Review: Secrets and Sequences

Do you want a painless way to interest your students or children in coding?   Secret Coders has come out with a series of graphic novels to intrigue and entertain.   Mystery mixed with coding.  It's a good thing eh?   Last year I reviewed another Secret Coders book, and today I have Secrets and Sequences to share with you.   Learn coding through reading a graphic novel!   Neat Idea eh? 

Hopper and the gang have a mystery to solve.  What's going on with Professor Bee, who is one-zero and still.. where is Hopper's Dad?   Will they get closer to figuring this out?

As the gang works through the mystery they make new friends (who would have thought!) but danger does make for strange bed fellows.  :)   They learn how to code better (even Josh) and before you know it, they have worked out more of the mystery's answers!  WOOT WOOT!!!

They learn to work together all the better, though sometimes it's not so easy.

I love how the graphics are simple and not hard on the eyes like the graphic novels of old.   These are clearly legible, with simple colours that don't detract from the storyline.

This graphic novel does what many do well... leave you hanging so you want to get the next book so you can solve the mystery.   Will they be able to see it through?   Will the gang solve the code?

Do I recommend it?
For sure.  It's an easy read that introduces coding to your students AND if they decide they are interested, they can visit the secret coders website and learn more!  Pretty cool that!  :)

Title: Secrets and Sequences
Author: Gene Luen Yan
Illustrator: Mike Holmes
Series: Secret Coders
Publisher: First Second Books
Pages: 112
Age: 8-12 years
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books



 Where can you find it?
 Amazon.ca - Secret Coders: Secrets & Sequences

 Amazon.com - Secret Coders: Secrets & Sequences

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Truth, a Poem

Truth

Truth rolls off my back

like water off a duck.

Finding places to sit in,

Places to lead others to query

Chasing away the dirt and grime

Making one be like new.

Truth

Easily discernable from a lie

Most of the time

But sometimes truth is hidden in a lie

A lie that needs light shone upon it

and suddenly.. there it is ... revealed

Truth

It demonstates a man honest

It shows a child's integrity

It displays a woman reliable

Truth

It's part of the Godhead

Seen ultimately in his son Jesus

God declared he knew how to make us right with him

And so it was done.

Truth was spoke

Truth revealed.

A people saved.

 Truth

copyright Annette V May 2017

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

Linking up at:

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Art Series: Stick It To 'Em

Do you like having fun with doodling?   Have you ever considered turning that art form into sticker art?   Bailey Fleming has put together a book to help you explore the sticker side of you!  :)   It's a bright, quirky, fun book that I think you will enjoy!

 Bailey Fleming is an Arkansas born lass whose sister introduced her to the world of stickers.  She claims not to be an artist, but rather a person who likes to show some sass  in her stickers and to encourage others to not let their awkwardness or cynicism from stopping their creative expression.

To wit, she created a book to encourage that exploration.

 I like how she started off her book.   Explaining her thinking.  Doodles .. into stickers... equals making others smile.   So have fun in your doodling.

The first 31 pages are dedicated to teaching and training.   From what type of materials to use, to how to draw some of the artwork seen throughout the book. I really appreciated this section.  To see the different steps you need to create the end product, and the full colour pictures in the tool section, just marvellous! 

The remainder of the book is divided into
Coloured stickers:

Black and white outline Stickers.  Wouldn't they be fun to fill in, stick on a card and send along to make someone's day?

Make your own stickers. Each box makes it own sticker for you to share with other and hopefully bring about smiles on your friends faces.   Discover your own sass and style.

You see...that's the point of the whole book.  Not just for an artist to show off her work, but seriously... to help people be inspired and create their own work.   

More than 275 stickers, divided by rough estimate into a third each.  Give them to your friends, your family and even your frenemies.  Share the joy and the sass with everyone.  :)

AND you get lots of stickers that are full colour so you can share them on cards or notes, others that you can fill in and start to discover your own style, and then spread your wings and fly, sharing your style with those around you and bringing smiles to their faces. 

 Title: Stick it to 'em - Playful stickers to color and create.
Author: Bailey Fleming
Publisher: Walter Foster 

Reviewed for The Quatro Group






Where can you find it?
 Amazon.ca - Stick it to 'Em: Playful Stickers to Color & Create: 275+ stickers with sass for family, friends, and frenemies

Amazon.com - Stick it to 'Em: Playful Stickers to Color & Create: 275+ stickers with sass for family, friends, and frenemies

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

All are treated the Same, sharing the inheritance.

Keep Living a Life of Faith was the theme of yesterday's passage.  Today we learn from Ezekiel 47:13-23.

¹³ Thus says the Lord God: “This is the boundary by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. ¹⁴ And you shall divide equally what I swore to give to your fathers. This land shall fall to you as your inheritance.
¹⁵ “This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad, ¹⁶ Berothah, Sibraim (which lies on the border between Damascus and Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. ¹⁷ So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enan, which is on the northern border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north. This shall be the north side.
¹⁸ “On the east side, the boundary shall run between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar. This shall be the east side.
¹⁹ “On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribah-kadesh, from there along the Brook of Egypt to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.
²⁰ “On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.
²¹ “So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. ²² You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ²³ In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.

The land is to be divided.  The portion for Joseph to be doubled. 12 sections of land as per the 12 tribes of Israel. The travellers who live among them are to be counted among the inheritees.   They are to be treated no differently among the tribes than any native born individual.

Hmmm... What can I take from this?
God does not differentiate  between people who grew up in the church, the natural born offspring you could say and those who came into the church from the outside.   To him.. they are all his children.  All his children share in the inheritance of the Lord.    No one gets anything more than another.  All share equally as those "naturally born". 

Pretty cool that eh?   Best to not forget it.

 

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Recipe: Cherry Jello Cheesecake

Hubby made this delightful dessert for supper tonight.  I'm not a big cheesecake person, but for some reason I like it when he makes it like this. Go figure.  :)   Anyways, give it a whirl, I'm sure you'll like it too!

Ingredients and Instructions:

One package sugar free jello
1 boiling cup water.
Dissolve the jello in the water.
Cut in one package cream cheese, just keep smoothing it out until it a creamy mixture.  Do not whip with beaters as you don't want a bunch of air bubbles in it.
Place in a graham cracker pie crust.
Chill

Optional:
Before serving cover with pie filling (we used cherry, about 1/2 a can)..


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R is for ... raving, rabid, rabbits...

So how do raving, rabid, rabbits fit into a Canadian theme?

Did you know that they are working hard to eradicate rabies from Ontario?   At least from SOUTHERN Ontario?  

We've had flair ups of rabies...due to dastardly hitchhikers coming up from the States, but the ministry is very aggressive in maintaining a 100 km rabies free zone from the US border.
How?
Helicopters and Twin Otter aircraft pepper hectares of forest with vaccine-laced bait traps. Teams of hardened trappers patrol the backcountry to inoculate thousands of skunks, raccoons and foxes — and neutralize the hundreds more that can’t be saved.  NO RABIES!  NO RABIES!!!!!   (save us from New York rabid wild critters!)

How do rabbits fit into this picture? 
Well 
1. I raise rabbits and think they are a rather cool critter.   and
2. Rabbits cannot get rabies.  Go figure.  :)   All the more reason to have more of them around eh? (okay... they MIGHT be able to get rabies, but the chances are so small as to be unimportant).

This is what one comes up with at 1142 at night when one realizes they have done the WRONG letter for the week.  I had a great post for the letter S (you'll have to read it next week).

So today you get to learn about about raving, rabid, rabbits.  :)
See.. THREE R's!   

Normal rabid animals: Rats, skunks, foxes, raccoons (the normal hitchhiker),  deer, mink, and such like.

So anyways, welcome to week "R" of blogging the alphabet.  I'm hoping you'll forgive my tired ramblings (see look a FOURTH R) and join Amanda and I anyways.

Rock on Week R!!!   (see see.. A FIFTH!!!)   :) 

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This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Keep Living a Life of Faith.

Yesterday, God's Protections in the Kitchens, today Ezekiel 47:1-12.

  Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. ² Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
³ Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. ⁴ Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. ⁵ Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. ⁶ And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷ As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. ⁸ And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh. ⁹ And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰ Fishermen will stand beside the sea. From Engedi to Eneglaim it will be a place for the spreading of nets. Its fish will be of very many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. ¹¹ But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. ¹² And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

In today's passage we find water, water that becomes a river that becomes a what???  A lake?   A lake that will be teeming with wildlife and plants and trees.

This water stems forth from the temple and flows to the east. Becoming deeper and fuller the farther out it goes. 

Can you see how the temple is a source of life and hope?   People working, thriving, wildlife thriving, trees growing and being a good food source.   

All because of the temple, the sanctuary of God. 

Can you picture it?

The people bring in the sacrifices.
An aroma pleasing to God wafts from the temple.
And out of the sanctuary flows life-giving water, so abundant that it in turn brings life to all those around it.   Birds, fish, wildlife, plants, trees, and the people who harvest it all.  Fresh water except for the marshlands. 

God's special place brings life to the land.
  
I dunno about you, but the imagery of this boosters my faith.   It shows me a real picture of what God does.   How our sacrifices, our living for him brings forth life that we don't always see it?  This water that pours out from God's people that sustains so much.... 

When you see how churches who follow  after God can change communities, how a person following after God changes the folks that are around, and sometimes even beyond.  We can't always see how we influence and change the world for the better by our faithful actions.  

4,000 cubits the man walked...one cubit is 45 centimetres or a foot and half.  That's quite the distance you know....   To those right next to the sanctuary it would have looked like an insignificant trickle... but further out... a mighty river!   Flowing out of the sanctuary, sustaining so much.   It boggles the mind eh?  (just a bit).   To see this as God's people, changing the world in ways we don't always see... every little bit matters. 

This gives me hope!   It makes me take heart it does!  :) 
Let's keep living our lives as a sacrifice of praise to God... it makes a difference. 

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Canada Book: Taking Your Camera To Canada

Today for my Canada Books I have a small book about Canada, the lad and I read it over the course of three nights I think?  

It's written for perhaps grade 2-4 what this book does is give a good overview to Canada.

Each chapter is only a couple of pages long with tons of images.

 It's a fun, quick read with more information than you would think. I was actually impressed!  32 pages in this thin, softcover book.  Maps, religion, science, school, all the different things that will intrigue children from different walks of life.   The close of the book leaves us with quick facts about Canada. 

You can find it here: Taking Your Camera to Canada Sb.  

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Hymn Study: Praise to the Lord the Almighty

Just wanted to share this song by Fernando Ortega. Another of my favourite minstrels. He changes the words abit from the original hymn, but overall it's similar enough to remind me of this hymn. To see the lyrics that Mr. Ortega uses go here. 

Lyrics: 

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who hath fearfully, wondrously, made thee;
Health hath vouchsafed and, when heedlessly falling, hath stayed thee.
What need or grief ever hath failed of relief?
Wings of His mercy did shade thee.

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord, who, when tempests their warfare are waging,
Who, when the elements madly around thee are raging,
Biddeth them cease, turneth their fury to peace,
Whirlwinds and waters assuaging.

Praise to the Lord, who, when darkness of sin is abounding,
Who, when the godless do triumph, all virtue confounding,
Sheddeth His light, chaseth the horrors of night,
Saints with His mercy surrounding.

Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

The verses in red are new to me, but they fit don't they?   For a more traditional approach you may like this version. 

Joachim Neander wrote this song originally in German, it was called  "Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren", and was published in 1680.  It was translated by Catherine Winkworth.   He died young (age 30) from Tuberculois, writing 60 hymns before he died.  He was a pietist in his faith, and was often at odds with the established Lutheran church.

Winkworth was a forerunner of hymn translators.   Born in English.  She translated many hymns.  She never married and spent her life in demand as a companion, business and secretarial assistant, housekeeper and babysitter.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

God's Continued Protection

Last time we met we learned about the sacrifices and protections God set in place. Today we are going to discuss Ezekiel 46:19-24.

 ¹⁹ Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests, and behold, a place was there at the extreme western end of them. ²⁰ And he said to me, “This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the grain offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so transmit holiness to the people.”
²¹ Then he brought me out to the outer court and led me around to the four corners of the court. And behold, in each corner of the court there was another court— ²² in the four corners of the court were small courts, forty cubits long and thirty broad; the four were of the same size. ²³ On the inside, around each of the four courts was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all around. ²⁴ Then he said to me, “These are the kitchens where those who minister at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.”

You know, I never thought about that.
About where the sacrifices were taken care of once the people brought them.
Also never thought about how God would want to be careful about where they were prepared for the sake of the people.
God took care of that detail.  Protecting them from what the message says as " endanger the unprepared people out there with The Holy.”   God wanted to keep his people safe.  The priests were set apart by God for the work they did, so they could handle the holiness of God.  The common people were not.  So God set apart a special area for his sacrifices were his holiness wouldn't endanger them.

God made all these little kitchens for the cooking of his sacrifices and the protection of his people.

God still does this you know?   The watching out for his people. 
We often aren't truly aware of it.
At least that's what I bring away from this passage.  What about you?


This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Review: Tournament of Champions

Rip and Red are at it again, basketball is the name of the game and these two boys, one autistic and the other from a single parent home, are full into the spirit of the game.   Oh the joy of it!   They are going to part of a basketball Tournament of Champions.   My son and I were eager to read this newest book in the Rip and Red series since we enjoyed A Whole New Ballgame so much.

Challenge one: Can Rip get Red to be part of the tournament?
Challenge two: How will Rip handle the person from the past?
Challenge three: Can they win the tournament?

Team Motto: We will rise to the occasion which is life. 

The tournament they are to be part of is called the Jack Twyman Spring Showdown.   I thought I would see if Twyman was an actual player and learned that he was.  According to Wikipedia, he took guardianship of a fellow basketball player who became paralyzed and cared for him until his death. 

16 teams are invited, Clifton United is one of them and they have only two weeks to prepare. The tournament will be played single elimination style.   The boys are totally stocked with bams, booyahs and high fives all around.

The chapters are short and laced with a lot of communication.   I actually found all the communication with little scenery, or setting made for a less interesting read.  It seemed to me that every other work was "bam" or "balling" or "booyah".  I used it as a read aloud with my 11 year old and he commented on it as well saying "it's not as good as the first book mom".

That said though, it was interesting enough to keep us reading it, we wanted to know if Red would actually play in the game, or if Clifton United would do well, and later on, to see how Rip would do with a situation that popped up in his life.

The chapters are short, short enough that we frequently had time to read two or three chapters  instead of just one. Those short chapters are what help to carry the book along.

Illustrator Tim Probert adds to the story with his great illustrations.

My Recommendation:
 If you have a sports minded child living in your house, this is a book well worth getting.
Short chapters.  Oodles of dialogue, real players discussed, and two active boys in the midst of a big tournament.  It makes for interesting reading.  The side stories add intrigue and what ifs which make the book all the better.

Title: Tournament of Champions
Author: Phil Bildner
Illustrator: Tim Probert
Pages: 235
Age: 8-12 years
Series: Rip and Red
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux 

Reviewed for: Raincoast Books


Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca - Tournament of Champions

Amazon.com - Tournament of Champions (Rip and Red)

 This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Mom

Mom

My mom

Loves me

Cares deeply

Born of Dutch Blood

Transferred to Canada

Married

Six kids

Farm

Cats, Dogs, Cattle.

Large Garden.

Lover of Dad

Wife

Caretaker

Mourned his loss

Mourns him still

Loved deeply

Back rubs

Smiles

Deep respect was held.

Parent

Minder of Manners

Minder of what Girls Do

Minder of what Boys Do

Teacher

Guide

Faithful

Lover of God

Sharer of Faith

My Mom

Not Always an Easy Relationship

Gets stuck on things

Some things more important it seems

Than a daughter's feelings.

BUT always

Cares deeply

And shows always

What love is.

Love is

Patient 

Kind

Goes beyond itself

Not boastful

Protecting

Steadfast

Hopeful

This is my mom

Not perfect

But steadfast in her love.

I am Grateful.

copyright Annette V May 2017

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This is a five minute Friday post. the word prompt is brought to us by Miss Kate.  What is Five Minute Friday?  Well it's a party of a group of like minded folks who gather on Friday to do a five minute free write around a singular word.  AND THEN (and this is the most important part) we take the time to offer up encouragement to each other on this writing journey.  It's fun, though it's not always easy, but it is always good.   Come join us won't you?  You are always welcome.

This post may contain affiliate links - using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you! ©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

A Day in the Life - May 11

 Normally I do review of the entire week but today was such a good day I wanted to share that with you.    

It started with a shock!
I was having a marvellous dream after having a hard time getting to sleep the night before.   Snoozing and snoring away when suddenly "Good morning mom!"   I about jumped out of my skin!  OH MY.. not good.   This was followed by "sorry, sorry mom!  I thought you were awake!!"

Apparently the lad had been up since 730 had some of his schooling done and wanted to touch base with me before moving forward.   GACK!!   Never wake up the mom!!   :)

Anyways, I managed to drag myself out of bed, and down for breakfast of cereal and a muffin, the lad and I chatted about day plans and all was good.   I took care of the bunnies and noticed the lad had already cared for his mice.

I wanted to get working on the garden, but needed to make sure the lad was well situated with his schooling.  He needed some help getting going with Unlock Math, and mentioned how another math program we are using is WAY too easy for him... so could I contact them and tell them that?   So I have an email to write later tonight asking about course placement.

While he worked on his math, and later his typing, I got some seeds planted in the garden.  YEAH!!!   I got one garden done.   Then I pulled weeds out of another garden that already has peas in it (but needs something more).   OH!  And I hung out a load of laundry to dry.

I heard a "MOM!!!   I need you!" just as I finished so went in to find a lad wondering if we were doing ArtAchieve today or if it was going to wait til Friday.    Friday it was.   He grinned, so then the rest of the negotiating started.   Could writing his story wait, what about not doing science or apologia or .....   :)     We settled on videos for science and history, and apologia will wait til next week where if he reads two pages a day it will be completely finished.

Lunch (I had soup, the lad had a bagel with cheese) and freetime for 1/2 an hour and then "lad, can you give me a hand?"  He was happy to help.  We built a small herb garden out of some old lumber we had laying around.  

Unbeknownst to the lad I tossed in a wee bit of math... the lad thinks he's horrid at estimating so I asked him how much dirt he thought it would hold and he found out he's not so horrid at estimating!  WOOT WOOT!   But we had a seriously good time working together, the lad had fun holding wood, using a drill and saw and dumping in dirt.   Did you know that working out clumps with your bare feet is the fastest and bestest way to do it?   AND it feels really good on your feet apparently.  :)

While the lad and I were working hubby was busy fixing the riding lawn mower for the church.   It was a bit of a frustration BUT at the end... isn't it great to learn new skills and have success?  :)

After we got this done we did a touch of shopping, I was out of feed for the bunnies and Hubby needed to pick something up. 

Upon our return (having had a break from the heavy work) we set out to do some more.  We moved the snowblowers out of the garage into the back yard (to make room in the garage).   Not the best place to store them but hubby is looking at erecting a small shelter for them and the riding lawn mower to protect them in the summer.  

Anways, moving the snowblowers into the back yard had necessitated moving a few other things. All of which needed a good hose down me thinking "do I want to move this or do I want to sell it?"  I'm leaning toward selling it... but that might require some discussion with family.   The lad repotted his catnip plants (he sells it and makes crafts from it) and repotted a hosta for me.  So his garden bed this year holds amaryllis, a small flowering plant and all his catnip (he wants to move it with us).

We had an unpleasant surprise in a finding my rubbermaid tote (that I use to store supplies for the rabbitry)  full of water.  Everything was soaked and was quite the mess to clean up.  We even found a lightbulb full of water!!! (made us laugh and totally surprised dad)   But the pleasant result of it was my lad making his first terrarium.

Admittedly by end of day I was getting pretty tired... and then I needed to make supper. GACK!!!   It was the lads turn to cook but he was pretty wasted by then as well.

We ended up doing mac and cheese.. YES from a box as it was downright quick and easy!  I much prefer homemade.. but annie's does make a decent boxed mac and cheese.

We quickly got the laundry off the line, garbage out to the curb, read our bedtime books, played a round of Clash Royale together and then the lad was off to bed.

Hubby and I watched Star Trek and Crimes Beyond Borders together and then it was getting on time for bed.   I talked with a friend for a while and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  :)  I had tried hard to finish this post last night but at the end of it all.. I was just fried!   

Sharing this post over at Kym's (when she gets her highlights post done).


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