This year we decided to try skiing/snowboarding as a family.  Not very often - no ski pass for us.  We decided to limit it to four times.  We usually go to Mount Baker after Christmas to go sledding and it has become something of a tradition.  This year we brought our ski/boarding gear as well.  Normally we sled at the upper lodge (it's nice to have a bathroom close by), but the upper lodge was closed.  It's only open on weekends and holidays.  So we turned into the lower lodge and suited up.  The rope tow is free and so John and the kids spent 1 1/2 hours on it.  By the end of it they were soaked.  It rained.  It didn't take many photos just helped kids at the bottom, took care of the dog, and helped with getting gear on and off.  An hour in the lodge warming up and home we went. 


The next time we went, John and I skied together while the kids took a lesson.  Unfortunately it was on a Saturday and only the upper lodge offers lessons.  Lona was placed in a level 2 class but never made it off the rope tow.  That was disappointing. Some of the kids were placed in the class but had never skied before or used the rope tow and then they had to go to the bathroom, so they ran out of time.   Isaac and Job were in a class with each other and were able to go on the chair lift.  Their teacher was patient.  I was not.  Looking back on it I can see why Isaac was a little more hesitant than last year when we tried it.  On his last run he had  broken his arm.  That's got to shake anyone's confidence.  Anyhow we only skied one run over and over.  There were two more times we tried to go up the mountain, but John has decided that we are NOT skiing in the rain, it just isn't worth it - money or attitude.  He's right.  I don't want to be miserable on the slope.  It should be fun. We had planned on skiing mostly Fridays but since Isaac started school we had to bag that plan.  With school being out on Monday due to President's Day, John took the day off and we headed up to the mountain.  It looked to be the perfect day.  Since we weren't going to have the kids take lessons this time, we parked at the lower lodge.

We started on easy runs during the morning to warm up.  At lunch we met up with some friends of the kids.  They are fairly good skiers but we all skied together.  It was very kind of them to wait for us.  It is amazing, our kids "cowboyed up" with their friends around.  If their friends could ski it then so could they.  They were not going to be left behind and really took on some challenging stuff for them.  This makes it enjoyable for us as well.  We can all ski/board intermediate runs!






Somethings that we learned are:  put granola bars in a backpack for on the chair lift, new googles for John - the foam was flaking off into his eyes (they must be 20 years old), extra gloves for the kids, and a bigger helmet for Isaac (he has a big head). It pretty much snowed all day there.  The flakes were soft and thick making the best powder ever.  It makes skiing so much more enjoyable.  After our friends took off to ski more challenging things,  we decided that we were done - one more run and off to the lodge. A couple of funny little events happened.  One, Job fell off the chair lift!  He's my boy that does not like heights - he won't go up the space needle. We were getting ready to unload, board read, ski tips up, scoot forward and just before he slips off.  The guy quickly comes out of his little hut, I shout to Job to duck to he wasn't hit in the head by the skiers in the next chair and he helped up the ramp.  I guess that was the first time a boarder fell off the chair lift.  Job said it was just slippery.  I couldn't help but laugh, he fell all of two feet or so.  I held onto him the rest of the time. The second one was the Parks trait of I know where I'm going (but not really) kicked in.  Instead of skiing to the bottom we ended at a chair that was closed and so had to hike out.  In fact we were the last off the hill and were escorted by the ski patrol for the last mile. Note to family - the cat track on Chair 8 is NOT a run - it is for snowshoers, cross country skiiers and snowmobiles, but it does make for a funny story/ending.
Cette annee nous faisons du ski trois fois.  Le premiere fois nous avons alles au montagne de faire du luge et nous avons pris notre skis.  Il commence de pluie et la place ou nous avons fait du luge est fermer alors nous avons utilises le cable de remorque.  C'est libre est parfait pour le premiere fois de l'annee.  Apres deux heures les enfants sont tous mouilles.  Nous avons bu du chocolate chaud et retourne chez nous.  Le deuxieme fois, les enfants ont pris des lessons.  Malheureusement, Lona sont dans une classe avec des aux persons qui n'avait jamais faire du ski.  Elle n'aviat pas la chance de prendre le remonte-pente.  Mais l'apres-midi elle va avec nous.  Isaac et Job sont dans une classe ensemble.  Ils ont appris le snowboard.  Lona n'avait aucun de peur.  Elle etait vite et voulait aller tous. Isaac est plus timide mais c'est normale au cause de lui  casser son bras l'annee derniere.  La derniere fois que nous avons alles sont parfait.  Nous allons ensembles pour tout la jour.  Pour le matin, nous faisons tous les pistes de skis faciles.  Apres le dejeuner nous trouvons des amis des enfants et allons avec eux.  Ils ont mieux mais avait beaucoup de patience avec nos enfants.  Notres enfants faisent meiux avec ses amis et vont aux pistes de skis plus difficle.  Quelques choses amusants sont juste avant decendre le remonte-pente, Job a tombe.  Il etait d'accord mais il glisse sur la chaise.  Et l'autre chose amusant est que nous avons pris le piste de ski faux.  Le remonte-pente sont fermer et nous avons marche presque 2 miles de retourner a notre voiture.  C'est vraiment dans le mode des Parks de choisir un chemin faux.  Nous le faisons beaucoup.

This may have been the first year we have actually celebrated Valentine's Day.  Job and Lona hurried through their school work and then started getting ready for the surprise party that we threw for Isaac.  We made a banner, decorated the school table, and  got out our Valentine Card making kit and our cookie decorating kit to be ready for Isaac when he walked in the door.

He was surprised and we all sat around talking, laughing, eating m&ms and hershey kisses while making valentine cards and cookies on a stick.  I may do this every year.  It is just that this year I feel a little freer in actually doing something spontaneous.  I think that this ws right up Lona's alley, Job he would rather read Calvin & Hobbes, or play Legos.  Isaac loved the surprise and Lona was all about decorating - totally in her element.

Cette annee nous avons celebre la jour de la Saint Valentin.  Job et Lona vite faisent leur devoirs et puis preparent pour la fete.  Nous avons fabrique un panneau, decore la chambre d'ecole, et misent sur la table des papier pour des cartes de la jour de la Saint Valentin.  Quand Isaac a entre, il etait surprise.  Nous avons decore des biscuit, mangons des bonbons, parlons, et rire.  Isaac sont vraiment surprise et aime la fete.  Je pense que Job l'aime mais ils aime mieux des Legos.  C'est juste le chose pour Lona.  Elle aime des preparation, les bonbons, et les cartes, tous.  Elle deviens une bonne maman.

Four square is a huge hit at youth group and at the sportsplex.  Before soccer games kids gather at the four square and play.  You would think that they would be practicing soccer, cheering on their siblings, or something like that.  But no, four square calls them.  Last night, Lona wanted to play but it was a group of boys.  She was unsure of getting in line. Finally I convinced her to jump in line and take her turn.  She very self-conciously stood behind the last boy.  You could tell she was out of her element and nervous.  Isaac was bounced out and went to the back of the line behind Lona.  He carefully steered her to step forward and then tossled her hair.  He kept gently moving her forward in line.  I almost started crying because it was sweet and kind.

For us as a family we have not died on the homeschooling hill.  It is just another option for families in educating their children.  Some families are better served at a public school or private school and others at home.  I don't believe that homeschooling is the only way but just another way to educate the child.  John and I have always looked at homeschool in that we will continue to homeschool as long as it works for our family.  It is now time for us to make a shift.  This has been an on going discussion at our house.  We thought/considered/prayed/ and tearfully stressed about putting Isaac in school.  Last spring we had really looked into our options but it just seemed as though the door was closed to us for Isaac starting in the fall at the local middle school.  Over the course of the first semester it became obvious that he needed to experience 7th grade in a school setting.  I feel that having him at home to learn for the first seven years was absolutely the best for us (not always the case for everyone), but that has changed now. I have loved learning along side the kids and that really hasn't changed even now that Isaac is tackling harder subjects.  Algebra for me is easy and so that hasn't been a problem but there is something to be said about competition with other kids.  There is a bar set in school that we can't really set at home.  There is that unseen level at which kids strive to work hard because there are other kids around.  We all have that desire to not appear ignorant/stupid/dorky to other people and yet there is the line where we have to go the right way regardless of appearing ignornat/stupid/dorky. It really doesn't matter what we do at home, family really knows that we are dorks.  In some areas I feel sad such as reading materials,math, and science since I love what we are doing, but in other areas I am relieved.  We are going to have to adjust at home without Isaac.  Job is desperately going to miss his best friend and will have to be the big guy at home from now on.  Isaac will have to get up earlier and be responsible for getting to the bus stop with everything needed for the day.  It is a huge growing experience for him and us.  I am looking forward to it but still have a hard time believing that the day is upon us. I threatened him with walking to the bus stop and taking photos on his first day of school.
The first day came and went.  It was not the most positive experience for him.  I ended up sleeping worse the next night because of some issues.  Today was a better day and it should get better as the week goes.

Apres sept annee, nous avons decider qu'il est necessaire pour Isaac d'aller au lycee.  Il peut faire tous les sujet a la maison mais il a besoin un peu de competition en mathematique et des essais.  Pour nous les anness passes sont bien.  Nous pouvons vraiment etudier des histoires, le bible, le mathematique.  Quand nous sommes des problems avec une idee, nous pouvons prendre plus de temps pour vraiment apprendre le sujet.  Je pense que des etudes a la maison ne sont pas bon pour tous, jusque l'ecole n'est pas bon pour tous.  Apprendre a la maison est une autre option pour apprendre. Nous avons decider chaque annee si apprendre a la maison est bonne pour l'annee.  C'est annee nous avons voir que c'est temp pour une change avec Isaac et aussi pour Job.  C'est le premier fois que Job est a la maison chaque jour sans Isaac.  Isaac est son meilleur ami est il lui manque.  Apres le premier jour, il a retourn a la maison et pleur.  C'est difficile.  Il n'assis pas dans le correct place sur le bus.  Un garcon parle avec Isaac avec des mauvais mots.  Il est choquant.  Il semble que la professeur n'est pas agreable qu'il est dans sa classe.  J'espere que le deuxieme jour est meiux, et il etait mieux.

Our children received a foosball table from Grandpa Jim and loved it.  They played when ever friends came over and had a blast.  After a couple of years John decided that we needed to upgrade the table.  So we searched on Craig's List (my new favorite site) and found one that is a little beat up.  Our other one went to some friends of ours.  Now the kids ask John and I to play.  I can't get the hang of it but the kids will team up and play doubles. It is fun listening to them.  The other day I played on Isaac's team.  I was in charge of defense.  Every time John got the ball, Isaac would say, "OK, watch Mom."  I watched all right.  I watched John score on me time after time and he was defense for his side.  I had my guys in position but I couldn't do anything.  I think it might have been better if I taken my hands off the bars.  I kept telling Isaac that I was watching.  Finally Lona took my place and the teams were rearranged.  Isaac and Job played on a team and Lona was with John and it was a better match.

Les enfants aiment de jouer baby-foot.  Aujourd'hui j'apprend le mot baby-foot.  Le pere de John nous achetons un petit jeu de baby-foot.  Apres quelques annees, John pense que nous avons besoin un grand jeu.  Alors pour Noel nous l'avons acheter.  Chaque mercredis, notres amis viennent pour un visit et les enfants jouent.  Quelques fois, notres enfants nous demandent de jouer avec eux.  Quand je joue, c'est comme il n'y a pas un personne.  Isaac me dit "faire attention".  Et je lui dit que je fis attention mais je ne bouge pas assez vite.  Alors John joue avec Lona entre les deux garcons et c'est un matche qui sont mieux.

The sun is shining and it's a little bit chilly but a beautiful day.  I stood on the chair this morning and peaked into Lona's bed.  The sun streaming through the window.  I quietly whispered Lona's name and watched her slowly wake up. When she noticed me, she sat up, loudly and happily said, "Good Morning, Mom!"  Ready to go for the day. And the day went on.  We had breakfast.  Lona talking and laughing.  Off to church we went, talking and laughing.  On the way to church Lona asked if she could have a friend over.  She had just spent over 24 hours with a friend and then impromptly was invited to hangout with another little girl for a couple of hours.  I reminded her of this and said that she needed to hang out at home with the family sans friends.  We sat together at church, of course Lona wanted a friend to sit with her but that didn't work out today.  After church Lona asked if we were leaving right away or if we could stay so she could hang out with friends.  I wanted to snap a few photos of some friends before leaving and I had some photos that I wanted to give to someone else.  Those things being done, we gathered kids (bringing an extra one home with us) and jumped into the van.  As we were driving out of the parking lot, John waved at a friend and we started chatting, the boys singing some of their favorite songs - White and Nerdy, Hardware Store, Couch Potato.  John and I were teasing the boys and talking.  I read parts of a Christmas letter to everyone and discussed how things have changed for them over the year.  Still we were laughing and talking.  Then I looked out at a field near our house where I took a bunch of photos of the boys.  I was just about to say something to Lona when I looked back and realized that she was not in the car.  I shout out, "We FORGOT Lona!"  Right away we all crack up laughing and John turns around quickly.  I start searching for a cell phone, only to realize that our cell phones are at home.  We of course get behind a vehicle that decided to go 10 mph slower than the speed limit.  We start talking about Home Alone and John and I feel bad about leaving her.  When we got to church we really didn't see any cars and were hoping that it was still open.  Thankfull it was but our Pastor said that Lona wasn't there and he hadn't seen her.   I totally fell for it.  Immediately I imagine Lona in the bathroom quietly crying or hiding in the chairs because we left her.  Apparently she was visiting with a friend in their van.  Their father had waved to us as we left the parking lot and then when he got into their van, he realized that she was there.  They called our home phone and John's cell to tell us Lona was with them and they were going out to lunch.  All's well that ends well.

Ce matin, il etait ensoleille.  John et moi se reveillent tot.  J'ai dit, "Bon jour" a Lona.  Il faut que j'ai pose sur une chaise parce que son lit est tout en haut.  Elle se leve ses yeux et dit bonjour a moi.  Elle commence de parler sans arrete que nous sommes a l'eglise.  La, elle visite avec ses amies avant le commence et elle visite avec ses amies apres aussi.  J'ai pris de photos d'une famile apres le service d'eglise.  C'est temps d'aller chez nous.  Nous avons pris un ami d'Isaac et Job pour l'apres midi.  Nous avons entre la voiture et commence de parler, chanter, et rire.  J'ai lit un lettre de Noel et parle qu'est qui se passe avec sa familee.  Apres vingt minute, j'ai pose un question a Lona.  Quand elle ne repond pas, je vois derriere de moi et realise qu'elle n'est pas dans la voiture.  On a oblie Lona a l'eglise.  On a commence de rire et vite retourne a l'eglise.  Mais elle n'est pas la.  Elle a quitte avec un autre famille quand elle a realise que nous avons departe sans elle.  Alors elle vas au restaurant avec cette famille et retourn chez vers quarte heurs apres-midi.  Je me sounveins un fois quand ma mere m'oublie chez nous.  J'etais quatre ans je pense.  Ma mere veux visiter sa mere aux Etats-Unis.  Je quit la voiture de ma mere parce que je veux aller avec ma Grandmere.  Mais la je pense que c'est necessaire de dire au revoir a tout la village avant depart.  Quand je retourn a la voiture de ma Grandmere, elle a deja depart.  Elle ne sais pas que je voudrais aller avec elle.  Ma mere pense que je suis avec ma grandmere et elle a depart aussi.  Elle est presque a l'aeroport quand elle a realise que je n'est pas la.  Ma mere etait fache avec mois avec bonne raison.