Ski Trip

Today I went with the grade 6, 7, and 8's on a ski trip to Blue Mt up at Collingwood 2 hours north of where we live. We had TONS of snow last night so the ride up was a bit slow but they had 8 inces of new fresh powder to ski on. It was AWESOME!! Kaitlyn did very well after only skiing 3 times last year. Took her about 1 1/2 runs to get the mojo working again and she was off. I even go to leave her for half the day and go skiing with a couple other moms on the harder runs! In two weeks we have our March break for school and we will be heading back up skiing for a few days. I can't wait to go again!! What a wonderful day! These kids are the best and so much fun to be around!

Hockey News!!

We are excited to say that Gracie's hockey team placed 1st in their division in the play downs. Now they get to move onto round 2. What an exciting day. We found out right before an exhibition game that we were playing yesterday afternoon. We all went out for dinner to celebrate. The restaurant welcomed us so wonderfully and they even had a drawing for the girls. Kaitlyn good friend Olivia won an official 2010 Olympic hockey jersey. Too cool!!!

These girls had a bit of a rough start in the beginning but they have come a LONG way and have worked SO hard to get where they are at. Each and every one of them has improved in one way or another on the ice this season and it is showing big time. We are SO proud of them and know they are going to do well in this next round. We'll keep you posted as the games get played.

Family Day

Yesterday was Family Day here in Ontario. There was no school and no work but Matt had to go in for most of the day. The girls had a sister swap with some friends. Kaitlyn went to the older sisters house while the younger sister came here. Grace had a blast with Riley playing in the snow, on the Wii and even doing some painting. I hardly saw them all day. Kaitlyn had lots of fun hanging with her friend Delaney and her cousin. Playing in the snow and just being teenage girls.

When Matt and Kaitlyn came back home we decided to check out a new sledding hill that Grace found in the park. We all had fun taking turns sledding down the hill and doing tricks. Matt and I decided to take a walk out to the beach. I hadn't been out there since before Christmas and it's had been a while for Matt also. It was a pretty walking through the trees and snow. The beach had a good layer of built up ice/snow.

We ended our day watching the Candian girls hockey team play in the Olympics. We have really been enjoying watching the games. Our TV is on almost all day with the Olympics playing. We recorded the opening ceremonies and it took us all weekend to watch it all. What an awesome thing to see. What has been fun is we have been watching on the Canadian station. It has been a neat experience watching them from another countries point of view. I have found myself not so focused on my own country I am from. I am just enjoying the games for what they are. I got excited and cried watching Canada get thier first gold medal on thier own soil. What an awesome experience! I'm not a competitive person so I don't really get into all the my country is better than yours. I am SO proud of our US Olypians who have won a medal and those who have poured thier heart and souls into thier game. But I am also just enjoying watching the different sports and cheering on who ever.

Disney 2010

Our trip to Disney World 2010~ we went the the Berkman and Dunham families. We all staying in a wonderful house 20 mintues from the park. We had a wonderful 7 days in the parks. Here are just a few pictures from our week.....








The girls with the Dunham boys
out side Test Track in Epcot.









Matt and the girls after the
safari ride in Animal Kingdom.

Me and the girls in front of the

tree of life in Animal Kingdom

Matt and I on the steam boat

in Magic Kingdom

Where our trip began in Magic Kingdom

Have a beer with Matt ( not

really) in Germany at Epcot

The girls got to harvest a pearl.

Kaitlyn got a rare one!

We got to see Cirque Du Soleil.

It was AWESOME!!!

The kids waiting for the parade

in Magic Kingdom. Yummy

ice cream cones!

Everyone did Thunder Mt 3

times in a row!!!!

Meeting Mickey and Minnie!

Celebrating Jamies Bday

at the Liberty Tree Tavern

for breakfast.

Good Bye Grandpa

On January 23 we said Good Bye to the worlds GREATEST Grandpa. My grandpa Kalmbach lost his battle with lung cancer on January 18. He had not been diagnosed long before but fought as hard as he could.

As I sat at his funeral listening to my aunt and cousins talk about Grandpa I wanted to also stand up and say a few words too. I just couldn't get my feet moving. Everything they were saying I wanted to say too then add a few of my memories of Grandpa. I don't regret not getting up and speaking, but I want to use this to put my thoughts to words.

I have spent many days and nights thinking about my grandpa and what he meant to me and my whole family. Grandma and Grandpa were the role models that everyone should have. They never turned anyone away and ALWAYS had enough food for anyone who showed up at the door and loved like none other. Grandpa was soft spoken but when he spoke everyone listened. Like my cousin said there could be a loud "discussion" going on and all Grandpa had to do was say "poof poof" and everyone's voices would calm. Grandpa wasn't cross and never had a bad word to say about anyone or anything. But you knew what he expected of you and you never talked back or questioned. I want to model myself after Grandpa with raising my girls this way. I got a ways to go.

Grandpa LOVED all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. His eyes would light up every time he would see them. You would always find him out playing ball, or pushing them on the swing or even joining them in a game of some sort. As grandpa got weaker he would sit back and just smile and enjoy their playing as if he was right there with them.

Grandpa also LOVED his yard. It was the best yard in town in my book. His roses were his pride and joy and every year I looked forward to seeing how big they would get this year. It definitely was a labor of love for him.

I think one of my favorite memories of my grandpa was the year I got my drivers licence. He let me drive his sweet camero to Dairy Queen for our treats. That was the BEST!!! I think Grandpa was just as excited as I was. That was the thing with Grandpa, his joy always came from seeing others happy.

I am so thankful that I got to know my grandpa and have 38 years to be apart of his life. They say what kind of legacy to you want to leave. Well, my grandpa left a legacy of love, devotion, happiness, joy....Grandpa lived the fruits of the spirit~ love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control.

Thank you Grandpa for all that you taught me, all that you showed me and giving me unconditional love like none other! I will miss you lots and will feel a void in my life here on earth but one day I will see you again in heaven and on that day I will run into your arms for the kind of hug only a grandpa can give.

Been too long

I just realized that it's been a month since I posted anything here. Needless to say we've been very busy. On Dec 16 Kaitlyn and Grace had their school Christmas concert. Kaitlyn played flute with the band and Grace's class played the hand bells. That night we left for Detroit to fly back home to WA the next morning.

We spent 18 days in Bremerton visiting family and friends. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve where most of my cousins came into town to celebrate. It was wonderful seeing them after so many years. All the great grandkids had a blast playing together and getting to know each other again. I find it such joy that these cousins who see each other not very often can pick up right where they left off and get right back into the swing of playing and friendship.

Matt was able to take in some fishing with his good buddy Jeff. They caught one 14 pound salmon that Matt and I cooked ( or should I say Matt cooked ) for Grandma and Grandpa.

The girls got LOTS of play time with cousins, cousins, cousins and of course good friends.

It also was a time of medical issues. My grandfather had been diagnosed with lung cancer and has been receiving chemo treatments. It has really taken a toll on him and I am VERY thankful to have been able to go home to see him and spend some time with both him and my grandma. Matt's mom, Marcia, ended up needing to go in for a biopsy. They found a lump on her breast. They were able to remove the majority of the lump but she had some complications from the surgery and had to back for another one. I am SO happy to say that the results came back non-cancerous and she is recovering well. I am also very thankful Matt was there for her during this time. The last day we were in town we found out my dad's wife Debbie's cancer had moved to her stomach. She is a tough lady who won't go down without a fight. Please pray for her during this time as she goes through more chemo. I believe God has great plans for her and her job isn't done here. Needless to say in the joy of going home and seeing all our loved one we had some hard things that came our way also.

Again I say, I feel SO blessed to have had the opportunity to go home and see everyone and be there for them. It is a time I will treasure greatly and thank God that we were able to be apart of this wonderful time of year.

Kaitlyn is 13!!!!!!

Yesterday marked a big day for Kaitlyn. She finally can say she's a teenager. Matt and I find it hard to believe she's 13 already. Seems just like yesterday where we waiting 20+ hours for her to arrive. Spending all night in the hospital just praying she would just make her arrival quickly. Now look at her, she's 5'1" and a beautiful young lady. We are so proud of the person she is turning into!

To celebrate her special day, last weekend she has 2 friends spend the night. They had fun watching movies and doing crafts. The next day they went to the movies. It was a simple but very fun "party". Yesterday was a snow day so she spent the day just hanging out at home playing on her new Facebook page. One of her girls friends came over in the afternoon to hang out for a bit, which was a great surprise for Kaitlyn. We couldn't go out for her Bday dinner so we made tacos and Matt made a special Daddy dessert for her.

Today since the weather is better and the roads are open we are taking her out for her birthday dinner that we missed out on last night. She is taking after her "Auntie" Brooke and turning her Bday into a month long event!