Layla's Cookies

We had a quiet day today - a trip to the grocery store and fruit stand was our biggest excitement. We came home and Layla and I made chocolate chip cookies. She's pretty proud of herself - everyone, including the dog, enjoyed them.

Fun in the Okanaghan

While Sara and her kids were here, and Mary was in the hospital, we took the kids to the beach in Penticton, to the water park in Oliver, the native cultural center in Osoyoos, and places in between. The kids really enjoyed one another - Layla misses her cousins since she and her parents moved to Oliver 9 months ago.

Welcome Little Bear

I've been in Oliver, BC since Tuesday, August 5, when this precious little guy was born. He was kind to us all and was a planned c-section so I was able to be here right from the start. His parents, Mary and Greg, have named him Baron Kesey Bourne but I call him Little Bear. He was 7 lb 5 oz at birth and 21 ins. long and has a full head of the silkiest hair I've ever felt. He's a really beautiful baby and as his grandmother, I'm completely unbiased. He and his Mom came home from the hospital today. Big sister Layla is very excited to have him home, and he's been introduced to big Chester, his bull mastiff 'brother' and he seems totally unconcerned with the new person. Undoubtedly there'll be more pictures of Little Bear in the coming days and weeks.

Handprint

I didn't notice this till long after it was done. Sydney and Kenzie were here one day 'working' with my inks and stamps. After finishing their creations, they went upstairs to go home, using the wall in the stairway to help them on their way (I suspect the culprit is 2-year old Sydney). Since that wall needed painting anyway, I decided not to try to wash the handprints off and will just paint over them when the time comes. It's kind of cute, and very colorful.

Fresh Apples

The apples on the tree in our back yard are ready for eating now so when the Quists came to visit, everyone was out getting their share. These are a few pictures of that activity - Nate straining to reach that perfect apple, baby Jammers (James) toothless as can be, happily gnawing on his apple, and a nice shot of the highest branch of the tree.

Outside Therapy

Ellie loves to be outside. It seems to have a calming affect on her. When she's being fussy and doesn't know what to do with herself, I'll take her out to the deck and sit her in a chair with a few toys and she's as happy as a pig in mud. The other day I introduced her to some of the play things in the back yard and Charlie got my camera so she could chronicle the events. Ellie enjoyed swinging on the big kids swing and was able to stand up in the play house and look out the window. I avoided the sand box because...well, that would have just been too big a mess to clean up.

Whitey

Whitey is not your typical cuddly, sleek, shiny cat. He's roamed the neighbourhood and, by the looks of him, at different times has had run-ins with some of the big bunnies around here, or another cat, or a bird, or something. He tolerates the kids petting him, as long as they don't pull his fur. He begs for food and always seems to want another can of the smelly stuff as soon as he finishes devouring his first one. He has patches of fur that are matted, some thin spots on his head and behind his ears. He could use a good trip to the vet for a grooming, but that's easier said than done. The kids love him though and so does Sara. He's a cat so I automatically have a soft spot for him and sometimes sneak him that extra can of food when he begs so pathetically for it.