With every day a crafty day we have been keeping busy, but Saturday was a SPECIAL crafting day for the boys and Ken. They went to the museum and art gallery for the drop in art program and made shapes out of Plasticine. Each of them left something for the group display, in fact, Zander left ALL of his. Makes me wish I had sent a camera with them, but I DO have a picture of the pieces that came home. We are waiting on them to dry and then some will go on the tree, some in gifts and some on dressers. 

Finished sculptures

Because the boys got to go out Trinity and I went to the store (when they got back) and got slurpees! She was a little put out that there was no pink but we managed. With a picture on the “picture bench” of course! It was around +5 (Celsius) Saturday too! So the sidewalks were a wee bit icy in patches.

Too cute

Today we got our run down on what is going on for the Sunday School Christmas pageant. This year is going to be rather simple and over by 2pm. We are having sandwiches and juice at noon and then once everyone is done eating heading upstairs to the sanctuary for a little talent show and THEN is the pageant. Gavin gets to be Joseph! The twins are doing a section of the verses… Ken is working with them on that one and the little ones get to be angels. It should be VERY cute and short! BUT I am looking forward to it. One of the superintendents stepped down from running the Sunday School very recently so it has been a scramble. After Echo is through her surgery I am looking forward to helping out more, but I do not want to commit too much and then have to cancel on a Sunday due to getting our date. We only get a 2 week notice! 

Emanuel and Trinity learning their part

That reminds me of some important and exciting mail we got this month – the geneticist has determined that Echo is negative on everything and simply is – of small stature! In other words, no syndromes, no ailments… just a bitty girl growing at her own speed! I cannot express my relief on that one! I am going to scan the paper and have multiple copies made up… this is the tail end of a 6+ month saga of trying to get through to the world that SOME babies are JUST LITTLE! 

Just little and just perfect

There is a curriculum sale at Currclick tomorrow. So be sure to check this link, there will be some freebies as well! 

Anyway… we had a family focused, crafty weekend and it was so much fun! So now I am hoping we can end November (and start December) with a continuing trend. I know I have no choice but to craft myself!  

Yup teeny tiny feet

This is what I woke up to Friday morning! A wee bit of somewhat organized chaos… Ken cleaning out the dishwasher one last time with the hope to save the owners the cost of repair (hasn’t worked properly since we moved in almost 4 months ago!! GRR so guess who does TONS of dishes even though it is in my lease I have one?). The boys had their Trios and were actually playing as a group! Really nice to wake up to! 

Trios and a runny nosed baby

We skipped the morning workbook time and the kids went out to enjoy the brisk but sunny weather. We are trying to get in every spare minute of outside time we can and still accomplish some homeschooling goals. That sandbox sees so much use, but is really too small for all 4 to play in total harmony. They do do their best. 

Sandbox!

And then back in to work on Stuart Little. We are 2 chapters away from completing the book and watching the moving Cousin Veronika bought for them. We are planning on finding some nature books on mice and maybe go with another mouse related story. Trinity did her own thing this illustration but the boys were quite enamored with the idea of the mouse having his own tiny canoe! 

Stuart and his canoe

Since Emanuel had made a duct tape flower LAST night Trinity wanted one TODAY. She basically had the reverse of his made. I have to admit, fun and simple! 

Trinity and her Rose

That is not to say we didn’t get in any workbook time! But less than the norm to be sure! You can find instructions for it on youTube! Though we did a few extra steps to make sure that the exposed edges had the colour pieces wrapped over it!

Workbook time!

And of course there was the wallet Zander and I made together. He was so proud! 

Zander and his wallet

I ended my evening with a visit with Karyn – while the owners were here messing with the dishwasher and such, so we took the girls for a walk to the gas station to get slurpees… we had the boys safely ensconced in front of the tv downstairs. Of course I got the largest one possible and poured some into cups for each of the boys! But it was nice to get out for a walk and we managed to keep Echo’s shoes on for the whole walk! 

Slurpee!

With Aunty Karyn and her iPhone

I am beyond excited – the owners came Friday night of course and then today REPLACED MY DISHWASHER! So I now figure I am saving AT LEAST 7 hours a week in time that I was spending on dishes (and that is a conservative estimate) which means more time for crafting and one on one with the kids. They also re-grouted a tile in the bathroom upstairs so no baths until tomorrow night but it should solve the tile issue. YAY!

The excitement continued with a trip out and about town with Karyn for Kick it to the Curb… you put your stuff out with a “free” sign and people take what they want over the weekend. Of course for the most part we couldn’t find anything… until we gave up and were heading to the mall – TWO lamps!! I just need to re-do the shades – any suggestions?

Large lamp

Trinity's lamp

And then 2 blocks from our own home – JACKPOT! A lady who is moving end of the month had a whole bunch of little girl stuff out – stuff that was PERFECT for Trinity. She finally got one of those little foam fold out sofas I had been wishing I could get her. It is the perfect size for her and Echo! And clothes to grow into and a couple books… she is putting out more tomorrow so Ken is going to head back over there and check it out after Sunday School.

Enjoying the new couch

Karyn even managed to find herself a popcorn popper. AND we saw parts of the city we had not seen before, a quirky series of signs to an estate/garage sale AND some rather odd art. Ken and the twins went to the local art gallery and museum that we got a free pass from a coupon Kristen found for us! There was an art drop in program. Gavin’s is still a work in progress but you can see Ken’s and Zander’s! Ken is going to take just the twins next weekend and then decide if we should include Emanuel in the experience. We won’t be able to go to the following weekend’s as we will be at my mom’s but it is EVERY Saturday! 

Art and artist

Zander and his to be laminated placemat

With the dishwasher coming in we had to make a nice and clear path. That made it much simpler for me to get that livingroom cleared up. We also dug out the Halloween craft and decoration bucket from the basement with the foam sets the boys have put together with Ken – 2 so far, one for each of the past 2 years. I have already bought another kit during a sale for them to do with him this year! It is time to collect our activities and colouring pages… I will of course link anything I find! 

So now I have lamps to decorate, costumes to make, some Christmas presents to focus on, schooling to plan and and and… BUT more time to do it in!!! 

Popcorn baby decked out for her feast