GAPS

I'll tell you a little known fact about myself.

I really enjoy geography.

I didn’t enjoy it or even pass it in middle school but as an adult I think it is fun and I wish I knew more. I hope my kids will know where Wisconsin is, even enjoy knowing where Indonesia is located and what is near Chile.

Having a knowledge of geography is helpful when listening to the news, knowing where the news is happening and how news effects that place’s neighbors and their place in the world.

Back when the Olympics started a blog I read talked about their geography lessons and how they work it into their learning. The author mentioned her boys finding the countries on their maps while they were being read off during the opening ceremonies. Wouldn’t that be fun! At the end of her blog post she mentioned other opportunities for geography fun.

The Great American Postcard Swap was one of those opportunities. I followed the links, sent the emails and joined up in a group of families from all over the United States sending each other postcards. Each week or so a different family sends a postcard from their state to the families in the other 49 states. At the end of 50 or so weeks, the theory is, that each family will have a postcard from each state!

Getting the postcards is so much fun. Some of them are just signed, “Hello from __”. And some of them have a label of fun facts about that state. All of them have been great postcards showing a beautiful part of that state (peaches from Georgia, pelicans from Florida, the beach in Hawaii).

To have a place for all our postcards and to show how each state “fits” in the country I got a US map to hang on the wall. When a postcards come in the mail (it is always fun) I hang it on the map and run a string of yarn from the postcard to the actual state on the map. The next step is to get some black-line maps printed up so each of the kids can color and identify where the states are themselves. #1 and I have a goal to be able to fill in a black-line map of the US this summer. We get a girls date when we’re able to do it.

Just a little geography fun!

Always a duck!

Remember this:

This weekend was the culmination of all the work, and stress, and late nights, and cranky days of homework.

Mr. Wiedz has three more classes to take (1 on campus, 1 independent study, and 1 on-line) but walked in the graduation ceremonies on Saturday.

We had a nice day celebrating and taking in all the moments that this meant to our family. The Planning, Public Policy and Management (PPPM) program ceremony started at 10AM. It was a simple time with a few comments from the professors that run that department and all the graduates stood to be recognized in their program. The rain threatened to make the ceremony very quick but it held off. It made the air feel even more special, the grass and the moss a little greener and the trees drip.

After that ceremony we walked to a campus pizza place that Mr. Wiedz had wanted to get back to. We were the first ones there which was AWESOME and the kids could run around and play video games and we didn't have to worry about other people. Lunch was wonderful too. Mr. Wiedz remembered Pegasus Pizza from when we were in college in the early 90's and it was as delicious as he remembered. I had wanted to have a picnic on the campus somewhere but this was so much better.

After lunch we started walking back toward where the next ceremony was to take place. We first walked to the Knight Library and showed the older kids what a beautiful college library looked like. I even showed the boys the card catalog because I think it is so cool they still have them set up. The smell of a card catalog is undeniable.

The School of Architecture and Allied Arts held their ceremony and the sun had come out! #4 took his nap after we got our seats and were waiting for the ceremony (an hour!). I held him across my legs and held a scarf up to shade his face from the bright sun. It was a short nap but any amount of sleep I figured was a gift! Mr. Wiedz and all the graduates marched in a were seated by program. There was a couple speeches then they called each graduate across the stage and gave them their diploma cover and shook hands. After all the graduates were announced they moved their tassels and were graduated!

It was all so fabulous to witness. Such a big deal to be a part of. Finishing his degree has been a life-goal for Mr. Wiedz and he got to participate in the ceremonies which really brought the whole thing together. I'm proud of him for sticking with it (this last term almost got the best of him and us) and excited about what he can and will do in the future. He can do anything that he puts his mind to.

On the home stretch

Mr. Wiedz is just about finished with this term's work load. He's taking 16 credits which is a lot of work to juggle between his other responsibilities.


He gets help from everyone!

Whew!

The quilt for the auction at school tonight is finished! I stayed up way too late last night so my only responsibility to the quilt would be to photograph it.

The kids that signed up for quilting for project day in January chose the designs and did most of the fusible webbing applique.

I embroidered the words to a song #1's 2nd and 3rd grade class sing. I asked the teacher who sung it and she didn't know...she learned it as part of a longer song at camp when she was growing up.

I also hand quilted around many of the elements the kids appliqued. It was a challenge to go through so many thicknesses, especially with fusible webbing between each layer but the result is really nice. I'm really loving the light blue thread on the brown background.

I'm glad to be done. On to new projects!

What a weekend!

We had such a wonderful time with my family this weekend. We're still recovering...all the kids were in bed by 7PM Monday night and slept fabulously in their own beds all night...#2 just got up at 8:15! A weekend running and playing and staying up too late (11:30!) and sleeping on the floor in a heap of cousins and a lot of video games will wear a kid out. Wear them out is a fabulous, memory-making way. I'm sure they will remember for a long time this wonderful time of family because of weekends just like this!

The adults had a great time too...a lot of visiting and eating and hanging out. Now that our kids are getting older and older they take a lot less constant supervision and Grammie and Grampie's new house is perfect. A "kid heaven" in the basement left the main level and the upstairs "man-cave" for the adults to spread out and enjoy.

My big brother was happy, I think, to see everyone and get a chance to visit before he is off to Iraq. The bookmark for him was a big hit, the big kids gave it to him themselves and he was kind and grateful for it...I even got a kiss on the cheek.

I did all my laundry before we left in my mom's fabulous large capacity washer, which turned 3 loads into one. And my sister folded it all for me while I was on a date with my husband (more on that in a later post). So today I just have all the laundry that didn't get done before we left and the sheets that had a accident last night. Oh and all the unpacking and reorganizing and joining real life again after over 4 days away!

I am missing my girl today already though, I'd gotten used to her being around and now that she's going to be gone for the next 7 hours I'm feeling the void. And Mr. Wiedz started a new term today. It was sad to see them go down the driveway this morning.

Off to get that washer moving!

rock noodle noodle rock noodle noodle rock noodle noodle

#2 and I had a great time sorting, counting and making patterns for some home math the other day. And he looked so cute writing his patterns and practicing writing his numbers I couldn't resist snapping this photo.

He is a eager learner and loves hands on, moving around opportunities to practice his skills.


#3 happily sat cutting up a piece of paper, that boy loves scissors. And #4 thought sitting in his high chair eating animal crackers was fine for most of our lesson.

We've got a birthday party this weekend. And some presents to finish! Have a great weekend yourself!

Letting go!

#1 helped me make some baked goods last week. Since she's such "a big kid now" and "can do it herself" I let her measure and stir without assistance. Though it took everything I had not to do it myself or correct her.

What's a little flour? It was a nice time together and we had enough flour for the bread, the cake and the counter (and the floor)!

Cooking was also a good way to get some reading in, practice measuring and work on fractions.

What we've been doing...

So Saturday I was by myself with the kiddos at home on a cold, drizzly day. We did nothing. I think the TV was on the entire day and #2 had that blasted DS on all day. Mr. Wiedz was cutting up a tree that fell over from the storms at his dad's house. And he and Papa went on a dump run (they did take #3 with them on that trip, small blessings).

But after that LONG boring day we've been busy!

Sunday, after a beautiful church service where a fabulous lady shared her gift of music with us, and a quick lunch Mr. Wiedz took the big kids outside with him to unload all the wood thanks to that tree in Papa's front yard. #3 and #4 were, of course, napping during this.

I HATED loading/stacking wood when I was little. HATED. IT.

I even remember telling my parents Sundays were to be a day of rest and we shouldn't be hauling/stacking wood. Didn't work. Now, here are my kids, dutifully hauling/stacking wood on Sunday!

While they were out there I stayed in. I tried to make some order in the kitchen and in attempt to stay with the "extra something" I tackled this:

And turned it into this. I don't think I got rid of anything just resorted, re-stacked, wiped down and made a little more organized.

I even did another cabinet and I did purge some old lids that don't match anything and a burnt up pan that I don't use anymore.

Before dinner the kids got their monetary reward for all the hauling and stacking.

#1 is saving up for some more American Girl accessories (including getting Kit's ears pierced) so she'll do anything for a quarter. Don't tell her it'll take FOREVER to get anything at that pay scale!

To add to #1's cuteness right now she asked me for some handkerchiefs, "since it is getting to be runny nose time". Sunday night we cut up an old sheet (had holes and stains) and after bedtime I hemmed them and sat with Mr. Wiedz watching basketball (or football, I don't remember) while I added some embroidery.

She was very excited the next morning when I had them sitting at her breaky spot. She's carried one each day in her pocket!

Monday, I was helper in #2's preschool class. There are 9 preschoolers (joined by a kindergartner when her class is done with recess) and I am wiped out at the end of the day with them.

There are a couple of boys who turned four mid-September so they are right on the line of going into Kindergarten next year. They test me big time! Being the helper is a big deal for the teacher, who loves parents to help each day. And #2 was really excited I was going to be there!

The biggest news is Mr. Wiedz has gone back to school! Today was his first day of classes. He was able to register for 16 credits at the University of Oregon (1.5 hour drive from our house). Luckily all those credits are Tuesdays and Thursdays which cuts down his travel time and therefore our gas bill.

He is excited about the opportunity to complete his degree. It is a lifetime goal and he is now one step closer! He'll have another term to go, for sure. He's majoring in Policy, Public Planning and Management (PPPM) which has some courses only offered each term. Because of work he missed Fall term so he may have to wait and complete some of the required courses next fall but it'll only take a term or two of 16+ credits and he'll be DONE!

I am proud of him for working so hard to get to this point. It'll be a real challenge to balance all the school work, the driving to school and the being at school with the work he still has to do, basketball to coach, wrestling practice to attend, family, home, church, parenting and life but I know he can do it!

Now I'm off to try to complete her other request. A bag to tote her basketball supplies to school/practice. I made a wrestling bag for #2 and now she needs one of her own.

Pirate Day

In case you missed it National Talk Like a Pirate Day was a couple of weeks ago. At school they had pirate dress up day that day as part of "Spirit Week".

Dressing like a pirate seemed a bit difficult but I pulled out the face paint and figured that would go a long way.

The kids thought it was great...add a head wrap and a hat and we've got it!

Cowboy Cookies

I have a little tradition. I make the same cookies every year for the first day of school after school snack. They are "cowboy cookies", my grandmother's reciepe.

Years ago, I think after I'd had a kid or two, I asked my Grandmother N for her receipe for cowboy cookies. I remember these cookies at her house. We didn't visit grandparents N but every couple of years so I'm not sure why these cookies stand out in my memories but they do. I thought they must be something really fun and special because 1) I hadn't heard of them anywhere else and 2) they were something in my mind as being special.

So Grandmother N wrote out the receipe, I just love her handwritten reciepe card. I received it in the mail along with what I'm sure was a very nice note. I looked over the receipe, anticipating how special these cookies were going to be.

They are oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

I was a little disappointed at the time. My balloon of "special cookies grandma used to make" was popped. Now, I just remember wanting a special cookie receipe from my grandmother and chuckle as I make what I hope my kids will remember as amazing "cowboy cookies".

We're ready!

The morning responsibility lists are up (hopefully I'll have a new set up for this soon).

The table is set for breaky.

Clothes are laid out for the morning.

As I write this my #1 is due home in about an hour from her first day back to school. She was squealing this morning as we drove to school because she was so excited. She has a new teacher this year. And her own desk, every other year they've used tables. She had a backpack full of new school supplies and a note from Mommy in her lunch box.

Tomorrow is #2's first day. He'll go 3 days a week to 4 year-old preschool. He was a little bummed that #1 got to go first without him but I think he's over it and just excited for tomorrow.