My Favorite Use of Time

I have been analyzing the way I spend my time lately and specifically what brings me joy ( since writing a book on this ! )

I love the cottage 

I love reading at the cottage

I love napping at the cottage 

I love spending time with my family anywhere 

I could go on and on 

But there is one thing that seems to surpass it all in terms of joy :

Spending quality time with my children and their friends 

My Vanilla Beans

I have loved this little lady for so long

Since they were very young we have made this a top priority in our lives for all three of them. We will put aside work , have the kitchen piled with dishes , skimp on sleep, have a freshly cleaned home messy within hrs by having lots of kids over with their shoes on and wet towels from the pool - to prioritize having a houseful of kids with us 

It is both a prime value of ours to really know whom our kids cherish and also a massive sense of pleasure for us to be involved and cherish them too.

We can tell the summer really begins when our home has no routine at night for meals and we end up having last minute guests. Chase has been off and working for 6 weeks now before his bike camp job. After working until 7:30 hubby and I opted for a nap outside since nobody seemed to be around to eat. 9:30pm we wake up to Chase and his two BFFs saying “want to hang out near the pool together and eat?” (Aka can you make dinner and we will sit with you?) 

We gave them money to get Lebanese and we sat and talked and talked into late evening outside under the stars. Pure pure fun and happiness for all . They left at midnight to begin their evening at a bar dancing after:)

Then this long weekend first official of school out us had Beauty’s three friends at cottage. One has come twice before and the two others never. She has been hanging out more and more with this squad and was top priority to get to know them much better. So glad we did!

Beautiful people. With such diverse personalities and lovely souls. Each so unique and wonderful in different and beautiful ways. And we talked and talked and talked and laughed! Very very chatty girls . We learned more about Beauty’s life in these three days than we have in 15.5 yrs. !! Everyone cooked and cleaned and helped and planned meals and took turns 

We seedooed and tubed and went on boat. The girls hung out with the Harleys in village. Lol!

We watched late night fireworks from the boat. We got caught in a big storm. They poured over my blog books and got us caught up on our daughter’s life. We shared long fun meals.

Dea fell in the lake !!! Such a funny, beautiful girl and sweet and full of life and ideas

Jade washed and washed dishes! What a  lovely and unique and beautiful this girl is. Beauty shining inside and out

Molly laughed and laughed at the tube rides! Mature, so much wisdom and beauty and strength

One spoke of how amazing one of our sons are and wants to marry him! (any guesses who?)

Another spoke of how handsome the other son is!

I was just so impressed by their youthful ways and mature souls 

Their beauty shone and hearts glowed 

All authentic and truthful with nothing to hide 

So much insight on life is bundled up into such sweetness 

A beautiful weekend. So so weather ( at best !! )  but nobody really noticed or cared 

Just like all the weekends we have spent with Beauty's friends her for so many years. Vanilla Bean and Livvy Bum Bum I hope it all works for august as that is the highlight of the summer too spend that time with “our girls “of forever too. Countless years of spending precious time with this gang who we know so well and love deeply. So many fun times at home and at Trent. We love  all you girls and are so excited to spend time again soon and see you.

It’s fun to watch our children grow and change and develop into the adults they will become. And there is no better way to see this than through their friends. Whom they choose to spend their time with and share their lives with 

And no higher honour and privilege as their parents to be included in journey. To be part of it with them all.

Bears Prom 2017

No time to edit sorry!!!

Well togue ceremony is one thing but prom night is another !

I won’t say much and let the pictures do the talking but just a few highlights:

• was so fun to see Bear all dressed up and his big bro helping him with finishing touches with music blaring 
• big photo shoot we did before he left  and did came too 
• bears girlfriend Catherine is not at same school so bear took a very close friend as his date 
•  
• There was a cocktail organized by the parents of one of Bears close friends and over 40 graduates and their parents were invited to their beautiful home on the lake pre prom from 3-6pm. They had it catered and tents and everything! A professional photographer. Was so incredibly generous of them 
• Was so fun seeing all of Bears friends so fancy and gorgeous. He has a HUGE group of friends boys and girls and all so close and connected 
• It was almost time for the kids to leave for prom at 5:30pm and about 9 boys went out to the dock. We were just about to take a picture as reminded us of the pre wedding scene from mama mia with the tuxedos and suits and corsages and lake and mountain background..... and then !!!!!!!! .....

THE DOCK COLLAPSED AND BROKE !!!!!

WITH ALL OUR BOYS ON IT . FULLY EMERGED IN THE LAKE

And yes of course our boy was on that dock and in the lake . Has he ever not been where friends and action are ?

Silence for many moments as a hundred people watched from the horrifying sidelines

Blow drying shoes , suits in dryers ! Prom boys in nothing but underwear. Minutes before prom! Grad gifts of watches ruined . All cell phones ruined . Disaster. Nobody knew whether to laugh or cry .

We were just thankful was the boys and not the girls !

And still of course very first world problems!

 Bear found this all hysterically funny until he realized his cell phone was finished . That he bought with his hard earned money and researched for months.

So they were all damp and late for prom and pants a bit shorter from dryer but went to prom 

We went out with three other couples for dinner and talked mostly about this crazy event!

• No boys except one from our gang had cells so was a worrisome night with no sleeps as they only of course came home at 7:30am the next morning. Prom then after prom then all night poutine place and then watching sunrise at mountain

• Then home for sleep 4 hrs like a literal zombie. Then up and packed for grad camping trip night!

• Then home for 2.5 hrs and left for summer for lifeguard job at a sleepover camp! ( will be home 32 hrs a week some weeks )

And that was grad 2017! I am not sure any of us can forget it! That i image of the dock collapsing and all the proudly dressed boys for prom in lake will be with me forever. 

Togue CSA Bear 2017

It was Bear's big togue ceremony last night. Words cannot even describe how beautiful it was!

This school of ours really knows how to pull off the wow factor and always have.

The convocation was no exception.

Was so amazing to watch Bear and his friends while we have known forever- graduate and complete this milestone of their lives.

And we beamed in pride as they called his name and showed a big picture of him across the 20 screens set up across re huge church with his program ( Defi sports ) where he will go next year ( cegep in Health Sciences ) and a picture of him in sec 1 when he started and now with cap and gown .

And then a special distinction for excellence in Defi Sports award was announced with his name!!!

Hubby and I squeezed our hands together in pride. Our boy :)

Was a beautiful ceremony and then tons of pics with friends after. Then went and picked up his girlfriend Catherine and went to lake a did a photo shoot of them as a couple and some solos of our graduate 

Then my mom had prepared all here at home with grad stuff and balloons and we ordered in a delicious Lebanese buffet and enjoyed a nice evening eating outside. Was nice to relax with all the kids and not rush.

Gifts and desserts were a highlight too. 

It was truly an amazing night. An incredible 5 years at a wonderful school where we have watched our boy turn to man.

We are so proud Bear of your outstanding accomplishments academically, athletically and socially. We truly believe the world is there for you to choose where you can contribute due to all your diverse talents and skills, fierce determination and leadership 

Excited to see your next phase!

We love you forever and ever and ever and are deeply proud!

Defi Sport Finale

Bear is graduating this year . Not only from his high school but from the sport program he has done for 5 years within the school.

Friday was their final exam of this program and was a day of extreme physical and some mental challenges. A mix between Amazing Race and Survivor . It is planned all year by sports teachers and past graduates and took place yesterday in the rain . He was at school by 6am 

His team of 4 came in 4th place ! Out of 20 very athletic and talented teams ! Go Bear !

The chariot he built held up ! Yahoo !

Anyways very very proud of our Bear ! Defi sports has been an equally amazing experience as was for Chase . So glad they had this on their lives as it has been so enriching. And exhausting as you can see from the bus they are pushing below!!!