Kids Concert

 We've been going to two churches lately and therefore the boys were in two church Christmas concerts. We don't have any photos of the first one because Rob and I didn't actually go to it (babysitters took them) but here are the ones from Christmas Eve. 

Handsome boy. 

He's trying to show Ezra his dinosaurs but Ezra is busy being an Inn Keeper. 

Singing songs, we have the Inn Keeper and a Shepherd. 

Now Ezra is a chicken. 

We left early because Philip was being CRAZY but the boys did a great job in their plays. 

Ezra's homemade gifts

Ezra is one of the most thoughtful humans in the world. When we began sewing, I showed him the very first thing I made- a pot holder. The reason I showed him was to tamper his wild expectations of creating all sorts of things with fabric. Immediately, he wanted to make some pot holders for Christmas gifts for some very special people in his life: his grandparents. So we chose two colours (I bought fat quarters), he made a variety of designs, chose his patterns, cut the fabric (a little smaller than he intended ;)), pinned, machine and hand sewed two pot holders. 

He wanted to sew a tshirt for each of his brothers, but I convinced him to paint something on them instead. He chose the subjects, colours, tshirts (paid for them even), and drew on them. I helped make the stencils he used but otherwise, these are all Ezra. 

Philips favourite Lego pieces are the guys heads. 

The flag of Nova Wind

Mommy date

I was at Starbucks one day and at the cream and sugar station there was a sign saying that kids can have a free chocolate if they helped decorate the store by coloring a picture. There were photocopies of menorahs and Christmas trees so I grabbed two Christmas trees and brought them home for Ezra and Silas. They were very excited to have a free hot chocolate and to have a nice date with their mommy. We had a great time and I even bought them an additional treat :). The Starbucks staff were very nice to the boys and complemented their pictures and hung them up on the wall right away. 

Getting Ready for Christmas

We've done a few things here and there to get ready for Christmas in the last few weeks. Here are a few pictures of some of our activities. 

Ezra, Silas and I went to see the Nutcracker Ballet! It was very well done and we loved it. 

Baking sugar cookies! Silas kept muttering over and over "I love this so much". 

Decorating our tree! So many exciting ornaments. 

Sick Kids

We had some sickies this week. Nothing serious, just your basic seasonal virus. Two were pathetic and one was nonchalant. 

Brotherly love

I love how they love each other. 

Puppy Love

The boys each received a stuffed dog when they were born as a gift from my mother. They have since been named multiple times, re-stuffed, and gone through the wash more times that I can count. They are by far the favourite stuffed animals we own, and each of the boys is especially attached to their own puppy. Silas in particular will not sleep without his dog, but each of the boys seems to find comfort in their first puppy. 

Leaf Jumping!

The boys and I had the best morning ever today. A friend of mine invited us to come and jump in her giant pile of leaves and it was a blast. Philip needed some encouraging to jump but the older two took to it like birds take to the air. After they were tired of jumping, they built a giant tunnel, using lawn furniture and sticks as supports for the leaves. I think there were eight chairs, so the tunnel was dark, which meant they used flashlights to see while they crawled through. Some fun action shots!

My only tunnel pictures are just of the beginning of the build. 

Barbershop Tales

Silas and Philip went to the barbershop for the first time the other day. At first, Silas refused to get in the chair but conceded after Ezra had his turn. Philip loved having his haircut. He sat so nice and proper and was very proud of himself. The hairstylist is a friend of mine and she is moving at the end of November so we thought we'd get the boys in to see her before she doesn't work at a salon/barbershop anymore. 

The focus face. 

Handsome as heck. 

Nice little smirk. The red colour is from a gel. 

Baby clothes quilt

So I made a quilt. My first one ever. It took months (of off and on time) and I learned a lot. I'm really proud of it and I really enjoyed doing it. No, it isn't perfect and no, I don't care :). 

The stack of baby clothes and blankets that I cut into squares. 

Sewed, quilted and ready for binding. 

It's done!

Homeschool update.

Here are some photos of things we have been doing in homeschool lately! We love homeschool. It isn't perfect, and some days we have attitude or arguing or way too much silliness, but overall, it's great. The boys have learned a lot already and I really enjoy being able to see their progress and celebrate their accomplishments with them. The month of November will look a little different because I am babysitting a seven month old baby, but she naps twice a day so we are still getting a lot done. 

Ezra is learning to sew!

Chromatography - using a solution of alcohol, crushed leaves and heat to separate the chlorophyll in the leaf. 

Learning why leaves change colours in autumn. 

Silas drew the squiggle, I coloured it a dog. 

Autumn birch trees with pastels! (Ezra's, Silas's and Pip's) 

Book work is good too! 

Oh, and we voted! 

Field trip to the music store! We've also gone swimming (and the apple picking you've seen) but I didn't get any pictures of us at the pool. 

Florida themed Halloween

This was all their idea. A SCUBA diver, a surfer dude and a sea turtle. Rob and I keep the gang safe as lifeguards.