Archive | July 2014

Readying for Celebration

June 27-30

We ended our week with a chapter book finish. This time Zander was our proud reader.101_8041

We returned to our original park from Mother’s Day and our first go at geocaching (HERE). Sadly the sun was hotter than expected so it was not super long of a trek but we had a blast going to a different section of the park.

Tiny frog!

Tiny frog!

101_8051101_8057 101_8044All the sunshine and heavy humidity spurred us on to get that pool back up and filled for the kids to splash in. We did pick up a portable air compressor… just a tiny one that needs to stay plugged in. But you really cannot blow these pools up without something like that!101_8059 101_8061 101_8064

Saturday started off quiet…101_8066

Ken was out at a guys only beer and gaming overnighter so we had to make do without his imput. Luckily Renee and her 3 boys got bored and stopped by. Jeffrey photo op! It is great to have a friend who is close enough to just drop by. Makes me a little less homesick for our old place and all the local friends and family who just dropped by.101_8068 101_8070

Sunday was another at home day of course so we started with playing with animals on towels to make oceans and land…101_8071

Back out to the pool where all sorts of floating was attempted…101_8072

Creativity with garage sale find blocks!101_8074

Once Ken DID get back he, the boys and I all played Munchkin. Their being able to read has opened up so many new avenues of ways to spend quality time with them!101_8078

I think it was a great way to end a weekend! We had only ONE day until the real fun begins. Not only do we end June which has been a very interesting and rather busy month but we get to lead into celebrating TWO countries’ special days. But first… SCHOOL.101_8079

Cooperative block building play time…101_8080

And a craft that was perfectly themed for the first of our celebratory days – Red and white placemats made by weaving. You can find the instructions on Activity Village (on right) under their Canada Day section.101_8081 101_8082

And then back into the front yard.101_8084 101_8087

Trinity and I snuck in some time to make felt maple leaf hair things (again thanks to Activity Village). We have done similar ones for Christmas. Perfect to spruce up our red and white outfits!

Echo wore one as a broach for a while!

Echo wore one as a broach for a while!

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And that was that… time to enjoy being both Canadian AND American!

Curtsies & Conspiracies… A Book Review

I am not sure what it is with grabbing the second book in a series but I seem to have turned it into somewhat of a talent! I have delved into this world before with the Parasol Protectorate series. Gail Carriger has a real talent to create an enthralling steampunk world full of vampires, werewolves and spys.  Curtsies & Conspiracies does not disappoint in any way. From the Finishing School series this is “Book the Second”, I actually came across this book from a rather entertaining website: Finishing School (HERE) where you learn “The Fine Art of Finishing Others”. Which of course means I completely did not make the connection between the adult series and this young adult one until the book came in from the library.

We follow Sophronia as she goes about her first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies where all things ladylike including spying and seat planning are taught from a dirigible! A school trip is more than simply visiting London… after all the entire school is afloat! There is conspiracy and intrigue, petticoats and suspiciously mechanical purses topped with fine lace.

What I love about the characters is that all the tiers of society are represented… the gentile ladies, the sooties in the boiler room (Soap), even those connected to the suspicious and unknown Picklemen. There are classes and clandestine meetings, adventure and balls and tea, flirtation with death as well as noble boys. There are characters connected to the adult series and the same basic conflicts of the main group. I love that I did not feel like I was reading a story that was really only for young adults. It was easy to lose yourself in the plot and enjoy the adventure.

So follow Sophronia as she uses her training to navigate London, relations with vampires and werewolves and the beginnings of young love!curtsies & conspiracies

VBS on a Larger Scale

June 21-26

What to do on a sunny Saturday, the first one of SUMMER? Operation Geocache in a new location was less than successful, though we did find a bird’s nest…101_7999

A rather anxious turtle they corralled back to the safety of the marshy bits…101_8001

And a glider being flown from the parking lot.

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

101_7997101_7996After that nature filled adventure it was time to hop into our bathing suits and back into the pool in the front yard.101_8006

101_8008On Sunday we buzzed the twins’ hair nice and short.101_8012

Even with rain the kids got some time in the yard on the scooters.101_8014

Monday was a bit of a wash what with Nana and Baba getting home from Mexico and all. But Echo is one determined student and got in her workpage fun.101_8016

Additionally we have signed up 4 of the 5 kids (Echo is not fully potty trained so can’t) in the same VBS as Renee and Chris’ kids are in. They go to a daycare that is in a church and that church has a massive 4 day FREE daycare! Quite the amazing church – Living Faith Church HERE. They are there from 9 am to noon with us just dropping them off. It has made for quiet mornings and afternoons of light schooling.20140623_085641

Trinity is working on completing one of her review workbooks. We have given ourselves the summer to get these books done.101_8020

Back into the pool…101_8018

With a butterfly for company.101_8019

I swear the twins can play AND understand Agricola way better than I ever will! Somehow… not that upsetting! But it is neat to see them stretch their reasoning, problem solving and reading skills. In fact, one of the boys’ 10 top Summer To Do items is a boardgame day (probably on one of the extremely common rainy days!).101_8021

Miss Echo caught up on her well tanned Baba snuggles. Apparently Mexico was a very relaxing vacation for everyone!101_8022

Tuesday once again began just me and my baby… with ICE CREAM on the way home from VBS in celebration of Mommy’s 35th birthday.101_8025

And then a continuation of the pattern… into the pool. Splish Splash, this thing has paid for itself in entertainment value already!101_8026

Ken took me out for my birthday just us two to a wonderful Japanese place that cooks your food (private chef!) right in front of you! We tried chicken liver and green tea sherbet! the liver was… odd… the sherbet good! The chef was amazing as well, so personable. (Thanks to Shandai for the recommendation) 

Yup I took a pic in the car

Yup I took a pic in the car

Main  course of dinner with other bits and bobs

Main course of dinner with other bits and bobs

The green tea with green tea sherbet

The green tea with green tea sherbet

lovely ambiance

lovely ambiance

By Wednesday Echo was REALLY missing her siblings… lay around and watch tv sort of missing.101_8028

I am so proud of the kids for agreeing to continue with light schooling even after a busy VBS filled morning. Gammie’s mailed worksheets are a HUGE help.101_8029

101_8030This time I had two more garage sale finds! Gotta stop when you are driving home from wherever and see a sign… right?101_8031

Thursday was the final day of VBS and a busy morning. Not only did Ken have to drop the kids but then he had an appointment for Echo. So it was Baba that drove me to pick the kids up in the pandemonium that is a large VBS. We did enjoy watching the neighbourhood bunny in the front yard. Before they left for Echo’s hearing exam. Turns out she is just fine with wax buildup. So baby girl is a bit of a lazy talker with dirty ears that SHOULD have decreased her hearing abilities!101_8033

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Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

It's always an adventure with these two... there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

It’s always an adventure with these two… there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

Gavin actually made his first Pokemon trade with a kid from there (name unknown).101_8038

And the final craft was rather cool! We gave our information to one of the boys the twins met. His mom had asked if we could do so on Wednesday. Sadly the rush to leave and Ken waiting when he dropped off as long as he could meant we had to give one of our little half business cards we gave as Christmas cards post move for address change had to be handed to the boy himself. So it is a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not we will ever hear from them. We could not go to the evening program as we had other commitments.101_8039

4 days of 9 until noon and I can honestly say… our family is not hard wired for that sort of life. I think we really do enjoy and maybe now appreciate a little more, the flexibility that is homeschooling. BUT the experience of a large VBS has been great and really got us excited about our own church’s much smaller version. That one Echo is enrolled in too as I am helping her age group.

She really was a card this week :)

She really was a card this week 🙂

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