This was my first time using my amazing camera for video. I borrowed a tripod from someone on the KP and my zoom lens since I had to stand way in the back. Sometimes the camera had trouble focusing and the girls are blurry. I always have mixed feelings about recording the girls' dances. On the one hand, there are so many people who miss the girls' recital because of camping trips and travel distance. But on the other hand, I would really like to just sit and watch them perform for once and not have to worry about camera settings or other people's kids knocking the tripod over.
I've listed the videos as unlisted on YouTube. The only way to view them is to have the link. Because the videos have other children in them, please don't forward links to people. I'll be removing them after a week.
First up is Fiona's class. She is in a class with five other homeschooled girls. The first video is her ballet dance and the second is her tap. She has a solo in her tap dance!
Fiona's Ballet
Fiona's Tap
Evie participated in two classes this year! She was signed up for only one class, but since she had to sit through Boy Scout meetings every week, Ms Julie invited Evie to participate in the jazz class free of charge. The jazz classes are more advanced and Evie is the youngest in her class. The song and moves are a bit....mature for a nine year old.
Evie's Jazz: Problem
Evie's Jazz: True Colors Look for her beautiful fan kick! There was supposed to be a part where Evie was lifted in the air by her classmates, but Ms. Julie was worried she would get hurt and changed the choreography at the last minute.
Evie's Ballet
Evie's Tap
Evie received a lot of compliments on her ability to remember four different dances learned in just five months of class. She has learned to feel the music and know when certain steps go with certain parts, instead of just doing the steps while the music plays in the background. Her timing is amazing although she does make a few mistakes-but that is fine with me!
Monday, June 29, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Hot Weekend
Several months ago, we bought two forty pound boxes of chicken breast to put in the freezer. Unfortunately for us, the day we brought them home our power was out. And when we have no power, we have no water. If we have no water, we have no way of cleaning up a raw chicken mess. So these two boxes went straight into the freezer without being processed into separate meals.
Yesterday I pulled one of the boxes out. If the weather is going to be in the upper 80's to mid 90's, that is a perfect time to defrost a forty pound block of chicken. I've been cooking this chicken off in large batches in the crockpot and repackaging the meat in sauces to use on the crazy days I have coming up this autumn.
In addition to The Homeschool and The Activities, I'm adding a new MOPS group to my list of things to do in September. MOPS is a group that provides support for Mothers of Preschoolers, but any mom with kids from birth to kindergarten can join. One of my newer friends is starting this group out here as an outreach to the KP moms. I'm technically the treasurer and a table hostess, but everyone knows that I may be unreliable, depending on how this next baby treats us. Mom groups are interesting things... Women groups are interesting as well... I've been pondering the whole idea of image and the cult of personality in the church and how I can apply that knowledge to making this new MOPS group successful. KP moms aren't going to be like the suburban Gig Harbor moms, the Bellingham moms, or the Ferndale moms. Pinterest-type activities will be a no-go with this group...
...like the posts I keep seeing on Facebook about how to keep your kids happy during the summer without the TV. All of the activities require trips to the dollar store for affordable junk: 28.4 miles one way from my house times two divided by 16 miles to the gallon times $3.25 per gallon of gas equals $12.60 just to buy cheap stuff to entertain my kids? No thanks. Here is a list of actual ideas and supplies from the Dollar Store.
Here is my Not Pinterest Worthy list of ways to keep your kid happy on the KP with no TV:
Yesterday I pulled one of the boxes out. If the weather is going to be in the upper 80's to mid 90's, that is a perfect time to defrost a forty pound block of chicken. I've been cooking this chicken off in large batches in the crockpot and repackaging the meat in sauces to use on the crazy days I have coming up this autumn.
In addition to The Homeschool and The Activities, I'm adding a new MOPS group to my list of things to do in September. MOPS is a group that provides support for Mothers of Preschoolers, but any mom with kids from birth to kindergarten can join. One of my newer friends is starting this group out here as an outreach to the KP moms. I'm technically the treasurer and a table hostess, but everyone knows that I may be unreliable, depending on how this next baby treats us. Mom groups are interesting things... Women groups are interesting as well... I've been pondering the whole idea of image and the cult of personality in the church and how I can apply that knowledge to making this new MOPS group successful. KP moms aren't going to be like the suburban Gig Harbor moms, the Bellingham moms, or the Ferndale moms. Pinterest-type activities will be a no-go with this group...
...like the posts I keep seeing on Facebook about how to keep your kids happy during the summer without the TV. All of the activities require trips to the dollar store for affordable junk: 28.4 miles one way from my house times two divided by 16 miles to the gallon times $3.25 per gallon of gas equals $12.60 just to buy cheap stuff to entertain my kids? No thanks. Here is a list of actual ideas and supplies from the Dollar Store.
Here is my Not Pinterest Worthy list of ways to keep your kid happy on the KP with no TV:
- Fill up a bucket with water and wash yard toys
- Dig a hole in your yard and then fill it back up
- Hang a blue tarp over your window and pretend you are on Pandora
- Throw rocks at trees
- Count helicopters (we are just across the water from Joint Base Lewis-McChord)
- Make a Scotchbroom broom and sweep the sidewalk/carport/dirt path
- Sing into the oscillating fan (or just shout, "Is that MY voice?" and laugh.)
- Have an ant squishing contest
- Blackberries
- Or.... blackberries?
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Lucy Goose
Um, oops. I guess I accidentally messed up the camera settings when I headed out to see how big our gosling had gotten....
...Lucy just looks like a giant ball of grey fluff! But Evie's jacket and boots look awesome... Lucy is now out of the chick brooder and in with the flock. Gwin has adopted her, but not until Evie had a good strong bond with her. Evie has always been such a little farm girl. She has a nest of duck eggs brooding under a hen right now.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Daily Daniel
Yesterday, Daniel asked if he could pour out all the blocks on the ground so he could play with them. I told him that as long as he picks them up when he is done, it is fine with me. When I noticed he was done playing and asked him to pick them up, he said no because he "didn't promise he would pick them up." Doesn't matter if you promise or not. You said you would pick them up and pick them up you shall. This morning I noticed they still weren't picked up and I asked him, again, to pick them up. He once again told me he never promised to pick them up, so he wasn't going to. After a quick swat to the back of his leg, he picked them up.
Today is our PE day at the YMCA. Heidi has been sitting on the potty for a few days, so I mentioned mostly to myself that it was time to stop at Target and get her a potty seat and start potty training her. Since the parking lots are 90 degrees today, I decided to just come straight home and skip the trip. Daniel did not like this at all and said I needed to be spanked. He insisted that since I said I was going to stop at Target, I had to even if I didn't promise that I would. Okay, that made sense to me.
"But Daniel, you and I are not the same."
"I guess you aren't human then."
"You're right. I'm a robot."
"What about when you were a kid?"
"I was never a kid. I was built in a factory and then I was given you children to raise. You are orphans. Don't you remember your real mom? The one that is in jail?" (Ian told him once that his real mom was in jail and they were all taken from her and given to me)
"Well, let's go get her then!"
"Access denied."
I can't remember what happened next in the conversation, but I do know that I was suddenly interested to see a new traffic camera installed over the Purdy bridge. I wonder why they put one there? Squirrel!
Today is our PE day at the YMCA. Heidi has been sitting on the potty for a few days, so I mentioned mostly to myself that it was time to stop at Target and get her a potty seat and start potty training her. Since the parking lots are 90 degrees today, I decided to just come straight home and skip the trip. Daniel did not like this at all and said I needed to be spanked. He insisted that since I said I was going to stop at Target, I had to even if I didn't promise that I would. Okay, that made sense to me.
"But Daniel, you and I are not the same."
"I guess you aren't human then."
"You're right. I'm a robot."
"What about when you were a kid?"
"I was never a kid. I was built in a factory and then I was given you children to raise. You are orphans. Don't you remember your real mom? The one that is in jail?" (Ian told him once that his real mom was in jail and they were all taken from her and given to me)
"Well, let's go get her then!"
"Access denied."
I can't remember what happened next in the conversation, but I do know that I was suddenly interested to see a new traffic camera installed over the Purdy bridge. I wonder why they put one there? Squirrel!
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Daisy Day
My daisy days were split in half this year...
Guess who doesn't love me enough to pose with daisies anymore?
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Going Screen Free
Only a week has passed since we banned screens for 30 days, but we have seen an amazing change in our kids. They lost their screens because even though we had a screen plan in place, they took advantage of their time and stayed up past midnight on a Friday night and then were uncooperative on Saturday morning. The younger kids are so much more peaceful, even Daniel. Ian is still trying to bargain his way out of restriction. I'm trying to stay off screens as well, but I'm still trying to get my school year planned...
Because we have had amazing summer weather, they have all just gone outside to play. And play and play and play. Just like kids are supposed to do when they are on (modified) summer break. When Mark and I were kids, our favorite shows were on once a week at a certain time and then it was over until the following week. If we wanted to watch a movie, we would have to go to the store and rent it and return it the next day. These guys have season after season of TV shows and movies on DVD and will watch for hours without stopping.
We've consumed so much watermelon this week...and it's gooood! This picture was seriously backlit when I had my camera in auto, so I messed with the settings in manual until I could see my little Lula.
We have our pool set up and the little kids love to play in the water! Daniel and Lula both have shown more fear of the water than the other kids, probably because they didn't spend a lot of time at Family Swim at the YMCA like the older kids did. But now they spend a lot of time "swimming."
Last weekend, when temperatures were close to 90 degrees, Ian planned to complete the last requirement for his cooking merit badge. I was so so happy to give the job of cooking to someone else. And he did a great job. His brothers and sisters absolutely loved his meal plan, but who wouldn't love mac and cheese, quesidillas, hot dogs, and burritos? He was required to plan a dessert, so he chose ice cream. I bought a bucket of vanilla, but we also pulled out the rest of the rock salt from our chemistry experiment and made some "trampoline ice cream."
The other amazing thing around here, is Heidi has been transferred to her very own bed!
She has been there for four nights now and she and I both are sleeping so much better. Every night I read out loud to Fiona, Daniel, Lula and Heidi. If Heidi isn't sleeping by the time I'm done reading, I snuggle with her in her bed (and read to myself from one of Ian's schoolbooks for next year) until she is asleep. Her bed is very comfortable. I sometimes just sleep there for a few hours.
 |
| Hmmm...this doesn't look like a good idea |
Because we have had amazing summer weather, they have all just gone outside to play. And play and play and play. Just like kids are supposed to do when they are on (modified) summer break. When Mark and I were kids, our favorite shows were on once a week at a certain time and then it was over until the following week. If we wanted to watch a movie, we would have to go to the store and rent it and return it the next day. These guys have season after season of TV shows and movies on DVD and will watch for hours without stopping.
We've consumed so much watermelon this week...and it's gooood! This picture was seriously backlit when I had my camera in auto, so I messed with the settings in manual until I could see my little Lula.
We have our pool set up and the little kids love to play in the water! Daniel and Lula both have shown more fear of the water than the other kids, probably because they didn't spend a lot of time at Family Swim at the YMCA like the older kids did. But now they spend a lot of time "swimming."
Last weekend, when temperatures were close to 90 degrees, Ian planned to complete the last requirement for his cooking merit badge. I was so so happy to give the job of cooking to someone else. And he did a great job. His brothers and sisters absolutely loved his meal plan, but who wouldn't love mac and cheese, quesidillas, hot dogs, and burritos? He was required to plan a dessert, so he chose ice cream. I bought a bucket of vanilla, but we also pulled out the rest of the rock salt from our chemistry experiment and made some "trampoline ice cream."
 |
| No serious injuries yet! |
The other amazing thing around here, is Heidi has been transferred to her very own bed!
 |
| Fiona reads out loud to her siblings |
She has been there for four nights now and she and I both are sleeping so much better. Every night I read out loud to Fiona, Daniel, Lula and Heidi. If Heidi isn't sleeping by the time I'm done reading, I snuggle with her in her bed (and read to myself from one of Ian's schoolbooks for next year) until she is asleep. Her bed is very comfortable. I sometimes just sleep there for a few hours.
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