Sharing Air

Hello and good morning Mom!

(and all)

October!  Fall! The Return of the Waves and… wow.. Morning S(u/o)n!

So what to cover?  Quite a bit actually.  First off lets address the question on everyone’s mind.. or at least on Auntie S’s:   "How is school going?"

School is moving along perfectly.. well maybe not perfectly.  My additional student, Hummingbird ,

(so named because her little heart  beats a million miles a minute) has been stumbling a little under the HS load but she keeps plowing through and with a little dedication will soon catch up.. if she stays focused.  She is a love lorn teen who is easily wrapped up in daydreams and musical schemes and so her attention needs the occasional refocus but she managed to stay on task most of the time. Shes a good kid.

 I expect her to return to the public school system next year and Im certain she will be ready.  Which is good.  Ive been watching and debating my choices when my two get to the HS level.  I know I want them to have that experience. Being at home really is isolating to a degree and the lack of extra curricular (although I have to say we are doing well to try and fill in those gaps) not to mention the need to learn social and working interactions.. mine are certainly HS bound.

Little Tree Climber (so named because she is my monkey) is doing well. She is keeping up and is fairly self sufficient in the classroom.  Here is a self portrait she drew in art class.  Her teacher found it interesting because of all the self portraits, hers was the only one that had the student looking off.

Chicken Little ( whatever else would I call him?) has taken to the homeschooling well. We are reading Robinson Caruso at the moment and he is managing his coursework easily (well not spelling.. but holy cow! Some of his words I can’t spell!) He is keeping a steady pace and enjoying it. No complaints from him! When he is not sitting with me and working he is often drawing. He leans towards more abstract and fiction pieces.

Our days typically begin between 8:30 and 9:00 and we work fairly steadily until about 3. Some days are a little longer and we have playtime with others and field-trips sprinkled in.

   

Halloween is coming up. So what do the kids want to be? Connor wants to be Steve from minecraft wearing a creeper mask. If you know the game you will understand why this I find this funny. Yes we have been struck by the minecraft bug. Chicken Little has always loved rocks and video games. A game that combines the two in a lego like world setting... He is in heaven. Its not a game I can complain much about in regards to the content however I am always watching to make sure it doesn't become a time sink or to something to fight over.

Little Tree Climber on the other hand has picked something far more… ummm… disturbing and hilarious … for her costume.  She wants to be cuddles from happy tree friends. These fuzzy furry cute happy animals get slaughtered episode after episode in gruesome bloody ways.  Papa  just finds it disturbing and can’t stomach much but Ive never heard my girl laugh so hard in all her life.. at least at the one episode she has seen.  Anyway..

Papa had his annual employee appreciation picnic last month. There were water balloons, bounce houses, food and family fun. Hes plant was selected as one of the top 5 places to work in the county. It was a wonderful beautiful day inland where the picnic was held.  I spent a good chuck of it talking to one employee .. an older gentleman sporting a shirt which said “Got Radiance”. He had grown up in Peru and so I learned of History and food and culture.  We talked about global concerns. It was pleasant and delightful. (Mom.. click on the following to play it!) 

(you may be asking why Zep? Because  at the last minute papa asked me to bring my Ipod  for background music at the event but given the make up of the group I didn't have any really applicable music so... we listened to Zep and CCR and other classic rock.) 

What else? Duck Hunting season is just about upon us so I have been working on a commemorative poem..

Duck on the water, paddling around

Up I come sneaking, without any sound

See you I do, as you swim about

If I had a gun, Id shoot you.. No Doubt!

Ok so its not a great poem. If I had more wordsmithing time Im sure I could spin quiet a tale.

Speaking of stories.. this past weekend I went to the Annual West Coast summit for Surfrider . It was super fun. That story to come shortly. I am still digesting the information from that and will be pulling together a summary blog of what I absorbed from the event soon as far as content. In the mean time the social aspect was a blast, I learned a lot and I got in the water as well! A busy productive and enjoyable weekend. (except for the whole being sick part)  Papa and the kiddies had themselves an equally eventful weekend filled with play-dates, parties, Mucking horse stalls, Blue Ocean film festival attending, and a friends school pageant. Once I arrived home i after exchanging brief hellos and goodbyes with Papa just in time to release him so he could head to Canada for his own work conference.  

My birthday is coming up this weekend. Fun stuff. I had planned to just take the family to see Frankenweiny but now I think I might actually take some time to celebrate over drinks and desert with friends.. in addition to the movie that is. We will see what pans out. 

Brother Billy Goat! I have not forgotten you. I plan to start offering a commentary on each of your favorite movies.. one at a time Starting with Tommy Boy. I don't know it and will have to watch it and comment next time. Just a little more patience! 

Also coming up soon.. a book review of the 5th Sacred Thing which was recommended to me by a long time friend and which Im just about done with. :) 

A shout out to Megs and Lisa! Miss you guys as well! Next time we are up that way we will work in a visit!

Charlie.. I miss you too!

That about does it for the moment. Time to get back to it! Hugs and Love! 

Mamaskylark