Spring's arrival and other tidbits

    Spring is here!  Which means time to start yard work and such. We are excited to start working and digging in, literally.  Our imaginations run rampant with wonderful ideas with which to work. :) Andy pulled four old stumps out of the ground where we are going to put a new lawn. That way there will be no bumps for the lawnmower to go over. We also had to mow the lawn already.  Crazy. It's not even middle of April!

 Our second spring in this part of the world.  It's pretty interesting to see how things that were normal to you for all your life, once removed, make for a bit of a lost feeling, subconsciously.   
Things like "April Showers...", yup, no such thing here.  I don't miss the rain, but strangely enough I miss the sound of water seeping into the ground and the ground thawing out at such a quick pace that you can hear the little bubbles of water opening up the soil.  Oh and thunderstorms - they are a rarity here! I didn't even know previously that not all regions get thunderstorms!  Interesting. 
Things like sprouting bulbs all over town. Not many gardeners here.  So instead I went to the grocery store and bought a little yellow pail filled with daffodils. I will plant the bulbs later and hopefully next year they will peep thru the ground here.
Things like Spring fashion.  People are less fashion consious here too, which in a way is very refreshing, but I really do enjoy hunting for that new "in" colour and adding something trendy to my wardrobe.  So since my favourite sister shoppers are approx. 3000 kms away I am blessed to have a hubby who takes me on dates to satisfy that spring shopping craving.  :)  What did I purchase?  Well now, if you must know;)  I got a very lovely jean jacket in the satisfying new shade of peachy/pink.   Since I love describing colours by fruit names I would say its a mixture of Watermelon and Canteloupe.  mmmm.

For the rest, things are rolling along smoothly, chickens are growing and occasionally getting sick, just like the children of this house.   According to my latest research the dry air here makes it possible for the mucous membranes in the throat to be more susceptible to bacteria, and I'm thinking that's a great theory since we have been having some nasty sore throats and croupy coughs.  Sigh.  I'm sure the fluctuating temperatures aren't helping either. 

 
Abby is growing and keeping us smiling, she's such a little chunker and is starting to get her own personality.  She knows when she wants something and basks in the love shown by her big brothers.  The sweet baby gurgles and coos more then make up for the countless feedings and diaper changes.  I could take a picture of her everyday, but refrain, for practicality calls.  :D

We had a funny experience the other day when two donkeys came running thru our yard!  They were sticking close together and hod no bridle or halter on, but were tame so we figured they had run away from the neighbours down the road.  We put them in our pen after bribing them with carrots.  Of course now they  boys want us to buy them donkeys.  Which is not going to happen:)

 And one more thing!  Seth got glasses!  I think he should have been eating those carrots and not the donkeys! (Have you ever seen a rabbit with bad eyes?). We thought his vision was not so great anymore when he started complaining about the overhead projector at church not being clear enough to read.  Now he can see it!  I think it's kind of cute:) and scholarly:). 

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump

 As far as real  old-fashioned Indians go, Southern Alberta really is the place to be and learn about the history of the natives. It's interesting and utterly fascinating for little boys and their parents;)  ..even for grandparents!
We took the opportunity of having company over to once again check out something local. This time we went to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, a tad north of Lethbridge and south of Calgary.  Driving up to it it's easy to downplay the site due to the sheer size of everything around it, but once there and at the museum it really is worth the trip.  With a name like it has, it already promises to hold some sort of interesting history!  Coming this way?  I'll take you there too:)

And "just because we could" we went out for a delicious lunch with Beppe at Montana's Cookhouse.

It was such a fun and delicious treat!

New Seasons

This year...
       ...the month of March is filled right up, and it's going to be gone before we even realized it arrived!  :)

This month..
       ...marks a special visit from Andy's mom to meet our little princess (although we like to think she wanted to see the rest of us too;).  We got to do some fun things together including celebrating Seth's seventh birthday and the end of hockey season.  {Seth is SEVEN! I just had to say it again...} We love having this exuberant, loving and responsible boy in our home. We pray he continues to grow in faith for his maker, and never looses his love for exploring and learning about this world we live in.  Also Seth lost his first tooth {finally!!!}  and Abby is three months {with a stubborn personality already showing}! I'm the loving the bits of purple and coral popping up in my laundry hamper, a change from the years of blue :) She's such a social little thing and is the happiest when included in conversation at the dinner table or seated in her chair watching me tidy the kitchen.

This day...
       ... brings the start of a new season, SPRING {insert much excitement here}.  And we can see the breath of God already at work changing the grass from brown to hints of green.  Everyday brings new challenges and joys, reminders of our weaknesses and bright hope for tomorrows.  We can't wait for warmer days and flip-flops, but are trying to enjoy the days of mud and soggy lawn, that are upon us.  Each day has beauty of it's own, although sometimes I don't see it when three pairs of mud-stuck-to-every-surface rubber boots arrive on the front door step and freshly washed coats come back to the house a few hours (minutes?) later covered in dirt with a little face that says "I don't know how that happened!". 

There is a season for everything, and everything in it's season:)
But for now, please excuse me while I go prepare some supper for the hungry family, who are as a matter of fact, right now, enjoying yet more mud. ;)

A couple cowboys went to the airport to pick up Beppe - we're feeling right at home in Alberta:)

Happy birthday Seth! A castle cake for his party.

First tooth out! He had been eagerly waiting for this to happen:)

Final game - March 14

Donuts and juice afterwards - always a hit.

Happy March!

 Happy March!   Spring is right around the corner...and if you don't have the sun streaming in your windows right now putting a smile on your face, here's a smile from Abby, we hope it makes you smile in return :)

While most of Canada was living with extreme cold, we got the other end of the deal and had sun and spring like temperatures.  We enjoyed them to the fullest, having afternoon coffee breaks on the deck to soak up the rays.  I could even start spring cleaning!

First real smiles we caught on camera... :D

 We went to the Ag Expo in Lethbridge for an afternoon of 'something different'.   Anything with big farm machinery is always enjoyed by the menfolk in this family!

 Dressed up and ready for church one Sunday morning, Tristan asked if he could take some pictures. :)

 I went with a sweet friend to Medicine Hat for a day of thrifting. We took Tristan and Cohen along for some extra fun.  And fun they had, coming home with all sorts of treasures, real cowboy boots included.
Lunch at Timmy's is always a hit.  A day out with friends is such a break from everyday:)

Family Day

Enjoy your time with family! 

"Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done. "

(Johnson Oatman)

xox - the bijlsmas

 

Winter days

The days are getting longer and the suns rays are warmer, you can feel it and see it. 
February might be a short month on the calendar but for me it's always long.  Spring is hanging right around the corner but we are still in winter mode... and its getting a bit old. 
These past few weeks have been difficult in that I've been under the weather a bit - Abby and I developed Thrush, (which I don't wish on anyone and I'm still trying to get rid of it).  I'm very thankful the kids are all healthy and happy, although their abundant energy can be a bit overwhelming!  We've had some slow days, some crazy days and some very sleepy days.  Today it's plus 8 and I'm enjoying the quiet house as Abby sleeps and the boys are outside, dancing in the mud.

There's a poem I need to memorize which can be recited in a mothers heart daily, or as needed. It has helped me many times as I stop daily, and pray for patience as another child calls for guidance.

  

A Mothers prayer

Oh give me patience when wee hands
Tug at me with their small demands.
And give me gentle and smiling eyes. 
 Keep my lips from hasty replies.

 And let not weariness, confusion or noise
Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.
So when, in years to come my house is still
No bitter memories its rooms may fill.

Today I have pictures from 'everyday' since that's what where we're at right now!

The weather had been up and down like a yo-yo. Freezing cold, then warm enough to get out the spring jackets (or no coats at all). When it's cold we make cookies or sled down the hill dad made...

Little boys - BIG messes!

 

Then in blows a chinook and the snow is gone, (you can see the what's left of the snow pile in the background).  The weather can be a bit tricky as you get the feeling that spring has really arrived only to be thrown back into winter by looking at the calendar and realizing it's only January/February.  Oh well, we'll take what we can get!! :)   

  

Andy took care of Rowan one day while I was doing groceries and together they put the chick paper down in the barn.  He was pleased to be daddy's shadow for the afternoon!  

Andy went skiing with a friend for a day in early February. Rowan of course had to help send him off early in the morning!

Thru out the day, everyday, Abby needs some cuddles from anyone who will give them.  :)

  

 Left:One month old!
10lbs 2 oz.
56cm
Growing like a weed

Right:
Super funny looking
with her thrush
treatment:)

  After baths and before bed the boys love having a few stories read to them on the couch. And while this is the time of day that kids should be tired, it seems as though Rowan never is.  He can usually be found anywhere but in bed. The other night he came running to us quite shocked by what he had done to his face while "shaving". He is so quiet we had no idea he even escaped his bedroom!  There's no doubt about it, he's in the middle of the terrific twos!