Spring!

We've been having, I think, unseasonably warm weather. Daniel may be wearing a winter coat here--but that's only because he insisted on it! Sunny skies, mild breezes and warm air, it's all so lovely! Spring is here!





And we hope to enjoy it as much as we can!

Beach Day

A friend and her son guided us to and helped us have a lovely time at Toronto Islands. We had a cloudy morning and early afternoon, but by 3 I was slathering us all in sunscreen.





I think this was the first time the kids having a full day at a sandy beach (canoe camping usually results in rocky or mucky beaches. They had a lovely time and were on their best behaviours. Even staying cheerful (or asleep) 'til we got home at 9pm.

Now, however, we're all pretty tired.

Sick Week

I got the flu Monday night and Tuesday.

Daniel got his turn on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

And last night and today is Matthew's turn.


Thankfully the last few days (except this afternoon) have been perfect outside weather days, so sprawling on the lawn on a blanket was a very pleasant thing to do. This morning wasn't sunny, but still, it was warm enough for me to be in bare feet. Yesterday was warmer and sunnier, but I was in a sweater and slippers! (It feels good to feel better!)

Daniel is tired today,

but otherwise, recovering well. He had amazingly good humour through the entire ordeal--something I hope his older siblings will imitate if they get a turn.

(Although they don't have to be as mischievous as him!)

Nathan and Melanie haven't been hit by the flu yet...but I'm not feeling too optimistic about tonight and tomorrow...

For now, they are chumming together. Doing almost everything together, including getting socks on for playing outside, so we ill ones can watch them while we veg in the grass.

(Melanie is much too accommodating to her brothers whims! Nathan said his hand was full so he couldn't put his socks on. Personally, I'd rather hold his banana, or better yet, wait for him to eat it, then put his socks on for him--even if they're clean ones!)

Even though the "fort" is rather unfinished still, that doesn't mean it can't be used yet!

Melanie and Nathan decided to play a type of "anti i over" game. Then when the ball didn't come off and needed to be nudged off with a hockey stick, that became a new game. I guess you'd call it "see if you can get the ball stuck on top, then get it unstuck".
Both games were highly entertaining.

Flowers

SPRING!

Bounty from our gardens.

Anyone know what small white flowers are?

Helpers and Projects

Matthew and Daniel helped me grate cheese for dinner. They both did a lovely job, AND stayed nicely out of trouble for a while too! Even Daniel managed to grate the cheese--which all fell onto the chair he was sitting on. In the end, he decided eating it was less wasteful. Matthew did a very careful job, but got tired and pleaded for me to help him. He was so concerned that the job should be taken over!


The latest project of Phil's (though I get to help if I behave) is making a playset for the kids outside. I thought, baby coming and all, that this would be the summer I'd be going out less. So having the playset this year, instead of next was high on my priority list. (Isn't it lovely how it gets higher up on my husband's then too? ;) ) It's built right about the sand box, if you look carefully you can just see the lid (which is on and shut). It looks rather imposing, and perhaps a little too close to the house after all...but once the posts get trimmed, etc. hopefully the overall look is good.

And how is my less exciting old project going? (Curtains, you mean?) Coming along ever so slowly. Even slower like when I make mistakes like cutting it 7 inches too short. Funny thing is I measured it about 5 times, and was very sure on it. But unfortunately I cut it at the first marking I had made, not the second important one. Fortunately, after a bit of work, I think the material will be salvageable, only it'll hang an inch higher off the floor than initially planned. Too bad!

Wamth!

The weather was lovely the past few days, and we were (not today anymore, mind you) able to enjoy the outdoors without coats on! Quite a change from a month ago!

The kids were pleased to finally be allowed to play in the sandbox. I had opened it up a few weeks ago, only to find a rodent residing in there. It was a bit of mess. The lids kept the cats out all year--but made a lovely shelter all winter. Anyways, we consider it to be moderately clean now (though not perfect) after some scooping, and several rain showers. Hopefully it's good enough! We kept the lids off for a few weeks (cleaning up after cats is a lot simpler (and probably healthier!) than cleaning up after a rodent) and we think he won't be back anymore.

Nathan loves having the sandbox available again. He's made a subway station, with sidewalk going down to it.

Just don't anybody wreck it!

Melanie enjoys a change of scenery more than the sandbox specifically.

She made me a lovely cake with 4 candles on for my fourth birthday though. With chocolate candies on it! (They were pretend candies, nothing gross!)

Matthew loves playing outside, and would love it even more if part of the sandbox wasn't considered off limits by his big brother!

He doesn't usually make anything, just has fun and gets good and dirty!

Daniel loves going outside too! After all, who wants to be left out of all the fun? Compared to last year he actually is pretty good with keeping the sand in the box, and out of his mouth. (Maybe he just knows that ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT JUST HAPPENED his momma ain't gonna let him get away with anything!)

He likes scooping dirt around, and mainly copying what Matthew is doing. But if a noisy truck comes down the road and I'm not right there, he'll come running! (I guess the chain link fence doesn't look trustworthy enough. ;) )

Spring is in the air!

Apparently snowdrops are up, and that can only mean that spring is here! We are out of hibernation, and soaking up vitamin D, trying to make up for being D deprived for a few months. I was very close to giving the kids vitamin supplements over the winter but never got around to it. Now it doesn't matter anymore.

Hotdogs and salad for dinner, since Daddy's not here. Hope the air in London agrees with him.

Sunshine!

Sunny weather outside today! The flu symptoms I felt yesterday(aches, chills, exhaustion) are gone, leaving me with meerly a sore throat and a bit of tiredness. We are outside, and even the fact that my husband is taking off to another continent on a short notice for three days this week does not make me feel overwhelmed. Good thing I didn't find out yesterday. ;)

Snow!

All(most all) the kids love it when it snows, and are very excited to go out and shovel the driveway for me. They're not as excited about the sidewalk, since it's so uneven, and save it for last, or for me.




(Daniel is less than excited to be "helping".)

Wonderful Weekend

The weather was perfect today for raking. I spent over two hours outside with the kids. Chilly enough to work hard without getting too hot. Just an occasional breeze. And sunny (a bit).

The kids asked me almost every day this week if we could rake again. But they had to wait 'til Saturday. The warmer the weather the happier Daniel is lend a helping hand ('til his naptime).

The bigger kids love helping too. But sometimes I wonder just how much help they're giving. Although a boost in one's spirits is a big help in itself, so I won't complain.

These are tigers. Scary one's too! But I was even scarier (after checking over my shoulder to make sure no neighbours were looking) when I transformed into an even bigger tiger-then they raced away like frightened whelps, tales between their legs.

Nathan, however, sedately raked during this entire performance, for wildlife or not, he had work to do. "I work hard, just like Daddy." (You sure do!)

And life indoors?

Daniel is now feeling confident enough with his walking to perform for the public. He thinks he's pretty funny when he does it now, and so does Matthew! But he still finds crawling to be faster most of the time, especially for long distances when he's sure to fall anyways. He usually shuffles sideways when he walks.

Favorite Fall Pastime

The weather couldn't have been better today. My absolute favorite. Warm (not hot) with a touch of coolness. Sunny. The smell of fall in the air.

We didn't have many leaves collected on the ground yet, but since conditions were perfect, we decided to finish filling up the last bag from last year anyways.

We did collect more than I expected. The kids were able to hone their raking skills in preparation for the bigger part of the fall leaf collecting, although they will have to fight me for a turn with a rake.

That could get scary.

What hard workers these guys are! An Asian grandfather who walks past our house regularly gave me the thumbs up when he returned with his grandkids on his way back from picking them up at school.

But rakes and hands are not Daniel's style. If he's going to help out, he's going to go all out and have all the appropriate machinery.