Our July 2005 vacation.

What an amazing week. We spent 10 wonderful days up north at the cottage, plus one night trying camping without he kids for the first time.

We arrived Thursday night at the cottage, we have a major heat wave here right now, so the cottage was about 90 degrees, we opened the windows and put in the air conditioner. Which didn't really make a difference.

The kids wanted to go in the river for a swim , and I thought oh no here we go. Kaleb won't swim , he stands on the bottom step, kicks and plays on step. He wants someone to take him in, I was thinking about what my week would be standing in the river holding him.

Well he surprised me, he started swimming, in the deeper water not too far out, but far enough that I didn't have to be with him.

Of course this made for an amazing week for me, I sat on the dock and read a bunch of books while the kids swam. I felt for the first time in four years that I was on vacation. I could read a book without kids climbing all over me.

We also spent a day at the beach in Bobcaygeon, which the kids absolutely loved. They had a lot of fun with all the other kids there. It wasn't until we were getting ready to leave that another mother noticed a sign that said the beach was closed due to high bacteria levels. It was in such a horrible spot, you didn't see when you walked in the gate at the beach. Quite a few of the parents were going to complain, none of them had noticed it either.

I was a bit worried that one of the kids would come down with something, but neither of them did.

Martin built a new dock for us, one that we can actually take chairs down to, and easier steps to get in and out of the water.

The kids had there first experience at the rapids, Scarlett was begging to go back. She had a lot of fun picking up all the clam shells. they also like watching the river flowing over the rocks, the boat ride there was a bit long for them, next time we will put the boat in at the beach and go from there.

Laurie, Brett and Korissa cam up for two nights, they girls had so much fun together. Painting, singing and mostly singing. We were sad to see them go, it was weird to have to play with the kids again, they hadn't needed me for two days.

Mart and Brett went fishing, Martin caught a 6 pound muskie, he was quite happy.

ah camping, my passion. We took the kids for the first time camping, they were very good while we set the stuff up, we went to the beach and they swam for a couple hours. We had bought them new camping beds, Scarlett a barbie bed and Kaleb a hot wheels bed. Neither one of them liked to sleep on them, Scarlett ended up on the floor and Kaleb just cried most of the night. I can't say it was an enjoyable experience, it was so damn hot you could hardly breathe and not a whisper of a breeze either. We got up the next morning went for ride to cool down got some icecream, took the kids to the beach, Kaleb needed to nap and there was no way he could sleep in the tent so we went for another ride. We then decided that we might as well just pack up and go back to the cottage. Oh well we may try again later in the year, maybe first week of September.

The first soccer game of the year was hilarious, Scarlett and another boy got a break away and went running off down the field, they were so intent on the ball they didn't notice it leaving the field. They continued after it, down the length of the regulation field around the goal posts and back.

Both coaches were chasing them yelling at them to stop but they weren't listening. Most of the parents were almost in tears from laughing so hard.

Scarlett's first year of Soccer went okay. She wasn't that interested in playing, normally she would do the warm up and practice but was too tired by the end of the game.

The final two games were much better, she played most of the game, she had grasped the concept of the ball being out of bounds.

Scarlett made a new friend at soccer, Kate and she is now signed up for Soccer and Ballet with her.

Our office burned down on Jan 9th 2004 .....

What a shock for my dad as he was driving into work that day, he could see an orange glow in the sky. As he got closer he was thinking wow , wonder what that it.

Suddenly he realized it wasn't just close to our office it was our office.

This is what we ended up with for 6 months, before we found a new place to move to. Not a fun experience to go through, luckily for us all of the hard drives made it through the fire, and all of the data was recovered.

Kaleb's birth story....

Wow what a busy few days this has been, I am so tired yet so so happy to have my little boy in my arms.

Kaleb Mason Evans was born at 8:37 a.m. on March 9, 2003.

The night before it was so weird Martin and I felt like we were going to the grocery store to pick up our new baby .

Its weird knowing what your having and what time he will be born.

We arrived at the hospital for 6:00 a.m., where Martin prompty went to sleep in the chair, seems very reminiscent of the day Scarlett was born, dosen't it.

The walk into the OR for me was so unreal, I was scared to death and couldn't stop shaking. With Scarlett I had been so drugged up from the demoral and epidural that I don't remember any of it, so actually having to walk into the ER was terrifying.

We had told the doctor and nurses and anyone who would listen that I get very nauceous, so I needed every thing they could use to stop it. But I guess they didn't listen, because the minute they started the spinal I started throwing up, which is no easy feat given the fact that I was frozen was chest down.

Martin was giving the job of suctioning, which I'm sure he was not impressed at. I some how doubt that on our wedding day he was thinking of what it would like to help keep his violently sick wife, who has no control her body form the neck down stop chocking to death on her own vomit.

So yet again I was not in shappy place at the birth of my child, while I definetly remember more of Kaleb being born, I was still violently ill.

I remember asking Martin if he was okay, if he looked like Scarlett.

I don't remember going back to the room, so I don't have any memory's of any ones reactions. Its weird to look at pictures of your child being weighed or in the warmer back in your room and have no memories of it.

I did come out of the fog much earlier this time, and got to enjoy my boy.

Dad brought Scarlett to the hosptial when Kaleb was about 8 hours old, she looked so big dressed in her pink leather outfit. I think she was more interested in the tubes and wires in the room than in her brother.

Luckily this time we had a private room all to ourselves, and since Kaleb was a bottle baby the nurses were more than happy to take him and feed him.

It was almost relaxing to be in the hospital for those 3 days, there was room for friends and family to visit, and I didn't have to worry about anyone else coming into the room.

Such a more pleasant experience than when Scarlett was born at the same hospital.

A letter to my daughter on her first birthday....

To My Daughter on Her First Birthday

May 18, 2002

Scarlett,

Happy First Birthday! One year ago I was holding a much smaller and more wrinkly little girl. Even though you were a new born , you had the brightness and alertness of a much older baby.

I went to Hallmark when you were 3 days old, and no one believed me that you were that young, they all thought you must be closer to 2 months. (They also told me I was nuts to be out shopping, with a 3 day old LOL)


I am amazed at how much you have grown and learned in the past year, it feels like you have always been a part of your daddy and I. Even though it has only been a year, it seems like a life time, if your father and I had a life before you, I can’t remember it.

I could go and on about the things that make you the beautiful, amusing and wonderful girl you are, the way you dance, even though you have no rhythm (which by the way you inherited from me), the way you talk to yourself non-stop, how you love for me to sing “Zoom, Zoom , Zoom were going to the moon” and how you shout out “ZOOM” right along with me. How you love to give endless smooches, complete with tons of slobber.

What I see most when I look at you , is that you are a very special girl, smart, affectionate, opinionated, stubborn, fun-loving, you have no fear of failing at anything you attempt, and of course your gorgeous eye – deep, dark black eyes, we don’t know where you got them from, but are they beautiful.

You are the child I have always dreamed of, watching you grow and learn each day is watching a miracle. Each day brings new things to laugh at and be amazed by.

My favorite time of day is first thing in the morning, I hear you beginning to stir, I hear you laughing to yourself in bed. Then I hear my favorite word of all time “Mama” “Mama”, “me up”.

I tend to go and get you and we snuggle in bed for a few minutes, you plaster my faces with smooches, you snuggle in, as I rub your back. This is one of the momemts I will always cherish.

I never would have thought that I could feel this way about anything, I had always heard about a mothers un-dying love for her child. Well you have proven that theory, I am a woman who loves her child beyond anything else, I would gladly give my place in this world for you.

As I help you to blow out your candle on your birthday cake tonight, I will probably be crying. But these will be tears of joy, tears that say thank-you too you for giving me the chance to watch you grow this past year. Tears, as I wish for you to have a long life of happiness.

You are my sweet angel girl and you know that your mama will be here for you no matter what

I love you,

Mom.