So much fun...

...such little time to write about it.

Summer has come. And with it has come a tidal wave of activity that seemed about ready to burst through the walls of our house only weeks ago. Thank goodness the weather faeries cooperated and agreed to let us enjoy our summer with the somewhat normalcy of anticipated good weather.

I had a great week off between terms, and am now two weeks into summer school, but this new schedule of working only mornings is allowing me to really enjoy the best of what the summer days have to offer. Our weekends have also been jam-packed. Yippee!

Let me take you on a small photo journey of some of the highlights of the last few weeks.

These pictures are from a weekend camping with our good friends the Humes. Kirstie and I decided to be really brave and take the four kids camping without our other halves. Although my greatest fear was losing a child in the woods, the greatest obstacle ended up being the accident on highway 99 that closed the highway for several hours. We left Vancouver at 12:30 and arrived at Alice Lake (just outside of Squamish) at 7pm. Yes. I also am surprised we made it. We discovered the trick to too many hours with small children in a car that is not moving very fast is to give the kid that is annoying you most to the other mom. We each spent the tormentous drive feeling sorry for the other and slightly smug that we didn't have to deal with child X. Brilliant.

It was a fantastic trip. We lost no children. We had great weather. We even slept a little. We were very pleased with ourselves for our gumption and are planning another spouse less weekend.

We have acquired a frog. My mother laughed somewhat hysterically when I told her this and then said, "You don't remember your frog Lily Higgins, do you?" I chose to ignore the underhanded allknowingness of her comments... but now three weeks, three pet-store for crickets, two water changes and no interest from the children has made me review her remarks. Apparently Lily Higgins was re appropriated to the pond next door.



Anyone want a fire-bellied toad? (At least for a few weeks?!)





Lucas now loves my camera. My new camera. The one I saved my pennies for and have been coveting for a long time. The one that weighs more than he can typically handle carrying around. That one, yes. But to his credit, he can take some fine photos with it. For example these lovely portraits of Rob and I. Who would have known that my camera was capable of taking pictures of me?

A breakfast joint in Pike Place Market, Seattle. By Lucas Herman.

Constructing in the Children's Museum in Seattle.

Immediately after the camping trip we took a family trip to Seattle. I was none too pleased with the border line-ups nor the traffic on the highway, having already spent far more time in our truck than I ever wanted to that week, but the trip was worth the wait. It was in luxurious contrast to camping and we had some really good times seeing the tourist sites and just hanging around.

Mia is building her own sand box (or mud puddle) in the back yard. I may have to break down and buy a sand box.

Mom has left for Ecuador for six weeks. It has left me feeling a little sad and lonely, for who else will listen to my endless babble day in and day out?, but I am happy that she will spend the summer with her cousins.

Biking the sea wall in Stanley Park.