Oh Brother!

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Hmmm... how close would that be?
At Auntie's house we had to sleep in the basement. The boys bedtime was before mine and they kept trying to convince themselves that the other one was more afraid of sleeping down there than they themselves were. The solution was ... sleep together in mom's bed (a very safe place to be) until she comes to bed. I found them asleep like this two nights in a row. I guess there's comfort in numbers when the floor creaks.
I just thought they were pretty cute.

Food and Laundry

There is a small twinge when I think I don't have a garden to take out this year. I love the sharing with others part of having lots of produce in my garden. My few container gardens didn't produce much of anything except cherry tomatoes. I do enjoy the thrill of choosing the day I think they are ripe enough to pick. I guess I did okay with peas too.

Laundry...

oy .. they seems to be alot. We've been on the road every weekend this month and so my time at home seems to be causing me to have an intimate relationship with my washer and dryer. The clothes that don't go in the dryer are forever strung about my living room, making me feel like I like in a Chinese laundry. I really need to add a clothes line somewhere. .. but where?

I crawl up to bed to realize... someone forgot that the sheets need to be replaced before bed. This love affair with clean things has got to stop.. it's killing me.

Tanatious Tooth

Yes, Josiah's other front tooth is still crooked, hanging sideways and not falling out. I wonder how many hard foods I can serve him before that thing comes out.
Updates to come..
it has to fall out someday.

Magnetic attractions

I worked so hard to make my school room ready. Now it's a bigger mess than ever. When I'm done it'll look just as it did before I started BUT it will have a magnetic attraction.
All the grey area is "magnetic creations" wall paint. It makes that area of the wall able to hold magnets. I will paint our wall color over it. It's a huge job since it's like painting with stucco, thick and tires your arm quickly. You need several coats to make it hold heavier objects. It s a work in progress but I know I'll be happy to have it when I'm done. Less mactac and things falling down. No more tacks. Fun timelines and posters to hang.
I'll show you when we're done.

Crocs that Rock

So we all know of these kinds of crocs.. the ones that make you look like you have duck feet. I admit we own them too.... maybe because of peer pressure or because they're easy to wear. While visiting and shopping in Grande Prairie I discovered croc makes other kinds of shoes. Cuter. They have MaryJanes (which I don't wear) and flip flops and ...
dress shoes. Not cheap but I just don't wear heels any more because my feet hurt.... NOW I do! I love them. People keep asking me where I bought them so if any of you know where to buy them in Edmonton... I'd love to know.

Calaway two

Lunch boxes and fruit leather... it's the middle of the day.
Bethany and Mariah went on this ride multiple times. Lots of screaming.
OPPS.. can't seem to turn this one.
The boys weren't so brave ..they were sticking to the rides that don't make you puke. Though we did get them a little out of their comfort zone later.
No one puked, no big fights, lots of treats and trips to the bathroom ... we survived Calaway and had fun in the process.

Cousins at Calaway

Ahhh bumper cars, who can resist?
We had our annual fun week in Calgary with our Carruthers' cousins. Our last full day together .. we were off to Calaway.
Our family had never been there before but it was always on our list of things to do. Auntie Teresa got good coupons and it was worth the entrance fee that way.
Waiting in line wasn't too bad, I think the big summer rush is over and it was a bit of a windy day so ... the kids were pretty busy on rides all day.
It was nice to have older cousins to venture onto the rides with the younger kids. Less need for mommy to do so.

Toe art

My sweet sis in law, insisted I get toe nail art before we go to the Women of Faith conference. How cool is that? My first pedicure this summer... an early birthday present (not till Oct). It was a great way to prepare for the weekend with lots of women.

Snaggle-tooth

Josiah has lost two teeth in less than 48hrs. One has been wiggling for more than a month!!! One I didn't even know was wiggly but he was trying to remove a part of a toy and it came out... with a lot of blood. That freaked him out. He was trying to figure out how much money he'd make if he removed them all in one shot... I'm discouraging that. He other front tooth should come out soon.. it's tilted sideways... so for now, he looks like a snaggle-tooth.

Quote of the day ... again

It's good to be slightly squished by someone you love.

- prefers not to be named.

Bethany's newest photos ...

Pictures from Bethany's new camera. She's learning alot and doing very nice work. I like her way with kids.
It's going to be an adventure to see what she'll find in her lens next.

cute, huh?

Clip Clop Blessings

After church on Sunday in Grande Cache, some friends of my parents offered to come by and take us for a ride in their buggy. 2 beautiful powerful horses pulled us around the town. We waved at people like we were royalty or something. We had a wonderful view of the richer part of town. It took two trips to give us all a turn but it was so special. The people who owned the horses unfortunately had to drive them home in pouring rain.

It was one of those unexpected blessings, to see the mountains from a horse and buggy. Now that's a Sunday drive.

Grande Cache in a flash

A Quick trip to Grande Cashe, we filled our days easily. The kids played at my parent's hot tub and trampoline almost non stop. We met some new neighbours and found out they are related to Greg's family. Who knew?
My parent's celebrated 42nd Anniversary and we went to a sweet little place in Grande Prairie for lunch. It's a garden centre that has converted an old barn into a shop and the upper loft into a tea house. Quaint, fun and expensive but worth the time for those special occasions.
Grande Cache Lake for the "hot" days. It's just not as hot there as it is here. It's at the same altitude as Banff, no mosquitos! BUT the nights are cool, 3 degrees! Already!
The Great Canadian Death race is every Aug long weekend and we were there for that. 125km run through mountain terrain. They make it into a big party. It was cool to be there to see it.
It was a cold wet and windy 24 hours for the run. We helped fill water and Gatorade drinks for the runners and cheeeeeered like crazy whenever someone came through. It was fun with lots of waiting in between. A good experience. The kids would like to enter the kids' death race next year... it's just around the town. We'll see.

New Serepta Fair

Grandma Nickel and Daddy took the boys to the New Serepta Parade and Fair day. They had a great time. Both boys came home with an armload of candy and prizes.
Tracker pulls, fair contests, petting zoo, rides and games.
It was a simple but very fun day for them. We'll have to check surrounding town events more often.
I'm thinking we should enter some of the fair contests ... photography, sewing, jam making, etc. Why not? You don't have to be from the town and it'd be a good experience for the kids.
Animals are always a hit with our kids. Apparently the pig liked Greg. Micaiah liked the goats and Josiah likes everything.

More pictures in my Future

Bethany's birthday party fell through... none of her friends could come on the date we picked. So instead we bought a Safeway cake and just made it open to the neighbours to come for cake. A blessing over her head, cake and drinks and a few friendly neighbours ... pooof ...a party. It was a nice day and we had a nice visit.
Her gift was a digital camera from mom and dad ... and Grandma.... so we expect to see more of her work on her blog. As she is our budding artist.
Grandma brought her new kitty to get socialized. Meet Jazzy (Jasmine). The poor thing doesn't get a free minute to herself around my kids.
Many new things will happen in the year ahead. So we need to celebrate each one for it's unique blessings. Happy 13th.

I want to blog...

I want to tell you all my news...
but alas
I have to prepare for my daughter's camping weekend with some girls..
a result of a failed birthday party (the hazards of a summer birthday).
So I'll be headed out camping with 3 teenie girls...
no rest there.
I have to do laundry from my last trip
buy food for my household
pack for my next trip and
I really want to clean up my sewing room for setting up a place for Bethany to study independently.

Where do I begin?
So don't stop checking my blog .. I'm here and I WILL get to it...
soon.

Pinky promise.

Return....

I'm exhausted but I'm home ... for now.
Made a quick trip to my parents' home...
they had their 42 anniversary while I was there and my kids and I were able to be involved in the "great canadian death race".
The name always brings up the same questions soo...
no one has died yet.
It's a 125 km run through moutains, rocks, rivers and rough terrain. A great challenge to even seasoned runners.
My kids want to go in the kids death race next year. 10 km through the countryside near Grande Cache.
Lots of travelling ahead for the next few weeks.
I'm tried .. I'm going to bed .. more to come...