Herding Grasshoppers

Whew

2012-01-28T11:46:00.000-08:00

Good grief. What a week this had been! Especially in contrast with the lovely, leisurely stay-home-all-week-in-the-snow we just had. *Sigh*

Sunday - church, which is a good thing :D

Monday - Kerry and Gunnar to Boys' Club, which is also good, but changes our schedule (we all eat our "big meal" together at midday, meaning I need to make something while I'm schooling...)

Tuesday - Wyatt and Tate to CAP, and Kerry to a Creation class, also means "big meal" at lunch.

Wednesday - Wyatt and Tate to youth group. More about this in a minute.

Thursday - breathe in and out.

Friday - PTO day (yay!) and Wyatt and Tate had CAP activity. Their squadron met up with another squadron for dinner out (I think Subway) and went to see Redtails, the movie about the Tuskegee Airmen. All thumbs up from the boys :D

Saturday - today was supposed to be all relaxing, but the CAP group has been called into duty. A local fallen Marine is being brought home today, and they're going out in Dress Blues to participate in some sort of Honor Guard. (Any military folks out there, forgive me if I'm not using the correct terms.)

Sunday - back to church, and begin again...

Actually, next week should be a bit milder, as the Boys' Club and the youth group only meet every other week, which is fine by me.

I'm just thrilled they got the youth group up and running again. the Chapel isn't a highly program-driven church, which is a good thing. I'm as thankful for what the youth group isn't (a high-octane, three-ring circus), as for what it is - a low-key, every-other-week, dinner, devotions, and games sort of thing.

So low-key, in fact, that the married couple that leads it didn't actually know it was meeting this week, and didn't show up. Oops. But no problem. The gracious hosts jumped in to pinch-hit and everyone had a good time, even the neighbor boy we brought - who realized during the ride home that he had just missed an orchestra concert. His orchestra concert. Oops, again.

We take turns feeding and hosting the group, perhaps fittingly labeled None the Wiser (a pun on our chapel's name). Our church families are pretty far-flung around the county, which makes just getting there a bit of an adventure. I don't know about where you live, but finding a house for the first time in the dark (on these short winter days) and on unlit county roads may not be as easy as you think it is.

Kerry drove them a couple weeks ago, but somehow forgot the directions I'd written for him. And his cel phone. But no worries! The Border Patrol helped him find the house after they finished questioning him. (Apparently his erratic driving and frequent stops along a road just a hundred yards or so from Canada looked a bit suspicious.)

This week I drove. Stayed to visit with the aforementioned gracious hosts, (since driving home would give me just enough time to say "hi" and then turn around to go get them, 20+ miles away.) Had a nice chat with my friend. Then as the group was breaking up, the phone rang. One of the moms was looking for her three kids. Yes, they'd come straight from school to youth group, were just leaving, and should be home soon. She hadn't known where they were. I think this is only the fifth time the group has met, and she didn't realize it was a youth group night. Thought they might've gone into a ditch (we have huge ditches here... rain, y'know) and wrecked the car. There's still some snow out in the county, and she and her husband had been driving various routes between their home and school for hours, looking for them. Finally, the Sheriff asked her, "Well, it is a Wednesday evening. Could they be at a youth group activity?"

Ding!

So, low-key is good, but I'm not sure that

Local Law Enforcement involved in 40% of our activities!

is exactly the motto we're looking for.

You Guys Are Awesome

2012-01-26T12:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks so much for all your kind and hopeful words! I'm still kind of amazed at the network of friends and acquaintances I've found through the interwebs ;D It's really encouraging to hear from some of you with implants yourself, or kids with implants. Thanks for sharing your journeys.

Also, I'm kind of amazed at how long I've had this blog going, and how much the boys have changed! One of them just looked over my shoulder, saw this picture, chuckled, and said,

The Cone Age.

Yup. Late 2007 or early 2008, they started creating Dino-opolis in the back yard. Haven't seen much of that lately, but every once in awhile it has a brief resurgence.

Early 2008 they also began building their ~~bubba shack~~ treehouse. Kerry doesn't love it, but i think it's great.

Not sure when these were taken. Probably about the time I started calling this place

The Testoster-zone.

They do clean up pretty well, though apparently I didn't realize how much taller Wyatt had gotten since he'd last worn those pants. Yes, in fact, we are geeky homeschoolers.

Or course, they're pretty much always a bit goofy. You know...

zero to crazy in under five seconds.

We've put a few miles on, yah?

And it's a lot more fun sharing all this stuff when I'm not just talking to myself.

Thanks for coming along for the ride :D

So, About Tate...

2012-01-24T23:13:00.000-08:00

2002 was kind of a crazy year. Although, with three little boys, what year wasn't? But that was kind of a banner year.

Kerry kicked it off with a raging case of shingles, and then (unrelated) lost his job. I had recovered from an (unplanned) caesarean, tried to keep three boybarians age five-and-under civilized enough that Kerry could work out of our living room (then attic, then mudroom, and finally garage - oh joy!), and was holding my own in the testosterzone. Wyatt had just turned six and was about to start Kindergarten. Gunnar had just turned one and was walking.

And Tate was three and a half, and we finally realized he couldn't hear very well.

Joy to the whirled.

Sometime between his birth and Gunnar's they began screening newborns for hearing loss at our local hospital, so Tate missed that. His speech development was age-appropriate. And his huge, blue-green eyes were taking everything in. Of course, he had more hearing then. Also, I'm kind of militant about look-at-me-when-I'm-talking-to-you, which probably helped.

But mostly, Tate just works so hard.

In fact, we might have gone on a lot longer if I hadn't tried to put him on the phone with someone and noticed the confusion on his face. I could hear the person from a few feet away, and I watched Tate as he looked blankly at the phone and said, "Start talking."

Oh.

Which means that hearing aids have been part of our life for nearly ten years now.

Look how little he was! What a cutie! And those huge, huge eyes. We called him Tater-bug, and Sweet (po) Tater.

We took an extended-family vacation to Oregon while he was still adjusting to the barrage of sound.

Being a toddler at the beach, he had quite a bit of time with his HAs safely in the house. He couldn't handle wearing them all the time at first anyway. Too much noise. Too much to process. But he quickly adjusted.

We all did. Heck, HAs became cool. Gunnar had to have his own...

... made from genuine pipe cleaners.

But as Tate has grown, and lost more hearing, and more hearing, and gone from two HAs to one, and continued to lose hearing...

his HA just isn't cutting it any more.

For those of you who've asked, yes, we are very open to signing. I've tried to keep him exposed to it, through the years. I'd love to learn - it's a fascinating language.

But Tate himself prefers to be oral/aural.

So we're off on a new adventure.

Next Thursday we have our first couple of appointments with the CI team at Seattle Children's to look into implanting Tate.

Excited? Absolutely!

Nervous? You bet.

Pray for us, okay?

When A Bad Thing Can Be A Good Thing

2012-01-24T16:14:00.000-08:00

All things considered, this year is not exactly off to a smashing start. I hope I'm not discovering a theme here, because - oh, let me see - guess what's not working, so far?

It may sound like I'm whining, but I'm not. Actually, it's so ridiculous it's kind of funny. Kind of.

* The microwave oven finally gave up, and we had to throw it out. I didn't think I used it very much, but apparently I did. And in other news, guess what? I'm not the first person to ask Uncle Google if you can cook microwave popcorn any other way. (It's the big things in life, people. Try to keep your perspective.) Supposedly you can. I'll let you know. So we are microwave-less. Boo-hoo.

* The cordless phone. I thought it might be solved with the new phone line, but that was just wishful thinking. The crackling persists. And it holds a charge for a whopping three or four minutes. Yes, I could just buy another battery (cheaper), but with the other issues... looks like we need a new phone. Fabulous.

* The dishwasher started leaking out onto the floor. Okay, fine, we can wash by hand. Whatever.

* Then the kitchen sink and three bathroom sinks quit draining. Now that couldn't wait. We had to call a plumber. On a Saturday. No kidding, just a couple of days after I finally got the Visa bill paid off. Crud. He was a chatty fellow. Has a degree in chemistry. But, as I pointed out to the boys, when you need a plumber you need a plumber. And that was our Occupational Ed for the month.

The good news was that unclogging the drain seems to have fixed the dishwasher "leak" (do you think it just might leak if it wasn't draining right?), but the bad news is that right after the plumber left, the boys managed to clog two of the toilets. (I fixed one and Kerry fixed one.)

* The warning light is on in the van again. I'm hoping it's just that the gas cap might not be on tight enough, since it's just the yellow warning light not the red you're-about-to-start-hemorrhaging-money light. Lah-di-dah-di-dah...

* Then there are the ridiculous little things, like four lightbulbs burned out, three flashlights out of batteries, two turtledoves and a partridge in a pear tree.

* And my printer. Which is probably just out of ink, which it uses at a ridiculous pace and I can't buy more right now.

But the good news about that is related to Gunnar's science notebook/journal. (Huh?) There are lots of places for him to draw the things we're studying - which happen to be aquatic animals right now. And you know, it's hard being the youngest, and feeling like your older brothers can do everything better than you. And then sometimes you don't really want to bother trying. So we both got kind of lazy, and I was letting him print out a lot of pictures from the internet and glue them in.

Which probably explains the ink problem. Genius, I know. But which is also why I'm in no hurry to replace the ink cartridge (or to tell him, if I do), because he's drawing more, and getting better at it, and getting more confident!. Sweet!

Coincidentally, in history Tate and Gunnar and I were reading about the whaling that went on back in colonial times and they drew these. It's supposed to appear that you are looking through a telescope and seeing a whale in the distance, but as their pictures came out a little big (and I didn't have the heart to crop them) it gave a sort of unintended 3D effect.

I love Tate's Moby Dick reference, and the dramatic action in Gunnar's picture. Tate was (jealous?) swift to point out that giant squids aren't found near the surface and only live in deep, deep water. But Gunnar was quick on the draw. Whales need to breathe, don't they? So he dragged it to the surface to eat.

You tell him, Giz.

And now, with the wind literally howling around the house, I'm off to light a few candles. Wouldn't surprise me if the power went out next.

And how's your day going?

Grasshopper Days

2012-01-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, January 23, 2012

Outside my window... rain. And more rain. It's a good day to.... stay home!

I am thinking... do you ever find yourself looking at your family and thinking, Good grief! Do all these people need to eat? Again? Already?! Yes. Apparently they do.

I am thankful for... just found out that my brother and his wife are having.... a girl!

I am praying for... work. Work would be good.

I am wearing... my soft, cozy sweats tempted me, but I went all-out and pulled on some jeans and a sweater. (eyes rolling)

I am creating... cutting up perfectly good pieces of fabric into little pieces, and sewing them back together again.

I am going... to plan some meals ahead.

I am reading... old Quick Cooking magazines, looking for new ideas. To modify.

I am hoping... for a peaceful, productive week.

I am hearing... my good friends, Mrs. Washer and Mr. Dryer.

I am remembering... my Nana was the queen of pies. You know the Crisco/vinegar pie crust recipe? Do you use this? It's easy to make, but I can never make it go as far as she did. I can get a pie and a half. She could get two pies AND a crust pie, with sugar cinnamon. How did she do that?

From the learning rooms... I tweaked our schedule a bit over the weekend - figuring out what we ought to make up and what we can just drop (from missing three days last week). Tate and Gunnar are easy, but Wyatt... not so much. He has more work to start with, and then he takes longer to do it. How can I light a fire under his bohonkus?

From the kitchen... what? another meal? again? That's how I feel after I've cooked all weekend. But - good news - my parents came over for turkey dinner on Saturday, we had leftovers on Sunday, and now I have four turkey pot pies in the freezer (!!!!) and meat for baked turkey taquitos. :D

And guess what? I'll never make pies as good as Nana's pies, but I almost got four pies (top and bottom crust) out of a double patch of crust. (I had a little clump of dough left over from making apple pie on Saturday that I threw in too, and that made the difference.)

Also, I remembered something I used to do, and had forgotten:

I rolled the dough between two layers of wax paper.

You can get it a lot thinner and still be able to pick it up and get it into the pie dish. Wa-wah!

Around the house... still enjoying my winter decorations. Though I nearly wrung Wyatt's neck. I walked into the living room to find him

assembling a model airplane

at this table

with Superglue.

What gives? Do they lose their minds when they turn fifteen? When will it come back?

Something I want to remember later... the boys take notes in church, which they turn in to Pastor Bert. Tate usually draws pictures on his. Good thing the pastor is ex-military.

On my mind... the next quilt.

Noticing that... I got my office all tidy, and then started quilting. Need to beat back the mess with a stick before it breeds.

Pondering these words... Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity. Frank Leahy

One of my favorite things... a clean kitchen.

A few plans for the rest of the week... hmmm. Monday night Boys' Club for Gunnar, Tuesday night CAP for Wyatt and Tate, then Wednesday night youthgroup for Wyatt and Tate, and Friday night movie (with their CAP group) for Wyatt and Tate. They're all going to see (I forget the name) the movie about the Tuskegee Airmen. But the stinking rotten theater doesn't have captioning. They ought to let Tate in free.

Oh, and then Saturday is a potluck and game night at the chapel.

And Kerry complains that we don't have company enough. You know. Because our social life is so lacking.

Here is a picture I am sharing... my parents got a bit more snow than we did... about 14 inches!

What A Difference A Day Makes

2012-01-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Especially when that day brings this... rain. Snow is kind of funny (for those of you who don't live with it.) Even when the temp rises, it can hang around for awhile. It's white and reflects heat, y'know? But throw in a little rain, and it goes pretty fast.

And we had some funny weather. I looked out the window of my office/craft room and saw this. Can you tell what's happening?

Take a closer look, with a darker background...

... it's sunny, and snowing!

We live in a basin, surrounding a large lake. Seems like no matter what the weather pattern is on the large scale, our weather always seems to come at us from the lake. Something about the way the wind swirls around, I guess. So I took a look in that direction from another window. Ahhhh. Looks ominous, yah?

Yep. More snow. And boy did it get dark when those thick clouds rolled in. But that's okay. I love watching lights come on around the lake.

But the thermometer was rising, and the icicles out my bedroom window were dripping.

I thought you might like seeing the progression of the snow melting.
It's sad, though ;D

Here's the winter wonderland, all snowy, clean, white and bright.

Ah, still snowy, but the road is looking gray and mushy as the weather begins to warm. And the snow has begun to drop from the trees.

Definitely warmer. Don't know if you can tell, but the snow looks heavier. Thicker. It compacts as it melts. Did you see the raindrops on the window? The snow is saturated.

Until, finally.... blaaahhhhhh. At least the roads are clear again.

A Brain Dump, And The Boybarians

2012-01-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

1. Blogging is a funny thing. I started doing this for two reasons: 1) Because I just couldn't keep up with scrapbooks, and 2) so that some of our further-away friends and relatives could see what we're up to. But turns out, I think very few of my family (hi Mom!) and none of Kerry's actually look here. But the good news is that I've met such wonderful friends :D So this is mostly for me, but also for you.

2. So at random times, things will happen and I'll think I need to blog that. But now? As I sit here, looking blankly at the 'puter, I have absolutely no idea what seemed so funny to me at 4:57 AM. Or why I thought you might find it funny.

3. Wait. It's back. It was Wyatt. We were watching a nature documentary called Life in the Undergrowth hosted by the googley-eyed-worshiper-at-the-altar-of-evolution, David Attenborough. (Does he have a shoulder condition? Because he has very unusual gestures. But I digress.) It had something to do with a spider catching a cricket (I was apparently dozing off) and Wyatt burst out laughing. Apparently he had never heard the word fuzzy used in the same sentence with gladiator. Well. That makes two of us.

4. Also, there was something about a light bulb. But the rest escapes me.

5. In other news, bummer, the snow is melting. The boybarians were sad to put the sleds away. Makes me sad to see the snow dropping off the trees. Now we have a wet, gloppy mess. The roads are - as my dad would say - slicker than snot on a door-knob. But that will pass, and I will miss the brightness of the snow on the ground. On the other hand...

6. Yay! The snow, snow, snow is melting, melting, melting! And life can return to what passes for normal around here.. I know, it's different for you who live where there is snow every winter, all winter long. Everybody is used to it and life proceeds normally.

But not here. Oh, no. Snow is a Big Deal. As in, this could be all we get for the winter, so we Must Drop Everything And Go Play In It Right Now.

And we did. Plenty. In fact, the boys (inspired by Snow Treasure I think), sledded twice down to the local grocery store, via a two-mile trail with about a 300' elevation drop. Fun times.

And in spite of public schools being closed for an entire week (for six inches of snow) we managed to do some schooling around the edges. Played to our hearts' content, and we're only two days behind.

Totally worth it.

7. I'm very ready to get the boybarians back on a schedule. Nuff said.

8. Also, I'm totally ready for my house to smell like something other than wet snow boots, found upside down on every heater vent. Even my Vanilla Sugar Cookie candle is having trouble competing with that.

9. I did one productive thing while the boys were out sledding. I made a baby quilt for a friend. Can't show you yet but I did take pictures.

10. Lastly, I remembered.
How many boybarians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
It doesn't matter.
They'll fight over who goes first.

Why???

... And Snow And Snow

2012-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

Guess what we woke up to?

More snow.

And there was much rejoicing. Much colder today. Wyatt checked the thermometer before breakfast at 24F (-4C), and by the time we ate our pancakes it was 20F (-6C), and still dropping. But the forecast is for rain tomorrow, so we'll enjoy it while we can :D

Since we live on a Great Sledding Hill, people tend to congregate here. See the moms, hanging out down in the intersection, making sure the kids and/or the traffic stops?

It's a race to the bottom!

This one - Emily - would rather dig into the bushes than race.

Oh how I love those pink cheeks!

For Tate, it's all about speed.

Wyatt wants air.

No Wyatts were harmed in the taking of these pictures.

Emma and Juliann were happily - if slowly - sliding to the bottom, munching on snowballs.

Yes indeed, Wyatt did go all the way down the hill like that.

I prefer this style.

He looks like Sean Connery doing James Bond.

Gunnar and William wanted to take the tube over the jump.

And they don't mind the chills and spills :D

But check this out... the moms aren't going to let the kids have all the fun!

Linda is in the lead, followed by Susy and the twins, with a grandma and grandson

close on her heels!

Go, Susy, go!

Wipe-out!

Let It Snow

2012-01-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago the boys and I put this on a window in the school room, and crossed our fingers.

And this morning?

I crept out of bed early to snap a few pictures out the window.

So glad I had the boys leave the outdoor lights up a bit longer,

they look so pretty in the snow!

I think this tree is my favorite. You can't see how many blue lights there are, covered with snow, but they give the tree a magical blue glow.

Looking down from the school room...

And doesn't the front porch look cozy?

And that house across the street... my great aunt and uncle used to live there,

right across the street from my grandpa and grandma.

The view that greets the boys from their bedroom window :D

Public schools are canceled, so we're taking a snow day too.

They couldn't wait to get out to play!

And I couldn't decide which picture I liked better, so you get two.

Haven't they changed (from yesterday's pics)?

I love how the light reflects off the snow into my windows, making my house brighter,

even on cloudy days.

Cheery, yah?

Around here, we don't call them "Christmas lights", because we keep them out longer.

Bright and cozy :D

Only one place in my house is NOT brighter.

Can you guess what that is?

Grasshoppper Days

2012-01-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, January 16, 2012

Outside my window... SNOW! And some very excited kids ;D

I am thinking... Ahhhh, nothing like snow falling outside, a warm house inside, a cup of hot cocoa, and a crackling fire. But, um... not having a fireplace, the crackling fire would probably not be the best idea.

I am thankful for... some free fun for the boys! And the beautiful view. I'll get some pics...

I am praying for... work for Kerry. Yah.

I am wearing... jeans, wool socks, blue shirt, purple sweater... it's cold!

I am creating... got my quilting stuff out, just need to figure out which direction I'm going.

I am going... nowhere! Staying home :D

I am reading... with the boys, Why Not, Lafayette?, by Jean Fritz.

I am hoping... a fun, safe time on the sledding hill. We live on an awesome hill, but it does have a cross street. Not much traffic, but I'm always a bit nervous. Gave the boys a big pep talk this morning and I'm trying not to look!

I am hearing... the dryer, tumbling. I'm sure it'll get a work-out today.

I am remembering... sledding when I was little. I don't think any of us ever owned a single pair of snow pants, so we were always out there in our jeans, freezing.

From the learning rooms... the boys actually did a BIT of their schoolwork early this morning. Might as well, since their friends are only now at 10am eating breakfast, and I don't want them sledding (on the street) until after everyone has gone to work. We'll get to school later :D

From the kitchen... hmmm. I have to think ahead more, now that we're without a microwave. Amazing. I didn't think I really used it that much, but apparently I did. So, I'm thinking Sloppy Joe's for dinner.

Around the house... all my icy, snow decorations look just right. And you know what I love? The way the snow reflects light makes the house very bright, even in the clouds. Happy sigh.

Something I want to remember... Gunnar, being so content with his life :D

On my mind... I worry way too much. Also, Kerry really needs some work.

Noticing that... now that the boys are older, they can stay out longer in the snow THANKYOUJESUS they are not ringing their own doorbell every ten minutes wanting me to help them with something.

One of my favorite things... snow days :D

A few plans for the rest of the week... depends on how much snow we get, and how many days we take off school. I'll be recombobulating what we really need to do and how to fit it in.

Here are some pictures I am sharing... from 2008! I'll have to get some current ones in the snow :D

Yah, Wyatt has changed just a bit!

Tater-bug

Gunnar, with a loose tooth.

Up the hill...

And down the hill.

And for cryin' out loud, watch for traffic!

Winter

2012-01-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

You know how some days are so precious, so wonderful, so heartwarming that you wish you could somehow freeze time, and remember them forever?

Yesterday was not one of those days.

This is The Queen's Winter Throne, aka my spot to chill out :D

Well, it really began earlier. Wyatt and Tate were in the garage playing with the play-station, and got into an argument about whose turn it was and actually came to blows over it. Which terrified my tender-hearted Gunnar, and didn't do Tate's new glasses any good either. Gunnar was already out-of-sorts with getting back into the school groove (and - you know - having to work), and things went downhill from there.

Of course, the fact that everybody had somewhere to go that evening didn't help. Kerry and Gunnar were on their way to Boys' Club at church - which was a good thing in general and a good distraction for Gunnar. Wyatt and Tate had a SAR training to go to, this one in more of a classroom setting.

Which means Tate needs Wyatt's help, and that's where it gets complicated.

See, unfortunately my suspicions were correct. I had Tate down to Seattle Children's over the Christmas break and he's lost 10-15 decibels of hearing. I had hoped maybe his HA just needed servicing, but regrettably it's working just fine. In fact, with the HA working at it's outer limits, it's Tate that's working.

No one knows how hard he works. All. The. Time.

And that's what just slays me. He has to work so hard. When the Audie did the Word Recognition test (a very clear man's voice reading a list of words, all of which Tate is familiar with) he scored 42%. When she threw in some background noise - in other words, a normal real-life environment - he dropped to 24%.

That means that out in the real world, when I'm not there to repeat everything in my oh-so-familiar-and-predictable-voice, Tate is only getting every third or fourth word, and he's piecing everything together from that.

I can't imagine the frustration.

And there's nothing I can do to fix it.

Plus, oh joy, he's thirteen and the hormones are rising. I remember Wyatt hitting this stage. It was like he was on the boil all the time. Aggressive. Easily irritable. So it doesn't really surprise me that Tate started pounding on Wyatt out in the garage. (And Wyatt probably had it coming.) But it doesn't exactly make Wyatt more willing to help Tate when they go to CAP or to SAR training. When they're in a big, echo-y, concrete building. And I know Tate can't hear most of what they say, and he's trying so hard to learn and succeed.

And if I could give him my ears, I would. But I can't. And the helplessness drives me up the wall. So - I hope this isn't too weird - I'm throwing in all these pictures of things that bring me a bit of cheer amidst my dark thoughts.

But it takes something deeper, more permanent, and more substantial to deal with trials than happy little penguins around a glowing igloo.

Something like a little mustard seed of faith.

And a God who is big enough to handle these problems.

(And maybe a little Nutella - just being honest.)

And boy did Pastor Bert hit a home-run on Sunday, proclaiming from Hebrews (Heb. 4:14-16) that

Jesus can handle our trouble.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, therefore we can,

come boldly to the throne of grace,

where there is mercy.

And I have to be honest and tell you that it doesn't feel any better. But I'm hanging on to that.

Grasshopper Days

2012-01-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, January 9, 2012.

Outside my window... gray clouds, showers, and snow up in the hills.

I am thinking... am I the only one having a hard time remembering to write 2012?

I am thankful for... two boys are through with their schoolwork already, my office is mostly tidy (still in progress), and I have fresh sheets on the bed.

I am praying for... Tate. Lots going on in his life right now. And carbonated hormones aren't helping. Also, more work for Kerry would be nice.

I am wearing... Lordhavemercy, blue jeans, blue t-shirt, purple sweater (Gunnar's favorite), teal wool socks. I look like I got dressed at a yard sale. *sigh* And worse, I couldn't care less!

I am creating... plans for a quilt.

I am going... batty, one child at a time.

I am reading... Sarah Bishop, by Scott O'Dell, with the boys.

I am hoping... more than I can say right now.

I am hearing... Wyatt, doing his history reading (moving around, getting his books), time to switch the laundry to the dryer (beep beep), and tappety-tappety-tappety ;D

From the learning rooms... Wyatt reading Slopes of War and Elijah of Buxton, me reading Sarah Bishop with Tate and Gunnar, and talking about school in colonial times; Wyatt working with polynomials, Tate converting percent to decimal to fraction, Gunnar using tables, charts, and schedules; Wyatt studying water, Tate learning about erosion and deposition, and Gunnar fascinated with fishes; and more, more, more :D

From the kitchen... all the boys have plans this evening (Kerry and Gunnar - Boys' Club at church, and Wyatt and Tate SAR training), so we had a big taco salad for lunch and will probably just make sandwiches for dinner.

Around the house... sparkly winter things. Pics soon.

Something I want to remember... Gunar used to say, What in carnation? I think he'd been reading Homer Price and was mispronouncing tarnation. Or he'd say of something, Well, it's not my peculiar favorite when he meant particular.

On my mind... how to help Tate work through some frustrations. This kid needs a break.

Noticing that... they may be boys, but they're never too old to hug their mom. And I'm sticking to it.

Pondering these words... "and it came to pass.." That is, many things (and I'm thinking of frustrations and trials) come to pass, not to stay. And for that I'm glad.

One of my favorite things... the chocolate orange I have stashed from Christmas, and how good just a couple of slices are :D

A few plans for the rest of the week... Boys' Club and SAR training tonight, CAP tomorrow night, and then the youth group (aptly known as "None the Wiser") meets here Wednesday night. A nice, young couple is leading it, so I'm just responsible for providing a place and a meal. Hmmm, lots of hungry teens. I'm thinking chili :D

Here is a picture I am sharing...

A sneak peek at my wintery house :D

Kerry brought me the little penguins from a mission trip to Chile several years ago, and the igloo is Kosta Boda.

Hmmmm...

2012-01-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

I wonder about things. Sometimes things that matter, and other times random things.

Like what on earth would possible induce a grown adult to legally change his name to

No kidding. And what a fantastic guy. (Eyes roll.)

So what prompted the name change? Could it have anything to do with this?

P.S. I thought about labeling this one "Creature Feature", but did not want to degrade the animals.

Good grief.

Cleaning and Random Thoughts

2012-01-07T22:56:00.000-08:00

Motivated by a desire to sew (and the need for space to do it), I've been digging out my office today. The minions were on garbage detail, and, if I'm not mistaken, may even have tidied the shed, but they really can't help with my space, here. I'm not sure I'm ready to share any before and after pics just yet, but I've made some progress I'm pleased with.

I'm also painfully aware of how many times I've used "I", or some variant of it in the first three sentences. But then, it's my blog, so there ya go.

As I sorted and cleaned between loads of laundry, I had an epiphany and then a near tragedy.

First the good news. Looking at my closet I realized, in a brief flash of insight, that I could hang my purses and bags rather than just making an untidy pile of them in one corner of a shelf. (I know, I know, I can hear the collective, "Duh," from the smarter women out there. Clearly, I am a slow learner.) Much better. Oh, the simple pleasures of life. I should have quit while I was ahead.

Encouraged by that bit of progress I continued organizing and tidying the closet, and that's when it happened. I reached for a bag at the back of the shelf, which I thought contained mementos from our Disney vacation of 2007, but may actually be full of the boys' baby teeth (I thought I got rid of those? ewww!) and cassette tapes my grandma made in the late 60's and early 70's, of my cousin and me playing school (kind of funny) and then repeating the word "hot dog" about 800 times in what we thought were hilarious and wildly inventive voices. Ah, good times.

But I digress.

Reaching for said bag, I knocked this to the floor.

That, my friends, is not just the rich and tasty, goodness that is Nutella. Oh no. That is my

personal, self-medicating, PMS survival kit.

A real splurge. A brand new, unopened, 26.5 ounce tub. Horrified, I had to force myself to look down, to survey the damage. But, by the grace of God (who takes pity I'm sure, on women and their hormones), only the lid was broken, and I was able to find a jar lid from the kitchen that fits perfectly. Hallelujah and amen. Because you really shouldn't come between a hormonal woman and her hazelnut spread.

I'm just sayin'.

Then, to top off the day, Kerry felt that the boys would benefit from watching the Republican Presidential debate, so we invited ourselves up to my parents (we don't get TV). The best thing about the whole evening (besides my mom cooking dinner) was planning PTO days clear up to June. The boys dutifully watched about an hour of the debate, though Tate couldn't hear most of it, and Gunnar couldn't understand most of it, leaving Wyatt to soldier on.

Frankly, I'm finding it difficult to get interested in any of the candidates, though I would vote for a

lobotomized echidna

before I would vote for Obama, so there ya go.

Brain Dump

2012-01-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

Well.

Because sometimes when you feel like saying something you maybe shouldn't, well works.

That, or Man is born to trouble, as surely as sparks fly upward. And I've never seen them go any other way. But well works for me.

This is only the fifth day of the new year, and thus far... well, it's been interesting. Or maybe it just seemed that way, as we went 40+ hours with no phone or internet service.

My life is very difficult.

I'm sure you've all been on pins and needles, wondering what the Grasshoppers were up to. Good news. The wait is over. (/sarcasm)

1. My hair was driving me crazy. I can't stand it touching my face, thus it must be long enough to pull back, or short. (I know, I know, this is the hard-hitting journalism you come here for.) After whacking about 14 inches off for the big road trip last fall, I figured I'd grow it out long again. Turns out that right now I don't have what it takes to push through that difficult in-between stage. I'm spiky again. And it only took Kerry twenty-nine hours to notice.

2. Equal mass, baby, equal mass. I like to clean and purge all year long, but especially after Christmas. We all know that what goes up must come down, right? Well, what comes in, must go out. At least an equal amount. Although sometimes it feels a bit ridiculous. Like that fact that I had an entire grocery sack full of socks for the consignment store. I bought short (ankle) socks for the boys last summer because I thought the boys should like them. Because that's what a lot of boys wear. But they like crew socks. And only crew socks. (Yes, we are geeky homeschoolers. Thank you very much.)

3. The Office Tornado. Apparently I've discovered a new phenomenon. It's the only reason I can imagine ~~admit to~~ that my office is such a wreck. No crafternoons until I get it picked up.

4. We hit the Potluck Trifecta over New Year's. Neighbors I had invited here had us to their house for dinner (score!), then we had two potlucks, back-to-back, at the Chapel - New Year's Eve, and New Year's Brunch. And we all know that Chapel potlucks are the stuff that legends are made of. I was too tired to make anything for the brunch, but the boys begged to go anyway, so we brought... drum roll please... a large bag of bananas. I'll make up for it next time. Promise.

5. Tate, Gunnar and I had an errand marathon yesterday. Yah. That was fabulous. Running around in a monsoon (a moonsoon! I tell you! And, no, I never exaggerate. Why do you ask?) Doing ten errands I've been putting off (and, in other news, trying to break Wyatt of the habit of procrastinating. Where does he get that?!?)

Well, we had a sweater to exchange, you see. And Grandma Grasshopper - bless her, and may her tribe increase - is a good sport, and very gracious about understanding that when you're a kid, "brown" isn't recognized as a color. A forest green sweater is on its way.

6. I was so glad to get home, out of the yuck, I just sat in my living room and enjoyed my candles. Just some of them. Because do you know how many candles I have out right now? Forty-one. No kidding. Of course, lots of them are just tea-lights. But still. Sometimes a girl just needs some sparkly cheer on a dark day. And it was a very dark day. And sometimes our power goes out.

7. Also, just before Christmas and the visit to the in-laws, and possibly Festivus and the Airing of Grievances, the phone started getting all crackly. And the internet kept crashing. Fun times.

At first, I thought it was just our phones. They have issues. The corded phone upstairs (because everyone has a corded phone for when the power goes out, right?) somehow lost its DSL filter when someone borrowed it for his office. And let me tell you, crawling under the bed to plug in the new filter is not a job for a forty-five year old mom, for crying out loud. I almost had to have Wyatt pull me out. And the things I saw down there? Well. Let me tell you, somebody needs to speak to the maid. If we had one.

And the cordless phone? Well, let's just admit that it's been dropped a few times and leave it at that, shall we?

So it was easy to assume the problem was the phones. Except that it's not. We finally realized that the scratchy phone and the crashy internet were worse in bad weather. Could it be because the phone line snakes through a tree, between our house and the pole? Just possibly?

Why yes, I think it could. Especially when the phone kept giving me a dial tone. After I dialed. And then went well and truly dead.

While we waited for the phone company to come fix it, I sent the older boybarians out to cut some branches off the tree. I probably should've held a big sign that said,

Please don't call CPS

with an explanation, judging by the way traffic slowed down and people stared. I guess you don't often see two teenage boys up in a tree, in 40mph wind, with metal saws, and a long metal pole with metal clippers on the end, hacking away at a tree with what looks like a power line winding through it. The sign should probably have included

Low-voltage phone line.

Of course, we waited to do this until it was getting dark, because the d*%# watershed zealots would probably try to fine us for pruning a "city tree" without a permit. If memory serves. Not that they would ever prune it.

At any rate, two cheerful guys from the phone company brought a cherry-picker out today and replaced the line. Which was - unsurprisingly - nicked in a few places. They also cleaned a yellow-jacket nest out of some sort of connector box up on the power pole. Boy, I bet they were glad for the cold weather. (Makes for slow insects, in case you didn't know.) And now? All fixied. :o)

8. H98. We learned something new this week. If you're microwave tells you H98, then either your inverter (?), your magnetron (??), or your programming circuit (???) is no longer working. And you can probably get a new microwave cheaper than you can fix any of those things. Just in case you wanted to know. And, more importantly, you can reheat pizza in your actual oven, in a pinch.

9. So it's been an eventful week. Not terrible, but not one I'm anxious to repeat.

10. This is not the first brain dump that starts with "Well." Just in case you wondered. And the other one had a funny picture. And I'm too tired right now to find a funny picture, so there you go.

Grasshopper Days

2012-01-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, January 2, 2012

Outside my window... bare branches, busy squirrels, and cold, gray skies.

I am thinking... about encouraging kind and respectful words between brothers.

I am thankful for... family, Christmas, fun, joy, and getting back into routine :D

I am praying for... my future niece or nephew (!), the exciting plan unfolding for my friends in Arizona, work for Kerry, and healing for Stephanie, Dominic, and Wes.

I am wearing... navy blue sweater, blue jeans, wool socks and slippers. I know, I know, I'm in high demand by the fashion industry. *eyes roll*

I am creating... I'd like to get to some sewing, but first must create space. Grrrr....

I am going... to do it. To tidy my hideaway. Again. Yah. After school. My office is ridiculous. It's a breeding ground for clutter. Why???

I am reading... Hold on to Your Kids, by Gordon Neufeld. Yes, he over-attributes (EVERYTHING) to attachment issues, but there is lots to think about here. I'll probably share more when I finish.

I am hoping... the boys get back into the groove smoothly. You know, wake up the math brains, etc.

I am hearing... the dryer beeping (just finished a load), and Wyatt should be about to call me, to give him more instruction with his grammar.

I am remembering... the Mother Load. It never goes away.

From the learning rooms... finishing The Sign of the Beaver and about to start Captured with Tate and Gunnar, Wyatt reading Slopes of War and Tom Sawyer for history; Gunnar - geometric solids, Tate - order of operations and fractions, Wyatt - mid-term review of Jacob's Algebra; Gunnar - fish, Tate - erosion, Wyatt - properties of water; and plugging along with writing, Logic, and other bits and pieces.

From the kitchen... oh bliss. I got a bread machine for Christmas (thanks mom and dad!) and the lovely smell of honey-wheat bread is wafting through the house. Gunnar has requested tomato soup to have with it for lunch :D

Around the house... blue, white, silver, sparkly, snowflakes, candles... love it. I'll get some pictures soon :D

Something I want to remember... Gunnar - and the other boys, but especially Gunnar - content and joyful, saying, "This Christmas was the best one ever!" And it is, yes it is.

On my mind... choosing a Bible reading plan for the new year, and getting the boys on board with some kind of plan - either as a family or individually? Not sure yet.

Noticing that... I think Wyatt grew over Christmas break. Got up one morning and realized we were looking at each other eye-to-eye. Yikes!

Pondering these words...

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Good words for a new year, yah?

One of my favorite things... a fresh page on the calendar.

A few plans for the rest of the week... hmmm, not too much, so far. Wyatt and Tate have CAP tomorrow evening. And a couple of errands - I need to take Tate to the library to research a history paper he's working on, and Gunnar wants to buy a Lego kit with his Christmas money. Looks good to me :D

Here is a picture I am sharing...

... because nothing says Christmas like weapons ;D

But isn't he handsome in his new glasses?

A Joyful New Year To You

2012-01-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

If I were cleverer, (is that a word? hmm, case in point...) I'd write an insightful and reflective post, closing out 2011. Because it's been a good year. A wonderful year. A giant-and-fabulous-blur kind of year, at this point. But as it happens, I'm tired.

Did you stay up last night? All the way until midnight? My parents - in their 60's - made it. Me? Not so much. Should I be embarrassed? Meh. When the boys were younger we'd ~~trick them~~ celebrate New Year's for the east coast time zone, at a comfortable 9PM local time, but they got wise to that.

Actually, we had a fun time last night, livin' it up with our friends at the Chapel. Taco dinner, story-telling, games, movies. Some of us watched Narnia while Wyatt learned to play Texas Hold'em. I think some of the college students stayed until midnight, but most of us headed for the barn by about 10:30. Back home, Kerry stayed up with the boybarians, watching something cheery and festive. Probably Sons of Guns, or Future Weapons. I - apparently lacking the necessary testosterone - went to bed.

Other than staying up late, we don't have any particular New Year's traditions. You? Maybe that would help. Or maybe what would really help is just more sleep in general ;D

At any rate, I don't think I was the only one yawning in church this morning, and that's no reflection on Pastor Bert's sermon, which I'm still chewing on. And since I'm at a loss for wisdom, let me pass on some of his.

He preached from Philippians 3, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what it ahead." But what should we forget? Two things.

Out bad deeds, and our good deeds. Which covers a lot of ground, right there. But here's the good news - our sin (bad deeds) can't condemn us (Psalm 103:12, Jeremiah 31:34, Romans 8:1, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Jeremiah 50:20), and our righteousness (good deeds) can't save us.

Only the grace of God counts.

Let go of bitterness and regrets. Drop the self-righteous "credits" we think we've earned. Let it all go.

And press on toward the goal.

Amen.

Wishing you a joyful new year,

Julie

Christmas Recap

2011-12-30T11:06:00.000-08:00

Our Christmases are always filled with precious memories. (No, not the cheesy figurines.) Precious memories and, well, peculiar ones. Probably because my whole family is just a bit off-kilter.

Do you mean to tell me that other families don't pass their gifts around so everyone can smell them? Or openly discuss the possibility that gits of special bath soap may reflect a deficiency in one's bathing habits? Or, as my cousin did after lunch, heave oneself onto the couch face down muttering,

"The food-baby. If I lay on it, maybe it will go away."

And then there are the gift-opening traditions. We open one gift at a time, so it won't be a free-for-all, and so that people (especially smaller people) can properly demonstrate gratitude. Also to give my mom time to carefully collect the bows that are nice enough to be used again. And again. And again. And the boxes. When my Nana was still living you might receive a gift, wrapped in a box that was older than you were. Possibly from a store that had closed in the 1950's.

Ahhh. Good times.

Actually, they are good times. The boys heartily proclaimed this the best Christmas ever. And they're right. Every Christmas is the best one ever. And it's not just the gifts, either, though we like them ;D

You see, we view the holidays as an opportunity to spend time together. With each other. Sitting around the living room, (or standing around the array of cookies in the kitchen, more likely), finding out what's been going on in each others' lives. That's what we do when we have company over, too. Talk together. Get to know each other better. Find out what they've been doing, what they think about things, what's important. Some people think we're kind of weird (probably true), but I think

conversation is a dying art that needs to be revived :D

But now that Christmas is over, I am SO ready to move on. In fact - don't hate me - I took the tree down the day after Christmas. Had we not been trekking down to the in-laws the following day I might have waited a bit. But coming home yesterday, which felt like eons after Christmas, I knew I'd want it all gone. And after three days in the bottom of a valley, in non-stop pouring rain, even more so.

I love Christmas. Just about everything to do with it. And the decorations are part of the joy and celebration. Now, I don't want to tart up my house until truckers stop to ask if Earlene is working this shift, but we do like things festive. Yet as much as I love it, it wears on me after awhile. When you add the piles of gifts we've received (wonderful gifts!) it's all just too much visual clutter.

Time to shift to winter mode. Move things away from the windows so as much light as possible can come in. Clear off all the surfaces. Give the house a winter-y look. Time for things to be new and fresh and clean.

There may be no snow outside, but inside sparkles with joy.

Christmas Confession

2011-12-22T00:41:00.000-08:00

Every year I think I'm going to do Christmas better.

I'll get my shopping done earlier.
I'll make more gifts.
I'll send out a Thanksgiving letter instead of a Christmas card.
I'll decorate with what I love and purge what I don't.
I'll have more people over.

And there will be peace, and joy, and cookies for everyone, right?

But in the real world, we have a weekend SAREX campout (seriously, who plans this in cold, dark northern latitudes in December?), choir practice, CAP squadron meetings, youth-group, a PTO day (hallelujah!), Tuba Christmas, Messiah performances, 20 or so relatives to lunch, the kids' Christmas program at the Chapel, and one boy with new glasses, and homeschool, and laundry, and a living room full of boys playing Risk.

And Christmas is four days away and they've eaten every Christmas cookie I've made. And I'm still trying to get Christmas cards addressed, wrap the last few presents, and find the best picture of the boys to give the in-laws, out of the five thousand or so (no kidding) I took on vacation.

So it's not exactly sleep in heavenly peace around here.

But neither was the first Christmas, was it?

A crisis pregnancy. An unplanned road trip. And how far is it from Nazareth to Bethlehem? About a hundred miles? Really? Nine months pregnant and riding a donkey for a hundred miles? With no place to stay? No comfort. No guest towels. No room service. No privacy. A baby, born in a barn. No epidural. No crib. No Pampers. And unexpected company! Shepherds, foreigners (at least they brought gifts!), angels. No, not exactly sleep in heavenly peace.

But it is Joy to the World.

We rejoice. We celebrate. We sing. And we light candles and drip wax on our fingers.

And we stumble imperfectly through it all, because...

For to us a child is born,

to us a Son is given,

and the government will be

on His shoulders.

And He will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

the Prince of Peace.

So...

Lift up your heads,

O ye gates,

and be lifted up,

ye everlasting doors;

and the King of Glory

shall come in.

Amen.

Not Very Christmassy, But Real Life

2011-12-20T11:55:00.000-08:00

There are reasons I don't go out to the garage very often. Here you see a few of them. (No, I don't mean The Boy.)

That makes my head want to explode.

This... well... what can I say. It's the Testosterzone.

This, on the other hand, makes my heart sing. Gunnar loves to take things apart and see what's inside. He usually remembers to ask first, because - Lord have mercy - he is not so much into putting it all back together. But, as Kerry's fax machine went belly up, he can have at it.

He doesn't just smash things, as we sometimes enjoy, but really takes them apart carefully. Then he brings me his treasures ;D

Grasshopper Days

2011-12-19T06:50:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, December 19, 2011

Outside my window... still dark.

I am thinking... what a whirlwind of a week we've just had! All good, but kind of crazy. Pics coming soon.

I am thankful for... the kids' Christmas program last night. Fun. Low-key. No stress. All the kids, from preschool to high school, do their part. And how cute are the little toddlers in their white angel outfits, with tinsel in their hair? Or little curly shepherds' beards? And hearing Luke 2 read by boys and girls in a motley collection of bathrobes? Now that's what I call a good Christmas program :D

I am praying for... peace and joy :D

I am wearing... jeans, white mock-T, black and white and red snowflake sweater.

I am creating... hmmm, working towards the peace and joy!

I am going... to get Wyatt going on some school work, and to make cookies with the other two. Yes, we are on break, but somebody has let himself get behind in science and history. And yes, I know we're homeschoolers and flexible and all that, but I don't want procrastination to take root and flourish.

I am reading... still finishing The Sign of the Beaver, and also reading Christmas books every night, as is our tradition. We have a lot of Christmas traditions. If you're interested, I've put links to them under the tab, above.

I am remembering... Christmas 2008, when we had a LOT of snow. So much snow we couldn't drive up Grandpa and Grandma's driveway, and hiked up, pulling presents on plastic toboggans, as Grandpa shuttled us up on a borrowed ATV. The boys keep hoping for a repeat!

From the learning rooms... just Wyatt, plugging away.

From the kitchen... a few more cookies, and (probably) meatballs for dinner.

Around the house... happy, happy, happy Christmas things.

Something I want to remember for later... we had a crowd here on Saturday. A fun crowd. My dad's side of the family. I put a Sharpie out by the (plastic) cold-drink cups so everyone could write their name on theirs. (Yes, we do that.) Grandma asked Gunnar to get her some juice, and he labeled her cup, "best grandma ever". Yep.

On my mind... am I missing anything??? Because it seems like maybe I can relax.

Noticing that... my boys... I love them... but they talk All. The. Time.

Pondering these words...

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.

One of my favorite things... feeling ready.

A few plans for the rest of the week... ironically, a few appointments for the boys. Check ups, etc.

Here is a picture I am sharing...

The elves, heading out on a Cookie Mission.

Ahhhhh...

2011-12-14T22:33:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of holiday sharing, Wyatt and Tate brought home germs from last weekend's bivouac. I may or may not be coming down with something. If I am, I'm in denial.

Do. Not. Have. Time.

But I did get a Christmas letter written, get presents wrapped and under the tree (and - more importantly - out of my office), and started making treats today. Tate, always VERY motivated to help, dipped an entire (large) bag of pretzels in white chocolate. And yes, I know it's not actually chocolate, but almond bark, really? It's vanilla. One of the mysteries of life, I guess.

Which reminded me of something else I want to dip... truffles. No, not the fancy kind (I leave that to my sister). Noooo, I've been waiting for Candy-cane Joe-joes. You know, like mint oreos, but much, much better. (Trader Joe's have bits of crushed candy cane in them. Yum.) We want Joe-joe truffles. And I had to act fast, before certain family members (*ahem* Kerry) eat all four boxes.

Then when the older boys went off to youth group, Gunnar insisted on making gingerbread men, which he doesn't even really like all that well, but somehow he felt they were necessary. And would you believe it, I don't have a gingerbread man cookie cutter? Went to borrow one from my neighbor and she didn't either! But she loaned us her Easter bunny cookie cutter which worked great. With some minor modifications. I rolled and cut out the cookies and Gunnar ripped off their ears and reshaped their heads. He liked that part best. As he dried and put away the dishes I mixed up a double batch of mint meringues. No rolling, not cutting. Just mix them up, put them in a hot oven, turn it off, and leave them in all night - easy squeezy. That's my kind of cookie.

Now, to get said Christmas letter into cards, envelopes addressed, stamped, etc.

How hard can that be, right?

Grasshopper Days

2011-12-12T15:51:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, December 12, 2011

Outside my window... a glorious, sunny, frosty day. I soak up light whenever I can get it, because we'll probably have clouds and rain later in the week.

I am thinking... I think, I really think, I'm done Christmas shopping. One gift card left to pick up at the grocery store doesn't count ;D Hallelujah!

I am thankful for... see above. Now free to do more important (and fun!) things :D

I am praying for... a man from church just diagnosed with leukemia, work for Kerry, peace and joy in the house.

I am creating... good gracious, if you could see my office... well... I'm creating a MESS. I've been wrapping in here and there is stuff EVERYWHERE. No one else is allowed in. But soon, very soon, I'll be done wrapping and can tidy up!

I am going... to make Christmas treats this week :D

I am reading... The Sign of the Beaver, with the boys.

I am hoping... to have friends over before Christmas.

I am hearing... the furnace blowing, ahhhhhhh.

I am remembering... all my good intentions to have things done early - like gift-shopping and writing a Christmas letter.

From the learning rooms... I left the boys home today, with their schoolwork, and went shopping with Grandma Grasshopper. I love that they're old enough to do that now, once in awhile. Not sure how much they got done, but anything is better than nothing.

From the kitchen... ummmm, must think of something :o\

Around the house... I love Christmas decorations. I love my nativities. I love candles. I love Christmas music. And I love the smell of my Christmas tree.

Something I want to remember later... how much Gunnar misses his brothers when they're gone. He does NOT like to sleep in the bedroom alone!

On my mind... can't wait to find out if I'm going to have a niece or a nephew!

Noticing that... how much Gunnar likes the words "hence" and "thus". He reads a lot.

Pondering these words...

let heaven and nature sing!

One of my favorite things... hearing my boys sing Christmas carols. Even the ones that don't exactly follow the notes on the page ;D

A few plans for the rest of the week... choir practice tonight, CAP tomorrow, youthgroup on Wednesday, friends coming to dinner on Thursday, PTO day Friday (!), and a big family gathering on Saturday - here. Whew!

Here is a picture I am sharing...

Is it over-sharing to show a picture of our bedroom? I love my bed... the soft, flannel sheets and the big down comforter... they call to me on these dark, cold winter nights.

The Weekend

2011-12-11T15:51:00.000-08:00

You'd think with two boys gone all weekend that life would be... I don't know... two thirds simpler?

Not exactly.

It's good to have them home.
Along with their noise,
their activity,
their appetites,
and their piles of dirty laundry.

True Confessions

2011-12-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

Well, well, well. Another day, another boggling.

It doesn't take much. I'm easily boggled lately. I could blame the boybarians. Or hormones. Or just about anything. Today, how about Stuff-Mart?

I went out Christmas shopping this morning. Again. And even though it was a work day, and - compared to a weekend - not really very crowded, it still felt kind of crazy. So many people. So much stuff. You know, I've figured it out. What it comes down to is just

O-VER-STIM-U-LA-TING.

That's it. Really, I'm good for about two, three, maybe four hours until my eyes glaze over and I get a headache. (I know, I know, first world problems...)

Anyone else? Am I the only one with matching chromosomes who doesn't feel very merry about Christmas shopping? And then, of course, I feel guilty about that. Because it's not as if I'm being forced into buying obligation-gifts for a bunch of people I could care less about. This is my family! I love them! I want to give them good things! I'm just not a shopping-as-recreation kind of gal.

Still. I had a list. I worked the list. I made progress. So that was good.

Actually, here's the funny thing. The best thing I found today was for... me :D I didn't mean to be shopping for me, but as long as I was in Value Village (looking for stuff for Gunnar to take apart), I might as well keep my eyes open, right? (You would, wouldn't you?) And I was rewarded with this:

An LL Bean Christmas sweater. For twelve bucks. Granted, it won't look quite like that on me, given that I'm not that tall, nor that skinny, and - duh - I have hair, but still... love it! Funny thing is, when I got home and looked at it again I became convinced that someone I know has this very sweater. But who?

So after my slightly overwhelming shopping expedition, I arrived back home and helped Wyatt and Tate get their stuff organized for The Bivouac. Which they're all excited about. And here, again, I'm boggled. Because I, for one, would not be excited about a weekend campout in December. What they're going to accomplish in roughly seven hours of daylight, with a projected high temp of 42F (that's about 5.5C, my friends), I have no idea. I hope it's not treating hypothermia. I'll let you know, when they get back.

In the mean time, I have presents to wrap :D

IMHO

2011-12-07T20:00:00.000-08:00

A plea to my fellow mothers of boybarians:

With two boy having only recently entered the teen years, I'm by no means an expert on this whole ~~taming wild carnivores~~ parenting adolescents gig. But there's one thing that bugs me no end every time I run into certain friends of my boys.

Hair.

Too much hair. Too long. Too shaggy. Too girly.

Yes. I realize there are bigger issues. Drugs. Promiscuity. Violence. I get it. But honestly, take it from someone who lived through the seventies. The groovy shaggy look is a sad mess.

We all know what is the natural focus of the teen years. ME. ME. ME. And hair in his eyes and covering his face allows him to avoid relating to others through eye-to-eye contact. Besides, he's too busy cocking his head at just the right angle, and flipping the hair almost-but-not-quite out of his eyes. It's annoying enough to watch a girl constantly fidgeting with her hair, but a boy? Twice as bad. Awful. Help him rise above the narcissism.

And for heaven's sake, help him look like a young man. You may have found his curls adorable as a toddler, but it's time to lose the effeminate look.

It all 'clicked' with me as I've been driving the boys to their CAP meetings, and interacting with the other cadets there. You see, at CAP there are (*gasp!*) grooming standards. Not only are all the cadets and officers in uniform, they are also all neat and tidy. They look up, meet my eyes, and greet me. And it doesn't hurt that they unfailingly call me "Ma'am", and jump up to hold the door open, too.

Sure, their behavior matters more than their appearance, but don't you think there's some interplay there? Maybe a lot? And let me assure you, as an adult, it's much easier to approach and interact with a young man who has a fresh, clean, open face than one who is ungroomed, immature, and unmanly.

There are things you do for his own good, whether he likes it or not. Keep his hair short.

Wednesday Brain Dump

2011-12-07T11:35:00.000-08:00

1. Remind the boys that today is Pearl Harbor Day; don't forget.

2. Listen every morning as Gunnar announces how many days are left until Christmas. Appreciate that he's excited, but nearly have heart failure on a daily basis, given my level of unpreparedness. Try to smile, cheerfully.

3. Achieve this with more difficulty, these last couple of days due to "girl issues". 'Nuff said. Ugh.

4. Have managed to get the tree decorated while boys gone at CAP. Pictures ~~soon~~ eventually. Normally love doing this, but this time... mustering will-power to leave the couch, hot drink, and heating pad takes more effort.

5. Am conquering the lethargy, aided by occasional doses of Nutella, so dangerously good it should probably be a controlled-substance.

6. Have convinced Wyatt to join me in the chapel's Christmas Choir. Discovered he's a bass! Who knew? Am surprised he agreed to come at all, a situation helped greatly by the choir director's sense of humor as well as after-practice reward = ice cream.

7. Must dig through gift box and see if that helps the preparedness situation any.

8. Remember why I'm doing this... :D

In Which We Get Our Christmas Tree

2011-12-05T22:46:00.000-08:00

Today was The Day.

The perfect day to get the tree.

Not raining is always good, and today was sunny and cold.

School can wait.

We can see Mt. Baker, along the way to the tree farm.

And we go by this church, which I like for the traditional look and the graveyard on both sides.

The view from the tree farm... acres and acres of firs, surrounded by mountains.

That's Mt. Baker, hiding in the clouds.

And the Twin Sisters poke their heads over the foothills across the river.

But we are all about finding the perfect tree.

Wyatt scouts them out.

Tate is just happy to be there, finding the Perfect Tree.

Yes! This is the one!

Gunnar concurs.

Tate and Gunnar use the Swedish saw like a cross-cut saw,

and have the lower branches trimmed and the tree down in minutes.

We've been coming to this same lot for ever.

Any size Douglas Fir, twenty-five bucks.

Not to mention, hot cider, cookies, and candy canes in the office, by the wood stove :D

We've got it in, up, and lighted.

Ornaments tomorrow.

*Happy sigh!*

Grasshopper Days

2011-12-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, December 5, 2011

Outside my window... still dark. Oh these short winter days! Looks like it will be cold and clear.

I am thinking... about Christmas gifts and shopping left to do.

I am thankful for... a big crowd at Tuba Christmas (fun!), and both Messiah performances went well. A couple of odd quirks, like the lights in the sanctuary all going off briefly in the middle of one of the solos (huh?) but we carried on.

I am praying for... us, Christmas, focus amid the hustle and bustle.

I am going... to get two boys out of bed, to get our day going. Can you guess which two are still sleeping?

I am reading... The Courage of Sarah Noble, and Captured! with the boys. as we talk about the relationship between the colonists and the Native Americans.

I am hoping... to get a Christmas tree, today or tomorrow!

I am hearing... the washer and dryer. I often throw a load in the wash before bed, to dry in the morning, or start one in the morning when I get up. Or, when it's been a busy weekend, both.

I am remembering... wishing for snow, like my boys do now.

From the learning rooms... Wyatt - experiments with water, algebra equations with exponents, reading Tom Sawyer, and the Presidents leading up to the Civil War. Tate - has set himself a goal of getting a week ahead in his school work, so is working steadily on all his language assignments each morning. He's also studying geology (three categories of rock - can you name them?), volume of solids, and going to write a research paper on an event in American history. Gunnar - multiplying three-digit by two-digit numbers with carrying, working steadily on is language assignments, excited about primeval reptiles (studying aquatic Zoology this year), and - with Tate - we are reading about the Colonists and the Indians (Native Americans).

From the kitchen... about to put a roast and some veggies in the crock pot. Yum!

Around the house... I scaled down some of our decorations this year. I'd rather have less out that I really like, than everything I've ever gotten. Lots of candles, though :D

Something I want to remember... how determined Tate is to impress and/or please those in authority over him. And the way Gunnar comes cheerfully to Messiah and then sleeps through the first half.

On my mind... if I'm going to get any Christmas cards out this year, I'd better write a letter!

Noticing that... I still have not put away the spoils of Friday's shopping expedition. Oops.

Pondering these words... let earth receive her king.

One of my favorite things... how well twinkly lights, candles, and Christmas music go with a hot cup of cocoa. Speaking of Christmas music, though, my friend Dan has re-posted some interesting thoughts on O Holy Night, a carol that never really sat right with me. Read why, here.

A few plans for the rest of the week... just when I thought Monday night rehearsals were done, our church is going to have a Christmas choir, so three more Monday evenings to go! Boys have CAP on Tuesday, then I think we can coast a bit :D But they have a bivouac this weekend. I'm a bit boggled by that, as I'm not sure what they intend to accomplish by

camping out in December when there is a grand total

of about seven hours of daylight to work with,

but they boys want to go, and I'm assuming it's SAR-related. Crazy, though.

Here is a picture I am sharing...

About 42 tubas at Tuba Christmas!

And 70 Messiah singers, including - at the far end of the first row - a ten-year-old soprano.

Saturday Brain Dump

2011-12-03T22:14:00.000-08:00

Because I'm too tired to form coherent thoughts longer than a paragraph.

1. Yes, it has been a crazy week, thanks for asking. Yes we did have something going on nearly every single day. Why people live like that on a regular basis is beyond me.

2. But this week is an exception, and it was lots of fun things, including Tuba Christmas (biggest ever, in our town, with forty-two tubas), two Messiah performance, some Christmas shopping, as well as CAP, youthgroup, rehearsals, etc.

3. Tate had his eyes tested, and *surprise!* has inherited the family tendency to near-sightedness. This came as a shock to Tate, who continues to insist he sees just fine, in spite of the fact that when the eye doctor asked him to read the lowest row of letters he could make out, he started with the top row. And made mistakes.

Tate is such an emotionally solid/stable kid, it surprised me that he was so upset. Could be that compounded with his hearing loss, he just can't stand that another system is malfunctioning. Though I have assured him that glasses are much simpler than HA's. Hearing aids can amplify sound, but they can't "fix" your hearing the way glasses can truly correct your vision.

Also, he seemed to think that needing glasses would automatically exclude him from lots of job opportunities. I have no idea where he got that idea, and assured him that I couldn't think of any. (At least, not any that his hearing loss doesn't already affect, like joining the military.)

I hope I've been able to reassure him on that front. About the only things I said that might have cheered him up were:
* Lots of people think that glasses make you look more intelligent, and
* Hey! Your glasses will probably help a lot next time you go hunting.

I think I hit pay dirt with that last one.

4. Wyatt and Gunnar get their eyes tested later this month, and if family history plays out, Tate may not be alone...

5. Tate also has appointments this month with his regular doc, (just a check up), and his audiologist at Seattle Children's. I'm totally embarrassed to realize it has been so long *cough* a year and a half *cough* since we were down there. Just go ahead and tattoo a big "L" on my forehead. Good grief.

I'm hoping his hearing aid needs maintenance, because something has definitely changed. Getting a lot more huh? Of course, he's getting to the age where he doesn't want to admit he didn't hear something. And/or he doesn't know what he missed.

6. If there is a shopping disability, I think I have it. I know, the stereotype is that women love to shop. I must be missing the gene. I want to give gifts to my family. Good gifts. Because I love them (my family, I mean!) And, yes, I am doing some of my shopping online. I'm just not very good at shopping. In any venue.

7. Good thing tomorrow is Sunday, because I need a day of rest. Exhaustion and hormones are catching up with me. But if I get my school planning done for this week, maybe we can get out and get a Christmas tree :D

Gunnar Wonders

2011-12-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

In the (old, Boris Karloff cartoon version)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas,

why is Max, the dog,

the only living thing with ears?

Maybe that explains all the noise the Grinch hates.

Seen On A Sweatshirt

2011-12-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

... of a 12 or 13 year old boy.

Who buys this for their kids?

The Goose Is Getting Fat

2011-11-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

Christmas is coming, and guess what I've been doing?

Wrapping twenty-four Christmas books.
Tying seventy-two little candies on our candy-strips.
And down-loading a new set of Advent devotions. (Already started.)

You?

Gunnar Wonders

2011-11-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

If there's no death in heaven,

and there's going to be a lot of feasting,

will there be any meat?

Because, really,

would it be heaven without meat?

Grasshopper Days

2011-11-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, November 28, 2011

Outside my window... bare branches, green cedars, firs, and hemlocks, and some blue sky peeking through the clouds.

I am thinking... still in (happy) shock over my brother's good news (post below), and working through the details of this very busy week.

I am thankful for... good weather this morning for Gunnar, who is at a birthday party involving horseback riding, for a new niece of nephew coming next June, a wonderful Thanksgiving and family to celebrate with, and that tonight is our last Messiah rehearsal.

I am praying for... my aunt recovering from pneumonia, friends coming home from Africa this week, and boys shifting back into school mode (ugh).

I am wearing... jeans, purple sweater, warm blue socks, and slippers.

I am going... to fold Mt. Laundry and clear off the pile on my desk before it breeds and multiplies ;D

I am reading... with the boys, The Magic Tunnel, a story about the British takeover of New Amsterdam.

I am hoping... Gunnar has a fun time at the party, Wyatt gets his work done cheerfully (I can dream, can't I?), and Kerry keeps busy with work.

I am hearing... silence, the boys are doing school work.

I am remembering... the "kids' table". When I was growing up and my grandparents lived in this house, we nearly always came here for Thanksgiving. There were ten of us and we would've been a tight squeeze around the dining room table, so instead, my Nana always set up a card table in the living room for us four kids. And you never, ever graduated from the kids' table. Ever.

It became a running joke that my Nana never "got". By the time I was married and having my own kids we had started celebrating Thanksgiving at my parents' house. Though by then we needed two tables, they were "integrated" :D

Now, when I set up two long tables together for this Thanksgiving, I had the boys put name cards at each place, and gave them free reign as to where to put people, and guess what they did? Put all the kids down at one end, "So we can talk to each other, Mama."

All righty then!

From the learning rooms... working through Sequential Spelling with Tate and Gunnar (very, very helpful); Tate begins Geology this week (having finished Fossils), Gunnar is learning about "dinosaur fish", Wyatt is reviewing the layers of the atmosphere; Tate and Gunnar reading about the early colonies - contrasting Jamestown with Plymouth, Wyatt reading about the Lewis and Clark Expedition; and math - multiplying by two numbers ie 128 x 36 (Gunnar), order of operations (Tate), and exponential numbers (Wyatt); and the usual round of grammar, writing, hand-writing, etc.

From the kitchen... my last Messiah rehearsal tonight so I won't be here for dinner. I'm thinking turkey taquitos for lunch :D

Around the house... I've put out some Christmas things but won't have time/energy to get a tree until early next week. Still, I've got candles, and lights, and Christmas music on the CD player :D

Something I want to remember for later... Tate will get up at 6am, read his Bible, do his CAP exercises (push ups, sit ups, etc.), and then start on his school work before his brothers are even awake. That boy is going to go far!

On my mind... how to manage Christmas gifts this year... hmmm.

Noticing that... Tate shaved for the first time this Thanksgiving!

Pondering these words... And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed...

One of my favorite things... boys getting along with each other :D

A few plans for the rest of the week... Monday rehearsal, Tuesday CAP, Wednesday youthgroup (aptly named None the Wiser), Thursday deep breaths, Friday Messiah performance, Saturday Tuba Christmas and second Messiah performance, and Sunday... a much-needed rest!

Here is a picture I am sharing...

They look so little!

We'll take a new one this year :D

Thanksgiving Joy and Surprise

2011-11-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

It's a joy to have so much to be thankful for. Our homes, our health, a house full of family even if we're elbow to elbow around the tables. And the food? Oh, too good for words, and plenty of it!

And the surprise? Well, see if you can figure it out. Here's a pic of all seventeen of us :D

Nimrod, A Mighty Hunter Before the Lord

2011-11-26T09:52:00.000-08:00

Grandpa Grasshopper, aka "Nimrod", went elk hunting with a friend, way up north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and boy did he get a big one. You can't see all the tines, but it's an eight-by-eight.

You can better see the size of the animal in this picture. They estimate it weighed around 1100 pounds. That's a lot of meat!

Well done, Grandpa Grasshopper!

Veteran's Day

2011-11-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

Catching up on some bloggy "housekeeping"...

November 11th Tate woke up, giddy with excitement. Aunt Tami and Uncle Dave met at our house for brunch, and then I delivered them to the airport, to launch Tate's 13-year Disney Extravaganza. More about that later.

Meanwhile, Wyatt and several of the other CAP cadets met at the cemetery to place flags for Veterans Day. That's Wyatt, sliding a flag out of the van.

The weather quickly deteriorated, but the work continued. (Wyatt in red.)

I don't know if you can see how hard it's raining in the picture, but I hope you can see their smiles.

Well done.

Repast / Repost

2011-11-25T10:14:00.000-08:00

Just lounging around the house today, doing math...

Houston, We Are All Systems Go For Lunch

2011-11-23T23:27:00.000-08:00

It's been another productive day, but I'll spare you the recital of items cleaned, dusted, baked, and painted. Yes, painted. I don't normally go to such lengths when family is coming over, but we were on a roll.

Also, I realize that you've got bigger things to do than hang on every detail of what the boy-barians and I got done today ;D

But I'll tell you the best thing about today. (Besides Wyatt volunteering to scrub the roofing tar that got tracked in off the mudroom floor, because let me tell you, that was a job.)

We went to Thanksgiving Service at church.

We sang familiar Thanksgiving hymns. We prayed. We read a Psalm. And some of our people bared their souls, and told what God has been doing there. I wish you could have heard. You would have laughed. Harry, who has basically died five or six times, told us about his heart, which he calls Hazel (because she's like an unfaithful ex-wife) and is now augmented by Hamlet (the pig valve). And how he's not afraid to die, and he's thankful for every single day.

And Barb, who lives on a farm in the woods, that had no electricity or running water. And then her husband died. And her neighbors helped her, and loved her into the church, and fed her the Living Word. And the church built her an addition to her house, with modern conveniences.

And there were more. Dave, a really smart guy with everything going for him, but without God. And Nate, whose wife decided they should visit the chapel because it looked cute and had flowers outside. And they stayed, and grew, and the chapel paid his way through seminary and is helping him plant a church.

And in the midst of the flurry of preparations, we slow down to give thanks.

Thanks for our families. Thanks for our health. Thanks for salvation and forgiveness and grace. Thanks for God's continuing, inexplicable provision in these unstable times. And thanks for so much more. Thanks for our friends. Thanks for our church.

PB&J, I have to tell you this: The boys spent a long time cutting out paper leaves for our thankful tree. And cutting isn't exactly one of Gunnar's strong suits, if you know what I mean. But after I said we had enough, Gunnar found a scrap of purple paper (his favorite color) and cut one more leaf. A really special maple leaf, with lots of detail. He's put several leaves on the tree already, but he's been saving that one for something really special. Driving home tonight he told me, Mama, I know what I'm going to put on my purple leaf - the chapel.

And to you. You readers. Friends. I have to tell you, I am thankful for you :D Thankful for the friends I have found through this crazy technology. Thankful for the ways you encourage me and inspire me and make me laugh.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15

Thanks be to God.

More From The Minions And Me

2011-11-22T22:51:00.000-08:00

Progress :D Good has been done here, today...

Peeling and chopping 10+ pounds of potatoes.

Did our little bit of school work.
Baked turkey - yes, I do it ahead. It tastes just as good and frees up the oven.
Made two large mashed potato casseroles.
Tidied and dusted the living room
Dusted the dining room light and tables
Cleaned/disinfected all light switches and door knobs
Cleaned the fish bowl (Jack is much happier.)
Cleaned and organized the fridge - gotta make room.
Cleaned the stove.
Cut out paper "thankful tree" and a bazillion leaves.
Scraped disgusting blackened grout from behind the kitchen sink, and Kerry regrouted.
Made tomorrow's list :D

And all, for some unknown reason, on about three hours of sleep. Why??? I don't know. Came home from Messiah last night and just couldn't turn my brain off. Not tossing and turning in anxiety or sickness, just laying (lying?) in bed, listening to the wind howl, and the music in my head.

Until about 4am.

Salute and Execute

2011-11-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

Progress!

The minions and I have:

Done our bit of school work for the day
Cleaned the two downstairs bathrooms
Cleaned the bunny hutch
Dusted the dressers and bunk-beds (between all the rails and dowels)
Tidied the DVDs back onto their shelves
Washed all the cabinet fronts in the kitchen
Cleared off the clutter-shelf
Stowed Tate's birthday cards and gifts
and
Cleaned the oven

Pats on backs all around, and off to fun evening activities :D

Grasshopper Days

2011-11-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, November 21, 2011

Outside my window... clouds, wind, and rain. Nearly all the beautiful leaves are now brown, wet, and on the ground. Strangely, we have some kind of vortex that attracts all the big soggy ones to the landing right by the back door. Why?

I am thinking... making mental lists for the days leading up to Thanksgiving! What needs to be cleaned, how many chairs do we need to borrow, what can I make ahead, who is bringing what... time to put the minions to work ;D

I am thankful for... Kerry got a kinda-sorta job working as a "drafting slave" (his joking term) for another architect. It's part time so he can still keep doing any projects he gets on the side. Yay!

I am praying for... the job to work out well for both of them, my Aunt Myrna who has pneumonia, friends coming home from Zambia soon.

I am wearing... grubbies. Sweats. Going to be doing more cleaning today ;D

I am creating... a holiday celebration.

I am going... to make a chore schedule for the boys and me, so we can be as relaxed as possible with sixteen around the table :D

I am reading... Almost Home, having just finished Madaleine Takes Command. I'm reading a lot of historical fiction (and some non-fiction) with Tate and Gunnar this year... not always exactly in order, but going along with our history studies. Almost Home is the story of a (real) girl who came over on the Mayflower, while Madaleine Takes Command is a must-read for you Canadians. It's the true story of a fourteen-year-old girl who holds the fort for a WEEK against Iroquois attack.

I am hoping... for a grace-filled holiday.

I am hearing... just the wind, and lots of it.

I am remembering... the first time we had Thanksgiving here at this house we were still in the throes of remodeling. Our furniture had been stored in a large truck in the driveway. Two days before Thanksgiving the contractor had a table-saw set up in my living room and was cutting and installing floor trim. The day before Thanksgiving I was basically following him from trim piece to trim piece, shop-vaccing the dining room and living room and then trying to get furniture back in and a bit of decorating done. Oh, and the garbage disposal clogged while I was running a load of laundry, and greasy, turkey-scented water poured out all over the kitchen and mud-room floors. I had to get a plumber in. Awesome.

From the learning rooms... we are on Holiday School Schedule this week, which means a minimum of actual academic school work and lots of... hmmm... what shall I cal it?

Occupational Ed? Prepare for a job in house-keeping, home-maintenance, and food service.
Home Ec, or whatever the PC term for that is now? Learn time-management, food preparation, and budgeting.
Social Studies? Learn your cultural history!
Religion? Definitely!
Community Service? Yes, definitely learning to serve others.
Hospitality? A required course.

There. Now I feel better about the fact that the math books are in the closet ;D

From the kitchen... baked chicken sandwiches for lunch. The closest I can come to a McChicken, and therefore (in the boys' eyes) heaven ;D

Around the house... cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!

Something I want to remember for later... how happy flannel sheets make the boys!

On my mind... the aforementioned lists.

Noticing that... it's so much better now that the boys are old enough to be truly helpful. Whew!

Pondering these words... When I do stuff, stuff gets done. Deep and profound, (snort).

One of my favorite things... clean surfaces, WOOT!

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Monday - begin (minimal) school work and cleaning, Kerry takes boys to Boys Club and I go to Messiah rehearsal
Tuesday - continue Holiday School, Wyatt and Tate have CAP
Wednesday - make green bean and mashed potato casseroles (those are two separate things), and bake the turkey (yes, the day before), set up tables, remind boys of their hosting responsibilities.
Thursday - dinner at 1:30. Then, because it's so good, again in the evening.
Friday - organize any leftovers and start putting away fall decorations. Put minions to work moving furniture and cleaning around, behind, and under.
Saturday - start thinking Christmas (!), also potluck and ~~game~~ movie night at church. Can you believe there are folks who haven't yet seen The Princess Bride?
Sunday - church, breathe, rest :D

Here is a picture I am sharing...

It's a stock photo, but just like what I saw this morning. At least we don't have the giant fir tree dropping needles, cones, and branches on the house!

It's Hunting Season

2011-11-20T15:28:00.000-08:00

Oh, you thought hunting season was over?

Well.... it's turkey season, now.

No, I don't go out hunting these.

This is more my speed :D

Of course, it's not without its risks...

But we've avoided disaster so far :D

The biggest trick is fitting them into the freezer. "Them" you may be asking? Yes, THEM. I get four or five (or six) each year. Why not? They're easy to cook, delicious, and who says they're just for Thanksgiving? I'll bake a turkey, serve it for dinner, and freeze the left-overs to use in recipes that call for chicken.

And they're on sale!

I don't know about where you are, but here? If you're local, run right down to Cost Cutter or Food Pavilion. If you don't have a coupon, ask at customer service and they'll give you one :D Spend twenty-five dollars on other groceries (in the blink of an eye, in this house) and you'll get:

A box of stuffing mix

A can of chicken broth

A can of green beans

A can of cream of mushroom soup

A can of cranberry sauce

A packet of turkey gravy mix

A dozen fresh rolls

A five-pound bag of potatoes

and

A turkey, up to twenty pounds

for twenty bucks.

I'm dreaming of ~~a white Christmas~~ Baked Turkey Taquitos, turkey pot pie, turkey-salad sandwiches, turkey enchiladas...

What do you do with your leftovers?

In Which We Are All Cozy

2011-11-19T16:22:00.000-08:00

It's That Time...

2011-11-19T11:01:00.000-08:00

... the time to CLEAN!

It's a bright, sunny morning, I'm full of energy, and I feel a Blitz coming on. (Especially with company coming for Thanksgiving, just around the corner.) I mobilized the boys and we began to attack the upstairs, pulling tubs from under the beds, stripping all the sheets, moving laundry from washer to dryer, chasing dust bunnies elephants, mopping...

... and then the phone rang. CAP needs volunteers at the Heritage Flight Museum, on kinda short notice. Like right now. And there went two of my household ~~slaves~~ helpers.

Little do they know that I have NOT planned any regular schoolwork next week. Oh, we'll do a bit of academics, but we're on Holiday Schedule all week, which means they will clean, wash, cook, scour, bake, and generally help me prepare for Thanksgiving.

And I'll be really thankful!

Woke Up This Morning To...

2011-11-18T11:35:00.001-08:00

... snow! Just a dusting, but pretty white trees at Grandpa and Grandma Grasshopper's house, for the boys' PTO day :D

Customs and Courtesies

2011-11-17T08:16:00.000-08:00

Ah, here's the photo I wanted, with their caps on :D

And, yes, (to answer Doug), the cadets who were 'grogged' did the whole drill. March to the grog, squaring all corners, salute the grog, pour the grog, about face, toast the mess, drink the grog in one go (cup not leaving lips), hold empty cup upside down over the head, about face, replace the cup, salute the grog again, and return to their seats. Without speaking (except to toast the mess).

And if they omitted anything, someone was sure to notice and send them right back up again. One boy went three times! Others had to do various things, such as sing silly songs. The Color Guard had to sing I'm A Little Teapot, complete with motions. But all in good fun :D

Again, I'm sorry they look like they're swimming in green, radioactive waste. I'm not much into editing, and the little I tried... well... I just tried to give the boys something approaching a normal skin tone, and even that proved too much.

It was a fun, fun evening.

CAP Dining-Out

2011-11-16T11:47:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I apologize for the color of the pics (what do you do about flourescent lighting in a big gym/hangar-type room?) but we had

so much fun

last night, I want to post these anyway!

First off, don't they look sharp?!

I wanted a photo with their caps on too, but apparently you don't wear your cap inside, you hook it under your belt. If Tate looks just a little bit 'mussed' that's because we welcomed him home from Disneyland (pics of that later, when I get them) at 6pm, whisked him to the armory, and he RAN into the bathroom to change into his uniform, for a 6pm... 6:30-ish dinner. And, a side note, Wyatt spent hours shining his shoes and they look... the same. Well, they were shiny already.

We're still newbies, and learning the ways of CAP, so I may add more later. The boys knew that this would be a formal evening, abiding by full military "customs and courtesies", which included proper procedure for the many toasts,

and they were expected to dress and behave as gentlemen... which they did :D (Tate even managed not to completely clean his plate in thirty seconds.) But they had no idea how far and how fun the formal silliness would go.

It began before Tate and I arrived, with the mixing of the Grog, a strongly yellow non-alcoholic punch.

Yes. That is what you think it is. The cadets were expected to abide by a list of many and varied rules throughout the evening, such as Thou shalt not wear an ill-fitted or discolored mess jacket, and Thou shalt consume thy meal in a manner becoming gentle-persons. Failure to comply results in being called out by another cadet and sent to the Grog Bowl.

However rules such as Thou shalt make every effort to meet all guests, and Thou shalt be painfully regarded if thy clip-on bow tie rides at an obvious list, and Thou shalt keep toasts and comments within the limits of good taste and mutual respect, however good-natured needling is encouraged, ensured that virtually any of the cadets could be sent to the Grog Bowl.

Yes, they had to scoop out punch with a toilet plunger, toast the Mess, and drink the punch. (Please tell me no one ever mistakes that plunger for another!)

But all in good fun :D

The cadets had also voted on several annual awards, which were given out last night to outstanding cadets.

Fun for everyone! Except Gunnar, who was too young to attend. Maybe next year. He spent the night with Gramma Grasshopper, and undoubtedly had a good time himself :D

But, oh, it's so good to have all three of my boys back under one roof! I was happy and thankful for Tate to go to Disneyland, and I wasn't a bit worried, but I sure missed him!

I know he was glad to get back to his own bed, and to find that a knife he'd ordered had arrived just that morning. Well, it is the Testosterzone, you know!

Why Am I Always The Last to Know?

2011-11-14T15:52:00.000-08:00

Remember me ~~whining about~~ mentioning how late and short our summer was? Yah. Me too.

Our neighbor, the one with the garden we all envy, gave each of the boys a little tomato plant. I had Kerry put them in a big tub, right outside his office where they would get lots of sun. Of course, the deer promptly ate them down to the nub and then Kerry put a cage around them. So the poor things got kind of a late start anyway. And by the time we left on vacation, mid-September, we had a nice big tomato bush... with not a single tomato on it.

Fabulous.

And when we came home, mid October? About 20 hard, green balls. With the weather deteriorating and the temperature dropping, I told the boys to pick them all and bring them in the house. We lined them up in a sunny window, and there they sat, for weeks. Hard little green balls.

Then one of my free brain cells got busy and dredged up a memory from (probably) high school chemistry. Bananas give off a chemical as they ripen that will ripen other fruit around them, so you want to separate other fruit from them to prevent it getting over-ripe.

Well, tomatoes are fruit, aren't they? Hmmm...

I grabbed three bananas from the fruit bowl and arranged them among the tomatoes. And guess what?

We have ripe tomatoes!

So there ya go. I'd call it a helpful hint, but I'm guessing you already knew.

Grasshopper Days

2011-11-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, November 13, 2011

Outside my window... it's dark! Happens pretty early this time of year. And it's been raining all weekend, so everything is wet and soggy.

I am thinking... with Tate gone to Disneyland I had hoped to do something fun with the other boys. Gunnar had his heart set on going to the pool, but, umm.... not exactly an option for me right now, which Gunnar does not understand. So I'm home, feeling guilty (and hormonal - fun!), having talked Kerry into taking him.

I am thankful for... my brother and sister being so generous in treating Tate to Disneyland!

I am praying for... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

I am wearing... dark jeans, navy tee, fall sweater (greens, blues, white, tan), and my blue Danskos.

I am creating... space to create. Making progress on conquering the office clutter. Again.

I am going... to go to bed early. Busy week ahead.

I am hoping... Tate has a fabulous time.

I am hearing... a fairly quiet house :D

I am remembering... our family trip to Disneyland, in 2007. The boys were so little!

From the learning rooms... Tate worked ahead before he left, so the other boys are forging on in his absence. Wyatt - solving equations with two variables, US history test, reading about Sequoyah and his alphabet, experimenting with air pressure, energy, and temperature, and writing brief descriptions of people. Gunnar - about 2/3s through his 4th grade math already, punctuating addresses, action verbs and linking verbs, studying Henry Hudson, and reading Madeleine Takes Command.

From the kitchen... cooked a pork roast with carrots, onions and potatoes in the crock pot (that came out well!) for our lunch, and plenty left over, so I'm off the hook for dinner ;D

Around the house... candles and pretty lights, to cheer the dark evenings.

Something I want to remember for later... how long Wyatt spent shining his shoes in preparation for the CAP "Dine-out" (banquet), and that Gunnar bravely conquered the diving board at the pool today.

On my mind... how fast the holidays are approaching.

Noticing that... I miss my Tater-bug.

Pondering these words... All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them. - Erma Bombeck

One of my favorite things... having something to look forward to :D

A few plans for the rest of the week... busy times! Rehearsal tomorrow evening; meet Tate's flight at 6pm on Tuesday and get him changed into his uniform and scoot over to the Dine-Out; get Tate back in the school groove; then Wyatt has a youthgroup dinner/social time on Wednesday, and the boys have a PTO day on Friday. I'll need it!

Here is a picture I am sharing...

Salute, and Then Some Random Thoughts

2011-11-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today is Veteran's Day, here in the US.

To all who have served and are serving -

many thanks for our freedom.

Busy morning at our house...

1. Wyatt was up bright and early, in uniform, to meet his fellow CAP members at the cemetery, putting flags on Veterans' graves, in the wind and pouring rain. Tate would like to have helped, but...

2. Tate is on his way to Disneyland! My sister, brother, and parents joined us for brunch to send off the travelers - Tate, Uncle Dave, and Aunty Tami. He has been bouncing off the walls all the live-long week. We are ALL glad to see this day finally come! Praying for smooth and safe travels, and a fabulous time.

3. Did you know that walruses have air sacs in their throats that they can inflate and use as a life preserver? I learn something new every day. Thank you, Gunnar, and Apologia Science. Which reminds me of some unfinished business...

4. Last summer we hatched butterflies again. I think this is the third time. The boys love it every time, and it fit in with our summer science - birds, bats, and bugs.

These are Painted Lady butterflies, and are native to basically the entire North American continent, so - lucky for us! - it's pretty hard to mess up ;D I think this time we were four for five. My friend Leah has a much funnier take on this...

5. Having completed their obligations and schoolwork for the day, the boybarians, minus Tate, are melting their brains before the Eye of Mordor, aka "having screen time." Oh well. Those lovely fall photos I posted? A distant memory. We've moved on to rain and wind. I might have mentioned that already...

6. The clutter... it breeds and multiplies. I try to confine it to my office, but it's threatening to stage a breakout and engulf the rest of the house...

7. Gunnar has decided that when he grows up he would like to work at the zoo. He wants to take care of the lovable animals. You know, the affectionate ones. This category is possibly much smaller than he imagines, but I'm encouraging him anyway.

8. This whole brunch concept is very difficult for me. We haven't had lunch yet, so how can it possibly be 2:59 and why is it getting dark already? Oh. Hail.

9. Off to do battle with the Mother Load, and a happy weekend to you.

Falling

2011-11-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, the pictures of my fall decorations a few days ago were really intended for those of my readers with matching chromosomes, but here are a few photos we can all appreciate ;D

As I pulled in the driveway, a few weeks ago, this was my view... lovely. That's actually the neighbors' garage, but it's the Virginia Creeper hanging from the Douglas firs that takes my breath away, especially in the afternoon, when the sun is low and shining right through it.

I walked through the gate into their back yard, to show you the other side. Different, yah? Beautiful, but not as dramatic.

Yes, it really is that red. Most trees here turn golden yellow, so the red is a treat.

I do have an ornamental maple, back in the back, that was just beginning to show...

A week or so later I grabbed another shot, because I love that vine :D

We have a tree along the driveway that we don't know what it is. My grandma (who lived here before us) thought it was a pecan, but it doesn't look like any pictures of pecan trees I've seen. If it's a nut tree, it's not native here and has never produced a single nut. Who knows. The bark is smooth and gray, and the leaves are quite large. And - just now - bright gold. Reminds me of Lothlorien, in the Lord of the Rings.

Beautiful, with the maple at its peak :D

I've said before that my camera is smarter than me, so I take no credit, but enjoy the results ;D

Especially knowing the colors won't last long. Even as I clicked away, a cloud blocked the sun.

I'll wait, snap a few more pictures. Maybe the cloud will pass...

...or maybe not.

We have to savor fall while it lasts, because we don't get much of this...

...before it turns to this.

And this.

Laughing With Me

2011-11-08T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm glad a few of you had a little giggle with me about the tragic loss suffered by the art world last week. I hope you could hear a friendly chuckle of disbelief rather than a mean, mocking cackle. Some artists - probably most - pour their hearts and souls into their work, and I respect that, even when I don't care for the finished product.

Still, living in a college town, I've seen more than my share of "art" that is little more than a random collection of garbage, perhaps painted vividly (and more often than not, with obscenities,) and presented as deep, authentic, emotional, soul-expression. And it works so much better if it has an unusual title, perhaps a prepositional phrase, or a even participial phrase.

So, in my moments of free time (and twisted sense of humor), guess what I found?

There are Random Generators for writing prompts!

Did you know this? Why am I the last one in on the fun?! I could use these with the boys, but that's for another time. Today, I made up a little game for myself. Gunnar and I asked Uncle Google for some pictures of modern art, and then trolled the generators for titles. Which probably make as much sense or more, as some of the things I've seen. So, completely randomly, I present you with our results:

Inside the Box of Stale Breakfast Cereal

Touching Her Nose to Prove It Was Still There

Tearing the Sock from His Throbbing Foot

Upon a Chair of Solid Gold

Before the Throne of the Cruelest King

Waking Suddenly and Without Any Explanation

Joking aside... no, no, not quite...

Okay, okay, I'll stop now. Gunnar and I found one we actually liked.

Have fun, and good night :D

Falling Into Autumn

2011-11-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

I love coming home. Especially when the house is lit up and welcoming. The sky was much, much darker than the photo shows (my camera is smarter than me) and it was pouring. But I love this view anyway... so cozy!

And on a crisp, sunny fall day :D

We did a bit of 'winterizing' before our vacation; mowing the lawn and putting the picnic table back in the garage, leaving this empty patio outside the kitchen.

We left our outdoor fire-pit stocked with wood :D

And the porch is swept clean of dead or dying summer annuals, hoses, hummingbird feeders, cobwebs, dried leaves, and dead bugs.

And with the days getting darker and colder outside, I want the inside to be extra-inviting. And with the power going out once in awhile, candles are for more than beauty.

Kerry helped refinish this old dresser last year.. quite a project, and I'm so glad to have it!

Pumpkin spice :D

I know... it's a strange assortment of stuff. For some reason these little chickens crack me up.

Next up? Fall colors outside...

Grasshopper Days

2011-11-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

Grasshopper Days

For today, November 7, 2011

Outside my window... our beautiful fall leaves are nearly gone, glad I got some pictures I'll share later. Beautiful frost in the mornings, lately, and... snow on the hill at the end of the lake. Brrr!

I am thinking... 48 days until Christmas, but no pressure ;D

I am thankful for... the boys like hand-me-downs, especially from Uncle Dave.

I am praying for... work, peace, and wisdom.

I am wearing... jeans, blue sweater, brand new Keens I scored at Value Village for twenty bucks.

I am creating... I've been discouraged every week when I see this prompt because I have nothing to share. But now? Music :D

I am going... to Messiah rehearsal tonight.

I am reading... I've had very little time to read for me, but am enjoying reading to the boys. Since vacation we've read Pedro's Journal, by Pam Conrad; Walk the World's Rim, by Betty Baker, a biography of Martin Luther; The Broken Blade, by William Durbin; and we're about to begin Wintering (the sequel). We've read The Broken Blade a few years ago and the boys loved it, so I'm taking advantage of our study of explorers to read it again, and tie it in (loosely) with Jacques Cartier. Though the story takes place in 1800, and Montreal is well settled, most of the land is still wild and uninhabited except by Indians and fur traders. Pierre, a thirteen year-old boy, becomes a voyageur, traveling up the Ottawa River, through Lake Huron and Lake Superior, and back home again.

I am hoping... to tie up a mess of loose ends this week. Arrrrgh.

I am hearing... the dryer tumbling. Laundry. Seems like the soundtrack of my life some days.

I am remembering... lists, lists, and more lists. Or else I am forgetting!

From the learning rooms... graphing equations, barometric pressure, Sir Francis Drake, pinnipeds, the relationships between self-supported statements and supported statements, colons and semi-colons, reading the Constitution, and winding up with fossils.

From the kitchen... I'm off the hook tonight! We had a wonderful, double birthday lunch at my brother and sister-in-law's, and she sent the leftovers home with us! I'd call it lasagna, but she made it with ziti. Delicious. We celebrated my mom - Grandma Grasshopper's - birthday, and... be still my beating heart... my Tater-bug will be THIRTEEN on Wednesday!

And you know what that means? (Besides the fact that I'm beginning to see the shadow of a mustache...)

In four days, he'll be leaving for Disneyland!

My sister and brother hatched a plan back when Wyatt was twelve, to take each boy to Disneyland when he turns thirteen. Wyatt had a fabulous trip, and Tate has been patiently biding his time. Soon!

Around the house... I think fall is my favorite season. I'll share some pics of the house and yard later in the week.

Something I want to remember later... Gunnar, giddy and excited about his math, saying,

I feel like Einstein!

On my mind... that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, are three different things.

Noticing that... time flies. Oh boy.

Pondering these words... Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

One of my favorite things... a clean kitchen.

A few plans for the rest of the week... schooling - of course, rehearsal tonight, CAP tomorrow night, Tate's actual birthday on Wednesday (probably pizza lunch, thanks to Pizza Hut's Book-It program :D ), and getting Tate ready to leave on his big trip Friday morning!

Here is a picture I am sharing...

It's been awhile...

... May 2007.

No Kidding

2011-11-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

Unsophisticated swine that I am, I prefer realistic art. Something I can look at, and know what it is. Or what it's supposed to be. And - crazy, I know - I like art that's pleasing to look at, in one way or another. So Yahoo's news feed caught me off guard. A piece of art, worth a million dollars, ruined. Ruined!

That's terrible! What could it be?

No, it's not whatever is hanging on the wall behind those old boards. They are the art. Yes, that is modern art by the late Martin Kibbenberger, titled When It Starts Dripping From the Ceiling.

No, I'm not kidding.

He painted this plastic tub at the bottom to look like dirty water had dripped into it, off the pieces of wood.

And got a million bucks for it. Genius.

Until - whoops! - apparently, "an overzealous cleaner ruined it"; mistaking it for "an eyesore that needed a good scrub."

The museum that had this piece of art on loan is distraught. Horrified. In fact, a spokesperson lamented that, "it is now impossible to return it to its original state."

Get out!

Come on over to my garage, and I can fix you up for a bargain price.

Day 22

2011-11-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Three weeks. We've been on the road for three weeks. That is a long time, friends. And I'll tell you what... staying in a historic lodge with authentic period rooms is a lovely experience, and a rustic one. I'll just say this - I'm quite fond of my queen size bed, lights that go beyond ambiance and actually light up a room, and an exhaust fan in the bathroom. Especially with all these boys. But I don't mean to complain amidst all this beauty.

This building is not the chateau, it houses the gift shop, visitors center, public restrooms, and - I think - staff housing. The cave entrance is immediately to the right of the building.

The chateau nestles into a curve in the hill just below. Because you enter at the turquoise awning, you tend not to realize the building is six stories high (there's a basement you can't see.) It doesn't seem nearly as big as it actually is.

We'd hoped to find this on a postcard but no such luck, so I snapped a picture.

In the evening live piano music drifted through the lobby.

I didn't get any pictures of the dining room, but we thought this cafe was quite cozy for breakfast.

And just outside, this lovely pond - right below our room. We left the window cracked open and listened to the waterfall all night. (Plus, hmmm, with all those males... well, you just want to leave the window cracked.)

Love the fall colors.

And the snug and inviting look of the place. I'd love to see it in the snow.

And it sure did feel like fall here. At 4000' in elevation the temp was down in the 30's and we appreciated the fire!

I did not so much appreciate seeing this:

Yes, it's really a live scorpion.

I'll be going now, thanks.

And we did. Leave, that is. Not because of the scorpion, but we were so very ready.

Do you see what I see? Up on the hill? That's I-5. Now we're really headed home.

Getting closer...

Yes! It's Washington!

Um, I guess we're back among our own kind?

Our own kind of humor, anyway ;D

Not knowing we'd be able to tour the cave the evening we arrived, and anticipating a later departure, I had booked us a hotel in Tumwater, which - for some reason - Gunnar kept referring to as "Thumbline". (Huh?) But since we toured the cave the night before, and got an earlier start...

... well, we all just wanted to get HOME.

I canceled the hotel :D But we had one more stop to make. A pilgrimage, of sorts...

If you're a hunter, a fisher, a camper, this is your paradise. The boys were practically having an out-of-body experience. Mostly we just wanted to look around. They have animals from all over the world. Inside that 'mountain' of game animals they have live fish in a huge aquarium. Yah.

But the happiest sight of all...

... was this one.

East or west, home is best.

Day 22 Miles : 573 Total Miles : 5104

Thursday Brain Dump

2011-11-03T12:36:00.000-07:00

1. In a weird coincidence of life imitating art (if you can call one of my blog posts art - see below), we lost power last night for several hours in our first fall storm. Just wind and rain, nothing drastic, but as we live at the head of a lake, the wind seems to funnel up the valley right toward us and occasionally the lines go down. Or in this case a transformer or two blew up. Oh boy, we could see it just down the street. Big turquoise green flashes. And then darkness. We're used to it. The boys got out their flashlights and headlamps, and I lit a few more candles. Not enough to read by, (we'll get back to Patrick McManus tomorrow), but enough to make the living room cozy and comfortable.

In other news...

2. Hunting season came to a sad end - no deer for Tate this year. After days of seeing nothing, he shot at (and missed) a spike on the last day. He's taking it stoically, in spite of coming home disappointed only to see a three-point buck stroll through the yard.

3. Wyatt has been fighting a cold, and it's hard to tell if he still has it or if he's just trying really hard to deepen his voice. Some of each?

4. Gunnar is whizzing through his fourth grade math, in spite of saying he doesn't like it. His math lessons are beginning to include variables, as well as exponents and square roots, and he's rising to the challenge. Just recently he was presented with the problem: F x 32 = 108 (I don't know how to make that say "three squared" - sorry). He looked at me, all giddy, and said,

I feel like Einstein!

Yah, you go, Gunnar!

5. Life is full of little blessings. Our local Stuff-mart is being remodeled. Still. (That's not the blessing.) I may have ~~complained about~~ mentioned this back before school started. I've been avoiding it, because - hello! - I used to know where everything was, and now a simple shopping trip turns into an expedition that Homer would have difficulty chronicling. (And, no, I never exaggerate.) So as we floundered around the store, flagging down employees to help us find every blessed thing on my list, one took pity on us and handed the boys each a gift card to McDonald's to console us. Score! Free lunch :D

6. Then my neighbor cleaned out her freezer. She has an amazing garden, the envy of the neighborhood. And she cans. And apparently she had so much fresh stuff from this year, that she needed to clear out last year's (perfectly good) leftovers. Her husband showed up with - I kid you not - a wheel-barrow full of goodies. And it included salmon. (How can anyone have too much salmon? I don't know, but I'll just be thankful!)

7. I rarely cruise the foodie blogs because, frankly, they're a bit overwhelming. And when I do? I start with noble intentions to find something new and wonderful to do with vegetables and wind up drooling over Peanut Butter Pie.

8. I like reading to the boys, in spite of having to explain all manner of things to them. Like, for instance, why you'd want to remove the entrails before throwing a whole duck into the cooking pot. (We have The Broken Blade to thank for that wonderful image.) Because, while many organs are perfectly edible, I don't want whatever is inside the intestinal tract, in my soup. Have you seen what ducks eat??? You'll thank me for leaving the picture fairly small.

9. Since I'm out every Monday evening at rehearsals, I try to persuade Kerry to transport the boys to and from CAP on Tuesdays. But occasionally I go. And you know what I love? Those young men (and women - but it's mostly boys) are SO POLITE! If they see me (or any female) coming, they will jump to open and hold the door. They look me in the eye and greet me, Good evening, Ma'am. And they look sharp. Sure, the uniform helps, but you can see their faces and it makes a world of difference. More on that later.

10. If I don't go downstairs and feed the natives immediately, there may be a rebellion. These boys. Hungry all day long!

Day 21

2011-11-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 7, 2011

Oddly, the power was out for much of the night in our hotel. No idea why. Good thing we had Wyatt's battery-operated lantern to use in the bathroom. Oh well.

As is all too common along the coast, we woke to fog. Looked for the Trinidad Lighthouse, but couldn't find it in the mist. Fortunately, we were in and out of it - more "out" as the day went on. Here's a happy sight :D

Though our hearts were set on exploring the Redwoods today, we couldn't pass the beach without stopping for a little while.

Armed with maps and brochures and recommendations from the rangers, we headed...
... back into the mist.

Yes. For real. It looked like that.

First stop - Lady Bird Johnson grove / trail. Though we live among large evergreens ourselves, and are familiar with forests, the trees here are on an overwhelming scale. We were dwarfed. It's like being in a fairy tale. But better. Real.

Our whole family stood in this struck-by-lightning, burned out trunk and looked up, up, up...

at a living tree.

I know everyone's computer screen will 'read' the colors differently, but the sun coming down, all green and yellow, through the branches - way better than stained glass.

Don't the trees look huge, next to Kerry and the boys?

Look again. And you still can't see the top.

Herds of Roosevelt Elk live in the park, and they're not hard to find. The cows, that is. We saw groups of them right along the road.

The bulls were more elusive. This guy kept his distance, and the telephoto can only do so much.

I love the turquoise blue of the water. That's my happy color.

Of course, we couldn't pass by Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, I mean, that's kitschy American folklore at its finest. (And who knew the bull was *ahem* anatomically correct?)

The Trees of Mystery definitely have a different flavor than the national park ;D

But still, the same sense of awe and wonder that such enormous things are living.

Of course, the main attraction for the boys was getting to ride another gondola, this time up through the trees - gorgeous.

For the most part, the boys got along well and were very good travelers. By the grace of God.

From the top, looking over the forest at the Pacific. Happy sigh :D

And looking the other way, (that would be east), back over the coast range.

Can. Not. Resist. The. Dimple.

And Gene, have you given up on me? Are you still hurt that we didn't stop in Superior? Well, c'mon... forgive me, brother. We were thinking of you in California :D

Crescent City... one last look at the coast before we headed inland.

We had reservations that night at the Oregon Caves Chateau. See, one of Kerry's dreams for the trip was to stay in a historic lodge in one of the national parks. Great idea, yah? Except that we kind of threw this trip together over the summer, and everything was already booked. You want to stay at the Old Faithful Inn (Yellowstone) or El Tovar (Grand Canyon) you make your reservation a year or two ahead. But, the Oregon Caves Chateau isn't quite as heavily traveled and still had space. We also wanted to tour the cave. Kind of gave the trip "bookends" - Lewis and Clark Caverns and now the Oregon Caves.

So at this point we had a choice. We could take our sweet time getting there, stay the night, and do the cave tour the next morning, or try to fit in the cave tour this same day. We made a quick call to check their schedule - last tour at 5pm. Let me tell you, on this day - Day 21 - Cow-Headed-For-The-Barn Syndrome was beginning to take hold, and as quickly as we could, we headed for the hills. The Siskiyous.

They (the infamous "they") will tell you that it's 17 miles from Cave Junction up to the cave and the chateau. But I'll tell you the truth. That was the longest 17 miles I've ever seen, and it's narrow and twisty. By the time we reached the top - at 4:58 - I think we were all feeling queasy, and Kerry practically threw us out of the van at the Visitors Center (he had to park a ways away) to go buy the tickets.

But it all turned out good. Their five o'clock tour only had three spaces left, but they were expecting another group momentarily. They asked us if we would be willing to split the family - sending three with the first group. Gunnar was feeling the worst (from the drive), so I volunteered to wait with him and sent Kerry, Wyatt and Tate off first, so none of them appear in the pictures.

Well, the other group never showed up, so our guide, Heather, gave Gunnar and me a private tour!

Though we all agreed that Lewis and Clark Caverns were more impressive (and fun!), you just can't beat a private tour. She gave Gunnar his own flashlight to carry, and we had way more time to look and listen. She pointed out things to us that the other group didn't get to see.

On a side note, you're not allowed to bring any personal belongings but a camera into the cave. No food, no water, not even a flashlight (they find too many batteries get dropped, along with everything else you can imagine.) Remember this for later...

Here we are, in the belly of the whale! Doesn't it look very like a rib cage?

These caves are unusual because they are marble, rather than the more commonly found limestone. They have a constant temperature of about 44F (or about 6.6C, for you metric folks), because that is the average temperature of the outside air. Just some factoids for you.

Gunnar can be a little squeamish about heights, and steep places, but did wonderfully :D

He also had all the time in the world to ask every question that came into his head. Fortunately, they were relevant ;D He's interested and curious, and he notices things.

Like this. What do you think that is? The 'base' (the dark object, not the rock) is about as big as my pinky fingernail.

That delicate structure is...

fungus growing on a rat dropping. Kind of interesting, though, yah?

This cave did not have the big, open chambers we saw at Lewis and Clark.

Up the long, steep stairs to....

... Paradise Lost.

Some of the rocks in the cave flouresce under black light... pretty cool!

At that point our guide offered to let us finish the tour by flashlight, if we liked. Gunnar very much liked :D So she pulled out another flashlight for me, switched off the power, and we continued the tour. What she didn't realize was that Kerry, Wyatt, and Tate's group, ahead of us, had not finished their tour, and were still in the cave. And their guide - her husband - did not have enough flashlights for everyone in their group! Sounds like everyone was a good sport about it, and they managed fine.

We saw (but did not photograph) bats. Obviously rats live in the cave. We also saw cave crickets and these. They look like spiders (eight legs) but have only one body part. They're harvestmen.

Gunnar asked a lot of good questions, like, "What do they eat?" Moths, we learned.

That prompted several funny stories about dumb questions other people have asked. She had a school group up a week or so before, and about half way through the tour one kid asked, "Are we going to go underground?" Are you kidding?

By the time we finished the tour it was raining outside and getting dark.

Good thing we were just in time for the seven o'clock dinner seating at the chateau. I should've taken pictures of the dining room. When they built the lodge they diverted part of the stream coming out of the cave right through the dining room. I'm not sure what the implications might be in the cold winter, but we enjoyed it! And the delicious and abundantly generous meal. Ahhhhh :D

Dy 21 Miles : 175 Total Miles : 4531

Day 20

2011-11-02T07:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 6, 2011

No hurry today. We woke to rain on the roof of our cabin. Sounds like home ;D

If we wanted to get right home, we'd just shoot on up I-5, but we had a couple objectives yet, so instead we pointed the van northwest and headed over the hills toward the coast.

Lots of little towns. This one had a great deal of confidence in itself.

What do you do when you're on a road trip and you see a sign like this? Turn in, of course.

And plunk down your five bucks....

... to drive through a tree. Why not?

And you take a good, long look up.

Yes, the photos overlap and I didn't try to "correct" them. But it was tall. Really tall. More of that tomorrow.

We got a hotel for the night in Eureka, and Kerry couldn't pass up the chance to see the Carson House.

Interesting details. Can you imagine trying to paint all that?

Ahhhh, good night moon, and good bye palm trees.

Day 20 Miles : 305 Total Miles : 4356

Day 19

2011-11-01T07:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

This was supposed to be an easy day - just shoot over the pass and drop down into Sacramento. Only a little over a hundred miles - no problem.

Right?

This was our first clue that the day was not going to go as planned. And this was the first and much lower pass between Tahoe and Truckee. See those thick clouds, billowing in the distance? And that white stuff on the ground?

Not funny. So not funny.

Arriving in Truckee, we found the highway closed, and snow falling heavily. Hurray for Jax Diner. Might as well stop for breakfast and some hot cocoa. Yes, it was snowing. You can't tell in the picture. The roads in Truckee were just wet, but the pass is about 1400' higher (just over 7200', in case you wanted to know.)

We couldn't help overhearing the conversation at the table next to us - a local man - and we asked him what he knew about the conditions and road closure.

Oh, don't worry about it. They'll open it back up in an hour or so and require chains. But you can head over Route 40 any time you want, and there's no chain control.

Kerry thought that was a fabulous idea. Me, not so much. Because if there's any chance I'm going to get stuck in the snow I'd like to be on the main road where someone will come along and help me. Or at least find me. Call me crazy. And my Dodge Caravan, as much as I love it, is not exactly winter-worthy.

There was a certain amount of grumbling and mumbling. And we bought the chains. And within an hour the state patrol had road blocks at every highway entrance and would not let you on unless you had a 4-wheel drive vehicle carrying chains, or had them on your tires.

Heading up I-80 we were reminded of where we were and what happens to those who aren't prepared.

Hard to believe we'd come from 100+ and playing in the pool... to this.

See that road off to the left? Yah. That's Highway 40. So glad we didn't attempt that route, as I'm told it's much steeper than I-80.

Beautiful? Yes. In the mood to enjoy it? Not so much.

As we got higher the road was still passable, but we could tell the plows had been busy by the piles beside the highway.

Ironically, we got over the pass just fine, pulled over and removed the chains, and then it began to sleet and the road conditions were the worst of anywhere.

Well, let me tell you, this was a very happy sight! That's Sacramento in the distance. Sunshine, palm trees, and dry roads. Hallelujah and Amen.

We had big plans for this somewhat surreal day, so we swung by the KOA first to get checked in. Thankfully they weren't exactly busy and were able to give us our keys before noon, as we knew the office would be closed by the time we got back. And isn't this a picturesque spot?

Yah, the cabins were a bit close together, but most of them were empty and quiet. Here's the view from our porch. *happy sigh*

This KOA also came with a not-so-picturesque-and-very-drunk man, but the staff handled him quickly and efficiently. Yah.

That was not part of today's plan, but adapt and overcome, right? Onward to the California State Railroad Museum, in Old Town Sacramento.

Yes, I took a bazillion photos, many at Kerry's urging. While I enjoy trains to a point, this was really a day for the boys. The museum has real trains, not just models. You can get right up close to them and touch them. Some have platforms built up and you can look in the windows and see how they were set up back in the day, and others you can go right inside. If you're a rail fan, and passing through Sacramento, don't miss this.

Love the snow shed - something we're familiar with up here in the Cascades, as well.

This cab-forward engine was enormous. Very impressive.

Well-informed volunteers happily told us all about the equipment and history, and let the boys explore many of the trains. Here's Tate in the cab-forward locomotive.

My one beef with this museum, like the one at Donner Memorial Park, is that it was hopelessly under-lit. I can understand art museums being cautious about light, as it can accelerate deterioration. But the trains? Really? Why does it have to be so dark???

Gunnar spotted something that made us feel like we'd come full circle. The "Lost" Golden Spike. When the Central Pacific and Union Pacific were set to meet at Promontory Point, Leland Stanford brought a golden spike, which was not left in the railroad (duh), but returned to land developer David Hewes, and later donated to Stanford University, where it is today. It was made and engraved in a rush, and had the date of May 8, 1869 on it. Well, the dignitaries didn't arrive until May 10, and the ceremony was delayed.

Turns out a second spike was also made, and engraved properly and more carefully. David Hewes' family kept it secret for over 100 years, until in 2005 a descendant sold it.

So there's your history trivia. And here it is, in Sacramento. The "Lost" Spike.

My favorite part of the museum had to be the 1920's vintage sleeper car, complete with very realistic motion and sound. Doesn't that look cozy? A little too cozy for two maybe, or maybe not ;D

Gunnar pretended to be one of the kids in the Polar Express movie.

We spent several hours exploring the museum, and the boys were getting a bit loopy. Gunnar is investigating the art work on the fruit labels.

And Wyatt and Tate amused themselves with magnets. They just needed a break.

Among the many joys of this vacation, some of my favorite times were meeting new friends. Well, not new, but now-in-real-life, as opposed to what Tate refers to as my "computer-generated friends." And they are just as wonderful in person as they are online. They're the Real Deal.

I first met the lovely and talented Rachael (who has all but given up blogging, but I'll link anyway)...

... through Dan's blog, Biblical Christianity. She and I have spent hours on the phone commiserating, encouraging, laughing, and listening. And through the meta on his blog, Kerry and I have also come to know Dan. Our boys have been corresponding by email.

And learning we were in the area, Dan and his gracious and hospitable wife Valerie invited both families - ours and Rachael's - over for a chili feed. Can I just tell you how wonderful that was? Inviting a bunch of strangers to your home, and blessing them with a delicious home-cooked meal?

Fun times! Eight kids met and played and battled with nerf swords and guns, and if there was a harsh word anywhere I didn't hear it.

Here's Rachael and her girls - Emily, Kate, and Sarah (if I got them in order), with their permission. Adorable, yah?

Dan's family is more private, and so not pictured, but I think the cat is fair game. If that is, indeed, a cat. I believe Sarah, on the right, seems to have her doubts, too. ;D

And the adults? Well, the only moments of quiet came when everyone was eating. No lack of lively conversation with this bunch :D

As we reluctantly said our goodbyes and pulled out of the driveway I said, "Well that was a lot of fun!" and the boys objected strenuously. Obviously "a lot of fun" was a criminal understatement, from their point of view. And Dan, Valerie, Rachael, Phil... consider yourself invited to visit any time you want.

What a day! Tahoe, snow, palm trees, the lovely KOA and the inebriated guest, the RR museum, dinner with friends... was it really all one day? Crazy. But crazy good.

Day 19 Miles : 158 Total Miles : 4051

Day 18

2011-10-31T07:27:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

I had a few things in mind for our time at Tahoe - like seeing and learning more about the Donner Party - but mainly I was looking forward to being in the same place for three nights, and a beautiful place, at that. I wish now I had taken more pics the day we arrived, as it was sunny and gorgeous, but I was tired and assumed we'd have more time. Well, we did have more time, but not much more sunny time. Still, this morning dawned bright and cheery, and we decided to drive down to the south end of the lake, to see Emerald Bay.

You'll thank me for refraining from posting yet another picture of all three boys sleeping in the van, because they all had their heads tipped back, and did you really want to see up all their nostrils? I thought not. But it reminds me that we had been on the go a LOT, and the time in Tahoe was a nice, relaxing counterpoint to the rest of the high activity and adventure part of the trip.

I love the rock around here. We don't have much granite where we live - lots of sandstone and basalt. The granite always seems so clean, somehow.

And though the mountains, lake, and forests seemed a lot more like home than the desert, still... it's beautiful in a very different way.

From a viewpoint above, we could look down on Vikingsholm Castle - the summer home of Lora Josephine Knight. She also had a little teahouse built on a little island, right in front of the house. I'd never heard of her, but apparently she was the financial backer of Charles Lingbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic. The castle and island are part of Emerald Bay State Park now and you can pay for tours, but we had other plans for the day.

Also at the lookout... There is a rock. We must climb it.

Also seen on our drive... this baffles me.

Yes, we're all familiar with the BART - the Bay Area Rapid Transit, with its subway tunnel under San Francisco Bay. (I've ridden that - a little creepy to be under that much water.) But why-oh-why must everyone copy the name? Really, could the Tahoe area folks not come up with a better acronym?!

Well, they're not the only ones to FAIL at naming their buses. Back home, nearby Skagit County has labeled all their buses SKAT (SKagit Area Transit). Don't they get the the homonym - scat?

Moving on... Squaw Valley, just west of Lake Tahoe, hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. Gorgeous, amazing location, but not much going on in the shoulder season. We had hoped to ride the tram to the top of the ski area and visit the Olympic Museum, but weren't surprised to find it not running this time of year.

No problem! Because we had an alternate activity the boys probably enjoyed way more - a trail ride! Alpine Meadows Stables closes down this time of year, but stayed open one more day to take us out on a private ride.

The boys were thrilled to be "in control" of their own horses - rather than being led around - though the horses didn't need much in the way of guiding. Gunnar informed me that Deedee was an American Quarter Horse. She - and all the horses - wanted to stop and munch on the grass, and had to be 'encouraged' to keep moving, but they were all gentle and calm. Perfect for beginners like us.

The forest has a different feel than at home. Much drier and less undergrowth. It looks and smells different. I was enjoying the view and the scenery. The boys, being boys, were amused by watching the horses in front of them perform various bodily functions.

You may have noticed that everyone is bundled up, and the boys have hats on. A few sprinkles of rain didn't spoil our fun, but we were starting to feel a definite chill in the air.

We spent the last night at Tahoe, tucked cozily in our rooms, enjoying the view (out the windows on the other side!), playing games, and watching Dirty Jobs.

Day 18 Miles : 74 Total Miles : 3893

Homeschool Bennies #42

2011-10-31T05:58:00.000-07:00

This is the last one. Why forty-two? I don't know. I could probably keep going all year, but I won't. Maybe I'm tired of looking at the melty crayon picture I chose to mark these posts! Also, I'm not writing these to try to convince anyone to homeschool, but to encourage those who are already in the trenches. To remind you of why you're going to all this trouble. Because it is trouble. Well, it's work anyway. A lot of work. But it's worth it. And you know that :D

So, lastly,

Segregating people solely by age creates

a strange and artificial environment.

Nowhere else in society, (except perhaps for organized youth sports -hardly a model for living), are people grouped strictly by age. Disconnecting children from their brothers and sisters, their families, their home and their faith, and clumping them in a soul-less institution with a powerful agenda that often is opposed to their values and beliefs doesn't seem very healthy, nor does it produce the kind of fruit we're cultivating.

I'm not saying it's never appropriate or we'll never do it, but that's not what we want to characterize our lives. And we have a choice.

This has been a fun ride for me, and I'm sure I'll be referring back to these to stiffen my spine on days I'd rather quit. Hope it encouraged you, too.

Julie

Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work ... is finished.
1 Chronicles 28:20

Grasshopper Days

2011-10-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Grasshopper Days

For Today, October 30, 2011

Outside my window... this is my office window, and the dogwood outside.

This is the mystery tree next to the garage (not sure what it is.) Pretty all by itself...

... and more dramatic with dark rain clouds behind it.

And we have plenty of rain clouds today. And that gorgeous tree drops big, sloppy, wet leaves right outside my back door. But the boys cleaned them up after church :D

I am thinking... I just realized I forgot to do this post last week, and how are you all holding up without a weekly infusion of the utterly mundane details of our lives?! (/sarcasm)

It's taken awhile to get back in the groove as well as dealing with the inevitable interruptions to said groove - like hunting season, sickness, or whatever. Real life.

And I realize that with all the Homeschool Bennies and vacation posts, I'm feeling a bit disconnected - not posting about current things going on with us.

And that it's traditional to do these entries on Monday, but that's my busiest day of the week. So, all three (five?!) of you faithful readers are probably spending today with your families, rather than reading blogs, but I might as well post it now while I have the time. Then you can ignore it at your leisure ;D

I am thankful for...
* my family - imperfect as we are, we're better together than we would be apart :D
* my church - faithfully preaching and teaching God's Word, and having a great time, too (50's theme potluck and game night last night! Green-bean casserole! Fried chicken! Jello! And... spam!)
* the internet - yep, technology, because it has brought me new friends. On our trip, we met three families in person that we initially connected with online. And all three of them I would love to have for neighbors, or in my church.

I am praying for... wisdom for raising the boys, right priorities, and wisdom, friends/missionaries soon to come home from Zambia, health, and more wisdom, workforKerry, and did I mention wisdom? ;D James 1:5

I am wearing... jeans, (nice) white t-shirt, Fair-Isle-type cardigan sweater from... Goodwill (woo-hoo!), and my blue Danskos. I know, I know. I'll buy a five buck sweater at Goodwill, and then expensive shoes. Crazy. But I've had them for years and they're still like new, and they keep my feet happy. And I'm on my feet a lot, like most moms, so that matters.

I am going... to get all the laundry folded and clean sheets back on the bed, and (tomorrow) to figure out where I need to send the boys brand new Air Force Blues uniforms to exchange them for a larger size. But, Mom, we want to wear them and they fit! Oh, yah, boys are hilarious. They barely fit. And the way those boys are growing? I give it two months. No deal. We're trading up.

I am hoping... Tate gets a deer. Deer season closes tomorrow, so he's almost out of time. And he knows that lots of people don't get one their first year out. Or on any given year, for that matter. And he's really being cool about it. But I'm still hoping.

I am hearing... boys - mine and neighbors - around the house.

I am remembering... how it seemed like we waited so long to go on vacation (and it really wasn't that long) and then we were in a total time warp. Weird.

From the learning rooms... sentences, run-ons, and fragments; graphing, slopes, and intercepts, Jacques Cartier; standard and metric measurements; voyageurs and hivernants; James Madison, Benedict Arnold, and Indian captives; and - of course - Martin Luther.

From the kitchen... ooo, it's Reformation Day tomorrow, so if I was on the ball we'd have last year's menu - Papal Bull (meatballs) and Diet of Worms cake, but since I'll be gone at Messiah rehearsal, the boys will be having... leftovers.

Around the house... love my fall decorations - pictures soon :D (That's for my readers with matching chromosomes.)

Something I want to remember for later... I saw this prompt on Felicity's blog and wish I'd thought of it when the boys were younger! But now?
The way Gunnar makes "I love you" into a contest. I love you more! No, I love you more! I loved you first! etc.

On my mind... Tate is going out hunting first thing tomorrow (Monday) morning, Gunnar has recovered from whatever was ailing him earlier in the week, Kerry has a little more work to do (more manna, thank the Lord), and Wyatt is persevering under a heavier (school) work load this year. But he doesn't like it. There are times I wish I could give him a whole year off of school. But only if that meant he could work... really work. At a real job, like for a contractor. And (in my perfect world) a good Christian mentor-ish man. Probably wouldn't fly. But it's tempting.

Noticing that... what??? Only one more day of October??? How did that happen???

Pondering these words...

For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and this not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God— not by works,
so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

One of my favorite things... only one? Hot chocolate.

A few plans for the rest of the week... dinner at my parents' tonight, Messiah rehearsal tomorrow night, CAP Tuesday night, a little birthday shopping, a PTO day Friday (yay :D ), and the usual round of school work, meals, laundry, and cleaning. I'm always reluctant to say it sounds like a calm, ordinary week, for fear that something will explode... but I'll take my chances ;D

A picture I'm sharing...

A lot of changes in four years...

... or in this case, more like twenty.

(If you're confused, we were inspired by Gary Larson, and The Far Side.

We're cockroaches, going to a fancy ball.)

Day 17

2011-10-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 3, 2011

My early riser had a hard time in some of the hotel rooms - no way for him to get up and start his day without disturbing others. But here, at our resort in Kings Beach (north Lake Tahoe) not a problem! We loved this place - the Ferrari's Crown Resort. That sounds a lot fancier than it was, as you can see from the picture. The resort is older, and has been owned by the same family since the 50's. It was clean, family-friendly, and right on the beach. Kind of made me feel like being in Gramma's kitchen. And it was such a delight to have a suite. Kerry and I had our own bedroom, the boys had two queen beds in the 'living room', and the kitchen could be closed off - nice for early risers :D

And this is the view from our window... aaahhhhhhh. We have definitely gone from summer to autumn as we came up into the mountains, and found the pools closed. No problem. Lots to do.

Just a short drive from our lodging brought us to Donner Memorial State Park. For my foreign readers, the Donner Party were a group of emigrants traveling west to California. They met with tragedy trying to cross the mountains too late in the year, back in 1846. They became trapped and had to spend the winter high in the mountains, for which they were very ill-prepared. Only 48 of the 87 survived, and many of the dead were cannibalized before rescuers arrived in the spring.

The memorial statue here marks the site of one of the party's cabins. Do you notice the pole? Actually, that's not a pole, but a tree trunk, cut off quite high. The height of the base of the statue matches the height of the trunk. The winter of 1846-47 was unusually harsh, and that was the depth of the snow. They cut the trees off at "ground level" for firewood.

The park has a wonderful museum full of interesting dioramas and artifacts. Only one problem: it was so dismally underlit I wished I had brought a flashlight or headlamp. Why???

We loved the trails, though, wandering through the pine forest.

This rock was used as the back of another of the cabins, with the fireplace right up against the rock.

Of course, boys being boys, the rock must be climbed.

And this one, too. I bet in the summer people swim here, in the Donner Creek (River?). I bet you can jump off the rock into the water below. There was a campground in the trees, just beyond, but with the nights getting cold I was glad we stayed at the resort.

Fresh pine-scented air, fall colors, and clear water. Happy sigh :D

We drove on to Donner Lake and looked up toward Donner Pass. No question but that the weather was changing...

Still, back in Truckee we still had sunshine.

We were glad to find Jax Diner :D

Our hotel was bracketed by wonderful public parks and beaches - King's Beach and Moon Dunes - practically deserted this time of year.

Wondering how big Lake Tahoe really is? Here ya go.

Somebody in town has a sense of humor...

And here's the kitschy sign for our comfy lodgings.

Of all the boys, guess who insisted that they must go into the lake?

My youngest explorer and adventurer - Gunnar.

These two were quicker to head for the hot tub, though Kerry and Gunnar soon joined them.

Had a much-enjoyed dinner at Jason's Beachside Grill and called it a day.

Day 17 Miles : 44 Total Miles : 3819

Day 16

2011-10-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 2, 2011

None of us were sad to be leaving Fallon, and we didn't have too far to go today. Heading west across Nevada, I don't know that I've ever seen so many trailers and pre-fab homes in my life. At least some of them looked well cared for, but many were obviously abandoned.

We knew we had plenty of time for a detour, and Kerry had an idea. Do you see that little white "V", way up on the hill? That's our destination - Virginia City.

The drive up began pleasantly enough as the road wound its way through these hills.

But Good-Golly-Miss-Molly, do you see that little yellow sign? The one that says 15% Grade?
Yah. They are NOT KIDDING! And it just kept going.

Though it looked like a ghost town when we first arrived, the crowds soon followed.

We poked around a bit while we waited for some of the main attractions to open up. The Silver Dollar Queen's dress is made of real silver dollars.

Virginia City was a mining boomtown that sprang up with the discovery of the Comstock Lode around 1860. Apparently they took about $400 million in silver and gold (mostly silver) out of the mines over the next 20 years, earning Virginia City the title "America's Richest Town"... until everything went bust. Now it's all for the tourists.

Kerry, of course, loved the architecture. See the "V" up on the hill to the right?

St. Mary's in the Mountains, Catholic Church, with the morning sun behind it.

The main attraction for Kerry, of course, was the steam train. And boy did we hit the jackpot. Apparently this steam engine hasn't run for months, and they're only using it for two days before putting it back in storage. (Probably they use a little diesel shunter the rest of the time.) We just happened to come on the right day to ride the steam train!

The half-hour excursion runs down to Gold Hill and back up to Virginia City, right through the ruins of several old mines, and some still working.

Steam engines need water. And what an experience. We passed through a tunnel on the way down and thought nothing of it, but going back up the hill? Oh boy, with that little steam engine working hard, it was pouring out smoke and steam. Though we were in the tunnel less than a minute we got a real feeling for what it was like to travel by steam train. Hot and stinky.

Virginia City is a National Historic Landmark, but it's also a living town. I love the huge rain gutters... and the satellite dish.

We also lucked out in that we were in town on a very special weekend.

Yep, it's the 2011 Outhouse Races. The two cowboys above are unrolling the T.P. for the finish line.

The boys thought this was absolutely hilarious good fun, and it was, except... guess who the much-promoted sponsor was? See that guy in the black pants, white shirt, and white hat - bottom right? He's there representing the Must@ng R@nch. Yes, prostitution is legal in Nevada. Yuck.

On to better things... we toured the old Best and Belcher Mine, right under the Ponderosa Saloon.

Turns out we had a private tour from a very authentic and friendly guide.

And we watched the Wild West Show, with old-time gunfighting. Usually, the good guys wear the white hats...

... and the bad guys wear black. Though this guy was a real crack-up.

Still, we had to cheer when the Sheriff shot him 'dead', with much drama, and no blood.

Virginia City's heyday was during the Civil War. Trust Tate to find the soldiers in town!

After a few hours, poking around town, and a much-appreciated lunch (the boys have discovered French Dip Sandwiches) we were ready to head east and up into the Sierras to Lake Tahoe. Pictures, tomorrow :D

Day 16 Miles : 116 Total : 3775

Homeschool Bennies #41

2011-10-28T05:42:00.000-07:00

We are there to help our children mature through the difficult times in their lives.

We seem to think more often of young children when we think of homeschooling, but I believe our adolescents need us as much or more. I just ordered a book that was recommended to me, the premise of which is that parenthood isn't lasting as long as childhood.

And it needs to, oh it needs to.

Our culture seems to think that our adolescents need to be treated as adults, but they're not. They're still immature. (Young, not fully grown or developed; lacking the wisdom or emotional development normally associated with adults.) Their bodies are growing dramatically (and sometimes alarmingly!), their abstract thinking skills are blossoming, and their hormones are carbonated. And sometimes they feel like they're falling apart.

And we're there. Sometimes we wish we weren't! (You mothers of teen-age boys can sympathize with me here.) But we're there. We're there when they need to talk, or when they need guidance, or correction, or even reassurance that the turbulent water they're passing through will soon calm again.

Or food. Let's not forget food, okay? Because music may have "charms that soothe the savage b(r)east", but food will restore the composure of many an agitated teen.