September 19-20

Our first real friend sleep over was a success! It took the kids a while to fall asleep, of course, but in the end they all did. Trinity got to drag her princess couch into the boys’ room so that she was not left alone. I love how Quinn just fits in with all the kids…

Sleeping buddies

Steven came over late Tuesday night and slept over. It was fun sitting up and watching game shows with the guys… Family Feud and such. So when the kids woke up (and I was the first adult standing) and ate breakfast I let them know that Steven was here. The guys slept in, as did Zander of all people so it was just the 5 kids and myself up and playing. 

Breakfast with Quinn

So of course… trains! 

Trains!

And then there is time to play outside in the now cool morning air. I am amazed at how quickly it gets cool here, though by the afternoon it was gorgeous out!

Getting into trouble behind the cover of the tree?

And in the front in plain sight

After Steven and Quinn headed home (tired boy in tow) I checked the mail. There was a package in the post box for Echo from her Grandma. A special dolly handmade that is just like the one my mom had made for her by her mom. Something called a Golly-wog, but without the race connotation. It was a handmade dolly out of used items – a woman’s stocking and stuffed with socks. Also included was a letter explaining the dolly, a picture of my mom as a toddler with hers and a dress for her to grow into. Trinity is now talking about how grandma needs to make HER on. 

Hello dolly

A book I reviewed way back when called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society mentions the doll on page 24 a comment on an urban dictionary noted. If you feel the urge look up the dolly but keep in mind the version my mom had and now Echo is not with the same connotation. In fact there is no bright red mouth on either… they are a simple handmade dolly. In fact, my mom still has hers and treasures it as a part of her mom and dad – Grandma used Grandpa and her socks to create it!! I think we need to come up with a new name. Something that is indicative of the love and self that is put into these two dolls… maybe a lovey doll or something? Ideas?

With dolly

Anyway we headed out to Jo-Ann’s again to look at yarn… I am determined to learn the Granny square and so we went to find something that I could start that with and then create a blanket or something out of later. Variegated of course so that I can get more skeins later to add to if I want it to be bigger than one ball can make. Oh and FINALLY the snaps to finish my original learning project – the headband. So here’s hoping once I get those snaps put in it will look as good as it does in my mind.

We have some great colouring pages to share… first off it is time to move into Fall… so of course back to Activity Village for their terrific fall themed images. The detail and the sweet scenes are a hit with our kids. You can find a choice of them HERE. Zander specifically asked me to print off something that would take him time to colour (now that is a totally NEW thing with him and a great show that his concentration and ability to sit still is growing!). I remembered the beautiful Mandala images I have seen and figured I would find an intermediate series he could pick from. You can find those HERE. We have started a folder of the coloured items… the day before it was dot to dots that you can find HERE. I want to keep things under control. If you let the kids colour and do these illustrations and not collect them in a single place you easily get overrun. And if I have learned anything from our lengthy adventure it is that it is not necessary to spread yourself thin. Instead, why not collect them all in a single book to page through whenever we want and if need be remove pieces to gift out. I really need to find a stack of binders somewhere!! They work much better for items you need to add and remove on a regular basis. 

His Mandala

Thursday was SUPPOSED to be the day that Nana and Baba returned from their 3 weeks in the Dominican. However, due to mechanical issues (a 2 hour wait on oil??) they ended up delayed to the point where they were not making to back to Minnesota until the next day. That gave us the whole day to clean up, finish projects and generally get ready… oh and ice the cake – for a belated birthday Baba cake. 

Farmer Boy

Emanuel and his penguin

We finally were able to coordinate getting Trinity’s hair washed and freshly brushed, some spare time and my wedding dress out in the front room to do up some photos. This was an idea I had seen on the internet… you dress your daughter up in your dress as a child and then save the picture for HER wedding. She was so excited to wear it and it was so fun to pull it back out and remember the day. I plan on doing a solo entry of the dress pictures later. But here is the teaser I posted on Facebook.

Our darling girl

It was so much fun, finishing reading the Farmer Boy book (FINALLY), continuing with Trinity’s letters… just generally getting things done. Though we realize that Zander really needs more time to learn his spelling words. I am  trying to get him unstuck from them having to be in a specific order.

Working hard on our learning

And the unpacking goes on… as does my sorting, repacking and labeling of the umpteen buckets we brought south from Canada. I am so glad we started packing in the Rubbermaid tubs way back when the twins were tiny. Stackable, sealed and so far rather indestructible. I am well on my way to being down to JUST tubs and NO cardboard boxes… of course with how much we got rid of… not a huge surprise. Of course out of necessity most of our stuff must remain in said tubs… this time (the third time) the organization is going to have to be a much higher priority.

So many buckets

In fact, today I got down to the last 3 buckets and some boxes… so close to complete! I am thinking the only thing we could have possibly gotten rid of that I wish I had kept is my first baby doll… but she may be in my childhood bucket. I did not search through that. I did, however, find my cabbage patch doll! AND this… made it in one piece!

Great Grandma’s dishes

We have more than a few buckets in our bedroom that require sorting and shifting as well as loose bits and pieces that need to be organized. Once that is done we may even manage to remove ALL the cardboard! I was out 3 hours in the sun working on the sort. Better than attempting to do it in the basement and have to move it back and forth or in the garage itself amid the clutter and disorganization. We have some work to do in the sub basement to make room for our stuff… and once Ken is working again we certainly have some purchases to make! 

The kids spent their time outside for a bit of my sorting (Gavin)

Reading a book (Zander)

Now we took a day off on the schooling so I could get as much done as I needed to. They did work on Legos and make some interesting creations…

Legos

From the comfort of the long missed couch

Once Ken made some inroads on his coding (gotta do the required coding so the company gets an idea as to what you can do) we all packed up in the van and went for our pen pal related activity – using the funds send by Gammie to purchase the next best thing to a slurpee – Icees at Target. Blue raspberry and red cherry. Everyone was happy. 

Icees

We found a new show to watch on the On Demand… Grandpa in My Pocket. There is something about British tv that the kids and I just seem to love! And this show was rather cute. Even Echo enjoyed it. Now to finish our sorting… find a way to fit some MORE furniture in the already full basement. Like playing Tetris or something! 

Stopping to look at photos

And that was my life for today… boxes, chasing kids and more boxes… oh and something that is most definitely NOT a slurpee… but a little yummy all the same… oh and I got some hay fever medication and did NOT sneeze, weep and wheeze my way through my time in the sun! YAY!

Note the NOT red eyes!

July 14

Before one makes a life changing trip there are some memory lanes to drive down first… more about the trip later but first the trip down memory lane…

Cousin Veronika has moved back to a town that is dear to both of our hearts… her parents live there and it is also where the house my grandparents owned is. So of course we had to walk over there to see it. It was NOT fenced when Grandma and Grandpa lived there.  I remember rolling down the hill almost into traffic at times… hollyhocks in the front in front of the large window (now gone)… but the bushes by the stairs were there when we were! That garage was Grandpa’s shop for wood working and the back yard housed apple trees and a deck we used to sit on… I remember the pop and beer fridge in the garage, the basement with its GIANT freezer… 

I played in that backyard

Note the bushes

On the walk to the house we stopped where there USED to be a park I would play at with my cousins. Now all that is left is the climbing gym. 

I remember climbing that

At the outdoor pool there is a splash park and these gym equipment. So of course our monkeys had to try them out!

Hmm not exactly how they were intended to be used?

Past the house was the small park so of course we spent some time there playing before heading off on the final leg of our adventure…

Bouncing

Sliding

Ice cream at the dollar store! 

So yummy

Sharing

Oh and during all of this… exciting news… Veronika and Adam have chosen a wedding date and yours truly is the maid of honour! So we had to start thinking plans… In fact I am to spend a month in town with her before the June date helping out with girls in tow! Something that will be more of an adventure than you would think!! Check back in a few more entries to find out why!!!

We got back in time for lunch – Aunty Lorraine had a lovely spread with hot dogs and hamburgers. Adam did the bbqing and we all ate our fill with watermelon to top us off.  After lunch and saying hi to Veronika’s grandma it was time to enjoy the splash park. Seriously every town that has one that we have been to we have splashed!!!

A little overcast

Lots of water

With puppies too

And the guys… napped while the kids had play time with the horse toys Veronika saved from her childhood.

So funny

After our visit with family and hugs and good-byes it was time to head to the city for the final leg of our journey. Esther was sweet enough to not only put us up overnight to shorten our trip to the zoo first thing the next morning but also made us dinner! Butter chicken and everything!!! YUM!!! 

Esther in the kitchen

At the table

Of course there had to be some late night fun… accelerated Monopoly with Aunty Esther (it was plastic wrapped and everything so it was Esther’s first time to play as well!). Then bedtime for all late, well fed and played out. 

MONOPOLY

I got to spend time with my cousin turned sister and a friend who means so much to our whole family. The day was a definite success!!

Cousins! No, SISTERS… note the last chance to have my make up done by a pro too