First Quarter

Well, we have made it through the 1st quarter at school. And at the end of the quarter we attend conferences.

I am at the school often so I didn't expect any surprises. True to form, the girls are doing great.

What I love most about conferences is seeing some of the artwork and projects that I don't get to see normally. Either I don't have time to stop and read each one or I see things they hang just for the occasion.

Here is some of Cor's stuff.

The older kids walk the youngest ones to the bus daily. It's interesting to me the way each of the older kids handle this differently.

The upper grades of the school are doing a moon study. Some classes are doing a daily journal. Cori's class is doing one entry weekly.

Here Cori was learning to draw 3 dimensional. She was very proud of this picture.

Here she was trying to use alliterations and onomatopoeias. My favorite; red nose frosty morning.

And lastly a webbing of a prairie. They did this as a group.

Here is some of Cassi's work.

I did this messy project with her class on Wednesday. A textured moon.

These are some silhouette pictures. Cassi's is the 3rd from the left on top with the crescent moon.

Cassi's 3 dimensional landforms sculpture.

I loved this skeleton book report. Cassi and I worked on this together a lot and if was great for us.

This is an entry from her Moon Journal.

I love this description of herself. Cassi- The Learner

Winds-day

Gopher: If I was you, I'd think about skedaddlin' out of here.
Winnie the Pooh: Why?
Gopher: 'Cause it's Winds-day.

It has been crazy windy 'round here.

The tin was partially blown back from my roof.

A tree in front of the high school was blown over and splintered like a snapped matchstick.


And this little guy is barely hanging around. He might fly away at a moments notice.
We won't be carrying any balloons around for a day or two.

Wordless Wednesday 10-29 (Not really-I want to explain)

*I just realized I am posting this on Thursday...hmmm, I'm a little late but I thought you would enjoy it just the same. :)

It's crazy moose time here at our house. I don't know why really but it is.

If I paint you a picture you might get an idea of what is going on around here lately. This was last Sunday.

First, this was looking out my front window with my wide angle lens. There isn't a screen on the window currently and when I tried to open the window the girls thought he might try to come at us and freaked out! They wouldn't let me do it. He was alone, or so I thought. Just a baby. Yeah, that IS a baby,

This is a baby.

Later that day, I saw this baby out my sink window. The Momma came over and gave him a push an he scooted off. I was talking to Kelly on the phone and I told her the baby was getting fussed at!I thought this Momma was loving on him at first but...not so much. She pushed him off but he only scooted away a bit.

Then, from around the camper came another Momma who ran off the first Momma.

Here is the one that was banished. She took off and hid in the woods. Eventually she crossed the street to be a little further away with her baby,

The picture became a little clearer that the first Momma didn't belong to that baby. So Cassi and I continued watching and we saw another baby come over and she tousled with the first baby.Here baby number 2 runs off number 1, but he lingered for a while.

As we were trying to take video for our Daddy ANOTHER baby came over.

For a short time, there were 3 all together.

And he ran baby number two away towards the Momma that was banished. So I think they belonged together. The other two babies hung out together and stayed nearest to the Momma that stayed in my yard.

Holy guacamole, there were 5 moose scattered just past my kids swing set hanging out like they owned the place. Well, actually I guess they do. "Cause frankly, in a tousle of our own, I'm sure they would win!

Funny thing is, all the babies were fighting over water that had puddled atop a rolling cart Scott left outside so when they scooted off a bit, I marched a bucket of water outside in hopes they'd find it! :)

Can we now say, 2 cats, 1 dog, 1 hermit crab (we lost one- well he died) and 5 moose? If you water them, they are yours right?

~Sunset ~

Yesterday, in Kenai.

"A" LittleGratefulness

I hope you will consider joining me in this gratefulness challenge. You can read more about it here.

*I missed last week. I have had so many things going on but it weighed on my mind all week as I tried to find the time to write my list. I hope you will one day soon give this a try too. It is good for your heart and soul! :)


Here goes it for this week:

"F"

friends- My niece was questioning friendship the other day and one piece of advice she received was -true friendships are often hard to come by- treasure them when they do! I believe that with all my heart. I have a few incredibly close friends. I would be lost with out them and I do my best to remember just how important they are, each and every day.

family- This is likely on everyone's list. And it's obvious but I think as I get older, I certainly acknowledge how grateful I am for them more. As it should be. I wish more of my family lived nearby. I am so grateful for the uniqueness of my family. Each and everyone of them is special to me and important in my life.

flip flops- Now before you laugh...I broke my favorite pair of flip flops today. They were really good flip flops and I loved them. I bought them 14 years ago when I got married in Florida and they were the best! (In Alaska, you don't really wear them out. :) I am so grateful I was able to keep them so long and I'm afraid I'll never find a pair I love as much; but I'll be looking!

Holida Book Swap

I NEVER GREW UP is hosting the annual HOLIDAY BOOK SWAP again this year.

We did this last year and had such a good time. Cali still talks about Sam, her swap partner. She has even sent him a thing or two since then.

If you'd like to know the details head on over and check it out. I think you will have a great time.

And who know, maybe we'll be swap partners. :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook 10-26

FOR TODAY 2009-10-26

Outside my window... it's dark. It's calm with no wind and it's unusually warm for this time of year.

I am thinking...that the power of prayer is an amazing thing.

I am thankful...that my Aunt Diane has woken from the coma.

From the learning rooms...the moon journaling has been quite frustrating with no moon in sight for a week.

From the kitchen...Halloween treats coming!

I am wearing...I'm dressed for the day. With lots of errands to run today there was no time for leisure.

I am creating...Halloween costumes. So far the girls seem to love them!

I am going...to be busy this week!

I am reading...blogs. That's it!

I am hoping...that my Aunt's prognosis continues to improve. That my mother's husband continues his improvement too. That my Mom will be cautious and take care of her own well being in this time that it is easy to forget.

I am hearing...the hum of the refrigerator. The quiet is nice.

Around the house...it's lonely with out Scott. I miss him and have been praying for contentment for him. I know it's not easy where he is and I hope he finds a way to make his time on this job less frustrating.


One of my favorite things...when I ask for people to pray with me and for me(and my family), they do. I feel loved and confident and content.

A few plans for the rest of the week...The girls and I are looking forward to Halloween. We look forward to trick or treating with Wren and Clark and a few of our other friends who live farther away now and we don't get to see as often!

A photo for sharing...
A peek into our Halloween celebration!

To read more daybook's take a look here.

Silent Saturday

Her stance reminds me of a bull!

This is how school should be

I have mentioned before- my kids attend a charter school. And I love it. The focus of the program is arts and science. They work really hard at integrating the curriculum through all mediums.

This week both Scott and I attended a field trip with the girls, he went with Cas and I went with Cor. I took pictures. :)

They walked to the creek, which they will do every month. They keep tabs on the healthiness of the creek with the watershed forum.
They perform ph tests, study the turbidity and conductivity.
They make note of temperature and changes in the area.

Isn't it a wonderful thing and don't you wish this is how schools worked everywhere?

When I get to go on field trips, I usually take Cali.
She is learning so much just being there.
And the kids are getting outside and experiencing nature.

The watershed guy was trying to make the kids understand just how lucky they are, getting to be a part of this program.

He said something that stopped me in my tracks. Some people go days without every having stepping on anything but concrete. It is a simple thought and easily true and so very sad.

And then while I was walking up the path, I found this last, lone dandelion hanging on just a little longer while every thing around it fades in the last breaths of the changing season.

Here is hoping that today, rather than standing with concrete you take a moment to dance with nature.

Picture this...

Do you ever have conversations you wish could be displayed in a a photograph.

Here's mine from yesterday.
(Driving down the road in the car)

Kids: Stop it!
Kids: Stop it!
Kids: Stop it!
Me: If I hear anyone say Stop it! one more time I am going to engrave it on your backside!
Kids: (All 3 go into the most extreme fit of giggles that last the final two blocks to get home!)

Wordless Wednesday 10-21

Well, not really wordless, more of Ranting Wednesday!

As I was running through the store the other day between play practice and basketball practice I ran into my friend and a couple of her kids.

I ran back to my car to grab my camera and ran back in. I was then run down by a member of the store's staff telling me I couldn't take pictures in their store. ???

I told her, as I ran past her I might add, that I was definitely taking this picture. It was a personal friend and I didn't understand the problem. She didn't believe me and actually followed me. ????

Anyway, all I wanted to get a picture of was this...

They are blurry (I was running away from the Safeway lady) and then more posed than they should have been because of the commotion from the ensuing discussion but still I think they are funny.

He was tired from a long day of kindergarten!

The Birthday Fairy Flies Again

You knew it would happen, right?
Yeah, so did Cali!
That Birthday Fairy came through just like Cali knew she would.

Cali went to sleep with dreams of magical things happening in the night. What sweet dreams they were.

Cori woke her up at 7:00AM! I was tired and ready to kill her! And that my friends is putting it VERY kindly. I convinced Cali to come to bed with me BEFORE heading downstairs, thank goodness as I would have never got her back in the bed had she seen this.

When she woke up she to me, "Do you have something you would like to say to me?"
"Happy Birthday my sweet birthday girl", I said. :)

We headed downstairs to find her new bike that Scott and I picked out for her. Before you question our thinking, let me just say THIS IS ONE BEEFY TRICYCLE.


She can haul her sisters around, they can haul her and it has created so many opportunities for creative play. It has already been worth every penny.
Not to mention I am pretty certain there are grooves in my kitchen floor for the amount of times she has ridden the thing around the kitchen table.

We really did have a wonderful day. The birthday fairy brought this wonderful game called I SPY-Eagle Eye. I must say, if you have a preschooler or kindergartner, this game pretty much puts the kids on equal playing ground. We played a lot that day. And she won often which is so much better on your birthday!

She got to wear her birthday tiara which we have been patiently waiting for.
And that fairy found great clothes to go with it; including underclothes which are very important to Cali these days!

AND it all matches the tricycle. Can there be anything better than that for a princess girl?


Later in the day we went for her birthday dinner. It is always the choice of the birthday girl as to where we go. Guess where we were headed? Yep, McD's. Sadly, when we got there, parties were already going on so we took her to the next best thing, because they have a playground too, Carl's JR. Who Hoo!



Grandpa and GiGi came in to have dinner and cake with us. And of course, Cali just knew Grandpa was bringing a baby doll. And he did. Not the exact one she expected since they sold out but a baby just the same. She has slept with it every night since so it must have been a winner too!

Oh, and he gave her a magic wand to cast spells, you know like on Wizard's of Waverly Place. Yeah, she's been trying to turn me into a frog ever since!

I did make her a hat, as promised, since Cori got one for her big day.
The one bad thing about that, I forgot to finish it weeks ago when I started it so, I found myself up at midnight, with what I was sure was the dang SWINE FLU making a wonderfully soft hat that is just right for a birthday girl.

Oh, and then, I remembered I had promised a fairy wand. Swine flu or not, MOMMA COMES THROUGH, weak but still comes through!

All joking, body aches, fevers and chills aside, it was a beautiful day. I thank God often for the gifts in my life and Lord, there can't be much better of a gift than the sighs of a happy birthday child as she drifts off to sleep, spent from a day full of magical dreams and fairy kisses!

Annual Autumn Hay Maze

Every year a good friend of mine organizes a trip to the Hay Maze at the local Bible Camp. She invites several friends and we in turn invite a few friends and we end up with a very eclectic group of people. It is always a fun trip catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.

Each year the maze is constructed differently. It is essentially a tunnel made of hay that requires the visitor to maneuver their way through; usually crawling, slithering or pulling yourself up, over or around the entire thing. It typically ends at a fireman's pole. You crawl in,and through, slide down and...

...tumble out! It's GREAT FUN!

Here Cori and Alli were heading in for the first time this year.

This year, the cowboy in charge strummed his guitar at the entrance to comfort leery and weary attendees.
There is always a bonfire in which those who have-had their fill can roast a hot dog or toast a smore.
They even had faux' cattle roping opportunities which Cali thoroughly enjoyed.

Our family actually attended the maze two nights in a row. We also met there on Friday night with our soccer team; it had been a while since everyone had been together and it was nice to catch up with some of the girls we hadn't seen since summer.

Fortunately the weather has been quite cooperative for Alaska norms and it stayed warm enough that no one needed a big poofy winter coat. It made tackling the confines of the maze is little less claustrophobic.

Cassi got there late the first night but still remembered the way so when Grandpa came Saturday night, she led him through.

Scott had the pleasure of taking this little guy through. He was so excited he couldn't wait to get started! Believe it or not, Scott and I used to watch this little boy's Dad when he was this young. Talk about time flying!

Cali went through this year which was a first. I was so proud of her. She isn't usually the bravest of girls but she went through, twice! By the second time she was warning me of the lower area where I might hit my head! Sweet girl~

I took my camera in (not always easy when your crawling) the second time. This picture Scott and Cali were lying on his back and I was on the corner. There was a safety guy hiding in another corner in front of us who took the picture.

Here you can see just how little some of the spots you crawl through are. The little kids have the advantage of walking in a crouch often. Lucky! :)


GiGi started in 3 times and on the 3rd time she actually made it through. It is incredibly hard to come back out once you are in and have moved up one level but trust me when I say, if you don't like it, coming back out is faster than going in. There were some people who tried once and never went back to try again. So kudos to everyone who goes! :)

It's always fun to watch as the attendees come out. Especially those who are coming out for the first time!

This little man never went through but he's too cute not to share. :)

Here is Cali's favorite guy. He is the next G.I Joe and went through time and again, practicing his Army crawl. I think this may have been his first year too. Maybe he will lead Cali through next year!

This picture definitely doesn't include everyone but it was late and we were losing folks fast. Misty, who organizes this every year, wondered aloud how long we'd be able to convince the kids to keep coming here with us...I hope it never ends.