Today we celebrate the beautiful gift that is our lake. Our campground. Our spot. Our friends. Our home. The weather. The dirt under our fingernails and the sweat on our noses. What beautiful gifts we’ve been given. 

Honourable mention goes to this beautiful little piece of pink 💖 

Thank you, God. Amen. 

Cher here with a birthday blog. If this isn’t used on her day, it will be used shortly after. As you read recently, there are some changes afoot. I thought I would write a little something to take just ONE thing off her plate. That plate is overflowing.

I write about Hailey pretty consistently, as you have seen, we are very close. She has been a really beautiful and amazing part of my life and has aided in my growth in self-awareness as well as my walk with the Lord.

I wanted to share something from a best-selling book that reminds me of my best friend, because Hailey can’t exactly be described with words. Parts of her are unexplainable to psychologists, simply because what she has from God is supernatural.

Many people wonder how Hailey does it; foster care, cancer, a hundred children, baking, planning trips, crocheting, etc., and keeps going until the day is done. No complaining. No dreading. No lost energy. 

Well, I found the answer. 

An excerpt from “The Power of Positive Thinking”

“This man, whose responsibilities are very heavy, works from morning until night without interruption, but always seems to assume new obligations. He has a knack of handling his work easily and with efficiency.

I commented to the physician that I hope this man was not setting a dangerous pace that might possibly lead to a breakdown. 

The physician shook his head. “No,” he replied, ” as his physician I do not think there is any danger of a crack-up, and the reason is that he is a thoroughly well-organized individual with no energy leaks in his make-up. He operates a well-regulated machine. He is completely in harmony with God. In him there are no obsessions, no disorganizations, no conflicts, no mental quirks, and no mental instability. From his faith, he has learned how to avoid drainage of power.”

And that ladies and gentleman is the way Hailey operates. She is a force as she has a force within her.

One day there will be a book written about this remarkable lady. If not by me, then by one of the social workers who continuously remark of her care she provides to each child. They are baffled by what she does and often express how different and BETTAR she is than most. 

Happy Birthday Hailey 🎂 You are truly a gift from God to everyone who has a chance to experience your love and warmth. I have never met another human being like you. And I am SO happy you were born. The world NEEDED you, and God makes no mistakes. Thank you for not only walking in your purpose but LEADING in your purpose. God has a photo of you in his wallet. I know it for sure.

I love you! 

We had a very relaxed morning and afternoon. Cher spent the night and hung out and spent those relaxed hours with us. We sat and sipped coffee. I crocheted a little. We shuffled the babies around between adults, and Laela was part of that as well. Babies napped. The one baby super did not nap 😬😩 we ate easy yummy food and enjoyed the sun that finally came out 😎 it was truly lovely and peaceful. 

The evening has been different. Change is afoot, as it tends to be in our home, and we find ourselves in prep mode. Work mode. Mental load mode. Even though we’re on holidays 😅 so our brains are full, but there is much good to come. 

Thank you Lord for leading and guiding us all along the way. 

For the first time in forever, Cher came back to Kinasao. She came bearing treats and love and willingness to jump in and be part of the loud lovely mess that is our crew out camping. 

And we had a really lovely time 💜 

We chatted. Ate good food and drank iced coffee. Cher and Laela drew cute ghosts together. I crocheted a little. Everyone rested a little, thanks to the babies all napping at once, which is not easy to swing these days. 

It has been a lovely day. Could’ve been a touch lovelier with a fire but I can’t complain too much. I am overwhelmingly grateful for our camp spot and everything that comes with it and from it 💜 

Thank you for making the trip up, sweet Cherice. I love you! 

It’s been a very fall-like summer, and today was much the same. It was chilly, and spent in jeans, snuggled up in a lawn chair. We had soup and grilled cheese for supper. It was altogether quite lovely, but MAN was it cold! 🥶 

We did, however, have a little beach sesh. We pulled out the sea doo and Sadie took some kids for rides. And then there’s this kid, who previously had rank anxiety, monkeying around like a total boss 😎 

I was proud of him 🥰 

The day is just wrapping up now. I’m trying to warm up in bed. The heater is on in the camper. Time to pack it in and snuggle up with Brady. My favorite part of the day 💜

The kids went to soccer camp this year. Last year, Rowan went. This year, I enrolled all four!! Dekker was too old for it, but the others could all be in it! 

They spent the week running around outside with their friends, getting beautiful tans and burning off a ton of energy. It was so wonderful for them, and while none of them are really soccer kids, they had so much fun 💜 I’m very grateful our small town ran this camp. 

At the end, each kid received a certificate to highlight their main skill. In no particular order, here they are. 

Laela received the endless effort award, which I have no doubt she earned. She has never really played much soccer but she played HARD. 

Wavy got the locked and loaded award, which seems pretty cute and super Wave-appropriate. She is up for anything, anytime.

Rowan, as my one kid who actually has played soccer, took home the midfield machine award, which he totally is. He is incredibly naturally athletic, and he’s great at soccer.  

And my personal favorite… 

Solly brought in the captain commentary award 🤣 which is SO fitting, as the kid just simply never stops stating the obvious. It is SO funny, and I absolutely belly laughed when I saw it. He is, in fact, the motivation for this entire post. 

⚽️ 

Guys. I’m clean. Let’s talk about it.

😅

I only had one baby today. One. Lemon Drop. When LD went down for a nap, I saw my opportunity to wash up. Now, I don’t get a chance to practice hygiene too terribly often 😅 But today was that day. The day where I knew I could take some time to really take care of myself. So I did.

I had a BATH! Guys. A BATH! I could’ve cried. I miss baths. I scrubbed at my skin until it was red, but at least it wasn’t grey anymore, lol! I exfoliated and went again. I shaved my legs and my pits. All the while, I had a show going and felt super relaxed.

I got out, and wash my hair in the kitchen sink. Don’t judge my process. Its how I like it. I couldn’t tell you the last time I washed my hair. Oh wait. I can. 😳 It’s been a minute… but now it is all washed and clean smelling!

I put on deodorant. Washed my face and put on moisturizer. Brushed my teeth. I even clipped my nails!

I have not been this clean in a LONG time. Don’t worry, you can absolutely laugh at how preposterous this sounds, but it feels SO good to be fresh and clean. Hopefully soon, we can renovate our bathroom so it works easier for Brady. Then maybe he, too, can experience the cozy feeling of actual cleanliness.

I feel like my skin changed color…..

For lunch, I ate leftover mashed potatoes out of a mixing bowl, because I wanted to really make it count. And it definitely did! 👍🥔🧈🥓

I crocheted a Barbie sized floppy sun hat. I didn’t make it for my ghost, but he was happy to model it for the photo. 👻

I laughed VERY hard at this. Embarrassingly hard.

While working in the kitchen, I noticed all the bites taken out of my utensils and it really had me missing the Morsel 💜💔 Funny but true. That kid took bites out of everything. You should see my piano. 😅 Oof. My sweetheart.

The kids came back from soccer camp with DARK tans!! Laela is rocking that racoon tan like a… well… like a racoon… 🦝

And the day wrapped up with my twins (as we call them) making matching baked oatmeals for the weekend.

Parts of today were crazy difficult, but parts of it were lovely.

Thank you Lord for the life You’ve given me. I am so grateful.

We’re creeping up to our holiday week, though its not going as slowly as “creeping” makes it sound.

Today is Wednesday. I got pretty organized. Made a list for the kids to pack their clothes. Got a menu and grocery list. I needed to do more, but Sugar Beet over here likes me best when I’m unproductive. Specifically today. So I don’t feel as caught up as I’d like to be, but I do believe things will all get done, and we will still in fact make it to the lake on Friday!

Tomorrow needs to hold a grocery order. At least one. I need to start packing for the babies. Maybe even finish. I need to gather up all the nonperishables and put them on the table. Make sense of the garage so I can start stacking things up in there.

I’d like to buzz Bradys hair, and wash mine. Kids should have baths. And there is much more to pack, obviously. But! We’re on our way! Or we will be soon enough, lol! First, all the prep, plus a social worker visit, and some more soccer camp for the kids! Oh and chemo!! Lol! 😅 Can’t forget that!

Halfway point, folks! We’re getting there!

My bestie has a biiiiirthdaaaaay today!!! 🥳🥳🥳 Once upon a time, Cher hated birthdays, but times have changed and we can celebrate them again! Heyooo!!

The last year looked something like this 😍

She’s a cutie, am I right?? Yes. Yes I am.

Perhaps you notice that many of Cher’s pictures include others. Try as I might to find pictures of her on her own, there were SO many gooders that included our children. I am SO grateful to have a best friend who is willing to be hands on with them 💜 What a gift that is to me.

I feel like I have a decent view from which to witness Chers life, and I have had the pleasure of watching her make big life changes. Scary ones. Ones that possibly not everyone would like or support. But this year, she showed new COURAGE and STRENGTH. She had those traits before, don’t get me wrong, but they are really showing up these days. We all have those traits, in fact, but we have to choose to exercise them, and she is! And its WORKING!!!

Cher has a drive and determination that should be bottled and studied. As she works, Satan works to knock her down, but she keeps winning, because God wins, and HE is her focus!!! I see so few adults actually working on themselves, and that is an example more people should witness.

I am so fortunate to have that exact opportunity – to see the spiritual growth and maturity that comes from hard work, and all the beauty it creates in daily life. Because its definitely working in hers 💜

Cher and I only got a few hours in together today. As per the birthday tradition – birthday scones! A la Barbie 💞

And we sushied for lunch!

We got some good visits in, watched some ridiculously funny videos, and even got in a little hang out with my mom!

Cher. My dear girl. My sister. My BEST friend. I love you 💜 I truly do thank God for you every day. I love that you live so close to me. That you get to literally be employed at my house. That we are bonded the way we are. You are an important part of my daily, and thats just the way I like it. Never stop being my best friend.

I hope you had the BEST day. With the yummiest morning, the shoppiest afternoon, and the pizzaest evening. You deserve all the peace and rest and celebration 💜

Its nice to only be one year apart, even if just for a little while 😘

I love you I love you I love you! My BEST friend!

💜💚🧡

Happy birthday, love.

Cake and candles bro 😘