February is crazy! So I figured I would drop a quick note to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY boys! Emanuel turned 10 on the 3rd!

Zander and Gavin are a ripe old 12 now as of February 5th!

We had a special couple days. ON the birthdate of course was the official picture. (above) Made even more special by the fact that we had the baby pictures at hand and not yet on the walls. I admit it, I have a hard time believing that those babies are now my big boys. Especially the twins at 3 lbs 1 3/4 oz a piece. You wouldn’t know to see them now!

Then the night of the date the boys got special dinner out with Daddy. This was a total surprise for Emanuel who we kept it from until AFTER choir that day when he and Ken left after dropping off the other 3 kids. Taco Bell for him and Arby’s and some great coupons for the twins.

They brought left overs home to share with me. Silly Daddy forgot to take a picture at the restaurant. I guess they had too much fun to remember.

The also got to open some presents on their days. Lovely t shirts from Gammie and a special small gift from us.

With phone calls from Grandma and Grandpa Mike and skyping with Nana and Baba… well we did it up right.

Then on Saturday their big present and dinner (with homemade cupcakes) at the Schwartz’s. 12, 12 and 10… who would have thought it??? 

Love you boys!

I am firmly remind that as the months pass so the kids grow. Where did baby Echo go? And when did Trinity all of a sudden mature? Don’t even get me started in regards to the boys… seriously SLOW DOWN WORLD!

Anyway… April… Easter you can check out HERE with a brief foray into the images and simple day we had. Traditions upheld of course.

Hello Cookie meet your predecessor Fat Sheep and live in fear of the love of Echo!

Trinity’s birthday is ALSO in April… You can read more about her special moments HERE.

Of course we must draw attention to the slick hair cut Mr. Emanuel sported over April as well! His curls… all gone. Not sure if I should be sad or impressed at how mature he looks?

Miss Echo spent some of her April educating her Baba on all the current card shark techniques…

And spent plenty of time introducing Hugo Bear Dog (otherwise known as Bear Dog) to her teddies, her night time routine and her life in general.

We had nature walks in the lovely spring weather…

And made sure to make use of not only our playset in the backyard, but the sport equipment set Gammie gifted the kids. Once spring is here and light sweater weather is on… we just have to grab those moments and get outside!

We had a bit of a religious/faith landmark reached for the 3 boys as well… at this Lutheran church which is ELCIA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of American) instead of ELCIC (in Canada) they do first communion at an earlier age with a one night special class for the kids and parents. We got to make the bread for communion and learn about about the Jewish roots of the service. We then came to the Ash Wednesday service for Communion. It was an interesting class and I think the boys got something out of it. Still very different for me as all this was part of Confirmation growing up! I am still muddling through how I feel about these little and big changes in our faith system being in the States instead of Canada. 

We have continued out swimming lessons with great results. 

We have been having tea time as often as possible… tea, snacks and good books read together. anything increase our interest in reading right? 

Made kites and actually did a whole study on different kinds of kites and things as well as covered a few scout requirements in the making! HERE

April was my stash busting month… everything I made was made out of yarn I had on hand! Here are a few finished pieces!

We even snuck out and took just the boys out for Taco Bell! I think we did rather good with our April…

And now for the rest of our spring fun… scout activites, backyard fun… a wee bit of green and some dress up. Spring is sprung! 

Checking out the dishwasher with Baba

Batgirl in disguise… Mustache style.. thanks Alex!

We even wore them out a few times!

August 2-3

If you have 5 kids and a free hubby (DONE DONE DONE his contracts) what should you do? Well if you are a homeschooling family… you start like you did the day before – breakfast and then right into the review books and letters to the people who have stepped up to be our pen pals. Right now they don’t really understand how much work they WON’T be doing once we get all the first letters out but we are working down out list quite doggedly. Some even people the boys have never met before!!

Hard at work at a letter/picture (Gavin)

Now with the schooling out of the way, the kids dressed and the husband not tied to the computer beyond his morning’s job hunt (go Ken go!!) what to do? Well there was this promised LONG awaited outing… Victoria Secret and my first proper bra fitting and purchase of a proper NON nursing bra in over 9 years!! We had coupons that had come to the house in the mail recently and I ended up SAVING 120.00 while spending well under 100 and within the allotted budget… how so? Well we ended up with close enough to the target amount to get this really nice travel bag… which is also ALL of Lisa’s Secrets you will see… Victoria lets hers all hang out, me… not so much!

The bag!

In front of the store. All Trinity wanted was the bag it all came in!

After VS it was time to drive around and keep an eye peeled for MORE garage sales… check back at an old haunt and show the kids more of the beauty of the area. I have decided that next week or so we shall start collecting pictures of interesting street signs… trust me there are some REAL giggles. 

So now I have TWO new books to read… AND a list of suggestions (I had already read some but so neat how Barnes and Nobles does that!).

The two newest acquisitions

Suggestions

We had to make a stop off at a gaming store we remembered from years back that had moved to a NEW location that was HUGE so that the kids could each get a die. They do love having dice around! At 1.50 a piece certainly no hardship. Oh but don’t forget about lunch – TACO BELL!

Taco Bell

YUM!

This marked the beginning of our solo weekend. Nana and Baba headed off with Ken’s brother Joe and his family to camp for the weekend. We opted to stick around here so that we could work on some discipline issues, enjoy each other’s company and sort through a few more items we have laying around. Ken’s folks picked up some storage for our bedroom so I was able to further organize… and everyone knows how happy that makes me!!! 

Echo checking out from the inside out

We had a slow start to Friday as I finally have a more minor version of the rest of the family’s cold. But we did get out the door in the afternoon… for the ever magic garage sales (more squinkies and a spelling boardgame) and then the main attraction for the day – once we found it (two parks named the same on different streets in the same town???) – Andrew’s baseball game. The first of the tournament.

Andrew action shot

Another very hot day so the kids were a little fussy but we had a blast! Ken took pictures, Echo played with her Anthony and the boys played at the park. We always have fun with the Novaks. 

Watching from some shade

Echo and her Anthony

Andrew’s team won! And on that positive note we said see you LATER (that still brings a smile to my face) and headed off down the backroads home. We lucked out on our travels and came across ANOTHER garage sale… this one with everything for 25cents!! I picked up a zipper up sweater (just needed a wash), a push/ride car that we had up north and sold (seriously a QUARTER!) and a car that came with dominoes that turned out to be a gem. You fill the car and then let it go and it sets dominoes in a line!!!

She was so excited she wouldn’t let me put her pj’s on before she got onto it!

Don’t forget a stop off at Sam’s Club and an attempt at Slurpee in the form of a Coke flavoured Icee… head’s up… it is NOT the same thing!!!

Not quite

In the end the kids were pleased, we got to spend the day with friends and that night Ken and I sat around and did nothing! I just hope the rest of the family is having as much fun camping!!!

Cheering for our best boys!