And here is August overflow… What a memorable summer we had in 2015!
Zander doing his best in run club YMCA
I sewed a few times in a few places… are we surprised?
Kwik Trip pop
Jeffrey on the beach
More Wild Kratts. We just LOVE it
In the jeep!
Such a lucky birthday girl
Lakeshore craft!
Journal completion!
SCISSORS!
Ken felted the letters!
Proud crafters
At the library
My girls
I don’t know why but whenever Easter falls right the beginning of the month of April (this year the 5th) it always feels like the rest of the month is on FAST FORWARD! Of course, we made sure to follow our family traditions… pictures of the family together, girls in pretty dresses and new hats, the bunny ears (though those are getting too small for the available heads). Now that we are set in our home church we also went to Easter Sunday Service. Add in some decent spring weather and dying of eggs and I figure we did it up right.
The girls did classic egg dying… messy but fun!
Ken and the boys tried something we saw on Facebook… rice and food colouring in a cup then shake… it worked!
Although, I must admit the BETTER pictures were taken a week later in the same outfits (for the kids) in a shadier spot. The original picture was taken in front of the small Catholic church at the end of the street (they have a larger building behind they now use but it is less aesthetic). Sun was not our friend and the camera battery our mortal enemy!
Of course I also took pictures in the church…
The following weekend…
I actually spent much of my month before creating baskets for each of the kids. I could not resist this crochet pattern and was able to embellish it as I wanted. Add in some presents from Mom and Dad and Gammie and I think it was rather fun! You can find the pattern HERE.
Of course we had to take a picture with our new FAT SHEEP… well Echo named her Cookie the Sheep… she was a lovely gift from Sharon back in Canada… our predecessor had been loved flat by Miss Echo so Cookie lives OUTSIDE the bedroom. (New Easter hats as usual too!)
So a very happy belated Easter… CHRIST IS RISEN… HE IS RISEN INDEED… HALLELUJAH!
And us
Our Easter stained glass windows.
And just a couple more images… there is something special at looking back at these days and pictures that reminds me how precious this year has been!
Wow backtracking big time now! Sorry!! But gotta share the Advent themed wonderful that was our days up to our second Christmas in Minnesota.
December 14-19
Another weekend begins in Advent. The 14th was the day before our Christmas program (you can see pictures from that HERE). So it was also our final practice. It went pretty well and it was Emanuel’s good behaviour at this practice that earned him the part of Joesph in the end of the program!
We survived practice and the weather was nice enough for the big kids to head outside for a bit.
We have had some VERY cold days. Echo chose to stay in and snuggle with Fat Sheep… or as she now call it – Sheep Fat.
Even better… another batch of boxes came from Gammie with most of the last of the Christmas goodies and included were some books that were in the box for right now… not only Christmas themed BUT also a book read by Gammie (recorded) for us to listen to! Loved it!! 
Of course Sunday was the Christmas program (mentioned above). Baba had a game to go to (football) so it was our 7 plus Nana. I think it went well. Just WATCHING wore out Echo.
And I think we turned out quite handsome with the 4 plus myself in black and Echo in white!! Photo op!
Monday was right back to reading and Christmas fun. We were spoiled when Grandma visited months ago, she brought us a couple CANADIAN Christmas books that we have enjoyed and illustrated a page for after reading. Porcupine in a Pine Tree had a little toy porcupine that came with it.
Of course we had to journal about the program. This was the first program Trinity has ever REALLY been a part of.
On Tuesday we read a more religious Christmas book.
And Emanuel made up a favourite off of Art for Kids from last year… make your own 3D paper reindeer.
Oh, and one more artistic rendering with the help of Art for Kids by the boys.
We moved into movies on Wednesday. I am glad we now own many of the traditional Christmas classics… Rudolf, Frosty, Polar Express… of course the twins had to announce at great length that they HAVE seen all of these… well, YES, but that is what makes them part of our Advent tradition sillies! 
Echo and Emanuel brought out the Nativity scene. I can’t remember if we bought these before or after Trinity was born but they are still a family favourite! 
Thursday was full of card making…
And storytelling…
Emanuel rounded off the evening with his Tiger Cub Scout Christmas party… in full outfit! He had so much fun and renewed his interest in doing even more. 
And we are well into the week!
Gotta craft a little too right?
