297/365 Clean Up!

Well, what a busy day we had! So busy I barely picked up the camera. It included a lot of painting because Isla said "please" in her pleading little voice about six times and Grandma caved. But the day also included playing "kitchen" for an hour, colouring, a very long walk in which at the end Grandma was reminded that she promised to go to the park and "play sand"...so we did.
Even cleanup after painting a canvas with her hands was a whole lot of fun.

296/365 Mule Deer

There were 12  mule deer at our back fence yesterday evening. They seemed content to eat the foliage in the ditch but a couple were eyeing the back yard. I must renew the Irish spring on the fence before winter arrives.

295/365 Playing In the Leaves

I had to get one fall photo of this little one playing in the leaves.

294/365 Create

We had so much fun at Wonderhub this morning.

293/365 Cake smiles

292/365 Celebrations

Someone is pretty proud of herself that she can blow out candles now and September and October have seen a lot of family birthdays so there have been plenty of opportunities to help out.

291/365 Joy!

This girls is so full of joy. What a blessing she is to our family.

290/365 Waiting

Sitting at Grandma's office window watching for Norah and Eva to finish piano lessons next door and walk home.

289/365 I am Coming to get you Grandma!

She chases me when I have the camera and I can't quite back  up fast enough to get the shot in focus. It's a fun game we like to play. Grandma is just happy to get a photo in the sun filled hall when Isla stops moving but Isla has other plans.

288/365 Happy Birthday Harold

He says he is now 38 but that is simply impossible. I am not old enough to have a 38 year old.
The girls loved celebrating with their favorite uncle.

287/365 My Thanksgiving Helper

Miss Eva came over early to help with setting the table, decorating Harold's birthday cake and whipping the cream for the pumpkin pie. It was great to have her help and her company before all the guests arrived for a Thanksgiving feast and a birthday celebration.  There were 11 of us.

286/365 Birthday Cake

My helper is getting Uncle Harold's birthday cake ready.

285/365 Hot Chocolate

We brought it with us on our photo walk to keep our hands warm. 

284/365 Moments That Matter.

283/365 Silliness

Just having fun in the swale. This is their classic pose for Grandma.... we do this a couple of times a year and I usually print it.

282/365 New Sweaters

We drove up to Ladysmith on Vancouver Island to get these sweater coats for the girls. They are handmade by a family in Nepal and brought back to Canada by a Nepal relative who lives in Sooke. We bought them for the girls two years ago and they have worn them constantly spring and fall. They are still in great shape but they have outgrown them.... so we couldn't resist new ones. The plan was to give them to the girls at Christmas but when I picked the girls up from school and they were wearing there old ones.... I thought why not get another few weeks wear out of them so I gave them to the girls after school today. They wanted photos in the swale with them. I was thinking nice posed fall photos with the setting sun with perhaps a more serious expression....... but these two giddy girls had other plans.

281/365 Victoria Harbour

And evening stroll along the harbour in Victoria. This old Federal building, Custom  House, built in 1898 is getting a whole new look.  Not much left of the original building but I applaud the builders for saving some historical aspect of it.
The BC Legislative buildings are looking festive as usual.

280/365 The Fox and Hound

A trip up island to Ladysmith today to a favorite shop there where we always pick up coat/sweaters for the girls and maybe a dress or two for me. It is called Forget-Me-Not and if you are ever in Ladysmith, worth a visit. And do make time to have fish and chips and a good pilsner at the Fox and Hound just around the corner.

279/365 Celebration

Today we celebrated 40 years of marriage. We booked into one of our favorite places in Victoria, Abigails. They always have an amazing breakfast and leave delicious cookies for you.

278/365 Forest Walk.

We walked thru the Quarry Nature Park with Paul and the girls today. I took a lot of beautiful photos of the girls but alas Dad prefers they not be on social media - so here is a beautiful mushroom. The only non human photo I took today :)

277/365 The Pacific Swift

Saw this beautiful two mast schooner passing through the Saanich Inlet on a beautiful fall day.

276/365 Moored

Looks like this sail boat moored at Brentwood Bay won't be going anywhere today. I love the smell of the ocean.

275/365 Ferry Ride

Off to Mill Bay Vancouver Island and we thought it would be fun to take the local ferry across from Brentwood Bay. A great way to start our  40th Anniversary get away. We booked a great place overlooking the ocean in Mill Bay and Paul and the girls will join us tomorrow.

274/365 Sweetheart

This little sweetheart firmly believes that the ratio of whipping cream to hot chocolate should be at least 3:1. She asked for more whipping cream about six times.

273/365 Adventurers

Having a "Swale" time with Grandma Saturday afternoon.

272/365 Swail Fun

271/365 Ray Of Sunshine

I love this girl.
She is such a ray of sunshine in my life. A girl after my own heart. We spent an hour tromping around the swale today and she could have gone another hour but we had to get back to the house.

270/365 Happy Birthday Isla

Today is Isla's third birthday and we rejoice greatly in this little miracle. We will not forget that day three years ago when she came into this world so very early and fought to survive. She has come so far since those first few weeks in NICU and we have so very much to be thankful for. Isla has been such a blessing to our family.
Happy Birthday to our little princess.
What a wonderful birthday cake her mommy made for her.

269/365 Cartwheel Crazy

I think she does about 1000 cartwheels a day....maybe more.

268/365 Cinnamon Buns

Look what came out of the oven minutes before school pick up!!
I guess we won't be eating much supper tonight.

267/365 Parachutes

We made parachutes today and they were very successful!!

266 Nine Years Old

How did that happen???

265/365 Pastor Sam

Isla photo! She took this while on my lap at church today.
Today was the first service of the new church plant in Evergreen. And Isla's Dad preached.

264/365 Happy Birthday Eva

Today we celebrated Eva's Ninth birthday with this beautiful family. Eva is growing into such a lovely young lady. We are so proud of her.

263/365 Cinnamon Buns

These gooey buns were so delicious for breakfast this morning. This recipe is a keeper.

262/365 Dragonfly

This beautiful mosquito eater was on the walkway in the park next to our home. There has been plenty of them this year which is why it has been a great year for mosquitoes or the lack thereof.