They're baaack

SO lovely to have those kids of mine home.  They had a challenging, busy, fun, filthy, energetic, hot, blessed week away in the way only camp can be all those things all at the same time.

Lots of stories to tell.  Believing they made a difference.

And SO tired.

After a lunch and a shower some fell dead asleep for a few hours.  But the tradition of Camp is for all the staff to go to Late Night Sushi the night they get home..... seems crazy to me but 40 of the  showed up at 9:30pm to chow down.

While they were doing that we had dinner with friends and then the boys went to see Planet of the Apes while the girls went to see The 100ft Journey......perfect double date!  We loved our movie - predictable and gentle and so picturesque and gastronomic....... I was ready to fly to France this morning.

I dashed off to pick up the sushi kids .....all in all we didn't get to bed until close to 1am.

So when the hound dog started tap dancing in his crate at 7:30am I got up and let him out and had a quiet hours or so until Allan got up.... Spanner kept me company.

The kids slept well past 10am and wandered down when the smell of fresh baked croissants and bacon became irresistible.

After a long lazy breakfasty brunch on another perfect summer day we decided to go on a little family adventure before the weekend was over.

 We headed to Westham Island and the Reifel Bird Sanctuary....... we wandered on paths with dappled sunlight noting the near total absence of any birds other than ducks and geese (it was the heat of the day)......we sat in the cool bird hides in silence...watching ...we chatted, walked, fed the ducks, snapped some photos and popped in at the Herb Farm on the way home for honey and strawberry jam.....I sat in a comfy deck chair and did nothing for a while.....it was lovely.

On the way home we went to the Ladner Village Market and had a snack and an iced coffee before heading north through the tunnel.

I had to put in a couple of hours of work....i have written two reports and sent half a dozen emails to my staff and various other official folks as we get down to the wire of opening Cranberry Children's Centre AND our West Cambie Preschool on September 2nd.

The next 4 weeks are going to be a whirlwind.  And in the middle of it a certain boy turns 15!

 I am really learning to appreciate the close to home, small things this summer....... letting the "normal" stuff fill me up...noticing I don't "need" to go away to find joy and have fun ...... good lesson for me.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!