monsters | "A Stitch in Time"

January 31- February 2

We have completed our first month of the new year and so did Gavin’s work on his Lego land. With Emanuel’s help it was quite the creation!

Quite the metropolis

Lots of activity

Spooky section

Gavin’s turtle (too large for the city)

Ken and Ted took a ride out to The Source, a gaming store to peruse the merchandise and to pick me up some oversized dice for the kids. While they did I finally got to see Frankenweenie! I saw ParaNorman back on New Years so I am catching up on my animations nicely!

Dice

I am so proud that the boys BOTH made their reading goals yet again! I am so glad I can help them find a love of reading at such a young age.

We had our next book to share Happy Chinese New Year, Kai Lan! We had the corresponding episode on the video we got from the library… Celebrate with Kai-Lan.

Gavin and our book

There is a definite benefit to subscribing to a site’s feed. Art for Kids sent out a terrific 10 monster how to draw book to all the people subscribed to them. I am going to have to sit down and hole punch and put all these amazing instructions into a binder all organized and ready for the boys to use whenever they want!

Wacky monster pictures

Talk about excitement for our almost birthday boy! Baba took Emanuel and myself to get Emanuel’s hair cut before his birthday party! It is like he grew up years as the hair came off… in looks anyway! Can you believe he is 7 on the 3rd??

So smooth

Of course the kids opted to spend even MORE time sitting with Uncle Ted. They just can’t get enough of him!

Quality time

Trinity roped him into playing Skylanders with her as well! They work so well together!

Skylanders!

Friday was a bit of a ruffled day. The kids do not function well with Ken working at home right now. It has been bitterly cold so they cannot burn off energy outside, plus there is the knowledge Ken is there and not available. That and the need to be quiet so he can work makes them all owly. So to take a bit of the edge off we made our Chinese lanterns for our Chinese New Year. You can follow our instructions on Activity Village HERE. I added to the activity by bringing out the markers and letting them colour the paper if they wanted.

Working on lanterns

Lanterns

This was our last day with Ken home actually. Come Monday he is supposed to have his own desk at one of the three buildings. I am hoping that him being out of the house will help Echo deal with less time with Daddy.

Time with Uncle Ted while Daddy works

Emanuel finally got around to colouring in his Mammoth pictures that Gammie sent him to go along with his interest in elephants! He does love a good elephant or prehistoric animal!

One colourful Mammoth

With dinosaurs on the mind we completed our smaller puzzle. One Emanuel got for Christmas!

PUZZLE

Our book from the day was a National Geographic one – Celebrate Chinese New Year. The kids love the images in this one.

Zander and our book

I have to say having Ted here is so much fun. Like back home, the guys are cracking jokes, talking shop and generally hanging out. I have missed that here. We don’t see much of the guys here which is a huge change from how things were up in Alberta.

Relaxing

As the first Saturday of the month it was also the Home Depot free craft day. The boys made little mail boxes for Valentines. Painted and everything!

Painted and everything

When Ken, his dad and the boys returned Ted, Ken and I ran out to finish some shopping – I needed cardstock for the kids’ schooling and Ted needed to do some present shopping. Target is so much fun.

After shopping EMANUEL snagged Ted to play Skylanders (he will be pro by the time he goes home!).

Gaming in comfort

He also made Ted a special picture to take home for his fridge in Alberta.

Art for the fridge

It really was an Emanuel creative day. If it wasn’t Home Depot it was drawing or making something interesting out of blocks.

This is a storekeeper with his till and table

I am glad to see that something I created is being used too – the kids had a tea party with the set I made Trinity for Christmas.

Tea anyone?

Saturday meant trying to get everything ready for the party on Sunday. There is something so comforting about having Ken and Ted together to help out. I feel so lucky that January and February has given us a taste of the people we have been missing. Saying good bye later is never easy BUT the visit makes it all worth it!

If only the fairie could magic up a way for them to stay longer… or forever!

January 29-30

You know you have had a good time painting when at least ONE kid gets paint in their hair! Guess who? Yup, the long locked Trinity. Thankfully it was water paints and a scrub with a wet paper towel and a post paint bath did the trick, but for a moment she was channeling her inner rockstar with pinky red hair!

Time for painting

We were busy with our red and gold paint prepping the first part of two Chinese New Year related crafts this fine Tuesday. We made sure Echo was in nap before we began to limit the mess… I think in the spring when it is warmer I will throw them in old clothes, get a roll of paper and send them outside to paint and mess around!

Our completed items

I finished a quick but interesting project for the girls – cupcake BAGS! Little ones, but so cute, and while a little more complicated then say my slippers… they really are fun to make. Of course the pattern is up for purchase on CrochetSpot… HERE.

Cupcake bag

The reading continues with a daily book. I am very happy with our results!

Another book

Our Chinese New Year book for the day was a wonderful story with a terrific message of sharing and compassion. Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn not only shared some traditions from the holiday but also the actions of a child that were selfless and kind. Add in some beautiful illustrations and the kids were enthralled. Of course we made sure to make our mini book to add to our poster. I am really looking forward to the final assembly on that one.

Sam and the Lucky Money

The boys decided the snow was PERFECT for snowmen and made TWO along side the house. One of which I am told is TED!

The tall one with the hat is Ted apparently

Of course the MAIN point of excitement was not me making anything or any of the books we have read but REALLY the arrival of Ted for his week and a bit visit!

UNCLE TED!!!!

So I did NOT make the 30th a heavy day school wise. I mean, Ted vs. learning with Mommy… I know I would choose hanging with Ted so why wouldn’t they? It is so good to have him here with us again. Out of all there is to miss it really IS the people.

Hanging with Uncle Ted

With Uncle Ted came some special gifts from Alan and Xinny all the way from Japan!

Hello Kitty for Trinity and Echo to share

3 mini remote control cars

I also got some Gintama cell phone fobs. I have one on our phone right now!

I love these

There are definite benefits to being subscribed to feeds. Because we follow Art for Kids we got a free book of 10 monster instructions. Of course we had to hop right in. You can subscribe to them as well by clicking on their link on the right side of the page here.

Gavin and his

Zander with his supervisor

The kids were determined to have Uncle Ted come out and see their snow creations… the igloos and the snowmen were all examined!

Out in the snow

Of course we had to continue with our painting. Ken, Gavin and I had to paint on the symbols for the snake (thanks to Xinny). Gavin was a go getter and even took a piece of paper and painted them for us to add to our poster!