Ten Years Get Away

A couple weeks ago I peeked over my hubby's shoulder while he was on the Internet and noticed he was on Rowena's website...he was looking for something to celebrate our ten-year marriage anniversary, and told me he was looking at a "Fish and Stay package"-don't worry I swatted him one for that. Almost Ten years ago when he asked where I would like to go for our honeymoon I said either the Harrison Hotel or Rowena's...we ended up at the Harrison for our honeymoon and now ten years later I was spoiled to spend two nights with him at Rowena's. (it's in Harrison Mills) The package was called the "Chocolate Romance package" and included some fun "extras" that we would never have spent the money on. Right after dropping off our "bags" (laundry baskets full of clothes...I just find them so much easier than anything else) we were scheduled for tea (worth 30/person) so it was a bit more than just tea.

The real nice dishes and the "Scones with Devonshire cream and Strawberry Preserve".(that's the fancy way of saying whipping cream and jam)

The selection of tea sandwiches...curry chocolate chicken, Watercress and Speckled butter, etc., and Pastries, Mocha Eclair and Macaroons de Paris, etc.

The tea was taken in a historic room where there were many old, old things, and no children dared enter. It was really cuzelic (now that is a Dutch word that I have no idea how to spell) to sit with my husband and have tea together and chit-chat. The candle sticks on the mantle were from a castle in England. Then it was off to do some fishing! Yes, we took the boat with...he asked...and I actually did want to see where he goes with other guys and fishes. He loves being on the river so it is very contagious and was very beautiful, it being fall and all. Gerard really wanted to catch a fish so I could "feel what it was like" because he was sure that I would love it. My secret was I didn't really want him to catch anything because I had absolutely no plans of sharing....

....my double soaker tub with some dead fish on ice. (I didn't mind sharing at all, just not with dead fish) so thankfully he didn't catch anything.

Our cute cabin where my husband is taking a nap. Napping has got to be one of the best things on a getaway. This cabin had no T.V. to the complete surprise and shock of my husband. But it really was a good thing, we did more other things and he actually started a book. Out for dinner that night, yum yum, the package came with a $50.00 certificate toward dinner, and then I had a coupon for a buy one get one free for our meal, so it tasted even better. lol.

Since it was a Bed and Breakfast this is how breakfast got delivered to our cabin at 9:15 every morning. I wonder what's inside... What a wonderful treat...roll out of bed to a fancy breakfast all ready.

I can handle this, eating our breakfast on the patio overlooking the Harrison River, and basking in the beautiful sunshine we were blessed with.

Then we spent a couple hours out on the golf course, not with any golf clubs mind you, we just walked and walked, and talked. It is the perfect walking for someone who has about ten weeks left to go in her pregnancy. A bit of uphill and a bit of downhill nothing too strenuous. I had never been on a big golf course before (only mini golfing) so I was told how it all works. It was incredibly beautiful and in my non-expert eye, it was quite the golf course.

There were bald eagles flying everywhere on the golf course. Not that I am thinking of taking up bird watching as a hobby of anything, but it is fascinating watching birds fly around.

After lunch we went for a walk by the river (while we waited for the Kilbey Museum to open) and feeling all romantic and having such a wonderful time with my hubby I wrote this in the sand... ...to which he replied in the sand... ..."I love fishing"!!!!. Don't worry he was being funny and everything is good. Us at the Kilbey Museum.

Breakfast again the next morning, it was raining so we had to eat inside our cozy cabin with the fire going. sigh! Then we went to the Weaver Creek Spawning Channel. Yup, that is a pile of dead fish. There were tons of dead fish everywhere with no eyes as the seagulls seem to like that part the best. Then it was down the road where we took a self-guided tour of a hatching facility. We sure saw a ton of fish this weekend.

What a wonderful getaway to celebrate our (almost) ten-year anniversary. It was so hard to pack up, but once that was done then it was time to get home and see our children again, they were happy to see us home but I got the feeling that it would have been OK to be away longer, they love having there Auntie Theresa take care of them. And it is such a peace of mind for me, knowing that I am leaving them in her very capable hands. They definitely look forward to having her over (so that makes leaving so much easier) and they were counting the sleep till we left. No tears there believe me. Someone told me on Sunday that is very traditional to celebrate your ten and a half in Holland, sounds good to me that's only two and half years away and maybe we can do something again. And then it's almost 15 years...wow this is getting really good...we better start saving up. lol.

At the Park

Yesterday was the most beautiful fall day so it was off to the park with the girls. First, we stopped in at the IGA to buy milk where Danielle told me she had to go to the bathroom, so we quickly paid (no looking at specials) and around the corner, I let her "go" in some bushes to the amazement of a passer-by. ( I am a pro at that) What I do in the quest to keep the pants dry. sigh! She is just the cutest little thing though...when I pulled out the camera at the park she covered her face again and again and again with tons and tons of giggles and laughter. She knew I wanted a "say cheese" picture but she had other plans.

What a beautiful part of the world I live in. I never get tired of looking at the mountains.

All tired out from ??? I pushed her in the stroller, and I pushed her in the swing what could she possibly be tired from??? all that laughing and giggling I guess.

I was really tired and had a nap on the couch while Sharleen was allowed to play on the computer, and this is what I woke up to. Guess she got tired too.

Eat Pray Love

Tonight was the last Wednesday of the month (already) and so it was book club at the library. This month the book was EAT PRAY LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert. It was not one of those books for me that made the housework not get done and dinner being made as my husband was on the ride home my head was in a book all afternoon. So that was nice for the rest of the family. lol. It was well written in that sometimes I would read a sentence again and again and think, Wow how do people put thoughts like that together so well. It was a memoir, a book about herself. Some in the group thought she was quite selfish and self-absorbed...but it was a book about her travels and healing. It was not a Reformed Christian book by any means, but it dealt a lot with spirituality and the quest for peace. I learned a lot in this book and did enjoy it as it was really well written, and an easy read. It is definitely not for everyone, as many in our group did not enjoy it at all, and then of course some were on the other end of the scale.

Alder Acers

Wow, what a wet, wet day for a field trip to Alder Acres. When the teachers say to put on boots and wear good coats they are not kidding...they know from experience. I felt bad for the kids in fancy little shoes that instantly got soaked in mud and some of the cute little trendy boots aren't waterproof...nothing beats a good pair of rubber boots and coats that close. Two of the girls in my group, their coats didn't even close. But they are kids and had a great time regardless of the constant rain, and I must still be part kid too as I had a good time too. Timothy is behaving like a goat here. On the wagon ride. I had said on the permission slip form to give me a call if they couldn't get enough volunteers, so I got a call Saturday if I could please come. Thanks, Irma for taking care of my other two, they had a great time. The kids had a lot of fun with the animals.

I am so glad I am only having one baby...imagine nursing this lot. Niessa took this picture as well as the next two. What a totally cute picture. Niessa with some of the girls in grade one moving/dancing to some of the music that was playing.

One last pose with me with my oldest. The yellow parka sure came in handy...Gerard bought it in Disneyland about 15 years ago. The things I hold on to, once in a while come into use.

Danielle

Isn't she such a keeper?

Crafts

A collage of fall/thanksgiving that Danielle did, I mean I did. She did some of the gluing but mostly had fun watching me.

Craft pictures from the last little while.

All the fabric people we made...I think it would be a good idea for Christmas cards, one for each of us in the family. hmm... maybe I could start a business, there really cute and the best part is you don't have to get the whole family sitting through pictures. I won't hold my breath, although I think it is a cute idea.

I was going to throw this out but thought I could get a bit of use out of it first...so Sharleen had a lot of fun painting it.

time going by

It's Sunday and the start of a new week, where does the time go.
On Monday I had a baby Doctor's appointment, yup it been more than the regular four weeks, that's the way it seems to go with me. I think I have appointment burnout from the last couple of years, so I always stretch out the time in between visits. Sharleen was sick so we took an ice cream bucket "just in case" but we didn't need it, and thankfully didn't have to wait too long. Everything is going fine. My iron is at 108, still a bit low (the very lowest they like to see the number 110) and the baby's heartbeat was 142...so I am pretty sure it's a girl. My Doctor was extremely passionate about me getting the flu shot and talked to me for quite a while about all the "risks" I was taking by not getting it. I wanted to get going so I said I would think about it. Gerard totally supports me in NOT getting the flu vaccine so that's why, I am not going to get it. Now he wants to see me every three weeks (it used to be four then the last bit two and at the very end one) and as of September, the gestational diabetes test is now a two-hour test. Somehow I have to get that done this week. The baby is not even here yet and takes so much time. lol.
This week went on a field trip with Sharleen's class (another post) and on Thursday also took my turn to help out in the classroom. I definitely would not call it hard, and sometimes wonder if it is an effective use of my time, work-wise, but it is so good to see all the "other things" where she sits, who she sits with, the routine of the classroom, how is is with her peers, etc. Then right after that, I had an IEP meeting for almost an hour, so that worked out really well, only had to make one trip out to Yarrow. The meeting went really good, although it's been one drama-filled start to the school year in the hearing aid department. Right from the beginning the FM system and the surround sound did not patch in well together ie. Sharleen would get feedback and static. so her teacher would have to wear two microphones, one for the FM for her and one for the surround sound for the rest of the class. Hearing with two systems is not ideal in that different electronic equipment can make sound travel differently and the microphones worn around the neck can bump, causing the sound to be amplified right in her ears. Then the school got broken into and the surround sound and F.M. were stolen. They were set up pretty quick with a loner surround sound system...but didn't get the cord to charge the battery so that became useless. Then the wrong F.M. system was sent to the school TWO times. In between all this, her one hearing aid was sent in for repair. (what are the chances, that was the first time one has ever broken) So on Thursday when I was there they first said that it would have to go back in, but then I got a note home saying that it seems to be good to go. I hope so. Thanks for taking care of Danielle, and Melaine D. She loves playing with Kendra.
Then on Friday and Saturday, Gerard and I went to the Marriage Connection out in Langley. We drove out both days with some friends so the drive did not seem long at all, and there were twenty-two couples there. It was really good, did I find out anything new and shocking about my honey that I didn't know already, no, but it still made us learn more about each other (that is a work in progress for the rest of our marriage) and I am really glad we went. The whole event was really well organized and the speaker was really good, (I forget his name, but he works for Focus on the Family) I almost felt "young" this weekend, after Friday we ended up at a friend's house after the session for a glass of wine (not me, everyone else) then after the session on Saturday some of us went to Milestones for lunch what yummy soup they have. It ended up being a rather large babysitting bill this weekend, totally worth it and I am chalking that up to the investment of a good marriage and some fun.

Pumpkin Patch

Today I went on a field trip with Sharleen to the Pumpkin Patch. The plan was that her Auntie Theresa was going to go with her, and I was going to go to bible study in the morning. But she started throwing up Monday and when it continued into the evening I had to tell her that she wouldn't be able to go to school the next day or go on her field trip. The utter devastation...she was crying and crying to daddy so then it was decided that we would see how the morning went and then I would bring her just for the field trip. (who needs school anyway). She woke up totally fine, really hungry and everything stayed down so off we went.

Timothy would LOVE for me to buy all these pumpkins so I could make him tons of pumpkin pie.

Felling sheep wool.

A group shot of her class.

Me and my little pumpkin. Sharleen took these last two pictures...I think she did a really good job. One is of a friend of hers and a close of her pumpkin...I like the different lights in the picture.