Riding Lessons

Yesterday Camilla went to her very first riding lesson! She was so full of excitement and has been counting down to this day for a long time. She was taught how to brush and saddle up as well as some safety things. Then she learned how to properly lead her horse to the riding ring. She walked her horse around and then was able to mount. Camilla loves animals and has been so horse crazy lately! It was fun to watch her do something she enjoys! 

 

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!