Temple Day!

We took Brad and Heather to the temple today to do

sealings.  We love going to the temple with our married children.

This is the new part of the temple that is still under plastic and under construction.  

The temple opened only a week later than it was supposed to, but it's still not done.

This is how you enter, for now anyway, until the construction is complete.

Brad and Heather taking a photo op.

This view of the temple is gorgeous.

There is still quite a bit of work to be done.

This gives you an idea of how the tarps are covering the entry way and 

the construction area.  Members are saying that the weather is staying 

good long enough for the work to be completed on the temple.

After the temple, we took Brad and Heather to our favorite

sandwich shop, pronounced fife and deckle.

They have pie, really good pie, raisin pie.

They make sandwiches to order, homemade soups, salads

and many kinds of delicious pie.

On the way home we crossed over the river, on the bridge.

I love the bridges in Edmonton.

We're Halfway There. . .

We hit our halfway mark today, we've been here 18 months,
and we have 18 months to go,

18        months
1          leap year
2          Heritage Days
3          Chris and I's birthdays to celebrate between the two of us
4          unique Canadian holidays to experience
10        days of mission president's conferences
11        more of our children's birthdays that we will miss
12        dinners for new missionaries
12        General Conference Sessions
13        Stake Conferences to attend and possibly speak at
17        Fast Sundays
23        major American holidays missed
24        meals for the outgoing missionaries
29        ZLC and NLT meals
32        zone conferences
36+      temple visits
76        p-days
84       (approx.) saying goodbye to missionaries going home
92+     greeting new missionaries at the airport
547     showers in the mission home shower
732     personal interviews with the missionaries

This blog was written and posted 18 days late, so that will explain some of the numbers being off a little.

Dinner and a Movie

Today, per Heather's request, we went to see. . . .

We Bought A Zoo!

Sweetest, saddest story ever, I cried in several places,

it's a real "feel good" movie.  One all families

should enjoy together.  

See, Courtney was so moved by the movie,

she could hardly stand it.  She was overcome with joy!

Because Chris did not want another trip to Whyte Ave., again,

I took Heather and Brad and we went down to look at the

windows and to see if there were any boxing day deals.

Again with the little elves in the store front windows.

See the mushrooms on the table,

and the little toilet paper in the bathroom.

Me taking pictures

and pretty lights on the street.  The weather has

been so mild,  it's actually quite enjoyable to walk down 

82nd Ave, especially in the evening.

A Night with the Kids

Today we took the two elders going home and the assistants to 

lunch at Montana's, then we sent them to stay with the assistants

for the night and they will get them to the airport in the morning.

Then we were free and able to spend the night with the kids.

We drove Brad and Heather over to walk through Millennium Place.

They were having some kind of party on the indoor soccer field.

They were running around in comfy clothes and playing volleyball 

and bowling.

They were playing a real soccer game on the other field.

There was a hockey practice going on at the rink.

Edmonton is hosting the World Junior Championship,

we are cheering for the U, S of A.

These are all the countries being represented.

Future NHL players!

And this is how the beginners learn to skate, now this I could handle.

This is an amazing place, besides the ice rink and soccer fields

they have an eating area with concessions,

a children's play area,

not to mention the wave and lap pool

and the lazy river.

they even decorate for Christmas,

with this gorgeous Christmas tree and other decorations.

It's kind of an amazing place.

After, we went for. . . . 

DONUTS!!!

 We'll take a dozen to go, everyone choose your favorite two,

didn't take us long, they were yummy to our tummy's.  

A Sad Farewell!

We were busy today with interviewing the two missionaries

going home, so Heather took my camera outside and took

pictures for me and experienced the whole parking lot 

phenomenon, in the flesh. 

Elders and Courtney

Lucky enough to have a truck.

Heather's new at this game, she needs to take pictures of their faces!

Brad, Jordan and Courtney

Courtney surrounded by the elders,

The "sisters"

Again, no clear faces.