Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Gone Fishin'

Our fishin' crew
 Last weekend we took the canoe on to Johnston lake and the kids, James, not me tried their hand at fishing.
I had a major role in the good luck that we had by paddling in the right direction !!
Heather had casted her rod and we were trolling the line behind us when she suddenly called out that she thought she had caught a fish, and sure enough the line was bending and pulling and low and behold it was not weeds that she pulled from the lake, but a rainbow trout.

Catch of the day!!!

 Finlay has been doing really well with casting his own rod and was so determined to catch a fish, meanwhile James caught a small one.


  While Finlay carried on with his determination, Heather and I went for a wander to see what we could see and enjoyed a few flowers on the way.



5 Today




Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Finlay's 5TH Birthday



Finlay's Birthday was a fun Bar-b-q at the local Quarry lake. The weather was perfect and we were so lucky because the day before was a bit cool and the day after his birthday poured with rain, so the Gods were looking down on us especially as we had organised an outdoor party with fun games.
Everybody arrived and were greeted with a super soaker and had fun having a water fight in the lake.

Next up was one of our kids favorite camping games at the moment, ducking for donuts where they have to eat the donuts hanging on the string, no hands allowed. The entertainment value from an adult perspective is worth it.




Now we have special elves here in Canmore and we often see them performing at pre- Christmas events, Canada Day and other special community events. Heather and Finlay are their biggest fans and have actually recognised them walking around Canmore in their regular clothes. It seems that my kids actually believe that he is an Elf and believe that he lives here during the year to keep an eye on all the girls and boys for Santa and his name is Peter the Elf. In actual fact he is Peter the retired cardiologist from Canmore hospital. A wee birdy had told them about Finlay's birthday party and they would normally decline commercial aspects of the birthday scene, but could not decline the request to surprise Heather and Finlay, their little groupies.

It made Finlay's day.


and captured all the kids attention and amazement.



After some smokies, hot dogs and snacks it was time for the real fun to begin, James was the good sport to be the target for the kids who all politely stood in line to have a throw each, that was great for a while until I had a few turns and then subsequently it became a free for all...He He He!!!


The party was completed with some cake decorating and a wee Happy Birthday tune!!

Canada Day 2013




Canmore Flood 2013







Writing on Stone provincial park

 This was the first camping trip of the year for us and you would not be mistaken for confusing it with Dinosaur Provincial Park. However, Dinosaur group camp was fully booked and some bright spark ( not me) decided to book Writing On Stone. This was a six hour drive south east and once past Calgary there was not much scenery, only flat plains and small drive by towns. However after 2 stops and 6 hours later we descended into this terrain of hoodoos, canyons and cotton wood trees and a lovely secluded camp site where we met our six other families for 2 nights of camping fun.



 Of on the bus to see the pictograpghs.


 Anyone seen any Buffalo recently.
 Hula hooping.

Toasting marshmallows.

Our family managed to squeeze in a small canoe trip on the Milk River, a slow meandering river which is brown from the sandy earth, so also known as the Chocolate Milk River by Heather and Finlay.
Some mums went on a morning run and managed to talk ourselves into applying for the lottery to enter the Nike Women's San Francisco Marathon and Half Marathon. So we entered our group into the lottery, me thinking that since I usually have no luck in such things, thought nothing of it until 4 weeks later when I receive an e mail to congratulate me!!! It was a mixture of shock, and disbelief...not sure on how lucky I feel right now. So there are six great girls going to San Francisco for 4 night s in October . This is firstly going to be a challenge for me to do a half marathon and probably a greater challenge is to be away from James and the kids for 4 nights, which I have never done!!