And so we have the weekend… and after a horribly stress inducing second half of the week, a welcome reprieve. We had a Saturday to remember with friends and leaves and games and… FAMILY PHOTOS! Yup, Fydo and Kristen came out with us to a local (and rather pretty) leaf filled park and took pictures for us. I most definitely have camera envy!! We played in the leaves, tried to sit Echo in them (no go apparently she absolutely DESPISES leaves… good to know!), played in the nearby park (no pictures sorry) and enjoyed the rather crisp fall air. We got some absolutely lovely photos out of the experience and the kids had a blast in the leaves. 

Miss Trinity has learned where the most fun is to be had and when Kristen and I were nominated to make a grocery run for dinner (to which they treated us – thank you so much you two!) she was quick to fuss about coming with. Well a booster in the back of the car later and we were off to Superstore where she ALSO went to the potty in the store! What a big girl! In fact, all weekend she had only one incident, we put a pull up on her for bedtime and she pooped… she was devastated! We are not holding it against her dress tally as she came as quick as she could to tell us but after a slurpee, pizza and other junk foods it is hard when you are a new trainer.

We ended Saturday with boardgames and Sean joining us. A new game first that was a 4 player so I sat out and sewed on beaks on my owls and then Settlers. Echo joined in on that one and attempted a coup by throwing her toy through the board! So much fun and a much needed dose of games, company and companionship I needed after my ick week ending.

Sean stayed the night and the girls and I saw our boys off for Sunday School Sunday morning. We tidied, played and then… then the popcorn baby was joined by popcorn blondie… apparently popcorn is a major bonding point in this family!

After Sunday School there was time to tidy and eat and then FRIENDS FRIENDS FRIENDS… oh and FAMILY too! What a needed reprieve from being home as a family… First it was Karyn and Victoria who came in time to drive Zander and I out on a VERY special errand – we had to go get a Halloween costume while they were 40% off at Superstore! A 3 day sale that ended on Sunday… I won’t disclose the costume but I got it for less than the container of laundry soap I also had to pick up! When we got back the number of visitors had grown by 3 with the arrival of Esther (oh yes REALLY!!!), Grandma AND Grandpa Mike! Grandma and Grandpa Mike came bearing gifts, including some school storage (yay!).

AND two workbooks – a Kindergarten one AND a Preschool one! The little ones were absolutely in raptures and drug Aunty Esther over to get started. Trinity mostly follows the instructions and is loving every minute of it! I am VERY blessed to have kids who complain when I say we CAN’T do schoolwork… it took some convincing to get them to understand that I needed to clean the table FIRST. They can certainly exhaust a person with their enthusiasm at the end of a long day. But it is a wonderful exhaustion.

We ordered pizza as a group after Grandma and Grandpa headed out for home (Mike wanted to go out and do a ride on the bike)… Echo did the potato wedges and the kids were over the moon. I managed to eat a couple pieces of pizza, go out for a wonderful walk with ALL the kids, Victoria, Karyn and Esther for slurpees (they suckered Aunty Esther BIG TIME) and feel much better by the end of the evening.

That left my evening cleared up to work on wings and owls… one done by 10 and I was done in though… long week, not enough sleep and VERY happy kids to see all these Aunties, an Uncle AND one set of Grandparents! They have been rather grandparent spoiled what with all the Skyping with Grandpa Reinsch… I am hoping the trend continues! I am loving being in better contact with my dad.

Monday was a wee bit overwhelming with the sheer level of energy the younger two of our big 4 had for their new books. It is a bit of an uphill battle to explain how we have to TAKE TURNS having Mommy one on one learning time, but it is a great one to have. They WANT to learn, to try and to do… that makes it all the more exciting. Though I do admit to some losing of patience AND headaches on my end!

We read another chapter of Stuart Little today… we are up to chapter 10! I asked for suggestions with my local egroup and plan on doing some mouse related research and maybe finding some short stories about OTHER mice. We do have the Disney movie to watch at the end of our story courtesy of Cousin Veronika and her Adam… I want to do more with this book than I did with Trumpet of the Swan and this is no longer a summer read! In fact, Karyn found out that the downtown branch of our city library has a pj wearing storytime Tuesday nights so next week I think I will send Ken, Trinity and Emanuel which would leave the twins and me some game time!

We did finish our Family Tree – you can make your own according to these instructions. We went Grandparents, parents and then kids… I love how it turned out and there is room to add some more extended family later! They were VERY proud of their work and we seem to have somewhat of an understanding as to which sets of grandparents directly belong to which parent.

Quiet time was badly timed with the waking up of Echo so she went and played animals with the twins… with strict instructions that she could PLAY but not EAT the toys… we used sheets and towels for terrain and until Echo went monster giant baby on the landscape it was rather organized and amazing to look upon! 

Ken gave me an evening break by sending me to the basement to lay on the couch and watch tv (Murder She Wrote on Netflix) while he and the kids had a daddy evening. I am told Legos were played!!! My evening is left up to do crafting, blogging and tidying… I am happy to report I am eating more again BUT Trinity had a potty accident at bedtime… we are soooo close… not a pee accident to be seen and I am VERY pleased. One more poop on the potty and I have to go buy her a Hello Kitty dress! I am really looking forward to that purchase! 

I have finished a couple H’owl’oween owls… even had an interested party on a 3rd! It feels good to make things people actually want! I am determined to make October GREAT. 

…and I drop off the face of the planet for a few days… but in a GOOD way…

Friday was a bit of a slow start as Ken had to finish something for work before we could get out the door (which inevitably took longer than expected) BUT around noon we were packed up and out the door to go CAMPING! This is the first REAL camping trip for all 5 of our kids… and a REAL adventure. Destination Tolman Bridge campgrounds… but with a stop off to pick up the map with my Aunty Lorraine in Trochu. Did  you know that Trochu has a few claims to fame? The ones I do NOT have pictures of are – they are the Pinkest Little Town in the West (2010) for breastcancer… you can still see the remnants of their pink claim to fame all over the town and the world’s largest golf tee – Veronika took me, Echo and Trinity past it and I can verify – it is a massively large golf tee! 

After sending me in to get the map and added instructions we headed back to the highway and promptly turned back so KEN could go get better instructions… I tell him EACH TIME that I am horrible with handdrawn maps and verbal directions and each time he sends me in. Thankfully Aunty Lorraine was busy so he talked to a cashier in the bank (slightly less embarrassing for yours truly) and THEN we were finally off… The camp site was another 15 min out of Trochu in some lovely country! Lots of hills and trees and interesting landscape. 

We got into the camp late in the afternoon. Adam was already there with Holli and Combyne (the dogs) with two tents set up and the rv parked and ready to be used… and most importantly to the kids – a fire going!

We had been texting with Veronika before we got into the valley and the super spotty to NO cell phone signal area and knew she was on her way. So while we were waiting for her (she was coming from her orientation at her new job at Indigo!!) we walked kids and dogs to the river to play in the water. 

It was so hot out so the water was welcoming but FREEZING cold! We played there until Veronika met up with us in her Jeep. Then we headed back to the campsite to unload what she brought. Then Veronika and I took off with Echo to the store in Trochu to “fill in the gaps” on some food items… aka = pop tarts, pork chops and some sausages. It was a nice drive and Echo got in a nap. I was reminded as to how EXPENSIVE things are in small towns… a package of pull ups in Trochu at the grocery store is 25.00… way more than in the city!!! So we decided to deal with however many we had left.

Apparently while we were gone to the store the kids found a caterpillar which was a HUGE source of excitement… many pictures were taken and I am told the critter managed to make it off intact.

Then it was time to pack up and head back to the lake. It had cooled off a bit so the water was VERY cold, we persevered and managed to enjoy ourselves. This time we all wore bathing suits, well except Echo but she put a toe in and very quickly voiced her opinion that the water was NOT to her liking!

 Supper was cooked over the fire by our total pro Adam. It was beyond delicious and included some amazing potatoes. He really does cook EVERYTHING over the fire. And then of course there was the marshmallows… what is a camp out without them? And Veronika had the jumbo ones… they were deemed too big for the kids though… it took multiple cookings and layer after layer to get them fully eaten (you can be sure we complained loudly… well we would have except for our mouths were full and fingers too sticky!).

The kids got to choose their tent so of course chose the big one… so after dinner it was pj’s and bed… with very few interruptions once they realized we could see their shadows from the light in the tent! That left the adults (and Echo) free to stay up late chatting, drinking, eating more marshmallows and just relaxing. How marvelous! Though I have now been reminded how out of practice I am in drinking shots… drink something all at once? Seriously? 

Ken, Echo and I slept in the rv on a VERY comfy bed… not exactly SLEPT IN but got a nice sleep… then it was up and back to camping in the morning – the rather chilly morning! So it was a very good thing I brought jeans and sweaters for all the kids. Though they were quick to lend a hand and ask poor Adam a MILLION questions about the fire – if the poor man had any intention to quit smoking they most certainly were NOT helping him with it… all 4 kids peppering you with questions CAN be quite stressful! 

After breakfast (cooked on the fire again – YUM) it was time for some relaxing… well as relaxing as it gets with 5 active kids… but we managed… 

After relaxing and such it became clear to Veronika and I that Echo was NOT going to nap in the rv and Trinity needed a boy break. So we decided to tour Trochu and Three Hill and get some soft serve at the Trochu Dollar Store. First off to Three Hills where Adam and Veronika had rented a couple places (we drove by) and cousins from the other side of the family once lived (could not remember the way to their old place). We saw the pool with splash park, stopped in at the grocery store to NOT buy pull ups (ouch!) and generally toured. Good thing to know about Three Hills – if you need gas do NOT stop by the place on the highway but go further into the city – there was a like 9 cents difference! 

On the way back to Trochu we stopped and checked out the large windmills that are generating power out in the fields. They are intensely huge and rather awe inspiring. Trinity checked them out (with Cousin Veronika’s sunglasses on as the sun was too sunny) and was rather impressed.

Of course we had to drive through Trochu also, see our grandparents’ old house (fenced and for sale), the splash park (we HAVE TO go there next year), the arboretum that we took pictures at with our grandparents ages ago… downtown… where we ended up at the Dollar Store for soft serve… Echo shared some of mine (cheesecake flavoured) and Trinity had a baby (baby??? big!) banana. 

We picked up a treat for the boys – shaped elastics, and a sheet of purple glitter paper (only 1.50!) and headed BACK to the campsite. 

The guys were all at the river so we went over there to meet up and wade in the rather chilly water. After that it was back to the campsite and more hanging out before supper… cooked over the fire of course! 

Trinity was so worn out we forced a nap on her. She woke up while everyone was eating supper and was beyond ready to go home so we figured it was time to pack up and head out. The flies and other bugs were way worse Saturday afternoon anyway and we had to be home and in bed to be awake and ready Sunday morning. So we helped pack up and said good-bye to Adam and Veronika. 

I am happy to report that the complaining van and the cell phone on low battery BOTH saw us home safely… of course as when we came to the campsite I texted people to let them know we were on the road and went from there. I just felt safer that way, and it IS entertaining to chat while on the road. The kids were exhausted when we got home but it was definitely a BATHS FIRST sort of night, as well as the start on the mountain of laundry that had come home with us. I love campfires, do NOT love the smell of smoke on everything later. 

Sunday marked the beginning of Sunday School at our new church and the boys and Ken were the ones who went. I kept the girls home to give Echo nap time and myself the time for prep work for the afternoon crafting event. I have yet to discuss 9/11 with the kids and will probably talk to the boys about it in the future years… but what I remember the most is being in a panic with Ken as we tried to find his parents who were supposed to be flying home from vacation back to Minnesota on some unknown flight. It was a full 2 days before we were contacted and told they had been grounded in Florida and stayed with my brother in law. In the panic no one had thought to call us up here in Alberta (though keep in mind they are the same people who were in the eye of Katrina on vacation too! And drove TO work on the bridge in Mn that later collapsed that evening but not home on it!!). 

We had a lovely turn out for my crafting afternoon! Supplies were brought, ideas shared, glitter and more used in abundance. Crafting messes are some of the BEST messes. And boy did we make a mess! Ken had to bring up the second table and I added both spare leaves to the kitchen table. We had Karyn’s Cricut, Kristen’s texturing machine and my embossing powder and heat gun as well as tons of other bits and bobs. 

There was a variety of crafts going on – Victoria made stationary, most people cards and Karyn and I worked on some scrapbook pages. What we learned is that we need to pick ONE topic or theme to cut down on the large quantity of supplies we needed and that every event will most likely include at least ONE trip to Michaels with some group of people!! (we did towards the end go in with coupons and the like).

Karyn brought her finished cards for people to look through and there were snacks and drinks, in fact KEN made us raspberry cake and a VERY chocolaty banana bread! All were thoroughly approved. 

After some crafting was done and Echo woke up Kathy and Victoria took charge of keeping her entertained, although apparently Echo has decided she wants to learn how to knit and made it nearly impossible for Victoria to work on her blue giraffe! 

All in all tons of interesting things were made and much fun had! We are already discussing an October gathering with maybe a Halloween theme! YAY!!!

I got a Currclick freebie of the week that some parents with younger children may be interested in as well! (if you have made it all the way through my weekend babble that is!)… it is called My Learning Desk Mat. I plan on making one as place mats for at least Trinity and Emanuel. 

Today’s homeschooling for the twins was mainly focused on COMPLETION. We worked hard on one of the math grade 1 workbooks they had found in their drawers and they BOTH completed it! They were so excited… it covered a variety of things but what I loved the most is that it focused on fractions in a VERY basic way so that helped them get a better idea of what they are… something I want to focus on in a big way this year. 

Emanuel worked VERY hard on his letters and numbers today. He is absolutely determined to get in as much learning as he can!

We even made time for Stuart Little… we learned all about what he does first thing in the morning. Trinity had Daddy draw him brushing his teeth. 

So with that much accomplished we let it go and the kids went down and watched the OLD My Little Pony dvds that Kathy had given them ages ago (something I can’t stand to watch so I stayed upstairs and sorted craft stuff). I feel that we ended the day work wise at a good point and they are ALL excited about tomorrow… more Stuart Little, some special pictures to draw… oh did I mention we did one last picture from each boy for their Summer Adventure File? Emanuel and Zander drew Prickie Pie who came for a visit yesterday and Gavin the tent they slept in while camping.

Now I have a corner set up even better in the basement thanks to bookcases Kathy gave us (thank you so much!) and I am hoping to have made great inroads on the rest of the mess screaming at me for cleaning. We still need to figure out curtains… and find pictures… THEN we will truly be home!

And with that the BLOG is back to normal. What an amazing 5 days to recount and now reality. What does September hold for the Reinsch-Johnson family? Well, we need to have an educational plan written up… In fact the boys are officially registered as 2nd year homeschoolers. How exciting!! And then there is my hope to have the rest of the unknown boxes and buckets gone through and put away… an end to the settling in after what has become a very positive move. Sunday School starts next weekend for the boys which is a great excitement to them. I am trying to set up a crafting night at least a couple times this month, and Cousin Veronika has suggested a book club… What can I say, I enjoy keeping busy!

I am not sure what is up with the girls in the family but both are rather pouty this weekend. Lots of sleep for Echo and lots of understanding for Trinity. We decided regardless of attitude we would go out as a family in the mildly temperamental van. It is driving us places without much complaining but we certainly are NOT going out of the city until it has been dealt with! And with it being a long weekend this weekend – well it wasn’t worth rushing out to a service station. Ken wants to contact the Canadian Tire back in the city and complain. This would be the THIRD cooling system issue in as many months… are they not even looking at things??

Anyway we went out to the shopping area and stopped in at Michaels where I picked up WHITE duct tape. The plan is to use that for Echo’s costume – the crook and then if need be use a sharpie for the black on Gavin’s ring tailed lemur costume. Gotta love 50% off one item coupons! (Did I mention the Cricut is on super sale but NOT the size of one that I need?)

And then there is the homeschooling item we purchased there – dry erase CRAYONS! YUP no more dried out markers… another 50% off coupon and the kids should be more than content. Trinity managed to dry out ALL of the markers over the past year by not putting lids on properly. So hopefully these work as well as they say they do. 

We finished our shopping at Chapters where the brand of workbooks (Canadian) we use for the twins’ math workbooks were on for 20% off. Emanuel’s BrainQuestall inclusive for Kindergarten was not… so we promised him that AFTER Daddy got paid this week he and Daddy could go and buy his book. (after all I FORGOT one for him and for Trinity at mom’s over the wedding weekend… so busy)

After surviving taking the kids out for shopping and the van making its new noise and minor warning of temperature change we had quiet and naptime for 6 out of the 7 people in the house. I woke up to kids watching tv, Sean at my crafting desk with his computer and Karyn holding Echo. Company for dinner!

Karyn and I ran out for frozen yoghurt and chatting time with Echo in tow. Echo tried some of the snack (strawberry) but it was very cold and she was not overly enthused. We had to play around with Karyn’s new iPhone and take some pictures of not only Karyn’s new shoes but Echo as well. And then late last night we watched Conan the Barbarian (well I went to bed before it was over… it was BAD).

Today Cousin Veronika and Adam came by for some spices we had extra from Ted and asked me to go with them to Michaels and then out for lunch at The Rock (wood fire baked PIZZA noms). I got to check out the car Adam got from a co-worker for free to save on gas to and from work. Adam recently painted it black.

A slight but VERY frustrating hiccup with my email… all of my sent mail is gone and in turn took ALL the threads connected! ACK so if I have NOT responded to you in a while – PLEASE email me back rosereinsch@gmail.com. I know that a lovely lady sent me pictures of her sheep Deichshaf and now I am not sure which of my email addies is hers… thank goodness I saved the pictures to my desktop BEFORE this happened! BUT her lovely UK sheep will be featured on Fat Sheep’s blog shortly. As it is Fat Sheep has been busy blogging about her experiences at the wedding etc. so be sure to check her out HERE.

We spent out late afternoon in the backyard, the shed is now tidy and accessible (well for the most part), Echo spent that time on her blanket in the shade of our umbrella while the kids varied their levels of helpfulness.

Once that was done Ken came out and the kids “helped” finish up their playset. Very exciting to have the backyard completed. Though we do need a good mow, that should be tomorrow’s outside activity, and if the weather holds… the little pool filled for Echo!

A lovely evening for the whole family outside in the sunshine. And now I have the evening to work on scrapbooking and our homeschooling plan.