Wind Storm

We had an amazing wind storm the other day. We woke up to a windy day and I thought it was a shame to sit down and do school books when there was wind to run around in! So the boys bolted down some breakfast and then took off outside to play by 7:30am!! . I am glad I did it!! There is nothing like experiencing weather, versus sitting in a classroom and being taught about it!!

It got more and more windy as the morning went on. At one point one of the boys told me that a tree near our garage was bending dramatically and the roots were beginning to uplift the ground around the tree. I glanced outside but could only see about a one foot area extending away from the tree.

About 10:30 the boys came back in and began their lessons and I went out and checked the tree situation. This time I was shocked to see the roots had snapped further down away from the tree and the tree was now leaning quite a bit!

I went around our house and checked it all out and found about four trees had fallen around the house; three of these had fallen across our fence into our neighbours yard!

While I was standing out in the yard at one point, a sheet of plywood flew up off a pile and blew across the yard!

I was getting a bit nervous about the tree in the back, as it was about six feet from our garage and if it came down in the direction it was leaning, there was a risk of it hitting the neighbour's house! So we prayed!

Exposed Roots and Leaning Tree

About an hour later the boys told me the tree had come down!! I had the boys stay in the house and then dashed outside. It was amazing!! I hadn't heard a thing! But yet, when one of the smaller trees had fallen I had heard the crash!

Six Feet From Top to Bottom

This is the base of the big tree that went down. It got itself all wrapped up with the log pile that *was* there before it went down. We are *so* thankful as it missed our garage and did not *quite* reach the neighbours house!

Directly in Line With the Neighbour's House

Pumpkin Patch and Fall Fun

Our family does not 'do' Halloween, so we try to find alternatives. Each year is different and we always have fun. I am a spontaneous person, and so this year on the spur of the moment I decided to take the boys to the coast to a pumpkin patch.

I wanted to take them before the girls came home, since when the girls are here we will have a problem finding seating in our van!! Unless God decides to see fit and provide us with a 12 passenger van, we will be commuting in two cars to church and restaurants, movies and such. Colt is learning to drive right now and we don't often go as a group places, so hopefully we will be okay.

But in the meantime, I decided to get as many fun trips in as I can before we are limited for space.

So with a day's notice, I decided to do some internet research and found a ten acre corn maze. Each year this family does a different design on their corn field and apparently there are only 2 in B.C.

I thought that sounded like a blast so we decided to leave the next morning early, go shopping on the coast and get some much needed supplies, visit a few friends, and see a pumpkin patch. We would be gone for a mere 30 hours, since we were leaving on Saturday after the boys had done a couple hours of selling poppies for Remembrance Day (for Cadets) and only spending one night and would be back in time for Colt to go to school on Monday.

We drove down to the coast late the following morning. My first stop was SHOPPING!! Colt was amazed at how much stuff I get throwing in the cart. But what do you expect when you live in a town where there is basically one clothing store!!! I keep my list and keep adding to it and when I finally get to a town - watch out!!

The boys all got new clothes and boy was that *fun* - said with great sarcasm!! You try clothes shopping with SIX boys!!! I NEVER shop with six boys!!! I am smart enough to leave some of them at home!!! *laugh* But since I needed them all with me on this trip we had to do the clothes shopping for them all at once. I was ready to leave that store when we left!! Two shopping carts later...

We dropped Colt and Cassidy off at a friend's house for the night and then I took the rest of the boys to a hotel to the night. We found one with a pool and the boys had a ball.

Briton was *determined* not to wear swim shorts since the only ones I packed were not his!! *grin*

These kept reappearing in the hot tub. Luckily there was no one in the pool with us or I would have had to leave.

Saucy Little Guy!

Because we had only the four boys with me (and two staying at a friends) we had to squeeze into one hotel room. Briton, being the littlest and lightest one, always gets the 'makeshift' bed, but he doesn't seem to mind. When we are all together as a family, we have to get two hotel rooms. The big boys like that cause they get to have their own hotel room, while we take the little ones in ours.

All Tucked in and Ready For Bed

Breakfast in Bed

The next day, we met up with the two boys who had been visiting their friends, along with the friends and the boys' mum. We all then went to the corn maze.

Reading the Clues to the Maze

Aerial View of the Maze

This maze is designed for Big Brothers and Big Sisters this year. That little round thing down by the white rectangle is a sand box, so you can imagine how big it all is!

While the big ones took on the challenge of the maze, we took the little ones into the petting zoo and to see the pumpkins. The boys were told that the maze would take about 1 1/2 hours; they ran and did a fabulous job, getting out in 45 minutes!

The little ones loved the animals. We also visited the hay maze in the barn. Austin and Cooper were wild in that place running all over the hay bales and having a blast.

Austin had a blast on these trikes. He *so* wanted to ride them and before I knew it he had taken off, grabbed a trike and was racing all over the place. Short little legs and all!

Little Maniac

The boys loved making faces in the farm animals. Check out Austin - our family clown. Mind you, he seems to be running a close race with the newest clown: Briton!

After we had fun at the corn maze the boys basically had to strip down and remove all their muddy clothing. We were not prepared for the mud, and there was no way the mud was getting all over my van! *grin* Colt, being the oldest, was smart enough to keep himself mud free, so he was able to keep his jeans! Austin on the other hand, was the filthiest!! He was covered all up his back and down his pants. He was basically rolling in the mud!! Suffice it to say, he came home a little lighter dressed! *grin*

Briton Enjoying His Customary 'On The Way Home' Milk Shake

Big Boy Toys

Colt Enjoying His New IPod that he bought while on our coast trip. His shopping included buying his IPod, some new clothes, and seeing a friend, so he was quite satisfied when his 30 hour 'holiday' was over!

A Homeschooling Day At Our House

Just below the last post of "New Friends and Thanksgiving" there is a NEW POST that was in draft mode for a long time, therefore when I published it it came out before the Thanksgiving one. So please scroll down to read it. It shows "A Day in the Life of Homeschooling"

Remembrance Day 2007

Our boys enjoy being part of Remembrance Day. Last year was Colt and Dane's first time as Cadets. This year Cassidy, Austin, and Cooper were lucky enough to be in Scouts, Cubs, and Beavers and therefore they were also going to be in the parade.


Seeing as how we live in the North it is COLD on Remembrance Day. It was -2 but had a good wind blowing and that brought it down to -17!! The boys were all tucked up warm with their longjohns and turtlenecks under their uniforms.

Little Beaver Cooper

Cooper was so excited about being in the parade. Here he is all decked out in his Beaver vest with his winter woolies on. He was such a trooper! He was chosen to help carry a wreath for the Boy Scouts because he was such a mature little guy, waiting so quietly with all the big kids.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

This was where we all congregated before the parade began. Seeing Mounties always makes me feel so patriotic. They look so "Canadian" in their wonderful uniforms.

Guarding the Cenotaph

Each of our children (minus one) was involved individually in the parade. Colt was one of two cadets chosen to guard the Cenotaph. This is his second year for this honour. It is a *cold* job as they have to stand in this position, without moving, in -17 weather, with no coats or gloves, for one hour!!

Granny and Grandad Watching the Parade

While Colt was guarding the other boys were marching through town. Once they got to the community hall where the ceremony was being held, Dane was one of two cadets escorting the people carrying the wreaths to the podium.

Escorting the Wreaths

After all the main wreaths had been escorted up, there were two little wreaths to be brought up. These were being brought up by the Boy Scouts and then the Girl Guides. Cassidy and Cooper, along with another Scout, were chosen to escort the wreath up. This meant that in all we had four of our six boys involved in the actual ceremony. A real treat!

Laying His Little Wreath

After the ceremony we were all gathering around talking and Cooper, for some reason, decided to look for me 'elsewhere'. I immediately noticed he was missing and headed straight for the entrance to be sure he hadn't stepped outside. The poor little guy was standing at the door with a group of ladies with tears running down his cheeks. It was literally only a couple minutes, but since he had gone in the wrong direction from me he had panicked. It was really hard for him to give a real smile when we were taking pictures a few minutes later and you can see his valient attempt to smile.

Four of Five Participants

Colt was back outside guarding the cenotaph for another 1/2 hour after the ceremony. After the ceremony we had hotdogs and hot chocolate and then before we left Austin laid his poppy on a wreath. He was not one of the chosen ones to do the ceremony and so made it a bit special for him. His attitude was great, but I felt a little bad for his little heart, since he was the only one of his brothers not asked to participate.

Showing His Respects

Our Boys