Weekend Retreat

I'll be missing Elly's first birthday party today but it just can't be helped. Mickey, Emily and I are headed to Pigeon Lake, about an hour south of town, for a weekend scrapbooking retreat. This will be our third retreat in Pigeon Lake and we look forward to them for months. Lots of preparation is done, deciding what supplies to take, what pictures to work on, packing, etc. Here's some pictures from last year's retreat. There was plenty of snow last November...not so this year...hoping it holds off till after we're home.


The main building of the lodge, where we have a large work room that'll accommodate a couple dozen scrappers and all their attendant paraphernalia. The back wall of the work room is floor to ceiling windows overlooking a large deck and acres of woods.


The second building, where our room is (Emily, Mickey and I always share a room), as well as the spa, hot tub, fireplace lounge, etc.



The townsite - it is very quaint with several good restaurants, one in particular which offers wild game and organic vegetables, free range chicken, etc. Our favorite eating place. There is also a scrapbook store there for those essentials that we might have forgotten to bring, like adhesives. Always fun to browse in when we feel the need to escape the creative mode and stretch our legs.

This is Mickey standing on the boardwalk/bridge between the two buildings.

So you'll have to excuse me if there's not another blog posted for a few days. I'll be enjoying some serious R&R in an idyllic rustic location with lots of like-minded friends. We usually stay up till past midnight scrapping, grab a few hours sleep, then get back at it, taking breaks during the day as we need them. A great way to spend a weekend. See you back here on Sunday night.

You've Come A Long Way Baby

A year ago today Eloise Patricia Hardwicke-Brown joined the family - the third child in her immediate family and the 14th grandchild in the MacKenzie clan.


It's been a busy year for the little girl - she has her own passport and at the tender age of three months made her first international flight to Arizona with her Mom and Grammie. She's a seasoned traveller now, having flown to Kelowna, BC with her Mom and siblings in August.

She also participated in the first MacKenzie family reunion in June where she already was the big cousin to James and Alex.


Now at the ripe old age of one year old, she is a force to be reconed with - motoring around the house, climbing stairs, turning her mother's computer off while Sara's busy working on it, terrorizing the cat, and learning to walk.

Happy birthday sweet girl.

Winter Coats

Remember this cute bunny that I blogged about in October...the one who lives on our cul-de-sac and likes to hide/rest under the tree where Lloyd parks the truck???


Well here he is again...all decked out in his white winter coat. Doesn't he look nice. I took this picture yesterday at the same tree that he was under last month. I talk to him but he never answers and doesn't stick around long enough for much of a conversation anyway.


And that's it for today. Sometimes I really feel like my mother's daughter.

Brooklyn's Birthday

Although Brooklyn's 5th birthday was earlier in the month, Lloyd and I went to their place tonight to celebrate with her with a birthday dinner. She was excited to have us there - she's such a sweetheart.


Don't you just love watching little kids open their presents! So much excitement and happiness.
Brooklyn doesn't hesitate to show her appreciation - it's a pleasure to give to her.


She made short work of the wrapping paper.


and loved the Disney crawling baby princess..."it's just what I wanted"... and we were glad that it behaved the way it was meant to - crawling to Brooklyn, laughing and cooing. When we were kids it was enough that our new dolls had 'rooted saran hair and eyes that opened and closed.

She loved her new baby doll. We had good visit with our firstborn and his family, as usual.

Preview of Christmas

First, here's Elly, standing but not walking. She actually did take one step yesterday but she doesn't realize that it's something she could be doing on a regular basis.


Sara's Christmas tree and ornaments were destroyed in their floods earlier this year, so this year she gets to buy a new tree and new ornaments. From among the ones she put up last night, these are my favorite...

A feathered owl, bought because Grammie loves owls - and she's very smart too ;)

My very favorite, Sara's frog prince, to honor Quincey

I love pictures of babies by the Christmas tree.
Here Elly is playing with Max's favorite ornament, a penquin.

Another baby picture.

It's a bit too early for me to put our tree up, but I always get a few new ornaments for it - it's part of the fun.

Flat Tire

I got a call from Sara at 4:30 this afternoon. She has a flat tire, can I rescue her. I bundled Charlie, Max and Elly in the car and head to South Edmonton Common to find their Mom. The kids were excited - Charlie had never seen a flat tire before. Max had so he was very self-important and lording it over Charlie.

When we found her, Max quickly assured us that indeed, the tire is flat.

Charlie had to see for herself - she was concerned that a flat tire can't roll properly.

Sara reassurred them that Daddy would take care of the car later. In the meantime, since we were in the immediate neighbourhood, we went to Michael's and Sara bought a Christmas tree and some ornaments.

A very exciting afternoon for the H-B's.

Youngest and Oldest

With Mary in town for a few days, Jenny and her family came from Lacombe to see her and meet little Baron. Jonah, as the oldest of her five boys, is very comfortable with babies and it was nice to see him holding this littlest grandson of ours - our oldest grandson and our youngest. Jonah is 12 and Baron is 3 months.

Jonah and Baron

Jonah, Baron, Mary, Sam, Jenny

Daughters and Sons - Jenny with her two oldest boys and Mary with Baron

Three Generations
Mary, Baron and Lloyd, the proud Papa

Jenny and Jonah
She suddenly finds herself outgrown by her first son.

No room at the table for Layla and Charlie so they ate dinner at their own separate tables.