Remembrance Day 2014. A time to reflect on all of those who suffered through the wars of the past and present and all of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may have freedom.

My Family Connection

My dad was born in the Netherlands during WWII. He doesn’t remember it because he was just a baby. My grandparents rarely spoke about the War. I can’t even imagine the horrors and atrocities that they experienced and the loved ones that they lost.

What I do know is that my grandmother lost her brother to a lineup in a concentration camp. My grandfather (who I never met) was a minister and was one of the few people who were permitted to travel around freely to perform religious services.

When my grandmother passed away in 2012 we found letters that my grandfather had written to her during WWII; they were sweet yet heartbreaking. We also found permission letters from the Germans allowing him to travel by bicycle at certain hours to perform religious services, but curfews were strictly enforced. My grandmother also had a collection of underground newspapers that could have gotten her into a lot of trouble had anyone found them at the time.

The untold history that we lost with my grandmother two years ago is incredible, but I can understand why it’s not something she spoke about. I can’t imagine what she experienced during those years and I admire her strength to get through it. I am so thankful for all of those who gave their lives so that we may live in peace.

A Visit to the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam

Visiting the Anne Frank Huis in Amsterdam drove the reality of WWII home for me. Being in the house where Anne Frank and her family lived in secret was such an emotional and humbling experience.

Anne Frank, 1929 – 1945

I first read Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl years ago and I still remember the impact it had on me. To imagine myself in Anne Frank’s position, at age 13, living in the attic of this house with eight people while in constant fear of being discovered is simply unimaginable; and to be standing in the very rooms where she wrote her diary was surreal. What I find most admirable though, is that Anne was still able to enjoy the simple pleasures and beauty of life. If you haven’t read The Diary of  a Young Girl, I highly recommend it, you can find it here.

“We cannot change what happened anymore. The only thing we can do is learn from the past and to realize what discrimination and persecution of innocent people means. I believe that it’s everyone’s responsibility to fight prejudice.” ~ Otto Frank, 1970 (Anne Frank’s father)

The world was such a different place back then. I am so grateful for all of those who had the courage and strength to give their lives so that by the time I was born, less than an hour’s drive outside of Amsterdam, my family had the opportunity to live in a better world.

It gives me chills to think of the history that my grandparents lived through. On this Remembrance Day 2014 I remember the sacrifices of my family and those who fell so that we may live a life of freedom.

Lest we forget.

Earlier this summer I was trying to come up with a fun idea as a 40th anniversary gift for our parents. Since they have everything, I thought a generational family portrait, including the grandchildren would be the perfect solution. So, my siblings and I have been working on this idea for the past month, coordinating secret photoshoots behind their backs, hehehe. The final photo turned out awesome and they absolutely LOVED it! We gave them the final print in the same frame that we are all holding in the photos.

To create your generationally layered family photo, first take photos of each person holding the frame you will be using to put the final print in. You don’t need to include an image inside the frame, as you will add these with Photoshop later.

This is what the original images looked like:

Once you have all your photos taken and edited to your preference:

1. Open Photoshop and create a path with the pen tool the inside of the frame on each image.
   For more info on how to use the pen tool, click here.
2. Turn your path into a selection by clicking “Load path as a selection” on the Path palette. (If you do not see the Path Palette, go to the Window menu to turn it on.)
3. Select the Select menu at the top of your Photoshop window and click Inverse to select everything OUTSIDE of the frame.
4. Copy this selection, and then paste it right away into the same window.
5. Paste the first photo into the first image BETWEEN the background layer and the new layer (Layer 1) that you just created.
6. Use the Free Transform function (Edit menu > Free Transform) to manipulate the size and image location so that it fits perfectly into the framed area.
7. Save the image as a jpeg.
8. Repeat these steps and paste the new jpeg you just created into the next frame, until you have all your images.

If you have questions, or anything is unclear, please comment below, or send me a message and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.

This photo was taken yesterday at Eve’s Park in the Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, of my sister, our two best friends growing up, their children, and myself. We have all known each other since we were 4 years old and the children are the next generation of best friends in the making. It’s not often that we are all together in one place, so the event had to be documented!

For more pics from our hike, please visit the Set on Flickr.

The Olympics is in itself a family friendly event. However, if you’re wondering about what activities would be fun to do with your kids, here are a few suggestions:

The Robson Square Zipline:

Whistler’s Ziptrek Ecotours has installed a 170 meter zipline across Robson Square from the top of the law courts to the south-east corner of the Vancouver Art Gallery. It will be up throughout the Games from February 12 to 28th, from 10am to 9pm, and it’s FREE to the public! If you and your kids are up for an adventure, THIS is the place to go! I highly recommend arriving early, as the lineups for this unique activity will be long! (It isn’t everyday that you can zipline through the city!) They plan on shooting 70 people down the line each hour, so chances sound pretty good that the lineup will move quite quickly! So come early and have FUN!!

Robson Square Skating Rink

The General Electric sponsored open-air skating rink at Robson Square is a super fun activity for the whole family! It is open from 9am to 9pm throughout the Games. Bring your own skates or rent a pair for only $3. Admission to the rink itself is free! The rink is out doors, but in a covered area so a fun activity, rain or shine

Coca-Cola Pavilion

The Coca-Cola is an amazing and fun place for people of all ages. I was privileged to get a sneak peak at the pavilion before it opened and was amazed by what I found inside. You will learn about the history of Coca-Cola’s involvement in the Olympics from the 1990’s to present. Included in this is a display of the Olympic torches of each Games Coca-Cola has been involved in. Very Cool!! Next you will be invited to watch a video of the torch relay, and then they will let you loos in the main room of the pavilion to enjoy an ice cold Coca-Cola and participate in several cool activities, including having your photo taken with an official torch of the 2010 Games. The Coca-Cola Pavilion is a MUST SEE as far as I’m concerned! The Pavilion is located at LiveCity Yaletown at David Lam Park.

To see the photos of my “sneak peak,” and to get a better idea of what to expect, please visit Flickr.

Canada’s Northern House

A very cool Canadian cultural activity would be to check out Canada’s Northern House. Located at the corner of Seymour and West Hastings, the Northern House give the public a taste of the culture in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, as well as Nunavut. For more information about the Northern House, please visit the website at http://www.canadasnorth.com.

The OZone

The OZone is located in Richmond, near the Olympic Oval at Minoru Park. From February 12 to 28, the O Zone will be an awesome destination to celebrate the Olympic Games, watch Olympic events on the huge screens, watch live entertainment, and participate in many family activities. Included at the OZone are activities from outdoor skating, to participating in the BCLC virtual reality sporting events, to learning about the different regions of British Columbia, to the World Ice Art Championships! There will be fireworks and theme nights at this venue as well! For more information, visit the website at http://www.richmondozone.com.

These are only a few of the many many family fun activities you will find around the city during the 2010 Games! The list is endless! There are things for all ages to join in the Olympic spirit. So bring your kids out and HAVE FUN!!!