First Snow Fun

First snow is so much fun!  The kids had to get out the shovels and do some work.  Then they found the sled.

They promised to wave to Ph in the window.  We watched together with much excitement.  

The sledding "hill."  :)  

 

My Boy!

Ah, the Lego creation of the week:  a cherry picker.  As far as I can tell he made this contraption all on his own!  I'd say that it's the most elaborate of all his thus far.  It comes complete with a moveable bucket and chainsaw.

A neighbor brought over some fabric that she had lying around.  I requested one piece that would be more boy-friendly so that Mn could make something.  He's been wanting me to make him a cape for some time and so after the fabric was quarantined for several days we lay it all out and he chose his piece and decided what to do with it!  He had a plan:  cut here, put button here and hole there.  I helped him fine-tune it and then we got out his little sewing kit.  He stitched around the collar and then added buttons on the shoulders as well as the button that would be used for a closure.

Mid-week, daddy got off work an hour early and we packed a picnic and went hiking.  It was a much needed unwind!  This week has been the hardest of all the quarantine weeks we've experienced.  Not that it was different from any other, but...we're breathing easier and interacting better after some time in God's beautiful creation!

We played a game of Carcassonne and afterwards were putting things away and enjoyed a good laugh setting up this photo for Grandma..."Your red meeples and your Mn are missing you today."  ;)

Thursday, during my supper prep hour the rest of the crew went on a 6 mile bike ride!  They came back warm, tired and happy!

This morning Mn finished his cape and showed it off for the camera and sharing.  He's worn it most of the day so far.  He only took it off when he realized that he was rubbing his lunch pb on it.

The writing/drawing assignment today for school was to write about something you did this week or what you want to do next week.  L was writing about taking the bus to Grandma's and Nana's and making a plan for that in her journal.  They then decided that they should pack...it was all-inclusive packing...undies, pjs, swimsuits, a few books and activities... Then, they headed out to the bus-stop (the swing in the driveway).  I looked out a bit later and they were GONE!!  Gazed out a little longer and saw that they were coming back from the corner.  They are now spending some time moving L's mattress into Mn's room.  We'll finish up our school reading...later.  We'll savor this excitement.

Mn's plan of what he wants to do next week:

Bandaids

Are you missing someone today?  We used a few "bandaids" to relieve some of the missing.  Mn called Grandma this morning on the phone.  Then, a bit later he tried to Face-time Bumpa.  Bumpa was at the farm so had some time with Nana.  Another "bandaid" take a silly picture and email it..."Your red meeple and your Mn are missing you."  Hope it makes you smile Mom!  Love you all!!

School

Here is Kj working diligently on her schoolwork.  She is drawing a "card" because she needed to draw and write out 2 things that started with "C" and 2 things that started with "G".  

This is our extracurricular science.  It isn't part of school really, but I figure it is a learning activity.  Kj and L climb up on the stool and check out these plants daily.  They let me know when there are roots coming, that the base is turning black on our elder celery, etc.  They have gone out collecting pans of snow for the watering.  The come in with the pan packed to the brim of water and find that as it melts the only have half a pan left.  All very educational...even though they don't realize it!

Kj has been copying verses and such.  We got a new wall decoration and two days in a row, she sat at the table and copied it onto a small card.  Then for school one day she started copying her memory verse.  I haven't started correcting her letters on voluntary writing activities, but we do switch them around otherwise.  In the middle you will see a stick figure of a horse.  Horse and elephant are the animals this week. 

Another extracurricular science experiment.  We read that a grapefruit is the mix of a pummelo and an orange, and so we bought them all and tried them.  First the orange, then the pummelo, then the grapefruit, then the pummelo and orange together, followed by the grapefruit.  Comparing as we went. 

Giants

Last night, I wasn't feeling well and so while Kevin did the dishes he put on a video for the girls to watch.  A friend had lent it to us, it was mice observing Bible stories.  In the video, they mentioned a man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, and he was a giant, but not Goliath.  So, at lunch today they mentioned it again and we looked it up!

2 Samuel 21:20And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, struck him down.

Also at lunch, we were eating carrots Kj noticed the giant on the carrot bag.  I told her that was the Jolly Green Giant.  "I thought it was just the Green Giant."  Well, some people say that he is the Jolly Green Giant.  "What does jolly mean?"  He smiled a lot and was happy.  He says, 'Hahaha, Green Giant.'  (Or is it hohoho?)

Jolly: in good spirits, cheerful, festive, joyous, happy

Christmas Pageant

Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus.

Angel...originally 2 of them, but our 2 year old decided that she would not wear her costume...She made her announcements from the loft.

 Shepherds...illness prevented us from packing our costumes, we made do.

 We three kings of orient are...

bearing gifts of gold...

 the whole cast...I believe L decided that she was Elizabeth and her babydoll was cousin John the Baptist.

Angel watching over the placement of baby in a manger.

She made her own halo and wings.