Claiming Territory

So my brother got engaged to his beautiful fiance, Chelsea, in March. Then he left to go to Winnipeg for a school opportunity a few weeks ago and will be home soon. However - while Dennis is there, with his charm and wit, the ladies can't help but flock to him. This is how Chelsea lays down the law from hundreds of kilometers away:

Thank goodness for Facebook - now we can all keep better tabs on our loving wanderers!

Pasta: from scratch!

Okay, so some of you know that I like to be in the kitchen cooking. I like experimenting on new dishes, especially when company comes over. They are my guinea pigs.

I try to make as many of my meals from scratch as possible - I'm not a great fan of pre-packaged food. I've learned to make refried beans from dried pinto beans, and I like to make my own dressings and sauces and salads, etc.

Well, FINALLY, I have my very own Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, and a very gracious friend of mine lent me her pasta attachments to try them out. Try them out I did!! My sister and brother's fiance were there to help.

Then with the leftovers, I made a pasta salad, which went over well with my family. Thanks all for your help, this was so much fun!!

Between Friends

Just between you and me: God makes no mistakes.

The Between Friends Club in Calgary is an organization that plans camps and outings for children of all ages with disabilities, mental or physical, or nothing at all, to hang out, have fun and make friends. My department this week used our Volunteer Day to go hang out with this group and it was so special! I was assigned to Chipmunks - 6-7 year olds. We took a bus ride out to Ghost Lake to ride on a pontoon boat and played in the grass. How marvelous! These children are so special. They have smiles and senses of humor that warm my heart.

It is my belief that before we are born, we are spirits and chose our family and our bodies. Those spirits who chose to live in a body with challenges must be AMAZING! It may seem to us that they live in captivity, but they are willing to do so because the goal is to be mortal and gain a body in order to move into the next phase of immortality and eternal life. They are giving us the wonderful opportunity to learn from them. Learn patience and sacrifice and service. They are all so special and suffer with not only their own handicaps, but also social ridicule.

I've been inspired. I will do what I can to give back to this community, because I can and I have been given gifts that I can share. I will no longer keep them to myself.

Sunny (my camp name!) or Sunsun as Tess called me :)

Shani "Bout Due" Myers

Okay, so my favorite time of year is Stampede. Yeehaw! I love getting dressed up like a cowgirl, I love going down to the grounds. And oh, the pancake breakfasts!! I don't really do much, I just enjoy it. And yes, I can't resist oogling when I see the policemen and firemen in their uniforms and cowboy hats. Yikes!

Other people in Calgary think Stampede is all about getting drunk and hooking up. As a matter of fact, it's urban legend that most pregancies in Calgary are conceived over Stampede Week. I of course, opt out of the drinking, but let me tell you, it is fun to be sober at a work party when everyone else is wasted! That's the only time it's acceptable for me to unleash and act like a total fool. In fact, I've actually been accused of being drunk. Maybe by osmosis??

This is year is going to be awesome, I'm spending all day down at the grounds, riding the rides and eating greasy deep-fried food, then I'm going to see some chuck wagon races for the first time and it will be a blast! I was able to get tickets for me and my family and we'll have a boot-stompin' good time!

Stay tuned for pics over the next few shananigan-filled days!