We've been busy . . . .

. . . enjoying our summer. Here is a sampling by way of pictures:
. . . at the beach -- actually this is during our time chaperoning YP camping. We haven't made it to the beach as a family yet - but vacation is coming right up!!
. . . gardening. Jonathan informed me that I was bragging - simply by taking a picture of one of my gardens - so I thought I better prove him right by showing it off even more:) I love my gardens - and I love spending time in them. I like pulling weeds and trying to keep it weed free. I like the end results (well actually I don't eat a large portion of my garden as it conflicts with my taste buds, but the rest of the family enjoys it!) . . . enjoying our baby kitties. They now have their eyes opened and are starting to look a little cuter. This picture below is about 2 weeks old.

. . . enjoying Josh and Steph's kitty - and getting a little attached to it during the few days we had it.

. . . swimming lessons - not the warmest summer to do lessons, but they survived.

. . .church picnic-ing - and I only got as far as the kids games before I got busy and left the camera behind. The church picnic was a wonderful day of fellowship once again. With a weather forecast that predicted nothing but rain, we weren't sure how the day would play out, but other than a drizzle during kids games (and kids don't notice anyway) the day was quite nice! Thanks to those who did all the planning! We enjoyed the day a lot!

. . . and just playing and enjoying eachother.

The boys got Kylie dressed up in this new "princess garb" and informed me that I needed to do her hair to make her a real princess.

. . . and doesn't she almost look like one?!!! Though she is not the most impressed by the whole idea at this point.

So that's some of our summer in pictures. We're busy - and we love it!!

Update on Kiggy!

I’m not really a cat person. Really I’m not. But here comes my second post dedicated to our cat – affectionately called “Kiggy” – and not just by Kylie. That’s her name. I think we have a bit of a record going here. I mean – the cat is still with us. She hasn’t run away – at least not for a long period of time. She is actually a wonderful pet to have around, because she is gone a lot of the day, but always shows up two or three times for food or to see the kids. She really does seem to like the attention the kids give her – when it’s in moderation. She really doesn’t make a bother out of herself – except for the few times I found her in the house – and even in my bedroom which is about the farthest IN my house you can get. THAT was pushing my cat tolerating limits. I usually encouraged her in a hasty and slightly forceful manner that it would be in her better interest to STAY OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!! But other than that she is nice and cozy. Kylie still gets very excited every morning when Kiggy walks up the sidewalk to the deck.

Like I said, Kiggy endures much - she was pretty much handled like a doll this day - its no wonder she takes off and hides under the deck when she sees Kevin running for her at breakneck speed! She makes herself cozy whereever convenient - like I said, I'm not always a big fan of her cuddling up on clothes that may be left lying around outside - or my stroller. Anyway, lately we had been noticing that Kiggy had been putting on a lot of weight - a result of our good food??? We had our suspicions. But when I saw her this week and she was as skinny as ever, I went into detective mode and solved the mystery in a few short minutes. I used my observational skills and noted that I had seen Kiggy climb up into the boys clubhouse rather often lately. So up I went and . . . . .

Awwww! Really - I don't love cats - but kittens??? Anyway they sure are cute right now and I'm thinking that I have a few months till they get ugly. The boys are enthralled once again and love climbing up and checking up on them. I originally told them that they couldn't touch them for three weeks, but its been three days, and they've been holding them and petting and just watching them for at least two . . . I suppose they are a wonderfully simple form of entertainment - and I'll take that!

The Pit

Today we headed out to Thamesford in the rain. Except that by the time we got there, it was no longer raining, and was in fact shaping up to be a very beautiful day. The reason we were there was to watch Jeremy (my dear nephew) do some motocross racing. Jeremy is nine years old and loves racing his dirtbike. They have a track behind their house, so he gets plenty of hours in. He has just started racing – today being his third race day – and he already looks like a pro. You’d think he’d been at it for years.

The spectators - Kylie and Meika. Also there to cheer Jeremy on were Kevin, Kade, Opa, Oma and Uncle Evan, though they escaped the camera. I think being a spectator is a very difficult job. I found it very scary myself though I'm sure you get used to it. It is not uncommon for kids to wipe out, but they are resilient, and every one I saw fall, got back up and finished the race.

And we can't forget Timothy who loved it too and when asked where the bikes were, was quick to point them out!

Lining up for the start - Jeremy is second from the right.

And off they go! Jeremy is #156 (bike) or #9 (on his back).

As the ground dried up, it got very dusty - this was during the race in the afteroon.

Doesn't he look amazing?!!

Jeremy, we were very excited to watch you and proud of your great races. Keep up the great work! Kevin and Kade are already wondering when the next race is . . . and Kade is wondering when he can have his own dirtbike!

Canada Day

We celebrated Canada Day by heading out to Wyoming/Sarnia for the day to hang out with Will and Chris and their kids. After visiting for a bit, we headed out to Canatara Park. It was surprisingly NOT busy! The kids had a great time checking out all the different animals and just enjoying the park.

Kylie --in deep thought.

As Christina and I were snapping pictures, we observed that we were going to end up with a whole pile of backs on pictures - which is good because it means the kids are busy, happy, and observing things.

These girls were so cute together - though I've gotta say, they didn't love eachother at first. I'm afraid Emily bore the brunt of Kylie's scratching fingers - and for no particular reason at all except that her face was within reach. Yep, she's a friendly one! They did end up enjoying eachothers company - all in good time.

Awwww!

Kevin and Kade in hot pursuit of a goat. It's not like they were told over and over NOT to chase the animals. But it was just SO HARD to resist!!! I imagine the animals were thankful when we left:)

Elise Trying to feed another goat.

After our time at Canatara, we headed over to the bridge in Sarnia for a while to enjoy the water and to eat supper. Here are the kids watching a big boat pass by. They found that very cool.

And Kade posing in front of another huge ship as it passes by.

Marieke

Christina - looking very beautiful and pregnant:)

Because stones and water make such a great combination. The kids actually spent a great deal of their time throwing rocks and watching them splash . . .

. . . and the adults too:) Skipping stones - and if you look close, you can see that this particular toss was successful!

This was a very fun day out and even though we didn't end up seeing fireworks (the weather forecast predicted rain and the whole evening it looked like it would start any minute, so we assumed (not sure if correctly) that fireworks would be cancelled), everyone still had a great day. We had a campfire and just a cozy visit back at Will and Chris'. Thanks again for having us over and sharing the day with us Will and Chris!

A Story to Share

I came across this story as I was cleaning my uncles house. I thought it was a really neat, yet sad story - and since this is the kind of story you don't come across too often, I thought I'd share it here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I Don't Want You To Go"

Posted By SUN MEDIA

Posted 11 days ago

In nearly 70 years of marriage Gordon and Jean Vigars have never spent a night apart. That all changed last night. They are praying their separation will be temporary. There has not been a rift. Their love is as strong as ever when they married in St. Thomas 69 years ago, after meeting at a dance when he was a furniture salesman and she worked in the library. They did not see this coming, but it's modern-day society that is splitting them up. The problem is there is just not enough room for both in the nearby seniors home. It's a real-life situation that should give us pause as we and our parents age. You may see more of this. Meanwhile, it was one interesting 95th birthday Thursday for Jean, as all of her children were in from various locales across the land to both sing Happy Birthday to mom but also to be there for her in her final night in the home -- the same one where she was brought from the hospital at birth. Lots of tears and hugs in the Vigars household these days. Gord and Jean's life together has been a dream -- four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Their two storey brick home is filled with pictures and memories from a successful journey together. Those raised in this home, or who spent Christmas or other big family days here, say it still has that warm and welcoming smell of home that it always did. It will never be the same. The problem is, because of health and time, it is just not safe for them to be in that home any more. For months, their children, all in their 60s, have been trying to figure out just what to do -- as their parents expressed their reluctance toward accepting any change. "I think we are OK," insists Gord.
Next to him, Jean puts her hand on his and chuckles. "He still thinks we can manage this big house but we just can't," says Jean. "I think it is time." A recent smoke-filled house and a burnt TV dinner in the oven was the turning point. But what happens to a couple married seven decades if there is no room in the system to move into a nursing home together?
Unfortunately, Gord and Jean Vigars are going to find out. It seems they are going to have to find a way to live apart for an unknown amount of time. It's a dilemma and a curve ball for the Vigars family -- and it could be a wake-up call for the province as the population lives longer.
"We could have put mom in one nursing home in one town and dad in another one somewhere else," says their eldest son John, 68, a businessman.
Neither liked that option much. So here's what's happened. Jean went into Valleyview Home on Friday and will wait until there is room for her husband to follow.
"I am very concerned," Jean said Thursday. "I don't know if Gord will be able to make it on his own." It is a problem because even though there are social service agencies that will drop off everything from meals to medication, it does not mean he will open the door. The family is planning to take shifts looking after him. Gord has made it clear he is not thrilled with any of the changes. "I don't want you to go," he told Jean Thursday as his children sobbed with emotion. And Jean doesn't really want to. "But I have trouble seeing now and I can't hear," she said. "I guess it's time." She grew up in this house, which means when she gets in the car to drive across town to her new residence it will mark 95 years of memories and also mark the real end of an era for both her and the street. John, his brothers Bob and Bill and sister Beth are not looking forward to the emotional scene and just wish there was some other way to deal with this. It's a falling between the cracks kind of story. "They are both special people," said Bill, a well-known entertainment industry publicist. "Both were active in their community and have done their part." "I guess in this province we have not yet written the chapter on what to do in this situation," said Bob, a longtime track and cross-country coach and physical education professor at the University of Western Ontario. "It is a problem because they have never, ever been apart before overnight." Interim Tory leader Bob Runciman, voting for a new leader Thursday, said he would talk over this problem with the premier and others. "There must be a way . . . perhaps a temporary room inside homes." Over at Valleyview, they were getting Jean's room ready for her arrival and one staffer said the wait for Gord could be several months. Jean prays it won't take that long. "I hope it happens shortly because he is so forgetful," Jean said. "He tells me he can cook but he can't cook. I am so worried." There is much happening in the world, but in St. Thomas on Friday, it was the first night in almost seven decades Gord and Jean Vigars were not together.