Falcon Lake, Manitoba

In July we took off for Manitoba for our first week of holidays. We drove all the way to Winnipeg that first day and spent that night with our dear friends Martin & Darlene and their two little (well, not so little these days) Kepler and Theodore. We enjoyed a fun visit with them. Complete with a great meal, trains and toys for Liam to play with, late night visiting and late night Baked Expectation cheese cake. YUM! Thank you Darlene, my partner in chocolate and sugar crime!



We said goodbye to the Blumrich family the next day and drove about 2 hours to get to Falcon Lake which is just inside Whiteshell Provincial Park. We pulled up to the cabin and had fun reuniting with our friends Dan, Laura & Jaxon and Kyle & Kassy. We then spent the next seven days and six nights in a great spot. While the weather could have been hotter we had a great time reconnecting. There were lots of laughs, great food, theological discussions, fun games, beach time, did I mention food already... Each couple took care of two lunches and two suppers. Let's just say we ate well. It was hard to go back home where I did not have Laura and Kassy helping me come up with great meals. And let's not forget about Dan teaching us how to make bacon on the BBQ! It was a bit tiring as Libby and Jaxon decided they didn't want to keep up their usual schedules for sleeping. So, the living room became the early morning lounge area complete with toys and satellite TV featuring cartoons. The cabin was great. It was comfortable and was very spacious. We would definitely recommend it to others and go back again ourselves. We had a great time and it was very hard to say goodbye. It was a blessing to be with such great people that are usually very far away. Love you guys!

Here are some pictures from our time in Falcon Lake...

Kids and Traveling

I am so thankful that while we gallivanted around this summer from wedding to the lake to holidays the kids, overall traveled fairly well. Of course there were the inevitable moments when...

• I wished we had installed limo glass between the front and back seats before we left home. At the push of the button one can enjoy silence.
• You wished you had done a better job at explaining the correct way to hold a juice box...no, not the middle!
• You wish little sister would just give in and fall asleep already. Can you really blame her when she has a brother who just loves to make her laugh.
• You told your aunt you would arrive about two hours earlier the is actually humanly possible when you are going 100 km/hr down the highway instead of traveling in a leer jet.
• You take over driving to give your husband a break and within 5 minutes of take off everyone in the car is asleep. You end up feeling like Mack on Cars trying to stay awake. Once you've downed a few handfuls of M&Ms the quiet time is actually quite inviting.
• The happy and loud Libby decides she would like to grace everyone in the Applebees with her amazing voice. Soprano? At this point, I think maybe she might be one.
• Liam decides that he needs to sing a duet with his sister at said Applebees restaurant. With voice changing not for a few years he actually might still be a soprano too.
• Liam decides that he needs to go to pee...again. If you have never helped a little boy go pee on the side of the road you haven't really lived...it gets a lot more interesting when he needs to do more than pee but has trouble with the timing. This moment is not helped when mom (who finds this just too funny and thinks it's a good photo opportunity) gets out the camera. Tears then took place. Wrong move mom...the picture was deleted.
• You realize somewhere into song 15 of the Veggie Tales CD that you are singing along with talking vegetables and must look like an idiot not only to your children, your patient husband and the people occupying the cars passing you that already have a hard time sounding out "Saskatchewan". The obviously mentally challenged lady in the front seat is not helping improve their view of the neighbours to the north. What is it about the "Mysterious ways of the yodeling veterinarian of the Alps" that tickles my funny bone and makes me feel six again.

These are just some of the things that make family road trips an experience. Along with the crazy pull your hair out moments there are many good ones. Both Lindsay and I grew up taking trips just like these with our families. I remember good things and bad. Mostly good. Talk to my mom and dad and they have more than a few hilarious stories about the bad side of our vacations. God bless them for putting up with me...the etcha-sketch throwing brat and Brad, the "do you come with an off switch" boy. We endured the long road trips to Wisconsin and Lord willing we hope to make many of those trips ourselves with our kids. We have already had moments of real conversation with Liam and it's been so neat to hear a bit of his heart and mind. I think Brad would agree that some of our best conversations with our parents happened while we were driving. In a way I feel like I have been passed the traveling torch and now get to pass it onto my kids. Adventure, connection, and memories are ahead of us. Are we there yet? I hope not, I'm enjoying the ride too much.

I'm still here

While I am gearing up to start blogging more often again, I thought I would just get something quick on here so that the link on your blog to my own will no longer read the very embarrassing, "A.L.L.L. in the Family...a month ago." Yes, I know I have fallen off the wagon in the area of blogging. There really should be a support group for people like me. Every time I walk past my computer on the way to something else, I feel guilty. Not guilty enough to sit down and write something clever aside some cute pictures of my children. No, instead I walk by and let another day slip by. We'll tonight, right here, right now, it ends. I will get up, dust myself off and get back on that wagon. We'll see how long the trips lasts this time. My family will be grateful and if anyone is still out there and hasn't given up hope I do hope once in a while I can bring a smile to your face, encourage you, or just plain impress you with how cute our children are (now I have a smile on my face :). This is, no doubt going to be one of those posts that I read the next morning and think, "wow, it was just way too late when I sat down to write that." Oh, well, what are blogs for if not to ramble. Good night.

We've been busy...

Yes, we have been busy. Isn't that what I say during the school year too? I guess it goes for summer as well. Except this is a different kind of busy. Not as routine and usually involves long hours in the CRV with two kids. I shouldn't complain, Liam and Libby travel fairly well. They are like those clothes you get that are especially made with traveling in mind. You pull them out of your suitcase at the end of a long trip and you still want to wear them. We pull our kids out of the CRV after a long trip and we still love them to bits. Even though our ears may be ringing from Libby's shrill but happy shrieking and Liam's "are we there yet" questions. They are still able to produce smiles for those that we have traveled to see.

Two weekends ago we traveled to Tofield, AB to celebrate the wedding of our friends Andrew and Jenny.





We were also able to spend time with my aunt and uncle who live in Leduc, AB. We had a great visit with them both nights we stayed with them. We enjoyed some great food, great visiting and were also able to see my cousin, Janine.




While there were found out that their two sons, my cousins Jordan and Braden are biking across Canada this summer to see the sights and raise money for the Calgary Food Bank and possibly another organization called the Joshua Fund. Let me put a plug in here for them...their website is www.thederksenbrothers.com. It's something that I think would be very cool to do but I don't think I would be able to pull it off. I guess I will live through them. :)

For the last little while I've been singing to Liam before we say goodnight each night. His personal favourite is "Who Made the Mountains". My mom used to sing it to us when we were little so it has kind of stuck with us. Never underestimate the power of a 3 1/2 year old's memory. Here he is the other night singing it for me. I was so impressed. It's my prayer that someday it becomes more than a song for him as the words speak of a love and protection that only the Lord can give.

Libby found her laugh

Libby has been teasing us with her laugh for quite some time now but the other day Liam was able to really get it out of her. She hasn't really laughed like this since but we hope she lets it out more often because it is very cute.

Seven months old

Our little Libby is getting bigger every day. As I write this, she is a bit out of sorts. Grumpiness has been the theme of the later afternoon and evening. Maybe some more teeth?

Can I have a lizard?

At supper yesterday Liam was finishing up his meal and we were talking about going to DQ for a treat later in the evening. Liam had spent a lot of time the evening before working on his bicycle skills so we thought it would be appropriate to reward all that hard work...and use Mommy's gift card from her birthday. As the conversation trailed off into another Liam said, "Mom, Dad, can I have a lizard?" Thankfully the conversation had not trailed off into one about buying a reptile, Liam was just mispronouncing the treat he was hoping to have at DQ. Got to love the growing vocabulary of a 3 1/2 year old!

Golf Tournament, Family visits and Turning 30!

On June 7th I turned 30. 30 years ago that day, my mother went through agonizing pain to bring me into the world. 26 years ago I met my brother Brad for the first time. About 23 years ago my mom and dad were probably threatening that they "after bringing me into the world they could take me out of it" as I would have been smack dab in the middle of my brat years. 21 years ago I laid on my bed one night and asked Jesus to come and change me and save me from what I knew was not the good girl. 12 years ago I started dating this cute guy named Lindsay and a month later graduated from grade 12 with him at my side. 10 years ago I drove onto the Briercrest Bible College campus to start my freshmen year with fear and trepidation and during that year met one of my best friends, was part of a great Field Ed group and learned tons. 9 years ago I drove onto campus yet again for a second year filled with learning, growing, friends and incredible memories. Later that year I walked down the aisle of a church toward my best friend and we made promises to each other to live our lives together for the glory of God and to stick together through good times and bad. 8 years ago Lindsay and I drove onto the Nipawin Bible College campus so that Lindsay could finish the schooling he had started before we got married. 3 1/2 years ago we welcomed Liam into our world and six months ago we welcomed Libby into our world.

So much has happened since God "knit me in my mother's womb". The more I live this life...either on the mountain top or in the valley I know that the words of David's psalm are indeed true. " I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14.

Thank you Lord for giving me life. For allowing me to be loved by a family and friends and to care for and love a husband and children. Thank you for more than just this life but the life that you give that is full of hope and a promise. Thank you for your work in my life.

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So...about this birthday weekend...My Mom and Dad came up on the Thursday with Grandpa because Dad had a NBC Board meeting on the Friday. Mom and Dad Anderson came up on the Friday night with Chris, Sam and Isabella so that they could golf in the NBC Tournament on the Saturday. The kids and I got to visit with Sam, Isabella, Nanny and Grandpa on Saturday while the rest of the group golfed in (I wish I could say wonderful conditions but they all came back wet and cold). It was a very busy weekend but we had a lot of fun.

The day of my birthday we...my family along with the Fehrs and Driedgers all went on a houseboat cruise of the Saskatchewan River behind the campus. We enjoyed a BBQ lunch on the boat. A special treat was that Brad was able to come from Shell Lake for the day.





Libby hanging out with her cousin Isabella.


Chris, Sam & Isabella. It was so nice to spend time with them. Come again soon guys!

Field Trip Days

All year long Liam has been going to the library every Wednesday for Library Story Time. The moms take turns reading the stories and getting a craft together. At the end of the story time schedule the kids get to go on field trips. Liam was very excited to go to the Fire Department and then the EMS station...although you wouldn't know it from some of the pictures as he looks like he is in pain and might actually need the medical attention. ;)

Trying to capture the perfect scrapbook pic

I have a few pictures of Liam and I that I would like to reproduce with Libby. Us both lying down and lovingly looking into each others eyes. Libby and I tried last month. It might actually be a lot easier if my friends Alysun or Corrie were able to hold the camera and take the pictures for me. Maybe that will have to be part of a future photo shoot. For now, these will have to do...



Got to love the fact that I didn't wipe off the bit of puke on Libby's mouth. I decided to go organic with these pictures. :) Actually, this lovely little girl spits up so much it didn't even phase me that she had spit on her lip. She's getting better though...thankfully.

Enjoying the backyard, the fire pit and the company of friends

We have really enjoyed having a backyard and all the fun that comes with that. We have a fire pit that we love to use. There is just something peaceful about sitting around a camp fire. Must be all my good memories from youth camp. We also have a garden which is doing fairly good this year considering it feels like we are still experiencing early spring. We have a few fruit trees and a big raspberry bush. When the warm weather graces us with its presence we enjoy eating outside on the deck with our patio table and chairs we got last summer. And we can't forget the grass. There's lots of it and so far Lindsay still really likes taking care of it. Last weekend we had a work day around the house and we stopped for lunch with our friends Bryan and Lynda. It was so much fun to sit around, munching and visiting.



Libby getting ready for a nap.



You can sort of see my garden in the background of this picture. I was just putting the finishing touches on planting that day. Already there is a lot of green in the garden...not just plants...weeds too.



Liam hanging out with Uncle Bryan around the fire.

Hanging out in Regina

The last week in May Lindsay went down to Briercrest to take a seminary course as a part of his MA studies. With the campus only an hour away from Regina we took the opportunity to stop in and visit with our friends Craig and Jen. We value their friendship so much and it was so good to see them again. When we both lived in Saskatoon we spent a lot of together but now that we live apart it's harder to see each other. Thankfully, we are able to pick up right where we left off with them. Hanging out with them is a refreshing experience and similar to the "coming home" feeling. It was a short visit but we were able to do a lot...lunch and a walk at Wascana Lake, tour of the church where Craig works as Associate Pastor, watching some playoff hockey, enjoying some yummy enchiladas, attending church in the morning (with the kids in the nursery/children's church...I didn't know what to do with myself), and lunch at...you may have guess it if you know us...Kelseys! I didn't take a lot of pictures while we were there because I was too busy visiting but here are some highlights. Thank you Craig and Jen for the great visit! Love you.

"Mom...you can be Cranky"

These were the words that Liam spoke yesterday afternoon as he made his way from the playroom into the kitchen. I was sitting at the kitchen table and up to that point in the day had not been having the greatest attitude. It was one of those days. Grumpy and not really sure why.



You know it's not good when Liam says this and I don't immediately think of the Cranky toy from his Thomas the Tank Engine set, but instead think he might be picking up on my cranky attitude. When he went on to say that he would be Percy and Daddy could be Thomas, I understood what he was getting at. I got through the day and am thankful it is over. Today is going much better. I think a good night's sleep has something to do with it too. The nights before were filled with tears on Liam's part. He has been struggling with allergies/cold symptoms and it's been making for restless sleeps. Hopefully that will be done with soon.

Water

So far Liam and Libby love it. Liam has always loved baths and Libby seems to be following in his footsteps or splashes as the case may be. The other day Libby happened to have a exploding diaper at the same time Liam was in the tub so we decided to get her clean at the same time. Of course a photo shoot ensued.





A couple weeks ago Lindsay did some pulpit supply at a church in Melfort. We decided to make a day of it and take the kids swimming. This was Libby's first time in a big pool and we didn't have a swimming suit for her but don't fear...she was wearing swimmers. Since then I found a very cute swimming suit for her and we tried it on the other day. Very cute. Sorry I didn't think to get the camera out at the same time. That one will have to wait for another post.

If you like to talk to tomatoes...if a squash can make you smile...

When the kids and I were in the city last time my parents had to run off to kids club but not before we heard that it was Veggie Tale night. I love getting dressed up for stuff like this so why wouldn't everyone else...right?! My mom was in and my dad took a little more persuading but I think the finished product was great and well worth it. Of course it took awhile for the roar of laughter to subside when they walked out to show us...and the house full of people we had over for supper that night...including the Witters and Kirsten's parents. We had stuffed Dad's shirt with a old bed sheet and Brad and Rachel put together the faces to pin on. We had a lot of fun. Thank you to Mom and Dad for being good sports.



And off they go to kids club. The were a big hit there and the kids loved that they had dressed up. So how do you think my Dad (aka Bob the Tomato) is driving if tomatoes have no arms. Maybe that's why Bob's van almost went into the river at the beginning of the Veggie Tales Jonah movie. ;)



When they returned that evening Liam couldn't let those outfits go to waste. We had fun dressing up and have kept them for any future Obah nights.