howdy all!

Hey guys
how ya doing? Because I am good homeschooling and all.
its going well love to here back from you.
keep an eye on us :D




Thats me by the way
liam :D

Serfing in the Kingdom

People keep asking me: “Duane, how the homeschooling going?”.

“Great”, I reply with a big smile on my face, “cuz I’m not the one teaching it”. 

Fact of the matter is that everything you do, your kids learn to do. So unfortunately there’s a lot of body sounds and faces that occur - yes, even at the dinner table. But all of this is a in a fun environment and is done in a way that we can act on an ‘outcome’.  Dog sitting? There’s an outcome. Making dinner? Outcome. Watching a movie? Outcome. Grocery shopping? Outcome. Thanksgiving? Black Friday? Cleaning the floor? Scrubbing the toilet? Outcomes. In each one of them. Market day and Lego league? Definitely learning and outcomes.

We the King and Queen, are trying to develop our little feudal kingdom here to include honouring each other, specifically amongst the little kingdom serfs and their land right-issues that arise on each other’s respective ‘turf’, and with the peasants that interfere in the said affairs of the minute.

Ah, but I digress. I love this little system and the mini-serf, peasants, villains,  merchants and lords under the king and queen’s reign. Each day is different, each fight fought valiantly, and grace and mercy most often prevail. (Serious crimes were heard by the King’s court , all other crimes were punished by beatings or having their hands and feet were tied together and they would be forced to eat worms or cooked tomatoes, or both)!


Mwwaaaahahahah *insert evil laugh here*

Hello Again!!

Hey I'm back!! Sorry i just had to add that picture. I'll probably add a picture every time i write just so you know... :) 

I don't really know what to write but i felt like writing because no one else has since i did last so i shall again! But anyways, i'll just tell about what type of yogurt i'm eating! I'm eating frozen cherry yogurt. Frozen yogurt is amazing. A lot of things are amazing. 
So right now my siblings are putting on a 3 minute play where you have to pay 2 cents for a muffin and 1 cent for a ticket to come, "follow the signs! Sit where your name tag is." I just went to watch it and it was really cute. It turns out it was actually 2 cents for a ticket, and 1 cent for water. You get ice cubes if you pay an extra cent. Life these days, you have to pay for everything!! :D

I forgot to mention a few things before that i was doing also, i babysit on Fridays and we also go skating on Fridays with a bunch of homeschoolers. It's pretty fun seeing and talking with everyone there. 

I can't wait for winter!!!!! Partly because Christmas and my birthday are in winter, but also because i love snow. Some people don't like snow but i have no clue why, it's so white and fluffy and shiny in the sun. And cold... but  still. :) 
I have to go now, we're going skating!! It starts at 1:40, but Dominique and Evan want to be there early so they can have full time on the ice. I don't think they know how early they're going to be though seeing as its 1:10. 

Toodles everyone!!! 
Talk to you later
jAmesA eNsiNg

Gee, i can't think of a title so this is it. :D

                                                                                          Hiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!

I would like to start with a bunch of funny pictures, but i will only start with one so as not to overwhelm you. :) (photobooth is mamazing just thought i'd say that)

For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, this is Jamesa speaking. :) So, how's life? Whoops i guess you can't answer that but i can answer it!

My life is stunning at the moment. We are doing this MarketDay workshop every Tuesday where we are learning about micro-finance and business. And on November 29, we are selling a product that we made. ANNNNNNND, we have to come up with a business plan... :( its hardish. (Hardish as in its sortive hard, but i'm tired right now so it might seem harder that it is at the moment. You know what i mean?) 

Homeschooling is pretty cool, we get to do more extra-whatchamacallit things like: I might/probably/am half leasing a horse named Madonna!! A girl named Taylor at PCS is also half leasing her. I also get to do fitness classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays which are interesting, and dance on Saturdays and Thursdays. And as most of you know i am also doing drama at PCS on Mondays and Thursdays. 

Plus GEMS girls club on Wednesdays. So my life is pretty busy. Its definitely busier than i thought it would be. But that's okay as long as i have time for my school work. Which right now i do, so hooray! 

This is getting kind of long... so i shall wrap it up in pretty wrapping paper with snowflakes on it and a nice blue and white bow. If i could which sadly i can't.... so instead i'll just say have an awesome rest of the day and you'll be hearing again from me soon!

jAmesA eNsiNg :D

Fall!

It has been an amazing Fall in our beautiful province and city this year.  We are privileged to have a lovely view from our living room window that shows the dramatic change of colors.  This year has been especially vibrabt.   Maybe I'm noticing more because I find myself home a bit more these days.

The other night Duane and I were out on a date...yes!! a date! :) and we drove up Mt Doug to see the city at night.  As we drove down Mt Doug rode all we saw were carved pumpkins lining the road.  It was such a great site to see all these perfectly in tact beautifully carved pumpkins!  The view from the top is also spectacular and we stood there for a bit like we used to do when we were dating staying out as late as possible.  We thought it would be fun to go home and pick up the kids to come and drop off their pumpkins and walk up to the lookout at the top of Mt Doug which we can see through the "far lookers" from our house.  The kids thought we were crazy pulling them out of bed and telling them to put on their shoes and a warm coat and to grab their pumpkins!  They were definitely intrigued!  It is amazing to me how something so little had such an impact on them!  They kept saying how fun that was and they keep talking about it.  When we tuck in Evan and Dominique they often ask, "Can we go on another adventure tonight??"  that is just one of the perks to homeschooling...the spontaneity and flexibility.  Having said that... there is often the other side of those great things too.  Having too much flexibility can be tough for someone who tends to procrastinate.   I do have moments when I think we are not going to get done what we set out to do!  I had a dream last night that it was the end of the year already!  I guess my sub conscience is thinking more about this than I thought...

All in all thought I think we are moving along at a good pace. The kids all say that they are having a great year when they are asked how they like this so that is good.  It feels very normal to me.  I am amazed really at how normal it feels.  Someone said that when we step into what we believe God is calling us to do then it will feel normal.  That makes sense to me and I am grateful that we are all feeling the same way!

We have begun to seriously look into mission trip options.  It is a bit daunting to start this process knowing how much there is to it...where to go, how to get there, language barriers, medical considerations, and more!  Somehow I have an inner peace about it all though.  Is that another confirmation of stepping into what God is calling us to do or is it just pure ignorance?? I don't know for sure right now...I do know that if we are meant to go and we continue to put ourselves in the position of going, then God will will take care of it!  "Trust and obey, for there is no other way..."

I hope this finds you all well and enjoying God's faithfulness in your lives.  He is faithful.  His mercies are new every morning.  This is something I need to tell myself daily at times.

Blessings,
Trish