Camping at Porpoise Bay

 Roasting marshmallows is a little different when there's a fire ban on!

 We love the family bike rides at night and in the morning.

 After Sedona did her kayak/paddleboard camp, she asked if we could go out to Poise island where she went with her group. We did this twice and Chris also did some fishing while out there. We actually saw a school of salmon swim by us and there were tonnes of salmon jumping, but he just wanted the little fish to show the girls. He caught a few Rock Cod.

One of Aja's favourite things to do at Porpise Bay is walk up the creek and explore.

 A Moon Snail!

 Yum!!!!

My paddling partner.

Writer's Festival

Every year in August, we have a Writer's Festival where a number of Canadian authors come and speak. I am never disappointed. I always go to a couple with Chris and a couple with my book club. This year, I saw Esi Edugyan, who wrote Halfblood Blues, with Chris. I have to say I had trouble getting into this book, so it wasn't my favourite reading. However, the next day, I saw two amazing authors with my book club: Vincent Lam who wrote The Headmaster's Wager (excellent read) and Sally Armstrong, who wrote The Ascent of Women, as well as The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor. They were both excellent speakers; Vincent was funny and had good stories to share, whereas Sally was inspirational and left you pondering some big questions about the treatment of women throughout the world. This is my book club (minus Lee)- we went out for lunch in between the two authors. Then last night, Chris and I went to the final number which was actually a folk musician/storyteller, David Essig. I always look forward to this weekend every year!

The Best Part of their Visit

If you were to ask Aja what the best part of Nan and P.K's visit is, she would tell you "drawing birth marks on P.K." My Dad has been such a good sport, letting Aja draw all over him with marker. She laughs hysterically while doing so, and is always begging to draw more!

Nan and P.K.'s First Ever Paddle

My Dad and Cheryl got to try kayaking for the first time today and they did great! While Sedona was in her camp, Chris, Aja, Nan, P.K. and I went for a paddle at Porpoise Bay. They even braved holding sea stars!

Kayak/Paddleboard Camp

Sedona has been going to a kayak/stand up paddleboard camp all week and absolutely LOVED it! Today, I got to watch the tale end of it, and she was doing cartwheels off the paddleboard!

An Ol' Favourite

Yesterday Chris and I got out for a day to ourselves. We did one of our favourite hikes: Mt. Daniel, followed by lunch at a Pub, a spa treatment (the best I have ever had- a Thai lemongrass massage), and then another hike. I love those times we get together like that without anyone (no names mentioned)

interrupting us mid conversation!

Camp Fircom

The girls and I just got back from an amazing 5 days away at a Mom and Kids camp on Gambier Island. I went with 3 other friends and their families, and there were another 30 or so women and their families. It was fabulous and definitely a highlight from the summer. There was a lovely balance of time with the kids and time with the other Moms. There were camp counselors on hand to entertain the kids with a variety of activities while the Moms got to do yoga, meditation, hiking, running, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding. At night, they had babysitters so we could get together and do things like a drum circle on the beach, candelight yoga and desert on the dock.  The food was also amazing... nutritious, wholesome and much of the produce was from their own garden. It was such a treat to not have to cook all week! The girls had the best week being outside the whole time. I went to summer camp for many years so it brought back all sorts of great memories for me.  These are our friends who we went with so you will see them in many pictures (Lydia and Talus, Erin, Joffre, Brynn and Callum, as well as Tricia, Ashley and Taya). I feel lucky to have such great friends to have spent the week with- it was absolutely magical!!! I am already excited for next year.

Random Shots

Good Times with Friends