Tag Archive | workbooks

May We Reflect on the 5th Month of 2015?

Yup slowly but surely we are working our way to current life… it has just seemed like the year has slipped away before we could truly grasp it! But on I go… May…DSCN0021

Well, what happens in May? Mother’s Day… that is the big one.DSCN0034

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Mother's Day dinner with Nana and Baba

Mother’s Day dinner with Nana and Baba

But we had so much more going on… Spring means sunshine and park days! We do have a couple nearby.DSCN0057

DSCN0007It also means (in Texas), roses are big, gorgeous and mailable… Gammie has always sent us beautiful blooms from her garden that seem to make it in record time for the most part, smell and petals intact!DSCN0012

Garage sales have started back up as well. A goldmine for books, toys and the odd piece of clothing… especially when they are walking distance.DSCN0018

DSCN0084The hot find for this year – LITTLEST PET SHOP pieces! Trinity and Echo are now addicted to them. Odd little bobble head things.DSCN0049

Miss Trinity completed a couple workbooks, as did Emanuel.DSCN0014

DSCN0036DSCN0038We dressed up fancy for church, especially when there was singing to be done for the Cherub Choir!DSCN0026

DSCN0028DSCN0030Scouts figured highly in our activities around the month of May… anything to fulfill Emanuel’s arrow points. This is a game where you throw washers into a pie plate. All the kids enjoyed that one! Noisy though.DSCN0040

One of Trinity’s birthday presents was a knot it yourself fleece blanket with a Hello Kitty theme. Trinity was such a go getter with this one – her goal was to finish in time for the Family Night movie at the YMCA… she made it!DSCN0043

Miss Echo was gifted a lovely selection of shoes thanks to the Schwartz family’s neighbour! What a blessing!!DSCN0062

We took the whole family for a special outing to the carousal at one of the smaller malls.DSCN0064

DSCN0065The kids rescued some free chairs from the end of the neighbour’s drive as well. Decent condition and rather comfy!DSCN0072

May also marked the beginning of this year’s straw bale garden. Nana and Baba are gone so much now they figured they would set it up and let the boys go with it. The results were… varied… but they did enjoy the process of setting things up, planting and such.DSCN0073

DSCN0074It is surprising how quickly winter melts away around here. The kids are always quick to embrace that change, really they are quick to embrace each and every season with a great deal of enthusiasm.DSCN0054

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Cousin Robbie even found the time for a visit! A college student now we see a lot less of him but the visits we do have are terrific!DSCN0083

IMAG2654We ended the month with a trip to the zoo (Como) with Aunty Shandai and Uncle Ravyn. Sometimes a place takes on a whole new experience just by adding some amazing company. So sit back and enjoy the inevitable photo overflow!!!! Happy May!!! (belatedly!)

We picked a busy day and had to park away and take the shuttle which the kids LOVED

We picked a busy day and had to park away and take the shuttle which the kids LOVED

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Sea Lion

Sea Lion

this little guy was all over the place within arm's reach!

this little guy was all over the place within arm’s reach!

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Bonsai!!!

Bonsai!!!

You can find the rest of the month’s images (many from the zoo) HERE. Can’t resist sharing these!!!

And of course we spent a lot of time with the Schwartz family! Even met the neighbour’s baby.  Now that we have snow it is fun to look back at all this green warm sunshine!IMAG2399

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Don’t forget Home Depot with Daddy and Baba!IMAG2422

And our time with Kites and the Wind (resources HERE).

IMAG2395And tons more but instead… a few more pics and then bop up to that link at the zoo section and see the overflow! Bask in the warm images with our cold winter just beginning!

Trinity's birthday party (note Novak boys)

Trinity’s birthday party (note Novak boys)

Two new blue bracelets!

Two new blue bracelets!

Feeding the Starving Children with Scouts

Feeding the Starving Children with Scouts

Easter shoes thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Mike!

Easter shoes thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Mike!

 

The November Nutshell

And now for November… another month in a rather long nutshell!!! I have to admit… with all the Christmas stitching, school, swim lessons (cooking for the twins) and actual sales and commissions… my blog has languished a little.

Of course November is the month of AMERICAN Thanksgiving… ever confusing on a THURSDAY no less. This was an unusual one for us as Nana and Baba headed off to Florida to spend it with the other grandkids… but we persevered.101_9983

Thankful hands tree

Thankful hands tree

We had leaves to bag up still… great exercise for the boys and they were even relatively willing. Of course you can see the amazing colours better on a previous entry where we had the whole family out there dealing with the leaves on the ground HERE.101_9987

101_9989We did leave time for some mini fashion. Trinity is already able to wear some of the rather funky and fun clothing left to her by her cousin Gabriella when they left for Florida!101_9996

Of course we had to take advantage of the week of free online books through Bookit this month as well. Each one narrated with terrific pictures.101_9999

We had a blast learning about and building our own volcano. Science has always been the one thing we have struggled with in our homeschool life. Getting enough in, being organized but the whole family is quick to jump on board with a good craft and activity… add in chemicals (even ones as benign as vinegar and baking soda) and a little explosion and even Echo was there for the fun. This was the first time I sat down and talked to them about things like earthquakes and really looked into what damage a volcano can do to the land and the people around it.102_0015

102_0017IMAG0512Our November was full of visits with our favourite baby and his brothers… Jeffrey is definitely growing like a weed!102_0030

102_0032102_0037We also made it outside to enjoy the snow. What a difference from last year’s excessive cold and snow!!!102_0005

102_0064At the end of the month we pulled out the tree and fixings which of course is one of my favourite backdrops for photos. It always feels like the season is coming when we bring out the stockings. I am very proud of how they turned out. Though Ken STILL does not have a special stocking. You can check out the full blog post of family photos HERE.IMAG0517

IMAG0521IMAG0532A few helpful Thanksgiving books:

Our Thanksgiving was spent with Aunty Judy, Uncle Jim and Cousin Robbie. It was quiet and fun and full of delicious food! We were so thankful they could make it to the meal that the kids planned and shopped for! The twins were real troopers making up the grocery list and doing the choosing at Sam’s Club themselves!

Zander and the twins' Thanksgiving grocery list

Zander and the twins’ Thanksgiving grocery list

IMAG0478IMAG0480IMAG0483I snuck in a ladies outing with Nana over at Renee’s. We made woven fabric baskets and played with Mystro. Not the simplest craft but not impossible. You can find the instructions HERE thanks to Terry Atkinson. IMAG0391

IMAG0390School wise we have seen an influx in art interest. Art for Kids is win win with us!102_0019

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Echo's more free style work using photopaper and sharpie

Echo’s more free style work using photopaper and sharpie

Add in some completions and workbook interest…102_0006

102_0020And some rather amazing Halloween lapbook completions! 102_0010

102_0011102_0047102_0049I think we accomplished much of what we had hoped to this November. Add in swimming and scouts, Sunday School and choir and we have become way more busy than we expected! Thank goodness the arctic chill has not appeared! Do enjoy the overflow images for the LONG belated month of November HERE.

Emanuel swimming with a noodle!

Emanuel swimming with a noodle!

May Marches On

May 23-24

After such a busy evening our following Thursday was slowed a little… With her helpful sister in tow Trinity busted through one of her workbooks for a completion!!

Busy together

Complete

We had a penguin craft to work on using hands and feet to make ourselves some adorable penguins!!! Lots of helping each other tracing and cutting and gluing!

instructions to follow in the resource page!

Each one unique

It was finally a relatively sunny day so the kids spent plenty of time outside assisting Nana and Baba in the gardening… pulling weeds… fun stuff! And highly educational!

Progress on the gardening

Wandering the bales

Trains expanded to being under a tent to keep out the sun!

Tented trains

And Echo even sported a braid for a portion of the day!!!

Braid!

Honestly Friday followed suit in gardening friendly weather so we added another day of outside learning. So much work to be done on those days that are NOT rainy!

Gardening in the sunshine

3 of the kids went out to buy soil so Gavin, Echo and I had a lovely snack  together…

Snack

And then some gaming

Gavin even pulled out his long ignored sewing. I am hoping June will be his month to return to it!

Cross Stitch

With our busy school schedule and the gardening going on in the backyard when the weather permits… we are getting in lots of activity AND learning. Spring in Minnesota.

Out in the backyard with Daddy before bed!

Even dolly is having fun!