Heritage Day in Edmonton

August brings 2 things in Alberta....hot weather and the Heritage Day Festival and so the Kwasny's and the Maas's went looking for their long lost relatives in Edmonton and here is what
we found. We were treated to +30 C temperatures, thousands of people and food that was almost as good as Gigi K's...don't tell her I said that! We started out around noon and did not stop until 5 pm and still we did not see every booth.....this is one big event and it draws on every nation in the world it seems. Being that I am such a good navigator (not sure who I got the training from) mom and Amanda took the map away from me and gave it Jeremy to lead us around...he didn't do to bad for a rookie. Grandma found a new friend although I'm not sure who had the most makeup on....opps, maybe I should take that back, but Grandpa also found a cute little papoose and was she ever cute and boy could she dance. The whole day was filled with great traditional costumes, dancing, singing and fantastic food. We gorged ourselves on Elephant ears, Grand Marnier crepes and other dishes that I couldn't even pronounce or spell but were as delicious as that smelled. Overall though the booth we enjoyed the most was the African children's dancing (check out their video in the photo album) as these kids keep this tempo up all day, in the heat and never disappointed anyone.....they are truly a remarkable people. On the other hand after walking in the heat for over 5 hour and drinking about 10 bottles of water the four of us were bagged and ready for home, so it was back on the bus and homeward bound after a fabulous day of ethnic delights and entertainment....(check the Heritage photo albums for more pics and videos)

A visit from Dom and Liam

Well Grandma and Grandpa have just finished a terrific week with Dom and Liam and we are now in depression....again. It was so nice to have our 2 Alberta grandchildren stay with us and to wake up every morning to the chipper voices of our two little boys. We had no problems at all with these two little gaffers (although we had to keep their parents under our thumb periodically) and Grandpa enjoyed playing soccer, football and throwing the balls up on the roof with Dom while Grandma latched on to Liam and it was hard to get a snuggle in. Amanda, Jeremy, George, Jean and Amy came over for a barbecue on Tuesday and we initiated the Centro 6000 with hamburgers and corn....tasted pretty good if I do say so myself. Gigi K also got into the act and was telling Liam all about her adventures and he listened intensely to everyword. But like all good things sooner or later they have to come to an end and our house seems like it is so empty now with everyone gone. But that only means one thing........another invitation to all of you to come and visit and enjoy the hospitality of the Chateau Kwasny....(check out our Photo Album for more pics and videos).

Grandma's at it again....

Yep...you know it was coming sooner or later...... more furniture in the living room. You know it's amazing how stuff you can pack into a 12 X 12 room. We now own a rattan floor lamp imported from Lethbridge....very rare. Somehow I think there was a daughter in law involved here some how...not sure but I have detectives looking into it. I think it's time I took Grandma's credit card away from her....although I have to say that it does fit the decor and does a good job of lighting up the room.

Stay tuned, I'm SURE there is more to come.

Where does the talent come from...

Well I have to say that the jeans in this family....or is it gene's..... whatever, have been passed on successfully to the next generations....Grandma and Grandpa is very proud of their grandkids and rightly so. Dylan is carrying on Grandpa's gardening expertise and with Grandpa's help has produced a beautiful crop of impatiens. She gave Grandpa the seeds and careful instructions that seeds require dirt and water to grow and wah-laa...check these out. Not only are the flower beautiful and doing well but the pot they are planted in are tastefully decorated by the talented artist Miss Dylan Kwasny. Grandpa is so proud of his flowers that they take center stage in his garden.

Ohhh..but wait a minute...there's more. Our equally artistically talented Grandson Dominic spent days toiling in his studio....well maybe hours....okay it took him 10 minutes to produce a master piece that now hangs in the Kwasny gallery in Morinville. The colors are so masterfully blended together and each stroke dashes around the cardboard canvas as if it were on fire, intertwining with the others....I believe the artist has named this picture "a spaghetti supper gone wild". I'll bet you can't guess what the artists favorite color is? Grandma has turned down huge offers from art buyers for the abstract but these is not enough money in the world that would have us part with this treasure.

We can hardly wait to see what Jack and Liam favor us with.