I Am Back!

 Hello!

I've missed you!

I have been doing some blog reading, as I try to get things as 'back to normal' as possible in my little world!!

I had an amazing summer with my little guy so this will be picture heavy!

That is a terrible picture of me, however, my new ride finally arrived (I ordered it in May 2022)! And I L O V E it! It's a Ford Escape Platinum Hybrid!

It is well broke in, as I have been all over Alberta, and back. Twice!

Before I got to Manning in June, I made Harley (Brysons dad) this! I just needed to get Brysons hand prints....then it had to dry!

 I went swimming with the Grade 1's and 2's at Brysons school, as they didn't have enough volunteers! His parents went away for a weekend for a concert in Edmonton, and then when school was finished; Bryson and I left for our summer vacation!

We started out with the Rosebud Theatre. A little place in the middle of nowhere! We saw The Sound of Music, and Bryson loved it! He's a little too short to reach the title on the poster!
 

 On Canada Day we went on a train ride at Aspen Crossing. This is him and my friend Carol in the stationary dining car after. Bryson dressed us all at Walmart the night before. Him and I wore red, and Carol had to get a white shirt; so we looked like the Canadian flag. The hat we found at $ Tree or something; we ALL had to have one! And we were grateful as it was very hot that day! We also got a lot of compliments! Haha

Then we did the zoo! We went for Safari Brunch, and that is the way to do the zoo! Went for the first sitting between 9 & 10:30 am, and stayed for 9 hours! Carol said, 'I walked over 1200 steps!' I said, 'then I did too'! We agreed that Bryson probably did double!

Red Panda

 Bryson sharing ice cream with a statue at the zoo!

Then there ware the Penguins! We loved them, however, my nose got cold in their environment!

The Calgary Zoo also has an amazing Dinosaur display.

 We went to The Royal Tyrrell Museum. That was another hot day, but oh so windy!

Bryson liked the 'real' dinosaurs, and the inter active displays, not so much the bones. That's ok, next time we'll go for a hike in the hoodoos or something! They did have a gigantic play structure that I took Bryson to, and Carol took her time wandering around the museum!
 

After our adventures in southern Alberta, we headed back to Manning so Bryson could take swimming lessons.

We baked...I stole this from his mom, who posted it on Facecrack.

This is sheetpan quesadillas. I think originally I found the recipe over at The Pioneer Women...of course I modified it, as those southern girls use a LOT of butter!

We stayed up north until after the annual parade & rodeo. The theme was Wild, Wild, West, and Bryson wanted to ride his bike in the parade. So off we went to the next biggest town an hour away to see what we could find to decorate with!!

This is what we came up with ........ of course he picked the colors!

And he won ....for kids 7 and under! It was fun! Pool noodle horse idea was found on Pinterest; his great Grandpa & I spent a day- maybe 2 decorating his bike and covered wagon. There's his Canada Day hat making an appearance again! Wasn't easy getting all that stuff to stay on his bike helmet!!!

We then left Manning, AB to head to Creston, BC. We stopped in Calgary to pick up Carol, as she was coming for a few days!

It was hot! And smokey! But we did lots. Bryson was here for almost a month!

He got a haircut!

He wanted a Mohawk! My hairdresser was really good with him; showed him pictures on her phone so he could pick! He has wanted one for a long time. I told his mom to pick her battles, it was hair, it would grow! Not like it was a tattoo or anything! He loved it!

He got a trim for school! First day of Grade 2 with the school mascot!

 While he was here, we weeded. It's also the time of year to get ready to spray the roofs of buildings for moss. Child labor!

It wasn't ALL work!

We went to the smokey beach.

Splash park. A few times.

 

Kalen took him to mini golf. (I did one day too)

Went to the movie!

The pool, a few times.

We also found his dads truck in the parking lot at the pool.

We made stuff! Bryson went home with Cherry jam, Golden Plum jam, Blueberry jam, and applesauce.

Did I mention that it was H O T! He's wearing one of my hygge bands. I wear them to keep my hair and sweat out of my face. When Bryson wore one he was a ninja!!

We had birthday parties! I had three......ok, maybe this year was a big one! My mom's birthday is the same week as mine....she had one party! She also didn't get cake, Bryson & I made cherry & apple pies. That worked!

I have cleaned my desk off, made a bunch of sympathy cards because Kalen needed one and I only had 2 in my stash! Bryson also made cards and drawings for his parents, and made Carol a Thank You card....for playing with us all summer! She was also here for one of the birthday parties, and gave me a set of Ohuhu markers.....can't wait to play with those! I did do up the color swatches the other day! Carol's a scrapbooker, and an enabler!!

I have made a Halloween card...of course I did, and am ready to get back into challenges and fun stuff! Might be a minute though, as my brother was here for a few days and he mowed and I whipper-snipped. Mom ordered privacy panels that will go up on the existing fence, and the weeds under the fence need sprayed! That is on my list for tomorrow!! 

There you have it....the condensed version Haha.

Hope you're all well!

Talk to ya later!

Stay safe!