We have continued our trend of creative outside the dwelling outings. Thursday was overcast and cool (some snow even!) for the bulk of the day with a good stiff wind. So that threw our plan of walking to the the Mac’s store for slurpees out the window. Instead we DROVE to the store and picked out slurpees and then drove to a park where Echo and Mommy were able to sit inside the van in comfort and the kids run and play and yet have a nice place to go when they got cold or thirsty.

Swinging

The boys shared a slurpee – very creative, they each got to pick a flavour… rootbeer, cherry lime and watermelon with a little blue raspberry on top! Trinity saved enough of her allowance for her own little bitty one – pink of course! And I got some time to work on another feltie penguin. I do love crafting in the van now, there is this little table like thing between my and Ken’s seat which is so useful for placing objects within reach! 

Zander and the Technicolor slurpee

Trinity in the warm

We managed to get right back on track with Farmer Boy where Almanzo made his own whip… and managed some math work as well. So we are continuing our trek through learning at some semblance of a pace! I am on the look out for some more field trips and ideas of outdoor learning for us though for the rest of the month of May. 

Our evening was also special – we headed to the same town Karyn works in to meet up with Victoria at the public library there. She activated my TAL card so we can take books out from that branch and the one here by Chris and Chris. The building the library is in there is absolutely gorgeous! And the library is HUGE for the size of the town. So of course I had to take a picture! 

Train table

Well 4 out of 5 looking this way

We have made tentative plans to see her on my special out and about Mother’s Day Sunday! We have missed people. With the van being an issue for the longest time and then this stalled move… well normal life has definitely been a thing of the past. So I am determined to get a little back. AND to take advantage of ANY warm days! 

Friday was a prime example of taking advantage of weather. It was a bit chilly but nothing pants and sweaters couldn’t combat. So out we went with out blanket in hand. This time with all the items we needed to work on the newest chapter of Farmer Boy (they made maple syrup) and the nature books. No apples so we had to settle for a bottle of Pepsi to share and soda crackers… maybe not the most balanced of snacks but everyone enjoyed it. 

Working on the printing

Trinity and her nature book

After some school work was completed we continued our walk to the park now dubbed “the one we get splinters at”… for those interested this trip resulted in one and it was tiny (Trinity). Shoes off… go go go until I noticed we had been gone for around 2 hours and I was STARVING. Even with the promise of lunch I had to push to get us back to the house. They really do love a good park! 

Gotta run!

With Mother’s Day this upcoming weekend we of course had to sit down and make cards for the various God Mommies. Trinity has the most work with her TWO and Zander’s will be the latest delivered as it has to go all the way to Minnesota. 

Emanuel and his card

Trinity and one of hers

We had a minor mishap with Zander’s glasses so pictures may be a bit confusing for a while if we cannot repair. The leg came loose and came off of what looks like a peg that it is glued to and attaches to the rest of the frame. That reminded me that we need to get Zander’s follow up rescheduled. I don’t know if everyone remembers, but he had one in the first half of the year that was cancelled due to over booking at eye place back in the city (an hour + away). So we were hunting for a local doctor. Sadly Echo’s surgery totally blew that out of our heads so I had to call the local Public Health to get suggestions. Luckily the nurse I got had a doctor she could personally recommend… not so lucky, I called after the office was closed for the weekend and the phone there cannot take messages. So add to the list on Monday!!

I am hoping the trend of completions (van, surgery, etc) will continue on with our income tax… we have been dealing with an audit forever. Mainly because it was NOT us who were the focus of the audit, rather two bigger companies Ken did contracts for. Not fun and definitely annoying as it has held up our tax related benefits… but we have held strong and are coming to the end of it. That means it will be simpler SOON to replace the glasses! YAY! 

Anyway… in order to keep the income going for our one income family we are trying to compress the bulk of our viewings into this weekend (as it is not late in the month landlords aren’t exactly rushing to set them up anyway). Which makes me more anxious but glad that there ARE some options out there. Again, I will keep everyone posted and all I ask is that you all keep a positive thought or a prayer out for us! 

And now it is time to continue the crafting. The craft sale is on the 9th and I have a table to fill… and some simple business cards to print out… I still need to figure out some sort of a sign for the table as well… oh and the pricing. Lately it has been felt that has held my attention. I am not sure how many I can make in time but I am hoping for enough to put in a basket. I am at a loss as to what to price my stuff. The larger of my owls I figure I will leave at 10.00, the smaller maybe down to 7.00 as it has been pointed out to me that people SEEING two sized owls would not want to spend the same amount… my felt bows maybe at 2 for 1.00… the duct tape ones at a buck or two? But those stacked bows… and the fancy ribbon ones… HELP!!! Suggestions????

Some of today's completions

The race is on to make whatever I can… the sale is set for 6 hours and I must admit a little worry about whether or not I will have enough stuff  to fill the table!! This delayed move has messed me up for supplies so I have had to drop the idea of having a tutu or two or any wands to sell. BUT I have a lovely selection of owls and bows… and time to make more! 

Hard to believe that Mother’s Day is this weekend! Be sure to hug your mom’s and tell them how much you love them!!

Baby on the go... with curls

May 1st started with rain and cranky children. Ok cranky Mommy too… We did manage to jump into our schoolwork with both feet – after all Farmer Boy had to tell us all about how he spends a Saturday night. Then draw some pictures from the trip and of course do a little math.

Boys at work

What was glaringly absent was the beginning of our move to our new rental. We had a bit of a delay on that one in the form of a lack of communication from the potential new landlord. We knew he was getting down to the line on his repairs and that he was most likely rushing around trying to get them done but with no word it was time to contact our second choice (which was equally nice and willing to wait for the 1st to pass to hear from us as they had not had any other concrete and respectable interest). As usual life is always the hard way round for this family, at least lately! 

We did finally hear from #1 late Tuesday night… Ken was right, he had been rushing around trying to get everything done so we COULD move in. Sadly he could not, but is willing to refund our deposit AND if we cannot get into a place when it IS finally done it is still ours. He could not give us a move in date though so basically that is that. 

The kids are very frustrated… and I can’t really blame them! With the rain as well it is hard to keep them occupied. We are all done with tv… missing our things and in need of the ability to reorganize our life and our priorities to make us all happier. Ken works so hard to try and make our life better, I just want it to all work out so we can have more of his time and energy directed at happier things. 

Echo and Duke

I have gotten some crafty items in the mail recently from eBay… I know have ribbon AND clips to continue with my bow making

Wednesday was another wet day. Math focused for schooling… and of course frustrated children for the win. Trinity started working on her birthday present – a jewelry box. 

Sticking on the pretties... she did some by the instructions and others... winged it

Pretty much we held down the fort and waited for the email… it took a bit as #2 was stuck out of the city longer than they thought but they were able to confirm that we could have their rental. We just need to wait on them to return to the city. So that was a HUGE load off the shoulders mid afternoon. Of course you depend on nothing but the keys in your hand. 

I found my glue gun after a little searching and with the help of some of my new ribbon and the new alligator clips off eBay was able to finish some more bows. I need to take some time soon and lay out everything I have made and see how much I have all together. 

I love these, they are all on alligator clips

In purple

Baby's First Christmas

Some more purple

I have talked a couple friends who are already working on their contributions for our craft table! Pretty exciting!

And that leads us into Thursday… can’t the week just end already?? And by end I mean end with us comfortably (or even uncomfortably) ensconced in our new rental. The kids are done done DONE and ready to get into their own space again. We did sneak out while Echo was sleeping and Ken working away at his computer and went to the store to get slurpees. A bit of a chilly walk but the signs of spring are here and there.

My boys

Such a girly girl

The kitty we met on our walk

We did continue with Farmer Boy. This chapter we learned about how different Sunday could be. Everything from the hoop skirts (which Gavin drew for our book) to sitting silently in church and then coming home and doing the same. Boy were they glad we don’t have to sit still ALL DAY on Sundays NOW. I don’t think they fully understand why Almanzo had to. I think we are all looking forward to Sunday when we plan on getting back into Sunday School. Much easier now that we have a working van of our own. 

Random Echo picture.. I had an extra

One step closer to regular life. The next step is to refocus the schooling. I look forward to having all my supplies at hand again. We are still planning to make paper in the summer and of course there are a few museums etc I would like to take the kids to! Thank goodness we can plow through summer and get back to where I had hoped to be when I started this academic year. 

It is amazing how life goes up and down and around the corner. I can honestly say we have had many more adventures than I ever though we would. Not sure if that is really a GOOD thing… I wish I could remember who wished us an interesting life together at our wedding… though they may be glad I can’t remember as I am not 100% sure I would thank them! 

A touch of spring... just because

Anyway, in celebration of getting one step closer to normal Reinsch-Johnson life (which everyone tells me is nowhere NEAR normal for the rest of the world!) I do believe I will craft. After all I have some featureless owls to do, bows to discover and of course that WIP that is skulking around that I have not touched in a month (OOPS!). 

Baby girl

Oh, another Comic-con find… a lovely leather book. This was hand done and marked down to 20.00. I am not sure what all I will put in there but it is absolutely LOVELY! They are done by a husband and wife duo called PHASHA. I love mine, though I wish there would have been one this size with a fairy on it!!

So lovely!

Even with all the chaos and frustration we are keeping up with our studies. Yesterday the kids and I read Harold and the Purple Crayon. Then the twins drew a picture using one crayon colour like Harold does. (Trinity and Emanuel went off the garden path and simply were creative) There is a series based on the book on Netflix so during some of their not outside in the sunshine time they watched that as well. 

Very well done!

We have been at work with our math some more as well, though somewhat grudgingly. I am a little concerned about how they are going to react once we get settled and organized and REALLY have to push into our learning. We have accomplished an awful lot though, both boys are reading much more fluently… writing better… thinking on their own with much better results and the progress in math is very positive! 

Math time

We are continuing with Farmer Boy chapter by chapter. I have also printed out some lapbook mini books to do up when we have some time. The main focus is on reading the story and comprehending what happened in the chapters. This is our first long chapter story and the boys’ attention is a little variable but we are getting through it bit by bit.

I have found a couple of educational apps for the kids that are going over REALLY well! First off is a favourite of Trinity’s called Old McDonald’s Farm. She loves spinning the wheel. And then there is the one that Gavin loves Kiko. He has far surpassed my ability on there. Echo’s favourite has to be Meet Biscuit. A new favourite for the kids that I recently loaded up is Edge. 

I have been creating more and more sock owls lately… I have bodies ready for features and wings just waiting for me. I did, however, finish one today. Which I think turned out rather cute! 

Cute!

As of tonight the van saga has reached its peak with the purchase of… A VAN! We still need to do permanent registration and all that after Echo’s follow up appointment (and are leaving for the city super early in case of police pulling us over – you put the transport sticker in the window but that may not be noticeable enough in the morning after all! But it is a huge thing off our list! 

That means we now have transportation to the doctor tomorrow AND then onto friend’s for two nights… then Comic Con! My first  ever! Then… well Sunday night will take some figuring out and we still have to check in one last time with the owner of the new rental regarding the 1st BUT tonight it is YAY van time! Thanks to Karyn that is!

That leaves me with tonight to collect enough stuff for the next half week. Clothing and probably some school supplies for Thursday. Friday the boys are so excited – they get time with our nephew! It has been a while! I am going to spend the rest of the week focused on the moment… we get to go and show everyone how well our Echo has been doing and give the hospital our thank you card. The kids worked rather hard on it and are very proud to be able to give it to them. I added in a picture of Echo and wrote a little thank you. I hope they like it. 

Today was a bit of a special day – it was She Chris’ birthday! We had homemade hamburgers and CAKE! Harley Davidson cake. Total noms. I made her a change purse and hair thing out of the cupcake duct tape. 

CAKE

With Ken getting a HAIRCUT… a van… and then a birthday girl in the house… today can be categorized as a GOOD day! 

Echo and her burger