Family Vacation ~ a week to remember

On Wednesday August 13th Papa, Grandma Cathy and Douglas spent the night at our place and the Brundritt family came by at about 3:30 am. We finished packing up the vehicles, loaded up the half sleeping children and pets and we were off....Well, we would have been off if the Brundritt mobile was working.... the battery needed a boost! Hmmmm, was this a glimpse of what was to come?
After a quick trip to Timmy's we were on our way - for a long 12 hour drive to the Great White North (well hopefully green and not white, but definately north) Somewhere along the way - around Dutton I think - the Brundritt mobile acquired a speed wobble.....Oh no, what now? We pulled over at a rest stop and Al shifted the load in his trailer and van to correct the problem. A short while later and we were off again....When lunchtime came we stopped at an area along a small lake. Tilden Lake in Temagami. We ate sandwiches, let the dogs stretch their legs, and yelled at the kids to "stay out of the mud!" It was a beautiful place to rest from the long drive but the stress of trying to keep the kids away from the water and out of the mud puddles was taxing. Once we got back on the road I felt like I needed a rest from our rest stop.

There were three vehicle loads full of us going to Cochrane and we carried radios in each vehicle to be able to communicate with each other along the way. Sometime along the drive up Papa (my dad) came on the radio and said "Do you ever wonder what the trees are thinking as they stand here all this time looking at the hydro poles??? One tree is probably saying to the other tree "hey does that look like cousin George to you?" *Sigh* Only MY dad would think up something like this....
Well past the half way mark and heading toward the last leg of our journey, we came into the New Liskeard and Dymond area. As we rounded a bend in the road, Al came on the radio telling us that our trailer wheel on the passenger side was wobbling.... we pulled into a gas station to confirm it - the wheel bearing blew.
The service station attendant directed us to KalTire down the road. We creeped down the road at a snail's pace praying our tire wouldn't fall off completely. When we pulled into KalTire the
mechanics came out to inspect our problem and told us that they were unable to help - they didn't do that kind of work - they just did tires. They were nice enough to lend us the tools necessary to do the work ourselves though, and told us how to get to Canadian Tire to pick up the parts we need.
The men got the the trailer jacked up and removed the tire and did all that macho greasy man stuff then left us and the kids there while they went to Canadian Tire to get the parts we needed to fix the wheel. We kept the kids occupied with snacks and drinks.... it was a nice break from the long drive anyway. The kids explored the parking lot and a stack of old tires and the older girls walked the dogs a bit. It felt like the men were gone for such a long time. When they finally returned we anticipated a quick fix and getting back on the road toward our destination. Things rarely happen the way we expect them to....It's a good thing that Papa is an awesome back yard mechanic and he really knows what he's doing .... a word to the wise - Never leave home without your own personal mechanic, especially on a long road trip. Papa and Al got the tire fixed on the one side of the trailer and wisely suggested we do the other side as well. A good thing we did - it may not have made it all the way to Cochrane either. Did I mention that during this whole procedure we had a torrential down pour????
It started thundering and then came the lightening. When it started raining the kids all jumped back into the vehicles. Cherie and I tried our best to keep the men dry while they worked tirelessly on our tire problem. The rain was cold and very very wet! It did eventually end but we were so soggy by then that it really didn't matter anymore. Thank God we all have a sense of humour... we needed it. As the men were finishing up and returning the tools to the guys in the Tire Shop, one guy - Kim Lee Hamelin - brought us out new blue golf shirts to change into since our clothes were soaking wet. What a blessing that was - it never felt so good to be dry. We left KalTire three hours later feeling very thankful for how our day had turned out so far... things could have been so different but they turned out well in the end.

As we journeyed on, we concentrated on spotting wildlife - moose, bears, deer, etc.... As we studiously looked for signs of wildlife, Grandma Cathy was focused on spotting signs of Tim Hortons! She had much better luck than we did.
Once we finally arrived in Cochrane after an adventurous 16 hours, we stopped at our favourite A&W Restaurant for dinner. We must have looked like some sort of sports team or something with our matching shirts (Thanks to Kim Lee Hamelin @ KalTire) and a bus load of children. We had dinner and with filled bellies and tired bodies we crawled back into the vehicles again... for the final 15 minutes of our drive to Kamp Koppes.We arrived at our place and unloaded vehicles and unpacked our bags. the kids were so excited to have finally reached our destination... I think the adults were too. We set up camp and settled in for the night.

Friday was spent cutting grass and tidying up the place... lots of trimming trees and cutting paths through the bush for the kids.It was the first day of Bear Season so the men weren't around much.... the women held down the fort.
We played on the ATV and enjoyed the view from the new observation deck Mike built this year (tower 1). The view overlooking the ravine is so beautiful - the sound of the water running down the stream has a hypnotic effect to it. One could stand on the deck for hours just drinking in the sights and listening to the water playing over the rocks below... and not even notice the time passing by. What a relaxing place to be. When the noise and activity level rose around camp, I'd escape to that tower to lose myself for a while in the beauty of what the Lord has given us - and we are so humbled by His magnificence and Greatness... and our smallness and dependence upon Him. Sunday was an exciting day. The Brundritt family had brought their own pop up trailer up to Kamp Koppes and set up camp next to our place and Papa and Grandma Cathy and Douglas bunked with us. There were four adults and seven children in our place (including two dogs) and two adults and three children in theirs (including one dog). All sixteen of us met in our place each morning for breakfast - oatmeal and toast - and on Sunday Mike preached a mini sermon for us. In the afternoon we went into town to attend the Cree Festival (like a pow wow for the native community in this area). We had a great time watching the dancers and listening to the singers.
The kids even tried a few dances on top of the hill we were standing on - they looked pretty good : ) It started to rain so we went into a tent marked "Cree Language" and visited with a few Cree teachers while we waited out the rain. We went in to the arena and checked out the local crafts and things for sale.
The men did some more hunting in the afternoon and they discovered a huge area of blueberries... so they came back to get us all to go berry picking. We had a great time picking blueberries. I have never seen so many berries... wow, what an incredible sight. The kids had so much fun climbing over tree trunks to collect handfuls of juicy blue yumminess.
The kids had blue stained hands, faces, and bottoms of their feet.... how in the world did they get blue stained feet?That night things cooled down a bit. A wild thunderstorm rolled in near bedtime and kept the dogs and the little ones awake longer than anyone wanted. The lightening was awesome and the thunder sounded like nothing I've ever heard before... it rumbled and crashed and shook the ground - you could almost feel it in your bones. It was amazing to watch. The wind blew and the leaves on the trees sounded like a waterfall.... and then the water really fell. It was a driving rain that came suddenly and seemed to escalate in waves. It was blowing right into the windows I had to get out of bed to close them all before we got soaked. The sound of the wind and rain against the trees finally lulled me to sleep.

When we woke in the morning (on Monday) it was considerably cooler and drizzling rain. Grandma Cathy and I went into town to pickup a few things. We were surprised to learn that it snowed today in Cochrane - wow, what a summer vacation.... SNOW!!!! Tuesday morning was freezing - there was frost on the vehicle windows .... is this really summer?

Papa (or Gladys as he's been affectionately renamed) went hunting outback (towards the back of the 75 acres ... on the other side of the stream near tower's 2 & 3) He put on his camo, took the ATV and drove off into the sunrise - it was suggested that he wear waders as there are a few spots that are deep and wet since it has rained so much this year. Gladys opted not to and off he went. It was only a short time later that the radio crackled and Gladys' voice hesitantly informed us that the ATV was stuck - really stuck - in a water hole....(Hmmm, probably wishing he had those waders now.) Mike and Al donned their waders and went off to rescue Gladys and the sinking ATV.
Once the ATV was back on dry land Gladys continued on to the back to hunt. We later found out that he spent the better part of the day in his camo boxers while his clothing sun dried on the walls of the blind/tower. Good thing the sun was shining and the temperature in the sun was nice and cozy. Perfect for partially nude sunbathing in the wild.

We wore winter coats in the morning, needed shorts and tshirts in the afternoon, and back to winter coats in the evening. We spent the day cutting trails in the bush, hiked down to the stream, and the kids played a javelin game uncle Al made for them. The kids were so dirty and muddy. We took turns on the ATV going down the road to see some giant moose tracks along the side of the road.
Today some of us acquired nick names that will stay with us for the rest of our lives (or whenever we're camping anyway). I was affectionately known as "Outhouse Annie" (yes, we do have an outhouse... LOL) my sister Cherie became "Trailer Trash Tracey" (her family camped out in the pop up trailer next to our place), my step mother Cathy came to be known as "Crabby Cathy" and dad was simply known as Pa (pronounced Paw - with a hillbilly twang) but his name later changed to Gladys???for some unknown reason. Al became "Alice" and Mike was "Michelle" - they partly got these new names because of their hen parties they'd have when they got together after hunting .... cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck.... (worse than women...LOL)

Suddenly it was Wednesday - day 7 already, where has the time gone? We had our last breakfast of toast and oatmeal in Styrofoam cups (I have developed a hatred for oatmeal) Over breakfast, everyone shared what their most memorable time this past week was. Some favorites were:

-ATV rides

-Papa getting the ATV stuck in the mud hole out back and needing to be rescued.

-papa almost naked in tower 2 sun drying his clothes after getting stuck in the mud.

-hiking down to the stream together

-having to repair the tires on the trailer in the downpour at KalTire

-attending the Cree fest

- just spending time together as a family.
We all took family pictures at the Kamp Koppes sign.... that was an experience in itself - everything we do is an adventure.


We all went in search of the local dump to look for bears.... on the way there we passed a pasture full of goats.... "horsies!!!!" my little ones excitedly hollered .... wow are they ever sheltered. After a long back road adventure - and a hand drawn map on the back on my gum package from some local guy - we finally made it to the dump! Our excitement was short lived - the gate was locked and the sign said closed Wednesday's.
Hahaha just our luck. We were standing around with binoculars trying to get a view of the garbage piles to see if we could at least spot any bears when a city worker pulled up on a tractor and told us that it was too dangerous for us to be walking around out there - that's comforting.We went for a drive up and down some back roads.... (everything is a back road up here) ... but didn't see much - except beautiful scenery. When we returned to camp the Brundritt's all went into town to go swimming (ya, it was snowing yesterday but hot enough to swim today... figure that one out) Papa and Mike went out hunting and Cathy and I stayed at the camp with the kids and fought off dragon flies.... we are now known as the "Dragonfly Slayers".... but that's a whole other story.
The day eventually came when it was time to leave Kamp Koppes and Cochrane behind and head back to Chatham.... our vacation was over. We grudgingly packed our bags and loaded the vans for the return trip. On our way home we stopped in Dymond at a Food Basics store - well not the store but the parking lot. We were hungry and needed to feed the herd. Cherie and Al have a sweet pop up trailer that has the stove and sink unit that slide out - so we were able to cook burgers right there in the parking lot! I'm sure we looked like a charity trying to sell burgers or something... LOL but it was a good time and we certainly had fun. We were parked right next door to .... you guessed it.... Tim Hortons! So the die hard Timmies fans only had a short hike to get their desired beverage of choice.
When we got to North Bay everyone was gracious enough to stop by the "Dionne Quints" Museum for me so I could have a quick look around.... Al wondered aloud why on earth I (already having seven kids) would want to go look at five more?!?!?! Good point Al : ) Guess I just can't get enough of the little darlings. *No one really minded stopping anyway since the museum was located right across the street from a Tim Hortons.... but isn't everything located across the street from Tim Hortons?
On our continued drive home I had the van window open as we went down the highway - Little G2 piped up "Mommy, I smell Cars!" (Hahaha, she meant the exhaust from the vehicles) A little further on as we drove past a rest stop she started sniffing the air again..... "Mommy, I smell Pizza!" Yes, G2, close your eyes and sleep - it's a very long drive home.
The result of this week: Did our hunters get any bears?

No - no bears, but they did see a big bob cat and a rather large fox - but it was never about the hunting anyway - it was more about all of us spending time together sharing an experience we'll all be talking about for years to come ... making memories - that's what it's all about.

Babe the Black & Tan Coonhound

Introducing Babe
Likes: "Walkies", "Treats", Other dogs (only quiet friendly ones), curling up in bed with mommy & daddy (she's a bed hog though), sneaking up on squirrels and chasing them up trees, "car rides", and snuggling up on the couch with her people to watch TV.
Pet-Peeves: Thunderstorms terrify her, strangers on or near her property bother her....she's protective of her family, "men" generally are a threat to her.....it takes her a long time to be comfortable around adults, especially men, but once she knows you well....you’re one of the pack.
Favorite Food: Babe doesn't have a favorite food.......anything edible is fair game....she is food driven and loses all common sense when she smells something tasty.
Best Tricks: Babe is "treat" motivated and tries really hard to obey, she can "sit" but she doesn't do traditional tricks. She's very adept at hiding her kibble under the pillows on the couch and sneaking past everyone to get upstairs to the forbidden bedrooms. She doesn’t realize she’s a dog. She thinks she should have a soft bed with fluffy pillows too.
Arrival Story: After searching the Internet and many dog shelters for the perfect addition to our family, we came across the AB&TC Rescue. Our family had owned a B&T many years ago and were quite fond of this particular breed so we began to discuss the possibility of adopting one of these beautiful hounds. We applied and were accepted and chose Babe. It sounded like she'd be a perfect match for our family. Babe was originally from Louisiana and was being fostered in Martin, Michigan...still quite a distance from where we are...but the wonderful people at AB&TC rescue arranged transport for her all the way to Detroit, all we had to do was cross the boarder to pick her up! On Saturday February 21/04 we picked up Babe. She was skinny and scared and was probably wondering what in the world was going on, and she was so beautiful! She layed on the seat in our van all the way home...all tuckered out from her long days trip. Once we arrived home she very cautiously explored the kitchen, the living room, and our bedroom (all on the main floor) and excitedly discovered her food and water bowls. Once we coaxed her onto our bed, she curled up for a nap. We have had Babe for just over 4 years now and are pleased at the progress she's made. When she first got here all she wanted to do was hide. She was terrified of every movement and sound. She appears to have been abused and probably by a man, as she would not approach my husband on her own, but if he called her, she would slink across the floor towards him (almost on her belly) with her head down and tail between her legs. Babe is now returns our affection and now wags her tail when she's being petted. She will stand still for a very long time just to allow you to pet her and rub her ears. Babe was so cautious when roaming around the house. She would move from room to room as if she was trying not to be seen. She would not attempt to climb the stairs to the second level of our home....she didn't like stairs and would avoid them at all costs. We carried her upstairs to show her the kid's rooms and she enjoyed investigating all my daughter’s stuffed animals, but she tried to hide behind the door when it was time to go back downstairs....so we carried her back down...although she was very underweight, Babe was not light. Now, Babe's favorite place to be is upstairs on one of the beds. Babe is so much more confident outdoors. She enjoys wandering around our backyard but really prefers to be indoors (in the winter) where it's warm....she despises the snow :) and in the summer where the air conditioning is. Although it appears that she was not used to being indoors, she certainly prefers it. Her favorite places to be are curled up on our bed or up on the couch. She seems to enjoy sleep.....she does it alot! I just can't believe how great this dog is....she can be left alone in the house without being put in her kennel, she does not chew things or get into trouble (she just prefers to sleep), she doesn’t have accidents indoors at all, she does not jump on people, she enjoys car rides and just lays down on the seat, she walks well on the leash, she is not destructive or noisy. Despite the many "issues" Babe has, she has been a wonderful addition to our family and we are so thrilled to be her people.
Upon our first visit to our vet she detected a heart murmur in Babe, which the vet said could be very normal for a 5 year old dog...didn't think it was too serious as Babe didn't have any other symptoms of anything being wrong. We got a special dog food to help put some much needed weight on her as well. Babe was adjusting well to our home and our family and we quickly fell in love with her. A short time later we noticed Babe was coughing quite a bit after our evening walks, the next morning Babe was limping and not using her one back leg very well so I brought her to the vet right away. The vet re examined her and said that her lungs didn't sound right, that Babe was full of a bunch of different parasites, the vet did a heart worm test to check it out and guess what???? Babe was positive for heart worm! Babe was further examined and found to be in a later stage 3 of heart worm disease….her microfiaria count was too high to even count and the risk of treatment was too great to chance.....the vet was concerned that Babe would go onto anaphylactic shock when they began treatment...which would be a far more terrible death to suffer than euthanization. We had only had Babe for 2 weeks thus far and the vet costs were adding up already. We were told that the HW treatment, if we wanted to consider it, would cost between $1100.00 and $1500.00 provided there were no major complications or additional treatments needed later on.
Because of her rapidly deteriorating condition Babe was scheduled for euthanization on the morning of March 8, 2004. 15 minutes before her scheduled appointment, Babe began acting different and started doing many things she wasn't able to do because of her poor health....we decided to give the HW treatment a try. It would be a long, dangerous, uncertain treatment and very costly...but Praise the Lord the AB&TCC Rescue offered to pay for her treatment.
Babe was admitted to the hospital again on March 16, 2004 because her condition seemed to worsen and again on Monday April 5th for another round of heart worm treatment. All went well and she came home on Friday April 9th for another month of recovery before having her final HW treatment on May 4th. Babe successfully completed her final Heart Worm treatment on May 4th 2004.
Babe is 9 years old now and is an important part of our family… she is in good health and behaves pretty much like a normal dog … Because of Babe's tragic past, she was very scared and skinny and in need of lots of love and affection.... she still has some emotional scars from her past but she’s learned to trust us and we’ve all learned how to live with her idiosyncrasies. There are many more shelter dogs out there looking for families of their own... maybe you’re the family they’re looking for?
Babe’s full profile is on Dogster, you can check it out by going to http://www.dogster.com/dogs/64507
The AB&TCC website can be found at http://www.coonhoundrescue.com/
I wanted to say "THANK YOU" to Jenn Tatsu bringing by a "boy" bike last week (just after the previous blog updates went out) to replace B2's "girly bike). He was so excited and can now ride it like a pro all over the yard :) Thanks again.
Summer's half over and I can't seem to figure out where all the time has gone too. I may be wrong but I think as I age, time goes by even quicker. I remember my own summers as a child and sometimes it seemed like there was no end in sight. We'd play tag, hide and go seek, Nicky Nicky nine doors, red rover, British bull dog, truth or dare, baseball, road hockey..... oh the memories.... As I bathed the boys the other day I was surprised to see their legs all bumped and bruised, scratches here and there and two skinned knees. So far there haven't been any stubbed toes - you know the kind - where the skin on the end of your toe comes right off like a little cap, or if you're lucky, it flaps over and is still attached by a small piece....Can you feel it? That familiar stinging pain and then the throbbing..... Hahaha, oh summer time fun..... Our summer time fun is just beginning. We're preparing to go to our property up north for our family vacation. We'll have plenty of stories to share when we get back I'm sure. For now, let me leave you with a few funnies from my herd this week:
* B3 wants some cool new toy. I remind him that I just bought them all some cool new toys and they destroyed them in less than a day. My boys are a little rough with their belongings... or anyone else's for that matter (just ask my nephew Justin - poor kid, when my boys come to visit something always seems to get broken. Sorry Justin.) B3 got a great Tonka dump truck for Christmas - you know, built tough to last.... hahaha, obviously Tonka never met my kids. This truck is metal, well now it is bent metal. But it still goes, and it's still one of his favorite toys. Anyway.... back to the story - B3 wants a new toy and I tell him no, he just destroys his toys and he tells me in a pathetic, whiny voice "something in my body just tells me to destroy things...." Hmm, maybe I'd be scared if it weren't so funny!
*Grandma Windsor was here last week. She stayed with us for a few days. She made dessert after dinner one night. The dessert contained "whipped Cream". B2 got excited when he saw the dessert and exclaimed "Mmmmm Butt Cream!" (Hahaha, butt cream is what I call the baby's diaper rash cream)
*While Grandma Windsor was visiting us B3 proudly told her that "she was a good bersert (dessert) maker"
*B3 was eating dinner - roast chicken with all the trimmings. Holding up a leg bone he suddenly blurted out excitedly "Mommy, this is a dinosaur bone!" (he was a little disappointed when I told him it was just a chicken bone)
* Since going to India on a missions trip I have fallen in love with their spicy cuisine. On occasion I prepare an Indian dish or two for dinner at home - the children really enjoy it. One night B2 piped up "Mama, I'm using Indian hands..." he said holding up his hands. He meant that he was not using his fork but eating with his hands like they do in India. What made it even funnier is that B2 is Indian (North American Indian NOT East Indian)
* The herd was hard at their chores one day and G1 had poop patrol (we have two dogs). I assigned B1 to be the pile finder. B3 spoke up (glad that he wasn't chosen) and said "B1, that's being nice and kindful."
* When I asked B3 to check the chart and see what his chore was he replied "my dream's telling me I already did my chores but I didn't. What's my chore?"
* B3 had been playing out in the backyard and brought me his prize catch of the day..... holding a bug with a pair of kid pliers he said "mommy look, I caught an ear-goo-ick. (translated, that's an earwig)
And here's a heart warming statement to end this blog;
While having dinner tonight Little G2 looked up at me from across the table and confidently said "Mommy, this is MY HOME!" (if you haven't been following this blog, G2 & G3 are recent additions to our family.)
~Have a blessed week and enjoy your summers while you can..... eventually they seem to slip by much too quickly.

If The Bike Fits ... Ride It

I know what you're thinking and Yes, that is one of my boys on a girls bike. Let me explain.... A couple weeks ago B1 wanted to ride his bike so we got it out of the garage and realized that it was much too small for him this year. G1 generously gave up her bike, since it fit him perfectly, in hopes of getting a new one for herself. (Which she eventually did- a new shiny red one) B2 wanted to ride a bike too so he graciously accepted B1's old bike - which was a little big for him but he was determined to grow into it. B2 doesn't know how to ride a bike. He struggled with holding the bike up long enough to awkwardly perch on the seat then fell down, bike and all, into the bushes along the fence. B2 got frustrated and discouraged very easily and vowed never to ride that *stupid* bike again, "he didn't want to ride a bike anyway!" A week or so later my brother in law brought over a bike for B3 (one my niece had just outgrown). He also brought over some training wheels for B2's bike. I tried to put the training wheels on B2's bike... but they were in three pieces and I didn't know what to do with them. I held them up to the bike wheel and tried to imagine what they might look like if they were fastened to the bike but I just couldn't quite figure it out. So I got on the Internet and searched for "How to install training wheels on a bike." I came across an interesting article that talked about why it was not a good idea to put training wheels on a bike, how it gives the child (and parent) a false sense of security, does not teach them the necessary skills and balance they need to actually ride a bike and just prolongs the real "learning to ride a bike" milestone. One thing that really stood out in the article was how the author said that parents put training wheels on their child's bike because they are too lazy to get off their butts and hold the bike for the child or run along side the bike to cheer them on...... WOW, guilty as charged! It went on to give brief instructions on how to get a child riding his/her bike - without training wheels - in only a few minutes. It was just too easy so I had to try it myself. I took B2 out to the garage and fitted him with a helmet and lowered the seat on a smaller bike I had just gotten to put aside for G2 (when she's big enough to begin riding). The trick to teaching them to ride the bike is to get them started on a much smaller bike than necessary. This gives the child plenty of stability and better ability to master the art of steering and peddling at the same time. On a smaller bike, the child had greater control and is able to catch on quicker. Once the child has truly mastered riding the smaller bike, he/she can be fitted for something more suitable for their size. Well this really was just too easy - so I put B2 on the bike, explained what to do with the peddles and how to stop and gave him a push .... and off her went! Just like that. What was impossible for him only a week earlier was now happening - He was riding a two wheeler! He was so proud of himself. I was flabbergasted at how simple this seemed so I called B3 out to the garage and lowered the seat on the bike we just got for him. I took off the training wheels and told him he was going to have to ride the bike without training wheels because it was safer that way and I knew he could do it. He was upset and insecure about the thought of that and asked me to put the training wheels back on so he could learn that way. I told him to get on the bike and explained how to start and stop and gave him a push. He was a little shakier than B2 but he caught on right away and as his confidence grew so did his ability. I was so excited that both boys learned how to ride within minutes - not nearly as excited as they were though.
Speaking of new skills and abilities.... Baby G4 is now crawling! She is determined to get to wherever it is that she wants to go and she sure is getting into everything! Besides crawling to get to her destination, she also uses her bouncy bug. You know the stationary play equipment I'm talking about - like an excersaucer but only in a bug shape with toys attached to it. The front two legs are stationary and the back two legs are not so baby can bounce a bit to exercise her legs. Well Baby G4 has discovered if she leans far enough over the back of the bug and bounces with great enthusiasm she can make this bug go wherever she wants. We timed her the other day and it only takes her 20 seconds to bounce that thing across the living room. The downfall is that she now has access to higher things like table tops, drawers, and the computer. One of her obsessions is to push the button on the front of the computer to turn it on. We finally had to retire the bouncy bug although it was her favorite toy - similar to those old baby walkers from way back when, there were just too many safety concerns.
On July 29th Great Grandma (Margaret Vince) celebrated her 90th birthday. We were brave and took all 7 kids to her birthday party. She had a wonderful evening and the children enjoyed visiting with her and all the other relatives. Things were very peaceful and under control until they had cake and pop. Then a few minutes later you could see the metamorphosis begin. First a few twitches here and there, then some giggles, a few kicks under the table and then some whining..... and it just continued to escalate from there. As people left and the room cleared out a bit, the kids got more anxious to roam around the room. Some crawling, others wiggling under tables, some rolling across the floor and others going from lap to lap enjoying the extra attention (and potential for more sugary treats). The herd wanted to bring all the helium balloons home with them and great grandma quickly agreed that they should have them. But how to get them home was another issue. We already take two vehicles everywhere because we don't all fit into one vehicle - we certainly don't have room for a bunch of helium balloons as well. Grandma and Papa Koppes came to the rescue and offered to drive the balloons home for us (THANKS Grandma and Papa - can you detect the sarcasm?) Kids and helium balloons...... Hmmmm .... I foresee lots of noise and activity ... don't we have enough?!?! On top of that, our hound is so scared of balloons. She shakes and bays at them which makes the kids torment her even more 'cause isn't it funny to see the tall skinny hound going crazy? (At a later date I may devote another write up to our hound Babe - she's got an interesting story too.)
Now for a few funnies from my herd this week:

* "Uh Ineer" Ojibwe for "What's in there?" Hahaha, just joking - it's what our curious 2 year old G3 asks often.

* Papa was playing with G2 on the couch one afternoon. He called her a cutie. G2 responded with "YOU'RE a tootie Papa"
* G1 had just finished cleaning the bathroom (I told the kids to finish up chores before we had some treats) B3 walked into the bathroom where G1 was and said to her "Mmmmm I smell our treat - it's candy isn't it?" He was smelling the citrus scent of the bathroom cleaner. Hahaha

* My little brother Douglas (about the same age as my boys - yeah, that's another story too) told my dad to collect all his pop can tabs for him - because he was saving them up to get him (dad) a wheel chair....... Hahaha

* B2 found a seagull feather outside. He stuck it in his hair and said "Look mom, I'm an Indian" Hahahaha - he's native - of course he's an Indian! Hahaha

*I had B3 at the eye doctor the other day for a check up. The doctor was checking his vision by holding up a letter E across the room from him and making it larger or smaller and asking B3 if he could read the letter. Eventually B3 blurted out "Can you come closer I can't see that?"

* While I was up late one night watching TV I heard one of the kids calling out for me. "Mommy! Mommy!" I went to the girl's room and found little G2 laying very still calling for me. "Mommy I choking" I turned on the light to find that she had vomited on her self - and in her long hair.... needless to say she had a second bath that night.

* My hubby and I went out to dinner with another couple. As we left the restaurant it started to storm. There was plenty of thunder and lightening. I guess B3 was very concerned for me. When we got home he came running to the kitchen and looked at me with relief in his eyes "Mommy, you're okay!" (aren't kids great!?)
In preparation for our upcoming family vacation, taking Buzzy to the groomers was on my list. Check out his little Camo neck tie - too cute! Because Victoria always does such a great job on him and doesn't put bows in his hair or flowery neck ties on him, I wanted to put a plug in for her services. She does excellent work at an affordable rate and is very gentle with her "clients".
Skylar has been at Teen Challenge North in Sault Ste Marie for almost 4 months now. He is doing well and is going to be baptized on Sunday August 10, 2008. Being so far from home is very difficult. I know he would really appreciate a few encouraging words and uplifting letters from family and friends. If you think about it, take a few minutes to write him and encourage him. It really would be a blessing to him. *Please note that due to the nature of the program he is in, all letters are opened and read by staff prior to being given out. You can send your letters to Skylar Sayers c/o Teen Challenge North PO Box 20012 Sault Ste Marie, Ontario P6A 6W3.
Thanks for being such a blessing : )

A Fishin' We Will Go.....

On Sunday afternoon, after service and lunch at our place, we all went to Thames Grove Conservation area to do some fishing with the kids. Picture it with me.... six adults and nine children all along the river bank with fishing poles and squirmy worms. The warm air, a slight breeze, sunshine glistening off the surface of the water..... and the chaos begins....
"I want to sit down my legs are tired!" "Can I throw my line out again, it's back here already?" "My line is stuck in the tree up there." "Ask Papa to get it unstuck for you." "He can't, he's trying to get his unstuck from the other tree." "I got a fish, I got a fish.... wait, no I didn't, it's a stick." "Can you put my worm on the hook?" "Are we done yet? I am getting bored." "Where's the needle nose pliers? Who took the pliers?" "Is there a bathroom here?" "I don't want to pee on the tree." "Why is it called a cat fish?" "I'm gonna play in the sand, can you hold my pole?" "They're catching fish down there, I want to move down there." "B2 hold the fishing rod still, stop swinging it all over the place." "but I'm bored, I'm not catching any fish..." "of course you're not, you keep swinging that rod all over the place and pulling the worm out of the water." "mooooooom, can you take my fish off?" "Who has the pliers?" "Ewww, worm guts! It's on my hands...." "I don't know how that blood got all over my legs, I was just standing next to the fishing pole...." "I'm hungry, do we have any food?" "Who has the worms? Go get me a worm please." "Cut the worms in half, we're running out." "There aren't any worms left....let's try blueberries." "*Sigh* Don't EAT the blueberries, use them as bait!" "Pick up the baby's soother please." "Are the brakes on the baby's stroller?" "Don't eat the leaves!" "Can you give the baby a cookie please - NO you can't have a cookie too." "Did Papa get his fishing line out of the tree yet?" "Is aunt Cherie's line still stuck in the bushes?" "What do you mean Papa's sinker flew into the water and the hook stayed in his shirt sleeve?" "Do fish breathe underwater?" "Why are the fish opening and closing their mouths?" "I'm NOT putting my finger in THERE!" "Can you carry the fish for me PLEASE!!!" "Papa, you just hit the baby!" "What? What do you mean I just hit the baby?" "With your fish.... you threw it at grandma and it smacked the baby in the leg... you hit the baby with a sheep head! (and she's still fast asleep.)" "I need another blueberry, someone ate mine." "Are we done yet? I want to go home now." "Why is everyone else catching fish except me?" "pick up your fishing rod, get it out of the weeds, tighten your line and sit STILL." "SIT STILL!" "I SAID SIT STILL!"
*What in the world were we thinking????? The kids thought it was great though. We all smelled nasty and needed soap but we had fun and we made some memories as a family. That's what it's really about isn't it?

More funnies from my kiddos this week:

* I had a car muffler sitting on the picnic table and the boys were fascinated with it. B1 asked "Is that an engine?" I answered "No, it's a muffler." then B2 said "Does it make the car go faster?" (Hmmm, they spend far too much time around Papa....)

* Two of the boys were discussing bicycles at Canadian Tire. B1 said "Those bikes are cheap!" To which B2 said "What does cheap mean?" B1 replied "I don't know?"

* B3 sat paralyzed in his chair on the porch screaming "A bumble bee, a bumble bee!" Until B1 & B2 looked at him and sighed, "it's a spider."

* B3 wants to know if we can buy a "jumpoline" for our yard "'cause he really likes them."

* "B3 has a really big bump on the top of his head." B1 brought to my attention. "That's his skull." I said. "Ya" replied B3 "I always have skulls right mom?"

* I had to stop by the play group the boys were at one day last week to drop something off for B3. "Hi guys!" I said as I entered the gymnasium "How's your day going?" I asked. "Hi mommy" replied B2 "How's it going at home?"

* I really wish my little ones had better pronunciation skills. Sometimes it takes me a few minutes to catch on.... little G2 just finished lunch when she looked at me with her big brown eyes and said "mommy, my s**t is sticky." I sat there with my mouth open, eyes wide and pondered what was just said, then she patted her CHIN and repeated herself! (Hahaha silly mommy - what was I thinking?)

* At the dinner table little G2 started shrieking and screaming "The dog is eating me! The dog is eating me!" It took a few minutes to convince her that the dog was NOT trying to eat her, she was merely helping to clean up the kitchen. The dog was under the table licking up the crumbs that had fallen onto her chair.


* At lunchtime we had large demi baguettes (big crusty rolls) with our meal. As B2 bit into his he said "hey, this is just like what Jesus gave to the guys." (you know - breaking bread and sharing it with His disciples at the last supper)

* B2 thought he'd have a little fun today... while playing in the backyard he fed little G2 a worm. When I reprimanded him for it he replied.... "What? It was only a half a worm anyway." Ewwww!
As I mentioned in my previous blog - our family dynamics are changing as we leave fostering behind and become a permanent family. The transition is strange for us as it feels like we've fostered forever..... and now things are different - but in a very good way.


We look forward to this time of transition and
welcome all the changes and adjustments that come along with it.

Introducing little G2 & little G3 ... our newest permanent additions :)
Here are four of our seven little darlings.... aren't they so beautiful? They sure do provide me with an abundance of things to write about.... there's always something happening in our house. Whether it's fishing with worms or eating them... there's never a dull moment :)
Until next time,
embrace change - it keeps you alive!
God bless you

The End of One Chapter and the Beginning of Another

Some books are just too good to put down. The stories are so rich and full - they make an impression on you that remains. It's those kinds of books that you don't just read a few pages and stick it on a shelf for later. No, you gotta read it all the way to the end of the chapter. There's something about finishing a chapter that brings a sense of accomplishment and closure. And although you've not yet finished the book and there are many more chapters to go, you can't begin a new chapter until you complete the previous one. Funny how that works eh? There's an order to everything in life. This past April our family came to the end of a chapter with the passing of my grandfather Edsel. (or "Pipi" as all the grandchildren affectionately called him.) Grandma had passed away a little while earlier so with Pipi's passing it left a terribly lonely void in the lives of our family - especially his children. Losing one parent is tragic enough. There is change, but it is bearable because you still have one parent to help keep things "normal." But once you've lost them both I imagine the sense of loss is so great - everything changes - nothing feels normal again because you are now charting new territory, facing something you've never had to face before - life without your parents. The ones who were your biggest fans, your source of strength and wisdom, your first love, your protectors and providers, the ones who loved you enough to discipline you, the ones who gave you life, raised you up and not only gave you a history but hope for the future too. And when they're gone, everything changes. For our family that chapter in our book came to a close this past week with the sale of Grandma and Pipi's home. I can only imagine what it must have been like in the days and weeks leading up to the sale of the house. Having to sort through years of history and memories in the midst of your grief must be an in incredibly emotional experience. What a painful process. A tragedy in itself but very necessary in order to finish the chapter.... and you can't begin the next chapter until you finish the previous one first. So with the closing of this chapter, despite the pain that still lingers, we look forward to the future and the hope that a new chapter holds....knowing that the book is not finished being written yet.
In our own immediate family we too are experiencing the close of an old chapter and the beginning of a new one. I still cannot divulge all the details yet but I can give you enough to keep you wondering and waiting with us. This will be the year our family stops "fostering" through Children's Aid and begins a new chapter as a "REAL" family (as one of the kidlings called it.) So in the meantime as the foster children leave and the "permanent" ones move in, you may get confused as we re-number the herd in this blog. Bear with us, the transition will eventually pass and we'll be on our way to new things as we begin our next chapter!
I just wanted to share a few "funnies" from my kiddos this past week:
* The boys were watching television while I did some house work. As I walked past the living room into the kitchen I was shocked and appalled to hear B2 say to his brother; "They're "coloured" right B1? Who coloured them?" I raced into the room to find them watching cartoons with characters that looked "coloured" - like with coloured pencils! Hahaha

*As we drove down some country roads enjoying the rare occasion where we all fit into the van at the same time (a few children were away at the moment), we passed by a few farms. As we rounded the corner B3 squealed delightedly from the backseat "LOOK AT THE PIGS!" He wasn't even embarrassed when we pointed out that they were SHEEP. Our kiddos are oh so sheltered! LOL

* One night as the boys were getting cleaned up and ready for bedtime a fight broke out in the bathroom. Out rushed B3, quite upset and blurted "B2 is going to tell on me!" "Why?" I asked. "Because I wasn't going to spit on him." explained B3. Poor kiddo, always gets himself into trouble, no one else has to even try.

* Grandma Cathy was on the back porch when B2 wandered over to her. "Are you sigaring? Sigaring is bad for you ya know. Sigaring hurts your lungs ya know. Are you gonna quit? Hahaha out of the mouths of babes.

* Little G2 was walking around the yard with a large button on a string that she took from one of the boys. She came up to the porch and G1 asked her what it was. Little G2 replied "Is it a belly button?"
I feel like a bit of a heel sharing this but it is such a good life lesson I can swallow my pride and lay it out there. I sent the boys outside to play in the backyard while I got some house work done indoors. It was a busy morning and I was rushing to get things caught up. The boys had been running in and out as I was trying to get the floors washed and I was getting frustrated. I was at the boiling point when B3 came to the back door AGAIN. I opened the door to find him holding out a tiger lily that had been riped off my plants in my garden. I snatched the flower from his hand and said "B3, what did you do to my flowers !?!?" {and then I caught myself - a little too late - and realized it was a gift for me} B3 said "I got you a pretty flower." Feeling like a fool for reacting the way I did, I smiled brightly, thanked him for the lovely flower, told him I loved him and asked him not to pick the flowers in the garden without asking first. I slinked back into the house with my tail between my legs. Why do I do that???? Why do I react first and think second..... Thank God I am not finished, the Lord's not done with me yet - I am a work in progress (boy do I need some work some days) Anyway, that whole scenario reminded me of a great email forward I came across many years ago. It really spoke to me then and still does today - obviously... I wanted to share it with you:
Family

I ran into a stranger as he passed by. "Oh excuse me please" was my reply. He said "please excuse me too: I wasn't watching for you." We were very polite this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said good bye.

But at home a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later that day, cooking the evening meal, my son stood beside me very still.
When I turned I nearly knocked him down. "Move out of the way." I said with a frown. He walked away, his little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed, God's still small voice came to me and said, "while dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse."

Go and look on the kitchen floor, you'll find some flowers there by the door. Those are the flowers he brought for you. He picked them himself, pink, yellow and blue.

He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled his little eyes."
By this time, I felt very small. And now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt by his bed: "Wake up little one, wake up" I said. "Are these the flowers you picked for me?" He smiled, "I found them by the tree.

I picked them because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like them, especially the blue." I said, "Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today: I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." He said "Oh mom, that's okay. I love you anyway." I said "son, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."

*Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, many of us pour ourselves more into work than into our own family .... where are you investing your time?
Until next week .... Cherish the things that matter most.

The Ponderosa Steak House Predicament

More often than not these days my life feels like an overstuffed sock drawer. You know what I mean don't you? The drawer you just keep cramming socks into until it can't hold anymore and when you need to open it to find something all it's contents kind of explode all over the place leaving a big mess? My life is so full.... rewarding and overwhelming at times but definitely full. Speaking of full..... we are re-numbering our herd this week. I think I mentioned before that some exciting changes are coming to the Koppes household... well the change has begun. G2 moved on last week and no longer lives with us. We are really going to miss her uncanny ability to make even the dullest scenario something hilarious. Here's a final funny moment with G2... while eating dinner on her last night with us, G2 held a serrated edged knife carefully and examined it's shiny blade. "What are those bumpy things on the knife?" G2 enquired. "They're called teeth" I said. G2 looked at me quizzically, her brow furrowed and stated, "but they're not white!" That's the kind of innocent humour I am going to miss from her. But with so many other children in our home some one's bound to have something funny to say once in a while .... G2 seemed to have it down to an art though.
Please keep us in prayer as our family goes through an exciting "change" this week and watch for upcoming details!!!! I can't wait to share my joy.



On June 27th my hubby went Paint Balling with our Youth Group ... as you can see from the picture, he wasn't very good at it. He did have fun, right up until the point of impact. Poor guy. He was so pumped about going and unloading a few rounds on a certain "pastor friend" of his. His injuries could have been so much worse than they were. When he saw him that afternoon B3 said "Daddy, you look like a pirate." Hahaha. His eye continues to heal and he is expected to make a full recovery ... and yes, he would jump at the chance to do it all over again!

The Canada Day Celebration was just as spectacular as ever. Our whole family enjoyed every minute of it - right down to the fireworks display at the end of the evening. With so much going on that evening you'd think no one would notice little things..... well I have to congratulate B2 for being so observant. He had been sitting on the blanket laid out in front of our chairs playing with a friend of his from church. Suddenly B2 was in front of me, staring into my eyes with great anxiety in his voice he said "I think Makirah got stolen!" I turned to look in the direction he indicated and chuckled to myself when I realized the "thief" was actually a grandparent.

My children can be pretty protective and nurturing at times.... except when it comes to back yard BBQ's and roasting Marshmallows. We built a fire in our back yard so that the children could roast marshmallows. Things went alright until they started to compete to be the one to roast the "best marshmallow". A little while later they had a knock down drag out " firefly hunting competition. Each child had an empty water bottle and their goal was to collect the most, or brightest fireflies. They ran from one end of the yard to the other each determined to outdo the others..... it was an interesting evening to say the least. The event finally took a weird turn and the kids all used their plastic water bottles to hit each other with. They chased each other through out the yard smacking each other with bottles - what fun! They didn't catch any fire flies - the only thing poor B3 caught was "skeetoes".

Baby G3 or should I say Baby G2 (new order to the herd) is sprouting her first couple of teeth! There are two white razor sharp chompers in that mouth now.... a very dangerous situation. It's similar to a puppy teething .... chewing and slobbering on everything! The frozen teething rings have become her favourite toys and she has acquired a taste for oragel. She has been cranky and uncomfortable.... Hmmmm, sounds like G1, I wonder if she's teething too? (Just kidding)

Mike took the boys to EB Games the other day to look for a couple new video games for the PS2. He found some new ones and brought them home. The boys were so excited and could hardly wait to try them out. At dinner time B2 was praying and he said "Thank you Lord for daddy getting 2 new games, bless it as use to our bodies, Amen."
My hubby and I were away this past weekend in Sault Ste Marie for the Teen Challenge North Golf Tournament. Thank you by the way to everyone who sponsored us for this tournament. The two of us combined raised $2240.00 for the Teen Challenge North Program. The total amount raised this year from all participants combined was about $88,000.00. We had such a nice time away. It is always a little stressful for me to plan and prepare to leave the kids with someone else. There are so many thing to consider and so many arrangements to make. Access visits have to be rescheduled and drivers have to be arranged, appointments have to be booked for alternate dates, prescriptions need to be filled, daily schedules need to be written down in detail, social workers need to be notified well in advance and proper permissions obtained. Sometimes it just seems easier to stay home. I am so glad I didn't stay home this weekend. We left on Friday and drove through the USA. In all our arranging we had forgotten an important bit of information.... it was the July 4th weekend and we were driving through the USA.... on a holiday weekend!?!?!? What were we thinking??? Obviously we weren't ..... We were late but it wasn't as bad as it could have been.... next time we will check the calendar before heading across the boarder. So we arrived later than planned and went right to Teen Challenge to pick up our Bigger Boy. We haven't seen him since April 20th. He looked great - and so much taller. He regularly spends time at the gym and it shows. He is much more relaxed and "together". Already he is such a different young man than he was only two and a half months ago when he went into the program. He still has a long way to go but we are very proud of him and the progress he has already made. Our Bigger Boy was able to spend the whole weekend with us - even staying in our hotel room. Saturday was the actual day of the 50 hole golf tournament. It was hot and sunny and we didn't think to put on the sun screen until we were already a pretty shade of pink. I was privileged to be the golf cart driver and after a little practice I got the hang of it. I was also the official "lost golf ball finder." We are not the serious "quiet on the green" golfers..... of the three of us, my hubby is the only one who has ever really played golf before. I find it a little boring and well, I don't know....
I am just not a golfer. I am not good at it, I am not even "okay" at it, I pretty much stink when it comes to golf. Our Bigger Boy had never picked up a golf club before ... so our team's reputation and success depended upon my hubby. Thank God he knew what he was doing. Can you imagine the three of us out there without a clue? Although I didn't golf, I was the best golf cart driver, lost ball finder, and caddy going. By 36 holes we were tired. By 45 we were wandering around aimlessly looking at geese, chasing a snake through the trees, and looking for golf balls I'm still not convinced even existed. We were all more than relieved when it was all over. We enjoyed a well deserved meal and awards banquet and then went back to the hotel for some R&R. My hubby and Bigger Boy went swimming while I stayed behind in the room to chat on the computer with G1 who was really, really missing us. (I am going to remind her of that someday)

On Sunday morning we attended church service with our Bigger Boy and then went out for a quick lunch. We dropped him off after lunch and began or long journey home. It took us even longer to get home. It was an American holiday weekend - what were we thinking??!?!?!

On the way home my hubby got a phone call letting him know that someone had passed away and the family has requested that he do the funeral. The funeral would be held the following day. So that was the topic of conversation for a while.... until we got hungry and pulled in to a Ponderosa Steak House for dinner. I had never been to Ponderosa before. I don't eat steak so I really have no need for a steak house do I? This was not what I expected. I assumed it would be much like The Keg or other places that promote "steak dinners." Well you know what happens when one assumes...... I was really disillusioned (for lack of a better word) at our experience. Have you ever been to a Ponderosa Steak House?!?! It is like a fast food/buffet style restaurant guaranteed to clog your arteries with every plate ... and you can go back up and get as much as you want! What a bargain! You order your "steak" or chicken in my case, at the counter and choose your silverware from large bins (real sanitary), grab a cafeteria style tray from the rack, then push it along the counter top until you reach the pop machines where you fill your own cup (careful, not too much ice), then continue along to the smiling cashier at the end of the counter who happily takes your money and tells you to grab a table and show your receipt to the server when she comes. Before you sit down in your booth you should look for things that may have fallen off the plates of previous diners. A big fat greasy stain across your butt cheeks isn't pretty and neither is the ketchup or gravy marks across your elbows and forearms from leaning against the edge of the table. There's nothing I despise more than "unclean" restaurants..... regardless of their level of "class." Except...... maybe ones that are designed to kill you with every fork full of food! Our server came to the table to check our receipt and told us to go ahead to the buffet. We grabbed a plate from the stack and started with salad.....hmmmmm....suspicious......warm salad.... too close to the heat lamps keeping the rest of the food above bacteria growing levels??? Moving along I noticed that everything appeared to be cooked in butter (or some sort of oily substance) there was a whole section for fried chicken and fried fish, mountains of mashed potatoes, a whole section for sauces and gravies, desserts.....puddings, fruit swimming in syrup, and a weird looking whipped cream concoction with crushed cookies in it. Then came the veggies - OH how I longed for steamed broccoli or baby carrots..... instead what I found made me gag. a large bin of soggy cut up green beans (looked like they came right out of the can) in some watery stuff with an oily sheen to it, and a mountain of corn soaking in the same watery stuff. Where the heck were the vegetables?!?!?! I need roughage!!! I have been away from home for a few days and am so tired of "foreign food" I want something I'm used to - my body is craving steamed veggies! So I reluctantly scooped up some soggy beans and tired looking corn. (Every ladle/serving spoon handle was nasty.... sticky and dirty, Ewww) We sat down and prayed - we felt a strong need to ask a blessing on our food. The salad wasn't as bad as I thought it would be - but it may have just been my need for greens that made it seem better than it looked. I dug into the beans and almost spit them out - they tasted like hotdogs!!!! Not that I regularly eat hotdogs, but they had that essence.... you know. Like they were cooked in the same water a dozen wieners had just been boiled in - so nasty! I was afraid to eat the corn because they had been swimming in the same watery substance... yup, they were tainted as well. The chicken breast was "different" all curled up on the ends, like it had been sitting under the lamps a little too long. I ordered Chicken Montery. My hubby looked at my plate with a raised eyebrow and asked, "what makes it MONTERY?" I told him I figured it was the smear of bright orange sauce along the top of it but I couldn't be sure. We ate in silence.... both too disappointed to say a word. I could almost feel my arteries contract with each forkful. I tried to wash it down but the pop was just as disappointing. The pop tasted watery and I figured it was like that with ALL the beverages in the USA because I can recall having another type of canned American beverage before and discovering the same thing. Who EATS this stuff!?!?!?! I wonder if heart disease is the number one killer in the USA, it wouldn't surprise me if it was. My hubby gave up on the food (which really is amazing if you know him) and resorted to eating dessert foods only .... yup, that pile of whipped cream with crumbled cookies in it. He topped it off with a sticky ladle of vanilla pudding. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. I'd rather sit in the back up traffic along the highway and discuss funeral service arrangement rather than spend another minute in that cholesterol-laden cafeteria. So we did.

We finally got back home after 1 am and spent about half an hour unpacking and being debriefed by my in laws who graciously agreed to stay with the herd while we were away. It was soooo good to be home! It had taken us over 12 hours to get home and all we wanted was our bed and out own pillows. I was almost giddy slipping into the fresh sheets (yes I changed the sheets and made up our bed at 1:30 am - and yes I DO have a few idiosyncrasies) and sleep came easily.
Then the phone rang at 3 am.....
It was my sister Cherie calling to ask for a ride to the hospital as the ambulance had just picked up her husband. Al had a heart attack. I could hardly believe what she was saying on the phone - I thought I was so over tired that I just wasn't hearing it right. He is not even 40 years old yet.... how does a young guy like that have a heart attack? (*Then I thought of the Ponderosa Steak House..... and wondered how everyone WASN'T having heart attacks.) As Mike was getting ready to pick up Cherie and take her to the hospital, someone from the hospital called to speak to Rev. Koppes - I hate phone calls like that - it's never good news. They said that Al Brundritt was just brought in and is having a heart attack asked for Pastor Mike. So Mike picked up Cherie and they went to the hospital to be with Al. I can't remember what time it was when he got in... but he sure hadn't had much sleep. The herd started rousing from sleep around 7am. I had no choice but to get up and tend to them. Baby G2 was especially excited to see me and squealed loudly.... it's her new skill. Poor Mike dragged himself out of bed and put on his best pastor face :) then started making phone calls to find out the funeral arrangements for the day. He picked up Cherie and the kids and brought them here so the kids could stay with us while Cherie tended to Al in the hospital. Thank God I am used to large numbers.... the three Brundritt children moved in temporarily and that brought our kid count to 8. Then on Tuesday when little G3 & Little G4 arrived we had a whopping 10 kiddlings in the house. It was interesting and certainly entertaining.
Mike did the funeral he had to do and tended to the grieving family that afternoon.
I am always amazed at my husbands ability to "do what needs doing." Even as he's running in and out of the house taking care of things that need to be done, he still stops to tickle a grumpy 5 year old or give kisses to the baby. I really respect a man who takes time out of his busyness to just cuddle with one of the kids. When I was a boy-crazy teenager listing my turn ons and turn offs in a guy, "kind and gentle to children" was NOT one of the turn ons on my list.... but it sure is now. Pardon me for my forwardness - but nothing is sexier to me than a man who can love his God unashamedly, play with his children gently and cherish his family above his own interests. *Ya, and I can hear my hubby now "who's the man?" *You are honey :) And I thank God for you.
On Tuesday Al was airlifted to London hospital and Mike drove Cherie there to be with him. The kids thought it was very cool to be able to stand out on the back porch and watch the helicopter carrying Al fly by.
My sister Kim was able to go to London to visit with Cherie one day - which I know she appreciated. Speaking of appreciation ... I just wanted to say Thank You on behalf of Cherie and Al and their children for all the generosity and kindness many of you have shown. Some incredible people have been dropping off meals and gift cards for the grocery store, and even giving Cherie long distance minutes to be able to use the phone while she's in London. All of these things to help alleviate some of their stress at this time - The Brundritt family is truly thankful for what you've done - God bless you.
As I sit here writing, it is Thursday (I know the blog entry date is different but I began this entry a couple days ago and have been working on it in between diapers, lol) anyway.... I just received a phone call from Cherie in London. The doctor is releasing Al from the hospital today and Mike has just left to go pick them up. Their children will likely stay here for a few days yet while Cherie gets Al settled in at home. So far things have been running pretty smoothly around here - at any rate I am never at a loss for things to write about with a herd this size.
Enjoy your week and stay healthy!
~God bless you~

Last Day of School

~ Today is the Last Day of School ~
Yahoo! Summer Vacation and the fun's just starting.....
I'm not ready for this - are any of us really ready? I still have a list of things I need to get accomplished before my herd is home all day - every day. You know, those things you just can't do while there are little people under 4' tall hanging off every available limb. Things like getting my hair cut. A terrible tragedy unfolds in my mind as I consider the possibility of bringing my brood to the hair salon with me....no, I'll wait until My hubby has a day off and then I'll go alone - it's just not worth the risk involved. Don't get me wrong, my kids are great, individually (or even a few at a time) but collectively.... wow, things can get ugly fast. A group this size requires well seasoned, skilled parental figures well versed in the art of negotiation .... but since those are few and far between - the kids got stuck with US! Don't feel too bad for them, we're not THAT bad. We do have our good points ya know. My hubby is highly skilled in the art of video games. Which is a good thing for our little guys, how else would they ever learn how to beat the giant Colossus or where to find the special stone that opens the secret passage way to earn more points or increase your life. And hunting, well don't even get me started - these boys will be so skilled in the sport they'll never have to brave the frozen food aisle at Sobey's again. *On second thought, the image of B3 with a shot gun scares me.... maybe he will own his very own deli someday ... one can only hope. My hubby can't take all the credit for raising such well rounded kids. Not to brag, but some of my specialized skills have been a pretty big contributing factor in their upbringing too. All my kiddos can fly through their chores at breakneck speed and still manage to find time to harass each other, tattle on someone and play a prank or two... they are skilled in multi tasking. They all take great pride in doing their work "POPRY" (that's properly in Ojibway hahahahaha) {*Don't freak out - it's not a racial slur... we ARE teaching them Ojibway - that was just a joke} Like I was saying, they want things done "right", they know there's a certain way to do things and if it isn't done right they keep trying until they get it.... the only problem is that each of them insists on doing things "their" way - because THEIR way is the RIGHT way so this can cause some conflict at times.... until mom steps in and puts an end to the conflict - it WILL be done HER way. I am still not sure where they get that "my way or the highway" attitude from (maybe it's something they learned at school).
Anyway.... like I was saying, Summer Vacation is upon us and today is the last day of school. Things have been a little hectic around here over the past two weeks (I know - when aren't they?) we've had plenty of excitement.
My UPS malfunctioned causing my computer to crash!!!! Oh yes, there was tragedy in the Koppes household.... the kids walked on eggshells for a few days while I feverishly worked on reformatting my hard drive and re installing my lost programs and files. I couldn't even tell you what happened around here over those few days as I was so absorbed in my work ..... darn "technology". Then my hubby left us for a week and went to Cochrane to open our trailer for the season and prepare things for our upcoming family vacation. Although it was a pre planned trip, I wondered if it had anything to do with the tension around here due to the computer crash???? Hmmm, interesting coincidence..... either way it was a l-o-n-g week without him. I am so thankful that I am not a single parent! There is NOTHING appealing about single parenting to me - thanks Babe (not the dog) for being such a great dad and husband ... I appreciate you for being the man you are. I respect you for what you do and who you are to our family :)
While my hubby was away we kept ourselves occupied with all sorts of things. The one day we even had an indoor fire - without marshmallows :( Something had spilled on the burner the night before, a pot had overflowed when I made dinner (my cooking skills are a whole other blog subject..... maybe we'll get into it some day .... Beep Beep Beep Beep "mom's cooking!"). Obviously it didn't get cleaned up and when I went to cook dinner the following evening smoke started rolling through the kitchen and flames suddenly shot up from the back burner. The children all sat around the kitchen table mesmerized.... with a little bit of panic in their eyes - or was it awe? As I beat the flames with a dish towel and hollered for my sister Cherie to grab a pot lid G2 chatted happily away about her day at school and what plans she had for the upcoming weekend and on and on and on.... oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, (like this happens everyday.) It was like a bad horror show. As i smothered the flames with the pot lid and turned on the exhaust fan, B3 stood up on his chair and shaking his head stated "THIS IS NOT GOOD LISA." Sensing my discouragement, B2 cheerily adds "We can just cook on the flames!"

About three days into our week without daddy, B3 and I were having lunch together at the kitchen table. As he ate I was staring at him. He would smile at me and then I would smile at him.... this exchange went on for a few minutes until he asked me "Why are you staring at me?" to which I answered "Because you're so cute." A minute or so went by while he pondered this and then he said "I'm gonna stare at you too 'cause you're so cute too." and then he continued "When Mike comes home I'm gonna stare at him and make him love me." I said "B3 you know Mike loves you." He said "yes, but like this..." and he tilted his head and batted his eye lashes and smiled at me again. (He meant the feeling he was feeling that moment - the one on one exchange of smiles and feelings without words. Too sweet)
Once my hubby returned from his week away we took all our kiddos (G1, G3, G4, G5, B1, B2, and B3 - G2 was away for the weekend) to Windsor for the annual Pow Wow to celebrate National Aboriginal Day. Papa and Grandma Cathy and Douglas met us there. We had an amazing time! The kids enjoyed seeing all the bright outfits and watching the dancers. Our adventure was short lived though - as the dancers danced the black clouds rolled in then the heavens opened above us..... and it rained! We huddled under a row of bushes but as the rain came down the mosquitoes got all stirred up and we were available. B2 wondered out loud if it "started raining because of the dancers and the music?" (Hahahaha get it? A rain dance. Hahaha) We eventually put our chairs on our heads and mad a mad dash for the vehicles. Yes we looked silly, but the rain was driving down so hard it seemed like the right thing to do. Papa had to stop along the way to help a woman up off the ground.... she slipped on the wet grass. What a gentleman :)The next day was our Family Dinner at Kim's place in Windsor.
We had a great time together. Kim showed off her new furniture she just got - very nice!!!! and Rick and Cherie just showed off.....
Rick displayed his super cool ninja skills while Cherie continues to practice her "unique" skills. What the heck Cherie?????
Wow, enough excitement for one weekend. Congratulations Rick and Justin on your graduations.... we are very proud of your accomplishments! And Cherie......well..... we love you too.
On Tuesday I went to my kiddos school for their annual awards ceremony. Someone from the school usually calls a few days ahead of time to let you know that your child will be receiving an award in case you want to attend. They ask you to keep it a surprise and not tell your child. Well just that morning G1 commented that tomorrow (Wednesday) they were having their awards ceremony. I said "Oh good, maybe that means I will get a phone call about it today" and she just grinned - hoping she would be an award recipient once again. Well wasn't she surprised when she got to school and realized that the awards ceremony was TODAY and NOT tomorrow. She was even more surprised to see me come walking around the corner fifteen minutes later - a sure sign that at least ONE of the five of them were going to receive an award. Sure enough she got a medal - for Academic Achievement. Congratulations baby, you make us so proud!
I was happy to see a few familiar faces receiving awards as well....Isaiah VonUders, Sarah Dube and Braydon Tatsu. Congratulations Kids!
There is still so much more to come this summer season.... exciting plans in the works and upcoming adventures.... I just wanted to leave you with a thought....

Plan for your future - but don't forget to LIVE in the present .... you never know when it may change.....in the twinkling of an eye....