We're Fines Thanks

Alright, all you wannabe interior designers...

2009-02-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

...I could use some suggestions.

Our dining room has no lighting. We currently use a floor lamp, only because we have no other lighting & need something. We don't like that lamp, and intend to get rid of it once we have a better option. We do not wish to have an electrician wire in lighting.

Sooo....

Here's the ceiling:

We have a deep red/ taupe/ brown sort of thing going on throughout the first floor. The furniture in this room is all dark wood, and all old. China cabinet of unknown age, but old, dining room suite (table, chairs, buffet) from the 1920s, piano from about then as well. As you can see, the walls are incredibly tame beige-y wallpaper, the ceiling is red, the beams are dark brown, the floor (which I realize you cannot see) is light-ish hardwood.

What I have long envisioned is some sort of suspended grate-like thing, with lights. My first thought was to have an old window (less the glass):

...with icicle lights dangling down:

(Well, technically, my first thought was a pot rack):

...but that went by the wayside due to cost.

Anyways. Potential problems with the old window idea:

it might be hard to find an appropriate window (I did find one, and am kicking myself I didn't buy it on the spot, because they're not as common as they once were)
with it being an old window, once the panes are removed, will the structure be strong enough to hang suspended, horizontally?
also due to its age ... probably lead paint on it, and this is above our dining room table - I could *probably* deal with this issue somehow, but it's just a risk to consider

Then I bought this really pretty willow swag:

...which made me think perhaps instead of a window, I could make some sort of entwined willow (or other twig/sapling) grid or structure. I cannot find anything anywhere that is like what I envision, however, think like this:

...or this:

...or this:
...and you'll get the idea I'm after, I think.

I also started second-guessing the dangling lights (the ceiling is not very high, it's a drop ceiling), though I still like the tiny lights idea, so I bought this: (can return if it's a bad idea)

...thinking that the lighting would go first, close to the ceiling, and the other bit would be below.

NOW I'm thinking, the willow-y idea is a nice one, either very simple & just willow, or with things like
-pussywillow
-lavender
-eucalyptus
-berries
-dried grasses
-wheat
-peppers??
-strawflowers
-pomegranite (don't they look neat?):

-coffee beans... ha ha - though it would be nice, if there was a way - the kitchen, immediately next door, has a coffee theme

I do have 3 sprays of sparkly red berries like this:

If I went with stuff other than just the willow, even though I just listed ten million things, I would want it to look random & sparse - rustic, but somehow elegant ... if that makes sense.

I am not married to the idea of the willow/sapling. Other things I'm tossing around:
A regular cedar trellis:

...reserve judgement for a minute on this, until you think about it - regular ol' wire fencing:

(looking at the further-back one, with large-ish rectangles) - in this case, I would need to spraypaint the fencing, probably brown, and definitely stuff like those listed above would be wired to it, plus the lights would probably be resting right on the wire mesh ... the wire part would be not at all the focus.

...but back to my original line of thinking ... it would be SO cool to find wrought iron fence or gate:

...or a wrought iron bed:

One last thought. I was at Canadian Tire today, and saw a really pretty decoration - it's a metal wall scroll thing - which would be really beautiful to use, if I found a way to incorporate it:

Oh - yet another last thought. I do have dozens & dozens of crystals, so could potentially incorporate them somehow.

Our furniture, being all antique (plus a grandfather clock that is not antique, but is in that style), doesn't mean we have a formal dining room. We strive for a sort of "casual elegance" feel. So whatever treatment goes on the ceiling, I think it should be complementary to the antique stuff, though need not look antique itself.

So there ya go. I'd love suggestions - not only of what to go with (and feel free to make other suggestions), but also, any "how to" bits of advice would be nice. Practical considerations include that the lights have to be accessible enough to change those wee lightbulbs without taking down everything (or making it easy to take down everything, I suppose), that obviously we need to avoid any fire hazard-ish ideas ...

We might still have additional lighting in the room. I don't mind a set of buffet lamps & a floor lamp, or something like that - so this need not be considered to be "it" for lighting.

Looking forward to hearing what y'all think!

Crafting fun

2009-01-29T21:27:00.001-08:00

Nope, not the kids this time ... I've been having fun crafting for some swaps I signed up for:

A little needlefelted wallhanging set, for a woman who wanted something to remind her to relax in her sewing room:

a jewelery set for another woman, for a valentines day swap:

wool roving I dyed, for a roving-spinning swap - I send roving (some for her, some for me) and she spins mine. (o:
Lotsa fun. All my stuff is mailed out - now to sit back & wait for my goodies in the mail!

G'bye, 11th Street

2009-01-29T21:26:00.003-08:00

Here I am, in my last half-hour of owning the 11th Street house. Ahhhh.

School Board meeting

2009-01-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Well. If you ever want to die of boredom, sit in on a School Board meeting.

No, really though. Parts of it, I admit, were less than enrapturing. But there was plenty that was interesting. The biggest plus to having attended this meeting, though, is that now I will be an informed voter. I saw the trustees in action, and now know which ones I tend to agree with, and which I - um - do not.

So despite the boredom factor, I would actually recommend anyone who has a vote, just mosey on down there some night, sometime before the next election. As a spectator, you can leave when you've had your fill - but I think it's good to know how the trustees think.

On the down side - man, that was my Monday night, night off! Sheesh. So instead of lively conversation over a cup of coffee, I had quiet attendance at a meeting. Will I go again? Not unless something very important brings me there.

Pink Skies, Smiling on Me...

2009-01-23T12:57:00.000-08:00

Nothing but pink skies do I see.

Isn't that beautiful? For the last couple of weeks, we've experienced these amazing sunrises on the way to school. Instead of the easterly sky being pretty, the skies are gorgeous pink all the way around the horizon! Must be a time-of-year thing, I'm thinking ... but whatever it is, I count myself lucky to be able to see it every day.

Oh - and that first shot - you can see the skating rink someone's made on a pond ... isn't that cool? Country livin'.

Life's Little Challenges...

2009-01-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

Things are looking up. It's all good, because:

...the house is SOLD! Furthermore, possession date is sneaking right up ... the 20th. Now it's just a matter of removing our last belongings, selling some stuff ... pretty simple.

Only on the 15th:

...a pipe froze and burst. That caused hot water to shoot all over the place, taking down the kitchen ceiling. And draining down into the basement.

Some aspects of this are amusing ... like kitchen drawers that can apparently hold a full load of water (all 3 did this).

...or like the light fixture that is dripping water. Well okay, that's not so funny.

And some things are actually quite beautiful. This sculpted lady, who can no longer see out of her window because of all the frost (the house was incredibly humid, all the windows from basement to third floor were frosted over) ... seems to be looking down at the chaos from her safe little perch. Of course, she always sits in the same spot, looking at the same thing ... it just kinda looked meaningful the other day.

Finding the Bright Side

The bright side? Sure, there is always a bright side.

About the original disaster:
-bright side - we seem to have caught the problem quickly - it could have caused much, much more damage
-down side - uh-oh, we should have read our insurance policy closer - it's not covered.

About finding tradespeople to fix this mess up:
-bright side - we were really lucky & found an electrician who could come promptly, a drywaller who was willing to cancel his weekend plans to help us, and the plumbers, who came on the afternoon of the 16th.
-down side - the plumber found 3 breaks in the pipe, fixed them, and knowing there were at least 2 more, was called out on another emergency. Thus, we had to resume our plumbing thing (which had to come before the drywalling of course) on the weekend, at over time rates. $102/hour ... ouch. Three hours & three more pipe bursts later, however, no more drips. (Well, there never were drips - just sprays). Other down side - the box that houses the bathroom pipes in some aesthetic fashion had to be ripped up to fix the plumbing, thus we need to re-build one.

About our progress:
-bright side - our very kind drywaller was so accommodating, and he worked around everything else ... everything was going just dandy
-down side - ...until the furnace stopped working. The furnace motor seized up, probably the crap (dust etc) in the air from the incident was the final nail in its coffin. This, of course, occurred on Sunday. What's that you say? More plumber overtime? Why yes!

-bright side - it can be fixed with a new motor
-down side - a new motor & labour to install it will be around $500 ... a nice gift to the new owner

Today:
-bright side - the night went by uneventfully. There are many space heaters in there. No more frozen pipes, please!
-down side - the motor is proving harder to find than originally thought, and we will not have a working furnace until tomorrow.

About the house sale:
-bright side - it seems to still be on.
-down side - the possession date is extended several days, while we fix up the mess - hopefully we're done by the new date.

We're tired. And more than that, we're weary. Hopefully things will take an upturn, and no more little surprises will await us.

What kind of thermometer is this?!?

2009-01-05T09:22:00.001-08:00

It only goes to -40? That is just silly.

Brandon had the dubious distinction of being the coldest place on earth, this morning. Yes, you heard me right. Colder than Siberia. Than Mongolia. Than the North and South poles. The coldest place on earth.

With windchill, we came in at -50C. Now we're basking in the -35 (-44 with windchill), at 11:30 in the morning.

Christmas spirit

2008-12-25T16:30:00.000-08:00

...or is it National Lampoon's Christmas spirit?

Christmas moments

2008-12-25T16:18:00.001-08:00

Checking out Santa's offerings...

Eagerly opening a gift...

A happy Christmas was had by all here. There were gifts aplenty (maybe too aplenty, really), the company of family, and good food. Lots of merriment & generally good times. I think everyone was very pleased with their gifts, and pleased to have given what they did as well.

Merry Christmas, all

2008-12-24T21:56:00.000-08:00

Wishing a merry Christmas to those we love - our friends we see all the time ... our friends & relatives further afield, whom we don't necessarily see much, but think about lots ... our parents, whom we are grateful to have with us ...

Especially warm wishes to Rick & Lise, who are undoubtedly having a bittersweet Christmas. Alex is in all of our thoughts.

The kids were very excited tonight, having difficulty settling down for sleep. But eventually, of course, sleep did prevail over the excitement.

Check out the quotable quotes, to your left ... M had a really amusing one tonight. They continued the longstanding family tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve. E opened one from Grampa & Brenda (oops, should've saved that one 'til tomorrow, I'm thinking!), and found a pink Rock 'n' Roll shirt! M opened one from Julie, and found a sweet sweater (which went right on, and stayed on until bedtime), and a "Puppy Surprise" (I think it's called) - a mama doggy with 3 little pups inside her tummy. Sweet! They're all soundly asleep with her.

Anyways. Santa has already been here (!) (shouldn't I be in bed before that happens?!), and it's officially Christmas day. Meaning I had better get to bed. No doubt it'll be an early morning.

Merry Christmas!

Freedom!

2008-12-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

The kids love school. But a couple of weeks off is pretty sweet, too. I think everyone's rejoicing over the lack of need to set alarm clocks.

Happy holidays!

What a great Christmas concert!

2008-12-18T19:53:00.001-08:00

We just got back from the kids' Christmas concert. "Concert" is deceiving ... it was more like a musical theatre production. Cool play with all the 43 kids in the school, about having an eco-friendly Christmas (and life).

I'll peek through my pics to see if there's anything publish-able, but there is a contract in the school division & not posting school events without express permission of each child in the picture (well, their parents that is) is disallowed. I balked at this first, then got thinking more about it - who knows how many people could be in nasty situations in which their location is not meant to be shared ... it happens, and who am I to say that my "need" to post pics of the school play trumps their need for personal safety? So, I'll play nice. (o:

I am woman, see me skate!

2008-12-13T18:03:00.001-08:00

Ha ha.

In other words, the kids & I went skating tonite. Why would that be significant? It's been over 20 years since I last skated, and that wasn't a pretty sight.

Tonite, however, 45 minutes on the ice (at least) and not one tumble. Woohoo! Oh - and the kids had fun, as well. (o;

Kids' Christmas Concert

2008-12-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

Consider this your official invitation!

The kids are in their Christmas concert this Thursday, playing once at 11 a.m., and again at 7 p.m. - we'd love to see you there! Contact me if you need directions.

Happy Birthday Dear Meezes

2008-12-11T13:04:00.001-08:00

I was editing my Meez to get in the Christmas spirit, when M came along. Naturally, she needed her own Meez. When E came along ... you get the picture.

Afterward, M said, "Hey Mom: (sung)"Happy Birthday Dear Meezes!" ... she loves the "Happy Birthday dear Jesus" cut on the Barenaked Ladies Christmas album.

The Meez family is to your left...

Getting ready for Christmas

2008-12-10T21:24:00.001-08:00

'Tis the season...

The finished result:

M got a chance to set up the Christmas village this year. Notice how everyone has their backs to us, because they're looking at the tree. Ha ha. Kinda cute:

This isn't very Christmas-y (unless you count the Christmas spirit that allowed her to do it!), but here's E's pudding hair. Okay. It's not pudding, but it sure looked like it. It's temporary mousse hair dye. A lovely reddish brown.

Devastating news

2008-11-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

My heart goes out to my brother Rick and his sweet wife Lise, who just lost their precious baby. Such unthinkable sorrow ...

Everyday view on the school drive

2008-11-28T07:43:00.000-08:00

...taken by M, en route back home one day from taking E to school.

Little Game of Catch-Up

2008-11-28T07:21:00.001-08:00

I've been remiss in not posting some of our highlights lately. So - even though they're old-ish and possibly out of order...

Let's start with long-overdue Hallowe'en pics:

Our fiendish dead bride.
Our not-so-fiendish "nice witch", admiring her glow-in-the-dark witch fingers.

Witches love carving pumpkins!

AND NOW - skating. M finished up her skating in early November, having acheived 2 levels in her session! Proud lil skater!

The ever-popular SANTA PARADE:
The tedium & agony of waiting.
The reward at the end!

A day of fun!

...but eating there wasn't such a great idea. Here's the revolting mac & cheese - even I couldn't eat it when I switched with her:

Blech!

She's not the biggest fan of my soup, but it beats the alternative:

Just slips 'n' clips of our live over the last month or two.

Childhood revisited

2008-11-25T13:31:00.000-08:00

Making lunch yesterday, I noticed the gigantic bag of marshmallows sitting above the PB. It struck me - peanut butter & marshmallow sandwiches! I hadn't had one since I was a kid - maybe 35 or more years ago. I asked M if she'd like one, and she looked at me in utter disbelief.

Well ... we had 'em.

For me, the memory was infinitely better than the actual item.

For M, it's the best thing ever.

Christmas fun!

2008-11-22T16:14:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Testing, testing!

2008-11-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

Trying to unwrap the mysteries of the Elf Yourself site ... perhaps it posts to the most recently-used blog you are in? We'll see in a second!

No More Hallowe'en?

2008-10-29T07:54:00.001-07:00

I saw E's spelling list this week, and one of the words is Halloween. The apostrophe is gone. (anyone aside from me old enough to know there used to be an apostrophe?)

Timer Day

2008-10-17T06:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a M-at-home day, but I had a lot of things to get done. Fearing I might have a day of neglecting her, instead, I thought I'd take a page from the Book of Wanda and use a timer to keep the time from slipping away.

M & I sat down & made a list of the day's activities, generally alternating from fun activity to work activity, and an estimate of the time it would take. M got to set the timer each time.

It worked beautifully - our work got done (well, almost), and we had lots of fun. Maya is quite a schedule tyrant - when that timer dinged, she was eager to move on to the next scheduled activity, work or play. "Timer Day" was a huge hit!

Monopoly!

2008-10-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

A historic moment.

M had her first game of Monopoly today.

(o:

Soapstone Carving!

2008-10-10T05:27:00.001-07:00

Above is E's soapstone-carved fish necklace. Cool, eh? She also did a person, but it broke. )o:

...and M's carvings! Two fishes, and a shape.

What a cool experience for them. E is eager to get some soapstone to work with now. (o:

Little Artists

2008-10-08T12:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow will be fun, fun, fun at school!

The kids have ongoing workshops with an artist who is exploring drawing techniques with them, plus tomorrow there is a one-day workshop with soapstone carver Michael ManyEagles. These workshops are for everyone, k-8, so both kids will get the opportunity to work with him!

Can't wait to see what they make! Will post results after.

Cool Kid

2008-10-08T12:43:00.000-07:00

Cool rocker chick(ette) by evening, still a regular kid by day! Having a spot of fun before going to a concert to hear Uncle Rick (shown here unexplainably sideways)!

Mmmm...floor pie

2008-10-08T12:41:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm. Floor pie.

(Simpsons anyone?)

Trying Hard to be a Good Listener

2008-10-08T12:40:00.001-07:00

There's M, trying to be a good little listener, sporting her new flame swimsuit!

MOOSt Exciting Drive

2008-10-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

Sadly, my camera was at home - but the other morning, on the way back from school, I saw a MOOSE! It was contemplating the highway (thankfully decided against), then turned & was loitering in someone's yard. (In the country, but just a front yard like any other). That'd be a strange sight - look out in the morning to find a moose staring back at you. (Would you want to give him a muffin?)

E's a Rock Chick!

2008-09-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

E got her first guitar - a cool, rocker electric! Check it out - and it sounds as good as it looks!

Half-Way There!

2008-09-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Well, the battle for bussing has reached its first milestone, with bussing home being provided now!

Background: Speaking with the Principal of the Alexander school in June, I was hopeful that we'd get bussing, since this was discussed between herself and the Division when they were creating the new program. Through the summer, I was in contact with senior administration of the Division, and ultimately, got the answer that bussing wouldn't be provided at this time. Yesterday I attended a meeting of
the Transportation Committee, pleading my case, and in the evening, the Principal and the Parent Council president attended the School Board meeting. At the latter, it was decided unanimously to offer us return bussing (the bus comes back to Brandon anyways every day after school, arriving around 4:20-4:30).

So... just have to contact the Transportation Supervisor to see what has to be done to get the ball rolling. Hopefully before the week's end, the kids will be returning home each night on the school bus. Ahhh.

Crafternoons

2008-09-13T16:00:00.001-07:00

M, feeling left out over our weekly moms' craft night, asked if we could have a craft night, too. Nighttime isn't really practical when you're five, I explained, but maybe an afternoon a week. Crafternoon!

Here's the result of our first crafternoon ... felted wool flower fairies!

Learning Through The Arts

2008-09-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Found a nice article that does a decent job at describing Learning Through The Arts - what the kids are doing at school!

Learning Through The Arts

So Many Firsts, So Little Time

2008-09-06T08:53:00.001-07:00

When you're a kid, you can have so many "firsts" in such a short time ... adults' heads would be spinning, but they take it all in stride. Good way to be.

The pictures above: First bike ride (I had a better one but did something bad to it & now it won't open).

First frog she caught. (Why it shows up sideways, I don't know - it's upright in my picture viewer thingy).

First day at Kindergarten. (Ditto about sideways!)

First skating lesson.

M's turn

2008-09-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

M had her first day of school today. Kindergarten ... wow, it hardly seems possible she's old enough.

She started out nervous, on the way to school ("My tummy hurts") - but seemed at ease once she was there. We were early, so were in the classroom before anyone else (even the teacher, who was in a staff meeting). I guess the other early kids were outside playing, or at the gym for the before-school program. We explored the classroom a little, Maya did some reading (stuff on the walls) and eventually, the bell rang, which signalled the others to come in.

While we were alone, Craig pointed to a bunch of magnetic letters on a whiteboard, and asked Maya to read what was spelled there. Someone had left the word, "cat". She looks over and says, without hesitation, "Welcome". Tee hee. Above the whiteboard was a welcome sign ...

I nervously checked the answering machine each time I came in the house, and dug out the cell phone, so I wouldn't miss the call if M's nervousness took a turn for the worse. But nope, no call.

Craig & I went to pick her up, and she was a happy little kid, looking like she had been at Kindergarten for weeks already. (o:

Her favorite thing about Kindergarten: "Walking with marshmallows on our feet." Huh? After much discussion, I figured out (I think) that these are imaginary giant marshmallows, intended to keep the kids nice & quiet while walking in the halls, so as to not disturb the rest of the classes. Cute.

She got a star on her name for helping a kid up the slide. (o*:

Leaving the school, M told us that, "I didn't leave nothing in my lunch." That was an odd grammatical mistake for her, but of course I corrected her. Turns out, joke's on me - she meant that. She didn't leave nothing - she left something in her lunch bag. I've gotta give that girl more credit for being right.

Anyways. Looks like the first school experience was a positive one.

First Day of School for E Today

2008-09-03T05:52:00.000-07:00

Well ... E will be heading off (that is, I'll be driving her) to school in a few short minutes. She's excited!

E, M, and I went there yesterday to check it out, and to register, etc. It's wonderful!!

They have a nice gym, the classrooms are large & bright & airy, new playstructure in the schoolyard ... all the staff are just friendly & nice ... M got a happy surprise when she went with the principal to see her classroom, and lo & behold, her teacher is one of her gymnastics instructors!! So she's starting off with someone she already knows! (Who she'll have for the next 3 years) We met E's teacher too, and she's really nice & I like her views on education.

What we heard of the program, the school day, the school year, etc - all sounds great. There was nothing at all that sounded less than wonderful. This all might sound a little over the top, but honestly, I think I've stumbled onto a real gem here.

Now if we can secure bussing, everything will be perfect!

BIG decision!

2008-09-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

What's this, you say? It's the place where E & M will learn a great deal this year. We've decided to enrol both of the kids in school!

Alexander school is running a unique (to the Division) arts infusion program - it sounds like a wonderful way to learn, and a deeply enriched experience - we're really happy that they will have this opportunity.

For a full description of the school, visit the Division's "Handbook of Schools" - pages 11-13: Handbook of Schools

...but here's an excerpt:

Alexander school offers a quality educational program based on the Manitoba Curriculum in a multi-age setting. The distinguishing feature of our programming is the "infusion of the arts" to engage students in hands-on learning experiences. At our school, students have the opportunity to explore their learning in both traditional and non-traditional ways. The provincial curricular outcomes, in all subject areas, form the foundation for planning and instruction. The infusion of arts into the curriculum is an excellent means of enhancing student learning and engagement. Students are given the opportunity to explore, learn, and present information and experiences in multiple ways. There is a greater emphasis on the process of learning through this experiential methodology. In addition to more traditional methods, students share what they have learned through the disciplines of the fine, performing, and media arts. They are encouraged to find ways of learning that help them understand concepts, analyze experiences, and develop attitudes that value the rigour that the arts require. We have guest artists who visit our school for extended periods of time, throughout the year, to enhance our learning experiences.

"Talent" is not the issue at arts-infused learning; rather, the emphasis is on learning process that encourages:
-collaboration
-inquiry
-exploration
-experiementation
-reflection

The prescribed Manitoba Curriculum serves as the foundation for our work in providing quality learning experiences for all students. Through the infusion of arts into the curriculum, we believe that students should have opportunities to achieve beyond the basic curricular expectations."

The school has three classrooms, and about 40 students. M's K-1-2 classroom has 18 students (M makes 19); E's classroom has 10 students in grades 3-4-5.

M's classroom webpage has lots of info about the primary program - check out the ABC's - Primary class

I'm thrilled for our kids that they'll have this opportunity.

For now, I'm driving them (it's about 20 minutes out of town) - hopefully as more Brandon families choose Alexander, the Division will provide bussing at some point. Meanwhile, I think it's a worthwhile investment in their education and general well-being.

Ahhh... camping

2008-09-01T06:08:00.001-07:00

Will add a pic later, once I unpack the camera. (Not like you, Wanda - my van's still packed to the gills).

Wanda & I & our kids took a last-minute camping trip this weekend. We didn't travel far - Turtle Crossing - but it was so relaxing & enjoyable. Peaceful spot. We camped right beside an open empty grassy field, which was full of frogs ... the kids loved catching them & naming them & coming up with some outlandish notions about frog behaviour. (The scientist in me absolutely cringed at the theories being tossed around ... c'mon kids, use your scientific method!! ... but from a mom POV, it was cute & funny).

The pool at TC was closed - this was a surprise to all of us, who apparently live in a bubble because it was common knowledge amongst the general population of our city - lol - but they still had everything else running ... paddle boats, the deck of ten trampolines, the gigantic inflatable slip'n'slide (wow - this thing alone was worth the admission), sandbox with tons of sand toys, smaller bouncer, slide ... you get the idea. It was such fun for the kids - they would have loved another day at it.

Campfires were really nice. I got my 2nd-ever chance to eat S'mores - yummy - how did I manage to get through four decades without those?! The 2nd night, mother nature was being testy - we got a bit of rain & a light show, so all headed to bed early. Turns out that the rain only went on for a really short time - probably 20 minutes of actual rain - but alas, by the time it was done, everyone was quiet, so it was beddy time anyways. )o:

But we had a morning campfire instead. (o:

The local camping trip turned out to be a great thing to do. It's a nice spot, the activity area is excellent, they allowed both families to use one site, so it was economical, and of course, no driving time to speak of (or gas expense). It'll be on our summertime "to do" list again next year, absolutely!

More fun & games

2008-08-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Here's me, trying to cram in as much summer fun as possible in the tiny wee bit of time remaining. I think I'm "funning" them to death.

So... last week, after returning from camping & triathalon, we had a pleasant day (or was it 2??) at home, then on the road again. This time, it was Splash Island at Portage la Prairie, then visiting in the interlake, then to Winnipeg for Tinkertown. Tinkertown: what a great place! The kids had a blast!

We've been home a solid 2 days now, time to move on again. Tomorrow it's camping locally, to enjoy some fun in the sun, swimming, campfires with friends. Ahhh.

The Labour Day weekend is upon us ... then it's back to fall-time routine. *sigh* If only summer was six months long.

The House is Listed!!

2008-08-20T21:49:00.001-07:00

I was beginning to think we would never be done - but finally, the house is listed, and we can now enjoy what's left of summer. Cross your fingers for a quick sale.

I am so thankful to our friends & family who shared so much of their time & effort to get these things done in the house - I can't imagine how long we'd have been toiling otherwise.

Activity-choosing time!

2008-08-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's about it - magic wand & all. The kids have SO many interests, it poses some serious challenges as to which they can pursue.

This fall, E would "like" to do gymnastics, figure skating, karate/tae kwon do, guitar lessons, climbing, musical theatre, and dance. Gah!

M would "like" to do gymnastics, skating, musical theatre, swimming, and climbing.

Needless to say, neither one will be getting their entire wish list - they'll have to put some thought into which ones are most important to them. But just the figuring out of when/where these things are, how much they cost, etc - what a job! Some days I just wish they weren't such well-rounded kids! (j/k of course)

Bear-y Fun Camping trip!

2008-08-20T21:37:00.001-07:00

Q: "Aren't they CUTE?"

A: "Not when they're just a few sites from your own."

Folkfest fun!

2008-08-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

In July we took a weekend out from our house-fixing-up life to enjoy the local folkfest! (And to simultaneously run our garage sale, but that's another story).

It was SO appreciated & enjoyed ...

(hmmm ... don't know why one pic came out sideways ... but I'm sure you get the idea)

Renovations 101

2008-04-08T09:50:00.000-07:00

Looks like homeschool's taking a hands-on approach these days: cleaning & renovating to move into a different home.

I can think of many academic applications being put to the test these days ... the mathematics of measurement, physics in the forces we use, biology unfortunately in some of the things we encounter while de-constructing, musicology in the careful selection of the right music to work by, when bridging the 30-some-year gap between laborers... communication skills are big on the worksite, where misunderstandings can set you back some time at best, or waste supplies or injure someone at worst ... health & safety of course are being learned at breakneck pace, pardon the pun.

Most important of all, probably, teamwork in a real-life setting is being learned. We teach our kids from the time they're toddling around about teamwork, setting up scenarios in which they can play in teamwork settings, and really, it's all for this day - the day that they're in a real-life situation that requires genuine team spirit to work toward a common goal.

I'm happy to say that E is coming through with shining colours in this challenge. A proud moment.

Science Success!

2008-03-25T12:56:00.001-07:00

After last week's science scare (scaring the kids off of science, that is), I think I've won them back - whew! More lab work, this time with things that erupt. Eruption is always good!

I don't know if these pictures will be too small for you to see ... but our little scientists did a great job of making the experiments do exactly what they were supposed to do. You can see something erupting from the bottom of the blue glass ... blobs of "stuff" travelling both up and down in the green glass, and a gigantic eruption in the red glass.

What, you ask, is all that white sediment in the red glass? The experiment called for the scientist to shake some salt into the glass ... our ... um ... enthusiastic youngest scientist enjoyed shaking salt so much that she felt it necessary to shake the entire salt shaker into the mixture! But hey - looks like it had some interesting results! We would never have seen the gigantic geiser otherwise!

Spring Has Sprung!

2008-03-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was both the first weekend of Spring, and Easter weekend - a rare combination. It feels springier than usual to me these days (maybe I'm jinxing us by saying so) ... there isn't a lot of snow left, and I'm just itching to get out on long walks & afternoons at the park.

Take a peek at the kids' handiwork with the Easter eggs ... aren't they pretty? We need to have a gigantic potato salad really soon ... our family isn't much for egg salad, but we love dyeing Easter eggs - a sad combination.

Anyways - just wanted to wish everyone a warm & happy Spring season - hoping that it brings with it new and refreshing changes. (o:

Death by Lab Report

2008-03-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the joy of Science!
Scientific method. Testing your theories in the lab. All very exciting. Will it work? Will your keen observing and digging up of existing work in this area all come together to help you form a bulletproof hypothesis which you will then carry out with greatest precision in your laboratory, to get the exact results you expected?

Erm, not exactly.

But that's alright! Scientific method allows for that. Scientific method doesn't mind things not turning out - so long as you explain why not. It's about the process.

And then it's about the report. The very structurally-defined report. The report which, as it turns out, even when it's been cleverly made into a form ahead of time, takes a l-o-n-g time for a kid to write out while classmates wait. I'm afraid my theory of someone - anyone - taking dictation while the others chimed in with the content sounds much better than it plays out. (That didn't sound bad, did it?) But really, it was very close to early death to a couple of our little scientists.

*sigh* Live & learn. Next Monday: new lab report form - possibly the world's first multiple-choice lab report. It might not do justice to the cherished format, but to save little scientist lives, I think it'll be worth it. (o;

We're Off to the Poopy Plant!

2008-03-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Heh heh ... a field trip to the water filtration plant has to inspire some jokes and crude comments, right? Who'd have thought they'd all come from the parents?

The kids are studying the water cycle in co-op this month. This is a great topic - thanks Sarah! - and it's already had some serendipitous offshoots. We missed our first co-op because we were visiting at Julie's, so in order not to start off behind, we brought along a few things we had at home that addressed the subject.

One of those happened to be a Magic School Bus book about the water cycle. Well - that was M's first exposure to Magic School Bus, and it was just perfect timing - she was absolutely enthralled with it! There was a little rolling of eyes from the other side of the table, since E considers herself done with those books by several years now, but M was just mesmerized. It led to more & more Magic School Bus adventures for us, and she's learning a ton from them. I love those books & shows!

Another great thing she learned last week while studying water cycle, though I suppose not quite so accidental, was about the states of matter. I hadn't yet talked to her about solids, liquids and gases, much less the transformation of one substance from one state to the next to the next - so it was fun to talk about that, and we have had several lively conversations since then about states of matter.

And very incidentally, just two days before I read the materials to them, and completely oblivious to the entire water cycle thing, M was asking some questions about the nature of clouds and how they formed and such - the timing could not have been better!

So. That brings us to today. It's field trip day - and our destination is the water filtration plant! I for one am so grateful that this is NOT a Magic School Bus trip ...

A Decade Today!

2008-02-27T07:26:00.000-08:00

E is TEN today! A decade old! Ten years ago at this moment she was less than an hour old. Probably her Auntie Julie & her Daddy were wrestling over her while I was still waiting for the spinal to wear off enough to get out of recovery room-jail... Amma was trapped in Winnipeg by the gigantic, Manitoba-stopping snowstorm of '98... and that sweet little 8 pound, 14 ounce, ten-fingered, ten-toed, perfect little baby girl was finally here!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY E!

Changin' It Up

2008-02-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

I applaud those homeschoolers who can get into their routine & do their thing, day in & day out. I think. At least, I applaud them insofar as I recognize that they're doing something that is SO not a good fit for us.

Yes, yes, kids love routine, yada yada. I know, I know.

Well, for starters, "kids" don't all love one thing. Some do love routine. Many do. Some do better with an ever-changing menu. I happen to have one of each. But the cool thing, so far at least, is that the one who loves routine is also quite flexible & game to try just about anything, so we're good to go.

Where am I going with all of this? Well, we're on about version twenty of what our homeschool week looks like this year. Crazy, isn't it? But there you have it. And this week, it's about to look different - again. I'm very excited about the coming changes, and am really optimistic that all three of us will have a great time while really learning a lot.

E, for all who know her, is an extremely socially-driven person. She also loves learning in a fairly social setting much of the time. So, she enjoys our co-ops & other group activities. Don't get me wrong - she also loves her hours of reading, art time, etc. - a good mix is just perfect for her. She's had a hankering for some science lately. Some good, hands-on, experimental science. I vetoed her first request for "mythbusters" style science (yipes!), but we've got lots & lots of cool stuff to cover, just waiting for an enthusiastic student or two to want to do it. So I was delighted to hear that she's eager to tackle some of it. But she also said she'd like to do it with more people - it's "better" with more. So, why not? It is better with more, if it means more enthusiasm, more ideas, more fun... that all amounts to more learning. Happily, we are able to hook up with a fellow homeschooler & her family, who also enjoy having some joint learning in their weekly "menu" - so now, every Monday morning, we'll be able to kick-start our week with a science morning, followed by co-op afternoon!

That's such a fun way to start the week, I just can't think of a finer way to stir up enthusiasm and eagerness to get back at it. The moms will take turns hosting the science days, meaning that it also buys each mom alternating Monday mornings off, for homeschool prep or groceries or just R&R. Also a wonderful off-shoot of this arrangement. Maybe even a regular cuppa together. (o:

In our family, Tuesdays are already plan-free. We have no extra-curricular or group activities, so it's our wide-open day. Yes, we school, of course ... but because we have no sports or kid activities or group activities, we're free to plan field trips, or have a PJ day, or get together with others for playdates, or do whatever fits. It's kept intentionally free from recurring activities so that we have that freedom - a weekday breather - and it's so very worth it.

Wednesdays - crazy Wednesdays! E has her job on Wednesday mornings, volunteering with the gymnastics class. We have group art class in the afternoon, then the girls both have musical theatre, and M has swimming. We're not home 'til about 7 pm ... busy, busy!

Thursdays for now will still be school in the morning, then Recess followed by History in a group setting for E - then the kids are off for their weekly sleepover with Amma 'til Friday afternoon. That'll change in April when homeschool swimming starts Thursdays ... but for now ...

So between group activities of history, science, art, co-op, recess, swimming, musical theatre, gymnastics ... we squeeze in circle time where we can, some math for E, some reading for M, english lit for E, and we're all filled up. This is promising to be a fun couple of months! (Yup, I said couple of months ... my mind's already working on the changes we'll make once the Spring weather hits!).

Sick Days = Art Days

2008-02-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

The Plague has befallen our family. Not the real plague ... guess I shouldn't say that - I just learned recently that the plague is still alive & well in this world (!!) - but some nasty virus that knocks you off your feet & makes you feel like you've just climbed a mountain ... then fallen back down it.

So. Lots of energy for schoolin'? Um, no.

I decided to declare Monday "art day". I pulled out some paints, pencils, paper cut to ATC (artist trading card) size, and we all sat down to craft our hearts out. Time stretched on ... and on ... it turned into art day. Emily made us some lunch. More crafting.

Aside from emptying the paint water, we let the materials just stay put, to resume our venture on Tuesday - we didn't feel quite "done". Finally, Tuesday afternoon, everyone declared themselves finished. Ahhh. A good, solid two school days of sniffly, cough-y, "look-at-this!" moments together around the dining room table, interrupted by the occasional need to lie down or get a cold pack or a hot tea ...

Then, after finding ourselves all finished (suspiciously all at the same time - ??), we cleaned up the supplies, then headed to the couch, popped in "The Wizard of Oz", ordered pizza (isn't that the sure cure for flu?), swapped ATCs, and revelled in the one-ness of it all. I can't say that anything could have made this cursed illness actually enjoyable, but this was the best that could have been made of it. (o:

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T18:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day!

E & M had a quiet, but very nice, Valentines Day at home today. They've both been busy making beautiful valentines and gifts for their friends and family - such creative kids! They loved giving their valentines to everyone, and of course, receiving some as well. (o;

I signed the girls up for a valentines swap through a message board I frequent, and they sent out 22 valentines each a while back. Well - their parcel arrived a few days ago, but I kept it under wraps until today. It was the perfect thing to brighten spirits on a low-energy day like this - they got to open 22 valentines, little treats, stickers, tattoos, etc. - it was marvellous!

This would usually have been their sleepover day with Amma, allowing their Dad & me a date night - perfect timing for Valentines Day - but with the kids being sick, we cancelled all of that, and Amma has been over with us instead. What a nice turn of events - it allowed the four of us girls & women to hang out today, and all of us will have the chance to be together for the evening: a true Valentines celebration.

So now - kids tucked into bed - we're wishing you and yours all a happy & healthy Valentines Day!

Disappointment

2008-02-14T18:46:00.001-08:00

Oh, the diappointment!

Everyone has been so looking forward to the Festival du Voyageurs field trip - but alas, it's not to be, for us. E has been sick for several days, and while she's feeling quite a bit better today, M has come down with the same thing. Being an outdoor winter festival, there is just no way that kids sick with flu can go - we have no choice but to take a pass on it.

On the bright side, it's an annual festival, and we're eager to attend, so there won't be anything stopping us from attending us next year, so long as we're all able-bodied!

Little Voyageurs!

2008-02-12T21:09:00.000-08:00

As part of homeschool co-op, the kids were participating in "Voyageur Games" at the park when the newspaper photographer snapped this picture. M is in the pink. E isn't in this group.

Our co-op this month is - you guessed it - about voyageurs, fur trade, etc. Here, the kids were each on a team representing one of the two main trading companies - the Hudson Bay Company, or the NorthWest Trading Company. The sled was their canoe; the poor guy pulling it was the avant position voyageur, and the rear voyageur was the steersman (why can't I remember the French term?). The two middle guys were the millieux. They had a long journey to make - going first to the church for mass, then along the river route, over several portages and one demi-décharge, and ending with one very tricky portage. They had cargo to get safely to their destination. They all did a great job - in -30 weather, I might add - and kept high spirits throughout their task! After thawing out at home, they still had energy enough to make bannock to go with the pea soup for dinner!!

On Friday, we will leave early to drive 2 hours to the Fesival du Voyageur, which will be a wonderful experience for all.

Next co-op, we plan some more fun activities, including a trading exercise...

E's most exciting news: her first job!

2008-02-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

E was watching M's gymnastics the other day, wistfully commenting that she wished she could be a volunteer (they have paid instructors, plus several younger volunteers). Her dad & I told her that probably when she was twelve or so, she'd be old enough for that job, and she clearly looked disappointed. She mentioned that she'd like to volunteer in the homeschool class, and of course, we said it would be the same thing - but - if she wanted to, she could certainly speak with Allana, the instructor, after M's class, about it. But again, with the warning that it probably was reserved for older kids.

Well ... she spoke with Allana, and emerged five minutes later, clearly thrilled - and with a volunteer job lined up to start right away!

Congratulations E!!!

Ahhh, the inaugural post!

2008-02-12T20:58:00.000-08:00

It is strange that I've started a blog. Strange mostly because I'm not a blog gal. I don't read peoples' blogs ... they've never really appealled to me. But suddenly, realizing that my good intentions to journal or scrapbook our homeschooling journey has never materialized, and that I'm much more inclined to sit in front of a monitor for a half-hour than write in a book ... I realized that this was the only logical thing to do. So now it's sounding fun!

Of course, it doesn't mean I know what I'm doing. Oh well.

So, "We're Fines Thanks" is my little online journal, mostly about our homeschooling adventures (and misadventures), but also sometimes in regular life stuff - so that we ourselves can look back & reminisce, but also so that others can share in our ups & downs.

Thanks for visiting!