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January 2018… YES 2018! Woot!

One step WAY closer to current. Time to glance back at how we started this year. Now over midway through the memories are actually a little faint, so this will be a fun reflection back for myself as well!!

Let’s see less to share in January… Snow! Yup, honest to goodness white fluffy stuff. Which became white structures.20180109_145007

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We made a trip to the Science Museum (with out large family the pass is awesome!).

There was a hands on cardboard exhibit.

There was a hands on cardboard exhibit.

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Amazing beaded dresses display too.

Amazing beaded dresses display too.

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Karate, of course!20180125_185448

Equally of course – the YMCA for workouts, swimming and all that jazz.20180115_195824

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CHINCHILLA!!! Cuz you must embrace the fluff! Or at least look at my copious amounts of pictures of our Fluffy Overlord.20180127_201938

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More crochet… and crafts20180114_210205

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We did homeschool stuff, like look at snowflakes on black card stock and get to work on our Chinese New Year learning.20180111_141105_HDR

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Ken and I saw interesting things.20180112_193224

I wish I had gotten a better picture of the sign. It said Floods, earthquakes and hurricanes.

I wish I had gotten a better picture of the sign. It said Floods, earthquakes and hurricanes.

And we even went out for ice cream.20180118_194408

Acolyting continued.IMG_20180121_083257_762

And sermon notes

And sermon notes

And life was, apparently good. Well according to the images I saw off my camera roll. If nothing else, the memories that these images popped up were great which to me is the most important part. And that was January!20180119_130523

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Sick napping Trinity

Sick napping Trinity

Now Onto November

Onto November and possibly getting my blog up to date before November of 2018 comes around… maybe? Summer gets so busy for us and I have let it snowball a bit. So enjoy the post and the look back at way cooler temperatures. A head’s up… December is already up and posted along with seasonal links HERE.

Ken spoiled me with a new tea mug!

Ken spoiled me with a new tea mug!

Anyway, November… the month of chinchilla and workout pictures… wait that is much of my life the past year. I do love the Fluffy Overlord and working out has become second nature with me now.20171103_094635

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Talking about chinchillas, November marks Neko-chan turning 1 year old!!! check out that post HERE

Emanuel went through a bit of an image change with a fancy new hair cut.IMG_20171126_211130_690

As did Echo. We have some rather spiffy looking kids!20171118_170129

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The 3 younger kids went to Home Depot for the craft and even convinced Dad that PAINT should be involved.20171125_101844

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I crocheted up a storm and we blocked this year’s special mom and grandma gifts… shawls! Plus matching hats for all 3 of us girls.

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The kids dressed up in their finery for Santa. We went with the Schwartz family to their mall Santa of choice since our traditional one no longer exists after a store closing.  You can read all about that HERE.20171121_170642

I found winter boots in the children’s section of Target – something that made Ken laugh and entertained him and a few other people for days!20171117_205212

We had dinner with our wee niece Maevowyn… and her parents too, but we all know who the star of the show was!!!

I may be biased.. . but that face just makes me melt.

I may be biased.. . but that face just makes me melt.

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Echo LOVES her cousin

Echo LOVES her cousin

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With Mom, and Dad photo bombing in the back

With Mom, and Dad photo bombing in the back

I also got in some quality kitty time, and pictures.

Silly Snoopy

Silly Snoopy

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We had school time.20171107_102159

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Themed crafting continued.

A whole set of Halloween themed cupcakes that were out past the date.

A whole set of Halloween themed cupcakes that were out past the date.

Gavin made all of our cards this year.

Gavin made all of our cards this year.

Christmas Art

Christmas Art

A Christmas mouse

A Christmas mouse

Gavin the solemn crafter

Gavin the solemn crafter

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Christmas mug cozy

Christmas mug cozy

Really all the babies babies were seen.20171105_153752

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A poppy was worn, sent straight from Canada for Remembrance Day.20171103_184608

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And I photographed my chinchilla from pretty well ALL possible angles…20171105_225259

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All the junk in that glorious trunk!

All the junk in that glorious trunk!

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Close up with lighting!

Close up with lighting!

Yup that was November in a quick scan through images… hope you enjoyed!20171102_201658

We baked!

We baked!

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Whole family!

Whole family!

Christmas Etc In Brief and Delayed

So much went on over our Christmas unit but I have to share a few resources…

Snowflakes are all sorts of awesome. So we had to look into them a little. For books we used:

  • The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino
  • Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
  • My Brother Loved Snowflakes by Mary Bahr
  • Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan and Steven Kellogg
  • Snowfllakes by Martha E.H. Rustad

For Christmas this year we went from nursery rhymes to Christmas carols. Origins and meanings are so interesting! To help us out I found two books:

  • The Carols of Christmas by Ideals Publications
  • Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas by Ace Collins

We read a few favorites… The Gingerbread Man, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, A Porcupine in a Pine Tree (a Canadian 12 days of Christmas), Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The list goes on. 

What I really wanted to share was the idea of finding out a little history about the things we say and sing. Delving into the history of Christmas Carols made us stop and think about how long they had been around, why they appeared, how symbolism has changed. Christmas is a great time to look at the root of things, and to revisit old favourites. For more examples look at our Nursery Rhyme Posts. (a delayed one with that too, they will be linked)IMG_20171204_105716_262