Tabitha

In order to get another 10 bucks towards a gaming computer we're
working on earning together, this one learned how to operate some
serious machinery and got the lawn trimmed.  Patience, determination,
encouragement and a couple well earned breaks got him through the day.
Awesome.

 

Rachel

End of the evening, end of the summer lessons.

 

Shannon  

This boy here had a big huge week. There were tests and discomforts and tons and tons of courage. But he gathered it all up with the support of each of us and rocked it. So of course the week required an ending with wacky head gear. 

Kelly and Helen

 

The highlight of the week: celebrating a brand new 9 year old.
Watching these girls thriving: marvellous.
Sharing these milestones together: magical
Post party result: messy!

 

  

 

Helen

We packed into the van, the seven of us,
For a little sojourn Vancouver-side.
We prowled some streets in broad daylight,
And hung out at Science World until,
Bone-weary, the next adventure called.
We over-nighted with family practically on the edge of the tree,
Reminisced of times gone by and affirmed today.
On a fresh day, we scurried to watch dolphins and penguins, people and so much more
And sighed, and gasped and sang and pranced.
Delighted, we've packed our bags memory-full,
To hold us over, until the next.

 

Rachel 

Having Lena in our family is kind of like having an instant big sister for the boys. This week marked a first for us, in that they willingly and excitedly chose to hang out with Lena instead of coming with me to an appointment (they normally go everywhere with me and have steadfastly refused any offers of playdates or babysitting from the most well-meaning of friends). They had a great time showing Lena one of our favorite neighborhoods—they played board games together at a game store, they showed her some other shops, and they stopped for coffee and hot chocolate. At home, she joins us for arts and crafts, for baking and cooking, for playing games, for cleaning up. She is always eager to participate in anything. We are all learning so much from each other and growing in ways I never expected. And it has only been two weeks.

 

 

Kelly

Frankie's beloved drama class started up again this week. Cooper and I decided that since we had an hour and a half to kill, we would try out a different ethnic restaurant for lunch each week. He is fairly adventurous with food, I am not. The plan is to try new things. Our first date was a delicious Chinese lunch followed by a walk about Chinatown. We loved our food, laughed at our inability to use chopsticks, had a great conversation and witnessed some interesting people in this bustling little restaurant. Next week....Mexico!

Shannon

 

So often my most favorite thing about them is their ability to have fun no matter where they are. A few minutes to pass why not have a contest to see who can produce the most hilarious walk. 

 

Rachel 

 

 

Lena arrived from Germany last Sunday to stay with us for three months. She will study English here, take in the sights, and hopefully teach us some German (since, um, we don't know anyone else who could do that for us). She has been such a lovely addition to our family, she is so very sweet and considerate and helpful and extremely perceptive, and it is really interesting to see the boys interact with her. She has also seen the transformation in Lilli in the last week (and maybe helped it along a bit, with all the love and petting she has given her). Lilli is seemingly back to her old self, we will have to see if the tests tomorrow agree. The four humans in our immediate family were all sick this week, so we weren't our brightest and best selves for Lena, but even so, she seemed to enjoy her time with us as much as we have enjoyed having her with us. It will be fun to see what we all learn from each other.

 

Shannon

This image is timeless and could have been taken and many different beaches and all different ages. These two have a bond that is theirs and theirs alone. And when the walls fall away and the outdoors draw them in they have stories and details that delight them for hours. 

Tabitha

Growing up and helping out.  Sometimes things that seem impossible
(crack open eggs) turn out to be very possible after all.

Helen

 

(and a part of me is always thrilled when we head out en masse with our tall boys swirling around and the still-hand-holding smaller girls right here. i watch the faces of those around us: counting heads, looking at our jumbled posse which includes the blue haired girl and the dainty japanese gal and feeling the movement that is us, making our way through our lives)

 

 

Kelly

 

We were the first ones at the local fair on Friday afternoon. For a while, we had the entire midway to ourselves. It was a warm night, there were no line ups, the mini donuts were warm, the carnies were generous, and for 7 hours these two spun round and round. First ones in, last ones out!

 

 

 

 

Tabitha

On the road again!  Road trips are a big part of this guy's history.
He has always loved just getting in the car and exploring some new
part of our world, or visiting a old favourite.  Road trips always
come with the best conversations, good tunes, new adventures, old
memories, and new and old friends.  Although we've driven by it before
this was our first stop at the beautiful clear Cameron Lake, and we
only stopped in order to give the baby a quick snack.  We will
definitely be back!

Step one of our ambitious plan to see all the museums on Vancouver
Island this year!

Kelly

Lego never gets old. Tonight we are starting a big project, rebuilding one of Cooper's huge sets. 

Looking for a needle in a haystack has never been so much fun. 

 

 

 

Helen

Oh, the fair!

It was the cheery cherry on a lovely week.

The noise, the negotiations, the boerewors roll!

The rides, the heat, the craziness, all.

Last minute party-putting-together was a total team sport. 

Ben was thrilled and amazed and grateful

and much the same could be said about his mother.

.

Rachel

 We spent the week mostly at home, closely monitoring and caring for Lilli. We are going a bit stir crazy, but at the same time, there is something really nice about spending a slew of days at home, mostly in our pajamas, playing games, watching movies, doing puzzles (something we haven't done in years), and we even spent one morning setting up our train tracks and tried to use every single track and train (also something we haven't played with for a long time). It's nice to have nothing else on our schedules. I've gotten a lot done around the house (I was doing some de-cluttering, which is why we came across so many of our old toys/games), but I've also just let myself have large expanses of time where I don't do anything "productive" at all, a sort of indulgence that I don't often give myself, even if I regularly encourage it in my children. And of course, we've all made sure to sit near Lilli and give her as much affection as she wants.

 

 

 

Shannon

For some reason his height catching up to daddy is far more startling to me. 

It's all happening so fast, I am reminded to stop and breathe in each and every moment.

This boy took leaps and bounds wanting to build his own skateboard. 

It involved talking to a stranger, doing never before done things 

and stretching his comfort zone. 

It was both an honor and delight to 

witness.