Stand Up Paddle Boarding

 Daddy's birthday present arrived at the cottage last weekend, albeit almost two months late.  Long story.  Daddy says it's really hard!

 Jumps!

 With Maraya and Ashlyn!

Pool fun

 When we're not at the cottage we're at home by the pool these days.  Will has made great strides in the swimming department which we are over the moon about.  We still have you wear a PFD if you're near the deep end but you're able to stand in the shallow side and we let you go without there.

You can keep your head above water by doggie paddling just fine, yay!

 

 Charlie is also a water baby and when we put you in the water you squeal the most delighted sound!

Daddy is the best tickler!  Your armpits are your kryptonite!

 Ok so it's a little bulky.  

Will, Jack and Henry

 You and Henry played this silly game where you pretended to walk off the side of the dock without realizing.  It was a sort of Mr Bean humour but we died laughing about it.  Hilarious!

You got some good jumps in there too!

 Buds.

 Such cute guys!

More Sproat

 

An honest photo of what cottage life looks like!  Mommy wearing glasses for the last weekend ever, prior to LASIK!

 Two gorgeous boys :)

 Look at those sweet faces.

 The Mahon family came up to the cottage last weekend and Will had a blast with Jack and Henry.  We spent all day outside on the dock playing with water guns and doing jumps into the water.  The water temperature is amazingly warm, high 70s!

Warm enough even for Mommy!

 Sean showing off his jumps.

More cottage fun

 Look at those boys ripping it up out there!

 Three cuties on a couch!

 More Charlie dunks!

More fun in the sun

 Burning up Sproat in the tube!  Dinner time!

 S'mores by the fire pit!

 Charlie getting a dunk of glee:

 Daddy's first time on a wake board EVER!  Way to go Daddy!  You look like a pro!

July at the Cottage

We are finally up at the cottage to enjoy some fun in the sun!  It seemed like forever while we were doing the renovations and then it seemed like the weather just wouldn't co-operate and then just like that it was HOT!

We have been spending every weekend at the cottage these days and every weekend we have a different family up to keep us company.  Mommy and Daddy have long weekends every weekend in July and in August we're in Mondays to Wednesdays, and that means four full days of cottage fun every week!

Charlie, you're still a lot challenging at the beach these days.  I can't put you on the dock because your little feet scrape and get slivers, and I can't put you on the sand because you eat it by the fistful.  You don't sleep as well at the cottage and I am forever in fear of someone leaving the gate open at the top of the death stairs....Needless to say we are busy with you at the cottage right now and are looking forward to next summer with you.  Having said that you have taken to the water like a fish, just like Will.  You love to be dunked in the lake and I swish your feet through the water to your glee.

You love to be held on your stomach in the water and pump your feet trying to swim!  Adorable!

 

We had the Bellamys and the Sansalones up one of the first weekends and Will, Emma and Natasha went tubing.  Aaron was supervising and did a great job of keeping the kids in the tube.

Uncle Lucien and Will having a water gun fight:

 Weeeeeee!

Cottage birds

 These are among the cutest visitors to our cottage.  Normally I would run out onto the dock screaming and throwing pebbles but I just couldn't scare these little guys away!

They were so cute huddling all together like this and stayed only a short while.  Then they all up and left again....leaving some reminders behind.  So cute but so messy!

Hair cuts!

On our way to JJ's the other day we stopped in at First Choice haircutters and got both of your long locks cut for summer!  It was an extra special event for Charlie, his first cut!

You both did very well and there were no tears to speak of.  I was so proud!

 

So handsome!

 All done!  They gave us a lock of your hair to go home with and Mommy put it into your baby book for safe keeping.

 Way to go C!

Les Mis!

 Les Mis came to Vancouver last month and we took you to your first Broadway musical.  Mommy is hoping to spark a lifelong love of musical theatre ;).

You are very familiar with the soundtrack since I play it in the car a lot.  We end up singing along together and you are able to identify the bad guy parts of Javert.  We especially love to hear Cosette's castle in the clouds song and we sometimes sing it together at bedtime.  I thought this musical was the perfect first for you!

We ended up going to the Saturday matinee and you were great!  Considering it was three hours long you did as well as a four year old could.  After the show we went to Rodney's Oyster House where Mommy and Daddy filled up on oysters and beer and you had (of course) pasta and olive oil.

What a great day!