I want to tell you all about picking the kids up from camp, but it’s been such a full day of fun, I’m pooped and have very little gumption to write anything long.
Rather, I’ll tell you that together with our dear friends, we had a wiener roast to close up the evening.
Distorted but still good! 👌
A LOT of beautiful faces were present 💜 I love this group so so much.
We ate a good supper of hot dogs and cheese balls. Some of the kids were jazzed. Some were half asleep. There was a solid mix.
But no one lasted especially long, and we said goodnight knowing we’d see one another tomorrow. I’m so grateful.
It was a beautiful, full, fun day 💜 Thank you Lord!
Yes. I said it. Sky. All over the place. As usual. But what I clearly meant to say was that the sky CHANGED multiple times today!
This morning, it was light and clouded over. It was still bright out and very very still. It was terribly pleasant.
In the early afternoon, it was beautifully blue with wispy white clouds.
This evening, there was a storm warning. I went down to the water to take pictures off the dock, as I do most days, and the sky was absolutely breathtaking. I LOVE a good storm, so the clouds rolling in were so beautiful to me.
And then just over an hour later, it was blowing and dark. Foreboding is a good word.
Now, the rain is coming down, and we are safely tucked away for the night. What a perfect way to close off the day!
It was a VERY cute day 💜 With most of the kids at camp, and Cher coming to spend the day, our group of seven had a very relaxed time together!
We had a fire after breakfast, and then hit the beach. It was a little windy and chilly but we still had fun! We picnicked our lunch at the beach but made our way up shortly thereafter. Sadie played with Wavy for the bulk of the day while Dekker built a car that Stacy had brought for him to work on. The kids were happily occupied all day, and the rest of us spent lots of time visiting.
There was a break in the day when the Dahlsjo’s asked to take Dekker and Wavy out for ice cream! They had fun and so did we!
The day wrapped up around a fire, and with the kids excitedly packing up for a sleepover at the Dahlsjo’s camper 💜 They are THRILLED, and I’m not mad at it either 😆 Thank you, Stacy, for being so gung ho to have them.
It has been a truly believe day 💜 It began with rain, muffins, and friends.
The morning was wished away while the kids anticipated 3:00pm – camp registration! They jumped around and played like maniacs for a couple of hours until it was finally time to start gathering up the odds and ends for camp.
We got to registration only a few minutes early and got to confirm that the kids were in fact paired up as we had requested! The girls were together, and all three boys even got together!! Win!! They all eagerly lined up, signed up, and hauled out! The setup is a little bit trickier so unfortunately Brady isn’t able to tuck anyone in, but he was still present and gracious and excited along with everyone!
Everyone was safely settled at camp, and we got out of there just as the festivities were about to begin! The rest of us and the Dahlsjo’s totalled to six, so we spent the evening together! Brady and Sadie cooked. Dekker and Wavy crafted and watched Scooby Do. Stacy and I visited and kept the fire alive. And we all really enjoyed each other’s company.
Here is to a few days with way fewer kids and a totally different dynamic!
I had a really lovely birthday a couple of days ago. I’ve been meaning to respond to all the messages on Facebook but I haven’t gotten there yet 😬 Please forgive me. I’m terrible at correspondence at the lake. Which I think is “right.” So I’m going with it. But hear me say I am so grateful I had such a beautiful birthday.
Meanwhile, at home, I have been blessed with celebration as well 💜
Had you heard that Im so cool??😎
I’m terrible at removing decorations when the time comes, so these will live on longer than necessary 😆 I did have to undo the bathtub balloons tho. Not immediately…
She also provided cake and pizza pre-birthday, which I will never ever turn down!
The decor was pre-birthday, courtesy of Cher 💜 And a birthday date with Brady is still on its way, as it had to be rescheduled thanks to the endless sickness in our family. Booooo! But I’ll tell you more about that day when we’re home and it’s happened! I’m SO excited!!
I felt loved and celebrated over the last couple of days. And still today, not at all about a birthday, but just about good love 💜
I’m very grateful for my people and all they put into me 💜💜💜 thank you, all. I see you.
My birthday supper was probably the best detail of the day 🤤 Brady bought a huge salmon filet and grilled it up slowly on our camp chef. To the side, we rocked some roasted broccoli. That was ALL we needed! Brady, Cher, and I ate like royalty!
My night could have been better but it also could absolutely have been worse! The three of us enjoyed the campfire and coffee before getting the kids up and getting on with the day. It because clear early on in the day that it needed to be a beachy one. Not because it was hot. Because it was grey.
Cher and the kids sculpted animals in the sand 🐙🐢
Some of the kids, that is. Others were overtired and opted to lay low 😆
I took a load off and continued to covet the boats on the dock.
We headed back to the site for some lunch and rest time. At that point, I was feeling quite fed up with my lack of voice (thanks for nothing, month long cold) and decided it would be nice to sneak another food treat once most kids were tucked away. So we picked up Asian at the local restaurant!
Ok, Brady got a burger. But Cher and I both chose shrimp chow mein. Because we know what a good thing is.
We ate, and took our time chatting and letting our food settled. It wasn’t long after lunch that Cher bid us adieu and headed home 💜 It was SO good to have her here! We miss you already, Cher!
We tried to head back to the beach for a little, but we got rained out and the kids were not fans. So it didn’t last, unfortunately. But it was beautiful while it lasted.
Now, the fire is going, the sun is out, and the kids are biking the loops and enjoying themselves. Everyone is content, so I am also.
Praise God!!! We are all feeling upswingy enough to get back to the lake!! And at JUST the right time! Our longest trip of the summer is scheduled for this coming week, and we didn’t have to call it off! We are SO excited!!
The van is LOADED. We did everything we could to bring ALL the food and ALL the clothes we would need, theoretically without having to duck out for groceries or laundry halfway through, but I’m sure things will change as our holiday plays out, and that’s so fine 😁 we are READY to be there!!!
It’s amazing how three days at home can feel like both not enough time while also an eternity 😆
The sun is HOT. Gas prices are slowly dipping. Iced coffee is flowing. Our friends are already at the lake. It’s a beautiful day to be going to camp!! 😎
At least I sure hope we got it the third time! Whew!
So. To recap, on Monday, Brady and Solly went to a doctor.
Then, yesterday morning, Brady took Solly, Rowan, and Laela into a nearby walk-in.
Yesterday afternoon, I took Dekker and Wavy into the same walk-in.
Absolutely everyone was seen by a doctor yesterday. ALL seven of us.
Oh my gosh what a day. Here is the Readers Digest version.
Brady has fluid in both ears and a double ear infection. He has a persistent cough caused by irritation and fluid draining in the wrong places.
Dekker has a double ear infection.
Laela has fluid in both ears, and an ear infection. She also has a persistent cough.
Rowan has fluid in both ears, and a persistent cough.
Solomon has fluid in both ears, and a persistent cough.
Waverly has a moderate to severe ear infection in her left ear.
I have a persistent cough and plugged eustachian tubes, which are part of the anatomy of the ear, but connect deeper in, closer to the sinuses. Think under your eyes.
ALL temperatures are perfect, and ALL lungs are clear!
The doctor Brady saw was VERY good to them, and very sympathetic to our situation of being sick for so long.
We saw a different doctor, but he was also VERY nice to us. He related, having four kids himself, and quickly charmed the kids into being fully comfortable with him. He convinced Wavy that he was checking our ears for potatoes, and she loved that. And would you believe the ONLY one of us with potatoes in our ears was mommy?!?!
I have to say, I felt SO warm and extra cared for there yesterday. When the kids and I were taken to the back for them to be weighed and measured, the staff was just mooning over them. They remembered the other kids from the morning and gushed about how sweet and beautiful they were. It felt really nice to hear good things, and to know they were cooperative and charming. Even to see Waverly take her shoes off, follow instructions, put the thermometer under her tongue and wait so patiently – it was awesome. I was very proud of my kids 💜
As we walked away from the clinic, both kids said they really liked the people there. That they were patient and really nice. It was all true. Legends in Warman, you have our stamp of approval 💜
After cleaning out our local pharmacy of a couple of different medications, we are now settled onto the path of betterment!
Three giant bottles of bubblegum amoxicillin.
One giant bottle of adult amoxicillin.
Five steroid nasal sprays.
One bottle of codeine cough syrup.
And aaaaall the Tylenol and Advil to manage pain until the good stuff starts kicking in!
It would appear we may in fact live to see another day 😅
I am relieved that no one is actually contagious in any way anymore. Its ALL just leftover side effects from the longest running cold of our lives. I deeply anticipate the day when everyone starts to feel somewhat better, myself included.
That being said, Brady has been on antibiotics a day and a half longer than the rest of us, and he finally can see the light at the end of the tunnel! He is at work today a very happy man!
All of this being said, we all feel hopeful about being on the mend, so morale is up! But my ears are screaming so I’m going to put this away for now and get moving on other things!
Thank you, Cher, for grocery shopping for us today 💜 That is a GIGANTIC help to our family this week! We love you!
After Laela woke me up early this morning, we decided a few more of our kids needed to be seen. Alongside that, Brady needed to be seen again. His coughing was worse than ever this morning, and come to learn that the doctor (not our doctor) at his previous appointment hadn’t even addressed his month-long cough. Which obviously needed attention.
So Brady loaded up the three middle kids and took them to Warman.
Laela’s left ear hurt.
Rowan has been deaf for days.
Solomon’s ears are plugged as of this morning, but he’s been sick forever and a day.
It wasn’t long before they were in a room. They were paired with a doctor I saw when Dekker broke his collar bone. He had been SO good with him! Its always a relief to know the doctor you’re seeing is good with kids. Especially when you bring in three.
Brady covered ALL the bases in their appointment! I am SO impressed! I know those times sometimes feel really high pressure, and he got it ALL! 💜
Rowan and Solomon both have fluid plugging up both ears. No signs of infection! Just, plugged, leftover from the weeks of congestion. Anyone else with this endless cold???
Laela, too, has fluid plugging both of her ears. Her left ear is also infected.
Brady’s day and a half of antibiotics for his ear infection have already done some good. They cleared up his right ears outer infection enough to reveal that there was also lots of infection in the inner portion of his ear. His left ear was previously too full of wax to see into, but this doctor today offered to blast that wax out, and when he did, he found lots of redness and irritation which was likely also an ear infection before Brady started the antibiotics! So yay for already being on the right stuff for a triple ear infection! Hahahaha! For his throat, he expressed that he’s missing work now, and needs to find some way to suppress his cough. The doctor offered him a “big boy cough medicine” to try, and if it doesn’t make him too drowsy, he can absolutely use it and go back to work 🙂
Beyond that, nasal spray ALL around! Because that is our current best option to nip the congestion in the bud and finally clear out everyone’s ears!!
What a huge morning! I feel a lot more hopeful than I did yesterday, with directions to move in, treatments to provide, and betterment on the horizon!
Wish us luck! We REALLY want to go back to the lake if we can at all see some positive progress!
