Images of Summer, Part One

 I've procrastinated long enough in the blogging department.  I wanted to compose a beautiful post about the twins' graduation from grade eight, but I have still not loaded the photos from the iPhone onto the computer.  One day when I complete that task I will tell you all about that fateful eve when the reality of our life spent swimming against the current hit me smack dab in the face.  As a shout out to the twins, I will tell you that Hannah was the valedictorian and Jacob won highest average for the class.  And we got exactly one photo of the whole thing.  On to other things.

 Like Canada Day.  Summer was disappointing in the weather department.  Following on a spring of record rain and flooding, we were assaulted by an early summer of record black flies, followed by little reprieve brought by a summer of low temperatures and much rain.  It was depressing.  However, when the sun shone we tried to make the most of it.  We celebrated Canada's 150th with some free pony rides and watching the fireworks at a friends' house.  From our attire, you might also guess that we went swimming.

 Tallest five-year-old girl in town.

 One of the kids snapped this and I included it in a nod to the "make sure mommy is in the photos of family life" movement.

This summer was extraordinarily busy as Dave went from the busyness of June to teaching an accelerated gr. 11 summer course on-line while also finishing his Religion Specialist course.  The first course was to help ease the summer finances while the second was his last stop before taking his principal papers in the fall.  I somehow missed the memo that this was what July would look like, so he also faced the wrath of his wife, despite the fact that he was ably providing for our family and carving out a better path for the future.  Thus, when he could, he slept.  In a blur.

 Through it all Mariana remained very cute.  She is by far the most aggressive of any of our girls and resembles both Jacob and Joe as toddlers.  Euphemisms abound:  full of energy, advanced, assertive etc.etc.  Read between the lines.

 Sort of a trashy shot, both literally and figuratively.  This was the summer that I decided that I would hook up the Chariot stroller to the mountain bike and pull both girls around town.  80 pounds of girl.  My nagging plantar fasciitis has cut running completely out of my life, so this was also the season of the bike.  Dave finally convinced me to transfer to the road bike and I have spent many happy hours biking to Combermere and back.  I've also fallen off three times, almost breaking an elbow.  My lower legs are permanently bruised from pedals and falls.  One must somehow add spice to life.

Speaking of spice ... Jacob conquered cinnamon rolls this summer; several times and much to the delight of his siblings.  My one rule is that kitchen cannot be trashed when he is finished.  I choose to go for a long bike ride when he bakes.  Thus, when I arrive home, all is well and the dish rack is full.