Today it was Gavin’s turn to be ill… thankfully only throwing up ONCE and then being lethargic and without appetite for the rest of the day. Poor boy finally gave it up after lunch and went to have a nap.

Sleeping sicky

So it is Saturday… Ted and Sean spent the night but then Ted had to head home to his place – HE is moving this week as well!!! Sean’s folks are in town for a conference so he and Ken were able to run some errands but then he had to go spend some time with them. Which left me with the kids to brutally strip down Trinity’s room to the barest of toys… well her Hello Kitty bits and then anything that was packed in open containers like her dolly playpen.

The remaining healthy kids got to watch AMA come and tow away the van to the mechanic. They were all very excited but quite concerned as they were going to miss the van and wondered how we were going to get to the store without it… Remember the last time a vehicle went in for repairs we never got it back (frame damage). Trinity especially was upset as she loves the van and wants to ride in it.

Watching the tow man

See you soon van!

I am also the proud owner of colour toner again! So I spent much of my spare time this afternoon printing out the pieces for a short Canada lapbook – my main focus for the month of June… I figure this year Canada, next year USA for June… although I think we are celebrating both Canada Day AND Independence Day this year with Karyn gone for Canada Day. I got my Canada lapbook from CurrClick… specifically the Canada: a Mini Lapbook. I also purchased Canada Lapbook and Math Mammoth Canadian Money. The Canada Lapbook had a some interesting images and info that my original lapbook didn’t have and anything to teach about Canadian Money I am on the look out for!!!

Last night the kids were spoiled with ANOTHER video conference with Bree and Quinn! Apparently he asked to talk to Trinity, Echo and myself… and after he logged off Trinity asked for him back so she could say good night AGAIN and that she wanted to hug him and see him again soon. They are so cute visiting over the webcams!

The nerves are running slightly high right now… Ken has to go the 1 1/2 hours away tomorrow to meet the potential landlord in person… this could just be a formality or it could be them saying… oh sorry no… so he is a but nervous about the whole – drive out and maybe for nothing. The back up plan is to take some information for another place and if this first one falls through try and contact them. I was hoping to go but the van is not yet done being repaired. Seriously we don’t do things the SIMPLE and UNCOMPLICATED way.

Speaking of complications – we got word that (she) Chris was injured at work last night. She was on the night shift and had a mishap. Her right arm and thumb were jarred badly enough to be sprained but thankfully not broken. Unfortunately she is right handed (I am a lucky lefty myself) so it is hindering her keeping herself occupied… gaming is near impossible when your mouse using hand is not free.

It is becoming clear once more in my head the main reason I find these stockings so TEDIOUS! The toe and heel… I love the cross hatching and the little images in the spaces… doing the name and the date… all of that I enjoy, it is the slow and blocky toe and heel. You may not be able to tell but I HAVE been working in this thing… it IS advancing and I AM sick of purple already!

Progression I SWEAR

We had to miss our god-daugther Anna’s first birthday party today with the van out of commission. Our plan is to have another day later next month when things have settled down to take them Anna’s present. I am unable to finish it right this moment.

Happy almost Birth-Date Anna!

To make up for all of the difficulties this past week and today we got the kids a slurpee to share (one of our large refillable cups split up for them). The request was for something GREEN or PINK… the green was… interesting… I am much more fond of Pepsi myself!

SLURPEE!

Tomorrow is the boys’ final day of Sunday School – the party. They have each made a card for their teacher. It is going to be a bit of a sad event. They have REALLY enjoyed this church. I am glad we are making a big effort to make tomorrow happen. Now tonight I have to remain optimistic… plan for the best and the worst and take some time and FINISH THAT DARN TOE! So PLEASE say a prayer and cross your fingers for Ken as he meets someone who could have a place for us to move to!

Splish splash she was taking a bath...

Want to start your day off on a great note? Have something lovely come in the mail! I joined a great cross stitching/sewing chat email group a month or two ago called Christiancross_Stitch. Today we received a lovely postcard from one of the members who lives in Malaysia! The kids were so excited to see it, and on the back… a stamp that looks a bit like one of Hello Kitty’s friends – something Trinity jumped on right away!

Thanks Anne!

AND another creation by our resident artist/budding architect Gavin – a Penguin who is ALSO eating a fish (the grey piece at the beak)… seriously how does he come up with all of this? Inspired I tell you!

Penguin

From the side

Today’s chapter in our book we went over the two names we learned for different swans – cob for the male and cygnets for the babies. No matter what we do activity wise it has to end with a picture for these two lately. And they are actually BOTH taking their time!

All done

The kids are VERY bored right now… last night I made the final push to pack ALL their school stuff – but not seal the boxes, so now the couch is covered in boxes that the kids have permission to rifle through and find activities and then PUT BACK when they are done. I just want the upstairs done and packed (you don’t want to see what our closet looks like full of hanging clothing). We finally have a netbook for kids that is theirs for schooling alone! So now we are working on a way to have them do specific activities easily… as well as finding a typing program that could get them started with the keyboard recognition!

Computer time

The van is to go in early tomorrow morning for repairs. If they cannot be completed tomorrow Ken will find another way to get the boys to Sunday School for their final party and then get a ride most likely for Sean and solo it to meet our potentially new landlords. Not the plan I like but it works. I am still well into panic mode with the end of the month coming right at us and the unfinished errands heaping up.

I just want to move on literally and figuratively…

Up on her hands and knees!!!!

Our butterfly

There are days when you are reminded as to how absolutely wonderful your spouse is, today and tonight combined are one of those times. Last night I stayed up late to get some packing done, spend some time with Ken and to enjoy some of the tv I have pvred and not watched. But 2 hours after I went to bed I woke up to one of the children calling for Ken and the distinctly stomach turning noise of a child throwing up.

Apparently Emanuel was sitting on the toilet and all of a sudden threw up… all over the bathroom floor! Ken was quick to the rescue and when the same child who alerted us of the issue decided to pipe up again and wake up the baby he left me to feed, change and put her back to bed. (we were trying for a whole night sleep through and made it to 4:30 am!) Even with Ken’s iron stomach he was in need of a momentary lay down on the couch once the cleaning was done. Myself – I would have just ended up throwing up as well!

This afternoon it has become apparent that Emanuel has a tiny stomach bug, he was sick again (this time in the livingroom and again Ken leapt into action – of course I had arms full of baby!) and decided to take the afternoon for a nap and rest in his bed. Here’s hoping it is a small and quick bug, they usually are with Emanuel… he is so rarely ill.

Naptime

Combine the ill 5 yr old with a call back from Echo’s doctor and life just gets MORE exciting. Apparently her bloodwork came back with high potassium levels… now don’t get excited there is actually (almost always) an answer to this – apparently they probably squeezed her arm too tight with the tourniquet! Oh and the 2nd nurse’s hands squeezing her arm above and below. So, the solution – a redo on the bloodwork but this time at one of the local clinics on Tuesday. They will fax over the requisition… BUT this has us rushing her over on the 31st… which, if Sunday goes well, means the day BEFORE we move myself and the kids to the new rental. Can you say CRUNCH TIME? They were also able to move our appointment with our doctor to the same day as the cardiologist saving us a trip back into the city in July.

Trying a new food - 8 months jarred chicken and fruit

So we have managed to continue our trend of almost frantic activity here in the Reinsch-Johnson family. We have 3 payment orders connected to our homeschooling board for the supplies I want to pick up… BUT they have to be used before the end of the month! So now it is a mad dash to get a hold of the places and make sure they can confirm amounts and put them through in time… add to that the fact that you cannot call our board on a Friday (they use Fridays to reply to missed messages and return calls) and all of a sudden there are only two full working days left!

In our novel the little boy Sam Beaver always ends his day writing in his diary and ending with a question to think about while he falls asleep. So for today’s activity the twins each came up with a question to write out about the chapter and then illustrated it. Today’s chapter was about a fox attempting to eat our female swan! I had a little bit of explaining to do there, but they seemed to comprehend it.

Finished pages

Sean came over today to help Ken with some running about. I have to say I don’t know what we would do without the wonderful friends and family that are in our lives. With as many kids as we have it is an utter blessing to have so many other people loving them as they do. (which of course is one of our motivations for moving out of this city and  to the other – closer to some very special people in our children’s lives.)

Chris and Chris stopped by. Today was (she) Chris’ graduation. She is now a certified care aide. VERY exciting. It was nice to have a visit with them both. They are about as stressed out as we are with their hunt for a rental closer to (he) Chris’ work and the upcoming wedding. But you know, I think good things are coming our way and theirs as well… as (she) Chris says, we are due! So I have a new goal.. I am going to find some way to make a BIG good thing happen for them… save them some money, come up with something amazing to do for decorations… something.

Congratulations Chris!

I am still stitching away… you can FINALLY see the shape of the toe. I like to finish these two chunks of solid cross stitches first as they can be the most monotonous. I am loving the colour combination – total girly!

Toe

Bedtime is an all out battle right now… but I am trying to remain calm with the kids. I am just hoping that Sunday will go well and our nights of cramming all 3 boys into one room will have a stop date. I am remaining guardedly optimistic as always.

Back to butterfly baby today