Our plans

So most of you know that we are leaving Dawson Creek.  Some of you may not know the details.  So, here goes:


John has not been happy at Calfrac for some time.  He has wanted to run heavy equipment for a while, but has found no one who would be willing to train him.  He learned about IHE, which is a school for training heavy equipment operators in Winfield, just north of Kelowna. 


It was about February when he started really looking into.  And when I was in Alberta in March, he became serious about and started to get all his ducks in a row.  He phoned the school for a start date and was told either April 7, or June 2.  Up here, you have something called break-up, wher the trucks aren't allowed on the back roads, as it's too wet.  THis is when the snow is melting and making a mess.  As much as I couldn't take in the fact that April 7 was less than 3 weeks away, I knew it was better than doing the course in the summer. 

Now came the question of wether we should pack up the whole house, take it with us, leave it in storage, etc. 


In the end, it all fell into place.  JOhn bought a new camping trailer that was big enough for us to live in and stay partially sane. 


John is going to work tomorrow, heading out to camp.  He wasn't able to give 2 weeks notice, so they are wanting him to stay until the 4th.  He wants to try be home on the 2nd.  So that leaves me 10 days to pack up the house by myself.  We will leave sometime on Saturday the 5th to get there on time. 


I will not be using my cell phone, but John has a good plan on his. So if you want to get a hold of us, there's still the good ole Facebook, or if you want/need John's number, make sure you ask me for it.


We will be gone for 2 months for sure.. We aren't sure where we will go after that, it depends on where he will get hired.

Alberta trip part 2

This is Andrew.  This was on a morning before school. And he had a rooster tail. So Mckenna hauled him by his hand to the bathroom where she wet his hair and used HER hairbrush to fix it for him.  THey are only 9 days apart

Ever heard of the game Loopin' Louie? Its a very easy game, good for young and old alike. 

Sunday afternoon cake, decorated by Mckenna 

I have a picture with Grandpa and Mckenna, sleeping together, also on a Sunday afternoon.  THis is my newest nephew Carson.  Only 2 1/2 months old 

Emmy's funny hairdo 

Gramma opening her birthday present.  We made a block puzzle using her favorite nature pictures.  

Aunty Theola hugs :)

These are my twin neice and nephew.  Sofia is the social smiling one where Sam is the serious shy one.  But he was the easiest to get a good picture of, since Sofia just wouldn't take her fingers out of her mouth! 

Good ole Jake had to stick his head into the picture.. but we still got a good one

We stayed for 15 days, and came back on March 19th.  Stay tuned to hear of our adventures of the next few months :)

Alberta trip part 1

Since my mom was having shoulder surgery, she thought it would be a good idea to fly me and the girls down while John was at work.  I was game! I knew it would be busy, but I also knew it would be fun, and good to see my family again.  Sadie, of course, had to come with, but she traveled in style, and was very well behaved!  We were on time at the airport, despite the fact that the friend who offered to take me to the airport, was having overheating issues with her van.  I flew out on wednesday, March 5, around 11:30.  Mckenna was quite excited since that meant there was no 12 hour drive ahead of her :)

It didn't take long to take advantage of the hot tub.  Mckenna couldn't believe that Gramma would make her run through the snow in bare feet to get to it 

We went bowling with Andrew, Raelene and Alli. It was Alli's first time and she had LOTS of fun.   

Being goofy like usual :)

Final score.  And yes we put gutter guards up 

Playing dress-up with Dad :)

John allowed the girls to paint his toe nails in whatever color and design they wanted.  So they were alternating orange and pink and his big toes had smiley faces on them.  Then Emmy hauled out her "makeup" and gave him some pretty lips and beautiful eye.  But that only lasted so long as he said it felt way too weird!  The next day we were going to go swimming together, and we were just about ready to leave when John pipes up and says," Wait!  My toes are still done!"

cardboard box theater

The girls saw some puppets at the local toy store.  I told them that I would see if the school would pay for them, but they had to make up a play using them. That hasn't happened yet, but the years not over.  

Well with puppets, you need a theatre. So we took some cardboard boxes, and made one ourselves.  We decorated it with scrapbook paper and there you have it. Ken's and Em's Theatre. 

It has since then become a Barbie house :)

Here is Banana and Dr. Susan Chartwell a.k.a. Scribbles

missing: Rory the Lion 

Valentines Day

Every year for Valentines, the girls and I make a "love cake" for John. John and I don't celebrate Valentines Day, but I thought this was a neat tradition.  I had 1/2 a chocolate cake mix in the freezer, left over from JOhn's bday. So I cut it in half, and gave each girl a peice, along with their own choclate icing and sprinkles.  Mckenna made the top one, and Emmy made the bottom one.  They had a blast and they tasted yummy too. :)

So we left for Chilliwack on Christmas morning.  It was a warm, breezy 6C when we left at 7:00. We got to Chilliwack around 6:45 at night.  We stayed at John's sister Nella's and brother in law Chris's house. They were fabulous host/hostess and the kids loved it there.  There was a horse to ride for Kenna, and the little nook in the master bedroom provided hours of entertainment for kids of all ages.  We went to see the show 'Fly over Canada' at the Imax and then went to Stanley Park Light Show.

I got a box of 101 blocks from Walmart for $5! Mckenna set to work right away and built this robot :)

At one point, we had so much snow, there was a fort under the trampoline.  When we shoveled the snow off the trampoline, the snow didn't fall! So Emmy took her froggy lattern out for light.  And he got left outside 

hoarfrost is BEAUTIFUL 

From Chiliwack, we went to Lethbridge where we stayed in Days Inn so that the kids could all go swimming.  Here is Mason and Mckenna chilling on the bed!

For Christmas, the girls and I made a table runner for my mom. Here is Mckenna doing her part of sewing the seams 

And Emmy... she amazed me with how quickly she caught on. 

The finished front 

finished back 

 For Christmas John's family did gift basket exchange by the family.  The girls got a no bake cake pop kit.

From us the girls got skiis.  Unfortunately they have only used them once this year.  Every time JOhn is on days off, the weather is way too cold to go.  And I don't ski so....

The girls were given each $5 to buy gifts for each other at the dollar store.  They were laughing here because they bought the same thing.. a slinkee!

 So that's a little update for now. if I think of more, I will let you know.  Tomorrow I have the girls teacher coming down to go over stuff, and I am babysitting a 3 year old, 1 year old, and a 2 week old.  Then I get to go for a late lunch with a friend.  Tuesday morning I have a dentist appt and Wednesday me and the girls leave for AB.