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!

Camping on the Farm with Friends.

This past weekend we spent with friends at their family farm in Collingwood near Wasaga Beach.  The old farmhouse burned down many years ago, leaving the barns and an expansive property behind--barns and gardens that are still used even if no one continues to live there.  Over the years, the family has taken to camping there.  There are fields of wild flowers, vegetables in the gardens, old barns filled with all sorts of places to explore and streams to catch frogs and crayfish. 

We jumped at the chance to see the property and go camping with friends up there, even if it meant no running water--including toilets.  We pitched our tents around an old cabin and wandered about the property for the day--investigating the maple syrup hut, the stream and taking rides on the gator.  The barn and gardens we explored the following day.  We breathed in deeply and contentedly the fresh country air.  I reminisced about life in the country as a child.

 Our haul from the veggie patch.

Tractor rides with the twins' Grandpa who came down to "cut the grass."

 Rides in the gator.

 Wildflowers for our table.  Thanks Isla!

Exploring the stream.  And a little dip.  Why is it that my children always come out dripping wet.

Isla's treasure for the evening.  Her mother may have had to check to make sure it didn't end up on her pillow at night. 

 Come Marshmallow time, there was quite a lot of eye-rubbing and wearing of other people's boots (on the wrong feet, Maggie) ^^^

There wasn't a whole lot of relaxing going on.  Camping with seven little people is a lot of work and prep--lots of planning, packing, meal prep and trying to remember to bring EVERYTHING you think you will need even if only for a night.  But life with littles is hardly ever relaxing, is it?  And so when the children finally crashed, all tired from the day's play and sticky-fingered, it wasn't long before we followed suit, crossing our fingers with high hopes of a night without middle of the night wake-up calls.  

The night was, in fact, interrupted.  The sniffs of coyotes outside our tents, and bats or other flying creatures flapping in the night.  The full moon was bright filtered only by the lightest of translucent clouds which served as more of softbox than anything.  It was a beautiful night to spend camping.  And we awoke to a humid dew on everything come morning. 

Why is it take little people love to put shoes on the wrong feet?  A 50/50 chance... and yet 100% on the wrong feet.  Every time.  I love it.  I love it so much I don't want to fix them.

Saturday evening, I did a little photoshoot with Kate in the fields.  Those fields were just so beautiful and the light was perfect.

 And got a little picture of our own too.  Thanks friends for a fabulous weekend at the farm.  Lots of great time spent with friends and so happy to have our hubbies hang out too.  All that time spent outdoors and on the farm really makes me dream about abandoning this city life and living on a big property with a garden where we grow our own veggies and raise chickens and ride horses.  I would love to have this life for my children.  (Nevermind the two hour drive to work, the mountains of snow we'd need to plow from the driveway to make it up to a house, or the flocks of mosquitoes that descend with a vengeance).  Maybe someday we will do just that, live in the country.  Get away from it all.  Not today.  Not this year.  But someday.  If only for a little while.