Camping Weekend

This weekend we headed out to go camping. The kids love it and could probably camp all summer long! Unfortunately we farm which means that camping all summer isn't an option but we try to get out as much as we can and head to a different campground each time we go. We arrived midafternoon on Friday so we explored the campground on our bikes, ate supper then drove to the town, which is a few miles away, to explore it too. Of course that means we found the ice cream place and located the mini golf course. The beach looked like it was really nice but it was rather cool and windy so the kids were content to play on the play structure for a while. Saturday morning was rainy so we again hopped into the truck and drove a bit further to a different town to do some shopping. Yup, that means the local bakery and coffee shop were discovered too!! The sun came out later that afternoon but the temperature didn't really warm up so no beaching was done. We did mini golf and biked a lot. We had hoped to bike on some trails but they were all flooded out so our neighbours got to hear the sound of plastic training wheels on pavement quite a bit! On Sunday we met friends at the waterslides and had a great time sliding and floating on the lazy canal. The kids didn't want to come home but I think they were happy to be in their own beds last night anyway!

Rainy camping moments are great for reading.

Ron loves popcorn and while he had been in Princess Auto (the farmer's pleasure store) he found this over-the-fire popcorn maker that he just had to buy.

The kids (and Ron) are eagerly anticipating the goods.

Success! The popcorn was very good, it may become the summer way of making popcorn in our family!

The kids on the lazy canal at the waterpark.

Ron going down the Bonsai! If you didn't slow yourself down you could get some good air on this bump. We saw one guy lose control and flip over onto his stomach in the air. That "stunt" was great fun to watch but apparently not so great to do! He wasn't hurt, just a little sore.

We had a great time and would definitely go camping there again, hopefully we get to the beach next time!

Last Week's Happenings

Again there were a lot of changes made to the house. Is there a week that will go by where I don't make that comment?! The shingles were finished on a very hot and humid day! The roofers started at 6:00 am hoping they could be done before the heat really hit, I think they finished around 2:00 so it was quite warm (32C, 45C with the humidity, or 89F, 113F with humidity). The house wrap was finished and the windows and doors have been installed, except the dormer windows, the track hoe lift will be needed for those. The garage floor has been packed and levelled and hopefully ready to be poured soon. Ron has been busy making decisions at the house that don't need my involvement so I feel a little out of the loop. We had been quite busy last week as well so I didn't get over there too much to keep my own mental notes as to what has all happened. I'm sure there was more but right now I can't remember!

Most of the windows are in. The big picture window in the great room was installed Friday morning with the forklift and a few guys! I was busy packing up for our camping weekend so I didn't get over there to take pictures of the ordeal. It was probably best that I didn't!

Front windows and door. We're looking forward to sitting in front of those on the veranda!

The view of the dining room.

The interior insullation began this morning, apparently the drywallers could possibly start on Friday! The plumbers are installing pipes in the basement for the laundry room and bathroom. It will be a while before the in-floor heat is installed in the basement. Ron said it's still pretty mushy down there, not sure how long it will take for it to dry out. Everytime I think the house is humming along I remember the basement floor still needs to be done and then I'm brought back to reality. It may not delay the move-in date, it's just shuffled the work order around, maybe??

House News for the Week

There were a few more steps made this week on the house. The framing was finished, wiring was done, shingling was started, some of the insulation around the outside of the house and house wrap was attached, which means a few windows were installed. We chose our exterior door handles this week, that didn't take nearly as long as I had anticipated. It helped that there wasn't much for selection in the colour I, um, I mean we, wanted!

The basement has also dried up enough that Josiah's crew could level out the gravel. A bit more drying needs to be done before they can do some major work down there though, that 42" fan is getting a workout! We had a house inspection this week as well. A few minor tweaks need to be made and then we're good to go on the interior insulation. Most of the backfill has happened but there is a bit of work that needs to get done in the front of the house where the veranda will be before that can be backfilled.

The front of the house is all that's left to shingle. With temperatures forecasted for the mid 30's (mid 90's F) this week it could be one hot workplace!

Windows in the mudroom and dining room.

This week the plan is to get the veranda area ready for piles, finish backfilling, finish insulating the outside and installing windows and doors, continue to dry out the basement and finish prepping the garage floor for pouring the cement. There is a slight possibility that the interior insulation will be started but I think they have their plates pretty full and who knows what other things may pop up this week as well.



Annual Family Camping Weekend

Every year my family camps for one weekend. Last year the campground we usually go to was flooded out so we camped on our yard, this year was no different. We haven't minded though, it's sure been hot so it's been great having an air conditioned kitchen tent! We were on our yard most of the time having fun with the kiddie pool, sprinkler, quads and even the bulldozer! Saturday we headed up to a National Park that's an hour away and sat on the beach. Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Dozer rides! Ron's dad got stuck with the tractor and mower so apparently it was a good opportunity to give rides in the dozer.

Of course the quads couldn't be left out!

It was hot this weekend so the sprinkler was put to good use.

 A lot of visiting happened while keeping the babies (& babes :D) cool in the shade. The guys golfed 9 holes at our local golf course one morning while it was still cool. Nathan was pretty proud of his score (64 on 5 holes) so he thought he had bragging rights to 3rd place. 

Colouring part of a Parks Canada collage.



It was a fun weekend and we're all looking forward to next year! (Hoping to get to a house post later today)

Fair Day!

This week was the Fair in town. It's always a big deal in our family and we are gone pretty much all day. It starts with the parade at 9:00 and ends with fireworks at 11:00, or whenever it gets dark, so it's a long day! The last couple of years have been busier too with the kids watching friends who compete in the horse classes, 4H cattle classes and then grandpa in the tractor pull. This year a kids tractor pull was added too. It was a lot of fun watching the kids pedal until their legs could pedal no more!

Every year our kids ride in the parade in these carts that Ron's dad had made for giving the grandkids rides around the yard in. They have been greatly enjoyed by many children over the last few years! The "float" promotes Acres of Hope, our local Foodgrains Bank project that Ron is involved in. They aren't all Krahn grandchildren in the picture. Unfortunately this year the field was too wet to seed so there won't be a crop. Ron's mom and the grandkids that live on the yard have their own project going this year, however, and will be selling corn and other produce in town to raise funds for the project.

Ron's brother and his oldest son drove the John Deere 'A'

Ron's dad and Nathan drove the 930 Case tractor.

Bethany getting ready to out-pull the competition!

Nathan's pedalling for all he's worth! 

Larissa decided not to participate, her friends were competing in the horse shows so she didn't have their influence to compete.

The fireworks show was definitely one of the best ones we've ever seen. Bethany wasn't too thrilled with the noise and some of them got so high they looked like they were going fall right on us so she was rather scared. I told her that next year we'll be able to watch them from our front porch so she's looking forward to that!

Another Quick Week

These weeks are going by so quickly, I would like to slow them down, just a little. The garage is up, the electrician has placed all of the outlets and switches, the wiring goes in Monday. The shingles were delayed, it was scheduled to happen this past Wednesday but now should be happening on Monday too. The cabinet makers were out today doing a site measure, a few minor tweeks need to happen but nothing too major, just moving some outlets and figuring out where to make the laundry chute. Yup, I'm having a laundry chute. One of my aunts had a laundry chute and when I would go visit their house on the farm I always thought it was the best thing ever so now after living on a farm for 12 years I get one too! The pipes for the plumbing are basically in and the basement is finally starting to dry up. We bought a 42" fan the other day so it should help move some air down there! It feels like we might be ahead of schedule until I remember the basement still needs to be worked on, then I'm brought back to reality. This week we also bought our appliances and picked out garage doors.

This picture was taken earlier in the week, Wednesday maybe, so the sheeting is now complete.

This coming week will see shingles, wiring, and I believe the installation of windows and doors. If you live in the area and you want a house tour without us knowing you better walk through the house soon because you'll be locked out later this week!! Just kidding, please stop by anytime, we'll be happy to take you through the house!

94 Years Young!

This past weekend we celebrated Ron's Grandpa's 94th birthday. All of the family that lives in Manitoba made it out for the party. Here is Grandpa with 17 out of 19 great-grandchildren.

Almost Done?

 That was the question Bethany asked on one of the visits to the house this last week. The rafters are complete, dormers are up and the garage is off to a great start! We also have the tub & shower in place as well as some of the other pipes. The basement looks like it's drying nicely too. Things are happening quickly at this stage that I can see why Bethany thought the house was almost done!

The rest of the rafters and sheeting happened so quickly I don't really have any good inbetween pictures from the last post to this one.



An attached garage! We can hardly wait to use it!! (can you tell I'm excited??)

The first thing installed in the house, our bathtub.

Tomorrow (or later today, depending on when I end up publishing this post!) we will walk through the house with the electrician to determine where the outlets will go. I think the roofers are coming this week to shingle the house. It's looking more and more real instead of a dream all the time!