Hello summer

Today was the first day of school holidays.  We had our first play date of the summer this morning and then this afternoon we took the bike, scooter, and stroller to the cemetery.  My oldest nephew became a teenager today.  Tomorrow we'll be with family celebrating Canada's 150th birthday (and thinking of my cousin celebrating her birthday).  I still need to make a salad so this post may not be long.

I feel a little down.  I'm not sure if it's due to Josiah's death anniversary coming up next week or not.  I was able to look at some pictures of him today and remember.  We'll plant some flowers at his grave on Monday and probably take flowers for the vase next Thursday.

Sadly, my Uncle Moffit passed away this month in Northern Ireland.  Thankfully my dad was able to go over for the funeral.  I remember he and his family coming to visit us in Canada and I remember he and Auntie Violet taking us out

for the day when Graham, Isaac and I visited in 2011.  He was very kind and generous to us.

I am looking forward to seeing Graham's brother and sister-in-law and family next week.  The whole family was last here when Josiah passed away and Isaac doesn't have memories of playing with his cousins so we're going to make some good memories the next couple of weeks.

Thankfully Lily-Anna sleeps through the night.  We sleep-trained her at the beginning of June and it didn't take long for her to figure out the new routine.  The longest she had to cry without us was 7 minutes and I think that was only once.  It seems like such an amazing process to me - it's sort of like seeing her brain learn the new normal.  I remember feeling the same thing when we did it with Kohen.

I borrowed a book from the library about trying new healthy foods and getting your kids involved with choosing recipes and preparing the foods.  I was amazed at the difference this made in attitude.  Isaac chose bok choy as his first dish and then cod and the boys later helped prep brussel sprout chips.  After preparing the recipes, Isaac was excitedly telling me how good the food was going to taste.  Kohen was a little too eager with the salt on the "chips" but other than that the boys enjoyed the dishes.

Kohen and I had a coversation during lunch that demonstrates how well the boys listen to Graham's Eugene stories.  Eugene is a bunny.

Kohen: I wish I could be a rabbit because then I could climb trees.
Mommy: Rabbits don't climb trees.
Kohen: Yes they do.
Mommy: No, rabbits do not climb trees.
Kohen: Rabbits can climb trees.  Trust me.  Eugene is a bunny and he has climbed trees.
Mommy: Eugene is a very clever bunny and he does things that other bunnies cannot do.  [Like inventing robots to help the police, for example.]

The kids and I were playing downstairs one day and I asked Kohen what superpower he would like to have.  He chose flying.  Then Isaac said something like, "I wouldn't choose to fly.  I would choose to have all my Lego organized."  That made me laugh.

Lily-Anna loves to pull herself up to standing now and sometimes walks a little if she's holding hands or holding onto a stool she can push.  She loves to explore and she loves the bathroom whenever she can get past me to make it inside.  She likes it when Graham or the boys chase her when she's crawling.

Last weekend I was very happy to see the one cousin whom I grew up with (as in, the only cousin who lived in Canada).  She now lives overseas so it was nice to have lunch together.  It was of course a pleasure to see my aunt and uncle as well but thankfully they live closer so we can see them a little more often.

It's time to say goodnight.  Thanks for any prayers.  I'll post and then change to the computer and try to add a few photos.

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Romans 8:37-39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.