, the piece de resistance, our very reason for travelling down here. Imagine my dissapointment, when after spending the day waiting...WAITING for this moment, we arrived at HuHot to learn that they were closed for the day, due to unforeseen circumstances. 

WHAT?!!!!

If I had been in a better frame of mind, we would have just found the next best place to go eat and continued celebrating. Instead, I cried, while the family took a vote. Everyone was tired and bored, and a little bit deflated about all that Kalispell did not have to offer us that week, so the choice was made to just head home, which we did. We got back to town around 8:00 pm, got Ming's take-out and watched a movie.  

How's that for an epic birthday celebration? 

A few days later, Jess received this package from Sam, which made up for my lack-luster efforts.

 She'd been missing her older siblings a ton, so it was the perfect birthday week surprise. 

I started the year determined to accomplish the Iron Bear Challenge, which requires that you hike Bears Hump (in Waterton) every month of the year. I set my heart on this, because there was nothing I wanted more than to be able to wear the T-shirt that is awarded only to successful hikers. 

It was an icy hike up, which made for slippery ride down, but the view at the top was stunning.

 It was no trip to Mexico, but overall, I feel satisfied that we tried our best to enjoy this time off together. 

Let the countdown to summer begin!

Letter to Sora and Elder Hardy

 Sora Hardy and Elder Hardy- it's been an entertaining week, to say the least. I'll try to update you quickly because I know that your time matters:

Dad- continues to balance work/bishop life remarkably well. It is almost as though God has been building his stamina and preparing him for this very time in his life. The Bible phrase "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14) comes to me often when I think of Dad. 

Jessica- came down with the flu from "H-E-Double Hockey Sticks" this week. I don't think I have ever seen one of you as weak as she was. I woke up around 3:30 am on Tuesday am to the sound of her puking, only to find out that she'd already puked 16 times before that. It was so bad that she'd moved a pillow and blanket into the bathtub and tried to sleep there. Around 6 am she tried going downstairs and literally couldn't make it. She passed out, right there on one of the middle steps, eventually coming to and moving back up to my bed. It was hard to watch her be so unwell. She tried her best to recover during the week and on Thursday she left for a 3-day tournament (Western Canada) in Calgary. They lost their games on Thursday and Friday thankfully, the girls won their last match AND Jess got "Player of the Game," so ...her week ended better than it started!  

Nate-  This guy cracks me up. He joined the Junior High this past week on a ski trip. I'm amazed at how you all can go months and years without skiing and then just go pick it up like it's no big deal. Sam, you would be proud of how diligent he is with his working out. He hates missing a day and has yet to be thrown out of the Blue & White Fitness Center. So far, so good. He had a party here last night (Friday night) and within minutes of everyone arriving, they had the razor out and were taking turns BUZZING Nate's head! John and I were up in our room, watching a movie, when a bunch of Nate's friends came knocking on the door asking us to come fix him. He no longer looks like Flynn Rider, and instead resembles a cross between Zac Low & Ryan Zemp. I actually think it looks really good! Nate and I got up at 5 am this morning and went to Calgary to watch Jessica's final game. (Nate drove the whole time!) It was cute to see Jess smile when we walked into the gym. She and her teammates were just really digging Nate's cut.

Me- I turned in my LAST assignment and attended my last Zoom class EVER this week. It was thrilling to consider that 4.5 years of assignments have come to an end. The only thing I have left to do is an 8-week practicum. Still a challenge that scares me, but it felt good to see an end in sight. 

Other News-

-Lucy Nunn's farewell is tomorrow. Nate, Jess, and I will attend their meeting to hear her speak, and then they invited us to stay for the luncheon. 

-We are also cooking up a storm, prepping a lot of food to take to the Stevens' to eat while watching the Superbowl. Basically, we will all be 10 pounds heavier when we talk with you next. 

- I am getting ready to FILE taxes! (One of my favorite times of the year!) Hopefully, your T4 slips all make it here. Abby- It may help if you message your former roomies and ask them to bring any of your mail to me!

-Radar and I have been enjoying the progress that Blackcard Construction is making on the new condos they are building in town. You will be happy to know that Radar's hair is thankfully growing back!

Okay, this letter ran long. I hope you were able to read it all! Tell me if you want me to go back to the old method of weekly updates. 

We love you so much. We think of you several times throughout every day. We pray for you morning and night, and every time we eat - (AKA...constantly!) We are SO proud of you and SO thankful for all that you teach us!

Here if you need me, 

Mom 

Letter to My Missionaries

Sora Hardy and Elder Hardy,

I hope that you both are well. It has been an interesting week here as Dad and Jess started a new semester. They've both got full loads this time around, but thankfully there are many extensive breaks this term that will hopefully soften the blow. 

I don't know if we experiencing side effects of El Nino or Global Warming, but it has been unseasonably warm and dry. Aside from the week of -40 degrees we had recently, it has been a mild winter. This past week, Nate broke out the moped and started taking that to and from school. Who drives a moped in February? It's been good for him to be able to use it. Radar has been in heaven, getting to go on longer walks and enjoying all the muddy places. Birds are out and flowers are budding out of the unfrozen ground. No joke. Last week we had a day when it was 15 degrees and people were wearing T-shirts and shorts. You would think it was spring already! It's a little concerning actually as water tables are low and everybody worries that farmers and ranchers won't have enough moisture when they need it this spring and summer. It rained all day today and another winter storm is supposed to roll through tonight, so hopefully that helps. 

Dad performed his first civil marriage today. He was a little bit excited about that and did a phenomenal job!

Jessica had a tournament in Calgary this weekend and brought home the Tournament MVP award. (Yay, Jess!) On Wednesday, there was no school so Jessica and I headed out to Waterton. The Kilmorey Lodge has introduced a year-long challenge called "The IronBear Challenge." Those who join the challenge have to climb Bear's Hump every month for 12 months and post pictures on the Kilmorey Facebook page as proof. Once you have completed your 12 consecutive hikes- you get a T-shirt. Jess and I are all in and hiked Month #1 on the last day of January. After the hike, Jess took an unintentional dip in Emerald Bay, which we will gracefully call "another polar dip." Even in Waterton, the snow levels are low and the grass is turning green. 

I'll sign off now and leave you a few pictures. We think of you both every day. I know you hear me say that often, but we do. I am teaching Nate's Sunday School class tomorrow and we will be discussing 1 Nephi 16-18. It's past midnight (Jess is late again) and here I am crying as I read about Nephi and the challenges that he faced as he and his family obeyed the Lord. I know that our lives are full of hard feelings and hard moments, but God has promised to help us and guide us and He always keeps His promises. (1 Nephi 17:13).  WE LOVE YOU!!!  

Here if you need me,

Mom

 

Pranks, Allowance, and more

This past week has brought final exams for Jessica. She has set up shop at our kitchen table, that is now covered in stacks and piles of study notes. It’s okay though, we have grown accustomed to eating on the floor.

Grayson has joined her for a few study sessions this week. They obviously squeeze in a moment to take care of Nathan’s room. They are a thoughtful couple.

Nate is broke. He has a balance of $4 in his account and most places don’t seem to be hiring right now. Jessica snapped this first picture during our most recent heart to heart, which involved Nate making all sorts of promises for an allowance of $75. (haha) He’s on the brink of new independence. All he needs is a job and good weather for moped driving. 

Vivian was baptized yesterday. It was a great service. Dad officiated, which was sweet. It’s moments like this when the absence of Abby and Sam is especially noticed but it was still nice to be together.

After the baptism, Jess and Nate rushed into Lethbridge for an afternoon of shopping (hence the cash advance) and came home with supplies for Jessica’s fish tank and a gift for Lexi Shaw. Sigh…

I met up with a former student, this past week and took her out for lunch. I worked with Raquel five years ago and it was her (and a group of six others) who made me want to go back to school to become a teacher. It was really fun to catch up with her and hear how she is doing and see how she has grown and changed.