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....

When I Grow Up....

NO, that picture is NOT me! It's my younger sister Cherie (in case you couldn't tell). She is showing off her new "skills." Do you remember when you were a kid and you learned a new skill and you just had to do it over and over again to perfect it? Well Cherie is reliving her childhood :)
I love you sis - you're so cute :)
Half the herd was sitting at the kitchen table doing homework. Suddenly B1 announced "When I grow up.... I want to help the polar bears get more ice." Yes he was quite serious. I asked him to repeat himself and yup, that's what he said alright. After a few minutes of questioning we realized that he must have learned about global warming or something like that at school that day and being the compassionate kind of kid that he is, decided that that was his life's calling.... to help the polar bears get more ice! And we'll cheer him on in his endeavours.... from somewhere warm :)
My little guy Buzzy (yes. that's his REAL name) finally got to the groomers this week. He was so neglected he looked like a miniature sheepdog. I always feel like such a bad pet owner when I take him in to the groomers. He's usually all matted and stinky and long overdue for a cut .... poor little guy. So this time I asked my hubby to drop him off on his way to the office :) at least I didn't have to endure the accusing stares of the grooming ladies who have perfectly clean doggies with the prettiest hair-do's. I bet none of them have kids under four feet tall.
On a weird sort of note - I broke a filling this week. I thought it was a popcorn kernel from my smartfood (Mmmmm white cheddar goodness). How does someone fit an emergency trip to the dentist into an already full schedule? In speaking with the dentist's receptionist I have learned that they have just as busy a schedule as I do and NO they do NOT make house calls. So unless someone cancels an appointment between now and then, I can't get in to see him until Monday June 23rd. Oh well, I didn't need to eat anything too exciting before then anyway.
On Wednesday the 11th we all went to Tecumseh to the Mongolian Grill for an early Father's Day Dinner. (Ya, that's Cherie in that picture at the Mongo, showing off her skills again)

On the way there we drove past a cornfield. B3 piped up and said "look, a garden is growing Lisa!" A little further on we passed a cemetery with large ornate markers and headstones. In the center of the cemetery is a large crucifix. This caught B3's attention right away and he breathlessly said "Oooh, that's where Jesus died, Lisa" to which I replied "Jesus died in Jerusalem B3, not Belle River."
At the Mongo we had a great meal and even better fellowship. Mike became a legend in the eyes of our kids and nieces and nephew.... he beat "the claw". You know - that mechanical claw game where you pump it full of change and get the chance to reach down and grab a prize with "the claw" .... well after all the kids lost their money my hubby invested a small fortune and a few intense minutes into that machine, and he won, much to the children's amazement. When he secured the prize you could hear hootin' and hollerin' and applause throughout the whole place - he had a fan club happening. It was a proud moment. He presented me with an odd looking green and yellow frog thing. Thanks honey, I love him (*wink). After our dinner we sometimes walk down to the Sobey's store in the plaza and borrow their employee picnic table to rest at while the kids run off their meal along the grassy strip of turf next to the building. Someone usually makes a Timmy's run while the rest of us holler at kids not to run into the parking lot and get hit by cars and threaten to leave them splattered there if they do. On this particular night there were a few fish flies hanging round so the kids had some fun catching them and tormenting a particular child who doesn't appreciate bugs the way the rest of them do. Poor G2, she got a lot of exercise from running away screaming over and over again.
While we were at the Mongolian Grill we gave the Father's their Father's Day gifts. My hubby got the highly coveted Ghillie Suit he had been drooling over for a while now. It's a hunting outfit he just "had to have". Hahaha. So being the crazy kind of guy he is, he wanted to try it on (yes, right there in the restaurant). He went to the rest room and came out looking like he grew some greenery. I wonder what the restaurant patrons thought? They probably wondered what in the world was in that food he ate?!?!?!

There's never a dull moment in my world :)

On our way home we drove along a stretch of highway that had a familiar foul odor ... G2 suddenly blurted out "did we get run over by a skunk or something?" Which is almost as weird as the comment she made while we drove down the 401 the following day. G2 asked "do deer eat on you like bears do?"
I think the sun is doing something to my children's thinking - either that or the thought of summer vacation fast approaching has messed with their brain waves..... During dinner B2 got upset when I tried to spread out his food to cool it off so he could eat it. He "doesn't want his food spread out on his plate cause then he'll have more to eat and he doesn't want too much.

Shortly thereafter, B3 came into the kitchen. We had thought he was upstairs playing so my hubby asked "where were you?" B3 looked very confused so my hubby explained that we thought he was upstairs but then we noticed him coming out of the living room and into the kitchen - "what were you doing? Where were you?" He asked again. Then B3 held his head in his hands and "I don't knoooooow" Mike then said, well why did you come down here? To which B3 replied "I don't knoooooooow" I guess that was one of those "guess you had to be there" moments :)
Too funny not to share: I was bathing little G4 & G5 the other day. They were having a bubble bath together. Suddenly G4 starts shrieking Ewwwie!!! Ewwwie!!! and pointing to the bubbles in the water. I said "G4, what's wrong?" and G5 replied "she pooped in the tub." Hahaha she was trying to claw her way out of the tub after that.

We took the whole herd to the Drive In Movies on Thursday night. My sister and brother-in-law and their kiddos came too. We saw the Kung Fu Panda! The kids really liked it - so did the adults. But as you already know - nothing is ever easy or simple and nothing is ever dull in our family ...
To begin with, Al & Cherie's van headlights couldn't be shut off with the key turned to accessories (to keep the radio on to hear the movie), so an employee brought over garbage bags and tape to cover up the headlights. Instead of that, Al pulled the fuse out. Then....
after 4 hours of watching movies, the van wouldn't start - the battery was drained :( So he needed a boost. Hahaha. It sounds like a bad date doesn't it? Oh well, if our lives were boring we wouldn't have anything to write about.
A while back I mentioned that I had to go to court to testify in a trial regarding one of my foster children. Well it was held over and now it has resumed. I testified on Thursday morning. It was a little scary and weird feeling but over with in no time. I was amazed and pleased with one thing though ... They still make you swear on the Holy Bible in our courts (here in Chatham, Ontario anyway) It was a gold hard cover Gideon's Bible - looked like it might have just come from a hotel room dresser drawer. I am so happy to see that we have not kicked God out of our court system. If anyone knows about Justice and Mercy - He sure does! Check out this cool video someone sent to me .... go to You Tube and type in Cardboard Testimony.
What's YOUR cardboard testimony?

Holy Hail Storm!!!!!

I am dumbfounded that a whole week has gone by again and I never even noticed it!!! Where in the world does the time go? Something I had no trouble noticing today was that hail storm that hit our area. It was sudden, brief and brutal. My hubby looks a little amazed doesn't he? I have included a video clip I took from my front porch.
As soon as I realized what was happening I ran into my room to grab the camera and right out onto the porch - where I got pelted with hail stones as they bounced off my neighbours house and the porch railing. It was a loud racket and sounded like someone running all over a carpet of bubble wrap. Pop, pop, pop, pop ...... I got hit, my camera got hit - my poor van got hit .... but it was worth it wasn't it - just look at the joy on his face!!! Hahaha

When the hail started pelting our house and I ran out onto the porch to capture some video, the children ran to the windows to watch the show - the younger ones had never seen anything like it before! As I dodged the giant ice rocks and shielded my camera from the spray of rain I fervently tried to wave the kids AWAY from the windows (just incase a window broke - I didn't want anyone hurt). Well it seemed the more determined I was to wave them away the more excited and unmovable they were. I could see their noses squashed against the glass and a few little hands wiping away the fogged up windows from their excited hot breath against the glass. They looked at me like I had two heads and pretended not to hear me or understand what my frantic waving meant. *Oh ya, they heard all about it afterward.

On Wednesday June 4th we took the kids to Canada's Wonderland for the day. This has become an annual event for us. We choose a day during the week (usually a Wednesday) during the month of June before summer holidays begin and spend the day at Canada's Wonderland never having to wait in lineups to get on rides and not having to fight the crowds just to walk through the park. The children love feeling "special" because they get to miss school to go. This year we were supposed to go with my youngest sister and her family but it didn't work out that way so we just went as a family - Mike and Myself and 5 of the 6 children. We left baby G3 with Papa & Grandma since she was probably too short to get on any good rides anyway. Thanks grandma and papa, we really appreciate all you do for us.

We are a thrill ride/rollercoaster family and every new fosterchild that comes through our doors is usually trained up on local rides and rollercoasters (at the WildZone or other local fairs) to prepare them for our annual Canada's Wonderland Trip. There's much to be said for a family who plummets an incredible 230 feet at 77 miles an hour together ... the shared victory in actually surviving a ride like that is what memories are made of. Our first ride of the day was the new rollercoaster "The Behemoth". All I can say is WOW!!! What a rush. G2 had never been on a rollercoaster before.... only the kiddie one at the WildZone. She was nervous but excited to experience a "real ride". She screamed hersdelf silly the whole 3 minutes and 10 seconds and then begged us to go back on it "just one more time, pleeeeeeease!"
Although B1,B2, &B3 are all taller this year, none of them were tall enough to experience the Behemoth with us. They did get to go on a ton of other rides and small coasters though. B1, obviously the oldest boy, developed a pretty green colouring with each new ride. He can no longer tolerate spinning rides or ones that go too fast. He refused to go on anymore rollercoasters after attempting an upsidedown looping one. His favorite ride is the antique carosel. The next youngest boy B2, is a thrill seeker and just couldn't get enough of the fast and wild rides.... you could hear him giggling hysterically throughout the park! (and this was BEFORE any sugar was added.) He preferred rollercoasters and rides that spin. B3 is a combination of the two. He enjoys some fast paced wild rides and favors a few old slow ones. One of his favorite rides was the old antique cars - remember those?
It was during this annual thrill seeking adventure that my hubby and I discovered an enlightening truth - we are getting older. Neither one of us was prepared for this discovery, nor was it expected. For me, the truth dawned on me as I held on for dear life on the "Spinovator" (ya, the name says it all doesn't it?) I was very shocked to feel a queasy, awkward feeling rising up inside me. I prayed hard for the ride to end before I made a real mess (if you know what I mean). I just couldn[t understand how this could have happened - I am the roller coaster queen, the thrill ride rider - how could I suddenly develop "motion sickness" or whatever it was all over the course of a year? Just last year I could keep up with the best of them and this year ..... it was almost shameful :( As I revealed my secret to my hubby he comforted me by letting me in on the fact that he too had discovered that those same rides he could ride over and over again, now made his stomach do flip flops. It was a sad day for us as a couple - the end of our "thrill seeking" days (at least in the amusement park). We have chosen to look elsewhere for a rush - my hubby thinks Tim Hortons is a good place to get a rush .... caffine?
Maybe not - but it sure was helpful in keeping him awake for the long drive home after a very full day.
Well, this week is a full one. On call for court again.... there are exciting changes coming to the Koppes household in the near future - keep watching for updates :)
Have a blessed week!

What More Can I jam Into One Week????

Monday again....
Monday is usually the day of the week I have time to reflect on "what in the world happened to last week?" Time seems to fly by too fast anymore then all of a sudden a whole week has gone by in a whirl and I am left shaking my head and wondering whether anything productive got done or whether or not I've forgotten to do something important.
I keep a running "To Do " list and systematically cross off my all-important tasks as each one is accomplished. I rarely ever clear up my whole list in a seven day period, all those undone things usually carry over to the next week. I faintly remember a few years back, being almost bored to tears during the day..... just wondering what to do with my time? Was there any real purpose for my life? Was I meant to do anything meaningful or just inhabit this house with these short people and meet all their demands day by day? Life sure has gotten busy. Now a days I pretty much live by my calendar.... it almost seems that every hour is accounted for and every event is scheduled ..... from the children's access visits to grocery shopping and sometimes even visiting friends gets penciled in so I don't double book our evenings.

All this busyness really reminds me that we are only here for a short time and we really do need to make the most of our time. We don't know how long we have .... no one knows whether we have 20 more years or only a day or two. So I have to sit back and think about what things in my busy days are THAT important to me - what things are going to matter in the long run? If I take a minute to focus on what really mattes, I can usually cross off a handful of not-so-important tasks from my "to do" list. What takes up YOUR time? What do you fill YOUR days up with? What kind of things are a priority in YOUR life? Take stock and see if you're running around in circles, doing things that won't matter in the long run - or are you making the most of your days .... doing things that really count.
I came across a great devotional this week that I wanted to share:

A Grandparent's Influence
"Teach ... Your children and ... their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9 NIV

This hilarious letter was written by a child: "A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own. She likes other people's little girls and boys. A grandfather is a man grandmother. He goes for walks with boys; they talk about fishing and stuff like that. Grandmothers don't have anything to do except to be there. They are so old that they shouldn't play hard or run. It is enough if hey drive us to the store where the pretend horse is, and have lots of money ready. Or if they take us for walks they slow down for things like pretty leaves and caterpillars. They should never say "Hurry up". Usually grandmothers are fat, but not too fat to tie your shoes. They wear glasses and funny underwear. They can take their teeth and gums off. Grandmother's don't have to be smart, only answer questions like "Why isn't God married?" and "How come dogs chase cats?" Grandmother's don't talk baby talk like visitors do, because it's hard to understand. When they read to us they don't skip or mind if it's the same story over again. Everybody should have a grandmother, especially if they don't have a television, because they are the only grown ups who have time."
*Grandparent, if you're not happy with the job you did the first time around, you get a second bite at the apple - with your grand kids. Don't blow it! If your children are raising your grandchildren in the ways of God, encourage them and reinforce their teaching by your own example. If they've neglected to do this, step in the gap immediately. "Teach ... Your children and ... their children after them."
On July 5th, 2008 My hubby and I are participating in the Teen Challenge North 50 Hole Golf Tournament.
You can help support me by making a secure online donation using your credit card or by sponsoring me in person with cash or a cheque. Click on the link below to view our goal information or to make an online pledge:
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=460714

Thanks for considering supporting us in this endeavour. This fundraiser is personal for our family ~ We are determined to exceed our fundraising goal and golf the best games of our lives .... to benefit our son and other young men like him, struggling to overcome addictions. Please sponsor me and help raise funds to rescue addicted young people through the Teen Challenge program.
I have had an incredible blessed week despite the busyness. My hubby (who is so good to me) made us dinner one night. He has a "special" meat pie he likes to make and the children just love it (so do I). The only thing is, when he cooks it is not a quick throw it together meal - it is a major operation! There's measuring, mixing, grating, washing, greasing, layering, etc... Most of the children steer clear of the kitchen - they can feel the intensity rolling out of there. But the oldest ones really have no choice - they get commandeered for the tedious jobs (grating cheese and buttering pans). By the time the meal is prepared and on the table we can all use a little family counselling - in the end it's worth it I guess ... if I don't have to cook it or clean it, I'm loving it :)
To add to my blessed week ... I was pleasantly surprised one morning to get a phone call from the radio station UCB Canada 89.3 FM - Chatham's new Christian Radio Station. I had won a music CD from their May online contest! I was pretty excited about that :) So were the kids - they like to "borrow" my music and were interested in some new tunes. UCB has a monthly online contest - you should check it out and enter.

I just had to include this next picture from this week..... it's my dog Buzzy (a Shih-Tzu) having a much needed bath. He really needs to go to the groomers but he was so stinky and dirty I would have been embarrassed to take him to the groomer looking that way. Hahaha. So I bathed him first.
He looks pretty pathetic doesn't he? He's such a good boy though. (And now he smells good - so much nicer to hug)

This past Saturday I attended the Elim Canada Women's Department Conference that was held at our church. It was a wonderful time and a much needed break away from the house and kids... a chance to be with other women who don't want to sit on my lap and have a bite of everything I am trying to eat. When I did finally come home after being away all day, B2 asked me to go play outside with him. He said "Can you come outside and play or do you need to work on the baby?" Hahahaha I love my kids!
Have a blessed week :)