16 in 2016: Updates on Year-long Goals

Although I don't have more than one item crossed off on my 16 in 2016 goal list, I am working on a few more at the same time, and this post is to document the in-between.

One of my goals was to travel to Banff National Park and see Calgary (and who am I kidding? ride horses like in Heartland). We're heading out that way in mid-June for a family vacation with my mom and stepdad as well. We'll stay two days and nights in Banff where hikes and nature will be prime priorities, and then just under a week in Calgary before we drive back and the 'rents fly home. We've got our places booked thanks to airbnb, and we've got tons of things to do and places to explore thanks to the great tips I got on facebook. Are you familiar with those areas? Leave me a comment with the best places to eat or family-friendly things to do.

Another goal I have is to explore Vancouver island. I've been to Victoria perhaps 3 cumulative days before and never anywhere else. Two of my friends are meeting me up at YVR this summer and we're hitting the ferry to explore the island! It's a great time to come to Canada because our dollar is quite low, so they were willing to say this year is BC year. What better way to accomplish a fun goal than with some of your best friends? I'm counting down the days!

Reading through the Laura Ingalls Wilder books has been great so far. Out of nine books, we've read through book four (just started 5, "By the Shores of Silver Lake") since Christmas. At this rate, I hope to be finished with them by mid-June, when school ends. That shouldn't be too hard, the first 4 are the bulkiest. It's a six-month commitment, but it's been a fun one to do with the kids.

I've also bought or received a few more (living) plants for our home! I bought a really nice plant from IKEA where even the plants are just a few dollars. I have no idea what it is because it didn't come with a tag, it's not on their website, and it's not shown above. There are a good 30 leaves and it reaches about 6 inches high. It's funny that it was a 'goal' because now that I received two as gifts (an African violet and an Easter lily), I feel like I only need to purchase one more (a nice hanging plant) and that goal will be finished! I found a great local spot that was new-to-me that I've scouted out a beautiful hanging plant for a reasonable price but they are almost never open, so I'll keep trying.

Comments

How To: DIY Sand/Water Table

How To: Build A Sand/Water Table for Under $30 ! Sorry this took me so long to blog, but I had to have a tool list and full instructions before I could do so. A little history on my love for the sand/water table . I love the idea behind tools for tiny hands, i.e. the Montessori Method , and like to have Lukka 'figure things out for himself', even when he is playing. I try to have the most simple and basic toys available for 3 reasons: a) simple toys generally have less parts, which means less of a hassle for me b) simple toys inspire way more creativity and imagination than do 'exact replica' toys c) they are much more aesthetically pleasing to look at, therefore, not making every nook and cranny of our house an eyesore! I know the last reason is just for me, but it's true. Plastic things don't generally last 1/2 as long as wooden or fabric toys, and they are unattractive. For this reason, I started to look for a wooden sand/water table as opposed to a pl...

Home School Activities: Board Games We Love

My children have recently become enthralled in the world of board games. I was never a board game player. Sure, I remember long summer hours (days? it seemed like it..) spent around a Monopoly board, but I was never one to suggest to get out the cards, or a game. As my children have grown and they are now able to do activities with me, I started noticing that they really took to puzzles (when done all together) and the one or two board games I happened to have kept in the storage room. They were always asking to play Candy Land and so I figured I should branch off a bit. Over the course of the last year, I have found GREAT games, even ones that I love to play alongside them. The amount of 'teaching' they have gotten through games is jaw-dropping. Counting, team-playing, math related patterning, are just some of the skills I've watched develop. I asked before Christmas on facebook what my friends and their own kids loved and I was thrilled with the response. We have found ov...

November - December Titles // 2024

a moody December scene at Glen Valley I am just squeaking into the final few days for this post, and I am so glad I had Christmas break to boost a few more books into this somewhat meagre offering for Fall of 2024! What did you read that you loved? No Bootstraps When You're Barefoot by Wes Hall - This was a memoir I read for my bookclub, and although I found the first part very interesting, I read at least 75+ pages of his job (working his way up the 'wall street of Toronto') and I still don't know what he does. This author grew up in Jamaica and honestly his ingenuity, quick learning ability, and resourcefulness helped him achieve amazing things, but it did feel a bit hollow toward the end. I don't think that was the intention, I just didn't overly love it. The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo - Again, I will read anything DiCamillo writes and be the first to have it ordered to my library! This lovely, nostalgic, and somewhat dour (at times) little middle...

Our House in the Middle of Our Street

Search This Blog