Another update on the Fat Sheep website… further adventures in Alberta no less! Be sure to click HERE to check them out… leave a comment… tell your own sheep related stories.

Well it turns out that most of the family was in need of a lengthy nap today… Well both parents and the 3 youngest children that is. Thank goodness the twins are happy with Legos and each other sometimes. I  think the excitement of Nana and Baba being a mere day away as well as yesterdays foray into the city for the boys wore us all out.

But that doesn't mean we can't accessorize!

In the morning we did start off busy. After a bit of a late breakfast and getting dressed the 4 big kids all went out and cleaned the backyard and then had a 15 min playtime. Turned out that was the perfect time to come in as that was just when the fighting started.

Cleaning/playing in the backyard

Then it was right into schoolwork. Nothing major as I am still dealing with quite the final tidy before my in-laws get here but the twins did their page for their trip to the doctor for the Summer Adventure file.

Ready for our Summer Adventure File

Trinity and Emanuel both coloured something from Education.com. I am going to start bookmarking my own choices… they have that option on their site. I really want to take an evening and just hunt around on there to see what all they have!

Pandas and Princesses

Emanuel also made his own Canadian flag from scratch. We had to find a skewer to finish the assembly but job well done. That maple leaf is so hard to draw!

Note Trinity on the phone!

We have started two long term projects for 2 of our boys… Zander finally settled on something after digging around the upstairs and sorting through odds and ends. We had one large puzzle still sealed in the basement that I have brought upstairs and commandeered the blue table for. He is allowed to let whoever help that he wishes. BUT the big thing is is that it is something he comes back to and has to keep tidy. Of course that monopolizes our second table which means it is up to MOMMY to keep the kitchen table cleaner than usual. 

The big puzzle adventure

The other project is Emanuel’s. We have a great dinosaur book that he has always enjoyed looking through. Now he is taking a dinosaur out of that book, drawing it himself and then we read about it. After reading about it I write out the name (with Emanuel naming all the letters in the name as I write them) and then he tells me at least 2 things about what we just read. I am so impressed about how much he actually retains!

The first of many dinosaurs

I finally finished a bow that had been floating around the house halfway done this afternoon in my drive to complete outstanding craft projects. For some reason it makes me think of Alice in Wonderland. I watched (on Netflix) a version of Alice in Wonderland that I had not seen prevoiusly. This was a 1999 made for tv with quite the list of stars BUT Alice was in yellow (???) and a brunette! It felt odd… but Netflix only has the 1949 versionand this one oddly enough! 

I think it is the colours that make this bow

I am still thoroughly in love with the Campion series. Almost through it in fact. Tonight it was a trial with The Mrs. Bradley mysteries which sadly at least in CANADA I can only access what is called the 5th episode but I read was shown as the pilot. I have to say with Netflix I am not feeling horrible about cancelling our Shaw cable. We simply were not watching it enough to offset the cost. 

With Petite Sheepette’s collar done for the wedding all that is left is altering the party dress for Echo and the barrette that goes with her tutu dress.

On the sheep...

...off the sheep

All the stitching possible with the pattern I have on hand has been done on the stocking and no new projects have been started. With the senior most Johnsons getting here well into the evening I have high hopes that all things will be accomplished in good time. Although a big chunk of my afternoon is already mapped out for Cousin Veronika and her furthering of her education (you will just have to check back later and find out all about that!). So back to work I go, late as it is… I am up to the old Halloween costumes to put up on Kijiji after all! Gotta make room for the new ones… and for (as has been suggested) the play heels and silly dresses for Trinity to play dress up tea party! 

Would you like the key to her heart?

Want a peek at how Fat Sheep and company fared in Drumheller? She posted last night with some lovely images right here. It looks like a great time was had by all involved. Drumheller really is a scenic area! She has been quite the blogger these past weeks and we hope the trend will continue. There is lots to catch up on I am told as well as adventures yet to come.

I am still working to figure out what main points we want to cover this year… other than the stuff I don’t feel they have firmly covered… the list is woefully short as of today – dinosaurs, family and family members (then comparing to other families all over the world), astronomy (including all things space)… but then what? We do not have our handy Leisure Pass any more so that does limit us for trips to things like the zoo (but then again we are not in the same city as one any more either). I think my first order of business is to head to the library after the in-laws are gone so that we can get our card and do some sifting through books. Not to mention the plan I have to set up a sort of unofficial open playdate at the local branch for twice a month with the hopes of meeting some new families. I would love some more suggestions from any and all!

Today I figured I would keep the kids as busy as possible… so I printed off some fun sheets for them to work on. The twins did the more complicated dinosaur colour by numbers that used addition and subtraction. These can be found under dinosaurs in the EnchantedLearning site. Again the only site (so far) that I pay a subscription for. Everything I printed off for Emanuel today was off of my new gem – education.com, from the workbooks section kindergarten level. 

Emanuel and some finished work... he did that green page solo pretty much by singing the ABC song and working it out!

We are, of course, back to our workbooks. Gavin is once again focused and ready to finish his grade 1 math book… enough that I had to basically pry him away from it for a break with his sight word book before we BOTH got frustrated. I am glad they are so willing to get back to work though. Emanuel especially was right in there trying his best.

Hard at work

Don’t forget our VBS themed poster… Pandas are tricky things to draw I am told by Emanuel. First the kids made up a bunch of pandas, then we worked on some of the things they remember learning in VBS. I am rather proud of everything they remembered. We only found one of their take home sheets had a slogan we missed! Not bad! And there is room for MORE pandas if they want.

The boys and their poster

A few more ads up on Kijiji. Make sure you check them out if you are local to me! I am downsizing some of our books… our reading tastes have changed AND the space is needed for newer volumes. In the case of some of Ken’s that are not yet up – he has gone over to digital. BUT I figure whatever I can get for them can go to new things… the kids are always needing SOMETHING! And Kijiji came to the rescue with one of the twins anyway. 2.00 for a pair of rainboots. Now we just need to get size 11’s for Gavin and we are set for the fall! 

Only 2.00!

I have found a new British mystery series to watch on Netflix… Campion. I would totally recommend it if you are interested in such shows as Nero Wolf or Poirot… the acting is great and there is a lovely bit of comedy. Very British. Each episode on Netflix is actually two parts. Oh and did I mention the main actor was the 5th Doctor on Doctor Who?

I am still taking minutes here and there to work on the stocking. I would LOVE to have it all done – stitching wise – by the end of this month. There is still a thank you gift to do up, and some other minor things on the list but this is the big one for the year really!

To date

And now it is time to get back to said stitching, as well as some cookies dough making, cleaning and Kijiji ad creating… enough with the blogging, on with the real work! 

Smile!

You would think that the bulk of my mending would be boy clothes (having one more and them being bigger and more active than the girls) but this morning was mending day and it was all girl things! Granted for two it was minor adjustments (a shirt that came with a loop too small for the button on the back and a shirt with straps too long) – both for Echo but the other 3 were Trinity’s. She had a button off her nightgown, a dress my mom had fixed/embellished for me needed some fiddling with the butterfly embellishment and the final piece came to us used in need of some love. 

Mending etc. all over the table

Of course today was day 2 of VBS, this time Ken was able to go and drop them off and return home straight away. This was helpful as after letting Echo play around upstairs she was simply ready for nursing and nap. Always easier when Ken can hold her and let me find what I need in our room (clothes for the day, baby items, etc) and then lay her down. She has been waking up early in the morning, being persuaded to go BACK to bed but then waking up a crabby thing later. So an early nap, while inconvenient to get things done in the afternoon DOES leave me with a MUCH happier baby. 

Pre-nap girly play

Trinity spent her boy free time all over the place, first it was computer time (she is actually starting to get quite good at Starfall!), then play doh and finally glue, glitter and shiny bits on paper. 

On the computer

Play doh and pony tails

Busy crafter

The boys returned from VBS with crafts and photos (Emanuel’s was a bit odd as he had hair in his face when they took it but he liked it). Another fun morning with all 3 looking forward to tomorrow. I am so glad that this is a positive experience for them. I just know that come Friday they are going to be BEGGING for Sunday School to start! 

VBS craft, they all removed their pictures to put them on their dressers and display

Our afternoon/early evening was just as exciting but this time for the whole family. The weather, people’s days off AND Ken’s work all fell into alignment enough that we could finally head out to what is locally considered a splash park (certainly nothing like the one where my mom lives BUT the kids were happy). Kristen and Fydo biked from the south end of the city and met us there. 

Sitting in the shade

I was rather impressed, oh not overly by the splash area… though as Kristen said, could they have made it look more dangerous? BUT with the fact that all (yes all FIVE) kids went into the water in some way or another and NO ONE was injured!! Talk about bonus!

Splash "park"

We had time to chat, the kids ran around, Trinity was the LAST one out AND Echo crawled/walked on grass! So many fun moments with two very sweet friends! 

Trying grass on for size

And a surprise haircut to boot!

Spur of the moment haircut decision I am told

After the kids were toweled off we went over to the other side of the park and the regular playset. I was amazed at how the kids did, playing well with others and really going off without the need for us to stand RIGHT THERE. Even Trinity was off on the smaller slide, running around the edges and constantly dumping sand out of her sandals with great disgust (some things NEVER change). We all took a go at the swings though we decided AGAINST putting Echo in the toddler swing… the holes are HUGE for her tiny legs! 

Swinging

Echo had a busy afternoon of firsts… first the splashing in the splash park, then sitting in a swing (well in a lap on a swing) and then SAND. She was not overly fond of it to be sure but it was fun to put her feet down and try. A woman actually asked her age and in response was quite sweet and flattering. I do believe the words peanut and adorable were used! I love how Ken phrases it when asked – well there is something wrong with her we are working on fixing… oh dear! I have to say (though I may be a BIT biased) she was the sweetest little baby at the park! 

SAND

Because yesterday was Echo’s day (completion of much, just one thing left) and this morning my mending time tonight was bows bows bows. As my singed fingertips will attest to (glue gun… low temp my bum!). I figured I might as well get it off the list before returning to other projects… there is a stocking crying out for completion after all… and that has more than just the stitching to do… SOMEONE has to back the darn thing! 

Bows

That leaves yours truly with a kitchen table covered in crafting supplies BUT we did get in our VBS picture for the Summer Adventure file! 

VBS Day 2

And now to finish… some random fun pictures!! Until tomorrow. 

Climbing the rock

In the sun

Balancing

I certainly hope so!