Where We Live

I've recently rediscovered my bike. I have a few hours to myself between the time that I get home from work and when Stephen gets home from work. Lately I've been using that time on warm sunny days to load up my mp3 player and go for a ride. We live in a beautiful little community called McKenzie Towne where the paths wind past gazebos, clock towers, fountains, ponds and archways on hilltops (not to mention the happy young families with little children, strollers and dogs running helter skelter, but that's what you get in the suburbs I suppose). Since my mp3 player is also a camera (and my cell phone), I've also taken the time to stop and take pictures of our idyllic little area of Calgary. I thought I'd share some of those pictures for those of you who live far away.

Happy birthday to 2 of my favourite people!

First of all,
Happy Birthday Teresa!
I've been thinking about you all day! My little sis turns 29 today. I admit I feel a little old with my youngest sister approaching the big twenty-ten! We shared a bedroom growing up. Sometimes it was not very fun for her (it could be pretty painful for her actually) but she still puts up with me. I could always count on her to giggle like she meant it when I was trying to be funny! She has the biggest heart and a great laugh!

Secondly,
Happy Birthday Olson!
I've been thinking about you all day too and I remember how happy Aunty Teresa was when you were born on her birthday! You are growing up so fast! We're proud of you and love you very, very much!

Relay For Life

Okay, I know, it's very sad that my life seems to revolve around my work lately. I don't know. I guess its good that I enjoy what I do, get paid to go to really fun events and love the people that I work with. I just read a quote on a friend's website that seems to sum it up "To love what you do and feel that it matters- how could anything be more fun?" Stephen and I do have a life outside of my work, but I don't take a lot of pictures of it and I don't have friends sending me pictures of it like I do at work.

So I have more work pictures. These are from the 2 Relay For Life events that I helped with recently. Relay For Life is an incredible 12 hour overnight event to celebrate survivors of cancer and to remember those who were lost.

The first Relay was Calgary on May 25. It was almost canceled. There was a freak snowstorm the day before (this is Calgary, those can happen any time of the year) and the site was in no condition for parking, setting up tents or bringing in supply trucks. Once again, this is Calgary, if you wait a few hours the weather will probably turn. It turned out to be beautiful weather for the event, everything got set up and the event was fabulous!






The second Relay was in Strathmore, a small community outside Calgary on June 8. It was a gorgeuos day and the event got off to a fantastic start. Then, just before the very moving luminary ceremony the skies began to darken and a severe thunderstorm with funnel clouds and incredible lightning descended on the town. The firefighters evacuated the hundreds of participants to the local school to wait out the storm and then we let everyone go home. Its an event they'll be talking about for years.