Snapshots from our day.....

Sam and Abby enjoyed playing with the toys and puppet theatre at Education Station while I looked around today.  I wanted a world map for Abigail to use but the one they had was too big - so I will keep looking.  Sam put on a sweet puppet show:

The children know that I love to spot and photograph hearts in nature, and today Abigail spotted this heart shaped puddle in the parking lot:  

In this picture Sam is actually HORIZONTAL and about three feet off the ground:

This guy and his little feathered friend were in the art gallery window:

Funny pic on instagram - and yet soooo TRUE:

For today....and Spring Break :)

Outside My Window... There is a tiny crescent moon that is just so beautiful and it is a very clear and starry night.  I am thankful for one more night in this home to appreciate living away from city lights and street lamps and busy streets.  The children have been so lucky to have so many years in such a beautiful place.  Who knows what the future will bring or where we will live, but I do know we have been more fortunate than many - to have have appreciated our time here so VERY much!!

I am thinking...of better weather, of Summer days, of fun things to do...of happy children and filling our time with endless memories of laughter and happiness.  I have been bookmarking some wonderful ideas, and have a journal that I am starting to fill with my Summer 'bucket list' for the children and I :)

I am thankful for...the effect my marriage break up has had on my relationship with my children (at least with my four children that live with me anyway) - the way it has changed ME and has also changed the atmosphere of our home.  The way it has brought us so much closer, made us so much happier and content and RELAXED...filled our home with laughter and love and given me the chance to REALLY get to know my children....I can't believe I nearly missed out on this - and for who???  wow....I am so sad this didn't happen earlier and allow the same opportunity for my oldest Son and I.

From the kitchen...we have been in a creative FRENZY!!  Woohoo...with all kinds of cooking, baking and even science experiments taking place in the kitchen!  I can not WAIT until tomorrow to try out two new brunch recipes that I saw online...we picked up the ingredients today!!  Ohhh and asparagus is so cheap right now, so the kids are thrilled...and I have some great recipes to try with that....and we bought a HUGE tub of strawberries that were on sale too - so lots of recipes with that!  We get farm eggs from a friend of ours and so many MANY of our recipes lately have been using up eggs :)  And Abigail has learned all the different ways to cook eggs now - she can fry, boil, poach, scramble and make an omelette :)  She's such a great cook!


I am wearing...my nighty...I'm sat in bed...it's only 10:20pm but it's been a busy day and I want to get up early tomorrow and make a big brunch!

I am creating...a curriculum for my new art journaling class, a plan for the summer...sight word flash cards on a key chain for Sam who is doing soooo GREAT with his reading suddenly!!  Soooo proud of him!  So I have created a neat little keyring type thing that he can take with him whenever we go out somewhere and it has all the words he is learning in his current books as well as the upper case and lower case letters etc etc  He has REALLY struggled with even learning the alphabet and has always got upset in the past when we have even tried - so each time I have just put it off for a few months and then tried again....and this time he is LOVING it and is so proud of his spelling and writing and reading :)  He is taking part in a reading challenge at the local library this week - he has to read five books and for each one he colours in a circle on a paper wedge of pizza - he then takes that back to the library and swaps it for a coupon for a FREE small pizza of his choice from Panago - so he is excited to do it - all on his own.  Abigail is also doing the challenge but has to read 5 big chapter books - she has already read 3 as she whizzes through them...

I am going...to have to stop going to Pinterest hahaha - it is soooo addictive and I have so many pages bookmarked!  So many ideas for the summer and for activities for the kids - great recipes, crafts, games, home decor ideas.....
I am reading...Water for Elephants...I haven't seen the movie yet and I have had the book for sooooo long that I thought it was time I read it!  So many friends loved it :)  I am also reading 'Homeschooling the Challenging Child' which gives creative ideas for homeschooling a child with ADHD or OCD or Tourettes...it is a very interesting and useful read and I am learning soooo much about my two little homeschoolers and what helps them - and it also covers learning styles.  I was reading quite a bit of it to Abby yesterday - and she found it interesting - learning about kinesthetic learners (Sam...oh BOY is this Sam!!) and Visual learners...etc etc....in fact reading about how kinesthetic learners learn best, it reinforces my feelings that Sam should be homeschooled.  Having this style of learner strapped in a desk with worksheets and books would be just cruel.

I am hoping...the wind outside is bringing in warmer temperatures to melt away the snow that fell yesterday.  I am ready for Springtime - for walks outside, for Easter egg hunts, for trips to Katies Crossing and for brunch out on the warm deck.

I am hearing... Rosie snoring by my feet :)

Around the house... Spring decor is slowly popping up....Easter colours, Spring flowers, cheeriness...a gift of daffodils because I love them.  I can't wait for them to flower:

One of my favorite things...Sams excitement over reading finally - and his pride :)  I KNEW if I didn't push him, if I waited until HE was ready...that he would learn to read with no struggle and would LOVE it :)  This time we are having fun reading and it shows because he is CHOOSING to take his book everywhere he goes and is determined to read his 5 books before next week.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...it is Spring Break..the kids are home which is always a delight.  I have never understood parents who don't enjoy having their kids home.  Laurence is at his friends house for a few days - as always...he did come home for a few hours today - got some clean clothes...picked a few things up etc etc...then we dropped him back on our way out.  So we will pick him up at some point.  This week??  We are off to see The Adventures of Tin Tin at the cheap theatre....we're also invited to a friends place for a pot luck lunch/ playdate.  Abigail has a class on Wednesday which she is looking forward to.  We also have a treat to look forward to on Wednesday and Friday.  We think we will go to the science centre even if it is going to be busy - just because we have our annual pass and Susannah doesn't get to go with us normally.  Throw in some walks with Rosie, maybe swimming, and a trip to the farmers market again next week (at Susannah's request) then that is our Spring Break all planned out...I dare say there will be sleepovers happening, friends hanging out for a lot of it...and some errands thrown in....

From my Truthteller :)

More funnies that make me laugh :)

Sam was really in an artsy mood this afternoon....

So while I was prepping for a class, he sat beside me and worked on a canvas :)

Prepping for next weeks class...

Today was our 'freestyle art class' - when we open up the art studio and everyone has free reign to try out all the art products and literally go CRAZY for two hours...I set up a few tables with art and craft ideas...have a few projects 'ready to go'....but otherwise students are free to create anything they like!!  I am on hand to answer questions, give ideas, help, advise....but they can also just relax and enjoy the two hours doing whatever they like!!

It's a really fun class, everyone gets involved and people of all ages sign up to join in :)  I LOVE that our classes are not just for children!!

After the class, and after lunch, I tidied up the art room and then continued with art and prepped for next weeks class - making a Springtime wreath using egg boxes - we have like a thousand egg boxes to use up and I wanted a Springtime theme!!  I think it worked well  - it's quite fiddly so I will prep part of it for young children.

One of the Moms that comes to the classes brought me a gift today - she remembered that I use my laptop as a table when I'm painting in bed....and so she gave me a lap table :)  It folds up to go beside my bed :)  It was soooo sweet of her :)  So nice of her to remember :)  

I really do have the most wonderful students and families coming to my classes :)  I really do hope I can keep my classes going because I LOVE this job sooooo much!!

I'm so sad that I may have to give it up just because of these few difficult months :(  Especially when I see how much Sam and Abigail get from it too - from having so many people around - from seeing how to run a business, to teach people, to be around art...learning about taxes, and cost cutting and customer service...

I am sad that all their hard work - as well as my own has gone to waste for absolutely no reason but for a stupid selfish, bitter man.  

Spring snow storm...

We have been living in Narnia for the last two days...beautiful big fluffy snowflakes falling softly...and when Susannah and I were driving back from Esso last night a herd of deer walked across the road in front of us - that is twice in just a few weeks :)  

They were gorgeous, and in no hurry, but the light was bad and so were the roads, so I couldn't get any good pictures :(  

It was lovely though :)  

Saw these and they made me smile :)

Hedley - LIVE :)

Last night we went to see Hedley at Rexall Place.  We got the tickets last Fall when they went on sale, and when we got them it seemed like the concert was sooooo far away, hard to believe it came round so fast!  But it did and it was fab!!  

I had heard they weren't too great live, so either they have matured a lot or just improved a great deal, because I was really impressed!  They were also really friendly and informal and Jacob even threw himself out into the crowds and they also fired tons of t-shirts into the crowd :)  

I was really pleased with our seats despite them being cheap - although please excise my iphone pictures which make it look like we were miles away lol :)  

Such a great night and more memories made with Laurence and Susannah :)  

Thanks so much to Presley for babysitting Abby and Sam - they had a fun evening :)  

Wednesday tag :)

1. The first day of spring is here-do you enjoy working in the yard? Weeding, raking, mowing, planting...your favorite springtime garden chore? How about your least favorite?

I like having flowers in tubs on the deck etc and I like mowing the grass - but I hate hate HATE weeding!!!  I do like picking vegetables from the garden - especially potatoes and fresh peas!!  but again - those darn weeds!!!

2. What puts a spring in your step?

sunshine. :)  warm weather....

3. Describe a time when you had to spring into action.

I like having to work to a deadline - and I find leaving things to the last minute works for me :)  I work better like that for some reason lol :)

4. We're having carrots for dinner...would you prefer yours raw or cooked?

I don't mind - I like them both ways :)

5. Do you take the shampoos and other sundries from your hotel room when its time to check out?

I used to - but these days I don't normally bother as I get fed up with all the clutter lol!

6. What's the most enjoyable team or club you've belonged to and what was it that made it so?

Brave Girls Club :)

7. Is cloning a sign of progress?

Not really

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My throat hurts because I choked at breakfast today and mu 'friends' continued to eat their breakfast while they watched and laughed.  No Val and Tara - I have not forgotten OR forgiven ;p  I might even hold a grudge for....what.....FOUR years???  lol :)  

Yesterday we celebrated the first day of Spring at the local homeschool group.  It was at the library and the theme was planting in completely recyclable containers - we planted Nasturtium seeds in newspaper pots that they can be planted into the ground in come warmer weather, - they were built around soup cans that they could then be kept in until then too - and the children could also paint the soup cans - I provided the painting supplies:

Tuesday evenings I get to have time just with Laurence and Susannah - we look forward to this as during the rest of the week the attention is often on Sam and Abby because of their special needs:

Pictures from our day...

Abby ironing her doll clothes...and she made an outfit for her Susie doll and she wanted to add an iron-on patch to it....the spoon is because she was licking off the 'Scottish Tablet' that we had made together:

My Truthteller charm necklace.  Love it:

Susannah trying out the shower in one of the showhomes:

A wall in one of the showhomes:

Me trying out a bathtub - obviously one of the priorities in buying a house lol:

Ww stopped in at Petsmart today to see all the animals and fish:

This cutie came to say hi:

we admired the birdies:

And the cats:

Thought this was funny:

The kids were shocked at how small sharks can be:

We made Scotish Tablet today.  Yum:

And enjoyed yet another gorgeous sunset:

This picture of me dipping my finger in the condensed milk tin and licking it off, got a lot of funny responses wherever I posted it....I really didn't notice anything 'naughty' about it until people pointed it out....hahahaha: