up north 2013

We had a wonderful, wonderful week up north and were spoiled with many beautiful memories to bring back home.

 

Tyler woke up a little early one morning and after he emptied the kitchen drawers he was bored. At that moment my dad walked past our cottage to go fishing off of the dock and I sent Tyler chasing after him. After watching Tyler and my dad talking and seeing the beautiful sunrise, I decided that it was the best morning ever. One to cherish. 

Daniel

Renee and Luke

This is Liam all of the way. Always interested in nature and exploring.

 

 

 

 

These three girly cousins spent most of the week dressed up and playing house. Just adorable.

 

 

 

 

You know that you have an "interesting" family when you pick up your little one from your aunt and he greets you like this.

Can't miss candy river. Its a one of a kind river where you can catch candy! Of course Tyler didn't remember it from last year so when he caught this candy he was shocked.

Heather and Daniel

 

 

 

These four boy cousins are so fun to watch. They are all born within a few weeks of eachother and their lively characters are taking shape. Some are daring, others more cautious, some more leader like, and others more peace maker like. They add a lot of spice and fun in our lives!

a short story from twelve years ago

     Finally, after four long years of dating, Adam and I were thrilled when our wedding day arrived. All of the wedding details had been carefully taken care of,  and we were ready to sign that marriage license and start this new journey together. However, we had one slight problem. Actually it was a BIG problem. It caused me waves of anxiety and nausea and I felt like I was stuck on a roller coaster that was beating down on an old rickety track going in a fast forward pace. We were heading towards our wedding day at gusto speed and had NO WHERE to live. Not a house, an apartment, no where.
Adam had just graduated from school and was spending his energy and time looking for a job in his areas of expertise. We didn't know where Adam would get a job and where we would end up moving. This was not a good situation because the planning in me couldn't plan and organize; and I knew that given my history of homesickness I would need to be close to my parents. If possible I wanted to hear the same train that they hear AND at the same time that they would hear the train passing through. To me that was a good guideline in terms of location.  (And in case you are thinking that that it explains why we are neighbours with my parent's now, it was Adam's idea to buy this house:)
I shouted for joy when Adam called me one evening and said that he got a job close by and that we could start looking for a home or an apartment in our area.
After some searching we found an apartment that we could rent BUT, there is a big BUT, it was not available until a month after our wedding date.
We did some planning and phone calling and finally figured things out - sort of.
On the first week we would be on our honeymoon so that was one week taken care of and three more to find shelter for.
On week number two my parents and sisters would be on their summer vacation so we could live in their home while they were gone. It was a little awkward living there for a week because before the wedding Adam and I were never alone at my parent's home and now we had the whole house to ourselves.  
On week three and four, Adam and I moved into my Oma's home while she was away. This is when I almost got hives from worrying. My Oma lived in a granny flat, also known as the trailer, on my uncle Brian's property. I would of rather lived in an igloo instead of spending two weeks as a newly wed on my uncle Brian's property. My uncle is KNOWN for his jokes and pranks and while growing up, I had heard enough stories of his pranks that could fill a book. I knew that Adam and I would be the recipients of something, I just didn't know what. I also knew that whatever happened, this story would spread like wildfire.
 While we stayed in my Oma's trailer I was on high alert. Every night before we went to bed I made sure that the windows and the doors were all locked. I also didn't want to have our lights turned off too early or too late. You know what I mean. I checked the closets and cupboards for someone or something that could pop out on us. Adam told me as gently as a newly wedder could that I was over reacting and that I should just relax. I told Adam that he was new to our family and that he had no idea what could happen to us.
Finally our two weeks were almost up and I was tired of being on "high alert."
Late one evening I came home from work after an evening shift and there it was. I burst out laughing.
Big, bold letters were written on a sign. The sign was set up right in front of the trailer and in the dark of the night, a flood light shone on the words.
There it was for everyone to see.
                                                        IF THIS TRAILER IS A ROCK'N
                                                         DON'T COME A KNOCK'N

"sweet spots around the house"

Here are some of the areas around our house that make our home feel like HOME.
 

The octagon mirror is from a second hand store and the lamp beside it is one of a kind. My mother in law filled it up with the sea glass that she collects. She also bought the picture of the bird and the comforting text on it.

This old crate holds the little odds and ends in the hallway. I get many compliments on it, but can't take credit. My sister gave the crate to me after taking care of my niece for a weekend. That was the easiest thing I have ever earned:)

This plant is a familiar one to all of my extended family. The family took cuttings from my great-grandmother's plant decades ago. I think that plants are so cozy but I have never had this plant bloom...I am not exactly sure that it is supposed to bloom?!
The carving of the praying hands is from my Oma. She had it in her home and I received the carving after she died. I love it because it reminds me to pray and it reminds me of my Oma.

I bought this picture frame from Ikea and as it was being hung up, someone in our house cracked the glass. So...we took some chicken wire, stuck it in there and now hang an assortment of pictures from it with clothes pins.

We have a bunch of geography lovers in our home. The globe is from a garage sale and the big map is from Ikea. The map was expensive but very worth it. The boys read about a place and then check it out on the map. They know borders, territories, and bodies of water. They know a whole lot more about geography than me. Yikes.

 

I love books and book shelves. I think that they are so cozy. This one is in our bedroom and it also serves as a catch- all for the neat little things that the boys have made or written. Someday maybe I will have a chance to file it...

 

And what can I say about this wonder!! Caleb is a real joy with his fast smiles and sparkling blue eyes. As busy as it is right now with the five boys, I never thought that it would be so wonderful to see the four oldest interacting with their baby brother. Tyler especially has a tender spot for Caleb and it is beautiful to watch them together. The boys are thrilled with every little accomplishment that Caleb does. This morning I heard Liam say, "Mom, you are never going to believe it. Caleb crawled five inches! That is so exciting!"

BOOK - "Running For My Life" by Lopez Lomong

"One Lost Boy's Journey from the Killing Fields of Sudan to the Olympic Games"

This book is a MUST READ!!

"Running for my Life" is about a boy who is kidnapped at the tender young age of six, escapes from soldiers, lives in a refugee camp for ten years, moves to America, and eventually runs in the Olympics.
This book is moving.
Right now I am reading this book to our three oldest boys (six plus) and at the end of every chapter they are begging for more. This book shows God's care for this young boy, teaches about life in Africa, poverty, gratitude, graciousness, hospitality, and working hard.
This is not just a book for growing children. It is taking every inch of self-discipline in me not to read further ahead in the book.

extended family pictures

 

Our friends from Yellow Box Photography took these special family pictures. My mother-in-law has a great eye for colour and bought us all of our shirts to match our family unit. Talking about making it easy for us moms!

 

 

 

 

 

My brother-in-laws are great - even this one!  If Michael lived close by I would be on the look-out for his practical jokes and I would make sure that he got them right back!

BOOK - " John and Betty Stam" Missionary Martyrs by Vance Christie

         John and Betty Stam had a passion for souls and gave up the comforts of North American life to minister in China. They were only in China for a short while with their very new infant daughter when the Communists stormed into their home and commanded them to march. The next day John and Betty were executed to the horror of on-lookers. Their baby girl was in a house not far away when this took place and was rescued 24 hours later.
Author Vance Christie has put together a stirring biography that is worth reading. At times the details are a little tedious but you see how vibrant John and Betty's love for the Lord was and how much they were willing to sacrifice; even their lives.

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A friend wrote this about John, " On our first itineration together we had to walk all day in the rain and mud, but John's ardor was in no way dampened. That trip, and all our trips together, were a blessing to me, for John's mind was a mine of wealth in the knowledge of God. He truly was mighty in the Scriptures, full of zeal to make Christ known, and full of love to the lost souls around him.
John was very quick to see the hand of God in everything. He often said, 'My heavenly Father knows.'  And once when speaking of difficulties to face, he quoted the Lord's words, 'For this cause came I unto this hour.'"

the laundry room

 We have a two story house and I spent a lot of time going up and down the stairs with laundry in my arms, and somehow the clothes never made it to the dressers. One day I got smart and dragged the boy's dressers downstairs and put them in the laundry room which is on the main floor. I moved all of their clothes into the laundry room so that after breakfast they would just go to their drawer and pull out the day's clothes. This turned out to be a wonderful brain wave that saved much time. Eventually we put built-in cupboards and drawers in the laundry room and this has helped keep things neat and organized.



Each boy has two drawers for their clothes and in the laundry baskets are all of dirty clothes that are sorted. I also have a laundry basket full of boy's underwear and boy's socks (mostly mismatched).

All of the boy's clothes are in the laundry room except for the out of season clothes and clothes that need to be hung up.

This is what it looks like at the end of the day!

You cannot see it too clearly but I have a saying on top of the door that says,
"The laundry room  Loads of fun"

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But here is the thing: even with everything being organized I cannot keep up with the all of the laundry. Just when I think that I have gotten to the bottom of the pile, in the middle of the night a big truck comes and dumps an even bigger load!