Tag Archives: holidays

Time at the Cabin

While we were back in BC, before Tim joined us, Calvin and I were able to spend a bit of time at our family cabin on Hatzic Lake with family.

(To my family who like to refer to it as the “lake house” since the reno, I still prefer “cabin” because it doesn’t remind me of Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves.)

This place has always been a place to relax and visit. It was the destination for most of our summer holiday time that wasn’t dedicated to driving to visit Manitoba family. It has recently become the place to celebrate holidays with my mom’s side of the family. Surrounding my sister’s wedding, it hosted some extended family and was the backdrop to wedding portraits.

Hangin’ in the hammock.

Heading out on the water.

Swinging with cousins.

It’s a right of passage to ride the mower with Grandpa.

No visit is complete without some BBQ over the fire.

No visit is complete without some BBQ farmer sausage over the fire.

Chilling inside with Great Grandpa Thiessen.

Surveying the landscape.

Maybe one day I will post some pictures of our growing up years spent here. Who doesn’t love a good reminiscing?

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Easter Weekend

I guess we just had a big holiday, hey? Why is it that big holidays don’t feel that big when you don’t have a lot of family around to celebrate? And long weekends don’t feel like long weekends when you are home all the time anyway. But Tim was home on Friday, so we got to hang out for an extra day, which was nice. And he was also home on Monday, but was working. Everybody at his office took it as a vacation day, but he didn’t want to, so it was fortunate that there was work he could do at home.

I didn’t do any decorating or egg painting. I probably will when Calvin is older and can appreciate it, but for now, for me, it is a waste of money. I did buy Tim a $1 chocolate bunny from Walmart though, and hid it. Apparently putting it in a cereal box was too clever though!

On Sunday, we had Jordan and Amy over for a mid day dinner of a delicious ham (the spiral one from Costco that is always so tasty) and salad, and also mashed potatoes and a yummy trifle provided by them. Tim then got a turn at hiding little bags of Eggies (Hershy’s tastier answer to Cadbury’s Mini Eggs) for us. And that was our celebration. I would share photos, but the only one I took was of our food, and you all know what ham and mashed potatoes look like. It was a fun, casual day.

Easter is the most important holiday in the Christian religion, and I am glad that it is recognized by our country, even if it is just an excuse for chocolate and a day off for most people. To me it is about remembering that I have New Life because Jesus took on my punishment for my sinfulness. And yours too! Here are some lyrics from one of my favourite Easter themed hymns:

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

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Our First Family Day

This year, BC added a new winter holiday: Family Day. However we were not in BC to enjoy it. The good news is that it already was a holiday in Alberta! So even though we didn’t get to enjoy the first of a holiday, it was still a first for us.

Our day didn’t look much different than normal though. I washed diapers, Tim played video games. We hung out in the living room playing with Calvin. I made cookies, Tim wrote a story. I changed diapers, Tim didn’t. The only thing different was that we went grocery shopping together! Yay family! And then for an extra different thing, we treated ourselves to some Tim Hortons (yes, it really is a treat; I don’t think we have gone there since we moved here). And lo and behold, Roll Up the Rim is here! It was a nice surprise. And our treat to ourselves expanded because both of our cups were winners! One free coffee, one free donut. Yay!

And that was our family day. No fancy outings. We have limited imaginations when it comes to thinking of stuff to do. That may make our lives seem boring to some people, but I like it. And I like my family.

Here’s to a four day week!

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New Years

When the new year rolls around, people start reflecting and setting goals for the new year ahead, or coming up with themes for the year. I don’t. So here you will get an account of what we did for New Years Eve. Fun!

We were in Victoria for the night of the 30th and hung out with our good friends Anna and Karl and a bunch of others who came for a couple hours in the afternoon. We got our Anna and Karl fix, and Anna and Karl got their Calvin fix. That, and they got to break out their newly acquired Ticket To Ride Europe.

The next day Tim and I enjoyed a breakfast together before he headed back across the ferry to Langley. He spent the night there so he could get an early start for home on the 1st to be back for work on the 2nd.

I then met up with Anna and Karl again and we made our way to Sooke where our friends had booked a vacation rental on the coast. It was a beautiful setting and the perfect place to ring in the new year with about 25 of our Victoria friends. Calvin was a party pooper and went to bed hours before midnight.

The first couple of days were spent back up in Nanaimo with Tim’s family, then I spent a week in Langley with my family.

It was a long holiday, and I was ready to head back home to Edmonton and get back into my regular schedule.

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A Sevenhuysen Christmas

On Boxing day we once again hit the road (which unfortunately included a ferry ride) to head to the Island where Tim’s family is. We made a quick stop at their home in Nanaimo before heading out with everybody toward Mackenzie Beach Resort in Tofino. Tim’s parents booked the same cabin we rented a couple years ago in the fall, so it was kind of nice to have a familiar place to spend Christmas. If it isn’t at home, it may as well be somewhere you’ve been before! I was the first outsider to join their Christmases two years ago, and this year Amy joined us on the 27th when we all exchanged our gifts.

We spent three days there, and most of it was spent lounging around, playing games or going for walks on the beach.

There was a beautiful sunset the evening we arrived.

Take it all in, Calvin. Take it aaaall in.

It was PJs.

One of the afternoons we went for a good walk on the Wild Pacific Trail. I’ll be honest and say the two hour trek really did me in, but it was beautiful. Michelle borrowed an Ergo from a friend in Victoria and we all took turns carrying Calvin. Now I really want one!

There were so many pretty views along the way.

And that was our week with Tim’s family.

A Thiessen Christmas

We left Edmonton in the evening of December 19th and arrived in Langley just in time for dinner the next day. The first six days of our Christmas vacation officially began!

We were able to attend my niece’s Christmas pageant at her preschool. She had the part of Mary and said her one line very well. It was such a cute little production, and everything a Christmas event at a preschool should be.

The next thing on the agenda was the Janzen extended gathering at our family cabin at Hatzic Lake. The cabin recently underwent some renovations to open the living space up, but we still seem to be bursting at the seams! It is always fun to catch up with my cousins and see how their own little guys are growing up so fast.

Cousin Julene tells a story to the youngest generation as they wait for their supper to be plated.

Uncle Abe (or Opa to the little ones) didn’t mind lending a hand to hold a great grandchild.

We had a fun round of a White Elephant gift exchange, involving some pretty ridiculous items. I liked what I ended up with though, a set of navy curtains that makes Calvin’s room look more like it belongs to a boy than a gender neutral baby.

At one point Tim had this lovely banana suit, but it was snatched out his hands quite quickly. What a sad day.

Since Darren brought Chelsea to our family Christmas for the first time I dunno, 9 or 10 years ago, we have switched up the days we celebrate together as a family. Every other year we do Christmas day, switched with Christmas Eve the other years. This year we had Christmas Day. Most of the family was there in the morning for a yummy breakfast (even Rosie’s new fiance and his son!) and then everybody else joined in the afternoon for a little while all together before Mark and Isaac were due at his parents’ place. Fun times were had and good food was enjoyed by all.

Isaac had to remove his Batman mask because it was scaring Calvin, but I think he will get over it and they will be great friends.

Showing off his present from my friend Carleigh.

Exhausted with Grandpa at the end of the evening.

And that was our week with my family.

Christmas Time

There is always a lot going on in December to celebrate Christmas. This year I tried pretty hard to get out and participate in a few events. I already told you about the Christmas Tree Lighting downtown, but since then, there have been a couple other things we have done.

My friend, Andrea, invited us to a fun, new event her church put on this year. It was called Imagining Christmas and was in a building at Fort Edmonton. There was music, food, crafts and a photo booth. There were also a TON of people, so we didn’t stay too long, but it was fun! Here is our family photo from the booth:

We are wearing our “It’s cold!” faces.

Last weekend, our friends Dee and Matt invited us to their church where they had a Bethlehem Walk. Tim had been to one on the Island before, but this was the first one I had been too (and Calvin too, of course). I forgot my camera, but Tim used his phone to get some not-so-great shots. Here we are at the top of the village:

And of course we can’t forget Christmas in our own home! We won’t be here for Christmas, and I really don’t have that many decorations, so I didn’t go all out. But I did put some lights around the window and set up my little 3′ apartment sized tree. Up until last night, Calvin hasn’t really noticed it. But I have it up on a box, so hopefully he can’t get into too much trouble.

We plan on leaving on Wednesday after Tim gets off work. We will drive the flat stretch that evening then tackle the snowy mountain drive in the daylight on Thursday. We are very much looking forward to spending some time with family and letting everybody get some Calvin snuggles in.

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