more about Saskatoon

Here are some more pics from our week in Saskatoon.


Jenn and I took our kids to the Mendel Art Gallery. This is where I had my wedding photos taken in the middle of winter!







Crazy to be back in that same place with three kids in tow now.



Emora was a bit terrified to be on the merry-go-round.



I love this picture with Isaac's reflexion in my sister's glasses.




These pictures from on the train made me crack up. I love Ivan and Imogen's faces. They were so filled with delight.



Here's my artsy girl blending with the blue on my parent's sun room door.

While we had a lot of fun there, it has been so nice to be home here in the summer. We got to go to the beach the other day, which is always a big treat- thanks Janet for suggesting it!! We've been to fun library programs and I just finished a HUGE project. I didn't know quite how huge or painful it would be. Our shed was moved right before we left and there was about 6 inches to a foot of sand and gravel all over the area we wanted for a garden, so over the last several days I've done from 2-6 hours of shoveling gravel a day. I can hardly move now, but it looks so great. We have plans to retortill it and maybe get some dirt brought in and rotortill it again before winter arrives, then we will have the winter to plan what to plant and how to organize it. I think we'll be calling in my Janet (super gardener ;) for advice on the planning stage. Here we are in summer and I'm already looking forward to spring! But the kids and I have been enjoying being outside and so has our new cat! She is so perfect for us, very lovable and so fun in the yard exploring and discovering the great outdoors.

What has been your favorite part of summer so far and what do you still have plans to do?

Some of our precious memories

We love to go exploring. Mom has a fun flower garden and I like taking pictures there too. Of course I used them to decorate tables at the anniversary tea, so most of these lilies were picked!! But the tables looked so good with flowers and books my parents like.




I was all excited since both of the girls let me do their hair this day! They rarely let me do their hair and I really love doing fun stuff to make them so pretty ;)



Of course it doesn't take anything to make them gorgeous, and did I mention that they are little posers too?

I thought this trio looked very canadian.








Our very favorite time in Saskatoon was to go swimming at the outdoor pool with the waterslide. All my kids said that was the best and I loved it too. So glad my kids enjoy what I like!! Ivan's next favorite activity and what he'd talked about for weeks on end before going to Saskatoon was about getting to drive the riding lawn mower with grandpa. He just loves it!











I also enjoyed seeing my niece and nephew and seeing him take his first steps.

I think there's some family resemblance! So fun to have cousins together. The kids hated to leave, but are thankful there are cousins in Fort Qu'Appelle too.

I am starting to find out when FREE activities happen here in the Fort. Today we went to a morning library program and this afternoon, the big kids have been there for 4 hours!! Amazing to have someone happily take them and do great activities with them and give me some time with Emora and all for FREE! I used the time to get most of the kids' school supplies, here in town, so that was so super nice- except there are a few impossible items. Why are there always a few difficult things? But at least I have a more manageable list for when I will have to go into the city. Ivan needs new running shoes again, and we need to do it soon so he will learn how to tie. He destroys velcro shoes real fast because he is constantly trying to make them tighter. Poor guy. Time to move up in the world with ties!! Hope that goes well.

Lots to catch up on...

Before we left for Saskatoon, our neighbor finally came to get one of our sheds. We really don't need as much storage as there was here, but we do need the space for a garden. To his credit it did require some serious machinery and maneuvering to get it out of the yard. I'm so glad it's gone. I'm hoping that I can get to removing the gravel and weeds and prepping the soil some this week.










I left Ivan in charge of taking the pictures of the grand event. I think he took about 50 pics, including this one.

Love that nose! He is often crinkling it just like this too.








Later that day, we were off to Saskatoon. Mom and dad just finished their three seasons room (it's a covered room off the house, on a section of their deck, refinished and walled in with lots of windows). It was so fun to meet Andrea's mom (at right) and her aunt (to the left). Andrea is my brother, Andrew's wife, both seen here.

We didn't realize there was a dress code... Here is the pink team and the green team. The only one that wasn't matching was dad, but when he saw what the other guys had happened to be wearing, he decided he didn't want to be the odd one out- not when there was a perfect picture op to be taken!




But the best surprise was when Isaac took his first step for all the family. He'd been practicing up for months of course, but was so gracious to wait for our arrival to give us the grand show! He is now taking several steps often to the delight of us all.
















It was a lovely restful day. I'm hoping I'll be able to post lots more about our week in Saskatoon as the week goes on. I have tons and tons of pictures as you can imagine! But we are also trying to recouperate and enjoy the last few weeks of summer. Can you believe it?! I'm dreading the S words (school shopping), but that is looming up for me too. And this time I have 2 to shop for! Ivan also brought home some supplies from last year, so I need to sift through them and see what we already have.
Also topping my list for the rest of this month- some library programs are on this month and more beach days ;)

All about Emora

I just love this girl! She's growing up so fast it's crazy! She is very determined to do what she wants. Every two year old is, but I don't remember it being this strong in the others.

Then again, that determination helps her accomplish lots and learn quickly to keep up with her siblings.








She was a great cheerleader at soccer and so good to hang out with the adults while her siblings get to do all the activities.











I wonder what her interests and talents will be.










And while sometimes, I wish she didn't always need me to lay with her to take a nap, or want me to hold her while I juggle 6 other bags, or want me to carry her everywhere, or need to be in my lap when overwhelmed with people, I have to remember she is still little, and it's nice to be close even as she wants to be her own person and make her own path. We are both figuring out that fine balance and enjoying the beauty of learning life and love all over again.

free activities!

At first when I got to Fort Qu'Appelle, I was disappointed because it didn't seem that there were many activities to do here with the kids. It does seem to slow down a lot in the winter, although there are several times a week when there is free skating and now we have the weekly library program, so there are at least 2 activities we have gotten into. In the summer, we have now found lots of fun activities. In July, they had free crafts and activities at Katepwa beach, which was handy after swim lessons and a picnic lunch.


















Some days were not as warm as others, so we packed half the house in the van- sand toys, food, blankets, swim floats and towels- but after a while, I could figure out what to keep in the van and what to just repack each day.










I'm glad the kids are learning to enjoy the water because it is one of my most favorite things ever! I love to swim or just sit by the water. It is so soothing and rejuvenating.