Tag Archive | Prickie Pie

Oops Another Catch Up

And I am back in catch up mode… sorry all! Let’s go back to Tuesday… The sunshine keeps on coming which has totally worked in our favour. The boys are still resistant to doing work out in the sunshine but less so than in the house. We are still mainly focused on Farmer Boy and his adventures which is just fine with me. The newest one – Tin-Peddler. We have been working on a list of all the characters in the story… Mr. Nick Brown the peddler was our newest addition. 

Gavin and Zander

What interested Mommy was the statement that Almanzo knew that little boys could listen to adults conversing but NEVER interrupt by talking. The twins were less than enthused but I am hoping we can apply that nugget of knowledge at least to the point where we decrease interruptions by little pitchers with big ears.

Our actual visit to the green and park had to be sped along to just sitting by the park though. The city was cutting the green and that meant we couldn’t spread out our blanket and enjoy the sunshine before heading onto the park. Thankfully the grass around the park was already done and we could find a nice bit of grass to settle on.

The cause of our plan change

We made up for it with pop

The kids were a little disappointed that the little boys from Monday were not there but they managed. Sand is always a fun thing to be around after all and this park is kept rather clean.

They were making a mine apparently

I took my time in the sunshine to make some more stacked bows. It wasn’t too difficult once the kids finished their writing and discussing of the chapter, to spread out and work out some combinations. I completed all but the portions that require hot glue. 

Crafting in process

We spent hours out in the sun, luckily it was not as hot out as projected (26 Celcius) and a little overcast. We are all starting to see some lightening in out hair from the sun! 

At the park

That night it was my time to take Echo and go back to Karyn’s for our weekly visit. The plan WAS for one night but… anyway… after work Karyn AND Lauralee came and collected myself and Echo. Always a bit of a pain in the bum with the playpen to drag along AND the carset to install.

We kept it earlier since Karyn had to go to work crack of dawn the next day and I stayed up to watch a little Netflix after Karyn and Echo had gone to bed. That left Wednesday as a major crafting day. I brought with me the features and wings to 4 owls, some ribbon and a stack of felt to make into felt bows on bobby pins. Karyn and I had stopped Dollarama the night before where I found a solution to displaying everyone on our table. Lots of bright coloured plastic containers! I am looking forward to next week when Ken and I are going to head to the one local to my mom’s place and do some minor shopping. 1.00 a piece!!

With Netflix, only one kitty and some crafting time I really had a great day of it. Dare (actually spelled DERE oops but shall remain Dare for my word search count) even came out and hung around in public! I can’t say that he LIKES us, but he has gotten more used to us! And he and Echo seem to have somewhat bonded on their hatred of Karyn’s shop vac.

Cat in Public

We had planned on going back to Chris and Chris’ that night but Ken suggested we stay another… so a dinner of slurpees and 7-11 chicken and wedges was planned and a brief run to the Superstore for lunch the next day… then one load of laundry to cover diapers and we were set for a VERY lazy evening of chatting… once Echo went to bed of course! 

Baby in the sunshine

Baby on the balcony

Baby asleep... with Fat Sheep

So that was the first half of my week! Nothing extreme but some really great moments! 

GASP hedgehog!

Ending the Week

Life is going rather slowly still as I am sure you have all noticed from previous blog entries… Although for Ken it is go go go. I honestly do not know how he does it some days and am so proud of him. On top of the contracts he has he is also bidding on new ones (that is ALWAYS on going), hunting for a van (we were VERY frustrated when last night the one individual neglected to narrow down a time Ken could come test drive and contacted the next two on the list), keeping tabs on our new rental (who in turn contacted us on Monday) and looking at OTHER rental options (we really can’t limbo much longer) all this while being daddy and husband. He really is amazing. 

I have been personally dealing with the medical… Echo’s shots appointment for this month has been cancelled (chicken pox ANYTHING and baby aspirin = BAD) and a notation has been made on her file as to WHY her immunizations are delayed as well as her cardiology appointment confirmed. We have decided to postpone the ever healthy Trinity’s yearly check up until after this lovely patch of upset and all has been and gone. The same for planning Ken’s upcoming vasectomy (seriously we want to even THINK about a voluntary surgery right now? NOT). 

I have done some searching through the items we HAVE brought with us and was pleased to find that I DID bring the sneakers with us, it is about time to pack the boots back up in the bag! Add to the collection the Easter sandals and we are doing rather well. I also brought summer hats and the spring coats so the boys should be just fine at my brother’s.

Spring time

Emanuel's best bubble

Karyn and I had an epic adventure yesterday hunting for beer for Ken on our grocery/shopping for Trinity trip. It took 3 different liquor stores to find the specific brand he wanted IN BOTTLES. This was after we ran into Michaels 15 min before close to get cupcake duct tape AND closed the petfood store in our search for a big enough ball for Prickie Pie the hedgehog to run around in. 

CUPCAKE!

The entire evening was rather epic really… we started off with Walmart to shop for our Trinity (not telling what we got her just yet). They have t-shirts (plain ones) for just 4.00 in her size now! She has just grown out of the 3.00 size! Then it was off to two different locations in town… one for a prize I won on Facebook from RumpArounds… an awesome wet bag!!!

Wet bag!!!

And the other an awesome Freecycle find – some computer games that are educational for the boys… including Oregon Trail (seriously I played this in school… though this is the 5th edition) and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiago? (did anyone else watch the tv show??)… YAY.

Then to the mall for supper (McD’s) and Dollarama (chocolate for Ken)…. then to Karyn’s to give the kitty his insulin and print off a few items I needed for Farmer Boy… of course that led to groceries, duct tape and the awesome beer hunt. All in all I had a lot of fun and it was KID FREE fun at that! 

Epic beer

Today was back to kids kids kids… though Trinity’s brothers were nice enough to make her her very own crown! 

What a crown!

Today was the chapter in Farmer Boy where the teacher has to deal with the big boys. I didn’t explain too much about the whipping that ensued but we did talk about WHY they were in trouble and what you should do to NOT be in trouble. I am hoping some of that imprints so that they think twice about the whining and fighting me over lessons. 

I can share the bows I finished earlier this week as well, I cannot wait for my clips and ribbon to get here! 

I do love the silver

This one is a gift

Another simple black

Bitty but pretty

Hopefully this weekend we can focus on some more fun time together. Ken and the kids had a run in at bedtime and that totally soured the evening. They are so frustrated right now, and with good reason… but we need them to continue to respect the adults and follow rules and instructions. 

A girl and her puppy

Camping, Crafting, Company and Conversation… 4 of the Best C’s Out There

…and I drop off the face of the planet for a few days… but in a GOOD way…

Friday was a bit of a slow start as Ken had to finish something for work before we could get out the door (which inevitably took longer than expected) BUT around noon we were packed up and out the door to go CAMPING! This is the first REAL camping trip for all 5 of our kids… and a REAL adventure. Destination Tolman Bridge campgrounds… but with a stop off to pick up the map with my Aunty Lorraine in Trochu. Did  you know that Trochu has a few claims to fame? The ones I do NOT have pictures of are – they are the Pinkest Little Town in the West (2010) for breastcancer… you can still see the remnants of their pink claim to fame all over the town and the world’s largest golf tee – Veronika took me, Echo and Trinity past it and I can verify – it is a massively large golf tee! 

After sending me in to get the map and added instructions we headed back to the highway and promptly turned back so KEN could go get better instructions… I tell him EACH TIME that I am horrible with handdrawn maps and verbal directions and each time he sends me in. Thankfully Aunty Lorraine was busy so he talked to a cashier in the bank (slightly less embarrassing for yours truly) and THEN we were finally off… The camp site was another 15 min out of Trochu in some lovely country! Lots of hills and trees and interesting landscape. 

Entering the valley

We got into the camp late in the afternoon. Adam was already there with Holli and Combyne (the dogs) with two tents set up and the rv parked and ready to be used… and most importantly to the kids – a fire going!

You can see a good portion of the campsite here... apparently we got the good one! It is a nice size and down a little bit is the outhouse

Resting for a moment

We had been texting with Veronika before we got into the valley and the super spotty to NO cell phone signal area and knew she was on her way. So while we were waiting for her (she was coming from her orientation at her new job at Indigo!!) we walked kids and dogs to the river to play in the water. 

Checking out the river... the boys were excited as this river also goes through the city we live in!

It was so hot out so the water was welcoming but FREEZING cold! We played there until Veronika met up with us in her Jeep. Then we headed back to the campsite to unload what she brought. Then Veronika and I took off with Echo to the store in Trochu to “fill in the gaps” on some food items… aka = pop tarts, pork chops and some sausages. It was a nice drive and Echo got in a nap. I was reminded as to how EXPENSIVE things are in small towns… a package of pull ups in Trochu at the grocery store is 25.00… way more than in the city!!! So we decided to deal with however many we had left.

Apparently while we were gone to the store the kids found a caterpillar which was a HUGE source of excitement… many pictures were taken and I am told the critter managed to make it off intact.

Rather cute

Then it was time to pack up and head back to the lake. It had cooled off a bit so the water was VERY cold, we persevered and managed to enjoy ourselves. This time we all wore bathing suits, well except Echo but she put a toe in and very quickly voiced her opinion that the water was NOT to her liking!

Back to the lake...

The sun looks so pretty here

 Supper was cooked over the fire by our total pro Adam. It was beyond delicious and included some amazing potatoes. He really does cook EVERYTHING over the fire. And then of course there was the marshmallows… what is a camp out without them? And Veronika had the jumbo ones… they were deemed too big for the kids though… it took multiple cookings and layer after layer to get them fully eaten (you can be sure we complained loudly… well we would have except for our mouths were full and fingers too sticky!).

Showing the kids why diamond bark is called what it is (and Zander's rocks)

Snuggles in front of the fire

A marshmallow AND popcorn for Echo

The kids got to choose their tent so of course chose the big one… so after dinner it was pj’s and bed… with very few interruptions once they realized we could see their shadows from the light in the tent! That left the adults (and Echo) free to stay up late chatting, drinking, eating more marshmallows and just relaxing. How marvelous! Though I have now been reminded how out of practice I am in drinking shots… drink something all at once? Seriously? 

Ken, Echo and I slept in the rv on a VERY comfy bed… not exactly SLEPT IN but got a nice sleep… then it was up and back to camping in the morning – the rather chilly morning! So it was a very good thing I brought jeans and sweaters for all the kids. Though they were quick to lend a hand and ask poor Adam a MILLION questions about the fire – if the poor man had any intention to quit smoking they most certainly were NOT helping him with it… all 4 kids peppering you with questions CAN be quite stressful! 

Echo, Combyne and Ken hiding from the other kids

After breakfast (cooked on the fire again – YUM) it was time for some relaxing… well as relaxing as it gets with 5 active kids… but we managed… 

After relaxing and such it became clear to Veronika and I that Echo was NOT going to nap in the rv and Trinity needed a boy break. So we decided to tour Trochu and Three Hill and get some soft serve at the Trochu Dollar Store. First off to Three Hills where Adam and Veronika had rented a couple places (we drove by) and cousins from the other side of the family once lived (could not remember the way to their old place). We saw the pool with splash park, stopped in at the grocery store to NOT buy pull ups (ouch!) and generally toured. Good thing to know about Three Hills – if you need gas do NOT stop by the place on the highway but go further into the city – there was a like 9 cents difference! 

On the way back to Trochu we stopped and checked out the large windmills that are generating power out in the fields. They are intensely huge and rather awe inspiring. Trinity checked them out (with Cousin Veronika’s sunglasses on as the sun was too sunny) and was rather impressed.

I took a few pictures

So huge!

At the base of it

Of course we had to drive through Trochu also, see our grandparents’ old house (fenced and for sale), the splash park (we HAVE TO go there next year), the arboretum that we took pictures at with our grandparents ages ago… downtown… where we ended up at the Dollar Store for soft serve… Echo shared some of mine (cheesecake flavoured) and Trinity had a baby (baby??? big!) banana. 

Trinity's ice cream and the glitter paper

We picked up a treat for the boys – shaped elastics, and a sheet of purple glitter paper (only 1.50!) and headed BACK to the campsite. 

The boys' treat

The guys were all at the river so we went over there to meet up and wade in the rather chilly water. After that it was back to the campsite and more hanging out before supper… cooked over the fire of course! 

Trinity was so worn out we forced a nap on her. She woke up while everyone was eating supper and was beyond ready to go home so we figured it was time to pack up and head out. The flies and other bugs were way worse Saturday afternoon anyway and we had to be home and in bed to be awake and ready Sunday morning. So we helped pack up and said good-bye to Adam and Veronika. 

Passed out

I am happy to report that the complaining van and the cell phone on low battery BOTH saw us home safely… of course as when we came to the campsite I texted people to let them know we were on the road and went from there. I just felt safer that way, and it IS entertaining to chat while on the road. The kids were exhausted when we got home but it was definitely a BATHS FIRST sort of night, as well as the start on the mountain of laundry that had come home with us. I love campfires, do NOT love the smell of smoke on everything later. 

Sunday marked the beginning of Sunday School at our new church and the boys and Ken were the ones who went. I kept the girls home to give Echo nap time and myself the time for prep work for the afternoon crafting event. I have yet to discuss 9/11 with the kids and will probably talk to the boys about it in the future years… but what I remember the most is being in a panic with Ken as we tried to find his parents who were supposed to be flying home from vacation back to Minnesota on some unknown flight. It was a full 2 days before we were contacted and told they had been grounded in Florida and stayed with my brother in law. In the panic no one had thought to call us up here in Alberta (though keep in mind they are the same people who were in the eye of Katrina on vacation too! And drove TO work on the bridge in Mn that later collapsed that evening but not home on it!!). 

They chose matching outfits for their first day!

We had a lovely turn out for my crafting afternoon! Supplies were brought, ideas shared, glitter and more used in abundance. Crafting messes are some of the BEST messes. And boy did we make a mess! Ken had to bring up the second table and I added both spare leaves to the kitchen table. We had Karyn’s Cricut, Kristen’s texturing machine and my embossing powder and heat gun as well as tons of other bits and bobs. 

Craft supplies all over!

There was a variety of crafts going on – Victoria made stationary, most people cards and Karyn and I worked on some scrapbook pages. What we learned is that we need to pick ONE topic or theme to cut down on the large quantity of supplies we needed and that every event will most likely include at least ONE trip to Michaels with some group of people!! (we did towards the end go in with coupons and the like).

Lauralee with purple bits and bobs... I don't have a finished card picture

Karyn brought her finished cards for people to look through and there were snacks and drinks, in fact KEN made us raspberry cake and a VERY chocolaty banana bread! All were thoroughly approved. 

After some crafting was done and Echo woke up Kathy and Victoria took charge of keeping her entertained, although apparently Echo has decided she wants to learn how to knit and made it nearly impossible for Victoria to work on her blue giraffe! 

Baby time!

All in all tons of interesting things were made and much fun had! We are already discussing an October gathering with maybe a Halloween theme! YAY!!!

Two of Kristen's cards

The scrapbook page Karyn made for Emanuel with the pictures I had printed out

I did this one using Kristen's embosser... I think it is a small Sizzix

I really like this card... I need to get some of these little jewels Kristen had for myself!

I got a Currclick freebie of the week that some parents with younger children may be interested in as well! (if you have made it all the way through my weekend babble that is!)… it is called My Learning Desk Mat. I plan on making one as place mats for at least Trinity and Emanuel. 

Today’s homeschooling for the twins was mainly focused on COMPLETION. We worked hard on one of the math grade 1 workbooks they had found in their drawers and they BOTH completed it! They were so excited… it covered a variety of things but what I loved the most is that it focused on fractions in a VERY basic way so that helped them get a better idea of what they are… something I want to focus on in a big way this year. 

COMPLETION!

Emanuel worked VERY hard on his letters and numbers today. He is absolutely determined to get in as much learning as he can!

Working on 2's

We even made time for Stuart Little… we learned all about what he does first thing in the morning. Trinity had Daddy draw him brushing his teeth. 

Stuart Little pages

So with that much accomplished we let it go and the kids went down and watched the OLD My Little Pony dvds that Kathy had given them ages ago (something I can’t stand to watch so I stayed upstairs and sorted craft stuff). I feel that we ended the day work wise at a good point and they are ALL excited about tomorrow… more Stuart Little, some special pictures to draw… oh did I mention we did one last picture from each boy for their Summer Adventure File? Emanuel and Zander drew Prickie Pie who came for a visit yesterday and Gavin the tent they slept in while camping.

Meeting Prickie Pie

Prickie Pie

The tent

Now I have a corner set up even better in the basement thanks to bookcases Kathy gave us (thank you so much!) and I am hoping to have made great inroads on the rest of the mess screaming at me for cleaning. We still need to figure out curtains… and find pictures… THEN we will truly be home!

Baby Bear