Quite a bit considering I had Karyn and Victoria over and we went out for a large chunk of the day! That did not deter us and we started off the same as usual – calendars and colouring. Of course once Echo went for her nap I left with the ladies.

Colouring

We got even more snow over the night and the boys took full advantage… I think they are building some sort of fort!

So much snow!

I had the buffet out at our favourite Indian restaurant. Curry and butter chicken… and some of their pizza, don’t forget the naan bread! VERY yummy!

With pizza??

I did some crafty shopping and got the items we needed for today and yesterday’s Advent crafts as well as a couple Christmas present pieces. I even got one of my small stocking stuffers for Ken! It was windy and cold but we managed to enjoy ourselves and include a stop off at the scrapbook store. 

When we got back the kids were busy watching the CyberChase dvd’s Victoria got for them at her local library. Of course they were being SUPER quiet so as to keep daddy from realizing that the two that were SUPPOSED to be in nap were not! We paid for that later with some outbursts from Trinity!

With two extra adults in the house there was much crafting (with some bead kits we have here in the house thanks to Kathy and our pony bead collection). Thank goodness Victoria is patient!

Crafting with Victoria

Echo sucked up to her Aunty Karyn and got to play piano on the iPhone… I swear if I ever get one I will NEVER get to use it!!

Playing the music

Today we had a candy cane theme on Activity Village… there were two videos to watch. I have to share the one that shows how candy canes are made! The timing is so amazing…

Tomorrow we will cut down what we do to just the colouring project… oh and our numerous calendars. There was another verse to read today… Genesis 3, 21-24… the portion about Adam and Eve being kicked out of the  garden of Eden which was likened to having ALL your toys taken away at Christmas? Interesting… I am not sure how I am liking this Advent book but the searching pictures are entertaining the kids. One more Perler bead ornament is up on the chart and we have counted out the days left to go. 

Yesterday we had some mechanical excitement! The local Canadian Tire was FINALLY able to get our van in for the coolant system repair! And the cost… NOTHING! So worth the wait. Granted we stayed pretty well home the past 3 months but we kept busy, had company and really didn’t suffer too much for it. We did miss Grandma and Mike, but that can now be remedied! And apparently the smell of burnt coolant should disperse in the next few days! YAY!

We did our two days of Advent crafts as a family. You can find the instructions for both on Activity Village (seriously this is THE go to site for us!). My favourite was the Christmas stockings… I got ours at Dollarama for 1.00 a pair! 2.00 and things around the house (though I did buy some clear plastic snowflakes – 60 for 1.00 same store)… well worth it!

Working on the stockings

Completed Candy Cane hearts

So be sure to go back to Activity Village’s Advent Calendareach day! I can hardly believe we are into December but there it is, the date, screaming it loud and clear! So I am going to make each day count with celebration, activity and of course family time. 

4 little stockings waiting for the glue to dry!

So the weather turned against our personal plans today… Sunny morning up until we were in the process of packing up our things to meet Kristen and Fydo at a park for a bit of fun and snacks. And then the thunderstorm warning AND predicted hail certainly ended those plans! So frustrating.

BUT we dug out a variety of craft supplies at different “stations” in the upstairs and let the kids go at it. Everything from markers to beads to the outside craft bucket drug out. And then we went to Superstore as a family to get some groceries, some medication for Trinity’s bug bites and spy out the pretty shiny shoes that Trinity now wants the PINK ones!

Trinity and her marker picture

Emanuel and a craft box

The weather DID improve but not soon enough as I had dinner plans with friends… Karyn, Lauralee, Kristen and I all went out to an Indian restaurant for dinner. It was Kristen and my first time trying it out and it was total yum! We had to take Echo with (Ken had gaming time) but she managed to keep occupied (with the help of a little buttered naan bread) in her carseat. The food was total yum and the company terrific!

Delish!

Echo in the carseat

After dinner was a run to the grocery store for Lauralee and Karyn (though Karyn is off to Alaska Tuesday evening) and then a stop over to meet Lauralee’s kitties. Sadly no pictures but they were as interested in Echo as she was in them! I have to say getting out with friends LOCALLY has been so much fun! And this week there is the card making party to attend! I am currently trying to sort out a cousinly bbq with my maternal side cousins!

I have started the search for a local homeschooling community. I have applied to join a yahoo egroup, and put a comment on my Facebook with the hope that SOMEONE will know of a group or association. I want to put down roots!

So, I took the plunge and did up Trinity’s hairbow for her wedding ensemble. I used the ribbons my mom gave me from the making of the dress. I hope it is pretty enough but it was fun to use the strings of gold coloured beads. That leaves Echo’s to be done. I am undecided about the ribbons as hers has to be attached to the headband instead of a barrette.

Gold

OH the blue stacked bow I did up from those random ribbons, finished that one too!!!

I do love blue

This has been an amazing weekend with a wonderful ending. Friends, good food, kitties and lots of visiting. Except for poor Trinity’s ankle (which is finally not as swelled) and the camera’s poor limping self it has been AMAZING (ok rain has not been the best but we worked around it). Now back to school work, tidying and sorting of stuff… Happy Independence Day to those of you in the US!!!

A summery Echo