family and friends

Saturday was quite an eventful day. I helped Mom with some preparations for our big family birthday/Thanksgiving dinner planned for that evening. Around mid-morning, my sister called and asked if I'd be willing to pick up a cake for Adrian's birthday party on my way there, so Isaac and I went to pick one out. At Adrian's party, Glen gave the kids each a ride or two on their new quad (those that wanted to, anyways), then we all went in to have some cake, watch Adrian open his gifts and play until it was time to go home.

Once all the family members had arrived at Mom and Dad's, the noise level went up several notches, with the kids running upstairs and down (Isaac got rather overheated, and I found myself wishing I'd packed shorts for him!) Dinner was delicious as always.

Sunday morning we headed to Abbotsford to attend Alderbrook Community Church and catch up with a few friends there, then returned to Mom and Dad's for a quiet afternoon. Curtis wasn't feeling well, so he stayed there while Isaac and I went to visit our friends the Halls for dinner. Unfortunately Isaac is nervous around their dogs, so Jann had the kids put them in their pen outside, which caused them to be upset. Dinner was delicious, and it was good to visit with my best friend, however brief or interrupted.

Monday morning found us back in Abbotsford for Curtis' doctor's appointment, then an early lunch before picking up my friend Kerry from her brother's and heading to the park for a walk. From there we went to visit our friends the Carpenters, and Isaac had a wonderful visit with his best friend, Brock. He was very sorry to leave! We headed back to Mom and Dad's for supper with them and my uncle Leonard and Aunt Bonnie, who were visiting from Saskatchewan. After Isaac went to bed we all played canasta.

Tuesday morning Colleen and Adrian came over for awhile, then Isaac and I went with them back to their house for lunch. She brought us back mid-afternoon when she had to pick up some kids from school. We had supper and a quiet evening with Mom and Dad. Wednesday morning we were up bright and early so Mom could take us to the Vancouver Airport in time for our flight home. Uncle Leonard came along for the ride.

I enjoyed my week visiting friends and family, and I was glad the weather was as nice as it was, but it was good to come home, too, even if our house was awfully cold when we arrived! Curtis was quick to make a fire downstairs! Work wasted no time in calling me to see if I could work the afternoon shift, but I declined, as we were hosting a family dinner for Curtis' parents, his Uncles Bruce and Grant, and Aunt Barbara.

The weather here has gotten significantly colder these last couple of days, and I've been thankful for my new rain suit, which keeps me warm and dry on my bike ride in to work. I'm still fighting my cold bug, but so are several other staff members, so I hope the residents don't get sick, too. I feel fine generally, except a drippy nose (at the most inopportune moments, of course) and an occasional coughing fit.

Well, I think Curtis will fill you in on anything I might have missed. In case you're wondering about the photo at the top of this blog, it's of Isaac and his Gramma playing 'Go, Fish', which he started learning during our visit there.