It followed me home ;)

We chose the green one!!  The test drive was great today.  Eric said there wasn't a right or wrong decision and he was leaning towards the green one.  I was too but wasn't wanting to impose a project on him so was open to either.  

The men folk were all over it.  It's a Rubicon so a lot more "Jeep" than I was maybe looking for but super fun.  It needs a lot of spit and polish.  We thought it needed new tires to lower it but I can get in it ok so maybe just side steps and straps to help the boys get in.  

I was nervous to drive standard after soooo many years but honestly it came back in an instant.  What a fun drive! I had two people in Wranglers give me the Jeep wave.  I never got the wave in my other Jeeps so the elitism is real.  The first one was the same Jeep/color in a two door, he had the top off and grinned with the wave, I was so excited I extremely dorkily waved like a mad fool but didn't manage the correct wave.  Haha.  Then I was alone in the car laughing out loud so much my eyes got teary.  The second wave I just nodded.  I need both hands for gears and steering.  

Spirit bear plates! 

It was a long day for pups and kids but they survived.

Totally blurry, but here we are in Qualicum at the Shore for more dole whip.  Eric had removed the top for me and I was having the best time driving and figuring out the stereo.  Which has amazing sound.  Which is so bizarre since it's got crank windows and old time keys with key holes.  For the serious Jeep people who don't want their electronics hooped when they drive through floods, puddles and rivers.  It's taking me a bit to grasp the lack of creature comforts and Jia is outright dismayed that I've downgraded to crank windows.  Haha.

When we arrived back at the campsite Shannon gifted me my first Duck.  He's the cutest thing ever.

So cute, trying to balance his squishyness for a picture.

My childish self is pretty darn happy 😊 

We haven't figured out the logistics of getting 3 engines home.  A fun problem to have.

Rathtrevor

We caravaned in together. It was dusk and our men folk got right to work setting us up.  No matter what happens the rest of this trip all the work to get here was entirely worth this moment. We all got such a laugh about the butt assist. Shannon got the picture.

This double site is small, we're facing doors and have a combined center with awnings and rugs.  It's quite lovely.  Shannon and Ken even brought a ton of dog fencing so way less fussing with leashes.  

What a day.

Against all odds we got everything on the list done. Phew.

The moho is packed.  The birthday is fully sorted.  Kai and I had a sit down meeting and made a list of the food he wanted.  So cute.  His choices were cereal with the marshmallows (Lucky Charms), McDonalds for lunch and mac and cheese chilli dogs for dinner.  No cake, but chocolate ice cream cones with candy in the cone and sprinkles on top.  Blue balloons to play with and NO BEACH.  We're at Rathtrevor it will be hard to avoid the beach ;)  I did buy Hostess cupcakes to be on hand lest there be a moment he is sad about no cake.

Lili hosted a games night for 9.  She did the food.  Eric and I helped her get the house ready.  

School for the boys is all laid out.  All laundry is done, folded and put away.  

Eric took Isabel to have her toes done.

The exhaust issues on the moho were fixed but the leveling system still isn't working.  The kids and I won't notice but it will likely drive Eric nuts for five days.  

Lili and I had a full hour meeting about the logistics of us away, her moving out, Jia needing to come home for two shifts, Eric moving the heavy stuff, Mom driving out to Parksville and the birthday.  Yowzers.  It's complicated, we had to write it all down but if we follow the plan it should all work.

Six of us made ourselves scarce last night so Lili could hang with her friends.  We went to Wendy's for a quick dinner.  Hit Dollarama for a new Sudoku book, they didn't have one but we still spent a hundred.  Kai had a blast picking out candies for goodie bags.  Then to Walmart for camping groceries, a few groceries for Fei at home and birthday gifts for Kai from Gramma.  

As a complete surprise Luk and I found paper lanterns on clearance.  3 cute critters for 3.50!  Joy.  We're set for Autumn Moon Fedtival! 

The burning question of the day is which Jeep did we pick?  Well, neither yet.  I feel paralyzed with indecision.  I like both.  I love the color of the green.  I love the condition of the reddish/brown.  I feel like after years and years and years of wanting a fun Jeep this should be an easier choice.  We are test driving the green one on Thursday.  

Attempting to Downsize

Ok.  So.  Cheese was supposed to be for me to use alone with a kid or two.  Eric and I ended up using it with the boys.  It was fabulous and so easy.  The boys are seriously growing and we're not sure it will work next year.  So, we're  currently looking at a bigger A-frame with bigger beds.  Which doesn't sound like a downsize but the goal is to sell the motorhome.  The A-frame we're looking at has all the things.  

Eric wants me to go to a Jeep Wrangler (top comes off) instead of two vehicles.  Barbie and GI Joe drive Wranglers.  I have ALWAYS wanted one.  They are not practical.  At all.

 They are fun.  I'm not getting younger.  Eric knows how much I want one and is pushing. 

I want an older Jeep in a price range suitable for a second vehicle that won't be driven much.  So, I've been looking very specifically for a 2008, 2009 or 2010 Rubicon or Sahara with a 3.8L engine.  In a manual.  So that the gear ratio will allow 5000lbs towing versus the 3500lbs of all other Wranglers.

Ok, and perferably in a perfect world, the 2008 in pea green with Black fenders, roof and grill.  

I found the right look in Victoria a couple months ago and I loved it but it was an automatic and lower towing weight.  Plus Eric wasn't delighted with a few things on the test drive.

Then I found the right model and color in Courtenay and we went to look and I couldn't get into it.  It was lifted too high with big tires and a fancy lift kit.  Fei found her car on the same lot.

Next I found what I suspected was the right model again in Courtenay and I did a lot of texting with the salesman but he was too clueless about getting me the gear ratio.  The ad had a stock photo and he did send me actual pictures and it was clearly red.  The approved fun colors for me are green, orange, red or yellow and possibly blue.  Nothing neutral, no grey, silver, black or white.  We had time to go yesterday.  

When we got there it wasn't red at all.  So my disappointment was huge.  It's a warm orangish/reddish brown.  More like pumpkin spice or red velvet cake.  I liked it but I wasn't jumping for joy immediately at the color.  Then we test drove it.  It's truely awesome, doesn't need much for alterations, fixes or upgrades and is spotlessly clean.  Eric loves it.  So we started negotiations.  It turns out that the Toyota lot claims it's priced to sell and they won't budge on their price.  Is this how cars are sold now? So weird.  We made an offer, expecting to dicker back and forth for a while but they sent the numbers guy out who was an arrogant pri#$.  I said are you seriously not coming down on a used car.  Nope they weren't.  So we walked away.  Not because of the price, because I would have paid the whole price if I'd known no one dickers anymore.  Egos definitely thwarted the deal.  Ok, my ego.  He made me mad, ok furious and I missed a snack and was feeling sugar low shakey and it was hot.  

We drove basically across the street to the green one and called Parker, he couldn't come to meet us so we didn't get a test drive but he had dropped the price a week earlier in a text to me and while on the phone he dropped another two thousand.  Eric crawled over and under it.  It's definitely a contender but it needs smaller tires, new fender flares and a new grill.  As well as a serious detailing. All possible.  Also it is ten thousand less and the preferred color.  

I did send an email to the salesman on the lot and thanked him for his time.  I sent him the photo of the competition and the price, he thought that was a better deal.  They dropped the price 1000 after claiming they would never come down.

So.  Which one do I pick??  I'm wracking my brain.  Eric says either one is fine.  He just wants me happy.  Which one would make me happy?! I honesty like them both.

Then to confuse things.  Eric wants another A-frame but I want a Trail Manor which is a bigger pop up in a different style but would still fold down and fit in a garage.  I feel in the downsizing mission it could quite easily replace both Cheese and the motorhome for me.  I've found 3 for sale in BC.  I don't want to go look until we have the Jeep sorted.  The older ones wouldn't require the extra towing ability but the newer ones definitely get heavier.  

Looking for votes here.

Red Rock Pearl, 2010, 53000kms $23900 Sahara

Sweet Pea Green, 2008, 109,000kms $15000

Rubicon

Keeping in mind both are super low kms since I don't drive much and will get many years out of either.  Both have the right engine.  The basic difference is color and price.

All things on Wranglers are easily replaced.   

Lili says wait a year and see what else you find.  I feel like I've looked at zillions of Wranglers and would rather just get it done now that the research is done and Eric and I agree.  That's the hard part.  

Of course, I did get to spend a day with my guy and we got Dole Whip.  We shared a small and I ate tiny bites for his big scoops.  Haha.

We also grabbed a Mozza burger combo on the way and shared.  We've become the old couple sharing one meal.  

We then shared a curry at Transfer Beach.  

Overall the day wasn't too bad.

Not much going on here today.  Fei worked nightshift so she's sleeping.  Lili and Jia are working all day.  I'm on season 5 of Gilmore Girls.  

Fei's 1st day on the new job.

1st day was orientation, so not on the floor quite yet.

We celebrated Fei with love.

I woke up from a nap to this face.  Yikes.  That was a cobwebby mess to pick off of her.  She looked so distressed.

We were rocking the matching greens.

Eric and Ken took the three boys to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja movie while we visited then we scored dinner out together at May Gold.  It's been YEARS since we've been there.  The buffet isn't back but the dinner for five was reasonably priced and so good.  

One of our kids needed a break from people on the way home so while an attempt was made by Eric at some therapy, Kai and I scored a Goldstream stroll.  Look how tall he got this summer!  

Goldstream was not all that I remembered.  

Fei and I found these for Kai.  He was thrilled.

Getting along and having fun. Sending me proof that everyone was having fun.  Haha.

Catching up with friends. Anna and Abigail.  Catherine and I visited on the phone for a couple hours while the girls were together.  

So, it's back to school time.  You all KNOW how much we hate boy shoe shopping.  I gave the boys fair warning.  We went to Walmart after Luk's pediatrician appointment today and it was smooth, calm and successful!!  No one cried or yelled or complained or anything.  It was like they were someone else's kids being cooperative and on their best behavior.  

Then we found dinosaur boots for Kai.  Luk made faces but he grudgingly admitted they were perfect for Kai.  It will definitely help with Kai attempting to wear everyone else's boots, especially at school.  

I figured we'd done so great with shoes that we should look for fresh rain coats and found those too!  

As if shoes and coats weren't exciting enough, Kai found his Halloween costume. They're dinosaur pajamas, don't tell him.  He was soooo happy about this costume.  Maybe Halloween will be a bit less stressful for him with a costume he loves.

The jammies were so cute I bought the shark one for Luk, and three for the girls, unicorn, dragon and a fox.  Thought they'd make a good Christmas jammie option.  Kai's might not still fit by then though and I bought the blue unicorn for Lili but she wants the green and purple dragon I got Jia.  The purple fox was for Fei.  It's entirely possible the four will just go back.  We'll see.  

My thrift store find today. Popper guns.  Luk was thrilled with his first gun.  He's shocked it was allowed.  Kai immediately was pointing at people.  Repeatedly. Even with reminders.  I gave them a talk about immediate removal if they aim at people or animals. Eric hung close to Kai and he made it through playing in the front yard.  We put them in the motorhome to use on the next camping trip.  Kai can't see the balls coming out or where they went and he can't see them to pick them up.  It is truly shocking how bad his eyesight is now.

Figuring out how they work.  Of course.

Staying Put

We're not doing Kissinger Lake today.  We're staying put.

Things have been crazy busy around here. We need to decompress a bit.  I did ask Eric what we would do this weekend if we weren't going away.  I didn't get a single suggestion from him.  I suspect there will be some couch time with Finny and Gilmore Girls.  

Esmei has moved into Coco's house.  It's creating some angst for Coco.  She brought a bunch of toys and is doing everything she can to entice her out.  Haha.  I actually bought it for Sasha because she was stealing Coco's little pink kitten house.  So Coco has been moved out twice.  The grey one is still up for grabs, it's Finn's but he is almost never upstairs anymore.

The new beauty got some cleaning, vacuuming and polishing.  It's looking better.  Next up, trying to get scratches out.  We joke that everyone needs to stay back 15' to look at it.

Fei and I are heading out today to run some errands.  One of them is stopping for a quote on making her more perfect.  Black is such a tough color.

Now, onto the drama parts.  The girl drama has eased.  Which is fabulous.  However, Lili, our biggest drama queen has put her back out.  Which is awful and super painful.  It is hard to tell how serious it is with Lili since her pain tolerance level is so incredibly low to start with.  Dr Google indicates this is stress related sciatica nerve.  Day 1 we told her to have a hot tub soak and rest.  Day 2 we did all the home remedy things. Day 3 we got super serious and did Mama administered alternated advil and back muscle acetaminophen every two hours.  She started the day in Luk's wheelchair But was walking by mid day. Day 4 Lili lined up at the walk in clinic and was asked to go back at 1.  Eric drove her back because driving is hard and dangerous when you can't move.  She was sent for an x-ray.  We won't hear back anything for three to five business days.  Day 5, she thought she'd go back to work but the restaurant closed for the day, for heat related staffing issues.  Now she is planning to go to a Taylor Swift Level 2 Club night in Nanaimo with a few friends but she can't drive so Fei has been enlisted to drop her off and visit a friend before going back to pick her up.  Suggested back health advice from the Dr. is to rest as much as possible but also move as much as possible and use the pain meds alternated.  Yup.  Try to navigate that with a literal person who doesn't like to take any pills. Ok, and the really funny part, when Lili was with the Doctor she FORGOT to mention she has scoliosis! So, we're laughing like crazy anticipating the phone call where they diagnose her with Scoliosis.  

Jia has been on a mission to gain pity points in a game for the last three days in order to get the new character she desperately wanted.  So we've barely seen her for 3 days.  She did get the character last night and was pretty excited.  My guess is now that the hyperfocus has ended she will have a massive sleep.

Kai, who asks for nothing has asked three times to see the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.  He's told us it's out now, in theaters.  Arg.  I really, really don't want to see it.  I've put the bug in Eric's ear.  Sadly it already left Duncan.  

Luk wants nothing more from his summer holiday.  No requests at all.

Nice!

This is how much my Mama loves me!  Twizzlers are my favorite candy.  I was missing them.  I haven't found any sugar free ones in stores, she ordered them online for me.  They won't spike blood sugar.  Yay!  

My blood counts (a1c) are all doing good/better.  The meds and super careful eating are working.  I was close to normal/in range on the last tests, I'm feeling certain that I'll be in a good range by the next tests the end of September.  Then back to maintaining numbers and keeping the sugars stable.  

Fei's Gotcha

There was a Jeep in Courtenay I wanted to look at.  So we decided to all go together, eat out, have Dole Whip in Qualicum, look at cars for Fei and enjoy the ac in the car.

The Wrangler we were there to see was beat up and not as pictured.  Plus too high for me to get into. They did have this beauty just in though.  If it's kms were lower it might have come home with me.  

Fei however found her car!!  Two years of shopping and there it was.  The one.  It was a quick decision and then a scramble to get the deal, insurance and banking done.  Which always takes longer than you think it will. It's a 2013 Kia Optima, loaded, 39000 kms with all the cool stuff she wanted.  Her first car in her name, with her own insurance that she bought outright.  Love.  Adult goals.  

Eric and Fei took her car in for an oil change and safety inspection and it's all good. 

These 3 took off after dinner at the Shore to show off the new toy to Fei's friend in Nanaimo.  

We did get the Dole Whip, I shared with Fei.  It was nice at the ocean with a bit of a breeze.

Eric, the boys and I stopped in Parsville and had a wee walk at the park.  

Then we went to the night market. Kai was crying. He didn't want to walk.  So Eric and the boys stayed put while I wandered around.  Which was just super annoying.  I mean we were there to provide a fun time together for the boys and I was by myself looking at ridiculously priced stuff I had zero interest in.  So that was a bust.  Plus hot on the pavement.  

We have a campsite reservation for Kissinger Lake this weekend.  Normally something I really look forward to.  This trip was supposed to be for Fei and I.  She's working and we don't feel capable of handling Cheese on our own yet.  So, Eric and I thought we might take the boys.  But they won't like swimming and that is all there is to do there.  Also no cell or data available.  With this heat I'm also a tad concerned about itch from the lake.  We'll see come Friday how we feel but right now I think we'll skip going.  I need to stop booking camping in August.  

Missing items.

On any given day we're missing something. Today it was realized that this thing was missing. The tub stopper for the REALLY old tub on the main floor. I suspect this would be a really hard one to replace. Everyone was questioned. Last sighting was Kai's bath Friday morning. We were starting to fear he threw it away with his towel in the garbage. He does fairly routinely throw garbage in the laundry and laundry into the garbage. It turned up, sitting on the ledge exactly where it should be. Another Nelson house mystery.  

Funny thing happened on the second night at camp with Kai. He was being super about staying put and he was waking me when he had to go to the bathroom. I had him turn on our light and leave the door open so he could find it after. The bathroom was well lit and the door was open. I heard him call out and ran to him. I could see Kai's Flinstone shaped wet footprints going up and down the hallways in three different directions. He couldn't find the toilet. I directed him into a stall. That he had used many times already. Then I just wandered around marveling at how much ground he covered in a couple minutes. The shower water was draining to the center of the room but there was usually a big puddle that was easily avoided but Kai of course couldn't see it. So my whole fear of him wandering at night actually happened. Thank God I heard him. I did tell Josh the next morning and then he understood why I had previously asked about kids wandering at night.  They typically have a staff member awake through the night and he wasn't aware of issues.  I definitely won't be considering sending Kai on his own to camp.  He really does needs one on one.

Ready for home.

This morning everyone is silk screening onto their t-shirts. Kai and I liked ours just as they were.  The ink has the potential to wreck other clothing, too many instructions for me.

We're packed and ready to load our car after karaoke and the talent show and before lunch.  Kai wants to stay for lunch ;)

Kai didn't want to leave or say goodbye to Josh.

At no point did Kai spend time with another kid.  He was all about the staff.

Home.

Luk looks fabulous in my shirt.  It was a tad tight in the armpit on me and it's only destined to shrink some more. 

"It's been a good day Mom"

Dakota/Kody and Kai have been a good match.

The smiles :)

Drawing Mario mushrooms with chalk.

Our tye-dye project.  We opted for a starburst pattern.  Kai wanted matching.  Awe. They're low on colors so we didn't quite get things to his majesty's specifications.

He didn't touch a thing.  Just barked out orders.  

He contemplated going in but instead sat on the edge having fun shouting at anyone who dared splash him. 

The staff are beyond fabulous. So great with the campers.

This is the last camp of the year.  Most of the staff have left already.  They normally have 50 to 60 campers with two counselors per six kids.  This weekend is 16 campers and 8 councilors.  We had 3 campers in our group.  Kai and Kody hung with Josh. The other boy Johhan really can't stay still and we've barely seen him or his family.

There is a tiny beach that is nicely gated.

Shockingly Kai told Josh he wanted to go on the slide.  He loves slides.  I tried explaining that he would shoot out into 'water'. Josh promised he would grab him and off they went.

I got out of the lake to get pictures.  I didn't believe he'd really do it.

Then he was stuck.  Haha.  Figures. With a little coaxing from a few people he jumped out.

There was some gagging and sputtering and he clung so tight to Josh that I'm not really sure how he got him to shore.  There was a lot of clapping and shouting from other families.  That was pretty cool.

According to Kai he almost drowned.

He did stay in the life jacket and did some floating and kicking after.

When we were leaving the beach he said "it's been a good day Mom".  That alone was a bit of a miracle. Sob. 

I'm so glad we came.

Kai's favorite spot here. I had a wee nap while he played games.

We've had a good time here.

The food has been good.

Kai wants to come again!

We've met some really lovely people.