Testing has been done, appointment with doctor accomplished and the next two appointments booked… what a day! Ken had his yearly physical and came through with flying colours. Since he and Echo could not get in to have their blood work (and her x-ray) done sooner we are still waiting on those results BUT his bloodpressure was perfect, weight right on etc. etc. AND when he came back and picked up Echo there were able to get the x-ray done AND the blood taken. Apparently Echo was less than enthused as first off they had to have the nurse hold her for the x-ray (big no no in Echo land) AND then they had problems finding a vein on her. She is very tiny! 

Today Trinity was my busy learning bee… first it was fun with her workbook (some actual following instructions some random colouring lots of ADORABLE chatter) and then later on Daddy’s netbook for “ABCD” time on Starfall. It has been a while since I have mentioned this site I think. We do not pay a subscription fee so there is SOME stuff we cannot access but more than enough to keep even our two almost 8 yr olds happy! I love listening to her repeat along… G… and then the sound it makes… she is so proud of herself and a pro with the touch pad.

Starfall

The boys did their usual quota and added in copious reminders for Gavin to WIGGLE HIS TOOTH!! Ken talked to our physician and she said wiggle the heck out of it and if it is not out in the next while to bring him to her. We absolutely LOVE our new doctor… friendly and calm and so nice! Sadly she could NOT schedule Ken a vasectomy yet… there have been some changes in the health care system as to what is and isn’t covered and she wanted to be sure (a friend of mine who is a doctor said he thought it was still covered so we are keeping fingers crossed). Seriously, with 5 kids… 4 of which have needed some form of additional medical care you would think they would throw him a parade and walk him right on up to the door!

Note Gavin (in yellow) with his finger in his mouth wiggling as they play the PS3

Echo had her learning time too… in her favourite chair, though I am not sure how much was learning and how much was making the lights flash. She does love a noisy toy!

"Hey kids, welcome to Alphabet town"

We are going to get started on Chinese New Year next week, I will share my links. I have some books requested and am hoping some friends can suggest a good food to try as part of our learning. This is the year of the dragon, so there are some colouring pages to be done, word searches… a maze… and of course the story of the Zodiak to read. Since the boys want a poster I am hoping for lots of brightly coloured pictures. There is even an event on the 18th for Ken to take all 3 boys to to learn at the library (it says 6 and up but a 5 yr old who turns 6 in like 2 weeks… why not?). And if anyone reading this has links to share please DO!!!

There are days when I am reminded of how alike our twins really are and there was a moment like that today… we were talking about Gavin’s tooth and the need to take it out when I brought up the tooth fairy. I told them that Ken and I TALKED to the tooth fairy last night and that she said this tooth was a TWO present tooth… in unison, same look on their faces: “How do you talk to the tooth fairy?” I couldn’t help but giggle… it was ADORABLE… of course I told them that once you loose ALL your baby teeth you get a special phone number so you can CALL the tooth fairy for when YOU have kids… after all sometimes she needs a little help and vice versa. 

Tinker Bell is coming along nicely on the afghan and I have messaged the newest parents for information on their baby for a sampler. January may have nothing to do with Christmas but it has a lot to do with crafting still! I hope to have something to show by the next week but am holding off, I want to have something substantial and exciting with my Tink! Of course there is cleaning to do… kids to teach and a house to run so progress is not swift… but there will be more to show next week, along with Echo’s 6 month cardiologist appointment… wish us luck!

Baby with baby and popcorn

Well technology really IS a fickle thing. Ken borrowed (he) Chris’ cell last night to call Telus to ask them why when we attempt to call our home number it says out of service… and they did not know! We are paid up to date, we have no account issues, there is NO reason… so of course they are working as best they can to resolve it we were told with a ticket off to one department and a tech to come by on Thursday (yes THURSDAY!). Ken just shook his head and wondered aloud why all this technological crap happens to HIM. I swear he attracts these issues some how! So sorry if you tried to call us yesterday… Thankfully we woke up to the issue resolved. Ken is very aggressive when there is an issue with our technology… something about it being necessary for his work… he says with a roll of his eyes. 

In returning out livingroom to a non-Christmas status I have come to realize that we have made even more space with the turning of our sofa to block the non working fireplace. Granted I used to stow boxes behind the couch and in the schooling area for easy access for the kids BUT this is much more useful. The boys had out their Legos  yesterday (as can be seen by the last picture in the entry of Gavin’s flowers) and it was a simple thing to eyeball whether or not all Legos has been picked up (of course they hadn’t but that was also easily resolved with some stern words). 

In moving the tree I did finally make it back under my upstairs desk to peruse the workbooks. I have been collecting, from various sources, any and all I can get my hands on and I have a little stack of grade 2 books sitting down there. I am going to go through them this week and see if we can use any to review or supplement what we are already doing. 

Each of the twins worked their way through a second level Bob book with minimal help! Zander had to be reminded that OK was simply O-K… and Gavin did try to guess a word but we made it through. Makes me feel like this year is really heading somewhere. I think when we do our reading week ONE book minimum will be a self read book instead of just me reading to them. Get them reading to the whole family out loud to receive some honest praise and excitement. 

It is going to be the year of the Dragon this year for Chinese New Year, so I have started searching for  some worksheets. The boys have decided it will be a poster for CNY and a lapbook for the solar system. Emanuel and Trinity already coloured their own dragons this morning. 

Year of the Dragon

We had random craft time today with the foam pieces mom sent home with us at Christmas. Each kid created something, no limitations, just that they cleaned up when they were done!!

Crafty chaos

Still with their minds on Christmas!

Tonight was a night out for Ken and myself (and Echo in tow)… dinner at the food court (Umi Sushi Express and Arby’s) and then some shopping at LaSenza… nothing fancy but taking advantage of a good sale on underwear! Picked up some groceries on the way home, dropped books off at the library and then back we were. Nothing crazy but certainly fun and relaxing. 

I love the little bags

There is more research to be done for our coming interest… Chinese New Year to determine and of course a multitude of doctor appointments. Tomorrow Echo goes for some blood work and her hand x-ray with Ken, then Friday is Ken’s physical… the following week is the cardiologist follow up and then the week after THAT is Zander’s follow up on his eye… and then I think we are good until February and Echo’s 1 1/2 yr and my yearly. Joy. 

On a positive note, I ended my day winning a contest on Facebook for a salve that is sold by a cloth diaper company called Rump Arounds. Be sure to check them out! Apparently they are local so they are going to just drop my prize in my mailbox! That just leaves some more crafting to be done tonight, after all the Tinker Bell afghan is not going to stitch itself. Though I hope to NOT be up past 1 am working on a counting error like last night!!! 

We found ONE baby she can carry... Trinity's dolly, I wish there was some way other than Pamper's Points to get another. I simply am NOT amassing them anymore!