Easter Time 2011

Yesterday, Nikki and I decided to have an Easter BBQ with the Jones families.  Everyone had a great time and it was so nice to see everyone as well!  Nikki brought salads, I made dessert, and each family brought meat to bbq (special thanks to Neil and Heather for the delicious elk sausage to share with everyone!).  I'm so glad that it was nice and warm out and that we were able to enjoy our time with each other.  

My "Martha Stewart" creative centrepiece.  

It went down the whole length of the table.

My cupcakes - they turned out super cute and both Morgan and Steve said they
were way better than Hey Sugar's in town :)

Nikki and Tannis visiting

Sawyer and Ezra chillin at their own little table eating lunch.  

The Parkinson tradition got moved to the Jones'.
Easter crackers :)

Mom and Uncle Drayson.  

Katherine.  She will be a big sister in about 5 weeks (hopefully!)

Mom and Glen took Ezra and Katherine (and three little dogs) for a walk down the lane way.
You can't really tell - but Ezra and Katherine are holding hands...super cute!  They walked a long ways!

The next couple of pictures were taken today (Easter Sunday).  

Ezra and I all ready for Church!  Isn't his tie CUTE!?!?

The last few pictures are of Ezra doing his Easter Egg Hunt this afternoon....now to just eat all the chocolate!

Easter is a holiday that I really struggle with.  Not with what the true meaning is - that I know - but how to raise Ezra (and future children) to understand that although Easter can mean chocolate, bunnies, chicks, etc., that the real reason is for the death and resurrection of Jesus.  That because of Jesus' horrible death, we have eternal life.  

Christmas is easy....we have no problem explaining Jesus' birth to Ezra and reading the birth story out of the Bible.  But how do you get a 19 (just about 20) month old to grasp the meaning of Easter.  I also know that he's not going to grasp it at this age...but I do want him to start to understand meanings of certain holidays.  

I'm going to keep my eyes open for a good children's book to help out with this.  Our friends, Nedelko's, had some AMAZING books from Costco that explained it perfectly.  Hopefully, I can find some on Wednesday when I am there.  

Here's wishing you and your family a blessed Easter season.  Our prayer for you is that you will take the time to reflect on Christ's birth....His Death...and His Resurrection.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that who ever shall believe in him, shall not perish but have eternal life.  

Week 33

For those of you that are keeping track, you are probably thinking...how can she go from 28 weeks to 33 weeks.  Weeelllll folks, I'm not really keeping track of my weeks very well :)  I had a doctor appointment this past week and he asked me...which I said 28 weeks.  He replied that I was way longer than that....hence the picture of WEEK 33 :)  (I love how quickly those weeks went by in a few days :) ).  

What I can share with you is June 6!  We will become a family of 4 that day (pending that this baby doesn't choose to come before 39 weeks!).  We are anxiously awaiting June but also know that it will be here before we know it.  

HELLO Tofino!

Steve and I headed to Tofino this past weekend for a little get-away for the two of us.  Tofino is BEAUTIFUL!!!!  And we can't wait to go back!  

We flew into Comox (thanks for the direct flight West Jet!) and then rented a Subaru Forester.  The three hour drive went quickly (minus my motion sickenss kicking in near the last hour), thanks to the beautiful surroundings.  Once we arrived, we checked into our hotel Pacific Sands Resort.  Because we travelled for most the day, we decided to go for a walk along the beach, and then went into Tofino and had supper at a little pub on the waterfront and watched the hockey game (ladies: it is PLAYOFF SEASON!  To get this vacation...I had to give into playoff hockey games :) ).  Afterwards, we headed back to the resort and finished our evening relaxing, watching tv and viewing the ocean out of our window.  

Saturday, we crawled out of bed at 9:30 (so nice, to not have our 19 month old alarm clock :) ).  Walked down the beach to the neighbouring resort Long Beach Lodge Resort for an early lunch.  We then decided to head back into Tofino and have a looksy at some different shops and stopped at our friends, Kim & Cam Shaw's chocolate chop, Chocolate Tofino, for some chocolate and homemade gelato (SO GOOD!).  I was craving fresh crab for supper, so we had a wonderful meal at Shelter Restaurant.  The crab was AMAZING!  Afterwards we went back to our room, for some more hockey watching and finished the evening off with a movie.  

Sunday, we were up and going earlier (8:30).  We had breakfast back in Tofino and then decided to head to Ucluelet for some walking/hiking.  We walked the 2.4 kilometer lighthouse hike and the scenery was breathtaking!  After we toured around Ucluelet looking at a few shops, we headed back towards the resort, but not before stopping at the Rainforest Trail in the Pacific Rim National Park.  This brisk 1.2 kilometer walk was just as breathtaking!  Once we arrived back, we relaxed for a little bit in the hotel, and then headed out for an early supper.  After coming back to our room and finishing watching a hockey game, we toured the beach some more, and then headed back to the Long Beach Lodge Resort for some great apple pie!  

Monday, we were up early because of the need to get on the road...but we still had enough time to walk along the beach again - which I'm super glad about as that's when we got the photo's of the starfish.  

It was such a great getaway for the two of us.  Although we loved our time away, we couldn't wait to get back to Ezra - we MISSED HIM!!!!  Thanks to Pappa and Grandma Oliver for watching our special boy so we could get away (he had a great time with you!).  

Here is a sampling of pictures from our trip!  If you have never been to Tofino - you have to GO (It's on Vancouver Island)!  We can't wait to go back next year and take our children with us!  It's such a nice and relaxing place to go!  

In our rental and heading to Tofino.  

The cherry blossoms are out in BC!!!  So exciting - they are beautiful!

The view from our room.  

Our Hotel Room

The next two pictures are from our early lunch at Long Beach Lodge.  If you eat there, you want to be seated in their great room - look at that AMAZING VIEW!

Chocolate Tofino - if you go, make sure to stop in and say hi to Cam & Kim,
BUT don't blink when driving past, you will miss the shop...it's TINY! :)

The next few photo's of our walks in Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park.

Back at the beach....

Our Tofino souvenir for Ezra :)

We stopped in Coombs on our way back to Comox at the Old Fashioned Country Market - more known for the goats on the roof.  It was so neat inside!!!

Thank you Vancouver Island for providing a memorable getaway.  We can't wait to come back and visit you again soon!

Week 27 & Week 28

Robin is a good friend from Bible College whom we met up with quickly in Edmonton last week.  You wouldn't know it but she's due in like 2 weeks!!!!  Oh the good old days of being pregnant with your first child!!!  She looks fantastic and we are super excited for her and Shawn to welcome their first boy?/girl? hunter :)  Week 27 for me.  Seriously can I get any bigger?!?!?

Steve and I headed to Tofino over the weekend for a much needed getaway for the two of us.  I'm posting about our trip next, but here is week 28.