The Village People

Skiing

2011-01-05T15:22:00.002-06:00

During the break we took the kids to Wahala for their first skiing/snowboarding experience. We registered them for lessons in the morning with an instructor - Mac on skiis and Cole on snowboard - while Elroy and I went for a few runs down the hill. After the lessons, they were eager and raring to go. They both caught on really quickly and did an amazing job! By the end of the day, they were going down the Moderate slopes and they did not want to stop. I think the only break Cole took was to go to the washroom! We dragged them off the hills at the end of the day and headed home to soak our tired bodies in the hot tub. When Cole woke up the next morning, the first thing he said was "Can we go skiing again today??" I think that was the first of many ski trips to come!

Boxing Day

2011-01-05T15:16:00.002-06:00

Boxing Day was spent with Grandma Marilyn, Grandpa John and Uncle Dwayne! Mackenzie played some Christmas Carols on the piano before we started. Mackenzie was very excited about all of her Paul Frank bedding that she received as well as a rock tumbler. Cole is now ready for some goalie action with some new mini-stick goalie pads. After gifts, we relaxed, played and watched the hockey game before we had some ham and pluma mouse. Yummy!

Christmas Day

2011-01-05T15:05:00.002-06:00

Cole was the first one up on Christmas morning - 7:15 and he quickly woke up his sister who was sleeping peacefully. After we had a cup of coffee in our hands and the fire was going we began to open gifts. This year the kids used some of their own money and went shopping on their own to buy Elroy and I each a gift. They were very excited to give these to us. Elroy got a "Relaxation Kit" which included a soft, fleece blanket and a pillow. I got a tray and necklace from 10,000 Villages - very thoughtful gifts.
Cole was very excited about his new hockey jersey - Sydney Crosby and Mac loved her new i-pod dock. Poncho even got in on the action with his very own gift - an edible log!

In the final gift that the kids opened, they found 2 new travel bags with a set of instructions. They were to each look for 3 hidden letters inside of their bags and then unscramble the letters to spell their Mystery Vacation! It didn't take Mac long to find the letters and Cole was busy looking for his last letter when he pulled out the letter D and shouted "Disney"! Disney World here we come - Spring Break 2011!

Christmas Eve

2011-01-05T14:54:00.003-06:00

We spent Christmas Eve day with Grandma Ann & Grandpa Bernie (We sure were missing the rest of the gang from Mexico this year - it seemed very quiet and empty without them.) We were there bright and early in the morning. The kids were excited to see their Santa Boots filled with candy and their stockings overflowing with gifts. Elroy even got his very own poppy seed cake - spoiled brat!!! After opening gifts, we had a delicious brunch and then relaxed and enjoyed the day. Most of the adults settled in for a cozy nap and the kids set to work on their new police lego set and had it completed by the time we all woke up. The rest of the day was spent playing games, watching movies and relaxing before having some chicken cordon bleu for supper and then heading to church.

Mac's Hockey

2011-01-05T14:30:00.002-06:00

Mackenzie has joined the hockey ranks this winter and is playing hockey once a week in a girls' rec program. She is really enjoying it and it's amazing how much she has improved from the beginning of the season. After Christmas, the girls are going to start wearing more equipment and learn more game skills. Way to go Mac!

Christmas Concerts

2011-01-05T14:25:00.003-06:00

Mackenzie was very excited to have a role in the school Christmas Concert this year. She played the part of an Angel and had a few speaking lines that she needed to say. She did an amazing job and was a very angelic angel!
Cole was also very excited about his concert! He sang lots of fun Christmas songs and his class said two poems on stage. During one of the poems he played a reindeer character.

Hockey Boot Camp

2011-01-05T14:20:00.002-06:00

Cole's hockey team had a Hockey Boot Camp right before Christmas! The kids came with their faces painted in camo ready for action! They had to push heavy objects across the ice, crawl through tunnels, jump through a ladder, a tug of war and many more activities. We had one tired boy on our hands when he came home.

Christmas is a Coming

2011-01-05T14:14:00.002-06:00

There are a few traditions which seem to come up every year as we get ready for the Christmas season: 1) Baking Schmondt Kuche - Cream Cookies. The kids love to help with this and are getting pretty good at rolling their own dough and using the cookie cutters. 2)Chocolate houses with Grandma. The kids always look forward to creating their very own chocolate houses drenched in icing and candy! Thanks Grandma for helping us with this!
This year the kids had a special delivery from Grandpa - Candy Trees which he made himself. Thanks for the treats Grandpa!

Halloween

2011-01-05T14:07:00.002-06:00

Pumpkin carving at our house usually looks like this: Mac is right in there and can not get enough of the slimy, gooey seeds and Cole is usually standing back complaining about the smell. This year he used a bandana to cover his face and a spoon so he would not have to touch the gooey seeds! Cole was a skeleton this year and Mac recreated one of my old costumes that I wore when I was a kids - Rubik Cube! We had alot of fun creating and making the costume. The kids went trick or treating on their own this year, which felt a little strange for us! Once again they came back with loads of candy!!!!

Mac's Birthday

2011-01-05T14:02:00.002-06:00

For Mackenzie's birthday this year, she had to go on a scavenger hunt around the yard to pick up clues for her gift - a hamster cage and her very own hamster. She was so excited!! The following weekend we headed to the city to choose her hamster - Poncho!
Mackenzie celebrated her 10th birthday with a Alice in Wonderland Mystery Party. All of her friends came dressed as a specific character and using the clues left behind they had to solve the mystery of who stole the rabbit's pocket watch! The girls had a blast and were fun to watch as they really became their characters! They also had a great time in the hot tub afterward and they all stayed for a birthday sleepover.

Elroy's Birthday

2011-01-05T13:57:00.002-06:00

We celebrated Elroy's 40th birthday by having some friends and family come over for a party. Elroy's friends were kind enough to provide him with a birthday outfit - 3 piece suit from MCC! Happy 40th!

Cole's Birthday

2011-01-05T09:09:00.002-06:00

Cole celebrated his 7th birthday with a Super Hero Squad party! Thanks to the help of his sister, his guests were taken through some Super Hero Training including an obstacle course, Spiderman Tag, a Scavenger Hunt and some other fun games! The boys had lots of energy and were very eager to run around and wrestle!!! Happy Birthday Buddy!

Homeward Bound

2010-09-19T22:00:00.002-05:00

Day 16 - Today we began our journey homeward. Unfortunately, the smoke was still hanging around and our drive down the first part of the scenic Ice Fields Parkway was filled with a smokey haze. We made a pit stop at the Columbia Ice Fields which had changed alot since I was last there when I was 3 years old. It was interesting to see where the Ice Fields had been over the years. We were not able to walk on them as it was too dangerous. After our stop, we continued on our way and made a picnic pit stop at Peyto Lake (bottom right picture). If you look closely, you can see that the lake is actually shaped like a wolf!!! (We only found out about this fact once we got home.) We continued on our way and made it to Aunty Kathy & Uncle Alvin's (east of Calgary) by supper. We spent a great evening catching up with them as well as my cousin Kristin, her husband Karl and their sweet little girl Madison. Thanks again for your hospitality and letting us crash at your place along the way.

Day 17 - The next morning, Kristin & Karl had us over for breakfast and then we were on our way for a quick stop in Drumheller. The kids loved all of the dinosaurs at the museum and had a great time exploring. After another quick picnic lunch, we continued on our way and made it all the way to Moose Jaw by the evening. We were all exhausted and ordered some pizza and went to bed!

Day 18 - Moose Jaw to Altona!!! We finally made it home just before supper. The kids were amazing travelers! Elroy also jumped into the back seat with them a few times to watch a movie and I successfully took over camper driving duties! After a long day, we were finally home! We had an amazing vacation - created so many wonderful memories, visited with lots of great people and saw a beautiful part of our country!!!
Now . . . where should we go next year?????

Jasper

2010-09-19T20:42:00.008-05:00

Day 11 - Today was a travel day. We travelled from Sorrento to Blue River. Along the way, we stopped in Kamloops for some groceries, Clearwater for some fuel and to say hello to our old neighbour Jackson who managed the gas station and then onward to Blue River where we camped for the night.

Day 12 - We packed up camp quickly and got an early start in the morning. Along the way to Jasper we stopped in Valemount to watch the Salmon Run. We saw lots of salmon swimming up stream and also came upon 2 bald eagles looking for a feast. Our next stop before Jasper was Mount Robson. We stopped for a picnic lunch and then did some hiking along the Berg Trail. We arrived in Jasper just before supper and unfortunately the smoke from the forest fires in BC found their way to Jasper as well.

As we were getting some supper ready that evening, the kids were busy making a fort in our campsite using sticks they found on the ground, umbrellas, lawn chair s and blankets. We were all busy doing our own thing, when Mackenzie shouted out that there was an elk in our campsite. Sure enough, sauntering through our site was a young female elk. I quickly grabbed the fresh cantaloupe that was sitting on the picnic table and we all hurried into the camper. The elk walked right past us all and made her way across the road to some trees where she lay down for the night. I guess our campsite was on her route to her bed!!!! After supper we headed into town for some coffee and to do some exploring.

Day 13 - We woke up bright and early ready for our ride on the gondola up Whistler's Mountain. Unfortunately, the smoke from the forest fires was still hanging around, so the view from the top wasn't the best. We still had an amazing time though on top of the mountain. Once we got to the top, we had breakfast at the restaurant and then hiked all the way to the summit. Cole & Mac loved playing and climbing on all of the rocks along the way. It was also very windy up there. Once we got to the top, we found some snow to play in and the kids even built a mini snowman. We also received a call from Grandma Ann on top of the mountain, giving us an update on Grandpa Bern. Cole & Elroy decided to continue hiking to another vista, while Mac and I chose to stay at the top and build mini Inukshuks using the rock that were everywhere. After our hike back down (which was much easier than up), we rode the gondola back down the mountain and headed back into Jasper. My cousin Tab and her daughter Samantha, who live in Edmonton, joined us for lunch as they were passing through on their holiday. We had a great lunch and had a blast catching up.

Later that evening we went for a drive to Athabasca Falls, where we went on a short hike and explored the area surrounding the falls. It was a beautiful evening, and the kids still had an amazing amount of energy to burn off. The falls were extremely powerful and we were able to see how they had carved the landscape over many, many years. After a long and busy day, we headed back to the camper and crashed with a movie.

Day 14 - Today we had two destinations in mind - Maligne Canyon & Maligne Lake. Maligne Canyon involved another hike, which the kids were beginning to get tired of. We told them to suck it up and off we went hiking down into a beautiful canyon.

After our canyon hike we continue down the road to Maligne Lake. Along the way we saw a black bear along the side of the road eating berries. Apparently, most of the tourists did not know how to read and got out of their cars to take pictures of the bear, even though the signs said "Please stay in your vehicles!!!!" We used our sun roof once again, and had a great view of the bear. Once we got to Maligne Lake, we found a spot for a picnic lunch and then headed out on another hike along the shore of the lake. After all of that hiking, we were all pooped, and once again had a relaxing evening back at the campsite.

Day 15 - Today we ventured on a very twisty mountain road to Mount Edith Cavell to see some glaciers. We were not disappointed once we reached our destination. We first hiked through a glacial valley to a viewpoint where we could see 3 glaciers - Angel Glacier, Mount Edith Cavell Glacier (with a glacial lake in front of it) and Ghost Glacier. As we were hiking, we heard a thunderous crash and could see pieces falling off of Angel Glacier. Once we got to the Glacial Lake, the kids were eager to explore and touch the water and were fascinated by the chunks of ice floating on the lake. We heard another thunderous crash, and we saw a huge hunk of the Edith Cavell Glacier fall into the lake causing a humongous wave. The water first sucked back into the lake and then rose fairly quickly on the shore. We all stood there in utter amazement! It was very cool to see! When the trip was over and we asked the kids about highlights, this day was one of their top three memories!!!

If you look closely at the picture in the top left of this collage, you can see the wave beginning to form. The bottom right picture shows the piece of the glacier that fell off.

Our Trip West - Sorrento

2010-08-29T18:22:00.006-05:00

Day 8 - We traveled from Radium to Sorrento with many interesting stops along the way. Our first stop was at Roger's Pass where my couisin Darrel works. He showed us around the visitor centre, a new memorial for an avalanche that occured when the railway was being built (bottome left) and took us on a few hikes. Our first hike was the Rock Gardens, where we hiked through a rock trail looking for hidden symbols. Our second hike, was the Big Cedars where we saw enormous cedar trees towering above us. We even found some very fresh bear poop along the trail. We then made our way to Revelstoke, where we stopped at the Train Musuem and checked out the some model trains, an old steam train and learned about the history of the railroad in the area.

Our journey to Sorrento continued on and our next stop was The Enchanted Forest. It was a beautiful cedar forest filled with enormous trees and every storybook and nursery rhyme character that you could imagine. The kids had a blast in here and loved posing for pictures and exploring all of the displays.

Right beside The Enchanted Forest was the SkyTrek Adventure! There was a kids rope course which was about 10 feet off the ground and took the kids about 30 minutes to complete. They had a blast climbing and maneuvering around the course. Both of them made it through without falling and having to rely on their harness to keep them up!
We finally arrived in Sorrento at Aunty Verna & Uncle Dieter's after an eventful and exciting day! We were now ready for a weekend of R & R!!

Day 9 - Aunty Verna was our official tour guide on Saturday and took us around the area to see some of the sights. We began our tour at the Recline Winery, where we were able to sample some delicious varieties of wine. After that, we headed to Gort's Gouda Cheese Farm to sample and buy some fresh gouda cheese. Cole was not impressed with this part of the tour, as he did NOT like the smell of the cheese. A fresh fruit stand was our next stop, where we paused for an ice cream and bought our fair share of cherries, peaches, nectarines etc. Next stop was Salmon Arm, where we picked up some fresh Bratwurst for supper and toured the harbour where we saw some of the many houseboats found on the Shuswap Lake. We then went for an amazing hike at Margaret Falls through a small canyon. Lots of trees and places to explore. After an amazing supper of Bratwurst, Verna & Dieter took us to the Par 3 Golf Course in their neighbourhood. We all had a great round of golf - Elroy almost had a hole in one, I kept hitting the ball into the gully and Cole was interesting to watch as he had to use Elroy's adult clubs and nearly spun himself into the ground on every shot!!! The evening concluded with a puppet show put on by Mackenzie & Cole and some star gazing on the deck! Another great day!

Day 10 - Today was Aunty Verna's birthday!!! Elroy & Dieter took over breakfast duties and we had a great breakfast on the deck with bacon & eggs and lots of fresh fruit. Mackenzie & Cole decorated a birthday cake for Aunty Verna. (I think there was more icing on the kids than the cake.) Mackenzie Kate received a special gift from Aunty Verna, a framed prayer cross stitch that Grandma Kate had made in the 1940's. Aunty Verna sat down with Mackenzie and wrote a story about Grandma Kate's life. We spent the afternoon lazing around. Cole was busy cleaning his toy 4-wheeler from Dieter and was very happy to help Darrel wash his truck. I think Cole & Darrel were more wet than the truck by the time they were through. We also started a new tradition of "Steak Faspa" which is pretty much steak supper in the middle of the afternoon. After our Steak Faspa we headed to the beach for some swimming. Another great day with family and tomorrow it was time to move on to Jasper.

Our Trip West - Radium

2010-08-29T17:38:00.001-05:00

Day 7 - We travelled from Banff to Radium through the Kootenay Mountains. It was another beautiful drive. We stopped along the way for a hike to the Paint Pots - bottom left picture. This is an area which is fed by ground water and contains ochre which produces a paint like substance. When we arrived in Radium, we noticed that our camper slide needed some minor repairs, so after that was taken care of we headed to the Radium Hot Springs for the evening to enjoy both the cool and hot pools. The kids had a blast doing tricks off of the diving board into the cool pool and I loved being able to sit and relax in the hot pool. The kids were very excited to see Mountain Sheep by the pool.

Day 8 - White Water Rafting on the Kootenay River!! The kids were super excited about this day! Our rafting adventure began at 9:00 am where we boarded an old school bus and traveled for about 45 minutes down to the river. The kids were geared up with wet suits, rain jackets and river shoes and we were provided with rain gear and river shoes. After a few basic lessons in rafting we were on our way. The day began as a beautiful sunny day, but by the time coffee break rolled around the clouds also rolled in. We had around 10 people in our raft and the kids sat in a safe spot in the middle. The scenery was amazing and we even saw a small black bear climbing the side of the river bank. We traveled through Class 1, Class 2 and some Class 3 rapids where we all got a good splash and had to paddle hard and then hold on as we went through them. Just before we stopped for lunch, it began to drizzle. After lunch, it continued to rain for a while and then cleared up for a while. Right after we passed the waterfall (picture bottom left), dark clouds rolled in and it began to rain once again and then HAIL and thunder!!! After paddling through this for about 10 minutes it finally cleared up and we once again were paddling in sun, but by this point we were all soaking wet, except for the kids who were wearing wet suits. Despite all of the adverse weather condition, we loved every minute of our rafting adventure. We traveled 40 kilometres down the river and saw some amazing scenery and wildlife. For the kids, it was one of their highlights of the trip! We boarded the bus for a hour and a half bumpy ride back to our campsite. We arrived back around 6:30, made some supper, popped in a movie and relaxed!!

Our Trip West - Banff/Lake Louise

2010-08-27T09:29:00.001-05:00

Day 4 - Banff campground was an interesting place. It did not offer much privacy, but it had an amazing view of the mountains. The weather in Banff was quite cool. Some mornings it was only 4 degrees when we woke up. Our first day in Banff we headed to Johnston Canyon for a hike. We hiked for a couple of hours in the canyon and saw some amazing waterfalls and scenery. We stopped for a little snack at the upper falls and then headed back down the canyon. On the way home we saw some Elk along the side of the ride and were able to pose for a picture at a safe distance. Some people ventured even closer than we did - crazy!!!! We had an amazing supper that evening at Grizzly's Fondue. We cooked bison, elk, venison, beef, shrimp, lobster and chicken on a hot stone at our table that was 600 degrees and then dipped the meat into a variety of sauces. Sooooo yummy!!! For dessert, we had a chocolate toblerone fondue with fresh fruit. The kids LOVED this meal and wanted to do it again the next day. We said only if they were buying.

Day 5 - We headed to Lake Louise in the morning and were once again not disappointed. Mackenzie had the idea to rent a canoe, so that's what we did. We had a hour to explore the lake in our canoe. It was so peaceful and beautiful. The kids even helped with the paddling every now and then. After our canoe ride, we had worked up a bit of an appetite and it was lunch time, so we checked out the fancy hotel and had a fancy lunch with fancy hot chocolate and coffee! Yummy once again. The evening was spent checking out the shops in the town of Banff.

Day 6 - During our last day in Banff, we checked out some more of the town sites, hiked by the Bow Falls, walked through the Banff Springs hotel and just relaxed at our camper.

Our Trip West - Altona to Banff

2010-08-27T09:20:00.001-05:00

Day 1 - The long drive west - the kids did such an amazing job with the drive that we made it all the way to Medicine Hat on our first day. They kept themselves busy with books, colouring, DS, and lots of movies. We stopped in Moose Jaw for gas and ran into my cousins Tyler & Melissa - total fluke and we were busted! After a quick visit on the parking lot we hit the road again.

Day 2 - We travelled from Medicine Hat to Okotoks with a little detour to the Bass Pro Shop in Calgary. If you haven't been there before, it is so worth the trip. It is an amazing store!! In Okotoks we stayed at a campground across the way from my Uncle Don & Aunty Diana's house. We spent the evening with them and their grandson Reece. (We forgot to take some pictures!!!!) The next morning Elroy went for a round of golf with Uncle Don and Tolan and then we all went for brunch at the golf course! Thanks for the great meal and the visit! It was great to see you guys again!

Day 3 - We travelled from Okotoks to Banff. Tolan recommended a great route for us to take through Kanaskis Country. It was a beautiful drive. We stopped along the way several times to check out the sites including a moose on the side of the road. We discvered that our sun roof was a great vantage point for the kids to see the wildlife safely from the vehicle. We also stopped at the lake where part of the movie RV (Robin Williams) was filmed. This is one of our favourite camping movies, so it was neat to see the lake where the RV drives into the water.

Wheat Field Photo Shoot

2010-08-27T09:05:00.001-05:00

This year the field behind our house turned into a wheat field! We were very excited because usually this field is filled with corn which leaves a big mess on our yard come harvest time as a lot of the stuff left behind blows onto our yard! The kids and I did a mini-photo shoot before we left on our trip out west. My new camera lens worked really well with some of the close up shots.

Cole & Mac's handiwork with the camera!

Random Summerness

2010-08-27T09:01:00.000-05:00

Just a few random shots from the summer. Top corner - Cole decided to put on his football costume and wanted to play football in the back yard. Large Picture - Dressing up with the neighbour kids. They actually walked around the village like this playing musical instruments. It kind of reminded me of "Brumtops" (not sure if I spelled that one correctly. Bottom right corner - Camping in Cavalier with some friends. Little Ava was the lucky recipient of a "Spa Afternoon" in the camper. Bottom centre - eating some cake with buddies while camping. Bottom left - camping in Cavalier. There was 5 Moms and 15 kids. We had a blast!!! Left centre - Cole lost both of his top front teeth this summer! Made his little grin even more irresistible!

Summer Camp

2010-08-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

The kids both attended Winkler Bible Camp this summer for 2 days and 1 night with some of their friends. The both loved all of the activities during the day. They both loved the ropes course and the climbing wall. Mac made it to the top of the climbing wall (top row of pictures) and then repelled back down again. Canoeing, mini-golf, horses, games and lots of fun with friends!

Swimming Lessons

2010-08-27T08:47:00.000-05:00

The kids both did their swimming lessons in June after school. We finally got the hot weather we had been waiting for and it was a great way to cool off after a day in school. Cole finished Level 2, where he learned to tread water in the deep end and began to work on his front crawl. Mac finished Level 5, where she spent most of her time swimming lengths of the pool. She also learned the whip kick and sculling.

Cole's Picnic

2010-06-28T19:50:00.000-05:00

Cole ended his school year with a school wide picnic where he got to participate in a variety of fun games. We had a perfect sunny day with very few mosquitoes.

Track & Field

2010-06-27T21:26:00.001-05:00

Mac had her Track & Field day this past week. She earned 3 ribbons - Long Jump qualifying 1st place jump, High Jump qualifying 3rd place jump and the Ball Throw a first place ribbon for throwing the farthest. Her favourite event was the Ball Throw, I guess all of those baseball games and practices paid off! She did not enjoy the running events especially the 400 and 800 metre!

Baseball

2010-06-27T21:05:00.001-05:00

During the months of May & June, baseball was our lives! Monday & Wednesday Cole played ball in the Rookie League here in Altona and on Tuesday & Thursday Mac played on an all girls team which traveled to surrounding towns to play. The kids both had a great season and improved so much through out the year. Cole's season ended with a Jamboree in Winkler where each player received a medal and most importantly a powerade, freezie and a piece of pizza. Mac's team had a lot of first year players and were very excited to win their first game during the last game of the season!

Camping in Beausajour

2010-06-27T20:56:00.003-05:00

Our first camping trip this year was a very wet one in Beausajour. We ventured out with Grandma Ann & Grandpa Bern, Auntie Rose & Uncle John with their students from the Netherlands, Jeff & Amy and Adam & Allana joined us for supper. We were one very wet camping crew. By the end of the weekend, our campsites looked like huge mud pits and it was impossible to try to stay clean. Mac & Cole found lots of things to keep busy with including puddle jumping, soccer, Zim-Zam, tubing down the river and more puddle jumping!!! Mac also got a hold of the camera while we were sitting around the fire and managed to snap a picture of everybody!

Mac's Room Makeover

2010-05-08T16:18:00.000-05:00

Here you go Jaime, the finished room!!!! Mac is very excited about her new living quarters! She loves having her own mirror and a place to put all of her "stuff".

Rainy Days

2010-05-08T16:15:00.000-05:00

With the rainy days we have had lately we have found creative ways to keep ourselves busy!!! Spa Day in the bathroom has been very popular. First, Cole would set up a spa for Mac - complete with cucmbers and then Mac would do the same for Cole!

Cole also helped Elroy on our basement project. He was in charge of taking all of the screws out of the drywall. He did a great job and loved every minute of being a helper.

This is the spare room in the basement! We'll now have a place for people to sleep when they come over.

This is a the bathroom/storage area.

Mexico Bound

2010-04-25T21:31:00.005-05:00

Our journey to Mexico began on Wednesday afternoon, with a ride to Minneapolis. After a very short night in the hotel (we were up at 3:45 am) we headed to the airport and caught a 6:30 flight for Houston and then from there a flight to Acapulco. We arrived in Acapulco around 1:15 pm and were very excited to see Bruce & Jaime and the kids!!!! They picked us up at the airport and we all hopped into the MCC truck - kids in the back, adults in the cab and headed to our Villa!

The Villa we rented was everything we expected and more!! We had an amazing view of the ocean, our own swimming pool, lots of space to kick back and relax and our very own cook who made us some amazing Mexican cuisine! It was the perfect place to just "hang out" with Bruce & Jaime and the kids. We swam, watched lots of movies, watched sunsets, made amazing tropical drinks, played lots of Uno, laughed, laughed and laughed some more!!!! So many great memories made once again!

Just a few minutes from our Villa was a stretch of beach called Pie de la Cuesta - a beautiful, massive stretch of beach that went on forever with humongous waves! Since the waves were so big, it wasn't safe to swim - although Bruce & Elroy ventured out -the kids had a blast playing in the surf. The undertow was fairly strong, so we had to make sure to hold onto Cole & Hizee so they wouldn't get towed away. After a day at the beach, Antonia (Villa Cook) had a great Mexican feast prepared for us! Fresh guacamole and salsa, homemade tortillas, fresh fish and shrimp, doratos (rolled up tortillas with chicken), BBQ shrimp & chicken kabobs, fresh squeezed orange juice, shrimp/octopus cocktail were some of the many dishes she prepared for us on a daily basis!! It was so great having someone cook and clean up for you! As you can see from the picture below, Cole did not think much of the Shrimp soup that she made!!!!

Another one of our days in Acapulco was spent at the Cayuco Lagoon. We hopped aboard a small boat for a lake cruise. Elroy & Bruce were very excited that this was the location where Rambo & Tarzan were filmed. The boat took us on a leisurely ride around the lake where we saw Mongrove Swamps, local fishermen catching their fish, an island full of birds and our last stop was a small restaurant/swimming area. We stopped here for a bite to eat and a chance to jump into the warm water. It was an interesting experience as the tables for the restaurant were literally in the water!!!!

From our Villa, there was a cliff that jutted out into the water (top right picture). Elroy & Bruce went for a hike one morning to check it out. Later that evening we all ventured out on the hike and made our way to the other side of the cliff where there were lots of rocks to play on. The kids loved exploring on the rocks and finding crab shells and small pools filled with water and little sea creatures. Jaime and I were a little nervous at how close we were to the huge waves crashing in, especially when one snuck up behind Bruce & Hizee!!!

We spent lots of time down by the pool, relaxing and cooling off from the heat - most days it was a very humid + 35 C. Anotonia's sister came over one morning and braided the girls hair. Check out the mango Mac & Ziko are enjoying - picked fresh from the tree by the pool!!!

We also spent a fair bit of time at the beaches in Acapulco Bay. These waters were much calmer and the kids were able to swim in the waves and do some body surfing. Jaime & and I enjoyed one of our favourite drinks - I can't remember the name but it tasted like rice pudding through a straw!!!! YUMMY!!!

We always tried to make sure that we were back at the Villa for the sunsets - we had the most incredible view and it was the perfect way to end the day! We spent 7 nights in the Villa and we were now ready to hit the road and continue onward to Zacongo!

It took us 5 hours to get to Zacongo - 2 hours on a paved highway and 3 hours through the mountains(check out the roads on the upper right picture). The kids rode in the back for most of the ride and Elroy even took a turn. It was beautiful countryside to drive through and see. We stopped along the way in a small village to check out the church in the lower middle picture.

We were so excited to finally reach Zacongo and see Bruce, Jaime, Zam, Hizee & Ziko's home! We brought along some mini-sticks and the living room area was quickly turned into a hockey arena.

Bruce & Jaime's home is located in the middle of the village (bottom left corner). They've done a lot of work on the yard and have planted many trees (bottom right corner) including mango, papaya, lime, gueva (I think), bamboo and a few others. Many of these trees my Dad helped to plant when they were there last year and it's amazing how big they have grown already. And yes . . . that is a Wresting Ring in the front yard - more pictures to follow.

One of Mac's favourite parts about the village were all of the animals!!! There were donkeys, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs, pigs and more! Mac & Cole both loved going for donkey rides on Taco. One of the highlights for Mac was when her and Zam along with some of his buddies took Taco for a ride all by themselves around the village.

The adults went for a few walks around the village to see the sights while the kids played back at the house. Bruce & Jaime introduced us to lots of their friends and neighbours. Everyone was so kind, hospitable and generous. They also showed us their English classroom (top right corner) and some of the other projects they have been working on in their village. Top left corner - this man collects donkey poop, adds worms to it and turns it into soil to sell.

The night before we left was the Main Event Wrestling. Mac & Cole each made a mask and were part of the festivities! The villagers brought their chairs, eager to get a front row seat. Each wrestler has their own name, mask and costume. There's live music, a bell and championship belts. The kids had a blast (especially Cole) and jumped right in with the other wrestlers!!!

When we asked our kids what their favourite part of the holiday was there answer was unanimous - the stay in the village!!! They loved having the opportunity to visit their cousins and meet all of their friends. They made so many new friends by speaking the universal language of a smile and laughter! (We did also pick up some Spanish along the way!) Thank you guys for having us in your home and giving us a glimpse of your adventure! We loved every minute of it and have so many great memories!

Winter Sports

2010-04-25T21:16:00.000-05:00

This year, Mac decided to play basketball once a week at her school during the winter months. They focused on basketball skills and always ended by playing a scrimmage to practice the skills they had learned. The best part, according to her was being able to play with some of her closest friends.

Cole had another chance to play at the MTS Centre during an intermission of a Moose Game! He loved watching the Moose play with all of his buddies and was super excited to step onto the ice to play. This year, he ended up in the net and got to play goalie in a very big arena!!!

Winter Fun

2010-04-25T20:58:00.000-05:00

We made good use of the snow this winter and spent alot of time outdoors snowmobiling, sliding, playing hockey, building snowmen and so on and so on. Mac got creative this year and filled small tupperware containers with water and then froze them to create an Inukshuk! She was very proud of her creation. Cole spent lots of time with his new hockey net working on his slap shot on the driveway!

Moose Lake

2010-04-25T20:23:00.000-05:00

We spent a weekend with some friends at their cabin at Moose Lake. We had a great time snowmobiling and playing in the snow. The kids loved going for rides on the tube behind the snowmobile. Mac even had a chance to knee board behind the snowmobile and behind the dog!!

Mac's Room Makeover

2010-01-16T11:04:00.000-06:00

Well, it looks like the time has come to makeover Mac's room! She's had the "Bug Theme" painted on her wall since she was 2! So, here are the final pictures of mine and Grandma Ann's handiwork before it gets painted over with "Jalepno Pepper"! I'll post more pics of the finished product when it's done!

The Tooth Fairy Pays a Visit

2010-01-16T10:58:00.002-06:00

Cole finally lost his first tooth and Mackenzie was very excited that she was the one to pull the tooth!!!

Cole's Hockey

2010-01-16T10:56:00.000-06:00

Cole had some of his first hockey games this year in January. He seems to be really enjoying the hockey experience this year and is always very eager and ready to play. He's also been super excited about scoring goals - so far he has scored one goal during each of his games! Way to go little buddy!

On the breakaway - he shoots, he scores!

Boxing Day

2010-01-09T22:46:00.001-06:00

On Boxing Day, we said good-bye to the Pankratz family and then headed to Grandma Marilyn & Grandpa John's house. Mac loved her new webkinz!

Cole being silly once again and using bubble wrap to make a pair of shorts.

Helping Grandma open her gift!

The kids loved the new race track they got! I think Uncle Dwayne was just as excited as they were to set it up and play with it.

Christmas Day

2010-01-09T22:32:00.002-06:00

The kids were up bright and early on Christmas Morning and very excited to open their gifts! Cole was happy that Santa had eaten the cookie and drank the egg nog that he had left for him.

A new skate park for his tech-dech skateboards!

I-pod Nano was a huge hit!

Christmas at Grandma & Grandpa's

2010-01-09T22:13:00.004-06:00

The kids spent the night at Grandma & Grandpa's and were up bright and early on Christmas Eve ready to get the festivities started. Their Santa boots were filled with goodies and their stockings were overflowing with gifts.

Jaime and I even had goodies in our stockings!

Moxie Girl!

Now that's a Nerf Gun!!!

Everyone loved their Mosiac sticker sets!

The kids decided to make Grandma & Grandpa a very special gift. The day before they mixed up a concoction of who knows what which they poured into a spray bottle and gave to Grandma & Grandpa as hand sanitizer!!!!

Masks from Mexico!

Jaime and I got matching Christmas clothes - just like when we were kids! We wore our matching outfits to church later that evening!

The hallway in the apartment was the perfect place for the Nerf Gun!!

Family Picture on Christmas Day! Thanks for spending Christmas with us! We all had a great time! So many more great memories made!

SURPRISE!!!!

2010-01-09T21:58:00.005-06:00

Just before the Christmas holidays started I told the kids that I was going to take them out of school for the afternoon and we would go finish up the Christmas Shopping in Winnipeg with Grandma. Before we left for Winnipeg, we were going to stop at Grandma's house for lunch. When we walked into the apartment, Bruce & Jaime and the kids were sitting on the couch wearing Mexican wrestling masks. At first, Mac & Cole were not to sure about what was going on, but it didn't take them long to figure out who was sitting on the couch. They were very excited and gave each other huge hugs and kisses. What a great way to start the Christmas holidays!

Throughout the week we were treated to many fashion/talent shows from the kids. They were hilarious!!!! The kids played so well together and had so much fun!

Grandma also got chocolate houses ready for all of the kids to decorate. The kids had a great time decorating their houses with lots and lots and lots of candy!!

The finished products! They looked great and tasted even better! Thanks Grandma for getting that ready for all of us!

Another fashion/talent show!

We had some great weather while during the holidays and we spent alot of time outside snowmobiling, four-wheeling, sliding down the big hill and skating on the pond.

Hizee was very determined to skate by herself. She would push Jaime's old carriage a little ways in front of her and then skate her way back to the carriage.

Making oreo cookies with Grandma! Yummy!!!

Hizee and Cole decorating some Christmas cookies!

Christmas is a Comin'

2010-01-09T21:43:00.001-06:00

The kids were excited to make "Schmondt Kuche" once again! They did a great job this year and this time made it through the whole process from start to finish. Of course, there favourite part is sneaking pieces of yummy dough!

All cozy and rosy! After playing outside they decided to cuddle with one another to warm up!

Cole's Christmas Concert - He had been humming and singing Christmas songs all of December. One of his favourite songs was "Angels We Have Heard on Time". When I tried to correct him, he was very quick to tell me that I was wrong because that was how they sang the song at school! I guess there's always lots of versions!

Decorating the tree! Once again the kids were very helpful and excited! Elroy and I could sit back and they did a wonderful job decorating the tree!

Mackenzie was also very excited for her school Christmas program. She did a great job singing in the choir!

Fall Fun

2010-01-09T21:37:00.000-06:00

We had a beautiful fall this year and took full advantage of the beautiful weather by spending as much time outside as we could. We headed to the Pembina Hills one Sunday for a hike with some friends. Mac brought along her camera and this is one of the shots.

We were also lucky enough to go to a Bombers game and actually see them win! The kids had a blast and enjoyed watching the game and everything else that was going on around them. Uncle Bruce's name came up quite often as we talked about how much he would have loved to have been there.

Halloween

2010-01-09T21:28:00.001-06:00

Cole dressed up as Wolverine for Halloween this year! Mr. Hicks - the principal - also was dressed as Wolverine!! Super Powers at their best!

Carving the pumpkin!!! This year Cole was actually brave enough to stick his hand inside of the pumpkin. Usually, he can't get over the smell and keeps his distance from the whole situation!

Halloween day was a perfect day to rake the leaves on the yard! The kids were used as human weights, so that the leaves would not blow off the trailer as Elroy drove to our neighbours house to dump the leaves.

All ready to go trick or treating! Cole was Wolverine. Mackenzie asked to be an old fashioned girl this year. When I asked her what that meant she replied with "You know Mom, someone from the '80's." So . . . that's what she was an '80's chick! I couldn't decide what to be this year so I jumped in with Mac's theme and dressed up as myself in Grade 12!

Mac's B-day

2009-10-12T09:25:00.001-05:00

Mac had 4 friends over for her Sleepover Party! We started out by tie dying our own t-shirts!

Next, it was time to hit the spa! Pedicures, facials and foot massages!

Time to relax with a few cucumbers!

Happy 9th Birthday Mackenzie!

It was very hard to cut this cake! The girls each ate themselves - some of them couldn't eat their heads and took them home with them!

Breakfat the next morning - pancakes with strawberries, chocolate chips and whip cream!

Cole was very excited to give Mac her gift. He was very proud of decorating and wrapping her gift all by himself.

A new camera from Mom & Dad!

Mac's B-day Cake

2009-10-12T09:14:00.001-05:00

My friend Lisa and my Mom came over to help create Mac's sleepover birthday cake. We found an idea on the net and then started to create our own. We started with a slab cake covered in icing.

We then added the heads which were made out of fondant(icing sugar & marschmallows) and the bodies which were made out of Twinkies!

Next, we tucked everybody in with a cozy blanket of fondant!

Then it was time to do some decorating! We rolled out some more fondant and used cookie cutters to make the little shapes on the blanket!

To make the hair we used a garlic press! We tried to colour the hair to match the girls at the party.

And here it is . . . the finished cake! Mac is the girl in the middle! Thanks again to Mom and Lisa for all of your help!

Cole's Birthday

2009-09-08T21:41:00.002-05:00

To celebrate Cole's birthday we headed to the nature pond for a lunch picnic.

Mackenzie was very excited to give Cole his gift - a Trackster race car - which is a race car version of Webkinz. I think she was just as excited as he was to play with it.

Cole was also very excited about his new skateboard and a Star Wars Lego kit from Mom & Dad.

Later in the afternoon our yard was invaded by 8 Jedi Knights. Armed with their Lightsabers, Master Yoda (Mackenzie), took them on a scavenger hunt for Metorites that had fallen in our front yard, Jedi sword training and a Jedi obstacle course.

The Lightsabre cake made with fondant icing - by the time the boys were through with it there was only 1 piece left! 8 boys can eat a lot of food!!! Happy Birthday buddy!

August Long at the Jeffrey Farm

2009-08-05T08:42:00.003-05:00

August Long weekend we headed out to the Jeffrey Farm for family camping. One of the highlights for the kids was tubing down the river. There seemed to be an endless supply of food so we also spent alot of our time eating! Thanks for the great weekend!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bern!

Detroit Lakes

2009-08-05T08:36:00.001-05:00

Our next stop was Detroit Lakes! Right beside the campground was a BMX race track where anyone could join the races. The kids decided to give it a try! Cole wiped out on the first practice round and decided that we has done! After a little chat with Dad, he got back onto his bike and off he went. Both kids did amazing and raced against kids who do this all the time! In the end they both placed 3rd in their age group and recieved a trophy for all of their hard work!

The kids also had the opportunity to go tubing at DL! Mac couldn't get enough of it and went for a ton of rides!

Bemidji

2009-08-05T08:12:00.002-05:00

Our next holiday time was spent at Bemidji State Park. If you've never been there it's work the trip - a beautful campground! We did alot of relaxing while we were here - biking, hiking, reading and watching movies.

The kids really wanted to go see Paul Bunyan's Animal Land again. Cole was a little braver this year and actually got close enough to a deer to take a picture. Mackenzie on the other hand could have spent all day feeding and petting the deer.

We found a nice little golf course close to Bemidji and took the kids for a round of golf. Mac was very excited to use her new clubs and Cole golfed the whole course with his little iron loving every minute of it!

It started to rain, actually pour, when we were on hole #8! Cole & Elroy kept golfing - Cole had a blast running around in the rain! Mac & I stayed in the cart where it was nice and dry!

At Bemidji State Park we had the opportunity to try out Geocaching!. Once we had the GPS figured out we set off through the woods looking for treasure. At each treasure we had to answer a nature question and then use our answer to unlock the final treasure box!

Minneapolis

2009-08-05T08:03:00.001-05:00

The kids loved the day we spent at Valley Fair. Mackenzie went on her first roller coaster ride and loved it! Elroy and I would take turns taking her on the coasters (we loved it too) since Cole was too short and had no interest in the big coasters.

This roller coaster was more Cole's speed - he went again and again and again!

We also took in a Twins ball game - the kids were impressed by the huge building and all of the people but the actual game was a little long and boring for them.

At the Minnesota Zoo, we had a chance to pet reef sharks and stingrays in the tide pond. Cole wasn't to sure about this but Mac the animal lover was pumped!

Rushing River

2009-08-04T10:15:00.002-05:00

For the July Long Weekend we headed East to Rushing River. We joined some friends at Sioux Narrows and spent a day fishing on Lake of the Woods! The kids had a blast and caught a ton of fish! Here's Cole with one of the first of many fish caught that day!

Mackenzie seemed to have the knack for catching crayfish. If you look really close you'll see a tiny crayfish at the end of her line.

Finally - a real fish! After a little coaching she was even ready to hold the fish by herself!

Cole was also brave enough to hold a fish.

We stopped for shore lunch in the middle of the day and cooked our fish, potatoes, beans etc over an open fire! The kids loved playing and exploring the island. Cole was busy feeding the fish guts to the pelicans.

Mackenzie kept busy trying to feed the squirrels - they seemed to like the beans!

The water at Rushing River was extremely cold but that didn't stop the kids from having a great time! They swam to the different islands and played in the rapids.

Spa Day in the Village

2009-08-04T10:09:00.000-05:00

Mackenzie recived a mini spa kit in a birthday party treat bag! She put it to good use one morning and set up a spa experience for her and Cole! First - they soaked their feet in a special foot bath.

Next, a lovely facial scrub was applied to both of their faces!

Then, a spa treatment isn't complete without some fruit on their eyes!

Finally - time to soak in the sun and relax!!!!

Spring Things

2009-08-04T10:04:00.000-05:00

Cole & Mac posing during a photo shoot with their baby sitter!

Mackenzie's last picnic day at Elmwood - wow did those years ever fly by!

Mac & Cole at the Grade 3 Building Fair. Mackenzie made a restaurant out of straws with her friends.

Cole all dressed up for his Kindergarten Tea Party - what a cool dude!!

Baseball

2009-08-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

Mac was lucky enough to have Elroy coach her ball team and to have some of her close friends on the same team as her! Baseball always seems to be alot more fun when you can play with your friends!

Cole also had a great season at ball this year! It was always funny to watch these little guys all chase after the ball! Cole was especially excited about the medal, freezie, chips and Gatorade he recieved at the end of the season!

Mud & Eggs

2009-04-10T17:26:00.000-05:00

Cole came home yesterday afternoon from the neighbours after falling into a huge mud puddle! All I can say is thank goodness for washing machines!

Along with the mud splattered on his face, he still had his easter bunny face paint on from school!

Time to decorate some Easter Eggs. This year we bought a Tie-Dye kit which the kids really seemed to enjoy! Now we just have to hide all of the goodies and have our Easter hunt!

Moose Game

2009-04-10T17:10:00.003-05:00

Cole and his buddies were very excited to end their hockey season at the MTS Centre at a Moose Game! Their team got to play in between the first and second period.

Cheering for the Moose before the game! Those noise makers were extremely noisy and made a lot of noise for the Moose!

All set to go and ready to play!

The dressing roomwas very quiet before the game - I think everybody was a little nervous and in awe of the big arena they were playing in.

And the game is on! Two whole teams on the ice at the same time! Both teams played really well and we even had a few scoring opportunities, but the game ended in a 0-0 tie! The kids had a great time skating on the big ice and loved the crowds reactions.

I think the highlight for Cole was after the game when Mick E. Moose came into their dressing room to shake hands and posed for a team picture. He was also very excited about the medal he recieved from Hockey 4 Life! Great job Cole!

After Cole's game, we headed to canteen for some snacks and also found some face painters to paint some Moose on the kids faces! They both had a great time at the game!

Winter Fun

2009-02-09T16:30:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we spent the afternoon outside four-wheeling and playing at our neighbour's pond! It was the most amazing winter day and most importantly there was no wind!!!! Cole was happy to shoot around the puck and play some hockey! Mac did some skating and sliding at the hill!

Today school was cancelled because of the extremely icy roads from all of the rain! So we put on our skates and went for a skate down the village road!!!! As we were skating along Mackenzie said "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!" The kids had a blast and it was very cool to be able to skate on the road!!!

Cole had so much fun skating in the morning that when his friend came over in the afternoon we had to go and do it all over again!!! What great memories!

First Hockey Game

2009-01-17T21:18:00.002-06:00

Cole had his first hockey game in Winkler today! He was very excited to be able to wear a Maroons jersey and to finally play a "real" game! The game lasted for 3 periods with no breaks in between. The kids would go out for 2 minute shifts and then come and have a break on the bench! Needless to say there was some very tired little hockey players by the time the game was over!

When I asked Cole what his favourite part was he was quick to answer with "Being the goalie!" He actually stopped a couple of pucks that came his way!

Gatherings

2008-12-30T16:00:00.005-06:00

Christmas at the Martens household!

One of Cole's favourite presents was a pair of boxing gloves and a punching bag!

More Webkinz to add to the family!

A cardboard box - still a great toy!

Christmas as Grandma Ann's & Grandpa Berns!

Hulk gloves !

A special book Mackenzie and I made for Grandma & Grandpa!

Christmas Stuff

2008-12-30T15:40:00.006-06:00

Mackenzie was the librarian in her school Christmas Concert. She was very excited to have some speaking parts and she did a wonderful job with it.

Cole was also very excited about his Christmas program. His class sang some songs and said a few poems and then the party began! We were treated to a room full of Christmas games to play with Cole and lots of goodies to eat. Here he is making a guess at how many candy canes are in the jar.

One of the kids favourite holiday traditions is making Schmondt Kuche (Cream Cookies). Once again they were very eager helpers and did a great job cutting the cookies out of the dough. Of course there was a few licks and stolen pieces of dough! Thanks for the great PJ's Aunty Jane!

Grandma Ann helped the kids make these yummy chocolate houses! First they melted the chocolate and poured it into moulds and then put the houses together when the chocolate set! YUM YUM YUM!

All dressed up in front of the tree!

Fester was very interested in the milk and cookies left for Santa. He jumped up onto the coffee table which is extremely difficult for him in his old age. He sniffeed the cookies and then lay down beside them for the rest of the evening!

Christmas morning under the tree!

Dress Up

2008-12-09T21:34:00.000-06:00

Winter would not be complete at the Martens' household without a little dress-up session! This time the kids raided our closet and found some of our clothes to dress up in - complete with our old glasses!

Life

2008-12-09T21:29:00.000-06:00

I always find it amazing how busy life can get in once the routine of school is back in place and the long, cold winter sets in! Here are a few collages of what we have been busy with. To see a larger version of the collage just click on the picture.
The kids had a great time decorating our Christmas Tree this year. They patiently waited while we set up the tree and the lights and found a way to pass the time by playing with all of the ornaments they have collected over the years. Cole once again sported his summer wear - a muscle shirt and shorts - while decorating. Elroy and I could pretty much sit back and relax while they filled the trees with ornaments!

Mackenzie's Gymnastics group had an evening for parents at the end of November! Mackenzie was very excited to show us all of the new things she was learned this year including line dancing to Boot Scooting Boogie! She really seems to be enjoying herself this year with gymnastics and is very proud of her new found abilities to complete cartwheels!

Remembrance Day weekend we headed to Grand Forks with the Sawatzky Clan for some R & R and a little shopping. The kids had a great time with Grayson & Logan! The pool was once again a big hit as was the mini-golf course in the pool area!

2008-12-04T20:34:00.000-06:00

Trick or Treat

2008-12-04T08:00:00.001-06:00

On Halloween Cole had Scarecrow day at school and got to dress up as you guessed it - a scarecrow!

Mackenzie had Pumpkin Day on Halloween and got to dress up. My class also had Pumpkin Day! If you can't quite guess my costume I am a proud Pumpkin Farmer!

Some friends popped in before Trick or Treating! Cole decided to be The Hulk this year - he was a very cute Hulk and he loved his big muscles. Mackenzie was her favourite Hannah Montana - complete with the blonde wig!

Here are the pumpkins that the kids carved this year! We had such a beautiful night for trick or treating. We didn't even need to bundle up in parkas!! YEAH! After our rounds of trick or treating we headed to a Family Fun Costume Dance at our church to end the evening!

Girls' Nite Out

2008-10-26T20:13:00.010-05:00

Mackenzie received a "Girls' Nite Out" for her birthday this year! Our day began with a trip to Giselle's Spa for a pedicure! First, the girls had to choose their colours!

Next, it was time to soak their feet in some warm, bubbling chocolate milk? - and get a nice relaxing foot massage!

What could be better than sipping juice while getting your nails done?

Waiting in the lounge with some fresh fruit for the nails to dry!

High School Musical 3 here we come!

We ended the day with supper at Moxie's! The girls had a blast in the washroom and spent most of their time in there hanging out! Cheers to a great evening! Happy Birthday Girls!

Hockey, Hockey, Hockey!

2008-10-26T20:03:00.003-05:00

Cole was super excited for his first hockey practice! He had been counting down the sleeps for the past week! He had practiced trying on his equipment many times at home, putting it all on and then taking it all off again! This time he got to keep it on and actually try it out!

Little Mr. Independent - "I can do it myself!"

Look out Hansen Brothers - Here come the Three Musketeers!

Elroy bought Cole this jersey a couple of years ago on a trip to Montreal when he was at a game at the forum! It finally fits!

Check out the big smile on his face!

Pretending to be Superman and practicing getting up with all of our equipment - what could be more fun!!!!

Playing freeze tag!

Mackenzie's 8th Birthday!

2008-10-08T21:41:00.007-05:00

Mackenzie celebrated her 8th Birthday with a Webkinz Extravaganza! Her and 8 of her friends spent the afternoon with their webkinz friends! First, they made collars for their pets. Next, each pet had a visit with Dr. Quack to make sure they were in tip-top shape!

The Gem Hunt was next and the girls and their pets had to look for gems hidden around the house and then cash them in for Kinz Cash!

The Webkinz Amazing Race was next on the agenda! The girls raced across the basement carrying their webkinz pet in a spoon!

Taking a spin on the Wheel of Wow for treats and Kinz Cash!

Chef Gazpacho's Cooking Show was next! The girls had to make a dish using a recipe of crazy ingredients and then give their creation a name!

The bean bag toss and the Wishing Well where they had to match play fruit together to win more Kinz Cash!

Spending there hard earned Kinz Cash at the W-Store on treats! Thanks Miss Mildred for helping to run the store!

Mackenzie's Wheel of Wow cake! She was laughing so hard while trying to blow out the candles she had a hard time getting them all out! The more she tried the harder she laughed!

Still laughing!

Cole was very excited to give Mackenzie her present! He also couldn't wait to try it out - Pixo's!!!

First Day of School

2008-09-10T07:36:00.002-05:00

Mackenzie was very excited to start Grade 3 this year - finally one of the big kids in the school! Her teacher is a very good friend of ours so remembering to call her Mrs. Hildebrand instead of Tracey is always a challenge! Mackenzie was especially excited to reconnect with all of her friends once again!

Cole's first day of Kindergarten! He was so pumped and excited as you can see by the smile on his face. He was also very proud of his new backpack which is almost the same size as he is! Cole was also excited that many of his best buds are also in is class! Once he hit the playground it didn't take long for big sister Mackenzie to find him and take him under her loving wing!

Cole's 5th Birthday Party

2008-09-07T09:03:00.005-05:00

Cole had a Speed Racer party to celebrate his 5th birthday! I can't believe he is now 5!!!! He had a great time with all of his buddies and there was never a dull moment! The boys moved very quickly from one activity to another - it's amazing how much energy 5 year old boys seem to have! We started off the party with a game of Speed Racer Tag! After that a quick game of soccer! Then onto a Scavenger Hunt for the Stolen Cars. Next a Speed Racer Water Obstacle course including a run through the slip & slide, jumping over the sprinkler, bouncing through the spraying water guns and finally ending on the trampoline! By this time everyone was eager and ready for the presents! Thanks for all of the great gifts! Next was a very slow ride on the four wheeler using the trailer while Mom got supper ready. The boys chowed down on cheese pizza, carrot sticks & chips! Cole was very excited to blow out all of this candles on his Speed Racer cake! What a great party!

Family Photo Shoot

2008-08-22T08:59:00.006-05:00

The gals from Rhubarb Roots came to our yard for a big Family Photo Shoot with our Friesen Family! We had a blast! Thanks girls for doing such a great job and giving us so many memories that we can now look at!

It was sooo cute - Hizee wanted a picture of just her and Cole so she just sat right down and put her arm around Cole like you see in the picture!

Sunset on the Beach

2008-08-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

On our last night at Grand Beach we headed out to the lake to watch the sunset- it was amazing! The kids had a great time running around on the beach - it was sooo calm and beautiful! What a great way to end a long weekend!

Grand Beach

2008-08-06T22:44:00.000-05:00

Our latest camping trip took us to Grand Beach for the August Long Weekend! The kids had a blast at the beach! Elroy and the kids constructed one of their famous beach sculptures - this time it was a giraffe - though some people thought it could also pass for a dinosaur or a giraffe with camel legs! They also had lots of fun walking along the beach in the sand bars and jumping and playing in the waves!

Sleepovers

2008-08-06T22:33:00.001-05:00

The kids each invited a friend over for a sleepover at the beginning of July! Cole & Carter slept in Cole's room in a tent on the floor and Mackenzie and Ashton were brave enough to spend the night in our camper! The boys spent the entire evening as YO YO dudes and were quite funny with their hats on sideways and all the bling! The girls were up bright and early - 5:30 am - they thought they had slept in - yah right!

Cousins

2008-08-06T22:29:00.000-05:00

The kids were very excited to get back home from our camping vacation to see their cousins! The next week was spent with sleepovers, dress-up, movie time, pool time and lots of giggles and laughs!

Bemidji Minnesota

2008-08-06T22:22:00.001-05:00

The next stop on the tour was Bemidji, Minnesota where we stayed at Itasca State Park - the headwaters of the Mississippi. The weather finally managed to improve a little bit and it only rained once during our stay. This park had the best bike trails I've ever seen in a campground and we spent lots of time exploring them through the forests! The kids also loved crossing the Mississippi and walked back and forth many times! Going to Bemidji wouldn't be complete without visiting Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox. We also went to a really neat "zoo" called Paul Bunyan's Animal Land where they actually encouraged you to feed the animals - everything from Bears to Deer who would actually eat out of your hand! Mackenzie was in heaven and Cole was a little freaked out by all of the deer trying to get food from him!

We rented a pontoon boat for the day at Lake Itasca! We had a great day fishing, lounging in the sun and jumping off the boat and swimming in the lake! We didn't catch a single fish but the kids were troopers and kept throwing their lines back in the water to try! They also loved the opportunity to get behind the wheel and actually drive the boat!

We did find some success with fishing off the docks for perch and sunfish! Cole caught his first fish ever and was super pumped! In total I think the kids must have caught over 25 fish during our stay in Bemidji - now all we have to do is teach them to bait their hooks and to take off their own fish!

We also found some time to hit a golf course with the kids - they actually golfed all 9 holes - at least part of every hole! We also made a visit to the World Of Christmas which had go carts, bumper boats etc!

Rushing River

2008-08-06T16:52:00.000-05:00

The next stop on our camping adventure was Rushing River! The weather continued to not cooperate and we were faced with rain on a daily basis! We made the best of it -watched lots of movies, played lots of games etc. As soon as the rain would stop, we'd head outside into the great outdoors! Swimming wasn't quite as popular this year since the water was freezing!!!!! The hikes were beautiful as always and the kids had a great time exploring along the river and in the forests!

Falcon Lake

2008-08-06T16:48:00.000-05:00

Our two week summer holiday camping trek began in Falcon Lake with the Hildebrand and Apperly families! Despite the cold and rainy weather we still managed to have a great time! Mackenzie and I went for a trail ride on the horses - once again she loved it! Mini-golf and watching movies (because of the rain) were other favourite activities!

Spring Things!

2008-06-20T22:01:00.010-05:00

Spring has kept us busy with lots of fun things to do and see - from baseball to camping to school picnics to swimming lessons! Here are some of the highlights!

Mackenzie had a blast at her school picnic! The morning was spent rotating through different stations, then a picnic lunch and finally an afternoon of swimming at the pool! Cole & Carter got in on some of the action during the morning activities!

The kids have also been doing swimming lessons after school everyday! Thanks goodness for the warm weather this past week! They've both had a blast splashing in the water and learning how to swim! Cole has suddenly become a fish and can't get enough of the water. Mackenzie loves to swim in the deeper water is becoming a confident swimmer.

Another highlight this spring has been baseball!The kids both played 2 evenings a week! Cole was pumped to get his medal on the last day along with his freezie! Mackenzie loved to play with all of her friends and learned a few new skills along the way!

We have also found some time to take in a few camping trips and relax! Although the weather was not the best we still found lots to do and we even made it to the beach! Grandma & Grandpa came to spend the night at Bird's Hill - always a big treat for the kids!

Easter

2008-04-01T17:06:00.003-05:00

Sorry I've been a little slack in the blogging department since Christmas! I'm not sure what my excuse is other than life being busy! I recieved an e-mail from Auntie Verna today hinting that I hadn't updated my blog and then I went up town and ran into Auntie Jane who also commented on my blog not being up to date! So I figured since I'm on Spring Break this week maybe I should get my stuff together and put on some pictures! Enjoy!

Cousin Time

2008-04-01T16:45:00.003-05:00

As you can well imagine the kids were so excited to see their cousins for a whole week and what a busy week it was! The kids spent every possible minute that they could together - yes, we let Mackenzie skip school a few times! Grandma & Grandpa took everyone to a hotel for night in Winkler! The kids had a great time at the pool! Little Ziko took quite a liking to Mackenzie and pretty much didn't leave her side the whole time! Grandma & Grandpa also took all of the kids to Build a Bear Workshop and let them make their own bear/dino/puppy/penguin complete with outfits! In between all of this excitement Mackenzie had her first piano recital and was very excited that Zam could come and listen to her play! Saying goodbye was hard to do once again! Until next time we'll just remember the good times and the memories!

Winter Fun

2008-04-01T15:43:00.009-05:00

Sorry for the scattered pictures - it was just easier to download a whole bunch then to organize them! Despite the often cold weather we have managed to keep very busy this winter with many different activities. The kids had skating lessons every Monday evening and performed in a skating carnival at the end of the season! Mackenzie's group skated to an Elvis tune - complete with poodle skirts! And Cole's wild and crazy group were a bunch of cool dudes from the 50's sporting sun glasses and hockey skates! We also spent alot of time playing outside. We had the biggest snowdrifts ever on our yard this year - some of them as tall as our neighbour's garage! Our yard was a great place for the kids to play and explore. We also spent time again on our neighbour's pond skating and playing hockey! Our new snowmobile also provided lots of entertainment along with our neighbour's Kitty Kat which the kids loved to ride! The kids also found plenty to do inside from painting to building huge forts in the living room to playing dressup! Poor Cole - one of these days he's not going to let his sister put him into dresses anymore!!! Does anyone recognize the lovely glasses Cole is wearing with the green dress?

We also spent two weekends with friends at their cabins! The kids had a great time snowmobiling and playing outside with their friends. They even tried their hand at ice fishing - no luck though! We also braved the cold and had a wiener roast We spent two weekends away at friends' outside when it was -30!

Mack & Cole getting ready to go down the big hill at the nature pond!

Christmas with Grandpa John & Grandma Marilyn

2007-12-29T09:46:00.000-06:00

This year we spent Boxing Day at the Martens'! We had a great day of opening gifts, playing with toys, sitting in the hot tub, having naps, watching movies and eatting lots of food!! Mackenzie got her very own deer to cuddle just like Grandmas! Cole's new piggy bank - complete with lights and train noises everytime you put money in!
Mackenzie with he very own Canadian Doll named Alexi! She came with her own journal and different outfits!

Cole was once again happy to find more costumes - this time a Ninja!

Cole's all time favourite gift - an Optimus Prime transformer helmet - it even changes your voice when you speak into it!

In the evening Mackenzie played some Christmas songs for everyone on the piano!

Christmas Day

2007-12-28T15:23:00.000-06:00

This year we were able to spend Christmas Day entirely at our house! The kids were up bright and early at 7:15 and were eager to unwrap the packages under the tree! The kids picked out some scrapbook supplies and a cart for me from Rhubarb Roots! Not hard to put that gift to good use!

Mackenzie loved opening all of the goodies in her stocking! From earrings to socks she loved it all!
Cole also found lots of goodies in his stocking!
Mackenzie made us a Christmas card at school and was more than happy to take our picture!

Cole's favourite gifts this year were the many costumes he recieved!!! Spiderman, Batman, Power Ranger, Pirate and a football costume have now been added to his costume collection!
Mackenzie was thrilled with her new Hannah Montana MP3 player!
Cole with yet another costume!
Everyone always needs new games at Christmas!

Xmas with Grandma Ann & Grandpa Bern

2007-12-28T15:00:00.001-06:00

We spent Christmas Eve day at Grandma Ann & Grandpa Bern's house! It was great to be able to relax there for the day! We opened gifts, had brunch, played with toys, sat in the hot tub, watched movies and had supper!
Mackenzie got a karoke machine from Grandma & Grandma! It didn't take her long and she was singing along with the gang from High School Musical!
Cole got a Smart Cycle from Grandma & Grandpa! It connects to the TV and he can play racing games which are educational!!! The racing part is totally up Cole's alley so hopefully he'll learn something in the process!
Cole 's new mask from his ninja turtle pajamas!
Mackenzie reading the Christmas Story before we started opening gifts!

Those good old Santa boots were filled once again with lots of candy and treats!
The kids were very excited to be able to open up gifts from their cousins! Cole loved his pirate telescope which will be a great addition to his many costumes!
Mackenzie got a Lip Balm kit and a Chia pet from her cousins!

Dashing through the Snow

2007-12-28T14:34:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday we headed to Holland for the Friesen gathering and a sleigh ride in the snow! It was an amazing day with snowflakes falling - it was almost picture perfect! The kids were really excited for the sleigh ride!
Cole and his best friend Jeff during one of our stops when we got stuck!
Everybody had to get out and the men pushed the wagon out!
Whoops! This picture should be at the end! After supper Mackenzie was lucky enough to play Uncle John's mandolin!
Checking out the horses with Uncle Bill!

All bundled up and ready for the snow ride - Grandma Ann, Aunty Sharon and Aunty Jane!
Here we go!
Cheers! Beverages were included and passed out by the flight attendants!!! We even sang a rousing song of Jingle Bells!

Dress Up

2007-12-18T20:44:00.000-06:00

Playing dress up is a poular past time at our house! This time Mackenzie got a little wild and crazy when she found my old glasses from when I was a kid! Can you guess what she's supposed to be? A school teacher of course!!!
She then got a hold of her little brother and turned him into a fashion diva!!! She's lucky that he still cooperates with her and he will put on pretty much anything she asks him too!!!
Super Cole! One of his friends borrowed this costume to him!!! I don't think he's taken it off since!
Making cream cookies for Christmas!!

Christmas Concerts

2007-12-17T21:49:00.001-06:00

Cole's pre-school concert was entertaining!! What else could you expect with 20 or so 4 year olds on stage singing and saying poems. Once again, Cole and Carter found a seat right beside each other!
Mackenzie's Grade 2 Christmas Concert was filled with songs, poems and plays from the different Grade 2 classes! She was very excited to perform for us all!
Her class did two poems on stage.
This poem was about a Christmas Tree!

Christmas is a Comin'

2007-12-17T21:38:00.000-06:00

The kids were super excited to put up the tree once again this year! Cole got into the festive season by sporting some fashionable christmas attire - shorts and a tank top!! Mackenzie was our chief decorator and loved putting all of her ornaments and ours on the tree! We could pretty much sit back and let the kids take over!

Mischief is My Middle Name!

2007-11-03T22:43:00.001-05:00

This morning Cole decided he was going to comb his own hair after his bath! I went up to take a shower and when I came back downstairs I found Cole in the bathroom combing his hair! However, not only did he comb his hair but he also put several products into his hair to in his words "Make it look cool!" All of those bottles on the counter were put into his hair including mosquito spray, suntan lotion and nail polish remover!! Needless to say we had a little chat! Later that same morning I found him in his room with virtually no clothes on applying tatoos all over his body!!!
And yet that same crazy morning while I was getting his lunch ready he came to tell me that he had made the walls in his room look really cool by decorating them! I asked him what he decorated with - Markers and stickers!!!!
Meanwhile, Mackenzie is quietly playing with the trains in the living room!!! What a great example of boys brains vs girls brains!

Halloween

2007-11-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

This year for Halloween, Mackenzie was a glittering, purple witch and Cole was the brave and fierce knight! We actually had a beautiful evening for trick-or-treating and thankfully the wind cooperated and stayed calm for the evening! Here's our guard spider that we made for the front yard!
Halloween wouldn't be complete without a stop at Mrs. Enns' house! This year she was dressed as a spider!
After driving around town to a few places we met up with some friends and trick or treated around the neighbourhood bay. The kids had a blast and came home with bags overflowing with candy!
The two little witches on Halloween!
For some reason I can never seem to upload these pictures in the right order so let's go back a few days before Halloween now! Mackenzie had a great time carving the pumpkins and was right in there taking out all of the goop!

Cole on the other hand wanted nothing to do with it because - you guessed it - "It's too STINKY!" He stayed as far away as he could!
The finished product!
Grandma Ann was able to join Mackenzie at her school for Pumpkin Day! She was so excited to have Grandma there with her. They spent the morning measuring their pumpkins, counting seeds and carving them!
And now we're back to Halloween Night! Carter & Jaxon with Mac & Cole !

Mackenzie's 7th Birthday

2007-10-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Mackenzie just celebrated her 7th birthday! It seems like just yesterday she was a little baby and now she's growing up so fast! Mackenzie celebrated her 7th birthday in style by having a "Fashion Show" birthday party! Our house was filled with 9 giggling girls putting on make-up, doing their nails and getting ready to strut their stuff on the runway!
My Mom and I made Mackenzie's cake! It's supposed to be Polly Pockets walking on the runway! We ran into a problem when the dolls kept wanting to fall over - so we had to stick them into the cake really far! This made it look like they had no legs!! Oh well, it still tasted great!

We gave Mackenzie a new bike for her birthday - complete with hand brakes and gears!

Go Karting

2007-10-01T21:37:00.001-05:00

This past Saturday we headed to Winkler to do some go-karting and mini golfing with a group of friends! The kids were too little to drive the go-karts by themselves but they had a great time as a passenger with Mom in the driver's seat! Mini-golf was a little more challenging as we had seven eager little swingers ready to hit that ball!

Fall Fun

2007-10-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

The kids have had fun this fall in our backyard! This spring we planted one pumpkin seed in our garden which quickly overtook the whole area and produced over 8 pumpkins!! The kids were very excited to harvest them the other night and of course the scrapbooker in me saw a great photo op so I took out my camera and started snapping!! Mackenzie, as always was very cooperative! Cole on the other hand was a big goof and kept making silly faces etc! I finally gave up trying to get a nice picture and just took a whole bunch of goofy ones! The kids also had a great time playing in the leaves! Notice the preview to Cole's Halloween costume! We bought it on Saturday and he hasn't taken it off since!!

September 22???

2007-09-24T22:07:00.000-05:00

It sure didn't feel like September 22 this past Sunday - it was HOT!! The kids both invited friends over after church and the backyard turned into a mini-water park! The kids had a blast on the slip and slide, the trampoline - with water of course, and good old Mount Tiki Soaki - a modern version of a sprinkler! Who want to rake leaves when you can spend the day having "summer" fun!

Quad Rally

2007-09-24T21:42:00.001-05:00

Elroy & Mackenzie set out for a father/daughter day this past Saturday in St. Jean for the quad rally. Mackenzie had a great day and loved stopping at all of the displays to have her picture taken. They also found alot of mud, which was not Mackenzie's favourite thing! That didn't stop them from coming home covered in mud! Cole can hardly wait till next year when it will be his turn to go with Dad for a day of fun!

September Camping

2007-09-24T21:32:00.000-05:00

We made two camping trips this year in September. The first was just Elroy and the kids in the backyard with the tent!!! I decided it would be much more fun to sleep in my nice warm bed inside. The kids had a blast sleeping in the tent again. We had a campfire before bed and then they settled into the tent for a movie and some popcorn before cozying up under a pile of blankets. Everyone had a great sleep - especially me!!

Our second camping trip was to St. Malo for the weekend. We had wonderful weather and spent our time going for bike rides, hiking and playing on the playground. Unfortunatley my camera's batteries went dead so we only got some pictures of the hike.

Cole's First Day of Preschool

2007-09-24T21:26:00.000-05:00

Cole was very excited about his first day of pre-school. Every Tuesday morning he packs up his backpack and spends the morning with a group of four year olds. Each week is a different theme - the one Cole is looking forward to the most is the Castle day where he wants to dress up as - you guessed it - a knight with a big sword! I'm not sure his teachers know what they're in for. I can't believe he'll be heading off to Kindergarten next year. Time sure does fly when you're having fun!

Thoughtful Kids

2007-09-07T21:39:00.000-05:00

One evening last week while I was busy packing for camping and Elroy was working on the shed, Mackenzie & Cole decided to make us a treat! We were told not to go into the kitchen and they busily prepared peanut butter & cracker sandwiches, chips, apples, candies and chocolate milk complete with straws. When they were ready they led us into the kitchen with our eyes closed and unveiled the feast they had prepared (or should I say Mackenzie prepared). Cole was busy on guard duty most of the time! Along with the snacks were two notes - one for Mom and one for Dad! The note for Mom said: We know you are always doing things for us so we thought we'd do something nice for you - Love Mac & Cole. The note for Dad said: We know how hard you are working on the shed and we know how much you like peanut butter and crackers so we made this for you! We were so proud of them for being so thoughtful and thinking of others!

Mackenzie's First Day of School

2007-09-07T21:30:00.000-05:00

Mackenzie was very excited about starting Grade 2! She was up bright and early and needed no help getting out the door on time! I think she was the most excited about seeing all of her friends again! Waiting for the bus! Even though she could get a ride to school with me every morning, Mackenzie insists on taking the bus to school!
Mackenzie's new teacher outside her classroom door!

September Long

2007-09-06T21:28:00.001-05:00

September Long Weekend we headed out to Falcon Lake once again with the Dueck family! We had great weather and kept busy fishing, playing at the beach and playground, horseback riding, mini-golfing, bike riding and celebrating Cole's birthday on September 2!

Cole & Tristen playing with the "dead fish"! For the complete story check the last picture! I love the look on Cole's face - STINKY!

Cole got a new Hot Wheels bike for his birthday with lots of hot wheels bling! As you can see he was very excited!
Happy Birthday to Cole!! Cole was thrilled to have his "best friend" Tristen along for his birthday! The wish he made after blowing out his candles was he wished Tristen could be his best friend forever!

Cole & Tristen played with this little trout which Rod caught! They thought it was great fun to catch the poor fish again and again while it was swimming in the live well! I guess you can say Cole has finally caught his first fish!

Cole's 4th Birthday Party

2007-08-29T00:08:00.001-05:00

Cole had a Shrek Birthday Party this year! We had 7 little boys at our house to help us celebrate. Thanks Grandma Ann for helping us make such a great Shrek cake! Some wrestling and rolling around before the games began!
Bubbles are always a great hit and what could be better than bubble chase!
Time for some soccer! I can't believe how much energy 7 little guys can have! I don't think they stopped moving during the whole party!

Escape the Dragon was another fun game we played where one boy dressed up as the dragon and had to chase the others who were pretending to be Shreks!
Donkey, Donkey, Shrek was a big hit - in other words Duck, Duck, Goose!
One of the games we played was called "Save the Swamp". It was like a water relay and the boys had to bring swamp water from one pail to another!
We made Green Shrek Slime for the boys to play with. Some of them were very unsure of this green blob of goo but by the end everyone got their hands dirty and had a great time creating!
Best of buds - Cole & Carter!

Jumping on the trampoline was a favourite activity, but it seemed to also involve wrestling!!!

This picture was taken while Cole's friends were singing Happy Birthday to him! He had this huge smile on his face the whole time - he was sooo excited!