We’re home early this week because Brady had an important doctors appointment today. However, the cold that hit out home a week ago refuses to quit, and Brady is coughing fairly consistently. If he speaks, he coughs. Its awful :/ So we decided this morning to cancel his appointment, go home early anyway, and be restful.

We had smores for breakfast, as we do, and then we loaded up.

I won’t lie. It was not smooth. It was a day where, if gas wasn’t so expensive, I would’ve put the AC pumping in the van and just let the kids sit in the van and stare while we packed the back up. It was actually an incredibly challenging weekend, what with kids coughing in the night and no one sleeping well. Some kids tried harder than others, for sure. But, regardless of the details, we got the camper packed up, floor and deck swept, dishes done, firewood and water jugs refilled, tanks emptied, and breakers shut off. We did it all. Then there were pee breaks, and we hit the road.

It was a quiet ride home. We listened to music and didn’t talk. It was more peaceful than angst, I promise. Once we got home, some kids went inside for naps and some helped unload the van and put stuff away. What a relief it is to have kids old enough where the teamwork actually makes things go quicker.

There were a lot of beautiful times this weekend, but I do look forward to letting it go into the past and moving forward, being healthier, and doing WAY better next weekend!

Hopefully Dekker is in good health and enjoying his life at camp!

Today was a big day! We dropped Dekker off for his first WEEK at camp!!! He did a one night camp a couple of years ago at redberry, which he really enjoyed! Then, Covid happened, and overnight camp just kind of didn’t happen for a while. Since then, we’ve gotten our spot here at our lake, and become acquainted with the camp here. So as an almost eleven year old boy, he’s spending a week away from home! He was so amped! Not at all nervous. A little quiet. Quizzical. But not worried. It was cool 🙂 

Once we dropped him off, Brady and I headed to the beach with the kids. Though all around us, people we packing up to go home. A big storm was brewing, we were told! But we’re die hards, so we went for it anyway. 

Zero regrets. 

It was windy and wavy and spitting, but it was beautiful and fun. 

It was all fun and games until the rain started. It was still both fun and games to me at that point but not all the kids loved it. 

Yet as the rain carried on, half the sky was already clearing. We knew it would be short. So we told the kids we’d stick it out five more minutes. Some were more impressed with that than others 😆 

But we were right! The entire storm was ten minutes long, with no thunder or lightening. We waited it out on the beach, and I’m so glad we did! There was a noticeable moment when the wind relaxed and the sun came out. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach all by ourselves. It was SO lovely. My favorite kind of beach day. Blustery. Hopefully the wind knocks everyone out good and proper for night! 😅 

Solomon has always has some sensory stuff. He gets overloaded pretty easily, and needs pushes to actually get moving and motivated. I think he is very easily overwhelmed. If you spend any chunk of time with him, you will notice he likes to be close, but very much on his own terms. He often seems a little bit physically uncomfortable. 

The other four of our children love a good back scratch. They find it super comforting and relaxing. Solomon, however, just squirms. Even a back rub is not something he wants. Which is totally fine, of course, but it’s something I’ve noticed. And it’s something I start doing mindlessly fairly often. Whoops! 

Very recently, I was tucking Solly in one night and he was laying on his tummy, being silly and hyper. Without thinking, I lightly scratched his lower back. And the kid MELTED. 

“Woah. That feels so good.” 

And he was perfectly still. Eureka! 

Now, this weekend, Solly has been a lot more snuggly with me. Each evening, while we pray, he comes and snuggles up against me. And I scratch his lower back. And he lays so still, soaking it all up. I even got a daytime snuggle scratch sesh with him 💜 

I have enjoyed this change SO much! It seems small but it’s such a positive change, and I’m so grateful he can let down under my hand now in a way he couldn’t before. 

Sweet Solly, I see how hard you’re trying these days. Stretching. Taking your shoes off to walk in the sand. Running ahead. Saying “I don’t need help, I can do it” more than ever before. I am SO proud of you!!!

Overcast beach days are my favorite. 

They always have been. Especially if they’re like today where they’re still warm and nice. After an incredibly short, choppy night, we embraced the post-rain weather and hit the lake. It was deserted and beautiful and quiet and restful and I loved it all SO much! 

I would accept sooooo many more days like these 😍 

Rain at the beach is the way to go!

We’re on our way yet again! Off to the lake for a long weekend of the beach, campfires, good food, evening walks, visiting, crocheting, and music. There is very little that competes with lake life in my books. I am continually blown away by our opportunity to stay at the lake as often as we do. Thank you Lord! 

Our family is coming off a cold. Almost everyone is ion the upswing, except Waverly, who is still in great spirits but is very, very tired 🥱 Poor sweetie did not want to get up this afternoon 💜 

But she did! They all did! Everyone for dressed, peed, and got set up in the van. Big kids buckle up little kids. Mom checks it over. Then off we go!

We’ve acquired Brady, and coffee, and we’re on the road! Filling up in rosthern, as we do, because it’s the cheapest spot. Pro tip! Rosthern is cheaper than Hague this year! You’re welcome. 

Have a beautiful weekend, friends. We sure plan to!

We have a great system for lake living this summer. Brady works Tuesday through Thursday, so we drive to the lake after work, stay the long weekend, and come home on Monday. So while we are loving the setup, we are running from one to the next pretty exclusively! Hahaha! ZERO complaints! But these three days in between lake weekends are busy.

Yet. We have a bit of a groove going, and its working.

I won’t get into every detail of our groove by any means, but I will show you what everyone is up to this very moment.

The house is not all put together, but honestly, it is somewhat! Dishes are done. Laundry is caught up, though clearly not put away. The kids have done their jobs. And now, we have music pumping, and all the kids are happily occupied while I work on my jobs!

In this case, Rowan and Solly both opted to play Lego. Wavy is cracking out her brand new first set of lego from her birthday, and Laela is helping her assemble it. Dekker was gifted some carving tools just today, so he was playing with some wood scraps from the garage, learning how to use his set.

Absolutely everyone is settled and content.

So I have been able to run around, collecting clothes for the upcoming weekend, packing my own bag, and making some notes here and there. I’m as organized as I think I can be! This afternoon will hold more organization and listing, and tomorrow is the final pack and prep of meals.

These three days are packed, but worth it! Whatever gets us to the lake! 💜

As most of you know, last summer was Bradys FIRST summer as a paralyzed man. Quick recap! Paralysis doesn’t mean he cannot use his legs 🙂 It means there is a change in mobility from his waist down. Just figured I’d throw that in there, because he definitely gets questions when he walks.

Last summer, one time, Brady walked out on the dock. It was pretty nerve wracking, I’m not going to lie. I held onto him for dear life, and he stared at the ground the entire time. We didn’t talk, and we didn’t stay long. But he made it!

(Don’t ask who that kid is. I have no idea.)

This weekend, Brady decided to brave the docks again. I’ve been creeping at coveting observing the boats, and there is one I wanted to show Cher closer up. And Brady decided he was up for the challenge!! So once again, we hit the dock.

I am completely thrilled to report that, while it still wasn’t easy or comfortable for Brady, it was way smoother this year. I will admit that I really wished Brady had a transfer belt on that I could’ve held, but I kept his belt loop in my grips in case he faltered at all, I could at least direct where he’d land.

But I never needed to. He easily made it to the boat, and then just held onto a dock post for a minute to regain his bearings before we headed back. He said he had to concentrate really specifically on the dock, and that the moving water on both sides of it made it really tricky to keep his balance. But he did it! And it was worth it!!

Would’ve been more worth it if that giant glorious pontoon boat was ours 😆 But hey, maybe someday!

Let’s be honest here. We all have some folds. Some that we are cool with and some we are less cool with. Last summer, I had lost a lot of weight and my belly was more deflated than ever. I didn’t feel cute and tiny. I felt saggy and gross. The point of this goes to the day I opted to wear a bikini top at the beach, and burned that saggy belly good and proper. Guys, I STILL have the remnants of the white stripes caused by those folds not getting adequate sun that day. Quite the thing. 

I know. I’m really selling it here. 

Well, this weekend, Brady found himself in a similar situation. 

Now that Brady is paralyzed, his lower ab muscles don’t work anyway. This isn’t uncommon, but it’s provided him with a couple of folds he didn’t previously have. No one is too upset about it, don’t worry. It’s pretty small potatoes. Just a couple belly folds. 

Brady was sitting in a lawn chair for a good handful of hours this weekend, toasting that tummy good and proper. But not as much the skin inside the folds. 

😂🤣 

The pose is really what makes the story. He is such a dork. But a very happy, grateful, easy going dork 💜 I am incredibly thankful for a husband who agrees to me posting stuff like this on the internet. Even if he is a flasher.

I want to tell you all about Wavys birthday and how it went, but I like to spend a bit more time on those posts than I’m willing to put in here. I want to look at the pictures really well and that is just much easier at home, on the laptop, with a little less going on around me. So I’ll show you more later.  But you can believe it was an absolutely beautiful day and that the birthday girl felt totally loved and celebrated. 

Today began with a fire, muffins, coffee, forts, music, and rest. The kids were with us for the breakfast part, but soon they booted off to find their friends, leaving Brady, Cher, and I to the coffee and guitar part. It was peaceful and lovely. 

It wasn’t long before the sun came out and we decided to make our way down to the lake! It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be at the beach! 😎☀️ 

Wavy spent a lot of the day on a paddle board with one of our sweet friends. She also built sandcastles with Solly. 

Solly did some digging and also some drumming 😆 sorry to everyone else on the beach!

Laela lurked on the dock and sprayed innocent unsuspecting people with water guns. 

Rowan was out on the water for hours so I rarely saw him, but he’d come for a snuggle here and there. 

Dekker didn’t want to be photographed, as you can see, so I sat on him to cheer him up. 

I will admit, though, the gang is fading. 

We’re gearing up to make big crunchy salads with chicken nuggets in them for supper. And the promise of snow cones with their friends doesn’t hurt a bit! It’s been a beautiful day 💜 

Thank you Lord for this spot at the lake.  

Waverly Violet is officially FOUR years old 💜

 She lived her third year of life with SO much love and energy, brightening up every single day for just about everyone she encountered. 

Wavy is a ray of sunshine, undeniably. To know her is to love her. And she is loved by many! There is no lack in that department. Her closest people include her parents and siblings, her grandma Jeanne, her auntie Cher, her honorary grandparents Tom and Rae, and our lake friends, the Dahlsjo’s, who dote on her, left right and centre. 

Wavy loves puzzles. Hamilton. Running. Singing. Her white hat. George Ezra’s song “Shotgun.” Oranges. Being the centre of attention. 

Wavy doesn’t dislike too much. Hot food. Sometimes she gets nervous around new adults. She is deeply reactive to bug bites so I’m pretty sure she dislikes those. She doesn’t like being told what to do, but who does? Really, she is terribly easy going and doesn’t fight about much. 

I don’t usually struggle with my kids aging, to be honest. I know I’m supposed to, but I LOVE watching them grow and develop, and I just LOVE getting to know them better! I am, however, struggling with my youngest growing up so much faster than I expected. 

At age four, she will be entering preschool next year. She is potty trained. She can zip her own zippers and open her own granola bar. She speaks clearly and understands seemingly everything. She does dishes and takes responsibility for her things. Which is amazing. But wasn’t she just a baby?? 

My heart was not ready to be done with babies. Not even close. But goodness. I could not have asked for a better setup with Wavy being our youngest one during these last few years. She brings such a light to our life. 

You are dearly loved by many, sweet Wavy Vi. I cannot believe how grown up you are already, but I am LOVING every minute I spent with you! You are truly a delight to be around, and everyone who has the pleasure of knowing you would agree. What a gift you are 💜 Consider me your head cheerleader, eagerly anticipating what you’ll end up doing with your life, where you’ll go and with whom. I hope I’m invited 💜 I LOVE having you in my life. Your family is so fortunate to have you, dear girl!

Thank you, Lord, for Waverly.