WHY GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)

I got this email a while back and thought that maybe some of us needed a break from the kids...but remember it all stems back to the garden...we had trouble obeying

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To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students... here is something to make you chuckle. Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve. And the first thing he said was "DON'T!"

"Don't what?" Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.

"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit? Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!"

" No Way!"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so! " God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants. A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked! "Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? " God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you? " said the Father.

"I don't know," said Eve.

"She started it! " Adam said.

"Did not! "

"Did too! "

"DID NOT! "

Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed. BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY! If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself. If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.

5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.

6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY: Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day. AND FINALLY:

IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE: "TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!

Card Making Factory

Aunt Jenny has been coming to London this week and she has made 2 visits to our house. The kids have been super excited to have her come and they wanted in on the card making action. The boys made their own cards today too. We made a few cards over the last two visits and thought I would put them on here. Jenny is a great card maker so we love learning from her and the splitcoast website. Hope all goes well Friday and we can see you again soon. Thanks for forcing me to use some of my stamps too ;o)

These 2 are my favourite

I really like this stamp set

Savannah checking out Aunt Jenny's progress

Alex helping out

Our Summer Vacation :o)

Well we are back and I have lots of pictures to choose from. So if I posted to many...Sorry ;o) Most of the pictures will probably be of Savannah because she is easiest to catch as the boys run from the camera (especially Alex). The boys also went to Program for 2.5 hours each morning.

Where to start...we had a great time at Elim Lodge. We travelled up with Gerald and Sylvia and got there in good time. My parents were close behind and for some reason Adrian and Laura arrived after us ;o) Set up was not so fun for some as it rained and rained. I am sooo thankful to have a cottage. We seemed to a little of everything so here are a bunch of pictures to show what we did. There are no fishing ones as I only took my cell phone and don't know how to get the pictures off of my phone.

Our Cottage - nothing much to look at but not a tent :O)

The view from our deck out back - 5 am in the morning We had a few visits to "Play Park"

Savannah flying in her rocket shipCarsten swinging

Savannah gave Mark quite the scare the first time she did this
Savannah and Cailyn swinging with me
Savannah Pushing Aunt Mel on the swing

As much as I enjoy the pool...the beach was warmer and the kids absolutely loved it. Carsten constantly kept talking baout "catching his perfect wave". Can you tell we watched Surf's Up?

Emily

Cailyn and Savannah

After the beach we would head back behind our cottage and relax with family and friends. The hammocks (after much trouble to get them hanging) were a big hit. Thanks guys for allowing my kids to chill in them.

Aunt Jean and Alex relaxing

Melissa and her AlexThen off to do some more water sports. We did not do as much as we normally would as the weather was cool on some days.

Melissa

Laura and Sylvia

Alex and Melissa (right before Mel kicked him off)

Carsten holding on and screaming for his life

Grandpa good as ever at 57

Alex loved it & was a pro when he wiped out, paddling to the boat

Some cousins bought jet skis...here's Gerald having some fun

And this was the girls favourite ride. Mark and Gerald took the brunt of driving the girls around in their chariot (aka bike trailer).

Games Night and Day

I can't believe she is beating me!!!

Savannah taking on Cailyn

Stephen playing bocce ball with the boys

Shuffle board

Savannah's daily trip to the snackery with her daddy, their date. She wanted only crackers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then I was informed that Daddy was taking her to the snackery every morning for bacon, popsicles and ice cream.

Father/Daughter DateStorm came on quick

Savannah playing in the puddle after the downpour

Carsten not sure if Emily's "hugs" or the shopping in Bobcaygeon was worse

The squirrel got Alex's Baby Pop and ate it

Grandma and Grandpa outside the dining room

Savannah sitting pretty
And a few more that I thought I would add

Share!!!
Savannah

Carsten

Savannah and Carsten

Checking out her surroundings

What a great week we had!!! IF you made it to the end - WOW!

Carsten's Loose Tooth Finally Came Out

Well it finally happened yesterday...after much wiggling and showing us, what seemed like all the time, Carsten's loose tooth came out. Since this was his first, he was very nervous about it coming out...so one of the many times I was allowed to see how loose it was, I got a good hold of it and out it came. He was shocked...and my kids have something with losing their very first tooth on Sunday...must be the wiggling all during the service. Well luckily I had just what he wanted for a reward...a Lego set I got at VV for 1.99! It is a fire car and a little station...the car even has a real siren.

No Playing Goal and He Scores!!!!!!

Well back to soccer again. Carsten worked so hard tonight even though he could not play his favourite position - goalie. Or should I say he couldn't climb and hang from the goal post today. We finally got around to getting results from his xray that he had on June 20th! Carsten broke his index finger way back on the June Grocery Day. They never sent the xray on the doctor...after calling around today we got the results...no contact sports and definitely no playing goalie for at least another 2 weeks. The bright side to finding out about the broken finger is that it is well on the way to being healed and we only have 2 more weeks of "resting" it. Carsten played great and despite getting leveled by a player and pushed around a bunch...I am proud to say he did not retaliate at all...he kept getting up and going on. He came off the field when it was his turn for a break and just said, "I do not love that boy pushing me". You do not know how proud that makes me. Alex might have responded a bit differently, and Mom as well ;o)

And here is a video (far away and hard as it is to see), Alex (#11) finally getting another goal. He is such a natural half back that he always hangs back. How great to see him going up when he was playing a forward and getting a goal (with Peter right there). I just wanted to post a video as it is so hard to catch them in a stream of action. Great job boys...you played awesome tonight!!!

Where to Start and How Many Pictures Can you Load up???

After graduation last week...we headed to our hometown for a surprise party for my mom's 60th birthday. Wow was she shocked...calling us liars (we said we were coming down Saturday). It was a great time and we want to thank Uncle Dave and Aunt Marlene coming from the States for this special time. It was also a time to celebrate my dad's birthday which was Saturday. Happy Birthday Mom and Dad!!

You Lied!!!

The kittens that led her to the back yard

Carsten and Uncle Brian

Aunt Melissa and Savannah

Aunt Marlene and Mom

Grandpa and Carsten

Aunt Anne and Jared

After a sleepover and Aunt Jenny and Uncle Brian's we got up and had some more excitement. We got to go to Grandpa's work and see what he has been up to. The kids had a tonne of fun going around an old nursing home and collecting door signs and looking at the things left behind. We are hoping to get a piano from there and the boys and I are super exicted by that. I must admit I might tire of the pounding on the keys soon enough though. We also scoooped up a fire bell and are hoping to get a real fire hose and alarm too. The boys think Grandpa has a cool job!!

Carsten driving the payloader

Aunt Jenny, Carsten and Alex scooped up

Grandpa giving Alex a mop and bucket ride

Grandpa giving all the grandkids a ride

Tuesday...a promised trip to the Splash Pad was all we needed to beat the heat for a bit. Savannah did not enjoy the splash pad too much until the end when I went through it with her a bunch of times. Needless I was pretty wet but I think she may be over her "fear". Funny thing is...she is the one I can dump a bucket of water over her head in the bathtub but my boys freak if they get water in their eyes?!?!?

Carsten lurching away from the water

Ooooh that's cold

Come and get me!!!

Aaahhhh!

It can't get me!!!

Carsten and Alex getting drenched

When told to just stand there...Alex just stood there

Savannah "drinking" the water. Ewwww!

Hop! Hop! Hop!FINALLY loving it!!!

Soccer night again! Twice a week is sometimes a bit much but the boys love playing. Thankfully we have a good coach this year and the boys are learning the rules. Alex is a natural halfback as he loves to get the ball up but is more than willing to come back and help out the defense. Carsten was made to be a forward or goalie as he really gets those position. Crazily my boys fight over who can be goalie?!?!? I just don't get it. Well that is until Carsten finally got to play net and he kept climbing the pole and hanging from the top of the cross bar!! I added pictures of my goalies from preivous games.

Alex in action

Carsten going for a goal

Carsten in action

Yup...they still group up occasionally on the big field

Carsten "bored" on defence

Alex in goal

Carsten on the goal

Park Days and my boys finally got to come along and we had a few new kids. I took a bunch of pictures and just wanted to show everyone how well the kids actually get along. I think next week the soccer ball might come along for the kids wanting to play soccer. They have real nets at the park!!! No chasing after the ball.

Lauren and Tiana

Savannah zipping along

Damien - thanks for coming out Amanda

Alex pushing Lauren and Carsten pushing Beau

Daniel

Carsten

Caleb

Tyler Well I think that is enough for this week. There was a few things we wanted to do but never had a chance. Maybe next week. Cudos to anyone who got this far. Have a great weekend!