Back to School 2014

Today I am inspired to ask, "WHY does 13 degrees feel SOOO cold in the fall and yet in the spring 13 is downright balmy?"  I know. It's all a matter of perspective.  But just gotta say that it is too cold to mow all the lawn at once today . . . especially when the forecast says 22 degrees tomorrow. Yep. The rest can wait:)

All that is really neither here nor there.  Except I'm inside rather than outside .. . so I"ll just keep playing catch up on this blog.

This is actually my back to school post . .  not a commentary on the weather.

Grade 8, Grade 5, and Grade 2.

 We're already starting week 4 and the routines are routine. I could do summer for 6 months, but I do see the value in routine as well.  

Kylie was very nervous to go back to school and now LOVES it.

Kade wasn't ready to go back to school and says it is boring . . .but he wouldn't want to stay home either. I think he likes it more than he lets on.

Kevin wasn't ready to go back but seems content enough with going each day.  There seems to be enough fun mixed in with the learning to make it worth it for him;)

Karter and I keep rather busy still and we are kind of enjoying hanging out together.  Karter has started talking up a storm . . . perhaps because he can now get a word in?!  It makes me smile.  

Karter loves seeing the bus come in the afternoon. He is pretty happy to welcome the kids home and we have some chaos again.

Rock Lake Lodge 2014

Though it feels like the week at the cottage is already a distant memory, it is a great memory and one that MUST be recorded!  We had a beautiful week.  I think we had the nicest week of the summer and also one of the nicer weeks in the past couple years. (though we are usually blessed with a pretty warm and dry week). This year we had a 10 minute shower while we did dishes one night and I don't think it even kept the kids inside.  That was it for precipitation . . . which considering the weather patterns this summer, is pretty remarkable.

Weather aside, it was a good week in every other way too.  We had good fun, fellowship, bonding, and rebonding, exercise, and relaxation.  It was a bit of an unusual year with a large bunch of our hardworking men being absent, but we managed to have a good time nonetheless:)

This is what the cottage looks like at any given moment of our stay;)

Family Pics (though there weren't too many this year!)

Us

Josh and Steph

Rich and Mare

John-Michael and Becky

Matt and Elizabeth

David and Gretchen

Mom and Dad

Jonathan and Karter out in the kayak. Karter loved being out on the water.

Hunter

Titus

Keziah

Kade, Kylie, and Jonathan

JM and Judah

Josh, Jonny, and Karter playing in the sand.

One of many badminton matches!

Karter and Matthew

Fun on the raft!

Karter (love the look!)

Blaire and Jonathan

Keziah and Matthew

Mackenzie, Josiah, Kylie

Kevin and Jonathan

Isaac, Mason, Karter

Tim and Kev

The babies (Nora and Eleanor) got lots of cuddles this week!

Mare and Summer

Summer and Ky

Kade got stung by a bee on the back of his head one day while in the woods and had an allergic reaction. He got hives all over his body and was SO itchy!  A bit of benadryl and about 2 hours time and he was good as new again!

Karter and Mason

Karter and Christiaan

Kevin's great catch!  I think this fish got Kevin addicted to fishing. He spent a lot of time out fishing this year.

Jeremy

Fun on the playground. This is a very well used spot all day long!

Jonny

Josiah

Karter and Mason

Blaire and Christy

Karter

Looking for the "HUGE FISH" under the dock.  They did eventually catch it!

Josh, Josh, and James

Kevin and Ryan

MaryBeth, Jeremy, Chris, and Kade. 

We have to get a picture of these four every year. They are a pretty tight group while at the cottage.

Warming up after an after supper swim.

Mare and Marshall

Nora

Thanks again to Uncle Klaas and Auntie Ann for letting us come and have this special time every year. We love every minute and it is what gets written about in the kids essays/stories about their summer.  It is a blessing for the cousins who don't see each other that often to catch up and pick up where they left off. They have no problems!  It is a great time of games - inside and outside, getting to know everyone a little bit better, imagination, exploring, working together, reading etc . . . and it really always is relaxing!