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.
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| Nearby Fitness Fun |
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| Second shot DONE! |
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| Tasting good, Fort Frances! |
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| Walking the West End |
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| Gang is back together in Grandpa's Boat |
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| Smiling Siblings |
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| FORE! Tavish grew as a golfer (at Grandpa's course) |
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| Looking like locals |
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| The Grandma Fan Club |
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| Hard working Hubby |
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| FF Home with the Hostess with the Mostess |
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| Brighton |
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| Water Lover |
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| Sunset Country |
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| 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.
Well, what started off as weekly "covid" updates continues with an entire school year in review montage. It was a strange year. Everyone in masks, class shutdown, covid cases, swelling ICU numbers, 'pivoting' at work again and again, virtual learning, and virtual teaching ... everyone home, too much screen time, but all for the sake of safety and we are fortunate to have come through the year healthy and together.
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| Comforts of Learning from Home |
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| Lots of Screen Time |
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| Outdoor Education! |
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| Lots of Together Time <3 |
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| Laptops are Portable |
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| Daily View |
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| How Keva Feels about Online Learning... |
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| Farewell to Grade 3, Virtually |
MOMENTS: Screens, Masks, Teaching, Learning
Ups, downs, and all arounds. Here's a bunch of snapshots to help capture the full strangeness of the year. Enjoy!
In the spirit of making the best of what you've got, our 8 foot backyard "pool" delivered happiness again this spring.
MOMENT: Our Own Private Pool Parties
Sometimes Keva played on her own, every so often both kids would pile into the pool together, occasionally a grandparent would be virtually dialed in to join, once a grandparent splashed about in person, Mommy made an appearance, and plenty of friends joined in for a splashing good time.
Hard to believe that we will have exactly zero children going to school at Morse next year. It's true, both kids are off to new schools, as are most of the 'gang'. The teachers from the school put on a graduation celebration parade that came up Coady. We made an outdoor gathering out of it and bit a waving farewell to seven years spent at the marvellous Morse Street Junior Public School...
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| Graduate Lawn Signs |
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| Our Grade 6 Graduate |
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| Mr Lodhia high five as he cycles by |
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| The Morse Gang |
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| ...heading off on new adventures |
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| Big change for parents too! |
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| Brace for greatness, Duke and Montcrest! |
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| Logan and Grandma |
