back, and with pho-tos aplenty!

Before we left for cottage country, we found Hendrik reading books quietly, nicely - while we were running around packing and organizing... what a gem!

We're back! Our weekend away was fabuloso and full of requisite cottage-life things: swimming, eating, snacking, swimming, playing, reading, fishing, boating, swimming, more eating.... does that about cover it? I'm overdoing it here on the pics again, but you can see for yourself that with warm summer sun and a cot full of family, we had a great time....

clockwise from top L: with dad on day one; putting up decorations for Jimmy's first birthday celebration; colouring on Canada Day (note patriotic garb + decorations - love!); and playing with toys old and new - some of these, including the fisher price "pocket" camera and the fisher price jet plane - are originals from when Steve and Erin were kids. Why don't they make toys like these anymore!?

with Grandma and Grandpa B

Hendrik enjoying his first on-the-water canoe ride with Dad on Canada Day

coming up on 32 weeks!

first fish-o-the year I do believe

Steph and Jimmy and Paul - Happy First Birthday Jims!

Steve went out for soothers the day before we left and came home with a tunnel tent and bag of balls - the kidlets loved it!

how many people can you fit in a kiddie-pool? two, three, four (five?)!

more fun in the sun - I love these pics! Hendrik soaking it up, a first motor boat ride (Hendrik slept), getting tossed around (how fun would that be?) and sand castles with Dad and Bups

an early birthday present from Pam, Bob and me and Steve to Bob - a shadow box... very nicely put together by Pam!

LUNCH! peanut butter toast, beans and carrots...  long may the healthy eating last :)

playing with Jimmy; lounging with a book; and playing washers with Buppa

And now? Now - well, since it's our ANNIVERSARY today (!! - 3 years), I won't be long here, even though I feel like I have enough material to write a solid bullet-list-blog. I do have to say that I am so so so proud of Hendrik for how well he's doing with his eye sticker... he doesn't put up a fuss and wears it without complaint. I also have to say that I've been almost completely consumed by the Josephine B trilogy - I ripped through the first book over the weekend and am on to the second one. The heavy tome (close to 1200 pages) has been sitting on a shelf in Gatineau waiting, waiting, waiting - for a few years at least? Colleen passed it along and now, finally, it's being tackled and I'm loving it. Okay, and lastly... we head to T-O this afternoon for our getaway - eek! I am going to miss Hendrik (cutest little muffin ever) but he is so in love with his Grandma that he might not even notice we're gone. More to come soon......