The Berry End of the 2012-1013 School Year

School is finally over.  Our last day was June 14th with Synnove finishing up her last few lessons of math.  The major change is now our new normal and the upset is virtually nil.  I am happy.  We didn't accomplish the things I intended, but we survived.  Thankfully, our days started to smooth out as the busy-ness of spring started to creep...not to mention the magnetic draw to venture out into our unusually warm and beautiful spring weather!  Who'd have thought I'd be able to get a nice brown glow from a week of sunbathing in April?!  I will say, though, our school days often still lasted till evening, but not because of screaming fits of rage and refusal.  Sunshine on the little piece of heaven we call "home" is a constant distraction, especially after being cooped up all winter.

 

We are officially enrolled with Oregon Connections Academy for the fall, and I'm looking forward to starting fresh.  The idea of doing 100% home school has been permanently placed on the back burner(for now).  I can never say "for sure" that things won't change in the future.  I just can't imagine putting myself, or my kids, through another change.  I'm not ready, nor am I dissatisfied with the program we are currently in.  I realize that there are a LOT of fantastic programs out there and that there are some that would be much better than what we're doing.  But, I've weighed the options in my head, and I really feel that ORCA is the compromise that will work best for the situation we, as a family, are in.  ORCA provides "flexible structure."  I had legitimate reasons for why I never wanted to home school...ORCA allows for those reasons to still stand (to some degree).

 

Summer is a welcome break...as always.  It's funny how some things just don't change.  For instance, the kids have been at each other's throats this last week!  It really was a true "first week of summer break" even though the kids weren't in regular school.  Haha!

 

On the 13th we went on one last ORCA field trip for the school year with Soren's super-awesome teacher, Mr. Jason Webber.  Jason was also my friend Andrea's daughter's teacher (this was ideal for planning and coordinating school stuff!).  Andrea and I caravaned with 6 kids to Sauvie Island to pick strawberries in the uncooperative weather.  We got SOAKED, but made the best of it.

 

 

Raelynn and Soren (Mr. Webber's 1st graders)



 

Jason's mom, Jason's daughter Hazel, Katelynn, Andrea, Rae (in the back), and Synnove



Synnove and Kate with boots caked in mud trying not to slip on the way back to pay

Rae, Jason, Soren, and Synnove

Catching Up: April

Well, I've finally downloaded pictures on my computer from the last two months.  It's funny, on a few occasions, I've actually found myself at my computer ready to write a quick blog...until I realize my camera is upstairs...full of the photos I'd want to include. And, instead of going to get the camera, I move on to doing something else.  Even as I type, I'm running out of time...we just got home from softball practice and the kids are outside enjoying a rain-free evening.  However, bedtime is less than an hour away, the kids still need a bath, and Synnove still has homework. Adam is out again for work, so it's just me.

Here's a few pictures from April...

To be honest, I'm not sure why the kids an I were at the Weaver's house.  The kids had their boots on, so we must have made a quick run somewhere...umm...yes, that was a crazy day involving kids over at my house, locked keys in a car, a garage sale, and helping a friend set up for a jewelry open house.  This picture was taken when I had to drive Andrea to her house after picking up her spare key from a friend.  Her oldest (not pictured) got pigs for her first year of fair and the kids were in the pig pen...

 The preschool went on a special field trip to visit the Astoria Trolley.  We got our own private tour, and each kid got to ring the bell.  I'm pretty sure that was Soren's favorite part.

We had some very nice weather in April...a mini-heat wave!  So, we took the opportunity to have the Bigelow's and the Wilson's over for a BBQ.  While the husbands and the kids played on the 4-wheelers, I stayed in with the mommies and the babies.  We laid Avyrie and Evelyn on my bed for a bit and watched them play...Avyrie loves to give "loves."

Halloween Part 1

The kids had the opportunity to carve pumpkins twice this year. Grandma and Grandpa just couldn't resist buying a few pumpkins. They really got into it and enjoyed being able to use the carving knives by themselves.

Synnove's pumpkin patch pumpkin from school

I helped Soren carve two of his 3 or 4 pumpkins. He liked making crooked mouths on purpose :)

Halloween just wouldn't be complete without a preschool field trip! The kids got to go to the Jasper's farm this year. They fed the cows, chickens, and goats before heading to the patch to pick out their pumpkins. After snack we headed back to the school to do the annual pumpkin bowling and "bobbing" for doughnuts.

Soren and Kaden were both astronauts, although I couldn't get Soren to wear his hat. I think it's funny that they are both wearing crocs too :)

Many of the kids waited to put on their costumes until after the pumpkin patch. Of course, they all looked so cute!
Top: Kaden (land astronaut), Noah (a samurai of sorts?), Soren (space astronaut), Alondra (ladybug), (crouched is Annalise...Alondra's sister), Kendall (supergirl), JR (Bumblebee from Transformers),
Bottom: Rowan (dressed in orange and black), Jake (Woody), Hannah (Sleeping Beauty), Lily (Butterfly), Taylor (Rapunzel)

May 5Th: Spring Tea

A few weeks ago, Soren's preschool went on their annual field trip to Hunt's Market to shop for soup ingredients for the Spring Tea. Each of the kids got a short list of items to purchase after getting the full tour of the store. Potatoes were one of the items on Soren's list...

After getting back to the school, all the parents stayed to help their kids prep for the soups. The kids scrubbed potatoes, cut up break for croutons, and helped Miss Kara mix ingredients. The kids made potato soup and taco soup.

A couple of days later was the actual event. The kids set the tables for their visiting family members and then gave a short musical performance. I'm pretty sure they were reciting a poem they learned below. Soren did a fantastic job! I wasn't expecting him to even sing, but he did all the motions and sang wonderfully!

Once the performance was over, the kids and families were led to the foyer to dish up their soup and view special Mother's Day hearts with the kids' answers to the question "what is your favorite thing to do with your mom?" on them. Soren's is the purple one in the middle...he's obsessed with collecting Candyland games of all vintages.

Three of Soren's grandmas showed up (two had to cancel last minute). Soren gave me a fancy glass jar with flowers in it covered in crepe paper shapes as a Mother's Day surprise :)

Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery Field Trip

Last week Soren's preschool class went on a stellar field trip to the Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery. I love how interested those little 3 and 4-year-old's were in the life-cycle of the fish. And even though a lot of the words and concepts were over their heads, they were completely fascinated! Soren soaked in every word. Every time "Mr. Steve" spoke, he would inch his way to the front and listen intently. He had learned a bit already from his Uncle Henry and my Dad from his many visits to the Warrenton High School Hatchery, but this place was set up a bit differently. Soren even got to touch the tongue of a grown rainbow trout! In fact, I think he might have been the only kid brave enough to do it. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a good spot to catch a picture of it...but Miss Kara caught one!

From egg to fish...

There were no fish in these tanks, as they were already grown passed this stage...but the kids wanted to stick their hands in the cold water. Soren watching Steve feed the baby fish. There were so many, that it looked like rain on the water when they came up for food.

There are lots of scenic trails at the hatchery...and it's only 2 miles down the road from the preschool.

All the kids made it to this trip!

Parent photo-op time!

P is for Port of Play

Last Friday, Synnove's preschool went on a little field trip to Port of Play for "P" week at the Gray School in Astoria. I had heard about it before, but I had never been. I was surprised to find how fun it could be! There's a dress-up/role-play area with a boat, fire station, doctor's office, and Fort Clatsop. There's also an art area, and the gym is reserved for bikes and large motor play. We'll definitely be going again soon!

Dr. Brown and Dr. Olson

Synnove, checking me in as a patient.

Giving Jena and Grace a ride

Some of November

As you already know, November was a busy one. Thank goodness I keep my camera in my purse (most of the time) otherwise, I wouldn't have remembered much from the last month!

Synnove's preschool went on a field trip to one of the local fire stations. Soren is such a big boy. He always fits right in. He didn't fit so well in the fire suit though. Lots of kids tried it on, but Soren fell over with the weight (I caught him in time)!

During a visit to the coffee shop, Chris happened to be parked outside waiting to pick up one of the bar pilots. Elise and I took the kids out to say "hi." Then Chris decided to show off by cutting some "Columbia Cookies!"

The weekend after Thanksgiving, Ann was one of the 10 finalists to compete at the "Lum's Country Showdown" for a chance to open for an Andy Griggs concert that was gonna take place in town. She did an incredible job...she really did! Unfortunately, the music was too loud during her songs and it was hard to hear her. It was a tough competition with some really good local talent. The judges were deaf...'nough said.

We had the privilege of attending Tayanah's 2nd birthday party! Tay is my cousin Wesley's first-born...and he and his wife Stephanie have another little girl on the way! Her birthday is actually in December, but Wes was gonna be on a boat for the first two weeks of December (he works for Tidewater Barge Line), so they celebrated it early. Anyway, I came in a different car than Adam and the kids and Tay was quite disappointed when Synnove and Soren didn't follow me through the door. She anxiously waited by the window until they arrived. The kids had a great time playing...in fact Soren is STILL carrying around his party favor bag. He didn't put that thing down for a week straight...even to the bathroom!