October 30-31

The day before Halloween was the best day for us to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. I was surprised… Trinity watched it one and a half times! Even Echo sat through most of it. They giggled, they wiggled along to the music… it was great! I really need to get my hands on a copy of The Corpse Bride.  The kids decided the front needed some Halloween decorations and went out and did all this wonderful art on the sidewalk without telling us as a surprise!!

I think this is the haunted house

Jack-o-lanterns

Zander’s skeleton

What else did Tuesday have going for it? Well, we worked on our pictures from our Lego and birthday party sticker sets… the kids did their spelling and such as usual.. Emanuel coloured a child in a DINOSAUR costumepicture instead of learning about a NEW dinosaurs…

In dinosaur costume

There was also that SECOND pumpkin to spiffy up. This time everyone but Trinity put their hands in (or spoons at least) and got it cleaned out. We did a ghosty, vampire face on this one! I think it turned out rather neat!

Group effort

Gavin trying carving

Pumpkins together

And then to top off the day we took the kids out in the front yard for a trial run of the costumes! I will definitely redo the ones of Trinity and Echo, Trinity with face paint and Echo to get the BEST image we can of her with the Death of Rats (seriously we love Terry Pratchett can you tell?). In fact, that feltie is my idea designed by Ken and stitched by yours truly! 

Death and her Death of Rats!

Our very own Chococat

Batman (Zander) and Spiderman (Gavin in ACTION POSES

One of my all time favourites… PENGUIN !!!

The 5 together

We took the advice of Art for Kids and did our own water colour resist using crayons and black water colour paint. You can find instructions HERE. They had a blast drawing their spooky pictures and then painting the black over. I am not sure where all my water colours went as I am rather sure I had some small packages BUT Gavin was nice enough to share his set! 

The painting

Our finished art!

Now HALLOWEEN! Well, it was a wonderful day! I slept in way more than I expected to… this bug had me looped and I was up late the night before working on Echo’s Christmas present (photos  to come), thankfully Ken was able to continue his application code and job search and let me sleep while the kids had fun with Legos and toys and things. We have recently done a clothes sort for the season so it SHOULD be easier for the boys to keep their room clean with less clothing in the drawers. Note I said SHOULD. We did work on some pictures I printed from Activity Village(my go to place for so many crafty things) and enjoyed the sunshine at the kitchen table. 

Playing with goo

I have yet to let the twins know but as of Halloween they BOTH met their 20 sessions of reading and earned their pizza coupons! So now we have to determine when they can use them.  I took some time and baked some chocolate cakes and as per Darcy’s request we covered one in ORANGE cream cheese icing (sorry no picture). I actually found a nice and simple recipe for it as follows (ok not the cake, that was a box mix!): Quick and Easy Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

Once all of that was done, Ken showered and the kids prepped to go we packed our pumpkins up and headed out to the Novak’s. When we got there they were having an impromptu dance/carving party so our pumpkins fit right in. 

Carving

Our pumpkins came along for the ride

Since Andrew and Anthony were not ready for their plans Ken and I took Aidan (and briefly Alex before he headed back to wait for his ride) and our 5 and started trick or treating on the street the Novaks live on. We made it all around and back to wait for Darcy while she dropped off the 3 big boys for their groups. Darcy got back and we piled into their van and headed to a newer neighbourhood to round off our fun with a couple more streets.

Trick or treat!

The 6 we took out all together

After that it was back to the house to eat some candy and play some bingo! 

Bingo!

We hung out until nearly 10 when Echo was definitely in need of bed and all of the Novak boys were home (well except Big Andy who ended up with truck issues).

The whole group!

On the ride home we had 4 of 5 kids ASLEEP in the van (Echo went back and forth, I think she is getting closer to potty training and was annoyed that her diaper was wet… sadly with all the goings on we have been doing disposable more now). We stopped off for the closest thing I could get to a slurpee – fountain pop… and then home we went.  Definitely different from our previous Halloweens but in a good way. Our kids had fun, they spent time with special friends and basically family and Ken and I got to spend time with not only an amazing friend but our godson too. The kids really look forward to their time with the Novaks and when they ARE all together it seems like they do nothing but have fun. 

We had soooo much fun!

Happy Happy Birthday… #32! Yesterday was a terrific day. We started it with sunshine and warmth which had me taking 4 of the kids out to play bubbles while Echo had her morning nap. Ken came home with the big bottle of bubble soap from the old place on Thursday. We have one of those Gazillion bubbles machines (without the applicator bottle, never did find that)… though Trinity was rather sure that they were taking HER bubbles. We sorted that out, brought out some bubble soap containers and then had Kathy show up with a couple more and the kids had a blast. Of course most of the containers ended up empty by the evening.

Bubbles in the backyard

Another bonus of the moving to this particular town… proximity with another favourite aunty – Kathy. She not only brought some bubbles but also a mini trampoline (we now have 2), a lovely pink body pillow, books and a bread box and more. Talk about excitement. Of course, they still remember that she brought them a giant pink bucket of Legos that live in the basement. (we do have an upstairs container and a downstairs as well)

BREAD BOX!!!

Book time with Aunty Kathy

Kathy, Echo and I went to the nearest mall to our house and had snacks and then went to Dollarama which happened to be one of the biggest ones I have ever been to. We picked up a shower curtain (duckies) only to find out at home that we don’t have a decent rod in the main bathroom. Something new to pick up. AND those burner tins to catch drips. A few other choice items made it home, but we examined a bunch of things I figure Kathy or myself would not have minded picking up.

Duckie shower curtain

Then in the evening Kristen and Fydo came over with a lovely handmade card (I do so love receiving things made by the giver). We had nachos for dinner and enjoyed a lively game of Settlers of Catan. Kathy won! Another bonus – boardgames, with a lovely couple AND a friend from college… BONUS.

My card

Slightly fuzzy image but TONS of fun

Another of my birthday requests fulfilled – an ice cream cake!! Total yum and leftovers for later!

Ken "helping" me with the cake

And then the present – I am REALLY excited about this one – IOU for Comic-con in 2012 AND babysitters guaranteed for the boys. And then to open today – one of my favourite chocolate bars, Cookies’n’Cream and a package of beef jerky. AND a card I have NOT gotten before (seriously he has bought me like 4 of the same Valentine’s Day cards over the years).

From Ken

I got a call from my dad last night down in South Carolina AND my mom up here. It was great to have a chance to talk to my dad, I had not heard from him since before my sister’s wedding. It looks like his plans have changed since we last talked and he will not be up until the fall. Which really doesn’t hurt us as we are homeschooling year round as well as staying rather close to home for the rest of the year. I always feel a boost after talking to my dad (I am such a shameless Daddy’s girl).

Since summer is really here (well at least we are TOLD it is) we are hoping to get the kids out more and more. the backyard is starting to shape up into a much more fun place and Kristen has alerted us to some smaller splash parks. I still want to head back and visit my mom so we can go to the splash park there (it is one of the best in the province).We just need Ken to stop needing to head back to the old place! I am REALLY hoping Monday is the end of those trips. (and VERY uneventful) Now if the rain would just stop for a FULL day! PLEASE?

Working on the playset

The more we have people over, do everyday things, put more of our personal possessions out and simply LIVE in this house the more I feel like we are home. I really need to find my picture nails. There was one nail already existing in the stairwell that the owners had simply painted over so I hung up one of my wedding series.

First wall hanging!

Ken moved the last of the stuff from upstairs down to the basement. So much more room in our dining/kitchen area now. All this just in time for a belated birthday visit from Esther resplendent in her new hairdo. Then soon after she got here Karyn gchatted us from New Orleans. We got to see some of the books she has acquired (including a SIGNED Terry Pratchett!) and catch up on her adventures (eating alligator!) and share our own (rain rain and hail… oh and more rain).

Chatting with Karyn

The kids took full advantage of a captive Aunty Esther and had her playing games and puzzles well past bedtime. Talk about convenient, she can come up later in the day and leave by midnight and still get sleep. An hour away only! (Bonus!!) The kids were even more excited when we explained that now that Aunty Esther has also moved to a better place she should be able to take one or two of them for an overnight visit as well.

Playing with the kids

So the past two days have been rather marvellous. Lots of company, yummy food and other positive experiences. Tomorrow we are planning to make a trip to Michaels (there is only one here) and start the hunt for a Canada themed shirt for Echo for Canada Day. This will be Echo’s first after all.

Sippy time

There are moments when I get this jolt of a realization that my baby boys are not so… baby any more. One of those moments was a day or so ago when Zander and Gavin and Emanuel were working on Emanuel’s new Lego set (the only toy that broke this year at Christmas was a Lego knock off car set – pieces broke and didn’t fit together so we replaced it). There the three of them are, instructions spread out… taking turns (!!!) putting pieces on with the common goal of helping Emanuel. Not only did they offer but they gently talked Emanuel through each step. Zander’s perfect enunciation asking if they were missing a floor piece is so amazing when you remember all the fuss and bother we went through about them even talking or talking properly years ago. Gone are the tiny babies we spent sleepless nights worrying about, the toddlers that refused to do simple things like talk or listen to us… and I have to admit a certain level of pride in how much I am involved in that growth. The independence, the kindness and their intelligence my boys are a great source of pride.

Working Together (Zander left)

My week has zipped right by. Another massive error by a bank that we are working double time to correct, warmer weather perfect for sledding… good and bad have simply blended together. BUT I had a GREAT time last night, I ducked out on the guys’ gaming night and headed over to Chris and Chris’ to commiserate with the currently grounded (he)Chris. Popcorn, chatting and much fun ensued as well as my first introduction to their menagerie. 2 cats, 2 ferrets, some fish and a lizard!

Physically I am still totally drained but keep working on getting that rest and eating when I can. The boys are working on learning about the planet earth and continents. It is so wonderful to have Youtube. Emanuel especially wanted to see “the city” and is quite quick to differentiate between OUR city and GRANDMA’S which of course is SMALLER. I am not sure how much is really sticking but they are having so much fun and at this age that is half the battle! The link for where we go the worksheets to make into a booklet has both Canadian and American settings.

Worksheets! (Zander left)

I am spending my evening re-watching the BBC made for tv movies for Discworld. I absolutely ADORE Terry Pratchett! I am debating using some of my left over Christmas money to buy a couple of his newer books.

Not much to report stitching wise. I have been working on Baby #5’s stocking a little while waiting on Ken to iron out the kinks on my last commission. I am hoping to drum up some new ones soon so if anyone is interested… contact me!!

Stocking So Far

And with that I am out of news… and ready to kick back and watch the rest of my movie.

2 Clips and She is All Grown Up!