"Coronation day!" (Aka kindergarten graduation)

Adessa was so excited for today! Her "coronation day" as she excitedly kept telling us! I couldn't correct her... She is way too cute and the movie frozen has ruined us! Haha

The girls got all dressed up for their last day at school and looked pretty beautiful! 

After I took the dogs and Amara for a 6 km run... I got ready and headed to the school for graduation and the schools last day chapel. It was a beautiful day! Steve was so cute and showed up at the graduation with birthday cupcakes for Adessas birthday since her birthday is in the summer and she never gets the birthday celebration at school. That was so sweet and thoughtful of Steve... Adessa was very excited! 

Adessas sweet teacher ms. Hackett... It was her first school year teaching and she did such a wonderful job! Adessa loves her and is going to miss her! 

For dinner we let the girls choose where they wanted to go for dinner and they chose Chinese food... We drove out to cobble hill where we finally found a good buffet place and the girls ate all the shrimp and dessert they wanted... And Amara was amazing! Yay! 

Such a good day and 

Hello summer!!!! 

Monday morning I took the dogs and Amara up the mountain for our last long hike before the girls are out for summer. We went up maple mountain to the crosses... Nice long hot hike! On the way down Amara kept yelling for me to go faster... Apparently I am like her own personal chariot... She is lucky she is so light and cute! 

Sunday after church we took the boat on the ocean to find our own beach. Once we found one and set up Steve took Danika fishing while i made forts with the girls on the beach. 

Danika caught herself a little cod fish... She loves fishing with her dad! 

Old faithful... Watching over Steve and Danika as they fish...

We set up a campfire and roasted hotdogs and s'mores and then went on a hike and found an old abandoned cabin. It was pretty cool! Gorgeous day doing what I love best with my family! 

Friday

Friday morning a friend bailed on me to try out a hike in Ladysmith I have been wanting to try up to Heart lake. So my wonderful husband made the decision to shut off his cell phone and take the morning off. One of our last until school starts up again in the fall, with just one of the three kiddos. It was a gorgeous morning. The hike up the mountain was basically straight up and down... so steep- Steve and I felt like we were going to die! But once we made it up, it was so worth it! The views were incredible! And then again once we made it to the lake, it was so gorgeous. I love being in God's amazing creation! I dove in the lake... something I have always wanted to do at the top of a hike! It was so refreshing... even Amara came for a quick dip. And the dogs were loving the swim and drink of water! We had a little picnic up there and then headed back down. From the time we left our house, hiked and got home it was a total of 3 hours. 

After school, I grabbed the girls and we went home and packed for a beach night. The Smith family had invited us over for a BBQ which turned into having one on Tent Island. We took our boats and they brought a little BBQ and we had an awesome dinner on the beach, gorgeous sunset and all. All the kids did amazing and explored all evening, we cooked s'mores, the guys did some fishing and there was a little bit of swimming. Poor Amara cut her ankle on some glass, so after that she was done for the night- but she did pretty good considering we didn't get home until 10! 

It was the perfect evening, complete with the most amazing sunset... 

All pointing to our God's Glory! I was in absolute awe as the sky looked like it was on fire! Isn't God amazing?! 

Steve Turns 32!

This guy....

My best friend, father to my amazing 3 daughters, hardest working, business owner, son, brother...so many titles for one guy. And I am blessed to have him by my side as my husband! He had to work all day, but had a wonderful birthday call in the morning from his grandpa from Newfoundland. He hasn't talked to him in YEARS... so he was super blessed to have that conversation.
He had kind of a crappy day at work, which is frustrating for him when he works SO HARD on getting quotes out for work, and then having people tell him he is too expensive. But he still persists, and I continue to pray that God has His hand of blessing on his company and all his interactions. This guy has so much on his plate right now, and he does so well with all that is thrown his way.
After he was done work, we headed up to camp imadene to our friends house, the Burdges. Steve just wanted to keep it simple and do a wiener roast for his birthday. Once we got there Sharon was hard at work behind the BBQ making those delicious pastry puff things (they are a dutch tradition and I can't remember what they are called!) But they were amazing! You were supposed to eat them with watermelon... but my kids thought they tasted just fine on their own! We had a nice night of eating tons, then walking around the property checking out all the new projects Chris was working on... the camp looks AMAZING! Such a fun thing to see the progress of all their hard work out there!
Sharon made a delicious angel food cake complete with whipped cream and strawberries and we all sang Steve happy birthday!
Our evening ended when Adessa got her finger stuck in the metal hinge of a reclining chair and it sounded like her finger got chopped off. I freaked out, and was quickly escorted out of the room... I am not someone you would want around in case of an emergency- I tend to make things worse. So Steve tended to Adessa, which thankfully was only a surface wound... I don't even think it bled! But Chris took out his first aid kit and made Adessa laugh with all his funny questions.
It was a late night... but such a nice one. We are so lucky to be surrounded by so many people we love and blessed to have such wonderful families in our lives! And I am happy to celebrate another year of my hunnys life!!! xoxo

Birthday Party and a Surprise Visitor!

For the past month Danika has been bringing up "Grandfriends Day" that their school puts on every year. She was pretty upset because "everyone else will have their grand parents there!" So I mentioned it to mom and she booked herself a flight out to surprise the girls! It was also conveniently our birthday weekend, so it was a perfect time to fly out. 

The morning I picked up mom, I didn't tell the girls what we were doing, other then that we had to go to Costco. On our way we took a pit stop to "watch the planes land" and Adessa didn't question. When grandma walked by, Adessa was staring at her and my mom kept walking. Until I said who is that?! Adessa looks at grandma and says, "Where were you going?" it was pretty hilarious! 

After school that day grandma hid in the backyard and shocked Danika! It was so cute! 

 The girls were happy to have grandma with them for grand friends day and mom went to the school to be showed around and for a BBQ lunch. Apparently though the girls were more interested in their own friends and Ms. Adessa didn't want to be touched by grandma... which happens with Steve and I and Adessa in public too... the girl is already embarrassed! 

Took Grandma on a few walks/hikes. One morning while the two older girls were in school I took her for the three hour hike to Mt. Tzhouhalem. It was a gorgeous morning and I loved having my mom with me. Amara hiked majority of the way and kept us entertained. 

Grandma came loaded with birthday gifts and Danika got some beautiful clothes and soccer nets for the backyard, which we have been having lots of fun with! She always spoils us rotten!

Friday after school Danika's birthday party started! 10 little girls in the house... thankful my mom was here to help! She is the party girl! 

The fun pre-dinner snack... the girls loved it! Fruit kabobs stuck into a watermelon. 

Dakota... our extra guest for the next 6 weeks. He was flown out while Leah and Zach went to Europe. He is such a good dog! Meeko loves having a buddy!

Mom and I planned a really fun scavenger hunt for the girls all over the yard- front and back. And their final clue was to dig up their box of treasure, which contained matching shirts, candy and glow sticks! 

The matching girls! 

Dinner was nachos out on the patio... gorgeous weather! 

Adessa's little buddies who left right before the sleepover. 

My beautiful 9 year old! 

 The little kid table

Opening presents

 So many good friends and fun presents!

This girl loves attention... and was the center of attention for much of the party! She is very loved!

No cake for this birthday girl... she just wanted ice cream, so we made a delicious Sundae bar! 

Happy Birthday Danika!!! 

These 2 kept sneaking back for more candy and whipped cream! 

Once again being a little goof... sticking her cone to her nose!

After a soccer game, bouncing on the trampoline and a giant dance party/ game of musical chairs it was time for a campfire! (I love my backyard!)

Missed taking a picture of the giant sleepover party, but after a little bit of a movie I put these tired out girls to bed. In the morning there was pancakes, whipped cream and fruit! Not easy feeding this crew of girls with gluten free and lactose free allergies!
And that could have been the end of the party... it was fun enough, but then I decided to be crazy and we took them to Open house at Camp Qwanoes! Hence the matching shirts... so I could see them all! 

There was so many fun things for the kids to do! Amara loved the bouncy castle slide and was a pro climbing it!

After our free lunch we walked down to the aqua park where the girls played for quite a while... they loved it!

Grandma and I stayed on the beach with the little ones

Highlights of the party!

Saturday night after the craziness died down and Steve returned from his fishing trip (he got "off the hook" for helping with the party... lucky boy!) mom and I went out for my birthday dinner. She took me out to our friends pub on the ocean and we had a nice evening together... except for the part owner sitting and visiting with us for the majority of the time! 

In the morning my girls had the table beautifully set and had beautiful cards made for me. We got ready for church and dropped my mom off at the airport before we said our goodbyes!