It's the good kind of annual*

Ok, so I spent an hour writing this post yesterday and it was set to go live this morning.  Then the vast and wide Internet decided to chew it up and spit it out, forgetting to including the words.  Let's try this again...

First off, we have a winner over at OFS Reviews!  Go check it out and see if it's you.  And stay tuned, there are more contests and reviews on the horizon.

August always proves to be the busiest month of our summer.  It seems that we take awhile to get our summer plans rolling and before we know it, we are trying to cram everything we need and want to get done into one month.  It may not sounds efficient or well organized, and it's not, but it's what seems to happen, every year.  This year, of course was no different.

Of all the things that we do and plan for August, the highlight by far for all 4 of us is our Annual trip to Sooke, with my parents and brother.  My Mom books the condo at the Sooke Harbour and Marina almost a year in advance and as soon as it's booked it's on our calenders, in my day planner and of course on my Crackberry.  We then have the better part of a year to save, plan, dream, countdown the sleeps (and I'm not talking about the kids) and anticipate.  

Grammy and the girls "reading" cookbooks

It's so beautiful there, with the ocean at our finger tips, the unique and often quirky town of Sooke and Victoria only a stone's throw away.  It is also a chance to chill out and relax with some of our favourite people.  I know that I work with my Mom and Dad, and we see them on a fairly regular basis, but some days it feels as though I hardly have a relationship with them, particularly my Dad.  It seems between the hustle and bustle of two kids in an office setting and the whole needing to be productive for work thing, we hardly talk about more than plywood and windows, building permits and potty breaks (we take about 40 breaks a day, I'm almost tempted to say that's not an exaggeration).  And that's just us girls, Corey's work schedule such as it is, means that he almost never sees my parents.  Don't even get me started on the fact that my brother is leading his own life and is busy with a wonderful girlfriend (whom we love) and friends (whom we also love), leaving little to no time for a sister and some nieces (whom I know he loves).  But put us all together and bonds are formed, memories are made and relationships are once again renewed.

Papa and Grammy's Rosebud and Sweetpea

This year, was excellent.  The 4 of us headed out on Thursday night after Corey got off work.  Due to the time of day and the length of time it takes to drive to Sooke from the ferries, we decided to stay the night in Richmond.  It was that or get up at 4am for the ferry, and I do NOT willingly wake at 4am for anything, not even the prospect of a great holiday.  We spent the first half of Friday driving, riding ferries, searching for Starbucks and visiting a HUGE Walmart, I was in awe.

Corey showing off his inner monkey and also a "white guy" (We were walking down by the harbour in Victoria amidst dozens of people, when Corey announces "Hey Look a White guy!"  I was totally taken aback and tried to explain to him that was politically incorrect and that there were tons of white people.  He said, "No, seriously it's the white guy"  Then I saw the statue mime...oh, duh!)

It would take me hours, if not days to regale you with all the tales of our trip.  And since, I want you to be as interested as we are/were I'll recap.  Corey spent the weekend and then had to return to work for a few days, while the kids and I stayed in Sooke.  By the time we all returned (Corey came back for the second weekend) it was 10 days away, and it was nice.  We had such a great time, but it was funny, I was ready to come home.  Not that I wanted the fun to end, but I like the routine of our house, the kids were missing their toys and it was time to settle back in.

Driving the boat

Our days were spent hanging out and reading, watching the boats and seals in the harbour, going on small adventures in Sooke and to Victoria and just generally enjoying each other.  The boys also spent a great deal of their time out fishing and then vac sealing the fish - I spent that time complaining explaining to them that fish stinks, the scales get everywhere and seriously guys, that fish stinks!  My Dad and my brother and my Corey-Bear loved it, every second of it, so I only mildly complained and then chose to relocate for an hour while they finished - blech.

You can see the bruise under her nose here, and it was already 3 days old by this point and faded.

Aside from Audrey falling (she tripped over her own feet, landed smack on her face, split her lip and left a really horrible U shaped bruise under her nose that showed up with in 30 seconds of her falling) and smacking up her little face on the first evening, and then both kids landing themselves yucky head colds later in the week it was a great trip.

Story time with Papa

And I think, looking back if I were to pin point my favourite part of the trip I would have to say it's a toss between taking the kids to the Undersea Gardens (Bethany was in love with the Diver and was more than impressed that Daddy and Uncle Scott are secret divers too) and the time spent with  my brother.  Like I said, I hardly see him and when I do it always feels brief.  This past trip gave me a chance to see the man he's become, and contrary to what I may have said when we were teenagers he's grown into a really great, almost 25 year old man.  He's someone I not only love because I have to, but because I want to, he's also someone I respect greatly and I'm so glad he's in our lives.  More over, I proud of who he's become - also his choice in girlfriend is superior :)

That pretty much sums it up, a great week with a great family and some wonderful memories.  Now, the photos are in great abundance and since I'm pretty sure you don't want to spend an hour looking at them I'm going to spread them out over the next few weeks.  Just be warned :)

Happy Friday everyone!  What was the highlight of your summer?

*Because we all love annual family vacations, annual PAP Smears not so much