Keeping Busy

This was our third summer attending VBS at CLA. Hailey enjoyed it more than last year, partly because she is older, and partly because she had many friends in her class (Riley, as well as two friends from preschool). Hudson loved it (and loved having Ethan in his group). Like past summers, Hudson played VBS at home, but this year it was only one afternoon, not all week. Though I was thankful not be trapped in his 35+ degree room playing VBS every afternoon all week, it did make me feel a bit sad that he's growing up and doesn't like that game as much any more :(

Hailey and her preschool friend Lia were awarded "diver of the day" on the same day. And one day after VBS we went for a special lunch at Tim Hortons.

 Reese and Holly returned home after spending several weeks in Ontario and H2 were anxious to see them. Hailey and Reese spent much of their time together building this tent city in the backyard with chairs, blankets and towels. 

 One morning this week Hudson built a pirate ship in the living room, complete with a skull-and-crossbones flag he drew himself and his stuffies as his shipmates.

 Hudson has also been busy memorizing our phone numbers and our address. I told him he would get a donut when he learned them, which sped the process along. He's also taken to making puzzles (above), which are a picture he's drawn and then cut up into random pieces. They are nearly impossible to assemble. This puzzle came to me in an envelope that had been labeled with all of the information he had memorized. 

 5 kids on bikes!

 We went to Crescent Beach last week with friends. While all the kids played in the sand and explored, Hailey was afraid of crabs and spent the morning in the wagon or on my lap.

 On Hudson's summer wish list was going to Crescent Beach, washing his feet in the "funny shower" and getting ice cream. So it was a very special outing for him.

 Earlier in the summer we fulfilled a wish on Hailey's summer list - riding on a bus. We rode the bus from a stop near our house to the mall, then had a trip to Toys R Us where the kids spent some of their money, and then we rode it home. Both kids were thrilled, shouting things like "I see my school" and "this area looks familiar" as we drove along. 

Hudson and I took a bike ride together last week, too. It had been quite a while since I'd biked, so he was much quicker than me, often calling for me to catch up. But he had a good time even though I was holding him back.