Prairie Summer... day two

Day two of our trip saw us through Jasper and found us in Edmonton...
A black bear as we drove through Jasper... We also saw a lynx mom with her cub cross the highway but I didn't have my camera ready :(

Getting re-aquainted with Ama

Prairie Summer... day one

Well, we're back from our prairie trip and have lots to share. We took advantage of no PST in Alberta and purchased a new camera early in the trip. A Nikon D5000 and we're quite happy with it. We took two days to drive to Edmonton, spent a day and a half in Edmonton, then it was on to Winnipeg for about a week. We spent time with family in Edmonton and Winnipeg was all about the Friesens, oh, and a denomonational conference. Day one was driving to Valemount.

Now you've been prefaced... enjoy the pics.

Carlon enjoying a bottle on the road....

Lunch break and play break for Carlon at Lac le jeune....

I'm ready to go mom.

I've been packing today for our trip and tried to get Carlon involved in the process.

Auntie Colleen

These last few days I've been 100% Auntie Colleen and 100% mommy. My sister Janine and her husband John took advantage of an opportunity to get away for a few days. Their two oldest are at camp this week so it was just their youngest Jenna and their dog Daisy to hang out with. So I said "of course" And Carlon and I packed up and spent two nights at 'the Boogs' as our family affectionately calles them. (and they themselves even) We had a great time the four of us, Carlon spent most of the time working on the beginning stages of crawling and we even had a visit with Auntie Linda and Aiden.

Cherry Picking

Every year around this time since I've been a little girl I've had to pick cherries. I've grown up with a sour cherry tree in the back yard. There have been only two years that we didn't pick and that's because the first tree had succumbed to a common cherry tree illness and had been replaced with a new tree that had yet to produce any produce. I've been racking my brain trying to come up with a way to explain the dichotomy of my family's relationship with these cherries.

When I was a child the day to pick cherries had some joy attached because everyone was involved, often even some family friends, and we'd turn it into a party of sorts. We'd have a BBQ and with an above ground pool in the backyard how can you go wrong? Well, now it is a challenge to get everyone there on the same day nevermind the same time and the work required comes with dread. It's funny because every one wants the cherries but no one wants to do what has to be done to get them. Ideally, they should be picked, pitted and canned in the same day. If you're thinking that sounds like a long day with a lot of work, you'd be right. The last couple years I have been unable to help with any of these processes due to Brad and myself being out of town, and I feel right guilty about it because I was still able to reap the rewards. Beautiful jars filled with lovely red balls of deliciousness.

This year I was picking with my dad and my niece Jenna and there were many, many cherries. So many, in fact that we were unable to pick them all in one day.

And on and on we go....

Carlon continues to grow and continues in his cuteness. We've taken thousands of pictures and trying to sift through them all to find good ones to post is like, sorting through diamonds to find gold. Brad has been busy with his job and thanks to many stressful events occurring at the church recently his job seems busier than ever. He has had the opportunity to preach twice already this summer and one of those times he used my cinnamon buns as an example for joy. One would expect summer to be a slow time for youth activities but that's the best time for Brad to visit with his students and try some different events. Last week it was an excursion with the senior highs to Stanley Park (Carlon and I were able to join them) This week is Mission Encounter, three days of local outreach activities combined with devotional and prayer time, and sleeping at the church. Brad and I will be driving to Edmonton in a couple days and from there flying to Winnipeg for a denominational conference. While we are there we're planning to see some friends as well. Then it's back to Edmonton to spend quality time with the Alberta Reids and visiting with our new nephews.
Oh and we're planning to take advantage of no PST in Alberta and get ourselves a new camera so we can take millions of pictures.

I will write another post when we get back from our trip. I promise :)

Carlon posing and practicing his sitting

Happy about his new toy

Cinnamon buns bring great joy

Just hangin' out in his stroller while mom has a "coffee break"

Siiting up... practice makes perfect!

Looking like a cool dude hanging out with the senior highs at Stanley park.

I can sit.... all by myself.... sort of

As the title says, Carlon is getting bigger and better at many things. He's finally enjoying his baths (especially afterwards) he loves being on his tummy (easier to play) and he's been working on sitting up by himself (he'd much rather stand, with someone holding him) all these things prove he's growing up, and a Dr's appointment today proved he's getting bigger (19lbs). Before we know it he'll be graduating from high school.