Passport Pictures

The kids made their passports today for our Children Around the World trip. Each country we study they will get a stamp in their passport and then tell a little about that country.

Steamboat Rock

This past week we took a little vacation and went camping at Steamboat Rock State Park in Coulee City, WA. This is one of our favorite camping spots, it is truly beautiful, like a mini Grand Canyon. The first day we all hiked up to the top of Steamboat Rock, even the dogs. Bentley our (mini schnuazer) was just exausted, she kept running for the shade and ploppping down every chance she got, she definitley didn't enjoy the hike like Hauna (our jack russel mix). Hauna was always in the lead and ready to go. The kids did great too, we weren't sure how Austin would do, since last year he was to scared, but he did great and was really proud of himself when he got to the top. It is really be beautiful when you make it to the top, you can see for miles.

This is part of Steamboat rock. It doesn't look quite as big in the picture, but it is tall. Pete guesses about 600+ feet?


































The next day we hiked around the lower part of the Rock and came upon a private beach, where the kids jumped right in the lake. We stayed there for an hour or two, they enjoyed swimming and running wild, as did Hauna, since we could let her off the leash. Once again Bentley just found some shade and took a nap:)

The last day we hiked up the Rock again, this time we spent an hour ot two exploring the top. While we were camping, there were a couple of wild fires in the far distance, so you can see the smoke in some of the pictures. The sun was amazing through the smoke, it was bright redish/orange, but of course the camera just would take a picture that showed the true beauty.





















You can really see the smoke in this picture. Austin
was tired so he got a ride for a short while.

More pictures if you would like: http://picasaweb.google.com/petenreese/Steamboat07

Ending of Summer

Wow, where did the summer go? We didn't have much summer weather here so it seems like summer never really started and not it is ending. We are officially starting our school year tomorrow, I am really looking forward to this year.

Abbigail will be learning about Children Around the World and will also be doing the usual Language Arts and Math. Science she will be taking "Featuring Animals" and "Nocturnal Animal" through Olympia Regional Learning Academy (a homeschool program put on through the Olympia school district) she will also be following along with the boys in their Animal Worlds program which has quite a bit of science. A couple of other classes she will be taking through Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA), are Creative Writing and Drama Lab. She is signed up for Art, P.E and will be starting Power Tap. She has a very full schedule this year, which I think will be good for her, she tend to get in trouble if she isn't busy.

Steven and Austin will be studying Animal Worlds, learning to read with Hooked on Phonics and Explode the Code (ETC), they both will be working through Math U See Primer. Steven will supplement math u see with Singapore Earlybird Math. Steven will be taking a couple of classes through the ORLA program, Story Theater, A Little Math and New Readers. Both boys are trying out Taekwondo this year and they are both very excited about it.

I feel a bit sad for Austin this year, because it seems as we keep saying, "when you are 5". He wants to do P.E and he has to be 5, he wants to be part of the ORLA program and he has to be 5, and so on. He has always been able to do what Steven does and now he isn't able to.