Fidget toy and C's birthday cake

Here is another of Aaren's latest projects.

The latest craze on the internet is fidget cubes that have a bunch of different things to help with fidgeting. Like switches, dials, clickers etc all on one cube. This is Aaren's version of a fidget toy. 

He holds it in the middle like this picture then spins it. And spins it and spins it some more. It's actually soothing and fun. It makes no noise. 

The middle section is a bearing from an old rip stick wheel. Then for weight, he added steel rods on each end. Aaren has taken apart a bunch of old ripstik and scooter wheels to get a handful of bearings. He is intending on making a bunch more.

Adding magnets to the steel rods on the ends, makes it spin faster and longer.

Something to keep this teenage boy entertained!

The little pile of bearings on the paper towel are washed clean bearings for future use. There looks to be about 5. 

We celebrated Cassandra's birthday again today. This time with the requested cake. Black Forest.

EVERYONE in our house loves this cake. And when it is cut there is ALWAYS one piece left over and it ALWAYS goes to the birthday person. So I think that is why this is the most requested cake for birthdays. Well except that it tastes amazing!

Maren helped assemble and then along with Rebekka, Tysyn and Evan, she helped decorate.

Two beauties

Two pictures of the cake taken by Brandon

Yummy!!!

Happy 13 Birthday

Cassandra had her 13th birthday today.

We had banana cream pie for her birthday because I didn't get the cake assembled due to a home basketball game.

Everyone loves to lick the candles after they go out!

Opening a present wrapped by Rebekka. 

Aaren made a knife for Cassandra. 

Another book to read. And lots of new earrings to wear. 

Happy Birthday Cassandra.

All about Cassandra:

She is nearly as tall as mom. Her shoe size 7 is one size smaller than mine. She loves attending young women's activities and meetings. She is an introvert. Cassandra is an avid reader. She loves fantasy and make believe and goes through large novels quickly. Cassandra recently learned how to hair braid and is getting better and better at doing her own hair. She continues to ride her bike responsibly by still wearing a helmet. (Way to protect that brain girlie!) (Most teenagers try to ditch them by now.)

Cassandra loves to babysit cousin Alden whenever she has the chance. He favorite color is Magenta. 

We went to Devin's home basketball game tonight. He played hard when he was on the court but the lack of practice during the week off school really influenced his skills. He was not on his game and his frustration with himself showed on the court. But he did score 6 points!

This was the littles favorite part of the whole game. Half time! They were able to go on the court (no street shoes allowed) and shoot hoops. But if you shot the ball at the basket then it was fair game for anyone to rebound it and shoot it too. You just may never touch the ball again!! Each net had a whole passel of kids under them waiting for their chance to get a ball.

Our kids opted to just bounce the balls in the middle of the court and play between themselves. Well, the girls mostly watched the boys. When I yelled out to them to share, they let the girls have a brief turn. 

The JV team won against Magrath. 

Friday fun

Today is the last weekday of the kids week off school. The day was about the same as the last few.

Arguing over devices was mostly all I heard. Playing computer games, watching movies and playing on my phone. That ALL they ever want to do. They don't know how to play anymore!

I finished up and delivered my Friday meals.

Then after lunch, Eva, William and Greta came to play. We haven't had cousins play at our house in months. The kids had fun together. They even played outside for a bit but it is really chilly again so nobody stayed outside long. 

While the littles were playing and entertaining themselves, Maren and I made pie crusts. The plan was to make banana cream, key lime and lemon meringue. We were only able to get the banana cream finished.

Super yummy. It tasted like a cream puff!! One of my favorite FHE desserts growing up!!

We made two large 10" banana creams (in the Costco pie pans) and one smaller one. The smaller we delivered (before going cleaning) to Lowyn and Heather along with Greta's forgotten winter gloves. They weren't home. We left it all with Jaylin the babysitter.

We had our last cleaning week at Keelers. It's taking longer to clean now because they've added two new rooms. It took us 1 1/2 hrs. It's always nice for a month off! Evan is becoming a good little cleaner and his savings are accumulating quickly!

Devin is in Medicine Hat this evening for a basketball game. They played at 5 with the senior game after. Devin messaged me and said his team won. By about 4 points. They won't be home until about midnight. Both teams went by bus. 

Happy Birthday

99 years.

Grandma Mae Selman is 99 years old today Feb 22.

The girls and I got to her room later than I wanted for a quick visit. We made cards for her today and we wanted her to have them. When we arrived, the nurses were putting Grandma to bed. It was a short late visit because she was super tired.

Grandma didn't really remember me. That's ok.

The girls all read her their cards.

Cassandra was a little sad grandma doesn't remember us. I told her that at least Cassandra knew she visited her great grandma on her 99th birthday! 

The kids spent the afternoon playing at cousins. Rebekka had a nap and was so disappointed to wake up and find that they left to play without her. She was so happy when Brandon drove her over so she could play also.

I spent the quiet afternoon cooking and getting ahead on my meals. The week off school has been nice. 

Movie

Maren had movie tickets from school that needed to be used by the middle of March. Disney had a movie out and the kids didn't have school this week so we figured it would be fun to take them into the theatre.

I wanted to go to the afternoon matinee but we missed it. So we decided to go to the early evening showtime. I went into Lethbridge just after noon to pre-purchase tickets and get groceries.

I stopped at the theatre first to get the tickets to ensure we could get seats for the evening. Maren had 2 passes that she won from school. One expired in October. She lost it then found it in December. The other expired in March. Brandon's friend works at the theatre and checked with the manager to see if they could/would still honor Maren's expired pass. They did. Thank you!! I purchased 7 more passes.

After getting the tickets, I went shopping for groceries. I really hate how shopping for just basic items, like produce, pantry staples and dairy all end up costing a fortune!

Back at home Jeff and I unloaded the van. Once done, everyone had supper of leftovers. (Or the new meal I recently heard about and added to the plan...Getchuroni.) 

Everyone was ready to go by 6pm so we could go into Lethbridge to see the Disney movie- Moana.

The kids were pretty excited to see it when we told them. 

Everyone but Brandon and Devin came. Both have already seen it. Devin is on a priests winter scout camp with the ward anyway. 

We arrived at the theatre early enough. Yes! We had a good choice of seats. Yes! It's hard to come late and expect to find seats for 9 together so we had to be early. The theatre filled by the time the movie started. We all liked it a lot. Tysyn and Rebekka were a little restless near end of the show but the movie still held their attention.

Maren

Cassandra. See this girls braids? She was visiting with the aunts last week at Grandma Selman's birthday party and they were talking hair braiding. This week, Maren taught Cassandra how to braid hair and then Cassandra taught herself to braid her own hair. I'm so impressed. They look pretty good for her first attempts. They will be better as she continues to do it. Good learning for your no school week C!

Savanna

It was a late night drive home. At home everyone needed snacks before bed. Then it was time for sleep!

Family Day 2017

This year I really wanted to do something as a family on the family day holiday. I keep thinking that our times together are dwindling.

The U of L had a free family day event. Kids activities, rock climbing and swimming were the highlights. The activities started at 11. We were late for the start. As usual. When we got to the university, we headed straight for rock climbing. And found out that you needed to be there at 10 to register. So annoying. It never was said anywhere that that was necessary so the kids were pretty disappointed.

The kids got their faces painted. We told them they wouldn't have it for very long because it would be washed off before swimming. They wanted it anyway. We also did a couple of activities then ate lunch.

Princess Savanna

Savanna and unicorn Rebekka

Pirate Evan

Spider-Man Tysyn. 

After eating in the concourse, I took the cooler to the van and exchanged it for the swim bag. Devin also came with. Devin also drove the van to a closer to the door parking spot.

Swimming was really fun. Something for all ages.

I remember with fondness all the times I went went swimming as a child with my family to the university pool in Calgary. Those were good times. (I also remember many trips to McDonald's for twist ice cream cones after swimming.)

The pool was colder than I liked. But the warm showers helped.

The big kids had fun off the boards and diving platforms. I thought Evan was going to drown himself trying to swim the length of the pool so that he could get the wrist band to be in the deep end. His lap wasn't the most proficient but he struggled through it, didn't stop and didn't touch the walls to earn the wristband! He was pleased with himself.

We stayed in the pool for two hours.

Devin drove the van home. Jeff and Brandon were in the car. They stayed in Lethbridge to go to talk to Susan at training.

Those in the van stopped at the dollar store so that Devin could get some snacks for his venturer camp the next day.

When we got home, we had supper of leftover soup. Then it was a relaxing night. I am grateful for the week long school break. I like not being governed by a schedule this week. 

Skiing!!!

Today is toonie day skiing at Mt. Norquay, in Banff National Park!!!

This was the start of the sunrise as we were leaving Calgary. It was an early morning drive. But not early enough to be out to the hill as it opened, much to the dismay of many!!

Beautiful scenery. Glad Jeff is driving on the winter roads.

Usually we eat breakfast in the van but today the kids weren't very hungry this morning because the kids were so excited to go, they were up early and had cold cereal at Aunt Karla's. (They love to raid Aunt Karla's cereal stash. She always has cereal we never have.) They did eat up all the muffins Aunt Karla made for us.

Savanna on her first run up. 

Looks like it will be a great day for skiing!

Look at Savanna go! This was her 4th run down and the 2nd ever on a chair lift run! She liked this run because she could practice making pizzas and French fries. It levelled out a bit so it wasn't so steep. 

Brandon had an accident with his new snowboard. One of the bindings broke and isn't fixable. Fortunately he brought his skis with him so he spent the remainder of the day on skis. He was pretty bummed as he was looking forward to snowboarding. Because he has only had the board and bindings since shortly after Christmas, we are hoping the shop in Lethbridge will be able to replace them for him.

It was quite the party in the lodge with 32/38 Moxley family members there. We took up one whole corner!

Grandpa and Grandma and Barker. 

Sherilyn and Jay

Krista and James

Yum. Hot chocolate! 

It was really nice to see Jason, Stephanie and Cullen. We (the Hardy's) haven't seen them in a really long time. They were on their way home to Golden from Calgary and stopped at the hill to see everyone before getting home.

We really missed Karla, Cyril, Mateya, Jaidyn, Elizabeth and Emma. They didn't come skiing. 

Devin did a number on his elbow. He was trying to do a box rail in the terrain park and slipped off the box. He hit his elbow on the box as he fell. He bruised it pretty bad. It swelled quite a lot. He took it easy while boarding for the remainder of the day. (He doesn't want to be unable to play ball.)

Iceing the elbow with a bag of.....snow!

Near the end of the day, I went off with Brandon, Devin and Aaren to get in some more advanced skiing. Up until this time I spent the whole time skiing with Savanna and anyone who wanted to tag along with us. Because she is still learning the sport, she still needs teaching. I left her with cousins on the bunny hill where she could practice and have fun without me.

The boys and I went over to the backside of the hill. At the top of one of the chairs, we stopped to take a couple of photos. These of Brandon are hilarious. Later Brandon's friend messaged him thinking that Brandon had broke his board right in half. The last picture kind of looks like he could have! But he was on skis. 

My turn for a photo

While the boys and I were skiing, some of the family went on their own adventure.

Jeff, Krista, Grandma and Grandpa took some of the kids up the lift to the resturant and lookout on the mountain.

Favorite Aunt Krista. 

Hi Cassandra. 

The sightseeing crew. 

Maren

Cassandra

Evan

Tysyn

They all liked the view but Jeff and Tysyn didn't especially enjoy the ride up or down. Jeff finds that skiing doesn't appeal to him. The swinging open lifts with only a bar to hold them in, left them feeling a little insecure.

After the hill closed we packed up. This is Rebekka waiting for Jeff to bring the van from the far end of the parking lot to the loading zone.

Mommy and Rebekka

We didn't even make it down the mountain before she fell asleep.

We went swimming after skiing as an extended family at the Banff Hot Springs.

Cousins waiting for admission. 

It was a new fun experience for our kids to swim in a pool in freezing outside temperatures. Our heads would cool and our hair would start to get frosty and freeze. Then we would dunk under and let it start to do it all over again. The kids had fun breaking off ice and snow and rubbing it on an unsuspecting someone. They would yelp and then dunk under quickly to warm up from the cold.

Devin really wanted to lay in the snow on the deck. The deck was all roped off. He tried until the lifeguard kicked him off.

It was super funny to see the lifeguards. They wore snow clothes. Big winter parkas, snow pants and boots while the swimmers were in bathing suits. It looked so paradoxical.

So much fun!

Savanna after the swim

Maren

Aaren

Me!

Because our family took so long to get off the hill, we didn't have time to eat supper before swimming. Once out of the pool we stopped at McDonalds for supper. It took forever to order and more time to eat. Especially the littles. After the first round of pop, everyone refilled their cups to take with them. I wasn't letting the kids have their second round of drinks on the way home because I didn't want to stop numerous times for bathroom breaks. Consequently this was my view all the way from Banff to Calgary.

At 10:34pm we were still driving home from our ski day in Banff. At Redwood Meadows near Bragg creek, I marvelled at the beauty surrounding us. There is a full moon and clear sky. It was so pretty out with snow on the trees and in the fields.  The van was so quiet. 10 kids (our 9 and 1 cousin) were all asleep. The only sounds I heard were the purr of the engine, the whirl of the tires on the highway and the hum of the heater. So peaceful. So beautiful.

When we arrived back at Karla's, the van was unloaded of all the necessary things. The kids were put to bed. We visited with Karla for a bit then everyone headed to sleep.