Bikers!

Well I can't believe we have made the switch from 'quads' to motorbikes! Never thought I would see the day!

But like they say - 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'. When in Lillooet, do as the Lillooeters do! They all ride 2 wheelers (motor bikes)!
We completed the set on Sunday by purchasing my bike - a Honda 150, Alistair and Kyle have Honda 230's and Tamzin has a Yamaha 125.

2 nights ago we set out for our maiden bike ride - but that came to end when Tamzin's front tire went flat 5 minutes up the trail.

Last night we headed out again - with much better success. I only fell off twice and Tamzin fell off once. In case you were wondering - we are both OK!
We had a great time. There are so many trails to ride on round here - It is like the bike riding 'mecca'. We rode up to where the pylons are and got a great view.

I look forward to exploring more - I can do without the falling off though............

Snake!

This morning Kyle and Alistair found this snake in the carrot shed. I have no idea what type it was. Carmen, one of the girls who works for Alistair, came in and picked it up and took it outside. She wasn't scared one little bit. It didn't even try to bite her! I wouldn't be that game.




He coiled himself round her arm!





He was quite shy - kept wanting to hide.

Tamzin saw a snake in our veggie garden this week. Yikes! We will have to step carefully.

Last week Alistair was visiting the neigbour and they found a rattle snake in the garden. He got the gun and shot it!
I hope we don't come accross any rattlers here................

Between bears and snakes I don't think it is safe to venture outside!

ASI

Well here we are at ASI - Adventist-Laymen's Services & Industries in Sacramento California. It is like the 'Home Show'! Lots of exhibitors - all sorts of ministries that people are doing around the world. There are lots of adventist 'celebraties' here. It is very interesting.

We left Monday night, we drove ALL Tuesday, collecting young people along the way to take part in the ASI / Fountainview Orchestra which is performed here at ASI.
It has been a pretty busy few days but it has been good.

The orchestra backed Jennifer LaMountain, Rudy Micelli, Steve Darmondy last night - it sounded great.

Today some of our group are off rafting the American River - Kyle, Tamzin and I are 'maning' the Fountainveiw booth for the day. so hopefully it will be a bit slower day than yesterday was!



Fountainviews booth.

We still have 3 days here. They have a some more performances to do. Lasts nights one was live on 3ABN, and they do another one on Saturday night which will also be live on 3ABN - check it out.

All Sorts!

Well I can't believe a month has slipped by since I last posted on here!

Life has been as busy as ever with gardening (check out those veggies from our garden), camp meeting, sight seeing, shopping, hospital visits and working.

Last week we said good bye to Justin (which was very sad) as he headed back to New Zealand. Mom and Dad were meant to go then too, but decided to stay another couple of weeks - which has been nice.

My nephew Mitchel had a motor bike accident last week, on his way to see Justin off at the airport. A car pulled out in front of him and he hit it at speed! Needless to say he never made it to the airport - instead he wound up in hospital! After waiting 5 days he finally had surgery to replace his elbow and pin his wrist back together. It hasn't been a very pleasant experience for him at all. He is one lucky cookie though - it could have been so much worse. i think he may get out of hospital today.



We visited Mitchel in hospital while he waited 5 days for his surgery. Went and lay out on the lawn.

YUMMY CHERRIES!!

These cherry trees are here on campus - they are amazing. I LOVE cherries. It has been wonderful being able to go and eat your fill every evening - fresh off the trees.



Mom and Dad enjoyed filling their bag (and their tummies) with cherries.

Tamzin using the 'cherry pitter' to remove the pits. What a mess that thing makes!


This sight seeing is hard work............



A Sabbath afternoon walk in the park - in the rain, with Connie, Mitchel, Aaron, Alissa, Ellen


The "Cuzzies" - Mitchel, Justin, Tamzin, Kyle & Aaron



This raccoon was funny - he went round all the rubbish cans looking for tasty treats!



Justin with the 'poles' at Stanly Park in Vancouver



Two weeks ago it was our 1 year anniversary for moving to Canada (hasn't that gone by fast!). The Halls had a celebration dinner for us on Friday evening. It was great. The youngin's serenaded us as we opened sabbath in the great outdoors.



This suspension bridge is about 20 minutes up the road from us.



Jordan dreaming his life away by the river - I wonder what he was dreaming about!

This coming Monday the kids and I are off down to California for ASI - they will be playing in the orchestra. It will be broadcast live on 3ABN. They will be backing Jennifer LaMountain and doing songs of their own. If you have 3ABN check it out. It is going to be a busy trip and we will be away a week. Alistair and Missey will hold the fort down at home (and take Mom and Dad to the airport)

Until next time.....................

We are still waiting for summer to arrive. It has been freezing here this week. Tamzin has been working on the weed cart - weeding the carrots (you lie on it). It was so cold they had to get blankets to keep warm and stop for hot drinks to warm up! Kyle got snowed on in Whistler yesterday mountain biking with Jordan!

But dispite the lack of warmth, our veggie garden has managed to grow (all be it slowly). Tonight we picked our first courgette. We have been enjoying the spinach from the garden in our green smoothies.



our first courgette (can't get the underlining off)




Not a bad view from the veggie patch!



Just enjoying his first bagel! We found some gluten free ones. He was in heaven.



We cooked corn on the outside BBQ that came with Mom and Dad's caravan. We dunked it in water then threw it on the BBQ - it was yummy



Justin overseeing the proceedings - in his towel - maybe he forgot he wasn't still in Kaihu!



Justin on the knee board - looks like he is sinking though.




Kyle off on the knee board



While in Kelowna last weekend we went and looked at this amazing winery. It had this bell tower and the bells rang every hour.



Mom and Dad looking at the bells.




Mom relaxing by her castle!

Not sure where Mom, Dad and Justin are at the moment - somewhere in the USA sight seeing. This weekend I think we will have a quite weekend at home.

Thought I better get some pictures on here before my sister disowns me!!
Here are some random pictures from over the past few weeks - they aren't in any sort of order.

Yesterday we had a wedding here on campus. 2 of the junior staff 'tied the knot'. Here she is throwing the bouquet!




Jordan and Ellen caught the garter and bouquet.


this was really neat - it was there guest book. Instead of signing a book we did our thumb print in ink and put it as a leaf on the tree and wrote our name on the leaf - it was so cool. then you have a picture to hang on the wall.



The wedding cake! I helped the lady who was doing it (she lives on campus). We were up till 1am the morning of the wedding finishing it. They don't do fruit cakes much here, so it couldn't be made to much ahead of time. It looked really good.


We also had to ice 300 cupcakes with the leaves on top!
We had great fun.



On Monday we went to Whistler and Kyle and Justin went Mountain bike riding. They had a great time - even lived to tell the tale.

Kyle videoed their runs down the mountain on his go-pro. Go have a look at the link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqKhpxKmSPg

Dad and Mom having lunch at a cafe in Whistler, and Tamzin and Stephanie enjoying smoothies while we waited for the guys.



Tamzin, Kandys, Rebecca and Jo-Ann - they are all staff kids. They all got matching t-shirts and wore them to the spring picnic. 3 of them are all in the same grade.



Justin trying his skills......



Doing a bit of landscaping round the house. We put weed mating and rocks round to tidy the place up.




Justin built Kyle a workshop to put his tools and bits and pieces in. I should take a picture of it finished - which it is now. I want him to build me a scrapbooking shed now!



Mom and Dads new vehicle and caravan (travel trailer for those non kiwi's)
It is a cool wee trailer - Mom hasn't stopped smiling since they got it. They headed off yesterday for 2 or 3 weeks in it to go sight seeing.



Don't they look swish! Justin in his new shirt and tie!


Kyle, Tamzin, Justin (wearing Kyle's shirt and tie - we hadn't taken him shopping yet!)



Having a picnic with the Hall family at Setton Lake. It was very enjoyable.

Well there are a few pictures of what we have been up to lately. It has been crazy round here with graduation and the wedding. Hopefully things might slow down a bit, now and I might have a chance to 'Be Still' (I'm working on it Andrea!).