April Fool's Day and Easter and Spring Celebrations

Oh Look what the kids found in their dinner food on April Fool's Day. It really freaked them out! It was soooo funny. What a silly dad they have, and mom to go along with it. It was so fun. The girls put them in our bed after they had been washed off. The boys wanted nothing to do with them. That was just too gross! Next year I bet it is a different story!

The first day of spring is always a big celebration here.  The Spring Bunny comes and leaves his treats and well, to be frank, a really big mess of black jelly beans.  Last year the boys were sooooo grossed out, especially when the family started eating them. This year they laughed and ate them up.  Some of like them and others of us think licorice is yucky.  But, it is fun.  The girls also get to host a spring party with just a few friends. They have been doing this for years. The number has shrunk considerably. We used to invite nearly everyone we knew with small kids for an egg hunt. A few years ago we decided to go small and do a girls party. It is so fun.

We had fun dying Spring Eggs too. Everyone got into it. I always have to buy way more eggs that I think are necessary, but they all get eaten up.

Easter Sunday with family at our home was a fun day.  Here is Dave with our four kids and three cousins.  What fun they have together.

Pachelbel Bedtime - SWC Films

The Wayfarer:Good Books Along the Way

Hi I want to let you know that my book blog is up and running, . Most of the lists are done..... most. Of course I will be adding to them.
So go over and check it out (tab above to go to it or the link below in this post). If you like a good book as I do you just might find a new one to check out or feel free to add your own recommendations. I love new recommendations.
Thanks and see you over there. The Wayfarer: Good Books Along The Way  
Jill

jewelry give away

I just posted about the wonderful jewelry from JunkPosse on Etsy. On Ethiopia or Bust they are doing a jewelry give away. Go to her site to see how to enter and what she is giving away. It is a beautiful necklace for moms.
http://bottomlysandethiopia.blogspot.com/2010/04/giveaway-mothers-day-is-coming.html

Jill

Donuts with Dad

By Murphy's Law, Dad would have to be out of town on the day Donuts with Dad is scheduled at preschool. But, a fabulous Grandpa went instead. Dad did get to go last time. The boys were thrilled to take Grampa to school. Thanks Grampa!

All the things of life

I am so grateful to mother these kids of mine. They are my treasures.

Olivia was sick all week last week. She was better this week, mostly, but today she got in the car and said Mommy I feel awful. She put her head down and dozed off for the drive home. Considering that Kedus has strep AGAIN (this is his fourth time since October) I had better have her throat cultured tomorrow. She has never had it, none of us ever had it before the boys did. For that matter, maybe I better get myself a throat culture too, I have had a sore throat for a month. Who knows what that is, but better rule out strep even though I am pretty sure it is not that. I am pretty done with sickness, but that is all part of life. Nothing to fear or dread or be obsessive about avoiding. It happens, we get better. We live in America.
Olivia also had her first musical instrument contest. She and her good friend Gabby played a piece for a judge and did very very well. They got highest marks. Good job "GO" team! Olivia's teacher is recommending that she audition for a kids orchestra here in town that her friend is currently in. We plan to have her do so.

Speaking of Kedus, he is now the proud rider of a TWO wheeled bike WITHOUT training wheels. WOW! He is 5. I am so proud of him. He is also starting to read simple words. He's got the letter sounds down and is now putting them into practice. It is very exciting to see him beginning this road. What a world is opened up by reading. Of course, if you know anything about me, you know I LOVE good books. I have a whole blog for it.  He is also growing. He is the size of any other average 5 year old. Coming home at nearly 4 in a size 2 (too big even) he is doing great. He has also grown into his family very nicely. He is getting ready for Kindergarten in the fall. Let's hope for no more strep throat!

Nate also has done his share of growing and is doing great at 4. He has adapted to family life well. He is so loving and tender hearted. He is also showing a bit of an eye for design. He is often noting how something matches well or he likes the shape of a car or jar or anything. He also likes his socks to match his shirt. Interesting. He is loving school and doing great. He is looking forward to homeschool with mommy next year.

Phoebe is coming closer and closer to being a teen. 7th grade next year. I went to a 7th grade parent meeting at the school. Can it be really happening? My firstborn, my baby girl, my dolly will be going to Jr. High!? Say it can't be! But it is and she is a lovely girl. I am sure she will be a lovely teen. She is already as tall as me and still growing -she hopes anyway. We are so proud of her in every way. What a blessing.

Chickens

Well,
We used to have chickens. They laid eggs for a while. It was great. Then in Dec. they decided that laying eggs was not interesting anymore. In fact, eating them might make it more interesting. Dave tried a bunch of things, did lots of research.............. Well, then they decided to only lay a few and in February they just quit all together. So, last week they took a little trip to Simla. Now, they are in our freezer.
It was a sad day for Olivia as she really likes animals and the chickens really liked her. Dave was out there rounding them up and they were busy running away from him. Olivia walked into the pen and they all ran to one place and sat down. She easily picked up each of them and bravely put them in the crate. Brave little soul. She understands how it works and sees the reasoning, but never the less she came in to have a good little cry after that.
When Dave got back they went up to the computer to finalize what they would be ordering. Much discussion and research had already gone on. Then down to the feed store to place the order. They should come in sometime this week. 8 chicks. Olivia has tried to brace herself for the inevitable of when they stop laying........but that is hard, even though it is life. Hey, no one said life is easy!

Well, we ate chicken the other night and some of the kids neglected their sensitivity and made comments alluding to the fact that we were eating our own chickens. Olivia refused to eat that night and we understand. Next time we hope less attention will be drawn to the food and she will be fine. The one and only time I have ever made an exception for a child eating different foods (other than being so sick they can't) at a meal time. No substitutes, you eat what everyone else is eating or you are hungry. But, not this time. Yogurt was fine. We have 5 more, so let's hope she get's used to the idea soon.

Official launch of --- The Wayfarer: thoughts along the way

Well, you this is the first official real post on this new blog. I have now transferred a bunch of family related posts over from my adopting blog. This is going to really help free up space over there so that it is more searchable. If you are interested in Ethiopian adoption, pop on over and check it out (tab on top). This blog will be a great way to communicate with my friends through adoption and my non- Ethiopian adoption family and friends, who, have been ever so patient wading through a myriad of resource related posts to finally get at a tiny bit of family news. So..... here it is! The Wayfarer: thoughts along the way. Join up and follow us on the way of life.

In posting all the old posts over here I had the great pleasure of remembering all the wonderful snow we got this fall. What happened????? We had a silly excuse for winter. Cold, a little snow, but nothing like we have had in the past. Nope, God dropped it all on my brother in North Carolina, where they are not accustomed to that sort of snow load. What a treat! Maybe next year here. :)

Funny things kids say

Monday, March 8, 2010

funny things kids say

What I want to be when I grow up:
K and N
After the olympics they are set on being hockey players. That is one cool sport in their eyes.

In general K has stuck to his idea of being a dad, first and foremost. He even sticks to the 9 kids he expects to have. The other day he wondered if people can have 100. He learned to count to 100 recently and that is a very big number. I said, it is possible, but not likely to have 100 kids. He said, well that is good. I will do that. Another time he brought this up again. He got very serious and said "Mama, If I go to get my kids and I get 9 and there is one left without a family, I will have to take him too, then there will be 10." He has, since then, mentioned several times, that he is going to get lots of kids who don't have families and that is how he will have kids, he always ends whatever his comment is with, "that is a good thing, everyone should have a family."  I am glad he likes his family. We sure do like him.

P said that they will both do that, maybe they will be missionaries together and take care of lots of kids. What sweet and loving hearts they have. I can see this fitting into P's life someday. Compassion.

After Dinosaur Train the boys want to be Paleontologists. :) Dinosaurs are cool. O is set on archeology and has been for several years now. I can totally see that one. Maybe playing some upright bass on the side somewhere... who knows. She is really starting to bond with that instrument.

They boys had to fill out a little Star of the Week poster for school. One of the questions was what do you want to be when you grow up? Keds said right away, Spiderman. When I asked him about that later he said this, "What? That is not real, it is just someone's idea they drew. I want to have 9 kids and drive a big truck."
 N did not really get the question. He said, what is that? I gave him examples: Doctor, nurse, teacher, work with people and programs like Daddy, pastor, write books, computer, sell things. He said, "OH! I know, I know! I want to be a...............um..............guitar. No, the guy who plays the guitar." oh a musician, play music in a band. "No Mama, the guy at church who plays the guitar and sings and teaches the people new songs." oh, a worship pastor? "Yes, that is what I want to be when I grow up!" Well ok then. Great goal. So that is what we wrote on there.  Cool.


You know some days the boys want to be firefighters, race car drivers, etc.... but it always comes back to driving that big truck for both of them and being a dad of 9 kids for K. P is thinking about that. Missionary, teacher, etc? Whatever it is, it will be with people and helping. Honestly, Jr. Hi starts next year and she is really thinking about that! O -well, I hope she has the stamina to go through with it, she would love it, but it is a hard road academically, Anthropology. Yep, I will help her get there all I can. She would love it.

For now, let's just be the best "me" I can be and grow as God is leading. He does know best after all. If they can learn to trust that now, the future will be a snap! And that is my job -what I grew up to be- a mom, leading my children to believe God and trust him with their lives. That is a good job. 

Family update

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Family update

Well, life never is dull around here. We have really slowed down in the last two years, but life still goes on.

(this is of Olivia on "Ancient China Day" a special day at school where they celebrate some of the things they have learned in History class) 

Phoebe is taking piano again after a semester off. She has such a knack for it and it is calming for her. I hope she will continue to enjoy it. 6th grade is the last year in elementary at our school and so we are experiencing a bunch of lasts for our firstborn. I am doing suprisingly well. I think maybe becasuse I still have three more to go. But, last valentine's day party, last curriculum days...... I hope there will continue to be parent chaperoned field trips and other events. Of course there is always the friends coming over and such. She is currently reading the Fablehaven series and loving it. Book four and ready for book 5 which comes out end of March!!!!
(these are of our last time at Jubilee in Frisco)

Olivia is enjoying friends and History and Science. She just did her Science Share Day project. She did Elephant Toothpaste. That was fun. You can google that to see what it is and try it out in your kitchen sink. Steve Spangler Science   and Cool Science.
She had fun and it seemed like all the kids really got into their projects and had fun and learned new things. She is also playing the upright bass and really is liking that. She is pretty good at it too.

(boys reading at home, they LOVE books. )

Kedus and Nate are still enjoying preschool out and home school preschool on our off days. Kedus is exited to go to big school with Phoebe and Olivia next year. He is really ready with counting to 100 and knowing all his Kindergarten phonograms (different than phonics) see Spalding. He even knows his phone number. All that with only speaking/understanding English for just over a year. I think he could memorize anything. Maybe I should start the times tables now !! Just kidding!  Kids are amazing. Nate is counting to 20 and knows most of his Kindergarten phonograms too.  He will home school Kindergarten next year in order to prep for Kinder the following year. Our grade cut off is June 1. So, at our school the older the better and I would tend to go with that persuasion anywhere. No need to hurry a child emotionally or educationally. School is challenging enough as it is without not really being ready for it. Not to mention how it seems better to keep the boys separated anyway. Nate is "ready" for Kinder according to check lists and could get in, but why? So, home he stays with Mama. :) I know we will be glad for it on many accounts.
I look back on what we did together for "school" the first year they were home. I can not believe the amazing progress they have made. Amazing.

The boys said the funniest thing the other day.
Mommy there is a new boy at school in the Three class.
Oh that is nice.
His name is Little.
Oh, are you sure about that?
Yes, Raquel said "He is little".
Mommy snickers and says Oh, I see. Maybe he is a small boy.
Yes he is short. His name is Little.
I asked the teacher about this. He is the 2 year old boy of the sub. He is small, he has a real name, which is not little. :) We had a good laugh. They both agreed to his name being Little, that was soooooo funny.
Funny things kids say: new year's revolution (no it was not the boys).

American consumerism is innate in the human spirit. My boys, coming from having nothing to America the land of plenty. Ok, our home is not the hot bed of consumerism. We are a very thrifty bunch and money does not grown on trees around here.  But, coming from Ethiopia that is not saying much. We are comfortable for sure. So..... the boys have this running dialog with me and eachother about when they grow up. After figuring out that you don't marry a mom, you marry a wife and your mom stays your mom...... then they tell me all the things they will buy. Things we do not have and most likely will never have. 4 or 5 cars and large trucks, snowmobiles, ski-doos, four wheelers, horses, barnyards full of animals, etc.... And they think they will drive a dumptruck for their job. Hmmmm. Well, that's nice while you are 4 or 5. When you are 34 or 45 that is an entirely different matter.
We pulled up next to one of those really tiny Toyota trucks the other day at the grocery store. We got out and the boys were staring in shock at the little thing. They said in all seriousness,
That is a really small truck Mommy.
Yes, it is. That is the size of truck boys can drive when they learn how to drive.
The crushed and melted look they gave me was so devastated it was hilarious. They were incredulous at the thought that they would have to drive something like that.
When we came out there was an Avalanche driving in the parking lot. The perked right up and said this:
Mommy! That is a BIG truck.
They were all pumped up and excited to see that.
Mommy, can we drive that?
No.
Oh, why not?
At this point I try to give a preschool version of insurance and safety. I tell them that teen age boys are not safe drivers and they can't drive anything cool until they proove they are responsible adults and buy it themselves.
That sad look again.
Then...... when I am big I will be safe and drive a BIG truck!
Ok.

Oh, might I add a funny from homeschool.............. We are working on the boys knowing their full names and birthdates. Since this is relativly new information for them we start where others start at birth. We start at 3 and 4. So.... Kedus has got his name down and birthdate (mostly) and Nate is still working on his. Because we call him Nate and not Nateneal (pronunciation of this is loosely: Not-i-ni all), he is a bit confused. I like keeping his name as it was, but have wrestled with whether or not we should have changed it all together. But, we didn't and for great reasons. But, now he is like, "Huh, what's my name? I thought I was Nate!"Anyway, he can say it as he likes when he is old enough to actually choose. It is all good with us. But for now we are trying to teach him what his name is.......... the other night we were "showing off" our school stuff for Daddy. They did great. But, when we came to "what is your whole name?" Nate promptly said "Tigist". Then slid off my lap in embarrassed silence (beet red) and then laughter. Kedus rolled in laughter, so hard he actually turned red and was gasping for breath. It was so funny, Keds kept saying, "Tigist, like our little friend at Sele Enat!!! That little girl! " Mom and Dad got quite a kick out of that. Then he said his name correctly. Honestly, he was so embarrassed I think it was not meant to be funny. I totally love the name Tigist.

On other topics we have enjoyed two ski weekends and have fun each time. Of course this last time was cold and snowy and Olivia hurt her knee and she and I came down early, but it was fun. And, of course it is fun to spend time together. My mom is a gem and babysits the boys so I can go too. The love their Gram and Grampa. (Grampa skis, and Gram may again after knee surgery).

Happy week to you all.

Funny things kids say and a few photos

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Funny things kids say and a few photos

So, I think the boys are understanding English pretty well these days. Then funny things happen. It is the small underlying meanings, double meanings and descriptive words that get them. I tend to just speak adult talk to the kids and find that I am having to define words left and right. The boys have both used rather large complicated words in sentences, sometime correctly other times comically.

A small occurrence in the grocery store. I sent K over to get a "bunch of bananas". Ok, we all know a bunch means one clump all stuck together. He brought two and was trying to get a third. He picked the largest "bunches" as well. He came back and I told him such a good job helping mommy. He said, well you said to get a bunch. He thought I meant a lot of bananas. I am pretty sure my girls would have understood a bunch as one clump at age 5. Funny and cute. Of course we bought both bunches. :) They'll eat them.

In the car on the way home N randomly commented that he was not planning on "getting" any kids when he grows up. K was obviously startled and exclaimed that children are wonderful and he wants lots. I asked how many is lots (you know the "bunch" thing had just happened). He said "three, no six would be good." Then he counted out six on his fingers and said "no three more, that is nine. Nine kids that's how many!" How does he do that? He can't do math at home, but in the car he is a wiz. Then he went on with how he would buy them food and clothes and beds and they would all live in his house and he would bring them to visit me every time he came. I said," you better. I want to love all my grand-babies." We laughed. Then I said to N "it's ok if you don't want kids but Mommy is just wondering why you feel that way?" He says, "well, i don't really feel like going on an airplane when I get big." :) I said, not all kids come on airplanes and explained the various ways to adopt and have kids. He brightened up and said, "no I don't want kids, I want babies. And I don't want them to grow up. Maybe I will get a wife and then she will get a baby and then we can have just one of those and it will stay a baby." ...............Ok. He's four, I am sure he will change his mind later.

Despite telling them their stories, N still thinks he started to exist at age 3 when he came home to us. He is starting to relate the earlier parts of his life from my telling him, but he has virtually no memory of it. K on the other hand has lots of memory, much of which he still dreams about and comes to me so very sad in the night, but he can not or will not share it. The boys both love their life books and look at them nearly daily.

Christmas letter 2008

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

2008 Christmas

Christmas letter from 2008. Because I could not figure out how to do this last year. This is the letter announcing the homecoming of our new sons! Most of the people who got this had NO IDEA we were adopting. What a shock. In fact the year before WE had no idea we were adopting in 2008 either. It all came about in half a year! What a blessing!

Christmas letter

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas letter

Merry Christmas. We just wanted to share our Christmas newsletter with you and I finally figured out how to get it from the computer to the blog. You can follow this link to see the newsletter if you are interested.  Our Annual Newsletter has been called the Wayfarer (after several corny versions of Khaliqi Chronicles and such) longer than we have had this blog, like maybe for 12 years or so......so welcome to the original Wayfarer, just in case you are new to it.
Our Christmas Letter for 2009
We hope your season is filled with hope, love, laughter and a light heart.

The Khaliqi's

Happy Birthday Kedus 2009

Monday, December 21, 2009

Happy Birthday Kedus

I am going to send my birthday thoughts to my son early. His birthday is Christmas Eve and that is just a busy time.

As I held you tonight I thought how handsome you are.  Your creamy chocolaty, skin so smooth and soft, your inky black eyes, deep and thoughtful, twinkling your joy at life.  Those impossibly long eyelashes blinking at me with such trust. I love the little knots of your hair, bumpy and curly, swirling perfectly all over your head. Your small hand in mine, so much bigger than last year. Your shy little smile, or sometimes a mischievous little smirk..... oh I know you are no angel. But, my angel you are. How I love you. My love for you has grown so much in this year, your love for us has grown too.  In a year and a bit you have grown. Oh my how you have grown, from 24 mo to 5T in a little over a year. Love, food, health, safety, it's just what you needed to catch up in every way.  What a smart and curious little boy you are. What a perfect match for our family. Only God could have given you the same personality traits and so much more that fit right in, you were always meant to fill your place in our family. I am so glad you came.
Happy Birthday my little blessing, son of mine, joy in my heart.
I love you.

Mommy

Christmas musings 2009

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Christmas musings

Ok, the boys have been to see Santa.  "Who is he again?"
Ok, controversial, I know but we told them it was a fun game we play at Christmas and other families choose to play the game however they want and some kids don't know it's a game so don't tell. We talked about Saint Nickolas, and all the other ideas of Santa all over the world. Gifts are from family.
So, then we get, "He's a fun game, right mama?"
"Right, a very fun game, I like the Santa game."
"Can I believe he's real mama?"
"Of course, that is up to you."
"Ok, Santa is a fun game mama!"

We didn't do Santa with the girls when they were really little. PJ saw him in the mall when she was in Preschool and asked who is that clown? We said it is a Christmas clown, his name is Santa Claus. No more questions at all from her. But, then in Kindergarten someone asked O who brings her gifts at Christmas and she said Santa. WHAT? After that we did the Santa game. I like him better now that I have done a ton of research on his ancient history.......... oh he pre dates St. Nick and any other idea of him you can find in the traditional lore. Not so nice a character really. He's much better jolly. :)

They all know the Biblical Christmas story by heart and can tell each part so well, even the boys know it and love it. That is the joy of Christmas. 

Oh, and did you know that Santa's reindeer live at my parents house. Yes, their resident deer impressed the boys! N exclaimed " Hey look, Santa's reindeer are on the porch! Here at Grampa and Grams!" Or at least that is what I got from the very excited jumbled rambelings! ...........Santa's reindeer........ porch....... Grampa's!  Cute.

All ready for Christmas. After seeing so much poverty the four older ones of us really want simple things for Christmas. Things we need. (of course it is not hard to come up with a dream list, but not really think we ought to have it). The two younger of us, who before coming here were in such poverty we can not imagine. They want everything. Yea, they even need it all. Oh, the joy of preschoolers. Good thing we rarely watch tv or go to toy stores.

The joy and peace of Christmas. I was pondering it today on the way to church and then again as we were in the car after the service. The Christmas songs that are somewhat melancholy in verse and joyful in chorus represent the season to me more than the ones full of exuberance. The melancholy verses: When it all really happened, the Israelites had long lost hope of the promised Messiah. At least most of them. They still knew the prophesies but had given up the coming in their time to wishful thinking and impossibilities. How often have so many done the same down through the ages. Even now, the neighbor in dire circumstances, the homeless family on the street, the women stuck in undesirable situations, the abused child, even ourselves in our everyday life that sometimes seems so hard,sometimes the world does crash in and all hope seems lost, sometimes when we look within we just can not see the way out. But, he came. He came to the poor in spirit, the downtrodden, those who had lost hope for redemption. Who of us is good enough to redeem?  None, but redeem he does. Every day, every hour, every minute. There in is the chorus of joy, inexplicable joy. Redeemed, not on my merit but on the desire of Jesus who loves despite our unholiness and gives us his holiness. WOW! And that is peace to the world. While I have long understood this, I don't know that I could have expressed it well until this year. I understand, I know, I live in that Peace; Jesus is enough for me. No matter the circumstances, no matter the trial, the worldly pressures, the temptations, no matter the wickedness around us. That peace is Jesus in me and for me.

Merry Christmas to you all and May His Peace dwell in you this Christmas and always.

Christians

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Christians

November 12th was an important day in the life of our family and most especially in the lives of our sons. It was the day they made a choice which will effect their life for all of eternity. Without any pressure from Mom or Dad, in fact we had put this off a few times when they asked, giving them more information and telling them to think it over, several times before....... they boys asked God to give them the Holy Spirit in their lives making them a Christian. Yes, they understand the sacrifice of Jesus and the need for forgiveness of sins, etc..... you know, as much as a 4 year old and almost 5 year old understands, which for our guys is rather a lot more than expected. But, these boys knew all this long before we knew them. I think even before Sele Enat they knew the precious promises of the Bible, the love of Jesus and the faith in God. At Sele Enat these truths were taught to them more and more. They know the stories, they know prayer, they know God. Here in America it has been translated in their minds and now they know all this in their heart of hearts, in their spirit where God now dwells with them. Praise be to God for His perfect way and his perfect answer to the prayers of birth parents, to prayers of "foster" parents and nannies and to our prayers for our boys. So, now they join the rest of our family in the family of Christ. For this we give praise to God.

Happy Birthday Phoebe

Friday, November 13, 2009

Hapy Birthday Phoebe

Happy Birthday to my sweet 12 year old Phoebe.
When you were a tiny baby you were so fussy with all the have too's like eating and sleeping. All you wanted was to see the world, all the people and what was going on. You rolled around starting at 2 months old and quickly went to walking and running. All over, to see the world, explore. You were a good sport and a good companion in Bolivia.... mommy's dolly. Oh the things your brain has seen, if only you could remember them. Ethiopia last year and all the places in between.

You are my gem. My bright shining star. I can  not believe you are already 12. Soon to me and maybe not soon enough to you, you will be on your own, exploring this big world. I know you won't forget the way home. And more than that I know you won't forget to always follow your Lord. Where ever he leads is the best place to be, whether far or near.
I love your sweet and tender heart, your sense of justice, right and wrong. You are helpful and kind, compassionate and thoughtful. You are a true and faithful friend, anyone who finds in you friendship will have a friend for life. You are my precious one, my Sunshine Angel. I love you.
Happy Birthday,
Love,
Mama

Dave's work

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Dave's work

This article is about a grant that the CSTEME program partnered with in Eagle, CO. Of course they quote someone who is not with CTEME, the program Dave is the director of.  Dave helped to write this and his oganization is the one that co-sponsored this and will do a ton of training and such with Eagle, they have already done much there. It is a replication program to take CSTEME to other regions, as mentioned at the very end of the article, the program here is Dave's. That is SUCCESS, in the world of Non-profits anyway. :) Good job Dave!

UCCS shares in $1 million grant to hype math in Eagle County

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November 02, 2009 5:25 PM

DEBBIE KELLEY

THE GAZETTE

A $1 million grant the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will share with two other educational entities will teach 90 secondary school math teachers in Eagle County how to instruct kids how numbers can be fun.
UCCS’ Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education will share the money with the Eagle County School District and the Consortium on Reading Excellence in Berkeley, Calif. The Colorado Department of Education provided the award using funds from the U.S. Department of Education.
The UCCS center focuses on enhancing the workforce of scientists and engineers through programs that target elementary through college students.
The three-year professional development program in Eagle County will be monitored by looking at student achievement and assessing how confident teachers are in using specific problem-solving strategies.
UCCS spokesman Tom Hutton said the Eagle County work is another step in the center’s effort to expand the model throughout Colorado.  A similar program has been going on in the Pikes Peak region for several years, he said.

Pumpkin time 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Pumpkin time

Well all those pumpkins we got at Kauffman Farms have now been transformed into carvings for Fall. While we were having fun it was snowing outside. AGAIN. We have had something like 5 snows and are now expecting a two day extravaganza of snow fairy flurry's and blizzard.  Jack Frost is keeping busy. The Farmer's Almanac said regular winter, some snow and some no snow, average snowfall for the winter season...... hmmmm, usually right, but not looking that way, it is an El Nino year after all.

Fall 2009

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Fall

Well it is fall and with that comes so many activities for our family.  Our first fall tradition is leaf looking. We have combined this with a field trip Dave does with some students in Cripple Creek, the last few years. That has been fun. The girls have gotten to see some mines and we have had fun leaf looking.

We added a fun time at Rockledge Ranch with my parents while Dave was at the church men's retreat. That was a fun time at a historic homestead.
 The boys wore their western shirts, the ones the girls used to fit into. How time flies.

We enjoyed our fall party too. We skipped last year as adjusting with the boys was just too much. This year we went for a MUCH scaled down version of the party with the girls just inviting a very few friends. Ok, it looks big to some of you, but we used to invite every person we knew. One year we had more than 100 people at our house for this event. It was fun, but somehow I am just too tired for that right now. We had fun with outdoor games and a craft making a scarecrow that hangs over the door. It was fun. We were going on a week of sickness. The boys had strep. I have never had to deal with that before, so a new experience for all. Not a fun one.

The following Friday we made it out to a pumpkin farm. We usually go to the Happy Apple Farm and thought we would try a change this year. We went up to Kauffman Farms in Elbert this time. It was a really fun trip. We got there and saw that it was a neighborhood like ours..... ummmm, do we stay or do we go? We decided to stay and it was fun. They have animals and they grow their own pumpkins and you pick them! This year they had picked them and covered them up with straw and blankets because of the snow and frost. But you could tell they weren't store bought! The real thing here, down home family doings. They have cows and a hay bale maze, a small one, but fun! Wagon ride, smores, etc..... it was fun. You should go!

Well, I love fall and so it is fun to have traditions to look forward to fitting in. Hope you are having a great fall too.

Happy Birthday to my Husband

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Happy Birthday to my Husband

Today is my husband's birthday.
And I have to say that this man, who I love is so amazing. I am so grateful to God for the gift of Dave in my life and for my children.
He is a super great Daddy who is fun, loving and intential.
He is handy and creative,
he is a great musician.
He is a great spiritual leader
He is my friend.
Happy Birthday Dave! I love you more each day.

is it fall or winter? 2009

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

is it fall or winter?

Is it fall or winter?

Monday it snowed and it was the last day of Summer. I posted photos of that on an earlier post. I thought, oh it will stop and be sunny again. Sometimes it snows in the summer, sometimes, but not by any stretch of the imagination is that normal. So, yesterday (above) was the first official day of fall. It snowed. Today, the second day of the fall season, it snowed ALL DAY and is collecting, it is cold. We (the boys and I) happen to be learning our seasons. The boys just can not grasp that it is fall and not winter. It matters little to them what order the seasons go in as they don't get it anyway. Snow goes with winter, not fall in all the books.  But, see the grass is golden, the leaves on the trees are just turning color, they are not all gone yet, it is really fall. So, the book pile from the library has been great, except that it just does not snow in the fall...... until today! The book we read today showed a real live photo of a bear in the snow and it said an Autumn Snow! Yes!

Photos from today.
And the girls picking the not yet ready corn, because it will freeze anyway and so, we didn't get corn this year. Yes, we have actually gotten corn here before. The chickens are cold, but have a warming light and are still laying eggs. No one wants to go visit them now that it is so cold.
Oh the joy of my native Colorado! How I love it. Even the tricks it plays on us from time to time with the weather. Now, what will the winter be like????