As is the pattern for the month of October… the kids woke up anti school and anti mommy. We did manage to wrestle our way through the few sheets I did have for them to do, courtesy of EnchantedLearning, Bogglesworldesl, and our favourite UK site. The mini books were a big hit and limited to two pages only of colouring, word copying and cutting and assembly. Thank goodness I did remember to pick up staples on my payment order funding shopping spree.

Gavin and his Mini Book

For once the word search was a hit, each of the twins had their own sheet but were allowed to work together. Zander went so far as to include Echo in the exercise! She REALLY enjoyed that!

Teaching Echo about word searches

I got some LOVELY mail today – a package (one of many if you go by the fact that PARCEL ONE! was written on the outside – and what I was told by the sender) all the way from the UK! Some sweets and ponyholders for our Trinity. I am thinking I will hold onto the holders for Christmas! Then she will get something OTHER than Hello Kitty from us!

The kind of mail that makes you feel spoiled!

Certainly makes the week feel like it is starting out the right way. And with Ken hard at work in the basement… we are going to make October end properly. The weather is still lovely in the afternoons so the boys spent quite some time out in the backyard. The twins were more than willing to show off for the camera on their bikes and scooters.

Bikes and scooters

We made pictures using black cardstock and white crayons  today as well… the boys remember doing this before but it was a new idea for Trinity – she was SURE it would not work!

Some Halloween art

We had some fun with Play Doh as well… those new Halloween coloured mini containers have been a great time filler for the kids!!

You can just see 2 cows

The twins were the next ones to finish their 8X10 scrapbook pages… They picked the colours, the ribbon, the embellishments… and we worked together to make something we are all proud of.

Zander's hot springs

Gavin and Maligne Canyon

It inspired me to get a page that has been awaiting my attention for ages done!!

Zander and Gavin's 7th and Emanuel's 5th birthday party

So tonight I still have stuff to clean, laundry to sort, wings to sew onto owls… the list goes on. I am told Lemur ears are made and mittens on their way… and Ken is working hard to complete some outstanding issues… I feel like we are working towards achievable goals and that feels GREAT!

Pre-Naptime story

More storytime

And just cuz she IS adorable

So today marks out unofficial official start to the twins’ 2nd registered year of homeschooling which we are now calling GRADE 2. Nothing special really… as we HAVE been schooling year round BUT since today is a new start we started with everyone drawing their favourite part of summer. Quite the variety of remembrances. Emanuel drew his time in the hot springs, Zander trips to the park with Nana and Baba and Gavin the completed swing set in our backyard. 

As we start Gr 2 and K!

A close up of the pictures

Emanuel is well into his Kindergarten fun so today wasn’t a big deal to him. BUT he is back to work on his dot-to-dot book, moving from ABC’s to counting. Since the workbook was used a little it has been fun for him to have permission to tear out the pages that he CAN do and for each one write his own name (as some were only completed on one side of the paper). 

Dot-to-dotting while a brother does his math

I am still on the hunt for the school desk for Emanuel. It is the one thing (beyond his workbook) that he has requested for this year that we don’t already have. I made up a Kijiji WANTED ad as there really were NO options in our price range (20.00). So fingers crossed! 

It is sunny days like today that really test the family though… we have 5 VERY stubborn kids after all. Trinity was a basket case all morning for some unknown reason… lots of time outs and explaining to her that NO everyone WON’T clean up those toys she just dumped out, that is HER job… Emanuel is still testing his limits but less and less over time. I am just hoping the twins’ focus eventually moves off of solely math and into more variety. 

Trinity with her picture of people with hats and tummies

We didn’t do a massive amount of work today and focused mainly on doing the twins’ “My All About Me Back to School Book.” There was quite a bit of  fuss over the amount of writing to be done but we managed. Tomorrow we will assemble the whole thing. Sadly I  could not hunt down the file on Currclick to share with everyone BUT check out their site anyway for an amazing variety of schooling products! 

Awaiting assembly

Tomorrow the plan is to get done our Maligne Canyon poster. There is some writing to be done by yours truly to share some of the more wordy facts we learned. I do love a good poster though and our wall is rather lonely with just the VBS masterpiece up there. I have to find a printout that we can either pretty up ourselves or already is colourful of the 12 months to add to our 7 days of the week on the wall as well. 

Now I just need to get my crafting mojo back. A lovely stack of photos are sitting in my crafting corner waiting to be put on papers and I have no ideas that just jump to life. I did manage to coordinate two more 12X12 pages with some contrasting paper so if I can find pictures to suit I am half way there… 

Coordinated papers

Now if only I could get the last of the clutter… well de-cluttered. Time to get back to work… 

Creeping along the furniture

The short answer… LOTS!!! But first a hearty breakfast with Grandma before collecting ourselves to get out the door around 10:30/11 am.

Out on Grandma's front lawn saying bubye.

The kids were less than enthused with the idea of over 5 hours in the van after spending so many days away already but we stopped at a grocery store for food for on the road and pull ups and headed out. We side tripped briefly at the old house to pick up some mail (forwarding is said to be set and going but nothing yet…) and then on we went. There was plenty of rain, a road with just golf resorts and ONE gas station (potty break!) and COWS… for some reason that is ALWAYS exciting for the kids???

Potty stop means COOKIES FOR BABY

And then we got into mountain territory… THAT was exciting for our driver. Of course we kept in contact with our hosts and their other guest (Chris, Chris and Jocelyn) via texting and were able to co-ordinate nicely. Even when they (who were ahead of us by at least an hour) found out that the cabins were IN the national park instead of outside of they were able to get our park pass and have it waiting for us. Of course when WE hit the toll booth it was POURING so Ken got rained on to get it!

First view of the mountains through a rain splattered windshield

That pass totally changed our going home plans… after all why waste it? So instead of driving straight home the 5 or so plus hours we worked out a way to tour most of Jasper park and even some of Banff national park! But first things first – the cabins! Pocahontas Cabins!

Fat Sheep taking in our view from the private balcony off the second floor

Our cabin was a condo type thing – one in a building of two story cabins all sharing side walls (I did not get a picture of the whole building). We were right in front of the pool and hot tub (though we ended up not able to get into those). The main floor had a sitting room with tv and fireplace, a kitchen and a full bathroom.

I love how they folded the kitchen towels... note the coffee... Ken was pleased about that!

Then you went up a lovely set of wooden stairs were the sleeping quarters and another full bathroom. When you get to the top of the stairs there is a door to the private balcony and a nice sized bed… then through the door two beds and the entrance to the bathroom. So the kids (except Echo who was in a cot in our area) were in the room with a door. We got our OWN bed!!! Though the pillows were super squishy, too much so.

Photo on the stairs... lovely wooden things

So we got into the cabin, dropped our stuff, changed the baby and off to the restaurant so we could be treated to a lovely dinner! Apparently Trinity was not hungry so her meal and half of my lovely pizza came back to the cabin and into the fridge for later.

The Newly-weds

So she TASTED it but that was about it... generous servings though!

After dinner was a bit of a drive – we went to the Miette Hot Springs which are a short drive up a mountain from our cabins and an hour out of Jasper city. Of course there was one scenic stop off that we had to make. Can’t miss those photo ops!

Ready for the hot springs, but enjoying a moment of mountain bliss first

Not only snuggly but kissy kissy too

The kids were absolutely in love with Jocelyn

Our family in the mountains

The view unobstructed

The Miette Hot Springs had 2 hot springs and at least one cold pool that I saw though I, and the kids, stayed mainly in the warm spring. It was one you could slowly walk into and of the two hot springs the lower temperature. The hot and deep one was way too much for me though Ken and I did go in briefly to check it out. 

Ready to get into the springs

VERY warm

It was fun and somewhat relaxing but we did have to keep rotating the kids OUT of the pools. Emanuel especially got very red quickly and with Echo’s PDA we did not want her to strain, though she enjoyed herself immensely. After all it was just like a long bath and she LOVES baths. Trinity even let us know when she had to potty and peed in the toilet in the change room! Was I ever proud!! 

All the boys waiting on us

Echo totally got into it

This is really neat... these are pictures of the springs in the 1920's there was a big hotel and a single pool there until the 80's apparently.

After almost 2 hours there the kids and myself were wearing out so it was time to head out. But first pictures of the sunset while I breastfed Miss Echo who was really ready for bed.

So breathtaking!

Then off to the cabins and bed time for all 5 kids. We had to have two to a bed and luckily Gavin was fine with sharing with Trinity…

Two beds, 4 kids... asleep

Echo was taken from carseat to cot without barely moving and that was it for the night, leaving the adults to chat… then Chris and Chris off to their honeymoon cabin… decked out in style…

From here...

...to here without a fuss

Jocelyn, Ken and I stayed up late into the evening chatting and getting to know each other even better. So on top of all the excitement, the pictures, the outfits and all that I also have a new friend! 

And now… looking back at ALL the pictures… I think I will stop there leaving the question – How much of the mountains can a family of 7 see in 2 days? – only partially answered… but trust me… day 2 in the mountains is photo full so check back!!!

Fat Sheep out front of the newly-weds' cabin