Back to School Blessings

 Alice - Excel in all you do - be an example to your classmates and family - cultivate the relationship with the friends, find happiness at school - work hard, test yourself to see what you can do this last year in elementary

Fiona
- bless you with health this year
- have understanding and patience with your classmates and teachers
- find joy in learning
- excitement in the things that are taught
- you will be kept healthy and safe as you travel to school
- have good relationships with friends and set an example
- you will have success and learn the things you need to learn

Wendy
- safety as you travel
- insight to help students
- be a guiding light
- you can help your family and your students
- bless you with health this year

Kate
- joy in school
- find happiness and acceptance and revel in your time there
- bless you to treat your friends well
- seek out those that make your life better
- bless you to excel and be happy about your achievements

I'm so grateful for Ken, for his righteousness and his love for his family. I'm thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving each of us the opportunity to bless the lives of those around us, but specifically for blessing His righteous sons to administer His power and blessings to us.

Pittsburgh Temple Open House

A friend posted on Facebook in April that the Pittsburgh Temple Open House would take place in August. I googled it, it's only 5 hours away. I have wanted to take the girls to a temple open house so badly, but it is not something that happens every day. I talked to Alice and Fiona and they were excited about a road trip!

Fast forward to August when I talked about going and the girls weren't so sure they wanted to go in the car ever again! We've travelled a lot! Fiona was the most apprehensive because of how queasy she feels when we go on long car trips, but we told her it would be okay, and it was!

Ken spread his work out over the course of the week so he could cut out a few hours early on Friday. We hopped in the car and drove to Ken's parents in Port Colborne and told Milo we'd see him tomorrow. Then we got back on the road and drove the rest of the way to Pittsburgh.

Obligatory leaving the driveway pic! Fiona and Milo were in the way back so Ken sat in the middle so he could read Harry Potter to Fiona. He's such a good Dad!

I should have taken a pic when we said goodbye to Milo, but I forgot. I tried to take a pic in the middle of the bridge of the Canadian and American flags side by side, but missed and only got the American flag. 

We had dinner at Chick-Fil-A in Erie, Pennsylvania. This was the fun "toy" in Fiona's kids meal.

Our hotel room in Pittsburgh was great!

The temple was beautiful. Fiona wanted to wear her dress and asked me to wear mine with her in solidarity. I did. Everything was really well organized. We watched a video about temples in the Relief Society room in the chapel. And then we walked over to the temple. It was a self-directed tour through the temple with people waiting in each room to point us in the right direction or answer questions they could answer. As we were about to leave the temple Alice looked at me and said "Is it over? We have to leave now?" And the look on her face, it made me almost tear up. I didn't want to leave the temple either. The peace in the temple is real, even before it has been dedicated. Fiona was so happy. We were all so so glad that we went!

After leaving the temple we went to Target. We were in Target for a LONG time lol. Fiona got a cute pair of overalls and a cute shirt. Alice got a cute dress and shirt. We got some snacks. 

Ken got this pic from his Mom. Milo was a little barky during the night but he was doing okay.

Next we drove back to Erie and went to the exact same Chick-Fil-A. After our late lunch we went to Wegman's and bought fun groceries. I bought the yummiest gluten free peanut butter filled pretzels ever!!

Then it was on to Port Colborne, the grandparents and Milo.

Fiona, Alice and I took Milo and Bonnie for a walk.

We had pizza for dinner and we hung out with the grandparents.

Ken slept over at his parents with Milo and the girls and I stayed in a hotel. 

We all met at church in the morning. In the Welland ward they've printed all the new hymns and put them in duotangs in the pews. I love this idea!

Fiona made me this pic of the Pittsburgh Temple during sacrament meeting.

After church we went back to Ken's parents to hang out for a bit and grab the dog. Then we drove to Laura's. Ken BBQ'd and we visited with Laura, Joaquin, Alejandro, Ken, Chris, Lisa, Ken, Kristen and Rachael. We had a nice afternoon. 

I meant to take more pics, but didn't quite get around to it! I did snap this pic of Dexter and the girls though. Poor Dexter is sick. It won't be long now before he passes.

It was a great weekend away of temples and family. I'm so thankful for temples and family and for safe travel.

Cottage Week 2024

Cottage Week is a bit of a misnomer this year, it wasn't a whole week. Ken used pretty much all of his holiday time on our Eastern Adventure so we decided that we would drive up Wednesday afternoon and only be there Thursday Friday and come home Saturday. The Lim-Anderson's are also in the midst of huge renovations and the cottage currently only has one bathroom so all things considered we did what made sense!

We drove up along highway 7 and 28 through the Kawartha Highlands. It was such a pretty drive and made more sense than going along the 401 all the way to Ottawa and then heading back west. Instead we crossed into Quebec just north of Renfrew which is west of Ottawa.

Emily had been posting pics on Facebook of the renovations but it was completely different to see it in person. I can't remember when exactly we got there on Wednesday night, I'm pretty sure it was around 9 p.m. We left so much later than we had anticipated. When we got there it was pretty much time to just put everyone to bed, so we did.

Alice and Kate were sleeping in the loft with Lauren, and Holden on the other side of the partition. John-Inca's childhood friend Andrew who was helping with the renovations was staying in the room downstairs. In the newly renovated garage there are three new bedrooms. John-Inca and Emily in one, Ken and I in one and Fiona and Hazel in the other. 

On Thursday morning I woke up around 5 and had to go to the bathroom. I brought my phone as flashlight with me and walked around in the early morning pre-light, it was so pretty.

Emily and I took the dogs on an adventure walk and discovered wild black berries. 

The kids had fun together.

And there was much swimming and boating and lake activities.

The original cottage is on the right and the garage is mostly in shadow on the left and the middle section is the new part - it is huge!

Friday started much the same way that Thursday did. Everyone was fed, Emily and I took the dogs for a walk. Fiona and Hazel lovingly did Holden's hair!

Then it was time for a little trip into Gracefield for some building supplies. We needed to pick up some grocery items as well. We went to Metro and then we went to BMR (Building Materials and Renovations) to get the building supplies we needed. The people that work for the store strapped the roofing boards, that we picked up, to the trailer. Sadly, they weren't attached properly and we had to pull over just outside of Gracefield to remove all of the boards and then replace them and strap them down better. Emily was amazing at figuring out how to strap them down better and I helped lift them off and back on. Those boards are dang heavy! I took a picture of the pretty church in Gracefield.

Then it was just more cottage/lake magic.

                                                                                      

Ken made ribs and they were so delicious. It was crazy that at the end of the meal there was nothing left. Or maybe it wasn't crazy. It was all so good!

I love the way our families are just so comfortable with each other and that the kids and adults all get along so beautifully. I'm so thankful for our friendship and for the generosity of our friends! And goodness I'm so thankful for the beautiful place that is this cottage!

Saturday was wet. It had rained in the night and the weather wasn't great in the morning. Emily and I walked the dogs again and the weather held for the most part which was great.

Ken and John-Inca went for a swim. It was cold but they enjoyed the dip.

I love taking pics of Milo and Bella a little too much.

Andrew and John-Inca. Andrew was such a blessing to them. He was able to come help for three weeks and that allowed them to get to where they wanted/needed to be on the renovation/expansion project.

After the group pics Emily and Andrew and Bella left and then we just hung out for a bit and packed up. Then it was time for lunch and to say goodbye.

Maybe one day Hazel won't hate me taking pics of her and Fiona, but today wasn't that day. Fiona + Hazel = Fazel Forever!

I'm excited to come next year and see the project and where it's at. I assume this room will be done and then I can take a fun pic of Milo in the same spot next year. 

It was much easier to get pics of Lauren and Alice. I love the friendship these two have.

The drive home was great. And now we are left with grateful hearts and dreams of next year! Oh and one final pic. The top half of the collage is August 2023, and the bottom half is August 2024. I'm super excited to add August 2025!