The Amazing Adventures of Us

market chilis
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

Not much going on here, same old same old.

The kids are still loving school, Robin is getting into D&D big time, taking archery classes, karate, Japanese, sword making, and making friends.

Stu is also taking archery classes, going horseback riding next week, the ballet this week, listening to books on cd, playing Uno, and making friends.

I'm making a photo book so that my sister can take it into a local cafe because she asked them if they'd be interested in hanging some photos (I'm lousy at selling my stuff, I need help with that part. The photo above is part of the book). So I may be getting work out of that - keep your fingers crossed. I'm also going to two evening meetings at the Free School this week - busy busy.

Jeff is still subbing and enjoying it for the most part - some of the jobs are weird, his last night tutoring is tonight (until this summer when he's been asked to come back to work - YAY!).

That's about it, like I said, same old same old.

Stu drinking coffee
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about unschooling. Here's what I've decided (for myself, not others necessarily) - we are still unschoolers. We're just taking a different route than we have for the past 12 years. Instead of unschooling at home, we're unschooling with other familes, still choosing our own paths, being offered new friends, new things to discover, new things to learn.

When we were in California we tried just about every karate school in town looking for a good fit for Robin, who is very interested in karate and anything Japanese. We finally found a good fit for him - in his unschooling school. He has one teacher there working one on one with him teaching him Japanese, another teacher who is as excited about Karate as Robin is (and taught him one on one today - Robin was thrilled with the personal attention), and more opportunities than I've ever been able to give him. He begs everyday to be allowed to stay at school, even when the teachers are packing up to go home. I'm constantly reminding him that he'll be back the next day, it's not leaving him.

Storey has the freedom to call and ask me to pick her up early (which I do), sleep in and go late (or not at all, which has happened - although she said that she wished she'd gone anyway since she really loves being there), teachers who read to her, play math games with her, bead with her, and even giver her homework when she feels like doing some (she loves math homework).

I can go and hang out at the school anytime I choose to (and I did today for about an hour, and I'll be there again on Thursday for about 3 hours), I've sat at the art table and made paper stars and been asked by other kids to show them how and ended up staying for another few hours because we were having so much fun.

So we ARE unschooling, no one is being forced to sit and learn, everyone is given the freedom and to learn in their own time (even though it means a lot of parents have to work through their fears about kids not reading at certain ages, etc...).

So I've been back and forth about this unschooling thing and while I'm sure that Sandra Dodd wouldn't agree with me, I still consider us unschoolers (and I still have my "Free Your Mind - Unschool" bumper sticker on my car right next to the one that says "Village Free School").

dad & Deborah in PDX 4-07
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

My dad and stepmom were here last week. It was a good visit. We walked over the Hawthorne bridge and then down two more (Portland is a city FILLED with bridges!), then back over the first one again, we ate gelatto, went out for great food, visited Powell's City of Books twice (can't have too many books), hung out at the kid's school for a few hours (that was fun!), and just enjoyed each other's company.

I'm sitting on two committees at the kid's school, and I've been asked to join the board next year (of course I said yes, how could I not?) and also host twice a month deschooling sessions for people who are going through that. So life is getting busy again.  I'm also planning a class that I'll teach there later this month (if we can save up enough toilet paper rolls), and I'm thinking of another class where we'd learn to make folded stars (not origami, but that would be fun too).

Robin is learning about Japanese history, looking into doing some apprenticing with a sword maker here in town, and learning to speak and write Japanese (he came home with language homework last night and was fast to get it started and finished - he's never had homework before and he was thrilled, announcing it to everyone!). He's SO happy. Oh and he's started making a character for D&D (I knew he'd love playing that).

Stu is spending most of her time playing and making secret clubs with friends at school. She's also asked for a few classes to be taught - multiplication tables, sewing. beading (that started last week), handwriting (which they started today), and singing (she wants to learn to sing harmony).

Next week they start archery at school, both of the kids are excited about that. Friday they are making paper from lint (I'm going to that class). They've been swimming with their class mates, to the ballet, on long bike rides. I'm not sure this honeymoon phase with the school will ever end.

I'm still taking my camera with me everywhere, I can't wait to spend days and days just taking photos. Soon, when it's not raining, I hate getting my camera wet.

Jeff has finished drywalling the garage, we've taped and mudded about 1/3 of it, painting that part will start this weekend. Then we move all the stuff back and tape, mud and paint the rest of it and MOVE IN!!! YAY!!!!

On a sour note, mom's car was stolen about a month ago, we got it back but it took 3 plus weeks. It's fine after a trip to the body repair shop and it's cleaner than it's been in years. My car was broken into the night before last. No damage, just the cds stolen (Gipsy Kings, Lyle Lovett, Joni Mitchell, Jerry Douglas, etc...) and a nasty cigarette smell hanging around. The cds can be replaced and the smell is almost gone, but I really need to remember to lock my car door.

Other than that, everything is peachy.

faucet nose
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I'm not ignoring my blog on purpose, we've just been incredibly busy.

Yesterday we had the hot tub installed (the elctrician comes on Wednesday to hook it up - YAY!), today and the next two days we are having new windows put in, and Jeff and I are hurrying up finishing the dry walling in the garage/studio so that when the inspector comes on Wednesday it's ready to be inspected.

WHEW!

But here are photos from our train trip last week to Seatlle -

The one above is this huge animated trippy faucet nosed guy. The one below is the hostess of the Grossology exhibit, she's kind of creepy.

And then just random photos from the trip -

The Grossology exhibit really wasn't worth the trip, but the Pacific Science Center is great! Being on the train was fun too (although we almost missed the connection back because we couldn't get a bus - we ended up taking a taxi back to the train station and JUST made it in time), we watched movies (Dream Girls and Stranger Than Fiction), ate breakfast going and dinner coming back, and visited with all the other homeschoolers (2 cars worth!).

It was a good day.

my new Le Creuset
Originally uploaded by artfulblogger.

I bought a new pan last week for baking bread in. I looked EVEYWHERE for a cast iron bread pan with a lid and this was closest thing I could find. I've used 5-6 times now and I love it! Although I probably should have gotten a slightly larger one, the bread keeps sticking to the lid after the first 15 minutes of baking (I need the lid so that I can add the water to steam it for a thicker and crisper crust - without the water, it's just another loaf a bread), so I either need to cut the recipe down a little or try oiling the top of the lid. We'll see what works best.

In other picture news -

Stu and Em decided to dress up and me and Jeff the other day. It was very funny. They were tripping over the huge shoes and the hats kept falling into their eyes. Very cute.

Another trip the OMSI, lots of experimenting going on this time.

Stopped and got gas, my camera was right next to me in the car so I just had to take this photo. I love that we don't pump our own gas here. I've always hated doing that.

I had lunch with a friend this week too (while the kids were in school, more on that in a minute)

The food was incredible! Seriously good, we're planning on back there again as soon as we can. In the meantime, we're getting together again next week for a late breakfast and some hiking.

The kids had their first two days of school this past week. And they LOVE it. They went to the ballet, played with light sabers, did some arts and crafts, played dolls (well Stu did), read, played basketball at the gym, and started making friends. On both days when I picked them up they didn't want to leave. And they've insisted that they get there at 8 every morning (although they can show up whenever they want) and stay till 4 every afternoon (again, they can leave whenever they're ready). This is going to be good for them.

Monday we are taking the train to Seattle for the day. The kids will miss school that day, they're a little torn between wanting to go on a train and wanting to go back to a school they adore.

Jeff came home this morning with enough drywall for the entire studio (ceiling included) so we're doing that today - wish us good luck all the way through, I'm not looking forward to it.

Not much to say these days.  We are keeping busy, meeting new people, getting things in order for the unschooling conference coming up, taking classes, playing hard, and still unpacking.

Jeff has worked everyday this week and he's loving it.  Although his days are LONG!  He's subbing in the daytime and then working at Sylvan in the evening.  He leaves the house around 7am and doesn't get home again until after 8pm.  We miss him, but he loves the work and the fact that he's bringing in some money!  I think he's planning on taking tomorrow off so he can have a 3 day weekend, he's certainly earned it.

The kids and I spent the day at the OMSI yesterday hanging out with another family of unschoolers.  We like them a lot.  The older girl is just as much a fan of anime and manga as Robin is and he's thrilled to have finally met someone he can share his interests with.  I'm thrilled for him.  We're hoping to see them again really soon.

Today we are going to help my mom clear out the rest of the boxes that are stacked up in her room (we did it once but they somehow got replaced by more boxes, - we have no idea where they came from!)  This afternoon we are heading to an unfinished furinture store to look for bookcases, we need so many more for the family room downstairs.  Then the kids have fencing tonight.  Whew.

Life is good here, even with the rain - which started again yesterday.  It's interesting, it's fun, and we're starting to feel much more comfortable here.  Even Robin, who spent the first few weeks hibernating because he was not happy with the move.  He actually admitted the other day that Portland is an ok place to be.

I'm downloading more photos today, I'll post them soon.  Nothing artistic mind you, just family stuff.

We are fluctuating between biding our time and packing for the big move. Things are crazy here, including emotions.

I'm hurrying up finishing my HUGE shadowbox. I got it all paper mached last night before I went to bed. I started gessoing it this morning, but I ran out. So, I'll pick some up later this afternoon and finishing that part before bed tonight.

The kids have been saving their money for quite a while now. Robin's been bidding on "Naruto" stuff on ebay and Stu had enough to buy herself an iPod Shuffle. Robin's packages are slowly trickling in and he's loving visits from the mail lady these days. Stu couldn't be happier with her purchase. She's been holed up in her room with stacks of books and hours of music.

Jeff subbed in a middle school yesterday and came home looking as if he'd been in battle. He also came home declaring how happy he was we homeschooled. Me too.

Today we are flea bombing the house. They are everywhere! The kids and I will spend the time out walking and getting some excercise. Also some gesso (must remember the gesso).

This weekend we'll be collecting boxes from neighborhood stores and doing some more packing. 1 more month!

My unschooling kids have both expressed an interest in learning more math (thanks to being quizzed repeatedly this summer by schooled friends and their step-grandma who teaches high school math and is worried that my kids are stupid - and makes them feel stupid for not knowing what 8 times 8 is - thank you so much. But can YOU find the Lesser and Greater Antilles on the world map, huh? Didn't think so. We can!).

SO

We are starting math this morning. This is the week when all the neighborhood kids start back at school, so we will too. They are both excited about it. Me too. I've got a Saxon math book to use, a bunch of fun fun math books (that Stu uses periodically, so I know they're fun) and our lovely working brains to help out.

We had all kind of friends over this weekend, playing and visiting. I took my camera everywhere with me - dinner at friend's, dinner out, the hardware store. I didn't take one photo. Sorry. I completely forgot.

Substitute teaching should be starting soon. Jeff's been invited by one of his teacher friends to come hang out in her class for the first day of school so he can get an idea what it's like. That means it's time for me to head back to the ironing board, get a head start on Jeff's teacher clothes. I had the whole summer off from ironing, I loved it. By the way, Jeff would gladly iron his own stuff but I won't let him, he sucks at ironing, I've seen the not so great evidence.

Still left to do in the house - baseboards in the diningroom (I think the carpenter is going to handle that), touch up the paint in Stu's room and the library, paint and stain the new doors, finish painting the kitchen. Then we wait for the ceiling repairs and we paint some more. We're getting so close to being done.