Attention Hudkins Family and Relatives

On August 24, 2013

There will be a 1 day family get together / mini reunion

 This event is for all family and extended family

(and anyone who needs a family)

We have reserved Centennial Park picnic site in Sherwood Park

The reservation is from 1 pm until 5 pm

It allows us use of the covered facility and some picnic tables

All who attend will be responsible to bring their own lunch

and a dessert to share with others

Feel free to show up early to visit and play with others
And stay later if you feel so inclined
Just know that we are not able to be in the covered area before our allotted time
Please bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets

You can click on the link below and print out a map

Centennial Park Map on Google Maps

View Larger Map

or use this map and follow the directions below

The pink circle is Centennial Park

Traveling east on Yellowhead Trail from Edmonton

Turn right (south) onto Sherwood Drive

You will see the Park on your right

We look forward to seeing
all that are able to attend

Elder Arland Hudkins Home From Chile!

I just wanted to write and let family and friends know that Elder Hudkins will be leaving from his mission in Santiago Chile on Monday July 15th and will be arriving at the Edmonton international airport on Tuesday July 16th at 1:30pm. (Delta Air Lines flight 5680)

We thought it would be kind of neat to have a welcoming party at the airport to greet Elder Hudkins after being away for two years!  Please help us in spreading the word to those who might be interested. Brent, Charlene and Troy...I am not connected to face book and other media, could you please help spread the word to the cousins?  I know that Arland would be so excited to see his cousins and the young children and babies!

For those of you who cannot make it to the airport we would like to invite you to Addie and Mike4's, "new" home for that afternoon, as a meeting place, or open house. (Please call us and we can provide you with the address). There will be light refreshments provided and please remember it is very important to bring your children!! This will be a place where we will all be able to gather and visit with Arland. Thank you Mike and Addie for providing your home for this special occasion.

We know that Arland will be tired from his long journey home but we also know that he will be pumped and so excited to see everyone!

For those of you who work that day we will be at Mike and Addie's until 7:30pm and then will need to leave for Red Deer to have Arland released from his mission. This is a great opportunty to see and visit with Elder Hudkins while he is still an official missionary!

A big Thanks to everyone who has helped and supported Arland through thought and prayer while he has been serving the people of Chile!

 

See you at the Airport or at Mike and Addies

Love Garth and Janene

joys of life

Sometimes we take for granted the beautiful country we live in and the wonderful creations that heavenly father has provided for our enjoyment. Uncle Brent was trying out my lawnmower the other day and stumbled onto this little fellow.

This picture is of the little fellow under a spruce tree in our yard... when Brent stumbled onto him he was parked about 15 feet from our front door. I guess he felt that there was just to much going on around him so he decided to go to a quieter place.

Two years ago I stumbled onto this little guy (almost stepped on him) while I was checking out my canada red choke cherry trees.

He layed there flat as a pancake and would not move a muscle. I guess he thought if he didn't move then no one would notice him! ha ha. He was also located fairly close to the house, I guess the mommy deer feels like our yard is a safe place to keep her young. And we have no problem with her decision! I am wondering if it would be the same mommy deer each year?

Anyway, we thought some of you might enjoy these pictures of a tast of the country.

Love Uncle Garth and Auntie Janene

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

HAPPY FATHERS DAY to all the dads in our family.  I heard someone say once that anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Dad.  I think that is a very true statement. 

From what I see, all the fathers in our family are really really special dads.  I am very proud of each and every one of you.  It is amazing to me to watch all that you do and I stand in awe at the good examples you are to your children.  Keep up the good work. It is not easy but is well worth it.

Thank you for being you.

I also thank the wonderful man I married.  Grampa has been my rock.  I sometimes wonder how I deserved to be so blessed.  Love you forever, Grampa.

Happy Fathers Day!
Gramma

Back to Reality

Charlene and I got home Monday evening.  Our holiday was everything I had hoped for.  Charlene is a super travelling companion.  She really looked after her old Mom.
 
Poland was, for me, the fulfillment of a dream.  For so many years now I wanted to 'walk where my mother walked'.  I wasn't sure we would be able to find the exact address but thanks to a genealogist in Warsaw and the very kind and thoughtful pastor at the church where my mother was christened, it did happen.  I can't begin to explain the emotion I felt when we found the place.  The moment I got out of the car the tears just came.  I could feel my mother's presence.  The people living there now were very very kind.  We visited with them for over an hour.  The pastor knew English and translated for us.  I have some great pictures and have tried posting them but it just doesn't work for me.  Sorry!!  I know I was shown how but I'm way too technologically challenged. 

We were able to touch and read out of books from the 1800's. went to the archives and got some birth and death records and got registered with them. 
Charlene did awesome driving a standard shift and the GPS kept us on track except for when he told us "You have reached your destination" in the middle of a tunnel.  When we said "What?"  He repeated "You have reached your destination."  Too funny!

  We attended church in Warsaw and London.  Temples in Frankfurt, Preston and London, an outstanding fireside in Edinburgh.  I even got to see Buckingham Palace.  We visited with relatives in Germany.  Some I had seen before and some for the first time.  All were great.  However, after Poland, as Charlene said "The rest was gravy." 

Having experienced all of the above, there is still no place like home and being around those I love the most is the best experience in the whole wide world.

Glad to be home,
Love to you all,
Gramma

Baby Neely Blessing

Hey family members, just wanted to give a little Bird update. Things are going well here. Neely is growing super fast and Jacey is tolerating...maybe even beginning to like her a bit. Jon and I have officially begun zombie mode and function on small amounts of sleep at a time. Oh babies!!

I had wanted to do a quick update and let everyone know that we are doing Neely Jane's baby blessing next Sunday. We invite all the family who is able to and wants to come to attend. It will be June 2 at 10 am at the Fort Saskatchewan Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ward. There will be a small lunch after at our house. If you are wanting to come, please let us know so that we can count you for food.

We hope that all is well with you guys and we look forward to hearing and seeing you! Love you lots! The Bird Fam - Jon, Alyson, Jacey and Neely

MOTHER / DAUGHTER HOLIDAY UPDATE!

Hello from the land of the thistle!  We are now in Scotland at Margo & Ian's where they speak a form of english and drive on the wrong side of the road.  In the last couple of weeks we have dined on Polish, Russian, and German cuisine and will sample traditional fish and chips tomorrow. You might not believe it but today Great~Gramma had supper at the Hard Rock Cafe in Edinburgh!  Oh yes, and this morning Ian cooked haggis for breakfast ~ FOR REAL!!! 
The highlight of the trip has been finding the actual place where Emilie Schabert was born and grew up before emmigrating to Canada in 1927 at the age of 19.  The area is very beautiful and flat.  What once were small farms are now acreages with paved roads.  The building of course is gone, having burnt down before the second world war, but the original well is still there.  We were fortunate to see the church where she was christened and received much help from the Pastor there.  Most important was mom got to "walk where her mother walked"!  Poland is a very clean country and the people were kind and helpful!
We also had a nice visit with some relatives in Germany where mom could converse and Charlene would sit very close to her and smile lots!  {Ask us about our escapades at the Frankfurt HAHN airport ...}
Our holiday has been full of "CHURCH"  We attended sunday services in Warsaw in the only building in Poland. Next was the Frankfurt Temple.  This evening we went to a multi-stake fireside in Edinburgh with Tyrell & Fiona Givens.  On Friday we will attend the Preston Temple on our way to the London Temple and then church there on Sunday. 
We feel that our holiday has been a great success and a wonderful mother/daughter experience and are now looking forward to getting home and sleeping in our own beds!  See you all soon!!!  xoxo