The lure of the nap got me again today – but this time I fought back! Sugar cookie dough was made, stitching done and once the kids and Ken returned from their leaf hunt (a second one this week) some crafting fun was had! I was actually pleasantly surprised – all 4 kids had a nap this afternoon! Which makes sense since the boys have been getting up early every day this week and whining and bad behaviour has been at an all time high!

I think that I need a more craft friendly glue for the red and white puzzle pieces but am keeping up hope that a little judiciously placed glitter glue will glam it up enough to look suitably cute. We are rather stuck making due with what we have and I have water soluble school glue in abundance (gotta love Michaels coupons!). I did manage to finish off the first of the Christmas tree puzzle ornaments with felt on the back. You can see white paper peeping through the front on the boys’ but I am trying really hard NOT to “fix” their pieces. I want them to feel that they really DID make these ornaments. They have put in so much work! I am so proud! Tomorrow I think Gavin wants to glue glitter on more pinecones (fun but messy to be sure!).

We threw our loose lesson plan out the window this morning and headed out to the library for a nice chunk of the morning. I do really like our local branch. Smaller than we are used to back in the city my mom lives in, the children’s portion is still great fun! In fact, I am hoping to sign Trinity up for a special story time for 12-24 month olds starting in November – Ken is determined to keep enough flexibility in his schedule that we CAN do this – something I more than appreciate.

Ready and Running to Go!

We started off with some wandering around – Emanuel went to check out the ever present fish tank and the twins and Trinity went straight to the books. In fact, a little girl came over specifically to tell Trinity she was VERY pretty and stroke her hair a little! Trinity was… shocked but it was so sweet!

After books became a little boring and a couple of the computers became free the boys gave that a go! Headphones and all. At first they shared one and played in a virtual sandbox.

But as soon as the other kids in the area cleared out I moved them to their own pc with a headphone plugged  in. I think we have a bit of work on the mouse to do but they did have fun.

Emanuel had a go as well with Gavin as his guide. I always feel so proud when the boys help each other. Or their sister. Although everyone wants to help Trinity – even when she doesn’t want or need to be helped!!

After we checked out our books (mainly on insects) and placed a couple holds on DVDs (Magic School House ones on insects of course) we ran out to do a couple errands. I stopped into Toys R Us with my soon to expire coupon and took care of another gift (talk about affordable – 8.50 or so!) and ran into the dollar store to get some more white glue – we are sorely in need. And of course a quick stop at the grocery store for necessities. This meant the moment Ken started driving Trinity passed out!I also took the plunge and applied my survey and donation paypal to a special gift for Trinity off of Etsy! I cannot wait to get it… I love homemade (can you tell???). So just one more boy to go and I am done the individual “big” gifts – a definite load off my shoulders!!!

I have passed another milestone that indicates fall/winter is truly here… I switched the purses! I have to admit I have a minor vice – I LOVE purses, in the past this has amounted to a stack of the cheaper and silly things but last Christmas I was the surprised and appreciative recipient of my very first Coach purse and matching small wallet! A dear friend took me out shopping and surprised me with my very own! These are both in black and won me over to the line! Then, when things were “good” financially Ken splurged and purchased the purple and white canvas number I had fallen in love with in their new spring line. HUGE but manageable… though I have been unable to get the matching wallet I have it in my “someday way in the future” list.  Anyway what is a change in seasons if you don’t take advantage and use your other “best purse”? I think Ken is just glad I am relatively content with my two purses and not clamouring for more – at least not at this point…

To continue on in learning about fall the boys did a maze where you helped a Canada goose go south for winter (I am not sure I impressed on them migration yet but we will talk about it later next week again). Emanuel had daddy help him but the other two managed quite well on their own!

Finally we completed a lapbook! Numbers 1-10 is officially finished cover and all… although we added an extending flap at the top so we can continue on with 11-20. Tricky huh? My actual goal number wise for the year is to just keep going as far as we can but to DEFINITELY get through the teens up to 20. Emanuel included to some extent. It is a little difficult to remind ourselves that he IS only almost 4… he keeps up so well most of the time at this point, but I want him to not feel like he HAS TO be at the same point as the twins. I figure once we get through this newest mess with life and Ken has a final ok on his meds we will focus on making a couple Emanuel only lapbooks… ones he can sit and look through whenever he wants tailored to HIM and his interests!

So let me walk you through our Number Lapbook –

We did have a workbook at home that had the dot to dots but most of the items included were found online:

1-100 number chart

animal cover page

star cover page

memory game instructions

counting matchbook bunnies

Jan Brett number books

The top flap opens up both sides are for 11-20. I will post the links and finished images when we eventually move onto that. But here is our first full out attempt!

In the little pocket is numbers with the boys writing one of their own as well… sadly I can’t find the link to the page but I am sure you can find tons of worksheets with the same style.

To further our Fall lapbook more leaves were gathered and then glued onto a paper to go up one the wall!

Zander and Emanuel

Leafy Bounty!

Autumn!

I have to admit a heightened degree of excitement in regards to this stocking – it is so close to completion now I can almost see it! Stitches here and there and some more of the dreaded blending filament.. a little more outlining and I am ready to take it to my mom’s where she has in her possession the perfect Christmas quilted material to finish it to perfection. I am so excited to see this piece done and ready to be sent to Minnesota… once it is completed I am determined to make my next big project (don’t worry not as big as this one) the wedding sampler I owe my cousin from the August wedding we were unable to attend! That one is going to be fun! He specifically requested I somehow include a skull! Lets see Ken and myself make THAT tasteful! That would be a real coup!

I am hoping to get started on another Tux stitch – if you have a chance to peek the pattern is up in the pattern section of the site. I can’t wait to see how other people stitch him up! As well I am still offering a stitched version for 20.00 plus shipping just drop me an email or leave a comment at the bottom of the pattern page. I am willing to do some minor personalizing to the piece as well!

Tomorrow the boys are going to work hard on their insect books and start putting together colours and shapes. I think I will have to make up a cover page for that as all the lapbook examples I have found are one or the other… Fall will continue and I am hoping to spend much of my online time tomorrow hunting down some volcano facts and activities… gotta keep busy right? Tonight is Ken’s gaming night so he is preoccupied leaving it up to me to prep for tomorrow… not that there is much to be done.

The site featuring my blog has the blurb up now! It is a great site for stitchers so please be sure to check it out! Threads Through Time

...and All Done With Smiles on our Faces!