Thursday, August 08, 2013

Boating, babies and breastfeeding!

What a difference a year makes.

This year, the cooler was filled beer, wine and bottles of breastmilk!  Brad, Anette and Magnus came for 10 days, as well as good friends of theirs from Edmonton: Shaun and Amy Cowan along with their 2-1/2 year old daughter, Claire, and 2 month old baby, Adelyn.  Fortunately Roger was able to fly in from Australia to experience the great moments -- and of course, he made sure the flotilla was ship shape.

Cameras were constantly clicking to capture the moments...here are some of the highlights.

We worked hard to get everything ready for the gang to arrive.  It was a busy time -- but oh, so worth it!



Magnus' future is so bright -- he gotta wear shades
Obi isn't keen about the water, but got close enough to give Brad a smooch
The boat looked like a nursery during the day and was Brad, Anette, and Magnus' bedroom at night!
Love the "Made in Canada" t-shirt!
A beautiful family where fun reigns supreme!
We went to our favourite spot at Windy Point for swimming, BBQ lunch and scuba diving
Shaun took Brad on a dive and they had a blast in the clear water
Brad's smile summed up the day
Anette and Obi relaxing on the tube
Enjoying lunch on the boat:  Anette, Amy, Brad and Shaun

Brad jokingly offering Magnus a piece of his smokie.  Magnus is on to Brad and realizes he has a very funny dad.
The tried and true football hold -- thanks to Roger's mom who taught it to us when Brad was a baby, works like a charm 
Roger was able to combine business and pleasure when he had a conference call while we were moored at Windy Point
Claire called me Nana Heather and cuddled up on my lap for our trip home on the boat
We all chuckled over Magnus' t-shirt and wondered if it came in larger sizes!
Our sweet Magnus
Dear friends Sandy and Jo sent this rugby shirt to Magnus --- will he follow in Mr. Roger's and his dad's footsteps?

Magnus and Adelyn were born two days apart.  Magnus seemed to want to have fun while Adelyn enjoyed catching some zzz's on the dock.

Roger installed two gazebos to make sure the babies had lots of shade.  It turned out to be a great place for everyone to hang out and watch the world float by.
Magnus taking a nap on the boat 
Claire liked to sit on the hammock swing we bought in Belize years ago
Wasps (aka the bastards) invaded Idaho at the end of July.  We had loads of traps hanging all over the property and they were chock-a-block full.
Riley Moe might be getting older --- but will gladly leap off the dock in order to chase a ball
Rusty Tractor Springs and dock seen from the water 
Brad and Shaun made tubing a contact sport!
Brad loves experience gifts, so for his birthday this year we bought tickets to the Festival for Brad, Anette, Amy and Shaun.  A rainy day gave way to a decent evening and we had a great time listening to the band, Cake, and of course -- eating fabulous food!
Food is an important part of the Festival!  Kathy and Randy Cardon joined us, and helped with the baby wrangling.  
Shaun and Amy treated us to a gourmet dinner on the last night.  Here, Shaun used a blow torch to put the finishing touch on steaks with a blue cheese crust.  Anette made her famous homemade pies for the perfect end to a wonderful meal.
The Kinleys and Cowans with a final photo by the tractor.  
Spending time getting to know Magnus gave us such joy and being Nana and Mr. Roger to this sweet child has created a whole new, beautiful chapter of our lives.  We look forward to seeing Magnus carry on the traditions we have built of: campfires, trips to Windy Point, lunch at Spuds and hours of tubing behind the boat.

The memories of this week, and the time spent with family and friends will be remembered when we are far from home.  I know when we feel homesick, these photos will remind us of the laughter...the sunshine...and the sweet sound of children.

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
                                                                                          Angela Schwindt



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