Ok so I cheated just a little (beyond the time jump on the blog of course), since half the family was going to be gone for the 4th of July I had the kids dress up in their USA themed finery on the 2nd while they were all together AND the cousins were there. It is common knowledge now but they are moving to Florida in August so I am trying to make sure we get some great together shots before the big move! So FIRST are the rather staged (even more than usual group shots on holidays…) group shots!

And of course a few of just our kids…

August 25-30

Well everyone has already experienced our amazing Renaissance Festival fun on the 25th. You can find that day HERE. But after so much fun in the hot hot sun it was back to normal on the Monday.

Zander finally finished his grade 2 mathbook so soon we will bring out the 3!

We even made time for a Wild Kratts.

Gila Monster

On Tuesday we continued on with our Lion learning. I love using storybooks to supplement our finish products and these scratch paper pictures are terrific!

Amazingly enough Trinity and Echo had a “do everything together” day!!!

Middle of the week was Emanuel’s turn to shine with a completion…

And the whole gang worked on getting in the day’s harvest from the straw bale garden!

Thursday was back to work…

Kenya

Look Esther!! They drew you!

and back to the pool! Any time we can get some fun in the yard is always a bonus!

The kids really excelled in their schoolwork. So we drove over to McDonald’s and treated them all to ice cream. 59 cents a piece is always an amazing deal, especially when you need to buy 7!!!

We ended our week with Zachary over for the morning. He, Gabriella and their parents were going camping with Nana and Baba for most of the Labour Day long weekend. So he came over Thursday night to leave Friday morning. Though his asthma was acting up in the extreme humidity so they had to stay inside to play.

After the campers left we ran outside to check our beans… which apparently grew best if we ignored them completely!

Play on the playset…

And just generally mug for the camera.

And that is our week in a nutshell!!!

August 1

Our first of August was a rather special day. Our last day without the twins who were happily camping with their cousins and grandparents. We started with our daily schooling, of course. We had an exciting workbook completion! Emanuel has been working some of these larger K books all year so when we finish one it is huge smiles and celebration!

We finally had a lovely sunny day and some spare time so first thing in the morning I filled up the pool and placed it in a new spot in the backyard. I put the water in early with the hope that in an hour or two the water would warm up in the sun… of course the kids jumped the gun and wanted in as soon as they finished their schoolwork.

This was Echo’s first time in the pool and she made the best of it. The air was not as full as in the beginning, but instead of adding some air I left it softer so she could get in and out easier.

After the pool it was lunch and naps until Ken could get off early to take up out to use some of our soon to expire coupons. We had to sniff soaps and lotions at Bath and Body Works… I really wish I could catch the scrunched up face Echo makes when she smells things. Of course there was free underwear with Victoria’s Secret I could not pass up thanks to my inlaws having gotten a credit card with them an eon ago that I doubt they even have anymore!

It took considerably less time than we had anticipated so we headed over to the Novak’s and then to the park before Aidan’s game.

Echo and her protector in the park Alex

Aidan played like a champ and they WON 1-0!

Aidan is in the yellow pinny as the goalie.

Alex was amazing and perfectly willing to take Trinity and Emanuel to the park to play while we watched Echo and the game. Both were equally cute.

We came home to a happy but tired set of twins and grandparents! I think we all took great advantage of our 3 special days!!!