Packages .... :)

Today I received some packages ....

Firstly, my house book.  

Yay, I am so excited to have it tangible in my hands.  I started this book while we were building the house. I have started & stopped completion numerous times since then and am just happy to be done .... now you can come and take a look.

Secondly, the kids' report cards.

I am very happy with the results.  A few nice surprises and nothing terrible-ugly so that is very good! I can't believe one term is over .... time is flyin'!!

Book Character Day

Today (yup, today note the date!!) I send the kids off to school dressed up ... 

Jolene - Anne of Green Gables

Derek - Robin Hood

Karina -  a Princess (pick whatever one suits you)

James -  Harry Potter

I find it a lot of work.  I am not one would leaves it to the last minute or I go nuts.  For the most part I am happy with it!  AND THEY LOVE IT!! 

* School Starts *

This is definitely old news but here our the first day of school pictures .....

The walk .... 

we walked up until it got just too cold and then the rain set in ... 

now we drive!

We were really early and had time to fool around ... 

it gave me lots of pictures to choose from :o)

See you later!! ....

Can you believe that next year ALL 5 will get on the bus?!?!

- Kindergarten Graduation -

On the last Thursday, Karina had her "celebration" ....

This is her whole class (they were split in two though).

  

Receiving her diploma.

 YAH ... going to grade 1!

The three cousins

Karina and her teacher.

You know the funny thing ... I actually had a tear or two ... my fourth child done Kindergarten!!! Wow, the next thing I know it will be Shaun.

< Hell's Gate Fieldtrip >

In the last week of school I went out with James' class yet on a field trip.  I had hoped to not go Hell's Gate cause I went last year with Jolene's class but the other field trips didn't work out for me .... It was a fun day and the pictures are pretty self explanatory. 

< Barkerville Fieldtrip >

In June, I had the opportunity to go with Jolene's class to Barkerville.  

The first collage is pictures during the drive and the time we spent at the school.

Then this was in Barkerville.

It was a fun trip and the kids did so great.  Memorable trip ....

** Sports Day 2012 **

At the end of May we had a beautiful day for JCS Sports Day.  Four kids to follow around took some scheduling but with no baby and Shaun doing as he pleased it was better than other years.  In 2 years, I will have all 5 kids to watch for 1 year.

James, Derek and Karina all ran in the relay ... and Jerry did for the parent team!!

All in all a good fun day!!

** 4 snow days and counting **

This of course gave us lots of time to do lots of different things .... I feel very unaccomplished though!! Maybe it is all the dressing and undressing and hot chocolate making .... I dunno!

Snow kept coming early this week ....

Time for us to all go play outside ...

Lots of time to play and color ...

Reading nice and warm inside.
Bobcating off the drive way and making nice snow piles for the kids to have fun in.

Our nice warm house lookin all winter wonderland-y!
Playing with my 'new baby' outside in the snow ...
I think he was just about DONE here!!! Just LOVE the pic though ....
Last night Jolene polled the family if there would be school today ...

can you guess who said 'yes'?? :o(

With the new camera they all want their pics taken .... I love playing with the different settings. Here's hoping tomorrow is a school day ....

Book Character Day

At the end of November (yes I am behind the times ... sorry but I did say I wasn't going to pressure myself :o) the kids had book character day at school. We had a ......

Pippi Longstockings

Indiana Jones

Cowboy

Fairy

[Pumpkin patch]

Since I try to go along on one field trip per school year for each kid I opted for the pumpkin patch with Karina's class. They don't have many "worthwhile" to go on ... plus this one allows preschoolers so Shaun came along.

It was a decent afternoon ... no sun and no rain!! Here is Karina picking out her pumpkin ... I ended up taking one home for each of the kids as Shaun also picked one. I guess we will have a carving maybe one day. We also had a tour of the apple orchard, a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and a stroll through the animal barn. It was informative and fun at the same time. Her teacher and class ... it is a bit far away but hey better than nothing.

These were emailed to me from her teacher as I forgot mine :o(

*Me and my little guy*

So yah ... Karina is in Kindergarten; two days some weeks and three days other weeks. She loves it and is super excited the mornings she is going to school! (phew) Her teacher is happy with her ... she is no "rocket scientist" but she is helpful, polite and overall a good kid. (I did have bug eyes because I wasn't too sure we were talking about the same kid :o); she says that happens all the time!!!Oh well at least maybe we did something right with her)

This gives Shaun and me lots of time to do other stuff and complete a few things ... you know like family walls and the like.

Grocery shopping is one thing I am absolutely seeing improvements on now that I do it with ONE kiddo!! (I was going to say "love" but in reality I will NEVER love grocery shopping!!!) Plus I can make extra stops to pick up this or that and with one little boy it works out just fine!

For the most part he is really easy to take along and he does very well at home by himself. He does follow me around but he always has a handful of toys to play with in my close proximity.

It is a bit scary to think HE will start kindergarten in 2 years ....

** School Starts **

On Tuesday, school started again. It doesn't really feel like school should be on as the weather now is hotter than most of our summer was. Anyway here is the picture I took at the bus stop ... and then one with all the kids ....

Today was Karina's turn to go for the first time ....

She was pretty excited!!!

I've decided this year we are going to walk to the bus stop when we can because driving down the road is just silly ... why I've done it for 5 years is beyond me ... whatev, there is no time like the present!!

Waving goodbye to Dad in the big yellow ....

The sun didn't do good things for picture taking but you get the idea!

And then it was just me and Shaun. Today we were off to celebrate Addison's first year (what a blessing it is to celebrate) but who knows what kind of fun the little monster and I will have on the days Karina goes to school!! And I am going enjoy it ... well try at least!!

-{ Swimming Lessons }-

Last week we finished yet another set of swimming lessons ... our older kids are somewhat behind kids their age so I am doing my best to get them caught up.

Unfortunately, this time the 3 kids have to repeat their stages ....
Jolene (middle ... practicing with a kick board)

James (being a goof)

Derek (doing a front glide to his teacher)

This was Karina's first time in Swimming Lessons and she did pass. This was soooo very good for her. She actually now gets her head wet, willingly puts her head in the water with her eyes open ... normally I don't start them this young but I don't regret it one bit!! I think here they are "diving" for the whistle!

Shaun hanging out with me watching the kids ... our lessons were on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 -5pm. On Tuesdays we went in the water too .... even Shaun has gotten so much better with just me helping him out!!

But I am glad we are having a break in the swimming lesson department ...
the fall will bring more again!!