Fall Rhythms

While I love the summer and never like saying goodbye to it, it also feels good to get back into the swing of things. The routine of school and piano lessons, youth group, and packing lunches is familiar and comfortable. 

First day of school letters from me

All of the kids were excited to return to school. Isaac has especially enjoyed starting middle school even though he leaves almost an hour earlier. He has mainly biked to school so far, though Graham drove him one day when it was raining. It takes about twenty minutes to walk. I enjoy spending a little one-on-one time with him at the end of the day before I pick up his siblings. His school has instruments and he found out this week that he is able to play the trumpet, which was his first choice. His Uncle Andrew is planning to show him a few things on his trumpet to get him started. I'm looking forward to hearing him practice. Actually, now that we have an acoustic piano, it is delightful to listen to Isaac play his pieces as he was the only one who usually practiced on the electric piano with headphones. 

Kohen and Lily-Anna are also enjoying school. Lily-Anna has been happy to learn French. The school had their first Meet the Teacher Night since before Covid so it was nice to be able to see the classrooms and the kids' desks. I'm only slightly sad and reminiscent when I pass the doors that Isaac usually came out. Lily-Anna is thrilled that she gets to see Kohen and other friends outside during recess as the classes were kept separate in previous years due to Covid. 

I should also mention that we had a great end to the summer holidays. The kids enjoy going to a hotel from time to time so we found one in Brantford with a pool and then went to a lovely beach in Burlington the next day. I've never thought about Burlington as a beach location but the sand was great. It took me a long time to get into the cold water with the two youngest but Isaac thoroughly enjoyed working on a sand castle and Kohen, Lily-Anna, and I took turns burying each other. We were taught last summer to take a big shovel to the beach to help make a sand castle.  We stopped at Canadian Tire before the beach and bought a sun tent which has greatly improved Graham's feelings toward beaches. We should have bought one years ago given that Graham should stay out of the sun. Kohen and Lily-Anna and I took turns burying each other in the sand. I could look far along the sand to a pier and also the apartment buildings in downtown Burlington where my aunt and uncle used to live. I wish I could have gone to see them for a cup of tea. (Uncle Peter passed away in January and my aunt moved overseas in June.) 

After a rest day, we went to Bingemans Splash Works for a water park adventure. I braved a few slides that Isaac wanted me to go on. This was a gift from our wonderful neighbour and we had a great time. 

Kohen and Lily-Anna started karate lessons at our local community centre. They are looking cute in their outfits. I was too late to sign up Lily-Anna for ballet or gymnastics but she said she'd like to do this with Kohen. It has changed our Saturday mornings a little as I used to make a nice breakfast but perhaps I can switch to a brunch after their lesson. 

Our two youngest missed a few days of school during the second week of school due to cold symptoms.  This was not a surprise.  It would be lovely if getting sick is out of their system now. 

I have switched my role in Sunday School on Sunday mornings. I enjoyed teaching in the JK/SK class for my last volunteer shift. I was on a team with my two local nieces. Now I will be helping out as a small group leader for Lily-Anna's age as per her request. I'm looking forward to getting to know the kids better. 

Isaac helping Kohen on the piano

We said goodbye to a beautiful woman of God earlier this summer after she passed away due to a fall. Last Saturday we were able to celebrate Miriam's life and the life of her husband Ron Radley who passed away last year. They were both in our small group a number of years ago and have always been a blessing. Miriam's prayers were so beautiful and powerful and comforting. 

Lily-Anna attended two birthdays this month and is going to a party for two girls tomorrow and had to decline another invitation for a party at the same time. She may turn out to be our social butterfly. 

I took two short training sessions this month so that I can be a Strong Start volunteer at K and LA's school in October, helping kids one-on-one with literacy skills through games. I am looking forward to it. 

I had my annual visit with my rheumatologist in Toronto this month.  I decided to go there on the Go Train.  It was a delightful day.  The train wasn't busy at all so I decided to get more comfortable by taking my shoes off.  It was a little disconcerting to see that I had put two different socks on.  (How did I not notice this when I tied up my laces?!)  I knew I could take off my socks before my doctor noticed but I pointed it out to the nurse who took my height and weight.  She said she does it all the time.  

I read a book on the train and at Starbucks.  I had to transfer to a bus on the way home but who doesn't like riding on a double decker bus?  I was slightly tempted to sit on the lower level of either the train or the bus but then remembered that my kids would want me to go up higher.  Public transit over longer distances can be very peaceful and relaxing and being in the big city is a little invigorating.  I usually go with Graham and we enjoy a date at a nice Thai restaurant so I missed him but enjoyed getting reacquainted with Father Tim and my old friends from Mitford (the Jan Karon series).  Let me also say that I am a fan of the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew (coffee).  Yum!  

Lily-Anna and I showed up at my parents' home at 6:00 to watch Queen Elizabeth's funeral.  Kohen was quite sad to have missed that adventure but no one heard him say he wanted to be woken up when I asked.  I was certainly sad to hear she had passed away.  

Our washing machine stopped working and we thought we might need to replace it as it is over 18 years old.  We decided to call a repairman and it was just the lid switch which broke because I put blankets in the machine.  He told me to stop doing that.  I wonder if that's the reason it broke a number of years ago.  When that happened, the repairman said we'd want to keep our machine as long as possible as it was built well.  

The kids wore orange shirts today and they can each tell me the reason it is called Orange Shirt Day at school. I'm thankful the kids are learning about the horrible situations that so many children and their families endured due to residential schools and the ramifications that are ongoing today. I'm thankful that God can bring healing and we can pray, listen, and learn. 

We have a busy day tomorrow so I'd better get to bed. 

Blessings, Elizabeth 

Psalm 103:6 

The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

August Adventures

I don't want to admit that August is almost officially over.  I like summer.  I enjoy the change of pace and the shorter to-do lists.  That being said, it will be good to get back into the September routines.  The kids will be happy to see their friends at school each day.  Isaac is excited to start grade 7 in a new school.

I'm looking back at my camera roll to remember what happened this month.  The first photos are of the kids on the stairs looking down to the bottom where they have put a mattress, couch cushions, pillows, and blankets.  From time to time they decide to jump down the stairs to this soft landing.  They like to make slow-mo videos of their jumps.

On August 3 we said goodbye to Isaac for ten days.  He flew on the same plane as his grandparents out to British Columbia where he spent time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins.  He had an amazing time.  Some highlights were spending hours in the pool, bouldering, laser tag, two birthdays, reading comics, and delicious food including homemade pasta, yummy Thai, and bingsu.

Saying goodbye to Isaac

At the airport ready for an adventure

Graham has been sick since around July 21.  He is still taking Tylenol and Advil for pain but he just switched from stronger pain meds late last week.  After an initial virus that caused various symptoms, he eventually ended up being diagnosed with Bell's Palsy.  Thankfully his face is almost back to normal and he can close his left eye again.  

Graham is on his one week of summer vacation this week (he also had a couple of days off when he went camping with Lily-Anna).  I would never choose to have my holidays the last week before school but given that Graham's probationary period ended in mid-July for his new job, this is just how it worked out.  God knew exactly what we needed and I am so thankful.  Any other week since his probation ended would have meant that Graham was sick and unable to do things.  His previous pain medication made him very tired.  So, thanks be to God for His perfect provision.

Lily-Anna is Grandpa's helper in the garden

I was in the van with the kids, driving to pick up Graham from the office one day when I heard scared screaming coming from two children.  I kept driving and told the kids I needed more information.  Kohen quickly told me to pull over at the approaching gas station.  There I discovered that a very large dragonfly had flown into the window and was hanging on on the back of the passenger seat.  The kids got out of the van and I opened the rear hatch door to find something to help me get the dragonfly out.  He flew away and we carried on.  When I got out of the van in the parking lot of Graham's office, I discovered I had driven the rest of the way with the back hatch fully raised.  Thankfully, the small wooden rocking chair or various other items didn't fall out.

We have recently discovered a board/card game that we enjoy playing together (we haven't tried to teach Lily-Anna as she seems a little young).  It's called 7 Wonders and the rest of us are enjoying it.  It's so wonderful to be able to take out games from the library.  

We have so much to be thankful for!  We heard through our kids' wonderful music teacher that someone was wanting to donate an apartment-sized piano.  We ended up getting it delivered to our home.  There are not a lot of options about where a piano can fit in our home so we decided we would have one baseboard heater removed from our living room to make a little extra room.  Thankfully the electrician who showed up knew better and told us he couldn't remove it as the room would be too cold.  It sort of seems obvious in retrospect.  It took me a little more work to move things around but the piano ended up in a better spot.

I signed Kohen up for a daycamp which was meant to focus on life in the early 1900s.  Isaac loved the camp when he attended and so did my niece.  Lily-Anna can't wait to go.  Each child is given a costume on the first day to wear each day.  When Isaac went I made homemade bread all week (in the breadmaker) and packed everything in wax paper and he drank out of a glass jar, all of which was packed in a picnic basket.  I think I even had him wear shoes that weren't running shoes.  I'm sure Kohen had a little more fun than he let on but he was not the happiest camper.  After the first day, I let him take his backpack and gave up on the homemade bread and wax paper and he was not about to drink from a glass jar.  He did catch two fish on a stick, using dough as bait.  Isaac went when he was younger so maybe that was part of it as I couldn't send Kohen earlier due to Covid.  I suspect if Kohen went to a camp with a friend, that would make a difference.  That may be my plan next year.  It will also be a camp where he doesn't have to dress up. 

We renewed our Toronto Island tradition this year.  It's been three years since we've been there due to Covid.  Our friends were able to go too (I think this is at least the third time our friends have been there at the same time).  The ten of us were all in the Bumper Cars ride together and we shared a pizza supper.  We had a lovely day.   

It's time to head to bed. I want to enjoy these last few days before school to the max. 

I found these bear costumes in my parents' basement.  I remember them from when I was a child.  I hadn't remembered that my parents actually made them around the time or before I was born for their church's VBS.  Mom sewed and Dad made the heads out of papermache.  Most of the paws have disappeared.

Blessings,

Elizabeth

 

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

July Joy

And just like that, July is over.  Actually, this past week has felt a little long as everyone in the house has been sick to some degree, except for me.  Graham even had a trip to the ER by ambulance but thankfully he didn't need to stay and is almost better.  I think everyone is finished taking fever medication.  Lily-Anna still has a cough and Kohen is dealing with an allergic skin reaction.  Isaac is nearly better.

Strawberry picking on a beautiful morning

Other than that, it's been a great month.  We started the month by taking our new tent to Graham's parents' home.  It was our first time setting it up and it didn't take very long.  The kids and I enjoyed sleeping outside for two nights.  The kids saw some fireworks from the tent when I was trying to get them to sleep so we ended up looking at them from the lawn and then driving around trying to get a closer view.  We didn't find them but we made a new memory driving around in our PJs.  

At some point this month, Lily-Anna's fish Sunny died.  It lived the longest of the three guppies that we bought as a Christmas present in early 2021.  (I think they opened the tank on Christmas Eve.)  Lily-Anna took it in stride.  Our time with fish is now over.  It definitely took more time than I had anticipated to regularly clean the fish tank.  I did enjoy singing goodnight to them. 

We remembered Josiah on the 9th anniversary of his death.  We took flowers to the grave and the kids went for a bike ride.  Actually, that was the day that Lily-Anna learned to ride her bike!  Graham is an excellent teacher.  

The kids have enjoyed a few different activities including VBS, swimming, gymnastics, and soccer.   Isaac has aged out of VBS and is too young to volunteer with kids but he was able to help in the kitchen and he really enjoyed it.  I helped out with the youngest group and enjoyed getting to know the kids better.  I already knew some of them as I help out in the Sunday School class for that age group.  Kohen and Lily-Anna had fun in their groups.  

Bowling with Kohen

Lily-Anna missed the first two days of VBS as she was on the Annual Daddy-Daughter Camping Trip.  She and Graham joined my two brothers and their four daughters for the first time.  It took them three hours to canoe and portage to their campsite.  Lily-Anna loved it and was well taken care of by her cousins as she is younger than them by six to ten years.

Thankfully my aunt asked me what I was going to do with the boys while Graham and Lily-Anna were away.  I tired them out at Funvilla on the Saturday and we enjoyed some favourite foods and treats with a movie.  We also found time to play minigolf.  

We are a little new to summer day camps.  I like that both the soccer and gymnastics camps offered half days.  Kohen called it "Fake Gymnastics Camp" as the emphasis was not on learning new skills or necessarily doing gymnastics.  That was disappointing as he was so excited when he found out about it.  Isaac really enjoyed soccer camp but again there didn't seem to be much skill training happening.  Kohen had to miss out on soccer this week but the organization very kindly let me switch him to a later week in August, even though I didn't request this until Wednesday.  Lily-Anna missed the final two mornings of soccer but she was happy to get her medal and the staff wrote nice notes to the kids.  

Nerf war - bring it on!

We enjoyed staying at Raybeth a couple of weekends ago.  That is Graham's parents' old property whose new owners (friends) invited them to stay while they were away.  The highlight this year was the laser tag that the kids found in the basement.  It was fun running around and trying to shoot each other.  

Lily-Anna decided that she was willing to give up the recliner in her room in order to have space for a desk.  My childhood desk and hutch (that matches my old bed and dresser in her room) has been stored in my parents' basement so we brought that over as well as the bedside table and now she has her own private place to make some art.  I did enjoy our cuddles on the recliner as we read the Bible and stories before bed but now we read on her bed.  The recliner is in the basement.  It's also a great 'sick chair' for those times when Lily-Anna just needed to be on me and/or inclined while sick and trying sleep.  Perhaps she has outgrown needing that as well.  We have a couple of albums of Scripture Lullabies that we always put on if she wakes up sick in the middle of the night.  They help calm her and get her back to sleep.    

I'll say goodnight and head to bed.  

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.

Enjoying some cookie dough