Father's Day

We had a wonderful weekend! We decided at the last minute to head to Morin Lake for the weekend. We've only been here a few times and love it every time. It' not a fancy place to camp, but it is very quiet. . .only about 12 campers this weekend. The beach is small with a few large rocks with grass growing around them. Martin loves it here. . . Martin enjoying the "perfect" weather, at least according to him. . .not too hot and not too cold. The late morning/early afternoon ended up being hot enough for the kids to splash in the water and for us to get a bit of a tan.

I always chuckle at his redneck tan. . . but I guess that goes with his job.

I thank God for Martin. . . he is the best father anyone could ever want. His goal is to make memories rather than pursue money or fame. . . man I love the guy!!!!

Morgun the Old Man

I always knew Morgun had a great imagination, but I didn't realize he is also a great actor! He came upstairs dressed and acting like an old geezer. . . . . .with the perfect expression!

Bridge City Boogie

Yes!!! We did it!! My good friend Ruth and I ran the 10km run at Saskatoon's Bridge City Boogie. Here we are (I'm waving) on the last stretch. . . and thanks to Ruth we sprinted the last few yards finishing in 1 hour 2 mins and 35 secs! (By the way I'm far to lazy to edit this photo today and zoom in on us. We forgot the big zoom at home, as usual!) So very happy to be done!

The kids got autographs from Catriona Lemay Doin! Malia was not as impressed as the boys were! :) Oh. . . wouldn't you think the guy with the big butt would clue in and move out of the way?!?! :)

Malia's First Parade

Yesterday we went to Warman's Annual Diamond Rodeo Parade. A first for Malia. She was the first to get a frisbee, which worked well to collect all her candy. We saw everything from horses to old cars. I was much more interested in watching my kids. Here they are patiently waiting for some candy to be thrown their way. The mad scramble.

Morgun's lollipops. . . far too much sugar for one little boy!

I love events like this, where you meet local residents that you know, but rarely get to chat with. Our kids love it too! Especially the candy!

"I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men(women) will see visions. . . Acts 2:17

Back in 2005 I had been praying for many years that God would show Martin and I what His will was in regards to adoption. Martin did not feel we should. I strongly felt we should. I specifically asked God to show us through a dream, His word, or a vision. In December of 2005 God showed me a vision and it is what eventually led us to adopt from China. I saw Martin holding a little girl with straight black hair, pulled back into 2 pigtails, with squinty eyes and a darker complexion. The picture below is pretty much what I saw!
I only realized today that I had the vision shortly before Malia was born on December 28, 2005. Perhaps that is why God waited so long in answering my prayer. . . it was all in His timing! Needless to say the realization hit me full force!

"My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long." Psalm 71:8

The Forestry Farm

We've been very busy these past few weeks and I have not had time to blog. Once again we planted more trees, although we only got about 70 this year. These trees were to replace those that died last year. Every year I think we've planted more than enough trees, and then some need replacing or we decide to add another shelter belt row. Thank goodness the trees only cost a few dollars a bundle! Thankfully it's been raining a lot and I haven't had to water them yet. I've also been trimming all the brown tips from my junipers and cedars. Some will need to be replaced. This past winter killed many of my shrubs. :( I also planted my garden and it is beginning to sprout! I can hardly wait to have fresh produce again! I seeded 165 potato plants this year. . .hopefully that will be enough for next year. All it takes is bringing potatoes to 1 or 2 gatherings. . . enough to feed 50 people. I ran out of potatoes a few weeks ago and carrots last week.
On top of that, it is the beginning of Martin's busy season. Therefore, I end up doing the majority of the yard work, including tilling the trees. My old Massey can be rather ornery and put up a fuss. The battery was low so I called Martin. . . trickle charged it. . . still wouldn't start. . .hooked the booster cables up to our vehicle ( this totally freaked me out! I've never boosted a vehicle before and was terrified of getting a jolt!). . .finally the old Massey started! I let it warm up a bit and then tried to put it in gear. . .ARGG. . .it refused to slip into gear! After some yelling (it was the only day the boys were at home to watch Malia)and a little praying the old clunker finally decided to cooperate!
We've also spent many hours looking for a camper trailer, trying to decide between buying a new one or settling for a used one. We finally found an older used one this last week end. I will post some pics at a later date.
Needless to say we needed to have some fun! We went to the Forestry Farm with Martin's brother and his family. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, saw all the animals, and then went for ice cream! Very relaxing!

Malia enjoying the watermelon.

Boys will be boys! Goofy grins, ears that stick out and dirty mouths!

My sweetheart and Malia! Warms my heart every time!

Malia's favorite line lately is "We are family. . . I like my family. . .we are special family!" I agree! And so does Martin even though he is scowling as usual. He is happy. . . honestly he really is! He just hates having his picture taken!

Mother's Day

I wasn't feeling well on Mother's Day so we finally took pictures a week later. I did have a great day in spite of not feeling well. As always the kids presented me with everything from a potted pansy to beautifully written cards. Martin made sure I could put my feet up and relax. . .all day! I LOVE being a mom. It is the most rewarding role I will ever have!
Taking pictures can be a bit challenging. It is very difficult to get everyone looking half normal. ;) And when the kids finally have a nice smile and are looking towards the camera, I have a goofy grin. ARGG! And then there is Alex . . .

Morgun tends to close his eyes . . .

Almost. . .

Malia's silly wink. . .but that's the best we can do!