100 MILE CRUISE

While we were up at the cottage the Segwyn Steamship celebrated its 125th birthday with a 100 Mile Cruise through the Muskoka Lakes.  Anyone with an antique boat was invited to join in for the cruise and many obliged.  Dave and I took K, Q and all the cousins out to watch some of the parade on water.  We were fairly close to the start of it all and many boats joined in along the way, although we didn't see the masses, we were amazed at how many we did see out enjoying the celebration.

Here they come...

There were a few helicopters flying around capturing the cruise

BOYS!

If you check this site then you know my boys are far from quiet.  I am struck most days by their energy, volume, passion for life and ability to find fun.  This morning was no exception.  I was woken up earlier than one would have liked on a Sunday morning by the boys excitement for the new day while creating a 'car wash' in the bathroom.  K & Q spent hours playing in the backyard with their hundreds of cars yesterday and accidentally left them out overnight.  They rescued them from the yard this morning but they were wet from the rain and dirty from the mud, hence the car wash.  As they were doing that I went downstairs to put one of their favourite cars in a bag of rice (it talks, by way of a battery) hoping to save the battery and have it speak with them once again.  I opened the fridge to get some juice and found a tower of yogurts had been built in there.  I laughed out loud at the silliness of fun they conjure up together.  He are 2 photos, a glimpse of my morning so far and it's not even 8am yet.  Happy Sunday!

Tower of yogurt

The cars drying on the edge of the tub.  What you cannot see is the layer of dirt on the bottom of the tub!

I judge their day based on how dirty they are.  The dirtier, the better the day!

So true and yet I wouldn't trade it for the world!

BOGS, FROGS AND ROCKETS

These are long overdue pics from our week in July at a farm.  The boys spent tons of time knee and hip deep in the bog on the property catching bullfrogs!  We also stopped at a hobby store before our departure and bought some rockets and engines to build and launch while up there.  It was insane fun!
Lots more summer pics to come.  I'm still sorting through them and now that I'm back to work my free time to sort is dwindled.  Stay tuned for more in the next few weeks.

Rocket building 101

Deep in the bog

The property was beautiful

At one point there were 11 frogs in this bucket

They were huge frogs!

So happy, so cute

Crazy hair!

3 frogs, more to come...

one in his left hand and managed to grab that one on the rock with his right

First rocket to be launched

WOW WORTHY WALKWAY!

Dave busted his butt last weekend to make the walkway up to the front of our house WOW WORTHY! The original was simply poured concrete which was likely 50 years old and had definitely weathered the storms for its maximum number of years.  Over our 5 years living here we noticed it had shifted more and more with each passing year and we had water pooling in places water should not pool.  Our school is in the midst of a massive year long + renovation and upon popping in for a visit toward the end of the summer we saw them ripping up the courtyard and throwing thousands of dollars worth of beautiful paver stone.  Dave asked if we could have some, to which they happily replied, "take as much as you need" and so we did.  That evening Dave rented a pick up truck and solicited our friend and neighbour John's help...off they went.  The plan is to complete our walkway, front and back (in time) and John's too.  Although the project is not yet 100% complete, it was AMAZING to see how much Dave accomplished in 3 days and what an INCREDIBLE transformation it is to our place.  Thanks Dave for all of your hard physical labour, planning, organization and love put into this project.  We love you to infinity and beyond!  xx

Our walkway on Saturday morning, rough and trip worthy...

Sat. morning, post birthday festivities on Friday night.

Sunday morning.  Limestone screening and leveling complete.  Some cat opted to play in it over night.  Fitz was NOT amused! 

Sunday afternoon

Still some finicky work at the front, but otherwise a ginormous improvement