Happy Fall & Mucking About.

Happy Fall!!  We are a few weeks into Autumn... and the weather is finally starting to cool and those bright pops of colour are coming out on the leaves.  We've been run headlong into the routines of fall--school, gymnastics, swimming, play dates, work.  The time for relaxation is over for a little while.... 

You may not have heard from us for a little bit.  It's been pretty hectic around here.  A lot of exciting things going on with the business and with Jordan's work.  But not a lot of time for so many adventures. We are hoping to carve out time here and there for that but for now we are just trying to keep our heads above water.  Sorry it's been so long!

In fact, I don't quite remember the last time we were down by the river with the kids, but since it was really feeling like fall today, we just had to get down there where the leaves turn into a spectacular display of variable colours.  It still has a long way to go; there is plenty of green left.  But it won't be long.  And I guess we shouldn't complain about it taking so long.  We've had such amazing summer weather up until now.  So here we are mucking about in the river, getting the kids filthy dirty.  They waded up to their knees and sat in the creek bed.  They slid down the hillside of dirt and mud and came home sopping wet and dirty and HAPPY!  What did I say.... you spend time with us, prepare to get a whole lot dirty and hopefully have a good time while doing it!

Happy Fall Everyone! :)

Apples!!!

Today was a beauty day for picking apples.  I just couldn't bare the thought of spending another second inside our house after the claustrophobic weekend we spent working wayyyy too much and not enough time outside with the kids.   

So we took off on a spur of the moment decision to pick apples--a plan I had made on Saturday but was cancelled with the rain we had.  Our favorite orchard--Carl Laidlaw, isn't open on weekdays, so we visited a small orchard across from Downey's Farm instead.  It wasn't busy at all and the orchards are well maintained.  It doesn't have all the flair that Car Laidlaw has, but for us on a lazy Monday morning, it was perfect.  (Except we didn't bring a picnic lunch and Downey's doesn't offer anything during the week).  

The kids picked apples and hoped in and out of the little red wagon a million times.  They filled up the basket and sucked on the apples I had polished clean.  I let Gabriel take a few pictures on my camera.  He is always very careful and I think he might have an eye for it.  It's very cute to see.  He says "Ok everyone, say cheese!" in a commanding voice and then he snaps a million photos just like I do.

I can't imagine that we have many of these 20 degree Celcius days left.  So we are trying to take advantage of every opportunity!!!  Can't wait to start making all sorts of apple creations!

The Last Bits of Summer

Here are the last bits of summer, spent at a family cottage in the North Kawarthas.  We were relieved to leave the heat wave in Toronto and escape to the lake at the cottage where we could jump in the water whenever it all got too much.  That is exactly what we did.  There was more than one morning we spent sipping coffee down at the dock while the children waded and splashed in the water before the sun had even hit the beach. I always used to love the water (and still do) but to be honest, between 19 years old and now I haven't spent more than a few minutes at a time in the water, really.  

But this past weekend was really full of swimming.  It was so hot, it was hard not to go in.  Gabriel must have spent the better part of eight hours a day (when he wasn't eating breakfast, or lunch or supper) in the water!  So between Jordan and I who joined him there, we each spent about four hours each day in the water too.  I definitely felt a little bit like a kid again, paddling around, jumping in and out, running in and out of the water splashing, lounging in the floaty.  It was pretty fabulous really!  The water, along with the cousins as great company, and delicious food... well, it was pretty alright, you know?

Even the littlest of cousins dipped his toes in the water.

 There were plenty of boat rides where the kids got to "drive."

 And plenty of relaxation.

Our cousins have a cottage right beside where we were staying and so our children got to spend a lot of time together.  It's pretty neat that we have someone born every year for the past four years.  Many babies to keep each other company!  And hopefully many summer weekends together up at the cottage!

 Another little cousin stopped in for a visit!

The lingering benefit of our trip this summer has been the strong friendship that has remained between Maggie and Gabriel.  They love to play together, (and pester and torture each other).  We love watching them play together, racing around playing "chase" and "steamrolling" each other.  The shrieks of laughter, the giggles... the crying....  (It always ends in tears, doesn't it). 

 

 And here we go, Fall....  Back to the grind!  It already feels like fall here in Toronto again!