Sunday, August 31, 2008

Dan's School Year Calandar





School Calendar for 2008-2009




Sept 1 First Day of Full classes

Sept 12 Terry Fox Run

Sept 22-27 Autumn Sports Week

Sept 27 Saturday classes (in lieu of extra Oct holidays)

Sept 28-Oct 4 National Holiday Week

Oct 6 Classes Resume

Oct 23 Halloween Party

Oct 29-31 Term 1 Examinations

Nov 6 Marks Due by 9am

Nov 12 Term 1 Report Cards Issued

Nov 22-23 4th University/College Student Recruitment Fair

Dec 9 Chinese 12-9 Run

Dec 19 Jinshitan New Years Performance

Dec 25-26 Christmas Holiday

Dec 31 DMES Staff New Years Party 2pm

Jan 1-2 New Year’s Day Holiday

Jan 10-14 Term 2 Examinations

Jan 10 Saturday Exam Day (in lieu of Dec 26)

Jan 14 Last day for students

Jan 16 Marks due by 9am

Jan 17 Saturday reports Checking (in lieu of Jan 2)

*** Jan 18-Feb 22 ***Dan's Ridiculously Sweet X-Mas Vacation***

Jan 18 Last day for Chinese and ESL staff

Jan 20 Last day for counselors and dorm teachers

Jan 26 Chinese Spring Festival

Jan 19 Arrival date for Chinese and ESL staff

Jan 21 Arrival date for counselors and dorm teachers

Feb 23 Classes Resume

Mar 12 Chinese Cultural Knowledge Competition

Mar 16-Apr 2 English Arts Festival

Apr 15-17 Term 3 Examinations

Apr 22 Marks due by 9am

Apr 25 Saturday classes - Reports issued

Apr 25 Last Day of classes before May holiday

Apr 26–May 3 May Day Holiday

May 4 Classes Resume

May 25-29 Campus Ceremony week

May 30 Staff Sports Meeting

June 6 Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony

June 17 Last day of Scheduled Classes

June 18-20 & 23-26 Provincial and School Exams (including Saturday)

June 22 Day off in lieu of Saturday exams

June 26 Last day of Scheduled Examinations

Jun 29–July 3 Report Cards Issued & Professional Development

July 3 Last day for Canadian Teachers & Reports issued

July 4 First flights to Canada

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Vacation Almost Over

Hello My Loved Ones.

I have only three more days left here in Newfoundland. It has been a great visit too. I have had lots of fellowship with the Saints at New Bay Rd. I spent a day at Buchans pronounced (Buck-ins) at Red Indian Lake...wow it was so incredible...the water was crystal clear to the point that you could see the ripples in the sand under the water. It was like finding a lake in the wilderness, not a soul in sight. I have pictures on my own camera, but can not download them here. As soon as I get home, I will share them.
I am missing Dad (Papa) and will be glad to see him on Wednesday Sept 3'd. My own bed will be a welcoming sight too. I bought the grand kiddies some special things from Newfoundland....hope to see them in the New Year, and will share my treasures then.
It will take me two days to get home...by plane!?!? IMAGINE. I will leave Gander,spend a night in Saint Johns and broad the next day for Halifax. I then make a connecting flight to Moncton....might as well flew out West for all the time it take to cross the puddle. On the up side, I have never seen Saint Johns, and have an evening and the following afternoon to go exploring the city...that's real nice!
I have a few pics of me posted, Mother (Nana) hope you all enjoy them. I have enjoyed Daniel post so immensely hope you have too.

Take care Everyone....Will write to you from home.

Loving, As Ever Mother...(Nana)

Relaxing in the SUN!!!

DeeDee and I sharing a view.
Having fun with a squarrel at the lake
More the he can handle...What a great laugh I had.
Posted by Picasa

Mother (Nana) in Newfoundland

Neat come again sign!
Playing in Jumpers Brook with the kids.
Walking on the trail at Red Indian Lake
Walking On the Beach....Newfoundland.
Posted by Picasa

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Hello Dan?

Dan, I was wondering if you were receiving my emails.......not sure if your email is working.....

-Kris

Missing Unca Dan


Unca Dan.....I miss ya!
So I am driving to China to see ya.
Here I COME!!!!
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Eel, Frog legs, Raw Fish or Beetle Grub?



It seems that the days here are so full. The days of the teachers start by 8:00 and end between 3 and 4:00. Then there is of course dinner, time spent organizing your living space, and acquiring those things you need for the year. I’ve managed to get my hands on some more money and so should have a phone and camera shortly. I also hope to figure out how to send mail this weekend so that I might send home some trinkets.
The night before last I had a great adventure in town. About 9:00 most of the teachers had turned in (everyone has a pretty early schedule due to the time change). Dave and I decided we would take a walk down to the beach (which I have yet to visit). Feeling a little dry we thought we would stop in town to grab a couple of brews. By the way, Chinese beer is totally great. It’s weaker than the green party, but it’s delicious and refreshing. Also you’re allowed to drink on the streets here (something I fully enjoy). Walking up the street with our beers, a Chinese guy sitting with some friends calls out ‘cheers’ (he pronounced it cheerce). I excitedly reiterated his cheer and ran over to clink bottles with him. A couple of them started patting chairs, signalling they wanted us to have a seat. We obliged, thinking we’d have a drink with them and then head for the beach. We ended up having such a great time; we hung out with them until after midnight.
Part way through the night we were joined by a Russian acrobat and stunt driver. The acrobat was ridiculously massive. The stunt driver was pretty small and had a Mohawk, complete with trailing Mohawk-mullet. The driver was named Yogi. I can’t remember the other guy’s name. Also a Chinese girl named butterfly (I know right) gave me some little key chain trinket and said ‘you are my friend’.
As in most cultures, drinking is also accompanied by feasting. Now seeing that I had eaten frog legs the previous day for lunch (which were superlatively delicious by the way), I decided to try something really different. A large basin filled with fat wriggling grubs, set nearby, were being sold by a street vendor. I’ll have a couple of those I said. He speared them with a wooden stick (Kabob style) and roasted them over a bar-b-q, throwing on a pinch of spices now and again. Dave and I each grabbed one off the stick and cheersed them. Down the hatch. They tasted like mashed potatoes with an extra crunchy skin. And by the way, frog legs really do taste like chicken. I’ve also added eel and raw fish to my ‘food I have eaten’ list. I don’t even know how many ‘(mystery meat on a stick)’s’ I’ve had.
I wrote the first part of this post during my lunch break and finished just now (3:00). I have a wine and cheese party to attend at 3:30 (paid for by the school). I should have everything in place by this weekend, and so will hopefully be able to give everyone a call. If you could all e-mail me your phone numbers that would be great.

Hugs and Kisses from Miles and Miles Away
I love you

Daniel Mark Andrew Standring

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Dan's Posts

Wow Dan. I've been reading your posts when I check my email (I'm emailed when a new post is up), but I haven't had a chance to post my thoughts until now. Heidi is out providing respite care for the boy she looks after and I'm alone with Aunika (who is still sleeping......lazy!!). It does sound WAY different than any of us would have guessed. Most (if not all) of us only see the parts of China as the media portrays. So the only images of China we have are those that the news, internet, and National Geographic let us see. I would love for us to be there with you. Then we could be the foreign family. That must be weird. In a city of however many million, you're only 1 of a vast minority who speaks your language. It's like in university when you have an American friend, and you keep laughing at HIS weird accent, to which he promptly tells you "Where I come from YOU sound funny". Good luck and I look forward to reading and seeing more.
Well This is my last day off before I go back to work again. This last two week shift was long. I was only home one night in two weeks. I don't expect this two weeks to be any different. So I have to go make the most of my last day at home. I will keep following the blogging from some remote location in my camp/hotel room from my laptop. Love you all. Bye

Monday, August 25, 2008

Beckieann & Daniel

Posted by Picasa

Nephew in China

I am enjoying your adventures of China . Thanks to your mother who is visiting with me here in NL and helping learn about the computer . Can hardly wait to see some pic through the eye of the camera. Thought I would
let you know a little about the kiddies, updated Daniel is 15 now & Beckie (Almost 11) say MEOW ?!

Hope u enjoy the pic
Love, Dee Dee

MOM

Here are a few pictures of me in Newfoundland.......


Posted by Picasa

Dan's Adventure

Well Daniel, for as long as I can remember I have LOVED noodles. I would love to have been the recepient of your noddlie noodled noodles.
I sure bet Dr Suess could make a whole book out of your adventure with the little Chinese lady, who made the meal of noodles, for the stranger of a far away land! I Imagine the opening page might read as follows...

With oddles of noodles,
made by the poodles,
In a land of squitty eyed people.
There came a stranger,
dressed like a ranger,
wanting to tasted the zoodles.
He grab the big noodle
and tried to doodle
but the lady said nay...nay!

and so on.........


Well Daniel darling, I talked to Roxi, Heidi and Aunt DeeDee about your blog and they have all enjoyed it soo much. Some of the family are having problems repling, but I am encouraging us all to work out the bugs, and learn how to navigate the blog. It is simply delightful to follow not only your adventures, but everyones responds to each other.

I am sending you, much love, from us all, and will upload a few Nefoundland pic tonight.

God Bless thee my son...my Danielson...my precious little Boonie.

Loving As Ever......Mother S

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Brain Stew


My first couple of posts have looked to give you an idea of the things I am seeing and experiencing. Yes I know you would all like to see pictures. I will get myself a camera as soon as possible. Also as soon as I figure out how to use the postal service here, I will be sending presents to you all (except Andre and Pierre who I will see in the coming months). I think I’m heading in to Dalian for a shopping trip today, so I’ll see if I can find an electronics store. However I would like to instead share some thoughts with you this morning. By the way, I just had the sweetest water melon ever for breakfast.

It occurs to me that this experience will likely be more than an adventure. It seems to me that living among a group of people, with whom I do not share a common culture, language ability or experience cannot help but affect my train of thought for the rest of my life.

While the China that I have seen in the last couple of days does not reflect the destitution that Dad has seen in his travels through India, or even quality of life that he has described to me as the standard for the people of Jamaica, China is also certainly not Canada. Most of the buildings look as though they were built in the early 70’s. They tend to be dingy in appearance, and washed out in color. All signs and billboards are faded so as to be less clear than I am sure they were meant to be. Bright tones have been traded by way of sun and wind to become overly dominated by shades of muted blue and grey. At first while driving through the city, seeing these old looking building stretching up toward the sky at identical heights, as though an invisible layer were placed in the sky at which construction must stop, I wondered how old they really were. When examining the newer building going up though, they have the same look. Even during construction they have a washed out look of a building that has been minimally repaired and maintained for decades. I suppose the majority of Chinese have simply not had the affluent luxury of becoming expectant of impeccable aesthetics.
As eye catching as many of the differences here are, I have found even more striking how similar people tend to be. A girl crying at the airport in Narita looks the same as a girls crying at the beach in the Miramichi. A young couple walking the streets of Dalian look no different than my grade 12’s Peace River. The laughter of old friends selling vegetables at the Jinshutan market sounds like Dre and I. Facial expressions are rather universal. In fact, for each of us to occupy the privileged places that we all do (and I assure you everyone reading the post is ridiculously privileged), seems to me to be little more than a series of winning cosmic lottery tickets. I’ll expand on this idea another time, but that’s a project all on its own.

I do not know where the road I have chosen will lead me. I might return to Canada in a couple of years, but it also seems no less likely to me that might be in Switzerland or somewhere in Africa. When a person puts themselves into a drastically novel situation, they must either insulate and isolate themselves from their surroundings, or expand and contract to make sense of things. I see no possibility of taking the former route, and so find it next to impossible to tell how my priorities and desires will shift in the coming years.
I can say that I look forward to expanding my understanding of people. I look forward to the unknown and the challenges, struggles and adventure that come with taking the road less travelled.

It’s is striking how fast the world can change around a person, family or nation. Nothing is certain or unshakable in this world but the laws of physics. I imagine the following passage as being taken from the mind of Napoleon, once proclaimed to be the Emperor of France, and future ruler of the world. Ending his days as a prisoner.

I used to rule the world, seize and rise when I gave the word
Now In the morning I sleep alone, sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemies’ eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing “now the old king is dead, long live the king”
One minute I held the key, the next the world is closed on me
And I discovered my castle stands upon pillars of salt

It sounds kind of depressing, but our history is full of many stories of great triumph. There have been many people with happy endings as well. However, stagnancy is short lived. Change is inevitable. So we may as well be agents for the kind of change we want to see. All change is possible, but for the will to make it so.

I love you all dearly

Daniel Mark Andrew Standring (Adventurer)


P.S. - This post was written yesterday. I ran into a trip on my way to the campus.... I'll have to tell you that story later. I have a medical to report to in 10 minutes.


;p

Friday, August 22, 2008

Fun with Allyways and Noodles


6:30 in the a.m. I can’t believe how little the jetlag has affected me. I feel great/well rested this morning. I neglected to mention in yesterdays post that I got really sick my first night here. Not like stomach flew from food, but a nasty head cold (really sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, headache, and I think I even had a fever for a bit that night). Yesterday morning it turned into really achy muscles and head . Popping a few Advil helped. I thought at first I may have picked something up at home from my rather unsanitary nieces and nephews, or something on the plane. However, when I look at the timing and symptoms, I think it’s more likely a reaction to my MMR vaccine. In fact I went through a similar ordeal during my first round of the vaccination while teaching in Peace River. But again, I fell good this morning.

I suppose It shouldn’t really be that surprising, but there are quite a few things here that seem to be different from Dre’s description of China. Small things really. Like underwear availability. Dre, there is plenty of selection. It’s not all tight and white. Also, electronics do seem to be a fair bit cheaper. I bought myself a fantastic speaker system for my laptop yesterday for under $40. I’m sure a similar setup would have run me triple that back home.

Also some other things seem to be more expensive than I expected. My first night out, the new teachers all went to a restaurant , ate and drank a ton all for about 25RMB each (RMB = Chinese dollars. I believe it’s pronounced Rem Em Be). To figure out the equivalent Canadian value, you just divide by 7. So this meal would have cost about $3.50. My guess is that a similar back home would probably run about $60-80 per person, in large part because of the amount of beer drank. Just the food would have probably run about $40 each. I do recall Dre telling me that eating at a great restaurant should run a person around a dollar (I’m not sure what the beer cost… but I’m pretty sure its cheap). Incidentally, the beer here is standard 3% alc/vol, so it’s pretty much impossible for Canadians (or at the very least Miramichiers) to get drunk. A nice bonus for those of us who might like to drink beer with their lunch on school days. I fact, because it can get quite humid here, our principal has told us that “beer is very important” I’m not really sure why one couldn’t just drink water… but I trust the guy. He’s been here a while… You know.

Last night a group of 15 of us ate at a Japanese restaurant, It ran me about 70RMB or $10. Again there was lots of beer, but I know my food was 55RMB. $45 of that was for a dish I got called tempura. A dozen shrimp about the size of Kris’s middle finger are lightly coated in a sweet batter and deep fried I’m guessing. You then dip it in a sauce that looks like ‘Au Jeu’ or beef dip. It’s not beef (I think). Again it’s sweet.

After I sent yesterdays post, I went on an adventure walk by my self through. Taking random turns on streets, and cutting through back allies from time to time. I walked through the residential complexes, visited a few shops. Eventually I found an open space between a bunch of stores where there is a market. People sell there veggies off of blankets laid out on the ground. I recognized some things but not others. There were peas in the pod the size of large bananas. The peas swelled out to look as though a group of plums had gathered together in a green blanket for warmth. I went into a shop an bought a pastry. I learned how to say “one of those” from the lady at the shop “eega”. I think ee is one and ga means that. Wandering some more I eventually found an old lady standing outside building with a cart selling noodle something or other. Wow, it was really hard to order!!! I’ve got to get on this Mandarin thing going so I can communicate with people. I just kept pointing things and she kept asking me what I’ll assume were questions. Let me stray for a moment… In Japan, before you eat a meal you are given a hot face cloth to wipe your hands, or face, or whatever you want to wipe. The Japanese have in my limited experience tended to offer these cloths with a pair of tongs. Back to the lady and the cart. Finally after about a minute of spewing friendly noises at each other, the lady offered me a cloth with her tongs. As I reached out and took the cloth, I realized I was a little out of my element. It had the feeling of the shell of a wet pirogue. I realized she was not offering me something with which to wipe my hands, but was asking me, “hey white guy would you like some of this?” So there I am holding the end of pita shaped noodle, while she is still clinging tightly to the other end with her tongs and a huge grin on her face. I let go and gave her thumbs up. “Yes the texture of your noodle is fine… I’ll take it” She chopped it up and put it in a big metal mixing bowl. Now she started pointing at things. Each time she did I gave her a thumbs up and a big smile (having no clue what I was ordering of course). She eventually got the idea that I in fact knew what none of the things on her cart were. She helped me select a series of powders, herbs, sauces and oils to go on my noodles, noodle like things and what I’ll guess were chunks of either tofu or sponge. The metal mixing bowl was now full. This was a lot of noodle. It was like I ordered a noodle noodle combo with a noodle appetizer and a side of noodles. She now proceeded to mix my noodle around in a fashion that I can only describe as being Chinese. Every few second she would stop tossing my noodle salad and look up at me and say “uuuhhhh?” which I translated as “how’s that? ….. Mix, mix mix…. what do you think about that? ….. Mix, mix, mix…. How’s that looking… and on and on. She then picked up a plastic covered bowl and dumped my noodle noodle combo in. Then she reached under the bown, grabbed what were the handles of a bag tied it up and gave me a pair of chop sticks. I then wandered home to eat my bag of noodle noodle wonder. I wouldn’t say it was great, but it was good. I only made it about half way through. I have heard that the Chinese connect the eating of great quantities of food with strengt… There going to think I’m such a wussy.

Though there is lots more I could tell you all, I have a great deal to do today, and so will continue monologueing later. (Yes I am more that aware that the word monologueing is rather incongruent with the present form of the English language, but I’m wordulating… you heard me… or read me at least.


Sending a plethora of hugs and kisses to across the puddle to all you beauties

Your son, brother, uncle, nephew (choose whichever applies to you)

;p ßy the way that is not a semicolon and the letter p, it is me smiling, winking and sticking out my tongue.




Daniel Monkey Mark Andrew Standring

Daniel in China

Hi Daniel

What an exciting post. All I can say right now is..."WOW".

I am so glad that you have been thrilled with the different things that you are experiencing. Yes keep your Maid, indeed.

Japan sounded incredible...it was really hard to imagine it.

I was relieved and delighted to here that the air is so fresh and clean where you are residing.

Let us know how "Town" was tonight.

The family blog is so nice, it makes your long ways away, seem a little closer. It is wonderful for the whole family to be tied together here.

Newfoundland has such amazing landscapes too. I will soon post some pictures. Speaking of pictures Daniel....get a camera right away...PLEASE!

God bless each of you my dear family, As Ever; Mother S

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Landing on the Other Side of the Pond


So I’m sitting at the Grande Prairie Airport, Thinking about all of the things I’ve done wrong; (things in preparation for this trip, not a lifetime moral review or anything). As I finished packing, I couldn’t help but think, “I thought I had more clothes than this”. Of course I do. All of my winter clothes are in storage at Roxi’s. I should also have started packing at least a day earlier; I couldn’t find my camera, forgot my immunization receipts (I have the documentation I need... just not the receipts to get reimbursed for them), my car still has a bunch of stuff in it, and I’ve left a pile of things strewn about Heidi’s place. Sorry Heidi, I know you don’t need the extra work... unfortunately it’s not like I could ‘just catch the next flight out’.

Spending the night in Narita Japan was awesome. I went out with some of the other new teachers (I think there were about 50 of us who flew in together). We went to a mall for a bit. Japanese arcades are crazy. We also went to a Japanese Casino (The MGM). That was probably one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It’s a lot different from American Casinos. The noise is insane, the games are really weird. I played this one where you use a dial to control the speed at which a bunch of small metal balls are fired at a bunch of pegs (like plinko). If your ball falls into this special slot you win more balls. I think the balls get cashed in for money. We also went out for dinner. Man... do the Japanese make fantastic food. This was one of the best meals I have ever had.

The Hotel was pretty nice, though certainly nothing lavish. Something comparable to the Lord Beaverbrook, but the room was a little smaller. Everything is electronic even the toilet. I had my first encounter with a beday (no idea how to spell that one). Most everything commercial is anime. The safety video on the airline was anime, advertisements are anime. It’s kind of neet
When first flying over Japan I was struck by how similar it looked to flying over GP: lots of squared lots with different coloured fields. The first difference I notice occurred to me while looking at a highway. Something seemed really wrong, but I couldn’t place what it was. They drive on the left hand side of the road. Incidentally, while bussing around Narita, I felt like there was going to be an accident every time we took a corner. It just feels as though you’re going to run into oncoming traffic (also the roads are much narrower). The next thing I noticed was the forest. Even from the air the foliage looks different; really thick. It was pretty neat seeing bamboo growing everywhere too.

Though the flight we were on has Tokyo listed as it’s place of arrival, Tokyo is actually about an hour outside of Narita, so we didn’t make it in. Too bad I would have loved to see that city (I think I might actually be able to arrange an extended layover on the way back so I can visit Tokyo).

Interestingly, a similar situation also applies to my own place of residence. I do not in fact live in Dalian; I am a little less than an hour outside (I think) in the ‘village’ of Jinshutan. Flying into the Dalian airport was amazing. This place has some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen. Huge rolling hills covered in trees and other greenery. I’ll send pictures once I get a camera and the chance to go hiking. I’ve been told there is no wildlife to worry about, though I should not go near any towers on these hills, or climb any fences (apparently the military takes this pretty seriously). The air is clean and fresh, the streets are no more crowded than Halifax. Of course my experience is pretty limited as of yet, but that was my impression while walking through town last night.

My apartment is nice. The ceilings are couple of feet higher than the usual ceilings at home. I have a really neat bookshelf (You’ll see). Lots of space, and it’s less than I thought: $280 for a 1 bedroom or $300 for a 2 bedroom. I asked for a 2 but none are yet available. Not a big deal, since I doubt I’ll have visitors anytime soon. Also I have a bed in my study, so It’s kind of like a two bedroom where one of them is sort of small. There is a real lack of power outlets (8 in my entire apartment), and some of them are in really weird places (Above my front door for instance?!?!?) It definitely needs a paint job. It also needs dusting, though that shouldn’t be a problem as I’ve hired a maid (she does 3 hours of cleaning for about $6). I think I’ll get her to come by weekly.

I have a shopping trip to go to on about 2 hours. I’m interested to see what it will be like.
I will of course write you all some more very soon, but I have yet to eat this morning, and am getting quite hungry. I think I’ll go wander the streets of Jinshutan in search of some food which I have neither seen nor heard of.



I love you all very much

Daniel Mark Andrew Standring

Shalom

Monday, August 11, 2008

WHAT AMAZING COLOUR DASSI HAS!!!
OUR TODDLERS AMAZING COLOUR EYES
Posted by Picasa
OH WHAT BEAUTIFUL EYES YOU HAVE, BABY
Posted by Picasa

Welcome Kirs and Dad (Papa)

Welcome Papa and Kris.

Kristopher I thought it would be nice to post some of the beautiful pictures of your daughter. Kristopher Aunt Tracy who live in Blackville NB, in the Miramichi Valley. She has her own studio, and if you would like to take a look at her blog....it is well worth it. http://www.tracywayekelly.blogspot.com
Our baby Gir!l

She is an Angle.

Baby fat and rolls.

Oh so cute!
Posted by Picasa

Dad

Papa/Dad
Papa/Dad WOW!!! Just to think I have my own family in the making. I believe, with Gods divine direction and mercy he has enabled Mom and Dad, Nana and Papa to bring into this world, raise, tutour and establish 5 of the greatest siblings in this time. As the Patriarc of the family, I am pleased with how my family has expanded to include Mark, Kristopher and Corinna. In the result, we have 4 wonderful Grand-children of whom I am so very proud. Skee, Biffer, Dassie and Auni are just the greatest piece of happiness that could ever come into our lives.As time passes on, Nana and Papa / Mom and Dad look forward to bestowing many gifts on our cherrished loved one, but none so great as our greatest gift, our TOKEN. What is this TOKEN? Well, if you had a bus token, it would represent that the price had been paid for your journey from the beginning location to the destination.
Link: Opening Greeting
draft

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Joining the fam's blog

Hi! I just received an invitation from my mother-in-law to join this blog site. This is Kristopher, the other son in law. I am married to Heidi, the youngest Standring, and am Aunika's daddy (Nonni). I am sitting in a hotel, very far from home (which is in Grande Prairie, AB), while working in the oil fields of the great northern Alberta. I have to get to sleep soon so I can be rested for tomorrow so I will end my blog. Hope you enjoy my introductory blog, I hope to keep up to date with postings. Bye!

The Bride and Groom's Family

We have the Bride with her Daddy and Brother and of course her Groom and Son.
They are Daddy Brian, Corrina, Joseph, Caleb and Brother Elliot.

Corinna's mom is fighting cancer and was not able to attend. Our prayers and thoughts are with her...Karen LaRonde. Also brother Kenny was not able to attend either.


The Grooms family are as follows: Back Row....
Mom Standring, Kristopher Way with daughter Aunika and wife Heidi, Bride & Groom with their Son Caleb, Isaac Standring with his girlfriend Becky Lyons, and Dad Standring.

Front Row.....
Daniel Standring, Scott-Isaac Flewwelling with his mom Roxann and dad Mark Flewwelling with Daughter(sister) Hadassah.

The Families


Posted by Picasa

The Beautiful Wedding

On June 22'd our son married Corinna LaRonde. Joseph and Corinna have been together for over seven years, and it was wonderful to see them take the final step in their relationship. Their son Caleb Seth LaRonde Standring was the so full of joy and happiness to see mommy and daddy get married.

Here are a few pictures of the Wedding family.

Joseph & Corrina's Wedding & Son Caleb




Posted by Picasa