January 31- February 2

We have completed our first month of the new year and so did Gavin’s work on his Lego land. With Emanuel’s help it was quite the creation!

Quite the metropolis

Lots of activity

Spooky section

Gavin’s turtle (too large for the city)

Ken and Ted took a ride out to The Source, a gaming store to peruse the merchandise and to pick me up some oversized dice for the kids. While they did I finally got to see Frankenweenie! I saw ParaNorman back on New Years so I am catching up on my animations nicely!

Dice

I am so proud that the boys BOTH made their reading goals yet again! I am so glad I can help them find a love of reading at such a young age.

We had our next book to share Happy Chinese New Year, Kai Lan! We had the corresponding episode on the video we got from the library… Celebrate with Kai-Lan.

Gavin and our book

There is a definite benefit to subscribing to a site’s feed. Art for Kids sent out a terrific 10 monster how  to draw book to all the people subscribed to them. I am going to have to sit down and hole punch and put all these amazing instructions into a binder all organized and ready for the boys to use whenever they want!

Wacky monster pictures

Talk about excitement for our almost birthday boy! Baba took Emanuel and myself to get Emanuel’s hair cut before his birthday party! It is like he grew up years as the hair came off… in looks anyway! Can you believe he is 7 on the 3rd??

So smooth

Of course the kids opted to spend even MORE time sitting with Uncle Ted. They just can’t get enough of him!

Quality time

Trinity roped him into playing Skylanders with her as well! They work so well together!

Skylanders!

Friday was a bit of a ruffled day. The kids do not function well with Ken working at home right now. It has been bitterly cold so they cannot burn off energy outside, plus there is the knowledge Ken is there and not available. That and the need to be quiet so he can work makes them all owly. So to take a bit of the edge off we made our Chinese lanterns for our Chinese New Year. You can follow our instructions on Activity Village HERE. I added to the activity by bringing out the markers and letting them colour the paper if they wanted.

Working on lanterns

Lanterns

This was our last day with Ken home actually. Come Monday he is supposed to have his own desk at one of the three buildings. I am hoping that him being out of the house will help Echo deal with less time with Daddy.

Time with Uncle Ted while Daddy works

Emanuel finally got around to colouring in his Mammoth pictures that Gammie sent him to go along with his interest in elephants! He does love a good elephant or prehistoric animal!

One colourful Mammoth

With dinosaurs on the mind we completed our smaller puzzle. One Emanuel got for Christmas!

PUZZLE

Our book from the day was a National Geographic one – Celebrate Chinese New Year. The kids love the images in this one.

Zander and our book

I have to say having Ted here is so much fun. Like back home, the guys are cracking jokes, talking shop and generally hanging out. I have missed that here. We don’t see much of the guys here which is a huge change from how things were up in Alberta.

Relaxing

As the first Saturday of the month it was also the Home Depot free craft day. The boys made little mail boxes for Valentines. Painted and everything!

Painted and everything

When Ken, his dad and the boys returned Ted, Ken and I ran out to finish some shopping – I needed cardstock for the kids’ schooling and Ted needed to do some present shopping. Target is so much fun.

After shopping EMANUEL snagged Ted to play Skylanders (he will be pro by the time he goes home!).

Gaming in comfort

He also made Ted a special picture to take home for his fridge in Alberta.

Art for the fridge

It really was an Emanuel creative day. If it wasn’t Home Depot it was drawing or making something interesting out of blocks.

This is a storekeeper with his till and table

I am glad to see that something I created is being used too – the kids had a tea party with the set I made Trinity for Christmas.

Tea anyone?

Saturday meant trying to get everything ready for the party on Sunday. There is something so comforting about having Ken and Ted together to help out. I feel so lucky that January and February has given us a taste of the people we have been missing. Saying good bye later is never easy BUT the visit makes it all worth it!

If only the fairie could magic up a way for them to stay longer… or forever!

Now that our gifts have been received I can FINALLY share some images of the items I made and gifted! So sit back and enjoy the creations… of varying complexity!

For Trinity!

These were a lovely and relatively quick creation. I got the pattern from the Crochet Spot. You can either purchase patterns from them, or do what I did and do the monthly membership so I can come and go and take what I please. I made all of these using Red Heart yarn. You can find the actual pattern right HERE.

Also for Trinity

I have to admit to some over stuffing on this tea set but Trinity LOVED it! The pattern is available for purchase right HERE. Again Red Heart yarn.

Jimmie’s Penguin

When I asked Holly what I should get her family (my brother’s wife) she suggested this little gem. He is tiny and quick but oh so adorable. I used Red Heart yarn and a Lion Brand pattern. (I think you need to sign up with them to see it, but it is free). I am not a huge fan of button eyes… as you will notice with Echo’s pieces later, but he is adorable don’t you think?

James’ “hot chick”

This was made to go with the sock owl I made my brother the year previous (an Emo Owl)… Another Crochet Spot pattern, this little duckie is tiny and quick but oh so cute! (again Red Heart yarn)

Holly’s Cupcake

I could not resist the cupcake for my sister in law. Sadly I think I over stuffed this cutie but still, I think it looks rather yummy! Another Crochet Spot pattern, of course! I hope to make some of these to go with Trinity’s Christmas stuff… maybe in varying colours and play around with beads as sprinkles?

Echo’s bunny

Another Crochet Spot pattern, I skipped the features (I simply COULD NOT find the right buttons) and made this sweetie up in the usual yarn choice. The hat is removable and it has the cutest tail!! Mine is a little stiffer than the example but Echo is quickly squishing it into submission.

Echo’s snowman

Now I had to alter this pattern a bit, well more leaving things out, as it was for a 2 year old to snuggle. So no features and NO arms. I also made my own pattern for the scarf and played around with the hat. BUT you can find the original pattern HERE. Thanks again to my Facebook friend Keith for pointing this pattern out!

One of the soap savers

I think this one went to my brother and his family. But I tried various ones out to give away. You put the bits and pieces of soap bars you have left over in these and use them like a soap bar. Very cute! And, another Crochet Spot pattern!

Same colours as the old style large bulb outdoor lights

Ok so I favoured Crochet Spot with my gifts this year! There were two long strings of these Christmas lights for Ken’s parents. Ken researched the original colour pattern and everything. You can purchase the pattern for these HERE.

Pato inspired

My first original creation – that tiny hat on Pato’s head!!! Of course I used the same pattern for the bird as the one for my brother, I just made the beak longer.

This is a portion of Karyn’s Christmas present

This is a FREE pattern off of Crochet Spot. It is a Half Round Mini Bag. Listed as an intermediate pattern, I actually found that as long as I TRUSTED the pattern it all went rather smoothly!

Two felties!

The rest of Karyn’s gift from an Etsy purchase. There are 4 in the pattern set, so two more to make for another holiday!

And that is the bulk of my creations!