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If we value the pursuit of knowledge, we must be free to follow wherever that search may lead us. ~ Adlai Stevenson

Sunday, July 27, 2014

To Blog or Not To Blog...


I'm taking a blog break. I'm really enjoying my time with the kids, being at home, and all that, though financially we're holding on by a thread. Hoping that will change soon. And I'm still contemplating exactly how I want the upcoming school year to look. And contemplating what I want to do... school, career, etc.



In the meantime, we'll be swimming in the river, hiking shady trails, enjoying good books and evening movies, watching the red-shouldered hawks that moved into a neighbor's tree, watering the garden, visiting the farmer's markets, riding our bikes, and all that goes with summer.

Have a 


And I'll catch up with everyone again soon!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

What We're Up To These Days...

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but we've been busy living!

Last week:

Swimming at the river, where we ran into friends, sat in the sun, splashed around looking for intriguing rocks, explored the river banks, skipped stones (The Boy is best at this), and enjoyed an active but lazy-feeling afternoon.

Gelatin-printing workshop at the library, part of their free Events for Teens. It was an okay workshop, but the kids said the instructor was not super enthusiastic, and there wasn't a whole lot of instruction.

Park day of course, which is always fun! I am glad to see The Girl, who has always hung back on the edges (gee, I wonder where she gets that from?) participating more in games with the other kids. And she adores climbing trees these days!

Bike rides, fencing practice, roller derby practice, grilling, long mornings in the garden weeding and watering.


This week:

Umm, not so good. We had planned on an afternoon at the river, but The Boy came down with something on Sunday, which unfortunately and painfully involved stomach cramps and vomiting.

He seemed better, but still shaky on Monday, so no fencing practice. Then, out of the blue Monday night, The Girl and I came down with the same thing. I swear, one minute I was fine, and the next, stomach cramps, and a night of vomiting.

Yesterday we laid around the house, dozing off and on. I did manage to stay awake for my telephone unemployment interview, which went fine -- they thought I worked for an actual school and might be on summer vacation, so I quickly rectified that situation, and my unemployment, pitiful though it is, has been approved. While we had rescheduled the river visit for this day, it obviously did not work out.

Today, the poor Girl is still sick. The Boy is still sleeping at the moment. I feel much better, but not at all hungry, and my usual morning coffee did not taste good, so I'm back to herbal tea. I am hoping that The Boy will have recovered sufficiently for today's library event, which is a cartooning class that comes very highly recommended. And maybe fencing. The Girl is sorry, a little, to miss the class, but a) doesn't want to get anyone else sick which is very thoughtful of her, and b) is much more interested in the henna art workshop coming up.

We were supposed to go to a pool with friends tomorrow, but I am calling that off (well, our participation in it anyway), and The Girl won't attend derby practice either. She wants to recover fully for derby boot camp which start next week, and goes for 2 hours a night, 3 nights a week, for 2 weeks! And both kids want to recover for park day.

The Girl has also agreed to start up Reading Pathways   Reading Horizons   (or ???... she needs practice/fluency work) again next week, and finish it (maybe 3-4 weeks of good, solid work). That was supposed to be this week, but I am hardly going to make a puking kid sit there  reading aloud  doing computer-based work. And my attempts at establishing a morning yoga routine will wait until I feel all better too.

So how is YOUR summer going?

Friday, July 4, 2014

Friday the Fourth....

First off... 



It has been a good, but busy, week. I [wrongly] assumed that being unemployed, I would have more time at home, but so far that has not proven to be true. Instead, it seems I am running errands constantly, for myself and everyone else! Maybe it'll get a little calmer from here on out, though somehow I doubt it! 

Our week...

The Girl volunteered for a derby demo and game leadership at an elementary school's summer program

There was derby practice and fencing practice

We went on a few bicycle rides and saw some beautiful creatures...




Cassia made a sculpture...



The kids and I did some housework

I refined my homeschooling plans a little more, focusing on the idea that less is more, or Multum non Multa

And we worked in the garden...

Black raspberries
Cucumber blossom
Baby bell pepper
Sungold cherry tomatoes
The first squash!
Our first grapes
Peaches ripening quickly
There is still plenty of weeding to do, and of course, more housework

M built a self-feeder for the chickens, which is awesome

Tonight, we're kicking it at home. All the fireworks displays that are happening tonight cost money to get anywhere near, so we're grilling, and watching a movie, title to be determined (maybe Pirates of the Caribbean? I'm trying to talk The Girl into Raiders of the Lost Ark, but she's claiming she hates it)

Tomorrow we're heading out to the coast for the afternoon. We plan to grill on the beach, and then go watch a [free] coastal fireworks display!

Have a happy, and safe, fourth! And a good weekend!