After a long day outside, I find myself crawling into bed early and watching some television. One or more of the kids will join me and we will flip through, trying to find a new series on Netflix we haven’t watched yet.

Oh. My. Gah.

How? When?

David Ruprecht’s face says it all.

Big Sweep.

Elsa and I spent the next two hours, reveling in my youth, laughing hysterically, rooting for middle aged women running in a grocery store and discussing nineties hair and fashion.

I needed this.

After a few (or five) episodes, Elsa went to bed and Parker and I decided to tackle the laundry pile growing on our floor.

As always, we turned on Netflix…

Could my night get any better?

Nope.

Note: I would NOT recommend watching the The Berkshires UFO episode late at night. 😳

This episode seems fitting since the Pentagon’s U.F.O. Unit just announced they will make some UFO findings public.

So 2020.

Need a Covid distraction or a reason to ditch social media for awhile, google Commander Fravor and also Bob Lazar.

Besides watching television shows from the 90’s and researching aliens, we continue to enjoy our exceptionally warm and sunny summer.

I finally have a stellar tan.

This season has been a wonderful distraction from all that has happened since March.

I don’t want summer to end.

I’ve been trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible. With our travel plans to the States put on hold (😢😢😢), I want to capture and recreate some of that summer magic I had growing up as a kid, just in Nova Scotia.

Fact. The best summers of my life were spent at my grandparent’s lake cabin in Wisconsin. My most vivid childhood memories to this day involve our time at the lake, fishing, exploring and swimming with very little adult supervision.

My grandma Audrey would send us out in the morning and we wouldn’t come back until dinner time. We made our own lunches, baited and fixed our fishing poles, swam in middle of the lake, hunted frogs and caught fish, all without an adult ready to jump in to fix our mistakes.

It was the 80’s.

It was wonderful.

I do remember Grandpa Roy working tirelessly on the yard and Grandma Audrey raking the beach, in hopes that it would be less muck-filled and more swimmable. They had stuff to do and were always there if we needed crackers to bait the sunfish or someone to drive the pontoon.

Usually our days would end with dinner, a bonfire and a long evening of card and board games. Monopoly usually lasted well into the next day, the only thing keeping us awake, Mountain Dew and grape pop.

I want my kids to have that.

We did the South Shore a few weekends back and this weekend we headed up to the north shore of Nova Scotia (Tatamagouche). The water is warmer up north and my kids were craving a true summer beach day.

Parker ended up having to work (sea trials), which meant it was just me and the kids.

I tried to summon my inner Grandma Audrey.

The kids fished.

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I made a bonfire. Night one was a fire fail, but on night two, a success.

Now I know why grandma left us alone…better to be unaware than to manage the chaos. I also remember a cold beer in her coozie at night and as well as a brandy-water in my grandpa’s hand.

Smart.

We didn’t have wifi, nor air conditioning and at times we were a bit bored and extremely sweaty, but we squeezed out some memories.

The kids’ favorite activity was running the river at low tide and bathing in the warm water of Rushton’s Beach.

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In a few weeks, we are off to the Bay of Fundy, the full family of 6, for more Nova Scotia coastal fun.

I want to close with…I miss my extended family and I can’t wait until we can be reunited 🇺🇸.

Sometimes
when you are trying
not to think about something
it keeps popping back in your head
you can’t help it
you think about it
and
think about it
and
think about it
until your brain
feels like
a squashed pea.

~Cheryl Creech, Love That Dog

Diamond was loved, especially by my girls. They grew up together; a childhood spent with the best dog ever.

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We are heartbroken.

RIP sweet Dimey.

Love that dog,
like a bird loves to fly
I said I love that dog
like a bird loves to fly
Love to call him in the morning
love to call him
‘Hey there, Sky'”

~Sharon Creech, Love That Dog

To the best basement hockey playing, puzzle completing, NHL 20 competing, beach exploring, shipbuilding dad in town.

Happy Father’s Day.

Thanks for keeping me sane right now.

Sophie is an easy going kid; she always has been. Moving to a new country as a teen, she never missed a beat and continued to find the silver lining in everything she did.

Sophie is a kind person. She cares about others, is accepting and willing to be your friend.

Sophie is resilient.

Today she graduated from Grade 9 and is onto high school. In the fall, she will be attending Sacred Heart School of Halifax. In true Sophie fashion, she is excited, optimistic and ready for the challenge.

We threw her a surprise graduation celebration.

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With the move, Sophie had to endure four years of middle school/jr. high, which is definitely worth celebrating. To say she is excited to start high school is an understatement.

Today also marks Elsa’s last day of Grade 4 and Soren’s last day of grade 1.

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There wasn’t much closure and excitement surrounding the last day of school, but I am extremely grateful for hard working and caring teachers who kept my kids engaged and made them feel connected.

As someone who has lived away from family and friends most of my adult life, I understand the importance of connection. To me, relationships have always been paramount and something I never took for granted.

Our vacations have always revolved around family. We look forward to our time spent in Minnesota and now California, to connect with people we love.

The notion that our summer is possibly absent of extended family and friends is something I haven’t fully reconciled.

Onto Summer Break! Or should I say, Summer Break????

Good luck parents!

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

This was 8am last Saturday morning. I asked Soren to bring me a Diet Coke and be brought me a Coors Light. Kind of sums up life at the moment…

We are schooling.

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We are cooking.

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We are playing.

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We are walking.

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We are keeping busy.

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Highlights thus far:

Finding a legit taco place in Halifax.

Ellinor is 100% potty trained.

Betsy discovered her true passion, painting NHL logos on pots. Etsy store to come…

“Hello, is it me you’re looking for?
I can see it in your eyes
I can see it in your smile.”

~Lionel Richie

The kids and are at the tail end of our self isolation. Our last day is Saturday…but who’s counting?

For those of you freaking out, YES we are fine and YES we are healthy. Our 14 day isolation is due to the fact we traveled out of Canada to visit family in California.

Speaking of California…we want a do-over. Our much anticipated vacation was cut short and honestly, it all seems like a blur.

Most of our trip was spent worrying whether or not we would make it back to Canada…spoiler, we did, but not without much stress and trepidation all culminating at the Air Canada counter in Boston.

One day I will share THAT story, but today I’m choosing to remember THIS story. A day at La Jolla Cove (FYI, the nearest stranger was like 50 or more feet away).

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We are grateful for our short time with friends (particular BFF reunions), family and also for Mexican food, breakfast burritos and the Pacific Ocean.

As much as we feel incomplete about our trip, getting back home to Parker and Honey made us whole. Now like the entire world, we are hunkered down and enjoying super mega concentrated family time.

We have been homeschooling for almost two weeks now, which is why I have yet to blog. Much of my writing energy and research has been harnessed into my educational website, The Extra School Mom.

To top it off, we went all in and potty trained Ellinor. When you realize your diaper supply is dwindling and you don’t want to fight someone off at the grocery store for a package of Pampers, you make bold moves.

I highly recommended self isolation potty training.

Come Sunday, the kids and I are looking forward to our upgraded status to social distancers, when we can finally take walks around the neighborhood.

Until then, here is a sampling of our isolation time the past few weeks.

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And most importantly, watching Tiger King.

Stay sane y’all!

Today Elsa is 10.

Elsa knows what she wants, having planned the theme to most of her parties. Let’s take a look back…

We may not be by the ocean, but soon enough.

Happy Birthday sweet Elsa Claire!

Remember when I said January is the worst month? Well, I take it back, it’s February.

It’s going on three weeks now and there has been only one day where a kid wasn’t home sick.

Stomach Flu ✔️

Colds ✔️

Flu✔️

You can even add in weird eye infections and bloody noses as well intermittent fevers that pop up at the worst time.

All the kids have been out of school but Elsa has missed 9 days (thus far), having developed a nasty case of bronchitis.

We skipped out on birthday parties, play dates, activities, appointments, lessons, and Valentine’s Day events, all to hunker down at home and ride out the wave of sickness.

People tell me the weather has been nicer than usual lately, but I wouldn’t know since I have barely stepped outside of my home other than to shop for provisions.

And just as I felt as if I may go insane, I got word of this:

Cheez It is now available in Canada.

Even Ellinor knows the power of Cheez It.

The cheesy goodness at the end of the long February tunnel. Bring on March!

“You want to know what it’s like to have a fourth? Just imagine you’re drowning, and then someone hands you a baby.”

~Jim Gaffigan

The biggest challenge in having four kids is finding time…there is never enough. Giving one child your undivided attention even for a short moment requires a balance that is sometimes hard to achieve.

As difficult as it can feel, Parker and I try our best to find solutions and carve out special time with each child.

In terms of special, I don’t mean anything extravagant…just putting in the time as we like to say. After all, our kids’ major love language is quality time.

Here’s some information on The Five Love Languages.

https://www.5lovelanguages.com

A note on this theory…I’ve never read the actual Love Language books but I have read plenty about it online and I have taken multiple tests which basically makes me an expert.

If you’re interested, my top love language is acts of service and Parker’s is physical touch. Opposites attract, although each of us would say quality time is a close second.

I’ve gone on a tangent but you get it; it’s important to have uncomplicated moments with your kids.

As I write this, Parker is traveling for work, my two oldest are sick, Soren wants me to look at the Minecraft house he built and Ellinor is kicking Soren in the face because she wants to be the only one near me on the couch.

Quality Time. It’s not as easy at it seems, but when it does happen, it’s the best.

Garage hockey and lifting pucks with Dad.

Going to the play place with Mom. I’d like to note the joy and enthusiasm Ellinor exhibited this day was heartwarming and also served as a reminder we need to get out more.

Not pictured:

Elsa and Mom watching cooking shows and cooking together.

Sophie and Dad watching all the best movies from the 80’s and 90’s.

If you’re wondering, Honey’s Love Languages are words of affirmation and physical touch.