summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Saturday, April 11, 2009

easter baskets!

Fifteen baskets....for Abigail, Benjamin, Mirielle, Joseph, Aaron, Mali, Samuel, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille....and we even put aside some treats to send to Emily in Norway. Mali is away in Ottowa for the week, but we filled a basket for her to save for when she comes back. By then the boys should be about empty, and maybe she can use it to bribe them or something..... This is one of about 150 pictures Jonathan and Sonja K. took, with my camera, from the van windows on the way back...this is the Thousand Islands from the bridge.... (it kept them busy, although they did fight a little about who's turn it was...)
Camille.....she was pretty good in the van.



On the way home, Mirielle drove too, so she took some of the kids with her...Samuel, Suzanne, and Kathryn....



Last night, Aaron remembered that there was a TimHorten's right next to our hotel. So at about 10:00, he, Sam, and Margaret went over there with $20 - and they came back with two dozen donuts. WHY did you need to buy TWO dozen? I asked that stupid question. "Well, they all looked so good, Mom!"....and, I ate one. And later as I struggled to fall asleep, I really kicked myself.....a donut at that time of night....ugh. I do not know how many they ate....there were only four left when they got home, I guess....




It was a fine day outside yesterday, so we walked around a little bit after lunch...



Here is where we ate lunch: McDonalds....from the $1.39 menu....Abigail, Suzanne,and Jon...








Samuel, Margaret (curly pony-tail), Aaron, and Mali with Camille








Kathryn, Mirielle with Charlotte Claire, Sonja K, and Evelyn.....







Evelyn and Sonja K. in the front, Kathryn and Mirielle in the back.


Well, we did not get kicked out of the hotel, or out of Canada, either, which is good. We had more people in the rooms than officially allowed, but they did not say anything. The people there were more than nice to us. Highlights: old people coming in for a swim. The woman reminded me so much of my mother as she struggled to climb down the steps into the pool, I was overcome with tears, and had to turn away. That hasn't happened in a long time. I seriously wanted to go and hug her. I did find that alot after Gramma died, I wanted to attach to other old people. Anyway, this lady seemed really sweet, and really acted alot like my my mom. No fair. Other highlights: the way home....we stopped at The Beer Store. No, the beer isn't just sold in the grocery store, it is sold in The Beer Store. Mirielle, who is 19, wanted to buy some for Paul for his birthday, so she went in and purchased some nice dark beer, and I brought it over the border, since she has to be 21 in NY. state. The border: the man was surprised I had so many children, and only seven were with me at the time. 5 of them were in the car behind us. I told him that. He asked if we had any twins, and I said, "No, not yet..." Oh, he said, "You are taking them from God...."He asked what we were taking back from Canada, and I told him I took all the pens from the hotel, but no towels. And one six pack of beer. "Only one?".....anyways, he waved us on, and Abigail informed me he still had her passport....I backed up, and he approached and gave it to me, then I forgot to put the van in drive to pull forward, and I backed up again and almost ran over the border agent. Oops. That is what I get for laughing at you Heather!!!!
We celebrated Paul's birthday when we got home...Suzanne and I made four homemade pizzas, and Mirielle made the most excellent chocolate mousse with real whipped cream....then, after watching Cops, we got the kids to bed, and filled the baskets. Yes, Cops. We like to watch it on Saturday night with the kids. Sometimes we have had to turn it off when it is really questionable, but it is one show that we tune into as a family, mute during commercials, and talk about what was on......the kids get to see that people can be bad, and how they lie, and how they get in trouble.....anyway.....they were so tired that Charlotte Claire fell asleep on the living room floor before dinner...right on the hard floor....
So, that trip was fun. I enjoyed the kids so much without the stresses of housework....it makes me wish we had like 5 cleaning ladies. (it would take that many to take my place, ha)....I cannot believe how smoothly it went, bringing them all. Camille is a sweetie, and we love her and enjoy her nonsense.....but she was most of the trouble. I say this because she wanted to escape from the hotel room. She wanted to reach every drink, and get into the bathroom whenever she could, she loved taking out all the tissues. She would walk over and click off the tv. The other kids were pretty mellow.....actually, the water really soothed Camille, she was content to just be held in the pool.....(wouldn't it be nice to have a huge indoor pool like that? would we get sick of it?)
Tomorrow is Easter....we are going to church for a transmission and then eating together, and having an egg hunt for the kids....then home for the baskets and dinner here....I am tired already...







1 comment:

KrustyLynn said...

hahahah! That cracks me up! I tried to tell Heather that almost hitting people is not that uncommon. My roommate was sitting at an intersection when a kid on a bike ran into her when he wasn't looking. She almost got a ticket for it! sheesh! Pedestrians are dangerous!! :)