We are home 💜 After a fairly short whirlwind weekend, we have arrived back at home. We made it through the tornado warnings and the rains that were SO strong, they had me pulling over on the side of the highway with my hazards on. That was a first for me, but I was far from the only one taking the shoulder. The rains passed and the clouds were gorgeous! There was a double rainbow that was being enjoyed by many others along the road, phones out, taking pictures of the sky.
Now, we are home, things unloaded and kids tucked in. No one is bathed, but campfire is not an offensive smell for a day or two. I’m ready for a hot bath. I have a cold and haven’t breathed easily all weekend, and I miss that.
That’ll do it. A bath. A snack. And bedtime. Sounds like a recipe for a lovely night at home in my own bed, where I’m not sharing 300 ish square feet with my eight kids… 😅
Sleep well, all. It’s the last week of school! Enjoy a couple of quiet moments while they exist!
It’s been a really lovely day out here at the lake. We couldn’t go Friday, but we got up at balls o’clock and made it to camp by 9! The fun of celebration weekend began right away, and the party kept on going until after 10pm. Unfortunately, the power didn’t want to join us, and we have been without electricity for way too long. I really hope our fridge food survives 😬🤞
The day was a huge success 🥰 the kids played all day. We ate great food provided by the camp. And the blanket I made for the auction sold for so much more than I anticipated. It’s been lovely 💜
While I really wish we had electricity, I’m doing my best to look past that and enjoy what I DO have. And it’s a whole lot of beautiful things. I’m so fortunate. Thank you Lord 💜
The other day, I took all eight kids grocery shopping. Our plans changed a bit last minute so I began the shop extra frazzled. But who wouldn’t be? So forward we went, and had a really successful, really cute grocery shop.
Except, as we unloaded our groceries onto the conveyor belt, I realized I skipped the entire fresh section!!! The way we entered Walmart, it was first, and I wanted to do it last. And then I skipped it. Nooooo!!!!
At that point, of course, the babies were starting to break down, and I didn’t have the nerve to go back and shop more. Knowing I’d be back in the city fairly soon, I decided I’d let it wait for the next chance I got.
That chance was today! What I didn’t anticipate was having a load of groceries that I felt really good about! Hahaha! Sometimes I’m embarrassed by my groceries at Walmart, because its not usually where I get my healthier stuff. Its where I go for things like treats, condiments, cereal, and other things that are only on the list sometimes. But today, I felt great about my purchases! Granted, not everything qualified as “fresh stuff” but I still really loved how it turned out.
Ok. Before you come for me about some of these details, let me explain a couple of things.
Rowan has been struggling in a few new ways, and one way that was suggested to us to help him was to give him more snacks – more feeding his brain. Not just any snacks, though. Good fats. Not too sweet. Fibre. Protein. You get it. I have some really good stuff at home, but its starting to bore him. So don’t come at me about how unhealthy baby carrots are. I know they’re not the best. But I’m going for grab and go. So while we’re finding our feet with what Rowan wants and needs, I’m just trying some stuff. Easy stuff.
So we came home with standard fresh stuff that we always try to stock. Lettuce. Cucumbers. Peppers. Apples. Little tomatoes are ALWAYS an easy sell. Also some baby carrots and snap peas for quick, easy, and healthy. Kiwis, because Rowan LOVES them right now. As some asides, I got dried apricots, honey garlic pepperoni sticks, pistachios, and cashews. Nuts and dried fruits are supposed to be really good options. And then he used to reach for pepperoni sticks, but the ones we got last were “too spicy.” They were original. So, honey garlic should solve our problems. The nuts he will resist, but I’m hoping to be able to convince him to at least give them a try!
I also bought pasta salad and potato salad, because I really like them at camp. Some raspberry pure leaf iced tea because it is SO yummy and was on a super good deal. And yarn, because, you know, yarn.
I didn’t feel bad about a single part of this shop, which was so refreshing. As I filled my fridge with my purchases upon getting home, I felt so fortunate. Thank you, Lord, for providing for us in such a way that we can buy fresh, delicious things for our family and to help us get well 💜
Today, our kindergarten teachers did a little ceremony for the families of the students in their class. Brady took a little break from his work day, and my mom, Rae, and the babies joined in for the half hour presentation in the library.
Its hard to show you the pictures without putting other kids’ faces on the internet. But Brady go the winner 💜
They first did a song for us. And by “did a song” I mean they stood still as statues, did some mediocre actions, and did not sing along whatsoever. As five year olds tend to do when put on the spot in front of a crowd 😂 There was a slideshow, and a short little question and answer sesh. Wavy said her favorite part of kindergarten was playtime, and she is most excited to make new friends in grade one.
I would say she was most excited to eat a cupcake and chips in the middle of the day but 🤷🏼♀️
I tried to get some more polished photos but, you know Wavy.
She’s a little goof, but she’s my goof 💜 And I LOVE her. Grade one won’t even know what him them. She is amped and ready for the next adventure.
Congratulations on your first year of school! I could not be more proud of you! Until the next thing you do that makes me more proud of you 💜
A fun thing happened at school yesterday. Wavy WON a MEDAL!!!!! For TRACK!!!
My kids are pretty athletic, which is fun because its something that just showed up naturally for them. So track day is a lot of fun, because its a day out of class, where they can be outside with their friends, and in a lot of cases, they do pretty well in their events.
Waverly was a fun surprise this year. With it being her first year of track, none of us had any idea how truly athletic she was, and how much she LOVED it!!! She wore big smiles on her face while she ran and jumped. She enjoyed her day SO MUCH, and yesterday, she was rewarded in a special way in front of the whole school!!! Each grade recognized two children with medals – one boy and one girl – and Wavy took the kindergarten girls medal, acknowledging her mad athleticism and gusto!
I am SO proud of my little girly!! 💜 Beautiful job, Wave! You make it look easy 😎
Rowans first ever season playing soccer is done and done!
As a nice little cherry on top, our team even won! Each kid handed in their jersey, and walked away with a voucher for a free ice cream 🍦 Double win!!
Its been fun to watch Rowan be part of a team that he really enjoys! He runs hard, effortlessly, sometimes with his hands in his pockets 😅 But when he has a chance to run and really take off, his hands come out and he runs big, with his arms out and his game face on. His face gets especially growly and toothy when people cheer 💜 Its VERY cute to watch. He is very prancy and lanky in his running and jumping. He will slide and throw himself down to try to keep the ball in play, but if he happens to be the reason it goes out, or he makes any kind of error, he will laugh at himself, and keep on trucking. I will admit, I was afraid of Rowan’s sportsmanship, and how his competitive side would show itself, but its been lovely. I’ve been so pleasantly surprised but how graceful he is during soccer.
His last game was attended by Brady and I, as well Laela, Solomon, Waverly, and the three babies. Dekker was at a youth thing. Also, my mom, Rae, and Tom were in attendance. Auntie couldn’t make this one, but she hit many others 💜 Rowan was well loved and celebrated.
We all came home, and it took a while to get everyone wound down and put to bed. This morning, I woke every single one of them from a dead sleep 😅 So I’m not sure if that was soccer, or a bubbling sickness, or maybe a weird moon thing. Either way, soccer finished with a bang, and while I’ve enjoyed it, I am so happy to have ONE thing off our calendar!
Onto the next, folks! Today has held a doctors appointment, a phone call with a social worker, some back and forth with a social worker over text, and there is still a visit to come this evening! But that works, because the rest of us can get a big shop taken care in the meantime!
I feel like the weekend came and went SO fast!! Did I even have a second to enjoy it?? Wait. Yes. I think I may have enjoyed it after all 💜
*breathes in deep*
It was beautiful on the warmer day. It was beautiful as it poured. Kinasao holds an incredibly special place in my heart. I hope we have SO many more years there!
But as it happens, we are back home and entering another HUGE week.
The week holds a soccer game, two social worker visits, two other foster visits, three doctors appointments, and a school event. Plus all the other normal stuff, like the road work, aka not having proper access to and from my house, as well as a grocery shop, and getting ready for next weekend at camp! 😅
But I’m very fortunate! The ministry has funded me for some in-home domestic help, so my house is cleaned, and household jobs are much better maintained, even though I don’t have a second to do it myself. On top of that, this weekend at Kinasao, almost all meals will be provided for us!!! So that is significantly less planning than usual! I’m so relieved, hahaha! Aaaaall the rides and aaaaall the childcare is already worked out for the week. Its going to be a gooder, even if its super busy.
Thank you Lord for always providing for us, even when things are nutty.
This year, Father’s Day was greatly overshadowed by a birthday! A little one in our care celebrated a birthday today!!! 🥳 That birthday will not always fall on Father’s Day, and as it happened, it took precedence. Brady wasn’t hurt 💜 He agreed and understood.
Regardless, it is important to note that Brady is the best dad I have ever come across. Truly. He makes not a single excuse. Though he could.
Bradys brain stuff is not over. Not even sort of. He still battles the side effects of surgery and meds every single day, and very little of it is simple or nice. Almost all of it is really, really difficult. Yet, as a father of EIGHT children this year, he shows up for them. There is no bias. No favoritism. There is always, only love. Which is all have for him, also. Always, only love.
You are SO dearly loved by your family, Brady 💜 Absolutely every last one of us. Thank you for sticking with us though aaaaall the junk that has been thrown at you. We would not be us without you 💜
I could not have finished off my latest crochet project without all the backup I’ve had. From Brady shouldering some extra things around the house to loved ones taking babies for a couple of hours here and there, I finally completely the blanket I started so many months ago!
Kinasao has a celebration weekend every summer, and last year I put a blanket in for the silent auction. Once the weekend had come and gone, and my blanket had successfully sold, I felt like I could make another one for the next summers event. Insecurities aside, I made a beautiful foresty blanket, even adding the name “Kinasao” in the middle. Oh and I snuck some dwellings amongst the trees as well 🌲 I think it turned out really well!!
I love how it came together. On time. Here at camp. It turned out nicely, and while I’m actually quite taken with it, I’m glad it’s done! The timeline is off, and the other projects on my docket either have no deadline, or one that is months off. So the pressure is off 💜
But beautiful things are made under pressure, isn’t that the truth! 😍
I appreciate the input of those of you who gave your opinions about the laundry machine debacle.
I so love the idea of one big machine to rule them all, but it is very true then that I couldn’t start the second load while the first one dried, and that super sucks. So while we can swing the cost of replacing both machines, we should. And I think we will. Hopefully soon! Costco rarely steers us wrong, so I’m sure we’ll be heading in that direction sooner than later!
Maybe I can even get something fancy to tell me on my phone that the wash cycle is done….. #dreambig
