Tag Archive | lesson

A Somewhat Sunny Sunday

A somewhat sunny Sunday has come and gone and with it my good friend Karyn (she made it over late last night after the ballet and stayed the night). Thanks to her I got a couple hours out of the house kid free! With the kids just getting over colds and an email yesterday afternoon alerting us of something other than a traditional Sunday School class going on today I was able to get away while Trinity napped and the boys worked on some dinosaur worksheets.

Timing was crucial as in the afternoon we headed back out to the nature centre for their drop in session – this one was on how animals change colours to suit the season. But really for the boys it was more craft time (a bunny face out of a plate – one side for summer and one winter) and then running around like mad to visit all their favourite portions of the centre.

Building the Bunny

Building the Bunny

Finished Bunnies (Emanuel wanted a BLUE bunny... Gavin red and Zander brown)

Finished Bunnies (Emanuel wanted a BLUE bunny... Gavin red and Zander brown)

Trinity decided it was a good time to explore by foot and took every chance to run off – thank goodness Karyn was there to help out! After we had our fill of the centre we did a little exploring of the grounds around it. We had the wrong stroller to go too far but Karyn and the twins headed further up and “climbed the mountain” a ways. I am really looking forward to heading back when the weather is warm!

Off She Goes!

Off She Goes!

Enjoying the Fall Wather (Gavin red)

Enjoying the Fall Wather (Gavin red)

Karyn had to head back early afternoon but left me with her newest cards to see what I can do for my own Christmas cards this year. There is one in particular I think I CAN make with the stamp sets she lent me and the paper I have in my drawer. Especially since today I had a 50% off coupon and was able to get some glue dots (I ran out of adhesive a week or so ago!).

Sample Card

Sample Card

Not only did we get the glue dots but I got to have lunch out! Chinese… at one of my favourite places in the The Mall. I had to take a couple pictures – Christmas decorations are already out! AND they replaced the flamingoes with lemurs! Too cute!

Christmas in the Mall!

Christmas in the Mall!

Just too Darn Cute!

Just too Darn Cute!

Sewing wise I am so excited about the pattern page – lots of positive reviews from friends and family – no sales yet but I feel honoured that so many people think our pieces look nice. Ken is hoping to fix the rest of the freebies by tomorrow and tonight the Brontosaurus should be up for sale (2.00). I have plans for at least 5 more dinosaurs in that series if not more… though these will have to be alternated with the remaining family and friend gifts… where has the time gone? Cards and stitches that HAVE TO be done in time to ship before the costs go up to make the Christmas deadline. The list is a little lengthy for my liking, but I am determined to get them done!

A pretty fun day really… Ken is going to be busy dealing with government, bank and other loose ends that have been plaguing us lately. I am hoping to do more dinosaur and fall activities but I am going to let the boys choose what they want to do. They have been bouncing back and forth between the two areas of interest. I guess they are following their cousin’s lead and heading full force into the dinos!

If the Weather is Nice We Hope You Too are Enjoying it!

If the Weather is Nice We Hope You Too are Enjoying it!


A Rather Difficult Monday

…and Monday brings reality crashing right back down! Do you remember when the sound of the postman brought joy and excitement? At this point in my still youthful life I am finding each day brings me a feeling of minor dread at that sound. Today was no different and this time was actually appropriate. There are days where I wonder at the intelligence behind the decision to go to University to get a degree in… philosophy and religion only to end up married (happily mind you) with 4 kids and no concrete plans toward furthering that rather expensive education into something that would potentially mean I had a viable and well paid job. In fact, with my degree I need ANOTHER degree just to really do so!

Yes yes the government wants their money back and NOW… does the fact we have so little make much of a difference? Well, with the direct loans YES with the originals I had through an unnamed bank… not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I do not regret the experience OR the degree, it is just that right now it is hard to keep ones’ head above the water when the waves are cresting in. Add to that problems with payments made (yes we HAVE receits) one with a store card and the other with a bank credit card and I am about ready to hide under the nearest bed with a good book, a comfy blanket and a favourite teddy bear.

So I have said my prayers, sent out my positive thoughts and started a couple of hopeful money making ventures (my patterns with donations and the offer to stitch Tux for a fee for the non stitching peoples and Kijiji adds of baby clothes etc) with the intent of doing SOMETHING. I have good intentions and low expectations. I am certainly not comfortable sitting back and doing nothing (I think many people would say I NEVER am).

Anyway enough worried venting! How hasĀ  the REST of the day been (beyond the minor taint of the mail mess)… our morning started out a little slow. I was personally up later than planned so with the ability to sleep in a bit in the offering I took it. Getting the boys dressed took FOREVER – Emanuel is always a slow dresser but it certainly did NOT help when Trinity ran in and stole his pants… for some reason it offends him to get underwear on when the pants have been stolen… each and every piece of clothing has to be IN THE ROOM for him to wear… so of course I had to chase down the giggling baby and steal them back. This resulted in tears on HER end. Since the weather has cooled drastically there was the inevitable argument about shorts vs.jeans… All of this before 10 am.

We managed our letter of course… the letter U which Zander quickly recalled was “with Q.” Although our Currclick program had Uncle Sam as one of the examples so I just explained to the boys it is like Uncle James or Uncle Nathan or even Uncle Ted. It was all for nought anyway as the boys were MUCH more interested in the unicorn and umbrella.

Letter U (Zander right)

Letter U (Zander right)

Emanuel, recognizing that there is a “u” in his name felt the urge to draw some of his own! Which was wonderful!

All the Little Individual Letters are Emanuel's

All the Little Individual Letters are Emanuel's

The next morning activity was to make up tiny books of shapes that the boys traced and coloured in and then drew a couple of their own. The twins had to write the names of the shapes they drew (of course they chose rectangles and were rather unimpressed by the length of the name!!!). I figured the brads were better than stapling so we could glue them down and they could kind of spin out the shapes. (Don’t worry I will link as much as I can after I am done the lapbook and can post the whole thing)

Tiny Shape Book

Tiny Shape Book

That was the extent of our morning. The boys wanted a quick run outside and then to head to the basement to play.. The afternoon was not overly better. Granted we got a few things done BUT the attitude in general of the boys – SUCKED.

I taught them the new song to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell about shapes. Emanuel especially LOVED that one! We had some dancing and singing in the livingroom before Zander knocked over Trinity and Emanuel had a fit… but we did have fun!

Caught Up In the Dance! (Gavin middle)

Caught Up In the Dance! (Gavin middle)

I sat all three of them down and we wrote a story about our Sunday. I love doing this as it gives you an idea as to what parts of the event “stick” in their mind and which kid really enjoyed what! Right now we write our story together but I am hoping in the next year or so to get down to doing it one on one and working with them to write it themselves!

Our Busy Sunday

We went to a museum. We played. We threw beanbags into different shaped holes. We played blocks and dominoes.

We helped make cookies and we looked at the stuff in the jars. We ate the cookies. We only at one.

We played with wood and made shingles. It was fun. We got to bring them home.

We did a craft. We made pictures out of beans and seeds. Emanuel made a fish and Uncle Sean helped him make a smile. Gavin made a rectangle and a square. Zander made a sun.

Zander’s favourite part was eating cookies. Gavin’s favourite part was eating applesauce candy in the van. Emanuel’s favourite part was making cookies. Zander also liked the little wood house

The End

We also glued some more frames… this time using whatever colour they wanted. So that took the place of the colour experiment revisited I planned on doing today. Which is ok because it made time for the boys to do leaf rubbings tomorrow. Of course Ken spending half the day at the bank correcting THEIR error put a crimp in starting the insect lapbook. Apparently even with MY bill since it was HIM going in the teller decided NOT to put it through… wow UPSETTING!

In Need of Glitter... Maybe Crystals?

In Need of Glitter... Maybe Crystals?

So late dinner of leftovers tonight and big plans to catch up tomorrow. I am still feeling the remnants of frustration and a bit of sadness with the current reality we are once again thrown into. However, I am feeling truly blessed that Ken’s health is as terrific as it is right now! He is handling everything so well and is able to be a part of the family with a smile on his face (some of the time) and his temper in relative check. We are already light years ahead of where we were last time! I just need to keep reminding myself of that!

So I think what I need to do is remind myself that all this shall pass and trust in Ken. Right?

Feel Free to Call Us and Catch Up Anytime!

Feel Free to Call Us and Catch Up Anytime!


Meatballs… Toner and a Busy Tuesday

Right off the bat – Tuesday MUCH better than Monday! Though last night was a bit of a pain – I went to bed around midnight only to have a coughing fit which woke up the baby… this moved her into our bed where she rolled around a cried for nearly 30 min until the Motrin kicked in (on the up side the second molar cut finally this morning!) – so I lay there and played Puzzle Quest on my DS until she passed out. Then Ken had his alarm in the livingroom set to wake him up at 3am but of course did not hear it so it went off twice so *I* had to go and wake him up which again woke up Trinity who rolled around for another 10-15 min. Thankfully I was able to sleep in until 9:30. (Ken has to be at his desk from 10-2 the other 4 hours he can make up any time that day depending on the deadlines etc.)

We started our morning with the letter R… roses and rocks and rainbows. Things went rather smoothly though Trinity did distract Emanuel a couple of times. Amazingly enough the boys remembered that REINSCH starts with R. So we had to look up on the wall at the names and talk about who all had R in their name (Reinsch, Trinity and Zander).

R is for Rhino!!

R is for Rhino!!

The big extra project today was just for Zander and Gavin – they each drew their very own picture that Ken is going to scan and put to chart so I can stitch it for their godparents. I also had them write their name at the bottom. Gavin seems to wish to be the death of me – I can see spots where French knots may be needed! ACK. I am hoping we can easily transpose to the chart and then I can stitch and see how it goes. Maybe other people would like the same thing done to some of their children’s artwork? I plan on starting on those once I get this mini project done and then a couple days on the stocking.

Nathan and Ada dropped by today – apparently we infected them with our cold! So I sent home the last of my batch of sugar cookies which had the happy added benefit of pushing me to make up my next batch of cookie dough. (double batch) I had a request come from my brother’s family for some. I am still hoping they will be healthy enough to join us at the zoo on Sunday – it is the free city attractions day!!!! Lots going on and Ada has never been, for Nathan it has been ages. We went to this zoo last December and had a blast and that was freezing in the snow… this week has been back to summer (30 cel today) so it should be fun!

This evening was a super special treat for the family. Currently Ikea has a special deal on their plates of 15 meatballs and potatoes – 2.99 instead of the usual 5.99 – until some time in December… but only on Monday and Tuesday after 5pm. So we picked up Ted and headed to the south end. Total yum! And so not busy! Even Trinity had her first taste and loved it.

Mmm So Sunny Though!

Mmm So Sunny Though!

Uncle Ted!

Uncle Ted!

After eating we did a tiny bit of shopping. Trinity got a little white mouse stuffy for 75 cents, I got myself a tiny pocket panda for about the same (I plan on putting it in my purse for emergency play) and then there was the special small lightbulbs for the nightlights and double A batteries (they have the best price). We also picked up 3 plain wooden frames for 1.99 that I can decorate later – there is this idea in a library book I got that talks about taking apart a silk flower and hot gluing it on. We totally lucked out – they are changing the colour on a table set for little guys… so all the old coloured ones are marked down to half the price! So we checked and they only had 5 left – we got it! So now for the joint present all we need is 3 chairs or stools! BONUS! Now I just watch for sales. I am feeling rather proud of myself… I am falling upon deals now and can walk past deals that are not that important to me as well!

Playing in the Display (Gavin)

Playing in the Display (Gavin)

We also stopped at Michaels so I could run in with my 40% coupon and grab some brown paint. Definitely crucial if we are going to go onto our next ornament challenge – Christmas trees out of puzzle pieces – large and decorated for the wall and small and able to hang on the tree. I am actually rather excited about it. I think that my ideas may turn out to be quite cute!!!

Ken had to run into Staples and get a new black toner. The printer came with some that are not as full as the ones you buy and we finally ran through the black. 104.00 before tax! But so worth it! Without a curriculum being able to photocopy, scan and print is such a lifesaver!

Toner

Toner

So all in all our evening out was really good! The kids had fun, we had a nice dinner and we managed to spend as little as possible. I am debating though, I got another 5.00 in the mail for surveys yesterday so I am thinking I will take the 20.00 I have been holding onto and head out to the mall and get some special eyeshadow. Something a little decadent maybe?

Tonight I am hoping to get our newest batch of rock candy up and going – this time on the skewers… I have to do the 2nd and in some cases 3rd coats of paint on the boys’ puzzle pieces (green, blue and yellow this time). There is still the letter S to cut out and a loaf of bread to get started… oh the list goes on and on and on.

Tomorrow is supposed to be hot hot hot so I am planning on lots of outside in the morning and in the afternoon some shapes and colours activities for the newest lapbook. Not sure if we will make it out to the pool – I am rather sure there are leaves and the like in it right now. I still need to figure out the outside on the number books… I figure that is something really good to focus on tomorrow when I get tired of sewing, especially since the bulk of my cooking has to be done tomorrow night or Thursday.

Ken tried out hot cocoa mix this afternoon – he figures it needs more icing sugar… so when he picks some more up tomorrow I am going to get right on that (we are also out of honey which I need for the 50% whole wheat loaf). I feel like I am still playing catch up but at least not from as far behind!!

Baby in Pink and Blue?

Baby in Pink and Blue?