Feast or famine

Blueberry season!!! Last year I definitely regretted my decision to not freeze any blueberries, and so this year I jumped on it when the supermarket had them at a reasonably good price. They were beautiful berries too - hardly a bad one in the box! And the task of putting them up in the freezer was made so much more pleasant by my little helper, Hope!

Trying to grow her bangs out and see what we think of it. :o) We refinished two "antique" dolly dressers that were made by her great-great Grandfather on Lorrie's side. The top drawer was deemed "Joy's" and the second one "Hope's." Hope spent a great deal of time carefully folding each dolly clothing item before putting it away in the drawer, and delighted as much in the doing of the self-appointed task as it's fulfillment.

Mr. Happy before he figured out how to take his hat off.

Josh was away on business, and it was a nice summer day, so I got creative with my toes while helping the girls with theirs.

Joy and her way of making Philip laugh:

The curly-haired one loves underducks!

Auntie Lyddie came to see us on Thursday, day four of Josh's five day business trip. Lydia stayed with us till the next Tuesday, and we had many grand park outings, travelling with the double stroller/rollerblades, and the bike/bike trailer.

Hope was terrified of this object when I put her in it on a previous visit to this playground, but she got a bit more brave when Auntie Lyddie was there. :o)

No-fear-Joy-Belle!

Talking to Granny on the phone while we had a picnic in the back yard. Dad and Mom were on their way to our house via Calgary, where my Dad was to have eye surgery, when their vehicle just plain old died in the middle of the road. Roadside assistance wasn't fast enough to allow them to make their surgery time, but after much talking to the sweet sounding voices of their little granddaughters on the phone, they decided they could still come north to Edmonton and see us, they just had to go back to the farm and get a working vehicle! :o)

Philip's first time on the grass. Yup. He had to try eating a piece of clover. He didn't like it. :o)

With Lydia's help (and vehicle) we picked up a glass top table for the deck and assembled it to surprise Josh when he got home. This was something he had been wanting to get to all summer and just hadn't had time, so we had a bit of farm girl fun and did it ourselves! :o)

Charming Philip with her game again. :o)

As it was a reasonably warm day, we decided to break in the new table with games on the deck. Hopey painted pictures on her small table and Joy went in between painting with Hope, playing with Philip, and sitting on Papa's lap. :o)

Granny's iPad to the rescue. She was entertaining the kids so I could clear dishes. :o)

Painting nails with Granny. Fun times.

Storytime with Papa. Another memory made. :o)

Taking turns posing with the adorable drool-factory, Philip Raymond. Seriously, this boy drools more than both the girls put together!

Oh yes - Play Dough. Papa fixed the Play Dough press so that it worked again, and they were away.

Cherry time.

Watching "Chariots of Fire" together, for some down time.

"Give me that phone, Auntie!!!"

After a week away on business for Josh, a busy week for me with the children, and Mom and Dad's van breaking down, we were all ready to just relax together.

Dad left first thing in the morning in his vehicle, and Mom traveled home with Lydia in her vehicle after lunch.
I made some iced coffees for Mom and Lydia for the road. I didn't have any travel cups with lids available, so I put masking tape over regular cups and wrote them each a message on top. :o)

And so, our summer continued. We seem to go from one side of the pendulum to the other - we are "just us" for a little bit, and then we are "just-us-minus-Josh," and then we get a whole bunch of company. It keeps us hopping! :o)