February 23-24

The weekend has come and while we did not manage to line up any company we did keep busy! In preparation for both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (2nd) and St. Patrick’s Day I had a rather hefty stack of library books to pick up and a letter to post (both are in the same little area). From there we headed out to our favourite JoAnn’s that is in the same parking lot as Dollar Tree.

At the Dollar Tree we let the kids buy whatever they wanted… we came home with two packages of marbles (round), a bunny (teddy), a raised colouring set (princess) and a fishing pole (toy). Add to that a hat (Easter) and some St. Patrick’s Day themed foam shapes and we really did do rather well for a much smaller selection than we are used to. Though I should have bought a second hat. Echo is now sure it is hers as is Trinity.

Pretty in pink

I took a rather decadent day of it and had a lengthy NAP! This head cold has me firmly in its grasps still with a runny nose and congested brain BUT I figure the end MUST be in sight. It was a nice lazy afternoon with the kids busy with their new purchases and plenty of time to read and rest. Just what we ALL needed I think.

Sunday was another at home day for the most part. I am looking forward to the upcoming months. Ken and I decided to not push the hunt for a new church for our family until after he was settled and working as the weekends were his time to apply for the last of the jobs he found during the week, code and of course run the errands that had to wait during all the hunting. I don’t think it will be too hard to find a Lutheran church around here, but we want to find one that is a sister church to the ELCIC we are members of and one that has a strong Sunday School element. Location is also an issue as as of yet I am not sure where we are moving to later in the year and driving massive distances to get to church is never a good idea.

Ken, Zander and Emanuel stepped up and did a major grocery shop. They got about 3/4 done before the boys pooped out but it was a great effort. Almost all of our Dr. Seuss menu is now in the house and at a great price and we are ready to face a house without Ken there.

Successful shop

So of course with a Sunday at home we had to have some gaming time too!

Relatively fight free

It is nice to have a weekend at home just the 7 of us! But it certainly does NOT make for an overly interesting blog post! Oh well, next is Dr. Seuss and the beginning of our platypus assembly. 

Our own little Holly Hobbie.

December 9-10

It really IS beginning to feel like Christmas. Sunday hasn’t been a church day for us in quite some time, but this second Sunday in Advent was different. We were invited to celebrate Christmas with the children’s concert at the Novak family’s church (a Lutheran one, yay). Of course this coincided with the first REAL storm… 16 inches (around 41 cm) of snow in 24 hours… great for the kids… not so hot for the roads. But with some careful driving we made it all the way safely to the church just before the special service was to begin, thankfully Andrew and his grandparents and cousins were able to save us a pew.

Waiting for the service… note the RED lipstick Bree and Veronika… did I do good?

It was a great service with the Nativity story and lots of singing and 3 of the 4 Novak boys involved. We did have to take Echo out of the sanctuary a few times to trundle around but all in all once I separated Zander and Emanuel we did rather well.

Aidan… There will be an entry following this with the picture overflow. The expressions on the boys’ faces as they did their songs and parts were just too cute to not be shared!!

Alex looking dapper

Anthony the shepherd (left)

The final group number

After the concert there was birthday cake…

CAKE

And then pictures…

Emanuel, Echo, Gavin, Zander and Trinity

11 kids!! (Gavin left)

And in front of the tree (Zander left)

Then back into the snow to head over to the Novak’s for playing in the snow…

So much snow all at once!

The second fort

Baking and decorating cookies…

Making cookies with Maggie

Darcy and the girls

Andrew manning the ovens

Visiting AND some presents! I have to say, I have never had my owls go over so well as when I give them to the Novak boys!

Present time

Andrew playing Santa

With the owls

With all that lovely snow sticking around Monday the boys bargained with me to let the morning just be outside play. So much snow and sunlight and fun for the kids!

So much bright white snow

Chill-axing

Post snow smoothies (peanut butter banana) thanks to Nana

We did not end up starting the reindeer unit as of course there was a REPEAT out in the snow in the afternoon. It really does eat up the time, but they had so much fun! Gavin DID find some time to make our Art for Kids picture of a CHRISTMAS TREE!

A tree

With brand new puzzles thanks to the Novak family we of course had two boys sit down and right away want to complete one. These were NOT easy as they are holographic! But Emanuel and Gavin managed.

Emanuel and Gavin

We ended the day with Ken and Baba putting together the tree… slightly pre decorated and rather pretty. Add to that phone calls for work and immigration, mailing to deal with and Christmas crafting to feverishly finish and we are REALLY busy! But in a cheerful and Christmasy way!

SNOOPY