Fun at the zoo

Yesterday before some crazy weather hit, we enjoyed half a day at our local zoo.



T2 insisted on bringing along her 'my first animal book' to identify the animals





T2's favourite



T1's favourite



Of course it's great to cool down before heading back to the car as T1 demonstrates.

Oops I forgot.....

When you're a girl of almost 4 years and you graduate from preschool - what must you do??? Grab your diploma and twirl of course : )

Rocks 2

We haven't quite finished yesterday's rocks - need to add a couple of features but I did make use of some more rocks using acrylic paint and a permanent marker

Our new digs...

We love our new house, the backyard is awesome but the best part is how close we are to.......





I could hang out there every day. It's the perfect distance to bike ride (T1 is not a fan of walking) with T2 in the bike trailer and T1 and I enjoying the breeze through the few strands of hair not encased in our helmets we can be there in about 1o minutes- not many people seem to use this stretch of beach which is perfect. I love the beach : )

Fun with rocks 1

Today I decided it was time to pull out the paint. Hmmmm now what to do for our first craft project in this house? I know decorate some of the many rocks in our new back yard.....









Today they may be red rocks but tomorrow they will be something totally different - any ideas?

A brand new Niece

I became an Aunt for the second time during the night. My brother, his wife and my 6 year old Niece Emily welcomed baby Alice, born at 32 weeks, weighing 3lb 3oz and breathing on her own. We knew the early arrival was imminent and everyone was as best prepared as is possible. Sadly I won't get to meet her anytime soon because they live 3,500 miles away but I'm hoping to see pictures later today. My Niece chose her name - she's a big fan of Alice in Wonderland and she was hoping for a sister. I am both thrilled and a little nervous. I hope the next few weeks for baby Alice will be filled with many more ups than downs : )

Hudson the wonder-dog

We had to bid a very sad farewell to Hudson last week. We fostered him in September and knew he wouldn't be ours forever but knowing that didn't make it any easier to let him go. Hudson was recalled for training to be a seizure response dog. Due to his sensitive nature, it was felt that he would be better suited to that task then being a seeing eye dog. We should know soon whether he's been accepted into the training program. If he isn't, we'll adopt him : ) It is hard because we know his job is an important one and how great he would be, a great companion and would make a difference in someone's life but selfishly we kinda hope he fails so he can come home to us once more. He loved our new back yard with all it's new exciting smells and sounds and so much more space to frolic - sadly he didn't have many days to enjoy it.

We miss him so much and hope he'll be very happy and share his happiness with those around him. T2 now wants a rabbit......

Settling in

We've been the new house 2 weeks and are fairly settled and enjoying exploring our new town. This coming week will be our first proper week - no unpacking keeping me busy and no trips back to our old town for appointments or anything.
Also this coming week, I'll begin a homeschool trial. We have decided to register both kids for school for September (we'll bike to the school tomorrow (aah the joys of biking places - loving it, although my butt is complaining!) with all the paperwork)but we will give homeschooling a trial run over the summer - nothing too intense - it is the summer after all! If T1 responds well to it, then we'll keep going. He's off his ADD meds and doing really well without them. He notices the difference too - he's less argumentative and bossy and where he was constantly correcting the three of us on everything we said - he is hardly doing that now. I'm hoping that if we homeschool that we'll be able to keep off the meds which definitely helped him in the chaotic classroom environment but shouldn't be necessary when it's just us working at his pace and allowing thing to go in the direction that works best for him. We haven't decided what to do about T2 and whether she'll be starting K or not.
Hopefully we can get back into some fun activities this coming week - can't wait!

Who knew...?

Seriously, who knew how little it takes top keep a kid entertained? Not me, that's for sure.With only 3 days until moving day (at last), almost everything is packed, yet the kids are managing without all their stuff just fine. T1 finds it a little harder because he loves Lego and it's packed away but he's rediscovered the sandbox and a few small cars that were buried and has been happy to while away decent chunks of time (he finished school a month early due to the move). T2 has discovered the joy of rocks - small ones that are great for counting, stacking, rinsing, serving as food to stuffed animals and even treasure to be searched for and joyously discover. Does that mean we will be donating all our toys - no, but I think they will be excited to rediscover their long lost (OK - short lost - you know what I mean) toys and collections of stuff - I'll be rediscovering my stuff too!

Surrounded by chaos...

...it's hard to breathe. I find mess and disorder energy draining - G doesn't get that at all and would happily live in this sea of boxes and clutter all the time (is this a guy thing?). It's hard to focus on anything else, the craft supplies and most of the toys are packed, the dog is banned from setting a paw on the carpeted areas of the house now that we have steam cleaned the last of the puppy paw prints from a rather unfortunately timed romp through the house after playing in the mud recently. The basement is out of bounds as it is a sea of G's tools and half packed boxes, two bathrooms are cleaned, locked and not to be used by us ever again and the family room is half it's usual size as more and more boxes find their way to the main floor and therefore closer to their exit and are stacked at one end of the room.

Today I just had to get out, couldn't stand to look at the boxes for another second. Knowing I wouldn't be doing anything fun or productive in the house, I grabbed drinks and snacks, slathered two girls in sunscreen and headed on an adventure. In all honesty it was just a trip to a local park but not one we had visited yet this year and in the opposite direction that we usually walk. Once at the park I parked myself on a bench, let T2 and K go as crazy as they wished and just sat, didn't do a thing - no packing, no planning, no stressing. I just sat. It was just what I needed.

Our return walk took us through "the forest" as T2 likes to call it. A shady trail that led us back home. I walked in the door and the chaos and boxes were there to greet me - but they didn't seem quite as monstrous and menacing as they had only a couple of hours before.

Through a child's eye

Today I took a break from packing and we walked to the library. My view of a walk alone to the library would be something like this - walk along the residential street, turn at the high school, the library is right next door. I may walk back another way along a more main road, turn right at the Catholic high school, cross the street and I'm home again.

Today T2 gave a running commentary as we walked. She knows the route very well and doesn't like us to deviate even though there are several ways we can walk there. As we strolled along with my bag of books to return on my shoulder and her carrying her "prettyful" unicorn she asked me if we would be going down the mountain before we got to the bend. The 'mountain' is a slight slope that I had never even noticed. As we approached the bend she wanted to check out the waterfall in one of the front yards, then we watched a Robin collecting worms, them we dodged some ants and a potato bug. We turned at the school and she wanted to confirm that we would go in the back door to the library, passed the ice rink that would be closed, past the place that smells of chocolate chip cookies and into the library. After choosing some books and a movie she wanted to have a break and sit on the bench by the curvy wall in the sun, not the shady one. We stopped at our usual spot (I hadn't even noticed that we always choose the same bench) for a drink and a granola bar. Then she needed to walk along the curvy wall, up another mountain and across the secret path (a path worn in the grass from people cutting the corner) and to the store and then to the trail where she wanted to find the big bump in the path (never did find it but she sure knew what she was looking for) to the bridge with no Troll under it, past the fallen down tree, the backyard with the new fence, then along the trail by the soccer field, across the street to collect the mail and home again. So many things that she had noticed or remembered from comments I had previously made as we strolled along. Things I no doubt would have overlooked were I walking alone, when my head would be filled with to-do lists or the nothingness that can sometimes be enjoyed when child free for a few minutes.
The walk takes longer with T2, my shoulder wouldn't ache so much were we to jump in the gas guzzling car and drive there but walking at her pace and seeing it through her eyes is worth way more.

Consumed with moving

We move in less than 3 weeks and there's so much to do. The dog had surgery (minor) but now has an infection (not so minor), trying to decide if T1 should stay in the school system or be homeschooled as Asperger's is now affecting him more greatly - especially combined with ADD and a learning disability and despite being 'gifted' he is falling behind as he doesn't complete his work and therefore gets low grades and the social aspects of school and becoming stressfuol for him as well as us. He's got a sleep clinic appointment coming up, T2 needs an adenoidectomy (no biggy but still a worry), I recently had a biopsy (negative thank goodness). G's work load has increased so his day is stressful - all these little things are adding up and toss in a house move to a town where we know no one and really don't know what to expect and I feel like my head is spinning.

Having barfed all that out (unintentionally) I hope to be back in June between the house move and my parents arrival from UK for a 3 week visit (yay can't wait!!).

The perfect day....

...for a 'hike'.
After the rain of yesterday - the day dawned dry and bright. A trip to the library was in order as I had some books to return. T2 hasn't been on a long walk since she broke her leg last summer. By the time her leg had completely healed and regained it's strength, winter was upon us and it was too cold. I wasn't sure how well she would do. It was awesome. She managed the whole walk, never complained, chattered the whole time.
We walked some of the way on regular residential sidewalks but deviated now and then to the trail paths which were full of Spring life with bird song and plants and rushing water in the streams from the rain.
I decided to take advantage of the forks in the trails by offering her choices of which way we should go next. I emphasized left and right when explaining our options "if we go LEFT, we will go to back home again, if we go RIGHT, we'll head to the library or if we go straight we will go to the High school" She really enjoyed taking charge and deciding which way we needed to go and used the correct left/right after hearing me first. Hopefully a few more 'hikes' and she'll fully grasp the concept.
The weather was perfect but the company was 'perfecter'.

You don't have to be a kid to....

...enjoy puddle jumping! I love the noise as rain boots hit a good puddle with a resounding SPLOSH - the bigger the puddle, the better! It has been raining non stop here today - initially it was raining too hard to go out and enjoy it but once it eased off WAHOOO. T2, K and I were out there donned in rain gear jumping and giggling - fun fun fun. Now back to packing those boxes - groan

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Our day will be much the same as any other day as I feel that we are pretty kind to the Earth every day. We will take a walk and collect garbage - I'm sure the local High School kids will have left us plenty from their take out lunches grrrr

computer woes

My card reader seems not to be reading cards right now so my pictures will have to remain on my camera.

Yesterday between packing boxes for our house move - T2, K and I enjoyed painting wearing rain boots - dipping our booted feet in trays of paint and walking, jumping and stomping on paper covering the kitchen the floor. The boots made some cool prints!

After a long Winter

This is what it's all about....

T1's project

I finally remembered to take a picture of T1's Pioneer one room school he made for a visual aid to his recent presentation



I think he did a great job : )

Giant chick

Warning - these images may be disturbing to some readers : )



Before we move I need to clean our windows inside and out (why? I have no idea - the new home owners will probably want to do it themselves anyway!). To make this job more worthwhile we decorated one of them with a giant chick for Spring. All you need is washable kid craft paint, a squirt of dish liquid (makes clean up easier) and some willing hands.....







A rare sighting of T1!!









(Tuesday - Window is now clean and shiny and chick free once more)

Wibbly, wobbly egg friends

I'm sure we could have made these more elaborately but we had limited time.

I cut beaks and wings out of craft foam. We used plastic eggs which we weighted with a ball of Play-doh pressed into the base of inside of each one (make sure it is pressed firm). Using regular white craft glue we stuck on the features and tested them out. Sure enough they wobble about and don't fall over!

Letter matching eggs

I drew around an oval cookie cutter to make 26 egg shapes and wrote an upper case letter on the top half and it's matching lower case letter on the bottom, then I cut each egg slightly differently so only the correct letters would match.

After quiet time T2 and K had fun matching the letters. They are very familiar with upper case letters but still confuse some lower case letters so this is great practice for them.

Oops

I got a bit caught up in mindless TV tonight and am now desperate to crawl into bed with a book so looks like my planned activity will have to wait - got to make it first!

T1

I don't talk about T1 much. At 9 years of age he is very uninterested in crafts and stuff like that. After a long day challenging his mind at French Immersion school, he wearily arrives home at 4:15 and wants to relax in his preferred way. This usually involves catching up on his favourite shows on Discovery/Discovery kids (how it's made/Myth busters/anything involving transportation/science/technology) or some times on the computer either www.lego.com, flight simulator,John Deer drive green, 18 wheels of steel, assorted Tycoon games or building lego or reading.

This week he needed to do a presentation at school. He doesn't like to present to the class at all. His teachers know of his social/attention difficulties and they do cut him some slack. With this particular presentation, we decided to try a different approach. Instead of having the focus on him talking, we thought something visual would take the pressure off him and give him something to prompt him with the verbal part. The subject was Pioneer one room schools so last weekend, with our help, T1 built a model of a one room school. He did his presentation yesterday and apparently all the kids in his class were eager to check it out up close when he was done which game him a huge confidence boost. It was so nice to see him so involved in a creative project when I know that typically wouldn't hold his interest or attention.

I'll try to add a picture later of his finished school.

A fun day

While T1 was at school, T2 and I worked our way through the stack of games and puzzles in the playroom cupboard. I am ashamed to admit that many of them had not been played with in months and some T2 had never played with as they had been forgotten by me. So, we matched, we joined, we figured out and we had fun. Tonight I plan on working on a little matching game of my own to try with her after school tomorrow.....

No such luck

Peanut/tree nut allergy still present. Oh well, could be living with worse

Fingers crossed

Tomorrow T2 has an appointment with her allergist to have her allergies retested. How wonderful it would be if her peanut and tree nut allergy had miraculously ceased to exist and we would no longer live in fear of her coming into contact with nuts - even contact with someone who ate a peanut product hours before brings on a reaction. I miss nuts but I'd miss her more.....

Finishing the yarn eggs

separate the balloon from the yarn



pop the balloon and pull it out

Yarn eggs

It's been a long time since I last made yarn eggs - hmmm probably about 10 years so I figured it was about time I made them again with T2's help (we'll see if T1 wants to have a go when he gets home from school in a few minutes!). It's easy but messy and the results are cool.

Here are my supplies. I watered down the glue - probably similar quantities of each. I added glitter but it's not necessary. Balloons (look carefully and you may see a clue as to where we live!!), yarn, scissors, paintbrush and somewhere to hang them to dry.









I am eager for the glue to dry so we can pop the balloons and remove them.....

A sure sign

We have lived in this house for almost 5 years and every Spring two ducks, one male, one female, have come to hang out during the day for several weeks. Each year we have fed them, provided water to drink and splash about in and loyally they return. The male always waits until the female has finished eating before he starts and he's very protective of her - issuing warning quacks should one of us get too close. The best times have been when Mr Duck sits on our porch or patio quacking loudly for food and once even 'knocked' on the door repeatedly with his beak - seriously! Each evening they waddle across the street and through the houses across the road to the creek, returning the following morning. I love it - they are so cute and fun to watch. About 3 weeks ago they came by for the first time this year and have been back a few times on mild days - today being one of those days

Mrs Duck:



Mr Duck:



I'll miss them when we move - along with Tippy the squirrel (it has a white tipped tail) and the 'SquipMunk' - I am sure it's half squirrel and half chipmunk. I hope we have some fun wild life at the new house...

Spring tree

Yesterday we gathered pine cones and twigs when we went for a walk before meeting T1 from his school bus stop. It was a glorious sunny day - T2 even found it warm enough to stretch out on the sidewalk and check out the clouds - not typical of this time of year where we live. It's hard to consider we might be done with snow and layers of cold weather clothes when we are often still shoveling the white stuff in March and sometimes April!

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the things we collected and this afternoon we set to work. I had planned we would work on our activity when K was here but she had to stay home with a fever today but I knew T2 would not be able to wait until we next see her on Thursday. We'll work on it some more when she's next here.

















It's not finished yet - we'll be adding a few more things to our Spring tree over the next little while : )

By the way - anyone know why Blogger will no longer let me centre my photos?