Posted By Leigharev in Family Fun

It all began with the simple thought, "why don't I take the boys to Santa Cruz for the day.  We can dip or toes in the ocean, and maybe I can meet up with a friend I have not seen since high school."

The day started off just fine.  Traffic was OK, and we were delighted to discover a totally unexpected view.  Coming over a hill, heading into Benicia, through a light mist, we see a bunch of unique looking boats.  'A' was convinced they wre battleships, but I could not be certain.  I promised him we'd look it up online when we got home.  Well, he was right!  These ships are a part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.  They are "mothballed" ships that can be activated if necessary.  I could not get any pictures, so here is one I found:

It takes three hours to drive to Santa Cruz.  About 20 minutes outside of Santa Cruz, I began to not feel all that great.  When I pulled into Santa Cruz, I had full on flu symptoms.  I was so sick!  I knew I would be incpacitated for a while, so I checked us into a motel, the Bella Notte, and spent the next five hours wishing I were dead.  The boys were a little bummed that they could not play on the beach, but they got to watch alot of TV and eat delivery pizza, so it wasn't all bad.

The next morning was overcast and cool, but I felt much better and wanted to explore with the boys a bit.  My friend, Deana (lives in Santa Cruz), suggested a few places to check out.  One was a surfer's museum.  We found out that there was going to be a surfing competition close to the museum, so that was where we headed first.

The Surfer's Museum was closed on Wednesdays, but we took advantage of a photo op anyway...


While waiting, someone was blowing these giant bubbles.  The kids enjoyed chasing them down.  There was a slight breeze and the bubbles gave them a good run for their money...

Waiting for the competition to begin...


We soon learned that the competition had been moved to a different beach because there was not surf.   It was too bad because there were all these vendors who had to break down their stands.  People knew the name of the beach, but did not know where it was, so we went to plan 'B'.

Deana had suggested we check out Wilder Ranch State Park.  Unfortunately, they were closed as well.  We then went to Natural Bridges State Park.  They have a grove of eucalyptus trees where monarch butterflies spend the winter.  We walked the trail and saw the butterflies.  Could not really get a good shot, the butterflies were too high, except for this one...



Heading home, I decided to surprise the kids with one more stop, the Jelly Belly Factory!

Posted By Sagerats

My grandpa, my Papafather's dad, was a country vet. He had a little office off the side of the house where he did small animal surgery, and exams. He made house calls all around the country, some trips taking him an hour or more to reach the animal in need of help, be it cow, horse, sheep, or pig. Very often he would have one of his children in tow. He had 10 of them so there was no shortage of helpers. It all sounds very James Harriot like, and in a way it was. James Harriot's stories are popular with that side of the family and each story reminds them of one like it that grandpa experienced.

Grandpa's office was, as I said, just off the house. Just off the kitchen to be exact. My grandma had a dutch door put in so that she could just open up the top half to talk to him and yet keep the little ones inside. Think about that. A vet's office, just off the kitchen. Do you recall how a vet's office smells? That smell still lingers in that office to this day and it's been over 10 years since my grandpa died.

Aside from the smell, I never gave grandpa's office much thought. We would traipse our way through it on the way to play outside, to gather in the clothes from off the line, to pick grapes, collect eggs, or to find grandpa. The office doubled as grandma's laundry room so I suppose that's why it didn't seem like a room that needed much attention. I never spent any time in it other than to get from point A to point B. Which is strange now that I think about it, all those fascinating instruments, chemicals, medicines, and the like just within reach. I never touched them or was ever tempted to do so.

One temptation I did give in to was a special barrel out back that held two skunks. Grandpa would warn us to leave those skunks alone. My numerous cousins and I would stand around the barrel peering in, and those skunks would peer back. The lot of us cousins would look for only a moment and then run away as fast as we could before we got sprayed. I didn't find out until I was much older that those skunks couldn't spray because my grandpa had "deskunked" them. I don't know if my cousins were aware of this at the time or not, they ran just as fast as I did. Grandpa's warning hadn't been for us, he had been worried that we would torment the skunks.

Skunks actually make a great pet and are positively darling, if you can legally keep them. My uncle kept one for awhile. She was just like a cat, had a litter box and everything. Her name was Rosie, and then some, but I won't repeat that part.

We have a family story, told every couple of years or so I guess, about grandpa and one particular skunk he was de-scenting. While in the process of removing the gland that contains the hideous skunk musk, it was ruptured. It squirted all of its contents right in my grandpa's face. He came into the kitchen to clean up and the only thing he said was, "It's such a beautiful color." Apparently skunk spray is an amber color, and my God fearing grandpa could still recognize the beauty of God's handiwork even in a skunk's musk.

Funny, while my aunts and uncles roar with laughter about this story every time they tell it, I don't remember anyone talking about the smell lingering in the kitchen or what on earth my grandma said or did. I'll have to ask them about that.

After the laughter dies down, someone will always mention how my grandpa was such a quiet, gentle, and patient man. Oh he had his moments when a cow would stomp him, but how many men do you know who would take it from a skunk and only comment on it's beauty?

Posted By Leigharev in General Homeschool

For this lesson, the boys were to watch a short video about something that was interesting to them.  They needed to pay attention to what they see, then draw a picture based on memory.  They decided they wanted to watch a video on dingoes.  You can see what we watched.  It's around 6 minutes: Dingoes

This the the drawing 'A' did.  It is an overhead view of six dingoes eating.  We learned that dingoes all form a circle, where their heads are all together eating.  Then, they rotate clockwise (or counter clockwise) depending on what hemisphere they are on.  It's really interesting.  He also shaded the ground, and drew the fence.

This is 'R's.  It is of three dingoes on a log.

Posted By Leigharev in Family Fun

One of the satellite Bayside churches hosted a Trunk or Treat.  They had about 20 cars all decorated, inflatable games, hot dogs, and cotton candy.  It was the perfect Autumn evening in NorCal.

About five cars were decorated, representing the decades 50's - 80's...

This was incredible.  They tooks two storage trailers of a sort and placed them together, creating an "Enchanted Forest".  The entry was all decorated in candy!



One of the cars had a Harvest theme and these cute props...

After a brief respite at home, we all went out to hit some homes.  The neighborhood next to our apartments did an incredible job decorating their homes and yards.  They really got into it!

Posted By Mom of Three Little Ladies and one Little Blessing Boy

From the Heart:

We had a great week.  School went very well.  We are all past our sicknesses.  No drama.  I'm so grateful.

The Lord is speaking to me about being a better friend, about really listening and being there for people.  I need to hear this, and so much want to do this.  I am convicted of keeping my friends at armslength.  I know it stems from being insecure in childhood and feeling like I didn't have any friends, so I stopped trying.  There have been times when the Lord has brought me friends, and still I did not work hard at keeping them.  I want to go beyond that in my life, and work harder at being there for my friends.  If you want to be included in those who want my deeper friendship, just leave a comment, or email me.  I'm going to try.

This is Snow Crystal working on a Christmas present. 

On the Homefront:

We worked on keeping the house cleaner throughout the week, and found that to work well.  I do laundry twice a week (Sundays or Mondays and Thursdays or Fridays).  If the laundry isn't finished, I finish it the next day without adding more from the new day.  This way I know all the laundry gets done twice a week and it isn't as much of a burden.  The older girls are helping me a lot more too.  For example, Snow Crystal is downstairs making cookies right now as I type.  The weather was nice, and got nicer all week.  Feels like summer except for all the snow still on the ground.

This is Snow Crystal following her "directions" of how to make her favorite cookies that she had to do for language arts yesteday.

In the School Room:

Bible:  We continue to read Egermeier's Bible Story Book with Bubbies and the older girls listening in.  We didn't do anything with our Biblical Holidays book.  We also read a few stories from "I Heard Good News", which is a book full of short stories about how different countries and peoples received the gospel.  I am thinking that for the older girls we might try to do some of the articles and activities that go with The Voice of the Martyrs magazine.  You can find it at http://www.kidsofcourage.com.  It looks like it would be a good thing for them to do.

History:  We are now in the post-civil war era.  In Landmark's History of America we learned how Montgomery Ward changed the way business was done for the rural American, and about Richard Sears' imput to this.   

Science:  We moved on to start learning about Alexander Graham Bell and his inventions.

Read-Aloud:  We are ahead with the older girls, so took a break from read-alouds.  I read The Light on Tern Rock with Bubbies.

Reader:  Mountain Princess and Snow Crystal are reading Shades of Gray, by Carolyn Reeder.  It is a good book about a boy who was orphaned during the civil war, and having to live with his mother's sister and family after the war.

Language Arts:  The older girls worked on similies, topic sentences, writing a formal letter, and grammar.  Bubbies reviewed the letter "S" and made a "P" and an "S" letter sheet (I get these from homeschoolshare.com).  She read her first "reader" that comes with her curriculum.  It is a cute little book called "Pam"). It was a proud moment for her to read it to her daddy one evening this week too.

Math:  We had a great week again this week, and the girls continue to make progress in becoming independent.

Spanish:  MP is using Rosetta Stone and seems to be learning and retaining a lot.  SC is using The Complete Book of Spanish (workbook from Wal Mart).  She'll get back to Rosetta next year.

On the Mission Field:

The school had Chris Stanton here.  He suffered from acute mountain sickness for the first day, but finally recovered.  I think they've been having a great time. 

In the Literary Scene:

I am reading Brock and Bodie Thoene's second book in the Galway Series Of Men and of Angels, and I finished the first book too.  Very good reading!

Feeding on His Faithfulness,

Carol

If you would like to join me in this theme, just write up your own weekly summary, using mine or your own categories.  Then sign the Mr. Linky below.  I'd love to read your weekly summaries too!    I hope to post mine on each Friday or Saturday.  At the latest it will be on Sunday.  If you get yours done before I do, just leave your link in my cbox or comments from the week before.  Be sure and check last week's Mr. Linky for any new ones who posted before I did!  It is a great way to meet new people.

Posted By Leigharev in Family Fun

Our friend, Sean, is an on air personality for Air 1 Radio station.  He hooked us up with concert tickets to see The Classic Crime (Seattle band, btw), playing at a nearby church.  This was the boys first concert!  They did pretty well, and I certainly had a good time, even though it was a challenge to head bang with a six year old on my shoulders!!

'A', modeling the stylin' ear wax plugs...



Sean and the boys.  We are going to miss you!  Indy will be blessed!

Posted By Leigharev in ThisNThat

I have mentioned before that after Bible Study, we stay at church and picnic, socialize, and play in the courtyard.  We decided that the kids could dress in costume this week, and the boys really got into their roles as defenders of the universe! ("A" was Luke Skywalker and "R" was Obi Wan Kenobi)

Encountering Darth Vader...

A battle ensues...

Chasing down a storm trooper...

Photo op with a different Darth, (the boys friend, C)

Posted By Leigharev in Family Fun

Ama flew down for three days for a visit!  We had fun shopping, looking at houses, and carving pumpkins.

Ama bought these hats that the boys are modeling...

early evening at the Fountains...

Goofing off at a furniture store...

While mom and I did the creative carving, the boys were on goop patrol...

Batman and Two-Face...

Posted By Leigharev in Field Trips

Our homeschool network met up for a delightful matinee, titled, "Once Upon a Time".  Many of the kids in the community were in the play, and some of the kids in our group got to see their friends perform.


Part of our group...


We all had a nice picnic lunch at a local park after...

A and R with two of their good buddies (C and N)

Posted By Leigharev in ThisNThat

...this is what mine packs when traveling...(musician)