Life in Cancun, Si

Most of you who are reading this, probably shared in our experience in Cancun, and probably have some of the same pictures. It was so good to see family and share this special place with each other. From stepping off the bus and entering the lobby and being handed a glass of hibiscus tea, to the perfect temperature, to the aqua blue ocean and wonderful pools. To room service, and the fully stocked snack bar. To lunches at the pool or at the buffet where they don't let you carry your own plate back to your table. It all made for a very memorable time. A time that will not soon be forgotten or repeated.

This was our room. It was simply beautiful!! We ordered room service each morning and enjoyed it by the open glass door out the back.

Lisa and Katie were able to share a room. They have lots of pictures on their facebook if you want to see more.

I don't know where all the people were, but we felt like we had the place all to ourselves. A beautiful setting!

Now this is luxury! Being handed a bowl of chocolate ice cream

to eat while you are still in the pool!

We all enjoyed 6 week old Remington. He was so good.

I think that the tropics agreed with him.

The view from our balcony

The Wedding was beautiful. A very lovely spot on the beach

Daniel and Jenny

Cousins

and Sisters!

Lisa and some of the others had to leave on Sunday. The rest of us moved to a place in Cancun for the rest of the time. This place had the best beach and we enjoyed swimming in the ocean.

Ken looks a little over dressed with his shoes and socks on, Oh well, he had a great time too!

Some of the guys played golf on Friday and that was very nice. Thank you Daniel!

A couple of weeks ago I started noticing people wearing red flowers, poppies to be exact, on their lapel. Finally I asked someone. I got a great explanation and a copy of this poem written by John McCrae who, by the way, was from Guelph.

November 11th is "Remembrance Day" in Canada. The United States acknowledge "Veterans Day" on this same day. The flags were half mast and at 11:00am people took a couple of moments to "Remember". In Church Sunday, a clip was shown of Canadian Soldiers, past and present, serving their Country on the battlefield. It was very moving as many in the congregation had served in years gone by. It was interesting how the uniforms were different, but the experience was the same for these people, both those who were, [and are], gone to war and those who were, [and are], on the home front.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

if ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Tim Who?

Tim Hortons is to Ontario what Starbucks is to California. Being Starbucks fans, it was an eye opener to find that Canadians haven't really gotten into the whole specialty coffee thing. Ken scoured the whole town and has found a small place called "The Second Cup" which will make his Large Iced Mocha with two shots of raspberry. And we do have two Starbucks in town but, like the Second Cup, the yummy beverages are very expensive. For this reason, our loyalties have shifted to Tim Hortons.

There are aproximatly 17 stores in Guelph alone. The Coffee shop was started in 1964 by National Hockey League player Tim Horton who was killed in a car accident in 1974. It is known for it's coffee (regular, plane old coffee) and doughnuts. They have a machine that makes something that they like to call espresso, but we all know that it really isn't. They make real good hot chocolate, Katie's choice, and their Mocha is just regular coffee and hot chocolate, with whip cream and chocolate sprinkles, of course. This is my drink of choice. Ken enjoys these as well but, the thing that he loves at Tim's is the "Canadian Maple" Doughnut (pictured). I have to say, it is wonderful. You have to come for a visit to find out what makes it different from the regular maple doughnut. This alone may make it worth the trip to Ontario!

A Room of My Own

I love "before and after" pictures. This is a room on the main floor that is really too small for a bed room so I claimed it! It was very "White".

I know, I know, now it appears to be very "pink". It is really a rosy mauve with burgundy red accents. In this room I have all my antiques and special nic nacs. The picnic basket was my Mom and Dads. I don't know how old it is, but it has been around as long as I can remember. The quilt was my Grandma Ewerts. I don't know the history behind it and it isn't hand made, but I have always liked it but had no place to put it because of the colors. It is just right here. When we went desk shopping I got very discouraged. IKEA had some nice desks but out of my price range. We needed a filing cabinet as well but couldn't find the right desk with a file drawer and the right color to match the armoire. We were on our way out of the store when we stumbled across this table in the dining section, of course. $59.00. A can of stain at Home Depot and a piece of glass for the top and the desk was created! I found an old filing cabinet in a storage room at camp, another trip to Home Depot and a can of black spray paint, completed the set. All for under $200.00.

The start of my "old" apron collection

I keep my linens in this armoire. I also have two of my Grandma Friesen's hats in the hat boxes.

I still have a few touches to make, but all in all it is a cozy room. I call it my room, but actually since the computer is there, we all use it. Guess who is in there the most?

If you have tried to leave a comment and had trouble, I'm sorry. Thanks to Alyson, the problem should be corrected. Go ahead and try it!

All "Aboot" Katie

Friday Katie and I took a trip to IKEA, which is only about an hour away, and found the finishing touches for her room. We had painted soon after we arrived, and got her comforter even before our things arrived. Katie has got all her things out of boxes and is now enjoying her new room.

We started her birthday train when she was One. Now there are 16 Precious Moments figures all lined up. I was happy she wanted to still put it out.

Ken has been hanging shelves

and mirrors and putting things

together for us. Katie bought the

chair at IKEA as well as the floor

lamp. She has a cozy little reading

corner. A world map hangs under

the window so she can dream of

where she will go next. Although,

I think that she has her heart set

on Africa again next summer!

Woodland Christian High School. (Sorry about the mirror in the picture). Here Katie spends her days. Cross Country ended last Thursday. Just in time, I would say. It is starting to get cold. She did run in the rain a couple of times, but all in all it was a real good experience for her.