May 5-10

May has marked a definite increase in our book work and math exploration. Multi tasking has become Mommy’s most helpful skill (what you can’t see in the picture below is my fingers at work on a crochet project to steady the nerves!).

Our first real focus on Texas was the Alamo. A historical look at a location that shaped so many lives and the future of the now state of Texas. I absolutely adored the book we found at the library about it (which is listed in our Texas Resource page that will be posted in the not too distant future). Trinity and Emanuel took the responsibility of illustrating what we felt were some main points from the book.

Miss Echo felt a need to bring back out the at home assembled Kaleidoscope. She is so gentle with this toy it is just lovely to listen to her explain what she is seeing.

That night we had a special visitor – COUSIN ROBBIE! He came to play games in the evening (and have dinner) but obligingly came early to play with the kids FIRST! I don’t know that there could have been a better treat for them. He is a family favourite.

We even pulled out Sorry for the kids to play with Robbie so he had a double game night!

Tuesday we started our Texas themed stories… After learning about exaggeration and touching on the saying Everything Is Bigger in Texas the story was all sorts of outrageous fun!

The boys are showing great strides in their reading… Pokemon cards have been a great incentive… after all there is A LOT of information on those cards to discover and the rule is they have to read them THEMSELVES!

The kids were just not feeling it. So we did have quite a bit of down  time. I hate how spring always seems to bring in those seasonal change colds!

Of course on Wednesday we had to take a time out to watch Daddy and Baba move the trailer in the yard. An interesting visual example on how some things turn widely!

I love how as  the bigger kids learn Echo is there soaking it in!

We snuck in another Wild Kratts. I finally had to take them all and put them in a binder… so many animals, so many amazing facts and hand drawn illustrations!

Wolves

I found a great craft on Activity Village for mother’s day = a template to make a flower where on each of the petals the kids write why they love their Mum. You can find this by searching Mother’s Day on the site (on right) and look under their designated craft section for that theme.

We finished up the day with dragging out the spring toys. So many bikes in a row!!!

It was back to worksheets and Texas learning the next day.

We also had a sheet for Mother’s Day to complete.

With a break for a magic trick – putting a pin through a balloon without popping it! (hint the trick utilizes TAPE) This was another of Emanuel’s Scout achievements.

We rounded out our week with a family trip to the mall on Saturday… Grandma and Grandpa Mike had sent Easter sandal money and we had 5 little sets of feet to cover. All of the kids except Zander got sandals. His sneakers were tight so we got him those. Amazingly we walked into Payless and walked out 15 min later (yup THAT SOON) having had our own personal shopper and a 20% off total purchase coupon.

Seriously we bought only one pair of shoes (Echo’s) that was not on sale in the first place and Zander’s Airwalks were on super clearance! There was enough left over for Mommy to treat herself to a little spending spree at H&M. Two new dresses and two new shirts and the total cost was under 40.00. (granted had to dip into my special stash of cash but a TINY dip!)

We also stopped in at Lakeshore and did the gambit of craft activities they had with Mother’s Day themes! A bit of a mad house but we managed to enjoy it and have EVERYONE involved. Even Echo got her glitter on.

Once we got home we noticed a neighbour down the road had a bunch of stuff at the curb for free… suddenly we had two VERY happy girls with a new trike and two new playsets (kitchen and vet) for our backyard structure.

We ended the day with all guys boardgames and it was time for bed.

Mother’s Day is Sunday and our life cannot get much more busy, fun or enriching. I am so pleased with May so far!!

I recently reviewed the second book in this series – Murder on the Bride’s Side by Tracy Kiely. Murder Most Austen is another library find and the 4th in the series. So I did have a gap between the two novels. Thankfully you get enough reflection on the previous (and for me missing) book to follow the relationships.

The intrepid Elizabeth Parker is joined by her Aunt (great aunt really) Winnie on a trip of a lifetime to Bath for the Jane Austen Festival. On the flight there we are introduced to a rather unusual Austen scholar Professor Richard Baines and his assistant Lindsay. With some very… unique… opinions on what he saw as the “true” meaning behind Austen’s work and the woman herself he was a prime candidate for drama.

Once in Bath we are introduced to a whole new host of characters including an old friend of Aunt Winnie’s and the family of the professor. With drama and secrets it is a prime situation for the ensuing murder.

I love this one and honestly did NOT figure out who the killer was. Bath is a dream location for me and I do admit to looking up some of the art the ladies saw in London and daydreamed a little about the streets and hotels. There is a touch of romance, a bit of intrigue and murder for the books. I actually enjoyed this book as well as the one I read previously. I cannot wait to get my hands on numbers 1 and 3!

So again. love love love these books by Tracy Kiely. Be sure to check them out if you want a Jane Austen infused read. 

Another random library find win BIG TIME. In fact, though this is not the first book in the series by author Tracy Kiely, but the SECOND book, I found that I fell right into loving the characters. Murder on the Bride’s Side pulls its inspiration from a favourite author of mine – Jane Austen. Specifically the book Sense and Sensibility (and the movies are mentioned as well). The other lucky library find in this series… Murder Most Austen (the 4th installation) also pulls from the same inspirational waters.

What I love about the characters is they are all truly characters… Our main protagonist is Elizabeth Parker who is absolutely infatuated with all things Jane Austen. She is fulfilling the role of maid of honour for her best friend Bridget who is getting married. This brings her to the home of Bridget’s grandmother Elsie who lives in a rather palatial mansion. With a family of people who do not always get along Elizabeth is simply expecting in fighting… not the murder of one of the least likable family members.

There is the boyfriend (past bully) Peter, Chloe the wedding planner and potentially old flame of boyfriend and a family of people you either love or would love to hate. You get to go along with Elizabeth and find the solution to not only the murder but a host of questionable goings on in the great house. What I love about this story is that the main character is a babbler… she loves to think and chatter and you have to laugh along with her as she thinks outrageous things and sometimes lets them slip out.

There are plenty of wonderful Jane Austen quotes included along with a touch of romance… a good mystery and a wedding to boot. Murder on the Bride’s Side is a great cozy mystery in what I am sure will be an amazing series. Definitely a book to check out!