Art Journaling

We have just started a four-week "Art Journaling" class at the Surrey Art Gallery with Miss April (a special art teacher we have had before).  During the first class everyone experimented with different types of lettering and then created title pages for our journals.

Apple Field Trip

We took a trip to the Guildford Apple Store to learn how to use the "Garage Band" app.  Our hosts warmed up everyone with the "Bunny, Bunny" ice breaker .....

and then the kids got working on creating their own songs using the electronic instruments.

The fun even continued after we got home!

Matt's Spring Soccer Team

Sarah's Front Crawl

Matt's Breast Stroke

Bekah's Front Crawl

Collages in the Style of the Group of Seven

As a follow-up to our field trip to the Art Gallery Mrs G led us in a collage making session.  She made available landscape images by the Group of Seven which served as inspiration for paper collages.

Rendering a rough pencil sketch of the painted landscape...

Painting (and drying) the skyline...

Layering on the details with torn paper of all types ...

Matt's work ...

Micah's work ...

Levi's work ...

Sarah's work ...

Dane's work ...

Bekah's work ...

Matt is 10!

For Matt's tenth birthday we did a "Tough Mudder - Stokes' Style" party on our property.  Guests were assigned to one of two teams upon their arrival and then created a team flag to proudly carry throughout the event.  After warming up with their new team mates they proceeded to the various stations throughout the property.

Matt's team: The Creepers

Proudly carrying their flag

"The Water Dash" -

working with a partner to carry water over treacherous terrain

 

"Frozen" -

singing "Happy Birthday" (or various renditions) while standing in icy water

 "The Log Dash" (in the background)-

balancing on a precariously positioned log

Settling on a strategy for the next challenge

"Creepy Crawly" -

manoeuvring underneath a sheet of plastic from one end

to the other without being detected

 

After these stations followed by "Don't Whine, Just Climb" (climbing wall), "Rope Dash" (running the course connected to your partner with a rope), and "Slippery Slope" (carrying your team's flag up a slippery slope) it was time for refreshments and presents.  Happy Birthday, Matthew!

 



Paris dans ma ville!

On a sunny day last week we headed into Kerrisdale for a cultural experience at the french cafe/bakery "Faubourg".

We got to see the delightful and beautiful cafe out front ...

and then had a behind the scenes tour where they make the pastries, bread and menu items for the cafe.

We finished our tour on a yummy note

(the chocolate croissant were still warm!).

Much Ado About Nothing

This has become one of our family's favourite dvds!  Apart from a couple of brief "fast forward scenes" it was suitable for all of our kids.  The story and language stay true to Shakespeare's original work but it is entertaining and easy to follow.  If only all movie adaptations were this good!

Dance Recital

The girls on the way to their dance recital and backstage before their performances.

Highland Dance Recital

 

Here is a clip of Bekah's Highland "Sword Dance" she recently did.

Some Light Reading

Some of the books in our reading pile right now....

Bubbles!

Bekah enjoys taking pictures with her iPod and she has a great eye for special details .....