16 years - My heart can't take this

Sam has been waiting for this birthday for a long while. 

For months he has said things like, "Just wait until I have my license" and, my favorite, "When I have my license, your life will be so much easier."   I'd always nod and agree, knowing full well that though life with another driver could be more convenient, it would most certainly be anything but easier. 

16 always hits me hard. In my mind, it is the beginning of the end.

 (At least "the end" of being needed the way this momma likes being needed.)

Still, I tried to find it in me to celebrate this milestone.

In addition to our annual birthday wall of fame (or shame, depending on the photo) we also got to celebrate Sam's special day with some extra special company!

Max, the Stevens' (who recently moved to town) AND the Allens joined us!!!!!

Sarah and Ed came up from Montana for the weekend. We LOVED actually having company!

And words can not describe the love we had for Sarah's breakfast burritos. 

(Eggs, bacon, potato, black beans...all the things Sam likes, rolled into one.)

 Happy Birthday indeed!

July's Joys

I journaled about a lot of our July fun, but here are a few other events that haven't been mentioned:

After a year of quarantine, Jessica finally got to attend her first dance ever! 

There was a lot of talking and giggling as these girls met up to go together. They were definitely excited.

 

We had another massive hailstorm that ended up shredding my garden and flowerbeds to smithereens. 

I wish I'd taken a picture of the damage but I was just too distraught. Instead, here's a shot of Nate enjoying an icy cold drink with chunks of hail for the ice. 

John and I weren't at home when the hail rolled through, but this is the sight that welcomed us as we arrived back in town. 

July has given us LOTS of time with cousins!

We went up to Calgary to celebrate Savanna's baptism...

...visited Ben & Kat at their new lakefront home and had a BLAST playing in the water... 

...did baptisms for the dead together...

...and welcomed Rachel (John's sister) and Brent's family to town!  

They just recently moved here, which has definitely added to the fun. 

We have one month left of summer break. Here's hoping it ends as well as it began!!

Family Photos

I found a new favorite place for family photos so of course, we had to get a few shots of our family.

My kids (and John too) all think I make them do family photos way too often. Of course, this isn't true, but I can't convince them of that. I had to promise them all that this would be the last time I asked any of them to pose for a picture before Abby moves away.  Of course, that isn't true either, but ...

Sam took it upon himself to take the pictures for us. 

I think he actually does a really good job!

I also love that Radar made it into our family photos this year. 

John and him don't quite see "eye to eye" on things, but for the most part, he's been the perfect addition to the family. 

I was super proud of our successful evening and rushed home and ordered a GIANT print on canvas of the photo above. We felt like it was one of the nicest that had been taken and we liked that it showed a bit of the Waterton landscape that we love so much. It was definitely a pricy investment but I justified it by remembering that this was the last family photo, before Abby moved away. (sob!)

The canvas arrived this week and I quickly threw it up on a prominent wall in our house. I've been admiring it for a few days, until I noticed something that I hadn't before. Now it bugs me every time I look at it!

This stupid hand signal that all the kids do, has my blood absolutely boiling.

What does it mean? Why would Nate ruin my photo with this?

His siblings think he is hilarious.

Now, I hate them all.

You heard it here first folks. Not until my kids beg me for an updated photo, and promise to behave, will I ever consider posing with them again! haha

Morning Fishing Date

I mentioned in a previous entry that all of my kids have summer jobs this year. 

(Sam is at DQ, Abby is at Dave's Drive-In & the pool, Jess is at Dave's Drive-In, and Nate is mowing lawns.). It sucks!!! 

My kids love that they are earning their own money, and I guess that is a good thing, but how is a family supposed to enjoy quality time together when we so rarely get together?!  It's been a real struggle.

John and I have had to get used to doing a few things without them. 

Last week we got up early one morning to fish along Cameron Creek. We started at the top, near Cameron Lake, and basically pulled over at every pull out on the way down to the townsite. We would get out, fish the creek as far as we wanted, and then drive to the next stop. 

Some stops required that we be a little more adventurous getting to the fishing hole.

On this particular morning, we used rocks and locks to cross the river, climbed up and down steep walls, and even went wading a time or two, which I hadn't come quite prepared to do. John is a determined man when fishing. Apparently, if you aren't prepared to get wet, you have no business fishing with him. 

It was an absolutely gorgeous morning and I even caught a fish! 

I know John's fish looks more impressive, but would you believe me if I said I'd caught that one first, but let it go so John could have a crack at it?

 True story folks. That fish was mine before it ever found John's hook. 

Edmonton Adventure

It's been hard to find a day where all of my kids have work off. 

Thankfully I forced (truly) all of them to book three days off in July and three days off in August so we could guarantee just a couple of family adventures as a family.

In July - we used those three days wisely and took the kids up to Edmonton!

Edmonton is where John and I met and started our family.

Sadly, we've only ever returned to Edmonton once before since moving away in 2005, and that was when the kids were all really little. 

It was SO fun to revisit so many places and give life to some of the memories we've often shared with the kids. 

As soon as we got to the city, we drove by the last apartment we ever lived in. This is where we lived when Sam was born. We also drove by the house we lived in when Abby was born, the apartment we managed when we first got married, as well as all of the other apartments we called home, for that matter.  

We covered a large part of the city, just showing the kids all our "old homes!"

We took Whitemud Drive up to the Edmonton temple and walked around the grounds a bit. 

And spent a large portion of our first evening back playing along the North Saskatchewan river. 

It was here at Whitemud Park that John proposed to me!

On day 2, took the LRT downtown and showed the kids the legislature building, walked across the High-Level Bridge, and toured the University Campus. (How did I not get a picture of the kids on campus?). Abby will be going to school at the UofA in just a few short weeks. Our main goal was to help her figure out how to get around to all of the places that she will be calling home for the next few years. 

Later in the day, we made our way over to West Edmonton Mall. (Of course!)

Turns out - we all hate malls, so this one proved to be a little over the top for us all. After walking around for 40 minutes we all felt tired and ready to find something else to do. 

Somehow - Nate talked us into swimming at the Waterpark, which offered the reprieve from shopping and wandering that we needed. It was SO fun!!  I couldn't help but notice how much EASIER it is to do things like this with older kids. I didn't have to stay within arms reach of anyone, there were no life jackets or water wings to worry about, and there was not a stitch of crying or whining from anyone the whole time. 

(Seriously - parents should just save their money and do ALL the fun things when the kids are older.)

After a few hours at the waterpark, we were beat (so many stairs to climb;) and were more than happy to call it a day. The kids really liked our hotel (this was the first time I didn't force us all to squeeze into a one-room suite;) so, after a bit of shopping, we spent our second-night swimming and watching old episodes of The Office. We left the next morning at a time that strategically put us in Calgary at noon - which meant burgers and milkshakes at Peter's drive-in. 

It was a busy couple of days as we tried to squeeze in all the things we used to love, but I think another trip will have to happen down the road. It felt so good to be back there!

I can hardly believe that this will soon be Abby's home again.

 

A "Gift" of a Night

Occasionally we are blessed with an evening in Waterton where there is no wind. (Not even a breeze!)

On evenings like this, we like to spend as much time on the paddleboards as possible. 

Jess and I may have found my new favorite spot. 

 

Lower and Upper Rowe lakes - Hike #9

 

 

That day restrictions in Canada ended

 To celebrate the total lifting of covid restrictions (and Canada Day;) we headed out to Waterton.

We needed to beat the heat and that cold mountain water was calling our names!

We are loving being able to be up at Cameron Lake again. 

The fishing is good, much to John's delight.

...and Nate's;)

We saw a few bears on our drive up to the lake, and even a few while we played. 

We played in the water, paddleboarding, and even rigged up a way for all of us to boat/paddleboard down to the far end of the lake. 

Technically we are on US soil here. It may be the only time we make it to the states all year!

The water was icy cool, and the cleanest blue-green we've seen in a long time. Taking a dip in this pool made the 45-minute row a little more worth it. 

That evening we gathered at Lion's park to watch a presentation from some of our local Indigenous as they spoke about the recent bodies found at Canadian residential schools. We all really enjoyed watching the dancers and hearing some music sung in Blackfoot. Many are hoping that this will become a regular thing now on fireworks night.  We will see.

 

It was a rough year for everybody in this country (and really the world) but it felt good to come together to celebrate all that we hold most dear. 

We really are so blessed!

These days just don't happen often enough

 Days with my family are some of my favorite days!

It's not always easy to make a plan. It usually consists of dozens of texts to determine what date will work best for everyone, then multiple texts to sort out food, and then a handful of texts to sort out the last-minute changes, which inevitably always come up. 

I'm exaggerating a little, but not much. It sometimes seems like it takes so much planning for us to get together, but when we do, it is oh so worth it!

We all gathered at St. Mary's boat club as Crystal and Jeremy have recently become boat owners. It was a perfect spot for us all to soak up the sun (aka: get a little charred) and catch up.

It was nice to introduce Radar to some of his "cousins."

Chad told the best stories.

Jewel brought the banter.

Crystal spoiled with food and snacks.

The kids played for hours!

It really was the FUNNEST time together.

Totally, absolutely, unequivocally worth every best-made plan!