My cousin Veronika has a great idea for us – that we have an exorcism done on the van (can you tell she was raised Catholic?). Of course this is a lead in on a whole new van saga… at least this time it is down to a tire issue. Ken was back at the old place to finish up there and started back early last night. He got out of town and blew a tire. The worst of it was that without a cellphone he had to sit there for AGES until someone kindly stopped and let him use theirs to call AMA. Then he had to wait around an hour for a tow. Luckily they had just enough time to get him to a smaller gas station/mechanics before the late night mechanic left at 10 pm. Rim damage had him grounded in the city overnight.

We were up early as apparently “please play quietly in Trinity’s room for a bit so Mommy and Echo can sleep a little longer” means go into the kitchen in front of the stairs and have a screaming fight and then drop something on the floor. So we accelerated our way through breakfast with Gavin my willing helper to feed Echo. And then right into schoolwork… MATH.

Math time

I figured if we busted through the bit we wanted to do we could work out the grumpies AFTER that. We read our chapter in our book amongst the chaos that is my bedroom and then the usual pictures.

Relatively simple drawings today for our short chapter

I have to say two full days without Ken but having all 5 kids – not fun. I have really missed him. The kids have too, they are very used to being able to see Daddy whenever they want. Of course it was not all sunshine and roses for Ken either. The rim damage had him stuck in the city until late afternoon – way past when he wanted to come home, and of course the added expense no matter how big or small is never something welcome. We are a strange pair… we ALWAYS do better TOGETHER…

Tomorrow marks my 32nd birthday! Nothing extravagant planned but I am happy to celebrate. Tonight I got some time out of the house with Kristen and her friend Kim. We went out to the newest scrapbooking store in town and I bought a couple pieces of paper to use on a page for Echo or Trinity. And then to the local ice cream parlour (only open through the spring/summer season). After 2 days home alone with the kids it was a welcome outing. And the opportunity to meet someone new!

New paper!

I think I have finally collected all the maternity clothing containers I have, so after my  birthday I am going to spend some time sorting through to list. I am still waiting back on a woman interested in some spare cross stitch items I am willing to part with and another on some scrapbook items. The box of past costumes has been found and a box of toys I am sure we don’t need. My hope is to liquidate all of this stuff and give myself the spare cash to offset the expense of a bigger pool for the kids AND the make-up I need for the August wedding. So in anyone in my area is interested please let me know!! I need the space!

Echo in Trinity's first Christmas dress! I love the Scotty dogs.

Was everyone ELSE aware that Alberta had a rainy season? Because it is REALLY starting (ok it DOES) to feel like we do. I have it on good authority that other provinces and some states are having the same weather. So much flooding, even back where we used to live. This is something the kids are VERY unimpressed with. Last night it was a lightning storm with thunder to boot. Thankfully the kids slept through it. Ken loves this weather – says it reminds him of living in Minnesota… the rest of us not so much.

POURING rain

We got a call today… our genetic appointment is MADE! Apparently the bloodwork we did back beginning June was NOT including genetic. They have gotten nothing from those tests. Instead we head back to the city on the 22nd of August and do the bloodwork AND appointment at the same time? Odd. And this is where I got the chuckle – they are SENDING me a confirmation sheet with the information AND the directions to their office… ummm through the post?? Seriously? So if I don’t get the paper by July I plan on calling for a resend. But this is a good thing, we have progression… and then we go from there (and she will be one by then too!!!).

Bitty baby

Today has been an odd middle of the week for us, no Ken (he was out of the house before 4:30 to drive Karyn to the airport and then on to the old place), SUNSHINE and a boatload of tidying still to be done. So I made the executive decision to cut the homeschooling down to nothing. BUT when Echo woke up this morning I DID find the box with my slate in it! AND the lunch bucket.

Slate and pencil

Lunch bucket

Gavin was especially enamoured and chose to play with it over going outside in the morning after breakfast.

Gavin and his drawing

We actually had substantial sunshine  today, but the kids were not overly thrilled with the idea of playing outside. I think we are all a little burned out with all the change and upset. We are still trying to find our normal again, it is coming but definitely not a quick thing. I think we REALLY need to put up curtains… I know it would help with naptime immensely.

Posing outside

I am pretty sure we have a birthday party date for our littlest Reinsch-Johnson – August 14th (the Sunday). Grandma works on the Saturday… So now I have to get the word out and see if we have enough people who CAN make it. I already have a good idea how I want to decorate (purple and black in honour of being born on Friday the 13th) and her outfit – a tulle dress I plan on making myself. So mark your calendars local peoples!

Play Doh is a life saver I say. The kids wanted to make something at the “big table” while Zander worked on computer fun. Small doses of outside time interspersed.

At the big table

Computer fun

I am just itching to be DONE with the unpacking at this point. I wish I could just go go go and be done… or at the very least done the public areas. Too bad that means I need to get to the closet we can only access in our bedroom. I am at a loss as to what to do with our sub woofer and speakers, still working and Ken brought those up with him over 11 years ago but not hooked up in ages. I have sorted out most of the toys into the family room closet, not the neatest job but at least they are together. The next step is to remove those storage direct items (and the speakers of course). The end is in sight!

It has been a long day all round. I have to say I am glad to see the evening and have a bit of a break from how busy it is with so many kids running wild. Well slightly tame but running all the same. My birthday is on Friday so I am hoping to get to the end of the week with at least a small smile on my face… it is not every day you turn 32!

BAGEL

Well with Ken working from home I have found that we have an odd sort of a-typical rhythm… every few days I get ready to go to bed just in time for Ken to announce HE needs a nap before he pulls a long night. That means 35min – an hour of late night time freed up before I head into bed which inevitably wakes up the baby (aka her cue to nurse). So tonight… a combination – tidying, watching of anime (Soul Eater… undecided on this one as to whether or not I like it… definitely a more mature listing) AND the basement. BUT last night – SUCCESS… I found a little floor! Ok so I covered another portion in stacks of boxes BUT floor… FLOOR! Of course there is still the futon frame to move (totally NOT my job) and some minor rearranging to go on in the completed corner but I have emptied all boxes from that area.

My cleared corner!

Annnnnd where some of the stuff went

I get my best work done when I am more than ready for bedtime. Yesterday the bulk of my time was spent with the schooling, and then meals and then just general upstairs upkeep. The kids are still a little bored and VERY mommy focused… everyone wants a major chunk of my time right now. And even when I give them time it is not enough. I think the combination of rain (like we are about ready to build and ark) and Ken having to work extra time on tricky bugs. They just don’t understand how hard he works sometimes, though they brag about it to people – and have started to believe that anything beyond games is one of us working VERY hard. So apparently BLOGGING is a difficult job and VERY important! Smart kids?

Basically what I have done is cleared the DVD/electronic games corner and sorted MOST of my craft stuff into a pile on and around MY desk (YUP I get my own DESK instead of having to temporarily use the table from time to time – speaking of which I found the pieces for that the night before last! ME! Woot!). I would LOVE to get the closet in the main area emptied out and then filled to the brim with ALL toys so I can slowly sort those out but still have room in the main area for play, tv AND the futon. Can you tell I am MOSTLY enjoying this? I am definitely an organizer at heart.

We brought out the Canada map puzzle again, the best way to continue working on the concepts of country, province and city. Echo decided to help us out by pointing out Quebec… or covering it, either way she was VERY determined to check it out.

Quebec!!!

We have continued our chapter story. More fun at summer camp. The boys are quite happy to sit and listen to the chapter though Zander has been less than enthusiastic with the picture that follows.

Completed pages

Today was a busy cooking day for yours truly. With Ken’s help I made up a triple batch of our baked beans in the slow cooker. Using bbq sauce instead of ketchup of course. The kids are overjoyed with the idea of beans for lunch tomorrow…

Cooking away

It was a play doh afternoon… We set up in front of the big window in the homeschooling area. Emanuel and Zander eventually lost interest BUT Gavin spent his time recreating some of the foods you find on recipe cards that came with the set Emanuel got for Christmas a year or  two back. It amazes me how much time he is willing to put towards an artistic project.

PlayDoh with Fat Sheep overseeing

A whole meal

Ken took THREE of the kids on a walk in the evening after dinner (Zander opted to stay home and watch the CareBears movie on Netfliks and Echo and I were hanging out with Karyn and Lauralee who stopped by to collect Fat Sheep for adventures elsewhere). Just up and down the street but the kids were all for it and the weather was kind enough to agree.

On a walk

Kristen and Fydo came over with game in hand (Ticket to Ride). The beginning of a new tradition – gaming nights! It has been quite some time since we have had a regular boardgame time. New traditions to replace the old.

Boardgames!

So some visitors (Mike stopped by too briefly), some more time spent on Canada (we even listened to the national anthem off the government site that then screwed up the netbook and had me calling Ken upstairs for help), some cooking and as you can see on the above picture – THE TABLE IS BUILT!!! Tomorrow Ken drives Karyn to the airport for her library conference in New Orleans and then heads back to the old place to finish up. A bit of a long day for yours truly to look forward to with the boys being so stubborn.

Practicing her standing skills!