I love Seattle

I love visiting Seattle! In years past during school months my girls and I would try to get over there at least once or twice a month. The last 2 years however we might have made it over a half dozen times. Where is the joy in that?

My youngest loves to watch a tv show called New Day NW. Its a late morning local tv talk show. She does not watch daily but she does watch it enough that she decided she wanted to be part of the studio audience. I never would have initiated this at all. Not because its bad or anything, its just something I would not have done or put thought into.

My girl corresponded with the producer lady who sets up the audience, reserved us tickets and looked up the Seattle Ferry schedule. *Ü* What a fun day!!

We woke up at O stupid early to catch a 7 something boat. I live a good 30/40 minutes from the ferry, so we were up EXTRA early!

Once on the Seattle side we walked ok hiked up to the Seattle Space Needle across the street was the King 5 studio. We went through security and waited in a large upstairs lobby. Then at about 10:00ish we were ushered into the studio.

NEW DAY NW!!

After everyone was situated and seated they had to teach us how to applaud! Not kidding.

We were also taught how to look and not look into the camera. How to view and look at the host and how to avoid looking at the monitors. Again, NOT kidding *Ü* I personally think I needed a longer session for instructions. We sat in the front row and every time the camera guy came by I got embarrassed and couldn't remember my instructions so I never looked at him or the camera! lol OR when the camera was on me, I would look up at the monitor! The thing they said not to do.

They begin the show 30 minutes before its actual air time. They began taping at 10:30 but the show doesn't "actually" air till 11. This is just in case they experience technical difficulties. *Ü*

The show has 6 segments per show. They break down and set up the stage for each one. The day we went they had a Seattle based clothing store and fashion show. We all received a $20.00 gift card for that store. Bonus! PCC grocery ( Natural food store )was there cooking.... some musicians I had never heard of and I cant remember the others.

Margaret is the host and is on the far right. She was a tiny thing.

Like I said PCC cooked up some good eats so after the show we were all starving and drooling a little. We decided to take a detour to Fremont where we said high to the troll under the Fremont bridge. It might be hard to see but under his left hand is an actual VW bug. *Ü*





Then we went to PCC Natural Market for lunch! YUM! Wish we had that here where we live!

After that we went back into downtown Seattle and hit Urban Outfitters to shop a bit. Its a fun store and I love the clearance rack! That's how we roll.

The last stop of the day? Pike Place Market. Bought fresh mini donuts before hitting the ferry. We ate a healthy lunch so that should cancel out the fried doughnuts right? *Ü* It was a long good/fun day! *Ü* We love day trips to Seattle.

If you live in WA check out the show. Link is below.

The link to New Day is here: New Day North West

Civil War Weekend

Oh what fun! I have always wanted to go and see a reenactment of some type! This weekend... in a little tiny town not to far from us... They had a Civil War reenactment. We didn't get to spend as much time as we wanted to their, but it was a lot of fun for the time we did get to spend. We decided next year we will try and make it for the entire day on Saturday, instead of a partial day on Sunday.

I took a ton of pictures, but I don't want to bore you. *Ü* So here are my favorite few...

Heading into battle men!

Marching into Battle!!

Getting ready....

Kaboom!

Mothers looking for sons

A Grieving mum

The battle is over

Camp

Camp Kitchen

Signal Core Flags

I loved this one! Pretty in blue

Fiddle dee dee Rhett Butlua

Lovely bonnets

Waiting on the shuttle

Amtrak Field Trip

Thursday was an exciting day! It was our day to go on our annual train trip to Portland Oregon on Amtrak! I booked this trip back in February! So we have been awaiting this day for just a little bit....I booked it through The Schools on Trains program that Amtrak offers for school field trips.What a blessing they allow homeschoolers in on this wonderful treat!



Normally a round trip ticket for 1 adult is $43.00 and a child is around $24.00. With the school to rails program round trip tickets are a flat $10.00 fee per person in grades K- adult.

Koinonia Academy had 67 people along with them on this field trip! It was a 3 hour train ride from Tacoma Washington to Portland Oregon, on a normal day... but when we arrived at the train station our train was delayed 45 minutes. So we arrived around 12:00 or just after. The ride down was nice. You can choose to watch a movie or not, they have a snack car and or you can bring your own food and entertainment. Some kids bring checkers, or cards. RyLee...brought sorry! The entire thing! lol

Once in Oregon everyone went in their own direction. It was already getting warm! The sun was out, clear sky's... it was a beautiful (hot) day! We went to the Portland Zoo with Tina in WA family. Then got lost with them ( or made them get lost) on the way back! lol We were all so hot and hungry... we kept going in the wrong direction... but made it back to the train in time. Good thing, because I'm the only one with the ticket! *Ü*

The trip is always a lot of fun, and we plan on it next year as well. Its nice to get away from the phone, tv, school and well... just all the stuff that we "have" to do and go have fun for a day with the fam.

Later this week I will post a few pictures and share a little more on our adventure in Oregon.

Bone Sigh Not Bon Zigh!

I have updated our Nature blog Sticks and Stones! Finally! Come visit us and see where we have been walking!

Green Hour Challenge #3

Please visit my new blog Sticks ans Stones to see our Green Hour Challenge #3! Its finally up!

Green Hour Challenge #2 my friends!

We met up with another family for a great trail adventure. We went to Clear Creek Trail This is the very area I grew up in.

On this outing, we began our journey at marker 4(see map)near the water front. This brought back wonderful memories for me from when I was in Kindergarten and 1st grade. My school was about 4 blocks up from the waterfront and we were able to take beach walks a lot back then! It was such a small town, and small school.... I have fond memories of it....in fact... I couldnt stop talking baout it! *Ü*

The kids had a ball! From climbing up on drift wood, to lifting rocks and combing the beach for any goodie we could find. Here are some pictures we took. I tired to use different ones form Tinas, so it would be new for ya!



The 2 things the kids focused on happened to be what I made a big deal out of. Oops*Ü* I couldn’t help it....I love Limpets and Pussy Willows. Remember I couldn’t be quiet about those childhood memories?? *Ü*

RyLee chose not to draw in her journal this time, although she did draw, just not for her journal. Christian and I did.

Christian and RyLee are using Sketch books for their first journal. I am using an actual journal I bought at the beginning of the year, when I intended to begin our nature study. (blushing)


We have decided to keep our journals a lot like Lewis and Clark did. *Ü* Keeping samples, drawings and journaling inside. We will probably throw a few pictures in now and again. We will keep our assignments in them as we accomplish them, or dont. *Ü* What sparked the idea was a journal entry from a 14 year old boy in the HNS (page 14) then after discussing it, my husband mentioned Lewis and Clark and the traveling trunk we used for our study then. Most men had journals... especially Lewis and Clark. They have, I think some of the most famous Nature Journals ever! *Ü*

What I would like to see us add to our journals for each entry would be a lot like Lewis and Clarks journals and the page I linked above. Some of it would be what number outing it was, the date and who we went with. I would like it if we could write a sentence or 2 or 3 about the outing. I really want to try and keep it simple although I want a lot! Our notebooks are our notebooks and we will draw and write as we please. I will try not to interfere. *Ü* I really want to encourage ownership. Christian really liked my notebook so I hope it can secretly encourage her to do the same. *Ü* we shall see.

As far as the assignment goes, we were instructed to use words to describe.... So this is what we have to share. *Ü*




Christian:
One word to describe something she heard: Swishing
Two words for something she saw: small waves
Three words for something she felt: Soothing, gentle wind

RyLee:
One word to describe something she heard: woosh
Two words for something she saw: Big tree
Three words for something she felt: Little white flowers

Mom:
One word to describe something I heard:Lapping
Two words for something I saw:hiding limpets
Three words for something I felt:Tiny, fuzzy Pussy Willow (Im saying Pussy Willow is one word *Ü*)

I chose not to read over the assignment before we went for our journey. It worked out fine. *Ü* My hope was to not make the trip like school, but just for the joy of it with friends. I can see that reading the assignment before and or waiting till after can work, but knowing a little before hand what I should have encourage would have been helpful. Luckily Tina knew. *Ü* although I still didn’t really instruct my kids....it made for good conversation later. *Ü*

Here is a great link with a simple information about the American Pussy Willow

I enjoyed reading this little bit of information. I was surprised to learn that Willows contain salicin. What is that you ask? Well, salicin is closly related to asprin... and you will find it in all Willow barks... Salicin is used by Native Americans as a pain killer.... who knew?

Here is one for limpets

Well this was our journey... and we are sticking to it! See you next week!

PS. Here is where I found the traveling trunk.

Green Hour Challenge

The Koinonia Academy green hour challenge actually started with just RyLee. She went hiking with some friends on Saturday. She didnt take many pictures, ok actually she took 3! Here are the 2 that we can show.

The Olympics Mountains and a view of the Hood Canal.

MT. Rainier

They went hiking about 5 minutes or so from our house called Green Mountain trail head. I have yet to walk it. This will be another outing for another green hour challenge.

Yesterday, RyLee and I went for a walk in the late afternoon. We only went around our property and down our drive way.

Here are the pictures RyLee took

Rhododendron from the Greek: rhodos, "rose", and dendron, "tree"(Washington State flower and flowerless at the moment)

Bear claw marked territory near our driveway RyLee wanted to share this *Ü*

A few I took

Ms Ry

As far as we can tell, this is called Bracket Fungi. We are still trying to decide what one though.

Bear mark

We are not sure. Still looking.... I love the colors though.

Our Lunar Eclipse

So this was our first green challenge. Next week we will hit Clear Creek trail. This is about 25 minute drive from our home, but its a great trail!

Visit more Green Hour Posts here at the Green Hour Challenge

Oregon Road trip! Lewis and Clark

Can you believe it? I cant! It has been 3 full weeks since I last reported anything! Oh man, I have so much to share... but I'm going to really try and stick to the highlights for this trip and post other things later. First things first..... when I last reported, we were heading out of town and traveling to Oregon for the weekend. Just me and the girls! 5 of us in all. Christian and RyLee were allowed to each choose 1 friend to come.

Ry and Jess on the way down.



Christian a bit hungry on the way down and thought Jessica's feet would fill her up.... This is Sam, Christians budd.



The drive down was interesting for sure. 1: we left about 2 and 1/2 hours late! 2: it was the week that the Pacific coast was to get some stormy weather as an after effect of some Typhoon. I cant remember where, but our coast lines were getting the tale end of it.... silly me! Not only did we drive through rain so think my windshield wipers could not keep up with the rain, but we literally drove into and through a thunder and lightning storm and then... get this... hail! Yes hail. The car in front of us spun out of control. He was way a head of us, so we were never in any danger, but it was so strange to see tail lights.... then head lights.... then tail lights again. At first I didn't understand what was happening.... but when we got closer... it all made sense. Someone else stopped to call 911 for them, and they were not hurt physically, but the car was.

We stayed at KOA camp in Astoria and arrived (finally) a little after 9 pm. It rained all night.... and early morning I was still hearing thunder and lightning. The first thing we did was get up eat breakfast, get ready and headed to Fort Clatsop!!

We had a great break in weather and I wanted to take full advantage of that. As we pulled up to Fort Clatsop, Christian began to remember she had been their before. I think it was 5 maybe 6 years ago now that we were their. RyLee only remembers getting to fold the Flag with her friend Silas. Nothing else seemed familiar. She was around 4 at the time... so I didn't expect her too. *Ü* Right when you walk into the museum portion of Fort Clatsop, they have dress up close. Here are the girls wearing coon skin hats and possibles. (side bags to us)They were called possibles because they put everything they passably could into them!



We then went and watched a great movie. It was about 34 minutes long and it was the Lewis and Clark trip from start to finish. Great refresher for my girls and good for their friends! Then we toured the museum portion a bit and hit the gift shop! *Ü* Here is a scale replica of the Fort they camped at. We read that of the 4 months they stayed here only 12 of those days were with out rain. Only 1 of 12 days did they actually see sunshine in the 4 months they stayed! Yikes! Pacific Northwest winter weather at its finest eh?

Chinook Indian woman and child: read here (Chinook Indians PN)

Most Chinook people had a flat forehead because babies spent most of their first year in a cradleboard. A cradleboard is something the put their babies in to reshape the babies forehead without hurting them. This is a picture of a Chinook cradleboard.



When we were about to leave the museum it was pouring down rain. I was so disappointed! So we went and made lunch in the van, and by the time we were all done, the sun actually came out for a bit and we enjoyed the fort and a good 2 mile walk down to Canoe Landing. Here are a few pictures of that walk and the actual Fort.



Here is a site where they an actual video to watch.

Lewis and Clark: then and now Its pretty long, but if you let it play and then walk away... after it has played you can skip back and forth to what you really want to watch. Here is another site of pictures of the museum and whats inside. Its easier to post this than all the ones I took.

Fort Clatsop Oregon Are ya still with me? lol Here are some pictures from our 2 mile walk. 1 mile to Canoe Landing and a bit beyond and then 1 mile back.



















After Fort Clatsop we went into Seaside. Its about 15 minutes, maybe 10. The weather was looking great for a bit, but soon began to rain again. We had shops and the girls were able to enjoy a few rides!









While in Seaside we also went to the aquarium. It was nothing like we thought... but it was fun. It was very small, and we felt sorry for the animals.... the sea lions were cute.... this little one below was a show stealer and new how to look cute!



We were in seaside for a long time... and the weather seamed to hold out... but alas... it began to rain again.... so we headed back to the cabin, ate dinner and the girls got to swim in the indoor pool that evening. The next day we packed up and headed to Astoria. We stopped at the Astro tower for a look. The Astoria colum is 125 feet high and has 164 steps! This tower was patterned after the Trajan Colum in Rome. This column displays 14 scenes commemorating important events of history in Astoria.






Once we finsihed our little tour, we had lunch and headed home!It was a good trip! Wish I would have braved a few more of the beaches...but I was happy with the trip, my girls had a good time and so did their friends... and we learned a few things along the way...