We had a great time in Winnipeg today...the snow was flying but we made it there and back safely. After we got home the kids decided to do some "air band" playing. Here is a clip of their band, curiously named "Starfield" in honour of one of their dad's favourite bands (although the song they are playing is from their most favourite band...PETRA!).

Make a postcard - it's easy!

Have a worshipful Sunday!
Gerald

Swimming Fun

The kids were invited to go swimming with a friend today. They had a blast! Tonight they are at their last Awana. Next week is the awards night. Even starting in the middle of the year all three kids finished their books. WAY TO GO!!!

Getting ready for the big splash!

Think she is having fun on the slide?

It is suppose to snow tonight. The boys were talking about how just a few days ago they were wearing shorts and sandals. Just when I got all the coats and snow pants washed and put away we will need them again. We could use the moisture. Soccer starts on Monday and we might be watching the first few games in parkas!

Time to get the kids from Awana,
Sandy

A Perfect Saturday

We have been outside much of the last two days and the kids all have rosy cheeks to prove it. The leaves in the hedges were all raked and bagged and the lawn was mowed. The kids and Gerald staked out where the fort is going to go. Gerald's goal is to finish it before his surgery the end of May. We ended the day by sitting around the fire having s'mores. It has been a great day.

Last night Gerald was in Winnipeg speaking to one of the church's youth groups. During game time he forgot that he was 40 years old and ran to "kick the can" and ended up pulling his hamstring muscle pretty badly. He still did lots of work around the yard today and even practiced soccer with the boys for about an hour.

(The kids have put miles on their bike already)

(Tire races were part of yesterday's activities)

(Our neighbor Jake joining us around the fire tonight)

(Olivia enjoying her s'more)

Hope you all enjoyed a beautiful day today!
Sandy

What a beautiful day!

What an absolutely gorgeous day! Over the lunch hour we all sat out on the deck enjoying the warm sunshine. The kids have been playing with water guns the last several days. The last two days I have carried all the garden and flower plants outside for the day and then back inside for night. I am getting anxious to get them all planted. I am impressed at how well they are doing.

I am so thankful for Friday this week - especially with the weather. I am looking forward to the weekend - the break from school (although we only have 17 days of school left before summer break! Yahoo) and Gerald being home for a few days. He was gone most of last weekend so we are looking forward to some great family time this weekend. The boys were hooting and hollering when Gerald told them they could help mow the lawn this weekend. How many years do you think they will be excited about helping with that?

My tulips, iris', crocus', and hyacinths have all come up although none of them are blooming yet. The rhubarb is also coming up - Andrew is very happy about that! He loves rhubarb cheesecake. We trimmed the cedar bushes in front of the house this week and clean out all the flower beds. I need to tackle the leaves in the hedge yet. Hopefully things will start turning green before too long - some rain would help.

Enjoy your afternoon!
Sandy

Tulips and Iris'

What beautiful weather we have been enjoying. Spring has arrived - at least it seems so! You can never be sure at this time of the year. But, the tulips and the iris' are up. I cleaned out the front flower beds yesterday. The kids have been outside almost every day this week. And I have mounds of laundry to prove it. The clothes line in the back of the house still has snow on three sides of it but I hung some clothes out on it anyway today. They dried and they sure smell nice. Well, except for the one that fell into the snow and I have to rewash.

Life has been clipping along here and the days go by very fast. The boys have been playing street hockey with the neighborhood boys several days this week. Awana is winding down, soccer is about to start and we are ready for summer. Olivia has been wearing shorts in the house all week all the while asking me when summer will arrive. My plants on the table in the living room are growing (the sunflowers are 18 inches tall) and the last of the snow melted off the garden today.

Signs of spring and new life encourage us all. Enjoy your day!

Sandy

Signs of Spring...

We just picked up our CD of family pictures from the church on Sunday. Our church is putting together a Pictorial Directory and we purchased a CD that has the total package of our own portraits...and so here is one formal pose of our family, something we haven't done in many, many years!

The dirt of the garden started poking it's way through the snow yesterday and at the end of today there was quite a dark patch - that is definitely an encouraging sight. Most of the snow is gone from the front yard but the back grass is much slower poking through.

My plants are doing very well. I am starting to get a little worried that some of them will be quite big before they get planted outside.

Andrew and I took a little trip to the clinic today. A little while ago I noticed that he had a growth on one of his toes and I made an appointment at the doctor. Yesterday he was telling me that it hurts when he walks and as it was still over two weeks until his appointment we went to the walk in clinic. The short version of the story is that he has four warts growing on his toe - three in one place. So tonight starts the process on working on them. Andrew was excited that he got out of the clinic without antibiotics. With his asthma most of the time that we take him in he needs medicine.

- Sandy