The Most Wonderful Time of Year...

(I tried to post this last week but I have been having problems getting it to publish)

I'm pretty sure we all agree that summer is just TOO short. We were able to go out to the cabin in Shuswap for a few weeks and it was FABULOUS. In July it rained almost every day and we had better luck in August.

These photos are in no particular order. It was going to take too long to organize them!

You know you have been playing hard when you crash in random places. Either she played hard that day, or she stayed up too late EVERY night. I think it's both, but isn't that what summer is all about?!?

We made the kids do a talent of some sort to earn a treat. So the girls came up with a lip sync and dance to Justin Bieber. They had co-ordinating dance moves and everything...it was like they had been practicing for a long time!

Mylee LOVES Black Jack. She took such great care of him. Fed him, threw his ball for him, snuggled on the floor with him. Would even take him for boat rides (and made sure he was safe going over the waves)!

Cody liked his goggles and fins this year. He spent hours swimming around looking and diving for treasures.

I get compliments on Mylee's hair from random people all the time. Her hair is so silky smooth, and blonde, I could not brush it for 3 days and it will still look smooth and beautiful. She would tell everyone she had hair like Rapunzel. It was getting so long it needed a little trim to make it healthy again. She did not want me to cut it. I think she thought that it wouldn't be magical anymore and it would turn dark brown if I cut it. I convinced her to sit still enough to cut a little off. Then I had to cut off a little more to even some mistakes. It is still long, but I took a few inches off. I don't have an after picture but here it is before.

Jaden skiing...she's getting to be a pro and I don't think her feet will fit in the little skis next year!

Our favorite game this summer was Monopoly Deal. It would go in my beach bag and come down to the beach with us every day. It was played in the boat, on the dock, at the beach, in the cabin. We may need another deck next summer as one card fell in the lake so everyone knows when you have a "forced deal" in your hand!

Mylee loved swimming as long as she was clinging on to someone or something. She would scream like she was scared while she swam but I think it was more of a scream to get everyone to look at her and acknowledge that she was swimming.

Mylee and Luke were so fun this year. If one was swimming or wading in the water, they would one-up eachother until eventually they both ended up swimming. Mylee jumped off the dock to me so Luke wanted to as well. Here they are swimming on the same boogie board underneath the dock.

And then Mylee saw Luke go kneeboarding behind the "tin boat" (going at idle speed) so she decided to give it a try too!

Tubing is always a #1 hit. Jaden was my wildest rider so she went with Carson on the wildest rides.

Sadie and Kailey liked to go with Mylee because they know that the driver won't go too wild with her on. Although in this picture, Sadie's hair looks like they just went over a massive bump!

But this is the best picture we have! These three boys got some massive air on this one and we happened to capture it!

One day we took a trip up to the beautiful sandy beach and did the usual sand castles, picnic lunch, and surfing off the beach on boogie boards. Grandpa won't beach his boat anywhere but with the nice sand he will beach it. So he pulls out the sponge and rags to clean it. Mylee gladly agreed to help. She cleaned all the hard to reach spots where Grandpa couldn't get without getting wet!!!

The evenings were beautiful (but cool this year). You can see the stars so brightly out there. The full moon is always neat to watch rise over the mountain and reflect on the water.

I can't believe the kids go back to school tomorrow. Seriously, not looking forward to it. Until next year.......