Guest post: NB vacation, little cousins, farm goodness

Clark here -- since I was the one with the kids for the entire last week, it made sense for me to fill in for Tara and do a guest post. Sorry it's a day late. If Tara were to write, it would be all about: quiet, cleaning, house projects, relaxing, quiet, and sleeping. Did I mention quiet? Sounds like a good time, for sure, but not really blog-worthy. So, while this will mostly just be a bit of a picture dump, I'll try and give a sense of our week in NB, and the myriad (and satisfyingly tiring) adventures that transpired.

The original motivation for the trip was that Andrea and Dinesh, and more importantly their new little guy Jacob, were going to be in Fredericton for a visit, and while Tara is going to get to spend LOADS of time with him when she goes to Vancouver in August, I realized that this was the only chance the kids and I had to meet him while he was still (relatively) small. So, I told Tara that the three of us were going on a road trip, and she wasn't allowed to come -- her job was to relax and get some quality time without parental responsibility.

He seriously was this cute just about the entire time we were hanging out with him. I think he likes his cousins!

Yup -- just chilling. When you're so cute why would you be anything but happy?

He looks a little more skeptical here, but I can assure you we were also best buds.

There was a great big joint birthday part for Ethan, Jamie, and Juniper. There were 3 cakes! (and a delicious and visually pleasing tray of fruit skewers from Liz). Also the largest turkey I have ever seen. 

Chelsea (left) and cousin Ali.

The birthday boy and the (almost) birthday girl. Just for context, when I first met Ethan (when Tara and I started dating), he was basically the same size as Jacob ....

Aunt Kelli!

Deb and Yvon took the kids to Kings Landing again. They had a great time, and Juniper was happy to have a chance to use her own camera to document the trip. This is one of her photos.

Linden and Deb. Another of Juniper's photos.

We also had a nice little visit with Poppy and Lilly (and Jane, Mike and Tom)! This was the only photo that one of them wasn't totally blurry from not being able to sit still. Also, Tom really wanted to join the party.

The kids and I spent an afternoon at Science East. It was actually my first time, and they loved it. We'll definitely go again.

Infinite fun.

After a few days in Fredericton, the kids and I packed up and headed to the Farm for the rest of the week. 

The first activity? Painting canvasses (with pirate ships) for Grandma and Grandpa. I forgot to get a picture of the completed masterpieces. That's Grandma Barb in the background making her signature delicious strawberry rhubarb pie. We managed to have it for dessert two nights in a row (because I was able to keep myself from eating the leftovers for breakfast).

Next up. The beach. With a wagon of gear in tow, naturally.

Linden is fascinated with looking for bones on the beach now. And this visit was no exception.

And then it was necessary to take advantage of the new swimming raft. Seriously, we went swimming every day. We came home with very little dirty laundry because the kids were in their swim suits so much.

We also took a boat trip out to the beach on Isle of Pines. Which involved more swimming, and also some "fishing" with Grandpa.

Which was topped later by REAL fishing, courtesy of Linden's cousin Hunter (behind) and my cousin-in-law Jason. My cousin Sarah and her family were down for the weekend and the kids and adults all had a fantastic time hanging out and swimming. It was a lot like the "old days" when all my cousins would be at the farm during the summer -- great times indeed.

Linden also took advantage of the farm bikes to have a few rips around the yard. He would rather have been driving the tractor, though.

There was also some haying to do (of course). This is another of Juniper's photos. Shortly after this Linden was so desperate to help out he tried to insert himself in the activity and catch one of the hay bales as it came off the wagon. I wasn't pleased, but the truth is I remember doing the exact same thing when I was young and would "help" my Grampy with haying.

All good things must end, and this is the requisite pre-departure group shot. Juniper said she missed her Mom and wanted to go home, but she also didn't want to leave. Yup.

A nice reminder of one of the reasons why we wanted to come home -- our lovely neighbours made a "Welcome Home" sign. That's pretty nice to come home to after a fun and exhausting week vacation.

Beach Days and Runaways

Is there anything better than sand, shovels and buckets?

I am writing this morning from a VERY quiet house.  Clark and the kids left yesterday for a week in New Brunswick, with the goals of meeting new little Jacob (Andrea and Dinesh and Jacob are visiting currently), and to spend some time on the farm.  On Clark's firm prompting, I stayed behind, so as to have my own little mini-vacation. I will, after all, shortly be heading to Vancouver to have a whole lot of one-on-one time with Jacob, and I will visit New Brunswick before flying off.  Yet, I waffled about staying until basically the moment they all drove away.   I am feeling slightly jealous after being sent shots like the following:

Cousins.  Do you get any cuter than this?

Jacob: "OMG. Stop with all the selfies already"

Already, however, I think I made the right decision.  A whole glorious week of no one's schedule but my own?  That is truly a gift that does not come often.  I have about a million things planned (including a whole lot of sleep).  Next week, there will be a full report -- mostly, I'm sure, from perspective of the New Brunswick gang, as I reminded Clark a *few* times to take a metric tonne of photos.  But for today, a quick glimpse at last week - the first full week where the kids and I got to decide how to spend our summer vacation days.

Beach Bliss

As the title of this post suggests, the activity of choice for both kids involved going to the beach.  Now, I am going to be up front and say that the beach is not my very favourite of destinations.  Sand in every crevice, constant sunscreen concerns, SO MUCH prep work and so many items to bring... you get the picture.  Plus, there is the added fact that we are in Nova Scotia - home to beautiful beaches, but also frigid cold water, and weather that can change drastically five times an hour.  I am not nearly as big a miser as some people *cough, CLARK, cough*, who I think secretly believes sand was the creation of the devil himself.  But I also didn't jump enthusiastically into a full week of beach, beach, and more beach.

Linden, in his natural habitat. More than anyone I know, he loves every single thing about the beach

Instead, we took things slow and leisurely: mornings spent playing and doing stuff in and around the house, running errands if need be, hitting up some museums, wandering around downtown.  And when I could put it off no longer, we spent two nice full afternoons at the beach - the first at Rainbow Haven, and the second at Conrad's.  The Rainbow Haven Day was surprisingly cold when you actually made it to the coast - I spent the time huddled in a towel, and even got rained on a bit as a huge dark cloud passed overhead.  The Conrad's Day was beautiful and warm - enough so that I even donned a swimsuit and went to join the kids in the water.  However, despite the fact that I have a very high threshold for pain, I did not make it past my feet.  And even then, the agony was unbearable for more than about 10-15 seconds at a time.  I am convinced that if I had immersed my whole body, my heart would have stopped instantaneously.

Somehow, however, the kids were completely impervious to any of the conditions that held me back. They happily frolicked in the waves, wore nothing but swimsuits, and loved every single minute.  This meant that I got to... relax, mostly.  So despite all the grumbling, I'd say both excursions were, on the whole, a pretty big success. Plus, apart from the obvious (swimming and sand castle-making), there are seemingly endless ways the kids keep themselves occupied.  Cases in point:

Finding some local wildlife

Frolicking with gigantic pieces of seaweed

Lounging

Making "sand holes" (also helps with Linden's apparent goal of making sure he manages to get sand in every single crevice of his body)

I will end on a related note - one that is perhaps worth relating, if even just to remind myself of an era that we have apparently now entered.  So, early in the week, I told the kids that if they could do the things they needed to do without me constantly nagging and reminding, and if they could listen and follow instructions (these are all things we are currently trying to *improve*), then we could go to the beach.  We had, at this point, not yet gone, and it was a huge source of potential excitement.  Linden, however, was just not able to pull it together.  He was feeling - I don't know - particularly devilish, I guess.  When he went one step too far, I called it off.  If I threaten something, I'd better follow through, right?

He FLIPPED OUT, and finally said, "fine!  I guess I'll just go find a different family to live with!".  Then, 30 seconds later: "I'm OUT THE DOOR!".  And off he went.  I watched him from the window as he stalked down the driveway, crossed the cul-de-sac, and entered the path that leads to the mailbox (and ultimately to the Penhorn mall). I gave him about a full minute or two (while I didn't want to give hime the satisfaction of running right after him, I wasn't sure how far he would take this, and didn't want him to end up really and truly lost).  I found him sitting by the mailbox.  He had apparently decided he would just wait there until it got dark, then come back.

I'm not sure anyone really learned any lessons - when I tried to point out that we could have been at the beach if he'd just done what he was asked to do, and made better decisions, he just indignantly demanded "how would YOU feel, if I told you YOU couldn't go to the beach?  HOW WOULD YOU FEEL?"

Sigh.  I would be a little more concerned about the whole thing, except that I think it was about this age that I threatened to run away from my house over some perceived injustice.  I had even prepared a bit better (having packed a bag, at the very least).  But I do remember vividly how that felt.  So... I guess we'll just see how this pans out in the weeks (and years) to come.  Perhaps we both have to change our approach a bit, if everyone is to stay living in the same family, and all.  Hey - if I can figure this all out by the time the kids are teenagers, then it will all have been worth it, right?  RIGHT?  

Stay tuned for what I hope will be loads of photos next week!

day-to-day... summer vacation style

A serious artist brings his tools with him for all outings

This past week marked the beginning of summer vacation.  It is just beginning to dawn on me that this is actually going to be a bit of a crazy next couple of months, involving travel, visitors, and not a whole lot of routine.  But in the off time, it will likely look a lot like the following pictures depict.  Hanging around, going on adventures, trying to get some never-ending projects on the go (or finished!), as well as both enjoying each others company, and getting completely irritated by the seemingly non-stop proximity to each other. A good dose of fun/annoyance; stress/relaxation. Maybe by the end we'll come out more or less balanced?  

Stopping to rest by an old forge site at Shubie Park

Biking adventure along the Salt Marsh Trail.  Check out the new baskets!

A manky old feather that I convinced Linden to leave behind, with assurances that I would take a picture of it and post it on the blog

Playing the public piano in the Dartmouth ferry terminal while we wait to cross the harbour

Sketching the Macdonald Bridge mid-ferry ride

Juniper's "bad attitude" face, coupled with Linden's "supper annoying urchin" face... a rare photographic event! 

When you don't bring swimsuits to a beach, might as well dig in the sand

All geared up and about to rent a canoe to paddle along the Shubie canal.  We would love to find our own canoe (cheaply!) if anyone has any leads...

All the stones, ready to be placed in the garden

Trying them out.  I have since spread clover seed to fill in the gaps, and made even MORE stones, as this seemingly huge amount barely covered half the space.

Butterfly and shadow

Double chairing it (while eating homemade pizza for supper)

school's out...

Low Tide, Five Islands

As of last Friday morning, school is now officially done for the summer around here!

What is literally the first thing they did when they got home from their last day of school? Take their unused school supplies, and play school. Here, Juniper helps Linden read, by writing down all the words Linden is having trouble with, to review after reading the book.

 Seeing as the last day of school corresponded with the Canada Day long weekend, we decided to celebrate in style.  Here's the recap!

1. Lunenburg

Yes, yes.  We go to Lunenburg a lot.  The draw, you see, is pretty big.  UNESCO World Heritage site, the Bluenose, and - oh yeah - Zsofi and family live there.  But on Saturday (ie, Canada Day), the draw was even bigger, as Zsofi's sister Agi and her family were visiting!  We haven't seen the Kureks in AGES.  

The girls pick flowers to decorate the picnic table.  Juniper is in outfit #5 of the day, clearly channeling her inner Red Riding Hood

Linden manned the fire pit from beginning to end, and was very pleased with the task

The kids are so grown up! (l-r: Linden, Simon, Juniper, Sylvie, Noni, Eva)

(for context, here is one of the last times we saw the Kureks)

Beautiful sisters!

The whole gang

 2. Economy Falls:
Sunday was a bit of write-off... we had arrived home VERY late from Lunenburg, and therefore everyone was tired and grumpy the next day.  Plus, it was rainy and foggy.  BUT, on Monday (ie, yesterday), we rallied, and took off for Economy/Five Islands to do some hiking and exploring.  Clark had originally envisioned a camping trip, but we scaled it back to a day trip instead.  It was amazing!

Hiking down to the falls

Goof ball

The steepest part of the trail has stairs, thank goodness (though these are painful to climb back up at the end!)

We made it down!

Chatting and eating lunch before donning swimsuits.

Having made it to a rock in the middle of the river

Climbing a huge boulder at the base of the falls

Posing with the waterfall

Drying off and warming up post-exploration

Trying (mostly in vain) to recreate this photo from SEVEN years ago:

Look at that little Juniper!

Checking out the falls from the top

3. Five Islands

After the Economy Falls adventure, we headed off for Five Islands, which is a Provincial Park, nestled in the Bay of Fundy.  Truly, this area of the world is a spectacular spot to see - almost like being on a different planet, in some respects.  I took loads and LOADS of pictures - all of which, I'm sure, were completely fabulous.  Unfortunately, the setting switch had gotten bumped when I turned on the camera, and all my pictures were therefore completely and utterly ruined.  RUINED.  I cried a little when I realized what had happened, as it was only discovered at the very tail end of the adventure.  But.... Clark took a few with his phone, and there are a couple from the end.  So all is not completely lost.  We'll just have to go back.

The tide was out when we arrived, meaning there was a seemingly never-ending expanse of pure mud to play in.  

Looking for crabs in the seaweed

Mr. Mud

Not-super-successful group shot at the very end

Looking for fossils as we leave

Alrighty - I'm going to post this, and then get to work!  Clark took the day off today to extend the weekend just a wee bit firther, and we've got some work to do around this place (in particular, placing my concrete leaf stones in the garden.  Pictures to follow next week, I'm sure!)