.
What a way to spend your 9th Anniversary. It was a great day. I love you Carl!!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Family Trip to Disneyland
On Tuesday, after Joel and Kezia finished school, we loaded up the van and drove to Anaheim to go to Disneyland. It's been a bit hectic around here so I only booked the hotel on Monday and packed quickly that same night. Well, that's just life right now.
The kids were pretty thrilled about going to Disneyland. The drive down was pretty uneventful; we are blessed with kids who travel fairly well.
We arrived at the hotel around 6 and pulled out our picnic supper. Afterwards we went for a bit of a walk and went to the Disneyland gates. There were a lot of people walking back for the evening activities so we headed back to the hotel. It didn't take the kids too long to go to sleep, Joel and Kezia that is, Asha took over an hour. She was thrilled she could see Joel and Kezia lying in bed and Carl and I were sitting in the other room watching t.v. So at 9:30 we got Asha up and went to see if we could see the fireworks from Disneyland. They must not have had any that night, because we stood out on the balcony for 15 minutes before going back to our room. It still took Asha another 15 minutes to get to sleep.
The next morning we woke up at 8 and everyone got ready for the day. Joel and Kezia were just about jumping out of their skin. We decided that we would only go to Disneyland and not the California side; plus we scoped out the areas that our kids would enjoy and headed there instead of wandering aimlessly around the park. My mom had given me a guide and recommended certain things.
So our first stop was Fantasyland where all the princesses were....
Kezia was so amazed. We went and saw a little show, heard princesses read stories, waited in line for 65 minutes to get pictures with Jasmine, Belle and Poccahontas. Sigh. We didn't do too many of the rides because there was lines and we decided that 20 minutes was our limit. That's okay, our kids are too young to know what they are missing. But they did have a chance to go on the boat through storyland and we rode the teacups. Joel got a crown from the prince and princess show that he wore the entire day.
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After we headed to Toontown and met Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The kids were so happy that they gave them each huge hugs. Asha was just curious about Minnie's nose.
The highlight of Toontown was the roller coaster. We took the kids twice; once with me and once with Carl. Kezia said that the roller coaster was even better than seeing the princesses. Can you imagine her saying that!? It must have been fabulous for her!
After Toontown, we hopped on the train and rode around the park one and a half times. It was a nice break for our feet and then we could see the Grand Canyon display and all the dinosaurs. That was Joel's favourite part of the day.
We stopped and walked along the cool shops in Main Street USA before heading to Adventureland. Joel wanted to see Tarzan's Treehouse and it was worth weaving through the crowds so the kids could play on it. They had a great time climbing up the ropes and jumping on the hanging bridge.
We headed out to buy a a few souveniers. I thought it would be fun to get the kids Mickey ears, but at $15 a pop, I changed my mind. We got Joel and Kezia a tee-shirt and Asha a tinkerbell hat (she was okay with that because she knows in 2 years Kezia's shirt will be hers...unless it's all worn out!). Carl and I splurged and bought a fridge magnet and $64 later we made it out of the store.
Well, it was getting close to 4:30 and we were all really tired. Asha had a little nap in the morning, but hadn't slept all day. Thankfully she was still pretty happy. And Joel had been fairly cooperative all day....but Kezia had two meltdowns in 15 minutes and that's when we knew we were done. Kezia doesn't usually jump up and down, flailing her arms like a firecracker screaming and yelling over a sorbet cone.
We headed for the gate and just as we were leaving, Mulan was posing for pictures with the kids. Kezia was disappointed that she didn't have her picture with Ariel or Cinderella or Mulan during the day. Her face lit up when Mulan crouched down and posed for a picture with her.
Ahhhh.....so we were done. It was a fairly relaxing day because we only went to half the park. We knew that there was no way we could see it all, and that's okay. We loaded up on the shuttle back to the van and Asha was still making eyes at everyone around her.
For supper we ate at Marie Callender's and then put the kids in their pajamas before we headed out. We left Anaheim at 7:15 and with only one stop for a bathroom break we made it home at 10:45. The kids slept the entire way home, so Carl and I had a very nice visit.
It was a great little family trip; we all had a wonderful time. Though I have been gallivanting all over California with the kids or with friends, we haven't gone somewhere as a family since November. I must say it was quite a Magical Day.
The kids were pretty thrilled about going to Disneyland. The drive down was pretty uneventful; we are blessed with kids who travel fairly well.
We arrived at the hotel around 6 and pulled out our picnic supper. Afterwards we went for a bit of a walk and went to the Disneyland gates. There were a lot of people walking back for the evening activities so we headed back to the hotel. It didn't take the kids too long to go to sleep, Joel and Kezia that is, Asha took over an hour. She was thrilled she could see Joel and Kezia lying in bed and Carl and I were sitting in the other room watching t.v. So at 9:30 we got Asha up and went to see if we could see the fireworks from Disneyland. They must not have had any that night, because we stood out on the balcony for 15 minutes before going back to our room. It still took Asha another 15 minutes to get to sleep.
The next morning we woke up at 8 and everyone got ready for the day. Joel and Kezia were just about jumping out of their skin. We decided that we would only go to Disneyland and not the California side; plus we scoped out the areas that our kids would enjoy and headed there instead of wandering aimlessly around the park. My mom had given me a guide and recommended certain things.
So our first stop was Fantasyland where all the princesses were....
Kezia was so amazed. We went and saw a little show, heard princesses read stories, waited in line for 65 minutes to get pictures with Jasmine, Belle and Poccahontas. Sigh. We didn't do too many of the rides because there was lines and we decided that 20 minutes was our limit. That's okay, our kids are too young to know what they are missing. But they did have a chance to go on the boat through storyland and we rode the teacups. Joel got a crown from the prince and princess show that he wore the entire day.
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After we headed to Toontown and met Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The kids were so happy that they gave them each huge hugs. Asha was just curious about Minnie's nose.
The highlight of Toontown was the roller coaster. We took the kids twice; once with me and once with Carl. Kezia said that the roller coaster was even better than seeing the princesses. Can you imagine her saying that!? It must have been fabulous for her!
After Toontown, we hopped on the train and rode around the park one and a half times. It was a nice break for our feet and then we could see the Grand Canyon display and all the dinosaurs. That was Joel's favourite part of the day.
We stopped and walked along the cool shops in Main Street USA before heading to Adventureland. Joel wanted to see Tarzan's Treehouse and it was worth weaving through the crowds so the kids could play on it. They had a great time climbing up the ropes and jumping on the hanging bridge.
We headed out to buy a a few souveniers. I thought it would be fun to get the kids Mickey ears, but at $15 a pop, I changed my mind. We got Joel and Kezia a tee-shirt and Asha a tinkerbell hat (she was okay with that because she knows in 2 years Kezia's shirt will be hers...unless it's all worn out!). Carl and I splurged and bought a fridge magnet and $64 later we made it out of the store.
Well, it was getting close to 4:30 and we were all really tired. Asha had a little nap in the morning, but hadn't slept all day. Thankfully she was still pretty happy. And Joel had been fairly cooperative all day....but Kezia had two meltdowns in 15 minutes and that's when we knew we were done. Kezia doesn't usually jump up and down, flailing her arms like a firecracker screaming and yelling over a sorbet cone.
We headed for the gate and just as we were leaving, Mulan was posing for pictures with the kids. Kezia was disappointed that she didn't have her picture with Ariel or Cinderella or Mulan during the day. Her face lit up when Mulan crouched down and posed for a picture with her.
Ahhhh.....so we were done. It was a fairly relaxing day because we only went to half the park. We knew that there was no way we could see it all, and that's okay. We loaded up on the shuttle back to the van and Asha was still making eyes at everyone around her.
For supper we ate at Marie Callender's and then put the kids in their pajamas before we headed out. We left Anaheim at 7:15 and with only one stop for a bathroom break we made it home at 10:45. The kids slept the entire way home, so Carl and I had a very nice visit.
It was a great little family trip; we all had a wonderful time. Though I have been gallivanting all over California with the kids or with friends, we haven't gone somewhere as a family since November. I must say it was quite a Magical Day.
Asha's 10 Months
This month has flown by so quickly! I feel a bit bad because this month I forgot to do a photoshoot with Asha on her month birthday. But there were two reasons why I forgot; one, I did a photoshoot with her on the 25th and on the 27th we were on our way to a very Magical Place (later post....).
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So really I did take a whole whack of pictures of Asha, just not on the exact date. Well, no matter, I think she looks pretty cute this month.
Asha has branched out with even more foods. She's moved beyond beans and tasted meat. She likes chicken, not too sure about beef. And she's also had chips and candy, though I will only admit fault for the former, her dad gave her a sucker to get her to smile for pictures.
Asha still only has 2 bottom teeth and a few weeks ago she was super grumpy so we were expected more pearly whites to appear....nope. That's okay.
She has become VERY friendly with strangers. She loves to make eyes with people and give her huge smile. On our little trip to the Magical Place, she wouldn't stop smiling at the Buddhist monk on the train. How cute!
Asha feels very confident walking along furniture, but has no desire to take steps. Plus, she's a super sonic crawler, so walking is really quite inefficient at this point.
Asha learned how to drink from a straw and a water bottle. So now I'm dealing with floaties in my water!
Her hair is growing and is starting to curl a bit in the back. I think she will have hair like her brother, so bring on the conditioner and detangler!
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I haven't weighed her this month, but from last month she has grown just a bit, so she's probably around 19 lb. She can still fit 6 month pants, but her body is longer so she's wearing 12 month shirts.
Some of her favourite activities include crawling into baskets or luggage, fishing in the toilet, having a bath, opening and closing drawers, hoarding pacifiers in her crib, and looking at books.
Well, this is Asha's last month in California. No more posing with the oranges and palm trees. Next month she will have a photoshoot in good ol' Manitoba.
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So really I did take a whole whack of pictures of Asha, just not on the exact date. Well, no matter, I think she looks pretty cute this month.
Asha has branched out with even more foods. She's moved beyond beans and tasted meat. She likes chicken, not too sure about beef. And she's also had chips and candy, though I will only admit fault for the former, her dad gave her a sucker to get her to smile for pictures.
Asha still only has 2 bottom teeth and a few weeks ago she was super grumpy so we were expected more pearly whites to appear....nope. That's okay.
She has become VERY friendly with strangers. She loves to make eyes with people and give her huge smile. On our little trip to the Magical Place, she wouldn't stop smiling at the Buddhist monk on the train. How cute!
Asha feels very confident walking along furniture, but has no desire to take steps. Plus, she's a super sonic crawler, so walking is really quite inefficient at this point.
Asha learned how to drink from a straw and a water bottle. So now I'm dealing with floaties in my water!
Her hair is growing and is starting to curl a bit in the back. I think she will have hair like her brother, so bring on the conditioner and detangler!
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.
I haven't weighed her this month, but from last month she has grown just a bit, so she's probably around 19 lb. She can still fit 6 month pants, but her body is longer so she's wearing 12 month shirts.
Some of her favourite activities include crawling into baskets or luggage, fishing in the toilet, having a bath, opening and closing drawers, hoarding pacifiers in her crib, and looking at books.
Well, this is Asha's last month in California. No more posing with the oranges and palm trees. Next month she will have a photoshoot in good ol' Manitoba.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Day At Yosemite
On Thursday we had the privilege of visiting Yosemite National Park. We had planned to go with Ray and Kelly and their girls, but Ray got sick so he had to stay at home. Kelly had borrowed Kevin and Rhonda's big van so it would be more fun to drive up together. On the way up, it started to rain, and we wondered if we would have a soggy day at the park.
By the time we arrived, the sun was out and it was about 15 degrees. We had a picnic lunch and bought a few postcards and a fridge magnet. I was surprised how many people were there on a weekday. I can't imagine the crowds during summer vacation. We took the bus around the valley floor and got off at the Yosemite Falls stop. The falls were beautiful; and it was amazing to me that they would dry up to just barely a trickle by mid-summer. This time of year is the best to go to Yosemite because all the water falls still have water.
After we saw the falls, we took a drive up to Glacier Point, which is at 7200 feet. The weather was a bit chillier there, only 10 degrees and there were still huge piles of snow on the side of the road. The view from Glacier Point was breathtaking. We stayed up there for a while to get some pictures and just to stare at the amazing view. I was just marveled at God's creativity.
On the way down, we stopped for a bathroom break before we headed to Oakhurst for supper. We didn't get home until around 9 p.m. and all the kids were tired.
I had a really nice day. It was too bad that Ray couldn't join us but we had fun anyways. There is so much to see at Yosemite (we didn't even see half of it) that it will definitely be a place that we visit when we come back to California.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Uncle Wendell Comes to Visit
On Monday and Tuesday we had the pleasure of spending some time with Wendell before he flew home. We took him to King's Canyon National Park and saw the Sequoias, and took lots of pictures by General Grant. Carl and I and the kids hadn't been since November. And this time we were able to find the Chicago Stump. It was bigger than I expected. We had a nice picnic lunch and the weather was perfect, about 25 degrees. The kids enjoyed tromping around with Wendell. It was a great day trip. That evening for supper, we went to home group. Wendell had the chance to meet our church friends.
On Tuesday, I took the kids to school and Carl and Wendell went shopping. Carl really enjoyed hanging out with his brother; he has really missed that. Joel and Kezia had swimming lessons that afternoon, so Wendell came to watch for a bit. Joel was so excited that he could show his uncle all the things he learned.
After the lessons, we all went to Simonian Farms, which is a local market here in Fresno. They sell locally grown dried and fresh fruit, and neat collectable things. Wendell picked up some things for Shana; you have to buy raisins when you are this close to the Raisin Capital!
For supper, Danny and Beth came over and we all had a great meal. They didn't stay long because Wendell had to fly out at 10 p.m. and we wanted to spend a bit more time with him. We realized after supper that except for Sunday and Monday lunch, all of our meals we had with Wendell were shared with our friends. Well, he had the chance to meet all the people in our lives.
On the way to the airport, the kids weren't that thrilled that Wendell was going home. Kezia kept saying that she wanted to go with him an Joel figured that he would be small enough to fit in the suitcase. The kids really enjoyed having Wendell around for a few days. Even though we'll see him in 20 some sleeps, they didn't want him to leave. Kezia wouldn't let go of his leg and when he went through security, they both started to cry.
It was just so special that Wendell came for Carl's graduation. He reconnected with the kids, saw our everyday life here, and got to hang out with his brother. Thanks Wendell for coming!
On Tuesday, I took the kids to school and Carl and Wendell went shopping. Carl really enjoyed hanging out with his brother; he has really missed that. Joel and Kezia had swimming lessons that afternoon, so Wendell came to watch for a bit. Joel was so excited that he could show his uncle all the things he learned.
After the lessons, we all went to Simonian Farms, which is a local market here in Fresno. They sell locally grown dried and fresh fruit, and neat collectable things. Wendell picked up some things for Shana; you have to buy raisins when you are this close to the Raisin Capital!
For supper, Danny and Beth came over and we all had a great meal. They didn't stay long because Wendell had to fly out at 10 p.m. and we wanted to spend a bit more time with him. We realized after supper that except for Sunday and Monday lunch, all of our meals we had with Wendell were shared with our friends. Well, he had the chance to meet all the people in our lives.
On the way to the airport, the kids weren't that thrilled that Wendell was going home. Kezia kept saying that she wanted to go with him an Joel figured that he would be small enough to fit in the suitcase. The kids really enjoyed having Wendell around for a few days. Even though we'll see him in 20 some sleeps, they didn't want him to leave. Kezia wouldn't let go of his leg and when he went through security, they both started to cry.
It was just so special that Wendell came for Carl's graduation. He reconnected with the kids, saw our everyday life here, and got to hang out with his brother. Thanks Wendell for coming!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Graduation!
Sunday evening was the seminary commencement. Thankfully the church where we were was air conditioned. Carl went early for rehearsal with Wendell, Nate, and Budi. I came at 4:30, just in time to check the kids into child care and make my way into the sanctuary. I was fully loaded with my video camera as well as my digital camera. I wasn't going to miss a moment.
I got a bit choked up when Carl and the other grads came in. He was just beaming. There were a few songs that were sung, a few opening remarks, and the main speaker. I was just waiting for the presentation of the grads and their walk across the stage to get their hood and degree papers.
I stood there with tears welling up in my eyes with pride as I saw Carl march across the stage. It was an awesome moment; a moment I have been waiting for for the last 6 years. I told Carl all of this packing, traveling across the continent, leaving our jobs, our families, our friends, putting up with growing pains, putting up with the stresses of being students....it all comes down to this moment of recognition. And it was all worth it.
After, there was a grad response, and one of the graduates had some very meaningful things to say. I could tell that he was gifted in preaching. Greg said something that was pretty profound for me,
"Whatever God calls you to, He will equip you for".
So true, so true.....
After the grand recessional, we all made our way out to congratulate the grads. There were many hugs and tears and pictures, and more pictures and hugs. I almost forgot to get the kids. Joel made a bee line for the refreshments (and got buzzed on the red dye #5 juice) and Kezia and Asha were a bit overwhelmed with all the people around. We didn't stay for long because it was still very hot outside and we were off to another party.
Nate and Maddie and Carl and myself organized a waffle extravaganza at the court. We wanted to have a grad/goodbye party; some people were leaving the next day. It was good to be together for one last time, though it was disappointing that some people didn't come. And for me, that last gathering was symbolic of how the entire year has been with this community. Sigh.
So after the waffles, we headed home. The kids gave final kisses and hugs to Derek and Laura and I took them home while Carl and Wendell headed to help them load up their trailer. It was 11:30 before they came back and I still wanted to say goodbye to Laura. I swore I heard gunshots and so I had Carl come along with me while Wendell stayed home.
It was hard to say goodbye to Laura. Sure, I'll see her in a few weeks back in Canada, but by that time, she will probably already have her baby and things will be different. She'll be tired and her and Derek will be getting to know their new son. But on the way home, I realized that part of me is saddened that we are leaving this place where our friendship blossomed. It's like sacred ground and we are both moving off of it. When we reunite, we will have family and friends and new babies that will effect how we can relate to each other as friends. We will always be friends, but I wish I could take the sacred ground with me, and not have to figuratively hold it in my heart.
Oh such a day; what an emotional day!
I got a bit choked up when Carl and the other grads came in. He was just beaming. There were a few songs that were sung, a few opening remarks, and the main speaker. I was just waiting for the presentation of the grads and their walk across the stage to get their hood and degree papers.
I stood there with tears welling up in my eyes with pride as I saw Carl march across the stage. It was an awesome moment; a moment I have been waiting for for the last 6 years. I told Carl all of this packing, traveling across the continent, leaving our jobs, our families, our friends, putting up with growing pains, putting up with the stresses of being students....it all comes down to this moment of recognition. And it was all worth it.
After, there was a grad response, and one of the graduates had some very meaningful things to say. I could tell that he was gifted in preaching. Greg said something that was pretty profound for me,
"Whatever God calls you to, He will equip you for".
So true, so true.....
After the grand recessional, we all made our way out to congratulate the grads. There were many hugs and tears and pictures, and more pictures and hugs. I almost forgot to get the kids. Joel made a bee line for the refreshments (and got buzzed on the red dye #5 juice) and Kezia and Asha were a bit overwhelmed with all the people around. We didn't stay for long because it was still very hot outside and we were off to another party.
Nate and Maddie and Carl and myself organized a waffle extravaganza at the court. We wanted to have a grad/goodbye party; some people were leaving the next day. It was good to be together for one last time, though it was disappointing that some people didn't come. And for me, that last gathering was symbolic of how the entire year has been with this community. Sigh.
So after the waffles, we headed home. The kids gave final kisses and hugs to Derek and Laura and I took them home while Carl and Wendell headed to help them load up their trailer. It was 11:30 before they came back and I still wanted to say goodbye to Laura. I swore I heard gunshots and so I had Carl come along with me while Wendell stayed home.
It was hard to say goodbye to Laura. Sure, I'll see her in a few weeks back in Canada, but by that time, she will probably already have her baby and things will be different. She'll be tired and her and Derek will be getting to know their new son. But on the way home, I realized that part of me is saddened that we are leaving this place where our friendship blossomed. It's like sacred ground and we are both moving off of it. When we reunite, we will have family and friends and new babies that will effect how we can relate to each other as friends. We will always be friends, but I wish I could take the sacred ground with me, and not have to figuratively hold it in my heart.
Oh such a day; what an emotional day!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
What a Saturday - Part II
Now all throughout this day, I was just about imploding because of the secret I had been holding for many many weeks. I had to be careful not to let the cat out of the bag, but boy it was hard.
So I just told Maddie a few weeks ago, and then I had to tell a few people at homegroup, and by then I figured I should tell Laura and Megan and Sarah, but I was good and I didn't tell the kids. They would have spilled the beans.
I knew that Wendell, Carl's brother, was flying in to surprise him for his graduation. All Saturday I was jittery and couldn't stop straightening things. I figured that Carl knew something because the day I was reading my email with Wendell's itinerary, Carl was standing right behind me. Nope, he was too tired to notice the subject line in my email. Whew!
By supper time I thought I would jump out of my skin. Ray and Kelly were going to pick Wendell up from the airport at 1 a.m. and bring him to our place. My earlier idea was to sneak out of the house, but I knew that Carl would wake up and wonder where the heck I was going at 12:30 at night on a Saturday. Ray and Kelly said the surprise had to be big and they offered to get Wendell and bring him right to our door. I made arrangements for the gate to be unlocked and so all I had to do was wait.
At 11:00 I was feeling sleepy, but I couldn't stop smiling. By 11:30 I started to giggle and so I jumped up and put away the dishes. At midnight I announced I was going to bed. A few minutes later Carl joined me and I lay there in the dark, trying hard not to laugh or squirm around.
It was 12:37........Wendell will be at the airport in 32 minutes
It was 12: 51........Wendell will be at the airport in 18 minutes
It was 1:09......WENDELL LANDED, WENDELL LANDED!!!!!!
Roll over Kathy before you start snorting!
It's 1:42 and there's a bang at the door!
"Carl, get up! There's someone at the door".
"Where's my robe? What's going on? Who? What time is it?"
"Hurry and get the door!" Snort, giggle, snort
By the time Carl got to the door, I was jumping up and down behind him. He opened the door without even looking through the peephole. He looked, "What?" He shook his head and paused. "Wendell...WENDELL! What are you doing here?"
He was completely and utterly surprised. It was awesome. We pulled it off! We got Wendell in and Carl looked like a dazed deer in the headlights for about 10 minutes. We visited for a while, and then at 2 a.m. we all settled in for the night. I was smiling so much my ears hurt.
The next morning Joel and Kezia woke up to find their uncle sleeping in the living room. Joel stumbled out, saw Wendell and casually said good morning before he headed to the bathroom. Kezia stood and smiled and smiled and smiled and then gave him a big hug. Asha crawled to within a few feet of Wendell, stood up against the couch and laughed.
And Carl was still in shock that his brother came for his graduation!
So I just told Maddie a few weeks ago, and then I had to tell a few people at homegroup, and by then I figured I should tell Laura and Megan and Sarah, but I was good and I didn't tell the kids. They would have spilled the beans.
I knew that Wendell, Carl's brother, was flying in to surprise him for his graduation. All Saturday I was jittery and couldn't stop straightening things. I figured that Carl knew something because the day I was reading my email with Wendell's itinerary, Carl was standing right behind me. Nope, he was too tired to notice the subject line in my email. Whew!
By supper time I thought I would jump out of my skin. Ray and Kelly were going to pick Wendell up from the airport at 1 a.m. and bring him to our place. My earlier idea was to sneak out of the house, but I knew that Carl would wake up and wonder where the heck I was going at 12:30 at night on a Saturday. Ray and Kelly said the surprise had to be big and they offered to get Wendell and bring him right to our door. I made arrangements for the gate to be unlocked and so all I had to do was wait.
At 11:00 I was feeling sleepy, but I couldn't stop smiling. By 11:30 I started to giggle and so I jumped up and put away the dishes. At midnight I announced I was going to bed. A few minutes later Carl joined me and I lay there in the dark, trying hard not to laugh or squirm around.
It was 12:37........Wendell will be at the airport in 32 minutes
It was 12: 51........Wendell will be at the airport in 18 minutes
It was 1:09......WENDELL LANDED, WENDELL LANDED!!!!!!
Roll over Kathy before you start snorting!
It's 1:42 and there's a bang at the door!
"Carl, get up! There's someone at the door".
"Where's my robe? What's going on? Who? What time is it?"
"Hurry and get the door!" Snort, giggle, snort
By the time Carl got to the door, I was jumping up and down behind him. He opened the door without even looking through the peephole. He looked, "What?" He shook his head and paused. "Wendell...WENDELL! What are you doing here?"
He was completely and utterly surprised. It was awesome. We pulled it off! We got Wendell in and Carl looked like a dazed deer in the headlights for about 10 minutes. We visited for a while, and then at 2 a.m. we all settled in for the night. I was smiling so much my ears hurt.
The next morning Joel and Kezia woke up to find their uncle sleeping in the living room. Joel stumbled out, saw Wendell and casually said good morning before he headed to the bathroom. Kezia stood and smiled and smiled and smiled and then gave him a big hug. Asha crawled to within a few feet of Wendell, stood up against the couch and laughed.
And Carl was still in shock that his brother came for his graduation!
What a Saturday!
On Saturday morning Joel had his last baseball game. Well, I was sorry that I didn't bring my video camera. Oh well. Joel had a great game. Kezia and Asha enjoyed themselves watching, and Kezia was feeling much better.
Now sometimes Joel had a tendancy to get bored and hot in the outfield so he would daydream and stand there, never running after the ball, fooling around with his hat. I kept telling him that he needs to keep his eye on the ball, first so he can chase after it and help his team, but second, he might get hit. "yeah, yeah, I'll watch for the ball...."
While his team was batting, a little girl in outfield wasn't watching for the ball and ended up getting hit right in the eye. Oh there was howling! I felt so bad for her. Joel looked at her in sympathy and then I think all the things I told him clicked. He got out into the field, crouched down and ran like mad for the ball. Nothing like a little fear to get them going!
The last inning of the game, Joel's team was up to bat. The new coach was having trouble getting Joel positioned to hit. We parents kept yelling, "He's a lefty!". Finally the coach got Joel set up and pitched the ball to him. The first ball, Joel missed, so he re-positioned himself and made himself ready. The second pitch came right at him and WHACK! went the ball right passed second base, passed the outfielder and just kept going. Kezia jumped up and hollered, "RUN, Joel, RUN!" And run he did. To first base....second base....third base...and HOME! He was so proud of himself.
After the game I found out Joel was done his little baseball season and I thought, what an awesome way to end. I was so proud of him.
Now sometimes Joel had a tendancy to get bored and hot in the outfield so he would daydream and stand there, never running after the ball, fooling around with his hat. I kept telling him that he needs to keep his eye on the ball, first so he can chase after it and help his team, but second, he might get hit. "yeah, yeah, I'll watch for the ball...."
While his team was batting, a little girl in outfield wasn't watching for the ball and ended up getting hit right in the eye. Oh there was howling! I felt so bad for her. Joel looked at her in sympathy and then I think all the things I told him clicked. He got out into the field, crouched down and ran like mad for the ball. Nothing like a little fear to get them going!
The last inning of the game, Joel's team was up to bat. The new coach was having trouble getting Joel positioned to hit. We parents kept yelling, "He's a lefty!". Finally the coach got Joel set up and pitched the ball to him. The first ball, Joel missed, so he re-positioned himself and made himself ready. The second pitch came right at him and WHACK! went the ball right passed second base, passed the outfielder and just kept going. Kezia jumped up and hollered, "RUN, Joel, RUN!" And run he did. To first base....second base....third base...and HOME! He was so proud of himself.
After the game I found out Joel was done his little baseball season and I thought, what an awesome way to end. I was so proud of him.
Graduation Banquet
On Friday evening, the graduation festivities started. We had a lovely banquet on the lawn beside the library. We were experiencing the first heat wave of the year, so it was a bit sticky being outside in the 100 degree weather (that's 37 for you Canucks).
I was so excited for a number of reasons; first, obviously because it was to celebrate Carl's graduation, second, because I had bought a new dress with Laura and was so excited to wear it, and third, there was a wonderful meal planned that I would not have to clean up after....and my kids were being taken care of all evening!
We walked over to the library lawn at 6:00. We would have been there earlier, but Kezia puked on the sidewalk and we had to go home and change her dress. She was feeling a bit under the weather, but I was so proud of her because she managed to get most of it in the flower garden and not all over herself! (the things that thrill a mother....)
We sat with three other couples; Mark, a professor, and his wife Lynn, Mark and Lori, another seminary couple, and Cam and Shauna, who work at the seminary. It was such fun visiting with them, and we shared lots of laughs. The meal was amazing, fish, chicken, beef, asparagus, broccoli, salad, rolls.....it was heavenly. Carl was one out of the two graduates that spoke that evening. He shared on all the things that he still doesn't have answers to; it was quite humorous. But he also encouraged the grads, as well as the rest of us, to never stop asking questions. "May you find answers, but more importantly, may you always have questions".
After the banquet, we posed for some pictures with friends. Later on, Carl and the guys had one last soccer game, as some of the court residents would be moving on Sunday. It was a lovely evening. A little bittersweet as we knew it was only hours before we would have to start saying goodbye.
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I was so excited for a number of reasons; first, obviously because it was to celebrate Carl's graduation, second, because I had bought a new dress with Laura and was so excited to wear it, and third, there was a wonderful meal planned that I would not have to clean up after....and my kids were being taken care of all evening!
We walked over to the library lawn at 6:00. We would have been there earlier, but Kezia puked on the sidewalk and we had to go home and change her dress. She was feeling a bit under the weather, but I was so proud of her because she managed to get most of it in the flower garden and not all over herself! (the things that thrill a mother....)
We sat with three other couples; Mark, a professor, and his wife Lynn, Mark and Lori, another seminary couple, and Cam and Shauna, who work at the seminary. It was such fun visiting with them, and we shared lots of laughs. The meal was amazing, fish, chicken, beef, asparagus, broccoli, salad, rolls.....it was heavenly. Carl was one out of the two graduates that spoke that evening. He shared on all the things that he still doesn't have answers to; it was quite humorous. But he also encouraged the grads, as well as the rest of us, to never stop asking questions. "May you find answers, but more importantly, may you always have questions".
After the banquet, we posed for some pictures with friends. Later on, Carl and the guys had one last soccer game, as some of the court residents would be moving on Sunday. It was a lovely evening. A little bittersweet as we knew it was only hours before we would have to start saying goodbye.
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Friday, May 16, 2008
Keep Swimming...
In the last two days, Joel and Kezia have had the opportunity to go swimming twice.
Once with Derek and Laura yesterday,
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And today for their first swimming lesson. They will be at the pool for the next three weeks at least three times a week. Kezia was feeling a bit under the weather, so she wasn't as excited as usual. But Joel was psyched about being the pool and showing Robert all the things he can do. I was glad that Joel was willing to try all the things that Robert asked of him.
And Asha didn't have a great time in the beginning, but I managed to get her comfortable enough in the water with the float that Irene and Roger gave her. She was not happy about crawling on the deck because it was so hot, so she did her famous monkey walk. I'm glad that she and I can spend time in the pool; maybe she will learn to love the water. And it's exciting that Joel and Kezia will learn the important skill of swimming.
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Once with Derek and Laura yesterday,
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And today for their first swimming lesson. They will be at the pool for the next three weeks at least three times a week. Kezia was feeling a bit under the weather, so she wasn't as excited as usual. But Joel was psyched about being the pool and showing Robert all the things he can do. I was glad that Joel was willing to try all the things that Robert asked of him.
And Asha didn't have a great time in the beginning, but I managed to get her comfortable enough in the water with the float that Irene and Roger gave her. She was not happy about crawling on the deck because it was so hot, so she did her famous monkey walk. I'm glad that she and I can spend time in the pool; maybe she will learn to love the water. And it's exciting that Joel and Kezia will learn the important skill of swimming.
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Crush the Turtle
A few days ago, Joel and Bryan were outside playing. Normally I can hear them shouting and yelling, but on this particular day, they were awfully quiet....and I wondered what was going on. I walked outside and set my eyes on their creation.
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I think they used an entire box of chalk to make the turtle. And thankfully since it won't be raining any time soon, we can have their artwork displayed for a while.
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I think they used an entire box of chalk to make the turtle. And thankfully since it won't be raining any time soon, we can have their artwork displayed for a while.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
For your Info.
First of all, I'm glad that many of you are enjoying our blog. It has been so fun to be able to share stories and pictures with our friends and family that are so far away. Some of you have wondered how you can make comments to a post that we can see. If you scroll down to the end of the post and see "0 thoughts from friends" you can click on it and it will open a window where you can type in a message. You don't have to have a blogger account, you would just leave a comment as anonymous (but maybe put your name on the end, so we know who you are).
And the second thing is something I just discovered right now. If you want to see a picture on the slide show that I've created, you just click on the picture and it'll open a new window for you to look at the picture. In fact, any picture on the blog you can click on, collage or not, and it will open in a bigger size for you.
So there you have it. Happy Reading!
And the second thing is something I just discovered right now. If you want to see a picture on the slide show that I've created, you just click on the picture and it'll open a new window for you to look at the picture. In fact, any picture on the blog you can click on, collage or not, and it will open in a bigger size for you.
So there you have it. Happy Reading!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mother's Day
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I had a lovely Mother's Day on Sunday. After church, Carl took pictures of me and the kids. Then he made a great lunch for us to have with Derek and Laura and her sister Sarah. They stayed and Kezia did Sarah's hair and had a tea party with Laura. After they went home, we had a pentecost celebration with the courtyard. There was singing, a devotional, and lots of food. What a treat that I didn't have to cook at all during the day. Well, in fact, I haven't cooked since last Tuesday. I wonder how long this break will last....
It was a special day to be honoured as a Mother, but I also thought a lot about my Mom and my Mother in Law. Being so far away, we didn't have the chance to spend Mother's Day with our Moms. I'm really thankful to have these two women in our lives. Some things I admire about my Mom and Mother in Law are:
-being able to cook something fabulous without having much on hand
-sense of humour
-hair cutting skills
-quilting and crocheting skills
-the way they take care of everyone around them; a HUGE servant heart
-strong leadership skills in the church
-putting up with all the boys, even those crazy husbands!
-the wisdom they impart by living as godly examples
-encouragement they give to me as a young mother
-the blessing they are as grandmothers
It was a good Mother's Day to be recognized as a Mother but also to give God thanks for our two fabulous Moms. We love you!!
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Sunday, May 11, 2008
Road Trip - Kiddie Style
This past Wednesday, my friend Kelly and I took our kids on a road trip. We had been talking for some time about going to Legoland in Carlsbad near San Diego. Well, this past week, we did it, and it was awesome.
We left on Wednesday around supper time because Kelly had a meeting in the late afternoon. We loaded up the kids, handed out the snacks, and hit the road. Before the trip was over, we stopped 4 times to go pee, once to nurse a baby, and once to move all the carseats around because we couldn't find a rear jack for the dvd player. We arrived at Kelly's grandparents' place around 1:30 in the morning and carried all 5 sleeping children into the house. Once we got everything in, we had some of Grandma's awesome pasta salad before we headed to bed.
We all had a great sleep (though it was a bit short), enjoyed a huge breakfast, and packed up to drive to Legoland. We managed to get out of the house before 11:00 and went to the local Subway because we figured we could get a coupon for free passes there. Nope. So we drove 45 min. to Carlsbad and checked out another Subway. Nope. So we went to Costco and picked up passes for $15 cheaper than at the gate. YES! While were there we figured we'd buy pizzas and feed the kids lunch before we went to Legoland.
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The afternoon at Legoland was AWESOME. There were so many neat things for the kids. Lots of little rides that toured them through a jungle of animals, all made out of lego. And then things to climb on, all made out of lego. There were figures all over the park, singing and dancing, all made out of lego. Joel loved the Volvo Driving School where he got to drive around a track. Kezia and Emma loved the 3 storey tree house, the Hideaways in Castle Hill. There was even a playground called Playtown for Asha and Paige, all made out of lego. Though Kelly and I had to take turns taking the kids on the little rides, the lines were very short and we only had to wait 5 minutes. We also went to a very entertaining little show that all the kids enjoyed. Kelly and I loved the Miniland which was mini replicas of the Las Vegas strip, then there was the Eiffel Tower, The White House, New Orleans, Hollywood, Pier 39 etc....all made out of lego.
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Well, after a long day, we headed to Kelly's cousins house to pick her up. Jenn was a very neat person and we enjoyed the 45 minute drive back with her, especially Joel. Once we got back to Kelly's Grandma and Grandpa's house, there were 15-20 people there for supper, all family. It was like I was back at a Plett gathering! It was wonderful. The food was amazing and it was so nice to meet Kelly's extended family. Her grandparents are very hospitable people. The kids were so wiped that they almost fell asleep in the bathtub. Kelly, some of her cousins, and I watched Grey's Anatomy before we stumbled off to our beds. Oh I slept so soundly that night.
The next morning, Friday, we packed up because we were heading to SeaWorld for the morning. Since we all had been there before, we decided to go to 2 shows and only stay for a few hours. We saw the Shamu show, but unfortunately there wasn't any sound. It wasn't as spectacular as when we saw it with Mom and Dad Heppner in March. And then we saw the Pet's Rule show, which the kids loved. We might have stayed longer at the park, but there were a ton of people and we were all getting tired of elbowing people. So we headed out around 3 p.m. and drove north to Carlsbad, to the amazing and glorious outlet stores.
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Kelly and I really enjoyed shopping and I was surprised at how beautiful the stores were, for being outlets and all. It was like walking through a courtyard with cobblestone paths and fountains. So I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the really well behaved kids, but we did a lot of shopping.
By 5:30 we knew we had to get out of there before we got anymore things for our kids (plus the kids knocked over a rack of jeans at the Gap) and so we drove to Costco to get pizzas for supper. Then we headed to her cousin Jenn's house, fed and changed the kids and loaded back into the van for the trip home to Fresno. The kids were exhausted and slept most of the way, and this time, we didn't have to move carseats around; Grandpa found the carjack for the dvd player in the back of the van!
The kids had such a wonderful time on the trip. Kezia and Emma had a blast, they are best friends, Joel loved being the biggest, the only boy, and our official helper. Paige and Asha were so content and happy on the trip. And I had such a great time with Kelly. Her and I were easy going about the schedule and the kids. We got out the door when we were ready, left places when the kids were tired, and ate when we were hungry. Very low stress and very high fun. And it was nice for us to visit for the 12+ hours we drove in the van. She's an amazing person and I'm sad that we won't have more opportunities to go on road trips with her and the kids.
We left on Wednesday around supper time because Kelly had a meeting in the late afternoon. We loaded up the kids, handed out the snacks, and hit the road. Before the trip was over, we stopped 4 times to go pee, once to nurse a baby, and once to move all the carseats around because we couldn't find a rear jack for the dvd player. We arrived at Kelly's grandparents' place around 1:30 in the morning and carried all 5 sleeping children into the house. Once we got everything in, we had some of Grandma's awesome pasta salad before we headed to bed.
We all had a great sleep (though it was a bit short), enjoyed a huge breakfast, and packed up to drive to Legoland. We managed to get out of the house before 11:00 and went to the local Subway because we figured we could get a coupon for free passes there. Nope. So we drove 45 min. to Carlsbad and checked out another Subway. Nope. So we went to Costco and picked up passes for $15 cheaper than at the gate. YES! While were there we figured we'd buy pizzas and feed the kids lunch before we went to Legoland.
.
.
The afternoon at Legoland was AWESOME. There were so many neat things for the kids. Lots of little rides that toured them through a jungle of animals, all made out of lego. And then things to climb on, all made out of lego. There were figures all over the park, singing and dancing, all made out of lego. Joel loved the Volvo Driving School where he got to drive around a track. Kezia and Emma loved the 3 storey tree house, the Hideaways in Castle Hill. There was even a playground called Playtown for Asha and Paige, all made out of lego. Though Kelly and I had to take turns taking the kids on the little rides, the lines were very short and we only had to wait 5 minutes. We also went to a very entertaining little show that all the kids enjoyed. Kelly and I loved the Miniland which was mini replicas of the Las Vegas strip, then there was the Eiffel Tower, The White House, New Orleans, Hollywood, Pier 39 etc....all made out of lego.
.
.
Well, after a long day, we headed to Kelly's cousins house to pick her up. Jenn was a very neat person and we enjoyed the 45 minute drive back with her, especially Joel. Once we got back to Kelly's Grandma and Grandpa's house, there were 15-20 people there for supper, all family. It was like I was back at a Plett gathering! It was wonderful. The food was amazing and it was so nice to meet Kelly's extended family. Her grandparents are very hospitable people. The kids were so wiped that they almost fell asleep in the bathtub. Kelly, some of her cousins, and I watched Grey's Anatomy before we stumbled off to our beds. Oh I slept so soundly that night.
The next morning, Friday, we packed up because we were heading to SeaWorld for the morning. Since we all had been there before, we decided to go to 2 shows and only stay for a few hours. We saw the Shamu show, but unfortunately there wasn't any sound. It wasn't as spectacular as when we saw it with Mom and Dad Heppner in March. And then we saw the Pet's Rule show, which the kids loved. We might have stayed longer at the park, but there were a ton of people and we were all getting tired of elbowing people. So we headed out around 3 p.m. and drove north to Carlsbad, to the amazing and glorious outlet stores.
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Kelly and I really enjoyed shopping and I was surprised at how beautiful the stores were, for being outlets and all. It was like walking through a courtyard with cobblestone paths and fountains. So I don't know if it was the atmosphere or the really well behaved kids, but we did a lot of shopping.
By 5:30 we knew we had to get out of there before we got anymore things for our kids (plus the kids knocked over a rack of jeans at the Gap) and so we drove to Costco to get pizzas for supper. Then we headed to her cousin Jenn's house, fed and changed the kids and loaded back into the van for the trip home to Fresno. The kids were exhausted and slept most of the way, and this time, we didn't have to move carseats around; Grandpa found the carjack for the dvd player in the back of the van!
The kids had such a wonderful time on the trip. Kezia and Emma had a blast, they are best friends, Joel loved being the biggest, the only boy, and our official helper. Paige and Asha were so content and happy on the trip. And I had such a great time with Kelly. Her and I were easy going about the schedule and the kids. We got out the door when we were ready, left places when the kids were tired, and ate when we were hungry. Very low stress and very high fun. And it was nice for us to visit for the 12+ hours we drove in the van. She's an amazing person and I'm sad that we won't have more opportunities to go on road trips with her and the kids.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Pretty Proud
This past week I had reasons to be proud of Joel and Kezia. They didn't do anything grand or extreme, but they did things that really made my day.
Last week Kezia's preschool teacher (who is so amazing) had extra strawberries at her place and decided to bring them to school. Now most people would just bring them for snack, but Corina thought it would be cool to make jam with her little three year olds...all 12 of them! So Kezia mashed her own strawberries and added in the ingredients and even filled her own jar. It was quite the experience for her. She was proud as ever coming home with her homemade jam for us. It tasted wonderful!
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A few days ago, I was tidying up the apartment and I just made mention to Kezia and Joel that I would like to vaccuum their room. Kezia jumped up immediately and said she would clean up the room all by herself, and then Joel offered to vaccuum. It was quite thoughtful of them. Joel insisted that I sit in the kitchen and just let him vaccuum, since I always have to do it and it would be nice for me to take a break. So that's what I did; I sat down and watched him vaccuum the entire apartment. What a considerate guy.
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Sometimes I'm reminded how much Joel and Kezia can do. It's great for me to have kids who do things to bring joy into other people's lives.
Monday, May 5, 2008
I'm THIRTY
On Friday I celebrated my THIRTIETH birthday. A few months ago I was dreading turning the big 3-0, but after a while, I realized that turning THIRTY is what you make of it. The birthday comes whether you stay in bed in a pair of sweat pants, or get all dolled up and celebrate with family and friends. And I decided to choose the latter!
The day started with presents and breakfast from my family and a phone call from Tammy. I had talked to my Mom and Jenny on the phone the night before and gotten all my birthday cards in the mail. I LOVE getting mail. Joel and Kezia given me a great top and skirt for me to wear. Asha got me a pair of yoga pants, though, sadly I haven't done yoga in years, but hey, I have the pants now! Carl made pancakes and our neighbour Megan brought over delicious banana muffins. My present from Carl will come later because I'll purchase it once we move and get settled (no point in packing more!)
After breakfast I went to the cosmetology school and got a facial and pedicure. It was heavenly! I slept during my entire facial, the most relaxation I've had in ages. After I got home, it was already mid afternoon. I spent time on the phone with Shana, Rhonda, and Judy and straightened my hair. I thought it would be kind of fun to do something different with it for the day, since I'm THIRTY now!
For supper, we all were doing out as a family to Tahoe Joe's. It's a neat steakhouse that was recommended by Ray and Kelly. Well, when we got there, I was surprised to see Kevin and Rhonda and three of their kids. SURPRISE! It wasn't just our family for supper. And then Ray and Kelly showed up too. DOUBLE SURPRISE! What a great time we had. It was pretty special to celebrate my birthday with our friends.
Afterwards we headed back to Kevin and Rhonda's, we all put our kids to bed and then played Bohnanza. It's been months since we've been able to play games, I think the last time was mid-Februrary. After the game, it was 11:00, but we still weren't done; we put on a Brian Regan video. He is the most hilarious comedian I have ever seen. Kevin made frapuccinos and we all laughed until we just about puked. It was awesome. I went home that night, thankful for the special day orchestrated by my wonderful husband.
The next day, I took Joel to baseball in the morning. At 1:00 Carl hosted a courtyard birthday party. We had all our neighbours come and have cake and drinks with us. I think I was just tickled pink to go to a party that I didn't have to do anything for. Carl got the cake, set out the dishes, put up balloons, made the juice. What a guy!
So turning THIRTY isn't that bad at all. THIRTY year old women aren't frumpy, haggard by kids, sweat pant wearers. But they are strong women who can multi-task, raise a family, play dress up, have a great husband, make cards and watch t.v. and go to school, be challenged by others, laugh and drink with friends, eat cake for lunch and supper, and still have time to go for a pedicure to feel pampered. I must say, if this is what my THIRTIES are all about, then I'm really looking forward to them. Thanks Carl for making me feel special.
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