Welcoming . . .

 . . . Spencer Jack!

 Son to a very happy Ken and Beth! Brother to Landon and Saige.

 Born on Friday, December 16th at 5:30ish pm weighing 7lbs 13 oz.

 Kade was excited to hold and meet his new cousin. Kylie was excited to meet him, but wouldn't hold him at first.  I guess she just had to do it in her own time b/c when I tried to persuade her, she refused, but a few minutes later she was telling me she was ready for her turn.

 Three little cuties!

 He sure is another handsome little man - and oh so tiny!  We are excited for Ken and Beth that they FINALLY! got to meet and hold this little guy and thankful that all seem to be doing well.

 Congratulations! We are thankful for the miracle of life and we pray for God's wisdom for you both as you raise Spencer as well as Landon and Saige in the fear of the Lord.

Awwwww.

Kevin's Obsession

ob·ses·sion:
   the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, desire, action etc.
ob·sess:
To preoccupy the mind of excessively.
To have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic

 Every day. Every spare moment.

The goalie pads go on. The blocker and trapper are put on. The mini stick is put in the hand. The ball is whacked against the wall and b/c it is bouncy, it flies back at the goalie who makes a dramatic save.  The ball is whacked. Comes back. Save. Shoots. Saves. Shoots. Saves. Over and over and over. 

 Sometimes there is only enough time for 5 minutes of "game". Sometimes there is enough free time to go for an hour.  He will.  All with a play by play called by himself.  Most days he is James Reimer.  The other day he switched over to Gustavsson after Reimer's three losses in a row.  One second he is Lucic taking a shot. The next he is Reimer with a fantastic glove save.  The play by play doesn't stop and there is never an intermission.

The plusses to this fascination with hockey is the easy entertainment.  He does it all by himself  . . . though Jonathan is always roped into a few shots when he walks in the door or if he is not too busy.  But for the most part it is just Kevin, the wall, the doorway, and his equipment. All in their own little world.  I can think of worse things to be doing constantly!!

The negatives would be that the doorway is also my doorway from the kitchen to the dining room and there is always this big blob in my way when I go back and forth to set the table etc.  The laundry room door also opens right at centre ice and I need to go in there rather often as well much to Kev's annoyance.  But we put up with eachother. 

I am actually very impressed with Kevin's priorities lately.  He walks in the door from school and most often heads straight for the piano. He knows that when he is done this, the rest of the time till supper is his to spend however he wants to spend it. 

But sometimes the pads are strapped on after supper and the cleanup is not quite complete.  Or there is homework or studying. That is not usually a happy moment.  But again, if it gets done in good time, there may be opportunity to fling a few more shots.  Often homework is done on the bus, so as not to interfere with game time.  Can't complain about that either. But he does when I check over his work and find errors!! Its like sitting in the penalty box!  Torture.

Aside from my broken light switch cover and the thermostat cover flying off the wall and a few scuff marks here, there and everywhere, the house remains mostly unscarred - though I am looking forward to a basement with eager anticipation!
Did I mention that this is not a fad? This is not a "just the past week" occurence. I think we are going on the sixth week of this (ever since it got to cold/wet to play soccer) and the end is nowhere in sight!!

This hockey fascination does not end in our dining room.  Kevin loves to play at school every recess and lunch hour and it is a very good day when it is his teams day for intramurals.  Kevin also LOVES our hour of hockey at the arena every week.   He loves watching Hockey Night in Canada on the computer on Saturday nights and listening to the games on the radio the other nights. He loves watching the game highlights the next day on the TSN website (if he is allowed) This is the privelege that is revoked first if things are not done the way they should be. It works well! 

We often (too often) have to tell Kevin that there is more to life than hockey.  He gets that, but sometimes it is hard to see. Kevin has question after question or comment after comment or tidbits of news from the NHL. We often plug our ears. The other morning, after I woke Kev up, he straggled out of bed and with his frog in his throat and his eyes half closed, he asks,"Mom, if there is a shootout, do the goals scored count for that players statistics?"  Seriously??!!!  I just shook my head. I can't believe those were his first sane thoughts for the day. Does he dream hockey too?

Anyway, this obsession has led us to many conversations on the importance of putting things in priority. When doing Sunday School homework for 5 minutes is like pulling teeth, there needs to be a lesson on keeping things in perspective.  Kevin gets it. He just has to work hard to actually live it out.  We discussed that perhaps our first thoughts of the day should be directed above - to God our Father - and reminded him of the verse which speaks of longing for God in the morning.  Then Jonathan reminded him of the song, "When in the Night I Meditate".  Kevin retorted, "Let me guess, next you are going to sing a song to me about thinking about God at lunch time."  Yep. Pretty Much. Except we just sang, "All Day, All Night." 

So even in this hockey, there is a lesson - not just for Kevin, but for Jonathan and I as well.  Maybe our obsession is not hockey - but I can assure you that there are things that we have put priority on - over and above our walk with the Lord.  So as we remind Kevin, we also allow ourselves to be convicted of the same message. 

"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you." Isaiah 26:9

Bed Time Notes

I found these notes floating around the boys bedrooms and thought they were so cute:

First I found this one (written to Kevin on a night he was in trouble and had to go to bed right after supper):

And then a few nights later when Kade went to bed (at his normal time - which happens to be earlier than Kevin)

Such thoughtful boys . . . ( I think?!)  Regardless, it made me smile both times I found them.

Niagara Falls

We celebrated our wonderful mother(in-laws) birthday this year with a new tradition (?)!  We had a night/day in Niagara Falls.  Everyone was able to make it, except Sarah (We missed you Sarah!) which is a wonder in and of itself!  We had fabulous time shopping, eating dinner out all together, wandering the streets of Clifton Hill, enjoying the pool/hot tub,talking, and eating. The only negative was how fast it went!  One night just doesn't seem like enough, but I'm sure it seems plenty long to those back on the homefront with the kiddos!

Here is the lone picture . . . and I mean lone.  I couldn't choose.  There was only one. So if you don't like the way you look on it  - Sorry!:)

I think it is a cool picture . . . it's not too often we get a picture like this taken, so I'm glad we did it!

Thank you ladies for a fun weekend.  I'm hoping a tradition was just started . . .

Kylie at Four and A Half

I just had to jot a few things down about this precious girl because I want to remember what she was like at this point in her life.  Although she is still a stubborn, bossy, fiery little lady, she has so many things about her right now that I am SO enjoying.

 Kylie has the most fabulous imagination ever right now. She plays by herself magnificently and is never silent. She is always chatting away in her own little world . . . and the props don't need to be anything special. Although she loves playing with her dolls, polly pockets, barbies etc., a few squash peels will do just as well and provide just as much entertainment. (though I'm not sure she would appreciate the gesture if that's what she found under the Christmas tree:))  So I introduce to you the squash peel family:

I did up my squash last week and it was a bit lengthier of a process than I anticipated, but she was a trooper, keeping herself occupied and helping when inspiration hit. When the squash were still whole, she had a mom, dad and baby squash and they all got baths complete with soap.  They were a mite slippery to work with when they came back to me!   Then when that was over there were the peels which she named and played and chatted with for at least 40 minutes. I think its amazing!!  I LOVE listening to her chatter anyway. I'd love to have video after video of it, but that never seems to work out. At this very moment she is chatting away about "sister who went to the hospital because she couldn't find her heart" "You are really brave Donna!" "You bet." "Where's our kid?" "She went to the hospital. She's never going to be back." "Its not my fault." "Kid hit me right in the face and she started bleeding." "You punched me in the face and its all your fault for doing that." "She's been feeling so sick this afternoon." "You'll be okay. I'll stab you in a minute" "Don't hurt my kid!" "She has to have it or she won't feel better."      " Hi worker . . .oh hi Jezebel." . . . Use your imagination and a few different voices . . . she does have her doctors kit with her. . . if that helps make her seem less violent:)

Her other favorite thing - which occupies her almost constantly - is Adventures in Odyssey.  I love Odyssey too, but I have to admit that it is about driving me crazy.  She picks a CD and that is the one we hear ALL DAY . . . and ALL WEEK!!! . . . until she is inspired to try a new one . . . but those are never as good in her mind. She likes to hear the ones she knows.  I don't.  It is not uncommon to hear her spouting out phrases from Odyssey. It reminds me of other older family members!  She might randomly pipe up, "Useless?  Who says I'm useless? I'm not useless, I'm just a pest!" (Jimmy Barclay) and she's got plenty of other quotes too . . .or she just talks along with the characters and says their lines before them.  (I can do it now too. . . but its not really my choice!!) 

Kylie is also learning her letters and loves writing them out -- especially her name.  She seems determined to leave her mark on this home of ours!  I see her handiwork just about everywhere I look!!

This is my hutch/desk.  You have to look hard to see her pink pencil crayon name b/c the desk was also attacked by an exploding spray can of varnish last year. The desk needs a serious redo, so the addition of her name was not too catastrophic. 

 Then there is her best buddy - the stereo that gives her Odyssey. I guess she's claiming it as hers. (yes she gets her letters in the wrong order sometimes!)

 This may look like a piece of paper (she does use paper occasionally), but this time it is the wall of our stairway.  This was her first contribution.  The stairway also needs a serious coat of paint and is on our list of "soon to do's", so again, no big deal.

 This is my latest find . . . my dresser.  We had a little chat after this one.  I'm thinking now is a good time and place for her to get this out of her system.

 And last (hopefully!) is my front door. 

 She is getting witty lately too.  She loves knock knock jokes.  Kade comes home from school with a joke nearly every day, and she loves to add her own renditions. They are most often rather lame, but the other day she did all of the sudden turn to me and say, "Mommy, you are pretty!"  I was temporarily flattered until she added, "Pretty ugly!!!"  Hmmmm.  I'm not sure how I end up being the recipient of that one, since it was not my line to begin with . . . she borrowed that one from the males in this family, though we hadn't heard it for a while, so I didn't think too much of it when she started the "compliment!"   I did have to laugh.
Another recent conversation (actually I didn't respond!):  "Mom, I wish I could be a mom like you.  Except I don't want to be chubby. Cause you're chubby."  Thanks.

She is also my mess maker.   A simple request such as "Go get your pajamas on." will inevitably end up in her whole drawer being tossed (and left) on the floor.  She loves to dump and empty . . . and does NOT like to clean up.  She does have to help with cleanup though. . . .although more often than not, she makes too big of a deal of it, takes too long, or gets too sidetracked (that imagination is not always a good thing!), and someone else (usually dad) will come along and clean up. I am sometimes content (well, not really) to leave a mess on the floor for some time in order for her to not get away with laziness.  Jonathan does NOT like mess lying around.  BUT . . . if she is in the right mood, she can do a pretty good cleanup - usually it has to have been her own idea - not the intructions of her mother.

A few weeks ago I picked up a ballerina top and a ballerina movie at the second hand store for like 75 cents.  She LOVES it and spends lots of time twirling and whirling around on her toes with her hands above her hair. She looks rather "special" in her outfit. I don't have a picture yet, but I'll have to take one one of these days:)

She still LOVES going out and wants to know the itinerary of the day the minute she wakes up.  I find this annoying b/c I prefer to announce where we are going a few minutes before we leave in order to avoid a thousand, "When are we leaving?" or "How much longer".

She also loves food and would eat all day long if I let her.  Twenty minutes after breakfast she is asking for a snack and then another and usually starting at about 9:30 the countdown to lunchtime starts. She knows that lunch time is when the big hand hits the 12.  So in her mind, lunch time is at 10:00, 11:00, and 12:00 and if the hand is on its way down, "AAHHH . . . we missed lunch!!!"

She LOVES answering the phone and if you call here, you can bet you will get her answering the phone. This works well most of the time . . .until the boys get home . . then it is a big fight if the phone rings and you'll proabably hear screeching instead of a pleasant "hello".

Well that is just a bit of Kylie right now.  I'm quite enjoying and treasuring our days together . . . (but she does still drive me a little crazy some days!!!)  These are special days though, and she'll be off to school before I know it (She can't wait!) (I can!!)

 And two other completely non-related pictures - because I did take two since September;)

Apparently we had a fair bit of rain this fall. I think this is from the middle of September and it is on our driveway!  Water is such an attraction for kids . . .

 Kevin and Kyra on Thanksgiving Day.  What cuties:)

Wordless Wednesday

Some September . . .

Because (as much as I like looking at cottage pictures) it was time for something new on this blog . . . .

The boys are back to school and we are all settling nicely into routines.  I still long for summer most days, but I do love these sunny fall days we've been having too! 

 A weekend or two ago, we headed to the Fall Festival at Family Flowers again . . . .

The face painting is fabulous, the maze is fun, and the kids love the animals too.  I love browsing in that place too! So many neat things to look at!

Kevin

 Kade

 Kylie

 Trying to look mean in the maze.

 Kylie LOVES animals.  I never realize just how much.

This weekend Jonathan did chores for my uncle and aunt and Saturday night we all went along. I thought Kylie would be scared - but NO! She loved it. She loved the dog and gave him lots of loving. She even helped Jonathan put the milkers on the cows. She was looking pretty stinking cute in her overalls b/w all them cows. I wished I had my camera. Now I'll have to get her in Opa and Oma's pig barn again.  I just always assume she'll be too scared . . . . She's momentarily changed her future aspirations from being a ballerina to a farmer . . . .although today she seems to want to be a banker!

Rock Lake Lodge 2011

Another fabulous year at Rock Lake Lodge.  People have been asking me if it was good to be home.  Honestly?  I think most of us could have stayed longer (though I think we left just in time weather wise!!)

We did start out with cooler than normal temperatures, but I think I still swam every day but one, and if I'm swimming . . . probably everyone is swimming!  We swam day and night, in rain and in sun . . . and actually the one in the rain was probably the warmest and one of the most enjoyable ones was the night one (and that's b/c it was so quiet and peaceful . . . nothing more!)

My fondest, funniest memory of this year was the appearance of the bear.  It came to welcome Jeff (probably less than an hour after he arrived to the "meet" the family).  It was hilarious!!!!  I think Jeff nearly had a heart attack, but he was a super good sport after we all finished laughing at him.

We enjoyed great volleyball, wonderful singing, lots of food, lots of chats, new games, old games, and all the other things the pictures below tell about. So without further ado . . . 2011!

Kade and Jeremy fishing off the dock . . . these boys are passionate about their fishing . . . or at least their casting!

 Uncle Nate came with lots of fishing gear and everyone loved getting a turn going out with him!

 Kade and Christiaan

 Stephen and Jenna . . . if I recall correctly, Jenna was no longer dry when she arrived at shore . . .

 The boys (and a few of the girls) love the little critters that roam (or hunt to find them).  Nate found this turtle and Kade quickly made it his own.

 Yeah. It's what it looks like.  I think this is Christiaan holding it . . .at least he was most of the time.

 The bullfrog they found.

 It was bitten by a snake (that's the word from the boys anyway). See the scar on the side of it's face?!!

 Boo!

 Kevin with a leopard frog . . . not sure if that's a real name, but that's what they called it!

As I said earlier, there was lots of good volleyball.  The boys played 5 on 5 plenty over the weekend and it was fun to watch!

 The girls also played lots of volleyball. We were very dedicated in fact. Why else would one continue to play in the pouring rain . . . .  I'm afraid there are no action shots . . . I'm sure there would have been some real beauties!  (as it is, I'm not even sure how this one picture got on my camera, though I'm glad there is some evidence of our many games!)

 There were also a few soccer games again this year, though not quite so many as last year if I recall.  There was lots of other things (headhunters, forts, and hikes) that took precedence.

 There was plenty of relaxing  . . . .

 Games, games, and more games - every night!

Fun in the sand . . .Hunter, Judah, and Owen.

 Opa playing with Mackenzie, Summer, and Kylie

 Kade

 Fun in the beach sand . . .

 Mountain climbing . . . Kylie, Summer, and Brooke.

 Josh took a bunch of kids on a hike and a picnic.  The kids loved it!!  Maaike took the littlest ones on their own picnic a little closer to home. They thought that was pretty special too!

 I don't have pictures of head hunters, but this was played a few times this year, and was a favorite.    Opa and some of the Dad's would go hunting the woods, cliffs, and bushes for all the little ruffians!  What fun!

The tubes were a favorite with young and old, though I have no pictures to present of the old ones!

Kylie and Brooke

  . . . .laughing hilariously.

 Hunter

 Judah

 Jeremy

 Kade, Ryan, Christiaan, and James

 Isaac

Uncle Richard, Kade, and Jeremy

  . . . and a bunch of others. King of the raft was another favorite activity.

 Kylie didn't swim often, but when we actually got her out there, she loved it!

 Owen

 Mackenzie

 Ryan

 Josh and Kylie

 Kylie and Summer with their "one buns"!  (Kylie asked rather often for her hair to be done in a "one bun like Aunt Stephenie!")  though I think Mare gets the credit this particular day . . .

 Richard and Savannah (what a delightful baby to take on holidays . . . I'm not sure I heard her cry once!)

 Kevin, Titus and Ryan . . .Kevin loved holding/playing with Titus.

 Hunter after a long afteroon apparently . . . (photo courtesty of Christy)

 Awwww. . . . (again credit goes to Christy)

 My Ky!

Not sure how these got on my camera  . . . actually I do. David took them:)

(so . . . photo credit goes to David!)

 Jeremy celebrated his 8th birthday this year at the cottage.  We all sang to him. His face changed so many times during the one verse of Happy Birthday . . . he even plugged his ears . . . and I thought it sounded so nice!  He was pretty cute to watch! (I wouldn't want to be the center of attention like that!!!)

 Lots of boys!! (and I've gotta say, I have hardly any pictures of Dan and Sarah's five!  I never seem to pull my camera out much at the beginning of the vacation and that is the only time they are there!! Too bad:(

Hunter.

 Jo had the fantastic idea of doing pictures of each age group each year so we can see how they've grown/changed. 

Jesse and Maaike are the oldest grandchildren. They have both grown SOOO much in the last year.

Jesse is going to Gr.8 and Maaike to Gr.9 (though they are only a few months apart)

 Allison and Holly

 The kids of 2001 - Kate, Tim, Ryan, Jonathan and Kevin! 

  . . .with their muscles. Don't worry Kev. If you are anything like your dad, you'll catch up to the rest of them (someday) in height and muscle!!

 My camera battery died at this moment, so I borrowed this picture from Bethany (thanks Beth:))

Jacob, James, and MaryBeth

 Jeremy and Christiaan

 Those born in 2004 . . . Kade, Joshua, and Faith

 Love this shot!

 and the new Kindergardeners!!! Brooke, Isaiah, Josiah, and Isaac (he cracks me right up . . . Jo says its b/c he reminds me of my own kids in pictures!)

 Kylie, Summer, and Mackenzie - Three beautiful girls - and they all have clean faces!!!

 I believe this is my all time favourite picture from this year . . . Owen and Judah.  What handsome little boys!!!

 And b/c we'd never get these three to sit on their own . . . Hunter, Jonathan, and Matthew with their Ma's.

 The patriarch and matriarch of everyone . . . .

 Sarah and Mom

 Becky and Christy

 Jenna and Christy

 MaryBeth and Christy

 My very strange in-laws.  This is the best they could come up with!:)

 Actually they are all incredibly beautiful - inside and out!

Steph and Brooke

 And the family pictures . . .

Dan and Sarah

 John-Michael and Becky

 Steve and Jo

 Us

 Josh and Steph

 Richard and MaryBeth

 Stephen and Jenna

 Nate and Beth just had professional family pictures done, so they escaped the after church photo shoot.
The couples . . .

Dan and Sarah

 Steve and Jo

 Us

 Josh and Steph

 yeah . . . I think that's why he was smiling so broadly above.

 Matthew, Christy, Mom, Dad, and David . . the picture shrinks every year . .

 The men.

 Summer and Mackenzie

 Kylie and Summer

And that's the end.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.