Our new friends.

It has been a long while

Well in honor of the fact that I have comments from Australia...I figured that I would write an update. It has been just over a year since I commented and it has gone by really fast! We are still at Cedarwood and still love being here. We are not always a fan of the miserable Manitoba weather, but now that it is warming up and turning green, the memories of cold aren't as vivid. Funny how that works! This past year has been highlighted with an intense summer, some trips home to Calgary, a trip in Feb to Palm Springs and the usual business of running around hosting all the groups. Camp is currently building a new house, so that has been the project of the year! RIght now we are getting ready for another summer season. We don't know what our roles will be at this point, but are sure to find out soon. We are excited for the summer, but a bit nervous as well because of the intense nature of the season and because we have all new leadership staff for the summer. Hope that this finds everyone well!

I'm still here...

...well sort of...don't know if anyone is still checking in, if so let me know and I'll see about getting this thing updated now that summer craziness has stopped.

As Another Month Goes By...

Time...it sure does get away from a person very quickly! I knew that it had been a while since I posted, but two months?! That is just crazy! But it is true and for those who read this, I am sorry (although really, does anyone read this?) The last couple months have been good, the details I'm sure will be missing, but as an overview we have moved from winter to spring, enjoyed a slow month of April (as far as groups go), completed several big projects such as painting the lodge, and spent a week and a half in Calgary with our family in May. Like I said there are many more details to life here at camp, but I am at a loss for them right now. We are still loving life out here and REALLY looking forward to summer starting up...three weeks and counting...here is an overview of the last while.

Greg and I Ice Fishing-the day before the shack came off the ice

The first BBQ of the season! 250 burgers...

Rockin' Out with Guitar Hero III (thanks to Grandma!)

Greg & Aidan visiting on our deck

The beginning of Spring!

The ice beginning to melt...the lake didn't open up until May 6!

Greg's got the wall project underway...they are putting on a new outcropping in this picture. Right now it's in the painting stages...more to come on that later...
This picture is amazing...it was SO calm out that the reflection perfectly mirrored itself...so good in fact, that this picture is...upside down!

March "Busyness"

March has been wonderful. The mild temperatures have arrived, allowing for snow to melt and the hope of spring to come. Work has also slowed down as we are heading into the mid season slow time. But, for Greg and I the last few weeks have been busy. Greg's parents came to visit March 7-12. We stayed with them at a beautiful bed and breakfast in Winnipeg over the weekend, explored the forks and the ever exciting Winnipeg and then brought them out to camp. Because the warm weather arrived with them we got to go outside and show them around on x-country skis, take them down the tube slide, go for walks and build/shoot off a potato gun (always an important activity). They also got to see the dozens of snowmobiles in the area get in their final weekend. It was a great visit! (be sure to come again)
Our next big activity was Easter weekend. We drove down to Steinbach for the weekend and stayed with Jeff and Suzanne. It was great to have them fill in as our family for the weekend and feed/entertain us. Most importantly though, it was a great weekend to reflect on what Easter represents. The message on Sunday was a message of the cross and a reminder that God wants us, not what we do or how "good" we are. With life always busy, no matter where you are it is a good reminder and something to make us stop and refocus actions. We arrived back at camp late Sunday evening and then left again Monday for a retreat at Camp Arnes. It was a time for our staff to spend time together without having to work! The retreat was put on by Christian Camping International (CCI) and we had 7 camps represented at the retreat. Now we are back at work-with a newly painted dining hall (it was done while we were on the retreat) I will post some before/after pictures as they come. So, as you can see it has been a busy month of activities...although really not that hard of work....we hope you all had a wonderful Easter!!

In Like a Lion??

Wow! It is March...February did exactly as I hoped it would and ended quickly. Not that I have anything against that month, but with the arrival of March it is getting me one step closer to spring!! January/February has been cold...VERY cold...for what has felt like forever. But about a week ago it finally decided to take a turn for the better and we have experienced somewhat milder temps (today it's still -30, but I'll just not think about that) At the beginning of Feb. Greg and I were able to head home for a few days and fit visits in with everyone and be a part of my Grandma's 85th birthday! It was a break that came at a time when I needed it most, and flying home is so much more relaxing than driving 15 hrs.

As for camp, we have been very busy. We have had excellent groups and it has made work an excellent place to be. Greg has been putting together all the final plans for the climbing wall, a low ropes/challenge course, and finding a contractor for the zip line (which he has managed to secure, yay!) It has kept him busy, but he likes the challenge and the opportunity to dream up exciting new things. Now that it is starting to get a bit warmer it will become work time and he will be able to start the construction side of things. I have been doing the regular, keeping things up in the office and hosting groups. I have also been finding various projects to undertake as I have gotten efficient at my regular tasks and find myself with more free time. I will have to fill you in on those ambitions later.

This last weekend I hosted a ladies retreat. I had been emailing back and forth with this group since December so I was excited to meet everyone and help them throughout the weekend. It went really well, and although I was super busy putting everything together, it was good to know where things were at all weekend. Ladies definitely communicate better than Jr. High students :-) But they sure do require a lot more of the "detail stuff". The lodge had decorations everywhere. Our menu was specialized to fit their group (and was AMAZING) and on Saturday night I put on a chocolate fondue party...mmm mmm!!

Some Pictures

Hey! Well I am not feeling super inspired to write too much, so I will just throw on some pics (which I know you all like anyway) and give a bit of a description for each.Greg and I cleaning up after one of the groups, making things polish...and with enthusiasm!

The past few weekends we have had multiple groups staying at camp, all of which were big groups, so I got to put some of my organizational/scheduling skills to work!


This is me in the quinzhee (igloo) that Greg built. One of the kids decided to smoke in his room on their retreat, so his leader asked us to put him to work. Greg had him shoveling snow for a day and now we have a really sweet igloo built right by the rink for kids to play in. It would be big enough to sleep 3 adults (if someone wanted to sleep in the snow) so it is big, and very cool!


Greg and I out on the lake


"A helping hand" when learning to skate


Sunday afternoon x-country skiing with some of the other staff.


Coming in from skiing


Skiing. Skating. Enjoying a break from the cold. Beautiful. Not much else to say.