After nagging from all directions, I finally updated the home reno blog!
home-renos.blogspot.com/
1 week ago
May 1, 2009
Apr 30, 2009
End of year Facilitator meeting
Yesterday we had our end-of-year meeting with Abigails homeschool facilitator. It went really well and I am really pleased with our school board. I have to say our Facilitator is the best one we have EVER had!! She just put me completely at ease, was so relaxed about everything.....so easy-going. Telling me that she doesn't expect any child to be at a certain grade level at any age and she just expects them to be going at their own pace - so long as they are progressing in the right direction...
She told me not to push writing (which is COMPLETELY the opposite of her teacher at school and is EXACTLY what I NEEDED to hear and is absolutely just the best news EVER)!!
...trust me as a homeschooler meeting a new facilitator you just NEVER know what to expect and you don't know what they will expect or how 'schooly' they will be or anything...
She told me she thought I'd done an amazing job of homeschooling through renovations and doing so many activities and crafts in my bedroom with no kitchen or place for studying or crafts etc....that changing our original education plan was completely fine and we had done plenty!!!
It went fine - we are all set to finish the year NOW if we want :) Yep - school is DONE :)
Or we can continue the year until school is out......
Or we can school all year round....
But like I said to her, the kitchen has been out of use for so long, I am just excited to be able to use it at last, for science experiments, crafts, baking, writing, painting etc etc etc......so I just plan to do all kinds of things with the kids there and less 'book work' anyway!!!
We will be outside so much more now the weather is better and many more field trips so there would be less book work anyway and now the pressure is off to do less writing I am much happier. We read more in Summer as we all take part in reading programs at the library.
I don't think 'homeschooling' ever stops :)
I'm looking in to horseriding lessons. I want to get easels for painting so we can go and paint around the acreage and out by the lakes etc around here.
I registered Abigail for next year, so thats done! Funding will be $715. I have no clue how to spend it! I've spent a little already but not much! I'll take Abby to Education Station and Michaels and go crazy :)
She told me not to push writing (which is COMPLETELY the opposite of her teacher at school and is EXACTLY what I NEEDED to hear and is absolutely just the best news EVER)!!
...trust me as a homeschooler meeting a new facilitator you just NEVER know what to expect and you don't know what they will expect or how 'schooly' they will be or anything...
She told me she thought I'd done an amazing job of homeschooling through renovations and doing so many activities and crafts in my bedroom with no kitchen or place for studying or crafts etc....that changing our original education plan was completely fine and we had done plenty!!!
It went fine - we are all set to finish the year NOW if we want :) Yep - school is DONE :)
Or we can continue the year until school is out......
Or we can school all year round....
But like I said to her, the kitchen has been out of use for so long, I am just excited to be able to use it at last, for science experiments, crafts, baking, writing, painting etc etc etc......so I just plan to do all kinds of things with the kids there and less 'book work' anyway!!!
We will be outside so much more now the weather is better and many more field trips so there would be less book work anyway and now the pressure is off to do less writing I am much happier. We read more in Summer as we all take part in reading programs at the library.
I don't think 'homeschooling' ever stops :)
I'm looking in to horseriding lessons. I want to get easels for painting so we can go and paint around the acreage and out by the lakes etc around here.
I registered Abigail for next year, so thats done! Funding will be $715. I have no clue how to spend it! I've spent a little already but not much! I'll take Abby to Education Station and Michaels and go crazy :)
Art Classes...
Abigail started art classes last week and has been enjoying them very much. The first class was on 'acrylics' and they painted a colour wheel and then had time to free paint on a canvas. thery also learned about a Russian artist. After the class we went to Michaels and she selected the materials she had used in the class and we are going to spend time working on more acrylic paintings.
This weeks class was on drawing with charcoals. They studied Picasso amongst other artists....then they studied portraits and learned how to drawer a face. They drew a self portrait and then had some time to do a free drawing - Abigail did a horse.
I will take some pictures of her work later and add them! She is loving the classes and I will definitely be signing her up for more!! the teachers are wonderful and Abigail loves being at Smeltzer House surrounded by all that history!
While she is at the class I go for coffee with my friend Jennifer, who is involved with organizing SHINE. I'm planning to join SHINE this year and go along to some of their field trips, workshops and park days. I think Abigail needs this and I need the push! Jennifers pretty good at encouraging me to do more and Abigail loves her children :)
This weeks class was on drawing with charcoals. They studied Picasso amongst other artists....then they studied portraits and learned how to drawer a face. They drew a self portrait and then had some time to do a free drawing - Abigail did a horse.
I will take some pictures of her work later and add them! She is loving the classes and I will definitely be signing her up for more!! the teachers are wonderful and Abigail loves being at Smeltzer House surrounded by all that history!
While she is at the class I go for coffee with my friend Jennifer, who is involved with organizing SHINE. I'm planning to join SHINE this year and go along to some of their field trips, workshops and park days. I think Abigail needs this and I need the push! Jennifers pretty good at encouraging me to do more and Abigail loves her children :)
Stable....
So this is what I wanted to buy....a stable block.....it would be ideal...nice and small..big enough for three small horses...ideal for the front paddock.
Sadly they were sold on the first day - for $20,000 each!!!!! I actually think thats a LOT for an auction! You then have to pay to have them moved and then for the concrete foundation and they aren't made THAT well!! So now we have a picture of them we'll just get Denis and Tim to make us some!!!
But we got talking to the lady behind the counter and she breeds horses and she's invited us out to her farm as she knows someone who has some horses that might be suitable for us - broken horses suitable for the children to ride....
Susannah and Laurence can ride, so I'm going to set Abigail and myself up with lessons in the next few weeks and we're going out to this lady's farm to see the horses.
Canada's Largest Auction...
Last night was date night...we went to Moxies for dinner down at South Ed Common. The food was really nice and great service - we got there early and there was no line up - I think everyone else had gone to Milestones for their 'date night' special (you order and your date gets theirs free) as they had people lining up out the door even at 5:30pm!!!
After dinner we drove down to Nisku to the Ritchie Bros auction house to see the huge auction there - Lloyd had registered a few days ago as he was interested in the prices of the track hoes...he knows he will need one eventually so he was interested to know what they will go for at the auction. I knew there were cars, golf carts and diggers, helicopters etc there but I had no idea there would be log cabins and stables there! It was really interesting to walk around and see everything! I really had a great time and we had so much fun! We went in the auction rooms and listened to the auctions taking place - they were selling lots of wood at the time for $900 a lot - there were people online in Saskatchewan going up against people in the room....really interesting to watch! Very fast!
It was a fun date night and just what I needed after a day of facilitator meetings and worrying about Val and her family!!! (sorry Val lol)
Saying goodbye
I can relax a little now I've heard from Val :)
It's been a very difficult few days for her family - and I know it will continue to be difficult for them as they have said goodbye to their youngest little foster child - he has moved on to a new home after 2 and a half years. I have only ever know them with him so it was very hard to say goodbye for us too. Abigail and I spent Tuesday afternoon with Val and 'Z' at Kidz Quarterz. I'm very glad that I had to rush off at the end for Sam because a slow goodbye would have made it even more difficult!
Anyway - I spent all day yesterday thinking about Val and her family and wondering how they were doing. I know Tuesday night was very difficult for them, but I believe yesterday went smoothly (as difficult as it was). So many things will remind me of Z around here.....Sams little car on the deck....my bowl of Christmas tree baubles (I forget what you call them)....even the birds arriving back in the Spring will always remind me of him now I think :)
On a brighter note, this weekend Vals Grandson arrives for a few weeks with Grandma and Grandpa (Grandad??) and I know Val is looking forward to THAT distraction ;)
I wish the little guy all the VERY best for his future and I really hope he is in his forever home very VERY soon. I think he was very lucky to have 2 and a half years with a wonderful loving family.
X
It's been a very difficult few days for her family - and I know it will continue to be difficult for them as they have said goodbye to their youngest little foster child - he has moved on to a new home after 2 and a half years. I have only ever know them with him so it was very hard to say goodbye for us too. Abigail and I spent Tuesday afternoon with Val and 'Z' at Kidz Quarterz. I'm very glad that I had to rush off at the end for Sam because a slow goodbye would have made it even more difficult!
Anyway - I spent all day yesterday thinking about Val and her family and wondering how they were doing. I know Tuesday night was very difficult for them, but I believe yesterday went smoothly (as difficult as it was). So many things will remind me of Z around here.....Sams little car on the deck....my bowl of Christmas tree baubles (I forget what you call them)....even the birds arriving back in the Spring will always remind me of him now I think :)
On a brighter note, this weekend Vals Grandson arrives for a few weeks with Grandma and Grandpa (Grandad??) and I know Val is looking forward to THAT distraction ;)
I wish the little guy all the VERY best for his future and I really hope he is in his forever home very VERY soon. I think he was very lucky to have 2 and a half years with a wonderful loving family.
X
Apr 26, 2009
Can you spot me with Susie in the pool?????
Just little dots almost BUT......I have my arms outstretched......waving at Lloyd and the iphone!!!!!
Bungeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
Every so often thy stop the waves and everyone turns to watch someone bungee jump off the platform above!!!!!! Fool!!!! hahahaha!!!!
Fun at the Waterpark.....
Today we went to the Waterpark - it was for a fundraiser for CAZA - Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums. We got 12 tickets and took a friend of Laurences and 4 friends of Chris's.....because there were so many of us we rented a Cabana so we could all keep our bags and clothes in there and have the bathroom close by and some chairs and a table etc etc.....We were there by 9am and had a great morning in the pool. We had exclusive use of the pool until 11 or 11:30 or so and then it was opened to the public.
Lloyd and I got out with the little ones around mid day but left the older ones in the pool. We went to Boston Pizza for lunch. Laurie and his friend met us around 2pm but Chris ended up staying at the mall and in the waterpark for the afternoon and is getting a ride home later.
Oh and NO sniggering at me in my bathing suit ;)
This was my first time at the waterpark!!!! Have to say I had a great time!!! I've been to better ones though!!! The water palace in Croydon was better - and the big one near Birmingham........forget the name lol.......but I love swimming and pools and waves and water....so it was great!!!! Lloyd pushed me down a slide and I went sooooo fast OMG!!!! And Laurie went down the red slides a few times!!!! No way was I going down that!!!!! lol!!!!
Apr 25, 2009
Paper bag mini album....
This is (a selection of pages from) the mini album that I made at Stacey's Stampin Up party last night - Tess and Cathy taught the workshop (wonderfully!) and it was sooooooo much fun. I loved the kit that Tess gave us, as it was so bright and cheery and full of Spring colours!!! Basically we were given the basics of the bags and the kit, and shown how to put the basic mini album together ina variety of ways (with ribbons or with rings) and then we were left to our own devices with all of Tess's amazing tools!!! We had several hours to PLAY!!!! We could be as creative as we liked and do whatever we liked so all of our albums turned out differently.......there were punches, die cutting machines, all kinds or tools and gadgets and gizmos to use and try out!!!
I finished off my album today at home and I think I might use mine for Easter pictures!!! :)
Earth Day atc's...
atc's for an earth day swap...using recycled items and including a fact about myself saying one thing that I do for the environment - I mentioned that I am a beekeeper!!
Apr 24, 2009
Play Doh Creations!!!!!
Sam adores playing with his playdoh!!! Here are a couple of his creations form today! Sponge Bob Square Pants, and a snake with googly Eyes!!!! :) Oh and he also wrote out his name which I thought was fab - but I didn't take a picture of that! He shaped each letter of Sam!!! :) Abigail was very impressed :)
My week....
Sunday - We headed to South Edmonton Common to kit the kids out in new clothes and shoes for Spring and Summer. I even found myself a cute tshirt for Earth Day ;) The shopping was exhausting but fun! The kids loved it though! We had lunch out and then headed home. I took Chris to the golf course for his orientation session - he starts officially next week and thinks he's going to love it there :) Lloyd spent the afternoon emptying the basement ready for the work to start down there this week. Susannahs friend Madison came over to play. (Madison just moved here and has moved to a house close to our mail box which is really handy as its close enough that Susannah and her can play together regularly) Lloyd got a fire going and the kids made Smores. Lloyd and I had jacket potatoes on the fire for a late supper but the kids didn't want a supper after their lunch out and were happy with sandwiches and smores!
Monday - Abby, Sam and I had lunch out on the deck on Monday which was really nice - it's lovely and sheltered out there so that even when it's windy it is nice and warm and sunny. We can sit and talk and eat our lunch. Val Emailed that she had had some bad news, so I gave her a call and told her to come over for coffee (and some distraction and chat)!! We spent the afternoon outside on the deck and out by the sandbox while the kids played with the rocket launcher and in the sand, and then we took a walk round the back field and through the woods. The weather was warm except for the wind which was cold. I caught the sun - too much on my face - which is worrying me a bit. I seem to be catching the sun too fast already this year and my face is tanning waaaaay too fast! (The only part of me on show so far this year really - apart from a couple of days when I've worn a tshirt and then I end up with tshirt lines fast). So Lloyd is trying to find out if it's my drugs and the high dose I'm on. Whether they make you photosensitive and more likely to burn. Monday night Lloyd and I had to go to Home Depot and so we went to Starbucks too for a yummy London Fog and drove home the scenic route and stopped off to see a really old car thats for sale. It's beautiful on the outside but turns out the inside is just nasty......what a shame!Oh and I had made these special orange juice lollies in the holders Samantha gave me last year which have straws on them where you get to suck the melted juice at the bottom - they were a big hit!!
Tuesday - I took Abigail swimming while Sam was at PreK. She is practicing her swimming on her back and floating on her back. The weather was GORGEOUS 21c. After swimming and when we got home, the girls cycled to the mailbox together. Sam and I walked down to the pond together and sat there and watched the frogs swimming across the pond and jumping about and making circles and listened to them get quiet and then noisier and noisier....Sam got REALLY good at spotting them! This weekend we will get new nets so that we can go pond dipping again. Dollar store nets tend to only last one summer around here ;) Tuesday evening we were just outside because it was such a lovely evening - hard to believe the weather was going to change!!
Wednesday - Earth Day!!! I took 26 Juice Boxes to school for Laurence as it was our juice day at drama club and didn't remember until I woke up and Laurie had forgotten too! He remembered mid morning too lol but by that time I had already dropped them at reception ;) Then I took Sam and Abby to Save On Foods with their own Reusable bags including Sams from his book 'Me and My Bag' which Abigail continued to read again and again in the car on the way there......We tried to buy Earth Friendly items there but that didn't prove easy as I said they could choose something for lunch and sadly everything they wanted didn't come in earth friendly packaging (sigh)........BUT it was recyclable thanks to Strathcona County's wonderful recycling program so thats good I guess! We did ONLY buy what could fit into our bags or could be carried!! We came home and all that days 'schoolwork' was Earth Day based. In the afternoon we had some fun playing with some messy crafts though by building a volcano and erupting it with baking soda!! Wooooooooosh! Then Abby and Sam played with cornflour. Those pictures are all on the homeschooling blog if you want to see them! Susannahs friend Cassie came over after school and stayed for dinner. I drove her home around 7:30 and went in to see her new kitten 'Abby'. Very cute!
Thursday - Abigail started art classes at a local community centre. They are homeschoolers classes and she loved it! The first class was on 'acrylics' and they painted a colour wheel before painting a canvas. Each class lasts an hour and a half. While she was in the class I went to McDonalds with my friend Jennifer and her little boy. Abigail is going to teach Sam and I what she learned in the class, so we bought the materials yesterday. After her class we drove to Millennium Place and had lunch, then took Sam to PreK, but he knew we were going out for coffee and cake so he started crying (he's never done that before) and it was awful. He clung to me and in the end we decided that the teacher would take him and snuggle with him and if he was still upset she would call me but of course he was fine very quickly! He LOVES school and has never been upset before! It was just because he knew we were going out!! Abby and I went to Second Cup on Baseline and met Rhonda for tea and cake! We sat and chatted for ages....I got told I was as bad as her husband for not noticing her new glasses, hair colour and cut ;) Sorry Rhonda lol!! Ran in to Michaels for a few things...back to MP for Sam who was back to his happy self - gave him his turtle cookie :) Headed home......date night with Lloyd Joeys was busy, Boston Pizza was busy grrrr We normally go out on Wednesdays which is quiet AND we normally go early but the workmen left late so we had to leave later.....we ended up going to Kelseys but got a table straight away and the food was served fairly quickly and was fine so all was good! Popped into the scrapbook store (as it was soooo convenient hahahahaha - then ran to Winners and got myself a new swimsuit for Sunday. Finally went home where I decluttered the linen cupboard.
Friday - my plans so far are: lazy-ish day at home followed by Staceys party tonight!!!!! Susannah has a party tonight that she is going to straight from school. Hers is a camp out/ survivor party!!! Have to say I am VERY glad that Staceys party is NOT a campout/ survivor party hahahahaha :)
Monday - Abby, Sam and I had lunch out on the deck on Monday which was really nice - it's lovely and sheltered out there so that even when it's windy it is nice and warm and sunny. We can sit and talk and eat our lunch. Val Emailed that she had had some bad news, so I gave her a call and told her to come over for coffee (and some distraction and chat)!! We spent the afternoon outside on the deck and out by the sandbox while the kids played with the rocket launcher and in the sand, and then we took a walk round the back field and through the woods. The weather was warm except for the wind which was cold. I caught the sun - too much on my face - which is worrying me a bit. I seem to be catching the sun too fast already this year and my face is tanning waaaaay too fast! (The only part of me on show so far this year really - apart from a couple of days when I've worn a tshirt and then I end up with tshirt lines fast). So Lloyd is trying to find out if it's my drugs and the high dose I'm on. Whether they make you photosensitive and more likely to burn. Monday night Lloyd and I had to go to Home Depot and so we went to Starbucks too for a yummy London Fog and drove home the scenic route and stopped off to see a really old car thats for sale. It's beautiful on the outside but turns out the inside is just nasty......what a shame!Oh and I had made these special orange juice lollies in the holders Samantha gave me last year which have straws on them where you get to suck the melted juice at the bottom - they were a big hit!!
Tuesday - I took Abigail swimming while Sam was at PreK. She is practicing her swimming on her back and floating on her back. The weather was GORGEOUS 21c. After swimming and when we got home, the girls cycled to the mailbox together. Sam and I walked down to the pond together and sat there and watched the frogs swimming across the pond and jumping about and making circles and listened to them get quiet and then noisier and noisier....Sam got REALLY good at spotting them! This weekend we will get new nets so that we can go pond dipping again. Dollar store nets tend to only last one summer around here ;) Tuesday evening we were just outside because it was such a lovely evening - hard to believe the weather was going to change!!
Wednesday - Earth Day!!! I took 26 Juice Boxes to school for Laurence as it was our juice day at drama club and didn't remember until I woke up and Laurie had forgotten too! He remembered mid morning too lol but by that time I had already dropped them at reception ;) Then I took Sam and Abby to Save On Foods with their own Reusable bags including Sams from his book 'Me and My Bag' which Abigail continued to read again and again in the car on the way there......We tried to buy Earth Friendly items there but that didn't prove easy as I said they could choose something for lunch and sadly everything they wanted didn't come in earth friendly packaging (sigh)........BUT it was recyclable thanks to Strathcona County's wonderful recycling program so thats good I guess! We did ONLY buy what could fit into our bags or could be carried!! We came home and all that days 'schoolwork' was Earth Day based. In the afternoon we had some fun playing with some messy crafts though by building a volcano and erupting it with baking soda!! Wooooooooosh! Then Abby and Sam played with cornflour. Those pictures are all on the homeschooling blog if you want to see them! Susannahs friend Cassie came over after school and stayed for dinner. I drove her home around 7:30 and went in to see her new kitten 'Abby'. Very cute!
Thursday - Abigail started art classes at a local community centre. They are homeschoolers classes and she loved it! The first class was on 'acrylics' and they painted a colour wheel before painting a canvas. Each class lasts an hour and a half. While she was in the class I went to McDonalds with my friend Jennifer and her little boy. Abigail is going to teach Sam and I what she learned in the class, so we bought the materials yesterday. After her class we drove to Millennium Place and had lunch, then took Sam to PreK, but he knew we were going out for coffee and cake so he started crying (he's never done that before) and it was awful. He clung to me and in the end we decided that the teacher would take him and snuggle with him and if he was still upset she would call me but of course he was fine very quickly! He LOVES school and has never been upset before! It was just because he knew we were going out!! Abby and I went to Second Cup on Baseline and met Rhonda for tea and cake! We sat and chatted for ages....I got told I was as bad as her husband for not noticing her new glasses, hair colour and cut ;) Sorry Rhonda lol!! Ran in to Michaels for a few things...back to MP for Sam who was back to his happy self - gave him his turtle cookie :) Headed home......date night with Lloyd Joeys was busy, Boston Pizza was busy grrrr We normally go out on Wednesdays which is quiet AND we normally go early but the workmen left late so we had to leave later.....we ended up going to Kelseys but got a table straight away and the food was served fairly quickly and was fine so all was good! Popped into the scrapbook store (as it was soooo convenient hahahahaha - then ran to Winners and got myself a new swimsuit for Sunday. Finally went home where I decluttered the linen cupboard.
Friday - my plans so far are: lazy-ish day at home followed by Staceys party tonight!!!!! Susannah has a party tonight that she is going to straight from school. Hers is a camp out/ survivor party!!! Have to say I am VERY glad that Staceys party is NOT a campout/ survivor party hahahahaha :)
New rink design....
Yesterday while we took Sam to PreK we stopped to watch what looked to be a group of students painting designs on the floor of the nursery rink at Millennium Place. It has been closed for maintenance and trade show for the last month. It was interesting to see it without ice and see them painting the the floor. Then after PreK they had finished painting and we saw them taking pictures of the 'students' (I'm assuming here) and they were starting to spray thin layers of water on top of the paintings and allowing it to slowly freeze! It was cool to see how an ice rink is built up slowly in layers!
The new design is of a race track with racing cars :) Sam and Abby are excited to go there and have a go at racing each other!!!
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