October 24-25

Wednesday marks the point where we are FINALLY in the end stretch on costumes. I am so far behind from where I usually am! The twin bought theirs, we got the last of the supplies for Echo’s and the face paint for Trinity’s Choco-cat. Ken and I have opted not to dress up this year with our short time frame and really lack of budget. I hope to do so next year though! 

We spent much of our morning out on those errands so that definitely shortened our school day. BUT Zander had his spelling test today, 7/7! Well done!

100%!

Not to be outdone by her brother… work of art

Art for Kidssaved our day with their MUMMY instructions. The boys BOTH enjoy the steps and are absolutely willing to create whatever the next picture is. We often discuss what COULD be the next picture posted…

MUMMY

Thursday was a short day for me… I had a GIRLY DATE with Bree the mommy to be once again. She announced the day before that they are expecting a GIRL! Echo is going to have a godsister. I am so excited for them, I am going to save all of Echo’s outgrows AND start the gears moving in my head as to what I can make for them. Hair things, dollies, bits and bobs… fairy wings! Oh I am excited!!! We are in the world of boys down here having left all our little girls up in Canada! 

Anyway… we have started our Halloween colouring in earnest. I love a good print out and while the printer is limping without its colour cartridge we are still making do. Trinity especially enjoyed her Education.com print out of a haunted house! You can check out my Halloween folder on their site HEREof stuff from this year and the previous. 

Trinity’s work of art

We had ANOTHER 100% on a spelling test – this time Gavin and he had tricky words – TWO and TOO!!! I am so proud!!! 

Another perfect score

We have started our Halloween book and are doing a picture a chapter into the journals. This seems to be the best way to follow up with something with the boys. Low impact but they keep on working, thinking and creating. When we finish our Judy Moody book and go onto the next one, I think I will use another format… maybe a chapter by chapter picture book… add to it a list of the characters in each chapter and the main conflict or point. 

We covered a rather unique FEATHERED dinosaur today. The Beipiaosaurus… and surprisingly Gavin joined us! There is something rather interesting about a dinosaur that is feathered, with a potential omnivore lifestyle. Once I get  the previous dinosaurs posted this one will be up as well. My agreement with the big boys is that if they want to join in on the dinosaur time they ALSO have to do something productive in regards to this dinosaur. So Gavin drew a picture of it, recorded the dinosaur’s name and 3 facts he learned about it. Which Emanuel helped him come up with. 

I am still debating what path to take beyond math and reading and writing… With Emanuel to learn about Brazil I am thinking of seeing what sort of a lapbook or mini poster we could make as a family… but I want to expand our interest. THOUGH we have had some more pen pal letters! This time from our friends in the Yukon (including Coffee Crisp chocolate bars for me!! Though Ken took one to share with his friends).

Throw in some snow in passing and wow what a couple of days!!!

Definitely did NOT wish it was Monday… not when the day was beautiful and the kids dressed in their Sunday best once again. No, while I had shed some tears and had some emotional moments today I had some moments of joy and contentment as well. So lets get going with the recapping… we had to get out to the van dressed, packed up and ready to go by 8am once again. There was quite a bit of reticence from the boys who were rather unimpressed by the idea of another long drive. We assured them it was for a good reason and that they WOULD have fun today at church…

Dressed to impress

We made good time even with some road repair going on and got to church in time to meet the rest of the kids and start Sunday School. I have to admit I appreciate long car rides (when the kids are in decent moods) as it gives Ken and I a chance to chat about things without the distraction of tv, computers, internet, etc. Sometimes it is the closest we get to quality one on one time. Especially if the kids are occupied or better yet, ASLEEP.

Anyway, this was a very special Sunday… first of all it is the FINAL Sunday School session of the year. Bittersweet as we have loved our year of Sunday School. The kids have made friends among their classmates, enjoyed their teachers and fellowship. We have felt totally welcomed and accepted by this church and the new minister. So they practiced their song for the OTHER big event of the day – the dedication and presentation of the nativity and “other” costumes mom made for the church. There are well over 30 done and at the church. Everyone was over the moon when they came in to them all laid out on the tables for perusal. 

Of course before the costumes could be handed out and chosen there was cookies and juice! Even Echo had a cookie. 

Cookie time

For Echo too

And then… PICKING COSTUMES! Trinity decided she didn’t want to dress up as there was no Chococat or princess but the boys were all over that as were most of the kids. Mom was there to help out with the dressing up. Proof positive that they ARE versatile for ages and sizes. 

Dressed up

With an angel

By the time everyone was dressed up Mike got there from his conference (on the bike) and church was ready to start. Hugs all round and then up to sit in the sanctuary. The group at the front were adorable. I am so glad we were able to be there for the dedication. We even made it through the whole service, communion and then…

In the front of the church singing

With a sentinel

And some more

Time to finish celebrating the end of Sunday School. I have to say I feel VERY blessed in our choice of church (it was the only ELCICin town and it has been a perfect fit for us!!). I went back after everyone had shook the hand of the minister to chat about how things are going and he took the time to sit in his office and listen to my cry a little, talk about my faith and options and say a prayer together. He has offered to connect me with the minister here in town who is actually a friend of his(!) and if we are ever in town this month and need to talk we are to let him know. 

Mommy and Echo keeping busy during service

He was more than understanding about my need to use only email right now and while he does not have answers for us he has our back in prayer. As several members of our church came up to me to tell me also. Emanuel and Trinity’s teachers (who are sisters) were very hopeful for it all working out for us and willing to ask around about some possibilities in rentals they are aware of. People also came up to inquire about Echo’s health. It makes me feel so good to know that other people are still thinking about her surgery and her recovery. I know that Ken and I are still concerned and will be until she is off the baby aspirin. 

After the Youth ran lunch the kids were outside to play games in the yard. There was everything from a beanbag toss to tug of war to a scavenger hunt. Well more of a litter pick up but they were so proud after! Even Trinity and Echo warmed up towards the end and the time in the sunshine felt so… renewing. 

Throwing sponges soaked in water at the Youth

Tug of war

We said good bye to our church friends and headed out for a run to Michaels for me (I will disclose my purchases there, as small as they are, tomorrow) and then on to Kristen and Fydo’s to grab the cards she had made for the sale (pictures tomorrow) that were hiding under their welcome mat and then… Aunty Karyn at the park! Trinity was beyond excited and as soon as we got parked and changed out of church clothes (all except for yours truly as I managed to forget mine in the hustle out the door) all the kids made a bee line for the park. 

Park time

Visiting with Aunty

Checking out the sand

We played and chatted until Echo decided she was done in the sun and wanted to sit in the van with her water cuppy. Then it was time to say a somewhat tearful good bye to Karyn and head out of town. With tired and done in kids and a baby who felt the ride home was pure torture it was quite the drive. We were all done in… and then there was the added unexpected excitement of a lost dog found on our street that mom and Mike had to take the pound so they could find the owner… and the finding of a patch of torn fur on Gypsy that we can’t figure out where she lost it… 

I am working my way through the first two manga in a new series that I plan to blog about tomorrow as well as another book I am working through during my baths! So those entries to come… We are also starting our USA unit with a focus on Minnesota so I will definitely share my links here too… I am determined to keep our educational ball rolling after all! Keep in mind that I have a few more crafts to complete for the sale… some adventures still to be had AND pet sitting, our anniversary and my birthday to look forward to. While we hustle our buns with the rental hunt I am going to grab everyone moment of joy I can find and hold on tight… and this month I am determined to be successful on ALL fronts!!! 

Grandpa time

The week is coming to an end and the weekend is shaping up to be busy. It is a long weekend here in Alberta but VBS starts on the Monday all the same. With trips to the old house to finish cleaning, running to get Jimmie and Ken needing to get work done that was not completed during the week we have not yet made a service at the new place. The plan is to go the one free Sunday in August – the 21st… Sunday School starts after the long weekend in September which has the boys absolutely bouncing in excitement. A whole new adventure for us all.

THIS weekend has me mainly focused on the August wedding… Saturday afternoon is the bridal make-up trial with my lovely cousin Veronika doing the make-up. Combined with the need to purchase a massive amount of the theme coloured ribbon to finish the centrepieces, the planning of the seating plan/tables positioning and all other general odds and ends to finalize and I am hoping this is our last big push to completion (I know I know I AM a wee bit delusional). Can you tell I am LOVING the closeness  to cousins? I am pretty sure I have made that nearly ANNOYINGLY apparent… but I am! This weekend cousin Elizabeth is moving to a different place so we couldn’t get more family together but she HAS promised to come back often. 

What I did manage last night was to finish all bows I had the ribbon for (lost or miscounted three knots somewhere downstairs though which is a bit upsetting) AND do all the tulle knotting for Echo’s birthday costume. I need to sit down and fuss with the ribbon tie as I cannot see how you can do it with the double layer of tulle, but I may be misreading the instructions (would NOT surprise me!). I used 4 colours – black, grey, light purple and a shimmery brown to make something with a Friday the 13th feel! After the weekend I plan on trying to make a single matching tulle poof to put in her hair… 

I have to brag a little on my kids and their yearning to learn… today all 3 boys WILLINGLY did school work, even though I was not planning on pushing it today with the amount of tidying and such that has to be done for the weekend. Pictures were coloured, ABC’s drawn, math done… even songs sung. All while butterfly princess Trinity ran around and little Echo added her voice to the chorus. In fact, she has started directing her baby babbles in a more conversational manner recently. It is so exciting to see and hear her progress. 

TIARA!

In reflecting back to the beginning of the week and the altercation with beloved people in our lives regarding our choice to homeschool I have to admit there has been some good come of this. I have written/typed up a letter that explains as best I can the why and how of us making this choice. This has forced me to think long and hard really as to the fundamental reasons behind out wish to take this VERY hands on role in our children’s schooling. It has also helped push me forward into meeting more families (granted online only for now) that are local to us and reinforce that there ARE people who think we are doing a good job. That has not decreased the hurt of the naysayers but what it HAS done is remind me how little those people interact with us on a daily or even weekly basis. This is not out of lack of trying REALLY but more so due to distance… so how CAN they know exactly what we are accomplishing here? (beyond what I write here in the blog, but I AM aware that NOT everyone reads it) I have passed through the anger of Monday’s entry and have moved into hope… I HOPE that I can help them to see the benefits to what we are doing but it is not the main focus of our schooling. What IS the main focus will always be the children and their future. And it is a bright and hopeful future indeed! 

MATH

Ken and I have made a pact and he is going to readjust his sleep schedule back to “normal people” time or at least an approximation. I know there ARE nights when he needs to work late but he has gotten into the habit of ALWAYS working late… which has left me a little bereft in snuggling time. Now that Echo is almost consistently sleeping through the night (major score) we are able to start moving back from the midnight feeds and start enjoying the morning again.

Oh, the decoration idea – well EACH of the boys has their own 8X10 photo frame that I have put up on the wall. They are allowed to, at any time, do up a NEW picture and we will replace it! And now I have 3 VERY happy boys who are involved in decorating their room WITHOUT damaging walls! 

Emanuel's collaborative piece

I am trying a new recipe tonight for some of the raspberries I have in the freezer… I will have to share the results in the next entry. OH! That reminds me – Ken had some sad news to report at the old house… apparently the owners chopped those lovely raspberry bushes TO THE GROUND! Wounding I tell you, they were amazing bushes and provided a TON of berries… so sad!

 There is the beginnings of a Kitty buddy on the stocking… I am not going to spill who it is until it is done but I CAN tell you it is NOT Chococat! 

black thread....

With a potential house full of computers and gaming and friends it is going to be an interesting weekend. 

Homemade bread NOMS