preparing for Mexico

It has been so busy here this week. Ted, an older guy at the church who is super organized like me, and I have been sorting, painting, and preparing the tools and supplies for weeks now. Tonight when we loaded though it was said it was the most organized it has been in a really long time, it is nice to know it was worth it. But anyway and then packing two separate bags was really hard for me, not sure why but it was. We packed our bigger suitcases in the trailer and they will not come out until we get to Mexico. So that one had cloths for working in there, evening close for Mexico and then also cloths for the ride home. and then another bag for our cloths on the way. I  do not know why it was tricky but it was, but it is all packed now so oh well. Also on top of it all, I am baking cookies for the trip. which is fun just takes time. Oh and Emily and her friend Brittany flew in today so Eric and I drove to Calgary to get them. It was a nice day away actually and I got to spend our gift cards that Mom, Virg, had sent in the mail for Valentine's, and I found two pairs of pants on sale at Old Navy so Praise the Lord for that, it is always hard to find pants.  Eric even gave me his card so I could get both, He is such a great husband. 

Anyway, I can not wait for Thursday morning when we kick off, it just seems like so much preparation. I am anxious about the 4 day car ride with all the kids so if any of you think about it please pray for us. I will need it. and also for traveling mercies. I am so excited to meet the director of the Orphanage and to build the house. I went to the store the other day and got to buy tons for the VBS so I am also excited to play with kids and hold babies. I just am so excited. 

And to make the trip even better on the way home when we all spend the day at the Castle Rock Mall I get to see my Mom, and to make that even better the little girls will be there. I absolutely can not wait. Oh to hold those little girls. 

all that to say Preparation is almost done and we are about to be on our way......

deep water Jog...

so I have been trying now for about two weeks to get up early and head to the YWCA to join the Deep Water Jog class in the mornings. It has been so hard to jump out of bed and be motivated to do this. But despise my snoozing once I still made it there this morning, Oh and the joy it brings. Not only am I a morning person who loves to start their day early but I absolutely love being in the water. I forgot how much Joy it brings me. The Lord has made me a "water bug" as my mom always called it. I had so much fun. It was not the hardest work out I have had, well really it wasn't even hard, but it was such a joy to have fins on and be in the pool. 

Okay besides my love for the water it was such an amazing community. In the class there was about 15 women from the age of 60 to 75, one younger lady probably in her 30s, and one guy who ranged around 65. It was so great. They have their own family and routine at this class and believe me Erin, Bec and I sure turned some heads. But it was well worth it. And afterwards sitting in the hot tub sharing with these ladies was so much fun. They explained the class and what they like the best and then took turns bragging on their grand kids. 

It is amazing how in all the stages of our lives God brings us joy in different ways. He is the ultimate provider. I need to be careful I have been praying for friends and it seems God is providing. 

I can not wait to be apart of this group again tomorrow. 

day 2 Apples...

so many apples.... we had so much fun. i didn't think it could be messier then the day before but it sure was, so sticky.

this is the job i started the day off with. Peeling apples, this is the dream job of apple making or atleast my dream job of apple pies. it is so much fun, and so fast and easy.

 

I finally convinced Eric to come join the apple peeling feast. It was so great, he just kept it so lively and exciting singing back and forth with Barb and Bob. 

this is the job I ended up really helping with, I was actually the job right before this one. someone would measure out 12 cups of apples and then i would pour in a bad of spices and mix it all up and then Les would pour a cup into each crust. 

all the apple peels, we really peel all the apples so we can produce this amazing treat for the local pigs. it was amazing how with those special peelers you get each apple in one peel. 

after the pies were filled  different people toped them, here is Annette topping the pies and smiling away.

  

here is Bill, he carried the empty boxes to the room and also gave out the pies in the front of the church. He is such a character he would poke his head in say a few Jokes then walk out...

He always keeps us all on our toes. 

we finished pies early and spent a couple of hours cleaning the church getting it ready for church the next morning. 

but for dinner I was so excited Adam, a long time friend of Bill's from Oklahoma who has been staying with Bill and Barb, cooked Brisket. It was amazing, if there is one materialistic thing I miss from the states it would be B-B-Q , oh how I miss it. I really do so it was such a treat, he made it just for me and it sure was absolutley amazing. Thanks Adam. 

But even after that we went Sledding. It had snowed all day long so we did not want to miss out on all the powder... I was so tired but we had so much fun. We meet the girls and went to the sugar bowl and froze our already exhausted bottoms off as we hiked up and down the hill. It was a blast. 

It was a great ending to a couple of amazing days. 

apple pies and so much more....

I wish you all could have seen the body of Christ working tonight at the Tab, Lethbridge Christian Tabernacle. We started last night, a three day journey to make 650+ apple pies. I went to the church around  3 yesterday to begin bagging the spices, you can make 3 pies per bag that we did... so we worked for hours and bagged 217 bags.  The smell of cinnamon infiltrated my nose and whole being. 

But today it all really began. There must have been about 50 of us working diligently with only a few flour fights. A few people measured flour, a few mixed the flour, baking powder, and salt with shortening, then the eggs and vinegar got kneaded in, someone cuts the dough into little piles, and last but not least a group rolls the dough  and places the dough into pie pans. Everyone worked in the church kitchen forever... also Eric and a few of the teens put together the boxes including stickers explaining the purpose. I loved my job tonight I worked kneading the egg mixture into the dough. A race was on to see which job could move the fastest, well atleast a race in my mind. But a few seemed to get into it or atleast enjoy my effort. It was so great to watch the body in motion. By the end of the evening I was covered head to toe in flour, thanks to Becca, and I also helped others feel a part of the fun. It is such an amazing opportunity to work side by side with so many in the church. When flour starts flying you really start getting to know people. 

 Now you must be asking yourself "why so many pies?" well it is simple. After selling them all we buy supplies to build a house in Mexico. I can't wait we leave in about 40 days. My first time to Mexico and we will be staying at an orphanage. It is a dream come true for some... me.

Well tomorrow will be just as much fun.. we still have to peel the apples and mix them with the spices and put the pies together... oh and finish a few top crusts. I can't wait. Then as the day carries on people with get to pick up their pies and bake and enjoy or freeze for a later time. 

I ordered 3. Mom said she would love to buy some so we got a couple so that we can enjoy them when she gets here in April...

  

Here is Erin showing off our mad mixing skills, she was also in on the race... and an excellent partner. 

 

The pic of the two of us was so funny , Eric would not come into the flour room to work but for a few seconds he joined me for a picture and got flour thrown on him...

This picture is of half the room working so hard...

 

here are the trouble makers who were throwing all the flour around

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 and here is Eric with all of the boxes. come to find out they were all racing too. But look at them all and tomorrow they will be filled with APPLE PIES!

New to this...

So I have never had a blog page before but I thought it would be alot of fun to try. I think it would help with keeping everyone up to date on the things in our life here in Canada. So I guess that is it for now but I am sure I will get better at this.