Family Trip

The day after Christmas, while many Canadians are heading to the stores for Boxing Day sales, we packed up and headed to the mountains. We were heading to Samaipata for 3 days before Nelson headed back to Canada. The drive out went quite well, with kids quietly reading or sleeping as the rest of us gazed at the wonderful scenery.

It was such a relaxing time together. We went swimming at the adjoining resort, went to El Fuerte ruins, and even had the opportunity to ride some horses. For Kezia and Asha, it was their first time, and they were thrilled. Asha kept yelling that it was her turn next and Kezia couldn't stop smiling. Each of the kids got to ride with Grandpa too, which was a treat.

We spent the evenings playing games and the afternoons reading on the patio, just like any other Heppner gathering! The kids enjoyed spending time with Nelson and Grandma and Grandpa. It was a nice little get away with our family.

Bye Bye Diapers!

I have to admit, one of my biggest fears of parenting was the dreaded potty training. I don't know why I have always been so anxious about it. It's not like I can't handle messes, even the bodily ones, it's just that I never could quite understand how you teach a kid to go to the bathroom. How does that work?

Well, I've done it twice before, successfully I might add! so my anxiety levels are much lower now. A few weeks ago, Asha got really interested in wearing underwear, so we figured we might give this potty training thing a go.

So after a few days, nope. She wasn't interested in having anyone dictate or even suggest to her when she should use the bathroom. She wasn't interested in having help when she had an accident. Ahhhh!!! After 4 days, we ditched the idea pretty quickly but let her know that soon she'd be big enough to try again. Kezia kept suggesting that maybe Grandma would bring her new panties and candy if she learned how to use the bathroom. Candy? There was a twinkle in her eye and the gears started turning....

Carl's parents came on the 18th, and Asha was still in diapers. After a few days, Asha mentionned to Grandma about panties and candy and wondering if she had any for her. Yes, Grandma brought candy for Asha, for Christmas. Well, the day before Christmas, Asha announced to us all that she would be wearing panties now, and Grandma had candy for her. There was no way to get a diaper on her, and so we figured, let's give this potty training another try.

We're on day 7 and there's no turning back. I guess she was waiting for Grandma to come, because she's only had one accident, on Christmas Eve at church, and has been dry for naps, and even for the 3 hour road trip we took. She doesn't balk at the suggestion of using the bathroom, but hardly needs reminders, as she heads there herself without any bribes of candy (which is seriously amazing for that girl!). It's like this is happening too easy! What was I anxious for? When it happened on Asha's terms, it happened so smoothly.

What a great Christmas present.

Christmas Celebrations

This year we have been blessed to have family for Christmas. Carl's brother, Nelson, returned from his trek in Peru to spend his last days in South America with us. As well as Carl's parents, who came on the 18th. It's been 3 years since we've had Christmas with Carl's parents, and I didn't realize until now how much I've missed celebrating holidays with them.

On Christmas Eve, the kids baked cookies with Grandma. It was a huge hit, especially for Asha, who loved to eat the cookie dough that got "dropped" out of the bowl. Sneaky critter! In the evening, we went to a candle light service at the English church, which was very nice.

Christmas day brought a special brunch, which is a tradition in my family, and the reading of the Christmas story. Joel, Kezia, and Asha coloured bible pages all throughout advent to make a book that told the Christmas story. Then came the presents!

Gosh, there were a ton of presents. Aunties and Uncles and Grandparents from home all sent along goodies and treats for us all. It was a bit overwhelming for us all to be showered in so many gifts. The lego, the playdoh, the dress-up clothes, the books, the CANDY!, the pampering lotions....oh, what blessings. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing with our new things.

In the evening, after cooking in the kitchen, we sat down for a Christmas feast. Jerry and Irina and baby Philip joined us for the dinner. It was so nice to have a full table at our house and so many to share Christmas with. It was definitely one of those days that was so good you could bottle it. Thank you God!

A Week of Sunshine

Hundreds and Hundreds of Cookies to Share



A Gold Medal Team



A Baby Shower



A Suitcase from our Canadian Church....



Filled with Gifts of Love



Where's Waldo with Grandma



A Christmas Program with Actual Singing Children



A Grandpa that Can do Anything

Story Time Will Never be the Same Again

A few months I ago, I found a book "How to teach your child to read in 100 lessons". I never got around to starting the book and then one day, Joel was sitting on the couch, reading. We've always read stories to the kids and Joel was learning his letters in Spanish at school. I just figured it would take some type of effort on my part to teach him how to read. Well, I guess not. Now, whenever we read a book, he wants to read it to us. Bursting with pride are we!

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
-Dr. Seuss

It Feels Like Christmas

I was in an air conditioned building a few days ago, which doesn't happen very often. And so there I was, sitting and watching Christmas scenes on the t.v. It began to feel like Christmas

And then I walked outside and immediately started to sweat.

Was it the AC? Or what I saw on the t.v.?

This year it seems like I'm more atune to Christmas. I remember from last year that I didn't get into the spirit because the familiar cultural cues weren't around. But this year I think something has changed.

Okay, I think I'll always think it's more Christmas-y when it's cold.....

But we have been doing advent readings with our kids. We read a couple of verses off our colouring page, then the kids each colour a page that will be put together to tell the Christmas story on Christmas day. Our kids look forward to it and frankly so do I. They don't even get ansy about the candy (which for Asha, is almost a miracle).

They ask questions about why we really give gifts.

They state that Jesus loves them and came to live as a baby, just for them.

They want to know if everyone knows about how Jesus came to love us all.

It's constantly made me think, and prepare myself for Christmas. Isn't that what advent is all about? Sometimes I think that the weeks before Christmas are the most hectic of the year. We are rushing around trying to get our shopping done, our baking finished, the outfits bought for the parties and the portraits. It's like the 25th comes and we breath a sigh of relief. Whew! It's over, and now what.

But I've been really trying to focus on what this season is actually all about. I want to savour it, to ponder it and to focus on it. Kind of funny that a bunch of downloaded colouring pages and inquisitive children can do that, but God is creative in his ways, isn't he?

So though there's no AC in my house, this year, I'm trying to slow down and be in the midst of advent, and not just rushing through it.

Sueño Hecho Realidad

The last few weeks have been very full for Kezia. Her gymnastics club was preparing for their 25th anniversary and were going all out to give a Show Spectacular.

Once school was finished, Kezia went to practice for 90 minutes in the morning and then 3 hours in the afternoon. A week after that, she practiced for 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours over supper hour. Seriously, it was kind of crazy.

The girls would be at the gym, each group taking turns performing for each other while coaches and older gymnasts gave corrections and help. Meanwhile, the rest of the girls watched, played around, ate, and visited. For Kezia she loved being there all day and all night. It was like a giant dance camp!

I felt like there were some days that I hardly saw Kezia at all. But she was having so much fun and was excited for the show. The day of the show, she needed to come and have make-up done. Then we had to make sure her hair was perfect. Then we dropped her off 3 hours before the show so they could have group photos. I wondered, would she actually have energy at 8:30 at night to perform?

It was like Cirque de Soleil meets young gymnast. The show also highlighted the amazing history of the club. Thousands of girls over the last 25 years have gone through the program, started by 7 families who wanted to give their daughters the opportunity to learn gymnastics. And over the years, Club 7 has won over 3000 medals at the national and international level. During the slideshow presentation, Carl got a bit teary eyed. And Kezia hadn't even started yet.

Nati, Juana, and Eloina came as our guests to the show. We told them it was a way to see the fruits of their labour. How many times they washed her malla, how often did they get her ready and take her to gymnastics or pick her up, no one knows, but it was a lot. I think the ladies really enjoyed the show, as we did as well.

Kezia did wonderful with her group. We were so proud of her and so impressed with all the girls' hard work. Asha was mesmerized and kept mumbling about next year she'll be in a show too.



After the show, Kezia posed for some pictures with her friends and we took a very exhausted and pleased little girl home. It took 4 attempts to get the make-up off her and her hair free from all the gel. By midnight she was fast asleep, dreaming of her dream come true.

Five Years with Kezia - Part II

Yesterday Kezia had her most quiet birthday to date. Since it was election day in Bolivia, all transportation ceased, all stores closed, and everyone stayed home, except to walk to vote. There was no church, no public gatherings, nothing.

But that didn't stop us from having a party for her at home. In the morning, she had a candle in her blueberry pancakes (berries courtesy of Auntie Judy!) and opened her gifts. She was very pleased with her new shirt, her wallet, her kids' CD, and her gymnastics backpack.

For the rest of the morning, the kids played in the pool. We had snacks, and back into the pool they went. We ate a bit of lunch, and back into the pool went the three.

Late in the afternoon, they were joined by Kailey, Jessica, and Clara and they kept on swimming until their lips were blue. The girls gave Kezia a beach towel and a new outfit, which she was quite pleased with.

For supper, we had a burger potluck supper with the Flores, Schroeders and their guests, and the Freemans. Afterwards, chocolate cupcakes finished off the feast.

Hard to believe that Kezia is five. I mean, wasn't she just a baby, barely able to crawl with a ton of hair? We're really proud of her and all that she can do. She's learned how to do a cartwheel, she can whistle, braid, and blow bubbles with her gum. Kezia is bilingual and a very creative artist. But more than that, we are proud of how she is growing into an articulate, helpful, compassionate and sensitive person. I wonder what is in store for our young miss in the coming year?

We love you Kezia!!

Five Years with Kezia - Part I

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Kezia had her 5th birthday yesterday. This year, she really wanted to have a class birthday party, so before school let out in mid-November, we did a school party.

It happened to be when Eric and Michelle were visiting, so Michelle helped me buy all the stuff for the party. Carl was feeling a bit under the weather the day of the party, but I had him come along anyways to help. I knew that 19 5 year olds, yelling at me in Spanish, would be a tad overwhelming. I give a high five to all you elementary school teachers. Those kids are crazy and full of energy!!!

Kezia wanted to do a craft, so we made masks as the activity. Usually parents hire a clown or have some sort of entertainment, but we decided to do something different. We had a craft, and instead of a cake, I made trifle. I explained to the teachers it was a Canadian (European) thing and that it's red and white like our flag. They thought it was the neatest thing after sliced bread. I was quite pleased that it was such a hit - pudding, cake, and whipped cream.

Kezia felt so honored, with all the gifts and attention. The teachers had each of the kids pose with Kezia after she opened the gift. It was quite sweet and so I printed pictures and gave them to the kids a few days later as a thank-you from Kezia. She had quite the haul of Barbies and make-up. Yikes!

The piñata was of course the highlight and I made sure to fill it with plenty of hard-to-get-out-of-the-hair confetti. I'm sure the dye also runs, but I found it in a bag of left-over party stuff in my house, so it wasn't really all on me. :)

I have to admit, the thought of doing some class party was a bit intimidating. I wondered, since we were doing things different, how it would turn out. But I was pleasantly pleased how everything to the teachers and classmates was a novelty, from the foreign family! 5 year olds are definitely rambunctious, but in the end, it was all worth doing the party for Kezia. She couldn't stop smiling all day and talked about it for weeks.

Guess Who Brought 40lbs of Candy?

Uncle Nelson did!

Well, it wasn't all just from him. He arrived at our house on Sunday night, with a backpack of his clothes and a large suitcase for us, filled with gifts and goodies from friends and family in Canada. It was a bit overwhelming! We have to clear out a space in our large outdoor freezer to keep all the candy. Sigh, what a problem to have, eh?

We were blessed to have Nelson with us for a couple of days. The kids were so happy to see him, no shyness from Joel and Kezia, and after a 10 second stare, Asha was ready to say, "Hi Uncle Nelson".

Joel enjoyed playing checkers and chess with his Uncle. Plus, the guys all shaved their heads, so that was a highlight for Joel. He was pleased as punch when Nelson came along to his swimming lessons.

Kezia was happy Nelson took the time to read stories to her and come and see her participate in gymnastics.

Asha enjoyed chatting with Nelson, chasing him around, constantly asking him "Why?" and he never got tired of answering her.

It was a nice relaxing visit with Nelson. We had great conversations with him, which Carl really had been missing. We went around the city, found the house where they all lived in the 90's, and visited some MCC projects.

The best part about it, even though the visit was short, it wasn't goodbye. He's headed off to Peru to see the sights for the next few weeks and he'll be back here for Christmas, along with Mom and Dad Heppner. We were very touched he made the trip way south to see us.