Today was lovely. It was warmer and restfuller and peacefuller today. The food was crazy good. The fire was hot and burned beautifully. The company was loving and kind. There were even a few stretches where I was baby free and could crochet. 

The day has ended harder than expected, but tomorrow is fresh 💜

We are finally back home to our home away from home. 

Hellooooooo Kinasao!!! 

We came for summertime… 

And it did not deliver. 😅 Cold and rainy!

But the food did not disappoint, which helps a lot! 

What is it about eating outside around a fire anyway? 🥰 It’s something special. 

Night the second is impending, and while I’m apprehensive, I think I’m feeling better than I thought I would at this point. Bring on the day! 

And a YUGE attaboy for the Dahlsjo’s who willingly – nay HAPPILY grab a baby or three in order to give me some hands free moments 💜 I feel seen and loved and considered. Thank you, friends 🥰 

Cher Bear here!

Just a shout out to my sweet best friend (Brady too). They have been moving non stop through a very busy period in their lives. They roll with the punches smoother than anyone I have ever seen. Some days I don’t even know if they get adequate bathroom breaks.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of sitting and having a coffee with the two of them which is a rare occurrence these days, but I thoroughly enjoyed their company. It’s really special to have them in my life. We can go from laughing hysterically to talking about deep life things, and back to laughing hysterically again. 

If you see Hailey out and about, know that you’re looking at a very strong, capable, amazing woman. If you see Brady out and about, same thing, but he’s not a woman. 

May your weekend be refreshing, even though nights might take a little getting used to. You’ve got this. I love you guys. 

Tuesday was spent at the lake, getting our campsite ready and a few of the bigger things organized to streamline the upcoming camp season!

Our family loves a good road trip, but a road trip with only Brady and I is a very special treat.

Welcome home to us 💜

Our first move upon arrival was to park the van over by the bump out and boost the camper to get it slid out. Once we knew that was in order, the inaugural fire was built 🔥

This is SUCH a happy place for us, even before its all green and sunny and hot.

The restaurants were closed, but the grocery store was not, so we bought some fruit and had a light lunch by the fire.

But then we got into it all. So here is where we are.

I got to the grocery store and bought a few water jugs. Water jug is plugged into the electrical and is fully operational.

Water is running. Drop in is dropped in.

The absolute grossest part of the camper is cleaned.

Mouse poison is cleaned up. NO SIGN of visitors over the winter months.

Bump out is mostly good. It wouldn’t come all the way out, and a bracket bent badly after a weld let go. A super helpful guy from the campground came to help us get it muscled out the best we could, so while its not perfect, the fridge can open! Heyooo!

I did not get to fill the wood bin. Nope. The bump out took too much time :/

But! The golf cart batteries installed perfectly and hand controls went on easily. That first ride was SO peaceful. Probably the last quiet one of the season!

It was positively beautiful out there. The lake is ready to be photographed at length by yours truly.

Trees were easy on the eyes as well 😍

We drove home pretty much immediately after the drive, stopping for Subway, which we rarely justify when we have all the kids, lol!

Aaaaand home we went 💜 It is always good to be home, but always sad to leave our Kinasao home.

Every single time we go to the lake, it highlights how good we have it. Praise the Lord for providing such an amazing getaway for us!!

Behold. A very vulnerable picture of me.

I know. Excuse the chest hair. I’m just being real with you guys. This is me. Taking a shower. Preparing food. Whilst on an important phone call.

Well I REALLY psyched you all out! This actually is not me. Maybe the height gave me away. Darn.

Anyway. It COULD be me. It is definitely how I feel on the inside. Chaotically juggling personal care, while trying to keep a family alive and every possible social worker and medical professional in the know of every little detail. I barely remember the days of screening calls from unfamiliar numbers. Now, I pick up evvvvverything. Including the baby in my house that will not be set down.

Thats really how you know this picture isn’t of me. Because I wouldn’t be in the shower. Unless the baby was, too.

Blog ✅ done. Another thing off the list for the day! Whew!

It was an incredibly beautiful day 💜 Brady and I spent the day at the lake getting some of the bigger things for the season organized and worked out before it actually begun. The kicker is that we were KID FREE! 😳 Guys. That almost never happens!!!!

It was its own kind of refreshment. We got things done, of course. And we visited with a couple of familiar faces. But we also sat around the fire quietly, held hands, and rested together. Now don’t confuse rest with sleep. We sleep next to one another every night, barring any crappy hospital stuff. But how often we rest together – its hard to say when the last time was that we did. This was precious. We could in no way swing this without our immense support system 💜 Thank you, mom and Rae, for spending the day with the babies and the sickie. It was truly a gift to us.

Tomorrow brings another full day, but much more “normal.” Work. School. An appointment. Some planning and organizing. You know the drill by now. But I will cherish today 💜 It will not be quickly forgotten.

I love you, Brady 💜 Thank you for spending the day being productive and restful with me.

Spring cleaning? Is that you?

Or is this my life? 

I will never forget when Hailey first explained to me “moving messes.” It’s not from moving. It’s when you have to move a mess to clean a mess. Therefore, in order to clean you have to make mess somewhere else. And then the cycle continues and never ends. 

Well, I never experienced that to a degree, until I began accumulating more belongings. In the past five years I have accumulated a lot and I feel like I will be moving messes until I die. 

Does anyone ever finish moving the messes? Or do the messes just sort of evaporate in the sun? 

Have a great spring clean, everyone!

Cher

Today I am abundantly grateful for my mom.

For the woman who has taught be absolutely everything she knows about how to be a strong woman of God. How to be an intentional parent. How to provide love and care and affection with no cap or pause even in times of strife. Unconditional love and respect were learned through this dear mom of mine.
There is no way I would have these children I have without your teachings and intention. There is no way we could foster children the way we aim to without your advice and guidance all through my childhood.

Still, some days I wish I could squeeze more of your opinions and advice out of you, but I know how deeply you desire not to sway my decisions as an adult. Almost too much respect in that way 😘

I love you, mom 💜 more than you know. My heart carries yours so closely. I’m so grateful to be close to you.

Behold! My favorite day of the year!

We spent a grand total of $146.50 today. Here’s the breakdown!

A bassinet for the lake. $15.

Brady got a super cool bit set for $40, and an antique planer (the huge one) for another $40.

We got an older double stroller for the lake for $15. No picture of it, though!

We spent $17 on donuts and iced coffee! Always a highlight!

Aaaaand the rest went to little stuff! Hats, books, games, toys, puzzles, and even a cute umbrella to provide extra shade in a stroller or car sear. Again, for the lake!

These kids 💜 Some of my favorite people right here. A few more heavy favorites not pictured 🥰

In true garage sale fashion, a couple of the kids are breaking down and the house is a mess 😅 But its worth it for the fun that was had!

I took all eight of my kids to Costco today. It was a first. The kind of first that was apparently palpable, as someone offered to take a picture of all of us as we were all exiting the van and getting babies into carts. I took her up on it, and have some very cute pictures of all of us that of course I can’t post on here. Ugh. Such a bummer. But, trust me, it was pretty cute.

We did a GIANT Costco haul, buying lots of doubles of things, thinking ahead to the weekend we’ll spend at camp. We bought lots of things we’ve been out of for a good long while. Some convenience things. Lots of snacky lunchy things. Some baking stuff. Wipes. Condiments. It was a solid haul, and we came away with most of what we came for. No lettuce. No snap peas. No dried strawberries. No english muffins. No propane, though that one was on me. Still. After spending a fortune and hauling three carts and eight children through the store, we came out with more than enough!

Once we got back to town, we dropped Dekker off at a prearranged event, and went home. The rest of us unloaded all the groceries and everyone got a job. I got all the babies in and stuck a couple in high chairs. I made a bottle for the smallest one, and tried to get them all settled and eating. Rowan started doing his usual afternoon job – dishes, while Laela, Solly, and Wavy started to unload the groceries. I helped with that, too, but not too much, as a certain little lemon drop needed my assistance quite often. Once my unloaders were done unloading, they put the fridge and freezer stuff away, and I promised to put the rest away. Laela ended up volunteering to feed the lemon drop the end of the bottle, and at that point, I realized my Waverly had totally snuck off and dodged her job.

So I earned a helper! Hahaha! She and I organized every item that had come into the house. We made the pantry make sense. We opened packages and put them in better containers. We cut boxes open so we wouldn’t have to when the time came to open them up. And then Wavy did laps and put aside all the things we will take to camp in their own box elsewhere in the house. When that was done, she took the garbage out to the garbage and the recycling out to the recycling.

Being that she had unfortunately lost most of her free time, I cut apart a couple batches of granola bars that I made the other day and had her wrap them up for the freezer. She worked really hard, but it was that final task that brought out the remorse. So it felt like a win, but it wasn’t mean or horrible. She wasn’t alone even once through it. I don’t know. It felt like a success somehow.

I will admit that right now, I’m sick to my stomach, barely able to sit up to write this post. Which is very disappointing :/ Because while it was a decent undertaking, I truly enjoyed taking all the kids out!! So I’m bummed my body is responding so badly, but I have no regrets!

If I knew any of them would ever see it, this is the part where I would thank all the awesome people in Costco today who celebrated my large family with me, not once making me feel judged or like we were an inconvenience. It felt like a warm group in there today, and I’m really grateful that it played out so nicely 💜

It will not be the last time! I sure love those kids!