Knitting lesson and Museum time

Dominique brought her knitting needles to get another lesson from someone who knows how to knit.  She's getting better all the time, but doesn't know how to get it started or finish it.  I'm sure if her momma knit, she'd have something made by now!

We brought back a gift that was given to Emora and that she has grown out of.  Mom has lots of kids come by still and it's nice to have something for them to play with.

Check out the ice on the wagon wheel and seat outside!  Ah winter, what you do to us!

This is probably the kid's favorite part of the entire museum.

I've always loved this museum, and although we have been there lots and lots, it's a great outing for the kids, my sister has a membership so we get in on a discount AND the kids can run and move around a lot, see history, hear stories from us old folks who get to tell them about our first camera that used a thing called film- that they had to process in a darkroom- oh yeah, I'm a relic already!  Ivan was asking if we could go to the museum- they have fond memories from it and since we were still dealing with recovering kids (from fevers and coughs and colds)- we chose this over swimming.

There are about 15 buildings set up how they were during Saskatoon's big start in the early 1900s.  We went to the store.

and jail

the butcher's

train station... and lots of other places.  They love the magical kitchen that transforms from an old farm kitchen to a "modern" electricity using kitchen.  They have a table in it similar to the one I grew up with.  They also like the Bennett Buggy- an old car minus the engine that farmers rigged up for their horses to pull during the dirty 30s.  The kids can sit in it and "drive it" and it moves back and forth while they watch a video featuring the backside of the horses.  It's so cool!

Speaking of cool, look at who dressed like twinsies without knowing it!

This was in the museum and is an exert written by a relative of mine.  J.C. was my great uncle Cecil's brother if I've got my lineage figured out right.  My dad grew up in Radville.

And a touch of "home".  The Sanatorium still stands down the road, along the lake about 10 minutes from our house.  It's in disrepair, but there is a group trying to get historical status on it.  There is a lot of history in the area where we live now and it's keenly felt, especially among those who have been here generations.

Reading and weirdness

So I'm picking out pics from our time in Saskatoon and I notice that this next upload has a lot of pics of reading.  So I'm looking at the other pictures-- looking for a pattern- aha- I see it- we are WEIRD!  Yep, there you have it, no earth shaking news, because if you know me, and I hope if you are reading this that you do, than you already knew that I was weird- but now you can see that  I come by it honestly.

Isaac, my nephew found my dad's hockey equipment.  Later he was wearing the gloves too.  They were about the size of his entire arms, but the helmet was actually a bit close to a fit!

Yeah, it's not just the kids.  All kids are weird some, but in our family, it's the adults too, or maybe they are also part kid?- which I think is very awesome by the way.

I kept thinking this bed was a princess and pea bed.  They about needed a ladder to get up there, except for the fact that kids can climb anything.  When the girls had all three sleeping together, we put the top mattress on the floor because it was a long fall and too dangerous with 3 vying for space.

Jenn was reading the book she wrote after her firstborn passed.  She had written it as a way to share Gordon with her future kids and now here they are talking about Gordon and remembering the brother who has gone on before us.  Time heals in a way, but there will always be that place in us that longed for him and is looking forward to being with him.

Grandpa has read a lot of books over the years and still can't refuse a little eager one lugging a book over to his lap.

This one is the queen of giggles.  We have a container of pennies (in Canada, pennies are being discontinued- we aren't getting them at banks or going to use them anymore, but we saved some for game pieces and who knows what else we will use them for).  Anyways- Emora said "those pennies that we can't use... they just don't make cents (sense)".  I don't know if she heard the joke somewhere or made it up, but it was hilarious hearing it from my little 4 year old!

AHA- proof that he did more than just the wii during his break!

Outside fun at the acreage

Since it's April 7th, the calendar says we are in full swing of spring and it's SNOWING outside- AGAIN after it snowed a couple of days ago and they are predicting -13 C at night temps, then I figure I should post some happy snow pictures- because we are in NO WAY bitter about this ;)  Actually, I told Brian, it would be quite beautiful if this came in November.  The temps aren't bad, you can smell that spring is trying to come, the snowflakes were big, fluffy and wet, but it's a little hard to really dwell on the beauty of it all when we've all had enough!  I decided to try coaching soccer this year and we had a meeting tonight to get the players on teams and it's just a little hard to picture us running on the fields at this point!

This branch is actually about 5 or so feet above the ground.  There is no way a kid could get up on it in the summer, but with all this snow, they can just climb aboard!

The girl cousins enjoying the sunshine.  OK- the optimist in me is noticing that at least the sky is blue and not white/grey!

They were wanting a ride on the snow shovel and watching a game of target shooting.

Ivan brought his bow, arrow and target that I'd made him for his birthday.  He let me take 3 shots.  I lost 2 arrows in the snow.  But if/when spring really comes, they'll show up!  We tried to go looking for them and got waylaid in snow up past my knees and decided this was not only ridiculous, but impossible.  sorry Ivan!!

The guys were being very careful with everyone staying behind the line.

Those things really do zing by with speed.  They're only wood, but I wouldn't want to get hit by one either!

Ivan really enjoyed his special times with the guys... doing errands with grandpa, staying up late playing games and target practice.

So here's to a weird start to spring... hoping summer will make up for it by giving us lots of warmth and to a terrific soccer season.

I've got Dominique's team and there are huge age differences in the team (just 2 years, but we've got kindergarteners up to grade 3 with how the years fall), so we'll see how it goes, but I think we'll really enjoy the season and it should distract us from being upset that it's too cold for our liking!

Easter weekend hunt and fun

The kids and I went to Saskatoon for part of our Easter break.

There was some egg hunting and card sharks.

I had thought that we were all well, but Emora ran a fever a couple of nights, so we stayed low, trying to get well and not infect anyone apart from the immediate family who all came out for lots of sleepovers, games and movies.

We mostly stayed indoors, so it's nice that mom and dad have such a big place to accommodate all of us and so that the kids can still have lots of fun without feeling claustrophobic.

We had some bunnies and ate a cake in the shape of a lamb- thanks to the family baker- Andrea.

Also, thanks to Andrea and her mom for REAL German chocolates!

Someone kept feeling better in between her fevers!

The adults got to hunt for chocolate too.  Here I am with my make do basket, some fake "eggs" and my real sister.

Yipee for cousin time!  The girls got lots of sleepovers.

where are our chocolates?

oh yeah, a lot of dance parties.  Dad's computer was the dj.

Ivan had special time doing errands with grandpa Ian and playing cards with Uncle John.

So fun to get to play a ton of games and learn some new ones and laugh and learn about our personalities.  Ivan stayed up WAY late this night while the girls had their sleepover.

We are on our last couple of days off.  I'm now fighting the cold the girls had.  It snowed again yesterday, which was discouraging, but the melt will come some day!!

Last skate!

Ivan and his class got to go skating for a school outing.  I went and helped tie skates, then Emora and I joined them on the ice.  Here is Ivan with his bed friend Konomu.  He's always happy to be with Koh.

I saw a game in a kids' magazine and thought I'd make it and laminate it.  While I was at it, I figured I should put another game on the back.  And I know people are collecting pennies for all sorts of causes, but we've kept some back, because they are great for games and will never wear out.  Where else can you buy 100 lasting tokens for $1?  We painted one side with nailpolish.  Now you can play as pink, blue or copper.  We could have painted another side for another color too.  We've had lots of fun with our new games.

This one is called "nine men morris" and is a more complex "tic, tac toe" game that was once played.  You start with a blank board and 9 tokens each.  You can either place a player or move a player for a turn.  Each time you get three in a row, you steel a piece from the other player.  The loser is the one that gets down to only 2 pieces first.

For other entertainment, you don't need a board, or tokens, just a toothless brother and you'll be terrorized for years with the image!

He said his upper gum was sore the other day- please may it be a tooth!  It took forever for him to loose teeth and now it's taking forever for them to come in.  He's had a toothless grin since last July!  Poor boy can't bite into an apple, corn on the cob, pear...

We'll be heading back to the Fort soon... Ivan has playdates made already and the girls will want to play some too with the last of their Easter break.

Little Miss fancy pants

Meet Miss sophisticated, our little Emora all growing up.  Her cousin Immy insisted on passing down this GORGEOUS outfit to Emora and it has quickly become a favorite.  Because it's fabulous and because it's from Immy!  I saw a cute hairdo on pinterest, and was able to convince Emora to let me try it out.

Then she looked so nice that we had to do a photo shoot!

She wanted mommy's hair clips.  Can we say- ooo lala.

But before you think she is so finely refined.

Don't forget her usual goofiness.... love Emora and the laughs she gives us.  We are giving away her sippy cups this weekend and her eyes got all big when I told her that she is getting so big, we can give them away and use the sport cups (nothing spill able allowed downstairs!!- there are disadvantages to having the privilege of new carpet I guess.)