Saturday, September 19, 2009

Summer memories

I was just cruising back over my last few posts and realized that I missed posting most of summer. Well I knew I wasn't around and all but I also forgot about a lot of photos. So Nana, this is for you! Also for my blog to book. I want to sit back someday and review so these need to get in there.

These are photos from the last month or so and are completely random moments and have no connections from one to the next for the most part. They really are just moments or things I want to store away in my brain and are my visual cues to those memories.

So here are a few things I want to remember about our summer.


New shoes for me but worn more so far by Kaitlyn.


Evening strolls.


Play time in the dirt.


Visits with friends.


Berry picking as the sun set with Dave.


Wild grass in the breeze.


Berry picking some more.


With Aunt Deb and my mom.


Watching Kaitlyn and Ethan get in on the picking. 1/2 Saskatoon berries, 1/2 choke cherry.


Saskatoon sundays, deep fried mushrooms and Greek wings at D's Place.
The fry shack that deserves to get on TV for its daily cut fresh fries, fresh home made pizza's and amazing chili anything. Mmmm!


Getting fresh produce from the market gardens.



And taking in the scenery of the valley on the way to the lake.




Checked out the Folk Festival.


Sat with friends.


Hung out with our kids.


Did some shopping.


Watched some art in progress.


Ate snow cones.


Visited little friends.


And old friends. Not 'old' old, but you know long time old.


Hit the splash park in style.


And cooled off in the froggy pool.


Watched my bro's paint our house. This reminds me that we still owe them $!


Sat in mud puddles.


Watched the flowers bloom. Late. August.


Got a little guitar. As soon as Kaitlyn got it home she opened the box in front of her, struck a few cords and sang. "Put your money in my box!!"
She then requested that we head down town so she could make "lots" of money.


Had canvas come in that was on back order for two months.
Got the order out.


Snuggled the babe on cool days. Thank you mamatucci for the delicious little outfit!


Spent evenings at the beach in search of my sanity.


I always find it there.


Think maybe I should just live there already?!


Did a little educational touristy stuff. Visited the old trading post. Preserved in the dog sled days era.


Hung out listening to the birds.


And just being.


Played ball with friends and family.


Enjoyed being together.


And apparently hanging out tongues. Notice it is only my siblings doing it. Interesting.




Goofed off.


Loved a little.


Enjoyed the outdoors.


And siting around.


Celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary and drawing on the walls.


Caught Kaitlyn out taking the Gnome and a few pairs of shoes for a walk.


Stole a smile.


Soaked up the sun over many naps on the picnic table.


Painted something for myself.


Loved it.


Painted something random. (for sale)


36" x 36" each.


Bathed Hudsy in the tubsy.
Dude is big!!!
(And I loooooooove it!)


Took naps in the hammock.


And under the trees.


Played in the sand.


Painted in the shade.


Nibbled little toes.


Had picnics with Great Grands.


My Grands, but my kids Greats.


Hung out with aunties and cousins and sisters,


uncles, brothers and more cousins.


Stopped out of the blue at random parks to play.


Baked in the heat.


And went back to the beach.


Doodled and daydreamed by the lake.


Came back to the city and did laundry.


Went to church.


Had convictions set in.


Working on living those convictions and making commitments to them.


Took sunset strolls.


With my Hudson on my chest.
Loving every stinking moment with this baby!

Got the old point and shoot back. Can you tell? (Sorry for the crappy shots!)


Enjoyed flowers.
Didn't enjoy the bugs in our house though.


Saw the flowers start to change.
Fall is coming.


Took goofy picture's of Hudson. He's cool with it.


Hung out on my parents new deck at the lake.


Dealt with 4 year old logic and arguments.


Lounged around in quiet.


Shared special moments.


Cherished them and locked them away some place special.



Made faces at the neighbours cat.

These photo's really hit on the highlights.
There were low points too and we are still dealing with some.
Hitting the deer in July ended up doing the truck in and we had to buy a newer one.
Then there are my issues. I know I sound like a broken record when I talk about the house and getting it clean. I have been saying this since we had kids, ok, since before we had kids.
I am cluttered in my head and it spills over into real life.
This has become a huge issue. The kids are cranky and Dave is snappy and I am anxious when the house is such a mess. When it is clean the kids play better, are calmer and happier. Dave comes home and is happier and relaxed and I am cheerful. I feel that I am failing my family, myself, and God. I cannot serve or entertain or anything like this. It is pathetic.
So I am resolving to change. I don't know how but I am sitting down and creating a strategy.
If I am going to do this homeschool thing I have to get my act together.
Not only that I want my kids to have peace in their lives not chaos.

I need to change.
Now.

Anyway, I got off on a tangent there, dang cluttered brain!
So back to the post!
These are a few of the moments that I wanted to remember from the last month.

Back to regular programming soon.
Cheers!


16 comments:

mamatucci said...

great photos,I felt like I was there! Hudson is adoarable still need to finally meet him. Looks cute in red. I sit in my basment dungeon and know I should have tidied it up a week ago,have guests coming but I havent done it. I wish I was one of those clean freaks that are constanstly tidy. But I am not, I have to work on it,I will but i get mad at myself sometimes.
I will get it done,so will you,you are a great mom and that I did see first hand

Kori said...

Oh, look how delicious Hudson is! you are so blessed, and I KNOW you know this. One of the things I love about you (of many0 is you willingness to admit where you need to make changes; I have no doubt you will also figure out HOW to make those changes, which also makes me admire you all the more. And life is so short, your children and Dave so precious, and it always seems as if you clearly recognize that.

Anonymous said...

We always love all the photos and getting caught up with what is going on with you all. It always makes us wish we were a lot closer - our babies are getting so big. I love four year logic as it totally makes you think about life in a new way.
Walter liked your new paintings - wish my walls were bigger.
You are a terrific mom to our beautiful and healthly three youngest grand kids and love our son to bits. The house thing will come one chore at a time one day at a time or maybe not for two days but it will.
Kisses to all the babies (I know she is a big girl now but she is still our baby girl) and hugs to you and Dave.
Love
Mare and Walter
p.s. Loved Kaitlyn's cake - GiGi used to make those so it brought back great memories of my mom's kitchen when I was much younger.

Jen Wilson said...

LOVE this post!! All of it.

I also need to work on the house thing. You'd think it would be easy to keep a little apartment clean! But no, that house cleaning paragraph you wrote makes COMPLETE sense to me. Totally. I need to make a change as well.

I'm SO glad that I get to see you every Thursday! I now look forward to Thursdays very much :)

Brooke said...

Oh Hudson--I want to eat you! And Anna, I just love your painting for yourself, it's gorgeous!

bethany actually said...

The only thing that saves me from being a complete clutterbug is that we MOVE every couple of years. There's nothing like having to unpack every single thing you own and trying to find a place for it in a new (possibly smaller) house to make you say, "We don't NEED all this crap!" and get rid of half of it. And it's somehow so much easier to get rid of things when you're taking them out of a box, for me at least.

I'll keep you in my prayers as you work to organize and streamline!

Also, as I was scrolling through your beautiful photos, I was thinking, "I want a book of these to look at!" ;-)

The Chatty Housewife said...

I love the "something random" painting, it's beautiful! I love baby H's wrinkles and spit bubbles and toes. Thanks for getting together with me while I was there, it was good to see you guys.

Unknown said...

It's just so hard to do it ALL sometimes. Please don't be too hard on yourself.

This post is chock FULL of the wonderful in your life. I love all the photos. You really have a great eye Anna!

P.S. My baby girl is going to have the same name as yours. Just a slight change in the spelling. Can't wait! : )

Anonymous said...

Beautiful memories!

Bethany said...

loved every scrap of this one. even the ending, which i can relate too. why does clutter breed crabbiness? it does here too! baby steps :).

Anonymous said...

I loved all the pictures! They exude love, warmth, tenderness - but most of all what a great family you have. Be proud of your accomplishments. Don't look at your house as messy dirty etc. Instead visualize what it would look like if you achieved your goal! When you change your vision, things will happen! Trust me! Never let the things that you did not get done overwhelm you - think about all the things you DID get done.
Love you all lots, miss you.
Mom/grandma a.

Gayle said...

Anna, my house was full of clutter when my kids were little. I felt bad about it too but I don't know if it is avoidable. It gets easier as the kids get older because they don't have all the stuff that little kids have. Do the best you can and try not to be too hard on yourself.

Love the photos!

Ara said...

Great post Anna!! And, I don't know if this will help you at all, but even since I had #2, I haven't been able to catch up, and that was 9 yrs ago. I had at one point, a 5 yr old, a 3 yr old, 2 yr old and a new born. I wouldn't change a thing, I love being a mom and homeschooling, the house takes a back seat, and you have to just accept that, and work on it slowly. The time will come and you will look back and remember all the memories, and the house won't even matter. Would you rather have the memories, and the quality time that the kids will appreciate more, or a clean house?

Loukia said...

Your pictures are all so beautiful! Looks like quite an awesome summer.
And I totally hear you about the messy house... it seems like no matter how often I pick up and de-clutter, I turn around and the mess has returned. I guess with two little boys in the house, that's the way it is going to be, but still... we are all more calm when things are neat and in order.

Unknown said...

THIS post is beautiful.

Madame Bluestocking said...

I think this is my favorite post EVER! Makes me want to come back home.