The days are ticking by and with them goes August. Can you believe we have been here over a month? It is going so well that I have to say I am SURE this was the best choice for our family. I guess I am still working on my personal understanding of this truth. The days that have been bad are fewer and fewer at this point. I think it helps that we keep ourselves relatively busy…

Friday we spent our time around the house but it felt so busy. The kids were over the moon having their cousins there for the whole day. And after fun in the front yard…

Scotch tape and leaves

Nana and Baba took all but Echo out for a picnic and the park while Ken and I stayed home to clean (me) and work on job applications (Ken). Once the group returned the sprinkler was turned on in the backyard and more fun was had!

In line for sunscreen

slipping and sliding

So no school Friday due to cousins and a hot hot day best spent outside. Well for the kids, I am still working on the clutter in the basement… slow and steady on that one, I don’t think I will get EVERYTHING sorted out until we are moved into our own place once again but I am determined to do the very best I can to create some semblance of peace and organization.

Post water craft

Saturday, on the other hand… much more busy!! It was decided that Saturday was a good day to celebrate Andrew’s 12th birthday (seriously where has the time gone!). As the location of choice was his grandparents’ (John and Maggie) we went over to visit with the kids at their house first. Toys, boys and a good friend… perfect for the whole family!

I love this picture, it looks like she is lecturing him about some sort of text or call from another woman

Birthday boy on his way

Over at party central there was a lovely fenced in yard for the kids to play in and plenty of outside toys. Soccer, badminton, some sort of catch game and seats for the adults. 

SOCCER

Supper was VERY yummy, cheesy potatoes, corn on the cob and turkey. Add in some fruit snacks, veggie chips and lemonade for the kids and everyone was full in the end. Though there was some excitement over some bees. 

In line for dinner

Birthday boy’s choice… cake first! Sp we had to gather everyone around the cake and take pictures of course! This cake was rather neat, it was a round cake with cupcakes around it. Little mini hamburgers and watermelon cupcakes and a grill for the cake. LOTS of icing! 

The cake

What a group!

After cake it was time for PRESENTS! I am so glad Andrew liked his wallet (duct tape) and owl (sock) we gave him! I have already had a special request from my godson (Anthony), he wants a BABY owl for Christmas. I am going to have to keep an eye out for some special socks for everyone down here. Not having a Dollarama has cramped my shopping. As well as the fact that is seems like cheap socks around here are ALL ankle length – no good for owls! 

Opening presents

Even big Andy made it, at the end of the party… he was stuck reassembling his semi truck with the hopes of fixing whatever was wrong with it. But we got in a quick visit. He is more often gone than here really. 

The Daddy cometh

And that was our Saturday. I really am hoping we can spend some more weekends with the Novaks. They start school up again after Labour Day so our visits during the day will be less often BUT now that we are here for good… well there is so much more opportunity to plan! 

Hard to believe he was a few months short of a year old at our wedding!!!

Two day entries seem to be the norm for October thus far. Ken actually alerted his contracts that it was a holiday here in Alberta and took the bulk of the day for US! Echo had a rough night waking off and on at the drop of a hat BUT we managed to stay in bed until almost 9am! A good start to the day. 

Ken ran out to grab the forgotten pancake mix and we all had yummy pancakes before the boys ran outside to play the morning away. Trinity decided to stay in and have a bath with me (seriously cramping my soaking time but she does love to have her hair washed). She wanted to dress up in one of her dresses that I had altered preciously – the green one with the butterflies. I know that the weather has turned to the cool but she does love her dresses. So we made up for that with a white turtleneck and white jeans. Very pretty! Add to that her yellow headband with a flower and she was set.

With Ken’s help I was able to get back into my medieval dress from the Chrises’ wedding. I forgot how difficult that was to do! I added the circlet and earrings from the day and substituted the hairdresser with one of my hair pieces and we were ready to go. I have to admit I DID feel a little silly out and about in the dress, especially since no one else in the family was wearing their costumes. BUT the leaves were prefect and the park not busy so I was able to have Ken take a few really cute pictures. I figure one more time – with cloak and in snow and I will feel good about how many images I have with something so fanciful. 

look a tree... oh and a girl behind it

Hmm leaves, sunshine and a pretty dress

As Ken would say - CLEAVAGE! Not an easy thing to make in this dress

Ken and I decided against going to the actual playpark with the kids. It was very busy and Echo was happy (for the moment) in her carseat. They did some leaf jumping, running and leaf throwing and then we headed back to the van. 

With leaves no less!

I also made sure to take some pictures of Trinity in her special outfit. She is such a fun subject. 

Pretty girl

And then there was the one of Emanuel sitting in the leaves… he is so sweet in pictures.

Cutie in the leaves

And the twins… I love their smiles and their bright blue eyes. Though at times Zander’s glasses obscure them. 

I love this one... note the hat from his god-daddy... very prized

My big boys

We made a run to Michaels since we were halfway there anyway with two 50% off coupons… you got it – DUCT TAPE! This time leopard spots and cookie dough brown solids. I admit it, I am an addict. I think that next I will get purple and black and white checks. Of course I couldn’t resist sitting down and making a wallet and then later in the evening a matching change purse and hair thing. I am thinking they could be fun Christmas gifts…

Wallet!!! This one should be gifted I think

Our afternoon was full of Legos, sandbox play and other non organized fun. It was nice to have a break, and in the evening the kids worked on magnets and electricity with Ken. A good Thanksgiving Day. With Sean here as well. Echo was VERY happy about that! 

We had a bit of a short day school wise today, what with a doctor’s appointment at 1:45 for the WHOLE family! But we managed to get some stuff done. This year has begun without the happy attitude of last year’s “start” but we are working on it. We started with some workbook work and then onto Stuart Little where he somehow managed to convince a random superintendent of schools that he (at the age of what 3?? what is that in mouse years) was capable of substituting as a teacher for a day?? The kids thought it was hilarious. 

Stuart Little

After that it was Legos… in fact, most of our spare time today was taken up with those nifty little blocks. That is not to say there weren’t arguments (of course there were!) but creations managed to take shape!

Gavin and Emanuel

Such a silly angle for Zander's picture

Some of the other projects

Trinity, Echo and I made the walk to the convenience store to pick up pasta sauce (funny how THAT is pretty much the same price there as a grocery store) . She does love a good hat! Though I had to change her outfit after the appointment – she manage to dislodge one of her bows that I put on her redone dress… guess I will be trying something other than fabric glue on those! 

In the refurbished dress

Dressed to walk for snacks and sauce

This evening we had a slight change in plans. With Ken swamped at work and really unable to leave after the appointment I contacted Karyn who made it into town in time to escort myself, Emanuel and Trinity to the downtown branch of the library. It was pj storytime. Trinity wore her Hello Kitty ones of course! There was stories, songs, rhymes AND a craft! All with the grandparent theme (for the most part). We decorated sunglasses in the end and then picked out some books. We took this chance to FINALLY get our library card! Another receipt for the funding file. I am looking forward to getting a meet up set up at our closer branch… once the van is done being repaired! 

Emanuel and his glasses

Trinity and hers

So the adventure was had with a slightly different form of transportation. I have some books for the twins to read tomorrow AND now need to spend some time on their online site hunting down some books. We have to get a move on on our months of the year AND a start on our dinosaurs and recycling… life goes on and it is time to move a wee bit quicker! 

Just cuz a baby in a hat = CUTE

Weekends are always a little bit of a wild card here, especially the LONG weekends. After all, it is Thanksgiving this weekend here in Canada. We have decided not to celebrate this year as Ken had to work the weekend (not a huge surprise – he has contracts on both sides of the border). We do plan to celebrate the American version next year along with Independence Day.

Saturday was not EXACTLY as planned – though Ken and the 4 bigger kids made a trip out to the nearby park where apparently they made lots of friends and played nicely together. Trinity got a piggy back home with Daddy and everything! Since Sean had come over the night before he and Echo took the time to have a snuggle. She does love it when he comes to visit.

PARK

Friday night was a duct tape night for yours truly. The zebra pattern is a definite favourite… I added a black strap to my purse and then stayed up WAY past my bedtime to almost finish a matching wallet. I finished it Saturday morning! So I was all set to go out shopping with Kristen. And it ends up that the entire thing works as it is supposed to!!! Maybe I should make a set in camo? The instructions I used for the wallet can be found on YouTube. 

Matching wallet

It was fun to get out and get things for our boys – homeschooling! We got our funding and payment order numbers and Kristen had some free time. We started at Staples where I finally got STAPLES… laminating sheets, etc etc… and then to the mall for a bit of window shopping and something to eat (Edo Japan noms). We ended up at the local school/kid supply store. It was so fun to wander around and see what we could use for school and fun and family together time. I got at least a couple Christmas items, some fun right now stuff, tiny cars for each of the kids… and SLINKIES!

Two of the tiny cars I got them for right now

I got a discount as a teacher (homeschooler) and was able to keep the amount nice and affordable leaving us some funding for later. I was able to get some more of our special tape that is good on the walls, and a set for teaching about magnets and electricity! Now there was also a bunch of little GIRL stuff I would have loved to grab but… well I will have to save my own pennies.

I also managed to get the last of Trinity’s Hello Kitty themed Christmas presents at an absolute steal. I think she is done DONE now. Or I have to stop keeping an eye peeled at the very least. Time to move onto Emanuel and the twins. They are MUCH harder to prepare for for the holidays as my options for MAKING things for them is much more limited.

We had a family walk to the convenience store to spend allowance and get some sunshine. I had to get a group photo and one of my outfit (though you can’t see the matching hair bow).

Successful walk

Even shirt matched!

We had plans to go to church today, BUT with a VERY cranky Trinity and Echo feeling her teething we decided to give it a miss. Instead I got some (apparently) much needed sleep and Ken and the kids did some cleaning and playing. They even moved the couch in the livingroom to sweep under! I was honestly VERY impressed!

Ken had quite a bit of work to accomplish today as well so that put the end to the idea of going out and about. We actually were debating going out to take pictures at the park again but had to move that idea to tomorrow. That didn’t stop myself and the twins from going out to the convenience store to get treats during naptime. They still had some allowance left after all! 

With candy

And then there was the fun with paints and markers… 

Gavin and his wooden turtle

And play doh…

Group project - train on tracks

I think we did pretty well for an at home day! And I made ANOTHER wallet… this one using our camo tape… I used different instructions and the result was nice, but I think I prefer the original ones that leave a tiny gap for the fold instead of a solid tape page. 

CAMO!

Now I have moved onto a small cross stitch kit and am trying to make a mini Christmas gift for persons as of yet unknown! I will post pictures of that once it is done! Tomorrow is a holiday here in Canada but NOT in the States so we will see how much free time Ken actually has! Hope everyone who IS in Canada is having an amazing Thanksgiving weekend! 

Coordinated with the pop boxes