I am holding out hope that Saturday really WILL be a sunny day. My brother and his family lives in an apartment for the time being (well the rest of the month) so the plan is an outside pizza party. I have already run through my packing list for the day trip… playpen, bug lotion, sunscreen, changes of clothes, diapers… the list goes on and just for ONE day. The kids are VERY excited, we have even written it into our calendar with a nice capital “J”.

Just a few days away

The motivation to work today has not been overly epic. Though both of the twins have WILLINGLY worked on their various reading/sight word exercises. Their guessing has decreased though I have taken to covering pictures on pages for some assignments. When they DON’T guess they are finally starting to learn the rules of sounds and letters and letter orders. We lucked out and were given a couple workbooks from the Starfall website. Zander is doing the level 1 and Gavin the level 2. The difference in the two books is not huge but it seems to suit each boy right now.

Reading skills

Further progress has been made on the “other” gift. Gavin especially loves a good ongoing craft project. I am giving them until Thursday night. Then on Friday we will make the cover. I hope I am instilling a true understanding in the uniqueness and love put into a hand crafted gift. I know that I love nothing more than to receive something made by a friend or family member. I just hope those that receive things from this family feel the same!

Speaking of gifts… today we received a special piece of mail! I entered a contest on Facebook and won two headbands for Echo! This is a lady I definitely am getting to make Echo a winter hat closer to fall! They are so lovely. Check out her stuff HERE. I think I will also include her on my side links as well. Great quality and if you look through the photos – beyond cute!!!

So pretty!! I hope to put one on Echo tomorrow

Little good things HAVE been happening since our move here. It has been uplifting for the mind and spirit and managed to make us feel more and more at home. The kids have moved into a good routine… they have more freedom here… I have a nice school area coupled with their very own desk and computer space. Of course all I have on there right now is Starfall but I have left that in Ken’s hands. We are being very conservative with how many games and sites they are able to access… mainly to reinforce the need to NOT spend their lives on the computer, no matter how tempting!

Computer time

Tonight I started work on Echo’s birthday dress. It is a no sew project of course (well except to make the elastic loop), using tulle. I am sure I have mentioned it before. Anyway, because she was born on Friday the 13th we are taking the spooky theme and using the colours purple and black… a nice step away from the pinks Trinity always asks for.

In preparation of our Saturday party we ran out to the nearby mall for a bit of shopping. Ken spoiled me with soft pretzels and each of the kids got something from Dollarama. That is something I love about Dollarama, you get to see what each of the children actually likes… Zander got a game, Gavin a package of dice, Trinity Disney princess stickers, and Emanuel a bathtub frog that lights up! I settled for a spoon dish for on the stove. I still need to find two soap dishes…

Emanuel's frog

Noms

The countdown has started to get us to the end of the week and then some for me too… with cousins over on Friday I want to at least have the place manageable by then (not that I can pull the wool over their eyes by any means… clean yes, clutter free… never) as well as Saturday not being home. I hate to leave on a day trip and come back to a messy house. OH and Karyn is home soon! From Alaska no less! Time to get back to unpacking… card making and whatever else I can busy myself up with.

Echo and her last new shirt

It seems the sun has decided we don’t need to see very much of it lately. Everything outside is damp and dreary… and BUGGY. So we spent the bulk of today inside working on drawings and schoolwork. However, for those of you familiar with slurpees and 7-11 I am sure you have a good idea where we went today – July 7, 2011 (aka 7-11-11). You got it… it was 7-11 day! Which means tiny free slurpees for all. Each of the kids got to choose their own flavour. Yours truly brought her large cup of course (a tiny slurpee is just not that fulfilling).

Slurpees for all

Itty bitty

Taste testing

When we got back and finished the slurpees each of the boys drew a picture and wrote a little paragraph about what they learned and did. Everyone had a different type of slurpee so sips of each were more than willingly shared and already they are asking when we can go again! It is unusual for us to get them each their own. Usually we get a larger refillable cup and then put it in smaller cups for each of them when we get home. 

Slurpee project

They all have started work on a birthday present as well. Jimmie’s is not the only birthday this week! I figure if we are stuck inside we should be creative as well.

We have been hard at work at our words AND our math… no chapter today but plans for tomorrow. I also managed to decrease my cross stitch stash today. I sold some of my odd pieces of fabric that I am VERY sure I won’t be using. NOW I can fix my iTouch… well have Ken buy the piece and have HIM fix it. So one technological crisis solved (once the part gets here). It feels good to be the one to accomplish it!! And she is interested if I have further supplies I can part with. With the decrease of what I DON’T need then I can get new things I want! So added bonus! Now to tackle the camera problem.

I am still at the planning stage on a card I need to make, it has been ages since I have made one. So far it is a stack of coloured paper and some stamps. Definitely lacking some focus.

Supplies

Focus, hmmm I remember having that once upon a time! Tonight I think I will try and regain mine…

In her new tshirt and shoes!

I honestly find the last of the boxes to be the worst part of unpacking. Book without enough shelves, outgrown clothes without a future home, clothes for Echo to grow into without a place to stow quite yet… oh and Ken’s stuff. I am MUCH more motivated than he is! Everything has to be stowed away and sorted to the best of our space and abilities before Friday… that is my goal.

I am hoping to in turn get the kids’ toys out of the tv room closet, at least a box or two, and let the kids have some more freedom with them. We aren’t quite to having the Legos out in the basement or the train set but it is imminent. If they can have some toys and myself my crafting space I think we will ALL be happier on the next rainy day (there are ever so many this summer… it is insane).

Last night when Ken made a late run to the grocery store he also picked up a tension rod for the upstairs bathtub and our ducky shower. Another item off the list! Now if we could just figure out the curtains. There was no brackets to go with the rods in the house… a bit of a difficulty.

He also bought us some popcorn. We are a microwave free household since the move (the one we had at the old place was dying slowly and loudly). I honestly have not missed it too much, just with the warming of babyfood and well, popcorn. It has been AGES since I have had popcorn cooked that way. It was fun though. 

At the stove

Perfectly popped

I do believe Ken was trying to poison me today – he suggested I try a can of Pepsi lime he bought last night… EWWW, he LOVES the stuff. I felt like it was lime overload. BLECK. 

BLECK

Today’s big excitement was in the form of a  before dinner/after nap walk with Ken. The 4 bigger kids went out with him while Echo and I got a nice start going through the clothing in our room. I am hoping to finish her clothing tomorrow but today I tried on basically ALL my pants and was brutally honest with myself. I have a nice pile to donate and even a decent number left to wear (and 2 to get back into better shape for… maybe.

Apparently they got in a short way before they realized it was run through with mosquitoes!!!

The most interesting thing of the whole walk

I joined an yahoo egroup for making hair bows etc. I am hoping to find some new ideas to make for friends and family. I think I need to get myself a salon clip! Since we need to make a Dollarama run this week anyway (a short list of necessities I do NOT want to spend a ton on) I hope to find one there. Anyway, I have a card to make, stuff to sort and of course anime  to watch. Hopefully we will have LOTS to share tomorrow when we get back to schooling and preparing for the birthday party next Saturday!

In her new dress and one of her new longsleeved onesies!