summer recap

gotta love the lazy, hazy days of summer (although, to be honest, i wouldn't describe this summer as either lazy or hazy, but maybe more accurately~ lazier and warm).  pics to sum up a few cute memories...

 

 

above, Adam fishing in the river for fun with the rest of us watching from the rocks.  all the serious fishermen were out in their waders being all intense and focused.  Adam, totally casual and carefree, cast a few and quickly reeled in this nice sized silver bass.  the onlookers seemed stunned, one even asking what he was using for bait.  it was pretty cute...Adam then bravely brought the poor fish home and filleted it himself.  the next day he battered and fried his fish and we all enjoyed (a bit of a stretch for some) small bites of "the big catch".

the pic below is poor quality, but the memory will remain crystal clear for Hudson for some time, i'm sure...brave Grandpa Joe let Hud get in the driver's seat of the riding mower and Hudson "helped" haul off some wood and branches from an area at the back of our property.  this happened over the course of several days.  Hudson was thrilled.  completely sure he had arrived.  loving every minute of it.  sooo hoping that job went on all summer. :)

 

 

AJ mastered bubble-blowing.  in Hudson's basketball shoes.  yah, that probably helped.

 

 

lots of summer birthday parties...both our own and some cousins.  never too much cake for AJ.

 

party favours for some of Adam's friends.  gigantic jawbreakers.  crowd pleaser for the boys, not so much their parents. 

 

front yard badminton.  sad when some of my children can now actually beat me.

 

  for some reason, swimming in their "gitch" is extra fun for these two characters.

 

ahh...my dear Layla...she seems to have acquired my fondness for lists.  this whiteboard list just makes me smile.  sort of sums up the beauty of summer too.  her list reminds me a lot of my summers as a kid, she is a lot like me....wasn't being a kid the best?!?  i think so...

 

yep, summer is winding down.  already leaves are dropping in our swimming pool.  the nights are cooler, the crickets are loud and busy making their case that fall is just around the corner.  school supplies are being tucked into backpacks and we are starting to prepare for the early morning routines again.  it is all good.  the kids are ready.  summer has been nice, nothing grand or elaborate for us this year, yet still pretty sweet....for me, there was joy in the moments of fishing, beach time, ice cream trips, baseball games, camp fires with friends, reading, etc...so, we'll enjoy our last few days together and then we'll jump into September and see what comes next! 

boys and their bikes

Saturday afternoon, the day Adam turned 12, his wish was to take his bike to "the jumps" and play for a while. 

 

 

both he and Hudson love love love the adrenaline rush of this activity, which i'll never fully understand.  my girls enjoy it too, but not nearly to the same degree. 

these boys like speed and air and the wind and sun and sweat that seems to coincide with a trip to Canatara.  i try to understand it, but i honestly don't get it.  must be the extra "x" chromosome i have...

 

it gave me great delight to see Adam out there on his birthday, with the newly repaired biked tire (he fixed!) holding strong.  it was bliss. 

 

hope the videos and pics justly capture a small snapshot in time when we look back at this day.

the dress

today, on a bit of a whim, and between my personal "to-do" list, i ventured down to the chaotic storage room of our home, stepping over boxes, tools, weights, chairs, etc...there on the top shelf by baby gates and old framed pictures was the sought after rectangular box labeled "wedding dress".  this box has been opened only a few times in the nineteen years since it first returned from the dry cleaners, late 1994.  each time i wipe off the layer of dust, pull away the tape and lift the cardboard flaps, the same nostalgic feelings overtake me.  as i lift away the pink tissue paper i'm whisked away to another time, another day, another version of me.  the same feelings predictably return each time i unveil the dress..anticipation, excitement, joy...as i lift it gently from its place, i stare at the sequins and beading that made it special to me back when i first chose it in the bridal salon.  apart from some wrinkles, it really hasn't changed much since the day i slipped it on and walked the long aisle to meet my dashing groom. it's nearly as good as new~ which is great, because i'm pretty sure all my girls will want to wear it one day...ahem...i carried the box upstairs and snuck away to my walk-in closet.  i slipped it on while most of my crew was out in the backyard doing batting practice with Daddy.  Layla was milling around in the kitchen.  i stood for a moment, looking in the mirror at the much older version of the bride of '94.  i thought of all the reasons i have to feel blessed.  i looked at the white satin buttons that lined the zipper and marveled at the privilege of wearing this dress that signifies the beginning of so many years of vows kept~ each year holding timeless memories.  through highs and lows, days filled with mundane and extraordinary, this dress is the reminder of the promises we made before God and our wedding guests....for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and health....i "took in" the dress for a few private moments and then walked out to the kitchen and stopped Layla in her tracks.  she was both in awe and moderately concerned.  sort of wowed by its bling and disturbed by her mother's random behaviour.  i had even found the veil that was a wee bit flattened, but managed to secure it on my head to complete the visual throwback.  i asked Layla to carry my train so we could slowly and carefully walk to the backyard to show the rest of the family.  (sadly, Joelle is away at camp this week, and she'll be so disappointed she missed the occasion.)  Layla refused.  she thought it would just be too weird and wasn't going to be caught having the neighbours see her involved with such nonsense.  so, out i went on my own, only missing the musical processional and the bouquet of lilies, not to mention my dad on my arm.  he would have participated i'm sure, but he was working.  well, i nearly made it to the back gate when my mom pulled into the driveway and grinned in disbelief.  if she was disturbed, she hid it well.  she always loved the dress and was there when i chose it that day in Ballett's bridal shop.  she (my parents) paid for every cent of that dress, including the veil, jewelry, shoes and alterations.  there were never any outward signs of hesitation.  they just seemed happy to be able to do it, happy to see my joy, happy to witness our new beginning.  we hugged and talked at the fence for a few minutes, and by then the kids in the back had taken notice of the crazy lady in white.  they approached, inspected and enjoyed the oddness of the moment.  it really was fun, and at the very least a visual reminder of the significance of this day, this anniversary.  while life went on today with a birthday party, soccer, drop offs for soccer reffing, and we both agreed to delay our plans to celebrate, it was good for all of us to remember the way things began and the way they continue.  we were two young people smitten by each other and publicly pledging our love forever~ never ever imagining the whirlwind of life (plural) that was to come~yet here we are, still plugging along with the original foundations intact and holding strong.  we are thankful.  we are blessed. 
that was worth the trip to the storage room. 

dad's harvest

from this

 

 

to this

 

 

to this

 

 

man oh man, this garden of my father's is amazing!  the healthy goodness coming from it is delightful, not to mention a great savings on our monthly groceries.  this year alone, already we've had our fill of rhubarb, strawberries (oh, the strawberries!!), a few cherries, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, spinach, beans~ with lots more to come...this all translates to yummy salads, desserts, muffins, loafs, chili, sauces, snacks, smoothies, etc...Dad, we see you tirelessly working that plot of land and know it is a hobby, but also a labour of love.  we appreciate this annual harvest, even if it sometimes seems like i can't keep up to the sheer volume your garden produces.  we really do love it.  thanks so much!

aj quote...better left unsaid, but too funny to not mention...

i have permission to share this quote.  my dear mom agreed this was realllly funny, even when AJ's brutal honesty was directed at her....i guess his social discretion is still developing at five years old... we hope! :) 

AJ was sitting at the front of our house with my mom watching a couple of the older kids play badminton on the most impressive court (which almost needs a post of its own, considering the effort daddy has put into making it "real deal").  anyway, the conversation went something like this:

AJ: "Grandma, do you want to play badminton with me?"
Grandma: "Sure AJ, we can do that."
AJ: "I'll go easy on you Grandma."
Grandma: (smiling on the inside) "You'll go easy on me?  Why would you go easy on me?"
AJ: (without hesitation, and matter-of-factly) "Because you're old!"

for the record, as a child i loved my grandparents, my "oma and opa"...they were sweet and caring to me and loved when we spent time together.  but there would not have been a single day where it would have occurred to me to ask them to play badminton.  our kids are soooooo blessed to have two sets of active and healthy grandparents who are available and involved in their lives.  that is huge.  so, that being said, thanks for taking AJ's honest perception so well, Mom.  he may think you are old, but clearly he also thinks old is still fun.  that counts for something, right?

puppies! times eight!

we are in the midst of some puppy madness around here.  my mom's dog is a proud first-time-mom to eight (EIGHT!!) adorable little bundles of perfection.  if only puppies stayed as puppies! i'm not against a full-grown dog, but really, there's nothing like a teeny tiny puppy to melt you instantly.  right up there with newborn babies and kittens.  we are in awe of their sweetness and it's been such a treat for our kids to see and experience this miracle of new life while watching their journey of growth....so, all you really want are pictures anyway....soooo, here goes!

 

here, Mollie with her litter in the first few days...

 

don't squeeze too tight, AJ!

 

eat, play, sleep, eat, play, sleep....tough life...

 

all eight puppies are named.  grandma let the kids have a say in this.  we have a Frankie, Cruiser, Hank, Reuben, Stella, Juliette, Lucy, and Champ

 

it won't be easy for my crew to say goodbye in a few weeks when all eight puppies go to their new families.  but still, having this experience and memories of these furry friends is soooo worth it.. 

 

 

 had to throw in this one of me.  cuz i'm such a dog lover.  now it cannot be debated.  even the puppy seems to sense it.  clearly.

yonas pictures!

wow, these pictures came much faster than i expected.  i've gotten used to waiting for correspondence from Africa, i guess...such a wonderful surprise to open these pictures of Yonas this morning.  these were taken at the KVI compound...

 

 

he looks well to me, even like a teenager!  :)  it does my heart good to see him looking happy and so much healthier than the day we met...