Sunday, June 5, 2016

Sisters Retreat 2016

This year for sisters retreat we decided we needed to go to Canada instead of Florida. With Dad's health on the slow mend they still can't travel so we should travel to them. We didn't tell them until everyone had their plane tickets because as is tradition now it seemed everyone wasn't going to be able to go until the last minute. I guess we are always broke!
So June 1st we were all on a plane heading north. I got in first with Beth just a bit after me. We went to grab some lunch and waited for Carolyn and then Nadine brought up the rear. We got our rental car and hit the road as quick as we could. We drove straight to Redcliff because we knew mom and dad had dinner waiting for us.
 Our first dinner was our long time favorite...fondue. We always love that. What a fantastic spread.
You always have to have the chocolate in the teeth picture. Manditory.
That night we played some cards after dinner and visited. We got settled in for the night with Nadine and I in the basement on a blowup which was super comfy and Carolyn and Beth upstairs in the guest room. Nadine and I got pretty punchy and started giggling about sleeping under a chandelier.
We woke up the next morning to a fabulous breakfast of Canada pancakes. Nice yummy thin pancakes that are practically deep fried. Yummy stuff with lots of different topings.
Yes we spent alot of time in the kitchen. lol. But then we really always did so some things never change forus. After breakfast I had a little project of my own I really wanted mom to complete. I was working on a 4 generation picture. She was the finishing touch.
I think it turned out pretty awesome. 
 
 

Yup our time centered around the kitchen.
 
I gotta say we know how to party. We had cabbage rolls, salads with fixins galore. There was so much food I can't even remember everything we had now. Lots of our favorites for sure. Mom and Dad threatened to cook duck for us but we prevailed on that one.
Thursday night they had a party with their FHE group so we could meet them and they could meet us. We really loved them all and are so glad they have great friends up there that look after them and take good care of them for us. It's such a concern for us being so far away so we really appreciate everyone of them.
Nadine had these amazing tshirts made for us to wear. We just loved them. 
Here we are showing them off for everyone.


 We had such fun at Mom and Dad's that it was hard to leave. The next day we took a tour of the garden and after lunch had to be on our way. We wish we had more time but we wanted one day in Calgary to go shopping and hang out with each other. I had a heck of a time checking into our room in Calgary without Mendis so we could have our preferred status but I finally prevailed. By this time Nadine was really feeling sick with a sore throat etc and Carolyn was having what we now know to be gallbladder troubles. But they were troupers and we spent our Saturday shopping in two malls.
We always love shopping together and as usual a couple of us ended up talking each other into stuff. Somehow we couldn't talk Carolyn into the $325 dress and jacket though, strange.
One of our favorite activites this year was the gift exchange. We did a Christmas swap in June and tradedaround until we got just what we wanted. The really annoying thing is I left my gift wrapped at home and remembered at the airport that I forgot to bring it so I grabbed a truck load of Godiva chocolate. Also a hit that Nadine ended up with. I ended up with her Kate Spade pink bag. Carolyn kept Beth's charm necklace and Beth got Carolyn's journal. It was fun and amazing that we all ended up with just what we wanted. Of not they hid it well! We had a great dinner that night at the Keg and wrapped up our weekend all too soon. The next morning we made the trek to the airport and within two hours of each other we were headed home. It was a super long travel day for all of us. I had a four hour layover in Vancouver but everything went well so I can't complain. At least I got home before midnight unlike others. We can't wait for our next retreat. Texas or bust!!