DATE AT SMITTYS

My idea of a perfect night out would be dressing up, driving to a restaurant by boat and having a delicious dinner with great friends outside on a patio.

Somehow, we managed to pull this off last week.  Thanks to Jake's mom and aunt and uncle, we left our 7 kids on Pasley, and boated off to meet 2 other friends for a dinner out.  It was so fun, I thought it deserved a post all on its own.

driving to dinner

fresh oysters

an unexpected visit with a brother

friends who live too far away

yummy beers (before I dumped my entire pint onto Candiss)

the spilled beer aftermath

the boys side of the table

The second best part of the night...coming home to 7 sleeping children all warm and cozy in their beds.

SUMMER PROJECT: PAINTING SIGNS

In true form, I have a lot of summer projects planned this year.  Probably too many projects. Things like, build a fairy house, create some beach treasure art, paint the wicker chairs white, paint some Pasley landscapes, put up a bird house, try some new recipes for left over crab, plant a herb and vegetable garden, beautify the loft bedroom...

In between friends coming and going, the kids and I have managed to accomplish one of my summer projects: painting some signs onto driftwood and finally, after 6 years, painting our name on our cart.

This is Clara's "welcome" sign.  She is really into hummingbirds right now...

Here is my little painting on our cart:

And this is Sam's sign.  He painted the background and dictated what he wanted written on it:

Will just painted the grass and his right leg.

DRIZZLY DAYS

It has been drizzly and cloudy since our guests left on Sunday evening.  We have done lots of baking, hiked to Summit Rock, flew a Spiderman kite, played Fairy Snap and visited the George's at their cabin on Keats Island.  

Here are the littlest ones kicking back with a bot...

(Jake and the kids have just left on the boat to pick up some friends and their 4 boys, so I figured I should try to squeeze in one more post today since tomorrow we will be managing 7 kids and trying to catch up with good friends...in the sun, I hope).

IF MY GRANDMA WAS A CRAB

If my Grandma was a crab

She would be pink on the outside

And white on the inside

I would crack her open and dip her in butter.

But if my Grandma was her

I would cuddle up with her and watch a movie.

Clara-age 6 and a quarter 

(inspired by a dinner of fresh crab and Grandma's sunburn)

Clara dressed up like Grandma at breakfast

Grandma arrived on Sunday early evening for an extended stay on Pasley.  Grandma loves Pasley.  In fact, I think she loves Pasley as much as she loves Christmas, her Birthday and a dinner of fresh caught crab with lots of butter and a glass of red.

Grandma is also notorious for showing up on the dock with lots of luggage and food as well as gifts and treats for the kids.  But I have decided we can't complain anymore.  So far, this week, the kids have had 2 sleepovers with her, have spent the bulk of the day playing over at "her cabin", Jake and I have had breakfast in bed twice, plus 2 lunches served on a tray and lots of quiet alone time together, including 2 movies in bed.

Thanks Grandma!

On another note, one of the recurring Pasely games so far this summer has been playing "Grandma."  It involves Sam putting on a black long wig and Clara and her friends asking Grandma if they could have a treat.  Sam finds the treat stash and proceeds to dispense the goodies out.  See pictures below (very funny):

6th ANNUAL P.I.G.S IN PICTURES

17 adults

18 kids

5 dogs

5 men down with the tummy flu

on an island for 3 nights...

=the 6th Annual P.I.G.S (Pasley Island Gong Show)

the first load of "stuff"

reading on the rocks

using up the art supplies

dinner prep...I'm sure everyone lets their 18 month old cut tomatoes

more kitchen helpers

a toast!

the kid's table

movie under the stars...or more like, movie in the forest

looking out for chris' fly over...

chris, in the top right corner

braving the pacific

my husband is good at pouring

painting rocks

cliff jumping

sports day!

daddy tug o war

annie giving out the prizes

will enjoying his prize

watermelon gong

dark and stormies

Thanks everyone! 

It was a gong for sure, but it was also so much fun!

CATCHING UP FROM LAST WEEK

Just trying to catch up here before our 35 guests arrive this afternoon for the 6th Annual P.I.G.S (Pasley Island Gong Show) weekend. Will is napping and the kids are playing an intense game of UNO.  I have limited time to spend on the computer, in other words.

So here are some pictures from last weekend with our friends.  Thank you guys for helping us kick off our first weekend of the summer on the island.

the boys helping me row the crab trap out

trying to stay awake at the end of the day

waiting for the daddies to arrive

i love this...the girls waiting calmly while the boys monkey around

story before bedtime

the day's art

a walk to the park

boys eating pistachio nuts under the mosquito net

found a robin egg

love those chubby 18 month old legs

picking berries

regretting buying squirt guns

daddy and will, fresh from waking up

HAPPY CANADA DAY

Today Canada is 142 years old!

So far we have dressed in red and white, raised the Canadian flag while singing the National Anthem, ate puff pancakes with maple syrup, painted Canadian themed pictures while singing Happy Birthday to our amazing country...

We officially moved to Pasley for the summer last Thursday which is why I have neglected my postings.  We kind of "disappear" up here. I have, however, already taken hundreds of photos, so tonight I will try to catch up.