Homeschool

Posted on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 08:32

I'm quite happy with my kids progress with their school work this year.  I'll have to admit, I'm not very good at routine and so sometimes things get left undone and progress is slow.  However, my kids love thier new computer math program called Teaching Textbooks and have been faithfully working on that.

They have also voluntarily picked up their typing tutor program again and have been competeing with each other in their scores. 

It was also by random that my oldest grabbed a book not too long ago on the ancient Greek culture and read the entire book in two days.  I was quite impressed and evidently so were his brothers that they also grabbed books and proceeded to become bookworms.  C. has read two whole book this week and J. is working still on the Ancient Greek culture one and Ziggy, who is just learning to read is reading a small beginner's book.

I was impressed though, when I offered to buy them more books to read and I suggested a story book that niether C. nor J. wanted anything to do with story books.  I asked why not? and their reply was this:  "Not enough facts and information in a story book.  We want books with information!   Well, then, maybe i should get them a set of encyclopedias!  LOL

Ziggy also suprised me the other day when he got down to business counting objects so that he could write the numbers coresponding.  He said, "It take too long to count one at a time"  and he promptly started counting properly by twos.  I did even teach him that!  I thought he would be stumped though, when he came across a problem with three objects in a row and then two and two and one.  It didn't even stump him for a second.  He just carried on counting without hesitation only in a different order.  "3, 5, 7, 8"  I was totally impressed.  My baby is not a baby anymore!  He's got math skills!

My only regret this year in homeschooling is that I have not done very well with teaching them Grammar and writing skills.  I'll have to do better from now on.

Here are some picture of the boys with their music and reading and their forts (in the making)  and skiing.

Swimming Lessons

Posted on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 08:42

The boys are doing great in their swimming lessons and are having a lot of fun too.  They are doing them with all their homeschooling friends and we are getting  a special group rate. 

Ziggy is in a group with some younger kids and C and J are in a group for the middle kids and their is one more group of older kids. 

Here are some pictures of the kids swimming and the beautiful, fun facility we have here  for a such things. 

The Moose Came Back

Posted on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 12:42

I guess the moose were hungry and wanted some limp tomatoe and squash vines from my greenhouse.  It appears they took the plastic off the door and helped themselves to breakfasts.  It was a bit lighter as it is several hours later so I managed to get some pictures.  The boys are really enjoying standing out on the porch and watching this mama and her baby.  The Moose don't seem to mind a bit.  They seem to sense that even with the camera pointed at them and clicking and flashing away, they are in no danger so they are cooperating quite nicely.

Long over due blog!

Posted on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 09:31

Good Morning Everyone,

I realize this blog is long overdue!  I can't really help it as I really don't have anything new to say.  Life continues on in a hum drum sort of way and although I am very busy, it all seem rather boring to write about.

Anyway, i thought I would just write my rambling thoughts this morning. 

I was thinking about a friend of mine that I went to school with back in the day, long long ago.  We just recently reconnected through facebook and she also writes a fairly faithful blog.  She has been writing about her frustration at not feeling much emotion about anything.  I can't even imagine how that would be as I'm probably the opposite to the extreme. 

I was only thinking about that because last night as I was driving into town with my son, I wasn't long on the Alaska Highway when I noticed that a lovely big pickup truck and shot out from a side road, straight across the highway and landed fair and square in the ditch on the other side.  There was no way for him to just back out, he was over his tires in deep snow.  I figured whoever was in the truck was probably still in one piece as the truck hadn't rolled or slid or anything but just landed nicely in the bank.  There was however one of his sled dogs that must have been in the back of his truck, laying quite lifeless in the middle of the road.  I pulled over but was happy that a couple of transport trucks also pulled over and the men jumped out and hurried over to the people and the dog.  They were doing their best to help the situation.  That's good because I would have been of little help as I immediately became a blubbering mess!

When I was a kid I had a most wonderful childhood but I was traumatized by two things.  One,  It seemed are family was plagued by car accidents and each one was scary and traumatic.  Although some of them were minor, others involved blood, broken bones and scars.  They were truly very scary events in my life.  So, now I have a hard time getting my emotions under control everytime I see an accident.  It brings back so many tragic memories and feelings of fear and and pain. 

The other thing I was really traumatized by was having pets and then losing them.  I was a real sucker for falling in absolute love with my animals only to have to give them away because we were moving or someone else was moving in and we couldn't keep our animals.  Eventually that oft replayed trauma triggered something in me that turned off my emotion toward animals and I grew a hard thick wall around me and I felt nothing towards any animal for years.  It wasn't until I was actually grown that my parents got me a little pit bull/bull terrior cross that I eventually began to melt and soften again.  Well, that little doggie didn't last long either as someone poisoned her and her puppies and I  cried my heart out.  But it had broken the wall and I have been an emotional mess when it comes to animals again, ever since.

So last night, while I was driving and came across both an accident and a dead sled dog I cried my way all the way into town much to the bewilderment of my son who thinks that's just a little too wierd.

Well, I think it is weird too but I can't seem to do anything about it.  So I blubber my way though life crying and laughing often at the same time.  Way too much emotion in one person!  What does one do about that?

On another note,  I looked outside into the dark very early this morning and discovered two huge moose licking the salt off my van.  I opened the door from just a few meters away and they were not intimidated at all.  I tried to snap a picture and the flash startled them for a second but they just stood there and looked at me.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get my camera to actually take a picture.  It just wanted to flash and so I went into the bathroom and closed the door and tried for at least a good 5 minutes to get the thing to take pictures in the dark.  Eventually I figured it out and by the time I came back outside, the moose had miandered into the woods and were gone.  OH, the frustration!  Happy to see the moose though, such beautiful creatures.  My favorite!

My Laptop is Busted!

Posted on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 08:40

I'll have to say this, not very cheerily, My kids were building forts and had a laundry basket and a plastic utility shelf stacked up on the couch on top of cushions and blankets and, well you know the mess kids can make, and it all came crashing down on top of my open laptop sitting on a little side table.  I am so not happy!  The screen looks shattered but doesn't feel broken.  However, it doesn't show anything but colourful lines and black shatter lines and smudges.  The key board part has a dent in it.  I'm so sick!  Anyway, I am working on My hubby's computer right now and will have to bring mine in to have someone take all my info off the hard drive and put it on CD's for me.  Waaaaaaa!

So if you don't see me on the computer often,  that's why!  Hmmmm!  I wander what God's purpose is in all of this.  I know he is the orderer of all our circumstances and I am trying hard to see the reason.  Can't see it yet but  I guess I'll have to give it some time.

Nasilele

Posted on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 08:14

I once knew a cute little girl called Nasilele when I lived in Africa.  I loved her name from the first time I heard it and finally I have made a little doll worthy of being called such a beautiful thing.   This doll seems to be the most popular of all that I've made so far and I think it is because of the dark skin and dreads.  Isn't she cute?  I also gave her as colourful of clothes as I could find because I remember how much African people loved brilliant colours.

Here she is:

Homeschool quilts

Posted on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 09:08

I spent a couple of Fridays making these quilts and more (many are not pictured) with the group of homeschool kids here.  It was fun and 15 kids participated.  So, today we got to hang their little quilts up in the public Art center at the college in town today.  The kids are pretty proud of their work.  Lots of them sewed them with a little help from some adults and then I bound the edges and embroidered the writing in.  We are going to be displaying even more of the kids art at the art center as well, such as their pottery and other beautiful things.  Hopefully it will be a very attractive display.

Here are a few pictures of some of the quilts.

Safely Back from the Nieghbourhood Stroll!

Posted on Friday, January 1, 2010 at 11:41

Yesterday, we got a phone call from our nieghbour.  He invited us to go on the annual walk about.  He said,  "Come, for this walk about thing and bring along some food for a potluck."  He explained that we would start at the culdisac at the end of the road and walk to Syah's house.  Well, I didn't where Syah's house was but if we are carrying food and taking along a bunch of kids in -27* C. then it wasn't very far.  I told the boys to get all their winter gear on and grab their two way radios even though I was sure we wouldn't need them.

C. and J. decided they wanted to ski so the got thier thin little ski boots on and out we headed.   We met up with the nieghbors and began our walk.  I suddenly realized that we were walking in the opposite direction then I thought we were going to and we were walking deeper and deeper into the forest.  After about 1/2 hour C. was frozen.  Other neighbors more prepared started piling him with their extra clothes.  I told him to take off his skiis and run.  He did, and I added the poles and skis to my load.  But he was not warming up.

Soon, I traded my big winter boots with him for his little ski boots and my gloves for his kid gloves.  Oh, boy!  After an hour and even deeper in the woods, he was crying.  Ziggy was playing, laughing, and running in circles so he was fine.  But J. had skied on ahead following the tracks of the skiers gone before. 

We continued hiking and I realized that J. must be very cold but we were not ever catching up to him.  I tried the two way radio but the  were frozen and not working.  I began to worry!

We marched on for the second hour and I was getting desperately worried about J.

Finally we came to Syah's house and I shouted, "Is J. here?"  Nope, no one had seen him.  I was frozen and my mind began to think of all the other possible trails he could have taken in the woods into the wild blue yonder, soon to be dark.  Men started running  down the trials in every direction to certain junctions to see if they could find him but no.  They called a nieghbor with a skidoo to take that out on the trails. 

Mean while the temperature is quickly dropping to -30* C.

I'm beginning to panick and I phone home to see if he went back but no,  he's out in the woods.  I call my husband to tell him J. is lost and I'm crying and stilll shaking like a leaf myself (I didn't realize how cold I was.  I was more concerned about J)

About 20 neighbours were organizing themselves with radios and cell phones and skidoos and into a major net work  search party and had decided that they would search for a 1/2 hour before calling search and rescue.

Well, just as they were about to head off on their expedition, here came two more hikers and one very frozen J.   Everyone cheered and I cried.

I guess he had found himself all alone and his radio, being frozen, wouldn't work.  He found two well skied trails and wasn't sure which one he should take so he took the wrong one.   Eventually he decided he didn't have a clue where he was going so he turned around and headed for home.  Where upon he met two more skiers, one of which he knew.  The told him to follow them and they arrived just in time to halt the search party before they started.

At the end of the great potlock and get together of about 40 neighbours and lots of kids, I got a ride home and then tried to start the van so I could go and pick up the boys, but the van battery was frozen and wouldn't start.  So I used my husband's mini pick up.  It started well but then died when I got in the neighbors drive way.  Argh!  The neighbor men were able to get the old beast started again for me and so, the end of the story is:  We are all home safe and sound.  J.'s toes still hurt a bit even after all night of being warm.  I suspect a little fost bite.

I believe God had his protecting hand over J.  and someday i hope my son will see how much God loves him.  He has a plan for that boy!

I have an Etsy shop!

Posted on Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 03:53

Please pop by and have a look.  I'm axious to get some input and comments.  I would like some ratings and also some customers.  Some people may think that things are a little on the expensive side but if you consider how many hours go into each piece of work you would understand that they are very fair prices.  The dolls take about 10 hours to make at doll and clothes.  The quilts take much much longer then that and extremely detailed in stitching.  They are pieces of Art, not blankets.  I hope you enjoy.  I can't wait to see some reviews on there.  Thanks.

www.etsy.com/shop/itssewjulie

Obsession? Maybe!

Posted on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at 02:28

I'm really enjoying making these little dolls.  I'm sorry if you are bored of them by now but that is what I have been doing and I'm having fun.  I want to make a whole bunch and sell them.  I'll have to say that I'm getting a little better at it and finding stuff that works real well.  One problem is that I'm running out of skin colored fabric and I don't know where to get more.  I happened upon the stuff that I'm using now in a clearance bin and I only bought a couple meters.    Living way up in Norther Canada doesn't make for just heading down town and finding what you need.  Unfortunately it is very hard to find a lot of things I need here.  Argh!

Anyway,  Let me introduce you to ........

Kaitlynn Anne

Her pretty braid and ribbon

Here she is showing off her new outfit.

The boys call him Edward James

Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 at 04:41

So let me introduce you to the new little guy called Edward James.  He was finished last night and I took him to town with me.  I was showing  a friend when a lady (stranger) came up and asked where she might get one.  She ended up taking my name and phone number.  He actually seemed more popular then the girl. 

So here he is!  Ta Da,  Edward James

Oh and here he is with his friend.

My husband's been working hard

Posted on Friday, December 25, 2009 at 04:00

My mother in law has allowed my husband to rebuild his dad's plane.  He had originally built it with his dad years ago but then his dad had an accident with it and crashed into a swampy area and damaged it.  Well,  unfortunately he was killed in another plane accident (he was not the pilot) a month later and that was 9 years ago.  I am happy to say that now that my husband has got it hauled up to where we live, it is beginning to take airplane shape again and hopefully will be flying by next summer.  This is my husbands big hope anyway. 

Here is the first wing that he finished covering as of yesterday.  He is pretty happy with the way it all turned out.  He just needs to shrink the cover a little bit more so it is a little bit tighter and then it will be ready for whatever comes next.  Painting maybe? 

Here is a picture of his hard work.

The bottom of one wing.

The top of the wing