August

 We thought summer would be really long, and we'd be bored and August would drag on. But we blinked and almost missed August!

 Matthew got a story from his Aunt. Relating to a poem he wrote her. It was hilarious.

 He also made an electronic game.

 Jennifer was busy with complicated games requiring outfits and luggage.

 I managed to move all my flower pots to one place and set up the sprinkler with a timer so we could abandon the house for a few days.

 Camping at the kids' friends' Nana's house. She's up close to Algonquin. Nice rustic cabin with solar panels and propane appliances.

 And her own private lake along with canoes and docks.

The best part was camping with friends. The kids had a hoot together, running wild!

 Back home agian, Evelyn worked on improving her drawing skills.

 Sometimes Saturday mornings is "make your own breakfast".

 Kinda handy if you are a lazy parent. ;)

 Melanie planning her next recipe. Evelyn grinding me coffee beans. :)

 Nathan and Melanie finished the fort this month. Painted (they bought discounted paint, stuff that was mixed the wrong colour and not wanted).

 Don't forget the interlock floor. They patched the kids collapsible chairs (which were in awful shape) so I let them take the two worst ones to keep at the fort. Plus an old broom.

 Looks lovely!

 Matthew bonding with our bottom of the pecking order chicken.

 Nathan accidentally startled a mother red squirrel who was moving her baby from one nest to the other. She left her baby there on our upper patio (really, what thoughtless mother carries her baby through a crowd of people anyways?) for at least an hour before daring to come back and get it. Apparently squirrels usually have several nests and move the babies around frequently.

 Hornet's nest hiding in our "pear" tree.

 Going in to a travel clinic for shots for tropical illnesses and getting prescriptions for malaria prevention meds. Obviously my kids don't get to look out the window and watch traffic...they quite enjoyed the wait!

 Go cart getting upholstered.

 This chicken broke her hip. It came out of joint. No idea how. So we gave her special treatment (for a few weeks, until it was time for culling a few hens and the rooster)

 Wild childs running up the driveway!

 And then another chicken was in bad shape.

 Turned out to be bumblefoot.

 More math, Evelyn putting one hand effort into her answers.

 Jennifer enjoying the luxury of her own desk, off in the library.

 Matthew at his zone.

All the kids worked so hard on their math through the summer that everybody is caught up!! Yay!!  I am so looking forward to a genuine holiday where I will not be teaching anyone or helping anyone with any school for a few weeks! (Oh, wait, I planned to take language arts for Nathan and Melanie and multiplication flashcards for Daniel...and another school related thing or two....oops!) But still, no math workbooks!! :) :)

end of july

 Evelyn got really into her Math and made it pretty.

 Melanie and Daniel got into making a professional pirate.

 Sewing project moving along.

 Pirate bear is done.

 Pumpkin leaves stewed. We also tried them fresh. Um. Well. Prickly a bit? Maybe next time better eating. ;)

 Curtain project.

 Shirt almost done!

Pool games.

 Dinner help.

 More bookworms

 Evelyn woke me up once overnight. The second time (I guess I wasn't friendly) she went down and slept on the couch instead. Good job. :)

 My only picture at swimming lessons isn't even of the lessons. :o

More time at home...funny how the kids all passed their lessons this year. :p