Peaches on a prayer

So yesterday, while I was in Lethbridge, my local grocery store called to tell me that if I didn't order peaches by noon, I would likely be out of luck all together. I didn't get the message until 4pm. Somehow I had missed the case lot sale, and somehow I seemed to have missed the entire peach season without realizing it. It might have something to do with being busy with a 6 month old and 4 other wonderful children. Whatever the reason for my absent mindedness, I was desperate to find peaches because I only have 5 jars left on my shelf. While in Lethbridge, I had checked out several grocery stores, but nobody had cases available. And then I got home to this message. I was very disappointed. Somehow I had to find some peaches, even if it meant just buying some by the pound. I love canned peaches and I couldn't imagine going a year without any. Last night I asked Heavenly Father to somehow make available some peaches for me to can.
This morning when my little grocery store called to tell me that my cases of pears were in and that there was an extra  20lb case of peaches available if I wanted it. I said I'd take it and felt grateful that Heavenly Father had answered my prayer. 20lbs is better than none, even if it isn't anywhere close to the 80lbs I usually put up. Little did I know that Heavenly Father wasn't finished answering my prayer. Just moments ago, I checked my email and found an email from my fruit lady that I always buy apples from in the fall. The email told me that peaches would be available one last time.I thought I had missed her peaches altogether when her previous email said it was the last chance for peaches. I was giddy as I sent an email back with my order for 3 cases of peaches. Not only did Heavenly Father answer my prayer for "some" peaches, he made sure I could get ALL of my peaches. I feel so incredibly blessed and loved.

Where did the summer go?

The kids are off to school today. I'm not sure I am entirely ready for it.  I am looking forward to the regular routine again. But this summer has been so wonderful. The weather has been perfect. I'm afraid that by sending my kids off to school, this beautiful weather just might come to an end, and I am certainly not ready for that to happen.The summer has been so relaxing and crazy all at the same time. I wish we could have squeezed in one more camping trip. But oh well, we had plenty of adventures to fill our summer days. The kids have been super excited to get back to school.And now it's just James and Ella and I...what shall we do first?

Kathryn, Grade 6; Tansley, Grade 3; Kymberly, Grade 1.

Super Mom, or so they say.

I have to give a huge shout out to my amazing kids. We went camping this past week, just me and the kids We packed up and drove 5 minutes or so down the highway to our little prairie oasis, Goldsprings Park. The weather was perfect for hanging out on the newly improved beach, which we did every day, all day long. I met a number of people who were amazed that I would go camping with five kids all on my own. Then they would find out that we were in a tent and not a trailer, and their jaw would hit the ground. "Why would you come out on your own, with a baby, in a tent?" some would ask. "It just what we do, not usually on my own, but we've always done it this way, since I was a kid."  Then they would tell me I must be super mom, or something of the sort. If I am super mom, it's all because I have super kids. And I'd tell them just that. I couldn't do it if they weren't so awesome.
When it was bedtime, they went to bed, they helped with the dishes, they helped with the baby, they helped with the meals. It wasn't all perfect, we had a few rough moments, like our last night, when we got back to the tent late and there was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth from three of the five kids, and I am sure our new neighbours were super glad to see us pack up and leave the next day...it's too bad they hadn't been there the nights previous to see just how good my kids really were. We had a wonderful get away, and I would do it again in a heartbeat, or next summer for sure.

Those darn aliens

I just had this conversation...

James: "My back hurts"

Mom: "Let me see, oh, you have scratches on your back. I wonder where they came from."

J: "From outer space."

M: "They came from outer space? Was it an alien?"

J: "Yes, they came from there." pointing towards his closet.

M: "The aliens are in your closet?"

J: "Yes, they are scary. And I have snakes in my room. Under here." pointing under his bed.

M: " You have snakes in your room too?"

J: " Yes. Can I have a peanut butter sandwich?"

And just like that the conversation was over.

A Geocaching Road Trip

We have always enjoyed a good road trip. We love to drive to small little towns on back roads through the middle of nowhere. This summer we have discovered the fun of geocaching. Geocaching is a global treasure hunting game using GPS coordinates. Caches can be found in cities, in towns, in parks, and best of all, in the middle of nowhere. This game was meant for us. Currently there are approximately 2,173,442 geocaches hidden worldwide. We have found 43.

Wednesday we planned a little day trip around three of our favourite things. First, a good road trip to nowhere. Second, a magnificent dam. Third, the hunt for geocaches. We headed south to Conrad, Montana and then west to a little place called Dupuyer where we made our first two finds. One at the local campground and one at the rest area just outside of town.

We then headed further west to the Swift Dam. Just before the dam we found a cache in a pile of rocks and then near the base of the dam we found another one in a tree. While we were there we checked out the dam from the bottom, from the top and from the side. Kymberly attempted to make her own little dam from rocks and moss. Tansley played with rock snot and Kathryn and dad took a trek right up to the base of the dam. There was also this awesome rustic campground that would be great for just getting away and relaxing.

Next we headed off in a somewhat northeast direction past a place called Valier. We wanted to stop at the rock city to grab a couple more caches but it was getting late and kids were getting hungry and the two at the rock city would require a little bit of hiking.. These two would have to wait for another day when we had more time. Instead we headed out on another backroad to find two quick park and grab caches. The first was down by the river in this amazing picturesque valley. I didn't go along for this one because Ella was starving, But the kids all went with dad. The next one was just up the road, with an incredible view of some awesome rock formations.

By now it was really getting late and way past supper time, so we headed to Cutbank to get some Pizza before heading home. It was a beautiful day to be out exploring. Can't wait to do it again!