Skating Away

Every year the city of Ottawa opens the Rideau Canal to ice skating. The ice has to be something like 10 inches think before it is open to the public.

Some friends of ours asked us to join them for a little fun on the ice yesterday evening. It was perfect weather and we all had a blast! After two years in Canada, yesterday was the first time we put on a pair of skates. Ahhh!

Thankfully, I got to push one of the strollers. That is the only reason I can boast not falling. :)

David, Anna, Lisa, and Mark

Anna was loving her beaver tail pastry.

There were little kiosk of food, etc set up on the side of the canal. Yes, there were even vehicles on the ice.

We don't have many pictures of us skating. Well really none cause we didn't dare hold anything in our hands, haha!

Afterwards we warmed up at MacDonald's. Anna was teasing her big brother. Very cute!

Haiti

This is just a reminder for continued prayer for all those affected in Haiti.

The above picture is of Jason Krul, his wife Wil and their young son Jayden.

(taken from a post on their blog)

Jason is a pilot for Mission Aviation Fellowship* and has been serving in Haiti for the last couple of years. They do an awesome work. Be sure to check out their blog. (Our connection with the Krul's is that my siblings and I attended the same church youth camps as Jason a few years ago) But the bigger connection is that we are all part of the same big Family. So please pray for our brother's and sister's in Haiti.

* Mission Aviation Fellowship is a worldwide team of specialists, meeting the transportation and communications needs of overseas missions and relief and development organizations serving those living in the poorest and most remote parts of the world. " info taken from http://www.mafc.org/

Down South for Christmas

There is another post coming for the second half of our journey....so stay tuned.

Layover in Atlanta, GA.....

Grandpa Altena with their little pugs dog and the kiddies....

Pugsly isn't so sure about kiddies....

I don't know if it is just me, but the Altena resemblance is pretty strong here! This is Netter Grandpa. We had a great time talking with Grandpa while Mom and Grandma ran a few shopping errands.

Bummer Net wasn't in the pic, but she was taking the picture....

Ellie loves giving kisses....

The boys were busy cutting firewood while we were away.

And playing with hydrogen then next day......boys will be boys!

I love this pic. Ellie wanted Netter to hold her.

We went to Wednesday evening church at the BNC in Harrison. They were raising money to help build clean water wells in Africa. They project was called Dirty Water and everyone was supposed to bring change they had collected in the "Dirty Water" bottles. It was an awesome project and they were able to raise enough money to supply 5 clean wells.

James was on his way to participate in the singing...

The little kids sang a song and the really little people (that would be James) clapped.

James wasn't quite sure what to do.... :)

Taking a bath in Bomma's 'swimming pool'....

I am pretty sure that this was some surgery goodness...Ellie approves.

He liked his ViewMaster....

She has her college savings fund on well on the way thanks to Uncle Aaron and Auntie Meg...

Whatever it was, it must have been good!

Aaron and his latest horse....

She had the whole surprised and amazed look down by the end of it all..... :)

She loves her Uncle Bert....she even says it like an Aussie.

We three....

We four....

Ellie and Boppa were happy to soak up some warmth by the fire....with a sippy of milk.

We had a ton of fun. It is always great to go back to Mom and Dad's. I spent fifteen years before Bert and I were married, within a half a mile of there. And lived within five miles of there for all but 1 1/2 years of my growing up. It is a good place.

The 'Harley'

Before going away for Christmas, Bert fixed a couple of computer things. I call it his Harley, but it really is 'my' computer. It is pretty nice having a techie in the house. :)

The cooling fan....

Where in the World?

Can you guess where I make my home?

Every Day Life

Here I am, posting more pics of Bert with a camera around his neck. It really doesn't happen as often as it seems. It is just that I almost always have a camera at the same time as he does.....and I next to never bother him while he is at his desk. That is, I don't bother him with my camera. :) Rarely does a day go by when he is studing, that life in my work world can't go on until I consult the Brains of the Operation. And so it goes.

The 'walking pic' is pretty common around here. When we case out a shoot location, it is fun to snap a pic of each other.

Check settings...

They must have been ok...

Posing ideas....

We celebrated the American Thanksgiving with Net and the kiddies when they were here, but we did it again on the day with just the two of us. Ha, you can never get enough stuffing and bird!

This was five batches of gingerbread for gingerbread houses. Yep all 14 lbs of it. It made 8 little houses.

The girls had a lot of fun. And they weren't the only ones eating candy....Bert proved it.

The finished project. They did very well. Each of them had great ideas of their own. This was our last meeting with the Girls Group this year.

So that is just a little bit of life here in SF....the part documented by pictures anyway.

Kiddies

Well anywho, we had a great time with Net and the kiddos! We just 'lived life'. It was sooo fun. And I miss them tons. There are many things that we unfortunatly do not have pictures of. Like going to the liberary, Net and I going out for coffee, going to the park here in SF, etc. Sometimes being in the moment is just as good as trying to capture it for later. (can't believe I just said that....but I really did want be be holding the kiddies and not the camera:)

James isn't it this picture, but we really didn't have very many pics with both Net and I in them so this will have to do!

Check out a little slideshow here.

For Grandma

Hi 'Bamma'! We miss you !

Ellie was hungry....

Playing with the rubber duckies in the 'pond'.....