November isn’t nearly so busy up in Canada… this American Thanksgiving thing takes getting used to and we have not gotten there yet. I am not a Black Friday shopping person… that is WAY too close to Christmas for my comfort. BUT we do try to cover something about it each year in our homeschool curriculum.

What is funny is that when I do these blog entries looking back at these months long gone I try to think about the month before I look at the pictures on the camera and our phone… November… well beyond Thanksgiving… well I drew a total blank… November, fall, I am pretty sure Nana and Baba took a trip… maybe… crochet, I know I did a lot of that (but when don’t I?)… we had to have homeschooled… crafted some I am sure… but concrete things… well darn you November, you just didn’t stick on the brain!

These flew off to Canada for a group of little girls to enjoy.

Oh wait! Remembrance Day… I mean Veteran’s Day… Though I wear my poppy and called it the former… don’t forget that. We did a mini unit on it that month. I do love the In Flander’s Fields poem (and not just because a Canadian wrote it).

Let’s see… we played in the snow… at the end of the month.

We did Home Depot.

We were thankful with our gratitude turkey feathers.

Echo got her inner artist going.

Trinity and Emanuel helped me make handmade Christmas cards.

We managed to make it to a craft at the Lakeshore educational store. 

We started our Christmas decorating with a mini tree in the basement. 

And put the large one up in the dining area for a lovely Christmas glow.

We made a trip to the Lego store at Mall of America. The kids love playing with the blocks they have out for use. 

Of course we set up our advent calendars. Echo got her very own paper chain countdown that she helped me put together.

We had company over. Cousin Robbie one night, the Schwartz family another.

We made a visit over to Robbie’s house too where Aunty Judy introduced us to their turtle.

And had a homeschool field trip to a newspaper for the twins! 

Of course we did some shopping and with decorations at Walmart and cute little ones at Sam’s.. I took pictures. I think all in all we did good last November!!

Well I am clearing up my emails as I work on the blog, sewing and school… so what do I come across but my emails to myself about Thanksgiving! And Remembrance Day to boot! Well I figured I might as well share the helpful links here. If nothing else, the next time I search Thanksgiving or Remembrance Day here on the blog to find useful resources I will be in luck!

• Kids National Geographic and their interpretation of the first Thanksgiving HERE
• Social Studies for Kids and their thoughts on the Mayflower HERE
• Reading With Kids turkey colour by letters HERE
• Havefunteaching.com Harvest Festival explanation HERE
• Kids Puzzles and Games Harvest Festival Puzzle Sheet HERE
• Busy Teacher Thankful Tree Leaves writing template HERE
• Teachers Pay Teachers Thanksgiving fun page HERE
• Crewsnest Harvest Festival run down HERE

Remembrance Day!

• Words of Remembrance Day cards through Activity Village HERE
• Homeschooling.About.Com Veterans Day word search HERE
• Parenting.Leehansen.com poppy colouring page HERE

A Halloween bonus!

• Happy Home Fairy Pumpkin game HERE

A taste of fall to enjoy at the end. Minnesota has some amazing colour in the fall.

November 10-12

With a special session at Sunday School about the use of money and savings that was not necessary for us to be at and Aunty Karyn still in residence we totally skipped our Sunday School on Sunday. We got a little bit of time in the backyard…

And then in the evening when it was time to return the cousins Nana and Baba also took Echo freeing us up to head to the city and check out a German St. Martin’s day celebration. We didn’t stick around too much for that – just too many people and not enough interesting the kids… BUT we did see that the building it was in was also one we saw the day before at the Lego exhibit.

Took pictures of some Charlie Brown themed statues.

This one was my favourite I think

And then stopped off at The Source for some dice shopping and time with the manga for Karyn and myself. We ended the evening with the first set of gifts being wrapped. Karyn saved herself a tidy sum of postage just as I did with her taking back items and bought her gifts here for the kids (and myself!! I got spoiled with some of my favourite Caron Simply Soft yarn).

It has begun!

Remembrance Day… okay Veterans Day here in the US of A… was a quiet one… no snow yet… and a light morning of school so that Karyn and I could go with my mother in law to Mall of America to window shop.

Storytime

Ok who am I kidding… we shopped, we bought and we perused. I had a coupon or two for freebies that I HAD TO take advantage of (which included a free Annie’s Pretzel noms), but my shopping buddies found deals and finds that were well worth the sore feet at the end of the day. I am VERY proud to say I spent a grand total of 6.00… purchasing a Dollar Tree pair of fuzzy socks that once I wear them out will make AMAZING sock owls and getting Typo brand pens. These are even finer point that my previous but the same amazing quality.

It was over so quickly, our visit with Karyn. The 12th marked the end and so was a rather light day for the kids. Karyn, Baba and I had to head to the airport by noon so we did a bit of schoolwork, a lot of cuddling and then had to pry Trinity off of Karyn. They really are the closest two in our family. It was a little heartbreaking to MAKE Trinity say good bye and watch her walk off with tears in her eyes saying everyone has to leave.

We continue being thankful

After dropping her off safely and on time (her flight here was delayed… of course) it was time to run to a couple stores to get some groceries and then return home to some rather droopy and sad kids… ok Mommy was right there with them!

We did have time to make ONE of our I Am Thankful Pumpkins (ok more squash since we were out of orange cardstock) thanks to The Moffatt Girls website HERE.

OH and a sighting of the neighbourhood WHITE squirrel… not the black one lately…

We miss you already Karyn! Thanks for visiting!!!