Such Things

Spring Hiking: Coquitlam Watershed Fieldtrip and Crystal Falls

I have had the fortune of going on some hiking adventures in the past few days. 

The first one was with my daughter's grade 4/5 class to the Coquitlam Watershed, which is a protected water reservoir.

We were able to view the dam, the reservoir and the 100 year old observation tower.  We also explored the surrounding woods.
The leaders played many nature games with the children and were trying to instill in them

a love and appreciation for the natural surroundings. 

It was raining lightly that day, but the clouds created a pleasant kind of heavy mist that hung high up in the trees and on the edges of the nearby mountains. 

On Father's Day we decided to do the one hour hike to Crystal Falls, which I haven't done since before we had kids.  It was a warm day, just the temperature for a shady hike.  The girls were brave enough to go for a dip!

I'm so thankful for sunny weekends and the opportunity to see so much beauty right through our back door.  Happy Father's day to all the dads!

Easter Weekend

Just wanted to share a few snaps from another sunny and even warm weekend, which happened to be Easter already!

We experimented with colouring, egg blowing and dying, learning as we went.  Helpful tip:  break the yolk with a pin when blowing out the inside of an egg.

Birds' nests are a favourite.  We make ours with cornflakes.  Delicious.

Our annual visit from the Easter Bunny, responded to with a bit of eye-rolling, but also a lot of excitement and laughs!!

Every year he seems to leave some kind of a note...

Easter Hunt and then Easter dinner with the family.

We relaxed in the sun on Monday at Dundarave.  So much to be thankful for!

We know John 3:16, but do we know John 3:17?

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."

That was our Sunday message, and the message that I'm going to carry into my week!  Happy Easter!

Snowflake Ball 2013

I have posted about this every year, something so near and dear to my heart.  Fathers and daughters enjoying an evening together, and this is the last dance that both of my daughters will attend, as my oldest is heading off to middle school next year.

I felt honored to take part in the decorations,

with a wonderful team of moms.  As one girl put it, "it's a dance for the girls and the dads, but the moms do most of the work." 

These are the ice candle holders that line the entrance.

All the latest hits are played,

 and there's lots of "frolicking" with friends.

A magical night indeed.

Snapshots::December Highlights

It's been such a wonderful December:  decorating,

lights at Lafarge Lake,

plenty of baking,

Carol Ship festival,

Christmas cards, freshly printed and cut by a local printer,

snow days,

concerts,

Bright Lights, Stanley Park,

and now that special Christmas Eve night, with best of all family and good friends.

I hope you and yours have an espcially joyful and Merry Christmas 2012

Winter Leaf Print Christmas Tags

I was so disappointed to run out of time for autumn leaf prints this year, that I had the idea to do a winter version. 

We have been studying coniferous trees, so we practised using a cedar branch to make beautiful prints on white paper. 

After the print was finished, we added pinches of glitter on top of the paint.

The children added silver and blue borders to bring out the colours in the sparkles.

They attached the tags to their gifts, and now the gifts are waiting proudly

to be taken home in the next day or two.

Hope you are enjoying your Christmas crafting!!

Making a Pumpkin Graveyard

Munching on pumpkin seeds and looking through our photos is a great way to end a wonderful Halloween.

This year we borrowed an idea we saw in a magazine

and we decided to make a pumpkin graveyard in our front yard for the trick-or-treaters. 

Mark cut and painted the boards,

and we added in our jack-o-lanterns with a few other store-bought decorations.

Hope you had a very Happy Halloween!

Steveston, B.C.

We enjoyed a fabulous day in Steveston, on which happened to be my fortieth birthday. The weather was warm with a bit of a breeze blowing in from the ocean.  I was so happy to be using the new portrait lens that Mark got me for my birthday-especially good for taking close-ups. It's a Cannon 5Omm f1.8.  I think Mark enjoyed using it just as much as me!

We saw all the sights and shops

in the Fisherman's Warf area, including the docks where they sell seafood right off the boats,

the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Garry Point park, where the kids played on the rocks by the water and in the Japanese Gardens.

We headed next to a festival at the Britannia Heritage Shipyard,

where they had different kinds of print-making for the kids.

It was dusk and the light was amazing.  There were many photographers making their way down the pier.

We finished off at the Night market, which was a feast for the senses with unique food, entertainers, venders and crowds of people.

A blessed day indeed and a very happy birthday for me.  At forty, I feel more settled and contented than ever, or is that just because it's summer?

Hope you are enjoying these beautiful weekends!

Happy First and Fourth!

We celebrated Canada Day at home and then headed to Pt. Roberts for the fourth of July.  We were excited that they were having fireworks for the first time, in addition to the annual parade. 
They also had tons of activities for the kids,

and live entertainment, BBQ and beer garden at the Pier Restaurant,

all afternoon and into the night.  The fireworks were a stunning 20 min. display, with all of us camped out watching on a grass field. 

Locals had biked and walked from their nearby cabins and houses to watch. 

What a beautiful, sunny couple of days here on the Point. 

Happy Birthday Canada and USA!

Father's Day Hike

We headed out to Minnekhata today and hiked the High Knoll.

A very Happy Father's day to all of you Dad's out there!

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day

The mother's day part is just to wish all the moms out there a wonderful day. 

I want to celebrate an amazing girl that turned ten this weekend. 

We had her sleepover party last weekend, including a silly string fight, some crafts and sleeping in a tent downstairs.

There happened to be a super moon that very night and the girls were so excited to see it together.

We are so proud of the wonderful young lady that you are:  full of spunk, sensitivity, creativity, intelligence, fun and spontaneity. 

Happy, happy, happy birthday, Miranda!!!