Preparations.

We are getting ready for a very important birthday! {another birthday, you say?}Honnie is turning 6. Or 5. And it just so happens Honnie shares Canada's birthday.

This morning we explained to Hugh that we would be making a cake to bring to a Canada Day party for Canada's big day tomorrow. And Hugh replied, "No. Tomorrow is Honnie's birthday. The cake is for Honnie...and me." I guess that means we need to make an extra large cake...and boy do we have just the thing...a 15 car train cake!So bring on the baking...cake decorating...the licking {in the fort no less}...and the dabbling. Yes bring it on!

All Aboard...the train that is...not your brother!

xo

PSA

A Public Service Announcement:

From Arlo

xo

Guest Starring Miles

Have Miles. Will Travel.

That's right...our trusty friend dropped by the cottage to make sure Hugh wasn't having too much fun without him. We had been anticipating his arrival for quite sometime...actually since the minute we got here. And shortly after breakfast, Miles came bursting through the door as if he had at long last come home. We had a whole whack of ideas planned for the day...however, the minute Miles laid eyes on the shiny red convertible...well...all was lost. Luckily, we did manage to fit in a treasure hunt {thanks to Nana's crafty clues!}

{treasure found! Mighty GOLDfish!}

And there's always...always time for some serious fort building. This one designed and built by yours truly. Just don't ask how many times I had to redesign and rebuild it...ahem.

xo

Rock

Me: Hugh, let's go for a nature walk and collect bits & pieces.

Hugh: Okay. Will we wear our clothes?

Me: Oh yes. It's not like 'nature boy' {our name for Hugh in his birthday suit}. It's a walk where we find nature's treasures.

Hugh: Great. Let's go!

Me: Are we making a rock friend?

Hugh: Yep.

Me: What shall we call him? Melvin? I think he looks like a Melvin.

Hugh: No. His name is Rock.

Me: Not Melvin?

Hugh: No. Rock.

xo

Cottage Classics

What brings me such joy {and comfort} from my summer visits to the lake is reuniting with the cottage classics. All the games and goodies that remain in their same location year after year after year after year...I remember as a child, my brother and I digging out the cottage classics within hours of arriving to the lake. There would be lots of: "Oh yea! Remember these?". I particularly enjoy that the cottage classics come with their own scent. Some are musty...some dry and dusty...and some are simply lovely.
Today...every turn we took we were visiting another classic. {If only I had some cool classic cottage tunes to pair up with this post...man, that would be practically a tear jerker.}

Anyway, here's what we unearthed:

The tennis racket...made of wood and {I'm pretty sure} of horsehair.

the fine game of Twister and...Cooties.
Badminton. Hugh preferred this to tennis after I accidentally got him in the eye with tennis ball. And although this racket was also made from wood...it was of the much lighter variety! Homemade lollies. {Bec, these originally belonged to your mother} And finally, classic cottage lounging. Out of all the classics...this one remains my favourite.
xo

10 weeks

We are living the good life. And with pride I'd like to announce: Hugh and Arlo are natural born 'cottagers'. Here's a taste of our days:

Convertible cruises... {Uncle J and Aunt E, thank you for this gift. To see Hugh's face...a salad of concentration & pride tossed with little giggles is ever so delicious to watch. Thank you so very much!}

Canoe journeys...or as Hugh said "Going on the caboose." {Notice Honnie sitting next to Hugh}

Lollies by the lake..Smotherly...ahem, I mean Brotherly Love...
Of course there's tea...always time for tea at the cottage. And say hello to my favourite teacup. Hello teacup.

Short dips in the cool lake...And finally there is some serious napping going on...outside and inside...

but the best kind are with dragon.

Happy 10 Weeks Arlo!

xo

A simple checklist

fishing pole check
golf club check
sweet basil check
camera check
bike helmet check
sun block check
sun hats check
magazines check
books {oh sweet marie...if I actually get to open AND read a book I'll be very happy} check
bug spray check
mini excavator, dump truck, street cleaner, payloader, backhoe, tow truck check check check
camera battery check
camera check
rain coats check {you know what...I uncheck that one! Because it's NOT going to rain! Do you hear me weather gods?}
water shoes check

okay I think that's all...oops one more:
clothes check

Alright...Watch Out Cottage Because HERE WE COME!!!

xo UPDATE: We have arrived! And after unpacking the car...the suitcases...I discovered something about myself...I am a 'creative' packer...not a 'practical' packer. Perhaps one might have already picked up on that little tidbit while reading my checklist. For instance, where were the diapers on the checklist? Oh those. Yep. Forgot 'em. Can't the boys go commando? And pajamas? oops. Oh well...we're here...and that's all that counts! Right?

Happy Father's Day

Gratitude {Hugh: "What's that mean?" Mummy: "Oh dear".}
created by Hugh {with help from Mummy & Arlo}

We are grateful for Daddy because...
he scares away monsters
he fixes my toys...even when the same toy breaks over and over again
he mows the lawn
he uses a weed whacker
he throws me on the bed...which scares the daylights out of Mummy making it all that much more enjoyable
he sleeps next to me when I am scared
he is patient with me when I would rather sleep next to Mummy
he takes me to the park and gives the highest underdog a kid could ask for
he teaches me cool tricks...like skateboarding and building forts
he always lets me fix broken bits with him...like that dining room chair which fell apart around 15 times
he buys green grapes...not the yucky red kind that Mummy likes
he takes me to the car wash
his favourite doughnut is my favourite doughnut...old fashion plain
he saws of my limbs when I am hurt and that makes me laugh

the list is infinite...we just want to say, thank you Daddy!
Happy Father's Day.
We love you bigger than the biggest, biggest, biggest sticky bun much!{breakfast in bed...Hugh's bed that is...}

xo

PostScript: Happy Father's Day to Grandaddy & Papa!

Saturday Farmers Market

sweet basil for nana...
xo

Guest Starring Miles

Happy Birthday Miles! Around here...we love birthdays...especially the cake part! So today Hugh and I were most excited to welcome Miles and we could barely wait until after lunch to present our cake. We belted out the happy birthday song and I think Miles was quite pleased.The boys enjoyed a rainy afternoon together...playing in wet sand...wet puddles {I guess there's no such thing as dry puddles} and wet grass. Are we the only family who likes to run in the sprinkler during the rain? Yep...thought so.Happy Birthday dear friend...and welcome to age 3.

xo

PostScript: Here's your daily dose of Arlo.

Rain

When it's raining outside, a certain fear opens up inside of us: How will we keep Hugh entertained? Because when our dear Hugh is not able to go outside...he becomes rather...hmmm, how shall I say it? A little fussy. A little devilish. A little couped up.
However, today we solved all...ahem, most...of those issues by building a fort. A fort with a yoga mat for carpet...a patchwork quilt roof...two Ikea chairs...and a radio for listening.The fort took care of fussy and coup...but the devilish part...well, let us consult Arlo on that one!xo

A Letter

Dear Construction Workers,
How can we ever thank you enough for choosing an excavator, a backhoe and a dump truck to tear down our neighbours front porch! We think your machines our terribly clever. Did you enjoy Hugh's teachings on hydraulics and caterpillar treads? Wasn't it captivating?We cross our fingers in anticipation that you will be back tomorrow. Although we find the machines slightly loud...we are not complaining because that's what hands are for, right?
Thank you again.
PS. Hugh's little brother Arlo would like you to bring a concrete mixer truck next time. Okay? Please and thanks.
xo