Lots of new pictures

In case you're wondering, we sold 19 Butter Braids. Not the record for Peter Pan Preschool but a decent showing.

Since the last time we posted pictures in September we have added over 100 new photos/movies to our web album. In that time we have had a "Day out with Thomas", had Oma & Opa Sawatzky visit us, travelled to Cincinnati to visit Rhonda, David, Bing and Reid, enjoyed the Haxtun Corn Festival and done more work on our landscaping project.

The balance of the September album is here.

From September 2007

Click here for the October photos...

October 2007

... the November photos...

November 2007

... and our updated "Landscaping Progress" photos.

From Landscaping P...

Tasty Butter Braids

Hello,

The cooperative preschool (Peter Pan Preschool) that our children Kate and Joel attend in Boulder is having its fall fund raiser. This year's fund raiser involves selling Butter Braid Pastries.



Joel and Kate are only just learning about money and marketing so we are helping them out. They really enjoy their time at the school. I like it because I get to take them there in the mornings on our bike/trailer setup. But I digress... these pastries taste great. Someone put a taste sampler out near the door where parents bring their children to the school. I had to return a number of times to the table before I finally left the building. If you love good quality baked sweets... this is for you.

If you would like to purchase one or more of these delicious pastries, here are the details:

1. each Butter Braid Pastry costs $9.00
2. we need to have our order in to the school before the morning of October 19, so please sign up before then.
3. contact me at alfred.sawatzky@gmail.com (you can contact Becky, too, but I don't want to give the spammers her e-mail on this blog) and tell me how many of each of the following you would like (click here list of ingredients and nutrition information)
   
• Bavarian Creme Chocolate Icing
• Cherry
• Apple
• Blueberry Cream Cheese
• Cinnamon
• Cream Cheese
4. we can arrange payment when you contact me. Ideally I would like payment before the October 19 deadline, but we can also discuss other arrangements.
5. I will be receiving the ordered pastries on November 1st and will get them to you as soon as possible after that.

Thanks for helping out our preschool.

Regards,

Alfred Sawatzky

Summer 2007 is nearing its end

We finished off August with two camping trips. The first one was to the Maroon Bells Wilderness near Aspen Colorado together with our friends Beth, Ian, Owen and Abagail. The weekend after that we went camping closer to home at Golden Gate Canyon State Park with Graham, Deb, Marina and Seth and about 20 other friends.

The camping pictures you can find here and round out the remainder of our August photos.



September started out with Joel and Kate starting preschool and graduating from tricycles to bicycles. We also got to celebrate Grandpa's birthday in Boulder. Pictures from those events are here.

September 2007

Enjoy.

landscaping progress

To get a better sense of the progression of our landscaping project, I have created a new album that you can refer to from time to time to see how things are going. You can also click on the picture below (or here) to be taken to the actual album.

July/August 2007

Can you believe that it is middle of August already? We celebrated Joel and Kate's 3 1/2 year birthday today.

Final July photos are here...

From July 2007

And we have started August pictures here...

August 2007

We had a great vacation in Estes Park last week and those pictures are included in the August 2007 Album.

Yesterday we rototilled all the green manure (buckwheat, rye, sunflowers) that were growing in our yard back into the dirt. It actually looks like we have soil now instead of just hard-packed dirt that we started with. I hope to have a new album soon that shows the progress of our yard.

Enjoy.

we're back

It has been almost two months since I last updated this blog. A lot has happened since then and we have a bunch of new pictures to show for it.

At the end of May Alfred's sister Marlene and her son Alexander came to visit. But we actually had overnight guests at our house the week before that. And then throughout most of June we also had various family members stay with us.

During all that time we were busy reviving our yard. As you may be aware, we had over 30 cubic yards of gravel spread on it and our goal was to get rid of all the gravel without sending any of it to the landfill. I think within the next week we will have realized that goal. Thanks to Becky for her determined push to find recipients for the rocks and her skill in coordinating mechanical and physical labor to move the rocks.

In July we started amending the soil by adding horse manure, rototilling the entire yard and then planting buckwheat, sunflowers and winter rye. Then we are covering the entire crop with mulched straw to keep the moisture in and the weeds down. We plan to turn all this "green manure" under in August in preparation for landscaping later in the fall.

You can find the last of the May pictures here...

From May 2007

The June pictures are here...

June 2007

And some of the July pictures are here...

July 2007

Enjoy!

Tree Planting

Back in the summer of 1988 I spent a summer tree planting in northern BC. My dad recently sent me a link to a 15 minute video produced by CBC that gives a good reflection of what it was like for me that summer. Click here to see the video.

May pictures and Mother's Day camping trip

The May pictures have been started in a new album. Click on the picture below to browse to the album.

May 2007

On the Mother's Day weekend, we went camping with friends to Wellington Lake. Most of the friends were Alfred's friends from previous jobs, but we were specially invited by Deb, Graham, Marina and Seth. Graham is a friend from Alfred's GE days and he and his family live close to us in Boulder. Their two children and Joel and Kate are friends so it was great to have them all camping together.

worms after dinner

More pictures posted including silly children, a ride in the park and worms.

Click on the image below to see the photos.

From April 2007

Alfred has been eating alot more since we moved to Boulder because he has actually been riding his bike to work almost every day. So he will eat anything that Joel and Kate don't eat. But who eats the things that no one will eat? Click the image below to find out.

From April 2007

Enjoy!

Easter in Haxtun

We spent Easter in Haxtun. The weather was cold and slightly snowy on the eastern plains. But the Front Range got hit hard with a bad rain/snow mix. Apparently we got out of Boulder just in time.

Click on this picture link to see our Easter pictures.

We have solved our dependence on oil

The fuel of choice for this lean, mean transportation machine includes juice, cheese, milk, cold peas and frequent desserts.

Have a look at...

From April 2007

Goodbye March, hello April

Can you believe we are starting April today already?

Well, we have some final pictures to round out our March album at...

From March 2007

... and are starting our April album with...

April 2007

Enjoy.

more moving pictures

Our friend John helped us move in Boulder and found time to take some pictures. He has posted them here.

we have arrived (and new pictures, too)

On March 10th we moved from Denver to Boulder. We had reserved a 26 foot UHaul truck for the day, but when I showed up a the store to pick it up, they had overbooked. So they gave us a 17 foot truck and a trailer. By noon we had completely packed the truck and trailer and by mid afternoon we were up at our house in Boulder. We got the stuff all into the house by dinner time and then I headed back to Denver with my friend John to get another load from our garage. Once we had brought all that back to Boulder I had to return the truck to Denver that same night. So it was a very long day but we got most everything moved.

I think that it went as efficiently as it did because Becky had been so well organized with packing boxes starting one month before the move. I'm afraid that if the organizing would have been left up to me, we would have been pulling some "all nighters" the days before the move. It would not have been a pretty sight. Thank you Becky, for all your hard work on the move!!

We had alot of help on moving day, too. In both Denver and Boulder we were assisted by Grandma and Grandpa Pfaltzgraff. Uncle Roy was a wonderful packer and he got those boxes into the truck and trailer as tight as they could possibly be. Susan helped with moving boxes but very importantly also helped entertain Joel and Kate.

In Denver we were also helped by our friends from FMC. Thank you to Randal, Lisa, Merle, Evan, Liz and Derek! Loading a truck is hard work and your help made the difference between a good day and the stressful day it could have been.

In Boulder, we were joined by Great Grandma Krehmeyer who shared some very tasty brownies with all of us. Also helping with the move were Alfred's friends from work (both past and present). Thanks to Darren, John, Roger and his son Adam! You all made the unloading go fast and efficiently.

We are settling into life in Boulder. Alfred has started cycling to work (about 15 minutes each way) and Becky, Joel and Kate are finding their way around Boulder quite well. This weekend we purchased a used trailer for the bicycle so that we can pull Joel and Kate around in it. Today they got cute little bicycle helmets to protect them in the trailer.

Well, those are some of my ramblings. Click on the picture below to see pictures from our Move as well as the rest of our March 2007 album.

From March 2007

one week to go

One week to go! This next Saturday is moving day. Kind of exciting.

This weekend was busy, too. On Friday afternoon, Becky's parents came to town with some stuff that we needed to take up to Boulder. So we caravaned up there and officially moved our first things into the house. Then on Saturday morning we loaded up their pickup with stuff to take back to Haxtun.

It was nice to have Becky's parents around on Friday and Saturday. On Friday we were meeting with our selling agent and Becky's dad was kind enough to entertain Joel and Kate by crafting some animals with modelling clay and then also watching Thomas the Tank Engine. I think Roy should know all about Thomas, Gordon and Percy by now!

Our house is scheduled to be listed on March 14, but yesterday our agent called to say that a family wanted to view our house in a few minutes. Again, we were fortunate to have Roy and Kathy around because they were able to help us get the house cleaned up a bit in a few minutes and then also entertain Joel and Kate again while we were showing the house. Thank you grandma and grandpa for your help!!

Today was our last day at First Mennonite Church and they had a nice sending prayer for us and then also hosted a cake reception for us after the service. It is amazing to see again what a caring community we have been apart of this last 10+ years.


This week will be busy getting the house packed up. If any of you happen to have free time on Saturday, March 10 and want to help us move, please give us a call or e-mail at (alfred dot sawatzky at gmail dot com).

Joel and Kate Birthday

The actual birthday was yesterday so here are a few more pictures and videos from then.

From Joel & Kate 3...

Joel and Kate Birthday and other pictures

Joel's and Kate's birthdays are not until Monday, but we had the birthday party for them this evening so that Great Grandma, Grandma, Grandpa, Roy and Susan could join us from Haxtun. Great Great Aunt Marlene from Denver also joined the party. You can see pictures and video clips from the party by clicking on this image.

Joel & Kate 3rd Birthday

We also have pictures from January...

January 2007

... and February ...

February 2007

Enjoy!

House Inspection

Welcome to our first blog post. If you want to be automatically notified each time we add pictures or write a new story, please take a minute to register your e-mail address (use the FeedBlitz form in the top right corner of the page)

We had the house inspection for the house in Boulder done this past Thursday. We spent about 3 hours there and took a bunch of pictures. If you are interested, you can see them at

Martin Drive House

We gave the sellers a list of repair/replace issues today and they have until Tuesday to tell us what they will do about it. After we have that all sorted out, there will be less than three weeks before we move in. I'm getting excited, but there is still alot to do. Today Kate said she wanted to break our current garage into many little pieces. I thought that maybe she was mad about moving house. But when I asked her why she wanted to break the house into pieces she said she wanted to put all the pieces into a box and move the to Boulder with us. We have been starting to pack things this last week so moving boxes are very real for her.