We like fireworks

Earlier this summer we headed to Vancouver with our neighbors, and Uncle Dave and met Andrew to watch the fireworks. It's been YEARS since I'd been to Vancouver for Symphony of Fire (like since before me and Andrew.) so I had no idea what to expect. I'd heard from someone that a good place for families to watch from was the Jericho Ridge area. So that's where we went.

Though I've watched the fireworks from Kits before, and I've been to the Planetarium many times, I'd never actually explored the beach line along here. It's really pretty. One day we'll have to go back when it's not so crowded.

There's a couple of docks in a little bay (the park is called Hadden Park) where there are some boats moored and you can go look at them. They even have a mini viking ship built to scale. Unfortunately they weren't letting anyone down that night. Yet another reason we'll have to go back one day.

 So we puttered around with the kids and looked at the boats from afar. What a beautiful day. (We won't mention the nightmare drive into Richmond and how we got stuck in traffic before the tunnel for over an hour. It was soooo hot and traffic didn't move. I was so sure we would all die of heat stroke. Or that the evening would be ruined because of it. But you know it wasn't that bad once we found parking and got out of the cars.)

Me, Dave and Kandace!

 Beautiful Elisabeth.

 There is nothing better than lying in the sun with a good book, some fresh berries and and good friends and watching the sun set.

 It was beautiful.

 I don't have any pictures of the fireworks. Just the lovely sunset. Enjoy.

These are some pictures I took back in July. We had the most amazing summer this year: mostly dry and warm with clear blue skies. Perfect summer holidaying weather. So we tried to make the most of it with lots of trips. These are some from an afternoon in Whiterock.

 I've never really been interested in totem poles or Native Art before. But this summer, I can not stop photographing the various totems we've come across. I love the rich colours and the wood. It's beautiful.

Usually when we go to the beach, it's Crescent or Harrison. But we wanted to go back to Whiterock and see if we could catch the tide out. We did and it was amazing. Sky and sand FOREVER. And also, green slimy stuff. SO MUCH GREEN. 

 Luckily the kids don't seem as afraid of it as I am.They still had a blast.

 This is such a Lizzie face. She's a worrier. Partly because she's so intuitive and perceptive. And she's got a crazy imagination. Hopefully we can teach her to train these into positive attributes - I think she'll be a writer one day. And maybe an artist.

 This is Nate. He wore this bucket for a long time.

long day on the farm.

So I expect this blog will be a little out of order until I catch up, but that will just give me some blog fodder for a little while.

I just got through the first week of school. For me this actually means two weeks straight of work. This year we were closed on Sunday, so I did actually get a day off. Tomorrow I can work from home, so that means I can relax a little (which in fact, I just did,..falling asleep mid post!) 

It's been a long week since Andrew is also working (two jobs right now) and the kids aren't in school because of the teacher strike. I'm so thankful for my sister and our neighbor who both look after our kids while we work.

One day recently when I wasn't at work, we took the kids to Taves Apple Barn. You know, we'd been there a few times, but never to play. Always to pick pumpkins or apples and we'd never done all the activities.

There was this zipline up in the barn. The kids are almost too big, but they still got a kick out of this. Looks so easy to build, I think we need one down our hill!

View of the petting zoo from up in the barn loft.

Who would have thought that one of the most popular parts of the farm was this little toddler area. Two of the kids were too old for this, and they were probably all too tall, but they loved riding these tractors around the little roadway.

As you can see, we spent a long time up there before we finally persuaded the kids to check out the other kids.

That goat looks all sweet and innocent, but the minute my back was turned (to get a picture of the pig below) he scampered up my back and sat on my shoulder. At first I was so confused I didn't know what was happening to me! I am so glad I didn't stand up suddenly and fling him across the yard! Needless to say, my back and shoulder were a bit tender for a few days after that!

We took the wagon ride out through the orchard and past all the corn fields.

As you can see, David is NOT a farm boy! He didn't like all the smells.Although the only time they seemed to bother him was while we were on the tractor.

There was an amazing and huge corn maze here (you can just see it behind the boys). It was L shaped and went on forever. I was actually a little concerned we were lost in there!

This bouncer thing was my favorite. I don't imagine it would be fun with more than six people on it, but we sure had a blast and BOY can you bounce high on it!

The goats really liked me. This one wouldn't stop licking my knees.

Once we'd exhausted all the other parts of the farm, the kids dragged us back upstairs to ride the tractors one more time.

Super fun day and so worth the price of admission.