Homecoming, a Wisconsin Reunion Romance is written by Janet Wellington. With a quote about cats at the beginning of each chapter, this contemporary romance is a lovely light read.

Cory and Jake were high school sweethearts until matters intervened and they each went on their own path. Jake’s Aunt Tillie who passes away a month before Jake could return is the catalyst to bringing them both together once again. With a history to clear up, a present to deal with and an unknown future Jake and Cory have 3 months of home renovation and cat placement to contend with.

This story is well written, with characters  you can’t help but fall in love with. I found this to be a two afternoon read with a wonderful happily ever after ending. Learning disabilities and Alzheimers are dealt with along with loss and the process of getting over grief. There IS one rather intense sexual encounter later in the book but it is easily skipped past and the actual occurrence is rather important to the plot. I will definitely be looking at other books by this author for a light summer read.

Homecoming

April 26

So I wished our biggest little girl a happy 5th on the day of her birthday with a quick single picture entry, now it is time to share in the day properly. Of course being as the 26th was a Friday we did have to do the usual spelling, printing practice, etc… But once that was done it was time to enjoy the day with Trinity for EVERYONE!

We started with pictures of the birthday girl who chose to have herself and her sister dress up in matching dresses that had been purchased last year. At first Echo was VERY against sharing the spotlight and actually shoved the birthday girl out of frame!!!

Happy Birthday Trinity

In their matching dresses

From the back

After enough pictures were taken to make Mommy happy and the girls adamant  that they were done we packed up the boys and girls and headed to Walmart for the next phase of Trinity’s birthday DAY. Ken had taken on an extra project the days before and worked long hours so that he could have the whole day off! We were unable to purchase Piggy Paint like I had hoped to as the Walmart near us was not one of the ones that carried it but instead each of the girls picked out a colour of their liking from a fast dry line. Trinity waffled between a fire engine red and the purple we purchased while Echo swooped in and grabbed her new word of the day off the shelf – BLUE!

After purchasing was lunch, and what better lunch for a 5 yr old and her siblings than ICE CREAM! We took everyone to Dairy Queen and everyone had their own treat… no one was hungry after that!!!!

Birthday’s girl’s choice

LUNCH

Then it was back to the house for the painting of the nails. Both Echo and Trinity did amazing. And yours truly alternated both colours to match BOTH kids.

Girly nail time

PRETTY

With my nails

Supper was Nana and Baba’s choice as Ken and I had a double date with Cory and his fiance (congrats you two!!) Karen. I am told they did desert before dinner with giant chocolate muffins and then hotdogs… popcorn to round it off and movies.

We also had a surprise mailing! Our ant farm ants arrived… tubed ants with food… it was unnerving opening up the package to find LIVE ants (no queen). So of course we HAD TO take time out of our day and assemble the farm. Leaving the ants in the tube for too long could have killed them after all!

Assembly

ANTS

So our birthday girl was well pleased and ready for the next phase of Trinity celebration – afternoon and evening at the Novak’s. But first… the double date! We decided to go to Mall of America (more food options) and start our fun at the mini golf. I came in an unsurprising LAST, and Ken, of course, came in first with Cory and Karen tied.

Ready to golf

Karen

Cory

Me!

Karen and I could not stop giggling that the guys would go THIS far to check out MINI golf holes.

So we really had a terrific 26th of April!!! Trinity is 5, we had our first double date in AGES… our ant farm project is started. Ken having the day off made all the difference in the world. I will include some of the spill over from today in another entry immediately after this one… birthdates make me photo happy!

Birthday girl and all of her siblings

February 4-5

So we have Nana and Baba just until the early AM of the 6th so what are we to do but take a run out on Monday and see not only Mall of America and do a little shopping but head out to what we were told was the best Ethiopian restaurant around – Fasika! Bree suggested it, Ted ordered for us and it was… AMAZING!!! I mean seriously AMAZING! I want to go back. We had meat and vegetables and the most amazing tea… you eat with your fingers The company was as fun as the food… you eat only with your fingers and this amazing soft bread. Seriously TRY IT OUT!

lamb and mince

veggies

Ken and I

Anyway BEFORE that was Mall of America and a few stops… Legoland of course, the Sanrio store and I stopped in at Betty Paige to check out the dresses and debate some fashions. I really want another dress… I am torn between one I tried on before and THIS one.

Before that was our first day with Sean… the kids were INSANELY excited… where hanging with Uncle Ted seems to bring cuddling and calm, Uncle Sean is like a whirlwind of excitement which is hilarious because he is a champion NAPPER!

Uncle Ted time

Crazy Sean

Napping Sean

Add Uncle Sean to the post Birthday rush and well… EXCITEMENT… Having BOTH Uncles is insane!

Skylanders for all

Of course we squeezed in some drawing time. This time there were two different instructions used off of Art for Kids – the horse and cupid. The horse, especially, was more difficult than the norm as there were lines to be drawn and then erased.

Gavin’s horse

Zander’s cupid

We made ourselves some lucky goldfish to go on our Chinese New Year poster. The kids are absolutely enthralled with how many things are lucky.

So pretty

With a shopping trip at Legoland I am sure you can imagine what the 5th (also the twins’ birthDATE) brought – a rather simplified schooling schedule. The set that Sean got the boys to share was VERY complicated and did not get completed in the full day of work but WOW did they work together and ENJOY it!

Gavin at work with his assistant Zander

We skipped our dinosaurs but a friend on one of my egroups sent me a great link with cross stitch patterns of dinosaurs you can check out HERE. The last one is perfect for a beginner stitcher. I may have Gavin do that.

Instead Emanuel worked on his Lego gift – a helicopter

We needed to burn off some energy so I sent the kids out to shovel and followed with Echo to enjoy the decent weather. Trinity and Echo tried freezing bubbles outside but it wasn’t cold enough. So instead Gavin conscripted Echo to help finish off the walk… gotta start them young!

Don’t ask where Zander’s hat is… ugh

Catch the bubble!

See this is how you do it little sister

I love the Hello Kitty Sean picked out for Echo, and so does she! The only purple one in the store that was ALMOST as big as her!

In love

This was the last evening for Nana and Baba before their 7 weeks in Mexico! Snorkeling is on the list of things to do this trip I am told! So we had take out Chinese from the Rose Garden (total yum, great prices and large portions we never get it from anywhere else).

Post dinner carnage!

Then Ken, Sean, Ted, Christopher and Cory had a gaming evening here at the house. Another on of those things that we enjoy on BOTH sides of the border!

Gaming

So with TWO uncles here, a post birthday present pile to enjoy and some last minute time with Nana and Baba before their trip we spent the last few days more than a little content and the kids in a state of permanent excitement! Oh and we did some school work too…

Hanging out with Uncle Ted