It's that time of year, for everywhere but B.C.

It's the time of year when kids just about everywhere are headed back to school. Supplies are bought and carefully labeled, backpacks lovingly packed as full as they can get. Lunches have been made, cute little notes tucked inside. Parents are pulling out their cameras and phones to document little Suzie's first day of Kindergarten and Bobby's first day of middle school. Some parents are rejoicing and basking in the now kid-free days, some are tearfully looking at empty rooms and wondering what to do now. And then there are the parents in British Columbia Canada. These parents are frantically looking for babysitters, for all day daycares, for friends and neighbors to help them out. Or for those of us who dont need daycare, who are instead on a hunt for curriculum books, reading and project materials so that we have some form of education to fill our children's coming days. I have not really picked a side in the current teacher's strike, because honestly I can see both sides. However in the end, its the kids who are losing. My newsfeed is full of first day of school pictures from parents around the country, people are discussing normal first week of school issues, busing, homework, friends, etc. While kids in the public B.C. school system are pushed further behind. At some point there may end up being a winner to this great fight, but whichever way things go, its the kids who'll forever be on the bottom.

May you Rest in Peace

I wanted to take a minute to remember a good friend who left our life much too soon. He always had a smile and kind word, and had a knack for getting a laugh out of anyone in any situation. The laughter and good memories will live on, long after the tears shed at his memorial have dried. He was larger than life, always up for an adventure, and his smile won plenty of hearts. It always seems the stars that shine the brightest are the ones which go out much too soon, and this was definitely too soon for all who knew him. It is my hope that my group of friends can go on having a yearly camping trip, remembering the good, the bad, and even the ugly. Such a loss serves as a reminder that no one knows how much time they truly have, so lets make the most of it!

Nova Scotia girl!

While I'm here, I wanted to share some of my favorite beach pictures of Nova Scotia! We had a blast last summer and have decided to retire there. Until that time though, it will be an every other summer vacation trip. It is beautiful there! I am an East Coast girl at heart! <3. Well clearly Aaron wanted in on this blog post, the first picture is actually a river in B.C. of myself and a friend who is no longer with us, but very near in spirit! So he can stay, the REST of the pics are Nova Scotia!

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No cell phone signal!!

It is finally my most favorite time of year. Besides 5 feet of snow, which coincidentally basically NEVER happens in the lower mainland in British Columbia. That's enough about that, a rant for another day about 7 months from now. No, it is finally summer here, if not officially by calendar date, by balmy beach seeking weather! Which is what we did after school today. Also it is camping season. The time of year my family abandons all modern conveniences and sleeps under the stars, with mere scraps of fabric separating us from the elements. Campfires, smores, hotdogs, dirt, dirt and more dirt, all beloved and soaked up with enthusiasm. Okay well at least for the first day. Then the video game separation anxiety creeps up on the kids, and suddenly us as parents are treated to a chorus of various whines and groans about there being "nothing" to do. Even though that "nothing" was good enough for us as kids. We try hard not to meet their complaints with eye rolls and "when I was young" yarns that will be the cause of their own eyerolls some day. No sir, camping is a family tradition, and will continue thusly, even if we're someday soon going to be roughing it in a cozy trailer instead of a tent. I'm still not installing a TV!