Fall aka Autumn!!

We've had a glorious fall and the weather has been just beautiful! The colours of the leaves are just amazing. Now, what I never knew was, why the leaves changed colour! Never really thought about it I guess! I recently picked up a book from the secondhand store about the seasons of the year and we read the 'Fall' chapter. And it explained that normally the leaves are green because they are filled with chlorophyl (which is green) and this in turn makes food for the trees with the sunshine. But in fall and winter, just as some animals hibernate, trees do the same, so the chlorophyl disappears and all the red, yellow and orange colours in the leaves show up because the green isn't there to hide them anymore. Another amazing facet in God's creation. Enjoy!

Shantel in the leaves!

Love the different colours - pity the photo is slightly blurred

Oh, that's Megan and Alex in Ontario! You were meant to look at the leaves!

That's it folks!

Photos, farm and pumpkins

Now that we've moved in our new house and nearly everything is unpacked, we really feel settled and everyone has adjusted really well. We feel very blessed and are thankful for the many things that have happened so far: the welcoming from the ARC and friends, lots of advice, Cornerstone Christian school, a job, a house, family (and friends) in Canada and more! God has certainly blessed us and we continue to thank Him and put our trust in Him. Of course, there is still the part of our daughter  in Australia as well as (aging) parents and grandmother. And the rest of our friends and family there too! However, we know that God is everywhere and He cares for us all, wherever we may be. And technology makes things easier too! Facetime, skyping, email and whatapp! So feel free to drop a line, we love to hear from you too!

I have taken photos of most of the rooms now; so here goes!

My HUGE laundry

Kitchen

Dining

Master bedroom

One set of stairs to Jaclyn's room and games room

Games/study/teen retreat

Jaclyn's room: her double bed is on the right in the corner with lots of room to spare (including a bed)!

Set of stairs to Stefan's room

Stefan's room: queen size bed!

On Saturdays, Jaclyn and Stefan help with the farm chores and so we walked over and watched them.

Jaclyn helps Elissa and Brent milk the cows. There are about 500 cows and so milking takes about 3 and a half hours. The cows come in the left side and the right side of the milking parlour and while one side gets milked, the other side will come in and get ready for milking. Then the other side will be finished; they get let out and the next lot comes in. 

It can be a bit gross when a cow might do 'something' but it's all part of the job and they apparently even have fun: milk squirt fights etc!!

Stefan feeds the calves and washes their water buckets (pails). The calves are housed in individual pens and require milk in bottles twice a day. The milk is made up similar to baby formula, and poured into bottles. The bottles are placed in slots in each pen and when finished, placed back on the cart and washed. Taleesha knows what to do and even helps Craig and Stefan.

A calf was born just 20 minutes earlier, and so once the mother licks off the sac, it gets separated and fed milk along with colostrum for 3 days. Here Stefan is helping feed the newborn calf.

Stefan introducing the bottle to the calf

Pumpkins are out in full force and for the most part are related to halloween. They have been for sale at farms and the supermarkets for quite a few weeks now. However, pumpkin soup is not really done here so I was quite excited to find a kent pumpkin and make a big pot of pumpkin soup. It's the kids' favourite soup and turned out beautifully!

Pumpkin Patch in Australia would normally be associated with a kids clothes store but here (this one's in Canada) is exactly what it is: a patch of pumpkins; and heaps of them!

Funky sign on the main road: makes you look twice to read it; and then buy some!

That's it for today! Thanks for visiting!

Birthdays and More!

Last Sunday we visited Tante Fien (Dad Houweling's younger sister) who was leaving for Australia in the early hours of Monday morning. She was all packed up and virtually ready to leave. We had a nice visit and even took a few photos!

She arrived safely in Australia and just in time to celebrate her brother's 85th birthday. 

Happy birthday Dad! Regretfully we could not attend but were there in thought and wish you the Lord's blessings in the coming year.

Brother and sister together again after 14 years!

To celebrate Dad's birthday we went over the border and went to Langley church (John and Veronica's church) and then went to their place for dinner. 

Veronica needs to go to hospital this weekend for hip replacement surgery and we pray that all may go well. 

Proost!

Maria, Shantel and Taleesha enjoying their dinner!

'Uncle John' and Taleesha

Bible reading and the two girls

John with Taleesha and grandson Chase. Taleesha took a real shine to John!

Well, that's it for this post. I've taken photos of our house all 'dressed' and will put them up in the next day or two.

Thanks for visiting.

Our New Home!

Since our internet is finally up and running, here's another update!

Over the course of the last week or two, we moved into our 'new' home. It is three houses down and right next to the Vreugdenhils; much to the delight of the kids! It is a bigger home and just has a homely  feel to it. It has five rooms, and three are upstairs. So Jaclyn and Stefan have their own room and the third room is the games room/teenage retreat/study. They also have their own bathroom. On the ground floor is another two rooms and a bathroom. My laundry is HUGE! And we have space in the backyard as well as a canning room!

Stefan stayed home one day to help transport the boxes which we hadn't unpacked at the other house yet and so I could put everything straight in their places. Jaclyn stayed home the following day to help transport clothes and the kitchen stuff along with Bernice. That evening a group of about 5 guys came and shifted all the beds and furniture. It was done in about 1.5 hours! So we have now settled in and really feel at home!

Our new home

Here's some photos of the rooms empty. More photos coming soon.

Games/teen retreat/study upstairs

Jaclyn's room. Small door leading into Stefan's room

Stefan's room. Same door to Jaclyn's room

Laundry

Lounge with gas fireplace

Kitchen

Dining room

Yesterday morning, once everyone had gone to school, Taleesha was looking out into the backyard, and she said, 'look mum, there's a dog'. I immediately realised it was not a dog but a coyote. He was quite close and probably looking for food. They are generally more scared of you, than you them but there have been reports of coyotes attacking humans so we will just be wisely cautious.

And just on the days we were moving, the corn fields next to our old place got the chop. They work fast with one man on the mower and the corn then goes in the covered trailer behind it. Once that's full, a truck which trails behind, comes up along side and the corn gets dumped in the truck. This then gets emptied in to bunkers and covered up and used in winter as food for the cows.

The corn back in August

Corn in October,  with the cutters having just done a cut around the outer edge

The trailer being empied into the truck

The fields are now all level. Everything is exposed including the bunker and the cow shed in the background

Tried baking some bread in my new mixer. Worked out okay just a bit dense, so we will work on that!

Homemade bread and jam. Yum!

Here's a mower for you Dad! Big long arm that can maneouver it's way around. Here's it's to cut the tall grass along the ditches on either side of the road. Quite some skill involved. The driver is constantly going backward and forward!

The cows from the barn opposite our house.

Well, this week has been a busy one. Putting things in their places and getting a feel for everything! I was also on school cleaning duty this week, so every day after school three families help clean. The classrooms get vacuumed, toilets cleaned, bins emptied and concrete floors dry mopped. Takes about 30-45 minutes. Then on Friday, the three families rostered for the following week help as well and the school gets a more thorough clean. The kids all help and know what to do. Works really well and they also have a sense of ownership!

Well, that's it for this week. We have been blessed with some beautiful weather. Some days are foggy for most of the day but the last few days are clear blue skies. Not normal, we're told! That's all we've heard since we've arrived! Normally we'd be having rain, rain, rain!
  

Thanks for dropping by!