♫♪ You say Good Bye ... I say Hello ♫♪

After the untimely demise of our pet moth, Chompers, we respectively put him to rest beneath a tree in our backyard. Layla decorated a coffin for him, dug the whole, sang him the saddest version of Happy Birthday you have ever heard and left him with a kiss and some flowers. Then she jumped on the bus and was off to school.

A few days later I spotted a big ol' green caterpillar on our driveway. I put him in Chomper's old digs and waited excitedly for Layla to get home.

When Layla arrived she immediately took him out in the backyard for a play. She named him Cactus and he now lives on our kitchen window sill. We are excited to have found a caterpillar that looks as if he may become a butterfly, rather than a moth (No disrespect intended Chompers RIP) .

Metamorphosis...by Layla

The morning of Layla's birthday she found a caterpillar on our walk. She decided that she wanted to keep him and watch him turn into a butterfly. Sure, I'm always game for bringing home live insects to feed and nurture as a beloved pet. Did I just say that? Anyways, we made him a comfortable home with twigs and a variety of leaves hoping that one of them would be the type he likes to eat. Layla named him Chomper and he sat in our window sill day after day. Layla would periodically let him out of confinement to enjoy some fresh air a playtime outside. She would put him on her slide and watch him roll down, place him on her swing and give him a little push. I thought for sure ol' Chompers would never make it to the cocoon phase.





A few weeks later we discovered Chompers was gone! All that was left was a lonely old cocoon.

The cocoon got steadily darker each day and after a few weeks I came to the realization that poor Chompers was never going to fly. I assumed he was dead but he still sat in my window sill day after day. There must have been a part of me that thought he might live, maybe, or I just never got around to getting rid of the bug carcass that sat on my kitchen window sill.

Last week we had a wind storm and Chomper's home fell into my kitchen sink. When I went to pick it up in the morning I noticed the cocoon was split open. I couldn't believe my eyes! There in my hands staring up at me was the most beautiful moth, blech, yes moth I had ever seen. I yelled for Layla to come see. I could tell she was a bit disappointed at first that it wasn't a big beautiful monarch butterfly but she quickly accepted Chompers for what he was and we hustled him outside so he could test out his new wings.

Chompers refused to leave the bottle. We had to shake him out and then he just sat in the grass. After a nudge from Layla he took off in flight. It was amazing to watch him fly for the very first time after spending nearly 2 months in our kitchen in his various stages of life. So the story ends...or does it?

Later that night, the kids were sleeping and Greg and I went downstairs to the kitchen to get a drink. I made a joke about turning on the light to find Chompers back in the kitchen. Ha ha, we chuckled and then Greg turned around and THERE HE WAS! I don't know how he got back in, and I guess I can't be 100% sure that it was even him but it's not as if we get a lot of moths in our house. So perhaps it was just a coincidence but I think it was our good friend Chompers coming to the only home he knows. I told Greg to kill him (don't judge me) but he refused and so we let him be. Welcome to the family Chompy.

The next morning we found Chompers sleeping on Layla's blinds right by her head. She was so excited she prepared some food for him and showed him her barbie house which she thought could be his home. He stayed in her room for a few more days, and she tended to him like she would a pet. Sadly Chompers life ended yesterday. I'm not sure what happened but he was found lifeless in our bathroom beside the toilet. He is gone, but will never be forgotten.

Here's to you Chompers!

Layla and Chompers (look closely..he's on her nightlight on the white shelf)

First Day of Kindergarten!!

After much anticipation, by the both of us, Layla finally got to start kindergarten today! She is attending Sen Pok Chin Elementary School on the Osoyoos Indian Band reserve. After looking into the schools in our area and meeting the teachers we decided this school would be the best fit for Layla, at least for kindergarten.

Today was a half day, followed by a bbq lunch that Baron and I also attended. It was nearly impossible to tear Layla out of there. Layla and her friend, Aianna, who she went to preschool with, caused general havoc throughout the school and on the playground. Meanwhile Aianna's mom and I dragged around our 1 year old sons, who are only days apart, and tried to keep their destruction to a minimum.

Layla loves her teachers. Despite there being 3 elementary schools in the small town of Oliver, there is a whopping 29 students in her class this year, so I guess they will need all the help they can get! Some of the students are only there for the mornings so the afternoons will be a bit quieter, I imagine.

Here are some pictures of her first day:

Layla insisted on choosing her own attire for today, and why would it be any other way? She chose to wear a dress she inherited from Charlie on last weeks trip to Edmonton.

Aianna, Larissa and Layla playing on the playground before school starts.

Baron and his friend, Chadon playing in the playground

Layla and Aianna walking hand-in-hand looking for their lockers.

Playing in the classroom before I had to leave.

Layla and Aianna in the library

She had so much fun today! What a great start to her long journey through school!

The Boy Walks

Big Baby Bear Bare is walkin, he's talkin, he's stirrin things up all over town!

At 12 months old Baron has decided to walk. He practiced and practiced and seems to really enjoy taking steps now. He can walk from one end of the room to the other but if he is in a hurry, he still boots along on all fours.

I'd like to take the credit here but Layla is the one who really pushed and motivated Baron. She was always holding his hands helping him waddle along. She would ride his ride-along toy as he held the back and tried to keep up. It was cute, and sometimes frightening, to watch but all of their efforts are now paying off as Baron happily walks around the house.

Good Food, Good Golf, and Great Company

The past few days we were lucky enough to have my parents visit from Edmonton. We had them over for dinner a few times and they took us out to Boston Pizza for lunch the day they left.

We haven't taken Baron out to eat since we went to Washington with the Woolf's back in April so this was a pretty big deal for him. He had more fun than anyone else! Papa was lucky enough to score a seat right next to the Chief. Baron loves food, but he also loves to share. Papa spent much of lunch humoring Baron who was offering up his own food for Papa to try. He was clapping and cheering throughout lunch and had a blast trying a bit of every one's meals. I think it also added to his excitement that his high chair was pulled right up to the table, as opposed to a tray on his chair. I think he felt more involved. Whatever the reason, I think it was the highlight of his summer.

Greg and I were also able to get out with Dad for 9 holes of golf at Sonora Dunes in Osoyoos. The beautiful course is set right next to the resort where Mom and Dad were staying, Spirit Ridge, which is also where Greg works. We also hit up the pool and waterslide at the resort, as Layla never would have forgiven us if missed that opportunity. During our golf game, Mom stayed at my house and got reacquainted with Baron, Layla and Chester.

Here's a few shots of us at Sonora Dunes. The views from the course are outstanding!

Summer is Back On!

Well, our little cold spell didn't last very long and we are back up into the high 30s. Yesterday our overnight low was only 26 degrees!

Wednesday, Greg and I both had the day off so we decided it was time we try our hand at bridge jumping. There is a long bridge that crosses Skaha Lake in OK Falls that used to be a railroad track but is now a walking bridge. There is an opening on the bridge where people, mostly teenagers, jump off. There is a ladder to climb back up or you can have a boat pick you up as we witnessed the other day.

We got there at 11am, hoping to avoid a crowd but I guess we didn't get there early enough! There were loads of people! Families, mostly. We went for a small walk, hoping that when we got back they would have left. Well, it sort of worked. There were still people jumping, still people watching but we had seen a few brave teenagers climb the railing and jump off the other side so they didn't have to wait a turn to get out of the gate. When you use the gate there is a 4 foot step down so it is not as high to jump. Add in the height of the railing and you are probably adding 8 feet to the already high jump. (high in my standards anyway, I am working on overcoming a lifelong fear of water and heights)

So, we decided to skip the line up and jump off the other side. Oh yes we did! Greg was more afraid than I was so I went first. I must admit, I was TERRIFIED but I tried not to think about it and whoosh! I jumped! It was so exhilarating, I can't even tell you! So, I jumped again. Greg went a few times too. Layla wanted to jump but it is obviously too high for her, so we promised her we would go swing off the rope into the river after supper.

I love how this one looks like Greg is standing on the water.

After we were done at the bridge we went to the OK Falls beach for a swim.

Baron was tired so we went home, had a bbq, and then headed to the river. Layla had done this once before but we were not prepared that day. This time we had our swimsuits and even Layla's PFD. (On a side note: I made, or shall I say "altered" the swimsuit I am wearing. It used to be an old tankini that no longer fit me. One of the many items I have sewed or altered this year.)

Baron and Chester watched as the rest of us swung out into the river and swam. Layla impressed us with her ability to swim up stream, mind you the current is not very strong but we were still impressed. She had a blast swinging out into the river. I would let her go under and then quickly snatch her out.

Soon, summer will be over, Layla will be in school and everything here will be slowed down. After the summer we've had this year, I'm ready for a nice relaxing autumn.

Monkeying Around

Our heat wave ended, thankfully, but the past few days have been down right COLD! I even had a patient come into the lab wearing a parka. Yes, a full fledged, fur lined parka, hood up and all. He was a grumpy old fellow and complained about the "freezing cold" the whole time he was there. It was about 830 in the morning at the time. Our low over night had been 17 and we got up to 27 that day so the temperature had to be somewhere in between. Not exactly parka weather, but I have to admit...I have been sporting my warmest PJ's, including slippers and snuggling into a warm blanket at home. The forecast has yet to predict anything under 25 but I swear the last few days didn't even reach 20, and with the rain and the wind chill I would bet it was only..umm.. 5 degrees tops! It's cold I'm telling you...COLD!

I had to laugh to myself as we drove past the beach today and watched all the poor shivering tourists try to get the most out of their vacation. What troopers they are to take on the beach during weather like this. I have to keep reminding myself that summer is not really over, there is more to come, this is just a few "off" days. It feels like October. OK, I'll stop complaining about the weather, I know it's not that bad.

Today I took the kids to the park. It's not raining today but that wind is still blowing around. The kids were going crazy stuck in our house for the past few days so they were anxious and excited. Baron loves the park. He still enjoys a good swing but now he would rather crawl all over any and all play structures he can.

My little Layla is getting so big! Just turned 5, starting school in 2 weeks, and today she mastered the monkey bars! She told me she could do them but I was sceptical. Alas, she climbs right up and away she goes. All the way across! She loves them. My little monkey stayed on those bars most of the time we were there. Her poor little hands are sore now but at least she had fun. She also learned how to swing from her knees and told me she can't wait to show everyone at school. It seems like just yesterday she was waddling around the house squealing "I did it! I did it!".

You never really understand until you have your own but it is true what they say, they grow up waaaay too fast!

Heat Wave

BC has been in the midst of a heat wave. I love the heat but after weeks of getting to 35-45 degrees your mind starts to get a little loopy. Our home is equipped with central A/C but the needle on our thermostat has been at the max reading, which is 30. On Thursday I got our power bill and decided that since the A/C didn't seem to be making much of a difference on our temp, but a huge difference on our bill...I made the executive decision to turn it off.

The next day I left Greg and the kids for a weekend house boating excursion. When Greg got home from work on Friday this is what he found.

At first Greg began to question Layla about the candles until he realized that the only culprit capable of bending the candles that way was extreme heat. They melted so much that they now touch the table.

So I guess the A/C was making a difference. I'll say it... I WAS WRONG.

My first day back from my trip we found better ways of beating the heat. We went on 2 walks that day and they both resulted in spontaneous dips in the river with all of our clothes on. So much fun!


Ugh, I can't get the videos of us all swinging into the river uploaded here so you will just have to use your imagination. Greg and I swung out by ourselves and then tried holding on together and swinging which took us way farther into the river. Great great fun.