Late Spring

 Despite the fact that I am very far behind in regards to syncing our lives with the blog, I am sad to say that the weather still feels a lot like late spring.  There is a large and heavy cloud that has taken up residence over this part of Ontario for the summer and there has hardly been a day that passes without a major downpour.  Dave and his father have been unable to get on the fields to start taking the hay off and, in places, that hay is over 7 feet tall.  A child's dreamworld, a farmer's nightmare.

 I took these photos in late May (or was it early May?) before my parents headed back out east to prep their house for selling.  We had gathered together for a campfire with marshmallows and blackflies.  Blackflies are one of the curses of this part of the world.  Unfortunately, the extremely wet spring yielded a plague-like crop of blackflies.  I have photos of the backs of the kids' necks, but I will spare you.  Suffice to say that many of the boys' t-shirts are stained by blood and the school proclaimed indoor recess on many a day due to the bugs.  We know how to make our kids tough!

 I just like the lighting in this photo.

 And I like the girl in this one.  I suppose she is far more a young woman than a girl now.  At times I feel like my life's work has become organising her babysitting and coaching schedule.  She and Jacob are also taking their Bronze Medallion swimming badge this summer.  Hannah refuses to go on after this level as she is only 5'2 and barely 100 pounds and doesn't feel she has the strength to rescue anyone in the water.  "Too many people would die on my watch, Mom."  Jacob, however, is growing at an astronomical rate and has surpassed me on all fronts - height, foot size and almost weight.  I'll be happy when the last milestone is reached!  He is a fish in water and is going to pursue his swimming instructor certification.

 Sarah seems to be entirely composed of energy.  She bounces out of her bed in the morning and only bounces back under a heavy hand close to 9:30.  Sigh, only 5 years old.  I will have to enter her in an Olympic training program to get through the teenage years.

 These two have become very close friends now that Mariana is approaching two.

Nevertheless, their blossoming friendship cannot always contain our youngest.