Tag Archive | Xinny

Completing to Change Focus Fully

December 5-8

Here I am writing about Thanksgiving well into Advent but this year the two were so close together! Trinity and Emanuel had their coffee filtre turkeys to finish with Daddy after all. You can make one  yourself thanks to Peapod Labs HERE.101_5424

We brought out our Little People Nativity set. Echo is enamoured with the angel. Apparently this one is ready to ride!101_5425

Of course we had our advent calendar and a craft to add to the fun! What we can do with markers, popsicle sticks, paper and glue!!! I think Trinity did a great job.101_5428

Then the boys had the exciting completion of their Minnesota lapbook plus extras. Only took FOREVER for us to get it done and together. Of course I saved the resources in a separate blog entry HERE. We did a mini lapbook and then went from there. I hope the little nuggets of facts and truths we found will stick in our minds for at least a little time. It was fun learning more about the state we now call home.101_5426

We have also started using Trinity’s daily reading as family story time. Every time we read one of her Christmas themed books (or watch a Christmas movie) we draw a group picture that will go in our Christmas binder!101_5429

101_5435We ended our school week with a paper craft that I picked up last year at an absolute steal. This was making a fancy paper gingerbread house with accessories.101_5431

It was the first Saturday of the month so of course the kids headed over to Home Depot for free craft time. Ken also signed them up for a special extra craft on the 21st.101_5434

Emanuel drew a wonderful Christmas themed dinosaur page to send up north to a special someone.

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Of  course Sunday brought Sunday School. Cold Cold Cold.101_5437

And then Baba and Ken put up the yard decoration that Nana found at Fleet Farm. Very pretty.101_5440

Later in the evening we had Facetime with Aunty Xinny, Alex, Izaac and Isabella. It was WILD!!!101_5443

We ended our evening with decorating the new 8 foot tall tree. The ornaments this year are from our stash. Not ALL of them but soe many memories and old favourites. The kids had a blast showing them to Nana and Baba.101_5449

101_5452101_5457Christmas is very apparent in the house now. And after a busy weekend it feels so much more real101_5455

This entry was posted on 21/12/2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment

Day Out With Dad and More

June 10-11

I wonder at the rain in Minnesota. I am told it is NOT normal for the season… our Father’s Day learning is in full swing, we covered the history of and how to celebrate and now we are learning more and more about Daddy everyday. We have had to put up with extremely long hours for Ken lately. The large project he has been working has been a doozy. On the plus side we reaped the benefits of all of that on Tuesday with a TOTAL day off for Ken! What to do, what to do?

Well, we have visited the mall with the carousel in it a couple time.

Sun was in their eyes... note the really neat water feature that plays music behind them!

Sun was in their eyes… note the really neat water feature that plays music behind them!

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A rather environmentally friendly mall on the outside!

A rather environmentally friendly mall on the outside!

Last visit we realized that tickets were only 2.00 per kid. Quite affordable for our family to do as a special thing. I took pictures and the kids and Ken enjoyed the ride.

In line

In line

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Zander, the only one who rode on a horse

Zander, the only one who rode on a horse

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Post ride stamp

Post ride stamp

Right behind the carousel was a pretzel shop. I am a total sucker for the freshly baked SOFT pretzels. Now add in a special… 1.00 each every Tuesday at this outlet for the month of June and we were in pretzel heaven. Talk about being in the right place for the right day. AND we got to watch them make them all!!!101_2463

101_2467101_2469After our fun at the mall we went to one of the parks local to us for fun AND for a picnic! We made in a half day of work BEFORE we went out… including story time with Daddy listening in.

Local park

Local park

Eating the last of our Aunty Xinny treats!

Eating the last of our Aunty Xinny treats!

101_2479Monday (oops I am writing backwards timeline wise this time) was a day of fun with the cousins. Starting with WAFFLES!

Breakfast with the cousins

Breakfast with the cousins

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After we said good by it was time to go outside…101_2423

and bum around playing in the house of course.101_2430

Peanut butter face

Peanut butter face

Emanuel even illustrated our trip from Sunday’s IKEA adventure.

Image on right

Image on right

What a great 2 days! Especially UNINTERRUPTED time with Ken! Bonus!!!

Sassy

Sassy

A New Month, a New Focus!

June 2-3

With a new month I try to start a new topic of focus with our schooling. We actually have TWO focuses this month – Father’s Day (until the 22nd) and then July 4th (Independence Day). Live and Learn had a sale on their themed lapbook so we picked it up for the main focus of our theme. Of course there are cards to make and send, crafts to do and books to read!

But first, the end of our weekend. With lovely weather and a Ken who was free for the day what better to do than go on a picnic! We went back to see the sculpture garden we had visited last summer off of Walker Museum. We visited our favourite statues and checked out some of the new installations.101_2288

This is a favourite of the kids and their main focus of pictures.

This is a favourite of the kids and their main focus of pictures.

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A new installation

A new installation

With a nice, quiet corner to settle there was time for art…

Definitely NOT a starving artist but an artist all the same!

Definitely NOT a starving artist but an artist all the same!

And lunch… I love it when a day costs us a little gas and 3.50 for parking for the day… much better than eating at a restaurant!101_2316

Yummy treat thanks to Aunty Xinny

Yummy treat thanks to Aunty Xinny

Just the perfect day!

Just the perfect day!

Our first book… Father’s Day by Anne Rockwell (we had a book by the same author for Mother’s Day) has given us the idea for our ongoing Father’s Day gift… which I will share AFTER we give it to Daddy!101_2334

Emanuel had his second day at his dino dig… he is being amazing with his careful work on a rather intimidating lump of clay.101_2335

Found, partial bone

Found, partial bone

Miss Trinity took advantage of the respite from rain and did some rather impressive chalk art on the front walk.101_2338

Throw in our month of June poster…101_2339

Reading to their siblings…101_2340

And helping each other with workbooks and I think we did just fine starting our week!101_2342

I am not overly optimistic about sunshine for much of the week BUT we are finding ways to enjoy all aspects of the spring weather in Minnesota.

Oldest and the youngest

Oldest and the youngest

This entry was posted on 12/06/2013, in Uncategorized. 1 Comment