Summer Camping Part 2

We decided to head to Glenwood to camp a few nights and Hit up the Waterton Reservoir and water our garden.

First night we got to add fresh veggies to our tinfoil dinners. Carrots, beets and onions. 

Yumm yummy. 

Grandma came out and helped weed the garden back as it was out of control. 

Magrath Days

Due to Covid the pioneer days were very limited. We arrived back from our big camping trip on Saturday. But managed to get all unpacked, lawn mowed, groceries purchase, and laundry done in time to hit up the fireworks and live band at the main Magrath entrance near the grain elevators. 

The live band were locals called Highway 62. They were awesome. Did a bunch of cover songs and one original. We loved it. Siting there with family, listening to music in the heat of summer prepping for fireworks is what summer is about. 

The fireworks were well done and enjoyed. 

Summer Camping part 1

We spent a week in Cypress Hills in the Elkwater town. It was amazing. All around was grassy hills and plains, then you can start to see the hill rise above the rest of the land, covered  with dark ever greens.  Truly an amazing site. 

We biked, hiked, and hit the lake. The views were amazing. The weather was perfect.

Our campsite was in a perfect location close to the lake, playground, General store and hiking trail heads. 

Our little family hiked a huge black diamond path the second day and. Did awesome. We made a small stop at the horseshoe canyon look out to view the vast prairies. 

What amazing sites. It kind of felt like Cold Lake with the bush and pines, but very different when it comes to elevation. Cypress Hills are true to their name. 

There was a little BMX bike track and the kids quite enjoyed ridding on it in the evenings. Even Kansas on her strider bike. She was cute with her positive self talk. She would say as she came to the hard part“ you can do it Kans” “you got this Kans”

On Thursday we needed a break from the heat and hiking so we went on a trip. We travelled to Maple Creek Saskatchewan where we found this quant little toy shop call cowtown toys and candy. 

Kids loved it we ended up spending a bit too much money there but came away with some neat stuff. 

Then we headed back to Alberta and stopped at Dunmore’s Dugout. Kids got to let loose and play laser tag, jump on tramps, climbing wall and bumper cars. Since Kansas was a little too little to do laser tag and bumper cars dad took her on a go kart which went really fast around and around and made Kansas a bit dizzy. Wade needs to practice laser tag 

First he had his gun pointed the wrong way and shot himself. Second he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. When he and Macie played 25-0 for Macie. We all laughed even Wade. The good news is there is no where but up from here. 

We continued on to Medicine Hat and went to the biggest Tee Pee. 

Saturday we packed up and were ready for home. 

We loved Cypress Hills

16 years

16 years ago, two individuals joined in holy matrimony to become one. We are not quite fully one but we are getting closer.
It’s been a crazy wonderful time. Hope for many more years to come.

Throwback

This past weekend has been super busy. Kalinda has been working hard to throw a bridal shower for her niece Kezia, and dad has been trying to support by doing yard work and keeping the kids busy.
Side note: Wade was curious as to why the bride had to shower at our house and not just do that before she came over. 😂🤣
So dad took the kids out to Glenwood to dirt bike and water the garden. Dad set up a little track with some flagging for the kids to practice turning. They had fun. Kansas and dad went to the park and played on swings and sides.
After a few hours we cleaned up the hoses and dirt bikes, just in time as a storm blew in. We went out to the Hartley cemetery to check on our family. Macie learned about an aunt she has that past away when she was 3 days old.
Then we started to drive home and saw uncle Dave sitting in his tractor so we pulled in to have a visit.  He shared some good stories from the past about his mom.
I don’t know the whole story about his mom, but his mom and our dad split up probably in the late 60s, and the story the kids heard challenged their feelings toward their mom in some cases that they did not want to have anything to do with her. So all the kids stayed on the farm with dad.  Aunt Audrey was one of the kids who still made contact with her mother. One time their mom came to visit Audrey for a week but Audrey and her husband had to leave and her mom did not want to travel with them so she ask Dave if she could spend the night at his place. He reluctantly agreed. That night uncle Dave learned a lot about his mom and the story he had heard growing up from dad had another side. So each story has 2 sides and it’s important to listen to both sides before casting judgement.

I am grateful for my older siblings.  They are tough, hard working and kind. My brother take care of the Hartley cemetery without any reward. That is no small commitment. So on Saturday During the bridal shower I took wade out to the cemetery to mow and trim around the graves.
Wade helped brush the grass off the grave stones and push the mower. He learned that helping people who can’t help themselves brings wonderful feelings.
Just when we were finishing up, Uncle Dave came by to check his pocket gopher traps he set around the cemetery.  It’s great to keep running into my brother s and visiting with them about the old days.

Gardening

This morning for Canada Day we took a quick trip out to Glenwood to weed our Garden. It was overflowing with weeds. However with some good shovels and back bracking we were able to get it cleaned up nicely. The ice cream parlour was finally open so we ended our morning with a stop at our favourite ice cream store.

James and the Giant Peach

We are trying to grow more as a family and one way is by reading together

We found the book by Roald Dahl and enjoyed reading it together. We laughed many times at the reactions of the earth worm and the songs of the centipede. We loved the parts where
Other humans are seeing the giant insects for the first time like the sea capital and chief of police and captain of the Fire department. Aunt Sponge and Spiker were the worst. However their enjoying some fizzy lemonade gave mom an idea.

After we completed the book, mom made some delicious homemade fresh squeezed from scratch, fizzy lemonade and some popcorn and some Maynards Fuzzy peaches and we watched the Disney’s version from 1996. It was a fun adventure with the kids.

Motorbike Riding

We have discovered that there is a dirt bike track just north of Raymond for the kids to practice riding.
Saturday the kids went riding for a few hours practicing on the tracks. They did so good. There were a few wipeouts but the kids kept going. Very proud of our two riders

Prepping for Hunting Season

In preparation for hunting season, uncle Brad, Wade, and I took a trip to the base of the mountains to do some looking around at places to hunt. Our Destination was just west of Twin Butte. We parked near a lease entrance and walked up the road to find a trail head. The lease toad was 5 km up, and at that point Wade was pretty tired so we walked back. We took a very slight detour and followed a path that went along side a creek. The path led us a few hundred yards until it ended. We had to wonder through some heavy bush back to the lease road and while we were trudging a deer ran out on the lease road. It was a very pleasant walk even though it was windy and the clouds looked ominous and ready to rain. We made it back to our truck without getting rained on. We then made our way around the Shell Plant road  and the way Grandpa used to like going for drives. We ended up driving by Stillman’s and the fellow that used to breed the long haired horses. I think his name was Harold ( these folks have likely passed on) but we found our way back to the highway and heading back to Glenwood.
On a lighter note on the way out to pick up Brad at uncle Danny’s we drove over mud hill, I made Wade close his eyes. It was funny when we came over the last hill and watching Wades face.

Where’s Harry

This is a cute post about Kansas and how slow dad is.
Often our family goes on walks around Magrath including the paths out by the golf course. Each time we go we find painted rocks.

Case in point follow directions of rock.
Now sometime our family paints rocks and hides them to support the program.
Well... meet Larry

Larry is a cucumber from veggie tales. Daddy painted a rock that somewhat resembled Larry for the painted rock program. When we went for a walk we hid our rocks and dad hid Larry in a very prominent and easily identifiable tree. 

Dad has to go to work and was away, so he forgot all about Larry. But during that same time Dad and the older kids were watching Harry Potter and talking about it a bit. Fast forward 

Dad comes home from work and takes the kids for a walk without mom. We walk by the tree and Kansas asks where Harry. Dad is clueless and forgot all about Larry the rock and was thinking she meant Harry Potter. So for the remaining walk home I’m trying to explain to a two year old that Harry is in the books or movies and we can watch a bit when we get home. “ but where’s Harry” again I say he’s in the book. This goes on and on. 

Next walk, dad again takes the kids and mom is away. And same thing, we walk past the tree and Kansas asks “wheres Harry ?”  Dad try’s again to explain that Harry is in the book or movie and we can watch or read it later. This goes on again most of the way home. 

Finally we walk together as a family past the tree and mom says how Kansas is always asking for Larry. It hits me like a ton of bricks. 

Now each time we pass that tree Kansas asks where’s Harry dad now understands that we are talking about Larry the Cucumber.  

😂😂😂😂