I've been meaning to capture the moments that make motherhood so special and although there are many videos and photos which will account for the first 15 months of Tavish's life there are no journals or scrapbooks. So, this blog will document the tid-bits and tales of the moments that make a mother proud, happy and generally enthused about this ride that is motherhood. This has been created for me but I invite you to read, share and enjoy this collection of moments too.
Summer is not simply super-duper big scale adventures ... well, it is a pretty big part of summer, but we managed to squeeze in even more summer fun in the sun closer to home.
Rollerblader!
Alpacas!
Ferrying to the Toronto Island
My Favourite Son
Patio!
Adele - Keva's Bestie
Let's Play Ball
MOMENTS: A Little Bit of Everything
The home-highlights of this summer included, but weren't limited to the following categories: - Baseball: another season of watching our favourite player and his pals play ball - Babies: our friendly neighbourhood Casey and some time with Torie's Dawson at the cottage - Swimming: at Laura & Quinn's with Maggie & the girls, the new pool at Agapi & George's (Foti, Hali, Maria), Mississauga at cousin Kerry's, Lake Ontario with Riley & Melissa at the Island, and Kingston with Jen & Julian ... swim! swim! swim! - Sweets: bountiful fresh fruit and vegetables, ice cream, and some other treats thrown in - Friends: friends fun for all... Adele, Lucy, Pippa & Cleo; Adina, Jana, Maggie, Alyssa, Laura and more! - Fun: so much fun everywhere - Adventures: Kingston, Niagara, Torie's Cottage, Toronto Island, Mississauga & everywhere in between - Animals: alpacas, dogs, and cats, oh my!
We rested our legs from the cycling trip just long enough to drive further east to Prince Edward Island! We rented the matching cottage next door to Michele and the boys. They were scheduled for 2 weeks, we were in for 1 week. Their booking was cancelled unexpectedly and we still managed to all be together and near-ish enough for one another. Grandpa was able to join too. It was a maritime-good-time!
Whole fam-damily!
Grandpa and Tom hit the trails
Mountain bikers
As evening with the Fiddling Fisherman
A family that clam digs together...
Digging low tide
Splash!
Lighthouse and Us
MOMENTS: Beach, Adventure, Family Time - Repeat
Each and every beach offers it's own whole experience and we enjoyed every one of them. We got back on our bikes; paddled tandem seakayaks to dig for clams then cooked them in a yummy soup; enjoyed some live fiddle music on a fishing boat whilst playing the spoons; we ate; there was golfing; we saw the sites; we completed a puzzle; and best of all, we did it safely surrounded by family.
We added a whole new adventure to our summer this year - a family cycling trip! It was something we have looked forward to doing as a family after Tom and I fell in love with cycle tripping in Kenya and Tanzania (honeymoon) and through Slovenia before we had kids. Doing it as a family was wonderful. We were gifted wonderful weather (thank you 'heat dome'), refreshing pools/lakes/rivers, and keen kids who were all in. Only thing left to do is think about where we can go to cycle trip together next!
A Shuttle to Start
Peddling Foursome
Day wear
Splash
Flat
Family
MOMENTS: Peddling, Splashing, Hills
The journey started in Saint-Jerome on a shuttle bus that delivered us to our starting spot in Tremblant. We had a short and sweet (okay, fine, it was hilly) cycle up to Mont Tremblant where we spent the day exploring: hiking, gondola riding, swimming, mini putting. What followed were 4 days of riding together and making refreshing stops (read: ice cream, rivers, and lakes) and creative side stops along the way ... like at a puzzle store and a chocolate factory! Perhaps the most memorable part of the journey was the off-the-path route that was required to get to our accommodation in Saint-Adele... we had to go up. Way up. On our bicycles. We conquered it and all, but the experience may well be legendary for our family forever. The good news is that what-goes-up must come-down so that was fun ... for about 3 minutes. Sigh. Ah well, the memories will last a lifetime! The ceremonial last 10km back to Saint-Jerome saw Keva and Mommy getting a head start while Tavish and Daddy packed up from our grocery store lunch. We were on a mission to stay ahead and get as far as we could before they caught us, only to learn that Daddy had a flat tire that was not easily repairable. Boo. We backtracked a bit to wait for the independent (and super speedy!) Tavish to meet us, and the three of us did the final 5km together. Daddy and his bike were rescued after a quick cool down in the community spray park and we hit the road. No rest for the weary! Next stop on our summer adventure - Prince Edward Island!
Whilst on our cycling trip and a stop at Lac Carre, Keva was sporting her swimsuit that ties behind her neck. After using the washroom and drying off a bit, Keva was ready to hit the water again, but required some swimsuit support....
Keva: Mommy, can you tie this tighter so no one can see my pimples?
Score one for Keva and her modesty. No nipples were displayed at this time, Mommy did indeed tighten the suit and she was splashing again in no time.
We had another great family adventure in Kawartha this summer...
MOMENT: Paddling, Splashing, Tenting Good Time
Though I still find it a lot of work to sort such few supplies into small spaces, it always proves worth it! We were off to the same location as last year, but "our" site wasn't available the first night, so we made a mid-way move after our first night when it was available. Worth it. Always.
Going home was going to be different: covid, no Dad/Grandpa, no Cabin. Though some things would be the same: quality family time, seeing friends, jumping into cool refreshing lake water. Change means opportunity, so we made the best of the new ways to enjoy our home away from home by making wonderful new memories.
Nearby Fitness Fun
Second shot DONE!
Tasting good, Fort Frances!
Walking the West End
Gang is back together in Grandpa's Boat
Smiling Siblings
FORE! Tavish grew as a golfer (at Grandpa's course)
Looking like locals
The Grandma Fan Club
Hard working Hubby
FF Home with the Hostess with the Mostess
Brighton
Water Lover
Sunset Country
Mother & Daughter time
MOMENTS: Fort Frantastic
Though Fort Frances is right on Rainy Lake, most of our time has historically been spent on Footprint Lake, so we turned that loss of time on that lake into an opportunity to explore the local treasures of Rainy Lake. We explored new places with friends and in Grandpa's Boat with Uncle Kevin! The merging of old and new memories happening everywhere. Both kids made a local friend (Brighton for Tav and Scarlett for Keevs). Everyone truly had a blast from the day we arrived to the day we had to leave. (sniff, sniff) We are so grateful that Daddy could be with us the whole time, even though he had to work on weekdays. Virtual work proved to be a silver lining to covid - everyone enjoyed the fun Fort Frances had to offer our family.
