The boys were not impressed with last night's supper. Okay. Now that I really look at the name of the entree, I see that it doesn't sound so appetizing. I myself wasn't that impressed either.
Here was Eli's description of what the Loaf did to him: "It makes all my saliva disappear. It's like biting on a dry towel."
I made it up to him with moist pumpkin bread for dessert.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday at Home
It's Sunday afternoon. I'm at home with a sick boy and a healthy boy.
Eli called me Friday morning from school saying he felt shaky. It was almost their snack time and I wasn't at all convinced that he wasn't just trying to get out of school. So I told him to go back to class and eat his snack, then he could call me if he didn't feel better after that. Pretty soon I received a call from the principal. Oops. She said he really didn't look well. I said, "I'll be there in 5 minutes."
Eli came home and soon had a decent fever. And he was coughing. Kendall had given him ibuprofen during the night for "jaw pain" (a.k.a. ear pain). Eli told me that his ear had drained that morning. He has had ear infections off and on for the past few months. When he was little he had pretty-well constant ear infections until he had tubes put in, but we haven't known of any since then. So we're not sure what's going on right now.
Anyway, back to this morning. Kendall left for work. I finally decided to stay home with the boys. It looked like a long day here at home. But we've made the most of it so far. We had church and everyone had a part. I actually got the boys to stand at the keyboard and sing with me. Then Evan had his sermon, which was telling a short version of David and Goliath. Eli's sermon came next- he chose to read the story of crossing the Red Sea. I gave my commentary after each sermon, so by the time it was my turn to preach, Eli informed me that I had already preached enough. Okay then. It was interesting that the theme of the songs and sermons ended up being about God being with us and us not needing to be afraid.
Then we did a couple little activities and had lunch. Later I put Eli in our tiny bathroom with a book and the hot shower running to try to give him some steam to help his cough. It didn't really help. I found a store that was both open and sold cough syrup (some things are hard to find on a Sunday in Red Lake), so we all ran to the store for the medicine.
Quiet time is just about over. Parts of the road are clear and dry and this time of year it's exciting just to walk on bare ground. So the boys and I decided to go walk on the road this afternoon. Woo hoo! Yesterday, I had my suspicions that we might be spending today at home, so I stopped at the library and got a movie for this afternoon too.
Here are Eli and Evan with their foaming dinosaur this morning. They are both wearing their chosen church attire. Eli left his pj top on, but traded the bottoms for jeans. Evan stayed just the way he was. (He wears that D.C. shirt every night and layers it under his daytime shirts as many days in a row as I'll let him.)
Eli called me Friday morning from school saying he felt shaky. It was almost their snack time and I wasn't at all convinced that he wasn't just trying to get out of school. So I told him to go back to class and eat his snack, then he could call me if he didn't feel better after that. Pretty soon I received a call from the principal. Oops. She said he really didn't look well. I said, "I'll be there in 5 minutes."
Eli came home and soon had a decent fever. And he was coughing. Kendall had given him ibuprofen during the night for "jaw pain" (a.k.a. ear pain). Eli told me that his ear had drained that morning. He has had ear infections off and on for the past few months. When he was little he had pretty-well constant ear infections until he had tubes put in, but we haven't known of any since then. So we're not sure what's going on right now.
Anyway, back to this morning. Kendall left for work. I finally decided to stay home with the boys. It looked like a long day here at home. But we've made the most of it so far. We had church and everyone had a part. I actually got the boys to stand at the keyboard and sing with me. Then Evan had his sermon, which was telling a short version of David and Goliath. Eli's sermon came next- he chose to read the story of crossing the Red Sea. I gave my commentary after each sermon, so by the time it was my turn to preach, Eli informed me that I had already preached enough. Okay then. It was interesting that the theme of the songs and sermons ended up being about God being with us and us not needing to be afraid.
Then we did a couple little activities and had lunch. Later I put Eli in our tiny bathroom with a book and the hot shower running to try to give him some steam to help his cough. It didn't really help. I found a store that was both open and sold cough syrup (some things are hard to find on a Sunday in Red Lake), so we all ran to the store for the medicine.
Quiet time is just about over. Parts of the road are clear and dry and this time of year it's exciting just to walk on bare ground. So the boys and I decided to go walk on the road this afternoon. Woo hoo! Yesterday, I had my suspicions that we might be spending today at home, so I stopped at the library and got a movie for this afternoon too.
Here are Eli and Evan with their foaming dinosaur this morning. They are both wearing their chosen church attire. Eli left his pj top on, but traded the bottoms for jeans. Evan stayed just the way he was. (He wears that D.C. shirt every night and layers it under his daytime shirts as many days in a row as I'll let him.)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Spring
It's officially spring. I can feel it in the air. This is my 3rd spring in Northwest Ontario and I am more in tune with the subtle signs of spring than I was the first spring. Click here to read the (short) list I came up with in 2009.
I'm getting better at picking up on the little changes that show spring is coming now. A week ago I was enjoying warm weather in Indiana. At that time I wasn't sure how it was going to go coming back to the snow and the cold. Kendall sent me a thoughtful email in which he tried to entice me by saying, "I'm sitting by the window watching the birds while the snow is lightly falling." It was not enticing.
But today I could feel spring. I went on a walk this afternoon. Sure, I had to wear my long parka with the fur on the hood, but I could feel the hot sun in spite of the hat and gloves. I was planning to walk for exercise, but my legs shifted into "mosey" gear, so I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. It was nice.
Here are some signs of spring I can see now:
-Water dripping off the roof.
-Bare dirt (mud) to walk on along the side of the road.
-Squirrels. (They must hibernate, because we have not seen any all winter. Or maybe the like our birdseed.)
-The snow is slowly sliding off the roof.
-The snow is heavy and icy.
-We don't have to plug in the van at night. Or start it 10 minutes before leaving in the morning.
-And it just feels different outside.
I'm getting better at picking up on the little changes that show spring is coming now. A week ago I was enjoying warm weather in Indiana. At that time I wasn't sure how it was going to go coming back to the snow and the cold. Kendall sent me a thoughtful email in which he tried to entice me by saying, "I'm sitting by the window watching the birds while the snow is lightly falling." It was not enticing.
But today I could feel spring. I went on a walk this afternoon. Sure, I had to wear my long parka with the fur on the hood, but I could feel the hot sun in spite of the hat and gloves. I was planning to walk for exercise, but my legs shifted into "mosey" gear, so I relaxed and enjoyed the ride. It was nice.
Here are some signs of spring I can see now:
-Water dripping off the roof.
-Bare dirt (mud) to walk on along the side of the road.
-Squirrels. (They must hibernate, because we have not seen any all winter. Or maybe the like our birdseed.)
-The snow is slowly sliding off the roof.
-The snow is heavy and icy.
-We don't have to plug in the van at night. Or start it 10 minutes before leaving in the morning.
-And it just feels different outside.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A Nephew
First meeting...
What a sweet boy. One of the highlights of our weekend in DC was the afternoon when I held Kai for a couple hours while everyone else worked. I thought it was a great arrangement!
And I just love this picture of cuteness.
It was great to be with the rest of my family too. But I realize that I have no photos of most of the family- this baby was the star of the show. It was just so good to be together again.
What a sweet boy. One of the highlights of our weekend in DC was the afternoon when I held Kai for a couple hours while everyone else worked. I thought it was a great arrangement!
And I just love this picture of cuteness.
It was great to be with the rest of my family too. But I realize that I have no photos of most of the family- this baby was the star of the show. It was just so good to be together again.
We didn't only sit around and look at Kai all weekend. We made a short trip to the Museum of Natural History. We saw a mastedon (well, we probably did- Rod and I were looking for one, but never quite figured out what it was), dinosaur skeletons and had some hands-on fun.
The boys have been saving their money for a long time. Kendall and I encouraged them to buy something cool- not just the usual junk. So they pooled their resources and bought this castle. We picked it up in DC, which worked out really well for keeping them entertained while Kai was otherwise occupied. It was just unfathomable to them that Rod and Nathalie really did not have any toys.
Ah yes... And here are a couple photos of Mexico. We hardly took any, but here are two that express the spirit of our trip.
The boys have been saving their money for a long time. Kendall and I encouraged them to buy something cool- not just the usual junk. So they pooled their resources and bought this castle. We picked it up in DC, which worked out really well for keeping them entertained while Kai was otherwise occupied. It was just unfathomable to them that Rod and Nathalie really did not have any toys.
Ah yes... And here are a couple photos of Mexico. We hardly took any, but here are two that express the spirit of our trip.
Monday, March 21, 2011
March 7-20: A Summary
It's been 2 big weeks since my last post. Here's a quick run-down:
Sunday, March 6- Kendall gets home from work at 8am, we hop in the van and drive until 11:30 pm. We meet my parents and Kirsten at a hotel in Chicago and hand off the boys at midnight.
Monday, March 7- Kendall and I are at the airport by5:30 am. We fly to Mexico! We get to our resort in Maya Riviera by 1pm.
March 7-9- We sit on the beach soaking up as much sunshine as possible in 2 1/2 short days. We also eat a lot and just enjoy being together with no responsibilities. It takes me approximately 24 hours to stop thinking about children constantly and Kendall the same amount of time to stop thinking about the house.
Thursday, March 10- We leave our resort by 6:20am and head for the airport. We are in Chicago by 2pm. Kendall drives me to meet my parents partway between Chicago and Goshen. Then he heads back north for what will turn out to be a more eventful trip than he bargained for.
Friday, March 11- The boys and I head to Washington DC with Mom, Dad and Kirsten to see MY NEW NEPHEW! We meet Karissa and Rylan there. We have a great time with family, though we're sad Kendall can't be with us. (And that he's having a more eventful trip than he bargained for.)
Monday, March 14- We head back to Goshen, adding Karissa to the van load.
March 15-18- Family and friends. And the boys and I spend Thursday night in Fort Wayne with sisters and cousins.
Saturday, March 19- The boys and I are dropped off at the airport, ready for a quick trip to International Falls. Kendall leaves early to meet us there. Our first flight to Minneapolis goes well. But, oh dear, because of morning fog there, everything is backed up. We are required to circle in the sky for too long. Then we wait for an open gate. We get off our plane and run. By the time we make it to Gate B7 for our connecting flight, the waiting area is deserted. We missed it. The only other flight to International Falls isn't until 7:25 that night. It's 11:30am. We're so tired. The agent puts us on standby for the evening flight. He's also gives us food vouchers, confiding that he's not supposed to do this, but that his mom says he was crazy when he was a kid. Not my business, but I assume he was referring to the 2 crazy boys I was responsible for. Kendall has 8+ hours to use up in International Falls. We have 7 hours to use up in Minneapolis. I collect myself, then make the decision to go by metro to the Mall of America. We take one ride at the amusement park there, then drag ourselves around the mall. We are tired. Evan tells me, "You have to carry me or I will sit down." I tell him, "If I carry you, I will fall down." We head toward an open bench. Someone beats us to it. We collapse on the floor. After we gather ourselves, we find Barnes and Noble. Then we work up the energy to take the metro back to the airport. At our gate again, we find out that there is no room for us on our flight. I debate how much begging would help the situation. I decide against begging but take up a post right in front of the agent's desk so she will not forget about us. After everyone else is on the plane, we are allowed to board. Finally, we make it back to Kendall in International Falls. He has flowers and a hotel room ready for us. The boys and I take off our shoes and all of us cannot believe how good it feels. "Ahhh..." We're so tired! Evan exclaims, "It feels like I'm getting a foot massage!" They are out within minutes.
Sunday, March 20- We drive home. It's snowing a lot and the roads are crappy. But it's so good to be together again.
And as for Kendall's trip back north being more eventful than he had bargained for... Well, he was trying to make it to Winnipeg for Promise Keepers Friday night with some of his friends. Thursday after dropping me off, he made it to somewhere in Wisconsin. The next morning...well, we'll just say that some gastrointestinal issues kept him confined to his hotel room longer than planned. (When I talked to him later than afternoon, he told me that he had just eaten 2 chalupas from Taco Bell, "so that should help.") That night he made it to North Dakota, just 2 1/2 hours from Winnipeg. Unfortunately, there was a blizzard like he had never seen before- just like Little House on the Prairie- and the highway was closed. Kendall got a hotel room.(He still wasn't feeling great and the restaurant he found that night only had chili for soup. So he went back to his hotel and ate the leftover taco from that afternoon!) The highway re-opened Saturday afternoon and Kendall made it to Winnipeg in time to meet the guys at a restaurant and go back to hang out in the pool together. Then he had to come back to Red Lake Sunday in time to sleep before a night shift.
Poor guy. But you'd think he'd make different food decisions being a nurse and all....
Sunday, March 6- Kendall gets home from work at 8am, we hop in the van and drive until 11:30 pm. We meet my parents and Kirsten at a hotel in Chicago and hand off the boys at midnight.
Monday, March 7- Kendall and I are at the airport by5:30 am. We fly to Mexico! We get to our resort in Maya Riviera by 1pm.
March 7-9- We sit on the beach soaking up as much sunshine as possible in 2 1/2 short days. We also eat a lot and just enjoy being together with no responsibilities. It takes me approximately 24 hours to stop thinking about children constantly and Kendall the same amount of time to stop thinking about the house.
Thursday, March 10- We leave our resort by 6:20am and head for the airport. We are in Chicago by 2pm. Kendall drives me to meet my parents partway between Chicago and Goshen. Then he heads back north for what will turn out to be a more eventful trip than he bargained for.
Friday, March 11- The boys and I head to Washington DC with Mom, Dad and Kirsten to see MY NEW NEPHEW! We meet Karissa and Rylan there. We have a great time with family, though we're sad Kendall can't be with us. (And that he's having a more eventful trip than he bargained for.)
Monday, March 14- We head back to Goshen, adding Karissa to the van load.
March 15-18- Family and friends. And the boys and I spend Thursday night in Fort Wayne with sisters and cousins.
Saturday, March 19- The boys and I are dropped off at the airport, ready for a quick trip to International Falls. Kendall leaves early to meet us there. Our first flight to Minneapolis goes well. But, oh dear, because of morning fog there, everything is backed up. We are required to circle in the sky for too long. Then we wait for an open gate. We get off our plane and run. By the time we make it to Gate B7 for our connecting flight, the waiting area is deserted. We missed it. The only other flight to International Falls isn't until 7:25 that night. It's 11:30am. We're so tired. The agent puts us on standby for the evening flight. He's also gives us food vouchers, confiding that he's not supposed to do this, but that his mom says he was crazy when he was a kid. Not my business, but I assume he was referring to the 2 crazy boys I was responsible for. Kendall has 8+ hours to use up in International Falls. We have 7 hours to use up in Minneapolis. I collect myself, then make the decision to go by metro to the Mall of America. We take one ride at the amusement park there, then drag ourselves around the mall. We are tired. Evan tells me, "You have to carry me or I will sit down." I tell him, "If I carry you, I will fall down." We head toward an open bench. Someone beats us to it. We collapse on the floor. After we gather ourselves, we find Barnes and Noble. Then we work up the energy to take the metro back to the airport. At our gate again, we find out that there is no room for us on our flight. I debate how much begging would help the situation. I decide against begging but take up a post right in front of the agent's desk so she will not forget about us. After everyone else is on the plane, we are allowed to board. Finally, we make it back to Kendall in International Falls. He has flowers and a hotel room ready for us. The boys and I take off our shoes and all of us cannot believe how good it feels. "Ahhh..." We're so tired! Evan exclaims, "It feels like I'm getting a foot massage!" They are out within minutes.
Sunday, March 20- We drive home. It's snowing a lot and the roads are crappy. But it's so good to be together again.
And as for Kendall's trip back north being more eventful than he had bargained for... Well, he was trying to make it to Winnipeg for Promise Keepers Friday night with some of his friends. Thursday after dropping me off, he made it to somewhere in Wisconsin. The next morning...well, we'll just say that some gastrointestinal issues kept him confined to his hotel room longer than planned. (When I talked to him later than afternoon, he told me that he had just eaten 2 chalupas from Taco Bell, "so that should help.") That night he made it to North Dakota, just 2 1/2 hours from Winnipeg. Unfortunately, there was a blizzard like he had never seen before- just like Little House on the Prairie- and the highway was closed. Kendall got a hotel room.(He still wasn't feeling great and the restaurant he found that night only had chili for soup. So he went back to his hotel and ate the leftover taco from that afternoon!) The highway re-opened Saturday afternoon and Kendall made it to Winnipeg in time to meet the guys at a restaurant and go back to hang out in the pool together. Then he had to come back to Red Lake Sunday in time to sleep before a night shift.
Poor guy. But you'd think he'd make different food decisions being a nurse and all....
Friday, March 4, 2011
Visitors
We have had a fun week with Hans, Joelle and Marley at our house. They helped us with various projects around the house, Joelle got to experience Canadian winter, we ate yummy Thailand food (as Eli called it) and we got to bond with Marley (and her parents, of course).
The boys could not get enough of their cousin.
Obviously, it's bedtime for 3 little ones.
Finally! A window!
The men smoked this...ahem...delicious-looking moose meat.
A game of Monopoly. I'm convinced playing games is Evan's love language.
We're so glad we could have family here with us again. Thanks for coming all the way up here, guys!
The boys could not get enough of their cousin.
Obviously, it's bedtime for 3 little ones.
Finally! A window!
The men smoked this...ahem...delicious-looking moose meat.
A game of Monopoly. I'm convinced playing games is Evan's love language.
We're so glad we could have family here with us again. Thanks for coming all the way up here, guys!Taa daa!
Hans and Joelle helped with lots of things, but this is my personal favorite:
I love it! I'm just sad that the coolest thing in our whole house is hidden away in the bedroom... Would it be strange if we invited our company to sit in here for coffee?
Can you guess what the artist is doing?
I love it! I'm just sad that the coolest thing in our whole house is hidden away in the bedroom... Would it be strange if we invited our company to sit in here for coffee?
Warning: Excited Post
I have a new nephew! I get to go see him and his parents! I get to spend March Break in Indiana! I get to go to Mexico with my husband for 3 nights!
What?!
Yes, it's true. And it all came together in less than 36 hours. I'm excited.
(Certain close family members may be concerned about Karen's roller coaster of the past 3 days. Don't worry- I'm okay.)
What?!
Yes, it's true. And it all came together in less than 36 hours. I'm excited.
(Certain close family members may be concerned about Karen's roller coaster of the past 3 days. Don't worry- I'm okay.)
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