Watter's Family Reunion

I am really excited to journal about our 2015 Watter's Family reunion.  It was wonderful to become closer to this amazing family while spending time at a lake house on Vancouver island. So, to start from the beginning.

I worked a really long full week May 25-28 with two 12 hour and two 8 hour shifts and I was so ready to leave the stress of work behind. I know Chris needed a break too even if he is able to handle a full plate more than I am able too. And he has had a lot of stress at work the last two months with them loosing their biggest client so I am amazed how he keeps calm. So after getting packed up on Friday May 29th, we left bright and early at 6:00 am Saturday morning and spent a long 10 hours in the car traveling to the ferries. The kids did okay as they each had an ipad to watch movies on. We heard Lego movie about 10 times this trip (a favourite of Elva's). We met Kurt and Miranda in Kamloops for a lunch and play time at Mcdonalds. Elva was quite restless for the last two hours in the car but once we got on the ferry the kids enjoyed some run around time.

Sunday was spent going to church with Mom and Dad Watters, Wendy and her boys. Chris had to work on Eagle's computers Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday so I took the kids out for some sightseeing. We went to Beacon Hill park petting zoo on Monday with Rachel, Eric and their girls, Rachel's grandma, Kurt and Miranda. Nathaniel and Suzanne had us over for supper on Monday evening and they sure have a beautiful little home they fixed up. I loved having a tour of it! Tuesday Elva, Caeleb and I went to the Sidney Aquariam and looked at the marine life there. The kids were able to touch some star fish and other living ocean animals. Then we went to beach with Chris in the afternoon. Chris joined us for swimming on Wednesday morning. Even Caeleb had a blast in the water (we had to take him out of swimming lessons last month as he refused to get in the water - Elva, on the other hand loved her lessons and is a little fish in the water).

Wednesday evening was girls night out and Lou Ann treated us to supper at a nice restaurant on Bear Mountain ( I think that is where it was). I am grateful that I had that time to talk to girls in the family. Thank you family for helping me sort out some thoughts that were going through my mind!  I really do appreciate the emotional support as I have been struggling lately with pregnancy hormones combined with work and home anxieties.

Thursday morning we took off to Sproat late which is 3 hours away from Victoria. Rachel was so kind in letting us get an amazing deal for a weekend stay at her Grandparent's lake home. It is a beautiful home. We spent the weekend visiting with each other (there were 20 Watters there in total), swimming in the lake, playing games, playing with the kids, having a Nerf gun war, eating yummy food, and visiting some more. I liked hearing and sharing our 5 year goals. I am excited to see where we are at in 5 years at our next reunion.

The Grandkids seemed to get along well. I loved watching Elva, Olivia and Eve walk around holding hands. Elva and Oliver seemed to play well together too. And the older boys seemed to help Caeleb feel at home by playing with him on the Ipad.

Monday morning, after cleaning up the house, we headed out to Tofino. I have been wanting to go to this surfing town by the ocean. We walked around the townsite, got some ice cream and then met a few of the family at one of the huge beaches they have there. Elva liked to splash around in the shallow water there while the waves rolled in. I enjoyed watching some surfers try to stand and stay up on their boards. It was a beautiful day at the beach - not too warm or cold. After our last visit with family, we took off and made it to the 5:45 pm ferry in Nanimo (My first ferry ride from Nanimo and on a much smaller ferry). We got to Merritt by 1000 and stayed in a hotel there.

Tuesday morning, we swam in the hotel swimming pool and then left by 1000 for the final leg of our journey to home. I liked doing this drive in two days as we were also able to stop at the train museum in Revelstoke. The kids loved going into the restored trains. I enjoy museums and history as well.

We made it home by 8:30 pm. Mom and Dad Smith had been on a cruise to Alaska the week before but even still made it up to Calgary to spruce up our yard to have it look nice for us on our return. Thank you so much for that treat!! I have the best family in the world!

Now it is back to work. I work quite a bit this June and July as I have picked up several shifts. Chris has been very busy with work since we have arrived back to Calgary. I am 26 weeks now so if things keep going well August 26th will be my last day at work before Maternity leave. I am feeling baby and am keeping an optimistic outlook. I am looking forward for Rachel to have her baby in a few weeks. I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl. And I am looking forward to our little suprise arriving in September. I have been blessed!

Now, off to work I go. Deep breaths. It will be a good shift.