Hi fans of Kendra!

She’s just the coolest, isn’t she?

Kenj, you’re too kind, really. I’m flattered.

So here’s where I found my favorite PE resource, at a reasonable price.

It is the Awesome-ist

Now get out there and move your kids!

And yourself.

Or grab a lawn chair, and a drink.

That should count too.

"The most funniest thing we grew in the garden was popcorn!", so thinks Little MIss.

This was our first season of growing popcorn, and there is nothing fancy to it.  In April, the kids pushed the seeds into the ground & kept it moist. By July, when the stalks had turned completely brown, they picked and shucked the ears of popcorn and tested the kernels for dryness by trying to pop a few. The kernels started to pop, but before they completely opened up, they burned.  So we hung the corn on the back porch for a few weeks in mesh laundry bags.

I ordered one of these brilliant little inventions.

 Little Stripper Popcorn Sheller 

When we were in Texas last year we had a chance to use one of these handy dandy tools.

C counted 71 ears, which yielded 20 cups of popcorn minus the kernels Little Miss put in her pocket.

and then had to clean out of the washing machine.

Good Times!

Our days are busy with school, chores and athletics. I'm not too good at forming complete sentences late at night, so posting hasn't been an option. (Some of my shotty attempts at up-dates have happened long past when my brain has long past shut down.)

Somehow I managed to get a few minutes this afternoon to say hi, before dinner and a baseball game to show you something I love doing with the kids and yes, they dig it too.

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Last year we started a poetry program from IEW, called Developing Linguistic Patterns Through Poetry Memorization. Click here to get the low down on it. (You can buy the book & cd's or just the book. I bought them both to help with pronunciation of not-your-everyday-words, and frankly my kids like hearing Andrew Pudewa recite the poems.)

The boys have memorized 12 + poems. Little Miss has about half by memory

Naturally, this led us to discuss different types of poems.

I pulled out the beautiful book, R is for Rhyme  which we use to learn more about the poems and the tools, terms and techniques to create them.

Of course, we then had to try our hand at writing something resembling a poem.  Armed with Evan-Moor's Writing Poetry with Childen , we have attempted to a .... well, write poetry.

If that's what you call it.

We crack ourselves up.

 It's a good time anyways.

 *The above picture of J coloring his poetry page, shows the old cover of Evan-Moors poetry book. The link will take you to the revised book.

*Also, I was asked how much time in my school day this takes. I'd say 5 minutes in the beginning and 15 minutes now that we have 12 poems to recite each morning, which we do during circle time.

We are easing back into the swing of things and getting serious about our studies.

Counting by fives

Out by the river, on a nature day field trip watching for wildlife.

Z & his buddy painting leaf art

Little Miss and friend doing the same.

Erckle the rooster ......

and his groupies.

Mag, Marge, Mel, Meeps, Mac,  Mizzie.

They're going to provide us with lots of farm fresh eggs.

A dozen or so every few days.

I'm into positive thinking. And sharing eggs.

But so far its only Erckle the rooster who's providing anything. 

About every few minutes or so he lets us know he's alive.

Karin eventually returned in 2003 which happened to be when Little Miss was born, and again she was a huge blessing.

She has returned every year since to visit not only blood relatives but also all of us (Mike’s family, siblings included), her second family.

This year she brought along her fiancé Wolfgang and his son Jonie. Wolfgang is a landscaper by profession and has the most infectious laugh. He’s the kind of guy that looks for the one unfamiliar item on a menu and orders it. Or climbs a mountain just to see the sun rise. He’s a gem. We all loved him as well as his son. I voted to be the one to take them shopping and introduce them to my favorite Taco Truck.

Yes, it was the least I could do.

While he was here on the ranch, he wove together my (picked too early by some well meaning boys) onions and hung them on the backporch, saving them from a rotting existence.

But now herein is the coolest part:

Wolfgang can play tunes on a leaf. Part whistle sounding, part kazoo. And when I say tune, I’m not saying random musical notes. He can play recognizable songs!

Now check this out:

The man made a whistle out of a walnut branch!

Here's a closer up of Z blowing his.

I had to yell for Mike so he could see how it was done.

That's Karin interpreting for Wolfgang when things got too detailed. 

Little Miss loudly blowing her whistle.

The story continues with Wolfgang catching crickets with the boys and luring fish with them. Forget those fancy lures in their tackle boxes. But that's for another day.

 Wolfgang and Karin are getting married next January, and we hope they make their honeymoon destination America. 

Auf Wiedersehen!

We'll miss you!

The boys are taking a break from soccer this season to concentrate on baseball, but Little Miss has been itchin’ to try her hand er’ a foot, at soccer.

She seems to enjoy it, although she is discovering it can, at times, be painful.

And there is no lack of coaching in her life.

Good advice abounds.

Well, my Dad and Stepmom drove off into the morning sunlight this morning. We had a fabulous week of hunting, thrifting, eating, watching baseball, and Swiss Family Robinson.

The weather was warm but not too hot and the evenings were cool enough for dinners on the patio. (Some breakfasts too.)

Hunting

The boys are completely fascinated by my Dad’s love of hunting. J is constantly peppering him with questions.

Mid week my kids were out pretending to hunt and my Dad decided to join them. Somehow, the hunting game turned into a how-to hunt and how-to act like the animal being hunted, let’s say a deer. So in the 35 acres we live on, the kids were stalking their Grandpa carrying play guns and shouting “bang, bang”. So then the kids would take turns being an elk, or a cougar or a deer. You get the picture. It was a hoot. Although, when my Dad was out in the orchards, out-gaming the hunters, he did look a bit too much like a stalker and at one point had me freaked out, ready to call the sheriff until I realized it was him.

A homeschooling mom friend of mine asked me if we had started school yet and I said no because with church family camp and then family here we thought it better to start the 14^th. I then proceeded to explain this hunting thing my kids were playing with their Grandpa. She assured me this would fall under animal science and I had in fact started school. Excellent. I love friends like that.

Thrifting

Jackpot! Holy Moly! 28 books - $.57 a piece!!

as well as other goodies. But the books took the cake. Most were on my ‘someday to buy’ booklist and most didn’t have the spine broken.

Baseball

Yep more up-dates to come. The boys are playing in a fall league and had their first game this past Tuesday. They lost 7-11 but gained experience playing on a field with a longer distance from pitcher to home, evening sun-in-your-eyes trying to catch a fly ball, and learning the feel of a different park.

Swiss Family Robinson

Grandpa Dean thought it a crime that the kids had not seen Swiss Family Robinson. So last night we all hunkered down for the 1960’s something flick and peach cobbler.

Now it’s back to a routine and a bit more schedule planning so we can kick our school year into high gear come Monday. It’s been a great summer and I’m not willing to say fall is here yet – but in two weeks, when Mike starts shaking the walnut trees I may just have to face reality. Until then I’ll keep working on my tan.

It's been a super two weeks of fishing, hiking and church family camp. But as always its good to be home.

Saddlebag Lake was our fishing, hiking destination. The weather was gorgeous and beat the valley's 100+ degree heat.

Many fish were talked into giving up.

Little Miss stayed behind in the cafe with Grandma, while Mike, me and the boys hicked up to upper Coness Lakes. Then while J, C & Mike fished, Z and I continued to hike a rock covered mountian to see what was on the other side. For perspective, as I snapped the above picture from the top of the mountain, Mike, J & C were fishing the pictured lake. Cool huh?

After a few days home, we headed to our church family camp which was by far the best we've ever attended. My Dad and Stepmom are now here for a week's visit.

And school? I'll have to get back to you on that.

He was playing outside yesterday and a wasp flew down and nabbed him just above the eyebrow.

I apple cidered, lavendered and roman chamomiled to take the sting and on coming itch away. But ice wouldn't keep the swelling at bay. His eye was swollen and open when he went to bed, but when he awoke this is how he looked.

Little Miss took one look at him and covered her mouth to stifle her laugh. C's been a trooper. The Doctor said Benydr*el and ice are our best bet. We tried Benydr*el with no real luck.

Things will be quiet around here for a few weeks as we get in our last few fishing & camping trips before we start school, and piano, and acrobats, and baseball & soccer games.

Phew!

I need a vacation!

It's pretty obvious who the homeschooled kid is in the crowd.

He’s the one,

who when asked to pass out waters

to the thirsty Giants fans in his family,

counts them out,

in Latin.

A few curious souls have asked what recipe I use to make pesto. Below are my two favorites - one I make with walnuts because I think the balance of the ingredients works well with the nuts flavor. The other recipe I use with pine nuts for the same reason.  Many people can't tell the difference, so I say use what you have on hand or whatever is least expensive at the time. And if you’re married to a walnut farmer, never admit you use pine nuts or even thought of using anything other than walnuts. Just keep the peace. It’s better that way.

Recipe 1

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1 cup walnuts

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 – 1 cup parmesan (fresh grated is always the best)

Sea salt to taste

Serves 6 (and enough for 1 medium pizza)

Recipe 2

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves

1 large clove of garlic

1 heaping tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon freshly grated Romano cheese (or more parmesan if you don’t have any Romano on hand

1 teaspoon pine nuts (or walnuts)

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

 Serves 4

Process basil, walnuts or pine nuts & garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.

Add olive oil in a thin, steady stream with machine on.

Add parmesan cheese and blend together.

·        A processor of some sort is a must. The ingredients have to be made into a paste.

·        For a great appetizer, boil small red potatoes until soft, when cool, cut in half, scoop out a small bit of potato from each half, and fill with pesto. Place on a platter, cut/filled side up, top with a few large shreds of parmesan and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

·        Pesto pizza: spread pesto over pizza crust and layer with tomatoes and artichokes

·        To spice it up: stir in spoonful of chopped, roasted chili pepper

 J keeps me well stocked with basil

Compliments of Little Miss

I'm almost there. The end is in sight.

But those Olympics are slowing me down. And then the Germans showed up.

Of course my list could be a little over ambitious.

Garlic fries, hot dogs, mustard, beer (though I never drink the stuff, blech!) Has anyone thought of bottling it yet?

Eau De Baseball anyone?

I was breathing deep as we sat in on our first Giants game of the season! Oh how I love the sights and smells.

The SF Giants faced the LA Dodgers. Beat LA!

(Note to self: Do not bring kids to Giants vs. Dodgers games! Way too intense! The fans are a lot louder and the language much more foul than we experience when the Giants face other teams.)

The 6:05 game was also a tribute to the “forever Giants”. Former Giants, the likes of Willy Mays and Barry Bonds were there saying thanks to fans for the years of support.

Bonds did take the opportunity to say he is not retired. In case we didn’t know or something.

Mike and I got a night away, just the two of us. After the game, we stayed over at the Marriot Courtyard South – about a mile and a brisk walk from the stadium.

Bonus! We were bumped to an even nicer room on the 18^th floor.

We stayed in the following morning, ordered room service and watched the Olympics until it was time to leave for the 1:05 game.

What more could we ask for? The Giants won both games!

Minus the nasty sunburn I got, it couldn't have been any better.

PS: Thanks Mom for hanging with the kids! Love you!

 Little Miss was begging for mercy when I asked her to hold one of her sunflowers so I could take a picture. The flowers are much heavier than they look!

The kids have enjoyed picking seeds off the flower and eating the soft meats inside.

likewise, the birds were given a treat,

when we hung a flower in the suet feeder near our front door.

......or stroke improvement as we call it for the boys. They've really enjoyed it, although it turns out the lady I spoke to when I signed up miss informed me that the level the 2 oldest needed was during this session. It's not. The boys' instructor was nice enough to step it up and challenge them. Being the athletic little men they are, they listen well to her instruction and put it into practice.

Little Miss will pass her tiny tots class without a struggle.

She's taking the goal of swimming without floaties very seriously and will often say,    "OK, now can I please try that myself?"

Determination. Where does it come from?

I think, it has something do with three older brothers and being the only one in floaties. I  think.

The kids picked a bounty from our garden this morning.

This means its time to set up their first produce stand.

Just a simple set up for the first time sellers of all things fresh. Literally. When someone stops (and I wish I could have captured the squeals and yells of delight the first time someone did) the boys go back to the garden and  pick the prettiest of the fruits or vegetables to restock the table.

Summer's colorful delights

C doing Zoology

I ran out of Tejava  and was feeling a bit desperate. My brain was overwhelmed with planning this next term of our new school year. I called upon J to please get me a new bottle from the mudroom fridge. He kindly retrieved it, and poured it into my glass, which I saw as going beyond the call of duty.

Me: You know, I'm going to step things up a bit for you this school year.

J: I know. That's why I'm pouring this out for you. I'm hoping you'll go easy on me.

He turned walked toward the piano, sat down and began playing one of my favorite songs.

Sweet. But no such luck. He, he, he .....