Category — Family

Hello everyone………… it’s Zachary the Ultimate Orphan reporting, this time from my home in Kelowna.

My Mom and Dad are headed off to the 2011 USA Ultimate Northwest Regionals in Burlington WA. for the weekend. So my Namma and Pops drove down from Kamloops to look after Willow and I for the weekend.

My Dad is playing on a Team called FIGJAM; I’m not sure what that stands for and I am probably too young to want to hear it. Dad’s team has a good chance this weekend and they are hoping to finish 1st or 2nd because if they do they will qualify fora spot at the USA 2011 Ultimate Championships which are being held in Florida. I really hope they do well as I would love to go to Florida and see Disney World. My Mom’s team is Wildrose from Calgary and I understand they don’t have a very good chance as the competition in their division is very tough……. but you never know what can happen. I’m sure my Namma and Pops will keep me informed throughout the weekend with regular updates from the tournament web site.

Just before they left on Friday morning my Mom Skyped with her Gido and Baba in Toronto. It was so good to see them and as they are so far away I don’t get to see them often and they were so surprised how fast I am growing, how strong I am and everything I am learning at my age.

Since Namma and Pops last looked after me I have learned to feed myself with a spoon and I think that I am doing a pretty good job. Oh, they think I am kinda messy, but a guy has to learn these things some time.

Actually my Namma helps out quite a bit which I don’t mind.My Pops says that my Mom and Dad’s good friend Heather from Toronto who is an Environmental Engineer would declare me and the area around my chair an Environmental Waste Site. Heather was pretty sick recently but she is getting better each day, I hope these pictures put a smile on her face and cheer her up. Get better soon Heather – Love Zachary!

Namma and Pop have been keeping me very busy. We have gone for lots of walks and other adventures. Namma says that Pops and I can’t go by ourselves since I am such a “Chick Magnet” she thinks Pops will just get in trouble with all the cute ladies that want to talk to me.

Before going out in the sun Namma tries to put lots of sunscreen on me and I wiggle around quite a bit.

Pops says it reminds him of the Greased Pig Contest from the local Fall Fair.

Lately I have been climbing over everyone and everything. I climb the stairs, I climb over Namma, I climb up the Sofa and the most fun is when I climb into my foam toy box.

After a busy day of climbing I get pretty tired, but it’s what I need to do and then I sleep all night long.

This past weekend we spent in Princeton. We arrived on Friday afternoon just in time to walk down to the bus stop to meet Sage after school. From there we headed over to D.Q. for a pre-dinner ice cream treat. Then it was back home via the “Zig-Zag Trail” for a great family dinner with lots of time to spend with Sage and Conrad.

First thing Saturday morning Sage headed off to a friends for a fashion birthday party and a sleep over and Kevin and Tamara headed off to Penticton and Peachland to celebrate their 2nd anniversary which is actually on Sunday. So, this meant we had Conrad to entertain and keep busy. A basic observation is that one 3 1/2yr old can keep two 50+ adults busy for the whole day.

We had prepared a few projects ahead of time and Conrad really enjoyed them. Most of them involved activities that kept him busy and challenged his mind and manual dexterity.

After a busy Saturday morning we had some quiet time watching a movie; although he would not admit it Conrad had a snooze which was good to recharge his batteries.

Sunday morning it was time to head home but before that we had a little more grand-kid fun time with Conrad and then it was time to pick up Sage from her sleepover. Just before we left we took some pictures outside…………… aren’t they the cutest?

Hi, my name is Zachary, I am an “Ultimate” Orphan.

Oh! I know my Mommy and Daddy love me lots and I love them lots too; but I also know they love to play Ultimate, so sometimes I become an Orphan.

This weekend I am staying with Namma and Pops while Dad and Mom play in the Kamloops Tournament called “Big Thirst”. The team they are playing on is called “Pure Syrup” and they did really well last year and won the tournament.

Sometimes I get to go to the Ultimate field and watch or sleep while Mom and Dad play and sometimes I get passed around our ultimate friends so my Dad and Mom can play together. They are really good players and work well togther so teams like them to be on the field at the same time during a crucial point in the game.

My Dad is a “Handler” and my Mom is a “Cutter”; mostly she is a mid-field “Cutter”; but I know she can also play “Deep End Strike” if she wanted.

My Mom and Dad’s friend; I call her Aunty Jill, is staying with us this weekend at Namma and Pops, she also plays as a “Cutter” or a “Deep End Strike”.

So between my Dad and Mom and Aunty Jill I expect that there will be a lot of plays that go;” Up Field Pass, Up Field Pass, Swing Back, Cut Over and End Zone Score”, or something like that.

We haven’t talked about it but they may use a “Horizontal Stack” or a “Split Stack”. Actually I’m hoping that they get a “Callahan” this weekend……. those are the most fun to watch.

I love spending time with Namma and Pops. On Saturday morning we went to the Kamloops Farmers Market and met GGMa and GGPa. It was fun to see them, but I got tired fairly quickly and there were so many people that I was a little overwhelmed and we didn’t stay that long. But we picked up some fresh corn for dinner and some fresh peaches for a fruit salad, I can’t wait to taste everything.

Hopefully Mom & Dad’s team, “Pure Syrup” does well and has a successful Ultimate weekend, that way Mom and Dad and I can talk about all the great plays  in the car all the way to our next big adventure.

On Wednesday of last week we met Kevin, Tamara, Sage and Conrad in Merritt for dinner. After dinner we headed back to Kamloops with Sage and Conrad so they could have a summer vacation with Pops and Namma.

We survived the first night with only a little bit of separation anxiety; that is Brenda and I having our free time to ourselves……. ha! ha!

Thursday morning we headed to the B.C. Wildlife Park, this is always popular with the grand-kids. The newest display was the baby grizzly bears, the B.C. Day Weekend was the first time they were to be on display to the public. Another highlight was the Birds of Prey Show. Sage got to help feed the Barn Owl. She held a button that rang a buzzer and when instructed pushed the button and the owl flew to the sound and would find the  meat that the trainer put on a wooden post.

They really enjoy seeing the animals, experiencing the many attraction at the park and most of all riding the Miniature Train or for Sage having ice cream at the Blue Heron Cafe.

After the wildlife park we headed to Prince Charles Park and the Wading Pool. It is so much fun, as the water is warm, there is lots to do and lots of other kids to play with.

It was hard to get them to leave at 5:00 p.m. however all the other families were headed home for dinner so that made it a little easier. Everyone slept well after a very busy day.

Friday was opening day for the movie “Smurfs 2”. So after a morning spent at Riverside Park playing on the playground equipment and then at the beach, we headed off to the Cineplex Odeon. Brenda (deserves a medal for this one) took both kids to the movie which gave me a chance to get caught up on some other stuff.

After the movie it was off to Aberdeen Mall for shopping at Claires and for Conrad and Pops to ride the escalator 147 times and the elevator 52 times. He gets quite bossy when he is at the elevator controls and people aren’t moving in or out fast enough!

After dinner it was off to Music in the Park and more playground and beach time.

Saturday was going to be a very busy day. First we had a surprise of a train ride on the Kamloops Heritage Steam Train 2141.

We arrived at the station about 45 minutes early and got in the line up so we could get the correct side of the outdoor rail-car. Once we boarded a few minutes later the train ride started and took it’s regular route out to the CN Junction and then back to the Old CP Station. As we neared the CP Station the train received mail that train robbers were in the area and sure enough we went a little further and the tracks were blocked and out of the trees came three banks robbers firing their guns. They stopped the train and got aboard looking for gold. This was very exciting for the kids.

What a great morning.

After the train we headed to Riverside Park for a picnic with GGMa and GGPa. Once lunch was eaten Sage and Conrad headed for the water to make new friends and get as wet as possible.

A couple hours later we headed home, got changed and Conrad and I went over to Tom Ecclestone’s house to look at his garden train(s). Tom and Paulette have done an amazing job of setting up a very extensive train display in their back yard. 2 different layouts, many switches, bridges, waterfalls, etc…………. it was almost too much for Conrad to absorb, but he was totally enthralled.

Tom had set up Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy the Engine on the upper track and Conrad was wide eyed as he watched these two speed around the track and villages. Then their grandson Aiden got the lower track going with an old fashioned steam train complete with bell, whistle and steam sound…….. well that was just too much for Conrad, he kept running back and forth making sure everything was running correctly and all was working as it should be; when it didn’t he made sure everyone knew there was a problem.

Before leaving Tom took us to his garage which is completely filled with trains, tracks, villages, mountain displays, tunnels, bridges, etc……….. truly amazing. Conrad and I were overwhelemd with everything; what a great display and true commitment to a hobby of a lifetime.

Sunday we planned to make it a little quieter. So after a quick visit to Walmart to pick up some clothes for the kids we came home had a quick bite to eat and then headed off to Prince Charles Park and the wading pool. GGMa and GGPa met us there and we had a good visit.

After the park it was back home and some backyard fun with the canoe and water hoses. Both kids were pretty tired at the end of the day and slept very well on their last night.

Monday we headed to Merritt to meet their Dad and Mom and have a picnic in Merritt’s Rotary Park. Jeff, Lindsay and Zachary also made it over from Kelowna; Zachary got passed around so much he must have felt like an Ultimate Frisbee.

It was the end to a great summer vacation for Sage and Conrad and it was a  great family gathering.

During Zachary’s visit we did a craft project with him. The following are pictures of the finished stepping stone project in the garden along with Sage and Conrad’s.

Cute……… EH!

Last weekend we got to visit with all our grand-kids; it was great.

Zachary was here with Jeff and Lindsay and their friends Mark and Jill from Calgary, so we had a pretty full and busy house for the weekend. Mark was competing in the Canadian National Disc Golf Championships that were held at the Rose Hill Course and in Logan Lake. Jeff was supposed to be competing however he injured his shoulder earlier in the week mountain biking and had to drop out so his shoulder can heal properly. He needs a strong throwing arm as he is headed to the Canadian National Ultimate Frisbee Championships in Ottawa in August; the team he is on is competing to attend the World Championships.

Right now everything Zachary grabs onto goes into his mouth; he is teething again.

Also, Jeff has been working at getting Zachary to use his thumb and forefinger to pick up Cheerios; it will help develop his fine motor skills. By the end of the weekend he was doing pretty well and actually got a few Cheerios into his mouth.

While here Zachary did his very first project with Namma and Pops. It was making stepping stones for the garden. Zachary was very helpful and kept his foot very straight and wiggled his toes in the cement so we could capture a perfect mould of his foot. After that Jeff and Namma added a few colored pieces of rounded glass to make them look at little fancier. Once the cement started to set we added Zachary’s name and the date.

On Saturday, Sage and Conrad along with Kevin and Tamara were visiting GGMa and GGPa in Westsyde. So Brenda, Jeff, Zachary and I headed out to see them. It was great to get the three cousins together.

Zachary is modeling the new sweater that GGMa had just finish knitting for him; Zachary really loves his new sweater. GGMa certainly looks happy and contented to be holding Zachary?

Tamara with the cousins……….. cute eh!

Finally on Sunday afternoon Zachary and I got a chance to sit down and watch the US Open Golf Championship……………. Zachary really loves golf!

Last Thursday Brenda and I headed to Whiterock for a family vacation. The past couple years we have had a family vacation in the winter up at Sun Peaks. But this year due to a number of circumstances we decided to have a family vacation near the ocean. One other reason is that the grand-kids have never been to the ocean and had the chance to experience the wonders of the ocean and all the marine life. We were able to find a large 4 Bedroom house in Whiterock about 2 blocks from the beach. It was called Whiterock Manor and it was perfect for our vacation.

Friday was a family day at the beach. We got real lucky with the weather; it rained a bit in the morning however by the time we headed to the beach and the ocean walkway the sun was coming out and it was beautiful. Lunch was on an outside restaurant patio right on the main strip and the sun was shining…….. it was almost too warm after the cool weather we have become use to.

Saturday was the day for a somewhat impromptu family potluck luncheon. Actually we sent out an e-mail a couple weeks ahead and we were surprised by the response we received. In the end about 32 people showed up it was a great afternoon to reconnect with our extended family. There was too much food, a ton of pictures taken, lots of visiting and too many people to thank; however thanks to everyone who showed up. Also thanks to Tricia for being officially the unofficial photographer, you did a great job. Finally thanks to Duane for being the bar-b-que chef……………. we hope you found time to get yourself a burger of some sort!

It was a great weekend and it was all about family. Aren’t these the cutest?

What a great looking family!

Last Saturday morning we headed to Princeton for Easter with Kevin, Tamara, Sage and Conrad. Of course there was the required stop at Tim Horton’s for a Coffee, Muffin and Large Box of Tim Bits. As an aside we have noticed that the recipe for the plain Raisin Bran Muffins has changed significantly. In the past there was a lot more bran and lots of molasses that made them yummy, they are now more like the old Oatmeal Raisin Muffin…… not near as good.

We arrived in lots of time to spend outside with the kids and see all the work Kevin and Tamara have been doing in their yard with landscaping. It was a fun afternoon and we tired the kids enough that Sage rested by watching a movie with Namma and even though he wouldn’t admit it Conrad had a nap; proof is in the pictures. Saturday evening Tamara cooked a great Easter Dinner with ham, potatoes, carrots,buns, etc…… it was delicious.

Sunday morning we got up early and the Easter Bunny had arrived outside so the kids were off on an Easter Egg Hunt.

Right after lunch we headed to friend’s of Kevin and Tamara’s (Heather and her daughter Alley) for an Easter luncheon. Most were Weyerhaeuser employees or friends of someone from Weyerhaeuser. Alley organized an Easter treat and gift scavenger hunt; more chocolate treats for the grand-kids! It was neat to be included in a local small town celebration and get together.

Saturday morning Jeff, Lindsay, Zachary and Willow arrived for an overnight visit on their way to Vancouver and then on to Hungary… but that’s another story.

Anyway, it was great to see them and get to spend time with Zachary. He has grown so much and is getting very strong and definitely very alert to everything going on around him.

Jeff and Lindsay gave us a break from the kitchen and cooked a great meal on Saturday night and a great omelet breakfast on Sunday morning. In addition Jeff and I turned the fall rye in the garden and planted the peas for this year.

Saturday we also had a quick visit from GGMa and GGPa, Dean & Judy, Judy’s Mom Betty and Sabrina and Mike. It was a whirlwind visit but it was great to see everyone.

Namma and Zachary spent a lot of time together on the couch and I got entertained by Zach during his “tummy time” on the floor.

Sunday afternoon Jeff, Lindsay and Zachary headed off to Vancouver and Willow stayed with us. They are off to Hungary for 2 weeks and then over to Northern Ireland for almost a week. What an adventure for them and a 5 month old. Check out their blog for regular updates.

Enjoy the pictures!

On Friday Kevin, Tamara, Sage and Conrad came for a visit. Actually it was more than that, they came to cook us dinner, pamper Namma and give me a break from cooking.

Dinner on Friday night was delicious. Chicken, baked potatoes, bacon wrapped asparagrass and after dinner Sage & Conrad decorated us all sugar cookies with icing and sparkles for dessert.

Saturday morning Kevin and Tamara made Omelets, Bacon and Hash-browns for breakfast…………. Yum! Yum!

After breakfast it was time to decorate Namma’s cast. Now, we weren’t quite awake and forgot to get pictures during the cast decorating party on the kitchen floor; however afterwards I took some pictures while Tamara was giving Brenda a pedicure. Pretty colorful Eh! 

Meanwhile in the kitchen Sage & Conrad were playing with toys and eating the leftover candy sprinkles from cookie decorating.

Just before they left it was time for a silly family picture and then Sage the up and coming professional photographer took the picture of us with Kevin & Tamara.