craft fair coming up

We have been very busy lately getting ready for the craft fair coming up at the end of October. 
However, I still have some orders to fill too and one of them was for a stuffy toy for a baby.  The lady who wants it bought a teddy bear from me a while back but has another grandbaby to buy for now and wanted something different.  I asked her what she would like and she said "I don't know, come up with something."  Oh,  I hate orders like that but here goes and we'll see if she likes it.

Caleb is also working hard and learning to sew really well.  Practice is making perfect.  He is determined to sell mittens so if you know anyone who would like to buy some of his special home made wool mittens he would love to sell lots.  He is trying to raise money for his trip to Africa. 
I did the design on the back of the fancy mittens and helped with the sewing on the first few but now he is able to sew them all on his own.  He is quite proud of his work and he calls them "Penguin Mittens".  Here is his poster.

Here are the mittens.

Jacob is not to be left out though and has been very busy making what he calls, "Skinny Scarves".  The are more for class then for warmth but they would work for either.  Here he is with several that he has already knitted (he knits them with his fingers).  He loves doing it!

And here is me, wearing one of them.  I have it folded in half so it is not so very long.  They add a nice touch I think. 

Silly Kitty

This is my office

Notice who found a good spot for watching the news

Such a pretty kitty!

My Husband's Hilarious Family

I want you to meet some of my husband's family.  They all love to clown around and be funny together.  We went on a camp out in Alberta together and it turned out to be a wonderful time.  Here are some of his siblings (not all).

I wanted a more natural picture though, showing their true personalities (funny!).  I asked them to please show their "true side!" for the picture!... LOL  not the right words because they all at once and together did this:

Not what I had in mind!  Ha ha ha!

Here are the cousins that are similar in age on this side of the family.  They had fun!

Pics of the Yukon and Market before leaving for Washington

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Whewwwww! First week of school done!

Hi again everyone,
I'll have to say, I've led one busy week.  I have my kids well organized and busy this school year!  It feels good but somewhat exhausting, at least until we get used to the schedule.
Ziggy loves his schedule and dives into his activities with a passion to win his three tickets a day which entitles him to play time, going to the evangelistic meeting in the evening, going skating, watching a video or playing games or whatever else in a non-necessary activity.
C. is a lot more distractable and tends to have a harder time keeping up with a schedule but he has a good attitude and does his stuff.
J.  on the other hand likes control more then the others and my requiring him to perform chores and classes in my time and my way is very difficult for him and he has balked every step of the way which is probably what made it exhausting for me.  Anyway,  he is coming along and beginning to realize that I am dead serious about being organized and focused about them learning good work ethics and to have the ability to stand alone should the need ever arise.  I also intend for them to be disciplined and well mannered and beautiful children.
And so....we continue!

As for reading other blogs,  I've been reading my sisters and always find it interesting.  She was commenting how Some PT (Not sure who that is,  she is adopting two little ones who are six and there are miriads of medical people, therapists, social workers and others involved. So who PT is, I'm not sure)  told her that they are concerned because her adoptees at six years old don't know all their shapes.  Is that really a huge concern in the great scheme of things?  So many other things to worry about but I guess triangles are very important!

I'm only saying all this for my sister's sake.  Don't worry the small  things.  My little Ziggy is almost eight and still can't get all his shapes or even his letters straight.  He just simply couldn't care less!  However, in driving with my husband the other day, he asked questions like this:  "Dad the truck is moving forward really fast and I see a fly inside the cab here.  I know the fly is moving much slower then the truck, why is it that the fly is not pasted up against the back window?"  Wow!  My husband had some science and physics to explain and my little seven year old understood and got it!  That isn't the first time he has displayed some major thinking abilities.  However,  what sound does a "u" and "i" or and "e" make or what shape is a triangle, square or rectangle?  It's been months in the learning!  Not to worry, C.  was like that too and I was beginning to dispair but he seems to be fine now that he is 11 years old.
Don't sweat the small stuff!

And just so you know,  I took these pictures after I wrote the post.  J. is so true to his attitude in this picture.  Sigh...

I'm Home!

• Well....It has been a fantastic last month!!  The kids and I traveled from the Yukon to my sister's in Washington and spent some time with them.  While there we swam, ate fruit to our hearts content, canned a bunch to bring home, hiked in the mountains, went shopping and enjoyed my family (brother, father, sister and husband and all of their 5 children)  it was great and refreshing!

While at my sister's home we fell in love with a little gray kitten that they had.  It was apparently an extra and needed a home.  My kids begged to be able to bring it and I was a little afraid of traveling with a cat, however I finally agreed and we took little "Kitten Mitten" "Minue" "Fluffy" and whatever else it was called with us when we left.  The poor little thing meeeowwed for about 5 minutes and then went to sleep and slept for the next eight hours of driving.  What a great traveler!

The next place we visited was my college roomate's home in Montana, where we spent a week sewing, shopping, laughing, comparing homeschool ideas, and all that fun stuff.  Little "Many Names" (kitten) found himself confronted by a little dog there who thought that he was just what the doctor ordered for entertainment and fun.  Many Names stood his ground though and taught that little dog a little lesson.

When it was time to leave Montana I was able to buy a cat kennel at a yard sale for $5.00.  That was a blessing!
At the border, crossing back into Canada, we answered only the questions we were asked and so we arrived without any ado about the cat in Canada.

We then traveled up to Rocky Mountain House for a family Reunion on my husband's side of the family.  I expected my husband to arrive there from the Yukon before we got there but he was not there.  Not to worry I was sure he would come.  Well, as evening pressed on he did not come and he had our tents and camp stove and pots and pans and plates and everything for camping.   We waited and waited and finally I decided that since there was a little building with picnic tables and a wood stove in it we would just lay them out in there and we were cozy warm all night.   Art showed up around 2 in the morning and slept in his truck.
We decided though, that we prefered our nice warm cabin instead of a tent and so we remained in there for the rest of the camp out.  (I know,  we're pansies!  but we're allowed because we only have summer bags and they are not warm!)

About the Kitten again,  As soon as my husband met him in the morning, he fell in love and called him
"Fritz III".  (He's had two other cats named Fritz before).  My husband seems to think he is a grand little kitty and very smart and cute and well behaved.  And well...that he seems to be!

At the family reunion the kids renewed their friendships with cousins (mostly grown) they already knew from before and met with cousins they didn't know at all who were their own age.  They had a really great time!!

The ride home was very long.  I am sure that the side of the road going North is so much longer then the side going South.  We did however, take a break at the Liard hotsprings and enjoyed the hot bath in the natural pools in the creek.  It was beautiful but made it even harder to drive afterward because after a hot (and I mean hot) bath like that, it only makes one sleepy (very sleepy).

We arrived home Tuesday evening.  I cleaned house Wednesday and made a schedule for our lives.  And today homeschooling and routine has begun with gusto.

I started out the day with a one on one Bible study with each of my children.  I must say, I felt inspired!  We are using "The Picture Smart Bible" new Testiment and already I'm loving it and the kids are too.  I hope to inspire somehow, in the hearts of my children an utmost respect and love for God.  This has been a good beginning.

Anyway  off to do some exercise.
Have a great day!