Happy 3rd Birthday Dominique!

Our little girl is growing older and bigger year by year. She is enjoying cards phone calls and gifts, got her nails painted and is about to go to her swim party.












Emora is meeting her Papa Terry for the first time and Ivan is in bad shape. He has a stomach bug and is very upset that he won't get to swim at the party. We had a bad night with him up and he has been sick all morning.

we're home!

We were loading up in the car 2 days ago and Ivan said "I don't want to drive home, I want to fly". I agreed with him, but we made it none the less. We set off Tues. at 6:30 am from Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan, went through immigration without a hitch and on through the Dakotas the rest of the day. We stopped for the night at about 10:30pm in Valentine, Nebraska. The next day we set off at 10am (we lost an hour with the time change) and got in to Abilene by 2:30am this morning. The countryside was beautiful on the way home, but not quite so much as the loveliness of my own bed. On the highway, I saw a huge snake (Nebraska), a turtle, a couple of rabbits, a fox, some of the most beautiful canola fields I've ever seen and through the panhandle of Texas, in the dark, we played dodge the deer. I've never seen so many deer on the side of the road grazing. It did keep me awake. Most of them just looked up from grazing, but one darted out onto the road and a few darted away from it. I was very glad we avoided all collisions. Brian saw all of the above in monovision. He got the eye infection Emora started off with at the beginning of our trip. Within about 6 hours, his eye went from weeping, to sticky, to swollen, to shut closed. It was not too cool. The kids saw lots on the way too. They saw a Little Einstein video, the Clifford Movie, The snowman movie, The seventh brother movie... You get the picture. Poor Dominique was miserable that second night on the road. She wanted out!

Today we have been tackling the unpacking, washing, grocery shopping, getting the plates changed over on our new van... I am glad to say that I am only mildly dizzy now from the constant motion and lack of rest. Another night's sleep will do me good.

I've uploaded the pics from the second leg of our time in Canada. We spent 5 days in Fort Qu'appelle. Population 2000. We were there for the forth of July. Once in Canada for the 4th, out in a canoe, Brian got to see a wild eagle. So we said he needed to see one again this year and he got to see 3! They were soaring above my cousin's house, catching the breezes over the wooded hills of the valley. So happy belated 4th.

Last day in Stoon

As I write this, there is a fresh loaf of bread baking in a bread maker mom offered me. If that bread tastes at all good, I think I'll take it! Mom and dad are cooking up pancakes and we are about to pack up and leave my childhood home. Parting is such sweet sorrow. I'm glad we got to be here, but it always goes so fast. Our trip is not over though. Ivan is still determined to go canoeing, which we may get to do at my cousin's in Fort Quapelle, Saskatchewan. We are headed there for a few days.

As you read this, we are driving back from Canada, or maybe even crashed out in our own beds, but I doubt it. It takes 28 hours to drive and we now have 3 kids under 5 years old, so I don't think we will make it back in two driving days. We left ourselves a 3 day window, so I hope we'll make it.

I'll post about the next part of our trip from Abilene I'm sure. In the meantime, at top, the original 5. Me, my sister, brother, mom and dad. The next pic is my sister's family- John and my precious niece- I LOVE YOU IMY! And the last pic is me with my siblings- Andrew and Jenn. Andrew is about to get married! in Germany! He and Andrea have dated all of Ivan's life and been engaged nearly all of Dominique's. So now that Emora is here, I guess they are ready for the next step ;) My life is no longer measured in years, but in births.

Canada day in Canada

It was Emora's first time to celebrate Canada day in Canada, and maybe for Ivan and Dominique too. Ivan was so excited and kept wanting to go to the celebration in the park. We had a big day, since it was our last, meeting up with friends before we leave. We also managed to get in a nap, which was maybe my favorite part- (am I getting old?) By afternoon, we headed out to the park. Music was playing and tons of people were enjoying the sun and the day off. They had another train ride, that Brian took the kids on and jumpy castles. I got to see my cousin Corey briefly, his girlfriend and daughter. So little time! We had some yummy take out chinese at my sister's to finish off the day. Andrew went on to the fireworks, while all the rest of us wimped out. It doesn't get dark here until about 10pm and we would have had crying, tired, cranky kids hating the big blasts of booming. I'm sure they would have liked the colors, but we'll wait until they are older for that.

Rides

The kinsmen park has a couple of rides- a merry-go-round and a train. It used to have a ferris wheel, but I guess not anymore. The kids were so excited. Ivan and Dominique called the merry-go-round a carousel. I think they must have learned that from Merry Poppins. Dad rode too. He has always had a zest for all things fun, but when we got off, we found out that he had never been on one. So way to go dad! He was on a merry-go-round once as a kid, but the horse he wanted was taken. There was only one animal left and it didn't move. So, better late than never. We also rode the train. After that, we went to a water park where I had one of my biggest scares ever.

The water was not all that deep, but when Dominique went down the slide, it was so fast, she landed on her butt in the water- where she sat on the bottom, not getting up, totally submerged. I was right there at the edge, holding Emora and the camera, and yelled at Dominique to stand up. Then SWOOSH, another kid slid down and landed on top of Dominique. Now Dominique could not get up if she tried. The other child was pushing Dominique under even more as she tried to get off her. The lifeguard jumped in and pulled Dominique up and the other child off. It was frightening to say the least. Dominique wanted to attempt the slide later, but got scared at the top. I don't blame her. I had hoped she would have tried again and let me catch her to overcome her fear, but at the same time, we were all a little rattled by the incident. I didn't even post the pictures of the slide. Don't want to see if for a little bit. I'm just so thankful that she is OK and that everything turned out fine.

Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek is a nature conservation area. It has an educational center and trails to walk and be out in nature. In practical terms, it was the place dad would bring 3 energetic kids when mom was trying to sleep after coming off her night shift, since keeping us quiet was impossible.

The kids enjoyed the animal costumes, puppets and stages. The were not as enthusiastic about the actual nature part, like observing the natural bushes, trees, flowers and stopping to smell the roses, which I did often while the kids raced down the trails. At one point, all of us were racing, when the bush got thick and the moskitoes came out with a vengence. There were also jokes along the way on cards. The kids thought that was great fun. The joke they liked the most is dedicated to our friend Isaiah... What do you call a skunk that can fly?

Are you stumped? It's a smellocopter. Yeah, the perfect joke for toddlers. They laughed for quite a while with that one. On the way out of the area, we thought we saw deer, and then discovered they were wild elk. I forgot to upload that pic, but maybe I can when we are back home.

face paint

While at the Jazz festival, Ivan and Dominique got their faces painted. They were so excited! Dominique cried and cried that night when daddy said she had to have it washed off. I finally had to go tell her that if she didn't stop crying that she would never get her face painted again. It's a wonder what a little paint can do and how much joy (or heartache) it can create.

I'm posting these in advance from my parents. I may get to post a few before we leave here. We are hoping to go to Kinsmen park, where there are rides, walk the trails at Beaver Creek- near my parents, go canoeing and fishing, go to a BBQ at some friends, go to Canada day celebrations, and visited two more friends. Hummmm we have 2.5 more days here. So much to do, so little time. It sounds like a lot, but it really has been relaxing and wonderful.

After we leave my parents, I may not have another chance to post until we are back in Texas. We are leaving the 7th for the 28 hour treck. Yikes!!!

Thanks to Emora

Looks like I have some time to write up some more posts before we leave my parent's house. You can thank Emora for that. She woke me and now I'm up. We need to pack, but the entire house is asleep, so I thought I'd post the pics from the last few days to keep you amused during our last leg of this trip.

My parents live outside of Saskatoon on an acreage. It is so beautiful. The trees are even bigger than when I lived here and everything is so green and vast. Dad, Brian, myself and the kids went for a little walk one evening, after supper. We made a mile long loop, saw and got to pet some horses of a nice neighbor's, made whistling noises using grass, picked a wild rose and carried all three kids on our backs/shoulders for the last quarter mile of the treck. We should have seen that coming! This picture is to show you that Dominique has not lost her knack. She ate 6 cherries. Yes, I had them counted, since I gave her and Ivan the same amount. Ivan, of course, was spotless. Dominique, on the other hand, looked like she was in a bloody fight. See the piece of cherry above her eye? Yeah, I don't know how she does it. Of course, her shirt will never be the same either.

Typical Saskatchewan

While Saturday was cold, windy and overcast, Sunday was hot and sunny. A perfect day for our previous days plans. Typically Saskatchewan. We got to take in a bit of the Jazz festival downtown. It was so fun. A carpet of people sitting out enjoying the music, dancing and visiting, people out on seadoos, kids at the river landing water park, bikers going up and down the trails, some brave youths jumping, diving and backflipping off of railings or docks into the river, dogs on leashes, face painting and friendly fun. Ivan kept asking when it was his turn to dance in front of the observant crowds. Auntie took him up, so did mommy and daddy (although daddy found a more secluded and intimate setting for their spinning shinanigans). I loved watching young and old, people of all different races, nationalities and personaes come together to celebrate beauty, and music. Everyone slowing down to just BE. Enjoy life, living and others.

I forget how you can wear anything here in the summer. It was warm enough for some women to be in bikini tops or some men to go shirtless, others were in jeans, some in dresses. 24 hours later, it was cold and rainy again.

This week is visit week. We are trying to see many friends here in Saskatoon before heading to Fort Qu'appelle, Saskatchewan where we will get to stay with some of my cousins.

Our non canoeing day

Saturday, since everyone was off from work, we planned to make our great escape to the Gardener damn with grand plans to canoe, fish, swim and play in the sand. We were so determined, we ignored all warning signs that this was a very bad day to try this scheme. My father is probably the craziest driver I've ever known and thinks that weather is never much of an excuse to stop a moving vehicle. Mom and I were wound up like tight tops as we drove down the highway watching the two canoes tied to the van do a frenzied dance in the wind. John, who was driving behind us said that the canoes were lifting about a foot off the van. At one point, he had us pull over and they tightened the ropes. Like fools we continued on our path and came to the most treacherous leg of the trip, where the highway is way above the damn, on a land bridge, sided with the deep waters of the damn to one side and a steep cliff to the others. At this point, I was quite sure that the canoes would lift off the van and tip us over the side, or break a rope and come smashing into us. John, pulled his car back away from us in the event of catastrophe. Mom kept begging dad to pull over. To his credit, he did SLOW DOWN just a bit and we did make it safely to the freezing cold, windy, deserted, beautiful beach. We weren't the only fools, other campers and canoe topped vehicles had also made the drive and soon turned around. We ate our picnic wrapped in blankets, while my nordic niece campered all over the playground, grass and beach oblivious to the cold. I don't have to wonder where she got this adventurous spirit since her dad John actually rolled up his pants and put his feet in the water. He told us about swim lessons where they chopped the ice off first. He's from "up north". Ivan was very dissapointed not to canoe, but even he thought it was too cold. We made the scary drive back to my parent's with canoes flying overhead, but saw some cool old farms, a deer and chalked this up to another Saskatchewan adventure.
From left-right: mom, dad, my niece Imogen, sister Jenn, brother Andrew (behind Jenn), her husband John and us.