Sweet (and a little sour) Summer days

 Well, summer is almost over and it has been an interesting one. I worked quite a bit. 15 shifts in July and 11 in August (took a paid vacation and personal leave day as well - I feel as long as I am paid for at least 13 shifts a month we will be ok - if we are frugal). We all (well, Nathan didn't want to come even though we wanted him too) rented a couple of rustic cabins in Cypress Hills near Medicine Hat for a couple of nights on July 1 to 3rd. We went hiking on a trail to the lake and rented a kayak and paddle board for 2 days to use on the lake. We inflated our big island floaty to use as well. We had Korean BBQ for mom's birthday on July 1st as per tradition. And we had a great lightning show the evening of July 2nd which was like a natural fireworks show. 

Swimming lessons were the second week in July and Camellia and I celebrated our birthday by going for pedicures. My second one in my life. We stayed overnight at the campground in champion, us in our tent and the Nelson in their tent trailer. Caeleb did not do swimming lessons in Champion this year but completed his bronze medallion, bronze cross and first aid. It took him 2 weeks as he failed his first attempt at bronze medallion in Claresholm but passed with flying colors the next week in Vulcan for all 3 classes. Go figure that one. He was sick of swimming after that but hopefully he can be a junior lifeguard next year. Elva did 2 swimming lessons this summer and is all done her levels. She would like to do her bronze medallion in the spring and Caeleb will do his National lifeguarding in February.

We had about 80 people from the Smith family out here at the farm in early July. It was marvelous to see Aunts and Uncles, cousins and their kids. Even great great grandkids of Grandma Smith. I hope everyone feels welcome to visit anytime. We visited Grandpa's memorial by Carmangay (where he died in 1951 by a tractor accident). Family is so important. Sometimes I feel guilty living on the Farm when perhaps other Smith's could afford it better or enjoy it just as much. But I always count my blessings to be here, to raise my kids where I was raised. I had the best childhood and I hope my kids do too. 

Caeleb, Elva and Mary were able to go tubing out on Puzeys boat for a youth activity (they let Mary come along) which they all enjoyed alot. Meanwhile Selman and Lizzy learned to ride their bikes (Lizzy with training wheels) around Little Bow and they had so much fun. I would like to go camping there next year or somewhere like there. We also had a Ward potluck at Little Bow and I took the kids early to play at the beach. 

All the kids except Elva went to the Vulcan pool this summer. Selman and I have been twice. It is a nice pool but I like my little Champion pool. 

We rode the horses a few times. When my cousin and her family came, when our friends from Carmangay came. At about 22 and with melanoma, Eva still appears strong and beautiful and is fun to ride. We dont ride Fergie as she gets lame alot but we do still lead the kids around on Tim Bit who is stocky and close to the ground. I have been trying to balance how much pasture the horses get so they do not go lame and they have been doing pretty good. We did not get baby chickens this year (Camellia got some) but we do enjoy mom's chickens walking around the farm, joining the cats for breakfast and greeting us as we come out our door in the morning. Laddy loves to go for walks and we enjoy his enthusiasm as we try to walk with him frequently down the road. Mom and I did a garden together but she did most of the work, I just helped plant and weed a little. I slept on the trampoline once with the kids and it was fun. We stayed warm but got eaten alive by mosquitos. I love to do things with my kids. Life on the farm is good. 

Dad almost died the beginning of August. We took him to Emerg 3 times with breathing issues and it wasn't until the 3rd time that they diagnosed him with a pulmonary embolism and rushed him to Calgary. Mom woke me up at 0300 in the morning of August 3rd as he was struggling to breath and we took him to vulcan and it was then he was rushed to the South Health Campus. I thought he was dying and was preparing myself and mom for same but he ended up being silly, smily, (confused as ever), but happy daddy, making those Calgary emerg nurses love him to bits. He was admitted for a week there and lost most of what little mobility he had left. We have found a sit to stand lift that does most of the work and that helps us alot. Now we are navigating some pressure sores. I hope I can be the nurse Dad needs. I hope I can be strong enough!

Because dad was so sick, I was not going to go on our planned Victoria trip this year to visit family and for Chris to do computer work for his parent's company. But mom insisted I do so, and Camellia came to help with dad and Nathan has been a help as well, so off we went leaving at 0620 on Wednesday August 13th. We had booked a reservation for the 8:00 pm ferry and went for supper at Montana's near the Ferry at 6:00 before then. But then the Ferry was delayed and we ended up getting on the 9:00 pm and it was a late night as we made it to the parents at close to 1100. It was beautiful to be out on the ferry deck in the cold and dark, smelling the ocean air. I sure do love those Ferry rides with the family. I have been so very  blessed to have the kids and husband that I do. 

We had a great time on the island. The only hiccup was that we were too loud at the parents house (the office for their propane business is there and the floorboards in the house are so thin and creaky) so I took the kids on daily adventures to beaches, parks and downtown Victoria. I tried my best to keep the kids out of the way of the office staff. My friend Lindsey came to visit from the Monday to the Thursday. It is nice the airport in only 15 minutes from the parents house. We went to China town, the miniature museum, the Inner Harbour, Beacon hill park, the breakwater, Fishermans warf, Mount Doug, Gyro park/beach, Elk lake (all the usual tourist places) and to top it off, the beautiful wittys lagoon beach where we saw a seal swimming near us while we waded out to the tiny islands of dry land as the tide came in covering those little islands. The ocean was so blue and it was simply beautiful. Victoria is a good place to visit for cheap and free things to do. Most of these things are free (like visiting beaches). We also went to Butchart gardens fireworks show (kind of expensive) on the Saturday evening at 9:15. There was a Beatles music concert before it and I had fun dancing. I even got Chris to dance once with me and Elva too. We picked lots of blackberries and brought 2 small ice cream buckets home to Alberta which made enough jam for 2 medium jars. I shared that with Camellia and mom. It was great to hang out with family, watch a Columbo episode with Gary, watch the movie Jaws with Caeleb, Kurt and Jared, go on a drive and have a great talk in LouAnns MR2 (I even drove it) with Jared, have some talks with Kurt. Kurt is planning to move to Germany this year to be with his girlfriend and I would love us (Chris and I) visit him in a few years for Chris' 50 birthday; you know, if we have the money. Kurt reminds me of Chris. I just love the Watters family so much. We took the 6:00 AM Ferry and started our journey back to home on Saturday August 23rd. It always seems like a longer drive back as we add an hour but we still go home by 1000 PM (even after stopping at the 50s Diner in Golden for supper - Chris and I went there on our honeymoon). Our air conditioning had broken in our van weeks ago and is too expensive to fix but we did ok in the heat. Rolling down the windows is not so bad. And you can smell the mountain and forrest air which was actually very refreshing. 

Now we are back to the grind. I am working a 5 day stretch at the moment. We did a huge $1500 shopping trip at Costco (should last us a long time with the basics) on Wednesday as well as school shopping and a quick visit at a lethbridge park with Camellia and crew. 

The last day of swimming in Champion was Wednesday July 2th. Our family is a huge supporter of the pool and we are always the last ones out on the last day. I hope Caeleb can get a job as a life guard there next summer. 

Still no job for Chris but I count my blessings every day for my wonderful job. I admit though, I was quite upset that Vulcan recently hired a math teacher after they had cut Chris saying the principal could teach math instead of Chris. It makes no sense and is such a slap in the face. I just want to cry. I feel like we are being pushed out of this area. I dont want to go. But it feels like no one wants us and it is an awful feeling. Sometimes I just want to go live in Tim buck two (I dont know, maybe the Yukon or northern BC) so Chris can get a teaching job and be fulfilled in his desire to provide for his family. This trial doesn't seem to make much sense to me. But mom and dad need us here and the kids love it here as well. We are praying that we can stay even if it feels like we are not wanted. 

We keep plugging away with life and I do count my blessings everyday (or try too at least). The crops look good, we have recieved quite a bit of rain this summer and the grass is only now turning a bit yellow. I hope mom and dad get blessed with having a good crop this year. They could use that blessing. Mom has alot on her plate. 

I asked Dad today if he has had guardian angels in his life and he firmly stated something like "you bet I do." It was kind of cute that he answered that way because most of the time he has a hard time hearing and processing information and it is hard for him to answer questions or even know where he is. But he always knows our names. That is a blessing. 

Well, I need to go to bed. I work tomorrow. I hope the kids can have fun playing in the yard, soaking up the last of the summer days before school starts. I love each one of them so much. I played barbies and family in the attic with Lizzy after work today and Caeleb joined us and set up the collection of military figurines. I just love to see my kids use their imaginations. 

Goodnight. 

School is out for the summer

It has been a pretty good last couple of months of school. We were very busy with baseball. There was no softball for Elva's age group this year and Mary did not want to do ball (but did attend one practice), but Caeleb did minors, Selman did coach pitch and Lizzy did T-ball, so we were kept busy taking kids too and from practices and games. Pincher creek is as far as Caeleb goes for games and him and I spent a Saturday there. Elva did horse riding lessons on Fridays for May and June and has learned alot. 

Lizzy had dental surgery at the end of May (had to get it done while Chis has his benefits) to fix her poor little front teeth and it is so fun to see her pearly whites now. She has a beautiful smile. Come the end of May, the pool opened up in Champion, and the kids and I have really enjoyed swimming there. Mary has made a good little friend in school and they have had many pool dates after school and subsequent sleepovers at our place. Elva continued with her singing lessons this spring and will have a recital next Friday. The boys have been on and off with their piano lessons but we will try to continue with them. 

We attended 3 track meets this spring. We had the last ever junior high track meet in Vulcan and Caeleb was able to go to zones in medicine hat for high jump and long jump. Elva got many firsts and seconds in the district meet in Vulcan. She broke the record for long jump, the 400 meter and shot put for Champion grade 6 records. Selman (who got a first in the 3 legged race) and Mary (who got some firsts and seconds in champion) tried their best and that is all that matters. I struggle with track meet. It is hard on many kids.  I did fairly well in high jump and long distance running in my day but I was always compared to my sister Camellia (who did better than me) and I have a loud noise phobia (so the noise of the gun at races gave me extensive anxiety). I want my kids to know that I am proud of them when they do well (I think Elva is remarkable in sports) but what matters most to me and in life, is to always be humble and kind (like the song), be a friend, do your best and to not give up. 

The biggest event of these 2 months was Caeleb's grade 9 graduation. I can't believe he is going to high school in the Fall. Champion teachers did a wonderful job putting on a grad for the 10 grade 9 students. Thank you!!! Caeleb got the band award as he has done amazing on the Saxophone  and really has a musical talent. He has done a lot of the main parts in their band presentations and it was fun to hear them at school spring fling. 

We have recieved a big blessing from Heaven with the 2 days of heavy rain we received a couple of weeks ago. The crops look amazing. Caeleb, Elva and I volunteered at the Tin Man during the rain and it was cold and bone chilling wet and windy but we didn't mind. I came home that day and had a nice hot bath.

Lizzy had her 5th birthday on June 20th. I can't believe she is 5! It was a rainy day but we had a pinata in the attic, a homemade unicorn cake and she got a bike. We had Mary, Elva and Selman's friends from school over and they helped us celebrate. We also had a family from Carmangay over who is new to Champion school and they are a blessing for us and the town. I am excited for my littles to grow bigger and experience life. I hope they always remember the example of their Savior and the hope he brings to life. 

Chris applied for 8 teaching jobs in the last couple of months but did not hear back from any of them. I was quite upset that he did not hear back after applying for a part time teaching job in Champion. It would have been nice if the Principal (as he knows us well) had care enough or at least had the awareness and considerstion to let us know he would not get interviewed for the position. It has taught me to be considerate of others. I am not perfect at that but I have a renewed desire to try. It kind of feels like we are inadvertently being pushed out of Palliser and Champion but we are trying to hold on. I love this community. 

I am working more again (about 3 days a week) and Chris will get employment insurance for about 6 months (or until he finds a job), and we get child tax benefits as per usual. We will be ok. I am slowly learning to have patience and to live from year to year and day to day, trying to enjoy the moment. 

I am often perplexed by people who live from buy to buy or vacation to vacation. I know people who vacation all the time, like 2 to 3 cruises/resorts a year. There is nothing wrong with that. If I am honest, I am a touch jealous about it as I love to travel. But we had our amazing once if a lifetime RV road trip last summer. It was for the kids and is a memory the older ones will have forever! I want to be able to live a balanced life, experiencing some vacations (maybe one big one every few years), but also giving to others. When Chris was a student at the university of Calgary, he paid to stay a few months in the house of a couple in Calgary while we were living at the farm. I think this couple used the money to help fund one of their several yearly cruises. It has made me think that when I am retired, I don't want to be like that couple. I want to help starving students and people who are having a hard time (like we were) and to let people live with us for free (like I did for a friend and for my brother when we were in our little place in Calgary). I want to learn to sacrifice for others even if they are not immediate family. 

Anyways, moving on. I have a renewed desire to read books and am trying to read the series Love comes softly (the author is from Champion). I love the olden days! I am a little house on the Prarie type of girl! There is a small farmstead down the road (I love to walk there) with only a old barn on it and I would have been just as happy to live there in a little manufactured home without a manicured yard. I am more of the natural type. I hope a family can buy that property someday and be our neighbors. I will continue to try and live a simple life like the pioneers did. I was talking to a "bus life" family at the pool the other day who spend their winters in the southern states. Sounds intriguing to me (maybe could do it for a year when I retire) but I am too invested in wanting to help out community, so I don't think Van life is for us. 

Well, life is good! The land is beautiful. Mom works so hard keeping up the yard and I want to help her more and more and Caeleb usually mows the lawns. I am so grateful for my parents and pray I can help them, and have the continuing strength and insight to do so, in the ways they need it. 

I love listening to the birds outside right now. We are excited for the summer. We have been blessed.  

No Job

I am not really sure what to say. Chris did not get a permanent contract after his probationary contract this year, even though he put 110% into his teaching, and did well on his evaluation. We feel like this a big slap in the face by the school district. If this district did NOT believe the enrolment numbers were going in the right direction, they should NOT have offered a probationary contract to Chris last year. If it had been a temporary contract that had been offered last year, Chris would probably have stayed in Drumheller because the amazing school district that he had been part of in that town, (which he loved!) had offered him a permanent contract after his one year of probationary. 

This is a slap in the face to say the least. Even if it is legally acceptable for the district to do this, I believe it is morally wrong. At this point in time, I have lost a lot of respect for the district and have NO desire to have my kids go to Vulcan school. I also have friends that are toying with the idea of sending their kids elsewhere after junior high and I will 100% encourage it. 

I am so upset right now but I need to be strong. Chris has been at this for 6 years already. I feel for him having to start new each year. We went on a long walk in the coulees last night and I felt empathy for him. I love him even though I struggle with uncertainty and the pressures of life. The only inspiration we have received so far, is to take it one year at a time; To treat each year like an adventure instead of trying to plan the future completely and exhausting ourselves in the process. Yes, I know that I want to have the means to retire in my early 60s, be there for my kids and grandkids, go on a mission and to move and downsize (house, belongings) someday in order to focus on serving others (in the church, temple and around my community), but I need to be ok with living one year at a time and feeling the beauty and tender mercies of each day. 

We don't know what the future will bring, but I hope Chris and I can learn to cherish each moment, not just looking towards the future. 

A complicated world and the hope of the Savior.

Lizzy is having a nap on the bed so I am going to write. When I went to help Dad this morning, Mom and I got talking about the state of the world. It seems like we live in such a complicated world. I was watching the movie called "sweet land" the other night which paints a picture of a young couple in the early 1900s who lived on a farm, lived a simple life and worked together day after day planting, harvesting and maintaining their farm. It was such an appealing movie, and I love that my parents have been able to spend almost 50 years together working their farm (and yard and now enjoying a simple retirement of sorts -well Mom still works hard in the yard). 

I have to work this evening. Work has been bugging me almost daily for the last few weeks to work. I had it good for a while (the last 6 to 9 months) where they were not bugging me as much. But we have lost a lot of staff in the last month, so... they get desperate. Nathan will watch Lizzy for an hour to cover the gap between me leaving and Chris getting home and I will pay him a little. I love to watch him be an uncle! But... I won't see Chris this evening or the kids. 

I watched a little clip on Instagram just now about "the two income trap" and how past generations did not see this trap coming. We live in a world, where, unless you make $150000 a year or more (doctor, lawyer, successful business owner, financial investment planner, etc), it seems to be hard to pay for a mortgage, food, family, etc. And that is living a modest lifestyle too! Please tell me, am I right or am I missing something? We live a modest life style and both Chris and I work. It is hard to make ends meet for us as I just work part time. I do have to say though, that we just got back alot in tax return so we are feeling very blessed as we save for buying a newer vehicle a few years from now (we drive ours into the ground). 

Years ago, there was the "women's movement", where mothers wanted to work outside the home, and it created a snowball effect where the more money made in a family, the more prices increased, making it necessary to make even more money in a family. Chris just told me (yes, he texted me while he was at work and I was so excited about it), that he thinks this is why previous prophets in the church told mothers to stay in the home. It hit me like a ton of bricks. THAT was revelation! The world did not listen. So now women are paying the consequences for it, with an increase in the workload and pressure for women trying to do it all, men being confused or lazy and not keeping up to increased responsibilities to help out in the home because they do not multi task as well as women in general, increased MENTAL health issues, AND an increase in women led divorce rates. It is so sad to me! 

So, Mom said this morning, "Maybe the Savior will come soon." I am excited for General Conference this weekend (I can watch 4 out of the 5 sessions - yeah!! but I have to work Sunday afternoon - booo). I hope we learn more about what we can do to prepare for the Savior's coming. I hope it is soon!

PS. Something else on my mind. I wrote this email in October of 2017. It is interesting to go through past emails or letters to see if perspective has or has not changed. We had a lot of stresses then and we still do. BUT! Reading this email has taught me that even though we all have many stresses throughout life, we do not need to give up. We can have many good times too! It is important to keep plugging away through it all. Developing faith and gaining experience is what life is about and I can tell by reading this email, that I have developed more faith, gained more experience and had an increase in capacity to handle more on my plate throughout the last 7 and a half years.  That being said, although I am naturally a pessimist/realist, I choose to feel confident that Chris will get a permanent contract for Vulcan this Spring! It has been a hard year for him, but I think he will be ok. I feel happy when I choose to be optimistic. 

Hello family, (Oct 2017 letter when I pregnant with Selman). 

I can not sleep as I am thinking so much and I figured that I should record my honest thoughts. As Mom, Dad and Chris know, I had a horrible day at work. I really struggle with my job and the tough experiences that I have there make me anxious to keep going to work. I want so much to be a good nurse but I really struggle and please don't pretend that I don't. I know I go through my ups and downs but I am always anxious to go to work and even though I only work 2 days a week, it is constantly weighing me down. And as all of you know, I take this anxiety/stress out on all of my family and create a not so happy home. I don't want that for anyone!!!

I have been feeling at my limit these days. I feel like I have a husband that depends on my income to make ends meet and provide  for his hobbies. I have 3 kids that need me to hold it together and keep this household running smoothly and keep the spirit in the home, I have a baby on the way and I feel like I am solely responsible for the safety and health of this little one and I worry that my stress can effect him. And I want him to come into a loving secure home! (I worry about my brother who is with us...and these cats we are taking care of for a friend add to the stress). I feel so weighed down!

But what may be surprising to you is that the thought of the future only adds to this stress. I know I need to be more optimistic but when I look into the future, I see more and more stress. I see us fixing up Grandma's house and having a big rent/mortgage to pay as well as making sure it is done right so that we are not faced with more debt because of big future fix ups. And will we be good enough tenants for Mom and Dad. Will we be able to make things work with them?  And then we will be paying off a $42000 student loan. We will need 2 vehicles on the farm as well as there is no transit and I know Mom and Dad always had 2 vehicles. And as our kids get older, their financial and emotional needs will increase and I want to be a strong support to them!   Initially Mom did not seem to be happy that I was pregnant (I think she thought I was irresponsible at having a 4th kid while Chris was in school) and sometimes I let myself think that she was right. 

I see a complicated life, where Chris is subbing because we live at the farm and he is having trouble finding a permanent or even temporary job in the area. And I will once again be needing to make up the difference by working as a Nurse. And where will I work? Will I continue to commute to my current job even though I am stressed out already and a long commute may add to that stress. Would I really do well at the Vulcan hospital because I cringe when I think about working as a Nurse in a community that knows me. Should I loose my status with AHS and work for the Extendicare which is not apart of AHS and is not unionized. 

A big part of me just wants to go wherever Chris finds a good secure job even if it is way up in northern BC. But I also want to be here for my family! I would love to see Grandma's house fixed up but sometimes I think that it would be great if anyone lived in it (not just us). And as mom says, it is just a house. I am torn! I am scared of the future. I know I need more faith!!! It scares me that in my marriage, I have been the one to make things work out financially. It is going to continue to be like that? 

More than anything I want to be a good mother and wife living a simple life, strong in the gospel, keeping the spirit in my home, finding that I am no longer at my limit but that I once again have the strength to serve and love without limit. I am humbled to say that I can not cope well these days and that it affects my family - every single one of you! I am so sorry about that! I don't really know what else to say. I can't think of any solutions right now. I know that I need to trust in the Lord, knowing that everything will work out and that I will look back on life and wonder why I thought it was such a big deal. 

And so I just plug along with my anxiety and stress and I feel like crying much of the time, and feel on edge much of the time. I just feel down. Sharing my feelings has helped lift some of this weight tonight. I hope it does not stress you out too much. 

Anyways, thanks for reading,

Love Katherine 

Perspective

I am just sitting at Southpoint Honda in Calgary waiting for our lemon of an Odessy van to get some recalled parts switched and the brakes looked at. Vehicles are such a money sink hole. Never a good investment.

There are no kids running around me as they are all at school. It is hard to believe I am at that stage. I miss it! But I am enjoying some time to sit and think. I even went for an hour walk to Woody's RV and back. It would have been fun for Chris to be here for that. We like to imagine ourselves in an RV. Not sure that will ever become a reality which is totally fine. But RV "shopping" is a fun date idea and it was such a blessing to do our cheap(ish) RV trip last summer. 

I am thinking about perspective. I often tell Chris that I have lost perspective. I get caught up in how life was "supposed to be." I was so naive when I got married. We were going to live a simple life, I would be at home with the kids (maybe working 1 day a week), we would have one vehicle, a modest home, and as many kids as the Lord would give us. We would live the traditional life and it would be all sunshine and rainbows 😆. Like I said, I was naive but full of hope and faith as well.

Life is all about making decisions, easy and hard, and it has led us down a road where we have a mortgage + a home that will require thousands of dollars in fix ups (for the basement), vehicles that require hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs and we are fighting against the mentality of a rat race society where neighbors and co-workers are constantly buying newer vehicles or toys or going on vacations. I am looking at these new vehicles here at Honda. How the heck do people afford a new vehicle? ($75,000). We can hardly make ends meet and I don't even understand why. 

An important decision to make is to be happy with what you have. Even still, everything is getting more expensive and it is getting harder for the moderate family income to make ends meet. Chris' full time work and my 2 days a week + picking up some extra shifts and working many stat holidays, doesn't seem to be cutting it. That being said, I have been considering working full time in a few years and have been doing the thought experiment in figuring out the dynamics of it. I have a co-worker with a pretty good line (only 6 evenings out of 19 shifts every 4 weeks) who will retire in a few years and I could work her line. But...how would the kids do after school activities? How would I be at the cross roads of their lives? How would I spend my 25 to 30 days of vacation a year? I think I could do it but it would be hard. So many people do it! I have been so blessed with the job I have and will always think it was sent to me from Heaven. 

I think of my kids future. Chances are, they and their spouses will be working full time trying to make ends meet as the economy spins out of control. Maybe we will have to establish a Watters Smith colony at the farm to help house our posterity 😆. Maybe the second coming will happen. Chris and Doug have been talking about that. 

I guess we just need to do the best we can, work hard, build up a food and water storage, try to keep a balanced lifestyle while striving to live within our means and being willing to save and sacrifice, all while keeping an eternal perspective. In my opinion, an eternal perspective is the best perspective to have: To know we are living for something more and beyond this life. I hope I can keep that perspective everyday. 

Keeping an eternal perspective is a wonderful blessing. 

Christmas 2024 and beginning 2025

I am not feeling overly motivated to write today but I am hearing the kids play playmobile (they got a pirate set for Christmas) in the background and they are laughing and having so much fun, and I have to get that in writing so I can remember it. They are all playing except for Selman who is next door visiting Nana and Papa. I love my kids so much. We are trying for no screen day Fridays and Caeleb and Elva are like a little Dad and Mom trying to enforce it and they took initiative to play with the others today. 

Elva and I had an outing this morning just the 2 of us. I had to have my yearly check up with Dr. Hudson and Elva came along with me. We shopped for groceries after and went to the little bakery in Vulcan for a pastry and apple cider.  

So, back up a couple of months. Mary and I dropped Louann off at the airport Nov 29th and then we went shopping at the busy south center mall. We made the spontaneous decision to have Mary get her ears pierced as Elva was 9 when she got hers done. She looked beautiful with them on but unfortunately has had infection after infection since (one ear even swallowed up an earing) and so they are out now. Maybe one day she can do that again. 

I bought our Christmas tree from the Nanton scouts after my day shift on November 30th. We were really wanting to get it in the hills behind Claresholm this year as it has been 3 years since the one time we went, but since I work 2 weekends out of 4, it is always hard to find a time to go to the hills. We decorated the tree after church on Dec 1st and then watched The Polar Express while drinking hot chocolate as per tradition. 

Elvas birthday was Dec 3 and on the 5th, Amber Puzey, Lindsey and a few others went to see Wicked with Elva. We loved it and she has been singing the songs from it ever since. I sure love my mini me Elva, who loves to sing and study. Except she is a little mom to the others, and I was not that way when I was her age as I was the baby. 

Christmas was beautiful this year, like always, except that we all got the Flu. I only got the tail end of it, 2 days after boxing day, but still worked 5 days in a row (just wore a mask). Mary, Caeleb and Selman got it the last week of school and Mary and Selman were so sick they had to miss the school Christmas concert and the Ward party. Elva was amazing at the school concert. She had to memorize many lines to be the wicked witch of the northwest for their play "the Wizard of oz and Christmas." They all did a great job! Camellia and Doug came to the ward party on Friday with their family and we had a yummy roast and entertainment including a visit from santa. After my Saturday day shift (Camellia joined me at work so she could work on her OT charting), we had a ham dinner at Nana and Papas and the 10 grandkids did the nativity in their living room. Elva and Elizabeth got the flu that weekend and I was the only one to go to church in our family on the 22nd. I sang a duet with Myrna Puzey (Star Bright) in sacrament meeting and then I went to work for an evening shift. 

We did graham cracker houses on Dec 23 (Monday) as I got the day off of work. Didn't have much candy to put on them but the kids had lots of fun and we displayed them on our puzzle table in the living room. We had a delicious Christmas Eve Turkey dinner at Mom and Dads on the Tuesday at 4:00 pm. Chris does a great job on the Turkey. Then we watched Mr. Krugers Christmas and Mr. Beans Christmas. After we came back to our house, the kids went to bed really quickly (listening to "twas the night before christmas" mouse version that I listened to when I was young) and were probably all asleep by 9:00. Chris and I watched a couple of Christmas movies after and were up till midnight. Kids were in the living room at 0700 on Christmas morning to open stockings. We ate our traditional Cracked wheat for Christmas breakfast and then went to Mom and Dads at 0915 to open gifts which took until 1030. It was fun to have a cozy fire in the fireplace to burn the wrapping paper.  The kids each had another kid to buy for this year. Chris and I got them each a bin to put their belongings in and in that bin was a nerf gun. And Santa delivered a gift to each as well. Barbie motorhome, doll trailer and calico creature stuff for Lizzy and Mary, video game (mario odessy) for Selman, Nerf gun for Caeleb and cowgirl boots for Elva. Nathan joined us for Christmas eve and Christmas morning, and he got the biggest gift of all. A new computer. I hope it helps him to be happy. 

I worked boxing day, short shifted to a day shift the next day, worked 3 shifts after that and New Years day evening (I like to pick up holidays for the overtime money). In total, I worked 8 shifts during those 2 weeks the kids had off. It was manageable. We enjoyed New years eve playing boared games at our place with a friend from 2:00 pm until almost 10:00 pm. We celebrated at 10:00 with glow sticks and sparklers. Then she and her girls went home while we watched the movie Muppets Christmas and the movie New Years Eve. Elva, Caeleb and Mary stayed up till midnight while Selman and Lizzy fell asleep on the floor. We had Eric and Rachel and their girls over on New Years day for crepes before I went to work and then we went for a night away with Nana and Papa and the Nelsons at the Lethbridge hotel/wave pool on Jan 2nd to 3rd. I took the kids to the Nelsons for Jan 3rd to 4th after Chris and I did an epic start of the year $2000 Costco trip (which he drove home and put away).  I went to the temple with my friend Lindsey on Jan 4th. 

It was hard for the kids to go back to school (especially Mary who had 3 weeks off since she was sick), but we are getting into a routine again, complete with curling on Tuesdays for Elva, skating on Wednesdays for Selman and Lizzy + singing for Elva + chess club for Mary +YW/YM for Caeleb and Elva. Wednesday is our busiest day! Then Thursday after school is mentorship for Selman and Mary and Friday is piano for Caeleb and Selman. 

Last weekend Nana and Papa took Selman and Lizzy to the Nelsons and after I worked the Saturday day shift, I picked up Elva from a birthday party in Vulcan, picked up Caeleb and Mary from piano in Champion (Mary has only had a few lessons) and then we went to Lethbridge so Caeleb and Elva could see a Kodiaks basketball game with the Champion youth while Mary and I went to see Moana 2 at the theater. Afterwards we joined the others at the game. It was fun but we didn't get home until 1115 pm and I had to work a day shift the next day as well. Busy, Busy. 

Life is busy but good. At times I feel overwhelmed, but I feel so blessed that I have the capacity to cope with being busy.