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Week in Pictures

Too lazy to write too much...so here is our week in pictures. Really a lot of it revolves around food..{what surprise, but at least I'm working out!}.  Started out with some banana muffins with cream cheese frosting. Then.....


Bread baking....



Biome projects - dioramas and presentations....



Surprise gift box from home...



Can you tell that there was a little bit of a frenzy opening up the package. We LOVE our package sending rellies in Sydney.  Now all we have to do its just ration it. That's going to be REALLY hard.

Doesn't This Sound Fun?

The kids decided that they wanted to sign up for the Seattle Kids Marathon in November.  I know it seems like a long way away but time seems to fly and I know it will come around quicker than I expect. Here is the event info...doesn't it sound fun?


http://www.seattlemarathon.org/kids/eventinfo.htm


My brother, sister-in law and their 2 girls will be over from Australia visiting us and they are signing up too.  Well maybe not my brother....he is going to be the waterboy.  I think I'll sign up for the 5k or the Half Marathon. My s-i-l says she is thinking of doing the 5k so if she does I think I'll choose that over the Half.  Anyway....something fun to look forward to...Thanksgiving in Seattle AND a race.  Yay!

(pic is from the CdA kids Tri 2009)

Ice Skating - I Think NOT

We woke up this morning to find that our Friday ski class had been cancelled because the gondola at Silver Mountain had broken down. So glad we weren't on it when it died. So after doing a bit of school work we headed downtown to give ice skating a try.
Spokane is currently the host of the National Ice Skating Championships so we were lucky enough to see a number of world class skaters out on the ice practicing and warming up. Very cool. They really make it look easy. Having said that I don't think I'm selling myself short when I say I have absolutely NO God given talent for ice skating.
None.  WHATSOEVER.
Jack and I spent the entire time either glued to the handrail around the outside of the rink...or like this....{apologies for the lousy video technique}




OUCH...



You can tell from Ciara and Max's expressions that we were just all loving the freedom and grace that ice skating gives you..{eyeroll}

Give me a pair of running shoes ANY day.


But on the upside, this capped off a week or trying new and different sports. Matt took the kids to play racquetball which is kind of like the American version of squash. I had to spectate as my shoulder was still playing up after falling off the ski lift last week....and to be honest I was a little relieved. Those little rubber balls were flying around like crazy in there.

Does this really count as P.E?

Does this count as P.E?
If your a homeschooler it does.
The kids started their ski and snowboard lessons today as part of the Silver Mountain Homeschool Ski program along with about 200 other homeschooled kids.
This will be the first of 8 weeks of lessons and Friday skiiing...such a great way to end the week.
Conditions were really gusty on the mountain today. At one point Jack and I were actually blown off the magic carpet but despite the challenging conditions they had a ball and really enjoyed their lessons.
They can all easily out-ski me already so by the end of the 8 weeks I will be "bringing up the rear" when we hit the slopes.



And after all that skiing we decided a visit to the indoor water park was a "MUST.
Here are some pictures of the Silver Mountain Indoor Water Park. It's a pretty cool place.




We just about had it to ourselves which was surprising considering it was Friday.





We made the most of it...I'm guessing everyone will be sleeping well here tonight.

NY resolution

As the last few hours of the year dwindle away I look back and feel a twinge of sadness that 2009 is nearly gone. 
It was a great year. 
 Lots of big changes for us....but there always seems to be change. 
Nothing ever stays the same. 
 And 2010 looms in front of us.
Full of promise.
New travels and adventures await.
And so as customary at this time I find myself assessing my goals for the past year and setting new ones for the next.  I'm not much for NY resolutions...losing weight, eating better, being more fiscally responsible..whatever.
The kids suggested I give up chocolate. 
STEADY..that's just crazy talk.
So after much thought I have decided on a very simple resolution. 
Just 3 letters.
J.O.Y. 
Yep...that's it....Joy!
I'm going to try to look for the joy in all the things that I do. 
Sometimes, I think that joy comes easily, naturally, when we are doing something we love or that's easy but cleaning bathrooms or doing laundry....not so much.  But that will be my challenge. To step back, change my attittude and look for the joy.
Already I have decided its just the right resolution for me.  Matt and I were moving furniture this afternoon...and let me just say that there was much muttering and agitation going on.
"Find the joy, Donna"
That's my catch phrase for the year. 
In other resolution news...the kids and I have started " A K a day". 
For 2010 we are going to try and run a kilometre every day.  Matt joined us for our inaugural run around the neighborhood.  The kids enjoyed it however Jack did ask about half way through the run..."Why didn't you bring snacks?"