We Like To Swim In October...

The water was....mmm... refreshing and exhilerating....
.... there were many demands for towels....

....although some tried to "man up" without one....

... and others relaxed in the swing taking it all in...

... and being irresistibly cute....

Just Me and My Mom

During the HoneyRock Partners weekend, Jackson and I were able to try out the new sea kayaks. We had alot of fun together. It's not every day I get to spend one on one time with my kids and this was a great thing for Jackson and I to do together and something we both had wanted to do all summer.

Jackson had been trying to "beat" all the others the whole time and stay in front and towards the end, (during this picture) he was commenting about where they all were.

I had an awesome time with my little man and I'm looking forward to more 1/1 fun!

Fort William ~ Thunder Bay, Ontario

Jackson posing with one of the canons... he always gravitates towards anything destructive...
Haley trying to carry a 90lb fur pack

We all loved the furs... some more than others.... Jacob and Jordan were laying on them!!

Haley inside on of the tepees. She stayed in there a really long time taking notes in her journal. She did a really great job. Both Haley and Jackson outlined our visit to the Fort and we discussed, compared notes and finally, they wrote a paper detailing the visit. It really turned out well. I'll try to scan them on soon.

Jackson wearing a wolf fur... his favorite.

More Canada 08

Haley, Grandpa and Jordy... hangin out in their pj's.
Grandpa and Jackson cutting the church grass.

Jacob picking blueberries...they were big and they were plentiful !!!

Canada Fall 08

Haley and I after a day cutting wood in the woods and picking blueberries.
Jacob's stitches.

Jacob before stitches after falling off the dock out on Capkeechy Lake.

Jacob carrying a bucket of water to the cabin.

Pics from this fall

Jacob playing in the freezing water at Presque Isle
It was very windy and the waves were enormous. I questioned my quality of parenting after crossing the sound over to the isle with the kids.... we were nearly knocked over many times. It was a fun day to end an awesome summer with the HoneyRock '08 staff. Good times...

Jordan soaking up the beauty that is Capkeechy Lake in Northern Ontario. Having a big stick to "fish" with is enjoyable too...

Good Friends
From Left~ Melody Lake, Robyn Walsh, Jacqui Sharpe, Haley Ledbetter and Grace Ribbe

"Can we go to the ranch?"part 2

Jacob exploring one of the barns.
Becky, the ranch coordinator, teaching the kids about different wounds that horses get. We love Becky and how willing she is for us to come over and chat, ask questions, get rides and patron the HR ranch.
I did not pose these children! That's why I love this pic so much. It just was. I was talking to Becky and I turn around, and there they were, watching Mia and some of the other horses. This is why I always take my camera.
Jordan's gift to me while at the ranch. I love his little hands. So many times they're so dry and cracked and broken out they hurt me just to look at them. But this day in this pic, they're just beautiful.
Waiting to ride, they're always excited just like it was their first time ever. This day, Jordan was going first and Jackson was excited for him, put his arm around him and said,"You're going first buddy!" I love moments like these and that I get to remember them forever.

"Can we go to the ranch?"

The kids are always wanting to go the ranch. And I always take my camera...
Jacob, being curious.
The cool cowboy pose must just come natural to some.
I love this pic of Haley. How sanitary it really is for her to have that in her mouth I don't know, but it's definately not the 1st time and won't be the last and she has yet to get sick here in WI.
I don't know what Jordan's doing. Just being cute as usual.

One of our favorite things~

We love to be on the lake. Haley and Jackson help paddle and Jordan has lately been wanting to try his hand at it as well.( Recovering the paddle from the lake is just a part of a 4 year old learning to paddle I guess. ) Jacob, my not-afraid-of-anything-dangerous-kid, just likes to lean over the side of the canoe and feel the water as we glide over it. I like watching him. Most of the time he just sits there quietly, feeling the water and looking around like he's just taking it all in and sometimes it looks as though he's thinking. I wish I knew what it was considering he's 2.

Mia~ The HoneyRock Philly

Mia, less than 24 hours old
Mia and momma, Ginger.
Mia, 4 weeks old
It's so cute the way she runs around and kicks her legs. We've really enjoyed watching her as she changes. Jacob loves her the most. He's always wanting to see, "baby hoss."
Haley with Mia. She loves to feel her mane. It's so soft. We're having to be alittle more careful these days though. Mias been nipping.

My Little Cowboy's

All three of my boys LOVE cowboys right now.. here Jordan and Jacob are "holding up" their dinner cook... literally... it always takes a little longer to do everything these days.....it's all good... I like it....
"Stick 'em up!"
Can you say "cowboy from south of the border" ?

Going Way Back.... to April...

Jordan's birthday breakfast... french toast with strawberries and whip cream...yum
I always have to make his before the rest of the families b/c of his allergies, so I just plated it all up for him. It looks like alot b/c it is!!! He usually does eat 4; just not with strawberries and whip cream.
We couldn't understand where it all was going!!!

What a piggy!!!
Oh well... it was his birthday!!!!