Month: July 2019

Peaceful Mornings

We all slept really well last night. Brady went in to work this morning, and I took my time getting the kids up. As I approached their rooms, I heard all kinds of happy chatting and playing. That always lifts my heart. Its harder when I come to their rooms to find everyone fighting. Not this morning!

As has become customary for the kids and I, when we have no morning deadline, I take a good few minutes with each kid before we actually get up. Now that they’re older and tougher, I actually flop down on top of them in their beds in a squishy, funny kind of snuggle. I often start with Dekker, because if I don’t, he takes off and starts setting the table. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate his efforts, but I don’t want everyone to get snuggled besides him because he was working! So, Dekker first. We chatted about his night and our plans for the day. I eventually released him and headed over to Rowan’s bed. Dekker asked if he could go get the other kids up (forever responsible) and I said I wanted to snuggle Laela first. I OF COURSE snuggle Solly, too, but he’s in a crib so our snuggle is more of a long tickly hug before I change his diaper. Dekker said “On it!” and took off. I was mid-snuggle with Rowan at that point, and didn’t put much thought into what Dekker was “on.” He’s a good kid. I trust him. Figured he was off to set the table. When I freed Rowan and went to the other kids room, Dekker was dutifully laying on top of Laela. They were both laughing hysterically. It was SO funny! I laughed at them and said I’d take it from there. Dekker stumbled off Laela’s bed laughing, and before I could stop him, pulled Solly out of his crib, and they both took off towards the dining room. So Laela got double the snug, thanks to Dekker, and I snagged Solly shortly thereafter. By the time everyone was ready for breakfast, the table was completely set. Thank you, Dekker, for covering all the bases!

While the kids ate breakfast, I did some dishes, got some coffee, and added to my big packing list for Waskesiu. (Doesn’t anyone care whats on that list? I thought about at least doing a photo post of the pack…) The children were discussing the weather over their corn flakes, and the subject of rain came up. Its cloudy. Is rain coming? Did it rain last night? Maybe it tried. The kids started listing off reasons why they loved the rain.

Dekker loves tasting it.

Laela loves that it helps flowers grow, and she loves rainbows.

Rowan likes puddles and that birds come out afterwards.

Solly likes listening to the rain fall.

I told the kids I used to be scared of storms, and that as a child, we were caught in a downpour while camping in tents. I have a fond memory of my older brother going out in the middle of the night, in a rainstorm, in his underwear, to dig trenches around our tent. Something about that was so funny, though I obviously know now was a sacrifice, and an attempt to help his little sister calm the heck down. But it was actually a pivotal part in my not minding storms after all! Funny what memories stick.

Today is a day of breathing. Hanging out with some friends. Making some more lists. Drinking coffee. Picking up a purchase in Saskatoon. Watching the Bachelorette. Rest. Tomorrow is a bigger day! I’ll tell you all about it later 🙂

Some Rest for the Weary

These broken nights with Waverly are wearing on all of us. Today, while some of the cousins went out for a walk, my mom, sisters, and I hung back at the house to visit and let Wavy crawl around and relax. Poor little miss was fussing and crying on and off the entire morning, regardless of how much I held, rocked, fed, watered, set down, picked back up that I did. She was NOT having it. But I managed to hold her off until lunch, where she happily ate her body weight in macaroni and chicken nuggets. We left shortly after lunch and got everyone down for naps, myself included. My arms are tired from holding a fidgety little baby all morning – a baby who would wholeheartedly push to get away from me, and then cry when I set her down. Oy! I’m tired!

Brady took the big kids into the city for a quick work errand, and I’m laying in bed in the dark, resting, blogging, playing FreeCell, making a list for the lake, and getting names drawn for Christmas. I know, I know. Don’t hate me. I like to plan ahead. I’m super comfy, and loving the quiet.

I think I’ll watch some YouTube, and transfer some photos and videos off my phone. My poor iCloud hasn’t updated in forever and a day. Time to free that sucker up!

Keep sleeping, kids!!

Can I Have Some?

We got back from our AirB&B adventure yesterday and our entire family slept hard. Waverly still woke up once but she was an easy sell on going back to bed, which helped a lot. We all still woke up pretty bleary-eyed, but I think some of that is just summer vibes.

We got everyone out of bed and dressed, and over to my moms for a day spent with family, playing, eating, visiting, and generally relaxing. The kids ran circles around the house, the yard, and the people. How do they have so much energy?? Can I have some?

I cannot, haha! All I really have to share with you is that I am SO happy to be with family, and also SO tired!

Wavy has the right idea. This time, anyway. Wavy’s sleep has regressed HARD. It is LONG overdue to sleep train her, but with so few bedrooms, its pretty tricky. The sooner we can get her sleeping through, the sooner I’ll be less of a zombie and a better wife/mom/friend/person. The time will come 🙂

Mom’s 60th Birthday Extravaganza!

My mom turns 60 this summer!! Not until August, though. We jumped the gun a little 😉 But we could ALL get together now! So yesterday, we all congregated at a mansion in the river hills to celebrate our mother!!

It was SO lovely to be all together ❤️

Our group spent the day exploring the enormous AirBnB we had rented for the night. It was HUGE, with multiple dining rooms, sitting areas, a pool, a spiral staircase, etc. It was humorously dated, but it pretty much all worked. We knew it was a bit of a party house, so with it being a little banged up, we didn’t have to worry too much if anyone spilled their supper or dripped pool water on the floor. We used paper plates and ate simply but yummy. It was SUCH a good fit.

Except. It was HOT. The house had almost no window coverings, and on such a hot day, the sun heated the house up to about 30C and we could not get it cooled off! Finally, with the sun going down, the temperature went down enough that we could all sleep. Our kids had a pretty hard time falling asleep, in part because of the heat, and the excitement of sleepovers.

Look at that sweaty head!
These two have never had a sleepover before!!

Solly was the first to cooperate with sleep…

Wavy was last :/

She ended up joining us adults for the evening, and was up until 12:30am. Oy. It was just too bright and hot for her to sleep, but she got there eventually 🙂 While the rest of the kids slept, the adults enjoyed a drink on the patio, and then spent a good hour or two eating taco nachos 🙂 Was SUCH a yummy evening!

Thank goodness, Wavy easily fell asleep when we did.

This morning was spent eating a yummy breakfast, packing up, and getting some last laps run around the basement. I only have pictures of a couple of our kids, but I was pretty smitten with how beautiful they were, even though they weren’t smiling in these ones.

Them molars, though

Laela got a reeeaaally good snuggle in with the birthday girl…

…and then we headed home ❤️

It. Was. Awesome. SUCH a fun party for an AMAZING mom. A mom who will always be my mom, but who I’m also very grateful to call one of my closest friends. I love how our relationship has changed, and stayed the same.

Easily my fave 🙌

You’re an incredibly important part of our life here, mom. We love you so much. Happy birthday party!! 😘

I’m Not Great in the Kitchen: My Cherry Dessert

I posted the other day about my lack of confidence in the kitchen. You guys were al really encouraging, and maybe it was lip service – maybe not – but you got excited with me about my granola bar victory. It sounds so silly to say, but it counted to me 🙂 Thanks for that.

So I thought I’d give you an example of something that flopped, but I made it again. My cherry dessert!

I’ll start by telling you, I used a recipe for cherry cheesecake “bars,” and they came out SO soupy and weird. I was pretty discouraged, but I was on the hook for bringing a dessert, so I was basically stuck with it. To be fair, the “event” I was providing dessert for was supper with my parents, so the pressure was pretty low. But still, as I mentioned in my past post, I get VERY discouraged if the food I make doesn’t turn out. 

I remember scooping the dessert out into bowls, being pretty embarrassed at how it really hadn’t come together. I’m sure I apologized profusely as I served them out, like I usually do. My mom, being one of the most supportive people in my life, insisted I take the first bite. She was so confident that my creation was going to be delicious. I was less confident. I took that first bite, and…..

I bit down hard on a stupid CHERRY PIT!!!

I was SO mad. Had I seriously somehow purchased cherry pie filling with pits? Who would even sell that stuff? Or buy that stuff?! Completely ridiculous! I was furious. 

Luckily, seconds later, everyone had dug in and no one else had gotten a pit. And besides that, everyone said it was delicious. I tentatively went for bite #2, and it really was good! 

I’ve made them many times since then, and not even once have they actually been structured bars. It is always a “scoop” dessert. Its never pretty. But its always yummy! 

Yay for a failure turned success!! 

*****

Ha! In my attempt to find a picture of this dessert on a past blog, I found a post HERE about the first time I made and how discouraged I was even just in the process of making it. It was from FIVE YEARS AGO!!! I still think that way when I make food, but I like to think I’m a little braver now than I was 🙂

Dekker and Laela Go To Camp: How Did it Go?

Guys.

Dekker and Laela LOVED camp. Plain and simple. LOVED camp.

We got to camp a little bit before 7pm, and as we approached the big play structure, I saw Laela’s cabin leader. She saw us too, and suddenly Laela was running in our direction. Dekker was a few seconds behind her. Big hugs all around! They were SO happy.

And SO dirty. And SO exhausted. And SO SO HAPPY.

Dekker had a full five o’clock shadow of dirt on his face, and Laela’s was a bit more spread out, but she had basically the same amount. They were a bit scraped up, too, Laela on her knee and Dekker on his face from a fall off a swing. But they were both unconcerned, and just buzzing about their time. Both were tanned and messy and beautiful. They looked like camp should look.

We were able to visit with both of their cabin leaders. Both reassured us they weren’t homesick or sad or unhappy. Dekker had taken a good fall from the big swing, and had some good scratches by one of his eyes from his glasses, so he had a cry there, but it really didn’t affect his time.

Laela had been quite shy her first day, as I thought she might be, but she was still happy and polite and had a lot of fun. Laela herself told me she felt shy until another little girl sought her out and invited her to sit on her bunk bed. She liked that, and said she felt more comfortable after that.

They ate lots and played on the playground lots. They sang songs and shot archery. I feel like some of it went over their heads because it was all just brand new, and they’re young 🙂 But what they did know is that they were happy, and they wanted to go back!

The closing program was pretty cute, but our kids were SO tired, and didn’t participate much. Laela did some actions to the verse while sitting in her chair, but that was it. Dekker sat in his chair, staring, mouth half open, eyes half closed. He was ZONKED. Lol! But the whole camp was bustling, with kids dancing up at the front, in full camp mode. It felt just like it used to when I went as a kid. I loved it. So did they.

Family camp was running while Dekker and Laela’s camp was running, and I am SO appreciative of my friends keeping an eye out for my kids. I got a handful of texts along the way reassuring me that the kids were happy and hyper and having the time of their lives. That did my heart good. I know my kids are wonderful, and I know the staff at camp is wonderful, but never having been on the other side of it, I was a little apprehensive they would just be too nervous to let loose. I’m glad they settled in. And I was glad to have eyes on the inside 😉 Thank you, friends!

We got home after 9:00, which is WAY past EVERYONE’S bedtime! The littles ones were so close to breakdown mode but we kept it together and got bedtime rolling. There was no time for baths – those would have to wait for the morning, but I wiped the big kids down good and proper. They both stood there with their eyes closed, unmoving, as I wiped their faces.

“This feels sooooo good” Laela said.

Needless to say, our kids went to bed no sweat. They were SO overdone, but in the best way you can be overdone 🙂

We’re onto the next special family thing tomorrow – Sunday! So today is a day for unpacking, laundry…

Remind me why we bought him new shirts for summer…

and repacking. Except for all of us this time! Also, hopefully a smidge of rest and relaxation in there.

❤️ Thank you for the beautiful person who paid for our children to go to camp this year. What an enormous gift to them, and to us as parents. I’m so thrilled to be able to start their camp experience so young, and so are they. We couldn’t have done it this summer without you ❤️

When Confidence is Low: I’m Not Great in the Kitchen

Remember a while back, I was so thrilled to have made two batches of granola bars in two days? I felt SO happy with my motivation, and with the result of my efforts. Yesterday, I made a double batch of granola bars for a family gathering, and they look SO good!

One batch is made with craisins, and the other has dairy-free chocolate chips and stars 🙂 Because sprinkles always win with kids. And with me.

You may or may not know, but I’m not very brave in the kitchen. If I bomb a recipe, I don’t usually try again. I get discouraged very easily in the world of cooking and baking. I have not messed up these granola bars once, and I’ve felt pretty proud of that. I know, in the world of making food, granola bars aren’t very challenging, but the whole world of making food is challenging to me, so I count it a success.

I’ve been feeling pretty good about these things, and have stopped buying other granola bars for the most part. Today, Brady and I priced things out to see if they’re saving us a bunch of money. I was hopeful I could be extra proud of that. Maaaybe even make really cool ones and maaaaybe try to sell them, even.

I was so discouraged to learn that I’m really not saving us any money at all :/ They’re not costing extra, but its pretty on par with what you’d buy in a store. And for whatever reason, that REALLY bums me out. I know its not all about the cost, but I want so badly to find little ways to save, and I thought this was one of them.

Brady is one of my biggest supporters, obviously. It helps, too, that he really likes these bars! He encouraged me that these are healthier than what we’d get in a store, and I reminded him that they have unhealthy stuff in them, just like everything else. He actually made his way over to the pantry and pulled out a box of those yummy Nature Valley granola bars we found on sale, and use when I fall behind in making the bars myself. He started to read through the ingredients. My granola bars may not be the healthiest ones on the market, but we did have a laugh struggling our way through the ingredients list on our sweet and salty bars. Not to say we’ll never eat those monsters, because we will, because they’re good. But it made me feel a bit better about the ones I make, too.

I also need to remember that making my own granola bars has provided me with other things. They’re a dairy-free option for Rowan. They have flax and bran in them for Solomon, and everyone else, too. They were a teaching opportunity with Laela a few times this Spring. They made me feel confident, too.

I may never sell them, and they may never be a big deal to anyone else, but I’m happy I make them for my family 🙂 Small victories.

Dekker and Laela Go to Camp

This was a first!!! We were given the gift of sending our two oldest children to camp this year!! What an amazing, thoughtful gift for them from someone who loves them so very much. Brady and I both LOVED camp as kids, and hope the same for our children 🙂

They packed yesterday. They were SO excited! Dekker ran to and from his room to the island where the list was of things to bring. He picked everything and got it all packed up. Laela, on the other hand, wanted a bit of help, so she more so held the list and crossed stuff off as I brought it to her bed to pack. They were AMPED when we got on the road. Todays the daaaaay!!

We were directed to park in a lot off to the side, and were told someone would come get our gear. That was a new thing, but being that we came as a whole family, it was nice to know we wouldn’t have to carry everything ourselves. And sure enough, a minute or two after we parked, someone came with a tractor and a HUGE wagon to haul as much stuff and as many people as possible. It was super fun, even for me as an adult, to ride along the bumpy road to camp.

We were dropped off much closer to camp, where we were directed to the kids cabins. Cabin leaders came and carried stuff for the kids in their cabins, so we just followed along to help them settle in. I took Wavy and went with Laela, and Brady took the boys with Dekker.

Laela chose a top bunk above one of her cabin leaders, who happens to be a member of our church! I think she was a bit relieved to see a familiar face 🙂

Dekker picked basically the same bunk bed in his cabin, but unfortunately, didn’t recognize anyone yet. I think he was pretty apprehensive, but there is just that difference between boys and girls, right?

The kids all went and played on the playground for a bit while I went to the gym nearby and did final registration.

We doddled around for a bit, but before long, brought the kids back to their cabins and left! It felt a little crazy, but I’m trusting they will just have the BEST time. Laela was very shy, but she settles into new situations pretty nicely. I worry a bit for Dekker in times like these, but I remember how it was to work at camp when the little, little ones were there, and I’m hopeful his cabin leaders will be sensitive and attentive like we were always taught to be.

I hope these kidlets have a TOTAL blast, and love camp the way I did! We’ll know tomorrow!!

Wavy’s Party

Yesterday was a beautiful day. A day filled with celebrating our baby girl, reading her your messages of love, and looking back at a years worth of pictures of her. I poured over her blog, and cried a lot through writing it and reading it aloud to the kids. Lucky for me, I had abounding moral support 🙂

Waverly was still a sickie on her birthday, but she woke up ready to party! Lol!

Toga party, that is!

I aaaaalmost rolled with it and toga-ed the other kids, but I figured comfort beat out fashion on a sick day 😉 So she stuck with a comfy little onesie thing and a pony, to keep her hair out of her snot.

The day was cute and low key, with lots of playing, reading, and napping.

Shortly before 4:00pm, my mom came by and she and I drove to Martensville for bday stuff! Well, first a spray for a hornet’s nest, but then birthday stuff. I was unimpressed to find that Dollarama didn’t have a single pack of party hats, so we went without those, but no one cared 😉 We got a stack of sprinkle donuts, and an even bigger stack of pizzas!

When we got home, Jerilee had made it over, and it was supper time!! Wavy ate two entire pieces of pizza 😳🍕 without breaking a sweat. She was into it.

Aaaaand then the donuts! She was actually pretty uncertain of the donuts, which I didn’t expect, but she eventually got into. Sprinkles evvvvverywhere!

My goodness, she was SUCH a mess! But she was stoked 🙂

We opened up some gifts for her next. She’s hauled in well this birthday, with the cutest clothes and accessories, the noisiest toys, and the most loving cards. Lucky girl to be loved by so many.

We closed off our party with a walk around the pond.

It was windy but really nice. We ran into many people we knew along the way, and got some energy out.

It was SUCH a fun day, honouring the birthday girl.

You are one LOVED little girl, Waverly Violet! I’m so grateful you’re in our family 💜

One Year of Waverly

I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around today. Its been a full year since Waverly came out of my body and into this world. 

Rowan looks over my shoulder and goes “Is that daddy? That guy next to Dr. Guselle?”
😳 No, no he is not.

Feel free to re-read her birth story HERE, if you want. I am blown away by it, and by her, in so many ways. 

Wavy’s 12 months have been FULL of change!

Aaaaand because of Cher entering our lives, here are Waverly’s professional 12 months of change! (She was more into it some days than others)

I cheated and put two from her eleven month shoot on here 😉 Twelve month pictures are further down the post. No spoilers!

I didn’t anticipate feeling so emotional about her reaching the one year mark. Of course I want her to age, and grow, and learn, and develop. I’m struggling more than I usually do with my baby leaving babyhood. She has been an AMAZING baby. 

Waverly brought healing to our family in a time of immense pain and sorrow. She didn’t “make up” for any of our losses, but she was a beautiful reminder that God knows exactly what we need and when.

Thank you, Amy, for this beautiful soft little dress! When it came in the mail, her name felt so much more real. I cried.

Its funny. When we chose her name, it didn’t mean very much to me. “Quaking aspens.” Ok. I kind of wrote it off as a name that didn’t mean anything, really, but I loved it so I was willing to look past it. I’ve since learned that aspens symbolize overcoming doubts and fears. Of facing challenges, and surviving. Add “quaking” to that, and its all pretty on point. I was SO fearful, shaking in my boots, the entire time. And we overcame, all glory to God! Look at the beautiful baby He gave us!

Ok. Whew! Let’s put a pause on these tears and get into the specifics of Miss Waverly Violet at ONE YEAR OLD! 

She was SO cooperative for this shoot, and not at all sick 😆

Wavy weighs about 20 lbs 9 oz only! She is definitely our littlest one, weighing now what Dekker weighed around 4 months old! She is 30” tall, and was 20″ at birth. She has TEN teeth so far, though a couple are only partway through. Stinking molars. They still count, right? Her eyes are crystal blue, and her hair is SO long, it almost has to be up all the time. I’m suspicious she will be a brunette down the line. Don’t quote me on it, but when she cries, her eyelashes are DARK. We’ll have to see! Wavy has little beauty marks behind her knees, one each, and nowhere else. She wears 18 month shirts, 12 month bottoms, and size 3 diapers. 

Wavy crawls like mad, and walks along any strong surface.

She lets us walk her around though, too, and seems to REALLY want to go!

She likes to tempt fate, and let go, flap madly, and plunk down on her bum. She says a lot of words, though nothing consistently, and she’s getting really good at mimicking. I’m watching her language pretty closely, because of her tongue tie, but so far so good. Her favorite toys are anything she can simply hold in her hands while she crawls. Thats often Hot Wheels, or single pieces of Duplo. She will eat anything and everything we feed her! She loves all the food you’d suspect a kid would, but she would turn down perogies for grilled broccoli, and could eat bell peppers all day long. She’s a noisy eater, and noms loudly when she’s enjoying her food. You never have to wonder with this one! I sometimes find her hiding under the table, eating dropped goldfish or Cheerios, just like her siblings did, haha!

Our nights are still interrupted by her wanting for a bottle, but now that school is out, we’ll be able to be a bit more intentional with changing that up. Waverly has slept through the night many times, easily, but we’re quick to get her when she does wake up, in order to not lull the other kids awake. Now that school is done, I’m less worried about them having some tired days as we figure out a new schedule 🙂 In all fairness, we could’ve figured this all out a while ago, probably. But she is SUCH a peach when she wakes up, we LOVE to see her! She always goes right back to sleep, and rarely even cries when we’re up with her. She’s just… content. Its awesome. 

I asked the kids what they have to say about Wavy.

Solly says he loves Wavy’s little teeth.

Rowan can’t get around just how cute she is. Her hair and her eyes, when she giggles, talks, throws stuff, claps, etc. The list goes on. He insists he just loves everything about how cute she is. 

Laela loves to take care of Waverly, and loves when she laughs. I think Wavy has really got Laela thinking about motherhood.

Dekker loves when Wavy tackles him, and wrestles with him. He loves making her smile, and sometimes harassing him is her favourite thing. They do great together. 

I’m going to close this monthly update blog series off by sharing some messages written for Wavy. When she was only twelve days old, we threw a party for anyone and everyone who wanted to come meet her and celebrate with us. I remember reading them after the party and crying. Jerilee cried, too. It was such an emotional time, in the BEST way. 

“Rainbow babies are truly the best. You are very blessed to be in the family you are in. xoxoxo”

“God placed you into a very special loving family. You are a treasured gift that we all love very much. Grow and be happy in this world.”

“We love you! May God grow you into a lovely woman! He loves you SO much!”

“You are so dearly loved! I am so thankful you are here.”

“Welcome to the world, beautiful baby girl! You have been created to be uniquely you and will always be loved for who and whose you are.”

“You are so so special.”

“You warmed hearts and were SO loved by many many people long before you were born! We all continue to pray for you!”

“You are soooo pretty! You have such a peaceful presence. Its so nice to hold you and snuggle you. We love you so much, sweetheart.” 

“We’ve looked forward to you for so long – peace be with you and your family!”

Guys, that was just a sample of her messages. What a HUGE gift for her!

Waverly. I don’t even know what to say. You have brought so many blessings to our family, and to many others this last year. Its been SO exciting watching God use you already!! I can’t wait to see what big things He has in store for you in the years to come. Thank you for all you’ve taught me. 

PRAISE THE LORD FOR ONE YEAR WITH WAVERLY!