Fort Edmonton

Friends of ours invited us to go to Fort Edmonton with them. It was really fun.
We rode the train...

played checkers

And ate ice cream.

We also had some bannock, walked around the neat buildings, rode the ferris wheel, and the carousel, rode the streetcar, had a picnic, pet chickens and ponies and enjoyed a beautiful day.

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

Check out this video that was on lds.org:

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

Stan and I watched this last night. I wanted to cry! Then, inside I thought, if something like that ever happened, I hope I could do the same with the Savior's help. He makes these kinds of miracles possible!

Final trek

Thursday was our difficult trek day. On Friday, we had pioneer games, reenactments, crafts and a hoedown. The band in the back was brought in. They were awesome. The music was great and we had lots of fun dancing. This was the macarena. My least favorite. We did an interesting version of the virginia reel. they didn't have a caller so we made do and tried to figure out what was going on.

This picture is of the Sweet water crossing reenactment. It was hard to pretend that the water was icy because it was 30 C outside but I think the kids had fun with it. We were glad to be camping by the river. most everyone got in the dirty river, at least once to cool off and play. We found a crayfish, which was kind of cool but it was trying to make it's way in my shorts and so I was ready to get out of the water.
We had devotionals with everyone, every night and that was fun and neat. Then the last morning was the testimony meeting. I'm so impressed with the youth. Everyone was happy and having a good time, got along really well, etc. I haven't been with the youth since I was one and it was really fun for me.
Stan and I pondered our experience and decided in order for it to be meaningful to us we needed to think of how the experience changed us for the better and what we are going to do to act on those feelings we had. A big one was for us to help our kids catch the spirit of Elijah while they are young. There is so much you can do with family history. I want to make it a regular part of our homeschool. I was reminded several times of the primary song that goes like this "you don't have to push a handcart, leave your family dear, or walk a thousand miles or more to be a pioneer. You do need to have great courage, faith to conquer fear, and work with a might for a cause that's right, to be a pioneer."
We haven't been asked to leave our homes and our possessions behind to travel to a far off place. But the Prophet asks us each conference to do something. We need to have courage to do what he has asked us to do.
It helped me to realize that I need to camp more with the kids. i don't really like to camp but kids love it and I need to buck up and help them make memories.
I also learned how well you can get to know people in such a short time, working and having fun together. I love those kids who were in my family and hope to keep in touch with them.
I appreciate little things that are so common for us who live in first world countries, running water, warm or cold, beds, shelter, vehicles with air conditioning, washing machines, etc.
My parents were awesome and watched the kids while we were gone. They've had them for a week. We went to church without them today. We missed them but it sure was nice to have a break and for Stan and I to have some time together. Back to reality on Tuesday, stronger and more determined to act with courage and faith.

More trek pictures

A common sight for the pioneers. The story here was told of a man who had lost his whole family, 9 children and his wife. He continued on in faith to the Salt Lake Valley.


This was after the women's pull. My face describes how most of us felt. The U.S. govt called away the men for the Mormon Battalion. The way they portrayed it was neat. The men were there next to us to see the experience but they weren't allowed to talk or help us. It was HOT and we went up a pretty steep hill. Many families had only 2 girls so several of us helped many of the carts. We thought we were going to pass out from the heat and the exertion. We all felt similar, yet we weren't going to leave the other handcarts to themselves. It was a great sight of service. We were bonded as women, knowing we all needed each other to make it to the top. Many of the boys commented how hard it was to watch us. they wanted to help so badly.

Stan picked these wildflowers for me, on the trail. We took the picture for Brynn. She LOVES flowers and always wants to use my money to buy me some.

We went trekking

Instead of YM and YW camp this year, a Bishop from our stake, decided to organize a trek. It hasn't been done in this area for 20 years or so. He picked the outlying wards/branches so it was only about half of the stake. Our ward was one of the lucky ones involved. Since Stan workds with the YM, I knew he would be going and because women were involved, I asked if I could come along. We got to be a Ma and Pa of 6 great kids, half of them from our ward. Our ward was the largest unit there.
The scenery was beautiful, the enthusiasm and energy of the kids was contagious and exciting, the weather perfect, the food amazing, the trekking hard and much appreciated.

This is Brigham Young quoting parts of D&C 136.

Here are our children. This is the beginning after we assembled our handcarts and were preparing to walk and push.
Here are our blood children. Aren't they cute? Stan got these hats for free from a business trip to Calgary during the stampede.

Talented and brave sis

I wish I had a before and after picture, but I don't so this is just a quick story. I needed my hair thinned but didn't really want a cut and didn't want to pay for it. I purchased some thinning shears a couple of years ago. Stan is probably smart in not being brave thinning my hair. But, I have so much of it that it's pretty forgiving if you make a mistake. Whitney and I looked up some tips on You tube for thinning hair and she did a great job! I am so impressed with the amount she took out and the beautiful shape she gave my hair. It was awesome. I look forward to her doing it again in a few months. =)
And just so I don't do another post without a picture...
We've lived in our house for over a year and the light in the oven has never worked. I figured there was some sort of electrical problem, since all the appliances were well used before we moved in. I got the bright idea to check the light bulb one day. Now I don't usually do little fix it things because Stan is handy and it makes him feel good to fix things for me and I'm so happy to have him do it. However, he doesn't have a lot of free time so I took matters in my own hands this time. Guess what I found? the light bulb just needed to be screwed in! That kind of fixing I can handle and now I can see in my oven, after all this time...