It’s possible that today is the hottest day of the year. I have absolutely no actual information on the subject, but having actually spent the day in the sun on the beach, I can vouch that it is the hottest day I have witnessed thus far in 2022. At its highest, it was 31C, felt like 36C. Just HOT. 

But the kids embraced it hard! They kayaked, paddle boated, paddle boarded, floated, and played hard in the water! It was BEAUTIFUL. 

Even Brady got in on it! 💜 A couple of people on the beach even reached out to him to say they would love to help him get all the way into the water if he wanted to go. We’ve always felt we could ask, but it feels great to have it offered. Thank you, guys 💜 That is very loving, and I know it’s vulnerable to out it out there for fear of offending. We only feel loved and supported. 

The beach day ended with snow cones with our friends, and a supper of sandwiches because everyone was too hot to make or eat real food 🥵 

We don’t know what the rest of the day holds, but we are SO grateful for AC in our camper where we can really let down and feel comfortable! 

Between heat exhaustion, funny sunburns, and Benadryl to counteract the HORRID mosquito bites, wish us luck for our sleeps!! 

Dekker is back with the gang!! On a CRAZY hot day, we joined their windup chapel, where we sang their songs, heard from the speaker, and watched their video. Dekker sat with some buddies and was all smiles. He was visibly SO happy 😍 it was so good for my heart to see. Some siblings in particular really missed him 💔💜 Oof!

Since Dekker came back to us, we’ve been squeezing him for stories, and he has provided. 

My favorite was my conversation with him about dressing up for theme meals. 

Me: Dekker, what did you dress up as for theme meals? 

Dekker: I dressed up as a man who could speak every language. 

Me: Oh. What was that costume? 

Dekker: It’s like – a flashy vest. 

Me: …

Dekker: I also dressed up as a nerd for nerd dinner. But I didn’t really “dress up.” Just wore what I had. 

At least that explained why we saw that picture of him wearing his pj pants up to his armpits with his tshirt tucked in! 

I also found out that he went HARD for the candy time. He raved about the rainbow belts, and told me loved them so much, he ate TEN, and then he barfed 🤮 Thankfully he laughed when he told me, so I could tease him. Apparently the poweraid at the end was yuckier than the vomit 🤷‍♀️ Go figure. 

He told us about his friends, his activities, the fires, and all the silly stuff. 

He is already asking to go back next year 💜

Off we go again to the lake! During this VERY hot season we’re in, we are currently forecasted for blazing heat and pouring rain! I would LOVE that! 😍 

It’s been a full, beautiful day at home, preparing to get out the door, speaking on the phone to Dr Guselle, crocheting, and hanging out with Cher. She of course helped a lot with getting us ready for the lake, too, as she always does 💜 My mom did some grocery shopping for us. We are so fortunate!

The kids and I made it to Brady’s work with fifteen minutes to spare, so we listened to good music and chatted amongst ourselves. They’re a cute, eager bunch. 

We’re excited to finally see Dekker tomorrow!! 

Dekker has been gone at camp for several days now! I am really interested to hear all about it when we’re reunited! I hope he is having a total blast!

Before he left on Sunday, Laela was also feeling that vibe.

Her messages reads:

Dekker is going to camp today. He is so excited and packed up. I’m going to be so bored without him. Have fun Dekker! – Laela

She wrote this before Dekker left, and she made a point to have him read it. He smiled at her and said something along the lines of “Thats cute, Laela.” It was really sweet to witness.

Dekker and Laela have some deep competition between them, and its not always smooth between them. But they have a special relationship that is totally different than that of the other kids. And they really care about each other.

Anyway. I loved this. And I thought it was worthy of remembering 💜

We’ll see Dekker back again on Friday! Can’t wait to squeeze him!

The other day I posted about some positive growth for Solomon, and how I can see he’s learning to cope with different sensory struggles, or maybe even overcome some! Yay Solly!!

A day or two after I posted that post, we spent an evening at the beach. Most often, this is how it goes.

Dekker is on his kayak. Sometimes he’s giving Wavy a ride.

Other times, Wavy is knee deep in the lake, digging for rocks. Yes. She is my child.

Laela is always out on the little ladder off the dock, sitting, or standing on the steps, but rarely going all the way in. Thats just her spot.

Rowan will be taking turns on the kayak, making elaborate trenches on the beach, pumping water, splashing in the water with flutterboards, or practicing his doggy paddle.

And Solly hangs on the beach. He’ll dig holes. Sort of. But he wants to keep shoes and socks ON, and he wants to just sit. It is a fight to convince him to play.

So lo and behold, on this beach evening, everyone was in the water except him. Until he suddenly was. He wanted to take his shoes off, which was great! I encouraged him to go for it, and he dipped his feet into the lake. Stood there for a bit. And then backed out.

And I was SO proud of him! Because that was a big deal, and some great progress! I will take it, as small as it may seem!

And then he decided to be an overachiever, and he went to the dock, and walked down that ladder than Laela loves.

And then, as if that wasn’t enough, less than ten minutes later, he was here. On his own accord!

He spent the next few minutes walking to the shoreline and back, but he was comfortable and excited and not even unhappy when it was hard to get his shoes back on, which is usually a huge point of contention for him.

Basically, the point of the story is that Sol is growing and changing and getting so brave and big! I am SO impressed with the beautiful progress he has made recently! Keep doing your thing, Solly. You’re doing a beautiful job!! 💜

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!