The latest favorite...

album of the summer is...



Find it here.

I guess this would mainly be for the kids, however...it has saved us many a time when we have been stuck in highway maintenance line ups. Hence we love it too. And it is not nasty Barney type music, it is fun! We turn this on, and bang...the kids will sing through every song. Nothing cuter than a 3 year old blaring out the lyrics to a song like "I am not your broom". Go listen to it...quite funny.

GO CARTS!!!

Below is Riley and Jaxson at the go-carts from last week. They were right on the 5 ft 4" line which allowed them to drive their own go carts. They did amazingly!! We hadn't been to the go carts since 2006...the boys have sure changed since then!! Take a look back in time!

What HAVEN'T we done this summer?

I was asking myself that question today.
I made a long list of activities and things to do over the summer with the boys. It was made by both the boys and I, and consisted of this...
Skatepark (check)
Hiking (check)
Waterfall (check)
Camping (check)
Waterslides (check)
Go carts (check)
Movies (check)
Float down river (check)
Beach (check)
Bible camp (check)
Waterpark in Kelowna (check)
Bumper boats (check)
Boating/tubing (check)
Soccer camp (check)
Back to school shopping (check)
Biking (check)

Yup, we pretty much did it all. And a few extra things as well.
This past week has been pretty FULL and fun. We had aunties and uncles visiting, and our good Baerg buddies came and stayed at our place. We have been running from one party to the next, and sometimes combining parties so we don't miss anyone. That's the way it goes in the summer, often many people arrive at the same time so you have to split yourself a few ways. You also have to keep up with the groceries, laundry and dishes in the meantime. The boys are slightly pooped, but also really happy to have so much to do and so many people to be with. I think we'll get away one last time before school, but after this weekend, things should slow down quite substantially. When it does slow down, in that first week of September, I always wish that school was starting. By that point I'm running out of ideas and energy! and ready for some routine. That week tends to be long and s l o w. I'll have to think of some more ideas to keep us out of trouble. Maybe some day trips.
What do you do with your kids in the first week of September, especially when the weather isn't so great?

Took a trip to the past...

To Fintry and back

We did another little camping trip as a family. This time we checked out Fintry Provincial Park. It was super hot, so we were thankful to find the last shaded spot. We spent hours in the water, did a huge hike to a waterfall, visited the playground, got eaten alive by mosquitoes and took many pictures...more on Facebook.

Roots and Blues

(photo from their website)
Every summer, the Roots and Blues comes to town. The week before the concert, the players that are in town early will perform downtown for free. The boys and I went to see Ohbijou. They were pretty cool! Check them out!
We are not going to the Roots and Blues, as it is quite the venture to get three kids to hang out all day in the heat and listen to very loud music! One year Greg and I were able to go when we came out from Calgary and were able to leave the kids with grandma. We'll maybe try next year.
I love getting the kids out there to see bands live. And to see the performers in person (and up close) is much more memorable than on a cd.

And the winners are...

Thank you for voting...
It became pretty clear from my votes here and from cafemom and facebook, that #5, 10, 12, 17 and 20 were the favorites. That would be these ones...



Thank you so much for caring and voting!
Now if you care to share some catchy "titles" for these photos, let me know!

Photo walk

I definitely enjoy an evening out with my Nikon baby, to stroll in the setting sunshine and take pictures in a field of sunflowers.

Lego man...

We were intending to enter this lego guy in the lego competition at the fair. Turns out they have a theme this year (of "things that go vroom")...so we took pictures for the lego magazine and have since destroyed him.

But isn't he cute? (Riley too)

Salmon Arm Fair

Hi...
Just for fun, I thought it would be neat to enter some photos in our local fair photography show. I would love some help narrowing my choices. Would you mind helping me out?? You've seen these all before, so bear with me. I don't know what to ask of you...maybe just list your top five?? Or if you have another suggestion that you've seen in my flickr site or blog, let me know.

(Updated to add... Here are the categories, and I can enter as many as 5 per category up to 15.) I'll probably only do about three, but just so you know...

Division A5 - Photography
3. Open prints - color.
4. Open prints - Black & white.
5. People.
6. Animals - Domestic or Wild.
7. Plants - Domestic or Wild.

Intermediate Competitors: Prints
Color, Black & White, minimum print size 8" x 10"

8. Open.
9. Sunrise, Sunset, Moonlight & Reflections.
10. People.
11. Action.
12. Plant - Domestic or Wild.
13. Animal - Domestic or Wild.
14. Travel.

Okay, so here we go...

1.



2.



3.



4.



5.



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7.



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10.



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14.



15.



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18.



19.



20.

...just a few more....

I wish this kid would sit still long enough for me to capture his absolute cuteness right now. He is tanned like a perfect lightly browned marshmallow, with perfect honey brown hair with highlights. His skin is so clear and his lips are beautiful. He radiates cuteness wherever he goes.


The sunflowers sit nice and still and make it fun to photograph. These plants were strays that were growing all over Pam's yard. We removed them in early summer when they were small and I brought them over to my yard by wagon. They are all opening up now and look so pretty.

Big boy at camp

I dropped Riley off at camp today! He isn't going for a full week, but for 3 nights away and four whole days...it seems like a long time! I felt nervous for him, as he didn't know one friend who would be there, or any of the counselors. We all went to sign him in and check out his cabin.


He got his camp t-shirt on right away, and we said our goodbyes. I'm hoping he gets right into it and finds himself a buddy. He's not chicken to try anything, but with new people, he's not overly assertive, so I'm saying some prayers for him tonight! Of course it had to thunder and lightening on his first night there, but I'm sure it didn't bother him too much.
I loved camp as a kid, and I'm sure hoping he does too. We're going to enjoy the break too, of trying to keep him busy and out of mischief!
Sweet dreams, Riley!