January 10-11

Japan for the 10th brought out our love of kitties… It was rather fun to learn all about the Maneki Neko. It is an image we have seen all over the place in our Asian learning so it was wonderful to learn some background on it. Activity Village had a great video showing part of someone’s massive collection of these adorable cats… so of course I have to share it here! There is a second part to the series but we only watched the first one.

Emanuel and his Maneki Neko keychain

Gavin has started a new project for the month… he is creating his own Lego city, one hour a day at a time! So check back often to see the progress!

Lego town begins

Ken took the kids (minus Echo who is fighting off a bug) to the nearby park that they went to days earlier with Nana and Baba. I was told there was HUGE amounts of snow… and thankfully Ken utilized our camera and took some pictures of some VERY amazing snowballs made by our 4 creative geniouses.

The perfect snow for a giant snowball

Babies… and what looks like Ken’s thumb

They took their shovels with them, that’s my kids! PREPARED!

We got some rather amazing mail as well… all the way from TEXAS! Gammie sent some belated Christmas packages. Talk about excited kids! Echo was napping but we had to open the other 4’s as soon as we could get the paper off the boxes.

The source of the excitement

So much HAPPY! Thank you Gammie!

Of course once Echo woke up we HAD TO open hers as well! She does love a good present.

Fresh out of nap

Miss Trinity was very school focused and even got a workbook completed!

So proud!

The boys worked their magic with new instructions from Art For Kids! Snowboarders! Very appropriate with our consistent snow fall.

Gavin and Zander can be quite the artists

Finishing the week with the knowledge that Karyn will be here  TOMORROW is not an easy task. Everyone is excited. But we had to persevere. Emanuel had his Japanese unit to finish with TWO different activities… first off, the relaxing (generally) and beautiful art of origami. We made a boat, pig, jumping frog, and pigeon. We used the instructions that the paper came with our Little Passports mailing and then I used this wonderful free app as well… How to Make Origami. I think the jumping frog was Emanuel’s favourite.

Our origami

Our other and final item on our Japanese cultural week was the Daruma Dolls. We wrote down some wishes and tucked away his book that we printed off of Activity Village HERE.

Wishes tucked away

We also made a special Koinobori kite to represent Children’s Day.

Kite and box

We also tried our special snack – fruit mochi… I am not sure that the kids loved it per say but it was a fun first try! I swear we could keep going and going and going with Japan. But then again, it IS a country Ken and I are interested in. (Oh, we also shared Crunchyroll and an adorable anime this week – Poyopoyo.) We will probably also view this National Geographic photo app with some gorgeous photos of Japan called Fotopedia. I also found this Kids Web Japan site that looks to be a great resource!

With our treat

Gavin did his hour of Lego creativity… we have something amazing in the works I think!

Lego on the go

Our spelling test this time went pretty well… Gavin only had one word wrong (our) and Zander perfect score (of course one of his words was I). We are working on more ideas for the boys to keep them busier during our school day. More FUN learning like Trinity and Emanuel did with Trinity’s new boardgame! Thanks Gammie!

GAMES

Here at the end of two days I have some cute completions to share too! I think I am just loving the crochet to pieces!!! There is definitely more to come!

Miss T’s slippers

The itty bitty version

Spoiled rotten I am right now! Kathy and her brother Will not only have a lovely and comfortable home, two cats and internet but SHAW VOD! With ANIME… so you can imagine what I was up late doing last night… yup watching anime! And waiting for the girls to finally fall asleep. I lucked out, this month they have Ray the Animation on the system. I loved this anime when I first saw it way back when on Crunchyroll before they really policed their content for legalities and then once it was removed POOF couldn’t find it ANYWHERE. SCORE!

BUT lets see… Monday first! Echo and I saw Kathy off to meet her plane before 8am. Trinity was still sleeping. Echo had ME up at 6:45. The kitties made a last ditch attempt to follow their mommy out the door. In fact, Neko and I are almost on complete petting terms now… Ozo is too much of a momma’s boy to really accept that I am in charge quite yet. 

Our early bird

We spent our morning leisurely… lucky charms for breakfast then cartoons and nail polish for my girly girls. I lucked out and had the sparkly Hello Kitty polish I bought months ago on me and Kathy had a nice selection of colours for Trinity to choose from… end result? 2 pink nails and 8 purple and a VERY happy little girl! 

Nails

The weather was overcast to rain so we decided to make it an inside day. We watched movies, snacked when we felt like it and did general girly lazy day sort of things. It was such a nice change from having to chase 5 and school and all our other everyday stuff.

Ozo

Of course we Skyped with Daddy before bed and chatted online. I set up MORE visiting with friends and family. The close proximity to quite a few people is rather nice here and a great incentive to get closer permanently. My first day as kitty nanny was a success… though we did not go out or about or anything… just girly together time! With kitties interspersed. 

Tuesday was FAR from terrible! We had our now routine morning of cartoons and quiet play… Ozo decided to add some spice by knocking a figurine down. Thankfully while the figurine is in need of some TLC the cat was only mildly embarrassed. The girls were quite amazed at how the kitty could knock something down… apparently it is a silly kitty.

Fast forward through breakfast, baths for the girls and myself and it was GIRLY FAMILY VISIT TIME. That’s right… Cousin Veronika drove in from an hour away to visit! She brought wit her a new stack of books and a bag of clothes for yours truly! Supplementing that tiny wardrobe that I have readily available! Don’t forget the simple fact that it has been MONTHS since we have gotten together that this has been a long wished after visit. 

Her timing was great and we were able to save our OTHER guest a good hour or more on the bus by driving over to pick up Holly. Not only did I get to see a favourite cousin BUT I also got to spend the day with my sister in law! As well as talk to James who was actually up and mobile, pet their kitties and see the guinea pig (they recently lost their hamster to old age but have gained some fish). I was FINALLY able to give Holly some long awaited cross stitch projects I had meant to give them well over a year ago. Included was their wedding sampler! Holly was able to frame it that night! Check it out!

YAY

Well on the way back to Kathy’s we made a stop off at McDonald’s for lunch thanks to Holly! The girls each had chicken nugget happy meals. Wow have they gotten nicer! Not only did they get the nuggets but also apple slices, yogurt, juice and a toy. Talk about happy girls!!!

People watching

NUGGIES

Our afternoon was spent with chatting, hair styling, movie watching and even better – the watching of the beginnings of Kathy and Will’s deck. With some decent eye candy and all! Of course we had to message Kathy and let her know. We did have to figure out how to turn on the outside water so they could make the cement but besides that it all seemed to move along at a decent pace.

We had pancakes for dinner with berries and syrup and giggled and chatted and search for rentals together. The chance to spend time with family is so precious. And the girls to get to know the other females they are related to… it was a definite reminder of how important this time together really is. I would love to do it again and again and again! 

With Aunty

Watching the new deck be built with Cousin Veronika

We all drove Holly back home and got to see Jimmie since he was out of school by then…

Jimmie

James

And then it was back to the kitties and putting the carseats back in Kathy’s car (which has been parked out front in Kathy’s absence). Even with the weather not working in our favour for a park run all the fun and family wore the girls out just wonderfully. Really no problem putting them to bed, unlike the night before when the two were just horrible about playing around and NOT sleeping. 

And thanks to Veronika, more books to review

Which left me time to enjoy the anime I found on Anime Network… Ray the Animation! BONUS! The beginning of an amazing vacation week!

KITTY!

Time keeps ticking along… and with it our days and nights. Tuesday was an interesting combination of outside fun and inside schoolwork. Our morning was dedicated to learning… with our flag folders of course I had to get my hands on copies of the Pledge of Allegiance and the US National Anthem (first stanza). And with that their books are pretty well done. 

Celebratory cupcakes!

The piggy bank was finished as well… Daddy cut the slot and all of the kids had a go at adding stickers to the bottle. They are VERY proud of it. (Picture to follow eventually)

With Farmer Boy covered and some colouring and pictures created and lunch eaten the twins headed out to play in the pool… in the rain! Apparently that made it more fun? We had some thunder, no lightening and a warm rain so I figured why not. Besides, they had energy to burn and the others were all napping. (Though we did have a rogue Echo get into markers while we were busy and she coloured her hand and some of the carpet, thank goodness for vinegar water… came right out!)

Such a naughty baby

We did have a mild issue regarding the tv Tuesday and had to unplug all of the sets in the kids’ rooms (Emanuel’s and the twins’). The easiest way to deal with that was to disconnect. What a great reinforcement that our choice to cancel our cable tv was the best one. Netflix and Crunchyroll are much more affordable AND less tempting as they have to get onto the laptop to get to it anyway. 2 days tv free. Though I allowed for the Weather Network for our schooling purposes and a movie when I went out on a walk in the evening… this time it was Echo and Gavin who joined in with Grandma and Gypsy. Most of the kids are getting over a bug so it was good for Echo to get some fresh air before bedtime. We got to see a train… actually had to WAIT on one as it stopped on the tracks for a few minutes before making an almighty noise and then moving on. 

Waiting for the train

Oh and for those interested in Viking ships… a friend on Facebook linked me a site that was local to her! The Jorvik Viking Centre. Isn’t the internet grand!! 

We are still dealing with acting out and loud children but at the same time, I think we are doing well… There are moments that I wonder if my norm, my kids are what others would see as acceptable. Or are we louder than most? More outrageous?? 

Wednesday was another slightly stalled day… Ken worked hard and long as Thursday AND Friday are implementation days for a couple of his contracts. This meshes badly with the viewings we are trying to set up, the going out for things to do and the general family time as it is. So we made do at home today. Except for in the evening when mom helped me out by driving me, Echo, Trinity and Emanuel to bedtime story time. We are missing the next week but going to the High Tea the following Wednesday. 

The craft at the library

Zander designed Gavin his very own colour by numbers! He worked really hard and figured out colour codes, though he DID copy the words off the sheets we bought, HE sounded out each one and wrote them out… I only had to help with the word gray.

Zander's colour by numbers

Of course the backyard was sunny for most of the day so where did the kids go but OUT! As much as they wanted, until I figured they were starting to get too much sun!

Fun in the backyard

Best way to end the day – HAIRCUTS for the twins! We are now all basically presentable… woohoo! Mom had to borrow her friend Ashley’s shaver set as we didn’t have our attachments on hand. Nice and short on both of them! 

Cutting of the hair!

I have to apologize for my inconsistent updates as of late… my mind has been scattered and stressed lately. I have to say I REALLY appreciate how Ken is not only working full time but dealing with my insecurities (can you really blame me after last month’s ugh fest?), being a father and working with me to hunt the mighty rental. 

Watering Grandma's flowers