The Orchard

 Today we spent the afternoon in the orchard picking all of the apples! We had previously picked one of the crab apple trees, but still had three or four other trees to pick. I'm still learning all of the different kinds! We began with the Sunnybrook tree, which are one of my favorites! There is also a dogle crab (which makes amazing jelly), a Kerr (which is a cross between a Dogle and a Haralson), zaychuk, and a parkland. 

Lily loved just being around everyone! She played with the apples and sang to us while we picked away.

Next we cleaned off the Zaychuck tree while Camilla and Joe picked the Parkland apples. We got a small shirt full of Parklands, just enough for an apple pie. I am excited to see what we will get from it next year. 

Sonny was on his best behavior and enjoyed babysitting Lily. He also loved fetching the "bad" apples and ate his fair share. 

Oliver loved climbing really high on the ladder and passing the apples down to me. I love that they enjoy working along with us! It was fun to spend time with everyone today.

Lily has started pulling herself up on things and while we were picking, she was moving between the ladder and the apple box all on her own. She loves her new found mobility!

Fin enjoyed picking, but I think he may have enjoyed eating more.

As I left the orchard, I couldn't help but feel blessed! 

I finished off my day making a bunch of chicken pot pies for the freezer! It was a lovely and productive day.

First Day of School 2021

 

The children began the school year today! They were up bright and early, excited to head off to school. Oliver is doing kindergarten at home with me this year and is very excited to learn how to write his letters and do some math and reading! Fin is in grade two this year with the sweetest teacher, and will have so much fun! Joseph is already in grade four, and looking forward to seeing his friends again. Hyrum is in his last year of elementary school this year, grade five, and has Camilla's fifth grade teacher this year. Camilla is starting grade seven and is looking forward to friends and sports and band this year. I can hardly believe how grown up they all are! The house will no doubt be much quieter with everyone away all day and we will need to find a new rhythm. The elementary kids said they didn't need my help to find their classrooms, so for the first time in seven years, I did not follow the bus in. I'll just be over here sipping my hot apple cider and missing them (and baking cookies). 

Landslide lake

The kids surprised me and walked in the door shortly after eight last night! They weren't supposed to be home until today, but with the chilly evenings, I had a hunch they might come back a day early. They were so glad to be home and started shouting out their exciting stories at the same time. I got no less than a dozen hugs from Joe and a whisker smooch from Mr. Stannix after three days in the back country. 

The cooler weather made for perfect hiking temperatures. They assured me they weren't cold at night (which was my biggest worry for them) and they had the best time with their Dad and their grandparents. 

They hiked 15km the first day to the base with 17lb packs (for the kids) and 35-45lb (for the adults). This year they not only carried their own gear (clothes, sleeping bag, thermal rest, rain coat) but their food as well. 

Camilla was nick named "Dobby" because she made the perfect little tent elf, organizing everyone's things each night. 

They did a day hike up to landslide instead of lugging their gear and enjoyed fishing and exploring and rock climbing. Grampa caught some cut throat trout and Camilla was the only kid to catch something up at the lake. 

One night after Mike had retired to bed, the kids had a brilliant idea to make him a chair out of rocks so that he would have a nice place to rest his back and his feet. They joked that it was like his big yellow chair back home! In the morning, Camilla and Hyrum woke up early to get the fire roaring and show Daddy his new camping chair. 

The hike down was quick and they missed the rain! They stopped to fish on the way down and the kids caught a lot of fish that were swimming amongst the boulders. Then they finished walking the 15km back to the truck with packs slightly lighter. Joseph had a really hard time near the end and needed some extra encouragement. The thing I love most about experiences like this is the bonding that naturally occurs. Relationships were strengthened during this shared triumph and they came back closer and full of memories!

 

Just Imagine

This morning I made up a double batch of Salsa. It simmered on the stove for most of the day. I had to run into the grocery store for some cilantro and tomato paste to finish it off. The boys were wrestling and giggling down the grocery store aisles. On the way home they couldn't stop talking about force fields. "Mom has a special force field, just stay close to her on the way into the house and the bad guys won't get us." I played right along, which caught them by surprise, but then they shrugged and kept up the act. Their imaginations were running wild and they were totally invested in pretend play, shouting and using play voices. I spent the afternoon getting salsa into jars (a dozen more to go downstairs in the storage room) and made a small easy dinner. 

Lily fell asleep while I quietly ladled the salsa into gem jars and music was playing in the background. I had to stop and stare at her for a little while because I can hardly believe how big she is getting! Her rolls, those chubby cheeks, her incredible eye lashes, the whole scene made my heart fill with love for this sweet girl!

 

Canoe recap

The fourth annual canoe trip was a success! They didn't end up getting all of the forecasted rain and were able to set up their tent and stay dry when it did rain the first evening. The older kids really enjoyed paddling in their own canoe. Hyrum and Joe apparently took the crazy side of the river at the Y and said that it was full of hippos (big rocks) and turtles (lots of rapids). Mike said you could hear them giggling way up the river! Almost everyone caught a fish, but Joe's catch definitely took the prize. It was a pike that was almost as tall as him! They forgot the frying pan at home and the stove was busted, so they had to improvise for meals. I will be enjoying the rest of their stories for days to come I'm sure!

 

Sunday Snapshots

 We have been so enjoying our time with siblings and cousins this weekend! Alice and Lily were both in yellow today, so naturally it prompted a photo shoot in the big yellow chair. They were so sweet and it reminded me of this quote.

"Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life." ~Joseph B. Wirthlin