Looks like fun!

Stef must be entertaining Donna with a great story.....Stef has lots of those!!

New Blogger

Just signed on this "blog" deal...no pictures just yet, just a quick hello. Oh, and happy birthday to all those with b-days in May (or any month past) i've missed...there's just so many!

I just had to try this "easier" method of posting pictures and so I thought I would share this photo of my spring bulbs in bloom.

An easy way to add pictures

Hello,

Blogger has made some changes to adding posts to a blog and now there is an easy way to add pictures. You don't need to use the 'hello' program anymore, you just add the picture when you are composing your post. The add picture icon is right next to the spell check button (check ABC) and you just follow the instructions.

Meeting of some of the cousins.

Easter Sunday at Donna and Johnny's. Maaike and Jericho enjoying the beautiful weather that day.

Spring Skiing in Vancouver

This picture is from Grouse mountain, on a nice spring day you get a fantastic view of the city and you can even see Mount Baker (not in the picture though). Spring skiing is nice but it does get a little slushy.

Bert and I have made it home and the cold spell we are having here is quite a difference for us. This photo was taken in a courtyard in Rio Grande City where we had gone for lunch with some friends.

Dutch Passport

I have successfully received my Dutch passport. I am officially recognized as a dual citizen. I’ll describe my situation so my cousins who are interested in getting their passport can do the same. First off, your father should have been born in Holland but left before the age of …I’m not sure. At least 13 I think. Second, you must apply for the passport before you turn 28 (ten years plus the age of majority). You will also need a bunch of documents that take weeks to process. It took me about 4 months to finish everything. Here are the documents you need:

1) Your father’s Dutch passport or the passport which his name was mentioned in when he came to Canada. That passport exists and has all the kids names in it.

2) If you can’t find the passport, you need proof he was a Dutch citizen before he left Holland through:

Bureau Vestigings Register BVR

Spui 70, 2511 BGT Den Haag or Postal address:

Posbus 12620

2500 DL Den Haag

The Netherlands

Tel: 011-31-70-353-3171

Fax: 011-31-70-353-2850

3) You need your father's long form citizenship certificate. This was awkward for me because Canada no longer issues the long form, only the short form (which dad had). The long form citizenship form can be requested by the consulate directly to whatever Canadian department handles it. I brought both the short form citizenship form and the long form (we still had it but it had been invalidated) and that was accepted.

4) You father's large size birth certificate. This I got with much assistance from Fokke Ypma (thanks again!!) You have to contact where you father was born to get this birth certificate. Hmmm, I can’t remember the details of how all this worked out. Perhaps Fokke has some insight.

5) Your parent’s long form marriage license available at your provincial Bureau of Vital Statistics. This document must be legalized by mail or in person at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa. (see address below).

6) Your large size birth certificate. Also available at the provincial Bureau of Vital Statistics and this must also be legalized at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa.(they do have a website)

7) Two full face pictures (different size than Canadian passport photos). If they need to be signed I don’t know. I had my supervisor (Prof.) sign them just in case.

8) Your Canadian passport or driver’s license.

9) $77.20 cash in the exact amount.

Legalizing Canadian documents: The original certificates must be legalized by

Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

125 Sussex Drive

Ottawa ON,

K1A 0G2

So I gathered all the documents, went to the consulate in Vancouver and they helped me fill out the passport application, took my money and in 4 weeks I went back to pick it up. So I am officially a dual citizen, I have a European Union passport which makes working in the EU much easier.

Texas

Bert and I are now in Falcon State Park in Texas (along the Rio Grande River), where we have stayed in previous years. The weather has been just great with temperatures an average of 27 degrees. Not too tough to take huh?

Hello all you cold people! I hope everyone is well. How is the weather? Here it hasn't gone below+30 since before mom and Betts and Zach were here - the poor things melted! Anyway, I have still not learned how to post photos on Blog, so if any of you would like to see photos of the trip (and of my non-university life after christmas) then sign up with www.ringo.com - it's free and SO easy to post photos - so maybe I can get some from all of you as well!
Take care everyone, love you all heaps,
Love
~Sarah~

Of course these two had to get stuck but luckily they were able to pull one another out.

After we got our tree Carly took the skidoo and Bert drove the 4 wheeler to the shack at the pond at Johnny's. It was a beautiful crisp winter day...perfect for Christmas tree cutting.

Carly did some snowshowing the day we got our Christmas tree at our farm.

Aukje played us a little tune on the piano during our visit.

Bert resting on Sunday afternoon at Aukje and Pierre's place. Aukje and him were quite a pair on the Saturday evening!!

Wyatt and Jericho dropped in at Bert and Marianne's on Halloween.

Marianne, Anne Marie and Isabel having a chat.

Bert, Donna and Marianne at Tavis and Amy's wedding reception.

Gabrielle, Marie-Claire, Tegan and Zak pose for a group photo.

This picture was taken shortly after the ceremony.

Bert decided not to wear his "bee outfit" and within a very short period of time a bee stung him below his eye. That will teach him to wear his protective clothing.

Mike and Sonja dancing at the reception.

The photographer left the girls while taking the photos of the guys and Bert thought they should look like they were fishing.

A great shot of the bride and her family. The pictures were taken in the woods behind Jason and Anne Marie's place.

The photographer set up this shot of the guys running to meet the girls and I managed to get a picture of it as well.

Mike's friends had polished their trucks and provided a unique "honour guard".

Age and Mary giving the bride and groom the traditional carriage ride after the ceremony.

Wyatt and Jericho having a little rest under the tree in front of the church. Jericho did a great job as the ring bearer for Sonja and Mike.

Back in Vancouver

Hello,

San Francisco was great, the conference went well. Too bad you couldn't come Donna! I saw the Sea Lions and the bridge but I never did get to ride the trolley because when I had the time the line was HUGE!! I also was treated to a pretty swank dinner at an oyster bar and tried raw oysters for the first time. So now I'm back in Vancouver and back at work. I like the picture of putting up the tent.
TTYL,
Carly

Carly having a great time horseback riding with Tegan's guidance.

Carly and Tegan going for a little ride at Nick's place.

Carly and Marianne.

At the reception.

The guests enjoying themselves at the reception.

The bride and her attendants.

Rehearsal for the wedding at Kinkora Church.

Johnny, Bert, Marianne, Ainslay and Andy putting up the wedding tent while Pete observes.

Here at the Huitema sisters at Elizabeth's birthday dinner in Port Dover.

This picture was sent to me by Carly and it was taken when she and a bunch of friends went horseback riding in B.C. She is on the second horse from the right. This was taken on the same day that we had our big snowstorm on April 23rd!

Hello everyone!!

Hi there
This blogger thing tends to confuse me a bit and takes a while to browse on dial up but it is great to go in and see the pictures and it was nice to track your trip Aunt Marianne!! Things always seem busy around here - Jericho keeps us hopping on a daily basis. He is growing like a bad weed but he makes us laugh every day!! I would love to post a picture of him for the Aussies and the Westerners in the family but I don't have the technology - sorry! Well I finally posted and I hope it all works!! Take care

Taking a walk and a ride beside our creek at the farm.

Matty and Zak were at our farm at Easter time and we had to get our four-wheeler out for a little run.

This winding road on Route 66 wasn't supposed to have nothing longer then 30 foot driving on it, but we managed! Luckily the oncoming traffic was light.

The saquaro cactus grows big in Arizona but they won't get their "arms" until they are about 70 years old!

Tombstone, Arizona and the interesting gravestones.

Bert and I were on top of this mountain and I had just told him about Stefke's dream of retiring amongst the many hummingbirds of Arizona. He thought this would be a great spot for her to build her retirement home.

Quartzsite

We are currently in Quartzsite, Arizona. If you "google" "Quartzsite" you will get an idea of this town. Think "trailer trash". ^_^
A few more days here and then on to Nevada for a short while and then we will head on home. We hope to see the Petrified Forest in Arizona on our way across the state.
A friend of ours from Stratford e-mailed us with news of a chemical spill into Stratford's water system. Schools closed etc. Maybe it is a good thing we weren't home for that!!
I keep checking this Huitema blogger site for news from anyone, but no luck....if you need help with posting just ask Carly or myself.
See you soon.......Marianne and Bert

California dreaming....

Hi everyone,
Bert and I are camped in California (just over the border from Arizona). The weather is just great and we have been touring all the sites around Yuma. Unfortunately I can't send pictures to either Carly or the blogsite because the public library here doesn't have a usb port available to the public so you will have to wait until we get home. We want to go up to Quartsite (still in Arizona) before we head back home.
Marianne and Bert

Riding in Vancouver

I finally get to catch up with my 'country' cousins and take some riding lessons (and ironically I take them in big city Vancouver). Here's the most action packed one I could find, trotting over poles that are actually off the ground. It's great, on Saturday mornings I cycle for 25 min to Southlands which is this bizarre little pocket of mini horse farms in the city of Vancouver.

Texas 2005

A grave site in Texas. Bert and Marianne's trip, 2005.

Texas 2005 part II

Bert and Marianne in Texas

Arizona

Hi everyone,

Well the weather in Texas could have been better, but at least there wasn't any snow! We have moved on and are now in Arizona where our next destination will be Yuma....can't get much further south then that around here!!

We spent a day in Tombstone, Arizona and that is quite the town! It is like an original cowboy town where they re-create gunfights etc. Lots of shops, although they start to look alike after the first three or so.

We are currently at a library here in Benson which is southeast of Tuscon. Take care and try to stay warm!!
Marianne and Bert

Thanks Mom!

Alright, Now I remember how to post one, thanks to mom. It's been awhile since I last posted a blog...Much has happened here in hot Aussie! I've been on a 2 week holiday up the coast with George to Cairns, Port Douglas, and all the beautiful beaches along the way! I will be posting some pics as soon as I get the chance to save some to CD. I've also moved house in the last month and am finally settling down in the new unit with George and 2 other flat mates. Ains is still wih us and having a great time! She spends most of her time at work... or Micheals (but I didn't say that Donna! ) and I'm at work alot as well, so we haven't seen much of each other lately. It will be sad when she goes though. Other then that, not much else is news here.... I start uni again in March, and am ready for my last year. As mom pointed out, my graduation is in December and I'd love to see the family! I realize it's a huge trip - but just think of it as a well deserved holiday!
Anyway, hope all is well with everyone. And thanks again Carly for setting this up!
Lots of Love;
~Sarah~ xoxox

we'll see if this works

need some info
I had a hard time trying to figure out how to post a message b/c on the main page when I clicked on Marijke under 'Contributors' I just get my profile (which is non-existent) and there are no other places to click unless one wants to comment on an existing post or check the archives or other profiles - so I went to the Blogger main page and there was a spot where you could fill in your name and password if you already had an account which brought me to 'post a message' page. Is that how I have to access it? Sorry, could not remember from when I did it last time and Sarah asked me how to post a message b/c she was having the same problem so I thought I would write this in for her info.Anyway - it is cold here -25C this morning - so my days have been taken up with stoking the furnace, bringing in wood, doing the teaching thing two days a week, working on a research paper (which is painful) and taking a daily trek with the dogs in the bush for an hour. So, Bert and Marianne, I hope you are enjoying warm weather - you picked a good time to go. I have some pictures I would like to post but since I do not have a digital camera I need to scan them in - so will do that when I get some free time (and some help from Carly). Anyone want to plan a trip to Australia for Sarah's graduation in December?

I think I got it

Thanks Carly - I think I ended up creating a new blog under my name and the posting went there instead of to the Huitema post. I also did not have this link in my files - http://www.blogger.com/start - so I don't know how I posted the first time.

Squash Soup

Prep the squash (~3lb) - cut in half, scrape out seeds and bake for an hour at 350 flat side down on a greased cookie sheet till it is soft and can be pierced with a fork easily.
Let cool, scrape out flesh and you can put that in the fridge till you want to make your soup.

Soup:
Sautee two medium/large leeks with an inch of ginger (finely chopped) in butter.
add four cups of chicken stock and the squash and simmer for 20 minutes breaking up the squash.
Puree in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste and dilute with ~2 cups chicken stock to right consistency. Heat up and the server.
Be sure to puree really well.

Texas

Hi everyone,
We arrived here on Saturday and the weather was kind of cool for a few days, but now it is just great. It still took us about three days to drive down here driving 3082 km. We are just relaxing and reading as well as biking. We biked to Mexico the other day...a distance of about 10 miles each way.

We are in the library of the nearest town...about 14 miles from Falcon State Park...and this is where we have access to the internet. Hope the weather isn't too nasty for you all while we are gone.

Marianne and Bert

Someone loves his food and gets right into it!!

This photo initally included Debbie in the centre but she seemed to be having a nap and I thought I would spare her the unflattering resulting picture!! Could it have been the wine?? Lindsay and Carly didn't seem to be too affected, and since it was a good picture of both of them I proceeded to eliminate Debbie!! Hmmmm....wonder if Debbie reads this blog? I guess I will find out!!!

Natalie and Ashlay seem to be deep into conversation.

Matty is relaxing during our Christmas Day celebrations.

We had a lovely Christmas Day at Isabel's and Bill's place. This is a picture of Monique taken before our Christmas Dinner.

At the back of our farm when we went to get our Christmas tree this year.