Flashback Friday: Who's Who continued..

Aww... I remember this day. Charity was given slightly sour goat's milk and threw it up all over Grandma....and I mean ALL over. Grandma's response, "Oh, it's perfectly alright hunny. Brings back wonderful memories of when my girls were little!"

The triplets with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa.

Wordless Wednesday: A Photo Story

On a Much Lighter Note...

Ella got her first tooth!??? None of my kids have had a tooth break through until atleast 9 months... I was in shock this morning when Ella chomped down on my finger and I felt tooth! lol. Oh man... and we've still got atleast 5 months of nursing ahead!... :S

A cute story about Keona... she came downstairs yesterday morning and we had the following conversation...

Keona: Mom, I was reading my astronomy book...and I got to this page where it said that there was a big crash and two asteroids or something collided and formed earth. And then they said that a piece broke off and that's where the moon came from.

Me: Really...

Keona: Yes! And I know that isn't true! God created the world. It made me so mad that I threw the book across the room!

Me: Wow. Well You're right...that isn't true. You know that God created the world... it didn't come from a big bang...just like we didn't come from monkeys! You can still read and learn about the planets..just ignore that part.

Keona: Oh...no! I'm not reading that book anymore! Why would someone just write their "opinions" in a book???

Haha...just a bit like her Daddy. We discussed how they were just theories and came up with a solution... :P

The kids were also excited to get a visit from Papa last night. Ella especially liked his pen!

Aunty "Oorah!" came over today, and brought me my new gloves and hat. :) I LOVE her job! Thanks Sarah! Jed was nuts- like usual...and followed her around saying, "Up up!"

And just a couple cute pis of the kids before church on Sunday night. Keona was at Grandma's house- incase anyone is wondering why there isn't a picture of her..

My little men!

Glitz and Glamour?

I titled my post that because it's makes me cringe when I hear people refer to "the city" as if it's this awe-filled, wonderful, glamourous place...seriously.... only to us "suburbian" folks who only go the richest parts, and dine at the finest restaurants while there are addicts, abusers, the abused, homeless and unloved merely blocks away.

Thankfully, I grew up in a great home, with a wonderful, loving Mom. But, I went to school in Toronto with many less fortunate peers. Friends, who's parents were drunks, drug addicts, abusive and negligent. Not to say that everyone in Toronto is like that, by any means... but unfortunately, too many are. This morning when I went online to read the news, I saw this headline...

I went to school with this guy. We hung out at school dances and had chin-up competitions. He was the kind of guy you would go and "vent" to if you were mad at your girlfriends. My best friend had a crush on him in grade 7, and we called him "babyface".

Here's why...

That's the photo from my grade 8 yearbook. His goal was to "go to high school everyday and only be late once in a while."

From that...to this:

Police have this message for Kyle Weese, wanted in connection with a senseless weekend shooting that left a young woman dead: turn yourself in, because we'll find you if you don't.
A Canada-wide warrant was issued for the 24-year-old murder suspect after bullets flew early Saturday outside the Duke of York tavern near Queen and Leslie Sts. Bailey Zaveda, 23, was standing outside the bar when a fight broke out between two men and one started shooting. She was struck in the torso several times and succumbed to her wounds, becoming the latest innocent bystander in this city to die in a hail of gunfire.
Not long after the fatal shooting police identified Weese as a suspect and released his photo. According to Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux, he's known to police and is considered "an extremely violent man."
Weese is "extremely well known to the uniform and plainclothes officers of 55 Division. He's a long time area resident, very extensive criminal record, very violent person," Giroux claimed at a press conference Sunday.
Four other people were wounded in the violent exchange, but they're expected to survive.

Honestly, my heart sinks every time I hear about another grade school friend who is now an addict, convict, prostitute... or whatever it may be. They never had a chance. I heard so many of them say, how they "didn't want to be like their parents"... and yet, 10 years later... we see the cycle at work.

For the majority of the people who live in "the city" of downtown Toronto...it is anything but, "glitz and glamour".

I realize this is a family blog...and yes, I do it to keep people updated with the kids ..and I will probably end up deleting this post...but I had to get it off my chest. My heart has never been more burdened for the youth of Toronto...

Flashback Friday: Who's Who?

The girls wanted me to do another one to see if we could trick Nana! ;)

Best Year of School Yet!

I am thoroughly enjoying homeschooling this year! It has always been rewarding... but not always so enjoyable- if you know what I mean. Keona said to me the other day, "This is the best year of school ever!!" Which is a big thing. Up until now, her highlights were always from kindergarten- when she was "in" school... I was continually doubting myself about whether they were really enjoying learning. Well, I can say with assurance that we are all learning alot this year, and having a great time while we do it!

Keona did the ostrich and I did the heron.

This week Keona was studying Nigeria in geography. To experience some of the things they enjoy doing there- we did some stone paintings, and she made a bowl out of clay. As pottery is a vital part of their way of life.

In other news... it SNOWED this week! Seriously... ? It's October. Nonetheless, the kids had to wear their winter coats in this 0 degree weather. They were all excited about it. Me...not so much.

I have to post this picture of Ella... just because it's cute! :)

Did I mention that my boys are crazy!?

Wordless Wednesday: Ella-boo

Ground Hog Day??

I told Scott that I felt like I was living in the movie "Ground Hog Day".... ha. OK so that was a BIT of an exaggeration....but to say that I needed to get out- would have been a understatement! :)

Let me start by saying, that on Friday my wonderful, amazing, super sweet hubby stopped on his way home from school and picked out my new camera for me!!! :) I am a proud owner of a Nikon D60.




Can you tell that I'm a little excited??? He got a really good deal on it too! I have yet to figure it all out...but hopefully there will be some amazing pictures in the weeks to come!


I spent the night playing with my new "toy"... while Charity and Scott played Scrabble..


Eve practiced the piano....


And the others played lego and such like.


The kids had been looking forward to going on our "Nature Walk" all week. (that's what we use to call them in public school anyhow) It was just what we needed. To relax and enjoy the cool, quiet outdoors. I have always loved fall.





We walked by a little cliff(only about 15 feet high) but there was a creek below and I was paranoid about the kids walking near the edge. Go figure, it was Scott who leaned too near and lost his sunglasses over the edge. Keona said that was her favourite part. :P


We even got to see a cute little fuzzy caterpillar on our way out.


That night, we went grocery shopping and came home to BBQ. Scott even baked cookies after dinner! They were incredibly addicting too...



Did I mention that despite my hubby's wonderful baking- I have lost my last "Ella pound"!? Thank you Wii Fit. :D Now only 10lbs to go to my goal weight...


The boys watched hockey and I played with my camera some more... figuring out how to set the white balance and depth of field. Scott now thinks that I love my camera more than him. :P

Scott's yummy cookies!

We spent Sunday with Scott's family and had a great time and wonderful food! We went to church with them Sunday night and heard some good preaching too. Though, I didn't take any pictures...next time for sure!


And here's a look into our Monday of homeschooling....

Keona learning about how steel is made in science.




The triplets doing math.



Ella blowing bubbles in her walker.



Elijah leaning about Abraham and Isaac.



And Jed... yep, you guessed it. Causing trouble in the kitchen....

Flashback Friday: Tummy time!

Two year old Keona, entertaining her little sisters!

Who's who? :P

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Thanksgiving!

After our sick and crummy start- we had a wonderful long weekend together. On Monday we stayed in and cooked a turkey dinner. Scott cleaned for me in the morning... (love him!) and then spent the afternoon watching a Leaf game with the boys.

The kids had fun setting the table for a "fancy" dinner, and while we were eating we went around the table several times telling what we were thankful for. I was impressed and humbled by their simple thankfulness. Everything from Jesus... to wood. lol. It was a fun memory that I'm sure we'll share in years to come.

After dinner we ate a ton of desserts and played a game of Scrabble with the kids. Scott and Elijah, Keona and Prayer, Charity and Eve, and Ella and I were the teams. ;) Jeddy was already in bed! It was surprisingly entertaining... the kids used words I didn't know they knew.... "barley", "sober"... until the very end of the game. Keona was stuck with 5 "i"s... so Scott was going to "help" her. Notice where the word "dip" is?

Well, Scott coincidentally went out on his next turn with "outraged"...needless to say- I was outraged. :P Prayer then called him a cheater and kicked him in the shin. ha... it was good fun.

After the kids went to bed Scott cleaned the kitchen for me again! Do I have the best husband, or what?! Then he finished writing his paper for school while I vegged on the couch...we played Scrabble at midnight and he beat me with "zits"...ugh. :P

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Ephesians 5:20

Puke, puke...and more....puke!

Lovely title. I know... but that has been my week. Right now, we are supposed to be in Wasaga Beach enjoying a nice Thanksgiving dinner with Scott's family. Instead... I'm here, at home, typing this.... with a huge apple crisp, and 2 giant loaves of pumpkin bread in my kitchen.

Charity starting throwing up again yesterday so she decided she was going to stay at my Mom's while we went to Wasaga. (dream come true...Grandma all to herself!) We dropped her off and got about half way there when Elijah announced, "I feel like I'm going to throw up!" And he did...we didn't have a change of clothes for him, and figuring he now had the same thing as Charity- we turned around, picked up Charity, and went home. After we got in and settled, Elijah told me that he wasn't really sick- there was just a "bad smell that he didn't like" and that's what made him throw up. Well, considering he just wolfed down a plate of spaghetti, 3 biscuits, and then 2 plates of salad... I believe him. Charity still sits here on Scott's chair... I think she has read about 15 novels this week! :(

Jed is back to normal- getting into everything! Yesterday, every time I turned my back I found him taking yogurt out of the fridge! He helped himself to it, opened it, got a spoon, and ate it, at least 3 times...

At least I got my camera working again. It's still making some very strange noises, and I don't expect it to last long...but it's working! :)

Flashback Friday: This is what happens..

...when you try to take a picture with 8 tired kids in it.

Grandma Joy with grand, and great-grand kids.

Wordless Wednesday