summer days

we have been busy
away from home and computer
enjoying the heat
maybe a little too much, some heat exhaustion
needed cool basements, quiet places and naps today

have been doing swimming lessons,
vacation bible school,
play dates,
beach days,
supper at the lake,
ice cream cones,
late night movies,
sleeping bags and sleep overs with niece
sprinklers,
popsicles
and all the good summer stuff that calls you outdoors and away...

mmm! isn't summer good?

Sunday hike

We went for a hike the other day. First of all, let me introduce you to those who went!

Complainer

Determined

Prairie Girl

Briber

Since it was a positively gorgeous Sunday afternoon Briber thought it was the perfect day to pack up the girls and the Niece and head out on a hike. We really live in gorgeous country and too often we are stuck doing the day to day and forget about the beauty of God's creation around us. We hiked to the lookout which travels through farmer's fields, along grassy meadows and among sub-alpine forest trees leading up to an old forestry lookout.


Once we started out Briber soon realized that some strategies might need to be implemented in order to ensure a positive and happy afternoon. The bribe from Briber was "if you choose a positive attitude and don't complain, I will get you a slurpee when we get back to town".

For the most part it worked out well. The hike took 55 minutes on the way up with a moderate elevation change at the end. Some cajouling needed to happen to ensure finishing was worth it.And really how can you pass you up this view of our valley?


It really is worth the trip. We spent an hour resting, observing and being refreshed before heading down again. The trip down only took 40 minutes and no one stopped or even remotely complained. I call that success!

So what are you watching or being inspired by today?

RCMP musical ride

I am a born and breed Canadian and pretty proud of it. I can tell you the symbols of Canada. Things that encapsulate Canada...things like the beaver, maple syrup, rocky mountains, the RCMP. In case you don't know RCMP stands for Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

What I didn't know until a few days ago is that officers can apply to train for the musical ride. What is the musical ride? I am so glad you asked! It is a performance that is set to music and showcases the talent of the horse and rider as they maneuver through various formations. Originally the RCMP were truly "mounted" police officers, that rode horse in the line of duty. As the world advanced in technology this was done away with however.

My pictures really don't do justice to the performance but give a little glimpse of what we got to see. I don't know if I will ever get another chance to see it, so I was pretty glad that I got a chance.

It was pretty cool too that they came to our small town. The rodeo grounds were so packed it seemed like half the town was there!

And here are Niece and Boo-boo enjoying the evening!

Feeding the Niece

So sometimes you need to take care of the ones you love, even when things might not exactly make sense or be perceived as healthy.

Things like feeding your niece chocolate.

Did I mention that chocolate was on toast?Oh, I should clarify that chocolate was for breakfast!And that since Niece was having chocolate, what kind of mother would I be to decline an opened jawed four-year-old? Really! Boo-Boo was certain she needed this breakfast too. It was like breakfast went to a whole new level for her. She mixed her chocolate with peanut butter.

At this point I did a double take and made sure I didn't just serve her a "Reese Peanut Butter Cup".

And since we mixed up our day with chocolate for breakfast, why not keep going?

When supper rolled around we fried up more than a pound of bacon! I believe Niece's quote was "bacon makes me happy!"But before you write me off totally we are capable of doing dinner in a normal fashion! Really! Here's a peek! Sometimes though it is fun to change it up just a bit.

my goodness, girls!

Last night we were colouring at the kitchen table when we heard a shuffling coming the hallway. We turned around to find Boo-Boo dressed up in my kickboxing gear. At first she was just playing with Papaya.
Then she took her down and pretended to hold her down.
After she was satisfied with that accomplishment she ran around the house for a while being silly.

Papaya got the helmet on and had a good laugh or two as she played around.

And then, Niece got involved and the game turned to two on one! We thought it was all fun and games ...

Until someone really started to get into it!

Disclaimer: Please do not try these techniques at home!

fun in the sun

Today we decided to stay home and enjoy our yard

even though we could have gone to the beach.

Friends called to go,

but sometimes you need to stick around home.

Today was one of those days.

So we had our own fun and added in some treats!

Lemon-aid, popsicles, oreos and strawberries

They all mix well with sprinkler time, don't you think?

gone away to camp

Today was the day that Bugsy went off to camp. We had been getting ready for it all week. Earlier in the week we went to the second hand store and bought her some t-shirts and jeans for the week. That way I don't have to worry about lost items and stained clothes. If something comes home unrepairable then it was only a buck or two.
She was all ready and packed last night. Tucked inside her sleeping bag is "blue fuzzy," her very special blanket from when she was born. I don't think nine is too old to have a few items of comfort from home!

This morning we headed off. We had a relaxed morning at home which she really wanted. We got to camp just a bit before the bus load of campers and were greeted by one of her counselors at our van. That was so cool, what a great way to ease them (and Mom) in!

Once we arrived and had dropped her bags she was a little apprehensive. Boo-boo on the other hand, having nothing to fear, ran ahead quite happily.

The playground did well to ease her nerves and give some time with her sisters,

Monkey number one,

and Monkey number two.

When they started group wide games, she went back to being quite reluctant. I almost had to push her out onto the field.

After a little bit, she forgot about her worries and started to get involved in the game. She even went to sit in the circle and cabin selection without me. She never even looked for me actually.

Then she ran to get her bags and took off with her counselor. Do you get the sense that there really is no looking back at this point? She wanted me to stay and see her cabin and I am glad that I did, but she was well on her way to being settled before I left.

Here's her cabin and home for the next five nights. She was right in there with the rest of the girls trying to get a good space in the cabin.

She claimed the bunk above the counselor she walked up with. Exactly what she wanted. Before she left a grandmother who was helping at camp introduced herself to us and then Bugsy to her granddaughter. She assured her she wasn't the only "first-timer" and that she would be watching out for her. Bless her soul! And with that I was gone....

~~~~

I miss her already! Yes, she is busy, emotional and sometimes down right silly. But she is also the one who brings so much life to our home. It is so quiet with her gone.

But for her right now

This is the right place to be

And for now,

I need to wait to hear the rest of her story.

pinky pye inspired

I am currently reading aloud the book "Pinky Pye" to my girls.
In the book there is a little boy, Uncle Bennie, who is going to turn four on the fourth of July.
On that day he is supposed to stop sucking his thumb.
When he goes to bed that night, it doesn't happen and he says he will tomorrow.
And so the story goes....

All that to preface the rest of my short story...

Yesterday we were leaving to go somewhere, I don't remember exactly.
What I do remember is that I had my head in the van, when Boo-boo decides to say:

"Mommy I will stop picking my nose when I get older,

I just like it too much right now!"

"Um? Okay then! Thanks for telling me!" Can anyone tell me what am I suppose to say to that?

I did restrain myself from bursting out laughing. But all the "eew, yucky, gross, bacteria" talk is doing nothing to discourage her from digging for gold.

conversation with a 9 year old

"Mom, I really want you to have another baby. You know a tiny one about this big!"

"No, I don't think so. I am 40 you know!"

"That's okay, I know Mom's who have baby's at 50!" (perish the thought!)

some more random discussion and then she pops out with...

"I think you should start wearing overalls again and grow your hair long!"

"Well, I did that when I was thirty. Besides forty year olds don't wear overalls!"

"Well I thought that when you turned 40 you were suppose to get over that kind of stuff?"

"Who told you that?"

"I did!"

summer skirt...papaya style

Back in June the girls and I went to the fabric store to buy material for a skirt.

The idea was they each got to pick what they wanted and had a t-shirt to co-ordinate with. Papaya, who is usually quite quiet, got the sunshine yellow-orange fabric. If truth be told, I was voting for this really nice subdued cream and yellow fabric and everyone in the store (3 other ladies and 2 girls) voted for this fabric. I am big enough to admit they were right!
So, since yesterday was a rainy day we finally got at it. Papaya and I were both in an out of sorts mood. So a project was definately a good thing.

First she sewed selvage edges together. This became the side seam.

Then we pressed all the fabric. Then we folded and pressed the fabric for a casing.

Then she sewed the casing. She was a little stressed about this because it was edge stitching but she managed with minimal help from me.Then I sewed a ribbon on to make a hem. I sewed the right side of the ribbon to the wrong side of the fabric. Once it was on, I folded it over, pressed, pinned and then edge stitched in on. What a great way to make a hem a little snappy!

And tada! We are done! She is very proud of her skirt and accomplishment!

Obviously it is comfortable enough for lounging!

And for reading a good book!

This is my third project finished from my project lineup

The idea came from the Lazy Days skirt found here

It all started when....

I was talking to my brother last night and then he passed the phone over to my SIL. Somehow we got into a conversation about our aging dogs. I made the comment that "old man" couldn't even jump off the tailgate of our truck the other day and that Rick had to lift him off. We have noticed him aging alot lately. When he gets up he is stiff and slow, hesitates to go down stairs and just isn't the bouncy boy he used to be.

The problem was that my oldest daughter heard the conversation and took it very much to heart. She landed up crying, sobbing actually, in the bath last night. The thought of losing him at any point makes her come unglued. She loves her puppy that much. We have told her that he might live a long long time yet. He only just turned 11.

After that conversation I had to leave home because I was meeting some friends for a movie. When I came home later that night I went on the rounds to tuck everyone in before I headed to bed. When I went into Bugsy's room there was Jesse sleeping on her blanket on the floor. Apparently she couldn't sleep and needed to be near her dog.

The funny thing was Jesse looked at me like he belonged there.

He looked at me like he had always slept in her room.

He looked like he definately wasn't going anywhere.

I smiled and slid him back onto Bugsy's blanket and thought I wasn't going to mess with a girl and her dog.

I do wonder however where Jesse might be sleeping tonight?

we were away

On a whim we packed up on Tuesday and went to see our Daddy/husband in the bush. He had been away from home for a few days and has been gone alot this spring. So we dropped and ran. We were well fed, happy and dirty, very dirty, when we got home late last night!Just a note: Not all of the kids in this post are mine! Just in case you are confused!