Our Spicey!

Spice loves to hang out in the sunbeams on her hill! This was taken in August when it was much warmer than now - BBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR October!

Loving Spicey

Tay and I went to the Fall Fair and a lady was there with saddles she sells from Vernon. Tay and I both found saddles we want. I love this its pink and brown one with a pink pad under it, a fuzzy little donkey on it . Tay fell in love. I didn't get to sit in the one I wanted, but its a western one that is on the TOP of my wish list!  as well as a matching bridle!
( Ed said I have to get a western one so he can ride Spice too!)  

Spice ready for a ride!
This saddle was given to me a year and half ago by a wonderful lady that taught me all I know about horses. Its so exciting for me to be able to ride in it again on my own horse.
Not only did I ride in it every weekend as a kid, but I also rode in it at our wedding on Sherry.
  Talk about sentimental value!

Fireman for a day!

Last week was fire prevention week, so the kids got a visit by the Forest Grove Volunteer Fire Dept and Sparky the fire dog. Durign the assembly Russell was taken aside and told he would the schools fire Cheif for a day! He was so Excited!!!
He got to wear the cheifs hat ride in the fire truck to town with Sparky, he had lunch with the firefighters at the Firehouse Diner (how appropriate) and he recieved a very special sweat shirt with the FGV fore Dept logo on it! Oh and his name in the paper!

Fall fishing trip

A couple weekends ago we decided to head out to Spanish lake for breakfast, some fishing and a bit of hunting along the shoreline and the road.

Spanish Lake is located on the edge of Wells Grey Provincial Park, east and a bit south of us. Its about an hour and a half on logging roads from our house and well worth the drive!

View of the lake from the road - I really wanted to go to the little island but when we got there it was pretty soggy!

View up the lake from the teeny tiny little beach

There is a little (I stress little) waterfall at the tree line - we went fishing there and Ed had to keeping paddling so we didn't go for a ride!

Shayleigh watching the fishing lines hit the water - she loves riding in the boat!

Shayleigh on the bow. At one point we pulled up to shore and she jumped out before I could stop her, right into the MUD - EWWWW, so I had her sit up on the bow of the boat so she couldn't get my shoes soaked.  She sat there for 45 minutes it was so cute. As you can see she barely fits there I put one of the paddles under her bum so she wouldn't fall off backwards

Taylers picture of Dad and the boys. Dad was listening for Moose - he really wanted to bring one home - thank goodness we didn't because I'm really not sure how we would have gotten it home in the car and the trailer with the boat on it

Hanging out on our little beach - we build a fire and had pancakes and hot chocolate, it was so nice

Yippy I got one!

They got three in total - Dylan 1,  Daddy 2

Our favorite lake!

Near the end of the summer we took another trip out to Crooked lake for exploring and fishing. 

We found a nice little beach up the lake, where Tay and I hung out and wrote letters while the boys fished.

Mama and her babies

Writing letters

Dylan and Russ out fishing in the bay. Later Dylan was allowed to run the motor he was soooooo Proud!

While the boys went out in the boat Ed and I cooked steak dinner over the fire, it was so yummy. 

The evening was gorgeous and warm, a wonderful August evening!

View across the lake

Setting up the sawmill

In the spring Ed purchased a circular sawmill, from a company in town.  It took most of the summer to get it home, because we had to wait till the ground was dry or the crane truck would get stuck in the yard where the sawmill was parked. The last load of 3 came home in early August and he has spent many afternoons out setting up and fabricating the mill.  I lost track of the amount of bits and pieces that were bought home but in late August, while Sue, Mike and the girls were here, Ed and Mike made some huge progress and it has gone from pieces here and there to a sawmill setup.

Moving the carriage from the shop out to the mill

Goofing around out at the sawmill site. Whos idea was this, I found a video where Annika and Dylan pulled the tree down and it looked like Russ was about to be launched through the air, thank goodness he was too heavy for the tree

Playing around on the base before all the pieces arrive

The audience watching progress and there to lend a hand

Coming down

Steady, Steady

Fort in the trees

Almost there

Since August it has almost all been put together, lately Ed has been tweaking and lining things up. Soon it will be up and running.

More pictures to come of progress and the history of it.

Harvest

Yesterday we were invited to pick some potatoes and other vegtables at our friend Lloyds garden. His garden is absolutely huge, we have been over on many occasions to pick lettuce, spinach and berries.

The kids happily fulled 2 large sacks, 2boxes and 1 bin of veggies

Picking carrots with Grandpa Lloyd

The sacks were so heavy it took 2 of us to get hte in the car- it was amazing - we figure Lloyd gave us 300lbs of potatoes, 50lbs of carrots and 20lbs of other assorted root veggies. I kept saying what about you and Linda, we can't take this much - he said 75% of my root vegetables are still in the ground to be dug up - gives an idea of how HUGE his garden is! He says his favorite part is being able to share it with friends and family.