Bacon Family - The Ajax Edition

We have maybe got a tradition going? Four years ago it was Collingwood, Ontario, two years ago it was South Windsor, Connecticut, and this year, Ajax, and surrounding areas of course!

Jonathan and his family flew into Buffalo on Wednesday night. The stayed at Niagara Falls and spent the day on Thursday enjoying the church sites in and around Palmyra.

FRIDAY
On Friday we were all going to meet in Niagara Falls, do some fun stuff and then head to Ajax. The girls and I left to get Andrew late, and we got to Niagara late. Meanwhile in Connecticut, Suzanne had to take Joey for an MRI because he twisted his knee, and I don't think they left until 11 or something? I can't remember exactly when, but at some point in the afternoon Suzanne decided that Niagara wasn't happening for them, and they just came straight to Ajax, not even coming through Buffalo. But Andrew, the girls and I met up with Jon and Michelle and the kids and we did have a fun time even though we missed the Bateses!

In the morning before we got there, the Bacon's went on the Maid of the Mist on the American side.

Andrew, the girls and I went straight to Clifton Hill and met Jon and Michelle and the kids at Wendy's. We had lunch and then went to the Ferris Wheel.

After the Ferris Wheel, Jon and Andrew took the kids into this play place, which gave Michelle and I the opportunity to sit and chat for a minute, which was very nice. After that we walked down to the falls. We didn't get very far and my girls were ready to go home.

After stretching out in the grass we went in search of what I thought was ice cream but then turned out to be Timbits. 

We walked back up the hill and I was ready to get on the road and go home, I was tired and done, but the other grown ups had a different plan! A go-kart place had just opened up and everyone wanted to go except me. Jon decided that we would all go and he was going to pay. I don't know if I've been go-karting before, and if I have, it was a very, very long time ago. The go-kart place was pretty cool. I didn't take a picture of the place, but the internet is the keeper of all pictures...

 

After the go-karting we piled in the van - Michelle, Lovey, me, and my three girls and drove to Ajax. We dropped off the girls and Michelle and I went to meet Jia at the Air BnB place. After that it was bed time and getting settled. Suzanne and Matthew came I can't remember when and dropped off Anna and the weekend of Bacons - of all names had begun.

SATURDAY

Saturday was hang out and picture taking day, but the pictures weren't until 3 in the afternoon. The girls enjoyed playing. They played and played. Having all the cousins together really is the best. Alice's modelling clay was a hit. Watching the girls creativity was fun. Suzanne came over with Ben and it was a party.

Before we knew it, it was time to get ready and go take pictures. I really love working with Emily. Having a friend that is an amazing artist, photographer, mom and all around awesome person makes a photography session lots of fun. It was bright, not too hot, the location was great, and mostly, mostly everyone was happy. Mostly. Fiona was in her regular I hate photography session form so that made life a little challenging, but I think Emily got lots of great shots. I took some fun behind the scene shots. Oh and Michelle did some of the girls' hair - so fun!

After many many pictures, we went over to the lake house, and Andrew cooked/bbq'd up a storm. He made pork for days, and asparagus, and salad, and we feasted!

Having kids that are old enough to leave home alone is awesome, (that took care of the lake house children) but sadly Ken missed out on the ice cream party at Chocolats Favoris, as none of the girls is as yet old enough to be left in charge of the others!

SUNDAY

We all went to church in Richmond Hill. It's always fun going back and visiting. There are still lots of familiar faces and I always look forward to a visit. After finally settling Fiona in primary with her cousins, I was able to go to Relief Society with Michelle and Suzanne.

After church we went to Mom's building. She had arranged for us to have the party room. We had lunch and then took turns swimming and hanging out and talking.

I also took more pictures for our next book with all the girls...

 

And sweet Maria wanted a picture. Mom had Maria come to help her out. I'm not sure what happened to Andrew?! But we took a pic with sweet Maria. She's been a member of the family since we were kids!

 

MONDAY

Wonderland day. Ken took the day today and took the girls to play. All the kids had fun on the rides. Lovey and Anna are real daredevils and went on Leviathan a few times. My girls hung out with Ken in kiddie land, but I'm assured that everyone had a great time.

 

After the Wonderland fun we all met up at Vaughan Mills shopping centre. We were going to go to Pickle Barrel for dinner, but instead we just ate at the food court. It was definitely easier and faster. We were all hanging out and moving around, eating and talking. I was sitting with Andrew and Isaac. I went to go figure out what was happening with Michelle and the girls at Claire's, and when I came back Isaac was gone. Gone. And that's it. Isaac was off with Andrew to go say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. He's off at the end of June to the Air force Academy in Colorado.  Eighteen years and he's off on his way. It's absolutely crazy. When did he grow up? Crazy.

 

For the last night all the girls slept in one room. They were cute together. Fiona really loves being babied by Lovey and Anna.

And just like that cousin fun is all done. Tuesday morning I was off to work early. Suzanne and her fam were back to Connecticut. Jon and his fam were off to see some Toronto friends, and then head to Buffalo to fly out on Wednesday. I do not like that my family is so spread out. I don't like that these family times are over so quickly. But, there are family times, and when they happen they are full and rich and happy. Family is great. I'm grateful for mine!

A Special Stake Conference

From what I understand, the special training that was provided to the Stake Leadership yesterday enabled us to have a special stake conference today with one of the members of the presidency of the seventy. In the April General Conference it was announced that Visiting and Home Teaching as we know it are done away with. In its place is a new program more in line with the way that the Savior taught. We are called to minister to each other. What that means hasn't been exactly clear. It is clear that we are to take care of each other, but what exactly that looks like, I'm not sure.

President Ballard - the acting president of the quorum of the twelve apostles came into town this weekend and yesterday conducted meetings in Brampton. The missionaries met, the young single adults met, area Stake presidencies met, and today Pres. Ballard presided at a Special Stake Conference in Toronto. We were privileged to have Elder Robert C. Gay of the presidency of the Seventy, and the mission president and his wife attend our meetings.

Listening to each of the speakers bear powerful witness of our Savior Jesus Christ filled my soul. I am so thankful that we were able to attend the meeting today.

Our Stake President spoke first. He spoke about the windstorm that we had on Friday. About coming home and finding great patches of shingles missing from his roof. He spoke about our need to be anchored to our Savior, asking us to consider are there parts of our testimonies that are exposed that need "patching" up. He spoke about the fact that it isn't a matter of if the windstorms of life come, but when.

The mission president and his wife (Pres. and Sis. Shields) spoke about their experiences. They spoke about smiling. Of letting the light of Christ shine to those around us. We need to share our testimonies and DO something.

Elder Gay spoke last. He shared stories about where he has in his life learned gospel principles. He began speaking with a funny story. He spoke about sitting with his girlfriend in a meeting, when she was attending what is now, BYU Idaho. I don't remember if it was her brother? Her Dad maybe was the bishop conducting the meeting? Anyway, the person sitting beside his wife was asleep and she leaned over and told the young man that he needed to wake up, that it was announced that he was supposed to give the closing prayer. So much to the shock of everyone, he got up and gave the closing prayer. Elder Gay said he knew right then and there that he could never fall asleep in a meeting next to her. He asked us if we were awake in the gospel.

Next he told the story of Elder Ballard extending the call to him and his wife to be the mission president. He told Elder Ballard that it wasn't a good time. His business needed him, his children needed him, it wasn't a good time. Then Elder Ballard gave him three pieces of counsel. First he said "You're not your children's Savior, you know that right?". Second he asked him if he was living a life of covenants or of convenience. Lastly he told him that he needed to serve with all his might so that the Lord could bless him and his family. He and his wife were called to serve in the Accra, Ghana mission from 2004 to 2007.

He would make monthly travels to Sierra Leone as part of his missionary work. On one of these travels he and his assistants were in a terrible road accident. He had glass in his head, and a huge chunk of his arm was missing. He was taken to a clinic in Sierra Leone. In the operating theatre the doctor noticed his missionary tag. He told Elder Gay that the only reason he was able to clean his wounds, and help him was because a missionary couple came from the church the year before and brought the supplies. Elder Gay had been feeling sorry for himself because he just had found out about a business deal that would have made him a billionaire, he didn't understand why he had to serve then and not a few years later, he didn't understand why they were in a crash, why he might die. And lying there in that clinic (that he told us you never want to go to) that it came to him that "everything that you have is because of someone's service".

He told us we are all called to give service, that his is ministering. There's nothing perfect about any of us. We're called to love each other and serve each other. He said if our church allowed tattoos he would get "lives are at stake" tattooed on his arm. He said that we need to minister to each other, that lives are at stake.

Typing it out, it seems so much less than it was. His testimony about how his family was blessed while he served was so powerful. Five of his children were sealed in the temple when he and his wife served. He said he didn't attend any of the sealings.

I didn't want the meeting to end. I felt so much hope and so much power. I'm so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I hope I can live a life of covenants and not one of convenience. I hope I can teach my children to do the same.

Easter Fun

Friday
The girls wanted to do their Easter egg hunt on Friday so I said sure, why not. On Thursday night I prepped their baskets.

I still get a kick out of putting the stuff together for the girls. Easter Bunny Ken was the one who hid the eggs this year. He did a good job, hiding three together so it was cute when one girl would discover an egg, she in fact discovered three. And of course Easter Bunny Wendy knows what her kids like so each egg was labelled with an initial and the eggs were filled with different candies.

After the hunt, after the gorging on candy, after Ken finished baking - oh my goodness fresh bread, it was divine.

We went to the zoo.

It was good to get out of the house and the weather was good - a little cool, but good.

Saturday
The only thing that we had wanted to do over March Break but didn't do was go to the White Feather Country Store and see the baby chicks. We made plans to do that this morning before conference and we did it! We held the chicks, got a few treats, and made it home in time to start watching conference.

General Conference was amazing. Ah-mazing. Today's first session was a solemn assembly because this was our first opportunity as a church to sustain President Russell M. Nelson as the prophet and president of the church. Two new apostles were also called. Russell M. Nelson was a heart surgeon for many years. He was on the team that developed the heart/lung machine. He's extremely energetic and at 93 years of age, doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

This is Gerrit W. Gong was born and raised in California. His ancestors are Chinese. He has degrees in Asian studies, Philosophy and International Relations. He was a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. Professionally he worked in Washington D.C. and he worked for the ambassador to China.

Ulisses Soares has degrees in economics, accounting and business administration. He worked in Brazil for different corporations.

 

I cried happy tears of joy when they were called. Diversity takes time and it is coming to the highest levels of church administration and that is a good and beautiful thing.

Sunday

We continued to watch conference. Snuggling in blankets and being entertained by weird puppet shows...

By Sunday evening I really wasn't feeling well. The girls had been begging to go to the park by McLean Community Centre and so Ken (wonder Dad) took the girls while I stayed home. Poor Alice cut herself on an exposed screw on the park. The girls did have some fun though.

Monday
We were supposed to go swimming at the Grandparents today, but I felt so lousy. The girls were great. I was upstairs most of the morning, and eventually came downstairs. I did start to feel better which was good, but we ended our long Easter weekend pretty quietly.

I am thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for General Conference. And I am thankful for four day weekends!