Parks academe

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

2012-02-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

John is an engineer. It is part of him just like his brown eyes and hair. He can't help being analytical. It's not a bad trait but it is a trait. It's not that he doesn't just color inside the lines but that he makes the lines other people color. He has a work flow that he usually follows when making decisions. This comes as natural to him as an artist being able to sketch an outline of an apple. We have three children. One of them has the engineering trait to the 10th power. It just comes natural to him. Job's always thinking of what people need to create. He wanted to invent a device for the post office so that delivering mail would be easier and they wouldn't have to purchase special vehicles. He also questions things such as why does sound change as it gets closer and farther. His favorite books are science books. Lately he has been reading his algebra book during lunch. It's a basic algebra book and just introduces algebra but he loves it. These are some of his strengths and his weaknesses. What this means is that he splits hairs. Things are black or white but there isn't much grey in his life. Anyhow I was cleaning up papers the other day and I found a work flow chart in Job's handwriting. It just came natural to him. We had kids over and he was explaining to them how he creates his Legos. He used a work flow chart to show them. I have never taught that to him. John has never taught that to him. It just comes natural.

John est un ingenieur. C'est une partie de lui comme son cheuveux et ses yeux. Ce n'est pas possible de penser autrement. Ce n'est pas mal, c'est juste lui. Il ne couleur pas a l'interier des lignes, il cree les lignes. Il a graphique de flux de travail qu'il utilize quand il faut faire un decision. C'est naturale pour lui de penser comme ca. C'est comme un artiste qui peut deseiner une pomme. Nous avons trois enfants. Un enfant pense le meme comme John mais plus encore. Il toujours demande des questions des chose autour de lui. " Pour quoi des bruit change quand il deviens plus pres ou plus loin de moi? "
Il aussi pense des chose que nous avons besoin. Il veut creer quelque chose d'aider le poste alors le poste factor n'a pas besoin une voiture speciale. Ses histoires favorite sont des livres de science, mais recemment il lit son livre d'algebre. Ces sont des traits bon et mal. Il aime des chose noir ou blanc mais pas au milleu. L'autre jour je nettoye des papier et je voir un graphique de flux de travail que Job a faire. Je ne l'enseign pas ni n'a John. C'est natural pour Job de penser comme ca.

More soccer

2012-02-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Still soccer season. In fact soccer season is year round really. Both Job and Lona have added a new position to their repitoire: Goalie. Their coaches have asked them to step up and play this position. Lona has been reluctant but with such an insistent coach she could hardly refuse. Actually Job's coach was absent and the substitute coach was just as insistent with him. True Lona's coach and Job's substitute coach were one and the same: John. It is such a hard position. As a parent I feel every goal that goes by them. I stress for them and pray for them, mostly for the attitude of the other parents towards my children. It's hard to know when to come out of the goalie box and attack the ball or when to be more defensive and stop the ball. It's a tough call that each goalie has to make and sometimes it's the right decision and sometimes it's the wrong decision. Either way I have to commend the goalies. The shots they block are fast and hard. The game is quick and there isn't a lot of reaction time.

C'est toujours le saison de football. En fait le football n'est jamais termine; c'est tout annee. Job et Lona commencent de jouer une nouvelle position: gardien. Leurs entraineurs lui demandent de jouer cette position. Leurs entraineur sont le meme personne: John. Comme un parent, je suis en sousis pour mes enfants et prie pour les attitudes des autres parents envers mes enfants. C'est une difficile position. C'est dur de decide d'attrape le balle ou battre le balle. Le jeu est vite. Je pense que c'est la position le plus difficile.

Dinner

2012-01-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Up until this year I tried really hard to have family dinners. It was important to me that we all sit down together for dinner. This year it pretty much has been non existent since someone has an activity at least 6 nights of the week. The times we do sit down either someone is missing or we've added someone or two. Sometimes I sit next to John and sometimes I sit across from him. When the kids were little it was easier to position a child on each side of us. Now it doesn't matter unless we need to knock some sense into a child.

C'est vraiment important de moi de manger le dinner ensemble. Avant cette anne, nous le faisons ca chaque nuit. Cette annee c'est plus difficile au cause des activites des enfants. Nous avons quelque chose de faire six nuit par semaine. Quand nous mangons notre diner ensemble, un ou plus enfants sont manquer ou nous avons un ou plus enfants avec nous. Quands les enfants sont petits, nous mettons un enfant autour de nous. Maintenant ce ne faire pas au nous assissons.

Girls weekend: Anacortes

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well the planets aligned for three of us. It started at a lunch when the three of us just felt like we were overwhelmed with life and spontaneously planned a weekend to Anacortes. My friends are knitters so we had to stop at three yarn shops for projects. It was laid back with very little planned. Dinner at the Brown Lantern Ale house, dinner in the room from Island Cafe. Breakfast at the hotel in an icy room, lunches of Artichoke jalapeno dip, bread, chips, olives, nutella, and pop. A stop into the liquor store to meet George and purchase our tiny bottles of Kaluha. A boudoir shop whose window display was cute but not so much the prices. I mean $55 for 1 pair of panties!?! They were cute but not that cute. An antique store with wrote iron fence panels and a wine shop with wine tastings. We had so much fun.

Chairs like my grandmother

Les chaise dehors comme ma grandmere.

Dan our hotel host
Il est le concierge dans notre hotel

Deux amies et moi avons besoin une petite vacance. Nous avons des choses difficult dans notre vies. Pour une c'est son mari qui est mal, pour l'autre c'est sa sante. Pour moi, c'est chaque nuit je ne peut pas reste a la maison et faire les etudes avec mes enfants sans vacance. Nous trouvons que le weekend est libre pour tous. John reste avec les enfants et leur prennent tout ils font aller. Nous trois sont allees a Anacortes; une petite village pres de nous, seulment une heure. Nous mangons dans un pub et a l'hotel. Nous avons achete des vin et des Kaluha. Mes amies aiment de tricot alors nous sommes allees a trois magazine pour tricot. C'est plus difficile pour moi mais je pense que c'est magnifique et incroyable qu'est elles peuvent faire. J'ai trouve un magazine avec un nom francais mais c'est trop cher. Un slip est $55 dollars. Nous mangeons des chocolat et buvons des vin. C'est parfait.

Tired

2012-01-27T09:27:00.000-08:00

Project 52 : Tired Mon chien qui pense il est toujours fatigue. Nous pouvons jetter son balle por 20 minutes avent il est finir.
Alway thinking he's tired. We usually get 20 minutes of ball throughing before he's done.
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Breakfast

2012-01-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

My ideal breakfast is to sit down in a clean quiet house at either the counter or the dining table with a cup of coffee, a croissant and yogurt and a good book for 45 minutes and enjoy the quietness while the rest of the house sleeps. In order for any of that to happen I would have to be the last in bed at night to make sure that the house was clean. I would also have to be up by 4:45 in the morning. Being the last to bed and the first to get up just doesn't quite work out. It would give me about 5 hours of sleep 2 hours less than I actually need. What actually happens is John is up first getting ready for work while I lay in bed trying to eek out a few more minutes of sleep. Then before he leaves he gets Isaac up so he can take a shower. Then I get up, make some coffee, open the kennel door (the gets up a couple hours later) and grab my breakfast. I check email and make a list of things needed to be done during the day. Isaac comes downstairs, makes his own breakfast and lunch. He then brushes his teeth, checks his facebook and then corals all his school supplies. Finally Job and Lona get up. They stumble downstairs for a quick cuddle on the couch before Isaac has to catch the bus. Then Job and Lona have breakfast while I pick up coats, shoes, and blankets. Once breakfast, teeth have been brushed, rooms picked up, and chores down, we hit the books and power through school until lunch time. So that quiet clean house will wait and so will the ideal breakfast.

Mon idee d'une petite dejeuner parfait est dans ma maison qui est netoyer et calme quand tous sont endormir. J'aurais un cafe, un croissant et un yogourt pendent je lis un histoire pour 45 minutes. Dans l'order que ca peut marcher il faut que je me couche le dernier et nettoyer la maison et le priemer se reveiller a 4:45 du matin. Comme ca j'aurais 2 heures moins de sommeil que j'ai besion. Ce que passer actuallement: John se reveille et commence de prepare pour son travaille. Avant il quit la maison il se reveille Isaac. Quand Isaac fait sa toilet, je me reveille, fait le cafe, ouvrir le boit pour le chein. Le chein se reveille deux heures plus tarde. Je regard mon email et fait une liste de chose qu'il faut je fait ce jour. Je pris mon petit dejeuner. Isaac decend, pris son petit dejeuner, regards son email et brosse son dents et met sons devoirs dans son sac a dos. Job et Lona se reveillent, descendent et assissent au divan avec Isaac et moi. Puis Isaac quit la maison pour le lycee. Job et Lona prennent leur petit dejeuner quand je nettoye la maison. Apres le petit dejeuner, brosser les dents, fait leur lits et leurs domestique nous commence avec leurs cours. La maison nettoyer et calme faut attendre avec le petit dejeuner parfait.

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Sledding

2012-01-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

We had three days of snow. It usually happens once a year. Last year it happened 5 days earlier. The schools have been closed for two days now. Since Isaac is in school this year for the snow days our home school has taken a break too. We've shoveled snow, thrown snow, built a fort, and went sledding. I figure if the kids are going to be out of school they may as well have fun! They have to make it up during the beautiful days of summer so make it worth it now. Lona gets up early, takes a sled and sleds in the street until she gets hungry. Job gets up, eats a granola bar and heads out with Lona. Isaac, well he just sleeps until one of us gets him up. Isaac asked if the neighbors could go sledding with us. We packed up the kids in our trucks and headed to Cornwall Church just down the road. They have tiered parking which allowed us to park at the top of the hill. The boys brought their snowboards since they can sled or board in their boots. Lona tried it once, she didn't do too bad. Isaac and I went on a sledding run together. At the bottom we noticed this brown furry thing scurrying over the snow. I yelled at the kids and we all tried to capture it. It ran over our boots, and jumped through our hands. Finally Job grabbed it and as it jumped Lona caught it. She cupped it in her hands before dumping it into Isaac's hat. Pour little creature. It was scared. We did let it go after everyone had a good look at it. We saw another one later on but let it hide. Towards the end the boys built a jump and started arguing with the girls about who would be the first to test the jump. When it came down to it, the boys did test the jump first.

Nous avons recu des neiges. C'est cinq jours tards que l'annee passee. Les ecoles sont fermer au cause de le neige. Les routesw sont tout glissade. C'est trop dificile de faire les devoirs chez nous parc que Isaac est la. Alors nous n'avons pas faire des cours aussi. Lona se reveille tot est pris le luge dehors pour glisser dans la rue sans petite dejeuner. Job se reveille tot, mange un biscuit est sort de jouer avec Lona. Et Isaac, il dors. Il y a un eglise pres de nous qui avait des colline. Nous demandons si notre voisin veulent aller avec nous de faire le luge. Les garcon ont pris leur snowboards. C'est facile de faire le luge ou snowboard avec le meme bottes. Nous sommes chaser un petite souris et attrapper le souris. Au fin les garcons sont construire un saute. Ils sont en discorde qui peut aller le premiere. Les filles choisissent les garcons d'aller d'abord.

Time spent in the car each week

2012-01-18T14:45:00.000-08:00

I spend 360+ minutes a week in the car running kids around. That is 6 hours driving. I don't have a job. That doesn't include time at each event that I'm waiting for the child. That also doesn't include any errands such as grocery shopping. It is only driving my children to their activities. The cold, dark, rainy days are the worst. I don't like driving in the dark when it's raining mostly because people aren't paying attention.

Je passe plus de 360 minutes par semaine dans le voiture. C'est plus que six heures. Je n'ai pas un travailler. Le temps que je passe dans le voiture est seulement conduire mes enfants en ses activities. Ce n'est pas le temps que j'attend mes enfants et ce n'est pas le temps de faire des cours. Je n'aime pas conduire en hiver au cause de le nuit et le pluie. C'est l'autre persons qui ne fait pas attention.

52 Project

2012-01-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

Cold, Week 2

I am making a commitment to do a 52 week photo project with another group of photographers. Hmm. It's only one photo a week. How hard can that be. Job has made a commitment of doing a Lego project every week but the thing that is holding him back is the photographer is having a hard time photographing and processing the photos. That would be me. But putting photos into a series is different than taking one photo at a time. So here goes. Since this is the end of the second week and I didn't post the first week here goes. I am so critical of my photos that I can't look at every ones until I've done mine. I so second guess myself and wonder about my creativity.

New Dawn, New Day, Week 1

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Je decide to prendre un photo par semaine avec un groupe. Elles sont des photographes. J'ai voir qu'elles ont faire et pense que je ne suis pas bonne, mais il faut travailler. Job fait un blog et cree un project par semaine. Mais le photographe (qui est moi) n'est pas tres bien de montre les photos chaque semaine. J'espere que avec seulement un photo je peut faire mieux.

Sleep over

2012-01-13T07:07:00.000-08:00

Job had a friend over to spend the night. They hang out great together. They love dart guns and legos. They play on the same soccer team in the spring. They both have Christian families. This time it was just Job and his friend so they had the house to themselves. The others were at their friends' houses.

Job et son ami restent a la maison. Ils aiment les fusils et Legos. Ils jouent au meme equipe depent le primptemps. Ses familles sont Chretian. C'est fois Job et son ami avait la maison tout seul parce que Isaac et Lona chez ses amis.

It's a Dawn, A New Day, A New Life...

2012-01-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

And I'm feeling good. (Michael Buble)

I have always loved that song. It has kind of a James Bond feel to it and the video kind of goes along with it. Well over Christmas I just kind of lost it. My schedule has been, get one kid off to school with lunch made by 7:15, two others up with home school starting by 8 am, get the house clean at least once a week, laundry, groceries and then in the afternoon/evenings the hecticness started. In the fall, Isaac had soccer practice and games after school so I would pick him up at 4:15 or go to his games. If he rode the activity bus home, he didn't get home until 6:00 after leaving the house at 7:15am (too long). Then add in Job and Lona, Lona had soccer practice Monday and Wednesdays and Job had soccer on Tuesdays and Fridays. Then Awana was/is Wednesday nights but it takes 25 minutes to get there. Thursdays, Lona and Job has music lessons in Lynden and then Lona has Ballet in Bellingham. Fridays Lona had ballet for the Christmas program but that was just until middle of December. Soccer games were on Saturdays for Job and Lona. Isaac would spend all day at the soccer fields reffing. Sunday saw us at church sometimes driving two different cars because John is in charge of the sound crew and I get things ready for Sunday School. Then with outdoor soccer season being over, we went directly into indoor soccer season with Job adding parcour. This video is what he is learning to do.
So then our schedule changed but without even a week break. Mondays Job has parcour, Tuesdays Lona has indoor soccer, Wednesday is Awana still, Thursdays still with music and ballet and John playing indoor soccer anytime from 7 to 11 pm. Fridays Job had soccer games and we started attending a small group. Saturday Isaac had soccer games. Towards the end, John decided to add in Futsal on Saturdays for Isaac. Then Sundays were the same. In the middle of December Isaac was out from school for the "winter" break (no longer Christmas break). I thought things would slow down but they didn't. It just seemed like we had something going on every night adding in having other kids over during the day or driving the kids someplace. John purchased a month membership at the YMCA. There was drop in futsal games during the break that the kids could play in. I was tired of spending hours in the car and never leaving the county. It would be 1/2 hour to soccer games, 1/2 hour back; 1/2 hour to music, 1/2 hour back; 20 minutes to dance, 20 minutes back. I really couldn't just drop Lona off at dance because it was too far to go home and then back to get her. Awana I am the secretary so I am there the whole time. I had asked maybe to cut something out. No one wanted to cut out one of their activities. John and I had planned a week vacation just the two of us right before school started while the kids were in Montana with my Mom but he had to cancel due to work. We had two days together but were traveling. Then I had a weekend planned in Seattle. John would have missed the first indoor games for the boys, but that weekend was canceled due to the fact he had to go to Chicago and didn't get back until Friday. He doesn't like to travel and once home, it would have been hard for him to turn around and leave again. I stopped making dinner during this time as well. I would make dinner and then everyone would just have cereal because they didn't like to have a full stomach. They were eating cereal before activities and later before bed. The dinner I cooked would end up just going in the garbage after sitting in the fridge. I can't remember the times I was asked "did you get this? I told you that I needed this?" I didn't remember anyone saying anything to me. They wouldn't write it down, so how did I know that gerbil food needed to be bought or insulin needed to be ordered or shoes needed to be purchased. I'm sure that they told me while I was in the bathroom. It never fails that as soon as I shut the door to the bathroom someone has a question that needs to be answered immediately. I didn't have time to go to the bathroom. I had asked John if we could go away for an evening during Christmas (he took vacation) but he had promised to take the kids skiing, I had a back appointment and really couldn't do anything that night, and we had other scheduled activities. I took one day to get up early and read a book for a couple of hours. When I asked if John could take Lona and Job to play at a friends' house his response was that he didn't know how to get there and he was planning to paint the bathroom ceiling. Ok, so another 40 minutes in the car to drop them off and come home knowing I would spend another 40 minutes picking them up and another 2 hours taking Isaac somewhere that night because John had a soccer game. I was going to spend almost 4 hours in the car running the kids around. I had asked Isaac to take care of something while I was away. When I got home they were both watching a video game replay and I lost it. It wasn't like that was what they were doing all day, they were just taking a break from work. I happened to walk in at that time - the wrong time for my mind frame. I yelled at them. I cried. I fought with John. I was tired of being Mom, of doing things for everyone. To top it off this crazy schedule was starting up again in a few days and John and I didn't even have time for dinner with John alone without the kids. I couldn't see us getting out together until June. I mean really, the only evening I had/have is Sunday night not running around. I decided to quit. I quit being a Mom and being part of the family. I didn't go out to a friend's house with the family. I didn't go to the New Year's Eve party we were invited to. I didn't go to church. I didn't make breakfast, lunch or dinner. I didn't talk to the kids. I could barely talk to John. I was ready to purchase a ticket away. John did the best thing for me. He left me alone. He took the kids out of the house for hours at a time every day. He made breakfast, lunch and dinner. He took care of the schedule. He helped the kids clean the house. He gave me time. I think that was the best gift over Christmas. Time. Even now I get a little overwhelmed at things. I so want to go away with him. To have time with him. He's my best friend but our time together is 15 minutes before we go to bed while we brush our teeth. The kids are supposed to be in bed by 9pm but it never happens. I know as they get older, they'll be up later and carving out that time with him will be harder but I know that someday we'll be the only two here. I want him to be my best friend still when it's just us two. I realize that others have it harder than I do - divorce, schooling, family estrangement, health, disabilities, and the list goes on. I just lost it for a few days. A friend of mine came by, watched our kids, their kids, brought pizza for everyone and sent us out the door for dinner. It was nice to be able to have some time like that. I am thankful for my friends. I am ready to face the world again and know that each day is new, each moment is a gift, God's mercies are given every day, every hour and I have a new life with Him. I am feeling good.

from pinterest.

(None of the photos/videos are by me.)

Ringing in the New Year

2012-01-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

What better way to bring in the new year than with a new coat of paint. John decided that the bathroom ceilings needed a new coat of paint and there was paint to be touched up so we repainted the bathroom. I also purchased new light fixtures, ordered new handles for the faucets, and replaced the towel bar with hooks. I love the way it turned out and am excited for the new handles to come in. The handles that are there are golden color. While I like gold colored jewelry, I don't like it on fixtures in my house. The bathroom feels almost finished now. The only thing left is to replace the base of the bathtub faucet and refinish the cabinets to a black.

Je ne celebre pas la nouvelle annee. Je peint la salle de bain au lieu de boire du vin. John et les enfants sont alles a une fete pendent que je reste a la maison et fini la salle de bain. C'est bien pour moi parce que c'est tranquille sans bruit. Je remplace les lumiere, les poignées, et mis des crochets pour les serviettes. J'aime la salle de bain et j'ai juste un peu plus de faire. Je veux que les armoires sont noir.

2012

2012-01-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

2012

Craftiness

2011-12-28T11:17:00.000-08:00

Isaac is taking this class at school called Drafting and Design. He made this little airplane out of a soda can. Always thinking of his siblings he asked for the plans and brought them home. One of our advent calendar activities was to make ornaments. This year we made these planes. I saved up the cans and cut the top and bottom off the can then opened them up. Job drew on the pieces and soon became bored with the process. He decided to make his own fighter jet plane instead so drew out the pieces on paper as a template then traced them onto the aluminum and then cut them out. Isaac had already made one at school and was soon into his book. I made one and then Lona made about 5 of them. She is so meticulous with craft projects. I have some aluminum ready to others ready to go and want to copy the instructions onto paper and save it on the computer so we have it for another time.

Another advent activity was to make a ginger bread house. Costco has this kit where the house is put together and all you have to do is decorate it. They include the frosting and the candies. Again the boys spent about 15 minutes on the house and they were off doing other things. Lona spent a couple of hours working on the house. The boys just wanted to eat it. They took a hammer to the roof of the house.
Isaac prends une classe au lycee et ils ont faire des avions. Ils ont utiliser les boites de coke. Isaac introduits les plans d'avions chez nous pour Job et Lona. Nous coupons l'haut et bas des boites. Nous coupons tous les pieces pour l'avions et les collons ensembles. Job fais un avions et decide qu'il veut creer son avions tout seul alors il concu son propre plans. Isaac a deja faire un avion au lycee alors il ne veut pas le faire chez nous. Mais Lona, elle est different. Elle fini l'avion de Isaac et construit 5 autre avions.

L'autre chose que nous faison sont construire un maison de pain de gingembre. J'achete le maison tout ensemble et les enfant le font decorer avec les bon bons et les glacages. Apres 15 minutes, les garcons sont finir mais Lona depense quelques heures avec le maison. Le jour apres elle a fini le maison, les garcons l'ont ecraser avec un marteau. Ils veulent juste le manger.

Mount Baker

2011-12-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

It has been our tradition for I can't remember how long to go sledding at Mount Baker after Christmas. The only difference this year was that we went skiing instead. Isaac has a friend that skis so we brought him with us. We skied all together in the morning. But in the afternoon, Job took a lesson and we sent Isaac, Ben and Lona off together while John and I had some time on the slopes. John can ski some hard stuff and I can slide down those slopes gangly and just barely in control.It pushed me to my limits while John was patient and waited and waited and waited some more.

He's so snowy. Regarde tout la neige sur son chapeau!

Job needed some help with his turns and linking his turns. Isaac just needs to be pushed with friends and Lona needs to learn how to use poles. I think that is her next hurdle. I think that having a friend aklong with the kids who knew the mountain made the difference on this trip as well as having Job take that class. By the time his class was over it was time to go home.
Normalement nous allons faire de la luge apres Noel mais cette annee nous allons faire du ski. Isaac avait un ami qui fait du ski et connaitre la montagne alors il vas avec nous. Pendant le matin, nous faisons du ski ensemble. John et moi decidons que Job avoir besoin une lecon. Apres midi Job prends une lecon, Isaac et Lona font du ski avec l'ami de Isaac. John et moi avons du temps ensemble. Il fait du ski bien et moi, je ne suis pas joli quand je fait du ski mais je peux lui suivre.

2011-12-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

Another trip to Green's Corner. We've been waiting for a time when all the kids are home so we could walk down and have hot cocoa. There's a whole lot of goofing off on the way there and back. We order a variety of things: hot cocoa, chocolate milkshakes, coffee, chocolate milk, cookies - do you see a pattern? We bring books and read for about an hour and then head home. Job and Lona counted over 400 "standard" sized sidewalk squares between Greens and our house. There is an engineer there somewhere. Job seems to be made for the position. The other day he listed everything a person would get for the "Twelve Days of Christmas". Impressive but then he determined the pattern that the items increase until half way through the song where they start to decrease again. Next is the graph and then the equation to go with it. I don't speak that language at all.

J'attends pour tous mes enfants chez nous du matin pour aller a Greens (un cafe). Nous marchons la bas et fait des tanquiner la et en retour. Au cafe nous bouvons des cafe, des chocolat chaud, des lait au chocolat, et des lait frappe et mangons des bisques. Job et Lona ont compter tous les carrés de trottoir entre le cafe et chez nous. C'est plus de 400 carres. Je pense que Job n'avais pas un choix deviens un

ingénieur. Il y a un chanson autour des cadeaux pour le douze jours de Noel. Chaque jour nous ajouter un autre cadeau. Job compt tous les cadeaux et decide ques les cadeaux et plus jusqu'a le milieu quand il commence de diminuer. Il veut metre dans un graphe et puis trouver la équation. Il est un ingenieur, c'est tout.

Christmas Eve and Day

2011-12-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

I wanted to enjoy Christmas Eve and Day without worrying about getting it on my blog. After looking at the photos I wish I would have taken a group shot of the kids but I didn't. Christmas Eve found us going to church for a short candle light service singing songs and listening to short messages about Christ. After service we went through James street Estates. Never again will we do this on Christmas Eve. It took almost 45 minutes just to drive into the neighborhood. Apparently many other people put it off until Christmas Eve as well. I didn't take my camera but after getting home I took photos of our house. the kids were patient and waited until I came in before we opened a present each. The next morning as I was burning the french toast, the kids opened their stockings. I thought I had it all planned out of easy baked french toast so we could sit down while enjoying breakfast. Never again, maybe I'll do cracked wheat cereal or some kind of breakfast casserole instead. I insisted we wait until the sun was up to open presents, I didn't want to do it again in the dark. We opened presents and oohed and ahhed. Then we headed to church for a short service. In the afternoon we headed over to our friend's house for a Venezuelan dinner and spend Christmas night with them.

John purchased a new camera for himself (a little point and shot) and Lona showed him how to take these fun panorama shots.

Pour le nuit ave Noel, nous allons a l'eglise et apres faison un tour des maisons avec beaucoup des lumieres. Je n'avais pas mon camera alors quand nous retournons chez nous j'ai pris des photos de notre maison. Apres nous ouvrions un cadeau. A Noel, les enfants prennent leur bas de Noel quand je brule le petit dejeuner. L'annee prochain je fais quelques chose different pour le petit dejeuner. Je pense que c'est facile mais peut-etre quelque chose que je peut metre dans le four. Nous ouvrions notre cadeaux et aller a l'eglise. L'apres midi nous visitons notre amis qui sont Vénézuélien. C'est un nuit tres agreable.

Nativity Ballet

2011-12-22T08:32:00.000-08:00

Last year Lona joined the Dancing for Joy ballet school. They were having a Christmas program so we signed Lona up for that as well. She was given the part of a Star last year and held the hoopla over Joseph and Mary. This year her part was that of an Angel. We went to every Friday practice. She learned her part and then it was opening night. They had two showings this year and Lona was in both nights. Little did I know that some of the kids (particularly the younger ones) were just in one night. They divided the classes. We made the decision to go on Sunday and purchased our tickets but I thought I'd help out of Saturday so didn't need any ticket. Turns out they didn't need my help at all so I purchased a ticket the night of the show. I sat in the balcony and watched. Lona didn't come on until the 2nd Act. I was/am biased and thought she was amazing. In the balcony it is a little impersonal because you are sitting far away but some of the dances made more sense as far as what was going on. Then it was Sunday night and the who family went. The story is about Jesus' birth from the prophecy in the old testament to Joseph, Mary and Jesus fleeing to Egypt all told through ballet. Lona told me that it felt like the music was written just for this ballet. I think so too. We sat in the third row from the front. It was up close and personal. At one point Joseph and Mary are traveling and searching for an inn. they are repeatedly turned down by the innkeepers and she is havin labor pains. I turn to John and just start bawling. The rest of the performance was like that. By the end of the evening John and I felt emotionally exhausted. They did an incredible job. It is becoming a family tradition I hope.
Le dimanche nous avons aller au ballet de voir Lona. Elle etait un ange. L'annee passe elle etait un etoile. C'ette annee, elle se reveiller les berger et announcer la naissance de Jesus. C'est l'histoire de la naissance qui commence avec l'announcement de le Messie jusqu'a l'echapper en Egypt. Elle dance pour deux nuit. Les petites qui sont les anes et les moutons seulment dance pour un nuit. Un demi danser le samedi et l'autre demi danser le dimanche. Le samedi c'est juste moi qui aller mais le dimanche c'est notre tout famille. Je pense que Lona etait magnifique mais je suis sa mere. Le dimanche je vois le visage a John et il pleut quand je le vois, je commence de pleurer aussi.

Five players, a ball, and a court =

2011-12-21T21:00:00.000-08:00

You may think that it is basketball but you would be wrong. It is actually Futsal. I know what in the world is Futsal? Think of five guys a side and a soccer ball but smaller and less bouncy (30% less bounce) than a standard size 5 soccer ball. Futsal is a game that has been around for 32 years in the US. Which can be played on any basketball court both inside and outside. Fustal.com has a wealth of information about Futsal from the history to starting a league. Apparently it was developed in Uruguay at a YMCA there. There are many other names for this game including Mini-soccer and Five-a-Side. I saw it for the first time when I went to watch Isaac play at the YMCA. I have always loved indoor soccer but it is limited to having an indoor soccer area which is not available in all areas. With Futsal that need is eliminated. Almost every school in America has a basketball court either indoor or outdoor. I can really see this as being a school sport in years to come. I liken it to basketball in that you have five players on the field that quickly change from offense to defense. There are screens, passes and rebounds. It is fast paced like basketball with the scores rapidly adding up.

Nous avons trouver un nouveau jeu. C'est futsal. C'est le football mais avec cinq jouers sans gardien. Ici, nous n'avons pas un gardien. Ils ont jouer avec une petite balle et sur un cour de basketball. C'est plus vite de football comme basketball. C'est developer en Uruguay et en les Etats-Unis, ils le jouent pour 32 ans. Mais c'est annee est le premiere fois que nous l'entendons. Je pense qu'un jour les etudients jouent le futsal a l'ecole. Isaac le joue chaque weekend.

Waiting and Watching

2011-12-21T07:52:00.000-08:00

Waiting to see if the UPS has a package for them. Waiting for Christmas morning. Waiting. Sometimes Job comes to me as if in agony. "I just can't bear it. It's torture. I can't standing waiting but I have to." he says.
Attendre. Attendent pour le camion s'il avait un cadeau pour eux. Attendent pour le matin du Noel. Attendre. Quelque fois Job me dit, "C'est trop dur d'attendre pour Noel, mais il faut que j'attends. C'est la torture d'attendre."

2011-12-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

I decided to take some staged photos of the kids. Lona had her dance recital and I really wanted photos of her before turning in her wings. She was an Angel in the program.

Je decide de prendre des photos de mes enfants. Lona a sa considérant la danse. Je veux des photos a elle avec ses ailes. Elle etait un ange. C'est l'histoire de la naissance de Jesus.

Wreath making

2011-12-10T12:52:00.001-08:00

We are getting ready for Christmas around here. We have our fake tree up, the nativity, the advent calendar, and the mantel decorated. Last year my neighbor invited me to make my own wreath. I brought my own supplies last year - dried oranges and gold screen leaves. This year I also brought my own supplies, gold wired ribbon, silvery leaves and gold sparkly pinecones. I love it. It's not quite tiddy but I love it. The gal provides all the greens, the tools, some accents, and ribbons. You can order a wreath from her for $25 or do it yourself for $15. It was fun to go with a group of gals and do it together. We ate cinnamon rolls and drank coffee and cider. Perfect girls outing.

Je vais avec des autre femmes de faire un guirlande. L'anne passe ma voisine m'invita de faire un vrai guirlande. J'ai pris des orange sec et feuille d'or avec moi. Cette annee je prends des ruban d'or, feuille d'argent et des cônes étincelant d'or. La place a des formes pour la guirlande, les outils, et les fournitures pour les guirlande. Nous buvons des cafe et mangeons des rouleaux de cannelle.

Deck the Halls and Tree

2011-12-09T10:20:00.001-08:00

Our advent activity was to decorate the tree. Still waiting for John to put the topper on it. That's his job besides getting the tree out of storage. Lona decorated her tree nice all pretty with dolls at the bottom and well then there is the boys' tree. Let's just say they get no say in the family tree decorating department.

We put up our tree on Friday but no decorations other than lights until Tuesday. After all the ornaments were up I ordered some french script wired ribbon to use as garland. I like our tree much better now. I still like it only with the lights on. It just is missing something when the lights are turned off. I had thought about getting a new tree; a 9ft tall one because we have our tree in the entry way and we have tall ceilings there but the one I found (on sale at 50% off) was still too much. I think our tree will last aboiut 10 more years or so.

Nous avons mis notre arbre de noel en vendredi avec les lumieres. Mais les ornement attendent jusque merdi. Nous attendons pour l'etoile. C'est John qui mis l'etoile en haut d'arbre. Lona a un petit arbre a sa chambre. Elle l'a decore plus jolie avec des poupe et d'un ors en bas. L'arbre des garcons n'est pas assez joli. Ils n'ont pas un voix avec l'arbre du famille. J'achete des ruban de papier pour la guirlande. Les mots sont tous en francais. Je voudrais achete un arbre plus grande mais c'est trop chere. Peut-etre dans 10 annee.

skiing at Mount Baker

2011-12-09T10:17:00.000-08:00

This year we have decided to go to Mount Baker a couple of times to ski. Job is in the 5th grade and can ski free with a paying adult. Still expensive but we've decided that we can go some; not every weekend. The boys went opening day and it was great. Then because we didn't get to visit John's mom for Thanksgiving we decided to head to the Mountain. The kids are coming along. They need practice just like anything else. They can ski pretty much any run that I can go on but John does like to have a few more challenges. He took off in the afternoon to harder runs and then met back up with us for the last run of the day. I love that the kids like to ski/board together. Oh sure comments are made like soeo them are better than the others but really not true. Each of them have different strengths on the mountain. I remember learning to ski and being taken down a run that I thought was too difficult for me and just ending up in tears and a parent being frustrated. That doesn't happen with our kids. There weren't any tears this day and they just went down any run that we asked them to go on. It's great because we all have a possitive outlook. It really doesn't matter how long it takes us to make the run just as long as we are all having fun. One thing that does help is toe and hand warmers for Job. His hands and toes get so cold even being outside for 30 minutes they are like ice when he comes in. Who ever invented those had a child like Job.
Parce que Job peut faire du ski libre au cause de son age, nous decidons d'aller quatre ou cinq fois cette hiver. C'est cher mais nous pensons que c'est un vacance pour nous. Les garcons deja vont une fois avant que Lona et moi. Nous ne pouvons pas visiter la mere de John en Novembre alors nous faisons du ski. Isaac, Job et Lona pouvent aller presque tous que moi sur le montagne. John est plus advance que nous. Nous aimons aller tous ensemble et je suis agreable avec ca. J'aime que nous restons une famille. Quand j'etais petite et commence d'apprendre de faire du ski il y a plusiere de temps que j'ai commence a pleurer. Nous avons aller au place trop difficile pour moi et mon parents est frustre avec moi. L'annee passe les trois ont pris des lessons alors maintenant nous pouvons aller presque tous et il n' y a pas des larmes. John est vieux que nous alors il va tout seul dans l'apres midi et rendevous avec nous au fin. C'est parfait. Nous prennons des réchauffeurs de main pour Job. Ses mains sont toujours froid alors avec ca il est content pour la jour.

Merry Christmas - our card

2011-12-06T07:00:00.001-08:00

Our Christmas card this season. When I look back at some of my old photos from when I was a kid, I've noticed that many of them are actually postcards. I've really liked the feel of and thickness of the paper. Last year I was looking around and found this cool website called Gotprint. I purchased 100 postcards for $32.00. That included shipping and rounded corners. It was comparable to greating cards from Costco. Now I'm waiting for the card to arrive so I can send them out.

C'est notre carte de Noël. Quand je vois mes photos quand j'etais petite, je realize quelques photos sont cartes de postale. J'aime le papier alors je trouve un site ou je peux acheter des cartes postale. J'achete 100 cartes postale pour le meme ou mieux prix que Costco. Maintenant j'attends les cartes postale.

Carpets

2011-12-05T07:33:00.001-08:00

John has been asking me to paint the entry way. We've talked to painters and wanted this done for over a year now. We've had someone come in and give us a quote and then never heard from him again. I saw the color I wanted from a fellow photographer classmate. I purchased the paint called some painters and had them paint everything I couldn't reach. So that brings us to the next project. ohn was trying to figure out what to do next. I opted for new carpets. I have stains in the carpets from when Job was a baby. He's 11 years young now. Also there were stains in our brand new house when we moved in from the realtor. Smoothy stains from the kids. I have borrowed my neighbor's steam cleaner and cleaned the carpets but could never get out the stains. So I pleaded with John for new carpet. It's old and dirty and driving me a little crazy. The kids are older and we have definitely used the carpet. We priced carpet for just our family room. Yikes, $2000. I wasn't looking at the top of the line or the bottom of the line. I quickly realized that wasn't happening soon. So I started looking for a professional carpet cleaner and I found Bellingham Carpet and Floor. Yes, I'm promoting his business. I moved most of the furniture into our school room, kitchen and dining room. Here are the results. The front room was pretty good it was the family room that was bad: berber carpet. I was impressed. The area around the computer desk couldn't totally come clean but 90% is impressive in my book.

Before, Avant

After, Avant

Apres nous sommes finis peintre le porte d'entree et le couloir nous avons decide de remplace les tapis. Mais quand nous voyons le prix, nous trouvons que c'est trops cher. C'est juste $2000 pour une chambre. Ils sont tres sal. Quelques taches de tapis sont la depuis Job etait un bebe. J'ai nettoye les tapis chaque annee mais les taches sont restes. Je trouve un personne professionel de nettoyer les tapis. Il faut que je deplace les meubles et il nettoye les tapis. Apres trois heures il y a un grande difference. Je veux dire merci.

Before, Avant

After, Apres

Before, Avant

After, Apres

Sky High Jump

2011-11-24T16:40:00.001-08:00

Another trip to the endocrinologist in Woodinville, another activity in the Seattle area. It is the perfect opportunity to do something in that area that is fun. Last year Isaac heard about this place called Sky High from his gym teacher. She was probably his favorite teacher last year. I had wanted to take the kids sooner but life gets in the way and I kept putting it off, kind of like the Space Needle and the Kangaroo park. Anyhow, we headed to Woodinville, after seeing the dentist and played around at the river side park until the appointment. Since it was a long appointment we had just an hour to play at Sky High. First it was a little pricey but they allowed my to walk around and take photos. I just couldn't go on the trampolines without paying. They jumped for the hour and then we left in order to make it to Lona's soccer game later that night. By the end of the hour Job was doing front flips and back flips into the foam pit. Isaac was doing front flips and Lona was doing flips and hand springs. They jumped no stop for a whole hour. Of course within 5 minutes Lona made a friend. It's amazing how many "friends" this girl makes.

Une autre visite chez medecin, une autre activite a Seattle. C'est parfait parce que nous devons aller la, c'est intelligent de faire quelque choses amusant aussi. L'annee passee, un professeur d'Isaac lui dit d'une place qui avait des trampolines. Je voudrais prendre des enfants la plus tot mais nous avons ete occupe. Je veux aller au Space Needle et un parc pour des kangourous mais un autre temps. En tout cas, nous avons chez dentiste d'abord et puis allons a Woodinville. Nous avons joue au parc pres du riviere et aller chez medecin. Apres nous avons a la place avec des trampolines. C['est un peu cher mais il m'ont permis de pris des photos. Mes enfants sautent pour une heure. A la fin, Isaac, Job et Lona font des retour des retournements, ressorts, et retournements à main. Ils veulent retour encore. C'est amusant parce que nous sommes la pour presque cinq minutes avant Lona a trouve une amie.

Elle peut faire des amis partout.

The tree

2011-11-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

She's just sitting there thinking. There weren't any other kids around. She wasn't playing, just sitting there thinking. We've found Isaac doing that too. It's not that they are up there for 5 minutes but they will sit there for almost an hour or more. The newest addition to this tree is the rope swing. Lona climbed up and attached the rope to a branch.

Nous avons un arbre devant la maison. Les enfants aiment de montre l'arbre. Lona et Isaac montrent l'arbre juste de penser. Ils ont passer plus qu'un heure juste dans l'arbre penser. L'autre jour Lona mont tout en haut dans l'arbre d'attacher une corde pour balancer.

Just a little bit crispy...

2011-11-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

So over here at the Parks house hold there is never a dull day. This day was no exception. Job was in charge of dinner. The menu was grilled chicken, steamed green beans and rice. The green beans and rice are easy. Put some water in the steamer and add green beans. Rinse the rice, add water and push cook on the rice cooker. The grilled chicken is another story. We are trying to teach the kids how to cook before they leave home so their dinners aren't cereal or McDonalds. John took Job outside and showed him how to turn on the gas to the grill. Then turn the knobs to high before using the firestarters. The grill starters don't work so we have to manually start it. Job is a little on the small side so he's really close to the grill. He was holding the fire starter and clicking and clicking and clicking. Suddenly the spark caught and shot out this ignited cloud of propane that went past Job's head. It quickly disappeared and Job was just standing there no longer clicking. He ws chaperoned the whole time. John was standing right next to him and watched the whole thing happen. It took less than a second. He brought Job inside and this is what I saw. Look closely at his eyebrows and eye lashes.

Il y a un accident avec le bbq. Job essaye de demarrer le bbq. Il ouvrit le gaz et quand il commence le feu, le gaz vite est en feu et bruit les cheuveux, les sourcils et les cils de Job. C'est le nuit de Job cuire le dinner. John est avec Job quand tous ce passe. Il entre la maison avec des grands yeux et je vite pris un photo.

The Cutie Saga

2011-11-06T19:33:00.000-08:00

First off, this post is not about a girl. It's about a fruit. Yes, a small spherical orange fruit. The saga of the cutie began the day I put a cutie (with a smiley face drawn on it) into Isaac's lunch for school. This is how it played out.
Day 1: Cutie stabbed by Nick in 5th period science with a pair of scissors.
Day 2: Cutie thrown against the gym wall by Kaiden in 3rd period gym.
Day 3: Cutie squashed by Ben. "Ben, look my cutie made it lunch!" Isaac exclaimed excitedly. Ben looks at the smiley face on the cutie and smashes it with his fist.
Day 4: Cutie is stolen by friends. They drop it and it rolls into the girls' bathroom. Happens before school. Mom has drawn her usual smiley face on it but added "U R A Cutie" to it. The saying is the only thing visible from outside the girls' bathroom.
Day 5: Isaac brings two cuties with him to school. Cutie 1 gets ran over by the bus at the bus stop. Friends hold chips hostage for Cutie 2. Thief "friend" drop kicks the cutie onto the school roof.
That ended the Cutie Saga. No more cuties are going to school.

Je mis un Clémentine dans le dinner je donne a Isaac pour l'ecole. Il a des problemes avec des clementine, ils ne sont pas la pour son dinner. C'est comme ca.
Clementine un: Nick (son ami) l'a coup avec des ciseaux.
Clementine deux: Un autre ami le jette contre le mur.
Clementine trois: Ben l'ecrases quand il l'a vu.
Clementine quatre: Ses amis sont vole son clementine et son clementine a lamine dans la WC du femmes.
Clementine cinq: Il a couru par autobus.
Clementine six: Ses amis sont vole encore et le coup de pied sur le toit.
Maintenant je ne donne pas des clementines a Isaac pour son dinner.

Costumes

2011-11-01T21:53:00.001-07:00

The kids were very creative in what they wanted to be for Halloween. I had a small party during trick or treat time. The ladies stayed home while the dads took the kids door to door. Lona's idea of patience is posing for photos. I made the kids dress up earlier in the day for a costume photo shoot. I love the colors that are on display on our street and it was a perfect backdrop for the costumes.

Jenga Fett

Athena, Greek goddess

He's a democrat for Halloween

Lona was in many of the photos because she was home but the boys were at different activities. I don't have on of all three of them together but I do have our neighbors.

Cette annee, les enfants decident d'apporter des costumes. Lona est une déesse, Job est Jenga Fett (Star Wars), et Isaac est un âne (democrate). Les femmes restent a la maison et les hommes vont avec les enfant a chaque maison. Au cause de ca, il faut que je pris des photos plus tot du jours.

Light

2011-10-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

As I look back at the month, I realized that I've taken a lot of food photos. John and my friend both purchased food photography books for me. Each book speaks a lot about light and so did my last photography instructor, Wendy Schultz. Before really studying photography and the role of light, I'd just pick up my camera and snap a photo. Sure that work but here is an example of using light. Each one of these photos are taken of the same thing but they use light different. I took these from different points of view and having the light hit the subject differently. It is amazing to see.

front lighting
Lumiere devant

Side lighting
lumiere a cote

back lighting
Lumiere derriere

Quand je voir mes photos que j'ai pris en Octobre, je realize qu'ils sont beaucoups des photos de nurritures. John et mon amies m'achete des livres de photographie de nourriture. Chaque livres donne des informations de lumiere et photographie. Mon enseignor de photographie (Wendy Schultz) parle de lumiere aussi. Avant d'etudie photographie et l'importance de lumiere, je juste pris un photo sans penser. Oui, ca marche mais ces sonts des photos de le meme chose mais utilizer le lumiere different.

backside lighting
Lumiere derriere et a cote

back side lighting from other side
Lumiere derriere et a cote

My Friend Knits

2011-10-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am a non-knitter. I've tried really. I knitted a baby sweater but brought it to my friend and said help me. I can't see dropped stitches or read patterns, put in button holes or knit pieces together. I've knitted a scarf but it isn't the prettiest. I can cast on but can't really remember to cast off and forget about counting. I am not a knitter. My friend however is a knitter. She is very good at it. The stuff she makes is adorable. The baby hats and sweaters she makes should be sold at a high end specialty shops. If that isn't all, she makes these mittens that have very intricate patterns. They are traditional Scandinavian mittens with the pointed ends. The yarn she works with is delicate and so very soft. Still that isn't all, she makes these bags that are beautiful. What she does with two sticks and a ball of yarn is called art. It isn't done overnight, it takes a lot of time and patience to create this. She follows a blog of another knitter. Last night four of us took a little road trip to see the Yarn Harlot as she is called for a book reading. I am not a knitter. But I went with my friends and had an absolutely wonderful time. I may have been the only non-knitter in the room besides the token husband trying to get out of the doghouse. We sat down and everyone pulled out their knitting. I pulled out sudoku. I can play and listen at the same time. She read excerpts out of her book and they were funny. It's a collection of short stories that are hilarious that happen to revolve around knitting. It almost but not quite made me want to try knitting again. I quickly came to my senses. There is just no way I could do it. My friend however I find amazing.

J'ai une amie qui tricoter. J'ai essayer de tricoter mais je suis terrible. C'est vrai. Je tricots un pullover pour un bebe mais il faut que je demande pour aider. Je peut pas lire les directions ou fais des trou pour les boutons. Je ne peut pas counter. Je fais un foulard but ce n'est pas joli. Mon amie est magnifiuqe. Les choses elle fait sont comme d'art. Les pullover pour des bebe, les chapeau sont minons. Les sacs sont joli. Elle fais des mitainessont incroyable. Elle a beaucoup de patience. Heir, je vais avec mes amies pur un petit tour de voir une femme qui ecrit des histoires de tricoter. Elle est comique. Quand nous arrivons, tous les femmes a la place prendre leur tricoter avec leurs. Moi, je ne tricote pas. Je peut jouer sudoku et ecouter a la meme temp. Pour une moments je voudrais apprendre de tricoter mais vitement je realizer que c'est pas mois, je n'avais pas le patience pour ca. Mon amie faisiat un art.

Ferndale Red Lions - Boys

2011-10-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

Job's team video

L'equipe de Job

Testing slideshow

2011-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have lightroom and love it. It has a feature to create a slideshow. I've used Photoshope Elements slideshow and really like it. In fact I use it at the end of each soccer season when I put together a slideshow for the team. I haven't used Lightroom's slideshow and decided to try it out.

J'appris un nouveau chose. J'ai Lightroom (c'est pour des photos). Je n'utilize pas le chose de faire un filme. Alors je l'essaie avec des photos de John et Skagit.

The Playstation

2011-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

For many years we haven't had a gaming system. Our philosophy has been: we have a computer and you can play games on it so why spend money on a game system. We only give our kids 20 minutes a day on the computer anyway. There are so many other things for them to do instead of playing on the computer. We've heard so many reasons to get a gaming system and those reasons came from adults. Last year around Christmas time we decided to get a blue ray player and both the Xbox and PlayStation have blue ray capabilities. So we thought about it and thought about and researched it. In the end we decided against it. Again it came down to we have a computer and many games but the kids have one game in particular that they like to play. That game can only be played online. It isn't available on either gaming system. They have friends from church and neighborhood friends and summer friends that all play the same game, so why buy a gaming system. Well, last week a neighbor boy came over and offered Isaac his old PlayStation for free with 15 or so games. Apparently his uncle had purchased an xbox played it a while and then gave it to this neighbor boy. John relented since it was free and then promptly ran out to buy another controller. ( There was only one that worked). John looked at wireless controllers but they were outrageously expensive. I let them move the love seat but have decided that is NOT going to happen all the time. I do hear everyday, "Can I play the PS2?" I wonder how long that will last. They even tried to renegotiate their "computer" time. No way. On rainy days I may allow more PS2 time if they read first. I coming up with all sorts of uses with it.

Pour plusiere d'annee nous avons decider de n'acheter pas un Xbox ou Playstation (des jeux pour le television). Nous pensons que c'est plus cher et nous avons des jeux sur l'ordinatuer, alors nous n'avons pas besoin un Xbox. Le noel passee, nous avons decider d'achete un blue-ray. Playstation et XBox ont un blu-ray ensemble. Mais apres de penser et de rechercher, nous avons penser que c'est trop cher just pour jouer des jeux et voir des films. Les enfants aiment seulement un jeu par l'ordinatuer. Ils ont jeuer avec leurs amis d'eglise, d'ecole, et de football. Alors un Playstation n'est pas pour nous. Le semaine dernier, un ami d'Isaac lui donne un Playstation et 15 jeux - libre, sans paier. Son oncle achete un Xbox et donne a l'ami d'Isaac. Alors il donne son Playsation a Isaac. Tout de suite John vas au marche pour acheter une manette de jeux. Seulement une marche. Maintenant les enfants me demande de jouer le Playstation. Mais comme l'ordinateur je leurs dit seulement pour 20 minutes.

Happy Birthday John

2011-10-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

This year we have celebrated more of his birthday's together than apart. I wish I could say that we are having a party and I'm pampering him but alas that is not the case due to activities. Last night I made him a BLT sand which and blackberry pie for dinner. He had soccer practice so usually doesn't eat much those nights. I had a little time before practice and thought I'd get a great photo of him and write something mushy but the guy is extremely uncomfortable having his picture taken. So instead I photographed him doing what he does every night when he comes home. He wanders around the backyard looking at his plants. He starts at the blueberry bushes, working his way around clockwise. He mentally takes note of new growth, looks at the leaves and for fruit. If there is a plant bearing fruit he grazes a little. I don't think a raspberry has made into the house. The dog wanders with him and they snack together on what they find. Even in the winter he does this. It has become a ritual and I think a time to relax.
Aujourd'hui c'est l'anniversaire de John. Je celebre plus d'anniversaire avec lui que sans lui. Normalement, je cui son dinner favorite mais nous avons trop d'activite ce soir. Alors heir soir, nous avons celebre. Avant le practique de football, nous avons un peu de temp et je voudrais prendre des photos. Il n'est pas comfortable avec des photos alors je les pris pendent il fait un tour du jardin. Chaque nuit quand il rentre a la maison, il fait un petit tour. Il voit tous des arbres et voit les grandiss. S'il y a des fruit, il les manges et donne un peu au chien. Je lui fais un tarte pour son anniversaire.

Singing in the Rain

2011-10-13T12:22:00.000-07:00

We live in the Pacific Northwest. That means it rains a lot. Not rain forest rain, but a lot but many many days. It may drizzle and sprinkle for over a week without sun. We have practiced and played soccer in the rain. We have hiked and camped in the rain. We have a choice: either stay inside or embrace it. Some of my kids do so, others stay inside.

Nous habitons a l'ouest en Washington. Cela signifie qu'il pleut beaucoup. Pas comme un forêt tropicale, mais beaucoup. Il bruine pour un semaine sans voir le soliel. Nous avons jouer le football dans le pluie. Nous avons faire du camping dans la pluie. Nous avons un choisir: rester dedans out embrasse le pluie. Quelques mes enfants restent dedans mais l'autre embrasse le pluie.

Paycheck

2011-10-12T09:32:00.000-07:00

Isaac has loved being a referee. He gets up in the morning and checks out the referee site. He schedules three games each week at the beginning of the season for Saturdays. First thing Friday morning he looks to see if there are any more open games so that he can add them to his Saturday schedule. On Saturdays John drops Isaac off at the fields at 8:30 and we don't see him again until 4:00 in the afternoon. He packs a lunch and extra socks and goes to work. Last weekend he received his paycheck. He doesn't just ref for fun but because he is getting paid. He just signed up for a Bridge Clinic in order to earn his grade 8 black badge. This will allow him to referee U10 and U11 games which pay more money. These clinics aren't free and this one will cost $75. Just like last time we will only pay for part of it. John and I have decided that the kids will take ownership in passing their tests and paying attention if they have to pay for it.

This goes for their higher education too. They have to make the investment themselves then they will be more likely to take it seriously.

Isaac aime de faire un arbitre. Chaque matin il se reveille et voit le site d'arbitre par internet. Il choisit trois match par samedi. Puis tout suite vendredi matin, il cherche pour plus matches qui n'a pas un arbitre le jour prochain. Samedi matin, John lui pris au terrain de football a huit heure et demi. Nous ne voyons pas que 4 heures d'apres midi. Il pris une sandwhich et des autres chaussettes avec lui. Il aime de gagner d'argent pour faire un arbitre. Il faut qu'il pris une classe pour faire un arbitre des enfants qui sont 10 et 11 ans. Ca coute $75. Il faut que Isaac paie le demi. Nous pensons que c'est meiux que Isaac payer alors la classe est plus important a lui. Nous pensons ca pour son education a l'universite aussi. Si ca coute un peut, c'est deviens plus important.

My little studio

2011-10-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

I've been taking photos for Job. This is my little studio.
Je pris des photos pour Job. C'est ma petite studio.

Fall is in the air

2011-10-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

The smell of Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves and Strawberries permeate the air in my house. The red, green and yellow leaves litter the sidewalk outside. In the morning the fog wraps itself around the houses. These are the little things that signal a change of seasons at our house. I feel compelled to make jam. I have a freezer full of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The blackberries I'll keep out to make a pie for John on his birthday. With some of the blueberries I make a tart for my birthday. The rest of the blueberries will be combined with raspberries to make a jam. Forget that I really don't have time but it gives me a happy feeling. Next year it will be time to make pickled beets and canned peaches. John's pear tree produced enough pears that I can make an end of summer jam using his pears and the plums from our neighbors. I am feeling industrious and nostalgic as look at the jars of jam on the table and hear the ping ping ping. It reminds me of the book "Blueberries for Sal" and I fondly think of the kitchen the mother is in as she cans the blueberries. Then reality hits as I'm crossing the kitchen trying to listen to a child as he tells me something that I'm not fulling listening to and my hot jar of jam flies out of my hand, crashing to the floor, flinging jam everywhere. Add mopping to my list now then I hear, "Mom the toilet is plugged." and the nostalgia disappears. Things aren't quite working as smooth as they were before. I realize that I bought two packages of wide mouth lids instead of regular and only one of regular and I didn't buy enough pectin. My berries aren't thawing and I forgot to crush them. My floor is a sticky mess and I keep mopping and mopping in between batches. I started with an empty sink and dishwasher, but now my sink is full and my dishwasher is keeping my jars hot in order to not break them in the canner. Did I put all seven cups of sugar in that batch or did I forget the spices? The wash machine is beeping at me. (I am washing clothes as well because a child informed me that he needed underwear and didn't want to waste his day washing clothes. I didn't want to waste my time washing clothes either so he did a load himself but the rest of the family needs laundry done too.) My children have now taken themselves outside to get away from my frantic self as I race to stir and remove the jars at the same time. I'm not sure how Sal's mother managed to can blueberries with her kitchen sans dishwasher. To top it all off, I'm now wishing that I had my grandmother's jelly that is absolutely beautiful and tastes heavenly. If it is held up to the light, it glows. Was canning a good idea? Hmm, maybe instead of making blueberry tart John and I should go out for dessert and coffee instead.

Il sent comme l'autume. Les feuilles rouges, verts, et jaunes tombent par terre. Du matin le brouillard envelope les maison. C'est les petits choses qui annonce l'arriver d'automne. J'ai un congelateur pleine des frais, framboise, et bleuets. Les framboise noir je garde pour une tarte pour l'anniversaire de John. Avec les bleuets je feront cuire une tarte de bleuet. Les frambroise rouge et les fraise je fais des confiture. L'annee prochaine il faut que je fais les peche et les betteraves marinées. John a un arbre de poire qui a assez des poire de faire une confiture avec des poire, des peches et des citrons. Je sent content de faire ca et j'aime les bruit des canettes quand ils ont finis. Je pense de livre "Les Bleuets pour Sal". C'est une fille et sa mere qui rassemblent des bleuets et les mettons en conserver. La mere avait une cuisine sans un lave-vaisselle. Je pense comme elle la fait. Le realite pour est vraiment different. Je suis au millieux de prendre une canette chaud et le mettre en table quand Job me parle. Je n'ecoute pas tres bien parce que j'ai entraine de penser l'autre chose. Tout a coup, la canette tombs par terre et casse. Il y a des glace et confiture chaud tous. Maintenant il faut que je nettoye la cuisine, et pris les canette, et remeus le confiture et j'ecoute ma fille me dit, "Mamma le toilet ne marche pas." Maintenant je pense "est-ce que je mis assez de sucre ou est-ce que j'oublie de mettre les epices?" Je desire des confiture de ma grand-mere. C'est joli et délectable. Quand je la mis dans la lumiere elle brille. Peut-etre une fois il faut que j'allais de visiter ma grand-mere tout seul et apprendre de faire la confiture comme elle.

Guitar

2011-10-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Our music education has changed just a little bit this year. Job has taken up the guitar thanks to a friend of the kids who loaned Job his old guitar. Job loves it. When the weather is nice he sits outside and practices. He'll practice on Saturday and Sundays. He's excited to finish his first guitar book. He built a pick holder out of Legos. He wants a guitar case, strap and stand. Looks like great Christmas presents if you ask me.
Nous avons change notre education du musique cette annee. Job a commence de jouer la guitare parce que son ami lui a prete une guitare. Job l'adore. Quand il fait beau, Job la joue dehors. Il la joue samdi et dimanche. Il construit un boit pour le plectre avec ses Legos. Il veut un boit pour sa guitare et une laniere. Je pense que ces sont des bons cadeaux pour Noel.

Crazy Hair Night - Awana

2011-09-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Every year there is a crazy hair night at our Awana and sometimes twice during the year. The kids start planning and thinking. We've done something similar to Lona before but this year she wanted an A out of her hair. Job wanted to carry over the theme from his party - Mad Scientist Hair. (What does that really look like anyway?) Around Halloween time I make a run to Walmart and stock up on hair coloring spray. Sometimes the soccer teams have colored hair games and so I need some on hand for both soccer and Awana.
Chaque annee il y a un nuit pour les cheveux fou a Awana. Mes enfants commence de penser et plan. Nous avons faire quelques de similaire avec les cheveux de Lona mais cette fois elle veut un "A" avec ses cheveux. Job veut semble un scientiste fou (comment ca voir?) Vers Halloween je vais a Walmart d'acheter des fixatif des coleurs. Quelques fois l'equip de football a un matche avec les cheveux dans d'autre coleurs alor entre Awana et le football, j'achete assez des fixatif.

It's that season

2011-09-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

We are in full swing of soccer at our house. It is six days a week with four out of five of us playing soccer. And if that isn't enough soccer we must watch the Sounders when they are on a channel we get. This year as well as last year, Isaac has participated in soccer at his middle school instead of the rec league during the fall. This allows him to be a referee most of the day on Saturdays. He's a driven kid to make money. So far his plan has been to save for a car and college, but he certainly likes having some spending money as well. I'm loving the middle school soccer program in that he practices for 1 1/2 hours everyday. His games are during the week too. I can make it to some of his home games and need my camera so that I'm not the obnoxious mom yelling at kid. It keeps me quiet and focused. I think it keeps me from embarrassing him. The varsity high school coach just had a little talk with these middle schoolers and now Isaac is running with John at night (4 miles).

C'est le temp de football. Quatre dans notre familee jouent le football. Et si c n'est pas assez nous voyons le Sounders (l'equip de Seattle) quand nous avons le chaine de television. Cette annee et l'annee prochaine, Isaac a joue pour son ecole. Comme ca, il est libre le samedi pour fait l'arbitre. Il aime de gagner d'argent. Il veut garder l'argent pour un voiture et pour aller a l'universite. Il aime aussi depenser un peu aussi. Moi, j'aime qu'il joue pour son ecole. Il practique apres l'ecole et joue dans le semaine pas le weekend. Son match et dans le semaine aussi. L'entraineur pour le college viens de parler avec les joueurs. Alors il decide de commencer de courir quelques miles au nuit avec John. Quand j'attends les matches je pris avec moi mon camera. Comme ca je ne cris pas et ne lui embarrasse pas.

Mad Scientist Party

2011-09-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by this site to host a mad scientist birthday party. Job is my science kid. he loves science. He reads an animal fact file and then stores all that information in his brain. He reads science books like Can You Feel the Force. He loves it. What better way to celebrate his birthday than with a party. So I ordered materials from Steve Spangler Science store, and bought the others from our local grocery store. As the kids arrived, they received a lab coat and safety goggles. We first made rainbow cupcakes with cake mix and sprite, then we used these polymer balls to make jelly marbles in our test tubes. We blew up balloons with baking soda and vinegar. We made slime with other polymers and food coloring. John taught them about Newtonian fluids. I learned a few things too. Then we brought out the most fun thing of all - dry ice. I'm not kidding. This was the best thing as far as the kids were concerned. We put pennies on the ice and listened to the sound it made. John was great because he explained everything. The kids wanted to freeze their jelly marbles, their slime, pour water both warm and cold on the dry ice. We had to shoo them outside to set off their mentos diet pop fountains. I really thought that they would like this the best but it was the dry ice. Finally we had the cupcakes the kids made and opened presents. Wow, two hours went by fast and it took the rest of the day to clean up. But John and I looked at each other and thought that was the best birthday party we've had. It really helped that all the kids were really into it.

Nous avons un fete pour l'anniversaire de Job. Job aime la science. Il lis les livres des animaux, de la physique et se souviens tous l'information. Il adore ca. Alors je pense que c'est parfait d'avoir un fete de la science pour Job. J'ai achete des chose de Steve Spangler et d'autre chose de magasin. Quand les enfants sont entres, ils ont recu un manteau labratory et lunette de securite. D'abord nous faisons des gateau d'arc-en ciel. Puis nous utilisons des boules de polymere de fabrique des marbres dans notres tubes d'essaie. Nous gonflons des balloons avec du bicarbonate de soude et du vinaigre. Nous faisons des mucosite avec polyvinyle alcohole et un traverser la solution relie. John les enseigne des fluide newtonien. J'apprens quelques chose aussi. Ensuite nous jouons avec du glace seche. C'est le favorite chose des enfants. Ils touches le glace avec des coins, avec d'eau, avec les marbres, le mucosite, et plus. Ils pouvons jouer avec le glace seche pour le reste du temps. Il faut que nous les poussons dehors. Nous faison des jet de cola avec des mentos. Je pense que les enfants aiment ca le plus mais c'est le glace ils aiment. Finalement nous mangeons le gateau et ouvrire des cadeaux. C'est un fete marveilleux.

Eleven

2011-09-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

How did this happen. Rhetorical question. I know how it happened but sometimes when I really think about it, it seems surreal. My 2nd born is 11 years old. He has very definitive tastes and opinions. He had decided the night before that he wanted to open presents before John left for work which meant waking up and having a party before 6 am. At 5:45 he bounded into our room getting me up so that we could watch him open his presents. John had been up for a while but I like to sleep until 6:00 when I get Isaac up for school. It was still dark outside. Crazy. Being a birthday, our homeschoolers took the day off. I took a nap, Job played mine craft and put his RC car together. There wasn't much to do, just insert the battery and put in the antenna. Treat the car like a cell phone they said. Which meant no driving in the rain (yes, it was raining) or through puddles or in wet grass. No running it into curbs. yadda yadda yadda. The rules went on and on, but he took ownership of it. Next on the agenda was a trip to Greene's Corner for hot cocoa, cookies and some reading. Then back home to have lunch with John. He had a meeting in Bellingham. He tries to schedule those meetings so he can have lunch with us. There were somethings that we just couldn't cancel but seeing as though guitar is one of Job's favorite things it was ok to have lessons. One thing I try to do for our kid's birthday is to have a favorite dinner, whether that's at a restaurant of their choosing or their favorite meal. Job likes shrimp scampi. So he made it for his birthday. He's getting good at it.

It's still dark.
C'est deja nuit.

Job etait onze annee. C'est presque incroyable. Il avait des idees definitives. Il a decidele soir avant qu'il veut ouvrir des cadeaux du matin avant le temps que John partir pour son travaille. Il me reveille a 5:45. Je ouvre mes yeux et vois Job me regarder. Il me demande, "Est-ce que je peut ouvrire mes cadeaux?" Je decide de ne faire pas des devoirs aujourd'hui. Au lieu de faire devoirs, nous allons a Greenes Corner (un cafe) pour des chocolat chaud, des biscuit et de lire. Apres midi, Job a des cours de guitare a le meme temp des cours de piano pour Lona. Pour le dinner, j'aime de faire les nourriture prefere a Job. Il aime les scampi crevettes. Alors il le prepare.

Hop to Job's Blog

2011-09-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

So Job has started a blog: Lego 52 The idea is to create a small lego creation once a week, photograph the steps, and write about it. He has made two entries. We are both learning a little bit about photography and photoshop together. We created a small "studio" to photograph his creation in. Nothing like a little tag board and natural light.

Job a cree un blog. Il faut creer un figure de Lego chaque semaine, prendre des photos des etapes, et ecrire. Nous sommes apprennons ensemble un peu de photographie. Nous faisons un petit studio pour prendre les photos. Alors voyez qu'il fait. www.lego52.blogspot.com ( cliquez la).

2011-09-18T14:16:00.001-07:00

C'est que j'ai vu quand j'approches le frigo ce matin. This is what I saw when I approached the fridge this mornig.

Camp Grandma's 2011

2011-09-16T10:48:00.000-07:00

We meet half way, sometimes exchanging vehicles when dropping or picking up the kids, sometimes flying home, sometimes just leaving kids. This year I just dropped off the kids with my mother and enjoyed two weeks at home. The kids on the other hand were busy. Starting July 30th to Labor Day they had been gone 28 out 36 days. Wow! Two weeks of that was with my mother.
Mes enfants visitent ma mere cette ete. Elle me recontrantes au millieu pour prendre Isaac, Job et Lona. J'ai peu avoir du temps de faire des chose a la maison. Les enfants et ma mere vont a South Dakota pour un semaine. Des photos en bas sont tous qu'ils ont faire.
The agenda for Camp Grandma 2011 was something like this:

Warm Springs
Un lac avec des coiusins

Fishing
Des peche

Slip n Slide
dans la jardin

Reading
lise les livres

Mount Rushmore

Devil's Tower

Bear Country

Reptile Gardens

Crazy Horse Monument

Needle's Highway
and a myriad of other things.

She scares me

2011-09-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

This girl scares me. She scares her Dad too. Every year he gets wrapped tighter and tighter around her finger. Sometimes we get these glimpses of what she might look like or be like as a teenager. I don't think we'll survive it. I bet Isaac $50 that someday his friends would want to date his sister. I don't want it to happen. In fact I dont want her to date ever but I know it's going to happen.

She likes to do things: wakeboard, water ski, snow ski, catch frogs, play soccer, ride her bike, and yet can be very girly: scrapbooking, embroidery, knitting, beading, dresses, jewelry and wanting a feather in her hair.

We are terrified!

C'est fille me fait peur. Sa pere fait peur aussi. En peu de fois, je vois comment elle est quand elle grandi. Je suis faire de peur des garcons qui aiment ma fille. Elle aime de faire des choses comme le ski, le ski nautiuqe, attrapper les grenouilles, jouer le football, prendre sa bicyclette, nauger mais des choses des fille aussi comme broder, tricoter, scrapbook, etapporter les robes et les bijoux. Nous sommes terrifies.

Love by her Dad
Aime par son pere

Lake Whatcom Labor Day

2011-09-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

We decided to head to Lake Whatcom this morning for a little time in the sun. It was time to ski, board and tube before school started. It might be our last chance for the year. Soccer has started and so as of this week our Saturdays are taken up with soccer games. We put into the lake around 10am and immediately had Isaac on skis. He started with the big skis, quickly went to the little yellow ones. These are great because they help train you to keep your feet together. He just popped right up. Then he decided that he was going to wake board. John has been thinking about how he gets up on the wake board.

Here are his pointers:
1. Bend your knees a lot so the board is close to your body
2. Put your hands over the board
3. Bend over as much as you can
4. Roll forward as the boat pulls you up and you end up standing on the board.
This eliminates you slamming your hands on the front of the board. Isaac did exactly as John told him to and he popped right up. In fact he got pretty cocky and let go with one hand. We encouraged him to try jumping and going outside the wake later in the day.
After Isaac was tired, we threw Lona in the lake and made her try skiing. She just popped up. She gets such a serious look on her face - it's hilarious. After a couple of times skiing she just let go and slowly sunk into the water. It was now Job's turn. He is so light that John barely gave the boat any gas and he was on top of the water. Unlike Lona he does not wear his emotions on his face. His face is just so nonchalant. Of course John just couldn't help but show the kids how to wake board. They think that he's awesome because he jumps the wake. I gave Isaac and Job the camera because I had to drive the boat. I wanted photos of him doing his stuff. He tried a 360 but couldn't quite pull it off. He also showed the kids how to slalom ski. I would love to be able to do that, hopefully next summer.
A little time on the tube and then the kids were back in the water trying the wake board. Isaac loves the wake board and thinks it's better than tubing or skiing. Lona started it off with her and Job. I bribed her to take out the wake board by telling her I'd put a feather in her hair. I wish that I would have been that daring at that age. It was so fun to watch her board. Job commented that if Lona could get up then he could too. The problem was that he has smaller feet than Lona and the bindings are made for adults. Easily solved, he just needed to wear his water shoes and place them in the bindings. Up he went. Not to be out done by his little siblings, Isaac decided that he would try going out of the wake and jumping it and try he did. They rocked today! Lona has goals of steering the board by the end of next year, and being able to jump by 16. I think she could do that. She has five years to go.
Nous avons passe la jour au lac. Je suis en fier de mes enfants. Ils ont appris faire du ski nautique sans aider et faire du wake boarding. C'et le premiere fois les trois peut faire wake boarding. Apres aujourd'hui, Isaac commence avec l'ecole et tous samedi est pour les matches du football. Alors c'est le derniere fois nous pouvons aller au lac tous ensemble.

Gun toting mamma

2011-09-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

So a friend and I were thinking about what we were going to do when our kids are out of the house. I mean really, after spending an hour cleaning house, throwing in some laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking what else am I going to do. It's not like that will take all day. With two people it takes only a couple loads of laundry. There's barely enough dishes to run the dishwasher twice a week. What am I going to do? I really have no idea. That's where the national guard came in. I figured that I could pass basic training. I looked at the physical requirements and I was quite capable of that. The age requirements, I was still able to get in. The husband requirement: definitely absolutely not! So I was lamenting to my friend what am I going to do. We needed just a little excitement too. I think I'm having a midlife crisis and there isn't a sports car showing up in my drive way. We came up with the idea of shooting. I've shot BB guns, pellet guns and .22 rifles but never a hand gun.

So I texted John and went to Yeagers to purchase a hand gun. I didn't realize that they were that expensive and then I had no idea what kind to get. The lady behind the counter asked why I wanted it. Protection maybe? No. Why would I need protection? I'm a middle-aged, van-driving, homeschooling mother of three kids. It's not like I'm attracting that kind of attention. No I just wanted to shoot something. This lady was nice and kind and pointed me to the Plantation Range in Bellingham. They rent guns. Perfect. You pay a day use, rent a gun and buy the ammo. I grabbed my friend and her husband and to the range we went. The guy let us rent a Sig, a glock and a Browning. The Sig and glock were 9mm. Way to big and loud for me. The Browning was perfect. I could load the clip fire off 10 rounds and take out the clip. I learned how to carry the gun, and hold it without scrapping skin off my thumb. I think I know what I want for my birthday. Another friend told me that a Ruger .22 was a good handgun. Anyone have suggestions please let me know. I'm wanting to take a class maybe in October.

L'autre jour une amie et moi decidons d'aller tirer sur les armes a feu. J'aime beaucoup. J'apprendre d'apporter un arme a fue, charger les balles, et stander correctement. Peut-etre je vais demander un pistolet pour mon anniversaire.

Lake Whatcom

2011-08-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

Both Friday and Sunday we spent on the lake with friends. We don't do this often because usually we have our kids with us. But our kids are gone for these two weeks and we are a little bit more free. This year I purchased some adult water skis from Craig's List. On Friday we put in the water around 10:30 and skied until 1:30 when Kara's husband got off work.l We picked him up at the dock and skied until about 4:30. I am usually a little timid about skiing and going outside the wake but something snapped in me and I figured that I could do it. Maybe it was the skis and maybe it was watching Kara. She showed no fear. It was encouraging. John is just so athletic. He gets up on the wake board and one ski and makes it look effortless. That's not the case with me. Both Friday and Sunday I was able to pop up out of the water and I tried to drop a ski and just use one on Friday. On Sunday I ended up dropping a ski. As long as I stay inside the wake and lean back I can go a long ways. I tried both days to start with one ski in the water. On Sunday I almost had it. It was so nice around 6pm on Sunday. Early morning and late evening is the perfect time to ski on the lake. Both of our friends can ski and it was a blast to watch them. I am hoping to be able to do more of this with friends next year.
Vendredi et dimanche nous les depensons sur le lac avec notres amis. Nous ne le faisons pas souvent parce que nous avons notres enfants. Cette fois notres enfants ne sont pas ici. J'achete des ski natique pour des adultes est c'etait temps de les essayer. Nous arrivons vers 10 heures et demi au lac et faisons de ski avec la femme d'ami de John. Vers une heures apres midi, l'homme arrive d'aller aussi. La femme essayes les skis et je pense que si c'est facile pour elle je peur le faire aussi. Je commence avec les deux skis et je laisse tombre un ski alors j'utilise seulment une. Je n'etais pas capable de commencer seulement avec un ski mais j'etais presque d'arriver. C'est mon objectif de faire du ski nautique avec seulment un ski.

That's me
C'est moi

Photo challenge

2011-08-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

So I am going to try this challenge out. It probably won't be in this order and I won't be starting on the first of the month. I will try to post the photos I've taken once a week so there will be more than one photo.

J'essaie faire cette liste. C'est une liste des choses de photographie. Je n'est pas commence au debut de mois et ce n'est pas en ordre. Chaque semaine j'ecris un billet de blog avec les photos que j'ai pris a la liste.
1. auto portrait
2. ce que je mangais

sea scallops with squash and gruyere cheese and pasta

3. dans l'action

Gai Pad Krapow

on the lake with our friend Kara
sur le lac avec notre amie Kara

Baker Lake Boys

2011-08-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

The boys spent three days at Baker Lake doing all kinds of things. They did a ton of water skiing, wake boarding and tube fighting. They fished, ate and tried to scare each other in the dark. It was a total guys time out.
Quand Lona et moi restons chez nous, les garcons font du camping. Ils font le ski nautique, le peche, des randonne, et mangent des galette. C'est le temp des garcons.

While the cat is away the mice will play

2011-08-23T06:43:00.000-07:00

That is just what Lona and I did. We played while the guys were adventuring. Four years ago both boys were involved in chess club once a week and so Lona and I did a ton of stuff and then completed a scrapbook on the things we did together. This year we decided to do it again but we had three days to complete everything instead of a day a week for 5 months the boys were campng. Lona brought down her scrapbook and we looked at the list we made when she was 5. It provided a foundation for us this year. Our list this year included: bake cookies, get a pedicure, watch movies, go to Busara's for Lunch, play at the park with friends, go shopping, bike to the library and Wood's coffee in Ferndale, and scrapbook our adventure. It has been a total blast. We watched Soul Surfer with one of my friends down the street and decided that it was a buy-worthy movie. We went to Phase 2 to have a pedicure based on a recommendation from a friend. I have never had one before and was surprised at how much I really liked it. I can see doing this more often. I generally don't like my feet touched but there were only a few times that I was sensitive about it. We watched the new Star Trek movie again and part of one of the old TV series. We baked pecan tassies, ( should have used mini muffin tins) and French Lace Cookies (they are more like candy than a cookie). Stayed up way to late. Ate at Taco Time with the Sutherlands after playing at the Lynden park for a couple of hours.

Pour le deuxieme fois, les garcons de notre familee rendezvous avec des autre garcons pour quelques jour de jouer sur la lac. Lona et moi restons chez nous alors nous faisons des choses juste pour les filles. Nous avons recu des pedicures, pris notres velo a la bibliotheque, faisons des galettes et joue avec notres amies sur un parc. Nous sommes allees au restaurant pour manger des pizzas, des cuisines thailiandaise et mexicaine. Nous avons garder des films aussi. J'aime passer des jours seulment avec Lona comme ca. C'est juste des jours avec une maman et sa fille.

Cannon Beach: Rest and Relaxation

2011-08-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

For the most part at Cannon Beach we just headed to the spot most everyone did; the beach. It was wonderfully relaxation. We purchased a skim board for the kids but in actuality it was Job that used it the most so it pretty much is his. When back at the room he would watch Ytube videos on basic skim board techniques. Then he would practice those techniques on the carpet with his board. By the end of the week he could do three full turns on his board. He couldn't go in or out of the waves but I think his record length was 65 ft. John paced it out. Lona pretty much dug in the sand and made sandcastles. Isaac wandered between activities. He and Lona played a catch the flip flop game. They tied one of Lona's flip flops to the end of the kite tail. The kite flyer would try to zoom the kite near the other person who was trying to catch the flip flop. Once caught then they would switch places. John and I pretty much read books, watched the kids, and just enjoyed the time.
Every since the first time we came to Cannon Beach, I have run either in the morning or in the evening on the beach. It has kind of become a tradition for me. This year I would get up early and walk two miles either with or without my camera. Then in the evening I would run those two miles. I would be stiff and sore but it felt good to have some alone time in this way. I talked to another gal and she said that she runs a lot at home but somehow feels closer to God on the beach. I feel like that too. I think it is because I'm being fed spiritually the whole week, like drinking out of a fire hydrant so that I can clearly see Him around me.
Pendant presque tous les jours en vacance nous allons a la plage. Nous achetons un skim board pour Job et il le utilise beaucoup. Il le voir les instruction d'utilise le skim board par internet et practique dans la chambre. Il devien bien avec le skim board. Lona fait les chateaux du sable. Et Isaac a joue avec ses amis, a utilise le skim board parfois, a vole un cerf-volent. Il a attache un chausseur de Lona a la queue du cerf-volent. Si Lona peut l'attraper elle peut utilise le cerf-volent et il faut que Isaac attrape la chausseur. John et moi, jouons avec les enfants, prennons des photos, et lisons des histoires. C'est tres relaxant. Chaque fois nous l'allez chez Cannon Beach je passe de temps tout seul a la plage. Cette fois, je me reveille de bonne heure pour faire un tour a la plage, quelquefois avec ma camera et puis debut de soiree j'ai couru a la plage. C'est un tradition pour moi.

Saddle Mountain

2011-08-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

We are a family that likes to hike. Sometimes I wonder why. I mean you spend hours walking up a hill to get to the top. You rest 15 minutes, look around and spend hours to get down. When you get down, you drive and then you are tired. What is the point? Well, for us the point is a sense of accomplishment, some family time, to enjoy creation, see some places that are off the beaten track. So while on vacation that is exactly what we did. Saddle Mountain is about 7 miles off of Highway 26 in Oregon. That's the highway that runs from Hwy 101 (the coastal highway) to Portland.

It's a 2.5 mile hike to one of the highest peaks in the county and offers amazing view. It is quite steep but I was able to do this without trek poles and my knees didn't hurt. The trail is kept in good condition with wire netting staked into place on the steeper parts. Although I did find amusing that they placed a rail perimeter at the top. There is no water available along the trail (so don't rely on a filter) so bring some. The kids enjoyed it. Isaac and I were able to have a great talk about the topic of the week at camp: Choices. I think it took us over 1 1/2 hours to reach to top. We were getting ready to come down when a group of kids showed up, they ran the whole thing. That's not me. Lona's counselors did this hike at 4:00 in the morning so they could watch the sunrise. Hmm, I think that's a great idea. It would be beautiful.

Pendant notre vacance, nous faisons une randonnee a Saddle Mountain. C'est tres joli, nous pouvons voir presque autour de nous jusqu'a l'ocean. C'est le plus haut place dans la region.

Il y a seulment 2.5 milles mais vraiment abruptes. Je peut le faire sans mal aux genoux. Nous avons rencontre une groupe qui a courire tout la randonnee. C'est pas moi. Les conseillers de Lona la font a 4:00 du matin pour voir l'arriver du soleil. Je pense que c'est joli, peut etre une autre annee nous pouvons le faire.

Cannon Beach: the Rec Center

2011-08-10T22:03:00.000-07:00

The rec center is the most wonderful place after breakfast, dinner and before bed. The kids rush through their meals and then yell out, "I'll be at the rec center." All their friends hung out there. Isaac became somewhat of a pool shark. By the end he could sink more than two pool balls in a row. Job usually watched pool, however he played carpet ball and Foosball. I became nervous for him when I watched him play in his tournaments. I may be a bit competitive for my children. He did great! Lona ran around the building with her friends, playing tag and being a girl. I banned her from playing in the elevator. John and I hung out in the room, on the beach and sometimes in the rec center. The kids could be unattended at the rec center since they were over 8 years old and we took full advantage of it. The staff was remarkable. They were there to enforce the rules, and they also played games with the kids, sometimes it was pool and sometimes it was checkers. Here are college kids and they payed attention to the little ones. The little kids were in awe of them.
They also had family worship at the rec center. We all got together in the gym to pray, sing, dance, play games and see what our children have been learning.

It was only 15 minutes but it was fantastic. I really like the family time and that it's broken up so that they kids have their time too.

Il y a une place pour les jeu. Il peut jouer le baby-foot, le basketball, le mini-golf. Isaac aime de jouer les billiards. Apres une semaine il peut metre plus d'une balle dans la pochet mais n'est pas a le meme temps. Lona jouet avec ses amies. Elle a couri autour du centre de loisirs. C'est parfait pour les enfants parce qu'ils ont a l'age qu'ils ne nous ont pas besoin avec leurs. Les personnels sont gens a l'age d'universite. Mais ils ont gentils. Si un enfant n'avait pas un personne avec de jouer, le personnel joue avec lui. C'est leur travaille mais ils ont vraiment content de faire ca. Et les enfant pense beaucoup des personnel.

Cannon Beach: The Big Swing

2011-08-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

The conference center owns some property up on the hills above Cannon Beach. They have installed an obstacle course along with a big swing. The counselors and leaders use this to talk about trust and obedience. The person on the swing is strapped into a harness and then attached to a rope. The others in the group grab hold of the rope and hoist the person 40 feet into the air. When the person is at the top, they pull the release cord (the person in the swing, not the people on the ground) and swing into nothing! It takes a lot of something to get up 40 feet above the ground with nothing but a rope holding you up. It takes a lot more to reach out and pull the release cable. It's not the initial swing, its going back to almost the same height only to repeat it over and over until you stop swinging.
Job elected to stay back at the rec center. He doesn't like heights and so we decided that he didn't need to do this. Isaac promised me that if I went all the way to the top that he wouldn't complain for 3 weeks. As soon as school starts I'm holding him to that.

A notre vacance il y a un grand tournant. Les personnes avec nous ses tirent en aire. Vers 40 poid, le personne peut tire une corde pour libere et commence de s'envoler. C'est exhilirate. Il faut avoir confiance avec les personnes par terre. Il faut avoir confiance avec la corde et aussi soi-meme. Isaac le fait deuxieme fois et m'a promis de ne se plaindre pas pour trois semaine si j'allais tout en haut avant s'envoler. Et j'attend pour le commencement d'ecole avant la commencement.

Cannon Beach

2011-08-09T06:37:00.000-07:00

Remember when we were kids. We'd hop on our bikes and take off with friends for the afternoon. We didn't have cell phones, our parent or parents knew all of our friends. We had to be back for dinner, but we'd bike across town to the local pool and stay the whole day. That isn't what it's like for our kids now. We guard where they are at. We give them cell phones so that we can get a hold of them instantly. We don't go outside and yell for them, we text them. We allow them to go to their friend's house two blocks away but they have to call when they get there. Things have flipflopped from when we were kids.

There weren't computers, internet and cell phones but our parents guarded what we watched. We weren't allowed in R rated movies without an adult. But now, our kids have access 24 hours a day to the internet and what ever movies they want but they aren't allowed to wander the neighborhood or go to the local park with friends without us being able to get a hold of them. Enter Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center. It's like a step back in time. The kids make friends with other kids from Christian families. They hang out with parents and siblings. I'm not saying that the kids are perfect because there still is some whinning, complaining and arguing. However, I can trust the kids when they tell me they will be with their friends at the recreation center and they are there when I check on them. They play games like pool, foosball, carpet ball, and ping pong. In fact Job entered a foosball tournament. He was the only kid that showed up for his age group so he was champion but then he entered the 11 and older group. He placed 2nd. What makes this place different from home is that I can trust the other kids as well. I watched older kids help and encourage the younger kids. The young adults that work with the kids are on fire for God and that enthusiasm trickles down to the kids at the conference.

Nous avons aller a Cannon Beach, Oregon. C'est une petite ville a la cote du Oregon. Il y a la plage avec la sable. Nous allons a la plage chaque jour. Il y a beaucoup des enfants qui attendents des classe. Isaac, Job et Lona reconaitent plus des amis nouveau. Job a apprendre de faire skimboarding. Les autres enfants sont gentils, et je n'ai pas sousis des enfants. Il y a une place pour jouer avec le mini-golf, la baby-foot et billard. C'est une vacannes tres agreable pour nous.

Feelings

2011-07-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

How I feel when I get my assignment
Comment je me sens quand je vois mes devoirs.

I can't look at my photos.
Je ne peut pas voir mes photos.

How I feel about some of my photos.
Comment je me sens sur mes photos.

Thinking about how to do my assignment again
Penser a la maniere de faire mes devoirs

How I want to feel about my photos
Comment je voudrais se sentir sur mes photos.

Yum

2011-07-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

I'm learning about light so needing a good model I decided to use something that couldn't complain:
dinner and dessert.
J'appris du lumiere dans la photographie et j'ai besoin un modele alors je decide d'utilizer quelque chose qui ne peut pas complaine: notre diner et dessert.

Greek Salad with Chickpeas (will double as a sandwhich filling tomorrow)
Salade greque (qui je peut metre dans une sandwhiche demain)

Blueberry tart (hopefully won't be around too long because I could eat the whole thing in one sitting).
Tarte aux bleuets (j'espere que nous la mangons vite parce que je peut manger tout a une fois - alors j'ai besoin que ma familee la finissent demain)

We had rum glazed shrimp skewers and rice but they didn't make it into my photos.
Nous avons des crevettes avec un glacure rhum et du rice mais je n'ai pas assez du temps de prendre des photographies.

Lake Chelan part 2

2011-07-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Just a few memories from the lake.
Finding the perfect campsite and having it virtually to ourselves the whole weekend.
Quelques memories pendant le weekend.
Trouver la place parfait pour notre camp. Nous avons tout seul la. Quelque persons restent dans leurs bateux de voiles mais il n'a y pas un autre personne qui mis leur tente.

The kids trying to fish but not catching any fish.
The kids trying a box trap to catch a chipmunk.
Les enfants essayent faire de peche mais rien. Apres ils essayent faire de peche mais pour les tamias. Ils ont utilize un boit pour trapper les tamias.

Fishing for chipmunks. Using grapes or carrots at the end of a fishing line to catch the chipmunk. Isaac pulled a chipmunk off the ground they were playing tug-o-war with a carrot, having the chipmunk chase a grape and then hitting it in the head with the grape.
Isaac met du pain dans un boit et attend les tamias. Puis il met un raison ou un carotte a le fin d'un pole de peche. Le tamia chase le raisin et Isaac frappe le tamia sur le tete avec le raisin. Un fois le tamia attrape le carotte et Isaac tire du sol le tamia. C'est amusant.

Visiting Stehekin, Rainbow Falls, and the world famous bakery.
Walking back from the bakery and it start raining. A wonderful man who's family has lived in Stehekin since his grandmother married someone from the town pulled over and gave us a ride back to the docks. All of his kids were raised there and his grandchildren.
Nous visitons le ville Stehekin. Il n'y a pas un route pour aller la. Il faut prendre un avions or un bateau pour visiter. Nous avons voir le chute d'eau, c'est tres mouille.
Nous allons a la patisserie ou nous avons achete des grands biscuits, avons pris d'une photo de notre familee.
Quand nous retournons a notre bateau, il a commence de pleuvoir. Un homme gentil qui habit pour tout sa vie la et maintenant ses petits-enfants habit la aussi demande si nous avons aller avec lui dans son camion. C'est gentil de lui.
The national forest visitor center. Job and Lona working on their JR. Ranger Badge. In one section they had to draw a memory of their visit. Lona drew fishing for chipmunks and Job drew using a box trap to catch them.
Nous avons attendre le fin de pluie a un centre pour les gardes de forestiers. La Job et Lona travaillent dans un livre pour devenir un petit gardes de forestiers. Il faut qu'ils ont dessin ses memories favorites la. Job dessin la trappe pour les tamias et Lona dessin faire de peches pour le tamias.

The visitor center was warm and dry and we had time to work through their books. When it stopped raining, Isaac and John gassed up the boat. When Isaac returned from letting us know it was time to go he told John, "They are being sworn in as Jr. Rangers, but Job may be detained when they see his pictures."
Quand il finis de pluie, John et Isaac met le petro dans notre bateau. Isaac vien de dire c'est temp d'aller. Quand John a lui demande "qu'est que nous faire?" Isaac a repondu "Ils ont deviens petit gardes de forestiers, mais je pense quand ils ont voirs les dessin de Job, il peut etre dentenu."

The kids steering the boat. Going for joy rides with John.
Les enfants aiment de conduire le bateau et allez tres rapide.

Lona making a sailboat out of kindling, duct tape, a rock, and cardboard. One of the men on the sailboat that was docked there was so impressed he came over and took a photo.
Lona fait un bateau de volies avec du bois, du ruban adhesive, un roche, et un carton. Un homme dans le bateu de volie pris un photo de Lona.

The kids making up a game called rock hopping. They have to go around the campsite only hopping on rocks.
Throwing rocks at chipmunks. This made Lona sad. She named all the ones around our tent site.
Les enfants crees un jeu qui s'appelle roche sauter. Il faut qu'il saute sur les roche et touche pas la terre. Il peuvent aller partout comme ca.

John, Isaac, and Lona going for a swim on the last day. Isaac was taking his time getting in so Job came around and pushed him in. The water was cold! As soon as Isaac went into the water Job took off and ran around to the boat and strapped himself to the steering wheel with his life jacket. He wasn't taking a chance of getting pushed in.

John, Isaac et Lona vont nager au derniere jour. Isaac n'est pas tres vite d'aller dans l'eau alors Job lui pousse dedans. Quand Isaac entre l'eau Job a couru au bateau et attache lui-meme au bateu. Il veut pas que Isaac lui pousse.

Job always finds a stick when we go hiking or camping.
Quand nous faisson un marcher ou allons faire du camping, Job trouve un baton.

The tradition of reading a Patrick McManus book whenever we camp.
Quand nous allons faire du camping, nous toujours lire un livre de Patrick McManus.

Going home.
Quitter notre camp et retourner chez nous.

Graham Harbor Camp - Lake Chelan

2011-07-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

This was our home away from home for the weekend. We left Friday morning and arrived at our camp around 2pm. The weather forecast promised sunny skies and hot temperatures. We got cloudy skies, rainy days and cool temperatures. It didn't diminish our wonderful weekend at all. We left this wonderful little campsite around 12:30 on Sunday and were home by 7:30. So much happened in three days - fishing, chipmunking (involving fishing poles, food and chipmunks), boat rides, JR ranger patches, waterfalls, a bakery, gentlemen picking up a family in the rain, jumping in the lake, making sailboats, campfires, moon rises and more.

Cette notre maison pour le weekend. Nous departons vendredi matin et arrivons vers 2 heures apres midi. Je lis que il fait beau avec le soliel et chaud, mais ce n'est pas passer comme ca. Il y a le nuage, le pluie, et froid. Heuresment, nous sommes tres content ansi. Nous depart notre camp vers midi et arrivons chez nous a 7 heures et demi le dimanche soir. Nous faisons beaucoup dans le trois jour: faire de peche, prendre le bateau, manger au patisserie, voir une chute d'eau, devenir un petit garde forestier, sauter dans le lac, fabriqer un bateau a volies, des feux de camps, la lune et plus.

La lune, the moonrise

Sweet 16!

2011-07-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

On July 9th we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary!

Nous avons célébré notre seizième anniversaire de mariage le 9 juillet.

Lemonade Anyone? Limonade Quelqu'un?

2011-07-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

So some neighborhood buddies decided to have a lemonade stand. Isaac was invited to partake in the whole adventure. To increase business into the subdivision Isaac stood out on Smith Road with a sign, his iPod, and aviator sunglasses for 3 hours! In two days they made $10 each. They recruited Job and payed him $2.50 the first day and split the next's days income. Now Lona wants a Lemonade Stand. I found this super cute site and am thinking of making her an awesome little stand.
Quelques garcons invitent Isaac et Job de vendre limonade. Pour gagner plus de publicite, Isaac agite un signe au route tres occupe pour trois heures! Dans deux jours ils ont chacun ganger $10. Pour le deuxieme jour Job travaille tout le temp mais juste une heure le premiere jour also il a recu moins. Maintenant Lona veux vendre des limonade aussi. Je trouve un joli signe qu'on peut peintre pour elle.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-10T20:45:00.000-07:00

Our 4th of July
Swim Lessons in the morning
Working around the house in the afternoon
Making blueberry cheesecake pie
Going to a BBQ with friends
Setting off Fireworks
Fighting off mosquitoes
Going to bed

Notre Quatre de Julliet
Des classe de nauger pour les enfants du matin
Travailler sur tout la maison dans l'apres-midi
Faire un gateau du formage
Aller chez amis pour un BBQ
Faire des feux d'artifice
Battre avec des moustiques
Faire coucher

Lona's Surprise Birthday!

2011-07-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

Waiting, Attendez

Lona has been talking about what kind of birthday party she wanted. Her ideas changed weekly and finally I decided to tell her that she wasn't having a friend birthday party this year. She was still excited about her birthday though. I called/ gave invitations to a few of the gals she hangs out with. Movie star night with a viewing of Tangled. I had John take her out to get pizza and ice cream from the store. Lucky for me we didn't have to twist her arm. She's usually up for going on errands. As soon as she left the house, I started decorating - hanging paper balloons from her party the year before and putting up the studio backdrop.

This was also the first year that we allowed her friends to bring presents. The girls showed up and played foosball and jumped on the trampoline until I received the text from Isaac that they were on their way. The girls were crowding the window for her and giggled into place, peering out from behind the backdrop. Lona walked through the door talking to me, set the ice cream down on the dining room table and the girls jumped out at her yelling surprise.

She screamed and turned beet red. It was hilarious. Our neighbors were bbqing and could hear her scream. The gals ate pizza, played on the trampoline, watched part of tangled, ate ice cream and cinnamon rolls, decorated headbands and sunglasses, and watched Lona open presents. And then it was over. Hopefully she was truly surprised.

Cette annee, je decide que je donne un fete surprise pour Lona. J'ai invite ses amis, achete des lumiere du soliel et des bandeaux. John, Lona et Isaac ont achetes des pizzas et des glaces. Quand Lona a quitte la maison j'ai rapidement decore la maison. Les filles sont arrives et nous attendons pour l'arriver de Lona. Quand elle entre la maison, elle commence de me dire un histoire. Les filles sont derrier d'elle et ont crie "Surprise!" Elle a donne un grand cri. Notre voisin qui est dehords entend Lona. Elle rougit et rire. Les filles ont manger la pizza, voir un filme, jouer un feu, metre des bijoux sur des lumiere et bandeaux, prendre des photos, et voir Lona ouvre des cadeaux. Apres trois heures, c'est finir. J'espere que Lona est vraiment surprise.

The reason I couldn't be there

2011-07-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have this class and I've been trying to get my assignments done. One of the assignments was to turn in 2 underexposed photos. My idea was to get family silhouette shots at Boulevard Park. We made plans and it turned cloudy. We tried for the next night but again it was cloudy. Every night until Wednesday night. Wednesday night was the first night of book study but it also cleared up and promised to have a gorgeous sunset. I look up times for sunset and right during book study.

So I skipped book study and planned with the family to have a family photo shoot/ get my assignment done night. I plan on leaving around 7:30. I had asked Isaac during the day if there was chess. Nope, everyone is out of town. Call and make sure. No one answered any of their phones so of course he was right. 7pm one of the chess players arrive. There goes my family photo shoot. And by this time, book study had already started. Not showing up 1/2 late for the first day. I had only made it through 1 1/2 chapters and none of the workbook.

But I did still have two very willing girls wanting to go to the park. They dressed up in some of Lona's dance outfits and he raced the sun to get to the Park in time for the sunset. We spent about 45 minutes there, finished my photography assignment and stopped at McDonald's. I accomplished both the underexposed and the out of focus part of this assignment. It took a long time to come up with my vision and then thinking and studying how to implement it.

Presque tous les jours il y a beaucoup des nuages. Quelque fois il pluet, mais toujours les nuages. Je pris une classe de photographie. Je ne peut pas finir mes devoirs au cause des nuages. Finalement, il fait beau pour le fin de la jour. J'ai pris ma chance et conduire a la plage avec Lona et une amie. J'ai place les fille et dit, "jouez ici." Elles ont commencer de jouer et j'ai pris cette photos. Et voilia, je finis mes devoirs.

Dream come true

2011-06-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

My middle child has watched his older brother and younger sister have sleep overs. He has watched them leave to go play with friends. He has tried with friends to have a sleep over but they have all gone home. He has dreamed of playing with friends and spontaneously having sleep overs. The other night that is what happened. His dream has finally come true. It's not that we've ignored him or not tried, its just that his friends haven't been ready or their parents haven't been ready. Often I tell him, "You need to call one of your friends to play today." Sometimes he just likes to be, sometimes his friends aren't available. One of his dreams is to be able to go back and forth between our house and a friend's house during the day. This maybe his year.

His friend that spent the night is moving out of our neighborhood sadly. They aren't moving that far away, maybe a mile, but we'll still miss them being close. While spending the night, this friend also listened to Job read a story out loud that Isaac wrote. They curled up on the hide-a-bed and read the whole story (about 20 minutes). It touched my heart I tell you. Job thinks the world of his brother and it's evident when he talks to his friends about Isaac. I love the fact that Job and Isaac are buddies, but am also glad that Job is developing his set of friends too.

Job avait un reve. Il reve d'avoir un ami se coucher chez nous. Ses amis ont essayer mais ils n'ont pas pret ou les parents n'ont pas pret. Job voulent vraiment de jouer avec ses amis et decide spontanement se coucher ici. Ce semaine ca passe, et c'est un reve deveint vrai pour Job. Malheursement, le garcon demange cette ete. C'est pas loin mais ce n'est pas dans notre voisinage. Alors il ne peut pas courir chez eux ou chez nous. Il avait un autre ami pres de nous peut etre c'est l'ete de jouer plus avec l'autre ami et courir entre les deux maison.

Du The? Tea Anyone?

2011-06-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

We built this fort almost 9 years ago. Thanks to our neighbor who provided the plans and some of the hard ware and John's Dad who provided some of the lumber and the manpower. The kids have played in the fort, eaten in the fort, and hid in the fort but never slept there. When I did purchase magazines, I saw an article about Wisteria and absolutely loved the look. Once again John's Dad provided the plant for us.

I also read an article about a landscape designer who planted all sorts of plants around his kids' tree fort to make it feel junglish. I knew right away that the wisteria should twine around the tree fort. In my mind I thought it would be a cool place for the kids to hang out with vines being the roof and walls of the place. At first we had a tarp for the roof that become ragged so we replaced it with a brown tarp. That eventually became ragged too. The wisteria grew, John pruned, the wisteria grew some more and John pruned some more. Finally after years of pruning and growing, the wisteria has become the plant that I envisioned. Now when it is flowering, it is one of the prettiest places to have a tea party. When it is done flowering and the leaves have fully come out, it is a perfect location for a secret lair.

Je veut dire merci au notre voisin et le pere de John qui nous aidons constuire une fortresse pour les enfants. Nous le construions depuis 10 annees. Le pere de John aussi nous donne un glycines. Je trouve un idee de construire une fortresse avec beaucoups des plantes autour d'elle alors le glycine c'est parfait pour mon idee. Le glycine grandise et John le coupe, il grandise plus et John le coupe plus. Apres beaucoup des annees, c'est comme je pense.

Le glycine est autour de la fortresse. C'est un place parfait pour des biscuits et du the avec tous les fleurs. Quand les fleurs sont finir, c'est un place de cacher.

Too cool for school

2011-06-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

Isaac completed his first semester in school. There were many things that both Isaac and I had to learn but learn them we did. I have to tell you that I did miss him, and so did Job and so did Lona. There were days that he just wanted to stay home. There were days that I wanted him to just stay home. But he finished the semester and did it with a 3.8 GPA. Not surprising that his best classes were science and math based classes. Of course he loved PE too. It's funny but at home he hated math but at school loved it. I think it's because I pushed him hard at home and math at school was easy. So we celebrated with Aviator sunglasses.

Isaac fait bien au college et nous sommes en fier de lui. Il fait le mieux dans des classes du mathematique et de la science. Je pense c'est parce que nous avons deja fait tous qu'il faut faire dans la classe de mathematique l'annee avant. Mais nous devons celebrer, alors je lui achete des lunettes du soliel.

Waiting and Wishing

2011-06-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Right now my plans have been scrapped. Right now I'm waiting. Right now I'm chomping at the bit for ...
Maintenant il faut changer mes plans. Maintenant j'attend. Maintenant je voudrais un.....

A Sunset. nuit claire pour prendre un photographie le coucher de soliel.

A slice of Summer

2011-06-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

For the last four years summer has always included certain activities. One is taking the boat out on the lake. John grew up with a small boat on a small lake. I didn't. John learned to waterski. I didn't. John is typically more daring in his activities. I'm not. Oh, don't get me wrong. I love to get out and have an adventure but I'm fairly cautious in my activities. About four or five years ago we purchased a small 14 ft boat. We loved it. I could take it to the lake if I wanted to. I could put it in the water, take it out of the water while John was at work. It was great. Then it died. Actually it burnt up while we were on the lake. So we sold it. And started to look for another boat. We found another beater of a boat. We only buy beaters. If they sink, it's ok. This one is an inboard motor. We can take it on Whatcom because it meets the environmental requirements. We've had it for 1 1/2 years now. Every year there is work to be done on the boat. This year was no exception. John worked on the boat for a couple of days and was able to make it run. There is more work to be done but I think that's why they say "B-O-A-T = Break Out Another Thousand".
Of course once it started we needed to try it out on the lake. Lake Wiser (aka: Duck Poop Lake) is our small go to choice. It's dirty, only 6 boats at a time can be on the lake, it's close, it's fairly calm, and it's warm. We were able to get in a couple of hours on the lake after John came home from work. Loved it. Every year we start slowly with the kids on the tube. Go slow, no bumps, no going in circles they tell us. Every year we plop them on the tube and rip them around the lake and then they are ok. This year we could finally get Isaac outside the wake and then we dumped in the water. The kids are so light and then they sit in the middle of the tube so it's hard to get them outside. Hopefully soon we'll get them up on skis again.
Cette ete, nous avons prennons notre bateau sur un lac. Nous avons un bateau depuis presque cinq ans. Chacque annee, il faut que John a travaille sur le bateau. Il avait un bateau quand il etait petit, pas moi. Il apprennait faire du ski natique, pas moi. Il est plus aggresive que moi. C'est d'accord. Cette ete, il faut travailler sur le bateau mais ce marche maintenant. Alors il faut que nous essayons sur un lac. C'est un petit lac, tres sale mais c'est pres de nous. Il peut seulement six bateau sur le lac a le meme temps, et ce n'est pas frois. Au debut d'ete, les enfants aime que nous allons lentement. Mais au fin d'ete il y plus aggresive.

Dance

2011-06-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

Lona had her final dance recital for the year. We started to get ready for it at 1pm. Her hair was done by 2:30 and by 3:00 we were at the theatre for the dress rehearsal. By 4:30 we were home for a quick dinner and back at the theatre by 6:00. (We had to go back for the tickets that I forgot.) It really is an incredible production. We left the theatre at 10pm. It was long but the dancers did a fantastic job. Some of the numbers made me want to learn to dance but I really have no rhythm. The little kids between the ages of 3 and 5 were hilarious. They did so many funny things such as running around the stage, turning at the wrong time, slipping and falling down, walking off the stage back into the wings. Both the boys just laughed when the little ones were on. The youngest kids are so funny because they don't always do what they practice and they leave stage, stand and wave or even fall and cry, however they are adorable and tend to steal the show. Lona's group was towards the end of the evening and I thought she did amazing. She is the youngest in her group. She's eight and the oldest is 15. But of course this is just a mother's opinion. We are definitely going to do this again.

C'est le fin pour la dance. Elle a un grand production. Dans sa classe elle est le jeune. Les autre filles sont entre 10 et 15 ans. Je pense que Lona est magnifique. Je la suis en fier. Nous commencons a 1 heure apres midi avec ses cheveux. Apres une heure et demi, nous sommes finis. A 3 heures apres midi, nous avons au theatre pour la repetition. La production commence a 6 heures et demi, alors nous retrournons chez nous pour le dinner et allons encore a 6 heures apres midi pour la production. Sa classe danse a le fin. La production est 3 heures, c'est longe mais agreable. Les garcons aiment de voir les petits enfants dansent. C'est amusent parce qu'elles ont arrete ou tourne ou donne des bisoux a ses mamas. Quand c'est temps pour Lona, je pense qu'elle est parfait mais je suis sa maman.

China Town

2011-06-20T06:16:00.000-07:00

So this week we had an appointment in Woodinville with Isaac's doctor. We drive to Woodinville four times a year. Since we are in the Seattle Area anyway I try to schedule something to do. This time we chose to visit China Town. Isaac was studying Washington History in school. So a little about China Town. It was created for Asian immigrants. There were strict laws about where you could live if you were an Asian immigrant and it was in a small 7 block section of town. Also the immigrants were generally all single males, being that US Customs wanted these people to go back to China.

Sometimes whole families would leave for the US but at different exit points so that they could meet together once they arrived in the US. This way they weren't denied entrance into the US. We were told that they are not referred to as Asian immigrants anymore but Asian Americans because they even though they could not become US citizens, own property, vote, or live anywhere outside of ChinaTown they contributed to American life.

We went to the Wing Luke Museum and purchased our ChinaTown tour. ChinaTown wasn't what I or the kids expected. Yes, we walked the streets of ChinaTown, took in an apartment, walked through a tropical fish shop, and bought fortune cookies. Fortune cookies were invented in San Fransisco of all places. They evolved from a way to thank costumers to placing "fortunes" inside. I guess that I expected more history and a more colorful area. I don't think that I would go on the tour again and Isaac said he wouldn't recommend it. Unfortunate because it could be good. We next went to the Museum.

By this time the kids just wanted to go. Not usual for our museum trips. Normally I have to tell them its time to go. They did have a glass exhibit which was really cool. the artists used glass to make 3D sculptures. The other exhibits I was interested in was the Asian Pacific Adoptee exhibit and the Alaskan photos. These were pieces of art created by Asians who were adopted. Each person had a different story and their experiences were found in their pieces of art. One really grabbed me. A pencil drawing of a family except that the little girl's face was missing. She asks could you tell she was Asian if her face wasn't there? In all her drawings, the face was missing. The Alsakan photos were taken of men who worked in Alaska and synopsis of their experience.

On the way back to the car, we were looking in shop windows and I snapped a few photos when we were approached by a lady. She smiled big, looked into my eyes and quickly mumbling asked for a dollar. I said sorry, the kids stood around and watched her. Then she leaned into Job's face, his eyes became large like saucers and he leaned backwards as she leaned closer and she said "hello" and walked away. I was trying to get Job to step back and away but Isaac was right behind him and didn't move. It happened fast. It was weird but I think that there are many homeless people there. I think the potential is there for ChinaTown but someting is missing. I think ChinaTown is dying.

Nous sommes alles chez doctor pour Isaac en Woodinville, pres de Seattle. Apres nous avons decides de visit la ville de Chinoise. Pendent le debut de siecle, il est necessaire que les chinois habitent dans une place. Ils peuvent pas habiterou ils voulent. Alors le nom de la place est La Ville Chinoise. Nous avons payes pour un tour mais c'est pas tres bien. La ville est salle est il y beaucoup de gens qui n'avait pas un maison, qui se coucher dans la rue. Je pense quand je lire de la tour, qu'il y a beacoup des histoires de la chinoise mais ce n'est pas comme ca. Il faut que je demmande beaucoup des questionnes parce qu'elle ne parle pas beaucoup. Apres la tour nous avons alles au musee. C'est interesant mais les enfants n'aiment pas. Nous avons vu les pieces d'art qui sont fabrique avec le verte. Je pense que nous ne recommendons pas la Ville Chinois d'autre personne. C'est cher est ce n'est pas interesant. Il y a la possibilite deviant bien mais je pense que la Ville Chinois commence de mort.