Apple Orchard Tradition

The kids couldn't take it any longer...it was already October and we hadn't made our traditional apple orchard visit! This weekend has been more than a time to be thankful it has been beautiful weather and an awesome run of several days doing all of my favourite things!





Horse Chick had a lesson Saturday but then the rest of our extra-curricular activities...dance and karate were cancelled due to the Thanksgiving weekend. She wouldn't miss riding for anything. It's the one thing that through the addition of six children over the last seven years we promised her would be able to continue. We have had to decrease her rides down to once a week ......... she would prefer to pitch a tent and stay there permanently I am convinced however for now she continues to plan for her future where she will have her own "several" horses and she can ride whenever she darn well pleases. This goes hand in hand with owning her own farm and raising all kinds of animals while being a veterinarian of course. It is so cool when your children find a passion that you watch them pour their heart and soul into!!!


Off to the orchard after riding.......the kids love this tradition. We try to go several times a year but this year almost got away from us. Mom and Dad were coming for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday night so we wanted to get some apples and do some baking!! The kids know the routine and so.........


the picking
























and the eating!!!!!










Apparently Karate Kid got a sour one!! LOL








Is it my imagination ..... or are all children much happier and get along so much better when they are outside enjoying a beautiful day ??



















30 pounds of apples later.......we had our sample apple cider......our token pictures on the hay wagon and with scarecrow.......



We were on our way...Awesome day......!!! Thankful for my awesome kids and the freedom we have!!

PUDDLES, POTHOLES, and PEE!!

Cute isn't he?!


Anyone who owns a cat or three in our case (and many more over
the years!) knows that awful feeling that sets in when the first puddle of urine
is found in some inappropriate place. That would be ANY place that is not in the
basement neatly located in the appropriate litter box!!!!

Now, there can be any number of reasons for the "accident" but all too often the "behaviour modification" conversation is initiated and the fear that there really is nothing wrong with them except they have an "issue" sets in.

It all started when we bought the new dog beds. What luxury! They were about four inches thick stuffed with fibrefill and cedar chips. They smelled so good....helped to combat that ever bothersome "doggy smell". It wasn't too long and we found that one of them had been used as a litter box! How disappointing.....
I quickly mopped, disinfected, bleached and washed
everything hoping it was just a one time thing. That lasted about 2 days when it happened again ..... and again.......

Now we had no idea who the offender was, but we now had to dismantle both beds. In an effort to give them a really good cleaning I left them outside in the rain for about 4 days. We had no trouble for three weeks and then yesterday......................

"MOM..........EEEWWWWW.....it stinks like pee.....someone peed on the dog bed again. Good grief.........outside it went. One hour later I received a call on my cell to announce the other bed was now sporting a nice "Puddle".

My day was already at high speed....I was off to gymnastics and then home for a quick lunch and off to soccer. I had honestly decided the dog beds would have to go away until we "adjusted" the offenders bad attitude!!!

The long story can be shortened by saying yet another call to advise Higgins (the cute one!!!) was crying and circling and pawing on the dining room floor. Three minutes later.....another call to advise the cat had pooped and Princesses new musical ballerina globe was smashed.....two very unrelated yet equally distressing pieces of news. Homeward bound to pick up the cat to take him to the vet. At this point the
attitude adjustment seemed to be a very bad misdiagnosis!!

OK.....cat in carrier on the way to the vet....the carrier balanced on the passenger seat with me holding it, my fingers touching Higgins through the cage in an effort to calm him. I glance over a mere 10 houses from home base to see him squatting and peeing in the bottom of the carrier.....Poor baby....something is terribly wrong.

I tip the carrier gently so that the pee runs to the back of the cage convincing myself that I will mop up the "puddle" when I get there. Seconds pass and I glance over to see that he is STILL peeing and the "puddle" is beginning to aptly fill the bottom of the carrier....Oh my .....I carefully return the crate to a "level" position when all of a sudden my front tire drops into a pothole!

Yup you guessed it pee sloshing... out of the cage onto my book bag between the seats. The cat has all four legs outstretched trying to regain its balance and is now sliding around the inside of thecage......YUP....sloshingMORE pee out of the cage onto my pants and between the seats. I one handedly called "Chief" and asked him to meet me at the side of the road with a roll of paper towels.

He arrived on the scene to find me using fast food napkins trying to dry off what I could. I had quickly emptied the contents of my book bag saving all........thank goodness. I instructed him to hold the bag open and we would put Higgins in it to absorb some of the mess he was covered with and this would keep him confined while I cleaned the cage. Keep in mind we are now in a grocery parking lot and escaping here would mean "sudden death by flattening"! I grabbed hold of the cat by the scruff and with a swift motion "attempted" to remove him from the crate.

He laid on the brakes and as I dragged him out I emptied more pee onto my pant leg and picture if you will a flailing "pee soaked" very frightened 10 month old cat as I removed him and stuffed him into the canvas bag.

By this point "Chief" was hysterical and I have to admit.....although unimpressed I did manage to find the insanity of the whole thing!

I emptied out a half consumed water bottle and decided I might as well collect a sample for the vet while I had 50 gallons available!!!!

$220 later......a urinalysis, cat bath and crate disinfecting, antibiotics, expensive prescription cat food for "too many to count" crystals in his urine holding hands and dancing with the numerous red and white blood cells, a pat on the back for obtaining a sample that would have been a nightmare to collect.....(I don't recall my collection of said sample to be much shy of a flipping nightmare!!!!!!) and a big thank you from my veterinarian as she chortled saying she appreciated her laugh of the day, I arrived home to be met at the door by Songbird advising "Skishee" just peed his
pants.................

Thank you to whomever suggested I stand in the line up to receive extra patience when the Good Lord was handing it out!!!!!

PUDDLES, POTHOLES, and PEE!!

Cute isn't he?!


Anyone who owns a cat or three in our case (and many more over
the years!) knows that awful feeling that sets in when the first puddle of urine
is found in some inappropriate place. That would be ANY place that is not in the
basement neatly located in the appropriate litter box!!!!

Now, there can be any number of reasons for the "accident" but all too often the "behaviour modification" conversation is initiated and the fear that there really is nothing wrong with them except they have an "issue" sets in.

It all started when we bought the new dog beds. What luxury! They were about four inches thick stuffed with fibrefill and cedar chips. They smelled so good....helped to combat that ever bothersome "doggy smell". It wasn't too long and we found that one of them had been used as a litter box! How disappointing.....
I quickly mopped, disinfected, bleached and washed
everything hoping it was just a one time thing. That lasted about 2 days when it happened again ..... and again.......

Now we had no idea who the offender was, but we now had to dismantle both beds. In an effort to give them a really good cleaning I left them outside in the rain for about 4 days. We had no trouble for three weeks and then yesterday......................

"MOM..........EEEWWWWW.....it stinks like pee.....someone peed on the dog bed again. Good grief.........outside it went. One hour later I received a call on my cell to announce the other bed was now sporting a nice "Puddle".

My day was already at high speed....I was off to gymnastics and then home for a quick lunch and off to soccer. I had honestly decided the dog beds would have to go away until we "adjusted" the offenders bad attitude!!!

The long story can be shortened by saying yet another call to advise Higgins (the cute one!!!) was crying and circling and pawing on the dining room floor. Three minutes later.....another call to advise the cat had pooped and Princesses new musical ballerina globe was smashed.....two very unrelated yet equally distressing pieces of news. Homeward bound to pick up the cat to take him to the vet. At this point the
attitude adjustment seemed to be a very bad misdiagnosis!!

OK.....cat in carrier on the way to the vet....the carrier balanced on the passenger seat with me holding it, my fingers touching Higgins through the cage in an effort to calm him. I glance over a mere 10 houses from home base to see him squatting and peeing in the bottom of the carrier.....Poor baby....something is terribly wrong.

I tip the carrier gently so that the pee runs to the back of the cage convincing myself that I will mop up the "puddle" when I get there. Seconds pass and I glance over to see that he is STILL peeing and the "puddle" is beginning to aptly fill the bottom of the carrier....Oh my .....I carefully return the crate to a "level" position when all of a sudden my front tire drops into a pothole!

Yup you guessed it pee sloshing... out of the cage onto my book bag between the seats. The cat has all four legs outstretched trying to regain its balance and is now sliding around the inside of thecage......YUP....sloshingMORE pee out of the cage onto my pants and between the seats. I one handedly called "Chief" and asked him to meet me at the side of the road with a roll of paper towels.

He arrived on the scene to find me using fast food napkins trying to dry off what I could. I had quickly emptied the contents of my book bag saving all........thank goodness. I instructed him to hold the bag open and we would put Higgins in it to absorb some of the mess he was covered with and this would keep him confined while I cleaned the cage. Keep in mind we are now in a grocery parking lot and escaping here would mean "sudden death by flattening"! I grabbed hold of the cat by the scruff and with a swift motion "attempted" to remove him from the crate.

He laid on the brakes and as I dragged him out I emptied more pee onto my pant leg and picture if you will a flailing "pee soaked" very frightened 10 month old cat as I removed him and stuffed him into the canvas bag.

By this point "Chief" was hysterical and I have to admit.....although unimpressed I did manage to find the insanity of the whole thing!

I emptied out a half consumed water bottle and decided I might as well collect a sample for the vet while I had 50 gallons available!!!!

$220 later......a urinalysis, cat bath and crate disinfecting, antibiotics, expensive prescription cat food for "too many to count" crystals in his urine holding hands and dancing with the numerous red and white blood cells, a pat on the back for obtaining a sample that would have been a nightmare to collect.....(I don't recall my collection of said sample to be much shy of a flipping nightmare!!!!!!) and a big thank you from my veterinarian as she chortled saying she appreciated her laugh of the day, I arrived home to be met at the door by Songbird advising "Skishee" just peed his
pants.................

Thank you to whomever suggested I stand in the line up to receive extra patience when the Good Lord was handing it out!!!!!

RULE # 28.....Hands Free on the Trampoline?!?!?!

There are days when every rule known to my children appears to have been taught to them in a foreign language?! For years I balked at having a trampoline because I was convinced there would be serious bodily harm and I was quite frankly "afraid"! I researched and I researched the safety pros and cons and finally when Princess was in need of some serious physio following chemotherapy I was convinced this would prove to be the answer. (nice excuse anyway!)


We are now finishing the third season with our much loved and continuously used trampoline. Princess made excellent use of it in strengthening her legs and abs and everyone else has found it to be the best and first choice of entertainment while in the yard. We have had to instill timers and limits and rules.....MANY, MANY rules so I could cope. On the whole it has been working perfectly. HOWEVER........................................







AND THIS.................!

















does not appear to be following RULE #28!!!! HANDS FREE!!!! LOL


Wrestling can become dangerous (although at this point there was nothing but hysterical laughter) I did have to step in with the rule reminder.






"Pardon Mom?" (more laughter and hysteria)....




Good thing they are so cute!




Upon reminding them of the hands free rule they promptly discovered a "creepy crawly" that required immediate observation..........and so it goes.....









Have I mentioned how much I love having my children at home!





It is not without its challenges but I have every opportunity to teach at any moment as it appears throughout the day. Safety, insects.....how to love your brother.......they are all important lessons.....equally!!

Two More Released Yesterday!

I am still fascinated at how much education and entertainment these creatures have provided. We are in the final stretch as we only have 3 chrysalis left after releasing two monarchs yesterday.

One of the monarchs had emerged through the night which caused huge disappointment but during breakfast Cat Lover flew into the room flapping her arms and exclaiming "Hurry.....hurry........come quick......" Initially everyone sat looking at her waiting for the rest of the story....you see Cat Lover is the drama queen in the house and unfortunately it could have been something completely earthshattering .... for instance.....oh I don't know.... the wind was blowing a leaf across the lawn. At any rate within seconds she managed to blurt out..."the monarch is coming out!!!"

Once again my children witnessed another miracle in our world as we quietly stood by and watched.

It is amazing!!

Release number one......well ok....it didn't exactly take off gracefully the minute we let go but hung on for dear life! It probably was thinking...."It's flipping cold out here can't I just catch the next flight to Mexico?"

Release number two.....she said "Mom, if it wants to stick around I'm gonna do some bonding.....eye contact is very important you know!!" She's nuts!

Princess is 8!

Well...yesterday was the big day. As far as Princess was concerned, it was reason to celebrate. After all, turning eight meant "NO MORE BOOSTER SEAT"!! Yup ...... aside from the anticipation of waiting until evening to even open one of her presents, the most exciting thing was her first ride "sans" booster.

I can hardly believe over four years have past since she "made her royal entrance". Tongue in cheek of course but to be quite frank, she was and usually is still convinced there must be regal bloodlines somewhere. The other children needle her regarding her self conceived royal appointment. She is by far my "girly girl" of the four and does carry a certain "aire" about her!!!

She was so cute yesterday. Waited as patiently as any child could for Daddy to get home so we could open presents and have cake! Daddy leaves too early in the morning for work to rush the whole circus act of present opening....oooing and ahhhing that is all part of the process, so day shift means you have to wait until supper.

Fridays tend to be a little crazy around here anyway so time did fly by fairly quickly. It's test day here at Franklin Academy so spelling dictations all around and various quizzes and tests for all. Next stop is gymnastics for the two older boys, a rush home for a quick lunch, pack a substantial snack and off to the soccer fields where all seven engage in full speed ahead activity for two hours with their homeschooling pals. It was darn cold yesterday.......Skishee spent the early part of soccer wrapped around me like a monkey with his hands buried in my vest. "It's FREEZING Mommy" was the mantra for the first half hour. In no time he and six other 3 and 4 year old friends started jumping "over" the large puddles that had accumulated in the fields due to rain in the past two days.

I have since confirmed that there is indeed an incontrollable magnetic pull towards these puddles that despite all obedient efforts to "stay away from the puddles"........somehow both socks and shoes came home a tad soggy!

It is so refreshing to be outside at this time of year. I just love the fall and the crisp temperatures it brings. The children are always so much happier to be outside running "it" off.

The evening soon brought family time with presents and cake!!! She was thrilled with her new duds and dolls. Grandma and Grandpa came through with funky clothes (mostly pink) and a pink mp3 player that just about made the whole day perfect!!! Her siblings had carefully crafted birthday cards, Lego castles and certificates promising mp3 loading! She was the sweetest, grateful kid stopping with each item, thanking everyone over and over stating she "LOVED" it all. Moments like this make me so proud of my brood!

By this point in the evening Squirtman had been reprimanded for "licking" the furniture and using it for a jungle gym and Skishee had completely lost his mind!! He had come close to punching Papa in the nose several times with all his flailing and honestly appeared to be having some kind of seizure as he rolled and jumped on top of one sibling after another. Finally coralled and sent up to get ready for bed he made a miraculous recovery when threatened with no cake and "straight to bed". So tell me the logic in this one....."now settle down" so I can fill you with copious amounts of sugar as some kind of reward for stopping the hyperactivity??????? Ok so no one said I had it all figured out....lol.

We managed a great group shot before I lost all control!

One more aside.......We should have two monarchs by tomorrow!!!! The kids have been watching the two most mature chrysalis....and we can see orange and black!!!

The "Wheels of Justice"........Turning????

I apologize in advance for what might become a rant.


One would think that after adopting five children, the sixth would seem like "old hat". Maybe I've just become cynical as I watch the "powers that be" claim to have the "best interest of the child" in mind while the child in question wallows in uncertainty and confusion compounded by ongoing and "excessive" contact with biological parents. Maybe it's because the safety of my whole entire family....never mind the stability and certainty for ALL of us as to what our future holds as a family unit is in the hands of complete strangers....some of whom will never meet me, my husband or my children face to face!


Who but ME gosh darn it knows what is in the best interest of a child I nurture daily, feed, clothe, love, guide, discipline, correct, educate and accept as one of my own. I truly find I have to remind myself that all of my children have not always been here, not always been mine........and then I am reminded........None of my children are truly mine......they belong to God and really I have been entrusted with them to do the most important job in the world ..... and so I push through.


After all, regardless of what some "robed decision maker" or in many cases along our journey "practised passer of the proverbial buck" rules, this child has been impacted. I have had an impact in a very positive way I know that. He even knows that. Regardless of the, lets face it, "crappy" behaviour I'm on the receiving end of this week I love him with all that a mother's heart can. It's not his fault that he receives goodness knows how many mixed messages from far too many different sources every single week. It's not his fault he has been set up to be manipulative when it works for him......after all what control does he have left???


The final decision will surely soon be made......however I am reminded constantly that it will likely be appealed and so......in the best interest of my child.......any certainty and finality, any closure and "normalcy" lies who knows where in the future. My job then is clear. I will be the best mom I know how. I will persevere and smile through the tough times. I will encourage and love as if tomorrow may never come, I will entrust my children.....all of them to the only One who they ultimately belong and then the grinding of those judicial wheels become insignificant as I wake every day with a promise of a bright future for all of us!