Tag Archive | iPhone

Malls, Games and Legos Oh My!

February 4-5

So we have Nana and Baba just until the early AM of the 6th so what are we to do but take a run out on Monday and see not only Mall of America and do a little shopping but head out to what we were told was the best Ethiopian restaurant around – Fasika! Bree suggested it, Ted ordered for us and it was… AMAZING!!! I mean seriously AMAZING! I want to go back. We had meat and vegetables and the most amazing tea… you eat with your fingers The company was as fun as the food… you eat only with your fingers and this amazing soft bread. Seriously TRY IT OUT!

lamb and mince

veggies

Ken and I

Anyway BEFORE that was Mall of America and a few stops… Legoland of course, the Sanrio store and I stopped in at Betty Paige to check out the dresses and debate some fashions. I really want another dress… I am torn between one I tried on before and THIS one.

Before that was our first day with Sean… the kids were INSANELY excited… where hanging with Uncle Ted seems to bring cuddling and calm, Uncle Sean is like a whirlwind of excitement which is hilarious because he is a champion NAPPER!

Uncle Ted time

Crazy Sean

Napping Sean

Add Uncle Sean to the post Birthday rush and well… EXCITEMENT… Having BOTH Uncles is insane!

Skylanders for all

Of course we squeezed in some drawing time. This time there were two different instructions used off of Art for Kids – the horse and cupid. The horse, especially, was more difficult than the norm as there were lines to be drawn and then erased.

Gavin’s horse

Zander’s cupid

We made ourselves some lucky goldfish to go on our Chinese New Year poster. The kids are absolutely enthralled with how many things are lucky.

So pretty

With a shopping trip at Legoland I am sure you can imagine what the 5th (also the twins’ birthDATE) brought – a rather simplified schooling schedule. The set that Sean got the boys to share was VERY complicated and did not get completed in the full day of work but WOW did they work together and ENJOY it!

Gavin at work with his assistant Zander

We skipped our dinosaurs but a friend on one of my egroups sent me a great link with cross stitch patterns of dinosaurs you can check out HERE. The last one is perfect for a beginner stitcher. I may have Gavin do that.

Instead Emanuel worked on his Lego gift – a helicopter

We needed to burn off some energy so I sent the kids out to shovel and followed with Echo to enjoy the decent weather. Trinity and Echo tried freezing bubbles outside but it wasn’t cold enough. So instead Gavin conscripted Echo to help finish off the walk… gotta start them young!

Don’t ask where Zander’s hat is… ugh

Catch the bubble!

See this is how you do it little sister

I love the Hello Kitty Sean picked out for Echo, and so does she! The only purple one in the store that was ALMOST as big as her!

In love

This was the last evening for Nana and Baba before their 7 weeks in Mexico! Snorkeling is on the list of things to do this trip I am told! So we had take out Chinese from the Rose Garden (total yum, great prices and large portions we never get it from anywhere else).

Post dinner carnage!

Then Ken, Sean, Ted, Christopher and Cory had a gaming evening here at the house. Another on of those things that we enjoy on BOTH sides of the border!

Gaming

So with TWO uncles here, a post birthday present pile to enjoy and some last minute time with Nana and Baba before their trip we spent the last few days more than a little content and the kids in a state of permanent excitement! Oh and we did some school work too…

Hanging out with Uncle Ted

Trinity the Avid Photographer

I am not sure it she just takes after her mommy or loves her uncle’s iPhone too much to resist but when she got her hands on Ted’s phone the photos were prolific. So I figured we needed to post up her very own photo entry!

Photos by Trinity UNTOUCHED!

Art with Echo

With Uncle Ted

The photographer herself

Games

Let sleeping uncles lie

Totally goofy Echo picture

In Legos we entertain

And the Baba

slices of faces

A view of the kitchen

Just recently Trinity asked me if when she grew up Daddy could teach her to drive. When asked why she said so she could drive and visit Uncle Ted! Awwwww 

This entry was posted on 06/02/2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

On The Second Day of Advent My Children Did With Me…

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!