New to the crew....

 Introducing the newest addition to our crew: 

Holden Isaac, born Tues Dec 21 @ 8:42 a.m. 

Momma and Holden are doing great. Josh, Gus and Jasper are beyond excited!! He is the smallest of the crew but with two older brothers he will likely grow up to be the toughest!!

We are in love with this little dude.

Remember these two dudes? They are going to

make the greatest big bro's....

 

Welcome to the world our little Holden

We Love you!! 

Peace Friends!

Thought for the Day: "I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more..."

Taking on the World at 9!

Someone turned 9 years old today.....August Alan.

He is a most considerate young man. He is always the first to offer you a piece of his cookie, to hold your hand (yes, thankfully still) on a walk. His knowledge of dinosaurs continues to amaze us all. From all the characteristics to the sounds to the technical period from which they hail. He is always helping us with the correct pronunciations. Gad zooks - how do they get this smart at 9 years old.

I think the thing one would notice about him though is his huge heart for others. He  is the kid that will include someone left out, follows the rules in games and laughs uncontrollably. We love this kid more than we can imagine.....oh, and he loves to eat!!

This fall he started BMX bike racing and he is realy enjoying it. We love watching all of what he does.

Still never too old to hold his little bro's hand. 

He is Jasper's hero for sure....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUS!!

WE LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!!

So that is another year in the life of Gus. We are blessed to know this beautiful human being and to watch him grow and change. But still, he will hold my hand and I treasure EVERY time he does.

We LOVE you SO much Gus!!

Peaace friends!

Thought for the Day:  "Grandma, do you know want to know an interesting dinosaur fact....." Yes, I surely do my love.

Thanksgiving (Canadian style)

I have posted 3 other blogs BEFORE this one on the same date!! Check those out too!

I am sure you are all exhausted by now!! Here is our Thanksgiving adventure...

For the past 6 years (since 2016) we have had a tradition of camping at our local BC provincial parks for the Thanksgiving long weekend. We have enjoyed each and every one of those Thanksgiving trips. Some were drier than others but we always have a great time. The last two years we have been blessed to have Josh & Kathy's neighbours, Brandur, Shannon and Ivy with us. Dayle, kathy's sister comes out for a night or two as well. We have a great group of turkey eaters....Sometimes the group grows by a family or two. Always fun!

All set up and awaiting the rest of the crew....

Pretty cozy little trailer.....

Us on the left and Josh & kathy on the right. What a huge site!!

Josh & Kathy

Josh, Jasper & Gus....

The last two years we have been at the Maple Bay campground in Cultus Lake Provincial Park. This smallish lake seems to almost "warm up" (ha ha) down at this far end, this time of year. Here we are for the 2nd Annual "Thanksgiving Stuffing Splash". Super fun. Yes, it is a bit chilly but we basically go from swimming here to about 100 yards away to the lovely, warm bathrooms that are here at the park, complete with hot showers.

Splash participants....Josh, myself, Jasper, Brandur, Gus, Doug & Ivy

All the while the turkey cooks in the trailer. Yup, a de-boned 14.5 lb fresh turkey, bought locally here in Surrey. The Turkey House & Deli is an amazing place. (Thanks Rita - you rocked it out again this year for us!!) Yes, it does fit in my little trailer oven (the de-boned part is the secret). Took about 4 hours to cook. 

Kathy and I have honed our preparation and planning skills for Thanksgiving dinner over the past six years. I do the turkey and potatoes (sweet and regular-yes I cheated on the regular mashed and had the Turkey House make them fresh for me!). Kathy does the stuffing, veggies and sauces. We are quite the team!

Reaady for the oven....

Kathy & Jasper, ready to eat!

Dayle (Kathy's sister), Brandur and Doug

Shannon, Ivy and Jasper

Josh & myself....

Of course, that is not all the eating that goes on!! Sunday morning we do a pancake breakfast. Grandpa Doug and Gus prepared the pancakes. Actually, Doug told me that this year Gus was a great helper and he soon will be making pancakes with Grandpa shouting directions from fireside!!

Doug, Gus, Jasper and Ivy

The eating machines.....

Then it's on to crafts that Josh & Kathy brought.....

Beautiful Cultus Lake

The "group".....front row: Gus, Jasper & Ivy

Back row: Dayle, myself, Doug, Shannon, Brandur, Kathy & Josh

A Thanksgiving hello from Teagan and Rudy in the Kootenays!!

Well, now you are REALLY up to date on our goings on. I am sorry I have not posted as often as I should have this year. Doug was my hero today and figured out how to get my pictures from my phone camera (Google Pixel 2-what a pain!!) to my computer. He is amazing!! No wonder I have kept him around for 44 years!!

We also want to address the "elephant in the room", Covid. (Does it really deserve a capital letter??). No one is doing what they normally do. We have missed our family and friends. We have ALL suffered loss, panic, worry. We are all wondering where this will lead to? When will it end? We are hoping that all of you, our family and friends, are well and safe. 

Peace and thanks to our friends...

Thought for the Day: If you have to choose between being kind and being right, choose being kind and you will always be right.

New trailer camping

August 6 to 10: Less than one week after we got the trailer (and the Pathfinder for that matter), we were off camping at Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park. Super fun.....

Kathy and her boys...

That is Jasper on the left in the kayak, Josh in the middle and 

Gus on the other paddleboard.

Doug, Gus, Josh & Jasper.....

Doug got pretty good at the paddle board.

BC had a TERRIBLE forest fire "season" this year. You will notice in the following pictures how much smoke is in the air. 

Generally Josh is standing up on the paddle board....

Father and son swimmers extraordinaire!

Family paddle time....

So that was a lovely, first time with the new trailer camping trip. We carried on enjoying summer for a bit.

Trip to our local Crescent Beach

Gus is starting to race BMX bikes!

Rainy day trip to our local reptile refuge centre.

Jasper's favourite the tortoise

Gus loved the peacock.

A beautiful walk down to our local White Rock pier

Feeding the birds at Campbell Valley Park.

And that brings us up to September long weekend. Normally we go camping but this year my Mom was hospitalized and we couldn't go. Not to worry, she is fine and back at home now but we ran out of time to go.

Peace friends. (Hope you aren't too tired of all my updates!!)

Thought for the Day: Choose to be optimistic. It feels better....Dalai Llama