The week is coming to an end and the weekend is shaping up to be busy. It is a long weekend here in Alberta but VBS starts on the Monday all the same. With trips to the old house to finish cleaning, running to get Jimmie and Ken needing to get work done that was not completed during the week we have not yet made a service at the new place. The plan is to go the one free Sunday in August – the 21st… Sunday School starts after the long weekend in September which has the boys absolutely bouncing in excitement. A whole new adventure for us all.

THIS weekend has me mainly focused on the August wedding… Saturday afternoon is the bridal make-up trial with my lovely cousin Veronika doing the make-up. Combined with the need to purchase a massive amount of the theme coloured ribbon to finish the centrepieces, the planning of the seating plan/tables positioning and all other general odds and ends to finalize and I am hoping this is our last big push to completion (I know I know I AM a wee bit delusional). Can you tell I am LOVING the closeness  to cousins? I am pretty sure I have made that nearly ANNOYINGLY apparent… but I am! This weekend cousin Elizabeth is moving to a different place so we couldn’t get more family together but she HAS promised to come back often. 

What I did manage last night was to finish all bows I had the ribbon for (lost or miscounted three knots somewhere downstairs though which is a bit upsetting) AND do all the tulle knotting for Echo’s birthday costume. I need to sit down and fuss with the ribbon tie as I cannot see how you can do it with the double layer of tulle, but I may be misreading the instructions (would NOT surprise me!). I used 4 colours – black, grey, light purple and a shimmery brown to make something with a Friday the 13th feel! After the weekend I plan on trying to make a single matching tulle poof to put in her hair… 

I have to brag a little on my kids and their yearning to learn… today all 3 boys WILLINGLY did school work, even though I was not planning on pushing it today with the amount of tidying and such that has to be done for the weekend. Pictures were coloured, ABC’s drawn, math done… even songs sung. All while butterfly princess Trinity ran around and little Echo added her voice to the chorus. In fact, she has started directing her baby babbles in a more conversational manner recently. It is so exciting to see and hear her progress. 

TIARA!

In reflecting back to the beginning of the week and the altercation with beloved people in our lives regarding our choice to homeschool I have to admit there has been some good come of this. I have written/typed up a letter that explains as best I can the why and how of us making this choice. This has forced me to think long and hard really as to the fundamental reasons behind out wish to take this VERY hands on role in our children’s schooling. It has also helped push me forward into meeting more families (granted online only for now) that are local to us and reinforce that there ARE people who think we are doing a good job. That has not decreased the hurt of the naysayers but what it HAS done is remind me how little those people interact with us on a daily or even weekly basis. This is not out of lack of trying REALLY but more so due to distance… so how CAN they know exactly what we are accomplishing here? (beyond what I write here in the blog, but I AM aware that NOT everyone reads it) I have passed through the anger of Monday’s entry and have moved into hope… I HOPE that I can help them to see the benefits to what we are doing but it is not the main focus of our schooling. What IS the main focus will always be the children and their future. And it is a bright and hopeful future indeed! 

MATH

Ken and I have made a pact and he is going to readjust his sleep schedule back to “normal people” time or at least an approximation. I know there ARE nights when he needs to work late but he has gotten into the habit of ALWAYS working late… which has left me a little bereft in snuggling time. Now that Echo is almost consistently sleeping through the night (major score) we are able to start moving back from the midnight feeds and start enjoying the morning again.

Oh, the decoration idea – well EACH of the boys has their own 8X10 photo frame that I have put up on the wall. They are allowed to, at any time, do up a NEW picture and we will replace it! And now I have 3 VERY happy boys who are involved in decorating their room WITHOUT damaging walls! 

Emanuel's collaborative piece

I am trying a new recipe tonight for some of the raspberries I have in the freezer… I will have to share the results in the next entry. OH! That reminds me – Ken had some sad news to report at the old house… apparently the owners chopped those lovely raspberry bushes TO THE GROUND! Wounding I tell you, they were amazing bushes and provided a TON of berries… so sad!

 There is the beginnings of a Kitty buddy on the stocking… I am not going to spill who it is until it is done but I CAN tell you it is NOT Chococat! 

black thread....

With a potential house full of computers and gaming and friends it is going to be an interesting weekend. 

Homemade bread NOMS