Searching for Bison, Pysankas and a true Polka

Well...that was a weekend.  I'm not sure to feel sorry for Memory and dragging her all over or feel like we have done our best to show her a busy weekend in the life of the Neddows!  Whichever it was I am sure that she will be trying to sleep this off for a little while!

Saturday broke dreary and rainy for the wedding of Meagan and Kirk.  It was cold, so Memory donned her traditional outfit and along with that she put on my sweater and Sandy's winter dress coat (yes, it was that cold, even we were wondering where the sun went!)  The wedding was beautiful, almost a full Ukrainian ceremony (without the mass) and Meagan was the most beautiful bride.  Memory had a smile on her face every time she saw the bride, she was stunning!

Ray is here from Idaho as well, so we need to go on a bison hunt!  Memory has never seen a bison, and they are formidable creatures that everyone should get a chance to see once in their life!  We drove down the highway towards Vegreville, certain that bison spotting would be easy.  No bison on the highway so into Elk Island Park we go, right to the "Bison Loop".  Who names a road "Bison Loop" when there are no bison?  This is the best we could do for Memory, the wide open plains in front of her....with no bison :(

Yes, I agree, slightly hokey when there are no bison in the picture.  But it IS Elk Island Park and Memory.....there has to be a better photo op out there!  Off we go on the highway again, this time our destination is the world's largest pysanka!  We KNOW it's not going anywhere!  And we were correct!  Memory would have probably been more impressed with bison, but we are going to a Ukrainian wedding, so pysanka it is....

Did I mention that the winds were slightly less than tornado like and the temperature was hovering in the single digits?  Not flattering to the hair, and then (for those most unfortunate to not have visited the pysanka) you have to wait for it to turn around!  Can you say freezing?  Not sure poor Memory could after this photo op!  Off to the reception in the social hall in Vegreville!  The unbelievable meal had special Ukrainian fare.  I told Memory about each one, and perhaps I forced her to put a cabbage roll, a peroghy, and a pyroshky on her plate.  Perhaps.  I probably did because she didn't touch them.  Well, she touched them and I think she found them to not feel like anything that would taste good.  She still had a great meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and salad.  But no gravy.  Gravy looks like chili, Memory doesn't like chili I think, because she thought the gravy was chili and skipped it.  (Sunday night dinner will have gravy, I am sure she will love it, good thing for second chances!)  

There were many highlights to the evening for Memory.  Watching the Ukrainian band blast out polka after polka, then on to two steps, waltzes and some good old rock n' roll was fun.  Getting Memory on the dance floor was fantastic!  I think she loves to dance.  Seeing the dance floor packed with people touching each other was an unusual sight for her, and one that we see all the time (can you imagine how hard it would be to polka without touching your partner??)  But the big highlight, I hope, were the two performances by Volya.  Stunning displays of art and athleticism, and Memory got to experience it all.  I truly hope she is having a wonderful time and that we are giving her experiences to last a lifetime.  I hope her smile says it all.....