Few Days of Sunshine, Rain Again

Well, the farmers are still waiting. A few had cut down their canola but not before the heavy -6 frost last week. The leaves look beautiful when the sun actually hits them which isn't often. Yesterday it did reach over 25 degrees and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
Matt ha been under the weather to and found out he had another severe urinary tract infection. He started antibiotics last week and they have been working really well this time. He even felt good enough to go to Jacki and Gary's this weekend to help watch the kids while Jacki played ball.
Poor Gary, we found out that the extended pain from his Achilles was not just man's inability to take pain, but was actually a blood clot. His physiotherapist had suggested he go to ER and good thing he did. They found the clot on ultrasound so he is off work for a while. Gary also has to give himself heparin shots to thin his blood and be on oral blood thinners. Prayers that the area will heal and praise that they caught it before the clot became loose and travel to an area that could have caused serious problems.
Moday Matt had his shoulder taped again by the private physiotherapist. It has been bothering him so much that there are times when no pain medication helps. We are hoping this will help and if it does, we will buy the special tape that is needed. The tape is super expensive so we don't want to buy it unless we know it will work.
Nolan has a few weeks off work and it has been nice to have him around. It is good for Matt, who is surrounded mostly by women all the time. Has some testosterone in his corner for a change, especially with dad still here.
The kids are having some adjustments going to school this year, especially for Jonmarie who has the same skills at math her mother does...none! So extra homework at night. We are trying to make it fun and it must be working because she always wants to play store when she gets home!
Thanks to all who still read the blog after so many years and will continue to update on Matt's progress.

Cold and Wet

We have finally seen a bit of sunshine yesterday and today. But otherwise it has been cold and wet. last night reached -6 so my garden is toast. Still need to get the potatoes, onions and carrots out but no corn, cucumbers, or squash.
Matt and the gang were over last night for pizza movie night and we spent the evening looking at houses that could be a possibility. There is an open house on one today that they are going to look at. This doesn't mean they will buy anything but I think it is good to look at options.
Last Saturday me and the kids travelled to Calgary for Jacki and Gary's community day and I even played ball. I can still hit the thing, just can't run as fast. The weather was stormy so everything was sopping wet by the time we were done. John was in a golf tournament and won a prize for being closest to the pin. He also won a door prize for 6 months free membership for Women's Only Fitness. I guess that prize will be mine. Now I will have to exercise!
Matt's shoulder has been really giving him grief and Advil just isn't doing much. He is going to see our colleague and request another MRI on it. Maybe a referral to physiotherapist. But Matt doesn't complain much and stays more or less upbeat.
Dad spent yesterday winterizing the camper and getting everything closed up for the season. I guess the weather is not going to allow for much camping this year.
Jacki and the kids and Nolan are coming up for the weekend so we are preparing the fort! Making sure there are goodies and putting all the breakables away! Nolan has been a bit down since he is now single again so is coming down to let out his sorrows. Gary can't make it because his partially torn achilles tendon is giving him so much grief that he just wants to relax. He is wearing an air brace which helps and saw a physiotherpaist for advice and treatment plan. He is booked to see and orthopedic surgeon next week.
I have a cute story about Shaunie and church. At there school they go to church every month and the teacher said Shaunie was excellent while the priest was speaking. However he then left after the service and Shaunie had a very sad look on her face and asked "Where did God go?". I remember how hard it was to understand about deities and her answer was priceless. The teachers couldn't stop giggling.
I forgot to mention last Friday mom and some of the staff from the school went to play laser tag and had a blast. The funny thing is Jonmarie had a birthday party and it was being held in the same place! It is great fun and very safe for kids and adults alike. Uncle Matt babysat Shaunie while we were gone. She sure loves her Uncle Matt and listens to him. Of course TV does help.
Prayers for Matt's shoulder pain and that the weather will improve for all the farmers and gardeners alike.

Long Weekend

It has been a busy past few weeks. John, myself and the girls travelled to Fairmont B.C. for a week and had a great time, swimming and hiking, alot! The weather was only so-so but we managed to make the best of it. There is so much to do activity wise there that even when it rains there is so much happening.
Matt, mom and dad are currently in Calgary. Jacki and Gary had a wedding on Saturday and needed some babysitters. Unfortunately Gary couldn't do any dancing as he partially tore his Achilles tendon. No sports for a least 6 weeks. Ouch in more ways than one! Yesterday most of the troop went to the sports bar in Calgary with Matt to watch Sask. roughriders play football.
Auntie Carol and Uncle Wince left last Thursday. I felt bad that we only got to see them for a few days before we were off the Fairmont but Auntie had brought a whole bunch of photos she found of us when we were young. Matt and Jacki spent last Sunday scanning them onto Matt's computer. It was actually surprising that in many photos when dad was younger, Matt looked more like him then Nolan did. And I always thought Shaunie looked like John, but when Auntie showed some pictures when I was 6, Shaunie thought they were her!
Last Saturday Mom, Uncle and Auntie travelled to Drayton Valley to pick up my cousin Vinny (sounds like a movie!). He was Auntie Verna's boy and has been working in Drayton valley for awhile. I got to see him on Skype for a bit. I haven't seen him for over 20 years. Time flies.
The girls are off to school tomorrow. I know I should be glad but I actually enjoy having them at home. I also like not having to run into town everyday too. I am a little nervous about Shaunie attending regular school with Jonmarie, but they have arranged for a full time aide that has worked with autistic children for years (however none as young as Shaunie). I guess I will have to wait and see! If anyone has ever heard of Temple Grandin, she had to start somewhere too and it wasn't always easy. She was autistic and received her PhD in animal behavior (I think). Won how many Emmy awards for a miniseries. If you ever get a chance to watch, it was very good.
Hope everyone is having a great long weekend and that the weather will stay nice. I know the farmer's are 10 to 15 days behind here because the crops just wont ripen. I last night we had a touch of frost with chance tonight of more. Lost my tomatoes before I could pick them. Oh well, there wasn't much there to begin with and the cucumbers were scarce too, only got one jar of pickles from the batch.

Back in Red Deer

Mom, Matt and Airene arrived safely back in Red Deer last night. The trip was uneventful, just takes a long time. Dad is coming today with the camper. Yesterday was too windy for him and he still needed to cut grass.
Uncle Wince and Auntie Carol should be in Red Deer sometime today and it will be great to see them. When dad and Uncle get together, it is funny to watch how they still tease each other like kids and giggle.
Mom, Matt, Nolan and dad really enjoyed Chad Ekren's wedding. Everyone had a great time and was good to see everyone from the family. Afterwards Auntie Karen and Uncle Neil let everyone crash at their place and that saved them having to go all the way back to Weekes or find a motel. Sometimes it is tough to find a wheelchair accessible room.
Today we finally will get a taste of what summer should have been like, 27 degrees with humidity bringing it to 30. I am taking the girls to a water park to cool off with friends. Mom and Matt are going to spend the day relaxing before getting back into the swing of things.
Have a great day and enjoy the one day of summer!

Sad Day

Mom just phoned me to let us know Bear, the last remaining dog from Oreo's litters passed away. Bear was probably close to 14 years old or more. I think it had been hard on him without anyone (dog) to keep it company. It seems strange that there are no animals at all on the farm. I don't remember a single time when we didn't have a dog.
Matt and the gang are getting ready to go to Chad's wedding in Saskatoon. Nolan is driving down from Calgary too. I hope they have a great time. They had originally planned to come straight to Red Deer from Saskatoon after the wedding, however they had too much stuff to pack into the camper and no where to offload it. So they are just coming up for the day and evening then heading back to Weekes after the dance.
Busy week for birthday's. Dad and Jada had their birthday on the 16th and Shaunie's was on the 17th. We didn't do much for it, I was working so the babysitter made a cake and I made icing and then homemade doughnuts. Too much sugar for Shaunie and we sure paid for it the next day! One crazy 6 year old!!
I think mom and Matt were hoping summer was a bit longer. Enjoying themselves back home and it is hard to come back to Red Deer. But dad is going to take Matt to the college in September and sign him up for any class that is open. I hope he will actually go through with it this time!
Wish the summer was longer too, enjoying my time with my girls. We are having Auntie Carol and Uncle Wince up for a visit sometime next week and mom, Matt and dad will be here too. Then one more holiday trip planned for Fairmont and will miss 3 days of school already! Shaunie is starting in Jonmarie's school with a full time aide and I think it will be good for the aide to get her feet wet and learn the new school before we set Shaunie on her! Hopefully everything works out. I work in the next building so if anything happens, I will hear about it... literally.

A Wonderful weekend

And a good time was had by all!
You look forward to the Relitz reunion all year and now it is over. God needs to put a few extra hours in those days.
It was so good to see everyone and all the campers! We were discussing the days when Only Uncle Orest, Auntie Sandy, Uncle Bob and Auntie Brenda has campers, and small ones to boot.
Big Thanks to Uncle Neil and Aunty Karen for all their hard work organizing so this weekend could happen. Also thanks to everyone who brought food, which was everyone! Everything was so good that we ate and ate too much. Thanks to Uncle Jim and Uncle Karl for always pitching in to help with the grill. It was hot back there!
The weather cooperated most of the time however we had some wicked thunder storms. Auntie Karen, Erin, Jacki and I got caught on the Spiritwood golf course in a hail storm during the 3rd hole and man did it hail/rain! Because of my glasses I couldn't see anything except Erin's blue golf bag and when that hail came, boy did it move! We managed to take shelter in a tin roof shed and it was so loud! The wonderful staff at Spiritwood course gave us do over tickets for the next day, which was great.
Matt had a great time visiting with everyone and showing off his camper. The were having some trouble with the water leaking and some other things, but still thanks to dad everything went off pretty well. Matt was able to shower in the public shower which was great for him and us. He was starting to go bad!
We had the annual bean bag game which Uncle Karl organized and a scavenger hunt for the kids, which I believe Terina organized and it was so exciting for the kids. Shaunie attached herself to Brett and followed him everywhere on Saturday. However the net day she discovered Dawson and played for hours together checking out Memorial Lakes finest frogs, who I am sure will never be the same!
We also were able to enjoy the lake and all the kids loved to swim. Thanks to the Uncle's and the older cousins for playing and looking after the young ones for us!
Book again for 3 years time Auntie. You did a great job. It was great site for us loud campers who should have really learned when to go to bed!

Getting Ready for the Reunion

Matt and mom both got a haircut from Denita, who came to the house. They had a good visit.
They taught Airene how to play crib. Now she will be able to play for the reunion.
Blaine, Preston, Megan and Preston's wife and child came over last weekend to visit. Matt was glad to see them. Loves to have company. They experienced a wicked storm for about 10 mins where they couldn't see the trees in the front yard. The tent in the front yard was flattened by all the rain.
Auntie Karen, Uncle Neil and Uncle Jim where down for the weekend as well.
A fellow from B.C. was selling fish around the Weekes area and Matt purchased some perch and got Uncle Jim's recipe. Auntie Karen cooked it and it tasted great!
They are getting ready for the reunion and hoping for good weather. They are leaving tomorrow afternoon to get everything set up and check the place out.
Mom has been working alot and next summer she may take some time off and actually relax for once.
Dad has the grass all cut and had cut all the grass in the cemetery as well.
Sorry it is such a blunt blog, but I was on the phone with Matt while I was typing and didn't have time to make it more colorful!

Sad Week

It was a sad week for the family. Our great Uncle Hughie died in Edmonton at the age of 91. Also our distant relative and close neighbour charlie Allen also passed into the Lord's hands. Our condolences go out to both families.
Matt had a busy week last week. On Tuesday he travelled to Nipawin Regional Park and camped alongside Uncle Lorne, Auntie Myra and their family. It was a good learning experience for them to see what not to bring or what to bring for next time! They camped for 3 days with some minor glitches but thank goodness Myra and Lorne are veteran campers and helped out a lot. Every night they would go and sit by their campfire and on night Uncle Lorne fell and may have fractured his wrist. They were not sure if it was overindulgence, old age creeping in, or night trolls that stuck their big feet out to trip him!
Matt spent last Saturday and Sunday resting. Mom was working so he was unable eot go to church. Think he may have some trouble getting in as there is a big gap to get in the door.
Our cousin Tracy, her husband Shaun and their daughter Jacqueline stopped in at Weekes for a visit on their way back from Niagara Falls. They have been travelling from Nanaimo since July 1st and made some interesting stops along the way. Tracy has been busy with the Cunningham family history and Matt and her had some great discussions about late family members.
Everyone is getting ready for the big annual family reunion August 6,7, and 8. We tried out our camper in Gull Lake this past weekend and just loved it. You meet so many people when you camp. Jonmarie and Shaunie had a ball meeting new friends and playing with them. We never used the portable DVD player once, which was great. Had it as a back up though, just in case! It is like giving up a bad habit, you can't seem to say no completely!
Weterner Days is on in Red Deer and tomorrow I am taking the girls and hoping to met up with some of the folks from back home. I read on the blog that Denise and her family will be there, so that would be great to see them.

Rain, Please go Away!

Well it was quite the interesting trip back form Sask for the girls and myself yesterday. The wind was so strong that at Castor there was a building about to blow across the road, so they shut down the highway and we had to go on a detour. It was one of those plastic shelters, but on a massive scale and was literally ripped apart and standing on end. Trees were across the road and branches in every yard. I could only go 50-60 km/hr as the rain/wind was so bad I could hardly see. Lovely summer weather.
Matt, mom, the girls and dad went to Weekes last Monday and had rain as well. Dad was hauling Matt's camper and it was heavy on fuel. But they all arrived safe and sound. I arrived in Weekes on Wednesday and went for wing night with Matt. They were so good. Matt enjoyed seeing people he knew and a big thanks to Carlea for letting us visit later than it usually stays open and for Donnie Waslieu for helping Matt get down the ramp.
The girls and I went to Greenwater on Friday and seen many people I haven't seen for a long time. It was beautiful weather too, and I think they must spray for bugs there because at mom and dad's we would have never survived being outside for so long without being carried away by the mosquitoes and horse flies.
I took Matt to Joe Bachuwsky's stag party at their farm on Sunday. Matt was so nervous. Many of the people he hadn't seen since before his accident and he felt sick to his stomach. There was quite a few people and they were all quiet until Matt made some comment about a guy's hair that broke the ice and it was just like old times. Unfortunately he had such a good time visiting, watching them set off fireworks, and giving rides to everyone on his wheelchair that he didn't want to leave. He enjoyed talking to Kelly chase about hockey and kelly was quite impressed at Matt's head for knowledge when it comes to hockey stats and players. I finally convinced him it was time to go and pulled into mom and dad's yard at 4am. Let's just say, I am too old for this!! I was up at 9 am to get ready for church and needed a few cups of coffee to get me going!
it was great to be at Weekes church again and Jonmarie came with, while Grandma watched Shaunie. Jonmarie was upset to find out she would miss VBS (vacation bible school), as we were coming back Monday.
Today Matt, Airene and Dad headed to Nipawin today to try out camping. They certainly did not pick the best day for it. However they took lots of games and DVD's, so it shouldn't be too bad. They will be there until Friday. Mom has to work tonight and she drove the van down and will bring the truck back. Poor mom, she will be tired as she also worked last night.
Get your galoshes out! It is going to be a wet July!

Busy Week

Sorry about the delay in blogging. It has been a crazy week. Matt's new camper arrived Monday night and dad and mom have been here every day just filling it with stuff. Dad had to get a special sway hitch and then get his light working properly before he can tow it back to Sask. Matt has been taking pictures and putting them on facebook. I added 2 new ones to the blog as well.
On Monday Matt and Airene went to see Sonja, the OT in the hospital to give Matt a refresher on the exercises he must do. He continues to do stretching and standing exercises almost everyday.
Jacki and Gary are in Vernon for 4 days and will be back later today. I have Amy and Bobby and Grandma has all the babies (Matt, Dad, Nolan and Anthony!!) It has been very busy and I am so thankful I only have 2 kids! My house looks like a tornado hit it (Bobby) and our camper has been used every night. That part has worked great because they are all close to me and I can get to them quickly when they need me. Last night Amy was missing her mommy so crawled into the bed with me.
For July 1st John and I took our girls to Sylvan Lake for some fantastic fireworks, but Matt felt too nervous to go. It was soo busy and lots of intoxicated people around.
Poor Matt, he is not used to the noise of the kids and hasn't been to the house in 3 days! Tonight they are coming for a barbeque.
John left for South Africa on Friday night and said the flights were packed, which makes for very uncomfortable flying. But he phoned from Cape Town and said the city is just vibrating with all the intensity of the World cup. Very exciting for him.
Yesterday we met them at Bower Ponds, Nolan and Erin came as well. The weather was great, not too cold or too warm. Mom forgot she was pushing Anthony in the stroller and almost lost him in a ravine! The kids loved feeding the ducks and playing on the playground, but the older kids (Nolan, Erin and Matt) were slightly bored. Great to have extra hands and an extra stroller (Matt's wheelchair).
Mom, Matt, dad, Jonmarie and Shaunie are leaving tomorrow to Sask and I will join them on Wednesday. Too many things to do before I go and then it will only be until Sunday. Matt, mom and dad will be in Sask until the middle of August. I will miss my babysitters!
Hope everyone had a great July 1st celebration of our great country!

Summer Weather at Last!

We have had a week of great weather, but being in Alberta we have had a thunderstorm almost every evening. Okay with me, then I don't have to water my garden!
Last weekend Matt travelled up to Calgary with mom and dad to watch the Riders get beat. He was not impressed. On Saturday night they went to the neighbors for a block party and Matt had a great time. Mom stayed and watched the kids. Sunday evening they popped over to celebrate the last of Father's Day with a wiener roast. What a great evening. Very little bugs and no wind. We were having such a good time we didn't notice the time. The girls were still up, running around with flashlights and those light that light up when you break them. I suddenly realized it was 10:30 pm and they had school the next day! 2 very cranky girls the next morning (and a cranky mommy).
I am so thankful dad came for a few weeks. Last night he was here for 8 hours, cutting the grass, weeding the garden, maintaining the lawnmowers. I don't know how I will keep up when he goes back to Sask.
Matt's trailer shoud be here today and mom already has a check list of the garage sales she wants to go to. I already have quite a bit to put in my trailer and the girls have decked it out with crayons, coloring books, and dolls! John has been working pretty steady for the last week and is on call all weekend, so he won't have much say what goes in until he gets back from the World Cup soccer in South Africa.
Matt is going to the hospital on Monday for a refresher on exercises with Sonja, so Airene can start working again on his left hand.
Can't wait to start camping, we already spend the evenings in there with popcorn and books. Haven't slept in it yet, still must get a battery and propane. But already it feels like a second home (in our yard!).

Still Cold and Wet

We had 2 great days Saturday and Sunday, just enough to have some barbecue and then the cold and rain came again. Maybe those 2 days were summer and that is it!
Matt and mom were here for supper everyday on the weekend because the weather was so nice and our neighbours came as well. Jacki and Gary and their 3 came on Sunday so it was busy!! Sunday there was 8 kids and 6 adults. Matt said he wasn't coming to my house anymore because he never gets to visit, all he gets to see is my running back and forth into the house, and if I wasn't mom was.
So Matt decided to take me to Tony Roma's on Wednesday for an early birthday supper. The wings were fantastic so it was a good time. However I was teasing him because he get looking at his Iphone most of the time.
Early that day I took Matt for his appt with Dr. Maclean at the hospital. She assessed how his daily activities were going and was impressed that the transfers had gotten better and she stated that Matt was looking so much better as well. With the tape still on his shoulder, he doesn't have such a pronounced dip and the shoulders look more even. From January assessment, she noted that Matt' sensation on his arms was more localized. Before he could feel she was poking his arm, but not know the exact point. This time he could actually tell her she was touching the middle left finger. Also his strentgth in the rt hand is improving too. They really want us to work on his lt hand again and motivate Matt to try using it. THe problem is his shoulder hurts when he uses it. The occupational therapist really encouraged Matt to get his licence and go to school. We will see what Matt decides.
We were happy to have dad come and today he took Matt for his bath. Dad looks much better and has gained some weight. I already have a list of things for him to help me with in the yard so he won't get bored!
We are picking up the campers Saturday and we are so excited. The folks in Clagary got tickets for Matt for the football game so they will be there on Sunday as well. Now if summer would arrive, we could actually use the campers!

Rain, Go Away!

3 days of solid rain, we might turn into a tropical rain forest without the tropical!
Thank goodness on Sunday night Jonmarie helped me put the garden in so at least that is done. Talked to dad and he told me seeding in Sask. is still a long way from completion. So much for a dry spring!
So we did it, Matt bought a camper and so did we. Matt is so excited, he can't wait until it is ready to go. He purchased a toy trailer that needs no modifications to it in order for him to get into it. The whole back wall comes down and he just rolls on into the camper. So many times Matt wants to visit with people, however he has a ramp to get into certain houses but then always has to set up a bed for him and can be quite a hassle. This way he can have his own bed and privacy during "personal care" times. He is so excited to maybe going to Greenwater this summer and the reunion with it. We also purchased one and will bring it to the reunion.
Yesterday we met with a physiotherapist that specializes in taping of injured areas. This tape works differently than normal taping and they assess the way the joint moves and where the muscle is moving. Matt's shoulder is giving him grief again so they taped the lt shoulder to see if it would help him use the deltoid, or the shoulder muscle instead of the trapezius muscle which joins to the neck. When you are injured, the body using the path of least resistance. However that can cause pain so they are trying to tell the body to use it the right way. The interesting part about this physio is he is married to Deana, the occupational therapist from Innisfail who came to the house many times to see what kind of wheelchair would be best for Matt! So he already knew Matt from reputation!
Mom was telling me that Matt stood really well the other day with the standing frame and even brought the back of his foot off the floor. Don't loose hope on him yet. We are still looking for a physio in Red Deer that knows about spinal cord injuries and we may try to get him back on the outpatient occupational and physio at the hospital. Especially when Matt comes back from the holiday in Weekes.
John is doing better after a weekends rest but I am keeping at him to cut back a bit. so a good friend of his goes walking with him every 3 days and is great. Otherwise John trys to run and then gets too tired and we may end up in the same boat.
Everyone keep the umbrella's handy and hopefully they will not be needed in a few days. By then, we will need a rowboat to get to the road!

Summer, Summer, Where are You?

I think the snow will start flying again before we have any summer. 3 cold weekends in a row, at least there is no snow predicted for today, but we did have a heavy frost on Thursday night. Thank goodness I didn't plant my tomatoes.
Last weekend for Matt and mom was fairly quiet. I think mom gets so tired sometimes that she wants to just relax and do nothing. On Wednesday Matt and I went to Tony Roma's together and he was enjoying the outing so much that we also went to Pet Land, Chapter's and Future Shop.
I was about to leave mom's with the girls when John phoned that he was a patient in ER. He was having some weird chest pains so the girls ended up staying at grandma's and after I had seen John so did I, so that way I was close by. They did the full cardiac work-up and so far everything is fine except he works to hard and doesn't sleep enough. His blood pressure was also too high so he is on meds for that. So we are making plans on how to decrease stress and have more constructive time off. We may buy a camper so that way, when he is not on call, we will go somewhere where we are out of cellphone range so he can't answer the phone! Even when he is not on call he is working. Matt is also looking at a toy trailer for himself. That way when he goes to visit, he has a place to sleep. Many houses he can get into with his ramp but the host would have to set up a bed in the living room, as all the bedrooms are upstairs. This way, he has a comfortable setting.
Today Matt and mom are going to Jacki's for the night, and I hope the weather improves a bit. Next week I arranged for a physio therapist to come and see what he can do to help Matt's left shoulder, as it is paining him again.
Happy June to everyone!

To Prince George

I completely forgot to write the blog! I was so busy at work and planning the trip to Prince George that it passed right on by. Sorry!
Last week mom and Matt travelled to High Level to look at a toy trailers and Matt was seriously considering buying one. The back goes down into a ramp and the bed is on a hydraulic. So he can get inside easy with no modifications. He would really like to go camping this year and also have a place that he can go into, especially if mom and Matt decide to travel and visit and many houses are not wheelchair accessible.
Mom came with us to B.C. and we really picked a bad weekend. We left on Friday and by the time we hit the Icefield's it was snowing! And of course I had packed a lunch so we stopped when the snow and the wind slowed down, however it was still only 3 degrees. Poor mom was so cold she couldn't get her food in her mouth, her hands were shaking so bad. Our stay in Prince George was great but short. John, myself and the girls stayed at Patty and Dean's and mom stayed at Auntie Brenda and Uncle Bob's. We also visited with Cassie and Matt and Darryl for a bit. Matt was going to come with us, however he decided it was too long of a drive for such a short visit. We made him babysit the cat, even though poor airene was allergic. It had to stay in the garage most of the time. Airene was a trooper and stayed with Matt the whole weekend. They couldn't even go outside until Sunday, the weather was so cold. On Sunday, Jacki, Gary and the kids along with Nolan and Erin travelled to Red Deer to visit their lonely brother and ordered in pizza and wings and played hand and foot. Matt was very sad the Canadians lost, even if he felt it was inevitable.
John and I have a new version of the song "the cat came back the very next day" and we have changed it to "the bat came back". So far this spring we have had 4 bats in the house. Let's just say, John and I are not fans of the little critters, no matter how many insects they eat!! We are now sleeping with the vents covered with duct tape, tennis rackets in our hands while we sleep, and mosquito netting over the bed. We may buy a camper just so we can sleep in it at night to get a good nights rest. We are also getting a contractor to put up a 20 foot pole to put out our "bat house" so they will hopefully enjoy it's comforts as opposed to our house. I may like visitors but I draw the line at bats!

Snow Gone, Still Cold

We went for a 5km walk with the girls today and the wind is still so bitter. Last night it dropped down to -8 and the frost was heavy on the ground. I know many farmers here had put in some spring seeding prior to the snow, but I think the idea was too premature. However, the early bird does get the worm!
Last weekend was busy. Jacki and Gary were playing in a volleyball tournament in Olds and mom had all three munchkins. I picked up Amy and Bobby Saturday for some time at the acreage, and also on Sunday after church. Our neighbor's kids came over and Bobby loved having a boy to play with, instead of all the girls. Anthony is crawling everywhere and very proud of himself. I know he is my nephew and I am bias, but he is so stinking cute! He has that look on his face that he knows something that you don't. He loves crawling up to Uncle Matt's wheelchair and pull himself up. Anthony then stands there looking at Uncle Matt with that "I know something" look and it is hilarious.
The whole gang came on Sunday for steaks and we were able to sit outside for awhile, but it was chilly. Mom and John went for a walk and Matt and I watched some hockey. He was so embarrassed when I asked who was playing. So much for the little brother looking up to the older sister with admiration! That dies when they are still young!
Mom and Matt are coming for supper tonight (homemade pizza) and hopefully for a few games of cards.
Mom said Matt is getting stronger on the transfers for the bed to the chair. He can almost do it himself, so that is great. She has to set everything up for him of course and make sure he doesn't fall. He is still doing his own "personal care" every three to four hours and that helps him feel more independent.
Matt and mom both went to the dentist and mom is horrified to learn she needs a root canal. She knew it was coming but if you never visit a dentist, then nothing is wrong... right? Matt's teeth are great however they did order him another bite guard because since the accident he still grinds his teeth at night.
Oh I almost forgot the most important. I finally convinced Matt to go to the movies with me and the girls last Friday. Mom came too and we watched "How to Train Your Dragon" in 3D. It was fantastic! I did get nauseated during some of the flying scenes and felt like the water was coming right at me. The girls loved it too. Matt was being a grouchy old bear before it started, but once it was on he loved it too.
Hope everyone has great weekend (or what is left of it).

Spring Storm

I was so grateful for the rain yesterday. It has been so dry and dusty. The rain started to turn everything green and it was feeling very spring like. However, last evening watching the white stuff come down was bittersweet. As i look out my window now, it continues to snow and all the green grass is covered. I am just thankful we are not Calgary. They are literally getting dumped on and highway 2 by Airdrie was closed. Buses are shut down due to icy conditions and it looks like there is no end in sight today. Old man winter is not giving up without a fight!
Mom and Matt had a quiet weekend. I was away to Radium Hot Springs with some girlfriends of mine and John was watching the girls. Mom only had to babysit part of the evening on Saturday. I arrived back Sunday evening and stopped at mom's house. i had to tease her because she was still in her pyjama's!
It has been a busy week for me but a quiet week for Matt. Jonmarie received the Terrific Kid award at her school. I took videos and she couldn't stop smiling. Mom took Matt for his bath in Innisfail yesterday and I am taking him for a haircut today. I hope the roads improve. Tonight Matt and Mom are babysitting the kids because John and I are going to a fundraiser for Shaunie's school. It is called the Evening of Decadent Dessert's and it is so much fun. Shaunie's class made art work and they put it together and then auction it off. Last year they had hand prints on a quilt and it went for $4000. It is then donated back to the Center to hang on the wall. Can't wait to see what it will go for this year.
Matt's back is starting to clear up somewhat, however the scarring is really bad. We are hoping to do some treatments at the spa but it is difficult because I am always working and can't go and pick him up. Trying to convince him to come in the Handi Van but he is so stubborn!! He wants either myself or mom to drive him. Just like a man. Dad is hoping to come sometime in May so maybe he can drive Matt. He hasn't heard his test results yet but should in the next week.

Visitors

The weather has sure warmed up with a high of 23 yesterday. The wind consistently blows so that creates a bit of a hassle because it is so dry. Dust everywhere. This weekend it will again become cold with a high of 3 degrees.
We enjoyed a surprise visit from Uncle Bob and Auntie Brenda. They had been in Swift Current for a memorial service for Uncle Bob's late brother and decided to go back to Prince George via Red Deer. yesterday we took the kids to the park and Shaunie loves to ride on Uncle Matt's lap because "I'm tired, legs not working". John and I took Auntie and uncle, mom and Matt for supper at Tony Roma's for wing night and had a great time. The waitresses were laughing because our group keeps getting bigger and bigger. Friends of ours from Red Deer also joined us so there was eight people.
Matt has been feeling under the weather suffering from sinus congestion which has really run him down but Matt is starting to feel better. It started when they were in Calgary over the weekend and kept getting worse. However Matt still went to watch Jacki play volleyball and have a rousing game of Risk with Gary and his friends. Nolan was there as well.
This weekend I am going with friends to Radium Hot Springs and very happy to have a break for a few days. John is going to be watching the girls with Grandma on standby! This week I was so busy with work related issues that the girls stayed at grandma's for 2 nights! Sure miss them when they are not sleeping in there own bed but they didn't seem to mind. they love being at Grandma's house.
Prayers for dad as he is right now in Saskatoon having a carotid ultrasound ans is a little worried about the possible results. It is a very non-invasive procedure so no pain associated with it. Dad probably won't hear about the results for a few weeks.

Arrived back to Red Deer Safely

Well the troop arrived back in Red Deer Sunday evening just in time for mom to start work today. I was surprised to hear her say she did miss working at the school and the staff members sure missed all the work she does! Jonmarie was ecstatic and every time she saw Grandma she ran up and gave her a big kiss. Mom said there were days prior to the holidays that she wouldn't even see Jonmarie but today it was over 20 times!!
I think Matt is happy to be back but you could hear in his voice he missed Weekes terribly. He loved going uptown to play cards and chat with the men, and Tony Roma's wings hold nothing to the Weekes bar's hot wings!! I think the familiarity of it all is very comforting to Matt and he gets lonesome for his friends. While in Red Deer he is closer to family but it is not the same. I think time will tell if they decide to make Red Deer permanent (mom still has her Sask plates on her truck!).
Prior to leaving Mom and some of the Aunties went to a mini ladies retreat at the church. Mom said the speaker was very good and became legally blind from a genetic condition at 11 years old. I always thought I could handle losing my hearing (some days I pretend I do!) but losing my vision would be so difficult. God gives us all different burdens to bear and with His guidance we can truly see the path to ease those burdens.
Thanks for all those who could stop in to visit and say a quick hello. I believe the plan for the summer is to go home for 2 months. However I know they are trying to get in touch with the "Project Walk" in Regina. They heard about it through the grapevine and would love to have a chance to see what it is all about. They have tried to email but have no response as of yet. On the website there was no other contact so pray that if Matt and mom are meant to go, it will work out.

Having a Great Time

It was a busy week for the folks in Weekes. During the week, Jacki took the kids to Deb and Rod's to see baby calves, which Bobby just loved. I think he wants to be a farmer, just don't tell Gary! They also went to visit a school chum of mine, Twyla Pugh and got to see baby calves. However Bobby was more excited to have a friend to play with . Twyla had her 4 year old boy and 2 1/2 month baby.
Bradon Kipling has been a Godsend. He took Matt uptown and keeps him company while mom was working for a few days. I believe he was a better driver than Jacki, who has forgotten how to drive in the Saskatchewan mud. She took Matt to the Weekes Hotel for wing night and got stuck with Esmeralda (the van) in the mud. Matt thought it was hilarious until him and Bradon took a tour of the farm and got stuck with his wheelcahir! Thank goodness Bradon has got some muscle so he could push him out. However mom is still mad about all the mud in the house. It will be stuck in his wheels for weeks! Still getting mom mad hey Matt?
Last night they stayed up quite late visiting with Aunty Karen and Uncle Neil. Dad, Neil, Matt and Jacki played 6 hands of hand and foot. Aunty Karen and mom played Wii however mom states she was so good they wouldn't let her play. However, I believe that she was so bad the game wouldn't let her play anymore! Everyone was laughing so hard at her.
Jacki and the kids are on their way home right now and pray everything goes okay. They looked for Easter candy this morning so they could be nice and wound up for the trip. The grandparents were so excited to see Anthony crawling all over the place, getting into all kinds of mischief.
Wishing everyone a happy Easter and safe journeys for all who are travelling.