Hottest Day of the YEAR!

Here in our town, we are experiencing a heatwave. It hasn't been this hot for a VERY long time. I think were are at 37 degrees or so. 

On went the bathing suits, and the sprinkler. Played with ice cubes, and ate freezies and strawberries trying to stay cool. I am melting today!

Happy Summer!

Cathy xo

End of June (better late than never) Holiday

See, I was there. Where my computer is...I am. Not a one photo taken of me on this holiday.

Here are 5/6 kids Catie was with Nonna. Forever washing off sand from the bottom of their feet.

Catie loved the sand!

Cameron swam out to the dock and back on his own! He sure is growing up! 

Caroline kept a perma-smile on the whole weekend. Can you see the beautiful desert landscape of Osoyoos, BC. It is AMAZING there!

Cameron

Claire

Carly

Catie

Caroline

Coco

At the end of June all 9 of us (yes Mom-in-Law included) headed to Osoyoos for the weekend. It was to honour/remember the one year of dear Dad's passing (June 27th, 2008) so we had a great weekend. I finally got around to working on the files. Today! Doing this has made me decide I need a wee little point and shoot camera for family events. I don't feel like taking photos with my camera on holidays. I just want snap shots that I do not have to edit. No perfection. Just our family photos. 

Anyways, here are a few. I took maybe 40 photos total. That has got to change. So, for our week there August I will change my ways :D

Friday again!

Caroline

Catie

Cameron, and the two little gals. At the waterpark! 

On Wednesday they went there for some sliding action! (So did Kristy and her family ;D )

Active Catie! 

This week was busy for a bit, and then not so busy. Why you ask? Well it had to do with the fact that my sister Amy, and her husband Tyler (and his daughter K) took the kids up to Cultas Lake on a camping adventure. They left Sunday afternoon (K slept over on Saturday night after the Stampede style BBQ.) And then in the morning Amy and T drove back to pick up the kids! For Cameron, it was his second time, and for Catie and Caroline...their very first trip! So, therefore when Claire and Carly were in summer school. I just had Courtney around. For a couple of those days I went to my parents house to hang out. They spoiled me, made me breakfast and lunch. Talked and talked and talked. The kids were gone from Sunday to Thursday. Half the laundry, half the clean up! So nice! I am so greatful to Amy and Tyler for giving us a break, and for also giving the kids some wonderful new experiences and adventures. Love you all! 

Who took the photos? Well my friend Kristy took them. She was camping too at the same time and place and she found my sister, and T and said hi! Of course she knows the kids from school too! Thanks Kristy! Amy, I look forward to seeing your photos too! 

So all and all a good week. Got a few extra things done around the house. I was able to talk on the phone easily. Work on my computer etc. 

Yesterday, the campers arrived back home! Just in time for a pick up at summer school. So, in went the carseats and away we went. A family of eight again. As much as I loved the time, space and quiet. It REALLY missed my other kids. I am rarely away from them. So I felt complete again! 

Today, a "free" day we drove into Abby to visit Cliff. We all had lunch. And now, the weekend is upon us!

Happy Friday!

Cathy 

Friday Phew!

This is after the immunization appointments for Catie (Kindergarten shots) and Courtney.

This is Courtney's first visit to the "candy drawer" and she was a happy camper.

 Catie got two, because hers was a sore one.

Caroline got one too. Our family doctor is so great! 

Catie, and her pop. 

I survived (well almost) it is still early on Friday. 

This week was filled with lots of driving. Driving my gas guzzling 12 passenger van. Monday, was summer school for two, back and forth. Back and forth. Tuesday, I had to have Cliff take the day off so we could get all of our stuff done! It was an especially crazy day! Summer school for one, a very intensive RCMP Jr. Cadet camp for two, and immunization shots for two. Catie and Courtney. Catie cried, Courtney didn't cry for the first needle, but cried for the second one. Then drop off and pick ups all day. Same with Wednesday, and then Thursday. Plus a "Graduation" for Cameron and Claire. Cliff stayed back with the others. Thankfully, because it was long and warm in the gym. And on my way home from the grad, my check engine light came on. Remember my fiasco with no van large enough for the kids? I am a wee bit concerned. So, this morning, a more quiet day (if that is possible with six kids at home?) laundry (a given) and a drive with my six to the dealership to hopefully figure out what is going on with our van. Monday, school is back in, and I need to be able to drive them all back and forth! Unfortunately to place both girls in the same school. Claire in Reading and Rec, and Carly is in Numbers 'til Noon. We could only pick a school about 15 minutes away by drive. 

Driving all of this week, I was thankful for an air conditioned van. And thankful that for the regular school year, we are able to walk. I feel better about that. Being able to walk. I realize I do not like the driving so much. 

This weekend we are off to a fun "Stampede" style BBQ with old family friends. And with family. Kids will be dressed up like cowgirls and a cowboy. I am the official photographer, so I am looking forward to do that just for fun. I am praying that this year all stay healthy, and now throw up. Last year after the Luau, right as soon as we walked through the door, July Puke Fest 2008 began, and lasted for one whole week. Healthy thoughts! Healthy thoughts. You can see why I might feel a little worried right :D

Have a great weekend!

Cathy 

In our backyard

Right now because it is summer, we have a lot of stuff out there to keep the kids busy and having fun. So this is what we have out there:

• Swing set/slide combo
  
• Mini craft table/snack table.
  
• Playhouse (getting there)
  
• Three mini tents
  
• One sandbox 
  
• One trampoline
  
• Assortment of bikes and ride toys (like the Little Tykes police car my sister gave Cameron for his first birthday--still kickin'!)
  
• Bubbles/blowers
  
• And, on really hot days I take out ALL of the ice cubes dump them into a large container and they go to town. This is my cheap and fun idea. Keeps them cool and entertained.
  

I would have to say this has been one of the best summers yet. We have so much planned for this summer vacation. I cannot wait for some of the fun stuff ahead. I have been enjoying how nicely the kids have all been playing together for the most part. This is the VERY first summer where it has felt like this. Probably because I am not pregnant, not breast feeding and I don't have a newborn around. 

Photo by Cameron

Courtney...asleep. 

Cameron made this.

Cameron decided to do some filming of the girls in the van. Be prepared for some jiggling of the screen. IF you are sensitive you may not like this. Remember this was filmed by a nine year old, who is almost a 10 year old.

P.S. The van was parked, and not in motion. And there was not really an earthquake. Just a boy with a good imagination :D

Enjoy!

Cathy

Hard at Work Hubby.

After a light pole had been knocked over, Cliff had to go cap off the wires and mark it with a pylon. He helps keep the city streets safe :D

My hubby Cliff works hard for us. One of the most hard working men I know in my life.  He works a lot so that I can stay at home with the kids. That had been the goal from day one.  We said when we were pregnant with our first, that he would work, and I would raise the kids. We have stayed pretty true to our word. I am pleased that we have both been able to have this for our family. We will continue this way until I am able to do more photography. I see that happening in the next few years, once the youngest hits Kindergarten/Grade One. 

I couldn't see it any other way. Either could he.

Anyways,  over the past weekend my husband had been on call at work. So, after a fun day at the berry festival, he got called to work. His second call out of the week. So, on Sunday afternoon I had the opportunity to go watch him work. I took two videos, but I will share the shorter version. The other one I will share with the kids.

Enjoy! 

P.S. Cliff, thank you for all of your love and support for these past 11 years. You are the best hubby a girl could ever get. I love you. xo

A week to get organized!

This is the week I said I would get organized. So far so good.

Done:

• Master Bedroom closet cleaned out and organized
• Donation pile ready go to charity
• Kids' individual boxes sorted out
• New little boxes for their individual treasures (two more, as Coco doesn't have any treasures -- poor bub!)
• Necklace situation sorted out (only Coco needs a heart shaped necklace)
• Sorted through girls' clothing, and created a donation bag or two
• Barbies stuff sorted
• Craft cabinet organized
• Individual craft supply boxes sorted, purged and put back

Trying to read

Sorry...photo is upside down.

Yes, I know how to read. It is finding the TIME to read which is the difficult task. Fitting in all in. I ordered two books from Amazon. And they have already arrived! They came so quickly! And yesterday I want to Chapters and I purchased a book. (I was anticipating a long wait for the two!)

When I was growing up I LOVED to read. I would be the kid under her covers with a flashlight reading to the wee hours of the morning! But the more kids I had, the less time for reading. SO, I decided I would try again. The three books are all business/camera/photoshop related. That is GOOD! I need to challenge myself. So, I will try to read. If not, I think that audio books will be the way to go. 

Anyways! They are all sitting here beside me on my desk! First, I go clean the bathrooms. Then I will open up the box! It feels like Christmas!! I just love to keep learning!

Cathy xo

P.S. The best two books I read were actually last night. My girls Claire and Carly wrote me a book each. So cute. I love it!