lemons2lemonade: July Lessons

After a wicked storm, the result was a low-tide sandbar that went on forever
... into the mists. Gorgeous!

July was a study in hurry-up-and-relax! Very typical of a summer holiday month with four kids: plenty of camp hours, projects and miles to cover.

Canada Day was one of many wet and soggy days of the month. The strange thing that happened was that Chloe and Caden attended camp that day. As far as I recall, that has never happened! Maybe our nation’s birthday is no longer considered sacrosanct? Or all-day-holiday worthy?
We totally reorganized the boys’ room and Cole now has my old modular desk system – it looks great, and very official. He’s now the captain of their space – I guess that makes Caden the cruise director?
Chloé attended two weeks of Theatre Arts Camp where she absolutely thrives in that creative environment. She is so involved and helpful with the little kids. I’m really surprised and thrilled with her patience with children.
Further confirmed how much I loathe American news coverage – infotainment at best. Very dangerous agenda. Or just sad.
Caden was praised for his performance during two weeks of Exploring Sports Camp. I do believe he is learning to cooperate and show himself to be the good sportsman I know he can be!
The Wimbledon Gentlemen’s Final was incredible; as was the British Open. Lots going on the other side of the pond early this month!
Both Claire and Cole enjoyed tormenting poor Ms K at Outrigger Canoe Camp. They both received “report cards” filled with top marks for their athletic performance, but the camp is filled with older adolescents and there is plenty of hormone action happening much to the playful torture of Ms. K! Oh, she is more capable than most of handling it so I wasn’t too terribly worried about her … or the kids!
Caden was very sick in Cape Cod as a result of swallowing most of the bay. Salt water – ick. He has only recently recovered. He was at his worst when, in a very quiet voice from the backseat, I heard: “Mama, I think I’ve lost my happy.” Heartbreaking.
I really enjoyed the Challenge of Me with Lisa Day over at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Really jump-started my creative spirit, which had been somewhat dormant, flat, of late.
Claire did not make it onto the Bantam Team Ontario girls baseball team this year. She was disappointed, but the cut was expected – and done in such a respectful and kind way there is no way to be anything but encouraged for next season. Through July the girls had only played six games, not much chance for the first year girls to get much playing time.
As a family we watched and enjoyed – loudly – the Bachelorette. My kids, rightly, believed I was rooting for Ed because of his sexy Louis-style shorts :) Thrilled he won though the kids were rooting for Reid.
I am really fascinated and thrilled at Caden’s new love of Lego. He’s fixated. Yay!
Along with many others, I received the very sad news that my online scrapbook community: JustCre8, will be shutting down and the August kits are to be the last.
Took on the project of clearing out and organizing my iPhoto. I started with little less than 24,000 photos and now have 19,000. Well, maybe more, since I was a bit snap-happy on holiday!
While we were away, Caden’s 3on3 hockey team won the season championship over at Ice2Ice. We were thrilled for all of his teammates!
Because I really can’t just “relax”, I did manage to put together a master To-Do List for the last quarter of ’09. I’ll be thrilled if I get even half of it done.
Really enjoying the new hang-out of the “old” Simple Scrapbookers at: write.click.scrapbook and I’m looking forward to learning what Ella Publishing Co. is all about.
Cole spent most of the Canlan Ice Sports 3on3 season as the High Scorer. This fact gives our family quite a giggle.
Cole went through a full regimen of allergy shots. Lets hope that come September he can see clearly rather than squinting through golf-ball-sized swollen lids he’s suffered from over the past couple of years.
Finally figured out how to delete documents from my MacBook. THAT was a revelation which resulted in a very clean and tidy laptop :)
We enjoyed two weeks in Cape Cod. The weather was lovely and most days were spent at the beach and hanging around the house. A very low-key holiday with time spent together as a family and visits from a couple of my friends: Shirley and Nel and their families. The best part, of course, was spending time with my parents! Oh, and eating plenty of lobster and ribs.
Made my first acrylic album. WOW! That was so much fun. Tons of ideas now rattling around in my overloaded head.
The last day of the month was spent driving from Cape Cod to Gatineau, Quebec. A very rainy trip through New Hampshire, Vermont and New York, crossing into Canada by way of Cornwall. The drive through the islands of Lake Champlain – in a brief respite from the drizzle – was spectacular. We’re hoping to do the drive again.