Speechless

The kindergarten went skating last week. In the dressing room afterward I noticed a line of about 5 of my little darlings, girls and boys, in front of the urinal. I casually asked them what they were up to.

"Just waiting to get a drink!" they replied matter-of-factly. 

Hmmm....speechless. And laughing with the other teachers for the rest of the day. Never a dull moment!

Frozen Puke

Being in Kindergarten, we were done two days earlier than the rest of the school. My plans were to relax, clean and, yesterday, to grocery shop in Peace River.  Clayton woke up complaining of a stomach ache. Selfishly, I really wanted to spend the day alone. But I also knew his class was not planning to do anything very celebratory, unlike the others. He was feeling a bit down I think and needing a day with mom. Last day of school is pretty much a write off anyhow.

So after dropping everyone else at school we headed off on our journey to No Frills and Walmart. We made it an hour and a bit down the road, just coming down the hill to Peace River. Clayton had fallen asleep, then suddenly sat up and rolled down his window with absolutely no warning.  Guess he wasn't stretching the sick stomach story after all.

If you've ever wondered what happens when you throw up out the window going 80 km/hr in minus 31 degree weather let me just tell you - it's kinda cool in a really disgusting way.  Puke frozen completely solid on the outside of my van and dripping down the inside of the door.

We pulled over as soon as we could (not soon enough, but road conditions and being on a hill surrounded by semi trucks kinda forced my hand!) and got cleaned up a bit. First stop - Walmart for a change of clothes.

Poor kid. What should have been a fun day out with mom turned into him wandering around looking Grinchy green or sleeping out in the van while I tried to hurry in the store.

As the saying goes: "It ain't Christmas til somebody pukes!"

Now we cross our fingers that no one else catches the bug...

Merry Christmas Me!

Today I am paying out a debt that has been haunting me for much of 2013. I can hardly remember feeling so excited. I am bubbling over! This has been a lot of work, but to be free of this will be amazing.

Good things have come from this experience though. I now have a job I really love at the school. I have learned to ask for help and take advice a little better. I speak up for myself a little louder. I am slower to judge others since you never know what they might be having to learn too. And I have felt the prayers of others as we work through this. The Lord really takes care of us when we try to follow the prophet and become debt free. We are so blessed.

Hoping to take pics at Christmas and in the New Year to make a better update. Kids will be attempting to break their first boards in Tae Kwon Do in January so I will try to keep up.

Love and miss everyone at this holiday time. Merry Christmas!

Full time???

I have been offered, and have accepted, a full time position working in the kindergarten classroom at our school. I may have had a brief lapse of sanity...

But how could I not do it? It is the most fun classroom in the school and they are all so adorable. And I get to work only when my kids are in school. No child care, holidays or summer. I am very excited.

I am also learning to let go. My house will not look like it does when I am home alone all day. And we all go to bed early.

But I get to see all my kiddos at least once during the day. That's awesome!

Back to Life...Back to Reality...

Sent the kids off to school today. I find it bittersweet this year. I wasn't really ready. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the slow pace of the summer and spending the days with my kids. They've only been gone for a couple hours and I already miss them.  The house is far too quiet...

Of course, part of this may be linked to the unforeseeable chaos my home is in right now. I was going to be so organized! (lol) We went to Grande Prairie on Saturday for a last day of summer swim trip and some grocery shopping. We took our time, enjoying every minute - then came home to an inch of water in our basement. A hot water pipe seems to have come undone or burst or...we are unsure at this moment. Long story short, my basement is now in my living room and Dan and I are visiting Clayton's room to sleep until it can get sorted. The landlord came and sucked out the water and has turned on quite a few fans/dehumidifiers, but they are waiting to hear from their insurance before they open up the wall and try to figure out what happened. Which means we are waiting too.  It's actually good the kids are back in school and that it is still summer-warm because otherwise we would literally be living on top of each other!

Otherwise, we are getting back into routine and schedules and all the structured parts of life that I don't do very well with. It stresses me out a little and makes me not very patient.  Also trying to organize piano lessons for the year.  I am only doing one night because last year was a little chaotic and I have to put my kids first. I am hoping to get on at the school again, so we'll see what happens.


Better get back to sorting out my main floor so we can move around...

Changes...

Dan was called and set apart on Sunday as the Branch President. I'm sure this will mean many changes - for the branch, but also for us!  Still taking it in...

Some funny things said on Sunday:

"Behind every good man is a surprised mother-in-law." President Hatch

"Do we have to call you President Dad?" Spencer

I guess the Lord needed us here longer. We were seriously considering other options, and they may happen sometime, but for now we are committed to doing as the Lord would have us do, and that means serving here.

It was a pleasure having my parents here for the weekend. Totally unexpected, but a pleasure anyhow. We don't get to see family enough, so even a couple of days is better than nothing!

Cooper reunion 2013

We hosted the majority of Dan's siblings for a family reunion here in the north over the weekend. It was a lot of fun and everyone seemed pleased with the area. We camped in beautiful Marten River campground in Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park. The downside - it rained pretty much the whole time we had everyone there (right on par with the summer weather we've had so far!). The upside - we saw everyone, had a lot of good laughs, good food and great fishing.  Here are a few photos from the event. 


It happened to be the Alberta Open Sandcastle Building Competition down the road at Devonshire Beach, so we went by to see the entries.  The theme was Jungle, and the pics don't do it justice.  It was pretty neat to see.

Uncle Dwayne brought his canoe, which all the kids loved.

And Brooklyn and Dan managed to catch us supper - 5 fish in all, 3 walleye and 2 pike. Brooklyn held the title til Dan pulled his biggest fish ever after many people had gone home.  It was so big he had to bring it to the shore to land it.  It was 81 cm long and weighed 8 lbs. 

 

Here is Brooklyn with her largest pike - 65 cm.  She liked fishing but didn't want to touch it for the picture, so Dan obliged by holding it up for her.

Lots of fun and so good to see everyone.  Thanks for making the trip!