Elk Lake Camping Adventure

Well, this summer we went to Elk Lake. We have been going there for many years, ever since Caitlin was born. We have built many traditions there with our family. One of them is biking to the ice cream shoppe, another is catching fish, eating fish, roasting marshmallows, swimming, making challenges, and simply having a great time enjoying what GOD has created for us. This year we are going to share the fun by telling the stories and showing the pictures. ~

Here is 115 fish. Although it does not look like much, it filled the cooler to the top! We did not make the record this camping trip, but next time we will get more serious about it. I don't exactly know what Levi is doing here. [?] He he he he, Levi got stuck in the small hole of the girl's tent, and it was the funniest thing!



This is a cool and tricky picture. It looks like he is sitting in the fire. :-)

BUBBLES! STORMS! AND THE WHOLE LAKE IS TO OUR SELVES!!!

STORM! It was the weirdest thing. It was 90 degrees then all of the sudden dark clouds sweep across the bright blue sky and start to send giant rain drops down on us that made the lake bubble. All of the other people on the bank run to their tents with all their stuff. So, there we are, swimming in the Lake while it is raining with the whole Lake to our selves!

Earlier, about the day before the storm, we had a mini tornado sweep across the very bank that we were on! It swept all of the floats along with dirt and sticks and threw them across the whole Lake! It was a very amazing experience. God had made an amazing world!

Felicity at Devil's Lake.
Devil's Lake is 5 minuets from Elk Lake
we go there about every morning to fish. It is extremely clear but also extremely cold! Not many people go down there, and now you know why! :-)

Siblings. :-)

Alainna and Levi had to do something creative while we were fishing! So they put their heads together and made a plan! They decided to play house. Levi was the father and Alainna was the mother. Alainna made Levi a pie of mud and then Levi prayed for it. Amazingly Levi attempted to taste it... lets just say he did not try that again! But hey! How do you know that is does not taste good if you have never tasted it before?!

Levi did not see it coming! I snapped this photo just as Marcus was going to drench Levi with his water bottle! ;-)

Levi having fun in the water of Elk Lake, it was the perfect temperature, not too cold and not too warm. We swim in it every year. We also made a rock tower in 7ft water. How? Well, Me, Papa, and Caitlin took rocks and walked under water with them and then dropped them quickly on the pile. We made it high enough for you to sit on it and the water went up to the waist. We did not want to go any further because then we would look like mountain goats trying to stand higher than every one else on the beach! :-)

LORD willing we will rebuild that every year for as long as we go there!

Caitlin, me, and Papa went fishing! We fish in Devil's Lake and enjoy every minute of it!

Caitlin, Felicity, Marcus, Alainna, Levi, and Jacob really enjoyed catching the little frogs out in the swamp. Lots of them were tad poles that had little legs.

This is a cool picture of the fire that I took. {Jessica} It turned out pretty neat!

The Koch version of "Tree hugger."

Levi caught 7 fish today and had a blast!

Jacob is having a blast in our mini raft. Doesn't he look SO cute? :-)

Caitlin and Papa fishing in devil's Lake.

I hope you enjoyed viewing the photo's of our great time together. Camping is something that you just can't miss!

Caitlin's paper

For the end of the year party the kids were asked to tell us the most important thing they learned. I was impressed with what Caitlin had to say and wanted to post it. She will likely be embarrassed but oh well.

Tonight my topic will be Victorianism. I will be focusing on the virtues and vices of the Victorians. Three of the main values of the Victorians were work, family and faith. The Victorians were workaholics. They could accomplish in one day what we could in a week. Their doing this complies with the word of God when it says in Exodus 34:21 “You shall work six days but on the seventh day you shall rest even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest”. And in 2 Thessalonians “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work then he is not to eat either”. The Victorians, however, did not idealize workaholicism they knew and believed that family was important, and spending time with them was important. That is why they created the weekend, so that the family could be together. Chores and allowances were also instituted so that the children helped too. Instead of having big bedrooms where family members spent most of their time, like today, the Victorians had only beds built into the walls meaning that family members spent most of their time together in the “family room”. The Victorians also had amazing faith, and traditions, as well. One important one being feminism. Women become very accomplished and started to demand their rights. Loosing site of their created purpose, that of helper, they tried to through off headship. This idea comes into conflict with what the Bible says. Titus 2:5 sums it up “Be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to your own husband, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. The Victorian era was all the best aspects of Christendom mixed up with all the worst aspects of modernity. Following Dr. Grants advice, we need to look back on the Victorians, who have shaped what we are today and learn from their wrongs so that we may set the course for the next generations.

Beach Trip 2009

It's amazing that almost 21 years ago Laurn and I met each other on this very beach. The Lord has really blessed us.

The whole Koch side of the family. Tony and Rebecca and kids Anthony Jr., Trinh, Hung. Laurn's oldest sister Tereasa's daughter Casandra. Grandma Koch, Aunt Cindy, Laurn, Leslie, Caitlin, Jessica, Felicity, Marcus, Alainna, Levi, Jacob.

This was taken at our favorite beach, Hug Point.

We left at about 6:30 am and stopped at Camp 18 for breakfast. The kids and I went through all the ash trays in our cars and through Laurn's night stand and pockets and came up with $160 in change. This was our beach spending money. Laurn's Mom and Cindy gave us a gift certificate that more than paid for our ocean front 2 bedroom with a kitchen room and also gave us 2 meals at Moe's restaurant. Thanks Mom and Cindy for the great time!

The tables are huge. I need one in my house. It's actually wide enough to have plates AND food on them at the same time. The kids had fun playing games while they were waiting for their HUGE cinnamon rolls.



This is what is called "an Aunt Cindy bite"

Grandma Koch and Alainna snuggle to keep warm.

Aunt Cindy and Marcus having a blast as usual.

Levi just loves Jacob. Jacob loves saying cheese for the camera

Jacob really enjoyed is first time playing in the sand until he licked the shovel.

Alainna enjoyed swimming in her new swimsuit

Jacob and Grandma Koch

What?

Oh, I see! Grandpa found Jacob and unlike many peoples response he thought it was cute and took some pictures. Jacob loves toilet paper. It could have been worse. He could have put it all away for us, IN THE TOILET. Thank you Jacob.

Don't the kids look excited about shopping, AGAIN?

Laurn's mom bought HIM this viking hat. I promised not to post a picture of him with it on (although we have several REALLY GOOD ones. You will have to marry into the family to see them) I knew Levi would not mind.

Me and my sweet Caitlin. I had to drag her away from taking pictures of the sunset.

Caitlin got some really great pictures and we got some really funny pictures of her doing it as well. (again I promised not to post those, you will have to marry into the family for those as well)

My parents came with us on this trip. It was fun to spend time with them.

Grandma loves the kids.

Christian Heritage Conference 2009

Christian Heritage Conference 2009

Youth choir
Caitlin and Jessica in the middle. Also, a few Sturdevant girls and Mack girls.

Caitlin and Jessica were in the choir for the first time last year. They had a great time and were really looking forward to this year. They sounded so great and you could tell while they were singing that they were having a great time.

We took the WHOLE family this year. 9 of us in 1 hotel room for 2 days. The little ones did so well. It was like being in church for 10 hours a day for 2 days. The only thing was that after each session Levi thought (like at church) it was time to go play. We lost him a few times and in a building this huge it was a little fun trying to find him. Jacob was the most difficult, he wanted to give his opinion through the speaking sessions.

The conference was very encouraging and challenging at the same time. I came away recharged but also convicted to teach more of the important things that my children MUST have to fulfill their particular callings. I also came away convicted to be more diligent in what I am already doing. I think the biggest thing that hit me is that I have a 15 year old daughter who will not be around much longer and I still have so much I want to teach her and share with her. My time is short. I must use every minute wisely to give her what she will need to become a Godly helper to her husband. May the Lord give me the strength and wisdom to guide her and ALL of the belssings he has given me.

Grandma Turns 90

Levi really enjoyed the open house for his Great Grandma's birthday. It was a continuous buffet of food and cake!

Grandma raised 3 boys and just loves the Koch boys. She says Marcus is her favorite but she loves them all.

It was an interesting time at the party. We are the only ones in our family with more than 2 kids, single income, homeschooling, and faithful church attenders.

We were staired at and ignored a little but did our best to reach out to our family and be a good example for our God.

I ran into an old teller from my bank from over a year and a half ago. I remember she and I were pregnant at the same time and she was due about 1 month before me. I talked to her ofter and was encouraging her to stay home with her baby after she was born. She would ask me questions about my family and our life and told me she and her husband were a Christian. She and her husband had been married for a year when their baby was born. Their dream was to have many children and after our talks to have her stay home and raise those children.She told me today that 1 year ago tomorrow she woke up after a nights sleep and found her husband dead. Not sure the details of why he did not weak up but he was gone.She now has a 18 month old daughter (named by her father) Faith Nevaeh (heaven) and is struggling to work and raise her. Her sister is coming up from California for her senior year in high school and is planning to home school her final year and help her take care of the daughter so she can work.This story reminds me of how much we take for granted and for how much we have to be thankful for. In talking to her she had hope for her future and assurance that God was in control and that all things are for our good and that He will take care of them.Look at your family, husband, children and be so thankful and please PRAY for my friend Tabitha. I have given her my contact information and I hope to her from her and encourage her in the future as she has encouraged me to count my MANY blessings.Blessings to you all!Leslie

Anyone want to go for a swim?

For the past 3 years we have been under construction so we have not had a pool. This year Laurn promised the kids we would get one. We found a good deal on Craigs List and Laurn said it would be about a week or two until we could put it up. The kids decided that was not going to fit into their plans for the up coming 80 degree weather so they said they would do most of the work.

THE POOL IN PIECES
THE SPOT

The sand fight begins. For a while there was more sand in the air than on the ground. They managed to get it all in its proper place eventually.

Levi did a great job helping. He is pretty strong for a little guy.

It was up that night and the kids were swimming in it. It was nice to have during our spring heat wave.

We look forward to having pool parties this summer.