On my iPhone: end of summer

I currently have 472 photos on my iPhone. That's far more than I've taken with my camera in a very long time. Here are a few favorites from the end of summer 2011.

LMDO: Laughing my diaper off. Awesome.

Lola enjoying a corn on the cob. Be careful...she will bite you and she will try to steal the cob.

All packed and ready to go to Temagami.

Home from soccer camp. Someone was a little tired. I can't imagine why she chose this as her resting spot.

On the road again...

Cool fungi on Temagami

Beautiful sunset view from my kitchen.

Plunging into the icy cold lake in Temagami.

Bates hamburgers: an after Ortho tradition. Every appointment is followed by a trip to Bates. 2 burgers, a large fry, and a large chocolate shake, which we share. Next month she gets her braces off and we'll have to make up excuses to go to Bates.

Em & I in Temagami.

Temagami, here we come!

In just a few short hours, after the young man has been transitioned into seventh grade, we are headed north, far north, to visit Temagami, Ontario Canada.

We're all so excited. There was a time this summer we weren't sure we'd find a weekend that would work, between soccer, summer school, & Bart's schedule. But this one works just fine. The last hurrah before school starts.

So until the first of September, I will have no internet access and won't be able to check on y'all. Don't do anything dumb while I'm gone. Stay safe from Hurricane Irene. I'm going to miss ya!

Temagami: The Kids

You might wonder what the kids did to occupy their time on the island. Let's see...

They posed sweetly for pictures on top of large cliffs...
They slept up in the loft of the bunkhouse...
She overcame her fears and kayaked...
He sat still for approximately 15 seconds...


They built inukshuks and frog huts...

They spent quality time with Dad...
He pretended to fall off the cliff to freak me out...
They scaled great heights...
They boated...
And hiked...
And laughed themselves silly playing games...
And canoed...
And kayaked like he had been doing it forever...
And snuggled...
And took leaps of faith into chilly waters...
And had one of the best vacations ever!

The kids were the perfect age for this type of vacation. There were enough things to do on the island and fun places to explore, yet they wouldn't ever be too far away from us and I didn't feel like I had to watch over them all of the time. They would disappear for an hour or two and come back with handfuls of wee blueberries, or a story about a rock formation they saw, or yet another kayak trip. Evan was even pulling out and setting up the kayaks by himself.

I thought they might miss not having a television, but it really was a non issue. The weather was nice and we did so many activities, they didn't have time to miss it.

Tomorrow: The animals.

Temagami: The Island

My Aunt Cindy and her husband John own a small private island in Lake Temagami, northern Ontario. Go ahead and Google it...I didn't know where it was either! For years, my dad & step mom have been telling us how awesome it is and how we should get the kids up there for a few days of fun and exploring, so this summer, when the chance presented itself, we jumped on it.

FYI, my pics and words won't do justice to how beautiful this place truly is!

On the lake, there are approximately 1,000 small islands just like this one. This is 630, summer home of the Sappingtons.
The island is rock based, with some areas that slope down into the water gently while others drop off and are perfect for jumping into the lake.

There are countless interesting rock formations, and everything is covered in soft green moss or fluffy white reindeer moss. Or both. I almost forgot the blueberry bushes...about 10" tall and covered in tiny tiny blueberries all over the island.
A thick bed of pine needles make you feel like you are walking on a mattress. Paths are delineated by logs and stones, and lead you from house to house, swimming spots to the dock and back again. Can you spot Lola lounging in the sunshine?

The pines are tall and soft and whisper in the wind. They provide shade but allow in filtered sunlight throughout. The best part about the island is how secluded you are. The lake is so large, days will go by before you see another boat or person. There is no traffic noise. There were no crickets, but the loons serenaded us almost constantly, and the resident hummingbirds were not afraid to zip past you while lounge on the hammock.
The entire coast is fun to explore, for humans and dogs alike!! I love the reeds and lilys that dot the shoreline.
Some pretty interesting things grow on there!
Cindy and John have made a wonderful home here!
We were lucky enough to see the full moon and have beautiful weather during our stay. Unfortunalty we didn't see the Milky Way or the Northern Lights, but maybe next time!
Tomorrow, I'll talk about the kids!

cuteness

This was my favorite photo from the sleepover

until I saw this one :)

the Fab 4 hit the park

Luke & Olivia are spending the night at our house for a cousin sleepover! I took the kids to the 'castle' park to run around and play before bedtime. A few snaps:

on the bridge to Mill Race Village

Lukey crossing the monkey bars

the girls on the tightrope

dancing in the gazebo

ringing the bell

It was a lot of fun, but boy did we get sweaty! I didn't realize it was so humid outside. Now if only everyone will go to bed!