December 11-12

So the snow is still here, and the sunshine, and a laundry list of things to  get done… including multiple trips to the post office, library and stores… I look forward to not only finishing my Christmas shopping but my immigration collecting. Don’t get me started on the post and crossing customs… grrr…

NOW they want to live outside in the snow!

Though Emanuel and Trinity opted for educational games on the laptop I love PBSkids.com

Anyway… Reindeer… well a start on them! We had a great freebie from The Simple Homeschool. Ken read the kids portions of the booklet that came with and then they worked in pairs on some of the worksheets.

Working with Daddy

I got together everything we needed to make a candy cane reindeer like I did in grade school. We didn’t have the traditional colours of pom poms but I love the end result. In the meantime Trinity and Emanuel were more than willing to make a few more candy canes and help put all of them on the tree… with Echo assisting of course.

Proud decorators

Miss Echo assisting

Trinity and Emanuel worked on their colouring of reindeer… Education.com and Activity Village (both on right) have some great printables with our theme in mind.

Coloured by numbers!

Activity Village had a favourite Christmas themed video on their site for the 11th of December… who doesn’t love Christmas penguins???

Our book for the day? A boardbook from previous Christmases… A Very Shiny Christmas. 

Sparkly!!

The 12th is an interesting date… 12/12/12… we didn’t really do anything special for the day but it is interesting to note. Though a friend on Facebook had a good point in while this is the only time this date will exist in our lifetimes that ALL dates are the only dates in our lifetime… I slept well past noon as this cold and sore throat finally caught me up… BUT Ken had the kids busy finishing their foam creations. Houses and ornaments and all…

Then the boys were back out in the sun and snow working on their Igloo… it is becoming quite the structure. Which means it was time to reinforce a very important rule – we do NOT go into the igloo ALONE, you HAVE TO be in pairs at least! They are very industrious about it!

A full out snow building now!

Trinity and Emanuel made MORE beaded candy canes… which of course had to go onto the tree.

So pretty

Our candy cane reindeer were finally ready for they debut as well. I bet MOST of us have done this as children as well!! 

Candy Cane Reindeer creation

My family

The detail on the one I made. Those are mint chocolate candy canes!

With my voice rather non existent Ken did the book for the day – A rather humourous one called It’s Christmas, David! Hopefully the next day I can do the two books we got advanced copies of and get those reviews up for our seasonal books!

Story time with Daddy

It’s Christmas, David!

We have gotten some really lovely picture Christmas cards… all from family (after all we consider the Novak family family too). I love getting cards, and I want to say a big THANK YOU! I am not sure that we will be able to send one in return this year to everyone… but next year I will have my list and you will be on it!!!

We had a slightly more complicated set of Christmas themed instructions to work on from Art for Kids as well – reindeer! I am rather impressed by Gavin’s rendition, inspired by the instructions and one of our Christmas books we had lying around.

A full out picture

 With the pipe cleaners already out Gavin and I worked together to make a wreath with a pretty bow. 

Very festive

With worksheets to be completed and Christmas to get ready for our house is a busy and increasingly festive one. This will be the kids’ first Christmas Day with Nana and Baba and our first here in Minnesota since we were first together! It is all so very special! I warn you all though – the post Christmas entries are going to be PICTURE HEAVY!!!!

Busy babies

A weekend with the Reinsch-Johnson family NEVER goes as planned. We HAD thought to meet up with Steven and Quinn in the afternoon on Saturday for play time and picnic type foods. Sadly, Steven got called into work (sad for us, great for his pocket book) and by the time he was done his shift he was too worn out to meet up. What do to do with the day instead? Well… spend time with Ken NOT on the computer! After a week of Ken working on code for jobs and on the phone for interviews (2 in 2 weeks!) we were all feeling the lack of time with him. 

So we packed everyone up and headed out, first to mail off our intent to home school forms, complete with immunization records at the post office which closed at noon and then to the park! The kids were off and running as soon as the vehicle was parked and the seatbelts removed. They had a blast climbing, sliding, running… we really needed that time out without a string of errands to go with it. 

Digging

Swinging

Sliding

After some park time Ken figured what was better than checking out the walking path? So, we did! Sadly our walk included a dead bird but we managed to work through it (and walk AROUND it) and check out the grasshoppers (plentiful), leaves (everywhere) and trees (some cut down and left and one HUGE one marked for cutting that was noticeably dead).

Walking

We ended up in a little neighbourhood at the end of a path. There were some dogs to see (one with an invisible fence, a first for me) and some interesting vehicles and such and then we realized we could not find the path that continued on the way back to the park so we had to turn back and back track. 

We wore ourselves and the kids out and then headed to the stores for some groceries (Ken and Emanuel scouted out some sales for us) and Michaels to check out the teacher discount. Apparently they do not give out a card but rather have you bring in proof. Not something super simple as the proof I have is my intent to home school forms. BUT we managed and I picked up some more crafty bits (on sale or super cheap to begin with). Just a few more items and I have some rather cool crafts to create with the kids! I have to say, I prefer Jo-Ann’s for yarn (more selection) and crafty kits (again more selection). 

There was even time to wash out the pop bottles we need for a craft I have in mind for the kids to do. Lots of soapy water OUTSIDE.

Sudsing it up

We followed up our Saturday with a Sunday with the Novaks. We did NOT make it to church – we are just not organized enough as well as needing to have Ken home to code lately and working on that job hunt has slowed our search for a new congregation to join. I am hoping we can make to the church that the Novaks belong to and try it on for size some time really soon. 

Anyway, instead we tidied, got the kids ready and ran to Target for birthday cupcakes (belated) for Echo to share with the kids. Ken even went out of his way to get us out of the house with enough time to spare for me to stop by Jo-Ann’s with coupons in hand to purchase TWO balls of yarn for myself to create my OWN project… a… scarf of course. A friend on Facebook asked if it was a Cat in the Hat scarf… oops! I was going for Canadian/Valentine’s Day/Christmas colours… but that works too! I almost bought a sparkly blue to add to the mix but red white and blue just didn’t work for me. 

A beginning of my personal project

After our shopping trip it was time to head to the Novak’s and then onto the soccer game. Another one of Anthony’s in his new league. There were not enough kids in Anthony’s age range to create a team so he was moved up to the older kids. He really did hold his own. Sadly, they did NOT win but the little kids had a blast at the nearby park and the adults (with Andy there and all!), Echo and Andrew enjoyed the game. 

Running drills

Action shot

It was a lovely sunny day and I not only got to finish the actual crocheting of Ken’s scarf but put my red and white yarn into balls for my next project. Add in a tiny soccer ball for Echo to kick, some snacks and good friends and we had a wonderful afternoon. It was great to have (big) Andy there, we have seen so little of him since we moved down here. He and Ken have been friends since elementary school! 

In the sun

After the game we went back to the Novak’s for the rest of the day. Hot dogs and brats for supper… good company and… CUPCAKES for Echo! Target has some really yummy ones that are a good price. We didn’t do the candle and song and still she cried… until Andrew helped her out with her cupcake.

Not too happy belated birthday girl

Soothed by cupcake

We stayed past 8pm when the kids had to get ready for their bedtime routine and Echo had already voluntarily crawled up on Ken to nap. So I think we managed to fill our Sunday with joy, friendship and celebration. Just what we needed. AND we have planned a Tuesday cupcake get together with Quinn and his family here at home so the fun continues! I am hoping we can plan more get togethers with people… more games to see and more moments of joy with others.

Hanging with the Daddies

With yours truly getting over a cold… well for the most part, I am still hacking away… and the motivation level low for a Sunday we really had a do nothing sort of day. My latest garage sale finds filled a definite need for the kids and they were more than content to play with the new toys (army themed… I know I cringe, so very against what I usually look for but… they are happy and no one is getting hurt). That freed Ken up to hang with Echo and me to sleep in a little longer (much needed).

Ok, totally the night before but that is the toy car we got with the dolly, she almost fit loll.

Baby brown eyes

But, once we got our lunch started (steamer and rice of course) it was time to make a run out to Target (some school supplies) and Cub (for Pepsi). I was in need of glue and this time a proper duotang with the prongs for the paper’s holes, not just a folder. I am trying to piece together what we need immediately as the plans to send Ken and his dad up for the rest of our things are not concrete. I miss my workbooks and fun games and items that we have collected over time. BUT we will find ways around the gaps and create something out of next to nothing, I have done it before… 

On the way back we stopped at another park… this is one we visited 3 years ago with Steven and Quinn. It was a lot of fun, there was a pair of girls there already (that looked to be twins) to play with a little and the day was nice and not too hot. 

Echo put got that far and realized the bar was ROUNDED and that was that

Emanuel on his own!

Zander showing off

Then it was back to the house for lunch and naps. And by the time we woke up from our naps (those that did) Nana and Baba with Joe’ family in tow were back from camping. Joe and Faith stopped in for a bit and then left Gabriella and Zachary here for an overnighter. So of course the kids had to take advantage of the time spent cleaning out the tent trailer to have a go at playing in it. 

Babies

Sitting around hanging out

My girls

So a slight alteration in our homeschooling plans for Monday morning. Concentration is always compromised when there are extra kids in the house, especially ones who do NOT homeschool. We DID try to mail our letters on Saturday BUT the post office nearest to the house is only open until noon and we got there 45 min too late. 

Oh and don’t forget the two HUGE garbage bags of outgrown boys’ clothing Darcy sent home with us after the baseball game. It is the reverse of how things were in Canada and a big change… to not have to worry about clothing for the boys! YAY! Thank goodness in storage there is a stockpile of gifted items for Trinity to grow into! We just need to get them down here… Logistics and time! 

Ducks in a line