A good day.

It started out with tea and scones at the Clayburn Village Store for Reagan and I. When she missed her class field trip to her favorite candy store back in May, I promised that her and I would take a special trip there before the summer was over.
Yesterday was the day.


How nice it would be if we could meet Tony for lunch every once in a while. He almost always works in Vancouver so that is not usually a possibility. This week he was working in Abbotsford so yesterday was the day we had lunch with Dad.

The kids, well actually just Reagan, have been bugging me to go blueberry picking.
Yesterday was the day.


It was pretty hot so they tried to find a shady spot to pick. There were so many berries on the bushes that you hardly had to move to fill a bucket.

Taggart did a lot of eating. Not so much picking.

Then Taggart started taking pictures. Some turned out pretty okay.


Some were a little off.

He took this picture.

Obviously, he didn't take it too seriously.

Then of course, a stop at The Porch for some lemonade to cool off.


A good day.

Spray park with friends

Friends, frappuccinos, sunshine, and plenty of H2O. 

A recipe for some good old summer fun.

I'm so not ready for summer to be over.

Mamma Mia

I love spontaneity.

Reagan and Tony had plans to go to the Seattle Seahawks football game on Saturday.

At the last minute Reagan was torn between really wanting to go with Daddy and really thinking that football is boring.

In the end it was decided that she wouldn't go to the game and Cooper would go instead, as long as Daddy took her to something else.

I checked ticketmaster to see what might be coming.

Mamma Mia was playing for only one more day.

I really wanted to see Mamma Mia.

Tony really did not.

Reagan really did so it was decided that her and I would go.

We had so much fun.

First some lunch at Red Robin on Robson Street.


Reagan wanted to sit right by the window to watch all the activity out on the street and so that's what we did.

Next a bit of browsing in the shops.

Then we headed to the Queen Elizabeth Theater to see the show. (Reagan kept calling it the Arena and I kept reminding her that we were going to the Theataaaah)


The show was great and if I could I would have stayed for the next performance.


Instead we got some dessert for the ride home.


A trip into the city shouldn't be complete without a big fat candy apple. Reagan's words.

A great day with my girl.

I love spontaniety.

Mini golf

Giggle Ridge at Cultus Lake was a must on our summer to-do list this year. We made it there on Friday night. This almost didn't make it to blog land however, as my camera and I have not been getting along lately. But then I remembered that the memories are still good, even if the photos are not.


I can imagine the conversation going on between the two boys as Cooper looks over the score card and Tony seems to be staring into space, trying to tune them out.


Woo-hoo! Hole in one!


A really great, really blurry, family photo.

My favorites though are the ones I took of each of them next to their age appropriate hole number. I did the same thing three years ago when we were there. So much fun to look back and compare.

Maybe others are beginning to see...

Aaaaahhhhhh....Cooper.

Sometimes that is really all we can say about our oldest child.

You have to know him to understand him. There is something just so hard to explain about him.

One day this past June he came home and quoted a comment from his teacher. A teacher he really likes.
"Cooper, the only word that I can think to describe you with is...peculiar." She didn't mean it as a negative and he didn't take it that way. I laughed when he told me because I knew exactly what she meant.

A few weeks ago on a routine trip to the hairdresser, Cooper was sitting in the chair having his haircut and somehow the two of them got into a conversation discussing the difference between spirituality and religion. Don't ask how they got started on that. By the time the haircut was done (about 15 min.) she cut him off in mid sentence. "Just stop" she said. "I can't talk about this anymore...you are exhausting to talk to." She wasn't being mean and Cooper laughed at her comment, and I did as well because I knew exactly what she meant.

I think others are beginning to see a little of the Cooper we see. The Cooper that exhausts us, baffles us, frustrates us...but also the Cooper that entertains us, amazes us, and most of all makes us proud to be his Mom and Dad.

Why I do it

Today Hudson had some minor trouble with friends as he seems to do often. Hudson is definitely my sensitive soul and he takes everything to heart. Today Cooper noticed this and tried to be extra kind, asking him to join him for a movie night up in their room. Hudson and I had a quick chat about it and I mentioned to him that while friends are great and important in our lives, sometimes they can come and go, but brothers are forever.

Later in the day when I sat down at my desk this is what I saw. I have a black board that I keep a running list of themes for mini albums that I still want to complete. Hudson added one at the bottom. Now if that isn't a reason to scrapbook and keep our memories recorded, I don't know what is.

The cabin with the Korstroms

 
Our friends invited us to spend the weekend with them at the Shuswap. We had a really nice time.
Here's the weekend in photos and a few words.

Both Hudson and Cooper really enjoyed hanging with little Carter. He provided the cuteness factor this weekend for sure, and also lots of laughs.

Julie and I headed up to the Celista Winery with a few of the kids to explore a little. There were horses there and that proved to be very delightful, especially to Katie who definitely has a thing for horses. :)

It looks like Taggart thinks that petting Katie's back is maybe safer than getting too close to the horse.


It's hard to get a photo of this girl without the camera in her face. Would she say the same about me??

Some game playing was definitely done this weekend. This beautiful deck with the view of the lake was a perfect backdrop.

Friends helping friends.


A little crafting.

S'mores around a fire was a must.



Again with the camera.

A hike to the waterfalls. This was worth the effort to get there, and an effort it was. The drive to the beginning of the hike was almost an hour. We were in our truck and Derek and Julie were in there van ahead of us. We were rapidly running out of gas and the further we drove up this gravel road the further we would have to come back. Finally, Tony decided we had to stop or we would not have enough gas to return. Now what?? Well, apparently a mini van can hold 11 people (and about 150 mosquitos) so we continued on our journey with our truck parked safely on the side of the gravel road awaiting our return. Like I said, the waterfall hike was worth it and we returned to our truck an hour or two later with the hopes of making it back to civilization before we came to a sputtering stop. An hour or so later, the Tempo Gas sign was finally in our sights and we were able to fill up with out any further adventures.





The lake.



These little guys had their own little set up going for every meal. Nice time with friends.

Is this face because she is tired of being surrounded with cameras?? One in front and one behind.

This face wraps up the weekend. Thanks Korstroms, for a great weekend!