Well, my goal of making my blog up to date BEFORE the end of January was a bit of a miss! But, amazingly enough, I have posted more than 2000 blog posts since I began this site! What a stretch! But then again, I have enjoyed pretty much every addition to it.

Now that I have posted June it is time to look at July… Canada Day, Independence Day… we manage both sides of the coin this month. You can see our Canada Day finery HERE and Independence Day HERE. We were spoiled with also spending a portion of cousin Gabbi’s birthday with her since it too is on July 4th and their vacation had stretched to meet the date.

We had amazing Pad Thai dinner with the Schwartz family… which also included time with the always entertaining Mystro (cue Echo asking ONCE AGAIN when we will get a cat, even the pictures set her off lately!).

We had an awesome time at Aidan’s Lego themed birthday party. Darcy went all out with the theme and Emanuel was over the moon to see at least one of his scouting buddies when they were not in session.

I wish I had the talent Darcy has with cakes. I am honestly more of a go to Target and order a cake kinda girl lately.

July was also when Grandpa Mike made his bike trip up through Minnesota. We got a whole afternoon/evening with him (minus swimming lessons). The kids were over the moon with the visit.

On the phone with Grandma

Showing him the nearby park (Echo was napping)

He even took us out to Wendy’s for dinner! It was the longest we ever sat there and one of the most enjoyable ever.

Sadly he had to bike on earlier than expected the next day when he got news of a need to visit family up in Ontario. But it was a good visit and the kids still remember it fondly.

We had plenty of time for learning and school in July with cousins back home and the weather rather fine.

Gavin is working on his art skills

Wild Kratts: fossa

Miss Echo was a laugh and a half most of the time.

But we made LOTS of time for the pool. And in turn my sewing time. After all, sunshine, warm weather and a pool in the yard… why stay inside?

Towards the end of July we were able to also make it to Alex’s birthday. Another awesome day, though we had to leave early to make it to YMCA lessons (did I ever get a lecture from the kids for that one!).

We lucked out with weather and free time and managed to meet up with the Novaks at one of their local splash pads. It is easier each year to go out and just relax, what with the older Novak boys and our own kids being older. A lot less micro managing. It is nice!

Multiple visits with the Novaks and the Schwartz family were experienced in July. Poor Trinity, so many boys!!!

Extra bonus – visit with Alicia and Cousin Robbie. She is off to university in the fall!!

We rounded out the month with swimming lessons. I am so pleased with how well all of our kids are doing. We are going to end up with little fishes very soon!!!

And of course continued our archery, cooking and running classes at the YMCA thanks to Nana and Baba!

So really July was an exercise in making the most of fun in the sun! We didn’t do half bad did we???

Yup July 1st has come and gone and we got our full Canadian groove on to celebrate!!! In fact, the kids felt that this was our best year… outside of living in Canada (of course) to date! Each year we are becoming more and more aware of the differences in our countries… of the hole not being back in Canada has made in our hearts… so it is absolutely wonderful to be able to spend a day holding tight to our traditions, memories and favourite things!

So we started our day with some fun worksheets thanks to Activity Village. We have done up crafts and other fun activities from their Canada section other years. I absolutely do not know what we would do without their amazing site! Check out their Canada printables and more HERE and stick around and peek through the rest. it is worth it!

Of course we decked out the front yard this year with our Canadian flags.. augmented once again with great thanks to Aunty Karyn! Dollarama how I miss you and your cheap but awesome things!

I also did up the little opening by our front door. I love that area for seasonal and holiday themed decorating.

We took tons of pictures.. sadly the boys are down to red and white but the girls and myself pulled our themed shirts out for another year. Proudly Canadian!

I gave them some down time for our holiday. It is hard to have a tradition fall on a week day that is not observed by the country you reside in. Everyone else goes on about their business while you want to scream THIS DAY IS SPECIAL! So we made it special.

Next we packed up a picnic snack, the kids, our art supplies and a blanket (oh and a flag) and headed of to the Walker Sculpture Garden. (talk about affordable fun.. 3.50 parking for the day and we were able to pass our still active parking pass along to another couple to use for them to continue the day) This is a place we have been multiple times and always enjoyed. Our plan: find a shaded corner, spread our blanket, pull out our Canadian Flag, art supplies and books and enjoy! And it was a total success!

Not only did another pair of Canadian stop by and say hi due to the flag but we also met a homeschool mamma who was so sweet about our set up. She totally recognized a homeschool family and was funny and kind. She even took a picture for us to remember our day. What a pat on the back that we would be so readily recognized as homeschoolers and for all the RIGHT reasons!

SNACKS!

The Sculpture Garden is a definite favourite for our entire family. So much beauty.

Add in dinner at Wendy’s where we got a SUPER deal on the kids’ meals since there was a mistake about how long a promotional price was on for and it was a capper to an awesome day. We even got our favourite cashier who has twin grandkids… non identical boy and girl as she describes them.

And now I will leave you with the extra images and one of my all time favourite vingettes…. Log Driver’s Waltz. I dare you  to listen and not want to sing and dance! I know I can’t do it!

And now for the overflow of images of our Canada Day!

Well Echo is now a well travelled baby – she has made her way into Saskatchewan! Not as far as her Great Grandmother who is past Saskatoon but well into the province to Maidstone… and then on to Aunty Karyn’s family cabin. Only AFTER we did the rounds seeing all her childhood memory spots. But I am getting ahead of myself. We left here at 7:30 in the morning to swing by to pick up Victoria and then off to Saskatchewan… We stopped off at McDonald’s back where my mom lives. In fact, the one that I used to work at in high school (before the remodel made it all cool).

Sitting like a big girl at McD's

Then back in the car to drive on. We stopped in Innisfree to get gas. That left bathroom, snack pick up and baby to change. Then back we went…

Snack time

We had to drive through Lloydminster to get into Saskatchewan… and then into Maidstone to tour the town before heading out to the cabin. We saw friends’ homes, the schools she went to… her old family home… so much fun! The drive out to the cabin proved to those of us NOT from Saskatchewan that the old adage that Saskatchewan is FLAT is absolutely wrong! OH and did I mention some of the views were absolutely breath taking???

So pretty!

There was some sad news in regards to the cabin – there had been a recent break in… it looked as if they got in and rifled through the stuff in the main room…but took NOTHING! Very odd! So we had a bit of a job ahead of us to tidy is up and make some semblance of order in there. I think we did a good job, after we had lunch though.

After a full afternoon of going through things, checking out stuff in a broken silo and generally tidying we went out to the edge of the land the cabin was on to see the view. And to take pictures! Windy, sunny and gorgeous!!!

Panoramic Saskatchewan

Then it was time to head back home… quite the drive, with a stop off first at Lloydminster to go to the bathroom and get gas and then back to the same town we had breakfast in to get supper. Wendy’s! And then home home home.

Supper at Wendy's

I came home to a bit of a mess! Apparently while Ken was sleeping before church they decorated and then all day played played played.

Paperchains

He did get a group picture before church! AND Trinity joined the preschool class that was coupled with Emanuel’s Kindergarten class. We are not going to force the issue but from time to time give her the chance to join the class… all depends on her mood and how the potty training is going! I am told she had a GREAT time!

Ready to go church

OH I also came home from some gifts from a special homeschooling friend. I missed her email asking to text if I was going to be home as I had already left. Included were backpacks! Nice ones, that are much bigger than what the kids had and PERFECT overnight size for going to grandma’s. And some Halloween goodies and baby clothes. Her grand-daughter, while younger than our Echo is bigger (isn’t that the way it is with our pixie?). I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful friend and sad that I missed her! Maybe next time?

Some goodies

We brought back some treasures from the cabin too – two lovely little chairs I just need to clean up and maybe paint… and a doll house complete with the furniture, dollies and a little car! If you pull down the switch on the front door the doorbell even makes a sound! I remember playing with a house like this at the doctor’s when I was little. We are so lucky to have friends who are downsizing their possessions and old favourites. We certainly appreciate it and feel blessed!

Dollhouse

Today was not the most fluid of days… but we had some lovely moments! The kids started with Stuart Little… I figured it was best to  get that second last chapter done. Definitely some resistance as everyone was still in last week’s cranky mode but better! 

Stuart Little

We did some math workbook work… funny enough – both boys ended up starting with probability – Zander at the grade 1 level and Gavin the grade 2. Pretty much the same thing though for both.

Math time

And then we started on our NEW project, my stepsister’s husband (Adam) is gone overseas. He is a mechanic and fixes planes for the airforce. So when I recently got send his mailing address I decided we would write him some letters. After all we have never met and this is a great way to begin that. The boys were a little resistant with the writing portion but excited about drawing him some special pictures. The little two just drew pictures and used stickers but they did have a lot of fun doing it. 

Not sure why Echo was so surprised!

We started on our Halloween print outs today as well… the UK site had some cute paper doll type stuffthat I printed out for each child. 3 decided to make their people all dressed up, 1 to go the usable paper doll route. Surprisingly that was ZANDER! Usually he chooses the least amount of work. Once I laminate them it will be another set of cutting out to  get these ready for use.

Laminated but not cut apart

Then there is the Halloween Activity books… I picked and chose my way through it try not to go too beyond the kids’ abilities. There was quite a few options!

I finished replacing the Velcro on ONE of the sized small diapers… it took me two days but it is done. The only problem is that when I went to start a second all of the covers were in the wash! So hopefully tomorrow I can catch up on the laundry and go from there. I have 4 in total to replace, as her 5th is a relatively new cover. 

Diaper Velcro replaced

The twins made new paperchains to go on the tree out front… we aren’t too huge on the decorating BUT this year we figured we would do up our tree just a little! 

Ready for the tree

Karyn got off work early today and decided to come by and whisk the twins off to the library and then to the park! Lucky things. This time the other branch where they got some books and movies. Tomorrow it is back in the pj’s for the little ones for stories and crafts so we are getting well acquainted with our local library branches! Already well worth the 10.00 for the card. That left the 3 little ones to enjoy freezies and hang out together here. 

Freezie time

Sunshine snack

OH found out today we have had the wrong postal code! For those who need it the end 3 digits/numbers and letter things are 2C7! Be sure to change it!!!! 

So there is lots to be done upstairs after a full day away! Add to that costumes to be completed and more Halloween crafts and activities to print out and I don’t think I will be going to bed any time soon! BUT I managed to get a winter coat for Emanuel off of Kijiji for 10.00 and tomorrow will sell a costume to someone else for the same! I really feel like I am contributing! Hopefully more of my ads will sell this week and I can decrease the clutter in my closets! In the meantime, back to creating a penguin out of bits and pieces! 

Sweet baby