Happy Birthday, Stephen!

Our middle child is now 15 years old. In 1993, Clem came out as usual to help with the harvest. I was nine months pregnant, huge, and very tired, so Adam and I came out to stay with my parents. Thinking back, it may not have been the best idea. Mom was recovering from a heart attack the month before, and they were in the middle of their harvest, too. And, as I already mentioned, I was nine months pregnant, tired, and very huge. Put it down to young and stupid. And nine months pregnant and very tired.

Anyway, it started raining, and Clem decided to go back to Calgary for a few days as it was busy at work. I decided to stay at Mom's, since I dreaded another five hour drive with a 15-month-old toddler (and did I mention I was nine months pregnant, tired and huge?) and Mom didn't seem ready to kick us out yet. Sure enough, the day after he left, my water broke. Wow, what a commotion. My great friend, Bernie, agreed to keep Adam, and Mom and Doreen (Dad's cousin - not sure how she got tangled up with us that day!) took me to Kindersley to get checked out. The contractions weren't starting on their own, so they put me in the hospital and said they would induce labor the next day if things hadn't progressed naturally. (Note: if you haven't had children yet, but are planning to, don't read this next part. Really.)

I called Clem, who had just gotten back to the city, and told him he had to come back because he was going to be a dad again. I also told him to dig through the boxes in what was going to become the baby's room and find some clothes, diapers, etc. and bring them along. I think he found a sleeper and a receiving blanket. Honestly, where was he when Adam was a baby? Didn't he notice all that stuff we had around constantly? He arrived at the hospital the next morning, with the two little items for our newborn-to-be, just as they were giving me "the drip". This innocuous little term is very deceiving. That little "drip" injects a chemical that commands your body to go into instantaneous, hard labor. I did not like it. It hurt. It really hurt. And when they finally told me I could push, I did, so much that they told me not to push so much. Yeah, right. Try to hold back that freight train. And poor Stephen literally shot out into the (very good looking South African) doctor's hands, doing no small damage to his mother. They placed the little square-headed thing in his dad's arms (really, there were corners on that thing), and Clem just said, "Hello, Stephen". That part still makes me cry. Well, that, and the part about the stitches, but we won't get into that here. I think I've already said enough. Except that I had a small problem concerning blood loss in the next few days, and when the (very good-looking South African) doctor told me he was considering a blood transfusion, I was light-headed enough to think he was kidding. Long story long, I didn't need the transfusion, and was discharged to the care of my wonderful mother. The rain stopped, and the harvest continued. And we had many visitors at the farm, come to admire the second Schraefel son. And he was a cutie.

(OK, you wanna-be parents can start reading again, or you'll miss the cute pictures!)

And he stayed cute for quite a while!




Here he is at three, with cousin, Allan, whose birthday happens to be tomorrow!

Hockey begins! Just look at that face - beaming!
Grade Three. Check out the twinkle in those eyes.


Grade Seven. Cuteness is subsiding. Hair is growing.
Speaking of hair, remember this from last year?
He works out, too.

This morning, as he was attacking me with a leaf blower...
and then ignoring me because I had the camera.
He's turned into a pretty nice kid. Big help on the farm, too. Just ask his dad,


Adam is a big help, too. He doesn't mind posing for the camera.

And just to end this little trip down memory lane, here's my favorite photo of Adam, which I couldn't find in June for his birthday.


Thanks for popping by again. Stay tuned for more harvest reporting!
Chandra


UPDATE: Clem read the blog last night, and said he cried, too. Then he reminded me that Stephen cried - for six months. Colic. Sort of knocked the rose-colored glasses off my face!
And I also forgot to tell you the part where Bud left the farm - during the day, in late harvest - to come to the hospital and see his newest grandson. That part makes me cry, too.

Lipstick

The Rebel football season is off to a rocky start. They lost their season opener 32 -12 in Wilkie last night. Granted, they are a young team, and this has already been labeled a "growing" year. I thought they did pretty well, all things considered. And by all things, I mean the fact that I was almost throwing up because I have two boys on the team, one of whom was the starting quarterback (Stephen, who saw about two minutes of playing time last year, NOT as a quarterback), and one with a bad knee and a propensity toward concussion when hit in the head (Adam - you should see his health history which I had to fill out for school registration!) , something that tends to happen a bit in this game, whose job was to protect said quarterback. Anyway, we all survived, and they were healthy enough at the end of the game to go to Jimmy's with the team to soothe their bruised egos with Chinese food. Clem, the wuss, said he couldn't watch, and stayed home to swath wheat. I suppose we both had a tough job. I wonder if the know-it-all dads behind me at the game would have made all those cutting comments about the players if Clem had been there? Apparently they didn't hear US Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin's speech in which she quipped that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick (and you can substitute football for hockey in that line!).

First Day of School

I am such a sap.  My "baby" is ten years old, and I still get watery-eyed on the first day of school. Here I sit, choking back tears and wondering where the time went.  Well, not so much when Derek got on the bus (rough morning for him with many theatrics!), but when I saw the two older boys climb in Adam's car and drive away chatting and grinning, well, the tap turned on. How did they evolve from two little boys lined up on the deck with their shiny new school stuff, squinting into the sun, waiting for their mother to snap the obligatory "first-day-of-school" shot,  into two very tall, handsome (mother's bias perhaps?), and intelligent young men, who pick out their own school clothes, make their own haircut appointments,  and need only a binder, loose leaf, and pens?

What makes all this so very strange is that last night I was literally giddy, anticipating the quiet morning to myself to start off another ten months of blessed routine.   Oh, a mother's fickle emotions...

It's harvest time again!

And it's raining!  Clem and the boys have been busy combining peas, and managed to get almost everything that has been swathed picked up before the rain started last night.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that the header fell off of Adam's combine they were moving to a new field, and he ran over it.  Fortunately he wasn't hurt, but I'm sure his shorts need washing.  Clem was pretty upset,  with himself, that is.  He neglected to finish clamping the header on when he was getting the combine ready.  It's actually amazing it took so long to fall off!  Luckily, Clem keeps a spare combine - the old Massey - and they were able to continue.  And now that it is raining and wet, he has time to shop for a new header and do some repairs.   Derek snapped a picture yesterday before the disaster.   Stephen's new combine is in front.

We had visitors yesterday, too.    Terri, Copper, and Terri's grandma from Landis came forthe day.  They let Copper stay with me for the morning and took Derek for a round of golf in Kerrobert.  It was a great trade!   I didn't get any pictures of the golfing, but I did manage to snap a few of Copper!  And I know you all love Copper pictures as much as I do!!

Copper sat in the stroller while I got some veggies from the garden, and then we went for a walk.  I guess the excitement of the farm was too much for her, and she zonked!  

It was great day for auntie, who needs her Copper fix once in a while!  

Thanks for stopping by again!!

Chandra

Alberta bound

After a few days at home, I hit the road again, this time to lovely Valleyview, Alberta.  Clem's sisters, Chris and Cathy, and I attended the wedding of their cousin's daughter, Tanya and Adam.  I had never been to that part of our great country and really enjoyed the drive and the views.  It is four hours north of Edmonton, all on divided highway, so the drive, though long, is quite easy.  We arrived Friday evening and headed out to Spirit Creek Ranch to gather with other friends and relatives.  Rick and Jo-Anne built their house from trees they cleared from their own land.  It is a beautiful farm, and was all set up for the wedding.

They even had entertainment!  Rick's cousin played the banjo, gently and expertly serenading us all evening.

We arrived the next afternoon to find Kord all decked out in his rented tux.  (That was a great story - get Kord to tell you sometime!)  Here he is with Rick's aunt Claire, 81-years-young, who ended up boogie-ing till all hours of the night. 

Surprisingly, some of the Snell cousins sought out refreshments prior to the wedding ceremony.  

Chris and Margie thought they looked pretty dashing, and snapped a few photos.

This is Bill's son, Wylie, with his fiancee, Rena.  Their big day is in September.  

What a treat to find that Phyllis Lalear had made the trip with her son, Frank.  We had a great time catching up.    Phyllis never changes.

(Did you catch Ted Baxter with the blue sportscoat in the background?!)

The groom and his attendants looked very dashing.  What a treat to see the kilts!  The groom was wearing the family tartan (MacGregor), but the best man, brother to the groom, had to settle for the rented Campbell tartan.  Memories of Scotland!

Tanya's sister, Chisana, was the maid of honor.  Her daughters were the cutest flowergirls you ever saw, with matching yellow polka-dotted sundresses and matching sandals. 

Here's little Emma.

And here's Brynnley with Grandpa Rick.

The bride was gorgeous on the arm of her dashing father.

The backdrop of large evergreens was perfect for the beautiful yet informal ceremony.

After the ceremony, we visited and soaked up the sun.  There was much laughter and many stories of days gone by were recalled.  Here's a shot of cousins Cathy and Jack.

And here's the Bill Snell family.  Courtney and Renessa were both bridesmaids.

The supper and reception was held at the New Fish Creek hall, about four miles from Rick and Jo-anne's.  Tanya and Adam used to work as chefs at the Marriot hotel in Calgary, and as a wedding gift, six of their chef friends prepared the meal!  It was fantastic!  Rib eye steak, chicken breast roasted with apricots and pecans, scalloped potatoes, a salad bar to die for - absolutely amazing.  And the desserts!  Words cannot describe, so here are some photos!

Chisana and her friend, Amber, played a big part in planning and organizing the wedding, since Tanya and Adam have moved to Ontario.  This is Amber with Renessa.

The three siblings having a good convo.

And so the big day ended.  I think we all felt a bit like Emma, curled up here on Grandma Jo-Anne's lap.

 Before I got home on Sunday, Mom had picked up Derek on her way back to Lethbridge, where he was attending yet another hockey camp, this one courtesy of Grandpa Alan.  He had a great time, and Mom said everyone there knew Derek by name in very short order.  He ended up spending his 10th birthday there, as I was in North Battleford at a AAA midget try-out camp with Stephen.  He didn't make the cut, but I don't think he really wanted to play there anyway.  So whatever hockey holds for us this season, Stephen will still be at home and not billeted in North Battleford!

Thanks for checking in!

Chandra

Home, sweet home.

Yes, we got back from Weyburn!  After the obligatory stop at Dog River (aka Rouleau, SK) for a Corner Gas shot...

...we drove late into the night in order to rest in our own beds after a week of not-so-Perfect-Inn accommodation.  

Weyburn is a very nice little city.  It has all the amenities yet maintains it's small-town rural feel.  For instance, we had to make way for a large new combine traveling by the Scotiabank building, and one of the dads drove his tandem grain truck to the rink for the nightly scrimmage.   Ah, Saskatchewan.

The weather was pure Saskatchewan, as well.  It was extremely hot during the day (38 degrees one day) which brought on menacing clouds in the late afternoon.  Some days I wasn't sure what would happen.

All we got was wind and a bit of rain, though.  Made us feel right at home.

Derek and I took some time for a bit of touring.  First things first, we searched out the water tower.  

Then it was off to the outdoor Heritage Museum, where someone who looked like she was going to cut grass became our very knowledgeable tour guide.  Derek really got into it, asking many questions (I know, surprising, eh?).  He was especially intrigued by one house where an infant had died under mysterious circumstances - most of which were pure legend, I'm sure. 

The gardens here were amazing, and all done by a volunteer with donated plants.  The museum is located at the highest point in Weyburn, and was picture perfect, except for the view of the town dump.  Shelterbelts, people, shelterbelts.

Our last evening in town was lots of fun.  We imposed on my cousin Michael and his family and descended on their home with take-out food.  Michael's sister, Bonnie, and her kids, Adam and Kaycee, joined us as well.  It was Adam's 21st birthday, and ice cream cake was enjoyed by all at the end of a very hot day.  Derek and Sheldon, Mike's boy, (who is a year and a day younger than Derek!)  had a great time together, and snuck in an ice cream treat at the rink prior to the birthday cake! 

Adam and Mike's daughter, Shelby, posed for their pesky cousin.

The boys had great fun at their camps.  I think they enjoy the camaraderie with the other players even more than the hockey, but that's good, too.  Can you guess which one is Derek?  (Hint: look for tall and blue!)

Derek snapped a good shot of Stephen on the ice (green socks and, again, tall).

All in all, it was a good week.  I got in lots of hockey and lots of family time.  But the peas and beans were calling in the garden, so it was right back to the grindstone for me.  I guess it keeps me out of trouble!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Chandra