I think this is my week of getting things done but at the same time feeling a wee bit like I am falling short on my goals. Little things, like today I REALLY wanted to get the whole family out for a walk or to play Candyland but Ken had to travel further than I thought he would have to to go and get Trinity’s new snowsuit (new to us at least!). That ate up a huge chunk of our evening.

The trip to get the snowsuit was so worth it though! For 10.00 we got a two piece snowsuit, hat and mittens. All that is left is boots (Saturday). She is not too sure about the outfit but I am sure that once the snow comes and she sees her brothers all decked out and ready to play outside she will be quick to follow.

The boys spent a nice chunk of their time outside playing in the backyard. At one point they built a shed for Emanuel’s bike to park in. Quite the endeavour. They are all 3 becoming quite the pros at pedalling. I am not certain but next year we may be able to take off the training wheels on the twins’ bikes. I know that we are hoping to get Emanuel his first bike on his birthday in February (the twins were 4 when they got their bikes). Trinity gets his trike in the spring I think.

School wise we were hard at work with the letter J. So of course I took the opportunity to have each of the big boys write out the name Johnson – I got one try out of each before they were VERY unimpressed but their letters are looking a lot better. I figure I will leave the pages with my example at the top down where they can get to them and have them practice at least once a day. Eventually we have to add the “Reinsch” in as well but I figure if I can get them to spell out Johnson and be able to SAY both that is a minor victory.

Practice Makes Perfect

Of course we did our time on the computer… J is for jellybeans, jumping… that sort of thing. Which then had us gluing together our painted pieces for frames (we finished them off before bedtime with a little glitz). Tomorrow I have requests for painting pieces black, brown and purple! I did one frame up myself with the left overs… though I may just tie it with a cord and have it be an as is ornament.

For our match component I had them do a dot-to-dot. A bear fishing in a boat actually. I think they are to be gifted to my mom this weekend. Hopefully tomorrow we will have the time for Candyland as a family.

I also sat down with each of the twins and did their Bible lesson with them. I want to work on the scripture memorizing some more but they each drew a picture to send back. The story was about two kids working in a garden so they drew their own pictures of the garden to send back. I am amazed at how much they retain after one reading of the story (of course much more when it is one on one like today then when we read in a group session). I love it when they amaze and/or surprise me like that!

For the first time I had to struggle to get enough apples for the applesauce! Not only did I have to climb up on the ladder but I had to use a couple of the Granny Smiths we bought on Sunday at H&W. Don’t get me wrong I can SEE apples up in the tree… I am just too short to get them ladder or no.

Since to day was 9/9/09 Walmart had that deal I mentioned in a previous entry – 99 photos for 9.99. So this morning when the boys headed out to play I sat down and ordered my 99. Finally I am working on filling up my 2005 album. OLD pictures! The twins with curls, baby Catherine who is now 4 I think. And the quality – hilarious to think of how proud we were of that old camera! But the memories are grand and the pictures good enough.

Speaking of pictures and the like – last night we added another free pattern onto the site. I am debating revamping the page to eventually be only the patterns or move it to a new link to avoid cluttering and allow me to still post the pictures of stuff I do that is NOT of my own design. This newest IS containing a mild swear – the “A” word that I did up for my sister in law so be forewarned! Ken is also adding my donation button – fingers crossed something comes of that! Who knows right?

http://lisa.voidcast.ca/?page_id=10038

Stitching wise I worked on and finished the name on the stocking today! Finally the recipient is clear! Thank goodness his name is nice and short. I am very happy with how the lettering turned out. Tomorrow I will either work on the stocking or start on another small project. Ken is working out the issues with my pharmacist themed one so I am debating getting started on one of the little monsters I plan on doing for the boys for their Christmas presents.

I have to admit that for all that goes on in our day I still worry that we are not quite doing enough. Are the boys getting everything they should out of our education? Am I including enough to keep them busy, occupied and learning? Should I be doing more.. less.. things differently? Amazing how you can be confident one second and doubting the next but I am! Sometimes it is nice to talk to people on the outside looking in (supportive people mind you!) to hear how they see our progress. Lately I have had people complimenting me and the boys all over the place so that is a bit of a boost. I just have to work on my own awareness of progress. After all they ARE learning new things and asking more and more questions. I guess I need to not only be proud of them but of us as a family unit – we ARE learning as we go and it IS a fun process (most of the time) and that is important! So much to think about every day that sometimes you just feel a little over whelmed. Thank goodness for Facebook and egroups for support!

Sean came by after his doctor’s appointment today – more not good news, since he can’t rotate the ankle another 2 weeks on limited work which means he CAN’T work since as a plumber in the company he is working for there isn’t work that fits the criteria to be done. Frustrating! But Trinity and Emanuel were happy to have him over to play with!

With Sean already here Alan called up to see what was going on and so started a night of Magic in my kitchen. Not a horrible thing except my table is being taken up by the guys while I am trying to bake cookies. Trinity is in love with the oatmeal applesauce cookies so I needed to make another batch to have enough to make it through our busy weekend. Tomorrow I want to make the dozen apple muffins for mom and Mike and then Friday I will make ANOTHER batch of the oatmeal applesauce for the Sunday School bbq on Sunday (not sure if WE are staying but the cookies will!). I just finished off a batch of sugar free leather for mom and Mike as well (he is insulin dependant). So not bad on the baking!

Tomorrow we are not going to the park date. Ken has a conference call in the morning (YAY) and then in the afternoon I have to sit on the phone and fill out student loan repayment forms with the government (hopefully this will result in a quick and POSITIVE conclusion unlike the previous government dealings!). So I think that I will try and get the boys out on the bikes and then a bit of an early family game night. (as long as Ken makes it to HLSA to drop off our application form) Saturday and Sunday are more than going to make up for missing the park session I think. Saturday’s corn maze will be a first for ALL of us – I think we may even take the video camera! It even looks like it should be warm and there is a petting zoo… it is going to be HARD to get the boys to go home all 4 of them!