Melanie's birthday!

 Melanie is in her last year as one digit! As usual, she wanted to decorate her cake-she helped me make it too, and good thing too, or I might have missed the dry ingredients and left them on the counter!  "It looks weird Mom, I think we need more flour. It's too soupy."

 Evelyn was very interested in the cake too, or the candy on top at least!

 Melanie is really growing up. When she wants to (we aren't always what we should be!) she is a great help, and especially has a heart for "mothering" little girls. Visitor girls we've had lately have been watched and cared for by her...but diapers...that's too much to ask from Melanie. ;) She can also be a hard worker, and good company. :)

My camera decided to act up on Melanie's big day, so I will have to put up lots of "opening" pictures, but none of our outing to the Science Center. We did have a good outing-better yet because Daddy joined in, and it's his forte!

 Melanie's gift matched the outing, which we will repeat on account of getting a membership. Once you've gone twice, it's cheaper to just get it, so we'll try maximize it. 

Just like last year, Jennifer was a bit of nuisance during this time. I guess it's hard if you've only just had your birthday, to let your big sister get all the attention! 

The kids really got a kick out of Daddy's story of using the "burglar buzzer" and having a guest set it off late at night.

What's been on the calendar

 So a friend was due for a baby, and needed some toddler relief.  We obliged eagerly, and the kids all enjoyed playing with (in Evelyn's pronunciation) "No-me".

Just thought I'd throw in a pic of an old friend still being used. His name is Eeyore, but he doesn't look anything like him to me, aside from the tail being gone.

And we've been busy with drawing and coloring.  When I'm reading to Matthew and Daniel I break out the coloring sheets and crayons in hopes that it'll keep the youngest four somewhat quiet so that I don't have to yell while I read.  And we've been doing a bit of drawing every now and then.  

I think Evelyn is contemplating what to do, as there is nothing hanging up from her this time!

When "No-me"'s sister did come, we enjoyed her company for some days and nights.  It is a nice opportunity to get to know people better, and for the kids to learn to help someone in need.  It is sweet to see (when they're not saying "that's MY toy") them reach out and try to cheer up and make space for someone who's life has just gone topsy turvy!  And there is no doubt that Evelyn could use some competition for attention, as she thinks the world and kids and parents revolve around her and her royal cuteness.  I am pleased when she has to give up that space to someone else. :)

Evelyn played "church" with No-Me, but I'm not sure that it was played "with" or played "at".

Jennifer is four!

 Life is roaring by, and Jennifer is now four years old!  She chose to have a friend over for her birthday, and as it was Sunday and her friend's life is complicated with her mother's health concerns, it worked to have her over after church for coffee.  Not too long of a visit, but at age 4 an hour is plenty long with friends you aren't used to playing with.  The friend is actually Daniel's age, and she was sweet and gracious, and did her best to let Jennifer have a good time. :)

 Melanie made a crown for Jennifer which she wore all day. Except at church, which she wasn't permitted to try. ;)

 Jennifer was excitedly waiting for us to bring her her gifts.

 A card from big sister Melanie -- delivered and received with all due formality.

And the gifts elicited some excitement.  Ever since her birthday in BC Jennifer expects books, where all we had time to find for her were books.  We were a little caught up with anniversary celebrations and almost forgot it! But this year we were on the ball, and she even got Lego! (Doesn't Daniel look a little jealous?)

Hard to believe that Jennifer is four years old already!  We are happy to have her.  She is a lot of fun, has a great imagination, and has the award for being the loudest of the kids. ;)  She is an easy going child, but when she decides she doesn't like how things are going, she has a real stubborn streak too!  She's really into singing lately (which may have something to do with our friend living downstairs) and whenever she sees me looking somewhat available she'll grab a stack of books and ask me to read to her!  She patiently waits for Thursdays, which is her school day.  Then she gets about ten minutes of my time, and she does some prewriting, some cutting and gluing in her formal school books.  So easy to make her happy!

Playing at home

 This is a church that Jennifer built.

Two wheels!

Ages ago Jennifer mastered biking!  She wasn't confident getting started though, but since then she figured out how to take off on her own too!  She doesn't fight Evelyn for the tricycle anymore.  Which means she fights Daniel for this one instead. ;)

Killarney Aug 15

What a misty morning!  There are ducks on the lake...but you can only see them when they come quite close!

It's nice and wam in the sunshine on the rocks! 

We cooked breakfast here-camping stoves are portable, so why not cook where it's the cosiest?

Evelyn is a bit clinging when camping, especially when routines are gone or altered!

Poor Nathan could only find this in his bag as completely dry clothes. 

Jennifer and Evelyn fought by my legs...being popular is too much work when you are fought over!

The lake was so calm, and as it was also small, we let the kids loose in the canoe for the first time ever!  Nathan and Melanie went for a ride, then Matthew and Melanie.  I took Daniel and Jennifer out too, as they wanted to hone their skills.  I was pleased to see that the older three could maneuver and were quite adept at going where they wanted!  (Wouldn't trust 'em in wind and waves though!)

What a lovely finish to the trip!

After that we paddled out-it was uneventful other than Evelyn getting very annoyed at the last long paddle to the van-she slept, then woke up crabby...so we made it to the van, not in style, but in musical accompaniment.  (Not that I appreciated it at the time!)

Killarney Friday Aug 14

Time to leave our beloved site.  The trip was pretty long, several hours of paddling, and 3 portages.  The sky looks good here, but by the end of the 2nd portage the clouds were so threatening!  We tried to hoof it to the last portage, but 10 minutes from the end of the paddle, we jumped up out of our seats from the loudness of the thunderclap!  We had stuck close to shore, so we took this as our sign and disembarked.  Should we set up a tarp?  We had time but weren't sure it was necessary, as we felt protected on the hillside there among the trees.  But then came the hail!  And they were big!!  Marble sized, and slightly bigger.  Ouch!  After being sweaty paddling we were now shivering and all the kids were crying 'cause those hailstones hurt!  Then followed a deluge!  We hadn't tied up our canoes, and no longer had to fear them blowing away 'cause they got so much rain that our boats began to sink!  Well...long store short we set up a tarp 'cause the storm looked like it was a keeper, and then one by one the kids got changed and all but one stopped shivering, with sugary snacks to warm them up.  We almost set out again, then another storm passed through, so all in all we stayed for an hour and a half, and since the tarp was small and draped like a tent, it was a tight (but kinda cozy) time.
This was an unforgettable  afternoon!

 We paddled the rest in the rain, and our site was just across the water at next lake.  The last shiverer (who had slept during the tail end of the storm) warmed up on the short portage and when mandated a snack.

 We set up a soggy camp and when it dried up I tried in vain to get our soaking stuff a chance to dry.  In the morning they dried nicely in the sun on the rocks.

 It's nice to be warm!  I advised the kids not wear their last set of dry clothes 'cause the bushes were soaked and they weren't staying dry walking around and exploring and I thought they'd appreciate something dry to wear on their last morning!

 Dinner was so nice.  Warm and familiar. :)

We didn't need the tarp for the rain, but it did keep those drips off the trees from hitting you continually! We hit the sack early, tuckered out from the busy day!