It’s my first week of vacation and after a weekend of camping, I find myself lazing around the house.  It’s 10:30 in the morning and I haven’t even showered yet.  We did some cleaning yesterday and a little re-organizing.  Hubby is doing the laundry as I HATE doing laundry.  He actually does a much better job.  I’m better at cooking, cleaning and organizing the house.  We went to see a movie last night, “The Dark Knight”.  I really liked it.  It’s a bit darker than the others and Heath Ledger was awesome as the joker.  He was such a talented actor and one of my favorites.

Today we are doing a bit more house cleaning as we are expecting quiltingmom and family over for supper tonight.  Which reminds me, I have to do up a grocery list for hubby.

Next week, we are taking Braeden to Halifax.  He is leaving august 6 to go to edmonton for 2 weeks to visit with his dad.  Of course the flight leaves at 7am in the morning and his return flight gets in at 6am.  Blah!  I am NOT a morning person at all.  I’m not truly functional until 9 or 10am.  Hopefully we can go over the night before but if not, I may just stay home with the girls and let hubby take him over.  Braeden has had quite the summer.  He has been to new york and now edmonton.  This will be his first time flying so hopefully he will get along ok.

As for the rest of my vacation, we’ll probably go to the beach a few times and of course a trip to the mill river fun park.  My best friend is home for a few weeks, so we usually get together and do stuff with the kids.  Tomorrow night, we are going to take the girls to an outdoor movie down at the boardwalk.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  I can’t believe today is the last day of July!  Where has the summer gone??

If you are coming to PEI and you get a chance…go to a dinner theatre!  I go every year with a few friends and i’ve yet to be disappointed.  If you are not familiar with the concept, it involves an interactive performance while enjoying a fantastic meal.  Last night we went to see “Victoria’s Secret” in summerside.  What a hoot!!  I love the way they interact with the crowd and the food…yummy!!  They serve a light salad followed by some bowls of mussels…double yummm!! Then you have your choice of chicken or salmon with dill sauce with smashed potatoes and veggies….sooo good!  The dessert was a chocolate/vanilla layered cake with creamy vanilla/chocolate filling.  Here are some pics of the show:

Keith, the brides brother and geek extraordinaire

interacting with the crowd:

us girls with some of the performers:

the performers

It is a given that during the summer months, Sundays are our day at the beach.  We usually start the day off by attending church and then coming home for a quick lunch and to pack up the car.  The afternoon is spent laying on the beach, playing in the sand, swimming and when the tide is out, we’ll walk across the beach.  Today was a great day.  The weather was warm and the water was great!  Braeden even joined us.  At 14, it’s getting harder and harder to convince him to hang out with the family, so I was thrilled when he wanted to join us today at the beach.  He is staying at the cottage with my parents for a few days and then he will be home in time to go camping.  What a life!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

ARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!  I am starting my vacation this thursday and it feels as though time is literally standing still.  Once Thursday does arrive, it will be a worldwind after that.  We are going camping fri, sat, sun and monday night.  Nothing set in stone for the following week, but we have talked about camping a few nights in Souris.  I have some close friends that live there and I love the beach up there.  Basin Head beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.  They call it the “singing sands” because the sand makes a squeaking noise when you walk on it.   I think the last time we camped there was before we were married and my brother and his wife were with us…no kids!!

The following week, hubby’s brother and girlfriend are coming for a visit.  We all worked for the same company a few years back and we always have a great time together.  I’m really looking forward to their visit.   A few days after that, we will be getting ready for Gabby’s 2nd birthday party.  We don’t usually have any kids over for birthdays.  We make it a family event with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents instead.  Braeden had a sleepover this year for his birthday and when the girls get a little older we may do the same.

I don’t go back to work until August 11th.  Of course once I am actually “ON” my vacation, time will pass by super quick and I will be back to work again…blah!  Summer is just too short!!!

I took the girls berry picking last night with a friend.  I must say I was very disappointed with the berries.  I went to the same place last year and the berries were amazing.  This year, they were small and not as plentiful.  I guess I waited too long.  The girls had fun though.  Gabby was eating the berries faster than I could put them in the bowl.    Below is a pic of this year and last years berries.  As you can see there is quite a difference in size.  Gabby is a little bigger too!

Grace and Gabby ~ 2008

My favorite place to be every summer is the beach.  I have been going ever since I can remember and my kids have spent their lives there also.  I love relaxing by the water and taking a refreshing dip every half hour or so to escape the heat.  I could fall asleep listening to the sound of the waves, the sea gulls squawking, and the people laughing and talking across the beach.  The weather is suppose to be great tomorrow, so that is where I will be spending my afternoon.  My parents own a 3 seater seadoo which I have yet to ride this summer.  Hopefully I can go on a little rip tomorrow.  Here are some pics from our visit to the beach last weekend.

a dead crab..yuck!

this is the life!

cheeessee!!

playing in the sand

Ice cream is one of my favorite treats and I was pleasantly surprised to read the following article in today’s newspaper.

Cows Ice Cream named best in world
Licks international competition
STAFF
The Journal Pioneer

CHARLOTTETOWN–P.E.I.’s Cows Ice Cream has licked the international competition. COWS Ice Cream was recently ranked No. 1 on the World’s Top Ten Places for Ice Cream as determined by Tauck World Discovery. The honour was bestowed in celebration of the U.S. National Ice Cream Month in July. Tauck’s 250 travel directors who have tasted ice cream from all over the world compiled the list. “COWS is a small P.E.I. company so we are thrilled to be chosen as the best place to enjoy ice cream in the world,” says Joy Gallant, manager of operations at COWS. “Since 1983, COWS has been focused on producing high quality, super premium ice cream. In addition, we have an amazing team that works in our stores to create an unforgettable experience for our customers.” COWS not only received the top ranking, but it was the only company from Canada and one of four ice cream producers in North America to be honoured by Tauck. The other ice cream winners on the list were from USA (3), Italy (2), New Zealand, Argentina, France and Costa Rica. The Island owned company has seven stores on PEI and locations in Halifax, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Banff and Whistler. All of the ice cream is made on P.E.I. COWS currently serves up over 32 flavours of ice cream including Gooey Mooey, Wowie Cowie and Moo Crunch. Visit www.cows.ca

Every year, Master Packaging (an Irving owned company) sponsors the Cardboard Boat Challenge.  It is the first event of the City’s Lobster Carnival and it draws a HUGE crowd.  Various businesses build boats made completely out of cardboard and race them down at Spinnaker’s Landing.  There were some really cool entries this year including a huge “rubber” ducky.

Spinnaker’s Landing

Some of the Boat entries

Grace posing for the camera

Gabby loved the boat races

After the boat races, a bar-b-que is held for all the employees and their family members.   I must say they went all out this year.  Besides the usual hamburgers, hotdogs, chips, bars and cold drinks, they had a clown, face-painting, popcorn, cotton candy and plenty of fun games for the kids.  We had a GREAT time!!!  After spending a few hours there, we headed out to my parents cottage for a swim and then another bar-b-que.  I’ve been very lucky this week weather wise.  Let’s hope the weather is this great for my next vacation in 3 weeks!!!  Ahhh…life is good!!!

Gabby under the parachute

“Blossom” the clown entertaining the kids

Grace’s new “pet”

Next time, I think hubby will use an air pump!

Wow, what a great day!  We started off the day with beaver tails for breakfast.  The second batch wasn’t as good as the first but still tasty!

Next, we got ready to watch our local community parade.  It’s not very big, but the fireman always do such a great job making the day fun for the kids.  They have the trucks set up for the kids and let them use the hoses.

After the parade, we headed over to the legion to have some hotdogs and cake.  Grace participated in a few games and the girls picked some flowers for me.  There was even a cute minature horse too.   He was the perfect height for Gabby.

Grace loved the wheel barrow races ~ they finished 2nd

Gabby picking flowers for mommy

Myself and the girls

He was NOT impressed…can you tell?

Hubby’s Canada day tatoo!

Hubby and Grace

Grace and I waiting for the parade to start

After the parade was over, we walked home to find a stash of candy at the bottom of our driveway…compliments of the local fire dept!  (hubby is also a member)

We are heading over to a friend’s place shortly to watch the fireworks….she has a perfect view from her deck and we won’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic.

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE!