Ok so I have to admit… I am hooked on the Lizzie Bennet Diaries on youTube. You can find the main vlog HERE though there are offshoots – Adorbs is a Lydia thing (she has her own vlog). They also have Twitter feeds and Facebook and of course the main page. If you liked Pride and Prejudice… well be ready to see the characters as you have never seen them before – modern and everything!!! I skipped a bunch up to be current with the ongoing drama at the time but have been sneaking back to fill in the gaps as I go… Anyway… the Adorbs…

Beauty just woken up

Strike a pose baby

And another

Playing Play Doh with Gavin

Decked out for Chinese New Year thanks to Aunty Xinny

With cookie (made by myself and Bree)

What having kids is TERRIFIC for – look I am NOT the one shoveling

Major icicles

My babies and their lucky money

With bunny

Brown eyes

You never see Emanuel out without that hat! Thanks Aunty Kat

Absorbed in the dinosaurs (Zander left)

February 17-18

It can be difficult to fly home sometimes… especially if you are dealing with Air Canada, your name is Sean and you are flying through Toronto. Yup, the gong show that has been trying to get Sean home continues on. This time Ken and Sean took off to the airport for a 7:30 am flight to Toronto onward only to realize when Ken was half way home that the flight he had been booked to replace his cancelled (due to weather) flight was for TUESDAY! He had originally had a horribly long flight replacement, called to change it and not a word was said about the date! OOPS! Next flight – MONDAY morning. GROAN.

Still here

Of course now I seem to have gotten a sore throat and we have finally figured out why the last two days Echo has been so horrible… runny nose and then some. So a new cold is going around it seems. So that leaves Monday’s schooling up in the air. However, I am happy to report that Gavin’s punishment of no electronics for various crimes against the state so to speak had him much more creative in his time and thinking harder about his behaviour! Score one for Mommy and tough discipline measures. He spent A LOT of time outside playing in the sunshine while others watched a show or two and in doing convinced this sibling or another to come out with him.

I did do a 4th try on the hairstyle. I should relink the instructions here as well… so HERE you go! Lizzie Bennet Diaries for the win!

Day 4

We successfully saw Sean off on Monday at least… though that corresponded with yours truly hitting good and sick! A state of affairs that threw out our lesson plan and instead had the kids watching LOTS of tv and hanging with Echo while I rested.

I was rather put out, we were all ready to start reading about the platypus! We are going to make a lapbook and start our St. Patrick’s Day poster this week. I will have a separate blog entry with ALL our platypus links, etc put together for those interested. I am hoping we can start doing an animal or two of interest a month, learn more about the world around us and the animals we may never see in person!  

Celebratory end of the day Charlie and Lola (YES Another favourite!!!)

February 13-14

A VERY Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! We celebrated at home with a special meal etc. But first our Wednesday…

I have to say, Ken having Sean here and wanting to show him some of the beauty of Minnesota (even in the winter) has worked in our educational favour. He decided he wanted to take him up to the Minnehaha falls, but to take all of us would require two chairs. So… Ken and Sean took the 4 kids and I stayed home with the napping Echo to clean up some of the messes that had been bothering me around the house. I always feel so much more in control after cleaning and Echo was kind enough to let me clean up a few problem spots (aka our room). Of course then she was up and demanding BUBBLE GUPPIES (I am soooo tired of that show!).

Informative plaque

So much beauty

With Uncle Sean

More pictures of the falls to follow in a companion post!

Before all the outside excitement we had worksheets (Activity Village and Education.com) to finish – Valentine themed of course, books to read, spelling to practice… the usual.

We made our paper heart chain… And the twins made some white roses to add to our red (and chopstick) display. I do love a pretty centerpiece!

Making the paper chain (Gavin left)

So pretty

I love the roses! Thanks Art for Kids!

We made chicken with the meat rub I actually made up with Ken to give people for Christmas. You can find instructions for how to make it HERE. We made the Tandoori rub for Chicken. (the guys had the weekly gaming night)

YUM

I made a themed lunch for the kids  on Valentine’s Day- strawberry jello with cool whip, chocolate cupcakes with strawberry frosting, Fanta strawberry pop all with curried chicken on rice. Lots of pink and red on that table! Add in the kisses in the bowls (pink, red and white) and our festive decorations and I think we did good.

Festive!

Of course we took some pictures. Trinity had her pretty red dress thanks to Aunty Esther. Echo had TWO outfits, though her main was the new shirt I bought when out shopping with Bree on SALE! They both added in their dressy shoes and tap tap tapped their way around the house all smiles.

Dressed in pink and red

Showing some Valentine’s Day love

The second outfit

Watch for a future filler blog entry with the Valentines Day overflow!

Yours truly tried a new hairstyle – the milk maid braids thanks to the Lizzie Bennet Diaries… specifically the Jane Bennet Twitter feed. The instructions I used can be found HERE. Next time I need to wet down my hair more to facilitate easier braiding AND use some spray afterwards. BUT for a first try for someone who SUCKS at doing her OWN hair… not bad!!! I am just going to have to do it over and over again to perfect it!

Attempt 1

Together

I tried something different with one of the Easter cupcake bags… I am playing around with colours. After all Trinity AND Echo each already have a bag so a second bag has to be different. What do you think? I rather like the effect, almost like a vine around a flower.

I rather like these

I got my own little gift from Ken – a card and a container of chocolates. I gave Ken a card (made by me) and a little box of Jelly Bellys worth Valentine themed words on them.

Our dinner! And my gift!

We had a fun Valentine’s Day themed craft to do as well, we waited until Echo napped and brought out the paints to make Handprint Hearts. I love Activity Village and their easy to find themed areas.

In the paint

The hearts

So quite the enjoyable couple of days!

Echo obsessed with ATTEMPTING to remove Sean’s sock??