But, I may just catch up before Christmas??? Who knows! So sit back and enjoy the peek back!

Anyway, May. Well… Mother’s Day which means Mother’s Day photos. Of course since the weather was decent we drove down to the end of our road and took photos on the path. You can check out the photos HERE since this post is HUGE already!

Ken bought me the most adorable Totoro socks. We went to church. It was a lovely day.

May also found us at Mall of America at what I felt was one of the happiest places on earth… TIM HORTONS! There are multiple locations in state now, and I have visited more than a few!!

All out of Legos!

May was also Sean’s yearly visit. He drove down this year. We had a lot of fun with him.

Emanuel and Trinity got their white belts in karate. More on that HERE.

Of course we continued swimming lessons and visited ClubY. With myself keeping suitably busy as well.

New stationary machines!

Zander and Gavin had track.

I even got my hands on some back in production Clearly Canadian!!!

For lack of a bonfire we got creative making s’mores.

Ken and I tried our hand at some minor landscaping.

We even tried some backyard gardening.

My best gardener with her Gypsy dog toy pal

dead heading in pj’s

Berry bushes!

And we bought a can crusher which was fun for the kids for about… a week.

We had company… and went visiting.

Cousin Robbie

Schwartz family

Snoopy!

Crochet…

With Gavin

School…

Reading in the best vantage points

Eating out…

Walks to the park…

It was a busy month looking back! I forget how busy when the days pass by.

A sweet apology

sparklers!

Emanuel perfected his bicycle riding.

Quiet moment!

Toad!

February is NEVER a calm month. We start off running with birthdays – Emanuel on the 3rd, the twins on the 5th, their Nana on the 7th. Then it is right onto Valentines’ Day. Luckily this year Chinese New Year was in January, but we still seem to rush right through February year after year. As an additional plus, February marks the beginning of a membership at the Science Museum.

Of course first things first… the twins are TEENS! And lovely Emanuel 11… where did the time go? You can read a recount on these special moments HERE.

We spent lots of time at the YMCA, in the pool, in classes…

At club.

Trying out Yoga!

There was indoor soccer to watch – our godson Anthony.

We even managed a dinner out.

We decorated t-shirts.

By Gavin

Emanuel, Zander

Trinity

Echo

There was plenty of homeschool completions to celebrate.

We even had a Flat Stanley visitor.

The choir sang.

We crafted.

Had dinner with the Schwartz family.

We even managed to start some painting around the house. First room tackled – Emanuel’s!

Enjoyed our Pizza Hut reading program reward.

It was a chilly, busy, love filled month. Just like February always is with this not so little family!

So we have placed our feet firmly into 2017. January has come and gone (and at this point February is quickly going the same way). But what, exactly, did we do in January? Chinese New Year fell on January 28th this year. You can take a peek at our celebrating of the start of the Year of the Rooster HERE. We had a wee bit of snow, but nothing exciting…

The only snow structure we managed to make!

OH! We helped Darcy celebrate her birthday with dinner out and cake.

This meant we also got to see our godson Anthony play indoor soccer (they won, as usual).

I spent A LOT of time at the YMCA.

This in turn meant the kids spent A LOT of time at Cluby.

Slightly out of season but someone donated house kits for the kids at club.

Waiting for swimming lessons.

We took our Christmas money from Grandma and Grandpa Mike and spent it on some new clothes.

Even luckier than the clothing sale… a pretzel sale!

Did lots and lots of learning. Mostly in the sunshine on the floor.

Completion!

Cousin Robbie came for an overnight visit.

And I crocheted up a storm.

Yarn was purchased and a hat requested… not half bad!

Snuck some cross stitch in here too.

Ken, Renee, Chris and myself all went out to Matt’s Bar for Juicy Lucy’s.

We also visited a rather amazing display of quilts… I wish this one had photographed better. It was amazing.

Flat Stanley came to visit as well.

It was a rather social month, but it was also a very education heavy with as much time spent outside as possible. Even from simply looking back at the images I have collected, I feel we started the year off positively. Smiles, friendship, knowledge and fun. What more could I ask for?

Church down the road.

Emanuel is growing his hair out to donate!