March 13-17

On Thursday it was the twin’s turn to work on their pinewood derby cars. Sadly we all sort of fell apart to a rather nasty cold which had our school week light and our napping heavy!!

This is all part if Gavin’s master plan I am told.

We did make a Sam’s Club run that has started a new family tradition. If the kids can at least attempt to behave on our shopping trip we then agree to have a post shopping snack. The prices on their food that is ready to eat are AMAZING… and also include a family favourite – pretzels! It is a great way to bypass the frustrated kids in line at the cash. Ken stands in line with the purchases and I have them sit at a table and order food to share. 5-6 dollars and we have some pop, pretzels and even a hotdog or pizza slice (that is really like a quarter of a large pizza!). We even caved and chose the more difficult cart to push around to humour the girls.

In fact, once the car working was done and the sickies were STILL sleeping it was back to the Lego game. Having that table out has saved my bum during the sick time.

Friday was quiet learning. Mainly things like watching Veggie  Tales and then going and doing the Sunday School sheets or what we have now started – Dirty Jobs. We are watching episode by episode and then doing a reflection journal page about it. Trinity is drawing and then I write, Emanuel drawing and then copying two sentences and the twins 4-5. We are working on having a title for our pages – Dirty Jobs Episode whatever… and on working more on telling all about something not just simple sentences. Anything to expand our work and our skills!

Keeping tabs on our week thanks to Activity Village

Saturday was a special day. We had plans to meet up with Matt and Fran and their twins again… but this time at IKEA for our favourite family lunch – meatballs! Although, with kids still recovering we had smaller appetites than usual. I really need to carry some ziploc in my purse for extras when we over order!

After lunch it was time to go across the street to MOA and the Lego store. They have this great play area out there for the kids to build.

Echo and Izzy

I was especially excited to go… this is the only place that has a Typo store for my favourite pens AND Body Shop (except airport where I never fly anyway to get into the store section and when anyone does they are closed) for my facial soap.

I could not resist.. I had this sort of pen in high school!!! 4.95 plus tax!

Sunday was really nothing special. We had way too many sick kids to do anything and no Sunday School so it was a lay back and enjoy naps and rest…

And time to set out our leprechaun trap! Because we all know Lucky Charms are the perfect lure! Sam’s Club had a double box on for sale so the kids were over the moon… as long as the leprechaun didn’t take off with the goods!

Monday was St. Patrick’s Day. With kids still suffering from this cold we did the best we could with our Green clothing. Got the picture in at the very least… but no green lunch.

Trinity and Emanuel were starting to bounce back so we focused mainly on THEIR St. Patrick’s Day fun.

Emanuel’s cover for his dinosaur book we read together

Playing a number game

Father, Son and Holy Spirit on a 3 leaf clover

Not the most impressive start to the week but it is great to see that even limping with illness we do get a wee bit done each day. Progress is progress! Enjoy the random MOA pictures!

April 26

So I wished our biggest little girl a happy 5th on the day of her birthday with a quick single picture entry, now it is time to share in the day properly. Of course being as the 26th was a Friday we did have to do the usual spelling, printing practice, etc… But once that was done it was time to enjoy the day with Trinity for EVERYONE!

We started with pictures of the birthday girl who chose to have herself and her sister dress up in matching dresses that had been purchased last year. At first Echo was VERY against sharing the spotlight and actually shoved the birthday girl out of frame!!!

Happy Birthday Trinity

In their matching dresses

From the back

After enough pictures were taken to make Mommy happy and the girls adamant  that they were done we packed up the boys and girls and headed to Walmart for the next phase of Trinity’s birthday DAY. Ken had taken on an extra project the days before and worked long hours so that he could have the whole day off! We were unable to purchase Piggy Paint like I had hoped to as the Walmart near us was not one of the ones that carried it but instead each of the girls picked out a colour of their liking from a fast dry line. Trinity waffled between a fire engine red and the purple we purchased while Echo swooped in and grabbed her new word of the day off the shelf – BLUE!

After purchasing was lunch, and what better lunch for a 5 yr old and her siblings than ICE CREAM! We took everyone to Dairy Queen and everyone had their own treat… no one was hungry after that!!!!

Birthday’s girl’s choice

LUNCH

Then it was back to the house for the painting of the nails. Both Echo and Trinity did amazing. And yours truly alternated both colours to match BOTH kids.

Girly nail time

PRETTY

With my nails

Supper was Nana and Baba’s choice as Ken and I had a double date with Cory and his fiance (congrats you two!!) Karen. I am told they did desert before dinner with giant chocolate muffins and then hotdogs… popcorn to round it off and movies.

We also had a surprise mailing! Our ant farm ants arrived… tubed ants with food… it was unnerving opening up the package to find LIVE ants (no queen). So of course we HAD TO take time out of our day and assemble the farm. Leaving the ants in the tube for too long could have killed them after all!

Assembly

ANTS

So our birthday girl was well pleased and ready for the next phase of Trinity celebration – afternoon and evening at the Novak’s. But first… the double date! We decided to go to Mall of America (more food options) and start our fun at the mini golf. I came in an unsurprising LAST, and Ken, of course, came in first with Cory and Karen tied.

Ready to golf

Karen

Cory

Me!

Karen and I could not stop giggling that the guys would go THIS far to check out MINI golf holes.

So we really had a terrific 26th of April!!! Trinity is 5, we had our first double date in AGES… our ant farm project is started. Ken having the day off made all the difference in the world. I will include some of the spill over from today in another entry immediately after this one… birthdates make me photo happy!

Birthday girl and all of her siblings

April 20-21

I do love a good weekend… and this one has been a combination of busy and quiet. We really had no plans for Saturday and with a thick layer of snow still in evidence we could only go to the Home Depot and LOOK at our tree choices. With Earth day on the 22nd, and snow still here our plant a tree for the day is really not possible… yet! But we are going to spend much of next week discussing Earth day and what WE can do to help the Earth. And then, once the snow melts, Nana and Baba will have a tree added to their landscaping.

Emanuel took some time out and made us a Triceratops out of Play Doh… he is such a dinosaur pro now!

Sorry, Ken took the picture

It was crafting completions for yours truly. I completed TWO projects… a bag by CrochetSpot for an upcoming birthday.

Bag

And a hat for Miss Lily… pattern from Stitch11.

Lily’s lovely hat

There was also straw to be stacked in anticipation of warmer and dryer times! (apparently there will be planters)

Ready for planters

Sunday was special for Ken and myself… we had a DATE date. An afternoon (and a bit of the morning) without the kids, with some bonus money and a list of wishes… at the top of the list… a new bathing suit, my first in years and my first one piece in even longer! Bettie Page Clothing for the win!!!

Retro!

I actually managed to do quite well, with money left to think about! 

Such a selection

Ken took a picture for me during our lunch from Pita Pit… hair down and everything.

Lunch for 2

I did unearth a dress that Nana and Baba brought Echo back from the Dominican last year… so of course we had to take photos. 

Little Sweety

Pretty in Pink

So even with the snow we managed a rather enjoyable weekend! I promise better swimsuit pictures very soon!

Feathers and all!