Summer Summer Summer (it's like a merry go round)

This summer was another great memory maker together as a family! Some highlights:

• Camping in Kananaskis with Deb, Berkley & Ruby - the kids had a blast and we had some great late night conversations around the campfire. We were welcomed by a cautionary sign reporting a bear sighting on the campground. When Berkley & I checked in we asked about where and when the bear was spotted. They told us it was just across the river about an hour before we pulled in - a mom & her two cubs. Guess whose site was on the other side of the river from where it was spotted? Yep - ours! Didn't see the bear all week just the same, though others did.
• Camping in Montana with the fam - tons to see, do & explore. The mountains are amazing as are the national parks that we've explored the last few summers here in the west. The Going to the Sun Road was a definite highlight and stopping in Glacier National Park to swim in the lake. The night we set up our trailer our neighbour came over and offered us his park pass for the week! He saved us some bone-age and set us up for swimming & hiking for the week!
• Camping at Red Lodge in Bowden. Always a hit. Lazy river rafting and mud fights at the river's edge.
• Camping in Magrath was alright. We went out on a limb and booked somewhere we hadn't camped before. A bit of rain and mosquitoes didn't help things but we made the most of it. We headed into Lethbridge a few times that week - made good use of the local splash pad & YMCA pool (membership has its privileges!).
• Performing the ceremony for Phil & Amanda's wedding. I love when we get to do those type of things and include our kids. It was a good experience for them to take part in with us.
• Jake & Julia washing the car for me. I looked out the window to discover they had found a squeegee, filled a bucket of water and was washing the car. I went out to see how it was going and to ask what they put in the water. Jake couldn't find any soap so he put dishwasher rinse aid in the water. The car was super shiny!
• Watching the Stamps kick butt twice - first against BC then all over Hamilton.
• Finished the last two Harry Potter books. The Potter books have been my reading material while camping the last three summers. Don't know what I'm going to read while camping next summer. Gonna miss Potter. Rowling is an amazing storyteller - might have to start the series again!
• Read Jim Palmer's second book Wide Open Spaces. I love the guy. He expresses a lot of what I feel about life, God, religion & ministry.
• Read The Shack. As I got a little ways into the book I wondered what the heck am I doing reading this while camping with my six & a half year old daughter. At first I wasn't sure what I thought of the book. I thought it was cheesy in parts; however, it got me thinking a lot to the point of ending up loving the book and setting about to read it again.
• Watching Joel at his hockey camps.
• Millarville Market
• Starbucks Doubleshot(s)
• Bertuzzi signing with the Flames
• Coffee with Peel
• Finding out Metallica hits Calgary in Dec (tickets on sale in Sept)
• Scars on Broadway (best download of the summer)
• Tropic Thunder (best movie of the summer)
• Hitting the tat show tomorrow (soon to be highlight!)

It's been a good summer!