Our Homeschooling Day

We have had a very good day, and Mommy wanted to share it. We started the day with chores. Everyone worked on something. Kenny the dishwasher, Adrian the tinker toys, Courtney the kitchen, Nicole the table, and Sarah the living room.

We then went out to the garage and made some more shelves for the mudroom. Mommy used the saw and cut the wood. We all sanded, and took turns painting the shelves. It was fun, and we all learned something.

As they were drying, we ate lunch, and tidied up. We had been playing around that a monster called the Avalanche was after us, so Mommy suggested that we learn what would keep an avalanche back. On to the computer she went, and found tons of videos, and information. While she was downloading videos from Discovery, we decided to make our own Avalanche Simulation.

We found a board, and started sliding books down it, trying to see if trees (books standing up) could stop the avalanche. We then tried different surfaces. We emptied the salt shaker onto the board, and the book slid down easily, with hardly any slope. (Sandy hills are the worst). We then thought a blanket over the board might be something like grass. It held a little bit longer, but still slid the book. We tried rocks, and ice cubes.

We then sat down to watch some information. We learned that Avalanches are only snow, and what we were doing was more of a landslide. We learned about what is dangerous, and what the different kinds of slides there is. We even saw a rescue.

We now know that trees near the top help the most, and places that have had slides in the past are the most at risk. The higher the slope, the worse the risk. We also decided we are glad we do not live at the base of a mountain!

We talked about Frank slide in Crownest pass that we have visited before, and hope to go up and visit again, and look at it with new eyes.

This took us right to dinner. We learned lots, had fun, and maybe tomorrow we will learn about sink holes.... or some other strange monster that is after us.

These are our flowers.

Nicole says, "These are beautiful flowers. We got them from Home Depot. There is a kind of plant in there, that taste like chocolate and mint. We got to try one of each leaf. The chives are yucky, and I do not like them. I don't like the oregano, it is too spicy. Mommy made the shelf they are on."

While Daddy was at work, Mommy made this shelf. She used the table saw, chop saw, router, and then sanded and painted it. Daddy had to show her how to use the pocket hole jig, then Mommy put it all together. It is small, but does the job.

Kids crash in Living Room

Kids spent Friday night having a movie night. They all watched till they dropped. Nicole curled up in a baby blanket on the floor.

Courtney slept in the strangest position on the love seat. Adrian curled up on the floor in a ball.

One on the kids had been using a couch cushion on the floor, leaving a large hole on the couch for Kennys head to fall into.

Adrian then felt lonely, and uncomfortable, and thought to climb up on the love seat with Courtney. He fell asleep half way up.

Our New Couch

Nicole says the following:
"This is our old couch. We turned it into a beautiful one and it used to be all yucky and dirty. Mommy worked on it. It looks good and I wish I had that kind of fabric. If I had that kind of fabric, and I had an old dirty couch, I would turn it into a couch like that, but right now, I don't know how to."

The Next Day

The Next Day

Kids view of Spring

Spring in Magrath

Taking the Deck Down

Before and After - Deck is Down!

HERE IS EACH BEFORE PICTURE, FOLLOWED BY ITS AFTER PICTURE

We decided that the deck was rotting, and should come down. Mommy thought that Easter Monday would be a good day, because Daddy would be home. She didn't realize that 80-100km/hour winds were also called for that day!

The backyard is a mess, but hopefully the weather will be less windy this week, and we can spend some time outside cleaning up the mess.

We were shocked to find out how rotted the wood actually was. Several places there was hardly anything left of the joists, and the deck boards themselves were also rotting. The crowbar did nothing because the wood was too soft, and would crumble instead of pry apart.

We used the railing from one side of the deck to make a makeshift fence until we can replace it. We placed it between the two large garage doors and the house. This was originally so we could tear the deck down (the deck was the fence on one side) and still not lose the dog. But we might put the new one up in the same place. (Still up for debate)

We plan to put down stones (or pavers) to make a new patio. This will offer us more privacy then standing up so high and looking over the neighbors fences, and will not rot like wood. We are also hoping it will open up the yard, and give it a larger feeling of space.

We did have to take down the Sat. Dishes, so Daddy has no TV until they have found a new home.

We took off the stairs and just re-attached them to the house for the moment. We will replace them and add a landing when we start the big backyard renovation.

Henderson Park

We had read the book "The trumpet of the Swan" We know that this is not a swan, but it takes off and lands the same way, and is very exciting to see.

Crayfish were everywhere in the lake. One was fished out, and we all took a good look. They were about the size of Daddy's hand!

After the 2 km walk, and the exploring of crayfish, cannons, birds, and rock, we headed to Dairy Queen for a treat. We bought a cone just for Missy to have. (After her many swimming adventures we was exhausted)

Henderson Park

The trees were beautiful, as well as the birds we saw finally arriving from the south. This bird we couldn't identify, but it had a very unique call and was quite large.

We walked over a number of bridges, and paused for pictures.

Henderson Park

We took a walk Saturday afternoon to help wear off all the sugar the kids ate.

We had fun looking at nature, and climbing the trees. Even Missy had fun.

Easter Arrives Friday Morning

Easter Arrives Friday Morning

New Shower Curtains

After the strange way the shower door exploded, we decided to go get a new curtain so we can still have showers.

Daddy didn't want a shower curtain. He complained that it would be too dark, and he doesn't like the feel of a wet, cold curtain touching him. He also complained he always feels closed in and cramped.

Mommy listened to all daddy's complaints, then went into the store and bought what she thought might work the best.

First, a rod.

Second, hooks. These were on sale, and Mommy felt that metal hooks would stand up to use much better then the plastic ones she had used in the past that would often break.

Third, a curtain. Mommy decided that a light coloured fabric curtain, with a liner would allow the most light to shine through. She found a heavy duty, mildew proof, CLEAR PLASTIC liner. This would be put inside the tub, and would give the appearance of extra space, allowing light through, and it would hopefully be heavy enough to stay where it is put, so it won't move towards a person who is showering.
The fabric curtain she picked was green, of course.

The boys had fallen asleep in the van, and had not seen the purchases Mommy had made until this morning. Adrian, went into the bathroom, and came out to say there was a blanket in the bathroom with "Ho Ho's" on it. (This means "Santa's Hat's in English). Mommy told him that wasn't a blanket, it was a shower curtain, and that he should turn on the light and look again.

He came out the second time to say that " The blanket that is called a shower curtain, has bears on it."

We all see shapes, leaves and flowers, but to a two year old, we all guess hanging blankets are weird enough, that two year olds also might be able to see bears or "Ho Ho's" where we can not.