Day 30

This will either be the best or worst idea ever. Because my son crawls out of his crib constantly, I think he should sleep in a tent. The tent we have is huge so we're going to try it out in the living room and see if he will sleep in it. If it works, maybe we'll get him a kid-sized tent for his room. I'm scared to have him getting out and wandering around at night, and he has a hard time getting to sleep when there is so much he could be doing/seeing/exploring. The tent will hopefully keep him safe and comfy and bored enough that he'll go to sleep.

Day 29

Madeleine snuggling my nephew Mathias.
Jealous?

Day 28

We went to visit our cousins who are camping at Assessippi Park, and we learned how to make the best cinnamon buns I've ever had in a big dutch oven with coals from the campfire.

Cecily learned that the really good stuff is what is left in the pot after you dump the cinnamon buns out.

Day 27

Mr. Important needs to eat his breakfast at the island with the big kids, while the dog lurks for anything that might fall on the floor.

Day 26

Nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon??

We waited in line for 45 minutes behind this super-duper clean truck - for the CAR WASH. Serge was tempted to go up to this guy's window and ask him where he's been that his truck got so filthy. There were two other shiny clean cars in front of this truck. Do people really have nothing better to do than wait in line over a half an hour just to spend $8.99 to wash their already showroom-clean vehicle in the car wash?

Here's another Mr. Clean supposedly applying bug pre-treatment spray to the bugs that may possibly exist on his already sparkling clean car.

Our van was legitimately filthy, even had stuff written in the dust on the back window. Maybe it was worth the wait - the soap smelled like cherry bubblegum.

Day 25

He doesn't just color outside the lines, he goes right off the paper.

Day 24

Tough love!

Day 23

A little head of lettuce from the garden, and the first pod of peas that is (almost) ready to eat. The peppers, tomato and cucumber are all from the store, I did plant those but they won't be ready from the garden until closer to the end of August. It's hard to have a whole-garden salad.

Day 22

It's blurry but I love it. Cecily and Evan had breakfast together this morning at the island (!!!!) because he thinks he's a big boy and can get up on the stools by himself. He sits nicely and eats with a spoon like the big girls and I can't say that's any more dangerous than him standing on the tray of his highchair, at least he eats and doesn't even throw his food all over.

When they were done I put him on the floor and Cecily hopped down and he went over and grabbed her hand to lead her off somewhere to play. And they went about ten steps before she said, "Here, get on my back!" and crouched down, and he climbed up. He loves piggyback rides from his big sisters, and Cecily doesn't seem to mind if he hangs on by a fistful of hair. I'm so glad they enjoy each other. Seems like it was just yesterday he was a new baby and they couldn't play with him.

Day 21

First day of swimming lessons for us, everything is so different in the pool - no waves to interfere with the star float. Marylou is helping Annique with her star and she's holding it for three seconds like she's supposed to. :) Not bad for the first day!

Day 20

Madeleine, sick at the doctor's office.


And an extra picture - I found this in my mother's fridge this morning. It's just wrong to tease people like that.

Day 19

Sunday's activity - painting rocks.

Day 18

The kids picked saskatoons, so we had berry pancakes!

Day 17

Evan hanging out with Auntie Sissy. Not sure which of them is more impressed with the Cheeto.

Day 16

Reserving this spot to see if I can figure out how to get pictures off of my mom's phone. :)

Day 15

Baby ducks are undeniably cute. This one showed up in my sister in law's backyard with no mommy duck or other baby ducks. They tried to take it to a pond but it followed them back home. They're going to try to find a duck-family for it to belong to, because with a newborn baby and three other kids in the house, they probably don't need a baby duck too. But it IS cute. It chases after my niece and says "peep, peep, peep!" which is cute but if you try to leave it by itself it yells PEEEEEEEP! PEEEEEP!!! PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPP!!!! when you are walking away. Baby ducks are needy.

Day 14

A typical load of the kids' laundry. Notice anything?

Day 13

Testing out the light for the 10th annual canola photo. The light was good, the shadows were not so good.

Day 12

My sister trying to balance on surfboards like we did when we were little. But she needed two. I'd probably need five.

One of many failed attempts with just one surfboard.

Day 11

Grandpa's birthday - Madeleine made the cake with Grandma's help, Cecily and I colored the icing and put the worms on, and Davis and Dion picked Saskatoon berries for the finishing touch.

Day 10

Evan LOOOVES Grandma Silver's new wheels. Let's go!

Grandma Silver insisted on taking Evan for a walk because he liked her walker so much.

Day 9

Another one of the last signs from last year's sign project finally going up. It's huge! I do love seeing the designs going from my computer to being on display.

Day 8

Ghostly water spill.

Day 7

July is either very late, or very early to be making Christmas decorations. You be the judge.

Day 6

And you ask, why is my van so dirty? Would you want to wash this off? Maybe it's a little bit Blair Witch Project, but I like it.

Day 5

New baby - while we were away, my sister-in-law had a baby boy. So here's my newest nephew! I couldn't get in for a closer picture, crowd control was an issue.

Day 4

On the road again - Evan doesn't travel as well when he doesn't have his sisters to entertain him. So we threw the poor dog back there until he went to sleep. I got to yell "QUIT FIGHTING! Don't bug him!! Leave him alone! OKAY! just SIT STILL!! GO. TO. SLEEP!!" which made it seem more like a normal trip for everyone.

Day 3

My son walking his fudgsicle just out of the range of the dog's rope, so he can eat it in peace.

Day 2

Anniversary flowers, I didn't notice them for some reason last night but they're looking very pretty in the morning.

DAY ONE

This is July 1, 2010, exactly 10 years after July 1, 2000 when we got married. So, it's our 10 year anniversary. I miss my old 365 and thought starting up another one might be a good way to celebrate our 10th year of being a family. Wish me luck!

Day 1 - celebration!

We're at the lake with 1 out of 4 kids, because nobody wanted the boy. The girls are camping with my sister. We put the boy to bed early and along with my aunt and uncle, we decided to play an old family game with dice and marbles (Bop) but made it more interesting by playing for drinks. With too many rules requiring a shot of cherry whisky, it quickly got out of hand. An emergency rule modification was necessary, but unfortunately did not happen soon enough to keep my husband from passing out before midnight. He literally took his marbles and went home. I took some photos of that, but decided in the interest of staying married for another ten years, I'd better choose something else for my Day 1 photo.

Victorious at drunk-Bop!