Tent and Ruckle Island

I love how our little boat has opened us up to so many new adventures right out in our front yard! Leah and Zac came and visited us last weekend and on Saturday we took the boat out to tent island. It is a protected island basically right across from us. We parked the boat in the sandy, protected cove, had a picnic and explored most of the island. It was gorgeous! There was a family there that goes to Danika's school and they boat over and try to do lots of camping there, as they pretty much have the island to themselves. It was such a gorgeous day and we had such a great time with Leah and Zac! 

Uncle Zac checking out the hundreds of starfish with the girls

Danika and Lize in our boat

Sunday after church we launched out of Ladysmith and 'raced' Mark and Caroline to Ruckle island where Mark's family has a cabin. It was another gorgeous day and so neat to check out the cabin. The island is unserviced so everything was powered by solar panels. The cabin is at the top of these cliffs and overlooks endless ocean view. We explored the island and checked out some other cabins. I like the idea of the cabin, and it was so gorgeous, but you have to boat EVERYTHING in and out! 

BEST BUDS!!!

Adessa and Kailey found a little cave in a rock on our adventure  walk ... they were very brave to climb inside!

The boys and their matching trucks and boats (Mark is bigger... and so is his truck and boat... haha!) 

Cowichan Valley Exhibition and The Circus!

When the exhibition was in town we went with the Nagtegaal family to check out all the animals. They also had rides and Lize went on her first roller coaster ride... Danika felt like she was pro because she went on one already this summer! They were pretty cute! 

Adessa and Kailey were having so much fun!

Sisters on their last ride!

Caroline with all the girls.... eagerly waiting for the circus to start! 

Little Bird

We have been keeping our eyes open for a good deal on a boat, just for fun. But then this little boat came up on used nanaimo and when we checked it out, it was just too good of a deal to pass up, so we happily purchased this little boat... and it has been such a great little investment for our family. It is a little 14 foot Double Eagle... hence the nickname we gave it "Little Bird." I grew up on the lake with a boat and have so many good memories with it, and I want my kids to have that too.

The weather has been so amazing and so every weekend we have been taking it out exploring. The first night we took it out on the ocean in front of our house (10 minutes to be on the water!) and explored down to Maple Bay and then back to the Tent Islands. It was a beautiful evening and the water was like glass. I am so excited for all the memories to be made!

The girls LOVED the boat!

Fishing with Daddy 

I love where I live!!! 

Life for REAL

Middle of July I found out I was pregnant... it was quite the shock. Steve and I had 'decided' not to have any more children as we felt stretched with 2, without having any family around to help. But we hadn't done anything 'permanent' about it, so of course the chance was always there. And so it happened. It has been quite the journey over the summer trying to keep it a secret and not knowing how far along I am,                                                                                                        since my body had been messed up for awhile this year due to trying different forms of birth control.
I got in with the midwives and they scheduled me for an ultrasound on August 30th. When we went in we were expecting to see a little peanut, and be only 6 weeks, max 8 weeks. But apparently we were quite off! Yesterday I FINALLY heard back the results as the ultrasound techs are not allowed to say anything. And on August 30th I was already 14 weeks... WHAT?!? So that puts me at 16 weeks... almost half over and never really knew for that first month and a half!
We are excited... now, but in ALL honesty it took us quite by surprise and the last couple of weeks I have been having some anxiety attacks over it. Danika started school last week and was put in a K-1 split, and the first day she came home crying saying all her friends in the grade 1 class were running away from her and she doesn't get to do computers or any of the 'big kid' things. She feels like she is stuck with the 'little kids.' And my heart hurts for her. But we prayed about it and talked about seeking out the kids who don't seem to have any friends and help them out... since she knew what it felt like. That seemed to be a good solution and yesterday went 100% better.
Since Danika started school, Adessa has been overwhelming me. She has had her big sister as a distraction all summer, but since Danika is gone she is at me side ALL day, asking questions, wanting to help and all I want to do is get things done! I know I need to be more patient, but I feel like my patience is run dry and in the afternoon all I want to do is curl up on the couch and sleep... but of course that isn't possible with Adessa! I am tempted to look into preschool for her, but part of me feels guilty as I didn't put Danika in until she was 4.5 years. old. SIGH!!!
This week has really been tough- The past 2 days Adessa has had a bladder infection, needing to go on the potty every 10 minutes and crying and screaming when she does... its awful. So I got her into the Dr's yesterday and got her on antibiotics and she seems to be doing SO much better today. However when I was doing her hair I found a few little bugs clinging to her scalp... ICK! I picked out 4 or 5 in total and saved them in a little jar for Steve to see, and then did the lice treatment on her. But I hit my breaking point this morning and had a good ol' cry session, which I haven't had in ages... there was  A LOT of pent up tears in there and cried them all dry. Adessa was so concerned and kept asking what was wrong, but I told her moms need to cry sometimes too... just like little girls do.
I am just overwhelmed, usually I am such a clean freak, washing bathrooms frequently, vacuuming, dusting, washing windows, doing laundry and always trying to have a sparkling house. But I have been SO behind that I haven't touched my cleaning supplies in 2 weeks!!! And all my fruit trees outside are BURSTING with fruit ready to be picked and canned, or passed a long to friends, but I have had nothing in me and it feels like  no time.
When the LONG list of 'to-dos' ran through my head I just wanted to curl up in the corner and lay there all day, but then I saw my bible on the counter and the daily bread for today. I read it and spoke straight to my heart. The passage was all of Psalm 16, but the verse that leapt off the page was

v. 8- "I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."

That verse washed over my whole body and set such a peace in my heart, and even though I haven't accomplished many checks on my list today, I love that God met me where I was at. And for that I am thankful.