Tag Archive | Netflix

Parades, Puppies and Playing Together

September 9

So, parades… REALLY not Ken and my cup of tea but one of those memories we all have of growing up, so when Steven mentioned that the town he lives in was having a parade and that as usual Saturday was his Quinn day… well we had to head out and join in. We dressed up and headed out relatively early and met up with the boys at their house.

From there we drove to a parking lot to park and walk to the street the parade was on. We chose the end of the parade so had a bit of a wait.  I am so glad that we purchased that blanket at the Tyrell Museum. It comes in handy and is so easy to take along!

Hanging out

The kids DID get bored as we had to wait well over 30 min for the parade to get to us but it was worth the wait.  The kids were much more interested in candy collection, once we explained to them what was  going on that is. They were very sure candy was only available during Halloween so this was all new to them.

Waiting on candy

Post parade and candy and even watching someone launch a t-shirt into the crowd (that REALLY can’t be safe!) we slipped off before the parade ended and got out of the parking lot with minimal issues.

A float

Then it was time for LUNCH! The daddies were in charge as yours truly is STILL trying to finish the dolly blanket and kept and eye on the baby while she trundled around in the garage. Steven’t parents have put up a large mosquito screen across  the one side of their garage and made a baseball themed seating area that is absolutely amazing! I could totally see homeschooling in there through out the warm months. They had a wall between the double garage section and a single car area so you could close doors and all that but it was a great idea! 

Hello puppy!

Steven’s backyard is a great place to be. They managed to get their hands on a rather amazing play set that is big enough for Quinn and our entire brood to enjoy! Add to that a lovely hill that the boys asked to come back and visit in the winter to sled down and some random toys and we had some VERY happy kids.

Fun in the sun

Lunch was hotdog and hamburgers with chips and grapes and juice pouches. I think everyone was full up when we were done!

Lunch!

Add to that a break in the basement with Thomas the trains and the Netflix version as well!

TV break

It was a great visit and a welcome break to being here at our house. After our visit we stopped in at a few stores… Jo-Ann’s of course finally! I am going to have to watch on sales and coupons as they do have some interesting bits and pieces… we picked up beads and plastic string this time. OH and Ken’s yarn for the scarf HE wants. I ran into the Dollar Tree at that location and was a little disappointed. I DID get my poster paper to create our Pen Pal display. We are going to make pockets for each of our correspondents. I also picked up google eyes and pom poms. What a difference from my usual Dollarama hauls, I am holding out hope that that was just a smaller store and that a bigger one (say like the one near Darcy) may hold more hope. Otherwise I am going to have to keep hunting sales and coupons. 

Totally enjoying the chance to keep my hands busy

I have started our craft bucket though, we are already saving our toilet rolls, collecting the crafty bits I DID bring down here and sourcing out options. I found some bags of bits and bobs a sweet friend and fellow homeschooling mom had sent to me when I was still in Alberta and had forgotten I saved (thank you BJ!!) so we have some sequins, glitter and random fun things to use… I am going to save my yarn bits as well as I remember using those for crafting as a child.  Now our end of the week was more of a play but there is so much merit in learning through play so I feel forgiven if not vindicated! We will just keep on going and trying over the next week and tweak what we are doing… oh and watch the mail, I have a few things of great importance coming in the post! So check back as I share how we get along!

Basically Birthday Buddies

Tuesday and Wednesday… I Hang My Head in Shame at the Late Updates!

Time keeps ticking along… and with it our days and nights. Tuesday was an interesting combination of outside fun and inside schoolwork. Our morning was dedicated to learning… with our flag folders of course I had to get my hands on copies of the Pledge of Allegiance and the US National Anthem (first stanza). And with that their books are pretty well done. 

Celebratory cupcakes!

The piggy bank was finished as well… Daddy cut the slot and all of the kids had a go at adding stickers to the bottle. They are VERY proud of it. (Picture to follow eventually)

With Farmer Boy covered and some colouring and pictures created and lunch eaten the twins headed out to play in the pool… in the rain! Apparently that made it more fun? We had some thunder, no lightening and a warm rain so I figured why not. Besides, they had energy to burn and the others were all napping. (Though we did have a rogue Echo get into markers while we were busy and she coloured her hand and some of the carpet, thank goodness for vinegar water… came right out!)

Such a naughty baby

We did have a mild issue regarding the tv Tuesday and had to unplug all of the sets in the kids’ rooms (Emanuel’s and the twins’). The easiest way to deal with that was to disconnect. What a great reinforcement that our choice to cancel our cable tv was the best one. Netflix and Crunchyroll are much more affordable AND less tempting as they have to get onto the laptop to get to it anyway. 2 days tv free. Though I allowed for the Weather Network for our schooling purposes and a movie when I went out on a walk in the evening… this time it was Echo and Gavin who joined in with Grandma and Gypsy. Most of the kids are getting over a bug so it was good for Echo to get some fresh air before bedtime. We got to see a train… actually had to WAIT on one as it stopped on the tracks for a few minutes before making an almighty noise and then moving on. 

Waiting for the train

Oh and for those interested in Viking ships… a friend on Facebook linked me a site that was local to her! The Jorvik Viking Centre. Isn’t the internet grand!! 

We are still dealing with acting out and loud children but at the same time, I think we are doing well… There are moments that I wonder if my norm, my kids are what others would see as acceptable. Or are we louder than most? More outrageous?? 

Wednesday was another slightly stalled day… Ken worked hard and long as Thursday AND Friday are implementation days for a couple of his contracts. This meshes badly with the viewings we are trying to set up, the going out for things to do and the general family time as it is. So we made do at home today. Except for in the evening when mom helped me out by driving me, Echo, Trinity and Emanuel to bedtime story time. We are missing the next week but going to the High Tea the following Wednesday. 

The craft at the library

Zander designed Gavin his very own colour by numbers! He worked really hard and figured out colour codes, though he DID copy the words off the sheets we bought, HE sounded out each one and wrote them out… I only had to help with the word gray.

Zander's colour by numbers

Of course the backyard was sunny for most of the day so where did the kids go but OUT! As much as they wanted, until I figured they were starting to get too much sun!

Fun in the backyard

Best way to end the day – HAIRCUTS for the twins! We are now all basically presentable… woohoo! Mom had to borrow her friend Ashley’s shaver set as we didn’t have our attachments on hand. Nice and short on both of them! 

Cutting of the hair!

I have to apologize for my inconsistent updates as of late… my mind has been scattered and stressed lately. I have to say I REALLY appreciate how Ken is not only working full time but dealing with my insecurities (can you really blame me after last month’s ugh fest?), being a father and working with me to hunt the mighty rental. 

Watering Grandma's flowers

A Day and Then Some

Even with all the chaos and frustration we are keeping up with our studies. Yesterday the kids and I read Harold and the Purple Crayon. Then the twins drew a picture using one crayon colour like Harold does. (Trinity and Emanuel went off the garden path and simply were creative) There is a series based on the book on Netflix so during some of their not outside in the sunshine time they watched that as well. 

Very well done!

We have been at work with our math some more as well, though somewhat grudgingly. I am a little concerned about how they are going to react once we get settled and organized and REALLY have to push into our learning. We have accomplished an awful lot though, both boys are reading much more fluently… writing better… thinking on their own with much better results and the progress in math is very positive! 

Math time

We are continuing with Farmer Boy chapter by chapter. I have also printed out some lapbook mini books to do up when we have some time. The main focus is on reading the story and comprehending what happened in the chapters. This is our first long chapter story and the boys’ attention is a little variable but we are getting through it bit by bit.

I have found a couple of educational apps for the kids that are going over REALLY well! First off is a favourite of Trinity’s called Old McDonald’s Farm. She loves spinning the wheel. And then there is the one that Gavin loves Kiko. He has far surpassed my ability on there. Echo’s favourite has to be Meet Biscuit. A new favourite for the kids that I recently loaded up is Edge

I have been creating more and more sock owls lately… I have bodies ready for features and wings just waiting for me. I did, however, finish one today. Which I think turned out rather cute! 

Cute!

As of tonight the van saga has reached its peak with the purchase of… A VAN! We still need to do permanent registration and all that after Echo’s follow up appointment (and are leaving for the city super early in case of police pulling us over – you put the transport sticker in the window but that may not be noticeable enough in the morning after all! But it is a huge thing off our list! 

That means we now have transportation to the doctor tomorrow AND then onto friend’s for two nights… then Comic Con! My first  ever! Then… well Sunday night will take some figuring out and we still have to check in one last time with the owner of the new rental regarding the 1st BUT tonight it is YAY van time! Thanks to Karyn that is!

That leaves me with tonight to collect enough stuff for the next half week. Clothing and probably some school supplies for Thursday. Friday the boys are so excited – they get time with our nephew! It has been a while! I am going to spend the rest of the week focused on the moment… we get to go and show everyone how well our Echo has been doing and give the hospital our thank you card. The kids worked rather hard on it and are very proud to be able to give it to them. I added in a picture of Echo and wrote a little thank you. I hope they like it. 

Today was a bit of a special day – it was She Chris’ birthday! We had homemade hamburgers and CAKE! Harley Davidson cake. Total noms. I made her a change purse and hair thing out of the cupcake duct tape. 

CAKE

With Ken getting a HAIRCUT… a van… and then a birthday girl in the house… today can be categorized as a GOOD day! 

Echo and her burger