Camera Trap

We set up an infared camera trap in the kitchen to see what sort of wildlife we get using the area. Check it out, we caught a leopard! Probably on his way back to a tree to eat an impala. Or a banana.

Christmas Countdown

Nick loves oranges

Caption please:

Parenting by video

Chillin' on their "boat"

Post-bath warm up by the fire

We jumped the gun this year.

We started talking about Christmas before November was finished this year which got Tobin totally amped for December 1. So since December 1st the advent calender has become the focus of his world. Every day... actually every hour he asks "is it Christmas yet?" We've had video messages from Santa (unbelievably thrilling!), went and cut down and decorated our tree and written letters... Hopefully we don't run out of things to keep his interest up until the day finally arrives, I'm afraid he's going to suffer burnout.

Some phots.

roger Roger, what's your vector Victor?

"No Nick, it's Hydrogen, not Helium that's the first element on the periodic table"

Tobin and me, wearing our best 'realtor smiles'

Helping Grampa pump up his tires

Monday Night at Riverview

Salmon!

Finally, something to report! Boy, what a long dry spell of anything interesting and blog worthy happening in our world... Life has been all about maintenance for the last month or so, maintenance and house project completion. We've put the house on the market and are hoping to move into town, consequently we've had to finish all the unfinished projects haunting this place. It's amazing what you get used to living with, bits of trim left off, doors that don't close properly, a half demolished roof, etc etc. The sort of stuff that doesn't look so good to prospective buyers...

So today we made it out to see the Adam's River sockeye run. It was pretty awesome, even after driving for two hours we were all pretty stoked to see the fish. What a sight, it's amazing! Bank to bank big red fish, living, procreating then dying right in front of your eyes. Tobin's favorite part was "the dead fish", what did you like about the dead fish? "the smell, no no no, I just liked seeing the dead fish." We talked about how they had to avoid all sorts of things on their way to the ocean, then come back again to spawn in the place they were born. He pointed out that they had to avoid "fishermen and bears and cougars and wolves and snakes, bad snakes". Astute boy.

"what, dad?"

Sockeye life cycle edited to include the Adam's River Three Ring Circus

On another note, Harry and I had a successful trip to the East Kootenays to slaughter deer. We shot three deer in 24 hours. It was like a John Wayne movie, standing back to back going "blam!, blam!, blam!, blam!, blam!, blam!". Deer everywhere.

The buck from the first day. Contrary to Uncle Graeme's opinion, we couldn't carry a deer in each hand. This dude was so heavy it was crazy! We staggered out 3km like this, taking 500m shifts.

Eating

One more from Nana at this weekend's Mushroom Festival in Sicamous.

ET.... phone.... home!

Call was dropped....

Pacing "bunny" superstar at Ironman

My pacing "bunny"! (more likely a panda bear dressed in a wild dinner jacket) Happy to have the company when I stumbled up to mile 23! I think some other racers (Gary) appreciated being egged on by Bevil also. Thanks Bevil. You're a superstar!

Ironman photos: The fun, cheerful and supporting silliness, and the pain.

The scary swim start...fortunately there were six ironmaidens from Revelstoke taking on the challenge!
















Phewf! Survived the swim, now onto the fun 180 km bike ride, in the sun, rain, hail...
Lots of awesome cheering imported from Revelstoke, Ladner, and even Boston! (see previous posting for the Boston cheering contingent!) Yeah cheerleaders! You made the race! THank you!!!!!!
I burst into tears and laughter with the fabulous spectating and cheering!

11:36!!!

Monday night and we're back in Rev after AMG's Ironman. It was an amazing day culminating in yet another amazing and inspiring performance by Mrs Gill herself! As usual I missed the finish and some of the highlights, but Bevil and I along with the kids got to see her and the other Revelstoke Ironwomen a few times along the course.

I'll post more photos when we get them; for now a short video of the only time I had the wherewithal to take out the camera. The rest of the time Bevil and I were too busy cheering and being dressed up as an Amish version of Catwoman and a lounge singing panda bear.

I AM IRONMAN!!

The kids getting amped with some Black Sabbath (turn up the volume really loud to get the full effect).

Pre-Ironman Relaxation

Here are a few shots from our four days at Christina lake this past weekend.

We're off to the ironman in Penticton this morning for Ann-Marie to race on Sunday. I really wanted to do an ironman montage a la velodrome, but we didn't ever get around to it... And hopefully I'll never have the opportunity to make another ironman montage...

Deep sea creature

Tobin relaxing with a magazine

Christina lake is all about chips

cutting chaps: check, flip flops: check, foreman disguised as an egg with legs: check

Digger in the yard = head popping excitement

Freedom!

Some pics from our first family bike ride this evening. Tobin has gone gangbusters on the pedal bike and is now a total pro! Tonight we rode from our house all the way around the greenbelt and home again. He is so amped! And so are we!

Rollin' on 'Sassy'

Giant Cedars

Me and the boys went out to Giant Cedars today while Ann-Marie was running-biking-running-biking-running.

Tobin hasn't quite got 'smiling for the camera'

Hmmmm?

I couldn't decide on these three, it's impossible to get these two looking in the same direction for more than 1/500 of a second, let alone stand still long enough.