Tag Archive | Farmer Boy

Tuesday and Wednesday… I Hang My Head in Shame at the Late Updates!

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

Monday Mayhem

Back to our new weekday routine. The homeschooling around the weather station and the table is going better all the time. Ken had a talk with the boys about respecting their teacher and decreasing the whining about having to do things as well. There has been more complaints than usual lately. Partially out of frustration of the continuing upset, the resettling at Grandma and Grandpa’s and of course the big one – BEAUTIFUL WEATHER. Doing our daily weather report and watching the Weather Network has taught them how to glimpse ahead at the weather too… smart cookies! So now they are already chatting about TOMORROW’S lovely weather today… one step ahead and excited about it! 

Anyway, Ken started reading a USA themed book with them this morning, but I stuck with the tried and true. We have continued adding to our books, this time with the Sunday School special events. Even Emanuel got in on the work – he drew pictures and wrote some words on each page AND willingly worked on the math section of his workbook. I love watching him catch onto something, he was working his way quickly through simple addition using our counting blocks.

Working hard

Grandpa Mike was home for lunch which was beyond exciting and much discussion was had about Emanuel’s need for a haircut… we have a couple affordable options for tomorrow which he is VERY excited about. There was a list of chores Grandma left us and we all worked together to accomplish them. The twins collected the dog poop out of the backyard, Trinity watered the flowers in the front, we sorted out the recycling and Gavin helped me with mopping the kitchen… 

Creative watering

We skipped naptime and instead the littles had their own movie time in the twins’ bedroom – My Little Pony dvd from the library!

Movie time

Which left our afternoon open to Farmer Boy, and then THE POOL! Grandpa Mike had filled it the rest of the way with air so all we needed to add was children. 

Pool time

After drying off and tidying the backyard Zander spent some quality reading time on his level 1 Scooby Doo book. I am so glad they are each finding books to bring along their interest in reading!!

Reading away

And what is the best way to end an evening? A walk with Grandma and Gypsy… to the SLURPEE store… which meant EVERYONE ended up happy. Emanuel hopped, skipped and ran his way through our walk with a smile on his face. Gypsy is doing so well with the new way of walking suggested by a friend in the city. 

Ready to walk

Stops the pulling

My beloved middle child

The clock is ticking on the craft show… I have a few more things to accomplish before I am truly ready… headbands to assemble, the last of the purses, a float to collect together to make change. BUT the 9th is just around the corner! So if you are in the neighbourhood HERE is the link once again! Elk’s Hall, if you can’t see the link drop me a line and I will get you the info! Come support Arthritis research! 10% off all sales go to the cause! 

Our baby

Libraries, Slurpees and Other IES…

What day was Wednesday? FREE SLURPEE DAY! What were the kids way too excited about? SLURPEES! Though Trinity had a mini temper tantrum when she was told we had to (GASP) drive since once again it was raining. She got over her snit when we finally got to the 7-11. They were promoting their new cream soda flavour (which only Trinity even tried with her love of the pink)… so 7.11 oz slurpees were free to the first 1000 people. Even Echo got one (she shared with Daddy), but yours truly opted for the purchased version! 7.11 oz is just not enough for a fanatic like me! But just over 2.00 and everyone was happy… AWESOME. 

7-11

She shared with Ken

All of the girls

We made great time on our schoolwork today. Lots of additions  to our duo tangs depicting our adventures here in town… the free slurpee made its way in, the weather has continued to bring interest and of course FARMER BOY! It was quite the exciting chapter with a thwarted robbery and everything! 

No one had any interest in playing in the rain and although Ken took Zander for the walk in the morning in the evening it was just Gypsy and Ken and a good brisk run. I did, however, with Ken’s help, finish Trinity’s purse. I am planning on adding a strap like that to the other mini Hello Kitty purse I have for sale BUT the larger (9 inch) clutches will remain clutches. Trinity was over the moon with it and I am watching her to see how the strap holds up, it is made up of overlapping 6 inch half strips folded in half… I have them alternating the direction of the fold as well. 

All done

I have been in communication with our new minster at our church back in the city. Apparently we are a part of the service this week coming up that is for new members! I am so glad he took the time to email us as while we were planning on being there for Sunday School we often don’t stay for church as that is over 2 hours for the kids. We don’t have any concrete plans for our time in the city though we do not plan on going and then turning around and coming back. We still need to empty out the last of the stuff in the old van so it can be picked up by the kidney society for demolition for parts though. So I will have to sneak a peek into my mom’s closet to find something to wear. She had already found me an outfit to borrow for Saturday that may work for BOTH occasions.

We are working through our list of to-do’s… everyone was on pins and needles for it to stop raining so we can start walking around the lake etc etc. 

Today was LIBRARY day! We went as a family though Ken was feeling a little under the weather by the time we got there so it was more of a kid friendly trip. Two movies and a stack of books later and we are primed for some reading. I had to come back to the house and do some Facebook question and checking on the library catalogue to get some authors to return for tomorrow. There area few activities that are weekly there that we may drop in on during our remaining time in town as well.

In front of the library

Playing

All 4 kids worked on various school projects WILLINGLY for once! We have our ongoing duo tangs and even Emanuel gave doing the weather a go today but decided that keeping track of it was not his thing. Instead he drew a lovely picture of himself and Pocoyo in his scribbler to show something from his bedroom here. Trinity has a new workbook thanks to Grandma that has her working through the alphabet. And of course we worked on Farmer Boy. Tomorrow I am totally taking advantage of there being a printer in the house and hooked up WITH ink… time to print some more Farmer Boy sheets, stuff for our US unit (we start in June)… and the little simple cards to go with my hair clips. 

Gavin at work

The day was lovely after all that rain so in the evening (after grocery shopping) I sent all the kids outside to play with Gypsy. Trinity and Emanuel were my walk buddies in the morning and Ken did a nice jog with her after everyone went to bed. Apparently she really doesn’t pull when jogging at all! 

Backyard fun

Oh I picked myself up a special cup (on the suggestion of Kathy) at Superstore. It cost me 5.00 and I love it. 

New cup

I have to say we goofed on our shop. We got everything to make chicken caesar pitas as a special treat for the adults… except lettuce so I had a rather simple dinner… cheese, pickles and aged sausage. Noms.

Supper and book searching

So new books, lots of working on our special pages and discussion of the weather. A pretty good day, though there was SOME whining about tv and electronic games. We are working our hardest to keep that under control. I have finished what owls I can with the white felt I have on hand, I definitely need to pick up more to get the last of them done (and a few Hello Kitties). We are getting on with our life in a positive manner and THAT is a good feeling!

At play under Gypsy's supervision