So Canada...yup we are here!!!

For those who don't know Devin was accepted to participate in a study abroad program where he is attending North Island College in British Columbia, Canada and received a fairly large grant. It is for the Developing Environmentally Sensitive Hospitality Managers a grant through FIPSE and the Internation Free Trade Agreement. He has 8 more credits and an internship after this semester, which he will complete in Utah. We are excited for this adventure. We are on Vancouver Island, one mile from the ocean water, two miles from trail heads into a forest, two miles from his school, and it takes only a 12 minute drive to get across town. We are in a fairly small city (30,000 people so not too small) but there are a lot of pretty places to explore. We will take up visitors. We have lots of space. (Hint, hint) We'll do better selling the area when we take scenic pictures. I can't complain about not having snow to shovel and freezing instantly when I go outside. I love running here. I might have to start training for a race. The air is so clean.

We had fun being with friends before we left and staying with my friend who now lives in Idaho along the way to Canada. Chrissy has two girls now and they are pretty darn cute!

We have noticed an accent and sometimes don't completely understand people because of the different intonations they use. They also say, "right", at the end of some of their sentences. Not that they are asking a question but I think it is a comfortable filler word. It is so cool to find differences and similarities.

We are grateful that the Church we belong to is found almost every where. We are able to worship and learn the same as in Utah or Canada. I know that the Church of Christ has been restored and that He leads his Church by a living Prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. Seeing that it is possible for the Church and ordinances are the same anywhere where the restored priesthood is present is one testimony to me that our Savior truly leads His church. No mortal man could begin this or continue such a marvelous pure and clear gospel throughout the world.




We made it to the boarder. We waited for 1/2 hour to get to the front of the line and then spent an hour answering quesitons. Wow, we didn't feel too welcomed at the first. But our ward is super nice and we love where we are living. Hopefully the sun will find its way here. I have been out running every day though so I can't complain about slipping on snow and ice. We have a play ground just a three minute walk from our house and the community centers offer play groups so Clayton and I will be having lots of fun together.


This is mild compared to the night that is was dark, blizzardy, and we slid off down a bank. We got out thankfully to four-wheel drive vehcile. We saw 8 cars after us in the same situation but without 4-wheel drive so they had a police and a tow truck helping them out. We are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father. We truly felt watched over. 10 more feet and we would have hit huge rocks and going the speed we were going we figure we would have flipped. Yes, we slowed way downnnnn.




Our car was so packed that it looked like Clayton was just shoved into the car. Funny!



Clayton made a stranger's home his really quickly. We are grateful for Linda and Ron for renting to us for soooo cheep and letting us use everything (almost).

Dana Point Beach, California

We spent the week of Christmas in two condos on the beach. Mom and Dad Wilkey planned this and we loved it! We spent two days in Disneyland and spent as much time as we could on the beach. It was so nice to have warm weather. Clayton loved the sand. We almost couldn't keep him off the beach.

Disneyland!!! Week of Christmas with Wilkey Family

Aquarium in California

Aquarium: As you can tell Clayton wasn't too excited...ok he was horrified of the baby sharks at the petting stations. Everything else he liked though.

Halloween!

We had fun dressing Clayton up as a Sheriff. I was his girl side kick. And Devin, well he was busy thinking and putting together a spook ally for the neices and nephews. The pictures brought in light that wasn't part of the spook. Clayton LOVED trick or treating. He said Thank you pretty loud and clear at every house. He got me some yummy candy. Good job son! I love that the Wilkey's all dress up. It is sooo fun!

Devin and Dad fishing!

Devin shares the love of fishing with his dad. They went to Strawberry and had a lot of fun catching big fish. I think is was a trout that Devin brought home and we ate. Clayton loves fish sometimes more than we do. Devin has done well keeping up with his hobby of fishing and flying tyes to fish with.

Fishing at 19 months!

We love this boy!