Sweaty September

Our summer finally came....in September. And when I say 'summer', I mean hot, humid weather with temperatures in the mid to high 30s. Love it!!!

We ended August and started September doing what we do best. Camping :) This time we went with friends as well. Where we camped was just 20 minutes from our home, yet once there, it felt like miles away. It was a very cool weekend, with only an hour or two of "warm enough weather for the beach" weather.

 

 

 

There are mountain biking trails nearby and so a bunch of guys went and enjoyed themselves.

 

 

 

 

We came home in time to start school the next morning....a very eager Gr. 3er and a very nervous Gr. 1er. They've nicely settled into their respective grades now, and Keziah has learned that having me as her teacher is not so bad after all. "It's going better than I ever thought it would!!" her words :)

Part of Keziah's birthday present was to take her to a Blue Jays' game. She loved it!! Lincoln? Not so much - it was too loud for him. It was a very exciting game and we saw it all! The Blue Jays won 10-9. We took the train in...and of course had to enjoy a sausage from a vendor as part of the experience.

 

 

 

 

 

My favourite Blue Jay player....

 

Nathan took Lincoln to the Farm Show. He made the mistake of telling Lincoln back in August. I believe Lincoln asked his dad every single day if it was The Day to go. They had a GREAT time together!

 

 

 

 

Nathan and I headed to Texas for 5 days, 3 of those days spending with his peer group. We had a fantastic time, experiencing things we would NEVER experience in Canada due to the fact that what's allowed in Texas is NOT allowed in Canada.

Texas-big clubhouse! Those are sweet potato fries - they were HUGE!!

 We stayed at a very nice resort that had a few pools and waterslides. While it was very hot back home, it was way hotter here!

 

Is it bad to say that this was the highlight of the trip?! While it was so much fun, it certainly spurned a discussion of why these guns are even needed in Texas - why is it legal to have them? Are they really that necessary?? I don't think we would have had as much fun, if any, if what happened in Vegas had happened already.....

 

 

By the way, my aim was worse than a boy and a toilet. Well, with that pink and black one just above I was able to hit every single target, but not with any other weapon.

That was our September. By the end of the month, we were all getting into the groove of school. Lincoln is absolutely loving  it and is soaking up everything very quickly. It is so good for him. Keziah is also loving it, "soaking" it all up in her very methodical way. And I am thankful with the priviledge of being at the front of the classroom again, seeing my students grow in so many different ways. I love my job! Nathan has been very busy with the business and is looking forward to a time when things will slow down a bit. It has been a tough year with all the rain we've received - but it's been a year of reminders of Who is in control of everything. We are thankful for that comfort.

We also got family pictures taken in September (first time in almost 5 years!!), but that'll be the next post. Take care and thanks for reading!!

Awesomeness of August

Yikes!! September is flying by and I have yet to speak about how awesome August was!! Well, I did already write about camping, but there's so much more!!!

First off, we no longer have a seven year old. This girl enjoyed another birthday while camping. I know one day she is going to kill me for her pictures of her fuzzy hair, but hey, I love it!! :D

Before she received a present from each of us, we each told her what we loved about her.

 Never enough stuffies in her mind.......

 .....or gel pens :) 100 should do it though....

 

We enjoyed her cake, well, once we dared to wreck the amazing decorating on it. Not. Oh well, she didn't care!! She got the colours she wanted....

 I know, I bet you are drooling just looking at it, aren't you.....;)

 

We can't believe she is 8. 8!!! We praise and thank God every day for the blessing she is to our family. We also think and pray for her birth family, as they also spend that day thinking  of her and all that happened 8 years ago. Thankfully we know they are doing well.

But camping and birthdays isn't all that we enjoyed....here's some other things we did once we were back home:

'Member that basement we just finished?! Yeah, I think they forgot about it.....and so they built a well-measured fort upstairs in the family room :)

I bet you never fed a cow breakfast at your kitchen table....:) Have I ever mentioned how much I love living childhood through my children's eyes?! Stuff like this cracks me up and makes me so grateful for my two children and their imaginations.

 The picture above melts me.....they had no idea I was taking a picture. I love them.

Wrestling in the hallway after supper is a common occurrence here. Making memories :)

Lincoln played soccer this year for the first time. He did well....meaning, he paid attention pretty well the whole time!! Keziah did not play soccer - she would much prefer to look after everyone's little children while parents could watch the games. She did well with that!

 

 

Visiting Oma before school starts. Now that both are in school, visiting Oma is limited to PD Days or holidays :( Thankfully I can still go!!

Swim, swim, swim!!

 

'cause you know, building forts upstairs or downstairs just isn't enough....how about outside, too?!

These two love each other fiercely....oh, they can fight as well, but for the most part, they continue to be best of buds.

Not only is their skin night and day different, so are their personalities. And it works!!

And that was Awesome August. Actually, we ended August by camping again :) :) Just nearby and over the Labour Day weekend. More about that next time!!

Take care and thanks for reading!