camping

These shots are from our camping trip a few weeks ago at Kentucky Alleyne Provincial Park. Andy and Sarah at Kentucky lake and a picture with Sarah at the children's only fishing pond (neat idea).

Sarah picking a daisy wearing my head scarf for mosquito protection. I especially like this picture. Hat from James. She has chosen that hat to wear for quite a few days directly after James left .

Salad section.

garden time a bit ago

Here is a recent shot of the garden. The mini greenhouse A. built is in the shot too.

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We had a visit from James a bit ago too. That was great! He came for our workday and enjoyed fishing with Andy (they found the hot spot on the lake). Sarah loved playing hide and seek with him.

what's been up

Hi. What a weekend. We tried out our new tent on Fri. night. I was so excited all day. We drove about 1/2 hour up the road to Kentucky/Alleyne Provincial Park and camped in a relatively quiet spot on the edge of a children's only fishing pond. The outhouse was spotless, which was nice.
It was kind of raining, but that was OK. We had enough of a reprieve from the rain to have breakfast at the picnic table - hash browns and boiled eggs. A few things we brought on this car camping trip that were really good ideas in our opinion. 2 afghan sized blankets for extra warmth in the tent. Sarah and I draped one around our shoulders/heads. A tablecloth - actually a piece of big nylon fabric we used for a tablecloth. Next time we'll bring a mat for the entrance to our tent also. We brought S's little camping lantern which hung in our tent. We played games with little people brought along, drawing and writing a song about our trip while we waited for the rain to stop in the morning.
We saw a ground squirrel on our walk to another lake.
We came home and before supper went fishing on our lake, taking advantage of BC's free fishing weekend - Andy and I both had rods. I had a blast and we caught 4 fish! Great time.
Then the next day was father's day and we did a breakfast in bed for Andy, church, and roasted hot dogs (smokies and tofu dogs) in our wood stove for lunch. Directly after church we took an exploratory drive on a country road and saw a colt and it's parents, while we ate appetizers of chips, salsa and bean dip. Sarah loved the salsa, but also sucked back lots of water because it was a tad spicy (we've been enjoying the Medium Pace that is a $1 off at Overwaitea here.)
Then Mon. we had a little visit from baby Denay (6 mon.) her mom and another lady. They were up with their husbands who just finished the framing of the guest cabin yesterday. Grandad came up yest. afternoon as well, which was great. I handed Sarah off to Grandad (we'd tried for over and hour to have a nap - she was too excited to sleep I think), and I brought a snack to Andy who was belaying at the climbing wall. I belayed a few kids too and had a rest at home. Then we had BBQ ed chicken (our own. Andy's slaughtered 2 so far!) with Grandad and I went to sleep 'early' while A. and G. went fishing.
This morning was playgroup with a lady talking about car seat safety. Then some errands and back home, bringing with us a couple of fellows who were trying to get to Kamloops. They were at the side of the road when we went into town and were still there when we were headed out of town. S agreed we could pick them up so we did - young guys hoping to get jobs in Jasper for the summer.
We had lunch, said bye to the guys and Grandad too, and had a big nap.
Grandad showed S. the animals on coins and introduced her to smarties. She is currently having her second installment of them.
So, things are really picking up here at camp. We have Brandon, Jordan (program director) and Karla here now and Mon. we had a school group in too, just for the day (that's who we were belaying for).
Last Thurs. Sarah was babysat for 4 hours for the first time by someone other than family. It went great. I went to Penticton for a Podiatrist appt. She was babysat by our pastor's family. They did bubbles with her, coloring, puzzles, music (CD), and I don't know what else. I am researching babysitting options and am hopeful for good breaks and date opportunities. It takes courage though and trust. I go to Penticton next Thurs. again, so am planning another babysitting time for Sarah.
We've been enjoying many garden salads and also some cooler weather, which now is turning warm again.
I am enjoying more energy after a stretch of crazy intense tiredness. I think I tend to not blog during those times.
That's all for now.

new and visitors

Hello. We got a new tent a few weeks ago and the family shot here is us testing it out. Sarah is in her 'Sarah sized' new sleeping bag too.
My cousin Ben and his wife Jacqueline and Malachi visited us on their way to Calgary a week or so ago.

isabelle down a hill

These shots are from a walk the other day. Sarah fell after this last shot - but she was fine. She laughed when she saw these pictures. We try and get out in the morning before it gets ultra hot.

Here is some news from an email I sent Mom A.:
Andy sprained his ankle Sat. evening, just walking back from fishing. He's doing better..still hobbling around. We were even down at the garden this morning in the rain moving mini greenhouses and S. and I letting the chickens out. We had a potluck BBQ with our bible study last night in town which was lovely. There were their host's neighbors there too who have a little boy who is a year younger than S. They are expecting their 2nd in a couple of months also. We had them over to our house months ago.
It has been quite buggy here and hot. That has made it hard for me to sleep. The no-see-ums come through the screens and some of the seals on our windows need repair so sometimes mosquitos (but they aren't so bad). Amazingly, last night, there were no bugs upstairs. Andy had also had an idea of how to set up fans/windows open that we tried upstairs. So, I was complaining quite a bit yesterday about wanting the screen replaced - and I learned they make smaller mesh screens the no-see-ums can't get through, and then it was 'clear' for bugs last night, which was nice. Anyway, it is nice to have rain today. We've been trying to get out every morn. for an hour - S. and I - when it's not so hot, then we are in for most of the day - and maybe out for a few mintues before supper.
S. and I dug around the office at camp to get ice packs and crutches for A. and I've been doing the evening run to close chickens and cover part of the garden. We started "The pusuit of happyness" and are enjoying it very much. Looking forward to finishing it.
I was so hot and tired yesterday when Sarah wouldn't nap and A. said to go run around outside (which was so hot) so I went swimming instead. I had so much energy to burn. The swim was so good. It seemed to even me out - the temperature and break from duties.