Dad's 60th

My dad turned 60 on June 29th. We took a week of holidays so that we could be at the family cottage for Canada Day weekend to celebrate. It was really wonderful to have all of my dad's family together - although we were missing a few significant others for the cousins.

Grandpa with his girls

Grandpa Ed with Lia

Charlotte trying to grab the cake!

My dad's parents - Grandpa Ed and Grandma Jean

Charlotte in the pool

Lia loves the water!

feeding Charlotte

Dad gives his sister Mary Ann a hug

Dad and Alison

My younger siblings wake boarded masterfully and enjoyed the company of their cousins and friends.

Brother Ben

Blaise

Joanna

The sleeping was a challenge. Ben and Isabelle slept in a tent just outside the front door and we quickly discovered that she would not be able to fall asleep when Ben was in the tent. So each nap time and evening he left her to kick and read books and then joined her when she was for sure asleep around 10pm. Except for the last night, when after he started to unzip the door, he heard, "Hellloooooo!!!!" and she was standing straight up. He had to leave and come back at about 10:40pm.

It was really fun going through tons of old pictures for Dad's video (which Joanna and her man Blaise did a superb job on!). I made this collage of dad with both of my girls. We were trying to write a song for my dad and it ended up being a cool, funny beat poem with my brother Ben playing a funny riff on the guitar and Alison chanting the poem that included the repeated phrase, "Richard. Richard."

Writing the beat poem/song

Performing the song/beat poem....

Isabelle and Charlotte both loved seeing Lia, their much loved cousin. Lia is so joyful and full of life that I almost burst with happiness when I think about her! Here is some footage of all three girls.

Our traveling for the week went amazingly well. Yes, there is always that 30-60 minutes at the end of the trip when we are so close to home we can feel it, that both seem to cry unceasingly.

Canada still feels like home.