A Week-end in Calgary

By last Thursday our snow had disappeared and the streets were clear of ice and snow.  Thursday afternoon we drove to Calgary to stay with Nathan and Tara's family while they were in Newfoundland.  Bob drove Tara to the airport to catch the red-eye and meet Nath in Newfoundland.

We had a mostly quiet week-end.  Jeremy and Julie along with Mickey & Jackson dropped in on Saturday afternoon.  We managed to get to church by 9:00 am on Sunday.

As Bob left Monday afternoon at 4:30 to pick Orson up from basketball practice the temperature was 1 degree above C.   By the time he got to the school 25 minutes later the temperature had dropped to -5 degrees C and it had started to snow.

Tara and Nathan returned Monday evening.

Tuesday morning we drove back to Lethbridge.  It had snowed here as well and the streets are again covered with snow.  It has been cold and the promised rise in temperature didn't materialize today.

 Jack Frost Drew Designs on our Window

Brooks and Basketball

All our snow had disappeared but on Thursday the 10th January it started to snow in the morning and snowed all day and night so we had a lot of snow.  However, on Friday afternoon we decided to take a chance on the roads and go to Brooks as we had planned.  The further away from Lethbridge we travelled, the less snow until in Brooks they hadn't had snow at all although there still was snow from previous snowfalls.

We stayed with my brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Diane, and visited between basketball games and also managed a visit with my Aunt Elsie.

Courtney played three games and her team won the consolation.

Two of the games were at the Brooks Junior High School.  This school opened the year I went into Grade Ten and I finished high school there.  It was then known as Brooks High School and all the students in Jr. & Sr. High from Brooks and area attended that school.  (They only had public schools in Brooks at the time.  We didn't realize there was any difference between Catholics and Protestants.)

 This is what the school looked like when I attended.  The part at the left was the gym and faced the street. The side facing the street had glass blocks as the wall and the glass blocks have since been filled in.  A new wing has been added to the school with a courtyard between the two wings where all the mud is in the picture. A new gym has also been built on the new wing. The old gym has been remodeled as performance centers and a shop has been
added to the back of the old wing.  The only part of the school that I recognized was the door on the other side of the old wing which was the one we used.  Progress, I guess.

This week we went to the Alberta Genealogical meeting for the first time since we have been back.

On Friday evening we went to the West Campus of Catholic Central High School to watch our grand-daughters, Taylor and Courtney, play basketball.  This is a new school way west on the bald-headed prairie.  There is also a public high school in the vicinity with a public library between the schools.  It was our first visit to that area of town.

Saturday there was a funeral in our ward and I spent the day in the kitchen and helping with the reception afterward.

Much of our snow melted during the week, but it has turned cold again.

Now it is 2013!

Keaton invited us to Calgary for a New Year's Eve party since we weren't at their house for Christmas this year.

We drove to Calgary on New Year's Eve.  The roads were good and the weather had moderated.

We ate, played games, did a jig saw puzzle, watched fireworks, saw "The Hobbit" (Bob, Nathan, Orson and Liam) and did I say ate?

On Wednesday morning we returned to Lethbridge.  Our Christmas decorations are all put away.  A new stove (Electric convection range with induction Elements) was delivered today and we are ready to tackle 2013.

 Lochlan saying Goodbye

A Marvelous Christmas Season

-Christmas Eve with Jeremy and Edward and all (delicious Chinese food)
-Christmas with Edward, Jacqueline, Erica, Bentley, Austen, Lincoln and Miranda
- Les Mis at the movie Theatre
- New West Theatre (Tidings) with Jeremy and family
- All our children and grandchildren here on the 27th
- My sister, Joan, dropped in

The Gang's all Here

It was very cold over Christmas (in the -20s C) - coldest weather I have experienced for several years.  However it warmed up Friday the 28th and is much better now.

Darwin and Amber left to go back to Lehi this morning.  Bob and I are alone and it is very quiet at our house.

Bring it on!

The tree is decorated (Thanks Nathan, Tara and boys), the Christmas cake baked, the buttertarts ready, and the gifts wrapped.  We are ready.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Cardston Temple

Yesterday we drove to Cardston and went to the Temple.  It was a cool, windy day, but no snow and the roads were clear.

It warmed up today, but this is supposed to be the warmest day for a while and there may be snow showers on the week-end.

Last week we attended the Stringam Denecky Christmas party - the first one I have been to for 4 years.  The firm has grown and I didn't know a lot of the people. 

On Saturday we watched Courtney and Taylor play basketball.  They were both high scorers for their team.

We tried out a new restaurant in the city.  It was called Cafe Verde.  We were told it was like Cafe Rio, but the food wasn't as good.

December Already

On Saturday the 27th we hurried home from Calgary and worked on talks for church the next day.  Whew - that is over with.   Then we gave a presentation about our time in Nova Scotia the following Monday at a different family home evening group.

We were able to attend the Cardston Temple the last Wednesday in November.

Our ward Christmas party was the 1st December and we had an enjoyable time.

Last Wednesday we spent four hours at LCI watching Courtney & Taylor play basketball.  They both play very well.

Nathan and family arrived Thursday night and we had them until Sunday.  Sue-anne, Langley & Carter came in Friday for supper.

 Our Family Home Evening group had the Christmas dinner on Monday. 

It is snowing again.