Happy New Year everyone! 2012 is here and ready to go it seems! Although, our first day of the year was very quiet and low key. In reflecting back at 2011 I do see how things have improved for our not so little family. A dear friend made a very good point – we chose a harder path earlier in our lives so that with all that we are doing now, when we are older it will be better. Of course, not everything that has occurred has been a decision or the result of a decision we have made BUT each and every occurrence has been something to learn from. A saying I saw on Facebook comes to mind – my your BEST day of 2011 be your WORST day of 2012!

We spent out New Years at home, as is our norm. After all a babysitter for 4 or 5 kids on a REGULAR night would not be cheap, on New Years… yah right! This is our first year of not having a LAN party here at home, the lack of computers and the urge to play den mother to a bunch of men in my basement was rather nice! 

Hanging with the baby

Instead we all congregated upstairs and played various card and boardgames. Kathy brought (and then later left here) her card table with folding chairs and I cleaned off the kitchen table. There was enough room for everyone! We played Dominion, Settlers, and Chez Goth. Of course Karyn had her new iPad and Ted his old so we played around with those as well. I have to admit, I am hard pressed to agree to buying an android when the iPad is so much fun and on top of those two having one so does Ken’s mom and Veronika. 

The guys at the card table

Settlers

There was a whole stack of snacks to enjoy including baking from Kathy and Lauralee. We did pizza for supper and then munched our way through to 2012. Rather sedate and after seeing off quite a few of the guests those left over stayed up past 2 am chatting and relaxing. Just the way I WANTED to spend it! 

Kids and snacks

Since New Years falls on a weekend Monday is a holiday for both Ted and Sean, so we lucked out and had company for the whole of today AND tomorrow. And Kristen and Fydo over to play poker… Quiet but fun day!

Tomorrow we start back to working on our schooling. There is math and reading to be done… and thanks to a kind person on Freecycle, a telescope to learn about! I put up an email looking for one on the off chance that SOMEONE may have one they no longer need/wanted. The same day we had a response and by today a telescope in the middle of my livingroom! Very exciting for the family as a whole. 

Telescope!

So I guess that decides our new topic of study – the solar system and ways to examine and learn about it. I already have a book out from the library and am going to start searching Youtube for other interesting videos and information. 

I am looking forward to this year, we are going to make the best of each and every opportunity we are offered. If that means changing our location, our plans… well it will make for a more exciting year right? Either way we will be making each day as full as we can. Educating, crafting, growing as a family, it is going to be grand! I have already managed to find a new sweater and my first pair of post baby jeans (I know took me long enough!) on amazing deals!

Baby in the post New Year's Chaos

1001 posts! There is a bit of a rush knowing I have made it THIS far with sharing our life and resources with everyone! Remember to go back to THIS post to enter for your chance to win a feltie. 

This has definitely been a guy weekend. We had a group of Ken’s friends come to celebrate his belated birthday weekend with a traditional LAN party. There was even a cake (ice cream) thanks to Kristen and Fydo! (Inside joke on the slogan written on it).

CAKE!

Kristen, Echo and I spent Saturday out and about town… we started at the library (the branch closer to us) and picking up two books I had on hold for this week’s schooling. It is a complex actually so we looked into skating and swimming information. Seriously, if anyone wants to go swimming with us in November!! We need more hands than we have to safely swim with all 5 kids. 

After the library it was down to the south end and Michaels. There were some Christmas (I know ALREADY!) sales and coupons to use. There is a free make-it-take-it activity there on the 20th of this month I wanted to confirm was going on. I did pick up some more adhesive so I could get back to crafting. Duct tape is next on the list (some specific colours for Christmas gifts) but I figured I needed to get some scrapbooking out of the way to clear my crafting areas! AND it is Emanuel’s turn tomorrow to get his scrapbook page done. 

Bathing Beauty

A Girl and Her Sheep

We had lunch at a mall foodcourt where at Edo Japan I actually got right through the line! Faster than Kristen at NYFries! Odd that! And then over to the kids’ educational store. I had a payment order number and a wish to shop for another couple gifts for Christmas. Echo made minor messes (easily tidied thankfully) and crawled around exploring while I bought more than I had planned but remained well under budget. I even got them a toy for right now – magnetic spacial game. Though it was TRINITY more than anyone who was interested in it. 

Fun with magnets

In the evening we actually pulled out the game I got Ken for his birthday – Settlers Trails to Rails! Kristen, Fydo, Ken and myself gave it a go… it went A LOT longer than our usual Settlers game and was a bit more complex AND Ken did win AS USUAL… but fun! I look forward to playing it again with a firmer grasp of the rules AND starting earlier in the evening. 

All new Settlers

Today was a rather big deal for our little family – the kids sang at church with the Sunday School. It was Trinity’s first time! She was a little nervous and Emanuel was trying to chatter at first but they gave it their best! I was VERY proud! 

The lesson during Sunday School was a group craft one about Saints for All Saints Sunday. Everyone made a Saint Nicholas. Rather cute I think! 

Two of our saints

We had to say good-bye to our company today. Jeff and Zachary were onto the next leg of their vacation with Sean as their ride (he has been steadily getting sicker over the weekend but toughed it out and had fun). We feel so spoiled that they came and visited all the way from California! Kristen picked up Fydo around lunchtime so that left Alan and Ted to spend the afternoon and into the evening with Ken gaming and just hanging out. As much as we LOVE our new place, I do miss this sort of company. Feels so weird to see them so rarely after it being a weekly or more visit at our old home. 

A basement full of men

Uncle Ted helping Trinity watch Charlie and Lola

Watching the gaming

I finished up a few crafts sitting around as I set about putting the house back to normal. Echo’s bow board is finally done. I love the colours. The material was what Echo’s Birthday present was wrapped in from Victoria. I put the bows on that she received from a lovely lady who runs Hairbows for Princesses. Be sure to check her out! Aren’t the colours great?

Echo's Bow Board

Oh and we figured out why poor Echo is not only cranky BUT has a bum rash – she cut another tooth – a molar!! (what is it with this kid and the painful back ones?)… her back left bottom is cut now as well as the two top ones… OUCH 

This was definitely a weekend to remember, and now it is time to get ready for the rest of the month. Our facilitator is here on the 17th so we need to be sure we have our science stuff ready to show… I have a crafting event to plan, a van we need to get a date on for fixing, library meet up to plan… oh the list goes on. BUT I am hoping to move my focus to creating Christmas presents now! And that is exciting for us all… CRAFTING! 

Post church pretty

Weekends with friends are always so wonderful! And Saturday was a pattern card of perfection! Not only did I have time with great friends, crafts and yummy food but as an added bonus – COUSIN TIME! Veronika was able to make it in for the day as well and was the first one here. She had a final project to finish for her course and I was part of it… I won’t share the pictures but let’s just say – I looked GHASTLY! But it was for a good cause of course and THEN she gave me a pretty face in return! Gotta love family.

Taken well past midnight but you get the idea!

We made a run to the south end and checked out Michaels (packed) and the Halloween store (so much fun!) then to the mall for lunch (YUM and so nice of Cousin V)… Then back to the house to really get ready for our crafting fun. With Veronika ALSO came the second set of Bob Books (as per the twins’ request) AND a brand new used desk for Emanuel (HIS one request for the schooling year). I am not sure if that makes me super mom or Veronika the world’s best cousin… but I figure we can both hold titles together.

Desk!

Kristen and Fydo were the next to arrive, Kristen to craft and Fydo to go downstairs and work on a game design with Ken (didn’t that work well!). We had to move the extra table upstairs for supplies and then bring up the crafting things with a Halloween theme. Kristen and Fydo brought chili and cake pops! Talk about yummy! Went well with the baked beans and fresh loaf of bread I made!

Veronika with one of the cake pops

Then came Karyn, Xinny, Alan and not so little Izaac! He and Echo spent the day reconnecting. She loves him and he seems to be in love with her. One of these days I need to set them up and take some really nice pictures of the two of them together! He is around 8 months old now!

Babies together

Sadly Lauralee and Kathy both had to take a miss as they were both feeling ill but I have high hopes for November and our Christmas themed crafting time.

Some of the crafters

Two of Kristen's cards

Veronika's

Xinny's scrapbook pages

Trinity with one of hers, this was a work in progress at the time. She gave them Candy Corn food

The cards I made

We crafted until evening and then Victoria, Karyn and Veronika and I visited into Sunday when we wished Ken a happy birthday and  had him open his present from yours truly! Bought with Veronika’s assistance! Gotta love having family working at a bookstore again! You definitely get into the know! He seemed rather pleased with it!

Ken's present from me and from Zander (on left)

Today was our day for helping in Sunday School but I woke up with a head ache and Echo with a very cranky attitude so I made breakfast for the kiddos, got them dressed and then Ken woke up and took the 4 big ones on his own. I am told he did a great job on cookie and juice duty. And Trinity had a blast at her second Sunday School session! We of course took a Daddy Birthday group picture!

All 5 kids

With the birthday boy

Lunch was bacon, pancakes and banana bread. They all seemed to enjoy it! And then I took a nap. Ken worked on his programming and the boys got spoiled with tv and Minecraft. A rather good day! AND I finished Trinity’s Hello Kitty ears and bow thanks to the talented hands of Victoria. She MADE those ears herself! NO pattern! What I did was put  them on a headband I wrapped with white ribbon, used a bow from the wedding stuff and there you go! Then we took white pants, a white shirt and one of her Kitties and matched it as close as we could with her own plaid dress (something Karyn brought back from Scotland). Trinity was VERY happy!!! Very one of a kind too!! And if it is cold out mom found us a polar bear suit that has a removable head so all we have to do is find a shirt that would match a kitty and go with it!!

Hello Kitty! We are waiting on her mittens and a friend suggested eye liner for whiskers!

Ken and Gavin took some time and got started on the ring tailed lemur tail! Tomorrow should show some great progress with that!!

Bent to shape according to Gavin

I am working tonight to get sorted for tomorrow, get some projects done AND get tidy… it has been a weekend to be proud of and I plan on continuing that through the week… after all we still have a lemur to create!!!

One more of the babies !