Izzy Upstairs

Oh no!! Eric just left to take Kai to school.  Luk, Jia and I are all still in bed.  I guess Izzy didn't want to be alone.  She came up and settled in my room.  Yikes.  I've closed the gate so she can't attempt the stairs on her own.  She isn't capable whatsoever of getting down.  Eric is going to he quite dismayed at having to carry her down again.  I'm thinking perhaps she lives upstairs now.  Does anyone know how to carry a big dog downstairs properly?  Off to look to Youtube for options.  I was really hoping to guide Luk and Jia through a science project and then get into weekend stressfree mode.  This isn't a great start to stressfree.

Youtube has shown me how to make a shopping bag back end sling to be used with her chest harness and leash.  Except she is terrified to go down so this still won't be easy.  Why does she come up?!  

The harness and double leash worked.  Phew.

Charles Mcgee

I can not believe we're homeschoolers.  Luk and I have done a ton today.  We forced Jia to piggy back his projects so she has extra to turn in.  These are paper sculptures in the style of Charles Mcgee doing relief sculpture.  Why can't we just do reading, writing and arithmatic?  Arg.  I wanted Jia to do a page of writing so this could double into history.  She disagrees.  

So much math. Shockingly both Jia and Luk are learning improper fractions, reducing fractions and adding fractions. Wild it's the same stuff.  His are single digits, hers are double.  

It's that time again.  Eric spent the bulk of the day weedwacking and mowing. 

The new solar panels are both working. 

We got Fei to test drive a car today. Eric and I love it. Dodge Dart. It won't be on the lot long. Fei is thinking on it.  She still likes her car. 

Hero Cookies For the Mr.

Tuesday is our busy day.  Add Luk to the mix because he's homeschooling for the time being. Fei called at 11ish in distress telling me her car was on fire.  She left early to get to Nanaimo so we thought that was where she was.  I had her hang up and yelled to Eric to call her.  She wasn't in a parking spot and was going to be late. After much tado we finally sorted that she was at the Duncan hospital.  We scurried Jia and Luk along so we could leave asap.  Jia had school in an hour and Luk doesn't feel ready to be home alone.  

Fei's car wasn't on fire but it had a pretty big episode and dropped all it's fluid in the Duncan Hospital parking lot.  She was blocking traffic.  Eric stayed with the car until the tow truck showed up.  I took Jia to school, went and signed some paperwork and picked up lunch for Eric and I since we hadn't eaten yet.  I think Eric appreciated lunch.  We watched the tow truck pick up the car.  Waited for Fei to be done.  I took her and Eric home so they could deal on their own.  Luk and I got Kai, picked up Jia and dropped Kai at his playgroup.  Sadly Luk and I spent four hours in the car and he forgot his phone.  After dropping Kai we came home.  I cleaned the kitchen and prepped/chopped a sheet pan dinner. Then had to head out again to pick up Kai who was quite upset when I got there because they didn't give him blueberries for snack.  One of the fellows in charge told me they didn't have blueberries.  Kai sulked about it a lot of the way home.  I gave him blueberries at bed time snack.  He didn't react so I have no clue if he remembered the sulk.  Haha.

Eric has been bugging Fei for 2 years to get a newer car. It's time. It turned out a plastic fitting at the back of the engine granaded.  Fix was $149.  Tow was on bcaa.  

Needless to say he didn't find time to work on the solar project yesterday. Cheese was done on Monday and is working pretty great.  Today the moho is done,  also working pretty great.  Yay.  Fingers crossed. Today was big efforts in catching up.  Dinner at bedtime again.  Sigh.

Luk and school.

Eric didn't want him to go back.  I did.  Luk wasn't too concerned.  His only concern was getting up if he fell.  We took him this morning and met with the principal and his teacher.  Expressing that he's wobbly and weak.  Still learning how to walk again.  We said he doesn't need outside, he doesn't need gym and that less is more right now.  I just picked him up and found out he did a full face plant before school even started.  Another kid stepped on the back of his shoe and down he went. Luk HATES falling down.  Especially when someone else causes it.  I expect to see a black eye for sure.  His ankle is really hurting. I just wrote to the principal and asked about getting work sent home.  It's clear he didn't put his hands out to stop his face from hitting the ground. Feeling lucky he has all his teeth.  Update, the principal will have work ready for us to pick up for Luk tomorrow.  

After dropping the boys off we did some grocery shopping.  We put groceries away and headed back down for solar panel installation supplies.  Where we ran into the rv guy that does house calls and finally got his phone number again.  We lost his card.  Eric could have used him a couple times with wiring issues on Cheese.  

In other news the 400 watt solar panels I ordered from China arrived today. Eric is installing one on the moho and one on the Cheese.  So each unit currently has 100 watt and will now have 500 watts charging up the batteries.  Fingers crossed.  Our first trip out with both units is Easter.

I just brought the boys home from school and little Sassy flew out the door.  So she's sitting in the sun with me.  We're listening to Eric grumble and putter while figuring things out.

Why couldn't we have had some of this sun on the weekend?!

Oh, and Fei is home!  

Sun and Popsicles.  Eric was out shopping for wire and attachments.  He came home and questioned snacks at dinner time.  We all just stared at him.  I finally answered with "Luk is hurt".  Haha.  

It was a great price for the solar panels from China.  Little pricey getting them installed. 

Roblox with a friend.  He sounds happy again.

This little owl was perched nicely waiting for me to come to bed.

Jia took this picture of Finn cuddling up to Oliver.  The most unlikely duo ever.  I don't know if this picture makes Finn look tiny or Oliver look ginormous. 

Snow & Dumplings

Being able to reach everything will never get old.  

Eric washed.  I dried.  

I think once Eric and I are childless we could definitely see traveling in an a-frame.  It's plenty of room for two of us.  We woke up this morning listening to people on the trail talking about the pop up with hard walls.  Funny but we would have preferred sleeping in longer. We are aware that the plan for five of us in here for a week will be a bit nuts.  Warmer weather and outdoor space will help.

When we left today we didn't have much of a plan.  We started with the thrift store.  Then to Ladysmith.  We thought maybe going to Arbutus to kick tires because we could with no kids.  But it was really raining when we got there so we went to Ping's for a dumpling snack.  It was snowing when we got there.  Yikes. 

We brought our dumplings back then weren't hungry for dinner so we curled up and watched a John Wayne movie. Dinner wasn't until 8:30.  Total rebels.  

Thanks Mom for letting us get away.  We've definitely enjoyed no schedule. No kids and no pets.  

uh oh

We're up, prettied up and dressed.  Coffee and tea made. Just starting breakfast and the power shut down.  He plugged into the site power and nothing.  Plugged into the car and some stuff works.  He's busy trying to figure out what part blew.  All apart of the trial.  It was all working so fabulously until it wasn't.  

Figured out.  The land power wasn't turned on at the campsite.  Yeesh.  For a minute we were heading to town to look for a new panel.  The fancy, dancy power storage battery was dead.  The solar panel is in the shade and couldn't keep up.  We weren't sure about putting the other solar panel up but it looks like he needs to.  

We're back to being toasty warm and are making camp toast to eat with peach spread. Yum.  Smells so good in here.

The Trial Run

So cute. We're the smallest unit here.  

First things first.

Cutest kitchen ever.

It's really cozy.

We sat in a drizzle for a good long while. When it cleared up a bit we did the Crofton walk. Right at dinner time, total rebels.

Cooking from bed. Eric made chilli to bring.  So good.  It's too cold to bother eating outside.  Penny and Brad came for a visit and we stayed in for the visit.  Haha.  Not squishy at all if everyone just sits. 

Eric is in bed before me! And no tv.  Wild.  I sat and watched Tik Tok with my snacks :)

Blank Calendar Square

I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something. I've checked the calendar twice and Mar 23 is blank.  That is pretty rare for a weekday.  It's a weird feeling.  

Eric is off this morning picking up a car battery for Mom.  Then he's going to attach the half umbrella pole to Cheese so we can use it this weekend. Rain in the forcast. I keep bugging him, are you done?  Are you done?  Are you done now?  Yesterday he put the new water pump in, and then there was leaking.  It's all fixed again.  The pump is the quietest we've ever had in any unit.  I'm at my desk just finishing up Feb.  Such a scramble to get away every time.  Jia gave Finn his meds last night for the first time.  Now we're trying to get her to do up Isabel's dinner.  She says it's gross but it's literally home made soup added over a bit of kibble. 

I've been gathering :)  This has to fit into Cheese.  Haha.  Plus the stuff in the garage that will mostly go in the storage bin.  Plus the bedding that's all in two black garbage bags and another laundry basket of towels and facecloths.  I keep telling Eric there is stuff missing from my stash so somewhere in the basement or garage is another box.  I'm hoping to move in tonight.  Can't wait.  This is the super fun part.  Update, it all fit.  Eric put it all away while I was doing math with Jia.  So of course when I joined him I had him take it all out so we could do it the way I had planned.  Haha, married life.  He seriously shpuld have seen that one coming.

 Meanwhile:

The boys are up to basically nothing.  I have to admit that I am pretty annoyed at how lazy the kids are at this age.  They seriously want to do nothing and go nowhere.  I'm so tired of offering, pleading and lecturing.  Apparently we are currently raising lumps.  Jia doesn't want to do what we're doing or go anywhere but she is at least always crazy busy with something.  Spring break was certainly not all that I had hoped.

In desperation I even offered for them to come with us camping this weekend.  I didn't really want to give up alone time with Eric so it was a great relief that they all said a big no.  Should we take this personally?  

I don't remember Lili and Fei being like this.  They were in dance, piano and theater and had a baby sister, they just didn't get the time to lounge around I guess.  

How do you force someone to get interested in something?  Why are they so damn happy?  Shouldn't they be bored to death?  I would be.  Eric would be.  We're like constant activity.  For Eric it's just the way he is.  For me I like to get as much done before the next Crohns flare hits and forces me into down time.  

I do know we can remove phones, tv, video games and computers.  This doesn't solve the issue of them being interested in other things.  The boys will literally sit and stare at walls.  We can force family fun.  Kai cries, Luk sulks and Jia complains.  

But, they're happy.  Still happy to help with chores now and then. Happy to have a conversation. Happy to help with the pets.  They come running for meals.  I shouldn't be complaining.  This is just a phase.  This is just a phase.  This too shall pass.  

Oh, and a great report at the eye specialist yesterday.  The bleeding vein in one eye has cleared up.  Pressure holding great.  Retina thinning but at a normal rate.  And I'm good to keep driving.  My field vision was improved for the first time in five years.  So no surgery any time soon.  I was hoping to move to a year call back but nope still at every six months. New young specialist, 1st time with her and she used the words "normal for your age".  Sigh.  

1st Porch Party and Puppy spa day.

I worked until noon.  We did lunch with the kids.  Then we offered to take the kids with us to run errands.  Big surprise, they all declined.  

Thrift store.  Bakery.  Dropped a bakery treat with Sue for her Bday.  Visited with DM and Al.  Dropped a treat with Mom.  To town to pick up a package. Then to the rv shop for a new water pump for Cheese.  The old one won't shut off.  Picked up our milk.  It was such a beautiful day instead of going home to cook we picked up Mays and had our first porch party of the year.  Luk enjoyed the porch with us.  Jia declined.  Kai made it a whole minute before declaring "I'm outta here".

Bliss.  Feet in the sun!  We're so ready for summer.

Lili, he saved his orange pop for a moment.  This was it ;)

Hair cut, toenails and a bath.  The beauty queen is looking sharp.  Fei mentioned possibly being home this weekend so we needed to pretty up her girls before she gets home and gives me heck ;)

Finn is a Tasmanian Devil about getting his toenails cut.  Snarling, biting and screaming. It's pretty stressful for all of us.  He was so nuts last night about it that I was worried he'd have a seizure and die.  He doesn't mind the bath as much.  He smells good and last night he forgave me eventually and there were snuggles with the silkiest puppy ever.

Coco is the best with grooming.  She is interested through it all trying to see what we're doing.  She loves the attention and surprisingly behaves really well.  Plus the whole looks like a porg in the bath never gets old.  Then she is a complete basket case for a good hour with zoomies.  So cute.

Today I have to see another eye specialist. With the drops.  Yuck.  

Jia's Hip Hop Photos.

This feels like it was weeks and weeks ago.  The photos were just emailed.

Weigh Scale

The Cheese is done.  We took him to town to weigh.  1460lbs dry.  Yay!  Car can tow 3500.  I can pack anything we want ;)  

Mom is coming to watch the kids this weekend.  Eric and I are taking Cheese out for the trial run.  So fun.

Then to Superstore to pick up the new spectacles.  I'm loving that I can see better, distance is the same but I can read better now. 

We picked up a few groceries for home and sorted our menu for our little get away.   The weather report isn't so great.  Prayers it clears up a bit.  

Actuator

Eric did a thing.  With no instructions.  I suggested we add an actuator to Cheese to lift the roof.  I of course had zero idea what an actuator is but read about them as an assist in an a-frame group.  We ordered it from Amazon.  He attached it while we were away.  It works!!  Amazing.  Lifts it up and down.  So fancy.  

Success.

Holley Cow.  A mens size 8!  They look like giant flippers on him.  Jia looks delighted.  

The kids came out with us willingly.  We stopped after Walmart at a Dollarama for lint rollers and containers for the Cheese kitchen.  The kids normally love coming in to pick out snacks and drinks.  Today they opted out and told us to pick.  Only because Luk is not mobile did we agree.  

Then Eric took us for a long drive in the sun while we munched and the kids watched a movie.  We seem to have skipped dinner.  Full from chips.  Haha.  I've suggested grilled cheese for snack.