oh hi, how are you?

So, just posted SOME of the holiday photos...thanks for your patience. There is more to come as well.
Hi! Went to town Tues and Wed. Tues playgroup and Wed. was some early literacy/gym time at the elementary school. The literacy/gym time was at an elemtary school and the program was integrated with first the gr.2 class (songs, stories, ryhmes) and then the gr.3 (gym time). We walk into the gr.2 class and a little girl (gr.2) comes and says, "I'm Shalla, what's your name?" "Sarah" I say for Sarah. "Hi Sarah." *big smile* from Sarah (a little person is talking to me by name). "Can she be my partner?" "Sure" - but S. ended up sitting with me most of the time anyway. Gym time was a little loud and overwhelming, but when the older kids left S. got into things (literally) a bit more. She is sick today...nose runny and threw up her milk this morning all into the bed, so we're washing linens now. And I wanted to say that is is getting cold here...I can were longjohns all the time and feel not too hot at all...in the house even. Our woodstove is still not finished, so that's been disappointing. Ya, so I've dug all sorts of old warm clothes out of the closet and am making a little list of "would be nice" warm items for S. and I. One eve I went out to check on the plants at Mary and Cyrils and I thought, "Too bad I forgot to put my toque on." and I came back inside and realized I had had it on :) I am enrolled in a beginner quilting class which I am really excited about...I think it is a good skill to have. Oh, a little while back we went to visit the Harnett's in Kelowna and do some shopping as well. That was nice. Oh, Andy's Dad was up Mon/Tues. and we went out for dessert at the Greek place in town. I had *yum* baklava (phyllo pastry layers with honey and walnuts, topped with cinnamon), and A. had some choc. suicide thing. That evening after S. was in bed, and I showered and Dad A and I did some observing (of stars) together - with our eyes and binoculars...it was a great dark night and I really enjoyed this.
Did I mention this before? We don't get much sunlight now, with our narrow valley. We have sun, if it's not cloudy till about 2:30pm...so if we don't get out before naptime, there's no sun on our faces. :(
Had a lovley walk the other evening (saw the deer, Mr. Beaver, scared the heron) while S. and A. went to pick some mushrooms for dinner. A. and his Dad had found a 'grove' of mushrooms on a hike they went on on Tues. Wed. I got a library book out on mushrooms and later that eve. we were having a mushroom curry with the harvest. Andy dehydrated and froze some too. Yum.
Speaking of Mr. Beaver, he has been busy...chewed off a branch of a tree that is the thickness of an eight year old's wrist...what will he be after next, A. wonders.

View of the lake from where S. was standing in the last picture...the classic shot.

At Crowsnest Lake at the camp.

Lunch at the Cinnamon Bear coffee shop in Coleman AB (highly recommended - we grabbed a muffin and cinnamon bun for later that eve. too)...almost to Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp, where we stayed at the adjacent Kozy Knest Kabins for 2 nights.

Mom tries on Dad's hat.

Lovely moment at the Crowsnest River (not visible)...we also stopped here when S. was a week old to nurse on the way to Mikes...here we are again.

Mr. Bear gets a story at Mike's.

Mike has a small dinosaur collection (not to mention stuffed mounted wildlife all over his house - elk, badger, magpie, bear rug etc.) that Sarah enjoyed.

Oh the sky and grass and a girl I know.

That afternoon I napped while Sarah, Mike, Lewis (his excitable Jack Russel), and Andy went out again for a little hike.

Also near the tree...a lovely meditation spot...with shelves for books and everything.

Here's the tree and Mike and I.

Hiking up a hill to an old tree while Sarah naps in the truck.

Here we all are. Mike is my Moms brother, by the way. We all have in common a love for God, the outdoors, and MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop). Sarah, wild girl, one sock over the pants, one in...:)

I was very tired during this trip but really enjoyed these views.

We are in my uncle Mike's truck. Mike lives in Granum (about an hour from Crowsnest Pass). We went to a Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp 50th anniversary celebration near his house and spent the next 2 nights there. One day Mike took us on a great drive in the country (Porcupine Hills) to see wildlife and beautiful landscapes.

Train time.

Success at the Elk River.

Hands in my pocket...I showed S. how to keep her hands warm while travelling without mittens.

Elk river picnic time.

At the bird watching sanctuary (Elizabeth Lake) behind the motel...we see Dad through the 'eye slot' in the cement wind break.

Sarah in the bed at the Pondeosa Motel in Cranbrook...the same bed she lay in while in my tummy and when she was a newborn.

They had really improved the mini golf course off the motel. Oh, no pics of this, but the owners and their 2 sons (ages 4 and 2.5). That was a fun time...Sarah kept talking about our 'friends house' where they had toys and trains (train yard just across the street from the motel).

Mark and Bethany stopped by when they were in the area. Andy went to school with Mark and we also got to know him at church. Bethany and him were hitchhiking together, sharing about their overseas service. Mark was in Pakistan.

well now

He Heeaahhh....oh ya.. [deep breath]....ah...here I am at this here computer again. Have not been here much lately. We have a guest group in that will leave tomorrow...AND we hosted a work crew (3 guys) as well. The guys ate at our place (actually just 3 guys for one meal) for 3 meals and I waited for and welcomed the guest group last night (over an hour late...maybe 1..5 hours...bedtime was 11:30pm last night) Andy 'showed me the ropes' and Sarah and I broke into a box of Cheerios in the camp kitchen for her mesmorizing bedtime snack as she sat staring into the fire Andy had built in the dining hall. So, Andy was working LOTS with the guys, making most of the meals etc. Yesterday we served dinner and left the two guys at our place to be at camp for when the group arrived. It was very encouraging to come back hours later to almost all our piles of dishes washed. Ya, so what else. I am very thankful my brain has settled down a little...I have NOT been laying awake lately...who has been praying, I keep thinking. We booked a place for our anniversary getaway, so that is nice...in Ucuelet, on the Island. Getting sleepy...that's all for now. Andy gave me a wonderful haircut...I feel so much better. The wife of the speaker and her 16 month old son came over for a little playtime today. I am helping out with the singing at church tomorrow. Yeah! Andy has Mon. and Tues. off!

umm. hello.

This was penned on Oct.10: Hey hey...did you know that we went on vacation? We did! We came back home last night. Our first night was spent in Cranbrook - actually in the same motel we stayed in while we waited for Sarah to be born 2 years ago. Then we went to the Crowsnest Pass and stayed with my Uncle Mike (Mom's mom) in Granum for 2 nights, then 2 nights at the Kozy Knest Kabins, next to Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp, were we helped out a couple of years ago, and then one night at home, then drove to Abb. for 3 Thanksgiving celebrations. Spent one night at Andy's folk's and made our way back home yest. night. We moved around a lot as you can hear and now we are getting back into the 'swing' of solitary life out here. My mind and heart are full of good memories, my laundry machine has been busy all day and I am thankful for safety after all that driving.

Penned today: So, there will be pics at some point. A lot has been going on up here...driven into town almost every day...cut a little bit off a finger with a hatchet...got a tetnus shot, cause I don't think I was up to date.
Cyril, our neighbor, had bypass surgery and is recovering well. Carol, Mary (Cyril's wife) and him are at the coast. We take care of the plants and cats.