Skiing at Pass Powderkeg

Everyone was up early this morning. Brandon and Devin both left at 7:30am to work with Justin. The rest of us got ready for the day and worked on getting out the door for a ski day in the Crowsnest Pass. After breakfast, dressing and packing the van, we finally left Raymond at 10:15am and headed to Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill as a family.

I saw on social media that the hill was offering a $5 lift ticket day on Jan 31. It also happened that it was a day off for our school division so none of the kids had school. Most of us haven't been skiing yet this year so I really wanted to go. The two oldest boys stayed at home in Raymond with Uncle Justin working on Iris Chipman's basement Reno. Devin also had ball practice today so he had to stay home. We miss those boys. Jeff was our driver. 

We arrived at the hill just minutes before noon. I left the kids unloading the van and getting gear on while I went to the tiny lodge to see what it was like and if we could bring all our gear inside. (Equipment stays out!) I also purchased lift tickets.

Then everyone started hauling stuff up to the lodge. It was quite the production. Fortunately it wasn't crowded and the walk from the van to the lodge was short. We can't find out snow sleds since the last scout camp so we had to carry everything. Except the cooler; that slid nicely on the snow!

On Pass Powderkeg ski hill. Heading to the lower mountain T bar. The town of Blairmore is right at the base of the hill. The kids wished we lived across the street so we could go skiing every day!

The bottom of the hill T-bar. The kids are loading while I stop to take pictures. 


The girls on the hill.

Photo on one of the runs down. 

My skiers L>R. Savanna, Cassandra, Aaren, Evan, Maren. 

Aaren watching Tysyn learning to ski. 

Maren and Tysyn. 

Tysyn heading back up to start again. 

It was a great time on the hill and out in the mountains. PPK is a little hill. It reminds me a lot of Wintergreen, the hill I grew up skiing on. Unfortunately there are no chairlifts so after eight hours of skiing my legs were brutally tired. Part of the reason was because I had to ride it with Savanna. She had a hard time riding up some of the hill on the T-bar. She fell several times and we had to walk down to where she could safely ski back to the lift. So when I went with her, the T-bar would have to be behind my knees so that it could catch her behind her butt. I ended up practically squatting all the way up the hill all day long. My legs were fire. 
Jeff was so good to spend the entire day tending those that came back to the lodge. Rebekka and Tysyn spent most of the day in the lodge but they each had time being on skis.  There was a learning hill that had a fun little area for children. Tysyn enjoyed many runs in this area but hated taking off his skis and trudging back to the top each time.

The hill had an outdoor fire pit that was fun to sit around.

I brought enough food--again--to feed an army. Basically I prepared 3 meals.

Breakfast/ morning snacks (muffins, oranges) for the ride in the van.

Lunch after we went on a few runs and were hungry. (egg sandwiches, pbj sandwiches, veggies and chips and cookies)

Supper (cold fried chicken, potatoe salad, carrot sticks and pickles.) I thought the chicken was a brilliant idea but several of the kids complained that it wasn't warm so they didn't want to eat it. Jeff and I really liked it.   

The best part of the ski trip was the NIGHT SKIING! It was awesome to ski in the dark under the hill lamps. We stayed right until closing. 8 hours of skiing. 12noon - 8pm. Fantastic. The kids were super tired on the way home.

We left Blairmore at 8:50pm. One of the last groups off the hill. It wasn't long before all the kids were asleep in the van. It was a quiet ride home taking just over 1 1/2 hours and half tank of gas there and back. I was grateful Jeff was driving. My legs were so tired and I don't think that they will stop buzzing until tomorrow!!4

I hope they offer another cheap ski day. We all want to go back!!

Go cart tracks

This is Aaren's cart tracks in the snow. It is pretty rutted from where he goes around and around. If we get more snow, he won't be able to drive.

Once Spring comes and the snow melts, he won't be able to drive as much. I don't want to see worn tracks in the grass. Sorry buddy!

Maren's birthday

Happy Birthday to this fantastic daughter!!

Blackforest cake with cherries. Garnet colour just like her birthstone. 

FYI: ED Smith canned cherry pie fill is way more tart than Superstore no name cherry pie filling! Everyone noticed. Pucker up...

Maren unwrapped her head because her earrings were already in her ears!!

She also got a new backpack purse, a necklace from mom and a really nice card and "smile" necklace from Deborah Martin. And of course pierced ears on Saturday.

We love this beautiful daughter!

Maren has been waiting for a long time turn 12. Ever since Cassandra turned 12. Maren loves activity days but is looking forward to youth activities.

Maren loves crafts and painting. She is always doing little projects. I remember doing the same when I was her age. Maren is very compassionate. She loves to do things for others. Service and charity comes naturally to her. Maren is very willing to help and I try really hard not to "overuse" her. Maren has many friends and loves to be with them. She has a great group of friends who build each other up and set good examples to each other. I hope they will always stay that way!

We are so grateful she is our second daughter in our family!!

Final exam time

Devin and Aaren don't have classes. They are in final exam mode. Devin did go for teacher help, but Aaren was home all morning. Then he went to the school for a final exam at 12:30pm. Devin still had ball practice after school time. The other kids still have school classes.

Rebekka and I had Preschool this morning. Rebekka had fun learning shapes. We sang songs and talked about circles, squares, triangles, rectangles and some others. But most of all we loved kitchen mixing. Mixing random kitchen pantry items with water, baking soda and vinegar. 

I only had Joy's lunch made for noon. I made the supper meals later this afternoon and took them before I went to Lethbridge. 

Jeff had me take Cassandra into Lethbridge tonight for training. I had some shopping to do so it worked out ok. Jeff stayed home, fed the kids and helped them to bed. Jeff lays beside the little children most nights. They like that quiet time with dad.

This Saturday is a special day.

Saturdays are not really days I can sleep in. This morning I was up early so I could get ready for work. Tysyn was asleep beside me on the bed. I heard him come ino my room sometime in the night because he was scared. As I got up, he started to get up too. I told him I was getting in the shower because I had to work. I let him know that nobody else was awake because it was still very early and he should go back to sleep. He was very quiet while I was getting ready.

Some of the little kids were waking as I left to work at the office. I was there by myself for an hour before Cara came. I worked until nearly noon. I checked in briefly at home and then seeing everything under control, I took Maren and Aaren to Lethbridge. (We had to be home by about 4pm because Maren got invited to a friends house at 5pm.)

Aaren needs passport photos and his glasses adjusted. Maren wants flats (shoes) for Sunday and possibly her ears pierced. I had a list of errands but forgot to do most of it. 

Our first stop was Costco. Passport photos are cheapest here but you often have to wait a bit for them to be printed, so I figured to stop there first. But...Aaren couldn't get his picture taken because you can't wear a hoodie in the photo and you can't wear white shirts because the photo background is white. Aaren was only wearing a hoodie with a white undershirt underneath. Dang it!

So we headed off to Walmart to look for shoes for Maren. We considered a new shirt at Walmart for Aaren but opted to check the thrift store for cheaper shirts. We tried to be fast at Walmart but there was a lot of shoes to choose from. She finally settled on some she liked.  

At the thrift store parking lot, Aaren saw a cool car. He felt silly posing for a photo by it so I tried to be cool for him and take a picture quickly.

When Cassandra got her ears pierced, we had it done at Claire's in the mall. They used a gun to punch the earring through her ear and pierce it. Sometime since, her ears have built up scare tissue around the piercing. There is a little lump that feels like a rock inside her ear. It's weird. And I don't think you can get them to go away. Some of the reading I've done about it suggests that it was trauma from the ear piercing gun procedure. So...

I wanted to go to a tattoo shop and talk it's someone who pierces (body parts) regularly. I drove to downtown Lethbridge. We went to Alberta Ink. After talking to the man at the reception and getting a cost to have Maren's ears pierced we went outside to confer. We went to the van and called Cassandra to see if she would be ok if Maren got her ears pierced while she wasn't there to watch. Then I let Maren decide if she wanted to wait or get them done today. Maren chose not to wait and decided to get it done!

Before

The lady doing the piercing didn't want to let us video it but consented when I said the older sister wanted to watch. It was a WAY DIFFERENT procedure than Cassandra's ear piercings. And because it was so different, I'm hoping Maren doesn't have the same kind of scar tissue that Cassandra has.

The piercer cleaned Maren's lobes and then marked it where she thought the piercings should go. I looked at them, Maren looked at the marks in the mirror and then we had another guy come and check it just to be sure.

Next came a clamp on her ear.

She had Maren take a deep breath and just as Maren was in the last second before she exhaled, the lady inserted a very small hypodermic IV catheter needle straight through Maren's ear. All of our eyes got real big!! It was fast and real shocking.

(This is the 2nd ear piercing.)

Maren did not have any kind of freezing or numbing before the needle was inserted.

The procedure is exactly like inserting an IV. The needle had a sleeve on it and after it was in her ears, the lady trimmed each side in the back short enough for the earring to fit into it. Then she pulled each sleeve out the front of Maren's ear bringing the earring post through her ear. Then the tiny ball was threaded on the front.

Maren was really brave! And once the first one was pierced, we had to go through with the second one!! We still can't believe there was no freezing.

Maren was given cleaning instructions and a bottle of cleaning solution. We paid $60.00 cash for both her ears pierced, 2 surgical steel earrings and a bottle of cleaning solution. Maren needs to clean her ears three times a day with the saline solution they gave her. To speed healing, we were told to add 20 or so drops of Tea Tree Oil to he bottle. She needs to keep this regime for about eight weeks. (So around Savanna's birthday.) 

Then she can look at wearing different earrings. I hope she doesn't react. She got tiny little surgical steel balls and they look really nice. We did not upgrade to bling. (Ugly square diamond looking earrings).

Once we were done at the tattoo/ piercing parlour (ha ha), our next stop was Center Optical. Both Aaren and Maren's glasses needed to be adjusted so they wouldn't hurt behind their ears anymore. 

Once we were done in Downtown Lethbridge, we headed to the south end of the city and back to Costco. While waiting for the photos, we stood in line with our purchase of soft tortillas. Earlier in the day the check out lines were so long!! But the lines were short the second time we were there later in the day.

Our final stop was Superstore to get some bathroom products for the big boys. By now we had been in Lethbridge for quite awhile and it was time to get home so I could give Maren some time to get ready to go to her friend Emily's house. 

I drove home through Welling. Aaren wanted a chance to drive so I pulled over just after I turned off Highway 844. I exchanged places with Aaren and he drove the rest of the way to our house.

The siblings were all so excited to see Maren's pierced ears. Savanna can't wait until she is 12. She was so happy to receive Maren's not needed clip on earrings!!

At 5pm I drove Maren to Emily's house. Tonight, Maren's close friends were giving her a surprise birthday party. She didn't know about it and as I dropped her off, I watched  and heard from the driveway their enthusiasm as the door was opened and Maren entered. I was pretty worried I spoiled the surprise when I asked Maren to text Emily's mom for me as we were driving home from Lethbridge. Before Maren got too busy with my phone, I snatched it back, remembering my text messages to Rachel about the party. Maren is smart. It wouldn't take long to put two and two together and spoil the surprise party of the party. If she had of scrolled through previous messages she would have seen party plans too. I didn't think she saw my messages but I couldn't ask her until AFTER she got home. Anyway, Maren seemed pretty surprised from Rachel's video she sent me. When I thanked Rachel on Maren's behalf. This was the reply. 

"Emily did all the organizing and the other girls all helped. I'm so glad Maren enjoyed it! The girls all had fun!"

L>R. Sarah Crawford, Kizzia Jensen, Tessa Anderson, Hayley Romeril, Maren Hardy, Bailey Salmon, Emily Miller, Eliza Smith. 

Maren and her friends. They all have nicknames for each other. Maren's name is Mare hare. 

Bailey wrapped a gift for Maren really hard. Took a lot of work unwrapping many layers to get it open.

Party girls. 

At school, Emily asked Maren a whole bunch of questions. She asked what her favourite cake was. Maren said Black Forest. Then she asked her second favourite. Maren said chocolate. So they made chocolate cupcakes for Maren. 

Silly girls. 

Before supper the boys were really silly. Brandon's hair is getting really long.

Jeff's hair is getting really long.

Both of them were being goofs with their hair. We got lots of funny pictures. Brandon doesn't want me to post any but I think I'm going to have to. He doesn't get enough coverage in my journal.

I ended up doing a lot of the regular Saturday night things that happen around our house.

I made supper and it's not often that we are all together as a family at the dinner table. Tonight we swapped out Maren for one of Devin's friends. It was nice to hear laughing and happy voices together. After dinner I made a quick trip out and picked up a meal from a family who couldn't eat it all. We will enjoy it. I've been grateful lately for the kindnesses given to us. I also stopped to gas up the van. Back at home, we got the kids in the tubs for Saturday night baths, did dishes, and I prepared my primary lesson.

Sometimes the things I do seems routine and boring but this is my life and I love it.

Maren came home and the older boys left. Devin went out to study with friends for his upcoming diploma exam.

New driver.

Well there it is! The paper that allows Aaren to be a driver on the road!

I took Aaren to Surex Insurance just before 2 pm to have him take the computer learners test. He was about 30 minutes. I went to the library to wait for a bit then came back to the van. I was in the van when Aaren came out and motioned for me to come. His smile told me he passed! You are allowed to get 6 questions wrong and Aaren got 4.

He was pretty happy.

After I paid for the license and Aaren got the paperwork done and his picture taken, we went outside and headed to the van. I asked if he wanted to drive home. Aaren paused and quietly said "I didn't think you'd let me. Ya, I'll drive." I tossed him the keys. 

We sat in the van and I let him feel the power of the drivers seat. We went through getting set up to drive. Seat and steering adjustment, mirrors, and seatbelt. After some other minor instructions, regarding driving a big long vehicle and waiting for traffic to clear, we headed home. We went slowly and cautiously to get Aaren used to the function of the big van. He did pretty good for his first time driving. Whew. 

He showed off his license to dad and Cassandra at home, then Aaren and I went for a drive. We drove south of town, meandering through the neighbourhood past good Sam's, out past the Hardy property then through the countryside. His speed on the highway coming home was a lot slower than posted. ;) We were gone for about 20 minutes. 

Cassandra had the afternoon off of school. The junior high had their talent show and she opted to stay home instead of going back to the school for the afternoon. She went babysitting after school. 

Maren attended her first youth activity tonight. She was invited to participate in a YW spa night. Maren is so excited to turn 12. 

Devin was up early this morning. He stayed in last night, so this morning after a good nights sleep, was able to get up early and go to mission prep.

I was just out of the shower when he got home. With nothing to do, Devin scrambled a bakers dozen (13) of eggs for him and Brandon. Then he got big brother up out of bed and they ate breakfast together.

Devin saw Rebekka's 's hair needed doing and he wanted to do it for her. But the amount of syrup and knots/tangles made him frustrated so he marched her to the shower and shampooed/conditioned her hair to get it clean.

He washed it, dried it, blow dried it, brushed it, and finally styled it. 

Rebekka came running out out the bathroom when he was done, showing off her clean styled hair. She was adorable. He was a fantastic dad in training!

Then he helped Maren with hers.

When Devin was little he always loved playing with hair. It's fun to watch him around his sisters! He also made sure that Tysyn and Evan were ready to go. In fact I think he started a 3 week challenge about wearing ties and tucking in shirt tails. If the little boys can go 3 weeks dressed accordingly, then Devin will get them a candy bar. 

I love seeing this before meetings. I love watching my children love and serve others. It fills my heart when the boys honor and commit to their priesthood duties.

Our family arrived at church more early than we usually are because knowing there was a mission farewell today, I wanted to still sit near the front. While waiting for the meeting to start, our family was sitting on the pew and I was watching the boys come back and forth between the chapel and the sacrament prep room. Devin was giving Aaren a hard time. Aaren started preparing the bread on the sacrament table and Devin was concerned that it was too early. Aaren wasn't. Devin didn't want to have dried out bread by the time the sacrament was passed. In fact, he was worried it was gonna be moldly if it was put out so soon! Haha. 

Joe Reeve leaves for his mission and the MTC this week. He talked today in church. I loved his words. Brandon will miss this wise, spiritual friend.

After meetings Brandon went to Reeve's house for dinner. He stayed out well into the evening.

I taught my 3rd primary lesson with the new class today. Today I had 8 boys. 8 little loud and wiggly boys. Yesterday I made 9 paper doll chains repesenting our class. They were so cute with the girl smack in the middle of all these boys. The boys had fun colouring their friends in primary.

This is Tysyn's class. L>R  Tyler Miller, Finley Court, Rocky Harker, Cruz Halvorson, Aurora Roach, Josh Miller, Beckett Coppieters, Tysyn Hardy, Trey Larsen.

After meetings Maren had a birthday interview with the bishop. She is so excited to be 12!!

Maren and I were heading to the van, parked in front of the Stake Center, on the south end of the street. We were walking and talking about what the bishop would/could possibly ask her later in her interview, because she always wants to know details. Our conversation was so focused that we were nearly to the van before Evan was able to get our attention. Bishop Wayne Smith was following us, chasing us down really, to talk to us. He finally got close enough to talk to us. He said he was ahead of his appointment schedule and wanted to know if Maren would be interested in having her appointment right away. I said yes!! I unloaded my stuff into the van and we all turned and went back into the church. The bishop also gave Maren a temple recommend interview and will hand over her recommend after she turns 12.

Cassandra, Devin and James Anderson left together right after church to do sacrament for shut ins. Just recently the YW have been asked to give spiritual messages along with the sacrament. Cassandra had the first opportunity. The boys did the sacrament.  

The Stake had a youth fireside tonight. It was about the 2018 mutual theme. Because her birthday is a week and a day away and because she is going to be in mutual for the whole rest of the year, we sent Maren off to her very first youth fireside. She may as well attend and hear about it rather than miss it by 8 days.

It's crazy to know we are now at child number 5 going through the youth programs of the church. Yikes! I'm feeling kinda old.

For quite some time, Brandon and Joe Reeve planned a temple baptism trip. This morning they were able to take their Sunday school class to Cardston. Brandon drove our van, taking Joe and about 6 of the class members. Cassandra said that the sisters at the temple baptistry showed some of the girls how to size their own temple clothing. She thought that was cool. Brandon baptised Cassandra, Joe baptized his sister Jazz, and then like Joseph Smith and the first baptisms in the latter day, Brandon and Joe baptized each other, after all the other youth had a turn.

I dropped Devin off at school for morning ball practice. He also had show choir vocal and dance try outs.

Jeff and I had the car until the van came back from Cardston. We used it to take Rebekka to her music class winter recital. She participated with 3 other students- all cousins, in the Beethoven Buddies class. They were so cute. Rebekka definitely led out. She is certainly not shy. She confidently sang the three songs. We love our darling daughter. Maren came with us to watch.

(Blogger isn't letting me load pictures. I'll have to try later.)

Evan nearly ripped toenail off when we were gone. Aaren was at home tending and Evan was goofing off. Evan attempted to jump over some boxes in the living room and as he came down, his foot hit the furnace vent air return cover on the wall by the piano. His toenail bent right in half across his big toe. He will likely lose the toenail. Time will tell. Evan says his toe is throbbing/pulsing.

At noon I took Aaren to the High School to see if he could get a tryout time for showchoir. He wanted to try for a vocal solo but hadn't signed up. (I think he was super nervous.) The choir leader was able to schedule him after the two other students already waiting.

The van came back from the temple trip sporting a new shiner on the window. A passing semi threw a big rock and it hit the window on the passenger side. The hit scared the crap out of Joe sitting in the passenger seat. Fortunately it didn't hit directly in the line of sight-but close. Ugh. It's bigger than a toonie sized circle. It's a complete circle and there are no cracks running out from it. Yet. I'm hoping to find someone to fill it asap to prevent it from running across the windshield.

Devin, Brandon and Joseph took a few things from our house to the dump. The old washer and dryer, some recycling and the remaining food that still smells like paint thinners. Thanks boys for getting that out of here!

I made paper doll chains this afternoon for my primary class tomorrow. That's 91 little dolls to colour. Good thing I will not be doing the colouring!! Maren helped me with them.

Aaren was a trooper and cut up a couple of deer front quarters. He wants the shed back to work on knives again. The anvil he got for Christmas is sitting unused and it is killing him.

I took the youngest 5 to Devin's basketball game tonight. They loved being out on the court it's the basketballs at half time. They were excited to buy candy bags with their pop bottle money.

The team lost miserably. Devin played a bit. Not as much as last night. Boyd had a great game and got a lot of playing time. Devin was super happy for him. They played LCI. After the game, Bart McNabb came to say hi and show me a picture he took. Two Hardy descendants sparing on the ball court. Raymond Comet # 4 and LCI Rams # 8. Fun.

The kids collected pop bottles and cans again after the game. I hope the custodians don't mind. Collecting is how the littles make their game treats money. 

Friday meals.--Rebekka loved helping this morning. Together we made 3 pans of cornbread. She is getting good at cracking eggs.

After school adventures.-- I really love/ enjoy working with the kids. I think I prefer the older ages over being with younger children at the Parent Link.

Rebekka had recital practice today at 4. I sent her with Brandon. He needed a temple recommend interview and was meeting Brother Dave Reeve at the same practice. Rebekka though it fun to ride in the car with him.

Aaren and Devin had show choir this afternoon. Devin left early. He had a ball game in Cardston tonight and needed some "get your head in the game" mental prep time. 

I took soup and cornbread to Halvorson's tonight. I hope they like it!! I made lots but by the time I portioned out theirs and some for Joy Martin next week, there was enough for our family. Barely!!

Jeff and Joseph travelled to Med. Hat this afternoon and evening to deliver four medical  examination tables to a doctor out there. They got home late.

While they were gone, the kids were at home and I left to the office to clean with Cara. We worked for two hours.

When I got home I attempted to find the score of the basketball game and found instead a live feed to Cardston's game. I caught the last couple of minutes of the second-quarter and all of the third and fourth quarters. Devin ended up getting a lot of playing time. The Comets lost miserably and because they were down so much at the end, the coach let the bench play for much of the 4th quarter. Devin did well and got approximately 10 points in the game.