Summer 2013

I realized that even though I said I was going away camping with the kids, I never actually got around to posting anything about it- or some of the other adventures that we've had this summer. And then I was waiting on some pictures of the dog- so I STILL didn't post this.

Well, hopefully it's better late than never, lol!

This summer didn't turn out like I'd originally hoped because of the dog, but I think on the whole it wasn't too bad (I can't believe it's over already, though. It went by so fast!).

We started our summer holidays a bit early because mentally I was just done. That, and we got our dog- which we eventually named 'Choco'. It's a shortened form of chocolate, which the kids thought was ironic since too much chocolate can kill a dog- but he's varying shades of brown, so I thought it suited him. And after three weeks of having him, he needed a name already.

Anyone who knows anything about dogs knows that Airedales are NOT a dog for newbies like us. Unfortunately, the one time my husband decides to be positive about something (i.e. it won't be THAT bad), it's when we're getting a dog. NOT a good idea.

Everyone in the family has a bit of a love/hate relationship with this dog. They all HATE taking the dog out, when he nips/scratches them or having to spend more than 10 seconds with him but don't mind him when he's entertaining or behaving. So, the bulk of the care has fallen on me. I'm not sure why I thought this wasn't going to happen (at least not to this extent), but I resented it. Intensely.

We've gone from a cute little ball of fluff...

To a giant 44 lb ball of energy! This picture
was taken almost 2 months ago!

Sorry for the bad webcam picture- but this is from tonight.
The shelf by his head is at 24".

Rebekah on the other hand, is TOO in love with this dog! He's gotten SO big already that she likes to pretend he's a horse and tries to ride on his back. But more often than not, she's doing everything you shouldn't do with a dog. I'm not sure who is worse in their behaviour, her or the dog!

A nicer, calmer moment with the dog.

Needless to say, all of this has come as a total shock to me. I was NOT prepared for having this kind of a dog- and definitely NOT prepared for the puppy stage. The one bonus is that he's quite successfully house broken (thank God!), so at least there aren't any more accidents in the house.

Now like I mentioned above, having come off a year-end mental 'melt-down' and the stress of getting this dog has made for a very different summer than I'd planned on having.

I chose not to send the boys to camp (story for another day) and wanted to do some local stuff as a family instead (even possibly some short camping trips on Graham's weekends). That didn't happen and it kind of bummed me (and the kids) out.

But, no more whining- here are some of the things we DID do:

I made this violin cake for Elijah & Samuel's Year End
Strings Class party.

Jeremiah learned how to build
a house of cards.

One of Samuel's Lego creations. (There were
dozens by each boy.)

Canada Day Fireworks

Camping in the Okanagan with my parents

Going Go-karting with Tante Heidi- who
was visiting from Germany.

Noah FINALLY getting to drive himself on the go-karts.

Beach bar-b-que with Tante before she headed home.

No campfire is complete without the s'mores!

And no trip to the beach is complete without a sand castle.

Trying out the guns at the Family Fun Day put on by the
Abbotsford Fish and Game club.

Trying our hand at fishing after the rifle and archery range.

Graham working on his kitchen skills.

Going to our first rodeo at the Abbotsford AgriFair.

Mayor Bruce Banman & the rodeo clown.
Personally I enjoyed watching him get pelted with 500
paintballs/min. at Mythbusters more than this.

Watching the Demolition Derby. Crazy to see mini-vans
and station wagons go at it!

Our first trip out with our new canoe- not to mention
our first tip-over with THIS canoe!

A Medieval Themed VBS that covered the Armour
of God at my parents' church.

Golf camp for the older two boys (didn't get pictures).

Trip to Playland with my sister-in-law and her girls.

More Lego building- this is a kitchen, built by Jeremiah.
He and Elijah do some crazy amazing building.

So there you have it- the not-so-traditional 'What I did this Summer' report.

Now if I could just get myself organized and motivated enough to get going on school for real instead of the tid-bits here and there that we've been doing for the past few weeks!

How about you? What was the high-light of your summer?

Keeping it real, by the grace of God...

Tammy