May 1st started with rain and cranky children. Ok cranky Mommy too… We did manage to jump into our schoolwork with both feet – after all Farmer Boy had to tell us all about how he spends a Saturday night. Then draw some pictures from the trip and of course do a little math.

Boys at work

What was glaringly absent was the beginning of our move to our new rental. We had a bit of a delay on that one in the form of a lack of communication from the potential new landlord. We knew he was getting down to the line on his repairs and that he was most likely rushing around trying to get them done but with no word it was time to contact our second choice (which was equally nice and willing to wait for the 1st to pass to hear from us as they had not had any other concrete and respectable interest). As usual life is always the hard way round for this family, at least lately! 

We did finally hear from #1 late Tuesday night… Ken was right, he had been rushing around trying to get everything done so we COULD move in. Sadly he could not, but is willing to refund our deposit AND if we cannot get into a place when it IS finally done it is still ours. He could not give us a move in date though so basically that is that. 

The kids are very frustrated… and I can’t really blame them! With the rain as well it is hard to keep them occupied. We are all done with tv… missing our things and in need of the ability to reorganize our life and our priorities to make us all happier. Ken works so hard to try and make our life better, I just want it to all work out so we can have more of his time and energy directed at happier things. 

Echo and Duke

I have gotten some crafty items in the mail recently from eBay… I know have ribbon AND clips to continue with my bow making

Wednesday was another wet day. Math focused for schooling… and of course frustrated children for the win. Trinity started working on her birthday present – a jewelry box. 

Sticking on the pretties... she did some by the instructions and others... winged it

Pretty much we held down the fort and waited for the email… it took a bit as #2 was stuck out of the city longer than they thought but they were able to confirm that we could have their rental. We just need to wait on them to return to the city. So that was a HUGE load off the shoulders mid afternoon. Of course you depend on nothing but the keys in your hand. 

I found my glue gun after a little searching and with the help of some of my new ribbon and the new alligator clips off eBay was able to finish some more bows. I need to take some time soon and lay out everything I have made and see how much I have all together. 

I love these, they are all on alligator clips

In purple

Baby's First Christmas

Some more purple

I have talked a couple friends who are already working on their contributions for our craft table! Pretty exciting!

And that leads us into Thursday… can’t the week just end already?? And by end I mean end with us comfortably (or even uncomfortably) ensconced in our new rental. The kids are done done DONE and ready to get into their own space again. We did sneak out while Echo was sleeping and Ken working away at his computer and went to the store to get slurpees. A bit of a chilly walk but the signs of spring are here and there.

My boys

Such a girly girl

The kitty we met on our walk

We did continue with Farmer Boy. This chapter we learned about how different Sunday could be. Everything from the hoop skirts (which Gavin drew for our book) to sitting silently in church and then coming home and doing the same. Boy were they glad we don’t have to sit still ALL DAY on Sundays NOW. I don’t think they fully understand why Almanzo had to. I think we are all looking forward to Sunday when we plan on getting back into Sunday School. Much easier now that we have a working van of our own. 

Random Echo picture.. I had an extra

One step closer to regular life. The next step is to refocus the schooling. I look forward to having all my supplies at hand again. We are still planning to make paper in the summer and of course there are a few museums etc I would like to take the kids to! Thank goodness we can plow through summer and get back to where I had hoped to be when I started this academic year. 

It is amazing how life goes up and down and around the corner. I can honestly say we have had many more adventures than I ever though we would. Not sure if that is really a GOOD thing… I wish I could remember who wished us an interesting life together at our wedding… though they may be glad I can’t remember as I am not 100% sure I would thank them! 

A touch of spring... just because

Anyway, in celebration of getting one step closer to normal Reinsch-Johnson life (which everyone tells me is nowhere NEAR normal for the rest of the world!) I do believe I will craft. After all I have some featureless owls to do, bows to discover and of course that WIP that is skulking around that I have not touched in a month (OOPS!). 

Baby girl

Oh, another Comic-con find… a lovely leather book. This was hand done and marked down to 20.00. I am not sure what all I will put in there but it is absolutely LOVELY! They are done by a husband and wife duo called PHASHA. I love mine, though I wish there would have been one this size with a fairy on it!!

So lovely!

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

Even with all the chaos and frustration we are keeping up with our studies. Yesterday the kids and I read Harold and the Purple Crayon. Then the twins drew a picture using one crayon colour like Harold does. (Trinity and Emanuel went off the garden path and simply were creative) There is a series based on the book on Netflix so during some of their not outside in the sunshine time they watched that as well. 

Very well done!

We have been at work with our math some more as well, though somewhat grudgingly. I am a little concerned about how they are going to react once we get settled and organized and REALLY have to push into our learning. We have accomplished an awful lot though, both boys are reading much more fluently… writing better… thinking on their own with much better results and the progress in math is very positive! 

Math time

We are continuing with Farmer Boy chapter by chapter. I have also printed out some lapbook mini books to do up when we have some time. The main focus is on reading the story and comprehending what happened in the chapters. This is our first long chapter story and the boys’ attention is a little variable but we are getting through it bit by bit.

I have found a couple of educational apps for the kids that are going over REALLY well! First off is a favourite of Trinity’s called Old McDonald’s Farm. She loves spinning the wheel. And then there is the one that Gavin loves Kiko. He has far surpassed my ability on there. Echo’s favourite has to be Meet Biscuit. A new favourite for the kids that I recently loaded up is Edge. 

I have been creating more and more sock owls lately… I have bodies ready for features and wings just waiting for me. I did, however, finish one today. Which I think turned out rather cute! 

Cute!

As of tonight the van saga has reached its peak with the purchase of… A VAN! We still need to do permanent registration and all that after Echo’s follow up appointment (and are leaving for the city super early in case of police pulling us over – you put the transport sticker in the window but that may not be noticeable enough in the morning after all! But it is a huge thing off our list! 

That means we now have transportation to the doctor tomorrow AND then onto friend’s for two nights… then Comic Con! My first  ever! Then… well Sunday night will take some figuring out and we still have to check in one last time with the owner of the new rental regarding the 1st BUT tonight it is YAY van time! Thanks to Karyn that is!

That leaves me with tonight to collect enough stuff for the next half week. Clothing and probably some school supplies for Thursday. Friday the boys are so excited – they get time with our nephew! It has been a while! I am going to spend the rest of the week focused on the moment… we get to go and show everyone how well our Echo has been doing and give the hospital our thank you card. The kids worked rather hard on it and are very proud to be able to give it to them. I added in a picture of Echo and wrote a little thank you. I hope they like it. 

Today was a bit of a special day – it was She Chris’ birthday! We had homemade hamburgers and CAKE! Harley Davidson cake. Total noms. I made her a change purse and hair thing out of the cupcake duct tape. 

CAKE

With Ken getting a HAIRCUT… a van… and then a birthday girl in the house… today can be categorized as a GOOD day! 

Echo and her burger