Survivor Shuswap, B.C. 2009

Well we did it. Some of the challenges we endured are:

• driving 11 hours to get to where we were camping with three kids under 4
• fire ban the whole time we were there
• one sunny day out of 7 and 1 really wet and rainy day that it just poured
• a high of 20 for the best weather we had all week
• having Luke as a wake up call every morning at 6 - 6:30am
• lots of wasps
• a toddler that demanded LOTS of attention who isn't walking yet at 14 months
• driving 9 hours to get back home with 3 little boys under 4 and Luke slept half an hour the whole drive home (I even gave him gravol....twice!)

The good definitely outweighs the bad regarding our holiday. Some of the highlights were:

• the kids spending so much time with their cousins and us adults relaxing once the kiddies were in bed at night. We would sit around a propane BBQ and cook whatever we could find to snack on, sausages, dessert pie irons, etc.
• both Ken and I got to go water skiing in Dwayne and Trixie's boat
• Andrew now can ride his bike with no training wheels and Sam was actually riding his bike with no training wheels too. Anything to be like his big brother.
• good camping food for meals
• lots of walks with Luke in his stroller, mostly at 6am in the morning.
• Getting out of AB and seeing different landscape and the mountains and so many trees. It was so beautiful.
• a great chat with my niece Tara Lee about school, jobs and boys
• the lake. It was the cleanest lake I have swam in since moving out West. You didn't feel slimy when you got out of the water, you felt so clean.
• The waterfalls that you could hike to.

At times I thought I was so crazy for attempting to take this camping trip on especially because I didn't grow up camping but enjoying the luxuries of cottage life. I have to admit it was A LOT of work and demanded both Ken and I to be on our toes none stop. Everyone I talked to strangers or people I knew said" it is so great for the kids, they are creating memories that they will have forever and it develops so much character".... I have to admit that the character I was developing at times was not a character I strive to be! All in all we did have a great time and will likely tackle it again next year and with each day that passes and we are cozy in our home the trip seems like it was better and better.

Bonding with Cousins!

Highlights from Shuswap

Camping with our Boys!

Survivor 2009 Shuswap, B.C.

Simple Woman # 5

FOR TODAY August 5, 2009

...Outside my window
rainy, wet and dreary and more of the same to come over the next few days.

...I am thinking
that the boys sure went to bed good tonight. Ken is gone camping shopping so I put all three to bed at the same time on my own.

...I am thankful for
the excitement around home these days. The word is now out that Ken and I are expecting in February. The boys are really excited. Andrew is already talking about coming to the hospital to see the baby and when we were shopping today he kept wanting to buy things for the baby.

...From the kitchen
Tonight we had shake n bake chicken, fresh green beans, baby potatoes and homemade apple sauce.

...I am wearing
Black stretchy capris and a black and white striped shirt.

...I am going
to make a fruit cobbler in a few minutes for friends of ours that just had a baby

...I am reading
Just finished The Book of Negroes in record time for me (2.5 weeks)

...I am hoping
that wherever we end up going camping next week is fun and that the weather is good

...I am hearing
total peace and quiet. Not used to that.

...Around the house
Just organizing for camping, sorted thru my maternity clothes today, dropped a garbage bag of assorted clothes off at the thrift store. Seriously where does all this stuff come from? There always seems to be more to get rid of.

...One of my favorite things
is having Ken home and enjoying the big breakfast's he makes every other day. Today was pancakes, bacon and eggs. I also enjoy keeping it down this pregnancy. In the past, this wasn't always the case.

...A few plans for the rest of the week
The boys are getting haircuts from their Aunty Ang tomorrow and on Friday they are getting their pictures done. Mostly we are just getting ready to go camping for a week on Monday. The weather hasn't been great to do much else.

Kids have the Funniest Dreams

This morning Andrew crawled in bed with us around 7 and said:
"Mommy, there was a green crab at the Spray park and a purple dinosaur there too. He was sleeping."
Ken and I just smiled and said back to him: "Is that right Andrew?"
Andrew: "Yup."