Distracted

With Summer here, we've been un-routined, and totally enjoying it. School is out, riding is done, gymnastics is done. Like many good things, they've come to an end...for summer.

HERE is some little tidbits of our life in June & July, so far. Zoe raised $750.00 for TR in PR during their fundraiser, and won the first prize (I didn't even know they were doing prizes). She chose a collectible horse that looks just like Shifter. Zoe loves knowing that her friends and family helped by giving money to care for Shifter and his friends. Here she is watching him go back to relaxing in the sun, after he came over to give her a nuzzle and a whinny. So sweet.

A very big, beautiful rainbow in our backyard.Everybody's junk is another person's treasure...GARAGE SALE. Our friends, Ally & Steve, teamed up with us and we sold most of our junk. How we collect so much, I'll never know.

**See the motorcycle, it's for sale, it's Steve's** Or is it?...........well it was, now it's Al's..........oh yah! Steve says this wasn't part of his junk sale, he loves that he sold it to Al because he knows Al will take good care of it. (awww, a tear!)

**I've got a video of Al riding on his bike that my dad made, but can't make it work, will try later and add if it works**

Al's # 1 helper, Zoe and Al changing the oil on the truck before our trip into the big city - Vancouver.

Trying out new goggles, from the new DOLLAR-RAMA store where everything is $1. (for real)Some good things come to an end, and won't be starting again in September. Loraine, Zoe's friend and SLP has re-retired and has sailed away with her husband in their sailboat. I am sure they are sipping Mai-tais on the Caribbean by now...shout out to Loraine - Hi, Ahoy!Zoe checking out the digs, home to Loraine for the next couple of years or so. Pretty cool!OH BOY! Zoe, our navigator...only in the ferry line-up. The map, saved us. I navigated well in downtown Vancouver, finding odd streets and things as we looked for our new purchase...Zoe in our newly purchased "Gold" Honda Odyssey van. I'm sooo happy to have a 'keeper' vehicle, if you know what I mean. I keep expecting someone older and more sophisticated to come along and ask for their van back. Guess that would be me, the older part anyway. SIGH!Proud owners, I loved the sign they hung on the rear view mirror (pure cheese) "SOLD, to very nice people!" I need to get out more, can you tell I haven't bought a newer vehicle in many, many years. It was totally worth the wait. A/C, Leather, CD player, all kinds of gadgets (still reading the manual on how to operate some). We are in love. Al can honestly say that he actually likes driving the van - since he said he'd never own a mini-van. What's my pose about?-(dork), just giddy I guess.After one full day of craziness looking for a van in downtown Vancouver, we headed to Abbotsford to visit family. Zoe enjoyed Oma & Opa's farm, aunts, uncles, cousins, pigs, dog, tire swing, raspberry picker (which she told everyone they were going to Metrotown (the city) to the pet store - too funny- we had been there too a day or two before-so she was going back). We caught up on stories of Al's dad and sister's trip to Brazil, which was/is very fascinating. Check out their blog, http://flyingtobrazil.blogspot.com/ Couldn't resist this, Emily loves the patio furniture, she sleeps on the chairs ALOT, isn't she cute, not doing too shabby for a 12.5 yr. old lady (65.5 yrs in CAT years)!Zoe has been missing her friends from school, so I made a couple of phone calls and had an afternoon of swimming and playtime. 2 months is a long time out of school, Zoe misses all her friends, we'll be calling friends and meeting them at the park etc. Thank-goodness for daycare as she has some really great friends that she sees there too.Yummy summer treats. CHEESEWe took a break. Basically to force Al to not work, we need to leave town...so that's what we did. We went to Courtney for the day, and relaxed. Filberg Park was among our stops, it's really beautiful there, and they have a lovely tea house.Zoe's sandcastle sandwich...yum!There was wedding taking place there that day, see the chairs set-up behind the trees. Zoe loved this as she saw the bride (princess) and the groom (prince) walk down the aisle to the wedding march. We were standing waaaay over to the side, from a long distance, but we could hear them clapping when they got married, and the music started, Zoe was clapping and dancing too. It was a beautiful day to get married outside. Oh, this is a highlight at Filberg Park...the farm animals. There was sheep, goats, rabbits, horses, pot belly pigs (2 adults 2 babies), chickens with baby chicks, a calf, ducklings with a momma chicken (cool), and lots of little critters (mice, guinea pigs etc).
Zoe watched this very intently as the calf -bull "played" with the sheep (who is also a male). No connection was made but the calf was trying very hard to convince the sheep otherwise. He was licking his ears, rubbing his back with his nose, nuzzling him. But the sheep was having no cow-sheep interludes. Baby pot-belly pig. Such a friendly guy/or gal. Al was petting it's belly, and it was so relaxed, it fell asleep on Al's foot. He was sooo cute, I could've taken him home. (I'm talkin' about the pig, Al did come home with me, he's cute too)
The lounger - lady of leisure, filling up her new pool after the pool from last year just couldn't make it. (remember the raccoon chewed up one - Al tried to patch the holes but they didn't hold). Sometimes I look at Zoe and think, when did you grow so big? Like in this picture.
BESTest of Friends
Ally and Zoe hangin out for the day...

They did it all, ate lunch together, danced to Princess music while being Princesses (of course), then had tea time, played "the glass slipper" game (Cinderella loses her glass slipper), went swimming, jumped on the trampoline, read books, went to the Dollar-rama store, had cones at DQ, and then did a craft with their stickers from the store. PHEW! and they still wanted to play some more but the day had come to an end.

They have a "date" tomorrow at Ally's house, for more fun and tea parties. They are so sweet to each other, and I loved watching them play together (all day).
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It took four days to post this blog, it feels like it took forever to do... but I did it. Some highlights. I wanted to do it. I didn't include the story about the raccoon that came thru our cat door and ate the cat food while everyone was asleep and then left the house...we discovered the foot prints on the entrance floor...measures have been taken to make sure that doesn't happen again...Thank goodness! OY! More cat stories - Ernie felt it was important to bring in a live mouse (cute) to show me his big catch......mmmmaaannn, if I didn't love my cats...well....they are lucky that I do. Never a dull moment in our back country area!!....huh? Right! What's with the raccoons, bears, cougars, and mice...in the middle of town. Ridiculous!

Anywho!

I'm checking your blog if you have one, and love seeing what's happening with you. We hope that you having a great summer. We are going to try and go camping soon, if we aren't away or working...we'll make a break for it. Zoe is excited for swimming lessons, the carnival at Seafair, going to Osoyoos, camping, visiting family and friends. We are loving summer, even with the rainy weather, but we are waiting for the heat to come back.