Afternoon at the Lake

Summer Fun

Horseshoe Lake

Last week we made our way out to our favorite camping and picnic spot for the first time this summer. It was a bit too early to set up our tent (and we need a new one!) but we had a very relaxing evening enjoying the lake, a campfire and the view.

All Dressed Up

These three were just so cute sitting together I couldn't resist taking their picture. Gabe stuck his tongue out in the first shot but I snuck another one in there quickly!

John and Gabe sitting on top! of the pew during church. They both picked out appropriate clothes by themselves for church - yay! I especially love that John is wearing a tie with a polo shirt! The cowboy hat came out after church.

Fort

The fort is now completed from a adult standpoint and is ready for improvements by the kids. They are loving having their own special getaway. Yes, the neighbor's house is very close but this is a quiet and removed spot at the side and back of the house.

Spring?

Lily, Gabe and John are trying valiantly to make spring a reality. We awoke to lightly drifting snow this morning. The sun came out this afternoon but I snapped this photo just before beckoning them inside to beat the rain. Even with sleeping bags they were cold in their fort.

School Today

morning :: noon :: night

a little glimpse into our day

John John

John John

Sledding Party

When we asked Gabe what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "I want to go sledding... in the dark!" So we invited friends to join us at Idlewild Park, made cupcakes and hot chocoloate and carted firewood to one of the fire pits on the hill. The weather cooperated with a dusting of fresh snow and warmer-than-usual temperatures, so we didn't freeze and the hill was in perfect condition. We had a blast! It was really one of the best birthday parties the kids have ever had. But you can see that I didn't get very good pictures. And then the batteries died...

Evening Conversation

I was tinkering in the kitchen this evening after dinner and overheard this conversation between the boys while they were quietly playing Lego in their room.
John: Do you love me Gabe? (He had to repeat the question at least three times before getting an answer.)
Gabe: Yup.
John: I love you. I love Lily too.
Gabe: a response that I don't remember. It wasn't till about here that I realized I should be writing this down!
John: We love all people too.
Gabe: Not everyone.
John: Well, God loves all the people. Tons of people.
Gabe: Yeah, all the people.
John: Tons and tons of people.
Gabe: God loves Himself.

It wasn't until halfway through the conversation that I stopped what I was doing and grabbed a pen. The kids say things all day long that I wish I could remember. And I didn't even get all of this one but you get the gist of it. I even managed to get a picture of them!

Target Practice

Gabe received The Dangerous Book for Boys for Christmas and the first project was bows and arrows! He also informed me he will now be more dangerous because of his book and Grandma, who gave him the book.

Aebleskivers!

Yum! I made aebleskivers, for the first time, for breakfast this morning from my great-grandma's recipe. The offical concensus seems be that we won't make pancakes ever again.

Sledding

We've been sledding a couple times this winter but today I finally remembered my camera! Last year John loved to go to the sledding hill but spent all his time making snowballs and laying in the snow. This year he loves actually sledding - he went up and down without hardly any pause.

It's so nice to have an older "kid" come too! Joanna has so much more energy than us and hauls the kids up the hill, races, and gave piggy back rides back to the car!

Silly Puppy

This is Mitzy's favourite place to sit while we are eating dinner..but it's a bit crowded with the games we haven't put away!

Last Family Gift

We opened our last family Christmas present yesterday - a night at Fairmont Hot Springs. Last year we decided to start a new family tradition: buy a big family gift and stocking stuffers only for individuals. The kids have lots of toys, books and stuff and there's always presents from grandparetns. Last year our family present was Mitzy. How do we do anything to compare with that! Well..three days of family fun. The first was a new game and all day Christmas playing games. The second was a family night out to dinner and a movie. And here's the third day....definitely a hit!