Skinny Pancakes, Pink Flowers & a Baby Shower Celebration

Renn popped into my bedroom just after eight with a cheerful, “Good morning, Nana!” Harley shuffled in shortly afterward and received her own greeting. Renn climbed into bed for a cuddle while we played a little I Spy, but it wasn't long before she had a request for pancakes for breakfast.

But first we did art and I was amazed how she copied my rendition of Mickey Mouse with such accuracy! She does say she is an artist. :)

I suggested skinny pancakes instead, and she agreed, so off we went to the kitchen to make them. Renn made sure Grandpa and Mom knew what was happening, and soon they joined us for breakfast, too. 

Kaylin got ready for the day, which also included Renn needing some eyeshadow applied. There was a little beauty routine for everyone!

And we found a great use for the display case with all the Peppa Pig characters and friends.

They eventually had everything loaded up and headed out just after 11 dropping Renn at Paetz's. She was going to join them to watch Archie's hockey game and experience life at the arena, concession snacks and all. 

I jumped in the shower and started getting ready for the day myself, but the daily brain puzzle distracted me when I found Sheldon working on it on the couch. I also had a new challenge with my magnetic eyelashes. It took about four attempts per eye, but I finally managed to get them on!

Plans changed a little, and Sheldon came along with me, meeting Matt and Shaina at the station. Sheldon and Matt headed off to watch Archie's hockey game too while Shaina and I went in to the baby shower.

Kaylin and her friends had decorated beautifully, with shades of pink everywhere and loads of fresh flowers. It made for a lovely afternoon celebration, and the decorations really added to the occasion.

When the shower wrapped up, Shaina and I headed back to the ranch. Sheldon and Matt had returned before the hockey game was over, as Matt wanted to do some target practice to see how he shot before purchasing a gun. We had a chance to visit about Japan, hearing a little more about their travels, and it wasn't long before Kaylin and Renn arrived home, too.

I sorted the 40 bud vases Kaylin had made for the shower into several bouquets, with some to give to her sisters and me and others to brighten up our homes. It was a lovely way to share the flowers after the celebration.

S got supper underway, and B came out to feed the horses and joined us for the meal. Shaina bundled up and headed outside to try catching Mac, but Mac was being elusive today. Perhaps another day!

Just as we were getting ready to eat the sausage, Kraft Dinner and salad meal Sheldon had prepared, Mom arrived at the gate. She said the code wasn't working, but when Sheldon drove down to let her in, the gate miraculously opened! She joined us for supper, and the visiting continued.

Renn can sing the rhyme but not eat the 5 veggies a day LOL

Kaylin also chromed my nails, trying out some new things she'd purchased to add to her home nail kit setup. Between the shower, flowers and nails, there was certainly plenty of girl time today.

Everyone started heading home to their respective places shortly after seven. Shaina drove Mom's car and her to the city to stay as Mom is staying with her tonight as they attempt to get her eye surgery done again tomorrow. Hopefully, things go smoothly this time.

Once the company had gone, I got the vacuum out and cleaned the floors. Sheldon and I then sat in the living room to finish today's brain puzzle before heading to bed. We started a new series Amanda had recommended, Below, with a bowl of yogurt I'd made for dessert. Three episodes later, we finally called it a night.

From skinny pancakes with Renn to a pink-filled baby shower, family visits, flowers and a new TV series, it was a busy day with plenty of catching up and celebrating along the way.

A Town Trip, a New Nail Colour & an Evening with Renn

After another coffee and brain puzzle start to the day, thanks Debby for hooking the entire Kuhn family as well as Amanda on this daily challenge. I published Thursday’s blog post and spent some more time working on the family tree. I also had a FaceTime call with B to help her fill a bobbin and thread her sewing machine while she worked on sewing surgery caps today. Sometimes a little Mom tech support is in order!

S took something down to the storage room and returned with the house HVAC air filter. It was just as gross as the air conditioner unit! Off to wash it up well and let dry overnight before replacing back in the unit.

We headed into town to pick up another library book, then decided to try PJ’s Diner in Strathmore for lunch. In all these years, we'd never eaten there, but S had heard good things about it. They use real beef and turkey in their sandwiches, but the decor is well worn and dated.

Our next stop was Tim’s, where Leonard met us. I took my tea across the road to my nail place while the two of them sat and visited. I chose a soft purplish nude colour this time, although, as usual, there were plenty of other colours and designs being sported around the salon. It's always interesting to see what everyone comes up with.

Walmart took care of the shopping and grocery stop, followed by a quick liquor store visit and a fuel fill before we headed home.

We pulled into the yard right behind B. Once home, I got busy preparing the hamburger for supper, and B was soon on her way again after feeding the horses. Bird was eating quickly today, which is always speeds up this chore.

Kaylin and Renn arrived at 5:30, and the evening immediately became a whole lot busier. Everyone enjoyed the soup for supper except Renn, who opted for a variety of other things. She even tried some Christmas milk (AKA eggnog) and liked it! Ice cream was another choice, with her banana served separately while Grandpa added one to his own.

Renn drawing Ada - ponytail and bow in her hair, 2 bracelets and a water bottle with straw! She then had me FaceTime the family to show them and visit ;)

While Kaylin and S worked on putting a banner frame together for tomorrow's baby shower, Renn got busy cooking up some sugar skull cookies. Naturally, they had to be served warm! She also made sure to bring Jenkins inside for his usual helping of pets. He certainly knows how to get his share of attention when Renn is around.

more cookies by Renn

I settled in at Big Brown to write up both yesterday's and today's blog posts while S continued his sports viewing and Kaylin got Renn ready for bed. Before turning in himself, S popped out for a hot tub.

I started my new library book and became absorbed enough to keep reading until midnight. Between the town errands, a few family jobs and a lively evening with Kaylin and Renn, it was another full day—and I was happy to finish it with a good book.

Thunder, a Power Outage & the First Real Snow Day

The wind howled through the night, blowing so hard and loudly that I even resorted to trying earplugs. At 7, the sky lit up with a flash of lightning, followed by a tremendous crash of thunder and the start of the rain. By 7:30, the power was flickering, making all sorts of start-up noises before going completely dead. It stayed off until 9. And the rain turned quickly to snow!

That certainly makes you think about how much we rely on electricity. With only our cell phones, an electric stove and a fireplace that doesn't heat the house, there wasn't much we could do without power. No coffee made, and even the daily brain puzzles were a different experience! Thank goodness for mobile data, which at least let us keep a little of our usual routine going.

Once the power returned, I turned on the furnace and delivered coffees to bed. A much better start to the morning!

It was a crazy, snowy day, although the snow did ease up as the hours passed. S drove out to the winter pasture gate and let the five horses in with the other two. All seven took off toward the far paddocks, bucking and kicking up their heels. Apparently, they had plenty of energy to burn off despite the weather!

B wasn't feeling well when she woke and called in sick, and once she saw the storm, staying home made even more sense. She came out to feed the horses quickly and then headed back home.

Kaylin and Renn picked Shaina and Matt up from the airport and had made this sign and had flowers awaiting them. <3

A a Japan montage

The snow made for a perfect sports day for S, with something to watch throughout the afternoon and evening. I spent my time working on the family tree and tackling brain puzzles, keeping myself occupied while the weather did its thing outside.

For supper, we reheated the chicken from the night before, then returned to our respective interests. S settled in with his sports, eventually moving to the big TV in the bedroom, while I joined him with my book and carried on reading.

After the wild wind, thunder, power outage and snow, it was certainly a day to stay tucked inside. The horses got their chance to stretch their legs, B was able to rest at home, and we settled into our usual evening routines once everything was back to normal.

A Warm Fall Day, Beibs’ Antics & Another Family Tree Discovery

Rinse and repeat—that pretty much sums up our mornings on the ranch. Today, though, S slept until 10 while I had already finished two coffees, tackled the brain puzzles and published Wednesday’s blog post.

S finally got his coffee and puzzle challenge underway, taking a break to go fill the water. That’s when he spotted Beibs playing with the hose at the house! By the time I grabbed my phone and got outside, Beibs had lost some of his enthusiasm and was no longer whipping it around. Too bad I missed the best of the action!

I got my workout done, followed by a refreshing shower, while S settled in for lunch and the news. He enjoyed grilled aged cheddar and onion sandwiches, dipped in a combination of ketchup, HP sauce and jam. Yes, all three! 

After eating, S headed out to install the quad part. I took Jimmy some grapes, which he happily accepted, of course. Then I continued my own workout by moving the deck chairs individually to the shop, where I stacked them up for storage. I also put fresh flagging tape on the gate to make it more visible to drivers.

B texted to ask if I could feed the horses, so I headed to the garage to mix up their feed tubs and get them delivered. Hank is still refusing to eat properly, even when I tried adding some of Bird's pellets. He did at least give them a try, but getting him to eat continues to be a concern.

It was another stunning day, reaching 20°C with not a breath of wind. After getting the quad running right as rain, S moved on to preparing the A/C unit for winter storage. UGH! It was DIRTY! That job was clearly overdue.

Look at the condenser coil! How is it even working?

I got supper underway using the excess tomatoes along with chicken and mushrooms S had bought. The recipe I'd found online turned out really tasty, so that was a nice success for the evening meal.

With the Flames playing, I returned to building my family tree. I find sorting out the families and piecing together their histories so intriguing. There are always interesting details to uncover, including discovering a distant cousin who died in Vietnam. Every new connection adds another little piece to the bigger family story.

During the last hockey intermission, we headed out for a hot tub. Knowing the weather is about to change drastically, it felt rather strange to be sitting outside on such a warm, calm night beneath a sky full of stars. I rinsed off afterward and returned to my family tree while S finished watching the game.

Once the Flames won, S moved to the bedroom to carry on with his sports viewing and work on the brain puzzle. I joined him with our bowls of yogurt, and together we tackled today's puzzle until we finally solved it. Just before midnight, the forecast winds began to blow, marking the end of that unusually calm evening.

I read for a little longer before calling it a day, and sent Shaina a text wishing them safe travels as they began their journey home tonight.

It was another full day, with winter preparations underway, a little horse mischief and more family history pieced together—all squeezed into one of those beautiful fall days we're going to miss when the weather turns.