I can never pick the best of a group of pictures… so why not share the rest on a quiet day?? Enjoy!

Lily Bean

Faces on this one are hilarious!

Sorry so few captions, but cute seems to speak for itself!

This is Echo’s one year dress, now a tutu skirt… LOVE IT. You can see her in it at 1 yr old HERE

My boys

The best dresses make a lovely twirl possible

Not bad to the bone, maybe naughty on the hairline?

Gavin the artist

We have seen the Nana and Baba off on their return trip to Minnesota. Last night was difficult for some of the kids, it is hard to KNOW that first thing in the morning you have to say good-bye and there is no – see you next week – to go with it. They had to leave for the airport by 8:30 am so there was hugs and kisses and off they went. BUT not before we got a phone call for Echo at 8am. Apparently it was simpler for our paediatrician in the city to simply get us an appointment here in town for the kidney ultra sound – there were TWO options for today, one what Ken termed “ridiculously early” and the other for 11:15. Of course he took the latter. Thankfully this was an appointment where Ken could solo run it and the rest of us stay home. We are one step away from a jimjam day here. Everyone got dressed but we certainly are staying close to home!

Ken and Echo met with nothing but success at the imaging place… first off they only waited in the waiting room FIVE MINUTES! How unheard of! Then when in the exam Echo was able to lounge about NAKED in Daddy’s lap and then there was NO peeing in the lap, and I mean naked as the day she was born naked! I am sure Ken heaved a huge sigh of relief once that cloth diaper was returned to its owner’s bottom. The technician was fine with telling Ken what she saw, what was there and how she looked… well how her kidneys looked. She even had the doctor in to look and make sure he was pleased so we would not have to make a second trip! How did she do, I am sure you are ALL wondering… FANTASTIC! 2 kidneys, right size, right place and only one person (in the waiting room) asked how old HE was (Ken says we must give her the benefit of the doubt as she was most likely half blind anyway!). 

Ready to go with Petite Sheepette in hand

That was our morning. While Echo was gone with Daddy I managed the other 4… tv for the little two (they are beyond over done after party and visiting and company and all) and a start back to the homeschooling regime with the twins. I had them work on their first Nana and Baba adventure for their Summer Adventure file. I figure they will do at least 2-3 of their visit and one for Echo’s birthday. Then it is back to sight words, math books and dinosaurs. Not all together gracefully though, getting them started this morning was like pulling teeth in its level of painfulness. 

Back to work

So far I have ONE picture of Ken at the party… well early on in the party, courtesy of Nana and Baba’s camera. I have gotten promises of pictures from two other party goers but am still waiting to hear back on a few other cameras. If you are reading this and DO have pictures… please EMAIL rosereinsch@gmail.com and send them my way! 

Kenny at work pre full swing party

The kids and I snuck outside after Echo’s post appointment and luncheon nap and gave it another go with the tutu dress. I do believe she is teething again as her nose is runny and she was VERY warm. You can imagine how excited she was about that! BUT we tried. I figure if we try a few more times she may give in and enjoy it a bit more… after all I can take as many pictures as I want and then pick a best of the bunch. She did settle down but was NOT willing to relinquish the soother. OR wear the poof. 

So...poofy

And baby makes 5

The puzzle has reclaimed its place of honour on the blue table by the bright window, and some interest has been held by it today. But still the livingroom is a bit of a shambles and in need of a return to the previous furniture arrangement. I have to admit I am being lazy about it. But by the end of the week we should be back to normal… just in time to face the final week before Chris and Chris’ wedding and the chaos that will cause. Fingers crossed we can go back to a calmer household in September! I am in dire need of quiet and at least somewhat predictable days.

We made one more foray to the great outdoors today… brief as it was… to use the bubbles Nana and Baba had bought for the party but forgot to bring out. Of course colours of bottles were VERY important but they all agreed it was time to share with Echo… and once I got them to STOP blowing them directly in to her FACE we all got along rather well. Once bubbles failed to enthuse we closed them up and Echo and I returned in only to have to call all 4 back in due to fighting and screaming. Zero tolerance today my dears…

Look! Bubbles!

It is hard to jump right back into the norm after such an amazing week or so but we are trying. Ken has never really completely surfaced from work, even while his parents were here so that is easy enough to continue. It is the rest of the family that is adjusting really. I have to admit while the quiet is welcome, it is a wee bit lonely. We went from my inlaws and so many friends and family to just us in such a short period of time. By tomorrow I will be right as rain but there is the little moment of blue connected to so many good-byes. And anyone who knows me well knows I am HORRIBLE at good-byes, though I am proud to say – no waterworks this time! There’s a first huh? 

I am trying a new bow on for size as well… the Boutique bow. I have made two of the same ribbon… trying them out a bit… I am not sure how I feel about them but I did stab myself once in the making and got two to look somewhat like the picture. I also finished the second season of Campion… so now am on the look out for more British mysteries on Netflix… 

Not quite done yet

Now it is definitely time to bite the bullet and get back to work. So far I have posted some Kijiji adsand sorted out the tissue paper (such lovely colours)… now it is time to face the nitty gritty and get the livingroom ready for being put to rights! Off I go!

More bubbles

"Yawn"

Fat sheep family moment (with their nanny of course)

Last night was a crafting night… a late night as well but that is ok. When one gets in the crafting zone sometimes time just slips away. On the HUGE plus side, Echo’s birthday outfit – well the special one I have made (not sure how long it will remain on her on her big day as it is more of a photo op dress than anything) is completed with the final touches to her special hair thing. I am looking forward to making more of these adorable little puffs for the girls. Maybe add them to the Christmas craft list for the little ones? I can hear Ken groaning from here about the tulle… he is the best in the house at cutting tulle after all.

All ready to go

Then there was the requested hairthing for Trinity. I had picked up 3 skeins of 5/8th ribbon at a garage sale ages ago so I let her choose the one she wanted and made one right up for her for tomorrow. It was crucial as she is very upset with me for NOT making her an “ice cream dress” like Echo has. I wonder if you remember, way back at Easter, the Kijiji dress I altered for Echo? Well I brought it out of the closet with the thought of putting it on Echo and then the opportunity passed due to nasty rainy weather. My mom has saved some pillowcases to make new dresses for the girls so I am going to send over the spare skein of ribbon I bought that matches this dress. (thank goodness I did! I already have a stacked bow barrette done so after the dress is made Miss T is all set!)

Finished as requested

And she loved it

I also got another of my Christmas bows made… and after talking online with Cousin Veronika, am thoroughly convinced that Trinity needs something called a Bow Board for her room… Echo too, for that matter! It looks deliciously easy to make and the only thing I was sure I didn’t have on hand or couldn’t get from my mom’s craft stash was the canvases.

We had a bit of a meltdown this morning in the form of a child being TOO helpful. We were tidying the upstairs and Emanuel got over zealous and tidied up Zander’s puzzle project. It took hugs from Mommy AND Daddy to make it all better. Zander was not devastated as they weren’t too far along but it was a bit of an OOPS moment. 

Making up for lost time once Cousin Veronika got there!

We continued our puzzle time and Emanuel’s dinosaur pictures but that was about it in regards to schooling today… WAY too excited about Nana and Baba getting here. And of course the weather worked AGAINST me with more rain and lots of mosquitoes.

Dinosaurs

BUT come lunchtime and Cousin Veronika was here! We had enough time before we had to get down to business to run out and do a few errands. First was Staples to purchase some of their under 1.00 items (and a 1.99 glue stick)… all this for 5.55!

Staples haul

…and then Michaels where there just happened to be an AMAZING ribbon sale… some of their more expensive spring themed stock on for 1.00 a skein! Talk about a deal! As much as I hate to say it… stacked bows were considered…

Ribbons!

With a final stop off at the mall and Cinzero where Veronika picked up some cinnamon buns and we each got a slush puppy. Which made Ken, who had to stay home with the kids and later keep an eye on them while mine were closed, much happier!

Cinzeo

And now for the fun part. Earlier this week Veronika was doing a course on lash extensions and has to do 10 free ones before she can get through her course. Guess who got to be #1? Yours truly!! First was the waiver etc etc (US version so super wordy), then the taping under the eyes to ensure the bottom lashes do not stick to the top ones (VERY important) and then the fun part… over 2 hours of laying back with my EYES CLOSED and resting while someone else does all the work… and Trinity hopped in and out of the room and on and off of the couch and was generally an adorable little pogo ball. 

At work

With an audience

Since my lashes are rather long already the effect was subtle but lovely… and should still look nice for a while, though I doubt I will do the fills… too expensive. I have to say it was so much fun! AND I got an afternoon and right on into the evening of visiting with a dear cousin. 

Karyn came over right after work and after we had supper (spaghetti noms) and sent the kids to watch tv it was her turn to get her extensions done. So much fun!!! 

Karyn's turn

We visited as late as we could and still have Veronika head home at a decent time (over an hour away) and Karyn head to bed (work tomorrow). This allowed me my walk for a slurpee and now it is time to get back to tidying, finishing of craft projects and hopefully, a full night’s sleep… that is the plan at least! 

All done

And Echo for good measure