tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2172721481892984952024-02-07T22:16:58.057-05:00The Goode Life - A Tale of Two SonsJoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.comBlogger583125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-37183933779448298272014-03-30T18:11:00.003-04:002014-03-30T18:12:08.875-04:00Open SymphonyOne of the great things about the city (close to the little town where we live) is their free symphony orchestra program for kids. About 4 times each year, the kids (and their lucky adult accompanist) are invited to meet one of the musicians, learn about the instruments, and attend half of the concert. It is just the right amount of classical music for kids - long enough to relax into and enjoy, but not so long that they get antsy or bored. Today we heard Mozart - Symphony No. 40, Mahler - Adagietto from Symphony No. 5, and Wallace - Acacia Street. And did I mention it is FREE? This is the third year that we have attended, and although William and Charlie are definitely the oldest kids there, we all still enjoy it. I wonder if I can still bring them when they are teenagers? Because, really, free symphony tickets are all good with me.Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-69545499825249199582014-01-26T11:08:00.000-05:002014-02-09T11:09:11.178-05:00On expectations, and Yellow StripesThe boys thoroughly enjoy soccer, swimming and hiking all summer long, but we haven't traditionally done as good a job of finding ways to stay active in the winter months. After all, in my mind the best part of winter is the whole fireside-book-tea-and warm blanket scene.<br />
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This past fall, William and Charlie decided that karate might be interesting, and they both joined a club that meets in town.They have been loving it, and now that I have gotten more accustomed to watching them sparring, I am enjoying it, too. Their Sensei is great woman that they both hated after the first night, and have loved ever since. She is strict, holds high expectations of them, and doesn't tolerate any silliness for the kids (or the parents either, for that matter).<br />
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She has reinforced to me how great a disservice we do to children by assuming that they are incapable. Of course children are, well, children. They have had only limited years of life experience, may not be clear on the social expectations of different situations, and have less experience in managing their energy and impulses than most adults. But not knowing what is expected is a completely different spot to be in than not being able to comply. The first few classes with Sensei, the boys were hesitant, a bit confused, and sore from the extra push ups that she hands out when the kids miss step. Rather than being turned off by the experience, though, they both noticeably focused their attention on figuring things out. They were all eyes and ears, watching and listening to Sensei and the other students until they picked up on the expectations regarding their behavior that were clear, although not clearly spoken.<br />
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By not stopping the class and explaining things to the 'new kids', Sensei communicated to them her faith in their ability to figure things out on their own. Her approach shifted the focus from confidence in her abilities as a teacher, to their abilities as students. It is a subtle shift, but one that came across loud and clear to the boys. They both approach their karate practice and their involvement in class with a whole different level of respect and maturity than I have seen in other clubs or classes. It shows up in everything that they do there, from helping out the new, new kids, to the respect and deference that they offer Sensei and the more advanced students. Most importantly, it shows up in themselves - in the confident way that they hold themselves, and the attentive way that they take direction and practice their new stances and moves. The bar was set high, they reached it, and they know it.<br />
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Two very proud new yellow-stripe belts.</div>
<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-5908702216596421722014-01-24T09:18:00.000-05:002014-02-09T11:09:57.050-05:00Missing This Space...I can't believe that my lost post was in June of 2013. I know it has been a while, but seriously! I have been missing this space a lot lately, partly because it is such a nice way to log what we are up to and to keep connected to family and friends far away. I also realize that, on those days when work, busyness, and life as a whole draw me away from our homeschooling journey, this space reminds me how much our learning happens all of the time, regardless of what I do (or don't do) to orchestrate it. <br />
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So, I hope that you will forgive the huge chronological gap in postings, and bear with me as I try to catch up!<br />
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<i>What's so fascinating, and frustrating, and great about life is that you're constantly stating over, all the time, and I love that.</i><br />
~Billy CrystalJoannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-25513907955446792082013-12-06T11:26:00.000-05:002014-02-09T11:34:21.660-05:00Go Storm, Go!Great night out to a Guelph Storm Hockey game with the boys and their Cubs pack.<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-62276289300939910532013-11-29T11:23:00.000-05:002014-02-09T11:24:00.035-05:00Raptor EncounterRaptor encounter at Mountsberg Raptor Centre - a behind the scenes visit (thanks to my wonderful sister Bonnie who works in the Avian and Exotics department of the University of Guelph Veterinary Teaching Hospital and has some great connections). The boys had a chance to see the housing, feeding, and care facilities of the center, meet some of the staff, and learn about the eagles, hawks, vultures and owls. The highlight was, of course, being able to take turns visiting up close with a screech owl.<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-46422978436573161812013-10-02T10:05:00.000-04:002014-02-09T10:08:20.542-05:00Little Alice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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William has been loving spending time with his 10th Birthday present, Alice. It has been a great learning experience for all of us about the differences of adopting a puppy as opposed to an adult dog, but she is well worth the effort (most days, anyway).Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-67997912771491128012013-07-25T20:21:00.000-04:002014-02-09T09:50:49.604-05:00Beautiful FindsWilliam has been enjoying the time he and Alice (his new-ish puppy) spend going for walks together and today when they came back he had a beautiful little find with him. He and Charlie spent a fair bit of time sitting at the kitchen table checking out this moth, looking it up in the field guides, noticing how 'furry' it is, and just admiring its beauty. Whenever something like this happens I am reminded of a study I once heard / saw (can't remember where or who it was by) noting that most people can easily identify over 100 common brands, but cannot identify even 10 species of trees that grow in their own neighborhoods. I am trying to shift that focus a little bit for our family. How beautiful our world is, if only we take the time to look at it.<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-72459688959290913572013-07-13T20:33:00.000-04:002014-02-09T09:47:29.032-05:00Tobermory 2013 - The Grotto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our favorite places to visit in the summer months is Tobermory, Ontario. There is great camping, hiking, swimming, and exploring. This year we went up for a long weekend with my sister and her kids, as well as some other friends. The more the merrier!! Here are a few pics.<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-20827968670042275672013-07-08T20:25:00.000-04:002014-02-09T10:02:15.506-05:00Gifts in the Mail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Oh wonderful day...not one, but TWO National Geographic Magazines in our mail box today!!!Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-82072749352428841072013-07-02T09:43:00.000-04:002014-02-09T09:44:24.122-05:00Caramel Corn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thought I would share a new favorite recipe around here - home made caramel corn! We first made this for our block party back in the summer, and are glad for any excuse to make it again. Easy and yummy. Enjoy!<br />
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<b>Caramel Corn</b><br />
16 cups air popped pop corn<br />
1 cup brown sugar<br />
1/2 cup light corn syrup<br />
1/2 cup butter<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract <br />
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Pop popcorn and put it in a large, lightly greased baking pan in a 250 degree oven to keep warm.<br />
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In a large sauce pan, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Book over medium heat stirring constantly until it boils.<br />
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Boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla.<br />
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Pour syrup over warm popcorn and return tot he oven for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and pour onto a foil lines cookie sheet to cool. Once it is cool, break apart into pieces and enjoy!<br />
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-84519840497695216252013-06-29T20:29:00.000-04:002014-02-09T09:34:27.700-05:00Block Party !!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A big part of my paid employment is about community development - helping people to meet, connect with, and come to care for one another. It is something that I am passionate about, and that (I think) we do a generally lousy job of these days. So, in an effort to practice what I preach, the boys and I decided it was time to have a neighborhood party. Our goal was fairly simple - pick a day, and get everyone in our neighborhood outside so that they could met, play, eat, have fun, and connect with each other. <br />
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The boys helped me to make signs to post around the block, we recruited some of our closest friends on the street to help, made some snacks to share, put up a few balloons, and that was about it! The results were fabulous. Lots of visiting and getting to know each other, an impromptu pool part, water fights, great snacks, hola hooping, a bar-b que thanks to Pop, and fire works to end things off. For the fairly small investment of time and energy that it took, we had a wonderful afternoon with old friends and new ones. This will definitely need to become a yearly tradition...<br />
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<i>It is easy to believe that we are each waves and forget we are also the ocean.</i></div>
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<i>~Jon J. Muth</i></div>
Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-91314091203502175412013-06-27T20:24:00.000-04:002014-02-09T10:01:00.078-05:00Soccer Season is Here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are so lucky in our little town to have a great, volunteer run soccer club. The boys have been a part of it on and off since they were wee little ones, and look forward to it each summer. They finish up each game hot, tired and happy, and it is a fabulous way for them to meet and connect with some more local kids that they miss meeting in the school system. </div>
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-50133538756868312382013-06-23T08:03:00.000-04:002013-06-24T08:05:06.150-04:00Bowling, and the drama of cousinsI am so lucky to have an absolutely wonderful sister who is also my best friend. And I am even more lucky that she has 2 great kids, Max and Tory, and that they live only 1/2 hour away. Most of the time, the 4 cousins play fairly well together, especially if they can be outside. But once in a while they go through some challenging times, where somehow the group dynamics don't go all that smoothly. Lately, it has been the clash between the 3 boys, William, Charlie and Max, and our one lovely girl, Tory, who is also the youngest. My sister and I try to mediate as much as we can, but it is not always easy to keep the peace. <br />
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Today, Tory was invited to a birthday party for one of her girlfriends, so Bonnie and I took the 3 boys out for some guy time. They decided on bowling, and had a blast. Anything loud, physical, and that allows you to throw really heavy balls around is fun, right?<br />
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They were a little irritated that the Mommy Team beat out the All Boy Team, but hey - you can't have it all. And girls are pretty cool, aren't we?<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-18298679035853403922013-06-21T21:47:00.000-04:002013-06-21T21:47:26.164-04:00First canoe TripThe boys and I spent a great afternoon canoeing at a local conservation area - what a fabulous way to spend the day! There are definitely parts of me that miss my boys as little babies - I won't go into all of the details, because, well, it is just not a happy place to dwell. But I also love it as they grow. Our time together takes on a whole new flavor as we do things together on equal footing. William can hold his own with a paddle, and Charlie is not far behind. Together we were able to explore parts of the lake that would have been too tricky with only one paddler. My goal was to spend more time in a kayak this summer (rather than only the week that we are away at family camp) but Charlie is not quite confident enough to kayak on his own, so canoeing is a great compromise. There are a tonne of great places around to take out a boat, and we are working our way up to a 4 hour trek down the Grand River. <br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-68085552151406408322013-06-20T08:05:00.000-04:002013-06-24T08:15:50.409-04:00Little TurtleTurtle season is in full swing, and the boys are always keeping there eyes out for turtles to log on the <a href="http://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/turtletally.asp">Ontario Turtle Tally</a> web site. We have seen painted turtles crossing the road, red eared sliders sitting on logs, and snapping turtles digging nests on the roadside to lay eggs. Today on the dirt road out behind our place we saw this teeny tiny little painted turtle and stopped for a visit. It was about the size of a loonie, very cute, and moved fast for a little one! <br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-75012155288959403832013-06-08T20:54:00.000-04:002013-06-08T20:54:07.762-04:00Oh, how they grow!There has been a sneaky little thing happening around our home lately, in the form of the boys growing up. It doesn't happen all at once, oh no, but everyone now and then I will be caught off guard by it - the little bit of mustache fuzz growing on William's lip, the fact that hugs are still OK, but kisses are only tolerated first thing in the morning and late at night, the look on my baby Charlie's face that is no longer at all babyish, and the independence and maturity that they are both exploring and craving.<br />
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One of the ways this 'growing up' is happening is through the boys spending bits of time on their own at home. It might be just a few minutes while I run into the grocery store, or for an hour or two when Jim is home but sleeping after working a night shift. The boys generally love it, and I have to admit that it gives me a new level of flexibility that I haven't had in, oh, 10 or so years.<br />
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In celebration of it all, the boys spent the day at a St. John Ambulance course called Home Alone - they learned about what to do in case of a fire, snacks that they could prepare themselves safely while home alone, stranger danger, when and how to call 9-1-1, etc. Although I admit that the day got mixed reviews (my guys are not used to sitting in a chair listening to someone else talk for 7 hours!!) they seem to have at lease been exposed to some good information. As a family, we are going to be talking next about first aid and how to take care of those inevitable nicks, cuts, scrapes and sometimes burns that come with being a kid. I certainly hope that they never need to actively use these skills, but I do feel a little more relaxed knowing that they are better prepared.<br />
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Now if I could just convince them to slow the whole growing up thing down just a little bit more, I would be happy.Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-31327631148119730322013-06-07T19:29:00.001-04:002013-06-07T19:29:38.391-04:00Camp Season Begins!!We have all been excited around here now that the 2013 camp / camping season has officially begun. The first event is the Cuboree, a 2 night camp out that William looks forward to with his local cub scout troupe. Today, both William and Charlie spent the day at Camp Brebeuf, going canoeing (which seems to be a new love for both of them), archery, challenging themselves on the high ropes, doing outdoor adventure games, and playing field games. <br />
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This is such a great time of year for all of us. We don't officially take the summer off from 'lessons', but things definitely slow down a bit. After all, who in their right mind would choose math over hiking, or geography pages over swimming? Not that we do a whole lot of 'table time' these days, but still. The camping season leads our learning in a whole new direction. Identifying trees and animals, learning new skills on the water, building forts and practicing carving, telling stories around the fire, and staring up at the stars. What learning (and life) is all about, isn't it?<br />
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Now that the first 2 adventures are over, we are counting down to the weekend camping trip south of Tobermory with my sister and her friends, and William's first week away at Wanakita residential camp while Charlie and I do some camping at McGreggor point just the two of us.<br />
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Let the season begin!!<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-65100540968872484912013-05-24T21:51:00.000-04:002013-06-06T21:51:57.598-04:00Soft PretzelsThe boys have been doing more cooking lately (YEAH!) and William wanted to try his hand at soft pretzels. They were a fair bit of work, and needed some mommy-strength to help with the kneading, but the results were great and the boys were happy. Days like this have me looking forward when I can call home from work and have them get supper all ready by the time I get home. Child labour? Maybe. Worth it? Definitely!<br />
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<u><strong>Buttery Soft Pretzels</strong></u><br />
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4 tsp active dry yeast<br />
1 tsp white sugar<br />
1 1/4 cups warm water<br />
5 cups flour<br />
1/2 cup white sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 tbsp. vegetable oil<br />
1/2 cup baking soda<br />
4 cups hot water<br />
1/4 cup kosher salt for topping<br />
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Dissolve yeast and 1 tsp sugar in 1 1/4 cups warm water and let stand until frothy (approx. 10 min.) <br />
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In a large bowl, mix together flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Make a well in the centre and add oil and yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 8 minutes. If it is too dry, add a few tbsp. of water. Lightly oil a large bowl, put in the dough, and turn it to coat. Then cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.<br />
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dissolve baking soda in hot water.<br />
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When the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 parts. Roll each part into a rope, and shape it into a pretzel. Dip each pretzel into the baking soda and water, then place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.<br />
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Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.<br />
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YUM!!<br />
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From Christa Rose, allrecipes.com<br />
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<strong><u></u></strong>Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-71711506648618317462013-05-21T21:34:00.000-04:002013-06-06T21:35:18.201-04:00LEGO Mindstorm with friendsWilliam has a LEGO Mindstorm that he plays with in fits and spurts. He will play with it for hours each day for a week or so, and then it goes back on his shelf for a while. Today we got together with some other homeschoolers, and some great students from the U of Guelph who gave all of the kids an over view of how to build and program their Mindstorm robots. I think that it was just what William needed to get him back engaged with it. Having the university students on hand, who know a lot more about the programming piece than I do, worked wonders.<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-76451926513506063552013-05-02T20:42:00.000-04:002013-06-08T20:42:54.356-04:00Mapletons OrganicThe spring weather finally feels like it is here to stay and we needed out of the house today, so we called up Grammy and went up to Mapletons Organic. I will tell you all that it is a great little farm, with a cedar maze, a tire swing, a boat play structure, and of course lots of animals. But really, anyone who is from around here knows it is about the ice cream. Mapletons makes the best organic ice cream around. Today's picks from the kids were maple sugar and vanilla chocolate chip, with a container of Ginger ice cream to bring home. Ice cream is really one of those things where there is a world of difference between good quality and bad, and this, in my mind, is top of the pile.<br />
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But, since I was too busy gobbling up the ice cream to take any picture of the creamery and store, here are some pics of the animals instead...<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-72366342305126097172013-04-28T22:03:00.000-04:002013-06-21T22:03:51.056-04:00The Hole in the WallOne of the boys' favorite places to hike (especially when they can bring friends along) is called The Hole in the Wall. It is only about 20 minutes away, the perfect 2 hour hike, and full of rocks to climb over, in, and around. Today we took Ben and Maddie (or fabulous neighbours) along. The kids chatted, ran ahead, played and climbed, and I got to enjoy a relatively quiet walk in the woods. Perfect!<br />
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Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-59624831204366521162012-11-11T13:59:00.000-05:002013-02-09T13:59:37.216-05:00Remembrance Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It made me sad today to see how few people came out to our little town's remembrance day parade and ceremony. I understand that our lives are busy, and that people's time is precious. I understand that the world wars happened "a long time ago", and that many kids go to assemblies in their schools this time of year. I also know that I cry every year as they read out the names of the soldiers who have died, not to mention the millions of others whose lives have been forever changed because of battle.</div>
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I am not in favour of war. I don't think that it is the way for us to solve our problems, and I believe that often those who stand to gain the most from battle, and those who stand to lose the most, are two separate groups. Nonetheless, the sacrifice that soldiers, and their families make is incredible. I think of the thousands of mothers who have watched their sons, not too terribly much older than my boys, go off to war and never come back. I think of those men and women in battle, cold and lonely and hurt, miles away from home. I think of those people who came home from war, whole on the outside but irrevocably injured on the inside.</div>
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Regardless of your personal views of warfare, lets not forget the people who this day is in memory of. This day is not about political protest. It is not about international affairs, or oil prices, or conspiracy theories. It is about people, and lost lives. They are worth a few hours of your time on a November Sunday afternoon.</div>
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<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-38175273111015634272012-11-08T23:01:00.000-05:002012-12-09T23:01:50.437-05:00Listen to the musn'ts child...Listen to the MUSTN'T's, child<br />
Listen to the DON'Ts<br />
Listen to the SHOULDN'Ts<br />
The IMPOSSIBLEs, the WON'Ts.<br />
Listen to the NEVER HAVEs<br />
Then listen close to me,<br />
ANYTHING can happen, child,<br />
ANYTHING can be.Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-63879200245130470982012-11-07T22:37:00.000-05:002012-12-09T22:48:35.187-05:00Kitchen scale...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Apparently this is what happens when you leave a scale out around my house...<br />
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<strong>All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.</strong></div>
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~Ralph Waldo Emerson</div>
<br />Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-217272148189298495.post-47407579201739724102012-11-06T22:35:00.000-05:002012-12-09T22:45:56.809-05:00Making Soap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The boys have been looking forward to the annual home school group Christmas Craft Sale for a while now. <a href="http://jo-ataleoftwosons.blogspot.ca/2011/12/christmas-craft-sale.html">Last year</a> was the first year that they participated, and it was a highlight of the season. They have been planning, pricing, designing, and crafting their little hearts out. Today, we made a family project out of making soap. The lye in it is a little too dangerous to use around little people, but they love helping out before and after that step. I think that making your own soap is one of those crazy ``Ì wish I was born 100 years ago`` things that I like to do. It likely ends up costing more than just running to the store to pick up a bar of Ivory, but I do love it, and the end product is much nicer than store-bought. Oh well, Jim tends to humour me and the kids do to. Not to mention that it is a great seller at the craft sale!</div>
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This is candy cane soap scented with peppermint essential oil, and tomorrow we are going to make oatmeal, almond and honey soap. Yum!Joannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05438963333389246032noreply@blogger.com0