So much to do

We have been enjoying our holidays and really packing it in. So far we haven't had a minute of rain. Even at the coast...that was weird. Since we've gotten back to Salmon Arm, we have been to Margaret Falls, Herald's Park (the beach), the go carts, the corn maze, and visiting relatives left and right. Here's a few pictures...

Ocean View

Here's some photos from our trip out on my grandpa's boat. We went with my grandma, my aunt Elizabeth (who took these photos! thanks!) and my youngest cousin Ansel. It was Liam's first time on the boat...he started out serious and then by the end was "driving" the boat with great grandpa and was hooting it up.

We stopped at Deep Cove for some great ice cream!

Everybody say awwwwww....this is my grandparents with my boys and my cousin.

Riley had a blast playing with my cousin Ansel who just turned 7. He's a riot.

So ends our time at the coast. Tommorow we'll shop around a bit and then start our trip back to Salmon Arm. We've had a great time

The next leg

The next leg of our journey has taken us to Burnaby. We got here on Tuesday during rush hour. My goodness...the traffic! I must admit that I don't offer to drive down here...I leave the driving to Greg. So we're staying in Gregs sisters' place (Heathers) which she has done up so cute and it's cozy. It is actually the suite of my aunts house, and we've had the keys to use the rest of the place as my aunt is on holidays...but we prefer to keep us all together so we're in this one room little suite and doing fine. We joined up with Glen and Bri and baby Ava for supper at their place. We went to the Vancouver aquarium first thing in the morning. It was packed but otherwise fun. Everything was relating specifically to the movie Nemo. Oh look! It's mister Ray! or Peach! oh, there's Gill! and Dude Crush!!

They especially liked the real live diver that jumped into the tank and picked up the crabs and swam around. Also a hit were the jelly fish and the jumping dolphins.





We picked blackberries down the road from Heathers place. YUMM!! I made a fruit crisp for dessert...my favorite!! Riley was a good little picker.

Today we went to the beach at Whiterock, so the boys could see the ocean. It was sunny and clear. We had fun walking around for about 2 hours...looking under the rocks and finding mini crabs and shells. We ate fish and chips at a beachfront restaurant in the open salt sea air.


We're still trying to figure out what to do this evening. We are all a little tired and still recouping from our 3 day dance party...but we're going to spend time with my extended family before we head back to Salmon Arm.
I swear I must have watched one too many disaster-type movies. The night we came home from the aquarium I dreamt that we were in the viewing room below ground by the belugas...and I dreamt that all of the sudden there was a crack in one of the tank windows and before we knew it, water was gushing in all around us and we were trying to escape with our strollers while swimming through the beluga infested waters. And then today...we're crossing this huge bridge with about 50 mother huge cables holding it up and I could just envision as we were driving past...them snapping away and the bridge swaying like mad. Then we were in this tunnel that goes under the Fraser River...and I was dreaming of that other movie where the tunnel collapses and the people are trapped under...Daylight or something? is the name of it? Anyway. psycho. I know. I'm not stressed or anything...these flashes just automatically come to my mind as I'm seeing these things.
Weird. We are having fun, really!

Let's get together

...and feel alright. One love. One life. Let's get together and feel alright. Yeah Bob Marley.
Things are going great at the Roots and Blues!! There are 15,000 of us in a big feild...soaking up the rays and grooving to the beat. We ended our crazy reggae dance session last night with that Bob Marley song. We are together with about 25 of our friends, spread out on blankets and beach chairs like an ol Woodstock concert. Starting at 10:30am and not leaving til 12:30am every night. At about 10pm, when we start to get a little cold...we head over to the dance section to join the crew of pot smokin, drunk or just silly people (that's my category) to warm up with dancing. I had a totally high chick look at me cross-eyed last night and grab my shoulder. "KIM??" Ah, no. Back off, eh. Grandma and Grandpa have had the kids for most of the day, leaving us happily free to wander around like teenagers. And we're such heathens...waking up too late to get ready for church, so we sent the kids with G's parents while we slowly get ourselves ready for another day of the groovy beat. G's mom doesn't quite get why someone would want to spend the entire day at such a place! Oh, it's too fun.
So the start of our holidays has been nothing but sunshine, dancing, mini donuts, laughing, and getting little sleep. Couldn't be better.

Soon to be off.

Now is the time when I become a compulsive list maker. I am preparing for a two week holiday...so as for every trip we take, I must make an extensive list otherwise my brain will keep on working throughout the night. I got smart and made a list on my computer last time, so I printed it off and have been adding to it. There is so much to remember when you have kids...diapers>check, wipes>check, sippy cups>check. You get the idea.
We head to Salmon Arm tommorow morning and will be there attending the Roots and Blues festival. Never been before, and we know probably 25 people or more that are going so it'll be fun. Then we'll relax on Monday and take off to Vancouver on Tuesday morning. Then back to SA on the weekend and will stay there til the following one. Hopefully it'll be somewhat relaxing time. Definitely different than the same ol'.
Of course my sunflowers are all blooming just in time for me to miss them.

Here we are...

Thanks Anna, that was fun.

Sunday driving

Did you ever do that with your parents? Eat lunch after church...perhaps take a nap, and then head out for a journey to wherever? We did a few times that I can recall. Well, today we had a destination in mind, but we did some Sunday driving. I can't get enough of the yellow feilds and blue sky out on the Prairies. It's sorta like the ocean.

The great outdoors

It was high time we headed outside on a mini hike to get one with nature again. It seems that we've been doing strictly city things or indoor activities for the past month. We went with our friends to Bragg Creek today which is only about 45 minutes out of town. The boys loved it. Thought I'd show you in pictures...

No longer holy

We got a new sofa bed thing. My dad had bought us this inflatable bed on a frame last year so that when we had company, they would have a place to sleep. It was a great idea and looked good, felt good...but it soon got a hole in it. So we exchanged it for another and same thing...it got a hole. So enough of the air bed idea. We went to Ikea while my parents were here, because the poor pair had been sleeping on a deflated bed. I found this awesome bed at Ikea, which serves as a sofa as well in our basement where we had no seating. It folds down to a queen size, so it's great.

Family visit

My parents just left after being here for 6 days. They surprised me and brought my sister Anna with them, along with her two babies, Callie and Levi.
Callie is by far the BEST baby ever. I have never ever seen such a content little baby. She is 3 months. She just eats and sleeps or coos. It was nice to spend an extended period of time with them. I had fun doing a photo shoot for her....



We did lots of running around to all the great places in Calgary. We ate lots of food and did little sleeping. My kids don't do well when they don't get 100% attention, so while I'm trying to be a good host, they would scrap it out and scream most of the day . My parents would help my sister with her sweet kids while I was calming the world wars between my crazy loud boys. Argh. They tried to keep smiling faces, but I really feel like they were happy to get in their van this morning and go home to their peaceful lives.

I made it

Today marks the end of 12 days straight of craziness. Greg ended up working last weekend, so it's been 12 days of psycho nutty boys. I don't know how they can get so bored cuz I honestly try to do new things each day, whether it be crafts, playing outside, going to the pool or the zoo...but they would never wear out. I, on the other hand, am exhausted. We definitely need a change of scenery. Thank goodness my parents are coming out tommorow for a few days, and then in less than a week after that, we are starting holidays. Yay! Then school starts! I am going to get them enlisted in library and swimming programs for mornings so that they are so darn tired by the afternoon that they will actually beg to sit and read or something. Wish me luck with that!!

Gardening Basics 101

Just so everyone is clear...
Carrots grow under the ground.
Apparently my neighbor lady did not know this! She watched me pull one up the other day, and I washed it off and Liam gave it to her. She said, "OH, they grow under the dirt? I kept waiting to see orange and was thinking they still weren't ready".
I'm serious! I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't know that...maybe there are more of you out there.