Concert at Willingdon Beach

The Ensembelles

Collin loved to touch the water

Walking down to the fishing hole

I love this picture of Collin and Landon

Collin, Landon, Jordan, Amy, My dad, Serena and Emily

Emily loved the frog

Emily wanted us to have our picture taken with grandma after the concert

On Sunday my mom (and her musical group Ensembelles) sang in the SeaFair concert series down at Willingdon Beach. She started 1/2 hour before church got out so her young women and my family skipped out a little early to hear her sing. She did such a great job! To keep the kids happy we walked down to the breakwater and looked at the sandcastles. Emily was quite upset that we would not buy her popcorn. She thought that it being the Sabbath was not a good enough excuse. :)

Memory Filled Day

We took the kids to see Chris Bloeming today. It was really nice to see her. I was sad when her husband passed away and she has often been in my thoughts. The kids loved her and her dog Misty. It helped that Chris gave the kids cookies and chocolates. Landon showed Emily a picture of Bill and Chris and explained that Bill had died. Emily brought me to the picture and told me that Bill had died. I told her that I knew that and expressed to her how Bill had loved her. She stroked his face in the picture and told me how she wished she could have seen him one last time. It was quite sweet. It was a nice visit. We left when Collin started to get a little naughty and I was afraid he might break something. I really love Chris and enjoyed the time we were able to spend with her. I hope this is not our last time together.


When we got home I inflated Emily's swimming pool (that I purchased when she was a year old), the Spiderman slip and slide (that I purchased when she was two) and various other swimming toys. Emily and Collin ran around in their swimsuits jumping through a sprinkler toy my mom had. They were so excited to help me fill the pool with water. I got into my bathing suit and demonstrated to them how to use a slip and slide. Emily was in heaven while Collin decided the water was not quite warm enough for him. Emily couldn't quite get the whole thing. She would run up to the slide and then drop to her knees. And not move. Finally she started to sit down and Landon or I would give her a push. After we splashed in the pool. I was able to take some really fun photos which will help us remember the good times. Emily kept practicing on the slip and slide, waiting for my dad to get home from work. By the time Papa was in his swimming trunks Emily was able to get herself 2/3 of the way down the slide by herself. By the end of the night she could go the whole way. She was so proud of herself. Sariah and Ethan arrived and quickly stripped down to their underwear and joined in the fun. Matt has 2 billets from Mexico staying with him, a mother and daughter. The daughter stripped down to her bathing suit and had a blast. She never quite figured out the slip and slide but she had fun in the sprinkler. Lots of fun memories.

We all headed to mini golf after dinner. Collin was hilarious. He would hit the ball with his plastic club, chase after it, pick it up, place it at the edge of the hole and then hit it in. It made me giggle. Emily and Ethan would hit their balls at the same time and then rush after them. Very entertaining. Sariah stood and cheered for them on the sidelines. Steve golfed a very good game with Papa bringing up the rear. After a really fun game of golf we had ice cream. Emily had her cotton candy ice cream cone (her new obsession) while Collin had his orange "baby" cone. It was a lot of fun!

Spiderman!

The paparazzi were out in full force this afternoon and Collin was able to have his picture taken with his favourite superhero!

All of his dreams have now come true!

Too Many Video Games???

Emily learned how to go down the Spiderman Slip and Slide today. She was very proud of herself when she was able to use her own momentum to get down the slide without an added push from her mom or dad. The second time she was able to do it she fist pumped into the air and said, "I did it! High Score!"

Later we went mini golfing with my parents, Steve, Matt's family and his 2 Mexican billets. Each time Emily "golfed" a hole she would say, "I scored. Next level!"

Yep, Emily's favourite game is Angry Birds. It shows.

Manicures and Pedicures

I love to start my summer off with a pedicure. I just never got around to do it in Pocatello so I scheduled an appointment for Emily, my mom and I here in Powell River. My friend Suzanne mentioned how much her daughter loves to go and have it done so I decided to take Emily. I wish I had thought of bringing my camera! Emily was so cute while she was getting her manicure. She sat up tall and smiled at the lady and talked with her. She picked pink for her nails and they put a small heart on each of her thumbs. She was so excited to come and show my mom and I. My mom had never had a pedicure so it was lots of fun to treat her to one. We got the Spa Pedicure which included a foot massage, sitting in a massage chair which massaged as we sat there and few other extras. It was so relaxing. My mom almost fell asleep! (Which Emily thought was hilarious until she turned serious and asked me who was going to drive home because Grandma couldn't because she was sleeping.) :) Emily helped us pick out our toe nail colours. Emily was a little sad that I had only booked her a manicure appointment because she wanted her toes done too. :) I told her that we would do them tonight at home. It was a really nice girls outing.

I love my Husband!

My dad has been crazy busy with work. Since we got back from Naomi's wedding he has only had one day to mow his lawn. And the ride a mower broke after only getting the back 1/3 of their 1 acre property mowed. He finally was able to fix the mower but has been really stressed about finding time to mow his lawn. I mentioned this to my husband this morning before I went to work. When I got home Landon went out and started mowing the yard. The front yard is done and now he is working on the back. Landon has really bad allergies and so I know that this is a big sacrifice for him. I really love my husband!

Sleeping in the "Farm"

While we are staying at my parents we are sleeping in the loft in the barn. My children love it but will not be persuaded that their beds are in the barn. Emily is convinced it is a "farm" and as Collin believes everything she says, he says it that way as well. Last night the kids slept on the futon in my parents basement and Landon and I stayed out in the barn. My mom found Emily in the kitchen crying at 5:30 this morning. Emily told her that she had gone to the "farm" to see mom and dad and that the door was locked. She had come back to the house very sad. She went back to bed with Grandma but my mom said it was hard not to laugh when she insisted she had gone to the farm not the barn. :)

Harry Potter

Our friend Sheryl and her three daughters (Jordan, Serena and Amy) convinced Landon and I that we wanted to stay up to go to the midnight opening matinee of Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2. I will admit there wasn't a whole lot of arm twisting but I did think twice as I had to work Friday and that was also the day we were leaving for the reunion. Wes bought our tickets in the afternoon and so we didn't have to head down to wait in line until 10 pm. Amy, Sheryl and I hung out with Serena joining us when she finished babysitting. We had a fun time sitting around and chatting. Jordan was actually working in the theatre that night so she scored us seats up in the balcony. :) Landon joined us at about 11pm when they started letting us in. We spent our time laughing and talking until the movie started. WE LOVED IT! I think it is the best Harry Potter movie yet! They stayed pretty true to the book which I liked as well. We got home around 2:30am so I manged to get in about 4 and a half hours of sleep before gettng up for work. :) I am definitely getting too old for this but as I don't forsee any more movies that I want to stay up for I am safe. :)

Hull Family Reunion/Get Together

Last summer my dad put together a weekend of camping for his brothers, their wives, and posterity. It was held at Qualicum Bay Resort and it was a ton of fun. My dad's aunt and uncle (Mel and Rita Hammel) and his cousin Sally were able to join us as well. Because it went so well we decided to have it again this year. My dad booked the sites including a cabin for his family to stay in. As the weekend approached we wondered if anyone would come as the forecast said rain, clouds and more rain. My cousin Megan is due the first of August and since she lives in Ontario we knew she wouldn't be able to make it but hoped that others would come. My little family left on the noon ferry on Friday so that we could spend some time in Nanaimo doing a little shopping and reminiscing of times we spent there. My parents came over on the 5 oclock ferry and we made plans to meet up at 7:30 pm at Qualicum Bay Resort. The kids and I slept the hour and half drive to Nanaimo. We visited Costco, drove around a bit and then went to the mall. We were able to find a batman toy for Collin who was ecstatic. Landon and I treated ourselves to a few things and I was able to have New York fries Veggie Fries. Mmmm! We were late leaving so we didn't get to Qualicum Bay Resort until 8 pm. It had stopped raining. Finally! It ended up my Uncle Mel and Aunt Judy had been there most of the afternoon and had not been able to put up their tent because the rain was coming down so hard. So they rented the cabin next to my parents. My cousin Dalia and her daughter Jada were there but because of the rain were going to stay with Dalia's uncle in Qualicum. She promised to come back the next day. I put the kids and myself down to sleep early. The cabins sleep eight due to two double loft beds, a double bed and a futon. We put the kids on the double bed, Steve on the futon and my parents and Landon and I took each of the beds up the ladder. It worked pretty well except having to climb down the ladder at night to look after the kids. The next morning we slept in and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. My aunt and uncle put their tent up and we visited with them for a little while. My mom, Aunt Judy and I went for a walk up on the trails through the forest. It was really fun talking with them and just walking in a peaceful place. It was beautiful and I wish I had brought my camera. My Mel and Judy came for lunch at my parents cabin. We needed a few things so Landon decided to go for a 3 hour drive to get them. :) By the time he got back my cousin Dalia had come back with Jada. My cousin Amber and her husband Neil and kids Sophie (5) and Graham (1) arrived around 3 pm. They had decided not to stay the night camping but to stay with Dalia in Qualicum. My Uncle Wayne and Aunt Cee showed up around 3:30pm. Aunt Cee's daughter Karen came by with her husband and new puppy for a few minutes as well. Around 4 pm it started to rain. Not just rain but dump buckets and buckets of rain. Everyone piled into my parent's small cabin. My dad, 2 uncles and Neil decided to put up a tarp. I documented with lots of pictures becuase it was quite humourous. But eventually they got it up and a fire started. It was a little smokey but fun. Hans Stussi, a family friend and owner of the Resort, came to visit with us for awhile and made us all laugh with his stories. The kids mostly stayed in the cabin with Landon keeping a watchful eye on them. Collin loved the fire. He kept blowing on it. :) The kids came out to cook hot dogs and make smores. It was a small percentage of us there but it was a lot of fun! We missed those not there but have plans for next year. The best part is that they've booked 3 cabins and 2 tent sites so even if it rains we should be able to stay dry. :) As soon as I get the pictures off my camera I will post them. Emily kept telling me how much she LOVES camping. I didn't have the heart to tell her staying in a cabin with a flush toilet, heating, mattresses, and a kitchette are not camping. But there was a fire and we did get soaked so I will let her think it for now. :)

Funny Moments

I have fallen behind on this blog but I wanted to record a few humourous things.

1. Maternity Pants
When packing for our trip to Powell River for the month of July, I packed one pair of pants. A pair of jeans. I figured that we were camping the third weekend and it may rain a few times. I did not count on rain for the first 7 days we were here. If not more than that. I tried to wear capris a few times but found I was rather cold. How did I know remember how much rain we get here? To be far to myself there has been more than usual but still! One morning I realized that it was too cold for shorts or capris and Collin had wiped food on my jeans and I hadn't washed them. Oops. It was then that I remembered that my sister in law Ashley gave me back all the maternity stuff she borrowed. There was one pair of maternity jeans in the bag. I wore them to work.... Yep. I folded the waist band down and it worked as a belt so I had jeans that stayed up. I felt a little weird but they definitely were warm and quite comfortable. My husband said he felt they looked as good as my other jeans. Hmmmm. :) They have been employed a couple of other times. I did buy a pair of lounge pants and another pair of yoga pants while at Costco on the weekend so now I have more pants. And of course the weather has turned warm. :)

2. Emily is learning in primary the hymn, "Praise to the Man." She practices it daily. Her favourite part is "Hail to the prophet! And the elephants!" Yeah she isn't a hundred percent on the words but the tune is really good. Yesterday she and Collin were singing in the car. Suddenly she said, "Let's go crazy!" She and Collin sang the "Hail to the prophet!" line over and over while fist pumping into the air. I was busting a gut laughing. I love my kids!

Hull Family Photo

Back Row: Sariah, Matt, Emily, Landon, Collin, Tamara, Tyson, Cassie, Russell, Nic
Middle Row: Papa (my dad), Emily, Claire, Ashley, Naomi, Gary, Grandma (my mom), Maggie, Rita, Abigail (aka Gabagail)
Front: Stephen

Candace was wondeful to take a current famiy photo. The last one my family took was 2 years ago and we are missing Abigail and Claire. For having 10 kids in it I think it turned out nice. :)

Naomi's Wedding

I am just a little behind in posting about my sister's wedding. We had a wonderful drive up through Montana and arrived Monday night for a surprise birthday party for Gary. It was fun to get to know Gary and his family that night. We stayed with Gary and his brother Everett at their house "down the road." Now this is Taber, AB so that consisted of driving through a lot of farmland. :) Poor Everett's room was next door to ours and the kids were not so good about going to bed quietly. And he had to be up and out of the house by 6 AM. The next day we left for Cardston just after noon. Naomi had asked me to be her escort for her first visit to the temple. My parents friends Rick and Ginny Williams saved the day by coming in at the last minute to help my Aunt Margaret and Grandma Knoll babysit the 10 grandchildren which included 2 babies. :) They brought bubbles, sidewalk chalk and treats. There is a reason they are our favourite people. :) The temple was beautiful. I hadn't been there since my own endowment session 11 years ago. It was such a beautiful, spiritual experience. I am so grateful for the temple and the promises and blessings given there. Afterward Naomi (who had not eaten for most of the day) was feeling a little faint so Gary took her home while the rest of us had a picnic in the park and then a nostalgic drive through our childhood hometown. It was fun to show Landon my old elementary school, and three of the four homes we had lived in. One of them had been torn down so he actually only saw the site of the old hotel. We stopped in to say Hi to Greg and Debbie Burt and then headed back to Lethbridge for bed. The next day Naomi, Candace,(a friend of Naomi's from beauty school who lives in Jackson Hole, WY, also a bridesmaid) Rita and I headed into Lethbridge to pick up all the last minute things for the wedding. Like order cake for the reception, buy the food for the luncheon and reception, oh and buy the stuff to make Naomi's wedding cake. Nothing like remembering at the last minute she didn't have a cake! :) It was a fun day filled with laughing and Five Guys Burgers and Fries. You can't do better than that. We headed back to the house to get started on everything. My dad and Nic had taken Rita's kids and Emily swimming at the Taber pool. Emily went down the tall waterslides all by herself! My Auntie Margie was waiting for Naomi as she was having to alter two wedding dresses trying to make them work for the wedding reception. (Naomi's dress had been at a seamstress for alterations and she had butchered the dress.) So the day of the wedding we came back to two BEAUTIFUL wedding dresses and Naomi had to pick. She chose one for the Lethbridge reception and the other is for the Powell River reception. We love Auntie Margie! Rita was up until midnight making a cake, laying fondant, and decorating it with Naomi. After our afternoon family picture Gary had stolen Naomi away for a date. She returned at about 10 and remembered she did not have a veil. So my mom put one together. It was crazy but Naomi held it together. And the next day she was all smiles, no nerves or worries. The temple ceremony was beautiful. She and Gary are such a wonderful beautiful couple. Perfect for each other. Naomi was stunning as she left the temple in a very stylish white dress and cage veil. Gary leaned down to hug Russell and some how popped out the lens of his glasses. But Everett's bowie knife came to rescue. Thank goodness for Cowboys. :) The luncheon afterwards was beautiful and such GOOD food! We headed into Lethbridge to stay at the hotel. The kids were so excited to be able to swim and go down the water slides! The hotel had mixed up our reservation but after some perseverance from my dad we got our rooms and without a raise in price. We went straight to the pool for some well deserved relaxation. Candace joined us for the night as well. We met up with Naomi's childhood friend Karlyn and her family at the pool. Emily and Collin loved going down the slides. Especially on the tubes. (They had to go with their parents though as the slides ended in four feet of water.) They also loved the wave pool. Everyone slept very well. We headed out for pictures the next morning with Naomi and Gary at Charlie's horse ranch. (A place Naomi volunteered at.) It was fun to meet Charlie and see his place. Candace also wore the hat of wedding photographer and she set up some cute shots. She left right after to drive home to Jackson Hole. We hope to see her later this summer. The kids all loved looking at the horses, petting the cats and climbing the hay bales. Charlie passed out chocolate bars. Mmmmmm. The kids went back to the hotel for naps and then we headed to the wedding reception. It was in a converted barn. It was gorgeous. Matt and Ashley put together a cute slideshow and Matt MC'd. There was a dance after. Lots of fun! The pictures on my camera have not been downloaded yet but when I do I will post them. It was so wonderful to see my sister be married to an incredible young man. Congrats!