It's that time AGAIN!!!

I actually snapped a pic of BOTH babez looking in the right direction!!!!

Now it's your turn...

Who's who?

Good luck!

Beet This!

Lookin' pretty good!

Bloomin' Crazy!

I was in the garden today...

The strawberries are BLOOMIN' again!

What is going on?!?

I've never had strawberries bloom TWICE in a season!

Unfortunately I don't think there will be enough time for these blooms to turn into berries...bummer... 

It's been a very strange summer indeed!

Babez @ the Window...

I've been doing a bit of room reshuffling...

The babez LOVE to sit and look out the window...

So I wanted to keep the ottomans underneath the window sill so they can climb up and enjoy the view anytime they'd like.

Snapped this sweet pic and so it IS my potd!

Eight Maids a Milkin'!

Well actually it was TWO maids and TWO farm 'dudes'....

[What is the male version of "maid"?]

Here they are... 

[dh didn't make it into the pic.]

[He needs to send me the pics off his phone too... ;o)]

So I'll just post a pic of the kiddos AFTER they went to the farm at 5:30AM to milk cows!!!

YES THEY DID!

Here's where they went...

http://www.cheeseworks.ca/

You are welcome to go at 5:30 AM or PM.

You'll recall we visited Little Qualicum Cheeseworks Farm in June...

http://alliseverydaymoments.blogspot.com/2010/06/little-qualicum-cheeseworks.html

While there we learned that they were open for any & all help during their cow milking times...

We suggested to the kiddos that 5:30AM would be a great time to go as there would be a better chance of nobody else being there...

They decided they would do just that!

So today off they went!

They had an absolute  BLAST!!!

They milked the WHOLE herd!

68 cows!

They spent 3 hours helping Dave.

He's in charge of the dairy part of the farm.

He was really impressed with their efforts and even gave them some FREE cheese!

You can't get a much better experience than that!

They would LOVE to do it again!

They cleaned teats, hooked up milking machines and iodined the teats when they were finished.

They did it all!

They learned a lot too!

I am so proud of all of them for getting up at 5AM and making the 20 minute drive to be there and ready for the 5:30AM cow call!

Way to go my little hayseeds!

Buckethead Babez...Revisited!

Remember these two?

Buckethead babez...

What a couple of kooky kidz!

'g'

- - - - - 

'c'

- - - - -

But wait...it gets better!

She wouldn't take it off!

For several minutes!

...and several MORE!

She continued to play like NOTHING was different!

Even AFTER 'g2' had removed hers...

'c' was still rockin' the 'buckethead'!

And then Dad came home, so she switched to his hat!

And once Dad put his hat away... 'c' found a Tupperware container.

This is a particular favourite of her's.

It kinda looks like a space helmet...

and the BONUS...

She can SEE through it!

- - - - -

Yeah, I know...they're just too cute!

So, go ahead...release your inner buckethead!

Goat Cheese Tart!

So today's POTD is actually from yesterday...

Remember I showed you me shoppe-ing in Pville at my lss?

Well... the roadtrip didn't end there!

Courtenay was calling us!

Well...actually it was Atlas Cafe that was calling us...

THIS specific menu item was beckoning me...

Ok, SCREAMING at me is more like it...

LOL...

~ Goat Cheese Tart ~

Check out their menu...

You'll be oh so glad you did!

http://atlascafe.ca/menus/

I did enjoy eating the WHOLE thing!

Ok, well ALL of it except for ONE small triangle.

My buddy 'D' was along for the ride, food and shoppin' too!

She enjoyed the Mushroom & Chicken Quesadilla... and that wee triangle of Goat Cheese Tart!

Here's a pic of my plate post goat-cheese-tart-delectableness!!!

  I SOOOO wanted to pick it up and lick it clean!

But I was in a public place and my Momma raised me to know better!

I also enjoyed the Roasted Eggplant & Sweet Chili Yam Quesadilla...

We each had a piece of quesadilla left over...

So they came home with me!

dh enjoyed them when he went fishing!

[He says THANK YOU btw 'D'!]

In case you haven't figured it out yet...

Atlas IS my favourite place to eat!

It's an hour drive from where I live...

But I think it's WELL worth it! 

Scrap Shoppin'!!!

So this is my POTD...

This is me...

This is how I prefer to shoppe for pps at my lss...

http://www.scrapbookinadventures.ca/

Yes, I call that local!

It's only a 20 minute drive.

I think that's closer than some people's drive if they live on the lm!

So if you're in Parksville, stop in and say "hi" to the gals who get to hang out there!

Oh... and don't forget to pick up some scrappin' goodies too!

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Ice Cream!

That little ditty still sings through my head...
We grew up singing it....or screaming it!
And for only $3.00 you can bring an ice cream smile to your kiddo's face!
Or kiddos faces....it doesn't matter how many you have!
PC has 30 BRAND NEW ice cream shoppe flavours they introduced this summer!

Superstore sells the PC Ice Cream Shoppe flavours for $3.00 each.

It's a good deal for a 946 mL container.

So when dh & I were picking up a few groceries today we decided to get one flavour for each kid!

Well... each of the BIG kiddos!

Looks like we picked just the right ones!
Check out those smiles!
Each flavour was a BIG HIT with each kiddo!
Do we know their faves or what?!!
After supper we blindfolded them and told them NOT to peek...
We opened up each carton and dug a spoon into the ice cream...
then we said, "One, two, three!"
They slid off their blindfolds revealing their treat!
Their mouths dropped open and they said,
"Do we get to eat the WHOLE thing?!"
Of course the answer was no...
but they were given several minutes to consume what they wanted.
Eventually they will eat the whole thing...
we were all poking into each others anyhow...
So we tasted each scrumptious flavour.
I was surprised at the ones that I enjoyed...
I wouldn't normally purchase a banana split ice cream...
[I don't like artificial banana flavour]
BUT this one was delicious and has REAL bananas,
so the flavour is most delightful!
I would definitely buy that one again for my own consumption!
The Root Beer Float one we knew was delish!
We've had it before!
The Cotton Candy one was ALL for 'z'.
She's my candy girl and I knew she would LOVE it!
They also had a bubble gum flavour...
I was torn between them ...
I knew she'd like them BOTH!
Another time...
So, if you haven't tried the PC Ice Cream Shoppe flavours...
give them a GO!
There's bound to be one or two ...or three...maybe even four or five
that'll make your taste buds scream!
I scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM...........!
ENJOY!

More VIEX pics...

So there are animals as well at the VIEX...

Here's 'z' holding a 'kid'... 

- - - - -

And Miss 'c' getting "in touch" with a burrow...

- - - - -

The babez spent their time in the "double-wide"

'c' didn't want to nap, but 'g2' just had to!

- - - - -

'G' & 's' had a "smashing" good time!

I don't "get it" but they do!

Plus the money raised goes to a local charity...

- - - - - 

Now we've finally arrived at the ride of rides!!!

"The Zipper"

Here's 'G' & 'g' BEFORE...

'g' LOVES this ride!

Look at the smile on her face...

This is AFTER...

Her smile got BIGGER!!!

Guess we know where she gets it from!

She rode it 6 times!

She managed to get 's' on it 4 times!

I'm pretty sure it's her favourite ride!

They have so much fun every year.

I'm hoping that someday we make it over to the PNE...

For now, they're happy to keep it local.

VIEX!!!

So today we took the kiddos to the Vancouver Island Exhibition...

VIEX...

There are plenty of pics to share and so I will be spreading them out over the next couple of days...

Here's one from the first ride of the morning...

'g', 's' & 'z' on 'The Sizzler' BEFORE it started moving!

- - - - -

Here's 'The Lightening Bolt'...

Here are 's' & 'g' ON said ride...

They LOVED it and rode it several times throughout the day & night!

- - - - -

Now we move onto 'The Spider'...

'g' & 's' getting ready for "the ride".

- - - - -

's' & 'z' getting on 'Zero Gravity'...

's' & 'z' waiting for the fun to begin!

Here they are mid-ride.

- - - - -

Here's a pic of 'z' later in the day...

Yes, she's on 'Zero Gravity' BY HERSELF!

She would ride it solo when the other kiddos were on a ride she wasn't allowed to go on.

Here's 'z' & her friend 't'...

They rode 'The Sizzler' into the night!

ALL of the kiddos BIG & SMALL had a heap o' FUN today... AND tonight!

- - - - -

I've got more pics to share...

Stay tuned...

Watermelon Cake?

One of our most favourite Summer desserts is watermelon!

Today I was slicing some up and I just kept slicing and stacking and slicing and stacking... 

Behold my watermelon cake!

Looks funky, tastes great and it disappeared faster than it was created!

Dark Chocolate Pick-Me-Up THANK YOU!

So, I've been having a bit of a bumpy go of thingz lately...

I'm not sure why and it's lasted far TOO long...

But I have a VERY smart friend who realized that what might help is...

 DARK CHOCOLATE!!!

I discovered this most delectable treat when I arrived home yesterday!

It was delivered to my house while I was out and is was a MOST wonderful surprise to come home to.

So I just wanted to say THANK YOU to 'T' for her thoughtfulness and friendship.

I do believe I see a light... all-be-it a "DARK" light at the end of my

 "I've-been-in-a-terrible-funk tunnel".

Oh... just for the record...there are no longer 3 bars left...

But I did share!

And there are some left!

A snippet from today...

THIS is my potd...

I was plunked on the floor today with my camera and the babez...

Just clickin' away...

This shot captures my current life's position...

One babe in one spot and the other babe  somewhere else!

I'm CONSTANTLY tracking who's WHERE...

However, in less than two weeks I lose ALL of my extra helping hands...

[Big kiddos are headed back to school]

I am going to have to return to my mindset of not getting ANYTHING done during the day!

Tracking babez & keeping them fed, changed & happy keeps me hoppin'!

Now that they are walking...well... RUNNING...in opposite directions

it's going to be a whole different game than it was back in June.

I rarely answer the phone now!

Good thing I have an answering machine!

So, leave me a message!

Toothleth!

'Z' hath gone toothleth AGAIN!

One front tooth gone...

One yet to go...

Pooh Kisses!

A series of pics today...

Miss 'g2' givin' some kisses to Pooh-bear...

...and a BIG hug...

..

Yes, they're tucked into yet another box...

Kisses, hugz, Pooh & 'g2' in a box!
Oh so "beary" cute!

Anise Hyssop...

Last summer we got hooked on a Farmer's Market vendors "salad mix"...

He listed each element that was in his "mix"...

It was there that I discovered Anise Hyssop...

I tracked a couple of plants to a local nursery...

They survived our mild winter and look at them this year!

So bushy & full!

Check out those gorgeous pale lavender blooms!

SO delicious in salads!

btw... Anise Hyssop lends a spunky spicy licorice flavour to your salad greens mix.

Enjoy!

Babe In a Box!

Diapers were ON SALE this week!

The bonus...THE BOX!

And when your sibs put a couple of pillows in there...

You can't get much more comfortable than that!

Here's wee Miss 'c' enjoying some one on one time with her fave toy-of-the-minute...

Love how her teency feet are poppin' out the end...