Alright! We are over half way through the summer vacation! Wild. It feels like an appropriate amount of time. It feels like it should be around half over. I do feel like the last half here is going to fly and suddenly they'll be back to school though (or to school for the first time for Eva!!).
So on Monday July 22 Dave and I got a date night! I didn't want to do just our usual brewery hop or Cactus Club visit, so we went to the driving range first and then went to all-day Happy Hour at the Social Tavern!
Wayyy back when we first got married, we used to go to the driving range a lot. It's one of the few outings we mutually enjoy. I am better than I feel like I should be which helps. I always have had this fantasy that I would find some sort of sport or activity I'd just be a protegy at. So far I haven't found it, but every time I step up to a golf tee, dart board, or pickleball court I think, "This is it! This is the moment I find out I'm incredibly gifted." Haha... that's a goofy, vulnerable and sort of embarrassing share, but maybe other people do that too who knows.
Still waiting for my spiritual gift to reveal itself haha.
We enjoyed the driving range and thought it would be a good fit for Dom, too. So the next day (Tuesday), the whole fam came to horseback riding. After I got Emilia in the barn, Dave and Dom went to the range and Eva came and watched riding with me. It worked great and Dom really enjoyed that time with Dave.
The kids have been asking every day to go to the Truck Museum after swimming lessons. Lucky for me, it's only open Wednesdays and Saturdays, so I couldn't take them since I work Wednesdays. Dave was a trooper and took them one day after swimming and they were thrilled!
Back to our outdoor dinners with Jesse and Kirstin! The lack of wasps (so far) this year has been amazing. We are actually still able to eat outside!
For some reason every time Eva hangs out with Wren, she comes back looking like she took a mud bath... They may have been pouring dirt into each other's helmets...
Thursday the 26th, Aunty Sonya & Mom came to swimming lessons to watch the kids and then took them from there for a day of fun! Scavenger hunt, crafts, snacks, games, etc. Filling their little buckets AND giving me a break, thereby filling MY bucket! What did I do with my hours of free time? Cleaned the couch. haha. I used the carpet cleaner and did the couch and main carpet. It's like... I know it's dirty, but good golly was it dirty. Three kids and a dog really does a number on our soft surfaces.
Getting a deep breath!
Crafts! This is so cute <3
On Friday the 27th Jeff, Marta and Owen came over for dinner and hockey. Owen in all his goalie gear slays me!
Dave had done photo and video shoot for Scott & Ash (gotta get those on the web) for maternity and family. It turned out SO so beautiful! Here's just one teaser shot <3 Get to meet this little nephew or niece this month!
Saturday morning I got this weird idea that we should go do Tynehead with the kids and dog. Dom rode his bike, Emilia rode the strider and Eva ran/strollered. I went in with an open mind and actually it went as well as I expected, except Dom. He far exceeded my expectations, biking the whole thing with no help! Even up the big hill at the end. Woo! We celebrated with crepes at mom & dad's afterwards
Giving their bike a clean.
Sunday morning we took a walk down to the Honeybee Centre for the Honeybee Festival. The kids had seen the tents and were begging to go. It was cute. They enjoyed the bouncy castle and a little musical/historical theatre, and begging to buy all the things from the booths.
Most of all, we really enjoyed the honey sticks of course. Also what's this... A real smile from Dominic?!?!
In the afternoon we were in the car and on the road to Abbotsford for Rebecca's birthday party! I'm so glad none of our kids were sick, as they were the only cousins that could make it that day. The four littles had a blast and we hardly saw them. The best.
Party MVP until it tipped over and trapped Eva underneath haha
Last Monday the big kids started their second set of swimming lessons. They're both repeating Swimmer 1. At first they were mad I signed them up again, and then the first three days of this set were freezing cold and pouring rain and I was having guilt. As it turns out, they still love swimming lessons and are having a blast with it. The rain hardly phased them and they still wanted to play on the playground before each lesson!
Natural consequences of running up a wet slide after Mom says, "Maybe don't go up the wet slide."
The kids have been asking for weeks to go to the zoo. We had been procrastinating, but finally decided to bite the bullet and went for a family pass again for the first time in years. We went after Dave finished work and Eva napped on Thursday afternoon and you know what, it was great! It was hot, but we packed lots of snacks, went at our own pace, didn't try to do everything, and Dom and Eva rode their bikes (or Eva in the wagon). Worked out great. Hopefully next time all 3 of them will be on bikes.
We actually made it through the dinosaur exhibit with all three kids and with smiles on their faces. No tears or dragging feet this time haha.
If I want to be in a picture, I pretty much have to make it a selfie... haha. Eva raiding the lunch kit.
Friday evening we had Michael and Matt over for stu-garitas and games. Always love their company and we appreciate their friendship so much! Laughing til it hurts is good for the soul :)
On Sunday morning we went to church, and then the girls and I went straight to Makenna's birthday party! It was right over Eva's nap time, so I wasn't sure how it would go, but as it turns out I am very glad we went for it. Both girls had fun of course, but Eva surprised me a lot. She was right in there making friends and talking to people she'd never met (most of whom were 2-3 years older than her) and playing and engaging. It made me feel really encouraged for her starting preschool. She required almost nothing from me the whole time. It was also a nice test for her missing nap time! She's at a great flexible age for that.
They had set up cake decorating for every kid. So each kid got their own cake and there were like 6 different icing colours they could use to decorate however they wanted. So fun! This picture is Eva very importantly telling people, "This cake is not for eating right now. We can eat it when we get home."
This is Makenna's. Clearly she's done this before! Haha A natural!
Both girls got a couple good swings at the pinata too! What a fun party :)
While we were out Dom went to a playdate with Tobias. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but after the party and playdate, we came home and packed up right away to go swimming at Greenaway again. Jeff, Marta and Owen met us there and then we went to their place for pizza dinner! That was a very very full, very fun day! Perfect summer time. In the evening I was near comatose on the couch watching Too Hot to Handle though haha. Just needed to veg for a bit. Probably still do...
Yesterday it was back to swimming lessons even being the holiday. The start of their last week! They have come a very long way, so we'll see if they can nail the final few skills to make it through level 1. I expect they'll need to do level 1 again before moving up, but they have just gotten so much more comfortable in the water. It's amazing and encouraging.
I like to sit in the sun, Eva does not haha. This is her solution.
After Eva's nap, we packed up and the whole family gathered for the first time at Adam and Aly's place in Vancouver! We had snacks and dinner together and the kids did lots of trampoline play.
Woo hoo! Sprinkler play for the 3 year olds!
Looked a little different 3 years ago! Crazy...
Oh hey babies! can't wait to meet you!!! :) These mamas looking amazing!
Okay... random moments!!
Emilia's teacher gifted each kid a tiny baby spider plant for the end of school. Emilia's is doing great and we re-potted it last week! <3
Trying to keep cool.
I procrastinated on life one day and painted a couple rocks to add to my house one I painted last year.
Look at all these plants! Never thought I'd have anything green and living that i was intentionally growing in my house.
Eva drew her first rainbows! Before this, her art was just scribbles and oddly shaped circles. Warms my heart.
We thoroughly enjoyed the blackberry boom!
What I'm currently reading.
This is what happens when he doesn't get a walk because it's 32 degrees outside. Just stares at me.
Dom came down past 9pm one night to tell us we had to go see the sunset. He has the best view <3
I think she missed a step when coming inside... Safety first!
We have also been REALLY enjoying watching the Olympics every day! So much screen time haha. Dom loved watching Summer McIntosh win all the swimming medals.
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