Weekend News

We finished our first week of school. We're off to a good start - the week went smoothly and it feels like we are starting to get into a routine. For the next few weeks a few more things are added to the schedule. We are attempting to keep the schedule somewhat simple this year - we will see how successful we are at that.

To celebrate the arrival of the weekend and the successful first week of school we had a fire last night.It was nice to sit and relax as we watched the flames.

This is how Caleb looked - see what he is holding in both of his arms!

Do you think he wanted to play catch??? He asked Gerald if he thought his knee was good enough to play a little football catch. When Gerald told him yes, he would throw with him but not do plays or running Caleb acted as if he won the lottery. He ran to the garage, got both footballs and sat down on the chair by the fire to wait. How patiently do you think he waited?

Later the kids played with their swords - something they have been into for a long time already.

By the way, the boys took the last two pictures. They are definitely getting better at using the camera. They love to take their own pictures.

We spent all morning in the basement cleaning and rearranging. If I would be honest I would admit that the basement only gets cleaned about once or twice a year. We went through ALL the toys and cleaned out what was broken or what the kids didn't want any more. We changed things around so that it is a little more user friendly. We also rearranged the school room. It is nice and clean down there - a good accomplishment!!

Tonight Olivia helped me make Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup for supper. The carrots, celery and onion came from the garden. They were picked, washed and in the pot within a few minutes. Olivia informed the family at supper time that the soup was very healthy! That is one of her favorite meals.

We're looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow!

Sandy

Wordless Wednesday

Anniversary - School

Yesterday we celebrated a golden anniversary with Gerald's parents. Fifty years of marriage!! What a blessing to be able to be a part of this special day. The whole family attended church with them in the morning. We enjoyed a disco lunch that their friends cooked for us. We took family pictures and decorated for the reception later in the day. The reception was a wonderful occasion to listen to stories about their lives - from courting days to marriage, from crazy competitions to sharing their lives and their Lord with others. We are very blessed with the heritage they are passing down to us and our children. We love you mom and dad!!!

Fifty Years of Marriage

After 15 weeks of summer vacation we started school today. Last week the kids weren't very excited yet but as the books came out and the walls began to be covered with posters and curriculum they started hanging out in the school room.

We started this school year by letting them sleep in. We didn't get home until 10:30 last night from the anniversary celebration so we decided to let them sleep in until 8:00 am. We had a great first day of school. It will take me awhile to settle into a good routine but it feels good to have had a great start.

Even though she doesn't look like it she was excited to start Grade Two

Ready for Grade Three

Grade Five

2009 - 2010 School Year

The Teacher

World Championships

Most of you think that the world championships are taking place in Berlin, Germany! But today there was a competition that took place on Reimer Field in Steinbach, Manitoba. The high jump was the only competition that was recorded. The following pictures prove that the above said competition actually took place - including the medal ceremony. The father of the contestants even made it off the couch to watch the final jump of the competition.

The Bronze Medalist

The Silver Medalist

The Gold Medalist

Showing off their capes and medals (ribbons)

Gerald is recovering nicely - although he is getting tired of laying on the couch. He saw the doctor this morning who said his incisions look good and are healing. The doctor cleaned the incisions (including a blood clot that had formed in one of them) and taped them closed again.

Not his normal pose

We are heading out to Rosenort tomorrow to help celebrate Gerald's parents 50th anniversary on Sunday. The day is full of many events and promises to be a great time of celebrating a wonderful occasion. And, the sun is suppose to shine!!!

Enjoy the weekend,
Sandy

Gerald's Knee Surgery

We woke up this morning with the hospital calling to ask us to come an hour earlier since they were running ahead of schedule. So we got the kids ready and off and left for the hour drive to the hospital. Getting through admitting was a breeze and Gerald was quickly laying on his bed waiting to be taken to the O.R. And we waited and waited until just a few minutes before his originally scheduled time. Hurry up and wait!!

The surgery went well with the cartilage being ground up and sucked out (that was Gerald's definition - he watched the whole thing on the screen). The staff was amazing and they took very good care of us. I had a very relaxing time sitting around the waiting room and then next to his bed. I previewed Andrew's text books for this year and cross stitched. Probably the most relaxing day I have had in awhile.

The drive home wasn't so great for Gerald as he ended up laying down in the back of the van hoping the nausea would pass. All the bumps on the roads didn't help either. He walked into the house went to the bathroom and laid down on the couch. He said the pain has hit - as they said it would. He'll take it easy for the next few days. So far the kids are offering to take care of their dad - we'll see how long the enthusiasm for that lasts. I might have to remind them that they don't have to wake him up to ask how he is doing.

Thankful for a successful surgery,
Sandy

The Circus Came to Town

We have had almost four inches of rain in the last four and a half days. The kids are getting very bored with being inside the house. I even let them watch two DVD's today - that is almost unheard of in our house. Last I checked they aren't predicting rain for tomorrow. My garden has been stagnant for a long time. My harvest expectations get lower every week.

The circus came to our house yesterday in the form of our children. They decided to put on a show for Gerald and I - tickets and all. We had a great time.

Deep Sea Diver Cute Cotton

Misses Grannie trying to jump rope


Hidney Togbey playing hockey

Tomorrow before lunch Gerald and I head to Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. His knee surgery is scheduled for 2:00 pm. If all goes well he should be leaving the hospital a few hours later. I told Gerald I was a little worried about him - this is his second surgery in two years. Last year he had his three hernias repaired.

I am starting to work on the school room. We are planning on starting school next Monday. The kids said they are excited to be in the next grade and see what's in their books but are not ready to start school. I told them we are starting whether they are ready or not. We have had 15 weeks of summer vacation - it is time to hit the books again. And, they are calling for rain several days next week so we will likely be inside the house anyway.

Trying to keep dry,
Sandy

Lewis & Clark State Park, ND

We arrived home last night from our camping trip to Lewis & Clark State Park with Glenn and Nancy. We had great weather, fun in the water, wonderful food, and great time of connecting with family.

Many games of 'grounders' were played on the playground

Grilling some chicken

Cooling off by watching a DVD in the shade

A fun afternoon at the lake

Nice tree climbing Caleb

The kids are in Rosenort tonight at Grandma and Grandpa Reimer's house. We have a wedding to attend tomorrow so Grandma took the kids home tonight. There were very excited to go. As they pulled off the driveway they asked again how many nights they would be there. I am not sure what the response was when they were told it was only one night.

Enjoy your weekend,
Sandy

We're Leaving Tomorrow!

The pile of items to pack into the van has grown tremendously as we have organized and packed all day today. We are leaving in the morning to head down into the states. We plan on having a week of vacation with my sister and her family. Our annual camping trip with them. We are all looking forward to time away from home, shopping at Target, relaxing by the fire, and connecting with family again.

Hope your week goes well too!!
Sandy

Goodbye Lobo!

Yesterday Lobo left our house with his new owners. There were lots of tears here after he left. This morning it felt a little strange without him and yet all three kids said they felt good about the home he went to. He is joining a family with four kids and another Schnauzer about a year older than he is. The new owners said that the kids could come and visit him if they wanted to. They live a little over an hour from us. Since our initial conversation this morning about him being gone life has continued on and there hasn't been a single comment about Lobo. Both Gerald and I feel like we gave the kids time to adjust to the idea before it even happened and that helped the transition.

Our neighbor Jake died on Saturday. He had been in the hospital for awhile. He had a stroke a month ago. Even though Jake moved into an apartment almost a year ago he still lived close by and when we would see him the kids would run and give him a hug. He still stopped by for a visit every now and then and we had visited him in his apartment. Jake was a great neighbor to us and we will miss him.

We had a fun weekend with Gerald's family in Pinawa. I think Andrew's count of deer he saw was somewhere in the sixties. We went rafting/tubing down a river. The kids also went tubing behind Uncle Milt's boat. All three of them counted those two events as the highlight of the weekend.

Today it is laundry - quite a few loads as we catch up from being gone. The kids are playing outside and we are enjoying the sun!!

Sandy