tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40366141162007526662024-03-07T00:10:12.826-08:00StampinsarsA blog about my stamping and about my lifeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger843125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-4690093456964698082013-09-22T22:16:00.001-07:002017-10-04T20:27:39.831-07:00What I'm up to these days... My Christmas letter in September!I don't post on this blog much, (ok, really not at all!!) anymore, but I wanted to write a quick post about what I am up to these days... you can find me, more regularly, at "This is the LIFE" my fivefroeses blog: <a href="http://fivefroeses.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">http://fivefroeses.blogspot.ca/</a><br />
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I am teaching Kindergarten - almost full time. (93% to be exact) I love it! What a great way to get back into the (almost) full time work force... Kindergarten suits me way more than I thought it would. I REALLY love it. There are 4 Kindergarten classes at our school, and I couldn't ask for a better team to work alongside. I am learning so much from the other teachers and they are so generous with their knowledge and resources. I never feel alone in my planning. The added blessing of this teaching position is that all three of my own kids are at the same Elementary campus that I teach at. They are in grades 5, 4 and 2 this year. I love seeing them on the playground with their friends at recess and lunch. <br />
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Writing... I recently wrote a children's book. It is in the publishing stages, and I am waiting for the "author copy" which should be at my door any day now. After that, I just have to give the final approval and the book will officially be in print. I am very excited about this. You can find out more about this venture on my facebook page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/goodtoread" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/goodtoread</a> I am looking forward to scheduling some book signings and getting some ordering info out there, so my book can find a home in many different homes :) (maybe your home!!)<br />
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Businesses... And, on the side, I am doing a few little home based businesses. Mainly, it is so I can get the discount (ask me about it if you would like to join me! Why pay full price on something if you can get it at a discount, right?!!), but also to make a few extra dollars here and there.<br />
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What are they? Well, the most exciting one for me is Epicure. Have you heard about it? Victorian Epicure is a 100% Canadian company that started with 4 spice blends back in the '90s and has flourished into so much more. I love the products - they make every dish I make taste good. Totally gluten-free and so much variety. Check it out at my website... <a href="http://sarahfroese.myepicure.com/" target="_blank">http://sarahfroese.myepicure.com/</a><br />
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On top of that, I am still active with Stampin' Up! but have only been making the odd order here and there. I don't have my webside up anymore, because that was an extra cost, and doesn't seem to be worth it, for me, at the moment. But, as long as I am active, I can still place orders. These days, I am mainly stamping for fun, and to fill card orders, which I love getting because it keeps me motivated to use my mountains of crafting and stamping supplies!!<br />
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About 6 months ago, our family joined a new church close to our home. I joined the worship team in the summer and have already had the joy of playing the piano and singing on a team a couple times, and will continue with my team every 3rd week. The highlight of this, besides worshiping our amazing God alongside some pretty great people, is that I have been working on my harmonizing skills... I love singing lead, but am very thrilled that I am now called a harmonizer! What a great feeling.<br />
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Steve finished his driving season in mid-August, and he is now working from home with ACN. He has found more time to experiment with his 40th birthday present (a brand spankin' new BBQ complete with blue neon lights) and I have found him, on several occasions, searching for new recipes on Pinterest or Google. He even started his own Pinterest account, for which the kids and I are all quite happy about! The other exciting thing about him working from home is that he is able to be involved in the kids' activities... last week he was able to go cheer on our boys at their first Cross-country meet of the season. <br />
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This post started as a quick little "hello" and to tell you that there is a new Epicure catty available... but it has turned into a full blown newsletter. So, I am renaming it "My Christmas letter in September" because I doubt that I will have a chance to write as long of a letter in December.<br />
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Happy Fall Ya'll! (today is the first official day of Fall). Blessings for a Bountiful Harvest (the unit we are studying in in Kindergarten right now) and a wonderful season of Thanksgiving.<br />
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Some Autumn pictures from the archives... <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-60494471856138072392013-01-02T22:51:00.001-08:002013-01-02T22:52:30.793-08:00Happy New Year<div style="text-align: center;">
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Since I am not actively pursuing my stamping business any longer (although, I am still technically active as a Demonstrator) I have decided to take a different approach to the world of blogging for 2013. More writing. I've always wanted to write. At any given time I usually have at least 3 or 4 journals started. I've never been one to write in a single book until the end and then start a new one. That might drive some of you just a wee bit crazy, but I find it very freeing - no stress if you misplace one... just pick up another and write down your thoughts. I always put the date at the top of the page... not that it really matters because I don't share my handwritten journals with anyone else. <br />
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The name of this blog is Stampinsars, and the description states that it is a blog about my life and my stamping. I will keep this blog active for the times when creativity strikes, but as for the happenings of the Five Froeses, I have started another blog. Shocking, I know! I have several on the go - just like journals, I suppose.<br />
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I welcome you to follow it, if you would like. And I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year and blessings throughout 2013.<br />
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<a href="http://fivefroeses.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Five Froeses - This is the LIFE!</a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-41121507290770328272012-12-31T20:51:00.000-08:002013-01-02T21:02:38.287-08:00Our Christmas 2012Here are a few pictures (ok, I guess there are a lot!!) to share with you from the Christmas season in our family.<br />
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Scott was a Wise Man in a Christmas dessert theatre. <br />
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My lovelies in their Christmas attire. Elise picked out her dress, and wore it several times throughout December. She said, "If I have to wear a dress then it needs to be blue!"<br />
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School Christmas concert.<br />
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Family gathering... "Bring your Favourite Appy". The selection was amazing!<br />
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Kids' choir at church.<br />
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Present time...<br />
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Just a tad excited about this new game for the Wii!<br />
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Light sabers. They have been playing hide-and-seek in the dark with these today, and having so much fun!<br />
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Reading the Christmas story at Grandma and Grandpa's.<br />
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We spent a week with Grammie and Papa and Uncle Angus.<br />
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Christmas dinner at my parents'.<br />
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A little catch-up with some dear friends while I was in my home town.<br />
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The annual Boxing Day Skate. Elise playing hockey with Uncle Angus. She was lovin' it!<br />
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And the collection continues to grow...<br />
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May I introduce you to my newest Nutcracker. Steve gave me this Santa Nutcracker for our 11th Anniversary, which was on December 22nd.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-9333495387401979692012-11-02T18:07:00.000-07:002012-11-02T18:07:31.573-07:002 Pirates and a Karate KidWe went to the Fall Fest at church instead of trick-or-treating on Halloween, which was nice because it was a super rainy night! Then, today, the kids had a costume party at piano lessons and had a mini-recital for their fellow piano students, so they got to dress up twice this year!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-75031741165785153102012-10-13T14:33:00.000-07:002012-10-13T14:33:38.519-07:00Crab Fest 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I love it that my dad takes us Crab fishing. Salt water fishing licenses
for kids under 16 are free, so we always have the kids' up to date when
we go for a visit. My dad renews his each year and Steve and I go along
for crowd control, and of course we help with the eating. Scott isn't a
big fish-eater, but he sure loves catching them and hanging out by the
ocean and on the dock. <br />
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Getting the traps ready.<br />
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Down they go!<br />
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Pull...<br />
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Keep pulling...<br />
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Sometimes you get the reward of a beautiful male crab that is big enough to keep, and sometimes you get a great big slimy starfish!<br />
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Steve made a few new friends...<br />
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We had the most incredible weather while we were on the island.<br />
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We got 6 keepers the first day and 10 the second day. Each license is allowed to keep 4, so our max would be 16.<br />
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Todd and Papa... two peas in a pod and best buddies from the start!<br />
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A typical scene off the Sidney Pier<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-3471794367459116472012-10-13T14:09:00.002-07:002012-10-13T14:10:59.734-07:00Thanksgiving Overseas...It was the first time in about 5 years that we were able to join my parents and brother for Thanksgiving. Nothing like being home for the holidays. Mom put on a feast, as usual!<br />
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Loved mom's festive displays around the house...<br />
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We also celebrated my big brother's birthday.<br />
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The kids all chose gifts to give him and piled on him on the couch to get him to open them!<br />
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I don't know if Elise was trying to get her card to look like Uncle Angus, or not, but she sure made a cute card!!<br />
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Then, the after-dinner festivities included a show by Elise and Uncle Angus - they had us in stitches!<br />
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My dad and his "girls".<br />
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They got some new chicks that were "all girls" but my dad said as soon as he saw the babies he knew this one was a rooster, even before the baby feathers grew out, he was struttin' his stuff. The last rooster they had ended up in the freezer, so it was nice to see one around there again!<br />
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On our ferry ride home, a nice lady took our picture.<br />
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We have so much to be thankful for, including the bounty that was loaded in our truck as we were leaving. All from my parents' garden, and from their neighbour's garden. Potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, zucchinis, pears and more. Fresh food is the best gift!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-24838574485129220362012-09-22T06:26:00.000-07:002012-09-22T06:30:35.997-07:00A Patio GardenI was determined to have a garden this year, however, we don't really have the yard for it. So, after browsing Pinterest, I decided that I could put most of the things I wanted to <a href="http://stampinsars.blogspot.ca/2012/04/garden-is-born.html" target="_blank">grow into pots. </a>Here's how it all turned out... we are still harvesting beans, potatoes, tomatoes and strawberries!<br />
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For a couple months, we continued to to take the tomatoes inside overnight. This was our first beautiful tomato. For quite awhile, we thought it might be our only tomato! But we have had an abundance now in September.<br />
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I felt like a kid doing a Styrofoam cup science experiment when my beans started sprouting. I had almost given up on them, but you just keep remembering about all the work that is taking place below the surface before there is evidence on top of the soil.<br />
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The first sign of strawberries... I'll have to get some pics of the ripe ones, but that is very difficult because they get swallowed up before I can show how pretty they have become! They are tasty, too.<br />
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Elise, hard at work with the watering. She took this very seriously, and we discovered that she is quite the little worker.<br />
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I got some seed potatoes from my dad and we planted them in 9 pots. I may have put too many in each pot because the potatoes were very small, but that just saved on having to cut them up!<br />
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The cherry tomatoes are full of flavour and Elise is so proud of every single one of them! We ended up tossing 2 of the plants halfway through because they didn't make it, but with our 2 remaining plants, we have made salads, snacks, sent them on school lunches, and just eaten them right off the vine since there are no sprays or chemicals... the best way to know your produce is fresh and garbage-free... grow it yourself!!<br />
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Nothing like new baby potatoes with fresh backyard garden beans and onions, and cherry tomatoes on the side! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWKrO-utLlcxDPKP3l2lUFIx4XyM7tgKr-tks-HI0tor1dkWCE2CBxrtKicdwIYXKPzBwZqG0Ts7BMoO5srojzmtQM97-gHveoUkVWi0pkN7gqgReUonlR0HC_dpElM6dmdL8EwvRHPY/s1600/DSCF0851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWKrO-utLlcxDPKP3l2lUFIx4XyM7tgKr-tks-HI0tor1dkWCE2CBxrtKicdwIYXKPzBwZqG0Ts7BMoO5srojzmtQM97-gHveoUkVWi0pkN7gqgReUonlR0HC_dpElM6dmdL8EwvRHPY/s400/DSCF0851.jpg" width="400" /></a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-6179868611134625092012-09-14T21:48:00.010-07:002012-09-16T17:12:23.539-07:00A few more summer pics<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gBZBGBEaRPsnbOhcROB04xegc5q02iPq02FmutarHBwdsGu5dvZoax5V7CNxwKULHPwz6JyS6CKQ1BHb4NSAtp_lnOBJDHPaLzraKHGJC6IRMpHflJ5th8aOPsr6zRr1vhx7-jZbc14/s1600/DSCF0935.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gBZBGBEaRPsnbOhcROB04xegc5q02iPq02FmutarHBwdsGu5dvZoax5V7CNxwKULHPwz6JyS6CKQ1BHb4NSAtp_lnOBJDHPaLzraKHGJC6IRMpHflJ5th8aOPsr6zRr1vhx7-jZbc14/s400/DSCF0935.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788261564896125490" border="0" /></a><br />Our getaway at the end of the summer break consisted of more than just the 2 days we spent at <a href="http://stampinsars.blogspot.ca/2012/08/gold-fever.html">Barkerville.</a> I thought I would share some pictures of some of the other things we did. It reached some crazy hot temperatures... I managed to catch the thermometre at 37 degrees. At some points it even got hotter than this!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pLIEtoRsIFWKID_Cu3qJzLXPjnR10O191vDXHv8GFsxf5yN9eyigocahl4I-pG_3_SBwsU8b4N-flwPuwLyqfCf2sXkr_1gybw_lTcOxKUHvIHiFhxH-R20_Q86GgZNtmbIId_t4OPk/s1600/DSCF1006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pLIEtoRsIFWKID_Cu3qJzLXPjnR10O191vDXHv8GFsxf5yN9eyigocahl4I-pG_3_SBwsU8b4N-flwPuwLyqfCf2sXkr_1gybw_lTcOxKUHvIHiFhxH-R20_Q86GgZNtmbIId_t4OPk/s400/DSCF1006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262518170005730" border="0" /></a><br />A view from my passenger window of some cool hills in Kamloops.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxe8XqUx1w8DwyrkogC-PUEog1a2baEE7_Ml_VX5-I2OBY5THB8HqVf-vqJYH7_GhRiEEMR7oSk07ciJrbzIScwiz71RKVw6kZcIBf73AwWkhHbXdDWnDrMpV9cvb1EEMqvU-A_YfXSs/s1600/DSCF1002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxe8XqUx1w8DwyrkogC-PUEog1a2baEE7_Ml_VX5-I2OBY5THB8HqVf-vqJYH7_GhRiEEMR7oSk07ciJrbzIScwiz71RKVw6kZcIBf73AwWkhHbXdDWnDrMpV9cvb1EEMqvU-A_YfXSs/s400/DSCF1002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262510729133730" border="0" /></a><br />We spent a couple hours at the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops. The size of it is lovely, and it is so interesting to see so many animals from the BC area. The park is beautiful, and the workers we talked with were super friendly. The best part... our GV Zoo passes get us into the Wildlife Park for freeeeee!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGATPKoLwOSrtUIwKGn3mDclfwwycvzIC96Ov2d_RFqjcVrA6Zl53JUwsQqeibJYl5ofBPRozJnKti3PwXyRQJVZ-dqQj_39HFtb8YE0NvffQwX8VBVoLNyoinoHUlSqoo_dMmWiklns/s1600/DSCF0999.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGATPKoLwOSrtUIwKGn3mDclfwwycvzIC96Ov2d_RFqjcVrA6Zl53JUwsQqeibJYl5ofBPRozJnKti3PwXyRQJVZ-dqQj_39HFtb8YE0NvffQwX8VBVoLNyoinoHUlSqoo_dMmWiklns/s400/DSCF0999.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262102146938498" border="0" /></a><br />The Buck-Doe City was the cutest thing I've ever seen... a complete miniature town. I am curious to know what the story is behind this little village.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OtHkyKPy-TkqQt2_to8pd2ES3bNLYboNymGyNrreaBdrKMWe2g1T9IwTq3DKE6mPjpviG30MwJfjjE8qzIpG7vm9i27wJ_a4Q95pxmP9usOQj9GG8PaZy6tmFOej3FXw3ny-JJfG_ZE/s1600/DSCF0995.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OtHkyKPy-TkqQt2_to8pd2ES3bNLYboNymGyNrreaBdrKMWe2g1T9IwTq3DKE6mPjpviG30MwJfjjE8qzIpG7vm9i27wJ_a4Q95pxmP9usOQj9GG8PaZy6tmFOej3FXw3ny-JJfG_ZE/s400/DSCF0995.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262091887947458" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0pAhTMu9pkGNuXjpmA_b_JWQmTvuTnTx-7glFmuvoBrFY5eXmOpoDYnsTXf84MwxG5csexwdeERvYmPe5MgkHOMD_-fA06YS57btIuToT-MUfQy1wl744Yg0uS25ftgKdpPNVov9jhQ/s1600/DSCF0963.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0pAhTMu9pkGNuXjpmA_b_JWQmTvuTnTx-7glFmuvoBrFY5eXmOpoDYnsTXf84MwxG5csexwdeERvYmPe5MgkHOMD_-fA06YS57btIuToT-MUfQy1wl744Yg0uS25ftgKdpPNVov9jhQ/s400/DSCF0963.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262084089045986" border="0" /></a><br />The Bison were very cool to watch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRnIsZsSTw72_jUaDS_dIpxQt_cQaMlLCWdVWpQ-HIIT94HQn_UmLMIp-35CMeHSgYgszoz4jsIWGJ0EHAqGtKiNPbA5c4Pmx6a9SQNvwwYJ6eGOP1aMpkYbXyDEgcB3kW1aCoTPcZWc/s1600/DSCF0952.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRnIsZsSTw72_jUaDS_dIpxQt_cQaMlLCWdVWpQ-HIIT94HQn_UmLMIp-35CMeHSgYgszoz4jsIWGJ0EHAqGtKiNPbA5c4Pmx6a9SQNvwwYJ6eGOP1aMpkYbXyDEgcB3kW1aCoTPcZWc/s400/DSCF0952.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262076861711154" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHCFki1_Jhd1o-M0tDa2aK4UdTh1t_6sOPzdXJEBan924fjMWhqurVi7pDHTR3n9ovcNHCNTEsiosN73HtLGnjKbZTS0eV_Qh3y0FaydEPdUegmAbo2Si7vFcdgCUEtNeo29v1vGAbGk/s1600/DSCF0950.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfHCFki1_Jhd1o-M0tDa2aK4UdTh1t_6sOPzdXJEBan924fjMWhqurVi7pDHTR3n9ovcNHCNTEsiosN73HtLGnjKbZTS0eV_Qh3y0FaydEPdUegmAbo2Si7vFcdgCUEtNeo29v1vGAbGk/s400/DSCF0950.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262067238166546" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aF-aCEMUEP6hStKnKEcd4g993IroYj7YhTYz1qHdxKriwf7NUGfAuInLUBIL9vNyLi47MsxsmpKoCCKQuM9mHEU5pJuiM4s5JCtDn9tJeAde53-Y-NhwSUto3OJegE9VCXKXzcR8WyY/s1600/DSCF0945.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aF-aCEMUEP6hStKnKEcd4g993IroYj7YhTYz1qHdxKriwf7NUGfAuInLUBIL9vNyLi47MsxsmpKoCCKQuM9mHEU5pJuiM4s5JCtDn9tJeAde53-Y-NhwSUto3OJegE9VCXKXzcR8WyY/s400/DSCF0945.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788261590516226962" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-gAi9LK19p4AY_TcZ_w5uWRjUmfU9e0MRneW4YnSFmYVsPn-Er36TKnJtU4yAYvcBujWWvyRyiRbHJeUMqjttGJJTH9_4qocNzGqAtD_i1DW5mnugDFEfiBtyuaou1PJv-kZc4QBwaQ/s1600/DSCF0943.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-gAi9LK19p4AY_TcZ_w5uWRjUmfU9e0MRneW4YnSFmYVsPn-Er36TKnJtU4yAYvcBujWWvyRyiRbHJeUMqjttGJJTH9_4qocNzGqAtD_i1DW5mnugDFEfiBtyuaou1PJv-kZc4QBwaQ/s400/DSCF0943.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788261585755700674" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaulz_hX8bo8gKO7eoI7blPDNf_OzFA4IW5qoN5t8eoACp22rykKj8dB3yeBabltlGk2eF2ZIB1ZM-loWxmKVg4X-cwiz4jfrc9VWjTJvNu87OZOTPdVqwPsXS5fmu8p4YyiCz4XUVvw/s1600/DSCF0949.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaulz_hX8bo8gKO7eoI7blPDNf_OzFA4IW5qoN5t8eoACp22rykKj8dB3yeBabltlGk2eF2ZIB1ZM-loWxmKVg4X-cwiz4jfrc9VWjTJvNu87OZOTPdVqwPsXS5fmu8p4YyiCz4XUVvw/s400/DSCF0949.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788261599434251842" border="0" /></a><br />We didn't go on the train, but we'll have to grab a ride next time we go there. (Notice Scott chose to wear his GV Zoo shirt on the day we visited the Kamloops Zoo... how organized of him!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvO64fRmMj4xFyZ0pj75A0WD0xTa9Vv3ED1nQaT8-SphWMHhCoatHVV7JLMDfQ-4JQ2_Hu-okdg_RSjJW-WJmnkSdXh9B-ozIh3KNIFTXvbNnCeDcKv6iPJWS7_STukBbSJwr2C6oHvA/s1600/DSCF0940.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvO64fRmMj4xFyZ0pj75A0WD0xTa9Vv3ED1nQaT8-SphWMHhCoatHVV7JLMDfQ-4JQ2_Hu-okdg_RSjJW-WJmnkSdXh9B-ozIh3KNIFTXvbNnCeDcKv6iPJWS7_STukBbSJwr2C6oHvA/s400/DSCF0940.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788261574130001314" border="0" /></a><br />Elise got chosen to be part of the bird show. The kids had to push a button to get a beeper to work, and that would get the owl's attention, and make her fly to that child.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7V8dafQWjoP9M4e7xOYyhcH-clJiSKHKgK7w0DDeJihJULAI3XW6cloqz-hz3O4wKhYXbYqZqIYpxw7_KxteAZ1jXPSqvHXfYBL0m80M6u3VQlsJdZP_dcC3HBIAzH9SLwJ45TdvSJQ/s1600/DSCF1482.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7V8dafQWjoP9M4e7xOYyhcH-clJiSKHKgK7w0DDeJihJULAI3XW6cloqz-hz3O4wKhYXbYqZqIYpxw7_KxteAZ1jXPSqvHXfYBL0m80M6u3VQlsJdZP_dcC3HBIAzH9SLwJ45TdvSJQ/s400/DSCF1482.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263862958739794" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsahckRSLdjIXOfyzXrH1DdyCX6IeNK0LM8DgIcRwgktkFUMVr6IemGD26F3QDdKmsQDUjsPK8VBJdmhVFyuQaLyP6dsNmhO8X5m0yodFfkZStlDJMrcsKC8dkliwKUnh7oUhcaxxWWU/s1600/DSCF1479.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIsahckRSLdjIXOfyzXrH1DdyCX6IeNK0LM8DgIcRwgktkFUMVr6IemGD26F3QDdKmsQDUjsPK8VBJdmhVFyuQaLyP6dsNmhO8X5m0yodFfkZStlDJMrcsKC8dkliwKUnh7oUhcaxxWWU/s400/DSCF1479.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263851572433954" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDv7qteoVnetGStlr2HdRqox38KotARKa2CJs6xvbpZr0_plHALzRyk9h9aRSlB4xgiB6zqkmKWbBnbdyqS7P1s0sLKX72ipyJuhqhbMlO3-sV3UGZR6gxoMZw66EPFBhSbvE1sEXxJp8/s1600/DSCF1487.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDv7qteoVnetGStlr2HdRqox38KotARKa2CJs6xvbpZr0_plHALzRyk9h9aRSlB4xgiB6zqkmKWbBnbdyqS7P1s0sLKX72ipyJuhqhbMlO3-sV3UGZR6gxoMZw66EPFBhSbvE1sEXxJp8/s400/DSCF1487.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263869100749090" border="0" /></a><br />This Grizzly Bear was all about the pool on this day. Not sure if this is the brother or the sister bear, but it looked so lovable and cuddly... but, I am sure that those big paws could do a number before we could even blink (I've seen "We Bought a Zoo", remember?!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv0cv5EzkQ9TlrVcHRJe8w_1HneOr5-NtabtPBHiwrl48EtwnCrfZb9SqGIvM0A_sO-BG0xtzPjwCLXEibmoRUSYp6qXuK5IhM0gow74U0hF7TzYFVWkjrQ5IqRwL5RVEDkEnQZAQkCk/s1600/DSCF1555.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiv0cv5EzkQ9TlrVcHRJe8w_1HneOr5-NtabtPBHiwrl48EtwnCrfZb9SqGIvM0A_sO-BG0xtzPjwCLXEibmoRUSYp6qXuK5IhM0gow74U0hF7TzYFVWkjrQ5IqRwL5RVEDkEnQZAQkCk/s400/DSCF1555.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788264476149460050" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDj9EWBArouAPflSqSupZWKDgBnLb4_xAd2Qlu4fC2dbBHG8so0itwvwxT3l7DQUf4NdBT3soFNrVBNIRYC79fmdS-H9F1y9lJfNeoj8h1myQu8BANly6Oqkk8znbJfxLAwqERY9hzq8/s1600/DSCF1551.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDj9EWBArouAPflSqSupZWKDgBnLb4_xAd2Qlu4fC2dbBHG8so0itwvwxT3l7DQUf4NdBT3soFNrVBNIRYC79fmdS-H9F1y9lJfNeoj8h1myQu8BANly6Oqkk8znbJfxLAwqERY9hzq8/s400/DSCF1551.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788264466687598962" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozSOk1DcK_t99_2Gduk0eyUo1T35uIv5Qc48NhnC-MVpdKvL9jSRX9LNfPHKpEs_oek5Bd-K9RmZ7XHDlfCLPl95DYMiGku2zfOc0MqmISd2XXPvqEiJsTg7a4lL9yffR2pS3tkm92gQ/s1600/DSCF1548.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozSOk1DcK_t99_2Gduk0eyUo1T35uIv5Qc48NhnC-MVpdKvL9jSRX9LNfPHKpEs_oek5Bd-K9RmZ7XHDlfCLPl95DYMiGku2zfOc0MqmISd2XXPvqEiJsTg7a4lL9yffR2pS3tkm92gQ/s400/DSCF1548.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788264457110191474" border="0" /></a><br />So playful! We watched him play for probably close to 10 minutes, and then he (or she?!) heard the dinner bell and took off out of the water like a bolt. It was probably salmon... I'd run for salmon, too. Yum!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5OFGrE5c_9oXCp3zAY-lhwr5hqQl-bLLLZ7hYbyeCsob7p7hnwRS-2t4sj-4d9Vb1-YoRfv5jvAmkn2qGrcuEsDm_YvVH1-OJxdGWnqLADmaSjAbn0TTq1aJcR05C_t_IGd8OBfKV6k/s1600/DSCF1537.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5OFGrE5c_9oXCp3zAY-lhwr5hqQl-bLLLZ7hYbyeCsob7p7hnwRS-2t4sj-4d9Vb1-YoRfv5jvAmkn2qGrcuEsDm_YvVH1-OJxdGWnqLADmaSjAbn0TTq1aJcR05C_t_IGd8OBfKV6k/s400/DSCF1537.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788264451218933234" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjfmgc_0M6dXLy7Y5vE1NAnkbsCB-ulISr77D_bax3Oy4k9GtYYRKaRPb81WfX_obwlQmO511lw3xHOVO-gJSDFEc_AhrgAmPCXJ0xDq0UGKEPL-LF2a8joS9-NwwA4WLnXagp4VVsbE/s1600/DSCF1558.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisjfmgc_0M6dXLy7Y5vE1NAnkbsCB-ulISr77D_bax3Oy4k9GtYYRKaRPb81WfX_obwlQmO511lw3xHOVO-gJSDFEc_AhrgAmPCXJ0xDq0UGKEPL-LF2a8joS9-NwwA4WLnXagp4VVsbE/s400/DSCF1558.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788264478224586498" border="0" /></a><br />Two of the hotels we stayed at had swimming pools, and one of them even had a waterslide. The key, we found, is to go to the pool in the morning, before or after breakfast, and you will almost guaranteed get the pool to yourself for as much as an hour! We did this both times. The first time we only shared it with 2 boys for about 10 minutes, and at the waterslide hotel, a father and son came in for just a few minutes to get one last slide in before they checked out. I heard people saying that the hotel pools at nighttime were crazy busy, so I'm glad we chose the morning.<br />swimming<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3g7HqFCDIGf4CX9mi8p2shwXvwZXrG9gjDetuxeHK2lQW_PtIpJ_vWxQ9UK2oqmfrMs-OjETvB6HPZcVJsVBqb6p72oZ0JXuTE57yjytDZCGVSj4KICNFuo22paLZnJcywzkUNkWgRI/s1600/DSCF1074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3g7HqFCDIGf4CX9mi8p2shwXvwZXrG9gjDetuxeHK2lQW_PtIpJ_vWxQ9UK2oqmfrMs-OjETvB6HPZcVJsVBqb6p72oZ0JXuTE57yjytDZCGVSj4KICNFuo22paLZnJcywzkUNkWgRI/s400/DSCF1074.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262961085917666" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxB5H0utH4x_cD_FjoCRM5UsnRkFkvKCon8DYaiwU9CsMa3x2iZSUgKTX_1mlEMYLgNHroamqH3914q76Zsp1nzFhU7njfe7RkuwD4jYhm1czhhJseIKqXTFsfJiXcZ4kwDIOrS0MW2o/s1600/DSCF1067.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxB5H0utH4x_cD_FjoCRM5UsnRkFkvKCon8DYaiwU9CsMa3x2iZSUgKTX_1mlEMYLgNHroamqH3914q76Zsp1nzFhU7njfe7RkuwD4jYhm1czhhJseIKqXTFsfJiXcZ4kwDIOrS0MW2o/s400/DSCF1067.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262546644959042" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKbARhWUuZkWHyjm4xtqkwlqVn7FpP72GsYw6ygG7xEWB07Pz1B6AK8lbHq6h9e5bnyP_3y2EfPRHdvJSF1odR4IZ5uui1gZfPDbvKd2GZQYVQ_jhHT2hG5qYtwwAr-9AVLUPbc6NAJU/s1600/DSCF1465.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKbARhWUuZkWHyjm4xtqkwlqVn7FpP72GsYw6ygG7xEWB07Pz1B6AK8lbHq6h9e5bnyP_3y2EfPRHdvJSF1odR4IZ5uui1gZfPDbvKd2GZQYVQ_jhHT2hG5qYtwwAr-9AVLUPbc6NAJU/s400/DSCF1465.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263844337500354" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqorQ4m6px4UJ_x-WwZ9U0HpITXxUENOKsCV2Nlnn1uI3SHrlAa-8s-3qufeWHCJDKRt3xaUMzsIe-_L1Pky_J6yjD3SVoue86P4ytUyKFcYQKRiwLLBLdzQ51JSAZmjT0b5Odug69arU/s1600/DSCF1039.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqorQ4m6px4UJ_x-WwZ9U0HpITXxUENOKsCV2Nlnn1uI3SHrlAa-8s-3qufeWHCJDKRt3xaUMzsIe-_L1Pky_J6yjD3SVoue86P4ytUyKFcYQKRiwLLBLdzQ51JSAZmjT0b5Odug69arU/s400/DSCF1039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262537724515042" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwNC8FUUvqThdgy1DfTpBhga2yfP3FfdBViJ90ESpgB30wcsizSA2PX03e0bedrQgxMDm856cvdVk-tNHQS832vTdR_1nXVrJ8ou-wfYlVH0909N1PP9mGS3AIfB80mAVxKWvmYyoel0/s1600/DSCF1429.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwNC8FUUvqThdgy1DfTpBhga2yfP3FfdBViJ90ESpgB30wcsizSA2PX03e0bedrQgxMDm856cvdVk-tNHQS832vTdR_1nXVrJ8ou-wfYlVH0909N1PP9mGS3AIfB80mAVxKWvmYyoel0/s400/DSCF1429.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263467060556402" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yl2co2fca2o61cU-IfVB5zqjWKbU37w8dz0wV7coEbSyBJ0Rhvg_k0kPS8pTRMiQlQr8NSAGZhTw0IQ5NsOO7kRigxSvsqIlABHw29UwRIGhuyMQo2H-1xeoe41nIaKrnEm3jm884nU/s1600/DSCF1443.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1yl2co2fca2o61cU-IfVB5zqjWKbU37w8dz0wV7coEbSyBJ0Rhvg_k0kPS8pTRMiQlQr8NSAGZhTw0IQ5NsOO7kRigxSvsqIlABHw29UwRIGhuyMQo2H-1xeoe41nIaKrnEm3jm884nU/s400/DSCF1443.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263841963074562" border="0" /></a><br />Another highlight of our little adventure was stopping at my cousin's farm in Kamloops. They had come to visit us just a week or so before, and they said for us to stop in when we were going by so the kids could see the animals. My kids loved it, and her boys are so incredibly cute!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrlxySzAQNamTfDFd3xfFjYtQCJG6So0AzS9CQVMzuBoEQewhZjicIIWZPwwolz2nqjE5erk2qXvqhNbidwTwe_RcfXCKoEs8wwlLFbosEWs38mAsvLW-OJ2pPpFlEuSbsuHJ6xXYorA/s1600/DSCF1403.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrlxySzAQNamTfDFd3xfFjYtQCJG6So0AzS9CQVMzuBoEQewhZjicIIWZPwwolz2nqjE5erk2qXvqhNbidwTwe_RcfXCKoEs8wwlLFbosEWs38mAsvLW-OJ2pPpFlEuSbsuHJ6xXYorA/s400/DSCF1403.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263460047880818" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKDLjBBRTXQQaaO4U3ko_Enw2TTJIhuhlNch1KNkePNevd60hioScFQ1vu2ErhHphmIXch6gKlAPnOn-mjtPzrc-a_M8a2-nf-WTJjeLIc3NOdlQbPU3l7CV29DWEbblg94Sn-zKcYOE/s1600/DSCF1400.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKKDLjBBRTXQQaaO4U3ko_Enw2TTJIhuhlNch1KNkePNevd60hioScFQ1vu2ErhHphmIXch6gKlAPnOn-mjtPzrc-a_M8a2-nf-WTJjeLIc3NOdlQbPU3l7CV29DWEbblg94Sn-zKcYOE/s400/DSCF1400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263450982503010" border="0" /></a><br />This goat became quite attached to Steve... Rather hilarious when he started eating shoelaces!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRSwFd5fGBcM_7YGJfeDVRAXyYCeDd3IXTorWLh5VMfxu9gyH2-JRUxrCdkSRbYEqkGSyvRFCkrvIRbhU_Ttcm56sFF1EcY1H0Msu_ioMSkVqf5N-vh8V0fp2myX-gUQCocRjwQdpHYE/s1600/DSCF1391.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRSwFd5fGBcM_7YGJfeDVRAXyYCeDd3IXTorWLh5VMfxu9gyH2-JRUxrCdkSRbYEqkGSyvRFCkrvIRbhU_Ttcm56sFF1EcY1H0Msu_ioMSkVqf5N-vh8V0fp2myX-gUQCocRjwQdpHYE/s400/DSCF1391.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262998825377218" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Tx8zwA5Tr-4NlVm5Ez3Rq3KNtiO_7LB9VS3koUTJWxdpuo2AEPuwvLAN-RDU_YbaEzB8D_A89X8-oAksRYoc3OimfQHhNlALKqj1xDqpo3M7FsuYFQW885E8OTGjVUmkRFbFM5QlU84/s1600/DSCF1392.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Tx8zwA5Tr-4NlVm5Ez3Rq3KNtiO_7LB9VS3koUTJWxdpuo2AEPuwvLAN-RDU_YbaEzB8D_A89X8-oAksRYoc3OimfQHhNlALKqj1xDqpo3M7FsuYFQW885E8OTGjVUmkRFbFM5QlU84/s400/DSCF1392.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788263440317537298" border="0" /></a><br />(Note to Auntie Louise... Todd started his obsession with this shirt sometime in the summer. Even though he's had it for awhile, and worn it a lot, it has recently become a staple that he begs to wear every single day!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwN6nl9smBXtFvQUJhm38eIN4moOBBsvY3H6K3rcVIOcE9M6pEGz46NzhHhGYFgcAvhqJQIEjwRG9QbY-n8TCx-r1IBlmP67vybaiSpn-LjvGs_tY4Rx340jSm28WqOjebm-VOlzsh0w/s1600/DSCF1390.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwN6nl9smBXtFvQUJhm38eIN4moOBBsvY3H6K3rcVIOcE9M6pEGz46NzhHhGYFgcAvhqJQIEjwRG9QbY-n8TCx-r1IBlmP67vybaiSpn-LjvGs_tY4Rx340jSm28WqOjebm-VOlzsh0w/s400/DSCF1390.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262991446756578" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9wMstadROdbm4jfDRqptWZcuMdtHKB973vUT7uRNPyTXVVWa2GPnQo4Mn-Yv7ij6UGhK-YqCV52xfsLnt8S6AZLdjzTxdJ_igScOQRCS-YnPWS45xJ9lJEki1V9CfTP2Z5T_w3vAbIE/s1600/DSCF1386.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9wMstadROdbm4jfDRqptWZcuMdtHKB973vUT7uRNPyTXVVWa2GPnQo4Mn-Yv7ij6UGhK-YqCV52xfsLnt8S6AZLdjzTxdJ_igScOQRCS-YnPWS45xJ9lJEki1V9CfTP2Z5T_w3vAbIE/s400/DSCF1386.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262975384240610" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenwRtTJAc7_YZP7f8Tru3RMP-hpFxz34cp0sV-eyak3jxiZ1zE3nO9vO0stM4dYcRKE4tfCo0cdhcCgfjkS1EsIUEGV3St1UDICXVftFtA3jlceQWCdgQarhMZUl_bPMQjiFXD1gaTIU/s1600/DSCF1382.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgenwRtTJAc7_YZP7f8Tru3RMP-hpFxz34cp0sV-eyak3jxiZ1zE3nO9vO0stM4dYcRKE4tfCo0cdhcCgfjkS1EsIUEGV3St1UDICXVftFtA3jlceQWCdgQarhMZUl_bPMQjiFXD1gaTIU/s400/DSCF1382.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262968146167714" border="0" /></a><br />And a family favourite, on both sides, A&W rootbeer... a quick stop for a treat before hitting the road again to head a few more hours north. I think this was somewhere around Cache Creek.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfOhAZA05xh6fRTeRn82WHRFwhbRZ08RgzNkLgZH_z2RhnduyuvwfITDuOrTf0al8WGG8ecoAgAoGk8MxT1Iw1vfxBZEee3Arr2f16lwnOsW0EMyluL9tF8vTITo9NlmNnOse1-h_nI4/s1600/DSCF1013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRfOhAZA05xh6fRTeRn82WHRFwhbRZ08RgzNkLgZH_z2RhnduyuvwfITDuOrTf0al8WGG8ecoAgAoGk8MxT1Iw1vfxBZEee3Arr2f16lwnOsW0EMyluL9tF8vTITo9NlmNnOse1-h_nI4/s400/DSCF1013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788262527284237218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-86614545093658568502012-09-14T20:51:00.005-07:002012-09-14T21:07:16.468-07:00Things in the SkyI have found myself looking up a lot lately. There have been so many interesting things to see in the sky! The stars have seemed brighter lately, as we seem to get prolonged summer weather. (I know it is still technically Summer, but it isn't always like this!)<br /><br />The weekend before school started, we took the kids to their new school to play. While they were running around the field, I spotted a hot air balloon. It was really quite far away...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqCXt46M23GgDT0SGcy3Nizvb6RrvV_TzmegTR4AVMmCXmxoi5TzSUvFtiYDV02tNeG4p7lpXxPWGe3oV6A0knxBNOrtDsvm_m1S_iV2Qoq5DZouRyi7ugdoMH3Hm1dNjQUDrudZhduM/s1600/DSCF1734.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqCXt46M23GgDT0SGcy3Nizvb6RrvV_TzmegTR4AVMmCXmxoi5TzSUvFtiYDV02tNeG4p7lpXxPWGe3oV6A0knxBNOrtDsvm_m1S_iV2Qoq5DZouRyi7ugdoMH3Hm1dNjQUDrudZhduM/s400/DSCF1734.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788248654428980082" border="0" /></a><br />But, I managed to get a closer shot by zooming in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OaWI8Z1FAAhtGJz_7q0WLRjDsliPExoDrZOcCVwMBnrfDD9WdLGDpwDUgchjbd3ErX3RpNeJw0jTOsm9IsMzN_aF_QEK3JiLphMW_nps-biBPwIXS_uhwMsbg8XeMNPyll_RzboJ8fg/s1600/DSCF1724.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OaWI8Z1FAAhtGJz_7q0WLRjDsliPExoDrZOcCVwMBnrfDD9WdLGDpwDUgchjbd3ErX3RpNeJw0jTOsm9IsMzN_aF_QEK3JiLphMW_nps-biBPwIXS_uhwMsbg8XeMNPyll_RzboJ8fg/s400/DSCF1724.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788248643581680466" border="0" /></a><br />More thoughts on the sky... Did you get to see the "Blue Moon"? A Blue Moon is when there are 2 full moons in the same month. That happened in August, and I was able to snag a few cool pictures of the big BIG moon... even though it wasn't really blue! This is apparently not going to happen again until the year 2015.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYLxhNlLV7gzqOo9qQVcBLaX89sMao2f-9EY1Wt_XCjEaAPw743qeSElnrtquQp6IL6jhBM4z4LyCVqEc0ZTlifG058teCRzqbmCVRtdpH5VHzk1U-KfKAxJX1fkHT2bVH7idgtYK1Mk/s1600/DSCF1737.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYLxhNlLV7gzqOo9qQVcBLaX89sMao2f-9EY1Wt_XCjEaAPw743qeSElnrtquQp6IL6jhBM4z4LyCVqEc0ZTlifG058teCRzqbmCVRtdpH5VHzk1U-KfKAxJX1fkHT2bVH7idgtYK1Mk/s400/DSCF1737.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788248655960794850" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHz2oZrrWSaf5yptKg852e_fHDSc7TlClNbt7Sl1XBDi1HtshNoKSBw8TPTXfB2CTZKAZMidotBu2Bo2M3UYNtkU-52vthWpZm3dSroW1HhPpBgJKRIUhVaXhbL3was31dLRqRNHiobVc/s1600/DSCF1745.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHz2oZrrWSaf5yptKg852e_fHDSc7TlClNbt7Sl1XBDi1HtshNoKSBw8TPTXfB2CTZKAZMidotBu2Bo2M3UYNtkU-52vthWpZm3dSroW1HhPpBgJKRIUhVaXhbL3was31dLRqRNHiobVc/s400/DSCF1745.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788248664873156754" border="0" /></a><br />Then, after playing around with my camera and taking a whole bunch of too-bright and very blurry pictures, I managed to turn the light way down (so just the light reflected from the moon would be there, which means the face of the man on the moon shows up more because it is created by shadows) and hold my hands very still and take this cool shot:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOx55Xq6u312hUNxKHgRNQTtwCyaKszOb4L8d9pk4xD2CCGF3v8d36wnswPvSmlVs6D-2JAzGG84lqbWqBBhiAOmVlx5dfqB6o-OcHEKMrBvUv2kxyyCuhbe36XrswB4805AXtrFcdR8/s1600/DSCF1761.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKOx55Xq6u312hUNxKHgRNQTtwCyaKszOb4L8d9pk4xD2CCGF3v8d36wnswPvSmlVs6D-2JAzGG84lqbWqBBhiAOmVlx5dfqB6o-OcHEKMrBvUv2kxyyCuhbe36XrswB4805AXtrFcdR8/s400/DSCF1761.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5788248675950578818" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-48464745610727856612012-08-27T18:45:00.009-07:002012-08-27T19:46:54.870-07:00Gold Fever<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7XdgU9QeUvawCYaSI3DCyn8zxH-WaSd5gStXvwJY7LVTsSrAjmJTcfNwE7RcLcz6TmF6gTi_qkZjKx9JnI-SrPxpNI_hfchw0gtM38dZP2UvHXE39CaWB8ClQMdxGNPTh1eMtRVlGms/s1600/DSCF1084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7XdgU9QeUvawCYaSI3DCyn8zxH-WaSd5gStXvwJY7LVTsSrAjmJTcfNwE7RcLcz6TmF6gTi_qkZjKx9JnI-SrPxpNI_hfchw0gtM38dZP2UvHXE39CaWB8ClQMdxGNPTh1eMtRVlGms/s400/DSCF1084.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781548099282739618" border="0" /></a><br />Summer has almost come to an end... I have actually already started work. I started back on Thursday for orientation and to meet some new coworkers. Information overload, to say the least!! Then today, I got to meet all the staff as it was the first official day back for everyone. After a morning jam packed full of meetings, the Principal surprised everyone by saying we were going to go play laser tag and then to DQ for blizzards. I love this school already!!<br /><br />Before my summer ended, we wanted to take a little family holiday, and Steve was able to take a bit of time off work so we could get away. He will stay off until the kids start school, because then they will just be coming to school with me.<br /><br />We decided to head north for a few days... way up to Gold Rush territory! We visited the historic town of Barkerville, BC, and spent 2 days exploring there. I went there a couple times when I was a kid and have great memories from that place. It was such a great experience for our kids. Here are a few of our photos from Barkerville. I will do the rest of the trip in a different post.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHCGvPG3ZLnPBLo-MtQaqbLunkVib0SZAms3IHc_YeqmgP_7XtFSf_dYdybNEB8-xQLPWLaQkPb0NFI2IStnBIpuP4UhTkpTAW5vrm4oZPEz51cXsAJ878_MGtBCoHoqb0LFqRvVqMRo/s1600/DSCF1357.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHCGvPG3ZLnPBLo-MtQaqbLunkVib0SZAms3IHc_YeqmgP_7XtFSf_dYdybNEB8-xQLPWLaQkPb0NFI2IStnBIpuP4UhTkpTAW5vrm4oZPEz51cXsAJ878_MGtBCoHoqb0LFqRvVqMRo/s400/DSCF1357.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537402395908082" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2DwNBu14ZbYnwwDe4Si6qJ707RefJQQhFyGLz_xHYD-L1jUk_MYJrtpNtn9FoQDHJxkNE1Bv4qxPpQT2fQ8n48GTIAoRAsbNGDBOugh9Qu-l1iehsaVJK-ken5NLQpPKsJ4rGSCzDsA/s1600/DSCF1354.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU2DwNBu14ZbYnwwDe4Si6qJ707RefJQQhFyGLz_xHYD-L1jUk_MYJrtpNtn9FoQDHJxkNE1Bv4qxPpQT2fQ8n48GTIAoRAsbNGDBOugh9Qu-l1iehsaVJK-ken5NLQpPKsJ4rGSCzDsA/s400/DSCF1354.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781536592281084002" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmUnxdLPTsHd7_LMgcHiBp_-t3Mb-89pjav8v8J8O9IEKf1ZMCMfzjN3cIIij4qy8m9fIp361QbASwQE2Ee3mOTOrGrszPZWhffJkj_26uYwp51PZMTYueuuBTFbfw1dCnzAnKmavHPc/s1600/DSCF1365.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUmUnxdLPTsHd7_LMgcHiBp_-t3Mb-89pjav8v8J8O9IEKf1ZMCMfzjN3cIIij4qy8m9fIp361QbASwQE2Ee3mOTOrGrszPZWhffJkj_26uYwp51PZMTYueuuBTFbfw1dCnzAnKmavHPc/s400/DSCF1365.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537407027170498" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY808peja2xuzJ5XWN8JtqrLsgl7dpm5UtcWWWdXnsxcyCxpGItmiOYYghV7RoUVBXbS71s2722hQ0iSU8n3xnizKIiHlYCbdiXfzo3FF8Ce-yZ3GwmshPoCOOJT-bAON4WLvLSxoUtAk/s1600/photo-109.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY808peja2xuzJ5XWN8JtqrLsgl7dpm5UtcWWWdXnsxcyCxpGItmiOYYghV7RoUVBXbS71s2722hQ0iSU8n3xnizKIiHlYCbdiXfzo3FF8Ce-yZ3GwmshPoCOOJT-bAON4WLvLSxoUtAk/s400/photo-109.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537647240520482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVSY1Dx-jLRHJbMCD5zEC-Ki4BquLNnQFmqcrYKFDcZvj2reTtew_KaFZAp1aINAShCZs6h1vfPLN5mJy6G3bB77-xpCPHFxqTqTd1Gf7bhZ2_n-qtWp7SUnDuLxCLjq82gpDPtJrV6I/s1600/DSCF1158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVSY1Dx-jLRHJbMCD5zEC-Ki4BquLNnQFmqcrYKFDcZvj2reTtew_KaFZAp1aINAShCZs6h1vfPLN5mJy6G3bB77-xpCPHFxqTqTd1Gf7bhZ2_n-qtWp7SUnDuLxCLjq82gpDPtJrV6I/s400/DSCF1158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781364878518313794" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaKNQO9aoRG29NpAQvWGTkcv7Bl1bSpdM6yL3DyPSByiPC3SKPHSSNyoZv5gtbGu1gNhyEQctcKl1FFOSUbCixdZizC7ABCMxMCUdXNIz-AxkM_dEG74_G9-SuPgWNtfFciyEfwbiIM0/s1600/DSCF1114.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaKNQO9aoRG29NpAQvWGTkcv7Bl1bSpdM6yL3DyPSByiPC3SKPHSSNyoZv5gtbGu1gNhyEQctcKl1FFOSUbCixdZizC7ABCMxMCUdXNIz-AxkM_dEG74_G9-SuPgWNtfFciyEfwbiIM0/s400/DSCF1114.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781186445195032130" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1NGuZ2pCmfuqWcet-ODry_uJyeAgIv975tGB5_-4j_gP2BCXxF_HZCnf7yA_WreWuE30-Dv6Dz8H8kchtCyCIfwCRDTJERwGpaIfvFTiYHvI94KJ4rSXG_IuGWoYwCpF8eZiuwjFpAc/s1600/DSCF1112.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1NGuZ2pCmfuqWcet-ODry_uJyeAgIv975tGB5_-4j_gP2BCXxF_HZCnf7yA_WreWuE30-Dv6Dz8H8kchtCyCIfwCRDTJERwGpaIfvFTiYHvI94KJ4rSXG_IuGWoYwCpF8eZiuwjFpAc/s400/DSCF1112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781186435390014802" border="0" /></a><br />St. Saviour's Anglican church<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0DvtsmzDnVx4po_FH5C7lnwnuQEXsdh8X_VZphnDkYPlzmPeS42kg6JjWBqxmlG-uoM4lhrbhmy92UsZ5osg9kVlZhHYA_9xb6VRj6snpgsSIHcYBfebhuHru0T-OMbpINvKdSUPO_A/s1600/DSCF1103.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB0DvtsmzDnVx4po_FH5C7lnwnuQEXsdh8X_VZphnDkYPlzmPeS42kg6JjWBqxmlG-uoM4lhrbhmy92UsZ5osg9kVlZhHYA_9xb6VRj6snpgsSIHcYBfebhuHru0T-OMbpINvKdSUPO_A/s400/DSCF1103.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781186431290743218" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lPIka6FPzEflr219EH9SpJH-c1iDcxqx8_9PaIXMpFmoXpk12n9dMvVCqoPZ4cP0bjyS6Ic-RX2Y_vgOlGZ9R4k04a8e5wUo9hp4Lj4giTqBWqQnlHaIT8zuecQiJpogjkFqxLCiGtk/s1600/DSCF1097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9lPIka6FPzEflr219EH9SpJH-c1iDcxqx8_9PaIXMpFmoXpk12n9dMvVCqoPZ4cP0bjyS6Ic-RX2Y_vgOlGZ9R4k04a8e5wUo9hp4Lj4giTqBWqQnlHaIT8zuecQiJpogjkFqxLCiGtk/s400/DSCF1097.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781186422804551858" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgus5l3bHdwNmuCQJRhOsrKxKqJY9zmALvs9wxvICvXGAjzN6yAF6qRsd27-4FNowEitwTPXD9ld7Ka4ohXqK2vnCPzwp2lybrmG6yLUvKP9h23wY63oh6x8T6z7SvVIR85yhMlSSMZKeo/s1600/photo-104.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgus5l3bHdwNmuCQJRhOsrKxKqJY9zmALvs9wxvICvXGAjzN6yAF6qRsd27-4FNowEitwTPXD9ld7Ka4ohXqK2vnCPzwp2lybrmG6yLUvKP9h23wY63oh6x8T6z7SvVIR85yhMlSSMZKeo/s400/photo-104.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537430094850050" border="0" /></a><br />I have a bit of a fascination with cemeteries, so when it was time for the walking tour to Barkerville Cemetery, of course I dragged my kids and Steve up the hill behind the priest to go hear stories about who was buried there!! So very interesting.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPKnOT7qs3tTKDylCq8pm60yv-VpkVcnbu9_QtFz5pn0_S-I8EEkzLlxy90QEROvFlxKi7tkCKeF712LkHNmvBf9rUY4Ri6KuWXfG-wQudStlF9ODgnucbxb_-PSfNaqfzc2gykGgB9Y/s1600/DSCF1252.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDPKnOT7qs3tTKDylCq8pm60yv-VpkVcnbu9_QtFz5pn0_S-I8EEkzLlxy90QEROvFlxKi7tkCKeF712LkHNmvBf9rUY4Ri6KuWXfG-wQudStlF9ODgnucbxb_-PSfNaqfzc2gykGgB9Y/s400/DSCF1252.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781535147486797714" border="0" /></a><br />People came from all over the world during the gold rush days.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZQW1H8zXzTVT5v_U8mD7OHMeAoeFJBFi-6Nml9Hxg0YhI3EaF2VH3CajcNeszbJyIgIfG6AhR3ulPQexzdVHKWlxJTO4G4gOBLFL-dXSWD2dkKBiVOgC8N1GPrUGqO-rGEUjY0d4h8M/s1600/DSCF1241.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZQW1H8zXzTVT5v_U8mD7OHMeAoeFJBFi-6Nml9Hxg0YhI3EaF2VH3CajcNeszbJyIgIfG6AhR3ulPQexzdVHKWlxJTO4G4gOBLFL-dXSWD2dkKBiVOgC8N1GPrUGqO-rGEUjY0d4h8M/s400/DSCF1241.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534725019589458" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZaiFHZvjlhgnshlXQxH4Lfti5PLEyuMGkO7F5Dv9BI95JDU-q421A5d71CdKHYw1Gf1KsrdqlSOBtHy2Goh1dbkiKfoNfVRFrFz8KHyqEoQbeGT5J8WEkTRTFyLOPI34tyNZBJNpBTI/s1600/DSCF1245.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZaiFHZvjlhgnshlXQxH4Lfti5PLEyuMGkO7F5Dv9BI95JDU-q421A5d71CdKHYw1Gf1KsrdqlSOBtHy2Goh1dbkiKfoNfVRFrFz8KHyqEoQbeGT5J8WEkTRTFyLOPI34tyNZBJNpBTI/s400/DSCF1245.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534743844382290" border="0" /></a><br />Yes, we had ice cream on both days!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaIUi6GKCaYRfwoh30iSblJf81ht1HdRiMulSeVna96DBnwj2xxkMbtPcklXPlfwmXc386_8SXWT8A7fJHWTzKwAJvhWumYfdl6tVOR1WgfLJz3OpkxkBefwknn08lNSIepome62elbs/s1600/photo-102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaIUi6GKCaYRfwoh30iSblJf81ht1HdRiMulSeVna96DBnwj2xxkMbtPcklXPlfwmXc386_8SXWT8A7fJHWTzKwAJvhWumYfdl6tVOR1WgfLJz3OpkxkBefwknn08lNSIepome62elbs/s400/photo-102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537420389579794" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB-B46_D63ekbJCU6ZaD46ELKBemHmSjreCpkvr88M92dWKafWZgwJsnCJjYF71fEixHNETWuM3Yi3810YHa38JcoICggg5v-q_nlPI34Lb6dVjqr7p8w75l0OczM1-lNIpmcyo5hTPM/s1600/photo-105.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB-B46_D63ekbJCU6ZaD46ELKBemHmSjreCpkvr88M92dWKafWZgwJsnCJjYF71fEixHNETWuM3Yi3810YHa38JcoICggg5v-q_nlPI34Lb6dVjqr7p8w75l0OczM1-lNIpmcyo5hTPM/s400/photo-105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537441615787442" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aclPY9F1TwAd4ycq0st_jyPvwZw_IShz6FrYAgiuuWZgoierL1s3Q776ii4Tr3V2kHwpzzI5eQqMOhlNoIKBKPr4myqillsAsG6trOhX7nTNrWILYxwhVBHtJ14jhKF_leHJ399ERSk/s1600/DSCF1334.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aclPY9F1TwAd4ycq0st_jyPvwZw_IShz6FrYAgiuuWZgoierL1s3Q776ii4Tr3V2kHwpzzI5eQqMOhlNoIKBKPr4myqillsAsG6trOhX7nTNrWILYxwhVBHtJ14jhKF_leHJ399ERSk/s400/DSCF1334.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781536586154316594" border="0" /></a><br />Steve and the kids are standing at the original end of the town, close to Richfield. Now, the Barkerville tour starts on the other end of town because that is how the road leads to town in our present day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hb19H44SVuUCIBm6I4WTTXkma3TOmnEyOzjIIq1_Bg2nGTwjnqn57t9HO5eS6hLyIwvflw9v7sDh1DydbTiWF7yRbcFOJZ6kVFKR4J-NIyOhEbw9PAUzg4SRM_xLC7wNb3OJdwuvlzo/s1600/DSCF1328.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hb19H44SVuUCIBm6I4WTTXkma3TOmnEyOzjIIq1_Bg2nGTwjnqn57t9HO5eS6hLyIwvflw9v7sDh1DydbTiWF7yRbcFOJZ6kVFKR4J-NIyOhEbw9PAUzg4SRM_xLC7wNb3OJdwuvlzo/s400/DSCF1328.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781536575610468610" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-5mPrG4o-ORb9tO_IwT-_mzSgrnqt9JCeXs4aTUHbOyzuqKtSxHpo4YD77LENs_vqeS_c8Pqtbb3J7cEo_MeC8rqI7tH-ZoXGSPrZ1jP1nlP8OKRCvrLetqR87uT3aeTWNQ2e6a12Yg/s1600/DSCF1325.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-5mPrG4o-ORb9tO_IwT-_mzSgrnqt9JCeXs4aTUHbOyzuqKtSxHpo4YD77LENs_vqeS_c8Pqtbb3J7cEo_MeC8rqI7tH-ZoXGSPrZ1jP1nlP8OKRCvrLetqR87uT3aeTWNQ2e6a12Yg/s400/DSCF1325.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781536570120691458" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtcE8CZD_0bP5Ud2ZuduZLi9nKmjb7lO6xQHl4nWdh4gVEdHQL7kkRtRsTgQfVo_4SMRLpDTthX5dA7QpNK4cqTyiwKs5mZUrPICoVRGW22AyRgc1IEO3_oDcHPOHQaSOck132N8UDz8/s1600/DSCF1324.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtcE8CZD_0bP5Ud2ZuduZLi9nKmjb7lO6xQHl4nWdh4gVEdHQL7kkRtRsTgQfVo_4SMRLpDTthX5dA7QpNK4cqTyiwKs5mZUrPICoVRGW22AyRgc1IEO3_oDcHPOHQaSOck132N8UDz8/s400/DSCF1324.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781536561582170898" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjcBUoHcJAENVYXpbYJfmSaLlA4CfPL50m9iqcFK44KhbkfmOluFV8TEfd1u3xmkLj9mL8SAuLkvP8tDcGaUfdIAqBZglHDlMXFvqoZl4PerymEprR3kfJwF8n0IdA83Ah_p59ADrHWI/s1600/DSCF1280.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjcBUoHcJAENVYXpbYJfmSaLlA4CfPL50m9iqcFK44KhbkfmOluFV8TEfd1u3xmkLj9mL8SAuLkvP8tDcGaUfdIAqBZglHDlMXFvqoZl4PerymEprR3kfJwF8n0IdA83Ah_p59ADrHWI/s400/DSCF1280.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781535172802673490" border="0" /></a><br />Scott got to be helper for the talk on the history of Barkerville.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAC9105YYzzp2DGeJsCQ4Bm51t3DE64hT1UHqVVWesCDqd6TOUMz2v-sygxbv7qNbz03qGp0t6mpkbB4S2Q-IlEgCQjvncBpTaxIITb_dC0k2zL2-a9WG9VZb1UPKVEpIyBHU4Bi4rNc/s1600/DSCF1274.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjAC9105YYzzp2DGeJsCQ4Bm51t3DE64hT1UHqVVWesCDqd6TOUMz2v-sygxbv7qNbz03qGp0t6mpkbB4S2Q-IlEgCQjvncBpTaxIITb_dC0k2zL2-a9WG9VZb1UPKVEpIyBHU4Bi4rNc/s400/DSCF1274.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781535165130470002" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nYGQSAkoyx4fvT6tFgxqudECVzLxC4HIB98jCzaAJctygjrkG3VRo00XgkxHpdvPzOsdBYeSxKuCb6_Jm3_f_JW4NMh-ial9Mdkr_wNC096ZVFgwgHFoT9TB4hXC7FD2UFxRlG_wGPc/s1600/DSCF1264.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_nYGQSAkoyx4fvT6tFgxqudECVzLxC4HIB98jCzaAJctygjrkG3VRo00XgkxHpdvPzOsdBYeSxKuCb6_Jm3_f_JW4NMh-ial9Mdkr_wNC096ZVFgwgHFoT9TB4hXC7FD2UFxRlG_wGPc/s400/DSCF1264.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781535157186717074" border="0" /></a><br />Barkerville's Chinatown was very interesting, too. It is the oldest Chinatown in BC.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbEBETOoBd7k32iveQbNE5m_6vDEYFPH7TMG8tXhKV2PWN4fQYwOQWAMRQGwFJaOoj6uwIFaQHGJQRl-otSvQEz60gD4QMj9XFlRQNNAPIH8-212_frAScG-eVb6wfa3cLCozxzD_oU0/s1600/DSCF1286.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbEBETOoBd7k32iveQbNE5m_6vDEYFPH7TMG8tXhKV2PWN4fQYwOQWAMRQGwFJaOoj6uwIFaQHGJQRl-otSvQEz60gD4QMj9XFlRQNNAPIH8-212_frAScG-eVb6wfa3cLCozxzD_oU0/s400/DSCF1286.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781535182702811474" border="0" /></a><br />We even got to go to school on our holiday! Here's Elise waiting for the teacher.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2c8zoOzOH97ByeMK2dI2_QmXJunrqAi-OCuc2wU0U_Nk4_6LRgpftkw3lsM2K5EJ-jN2B1_pWj0lDNz_ojOftU5JWGYo6FPy2l5JoBIq_9QffF0hDwdkHddtf9E0483cGwusTeO5cf0/s1600/DSCF1221.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2c8zoOzOH97ByeMK2dI2_QmXJunrqAi-OCuc2wU0U_Nk4_6LRgpftkw3lsM2K5EJ-jN2B1_pWj0lDNz_ojOftU5JWGYo6FPy2l5JoBIq_9QffF0hDwdkHddtf9E0483cGwusTeO5cf0/s400/DSCF1221.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534717382445458" border="0" /></a><br />The teacher goes to the centre of town a few minutes before class and rings the bell over and over... and never cracks a smile!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0nmDgvVa8dymo-41J3sM_MEHlLZu9lJ18Eg1Sgs8aQdhG5wvN0nO0XJ0Kuu9o9YcmLcdzQz30sRKnNDoZhR4MVnnsy1ptfIrBU72iRGqib23jFdx-7wbdTtrjTMotaC9Lnadd5WZeBg/s1600/DSCF1209.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0nmDgvVa8dymo-41J3sM_MEHlLZu9lJ18Eg1Sgs8aQdhG5wvN0nO0XJ0Kuu9o9YcmLcdzQz30sRKnNDoZhR4MVnnsy1ptfIrBU72iRGqib23jFdx-7wbdTtrjTMotaC9Lnadd5WZeBg/s400/DSCF1209.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781544401142036914" border="0" /></a><br />Our teacher was Mr. Mandel. I hope I don't scare my students like this when they come back to school next week!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNjeKmw3gTodxeHRfg-aLS6sOPNbiFR4L29iXj_EC8Q1S5H2-4-siunOwqG_YAfzSPko09uvaUgZtsNUpWowX9PUVSrL2f3oSpQZEGlNiEUQ0CfM5rBvX-bMP-F1dy7lVZZOJTSm2vGU/s1600/DSCF1210.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNjeKmw3gTodxeHRfg-aLS6sOPNbiFR4L29iXj_EC8Q1S5H2-4-siunOwqG_YAfzSPko09uvaUgZtsNUpWowX9PUVSrL2f3oSpQZEGlNiEUQ0CfM5rBvX-bMP-F1dy7lVZZOJTSm2vGU/s400/DSCF1210.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534709483050626" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4YRF_KBKDnImf05uDe_zQi_xnDMKPg_GfRWRNUb4iyOydv-XhndorMiw2AVsqZfiXMrEDkZjjQlM6PDmq5n9tXQ8Fv2FyMiMQhhcwz-EJCr4Q0w4SA9GGPrwnyZtgQ6p3d4FJWMQJFA/s1600/DSCF1205.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic4YRF_KBKDnImf05uDe_zQi_xnDMKPg_GfRWRNUb4iyOydv-XhndorMiw2AVsqZfiXMrEDkZjjQlM6PDmq5n9tXQ8Fv2FyMiMQhhcwz-EJCr4Q0w4SA9GGPrwnyZtgQ6p3d4FJWMQJFA/s400/DSCF1205.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534142070304930" border="0" /></a><br />The kids (Todd, especially) really wanted to pan for gold. This young man was very patient with them and we came away with 4 small flecks of gold. Not enough to retire on, but definitely enough to make the kids feel like successful prospectors!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_x9sdb7aG-f9BonD-TG10PJxE4ii41j0Qi6MhbIIgn2dPJTQG2G_lu4NGYrAwK92aKkJkEsEPwQmyBgD6bO6Of2XxLWWP7pxxaBd35WHgyYjE4q_HIAEwtW1NZX98SIQnYe3e8FLpNs/s1600/DSCF1191.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_x9sdb7aG-f9BonD-TG10PJxE4ii41j0Qi6MhbIIgn2dPJTQG2G_lu4NGYrAwK92aKkJkEsEPwQmyBgD6bO6Of2XxLWWP7pxxaBd35WHgyYjE4q_HIAEwtW1NZX98SIQnYe3e8FLpNs/s400/DSCF1191.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781365477300064578" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm-C0VWI7wSZNlCT0J7ZUYrsdvvKI2eu2qJjibe6r2E7z2_7P6jSFQ4QkT5_ZBdWKqtD7sZvkw-wvgiMmdPmIgBKNaM4EBgirV1roqM1JQP8VHQWSIoaaxH9dPuEkBIRklJvUPM8ExHo/s1600/DSCF1197-001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXm-C0VWI7wSZNlCT0J7ZUYrsdvvKI2eu2qJjibe6r2E7z2_7P6jSFQ4QkT5_ZBdWKqtD7sZvkw-wvgiMmdPmIgBKNaM4EBgirV1roqM1JQP8VHQWSIoaaxH9dPuEkBIRklJvUPM8ExHo/s400/DSCF1197-001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534134842567506" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2vgrINvQG4bxIyOfEx2BSv9WkP9bfrK6vla9H4HT_LR1NgO4-Jnd5OJTHcodmsBra6cvL25lcXpfmAWz9-Afoj7mATAa2LClhLiautoISeFmo0gpDJksPsyyl0kQju-PblgdvcbpEk0/s1600/DSCF1196.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2vgrINvQG4bxIyOfEx2BSv9WkP9bfrK6vla9H4HT_LR1NgO4-Jnd5OJTHcodmsBra6cvL25lcXpfmAWz9-Afoj7mATAa2LClhLiautoISeFmo0gpDJksPsyyl0kQju-PblgdvcbpEk0/s400/DSCF1196.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534124076277602" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Jx4IDO3424Csu8Y4wQkiIO8g6eu7Sl1YlgwmOKNX6WG623RrKuKlCyzWnBtOEt_mpAyYLToEpDkUNoBcYvXD5H37yJ1JbH_MluDH-MUvGIfaaG0ZSdPTL9GamxH8ND1h3gQxPgAVeA/s1600/DSCF1194.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21Jx4IDO3424Csu8Y4wQkiIO8g6eu7Sl1YlgwmOKNX6WG623RrKuKlCyzWnBtOEt_mpAyYLToEpDkUNoBcYvXD5H37yJ1JbH_MluDH-MUvGIfaaG0ZSdPTL9GamxH8ND1h3gQxPgAVeA/s400/DSCF1194.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781534114887433218" border="0" /></a><br />Todd didn't really need to see the town to feel like he had been there... most of the 2 days he had his head in the map. I often had to stop and wait for him to catch up to us, but he was so intent on not missing any buildings, and he kept a checklist in his head of all the ones we had seen the first day and made sure we went to the other ones the next day. It actually came in pretty handy for me that he was keeping track of this information!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAryQCo7-JuJqsFEoZeLX4RRvGjxKcUce9WRf06OKWgg2oAm7ZvBRItN1R1nlGIKYaG9Zoyp2Squt8TsliYczw3uu_bU574CeEY41K1iWyIkX5rHo56jrjmgeo5Pr3fdVwnFJSXKFNTcA/s1600/DSCF1174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAryQCo7-JuJqsFEoZeLX4RRvGjxKcUce9WRf06OKWgg2oAm7ZvBRItN1R1nlGIKYaG9Zoyp2Squt8TsliYczw3uu_bU574CeEY41K1iWyIkX5rHo56jrjmgeo5Pr3fdVwnFJSXKFNTcA/s400/DSCF1174.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781365437578257186" border="0" /></a><br />The Town tour was so good that we went on both days.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllliP3oIj_EX8eam8fvtHRnAy4s31_JMlfCcWv3qL9B8sFqQdfihC53GXMC60FZrWIlclmZaPbSOz_kYzI9BOgljm1YMFg7-VnT3QhuJcDacYnUY_zAkjYqCehPHRG6MDz7O2oKy2m78/s1600/DSCF1170.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllliP3oIj_EX8eam8fvtHRnAy4s31_JMlfCcWv3qL9B8sFqQdfihC53GXMC60FZrWIlclmZaPbSOz_kYzI9BOgljm1YMFg7-VnT3QhuJcDacYnUY_zAkjYqCehPHRG6MDz7O2oKy2m78/s400/DSCF1170.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781365429330544994" border="0" /></a><br />This is Miss Kate... we saw her over the 2 days in several different costumes. She led some dancing lessons, played the Hertie Gertie for us, and stopped to chat later in the day after she had changed to a different dress. The funny thing is that at the end of the 2nd day, once we had returned to the nearby town of Wells where we were spending the night, I ran into her in the General store buying ice cream with her boyfriend. I said, "good day" and it was really quite awkward after seeing her in character for 2 days to see her in jeans and a t-shirt and in real life 2012... It must be hard for these actors to live the life of the 1860's for 5 months of the year and then have to step back to present day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwftPzOGOauf01rXy7I7OBTCPYMxLQxflittR6gz0HtksNGPm2LZ_S-KvCtqUnoR1i-HhPGQrrT0zITQ4OpCneo1UMOTAbJh60wUto4xtIlZ9ViMLjJs5ZHOku931mxl1qG56B83VcDE/s1600/DSCF1162.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwftPzOGOauf01rXy7I7OBTCPYMxLQxflittR6gz0HtksNGPm2LZ_S-KvCtqUnoR1i-HhPGQrrT0zITQ4OpCneo1UMOTAbJh60wUto4xtIlZ9ViMLjJs5ZHOku931mxl1qG56B83VcDE/s400/DSCF1162.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781365426755870514" border="0" /></a><br />Mr Grimsby is quite a character. He does the waterwheel show and was such a great actor. Apparently he's been there for around 20 years... and someone said he's had the same hat all those years, too!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjpW9TnK8fhSKlt_dLBQy4IUksyaFr_ohBfazVXmp5rc3LwE-I5sPyt5O1mx_PIsjQhK1f-xc4MzrZD28Sz9-sAuSy1hkRjE4IfwwxL9cioUNlpFEphz_j8-vxacvAXjjqXbFiUnTxjU/s1600/DSCF1156.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjpW9TnK8fhSKlt_dLBQy4IUksyaFr_ohBfazVXmp5rc3LwE-I5sPyt5O1mx_PIsjQhK1f-xc4MzrZD28Sz9-sAuSy1hkRjE4IfwwxL9cioUNlpFEphz_j8-vxacvAXjjqXbFiUnTxjU/s400/DSCF1156.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781364855731069026" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt8HDu-HobZN3xolwpJryIZ1zSJt_xDLCWlT7O3t1C4LGf-I5xR8DHeF_1AwQTaMDweCJ4DqII3oaNrk4vj9VEUrrQnk6ehGO54SpIF8oATMNxYogyi16p9QhG4gEP_N1xBj8rRU3wn4/s1600/DSCF1152.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt8HDu-HobZN3xolwpJryIZ1zSJt_xDLCWlT7O3t1C4LGf-I5xR8DHeF_1AwQTaMDweCJ4DqII3oaNrk4vj9VEUrrQnk6ehGO54SpIF8oATMNxYogyi16p9QhG4gEP_N1xBj8rRU3wn4/s400/DSCF1152.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781364836605600498" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0SwQ-ouaNnGJD5MpV5BL2e9VdOi1cG0Iuq7LWuBnSK7bIbZYFfczI6NPhKzvLfZnRVrdOycNW6_ArHaBuMQb9JE4HWun4xeJ1w2AS_w4blhBcFHGYb_xRAxeof82BXmBud16R317IgI/s1600/DSCF1148.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0SwQ-ouaNnGJD5MpV5BL2e9VdOi1cG0Iuq7LWuBnSK7bIbZYFfczI6NPhKzvLfZnRVrdOycNW6_ArHaBuMQb9JE4HWun4xeJ1w2AS_w4blhBcFHGYb_xRAxeof82BXmBud16R317IgI/s400/DSCF1148.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781364820102174210" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgQJqAgyqQfd_Ntz5II708Gwg2r5VpjXRL7dseTGiAps2nbAY0PlhPhl-ctY5-FPIawQB9jOsdnqzbMg7XwM58mNkiMm5iXrZ_KJfcUcpJtp_4mDHay6DV9t5DSEe16SUyXdojTd7vHA/s1600/photo-108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgQJqAgyqQfd_Ntz5II708Gwg2r5VpjXRL7dseTGiAps2nbAY0PlhPhl-ctY5-FPIawQB9jOsdnqzbMg7XwM58mNkiMm5iXrZ_KJfcUcpJtp_4mDHay6DV9t5DSEe16SUyXdojTd7vHA/s400/photo-108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781537637775188706" border="0" /></a><br />Barkerville even had a town library.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY62aBYoWyMfilepSlWud6G3V3hrB-Go8JEp2GXcdfsmBgzYOeW66OWslKiGHxSfVI-8ORITpTI0dInPNGbL2_rnp4pusbIzlPr5vqxZLbIgE0OlLB30wKxV3Av5-KpGURdoWYnk1A4Q/s1600/DSCF1126.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicY62aBYoWyMfilepSlWud6G3V3hrB-Go8JEp2GXcdfsmBgzYOeW66OWslKiGHxSfVI-8ORITpTI0dInPNGbL2_rnp4pusbIzlPr5vqxZLbIgE0OlLB30wKxV3Av5-KpGURdoWYnk1A4Q/s400/DSCF1126.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781364813510955426" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoBFgMajLIKwndOtM_B6C_rSCrRuQBPa0Cy5iKL1yE_laPZ6JA94Y33qEzV-2bFw0Rw4XZFish0SqeJeWKCqWmgexhrjjP0WWoyfXFRa23NCgF1rsXkFnmWDpYLJ3_LNDaTgZv1VKkcY/s1600/DSCF1123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoBFgMajLIKwndOtM_B6C_rSCrRuQBPa0Cy5iKL1yE_laPZ6JA94Y33qEzV-2bFw0Rw4XZFish0SqeJeWKCqWmgexhrjjP0WWoyfXFRa23NCgF1rsXkFnmWDpYLJ3_LNDaTgZv1VKkcY/s400/DSCF1123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781186454382010626" border="0" /></a><br />At the saloon... now a restaurant where we had lunch.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunz97C8lYiBVZZXLKjfYevViIsBpQmFfunk1Z1i6eWMYtSO6ZUJaqTtoiejZiX9TR31puvKmCKzJq0rfqP-p6Orq95cV7Ehk-ZxpVI47SwNKpE4-7g3y9wrK-FWgByCZY25t5cUK5L3Y/s1600/DSCF1092.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjunz97C8lYiBVZZXLKjfYevViIsBpQmFfunk1Z1i6eWMYtSO6ZUJaqTtoiejZiX9TR31puvKmCKzJq0rfqP-p6Orq95cV7Ehk-ZxpVI47SwNKpE4-7g3y9wrK-FWgByCZY25t5cUK5L3Y/s400/DSCF1092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781185844368292306" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2jAm65Wl1Aj4Ex1vTu1RgKUprFSagj2c0hunns1f79MFqR3Oa-Hz0HjJvZDR-2m8xH27IV1BRaUbBNLRGQxmRmEJAVoQMQmuspZH37nT69-7NAQYd1iJZIR4Abcx0iu0GL4RntJ1RuQ/s1600/DSCF1094.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2jAm65Wl1Aj4Ex1vTu1RgKUprFSagj2c0hunns1f79MFqR3Oa-Hz0HjJvZDR-2m8xH27IV1BRaUbBNLRGQxmRmEJAVoQMQmuspZH37nT69-7NAQYd1iJZIR4Abcx0iu0GL4RntJ1RuQ/s400/DSCF1094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781185853570944354" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeBxiz66SCCXQwNE9mEsbT52-N8bfRp34aROeSy9uI-ArdUHPVG8oUHkyH6bThsCxbpZYnAsnrX6xOpzSoHNVebVzv8rm6aWh5cGGAlrolB62pTFCoBMHaJqBo15Kou4mPi2iHL_HYYY/s1600/DSCF1080.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeBxiz66SCCXQwNE9mEsbT52-N8bfRp34aROeSy9uI-ArdUHPVG8oUHkyH6bThsCxbpZYnAsnrX6xOpzSoHNVebVzv8rm6aWh5cGGAlrolB62pTFCoBMHaJqBo15Kou4mPi2iHL_HYYY/s400/DSCF1080.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5781185822354621538" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-2107467440579488292012-08-07T16:54:00.004-07:002012-08-07T17:41:00.642-07:00How I Contribute to my Family...Last year, I tried the whole "chore chart" thing. I guess it worked... gave the kids a place to look at a list of things to do, etc. But I found it was using up a lot of paper.<br /><br />This year, I am going to try <a href="http://suttongrace.blogspot.ca/2010/01/chore-charts.html">this idea</a> that I found on Pinterest. It is originally from a blog called Sutton Grace. Instead of calling them "chores" you call them Family Contributions. I like this so much better. When I ask my kids to do something, they usually say yes. But, there are times when they ask why??? My all-the-time answer is, "Because you are privileged to be part of this family, and with that privilege comes the responsibility to contribute."<br /><br />Hmmm, maybe my long answer is the reason they usually say yes!! I wouldn't want to hear that all the time, either!<br /><br />Last year with the chore chart, I found that we really only used it at the start of the school year, until around October or November. It really wasn't necessary to continue on throughout the year because the kids seemed to do their jobs without needing to be reminded after awhile.<br /><br />We have a large closet with a window in our house that we have named "The Schoolroom" because it is where all school bags, gym bags, coats and hoodies get put after school on hooks. This is where the job lists are hanging, too. Instead of laminating these, which isn't very expensive, but does make the papers non-recyclable, I put my job lists in clear plastic sleeves which can still be wiped off at the end of each week if you use an overhead projector pen, or dry erase marker, but can be used again if we change the kids' jobs. All the kids have the same basic jobs like cleaning their rooms and practicing piano. But, then they are also given additional jobs that suit their ages.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHx3NwMhVG5gKsuUKLSSwlNrxf03tyxUYlZrzzKC5jIhLOZQvq3nPK-FR4woQaqr8LaWsQpIbr4ScVbFeKWLCS9fltHYW0oWpRW6MyDnHYD6UA4uUuYNIPfsKFrdRmJ0iyNREta-aF9A/s1600/DSCF0863.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisHx3NwMhVG5gKsuUKLSSwlNrxf03tyxUYlZrzzKC5jIhLOZQvq3nPK-FR4woQaqr8LaWsQpIbr4ScVbFeKWLCS9fltHYW0oWpRW6MyDnHYD6UA4uUuYNIPfsKFrdRmJ0iyNREta-aF9A/s400/DSCF0863.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774089759170978354" border="0" /></a><br />Scott is 9 years old, and quite thorough in his work, so his jobs include vacuuming and getting the mail. He can take a sibling with him for the mail, but he is responsible for the key and making sure all the mail gets brought home.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGg_-KEKsQnWsciZU69uJ7Xzp2rtWJnkFmL3TVhGIYVAsxRVxgjkxFvPumRj8zqJbybD38xPKdx8bnL29fTQwJH1qLLUuJSoPsWetdQDg7D_ckabB99RSXWSmnFkBa3QNDaVcOw90ie8/s1600/DSCF0864.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLGg_-KEKsQnWsciZU69uJ7Xzp2rtWJnkFmL3TVhGIYVAsxRVxgjkxFvPumRj8zqJbybD38xPKdx8bnL29fTQwJH1qLLUuJSoPsWetdQDg7D_ckabB99RSXWSmnFkBa3QNDaVcOw90ie8/s400/DSCF0864.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774089765055790594" border="0" /></a><br />Todd is 8. He does best with repetitive things that don't take a lot of problem solving, so dusting and taking out the garbage should be perfect jobs for him.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uuTc74sZOwqq9lfA4WrFng8DxjCR6cgeki_7JXEti7eGi0WCil6Tp4BopVyY1Vp5BfXMG0w02owoeTUCJoh8Fwk3N4m4TwGgZIulHpG__W3mpoQ96qEjdIsNP1-u-TL3KenVsVmyECM/s1600/DSCF0865.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uuTc74sZOwqq9lfA4WrFng8DxjCR6cgeki_7JXEti7eGi0WCil6Tp4BopVyY1Vp5BfXMG0w02owoeTUCJoh8Fwk3N4m4TwGgZIulHpG__W3mpoQ96qEjdIsNP1-u-TL3KenVsVmyECM/s400/DSCF0865.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774089768625119650" border="0" /></a><br />Elise is 6. She loves helping out wherever one of her parents are working, so when I told her that setting the table would be one of her jobs, she gave me a big smile!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD9bMvBTDSIJbJQwpFvAV31yEByX3GegXcHgrxnBC91_r147koFZEPbBUIRIuNDkq4acf5v0UOXBW9_29IiCA62UiSC7GjzPWAO4HbGrBzfrdwIdXeuiUITYcz8Z3sWB3cP74u2r-ZOY/s1600/DSCF0866.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXD9bMvBTDSIJbJQwpFvAV31yEByX3GegXcHgrxnBC91_r147koFZEPbBUIRIuNDkq4acf5v0UOXBW9_29IiCA62UiSC7GjzPWAO4HbGrBzfrdwIdXeuiUITYcz8Z3sWB3cP74u2r-ZOY/s400/DSCF0866.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5774089779626547074" border="0" /></a><br />I love the idea of contributing to your family so much more than doing chores and getting money. We do not give our kids an allowance, or pay them for completing chores. They sometimes get rewards, but usually that is in the form of a family reward, such as a family movie night, or going out for an ice cream treat.<br /><br />Another resource, thanks to Pinterest, is from the Happy Housewife blog where there is a great list of family job ideas for every age group. Find it at<a href="http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/age-appropriate-chores-for-kids/"> this link. </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-69857062648527648812012-08-06T10:43:00.008-07:002012-08-06T11:55:54.396-07:00A Day at the FairSummer doesn't seem complete without a trip to the country fair. We spent 5 hours in the 34 degree weather yesterday at the Agrifair, and here are a few of the highlights...<br /><br />We got there in time for the worship service. The Youth Band was playing and a couple local pastors gave the message. A neat experience to be in the middle of the fair having a worship time.<br /><br />Our friend, Sarah, was playing the keyboard with the band.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7K5ZGJqv5-3BZ1_5eyGObA_Pe2RHW4b-UAquI2ZbJyt_4R1USnneTrKiWZGBFIJO2hsvQdGNdc5wkTLtTm2or0Og7v54NVws0cnFI1QvAlPoL1TCRB8YzOsHIluP0zLT5wmJf1o4cBU/s1600/DSCF0725.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7K5ZGJqv5-3BZ1_5eyGObA_Pe2RHW4b-UAquI2ZbJyt_4R1USnneTrKiWZGBFIJO2hsvQdGNdc5wkTLtTm2or0Og7v54NVws0cnFI1QvAlPoL1TCRB8YzOsHIluP0zLT5wmJf1o4cBU/s400/DSCF0725.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773617799156003570" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D78SNJR_LJMmbRO16R-vhpaNhukjcdy-EMA4wPTRbJ3WV-UWxU6KrOAYmxKRj9u6giY85af6HmeE_qlKwUJ0iZeFwxAqytKhhP31iQxwUj-ePH6D_H9gSNwPQPLlmVTW3JwAI-iUMbc/s1600/DSCF0719.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7D78SNJR_LJMmbRO16R-vhpaNhukjcdy-EMA4wPTRbJ3WV-UWxU6KrOAYmxKRj9u6giY85af6HmeE_qlKwUJ0iZeFwxAqytKhhP31iQxwUj-ePH6D_H9gSNwPQPLlmVTW3JwAI-iUMbc/s400/DSCF0719.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773617794431634642" border="0" /></a><br />Next we went indoors for a beekeeping demonstration. This was so cool, and something that I would love to try one day. This man was covered in hundreds of bees. I've seen this done on TV before, but never live. The man in white just stood perfectly still, and the man in yellow said that the chances of him getting stung were slim to none because he was not doing anything that would make the bees feel threatened. It was the announcer that said that he, himself, was more at risk for getting stung, but that didn't happen.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYtANpYPfV8yTUy7BLsEzYuGa705bS8Oa5xUlUq4Q4iLQPDXRPHACLyKMIL7OTE0OsttvaUSggfcMnEDQkWNfdFR7N82w22Zh4iLeYuLFKj5mN_YbFVt3Xxj3VEABUZWKswgBJTD22o0/s1600/DSCF0729.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUYtANpYPfV8yTUy7BLsEzYuGa705bS8Oa5xUlUq4Q4iLQPDXRPHACLyKMIL7OTE0OsttvaUSggfcMnEDQkWNfdFR7N82w22Zh4iLeYuLFKj5mN_YbFVt3Xxj3VEABUZWKswgBJTD22o0/s400/DSCF0729.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773617814838754514" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BZ45cf3cC9-d2iC_AtUYD886qdTSRsH-55KnDq5nlr_aqoL5X_triENKTW0KDCn4cjQgO7cZtJVHVGq2tzXGLz41SgU83DeoEP1zpFUkLtI2vbCODTMaU0jjKrKg-D8xJi-0wdLwZHM/s1600/DSCF0726.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_BZ45cf3cC9-d2iC_AtUYD886qdTSRsH-55KnDq5nlr_aqoL5X_triENKTW0KDCn4cjQgO7cZtJVHVGq2tzXGLz41SgU83DeoEP1zpFUkLtI2vbCODTMaU0jjKrKg-D8xJi-0wdLwZHM/s400/DSCF0726.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773617807285849154" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcQC0cdrXaQMTt6zJhNJo7F5t121ZdpX7u1zroBzp5imAp7vOuiAJkrWMqJUN-anB2nV5KbkZ3JL3UFXzER6Af2R5kPqIG30yEjf19gDmpsPA746IkkM3dOlUMoyoeSaGpqn18T3AZOw/s1600/DSCF0733.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcQC0cdrXaQMTt6zJhNJo7F5t121ZdpX7u1zroBzp5imAp7vOuiAJkrWMqJUN-anB2nV5KbkZ3JL3UFXzER6Af2R5kPqIG30yEjf19gDmpsPA746IkkM3dOlUMoyoeSaGpqn18T3AZOw/s400/DSCF0733.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773617826026191698" border="0" /></a><br />After the bees we had some pizza for lunch and sat to watch the guys on skateboards. I was so impressed with what these guys could do on their skateboards. There were two 16 year old guys, and then a man that didn't say his age, but did say that he's been skateboarding for 36 years... and he still had it! He was doing spins and tricks that had "broken hip" written all over them!<br /><br />16 year old, Andy, jumping over 6 skateboards and his buddy, Ryan! That's a trusting friend :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMuV2zQxDSToSOCBuIJhKSlMITsPrFuzWZ82L4HaWoNnBaQOTP9rJVIXi1MDyx2tl8saDe6y_Fl2GA2t3qfCVpTFuJJXAi7rPW_o8jhPoR64NLzBUY_G3vXAvAy5DJ5xccZlKyFDTi6E/s1600/DSCF0736.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMuV2zQxDSToSOCBuIJhKSlMITsPrFuzWZ82L4HaWoNnBaQOTP9rJVIXi1MDyx2tl8saDe6y_Fl2GA2t3qfCVpTFuJJXAi7rPW_o8jhPoR64NLzBUY_G3vXAvAy5DJ5xccZlKyFDTi6E/s400/DSCF0736.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773619179653108258" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeQJHDf_zM0qP2pnr00Yg-1WiMbk5JPRgQMadS3oMKrqOG2KCGI_E4gnYmd-g4nafecHjTmXhVNJfWSAzqXrb7IzAyHmfYlJ3W8NrpFJB1Ipm40d-Am4dpMjwyh-25cVbGARo6v-JST8/s1600/DSCF0735.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNeQJHDf_zM0qP2pnr00Yg-1WiMbk5JPRgQMadS3oMKrqOG2KCGI_E4gnYmd-g4nafecHjTmXhVNJfWSAzqXrb7IzAyHmfYlJ3W8NrpFJB1Ipm40d-Am4dpMjwyh-25cVbGARo6v-JST8/s400/DSCF0735.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773619174291480850" border="0" /></a><br />Here are some pictures from the Lord Strathcona Mounted Troop show. These horses were beautiful, and they performed perfectly in the heat. We stayed for more than half the show, but the kids started wilting so I said we had to get in some shade for a bit.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCmaCMtCvBuHpCjLPNJIWMyxDMARY10U_Iha7t79SlpfjdUFcjxK4OUlm1YQhJYOdITUpWrSkLUfBN2WVrQ-RsTEJewlucjWFM6U83Yf48Q6YdpiioPmwa-fnxafKJV7bDTbRz2dSb9M/s1600/DSCF0761.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCmaCMtCvBuHpCjLPNJIWMyxDMARY10U_Iha7t79SlpfjdUFcjxK4OUlm1YQhJYOdITUpWrSkLUfBN2WVrQ-RsTEJewlucjWFM6U83Yf48Q6YdpiioPmwa-fnxafKJV7bDTbRz2dSb9M/s400/DSCF0761.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773622566263284354" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6WG0SiNssrnD5sFWasy1962FILduURHkmLzLFZK2lmKoVNSL87W14WB4cHyYI1txPLOBk8hIosR8qGlYOawf6X8hda3feSvqnTGm2FtXEfCyznTsy24hep09KFt-Se3MQAyKDBaJStE/s1600/DSCF0769.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD6WG0SiNssrnD5sFWasy1962FILduURHkmLzLFZK2lmKoVNSL87W14WB4cHyYI1txPLOBk8hIosR8qGlYOawf6X8hda3feSvqnTGm2FtXEfCyznTsy24hep09KFt-Se3MQAyKDBaJStE/s400/DSCF0769.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773622556893085778" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGSiCjVVs-bnVPm1IU-5eECUxLCwUA0DH48NLfp644K63G0dQ5gmqJZxQns-Q-TArUmIvLjk6veDqw6fQQaU2Vyby9wS781eVFg3o03Z2AMpnDFiLOG4i2ubA0MkuhDmYSl6vjTtBUR0/s1600/DSCF0752.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGSiCjVVs-bnVPm1IU-5eECUxLCwUA0DH48NLfp644K63G0dQ5gmqJZxQns-Q-TArUmIvLjk6veDqw6fQQaU2Vyby9wS781eVFg3o03Z2AMpnDFiLOG4i2ubA0MkuhDmYSl6vjTtBUR0/s400/DSCF0752.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773619187519357202" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQFICPJruKrr1j5YWJFzr0TJDGYksjnCB6LZpKnZpUmW82H6wsPm6rjxOQecmW927WGMrzQS7DJoa6TOsLNQu9DI9twMoX-eSm9qmlJd8bEZKh_YRoiiQy7inX7j09xZQbDOjbTte6X8/s1600/DSCF0763.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQFICPJruKrr1j5YWJFzr0TJDGYksjnCB6LZpKnZpUmW82H6wsPm6rjxOQecmW927WGMrzQS7DJoa6TOsLNQu9DI9twMoX-eSm9qmlJd8bEZKh_YRoiiQy7inX7j09xZQbDOjbTte6X8/s400/DSCF0763.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773619203268868370" border="0" /></a><br />At the end of the school year, the gym teacher organized for a portable rock climbing wall to visit the school. Only kids in grades 2 - 5 were allowed to participate for various reasons. Elise was totally ripped off that she didn't get to try it because she was only in Kindergarten. Well, at the fair, she spotted this climbing wall and she was more than determined to try this out! We headed over to the wall and she was the first to sign up!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5Byd21MMjoJ1H9Pnxct8Fuaog5X7yYd1Yx2v6eeQBLgKdxgnQNjdEBO6FU6IMDId6XdOuG0UEiuJmDN71ABfPXHkDP31eyEzY7tfOXO3RATyWUuZEVFec48TZzySBlQa4UYEBWe1XJU/s1600/DSCF0784.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5Byd21MMjoJ1H9Pnxct8Fuaog5X7yYd1Yx2v6eeQBLgKdxgnQNjdEBO6FU6IMDId6XdOuG0UEiuJmDN71ABfPXHkDP31eyEzY7tfOXO3RATyWUuZEVFec48TZzySBlQa4UYEBWe1XJU/s400/DSCF0784.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773622589933084226" border="0" /></a><br />Steve and Scott had a race...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLO_uqNpCz_tbULFzj8o1ahVXUGKJDPlk_xmrWox7ENHqdw4tkl8L5VZisl5a12AyP4GQzlZ-eQITyl5gSWpbp_wRQM7eVWMl454lr2gyaFlGu9Cl3oXo35dlYQ95itBS1tgqDMG22NU/s1600/DSCF0807.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNLO_uqNpCz_tbULFzj8o1ahVXUGKJDPlk_xmrWox7ENHqdw4tkl8L5VZisl5a12AyP4GQzlZ-eQITyl5gSWpbp_wRQM7eVWMl454lr2gyaFlGu9Cl3oXo35dlYQ95itBS1tgqDMG22NU/s400/DSCF0807.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773627419694388562" border="0" /></a><br />Steve won :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuP38hVTwH39nEiKpHXjLHgnqHfur4qXUUf4SSajRARvL29QPTPIzzXEaHMkfSobbvxQpM2eAxDPseDuc6y3msTdqA06BNaJniTEfiKH5RvQ3bpT_dZbwpdQj-9_nIVjhucbY-y7dMPJE/s1600/DSCF0803.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuP38hVTwH39nEiKpHXjLHgnqHfur4qXUUf4SSajRARvL29QPTPIzzXEaHMkfSobbvxQpM2eAxDPseDuc6y3msTdqA06BNaJniTEfiKH5RvQ3bpT_dZbwpdQj-9_nIVjhucbY-y7dMPJE/s400/DSCF0803.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773627434294002210" border="0" /></a><br />This is the only picture I got of Todd on the wall... oops! But when they were at the school with the wall, I took about 100 of him then, so it's all good!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J6ikRuL9vf_VIhoWU3hb_J-tmg4mtC7OfNtY5tnYsD4wFlFq2KQLcCqErLFwUTvQNrhTjNO9bLL9SJW9oZGOs6qy2hqSHAJwhxWm3Rw9gc8A3mE8taOLug5vjXniloXtjbqUJbFicKw/s1600/DSCF0789.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1J6ikRuL9vf_VIhoWU3hb_J-tmg4mtC7OfNtY5tnYsD4wFlFq2KQLcCqErLFwUTvQNrhTjNO9bLL9SJW9oZGOs6qy2hqSHAJwhxWm3Rw9gc8A3mE8taOLug5vjXniloXtjbqUJbFicKw/s400/DSCF0789.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773627415259269154" border="0" /></a><br />Still climbing! She tried all 3 sides, several times each.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lmmV6piF_0fHjQ88u9e5pOv1zwPQy2AN4LlGuSXBSZAGwr4QZHmcSwo-tifbgOkck8NuWxueGCJMpVLG6CIsT64xQ0X2l68IjNS2GsojTMc_iZEFIeBcWNljAmo8kh-yGDnbDcjwKAE/s1600/DSCF0791.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0lmmV6piF_0fHjQ88u9e5pOv1zwPQy2AN4LlGuSXBSZAGwr4QZHmcSwo-tifbgOkck8NuWxueGCJMpVLG6CIsT64xQ0X2l68IjNS2GsojTMc_iZEFIeBcWNljAmo8kh-yGDnbDcjwKAE/s400/DSCF0791.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773625952071687506" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd7CQOfHcng6CkxE6st47bGCck3mtBrFz6oe2jK6Q0oSrY1Ch10vgRuqFcCYHN2RfIag62pV-elztCDaJd8A3w80VmJ_IIjp6Q6a4GaRzd_Mxlj3dQcP5-ROomiYBmwjGSo0iR0blHI8/s1600/DSCF0788.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXd7CQOfHcng6CkxE6st47bGCck3mtBrFz6oe2jK6Q0oSrY1Ch10vgRuqFcCYHN2RfIag62pV-elztCDaJd8A3w80VmJ_IIjp6Q6a4GaRzd_Mxlj3dQcP5-ROomiYBmwjGSo0iR0blHI8/s400/DSCF0788.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773625947066670978" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ekhPbz8dH1KR4A6ftqBuao0oxmHbMckHL4aTZmNWltn9NmtfP9-358jxTaxucUZv29zm-vemFVoU-PMW5aWcj7DYs0fZFyx2lkGfR1MA7Y9THdZ9lK98X2lyVcaKaX8M_l5WcAQkqaA/s1600/DSCF0814.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ekhPbz8dH1KR4A6ftqBuao0oxmHbMckHL4aTZmNWltn9NmtfP9-358jxTaxucUZv29zm-vemFVoU-PMW5aWcj7DYs0fZFyx2lkGfR1MA7Y9THdZ9lK98X2lyVcaKaX8M_l5WcAQkqaA/s400/DSCF0814.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773625975420825122" border="0" /></a><br />The firemen are always so good with kids at these fairs. There was a fireman relay, and the first round Todd and Elise were against each other. Then the 2nd race was Scott vs. the fireman on the ground. At the end, the one in the white shirt (sorry I cut your head off in the picture) said, "ok, now drop and do 10 pushups both of you!" Scott got down beside the fireman and started his pushups, then the one in white picked Scott up and put him on the other guy's back. The one on the ground kept going!! Scott loved it!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLinIv8SKNByQZI5kzGjnPA8T8qHu5Y3jX5lOC1wdgK3vBkI9QH8p7qFdDiuxi5tZisZFEQMHvEwFNG90KR789szdWf8LjjzkSWtSfiHS5Z2gQPL37E5JPYzb2J9NzbIpLK97-Dzs5TBc/s1600/DSCF0819.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLinIv8SKNByQZI5kzGjnPA8T8qHu5Y3jX5lOC1wdgK3vBkI9QH8p7qFdDiuxi5tZisZFEQMHvEwFNG90KR789szdWf8LjjzkSWtSfiHS5Z2gQPL37E5JPYzb2J9NzbIpLK97-Dzs5TBc/s400/DSCF0819.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773627427795678050" border="0" /></a><br />Sunflower picture - the mama made them do this, but they seem to have it figured out that if they cooperate with the pictures I ask of them, then it only takes one or 2 shots, not 25!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8nKeRaQATB8AY3N5N06hayqzMuYz-xoNdUPSdsMtgqD-I9acSMuXIWe3YtFEPURNEW4o5dryKuS5WBIwlhVxP_cVTJ5L4jFdoFwFOvLkc9Xkw_e4dcp6dvHoyboy_6uAUPUOmpkrSAg/s1600/DSCF0774.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8nKeRaQATB8AY3N5N06hayqzMuYz-xoNdUPSdsMtgqD-I9acSMuXIWe3YtFEPURNEW4o5dryKuS5WBIwlhVxP_cVTJ5L4jFdoFwFOvLkc9Xkw_e4dcp6dvHoyboy_6uAUPUOmpkrSAg/s400/DSCF0774.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773622573834079106" border="0" /></a><br />The kids and Steve saw these trampoline acrobats last year, but I was in Norway during the Agrifair, so this was my first time seeing these people perform. WOW! I couldn't believe the tricks these 3 could do with a trampoline and a wall.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3BUS3EhnB-ONQuoRy_oMaQd6KdJ90M9s7bKSo9ZLshltt3tIyQ6c1MnR1sMLgFNDg_90XcNc1LF0XayqbYrwHEmpjoVpqlv8mD8LdjMHcoxs_zF2cxnEKA7wX5smTVboX_JRICBTEhE/s1600/DSCF0771.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim3BUS3EhnB-ONQuoRy_oMaQd6KdJ90M9s7bKSo9ZLshltt3tIyQ6c1MnR1sMLgFNDg_90XcNc1LF0XayqbYrwHEmpjoVpqlv8mD8LdjMHcoxs_zF2cxnEKA7wX5smTVboX_JRICBTEhE/s400/DSCF0771.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5773622571712567218" border="0" /></a><br />A good day at the fair, despite the heat. Even ran into some old friends that we haven't seen in quite awhile. Good place to catch up... at a country fair!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-14319093749908733182012-08-01T21:41:00.001-07:002012-08-02T10:28:39.366-07:00It was 4 against 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gfH2hZRf5ZWl0fUrl-FyoZcuKLpb856qaXCd70PrkmQIkYflspuaRI5XpT1B0DU1O_J-m0Fs7N05obJmGG4KYBoGMRPKe5SEEKmlWVpBL-GSxupFNXtgNCVF1br5PQXWQvTnXLTHfXY/s1600/we-bought-a-zoo-poster05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 308px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3gfH2hZRf5ZWl0fUrl-FyoZcuKLpb856qaXCd70PrkmQIkYflspuaRI5XpT1B0DU1O_J-m0Fs7N05obJmGG4KYBoGMRPKe5SEEKmlWVpBL-GSxupFNXtgNCVF1br5PQXWQvTnXLTHfXY/s400/we-bought-a-zoo-poster05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5772125328668238322" border="0" /></a><br />A couple weeks ago we borrowed the movie "We Bought a Zoo" from our local library. It is a true story, and it turned out to be a great family movie. We all love animals, so I thought we would bring it home and give it a shot. There is a "family friendly" sound track option, and if you have young kids, I recommend this because it covers a bunch of words you might not want your kids to hear :) More movies should have that option because there are some that I would love to show my kids, but because of the language in them, I won't let my kids see them.<br /><br />After watching this movie, the score was 4 to 1... 4 of us really wanted to buy a zoo, but Steve was a solid NO! But, Steve did enjoy the movie!! Well, I couldn't get the zoo out of my head, and if I wasn't allowed to buy a zoo, then I thought zoo passes would be the next best thing! One day last week, while everyone else was busy, I went with my son, Scott, and we bought family passes to the zoo for the year. Then I texted Steve and said, "We bought a zoo!!!" He didn't believe me :)<br /><br />We've already visited the zoo twice and I think you only need to go 2 1/2 times to have you membership paid for.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-47441236656553289832012-07-24T21:14:00.013-07:002012-07-31T17:39:25.993-07:00A Cowgirl Birthday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsD4i0vfIQLgBeAQ73bcSLuwNY9o5nBifKHG1jedaJ8tPDLPBKDAPCcsgMkqFmGv5S76DukuPtThSKpllEYHlR4Y5WH4b8NAD0NJLdshtM-0yNRtP86GhsoH1noOhtuQg-GrX7W3XtImc/s1600/DSCF0414.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsD4i0vfIQLgBeAQ73bcSLuwNY9o5nBifKHG1jedaJ8tPDLPBKDAPCcsgMkqFmGv5S76DukuPtThSKpllEYHlR4Y5WH4b8NAD0NJLdshtM-0yNRtP86GhsoH1noOhtuQg-GrX7W3XtImc/s400/DSCF0414.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771431643671430306" border="0" /></a><br />I love planning birthday parties for my kids. My goal is to come up with fun activities, creative decorations and a party that my kids will be happy to invite their friends to. Usually, although not always, birthday parties for my kids are in our home. I like to have them in a familiar place.<br /><br />The parties that haven't been at home, that I can remember, are: Elise's 1st b-day which we had in Victoria. Scott's 3rd birthday - at the Zoo (everyone that was invited had zoo passes or else lived at the zoo, so that was easy!), Scott's 8th and Todd's 7th combined for a Sports themed party for which we rented out our church gym, and Elise's 5th birthday, which we had at the splash park last summer because her 4 cousins were staying with us and what better activity to do with 7 young children and 4 adults on a hot July afternoon than go to the splash park!<br /><br />The themes I've done for the kids are: (and yes, I enlisted the help of my 9 year old to help me remember all these!!)<br /><br />Scott: Age 1 - Zoo (at home), 2 - Bob the Builder, 3 - Zoo (at the zoo), 4 - Kindermusik, 5 - Friends over (no theme), 6 - Fireman, 7 - Wall*E, 8 - Sports, 9 - Lego<br /><br />Todd: 1 - Sesame Street, 2 - Friends over (no theme), 3 - Kindermusik (joint party with Scott), 4 - Cars, 5 - Pirates, 6 - Hockey, 7 - Sports (joint party with Scott), 8 - Angry Birds<br /><br />Elise: 1 - Pigs, 2 - Ladybug Picnic, 3 - Princess Tea Party, 4 - Strawberry Shortcake , 5 - Splash Park, 6 - Our most recent party adventure - COWGIRL!!!!<br /><br />There were 7 girls, plus Elise and her brothers (well, the boys only lasted part of the time!) at the Cowgirl party and we had a great time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MKCzWIVil7264frW-Q9PAAm-gsYHL_KqSzCmd094tNFhYmXIABZ95dSBOnY4D6AICyG17wIoODXiUBfH3jt9EtE7Eizy8UHjKi8shB-wLJR9E6KadDw-lJ_nXUJq-soxQc3JWpitglU/s1600/DSCF0302.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MKCzWIVil7264frW-Q9PAAm-gsYHL_KqSzCmd094tNFhYmXIABZ95dSBOnY4D6AICyG17wIoODXiUBfH3jt9EtE7Eizy8UHjKi8shB-wLJR9E6KadDw-lJ_nXUJq-soxQc3JWpitglU/s400/DSCF0302.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422458960025362" border="0" /></a><br />I love this Mason jar and cupcake papers idea for the drinks. This was a little gem I found on Pinterest!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWynMsXKQu6c18UpaBmvn8LPfOVSWN6rDRAlHwcamP4SsqCDSjlNo0Ih-TqOGKPuRKruMYn0sd4sj6Ghw_N1WwjbATixZvbFlwvkLKcaTZ6hwhYR-kzkB1hOef0n5c2hyXdOGgn_-aP3o/s1600/DSCF0306.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWynMsXKQu6c18UpaBmvn8LPfOVSWN6rDRAlHwcamP4SsqCDSjlNo0Ih-TqOGKPuRKruMYn0sd4sj6Ghw_N1WwjbATixZvbFlwvkLKcaTZ6hwhYR-kzkB1hOef0n5c2hyXdOGgn_-aP3o/s400/DSCF0306.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422480162130578" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pK4ZOjyuuuG8om7RxmhY-Pm1Z3HiSM47pB5QXbMs2Kzeq0ivh6Wpod7z2Oot-n5QffKHspSMU8i_g8zjT2v5pkiba1gqTaM8ythaFxOTJUzxy59sGPuqJ8FapbyA4Dw8tSTq4T26r9g/s1600/DSCF0304.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pK4ZOjyuuuG8om7RxmhY-Pm1Z3HiSM47pB5QXbMs2Kzeq0ivh6Wpod7z2Oot-n5QffKHspSMU8i_g8zjT2v5pkiba1gqTaM8ythaFxOTJUzxy59sGPuqJ8FapbyA4Dw8tSTq4T26r9g/s400/DSCF0304.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422467192470834" border="0" /></a><br />Each cowgirl got a hat to decorate and take home with her.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgUS75ITJq0KjVAaudlhRlYWXUpVIyqtB5YSASb7U38D7hktsu_A6qyZJjttu5uOSj5q3E2_bwrSdBHpUDN2CqfToKyQpAR3kN_7c0IH8tG42vlt806v4UDpIEhyphenhyphenwPzB6L9nL92r-cHU/s1600/DSCF0320.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgUS75ITJq0KjVAaudlhRlYWXUpVIyqtB5YSASb7U38D7hktsu_A6qyZJjttu5uOSj5q3E2_bwrSdBHpUDN2CqfToKyQpAR3kN_7c0IH8tG42vlt806v4UDpIEhyphenhyphenwPzB6L9nL92r-cHU/s400/DSCF0320.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422863393214274" border="0" /></a><br />Scott decorating one of the hats.... we also stamped on bandanas that the girls took home.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteB1gyoShPV_tYoCIIr7zTch_RD1_55laRvfNK-QMK-LeBC7RNBk5OBrqLpmZmNCmip7-yc87qOeQuLuWbJWK8kInGcQiCpxMhFPLM2DZI3mkaqqWj0QcYj5SiEWRuZoRH37B395swC8/s1600/DSCF0371.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteB1gyoShPV_tYoCIIr7zTch_RD1_55laRvfNK-QMK-LeBC7RNBk5OBrqLpmZmNCmip7-yc87qOeQuLuWbJWK8kInGcQiCpxMhFPLM2DZI3mkaqqWj0QcYj5SiEWRuZoRH37B395swC8/s400/DSCF0371.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422894223300546" border="0" /></a><br />I made a banner out of scrapbook paper that says "celebrate". It is now hanging in Elise's bedroom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U83v9p3j4Cfy12wnxayeUzXiHf6bKTwPYQEs0i890beJ469VPFDokc6YLsUNLBfNGqk9t1RYWJS7HJrLWzeApwepW0zV_yLfBuvD_hyItZ5F0E52rehWQonozBIcU83GIPVnQXLVcd0/s1600/DSCF0319.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9U83v9p3j4Cfy12wnxayeUzXiHf6bKTwPYQEs0i890beJ469VPFDokc6YLsUNLBfNGqk9t1RYWJS7HJrLWzeApwepW0zV_yLfBuvD_hyItZ5F0E52rehWQonozBIcU83GIPVnQXLVcd0/s400/DSCF0319.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422863713560674" border="0" /></a><br />The goodie bags had a bag of chips, a big chocolate bar and some cowgirl foam stickers inside.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31yGE9qVFZqPwBfz50QhCd973Ieqc5kkH5MhLZfucbkPXtRvzBFp4hjShHWiKXeDry94s-B3npIm_xPxBxN-qfTMekUpwtiiJzrDAlhlAUcIVkfVKlja9sFfQM8RdpOqbdm5BYMTXC4s/s1600/DSCF0315.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31yGE9qVFZqPwBfz50QhCd973Ieqc5kkH5MhLZfucbkPXtRvzBFp4hjShHWiKXeDry94s-B3npIm_xPxBxN-qfTMekUpwtiiJzrDAlhlAUcIVkfVKlja9sFfQM8RdpOqbdm5BYMTXC4s/s400/DSCF0315.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422522407960306" border="0" /></a><br />I went with simple cupcakes instead of a big cake, as per the birthday girl's request. In the batter of each cupcake, before baking, I put a few raspberries (picked by Elise, herself!) and then a single raspberry on the top of each cupcake after icing them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VC234x9j6KnEoOItB6GpewcptOwUcSRDRjI-Pu1JXpnSCeenoHkgj-tG8QpX3Ssqk2enqWhBJbeDgmAbPGo3J8Flaa9YTzd_35pAxSqV3e_0c6Q_gh7u2Z9So9dc5HeIuCKtjjY_9Lg/s1600/DSCF0352.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VC234x9j6KnEoOItB6GpewcptOwUcSRDRjI-Pu1JXpnSCeenoHkgj-tG8QpX3Ssqk2enqWhBJbeDgmAbPGo3J8Flaa9YTzd_35pAxSqV3e_0c6Q_gh7u2Z9So9dc5HeIuCKtjjY_9Lg/s400/DSCF0352.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422881819111746" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5bb6N7CUvPQgD2uvvQLeCqe4LBIrtAEDYJFYJTcoxrYDL_y7b5PqWi5NgXUZDuPzAVH2Lz-ICtS7VHCYJBa1PAtEHFByA29n79nhsSzjQzJnDUYnH_tzt-awD5JyjWBgMqYxjLyJ1s8/s1600/DSCF0443.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5bb6N7CUvPQgD2uvvQLeCqe4LBIrtAEDYJFYJTcoxrYDL_y7b5PqWi5NgXUZDuPzAVH2Lz-ICtS7VHCYJBa1PAtEHFByA29n79nhsSzjQzJnDUYnH_tzt-awD5JyjWBgMqYxjLyJ1s8/s400/DSCF0443.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771431653083224690" border="0" /></a><br />We played a few games at the party...<br /><br />Musical Chairs with some hoedown music:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr3nXc867JMydQyWlfqaIhme_c0qqUzBcomyfX5wXbeg3LjE5w5SHg-YWZZQUjelTsu3bzFI3dE294xEVYS0rvrTZ_VqRqM0PcYLUTsYeyt_ucOPaGiRzBfrZX7toaj19WvSQT5Pb6Xo/s1600/DSCF0373.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJr3nXc867JMydQyWlfqaIhme_c0qqUzBcomyfX5wXbeg3LjE5w5SHg-YWZZQUjelTsu3bzFI3dE294xEVYS0rvrTZ_VqRqM0PcYLUTsYeyt_ucOPaGiRzBfrZX7toaj19WvSQT5Pb6Xo/s400/DSCF0373.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771431629342849810" border="0" /></a><br />Pin the tail (which technically only got played the day after the party because we ran out of time at the birthday party... but our friends saved the day the next evening when they came for dinner and played the game with Elise! Phew... we had one sad little girl on our hands when she realized that pin the tail got missed, but was happy when she could play party games the next day, too!!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tzC5JnqbaJlFLK-eHv3x-dY9ib6PlSbvWTdohwn5C_dS9qdxWgUd8wE38Zg-K_HSBj9P6soRbq1OkmdRu_tz5PakD8FbdRlGf11l8wVqI-jJScvZpRp8AhlX_ET2hZ8Gfstqj3h1nXc/s1600/DSCF0311.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tzC5JnqbaJlFLK-eHv3x-dY9ib6PlSbvWTdohwn5C_dS9qdxWgUd8wE38Zg-K_HSBj9P6soRbq1OkmdRu_tz5PakD8FbdRlGf11l8wVqI-jJScvZpRp8AhlX_ET2hZ8Gfstqj3h1nXc/s400/DSCF0311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422491498697218" border="0" /></a><br />Ring Toss:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7wSn6gluit5n6z6J-WgvCBia946R_0QvSBUr8LDvT90fLjKINRaibiOS5ELaaoLD8sPZrzhIIjoUquYGyiWKcTDmxXRu20795VSxB17tiky6UHIyijWA4pk_6Mj4zyfT-HjG0JQKqFU/s1600/DSCF0416.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7wSn6gluit5n6z6J-WgvCBia946R_0QvSBUr8LDvT90fLjKINRaibiOS5ELaaoLD8sPZrzhIIjoUquYGyiWKcTDmxXRu20795VSxB17tiky6UHIyijWA4pk_6Mj4zyfT-HjG0JQKqFU/s400/DSCF0416.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771431646880240018" border="0" /></a><br />Scott and Elise playing after the party with one of her presents...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgWysOYSCZSRXNjnReKQGBaOP3Q2Kq-bHVHxa3K5EdHuUAWctKB_5p2IUOsp5fKu6evjeRvH1mQy-ue02KWhiDpbCZG_whHX8DTfuZ1AFZLQbrsa8959a6L2n-vp4P5GwXab_eQY5n_0/s1600/DSCF0452.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgWysOYSCZSRXNjnReKQGBaOP3Q2Kq-bHVHxa3K5EdHuUAWctKB_5p2IUOsp5fKu6evjeRvH1mQy-ue02KWhiDpbCZG_whHX8DTfuZ1AFZLQbrsa8959a6L2n-vp4P5GwXab_eQY5n_0/s400/DSCF0452.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771431656768303010" border="0" /></a><br />And the best part about having a theme party is that we get to dress up, too!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9_p9VPc1pzVDnfNWseHtIyPfOcu2jd1WTH1HZRYNrLFEabUW9Aea404F50MlwzDZSAtw0wrAEkevA8u0ITlwuYMKF2BboFTKi6zm7Szryruh2seIbMawXErA49dMWtX_Twjj1kdMGBM/s1600/DSCF0340.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9_p9VPc1pzVDnfNWseHtIyPfOcu2jd1WTH1HZRYNrLFEabUW9Aea404F50MlwzDZSAtw0wrAEkevA8u0ITlwuYMKF2BboFTKi6zm7Szryruh2seIbMawXErA49dMWtX_Twjj1kdMGBM/s400/DSCF0340.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771422873522196434" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-2599055522988160112012-07-19T15:05:00.010-07:002012-07-19T15:56:30.748-07:00Island HolidayWow, has it really been a month and a half since I last blogged? That's shameful! But, anyone with kids in school knows that the month of June is INSANE, even busier than December, sometimes, so I will use that for my excuse.<br /><br />I finally uploaded a bunch of pictures to my computer, and so, with the boys playing nicely together, and apple tarts baking in the oven, (I know, it is stifling hot, so why am I running my oven? Because it's a good day to make pie!) I thought it was a good time to sit down and blog for a bit (my daughter is away with my husband right now... on the road truckin'! And, it's her birthday today... I won't get to see her today, but I have talked to her on the phone, and she is having SUCH a good time in the semi with daddy!! They will be home sometime tomorrow)<br /><br />On the last day of school, June 27th, I packed the kids in the truck and we headed over to the island. We stayed there for 2 1/2 weeks. Every day was wonderful. Fresh raspberries and eggs on my parents' farm, peaceful scenery, room for the kids to roam, watergun fights, a couple awesome thunder and lightning storms, visiting friends and family and drinking tea with my mom. Lots and LOTS of tea!!!<br /><br />The first full week that we were there, the boys went up to kids camp at Nanoose Bay Pentecostal Camp. They had a blast and I was so happy that they got to experience the camp that I went to as a kid and a teen, and my dad went there as a kid, too! When I went back to get them at the end of the week, all the campers sang action songs for the parents and we got a brief overview of all that they learned over the course of the week.<br /><br />My crazy boys are both in blue!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsQ3nwaqFdVXAjtALNRF0fBQK-3HElqdoO9ey53eN-T1XjavfmiEMeYuIC0gQTbSVf7kvqkKhO9OWxZ0Z6wvFed4onNtoej6K4c8EjrvRrvgSttqDDSJSsP5rO0BBk0S9Y1LPLhH4wqI/s1600/DSCF0032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsQ3nwaqFdVXAjtALNRF0fBQK-3HElqdoO9ey53eN-T1XjavfmiEMeYuIC0gQTbSVf7kvqkKhO9OWxZ0Z6wvFed4onNtoej6K4c8EjrvRrvgSttqDDSJSsP5rO0BBk0S9Y1LPLhH4wqI/s400/DSCF0032.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006435681912370" border="0" /></a><br />While the boys were away, Elise and I got to do some fun things together. The next couple pictures are from an afternoon at Island View Beach. I LOVE the ocean...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4LtmGo7d5Yzla3JlDDZ-zCJd5qvS6ZCch_orXzoxpUJCsrd5V3Ndt9cblbVBo_vfwNWduxRS8XoDtYWn78_LE2T9tzpGPPry4TV7DdkXMqSVjC0BCTAVwQmukb8XKBE7e7Lwi8zndwg/s1600/DSCF0009.jpg"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdroc3KBJ2wV3nV7IEFoRjrFLWIgygVz7_8mCb8T65kC5Gg3-7gseFvOxoO3E9bT6rMW9lGQdM9v9fiL2x-mQhZ-tmGP9YLPaWqBm1euvPA3p94mLJyeuznGpwJQbiRgR95_JFAdiqpdA/s1600/DSCF0009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdroc3KBJ2wV3nV7IEFoRjrFLWIgygVz7_8mCb8T65kC5Gg3-7gseFvOxoO3E9bT6rMW9lGQdM9v9fiL2x-mQhZ-tmGP9YLPaWqBm1euvPA3p94mLJyeuznGpwJQbiRgR95_JFAdiqpdA/s400/DSCF0009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767016676302363666" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ygPMxwwA-sDvA-_8wis9X7vghHLrNEIpcfpxd0YM4Kx55OlI22Pk0jqA_tezIpnc77p1azbAZTJ_xAGr4erXJPrBZe0KZQPEEFq3SB6ZdOEa42GgQvbcmRqMHvEhysK_h-R3Ss1i32I/s1600/DSCF0002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ygPMxwwA-sDvA-_8wis9X7vghHLrNEIpcfpxd0YM4Kx55OlI22Pk0jqA_tezIpnc77p1azbAZTJ_xAGr4erXJPrBZe0KZQPEEFq3SB6ZdOEa42GgQvbcmRqMHvEhysK_h-R3Ss1i32I/s400/DSCF0002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006422878536354" border="0" /></a><br />Steve was able to join us for a few nights on the 2nd weekend in July. One night, we left the kids with my parents and went for a walk on the beach.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LsL6NM11l9NhDntH5HnQeFU7K6AETFTdWcxGBpelg4gyRFxR0NvbC7smhNEDkVKLB6GT9bMSjQh7IXb7OZqUaKYVZci2Uij3nlSJG3Ra14YcMRT2l-iReG1Ui9jDhLemGt1z1ftnOQw/s1600/DSCF0061.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LsL6NM11l9NhDntH5HnQeFU7K6AETFTdWcxGBpelg4gyRFxR0NvbC7smhNEDkVKLB6GT9bMSjQh7IXb7OZqUaKYVZci2Uij3nlSJG3Ra14YcMRT2l-iReG1Ui9jDhLemGt1z1ftnOQw/s400/DSCF0061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006909224848034" border="0" /></a><br />Here's a sign that was posted at the beach... I've never seen one like this sign before.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8slKpKLvV5QLqNOcbnJDjjwUBq7lPNkO6QKk0YpUD2g0LXdH5ccus0u8-nEYiuZUStFlXnnWSkIW_vM9InTOrQEqELI8pz9GElWHpWc5I621wbZwOTrTzdymzBYex8WSHCW1PizPQdE/s1600/DSCF0058.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8slKpKLvV5QLqNOcbnJDjjwUBq7lPNkO6QKk0YpUD2g0LXdH5ccus0u8-nEYiuZUStFlXnnWSkIW_vM9InTOrQEqELI8pz9GElWHpWc5I621wbZwOTrTzdymzBYex8WSHCW1PizPQdE/s400/DSCF0058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006448819417410" border="0" /></a><br />A friend from church in my college and career days was home from Calgary for a visit at the same time, and my friend Tricia put on a BBQ to get everyone together. It was great to see people I haven't seen in a long time... for some it has been many, many years.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtidlTHBnHS4t1IdsVQoJBpgShnf_KV0Og55OdLm_yzJQgvk9-3zOe8YkZOAJSZkdGm0FfV7qxFTBjF-UooDFhslE7z696BPBWZrgGHTMp7OKYS_lxNLRiyVqa3GQZRJ2_fMvB-TSTPBQ/s1600/DSCF0057.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtidlTHBnHS4t1IdsVQoJBpgShnf_KV0Og55OdLm_yzJQgvk9-3zOe8YkZOAJSZkdGm0FfV7qxFTBjF-UooDFhslE7z696BPBWZrgGHTMp7OKYS_lxNLRiyVqa3GQZRJ2_fMvB-TSTPBQ/s400/DSCF0057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006439969726850" border="0" /></a><br />On July 11th, my cousin, Maren, had her first baby. The beautiful Isla Dawn made her appearance at 10:55pm, and Scott and I went to meet her the next day. Scott LOVED her from the second he saw her (so did I, of course!) and he really could have sat there and held her all day long. He loved her feet, and her hair, and the way she moved her little arms...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf9M7bok_a5KBvucmt9OwpaLeroNUwbUdkm0hEc0tkOIEsYNFrbHvhHzCsyOdubXse15en46jvTBxCTlMTgZwoTs84iWX1S7Iw7bOAxvNDW0aXv9Wt-3Pcwhz_kYeXGCpz-sVS7hjiQU/s1600/DSCF0156.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf9M7bok_a5KBvucmt9OwpaLeroNUwbUdkm0hEc0tkOIEsYNFrbHvhHzCsyOdubXse15en46jvTBxCTlMTgZwoTs84iWX1S7Iw7bOAxvNDW0aXv9Wt-3Pcwhz_kYeXGCpz-sVS7hjiQU/s400/DSCF0156.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767007612827299810" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHj56dPlwQUB63P7EcvrqTfPDam3icx9RLmNKpV51Q7YVRCd2QGrBxa0NwkyEGw9wvV9aqv-JoRQ8mzAOacqwhSxGlCGsgWTBt0tn1Weqb53PsMzvQ-uHEpe_tTWR3G5xcYVQgeKt7WQ/s1600/DSCF0170.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHj56dPlwQUB63P7EcvrqTfPDam3icx9RLmNKpV51Q7YVRCd2QGrBxa0NwkyEGw9wvV9aqv-JoRQ8mzAOacqwhSxGlCGsgWTBt0tn1Weqb53PsMzvQ-uHEpe_tTWR3G5xcYVQgeKt7WQ/s400/DSCF0170.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767008645618072578" border="0" /></a><br />The proud and happy parents!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfp-KpKyQtoK9z3jYHrJf73Rpqwxx-mtbc_oX2cIFaMp05_Iy36YlJFK8Btfk1EQ2lZT8KctE_7PHZb1AaWVrOvuWKkk8SKjhyphenhyphen79ejOUSzWsBhBLaBdIxhMT59wjU1InsDtASpnFlNuQ/s1600/DSCF0164.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfp-KpKyQtoK9z3jYHrJf73Rpqwxx-mtbc_oX2cIFaMp05_Iy36YlJFK8Btfk1EQ2lZT8KctE_7PHZb1AaWVrOvuWKkk8SKjhyphenhyphen79ejOUSzWsBhBLaBdIxhMT59wjU1InsDtASpnFlNuQ/s400/DSCF0164.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767008637750082962" border="0" /></a><br />Nature shot... there was an abundance of bald eagles close to my parents' house. My mom said she's never seen so many.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtZa14Vo6HxJbJMlG-R335EN5Ns1ojb1OoyzoIdBPu8h58qmVIz-gb9slAl5E0D581ZSM4avcjurOOp7oMdUdZjnQrmG7KQi6tnLUUgScs8Xf670Jpl0oZuDBoArvbC7GZNiChkV2nL0/s1600/DSCF0149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKtZa14Vo6HxJbJMlG-R335EN5Ns1ojb1OoyzoIdBPu8h58qmVIz-gb9slAl5E0D581ZSM4avcjurOOp7oMdUdZjnQrmG7KQi6tnLUUgScs8Xf670Jpl0oZuDBoArvbC7GZNiChkV2nL0/s400/DSCF0149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767007610607557458" border="0" /></a><br />For the 2nd week that we were on the island, I was able to sign the kids up for swimming lessons. I put the 3 of them in lessons together. The pool down the road from my parents' offers private lessons for up to 3 kids. Their instructor was Dan and he did a great job with them. All 3 came away with much improved skills.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWVaSeRp5ttuFdUwojkKBD5yYIlKToy7ybHJ1-wJEEKOGD0ehq6fEKB4_f1-B-LBafOzzAWDD1qEriwshDtM1yk5TzGslEQG2K5eE4u5YmHLmOcsSyRYAq5pW8ZOYNS76s1GLP3tgols/s1600/DSCF0069.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwWVaSeRp5ttuFdUwojkKBD5yYIlKToy7ybHJ1-wJEEKOGD0ehq6fEKB4_f1-B-LBafOzzAWDD1qEriwshDtM1yk5TzGslEQG2K5eE4u5YmHLmOcsSyRYAq5pW8ZOYNS76s1GLP3tgols/s400/DSCF0069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006912045212050" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJKJE9WW1c6ycSgS6a0DMi5uXOA9CgE5D4XnWpF37HsYT_yyPwbJhesACsMA8qORUuP2EJwyoLcC5INxtvAq03GCcHaDiIp_DnZNm4aA1wwfwsR5stcpbDOCZKW28bSN4U9VrpMYRSI8/s1600/DSCF0123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJKJE9WW1c6ycSgS6a0DMi5uXOA9CgE5D4XnWpF37HsYT_yyPwbJhesACsMA8qORUuP2EJwyoLcC5INxtvAq03GCcHaDiIp_DnZNm4aA1wwfwsR5stcpbDOCZKW28bSN4U9VrpMYRSI8/s400/DSCF0123.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767007599069002562" border="0" /></a><br />We also celebrated Elise's birthday in Victoria... the first of many celebrations for this year.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncj1xD9DqcGvqTaIBSUh-WtqWiGBflznZI8vHmsfQ4NxjQQqkOt1EfXCSDubHsu2R6eliVtvhcZt4xHVz-RU4IwITUiFtm_fyktRhaWsPme3MAv1jUfOkO5Qx2rKF0GcrJzAHzTKJ4ag/s1600/DSCF0081.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncj1xD9DqcGvqTaIBSUh-WtqWiGBflznZI8vHmsfQ4NxjQQqkOt1EfXCSDubHsu2R6eliVtvhcZt4xHVz-RU4IwITUiFtm_fyktRhaWsPme3MAv1jUfOkO5Qx2rKF0GcrJzAHzTKJ4ag/s400/DSCF0081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767007597943747266" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1hZz9tYj8nGY8zumyQXWpKyTzw8IHbyxw2X26JCTlL1F7jeHjvMy4hYiXV3n0TR6VGnD_7M2jhVUiPNoNBQ56nSAnP9C4R3dK4mqaMMM2D9d5FCUY6u08hOWO4-qbUxV4CRkm0OAx9M/s1600/DSCF0091.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1hZz9tYj8nGY8zumyQXWpKyTzw8IHbyxw2X26JCTlL1F7jeHjvMy4hYiXV3n0TR6VGnD_7M2jhVUiPNoNBQ56nSAnP9C4R3dK4mqaMMM2D9d5FCUY6u08hOWO4-qbUxV4CRkm0OAx9M/s400/DSCF0091.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006973301683058" border="0" /></a><br />For her birthday dinner, she requested to sit between daddy and Uncle Angus!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSlWeoV_LYWKvKVEu_hrvQlWqTFpMwL5fBdLY0y9uQO6zDiCaNL2TGukEW1EJEIvXCzXon2nL0C2rPLHtAHlC68iQSUz_3UjIwgSWvJx1ljLET1M9qORiJ4BnkJljtyzvsc3thy4r1DU/s1600/DSCF0077.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJSlWeoV_LYWKvKVEu_hrvQlWqTFpMwL5fBdLY0y9uQO6zDiCaNL2TGukEW1EJEIvXCzXon2nL0C2rPLHtAHlC68iQSUz_3UjIwgSWvJx1ljLET1M9qORiJ4BnkJljtyzvsc3thy4r1DU/s400/DSCF0077.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006968540373442" border="0" /></a><br />Elise was Papa's little helper... every day she went and talked to the chickens and was rewarded with bucketfuls of eggs! She told me she had no problem sticking her hand under a chicken to get the eggs there, "Even if they peck me, it doesn't hurt!" Tough kid.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2LLUQnS41IJNtKGdLpB6qnuF3W599CaIFcDOT028WwGuXblsRlZqP63kV1bPK_ewKf0bEn9diydZYPc30uwSU0OuAVgd1DLu2JdzhExzEtO9AK8M4spzTOGE_0rI8gMIdZfOsiwV1MQ/s1600/DSCF0074.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2LLUQnS41IJNtKGdLpB6qnuF3W599CaIFcDOT028WwGuXblsRlZqP63kV1bPK_ewKf0bEn9diydZYPc30uwSU0OuAVgd1DLu2JdzhExzEtO9AK8M4spzTOGE_0rI8gMIdZfOsiwV1MQ/s400/DSCF0074.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5767006942341700962" border="0" /></a><br />So, that's our first part of summer in a nutshell... More adventures have begun, and will continue for the next few weeks. There will be trips to the waterpark, library, movie nights, hikes, playdates, etc.<br /><br />Happy Summer to all :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-71260348150889829752012-05-16T22:30:00.002-07:002012-05-16T22:38:54.921-07:00What a find!I was at the dollar store today looking for tin food containers to give meals in when you make dinner for people and don't want them to have to worry about returning the dishes. Well, I came across this dandy of a salad bowl... I had thought I would just send a salad to my friends in an ice cream bucket, and then I found this... for a BUCK!<br /><br />So... I bought 2. Because if I don't get the other one back (which is ok because that's why I got this in the first place) I still wanted one for myself :)<br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wx61dJbZxwpgZ2C3jfeRvYMM_YEE8vNdAmJpEM6GMsAyOJM8wsGcHaaNruKdazkh32IDJ8ICaN1KA5E285dgIZtdI1MTd3RKLthyphenhyphenhsuDVlcYqks1slqUBxVC5RqZ3hTmnUXzozddygQ/s1600/DSCF9368.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wx61dJbZxwpgZ2C3jfeRvYMM_YEE8vNdAmJpEM6GMsAyOJM8wsGcHaaNruKdazkh32IDJ8ICaN1KA5E285dgIZtdI1MTd3RKLthyphenhyphenhsuDVlcYqks1slqUBxVC5RqZ3hTmnUXzozddygQ/s400/DSCF9368.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743371045107398962" border="0" /></a><br />Now, the real reason I made up my mind to buy two was this: upon closer inspection, (and I always inspect!) I saw that these bowls are made in my very own country. Well, I'll be! That just doesn't happen much these days, so I said, "Support the economy and buy 2 bowls!" It's a really pretty colour, too!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHO-AynawTFlxnwrxXXKK4LSZhznIwweQxRqz3GUo3GzKPlkbYwZAYfCbQzUAQ36sN280qagIPlbJZgJ5Jd3oN74BlBO9w_1lnaIbQPSsHbWaEanzbrWn6lUgYeh88dC6mSeQN-EZwMU/s1600/DSCF9363.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHO-AynawTFlxnwrxXXKK4LSZhznIwweQxRqz3GUo3GzKPlkbYwZAYfCbQzUAQ36sN280qagIPlbJZgJ5Jd3oN74BlBO9w_1lnaIbQPSsHbWaEanzbrWn6lUgYeh88dC6mSeQN-EZwMU/s400/DSCF9363.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5743371050770490034" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-58624153053351371342012-04-17T19:17:00.000-07:002012-04-17T19:19:45.562-07:00Burlap Craze!Have you caught the burlap bug? Seems like everywhere you turn these days there are DIY projects using burlap. I found some pictures of front door wreaths that I liked and re-pinned them on Pinterest. Today, I finally made one. Here's my take on the basic burlap wreath :)<br />
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1. Gather supplies <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RMt4uWVHC1CU4v7ziErugaP3aBhyphenhyphenErmSvk5i8dgvClEMfh0QCMAwsP6G8QcIKD05TcADZoTFaEW_-egUn1t4s12d_zg6OIOmZVFaOwFAhtV8j6LKYlg7-EHVMMD3R-bd45MA8d4cGhk/s1600/DSCF8905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RMt4uWVHC1CU4v7ziErugaP3aBhyphenhyphenErmSvk5i8dgvClEMfh0QCMAwsP6G8QcIKD05TcADZoTFaEW_-egUn1t4s12d_zg6OIOmZVFaOwFAhtV8j6LKYlg7-EHVMMD3R-bd45MA8d4cGhk/s320/DSCF8905.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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2. Cut burlap strips... easy way to make sure you cut straight is to pull one strand of the twine straight out and then follow that line that is easy to see now that you've left a space. Hang onto the pieces you pull out because you might need them later to help secure your pieces. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDPq5RaaTqlT2Ux0WIlZv4WinAGmSpiofJFFE9_j1l84L7pkHgPb0LpEwnMOmp1ZQXTcRRABq9i1rSzz3Z5ypp0AjdD9mHDYtUcSf37knaoJ_LsQVzAF6foDnhRlFN1neVGneVmWS-ys/s1600/DSCF8909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDPq5RaaTqlT2Ux0WIlZv4WinAGmSpiofJFFE9_j1l84L7pkHgPb0LpEwnMOmp1ZQXTcRRABq9i1rSzz3Z5ypp0AjdD9mHDYtUcSf37knaoJ_LsQVzAF6foDnhRlFN1neVGneVmWS-ys/s320/DSCF8909.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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3. Gather both sides of the strips. Keep track of the ends and try not to break them off because you will use them to tie in step 4.<br />
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4. Wrap the poofs around your twig wreath and tie on with the ends that you've partially pulled through in your gathering stage.<br />
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5. Add a bow, if you'd like, or embellish some other way, or keep it simple with nothing, and hang it up on your door.<br />
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I like it... the kids said it was nice. We'll see if Steve notices when he gets home :)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-34249094691562922332012-04-11T19:43:00.000-07:002012-04-11T19:44:13.120-07:00A Garden is BornOn Saturday, it felt like Summer. Warm and beautiful, we were inspired to get crackin' on our garden. I have wanted a garden since 2003 when I last attempted to grow things and miserably failed. The only thing I was successful with that year was growing Todd, and he was born early 2004 :) My sunflowers did ok in that garden, but everything else died.<br />
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Steve met his uncle and cousin for morning coffee on Saturday and then stopped by the garden centre on his way home. The plan is that the tomatoes will get to go outside and play on hot sunny days, but since that beautiful Saturday, it's been too cold and windy, so they will decorate my kitchen for a few more weeks, I think. In the round planters are some beans that I got from my dad. Not sure when they are supposed to sprout, but they are supposed to be tasty and plentiful!<br />
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As it warms a bit, I hope to get some carrots, potatoes and strawberries planted.Hoping for some home grown goodness this year!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-91406040732219079592012-04-11T19:09:00.001-07:002012-04-11T19:09:32.855-07:00Double Dinner PostWe've had two more recent successes with dinners I've pinned on Pinterest for Steve to make for our family.<br />
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First... Broccoli casserole = Yum!<br />
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Here is the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/109141990939624596/" target="_blank">original pin</a> that I found the recipe at.<br />
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Here is a pic of Steve's version. Super duper good! We ate it almost as a dip with nacho chips. Even crunched some up into our bowls first, then put this cheesy-broccolied goodness on top!<br />
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And then, a couple nights ago, he made my favourite one yet. (Watch, I'll be saying every new recipe he tries is my new favourite!! But he really seems to nail it every single time he tries a new recipe!)<br />
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Coconut Chicken Strips. Oh maaaannnn that was tasty! The next day, Steve went to work and the kids went to school, and I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch. Just as good the next day!<br />
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Here is the <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/109141990939632248/" target="_blank">original pin</a>...<br />
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And here is Steve in action!<br />
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Flour them, egg them, stick 'em in the coconut/cereal mixture. Not sure if he exactly followed the recipe, but whatever he did was amazing! One difference I know he did was to bake them, instead of frying them. Then he broiled them on each side at the very end of the baking time.<br />
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We also had wild rice and cooked carrots that evening.<br />
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Tonight, I made broccoli soup and cheesy dill biscuits... he's a tough act to follow, though, and my dinner, while it was delicious and finished by everyone, isn't really blog-worthy. You see, I used a package for the soup seasoning. And I've blogged the biscuits before. But, I still felt the need to mention that I do cook about half the time :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-78144694004508359672012-04-05T22:37:00.000-07:002012-04-05T22:37:24.495-07:00Party Time... Angry Birds style!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Todd's birthday party was at the beginning of March, but I just realized I never got back here to blog about it. Todd really (REALLY!!!!) wanted an Angry Birds party, and at the time he started asking for it, I really didn't know what he was talking about. If you don't know what Angry Birds is, you're not missing a whole lot, but my kids like it. If you want to see what it is, you can click <a href="http://www.rovio.com/en/our-work/games/view/1/angry-birds" target="_blank">HERE.</a><br />
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Here are a few highlights from the party.<br />
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The invitations... My kids each got a plush Angry Bird from their uncle, so I copied these for the invitations. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(btw: more invitations got made than what got given out... I got a bit carried away because I thought they were so cute!!)</span><br />
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Some decorations... I painted on our glass patio doors but I only have a pretty bad picture of that, so I will leave it out. Just a tip, though, if you're painting on glass, add a squirt of dish soap into your acrylic paint and it will make taking it off again SO MUCH EASIER!!! I fully recommend this. I let my kids paint the windows at Christmas and had the hardest time getting the paint back off. Upon mentioning this on facebook, I had numerous suggestions about the squirt of soap. Tried it for the b-day party and it worked like a charm!!<br />
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Steve blew up balloons with the bicycle pump (balloons taste so gross, and I can't imagine all those toxins are good for you to suck on while you blow up balloons, so this is his new blowing up method. Used it now for 2 parties and it is awesome! Also means he LOVES helping with the decorating, too!!)<br />
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The night before, Steve and I painted the base coat on all these rocks. Then at the party, the kids could paint one of each colour with Angry Birds' faces on them.<br />
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The GAME! We split the kids into 2 groups. One group started by building the structures, and the other group got to destroy them by throwing our tennis ball "Angry Birds" at the structure. The main goal of an Angry Bird (at least this is what I gather from the kids!!) is to eliminate the Pigs. The Pigs steal the birds' eggs, thus making them "Angry!" Funny how something so simple has become a HUGE craze amongst kids (and non-kids, alike!!) these days.<br />
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Elise throwing an Angry Bird. (In the background you can kind of see the painting on the window) I was thankful that our front window didn't get busted with the force some of the kids put behind those tennis balls. Plus, the tennis balls we got from the dollar store might as well have been rocks, they were so hard! The name brand tennis balls seemed much more forgiving</div>
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Painted tennis balls are our birds.<br />
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The pigs are just green tennis balls with sharpie faces.<br />
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Goodie bags included a little painting book, so I attached a paint brush to the outside of the bag.<br />
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Todd said he didn't want a birthday cake. I said we could figure something else out, but what did he want when the kids are supposed to sing to him, then? He said he didn't know. Scott piped in and said, "Well, YOU might not like cake, but your FRIENDS do!" So, Todd said, "I would like a carrot cake." I love the carrot cakes that Safeway makes, so I headed over there early on party day to see if they had one out. They didn't, but the lady in the bakery said they would happily have one ready for me well before party time. I told her it was for my non-cake-loving 8 year old and she said they would have fun decorating it. When I went back to get it, a couple of the cashiers commented and I said, "It's carrot cake." They said they had heard the story of the little boy who only liked carrot cake! I thought it was pretty funny that they were talking about Todd's cake all the way at the front of the store! The cake was amazing, and most of the kids came back for seconds. I had given them small pieces to start with in case they didn't like it. One boy ate all the icing off and then started in on the cake. He stopped eating and said, "Is that a RASIN?! I don't eat that!" haha! Glad I didn't give HIM a big piece! He was the only one that seemed to be offended by the cake!<br />
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And for 14 days, I had two eight-year-olds! Every year, on one of their "twin" days I make sure to take a picture of them at the same age. <br />
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Thanks to everyone that helped us celebrated Todd this year!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-79906857621137690572012-04-02T10:44:00.002-07:002012-04-02T11:21:16.505-07:00Summer Smooches from Stampin' Up!I know it hardly feels like Spring yet, but this sneak peek from Stampin' Up! will get you in the mood for Summer Smooches!<br />
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<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/summersmooches_Flyer_mar2012_CA.pdf" target="_blank">Summer Smooches Sneak Peek Special</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmDJBT4wa08gVRXp4NtDNkmdJjc32KX4MSCFmcgEkCY4cELcZqFCw7VrH4fdLgvR8b8zqP6ijH5LCUT42fXn6UlxynZ4ykuAzNBJQpoWjz5JsQxMOSn0dGv0Ql9jafwYdSRGpVWWDmJw/s1600/MainAd_SummerSmooches_Cust_Apr1012_USCA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="127" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmDJBT4wa08gVRXp4NtDNkmdJjc32KX4MSCFmcgEkCY4cELcZqFCw7VrH4fdLgvR8b8zqP6ijH5LCUT42fXn6UlxynZ4ykuAzNBJQpoWjz5JsQxMOSn0dGv0Ql9jafwYdSRGpVWWDmJw/s320/MainAd_SummerSmooches_Cust_Apr1012_USCA.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Contact me for more info, or head to my website to get your hands on some of these fun, bright products! <br />
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<a href="http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinsars/" target="_blank">Sarah's Stampin' Website</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-18926843353911431232012-04-02T10:27:00.000-07:002012-04-02T10:27:00.491-07:00Art Kids! - Masking tape paintingIn last week's art lesson, we used acrylic paints. First, we masked off geometric shapes on canvas, using basic masking tape, then filled it in with acrylic paint that was colour-mixed to perfection!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pPJJx11Yr8iNe4mry5-A4Dz5XnGiYAMd65q5chpNr4FU-F_qtHIBI_ZvqTb1Ne4B_Vdoea9SJ-2KtidPGDPKDO2oq4vw1vVrabMeak-1BHesexTYXOL9mcztW1KybKJKK6b1aQ97lZXB/s1600/DSCF8594.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724440597630245922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pPJJx11Yr8iNe4mry5-A4Dz5XnGiYAMd65q5chpNr4FU-F_qtHIBI_ZvqTb1Ne4B_Vdoea9SJ-2KtidPGDPKDO2oq4vw1vVrabMeak-1BHesexTYXOL9mcztW1KybKJKK6b1aQ97lZXB/s400/DSCF8594.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 265px;" /></a><br />
Here are a few of the results....<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-47000071009185065822012-04-01T14:45:00.004-07:002012-04-01T14:58:28.467-07:00Lego-Mania!<br />
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We LOVE Lego in our house. It's also one of the reasons I can usually be found with a pair of (clean, designated for house-use-only!) shoes on. Those things HURT when you step on them!!<br />
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Scott turned 9 in mid-March, but since it was Spring Break, I decided his party would have to happen later. Todd's party was right around his birthday, which is also right around Scott's birthday. In past years, we have combined the parties, and we may do something like that again in the future, but this year we did 2 separate parties, so I wanted them to be ss-pp-rr-ee-aa-dd out!!! Scott really wanted a Lego themed party, so I turned to the Internet and my brain for some inspiration and we had the party yesterday.<br />
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So... here are some of the fun things we came up with for Scott's LEGO birthday. The kids helped with some of the decorations, too.<br />
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<u>The invitations:</u><br />
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Each invitation had a combination of blocks that added up to 9. I think planning a party is as much fun for me as it is for the kids to attend the party! I used a 3/4" circle punch for the bumps (not sure of the official Lego-lingo for the connector parts!) and the straight parts are 1" for each bump. A 1 block measures 1"X1", etc. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCuicQaJBz2TN_mOoxqPlSu5A9e8B6_LCwiRdD0RPbEz2kxIxucbplfRH9ELbkZDJpHJkjOOitlzPvyR3ZSc83OcvrQRksoNL5qWRBu3jslnEISymw6-8NAyLhlm13q6Uhy177xOYdaM/s1600/photo-84.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCuicQaJBz2TN_mOoxqPlSu5A9e8B6_LCwiRdD0RPbEz2kxIxucbplfRH9ELbkZDJpHJkjOOitlzPvyR3ZSc83OcvrQRksoNL5qWRBu3jslnEISymw6-8NAyLhlm13q6Uhy177xOYdaM/s400/photo-84.JPG" width="400" /></a>
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<u>The Decorations:</u><br />
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Scott and Elise built some decorations out of our Megablocks and Duplo blocks. The kids don't play with these anymore, just the small Legos now, but we still had some around and they made for some fun party decorations! The link for the Lego men on the patio doors is listed below. <br />
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We opted for small bags of chips, and just had them in larger bowls on the table. Also, instead of making punch and having spills, we bought 2 cases of juice boxes from Costco. I have seen how some people wrap the juice boxes to look like big pieces of Lego. Loved that idea, but I knew we would be going through a lot of juice boxes since there were so many kids here, so I just set them on the table undecorated! For lunch we also served pizza. It was Costco pizza, but the kids were guessing all kinds of fancy places for where it came from! I guess they liked it! I think it tasted just as good as any "fancy" pizza place, anyway!!<br />
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Saw this soap dispenser idea on a couple blogs, and Pinterest, as well, I believe. So cute! The kids want to keep our soap like this all the time!<br />
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<u>The Games:</u><br />
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Straw relay... Each kid got their own straw and had to suction on a piece of lego at one end of the table and keep it on there until the other side of the table! They were great at this. <br />
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Same idea as the straws, only this relay was with chopsticks... proved to be much harder for them than the straws!</div>
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Lego Toss Game. (Todd is setting up the game here for me... I don't have a pic of the kids actually playing the game!) The kids stood behind a line and had to toss Lego pieces into different jars for points. WAY harder than it sounds! After 4 rounds, only 4 kids got on the board. It's a variation of the Lego Ring toss games I saw online, so maybe those games would be easier. Some of the kids wanted to keep going until they got on the board, but others were happy to move onto a different game.<br />
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Lego Pictionary... I divided the kids into 2 teams. Each team chose one person at a time to build a word I gave the 2 builders in secret, and then the rest of the team guessed. I'm not going to lie to you... it got pretty loud in there during the guessing portion of the game, but it was a riot, and I was so glad the kids got into as much as they did.<br />
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<u>The cake:</u></div>
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This baby might not get me a job on Cake Boss, but the kids sure ate it up. I covered wafer cookies the night before in coloured icing and put on coordinating smarties. It's a chocolate cake in there... and the cupcakes are white cake because I knew there could be some kids who weren't chocolate lovers (so strange to me!!)<br />
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The day after the party I found the #9 candle that Scott wanted... oh
well, we went with individual candles in a pinch. And I even had a
couple sparklers to add to the excitement!<br />
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<u>The decorations:</u><br />
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I wanted to make some Lego men heads as decoration, but as I was making them, I had the idea that the kids could decorate them. Then they chose a goodie bag and clothes pinned their Lego head onto their bag. This also helped them all remember to take a goodie bag at the end!<br />
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Tip: To get corners round using any circle punch, just slip the corner in from the top. <br />
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<img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726528574628521058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB97lzhz1N0UxVnAC5kD6eBDzjA4I6RB8do29f9DeuyvDlIUSMWf0YSYcmTmkQsBSkCVKhS2ra4Po0DSKp6gWTUZVqgV-RPNdZVhkJ7JOazg5AqboCQNa-kx-KTtHVeG2bOprg2_JKVqg/s400/DSCF8656.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 314px;" width="314" /><br />
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The goodie bags:<br />
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Inside the goodie bags I put a chocolate Easter Bunny, Lego fun facts (link to these below - truly cool to learn about the life of a Lego block!) some Lego shaped candy, and a bag of chips. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAzSe-lkmLdVdOH84NNpCtwbwHFQ6lRST8ysQCXxBxsYJwSEl4O6sk7MNCi8DIAUxexv8e4xsSOsT0L1PmPmndwNdrNhWSMvU-SXozExezh_A__6vCOXHFh7_4fglk9crO8RwO3C0Y_c/s1600/DSCF8748.jpg"></a><br />
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<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726528558843384066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMAzSe-lkmLdVdOH84NNpCtwbwHFQ6lRST8ysQCXxBxsYJwSEl4O6sk7MNCi8DIAUxexv8e4xsSOsT0L1PmPmndwNdrNhWSMvU-SXozExezh_A__6vCOXHFh7_4fglk9crO8RwO3C0Y_c/s400/DSCF8748.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 265px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
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Fun Fun Fun! The kids all had fun, and Steve and I had fun planning this party. I don't know how many more years Scott will want a party with a bunch of friends over. But I am glad he wanted to do it this year!<br />
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THANK YOU to everyone that made Scott's birthday extra special!<br />
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Some of the things pictured above were from other bloggers that I found during my party planning.... They have generously made their resources available <span style="font-style: italic;">for personal use</span>, and I thank them for that, as well!<br />
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Lego Fun Facts sheets... <a href="http://rootsandwingsco.blogspot.ca/2010/03/super-awesome-lego-party.html">Roots and Wings blog</a><br />
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Lego Guy for decorations... <a href="http://winksanddaisies.blogspot.ca/2011/02/lost-lego-party-guy.html">Winks and Daisies blog</a><br />
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Some super-cool Lego information... how it's made, etc.: <a href="http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/lego1.htm">How Stuff Works blog</a><br />
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Some more great info on Lego parties... <a href="http://www.tipjunkie.com/lego-birthday-party/">Tip Junkie blog</a> and <a href="http://www.tipjunkie.com/lego-birthday-cakes/">HERE</a><br />
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Lego Kirigami tutorial: <a href="http://zakkalife.blogspot.ca/2010/04/lego-kirigami.html">Zakka Life blog</a><br />
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Of course.... <a href="http://pinterest.com/search/?q=Lego">Pinterest</a> and <a href="https://www.google.ca/">Google :)</a><br />
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And this next one is a resource I didn't actually use, but I sure think it would be handy for someone that wanted to have the whole party planned out for them... From Aussie Pumpkin Patch: <a href="http://aussiepumpkinpatch.com/uploads/pdf/LegoParty.pdf">Lego Party pdf.</a> Just the title of it "pdf" makes it sound so complete, I think! It is a great resource, but I found it long after my planning was already well underway.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-20372887093161250002012-03-28T12:33:00.000-07:002012-03-28T12:33:00.596-07:00Up, up and away!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY7ck12Z8kTUJ-LZqWq0LPlxywtFEAgAjTkmXdel46jj1eW9qZe6uaXlEL9Q2auIf-llPQvAj7fFM8nYxyJrdSj0YwwnWV17maAnHjHKEoCAF-sHkUzSN6HfGQ4ImlKSTlyIeflD1P9Lg/s1600/DSCF8465.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 378px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRY7ck12Z8kTUJ-LZqWq0LPlxywtFEAgAjTkmXdel46jj1eW9qZe6uaXlEL9Q2auIf-llPQvAj7fFM8nYxyJrdSj0YwwnWV17maAnHjHKEoCAF-sHkUzSN6HfGQ4ImlKSTlyIeflD1P9Lg/s400/DSCF8465.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480211632141250" border="0" /></a><br />If only these were real... I would love to take a ride in a hot air balloon. I am always fascinated by the pictures I see of a sky full of hot air balloons. Just go to Google and type in hot air balloon images and you will get more colour than you can imagine.<br /><br />My kids have just gone back to school after having 2 weeks off for Spring Break. For the first week, they stayed home. And it rained. And rained. And then hailed, snowed and rained some more. We had little 20 or 30 minute pockets of no rain where I would shoo them outside for fresh air. But other than that, we were inside.<br /><br />So, in order that we didn't just watch movie after movie (oh, don't get me wrong, there were plenty of movies that got viewed that first week!! But that's not ALL we did for the first week of Spring Break!) we did rainy day (week) activities. And the biggest project was our hot air balloons. On the first day, we did one layer of paper mache. The 2nd day, we did another layer. That 2nd night, after the balloons had spent all day drying by the vent, the kids got to pop their balloons and hear it peel away from the inside of the soon-t0-be hot air balloon. On the third day, we painted and decorated the balloons. For every step along the way, there were 4 of us at the table working. But for the last step, of adding jewels and a basket, etc, I had to work with the kids one on one. I put the embellishments on with a hot glue gun, so just one got to be there at a time.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7zOCedmegKZ2yzIqMT0Umb7keAOGNHRLgPCPwzdB81D6kSjkjYzT_HWF8RJ_Co0nemJLApEGNkIZKaBXNQb7oOVKc1Jk0vTamOocRY8_SpSWRGIO0ipqy7vFQHtZCFXArRblLOEFJDO2/s1600/DSCF8450.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7zOCedmegKZ2yzIqMT0Umb7keAOGNHRLgPCPwzdB81D6kSjkjYzT_HWF8RJ_Co0nemJLApEGNkIZKaBXNQb7oOVKc1Jk0vTamOocRY8_SpSWRGIO0ipqy7vFQHtZCFXArRblLOEFJDO2/s400/DSCF8450.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480652403815698" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEsnTxVCyyMrOEpWsTQXOf-oRkJ_Z6r9jhk5pkWSx99VE47cN4ZdPxBaZL4bs2OTrstpNKnOvAg0bZSQgg8g27N-m1PtkkxXEKEgfSrRNfxWv0SkGuZMcyhqG6eeykroK24e3hq3PGexe/s1600/DSCF8449.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEsnTxVCyyMrOEpWsTQXOf-oRkJ_Z6r9jhk5pkWSx99VE47cN4ZdPxBaZL4bs2OTrstpNKnOvAg0bZSQgg8g27N-m1PtkkxXEKEgfSrRNfxWv0SkGuZMcyhqG6eeykroK24e3hq3PGexe/s400/DSCF8449.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480647876088594" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEkzsnePmqeowQQESue3_03eMUI3m9YBRKUAyetkYDCMkhCfVkF9NkjVJIAiwXIf_BcokLkL7DOfM-kXkSUFudPseRGqYQsT49kbYQdGsixahkI-MPcgYS0LU75LxKlLp4hv1DiLQEMwm/s1600/DSCF8446.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEkzsnePmqeowQQESue3_03eMUI3m9YBRKUAyetkYDCMkhCfVkF9NkjVJIAiwXIf_BcokLkL7DOfM-kXkSUFudPseRGqYQsT49kbYQdGsixahkI-MPcgYS0LU75LxKlLp4hv1DiLQEMwm/s400/DSCF8446.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480635498751410" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGUrsaqCPijCdtjr6Y-Zxz0R8F78X0u3gRBHya2lwQaSWqevi8pEUWxuPVTIOTkq6-7ofmNR08O2nLxw4SYEAyrgPbky-rcKVxh93uOOyaSNUJY4EwafcQFG7AaB8qlppgZNINCL398nw/s1600/DSCF8448.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGUrsaqCPijCdtjr6Y-Zxz0R8F78X0u3gRBHya2lwQaSWqevi8pEUWxuPVTIOTkq6-7ofmNR08O2nLxw4SYEAyrgPbky-rcKVxh93uOOyaSNUJY4EwafcQFG7AaB8qlppgZNINCL398nw/s400/DSCF8448.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480627543203762" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UT-UW9wcIdVWYoomMc1txgHx9gXcOacJNbo066rG_MV3EGtw6mS0nq6yZctKXtKAXUzqKVVEnL3c_Zy0CbvticsqUgkYarp0PyuQhkjWvpN6ZVaAxWIU3IaF6F8Ot489nxJ9C1FXo-Aw/s1600/DSCF8455.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UT-UW9wcIdVWYoomMc1txgHx9gXcOacJNbo066rG_MV3EGtw6mS0nq6yZctKXtKAXUzqKVVEnL3c_Zy0CbvticsqUgkYarp0PyuQhkjWvpN6ZVaAxWIU3IaF6F8Ot489nxJ9C1FXo-Aw/s400/DSCF8455.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724480678257314482" border="0" /></a><br />Here are the finished hot air balloons. I love how they turned out, and now the kids will get to enjoy them in their bedrooms.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliWoapk91SkJY6KMi48N_uKzXO4rf3xtdytOk4e1ffzeepkwHn_luqaMCLPL6Unu7HFsREGBgL464QCs1JSfxeyqP99SOD9yG8FMK7J2AVW283IT9Vw11pFMEoOrsLM3kXhhSTcO-0H6K/s1600/DSCF8473.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgliWoapk91SkJY6KMi48N_uKzXO4rf3xtdytOk4e1ffzeepkwHn_luqaMCLPL6Unu7HFsREGBgL464QCs1JSfxeyqP99SOD9yG8FMK7J2AVW283IT9Vw11pFMEoOrsLM3kXhhSTcO-0H6K/s400/DSCF8473.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724479266167035954" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUiTRyYYF2SA2YLjIO4zLu8TJlldjByhnDWeiH8xIetn60E2x52ylbZeIhmjwNQnJkG5wb7mVshOWubWyvAhj3nMZgxMYwdAWOpMIVZ3KfcOxfvDLaoJ0HSikpEQeXNOKEwoSAHmRJVSr/s1600/DSCF8476.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYUiTRyYYF2SA2YLjIO4zLu8TJlldjByhnDWeiH8xIetn60E2x52ylbZeIhmjwNQnJkG5wb7mVshOWubWyvAhj3nMZgxMYwdAWOpMIVZ3KfcOxfvDLaoJ0HSikpEQeXNOKEwoSAHmRJVSr/s400/DSCF8476.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724479260762440626" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzv1FliNn4Y5pfBcIWxvtpEpRGOcTIn-HnQ8kYsIdbomLbzL5cedoxvMmIE7rzoS0T_yVfG8jqFNQ8IWX12CAJi3HYMtgBgz6YeZiNsZ0g0RxlRz6sz_rPF0kjosev0cxoxoMjBM9RnAkP/s1600/DSCF8479.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzv1FliNn4Y5pfBcIWxvtpEpRGOcTIn-HnQ8kYsIdbomLbzL5cedoxvMmIE7rzoS0T_yVfG8jqFNQ8IWX12CAJi3HYMtgBgz6YeZiNsZ0g0RxlRz6sz_rPF0kjosev0cxoxoMjBM9RnAkP/s400/DSCF8479.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724479254472740850" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuc3BhV27ShSVb6MAX2afA97N9UPOUIsZ7rqX1ibLWKqtcEcIpkeU8y4aF5ubVoSyBO3HO08__Sud5DNk1AU1aLSvkG0eO5D-o3UZU7gjYErcp-cu422q_oCz4VvThUMVct70yWjUm5_1/s1600/DSCF8469.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuc3BhV27ShSVb6MAX2afA97N9UPOUIsZ7rqX1ibLWKqtcEcIpkeU8y4aF5ubVoSyBO3HO08__Sud5DNk1AU1aLSvkG0eO5D-o3UZU7gjYErcp-cu422q_oCz4VvThUMVct70yWjUm5_1/s400/DSCF8469.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724479271645622962" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxFBPgHALArAB6zFWIN5QH-NOdOYrEgrmbkNsqP26F5ycLpspahKO83xaEPyT9YlvBMsc2JMNGO_fkFqDEoV3gmJ49N1QprPUIByTPMZ21oecBI7l27mENttGmtgw4q5Dz9HzzRUFmTbe/s1600/DSCF8468.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxFBPgHALArAB6zFWIN5QH-NOdOYrEgrmbkNsqP26F5ycLpspahKO83xaEPyT9YlvBMsc2JMNGO_fkFqDEoV3gmJ49N1QprPUIByTPMZ21oecBI7l27mENttGmtgw4q5Dz9HzzRUFmTbe/s400/DSCF8468.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724479289803992594" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4036614116200752666.post-10962246821999759962012-03-27T18:33:00.004-07:002012-03-27T19:02:27.082-07:00There's still time to Sale-a-brate!!Sale-a-Bration time is still on right now!!! <a href="http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinsars/promotions">Click here for more info.</a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTQpov5hcX7huRHevyI3m_TEWPx8xp8GLrpFqkQSu7IhwidK5sOHrl-ejAbXSwVB9BovtFlYuK-7CA5IjQQaVcif7PeR0ZGczgy8SNfHXsWQ71Jh7dO0WsOxz1JmKGFjJ9vGsb-KP8M4/s1600/Jan24-Mar31_CA_DemoDBWS_HomePageAd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 353px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTQpov5hcX7huRHevyI3m_TEWPx8xp8GLrpFqkQSu7IhwidK5sOHrl-ejAbXSwVB9BovtFlYuK-7CA5IjQQaVcif7PeR0ZGczgy8SNfHXsWQ71Jh7dO0WsOxz1JmKGFjJ9vGsb-KP8M4/s400/Jan24-Mar31_CA_DemoDBWS_HomePageAd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724762186258225458" border="0" /></a><br />Have you taken advantage of the great products in this year's Sale-a-bration brochure? Customers can choose a FREE item for every $60 purchased! Offer is on until this Saturday, March 31st.<br /><br />Check out the Sale-a-bration brochure <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ca/documents/20120124_SAB_en-CA.pdf">HERE</a> - expires March 31st<br /><br />To see the current Occasions mini catalogue, <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryid=402">click HERE</a> - expires April 30th<br /><br />To see what else is new and exciting with Stampin' Up! right now, head over to my website <a href="http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinsars/">HERE</a>... there are always great deals at the <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ItemList.aspx?categoryid=494">Clearance Rack</a>, and fun new designs with <a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryid=502">My Digital Studio. </a><br /><br />News about the Current Idea Book and Catalogue.... Stampin' Up! is happy to announce a new catalogue schedule. More on that later, but I need to mention that this current catalogue will now be retiring on May 31st (not June 30th as is written on the back of the catty) so make sure any of your "must-haves" are purchased before the end of May to avoid disappointment. The full product line can be viewed <a href="http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinsars/catalogs">HERE.</a><br /><br />Happy Stamping!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0