Ok so this is our SECOND year going. This year I was lucky enough to have my bestfriend since high school (no dates!) Shandai work with HER roommate Emily (who is AMAZING with a needle and thread I might add!) and outfit me in one of the most amazing costumes I have ever worn!! I found out after the fact that this outfit (minus the headpiece and chemise) was made in 1998 by Melinda Kimberly Layden. I have yet to meet her anywhere but on my Facebook post of the amazing dress but WOW that talent and she says she is currently even BETTER!! Now the snood was made by Shandai who also was sweet enough to lend me her undergarment hoops to keep the dress from baking me alive and the chemise was stitched up by Emily. Add in a bodice chiller that Shandai sells at the amazing shop called Lady Artisan (HERE), my parasol from last year (can’t remember shop name), a lovely borrowed paper fan (I am totally going online to source out another… the only one I came across at festival was plastic handled) and a basket I found in the boot room at home (covered in a piece of fabric from my mother in law’s amazing fabric stash!!) and I felt like I was back in time! I got compliments from people who WORKED there for goodness sake!!!! Do I ever feel special, I got compliments from a fairy!!!

I am absolutely in love with the snood! I can only make the crochet version!

Now after the outfit break down (of which I must admit I did cheat with modern yoga shorts underneath to avoid the inevitable rubbing of the heavy fabrics against legs) I must say we had an AMAZING time! Though the temperature DID reach like 35 Celsius and felt like 46!!! We managed 5 hours in the heat without mishap and enjoyed THREE shows…

We saw the Danger Committee (HERE) TWICE. First show of the morning and then back for their Ninja comedy show. I would have loved to stay for their fire show or the adult end of the day one but we just couldn’t quite stretch it.

Audience participation!

The Tortuga Twins (HERE) who are now THREE! This was THEIR first show of the day… their closest to PG honestly. We are DEFINITELY going to some of their later shows next year! They were HILARIOUSLY inappropriate!

Had deep fried cheese curds (Ken’s whole reason for going), shopped and wandered. Ken is absolutely going to have to get himself a new costume for next year (he has been thinking on the gypsy look or borrowing a kilt) as this year he again went in his Chris and Chris wedding finery. (minus the cape, we are crazy to be out in the heat but not THAT crazy!)

I totally wish I had gotten a picture of Emily out in her beautiful blue dress… she was with the dancers and we missed them multiple times. We also ran into Skot, a friend of Shandai’s and a coworker of Ken’s (no picture as well darn). It is rather amazing, knowing multiple people at these events!! I am dying to have a Canadian friend come down to enjoy it with us (hint hint).

With Shandai in the shop at the beginning of our amazing day! Doesn’t she look amazing!

We didn’t purchase much, though I would have loved a pair of fairy wings or a hat (started at over 100! Handmade and all!) but Ken finally got me my brass rose… we are going to try and get one each year we go (and an extra for last year when we didn’t budget for it). They scented it for me and everything. A rose that will last FOREVER!!!

We returned to one of our favourite displays… Mermaid Cove.

This is the best picture to see the beautiful colour in her tail!

This mermaid was giving out treasures to the children!

There was a new display… a Fairy Garden. So of course we had to go and take a picture of these normally elusive woodland creatures! They were resting, making bracelets, singing songs… it was cooler in their grove and absolutely beautiful!

We came across this bee right outside the Fairy Garden, a travelling musician suggested it was a fairy in disguise… what do you think? It looked so lovely and plump and fluffy, almost kind…

We even saw the amazingly beautiful Fairy Twig! She has her own website HERE (I plan on ordering a book for the girls for Christmas)…

I have so many more pictures be sure to check out the companion blog entry HERE. This is certainly Ken and my special time each year!!! I really appreciate that Ken’s folks were willing to watch the kids for us. We really don’t have much special just us stuff since we moved to Minnesota and this is pretty much our anniversary, Valentine’s Day and all our special memorable moment celebrations rolled up into one AMAZING day!

Ken thought it hilarious that this gentleman asked first if I worked there and THEN did his spiel asking me to move over so he could enjoy my shade 🙂

You can check out the Festival information yourself HERE. And my overflow pictures HERE.

For all of our Easter resources please refer to the blog entry titled “Easter Resources“.

March 24-25

March 24th (Sunday) marked day FOUR of our visiting and visitors… talk about an AMAZING long weekend feel to our days! Thursday was a trip out to use some time sensitive coupons and then heading to the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts with Shandai and Emily… Friday we had Steven over for the night for games and visiting… then Saturday was an afternoon (for JUST ME!) at Bree’s with my newest love of my life LILY! That brings me to Sunday and.. the NOVAKS!! ALL OF THEM! (that’s right Andy as well!)

Lily Irene who apparently takes binkies best from yours truly!

Our morning was spent with some cleaning and laundry and all that fun stuff and then early on in the afternoon we grew by 6 and had a grand total of NINE kids running around. Echo is especially fond of her Anthony who she has dubbed NeeNee… And was more than willing to babble to him until he was desperate to get her to just STOP for a minute!

With her NeeNee

We loaded up not only Minecraft but the PS3 and the adults settled in to visit.

Busy gamers

For dinner we had walking tacos… where you take mini bags of Doritos (50 for around 10.00 at Sam’s Club!!) and put your taco mix in there after breaking up your chips… add fork and eat! The amount of spillage was nil and everyone was soooo full!!!

Supper chaos lovely and controlled

We are already talking about planning a gaming night with NO electronics over at their house in April… as it stands right now we have a First Communion to see (Andrew and Anthony’s joint) on Thursday evening and then Friday is the egg hunt with them. I am going to be so spoiled with all my time with Darcy and the boys. Andy even hopes to be at both events in some capacity, though he does have to work both days.

The menfolk

Trinity and Aidan on iTouches

Monday marked the start of the end of our time without Nana and Baba. So it was time to go into overdrive on the Easter work. I really doubt  that we will finish the week or start the next with much going on school wise once Nana and Baba return home. I am already thinking on the penguins which are our next major topic before I turn us back to looking at the United States. I have not decided how we will deal with the general topic… but I really want to cover lots!

We made our Resurrection Eggs lapbook which corresponds terrifically with our book Lily’s Easter Party by Crystal Bowman. We did change two of the touch items out of necessity but it was fun to do together!

Trinity with our eggs

Creativity has been just oozing out all over the place here lately… today it was Emanuel’s turn with his fish themed picture.

A special picture

We also made our hand lilies… we didn’t have yellow pipecleaners so had to use bright orange and instead of straws went with green pipecleaners! We have continued with our song and it is almost ready to record!

Lilies on the table

We discussed the history of Easter traditions… specifically two questions!

1. Why is there an Easter Bunny?
2. Why do we decorate eggs?

We of course set Ken on the hunt for answers and he got us a video

That sadly went rather over their heads… but I found two sites with answers… The Bunny issue HERE and the Egg issue HERE.

And so the tone of our week is set! With Nana and Baba’s return imminent I am just hoping for some work done, some visiting and then the weekend going smoothly… but more about that later!

Andrew scaring Echo while Anthony and she are playing

For all of our Easter resources please refer to the blog entry titled “Easter Resources“.

March 20-21

CAN mix! It just takes a few extra adults and some strict corralling of the family kittens!! But first… Wednesday..

Easter learning continues with books books and more books… I just love doing a minimum of a book a day… The more I read the more they seem to want to read. Today was Piggy Bunnyby Rachel Vail.

Piggy Bunny

In honour of it being the first day of spring we WANTED to go on a walk looking for signs, but it was rather cold and snowy so instead I drew out a ground and a basic tree with a snow bank and said – MAKE IT SPRING…. did they ever!

Group project

Spring!!!

When finished the Spring poster Emanuel took initiative and drew me his own spring landscape! What they can do with paper and markers makes this Mommy VERY proud!

Emanuel in Spring

We also filled some time with games and cooperative play! I am told that Dora version Candy Land can get positively cut throat!!!

Zander and Emanuel

To round out the creative vibe… clay creations! Note the Triceratops!!

By Emanuel

The twins’ snakes

We actually started our Thursday out in the afternoon. Ken worked into the night on Wednesday to clear up time for us to spend out getting a few errands done the next day. I had coupons… so free undies at Victoria’s Secret. We had to sit and watch the Carousel of course. Which happens to be right near the  ride. It is always fun to watch the horses go around. We even got adventurous and use up AND down escalators to get to the different levels of the mall! A first for Trinity for sure.

Watching the horses (Gavin left)

We had a run into JoAnn’s to grope the yarn… Echo really loves to touch it. And I stopped in Dollar Tree to get Nature Journals (can’t beat a dollar a piece). We are going to use them for nature walks as soon as  the snow melts. Get fit, get fresh air and get to know the nature around us!!

With a stop at a Best Buy to check for a wanted (and saved for) Skylander (no luck) it was time to head to the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts. It was the third Thursday of the month so a busy day (oops) and they were opening a new exhibit (we didn’t make it there). So lots going on including a place that was cutting hair for free, a band (we all agreed TOO LOUD) and lots of people.

Yes, there was a harpist in one of the handicap stalls in a bathroom!

These pieces were from Ethiopia

We went with Shandai and Emily who are both quite well versed on the exhibits to see. Ken and I a figure we want to go on a NOT the 3rd Thursday (the only late night opening) and WITHOUT the kids to take in more of the art and less of the highlights. There was so much to see and enjoy though. I have to say, taking pictures without a flash as you should in an art museum without a tripod is trying. So not as sharp as our usual photos but you get the idea and we will go back tripod in hand! And maybe play with our camera settings a little??

Such a variety of pieces, there were even a few hands on tables with interpreters.

A moment with Aunt Shandai

I wish this picture had turned out better.. this was one of the period rooms and it was DARK!!!

…Me

ART

In the end Ken and the kids went to the family room, made friends and built things out off the toys they had there.

Building blocks

So much fun!

We have started our decorations for Easter with a pastel coloured paper chain… yes we do really love our paper chains in this family but it is such an affordable way to decorate AND work on patterns and colours and hand eye coordination.

Such pretty colours

We DID do some school work on Thursday – most notably was Gavin’s first foray into pastels thanks to Art for Kids. I love that now that his reading has improved he can navigate their archive and find the videos to watch and do on his own!

Shading

Though with our half day Friday is going to be busy with reading and drawing and all sorts of fun Easter themed stuff!!

Hard at work