Ceilings

Today is moving day for the company and by mid morning, there was still lots to do to be able to move desks in the late afternoon. 

The brother in laws spent the morning and into the early afternoon working on the drop ceiling. Levelling and anchoring the tracks. I spent time cutting and placing the ceiling tiles up. Cara and I did a lot of work together.

A few days before, mom Hardy offered to watch Rebekka in the morning and then pick up Tysyn after kindergarten so that Jeff and I could both go work at the office. Tysyn had an early morning meltdown and didn't end up going to Kindergarten. Jeff ended up keeping Tysyn with him. Rebekka had a delightful time with Grandma at Heather's morning music class for toddlers. Rebekka loved the music and singing and especially loved the song that ended "take that you fleas!", while slapping the feet.

Mom fed Rebekka lunch then kept both kids for the afternoon. (Jeff dropped off Tysyn.) Savanna joined them after school. I picked them up at supper time. Maren took responsibility for the siblings after supper so I could continue helping where needed. 

After a lot of effort by a lot of people, the room was able to come together and we were able to get it ready for moving desks from old to new tonight. 1 worked for over 13 hours today. 

Lowyn, Joseph, Landon, David

Lowyn, Joseph, Landon, Dallin

The almost completed room. It is so bright and open. 

Cara and I worked hard at getting the floors clean so that the desks could be moved over. 

Devin and Uncle Cory having a little friendly competition after the desks were moved. Uncle Cory won. 

Some of the crew who were there when the desks were being moved. Some may or may not have helped..

New sign!

Monday morning always starts with preschool. I've been going on Mondays for a long time.

Seriously years!!

Rebekka had great fun today with some loose parts.

But she spent the most time on the hand and foot runner.

Today we stopped to take a picture of the new sign.

It looks fantastic. The kids are pretty cute too. We spent a few hours here this afternoon cleaning so the company can try and move over at the end of the week! There is still lots to do.

The two littles and I dropped off supper meals to my ladies after 4. Tysyn was good about reminding me. I wasn't prepared at noon like I often am. The elementary kids were with me at noon. They enjoyed the visit with my special friends. I only dropped off lunch and then after the kids were back at school, I made supper. (Rebekka and I didn't want to miss preschool due to staying home to cook.)

Tonight some of the available show choir members sang in a fundraiser for a young girl in Calgary who needs a home suited to a wheelchair. Devin and Aaren both went. These are pictures from social media of their performance.

While the boys were gone this evening, the younger kids and I set up the Christmas tree and got it decorated. The star doesn't work so it looks like we will have to get another. Maybe I should make a tinfoil star like I had as a kid. 

Quiet time.

It's 9:30pm. The house is quiet, the 4 youngest are in bed and nearly asleep. The 5 older are all gone from the home and Jeff is in Calgary (with Cassandra). Brandon is out with friends, Devin and Aaren went to the Stake Dance in Lethbridge, Cassandra has a competition in Calgary this weekend, and Maren is babysitting Alden.

I'm awake all by myself. So much to do and I can't decide what I should do. I've got candles to make or I could do dishes. I could clean or do laundry. I could also read a book or watch a movie on Netflix. I can also prepare/ work on my primary lesson. Hmmmm. So many decisions!

It was a beautiful day today. Sunny and warm. I think it even reached 15 degrees.

This cutie is pretty good to occupy herself in the mornings while Tysyn is at school.

I dropped off lunches for the 3 elementary kids after picking up Tysyn from kindergarten. As we were walking down the hall, Tysyn stopped to show me his art on the wall. Pretty cute!

This warm Chinook has melted all the ice on the driveway so now we don't have to worry about the van sliding. (Until the next snow.)

Devin did a little butchering today during his school class spares.

Tysyn and Rebekka also wanted to help. They didn't stay long. 

Brandon also did a little. They still have lots more to do.

Jeff and Brandon loaded the car on to the flat deck trailer tonight. They are taking it to Alan Kindt to have him fix it early next week.

After a little rain this afternoon, I saw a rainbow in the eastern sky. Crazy to see rainbows the end of November. Then we had an amazing rainstorm tonight. The rain tonight was heavy and so fantastic for the land. The ground isn't really frozen so it just soaked right in. It will be an awesome boost for the parched earth right before winter. It and an abundance of snow will bless the land come spring planting. 

Show Choir Performance and cake

As a family, we attended Devin and Aaren's show choir performance.

It was a fantastic show. I loved watching them. Here are a few pictures of the show.

In the picture below, Aaren is a shepherd dressed in yellow, holding a staff. Devin is a singer in gold at the front. Jaylin is on the back row by the star. 

Aaren in front behind the dancers. Ammon is beside him.

Blurry picture of Aaren. 

After the performance was done and we picked up the boys, we all came home and had Brandon's birthday cake.

So I think it's time to start looking for a bigger set of cake pans. The black forest cake I make cuts easily into 12.  One piece each and then the birthday person gets the last piece as a second but there is never any leftover. 

Happy Birthday bud.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to Brandon today.

20 years old.

It's hard to believe he was once so little.

Brandon has finished his summer roofing job.  But because he was such a good worker and so trusted by the bosses, he gets called a lot to help with little errands here and there. He found the worst part of finishing the roofing job was having to give up the company truck! (Well, and not having a pay check anymore.)

He is taking odd jobs to keep some money coming in. He has tinned a farm roof for Tracy Duce and he has butchered deer for Burton's. If he can get a vehicle, he can look for a full time job. 

Brandon's hair is getting pretty long. And his facial hair is filling in on his sideburns.

He still loves mashed potatoes. It's his favourite food! But he also loves chocolate candies, chocolate milk, and tootsie rolls. He also loves sugary candies and pop.

The Dodge Daytona car still isn't running so he spends a lot of time at home. It's probably a good thing he doesn't have a vehicle or he'd likely be in Lethbridge a lot. At least stuck here in town, he can't spend his money as fast.

Brandon was pretty excited to tag out, this hunting season. He filled all his tags. We have lots of work ahead of us to butcher.

Tonight we celebrated Rebekka's birthday with cake. Brandon wasn't home because of a YSA fireside at the Stake Center, so we didn't have his cake tonight.

She still wasn't feeling very good. Happy Birthday Rebekka!

This was from Devin. (I think it is supposed to say "bignumber4")

A birthday; but not very happy.

Rebekka woke up feeling terrible. Before too long she was pukey and sick.

We are sad she isn't feeling well for her birthday.

Happy 4th Birthday Rebekka!!!

We hope you feel better as the day goes by. 

Jeff and Cassandra left for training in Lethbridge. I took Brandon over to work with Tracy Duce. Then I came back for Devin and Aaren. They had Show Choir technical rehearsal at 9 which they were late for. After I dropped the boys off, I went to paint over at the new office. Maren stayed home to tend.

The boys took the van from 11:30-12:30 for a lunch break and then brought it back to the theatre. 

I worked until 1pm. I took a break, went home and got the kids so we could go to the show choir dress rehearsal. Jeff and Cassandra arrived back in town just before the show started. It was fun to see the family pictures on a big screen of each choir member during the show. 

The show was wonderful. Devin and Aaren did a great job.

We took this photo of all the "cousins" in the show. These are all descendants of Celia and Frank Navratil.

Angelina Halvorson, Jaylin Rasmussen, Olivia Allred, Devin Hardy, Ammon Hardy, Aaren Hardy. 

After the show, we took the kids home and then I left to go back to the office to help with the painting. Jeff and Devin changed quickly and headed out for a bit of hunting.

Cara and I commented to each other as we worked, that we were grateful we stayed so late the night before, or we would be even more to do today. With some family working, we continued well into the evening. Stopping when mom brought those that were working supper. Thanks mom, it was great and hit the spot!

Rebekka fell asleep early and Maren, was the tender at home even though a few of the older kids were here too. Maren is the responsible one so the older kids usually make her do all the work.

I took a break before the Merc closed and purchased hotdog buns to go with hotdogs for dinner. Brandon came and got them so I could keep working. With Rebekka sick, Jeff and  Devin not home, I decided to celebrate Rebekka's birthday tomorrow. We will make a cake tomorrow after church.

Devin and Jeff both shot deer tonight. They each tagged out. They arrived home late.

I stayed at the office working until 11:30pm.

I painted some of the ceilings. My neck, shoulders and back won't ever be the same!!

Can you see the white paint flecks on my face?? I hope it comes off for church tomorrow. 

Cara checking in at home. 

When I came home, I got the whites in the wash and then spent some time lying on the basement floor on the body massager. It felt so good to loosen those tight muscles of mine.

Office Renos

Tysyn was very late for kindergarten today. He was in a snit about his snack and the big kids ended up going without him. When he finally was happy again, he had to wait until I was ready for the day and I could drop him off. He's too little to go alone even though he knows the way there. We were all out the door at 9:30am. Rebekka and I spent most of the day at the office working.

Under Construction

New kitchen with some freshly painted walls

Freshly painted hallway. 

We stopped long enough to pick up Tysyn from Kindergarten and then later for lunch. Thanks to Cory's aunt for the delicious soup!!

This afternoon, Cara and I were touch up painting in the bathroom when (Jeff's cousin) Taron Fletcher came into the office. As he was talking to Cara and I, I noticed that some his mannerisms were very much like dad's. Watching him for those brief few minutes brought tender feelings and emotions.

The kids had fun collecting the painters tape that we pulled from the hallways and rolling them into giant tape balls.

Tysyn, Rebekka and Aleya. These three played so so so well together. There was never any fighting or crying. It allowed Cara and I to work on the painting of the hallway. 

While the children hid under the hall desk, I called Joseph downstairs and they tried hard to hit Joseph with the tape balls. It was great silly fun.

Jeff and Brandon went out hunting today. 

That puts the total to six for the freezer. Now to get them butchered.

Lots of work ahead. 

Phone call.

Do you want to know the very best part of this day????

I talked to Shelyse on the phone for 30 minutes. That's right. That awesome little sister who lives in Prague!! I talked to her!!

Shelyse called this afternoon. Devin was home during his spare and at the table cutting venison. We both enjoyed the call through speakerphone. Then Jeff came home and was able to talk to her briefly too. It was so good to hear her voice. I miss her like crazy. I've missed her since she moved from Raymond! Shelyse was 3 when Jeff and I got married. I have loved watching her grow. She has so many talents and strengths that now she gets to share with the people of Prague. 

So I've been having issues getting Shelyse's photo updates through google. It's been super frustrating for me. We had a good visit and we made a plan so I could get the updates. After she hung up, I added my gmail account to my phone email settings. And low and behold, over 200 gmail emails popped up!

49 of them were various Hardy family updates from the past many months! Seriously!!

So now hopefully I'll get all the family updates  promptly after they are sent. 

Yay.

I saw this tonight.

Sometimes it's hard not to compare myself to people that I love and admire. But I'm getting better and better at valuing the things I have and being grateful for my life. I still have a messy chaotic life but I've been blessed through it.

Anniversary

Today marks the 1 year passing of my dear sweet and noble father in law from this life into the next. Today and everyday we honour and celebrate the life of this special and amazing man. It's been an privilege to call him my father in law and my dad. I love him dearly. He had taught me so much about hard work, family, the gospel, sacrifice and love. And so much more. My life has been molded and shaped by his influence and he always treated me with love and respect and championed my cause when I needed support.

He has raised a magnificent family and has influenced an honourable son that I am grateful to be married to.

We all miss dad and grandpa dearly. He still leaves a void in our lives. I know it will never close, we just learn to work around it.

Devin got a haircut this afternoon. His long shaggy locks had to go so he could play basketball! Tryouts for the high school team were last week. His name was posted on the team roster. Congratulations Devin. 

He texted me this morning asking if I could get him an appointment at the salon uptown. They were closed so I asked Jessica Tatlow if she could do it. She agreed. Devin and I went to her house this afternoon.

Before:

Lots of hair cut.

He likes his new cut, but is sad to see the long hair go. He is going to need a toque!!

After: He looks fresh. He looks fire.

Brandon spent most of the day and evening butchering Burton's deer. Their normal butcher was unavailable so they hired Brandon to do it.

The driveway has a lot of ice on it especially in the areas that the sun doesn't reach and that is driven on a lot. Today, I went out to take Aaren to the theatre and we saw that the van slid down the driveway and stopped on the gravel. Not good!! I'm so glad it stopped and didn't go out to the street. This is where it was when I parked the van and where is was supposed to be.

This is where I found it!!

Then again tonight about 6:45pm, I looked out the kitchen window and sometime after dropping him off at the theatre at 4:00pm, it happened again!!!

It also happened once while Devin was in the drivers seat. Another time, I was in the van unbuckling kids when it happened too. It's a freaky feeling when the vehicle is moving and you aren't in control of it. That time I quickly jumped back in the drivers seat. I pressed the brake peddle but it didn't help much. It was just too heavy of a vehicle on a downward slope of ice. It stopped when the tires got traction on the rocks. I would love a paved driveway! I miss that about our rental house on mainstreet. 

I'm so glad there were not vehicles parked behind it and that it went straight back instead of turning. This is where it ended up.

I'm leaving it there tonight. Tomorrow, I'll find some ice melt and sand to go on the driveway where the van is supposed to be parked.