Halloween

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

Just kidding.  Halloween came and went in the blink of an eye.  We did carve our pumpkins though.

And of course there was trick-or-treating done by all.

Field Trip

I am loving the school program I picked for the children.  As mentioned earlier I am homeschooling this year, but I am not doing it alone.  Our public school has a program called the Independent Scholar Program (ISP).  With this program I choose the curriculum the children do at home and they also attend school one day a week depending on age.  This gives the kids a chance to socialize and  not become socially retarded like other homeschooled children that I know.  This was/is my greatest fear.  A few days ago we went on our first field trip and of course I forgot the camera, but today I didn't.  We went to the Mobius Science Center. My children love the Mobius Children's Museum and this new center for older children is just as good.  Everyone even Peter got to do stuff just not as much as he would at the younger museum.

There are snakes and other lovelies that the children learn about and even get to touch.

Evan with a snake

Lex with a lizard

There are lots of science type experiments for the children to play with.  This one happens to use pressure to launch a rocket.

Evan and Chris

At this center the children build dams and play with the water pressure to simulate the waterfalls and how power companies use it to make power.

Miss Diana is the teacher for ISP and she just took to Peter and Peter to her.  He found these metal sticks and lined them all up going down the table and she counted them with him.

There was a center to make bridges: Evan, Peter, and Ben

Evan made a parachute and then launched it with the wind.

I so want a wall like this.  It is magnetic and you rearrange the tubes to make a path for balls to follow down the wall.

Lex and Peter

There was a whole sound area where the children could experiment with sound waves, tuning forks and other sound related items.

Lex

Ben

They even have a huge circuit board.  Using wires the children connect the circuits to make lights light up and buzzers buzz.

This was great fun and we will be back.

First day of School

This school year we or I should say I am homeschooling the children.  They get to attend school one day a week and then the rest of the time they are home.  It was a rough start getting things going, but for being the first time I think things are going pretty well.  I thought about taking a picture of the kiddos just at home, but then I didn't.  I did however take one of Lexie as she started preschool this year.  I take her one day a week and she gets to play and learn with others.  She loves it most of the time except for the learning part.  Hahaha.  So here is her first day picture.  She is getting too big too fast.

12 Years Old

My little baby is 12.  I cannot believe it.  He is growing up to be a handsome and responsible young man.  He loves gaming with electronics but also with his family.  I love how he still wants to be seen with me and his father and isn't embarrassed when showing us affection in public.  Sometimes his is still my little boy, but then I see him in a setting where he is in charge and he seems so grown up.  He is a good singer and does really well at school.  I love this boy.

Kassidy

My niece was blessed today in the same dress that I made for Lexie

Silverwood 2012

Ahhh, summertime and that means a trip to Silverwood our own little Disneyland in the boondocks of Idaho. My children love going and since they earn tickets by reading at school, I say it is worth the trip.

This year we took the train ride for the first time.

Peter, Mommy and Lexie waiting for the train to go.

We got to see buffalo, trees and an old time train robbery.  It was a lot of fun even if Evan got a little scared thinking it was real.  The actors played out this little act at an abandoned mine and then the robbers robbed us.  Peter gave some money (the money goes to charities) and stuck his hands up.

Of course there was the Ferris wheel where Lexie and I went together.

The most important don't miss thing is the ice cream.  I think our server may have gotten fired over giving us so much but we weren't complaining.

We all took the water ride this time and all got wet!

Ben on the Merry-Go-Round

The kids all went in the tree stump.  Last time I went in with them.  Not sure I would fit this time.  They are growing so fast.

Panic Plunge time

Before:  Nice and calm

After:  I think some new underoos may be in order here.

Camping

It is no secret that I am not a camper.  I have a pin that states:  My idea of camping is when room service is late.  Yes, that is mostly how I feel felt. Camping growing up consisted of tents in the backyard with a working bathroom just steps away and hot food from the kitchen.  Doug has been trying to get me to go camping for years and I always find a way out of it.  So, when I made plans with a friend to go camping with her family Doug didn't even question he just jumped on board, even though he had been camping the previous 2 weekends.  And guess what?  I didn't totally hate it and actually had fun.  So much fun that I suggested that we do it again next year.  How's that for personal growth?

We stayed just off the road next to a river pass Metalline Falls.

Here is our little camping village.  Our tent is on the left and our friend's is on the right.

Our bathroom.  This was my addition and I believe it helped me to enjoy camping.  I can go without a shower for a couple of days, but I am not one to squat and go behind a tree.  With this puppy I didn't have to.

The weather was beautiful and sunny however, being so far north the water was still very cold even though it was August.  The kids and adults minus me braved it anyway and had lots of fun.

Peter on the river

Alexis contemplating on the river

Then we took a hike.  This wasn't a very long hike that would be for the next day, but we walked around to see what we could see.

Lex and Ev leading the way

Peter found a leaf and was very proud of it

Then there was stump jumping.

Of course there was dirt and I tried to let go and be a camping mom and let the kiddos have fun.  It just about killed me, but judging by his smile I think I did pretty good.

Poseidon Ben posing with the roasting sticks

We awoke the next morning and took down camp and then headed for some caves and hiking.  The caves were dark and chilly but way cool to see.

The Wood's heading down into the deep first followed by us.

They call this formation Jabba the Hut and since Chris is such a fan I couldn't resist the pic.

We made it to the end of the tour and better yet back up into daylight.

Hike time came and it was a hike.  I am so out of shape and it really showed, but we made it to the Canadian border crossing.  That sign is warning us about the boarder and crossing and such.  Doug is pointing to Canada.

On the way home we stopped off at some falls.  Have I mentioned yet that the water was cold?  Here is was frigid, but some braves souls ventured in.

Ben, Chris and Scott made it in to the bottom of the falls and the little pool there.

Doug made a little boat out of wood and leaves...

...and then every child wanted one and we had a great boat race on the river.

Thus ended our first true family camp out and I will admit that I enjoyed it.