JUNE 29/30th… catching up slowly but surely!!

The best remedy for a difficult move, stressful past few months and frustrating future? Super downsizing! That’s right… out with the old and NO in with the new! With the happy added bonus of emptying (or at least making great headway on) Kristen and Fydo’s garage which allows them to have a happier vehicle living IN its accustomed home. Now, this was a WHOLE weekend affair with us starting on FRIDAY! 

Our intimidating starting point

We were up and out the door as early as possible to get to town and get started. Kristen (the sweetheart) was able to take the day off and work with us to keep the process as quick as possible. There was a lifetime and a half to go through and we had to have it done by the end of Saturday (as of course Sunday was CANADA DAY AND Ken had to drive Darryl to the airport so we had to be back in town for that). It was a rather overwhelming prospect. So the best way to deal was to just jump right in.

She was adamant that she HAD TO sit in the chair at least for a few minutes

What amazed me by the end of the first day was the amount of stuff that was going garage sale and dump. I honestly am surprised at everything we keep around. There was so much that was old, not useful or perfect for someone else. So the end goal is to help others with our excess. 

We were MUCH more organized day 2, day one was just GET THROUGH IT!

Napping with Fat Sheep

At Aunty Karyn's

Of course none of this would have been possible without Karyn to be in charge of Echo and Trinity and their napping needs and Kristen and Fydo and SEAN for their help, vehicles and smiling faces. Add to that pizza, giggling over silly possessions and sunburns and it was a good 2 days. Saturday started a little slower with sunburns and exhaustion foremost in the minds of all. BUT we managed…

Uncle Sean!!

Saying good bye to our last wedding decoration

Thank you Sean for the loan of your truck to move things to the dump!!

Echo and Karyn took a nap break or two and I made sure ALL the kids got their OWN slurpee… Echo included… though she shared with Karyn (just to be nice of course).

Slurpees

We even managed a few pre-garage sale (thank you again so much Kristen and Fydo for hosting that!!) sales… passersby who saw something on the right side of the driveway and were like HEY I want that!!! Very convenient. And lots of inquisitive individuals who were very excited to come back when we WERE ready to sell. We stayed overnight one more night last minute so Ken could finish off what he needed to do and help with some of the garage sale set up but we HAD TO be back in town for Darryl to be picked up for his ride to the airport… and for us to celebrate Canada Day with the Bleau family!!

We found some favourite things right off the bat too - like this much fought over stroller (kept)

WINGS

Asleep

Gotta wrap up that weekend and start the week anew. We HAD planned to head to the information centre and see the Viking ship Sunday but when we got there found it was closed for a long lunch. With it chilly and windy we did a short walk across the main bridge to see the swan in the lake, took some pictures… ran a bit and then hopped back into the car. We DO plan to see that ship, close up and personal this week though. Echo especially enjoyed the view from the bridge. Though we were sure to keep a tight hold of her hand as she is too tiny to be safe at the railing. 

Walking with Daddy

Swan

Bridge

Mom’s friend Ashley sent over some cake pops for us to try. The kids were VERY impressed. Even Echo had one (one of the ones that was NOT on a stick).

YUM

Sharon and I conspired to send our husbands out on a playdate… through texting and gentle prodding we got them out in the evening for drinks at the local brewhouse and a movie. I guess the drinks were great, the company awesome… the movie… so so (Prometheus). So what did the kids get? A movie in the basement with popcorn and Pepsi! UP! I still haven’t seen it but the kids enjoyed it and then were sent off to their beds. The twins are now separated – one in the room, one in a nice nest in the livingroom, they just have been fighting too much at night and keeping people up. Seems to be working so far.

Movie time!

Now Monday was back to the norm… well the current norm. I had talked to my brother and my sister in law last night about helping us see a place not 4 blocks from them, but we had to spend today catching the agent in charge of the rental to confirm the availability of said rental (yes as of today it still is), the viewings (she is rather sure Thursday and Friday evening but will get back to us tomorrow) and the speed of decision making on their end (yup good and ready to make a decision). That does not have us with all our eggs in one basket by any means… we are still hunting, contacting and making sure we don’t depend on any one property. We WILL get this sorted out. Especially with all the prayers, well wishes and support you all have given us. 

Hat or Tupperware? Eye of beholder

That left our day open for schoolwork, after all the day STARTED out rather nasty… Trinity woke up more sick than she went to bed and ended up sleeping over half the day away (and thankfully woke up much better in the late afternoon). Emanuel was hard at work today on a couple pictures… the twins did math… actually, Sharon came by for a visit and SHE helped Gavin with his! It was nice to have unexpected company. And by the time she left it was sunny again…

He also did numbers

My boys at work

So time for the pool… the water is VERY murky at this point but great fun was had. Add to that BOTH grandparents home on time and Echo with big brother supervision out in the backyard and I think everyone had some fun. The dog even got a reprieve from her cone. Her shoulder is finally healing nicely. 

Pool time

Echo in a box

The twins salvaged a Pepsi bottle and plan on making it into a coin bank. So far they cleaned it out with soapy water and left it to dry in the sun. And then we made up step by step instructions to go into their books on how to make it. Tomorrow they have to take the label off, cut a coin slot in it and of course DECORATE IT! Zander’s idea!

I am so proud of my boys… coming up with their OWN idea… and so of course we will finish it tomorrow! Gotta strike while the iron is hot. 

Now the rest of the week we are trying to get viewings lined up, figure out what I need for my pet sitting adventure with the girls and keep our homeschool plans on the go. I am feeling some of my confidence return. Emanuel and I wrote the word bugs together – we sounded it out together aloud and HE wrote each letter without a reference! I am so proud of him! The twins are getting a little more willing to do what we need to do and I hope to see further change as the days go by. I know I am on the right path I just need to find the right tools.

So pretty!

April 26th is a very special day… Trinity’s birthday! And this year, as she is proud to report, she is 4!!! She had a special friend to play with for the first half of the day – Logan… and lots of new toys to try out. After all, someone else’s toys are ALWAYS fun! 

Our very own birthday girl

We had enough time in the morning to have the twins do a chapter of Farmer Boy and work on reading a children’s book together alternating pages. It feels good to continue on with things. 

I got to experience first hand a busy mom’s afternoon with Sharon. Logan had a half day of pre-K, he goes a few days a week in the afternoon. Then we had to pick up a friend of hers who was staying for a bit while she healed from her wisdom teeth removal. After dropping her off we went for lunch… one of my all time favourite places!!! A noodle house that does the most amazing lemongrass beef on rice vermicelli. Delicious!

We did some shopping (birthday shopping!)… I was able to pick up 2 new binkies for Echo for under 6.00. A great price. We picked up some groceries and then were off to pick up the kids from school. After they had a little time at the house with our kids they were off to the pool. I came along for the ride so I could stop in at mom’s to pick up some stuff for us and a bag for Jimmie and family. 

Echo playing with fridge magnets

Snuggles with Aunty Sharon

That left the evening for celebrating the birthday girl! We had pizza for supper… 

Pizza

And then after dinner was homemade chocolate cake shaped like a FLOWER and all PINK! It was a hit with everyone. Isn’t Sharon hugely talented! 

CAKE

Blowing out the candles

…and then it was time for PRESENTS! The Bleau family spoiled her with a new dress, a bug that puts stars and a moon on the ceiling with lights and a dolly with her own suitcase to hold all her things! There was TWO cards (Ethan made her one too at school!) and we gave her the 4 little Hello Kitty sets of people for the Mega Blocks (on super sale no less!!). She was a VERY happy little girl!

Present time

With Logan and Trinity both not overly tired the birthday girl got the added spoiling of a bedtime movie! They watched most of a Barbie movie together before they fell asleep and had to be put to bed! That left Sharon and myself with the chance to watch most of It’s Complicatedbefore I had to give in and go to bed myself. Of course Darryl and Ken spent the night up late playing games online together. I think they have missed hanging out. Now that we have a WORKING van I know that we will be planning another weekend get together before too long! 

Fast asleep

So Thursday was an AWESOME day… we all got our own version of a playdate with good friends, we were spoiled with some delicious food AND then we were on our way once again early Friday morning… but that is a story for ANOTHER entry! 

Cuties eating pizza