The New Gardener

One of Siena's early birthday presents was a mini-greenhouse. Today we put it together, planted some flowers and bunny's tails, and used my cleaning squirt bottle (cleans with water only, thanks to the microfibers cloths I use with it, I'm told) to water them. She was thrilled with her gift - though she was wondering why, one hour later, nothing had grown yet ("it all died mommy, why?"). Lots of learning to happen now - and she is walking in the footsteps of her Gigi - great Grandmother!

Red Sox Fans Start Young

It has been YEARS since I've lived in New England, but I am still a true Red Sox fan. Some of our closest friends on Bowen are Australians who have lived outside of Boston for five years. Today we had our two babies wearing some Red Sox gear that was sent to her - I don't feel that I can publish his picture without her permission, so you'll have to just enjoy this of Sage, waving her arms around and cheering for the next home run!

Two-Three-Four Birthday Tea Party

Today we celebrated a triple summer birthday party for Siena and two of her little friends - turning two, three and four (Siena is turning four next month). It was perfect. Siena was able to have the initial excitement for her birthday a bit ahead of time, and to celebrate with her younger friends, and then on her birthday to celebrate with her four year old friends. We chose a tea party because, well, who doesn't like a tea party? Instant theme, easy to carry out, and it includes lunch. Perfect!


The girls were all dressed up (they're girls, after all), and I brought a few simple crafts - paper crowns to decorate and wear (kingly crowns for the brothers who attended), and wrapping ribbons and bells attached to wands for fairy princess wands, and a fun princess cake. For decorations we just used some fun pink sheer fabric for the table, and then a giant butterfly tent that Siena was given as a gift - a real favorite that she doesn't get to use often because she shares her bedroom with Sterling.

The girls all had a good time. I really cherish that my family has so many close friends who have children off all different ages. I am constantly grateful when a friend's 10 year old actually wants to play with my four year old. So it is especially nice for me to encourage Siena to have friends who are younger, and to celebrate those relationships together. And how lucky I am to be surrounded by such lovely mums!

And of course, Sage was her youngest fan. Siena picked out her party dress as well!

The Ultimate Holiday Week

We have discovered it. It is very nearly the perfect holiday for a family of five, all under age 5 (well, except the parents, and sometimes we act like it). This past week we were nurtured at a special Bowen Island/West Vancouver/Mount Vernon, WA weeklong camp at Barnabas Landing. This is a very special camp located on very nearby Keats Island. We had been there two years ago, literally one week after we had moved to Canada. Last year we had company from California with us during that week, so we missed it (and loved having our company!).

This year we decided that the location (simply gorgeous both at the camp itself and the views it looks out to), the number of activities designed for children, and the friends going made it the perfect option for this summer. Most families come and tent under the stars in the apple orchard, but I just couldn't see us stressing out through middle of the night feedings and early morning risings with our three, so we rented a room. There are two lovely buildings with bed and breakfast style rooms. The view from our window made it very difficult to convince Chris to close the blinds at night (it is dark until after 10 here, so even with the kids asleep, we can look out on Creation in all of its glory). The kids each built a nest in the corners of the room, and Sage slept in a pack and play in the closet, en route to the bathroom. She was an incredible trooper - she took great naps, slept well at night, and generally ignored the great amounts of noise that go on about her.


The week is loosely structured like this - breakfast as a family, followed by family huddle in the morning (singing songs, watching a Narnia inspired skit, getting ready for the day). Then the kids go off in age appropriate groups with incredibly loving counselors. While the kids are happily at "class" with their "teacher" (this is a tribute to how much my kids love school), the adults had time as a group for discussion and lecture. This year the topic was "Soul Food" - and our leaders were Rory Holland, Ron Reed, and Jordan Roberts. There is no official website for Jordan, and the two links I'm providing here can do NO justice to the really spectacular nature of this screenwriter/director. In addition to writing and directing his own film, Around the Bend, Jordan was brought in to write and direct the thoughtful narration to March of the Penguins. There is so much I could say about the individuals, but I want to respect their privacy and simply say that my soul was fed in getting to know them better and getting to know our group better. Families reunite for lunch and an afternoon together - on the waterfront, at crafts, hiking, sleeping, eating... something for everyone! After dinner, the entire group gathers for a fire-less campfire experience, and then the kids return to their counselors, who read them a bedtime story (at least if they are my kids age... I suspect the older kids get to play night games and go for swims and basically revel in the supervised opportunity to be about without their parents), and put them to bed, while the adults return to more time for soul food. A nearly perfect combination of time with and without the kids!

It is amazing to me how a group of 69 people, from ages 3 months to, well, much, much older (lets say 45 and make everyone feel good!), can come together for five days, and with the desire to be open with themselves and their families, become fast friends and a genuine community. Within a day, we are all sharing kids, passing babies, bouncing on the water trampoline, eating more tasty meals than could be believed, and having deep, life changing conversations at the same time.

There is also the great generosity of spirit that emerges from a group like this. Poetry was shared, kleenex passed, a night of great music (Bowen is so fortunate to be home to the likes of Shari Ulrich and David Graff), the give and take of helping each other handle the children... I felt so cared for in this environment. It is definitely in part to the people who come, but even more to the people who run Barnabas Landing. Everything they do is imbued with a sense of service to the Divine, and it overflows to the their staff and their guests. We all walk away refreshed and blessed.

Three Months Old

The birthdays, the birthdays. The kids are tickled each week and month as we "celebrate" Sage's "birthdays." Well, the time is flying past and now she is three months old. And just a joy!

For the record, here is what we are doing at three months:
Taking great naps - she still naps three to four times a day
Eating well - Sage loves nursing, but thankfully only once at night!
Loving life - Sage coos, smiles, tries to laugh, and generally is beside herself with happiness when we are paying lots of attention to her - which we are happy to oblige!
Physically - trying to sit up a bit, loves to stand on our laps, rolls over from front to back and is arching her back to roll from back to front. She's got very strong neck muscles and a firm grip with her little hands.

We couldn't be happier with her - the kids love her, we love her, and she is beginning to show how much she loves us back!

Whistler Week

It is lovely to have grandparents who want to spend time with the whole family. This past week all of us have been visiting with Chris's mom and dad at a condo in Whistler. It was a wonderful chance to be able to be together in a place that has something for everyone:
Hiking and Berry Picking for us all (the wild blueberries were incredible)













Spending time laughing together (Sage is in love with her Poppy)

Biking in the dirt bike park (Sterling took his training wheels off and hasn't looked back! Here he is after only one day of practicing sans wheels, riding up and down the "jumps" at the Whistler BMX park)























Building Fairy Houses (Siena isn't a bike rider yet, but she had just as much fun building special fairy houses by the side of the bike path)


Nonna and Poppy enjoyed daily hikes, despite the rain. They took each of the kids out on a special date night - dinner alone with Nonna and Poppy, with dessert and a trip to the toy shop at the end. While the kids loved the treats, they each felt so grown up to spend time alone with their special grandparents. And for the parents - we loved having time "alone" (mostly - Sage is always with me!) with each of our kids as well. Two is so much easier than three!

What a wonderful week we've had! We are home now, ready for a night at home before packing up and heading off again tomorrow (this time to Barnabas Family Camp).

Our Canadian Girl

Just another thought after yesterday's festivities... Sage is a Canadian citizen. In fact, at this point, she is NOT an American citizen yet. I knew/know that. But what struck me yesterday is the fact that she will forever be a Canadian citizen. Obvious, I know, but somehow, because I am American, it seems that all my children should be too. But even after we finally get to the immigrations office and have her dual citizenship established, she will remain Canadian by birth. Wow. I guess even after we move from Canada, we'll be celebrating Canada Day from now on!

O Canada!

Happy Canada Day! What, you in the US didn't even know it was today? Well, we almost didn't either.

The events were scheduled from 12 to 3. We arrived at 12:30, and the festival field was dotted with picnic blankets, kids were running everywhere, and the edges of the field were lined with tables (like booths, only not). The fire truck was there, the ambulance (for viewing, not safety), someone with a huge pet snake (not sure what that had to do with Canada Day, but the kids were fascinated)... face painting, free little flags, free copies of the song "O Canada" in English and French (what a relief, now I can figure out what the lyrics are, if I could only remember the tune), maple leaf temporary tattoos (even Sage got one, on her arm), and balloons. Even cake! There was a local band playing (they were really good), tug o wars, the works. We all had a really nice time, saw tons of people we know, got squirted by the fire truck hose (and cried afterwards that we were wet and cold now), Sage napped on her picnic blanket (have we mentioned she is nearly perfect?), and everyone had fun.

But no fireworks. And by that I don't mean just the pyrotechnic kind. It was very, well, pleasant. Accomodating. Nice. Very much like Canada itself.