Which I should have posted about LAST YEAR but, oops. So anyway, Ken and I went solo this year. A full on day with just the two of us while Chris and Renee and their 3 boys were sweet enough to keep our 5 occupied and out of trouble. It was a great day of shopping, snacking, walking and just being together and having fun. I have really moved away from costumes and into just a super comfortable but more revealing outfit. The only time beyond a swimsuit where I bare the midriff. So sit back and enjoy the pictures!

This year’s outfit.

We go to the mermaid cove every year. 

This year we visited the fairies as well.

There are travelling characters as well.

Drop spindle! They are spinning wool into yarn.

Morris Dancers

A new addition to the festival was a baby unicorn.

There was so much to see and we had such a great time together.

lunch

And here are a couple things we purchased… lollies for the kids and a silk scarf.

Back to the reflection on the rest of 2017 and September. First off, September was my month of HONEST PHOTOS. So if you search out those two words you will find weekly posts sharing that little experiment. No filters, no cropping.

This is a picture heavy month so I may split it up into two posts, plus there was the Renaissance Festival, which I will share separately. Good grief, I just made more work for myself!

Let’s see… YMCA was visited… often, as usual. This was the tail end of our summer stuff, plus a continuation of things like my work outs and the karate classes.

Zander

Neko-chan won our hearts even more, this time with OUTINGS! Yup, we chinchilla proofed our bathroom as best we could and try to let her out once a week at least. She seems to approve, though getting her into the cat carrier is a trick at the best of times.

We spent lots of time outside, with the loss of our summer walks to the YMCA we took as many as possible to the front lawn of the nearby Catholic church. They have Poke stops there as well as a lovely yard to sit in.

We started our new school year relatively quietly, really with the year round schooling and the kids really enjoying ongoing pursuits (like the nursery rhymes) there isn’t a huge need to “start fresh” in the fall. But we did do pictures and such.

Zander

Gavin

We even had a lovely special lunch.

There were a few new supplies and of course full time in the classroom once more.

Sunday School started up again, I am now a substitute teacher for the little dudes.

The siding was replaced on the house.

And on the inside we put shelving into the schoolroom that can be adjusted.

Dinner out with the godson was a family affair this time.

But we also got in some fancy dress date nights.

We finally got to meet our new niece Maevowyn. You will remember her baby shower from my post way back when. Just Ken and I went to visit since Shandai and Ravyn have a smaller apartment and we have a larger family. I am one proud aunty. You can see a photo post HERE. But first a teaser. 

And visited an amazing yarn exhibit.

I got in some crafting myself.

Echo got her school shots going.

And I got an awesome mug.

Fall fun.

A busy, people and activity filled month. Be sure to check out the overflow and the baby post and and and. Love to everyone who made it to the end of this monster post!

Well it is that time already, though maybe a little bit early being as it was on the 10th of December. Anyway, Christmas pageant at the church time! And the first year where the twins were too old to participate as Sunday School kids. The cut off at our church is when they enter Confirmation and this is their first year of that (and it seems to be going well, they do enjoy class). Instead the two of them assist different Sunday School classes each Sunday and occasionally acolyte.

This Sunday lined up nicely as it was also the Sunday that Gavin was scheduled to acolyte for the same service. Both he and Zander turned down the opportunity to read scripture for the pageant. This was Gavin’s second time acolyting which was worrying enough for him. Though he did a great job. Zander did not feel confident that he could read the scriptures properly with only a week or so notice. He tends to rush when he reads and make word errors when public speaking. Instead he assisted with the practice the day before and dressing up the kids in their costumes. I am so proud of them for stepping up and assisting with the Sunday School at our church.

Now for the other 3. This year Trinity turned down the role of Mary. Not only has she been Mary a few times, but this year there was lines and some singing solos. Nope, not happening. Instead she and Echo were angels. So we pulled out the special dresses one more time and they looked absolutely adorable.

Emanuel’s role of choice has to be one of the 3 Wise Men. We have lost a lot of our boys in Sunday School, or they were not there on Sunday so all there was was Joseph and one Wise Man, but I think they carried it off.

The kids did a special Cherub choir practiced song along with the other musical numbers. It was all rather adorable. I have a couple videos of the singing you can watch.

Ken and I managed to get a few videos taken. Though his phone randomly overheated so not everything is shown. Enjoy!!

After church they were give their yearly snack bag. The younger 3 were sweet enough to share with their big brothers. This whole too old for a program thing is something we are still working on getting used to. Zander sat with me during the service since his job was done once the kids were dressed. We worked on his sermon notes together. That one on one time is so special.

The children did a great job of sharing the message of Jesus’ birth! it is a yearly tradition I will miss once the rest of the kids are too old to participate! I even got in a few pictures myself. 

I bought the silk shawl at Renaissance Festival

And here are the rest of the group shots. A small but great group.