Lovely Days

We all need friends like Terri Fisher who throw school out the window on a beautiful day and encourage others to follow!

Okay, in reality, Terri is one of those mothers who can motivate her children to get it all done before lunch in order to get out in the sunshine.

I admire women like her...

I am of the "throwing out the window" variety...

I am so glad we did. Though the park security wouldn't let us have our picnic on the lawn, we rallied and still enjoyed ourselves.

Bikes, scooters, rollerblades and even a card game (what?!)

It felt like a bonus summer day... and we are hoping for a few more before the cold winds blow!

Fun on Ice

Aubrie chose ice-skating as her birthday activity and our friend at the Mega Mall let us in before they opened, so we had the ice to ourselves!  Thanks, Christian!

Good-natured learners!

Along with our whole family, we had Tasha Wilson, trying to brighten the day of a stubborn little boy, (we missed you, Ashley and Analea!)

Haillie & Noah Broberg (we missed Jonah & Silas, but 8am on a Saturday morning when you live on the other side of town is a little unreasonable!),

Hannah, Jonathan & Timothy Fisher,

And Ted.

This was Sam's first time on ice. Last year he was stroller-bound the whole time.

Though not crazy about the falling, he thought it was something he would do again.

It was a fun family activity
and, despite the bruises, we will definitely do it again!

She started with skates and ended with tennis shoes.
Anybody want to come over and teach my kids how to skate?

Happy Birthday, Aubrie... just a few weeks late!

The anticipation was palpable... 

we started the countdown sometime in July... 

the lists... the discussions... 

FINALLY it came to pass!  

Aubrie completed her first decade!!!  

The choice for commemoration was

a cookie dough mountain (sans eggs). 

We tried to make it look like an island inhabited by pirates... what do you think?

Our team came over to help us celebrate, as well as some friends from town and further afield (glad you could be there, Ilya, next time bring the family:-)).

I thought you may want to see our living room from both angles. Wish you could come and put your feet up and chat a while...

Thank you to all those who sent gifts from America and to those who delivered them in person. She got everything she wanted... except the surprise visit from cousin Cassidy that she was SURE would happen. We will have to start saving now to make that one come about before she moves away. 

 But, Cass, she LOVED the owl!