Jul. 1, 2007 - Moving On!
This is the first time I have been able to access this blog in over a month. After three weeks of trying, we decided that it was time to move. We purchased our own URL from godaddy.com and have set up our family blog. We would love you to still visit us. I will be visiting my favorites as I can get to them....TC, Underdog, Juliestew, Threejane, tospublisher. Feel free to visit our new blog at:
jonandadrienne.com
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May. 22, 2007 - Springtime Fun
Well here it is, and yet ANOTHER month has flown by. The weather has been unseasonably warm and pleasant for May. We enjoy the rumbles of thunder every now and then. Here's a cool picture of the building cumulus clouds outside our front door.
We finished our end of the year testing and are in the last couple of weeks of school. We are finishing up reading Pilgrim's Progress. Everything went really well and we are all clear to start the fourth grade! After a REALLY LONG break though. The end of the year tiredness has kicked in and with so many nice days, it would be so easy to say forget it.
We have made a couple of trips to the park to see all the beautiful flowers in bloom. The boys enjoy chasing the ducks and geese. We took Elijah on one of our outings and got some great pictures.
Jon has been hard at work.
That's his annoyed face. I know because I see it alot. I'm not a very quiet coworker.
Peter and James have found a new outdoor hobby- rollerblading. They have a friend in the complex who enjoys it also. They are really good and go tearing up and down the sidewalks.
Here is James hard at work. He is doing very well this year and has really improved in Science and Spelling. YA James! He is ready for a summer break though.
We also had a very special birthday this month. Peter turned 8! He was really happy about getting all his birthday wishes.
He's really into Star Wars and all things Lego. He spent four solid days putting his sail barge together.
Other than that, the days are pretty much the same. Work, school, and scrambling to get everything done.
P.S. We have had a death in the family. Take a moment to pause in silence for our dearly departed coffee maker.  It gave us a good solid year of service every morning, and occasionally at lunch too. It began burning the coffee about a week ago and we knew the end was near. A trip to the kitchen last night was met with the smell of burning wires. It brewed its last pot and was unplugged at 6:30 am this morning. No vitals could be found after only a few moments. There was no struggle. The memorial service will take place at the west dumpster at 6 pm this evening. Please fell free to stop and say a few words. We will be shopping for a replacement immediately after the service.
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Apr. 18, 2007 - Springtime Alzhiemers
I'm convinced that the warming of the weather along with the sunshine causes a brain dysfunction in children (OK, adults too), where you forget everything you learned through the long winter months. I handed my kids their math assignment that did not include anything we haven't been working on for awhile and they looked at me like I asked them to decipher hieroglyphics. This always concerns me, because the end of the year achievement tests are on the way. How can I show the state that they have met the third grade learning requirements if they cannot remember their names?!
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Apr. 11, 2007 - Public School Mailing List....And Summer Plans
After three successful years of remaining off of our school district's "enticement of homeschoolers" mailing list, I received the packet for the Washington Virtual Academy. The latest in the efforts to get homeschoolers back to public school. I read it and found out some interesting things:
1. I should be wondering constantly if my boys are receiving a solid, well rounded education with plenty of social experiences. WVA can ensure that I will worry no more. (Thank goodness! I was getting tired of all that parental responsibility concerning my kids education!)
2. I should be able to get everything I need for my kid's education at no charge. ( I would rather have my tax money back that pays for everyone else's kids to go to school at no charge. I could by books, school supplies, go on a really nice family vacation for a month, and put a down payment on a house for what they spend on each child in public school every year.)
3. The school district only has the best interest of my kid's at heart in offering such a spectacular opportunity! (Which really means "We have had to make millions of dollars in cuts to our education system and it's all your fault! Get your kids back in public school. You can still pretend to homeschool.")
It is amazing how many fellow homeschoolers we know have fallen into this public school trap. They go in firmly believing that they can have the best of both worlds. This IS NOT homeschooling! Once the government gives out money for your child, your right to control your child's education is gone. It doesn't matter if little Johnny or Suzy ever set foot in a public school building. You have a choice- (to quote HSLDA) free stuff, or a free way of life!
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We have made all of our summer plans for this year. The kids will be done with school the middle of June, depending on when their achievement tests arrive. I think we will go the traditional school year next year. We seem to have fallen into that pattern anyway.
We will be going to Portland over the Memorial Day weekend. We have plans to visit the Tillamook cheese factory. I'm looking forward to that. I love all things dairy! (OK, not cottage cheese.) Then Jon and the boy's are going to go salmon fishing. They are excited at the prospect of catching a fish as big as they are.
Peter has his Lego class the end of June. James and Jon are going to take a class on the native bats of the Inland Northwest in July. They have a two hour classroom time followed by a two hour field experience where they will net bats. Since I am terrified of bats and would just spend four hours screaming in the fetal position, I decided this would be great father son time. Peter shares my bat sentiments and will be staying home with me in our nice, safe, bat-free apartment. Jon will leave a couple of days after that for a two week mission trip to Spain. I will be holding down the fort at home and picking up the work for the two weeks he will be gone.
In August, James will make his first trip to summer camp. He is really excited about it! He will be gone for a whole week! That is the longest I have been away from him since Peter's four day stay in the hospital. He is growing up so fast!
Peter is right on the edge of the allowable age for this camp, so we are going to give him another year before he can go.
We will start school again after Labor Day.
We will also spend a lot of time with family and friends, fishing and barbecuing, swimming and soaking up the sun!
It's ALMOST here!
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Apr. 4, 2007 - Sunday School, Diapers, and Spring Break
I'm getting really good at updating once a month. 
Spring has arrived! The tulips are blooming, the grass is greening up, the trees are beginning to bud.......and the snow, sleet, and rain is falling. Spring in the NW means cycling through all four seasons every 20 minutes.
The kids are on Spring Break this week. They are being tortured with Schoolhouse Rock. I remember these as the obnoxious "commercials" that wanted to teach you something, while you could care less and were counting the seconds until the "real" cartoon came back on! I don't think they care too much for Schoolhouse Rock either.
We are still plugging away at third grade. We will be done the fifteenth of June. Then they will take their achievement tests and enjoy a nice long break.
Peter won the Sunday School Award. It is a cross that the kids win and get to keep for the week. It is for answering questions correctly, saying verses, and being an overall good Sunday School citizen.
Here is the award in all its glory! Way to go Peter!
How many men does it take to change a diaper?
One to fill the diaper, one to change it, and two to yell instructions and say "EWWWWWW" at changed diaper's contents.
Don't you wish you could sleep like that?
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About Me
This is a blog to keep friends and family up to date with the goings on at our house as we raise our two boys. From homeschooling, sports, fishing, archery, etc. we hope you will enjoy this journey with us.
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