Pictures

We finally had a few hours where we were all home together in the light.  It was fading fast, but we got a few pictures taken. Not great ones, and Leah is going to do some editing for us.  But we got some. 

Dave wanted a picture of Cora and her car, which is named Morgan.  Poor Morgan has been through a lot and she keeps bring Cora safely to us.  Leah is very excited to have the car back as it is not a stick shift and Dave is excited since it has cruise control.  I guess everyone loves Morgan.

It was fun to take Cora to the temple.  She took her endowments out the end of November and then we turned right back around and went the next day. She has gone each week since with Dave and really enjoys it. 

Leah asked if she was still going to get lifted up to put the star on.  We said 'of course, it is tradition'.  I really don't like our star, but my kids love the story of how when we were first married, we didn't have much and I bought a cheap star at the dollar store. So even though it is kind of ugly they always want to keep it because it is what we have always had.

Basketball is going great for the kids.  Blake as had only got one game so far.  They played well and won.  He is really liking it.  Misses his old team, but he is enjoying playing with his friends.  We got him some new-to-him basketball shoes and he is most anxious to try them out.  Leah's season has been going well also. (Dave and Blake having fun after one of Leah's games)

First game they took her off starting line up and switched the position she has played for the last 6 years.  She was devastated.  But it only took one game and she is back to doing jump ball and starting.  They have her play all positions except point guard.  She is not a strong dribbler, but is trying.  She has always played post and in the house.  So wing is kinda throwing her.  She does well tho.  Leah was very excited to have friends come and watch a few of her games.  The girls showed up to the game she played amazing, 

and the boys to a horrible game.  She was a bit embarrassed, but so excited that they had come.

We are almost ready for Christmas.  Cora has got her travel itinerary today and leaves Jan 2.  We are working hard to make sure everything is ready and checked off the list.  She is getting her talk ready and wishing for snow. The kids are practicing their song and wrapping up school with test and concerts all this week.  It is coming fast.

I hope everyone has a merry and safe Christmas.

Counting our Blessings

Its been a rough year.  A really really rough year.  And every time we think we might be OK again we get another knock.  Despite lives everyday knocks that we regularly weather through, there have been some big ones.  End of January Dave lost his job.  This was a huge shock to us.  We were blessed that he found good employment a few weeks later, but at a significant wage decease.  As he was looking for work, I started to look around some also.  But we both feel that I am not supposed to go back to work yet.  So we have made many adjustments to our life style and have given up much, but have been further blessed that so far we have been able to stay on top of things and within our budget.  Then in June my mom had a brain tumor removed.  What we thought was going to be a 4 day hospital stay ended up being a 4 month rehab stay before she came home.  She is doing well, but still has a ways to go. I enjoyed all the days I got to spend with her in the rehab center, just talking and being with her.  But since she was there we missed going out to my parents house during the summer. Leah seems to just keep getting knocked, battered and bruised, by people that should have been her supporters.  Every time she turns around she has to fight to keep what is hers and what she has worked to achieve.  When they should have been working with her.   The question she asked me a few days ago is very well worded.  "Why do some people get to swoop in last minute and stroll merrily along on the path that I have dug and worked to build and paved for two and a half years?"  I don't know sweetie, it hurts me to see you have to go through this.  But she does have some fantastic friends that love and truly support her.  Now my parents are moving.  You take advantage of things that you think are going to be constant your whole life and it really throws you when they change.  The pressure to be out has set my mom back a bit and is not good for her brain to make all the decisions she has to make.  They are coming to terms with it and have started looking at some things that will be nice about the move.  But I will miss it.  The farm was what made me who I am.  Because it was sudden and my mom was not there last summer, we didn't get one last First of July with the beef and 8 minute parade.  We didn't get one last bridge jump or one last lazy summer sitting in the soft grass and chatting. Just to name a very small portion of what I will miss.  I am glad that my kids are old enough to always remember these things.  I will never go back. For a few years I have seen this jar on Pinterest.  You keep it up for the year and on New Year's Eve you read all the papers that have been added through out the year.  At the beginning of 2018 I finally decided to do it.  I thought it might peter out Mayish, but it hasn't.

I now feel that I was inspired to do it this year.  Even though it was a tough one, we have seen amazing blessings and good times.  All three of our kids had fantastic jobs this year.  Cora can  pay for her own mission, (she is not sure about school after, but we keep being told that the Lord blesses His missionaries,  fingers crossed) which is great since Dave and I can't help her anymore.  Leah has been able to start saving for school and still get herself some clothes that she needed. Dave has work.  Cora will be serving a mission.  Our kids are healthy and doing well in school.  They have good friends and love sports and do well at them.  They are funny and a  joy to be around.  We are really looking forward to taking out all these papers and remembering our wonderful times this year.  And to remember all the things we have been blessed with.

Sea Camp

Blake was able to go to Sea Camp with his Jr. high this last week.  They fund-raised and go every three years so everyone has a chance to go once while in jr high.  He was not nervous since he has flown so many times. 

 Blake had a really great time. They spent a lot of time in the sea, boogie boarding, learning about siene nets, and swimming. did some labs where they dissected quid and other fish, and learned a lot about sea life.  One day was spent out on a boat.

They did some scuba diving from the boat and he tried eating some kelp.  Said it was not to bad. Many games were played 

It was warm and beautiful.  Blake came back very tan.

They went to Sea World one day also.  There were a lot of neat things that they got to experience.   When we picked him back up from the airport Friday, he talked thee entire way home.  Not many stories got finished.  He was so excited to share it all with us that in the middle of one story he would remember another thing that happened.  It was also the same camp that Leah had gone to 3 years ago, so they were reminiscing together.  Did you have this leader, did you play this game, oh yeah yeah, and saw this and did that.  It was fun to see them so excited together.

Blake didn't take a camera with him.  All these pictures camp from a teacher that went with them.  It is such a neat thing for these kids.  So much time and effort goes into the planning and organizing.  We have some great teacher at the school.  Blake had a journal he wrote in each day and will be able to remember this trip forever.

Holidays and Tender Mercies

HALLOWEEN: I did not get one picture this year of my kids dressed up at Halloween.  Both these pictures I stole from Leah.  Her and her friend Megan went as Tom and Jerry to school..

  ..and then with Meadow and Emily to the stake dance they went as tourist and a lion.

Blake had a group of friends that Dave took out trick or treating and the all went as ghosts.  They said they wanted to go old school and just cut holes in a sheet.  I should have asked Dave to get one but forgot.  The day of Halloween Leah and I went to Toone's.  Emily had her annual party, with movie and treats.

REMEMBRANCE DAY: This year as Remembrance Day fell on Sunday, we had debated about moving sacrament meeting time or just leaving it.  In the end our bishop decided it was just easier to leave and knew that many people would be leaving.  Blake was asked to play The Last Post at the community program and Leah laid the wreath for our church.  I didn't get a picture of either, cause it seemed a little disrespectful to be up with my camera during those times.  Blake was nervous and didn't play as well as he had at home.  But did a good job.  He was disappointed in himself.  Many people complimented him.  After they served beef on a bun which was a nice surprise and very good. 

As mentioned before, we have had quite the ordeal with getting Cora's visa for the UK.  The whole rig-a-ma-roll with getting it sent off was crazy.  When we left the consulate, we were given a tracking number and told we could start tracking it Nov 9th.  On Oct 23rd, Cora got and email saying it had arrived in the UK and that all looked in order.  They would sent her another email when it was processed and on its way.  So we are waiting around, checking email for a few weeks.  I was talking to Cora on Monday, the 12th, and she asked if I had tracked it yet.  I told her I had not since usually when you can start tracking it means it is just sent and will still be a while, I would start looking at it in a couple days.  She really wanted me to just see, so online I went, and got a big shock.  UPS tracking said it had sat here for a week and since no one picked it up was being returned to sender. No one had called us or emailed us to let us know.  Panic!  The visa is a stamp in her passport.  So even if the visa did not come in she could not even just go to the Provo MTC like missionaries do.  She could not leave the country.  Dave and I both started making phone calls.  He left work and went to UPS and talked to people there.  After a few hours we were told it had been signed for at the consulate in Edmonton.  We didn't know if it stayed there or had been shipped out.  If it had been shipped off, it could take up to 12 weeks to get it returned.  There is no phone number for the consulate either. Cora quickly asked for time off work the next day and we told her to make sure she was there right when they open at 8:30.  She was on the door waiting.  When she arrived they asked for tracking number and ID.  After waiting for almost 2 hours they handed her the visa.  We were so relieved.  We then realized that even if we had gotten a message from UPS, we couldn't have picked it up.  Cora would have had to drive down, show ID and sign for it.  So many tender mercies.  Cora felt inspired to have me look it up, Dave talked to the right people, Cora's boss gave her the day off last minute, and it was still sitting at consulate.  Blessed day.

This and That

I feel like we have been doing lots, but nothing fantastic enough things to blog about.  But it is my journal so here goes.  After much, much stress, tears, hours, and driving around we finally have gotten Cora's visa application sent off.  She got an email saying it has arrived in the UK and all is in order.  Thank goodness.  Now to get it back with mail strikes.  At the consulate they had a think pod which Cora found quite amusing.

We finally took Blake to celebrate his birthday.  Only two months late.  He had heard about this place called Injination.  It has parkour, trampolines, Ninja Warrior Course and more. It really was lots of fun.  We packed lunch and snacks, picked up a friend and went to check it out.  Fantastic place, hoping to take the girls back with Blake over Christmas.

We have been attending volleyball and football games.  Basketball starts any day now.  Both kids have decided what to do about Halloween this year and really that's all.  Dave got the shed finished.  Blake has been working some long hours to get leaves raked and lawn mowed for Sis Smith. Leah is still putting in hours of homework every night.  Oh she finally was given her Honor Bee. That is a whole eye rolling situation. In the end she wasn't sure she even wanted it anymore. We have a month until Cora moves back home.  We are really excited and looking forward to it.  She is spending as much time with her friends up there as she can until she has to say good-bye.  She is taking a temple prep class and playing some community basketball. Loving her job.  Dave and I started the personal finance class from the church's self-reliance courses.  It has been fun.  We have a good group.  As the girls like to say, 'we are just living our best life'.

19

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORA!

This is the birthday she has been waiting for.  19 and she can now official serve a mission.  We have so much fun with our Cora.  She always sees the good in people with out being fooled or bowled over. She can get along with anyone and is a peacemaker.

Always up for a new adventure.  Everything in life is very exciting to her. She has grown up and matured so much this last year.  Made a lot of really fantastic friends and met so many people. She struggled through finding a job, starting out as a dishwasher, which was awful, but she did it anyways. Moved onto the Gap and now to Davey's Trees.

She got called as a FHE mom for a while and is now a RS teacher.  Only person I know that has a section for pranks in her budget. Loves being with her family and always has stories to share.  When she comes home we stay up way to late and talk and laugh.  Even Blake's friends get excited when she comes home and usually they don't see her.

She wants to travel the world, dive into other cultures and be with people.  Right now her biggest dream is to see Machu Pichu before they close it forever.  She loves sports, running, hiking, water skiing, snow skiing, game nights, movie night and so much more.

Has a competitive side that really comes out with some friends and they have a blast together.  Still writes dog on my grocery list every time she is home.  A few trips back she took the entire notepad and wrote dog on every single page.  Still wishes more than anything to be a pilot.

Cora said that "18 has been a year of growth and life changing experiences, 19 will be a year of spiritual growth and experience".  She is so right, her confidence grew, her knowledge of who she was and what she wanted in life grew. 

This next year will be so fun to watch.  Hope you have the most splendid of days,Cora.  You are truly a unique happy soul and I am proud to be the one you chose to come to on this Earth.  Happy, happy birthday!!

Bit of This, Bit of That

September rolled on through and out agian, now half way through October.  We haven't been up to anything grand and glorious.  Conference was amazing.  It just keeps getting better and better.  Like everyone else we are very excited about the two hour block, but really excited about the Individual and Family Come Follow Me.  Truly inspired men. I wish we could start that right now. Cora and Scott surprised us in the middle of the night Saturday and stayed for morning conference and dinner before continuing on to his mom's house.  Which was the original destination.  She had a fun Thanksgiving with his family, then they went to spend some time with Scott's dad before heading back home.  We had Thanksgiving at Cannon and Nicole's.  Nicole did most of it and it was simple and delicious.  After we just hung out.  Levi took Leah and Blake for ice cream and toured around on the way home.  Fun that they can just take off when they want to. My mom is doing so good after her brain surgery.  Getting around and doing things, it is coming and great progress is made each time we see her.  We got cows moved home Friday.  Saturday between sessions, Leah and Dave got some posts pounded.

Then after the afternoon session Leah and I headed into the church for the Women's Broadcast.  Of course it was fantastic as well. Only 7 of us at the church.  It was a fun little group. Leah has a heavy school schedule, but she is really working hard at it.  The principle approached her a few weeks back and said that each teacher was asked to suggest a name for the leadership group.  There were a few boys names presented and they narrowed it down to one, but every single teacher picked Leah. She was very flattered, but after much deliberation has turned it down.  With all the extra school work she does and basketball starting soon, she didn't think she could give it the time it would require. It is fun to let her go, last week her and a friend went to a spook alley, she went to Emily's to do homework, has picked up Blake from practice and often goes early and stays late to get help on chemistry of math. Leah knows exactly what she wants in life and no matter how people treat her or what they say she will not be swayed.  She has had a rough road the last few months and she is weathering it wonderfully.

Blake ran for the Junior High Social Convener.  Which means he helps with social events like dances and such.  We made up posters and he wrote a speech.  He said to me that he thought the younger kids would just vote for their favorite anyways, so I told him to become the favorite.  Play with them at recess, make up games on the playground, and to stand at the door everyday and high five everyone that walks in.  Must have worked, he won!

He is enjoying volleyball and after watching Leah put in 3-4 hours of homework every night has decided to make sure he has good study skills now and has brought up his grades some.

Dave and Blake have been working every spare moment to get a shed up for us.  Dave has been piecing together our left over wood so he doesn't have to spend anything making it.  He loves working with his son.  Each time Dave comes in very proud about what a hard worker Blake is.

Leah and Blake have been going over to Grandma's and playing pool on the weekends.  We are just so glad they are getting along, we let them go.  Dave's job is going well, still some rough patches to get through, but what job doesn't.  I have started doing indexing and love it.  Lots of cool things I am learning.  Also working hard on getting Cora's visa ready, making appointments for shots and wisdom teeth.  All the details to get her out on this mission.  Cora has a new job and absolutely loves it.  Wish she could have gotten this a year ago, but better then never.  She works from 7am-5pm.  It's a 45 min drive to work and then when she comes home it is usually in rush hour traffic.  That is why I am doing most of this mission prep stuff, she is not home during office hours.  She is responsible for getting the picker ready, someone else goes up and chops trees, and then she picks up and puts into the chipper.  They help maintain the trees growing around power lines in the city. Scott helped her get the job and he was telling us that she has already advanced a lot.  Cora is allowed to use the chain saw after just a few weeks and some have been there 5 months and aren't allow.  Also he said that each morning, the other men on the crew request Cora.  High compliments indeed.  She will NOT be happy this picture is up here, we asked for one in her hard hat for a long time before she sent it.

Winter came as a surprise.  After all the hot days of summer I was not yet prepared for snow.  No fall for us this year apparently.

Back to School

They are back to school.  Leah Grade 11 this year and Blake in Grade 8. Time is just flying by.  Both were not excited to go back this year.  Leah has got a full schedule, but good classes.

Blake has made a goal to pay more attention in school this year.  He does very well, but wants to improve.  I think they will both have a fun year. They are learning to get along better with out Cora. Not really much to say.  Remember who you are, study hard, pay attention, be kind, and good luck.

Montreal Part 2

Monday morning when we met back up we had planned to see the Old Port of Montreal.  As we were walking toward the boardwalk we saw this life size pirate ship with lots of rope obstacle courses.  Dave went to investigate as it looked like a really fun activity.  Turns out it is called Violes en Violes.  Which translates to Sails to Sails.  They have a life size pirate and naval ship that has multiple course going between at different levels of difficulty.  They highest is 35 feet off the ground.  They climbed around for just over 2 hours and still did not get on all the courses.  It was so fun.  

Some neat buildings we could see from the top of the pirate ship.

When Dave and the kids were done playing, we walked around the boardwalk and sat by the lake for our picnic lunch.  After lunch we walked back to see Notre Dame.  We took the tour because Cora loves history and it ended up being quite interesting.  It was then time to go back to the Mission Office.  It was really neat to see how everyone was excited to see Myrna and to help her fill an order.  Blake got a little antsy at this point.  He had a bad headache from the heat, it was seriously so hot and humid, we felt wet and sticky the whole time. Anyways I sat out on a couch with him for a while and we talked, which was nice, as everyone helped with the last few things.  Cora loved being around all the missionaries and Myrna told everyone about her call.  They were all so excited for her.  For dinner we tried another poutine place.  So many different kinds of poutine.  Cora has been planning a poutine party and we discussed how it would be fun to have others bring different toppings for it.  Like a poutine bar.  I think it would be a great party idea.  The one that Cora and I shared below had pulled pork, apples and a maple sorta sauce.

We stopped by Myrna's FHE group to meet those that we hadn't yet and then went for ice cream.  The ice cream shop she took us took was awesome.  Lots of different dip flavors for soft ice cream, hard ice cream, and gelato, plus lots more.  It was so good. 

Tuesday we decided to go to Mont Royal.  We took a bus most of the way and then hiked up the rest of the way.  It was not a hard hike, but again very hot.  Beautiful look out spots.

We had packed a lot of snack because we wanted to have and earlier dinner.  So we snacked as we walked around.  After going to the top and back we got back on the bus for a short ride and a long walk to another church. I wish I could remember the name.  It was not a really ornate church, and I liked it.  Myrna had told us it was 300 steps to the top and I was worried.  But they were easy steps and fun to do.  I actually enjoyed all the walking.  Dave said I looked like I was not having fun most of the time, which is to bad, because I was.  I just don't do well in heat.

We said good-bye to Myrna earlyish after one last stop at the ice cream place.  We had to get up at 4 in the morning Wednesday to catch the bus for the airport.  We made it without trouble.  We had a layover where Cora lives so she just didn't continue on with us and had a friend pick her up at the airport.  It worked out great.  We then got on the tiniest plane my kids had ever been on.  It only sat about 30 people and never got very high.  We didn't make it above the clouds.  We could feel all the air currents.  Blake absolutely loved it.  He kept looking at us with pure joy explaining, " we are going to die!!" 

But we landed safely.

It was a really great trip.  I am so glad we were able to make it work to go.  I loved taking my family to Palmyra and it was so good for Cora to see Grandma.  It will be a long time until they see each other again.  And it is always nice to get away from life for a bit.