The beginning! FRIDAY we all drove up and met at the house! We were supposed to get together over the Christmas break but with Omicron raging our Christmas plans were cancelled. Fiona was devastated. In January when things started to settle down we made plans. Emily looked out for some airbnb's and found this fun place the next town over from where Ken grew up in Codrington.
We had a big dump of snow Thursday night into Friday, and so the last little bit of the drive was snowy and icy, but we all made it safely and the party began! The kids and dogs were all so excited to see each other! (Grown ups too!)
SATURDAY morning Ken made pancakes, eggs and bacon. It was kind of fun to see what the place actually looked like since we all got here in the dark. It was really cold and windy. Emily went to ski a little bit, but skiing in the driveway and in the road wasn't much fun. After her quick jaunt we walked up the road a bit with the dogs.
The kids played and had fun. John Inca tested out the record collection and played DJ.
Next up, Water Buffalo! John Inca made an appointment to go visit the Water Buffalo farm and Buff Stuff Store a few roads over in Stirling. The kids needed some cajoling, but in the end we all went and it was so fun! The calves were so adorable and so friendly!
Next up was Empire Cheese and the squeakiest cheese curd!
Then onto Campbellford. This is where Ken was born. This is also where the artist who designed the toonie was born. We went to pose by the toonie and the sun came out just before the kids were about to lose their minds. The wind was nasty cold.
I now need to find the pics from when Ken and I went twenty years ago...
Then it was back 'home'. Jinx and Emily did some skiing in the field next store (with permission from the owners), and there was play, play, play and hanging out. And a lemon meringue pie.
SUNDAY morning, Ken said he would go for a walk up the road with me. And I thought we were going to go, but then Ken disappeared, so I got ready and grabbed the dog, but the dog wouldn't leave the driveway. So I went back to the house only to find Ken ready to go, and he suggested we just leave without the dog. Which we did, only to start walking a little bit up the road and the dog came bounding up behind us. Milo had watched us walk away, barked to be let out of the house, and bounded up the driveway much to everyone's horror - Alice and Jinx came chasing after him and Jinx had the leash so we kept walking, with the dog!
We let the kids pick between ZOOM church and home church and they chose home church. Emily and I each shared a little bit of Come Follow Me, Holden, Alice, Fiona and Hazel bore their testimonies, Hazel and Fiona sang Follow the Prophet, and Kate and Lauren said prayers. The dogs cuddled on the floor behind us while we sat around the table for our church service.
Then it was back to play and hanging out.
Emily took Alice out for a cross country skiing jaunt. Alice loved it!
Ken suggested going to see a suspension bridge that crossed the Trent River. None of the kids wanted to come with us so we had a grown up outing with the dogs.
When we got back Emily got all of the kids outside, and the fort building began! Holden built his fort up the hill beside the house. Hazel and Fiona in front of the house at the top of the slope. Kate had her kingdom against the fence at the bottom of the hill, and just around the corner along the other side of the house was the domain of Alice and Lauren.
Then it was a dinner of pasta, cheese sauce, veg, chicken strips and "would you rather?".
Then it was birthday celebrations one day early! Alice was born 11 years ago tomorrow on Family Day! And tomorrow is Family Day again! YAY! It was fun to have an early birthday with the Lim-Andersons!
Emily got some amazing pastels and pastel drawing paper for Alice. And we gave her the t-shirt she requested.
Then it was a spontaneous dance party and a big game of Cards Against Humanity family edition.
And then before we knew it, MONDAY was upon us, and it was time to tidy up and go. Emily and I took the dogs for a walk, and then men began to clean and get the kids to pack and get organized.
Emily gave Alice a quick lesson in shading with her new pastel chalk.
And then it was goodbye. We took - or rather, tried to take a group shot. I call it the "this is what you get when you force sleep deprived children to take a photo" photo.
Milo was not interested in getting in the car poor little guy! He still doesn't travel well (he gets car sick - we didn't feed him before we left, and thankfully, he wasn't sick on the way home like he was on the way there!)
We drove through Campbellford and Codrington again on the way home. We drove past the hospital in Campbellford where Ken was born, and we drove past the three homes that Ken lived in. I didn't take pics of the second home, or the third home - I think I have other pics of both, but I did take a pic of the farm and house that he lived in when he was born. I don't remember him showing me this house before - although he might have!
We all had a wonderful Family Day long weekend away with friends. Possibly Milo had the most fun! He loved the huge yard and his buddy Bella! We're so thankful for good friends!
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