Natural Planted Tank

I don't post over here at the old family blog much. Most of that stuff is over on Facebook now.  However, there is something I'd like to document again and it's very difficult to find old posts on FB, so I'm going to record it here.
Before we moved from Ontario we had a lovely planted tank ecosystem with a Betta fish and plants and small snails of various sorts that somehow found their way in (presumably with the plants).
When we moved to Winnipeg we found a new home for the tank - in Ontario. Contrary to Abi's expectations, she was not going to carry the tank across provinces on her lap!
This past March we got a new Betta fish. It was a day-of decision. We already had a tank (aunty's old one) and so we decided to simply start with a fish because starting a planted tank requires more time and, well, Abi just really wanted the fish I promised I'd get her as we moved.
The intention was to make it a planted tank "later". Later turned out to be today.  Last night Claire put a whole lot of food in the tank (it coated the top!). I strained as much of it out as I could, but clearly it was time for a full cleaning. I decided that if I was having to take Blube (the fish) out and hold him in a jar of water for a while, I may as well start that planted tank.

I took a trip out to the nearby fish/pet store and picked up 3 small plants: Bronze Wendtii (cryptocoryne wendtii v. 'tropica'; back left), Crypt Parva (cryptocoryne parva; in the fore of this picture) and Anubis Nana 'Petite' (anubis barteri v. nana 'petite'; right on a rock).
I mixed up a rich bedding, found some sand, and added a thin layer of the gravel again. One large quartz rock for the Anubis to attach to and... now we wait for the sediment to settle. Then we wait for the nitrogen cycle to complete (a couple weeks) and Blube will have to be satisfied with moving back and forth between clean jars of water until his home is ready. This will be a good opportunity for Abi and her sisters to see what waste the fish generates in a clear jar.
I'm hoping there were some stowaway snails on the plants, otherwise I'm going to have to find someone else with a tank who could share.

end of a couple eras

It's official. My babies are most definitely no longer babies.

No more diapers (not even for sleep) - except for long car rides or full days at Tinkertown when there's only one adult and I can't be bothered to haul children around to toilets.

No more nursing. :(  A few weeks ago now my body decided it was finished with breastfeeding two kids. I can't really complain after 2 years of productivity. The girls are complaining. Still.

And then there's the chatter.  It's no longer twin-talk (well, a few words still are). Lucy takes after her talkative big sister...

Girls are all equally adventurous, independent (except when they are clingy), self-willed, smiley (except when they're not), strong (physically), intelligent... yep, mini-Abigails to be sure.

Now it is time to rearrange furniture (bunk beds stacked; toy storage moved about), get pictures up in the bedrooms, get rid of yet more toys...

Two Twins Two - a day in quick review

Yesterday started with an early morning, no milk, breakfast at Timmy's, playground at the school before school, and twins continued to play with other siblings too young for school yet. Took them for a slow drive to induce a necessary nap after the early wake, but Claire's didn't last long. She and I played on the deck for a while. Soon enough it was time to pick up Abi from kindergarten, so I packed up the stroller, woke Lucy, swung by the grocery store for milk and raspberries, and off we went back to the schoolyard for more play. Home for lunch on the deck, but it was clear the twins would not nap so soon already, so off we drove to another playground for the afternoon.

Really Claire? Do you have to climb this?

Kids love climbing

Hello down there

If Claire can do it, I can do it. But I will be smarter and use my knees to boost myself to each rung.

Another monkey

mommy and Lucy slide (selfie)

mommy and Claire slide (selfie)

Popped into the thrift store on the way home and scored a stack of new games in pristine condition - Operation, Trouble, Hungry Hippos, Mouse Trap, and two kids Cranium games. All for $10. Abi bought her sisters a couple of board books for their family birthday party. Picked up daddy from work. Dinner. Assembled Ikea furniture. Grandpa dropped by with gifts; assembled that easel too. Bed time.

Ikea Fairy visited

Six - The aftermath

Abi enjoyed a wonderful weekend of celebrations. Friday she celebrated her birthday with her classmates at school. Sunday she celebrated with friends (mostly classmates) in the afternoon and family for dinner.  It was all very exciting and exhausting (for the parents - us).  You've already seen her "six years old" photo.  Here are a few of the celebrations:

First Cake

Second cake (with family; made by Corey)

Reading each card; most were handmade by her friends

Plenty of gifts

More gifts after dinner

Crafts with the kids - melted bead suncatchers. These are Robin's and Abi's

Build a snowman (blindfolded) with the kids

6 against one

Roar!

Now a keyboard is taking over my corner in the living room. Guess I have to move into the tea room more fully.

Great piles of snow! Neighbour wanted a picture.

A gift from Spring.

Abi is delighted that the snow is finally ready for making snow people! An entire winter with great piles of snow that we could do nothing with except move it out of the way (and curse at it).  I  hear there's going to be an entire village of snow people out there. We may need more carrots.

Six

Six. Today.

Five. Saw Disney on Ice with her daddy (on her birthday as a surprise) and

 went glow bowling with her friends.

Four. At Steckle Farm in KW. Note the absence of snow.

 Three. Big party fun.

Two. Brunch with friends.

One. Big party with family and friends in Ontario.  Fairy themed.

 Birth day. First photo.

Newborn cuddles with momma

 Joy of the Father.

February catch up

Whoops, it's already late February and the last thing I blogged about was Christmas.
I could dwell on the cold, but who wants to do that?
I could say promising things about spring, but it would all be dreams.
I've provided plenty of quick photos and updates on FB, so I don't feel too guilty about neglecting the blog.  I do tend to update the fibre blog more often because I don't FB my fibre stuff as often.

What is there to blog? Firstly, Abi's birthday is quickly approaching. She'll be 6.  She's (still) loving and excelling at school.

Kiddos are growing, growing, growing.  I'm going to suggest clothes (PJs, pants, tops, casual dresses...)  for Abi gifts because 1) she loves clothes and 2) she really needs more.  Twins, OTOH, have bins full of clothes.

Kiddos and I snapped this photo on Valentine's Day for Robin and to share with y'all. This is the best of the bunch.
We're sitting in my newly cleared office / spinning / music room, which is the back end of the tea room.

I was finally inspired to get the room in functional order so that I would have room to spin and to bring my harp out of storage.

This pic is from before I was finished.

The weather has recently warmed enough that it is actually enjoyable outside. There is still plenty of snow.

Trying to give some size perspective.

Not much excitement to share. It's the usual life-with-kids stuff around here.

I was trying to take photos of knitting and the kiddos wanted to join in.

see

Hope everyone else is keeping warm.

Christmas and Yule happened

Abi's original Santa-handprint when she was little. Abi's now, Claire's, Lucy's.

We baked cookies to share on Yule.

bedtime

look what Santa brought! a kitchen set for all the kids to play with

uncle built a faery house for Abi/our yard

Abi and Trixie - her skateboarding pup

Lucy dutifully caring for the new babies