I wasn't quite sure what to title this post. I am so full of everything right now. Happy, sad, rested, tired, angry, you name it.
We had a SUPER time camping. We had weather in the 30's, which made it perfect on the water and lovely for sleeping outside. We tented next to Greg's brother and wife, and their two little girls. Down the road a few sites was Greg's parents, his sister and fiance. We shared meals and all ate like kings together, we slept like logs, we swam like fish, we had access to a motorboat and enjoyed the water as much as possible. The kids biked and made smores, walked to the waterfalls, and just did everything that we could have hoped to cram into a long weekend.
On Saturday morning, Greg zipped into town to help with a work situation, and got the call from my mom that my aunt Jill had suddenly died. She lives/d in Salmon Arm (actually bought my parents old house). She was 54. She has three kids, a husband, one grandson and another on the way. Her daughter Beki just was married two weeks ago. She just got a clean bill of health from her doctor on Friday and it turns out that her heart just had like a weird electrical short?? and she was gone in an instant. No pain. Gone. She was cleaning out her fridge in the kitchen and her husband found her there in the morning.
I had my time to sort this all out a bit in my head while I was out looking at the splashing waves on the shore. It was nice to have a bit of quiet before coming home this morning to face the very sad family. I hung out at her house for most of the afternoon/evening. Her presence is everywhere in that house, from the huge gardens to the endless little projects she has laying around, her handwritten notes on the fridge, her books laying on the table. Comforting and sad all at once.

My dad, her big brother, is doing his best to make the arrangements one needs to make, while being with his remaining two sisters and mother. Please say prayers for the family, the funeral will be on Saturday...and man, it's so good to be around them to talk, cry, and just be together.

Going camping

My least favorite bit about camping is the prep work...the packing, the planning, shopping, trying to make sure you haven't left anything out. I would say that we tend to be the type of family to over-pack...thinking better to have extra than not enough.
We also are the type (since having kids) to stick to the provincial campgrounds with flushing toilets and showers. We do tent, but it would be a dream to own our own trailer that was fully equipped with all the supplies so we'd just have to throw in our clothes!
We have been camping with kids almost every summer. We enjoyed ourselves last year and have plans to go at least 3x this summer. (The pictures below are from last summer). We are heading out this weekend with Greg's side of the family (8 adults, 5 kids).

I'm curious what your tips are for camping with kids...
Mine are:
Kids who camp are always filthy. Bring a big enough rubbermaid tub so that you can bath the baby in it or dip your kids feet in it before they climb into their beds. You can also use it as a pool at your hot campsite.

If your kids are like mine, they will wake up with the birds. Pack muffins, granola bars or cereal to grab in the early morning to keep your kids quiet until you get around to making the real breakfast.
Sleep is limited while camping. Find a tent with "rooms" so you can hide the playpen behind a wall. Otherwise your baby will wake up, see you, and want up immediately.
Bring a buggy that reclines, as your baby will probably not be able to sleep in a sweltering tent and will need to learn to nap in the shade on the beach. A bug screen over a playpen in the shade could also work in your favor. Even though it's hot, pack full sleepers for babies as a tent does tend to cool off during the night and you won't want their little legs freezing and waking them. And more importantly, you don't want to be up during the night making sure everyone is covered!
Bring earplugs. Sleeping next to another tent, the birds, squirrels, drunks, a train, all your breathing children, and mosquitos is a sure fire way of keeping you awake.


Go ahead and bring your booster seat. I have tried feeding an active toddler on a picnic table, while falling off the back and climbing on the table and it's just not worth it. Now I bring a folding chair with his eating chair/tray that straps on it, so eating is just as normal as at home.
Swim shirts are a must. Unless you want to be continually applying sunscreen, do what I do and buy them a swim shirt and slap a hat on them. It does wonders. We have been at the beach during the hottest times and the kids haven't burnt yet. I recommend the ones made by Old Navy. Our boys have had theirs for 3 summers already, so they are well worth the money!! They have lived through the chlorine at the waterslides and endless sand and washes.
If you have room in your vehicle, invest in a bug tent. We bought a large one that fits over a picnic table with room to stand and walk all the way around the table. One year the wasps were so bad, that you couldn't open a bag of chips without a swarm. We lived in the bug tent during meal times and at night when we played cards at the table. I've seen ones that pop up and are smaller as well.
Instead of going through a whole pack of swim diapers, I have learned to pack a few cloth diapers with a plastic Kooshies cover to wear with their swimsuit.
Bring an extra tarp or picnic blanket to lay down somewhere to put toys on. You can't be at the beach ALL day, and the kids will need something safe to do while you're cooking.

I will probably think of a few more ideas after this weekend.
Happy camping!

New wheels!

My youngest cousins owned a pair of go-carts that they have passed on to my boys now. Need I say how thrilled they are with their new rides??

Because you don't see this everyday...

Sibling pictures are pretty rare around here...I just noticed this one my cousin took at our cousin's wedding.
So here we are...myself, my younger sister Anna, and big brother Luke!
No fingers up noses or nasty faces either!!

The "hounds"

Road trip

Today my friend Melanie invited me to join her while she's on vacation in Vernon. I was initially a little reluctant to make the trip since my back is STILL really bugging me. GRrrrrr. BUT, I haven't seen my friend from Calgary in ages, and heck, who can resist the beach with friends. So, I waited til Greg was on lunch and then passed Shea off to him (who soon went down for his nap) and the older two boys and I took off for Vernon. I don't normally roam too far from home with the kids on my own. I was so glad I went though. The kids have definitely hit a new phase. I don't have to turn around in the seats and constantly be passing them things and assuring them that we will be there soon. They understand time and distance and the idea that we are travelling and stuck in a car for a reason! And when we are there, they don't need me holding on to them to have a good time. Ahh, they are growing up! And it's a good thing! Maybe one day we'll be brave enough to brave a HUGE road trip like my crazy friends, Andrew and Lisa.

The state of chaos

Life with three kids is pretty chaotic, nevermind when it turns to summer and your bootroom becomes a sea of soggy towels, sandy shoes, and wet or dirty clothes. Right now I've come to the decision that if I can keep up with the dishes and the laundry, that I'm doing ok. My floors are pretty much always a mess. The carpet is so ugly and the tile floor is so gritty with sand that you just better keep your shoes on. I could go anal and sweep, vacuum and mop every day or just let the floors be and enjoy the summer. I've actually gone with the latter. Of course...I just finished telling you how icky it is. I do have a thing against clutter though. I can only let the papers and toys gather for a day or two and then I have to rid them. Sometimes if I don't have the time or energy to do the big sort, I'll throw them in a box or room where they are unseen to help me feel a little better. This only works for so long of course, and then your extra spaces to hide things fill up as well.
One thing I enjoy about summer, other than going to the beach, is to meet up with people. Today I got to hang out with Kristin and Elizabeth. Kristin I have known since she was in highschool, but I had only ever met Elizabeth from her blog and on facebook. I must say that I was a little nervous to meet up with someone I had only ever written, and maybe somehow ruin her "imagination" of how and who I am. I always try to be myself on my blog, but you know how it is...maybe somehow like internet dating...trying to show the best pictures and not over-emphasize the negatives! Also knowing that I would be there with my three boys and no hubby for backup if things turned ugly! Anyway, our meeting was short and sweet, but it was easy to hang out with her and I hope to do it again sometime. There are so many cool people in this world to meet and it's too bad there isn't more time! Thanks for meeting up girls. I'm glad your hubbies came too. And the kids were all great.

Beki and Brian sitting in the tree...

Just got home from my cousin's wedding. I was not the wedding photographer, but had the perfect aisle seat, so I got these shots...It was a beautiful day down in Yarrow, and we enjoyed our time dancing the night away with our cousins.

Cousins

Workin' it

I feel like a working mom this week. I guess I am. Every day I have my three boys dressed, fed, packed lunches and out the door before 8:30am. I then rush around the church like a maniac getting set up, and drop my kids off in the daycare there. Attend a morning meeting with the daycamp staff. Then I start registration duties. I'm in the grade two division and we have over 60 kids...in grade 2! There were around 250 kids today in total. So I was totally unprepared for that many kids in my craft room. I was told 12-15 kids max at a time, and it's more like 20-25 kids at a time. I've been doing extra prep work at home and making extra kits, searching for extra supplies, adding extra tables and chairs. I don't leave the church until 1:30pm and work on the next days work at home til about 4pm.
To top it off, my back has chosen to go into conniptions again. It is TERRIBLE. I can't bent forward even one degree, so if anything drops to the floor I have to go into the squat to retrieve it. Thank goodness I got into my chiro today, and I have extra tylenol with codine to help me survive the morning. I am a mess. I really need to find something like pilates to get my strength so it doesn't keep flaking out on me like this. Totally frustrating to feel like you can't keep up with what you are needed to do.
And so there are three more days of this craziness, and then I'm off to my cousins wedding with my brother and sister!! I will enjoy the break!

Visiting auntie

My little niece Ella is doing great. She's getting so big and alert and is SUCH a good baby.