I have slipped horribly in my goal to keep a consistent blog running this month! But I promise to be back to my much more consistent and predictable self in February. Hmm how did our week start off? Well, relatively shaky kid wise. Tuesday the trend continued somewhat with a bit of resistance BUT we got a start on our Chinese New Year poster. We had to make little pockets for some of our mini books and the 12 animals of the zodiak cards. 

Poster in pieces

Both the twins have been hard at work on their math books. I think Gavin will finish his review book soon. I was a little concerned about how silly they were being about adding and subtracting, ignoring, skipping parts… but with this review book it seems much more cemented. We did realize that part of the problem is that everything up until now has been START ON THE LEFT. As soon as  you do equations stacked you have to start on the RIGHT… ACK. 

Emanuel and Trinity are still rather intermittent at their sit down and work work BUT we are making progress. Trinity is totally into making capital E’s now and Emanuel is working on all sorts of wonderful practicing of letters and numbers. We have been including them in all of the big boys’ larger projects so they have enjoyed the space videos and the stories about Chinese New Year. I did pick up a special book for Emanuel and Ken to read together from the library! 

Fun story

Tuesdays are back to library days for Trinity and Emanuel! The last week was actually the first after Christmas but it was WAY too cold to go out. So Karyn and I packed them up and took them this week. We were early and had to deal with Emanuel wanting to go into the men’s washroom and then needing me to go in and reach the toilet paper for him (seriously, thank goodness no one else was in there). The theme was mice and there was lots of fun songs and stories and of course the craft. I love how involved they get in the gluing and colouring. So much fun!

Craft time

Trinity's mouse

Today started with an early morning wake up for all of us… well except Echo who was up even earlier. I had a 9:05 blood work appointment downtown and of course with my lack of driving and no knowledge of the busing here (or cash to spare for that this week) it was the whole family or nothing. Thankfully they were right on time and very efficient. Less than 10 min later, baby not even out of her seat and we were headed back home! 

For some reason heading out in the mornings always throws us off… so instead of forcing the issue we watched a Magic Schoolbus dvd about space (Zander opted to go downstairs and do his math, apparently the twins had watched it once already while we were at the library and he didn’t feel it needed a redo). they traveled all the planets. 

We continued work on our Chinese New Year poster… the boys are not the most efficient at finishing posters so I have decided to take the week and have them do a bit at a time so we are tidy and organized instead of them tossing pieces on to get done. So many brightly coloured dragons! 

Zander was nice enough to spend some of his afternoon teaching Trinity to play UNO. I just wish I could have him and Gavin play a round and it NOT be a huge deal to see who wins. 

Teaching UNO

There was a brief and I mean BRIEF foray outside. The weather is nicer but wet snow is awful for mittens leading to cold fingers. I do love how excited they get to see things like ice formed on one of the bikes left under a drip (really MUST move that) or footprints left by the neighbour’s cats. 

Trinity and the ice... who was then told to get back inside for mittens and to put her hood up!

Gavin felt the creative urge… he made Lego Chinese Dragons. So of course we had to take pictures! There is talk of some Chinese style houses too but he got distracted before they became a reality… maybe tomorrow? 

Kid is AMAZING with Legos!

We are certainly NOT a morning family… everyone was cranky and worn out today… Ken took a nap (his doctor says he must if he feels the need just to ensure he gets the rest when he needs it and not mess with his meds) and I TRIED to… interrupted by an annoying doorbell and non issue at the door… Echo is warm and fussy, Gavin warm… oh the trauma of the beginnings of colds in the house! 

So with all the grumpy kids, off starts to the day and upheaval it has NOT been the most productive 2 days… but we have continued on. I think that by the end of the week we will be further schooled regarding space and of course have our poster done and on the wall. Things are still tough here as they have been the past 3 years BUT I am starting to see the positives MUCH more clearly now. January may not have been the smooth and dreamy month I was hoping for, BUT it is ending better than it started and we intend to continue the trend! Faith without action is nothing remember! 

It gives me such a giggle that Echo is the right size for a play sippy cup to seem proportional

3 days … well ALMOST 3 full days at Grandma’s house after THREE MONTHS of not travelling = sad kids and Mommy when it was time to go home! BUT the time there was a blessing. Do you know, I think we are the only family with a TOILET at the top of a Christmas tree at Grandma and Grandpa’s?? Seriously! It won second place at the college. 

Isn't it awesome?

Close up

With Ken having work to finish and laundry running we made it to Grandma’s around supper time on Thursday. Oh and  you would not believe how long it takes to get to Grandma’s… ever so long… and it is SOOO boring… (got too dark to play UNO too quickly I guess). We made sure to leave room in the van for the return trip. One of the few times I miss the old van. I am proud to report that our newest repair by Canadian Tire held and was terrific, though we still smell some burning coolant (and will due to puddles that froze). So another trip to the Grandparents’ is in the works already! 

Grandma's house is the best I am told!

We were all up late and Trinity was, as usual, in our bed splayed all over. Mom and Mike have a boarder over the holidays when he cannot be on dorms. He is VERY nice and great with the kids and apparently eats anything. We ousted him from his bed for his last night there but he was a great sport… and planning on being out and about that night anyway. 

Friday was our first WHOLE day at the house in ages… tv’s were rediscovered, a toy room trashed and eventually cleaned up, backyard explored… no one was bored! AND Ken got a TON of work done in the basement in his corner. Zander, mom and I went out and got his glasses straightened, stopped in at the baby store (no size mediums to be had boo) AND stopped in where Gavin’s godmother Christine works (pharmacy) to see when she was in (4-12). Later Ken and Gavin took his present and saw her at work where she was invited to stop by before she headed off to her parents’ on Christmas Eve. 

Mom did a lot of the cooking for Christmas Eve dinner on Friday so that Saturday we had spare time. Mom did some crafts with the kids as well… She and Trinity finished an angel ornament together! 

Crafting with Grandma

Oh and we cannot forget the traditional decorating of the Christmas tree (the one WITHOUT a toilet at the top). We had minimal breakage and TONS of fun. With Echo in the thick of it UN-decorating the tree to boot! We put on maybe half the ornaments mom has collected over the decades on the tree… the new black tree is smaller than the old green one (it is the one that found new life as a maintenance themed tree). 

I had to take various pictures with various camera settings of course!

With Grandpa Mike AND a stool to help

Echo helping Grandma

So pretty!

Don't forget about the Christmas train set - with added stops for fun of course

Saturday was Christmas Eve of course which meant even MORE excitement… by 10:30 or so we had Christine AND her two puppies Bella and Jasper over for a visit AND mom’s dip. It was a visit long overdue and we chatted well past noon and her projected leaving time. While she was here Uncle Wayne got in for the day as well. 

Bella

Jasper

It really is true, in Mom's house the KITCHEN is where it is at!! Having dip and hanging out!

Before she left for her family gathering we HAD TO open the presents! Lots of crafty things for the kids (which we did by Christmas Day of course!). And the maintenance designed tree had to be shown off of course!

PRESENTS!

Just a happy boy with his God Mommy

It was an important first for Trinity too – Grandma gave her her first trim!!! Just a tiny bit off the bottom to get rid of the dry bits. Very exciting!

Just a TRIM now

We decided to open the rest of the presents before dinner as Mike got called into work due to a boiler issue that took some time to correct. Paper flew, toys went wild and the kids were over the moon!! 

Uncle Wayne and the fancy tree

Girly presents

Chaos!

We had supper around 3… well most of us did, mom and Mike ran out to a coffee that ended up being 2 hours long. But it was delicious. 

Turkey dinner

After mom and Mike got back we had Mike open his presents, played some and then it was time for a rather tearful goodbye. AND packing the van to the gills. Of course Mike got called back into work AGAIN and managed to make it back just in time to see us off. 

Watching Grandpa Mike open... the wrong present !!

Mom's gift from Mike - those are black and white diamonds!

We decimated this dip! While they played Clue Jr. Mom, Uncle Wayne and I finished this puppy off

Our drive was uneventful though there were tears still shed and some boredom. We got home, piled out and then the great emptying of the vehicle began… SO MUCH STUFF! AND a phone call to boot – Esther! Well worth the interruption. She has given us some lovely tax advice and calmed some fears in the same regards. Esther you are our hero and certainly do NOT visit your little Reinsch-Johnson Canadian family enough (you do know it is too late – you ARE one of us). 

Once we got in, put on new pj’s, put the baby to bed and tidied it was time for our Santa picture! Santa got chocolate milk in a WINE glass AND a plate FULL of oreos. Of course the kids had to sample first! 

Cookies and CHOCOLATE milk for Santa... with our key ready to go into the mailbox

Then bed for the kids and finishing touches for the adults. Christmas Eve was a lovely day and ended with everyone tired and ready for the big day!

And not it is Tuesday! Where did the time go? I am still rather blah but with some lovely pep talks, my amazing family and a nice long supportive phone call I am feeling more myself. Christmas is so stressful, even if you try to keep it realistic and non Christmas stress is never a helpful add on. All I ask is that everything say a little prayer or hold a happy thought that whatever stresses we have this month will pass quickly and allow us a brand new start to 2012! I would really appreciate that! Oh and here is a pick me up from the Old Spice Guy!

And now back to Christmas… we have been busy bees cleaning up for leaving to Grandma’s on the 22nd. It will be our first trip there since August so it is highly anticipated… It has been quite some time since I have packed for a overnighter for the whole family so it will be interesting. Regardless of mom having laundry there is all the randoms you need to be sure you have, the winter gear, the favourite toys, the gifts… wow I feel tired already! So tomorrow will mostly be unearthing bags to carry stuff in in the limited space we have in the van (after all the Quest has NO stow and go so suitcases are rather too bulky) and sorting through any of our perishables for the 3 day excursion. 

We have basically all but given up on regular school work though each of the boys completed a page of their math books. That is not to say we didn’t do our daily colouring because THAT got done (and the pile of laminating to be done grows and grows!) but really nothing else. I got roped into a game of Uno, refereed some Play Doh boardgame arguments and sent the twins outside to run until they were chilled, but actual sit down and planned schoolwork… nope! 

Already a little lady!

So two videos to make up for 2 blog posts in 3 days… well I had to share this one – for the LADIES!

And Trinity has requested we share the video link off of today’s Advent Calendar day. I have lost count of the number of times I have heard it play today!

Tomorrow is also Karyn’s birthday and as she is here in town still I am assuming fun will be had! Last year she was in Saskatchewan for the day! Though the next day we all seem to be dispersing (some for longer than others). I am still unsure of what everyone got the kids individually on Sunday so I want to send out a blanket THANK YOU to everyone… lots of fun, excitement and joy is being had with these new gifts. We feel so very blessed! Thank you!