Christmas Letter December 14, 2021

 

Merry Christmas to all of you our friends and Family! 

A little overview of our life this placed year! The first few months were spent homeschooling once again. School was back to somewhat normal but masks had to be worn and no visitors to school unless you signed in. Nigel started Kindergarten in April and had two normal weeks and then another lockdown came. This time we did half days at school for the youngest class. That was very nice. School was out early in May. June found us on the road with our pickup and trailer full of a kitchen for Kelly’s folks. Yes, we drove to Alberta! We left super early Saturday morning and got to his folks Monday night shortly after supper. We had a great time out there seeing family and friends. Unfortunately, a close family member unexpectedly passed away so we didn’t get as much time with family but we aren’t complaining. On the way home we stopped at my cousin Megan’s place for a night. Was fun to see her again! The rest of the summer was spent in the garden, by the pond and in the pond swimming, mowing lawn, and such things like that. A few pizza parties were in there too. We also added to our family with a four legged long eared puppy. Another Basset hound this one named Frieda. We love her to bits and so enjoy the basset hound things she does. They are such a fun dog breed to own. Such long ears to step on and very sassy and talkative. School started in fall with Heidi going into grade 3 and Nigel into grade 1. So just me and Margo at home. We have great fun together. Kelly’s mom and sister Heather with her boys came in October to surprise Vicky for her birthday. We had a great time with them and enjoyed having them for a night each. Marshal and Amy came the last of November for a week and also spent 4 nights at our house! We love finally being able to have company for night!  We were finally about to go to my folks for a quick weekend trip right after Thanksgiving and have plans to go spend Christmas there.  It was so good to see them again. We also enjoyed a short revival in the beginning of December with a very special communion. A few big things for us this last year. We raised and sold 100 chickens for laying hens, 30 some pheasants for meat birds, 10 turkeys for meat birds, and 6 bottle calves we raised till fall and sold as feed lot steers. We have orders for about 75 more laying hens, 50+ pheasants and plan to get more bottle calves after the new year. Another busy year but we love it! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!              

 Love, Kelly, Kristen, Heidi (9), Nigel (7), Margo (4) 

November 18, 2021

 Hello to all. I see last time I told you all I was gonna do better doing this monthly but I see I didn't do very well. For some reason I thought I had done one in October but I didn't. So I will start with September. the first few days where spent making cupcakes for a few orders I had and then my little Margo Kendalyn turned 4 so I made her cupcakes as well. This year she got Peppa Pig ones as that seems to be her current favorite.  As part of the birthday present this year we decided let each one pick where they want to eat supper so Margo picked Old McDonald's as she calls it.  The 7th of we had appointment for the children to renew their US passports in Toronto so we spent the day there. Did the passports in the morning and then went to the aquarium for a few hours. We all really enjoyed that. Kelly or I had never been to a big one like that and we both loved the look of pure awe as the children discovered so many new things to watch and look at.  The 8th was the first day of school. Heidi started grade 3 and Nigel grade 1. They both have the same teacher a Miss Penner from Manitoba. So the next few weeks where spent readjusting to a new schedule and bedtime and bussing again. I do bus with someone so I get every other week off. I don't mind to much as we only live 5 minutes from school. Now on to October. The 8th we took our turkeys to the butcher shop. There is a place close to us that we have to have them three by a certain time in the morning and then we go get them late afternoon. We did get a few people order so I took them right away because I didn't have freezer room. The 10th we went to Jay's for lunch as its Thanksgiving weekend for us here. In the evening we had to go to church to set up for the church Thanksgiving supper because we are food committee.  The 11 we had to be to church by 5 to get coffee and stuff ready for supper. It's a potluck supper so to speak where we make a list and everyone puts there name down to bring something. Heidi had a dentist appointment later on that week for a cleaning. The next week Nigel had his allergy test. He was very very worried about how it would go and a few tears where shed but he did amazing! The did it on his arms and he had very mild reactions but nothing that answers our questions. She does want to retest him for his amoxicillin allergy he has to see how bad it is. So we have a phone appointment in December some time and she will see if he needs retested or not. I guess since his first reaction was so bad there is a good chance she won't want to retest him. It's to risky. The next week was Vicky's birthday and Mom and Heather flew out to surprise her. So we had night company a few times and they where all here for supper a few times. We had Nigel's birthday early since they all where here. Since I was so busy with company and I had to serve hot lunch at school I ordered Nigel an Ice cream cake from DQ. He wanted a tractor on it so that's what it was. He picked a local place called the Pickle Barrel for his supper because they served pickles and he LOVES pickles.  Well that's where is will stop and I will do November in a week or so! Till next time.........

September 8, 2021

Hello to all of you after a long break!!! I think I have keep up with this blog monthly since Heidi was born. I know I have missed a month here and there since but never this long. I just seemed like I was getting burnt out with it even though I know I just update about our life here but I do feel like I need some inspiration to write and there just hasn't been. Now that school has started again I feel like I'm ready to get back to this.  So I will try my best to highlight our summer. So back to May I don't have anything written down so it will just been what I can remember. I guess that's the important things right? School ended for us at some point in May. I don't remember when. 3 of us mothers from the youngest class made a teddy bear picnic lunch for there last day. We served lunch outside on picnic blankets and made brown sack lunches and then played with the children. May was also garden planting time along with flowers. It was so much fun to do that again after not doing it for a year. We put lots of bark about the trees, compost in the flower beds, sprayed roundup, and mowed lawn. June was spent getting ready for a big trip, going on that trip, and recovering when we got home. The first weekend in June we had a garage sale in our garage. We meaning Vicky, Carissa, and I. The next was spent packing everything for the trip and Vicky did the garage sale again the next weekend. We left to Northern Alberta on June 12. We pulled out trailer with all the cabinets for folks new house they  are building. After 3 very long days we arrived at folks Monday evening. We spent the next week and a half with family and friends. We where sad to leave but it didn't feel like home any more and we needed to come home pulling our trailer with the last of our life from Alberta.  We took it a little slower coming home and stopped at Megan's for night and then stopped for a few hours at the Soo Locks and watched a boat go through. Also about 2 weeks before we left another puppy joined our family. Another Basset hound this time a girl which we have named Frieda. She is mostly black and white with a little bit of brown and such loooooong ears. We love her to bits! July was filled with normal life. Swimming in the pond, mowing lawn, weeding the garden, watering flowers, and being with family. One big thing for us is that we raised just over 100 laying hens. We got them as chicks. We had 3 different kinds and we sold all of them in a matter of a few weeks. We did keep some for ourselves. Plus we have about 75 on order for next year. We also got turkeys as chicks that we are raising for Thanksgiving dinners. We will keep one or so for us and sell the rest. And we have 50 pheasants that where on order but they don't leave till about October. August  was sweet corn month. Carissa and I did ours together and then about a week later we helped Vicky with hers. We had vet appointments for the dogs and eye appointments for the girls. Nigel had an appointment on the phone with an allergist for a bad reaction he's been having and now we have an appointment for a skin test in October. I don't have my hopes to high they will find something but we will see. Also have spent my time doing peas and green beans for the freezer. I've made salsa, pizza sauce, and homemade tomato soup which let tell you is the best thing I have ever tasted!!! Now I'm trying homemade ketchup. Well the garden is almost cleaned up. The potatoes, onions, peppers, tomatoes, and pumpkins (which are currently being sold at the end of the driveway with much success) are pulling out of the ground. I still have a few carrots and some herbs I need to look after. Well I guess that ends our busy summer. School started today and will be back to keeping this blog up monthly now. Please excuse any spelling mistakes as I have a little girl who had so much to say while I was doing this.   Till next time........

May 3, 2021

 Hello to all!! I know I know it's been awhile. I thought about writing this in April a few times but when I looked back on March I realized I had wrote almost nothing down on my calendar. So I tried to do better in April so this will be 2 months worth and I will just touch on the highlights so it doesn't get so long. March 1st Kelly's folks where still here so we all went to Jay's for supper. Nigel had an eye appointment just before supper so I took him to that and Kelly took the girls to Jay's. The 2nd we went to with the youth to London to sing. I know the house parents so I was excited to see them. At this point we still had morning and evening chores to do as we where just starting to wean calves. They since have all been weaned and are enjoying the nice pasture they get to roam in. The 12th was Eli's 1st birthday and we went to Jay's for cake sometime around then I don't remember the day.  The 14th we had Joel's for dinner.   The 20th we went to Mount Forest for a chick order. I got 8 exotics as they are called. That means they don't lay our basic white or brown egg. Hoping for all hens but we will have to see. The 22nd was the start of spring break for us. The 23rd I took Miriam and Rebecca along with my girls to get another chick order. These are ones we will be selling. 50 Azure Blue's. They are a white hen that lays blue eggs. The 26th Darrell's and his folks came for supper. The 27th we took the children to the butterfly place as fun thing for spring break. On to April, the 2nd we worked in the pasture getting it ready for calves. It has all been fenced by the previous owners we just had to walk the fence and make sure the trees where trimmed and no wire was down. The 4th was Easter. We went to Darrell's for dinner. I took potatoes, deviled eggs, and pies for dessert. The 5th I send my second child off to Kindergarten. Nigel was very excited and he was up before his alarm rang and it didn't take long to eat his breakfast or get ready. I love his excitement and enthusiasm. The 6th I had Darrell's and his folks for supper again. The 7th I had an eye appointment. The 16th we had Darrell and Kelly's birthday party at Jay's since their birthdays are a few days apart. I made Mocha espresso cupcakes and Lemon Meringue Cupcakes. The 19th we started another big lockdown and homeschooling of sorts. The 21st Heidi had a dentist appointment as she has an adult tooth coming behind a baby tooth. She doesn't need to pulled now but if she doesn't wiggle it out soon she will. The 22nd I started painting my laundry room. I guess I forgot to say I painted both bathrooms and built and put in new shelves. I just can't remember when but it was the last of March I think. Also on the 22nd I went o Carissa's and sewed. We stayed for supper as well. The 23rd I finished the laundry room and we all went will Kelly to look at a tractor we are thinking of buying. Just a small one but we need something to help with our calf and chicken chores. The 24th I mowed lawn for the 2nd time and we pumped out the pond and pressure washed the sides and raked the rocks back to the top. Also since the chicken project is a lot my idea I do a lot of the work for them. Some of them where getting to big and to many for a pen so I had to get another pen ready and move them around. One of our calves died suddenly so we where pretty sad about that and then had to figure a way to look after him. The 25th Jay's left there boys where in the evening as they had to got singing. The 27th Miss Gingrich was here for supper. The 28th Carissa came over and we painted the living room and they stayed for supper. Well I think that about gets me caught up! I'm sure i missed somethings but that's ok. Till next time.........

March 2, 2021

 Hello to all. I was hoping spring would soon be here but after a nasty snow and wind storm yesterday and waking up to -14 this morning I think it will be a bit yet. So back to February 2nd. The Dorking girls came foe supper because I wanted to talk to them about ordering some plastic containers in. The 6th Kelly helped Edgar and Lena move to their new house in Listowel and then we went and got 3 more calves. They got named Zuma, Everest, and and another red calf named Marshall. The 7th it was our turn to go to church. The 8th was our first day of in person school since Christmas. The excitement was high and the backpack was packed well before hand. The 9th we got 50 chicks to raise and sell as layer birds. They will lay brown eggs but half of the hens will be black and white and other half will mostly be white with black wings. The 10th I went and helped Carissa paint. They bought Edgar's house. The 11th I had a little Valentine's party here after school. Vicky's girls and my children all decorated heart shaped cookies. It was lots of fun! Then Jay's came for supper with us all. The 12th was grocery day. The 13th Kelly went and got another calf which was named Ted. Heidi and I spent the day at Carissa's and I painted.   The 16th i was at Carissa's painting again. The 20th we working in our basement. We cut pallet board and put it around the beam than runs the length of the basement. The 21st the Toronto missionary where in church so we invited them for lunch. The the children nearly the same age as our children. The stayed till chores and came and watched us feed. Rod and Julie came as well for chores. The 22nd I made cinnamon rolls and we went and picked up Kelly's folks from the airport. The 23rd I made cupcakes for a party and meatballs and took them to Darrell's for supper. The 24th I had 5 ladies over and hosted a Favorite Things party where each lady brought 5 of their favorite things we we each got one. I made cupcakes. It was so much fun to just sit and visit and be with each other again!!! I went and helped Carissa clean her house after lunch and then Kelly's folks cane for supper than evening. The 26th I made pizza dough. Dad bought us a chicken supper than night so I took a salad and we went to Darrell's for supper. The 27th was moving day for Jay's. Margo went to Miss Gingrich's and Heidi and Nigel went to Darrell's where mom watched them. I think we most everything unload by noon and nearly everything we could unpacked. I stayed a while after lunch helping build a book shelf and some other things. Came home and started getting ready for everyone to come for pizza. Miss Gingrich brought Margo home and stayed and helped me get ready and she was here for supper. The 28th we had an Isaac get together at Robert's. I took a salad. We are back to normal church now. I guess as normal as we can be with everything. Well I hope you enjoyed reading this! Have to run as list is long again for today! Till next time.........

February 1, 2021

 2021. I haven't written that much yet. It will pry take me 6 months to get use to it. Oh well. I am very determined to get this out on time this month so here we go. New Years Day found us at Darrell's for the afternoon and supper enjoying New Years cookies and beaver tails. The Dorking girls  and Jay's where there as well and we had great fun making many memories playing Dutch Blitz.  The 2nd Carissa and I left our children and went to Costco for groceries. The week of the 4th was an extra week off school for us. The 10th Jay's came for dinner and we served apple fritters and hot chocolate out of our garage for the congregation. A couple of people from St Mary's as well. We had tons of fun and really enjoyed seeing everyone as we are on lockdown again. The 11th we started homeschooling for un unforeseeable future. In the evening Kelly told me to town for groceries. The 12th I took the children sledding at Darrell's in the afternoon. The 13th we got out first baby calf. Plan on getting a few more. The 17th we had Jay's and Darrell's for a pizza supper. The 18th we got another calf and Kelly took me to town for groceries. The 23rd we had to take some paperwork to Kevin's so we drove to Meaford to see them. The 25th we got another calf this is a red calf. We have named them all so far. Freddy, Timothy, and Billy. So chores morning and evening now have to be done. The 26th was grocery night again. The 23rd Kelly had an appointment in Kitchener so we all went along. I picked up 4 baby chicks on the way home. I'm starting my own laying hens. Going to get a few different breeds and will have a few different colored eggs.  The 28th Miss Gingrich came for supper. The 29th we had a lawyer appointment for land up in Alberta. The 30th we spent the afternoon in the shop cleaning up and getting ready for more baby chicks. We plan on getting 100 chicks to raise to layers then sell. They start coming in a week or so. The 31st we went to church in the morning and Uncle Gilbert came for lunch. We went skating for a bit before supper as well.  I think that finishes up this month. Still homeschooling and have a things humming along with that. The teacher comes every other day so that is a HUGE help. I to run to make supper now. Till next time.......

December 21, 2020

 

Our Family and Friends,

                  I hope this Christmas season finds each of you with joy of Christmas in your hearts and on your minds.  I know for many of us the Christmas we had planned has not worked out and we are disappointed. Let’s just make this Christmas special and make memories we will never forget.  We have had a very eventful year in Ontario. The beginning of March we did a quick trip to MI for a funeral with Darrell’s. The end of March Kelly got laid off work at the machine shop he was at because of the virus and we started home-schooling. It was once again clear to me why I never was a teacher. Many times, when the teacher was busy, I had to phone my sisters for help because I didn’t know the answers or how to explain it. Thankfully Heidi had two classes that the teacher taught on video. Kelly was off work for a month or so and during that time he redid Darrell’s basement. He then started for a concrete crew and did that all summer. It was long hours but we used to be farmers so it was ok. The end on June we bought and moved into our house. I with the help of family and friends got it painted in one day and we moved the next day. So much packing and unpacking. So many of our things was still in the trailer we moved out with because we knew the house, we rented was short term. We love it here it has a beautiful yard with a swing set, sand box and play house for the children. A fenced 15-foot-deep pond/ swimming pool for those hot summer days with a slide and diving board. A nice big garden spot that will be well used this summer. A fenced in pasture with lots of room for some animals. A good-sized barn/shop and lots of room for our two dogs to run. Both dogs love to swim in the pond went ever we let them. The house is a 3-bedroom 2 bathroom with lots of room. We love it here and look forward to having company when things open up again. In August Isaac, Heather, and Nathaniel came for a week visit. It was very nice to see them again. They helped Carissa and I put up sweet corn. Many fun memories made and lots of good food. The end of August Kelly found out that there wasn’t much work for him on the concrete crew so it was once again time to job search. We didn’t have to look far as he has now working for Darrell doing design work and will be there for at least 3 years. He loves it and it had been something he has always be interested in. Darrell’s office is in their newly built shop so he has a short drive to work. School started in September with Heidi going into grade 2. In November Kelly and I came in contact with the virus and both go sick. We as a family where in a 10-day quarantine. School was also shut done for 2 weeks as well.  We had planned to go to Alberta for Christmas but plans changed and now we are looking forward to spending a quiet Christmas at home here. We are very disappointed but we are choosing to look at the positives. A little on the growing family now! Heidi is turning 8 tomorrow and is in grade 2 in school. She has become an amazing helper to me and loves doing it. She is a tall girl and is about to lose her first tooth. Nigel is 6 and will be going to Kindergarten in the spring.  He also loves to help me but loves when dad is home and they can do boy things has he puts it. He is almost as tall as Heidi is and no longer is a skinny little boy. Margo is the one who keeps us on our toes. She is 3 now and is still a tiny little thing but she is growing. She can come up with the funniest things to say. All of the children have loved learning to swim and to really good. Heidi and Nigel jump of the diving board no problem and Margo would if I let her.

                  Hope you all have a good Christmas and a happy New Year. Love from,

Kelly, Kristen, Heidi, Nigel, and Margo