Why is that number important you may ask… well today was a good day for our little family! As we had run out of fruit and most of our veggies and the new eflyer was here from H&W we headed over there… and for $17.29 (see told you it was important) we got all of this:

$17.29 Worth of Fruits and Veg!

That’s right this whole pile of FRESH food was under $20.00! Ken walked out of the store bags in hand AND smiling! And the world kept on turning… crazy that! Tomorrow I have plans – for lunch I am making the family pita pizzas using those lovely pitas we picked up today, a can of tomatoe paste we accidentally bought that was supposed to be SAUCE, ham slices and some cheese. Talk about YUMMY! The kids are excited as I plan on letting them help as well! Just don’t ask me about supper – I haven’t figured that one out yet!

So the excitment of the produce store (where farmers send their fruit and veggies of course) spilled over to trying out another new store – Giant Tiger. Looks like a dollar store from the outside really but had a nice grocery section where we were able to pick up ramen noodles (4 for a dollar) as well as replenish the powdered ice tea supply that crazily enough the boys like as much as I do! Of course there was some asking for things – lots of silly items and toys and stuff there as well but I managed to have all 3 boys come out of there without crying and whining! How did I do that – MAGIC – ok ok – the strawberries you see in the above picture really come in handy! As does promising grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch along with big glasses of milk! Go figure!

After lunch I managed to make a nice difference in the mess we call a garage and sort most everything into piles – the boxes to be compacted into garbage, the stuff to go to mom for her to give away AND the rest I SHOULD really find a home for INSIDE. (that will come in time…) The owners of the house are coming by next week – the wife has still not seen the newer carpet in the basement and they want to take some more of their stuff our of the garage so I definitely want to make sure they have clear access to it!

Supper was spaghetti – such a favourite but such a mess! So the boys had to have their post spaghetti apocolypse bath… at least they have gotten better – at this point MOST gets on THEM and NOT the floor or chairs or even the table (how they manage it I am not sure but it has meant that spaghetti is STILL a nekid kid affair – ok underwear or pull up only). After which we headed back the the Legislature to meet Chris and Chris at little after 7pm.

Splish Splash

A little cooler than last time but still GREAT fun. Like last time we started in the smaller pool with the waterfalls bowls in tow of course. We then went over to the deeper pool where we all got nice and wet. I tried Trinity in the boys’ old floaty but she was having NOTHING to do with it! Tons of tears and a face plant later we gave up on that one. Maybe next time when it is warmer.

So NOT Impressed... Next Time Maybe?

Chris and Chris came bearing ice tea and lemonade so the boys were more than happy with the entire situation… of course the fact that they were each promised a strawberry when we got home helped too! I am hoping I can convince Ken to head back there a second time this week… maybe with more friends in tow?

Aunty Chris, Emanuel, Gavin and Zander

I have been working on a pattern Ken designed for me for my sister in law Holly. The part I am working on right now is a bat symbol that I chose to do in her favourite colour purple. I have had these Light Effects threads from DMC for ages that Ken’s mom had gotten me for Christmas one year so am doing it in those. I think the colour number is E155… I plan on doing the saying in black (310) and it is all on a piece of 14 ct aida cloth – white. It has been slow going as to preserve the thread I am using Thread Heaven to keep it from fraying and doing the one strand knotted onto the needle. I hope to get through the bat by tomorrow night and then on to the saying (which I am not yet going to divulge!)… I plan on posting the pattern on the site along with one I made my cousin (Chemist) so keep an eye peeled.

A More... Feminine Rendition of the Bat Symbol!

So all in all a good day… no mini miracle yet but lots of moments of sweetness… and that is worth it in and of itself!

The Whole Family! Emanuel, Gavin and Zander Front Row.

You know it was a hot weekend when you start thinking about wishing it would SNOW… but the truth is it is a heck of a lot easier to WARM UP than to COOL DOWN! With the temperature hitting the 30’s (celcius) it was hard enough to stay motivated let alone active.

Friday was a warm day to begin with. I had to limit the kids’ time outside and spent most of our day with them in the basement and us upstairs in front of the fan. Even then it was far from cool and comfortable.

Daddy and His Little Girl

Sharing a Giggle

We moved the pool to under the tree so at least the time the boys were allowed out was spennt in the shade. And of course a nice cool and LONG bath after for all 3. Trinity as has become somewhat of a routine ended up in her baby bath in the livingroom… something she has come to expect and REALLY enjoy! Though this time we had to dump out and refill after an “accident” in the bath…

Beating the Heat!

Chris and Chris stopped by with all the fixings for dinner the next day… including condiments (so smart since we are low on those) and DEER burgers! Homemade of course! Something I have never had before. So we also got in a little visit, adult company is ALWAYS nice. Especially with people who share Ken’s sense of humour (that can be FEW and FAR between!)

Saturday Ken slipped out of the house before Trinity and myself had awoken leaving the boys watching a cartoon. With the day projected to be blisteringly hot I sent the boys out straight after breakfast (and my bath) to play in the backyard taking Trinity with to pick raspberries and enjoy what little shade there was. After lunch when the heat REALLY hit we all went down to the basement (bliss) where we all pitched in – some to a greater degree (ie. ME) and cleaned the basement… well the toy room and bonus quiet room. It took over an hour and a nice lecture about how things will have to GO BACK to where they were EVERY TIME or toys may just start disappearing! We shall see how long it lasts… to date they have been beyond excellent with putting their toys back in order with minimum fuss. Trinity found some baby dolls to play with that for some reason wouldn’t do exactly what she thought they should so she spent most of HER time yelling at them! It was quite entertaining and she still seemed to be having fun so we left her to it.

BEFORE the Clean

AFTER the Clean (Gavin in blue)

All of that added to my earlier work on the livingroom and the kitchen (clean counter tops and stove and everything!) and I felt quite accomplished! On the other hand; Chris, Chris, Ken and Chris (female)’ daughter Amanda and her boyfriend Sheldon (who is Scottish) were hard at work moving. They actually had to stop mid afternoon just because it was so hot and leave the rest to go back to on Sunday.

So around 3pm everyone showed up here at the house with beer and tired people. After a bit of gaming on the Xbox 360 (thank goodness Chris and Chris had 2 extra controllers we only have one) Chris (male) set to work making the deer burgers… which apparently have to be mixed with regular hamburger as there is so little fat and alone they don’t stay together! We also had chips and dip and watched Hogfather the movie. Rested, drank beer and visited. Talk about fun!

Chris and Ken Dishing Up

DEER Burgers!

So I have tried Deer! Add that to my trying of Sushi and I am feeling quite experimental! We have made plans with Nathan and Ada to go to the Heritage Festival next weekend where there will be food from all over the world as Ken has told me he will “make it happen.” We have been so tight with our budget I have basically not done ANYTHING that cost extra this month (besides parking at City Hall) so I feel this treat would be well worth it – 10.00 for the bus both ways and then 25.00 for 30 food tickets… of course bring snacks as some items are more than one ticket. But fun! And with a fun couple too! AND my first  tine on a bus! ANYWAY…

Saturday night did NOT cool down so the boys asked to sleep in the basement and actually were VERY good about it! All 3 of them down in the quiet room on the futon though Gavin came up late in the night saying it was not soft enough (it IS a very thin mattress) and slept the rest of the night in his room. Emanuel thought it was the most AMAZING treat! And they only came up 4 times to say good night lol.

Sleeping in the Basement (Gavin in blue)

Ken, Trinity and I on the other hand were up way past our bed time. It was creeping up on midnight before Trinity went to sleep as we did not want her laying in the room screaming in the heat. Myself I PLANNED on going to bed before midnight but was up until near 2 am just waiting for it to cool down. Luckily Ada and Nathan were also online so there was someone to talk to. Though the lucky ducks had their balcony to go onto that eventually had cooled down a bit. Finally at about 4 am when Ken went to bed (figures) there was a rather major storm. I remember hearing wind and for some reason jumping almost a foot when Ken went to bed but missed the whole thing! And of course all the cool weather THAT brought in was gone by lunch time today!

Sunday dawned relatively cool. Ken didn’t have to head over until 9 as Chris found a flat on their truck last night (darn you Murphy!) and was the first one to their old place. It took them a little longer than expected to get the move done as the cable man showed up to hook up their internet and all but it all got finished.  lucked out – I made the boys scrambled eggs with cheese and ham and then trucked everyone outside. I got a nice sized bowl of raspberries this morning and another this evening. Half are in the freezer. The boys got in some play time and then played in the basement before lunch  (more deer burgers)… Nathan and Ada came by in the afternoon so I even had some adult company! And then when Chris, Chris and Ken got home everyone had burgers and more visiting. I think I have gotten more adult company this weekend than in the whole month and it has ROCKED!

The boys had time in the pool, freezies, and spent hours downstairs without major fighting. Although as soon as I called my mom to say happy birthday Emanuel bit Zander andGavin started arguing with them – figures – phone is like a magic switch for my kids to go BONKERS! Ken and I have decided we will take the family to a family gathering for my mom’s Morse side. They have yet to meet Trinity and the last time we were at a family get together was when my grandma died. Sadly this means going to my cousin’s wedding on my dad’s side may not be possible (though it was dicey to begin with – they are over 3 hrs away where as this is only an hour) BUT we DID see them at Christmas… I hate to miss a Reinsch gathering but what can you do? Gas is pricey and budget SUPER tight… I am hoping on a mini miracle on Monday which would allow us BOTH trips but am not getting too optimistic. If nothing else I am already working on a wedding sampler pattern… he suggested leather and skulls, the colours are teal and chocolate brown… I am thinking maybe go a little gothic style (not GOTH but gothic… period style) and sneak in a skull but do it in those two rich colours with a more feminine alphabet… I just need to source it all out! This is a rather special date for my mom as it is a memorial for her aunt who passed away last year AND a celebration of the family owning the same piece of farm land for 100 yrs!!! Amazing huh?

Right now all 3 boys are bunked down in the basement – this time with an air mattress on top for extra “soft” to keep Gavin happy. I figure as long as they are good and it is hot what a treat right?

Our plans for tomorrow aren’t too shabby either – we need to go back to the H & W… there is a sale on grapes, carrots, peaches, etc… drop off some library books sometime that day, pick raspberries, talk about farmers and play outside. And… if I can keep Ken motivated and the weather stays hot – back to the Leg this time EVERYONE in bathingsuits and Trinity in the floaty thing we bought way back when to SIT in the bigger fountain – BLISS! So stuff to look forward to to be sure!

Of course we are still hoping on forward movement with all of our stresses right now.. as well as some sort of response from our MP on our government problem (boo). So who knows Monday could be a really good day or…. more of the same? Lets shoot for really good and if my calls don’t come through I will MAKE it good!

Backyard Berries

After all who can be blue when there are so many yummy raspberries around? Oh… Best line of the weekend – Trinity was standing in front of the tv blocking the boys’ view… Zander stood up with a toy for her – a cup with a suction cupped ball stuck in it: “Trinity ball… stuck in a cuppy…” and the moment she took it “…now go away…” all in the same sing song tone lol!!!

Our days just seem to be slipping away this week! Ken was SURE it was Wednesday this day… seriously argued with me for a moment even! Today was lawn care day (as much as we do)… Ken drug out of “green” lawnmower we bought last year – a really nice push mower and got to work on the front while I settled the boys out there as well with their chalk.

Ken Actually MOWING!

For some reason right now Emanuel refuses to draw anything for himself… he just wants everyone to do FOR him so I have had to lay down the law and tell the twins NOT to draw things for him and deal with the temper tantrums. I am really hoping this is just a short phase! This kept everyone occupied for a nice chunk of the morning before we headed to the back yard to dump out the pool (you would have thought it was the end of the world!) and work on mowing the back. My new morning routine has me checking our raspberry bushes for berries and Ken was kind enough to hack back some of the weeds that have snuck up on our poor bushes. Thankfully most of the lawn was done before it got too hot – Ken will have to go back and finish tomorrow morning so we all felt quite accomplished!

As today is Thursday we spent a nice chunk of our afternoon out at a homeschool park day… HLSA… with the boys all running wild on the park equipment and over where they have water spraying out like fountains on a piece of cement. Trinity spent her time watching a little 4 month old baby and snacking on her apples and bread. We spent some time talking about Ken wanting to teach programming to homeschooling kids and have some more ideas of how to tackle the whole planning aspect. We are rather excited… I sent out an email to my homeschool yahoo groups and already had 3 families state interest. One has already given me permission to send her email address along to Ken and he is going see what their child is interested in and try and figure out how best to deal with the teaching.

The afternoon got hot hot hot so I sent the boys to the basement and had Trinity take a second nap. Thank goodness for the giant tin of dominoes we picked up at Target in Minnesota! Keeps them busy for hours as long as they don’t start fighting over them.

Tonight is Ken’s guy’s night so I am on my own… D & D and Magic and Xbox 360… it makes him happy!

Summer Green

So another busy day… if it keeps getting hotter like it is projected I think we will just live in the basement for the next 3 days! Here’s to a quiet weekend!!!