pics with pops

 

last weekend we gathered in peace arch park to celebrate dad's 80th birthday. i got there around 11 on saturday morning.  as i slowly drove by the park, scanning for parking spots i saw various members of the family walking to the park.  i saw bethany stop to snurggle orianna.  when i passed mom and doug, doug part way down 171 street, i was lucky that a car was just leaving its spot.  doug helped me paralell park it in the tight spot then we walked down to the park together.  as stated previously i was a huffle puff.  doug helped with the cooler and mom helped with the back pack.  

the rcmp were patrolling 0 ave.  this is where we crossed to the united states by crossing the ditch into the park. and the park was very busy.  our family was set up by the picnic tables near the bathrooms until it got too cold for us there in the shade.  then we moved out into the sun and promptly became too hot.  the 2 days we spent like this were much the same.  sprawled out by camping chairs and blankets.  the park ranger coming by quite often to encourage us into groups of 5 people 6 feet a part.  we ate foods, we talked, we played games.

on saturday we played bocce ball. there were 3 bocce ball sets.  michealah, cordell and i were team sweden.  we would yell SKAL (put a little circle over the a).  it became our thing.  mom and ricki were team christmas.  one time katie was on their team and one time evan jr was on their team.  we lost both times.  we were very close to winning the 2nd game and only needed one point but team christmas pulled it together from 2 points to 11 for the win.  my favourite part of that game was when i threw the palino up and over a hill and on the other side of a tree.  dynamic bocce is my thing.  

there was a perpetual washroom line up of women stretching way back in the field. 

bethany had a chilli incident and learned her lesson deeply.

when dad got tired he lay down on a blanket and had a nap.

on sunday we had a partially shady partially sunny spot which suited us quite well.  we had a testimony meeting.  dad started us off by bearing his testimony then reigned over the meeting in his wheel chair throne pointing at people he wanted hear share their testimony.   i almost refused but swallowed my rebel pride and shared mine.  on this day i played cover your assets with avereigh, bria, douglas, michealah and cordell and a rousing rendition of the prophets game (where you jump up and say another prophet name before the person in the middle hits you).  we also did a big group game of consequences.  so all the traditions are going strong.  

katie and i walked down to the peace arch and back.  it was weird to see the border so empty with no cars in sight.

the rcmp checked our id when we crossed back over.  esther and evan had some issues because they had no id for the kids but what could they do? eventually they let them go.  

all in all it was a lovely 2 days full of family togetherness.

i almost peed my pants both days because i waited until i got home to go pee rather than wait in the perpetual line up.

jawn, ricki and ryan are moving to eugene!  that's so close!  we made up a rom com for ryan on the basis of this move, a new job and a surfing girl who is his supervisor.  it's going to be good.