Summer Time: Rest and Relax

Summer goes all too fast for me. Already the leaves are yellowing on the trees and the air has a wee nip in it that wasn't there a week ago. My bottom lip is pouting. Definitely pouting. For us northerners, the dark is coming before 10:00 and getting earlier. Make it stop! I love summer and really am not ready to see the backside of it.

Best of all, while a lot of folk are away on holiday throughout the summer, I have the best network of peeps! There are the pet swap friends that care for my menagerie of pets while we are away and well, I have the opportunity to look after theirs. The kids get lots of extra snuggles and I know that the animals are well cared for. I also have the garden folk that tend to my flowers while I am gone. I tend theirs and all is well. No dead things when you return is a fabulous thing.

Since work is still required of me, I love the fact that my girls have a wealth of summer camps to choose from. My eldest has done Girl's Inc's environment week which she absolutely loved. My younger one chose to go to Northern Exposure with Heritage Park. This month, she is experiencing more Heritage Park programming while her sister gallivants in BC. The programs are affordable and inventive, allowing the girls to grow and express themselves creatively. They also had a week at Halkirk, Alberta at Circle Square Ranch.

In the off time, we have been able to enjoy all the wonderful things that are in the area. There have been the small roadies to Gregoire Lake and even spending time for the church picnic out there. We loved the art workshops at the Art in the Park over the Heritage Day long weekend. There have been the markets and the spray parks. I have even been fascinated by the summer storms.

However, I think what I have loved the most about this summer is my network of friends and their children. From getting wine order texts from peeps in the Okanagan (awesome!) to having friends willing to watch the girls for me, I have been blessed to know that I have folks taking care of me. There have been the weekend sleepovers and midweek play dates. The bonds of friendship have been strengthened and smiles are everywhere. I can sit on the back deck with a book and glass of wine, stare at my new water features and listen to the water run. The tan I have thanks to picking out dandelions has given me lots of compliments. Even better, I have my wonderful bike to cruise the trails on. And the fact that there is a Starbucks on the way home? Fabulous. This has been a summer where there is theater and fun. Gypsy and Pixie have enjoyed it with us in the back garden.

Right now, the basement is demolished with forts and lego. Lego that I will trip over and complain about later. But for now, there are stories being told, imaginations are at work, and there is no homework and no schedule. Summer...I love you.

Dressing up

Frog hunting at Gregoire Lake

Storm coming

Church picnic

Art in the Park