And speaking of messy.....

We usually tidy up toys on a daily basis, but sometimes there are block structures or Lego creations or Tinkertoy towers that we just can't bear to dismantle and put away. It can get a bit out of hand after a few days, though. Case in point:
And here are the soccer stars of the family, after I managed to get them both to and from their respective games, which happened simultaneously in two different cities. So I must be awesome. :)

Experiments

Hmmm....what happens when you pour vinegar over baking soda? What if we add toothpaste? Curiosity may be messy, but isn't it fantastic?

First Day of School

4th grade and 1st grade. Just look at these cuties. They're so big. Awww.

Skype!

Man, if Skype isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread! High speed internet has finally reached Lochaber Mines, so we Skyped with Nana for the first time today. Coolness. Of course, Trevi had to share each of his eight thousand Lego creations, while Clara showed off her nail polish. Hopefully, this will make the time between visits a bit easier to take.

Heading home

Sadly, we had to say goodbye today. I wish we could just shrink the world up a bit, and make distance a bit more manageable. Sigh. We've had such a nice time, though, and I'm always grateful that we're able to make this trip at least once a year. Thanks for everything, Nana and Papa!

P.S. Take a look at this incredible stonework that Wayne has done completely with his own two hands:
Amazing. He has spent his free time over the past couple of years collecting every flat rock on the Eastern Shore. He wanders the woods searching, carries the rocks to his truck, hauls them home, splits them with a wedge and a sledgehammer, and then finds a spot for each slice of rock. Every time we visit, there's a new wall or seating area or stairway. So cool.

P.P.S. We spent a couple of hours in Halifax before heading to the airport hotel, so we caught part of the Busker Festival at the harbour, and toured an old Corvette ship. Cue the photo op:It would take too long to sail to San Francisco, though, so I guess we'll still fly...

Water Water Everywhere

We have no shortage of water around here, and today was the perfect day to get wet.

The morning was spent cruising around the lake with Papa.
Pool noodle siphons were invented.
We even made a repeat trip to the ocean, with Nana joining us.
It was our last full day here, and Nova Scotia pulled out all the stops, giving us beautiful weather and complete relaxation. Nice.

Post-Luau

Almost everyone spent the night, so we enjoyed more visiting today. While the adults were knocking back the coffee, the kids found tons of new ways to be cute.

They played some Duck Duck Goose.
They swam.
They even created a special scavenger hunt for the adults. It was pretty tricky, actually, and the treasure chest, emptied of its chocolate loonies from yesterday, contained a new treasure.
Just before it was time for kids and dogs to get packed into cars, we posed.Aren't we cute?

P.S. Happy birthday to Chad today!
P.P.S. He's older than I am, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah! :)

The 2nd Annual Lochaber Luau

Last year's luau/scavenger hunt was such a success that Nana and Papa cooked up another one this year. Folks came from all over the province (well, from a few places, anyway), and we feasted, frolicked, and watched the kids run around.

We definitely looked the part.
Trevi overindulged in accessories.
Papa explained the scavenger hunt guidelines, and then we set off into the woods, in search of coconuts, tropical birds, and a few dozen other knick-knacks. I get the feeling that Papa's shed must be pretty empty at this point....
The buried treasure (a box full of chocolate loonies) was discovered under the boat!
We hadn't seen Shawna and Stan for years, and their four cuties made perfect playmates for Clara and Trevor. It was a happy coincidence that little James was celebrating his first birthday today. Happy birthday, James!

The horseshoe tournament began in the afternoon, and continued well into the night (as it always does).
If you happen to be in Nova Scotia next August, please join us at the 3rd Annual Lochaber Luau. Bring your appetite, your grass skirt, your detective skills, and your throwing arm.

Atlantic

Clara, Trevi and I had an absolutely perfect day at the beach. Wow. It was overcast and slightly cool for most of the morning, but the place was all but deserted, and the sand entertained us until it was time to head back for dinner.

A rainy day yesterday created a little river flowing out of the marsh, to the ocean. We camped there for the entire day, and created a sand civilization. Oh, the sibling peace and cooperation! It was glorious. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Hanging Out

We've had a steady stream of friends and neighbors coming to visit since we arrived, and the weather has been lovely. Lots of swimming, stone skipping, and catching up.

Jenny came to hang with Clara for the afternoon.

The Easy Bake Oven got a workout.

Tracy and Brad (the other bald (and rhyming) guy) brought their gang.

We dug out the marble scooper thingy, and Trev stared at it for hours.

I drank coffee all day long, and ate a lot of homemade macaroni and cheese. What more could you ask for?