A somewhat sunny Sunday has come and gone and with it my good friend Karyn (she made it over late last night after the ballet and stayed the night). Thanks to her I got a couple hours out of the house kid free! With the kids just getting over colds and an email yesterday afternoon alerting us of something other than a traditional Sunday School class going on today I was able to get away while Trinity napped and the boys worked on some dinosaur worksheets.

Timing was crucial as in the afternoon we headed back out to the nature centre for their drop in session – this one was on how animals change colours to suit the season. But really for the boys it was more craft time (a bunny face out of a plate – one side for summer and one winter) and then running around like mad to visit all their favourite portions of the centre.

Building the Bunny

Finished Bunnies (Emanuel wanted a BLUE bunny... Gavin red and Zander brown)

Trinity decided it was a good time to explore by foot and took every chance to run off – thank goodness Karyn was there to help out! After we had our fill of the centre we did a little exploring of the grounds around it. We had the wrong stroller to go too far but Karyn and the twins headed further up and “climbed the mountain” a ways. I am really looking forward to heading back when the weather is warm!

Off She Goes!

Enjoying the Fall Wather (Gavin red)

Karyn had to head back early afternoon but left me with her newest cards to see what I can do for my own Christmas cards this year. There is one in particular I think I CAN make with the stamp sets she lent me and the paper I have in my drawer. Especially since today I had a 50% off coupon and was able to get some glue dots (I ran out of adhesive a week or so ago!).

Sample Card

Not only did we get the glue dots but I got to have lunch out! Chinese… at one of my favourite places in the The Mall. I had to take a couple pictures – Christmas decorations are already out! AND they replaced the flamingoes with lemurs! Too cute!

Christmas in the Mall!

Just too Darn Cute!

Sewing wise I am so excited about the pattern page – lots of positive reviews from friends and family – no sales yet but I feel honoured that so many people think our pieces look nice. Ken is hoping to fix the rest of the freebies by tomorrow and tonight the Brontosaurus should be up for sale (2.00). I have plans for at least 5 more dinosaurs in that series if not more… though these will have to be alternated with the remaining family and friend gifts… where has the time gone? Cards and stitches that HAVE TO be done in time to ship before the costs go up to make the Christmas deadline. The list is a little lengthy for my liking, but I am determined to get them done!

A pretty fun day really… Ken is going to be busy dealing with government, bank and other loose ends that have been plaguing us lately. I am hoping to do more dinosaur and fall activities but I am going to let the boys choose what they want to do. They have been bouncing back and forth between the two areas of interest. I guess they are following their cousin’s lead and heading full force into the dinos!

If the Weather is Nice We Hope You Too are Enjoying it!

Snakes, frogs, fish and salamanders… we saw them all – and everything BUT the fish was fed – ok fish were fed TO the snakes! The boys were in heaven… the nature centre is now their new favourite place second only to Grandma’s house and the “store with water in it” (I am PRETTY sure that is the pool back in the town where my mom lives but not 100% sure!).

When we go to the nature centre there was also a group of Brownies there enjoying the educational lesson. The girls were so helpful – showing the boys some of the fun activities and things to see, making sure they could see and get a chance to touch the snake (all 3 of the boys touched the snake! Go figure!!), and that we had all the craft supplies to make the session’s craft – a frog handpuppet!

Emanuel Touching the Snake!

Frogs!

Ken took each of the boys off to check out the bees who were much more active than our last visit. I think the beehive is Ken’s favourite part of the whole centre. Although the next time we go – if the weather holds as soon as the middle of this week – we are planning on checking out the hiking trails. So here’s hoping this FALL weather holds and we DON’T see more winter right away.

Ken's Best Bee Picture

The girl in charge of the session was great with the kids and had a ton of wonderful facts and information about each of the individual animals (including the rather overweight salamander who had the nickname Chunky Monkey). She also passed along the info about the sessions for the next two months which has my mind reeling with possibilities. Not only for the nature centre but the John Walter museum we went to on the free admission day – they are only open on Sundays 1-4 but there are sessions each Sunday and many of them are interesting to me! Not only was there information on those two places but other activities and events so now I just have to see if I can interest other friends and homeschoolers to join us!

Feeding the Salamander Crickets (Gavin left)

After the nature centre we had our weekly run to H&W… they had a sale on lemons (3 for 1.00) and limes (6 for 1.00), not sure what I am going to do with them, but I am going to find something fun! Of course more apples, bananas and carrots… and this time a cantaloupe since they were only 2.00 a piece and huge, so half in the freezer, half in the kids.

I have managed to basically finish my gift stitch. I am VERY happy with the result and debating whether or not to post the pattern up here before it is gifted. The next pattern I should be able to post as I stitch it. It is hard to do something I simply can’t show off, but it was obvious what it was pretty much from the start!

The tutu is completed I think – pom poms have been carefully glued on with fabric glue and the effect is quite satisfactory. I do so love making these, I just wish it was cheaper to buy tulle around here – to make a profit I would have to sell them at at least 25-40.00 depending on size… but making them for my own little girl and friends and family is fun too. That is not to say I WOULDN’T make them for someone else, just that I am not seriously debating ADVERTISING doing it.

Strawberry!

Our gaming for tonight got cancelled… Chris and Chris were busy all day and one of them was feeling under the weather so I have taken the now open evening and crammed it full of crafting, cleaning and cooking (the 3 C’s!). In a stroke of genius… ok in the wake of a craving for cinnamon buns… I drug out my breadmaker cookbook and searched through to find a recipe. Talk about YUM! AND everything I needed was already in the house! Bonus!

Cinnamon Rolls using Breadmaker

1 cup milk at room temp

1 lge egg

4 tblsp butter

3 1/3 cup flour

3 tblsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

FILLING:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/3 cup chopped nuts (we left out)

use dough setting on breadmaker

1. Add milk, egg and butter

2. Add flour, 3 tblsp sugar and salt. Tap  to settle dry ingredients, then level ingredients, pushing some of the mixture into corners.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients; add yeast. Lock pan into bread maker.

4. Program for dough. Start bread maker. When done, unlock pan from bread maker. Place dough on a floured surface. Knead for 1 min, then let rest about 15 min.

5. Roll dough into a rectangle, about 15×10 inches. Spread 1/4 cup melted butter over dough to within 1 inch of edges. Then sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped nuts evenly over dough. Roll dough up tightly on long side. Press edges to seal and form into a 12 inch long, evenly shaped roll. With a knife or 8 inch long piece of thread or dental floss, cut roll into 1 inch pieces. Place rolls into greased 13×9 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise in warm, draft free place until double in size, about 30-45 min.

6. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 20 to 25 min or until golden brown. cool in pan on rack for 10-15  min, then drizzle with powdered sugar icing made by combining 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tblsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Blend until smooth. Cut apart and remove from pan.

(Pictures to follow tomorrow but trust me Ken did an…. interesting…. job with the dental floss cutting them!)

The craft part I have already covered with the tutu and the stitch… the cleaning… well it is more of an ongoing attempt at order among chaos than a cut and dry clean and done. The homeschooling corner has grown and morphed into some sort of clutter, avalanche inspiring mess… so I am cracking down on it and sorting EVERYTHING. You would be amazed at the amount of construction paper I have! My intention is to basically take stock of everything and then plan some activities around the supplies with excess and have the kids go nuts. I refuse to do a before and after picture BUT here is the shelving where I HAVE made some semblance of order!

A Start (the one on the right we still need to find the wheels for)

Ken’s birthday is next weekend – the 23rd actually – he will be 32! It will be the traditional Ken celebration – computers, beer and pie. Thankfully all pretty much in range of the budget… though I am hoping people bring some beer as presents as that is the one item that makes me cringe price wise.

Because of the lack of budget everywhere with the stressful situation we are in I have not had the ability to buy him anything – an issue he reminds me does NOT bother him. Of course it bothers me! So the boys have decided they want to make him something (every year they make him AT LEAST a card) and I am debating whether or not I could simply bead up something complicated I KNOW he wants and have him iron it on his birthday and put it together – something he enjoys or attempt to iron myself. He is such a pro I hate to do it myself and have it not be uniform. What he REALLY wants is a D20 dice… of course I have NO idea how to even start with that one! I guess search online and then go from there. Hopefully someone ELSE has thought of it first!

I have a pretty strong promise that I SHOULD have my patterns ALL up by tomorrow night. Ken is still working on things in regards to Paypal. I am looking forward to having ALL the examples of our work up so I can start properly advertising and gathering interest.

Well with church tomorrow (Sunday School for the twins) and 3 Colours and Shapes Lapbooks to complete Sunday is going to be busy! Add to that the Insect lapbooks, my stitching to do and of course family photos on Tuesday and I will be keeping busy. But then when am I NOT busy?

Emanuel, Gavin and Zander

Gotta Check Out Those Leaves While You Can! (Gavin)

Well the snow seems to be here to stay though not in large quantities… yet. This meant our trip to the local nature centre was a little abbreviated. Though Ken is very interested in returning and trying out the walking paths when spring returns. We did go in and check out the exhibits inside the centre.

Checking Out the Bits and Bobs (Zander)

While there was not a HUGE amount to see the boys (and Ken) found it all very interesting. There was a bat cave to go into, a gopher hole to crawl through and of course an assortment of animal parts, rocks and wood to examine.

Owls and the Like

In another area was an actual part of a bee hive! You could walk right up and look at the bees at work. There was also a ton of information on the life cycle and the like. So now the boys are VERY interested in adding something specific to the bee in their insect lapbooks!

Bee Hive Info

Bee Hive in Practice! (Gavin left)

So all in all worth our 15.00 for the year family pass. We did not manage to meet up with any of the homeschool families also planning on heading in for longer than a nod and in one case a quick chat but it was great to get out. There was a couple of what looked like school trips there too so by 11 am we were heading out and back home (good thing on the way home Emanuel fell apart – too many early mornings and shortened naps). They also have weekend programs that you can drop into – next week is frogs and toads. So I am trying to work out how we can make that AND the free beading activity for adults at Michaels. One option is for the boys to go on Sunday after Sunday School next week (the program is both Saturdays and Sundays) OR I could just miss the Michaels event – would not be the end of the world!

This afternoon the mail actually came with something GOOD for me! Beyond good – I have been RAKed! Sounds a lot more painful than it is – trust me! RAK stands for Random Act of Kindness. Yup, a wonderful individual on my Canadian stitching egroup had some 14ct aida sitting in her closet that she had no plans for so sent it my way! I do not know if she or anyone else realizes how amazing and wonderful this is! I now don’t have to worry about fabric for the laundry list of patterns and ideas I have running around my head! That and someone who also says they enjoy my blog reached out and did something so wonderful! It is my intention with this blog to not only remain accountable to myself, my promises and my family but to reach out to other people and share my joys and tribulations. The fact that ANYONE reads my blog amazes me let alone gets anything from it! After all, I am just Lisa, mother of 4, married to Ken… usually people know me because of the twins, or the fact I have 4 kids (which apparently is a HUGE number??) or that I am married to Ken or the daughter of Debra. This whole being known for something *I* do myself is new to me! I look forward to posting many pictures of items made out of this fabric – hopefully many will be gifts in and of themselves!

RAKed I Was!!! Thank You!!!

This afternoon we worked on our volcano lapbooks. We erupted our volcano – something that Trinity thought was great fun until Ken added more stuff to make it go again and then she got a little freaked out!

Ready to Go! (Gavin red)

Eruption!! (Gavin red)

So Proud! (Gavin red)

Each of the boys coloured some pictures, the twins drew their OWN interpretation of a volcano and I found a couple facts to include. Nothing fancy but the focus really WAS on the volcano itself! Definitely a worthy end to the 3 packages of homemade play doh we were gifted.

Sparkly!!!

Emanuel and Ken made a special little volcano out of brown cardstock and some felt I had around the house from Christmas presents LAST year! I am determined to make sure that every lapbook he does has some sort of PreK style activity so that he doesn’t feel like everything we do is a struggle (and this time he got some Daddy time one on one as well).

Working Together!

All Done!

Sewing wise I finished off the 3rd little monster… I am not sure which is my favourite BUT this one has the best blending of colours in my mind. I cannot wait to get books or something to place them on so I can add the googly eyes to get the final effect. Though I must admit I am going a little batty waiting on the next project. I can’t go back to my major unfinished as the box of threads for it fell out of the back of the van a while ago (thanks Ken) and have yet to be sorted and I am so NOT in a sorting mood!

Monster #3!

I spent a bit of the evening stitching some spots along the seams on one of the kids’ costumes, and made sugar cookie dough for tomorrow. I figure with the applesauce I pulled out of the freezer I will make some fresh applesauce muffins tomorrow. Mmm

Tomorrow I figure we will head over to Michaels with our 50% off one regular priced item coupon in hand… cardstock is already on sale so I will pick up some tinsel green embossing powder and get started on our Christmas cards. Of course there is H&W to check out and then back home to finish the volcano lapbook and HOPEFULLY colours and shapes… Gotta keep busy right??

Nothing is Insurmountable! Not in This House!