puddle party

it was really very nice in the morning, and when we got into the car to drive home the rains cleared but for the three hours of being outside for her birthday party, it poured...no one seemed to notice or care. we played in the puddles, ate hot dogs, sang happy birthday and filled our tummies with treats, even stood around a beautiful fire...in the rain.

i kinda love the friends the girls have chosen and though some of them could not make it, the ones that share their life on a daily basis were there and i was thankful. for the past four years we have made a decision to share our lives and memories with some of the most wonderful students and in return they have been ever so kind and beautiful to us, especially to our girls. some read books, others play dress up and all tolerate their craziness. we have been blessed by these people and will find it hard to watch them walk across the stage and move onto a new adventure in their lives by the end of this school year.

i was thankful for our little puddle party. thankful that we have shared so many memories around that little fire pit, thankful that so many different people have poured into our lives, thankful for the family that we have been given. i was maybe even most thankful for the rain. gotta love the chance to jump in puddles, run hand in hand through the rain drops and come home for so hot chocolate, something beautiful about sharing that kind of an afternoon with family and friends.

a Genesis day

we are told that in the beginning, "it was good", and this day seemed to hold all the same ingredients that would allow such a phrase to be repeated.

golden ears provincial park, the lower falls. a hike or walk, a run or nature stroll, this place does our heart well. joined by our fearless adventurers we set out to explore creation. we sang a little, maybe ventured off the beaten trail a little, ate a little, and froze our feet so bad trying to cross the river that it made me sick a little.

when one can spend four hours on the beach with no melt downs or upsets, when kids can be naked and dirty, when friends can share a moment together...these things allow my heart to say, "it was good".

and so, the recap of our genesis day in photos.

there is a pebble beach just off the trail about half way up...we got this far and i don't think we thought we would leave. a picnic lunch, a kitty nest and some river crossing adventures equaled a total of four hours.

this is the example of a good friend...willing to carry you across a river that is cold enough to make you sick.

little explorers

so much spray from the waterfall that my lens was covered with drops, maybe got a little bit wet, maybe had a little bit of fun.

a little dinner together made for a day that filled my heart. my goal, to build into the lives of our kids, to share with them the joy of creation and the importance of caring for it. to create memories and friendships that will grow and nurture one another. to share time with others and enjoy our Lord in the midst of it all.

fall things

there is just something about fall...i love it. this does not negate the other seasons as they bring equal amounts of joy to my heart, but fall is just a little bit different. maybe its the idea of wearing sweaters and scarves on chilly days. maybe its the thought of wearing rain boots with your jeans rolled up and a cup of hot tea in your hand (poured from your thermos) as you stroll with your family through the piles of raked leaves in the orchard. yeah there is something about fall that i love, impractical, but that has yet to stop me.

our adventures thus far, picking apples with nana and starting school.

nana came to visit and we took her to one of our favorites, willowview farm.

apple price this visit, only fifteen dollars worth.

and of course, the start of school. it looks a little different in our family, but we are pretty excited about the adventures that lay ahead of us.