Those Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer (a.k.a. Our Summer Part 1)

Well, summer is over and today is the end of the second week of school.  I think getting back to school and back to schedule has been harder on me than on the kids!!  Summer was just too short.  In fact, I'm not sure if any of my title saying is even true...there are days but we have very little haze here and around our house, they definitely were not lazy!  So, now that we are getting back into a schedule, I'm going to try to blog more.  I wanted to start with an overview of our summer but realized that it's WAY too many photos for one post.  Instead, I'll break it up into three or four posts.  There are a couple of natural breaks, so I'll start with those.  The first instalment is our weekend at Rowan's Ravine with Jason's family.  We rent some basic cabins there and spend a weekend together hanging out.  So, this year was not as nice weather-wise as it could have been but it was good anyway.  It went something like this...

Hanging out by the fire.  Jonathan's not too sure just yet, but that's OK.  Then he'll stay away!

Summertime and baseball just seem to go together.  Not enough players for a game but a scoreless version of Five Hundred could happen.

I even managed to bat (photo courtesy of Evan...)

Summertime and cameras just seem to....go together?  Well, the cameras are always out summertime or otherwise!

It was windy enough for some kite flying.  Papa's homemade kites even took to the air.  Though, I don't think that lasted long after Evan took the controls :)

The only sign that there may be babies around somewhere!

There were cute moments like this (Evan loves "little kids")...

...and this.  Jonathan needed his own space, I guess, and under the cabin seemed good.

Evan could always be found in the wagon...at least whenever Uncle Craig wanted to use it for something!

Good thing Papa can balance...bike rides are awfully fun when someone else pedals!

The weather may not have been nice but the wind made for some fantastic waves at the beach and there is nothing my boys love more than some big waves!

However, once they were out it was a little more than cold!

Shhh...we're hunting wabbits...or maybe just the others with our water balloons (not that they broke when they did hit each other :) ).

Mini-golfing is always an adventure with kids this age (they were done in about 5 minutes and weren't too excited about having to wait for us to ACTUALLY shoot a round!)

There are always some beautiful prairie sunsets.

And sometimes babies hanging out at dusk.

The only really bad weather was a storm that blew through Sunday morning, mostly while we were at church so it was all good.  Here are the big kids, before church, watching for lightning in the sky.

It got nice in the afternoon and a prairie nature hike was in order.  This was shortly after Bethany and Xander saw a snake.

All the kids with Papa.

One of the beautiful vistas we saw of land that was reminiscent of what it must have been like at one time (that is until you saw a car go by in the background).

Finding friends.  I believe it went something like this...there's a grasshopper.  They're really little.  See there and there...nope I think that one's a tick.

One of Evan's friends decided to hitch a ride with us to the edge of the bush.

Since it was nice, it was back to the beach for sandcastles and playing in the water WITHOUT freezing to death.

Rocks.  Rocks.  Always rocks.  With four boys, we never seem to go anywhere without collecting a bunch of these.  This one is currently in Jonathan's room somewhere.

Then, we had a nice little treat - ice cream!

A favourite end to the day is glow sticks.  Unfortunately, it gets dark really late so the kids don't get to play with them as much as they'd like, but they're fun anyway.

So, that was the weekend we spent at Rowan's Ravine.  Stay tuned for another instalment in the top-rated series "Our Summer".

Until next time...

I Don't Know What To Do!

Really, I feel confused and just a little alone...my constant has been altered...for the first time in so very many years...I am without my camera! :)  The poor thing is broken so I had to send it off for repair - for 4 to 6 WEEKS!!  I hope it's either cheap to repair or expensive enough to justify a new one.  I hate when the estimate is in that middle ground.  I sent my favourite lens off, too, so hopefully they will return together in not too long.  However, I may have to use this as an excuse to shoot off the 3 or 4 rolls of film I still have in my fridge.  Gotta dig out that SLR camera body and hope my dSLR lens works on it!

So...where have you been?  What do you mean it was me that wasn't here?  How on earth does summer slip by so fast.  Every year I think, it'll be time to relax and hang out, especially when we have no vacation planned.  Every year it flies by faster than I can blink and with no time to spare!  I have much to tell you about since last time I was here...swimming lessons, suppers out, trips "home", VBS (and all the craziness that ensues), company and so on and so on...it's been a busy month and a half and school is right around the corner!  I could really use another week of summer but maybe routine will get me back on my blog - who can tell?

Anyway, I don't have all those photos downloaded but I did want to share with you a sampling of the family photos we did at the beginning of July.  The wonderful Lindsey of Lilyfield Photography took these for us and I love how they turned out.  These are some favourites and some silly ones but they are just a peek.

The whole family...

Bradley...

Jonathan...

Evan...

Alexander...

The boys...

Even one of us...

And, of course, since we were at the beach, the day couldn't end any way other than this...

Shhh...

And, with that, I guess I have posted the photos.  Hopefully I will be back with more fun ones later.  I did remember to take my SD card out of my camera before I sent it away so I can download.  I just have to find time to sort them!

Until next time...

From Then Until Now(ish)...

Well, I'm back to the here and now and to the blog.  I've put out a "We're Open, Please Come In Sign" and now I need to get the show ready.  This will be mostly a visual show as it's really hard to hear me when I'm just talking to my computer.  Funny how these things are only "MOSTLY" automated.  However, depending what you think of my voice, the no audio visual show can be a gem of a finding.  This journey will take us from where we were to where we are(ish) (since I haven't taken the most recent photos off my camera yet).  It will be a journey through time and space, like no other on earth.  So, sit back, relax, grab a beverage (if you're quick) and here we go....

So, the last time we were together (for more than a brief interlude), we were here.  Yep, that's it...spring.  Maybe.  There was snow on the ground still (though this was taken May 6th, so it's kind of deceptive) and it was finally starting to warm.

At the present time, we find ourselves here.  Yep, that's it.  Summer time.  Long days, hot nights and hours with the water gun and sprinklers.  No schedules, relaxed bedtimes...all the things that make life grand (LONG LIVE SUMMER!).

In between these two, time did not stand still.  The pace was fast and furious.  First, we had these...the munchkin turned three months old (this was actually slightly before our last time together but we received these photos after).  As always, we had to make time stand still with a photo session with the wonderful Lindsey of Lilyfield Photography (really, she's awesome!)  Here is a brief sampling of the moment caught on film...(or not film as the case may be)...

After this moment, frozen in time, the days continued to march on.  Days continued to lengthen, laughter filled the air and new life came to be, in the form of a little friend for Bradley.  We simply had to go meet him.

It was never boring when you have these guys around.  Four small boys are able to fill the days like no other can.  Sometimes, they even sit still long enough to be captured on "film" (just accept it, I'm gonna keep using the word whether there's really film or not!)

Time flew further on and we got a chance to celebrate...who?...why me!  I guess that's what Mother's Day is for.  There was time spent with extended family but also a few fleeting moments captured with my boys.

A little further on, we witnessed more of the passage of time...the end of a year of music lessons.  Alexander performed at his recital (with a bit of encouragement) and did a wonderful job!

We captured 11 years in a moment.  This was our anniversary...supper out, a walk around the lake and a photo in an approximation of the place we stood for photos 11 years ago.  The dress was more casual but the commitment has never changed.

And in another era and another generation, time begins its movement forward.  Seemingly slowly to the young, while flying by for the older.  Young Jonathan turned...uh, let me check the cake...oh yeah...3!!  What a sweet little boy he is and if nothing else, he can charm you in a moment!

Further example of the melodic nature of time as we witnessed more musical serenades.  Evan finished off his well-enjoyed year of MYC with bells and piano pieces.

A time and a season comes to life for many things and this is a season for RescueBots!  These alien creatures came to visit a small house in Regina at the end of May and have held a young boy in their powers ever since.  (For 3 or 4 weeks, there were tears every time we left the house because the RescueBots could not come along!)

In amongst the chaos and business of life, there are moments of rest and peace.  None more so than when a babe is fast asleep.  What a precious time this is when all slows down.  Cuddle puppy and Mommy are all the world at that moment.

Then, it resumes, the chaos, the accomplishments, the end of the year.  Time bowls you over once again with a son who reads his story out in front of all the parents, with no help or reluctance...grade 2 is over and we must move on!

There's no chance to recover before you are at school to witness Kindergarten graduation for your second child.  When did they grow up so much?

This time is forever etched in memory.  Four small boys, piling on their Daddy.  This is how I'll remember them in years to come, regardless of how big they get.  Father's Day comes and goes with some family time.

The sands of time (or in this case, the gravel) continue to slip by as the ball diamond calls the young ones to fun and action.  Little League began for Evan this year and it was over too soon.  He loved to bat and run and catch the ball.

Three years later, Alexander is a Senior Rookie and time shows how all things change.  Now, they actually try to make plays, sometimes even getting an out.  But still, one thing does not change...the fun of baseball.

For others, time cannot move fast enough.  I want to be just like my big brothers.  So, in the backyard, he gets a taste of what is to come...ball!

The time has come to welcome more new life to this world!  Bradley not only has new friends, but a new cousin as well.  We will see how they grow up and older together.  It's so nice to have cousins close to your age (and a boy, to boot!)

In no time at all...they will be off!  Just like this little guy...when Mom & Dad's backs were turned, he decided to roll over.  The look in his eyes just screams, I knew I could, I was just waiting for the perfect moment...now watch me go!

We hope you have enjoyed our journey through space and time.  We invite you to come visit again, but for now, please exit at the back of the ride.

Until next time...

I Haven't Forgotten Which Button to Press...

At least, I don't think I've forgotten!  You'll know I haven't if this actually makes it to post and doesn't just sit in "drafts"!  In case there's anybody still out there...way in the back of the hall...with one foot out the door, looking back over your shoulder for one more peek...just in case you missed something...I"M STILL HERE!!  It may be kind of echo-y in here but, way back in the corner, if you squint really hard, you might be able to make out the shadow of my form.

Honestly, it's been two months since I posted and it's kind of daunting trying to tackle an update of that magnitude.  I thought of just pretending that those months didn't exist and picking up like we'd never left off...like the hall never emptied and we were all still at the party.  Instead, I took a deep breath, waded through my photos and picked out just enough to highlight what's been going on around here in the last two crazy months.  I promise, it's been fun stuff but just incredibly busy!  The photos won't show up in this post but I will be back with them in the next few days.  I'm trying to finally cross things off my list (like my Christmas letter, in case you haven't gotten yours yet :) ).

Until next time...