Saying goodbye

After a great stay it was time for us to say goodbye. I must say it is very odd to meet new people, spend time getting to know them and then saying goodbye knowing it's slim to see them again.....I really didn't like it...there's that part of me that then thinks I wish we never meet, then it wouldn't be so difficult, then I remember a conversation with a friend recently. Her husband, after losing a long loved family dog had said he would never want to own a dog again, because burring them is too hard. I understand exactly what he feels, as I too have lost pets and a Grandpa I was close with. No one wants to feel that pain. It's so easy to keep from getting close for fear of the enviable - separation. With that said, I know that keeping yourself safe from those hard moments life also means keeping yourself from the most wonderful, magical moments too. I just hope God continues to give my the strength to keep on dancing.....Some lyrics in Garth Brooks song The Dance
.....Yes my life
It's better left to chance
I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance....

Mami, Travis, Mom, me, Kaitlin, Korntey and Dawson.

Mami and Kortney

Here is Mami playing the piano and Kortney singing! They spent a lot of time together at the piano that day....too cute!

Meeting extended family

Today we went to my Grandma's. (also in Lion's Head) She had her niece Helenka visiting, and with her two family members from Slovakia, Barbara and her mom....not sure of her name..very Slovak. Barbara who is 13 could speak fairly good English while her mom couldn't speak any, so there was a lot of conversations being translated by Helenka, Barbara and my Grandma. It was another very interesting day of learning about another culture and language. At one point Mami, myself, Heather and Barbara were all writing the written numerals from 1 - 10 in four languages. Japan, Slovak, English and French. It was very funny and interesting watching everyone interact with each other.

Here is Mami, Barbara, her mom, my grandma, and my mom.
Here is Heather, Marc, Helenka, my aunt Danielle, and Carl.

Mami and Kortney are in this little tent taking pictures of the kids playing volleyball!

Some pics of the beachball volleyball game!

Cyprus Lake

While up north we spent part of a day at Cyprus Lake just north of Lion's Head. We packed up a picnic and to our surprise were able to find an empty beach spot for ourselves. The kids had fun playing in the water, collecting tiny shells and of course running through the woods.

My little girl who insist on being big!
Kaitlin, Kortney and Heather looking for shells.

Travis and Dawson finding lots of tiny shells along the shore.

Later that night, Travis was on fire duty. Whenever there's a campfire he's the one that insist on making it saying he knows how to make the best fires!

The kids during a rare "all get together" moment!

Mom, Carl, Marc and Heather staying warm near the fire. Oh and Dawson of course!

Meeting Mami

A few short days after our adventures northeast On, we headed up to my mom's where we meet Mami. You see a few times a year my mom and Carl have "helpers" come from all over the world. They pay their way to come to Canada and stay at my mom's house in exchange for working. There have been many helpers come over the last few years and we've got to meet a couple of them. This summer Mami was there from Japan while her daughter was in Toronto taking English classes. We had a wonderful time talking with her all about Japan culture and answering her questions about our life. I had never knew much about Japan before and really didn't have any desire to know, but after meeting Mami I will always remember her and think of her. She truly is a warm, kind beautiful person that touched a part of me without even really knowing why. She connected so great with the kids and had fun trying to understand what they were telling her. Here we are the first night with her teaching us origami and string tricks.


Kaitlin loved learning new string tricks! This past year in school playing with string was popular. Mami was able to show her different tricks that Kaitlin hadn't seen before.
Dawson and his ninja stars.

Travis worked hard on making this crane (bird). I was surprised how much the kids loved learning origami.

Mami helping with folds.

Pembroke

After our fun in Ottawa, we were off to Pembroke. We had a really good time playing with Andrew, meeting baby Daniel and visiting with Scott and Debby!

Andrew in his toy box!
The big kids playing with Andrew and his pool!

At the waterfront in Pembroke.

Dan with his nephew Daniel.

(Notice Kortney in the bottom left of this pic!)

Our trip to Kingston was after Toronto to visit my Dad and Yvette on their boat. The kids enjoyed going for a ride around the lake and having a BBQ. We were lucky with the weather that the rain held off for the day! After, we all headed to Ottawa to spend afew days where we walked downtown Ottawa and spent an afternoon swimming with the kids!

Our Toronto stop

This past July as part of our holidays we wanted to visit family around Ontario. First off was to drive to T.O to visit Marc and Heather, Kingston, Ottawa to visit my dad and Yvette, then Pembroke to visit Scott, Debby and their boys. We had a great trip spending time visiting everyone. Here's afew pics of Reptilia in Toronto.

Kortney, Dan, Heather and Marc touching a Argentine Black and White Tegu. (a big lizard)

Travis and Kaitlin with the same creature.

Dawson and I holding a python called buttercup!

The kids loved Reptilia as there were lots of different critters to see and touch. In the gift shop you could buy some real reptiles and of course Travis was desperate to buy another little blue/red lizard, but we talked him out of travelling with live pets. Stuffed animals had to do for souvenirs!

Annabell aka the naughty goat!

Annabell came to us from a friend of ours who didn't have the need or space for her anymore. Annabell had been a companion for her horse, but with boarding another horse now she needed a new home for Annabell to go. Of course, I said sure when she asked, knowing that the kids would be thrilled to have another goat....A pygmy goat at that.


We were a little surprised when Annabell came to us. We put her in the field with the other 2 goats figuring she'd be happy to see a familiar face. Well she didn't even give them a glance, before going under the fence, right to the horse field. She wanted nothing to do with her "own kind" running right to the animals she's used to - horses! So this was in July sometime. Since then we moved the horses to the same field as the goats, which helped her stay in and get used to the goats. Eventually we moved the goats into a different field with the sheep. (Annabell could still see the horses), but of course she would not stay with them. The problem is now that she wanders in and out with the horses. Fences mean nothing to her even though they have power on them she just goes on through! Every now and then Dan gets annoyed and she ends up locked in the shed. This morning though, while leaving we had to drive around her as she was resting in the middle of the lane way! For now at least I can say she is staying away from my flowers :)

Queen Annabell

Eventually checking out the other goats. Although she really doesn't have any desire to be with them.

Annabell with the horses.