Dad's 80th Birthday Party

I had good intentions of taking lots of pictures are my dad's birthday party but then I got wrapped up in meat cutting, and veggie tray making and setting out food that I didn't get more than a couple.  We had intended to have a big party at the Rabbit Lake hall which is what we had for my uncle Henry when he turned 80 but soon we realized that my dad would just not be up for that so we just invited the closest neighbors and friends to our house.  We ended up with 30 or so people and it was the perfect amount.  The food was great and my dad stayed awake for the whole thing and was really touched by it all.  My whole family-every member was there for it and that was really nice too (that only happens about once every 2 years maybe).

This was the guest book-we included the mandolin used by my dad and aunt as part of their band as well as some old sheet music and a music composition book that belonged to my dad.  We had guests write a memory about dad on a card as well and that was kind of fun and I know he appreciated them.

On the tables we had old western producer magazines.  I bought them at an auction long ago and they are the perfect decoration for these types of things as my dad and my uncle have read the western producer for as long as I can remember and probably before that.  It was cool because one of the papers was from 1937 and it had the headline that a girl named Amelia Earhart had gone missing in a plane accident.  Cool huh.  We also had paper sacks of shelled peanuts which are another Konopelski staple.

This was Jakob waiting for supper and a little snitch of peanuts.

Greg models the birthday hats that a neighbor brought.

Here is Grandpa Sam with all his grandchildren.  Jakob and Andrew were not in any mood for pictures but I wanted to have at least one picture of my dad from the whole trip.

After the party we sat around as a family and discussed future events-funerals, taking care of my mom, division of belongings etc.  It wasn't really an uplifting conversation but one that needed to take place and might not ever have been done again so I am glad we did it.

Uncle Steven with energy

Uncle Steven

Allie and Brailie did not know that Greg was coming to pick us up but they did know that Uncle Steven was coming and they were so excited-especially Allie.  Even after Greg got there she was still super excited about Uncle Steven being there.  It is probably because he is the best uncle in the world.  The girls don't have any other uncles that treat them the same way he does.  He makes them feel like they walk on water and he plays with them non-stop.  He had energy left when everyone else was exhausted.  He read stories, played dolls, wrestled, danced, played tag, maybe goofy faces and voices.  It was the best for the girls.

Wrestling with Uncle Steven

Exploring the basement with Uncle Steven.  What other uncle would put on all that stuff?

The night before we had to leave Allie was pretty bummed out that we had to go.  In her prayer she said (with  a pouty face and sniffles inserted in just the right places), "Dear Heavenly Father, I'm sad because I don't want to go home and I don't want to leave Uncle Steven and I am sad and I want to stay."  Isn't that just the cutest thing.  Kids know when someone makes them feel like a million bucks.

Polka Dancing

While at home the girls were in the basement exploring with Grammy (and let me tell you there is plenty to explore down there) and they came across our childhood record player.  My mom brought it up and put new batteries in it and the thing played like a dream-I mean it had amazing quality of sound (that goes to tell you that toys of the past were built to last).  So we tested out many different old records.  Allie's favorite was "Maneater" but one night I convinced her to play a polka record for Grandpa Sam because that is his favorite music.  He didn't hardly move the whole time but I did see his foot tap slightly to the beat.  I wished with all my heart he would have just jumped off that couch and did his classic bob and bounce just like he used to every sat night while washing dishes and listening to the old time dance party.  I listened to a talk recently about the healing power of music and I wonder if a even 15 minutes a day of polka music wouldn't do him some good.  Probably wouldn't want it on his own-wish we would have found the record player sooner while home.

Canada Catch Up

Trying to catch up on Canada posts.  Here are a few random pictures.

Both girls in piggy tails with their purses-it is rare that I have two kids with their hair done.

Always a goofy face picture

Girls modeling their new rubber boots that Grammy bought them after they did a bunch of odd jobs.  I told her I didn't just want them to get the boots because they are cute but that they needed to work for them and they both did jobs for over a couple of weeks to earn the boots.

And this-my willow chair I made in High School when I was an apprentice for a master artist-it is now officially for sale.  I can't bring it across the border because it has bark on it so it has to stay in Canada and it has just been collecting dust in my parents house so I am selling it.  I have two more that I made myself for sale as well. 

Grammy's Famous Dress Up's

I say Grammy's favorite dress ups because everyone has tried on her dress ups at some point (at least if you are a member of the branch in North Battleford).  We got them out for the girls one evening and I was skeptical they would even want to put them on but they actaully wanted to try a little bit.

Allie trying on the wizzard costume.  She loved this one.

 

Allie as a court jester

Allie as I am not sure what but it involved a twirly skirt.

I am not sure what this is either-or why we even had this shirt in our costume box but Brailie looked really cute in the wig.

Brailie as a scarecrow/mickey mouse with shades. 

Brailie's New Do

Well this is the usual hairstyle for Brailie: Free and a big huge mess.  I was letting her hair grow in hopes that it would get long enough some day for me to style but I have waited nearly 2 and a half years and have made now progress so this morning I asked if I could cut her bangs and she agreed and now we have:

 This and I think it has changed her entire face and makes her look much more like a little girl-well a little big girl

A girls gotta have a purse

My mom dug the girls out these purses for the girls after much begging-not begging because my mom said no but begging because she wasn't moving fast enough.  On a trip down to the basement to look for accessories my mom said, "man Job ought to have had to live with you two."  I couldn't agree more mom.  Anyway she finally got all they needed: a purse, a wallet, a glasses case, a notebook, a pen, a credit card and some coupons.  They have played wonderfully with these ever since.  I mean they are such a popular choice for play time-everyday they are packing them off to a new place in the house.  The downstairs are the restaurant where they order using their McDonalds coupons "two hangaburs, two french fries and two soda pops" Brailie says, never forgetting to mention that she only likes ketchup and Allie likes ketchup and mustard.  They go to my moms bed which is the bus stop and the hospital.  Their house is in the extra room upstairs and the cave is under the desk upstairs.  

Our Outside Work

We decided to venture outside to play in the melting snow-that is a huge favorite past time game from my childhood only there is not nearly as much water as there was when i was a kid.  When i was a kid we were convinced that we could make some sort of a stream going across our main road so that we could stop the bus from coming.  We meant business and so did my girls.  We just didn't have the proper boots for the occasion.

 Later we went out again when things were a bit dryer and did some snow chopping with grammy's hoe and rake.  

 See what a bunch of work there was to do.  The girls meant business.

I can't take enough profile pictures of my kids.  I just love their sweet faces.

 Brailie complete with doughnut frosting face.  Love this picture.

Making Memories

That was the purpose of the trip to Canada-make memories with my dad while he was feeling healthy; let the girls have a chance to see him outside of a hospital.  It majorly back fired-that plan did.  My girls will now probably think that the only thing Grandpa Sam knows how to do is sleep.  That is pretty much all we have done since being here-watch him sleep.  No pictures, no smiles really even, I had a book with questions I was wanting him to answer in his own handwriting but that has not happened either.  I haven't had the courage to take it out-I don't want him to tell me he doesn't have the strength to do it.  I haven't even hugged him yet.  So much for taking advantage of the time to make some really good memories.  I don't know if I have the strength to come back another time to try and do it.