Well, the obvious comes to mind right off – Canada Day and Independence Day. We celebrate both, of course. Canada Day (HERE) always makes me a wee bit homesick. July 4th (HERE) was fun as well. July is also Grandma’s birthday up in Canada. And full blown summer fun here in Minnesota.

We lucked out and managed to make Home Depot where the kids made little bowling alleys. Which were PERFECT for the 18 inch dolls, I am told.

I managed to finish a prayer shawl for the Catholic church down the road, along with a pocket prayer shawl.

We spent TONS of time at the YMCA.

Emanuel got over his fear of the slide

Walked back and forth for ClubY.

We hung out in the hammock.

Played outside whenever we could.

Had movie nights.

Ken made the girls a reading corner in the sunroom out of fabric and a hula hoop!

Hung out with our homeschool friends at the park as often as we could.

Made sure to document all the pretty flowers.

Visited our godson Anthony after emergency appendix surgery.

Met a brand new baby! Congrats Cory and Karen!

We even snuck in time for homeschooling.

Echo even went to Evan’s birthday party SOLO with dad!

We watched soccer.

Watered our garden.

Celebrated Alex’s birthday.

Experienced the County Fair. (see the county fair blog post)

Were ditched by the boys who went to the cabin (too many mosquitoes for our allergic girls).

Even on our day off we made the walk to the YMCA.

Mosquito bites

Basically we made this month COUNT and then some!!!!!

Our track star.

Gavin working on art.

Well if we celebrate our homeland we must, of course, celebrate our new home’s birthday as well. However, this year not only was it the other side of the kids’ nationality, it was also the absolute opposite type of day. Where Canada Day was laid back and relaxed, full of colouring… playing in a garden and just us 7 transplanted peoples… July 4th was crazy busy and crowded and… LOUD! As Ken says (jokingly?) – it was all things AMERICAN.

July 4th is not only the birth of Independence and red, white and blue, but the birth of our only niece Gabriella. She turned 13 this year and due to an extended vacation (which I will talk ALL about when I FINALLY reflect on June) here in sunny Minnesota she was in state for her special day.

After breakfast and family pictures in the colours of the day… of course we took MULTIPLE! Poor Trinity has yet to forgive me after I had to give her sister her Hello Kitty themed July 4th shirt which had daddy running to the store the night before to get her the outfit for the day (a decidedly kitty free piece).

Then it was off to Cousin Gabbi’s 13th birthday party at a park not far from where Ken lived for most of his childhood (which we of course found a way to drive by). There was cake and presents and fun at the park.

Definitely a fun way for the kids to spend the morning before we said good bye to everyone… especially Aunty Faithe and Uncle Joe who would be flying back without seeing us again. Then it was home to prepare for our original plan – a family and friends BBQ at the Speltz’s (Karen Matthews and Renee Schwartz’s parents).

It was quite the event. The girls and I got to go LAST July 4th when the boys and Ken were camping with the family. This year not only was our whole family there but Renee and Chris there with their 3 kids. There was a bouncy house, the kiddy pool, a swingset and tons of yummy food and drink. Definitely a fun time for everyone.

Chris and his cigars

Renee

Of course we stayed long enough for fireworks! They do up quite a show every year.

So we brought home 5 VERY tired kids on our 4th of July. It was great to spend it as a family this year!

August 25-31

We had two days before the next big excitement… so lets jump right in. We started with the Wild Kratts and sharks.

Dinosaur story starters…

And a sneak off to Target to continue our back to school/new year shopping. Every year the kids get a new pencil box and crayons and the like. This year the twins are getting their own markers and pencil crayons – no wax and Emanuel gets wax and pencil crayons. I love the pencil box we found for Echo… set up for her to colour it!

We had a visit from a lovely fairy princess.

And created a man out of the puzzle shaped blocks a sweet friend back in the UK sent us years ago!

Our time in the pool is winding down so I gave up and let them go crazy clothes on and everything.

Midweek we were prepped and ready for our next visitor… after a game of Munchkin (the twins can be quite brutal!).

So, the new guest fresh from Canada… AUNTY KARYN!!

The next few days were full of fun: boardgames, parks and playing around. We even left the twins home alone with strict instructions on how to use the phone, what not to do (touch the kitchen), and Minecraft on the computers.

So much fun and we squeezed in SOME schoolwork. And decided to delay our back to school until after we say good bye.

And then on Sunday night we went over to Chris and Renee’s for dinner, bonfire and a good visit. (somewhere in the week we ALSO went to a Norwex party at Karen’s so Karyn met Karen as well!).

Mystro the kitten made a nice showing as well. Karyn had been missing her kitties.

It has been so much fun having a dear friend for over a decade meet the people who have become dear here. Add in baby and kitten and talk about cuteness. Oh and a fire for the menfolk to play with.