Life in Alberta

2009-02-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

HE IS HERE!

2009-02-11T04:42:00.003-07:00

On January 17, 2009 Matthew John Werkema arrived! We are thrilled about his arrival and are having a blast adjusting to our new role as parents. Here are a few pictures since that date!

Officially on Mat leave!

2009-01-13T12:53:00.004-07:00

I will try to make this blog more regular now that I am at home officially on maternity leave!
I am on my second day home...and have a few more things to get done in the house before this baby can come. I would actually be okay with the baby coming any day--I'm running out of room inside very fast and I can't wait to be able to touch my toes again, or even just put socks on without difficulty!
We just got internet here at home last weekend, so this will be a trial to see if pictures will upload with our slower connection here at home. It is a bit faster than dial up, but not a whole lot, so this will be a lesson in patience for me. (Steven always tells me I have tonnes of patience!) :)

Here is the first picture that worked!! Yay! This is our baby room, all ready for baby to arrive.
I will leave it at this, because the next picture is not to thrilled about being uploaded right now!

end of a year....beginning of another

2008-12-31T14:08:00.002-07:00

It has been a long time in posting, but I thought I would put a quick post on here as 2008 comes to a close! It has been a wonderful year for both Steven & I. As most years have--it has had its ups and downs. We had many wonderful visitors this year and we are anticipating a new member to our family in less than a month! We are very excited about that and I am getting very eager to meet the new little one as I am running out of room daily inside. We look forward to seeing both of our parents within the next month or so as well.
We hope that this year was great for all our friends and loved ones and pray the Lord's blessing on the new year for all as well!

...less than a month:)

2007-09-30T21:04:00.000-06:00

The fall weather has now dawned on us in Central Alberta! Beautiful fall colours; I wish they would last a few more weeks…but as soon as the first big wind comes, they are gone. I’m glad that fall will still be in Ontario when Steven & I come and visit in less than a month! I can’t believe it is coming up so fast!
Time has flown by for both of us over the summer and in September as well! I can’t believe that a month of school has already gone by for friends who are in their first year of teaching. I’ll bet it went by even faster for them than it has for us!Harvest has finally started out here. They are working at getting the barley off…but just when it gets dry enough, the sky decides to rain. Here’s to hoping they can get it done this week!
Gems and Cadets starts tomorrow night! Hopefully we have lots of kids coming for the year to make it an exciting year! Steven and I hope to help out as much as we can with the program this year.
I think that about sums up life here in Innisfail! Hopefully we get a few more nice days before the snow decides to fly. It snowed about a half hour west of us on the weekend so I don’t think it would be unthinkable to see snow soon. The furnace has been going since August--so count your weather blessings in Ontario!! Keep some of the warm weather there for our visit at the end of October!

This one is for you Kate:)

2007-09-15T16:52:00.000-06:00

It has been a long time!! A lot has happened since I last posted. Lots of visitors have come and go and we have had a great summer out here in Alberta! Work keeps both Steve and I nice and busy and now activities are starting up again for us as September is here.
Kate has asked me to post another blog...so I just want to say congratulations to her and Steve on the birth of a beautiful baby girl in August. Anna-Lyn--from what I hear and from the one picture that saw is absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to see her when Steve and I will visit Ontario at the end of October.
I will end this post with a few pictures from this summer and from the wedding that Steve and I went to yesterday. Congratulations Erin & Cory! It was a beautiful day!

2007-05-11T16:38:00.000-06:00

Time for a real update:)
I haven’t updated this blog in awhile which I apologize for! I won’t bother giving excuses…b/c really, it doesn’t take that long to put a short little update on our lives here:)
Things are going well here in Alberta—life on the farm is good. I (Karen) have even been riding horses and got to experience true farm life helping Steve move cattle on a horse last week. Good thing that the horse was well trained! Two days later…I was SORE. I found muscles I didn’t know that I had!
Work is going well for Steven—it is getting busier as field work is starting. He has spread some manure and has started working up land. Most of the cattle are out to pasture which makes chores less of an ordeal now as well.
Work for me is going pretty great too. May has been a good month and I am looking forward to some holiday’s next week. This warmer weather we are finally having is a welcome site too.
I had my first baseball game of the season last night too---and we won!! So we are undefeated! Let’s see how long we can say that!
That’s all that I have for now!
Hope you are all doing well and enjoying life!
~Karen

One week...

2007-05-10T11:39:00.001-06:00

In one week I will be in Ontario:)
7 more sleeps....can't wait:)
~karen

We officially have our house!!

2007-03-30T10:33:00.000-06:00

OUR HOUSE!!!

This is our half...entrance on the far left!

2007-03-13T18:49:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple more pictures that I got from Mom Werkema when they were down to visit! Enjoy, and hopefully I will post some more soon!

Here is the outside of our new house. The left hand side is our half. (our entrance is on the far left, you have to go beside the house to get in).
Here is cowboy Steven!!

...more pictures

2007-02-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

Here are the rest of the pictures!! Mom & Dad Werkema were down for the weekend and had a look at the house with us. We had a great time with them this past weekend and are happy they came for a visit!

entrance and landing to go up or downstairs

master bedroom
upstairs bathroom
kitchen
other half of kitchen
hallway to bedrooms/bathroom

house pictures

2007-02-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Steven & I bought a 1/2 duplex in Innisfail in January. Here are some pictures of it. We are not moving in--we are hoping to rent it out.

more living room--behind the blinds is the small deck
living room upstairs
upstairs living room!!! (our favourite room)

downstairs bedroom
stairs to basement
downstairs laundry
downstairs rec roomdownstairs rec room as well
basement bathroom

2006-12-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Steve & I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!! Have a wonderful holiday!

Weekend in Banff

2006-12-12T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is us on top of Sulphur Mountain

The beautiful views from Sulphur mountain. Below you can see the town of Banff.
Again...on Sulphur Mountain--we took the gondola up. Steve and his love of heights went hand in hand for this adventure!

My cowboy!! He finally has the hat to finish up the outfit. This was an early Christmas present that we got this weekend.

Winter Wonderland in Lake Louise!

Here is the lake pictured in Winter!

We had an awesome weekend--it was good to have a weekend away from all the busyness to relax. I even read 2 novels!!!
Have a wonderful week everyone!!!
~Karen

Christmas decorating

2006-11-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

The view from outside my livingroom window

Some of my outdoor Lights

My Kitchen Decorations
The guardian of my piano:) Isn't he cute!!
My TV Decoration

The Tree!!!

I am very excited about Christmas!! The tunes are playing and the decoration are up. The snow has been here for quite awhile now so i hope it comes soon!!
~Karen

It's cold out here!!!

2006-11-27T15:03:00.000-07:00

...It is WAY to cold in Alberta today for my liking. Currently it is sitting at -25 with a windchill factor bringing it to -37. Tonite there are windchill warnings to -40 which I am not too impressed with! This makes me very thankful for block heaters and a warm house! Soon I will post pictures with all my Christmas decorating which is allowed this early if we have this much cold weather and snow!!! That's my little 'rant' for the day!!! All you Ontario people...enjoy your warm weather!!!
~Karen

favourite things...

2006-11-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

I have been 'tagged' by vanderdeen to write down some of my favourite things...so here goes.

~hot coffee in the morning
~hot chocolate on a cold day underneath a blanket watching a chick flick
~hoodies and sweatpants
~a clean house
~long phone calls to Ontario
~unexpected visitors
~waking up a couple hours before your alarm and knowing you get to sleep more
~tobogganing
~long chats with girlfriends in Ontario
~hugs from those you love
~snailmail from family
~Christmas music
~the first snow angel of the season
~family and friends who support and love you no matter what
~mountains
~watching steven herd cattle from the kitchen window
~the smell of baking
~long walks
~beautiful sunrises on the way to work
~visitors from Ontario
~new socks
~towels fresh from the dryer
~chips on Sunday afternoons
~a wonderful church community who takes you in
~making a sale at work
~finding what you are looking for is half off
~a warm house to come home to each night

There's my list:) I'm sure there are many more 'best things in life' but that about sums it up for now!
~karen

..It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...:)

2006-11-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Time for a new post!

A lot has happened since my last post. My parents were here for a few days and helped us with a few home renovations--putting up shelves, new lightbulbs and light covers and Christmas decoration shopping. It was wonderful to be able to show them our house and where we live, go to church and work. Dad spent a few days out on the 'ranch' with Steven, and mom and I went shopping, put up new curtains and caught up! It was great to have mom and dad down!

Today I started putting up Christmas decorations. For Steve's sake I did not yet put up the tree, but I think it will be next Saturday night's venture after work! I also put some outdoor lights on our house and hope to put a few more strands up. The Christmas music I had on put me in an incredibly festive mood! I also went to a local community craft sale as well this afternoon and found a couple things. I think that even though it is a bit early for Christmas, this snow that we have had on the ground for a couple of weeks makes it okay for the Christmas season to begin!!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Kristen (Steve's sister) as she celebrates her birthday tomorrow!! May God Bless you with many more years and may you have a wonderful day celebrating in Kelowna tomorrow! **hugs** from us!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and is well rested for Monday morning!!

~Karen

Random pictures...

2006-10-23T12:09:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures to share over the last little while. Since it is only the two of us, it is hard to remember to take pictures...but we are trying our best!
Yesterday's sunrise! It was so beautiful!

This picture was taken at Rocky Mountain House. We took a drive on Thanksgiving monday about an hour west of where we live. It was a gorgeous day; a really nice day for a drive.

If you look in the distance, you can see the mountains. Also, you can see the farm where Steve works at and where we live. This was taken on a clear Sunday afternoon.

Here is the fall spirit showing at our house. Our little scarecrows in the kitchen pot,

Our pumpkins on the deck

I found this canister and couldn't resist putting it out for Christmas already...isn't it cute? Don't worry VanderDeen, I haven't put anything else remotely Christmas out yet for Steve's sake:)

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful Monday!! We miss you all!
~Karen

time for another update:)

2006-10-13T20:30:00.000-06:00

...time for an update:)
We had a wonderful thanksgiving here in Alberta. It was great to get phone calls from Ontario throughout the weekend and feel close even though we are so far away. On Monday, the weather was beautiful so Steven and I took a drive to Rocky Mountain House. What a beautiful town with such an amazing view of the mountains!
There is not a whole lot new here. Work is going good for both of us. We have had less snow than what has been occurring in Ontario and in the States for the last day. We haven't had any snow in our area that has stayed on the ground yet. It is cold though, we are getting into the negative temperatures at night. It looks as though winter is on its way because there are barely any leaves left on the trees here. One good wind and they were all gone.
I hope that everyone is doing well--to all those still in school--I hope your midterms are going or went well!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

~Karen

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-10-06T15:42:00.000-06:00

Just wanted to write a quick post here and wish everyone a Blessed Thanksgiving!! There is so much to be thankful for in our lives!
Enjoy the time off!
~Steven & Karen

pictures from Ontario

2006-09-28T13:27:00.000-06:00

Dinner at the Keg overlooking the falls with the family on Friday night

Some pictures of our awesome accommodations at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. Here is Cassie posing beautifully:)
The cool antler chandeliers
The fireplace in the lobby
Another picture taken in the lobby

Family picture for Grandpa and Grandma Hooghiems anniversary in March 2007

My mom and her four siblings; my mom is bottom right.

Our weekend in Ontario

2006-09-26T17:21:00.000-06:00

We had an absolutely wonderful weekend in Ontario!! It was packed full of activities and visiting. We flew in late Thursday night/Friday morning, and then headed to my parents house. We had a quick coffee with them on Friday morning and then headed to Steven's parents house and went out for breakfast with the whole family. We then headed to the "surprise" destination which was Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. What a place!!! Soon I will post pictures, because a picture here would be worth 1000 words!! We spent Friday and Saturday here where there was a huge indoor waterpark; lots of slides, a hot tub, and sitting area and we played mini-golf there on Saturday morning at one of the best courses I have ever played at. Friday night we ate like royalty at the Keg overlooking the falls!! That had to be top-notch Alberta steak that we ate that night!!
Saturday night we went back to my parents house for supper and visiting. Sunday we had church and family pictures for the Hooghiem side. It was good to see family again! We left soon after that and went to the airport. It was so good to be back in Ontario, even for a short time. I have a bunch of pictures to post soon, and I will be getting a whole CD of Niagara Falls pictures in due time as well!!
We had a great time in Ontario...it was wonderful to be back visiting with family again!! Thank you for the good times this past weekend, it was fabulous!!
~Karen

36 hours....:)

2006-09-20T11:23:00.000-06:00

and we'll be in Ontario....
CAN'T WAIT:):)

3 more sleeps...

2006-09-18T13:57:00.000-06:00

With a title like that, it sounds like I'm about 10 years old...but really, it means I'm so excited about going to Ontario for the weekend. I'm hoping that it is warmer weather than here...on Saturday on my drive to work we had snow. Yesterday we saw a few flakes as well, and this morning we woke up to a nice layer of frost. Apparently it is supposed to warm up today, but I think I am going to be in the market for a new warm winter coat soon with the weather we are already having here in September!!!
...only 3 and a half more days of work and Steven & I will be on that plane!!
Have a wonderful Monday everyone and a fantastic week!
~Karen

2006-09-14T12:32:00.000-06:00

....The weather report for this week is WAY too cold. There is snow expected in Innisfail on Friday!!! I'm ready for a switch in weather over here...to Ontario's nice weather!! I like snow...but September is a bit too early for me!

There is nothing new and exciting to report at the moment, although in one week we are flying back to Ontario for the weekend!! Belated congratulations to Steve's parents on their 25th anniversary on Tuesday!! We're excited to come home and celebrate with you next weekend!!
Hopefully after next week I will have more pictures to post and share!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!! Enjoy your weather if it is nice!

~Karen

rounding up cattle

2006-09-06T14:34:00.000-06:00

here are some pictures I caught last week while eating breakfast.

Here are the cattle coming down the driveway.

Larry and his two sons are on the horses,
While Steven is here on the 'iron horse' :)And I had to put a quick picture of an Alberta sunset on here...it was beautiful (mind you, this wasn't while I was eating breakfast...)
Have a good week everyone!!
~Karen

...changes...

2006-09-02T21:08:00.000-06:00

As I sit reading others blogs and talking to family and friends, I realize that I am not going back to school for the first time in 17 years this September. It is a very wierd thought and I'm not totally sure that I like it! Therefore, I have looked at classes that Red Deer college is offering...and come January, if they are on the right days, I am hoping to take a night class in accounting. One thing that I learned about myself is that the longer I spent in school, the more I liked it.
...That said...all the best to those who are going back to school on Monday--and Ev--all the best to you as you start University at Redeemer! I hope you absolutely love it! Just make sure you come home in three weeks to come and visit because we want to see you!!

Life here in Alberta has not changed a lot; but this morning I caught some decent pictures FINALLY of Steve and the boss and his sons moving cattle. I took them through the kitchen window. I wish I took some yesterday morning when they moving them across the road on my way to work. I will make sure that I post them the next chance that I get! It is a pretty neat thing to see, especially when they are moving around your car while you are waiting and you have NO idea what to do.

...and a big thank you goes out to my parents--who have booked plane tickets to come out and visit us in about 2 months time!!! We are very excited to have you come down and see our 'home' here!!! I can't wait!!! It gives me something to look forward to! Visitors are ALWAYS welcome here!

I hope that everyone is doing well...and I will be sure to post some new pictures soon!

~Karen

vanderdeen & hammer in alberta!

2006-08-23T12:59:00.000-06:00

Karen and Brianna were down visiting this past weekend. We had an AWESOME time!!! Here are a couple snapshops from our time together! Thank you so much for the visit guys!! Be sure to check on their blogs soon for their beautiful mountain pictures!!

...only 4 more days

2006-08-14T16:04:00.000-06:00

VANDERDEEN AND HAMMER COME ON FRIDAY!!! So excited!
i'll post more later, and hopefully have some pictures with our adventures next weekend!

The newest member of our living room

2006-07-31T10:26:00.000-06:00

I am loving my newest toy!!!
Here it is!!
The classifieds work...and Steve liked helping move this in...(which would be a lot easier than a big upright)
Hope you all had wonderbar weekends!
congrats to Sarah and Jeremy, and Lindsay and Jared who were married on Saturday!! May God bless you in your married lives together!
~Karen

2006-07-27T18:39:00.000-06:00

this is getting unreal...too many posts for one week for me:) I have customers on a test-drive so i need to kill some time...here goes:)
Life is great! Work is going well! It's almost August...and flight tickets have went on sale. I'm excited about that...because we are in need of planning our next trip to Ontario in the end of September! It does not seem like it was only 1 month ago that I was there. I miss our families, but I love a lot of things out here that you can't get in Ontario--the Western life, the non-busy roads, life on a ranch...etc. etc. Now...if you could move that all back to Ontario...we'd be talking!
I think my test drive is back...so i better go!
Have a great night everyone!
~Karen

and some more pictures...

2006-07-24T18:20:00.000-06:00

This is for you VanderDeen...she cross-stitched this for our wedding. This is how it looks framed!! We love it! Thank you so much! My new 'cowgirl' boots!!! I love them!!!

My favourite picture of Mark & Marlene!
Kristen & Cassie...beautiful as ever!
Mark and the ladies
Marlene and the guys

One of the many airplane rides...I love this picture!

Our old couches.... Our new couches!!!

Pictures...Finally!!!

2006-07-24T12:10:00.000-06:00

The last day of our Honeymoon...it was an awesome time!

a sunrise in Dominican Republic....our honeymoon location
Our house here in Innsifail Alberta! We love it! Mark & Marlene's wedding... the four brothers: Mark, Steven, Kyle & Michael

Mark and Mom and Dad

The vows of Mark & Marlene Werkema!! So happy for you both!!
Here is the whole Werkema clan!

another update:)

2006-07-23T17:32:00.000-06:00

Things are going well here in Alberta! Steve is busy on the farm and I'm starting to get the hang of selling vehicles! We are both enjoying ourselves a lot and life is always busy but good! Steve had his 'golden birthday' yesterday, and got to spend most of it in a truck hauling silage!

We have had the priviledge of having visitors already from Ontario which has been great!
Karen and Bri come in less than a month which excites me a lot because all these other visitors have been boys:) I'm excited to have girls to laugh and talk with and be 'girly' with:) I can't wait till you guys come out here!!

Other than that, there is not a whole lot new out here. The church is absolutely wonderful and we have been taken in their with open arms. We really appreciate the church family and all that they have done for us so far!

Congratulations to Wayne and Joella who were married yesterday and all the best to Sarah and Jeremy and Lindsay and Jared who will be married on Saturday! We hope you guys have a great day!

I hope everyone has a great week....and one day, maybe I should put my pictures on my USB and put them on here at work with highspeed internet!!

...update

2006-07-05T13:53:00.000-06:00

update:)
I figured it was time for another one of these:)
Things are going very well out here in Alberta. This past weekend we had the priviledge of coming back to Ontario for Steve's brothers wedding. Mark and Marlene are now married, and it was a wonderfilled day!! If my computer lets me later, I will post pictures. It was good to be back in Ontario, even if it was for a very short while. We did a bunch of visiting with both families and were back on our way "home". On our way back, Steve's sister Kristen came with us, and then took a connector flight to Kelowna to live with her Aunt for the summer. I hope everything goes smoothly for her as she started her new job their yesterday.
so..that's about it!...Oh...and we are pretty excited for Darryl and Gary to come and visit this weekend! Remember all you readers..."hotel werkema" is open for company!! Come and visit ANYTIME!!!
I will try to post more regularly!!
~Karen

update...

2006-06-17T11:36:00.000-06:00

I figured it was about time for a new post:)
I have a bit of an update.
First off...VanderDeen...I am wearing a fancy belt with a "country music" belt buckle today. I am starting to look like an 'albertan'. (it's Steve's) It is rodeo week here in the little town of Innisfail and since today was the parade, at work we were to wear jeans...so I went and wore a buckle too.
...on the topic of work--I now have a job:):) I started work Monday of this week at Fourlane Ford in Innisfail. (good news for Hammer and VanderDeen....Ford fans:)) It is nice and close to home, and I am training for a sales consultant. I'm liking it so far, and next week I am hoping to start selling. soo...if you need a new or pre-owned Ford....Come on down and see me:)

So...this is where life is at right now.
Blogger is not letting me download photos...but hopefully soon...and i will have some of Steve rounding up cattle if I can catch a shot:)

I hope life is going well for all of you!!

I'm back...:)

2006-06-04T14:36:00.000-06:00

It's been a little while...But I am going to post:) I'm now not 'Alberta-bound'...But rather...I'm-in Alberta:)'. As VanderDeen said on her blog...the craziness is over now!! May was crazy...and I loved every bit of it, but it is nice to be 'settled'.
Things are going well here in Alberta. I have been here for 8 days, and I am liking it more each day. Gardening, handing out resumes and springcleaning has taken up my time, but I'm enjoying it. The weather has been really great too this week. Not humid like it has been in Ontario, but 25-30 degrees without the humidity. I'm still waiting for a super clear day though so I can see the mountains better. Right now I can't see them that good...but I'll be patient and wait:) I have many more days to see them!
I don't have much else new to say...except hopefully I will post on here more often..and you can hopefully check and find something new more often then what was previously:)

...time is ticking

2006-04-19T21:59:00.000-06:00

So I thought I would write a post here with a bit more meaning to it...(also to make certain individuals happy that I posted:))
Time is going fast...it is quite crazy to think of where it all went; but life is really wonderful at the same time. It's a time with bittersweet feelings. While I want time to stand still in some areas and I want to be able to pause on my last week of university, I do not want time to stop so that other new adventures can begin.
Tonite, I saw and experienced some of the reality of which I am delving into in the next month. It was a bit of an eye-opener...and all it was is a movie based on a book by Janette Oke. How overrated is that?
Neways...this movie was about how the daughter moves out West with her husband to establish their new life. There were a lot of parallels to my life and what the future holds. It made me think and ponder on what the future has to hold.

.. 37 days till the Alberta life begins...

...craziness...

Soon to be 'Home Sweet Home'

2006-04-04T20:10:00.000-06:00

This will be our new house in Alberta.
(karen is teaching me the in's and out's of blogging...hence the randomness:))

Hello world!

2006-04-04T20:01:00.000-06:00

So here is the first, of hopefully many posts. This blog has been created to inform fellow Ontarians what is going on in my and Steven's life in Alberta. My roommate has coerced me into the blog world...(or lovingly convinced). I won't be posting regularily until June of this year, but be sure to check back when I become an "Albertan" and a "Werkema".
~Hartemink