Tag Archive | turtle

VBS on a Larger Scale

June 21-26

What to do on a sunny Saturday, the first one of SUMMER? Operation Geocache in a new location was less than successful, though we did find a bird’s nest…101_7999

A rather anxious turtle they corralled back to the safety of the marshy bits…101_8001

And a glider being flown from the parking lot.

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

You can just see it off in the distance. The guy had two and did some rather impressive maneuvers

101_7997101_7996After that nature filled adventure it was time to hop into our bathing suits and back into the pool in the front yard.101_8006

101_8008On Sunday we buzzed the twins’ hair nice and short.101_8012

Even with rain the kids got some time in the yard on the scooters.101_8014

Monday was a bit of a wash what with Nana and Baba getting home from Mexico and all. But Echo is one determined student and got in her workpage fun.101_8016

Additionally we have signed up 4 of the 5 kids (Echo is not fully potty trained so can’t) in the same VBS as Renee and Chris’ kids are in. They go to a daycare that is in a church and that church has a massive 4 day FREE daycare! Quite the amazing church – Living Faith Church HERE. They are there from 9 am to noon with us just dropping them off. It has made for quiet mornings and afternoons of light schooling.20140623_085641

Trinity is working on completing one of her review workbooks. We have given ourselves the summer to get these books done.101_8020

Back into the pool…101_8018

With a butterfly for company.101_8019

I swear the twins can play AND understand Agricola way better than I ever will! Somehow… not that upsetting! But it is neat to see them stretch their reasoning, problem solving and reading skills. In fact, one of the boys’ 10 top Summer To Do items is a boardgame day (probably on one of the extremely common rainy days!).101_8021

Miss Echo caught up on her well tanned Baba snuggles. Apparently Mexico was a very relaxing vacation for everyone!101_8022

Tuesday once again began just me and my baby… with ICE CREAM on the way home from VBS in celebration of Mommy’s 35th birthday.101_8025

And then a continuation of the pattern… into the pool. Splish Splash, this thing has paid for itself in entertainment value already!101_8026

Ken took me out for my birthday just us two to a wonderful Japanese place that cooks your food (private chef!) right in front of you! We tried chicken liver and green tea sherbet! the liver was… odd… the sherbet good! The chef was amazing as well, so personable. (Thanks to Shandai for the recommendation) 

Yup I took a pic in the car

Yup I took a pic in the car

Main  course of dinner with other bits and bobs

Main course of dinner with other bits and bobs

The green tea with green tea sherbet

The green tea with green tea sherbet

lovely ambiance

lovely ambiance

By Wednesday Echo was REALLY missing her siblings… lay around and watch tv sort of missing.101_8028

I am so proud of the kids for agreeing to continue with light schooling even after a busy VBS filled morning. Gammie’s mailed worksheets are a HUGE help.101_8029

101_8030This time I had two more garage sale finds! Gotta stop when you are driving home from wherever and see a sign… right?101_8031

Thursday was the final day of VBS and a busy morning. Not only did Ken have to drop the kids but then he had an appointment for Echo. So it was Baba that drove me to pick the kids up in the pandemonium that is a large VBS. We did enjoy watching the neighbourhood bunny in the front yard. Before they left for Echo’s hearing exam. Turns out she is just fine with wax buildup. So baby girl is a bit of a lazy talker with dirty ears that SHOULD have decreased her hearing abilities!101_8033

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Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

Packed with a snack on the way to her hearing test

It's always an adventure with these two... there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

It’s always an adventure with these two… there was some sort of a fire somewhere in the hospital so their entire wing got evacuated!! Everything was fine in the end though.

Gavin actually made his first Pokemon trade with a kid from there (name unknown).101_8038

And the final craft was rather cool! We gave our information to one of the boys the twins met. His mom had asked if we could do so on Wednesday. Sadly the rush to leave and Ken waiting when he dropped off as long as he could meant we had to give one of our little half business cards we gave as Christmas cards post move for address change had to be handed to the boy himself. So it is a bit of a crap shoot as to whether or not we will ever hear from them. We could not go to the evening program as we had other commitments.101_8039

4 days of 9 until noon and I can honestly say… our family is not hard wired for that sort of life. I think we really do enjoy and maybe now appreciate a little more, the flexibility that is homeschooling. BUT the experience of a large VBS has been great and really got us excited about our own church’s much smaller version. That one Echo is enrolled in too as I am helping her age group.

She really was a card this week :)

She really was a card this week 🙂

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We’re Going to the Zoo… Zoo… Zoo…

how about you… you… you? You could come too… too… too. We’re going to the zoo… zoo… zoo…

I love how Ken is still rubbing sunscreen onto his ears.

I love how Ken is still rubbing sunscreen onto his ears.

Near the entrance

Near the entrance

I love the romantic lighting from the moisture heavy air.

I love the romantic lighting from the moisture heavy air.

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Out from behind the camera for a moment.

Out from behind the camera for a moment.

Mr. Q

Mr. Q

I swear this polar bear has OCD it kept swimming then going up like that and bobbing its head

I swear this polar bear has OCD it kept swimming then going up like that and bobbing its head

Out front of the polar bear area.

Out front of the polar bear area.

Bison

Bison

Snack time

Snack time

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These two stuck together like glue.

These two stuck together like glue.

Lions... no tigers and bears... oh my.

Lions… no tigers and bears… oh my.

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Steep stairs

Steep stairs

How tall IS a giraffe?

How tall IS a giraffe?

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Zander's favourite

Zander’s favourite

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Monkey of some sort

Monkey of some sort

Quinn and Steve had matching shoes

Quinn and Steve had matching shoes

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I wish I had the patience

I wish I had the patience

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And a chipmunk on the way out!

And a chipmunk on the way out

This entry was posted on 06/07/2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Recognizing Queen Victoria With a Holiday

Happy Victoria Day everyone (ok somewhat belatedly but I am trying here). And with that we are a family back together… well sort of. Ken found that the internets here were intermittent and not working for him for work so come evening he left us for greener pastures at Sharon and Darryl’s but not, thankfully, until AFTER the girls had their bath and hair washed. 

Anyway, Victoria Day… Not a full day off for Ken as a holiday in CANADA not the US. But in the morning Ken and most of the kids took Gypsy for her morning stroll. It was a rather nice day in fact. This was the first time Ken ever walked Gypsy and it went quite well. 

Seeing off the troops

Breakfast in the highchair

We worked on some more school stuff for our duotangs, I emptied more of the van and stored it all away and of course we played. That fenced backyard, toy shed, sandbox AND a dog… bliss for our 5! 

Fun in the backyard

Baby in the wagon

Once Echo fell asleep for her afternoon nap Trinity and I got all packed up and walked to Co-Op which was thankfully open on a holiday Monday. We wandered the aisles… picked up food for supper AND got a cookie at the bakery! Chocolate chip for a very well behaved girl. Of course after that we had to stop off across the street at 7-11 to make sure that there IS a free slurpee day coming up (Wednesday) and then in turn pick up a slurpee to share. 

Ready for our walk

The rest of the afternoon was spent at home with the kids running Gypsy to happy exhaustion. The day was perfect for outdoor fun.

Little Sunshine... she went out too but first a snack

After supper Ken and I packed the kids up (and the dog) and went to the park that is just down the street from the house. There were two other kids there (a boy and a girl) and the kids made instant friends. I ran the dog back and forth on the green to keep her off the sand and the kids. She is still very timid around new people at times. 

ZOMG a picture of ME!

We stayed until the clouds blew in and the wind started to pick up, we really didn’t want to be caught in any rain and the baby was getting fussy. So it was time to say good bye and head back for baths and bed.

Pushing her own stroller

And I can’t forget the turtle Emanuel made for us out of the clay! He took inspiration off the one on the box (thus the details in the legs) and of course her eggs.

A most amazing turtle

Tuesday was rainy, VERY rainy… Ken took some of the kids for the morning walk with the dog… while they were out and about enjoying the rain Echo and I took pictures.

Sweet Pea

With attitude

What is there to do at Grandma’s on a rainy day? Why… play GOLF!

GOLF

This of course was later documented in the boys’ duotangs…What is Mommy to do? Sort her purse out, and boy did I need to!

All of that did NOT go back into the purse

The each did a picture dealing with the Weather. Zander has decided to do a daily weather report like is on tv. Three boxes for the day with an image to represent the weather and then the temperature listed as well. Even Emanuel got in on schoolwork with copying some words that relate to the stuff the boys are working on. 

Weather work with the Weather Channel

Emanuel and his words

Basically an indoor sort of day, even Gypsy was less than enthused with the great outdoors… I guess kids AND dog hate sitting in the wet grass to play and of course in the rain the sandbox is off limits! But what a great way to start the week: schoolwork, doggy time and various entertaining activities! And tomorrow… we finally CATCH UP the blog! 

And one more for the cuteness factor