It amazes me how by the weekend you can feel so worn out! I really didn’t FEEL the exhaustion until I stopped going and keeping the week progressing… come Sunday afternoon with the baby in nap and the kids playing something and BANG I was tired. But I should backtrack to Saturday first!

Let’s see… I will get the van issue out of the way, er almost out of the way! Ken took the poor thing BACK to Canadian Tire for attempt #4 at creating a working coolant system. They popped the hood, put in some coolant and started it up… and out poured coolant! Apparently this time it was OBVIOUS where the issue was. Not the same place as the last 3 times but instead a piece that holds a portion of the tubing on was now cracked. They figure it was a little cracked last time and obscure enough that they missed it when the last repair was done. SO… they have to call around the the junk yards to try and find a part for a ’96 Quest. It shouldn’t take too long, there are still tons on the road. AND we only have to pay the part!!! 

So no out of town visiting yet everyone, sorry. Though (she) Chris is sweet enough to lend us her van mid week so we can get to my physical (am I really all THAT thankful??) and Echo’s 1 1/2 year check up that is a 10 or 15 min drive away. I could reschedule but we are being VERY stiff on Echo’s appointments… especially when she is without her surgery. We want each appointment made and her seen properly. That way if something DOES change we catch it quick! 

Well the rest of Saturday DAY was rather sedate… Ken picked up groceries allowing me to bake bread (seriously a loaf purchased is pretty much a MEAL for this family, especially since the cheaper loaves are the store brand and slightly smaller) in the breadmaker (yum!) and then it was games games games for the kids. After all, it IS the weekend I was told! 

Anyway… Saturday evening Kristen and Fydo came over with a new game in hand and a box of mozza sticks to bake. This was a new game for all of us and I think  very little true strategy resulted towards the end. Still the company was good, the game fun and the snacks totally yummy. We found out that Echo WILL eat cheese… in breaded stick form! AND she gets VERY upset when you tell her no more after she has had 3 of them!!!

They also came bearing clothing! Apparently Kristen’s sister has a daughter who is bigger than Trinity. AND included in that bag was a full snowsuit size 6 yrs… perfect for Emanuel!! And REVERSIBLE! So no more girly snowpants, I Freecycled them Monday anyway as they have a cracked buckle but are good otherwise. We are so blessed that people think of us when they come across used useful items! 

But the evening did not end there! Around 10pm (she) Chris picked up myself and my slurpee cup (refillable huge one) and we went back to their new place for the grand tour and then snacks! (Chips and my favourite dip! So spoiled!). They live the next town over so it is only a 10-15 min drive. I think I got home after one! So a full evening! 

Now onto Sunday! Ken gets to sleep in on Sundays as he is the one who generally takes the kids to Sunday School. Remember our church here has it BEFORE service at 9:30 am. Very much not Echo friendly lately so I stay home with her, clean up and put baby down to nap around the time they get home. BUT before Sunday School there was a bit of time with the kids all dressed and basically ready to go. To fill the time they all sat down and drew pictures. Pictures of play parks, themselves and one of Minecraft (Zander). Gavin gave his to one of the people in charge of Sunday School, sadly Emanuel’s made it to Sunday School and back only to be washed in his pants pocket!!

Echo and I made do with each other for the little over an hour of time the kids were gone. We had an aborted nap where I thought she was sleepy, put her to bed, had my bath and then found her playing in the crib! Emanuel came home with a special birthday eraser, the sang happy birthday to him and another little girl with a birthday this week. The twins get their turn this coming Sunday.

As a special treat to myself and Echo, after Echo’s nap we went out with Karyn to hang out at her place (no pictures sorry)… Echo wandered around and stared at the kitty while we visited. So I certainly kept busy this weekend. 

Today we were back to work with our school stuff. Zander is still working downstairs with Ken on stuff I am not yet allowed to see. But progress is occurring. Gavin took half of today and worked on his cross stitch. The goal is to finish this piece up over the next few weeks. 

We brought out some game dvds for the kids today as well… though I have misplaced the Thomas one for Emanuel. Instead he listened to a book on cd that I played on the laptop. BUT the games went pretty well… all 4 of them squished together watching the screen was ADORABLE! 

Zander built a lifeguard tower out of Legos (I am not sure why the lifeguard has no arms!). 

We had a treat for the whole family today – Ken worked late into the evening Sunday and hard this morning so that in the afternoon we could head over to the Museum and Art Gallery to take a peek at their Inuit exhibition. (sorry no pictures in, there were no signs but I didn’t want to risk it). There were examples of traditional winter clothing, pictures, art pieces AND a polar bear skin rug they could touch. I brought home some colouring pages they had for the kids. I hope to go back next week and look at more of the images on the walls. The kids got bored quickly. I wish I could have taken a picture of Echo, she was walking around holding Ken’s hand. I am totally going to have to have them try that again in an open area! 

The kids were MOST excited by the koi they have right in the entrance! There were some rather large fish BUT the favourite was the smaller baby fish swimming along after them! 

We also had to take pictures out front… of course! LOOK I am even IN one!!!

Tomorrow is a work work work day for Ken as Wednesday morning is that doctor trip. We have to dig out our Valentine’s decorations from our tub and figure out what we want to do to decorate! The boys had a special quiet time assignment dealing with halves and whole – they had to go through my entire tupperware cabinet and find all the matching pieces… they did a great job and refilled the cabinet with their own style of organization. I am not sure how user friendly it will be but they worked hard and seem to have a good grasp of having HALF of something… and that two pieces are involved when you are working on halves and wholes. And to top it off – I have an organized cabinet! 

I am currently brainstorming for Christmas now. I have one idea but am missing half the info I need. I am  going to add a page on this site for Christmas wishes and gift ideas so that those of you we see and exchange with can give me ideas! I want to do more cross stitching this year, expand on my felties AND maybe find a new craft or two??