Crazy Canuck Reunion Day 3: "Mom, why do we keep seeing the same people at all these parties?"

Sunday began as a real day of rest--and we needed it after Saturday's parties! We slept in and lazed around the house until lunchtime when we all headed over to Aunt Marcie's for another big spread (as if we hadn't had enough big meals already!). We attended G&G Fooks ward Sacrament meeting and headed back to the homestead for a family fireside of sorts. The great-grand kids (I think there are around 21 now) started us off by singing "I am a Child of God," and then we went around the circle and updated each other on our families, jobs, and major life events. There sure are a lot of smarties in this family!

The great-grand kids favor us with a song

After the updates were through, Grandma and Grandpa bore their testimonies to us. It was a sweet experience and a fitting end to the reunion. I sure wish we were able to see each other more often!

Grandma ends the fireside with more give-aways--this time a bear for each grandchild. No fighting please!

With the spiritual part of the evening all wrapped up, it was time to play and enjoy each other's company just a little longer.

Papa tries out a new curly hairstyle a la Ella

"Up high, down low, too slow!" This may be Ella's new favorite game (and note the aforementioned gold-velvet couch!)

Georgia has accumulated a lot of things over the years, and especially books. I can't remember how many titles she said she had, but I do know there are enough that they require a kind of Dewey Decimal System to keep track of them all. Ella took full advantage of this treasure-trove of knowledge (notice the book is upside down)!

The reunion just wouldn't be complete without killer hearts and 7 up and down. No having fun people--this is serious!
Ella and Grant made fast friends with all of the great-grand kids. We found these cute girls (Daisy, McKenzie, and Ella) playing dollies and house atop the green shag.

It was truly a great trip with some great folks. We hope it won't take another 10 years for us all to get together again. We love you crazy Canadians!

Crazy Canuck Reunion Day 2: Milestones

Saturday was spent preparing a feast of dainty sandwiches and desserts for the party celebrating Georgia and Norm's 60th wedding anniversary, Georgia's 80th birthday, and Norm's 85th birthday. Many milestones indeed. We are thankful for Grandma and Grandma's committment to each other and for the legacy of love they have passed on to us.

After the big party we had dinner as a family and enjoyed the vocal stylings of uncle Scott--a rare treat. The kids jumped in the bouncy castle and enjoyed their treats from the fishing pond. And I enjoyed the introduction to a little confection called the Nanaimo bar--this little bit of brownie, frosting, and chocolate heaven is named after the city where it was invented (Nanaimo, BC) and available at the local Canadain Costco (why, Mr. Costco, don't we have them here?!). I thank you, and my hips thank you.

Nanaimo Bars

We also enjoyed some vocal stylings from Ella and Grant as well, and if I can ever figure out how to get those off my camera, you might be able to view them.

Ella fearlessly leaps into the arms of Uncle Ryan

All in all it was a great day to celebrate two great people, and we were pooped!

Crazy Canuck Reunion, Day 1: "Hey Mama, Welcome to the 60's!"

If you have ever heard the song from the musical Hairspray entitled "Hey Mama, Welcome to the 60's!" then you will understand what it is like to visit Grandma and Grandpa Fooks' house. Picture sinking your feet into the 2 inch deep avacado green shag carpet and perching on the extra-long gold-velvet couch in front of the amber-plastic wall of room-dividers. It doesn't get more retro than this.

Friday began with the "tour of Lethbridge", Lethbridge being the hometown and current residing place of G&G Fooks. We spent the morning touring the two homes that the Fooks family (my mother being one of them) grew up in and Normie (architect extraordinaire) designed. They were still in excellent condition, and may I say, still ahead of their time, design-wise. You got skills Normie!

That evening we all headed over to the beautiful neighborhood park for a family BBQ and games. We presented Georgia and Norm with a special memory scrapbook that we all contributed to (thanks Nicole for all the hard work). I think this was the best gift we could have given them. After they perused the family memories, we all signed it, yearbook-style.

Ella and her best-friend Nanna, a.k.a. my mom Lori

Grady already has Aunt Mallory wrapped around his cute little finger

Grant is in heaven with so many cousins to play with.

Here he is playing badminton with Daisy

No matter how hard I tried, and how much candy I bribed her with, I just couldn't keep Ella out of this puddle. Admitting my defeat, I decided I better at least snap a picture of her glee. Doesn't that smile just say, "Come on, mom, did you really think you could beat me in a test of wills? Aw, you did, didn't you? That's sweet."

The men and (and a few boys) played an extreme game of football, losing not just one, but two balls to the trees. Thank goodness Stephen is part monkey.

Watch Grant chug a whole 2-litre bottle of "fizzy"! Seriously, where is that kid's mother?!

Ella never met a cookie she didn't like

Nanna and Grady

This kid belongs on the cover of a magazine! And how about that photography?

Day 2 of the reunion wrapped up with the great fabric give away. Georgia has accumulated quite a stash over the years (think fabric-store quantities), and we all benefited from her, ahem, lack of self-control. It was a frantic race to see who could get the the good stuff before anyone else. In the end, after we all carted away bins and bins of the stuff, it still didn't look like we had made a dent in the collection. The church humanitarian fund is going to be very happy very soon.

Cousin Kaitlyn striking a pose amid the aftermath of the great fabric give-away

Thus endeth day 1.

We give thanks for DVD players

I was a bit aprehensive about making the 12+ hour-long-trip to "Oh Canada," but thanks to the miracle that is the in-car DVD system, the trip went surpirsingly well. And thanks to the headphones, I didn't go crazy from all the chirpy children's programs. Our system worked pretty well--Dan at the wheel (taking these pictures while driving, bless his little dare-devil heart), kids watching some inane, uh, I mean, intellectually engaging cartoon, and me in the back, nursing Becks when necessary and reading trashy magazines and eating chocolate, also when necessary.

Grant may need to see a chiropracter for that neck kink

Can't you just see her mind turning to mush?

We stopped to take a picture of the view of the city of Lewiston, ID, which Dan tells me used to be the capital. Here Grant tries to put his arm around Ella in a brotherly gesture of love, and Ella, being Ella, resists wholeheartedly. "I will put my arm around you!" "You won't!" "I WILL!" "YOOUUU WOOON'T!"

Alberta is an absolutely beautiful place--as evidenced by these next few pics



Whtat's this barren rock pile doing in here amongst all these beautiful landscapes, you ask? This is a picture of a place called Frank's Slide. Apparantly, at some point a large portion of the mountain broke off, slid down, and covered the whole town of Frank. Thus, Frank's Slide. It was a pretty amazing sight to behold.

We passed about a million windmills on our way to grandma's house, and though I applaud the eco-friendly method of gathering electricty, I find them just the tiniest bit creepy.

When we finally drove into town, Georgia and Norm greeted us with open arms, and we sunk in to their gold-velvet couch for a good long rest and chat before heading up the twirly stairs to bed. Tomorrow promised to be filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, and of course, lots of eating, and we were going to need our sharpest intellect about us if we were to survive the onslaught of Canuck relatives and their many wittisisms.

Ellas ends the day with a little Dora

Forts

Come one, come all to the Clarks' house to see the mystifying new

architectural wonders of Grant the fort-builder-extraordinaire!

But bring your own chair--the cushions are already in use.

Sweet baby James

After many requests, here are some more photos of our little James, or baby Becks, as he is known around here. He is such a sweet baby. He has been a good sleeper right from the beginning, and after much effort on my part, is finally gaining weight again. He is up to 7lbs. 13oz. What a whopper, eh? Baby Becks has been much more alert the last few days, just taking everything in. He rarely cries, and when he does he just lets out these polite little squaks to let us know he needs something. He smiles in his sleep a lot, and even belly chuckles, but yesterday after a feeding he rewarded me with an honest-to-goodness, eyes-wide-open, toothless grin. It just melted my heart and I laughed out loud for joy! I am so in love with this little sweet boy!

1st day at home--2 days old

9 days old

At the ward Pioneer Day BBQ--15 days old

I call this pose "one meeellion dollars. . wa ha ha" 4 weeks old

Becks loves his swing--5 weeks old

There. I posted new pics--now stop pestering me people!

It's Fair Time!

On Monday night we made our annual trip to the fair to pet the animals and stuff our faces with cholesterol and sugar-laden food. MMMMmmm!

Here is Grant last year (2007)

And here he is this year

Ella last year. . .

. . . and this year

Grant was finally brave enough to milk the cow

Ella gave it a try as well

Grant loved feeding the goats. . .

. . . and the goats loved feeding on Ella!

We had a great time, and we'll be back again next year--this time we won't forget the Tums!

We love McCall

We've made a few trips up to McCall lately to enjoy the more moderate temperatures and beautiful scenery. I almost feel like I'm back in Maine (sniff) when I'm up here. Life is just slower and more peaceful--and did I mention that the "cabin" is nicer than our house?! Hello--Viking appliances anyone? I could really get used to this. . .

One of the many deer we spotted

Throwing rocks in Payette lake

Sandcastles are a team effort

Roasting marshmallows with our best buds

fun on the beach

I think you can guess the temperature of the water by the arch in Grant's back!

Sweet Ella

Showing off their new coloring books they got here at the McCall fish hatchery