The local Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs teamed up with the Eureka school district to collect food and gifts for local members of the community in need. The boys and I spent a couple of hours Friday afternoon sorting canned and boxed foods. On Saturday, our family, along with our friends Crystal and Eric, wrapped the boxes and delivered foor and gifts to the some of the homes. It was a humbling experience and we were all grateful to be in the position to serve in this way...
In a previous lesson, the boys practiced mixing primary colors. This lesson focused on mixing all different colors.
'A' made "an imaginary world, with a gold bush and blue sun"
'R' made: "a flowering tree, two flowers, and fireworks"
This is what happens when a group of moms are sitting together...
Colleen: (who can run the whole marathon by herself), said: "Let's get a group together and run in the relay."
And Team Glucosamine was born.
Someone then suggested a second group was formed so everyone would have a running partner. This is where I somehow agreed to running the seven mile leg in the relay! And Bayside Beauties was formed.
Team Glucosamine Jodi, Christina, Colleen, Leslie
Bayside Beauties Tina, Sarah, Leigh, Tara
I had been running a bit and although slow, had a good plan in place for training. Unfortunately, my mother had a stroke and I went to be with her for a couple of weeks. I ran a few times while up there, but my head was not in it. On the the Wednesday prior to the relay, I ran four miles in 57 minutes. With that information, my plan was to try to run four miles, walk one, then try to run the remaining two.
Sunday morning was clear, but FREEZING!! Fabio and Ezperanza came with us and we all stood around, waiting for my friend Sarah to finish her leg and pass the relay chip on to me.
When I started running, my hands were frozen. At about the two mile mark, they started warming up and hurt!! At mile three, my body had adjusted and was in a good groove.
I was pleasantly surprised to see my family at some of the checkpoints! I was also in awe to realize that I was able to run the whole seven miles NONSTOP! This body does not do that!! We all had a great time and enjoyed a delicious brunch after.
Tara and me post run...
Tina, Colleen, Leslie, Christina, Me, Jodi (Missing: Tara and Sarah)
Brunch after at the Fox and Goose
We took Dado and Dada to Old Sacramento. We planned on spending the day there, but it was so cold, we had to cut it short.
The paddle wheel of the Delta King.
The tall ship, Hawaiian Chieftain, was docked in Old Sacramento and we got to tour it. This was a fun, unanticipated adventure.
My in-laws (the boys grandparents) came for a weekend visit. After picking up Fabio (Dado) and Ezperanza (Dada), we headed straight to Napa. It was a cool, clear day. A perfect Autumn day in December!!
First stop: Rubicon Estate. This is a beautiful property owned by the movie director, Francis Ford Coppola. This property was originally Inglenook. They have a museum that contains "magic lanterns", the predecessor to the movie projector.
Oranges in December....
'A' took this one of me...
Bird nests in the eaves...
On to the V. Sattui winery. V. Sattui used to be a winery in San Francisco during the early 20th century. they went out of business during the Prohibition. A relative in the V. Sattui line rebuilt the winery and it is successful today.
V. Sattui has a fabulous deli and picnic grounds. We had our lunch here.
David said we had to eat everything. Here he is joking with Ezperanza, "force feeding" her cheese...
Nature Boy and some berries he insisted on taking with him...
When I die, I hope to find a Dean and Deluca in heaven. Until then, I will just have to settle for Napa...
Oh JOY!! It's a candy shaped like Legos! The boys made creations, then ate them!
Our final stop: Castello di Amarosa. This property took my breath away. I did not know what to expect and was aawesomely surprised. This is also owned by the man that owns V. sattui winery. He loves Italy and castles and took his favorite elements from castles there and had one created here. It took 30 million dollars in raw materials and 15 years to build. We took the tour and got to go four floors underground and see the caves that they store the wines in.
This is one of the entertaining halls. Apparently this property was used while filming "Bedtime Stories". They used the castle's courtyard as a marketplace and this room for something. We need to go back and see that movie again.
This dragon is above the inner door. The guide showed us the holes above where knights would pour hot oil on their attackers. (of course, assuming this was an actual medievel castle...)
An antique grape crusher...
Every respectable castle needs a torture chamber. This was the boys favorite part of the tour...
Our homeschool network celebrated the beginning of the Christmas season with a delightful Christmas party! It was so fun to see the kids enjoying the festivities... The four musketeers...
My friend, Christie, and her daughter, 'N'...
The party started off with a few Christmas carols. These songs will be sung again later in the month when the group visits and Alzheimer's retirement home.
After the songs, the kids participated in a bunch of games.
This game was a relay where two teams had to unwrap a box, one layer at a time. Inside the boxes was the prize: a piece of scripture that the winning team got to read out loud.
This game was also a relay game. The hostess gave each child the name of an item inside a stocking. The child ran to the stocking and, without looking, felt around to find the item, then with the item, ran back to the line...
"Pin the star on the manger"...
The final game, I was unable to get any decent pictures of. The kids had to run with an ornament looped aroung a candy cane. They had to run to the end of the room and back without dropping the ornament, and then transfer the ornament to the next person, using only your candy canes.
Moving to the other room were two crafts. One was a felt poinsetta the kids assembled and took home. The other was to decorate a foam gingerbread man. These are for the residents at the Alzheimer's retirement home that the group will visit later in the month...
After a run through the snack table, Miss Rhonda told us the Christmas Story. She had the kids interact with the story... when she said 'census', the kids had to rub their fingers together...'Joseph', they hit their fists to represent the carpenter...'Mary', pretend to hold a baby and say 'aahhh'...'Angel', flutter hands on your side like wings and say 'hallelujah'...'David', put hands on head like a crown, and say 'duh duh duh duh (like a royal trumpet proclamation)...'God and Jesus', make an arc from one hand to the other and sing 'glooooooria'...I think I covered them all...
What a blessed way to start off the holiday season!! A special thank you to all who helped make this event happen!
This week's science covered condensation (gas to liquid) and evaporation (liquid to gas). We watched a few experiments on the "Discover and Do" DVD, and then performed a couple of them.
Experiment 1:
We took a couple of washcloths and soaked them in water, then wrung them out. We placed one cloth on a plate and the other in the plastic bag. We checked it the next day. What do you think happened? Were they both still wet? Both dry?
Here is a video that shows the results:
Experiment #2: We took combined water and sugar and added food coloring. The experiment says to let it sit in a warm area for a few days. Since it's December, even though it is nice outside, it's not particularly warm, so we sped up the process by placing it in a warm oven for the day. The water evaporated and formed sugar crystals... RAINBOW Sugar!! Stirring the sugar water
Adding food color...
Colored sugar water. The experiment called for the water to be placed in pie tins or foil.
The final product. These are edible and can be used on ice cream or in a drink.
Our friend, Sean, is moving from Roseville to Indianapolis over Thanksgiving week. We wanted to treat him to a going-away Thanksgiving dinner, so I made a full turkey dinner a week early!
Shortly before dinner, 'A' lost his third tooth! We were glad that he did not have to watch how he ate!
Menu
Dilled Deviled Eggs
Spinach Salad with Blackberry Vinaigrette
Roast Turkey with Sage Garlic Butter
Turkey Gravy
Pancetta and Apple Stuffing
Marjoram Mashed Potatoes
Coconut Cardamom Sweet Potatoes
Green Beans with Lemon Bread Crumbs
Cranberry Sauce with Apples and Ginger
Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
After dinner, we all wrote out things we were grateful for on paper rings and created a paper chain that will help remind us to be thankful for all God's blessings.
Saturday was spent purchasing a new car for my husband. WOO HOO!
We decided to break it in by going on a day trip to San Francisco on Sunday!
Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge...
We drove around Marin county for a while, then went back into the city. Decided to drive to Ocean Park to enjoy the beach. It was a beautiful day and it was fun to watch the surfers.
'R' found a neat piece of beach glass...
'A' wrote out, "I love mom and dad and 'r'"
Life is good!
We found about six jellyfish. If you touch them, they react and pulsate. I kind of felt sorry for them.
Cool mural on a house...
We took the roof off for a while to enjoy the late afternoon sun... Java Beach Cafe, a very popular spot for lattes, sandwiches, soups, and salads. This is where we ate lunch.
Another cool mural...
Heading for Golden Gate Park...
Driving through Golden Gate Park, we learned that the park has an established American Bison breeding program that has been in existence for over a century!! It was kind of a fun, unexpected , discovery.
We left San Francisco at sunset and treated the boys to a spaghetti dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Sacramento.
Nestled right in the middle of Sacramento is Sutter's Fort. We stopped here on our day trip with Michelle.
M.I.C.K.E.Y....
Heading to the Fort's entrance...
Built in 1839 by John Sutter, the fort served as a rest stop for weary travelers and a place to purchase provisions.
There were multiple cannons surrounding the fort. They were never used in defense, and were just used to occasionally scare Native Americans.
This windowless, brick room served as the prison!
This room was called the immigrant room. It was a room where those who have traveled long distances could rest and recoup before continuing on to their final destination.
The boys standing guard...
Inside the covered wagon...
This room was for the spinners and weavers...
The bakery...
Sutter's office. His clerk kept track of all transactions and supplies within the fort...
This room was where the doctor tended patients. It was a little disconcerting that it was located just off of the dining room! Two beds and a desk filled the room...
Sutter's parlor.
The kitchen...
The distillery...
The mill...
Room for the "vacaros"/cowboys...
Blacksmith shop...
Candlemaker...
Sutter's bedroom...
General store...
Guard station...
Here is a link for a virtual tour of Sutter's Fort and activities for school...
Michelle and I took that boys to Sacramento for the day. We surprised them by parking before getting downtown, and took the light rail in!
As we were looking for the entrance to the light rail, we ran into a rafter of wild turkeys. There were about 30 of them!
All aboard...
We decided to walk along midtown and explore. The boys liked looking at the outdoor art around the convention center...
This one is tited, 'Walking the Dogs'
There are actually two of these fountains...
Unique hedge surrounding the Hyatt...
Lunch break at The Bread Store. Awesome sammies!!
After our Sutter Fort visit, we walked along a street that had some beautiful older homes...
This science lesson revolved around air and how sounds are made with air and water....
We took turns blowing into the bottle with a varied amount of water. We learned that the less water in the water created a lower sound, and more water created a higher sound.
Our second experiment included creating pan flutes using straws and tape. We learned that the longer straws created a lower sound, and the shorter straws were higher.
My 'sistah from anothah muthah', Michelle, visited us from Washington state for four days. We had a great time doing alot and doing nothing.
The boys found humor in the fact that the three of them were coincidentally wearing brown cordouroy...
Michelle brought the boys, 'excavation kits'. 'A's was fossils, and 'R's was fools gold...Pyrite....
The project got a bit dusty, so we took it outside...
We took advantage of a perfect Autumn day and went on a hike to Hidden Falls. Hidden Falls Regional Park is between Lincoln and Auburn.
The pinecones are HUGE!
We enjoy seeing the nut trees. I think this is chestnut...
Acorns!
...and an acorn fight!
Dead Man's Creek
Overlooking the overlook of Hidden Falls...
1T. olive oil
3/4lb. uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed"1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1c. fat free chicken broth
2 15.5oz. cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
1t. dry mustard
1t. ground cumin
1/2t. salt
1/4t. black pepper
1. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir frequently. Reove and set aside.
3. Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Spoon chicken, onion, and garlic into crockpot.
5. Add broth, beans, mustard powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
6. cover. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
7.Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.
Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, green onion
As requested, here is the recipe for steak Skewers with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce. It comes from the cookbook, Fix, Freeze, and Feast. This cookbook focuses on making multiple entrees for freezing. This recipe makes three entrees, four servings each.
1 tray (about 6 pounds) boneless top sirloin steaks
1/2c. olive oil
1/4c. red wine vinegar
1 1/2t. black pepper
Sauce
1 (4-5oz.) container crumbled blue cheese (approx. 3/4c.)
3c. heavy cream
3/4t. black pepper
You need:
6 one gallon freezer bags, label 3
3 one quart freezer bags
Have on hand for cooking:
8 (9inch) wooden or metal skewers
To prep:
-Rinse steaks and trim fat. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Divide beef evenly among the unlabeled 1 gallon freezer bags.
-Whisk together oil and vinegar in a small bowl. divide the marinade evenly over the beef. Into each bag, measure 1/2t. pepper. Seal bags.
-Divide the blue cheese among the three 1 quart freezer bags. Imto each bag of cheese, measure 1 cup heavy cream and 1/4t. pepper. Seal bags.
-Into each labeled 1 gallon bag, place one bag of beef and one bag of sauce.
-Seal and freeze.
To cook:
Prepare on an outdoor grill or indoors under a broiler.
-completely thaw one entree in freezer.
For outdoor: Prepare a medium fire in grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water while meat is thawing. Thread steak pieces onto skewers. Grill, turn occasionally, about 10 minutes or until done to your liking. discard remaining marinade.
meanwhile, heat the blue cheese mixture in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the cream reduces and thickens into a velvety sauce. Serve as a dipping sauce with the steak.
For indoor: -Arrange skewers, prepared as above, on an ungreased broiler pan. Broil under high heat, 5 inches from heat source, turning frequently for about 10 minutes, or until done to your liking. Discard remaining marinade.
On the way home from Santa Cruz, I decided to surprise the boys with a trip to the Jelly Bell Factory Tour, in Fairfield.
Here, 'R' lets us know how he feels avout the cinnamon jelly belly that he is pointing to on the car...
This bear is made out of Jelly Bellys!
Waiting for the tour to begin...
This is a wall dedicated to Ronald Reagan...
The tour is about to begin. We were all give little paper hats to wear. No photos or videos are allowed in the actual factory, but there is a virtual tour you can look at that is better than any photo I could take: Jelly Belly Factory Virtual Tour.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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)
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...
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...
We are currently living in a two bedroom apartment, and space is tight. I found this idea in 'Family Fun' magazine. These are especially helpful if the kids are working on the same worksheets. The boys love them, and, I think, appreciate their own personal space, even if temporary....
Since this recipe was requested, I thought I'd type it up for others to enjoy as well. This comes from the volume - cooking cookbook, Fix, Freeze, and Feast by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik.
Makes 3 entrees, 4 servings each
1 tray (6 -8 pounds, or 12 chops) pork loin chops, boneless or bone - in
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2T. honey
3t. dried oregano
3t. minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 one gallon freezer bags
1. Rinse and divide chops evenly among freezer bags.
2. Whisk togethermustard, vinegar, lemon juice, oil, and honey in a medium bowl. Divid the marinade evenly over the chops, into each bag measure 1t. oregano and 1t. garlic.
3. Seal and Freeze.
To cook one entree:
Prepare on an outdoor grill or under a broiler.
1. Completely thaw one entree in the refrigerator.
For outdoor cooking:
1. Prepare a medium fire in a gas or charcoal grill.
2. Cook chops, turning occasionally, until the thermometer in the thickest part reads 160 degrees. Baste the chops as desired. Do not baste final five minutes of cooking. Discard remainin marinade.
For indoor cooking: Arrange chops on a greased broiler pan. Broil chops under high heat 5 inches from heat, turning frequently for 15 -18 minutes, until thermometer reads 160 degrees.Baste the chops as desired. Do not baste the last five minutes of cooking. Discard remaining marinade.
Let me introduce you to our awesome friends, the Savells. Eric and Crystal were literally the very first people we befriended upon our move to Roseville. Sure, we had some online friends who became friends in real life shortly thereafter, but Eric and Crystal were the first strangers who became friends.
It happened the evening we arrived in Roseville. After driving about 15 hours with a big UHaul, and dealing with a flat tire on the van, we were to late to take possession on our apartment and needed to find alternate accomodations for the night. We went to Starbucks so David could plug into the WiFi and find a hotel. I stayed outside with the boys so they could run the sidewalk a little, after being cooped up in the van all day. David and I were beyond exhausted and varied in shades of gray.
Crystal and Eric were sitting outside with their two dogs. They smiled and started conversation. I told them that we had just moved to Roseville. Crystal saw my cross and asked if we had found a church yet. I told them that we moved to Roseville specifically to check out Bayside. They both got big grins on their faces and said they went to Bayside and were active in the Middle School ministry. They invited us to join them for service the next week and we did.
I told Crsytal that God had tapped them to be our "Welcoming Commitee." God is so good.
We all just clicked and have built a delightful friendship from there. Crystal attends Body and Soul classes with me, and we run together. David and Eric meet many Saturday mornings to connect. Crystal also watches our cat when we are traveling. They have been to our place for dinner and worship, and we have been to theirs.
This last Saturday, Eric and Crystal invited us to attend service with them, then go to their house for dinner. They also invited their friends, Tammy and Lee. It was such a fun night. Tammy had just done worship at our church and was full of adrenaline and the Spirit. Her excitement was contagious. She has also recently joined Body and Soul as well, and I am enjoying getting to know her.
Eric and Crystal...
Tammy and Lee...
David and the boys, sitting on the most comfy chair EVER! We are getting one of these when we get our house.
Tammy's husband, Lee, bought her the biggest marshmallows as a congratulations for her singing that night. (Bayside services have about 2500(?) people per service...) You should have seen the boys eyes when they saw the marshmallows!
Good buddies and sisters in Christ...
'A' helping Crystal with dinner...
Eric and da boys...
The marshmallows sparked conversation of the possibility of s'mores. So...
...burning the marshmallows. That's right. That's how it's done!
Sugar shock in 5...4....3...2....1...
When we lived in North Bend, I was used to seeing body parts of birds, mice, shrews, and voles laying on the kitchen floor or doorstep. Now, in Roseville, Chelan has become pretty adept and catching lizards. I think the success rate of me saving them in time is about 50%. A few weeks ago, I joked with my friends in Bible Study that I would need therapy if Chelan (our cat) ever brought in a snake.
Well, my nightmare came true...
David, my hero, played Jeff Corwin and took the snake outside with a pair of my salad tongs...
The poor little guy did have a few puncture wounds, but I am sure he will be OK. I am pleased to say that I think I handled myself better than I thought I would have. I only shattered one of David's eardrums...:)
I just returned from a delightful evening with Bible Study/Homeschool friends. Lori graciously opened her home for the Mexican-themed potluck and Tina managed logistics. We have some very talented chefs in our group! YUMMY!!
Such a fun night. I love you all!
Heather, Katie, Ginger, Tina, Kelly, Leslie
Colleen and Megan
Carrie, Brenda, Nancy, Julie, Nanacy, Marisa
Heather, Katie, Jodi, Betsy, Lori
The whole gang...special thanks to Lori's mom for taking the picture.
We went on a hayride out to a huge pumpkin patch and we all got to pick our own pumpkins...
Then on to the pig races. Our designated pig (Barbie Q) won!
A train ride and pony ride was next on the list...
Homeschool friends Leslie and Betsy...
Petting zoo...
Field of the giant pumpkins...
'A' took this picture. Yes, those ARE clouds behind us!
'R' took this shot. Not bad!
'R' asked that I film him with his newest Lego creation, a sheep in a pen, in honor of the sheep at Bishop's!
This lesson revolved around the primary colors creating secondary ones. Using watercolor crayons, we took red, blue, and yellow and created orange, green, and purple...
WOO HOO! WHAT A BLAST! I got to spend a full weekend with some of my favorite girlies in one of my favorite cities...
Thursday... I flew into PDX and picked up a rental car. Drove to my long held friend of 20 years, Lola, and picked her up. We drove to SE Hawthorne, a fabulously funky neighborhood. Lunch at a delicious Vietnamese restaurant and tons of catching up...
Lovely Lola...
We spent all day exploring the stores along this boulevard. We had an early dinner at Costello's Travel Caffe, (I love this place), then went to a movie and saw "Love Happens". We ended the evening with my giving Lola a lesson on Facebook and she showed me the rough cut of an incredible documentary that her company (Dawson Media Group) is creating about a California Native American tribe that is petitioning for recognition by the US government. It is a stunning piece of work, and although it is being created for a private audience, I really hope that it will be available to the public audience. It is such an important part of history, especially California's.
Friday... Bidding a fond farewell and big hug to my LoMalo, I drove back to PDX and waited for my WA state/North Bend buddies, Carol and Kirsten, to arrive.
After they picked me up, we headed to McMenamin's Edgefield in Troutdale, OR, just 15 minutes outside of Portland. David and I had stayed here many times years ago. The place was already sold out a couple months before the trip, but they had a hostel room that we ended up staying in. It was fine, but oddly enough, the other women staying in the hostel were already asleep when we came in and then were still asleep when we got up in the mornings, so we had to almost always stay quiet in the room. We have already booked for next year and will have our own room with a private bath.
We dropped off our luggage and headed for Multnomah Falls. The weather could not have been any more perfect. Sunshine, with an Autumn nip in the air...
Roll on, Columbia...
Carol and Kirsten. Love ya!
A gorgeous, meandering, country drive tooks us through quite a few other waterfalls before reaching majestic Multnomah Falls, the second tallest year-round waterfall in the nation, (620 feet! I think Yosemite Falls is the tallest, but I am not certain.)
Me and Carol in front of the falls...
Group pic on the bridge that separates the upper from the lower falls...
We returned to the Edgefield and went to their spa, where Kirst and I were treated to 30 minute massages, and Carol got a pedicure. As a retired Licensed Massage Practitioner, I admit I am a bit picky when it comes to massage. I have to say I had the best massage I have had in a VERY long time! So, if you are ever in Portland, and are staying at the Edgefield, and decide to get a massage, ask for Amanda.
A pub dinner at Edgefield's Power Station Pub...a tour of the grounds...then on with the swimsuits and a soak in the soaking pool. A beautiful star-filled night, warm pool, and great conversation equaled 3 hours in the pool!!
The pool during the day...
A little artistic embellishment that saturates the property... Saturday... Beeline for Portland's Saturday Market, a huge gathering of Portland's fine artisans. I think we hit pretty much every booth, and each of us walked away with some unique items.
We spent the afternoon, shopping the boutiques on NW 23rd Ave. (AKA "trendy-third.") . The fact that the weather held out for us is nothing short of a miracle.
Killer dinner at the "best deli in the world", according to me, Elephant's Deli, then back to the Edgefield. We went to their winery for some tasting, then took some snacks on to one of the side porches that have rocking chairs and adirondacks. Security had to kick us off because the porches closed, so we moved to this lovely groves of tree laced with white lights, with picnic tables. We continued our conversation there until it got too cold to stay outside. We decided to move into the "Little Red Shed", a tiny bar on the property. There we enjoyed our decadent chocolate desserts we had purchased at the Deli and stayed their until we were kicked out due to closing. After that, Carol left for bed, and kirsten and I found a sitting room off the Black Rabbit restaurant and talked until 1:30am. (Remember, we could not go to our room and talk because we were in the hostel.)
Sunday... A decent breakfast at Edgefield's Black Rabbit restaurant and we headed 30 minutes south to the outlet mall in Woodburn. Most important, we headed to the CAbi outlet! (angels singing in the background...)
Carol and Kirsten dropped me off at the airport, and although it was hard saying goodbye, I don't know if I could have survived another day :) We got the most out of this weekend! Looking forward to next year!
It all began as a typical Wednesday afternoon. The boys and I were in the living room, homeschooling, and David was on the phone, working in the bedroom office. Suddenly, our electricity went out.! David called to me and pointed out of the window to a large plume of smoke. It looked like one of the businesses nearby was on fire. We decided to walk and see if we could find it. The smoke was so large; we were certain it was close.
We started walking...and walking...and walking...the smoke continued to loom large, but we never seemed to get any closer. We watched about four planes and a couple of helicopters bring large amounts of water to pour over the fire. Finally, we realized that the fire was on the other side of the freeway, and we needed to cut our losses and head back. So, we decided to cut into a neighborhood for a residential stroll on the way back.
'R' found this huge dragonfly (cranefly?). This is his hand for perspective...
Taking a break in the shade...
Another break at a park...
Final break at 'Top This Yogurt'...
We were able to track down this news story: Police Chase Leads to Fire
I decided to map our journey on mapmyrun.com. Turns out we "only" walked a total of three miles, but it seemed much longer. It was a fun break to a mundane day.
We did three experiments that revolved around our respiratory system.
Experiment #1 The kids breathed normally for 30 seconds. Then, they ran in place as fast as they could for 30 seconds. I recorded their breathing for 30 seconds after exertion. 'A's result was as expected. 'R' kept focusing on trying to control his breath, so his results are based on that... Experiment #2 We talked about how there is water in our breath and how to see it... Experiment #3 We tested our lung capacity. We should have had a two liter bottle, but had to settle with one..
Martial arts began again. This is a ministry at our church. The boys are so excited! They are in the first class, for beginners. Some of the fathers take the class with their children. It's neat.
Every week, the instructor gives the kids a virtue to study, along with a memory verse. This week, the virtue was "Alert", and this exercise helped them focus on being alert...
About and hour and a half from us, in a town called Camino, there is a series of farms known as 'Apple Hill'. My friend, Sema, invited us to join her and kids for the trip. We only scratched this surface, visiting three farms, and had a wonderful day.
High Hill Farms...
Watching how the cider is made...
'R', 'E', and 'A' in front of the trout pond...
Sema and gang...
APPLE DOUGHNUTS!
Abel's Apple Acres...
Thursdays are a great day for us. I spend the morning in Bible Study. The majority of the moms in our group homeschool. Our kids are all in a room with two supervisors. The first hour is devoted to schoolwork and the second hour is free play. After that, we all meet in the church courtyard and playground to enjoy lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon visiting and socializing.
The kids playing 'Freeze tag' in their class.
The boys with their friend, C...
Math Singapore Earlybird 2B, Lesson 4. More addition.
Phonics Explode the Code
Reading Both boys took turns reading from 'The Best Trick'
Character Reviewed character attributes and definitions. There are 12: Attentive, Tenderhearted, Diligence,Honesty, Patience, Obedience, Wisdom, Faith, Creative, Joyfulness, Contentment, Thankfulness. The boys took turns quizzing each other.
History Finished reading about George Muller in 'Hero Tales'
Bible We read all about Jonah and his experience with Ninevah
History We read from Hero Tales about the Judsons (the first foreign missionaries from America), and George Muller (ran a huge orphanage in England).
Read Aloud Continued reading poems from "The Llama Who Had No Pajama"
Handwriting One page from "A Reason for Handwriting".
Science We finished reading about birds. We also did a few experiments which I recorded.
Experiment 1: This experiment included a hardboiled egg and a raw egg. We spun the raw egg, stopped it, and let go. The egg continued to slightly spin. Then, with the hard boiled egg, we spun it, stopped it, and although it slightly wobbled, it did not spin.
Experiment2:
'A' took a raw egg and lined it up lengthwise and tried to break it. Using as much force as he could, he could not break it. Then, 'R' took the egg, tapped it, we think he created a small crack or weakening of the shell, and see what happened...
Experiment 3: We took some colored water and placed straws in the water. We placed our thumb over the straw, creating a suction and trapping the water inside the straw. The water was released only after we lifted our thumbs!
The kids wanted to see if the colored water tasted like anything. Conclusion: Nothing Experiment 4: We took a paper towel, crumpled it up into a cup, and placed the cup upside down in a bowl of water. The air inside the cup prevented the napkin from getting wet. But, when we placed the cup in at an angle, the water displaced the air and soaked the paper towel!
Our friend, Tim, was in the area for a conference and was able to visit us for an afternoon. David served as his assistant for the weekend and they had a great time together. Here are David and Tim by our pool...
I attended our homeschool network meeting last night. It was great to see so many new faces! The topic was on building and organizing a homeschool library. I was also able to get information on record keeping for homeschooling in California. I have been busy this morning getting all of that in order.
Scripture Memorization: We are memorizing verses by listening to "Sing the Word: A to Z" . We listen to it in the car and with a little coaching, can recite (A) Romans 3:23, (B) Acts 16:31, (C) Col 3:20, (D) Mat 7:12, (E) Proverbs 20:11, (F) Isa 43:1. We still have quite a way to go, but enjoy this CD for learning scripture.
Math: The boys continue to do worksheets in Singapore Earlybird 2B. Addition. They are doing a great job on the worksheets, but still need to practice writing the numbers. Both boys will write the numbers backwards, if they do not have an example to follow.
(Funny note: 'A' debated with me yesterday that numerals came in upper and lower case!)
Phonics: Explode the Code Worksheets. 'A' is in book 2, 'R' is almost done with book 1
Reading 'A' read the whole "Green Eggs and Ham" Book. 'R' read about 1/3 of "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish"
Art Artistic Pursuits, Lesson 12. We learned the difference between 'shape' and 'form'. The boys created the form of an animal. 'R's is a cat; 'A's is a dog... P.E. / Social Pool time play with neighbor friends.
Today, the boys and I went on a fabulous hike at Hidden Falls Park. This is about 40 minutes from where we live, and about 90% of the drive is all country. I had been told that there were wild peacock in Lincoln, but had not seen one until now...
We hiked the Poppy Trail and Hidden Falls Access Trail, approximately five miles roundtrip. It was a decent trek for us, with plenty of places to rest and enjoy.
Hidden Falls Overlook
'R' started laughing and said that the dirt on 'A's face made him look like he's mad. 'A' complied with a look...
We found some pinecones that looked like pineapples!
Exploring Dead Man Creek...
Here's some wildlife we encountered. Can you name them?
Bible Ahab's Son Become King/ Elijah and the Chariot of Fire/ Elisha Saves Two Boys from Slavery/ A Room for Elisha/ Elisha and the Shunammite's Son "(all in II Kings)
Handwriting Practice Lesson 2 worksheet in 'A Reason for Handwriting'
Read Aloud Read chapter one of 'In Grandma's Attic'
History Finished reading about different forms of transportation through history (covered wagons, steam engine vehicles, flying machines, etc.)
Reading Each boy read a quarter of 'A Fly Went By'. We will finish it tomorrow.
Character Reviewed the index cards we made that has different character vitues and their definitions.
Art Appreciation Studied and discussed the following pieces, using the book:
"Come Look with Me"
John G. Brown, "A Tough Story". 1886
Pierre Auguste Renoir. "Two Young Girls at the Piano." 1892
Science Read "The Story of Me: God's Design For S--"
I had Body and Soul in the morning, then a Chiro appointment. I am also in the process of purging the house to donate items for an upcoming fundraiser.
For homeschool today, we:
Bible Read about Ahab and the King of Syria, and Naboth's Vineyard (1 Kings)
Reading 'A' read a couple of pages from 'Concord Cunningham: The Scripture Sleuth' by Matt Halverson.
'R' read Bob Book Set 5/Book3
Math The boys worked on a couple of pages of Lesson 2 from Singapore Earlybird B. Addition.
Phonics The boys worked on a couple of pages in 'Explode the Code'.
Art Art-istic Pursuits: Lesson 11
The boys practiced cutting with scissors and made a paper cutout collage.
This is 'R's picture. It is of our condo in Hawaii and people living in it, including a man who is hanging by his feet...you can also see the sun and a pond with a black fish jumping out of it.
Here is 'A's. It is a picture of 'A' riding in a boat with Uncle Artie. You can also see the the sun, the brown thing in the water is a scuba diving dog, some fish, and a piece of coral. 'A' said: "wow, mom, I had no idea paper could be made into so many different shapes!
We read about how acid in food makes it sour and how food can be pickled in vinegar to last longer. We conducted two experiment to see how acid works.
Experiment 1: The Penny We placed a dirty penny in a cup and covered it with cola. 24 hours later, we removed the penny. It was markedly clearner although not entirely clean. Maybe it's because we used caffeine free diet cola?? Experiment 2: The Cabbage
The boys placed red cabbage pieces in a pan of boiling water and then let it sit for an hour. They enjoyed sampling a few pieces as well.
The result was a smelly kitchen and lovely purple water...
The boys squeezed a lemon into the glass of purple water....
The purple immediately transformed to a hot pink!
The boys decided to create a club in their room. Only the two of them were allowed. We honored this for a couple of hours and chuckled over the signs they made...
The Cal State Fair is a client of my husband. He provides their online ticketing. We went to the Fair as a family and we treated to free admission and unlimited rides!
Here are a couple of videos of the boys practicing lasso!
Playing on a see-saw that has saddles...
There is an area that showcases farming and contained a garden with a huge variety of vegetables and other items. We got to see how cotton looked in all of its stages of growth.
Some cute little piggies...
We were fortunate to get to see a newborn calf. We came across them when the calf was about 30 minutes old. Here, the vet is trying to get the calf to stand. The mother was getting aggitated and they needed the calf to latch and nurse ASAP.
We were surprised to discover that the grandstand had horse racing. We stayed for one race. 'R's horse got 2nd, 'A's 4th. (we did not bet.) RIDES!RIDES!RIDES!RIDES! It was fun to see the boys tall enough this year to move into some older rides. We were able to ride on some together and created some wonderful family memories.
The view from 'R's favorite ride, the 'Giant Wheel'...
This fair has quite a few rides that used to belong to Michael Jackson. This is one of them. This was a great ride for the whole family!
Demolition Derby!
A terrific end to a terrific day...
No structured school 9/11. It was a day of running errands and a playdate with our neighbor friend, 'J'.
9/12/09
Reading The boys each read to David a story from each of their Bibles.
Read Aloud David is reading one of the Hardy Boys mysteries.
Science We read about acid that makes things sour. We conducted an experiment by placing an old penny in a glass of cola to see what the scid in the cola will do to the penny. Results tomorrow...
This is not a great shot, but our cat brought in this adorable grasshopper. As I rescued the poor thing, I really believe he was appreciative. He kind of gave my finger a little hug before I placed him outside...
We are not a household of plants. I am not a fan of fake plants and real ones get chewed up by our cat. So, we live plant free.
However, when we put our house on the market in Washington, we bought some plastic plants to stage the place a bit. One was a plastic fern.
David brought these plastic plants down to California when he moved all of our items out after selling. I had planned on sending them to the Goodwill.
But, upon entering the bedroom, here is what I found...
David calls it our 'love fern' (if you have ever seen the move 'How to lose a Guy in 10 Days', you will know what he's referencing.)
PROS: It's plastic, so we can't kill it
CONS: It's FAKE (how's that for a symbol of our love? :) HA!)
Anyway, I thought this was hilarious and now our 'love fern' resides on my nightstand. Even if it is plastic...
Now that the jet lag is over, we are ready to get back into routine!
Today, we:
Sight Word Test Tested both boys on the Dolch list of sight words:
'R' got: 47/52 for K, and 44/50 for 1st grade.
'A' got 52/52 for K, 49/50 for 1st grade, 52/52 for 2nd grade, 52/52 for 3rd grade
Here are the lists: Dolch Word Lists
Story Sequencing The boys went through two stories, broken into graphic templates, and recreated the story in its proper order. DLTK's Story Sequencing Activities
Handwriting Both boys did PreLesson One Worksheet in 'A Reason for Handwriting'
Math Reviewed writing numbers 1-10. Both boys will often write the numbers backwards. Did lesson one in Singapore Earlybird 2B. Beginning addition.
Bible Read Bible stories: Elijah is Fed by Ravens, A Widow Feeds Elijah, Elijah Comes out of Hiding, Elija and the Prophets of Baal (All in 1 Kings)
Social Pool time with my friend Lori, and her girls.
Art Practiced drawing using "Cars, Trucks, Trains & Planes You Can Draw'
Me and my babies...
We spent one day driving around the west end of the island from Napili to Wailuku. Along the way is a very remote, tiny town (Kahakuloa) that has a woman (Lorraine) who sells shaved ice, banana bread, and cream pies, etc. from her home. When we take this trek, we will always stop by to visit with her. This time, a Japanese tour guide was there with a family. He was showing them card tricks and the boys joined them...
Yummy banana cream pie...
David giving a ukelele lesson to the boys...
Heading up to Haleakala, it gets a little chilly. Putting up the windows...
The summit of Haleakala at 10,000 feet. In the far distance, from here you can see the big island of Hawaii...
Heading on a trail toward the Haleakala Observatory...
Uncle Paul took this shot... ALOHA!
Here are a few shots of my favorite fella and beloved hubby for almost 15 years!
At the pool of our timeshare. Life is good!
Sunset at the Hula Grill...
David picked up a ukelele this time. We had been talking about it for a few years and we all enjoyed learning about them before buying the right one. This is a picture of David receiving an impromptu lesson from a ukelele master. We ended up buying his CD and enjoyed listening it to it while tooling around in our convertible Jeep...
We had such fun with the boys this year. They are very comfortable in the water now, and we spent many hours snorkeling, bodysurfing, swimming, and just hanging around.
Our precious ones...
Feeding the koi...
Turning 'A' into a merman...
Goofballs...
Hula Grill...
This is one of the many plumeria trees in front of our lanai at the place we stay in Napili. The boy learned how to climb the tree and make us a little nervous as they pushed the envelope climbing higher...higher...higher...
On top of Haleakala...
Coming down from Haleakala, we were all famished and stopped at a sweet little market in Kula. Snacks and treats in their protea garden and we were happy campers... Our Nature Boy It has been such a joy getting to know the unique traits and interests of 'A' and 'R'. They are both so different and it's wonderful to witness.
'R' engages his senses to a degree that I envy. He is the first to notice color, flavor, scent, texture and brings them to my attention. He loves all things of nature and often asks that I take pictures of his little collections (taking a picture is our agreement over taking all the items home).
The beginning shell collection...
We all got a little too much sun one day and our little guy crashed on the couch...
The pod of a Signature Tree...
'R' and Albalucia created a little "corral" to hold 'R's shell collection. It was made out of seed pods from the kiawe tree...
Hula boy...
'R' with Breadfruit...
We were blessed to spend one of our two weeks with Fabio and Esperanza (AKA Dado and Dada), staying at the same property, two doors away! They brought two couples with them, visiting from Colombia. FUN was the operative word!
Good times snorkeling...
Dado and Dada...
Amigos de Colombia...Alejandro, Isabel, Roberto, Albalucia
We had a feast one night. Tons of food...
David and Fabio grilling the meat...
Dada and the spread...
What do Colombians do when they get together? They SALSA!!!
Isabel stood on a ottoman to dance with David :)
Lovely Miss Shannon, Uncle Paul's beloved...
The group sans moi (someone had to take the picture...)
The group with me (Isabel took the shot)
One night, after dinner with John and Ann, we were all walking at Whaler's Village, and outdoor shopping mall. They had a hula show and we noticed a familiar figure on the stage...
Every time we visit Maui, we also get to visit Shannon's family. They are such wonderful people, and we are blessed to have them as friends. Carol always goes above and beyond, making an incredible dinner, and opening her home with loving 'hookipa' (hospitality.)
The boys adore Nick. We will miss this Army-bound young man...
The sistahs...(Shannon and 'A'...)
The mamas...me and Carol
The papas....David and Cowboy
The lovely couple, Uncle Paul and Shannon...
On our last full day on Maui, we spent the late afternoon with Paul and Shannon. Paul took us to the beach where he practices on an outrigger canoe team. This is their boat...
We did not intend to visit Maui this year. With the move, it just did not seem feasible. BUT, when we heard that our Noth Bend friends (John and Ann), our Roseville friends (Antone and Cynthia), and our family (Fabio and Esperanza), were all coincidentally going to be there at the same time, how could we say no?!
John and Ann have a timeshare the same place we have one, so we were able to spend time together for dinners, walks, pool, beach, and church!
John and Ann at Leilani's...
...and Hula Grill...
...the guys taking a break from our post dinner walk at the Westin hotel...
Our California friends, Antone and Cynthia, stayed in Kihei. We met up with Antone for church and lunch on a Sunday...
...then, on our second to last night, they came to our place in Napili for dinner, and they taught us a fabulous card game called '3-13'. David won! Beginner's luck...
Visiting our tidepool...
Cynthia climbed the tree with the boys. She rocks!
The biggest treats we were unable to catch on film. These are the unbelievable variety of fish we saw while snorkeling, and the sea turtles. Best snorkeling was an Kaanapali Beach by Westing KOR North, and sea turtles at Napili Bay. We actually had a turtle swim right along our feet!
This bird lives in the koi pond at the Westin Kaanapali Villas North. every year, we enjoy watching him track and catch small fish...
The koi... The geckos...
This little fella jumped off of a tree to what we thought was the ground. I later discovered while removing my barette, that he was on my head! He them jumped onto my chest and I was able to take him back outside (after screaming, of course...)...
I still can't believe 'A' found this one. This gecko is about the size of a child's finger. Can you see it on the black strip?
Little crabs were all over this little beach in Kihei. The had holes dug in the sand and would pop out of them if you were quiet.
I took a ton of pictures for our trip to Maui. Many are not making it on the blog, but many are. I decided to group them in themes; otherwise, this would be the longest post in the history of this blog.
This first post will focus on the beauty of Maui. We visited in the summer for the first time. Typically, we go in the winter. It was a joy to discover flowers in bloom that do not occur in January. so, sit back, turn on some Hawaiian tunes, open the window, and breathe in ALOHA...
Leaving HNL to Maui...
My favorite flower...the plumeria...
The view from our room at the Westin Kaanapali Villas North...
Da Palms...
This is from the "Shower Tree". In all the years I have been going to Maui, I have never seen this tree in bloom. I love it!!
Variety of lovely flowers...
Beautiful foliage on the road around Kahakuloa...
The gorgeous sunsets...
Views heading up Haleakala...
Overlooking Wailuku and Kahului...
You can see the island Kahoolawe and Molokini crater ...
Haleakala summit. 10,023 feet!!!
The summit has an observatory that is closed to the public. OK, so it's not so pretty, but it's still kind of cool.
The Haleakala crater...
The silversword. This plant only grows on Haleakala. It's lifespan is 50 years and will bloom only once. After it blooms, it dies.
Kihei...
DH had set up some music recording equipment for himself, but we heard 'A' playing around with it. I was able to catch some on film before he realized I was there. This is an 'A' original. He loves to make up songs. I am glad we caught this because the songs are never the same.
We met up with my friend and her boys, at the California State Railroad Museum. We had a great time looking at all the different trains and even getting to ride one!
Boarding a caboose...
We took a 40 minute train ride along the Sacramento river!
Leaving the station...
The state capitol building in the distance...
The Sacramento River...
Inside the museum. The boys are listening on to recordings on phones.
'R' is getting "Stereo sound"...
This was a neat car that had settings of all the different china sets from all the train lines.
There is a wing devoted to toy trains...
Our cat caught this fabulous lizard and proceeded to scare it to death :( I am OK with the lizards, but am mentally preparing myself for when he brings home a snake...
Located in the Sacramento area, 'Riverbend Prep' provides a Christ-centered homeschool for two boys, 'A' is 1B6 and 'R' is 2B5. I define myself as a Sonlight mom with Charlotte Mason tendencies... :)
• Bible: Egermeier's Bible Story Book
• History/Geography: Sonlight Core C Books
• Memory Verse: Sing The Word From A To Z
• Math: Singapore Earlybird
• Character: A Child's Book of Character Building
• Art: Artistic Pursuits
• Art Appreciation: Come Look With Me
• Spanish: El Espanol Facil
• Phonics: Explode the Code
• Science: Sonlight
• Handwriting: A Reason For Handwriting
Personal Bookshelf
Beth Moore Bible Study: Living Beyond Yourself
For the Boys
• Sonlight Read Aloud List
"Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us."
Thomas Paine
The four musketeers...
Stirring the sugar water
Adding food color...
Colored sugar water. The experiment called for the water to be placed in pie tins or foil.
The final product. These are edible and can be used on ice cream or in a drink.
Heather, Katie, Ginger, Tina, Kelly, Leslie
Colleen and Megan 
Carrie, Brenda, Nancy, Julie, Nanacy, Marisa
Heather, Katie, Jodi, Betsy, Lori
The whole gang...special thanks to Lori's mom for taking the picture.
