Tag Archive | Arby’s

Happy Birthday Boys!

February is crazy! So I figured I would drop a quick note to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY boys! Emanuel turned 10 on the 3rd!IMG_20160203_094642

Zander and Gavin are a ripe old 12 now as of February 5th!IMG_20160205_091216

We had a special couple days. ON the birthdate of course was the official picture. (above) Made even more special by the fact that we had the baby pictures at hand and not yet on the walls. I admit it, I have a hard time believing that those babies are now my big boys. Especially the twins at 3 lbs 1 3/4 oz a piece. You wouldn’t know to see them now!

Then the night of the date the boys got special dinner out with Daddy. This was a total surprise for Emanuel who we kept it from until AFTER choir that day when he and Ken left after dropping off the other 3 kids. Taco Bell for him and Arby’s and some great coupons for the twins.IMG_20160203_214648

They brought left overs home to share with me. Silly Daddy forgot to take a picture at the restaurant. I guess they had too much fun to remember.

They brought left overs home to share with me. Silly Daddy forgot to take a picture at the restaurant. I guess they had too much fun to remember.

The also got to open some presents on their days. Lovely t shirts from Gammie and a special small gift from us.IMAG2347

With phone calls from Grandma and Grandpa Mike and skyping with Nana and Baba… well we did it up right.

Then on Saturday their big present and dinner (with homemade cupcakes) at the Schwartz’s. 12, 12 and 10… who would have thought it??? IMG_20160206_124921

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Love you boys!IMAG2475

3 Days of Making USA Our Home

The road to Canada was smooth as silk, the time to pack amazingly SHORT… We followed their saga via texts and then correspondence with the people they saw in Canada. Thank you so much Kristen, Fydo, Chris, Chris and of course Karyn… for putting up with Ken, for holding stuff for us, for keeping track of the guys. A major part of me wishes I could have been there, an even larger part was glad not to be confined to a vehicle for that length of time. Nana figured that it was a much easier drive on the guys due to its 2 hour planning time. No time to focus on the length of the drive.

Thank you so much Karyn for the bag of special stuff too!

That kept us close to home for another day to the great unhappiness of the boys. I, however, managed to write TWO letters in one. I really need to practice my penmanship. After the first page it gets a lot more sloppy than I would like. So more incentive on MY end to add to the letters… again if you are not on our pen pal list… please send me your name and info or email so we can exchange addresses. 

Of course we had time for some photos. She loves this dress and every time she wears it wants to take pictures

Anyway Saturday was nice and quiet and sunny and … lonely. It is amazing how much we miss our menfolk while they are gone. We did get ANOTHER pen pal letter in the mail today though! I honestly am loving the mail on Saturdays. A nice surprise on a weekend. The excitement in regards to our mail has already started. So on Monday we drafted a response!

Saturday night Arby’s picnic in the basement.

Pretty much Saturday, Sunday and then today (Monday) were all at home days. Sunday just after lunch the menfolk made their way here. They actually made the round trip in less than 3 days! That included sleep, two border crossings (both of which went well) and filling the trailer. We rushed right into the U-Haul when they got here and got it emptied well in time to avoid paying for 4 days as well!

Welcome home Daddy and Baba courtesy of Gavin (I had to write it out for him but we worked together on the spelling of welcome)

Waiting for the guys

Time to work

So Sunday was basically, get the U-Haul empty, return it, empty the Envoy and.. NAP! I think we were all worn out. But wow, the guys did an amazing job getting everything to fit in the space they had AND on top of that, it takes up so much LESS space in the garage. I am slightly afraid of when we are able to get our own place… exactly what are we going to have to fill it??? 

All the way from Canada in one piece, my Shandai Kurylo original!

Trying on a find

We did find quite a bit of what we were sure we needed immediately Sunday night… Ken’s second monitor… clothes for everyone… and after a tearful late night search – my dress from Chris and Chris’ wedding to wear to the Renaissance Fair! My friend Shandai works it and is getting us tickets. I am not sure if we will all go or just Ken and myself but I am so excited!! All I need to do is hunt down my hair things or come up with a style to do myself. 

Not THE dress, but the OTHER dress

Anyway… while we did not go far or do much, the kids were over the moon to see Daddy and Baba. And their toys… clothes and whatever we have unearthed so far. Everyone is officially well clothed again… options!!! And the boys have their precious trains and Legos! 

Today was a little more organized though schooling except our pen pal response was put on hold while I worked on opening and labeling buckets. I managed to complete 18 buckets and dismantle one of the few cardboard boxes before running out of steam and having to face that there is stuff in our room that requires sorting first. I am trying to figure out creative ways to keep stuff packed away but available as school and life must go on and I know that it will be some time before we can get into our own place. 

We had another first since getting here… Ken had his very first interview! He thinks it went well and now has code to do. On top of that on recommendation of my friend Shandai’s boyfriend he has applied at another company for 3 different positions. I have to say THAT company would be a perfect fit for him. So here’s hoping either the interview or this new company pans out and moves us along on our goals to getting our own place and starting to get our feet under us once again! 

The only big negative today was sadly related to my eyes. For some reason this year after years of relief I am getting back into the hay fever issues. I think I got some dust in my eye and then with them being so dry from some random plant that apparently I do not agree with it has NOT been a fun day. So tomorrow I am hoping we can get some over the counter remedies from Target. I am not sure what there is here in the states as I know it is different than in Canada where they all are. I was hoping to avoid the medications but I miss my contact lenses… oh and breathing better… 

The plan for the rest of the week… dig out the math books I know are there, find our supplies, educate on the butterflies and Mars rover before the interest fades… Oh and find those toys and other objects of interest that the kids are SURE are there. I still have to hunt down the tv remote for one of Ken’s favourite possessions – our personal tv.

I am hoping to squeeze some sewing in on that list but with the garage full of unlabeled buckets and our bedroom a stack of randoms… well I have my mission and 5 kids to balance so we shall see how it goes! Wish me luck! One more tie to Canada cut and one more root put down here in the USA!

Mobbing the Daddy and Baba

Adventuring on a Grand Scale

July 18-19

And here is where I come through on my promise… Wednesday did not only mark the celebration of my nephew’s birthday BUT it is also the beginning of our biggest adventure yet as a family. We are officially on our way south to Minnesota for a 2 year or so stint as permanent residents in the United States of America! Yup, you read that right, we have left the familiarity of Alberta for Ken’s home state of Minnesota. 

This is not a decision we came to lightly or with little thought but after another month of disappointment in the rental search (seriously HUGE places turning us down on the basis of it being “too small” for our family… yah right), a sudden contract issue (no fault of Ken’s or the supervisor but the world happens) and the feeling really that this is the direction we should take led to our finally making the move. The plan was swift to implement as it has been a backup plan since Ken first moved up here and we definitely didn’t tarry. Thus the run to the passport office, the garage sale and downsizing… all the clues were there right?

We started out for the states right from Drumheller after our final good byes at the party. The plan was to drive on through with naps when needed and did we ever! We made AMAZING time. And since we had the iPad that can pick up any and all free Wifi we did periodic check ins from every place we could via Facebook. A good thing as  well before the border our cell stopped working (payfor does not like changing areas of service). As my Aunty Becky joked – the kids must have figured that the drive down to Minnesota simply came down to a string of fast food restaurants! 

Some beautiful Alberta scenery

We did have one scare Wednesday night, a deer decided to attempt suicide using our van as the vehicle of choice. It actually was across the highway when we saw it and started to slow and then decided to turn back around and run AT us! Thankfully we got away with just a dent in our sliding door and a rather adrenaline pumped Kenny. 

Poor van

After Saskatchewan at night and Manitoba in the wee hours of the morning it was the border crossing. It was our simplest border crossing yet with next to no questions and only one car ahead of us! What a relief. I always feel anxiety at border crossings, I swear Ken eggs them on subconsciously. 

Saskatchewan rest stop

Note the van is PARKED

After that it was North Dakota with a hilariously WRONG Canadian bacon related sign…

What, so now we are all pirates??? eh???

A Minnesota rest stop all full of sun, heat and HUMIDITY

And then onto Minnesota and our end destination – Nana and Baba’s and our next two years in sight. We were welcomed by Nana and Baba and our niece Gabriella and nephew Zachary…

Gabriella and Trinity

So starts a brand new page in our life… Minnesota and all the ups and downs that go with it. Note the sad lack of slurpees… but I WILL survive!!! And to end this epic trip… a few of our location marking pictures…

Sunset in Saskatchewan

My last slurpee from Macs in Winnipeg…

Our first meal in the states… Arby’s for lunch

This entry was posted on 26/07/2012, in Uncategorized. 4 Comments