It’s true that it could be nicer out. The entire season has been so so smoky. I know there’s always some, but this is excessive! I have taken waaaaay fewer sky pictures in comparison to last year. Because, well…
Ya. It’s a drag.
Yet, the weekend has been oddly quiet here. Way less populated than we anticipated for a long weekend. But the people who are here are really good people 💜 We have spent hours visiting around the fire with friends. Drinking coffee. Eating meals together. Crocheting and playing guitar. The camper has rocked with children playing rowdy games with friends old and new. Playgrounds are populated, but not as populated as fire pits. It’s just been sweet. Smoke aside, I am loving our weekend.
Tomorrow closes off the last weekend here before summer closes and school begins. Time for more change in our household. Lots of new things afoot over here. This week alone carries much weight.
It’s been a really lovely day. It promised to be super hot, but it did not deliver beyond a reasonable point at all. It was comfortable to spend time both at the beach and around the fire.
The highlight of the day was hitting up the farmers market! There was an invite for people to set up tables in an outdoor arena and set up garage sales. I won’t lie. It was a bit disappointing. There were only two or three sales set up in there. But it didn’t stop our kids from making themselves at home.
I even found a win or two. I did not buy the book, but I’ve sure kicked myself about that choice.
Accidentally bought cabinets. Whoops!
Everyone got an ice cream and we packed it up and headed back to camp. We carried a few extras with us, but lost one to to the other group.
Zero regrets buying the bus. ZERO.
It’s been a very lovely day, and I anticipate more of that tomorrow and the next day
I’ve become an expert prepper. Not in every way, but in the few ways I need to be.
I prep for camp every single week, and this one is very much the same! The longer this list sits on the island, the more art gets added to it. Note to self: Don’t forget to pack Minecraft Steve. Whoever Minecraft Steve is…
I also figured I’d get ahead of school lunches a little, and on top of a quick stop at Walmart for some lunch things, I made a couple batches of granola bars!
Its still not over. Still lots to do. But we’re on our way.
And it wont all stop when school starts, either! Forward we go, come what may 💜
I promised a weekend recap and then I didn’t do it! Not yet, anyway! So here it is!!
Our trip last weekend came after a Saturday that Brady worked, so we got on the road a little later than usual, but it still worked!
Its becoming more and more fallish out there.
Cozier. Lazier. Definitely feeling more and more like the end of the season 💜
Still enough sun for some beach days, though!! I feel like we didn’t get enough of those this year.
Not warm enough for me to be in the water, but I have different priorities.
As I sat down in my chair on the beach to crochet, I happened to notice a hint that I had possibly sat there before with the exact same goal.
It was a successful project, if you were wondering!
The beach is good, and the campsite and fire are good, too. Beautiful people at both.
Brady finished up a wonderful renovation in the camper, making the bathroom more spacious and the toilet and sewer system work better! Win! His tools got a little confusing, but he made it work.
I believe that was also the day that Rowan figured I’d run through our camper screen door. It did not go well.
But we did have a small giggle…
And he rallied 💜 as he does.
I think the next day was when Solly got stung by a wasp?? I’m not sure. I don’t have a picture. But he got it right on the neck and BAWLED, which was completely justified. He got to cool it off with an orange crush, and then dropped it enough that it popped a hole so he got to drink it 😆 Good move, Sol.
Anyway. Everyone remains to be crazy cute, and I remain to be absolutely delighted by our family and the setup we have at Kinasao 💜
Whew! The next few days are NUTS. I think I’m ready for it, though. I think. I’m mostly organized. Maybe I’m not. Never mind.
Tomorrow there is a really important appointment I have to get to with one of the kids. We’re all going to go in, though. But its a big one that I’m really anticipating.
The next day is another big test that is less exciting and more daunting 😬 At least that one got moved up from the evening to the morning.
If you are the praying type, I do ask for prayers for our family for these next couple of days.
On Friday, after test #2, Brady will head to work and I will get us ready for yet another weekend at the lake! Our happy place 💜 We will remain there through the long weekend and come home Monday.
Aaaaand school starts on Tuesday!!! 😅
We’ll have to come home a little bit earlier on Monday than usual in order to get everyone washed up and organized for school the next day. Also waking up earlier will be an adjustment, haha!
I think we’re all ready for it, though. At least our kids are. We are needing some structure and routine back in our lives. Friends their own age. Using their brains. Exercising their bodies. Its time.
Dekker has rocked his kayak all summer, every weekend since he got it. However, he finally saved up enough money to get the rest of his goal met – an otterbox case for the phone he was gifted, and a bluetooth speaker. This way, he can go on longer treks and listen to tunes.
This weekend was his first go 💜 And it went over very well!
I’ll let him tell you about it.
💜
I’ve been kayaking all summer, but only recently I got my speaker and phone case, so I wanted to go farther. It’s really fun going all the way to Bells beach, because its a far trip and it takes more energy.
The first time I got to Bells, I docked there. I looked around, took a couple pictures, and I kind of just sat there to cool down.
The dock was coated in seagull poop! I almost got pooped on! 💩
And then I continued back going. I unhooked my kayak and continued going back to Kinasao.
Along the way, I saw a pontoon plane. On the way back, I watched it take off.
I noticed how many people own several boats and seadoos. Lots of people have pontoon boats, and the closer you get to Bells beach, the more bougey the boats are.
I listened to music the whole time. I got through about half of the playlist I used. My playlist consists of 2.5 hours of Minecraft music, Andy Grammer, Moxy Fruvous, and other random corny songs.
When I got back to the beach, I asked mom and dad if I could go north to the other round of cabins. I continued listening to music until I got back. I came back to shore and felt really tired. My arms were noodles.
I really liked being able to be on my own, and listen to music. I could pick where I went and had a lot of control. It was really peaceful. It felt really good to dip my hat in the water and wear it.
It was definitely worth the work, and I really enjoyed doing the work to earn the kayak and speaker.
Thank you, grandma, for helping me do the cans. Thanks to the Dahlsjos, and Scott, Aunty Sandy, and everyone else for providing the cans. I couldn’t have gotten my kayak and speaker without you guys. Thanks so much.
💜
I could not be more proud of this boy. Or more grateful to the people who gave up their recycling stuff for this project! Its been pretty amazing to witness him work up to this goal.
Whew! So today was a bit of a rough one, I won’t lie. Its good to be home. Home is easier than camp oftentimes, and today was one of those days. That being said, I’ll give you a highlight reel in the next day or two. There were definitely some good times this weekend. But today… today had bumps.
With those bumps, however, came a special discovery.
Float on the go.
Yes, you heard me. A float on the go. I had already determined I was getting a milkshake. And then I decided to throw all caution to the wind and get a big root beer. Don’t come at me. I NEVER get TWO big bad-for-you drinks. EVER. But when I realized they were the makings of a root beer float…
We have had a lot of firsts in the last few years over here. I’m sure you can all understand that. Lots of experiences lived out very differently. Learning curves all across the map. Todays first was a totally different ballgame, but it feels worthy of remembering. It’s not a nice fluffy memory, but it is indeed laughable, and somewhat comical.
We loaded up our golf cart this morning and headed to the beach, as is customary for us. We passed a man on the bath who nodded and smiled at us politely. I heard him exclaim to the kids “Can’t you walk?!” They laughed, not thinking much of it. Brady and I kind of chuckled together, because clearly, he had no idea what he was saying. But it rolled off quickly and we were at the beach less than a minute later.
It takes us a minute or two to get our setup organized. While we were setting up chairs and such, this man made his appearance on the beach. And without any holdback, he commented aloud “Lazy bones.” I swore I misheard him until he repeated his thought. “Lazy people.”
As non-confrontationally as possible, I laughed and said “Did you say lazy people??” He confirmed that he had. I firmly but politely informed him that my husband is paralyzed, hence the golf cart.
A good moment for him to step back and maybe even apologize for speaking out of turn, wouldn’t you say? But no. He had one moments pause because he pointed to our family and said “Well are the rest of you paralyzed?”
😳
Again, firmly but politely, I told him there are VERY few perks to paraplegia, and we would enjoy ourselves and our drives down to the beach. He shrugged me off and got back to his own thing. But *shivers* I did not care for that interaction.
Aaaaanyway. Mind your Ps and Qs, friends. Wouldn’t want things to get super awkward for you when you call out a paralyzed man for not walking…
We leave for the lake today, and I prepped VERY little up to this point. We’ve had other things going on, and also I’ve enjoyed some downtime this week! After packing for a ten day vacay, two days is beans.
The kids clothes are packed ✅
My clothes are packed ✅
Bradys clothes are packed ✅
Morsels extra supplies are packed ✅
We’re mostly winging food, but the fresh stuff is prepped ✅
Kids picked a couple of books ✅
Bradys tools are packed ✅
Prescriptions are filled, meds are packed ✅✅
We drove to Warman and Cher took Brady’s minivan back home ✅ He is now effectively stranded, but now I can pick him up from work and we can leave right from there!
All thats left is packing the van!
And dishes. Because food prep made a mess. Worth it!
The last few days have been SO chill for the kids. The calm before the storm, perhaps 😏 But, so you get the vibe…
There has been playdoh…
Sand art…
lego…
not to mention kinetic sand, painting, colouring, reading, etc etc etc.
I’ve also been taking the kids out for afternoon walks more often, and yesterday, we even went for an evening walk as a family 💜 Haven’t done that in a while! It was SO nice.
Today has been a bit different. I was in the city for a chunk of the morning, and my mom spent a few hours with the five kids 💜 Meanwhile, I made a really yummy coffee and got to be out and about a bit more relaxedly.
Welp. I suppose at this point, I should start getting us set up for the lake! 😬 Shut up I’m not late you’re late!
