Snow Play!

A couple videos from last month - the kids all playing on the snow piles in our front yard! Levi's definitely got the hang of it :)



They all had so much fun playing in the snow this year - and we've certainly had plenty of it for them! (and NOW spring can come?!)

Ruth's getting a new room!

Our Spring Break this year was filled every day with home renos. We're making a room for Ruth downstairs by splitting up the laundry room area.
Ruthie is very excited to be getting her new room, especially because it will give her some space from the boys. And Levi is sort of excited to be getting his own room as well - although he says he's "too little" for that big bed!

The first day was just ripping everything apart and emptying out the room. Zech wanted to help, so he ripped out all the ceiling tiles all by himself!
from this...


to this...

Then a wall gets built... with help, of course!

And put up! Voila, 2 rooms!

Since then, lots more has been done - "real" walls now, and the painting is getting worked on. (the extra wall area by the door will be the closet)


More photos to come - hopefully soon they'll be with her floor done and her things all moved in!

the Ice Show!

We had our skating club Ice Show on March 1st - the older kids were all in lessons this year, and came a long way!
Ruth's solo - 'Magic Carpet Ride'


Ruth's group routine - 'Harry Potter'


Isaac's power skating demo


Zech's power skating demo

more snow and technical difficulties

Yes. More snow. Crazy.
Levi looked outside this morning and yelled. He told me "It's snowing from the sky. I don't want snow on the ground anymore." I'm with him on that one. Spring - where are you?!!

Ran into some technical difficulties with my computer and doing taxes - Josh tried to get windows going to run a program, my whole computer crashed, he was able to sneak a way in to get my photos, videos, and documents (thank goodness!), and then had to reload everything from "scratch" onto the darn thing.
All that to say I don't have the program I need to do the videos. Hoping to get that on here this weekend and be able to share the Ice Show skating with everyone! Oh, and I have a few videos of the kids playing on the snow pile in the yard too!

Spring, where art thou?!!

Anyone have their fingers crossed for spring?
Umm... I don't think it's working. Maybe cross them tighter... or something.
It started storming Sunday afternoon/evening, continued through Monday and the night. Tuesday it was done storming, but it looked like this. For the record, this was after Josh spent 2 hours on Monday shovelling and clearing the driveway.


Then we had the co-op guys come and shove back the banks on either side of the driveway so that we can get in and out, and so we have room to push more snow if it comes. The kids were happy!
Zech & Isaac


Zech & Levi

Levi, Ruth & Isaac

Levi - he loves playing in the snow!

Levi & Ruth

Everyone!

on top of the snowbank they're up to the top of the van!

Myles wouldn't stay inside with the kids outside, but he had a little trouble with the deep snow!


Levi came in, looking like this - one sock, one mitten, and a hat full of snow pulled down over his eyes!

So, that was the start to our week - 2 snow days from school! (and our kids have a PD day on Friday, so only a 2 day week!) I hope it's true about March - in like a lion, out like a lamb!

It's hard to believe it's the last day of February all ready! We're all ready, waiting, and hoping for spring to come in with March!!
We had a wonderful visit with Josh's sister last week - she was on 'reading break' from university and came out for the week. The kids loved seeing (and meeting, or at least "re-meeting") Auntie Kendle!
Levi naps at Grandma and Grandpa's

the kids with Auntie Kendle



just Levi

Other than visiting, we've just been busying getting to skating and getting ready for the Ice Show (tomorrow evening!). We started potty-training Levi last month, and he's been really doing great! After the ordeal we had with all of the older kids, it's been lovely to have an "easy" one to potty train! He's in underwear all the time now - even naps, nights, and when we go out - and only has an accident once in a while... and for some reason, only when we're at home!

Another post is sure to follow next week, with videos of the kids skating for the show!
Keep your fingers crossed for spring to come asap in March!

Levi and I made some decorations for Valentine's Day last week. If you notice, in my post on Elli's day, I made a bunting/banner for over the dining room window. There are a few more through the house, too.
I saw this craft on a blog I read sometimes, and thought it might be perfect for Levi - turns out I was right, he loved it! It's so simple: just a bunch of cut out hearts of varying sizes, and one big heart. Grab a glue stick and some wax paper and you're set!

He did so well with the glue stick, I couldn't believe it. Hardly any mess on the table to clean up at all.
I also couldn't believe how focused he was. He sat and worked on this steady, until he had every little heart glued on his paper. It must have taken a good half hour and then some, but he kept working at it until he had it all finished.
Now, at the end, the idea was to cut the large heart out so it was just that with the small hearts inside... but Levi decided the hearts belonged everywhere... and then "don't cut mine hearts, mommy!". So I didn't.
And I wanted to put it up in the window so light would shine through it, but he "meeds it on the wall". So on the wall it went.
At any rate, cut out or not, window or wall hung, he sure was proud of himself!

Elliana's day

One year ago, we said hello and goodbye to our littlest baby girl, Elliana Lucy.
Today, we celebrated her birthday with tulips and pink cupcakes - because, like Zech said this morning, "We all get cupcakes on our birthday". The kids sang "happy birthday" to her, even Levi. There were a few tears shed as we remembered our time with our special little girl.
It was a busy day, too, with school for the kids and work for Josh. Levi and I worked made Elli's cupcakes and worked on some valentine's decorations. Then the boys had a mini-sticks (hockey) game at the rink tonight.
But that was all okay. We have learned that life does go on, though sometimes it's hard, but we always remember Elliana even on the busy days.
I realized something the other day, too, as I thought about decorating a bit for valentine's - for Zech, we always wait until his birthday and party are done to decorate for halloween, then everything comes down and we wait for Ruth's birthday and party stuff to be finished before putting anything up for Christmas. But for Elli... well, pink and hearts and love... that's pretty perfect decorations for her day.

busy!

We have had a busy few weeks! My computer also needed some fixing, so it was in the shop for a couple weeks. Back now, fixed, and I'm back online.

A couple shots first, from the beginning of January...
love that the kids share our love of reading and books!

Levi says "cheese"

Josh's brother, Ben, and his wife, Crystal, came to visit for nearly 2 weeks - it was wonderful to see them and their kids (Malaki, Isaiah, and Naomi)! We haven't seen them in just over 3 years, and we'd never met the younger 2 kids until now. We had a lot of fun visiting and letting the kids play together - they jumped in like they'd always known each other, playing (and fighting!) like any ol' cousins.
Levi & Naomi reading together

Naomi reading - she loved Levi's little chair!

Malaki even got to help out and play with the boys in a hockey game while they were here! Silly me, no pictures of that though.
We made sure to get a group shot of all the kiddies after church one Sunday - thank goodness we did it that day because they left the following Friday and because of the cold our van didn't start and we didn't get to see them again! Hopefully next time they visit we won't have the same troubles.



And I have been busy making some things for Ruth's new doll (from Santa for Christmas). She now has...
a sleeping bag/bed

a nightie, robe, and slippers

a new outfit (Ruth still wants a headband and shoes to match, we'll get there!)

sweater, hat, scarf, mitts, and boots - you need to dress properly for winter here!

Christmas Concert

I know it's the new year, and a little late for Christmas Concert posting... but, hey, it's been a busy few weeks over here!
For now, pretend it's still Christmas and enjoy these videos of the kids from their concert - they all did a great job!

Ruth & Zech - Hand Bells

Zech's class - songs

Isaac's class - Reindeer songs

Isaac's class - Rudolph

Ruth - duet with Aaron

Zech's class - 12 Pains of Christmas

Isaac's class - songs

Zech's class - more songs

Zech's class play

Ruth's class - Nativity play