playing around

Daniel and Jennifer have similar hobbies, so they like to spend time together on them.  We are kinda hoping that Daniel will move on to more complex hobbies, but he things that he doesn't need to yet.

 Matthew likes to maximize the time while I'm getting ready for my nap by telling me as much as he can while I do last minute cleanup until I shut my bedroom door.  He usually has great plans of what he is going to make.

 

 Downstairs is where our rowdy minded children get sent, and if the older ones aren't too rowdy they can play their game downstairs (otherwise they are sent outside!).  Nathan is something scary hiding and ready to pounce

 

 and Melanie is the victim I guess!

 Jennifer still likes to watch me in the kitchen, or help me test samples.

 I find it amazing how much effort the kids put into work that involves such fine detail.  I'm not sure I'd have the patience to put all the beads together-and then when Mom irons them and they didn't go together properly they have to patch it up again!

 More noise and excitement downstairs!  Jennifer really gets pampered sometimes, and she's starting to expect it. :o  It is cute seeing those two blondies play together though.

 Jennifer now likes to haul two teddies around with her.  I'm hoping that she'll just have one favorite-otherwise it'll be a lot of work keeping track of two!

 Daniel is fine with just one.  He even knows that I have a spare, and some mornings he'll wake up with his dog instead of his sheep and he's a little surprised.  Other times we can't find one, so I 'll toss him the other from my secret stash and save us hours of hunting at bedtime.

 Jennifer is starting to let her siblings sit with her and cuddle or read together, instead of always demanding me.  She is so loud in her complaining when she wants only me, that I think she scares them off of their efforts in being helpful.

 Thankfully some of them know she's just being silly and try again-and even succeed!

 Bedtime stories are very important-and since the kids don't all go to bed at the same time, there can be a fair bit of reading in the evening!  When we had a bad cold and the adults were suffering in their throats the kids had to survive with really short ones or nothing at all-except looking at pictures!

 Daniel likes to finger paint in company, and Matthew loves to join him.  This time I let them use huge pieces of paper-in the hopes that the paint will be used up faster, and I'll need to supervise less often. ;)

 Matthew very carefully picked his color.  Did we have white?  No, then he settled for blue instead.

 He made a layer of blue on the bottom (that was snow piling up on the driveway) and the rest of the huge paper was covered carefully in blue dots-which was snow falling.  Our snow had just melted-so I guess he was hoping for more!

 Daniel doesn't make pictures of things yet.  He just explores various methods of application, and different types of art media.

 Jennifer very jealously wonders when she will be considered old enough to do finger painting too.  It looks like such fun!  And it might even taste good-I'll bet no one has even tried it!

 

 When she is not carefully observing her siblings or demanding some favour from them or me, she is often entertaining us with her antics.

 Since trying on Nathan's slippers seemed to entertain us, she thought standing on her head would get even more reaction. 

Success!

Shoveling and Seats

 Matthew and Daniel saw that there was a new light dusting of snow outside that needed shoveling.  So out they went, and were hard at work when I checked up on them.

 I asked Matthew about the broken shovel he was holding-and he assured me that it had already been broken, and that he hadn't done it.

 But they could get by with the big shovels, since they are so strong!

 Matthew and Daniel told me how they had buried the handle of the red shovel in the snow and marked it with an "x" for Nathan and Melanie to find when they came out to play later.

Jennifer doesn't get to play outside as much as she used to-since she can hardly play in the yard when it's full of deep snow-and the driveway is off limits until Mom is there to keep an eye on her.  So while she is inside, she has to find things to do, other than get into trouble.  Jennifer is quite creative, and can make a seat out of most anything.  And look cute on it too.  But she still prefers to get into trouble instead.

Babies and Buildings

 Jennifer thinks "It doesn't matter what people say, and all this talk about a new baby coming.  I'M the baby in this house, and I'M the one that will continue to be spoiled."

Melanie and Nathan have to shut the door if they want to play without Jennifer smashing what they are working on.  And yes, she does it on purpose to see what sort of reaction she will get.

Nathan and Melanie worked on a castle made of blocks.  It took them a long time to make a fairly simple structure-at least, I thought so.  But I have lost my imagination, and the requirement of using toys properly when imagining.

 They had to put an old sheet on the floor to give enough traction for the crawlers of the bulldozer to turn properly-otherwise they'd just slide on the smooth wood floor.

Can you take a picture Mom? 

End of the holidays

Since Christmas day I've had some cold or flu.  Today symptoms are letting up and we had a normal routine of school (minus any teacher reading to save my voice).  It was awfully nice to be back in routine. 

A few days ago, Matthew asked when Daddy would go back to work again, so he could do his school again-because he had an exciting letter coming up in his book.  Matthew then demonstrated the shape of the aforesaid letter in a very dramatic fashion.  Daniel and Jennifer were also pleased to have the structure again.  Surprisingly, Nathan and Melanie also did not complain to get back into it-I'm sure it helped having less schoolwork than some days. ;)

We had company for oliebollen day this year, with two uncles and their better halves.  It was made even more pleasant by the fact that my bad cold and lack of voice didn't allow for me too say much. :p

Jennifer surprised me by taking to her Uncle, after only having seen him Christmas day, plus time last Christmas season when she was teensy.

 

The kids enjoyed some quality time with adults they have heard about a lot, but seen very little of.  In our house, books are one of the best ice breakers and conversation starters-and ever so relevant topics!

Daddy had to make the oliebollen, otherwise it wouldn't have been a party.  We all enjoyed the results of his hard work. 

We have a lot to be thankful for this past year.  It is hard to remember it all, but looking back a year a lot has changed, especially how much the kids have grown!  It's been a relatively ordinary year, but very busy-it just flew by!