The flowers I promised

They did not tun out as I had hoped. I did not have my rebel with me. I had my old, beat up, pocket camera... The Canon Powershot. I love it because it fits in my pocket. :-) However, it has been much abused (by the children who tried to claim it as their's once I got my Rebel...HA!) and admittedly by me. I had taken it for granted and I think it is giving out on me. What will I do without my pocket camera?? I will share what might be the last shots it takes. Maybe if I had Photoshop?????

Kite Runner: Book and Movie

I read this book in 2005 or 6. The story haunted me for a long time. I would find myself cooking and thinking about a particular scene or some feeling evoked while reading this book. I felt every word the author wrote. Many times during my read I cried. Oldest Peep still remembers walking into my room while tears streamed down my face. When she asked what was wrong all I could say was, "Wow! This book is so.......wow!" When I heard the book was being made into a movie I worried. I was anxious to see it of course but I worried it would not measure up. I finally went to see it today.

WOW!!! Oh WOW! OH WOW!! Again I cried. Again I felt all the emotions evoked during my reading. Again, I felt the pain, the injustice, the hopelessness, all that sadness. Again........

Although it is a story of fiction I find myself constantly asking, "How much is true? How much?"

All that said, the actors involved are very talented. The script is true to the book. The scenery perfect. The movie deserves nominations, .....Oscars, Tony's, Emmy's, Academy Awards, Indie's ......all and more. Go see this movie...better yet read the book then go see the movie...see the movie then go read the book. You get the idea.

Fine Art Fridays

Click Here to find out about this man's dying art.

This is why when I go to these markets I never haggle. I am no good at it but mostly it doesn't make me feel good. I know these people will simply not eat if they do not sell something. Why should I undercut their profit. They work harder than most people can even imagine. They do it for the love of their craft. I understand the need to modernize, but at what cost. It must be with the consumer to demand original, handmade products and to understand their worth. Off my soapbox.......

Triple 8 Challenge

888 Challenge

I am game. I am ready. In anticipation, I went to the library today (this state has the BEST libraries I have ever had the pleasure of joining) and I found some more books to add.

Here is my list:


Science
Elegant Universe
The Science of Leonardo by Fritjof Capra
The Ancestor's Tale by Dawkins

History
People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
1421 by Gavin Menzies
History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer
The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith

Biography
Stolen Lives
Biography of Ben Franklin
Lincoln by David Donald
Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire
Eat, Pray, Love
Confessions of an Economic Hitman

Fiction
Thirteenth Tale
Passage to India
I am America by Colbert
The Borgia Bride
Water for Elephants

Jane Austen
Emma
Pride and Prejudice
Mansfield Park
Persuasion
Sense and Sensibility
Northanger Abbey
Two Histories of England

Favorites
Evening Class by MaeveBinchy
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
One Hundred Years of Solitude By Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Daughter's of Fortune by Isabel Allende
Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Been Sitting on my night stand forever
Havana Boy
Stolen Lives
Thirteenth Tale
Autobiography of Ben Franklin
History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer
The Fate of Africa by Martin Meredith

Library Shelf Additions
The Borgia Bride
The Afghan Campaigns by Steven Pressfield
Band of Sisters by Kirsten Holmsteadt
Reflections of Osiris by John Ray

I will update this list as I read the books and as I add to my categories. If you are taking the challenge and have a list, let me know so we can cheer each other on.

Wordless Wednesday

Boys! Who understands them?

(click the pictures to see the faces they are making.....he he he)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't let this day go by without wishing everyone a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Nothing but the best from me to you!!!

One last post for the night

For the last few hours I have been downloading pictures of today and putting them in that nice little slideshow below.


What has Papa Peep (and the little peeps but mostly Papa Peep) been doing this entire time, you ask?????? Thank you, Sister Peep!!!

Let me introduce ROCK BAND MANIAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

Thank you MAMI!!!!

Today we used my mom's Christmas present. She sent us a family membership to the zoo and aquarium. We have not used the zoo one yet as it was very, very windy today. But we did go to the aquarium. Here is a slide show of our adventure today and a few from our holiday season. Middle Peep was especially excited as his favorite science curriculum last year was My World Science. His favorite unit in that series was the Ocean one. He is his mother's child. The ocean is my favorite place to be. Nothing better. Enjoy a little peak into our day.

Benazir Bhutto

Wordless Wednesday

Merry Christmas

I love Snoopy!!!!

And here he is, along with us Peeps, wishing you all a very

Merry Chirstmas!!!

Fine Art Fridays

fineart 001
Originally uploaded by mamapeep

I know it is not Friday, but I forgot to post this earlier. Better late than never is my motto!


So why am I posting this picture?? Well, I got these guys in Panama although Papa Peep insists it was in Ecuador. You would think so by the dress style, but Panama it is. I love the details in the faces. I love the clothes. I love the hair, but what I most enjoy are the hats. # of them are wearing what I believe to be Panama hats (which are another clue to their origin...explain in a bit) and the other 2 are wearing very typical Andes Mountain head covering. I believe that style of hat in particular to be my absolute favorite. They are so very warm and they keep your ears warm which for me hurt terribly when they are cold.

As to the Panama Hats, they are actually from and continue to come from ECUADOR!!! Click here for a little history on them. Montecristi is the town where the finest Panama Hats come from and it is a town I have been to a dozen times. Probably right now as I type this my mom is there. She is in Ecuador for the Holidays.

Well, enjoy my little Nativity of what I believe are Incan Indians.

Another Poetry Moment

We finished our model for this week. I really need to find a rhyming dictionary that we can all use. Something comprehensive (for the olders) but not overwhelming (for the baby).

Here is Baby Peep's rendition of Mary Had A Little Lamb

Jerry had a little plan

Its code was smooth as Pip*

Everywhere that Jerry went

The plan was sure to flip

Jerry had a little plan

Its size was big as a ship

Everywhere that Jerry went

The plan was sure to slip

*he did have some help

Together they worked on their rendition of Birthdays by Maud Keary

Christmas by The 3 Peeps

When Christmas comes we always stock

Our tree upon the beautiful floor

And carefully we watch the clock

Each present opened to the core

How great to think Christmas will be

When we shall always soar one more

To all those gifts which are gradually

Building up the housekeeper's chore

This has really stretched them and me. We really are enjoying it. I am learning all sorts of poetic terms and Oldest Peep (she did a poetry class once upon a time) keeps correcting me when I get meter and foot mixed up. I love it.

Toxic Toys!!!

OK last post about the weather....

Maybe.....

SUN!!! SUN!!! BLUE SKIES!!!! Woke up this morning and the sun came up. It is beautiful. I think we will cut school short and leave the unpacking for some other day and head outside!!!!! I feel rejuvenated!!!

What a day!

First the sun, then rain with sun, then just rain, and now SUN!!! NO Rain and the clouds are white and not grey! Dare I hope???

Also I think being cooped up at home makes the peeps restless. They have been nipping at each other all morning.

The final (and by final I mean just for that particular hour) battle was had when baby peep head butted middle peep. He did not mean to do it so forcefully. He sometimes doesn't realize how strong he is and he is always ........physical (for lack of a better word).

Here is middle peep.

He actually has a lump under his right eye. He did not want me to take this picture.

And here is the guilty party!!

He really was very sorry.

When I settled them down, we worked on CW's Poetry. They are all enjoying it very much.

Here is an imitation exercise we worked on today.

Ben be amazed
Ben be hard
Ben jump over the kid's backyard.
Author: Oldest and Middle Peep

Gerald had a little fan
Its edge was green as tree
And everywhere that Gerald went,
The fan was sure to flee.
Author: Oldest Peep

Miles had a little train
Its wheels were fast as light
And everywhere that Miles went,
The train would be in sight.

Author: Middle Peep

I just love CW. Tomorrow I will share baby peep's as he is still not finished.

Right now they are in the throws of another battle. When will it end.........

And for all my Spanish speaking blog readers I have created a Spanish version of this blog. Some will be the same information, some will not. This will be one of the ways I keep my Spanish relatives aware of what we do day to day in La Escuelita.

Incredible!!!

This place is unbelievable. After more than 6 days of straight rain I woke up to sunny skies. OK more like slightly sunny, definitely more grey than sunny, but still there was sun there. I have sometimes questioned if even the sun reaches up this far the US. But it is here.

Suddenly, as baby peep was bringing me his jet pack to fix, the incredible happened!

It started raining!!!!!!!!

With the sun shining in all its glory (OK not really but as much as I have seen since moving here) it starts raining!!!! NO!!!!!! I only ask for one day, just one out of the whole week, with no rain. Is that too much to ask???? Well, the locals keep telling me....We have really great summers. Can we skip to them now????

Wordless Wednesday

Lists and Updates

Friday's post was supposed to be Fine Arts but we are still surrounded by boxes although I do see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

• The master bedroom is 90% done. Papa Peep wants a desk for himself and we need some storage ideas for the closet. I still have 2 boxes of linens and things to unpack in the master bath.
• Oldest Peep's room is 90%. She needs a desk and to still go through the clothes she has outgrown......AGAIN!
• The boys still need beds and a system for the toys.
• The game room is 95%. Papa Peep wants to get rid of the futon and get a smaller couch as this room is smaller than our previous game room.
• The schoolroom needs desks for the computers, my Home Depot wipe board as we left the old one behind, and more shelves. We have about 25 boxes with books still waiting for a home. The closets in that room are large enough to hold about 4 Billy Bookcases from Ikea. I think this will be the best solution without putting holes into the walls for shelves and we can take them with us if/when we move again. I also need some sort of cabinet to store my teacher items.
• The formal living room is bare other than a small stereo (must be one in every room), the Christmas Tree (which still needs redecorating) and the instruments, at last count 3 guitars (2 electric, 1 acoustic), a huge and way too powerful amp, a violin, a clarinet, a keyboard and a pan flute. Baby Peep is hoping to add drums (not on his life) and a mic. They are writing a song and he has a singing part. I will share when they are finished with it.
• The dining room is 98% complete as we still have a painting to hang. Oops...make that 85% as we would like to get the same hardwood floors in the entry extended into the dining room.
• The kitchen is complete other than I really want new dishes, and some more Cuisinart pots. Also since I finally have a good oven more bake ware would be nice too. But all that can wait. Also I would like a table for the eat in part of the kitchen but we can not agree on a size or style. I think we need a 6 person one. He thinks it would be too big. He thinks a square 4 person one if enough, but he miscounts. There are 5 of us in this family. Then when we get to style, I think a glass one would be easy to clean. He wants a wood one but I don't.
• The family room needs some shelves, a couch table (is that what you call them?) for behind the couch, and some paintings.
• All windows need window coverings as Papa Peep and I still can not agree on what to do. I think wood blinds with curtains as we find them is a good solution but he thinks just curtains or just blinds are enough.
• The garage needs shelves for the tools and bike racks. I have seen some shelves that hang from the ceiling that would be great for storing the suitcases, Xmas decorations, etc. We are also storing the washer/dryer we want to sell as well as the boys bunk beds. I must get them on Craig's List soon.

Well, that makes it all doable EVENTUALLY!

As for schooling believe it or not we are accomplishing.....some.

• Baby Peep
• Baby Peep is the easiest to keep up with. He can do most on his own. It is mostly workbooks he is doing and not much actualy teaching from me. His reading is falling behind again but that is completely my fault. The reading he does in ETC is coming along. I just really need to make time for Phonics Pathways. He seems to have much of Middle Peeps talent for Math. Not quite so scary but it is coming easily. He loves writing and his handwriting is very good.
• Middle Peep
• Middle Peep is always my easiest. I just give him stuff to do and he does it. I never know how much to push because he never complains. I gave him a book to read that I thought would be too hard but he is reading it at a faster rate than I thought he could. He is enjoying it also. His Math is coming along. I had him skip some of the review stuff becausehe was bored silly with it. He is into the algebra stuff now and he is enjoying it. I did not think he was ready but he is doing just fine getting nothing wrong. I need to make more time for Science and History as these are the two subjects he adores. Latin has not proven a challenge yet.
• Oldest Peep
• Oldest Peep is chugging along. She focuses mainly on her languages. She is understanding a lot more Spanish. I need to force her to speak it but it is coming. French is her favorite and she is dedicating a lot of effort to it. Latin is moving along nicely as well. She wants to pick up Greek again. I wish GP would come out with their Greek Prep already. Math is always a chore but she is in measuremenets right now and enjoying it more. We have done very little writing, but I hope to start up CW Poetry next week.

Well there is my update. Long and boring and with no pictures. I will see what I can wrangle up today and add them later. I also will not do a Fine Art Friday because the paintings I want to show you are still in boxes. They are safer that way until we are ready to hang them.

Wordless Wednesday

Oh Christmas Tree

Here she is! Tomorrow we will dress her up pretty just for you all.

CHESS VICTORY!

BRAG ALERT!!!! PLEASE indulge me!!!

Ever since middle peep had any control over his reasoning skills he has been a chess addict. He thinks, eats, breathes, and lives by chess. It is the end and beginning of everthing. Today, he participated in a tournament in our new state for the first time. I was unsure where to place him since this state has a different rating system than the USCF. He entered unrated (since he doesn't have a WA rating) but his coach signed him much higher knowing his skill. He won every game he played! He was on fire today. He played a few long games which he tends to blunder. He remained patient and used the advice of his new coach. Well it paid off. Next time his wins won't come so easy but he is ready for the challenge. We are very proud.

Our weekend

First off, we begin schooling again on Monday. Things are still in boxes but I just can't make much more progress without more shelves. The schoolroom is still dominated by the book boxes so we will school in the dining room with what I can find. I have to get the empty boxes out of the house as they are taking up more space than our stuff at this point. The joy of moving! I wish to not move for a long, long, long time.

On Friday I blow off the whole mess and we headed into Seattle to meet with a homeschool group. I think we found a great group. They are very active meeting weekly with people coming from all over the area for their activities. Everyone we met was kind and friendly. Baby Peep was so happy and excited to join a group again. Oldest Peep was very shy and she and Middle Peep stuck together the whole time. It will only be a matter of time before she warms up and I won't be able to keep up with her plans. We hope to meet with them again this coming week.

So we ...........

.........saw some of the most amazing gingerbread houses we have ever seen........

.........took a picture with Santa while he looked over his list........

.........listened to a local high school choir sing Christmas songs to us........

..........rode a Merry go round.....

and finally listened to some very familiar music before catching lunch and heading home. The day was just perfect!!!!

Fine Art Fridays

We went into Seattle on Friday. I will tell you all about it in another post but while we walked around we tried to spot all the Nutcrackers we could. Go here to learn more about these.

Wordless Wednesday

Madness!!!

First we had the Earthquake. Then we had the snow. Since then it has rained nonstop and at times very hard since Sunday morning. Now some schools are closed today because of mudslides and flooding. We have hurricane force winds in some parts. This rain is thought to continue until Wednesday at least.

Check out the latest road blocks and power outages here. School closings here. And a video of this madness here.

Oh help me!!!!!!

Mami

My mami, after 30 plus years of living in the USA as a resident, finally decided to become a citizen. I wish I could have been there.


My sister and my mami

Sammy the Dog!!!

(my sister's spoiled doggie)

Snow Balls

Here you can see the peeps enjoying the snow.

SNOW

First I want to share my kitchen up closer. I just love it. I have cooked more in the last 2 days than a week's worth in the old house. We will have to keep the gym active at this rate.



Now, just in case you had not heard (HA!) it snowed here yesterday. It started around 1 (as we were on our way to Ikea) and has not stopped. At one point this morning it was raining but then it turned to snow again and I think right now it is raining again. The shots below were at just about the peak of the storm. I would guesstimate we got about 3". Papa Peep was shocked. He was told it rarely snows and when it does it melts right away. The snow may be gone by the afternoon but it was definitely more than just a dusting.