Just Because

Adessa has started to love talking on the phone to her grandma's and grandpa's and Aunt's and Uncles. She thinks however that the person she is talking to can see through the phone, so she will take the phone around with her and show 'the person' what she is talking about, like showing them her new playhouse outside, or her belly button. Its pretty cute to watch. She looked so cute this morning so I had to snap a few shots!

Danika is loving school, and we are so proud of her. I was sooo worried that full-time school would be way too much and was prepared to keep her home once or twice a week, but she is thriving. There are no complaints in the morning and she has so much to tell me at the end of the day. She is learning her alphabet through the make believe world of 'Letter-land,' and comes home excited to tell me about annie apple and bouncy ben. She is making lots of new 'best' friends, but still doesn't know anyone's names! Yesterday she had a cute story about the 'thinking chair' she said that when a kid has to sit in it her teachers eyes get crossed! (she gets cross) I laughed pretty hard! I love hearing life through my kids eyes.

CANNING!

I learned how to can (from a great friend!) this week, and it was such a great feeling! I loved being able to use the abundance of produce off of my OWN fruit trees. This week I canned a ton of applesauce. And the only ingredient is... apples! I also canned pears and then today I had a couple of girls come over and we cleared my plum tree and made plum jam. Not to sure about it yet, I have never tried plum jam, but they were becoming over-ripe so I had to do something with them. I think the next item on the agenda is home-made apple butter. I have used all of our pears, all our plums and I still have an abundance of apples on our tree, so I need to get creative!

The Kinsol Trestle

Last weekend we got out for some hiking, I love that about autumn, it is the perfect weather to get outside and do some hiking... and we have had lots of fall weather so far! Saturday we found a different path up to the lake. Then on Sunday we drove out near Shawnigan Lake and hiked to the Kinsol Trestle. An old train trestle that was a $3.1 million dollar project and is now a beautiful path with beautiful scenery. It was a great day with my beautiful family!

Adessa did not want her picture taken... can you tell?

I persuaded her with a snack!

My handsome hubby and the huge trestle

Our classic shot

Our Day

This past week it has felt like fall has settled over little Crofton like a heavy blanket complete with cloudy, gloomy skies and rain. This morning Steve and I both taught Sunday school, then we all came home for a nap, as it was just one of those days. After naps, the sun came out and we decided to take a little drive to a vineyard close to us. It was GORGEOUS. They have a beautiful little bakery with a deck overlooking the vineyard and cinnamon buns the size of your head! I also got some fresh produce for dinner to go along with our organically grown chicken, thanks to our farmer friends! We then took Meeko to the Crofton dog park and picked blackberries, plums and apples.

I LOVE the island for the abundance of fruit trees and fresh produce and I love being able to support the local farmers. Our dinner tonight was all grown locally, and that is just such a neat feeling. We also have an abundance of plums and apples in our own backyard, with a few pears and I am not too sure what to do with it all, other than tell all my friends to bring their buckets and have at 'er!

As we were finishing up dinner, our babysitter Megan stopped by with 2 giant crabs that her dad caught that day and were already cooked! So we melted up some garlic butter and ate it up!

Danika posing for me!

Adessa was so funny, she kept taking bites and yelling 'yuck' and acting it up, but then kept eating more, and more!

Danika wasn't a huge fan

My girl, looking all grown up!

Steve's belly full of crab... he enjoyed every bit of it!

The Potty Training Journey Continues...

Adessa is amazing. This week as I mentioned before she has 'decided' to potty train herself! She is doing SO WELL... minus a few squats in the corners. I bit the bullet and bought some pull-ups as I am not totally comfortable taking her out yet in her 'big girl panties.' I mean she is doing so well to the point of telling me she has to go, even when we are in the grocery store, library or church this morning. I have already weaned out the treats and she is still going by herself. I just have to keep a close eye on her as she won't go in her panties/diaper, but if I am not reminding her to use the potty, she will just pull down her pants and go wherever she is! Only 25 months old and pretty much already potty trained... and I didn't have too much to do with it! This girl is so determined, and I am so proud of her.

First Day of Kindergarten!

My big girl started school today and she did SO WELL! Adessa and I walked her up for 8:30, dropped her off, stood waiting to wave goodbye... and she didn't even turn around! It was so much harder for me than her, I was so proud of my big girl. She didn't know any of the kids and still did so well!

New haircut and back pack with her shiny new princess runners!

Picked her up from school and she was so excited, she said she had the best day ever! Came out wearing a pin that said, "I survived my first day of kindergarten."

Good job baby girl... I am so excited to see how much you learn and grow this year at school... you will do SO WELL!!! Love you! xoxo