Cypress Hills + Ogrins' = Rain

It seems to be tradition that every time we go to Cypress Hills that there is rain and tornado warnings! This time seemed to fit that tradition. We left sunny Raymond around 2pm on Thursday, June 14th and headed down the road to Cypress Hills. As a result of mom having surgery the Monday night before, we stopped every hour for a bathroom break and to move around. The drive was very beautiful and dry until we turned onto the road towards Cypress, then there were very dark clouds and wind. Not even 5 minutes down the road there was ran pelting down and lightening. It was fun to drive through and the girls found it very exciting. It was cloudy but dry when we got to Firerock, our campsite, and we quickly set up camp before it decided to rain again. The girls loved running around on the grass and playing on the swings while Landon and I set up the tent trailer. Dinner that night was tin foil dinners, and we enjoyed popcorn and marshmellows over the fire, I shot gunned washing the dishes so I could warm my hands in the wash water. By 10:30pm the girls went to sleep, and shortly after that, everyone else did.

Friday, June 15th: Our mornings were slow and relaxed. The girls slept in until 7:30-8am and slept soundly through the night. We had pancakes, eggs and sausages for breakfast. After clean-up we all sat around the fire and had family scripture study. It was fun reading with everyone (19 people incuding children). When scripture reading was done we decided it would be fun to go to Fort Walsh. Before leaving we stopped at the Visitor's Center to see how the roads were to the Fort because they are impassable when wet. They said they were fine, so we headed off. We had everyone, except Mom and Dad, in the van to go to the Fort. The drive was beautiful. The scenery is just breath taking. The roads where pretty much dry on the Alberta side, but after we crossed over into Saskatchewan, the rain decided to come, even hail, and the roads where interesting at points but we made it to the Fort. Our tour started at 1:30pm and the bus took us down the the massacre sight first and a native guide lady gave us a tour of the trading posts and of the sight where the dreadful massacre had occured. What a history. The tour bus later drove us to the Fort and a Mounty Police gave us a tour of the Fort Walsh. Skaidrite got to dress up as a North West Mounty Police, as did some of the others on the tour with us. At one point Jekobs, Mike, and Jeanna got arrested and put on trial, as the rest of us continued the tour. Jekobs was the only one who got to get away free, but Mike and Jeanna had to go to the guard house and pay a fine (just pretend of course). At the close of our tour, the NWMP brought in 2 horses into the Fort and the children all got to pet them and feed them grass. The drive back to camp was an adventure. The gravel road was quite wet and soggy for the first part and we fish tailed and skidded a fair bit. There were some parts when we thought we were going to end up in the ditch, but Landon's good driving got us all safely back to camp with mud caked on everywhere on the van. By the time we got home, it was dinner time. Thankfully Mom and Dad where there and had started getting dinner prepared (Chicken and Baked Potatoes). So we had a small snack until dinner was done. Skai and Landon went on the lake in Jeff and Kim's boat, and we all sat around the fire and enjoyed eachother's company until bed.

Saturday, June 16th: Happy Birthday to me! I was actually glad that I got to wash my hair this day, thanks to Terra. Then Landon, Skai, Esther and I all went fishing on the boat. We really weren't anticipating on catching anything because the fishing conditions were not the greatest, but we did. The first time, Landon caught a pike, but the line was not strong enough and the fish broke it as we were trying to get it in the boat. So it got away with the hook still in its mouth. The second pike we caught was by chance. I was holding the line for Landon as he rowed us back to shore, and after we got back, Landon reeled in the line and there was another one on the hook, but it wiggled free before we got to it. Skai was so excited that her dad had caught 2 fish. Esther on the other hand, fell right asleep. When we got back to camp, we had breakfast and Landon, Jeff and Tim all decided to try again, this time with a fishing net. The fishermen were out at sea, Terra and her girls, Diane Duce, Mom, Dad, Lucas, Jekobs, John Atwood, me and the girls, all went for a walk down the board walk. Darcy Duce and Mike went to the Aboriginal activities, and Jeanna and Isaacs went for there own walk. Our walk was fun and slow. Part way, Dad decided to go and get their van to bring it to the end of the trail so that Mom didn't strain herself too much. Skai got tired towards the end and decided to lay down and pull herself along the trail on her stomach. To save her hands and clothes I offered to give her a shoulder ride. So she rode on my shoulders while Esther slept and was pushed in the stroller. I thought of walking back, but got talked into going in the van. When we were back at camp, we got lunch ready(taco Salad), and ate before the rain came around again. Landon, Jeff and Tim, came back with 5 pike that they cut up and cooked for dinner. All afternoon we rested and played around camp. It rained off and on all afternoon and into the night. It stayed clear long enough for us to cook dinner, and dessert(Roast, Rice and Apple Bake). It was strange though, it seemed like the same storm just kept circling us all day long, and it was. When we got home we found out that there were tornado warnings. We had tornado warnings last time. To stay out of the rain, most of us were in the tent trailer playing games. When 10:30pm came around we felt that the girls should go to bed, so the game players were relocated to finish their playing, while the rest of us went to bed.

Sunday, June 17: Camp was suppose to be taken down sooner than it was, but none of us really felt like getting out of bed. It was raining and cold when we took down camp and ate breakfast. By the time we left Cypress Hills it was just after 10am. It was rainy until we got out of the park, and then there was sunshine. The girls slept most of the ride home. At Dunmore we picked up two extra children, Tim and Elizabeth, and they rode with us the rest of the way home. In Mom and Dad's van, they had some boys that had caught the flue that I had a day before we left, so we had to stop for them. Other than that it was a good, quick, drive home. As we got closer to Taber the rain the lightening started up again, and when got home it was raining, but it was home, and it cleaned off the mud on the van some. We all got bathed and dressed for Sunday. The girls had a nap and we all went to bed early!

It was for sure a fun trip and lots of memories and friends were made. Next time my Dad thought that we should plan to go to Beauvais Lake and just end up at Cypress Hills and see if we can trick the weather. Even in the rain it was wonderful, and we want to do it again!