I have to admit Ken’s predisposition to having the most unusual things go awry does add to the excitement in our lives. This time a relatively minor issue, the cell phone. We have, since we got our new phone and number, gotten a number of calls from what seems to be an east Indian individual. Add to that unusual texts in regards to taxis and taxi driver’s union. Bizarre but easily explained by inferring that the previous owner of our number was a taxi driving (in union) immigrant from an east Indian country. The calls have been annoying as we don’t understand them or they us, but this week the frustration level increased. Our phone stopped accepting and sending phone calls early this past week but continued texting. By the end of the week texting stopped also! Ken got a hold of Koodo to try and correct the issue and it turns out the previous owner of the number has tried to reactivate it on their new phone with a different provider! Of course this is all figured out by SATURDAY when the individuals who CAN fix the issue are not in their offices. Leave it to Ken to get a number someone else tried to get back! So here’s hoping Monday we get our phone back in working order. There were VERY apologetic.

Not having a working cell phone did complicate things a little bit last night. Well, most of the day. First off Karyn had to call our house phone to catch us before we headed out on all the errands we had had to postpone over the week to let us know she would not be making it to help babysit. The weather down where she was was at white out levels on a lot of the roads.

We did make it out as a family to get some of our errands done – stopping at the bank (20 min in line! UGH), getting a bought credit card to pay a bill, and the Reuse Centre. FINALLY! I love this place, you can get all sorts of craft supplies and other bits and pieces (this time a couple books came home too!) all for 5.00.

Our Reuse haul

The boys were told to go in with crafts in mind, Gavin did the most extensive thinking out of his project – he wants to make a penguin (we even found a book that included a portion about penguins there). That gave them something constructive to do today. Though only Gavin actually was able to get right to work on his project. Zander wants to make a teddy bear which means I have to find a template online and Emanuel wants something to do with Handy Manny (I have not figured out how we are going to accomplish that).

The head on the penguin

Zander did make an ice cream cone out of foam pieces that was quite cute!

Zander's ice cream cone

We got the family home and unpacked in time to make up hamburger pie for their (and Sean’s) dinner, change the baby, feed her and get the three of us packed back up. We stopped in at Toys’R’Us for the birthday boy’s (he Chris) gift – a Nerf sword (it went over VERY well of course) and then to Montanas for dinner. He Chris was determined we eat our fill and then some!!! Apparently we amazed the kitchen as well… we started with pretzel appetizers that were sooo yummy, and then a small Caesar salad (each for both) and then some sort of spicy appetizer I tried but was unable to eat much of. The main course was RIBS! I had beef ones with coleslaw and rice… (picture yesterday)

Pretzels

We were there for a nice relaxing meal and Echo even allowed herself to be passed around and cuddled. Of course she got compliments from all sorts of people.

Out for dinner

After dinner Chris, Chris and Mae stopped by to pick up some things they had left and had sent to our house before heading home. It was a wonderful evening…

Today we meant to head to the library but woke up to a snowfall and wind, so that has been postponed.

MORE snow

Luckily I have more than enough books for us to get started on tomorrow’s Reading Week. I did, however, get two new bows done for Trinity’s hair. They are called stacked bows and you can find instructions here. I have started to make some tiny bows for Echo as well, though I am still without the needed Velcro.

Trinity likes the pink one best

So not the most exciting Sunday but we had some crafty moments and tomorrow I am about ready to start our story time. Just have to print out the sheet my sister in law sent me and pick out which 3 books to start with!! Oh and get back to sorting through everything in the house. Not so much fun, but has to be done!

Teapot fascination

Well I think I have some direction for next week… we are going to have our own version of “Reading Week”… each day we are going to read a minimum of 3 books. They will either be read TO the boys, read BY the boys or read WITH the boys. After we do each book we will then do some sort of activity after… either draw a picture, write about it, do a craft… so that at the end of the week we have a book about the books we read. I am going to spend some time searching through our shelves here at home first to see what books we haven’t read together yet… and then on Saturday we will make a family trip to the library to pick out more. My sister in law Holly sent me a page that she uses with our nephew Jimmie. So we have a great starting point.

Book sheet

Last night’s supper on our meal plan was a success… but even more so were the brownies with chocolate chips in them that Ken and Ted made last night. Talk about decadent! They used the recipe on the cocoa container as usual! I could not finish my two pieces in one sitting!!! Of course Ken had to brag about them via text to Karyn (who was in Saskatchewan until today visiting her parents) who is now expecting her own share when she visits next (something we can willingly and easily provide!).

Soooo good

Tonight’s meal plan calls for meatball subs… homemade of course! I think I have shared the recipe for these previously. You can find our recipe for meatball subs and our banana bread in THIS ENTRY. With a side of corn. Yum!! Ken wants our freezer to be empty pretty much when we move so I have to start baking with all the fruit and applesauce I have frozen in the past.

Supper

In fact that is something that already has my mind reeling – in 2 months we have to be packed up in entirety and then move! This is a big move for us, to a city we have CHOSEN and I am nervous and excited all rolled into one. Ken is searching for a rental now and I am already starting to pack things up, not up and completely away but into buckets and labelled for access… things like our foam and random craft supplies or my fabric and loose cross stitch supplies. Then we are putting the boxes away in a way that we can still access them. This all has to occur during the month of April, which you may realize is ALSO Trinity’s birthday month (April 26th) so now I have another conundrum… what do I do about her 3rd birthday party? Do I pack with the party in mind, have it earlier in the month here? Or do we wait til we are moved to the new place and settled? I need to make a decision soon as people DO need advance notice to come… I am actually leaning more toward packing and putting away so that we have the space and decorations for the party. After all, we don’t need to have all their toys out to have fun and really won’t be inviting too many kids. We tend to have smaller parties as is… I am hoping to make THAT decision by the end of the month. HOPING.

Thank goodness Echo's first is in AUGUST

Today was mainly a copy book/workbook kind of day for the boys… ABC and 123, basics. There has been a little frustration – Gavin gets really upset if he is wrong and it has been a bit of a battle to remind him that pencils have erasers for a reason. Zander on the other hand is doing amazingly well compared to his “pre glasses” stage. There is still frustration and stubbornness but it is much better!

Trinity supervising Zander

That spice Ted left with us – Ken added it to my steak at lunch and a little to our meatballs tonight, well we found out the name. It is called Mitmita. Very yummy with a hotness that sort of sneaks up on you!

Mitmita

So a little more packing tonight – I have another tub to fill, and of course some relaxing. Hopefully before too much longer Ken can get me some boxes. The sooner I get the extras put away the better!

Playing with a sticker book