With a house full of children hacking out the proverbial lung all hope of the twins heading off to the once a month gym event went right out the window. We just can’t justify sending the boys to an event to socialize AND to share their germs. So hopefully when the February date rolls along we can make it. In the meantime we are going to spend the next few days trying to get all 5 kids over their colds.

Even poor Echo is coughing up a storm, though she has managed some phlegm removal. It is hardest on her as we can’t give her cough syrup, but this time through she is eating well and sleeping a bit too. Just last night she was very restless leaving me exhausted in the morning. Unlike lucky Ken who opted to sleep on the couch and was only woken up once when I wanted assistance changing her and feeding. She was fussy enough that it was easier to feed on one side and then have Ken hold her upright and pat her back while I pumped a little and let her rest and breathe.

We love these bag style sleepers... they were made for the twins (this one at least) by a family friend of Ken's family

We did our usual daily workbook work. Letters and numbers today. Zander is still having issues with concentration, but we do have an idea for him. Gavin is very into his workbook work and art where as Zander could still take it or leave it… BUT he is VERY interested in tools. So Ken’s plan is to hunt down an erector set. I remember my brother having one as well. The big draw being the need for tools and nuts and bolts. BUT the problem is the ones I have seen on eBay are NOT cheap… I am pretty sure I saw them at a store somewhere but I cannot remember the store.  So I am now on a mission – to find a set or something comparable to get Zander focused on some independent projects.

Zander and his workbook

Our craft for the day was making pom pom snowmen. That quickly morphed into pom pom snow critters… and just critters in general. But everyone had a go and had fun doing it. Now we just have to wait for them to dry before we attempt to add them to our Winter/Snowflake poster.

Pom pom critters

To continue on our Chinese New Year projects we took the boys’ year of birth and checked the chart the Uk site had for us. Then we took the image they had for each animal and matched it to their birth years (Gavin and Zander monkey, Emanuel dog and Trinity rat). We printed them off, coloured and then made them into books. I trimmed them down and they each wrote “I was born in the year of the…” and the year. A nice personalized addition to their project.

Trinity and the year of the rat

For our wolves unit we read a story. This one was not overly educational and more just a cute story about animals and honey… though two animals we almost lit on fire… apparently tortoise shells are flame retardant?

The Honey Tree

I have all the colours to go with the new pattern. Ken made a run to the thread store where they helped him make a decision between pinks. I am hoping to do a record job on this one and be done in a day or so and still have the look I am trying for.

The colours and a peak at the pattern

As a special treat the kids ALL got to help Daddy make the icing before heading to bed. We simply ran out of time what with baths and dinner (ham and cheese quiche) and the general chaos that is 4 mobile children. So tomorrow the boys will decorate their cookies. Trinity is not allowed any of the sugar cookies so we will have to find her a different treat.

Icing making venture (will share the colour tomorrow)...(Gavin left)

For a chilly winter day we had a pretty good time indoors. Hopefully tomorrow will go as well if not better. We have gold paint to put on our fire crackers, a poster to start assembling and of course workbooks to get through. Oh – the tooth fairie did deliver – a matchbox car motorcycle! Talk about an intuitive faerie… as Gavin is totally into bikes right now (check out the picture of Grandpa Mike on his bike done today!!).

Grandpa Mike on his bike!

Now if the kids could just have a restful night and in turn let Mommy and Daddy have some peace and quiet… wishful thinking?