Lunch Time

Sarah has always been a food kind of girl and Calvin is always asking for another drink.  Crazy that I actually have to have limits on how much liquid this kid gets.

Calvin's Details

One of my favourite times to take photographs is while the kids are watching their morning TV shows.  They're preoccupied with their show and so I can easily move around them and photograph as I please.  I think that a lot of my learning "manual mode" actually took place in the morning hours. 

This is also my wake up time.  I have my cup of Earl Grey tea, write my to do list for the day and if I'm feeling inspired or just in the mood to be challenged I pick up my camera.  I love the above photo of Calvin's dark long lashes.  His lashes are so striking!  And a couple more thumb sucking shots. Our past months photo challenge was hands, so I consequently have a lot of "hands" shots.

Morning Girl

Sarah continues to be a blankie girl, especially when she first gets up and before bed.  I love her big brown eyes.

Animals

I've come to think that 2 year olds, while very difficult in so many ways, may be the easiest to photograph when it comes to their play.  Calvin often seems to be in his own little world as he sets up his animals and drives his cars and trucks.  Sometimes I find myself just caught up in watching his little world. 

Where the milk comes from mommy!

Twinkle Toes

Lauren is pulling herself to standing and trying to get around the furniture.  This girl has places to go and things to see!

Fishing Derby

On Wed-Sunday our family went to Loon lake to go camping.  Every year South Abbotsford Church has a 2 day fishing derby at Loon Lake.  We had been before and had a great time so we were excited to bring our little gang this year.  We went up 2 days early to make it more worthwhile.  We had a great time as a family and look forward to doing a lot more camping in the summers to come!

The kids learned how to roast weiners and marshmallows, pretty exciting!

Laurn enjoyed being outside in her pack and play or in the hiking back pack.

So much of camping is about eating.  The kids were all about this. 

David and the kids spent a lot of time on the docks.  For the first couple of mornings, David would take Sarah and Calvin fishing on the dock from 7-8am while I rested with Lauren.  How sweet to look out the cabin window and see my beloved husband and children fishing on the dock together. I hope I can always keep that image in my memory.

Learning how to skip (or throw) rocks.  Calvin could have thrown rocks into the lake all day.

Even though the water was VERY cold, the kids didn't hesitate to get wet.  At first Calvin stripped down bare naked and got in the water, so I had to go get their bathing suits (good thing I brought them just in case). 

Camping is also about being dirty. Very dirty, if you're Calvin.

The kids loved the cheezies and snacks, no surprise there.

Fishing on the boat

Our great pontoon boat that we rented for the derby on Saturday.  We could get three families on the boat at once, therefore we were able to make great use of it.

Me and my little Lauren! 

Our wonderful group of friends!  We're looking forward to many more years of fishing derbys!

Training Wheels

Somehow I couldn't find this photo the other day when I was looking for it.  Finally, the right child on the big bike.  Since Calvin is constantly trying to get on this bike it looks like Sarah will soon be getting a new bike..again.

Hands

David's grandma was over this afternoon (with his mom).  I've always loved old people's hands.  All the wrinkles make me think of the passing of time and make me wonder about what the hands have experienced.  How many spring rolls have those hands made, how many times has she held a child or grandchild, how many clothes has she washed and put away, how many meals served, tables wiped and people hugged.

Grandma was holding Lauren and I couldn't help but notice her wrinkled aged hands and Lauren's new little baby hands.

Training Wheels

So two days after Calvin learned how to ride his trike properly, he got on Sarah's new bike with training wheels and has now mastered that skill as well.  Way to go Calvin!