Dots of Life

3/7/2013 1:49:18 PM

http://www.fdbhc.com/bdeg/eblupwfqimnwnqx/fdppluosf/hqtzfj/iheecsidgkntel

kerri macDonald

3/7/2013 1:49:18 PM

charleston lake-summer adventure

each summer me and my best friend from childhood try to get together with the kids for a little summer adventure.  although we couldn't fit in an overnight getaway this year, we did manage to steal away for a day of summer fun.  we started out with a visit to her farm.  my kids love it here and were especially happy to meet corrina... the newest member of their farm family.

then it was off to the chip truck for a yummy poutine lunch.  it was such a nice day and we ate near an old mill on the water.

with our bellies full, we set out to charleston lake to meet up with tara and her family, as they camp there for a week every summer.  to say it was hot was an understatement.  the kids spent most of the afternoon in the water.  the boys swam across the lake and the girls enjoyed socializing in the waves.  before dinner we decided to go for a hike and i had no idea how beautiful this area is.  we will definitely be bringing matt with us when we return next year.

we ended up at some cliffs and the kids took turns jumping and swinging off of a rope.  again... so beautiful...

for dinner we treated the kids to taco's at the trailer.  it was such a nice relaxing day with friends. 

we didn't leave til sundown.  hopefully next summer we can stay for a night or two.

back to school 2012

this year was a very different "first day of school" for our family.  ben headed off to (gulp) highschool.  his request was that i didn't take any pictures of him getting on the bus but he did let me take a picture of him in his uniform before we left the house.

and since it was pouring rain out and he had to walk a few houses to his bus stop, i drove him and snapped this quick pic of him heading to the bus... i just couldn't help myself.

anna pearl is heading into grade 6.  as usual, she was excited to get back to school to see her friends. she is also really looking forward to school sports.

adison is heading into grade 3.  she is not happy about being separated from her besties... her closest friends are in grade 4 and they are now allowed on the big kids playground... and she is not.  it will be interesting to see how she adjusts to this.

thanks to nanny jen for coming out, as she does each and every year.  it just wouldn't be the same without you!

 

Hockeyville

 

 

 

 

Well it sure has been a fun ride...  Who would have thought that our little hockey hometown would become Canada's Kraft Hockeyville?  I admit that even though we were on board from the very beginning... i never really envisioned it happening.  It just goes to show you  how very much Stirling loves it's hockey.

When ben was just starting out in hockey, we chose stirling over belleville because of the small town feel and love of the game.  It wasn't just a sport, it was a way of life.  Your hockey team became an extension of your family.  Lifelong friendships were formed.  Some of ben's best friends today are those that he played hockey with since the age of 5.

Some of the highlights of the hockeyville celebrations... kraft dinner and hotdogs at the covered bridge, ball hockey tournament in the arena parking lot, parades, barn dances, ladies night and of course the big announcement on cbc.  adi also got to take part in a hockey clinic which was run by nhl alumni... look for her on tv!

 

bens love of the stirling hockey culture is now extending... he recently completed a 3 day referee school and looks forward to donning the black and white as an omha ref in stirling.  we are proud of him and hope he enjoys it every bit as much as he hopes he will.

we are looking forward to another fun and successful year, playing hockey in hockeyville... adi will be playing defence for the stirling blues novice a team and ben will be the hard hitter on the stirling bantam a team.  anna pearl will of course be the always supportive hockey sister.  roll blues roll!

a hunting they will go

this year ben and matt have set up their own tree stands at a friends property in stirling.  they leave in the afternoon and do not return until dark.  they are loving it... even though they are still in pursuit of their first catch.

uncle chris is on standby when they need him to come and "take care" of the deer.  they are also looking forward to heading back to a hunting camp for a few days this year too... here's to quality father/son time and to not having antlers in our living room!

my girls

Yesterday i had a hair appointment and i let the girls walk around the mall, on their own, while they were waiting for me. They were excited to have a bit of freedom and spend some money... they like to shop just like their momma.

After my appointment we headed to the food court for lunch. They were so excited to show me their purchases. They each bought a "surprise bag" from ardenes which were full of lots of girly things.... earrings, leg warmers, fun rings... But before we reached the food court they stopped in the mall to give me something they had bought me.

Earlier that morning i had asked ben if i could wear his cross necklace, but he was wearing it. So they decided to surprise me with my very own cross necklace... Paid for with their very own money. I love the one they picked out.
Funny thing is, they apparently went to one of the jewellry stores to pick out a necklace... When they asked
the sales clerk how much one particular necklace was she said " two eighty two". Two dollars and eighty two cents adi exclaimed, to which The lady giggled and said " two hundred and eighty two dollars".
my necklace may mot be expensive but it is sure worth alot to me. I love it girls. Thanks for thinking of me. Xoxoxoxo

Canada 2016

Anna is enjoying another summer of soccer, playing for the belleville comets u11 team. She loves the group of girls she plays with. Win or lose, she is such a great team player. The coaches are moving her around the field alot this year, but she is most at home playing defense. She is strong and smart. I love to watch her play and adi and ben still do too. How many 13 year old boys do you know, ditch their buddies to go cheer in their little sister? I know one :)

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"happiness is a way of travel... not a destination"

Camp huronda

Adi attended camp huronda on her own for the first time. Her and i attended family camp together last year and since then, she has been counting down the days until she could return on her own. She has literally been counting down. We set off to camp a day early and the kids and i spent an amazing day and overnight with aimee and her kids at their campsite at poglake in algonquin park. It was our first stay at algonquin and to say that the kids loved it was an understatement. They swam and biked and canoed and ate and laughed. Anna and abbystayed up til 3 am eating junkfood and watching leave it to beaver dvd's. I am so happy that the kids love eachother as much as aimee and i do.
We set off to camp huronda in huntsville to drop off adi, our bellies full of excitement and anxiety. When we arrived at the camp, adi was eager to show ben and anna around and she was excited to get to her cabin to meet her bunk mates. Much to her delight she scored a top bunk and immediately made friends with the rest of the girls. And just like that... She was ready for us to leave... Which we did, with only a few tears from me.
Anna, ben and i made the journey back to belleville with a lot if trepidation in our hearts but we managed to cheer ourselves up by treating ourselves to dairy queen in bancroft.
The week flew by... And it dragged on. Anna and ben kept busy with playdates and i enjoyed spending some focused time with each of them. But we all agreed... that our family of 4 was missing our 5. And we were counting down the days til our return to camp huronda!

Anna

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"happiness is a way of travel... not a destination"

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Sent from my iPhone
"happiness is a way of travel... not a destination"