Wow... your yard looks beautiful right now!! Have a wonderful time on your trip... we really look forward seeing the pics and hearing the stories!!

Travel safe !!
love
Tara

It is always great to see what you are all are up to! Linda spent the week at the cottage and learned how to start the lawnmower (after three phone calls ... she missed me) We are in final prep for our trip to Yukon and Alaska..so I was at home keeping myself busy. Got the siding done ...still have to paint the exterior ...but that will wait till we get back. Got a few pictures of the yard...usually the only time of the year it is green. Collin that new mower sure takes care of the grass...less then half the time.

We go up to Edmonton next Sunday and depart next Monday am...we will keep you posted if we can.

Have a good week.

Barry & Linda

Hi all!! Hope everyone had a good May long weekend... I would love to hear what everyone had going on!

Neil and I had a busy one! We both worked Friday, and Neil went golfing and to a poker game after work... I went for beer with my work-mates, then went to the greenhouse and bought some new plants (that I'm not really sure I need!! hahaha) Aaron and Laurel and the boys came by and delivered our new Napoleon Gas bbq... which will replace our 14 year old charbroil, which we bought the year we got married and actually still works pretty well... but I guess its time to use that gas line we have!

Neil and I flew out to Manitoba on Saturday morning. We got into Winnipeg and went over to HSC to visit Aunt Nora and Uncle Don... Nora seems to be holding up pretty well, and we both thought Don  was doing really well... his memory is still pretty patchy, but in a lot of ways he is still very much the Uncle Don we know and love! we were teasing him that he and Neil would now be Crash 1 and Crash 2!!! He was laughing about it!

We headed out to Portage and stayed the weekend with Collin and Nona, and of course Ella!!! Neil and I got to feed and hold her alot, she's a very good baby, and cute as a button!! Neil managed to avoid any of the diaper duties!! ha!!

We went out to the farm a couple of times, and I took some pictures of the house and some of the water and a tree that has uprooted itself across our road. Collin is digging out the mess the beaver is jamming into the culvert!! the beaver vs Ferris male battle continues out on the farm... ah... continuity!! (Collin is a much better shot than Dad ever was though, so it isn't quite as epic!!)

Neil is holding up the special passes we had to get to go out to the farm, as its in the mandatory evacuation zone right now... bit of a joke, really, because there's lots of ways to sneak around, but no big for us, as we're on the residents list.... HOWEVER, you can't get near the diversion OR take any pictures of it... we tried and were told to leave!! (and put our cameras away!) whatever that's all about!

Well, that's a quick synopsis of our weekend, have a great week everyone, and hope to hear from you soon!

Tara

May Long Weekend

Anyone going camping this weekend? We are not. We like to be warm and dry (especially after the winter we just had.) No big plans for the weekend. There's a bike exchange put on by our church so we're helping out with that on Saturday and hope to get Tate a newer, bigger bike. I'm sure he doesn't want a new bike but his knees are practically touching his chin...

My sweet peas are just starting to poke their leaves out of the ground and the peony and the clematis both have buds on them. Aaron talked to an 85 year old farmer that has a garden by the highway close to where he works about putting a garden in there. The guy talked Aaron's ear off and finally agreed to let him put a garden in - as long as he looks after it and doesn't let his kids run all over the place. The guy even said he'd water our garden when he waters his. Should be interesting.

Hope everyone has a safe long weekend and we hope to hear from everyone soon.

Water, water, everywhere.

Pictures of Assiniboine Valley near Russel, The Portage Diversion, Hoes at work, army at the farm, the temporary dikes.

Hope everyone had a good weekend! Neil and I went golfing today... first time out for me!! I think i may be sore tomorrow... ! We went out to play 18, but got rained out and only ended up playing 9. I was A-OK with that! I was tired and hungry!!
Other than that, the usual weekend... I went biking and running over the weekend...

Oh, and I also went to the Ballet... it was choreographed to the music of Sarah MacLachlan... very beautiful!
I still have the next two days off, and I'm going to be busy, busy, busy... I have a to do list as long as my arm to get through!

Good night!
Tara

Anyone need a babysitter?

I saw this picture and instantly thought of Auntie Laurel taking care of the new baby. I will get some major flack for this but I just hope and pray that Laurel would be more responsible than this.

Come to think of it if you were to insert Neils name for Laurels it would be more accurate.

Tyler and Andrea the offer goes for you and your new addition too! Dare you to take them up on it.

 I must admit that my alarm went off this morning and I lay in bed for quite some time contemplating whether or not I wanted to face this day or not.... I am, however, my parents' daughter, and I finally heaved myself out and went to work....

It was a very tough day... I didn't talk to Laurel or Collin, but I'm sure the same for all of us...

The Vegas run went really well, we placed in the top half of our category, which is an all time best for the team. We had a good time!


Have a great day, and I hope everyone's thumbs are feeling better soon!! :)


Tara

Enjoying the pictures

Sure are glad to see Ella- think she does look like her daddy- is that a good thing? Will find out when she is a teen-ager! She does look like a real cutie and we can hardly wait to see her in person. We have been a little sickly- I got a dandy cold and generously gave it to Barry- and yesterday I had my thumb injected with cortizone. It is supposed to be better in a few days but it is 10 times worse so not too pleasant at the moment. And Barry has his thumbs bandaged (he`s changing the cedar on the house- done the garage, working on the house) so we are quite the pair. Starting some sewing lessons with Ashton on Monday so need more use of it by then.

Saturday its Montgomery`s yard sale so Tyler and Andrea are going to move some of their stuff and tomorrow we will see what we can find that we don`t use anymore. The saddle I got back- the horse was too big for it so I guess I have to learn to post it allover again. Barry sold the 5th wheel- it went to neighbors and they are so excited it made us feel better about letting it go. We had a ton of fond memories with it.

Also this weekend is the Diamond Dinner at Pike Lake- just for ladies and its always a fun night. I`m going to catch up on the local news but they have a lot of good prizes so who knows- one is a trip for 2 anywhere Westjet flies!

Today has been a day for reflecting- have been thinking of Iris all day. I should report on the memory trees- they wintered well, but last week they are somewhat brown- kinda like your neighbours Laurel & Aaron. So they may be getting replaced if they don`t spruce up (pun intended.) We have our rocks picked out and I got a shellac to coat themm all so to allof you placing a memory rock we can coat them here. Laurel has set the bar- your family did a really nice job. We will likely open up the cottage around May long weekend then not be back til July.

And was thinking of Aidan yesterday- hope he had a great birthday day and like the year being 9!

Thats all for now- called to Collins but no answer so will try again. How was the Vegas run Tara?

Eating, sleeping, and pooping

Hi All,

Just a quick note, to take a break from the new routine of eating sleeping and pooping...and then after caring for Collin, looking after the baby...LOL.

Aunty Laurel has been here since Friday, and has been a great big help. Can't say thank-you enough. She has been working her buns off here, and taking breaks to play with the baby.

We went to Walmart to have some pictures taken today...I may be prejudiced, but I have to say they turned out pretty great, I will post some when we get them.

Tomorrow Ella goes for her first doctor appointment. I have a list of questions an arm long, I am sure the Dr. will laugh at me, but who cares. Never thought I would have the new Mommy freak outs, but I do.

Well enough for now, gotta go change a poopy diaper and give the baby for a bath.

Nona, Collin and Ella :)