Welcome family and friends!

We welcomed my brother and sister-in-law, Alan and Theresa, Calvin and Jessica into our home this past weekend. What a joy to have family visitors already! They were travelling through part of B.C. and Alberta and shared their weekend with us.































Jessica showing off the Dutch soccer jersey souvenier from Alan's European trip prior to the trip West.

















We also enjoyed fellowship with friends we had met in Great Falls, Montana (see earlier post).
Jan and Els along with their four boys joined us for worship and a BBQ on Sunday. Their family has been touring Canada and the US for 8 weeks prior to returning to their home in Australia.








































Niels and Bram; Gideon playing horseshoes with Paul.




















Bram, Peter, Gideon,Neils, Frank! What World Cup team do you think they cheered for?!




Goodbye photo of Alan and Theresa before heading back to Ontario. Those boys are obviously related to Uncle Henry!

Settling in our home

Two weeks of unpacking are behind us. Now we can relax in our livingroom...
























or bake a cake in this large kitchen!















or relax with a wonderful library book...
















or enjoy our spacious recreation room to play Lego or Playmobil in the play area or a game of chess in the sitting area....














.......update the family blog or plan homeschooling for the next year at the computer area! The room is huge and functioning as a multi-purpose room. It's wonderful.














After a fun day of work and play, we settle again....














and our guests(see next post) have already used the guest bedroom! I'll have the bed made up again before then next guests arrive.....who will they be?

Unloading Day (July 2nd)

On Friday, July 2nd the moving truck arrived with our household belongings. As the boxes came in through the back door, I was able to direct the fellas to the right area of the house. That sure saved us lots of slugging! While they unloaded, I began unpacking kitchen boxes. What a blessing to unpack the first box!

Baking pans, pizza platters!!




So we had pizza for lunch after living 9 months without a stove and oven. The slow cooker is packed away in the storage room until wintery weather arrives.



Hooray! Hooray!








The movers had everything off the truck in 4 hours!

Canada Day Celebrations!

....being in the "Wild, Wild West" our celebrations were "whooped-up"....



















































explosive.....



















and hatchet into.....















a stick up by the "Big Man" at the Fort,



















...however, all ended well with a colourful display of culture!














It was fun to be where the North West Mounted Police operated and to experience what we had learned this year in our studies.

"On the Road Again" -to Lethbridge, Alberta

Friday, June 25th - Great Falls, Montana to Lethbridge, Alberta









Alberta Welcome and Interpretative Centre



T-Rex welcomes Peter and Gideon

















Storm from the West in Lethbridge County!









Home in Lethhbridge!

"On the Road Again" Part 2 June 23-25

June 23 - from North Sioux City to Spearfish, South Dakota - 6 1/2 hrs driving plus stops...a long, long day...but a great swim at the end



The Black Hills









June 24 -nearing the continental divide in Montana...







...the palate is getting wet :)










Windturbines in valleys






late 50s Studebaker Golden Hawk passing Albert











We spent our last night, June 24th, in Great Falls, Montana. We met a wonderful family from Australia, of Dutch nationality, with four boys, Niels, Bram, Frank, Paul. Peter and Gideon are very close in age to their two oldest and had a blast together. Jan and Els and their children are having an 8wk vacation through the US (including Hawaii) before returning home...and then yes, they are on the move again after two years they will be returning to the Netherlands for work. We all really enjoyed each other and many things in common (heritage, faith, and rambuncious boys!)






Enjoying a campfire and Smores!









Waterpark at the KOA campground -we all enjoyed this upon arrival and again in the morning before heading our separate ways.....




Ready......GO!













Niels, Gideon and Frank sliding...




Niels and Peter













even Albert enjoyed it :)












We hope to meet up for a BBQ at our place upon their return from touring the USA. Until then...."Go Netherlands Go!"