celebrating fifty

We returned yesterday from a weekend spent up in Duncan with all of Sam's immediate family ... parents, the 3 children, their spouses and 8 grandkids. We had all reunited back to the family home to celebrate John and Diane's 50th wedding anniversary, on September 11th this year. With everyone's job schedules it's not often we are able to get together with everyone but this was a not-to-be-missed weekend and there was no question we would all come home. Our boys love to go to Nana and Grandad's and with the addition of their Morgan cousins they had an absolute riot! There were soccer games, late night ice creams, and constant imaginary games going on around and around the house. We spent many hours on Saturday out at Bright Angel Park, having lunch, crossing the suspension bridge, swimming, skipping rocks and playing Bocce up near the playground. That evening my since-Grade-11 friend Lorna and her daughter Adalee came to babysit the kids while the adults went out for a fancy dinner at The Masthead in Cowichan Bay. Delicious! Then Sunday morning we beat the impending rain storms with a photo shoot among the beautiful Garry Oaks in the neighborhood where we've all walked and explored so often throughout the years. We so often try to pull off a tripod picture but this time I knew a proper photo session would be a special way to capture how my parents in law have been blessed with family over these past 50 years. It was a true testament to their love and dedication to each other and they have been wonderful parents and grandparents to all of us.