In our backyard

I love that our backyard overlooks the high school field. I always have. Some people have questioned if it gets too noisy and do we have any problems with kids jumping the fence.
We have had the occasional 1/2 PB&J sandwich tossed into the yard from an ungrateful high school student, but that is pretty minor.
What I love about it is that we get to use the field to play soccer or fly a kite with the kids. We have used the track to train the kids to ride their bikes without training wheels. The track is a safe, open space that the kids can go and play and I can see them from my kitchen window.
I also love hearing the noise of soccer or rugby matches after school or on the weekend. They get a little noisy but it's good noise in my opinion. I have never ever wished that the school wasn't there.

And now we have one more reason to love it. Our high school (Cooper will be attending in two years) just got a football team this year. We have been watching them practice all summer and now the games have started. Cooper and especially Hudson are so excited at the prospect of playing for that team one day.
The games bring the kids out of the house and down to the bleachers to meet friends, hang out and watch the game.
Last night, it even brought dinner. I gave them 20$ and Nana walked down with them to get a hot dog, chips and a pop. Not the most nutritious dinner but they were all so happy that I actually let them go get it.

Just another reason I am so thankful for our neighborhood.

Hold on...

...to this. I have a feeling these days are numbered.

Getting overwhelming feelings lately of how all my kids are growing up so fast. I am now well past the stage of babies and it's exciting and heart-breaking all at the same time.
For now I am thankful that I can still sit on the couch with Tag and cuddle him up in my lap and that he is still very happy to be there.

Dahlias

We visited a new place last weekend. Ferncliff Gardens in Mission.

Thanks Julie, for letting us know about this little gem of a place.
The weather was perfect. Tony and I really enjoyed walking around and looking at all the varieties of these pretty flowers. Trying to decide what to put in our garden next spring.

Cooper and Hudson were less excited about the afternoon, so I put Cooper to work with the clipboard and price list. As I told him ones that I liked, he was meant to find them on the list and mark them with an X. Doesn't he look thrilled??

Reagan, on the other hand, wanted her picture taken with just about every bloom. How could I refuse?

Taggart was also quite into the flowers, for a while, then he found some trucks in the dirt to play with until we were done.


I am quite looking forward to having just a few of these in my yard next summer to cut and bring into the house.

MCC Sale

The MCC Sale.
Every September for as long as I can remember.
We don't always go, but Mom and Dad always do.
Every year.
This year we joined them for our fill of all the Mennonite food I grew up on.
My brother, John joined us as well.
Watermelon and rollkuchen.
Borscht.
Verenicki.
Porzelki.
Pie and ice cream.
We ate it all.

Then after our tummies were good and full, we headed over to the kids corner for some playing before heading home. The kids had a really great time and it's an easier place to hand over money for balloon animals, rock climbing, fishing for toys, etc. because all the $$ is going for something good.

Treasures

Found in the bottom of Taggart's backpack two days in a row. We've decided he will try to just keep the best ones - mostly I decided - we'll see how that goes.

Organization

The list in my head of what I want to get organized throughout the house, has been consistently growing longer and longer for months.
September was always the magic month in my mind of when that would start happening. Kids all in school, it seemed there would be endless time to get it all sorted out.
Endless time there is not, I am realizing, but yet I am getting things done. and it feels good.
Yesterday, I tackled the pantry shelves in the garage. After a trip to Costco to stock up on things to fill the lunchboxes I set to work. Isn't it lovely??
Easy for little hands to grab whatever thy want for snack that day.


Anybody notice the wine bottles in the background? Mama needs a reward now and then, doesn't she?

Worn out

While Reagan and Taggart ran around the back yard this afternoon with their friends, these two could hardly keep their eyes open.
First full day of school proves to be more exhausting the older you get.

Today

Today these roses from the garden made the mundane task of doing the dishes a little more lovely.

Today school started. Today only half a day, but routine has started once again.

Never happy to see summer end but today I welcomed this new start.

Today Taggart started Grade 1. I will have 5 1/2 hours (approx.) a day to myself. It's been a long time since I've had that much time.

Today I started a new chapter in the story.

Goodbye Summer

To end our summer vacation we decided to make a trip downtown to meet Tony and see where the afternoon took us. Daniela joined us. (we've adopted her as our crazy aunt)
We started out at False Creek by Olympic Village. Thought we would check it out after seeing my friend's visit there on her blog.


We hung out in the sun by the water for a while until Tony called to say he was done work. Then we drove downtown to meet him for a bite to eat.
Crepes on Robson - sooo good.


SOOOO messy. Taggart's t-shirt was so dirty after finishing his I considered buying him a new one. Really - it was that bad.
After walking around for a bit and a little shopping. New shoes for Tony and I, nothing for the kids. This happens like....never!
Then we again got in the car and drove to the beach to get some dinner and hang out.
Literally hanging out.


The kids just love these guys. Daniela said they sort of freak her out, which made me laugh. I think they are just so friendly looking.
After our dinner of pizza, burgers, fish-n-chips, and sushi. Seriously! Our first mistake was asking the kids what they wanted. I'm not sure what made us think that they would all give us the same answer. Luckily we were surrounded by restaurants that offered us all the choices we needed. And then the cupcakes.

Does it seem like we just ate our way through the city?? I think we sort of did.

The beach was great and we stayed until the sun went down.


Not sure what was so funny here, but it sort of cracks me up.


Goodbye summer. We'll miss you!

A crafty time of year

I'm not sure what it is about the end of summer/beginning of fall that gets me in the crafty mood but it happens every year.
Maybe it's the thought of going back to school and remembering how it felt to have that brand new pack of crayons to color with. Whatever it is, I had the perfect opportunity this week to be crafty.
First of all, my dear friend and neighbor had a beautiful baby boy on Monday night. So excited for them as they already have two girls. So I welcomed little Carson into the neighborhood with this cute little diaper cake. I've seen them all over the web and now I had the perfect reason to make one. She loved it.

And now that birthday activities are all over we are thinking a lot about our upcoming vacation. So we don't have to try and figure out how many more sleeps every day, I created this. Every day we will cover up one of the numbers with one of the little Mickey Mouse circles in the little pocket. Much more fun than the chore chart that usually hangs on this hook. We've moved that to a more inconspicuous spot in the kitchen and for three weeks this will remind us of what's to come.

Taggart is Six!

He thoroughly enjoyed his day and was really happy to have so many people come to celebrate with him.
Aunty Mary

Nana

Daniela

Oma and Opa

Olivia, Rochelle, and Jake

It's been a while since these 7 have all been together. Good.

Happy Birthday Taggart. You are one great little boy!