What is there to do at Papa and Nana's?

It's been a year since our grandboys have visited from
Saskatchewan so when they arrived they needed to check everything out.

There were dandelions to pick and present to Nana.

The hot tub is a huge attraction so it's on each day's agenda.

Papa has to measure each boy against the kitchen door post to see how much they've grown since their last vist. (Evan grew 3 inches and Kyle a full 4 inches!!)

We pulled out the super scrabble and E proved his expertise by pulling off a Scrabble (using all 7 letters on his tray at once) on his first turn!

They boys went exploring in the crawl space and found the trumpets and blew us an energetic tune.

Of course the creek always holds its attraction - a bit scary for Nana but she gave in and found fishing rods, so they dug for worms and went fishing and then their Mom gave a hand to span the creek with a board so they could dangle their feet in the cold cold water.

Since then they've played Lego, read voraciously, gone bowling, rode their bikes, took the dirtbike for a spin, decorated cupcakes, watched the birds (calling PopPop to show him one we hadn't seen yet) cheered on the hockey game, went for ice cream, checked out the used bookstore and shared their favourite stories with Nana.

They've also been a great help - setting the table and clearing their dishes after the meal, making their beds, tidying up the toys and helping Nana cook.

On his first morning here, 9 year old Evan cooked breakfast for us - scrambled egg and bacon wraps.

And that was only the first couple of days!

Then the Seattle cousins arrived and the excitement has risen to a fevered pitch.

More on that next time.

Easter weekend

A few highlights from the Klassen household!

Hunting eggs, family around the table, and Monica getting Uncle Harv to slice her freshly baked Paska on the big meat slicer.  It worked but left a lot of icing on the fingers!

 

seeing Mike and Ros as an engaged couple and watching Harv’s brother juggle his twin grandbabies.

The only downer was watching the Canucks lose but being together with family more than made up for it.

And last but not least, I got to share my excitement over the arrival of our “Mennonite Girls Can Cook” Cookbook by giving each family their own copy.

And most important of all  - the reason we gather together on Easter Sunday:

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!

Good Friday

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Beneath Thy Cross

Am I a stone, and not a sheep,

   That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross,

To number drop by drop Thy Blood’s slow loss,

    And yet not weep?

 

Not so those women loved

   Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee;

Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;

   Not so the thief was moved;

 

Not so the Sun and Moon

   Which hid their faces in a starless sky,

A horror of great darkness at broad noon -

   I, only I.

 

Yet give not o’er,

   But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock;

Greater than Moses, turn and look once more

   And smite a rock.

                                                     

Christina Rossetti

They’re Here!

Our cookbooks arrived today! 

Hip Hip Horray.

A journey long,

a heart of song,

a job well worth

the months of work.

Pages bright

filled with light;

food  and story,

in all their glory.

Get yours now!

You’ll wonder how

you ever cooked without it.

 

       

   

Cookbooks can be ordered by going to http://store.mpn.net/productdetails.cfm?PC=1624

Desert Flowers

We've been back home for over a week now and I've just now had a few minutes to work on my blog. I thought I'd share a few highlights of our vacation with you.

Palm Springs lies in a dry valley between two mountain ranges. Wherever there is water, the land is covered in green lawns, majestic palm trees and every type of shrub and flower.

However in its natural state the whole area is a desert and as soon as you leave the irrigated towns and head up into the mountains, dry, rocky landscapes and cacti are the norm. But even in the desert, there are many flowers that brighten the driest, most barren landscapes. Sometimes you have to look close to find the delicate beauties but others bloom boldly and they are hard to miss. Unfortunately I don't know the names of most of them but here are a few we saw on a hike near 49 Palms.

I'm always amazed at the way God has created these plants to bloom where they are. Despite the scorching sun during the day, the contrasting cold at night and their barren location, devoid of water or noticeable nourishment, they bloom where they are and bring delight to those of us who are lucky to come upon them.