May 24-29

I have to say we have learned from our winter… get those kids OUTSIDE!!!

And on Sunday we joined Matt, Fran and their twins at a local park to have a full on BBQ…

Park…

Lake…

S’mores…

(and dinner)…

We had it all!

And on the Monday we were back to Geocaching… we have had some amazing journal entries regarding our experience with some VERY creative hiding ideas.

We had a lovely print out for a scavenger hunt (HERE) to have the kids looking everywhere for their nature objects.

And a break with snacks and park fun while the twins and Ken hunted that last cache.

Tuesday was much more our work work work on the schoolwork day! We had a rather interesting experience learning about Legends and Pecos Bill. We are working on understanding the difference between true factual stories and what a legend really is. The kids just keep quoting back at me – EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS and then giggling.

We got back into our classic Treasure Island. I am not sure which book we will read next. BUT we are working on a plan to get us storytime every day.

We are working through our dinosaurs that were in our Texas book… of course links to all of this will be in the Texas resource page (eventually).

And then right back out to burn off the energy… so much discussion of spring, teaching of siblings on the outside toys… so much fun!

On Wednesday I changed it up. Before the mosquitoes can take hold we drug the whole classroom outside to enjoy our grassy backyard. Once we found an ant free spot that is!

Great fun and we didn’t get too badly eaten up.

We fulfilled another additional Scout thing by driving down to a local small airport and checking out the planes. The kids all took turns spotting planes and talking about the different kinds. Family favourite is the seaplane. Though everyone was quite put out they land in LAKES not SEAS.

From there it was on to a park for a Geocache and play about in the sun.

Goofs!

Add in some Texas themed story writing and I think we succeeded with an interesting mid week.

Thursday was another special outside day. Echo had a preschool assessment to go to at our church so she and Ken dropped us off half way with some schoolwork.

A snack…

and a park! It was just really too bad that her session was delayed, we were there over 2 hours in the end and rather warm and cranky. BUT we met some wonderful little kids with their dads and enjoyed a perfect spring day.

Miss Echo did wonderfully with her assessment though they did reinforce that we should get her hearing tested to rule out anything extra in regards to her lisp (not total word forming… lazy girl!) which of course we already had scheduled for later in June.

Spring has sprung and so have we… out into the sunshine!

With super high water levels EVERYWHERE

Can you spot the neighbourhood white squirrel?

February 15-16

And so we come to the end of our week… and of Sean’s visit. Ken and Sean had an evening of shopping and a movie to round off Sean’s visit. That left myself and the kids home to do schoolwork… the special Friday dinosaur time? Watching episodes of Poet Plays with Dinosaurs on youTube. I have posted the link to the first episode HERE.

Sean!!

To go into Emanuel’s binder the boys all banded together and drew some pictures of what they saw there. Apparently this is now the mod to have for our family and there have been MULTIPLE requests that I get Daddy to add it to their Minecraft.

Working together

We finished some Valentine’s Day themed colour by numbers.

Completions

I did a take 2 on the hairstyle and then in the evening ran out to Target with Ken to get some hair mousse to help contain the hair a bit… oh and some black elastics instead of the coloured ones I have been using.

Take 2

We said good bye to Sean on Saturday. The kids were all rather put out that he was going home and that I was cracking down on the rules even more. It is funny how with Nana and Baba gone on vacation the behaviour they mostly held in check for their benefit has EXPLODED! I foresee A LOT of time outs and technology withdrawal in their future. And then we said hello again when his flights got cancelled due to weather in Toronto! Next flight out – Sunday morning… 7:00 am, through Toronto AGAIN!

Bibi hunting

Take THREE of the milk maid braids was even better than the previous 2. I bought some mousse for curl control with the hope it will control my wave a little and help hold the braid shape. So far so good! Next I attempt the gel eyeliner…

Getting better each time

I have decided that once a week we will have a technology free day for the kids… we have so many random toys and educational items that they just do not touch. This afternoon I turned off the cartoons and had them dig through drawers and cupboards after a particularly annoying bought of whining over show choices. I want my grateful children back… lately we have had whiners and a lot of fighting. Oh well, phases.

I love this kind of active clutter

So we had a rather eventful uneventful start to our weekend!

Ok so I had to share this – POCOYO on TV here in the USA !!! YAY

January 12-13

Now what is there to talk about… hmm… how about… KARYN coming to visit? You read me right… we have our first visitor from Canada since our big move last year to Minnesota! Ken and I picked her up at the airport Saturday evening.

Picking up Karyn

Can you believe this is where Ken asked me to marry him??? updated and fancier but YUP

We took her right out to dinner at Matt’s where they do something called a Jucy Lucy. It is a hamburger with melted cheese IN THE MIDDLE! The bar that serves this is certainly not the most pretty and does not have the best service but the food was good and the portions generous.

Eating out

The kids were already in bed by the time we got home so we had to wait to say hello and give them the items Karyn brought down with her. Including CHOCOLATE for yours truly!!! Oh and socks! Gotta love socks!

Sunday was excitement personified. The kids were over the moon to see Karyn really WAS here… we even had a fashion show thanks to two adorable dresses sent to us by Aunty Esther.

With frog (there is a dolly dress to go with this one)

This is actually Echo’s dress, but Esther was unable to find a tiny one so instead Trinity is wearing and then handing down as usual

As Ken is starting his training this week Nana, Karyn, Ken and I went out for some pre work shopping at Kohl’s… Karyn bought the cutest shoes… sadly I was thwarted in my shoe hunt by a lack of my size being available. I have hopes that if we come across OTHER Kohl’s this week I may just be able to get the pair I liked though!

Karyn’s pretty new shoes;

After seeing Ken off with his bag of clothes we went down the parking lot to one of my favourite stores – Target! That left us the evening to hang out and give the kids the chance to get all caught up with Karyn. 

Those pj’s ended up being 3.00 a pair!

Karyn had a few items mailed here as well… including these awesome socks!

Awesome!

It has been almost 6 months since we last saw Karyn… this week is going to rock! 

Brushing Aunty’s hair