Prettiest spot

This was down an alley near our house. There is a river in there somewhere, so I would not recommend going out for a walk on that. I'm not exactly sure where the banks are.



Around the corner, we walked onto a lot and discovered this spot. Saba the adventurer was not listening to me and went down the embankment a bit. She decided she'd made the bad choice and scrambled back to where I was after she sunk down into snow up to her shoulders! It would have been really bad if she'd have fallen down there.


my new screen saver. I could have stayed here half the day-- with some hot coffee, a warm snowsuit and chair that is.

Gorgeous, gorgeous day

Two concepts that I always held about Saskatchewan have been obliterated. Growing up here I thought it was always sunny and that it was a very dry place. Then I moved to Abilene and learned what dry really meant. Even then, I knew that Arizona was far worse. We'd come visit Sask. in the summers and it would rain, proving to me that it was not as dry as I'd always believed. When it rained in Texas, we would either go out and dance in it or at least go onto the porch to watch it, record it, smell it...

My other idea that has been blasted out the waters is that it is always sunny here. This may be an off year, and I'm truly hoping that is the case, but it's been very gloomy here so far. Not sure if a lot of that has to do with being by lots of lakes and a river or not. So when the sun does make an appearance, it transforms our world. It goes from dreary and depressing, to resplendent all at once and it calls us out for a little walk if we can. That was what happened last week. I just had to go explore a little as the sun led us on. We walked a block away and found another city snow dump location on the banks of the river. Then followed the alley to another lot where we were so dazzled with beauty. However, by that time, I couldn't really adventure any more, I had frozen popsicle children crying at me to go home, so it was a short walk, but so worth it. Check out tomorrow's pics for the best scenes I've glimpsed so far this winter. So amazing and only a couple of blocks away!

The chair and the dance

Dad has given each of our kids a rocking chair like this one. Emora got her's for Christmas. The bag for it was as big as her. It came in pieces that the kids can easily fit together and there is a note on the bottom telling her that it was made for her by her grandpa and great uncle.



You can tell, she already loves it. Of course she loves anything that she can say is "MINE!!!" Yep, she's at THAT age, which perhaps never really goes away?


Dominique got dance dvds that she is enjoying. The other day while Emora slept, I got to do my exercise video while Dominique did her "dance class". I kept watching her and when I drifted into her space to help her, she bossed me and told me to go do mine and not bother her! Well, I really am no ballet expert. But her cousin is, so I will snag the princess Victoria to assist her some day. Meanwhile, she is just so amazingly cute and very, very serious about it.


Not only does she have her dvds, but Arwen handed down to her her dance costumes, which Dominique picks out to wear nearly everyday. Today, Emora actually got to wear a tutu over her pants, so that was another whole level of fun. Where I got such frufru girls, I have no idea!

But they are beautiful and goofy and make my heart smile so big!

New Year's part 2

Here are some more pictures from New Year's eve. Lots of music and fun. First Pic- my 2nd cousins all siblings: Sheena (with guitar), Andrea (standing), Ian (arms crossed), and the red head is Sheena's daughter Victoria.

The New Year also started with a call from the specialist to see if I could come in that afternoon. I hustle my way into the city on yet another questionable day to take to the roads! But I made it ok and didn't crash once! He ordered some x-rays and said they'll schedule me for surgery on my knee in this month or early February. I have a tear in my miniscus and a cyst he'll remove. Sounds like an easy process that could make things better for me in a few hours or days. So amazing! I am looking forward to skating and maybe skiing some day!! Walking and swimming without pain and being able to be more active without having consequences for my actions!!

The basement is coming along. I am so looking forward to having the space (it will be doubling our current space) and having a family again and not having so much dust. Brian learned that he can use his leaf blower to remove snow if it's fluffy enough. I'm tempted to use it on my cupboards. I don't want to have to wipe them down so often, but hate the look of them with all the dust from downstairs gathering everywhere. Ah, and being a family again. What will that look like in our new location? Since we've been here last June, we've often been apart, or traveling, or Brian working on the house while I have the kids. The kids and I have gone a lot of places solo because Brian is busy with the basement. Some day, we will all get to go together and enjoy more outings like we did at New Year's.

partying in the new year

I have a lot of pics from new years so I'll have to share them in a couple of different posts. This was an amazing moment when we'd arrived back in Fort Qu'Appelle. There were still a bunch of gifts there for us. Meet my cousin's daughters: Victoria (the tall red head- age 16), Moira (next to her with curly hair) and Arwen (the youngest girl). Victoria decided to make all of us presents and had her sisters help her. She made the guys matching ties (and for her other uncle and nephew), and I got an apron, the girls got stuffed animals. Incredible I tell you. At 16 I think I could make myself an ice cream sunday and that was about it.

Except it doesn't end there. She also made her sister a kimono! Yeah, can we say "WOW!" Did I also mention that she does theater and dances? These girls are all so fun. They are part Japanese and thus the interest also.




We're not sure what all Dominique is. She is a lot of things, among them UNIQUE! I'm not always sure if it's good to let her choose what she wants to wear. I figure we may direct her a little more come time for school... or not!! Hey, she's happy and warm, maybe even a little color blind? or color happy?

The kids with auntie Andrea (they have 2 auntie Andreas now) in their new pyjamas to wear for the sleepover with all the aunties, uncles and cousins in the same house! oh, yeah, I told you it was fun!!!

family haircuts!

The other night Brian said to Ivan that maybe they should get their haircut. Since school starts back in the morning, we figured last night was a good time to get it done. But before I'd started on the guys, I had a couple of still scissor trigger happy girls on my hands. They too wanted cuts.


I started with Emora and tidied up a bit in the front where she had chopped off a bunch. Maybe it will look a little more refined now? We'll see once it's dry.








Then it was Dominique's turn. I usually just trim her bangs and trim the back, but she kept saying she wanted it cut short and showed me where "Emora" (so she says) cut Dominique's hair the other day close to her jaw line. I looked to Brian with terror in my eyes. That short? She kept saying yes, yes! I've always wanted to let the kids have their way with hair, but I love her long hair, even if it makes her cry everyday when we brush it.






Brian said to cut it how she wants it, so I started cutting in the front- super short. Then I went to the other side and cut it the same length. I've never cut her hair like this and usually am working with curly hair which is much more forgiving, or Ivan's hair who seems to look great even if I make a mistake and have to go shorter. At this point I have short on the sides and am about to start on the back and Dominique decides that that was enough! We told her she could not have the back long and the sides super short (so much for us letting her have her own haircut style!)

She burst out in tears! YIKES! Now I'm super sad too, all that gorgeous hair! We told her that if we do the rest short, it will not hurt to comb anymore in the mornings and she lifted her chin and told me to cut it. It made me a bit sick to see all that beautiful hair on the floor.

But she was now running through the house full of joy, so excited about her haircut. She has asked me 10 times if I will cut it like that for her for when she is in school. I may never get to see her in long hair again at this rate!



Hair, what a weird thing! But I am SO glad she likes it now. Not sure if I do. Brian reassured me that he always saw her one day with a bob and I am really looking forward to no more tearful mornings- that was the worst!


She was showing us how she now looks like one of the dancers in her ballet dance video and Ivan keeps saying she looks like "Luscious" at his school. Well she is luscious and so precious to us, hair or no hair!

Emora's expressions

Emora has several cute sayings. My favorite though is "heppa me" (help me). Last night was a not so fun one. She seemed to be yelling "kitty cat" at some insane hour of the night, Brian didn't resolve the mystery, so I went in, trying to figure it out. "You have your kitty cat". Then I tried other words.. When I asked if she wanted water, she sort of nodded, so then I said "sippy cup" and she wailed, "yes, kitty cat". Well, glad we resolved that dilemne at 2am. These kids should come with interpreters!

looks like a lot of milk

Dominique said as we walked outside today that the snow looks like milk and so Ivan proceeded to eat some. In that case, it looks very milky lately. But we've had some "warm" snaps, so it has also been fun to get out and play. Here we were out at mom and dad's near Saskatoon. The thing I hate most about getting out, is that Emora doesn't enjoy it much. She has a hard time walking around as an overstuffed snowsuit, falls over a lot and can't get up, so she really just wants me to carry her.


Today we did some errands in town. I drove us to main street by where we were getting bread (locally made at the bakery 10 loaves for $10- we are figuring out local specials), then the kids and I walked to the library and post office.


Of course Emora didn't want to walk, plus she is slow. I should have brought my wagon or a sled. Instead, I ended up carrying her the whole way. It wasn't so bad- gives me strong arms and just a bit of a workout.

I really need to get back to my workouts. I took a major break for the last several weeks and feel like a slug. The New Year has begun, time to get back to routines and order!

In the meantime, the kids enjoyed skating Monday and we'll go again tomorrow with some of the cousins. Today I wanted to make pumpkin waffles for breakfast, and didn't quite get up that early, so I made them for a late lunch.

We had Christmas again today as Dominique's and the last of Emora's gifts finally came in the mail. Emora got a move and grove video and Dominique got several beginner dance videos. So far she watched Prima Ballerina "the Nutcracker" and really loved it. They watch sections of the real ballet with explanations from a little ballerina character and in between sections are taught to do the ballet moves. It's really cool and a much cheaper alternative than actual classes.

Ivan has been practicing his guitar some. He has a goal of learning Johnny Cash's song "ring of fire" because his principal played it for their music class. So far he has learned 2 chords- G and D. He has also decided that he needs a strap- so we decided he can pay for it too! The stinker. He is driving us all bonkers and I'm counting down the hours until he is back at school! I mean we love having him home, but he has too much energy for our little house and only lasted 5 minutes outside the other day. I thought skating would have worn him out, but he still had a never ending supply that wanted to spill out in terrorizing his sisters, throwing things in the house and playing indoor light sabers. I've always thought he was on the calmer side for a boy, but some days I take that back. However, I'm very thankful that he's not on the more hyper side of the spectrum!!

2010-2011

2010 was marked by major upheaval for our family and we are not quite out of it yet. The big move to Canada was easy in a way and oh so hard in other's. Things went well. We got here in good time, were welcomed by cousins and family and things went smoothly with the sale of our house... Then it got a bit harder. House shopping was not easy, being "homeless" 3 months was pretty hard although we were thankful to have a couple of homes open to us to bounce back and forth from, but then when we got our house and thought we could just settle in, that feeling never came.

The renovations and constant learning, costly transitions and numerous seeming setbacks has kept us on edge and not quite able to just relax yet. Small town is not so easy to get used to either, but we are starting to come out of this I hope. We are starting to learn some names and get to know a few people, slowly making some friends. We are figuring out new routines with regular life like getting groceries, going skating, doing activities with other's... The renovations still have a way to go, but the end is in sight. We can look back and realize that a ton of work has been done. It is getting closer and closer to being livable. Last night, Brian's friend stopped by and they got to hang out downstairs among the drywall while the kids slept and I got to actually sit and read a book. This was a small taste of the restful, reenergizing moments we will get to have here some day when our home is twice it's current size!

The craziness of Christmas is past us, the New Year is wrung in and we have a few more days with no school to enjoy being a family at home. The kid's enjoyed being at grandpa and grandma's (seen here) and being with cousins, but it's always good to come back to our own space.

I am mindful that time moves so very fast. Here are paintings at my parent's house. Their wedding, nearly 40 years ago. My brother, sister and I about age 2. I painted a portrait of Ivan and Dominique at that same age and am about to do Emora's after she turns 2. No longer a baby, and already showing signs of who she is and how she fits into our family.


We are looking forward to what this year will bring. Looking forward to feeling more and more at home, in our house and in Fort Qu'Appelle. Looking forward to some breakthroughs relationally and in our family's life. Meanwhile, each day brings it's small joys and struggles, challenges and victories. And while the last year was not horrible, I am not sad to see it's passing and have a fresh start to another year.

Happy new year!

The kids enjoyed decorating (and later- eating) a gingerbread house. Auntie Andrea has sent kits from Germany for the kids for years and this is the first year she got to decorate it with them!


My brother, his wife and some of their nephews & nieces.


Part of my Christmas/birthday gift to Imogen was to do a small wall painting in her newly painted room. Her parents picked these cherry blossoms. They were so fun to paint!


I got to go to my friend Sarah's house. She has a bunch of kids too. Here she is with hubby Joe, her son Noah and dad, who we were surprised to see Emora quickly bond with.


Last night we had a blast at my cousin's house for a fun multi-family sleepover! My kids have never stayed up so late- after midnight! We rang in the new with music and family here in Fort Qu'Appelle- so fun. May your new year be filled with good things and most of all an increase of love in your life. We are hoping to finish the renos of course, and find our grove here to a deeper degree, establish work and relationships, know the people, our neighborhood and community more and bring joy, life and love to those around us.