Thankful Thursday

Every Thursday I reflect on the week and choose items to be grateful for. This week I am thankful for:

Pumpkin Pancakes

What do you do with your pumpkins once Halloween is over? Have you ever thought to roast them and make puree? We don't carve all of our pumpkins so that we can use our decor as food and I've written about it here. One of the newest recipes that I've tried is one of my absolute favourites: Pumpkin Pancakes.

Netflix Inspired Pumpkin Carving

Fall is here and we're living it up with pumpkin pancakes and scones, walks amongst gorgeous fall leaves and visiting pumpkin patches.  Next up is Halloween and the countdown is on!  Gary is our pumpkin carving expert and I am the... encourager.  Each year the kids get to pick one character for Gary to carve and Nya's was the first one he made.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

1.  Gary having a safe trip.  He hiked with his LEAD class up at Garibaldi when "the storm" was supposed to be hitting.  I was nervous for him but all was well.

Real Connections in the Age of Social Media

I often hear people say "I already know what you're up to because I read your blog!" Although you will get the general idea of what is going on in my life, it is only a fraction of the full story.  Just like anyone's Instagram feed or Facebook posts, we don't share everything–at least I hope we don't!  One of the dangers in this age of social media is that we are failing to truly connect with those we value because we feel like we already are.

Hiking Options Around the Lower Mainland, B.C.

One of our favourite family activities is hiking with our kids. Over the years we have explored the Lower Mainland, B.C. on everything from short walks to overnight hikes. I've put together a list of most of the trails in order that you can see what might interest your family! Included is the city, length, and level. If you are taking the whole family, be sure to read Five Tips For Hiking with Kids so that you are prepared!  Are you ready?

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for:

Nerdy Finds From Uncommon Goods

Being that Gary and I are both nerdy science teachers, I was excited to find some sweet items at Uncommon Goods online! Not only do they have such a variety of products but I appreciate their commitment to featuring products with a recycled component and ones that have been made in a socially and environmentally friendly way.

Here are some of the products that we ordered:

Family-Friendly Yew Lake Trail

Do you want a family-friendly walk with gorgeous views? We discovered a new trail this morning and I'm so glad we gave it a try: Yew Lake Trail up at Cypress Mountain.  The trail is 2 km long and is stroller and wheelchair friendly.  We also did the small Old Growth Loop at 300 meters in length.  The fall colours, fresh air, beautiful trees and easy trail made this a win for the whole family.

Rainy Day Fun at Port Kells Nurseries

We've gone to Port Kells Nurseries several times over the past few years for photos with Santa and visiting their Pumpkin Patch.  Although it's generally best to go on a rain-free day, there are still many covered areas which make this a great location to head to on a less-than-stellar day! Did I mention that it's free?!

Adventure at the Capilano Suspension Bridge

Our family purchased an annual pass earlier this year to the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver and have gone five times already.  It cost us just $104.00 for our whole family and that one time fee allows B.C. residents to go all year long–note that kids under the age of 6 are free!  I've already written about all there is to do here and just wanted to share what the boys and I got up to today.

Thankful Thursday

What a perfect month to be practicing gratitude.  Not only is it the Canadian Thanksgiving but things are not the easiest in the Chapman household these days so...trying to maintain perspective.

This week I am thankful for:

Foster Family Month

October is Foster Family Month here in B.C. and we are just one of the 2,500 foster homes in this province.  What does a foster family look like? Probably just like yours. Well, sort of.  There is likely a higher noise level, more appointments, bigger emotions and a few more kids.  But, there is also an abundance of love, laughter and empathy.

Purchasing Furniture Online with Wholesale Furniture Brokers

We have been in our home for ten years now and are slowly investing more money into things like our furniture and quality of belongings.  Some items we purchase in store and others we peruse online. We recently ordered several products online from Wholesale Furniture Brokers in Kamloops and were pleasantly surprised all around.