lazy days in london

baseball's last day at the big field

We've had no trouble filling our summer days in town with a variety of activities - more splash pads, pools, parks and... house cleaning (yes, really). It was with mucho gusto that the kids cleaned baseboards, vacuumed, swept, and wiped down the walls (it's yet to be determined whether this made things look better or worse), and apparently, it was the best part of Hendrik's day (he told me so just before bed - but I told him that it was my favourite part of the day first, so he may have been influenced). "Dirt is no match for us!" he said, multiple times. I will definitely enlist all members of the family in action again, with classic rock to back us up. In actuality my favourite part of the day was probably the walk that I finally went on after days and days and days of (apparently) flexible intentions of exercise. Hurray! Here are some pics of the last few days, and a baseball collage of last last week's last day.

summer fruit = the best!

cleaning

doing dishes AND getting along - caught on film!

cottage living

fishin'

We are back home from the first cottage trip of the summer - a full six days of fishing, swimming, boating, reading, playing, building, and exploring - and it was great. The kids didn't ask to watch TV until day six, and were busy busy down at the water or up at the sandpit filling the days from dawn to dusk with on-site fun (yay). On our way home there was more than one "I wish we were driving TO the cottage right now" and lots of love expressed for the place throughout the week ("I don't like the cottage, I love the cottage!"). The weather was great with just a few too-hot days at the end of the week. We can't wait to go back! I'll let the photos do the rest of the talking...

the s'mores were a big hit 

dino digging

me and my boy

gone fishing, love these three!

so many punny captions could accompany this one!

first life jacketing en route to the sandbar - no fuss at all!

this happened all day every day... so much fun!

some bowmanville highlights: visiting with hugh and michelle and a watsons trip

lots to do on land too - more dino digging, games and activity books, naps (for some) and swinging

boat tripping to the sandbar

getting ready + photo bomb!

books + summer fun

Above are a few books that are new to our collection, and below are a few that are to come (I think); Louise Loves Art is one that we get out of the library again and again (and again and again), and her sequel is due out shortly I believe - and is sure to be just as good! But (thankfully) I hesitate buying buying buying every book I like because then there would be even MORE books on the couch and spilling off of the shelves and the mantelpiece and any and all other places where books don't usually live but are sure to be found in our house. 

Below are two books that I was (also) tempted to buy; the library wait list was long but well worth it - I would definitely recommend The End of Average! I've been managing to get 10 minutes of reading in before bed, but not tonight... It's straight to sleep for me, as Jordan had me up last night for an extra feed and I'm tired.

The kids have been Pokemon crazy as of late, and it has nothing to do with the Pokemon Go craze that is making waves ev-er-y-where; I'm tempted to check it out (I have to admit that I'm somewhat fascinated with Pokemon - thanks to Hendrik), but know that as soon as the kids catch wind of it we're sunk... all we'd ever do is hunt for creatures! We play Pokemon, we watch Pokemon, we talk about Pokemon... the kids are Poke-crazy.

pic found on camera - getting ready to watch... Pokemon!

happy babe!

sleeeeeeeeeepy

love these two!

We've had some seriously hot weather this past week, and have filled the days with fun summer activities. We've been to splash pads, outdoor pools, parks, a blueberry farm, golfing, mini-golfing, and I hosted a lunchtime get together with friends yesterday which was so so so so great. My hosting duties were limited to providing the venue - my friends brought food and babies and it was so great to get together with friends and have our babies meet each other (three of the four of us have little ones ranging from 5 months to 8 weeks). The outdoor pools are something I'm not at all used to having grown up in Vancouver; we've visited two pools here, both of which have a waterslide, beach entry, splash pad features - and the better of the two had a 50m pool and diving boards ( = AMAZING). We'll definitely be going back to Thames Pool, and will likely bring a picnic next time and budget more time; after three hours in the water the kids wanted to play at the massive playground outside... but we knew we had to get home and get some food in them before a full-blown evening crash (mission accomplished). Anyways, we're filling our days with summer fun, and it ain't ending anytime soon. We'll get a few days in at the cottage in the near future, and then get back at enjoying summer in the city we call home!

happy girl!

picking blueberries

splash pad action

July so far

morning play

we are on a frog and toad kick... everyone loves frog & toad!

These two big kids - they fight and bug each other for what feels like most of the day, but then have sincerely cooperative and enjoyable moments together (see above), and it. is. the. best. Sometimes they last long (-ish) and sometimes they are fleeting BUT I can tell (haha!) that they DO like each other and enjoy each other's company. We went to a birthday party a few weeks ago and instead of mingling with the other kids they stuck together and did their own thing, even when the princesses arrived.

alana's first selfie

love love love

The Brinkmans came down for Canada Day and as usual, we all had a blast. They put up decorations (thanks Grandma!) and put on tattoos, and after a rainy morning spent inside joined the festivities down at Harris Park. I stayed home with baby J and enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet before the week of home-alone-with-the-kids began on Sunday night. Steve has been in Hamilton coaching a camp and rejoins the crew tomorrow night (yay!). I was anticipating a difficult and exhausting week, but it hasn't been too too bad; it's been busy and non-stop (make meal, clean up, feed baby, break up a sib-fight, bathe children, make meal, water plants, do laundry, shower, feed self, tidy room, find lost water bottles, pack bags etc.) but not as exhausting as I thought it might be. Hendrik has been away at camp all day every day - so this has made a big difference as I don't feel totally obliged to get out of the house and do something to tire everyone out (and I also don't have to intervene in fights all day), AND a friend took Alana for most of the day on Wednesday (an impromptu visit turned into Alana tagging along for lunch and a playdate), so I had some time to myself then too. Jordan has been as good as can be expected for a seven-week old babe, but this means several night wake ups and the usual fussy periods throughout the day. He doesn't cry much and tolerates his big sister's aggressive cuddles and snuggles more than most would; we'll keep him! Oh, I love them all so!

canada day!

playing trophy/medals - though i'm not sure what they won | canada day tattoos

a in her office (typing) + "can i see?" (the picture)