One Day at the Lake

Most days I am here alone with the children. It is usually the seven younger children, while Colt is home cramming to finish his courses for the year. But some days he comes with his dad after work and they spend the night.

One night, when Ray came the boys asked him to go out in the kayak with them.



Unfortunately for Ray, when he comes, it is mosquito crazy time. I feel for him because he works hard all day, and then comes here at the end of the day and misses the fun time and simply gets the bugs!

The following morning, the weather wasn't so hot. The water was rough and it looked like rain might be on the horizon. I decided it was a great day for a wander around the campsite, so we packed up an impromptu lunch and headed out.


It turned out that there aren't a lot of places to walk, so we ended up at the far end of the site, at an old bird-poop covered picnic table. But it was not the trailer, and so it was an adventure.

It didn't take Austin long to find a wonderful old stick. At times it was an ogre's club, as he chased his brother around the clearing, then it became a guitar as he serenaded us at our meal.


Savannah decided she was too full to eat her lunch, so I reached across and took her cookies and said, "Well, I guess you don't have room for these then, do you?" She knew I was kidding, because she immediately told me she was 'just playing'. HA. Well, the joke was on her. She kept eating her lunch, but she would try to sneak her cookies from where I was sitting. Finally, she had eaten her lunch, but was too full for her second cookie, so she put it in her bowl and carried it along with her.

I whispered to the big boys to nonchalantly walk up to her and look a little suspicious, nothing too obvious though. Well, she is one smart kid, cause the second that Cassidy walked towards her, she said, "My cookie," and held it close to her stomach. She then took off walking at a brisk pace. She was playing up the boys. She is a player for sure!

Moving In For the Cookie


Picking Up the Pace!

After we got back from our walk, the weather turned bad again, and this time during the kids naptime, there was thunder and high winds.

Washing Feet Before Bed

At one point our screen tent almost took off and the boys raced outside to take it down. Right after this, as soon as they were inside, I suddenly remembered that if they didn't take the awning down, we might not have an awning that night! So out they went again. Thank goodness for having two big boys! We have since learned (today) that people tie down their awnings! Now we know why!!

The wind is pulling the screen tent out of Austin's hands.

That afternoon, while the other children were out playing, I asked Raine if she wanted to help me make dinner. She joyfully said she did. She then proceeded to tell me, "I used to help my Ayat make dinner. I would tell her to sit down and I would make dinner. I wanted her to rest because I loved her so much."

Later, I asked Raine if she preferred helping/working or playing. Without hesitation, she replied, "Helping. I want to make dinner. I like working."

After she had done helping me, she sat down and began looking at a novel with pictures. She told me that she wanted to be able to read. So, I asked Cassidy if he would take the book and help her with her letters. We began with the word 'captive' and one letter at a time, she read the word and she had no trouble putting the sounds together and did it very well. From here we picked up another children's book and had her work on a couple words, but this time she got stuck on pulling the sounds together. I do think that she will learn quite quickly this fall, and perhaps, even this summer she will get some reading lessons done.

While I was making dinner, I had Dane take a couple pictures for me. Here is the way my children entertain themselves! Are your kids this easily amused? *grin*

Cassidy Playing 'Dead', While the Little Ones Pull at His Face.


Austin found he could see himself in the dark windows of the trailer and decided to make faces. Here he is using the wonderful piece of wood he found as a 'tuba'? or 'saxophone'? Or what?

Making Faces at the Black Mirrored Glass
(I am certain Mr. Showman knows we might be seeing him. *grin*)

And after another long day, the children all curled up and fell asleep. Out the window have gone schedules - we used to be so regimented (for the first time in my life!) since the girls were home. No more 6:30 bedtime for the girls - it is now more like 9:30 nightly! But we keep on ticking and everyone sleeps hard when they finally do get to bed.


And while the little ones sleep, the big ones kill mosquitoes.

Such Memories They Are Making *grin*

The one thing is I have never seen so many blood-filled mosquitoes! It is quite disgusting when you swat a mosquito and find blood all over your hand! Ick!! And poor Raine! One day, she saw all this blood behind Briton's ear, and I tried to explain to her about black flies that take a chunk out of you and leave a bloody mess - but they don't cause pain. Very strange that mosquitoes can cause such pain, and yet the black flies just leave large amount of blood and yet, no pain. She just looked at her dear sweet 'favourite brother' (as she calls him) Briton with near tears, not believing he mustn't be ravished by pain.

As she told me today, "Yoseph and Briton are my favourite brothers." *smile* What is interesting is how in the last few days she has really begun to express more and more how much she adores Briton. She told me today how she had helped Briton deal with screaming. She had led him in apologizing to Cooper. He had obeyed her and when he had hugged his brother, according to her instruction, she has said, "Okay, and now it's done."

She told me tonight that she intends when she spends time with Briton on helping him learn to speak. When he wants to say many words, she will break it down into one word at a time and help him learn to speak. Such a little mother! Such a blessing to me!

While Ray's away, Briton gets to share my bed. The little urchin loves being in the kids' room, but he takes so long to fall asleep in there, so I like to keep him close. Besides, he is so darned sweet with his little kisses before bed, and comments, "My nice Mummy. I wike my Mummy." And he is always so sure to kiss me on the cheek and not near the lips, after hearing that you don't do that unless you are married. He reaches up and gives a kiss and says, "No wips." *smile*

And that is the end of another wonderful no-routine day.
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