The last Tuesday night in October was n Halloween haunted house at the CRE and we invited Team Three.

The last Saturday night in October we watched dream works smoky cartoons movies. Which was actually pretty funny.

For the Halloween party at Centra Cam there was Halloween games and we had costumes parade in the hallway.  They had stuff in bowls that we had to guess what they were and feel with our hands. They had Halloween photos booth with face masks, and we had dance parties.  Their was a game called “sweep the pumpkin, and you raced against the guy from Comicon “Maverick”.  We had so much fun dancing, singing, making Halloween cards with our friends. For Halloween evening we went to swimming pool with special Olympics and then we had a Halloween themed birthday bash with Rose Club on Halloween night! 

Kelsey showed me that her baby girl Avery is fitting into the moccasins that my mom made for her! They fit her perfectly and she’s super cute in them. 

On Saturday morning my parent’s new table got finished and slowly started moving in the dining room and some chairs got slowly upstairs as well.   Later on, Saturday afternoon the table and chairs were absolutely perfect and got upstairs finally.   So, since September to November my parents have been working on their new kitchen table with the kitchen table chairs set. Everything is finally finished and looks perfect!  

On Saturday afternoon, I coloured some pictures of shoes, necklaces. There were some purple perfumes with some red, orange and purple chandeliers.  I also coloured some green and red mitts, red toque. I also coloured a purple skate. After I coloured, my friend Karlina and her fiancé Isaak came over and we played two games of Yahtzee! We had a wonderful visit!

On Sunday evening we celebrated our new table and chairs set with an yummy dinner of Greek chicken, Greek salad, potatoes and mom and I made cheesy biscuits.  My grandpa Ray and I made Hot Fudge Pudding for dessert. The final step of the kitchen is going to be the backsplash. Grandpa Ray and I played Yahtzee with mom, dad and Sandy. Sandy got three Yahtzees!   

On Monday evening we made Rose Club Christmas cards that Rebecca delivered to our house . I enjoy putting Christmas stickers and different coloured papers to decorate the Christmas cards. My Mom made Maryann a beautiful paper of mittens. Mom and I also baked butter tarts.

For the Remembrance Day weekend, my parents had to babysit Coco for my brother Joel and his wife Ashley because she had a conference with her work and Joel went with her. On Friday afternoon we worked on my cross-stitch heart, did laundry and we made shopping list for Janelle ‘s birthday presents and some Christmas child shoe boxes items.  I also needed some teas and some milk.

On Saturday afternoon, I wanted to make sure that I had Janelle’s birthday presents bought and wrapped, also I wanted to get the Christmas child shoe boxes items bought and packed in the box. For the Christmas child box I got some fuzzy socks, markers, note book, soap hair ties, hair brush and comb. For Janelle’s birthday presents I got her an Donut bath bomb, bubble bath, Christmas PJs, hair ties and fuzzy socks.

On Sunday afternoon we decorated the Christmas tree. We weren’t able to decorate everything for Christmas because we were still watching Coco. My brother Joel and Ashley got back from the work conference in Canmore.   My brother and his wife got mom and dad some chocolates because they babysat Coco for the weekend.  We have been watching two shows on Sunday nights Sister Wives and Heartland. While I was heading back home, there was an surprise for me, my friend Mary dropped off a shirt and a hoodie that she designed. The hoodie had butterflies and says “Kelsey butterfly lifestyle”  on it. The shirt has Brett young’s name on it, my favourite song title ” I can’t sleep without you, a red moon and the date that I went to his concert.  She even got me a colouring book. Thanks so much Mary!

On Tuesday evening we went to drop off the Christmas child shoe boxes at the church.  I love giving a child who doesn’t have much and gives them a joyful Christmas with toys, markers, paper, pad and bar of soap for Christmas presents!  It was great to see my friend Glenda!  You don’t understand how blessed and thankful you are when someone else does not have much money for Christmas presents for their children. You can go and fill up a shoe box for children for Christmas! Please take your time and get a shoe box today! On Wednesday evening we went to the women’s shelter and I donated a beautiful flowery nightgown!

On Thursday afternoon mom and I went shopping for Christmas window stickers at the dollar store. We wrapped some Christmas presents and started on making Christmas cards that my auntie Gail sent me.   There were lots of Christmas cards, so we started with the Christmas door ones with Christmas decorations on the door!   I couldn’t wait until Sunday afternoon to make more Christmas cards and make a list of people that need a Christmas card, we might do a Christmas letter too.  

On Friday evening we celebrated our roommate Janelle’s 24th birthday! Niki got her birthday balloons and a mixed cheesecakes of different kinds of cheesecakes. There was chocolate, pecan caramel cheesecake, berries cheesecake and plain cheesecake. We put on YouTube videos of her favourite music artist Megan Trainor She likes pop music.  For her birthday presents, she got a Christmas onesie and Christmas PJs, donut bath bomb, Christmas CDs, new toy and bubble bath! She also got Bumble bee fuzzy socks! After her birthday party, we headed to Rose Club birthday bash to celebrate birthdays in November. It was great to see everyone in person, danced with our friends and it was a great time. Rebecca had a Disco Ball that lit up with different colours. It was really neat.  We had an amazing evening celebrating Janelle’s birthday and awesome time celebrating everyone else’s birthdays in November.

Saturday afternoon we decorated the inside of the house for Christmas. We put up some dollar store items like snow man and snow flakes on the windows. We put up the Christmas tree and decorated our Christmas tree!

On Wednesday evening we went to make a centrepiece for the Rose Club Christmas’s party on Friday, December 16. It was a Christmas box. Home hardware built them, they also painted them with white paint gun and donated them to the Christmas party for Rose Club. I was in charge with the glue gun and Niki placed the decorations on my Christmas box!  We had a blast decorating them and can’t wait until we see them at the Christmas party!

On Thursday afternoon my mom and I went shopping for Christmas presents. We got Christmas presents for baby Joshua Junior and baby Averie (which is Kelsey’s and Mary’s) newest babies, we also got their older kids (Alayna and Kahliya )  Christmas presents as well.   We wrapped them up with Christmas wrapping paper and Christmas gift bags. We also wrapped up the Handivan’s Christmas present which is chocolates from Costco. After super, we dropped off the Christmas presents. 

Friday morning I gave the Handivan their Christmas present which is Meri chocolates from Costco and the Handivan driver Joanne was surprised that I got a Christmas present done.  On Friday afternoon Nia and I played two games of Yahtzee and did lots of laundry. I made a list of Christmas presents ideas for my roommates. 

Saturday afternoon I went shopping for Christmas presents for my Roommates and I went to Walmart and Warehouse One.  Then Rebecca, Taryn , my roommate Kat and I went see the new inside of Tim’s Horton and it’s very nice. It’s feels like a new restaurant inside and outside, which is fresh and clean. Check it out yourself.   After our Tim’s Horton coffee date, we invited Rebecca and Kat to come to the mall with us.  We went to Ricki’s and Bootlegger. For the Christmas presents: I got a jewelry kit for Jessica, I got sweaters for Janelle and Theresa , I got Craig PJ pants and Kat got a Subway gift card! 

On Sunday afternoon my mom and I wrapped the Christmas presents for my roommates.  Most of the Christmas presents were already in boxes so it was easier to wrap and one had an tag on the box so we didn’t have to wrap it.   We made Hershey’s Mint Chocolate Chip Nanaimo Bars to freeze so we can have them on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The end of November or the bringing of December we change my feeding tube.  It seemed to be loose, so we changed it a few weeks earlier than usual.   We also change the feeding tube around my birthday too.   My mom took a picture of myself in front of the Christmas tree.  We also got the Christmas cards addressed and wrote into the inside of Christmas cards.  Hopefully the next time that I’m home my mom has ordered the pictures for the Christmas cards, and we can send them out.    It was a very busy weekend with Christmas presents shopping, Christmas baking and getting ready for Christmas cards to send out.  Slowly but surely, I’m getting ready for Christmas.  

This week was the last week of special Olympics swimming and bowling!  

Later in the afternoon Anna and I went swimming with special Olympics for the last time until January!

On Tuesday afternoon my dad dropped mom and I off at the Glenrose hospital for an appointment at the spastic clinic. They gave me Botox in my right hand and wrist . We got a follow up appointment on January 4th and they will make me an hand brace! They moved my hand in different positions and figured out I needed Botox in my hand and wrist.  They also looked at my leg braces. I thought it was interesting appointment, so I wanted to share my experience. 

On Wednesday later in the afternoon we had our last special Olympics bowling before Christmas break. We played bingo bowling and another bowling game with Christmas music playing in the background. I can’t wait until January to start swimming and bowling again with special Olympics! Here’s the bowling bingo sheet how we kept sore! Wednesday evening I fell off the shower chair and broke off a tooth.

On Thursday morning I went to the dentist, and he fixed my tooth! In the afternoon mom and I made Chocolates Mint Snow-Top Cookies… so yummy, so good, and so delicious.  I can’t wait for Christmas to have them. 

On Friday afternoon  Anna and I went shopping for the Rose Club Christmas exchange and the Centra Cam Christmas exchanges.  For the Christmas parties everyone buys a Christmas present and we do an Christmas gift exchange.    We also got Theresa’s Christmas presents from Santa!!  I bought a pink  care bear for the hockey game that donates bears for the U of A ( the Stollery  children’s hospital ) and drop it off the hockey ink. I think I have every Christmas presents brought, wrapped and or figured out.   We ended up at the elk hall and went to the Christmas market where my friend Mary and her baby Joshua Junior were selling homemade Christmas baking and selling sugar cookies and decoration supply kits. We even wrote in the Christmas cards for the different teams to wish them a merry Christmas and happy new year! On Friday evening we had a Rose Club meeting for January events  and Christmas bingo. I got a black out in Christmas bingo.

Saturday afternoon I coloured and went swimming with Maryann.

Sunday afternoon we took family pictures for our Christmas cards for 2022!  We had dinner with the whole family!

So mom ordered Christmas cards on Monday evening.  I finished the picture that I was colouring.  Sky is blue and sunny day with yellow and orange sun. Brown and back houses with some red decorating. Anna and I finished her Santa Claus shopping for Theresa and went to Winners and I forgot to send Sharon my senior a Christmas gift . So, we made a list of Christmas presents ideas. I think I would love to get her an basket of goodies, like hot chocolate, coffee and candy and Christmas candy canes.   

On Wednesday afternoon I did my Christmas traditions blog.

On Thursday afternoon mom and I went shopping at Walmart and we also made nuts and bolts.

On Friday morning I went to the fire hall and shred the paper for the fire men.   On Friday morning The Handivan driver Joanne said “The Handivan drivers really enjoyed their chocolates” from their Christmas present. They ate all the chocolates in a week. I noticed that Joanne decorated the bus for Christmas! On Friday afternoon I coloured a picture of a turtle with flowers and another picture of an octopus. I got to FaceTime my friend Kristen. I met her at CAFCL’s Kandu summer camp when she was a leader and I was eight years old.  I got to meet and see her second baby boy Malcolm on Facebook messenger!   It was a thirty-three-minute chat, and I enjoyed every minute of it. After FaceTime I coloured another picture of some fishes and blue water. On Friday evening we started on new cross stitch and we cross stitched a purple heart and we decided finally to pop Janelle’s birthday balloons!  It was an awesome day!

On Monday afternoon I interviewed  an fire man at Centra Cam.  I’m working on a Fire Hall poster that is about the fire hall! On Monday evening everyone drove around town and looked at Christmas lights.  On our way home, we headed to Tim’s and some people got hot chocolate and then I had a Mocha with creamer at home. 

On Tuesday afternoon I Face Timed my mom while she was making cinnamon twists! 

On Wednesday morning at Centra cam I played time Dominoes, and I finished writing up my interview with the fire man and played Camrose Monopoly. On Wednesday afternoon I finished my picture that says Salt in the air and sand in my hair with yellow, purple, and red writing. I made the background that looks like a sunset, which is light purple, dark purple and pink. I put in some blue waves, a pink seashell and a red fish!   My mom showed me that she made poppycock! Later on, before dinner time Taryn and I got some food bank items for the food bank for CAFCL. So we made a quick Walmart run and we got two boxes of pasta, three different pasta sauces and four different kinds of Kraft Mac and cheese bowls. During having dinner, we did some purple petals on the cross stitch. 

On Thursday morning I dropped off my food bank items at the CAFCL office. In the afternoon My mom and I made short bread cookies and did some last-minute Christmas shopping.   On Thursday Evening Kelsey and Melissa came over to drop off some Christmas presents! I got a new red Boom Box that has a radio in it as well. Brett young’s CD ” weekends look a bit different these days ” and Kelsey had made a picture frame of Brett young’s concert ticket and pictures from the concert.  We had a two hour visit with Kelsey and Melissa.  Thanks so much for the visit and the Christmas presents Melissa and Kelsey, and the Christmas card Kelsey and her family!   You’re the best people in my life and the funniest and crazy girlfriends ever!

On Friday morning I went to the fire hall and shred the paper for the firemen. Then I had an appointment with the O.T. Then my mom put away some of the rest of the summer clothes and summer PJS and put out my winter PJS. She also got my new Boom Box set up.  I had some sweaters that needed to be fixed so she took them home with her.  On Friday afternoon I coloured some balls different colours and the background a golden colour!  I coloured an ocean that I made it look like the water was red, pink and purple colours. I glues I ran out of blue markers. It had an octopus and some fishes in the water.  I coloured a whale picture… it says’ whale of a good time’.  I did laundry between doing colouring.  

On Friday evening was the Rose Club Christmas party at the Norsemen inn.  There was a dinner, delicious cherry cheesecake and chocolate pudding with whip cream on top. There was a Christmas play and of course a Christmas gift exchange. There were also door prizes. For my Christmas gift I got strawberry flavoured bubble bath and UNO cards. The play was called Mr. Brown’s Christmas Carol and it was very good. They made a cut-out of an ambulance for the play. There was a dance at the end of the evening!   After the Christmas party you could take your centerpieces home that you made for Christmas party.  It was amazing to have a Christmas party in person after three years of covid!  I had a blast by getting into the spirit, seeing my friends and meeting new people!  Merry Christmas!

Saturday afternoon I got to FaceTime with Kathleen and she sent me a picture of her newest niece and almost her birthday buddy Isabell. Then I finished a colouring book while I watched the Strew Crew blog on YouTube their Christmas traditions are looking at Christmas lights and decorating gingerbread houses. Thanks again for the colouring book Mary. I also watched Michele Janse on YouTube 12 day of Blog Christmas. She was looking at appointments, making gingerbread cookies and wrapping Christmas presents!  

Later on, I got my fingernails painted red gel polish ready for Christmas! We had a Christmas movie night on Saturday evening, we watched the princess switch while I got a facial. It was a cold  winter wonder wonderland kinda day with Spa things and watched an Christmas movie!   It was our dad’s birthday on this Saturday. Joel and Ashley had a Christmas party, and my parents went along. They went to people houses and had wine and appetizers. They even stopped at my parent’s house and my mom made a dip!

On Sunday afternoon we celebrated our dad’s birthday as a family.  We painted wooden Christmas Ornaments which were Santa, gingerbread houses, owls and one said peace on earth. Then we had my dad’s birthday dinner homemade chicken strips, homemade Mac, and cheese. With vegetables and dip.  We had Black Forest cake with cherries and whipped cream for dessert. Happy birthday dad! Love you so much.  

On Tuesday morning at Centra cam I glued everything on my fire hall safety poster and put potatoes inside the pot getting ready for Christmas dinner for the Christmas party on Wednesday! People were peeling potatoes and I was putting them inside of the pot. In the afternoon on Tuesday My mom and I Face Timed and she put Christmas photos cards inside our Christmas cards.  Then she put my friend’s house addresses on the envelopes getting ready for Christmas and sending them out in the mail.  My mom went and got everything mailed out!

On Wednesday full day at Centra Cam was the Christmas party and the last day before Christmas holidays. In the morning we played Christmas’s song bingo, and I got a bingo! I got a Christmas mug for a prize. Then we tried family Feud Christmas themed * but not everyone enjoyed it *.   We also played Name that Christmas song and had a Christmas craft.  We decorated a small water bottle and made them into a Reindeer. Everyone had a Christmas dinner. In the afternoon families and friends joined us for our Christmas program and our Christmas exchange.   For my Christmas presents I got some chocolate kisses and a fuzzy light blue pillow. Everyone got a Tim’s Horton gift card from the Centra cam staff and a Christmas card. Their were people who sang Christmas songs, did some sign language Christmas songs and played with musical instrument’s for some of the Christmas songs. It all ended with a Christmas dance!  It was a great day to celebrate with everyone and wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

On Wednesday evening Melissa, Kelsey and I drove around town and looked at Christmas lights. We stopped by my mom and dad’s house on the way because I had Christmas presents for them.   We dropped off Mary’s Christmas present and Mary gave me a Christmas card. I gave them the body shop’s body washes and hand creams and a Christmas photo of me.

On Thursday afternoon mom and I FaceTimed. We made the dough for the gingersnap cookies and we made some chocolate chip and banana muffins. I got a word search book from Rose Club’s Christmas bingo prizes so I started doing word searches, and I watched KB and baby, and a few videos of Life As We Gomez. My roommates and I did our Christmas exchange from our roommates on Thursday evening. I got the same snow man set of bath bombs as last Christmas and I got them twice this year. I got new fuzzy socks, cross stitch and colouring books and markers, and purple hair dye!  Everyone seems happy with their Christmas presents!  My mom showed me the cookies baked out of the oven.  On Christmas Eve I did some colouring, cross stitch, packing for Christmas .

On Christmas Eve I went to mom and dads.  I played Martian Dice with Ashley, Joel, Luke and mom & dad.   Once grandpa and Sandy came, we played the Christmas ball!  We had baked spaghetti, garlic bread and Caesar salad for supper.  After supper we opened Christmas presents!!  I got many sweaters, markers and a case, colouring books, a notebook and a butterfly day planner, Loom for knitting, cross stitches, games of Shut the box & Camrose Monopoly.  My friend Mary and her family got me a sweater, toque and mitts, and jewelry.  After we opened our presents, we played Camrose Monopoly. Joel and I won! 

On Christmas Day Mary sent me pictures of her kids with the Christmas presents that I sent them! They loved them!  I got junior a 1st Christmas outfit (a Santa hat and socks) and an frog cross stitch that I made.  I got Alayna the game four in a row which she loved!  Then, Joel and I played Shut the box, one of the games I got for Christmas! For Christmas morning breakfast we had Christmas shaped pancakes which Joel and Ashley cooked, bacon and yogurt with homemade Saskatoon syrup. It was delicious.  In the afternoon on Christmas Joel, Ashley and Coco went to Moose Jaw to Ashley’s family’s Christmas.  My dad and I tried to get the Christmas cards and pictures sent to people in town, but we got our company!   My Auntie Gail, Uncle Wayne and my two Cousins Eric and Ian arrived a half hour earlier than expected!   I got Christmas presents of: Hot Chocolate bombs that we took to grandpa’s house. Cross stitch butterfly, Christmas leggings and Maddie and Tae’s Christmas CD. I gave my auntie Gail a blue and green sweater. After visiting for awhile, exchanging Christmas presents and having goodies, We went to our grandpa’s house for Christmas dinner and we painted wooden Christmas ornaments with everyone!  We took family pictures and cousin pictures in front of the Christmas tree.  Merry Christmas everyone. I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas season!  It was wonderful winter wonderful land’s Christmas 2022!

On Boxing Day in the morning, I tried out my new 100 markers and new colouring books.  Then, dad and I went out to deliver Christmas cards and Christmas pictures to people in town.  My friend Kelsey sent me pictures of her kids with their Christmas presents from me, and they loved them.  I got her newest baby girl Avery a 1st Christmas outfit a Santa hat and a little red tutu outfit and for her other daughter Kahila a toy. In the afternoon Grandpa, Sandy, Luke, mom, dad and I decorated homemade gingerbread cookies. It was a wonderful winter wonderland three-day weekend and the Best and the most VERY eventful merry Christmas ever!!

For New Year’s Eve during the afternoon, we went to the Kodiaks and the Canucks hockey game! There were hayrides * but wasn’t wide enough for two wheelchairs*.  There were games to play around the hockey game, like Yahtzee, Mini curling and so much more.  There was a band playing * The River Jacks * and some people could make Mini gingerbread houses! In the evening on New Year’s Eve, we watched the New Year’s Eve movie!   Theresa and I had pineapple drinks and went to bed before midnight!   It was a very nice day and a wonderful evening. I enjoyed New Year’s Eve movie night!  I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful winter wonderful land New Year’s Eve and I hope everyone will be healthy and will be blessed in 2023!

This Christmas Eve will be our Christmas with my family and my Grandparents will join us because they moved here. It is not our normal tradition but traditions change! I asked few of my friends, Centra Cam and CAFCL staff for their Christmas Traditions and I want to share them with you. I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and see you in the New Year!

Catherine Robson
When my kids were little, we were pretty poor so we decided popcorn was pretty cheap so we decided that we would make tins of Caramel popcorn and deliver it with Christmas Carols to your door. We delivered to not only friends that knew us but some strangers as well. People would often be left in tears and moved by the gesture. We did that for about 18years. The other thing we always did was to leave room for someone who had no family and no hopes of having a family Christmas and had them join our table. One year a man who had been coming to our church carrying his sleeping bag in every Sunday joined us. The first thing we did was usher him to the shower and gave him new clothes and a full Christmas meal. “Victor” just said over and over ” Thank you” he was so appreciative. These Traditions lived on year to year and are being followed by my adult children now.

Denise Olson
For our family every Christmas Eve we have appetizers for dinner. Things like chicken wings, mozza sticks, veggie tray, pickles and many other things. We play board games, video games and watch a Christmas movie. My kids also open 1 present (which is something that my family use to do when I was a little girl – the gift we opened was always from my grandma and grandpa and it was always homemade nightgown or pajamas) so now every Christmas Eve my kids get to open 1 present which is always new pajamas-but not homemade one because I can not sew very well.

Paulette Vickers
When I was growing up on the farm we went to midnight mass every Christmas Eve, then Christmas Day was at home with our grandparents who lived in the same yard as us.
My mom made Almond crescent cookies every year, and that tradition has kept up and the recipe passed on down through generations. There were 8 of us children so it was a very loud busy time of year. We each got one gift for Christmas, and something in our stockings hanging on the fireplace. After dinner on Christmas Day we took our skates and went skating on the slough just behind our house, then when we came back our mom would have hot chocolate ready for us, made with milk straight from the cow as we milked about 15 cows.
During the holidays we got together with our cousins, who also had large families like ours. We would all be packed in around the dinner table, some in the living room, for our meal. Then clean up, no dishwasher back then. There was 23 children and 6 parents, and our grandparents. I can still hear all the noise of everyone talking, laughing, and noisy kids.

Jackie Lindberg
Growing up in the mid 60s and early 70s, our Christmas focused more on family and being with family than gifts. Our Christmas gifts were usually practical with maybe one new toy or gadget thrown in. We always started Christmas with ensuring the chores were done (grew up on a farm) and that everyone had breakfast and cleaned up afterwards. After the gift opening, it was church and then home. Then it was cooking the dinner for our family of 9 plus grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins from my dad’s side of the family. After that, I think mom was just worn out from all of us kids and we all got sent outside to go sledding or skating. This usually ended up being a snowball fight. While we were gone, the adults played cards and visited.
New Year’s Day was also just about as busy. It was another day of church and a large family meal with the guests being cousins from my mom’s side of the family. So dinner for another 20-30 people.

When I first left home to go to University, I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on Christmas gifts for my family. I found a recipe for a shortbread cookie wrapped around chocolate and decided I could afford to make those for everyone. I made several dozen and took them home for Christmas. This started one of my traditions that has been happening for 42 years and hopefully will continue for many more. The amount of these cookies I make has grown over the years to today where I will probably make between 30 -40 dozen of them. They are still the most requested cookie of my family for Christmas.

Laurel
The one tradition that I love is to read to my kids. The Christmas elf comes every day to leave a book 10 days before Christmas. My kids love waiting for the elf named Sprinkles and opening the gift every night to snuggle up with a Christmas book. This weekend I will likely set up for my Christmas things.

Becca
Tyler’s family does a fondu every Christmas Eve before we go to a Christmas Eve service.

Emma
For Christmas I go to my families in Alberta beach! We do 1 gift on Christmas eve which is usually pjs then open the rest on Christmas day!

Melissa
On Christmas Eve my parents and I watch Christmas movies and have finger food. Like wings, raw veggies, meat, cheese and crackers, usually homemade baking. Then we watch the grinch, and then Christmas vacation. Then on Christmas Day we all wake up and get our coffees (and hot chocolate for me) my dad puts on the fire log channel… and Christmas music from his collection. Then we open our stockings. After stockings we eat this breakfast called “wifesaver” it’s awesome! Then we open the rest of the gifts. It’s always so nice to just be around family and spending quality time together.

Jodi
I don’t really have any right now, but growing up we would leave milk and cookies the night before Christmas and open 1 gift. We will probably do the same for Hayes when he gets older.

Kelsey
We have a few traditions! On the 24th we spend the day with just our little family. Josh and I make the girls Christmas Eve Boxes. They have usually snacks, christmasy activities and a new pair of Christmas pjs. Then we spend the day in our pjs doing the activities they get. One year they had stuff to make snow forts outside. Usually a gingerbread house. Or the stuff to make some kind of Christmas cookies. Christmas colouring books and puzzles. Later in the afternoon I’ll start some hot chocolate in the slow cooker and start prepping some finger food. Chili cheese dip, veggies, Swedish meatballs. Just stuff to snack on all evening. Then we’ll watch a classic Christmas movie. Home Alone or The Santa Clause. Something along those lines. Christmas morning Josh’s parents and my mom come over to open gifts with the girls. Then have either cinnamon buns or French toast casserole for breakfast. Then just kind of hand around until we head to Josh’s aunts for Christmas supper. We go there every year on Christmas. This year we will be going to my hometown after Josh’s aunts for a few days. Spend some time with my side of the family.

Nicky

My Dominican Christmas Tradition – In the Domincan Republic we put up the Christmas Tree at the end of October, we have the tradition to enjoy it ofor a longer time. We do not put out gifts under the tree since it is not out tradition

Rebecca

My family is both Danish and Canadian so our Christmas traditions was a blend of the two cultures. We would celebrate Christmas on the Christmas Eve by having a traditional danish Christmas meal and dressing up in suites and dresses. Following dinner, the men would light the Christmas tree (with real candles) and the women would clean up. We then dance around the tree, singing a mixture of danish and English Christmas songs. Following this, we open presents and then spend the evening chatting and relaxing. The following morning, we would get a stocking “from Santa”. After opening this and having some breakfast we head to the hospital to sing for the elderly. This has been my Christmas tradition since I was a little girl.

Christina

Since this is our first Christmas together, we are trying to find things we want to make as traditions. Barrett and Brantley painting the front window for Christmas. We made matching personalize stockings to have for years to come. Christmas Eve we’re going to go to drive strong and look at lights then to an outdoor skating rink for a bit, then come home put on matching pyjamas build gingerbread houses, then get snacks and watch a Christmas movie. Christmas Day open presents with the kids then we are going to Justin’s parents’ for supper and gift exchanging.

Kelsey: What surgery did you have on your hands?

Sheila: I had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, three months apart.

Kelsey: What were your symptoms? 

Sheila: When I would go to bed at night my right hand would throb like a toothache from my fingertips to my elbow.  With each heart beat a pain would shoot through.  It was very painful, and I had a hard time sleeping.  The only way to get it to stop was to get out of bed and walk around.  During the day sometimes my hand would go numb.

Kelsey: When did your symptoms start? 

Sheila: They started shortly after moving to Camrose.  We painted every wall, cupboard and closet, and I guess it was too much for my right hand.  I remember kind of a pop in my right hand when I was painting the inside of a cupboard, and it started after that. 

Kelsey: Why did you wait so long for surgery?

Sheila: My kids all lived at home at that time, and I couldn’t really look after them with only one hand. 

Kelsey: Why did you finally have surgery? 

Sheila: The doctor said I needed surgery, or I could lose the use of my hand.  It was pretty bad. 

Kelsey: Did you try anything before surgery to help? 

Sheila: I went to the chiropractor, but that didn’t help.  I also wore a brace on my hand to bed, but it would get tangled in the sheets, and then my shoulder started to hurt. 

Kelsey: Were there certain things that triggered the carpal tunnel? 

Sheila: Any fine motor movements seemed to bother it.  If I sewed on a button, or whisked an egg, I would be up in the night from pain. 

Kelsey: How was the surgery?

Sheila: It wasn’t bad at all!  I was actually awake for the surgery.  My hand was frozen so I couldn’t feel any pain.  All I could feel was some pressure. I knew the nurses in surgery, so we had a little gab session, which was a great distraction. 

Kelsey: How long was your recovery?

Sheila: My stitches were healed up in less than a week. I couldn’t lift anything heavy for a few weeks, but I was able to cook and do my household chores.  If I had known the recovery was that fast, I would have done it years sooner!

Kelsey: How are you hands now since having surgery?

Sheila: They are so much better!  I never wake up with throbbing hands anymore!

Kelsey: Would you recommend this surgery? 

Sheila: Absolutely!!!  Surgery was quick, recovery was quick, and it works!

Here is some information I found on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you are interested in reading about it:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355608

On the second Saturday of September, we went to the dog show at the CRE! It was neat to see how dogs were able to do jumping over top of the bars. This was called the National Police Dog Championships. The dogs show us how they fight a bad guy and how they keep the police officers safe. We enjoyed the show of dog vs police! It was a great afternoon out of the house. There was a ramp and wheelchair accessible seating so I could see everything so clearly!    

On a Tuesday evening it was the Birthday Bash in person for the second time since 2019. It was great to see our friends that we haven’t seen in three years!  We danced and visited with our friends!  It’s been great getting together with Rose Club in person once again!  

One of my goals in September is donate to the food bank. So, my staff Anna and I went to superstore and got some pasta, tomato sauce and some other sauce that we put in the food bank at superstore.  It was a wonderful way to help in our community.  

I did a word search and it was in a shape of a dog.   

My parents got their fridge finally. Their kitchen is almost finished. The kitchen renovation took six months from start to finish! Last step is the new kitchen table and new kitchen chair set that my parents are redoing.  

My grandpa Ray and Sandy moved to Camrose in September from Ontario! It took four days to get to Camrose by driving from Ontario.  We finally have some grandparents in town!  The Holidays won’t be the same!  

On Saturday afternoon was my parent’s 28th wedding anniversary.  For their wedding anniversary my parents started finishing a table.  My mom bought a new table with eight chairs for their kitchen and they are going to paint it brown and black.     

Nicki and I went to Kathleen and Devin’s wedding.  Which was at her friend’s acreage and it was 15 minutes out of town.  We got to sit in the front row because I was the ring bearer, I got to hold their Wedding Rings on a tray and give them to the pastor after they did their vows! I got a manicure for the wedding. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor wedding, The party hour and reception were in white tents by the house.  Nikki and I were seated at a table with our friend Becca and her husband Tyler. It was like an CAFCL reunion with all the people that we knew from CAFCL.   My friend Elise was a bridesmaid, her sister Tamara and her mom Kathy also came to the wedding.  Kathleen’s wedding dress was lovely and very sparkly and Devin looked handsome in his black suit. All the best wishes to the newlyweds, I wish you all the very best in your future together!  It was a beautiful day to celebrate the happiest couple Mrs. Kathleen and Mr. Devin White.  

On Sunday afternoon my mom and I made oatmeal M&M and chocolate chip cookies. Which were tasty and delicious! We walked over to our neighbour and gave some cookies to our friend Rebecca and then after supper we dropped off some more cookies for my Grandpa and Sandy!  

On Tuesday evening, MaryAnn and I went on a long walk to the lake, around the lake, the underground tunnel and back to my house. 

My friend Kelsey got me Brett Young tickets for Wednesday October 19^th.

Kelsey, she showed me that her baby Avery finally fits into the outfit that I bought her! Avery looks so pretty in the outfit that I bought her! Can you tell who picked it out?  It looks like Avery is giving me thumbs up in the picture! I think she’s loves her outfit! My mom made her moccasins and we can’t wait until they fit her!     

On Saturday night I watched Sherlock Holmes. Which was quite an interesting movie on Netflix.   

The first week of October we started Special Olympics bowling on Wednesdays!  It was great to see everyone again after three years of no Special Olympics!  

My Auntie Gail gave me a bird and flower colouring book for my birthday, I think it took me a whole week, and a weekend and few days to get it finished! 

My friend Mary showed me that they were reading the book that I bought junior!  She said Junior loved the book that I bought him and it’s a very sweet book.  My friend Mary and I can’t hardly wait until he’s wearing the moccasins that my mom made him. 

We had craft night with Rose Club on Friday night on zoom. We got a bag with a stencil of a cat, different kinds of paper, paints, strings to put our mask on our heads and some glue sticks that were sparkles. We hand drew the stencil on yellow or blue foam and then we got to decorate our mask! I used some stickers and some art and craft glue sticks that were golden sparkles. We let our masks dry overnight, and on Saturday afternoon Anna putted string through the holes on my kitty mask but unfortunately I couldn’t see very well. It was fun to make the mask craft with Rose Club! I did some colouring of a girl, some buildings, a school bus and an fire hydrant! We worked on a frog cross stitch. I made a donation to clothing bins by superstore that were old Halloween costumes. Then, we dropped by Walmart and I bought a picture frame for my cross stitch frog and I got a night grown that I’m going to donate to the women’s shelter next week. I also donated five dollars to the school’s breakfast club at Walmart while I bought my stuff. On Saturday evening we watched the Witches on Netflix, it was a very freaky and very creepy movie. I would definitely recommend NOT to watch it with small children. Please. They might have nightmares and bad dreams.

On Thanksgiving Sunday, we went to Edmonton to Joel and Ashley’s house. Ashley’s sister Kayla and her fiancé Garrett were there, my grandpa Ray and Sandy, my mom, me and my brother Luke. Unfortunately, my dad got a cough so he couldn’t make it. Joel smoked a turkey, and there were cranberries, sweet potatoes, salads and buns! My mom made orange cheese cake squares and apple pie for dessert, and Sandy brought a salad that she made. Everyone went outside and visited while Joel, Ashley and Kayla were getting dinner ready. After dinner we got a group picture on their backyard deck! It was great to see family and get together for the holiday weekend.

On Thanksgiving Monday afternoon I coloured a picture full of wedding dresses, flowers, hearts, picture frames, necklaces, heals, slippers, and purses! I decided to make the wedding dresses different and colourful dresses. I made them look like graduation dresses and prom dresses instead of white wedding dresses! Late in the afternoon we went for tea at my grandpa Ray and Sandy’s new house in town and then we went home for supper and we watched Sister Wives on Discovery +.

On Saturday afternoon I went to world singing day at the college, Augustana Chapel. It was really fun, and we sang some songs. We saw some friends from Camrose Association and some friends from Centra Cam.

On Sunday night we had my grandpa and Sandy over for supper and we played Yahtzee and I won!

I finished my cross stitch frog on Wednesday afternoon.

Then Kelsey and Melissa took me to the Brett Young concert in Edmonton at the Winspear Centre! The SeaForth opened for Brett Young and actually were really good too. We even saw Brett young’s tour bus which was an amazing experience. Brett young’s concert was on my bucket list for 3 years and we loved every minute of it. An huge Thank-you Kelsey and Melissa for taking me and buying wheelchair accessible seating tickets. I had a blast and probably had the best night of my life! I bought a Brett Young hoodie.

On Thursday evening we went to the Camrose Association for Community Living’s charity auction at Camrose Casino and Hotel. There was an live and silent auction which was online! This was 60s themed and there was photo booth cut outs of people and cars. I would have to say Cherilyn did an excellent job decorating and putting everything together for the charity auction! They even had decorations on the back of the chairs! Great work!

On Friday afternoon we decorated the inside of the house for Halloween. Then we watched the Witches movie the new version with the actor Ann Hathaway. It was like the old version. I would recommend small children should watch this movie with their parents. It was less creepy and less freaky than the other version of the Witches movie! On Friday evening we carved pumpkins with Rose Club on Zoom and we learned about Abuse Awareness from Levi! For my pumpkin I took the insides of the pumpkin out, I drew lots of bats, moons, and a lighthouse so I could cut them out, and I did something on every side of my pumpkin. It was really fun to carve pumpkins with Rose Club, learning about Abuse Awareness and getting into the Halloween sprit. 🎃

On Saturday evening Craig, Rebecca and I went to Augustana University to watch the Vikings men’s basketball game and they played Kings University from Edmonton!

Nancy used to work at my house. While she was working at our house she said that she had an hole in her bowel that caused lots of pain and she found out she couldn’t eat crunchy vegetables and red meat. If she eats those foods it would flare up and cause pain! Doctors used to believed that with Diverticulitis you should not eat anything that has seeds in it like tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles. I was curious about what happened and how Nancy found out that she had a hole in her bowel, I hope you can learn about Nancy and her experience with a hole in her bowel.

Kelsey: What was your symptoms for your bowel problems?

Nancy: Intense pain and the feeling of having bad gas but there is no gas.

Kelsey: Now, I know you can’t eat some foods, what’s changed your diet? What foods are bad for your stomach and what food are you allowed to eat?

Nancy: Doctors used to believe that diverticulitis was caused by seeds getting stuck in the digestive track. They used to caution those with diverticulitis not to eat anything with seeds in it, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles and tree nuts as well. They now advise people suffering from a flare up to go on a temporary low fiber diet. I have discovered the things that bother me most are red meat and hard raw vegetables like celery, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower.

Kelsey: Where were you when it started?

Nancy: I was at home with what I first thought was a bad flu.

Kelsey: Explain how you felt.

Nancy: I had no appetite which is weird for me! I felt like I was carrying a brick in my stomach. I was extremely bloated but didn’t realize it. The pain was so intense I could literally barely walk. When I presented at the clinic, they took me in immediately and performed a variety of tests. I was directed to the emergency department of our closest major hospital.

Kelsey: What happened?

Nancy: Something I had eaten had been trapped in little pockets in my intestine and busted a hole which allowed the stuff that should stay in my intestines to leak into the cavities around my organs. I was essentially poisoning my body.

Kelsey: What did your doctors do?

Nancy: I spent five days on an IV hopefully letting the hole in my intestine heal. Thankfully, it did it I would have had to have surgery and have a colostomy bag either temporarily or possibly permanently.

Kelsey: How many times a year do you get symptoms again? What do you have to do to get back to normal again?

Nancy: Flare-ups generally depend on how often I’m able to say no to all those lovely crunchy veggies and that red meat that I love so much. When I am having a flare up, the best thing to do is eat low fiber foods and try to stick to as many clear fluids as I can for a couple of days.

Kelsey: What would you say to people that are going though the same experience?

Nancy: Make sure you take a soluble fiber daily and pay attention to your body. If it hurts, don’t do it.

Kelsey: Where did you grow up?

Nancy: A little tiny village called Chipman, New Brunswick

Kelsey: What was your childhood like?

Nancy: I rode in the back of a truck standing up with ten other kids going to the beach, loved riding horses at my aunt’s house and fishing with my cousin. Skating on a frozen frog pond. So, I guess more good times than bad.

Kelsey: What’s your job? Explain, what do you do?

Nancy: Right now, I am working in a nursing home. I work multiple positions including personal care, in the kitchen, laundry and even housekeeping.

Kelsey: How was your move back from Alberta to NB? Explain your travels and how many days to drive back to your hometown! Where have you travelled?

Nancy: Moving back to New Brunswick was exciting but hard. I met a lot of really great people in Alberta. I loved my job and had family close that I hadn’t had the chance to spend time within a lot of years.

My husband drove a Uhaul with everything we had accumulated in the four years we spent in Alberta, my son Mitchell drove his first vehicle across the country, and I drove my Civic. We stopped occasionally for bathroom breaks and gas and slept each night in a hotel. Between the three of us we had four cats, it was 5 long days of driving.

I’ve been to Florida once and Las Vegas.

When I was living in Alberta, my vacation was getting to come home to New Brunswick each year.

Kelsey: What’s your favourite memory of your mom?

Nancy: A couple of years ago I was able to take her to meet Jake Allen and the Stanley Cup. She was incredibly excited, and it was a surprise.

Kelsey: What’s your favourite memory of your dad?

Nancy: Unfortunately my dad passed away when I was only 5 so I don’t have much memory of him!

Thanks so much for your interview Nancy.

The last day in June Centra Cam started their fun in the park for the summer months. We played outdoor games like ladder ball, badminton, bocce ball and outdoor bowling! They also played music outside and they had bubbles that you could blow, but they didn’t really work really well.

For Canada Day Maryann and I went to Mary’s house and had a visit with her and her baby boy Junior. My Dad and I went to the festivals on Canada Day! We watched some music and I had my face painted as a rainbow butterfly. In the evening we watched Travis Dolter, which was awesome! I went back home and watched the fireworks! It seems like my Dad and I always hang out on Canada Day! My Mom was babysitting Coco and she doesn’t not really like huge groups of people around.

For Mom’s birthday we had Skyway Chinese food and two kind of cakes that were chocolate mouse and the other one was marble cake. We went on a walk with my Grandpa and Sandy to look at houses as they’re moving here in September! I brought my Mom ice cappuccino.

For Luke’s birthday, we celebrated his birthday the weekend after Mom’s birthday! We played ladder ball and had BBQ ribs. I got my brother Luke a Subway gift card and then I went in with my brother Joel’s birthday present for Luke and we got him dishes!

On Saturday morning I got to visit My dad, my Dad’s Uncle, my Auntie Gail and my Uncle Wayne on my deck. Their was lemonade sale in the CAFCL’s backyard and Brian was playing music and singing for 3 and 1/2 hours!

On Saturday afternoon my friend Karina from High school and I went for nails. I got to use my birthday certificate from Studio Nails. I got red fingernails with white flowers. My friend Karina got light pink fingernails! It was a lovely afternoon catching up and getting our nails done. While I was paying for my nails, I finally got my Mom’s birthday present, a certificate from Studio Nails. Unfortunately it’s closed on Sundays so I couldn’t get it on her actual birthday. My Mom got her fingernails and her toenails done before Joel and Ashley’s wedding.

On Sunday afternoon Mom and I made bean bags for Joel and Ashley’s wedding dance.

On Friday, my brother Joel and his fiancé Ashley got married in the mountains, Jasper Alberta! It was just the parents who were invited and the wedding party, then there was a wedding dance in August and it was in Saskatchewan.

While I had a scavenger hunt with Rose Club my parents were on a food tour in Jasper with Luke, Joel and Ashley! They went to four different restaurants! For our scavenger hunt we had clues and discussion with teammates where we should look! I got a plant holder to paint. Some hair pins and a scarf. Saturday afternoon we painted the plant holder and in the evening we planted three different plants. Mary showed me Junior in the shirt I bought him! It fits him perfectly. He’s definitely growing! I told her to tell Junior to slow down a bit and stay a baby!

Centra Cam took some of us to the parade on Thursday, this was the start of BVJ weekend. Travis Dolter was playing music! We saw some dancers, girl guides and fire trucks. Some horses and some of our friends who worked at Centra Cam were in the parade too. I enjoyed watching the parade. On Friday evening we went to BVJ and saw Hunter Brothers and Terry Clark! It started to rain right before Dallas Smith, but to be honest with you, we have seen Dallas Smith so many times that it didn’t really matter, it was nice to get to bed early. The Hunter Brothers and Terry Clark were really good! On Saturday afternoon we just hung out outside and then we played some Yahtzee. We went back to BVJ. Hardy and Eric Church played and they were amazing! I can’t wait until next year! I didn’t want to go back to BVJ on the Sunday. I think Janelle, Niki and I went out for a walk in the afternoon on Sunday.

For the Holiday Monday we visited with our friends Kelsey, baby Averie and Melissa! Theresa and I got to hold baby Averie!

On Wednesday afternoon Centra Cam took some staff and clients to Forestburg for a tour! We ate lunch at the picnic table at the school which was across the street from the pool! We walked around the town for awhile and then we went swimming in the pool. It was so much fun! We haven’t been able to go on tours since 2019 because we had a year off of Centra Cam because of Covid. So it’s been nice to go on tours again!

Sunday afternoon we floated in my parent’s pool for the 1st time this summer and then we dried off in the sunshine and I got a sunburn on my legs. It was my 1st time feeling grass that I remember on my feet because I always wear braces, socks and moccasins. It was a neat feeling.

On Wednesday afternoon, Kelsey, Melissa and Kelsey’s daughters came to my parents house, and they had a special surprise, they’re going to take me to Brett Young’s concert in Edmonton in October. I’m so excited. They found and bought wheelchair accessible seating online. I was so sad the week before because we thought they were already sold out of wheelchair accessible seating, but I guess they have them online.

On Thursday morning Centra Cam took some of the staff and the clients to the airport and we saw the black airplanes. One of the airplanes had a K on the side. Later on in the afternoon Niki and I went to meet the pilot at the airport.

On Friday morning, after I shred paper at the fire hall, I painted a bird and a bird cage. We got some canvases that had pictures from rose Club. I think we might have missed a craft night with Rose Club so, Rebecca dropped them off. I painted the bird’s cage brown. Then I painted the bird dark purple and dark blue. I painted the branches brown and the flowers red. I left it to dry and made a birthday card for my friend. I decided to give my canvas to my friend for her birthday present . I asked her what’s her favourite animal and her favourite colour. She said her favourite colour is purple and her favourite animal is kittens. I found a hello kitty cupcake colouring page on the internet. I made the icing of the cupcake purple and brown paper on the cupcake. I looked up what’s colour is hello kitty on the internet, she’s white with a red bow on the right ear! We cut out the hello kitten cupcakes and stapled them together and made them into an homemade “hello kitty ” cupcake birthday card.

On Saturday afternoon we went to the * Bullying Enns Fundraiser * at the CRE. Everything was outside. Their was a petting zoo, a farmer’s market where people were selling homemade goodies and other stuff in white tents. There was a lot of cool and fancy cars and other vehicles on display for people to walk around and look at. There was some jumping houses for younger kids and I was looking forward to face painting but unfortunately the girl who was supposed to be doing face painting just had a baby so it was canceled. I enjoyed looking at the fancy vehicles. They had BBQ hot dog, hamburgers and water bottles that you could buy by the CRE doors! It was fun to donate money for bullying. There was guy who was dressed up as a bull and I got my picture taken with him. There was a table that you could buy some stickers, wristbands, tattoos, and orange key chains! There was someone who was playing music by the BBQ. It was an hot beautiful sunny day for an outdoor fundraiser and we had lots of fun!

On Wednesday afternoon I bought the CAFCL old wheelchair van and tried out the new wheelchair van that CAFCL bought. It’s pretty scary ramp! I’m so relieved I got the old one just in time for our trip to Saskatchewan on Friday Morning!

On Friday morning we headed out to Saskatchewan for Joel and Ashley’s wedding dance and wedding reception in Riverhurst. This was my first time on a ferry. Once we got there we got settled in the Mainstay Inn which had motel rooms and we got their wheelchair accessible room. Then we went to visit my Auntie Gail, my Uncle Wayne, Cousins Eric and Ian and my brother Joel!

Friday evening we went to Ashley’s parent’s cabin for BBQ hamburgers, vegetables and macaroni salad! Then we drove around the area and figured out where everything was for the wedding dance! My brother Joel and Ashley made signs with white and green balloons that showed us where to go.

On Saturday morning while Joel and Ashley were golfing, Mom and I went to the Farmer’s Market with our friends David and Janet. While we were there my Uncle Gerald and his girlfriend Terry showed up from a farm by Swift Current. While we were at the farmers market my Dad phoned us and told us he have decided to come to the dance. He drove seven hours and got there just in time for the reception and the dance. After the Farmers market, and lunch we went to the beach and it had lots of stairs that Joel had to carry me and my wheelchair. There was games like bean bag toss and there was ladder ball. The kids had a table boat in the lake.

Then we went back to the motel and visited with uncle Gerald and Terry! After they left we got dressed for the dance, my Auntie Gail came over and helped my Mom with my bath because theirs wasn’t a lift to lift me out of the tub and it took two people to take me out of the tub. While we were getting dressed, my cousin Grant and his girlfriend Jacklyn showed up.

So as you already know Joel and Ashley got married on July 22 in Jasper and it was only the wedding party and their parents who were invited. On August 20 it was the weekend for the Big celebration of the wedding dance and the wedding reception. Their closest family and friends were invited. I think it was 200 people who attended the wedding dance. On Saturday evening we went to the wedding reception and the wedding dance at the Palliser Regional Park.

So we saw Ashley’s wedding dress which was beautiful! Joel looked handsome in his outfit. Joel wore a white shirt with suspenders. Then they changed into different clothes for the dance. Ashley wore a different white dress and Joel wore a blue dress shirt. They didn’t have a 1st dance, they did that in the mountains at their wedding. They had their puppy Coco for awhile at the dance. They started with speeches from the best man which was Joel’s best friend Joshua and the Maid of Honour was Ashley’s sister Kayla. Then they had supper. They had roast beef, beans and coleslaw. I think there was cornbread too. My mom made lots of squares for dessert. They had a table of pictures of people who had passed away and they made a photo album. We danced in the hall and I danced with most of Joel’s friends! His friends stood in a line and I got to pick who I wanted to dance with. I enjoy dancing while I was in my manual wheelchair. I got to be pushed around and it’s easier to dance. It’s was an awesome evening to celebrate the happy couple. It was super duper fun and I had a blast at the wedding dance. All the best to the newlywed couple Joel and Ashley! I’m so happy to actually have a sister-in-law! An huge congratulations to them and an huge Welcome to our family Ashley!

On Sunday morning we decided to spend the night at my Uncle Bob and Auntie Donna’s house in Unity. We went to the same place where the farmers market was and they had an pancake breakfast, with eggs and bacon. Then we headed to Unity . My Uncle Bob had to carry me up their stairs to their house. We had supper BBQ chicken with homemade noodles. We played qwirkle. We visited with my Auntie Donna on Monday morning and came back from Saskatchewan on Monday afternoon. It was very busy and super duper special and tons of fun. I had a blast at Ashley and Joel’s wedding dance and a wonderful time visiting with my Auntie Donna and my Uncle Bob. On Sunday afternoon myMmom and I made zucchini chocolate brownies I hope everyone had a wonderful summer, I sure did!

1. What’s your 1st COVID symptoms?

I got a headache, sore throat and stuffy nose, with cough and a bad fever.  It was like a cold/ flu.

2. Did you get very sick?

Yes, I got COVID Pneumonia.  Mom had to take me to the ER twice.  I was on five different medications. I coughed almost constantly for over ten days, and sometimes I coughed so hard I threw up. After ten days I totally lost my voice.  It was gone for over a week.  I had to cancel five school presentations.

3. Were you vaccinated? 

Yes, I had the vaccine three times.

4. How long did you test positive for COVID?

I was tested after ten days and tested negative.

5. How long did it take you to recover?

I coughed for over two weeks, and lost my voice for a couple weeks, then I got an ear ache and had to get drops for fluid in my ear.  In total it was about a month. 

6. Should people get vaccinated for COVID?

Yes, even though I got the vaccine, If I wasn’t vaccinated for COVID I might have been even more sick than I was!  I think pneumonia was even worse than the COVID and I was really sick! I thought the hospital would have kept me in but they didn’t.  I would say go get vaccinated for COVID because it might save your life. 

Here is some information on COVID-19 Pneumonia I found…

https://www.webmd.com/lung/covid-and-pneumonia?fbclid=IwAR2BUHV5eCSb5e3TvU-GrZ14DOb814uukqrIApVt7X1xcVTEl5-JExNi_lI#1-2

This May started with Mother’s Day in Edmonton at my oldest brother Joel and his fiancé Ashley’s house. My brother made BQQ ribs for dinner. We got mom some gifts for Mother’s Day, my brother Joel and his fiancé Ashley got her a cookbook, I got her water bottle with flowers and a picture of us that Misty made for her.

I finally celebrated Easter with my family on the May long weekend. My mom had turkey dinner with sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, & cranberries, stuffing with gravy. We coloured eggs outside, and we got chocolate squirrels! It was great late Easter!

My best friend forever, Teresa needed surgery on her elbow in May so, my mom ordered her flowers! Crossing our fingers that we can get together this summer!

On the 1st weekend in June was Jaywalkers. On Saturday afternoon Maryann and I played Freddy’s frog pond and a ball racing game. I got prizes. I got three stuffed animals, two fish and unicorn.

On Sunday afternoon, my parents took me back to Jaywalkers. I got a rainbow face painting and we went on the Ferris wheel! My mom changed my feeding tube!

Saturday night my family and I celebrated my birthday early . We had a yummy dinner “chicken , peanut sauce , coconut rice with green onions” . It’s Teresa’s chicken and everyone loves it. For dessert Salted Carmel Box Cheesecake. I got a beautiful flower & butterfly wallet from my parents and an beautiful butterfly mug. I also got Costco grey pants and a winner’s gift card from Luke. Ashley and Joel gave me gift certificate for nails. We went to neon bowling after dinner. It was a wonderful evening with the whole family.

For my 27 birthday I went to Centra Cam and I made iron beads into a butterfly shape magnet. We played a game that you get pairs and we learned about money in the grocery store it calls bananas to bananas. We played Yahtzee which I got a Yahtzee. When I got home I was welcomed home, with balloons everywhere. I got some bath bombs, new bedding set and jewelry with purple hair dye for my hair. I got some canvas to paint. I went back home and my mom had friends over for brownie cake with cream cheese icing. I got flowers, t- shirt and a kitten puzzle . My grandma sent me colouring books and markers. It was a awesome day to celebrate with friends!

I made some paintings for Mary’s son and Mary’s daughter. Joshua Junior was born on My birthday which is June seventh! Which made my day even more extra special. I wanted to make something for his big sister Alayna. I made a rainbow with a blue background and some clouds for Baby Junior! I made green glass with a soccer ball with a soccer net in the background for big sister Alayna!

On Saturday morning I dyed my hair purple! In the afternoon I got to go to winners and I got to use my gift card from Luke. I got a butterfly mug, bubble bath and bath bombs which is watermelon flavoured and strawberry flavoured . I’m looking forward to using them. Thanks for the Winner’s gift card Luke!

On Sunday afternoon my Auntie Gail came over from Lloydminster! We made homemade bath bombs. She gave me a few canvases for painting and a wooden box to paint, colouring books and word search books. I finally finished my cross stitch butterfly for Teresa’s birthday on Monday evening! On Wednesday afternoon was my last school presentation of the year.

On Wednesday evening I got to meet Kelsey’s newest baby girl Averie Jade! On Saturday afternoon I decided to paint my butterfly wooden box from my Auntie Gail. I made it rainbow colours!

On Sunday afternoon, My mom and I went shopping for Mary’s newest baby boy Joshua Junior, I got to meet him and hold him! Congratulations on your baby boy Mary and Joshua! My mom made him moccasins and we got him clothes & a children’s book! I also painted a picture of an rainbow clouds and his name!

This was Father’s Day, our plan was changed due to my Dad was called into work. After my dad worked he picked up some pizza and we gave him some presents. Joel gave him tools, Luke gave him some Bose, and I got a t- shirt deigned with musical guitar, drums and other musical instruments which Misty made. Happy Father’s Day to my wonderful Dad! I love you very much!

Since the beginning of June I have been going back to Centra Cam for four mornings a week and then I shred paper at the fire hall on Friday mornings.

On Monday afternoon I finished my butterfly box and I started a sunset painting for my senior Sharon! Tuesday afternoon I did some more pink and purple paint into the sunset picture for my senior Sharon.

On Wednesday afternoon we drew the palm trees on the sunset painting and I painted over top with green and brown paint! I organized my paints in my butterfly box! On Thursday afternoon we drew the outline of the trees and paint the leaves more green. We put a quote “A sunset tells us what we are and where we should be”.

On Friday afternoon I got a cleaning at the dentist and we finished American Idol in the evening.

Saturday morning I dressed up as I was supposed to be watching a friend of mine, Alesha get married to Neil but unfortunately the app wasn’t working properly. So that was disappointing for me. Saturday afternoon I did my fingernails, Janelle, me and our staff went out for a walk and took some pictures.

We watched some of Cinderella’s story while having supper and then went to an outside party at my parents house. My dad’s band was playing in the backyard, * the baking soda *. Auntie Karen and Dave were there! I got to met Joshua’s fiancé, Donnell. It’s seems like everyone is in engaged in Joel’s friends group!

Sunday morning my parents put up our swimming pool in the backyard! My Dad and I played ladder ball on Sunday afternoon. My Mom and I watched my friend Alesha and Neil’s wedding video! It was an beautiful day to get married!

It’s been busy. I hope it slows down a bit!

My friend Kelsey has A1AD and I was curious about her journey. She works with me at my house! I did know that A1AD was a thing that you could get in your lungs and could be carried down genetically in your family! I hope people will learn about Kelsey and her journey with her A1AD and her asthma!

Kelsey W: What is Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and what does it do?

Kelsey G: Alpha 1 is due to a mutation in the SERPINA1 gene.  It is a lung and liver disease. It can effect either organs or both. My family is lung affected. If caught in time it can be managed with lifestyle, steroids and intravenous infusions. For more severe cases it can result in double lung transplants. Which both my dad and his sister have had.

Kelsey W What’s were your symptoms of Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency?

Kelsey G: My symptoms were Shortness of breath, wheezing chronic lung infection and knife stabbing pain in my ribs and back.

Kelsey W: Does this run in your family and who also has it?

Kelsey G: It started with my dad, then my brother and I were tested. We both carry the A1AD Gene. Both of my dad’s parents carry the gene. His brothers and sisters both carry it as well. When my dad was diagnosed, he was only the tenth person in Canada to be known to have it. So it was hard to find a doctor that specialized in it. But he found Dr. Lein at the U of A. Out of my brother and I, so far, only I have shown symptoms. But the more they learn about the disease the more they are finding that it can show up in your life at anytime. You can be healthy for 50 years and then it can activate and come out of nowhere.

Kelsey W: What is your advice for other people who have it?

Kelsey G: Stay active, don’t smoke and keep alcohol to a minimum. And if you feel like you even slightly are having a hard time breathing see a doctor! Early intervention can make all the difference.

Kelsey W: Do any of your kids have it?

Kelsey G: Because their dad does not carry the gene, they only have a 25% chance of it being passed down to them. We haven’t had them tested yet!

Kelsey W: How did you find out that you had asthma and A1AD?

Kelsey G: I found out that I had asthma when I was two. I was wheezing a lot so my mom took me to my pediatrician and they diagnosed me. Then at twelve, my dad got sick. After extensive testing he was diagnosed with A1AD. Because it’s genetic they tested my brother and I right away. We both carry the gene.

Kelsey W: Where did you grow up?

Kelsey G: Tumbler Ridge. A tiny town in northern BC. Weird thing is, out of a town of less then 2000 people and the disease still being relatively new, there have been 8 people diagnosed in Tumbler. 6 people belonging to my family.

Kelsey W: What’s your favourite memory of your mom?

Kelsey G: When we surprised her with her puppy Wiley.

Kelsey W: What’s your favourite memory of your dad?

Kelsey G: Since he has passed I can’t pick a favourite. All of them are so special to me.

Kelsey W: What did you do after school?

Kelsey G: I went back to school for business and accounting

Kelsey W: Were you popular in school?

Kelsey G: Tumbler was so tiny there wasn’t things like clicks or different groups of kids. Most of the kids were friends with everyone.

Kelsey W: What did you do for fun when you were a kid?

Kelsey G: Swimming or biking. We pretty much grew up at the arena. I figure skated and my brother played hockey.

Kelsey W: What are your hobbies?

Kelsey G: Being a mom, making spreadsheets for fun, traveling with my family and camping.

Kelsey W: Where have you travelled?

Kelsey G: Germany, France, Italy, Las Vegas, New Orleans and San Francisco.

Kelsey W: How many jobs did you have before this job?

Kelsey G: Panago pizza , foxsal communications then, I worked at a Bar, then moved here I worked at family services for children with disabilities. Then I came to team 12.

Kelsey W: When did you start your family?

Kelsey G: When I was 16, I started to take care of a little girl who became my own child. Then I met Joshua when I was 25, and we had our first baby in 2019.  I just has a baby girl in May 2022 her name is Averie.

What Is AAT Deficiency?

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic disease, which means it’s passed down to you from your parents. It can cause serious lung or liver disease. You may also hear it called AAT deficiency. Symptoms often include trouble breathing and jaundiced, or yellow, skin. There’s no cure, but treatments can help you manage your liver and breathing problems. You get the disease because your liver doesn’t make enough of a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin, or AAT. You need AAT to protect your lungs. Without it, infections and other irritants, like tobacco smoke, break down parts of your lung even faster. If you have AAT deficiency, you might not have breathing symptoms until you’re in your 20s or 30s. When they start, you could feel short of breath or wheeze when you breathe, just like someone who has asthma. For some people, AAT deficiency can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD). When you have COPD, you often have symptoms of emphysema, a serious condition that makes it hard for you to push air out of your lungs. COPD can make you cough up mucus, make you wheeze or have trouble breathing, and make your chest feel tight.

Norah worked at CAFCL office for 15 years and I would see her around the office and through the different activities. When I heard that she had back surgery I was curious about her experience with her surgery and her recovery on her back! Thanks so much for your information and interview with your spinal stenosis. I hope people can learn about Norah and her experience.

Kelsey: What’s were your symptoms?  

Norah: I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis about 10 years ago. It was very painful to walk.

Kelsey: Why did you need back surgery? 

Norah: Vacuuming all sorts of different things shovelling snow was impossible and it got to the point where vacuuming or washing the floor was next to impossible.

Kelsey: How much pain were you in before your surgery, how long was recovery from the surgery?

Norah: The pain was pretty severe it went from my lower back down the back of my legs into my feet and up the front of my calves. The recovery from the surgery was four months. And up until the four months I didn’t know if I had done the right thing. I never had physio therapy before or after but after the four months. I was able to walk for a couple days and then a new pain started and I thought oh dear. I had an appointment with the surgeon and told him about the pain and he said unfortunately it probably is still part of the stenosis because it goes all the way up my spine. He told me in about six years I would probably need it again. I did not want to hear that but I’m so glad that I had the surgery.

Kelsey: If anyone else need this surgery, what would you say to them?

Norah: If anybody has it, I would say get the surgery it is changed my life. It’s given me back my life, I guess you could say I am able to walk now. I do an average of 10 to 15,000 steps a day which is about an hour and a half to two hours of walking.

Kelsey: What’s your hobbies?

Norah: As for hobbies I have all sorts of hobbies I love to paint, knit and crochet. I love to play cards with my good friends or family and grandkids.

Kelsey: Tell me about your childhood, where did you grow up? Do you have any siblings?

Norah: I grew up in Edmonton I was the youngest out of five kids, I had two sisters and two brothers.

Kelsey: How do I know you?

Norah: I worked at CAFCL for just about 15 years, and I met you through work at different events.

Kelsey:  Do you have any memory of your parents?

Norah: I absolutely have great memories of my parents. They were the best parents any kid could ask for. We didn’t have a lot, but we always had a roof over our head and lots of food and clothes on our back. My parents have been gone for quite a while, my mom 15 years and my dad about 25 years now. They worked hard and the kitchen table always had lots of family and friends around it.

Kelsey: Did your family and friends give you support for your surgery?

Norah: My siblings and my kids gave me lots of support and my Friends were amazing.

Kelsey: What hobbies did you do as a child? 

Norah: As a child I didn’t really have hobbies I babysat a lot I always loved kids.

Here is some information I found on the internet:

Spinal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that results in pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots.[6] Symptoms may include pain, numbness, or weakness in the arms or legs.[1] Symptoms are typically gradual in onset and improve with bending forwards.[1] Severe symptoms may include loss of bladder control, loss of bowel control, or sexual dysfunction.[1

Causes may include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal tumors, trauma, Paget’s disease of the bone, scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and the genetic condition achondroplasia.[3] It can be classified by the part of the spine affected into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar stenosis.[2] Lumbar stenosis is the most common, followed by cervical stenosis.[2] Diagnosis is generally based on symptoms and medical imaging.[4]

Treatment may involve medications, bracing, or surgery.[6] Medications may include NSAIDs, acetaminophen, or steroid injections.[7] Stretching and strengthening exercises may also be useful.[1] Limiting certain activities may be recommended.[6] Surgery is typically only done if other treatments are not effective, with the usual procedure being a decompressive laminectomy.[7]

Spinal stenosis occurs in as many as 8% of people.[4] It occurs most commonly in people over the age of 50.[8] Males and females are affected equally often.[9] The first modern description of the condition is from 1803 by Antoine Portal, and there is evidence of the condition dating back to Ancient Egypt.[10]