I am finding posting hard to do these days.
No time and yet...so much to say and show.
We went on a little trip two weeks ago.
Heading to one of my favourite places to laugh, cook, share, listen, rest and unwind.
I was in the best company too.
Big E, Little A and Baby H and big sister.
It was a full car let me tell you.
Not an inch to spare and we even had the car topper.
Babies come with lots of big baby things.
It was going to be a two hour ride.
We were skeptical...it was busy...it was full...it was...
A juggling act of sorts.
But we managed.
Entertaining
Showing
Posing
The kids loved the ride of course.
Especially running on the outer decks.
Holding hands...
Smiling for Mommy
Taking down signs (I'll let you guess who)
Dancing
Exploring
Mommy pointed out the wooden doors.
You don't see these on the new boats now do you.
An era gone by.
But somebody didn't notice.
He was into it all. Taking it all in.
His first ferry ride.
He didn't want to miss a minute.
We finally disembarked the ferry and took the windey road to our destination.
Pender Island.
The beautiful gardens welcomed us first...
Full of bumble bees and sweet smelling lavender.
A sprawling garden filled with rosemary bushes and roses, pebbles and thyme.
A garden planted with careful fingers and loving intention.
A garden that welcomes all who cares to visit.
A garden that thrives and swells in the heat of the summer and
protects itself in the frost of lingering winters.
A garden that blesses its visitors with the spirit of its maker.
This garden is a reminder of a strong, loving woman who loved and was loved.
Is loved.
Of a mother and a wife who created and inspired.
Who knew when to hold on and when to let go.
Thank-you Jeannie for this gift.
I wish I had more pictures to show, of the trees, the vegetable garden and the
outer gardens...but the children were bouncing to get to the beach.
Auntie helped them down the garden trail...bursting with excitement to get below.
To the driftwood logs and gentle folding waves.
Pebbles and colourful beach glass hiding.
Our little H loved the beach.
So did Mommy.
Didn't let Baby H stop her from skipping some rocks for her nephew.
She's the jock.
Always was, always will be.
Didn't let Baby H stop her from skipping some rocks for her nephew.
She's the jock.
Always was, always will be.
Pink toes peeking out warming in the sun.
Boots and jackets tossed aside.
White pale bodies drinking up the sun.
White pale bodies drinking up the sun.
Sister tries to set up a photo shoot in the shade...
This little peanut tries...but it is so bright.
We sort of get one...then it gets hot so we try without his coat.
Maybe he has had enough...
Yup.
All done.
Needed a nap.
So Mommy bundled him up and he slept snuggled in his snuggler.
Passed out cold.
While he snoozed the kids explored and played.
Cold splashes
Big jumps
Dirty hands
Sandy legs...and reflection.
Looking over the vast ocean before him...of just thoughts of nothing.
Until his baby sister comes knocking.
She is too small this year.
But she tries.
She is too small this year.
But she tries.
Then there was some balancing acts...
Copying attempts...
And more dirty fingers.
Then our friends showed up!
More little explorers.
Sharing and showing
Learning and loving.
Dinner and goodnight kisses for the babies and kiddies then foot massages for the Mommies!
My idea to pamper each other.
Luckily we had this amazing 60 yr old radio to play.
Crackly Indian music serenaded us into the night as we reminisced, shared, giggled, drank wine and
listened.
I can still here it's crackle now.
Christie said it was her grandfathers from England.
It added to the remoteness of the island and the house.
We awoke to scents of coffee and visions of cinnamon buns slathered in cream cheese icing.
Oh and this...
Dolls and clothing everywhere.
Vintage toys collected and held onto by Christies Mom.
Some found, others from their childhood growing up.
This suitcase was Christies as a child from England.
She told me she use to put her cat in it and carry the poor thing around.
Now it holds vintage blocks that kept Avery busy for a good 2 hours.
This Fisher Price cash register is always the hot item.
Everyone fights over it and wants to use it.
Everyone fights over it and wants to use it.
But this trip there was something even better...
They all wanted to hold baby H.
This kinda stuff never gets old.
No matter how old or young you are.
Handsome Cousins.
Avery finally gets to hold him and she just can't believe it.
So close. Finally.
The view from the living room is pretty much amazing
From any and every angle.
These three wanted a picture...or I did.
Can't remember...but I am thank-full either way.
It will always remind me of the moment in time where they all looked happy.
Together.
On Pender.
After some coaxing we headed to the farmers market.
Stopped at the little Pender Island Elementary school first.
The kids needed to run wild and enjoy the sun.
She loves the swings.
Did I say love.
I meant LOVES LOVES LOVES the swings.
I just love this smile Christie caught.
The tether ball.
Who remembers it?
Who loved it?
I remember my sister and I playing in my Dads backyard for hours.
HOURS.
The school is adorable.
Has a great welcoming community feel to it.
The kids didn't notice...they didn't care about it's charm.
Too busy playing.
Soon we were hitting the road again off to the farmers market.
It was a little later by then so it was kinda winding down for the day.
But there were still lots of things to look and point at.
Beautiful garden greens...
Seeds cultivated on the island to buy...
Unique appliqued jean jackets for stylish little girls to try on
And fuzzy caterpillars for Big E to collect.
Kisses for baby too.
Jam preserves and honey.
Little fishies and sea shells.
And old weathered wooden barn doors to photograph kids in front of.
They were so good to me.
Posing and smiling.
Real moments.
This one is one of my favorites
Okay, two of my faves.
One focused on smiles, the other his new friends.
He made a lot of friends.
Then it was time to say goodbye.
That was hard for him.
And the other caterpillar lovers.
Upon leaving I stumbled upon something.
Something old and wonderful.
Something you only read about in old fairy tales.
Beautiful wise women spinning wool into yarn.
They didn't really speak, just nodded and smiled.
They had been doing this for years.
Together.
Thought I was strange wanting to capture it on my big awkward camera.
I watched them working the wheels,
Moving through the wool and all the stories,
the memories, the families, the homes, the vacations,
the parties, the meals, the grandchildren, the great grandchildren
and the ebb and flow of the oceans moving around them.
Mesmerized by wrinkled fingers that show years of yesterdays.
The kids soon ran to the play field and I got this photo.
Tall grasses littered with yellow buttercups.
And brave little girls learning to climb and jump
The play park was fun. The kids enjoyed the tunnel the most.
This one is my heart breaker.
He is so stubborn like his Momma,
yet strong and smart like his Daddy.
Cuddly and soft, but can turn hard and angry.
Persistant.
So persistant.
Yet...thoughtful and kind.
Passionate and emotional.
Quiet and reflective.
Giving.
My boy.
Full of wonder.
Brave.
Social.
Extroverted and colourful.
Exploding temper and head strong.
Mischievous and sneaky.
Only 2 and I am wrapped.
Like my sister is over this boy.
Baby H.
Hanging out.
5 months.
Sitting up...
Ok...maybe not totally all by himself...
Ok maybe not at all...but it was fun to pretend.
He looks like his Daddy.
But is wise and beyond his years like his Momma
He too is growing fast.
Changing.
Challenging and teaching.
All of us.
After much play time and some light rain we decide to head back to the homestead.
Pulled out the big rig to take some goodies on the drive home.
Bikes...from trike to adult Mountain bike.
They have been there for years and I was finally able to capture them.
Too bad it was raining or I could have gotten a real good one.
Little A fell asleep and so did baby H so we decided to drive and capture the whimsical side of the island.
Old shacks, trees, coastlines and wild flowers.
Weathered boat sheads
Sleepy harbours
Daisy driveways
Wander up yonder
Tiny chapels and car stops
Mailboxes with tiny daisy's and gigantic dandelions
Wheat grasses hiding ocean wonders...
Views that carry the eye for miles.
Bouncy gravel roads
That lead to more meadows and beach gazing
Sun hanging overhead...daisy's at my feet.
Reminds me...
moments are magic.
Sister finds hers...if only for a moment.
Peace.
The vastness holds her.
Only briefly.
Cause babies wake up,
phones ring,
dinners need making
jobs need doing and life is calling.
Beach time again...
After some play time they head down to explore today's findings.
More sand and water...
Shadows
And reflection.
Then we bundle up and walk together back to the house.
I ask the kids to lay down and put their heads together for a cool picture.
I couldn't have imagined it to turn out so good.
So real and such a reflection of the weekend.
Next year baby H will be in there too.
Shoes and boots are strewn (as are a few dirty diapers) and forgotten until Sunday.
Party Stereo is made (thanks for your trick Raina!) and wine is breathing.
Kids are cleaned up and snuggled in poppas bed watching cartoons
While dance party mania ensues in the kitchen during dinner prep.
Auntie teaches them to raise the roof, drive the bus and do the sprinkler while baby H watches on.
His Mommy's fun like that.
Auntie Christie tries a gymnastics move...
Little A is neutral.
Not sure.
So we move on.
After dinner the deer hunters come out.
She is like a little pixie fairy trying to tame her unicorn.
Only the unicorn doesn't want any part of it.
So we all race up to the tree house instead.
or should I say tree cottage?
Easton waits for us to ascend.
Then opens the door like a good little host.
Too dark inside to take photos...so I snap this one.
The green and woods like view from the star carved in the top of the door.
Our Pixie Fairy teaches me how to swing
Then Big E tells me he wants a tree house just like this one.
A swing...just like this one.
We are almost out of baby monitor range so we get fancy.
Then I climb on the swing and fly.
I love swinging.
It reminds me of my youth.
Instant happiness and I feel free.
See...
Dirty hair and island air glow.
Life and beauty all around.
Lots of cuddle time and lets get wacky time.
This trip is one that I look forward to cause I get to spend time surrounded by beauty, love and laughter. Its crazy full of kids and messes, piles of wet beach towels and grocery bags full of endless snacks.
It's a whole day of wondering what to do and if its just nothing it feels just as good.
Thank-you for sharing it with me and my family Christie and of course Christie's Dad.
Thank-you for opening your home to us and allowing us to rejuvenate and remember to breathe.
I won't go into Little A getting sick and being sick on the ferry the whole way home and for the WHOLE day afterward.
Lets just look at cutie pie...and his sweet amazing Momma on the ferry ride home.
Getting all worked up here.
His first ferry ride.
Remember taking these while Little A is passed out beside us leaning on the window Sis?
It was worth it.
It always is.
-E
