Our company is gone. The kids started up a new activity this week so they’re busier and out of the house. Sugar Beet is cute and also poor at napping, but there is slow improvement. The day carried a handful of different dynamics but most of all, it was restful. I worked to start getting organized for our holiday at camp next week. I snuggled Sugar Beet and followed LD and Spoons all over the place. I scheduled a meeting with a social worker and confirmed an appointment tomorrow, as well as a pick-up from a marketplace sale.
I won’t lie, though. The highlight of my day might’ve been my lunch.
Leftover mashed potatoes from the weekend. Really buttery mashed potatoes. And bacon. 🤤
It felt like the perfect meal for a day like today. A tired day. A grey day. A home day with little to no commitments.
Less struggle. Fewer interventions. WAY more fun. Today was a really good day.
To be clear – our company brought NO issues! My kids just didn’t fare especially well yesterday. So much excitement played a role, I am confident. But this morning, we had some quiet time before the party began, and it worked really well 💜
Kids played hard. Went to grandmas. Had dance parties. Held babies. And cried when the day was done.
The adults prepped food. Played some vids. Visited. Rested. Held babies. And got in that good time that our hearts all needed.
It was really, really lovely. SUCH a beautiful, precious way to spend the weekend 💜 Memories were made that will last, I have no doubt in my mind.
Everyone waved goodbye, as we do, as our loved ones headed away for the night. Brady and I were inside with the babies, while the other kids went and waved from the driveway. Everyone came in after they had waved, tidied, and went right to bed. Not because anyone was in trouble. But they. Were. BEAT. In that good, satisfied, happysleepy sort of way. It was kind of the best wind up to a gathering we could’ve asked for.
Tomorrow begins a new week of activities and busyness, but I anticipate it being actually a lot of fun! I’m banking on a good week. Some appointments. Some visits. Some kid activities. And prepping for our official week of holidaaaaaaays, coming in hot! Good thing I have this week to get set up!
Happy Sunday, all. I hope you enjoyed yours as much as I enjoyed mine 💜
We haven’t done a waffle brunch in a long time, but we had a niece with a birthday over today! So waffles were on the menu! It was delicious, but simple. Waffles, bacon, and fruit. It did NOT disappoint.
It was a really fun day, full of good food and rowdy activities, plus some nice downtime in the middle there. The kids played hard, and the adults visited loudly overtop the din. Such is life with many people in one space.
The day has wrapped up, and I’ll admit, I’m a touch on the frazzled side.
The day itself was lovely, but the come down here at home was a bit tough, and bedtime was rocky. I am so ready to be in my own bed, however, and watch a little of the Amy Bradley docuseries on Netflix. How are you letting down tonight?
This weekend, we are not at camp. My sister and her family are out for a few days, so we are staying home to spend that time together. They showed up mid-morning, and we chatted for about ten minutes before I stayed hauling out 🤣 Because despite the fact that we’re not spending the weekend at camp, Laela was still there this whole last week and needed to come home, lol!
The babies and I drove up to camp just in time to catch the closing program. As soon as I lay eyes on Laela, she lit right up. She was glowy, and dirty, and happy, and exhausted. It was all spread across her face, with candy blue teeth to top it all off.
Between Laela, Stacy, Avery, and Jaxon, we juggled the babies through the closing program and then went to gather up the girls things. We loaded Laela’s things into the van, had a quick bathroom break, and said our goodbyes. In total, I was at camp for one hour.
Its a two hour ish drive home, and Laela and I were both completely exhausted. At points, I was worried I would nod off. So, we ate and drank and I interviewed her about her week. She would just sigh and say “I had SO much fun.” Every story was a good one. It seemed like very little hardship, if any, befell her. My favorite story was the one about the boys who kept asking girls their names, and how her whole cabin made up fake names to mess with them, haha! Hers was Hailey.
We made it home without me falling asleep at the wheel. The kids were all happy and well at home, and it was really nice to have the gang all back together again.
I anticipate many shenanigans tomorrow. I’m ready. Or at least I will be ready after a good nights sleep. Cmon, Sugar Beet, I know you can do it!! 😴
As someone who cooking does not come naturally to, planning suppers isn’t always easy. The days have been worky this week, and my plans for meals have been more or less thrown together. Today, as I worked to tidy the island, I found a cloth grocery bag full of hot dog buns that were going to start going bad any day. So I figured we’d make someone with those. However, we have hot dogs often enough, and we just had grilled cheese. So I decided pizza buns would work.
Another fun challenge of cooking right now is Brady. His mouth hurts. Lots and lots of things hurt. And if it doesn’t hurt, it often tastes bad. Chocolate sometimes burns, or tastes like metal, or like soap. Things like that are so extra disappointing. Bacon tastes like nothing. Lots of things taste like nothing. But seasonings and sweets pretty much hurt all across the board. Celery burns, guys. Celery.
So I made a plan for pizza buns, knowing that bread works for Brady, as does cheese. Luckily, I was crazy behind, and he came home before I had built all the buns. He tasted a little shot of pizza sauce, and deemed it appropriate. Same with both ham and pineapple, which was totally unexpected for both Brady and I! So I kept things simple and decided everyone would have ham and pineapple.
I made two big pans worth and they went over great!
LD ate three halves and Spoons ate four!
I believe there was only one left. A great success! And we used up all the buns! Heyooo! Wins all around.
Me: There are never enough minutes in a day. As in ever. The goals are large. The dreams are even bigger. And the to-do lists are never fully completed. They just. Keep. Growing.
Also me: I went to PBR and it got out of control…..
This weekend at camp, Dekker and Rowan got into their first real batch of trouble together. These two don’t spend a ton of time together, but they seemed to click well this last weekend, and call me crazy but I think a core memory was made. At least it was for me as their mom.
There is a self propelled go kart that some friends at our campground have, and they let all the kids rip around on it. Dekker and Rowan got into it one morning, and they decided to go take it “down Jericho way, NO BRAKES!” I heard their plan, and decided not to stop them. They can give it a go, I figured. And they did! They had a great time, and came back wooping and hollering all the while about how fun it was, and took off to do it again!
And as you’d expect, they came back bleeding.
As the story goes, they took the go kart back down the hill, and decided to try to drift. So naturally, they rolled. Rowan dove off to save himself, and ripped open both of his palms, as well as beat up his ankle a bit. He milked his injuries pretty hard.
Dekker went down with the ship and rolled with it, ending up underneath it. He got some road rash on his arms and his butt. But if you think you’re seeing the look of pride on his face, you are entirely correct.
This was probably the first playfully reckless thing he had ever done, and he was totally pleased with the outcome.
As was I. In speaking to the boys (once Rowan wasn’t crying anymore) we all agreed that we know that kind of decision is risky and tends to end in blood or tears or both. So while normally, we would know better, sometimes we just go for it anyway, and the consequences turn out to be totally worth it. Both boys agreed they absolutely were worth it. No regrets.
Everyone is healing nicely, and it has since been a story we’ve all laughed about at the boys expense. But they’re not mad about it. They did a bro thing and it turned out pretty much as expected.
I love these guys. They might just end up being close someday. Dekker could keep Rowan a little grounded, and Rowan could break into Dekker’s playful side. I love it. I love them.
Laela and Avery have their camp this week! They had a LONG phone call last week, where they mostly talked in circles about their excitement for camp. They made plans to wear matching outfits as much as humanly possible, which they made good on the day they arrived with blue camp shirts from last year, and light blue jean shorts!
I’m going to miss these faces! 😍
However, I have been reassured that Laela will NOT be homesick 🤣 though promised that she will probably be happy to see me when I pick her up.
Well, friends. Laela wrapped grade six this year. In our small town, thats a biggish deal, because high school comes in grade seven! Every kid was dressed for the occasion to varying degrees. They each gave a speech. They were all in slideshows. Everyone got a gift, made a joke, and received applause. It was a really lovely event.
But the real thrill was after, when Laela went on a date with Auntie (Cher) where they got some snacks, treats, toured the university, read outside, but most importantly, took pictures of my beautiful Laela. And guys. She is SO beautiful 😍
I very lightly waved her hair in the morning. I had plans to add a little makeup or something to make her feel extra fancy, but I didn’t even think of it the morning of, and I’m so glad because I honestly think it might’ve cheapened the whole thing.
My twirly girly!
And the answer is NO, her dress could not be more beautiful. It is absolutely PERFECT for her. I would’ve killed for suck a dress at her age! Immense bonus points go to Cher and her mom for measuring things up and altering it to get it to that perfect point.
Ugh. I know I’m posting too many of these, but there are none I can really cut out!! She is TOO BEAUTIFUL! Because you can tell she FEELS beautiful!!!
Into the airplane room they went! Auntie’s favorite room!
Secret garden vibes 🍃
Aaaaand the flowerbed. Some inside jokes with this one 😏 Apparently the pair of them spent FAR too much time here for Laela’s liking, hahaha!
Ugh. Gorgeous, girl. As if you don’t already look like a university student.
Hey Laela, are you over it?
My reader 😍📚
They had the best time. I have it on good authority from both ladies that they LOVED their day together. The memories will indeed last forever, I have no doubt in my mind, and the insiders will live on. Remember that lifelong flowerbed, and the squirrel that was throwing sticks in anger. Remember all the sketchy things in the university gift shop. Remember the yummy drinks, and reading in the bowl. Remember feeling SO beautiful…
And (hopefully) so appreciated, and like you killed the photo sesh for your beautiful niece 😘
Thank you, Cher, for this incredible gift of love for Laela. This meant so very much to her.
