SUMMER 2009

Well, it look like summer is coming to an end. I suddenly realized that I haven't blogged in a really long time and had lots to catch up on.

JULY
Naomi and Jaime left for Ireland on July 3. They had a fantastic time touring around the country.After putting them on the plane, the rest of us began the trek down south.Once we got there it was brutally hot. Hannah and Josh spent a lot of time at the beach in Kelowna, just floating in these boats.

AUGUST

We were still in Kamloops, but took time to go to Kelowna. While there we celebrated Adele's birthday (I not allowed to say how old she is, but look at the cake. LOL) before heading back home, sadly without Naomi.Once we arrived home it was time to do some yard work before winter settles in. Our big project was building this planter. We collected rocks from the river and soil from nearby and set to work. In the spring we will plant wild flowers in it.That about sums up our summer. I didn't take a lot of pictures, just relaxed and enjoyed the summer.

WHAT TO DO...

I guess it's been a long time since I last posted. So much has happened: we dropped Naomi at the Whitehorse airport, amid many tears, for her departure to Ireland; we visited with all our family down south until they were ready to kick us out; and arrived back home today.

Leaving Naomi in Kamloops was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. I had cried on and off during the previous few weeks, wondering how I would ever be able to manage it. The tears really came on Wednesday though as we had to say goodbye. Her absence really hits at certain moments. For instance when we were unpacking our suitcases I was ready to burst into tears. I know we will settle into life and its new routines. Sometimes its just very hard to leave the old routines behind. It's such a bitter-sweet moment. I'm so proud of her and all that she has become. She's the person I hoped she would be. But it feels bitter to leave her to live her own life so far away from me.

I know she will bring much joy to her family in Kamloops. Enjoy her. She's one of the best!

NAOMI'S PROM

I just realized that I hadn't posted any prom photos. So here they are:
Prom was very nice. We were stuck at a table way in the back and were the last ones served, but it was really nice anyways. The food was great, so that counts for a lot. Naomi looked stunning. It was just a great night all round.

A LITTLE OF THIS AND A LITTLE OF THAT

Just when I think I have nothing to blog about, opportunity presents itself.

Naomi received this beautiful leather jacket from the Ross River Dena Council for graduation. It fits her perfectly.
Here are the roses Brian and I bought Naomi for grad. They are so bright and beautiful. They smell awesome too. I went to the florist on the day of her prom and they had all these beautiful colours to choose from. I immediately thought of her gorgeous dress and was intrigued.Hannah doing what she does best - relaxing!Oscar decided to join her. LOL.

ADVENTURES WITH GRANDMA AND GRANDPA

We had a day between graduation events while Mom and Dad were here. To fill in the time we decided to take a trip to Skagway. It is a beautiful drive there through the mountains, with a long descent down into the town. It is right on the ocean and when we arrived it was COLD! The first store we stopped in had nice fleece lined, reversible jackets on sale so Grandma and Hannah decided to be twins:We managed to ditch the men and spent some time in the warm stores, just browsing. This bear was just waiting to give me a hug.
For lunch we went to an old brothel. It was fun to experience the history. When we arrived there was an old miner playing the piano - he was fabulous. I wish he would have kept playing. I didn't even have a chance to get my camera out and take a picture of him.
Josh had these very yummy chili nachos.Hannah enjoyed this hummus with veggies and pita bread. The rest of us had sandwiches (not worth taking pictures of, although they were really good).
After lunch we went on a ride on the White Pass steam engine. It went up through the mountains basically following one of the trails used by prospectors coming for the Klondike Gold Rush. It was beautiful. We had a fabulous time exploring the town. On the way home there was a black bear on the side of the road. We stopped to watch and he just ignored us. Hannah was calling him, but he just kept on eating like we weren't there. We arrived back at the campsite exhausted - except Dad who slept most of the way home. LOL