Surprise!

 Not quite unexpectedly, we had guests for the weekend. One of those delightful, longed for, but not often happening reconnection of friends made in one location showing up in another. We got to spend the weekend with friends we'd made in Penang!

They were wonderfully easy guests, fitting right into our household and weekend plans. So much so, we didn't even think to take pictures very much...

Saturday was loud board games and another surprise of a campfire evening hosted by a couple in our church. 

Sunday a restful morning followed by afternoon church and an evening picnic supper by the river. 

Monday we all took as a work day, as life doesn't quit when you're traveling or friends visit. But it ended with Chocolat Favori chocolate dipped ice creams (the best ever anywhere!) and a visit to a homeschool moms' evening. 

Tuesday we spent the day at the Science and Tech Museum, breaking for a sumptuous lunch of poutine and shawarma - yes, from the same place! - before saying goodbye just before supper.

An all too short a visit, and yet just right somehow. Thank you God for such a gift!

Church Camp

 We joined our new church for their annual church camp this weekend. The emphasis was on unplugging and taking good rest while enjoying one another. It certainly was an unplugged weekend, with only officially designated photographers, and we certainly enjoyed being together, but restful? Maybe only in the sense that we rested from our usual works and did different things.

There were no sleeping in mornings with 50 or so of the attendees being kids under 13 (most under 8!) and breakfasts at 8:30 after morning shared devotions. But neither were there any super late nights for the same reasons as we all stayed in the same lodge building.

Saturday morning was a hilarious blast of adults and kids alike playing games like octopus and blob tag, along with a slightly more serious game of soccer baseball. The afternoon was swimming (for the brave few in cold water!) and boating before settling into a rhythm of volleyball and basketball that, without scorekeeping, went on for hours!

We hardly saw Aiden except for meals as he roamed the grounds with the kids, dabbling in whatever games spontaneously began. Grace, Jasmin, and Mom fit in a good outdoor singsong time with Jasmin playing her violin, as well as crashing the worship team practices - that landed Grace a place on the team for the Sunday service!

Saturday evening we had the mandatory camp experience of campfire and s'mores, of course. We mostly enjoyed the heat, having never warmed up properly from our cold swim, and being still full from so many great meals. And then, the stars! It was a wonderfully clear night so we were able to see the Milky Way and identify a good handful of constellations.

Sunday's service included a wonderfully celebrated baptism as well, which felt like a very fitting capstone to our weekend.

We came home Sunday afternoon, (without injuries, mosquito bites, or sun burn somehow) all thoroughly tired, quite sore from the unusual amount and forms of exercise, fully content with the time spent away with our new church family.

September's Here

 September's here but not Fall weather!

It's like August and September switched - 

August was cool and trees started to turn

September started hot: middle of summer heat wave hot.

September's here, with a new dog

Honey got called in for her second hip surgery.

New dog Max, is a beautiful saluki mix.

Rather nervous of others 

But a calm dog splat in the heat

So wilted not even a frozen treat Kong is worth getting up for.

September's here but in the heat

Sunday we decided on a picnic by the river

Aiden, Mom, and Dad went wading/swimming even!

(hence no pictures)

Jasmin was kept occupied chasing down Max

Who doesn't mix with others very well

She sacrificed her feet to the rocks to intervene

And came home with bruising and a deep ankle gouge.

Still, we'd say, "let's do it again before it gets cold!"

September's here and so is the start of school - for Aiden

The girls simply continue their current semesters' work.

Week one is done for Aiden

A LOT of reading proscribed, but interesting and varied

A year we can look forward to!