This is the first June in many years that we have not attended any relative or friend's graduation.
Actually we did participate in South Hills Homeschoolers Recognition Night last Saturday, which included our friend Natalie's 8th grade graduation. Her dad Todd read a heartfelt letter he and Natalie's mom had written, speaking of their pride at their daughter's accomplishments and her growing godly character. Many of us were teary-eyed by the end, it was a beautiful, personal celebration.
But the larger graduations with hundreds of students, caps & gowns, generic speeches...it just worked out that none of our neices, nephews or friends are at that stage right now. However, my friend Diane posted a link to a graduation speech that I wanted to remember. So I'm putting it here on my blog. I recommend you all watch or read it. (No, its not an ordinary boring speech.)
Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged Stanford University graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks—including death itself—at the university's 114th Commencement on Sunday June 12, 2005 in Stanford Stadium.
The transcript and video of the speech are here:
http://www.gogeometry.com/videos/steve_jobs_stanford_apple_pixar.htm
Monday, June 9, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Blessing one another
Living in community is great. Some people worry that homeschooling families are too isolated. My experience has been just the opposite: homeschooling families are MORE interconnected with a large community of other families, who are eager to meet needs as they arrive . I want to take a few moments to reflect on this and the practical blessings we've received and given.
I have always looked for opportunities to meet the needs of people in crisis. We homeschooled a friends son for 2 years. I volunteer many hours in the homeschool community. For 3 years we've rented out a bedroom (cheap) to a low-income friend. This month, however, the shoe was on the other foot.
On March 15, I was in a car accident that totaled my Corolla and injured my leg. In the following week, Debbie H. and Silvia L. brought me groceries; Stephanie I. and Sharon L. drove my kids places; Jennifer S. , Heather M., and Derek A. all offered us a vehicle to borrow! Others also wanted to know how they could bless us, but our practical needs were more than covered! Many were praying for us, including my prayer-warrior friends Kym N. and Carolyn M. This was a good lesson to me to be willing to share my needs with others, since I typically choose to be extremely self-reliant (prideful?).
One of the outcomes of the accident is that we now have a 97 Honda Odyssey. With this larger vehicle, we will be able to bless others in new ways. Our neighbors have started attending South Hills, but have too many children to transport to church. We can now take 2 with us. I'm also coaching a Tech Challenge team for homeschooled high schoolers, and now I'll be able to drive all six who live in my neighborhood to our events downtown. Previously I was borrowing Silvia's van.
Thank You everyone! This living in community, caring for another's needs is how we were meant to live. (2 Cor. 9: 6-15)
I have always looked for opportunities to meet the needs of people in crisis. We homeschooled a friends son for 2 years. I volunteer many hours in the homeschool community. For 3 years we've rented out a bedroom (cheap) to a low-income friend. This month, however, the shoe was on the other foot.
On March 15, I was in a car accident that totaled my Corolla and injured my leg. In the following week, Debbie H. and Silvia L. brought me groceries; Stephanie I. and Sharon L. drove my kids places; Jennifer S. , Heather M., and Derek A. all offered us a vehicle to borrow! Others also wanted to know how they could bless us, but our practical needs were more than covered! Many were praying for us, including my prayer-warrior friends Kym N. and Carolyn M. This was a good lesson to me to be willing to share my needs with others, since I typically choose to be extremely self-reliant (prideful?).
One of the outcomes of the accident is that we now have a 97 Honda Odyssey. With this larger vehicle, we will be able to bless others in new ways. Our neighbors have started attending South Hills, but have too many children to transport to church. We can now take 2 with us. I'm also coaching a Tech Challenge team for homeschooled high schoolers, and now I'll be able to drive all six who live in my neighborhood to our events downtown. Previously I was borrowing Silvia's van.
Thank You everyone! This living in community, caring for another's needs is how we were meant to live. (2 Cor. 9: 6-15)
Reading Matters
Reading matters a lot in our family. It’s important because reading is the center of many precious family memories of times spent together. My daughter Susie (14) and I devour books, at least one per week. My husband and son Westin (17) struggle with reading, but both have worked hard to develop their ability to the point where they can enjoy independent reading at their own level, as well as the stories our family shares together.
My favorite moments associated with reading are of the times I spent (and still spend) reading to my children. I was fortunate to be able to stay home with my children when they were young, and we have always made weekly trips to the library. The kids would choose some interesting books, and I’d always choose “educational” books with numbers, alphabet, rhymes or other intellectual concepts. We would bring these home and read them throughout the day, and especially at bedtime. Once they were old enough to attend to chapter books, around age 5, we began reading those at bedtime. We read through Roald Dahl’s The BFG, the Little House on the Prairie series, Pippi Longstocking series, and others. These are precious memories of snuggling on the couch or under the covers with my kids, sharing stories together.
As they got older, our shared reading has changed. Our family enjoys listening to audiobooks as we travel during the summer. Favorites include any of the adventure stories by Gary Paulsen, humorous downhome narratives of Richard Peck, Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn adventures, and the entire Harry Potter series. We have recently started the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix, which is just as exciting as the HP series. Just finished book 1 of 7, Mister Monday.
When Westin was 11, he wanted to read the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, which was beyond his independent reading level. So he and I took turns reading pages through the first 3 books, until he felt confident enough to tackle the remainder of the series on his own. He has since found other Science Fiction series that he enjoys: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Septimus Heap by Angie Sage, Lord of the Rings by Tolkein, which he can read independently. He also likes listening to audiobooks and following along in the text. His favorite repeater is a murder-mystery, The Westing Game.
Susie likes to have me read the books that she’s reading so we can discuss them. Problem is, she now reads MUCH too fast for me to keep up, so she just fills me in on the gist of the story and we discuss the themes (totalitarian government in Haddox’s Shadow Children series; synesthesia in A Mango Shaped Space; the afterlife in Elsewhere). For an idea of a "few" of the books Susie has read recently, check out her bookshelf on her blog:
http://shoodalways.blogspot.com/
Of course this is just for her independent reading. I also assign her “classic” novels which I have taught at the high school level and which we discuss: To Kill A Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Grapes of Wrath, Fahrenheit 451, Old Man and the Sea.
Besides my SJSU texts, these are books I'm reading right now:
The Tightwad Gazette III, by Amy Dacyczyn
(I'm always looking for more ways to be frugal.)
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
(Gotta read it before we watch the movie.)
Busier Than Ever, by Darrah, Freeman, & English-Lueck
(Jan English-Lueck is an SJSU Prof whose daughter who was in Susie's Girl Scout troop. And yes, the topic seems applicable.)
Parenting with Purpose, by Reasoner & Lane
(This is a new book by Marilyn Lane, whom I served with on the CAG Board for 4 years. Geared for parents of younger kids, but Marilyn sent me a copy so I'll read it.)
My favorite moments associated with reading are of the times I spent (and still spend) reading to my children. I was fortunate to be able to stay home with my children when they were young, and we have always made weekly trips to the library. The kids would choose some interesting books, and I’d always choose “educational” books with numbers, alphabet, rhymes or other intellectual concepts. We would bring these home and read them throughout the day, and especially at bedtime. Once they were old enough to attend to chapter books, around age 5, we began reading those at bedtime. We read through Roald Dahl’s The BFG, the Little House on the Prairie series, Pippi Longstocking series, and others. These are precious memories of snuggling on the couch or under the covers with my kids, sharing stories together.
As they got older, our shared reading has changed. Our family enjoys listening to audiobooks as we travel during the summer. Favorites include any of the adventure stories by Gary Paulsen, humorous downhome narratives of Richard Peck, Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn adventures, and the entire Harry Potter series. We have recently started the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix, which is just as exciting as the HP series. Just finished book 1 of 7, Mister Monday.
When Westin was 11, he wanted to read the Narnia series by C. S. Lewis, which was beyond his independent reading level. So he and I took turns reading pages through the first 3 books, until he felt confident enough to tackle the remainder of the series on his own. He has since found other Science Fiction series that he enjoys: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, Septimus Heap by Angie Sage, Lord of the Rings by Tolkein, which he can read independently. He also likes listening to audiobooks and following along in the text. His favorite repeater is a murder-mystery, The Westing Game.
Susie likes to have me read the books that she’s reading so we can discuss them. Problem is, she now reads MUCH too fast for me to keep up, so she just fills me in on the gist of the story and we discuss the themes (totalitarian government in Haddox’s Shadow Children series; synesthesia in A Mango Shaped Space; the afterlife in Elsewhere). For an idea of a "few" of the books Susie has read recently, check out her bookshelf on her blog:
http://shoodalways.blogspot.com/
Of course this is just for her independent reading. I also assign her “classic” novels which I have taught at the high school level and which we discuss: To Kill A Mockingbird, Animal Farm, Grapes of Wrath, Fahrenheit 451, Old Man and the Sea.
Besides my SJSU texts, these are books I'm reading right now:
The Tightwad Gazette III, by Amy Dacyczyn
(I'm always looking for more ways to be frugal.)
The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
(Gotta read it before we watch the movie.)
Busier Than Ever, by Darrah, Freeman, & English-Lueck
(Jan English-Lueck is an SJSU Prof whose daughter who was in Susie's Girl Scout troop. And yes, the topic seems applicable.)
Parenting with Purpose, by Reasoner & Lane
(This is a new book by Marilyn Lane, whom I served with on the CAG Board for 4 years. Geared for parents of younger kids, but Marilyn sent me a copy so I'll read it.)
Monday, January 28, 2008
Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips
This is an article I wrote for the August '05 issue of California HomeSchooler magazine, the bimonthly publication of the Homeschool Association of California.
"When my children were small, before the possibility of homeschooling had even occured to us, I was a stay-at-home mom who was rarely home.We frequented libraries for storytimes and to borrow our weekly quota of books. We attended park days with a neighborhood playgroup. We visited zoos, children's museums, community theater performances, and the beach.
"Although my children are both now in middle school things haven't changed all that much with respect to us being out and about. In fact these days I'm sometimes introduced as "the field trip mom" because I run Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips (BAHFT), a yahoogroup for homeschool families in the San Francisco Bay Area who enjoy attending field trips, concerts, classes, workshops, seminars, tours, conferences, and other adventures with fellow homeschoolers. BAHFT membership is open to anyone regardless of homeschooling philosophy, methodology, or affiliation. Our 530+ member families represent the full spectrum of those who would consider themselves homeschoolers. Most BAHFT members also belong to at least one other homeschool group. For example, our family belongs to a public ISP and our church support group. Even though we attend field trips with both these groups, belonging to a large and diverse field trip group is useful because it increases our options for participating in interesting activities and making new friends.
"BAHFT was started in February 2003 by another homeschool mom who often found it difficult to pull together enough people from here local support group to do a particular field trip. In the beginning all the BAHFT trips (two per month) were organized by her. We had just begun our homeschooling journey the previous month when we stumbled across BAHFT in our internet search for homeschool information and Bay Area connections. In that first year we attended a hands-on lab at the Intel Museum in Santa Clara, tours of the Rosecrucian Museum and Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and a zoo education class at the Oakland Zoo. My daughter wants to be a veterinarian, so I entered into the field trip planning business by booking a class on the Responsibilities of Pet Ownership at a local animal shelter, followed by a tour.
"When our BAHFT founder moved out of state in May 2004, she asked if I'd take over as listmom. I agreed. Since then I've organized over 20 field trips for the group; many other members have stepped up to plan trips, classes, and activities as well. Our membership has more than tripled in the past 18 months, so now, whatever their children's ages or interests, San Francisco Bay Area homeschoolers can find eager companions for just about any activity using the BAHFT list.
"Some of my personal recent favorite trips include a lecture/tasting/tour of the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley, a performance by San Jose Flamenco Society, and the historic Bernal Gulnac Ranch where we toured a restored ranch house from the Californio period, learned about San Jose's agricultural past, and played games from the 1800s. My 14-year-old son has most enjoyed our three planetarium trips and the New United Motors (NUMMI) factory tour in Fremont, where we rode a tram down the assembly line watching the manufacture of Toyota Corollas and Tacomas (our family owns one of each!). The tidepool hike, Children's Musical Theater's "Seussical" performance, and a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield topped the list for my 11-year-old daughter, along with a visit to San Rafael's Guide Dogs Training Facility.
"Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips has expanded in both membership and scope since its inception. It has grown from one mom's desire to provide quality field trips for her son and a few dozen other homeschool families into a networking tool used by hundreds of homechoolers to attend activites organized by dozens of planners. BAHFT has evolved to include announcements about homeschool days at museums, aquariums, and amusement parks. You'll also find posts about homeschool sports, band, used curriculum sales, square dancing, Lego Logo, chess club, and science classes. You'll be notified of the upcoming HSC, CHN, and CHEA conferences, and our own Diane Keith's Homeschool 101 seminars.
"The San Francisco Bay Area region abounds with opportunities for learning outside AND inside the home, and it is the mission of Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips to let homeschool families in our area know about them!"
[As of today, 1/28/08, BAHFT has 1144 member familes. -SH]
"When my children were small, before the possibility of homeschooling had even occured to us, I was a stay-at-home mom who was rarely home.We frequented libraries for storytimes and to borrow our weekly quota of books. We attended park days with a neighborhood playgroup. We visited zoos, children's museums, community theater performances, and the beach.
"Although my children are both now in middle school things haven't changed all that much with respect to us being out and about. In fact these days I'm sometimes introduced as "the field trip mom" because I run Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips (BAHFT), a yahoogroup for homeschool families in the San Francisco Bay Area who enjoy attending field trips, concerts, classes, workshops, seminars, tours, conferences, and other adventures with fellow homeschoolers. BAHFT membership is open to anyone regardless of homeschooling philosophy, methodology, or affiliation. Our 530+ member families represent the full spectrum of those who would consider themselves homeschoolers. Most BAHFT members also belong to at least one other homeschool group. For example, our family belongs to a public ISP and our church support group. Even though we attend field trips with both these groups, belonging to a large and diverse field trip group is useful because it increases our options for participating in interesting activities and making new friends.
"BAHFT was started in February 2003 by another homeschool mom who often found it difficult to pull together enough people from here local support group to do a particular field trip. In the beginning all the BAHFT trips (two per month) were organized by her. We had just begun our homeschooling journey the previous month when we stumbled across BAHFT in our internet search for homeschool information and Bay Area connections. In that first year we attended a hands-on lab at the Intel Museum in Santa Clara, tours of the Rosecrucian Museum and Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, and a zoo education class at the Oakland Zoo. My daughter wants to be a veterinarian, so I entered into the field trip planning business by booking a class on the Responsibilities of Pet Ownership at a local animal shelter, followed by a tour.
"When our BAHFT founder moved out of state in May 2004, she asked if I'd take over as listmom. I agreed. Since then I've organized over 20 field trips for the group; many other members have stepped up to plan trips, classes, and activities as well. Our membership has more than tripled in the past 18 months, so now, whatever their children's ages or interests, San Francisco Bay Area homeschoolers can find eager companions for just about any activity using the BAHFT list.
"Some of my personal recent favorite trips include a lecture/tasting/tour of the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Factory in Berkeley, a performance by San Jose Flamenco Society, and the historic Bernal Gulnac Ranch where we toured a restored ranch house from the Californio period, learned about San Jose's agricultural past, and played games from the 1800s. My 14-year-old son has most enjoyed our three planetarium trips and the New United Motors (NUMMI) factory tour in Fremont, where we rode a tram down the assembly line watching the manufacture of Toyota Corollas and Tacomas (our family owns one of each!). The tidepool hike, Children's Musical Theater's "Seussical" performance, and a tour of the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield topped the list for my 11-year-old daughter, along with a visit to San Rafael's Guide Dogs Training Facility.
"Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips has expanded in both membership and scope since its inception. It has grown from one mom's desire to provide quality field trips for her son and a few dozen other homeschool families into a networking tool used by hundreds of homechoolers to attend activites organized by dozens of planners. BAHFT has evolved to include announcements about homeschool days at museums, aquariums, and amusement parks. You'll also find posts about homeschool sports, band, used curriculum sales, square dancing, Lego Logo, chess club, and science classes. You'll be notified of the upcoming HSC, CHN, and CHEA conferences, and our own Diane Keith's Homeschool 101 seminars.
"The San Francisco Bay Area region abounds with opportunities for learning outside AND inside the home, and it is the mission of Bay Area Homeschool Field Trips to let homeschool families in our area know about them!"
[As of today, 1/28/08, BAHFT has 1144 member familes. -SH]
Dinesh D'Souza
What author/speaker is praised by geneticists, evangelical pastors and atheists? The answer is Dinesh D'Souza:
“Responding to the current epidemic of atheist manifestos, Dinesh D’Souza applies just the right balm for the troubled soul. Assembling arguments from history, philosophy, theology, and science—yes, science!—he builds a modern and compelling case for faith in a loving God. If you’re seeking the truth about God, the universe, and the meaning of life, this is a great place to look.”
— Francis Collins, director of The Human Genome Institute
____________________________________
“With scholarship and eloquence that reminds me of C. S. Lewis, Dinesh D’Souza addresses the urgent questions of our time, such as ‘Is Christianity believable in the face of the discoveries of modern science and modern scholarship?’ His answer is a resounding yes. More than a decisive refutation of atheist attacks, this is a powerful, affirming, genuinely exciting argument for Christianity. You may want to carry this one around with you.”
— Reverend Robert H. Schuller
____________________________________
“As an unbeliever, I passionately disagree with Dinesh D’Souza on some of his positions. But he is a first-rate scholar whom I feel absolutely compelled to read. His thorough research and elegant prose have elevated him into the top ranks of those who champion liberty and individual responsibility. Now he adds Christianity to his formula for the good society, and although non-Christians and non-theists may disagree with some of his arguments, we ignore him at our peril. D’Souza’s book takes the debate to a new level. Read it.”
— Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine
If you have not read his books or articles yet, or watched some of his debates with leading atheists of today, I highly recommend them. He has posted video of the debates on his blog. There's a link to his blog in my "Blogs I read" section.
“Responding to the current epidemic of atheist manifestos, Dinesh D’Souza applies just the right balm for the troubled soul. Assembling arguments from history, philosophy, theology, and science—yes, science!—he builds a modern and compelling case for faith in a loving God. If you’re seeking the truth about God, the universe, and the meaning of life, this is a great place to look.”
— Francis Collins, director of The Human Genome Institute
____________________________________
“With scholarship and eloquence that reminds me of C. S. Lewis, Dinesh D’Souza addresses the urgent questions of our time, such as ‘Is Christianity believable in the face of the discoveries of modern science and modern scholarship?’ His answer is a resounding yes. More than a decisive refutation of atheist attacks, this is a powerful, affirming, genuinely exciting argument for Christianity. You may want to carry this one around with you.”
— Reverend Robert H. Schuller
____________________________________
“As an unbeliever, I passionately disagree with Dinesh D’Souza on some of his positions. But he is a first-rate scholar whom I feel absolutely compelled to read. His thorough research and elegant prose have elevated him into the top ranks of those who champion liberty and individual responsibility. Now he adds Christianity to his formula for the good society, and although non-Christians and non-theists may disagree with some of his arguments, we ignore him at our peril. D’Souza’s book takes the debate to a new level. Read it.”
— Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine
If you have not read his books or articles yet, or watched some of his debates with leading atheists of today, I highly recommend them. He has posted video of the debates on his blog. There's a link to his blog in my "Blogs I read" section.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Back to School
I have gone back to school!
Actually, that sounds more dramatic than it is, since I'll only be a student for 4 months, finishing in May. I'm taking 9 units at SJSU to complete my Multiple Subjects Credential. This is basically the credential required to teach in a California public elementary school. (I already have a Single Subject Credential for Math & English.) This week I had over 200 pages to read (and take notes on) just for my 6 unit Language Arts Instruction class. The reading itself is easy, and the material is actually pretty interesting, but it's a LOT! For my Math Instruction class we just had to solve a brain teaser. I found one solution while I was still sitting in class, and at home I found another, which Westin helped me with. Here is the puzzle, in case you're interested:
How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of root beer if the only containers you have are an unlimited vat of root beer, a 3-gallon container, and a 5-gallon container?
Why am I taking classes? My kids are getting older and more independent. They will be 14 and 17 this Spring. I would like to get a part-time job in the next year or two. Before having kids, I was a teacher at Valley Christian High School and several public elementary schools, but I never got the hang of classroom management, and I don't want to return to that career. At least not in that form.
Our family has appreciated having the public school home study option for our homeschooling. Westin & Susie have both been enrolled in our local elementary district's Independent Study Program, and then California Virtual Academy, a charter school. In these programs, students and parents work with a credentialed teacher to plan lessons. The district or school provides all the learning materials free of charge. For CAVA, this includes a computer and printer/scanner. In exchange, families must submit work samples, the number varying with each program. Both Westin and Susie have since transfered into our own private school to finish their high school education. Nonetheless, we greatly benefitted from the availability of the public homeschool programs as new homeschoolers. With my new credential, I'll be able to take a position as a supervising teacher in one of these programs, working with families who choose to educate their children at home, but with the support of an accredited public school.
As I study, study, study this semester I hope I am setting a good example for my kids. So far I am also enjoying the classes. I ride the lightrail from near my home to SJSU, listening to my new iPod or reading. If I don't post many messages this semester, you'll know why.
Actually, that sounds more dramatic than it is, since I'll only be a student for 4 months, finishing in May. I'm taking 9 units at SJSU to complete my Multiple Subjects Credential. This is basically the credential required to teach in a California public elementary school. (I already have a Single Subject Credential for Math & English.) This week I had over 200 pages to read (and take notes on) just for my 6 unit Language Arts Instruction class. The reading itself is easy, and the material is actually pretty interesting, but it's a LOT! For my Math Instruction class we just had to solve a brain teaser. I found one solution while I was still sitting in class, and at home I found another, which Westin helped me with. Here is the puzzle, in case you're interested:
How do you measure exactly 4 gallons of root beer if the only containers you have are an unlimited vat of root beer, a 3-gallon container, and a 5-gallon container?
Why am I taking classes? My kids are getting older and more independent. They will be 14 and 17 this Spring. I would like to get a part-time job in the next year or two. Before having kids, I was a teacher at Valley Christian High School and several public elementary schools, but I never got the hang of classroom management, and I don't want to return to that career. At least not in that form.
Our family has appreciated having the public school home study option for our homeschooling. Westin & Susie have both been enrolled in our local elementary district's Independent Study Program, and then California Virtual Academy, a charter school. In these programs, students and parents work with a credentialed teacher to plan lessons. The district or school provides all the learning materials free of charge. For CAVA, this includes a computer and printer/scanner. In exchange, families must submit work samples, the number varying with each program. Both Westin and Susie have since transfered into our own private school to finish their high school education. Nonetheless, we greatly benefitted from the availability of the public homeschool programs as new homeschoolers. With my new credential, I'll be able to take a position as a supervising teacher in one of these programs, working with families who choose to educate their children at home, but with the support of an accredited public school.
As I study, study, study this semester I hope I am setting a good example for my kids. So far I am also enjoying the classes. I ride the lightrail from near my home to SJSU, listening to my new iPod or reading. If I don't post many messages this semester, you'll know why.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
ABCs of 2007
Here's a brief rundown of some highlights for the Hood family in 2007:
A - Alcatraz Island Tour in December, Awana Ministry (Andy & Westin are the Game Directors; Stephanie & Susie are theStore Managers).
B - Blogging for Stephanie, Bicycling for Andy, Bowling for Westin, Babysitting for Susie.
C - Cindy, our orange & black tortie cat.
D - Day 7, South Hills Community Church Youth Group.
E - Exercising more regularly at Right Stuff.
F - Families' Annual Snow Trip to Pinecrest in February with 10 other families.
G - Grandma & Grandpa Brown lived with us for 3 months while Grandma recovered from knee replacement surgery.
H - Homeschooling high schoolers! 4H Projects include Hiking, Scrapbooking, and Candy-Making.
I - IBM, Andy completed his tenth year as an IBM employee.
J - Jazmine the Light Brahma, our first hen, had to find a new home. She couldn't defend herself against the hen-pecking of our Barred Rock, Chloe.
K - Kansas, our Golden Seabright bantam hen, is practicing with Susie for the Hollister Poultry Show this Saturday.
L - Libraries, we love them!
M - Mount Madonna Camping Trip in August with friends, Math class co-op, Mystery Spot tour in January.
N - New chicks to raise and add to the coop in the backyard which Andy & the kids built during the summer.
O - October Trip to Disneyworld Florida. An exhausting week of total family fun and togetherness!
P - Piano lessons continue for Westin.
Q - Quinton and Michelle (Stephanie's bro & sis) spend Christmas Eve & Christmas Day with us.
R - Riflery 4H Project. Westin earns Junior Marksmanship pin. River Raft Float Trip with AWL Homeschooled teens group in June.
S - Shakespeare plays: Shady Shakes's Macbeth, SF Shake's Midsummer Nights Dream, Theatreworks's Twelfth Night.
T - Towncats Shelter, where Susie volunteers every Saturday for adoption day. She also cares for the cats 3 days per week at Petco who are awaiting a new home.
U - Using our resources, gifts, and talents to serve others.
V - Victory Sports League, a weekly homeschooled recreation co-op.
W - Westin turned 16; Susie turned 13.
X - Xmas presents included a Yamaha keyboard for Westin, a Yamaha guitar for Susie, Mythbusters DVDs for Andy, and a Farberware knifeset for me. My sister Michelle also gave me an ipod shuffle!
Y - Yellow Rock & Rollers is the Youth Square Dance club we dance with every Friday Night.
Z - Zucchini, green beans, peas, lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes from our garden...Yum!
Happy New Year Everyone!!
A - Alcatraz Island Tour in December, Awana Ministry (Andy & Westin are the Game Directors; Stephanie & Susie are theStore Managers).
B - Blogging for Stephanie, Bicycling for Andy, Bowling for Westin, Babysitting for Susie.
C - Cindy, our orange & black tortie cat.
D - Day 7, South Hills Community Church Youth Group.
E - Exercising more regularly at Right Stuff.
F - Families' Annual Snow Trip to Pinecrest in February with 10 other families.
G - Grandma & Grandpa Brown lived with us for 3 months while Grandma recovered from knee replacement surgery.
H - Homeschooling high schoolers! 4H Projects include Hiking, Scrapbooking, and Candy-Making.
I - IBM, Andy completed his tenth year as an IBM employee.
J - Jazmine the Light Brahma, our first hen, had to find a new home. She couldn't defend herself against the hen-pecking of our Barred Rock, Chloe.
K - Kansas, our Golden Seabright bantam hen, is practicing with Susie for the Hollister Poultry Show this Saturday.
L - Libraries, we love them!
M - Mount Madonna Camping Trip in August with friends, Math class co-op, Mystery Spot tour in January.
N - New chicks to raise and add to the coop in the backyard which Andy & the kids built during the summer.
O - October Trip to Disneyworld Florida. An exhausting week of total family fun and togetherness!
P - Piano lessons continue for Westin.
Q - Quinton and Michelle (Stephanie's bro & sis) spend Christmas Eve & Christmas Day with us.
R - Riflery 4H Project. Westin earns Junior Marksmanship pin. River Raft Float Trip with AWL Homeschooled teens group in June.
S - Shakespeare plays: Shady Shakes's Macbeth, SF Shake's Midsummer Nights Dream, Theatreworks's Twelfth Night.
T - Towncats Shelter, where Susie volunteers every Saturday for adoption day. She also cares for the cats 3 days per week at Petco who are awaiting a new home.
U - Using our resources, gifts, and talents to serve others.
V - Victory Sports League, a weekly homeschooled recreation co-op.
W - Westin turned 16; Susie turned 13.
X - Xmas presents included a Yamaha keyboard for Westin, a Yamaha guitar for Susie, Mythbusters DVDs for Andy, and a Farberware knifeset for me. My sister Michelle also gave me an ipod shuffle!
Y - Yellow Rock & Rollers is the Youth Square Dance club we dance with every Friday Night.
Z - Zucchini, green beans, peas, lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes from our garden...Yum!
Happy New Year Everyone!!
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