Marly inside a cliff dwelling.
Chris calling out to hear the echoes in the canyon.
Throwing grapes at mom because he doesn't want his picture taken during snack break.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Walnut Canyon
Walnut Canyon is a beautiful place! We tried to stop there once before, but we had our dog with us and dogs are not allowed in. So, we scratched it that day and put it on the list for another outing. Our goal is to go to one National Monument/Park, or other place of interest, each week. There are so many places within an hour drive we just can't help but see them all.
Marly inside a cliff dwelling.
Chris calling out to hear the echoes in the canyon.
Throwing grapes at mom because he doesn't want his picture taken during snack break.
Marly inside a cliff dwelling.Chris calling out to hear the echoes in the canyon.Throwing grapes at mom because he doesn't want his picture taken during snack break.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Loving Life
Today is a beautiful day! The rain is making everything so green and pretty. The weather is cool in the 60's and it was thundering and raining pretty good during Sacrament Meeting, it was loud enough to disturb a speaker as it cracked loudly about the building. Marly and I sang with the ward choir today and we were all lamenting about the fact that our family will be speaking in two weeks. Boy, they give us a LOT of time to prepare here, which I am happy for. Our last ward always sprang talks on you about a day or two before the Sunday in which you spoke, which is very stressful I think.
I have two callings, one in Primary teaching CTR 7A and one on the Enrichment Committee. Mike is an Assistant Scout Master, but he works so many hours that he can't attend very often. That is the largest damper on our happiness, Mike's incredibly L-O-N-G work schedule.
The kids are adjusting well, especially for teenagers. Our ward has 40 young women and about 15 young men. They are finding friends amongst the youth here, which are in general very polite. I hate to say this...but more polite than the youth we encountered in the Valley.
One thing I am finding very scary and weird here is the high number of publicly drunk people. We have been approached by begging drunks several times...including at a recent park day. It is very weird. I have never been approached by so many beggars, even in downtown Phoenix. And, they get right in your face. In Phoenix, they just stand on the corners. I was NEVER approached by drunks when we lived here before...so this must be something that has occurred more over the past couple of years.
We have ENORMOUS Prairie Dogs (see video) living in our yard. We thought they were gophers, but everyone tells us they are Prairie Dogs. They are not afraid, that is for sure, and they are nearly as big as our little dog! The Game and Fish department used to allow hunting of this animal, but since the Bubonic Plague in 2007 wiped out huge colonies, we are now not supposed to kill them. My questions is, can someone come get these critters from my yard? People around us are acting like we are trying to kill puppies because we want these 15 inch long rodents gone! Can you blame us?
I have two callings, one in Primary teaching CTR 7A and one on the Enrichment Committee. Mike is an Assistant Scout Master, but he works so many hours that he can't attend very often. That is the largest damper on our happiness, Mike's incredibly L-O-N-G work schedule.
The kids are adjusting well, especially for teenagers. Our ward has 40 young women and about 15 young men. They are finding friends amongst the youth here, which are in general very polite. I hate to say this...but more polite than the youth we encountered in the Valley.
One thing I am finding very scary and weird here is the high number of publicly drunk people. We have been approached by begging drunks several times...including at a recent park day. It is very weird. I have never been approached by so many beggars, even in downtown Phoenix. And, they get right in your face. In Phoenix, they just stand on the corners. I was NEVER approached by drunks when we lived here before...so this must be something that has occurred more over the past couple of years.
We have ENORMOUS Prairie Dogs (see video) living in our yard. We thought they were gophers, but everyone tells us they are Prairie Dogs. They are not afraid, that is for sure, and they are nearly as big as our little dog! The Game and Fish department used to allow hunting of this animal, but since the Bubonic Plague in 2007 wiped out huge colonies, we are now not supposed to kill them. My questions is, can someone come get these critters from my yard? People around us are acting like we are trying to kill puppies because we want these 15 inch long rodents gone! Can you blame us?
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Week 21
This week we took most of it off from "official school" and decided to take a week to enjoy being together. Sam came up for the week and we wanted to show her around. Please see our other posts (Boom Baby!) to see what we were up to this week.
This week in pictures...
Sam Rained out at Cinder Lake
Marly at Homeschool Park Day
Chris at Homeschool Park Day
Sam Rained out at Cinder Lake
Marly at Homeschool Park Day
Chris at Homeschool Park DayFriday, May 29, 2009
Boom Baby!
Nearly every day has met with rain in the past two weeks. I love rain, so I am not disappointed. We have tried to enjoy the weather as much as possible since we are SOOO happy to be away from the oppressive heat of the desert that we have lived in for the past ten years. Here is a little video of our last attempt to go hiking...
I love the sounds of gentle thunder and small flashes of lightening. We are so much closer to the clouds that it often seems MUCH louder than when we lived in the desert.
I love the sounds of gentle thunder and small flashes of lightening. We are so much closer to the clouds that it often seems MUCH louder than when we lived in the desert.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Grand Canyon & Other Stuff
Grand Canyon
Last Wednesday (was that a week ago?) we went to the Grand Canyon with Les & Ronda's family. They stayed the night and we all got up early and drove about an hour to the canyon. It was such a beautiful day! Here are some pics from that trip. It rained on the way home, but at least we did not get rained on at the canyon.
Chicken Run (Nope, not about the movie.)
We worked on a fenced area for the chickens Saturday. They are getting bigger and needed room to roam...safely! We added a doggie door to the coop so they can get in and out of the coop as needed to get out of the wind, rain, and snow. Our bunny, Joey, decided he wanted to explore that area too and had a great time hopping around. He was hilarious doing some extra little hops and twists to show how excited he was to be out in the dirt. The bunny has a hard time with the doggie door, he sometimes slips off the ramp and takes several attempts to get into the coop/shed. I need to get that on video...it is so funny!
Bunk Bed
Chris got a bunk bed for his room off of Craigslist. It is one of those with a futon couch on the bottom. We spent hours putting that thing together on Saturday. *whew!* He is happy to have the couch so he can sit on that while he plays Playstation games and uses his Linux computer that we built together. We now have plenty of beds so come on up and visit!
Goat Barn Anyone?
We are looking for a large shed or small barn to house some goats. Marly is anxiously waiting for the right price on milking goats, but she needs a place for them to stay first so we can keep them safe (see More Nighttime Visitors). She has saved up close to $200 for the goats, but it is far from enough for a shed for them to live in. Heavenly Father has blessed us with several things to allow us to have animals and I believe he will send something our way when the time is right. Craigslist and Freecycle have been huge blessings!
Last Wednesday (was that a week ago?) we went to the Grand Canyon with Les & Ronda's family. They stayed the night and we all got up early and drove about an hour to the canyon. It was such a beautiful day! Here are some pics from that trip. It rained on the way home, but at least we did not get rained on at the canyon.
Chicken Run (Nope, not about the movie.)
We worked on a fenced area for the chickens Saturday. They are getting bigger and needed room to roam...safely! We added a doggie door to the coop so they can get in and out of the coop as needed to get out of the wind, rain, and snow. Our bunny, Joey, decided he wanted to explore that area too and had a great time hopping around. He was hilarious doing some extra little hops and twists to show how excited he was to be out in the dirt. The bunny has a hard time with the doggie door, he sometimes slips off the ramp and takes several attempts to get into the coop/shed. I need to get that on video...it is so funny!
Bunk Bed
Chris got a bunk bed for his room off of Craigslist. It is one of those with a futon couch on the bottom. We spent hours putting that thing together on Saturday. *whew!* He is happy to have the couch so he can sit on that while he plays Playstation games and uses his Linux computer that we built together. We now have plenty of beds so come on up and visit!
Goat Barn Anyone?
We are looking for a large shed or small barn to house some goats. Marly is anxiously waiting for the right price on milking goats, but she needs a place for them to stay first so we can keep them safe (see More Nighttime Visitors). She has saved up close to $200 for the goats, but it is far from enough for a shed for them to live in. Heavenly Father has blessed us with several things to allow us to have animals and I believe he will send something our way when the time is right. Craigslist and Freecycle have been huge blessings!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Week 20
Busy, busy, busy...that is life as a homeschool family. This week we went to the Grand Canyon on Wednesday with some family. It was a beautiful day!
Christian - King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Sir Thomas Mallory, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (Playaway)
Marlayna - Mariel of Redwall by Brian Jacques, Salamadastrom by Brian Jacques
Me - Books - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Do Together -
Christian - King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Sir Thomas Mallory, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (Playaway)
Marlayna - Mariel of Redwall by Brian Jacques, Salamadastrom by Brian Jacques
Me - Books - Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Do Together -
- Devotionals - Let Him Ask of God
- Read Aloud - Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingals Wilder
- Government and Freedom - Key Constitutional Concepts (Judicial Branch) Part 1 & 2
- Mathematician - Mathematicians are People Too "Count on Pascal"
- Musician - Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers - "Mozart", The Story of Mozart CD
- History - Grand Canyon feidltrip -History of the buildings, founding of the Grand Canyon, etc.
- English and Grammar - Winston Grammar - Adjectives and Adverbs, The School House Rock videos Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get You Adverbs Here and Unpack Your Adjectives (see Mom Notes below)
- Science - skipped science this week
- Fieldtrip - The Grand Canyon! We went to the Grand Canyon on Wednesday with family that stopped in to visit. Pictures coming soon!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
School House Rock
I remember these little videos that used to play during Saturday morning cartoons. I ran across them on YouTube and thought...."I can use these for homeschool." I mean, I thought they were catchy and fun when I was a kid. Of course, my kids think they are corny...but they do teach something, unlike most cartoons these days.
This one is my favorite - Conjunction Junction:
Here are some others that I found about:
Grammar
Government & History
There are tons more...
This one is my favorite - Conjunction Junction:
Here are some others that I found about:
Grammar
- Interjections!
- Lolly Lolly Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here
- A Noun is a Person Place of Thing
- Verb
- Unpack Your Adjectives
- Grammar: The Tale of Mr. Morton
- Prepositions
- Pronoun
Government & History
- I'm Just a Bill
- No More Kings
- The Preamble
- The Shot Heard 'Round the World
- Elbow Room
- The Great American Melting Pot
There are tons more...
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