A Social Studies Project+ Just a WEE Bit Of Snow

Well, it's still winter.  Wiarton Willie says it will be an early spring, but I doubt it.
We spent one day at  Grandma and Grandpa's, where Grandpa had piled all the snow into sledding hills and snow forts. Grandpa had also been trimming back the old willow tree in the yard in preparation for it's quick spring growth, and the children were happy to help pile the sticks and brush.  So as a bit of reward, grandpa built them a willow fort in the shape of a First Nations Teepee. It had no covering but it sure was fun to play in. It had a snow platform with steps cut out of the sow to climb up to it.

It was a fun day, and it helped a little with the understanding of our Canadian social studies program. We have been watching Billy Connollys North West Passage (best known as "McSquizzy" in Open Season) documentary on Netflix. As we watch, the children follow his progress on maps they have labeled and colored themselves. It has been wonderful for them to see the people that live in our country, and hear the history and see how it influences the present.The documentary discovers the past and present of our eastern Islands, northern country and BC, and all 4 episodes have been a joy to watch.

 Being in the most extreme North of our country, he visits a number of Inuit villages.  Some are still traditional villages with a gentle touch of the modern world, and some have been kicked hard in the teeth by the western influences.  In Episode 2, the children felt a small connection and a glimpse of understanding about our first nations people, having been a big part of the work it took to create their wood stick fort.  Their favorite part was the throat singing demonstration. Littlest Dude (who's 4) even gave it a try after watching that part of the documentary! Their "Eww Gross!" moment wasn't when they skinned a seal, but when the Inuit children ate some raw.

*A quick note, there is a occasional bit of swearing in it, as Billy's  Scottish humor jumps in occasionally, and the occasional drinking scene. But drink is a reality in our country. And as an abstainer I think it's fair for our children to realize that it is a choice for me and my parents and our friends not to participate in that part of our culture. And I  explained as such to them when we see drinking in media or in public.

MOM......?

DS: Do you know what SuperMan does?

Me: Leaps over tall Buildings?

DS: Nope.....Cleans His Room!

(From the mouths of babes folks!)

Ontario in Autumn

Here are some beautiful fall pictures I took from right outside my house. It inspired me to do the watercolor, that now hangs in my kitchen.

Have you ever found one of these in Your Garden?

Look what I found, playing in the woods today !

 

These little guys are full of fun and mischief! WARNING: Do not feed them sugar or candy or Chocolate or they may explode into an uncontrollable ball of fun!

Dolly's Room

From her Door

Mural I painted around dollar store mirrors

While Dolly was away at camp (sleep over camp for the first time EVER!!) I cleaned and decorated her room. It had never really been fully unpacked since we moved. It was a great surprise for her when she returned and is now the envy of all her friends on the block!

From her bed, and on the floor beneath......

.....the perfect place for a little brother to land and sleep!

Buskering!

This year Get Stepping participated in the downtown Buster festival! The kids even made a few coins (!!) which we put together to buy cookies from our Uncle Neils coffee house across the road ;o)

Waiting our Turn

On stage ready to go....

Watching carefully, new moves we want to learn too!

Teacher at work!

Summer Fun and Friends

A four year old at camp can have a wonderful time! Especially when they're cute and everyone knows your name!

Smiling and Cute as ever!

Monkey on the swings......

Taking turns at the pinata .....

Running for a hug from "My Emmy"

My Quiet Place

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place. I can feel His mighty power and His grace. I can hear the rush of angel's wings, I see glory on each face. Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

This is my quiet place I retreat to each summer. God truly walks among these trees and whispers to us in the breeze. You walk onto the grounds and the only way to describe it is peaceful. Perhaps the following pictures will give you the same sense. I was baptized here last year, it means so much to me that I was able to do that in my quiet place.

New Cake! Dragons!!

I used the Marshmallow icing recipe again to make this cake for my friends son. Record time, start to finish, 2 1/2 hours.  (Except clean up, which I am avoiding)

Birthday Party Cake!

Dolly turns 8 tomorrow!

(....shaking head in disbelief)

So we had many discussions about cakes and came up with a birthday party cake idea that was great!
I made one box of yellow cake mix up and baked it into 6 muffins and a deep, 6 inch round pan.

I cut the cake in half on the edge and iced the cut edge of both halves, and placed a layer of raspberry jam on the bottom layer, then stacked them. Ice thinly with butter cream icing.

Do the same with 2 of the cup cakes to make the stools.


Now THE FUN PART!!

Making rolled Fondant is a daunting task, UNLESS you make...
 

Marshmallow Fondant!! 

It's as easy as 1,2 ,3

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
• 2 tbsp water
• Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional (I used2 Tbsp of Raspberry Jello to make pink)
• 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting

Melt the marshmallows and water over extremely low heat until puffy and melted.  Stir in your coloring or flavors  if you want now.  Then fold in the icing sugar.

It won't fully mix in the pot, so dump the contents out onto a icing sugar dusted surface and knead like bread until smooth and pliable.
Roll as thin as possible on a sugar dusted surface and cut out desired shapes. Or shape like play-dough to make edible figures. (My tea cups and plates are glass toys from the dollar store)

For my cake I cut out 3 circles, tracing around cups and dishes and rolled them even thinner.  Then I laid them over my cake pieces and shaped them. To attach decorative items, add a dab of butter cream icing to the bottom of each piece.

Tremain Family Music

Instruction Studio

SO exciting!! I am now teaching piano lessons. I have 3 students starting this fall and one who has already started. I haven't even advertised yet :o) I am also now a Kindersigns instructor and can teach parents how to sign with babies and toddlers, and I'm coming up with a matching music based program from that curriculum for toddlers up to age 4....then they can graduate into piano lessons. I have studio policies written up and a catalog of books available to me and my students, I'm taking a basic accounting course to keep my books straight, and I'm ready to go.

I've been wanting to show off pictures of our new living space, so I will start with our STUDIO!! I have a sign from Vistaprint coming for the upper window of the front door. The only childrens play things in this room is a bag of blocks and our log cabin. No food allowed in this room!  (They have a great playroom in the basement I'll show off later)

 Front Door

Standing at the front door I took these pictures.....

Sitting at the desk chair......

The couch and TV will be perfect for having a few families of toddlers in for Music and Sign classes

What happens when you leave homeschoolers to their own devices....

You get a puppet show!

Creative juices were flowing, and the oldest two children colored and cut out coloring book pictures and taped them to craft sticks, all thought up on their own! They covered the kitchen chairs with blankets and moved the big pillows from the studio into the kitchen and put on a show for me. They even made two extra to share with their little brother, a wonderful day!!

Spring In the Park

The sun has finally come back out so we could stay out to play.  And look at these wonderful treasures we found in the park today!

Top 5

Top 5 Things I would have rather done today.....

5. Unpack the new house
4.Play at the park with the children
3.Sit under a tree and read a book
2.taken a nap
1. Ride bikes with the children around the new neighborhood


Why I didn't.......

5. Had to finish the last load and cleaning of the old house
4. see #5
3. It was a bit too cold, and see #5
2. I had unload the last of the boxes from our trucks and stack in the basement in the afternoon
1. My NEW bike developed a clank and had to go to the shop ( and see #2)



BUT the old house is empty and I never have to go back! So really all is well. I can't wait until the boxes are gone and I can show off the new nest!

Rainy Days

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me

John 15:26

  

We have had quite a bit of spring rain this last week. The days have been dark and cold again, making the day feel drudgy and the children and I felt cooped up. All around us there are stacks of boxes, bags for the thrift store and piles of possessions to sort through as we prepare to move. It's hard to convince yourself to get working on these rainy, wet dreary days. 

 I was standing at the front door, sighing and avoiding work for a moment to watch the rain, when I spotted a pair of starlings. The sun had just begun an attempt to show itself and a beautiful chorus of birds could be heard singing from the trees and the riverside close by, despite the rain. The starlings were down on the lawn, and they were picking up worms and grubs and having an absolute feast on the creepy crawlies that had come up from the flooded ground  for fresh air. And it hit me that God looks after us this way too.

  Even in the rain storms of life, God is right by our side, providing for us the most. Because that is when we are most willing to let Him.

Today, I am official separated from my husband in the eyes of the government. The children see their dad once a week now. Our relationship has been a struggle for years now. But yes it was necessary. I am neither happy with it or depressed about it. I had to ask him to leave for a bit so I could catch my breath and sort through what was going on between us, and he chose to leave in a manner that made it permanent.

 I do not feel that it is Gods desire that any family should be separated.  But neither is it Gods desire  for the children to suffer for their parents actions and choices. A cloud of depression has been lifted from this home, and new life is beginning, as are we beginning to heal. The comforter has come. And Gods glory is radiating through this situation.  

God has provided us with social  assistance until I can work out employment, I have never missed a rent payment or bill. And there has always been food on the table. God also provided us with instant  housing, so my funds don't have to stretch so far. What should have taken months or even years, was handed to me in one meeting with the  housing rep.  God has also given me a feeling of grace about the situation. It is not my job to judge him beyond the scope of our own relationship, he needs to work out his relationship between God and his children.  But it is my job to keep the children safe, physically and emotionally. I don't resent him for leaving permanently, and we have quickly learned how to be "pleasant" about sorting out visiting arrangements for the childrens sake. I have the support of my family and friends and my church. And my children are happy again, and have an hungry desire  to know God more. The  grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ is here with us.

God has promised to look after us, and His glory is evident to us, even in the midst of the rain. 
 

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

22 ¶ And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 ¶ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

 Luke 12: 6-7, 22- 32

Sweet!

Dear left-over Butter Cream Chocolate Fudge Icing

You are so inspirational (swooon) You made for a wonderful snack of living room smores with DD when we snuck downstairs when her brothers were asleep for our own movie night.

And as I eyed your remains in the bowl, (the product of a great deal of will power on my behalf) I saw visions of rocky road fudge sweetness for dessert tomorrow.

You made a beautiful friendship with that sad little jar of chunky peanut butter that no one would finish, and the handful of mini marshmallows who didn’t have anywhere else to go to. And I have tucked you into the fridge for the night. I look forward to seeing you in the morning.
(hand raised in scouts honor) But I won’t disturb you until after we have all eaten our morning oatmeal ;o)

(copied from a post I made at RTH)