Koopman Project Life

WEEK 48 ~ NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 2, 2015

Glad to have had some downtime with family, we stepped into the new week and into December where we began Christmas preparation and events along with the usual day to day activities as well as celebrated Kim's birthday!

Shopping to replace our old, beaten up, spring popping couch

IKEA Prep

LOVE this bedroom

I wish I had taken a picture with Tanya, a friend from elementary school, when Sylvia and I went to visit and get some awesome organic beef. Alas, my mind obviously slipped and I didn't take a picture of our friend that we hadn't seen in a long time or the yummy beef we bought.

The long awaited volleyball tournament arrived for Savannah and her team. I LOVE going along to cheer the kids on and just enjoy a fun day of competition. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose, but I love sports and so do our kids. Savannah is in Grade 5 and was thrilled to have made the team! She even had some special people to come cheer her on.

Valleyview had their Christmas tree up when we went to visit Mom/Oma and that inspired us to get our tree and ornaments out too.

Selfie with Oma

I started by setting up the tree with Savannah and we organized all the ornaments...Every year Mark and I give the kids a Christmas ornament...we stop when they graduate elementary school or we would have no room on the tree.

Savannah's ornaments

Carsten's Ornaments

Alex's Ornaments

Mark and I have got quite the collection

With Christmas music playing, we got to decorating...

Special ornament from a fellow Baby Center Board February 2005 Mom

All done...

I always try to get pictures while we decorate the tree and this year I tried to redo 2 pictures from when the kids were little. Wow, they have grown so much!

An early Christmas present from Kim...Coolest wreath ever :)

Mark with his K-CUP advent calendar...a different coffee each day

I saved the PRC Choir Concert for last. We really enjoyed the music that the kids presented and are so thankful that they are able to attend this Christian school.

And if you have the time...feel free to listen to some of the songs they sang...

WEEK 47 ~ NOVEMBER 19-25, 2015

The week was full of babysitting, parent teacher interviews, delivering the Elgin County Market, class trips, YPS events, Valleyview Bazaar, volleyball workshop and practices, basketball practices, bible study, parent partnership meetings, and the list goes on...but it is a comfort to know that my lifeguard walks on water...

Sometimes when I'm weary of the after school routine, I treat the kids to doughnuts or something. Of course it doesn't always end up easy...what do you do when Tim Hortons only has one sprinkle doughnut?? You have a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament to determine who gets it...

School Pictures 2015-16

Alex - Grade 10

Carsten - Grade 9

Savannah - Grade 5

It was another rough week but also a week filled with good. I longed for some time with my family to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and the fear of disappointing people in the choices I made. I really wanted to go to the Women's Retreat our Ladies Society had been planning but I unfortunately had to let something go as there were 4 things scheduled for that Saturday. We ended up going to Chatham as there was much to celebrate and embrace, as well as enjoy some downtime with family.

Uncle Paul married Victoria

We went out for supper with my siblings

Sleepover at Brian and Jenny's

Waking to receive a Bexx hug...usually I get pictures from my sister with Bexx but I got to send her one Sunday morning :D

The girls were nice and quiet in the morning ;)

The girls teaching me fun answers from Siri

I miss having Sunday Supper at my parent's house and it was so good to have everyone there and a couple extras to just catch up on each other's lives.

Uncle Paul's first selfie

Mom and Aunt Laurina

WEEK 46 ~ NOVEMBER 12-18, 2015

Often my blog is full of fun things we do and sometimes my blog sits for awhile because I don't know what to share and not share. I don't want it to look like our life is always upbeat and full of fun, bustling here and there...because that's not always how it is. Sometimes it takes everything in me to muster the strength and energy to get out of bed and keep up with all the duties and commitments of life. I was struggling...that was so hard to admit and even harder to write down. I tried to focus on Psalm 61:2 and how big God is and to go to Him, especially when the waves of life billow around, threatening to swallow me up.

So thankful Logan is feeling much better and the remainder of his home equipment has come so he is being discharged! I love this little guy and pray that God will keep him and all who care for him in His tender care.

I reflected on the terrorist attacks that happened in Paris, France this week and it caused me to grieve the monstrous evil within this world...I just don't understand how people have such hatred that they will plan such horrible attacks on unsuspecting people. You expect deaths in war but to expect to die going to a soccer game or going out to a restaurant...it doesn't really enter your mind. It is equally sad that the media chooses which attacks to cover and which to sweep aside...Paris and Beirut (https://mic.com/articles/128551/terrorist-suicide-bombing-attack-on-beirut-lebanon-kills-43-and-injures-hundreds#.N49M85teD) May God have mercy on us.