July 1st is our yearly opportunity to be very visible and very Canadian. This year was a little different… Emanuel was still away at the Scout Camp with his friend Aidan until the evening. So we did our usual photo shoot with a twist.

There was a meet up with our homeschool friends for some swimming or club (kid’s choice) with Nate and Bella as well. 

We TRIED to head to the zoo but apparently it was the day to go. So instead we turned around and headed to our favourite beach. Since the weather was a little on the cool side and cloudy it wasn’t packed. We didn’t spend much time in the water but really enjoyed the sand.

With Maple the Leaf

After the beach it was home for showers and then off to collect our absent Canadian. On the way there we stopped at our 3rd Tim Hortons so far. This one is rather close to the Novak’s house. I actually meet what I assume is an owner of one of the franchise. After a lovely conversation about the new stores and my coming from Canada to Minnesota he comped us 40 Tim Bits!!! So I left that store with 80 Tim Bits, an Ice Cap and a wonderful experience.

Snoopy!

After a visit with the family and delivery of their Canadian goodies it was off to McDonald’s (Echo’s request after the aborted trip to the zoo).

We rounded off our Canada Day with a table of Canadian sweets. Ken made traditional and mint Nanaimo Bars (we had to order the custard powder off Amazon), Maple Cookies sent by a friend, and Tim Bits. Not bad! Next year buttertarts?

We redid our group photos on the 2nd to get a full group shot.

Not bad for a Canada Day that wasn’t able to be celebrated IN Canada.

Our Easter was more of an Easter weekend. Just chock full of fun and activity. So much so that we were burned out and exhausted for school on Monday!

On Saturday all my hard work of stuffing Easter eggs was put to good use. We spent the morning at the YMCA. Well, some of us did. The door on the van was left ajar and the battery dead. So in between Ken smoking Sunday’s ham at the Schwartz’s (thanks so much for the loan of your smoker) I took Gavin, Echo and Trinity to the YMCA. Gavin and Trinity for club and Echo for swimming with Mommy.

Once the van was jumped and filled back up with kit and kids we headed off to visit our very amazing homeschool friends. Aimee had set up a rather amazing egg hunt all over their woodsy yard.

We played, watched a movie, ate wonderful food and snacked happily while we visited. It is such an easy situation on all adults involved as the kids really do entertain themselves. Aimee and I even ducked out to Walmart to pick up a few things.

That had us home in the evening and into bed so that we could be fresh and pressed for Easter service. Trinity even had her first communion! Everyone clapped for her when they were told before service.

The girls had their usual fancy hats and new dresses. I think we all cleaned up rather nicely.

We had Easter baskets and goodies from the Easter Bunny to enjoy.

We did our yearly photos, of course.

Gavin, Zander

After church it was back to packing up the van and heading over to the Novak’s for dinner and ANOTHER egg hunt.

We had so much fun there, as always. And it was ANOTHER day of easy supervision on the adults.

It was a wonderful way to celebrate with friends who have become family. I don’t think we could have had a better plan… well except for having the battery in the van die.

The Easter corner for the kids to eat in.

Christ is Risen

He is Risen indeed

Hallelujah

Now, enjoy the excessive amount of festive images!!!

Snoopy

Kiara

Woo! New year, new start, keeping up… not bad not bad. I don’t do resolutions, just gradually change my patterns. So here’s hoping.

Anyway… December, last month… well… Christmas, of course. Winter, some snow (sort of), busy busy. But now for the actual details of the month…

We had our traditional paper chain countdown, perler bead Advent chart AND of course, went to Activity Village for their Advent fun. Just a warning – they have gone to membership now, it is a reasonable cost and I have already signed up.

Early on in the month Shandai and I gave it a go at a Vendor sale and set up a table of my crochet and her knitting pieces. It wasn’t a huge success but it was fun! And hopefully something we can do again!

A pretty view out the back of the building

We did all sorts of fun crafts at home and at Daycare.

You really can make any picture Christmas-y

Practiced our recorders.

Christmas with the Schwartz family is a yearly much looked forward to tradition. Of course we decorated our small gingerbread houses.

This is mine, you can see the rest on the overflow post HERE.

Opened presents and had so much fun.

Look what the boys got!

Ken and I took the girls to Jeffrey’s Christmas concert. We had Christmas with the Novaks on Christmas Eve. It was so much fun and we were there way past bedtime.

We found Anthony a stuffed appendix and made him up the certificate! He loved it!

Of course we had our Sunday School Christmas pageant. The Schwartz family came to watch.

We had a whole family of angels.

We also had dinner out at McDonald’s to celebrate.

We saw Santa a SECOND time (the first was at Macy’s with Nana and Baba HERE) at the YMCA. There was all sorts of fun to be had there. 

We had our monthly Bookit reading program pizza.

And made cookies. This year we tried out a new gingerbread recipe from the Activity Village site HERE.

Monster Cookies

We had some lovely mail come. 

Seriously WHO SENT THESE?

And spent plenty of time at the YMCA.

Gavin

Little Lotus Yoga pose

It was a jolly Christmas. Full of fun and friends and gifts and giving.

From Ken to me

I got these lovely puzzle pieces for Ken.

We took full advantage of our new fryer and made FRESH poutine!

We even made it to one of Anthony’s indoor soccer games.

Skyping family!

For New Years we spent the night at home with a lovely drop by last minute by the Schwartz family for an hour or two.

Yup quite the month!!! I hope you enjoyed the wander through images!