Last Hoorah Before School

We really haven't had any time to do much as a family this summer!  Jared starts to get really busy the second week of August with harvesting and the cows have truly been a full time job on top of a full time job!  We did get away to Kalispell for a weekend and one night out on the boat, so we thought we would do another late evening get a way!  Friday night we decided to head into Lethbridge and take the kids to the water tower to eat!  Emry went with my dad and I when Calum was really small and has wanted to go back ever since!  What in the world were we thinking?!  Emry had a good time but it was quite late by the time we got there, 8:00pm, and the boys were not wanting to sit after sitting for an hour in the car!  They really did like looking out the window and seeing all the cars below, and it was neat that the sun was setting while we there and we were also able to see the city all lit up!

Emry had the most expensive meal out of all of us, a steak sandwich off the kids menu!  Jared and I each had a salad and Calum and Armin shared a grilled cheese sandwich, so really our bill wasn't too bad considering the prices of the food on the menu!  The entire trip was totally worth Armin's reaction in the elevator!  He is absolutely terrified of them.  On the way up he clung onto Jared for dear life and when we reached the top his little body shook and he clutched even harder onto Jared.  Once the door opened he seemed to relax.  On the way down we made him walk onto the elevator himself and once he knew where we were going he bolted and headed straight for the hostess.  He would rather go to a complete stranger than ride on the elevator again!  Once at the bottom we asked him if he wanted to go on the elevator again and he said in a very concerned voice, "Noooo!"

Armin, looking very concerned in the elevator!

We finished off our last weekend before school started by having a super yummy dinner with my dad!  In the middle of August he flew out to Vancouver where he met his brother and together they travelled to Tofino where they boarded a little fishing boat.  They spent the day salmon and halibut fishing and caught quite a few!  They sent a Chinook Salmon out to be smoked, and they each took home a few halibut.  Dad also caught about a 6 pound Koho salmon and brought it home for us to cook, because of how much Emry loves salmon!  So we decided to cook it up today, and it was so good, so much better than what we can get at the store and honestly we think Costco salmon is sooo good!  We completed our super yummy salmon dinner with garden potatoes and carrots!  I made a new cupcake recipe too and it was really good...Milk Chocolate cupcakes with a milk chocolate icing topped with a dollop of fresh mint icing!  A really nice sunday afternoon!  The best part was having the kids watch Grandpa cut the head and fins off the salmon, Calum was terrified and had to leave the room but Emry was quite intrigued and even got right in there and touched the fish scales.  She didn't go as far as Grandpa did though...he kissed the fish and then made it talk!

The green flecks in the white icing is fresh chopped mint leaves, it so reminded me of when I used to work at the local mint field picking weeds out of the mint swaths!

It has been a good summer, and I hope Emry feels like she got a good break from school.  We did go to the zoo with my mom and dad and to the beach at Little Bow with Myrna and Rachel, we also spent a few afternoons at the pool.  Emry was able to go out and check cows with Jared and the kids spent hours in the truck while Jared and I put our escaped bull back in with our cows, not once but three times!  They also spent time with friends from church and with my sister while Jared and I baled, and the kids also made weekly trips with me to the dump where they were usually given a sucker by the lady who works there.  We had many sunday get to togethers with my sister and her family, and we were able to spend time at the beach in Calgary and after had a yummy barbecue with all the Puzey clan at the Atwood's!  Lily and Gilbert also spent a few nights at our house, which the kids loved!  They played and explored and just had fun!

I found all these pictures on the camera from when Lily spent a few days and nights with us!  They had so much fun!

So overall it was a good summer, lots of work had to be done but we also had lots of fun doing it, and despite the fact that we are truly wondering if the cows are really worth it, we still have spent time together and have been able to teach our children great values about working together...hopefully!!