Evert and Sandy took us for dinner at the Queen's Landing in Niagara on the Lake on Saturday night -- the food was fabulous! Just before we left (Dave had to preach in the morning) we took a family photo. Everyone was there except for our Chris and Julee and Michael.

While at the Great Wolf Lodge, we took mom to the Butterfly Conservatory. They also have reptiles at the conservatory, so here is mom and Evita looking at a Burmese Python. It is a lot harder -- impossible in fact -- to get a good picture of them with butterflies, although one did land on Evita's head briefly. It flew away before a picture could be taken.

Evert arranged for the whole extended family to go to the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls for Omie's 75th birthday. We weren't sure about that as a birthday for Omie, however she had a good time because her grandchildren were having a good time. And we weren't sure about it for ourselves -- we've never gone to a water park before. However, we had a ball! Evita got into the wave pool with Irene and went on most of the water slides as well. Afterwards, Evita commented that there weren't many "older people" like us on the water slides -- it is geared to younger families. We'll have to go again someday with Samuel!

While visiting in Vancouver, we went to the Festival of Lights at the Van Dusen Gardens. What a spectacular event it is! We had to take two trips to get there as there wasn't enough room in Chris and Julee's car for 5 adults and 1 infant seat. Samuel rested comfortably in his sling with his father and we had a wonderful time! Dave had to lay down on the pavement to get this picture and got a wet bum but the photo was worth it!

Proud Opa and Oma with Samuel on our arrival Christmas evening. Or is it Grandpa? It is definitely Oma. Doesn't she look happy?

Some touching moments of Samuel with his mother and father. We love the way that Samuel and his mother are looking at each other, and isn't it sweet how his father is kissing the top of Samuel's head while he sleeps? We think so!

We became grandparents with the birth of our first grandchild, Samuel Elliott Botting, born to Chris and Julee at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (B.C. time), Dec. 12, 2006. We are thrilled at the little fellow! When we visited between Christmas and New Year's, he loved to curl up just like in the womb, as shown here. Now, we have to decide whether we are grandpa and grandma or opa and oma or some mix of the two. Evita is used to oma and Dave is used to grandpa in our respective backgrounds.

Evita dressed up as a zebra on a school day when everyone was supposed to dress up like some kind of animal. We took a heavy plastic bag and added electrical tape for stripes and felt ears and she wore a sweater with "zebra stripes!"