Happy Thanksgiving 2016

We were expecting to get about 10 inches of snow, but...... Although it snowed and sleeted and was windy most of the day we had no accumulation on the ground. We spent a quiet Thanksgiving Day at our log home with Jimmy joining us for dinner.

Late in the afternoon Mike and I took off to brave the crowds at the Wallmrt Back Friday event, and talk about crowds...WOW! We got what we came for and waited in line for about an hour to check out. It was interesting though. 

Making Progress

The cottage has all new wiring and plumbing. The insulation is back up....now to put up the vapor barrier then Sheetrock!

Mike does such a great job wiring!

Our neighbors are nice! He brought us over a bottle of his homemade wine...very good!

Demo On The Cottage

Mike started demo on the cottage tearing out the 'platforms' that were to be the kitchen and bathroom.

BEFORE

During

Platforms gone...Sheetrock coming off

Mike cut out the concrete floor to lay the sewer pipes properly in the floor.

Then it was time to frame up the new interior walls an place the windows where we wanted them. He ended up moving every window but one. We ended up purchasing a new window for the kitchen and one one for the dining room area.

Clearing the Landscape

We've been busy pulling out overgrown and dead landscaping, things are really opening up

We brought the Bounder down so we would have a place to cook, eat and relax.

A New Adventure

We have been looking a couple of years for a 'just right' piece of land, we finally found it! It is 3.5 acres with lots of mature landscaping. It is overgrown and in very much need of lots of TLC & hard work. There is a semi converted garage on it, very rough. This place has TONS of potential though .... A diamond on the rough. 

Front yard

Pond

Old triple wide pad

Platform for the kitchen

The Cottage

What a view!

Four wheeler Sweetie

Emma has learned to ride her little four wheeler.....pretty good for a 4 1/2 year old! 

She gave Grandma & Grandpa rides.....oh my! When I got on behind her it was full throttle!! Me screaming her laughing. Her dad gave her a little talk about riding slower...Emma said she was just wanting to have fun. Next it was Grandpas turn.....she did really well.....until.....the four wheeler turned sharp and off they went! 

Happy 4th of July

We were so happy to have everyone here over the 4th of July. On the evening of July 1st Jessie's family hopped in his side by side and Kelly's family and me got in their car and we headed up the road to a mountain top to watch the fireworks in Osoyoos, BC. We could see them though they were probably 5 -8 miles away as the crow flys.

We spent an afternoon at Omak Lake.....

In Grandma's rocking chair....

Tea party on the porch...

Celebrating Kelly's Birthday...

Sophia with Grace....She likes the Chickens!

Four little princesses......

We had so much fun!!

We had a piñata one afternoon for the girls ... They took turns whacking at it then Emma cracked it open.

We went to the Chesaw Rodeo on the 4th, then went to Deep Bay Park to watch fireworks. Elaine came down on the 4th too. 

Jessie & Becky gave Kelly and Sophe side by side rides. 

Sophia and Emma set elaborate boobie traps to catch unknown creatures.

Jimmy had to work most of the time but was able to come up one day to hang out. He also joined us for Kelly's birthday dinner at Ranch Chico. Ryan's dad Jan came too.

Oh how I wish these times with family were more frequent! 

Portage la Prairie - May 2016

After planting our lawn at home, we took off to visit our Prarie family on May 5. We left at about 6:30 am, checked on our chickens at Jimmy's and headed up highway 20 to Colville. We are taking Kelly her birds-eye maple dresser and mirror as well as a tote of dolls etc.

We spent the night at Medicine Hat, AB Home Express( motel 6). We got to Kelly's at around 6 pm.

So great to see them! Sophia ran to Grandpa and gave him a big hug? Much to my surprise and delight Kate came to me with a big hug!

On Mother's Day Kelly gave me a pair of Stella & Dot sparkle earrings. Then it was off to the snake pits. 

There were hundreds of people there to see the garder snakes and babies come out of their dens after winter. Sophia had a great time holding babie snakes...Kate touched them a bit...but no holding. We stopped at Stonewall for a burger on the way home, and ice cream for the girls.

We shopped in Winnipeg, got my farm sink at IKEA, ate at the Indian Buffet, went to Costco..

On Saturday we went to the Art Show at Sophia's school...very cute!

Later we took the girls to Island Park to play. Ryan made his Greek  chicken dinner for us, it was delicious!

Sunday morning we took off for home at about 9am. We let Sophia open her birthday gift before we left....a Luke Skywalker light saber. She loved it!

Making Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Fancy Drinks

Snow in Portage....May 13, 2016

Katie and her Bella 

Fingernails

Sophia the Jedi