Last week was Spring Break here in Ontario. For us teachers that meant a week away from work!! Naturally, I needed to make plans to get out of town. My sister proposed I fly to Regina so she could throw me a baby shower. I am nearing the end of my second trimester (was at 25 weeks last week) -- perhaps a touch early for a baby shower but I didn't think I'd have a better time to head home for a visit so we made some arrangements and I spent the week in Regina.

Click here for pictures.

Thanks to everyone that came out and thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for all the awesome baby gifts. Everything was much appreciated!

Christmas was the usual insanity.

This year N and I were in Regina from Dec. 21st-28th.

Christmas with the Knecht's was early -- December 21st this year.  We had dinner and gift exchange at Kathy's.  Food was good.  Canasta was good -- the ladies did well and the gents managed to make it interesting in the end.  Ashley was super cute opening her gifts.  

We didn't actually meet with any of the extended family this year as everyone had their own travel plans, including us - Cuba!  All six of us Knecht's were spending the New Year in Varadero so the bulk of N's and my time was spent with my family over Christmas.

Knecht Xmas pictures: here!

Maciag family Christmas was busy! Tess, with a bit of help from my mom and I, managed to crank out two big meals: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  I think this may have broken her spirit a wee bit -- it is just too much work to do that kind of cooking two days in a row.   Spending two days in the kitchen while others around you are watching movies and playing games is, I'm pretty sure, disheartening.   My guess, is that this is the first and last year of it.  

Christmas Eve we had supper and then some extended family came over for the rest of the evening.  The ladies enjoyed pleasant conversation and the gents played hour after hour of Madden 10 on the Xbox (definitely a theme of this xmas).

Christmas Day I needed to be a grown up and suck it up and not arrive at my mom's at 6:30AM to open presents like all people who LOVE presents.  This year the plan was to meet at noon for Xmas brunch.  This is a funny tale as Tess and Geoff were delayed due to a vehicle malfunction and by the time they got to Mom and Dad's, Harry was ready to open presents... so we did.  Thus we had brunch at 4PM setting back Christmas turkey supper to almost 9PM that night.  Insane, I know -- but hey, that is how we roll.  After supper, we played some Catan: Traders and Barbarians... it was a lot of fun... Catan rules!

Maciag Xmas pictures: here!

Today my sister and I met up with my cousins Shannon and Jessica for lunch @ Earl's.  Poor Jessica, the lone non-pregnant person at the table... the conversation revolved around embryos, amniotic fluid and my personal favourite, the "crotch pain".

The "crotch pain" refers to the chronic pain in my crotch that day that I got from almost experiencing  the wipe out  of the century in the Costco parking lot.  Graceful as I am on my feet, I recovered but not before doing this weird splits-like manoeuvre, thus straining my pelvis or whatever the proper term for that area is called...groin?  Needless to say, it hurt.  Having the opportunity to grill my sister (world class breeder extraordinaire) and cousin (first time mommy but 7 months more experienced than myself), | needed to get to the bottom of whether this was a pregnancy pain that I would have to suffer through or whether this was the result of sheer klutziness. Again, I apologize to Jess for what I can only assume was a horrorific lunch date.

As it turns out, the verdict was that I am a klutz but that the pain was more intense due to the fact I was carrying an extra load of baby in my uterus which was putting extra weight on my crotch area.

All in all, lunch was fun.  It made me realize how much I miss my family back home in Regina.  This is a big year for us -- three 2010 babies!!  Next year's lunch date will be insane (or epic)!!!  Either way, I feel like I have to apologize to Jess a year in advance because there is no way for her to escape more baby-filled conversation.  Sorry Jessie!! Have I mentioned how awesome you are???  You're going to be a great super aunt to that Skolney baby!!! And, you can be a honourary aunt to my demon-child too!!!

Summer in Saskatchewan means one thing: the Kendra Chorney Golf Classic (KCGC)!  This year, I was was lucky enough to be in Regina for the event.  Naturally that meant my golfing prowess was visible for all to behold.

Every year, one lucky person gets to win the prestigious brown jacket that Kendra and I picked out as "most befitting a champion" from an assortment of other lovely jackets at the local Value Village.  So you can image -- there was a lot at stake!!

This year, the tournament was held on the August long weekend at the Sherwood Forest  golf course.  I believe there were around 40 golfers and all 40 golfers took it VERY seriously. 

My brothers demonstrating their professional warm-up stretches.

My team consisted of Kendra, Darby, Heather and myself.   Naturally, we set the bar high for excellence.  When we found out pre tee-off that there was to be no beer car driving around the course, we stocked up at the club bar beforehand.  When we discovered we were incorrect and there was indeed a beer car going around, we rejoiced and demanded they bring us chocolate.  When I shot an astounding 9 on a par three, we hailed the beer car and did jager shots!  So as you can imagine, the competition was intense.

My teammates look on as I undoubtedly hit a fantastic shot (and snap a picture at the same time -- my skill knows no end!)

At the end of the afternoon, a winner was declared at the Chorney BBQ.  I, to be honest, still don't know if I believe the results but it turned out to be a tie between my brother Joey and my friend (and last year's champ) Kevin.  In the end, it was decided that Joey could have the jacket as Kevin had already possessed the resplendent jacket for a year.

Here is Joey looking fittingly smug as he is wearing the Championship Jacket.

Already looking forward to next year.

For the last 3 weeks I've been hanging with my prairie peeps. 

The first week, I hung out with N's family.  We spent a lot of that time with our super cute niece, Ashley.

I also had an evening I'd rather forget (man, am I real chatty after a few glasses
of wine -- oh and some rum punch -- and oh yeah and some misc shots),

We also took in a Rider game (vs Montreal -- talk about a drag -- worst game I've ever seen live),

and golfed 9 holes.

After the first week, N headed back to TO and I took off on a road trip with my mom, sister, a 10 month old baby and a 6 year old. 

More on that later.

To view a few shots from my time in Regina -- click here.