"E" Week 1

"E" week has proved more challenging than our previous weeks, but we are managing to find "E" adventures to EXPLORE!

I love this picture of Madison. Her and I were waiting for someone outside a meeting, I was trying to shoot some up close photos of flowers and she got goofy so I just held my camera out and held down the button. Click.click.click. Looking back afterward, I just loved the candids I somehow captured - it is just Madison's full-of-life spirit and energy and laughter:



On a visit to Nana and Grandad's, we had a dance party to Elvis music (slow and fast songs!):

I baked up some eggplant for dinner one night:

I brought the easel upstairs for some painting exploration. The kids loved it! This easel is neat since the height is adjustable for Mads or Jacob:

A photo of the entrance to Nana and Grandad's Qualicum Beach community:

An eagle sighting at their local beach:

More EXCITING "E" adventures to come this week!

Easing into "E"

"E" is our first challenging letter - our list of ideas in our A-Z notebook is not half as long as previous weeks, but we will do our best!


Here was Mads "expending energy" at a gymnastics party!

Delayed "D" post

Here we are a few days into "E" week, and I haven't finished up posting about our "D" adventures. Here we go playing catch-up:

Mads finished up her dance class at the recreation centre:

Jacob enjoyed the warm weather playing with his dump truck:

We found this toy drum at the thrift store and had some drummin' fun:

A few of Madison's "D" writing projects (Deer and Denmark):

One of her favourite series to read:

We finally visited the largest used children's bookstore on the Island - it is called "Dog Tales":

Jacob played doctor for an injured stuffie:

We learned about depth:

Our doggy decor for our "D" weeks:

"D" dawdles along...

Halfway through week #2 - phew!

On Sunday, Mads and Daddy had a Daddy-Daughter-Date and went to watch the Olympic hockey game at the Diana Krall Plaza:


We had some amazing weather and did lots of playing in our driveway:


Listened to "The Doodlebops" CD from the library:

The kiddos made "D for duck" crafts:

And "Dotted D's" (Jacob protested leaving it at dots so did some freestylin'):

Had donuts at the best donut place in Canada (this location has a dated sign for some reason!):

Mads received a very cool "paint your own dish" set for her birthday from her friend, so she did it this week for "D" week:

Jacob demonstrated his dazzling Leapster skills to Aunt Kate and Grandad:

The kids and I had lunch one day at the Dutch Deli:

As always, I printed off a bunch of letter worksheets and the kids got them out to work on together (!):

"D" week #1 down!

Today wraps up our first week of "D" adventures:

We made two donations this week:

One was my once-beloved SLR camera - a local high school photography teacher was asking the community for donations for her program - what better home for a camera that is only destined for a museum? The kids and I dropped the camera (with a baggie of batteries and film!) at the school this week for students to learn to love photography as much as we do:

Our second donation was a Timmy's drive-thru donation for their food drive:

As always, dump trucks are a HUGE part of our every day, with Jacob around:

We fed ducks at Diver Lake (where the ducks were elusive and hard to find):

And also, at the duck pond at Bowen Park (where the ducks are always easy to find!):

What a "DAY"!

"D" week has officially begun and already we have been busy with "D" activities. Take a look:

Most important is that the kiddos are blessed to get so much Daddy time each and every day:

Jacob built with DUPLO (a doghouse for Puppy as it happens!):

Yesterday was a dynamite day for "D"! We went to the DQ drive-thru:

Had our picnic at the Departure Bay Beach:

Saw tons of driftwood:

Mads made friends with a daschund doggy:

Jacob ended up very (for the record, my jeans were almost as dirty!):

Cool thing about this beach/park is that they also have a playground with a digger!

And a field full of daisies:

Such a lovely day - felt like spring had arrived!

From the grocery store, we bought a dragonfruit (we have yet to cut it open and try it!):


We made a fresh batch of 'dough:

A recent visit to the teaching store up here found us 'directions' posters, so for "D" week, I finally got them put up in the right places in our teaching area:

Oh, almost forgot - Mads had a dentist appointment already this week, too:

Tonight, Mads posted with her domino creation:

Earlier this afternoon, the kids and I played doctor:

DONE for now!

Ciao "C"!

Yesterday was our last day of "C" fun (COOPED up in the house all day because of rain!). We watched a nature DVD about cheetahs.

We did lots of Creation activities:

Mads and Warren made a giant crossword using Bible words:

When we finally made it to the end of the day, with kids in bed, I relaxed with my chocolate and computer:

Oh, Jacob wrote a note today (front and back). When we asked him what it said, he answered, "It says, 'Come home to me, Grandad'!"