Tag Archive | boardgame

The Aftermath of Christmas

December 26-30

Otherwise known as the Boxing Day that wasn’t. Here in Minnesota it was life as usual. Well for the rest of the world (even Baba went to work as usual!). WE had a Boxing Day as usual. For the Reinsch-Johnson family that means a day in pj’s playing with our new toys and eating leftovers.101_5764

101_5765101_5766The day was nice enough to boot the kids outside for a bit of course.101_5768

Echo gave her all as a fairy flitting here and there.101_5770

It was the next day – Friday where we got the perfect snowman making snow. And as a promise had been extracted from me to NOT do schoolwork until after New Years, well this Mommy is cringing at the lack of worksheets and spelling tests… just a little!101_5772

101_5775Though the kids did make good use of those new toys.101_5776

We also got our Christmas care package from Grandma and Grandpa Mike. Definitely full of some fun goodies.101_5778

The kids had tons of fun over the weekend with their cousins. There was no Sunday school so they played on uninterrupted.

Crafting

Crafting

101_5781

Going to a movie with Nana and Baba!

Going to a movie with Nana and Baba!

101_5786We did a little shopping on the Monday and spent some of our Christmas money, replaced a game we had already and generally had a nice family outing.

Grandma money

Grandma money

Exchanged game

Exchanged game

101_5794Then we snuck in ONE learning activity – I had taped a new Wild Kratts. So we watched and did our mini poster.

Bullfrogs

Bullfrogs

Then… well we had one day left to the year… which I will talk about in our next entry!!!101_5785

Having Fun as a Family

August 2-3

If you have 5 kids and a free hubby (DONE DONE DONE his contracts) what should you do? Well if you are a homeschooling family… you start like you did the day before – breakfast and then right into the review books and letters to the people who have stepped up to be our pen pals. Right now they don’t really understand how much work they WON’T be doing once we get all the first letters out but we are working down out list quite doggedly. Some even people the boys have never met before!!

Hard at work at a letter/picture (Gavin)

Now with the schooling out of the way, the kids dressed and the husband not tied to the computer beyond his morning’s job hunt (go Ken go!!) what to do? Well there was this promised LONG awaited outing… Victoria Secret and my first proper bra fitting and purchase of a proper NON nursing bra in over 9 years!! We had coupons that had come to the house in the mail recently and I ended up SAVING 120.00 while spending well under 100 and within the allotted budget… how so? Well we ended up with close enough to the target amount to get this really nice travel bag… which is also ALL of Lisa’s Secrets you will see… Victoria lets hers all hang out, me… not so much!

The bag!

In front of the store. All Trinity wanted was the bag it all came in!

After VS it was time to drive around and keep an eye peeled for MORE garage sales… check back at an old haunt and show the kids more of the beauty of the area. I have decided that next week or so we shall start collecting pictures of interesting street signs… trust me there are some REAL giggles. 

So now I have TWO new books to read… AND a list of suggestions (I had already read some but so neat how Barnes and Nobles does that!).

The two newest acquisitions

Suggestions

We had to make a stop off at a gaming store we remembered from years back that had moved to a NEW location that was HUGE so that the kids could each get a die. They do love having dice around! At 1.50 a piece certainly no hardship. Oh but don’t forget about lunch – TACO BELL!

Taco Bell

YUM!

This marked the beginning of our solo weekend. Nana and Baba headed off with Ken’s brother Joe and his family to camp for the weekend. We opted to stick around here so that we could work on some discipline issues, enjoy each other’s company and sort through a few more items we have laying around. Ken’s folks picked up some storage for our bedroom so I was able to further organize… and everyone knows how happy that makes me!!! 

Echo checking out from the inside out

We had a slow start to Friday as I finally have a more minor version of the rest of the family’s cold. But we did get out the door in the afternoon… for the ever magic garage sales (more squinkies and a spelling boardgame) and then the main attraction for the day – once we found it (two parks named the same on different streets in the same town???) – Andrew’s baseball game. The first of the tournament.

Andrew action shot

Another very hot day so the kids were a little fussy but we had a blast! Ken took pictures, Echo played with her Anthony and the boys played at the park. We always have fun with the Novaks. 

Watching from some shade

Echo and her Anthony

Andrew’s team won! And on that positive note we said see you LATER (that still brings a smile to my face) and headed off down the backroads home. We lucked out on our travels and came across ANOTHER garage sale… this one with everything for 25cents!! I picked up a zipper up sweater (just needed a wash), a push/ride car that we had up north and sold (seriously a QUARTER!) and a car that came with dominoes that turned out to be a gem. You fill the car and then let it go and it sets dominoes in a line!!!

She was so excited she wouldn’t let me put her pj’s on before she got onto it!

Don’t forget a stop off at Sam’s Club and an attempt at Slurpee in the form of a Coke flavoured Icee… head’s up… it is NOT the same thing!!!

Not quite

In the end the kids were pleased, we got to spend the day with friends and that night Ken and I sat around and did nothing! I just hope the rest of the family is having as much fun camping!!!

Cheering for our best boys!