I just got to thinking about my education, my schooling, my life. And I felt so inadequate. I don't feel like I know enough, am smart enough, am where I should be with my schooling. I started crying I was so mad at myself. I told myself I hadn't done anything I expected myself to. I haven't reached the goals I set for myself. I wrote out lists of ideas of things to learn and do, and I haven't done them. And I regret it so much, because there is SO much I could be doing, could've done. I wasted time. And I feel like crap.
So know I have to go back and think of all the things I have done, all the things I've learned. I have to write them down, evaluate, talk, and think about them. Ask if I have indeed, learned anything worth learning. If I am at a point where I can say I'm educated, if I am able to function in society successfully with the education I have. If not, I need to write out how I can get there. I SO want to learn! I so want to know, to grow, to use the time and opportunities that I have and feel accomplished. To feel like I know something. To say that I was successful in school. I keep pretending. I keep telling people that I'm doing good, school's going well. In all actuality, it might be, but I don't feel like it is. I feel like I've done nothing. I do not want to go back to highschool, I do not wish I was there. I just wish I was accountable, and responsible. I wish I was motivated and did all of the AMAZING things that I could do. I need to get there. I don't know how, but that is where I have to get to. I need to know that I'm not a failure.
The next step is to figure that out, to write down what I have and compile it into some portfolio, some format. I need to finish the projects I started, and write down what I have learned from them. Then I need to finish what I still need to learn. I can't keep pretending and feeling like I am going nowhere!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
St. Nicholas Day
Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Today is one of my favorite holidays. Not super huge like Christmas, but super special. I cherish it. Today I woke up and got to the pre-school by 8:45, like every Tuesday and Thursday now until May! I didn't think that I would like working at a pre-school, but I actually am really enjoying it. I know that these kids probably won't remember me in a couple of years, but it's really fun to watch them learn. It's so cool to see the world though their eyes, at their level. Watch how each of them have different personalities and learning styles. Today I helped Aletheia make her advent wreath...we dipped their hands in green paint and had them put their handprints on a piece of paper in a circle...it ended up looking like a wreath of boughs. Then we took red paint and with their index finger had them make berries. They turned out all different, but really neat. We will tape an advent candle on at the end of each week.
When I got home from pre-school, I helped Mom hang up grass mats in Uncle Dave's room that he brought home from India. They smelled like Grandpa's oats for his horses. I love that smell! Then I finished up my book "Hattie Big Sky". It had a nice ending...she didn't prove up on her claim, unfortunately, but she found a family, and Charlie was coming home from the war and wrote her a letter saying he was sweet on her. Awww! :) In the back of the book though are recipes, and I think I might make one as a little book project. One is a eggless, butterless, milkless cake. An endnote said it was sometimes called a Depression Cake.
Then Elly and I made a sign that says Welcome Home Randy, as our Thursday project. It was fun, and our poster is very colorful. Randy comes home in 9 days! Yipee!
I printed out our Order sheet for KCC, and took it over to church to make double-sided copies. I hope it works out.
Tonight the ladies in our church all got together for an ornament party. It was actually really really fun. We went to Pam Schell's house and all brought a snack to share, and then gathered in the living room. We all had numbers, and we each got to open a gift, or steal a gift from someone. Once a gift has been stolen 3 times it stays with that person. I got a little woodland Santa...It's a Santa wearing a long red and white coat, holding a bird in his hand, and carrying a sack with little sticks on his back. He is really cute, and I stole him from Janice. She really wants him though, perhaps I will enjoy him until Christmas and give it to her as a Christmas present. He's adorable though!
I'm going to sleep. Guten Nacht.
Today is one of my favorite holidays. Not super huge like Christmas, but super special. I cherish it. Today I woke up and got to the pre-school by 8:45, like every Tuesday and Thursday now until May! I didn't think that I would like working at a pre-school, but I actually am really enjoying it. I know that these kids probably won't remember me in a couple of years, but it's really fun to watch them learn. It's so cool to see the world though their eyes, at their level. Watch how each of them have different personalities and learning styles. Today I helped Aletheia make her advent wreath...we dipped their hands in green paint and had them put their handprints on a piece of paper in a circle...it ended up looking like a wreath of boughs. Then we took red paint and with their index finger had them make berries. They turned out all different, but really neat. We will tape an advent candle on at the end of each week.
When I got home from pre-school, I helped Mom hang up grass mats in Uncle Dave's room that he brought home from India. They smelled like Grandpa's oats for his horses. I love that smell! Then I finished up my book "Hattie Big Sky". It had a nice ending...she didn't prove up on her claim, unfortunately, but she found a family, and Charlie was coming home from the war and wrote her a letter saying he was sweet on her. Awww! :) In the back of the book though are recipes, and I think I might make one as a little book project. One is a eggless, butterless, milkless cake. An endnote said it was sometimes called a Depression Cake.
Then Elly and I made a sign that says Welcome Home Randy, as our Thursday project. It was fun, and our poster is very colorful. Randy comes home in 9 days! Yipee!
I printed out our Order sheet for KCC, and took it over to church to make double-sided copies. I hope it works out.
Tonight the ladies in our church all got together for an ornament party. It was actually really really fun. We went to Pam Schell's house and all brought a snack to share, and then gathered in the living room. We all had numbers, and we each got to open a gift, or steal a gift from someone. Once a gift has been stolen 3 times it stays with that person. I got a little woodland Santa...It's a Santa wearing a long red and white coat, holding a bird in his hand, and carrying a sack with little sticks on his back. He is really cute, and I stole him from Janice. She really wants him though, perhaps I will enjoy him until Christmas and give it to her as a Christmas present. He's adorable though!
I'm going to sleep. Guten Nacht.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Kaarre Culinary Creations
Mom, Erika, Nikki and I put an ad in that newspaper for Kaarre Culinary Creations. We just want to see if anybody needs some baking done this holiday season. We're offering cookie trays, pies, yeast and quick breads, appetizers, and candies...I wrote up the ad, and made a price and order sheet. We got our first order last night. Mom, Dad and I were talking that, even if we don't make much of a profit on this, it can be a service for people like Mrs. Johnson who lives in assisted care and can't bake or get out. But she wants to have treats to share. How cool is that that this can just be a service for people like her!
Today I woke up and read for a couple hours. I'm currently reading a book called "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson, that I got from the library. It is about an orphaned 16 year old girl who, during World War I, receives a letter that gives her a 320-acre homestead in Montana. Her uncle whom she had never met recently died, and left her his homestead. Only problem was, it wasn't proved up yet. Hattie has 11 months to build 460 rods of fence, and plant 40 acres of harvested crops.
After I read I organized our upstairs hallway closet full of blankets and sheets. Oh my! Then I came to City Brew and finished Lesson 9 in my Algebra 2 book. Lesson 9 is about percent word problems. After I finished up that lesson, I worked on creating the order form for the above mentioned Kaarre Culinary Creations. That took a while, actually, but hopefully it'll be usable. The nice thing is that this is practice, just for us. If it isn't efficient, we can just change it. It's not like I'll get fired from my job for messing up, this is just a cool learning experience I get to try. Trial and error! :)
Tonight we have our first soup supper and advent service at church! Woot!
Today I woke up and read for a couple hours. I'm currently reading a book called "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson, that I got from the library. It is about an orphaned 16 year old girl who, during World War I, receives a letter that gives her a 320-acre homestead in Montana. Her uncle whom she had never met recently died, and left her his homestead. Only problem was, it wasn't proved up yet. Hattie has 11 months to build 460 rods of fence, and plant 40 acres of harvested crops.
After I read I organized our upstairs hallway closet full of blankets and sheets. Oh my! Then I came to City Brew and finished Lesson 9 in my Algebra 2 book. Lesson 9 is about percent word problems. After I finished up that lesson, I worked on creating the order form for the above mentioned Kaarre Culinary Creations. That took a while, actually, but hopefully it'll be usable. The nice thing is that this is practice, just for us. If it isn't efficient, we can just change it. It's not like I'll get fired from my job for messing up, this is just a cool learning experience I get to try. Trial and error! :)
Tonight we have our first soup supper and advent service at church! Woot!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Hunting Tales
Hunting Season. Great fun for all, especially those who get to cut up all the game! Haha. Daddy got 5 deer over on the East Side and we spent the weekend cutting them up. I learned how to use the Food Saver [vacuum sealer] and that was fun!
I went up to Grandpa's and went for a walk with him to check on the cows. You learn so much from just being around him! We were looking at a couple cows that were acting sick earlier that day because they wouldn't eat. We went back into the house and I beat Grandpa twice at double solitaire!
I then drove to Eureka to visit Erika, Jilly, and baby Meredith! I had to re-learn how to hold little babies! She was adorable. I almost fell asleep in the rocking chair too, with her head against my cheek. Aw!
Today I drove back to Whitefish with Dad. I worked on some algebra, and it kicked my butt. I wish I could think mathematically, it just doesn't work for me. I'm all over geometry. Those problem I could do! And the most frustrating part is I thought I knew how to do them! But I worked the problem every different way I knew how, and I still couldn't get the right answer! Oh well. I'm going to try and fix those ones tomorrow.
I also picked up a guitar this weekend and realized that I need to practice playing without looking at my fingers. I can't play without looking and seeing where my chord hand is. And I started playing Randy's djembe drum! It was so fun!
I'll write about pottery next time. I'm going to go watch Ocean's 13!
I went up to Grandpa's and went for a walk with him to check on the cows. You learn so much from just being around him! We were looking at a couple cows that were acting sick earlier that day because they wouldn't eat. We went back into the house and I beat Grandpa twice at double solitaire!
I then drove to Eureka to visit Erika, Jilly, and baby Meredith! I had to re-learn how to hold little babies! She was adorable. I almost fell asleep in the rocking chair too, with her head against my cheek. Aw!
Today I drove back to Whitefish with Dad. I worked on some algebra, and it kicked my butt. I wish I could think mathematically, it just doesn't work for me. I'm all over geometry. Those problem I could do! And the most frustrating part is I thought I knew how to do them! But I worked the problem every different way I knew how, and I still couldn't get the right answer! Oh well. I'm going to try and fix those ones tomorrow.
I also picked up a guitar this weekend and realized that I need to practice playing without looking at my fingers. I can't play without looking and seeing where my chord hand is. And I started playing Randy's djembe drum! It was so fun!
I'll write about pottery next time. I'm going to go watch Ocean's 13!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Trick or Treat
Today I learned something really cool about God's timing. I walked to the library and ended up spending a good hour or so sitting in a comfy chair reading the part of the first Harry Potter book. After I realize how long I had sat there and wondered why the heck I had wasted so much time, I brought the book back to put it away and Adrienne was there. She was working at one of the tables, and I sat down and talked with her for a good 20 minutes or so. It was a really really neat talk, and I am glad I was there. And then tonight at the Ablaze bible study at church we talked about the Holy Spirit, and how he works in our lives, and orchestrates things. Oh, so true.
And today was, afterall, Halloween. Halloween is great until you get to be about 13. Trick or treating is one of the greatest things ever though. Mom spent the day making Elly a costume, and it was beautiful. She was an Indian Princess. She had a fringed dress with beads and bells and embroidery. It was so neat. In her headband she had a feather from Dad's turkey that he got last spring. She wore a beaded leather belt too, and just looked so cute.
I picked up a book while I was a the library called Hitch and it is by Jeanette Ingold, who also wrote Mountain Solo and The Big Burn, two other books which I enjoyed immensely. I wrote about The Big Burn when I read it last year. Hitch is about a seventeen year old boy from Texas who joins a CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] crew in Montana during the Great Depression. It weaves an amazing story about these boys who mostly joined because they had to; they desperately needed a job. How for six months they learned, lived, worked and built together. In the book there are some great moments where their work goes beyond just a job, it's not about politics, it's about what people really need. When the main character, Moss, reflects on how different it will be when they all leave and won't be together anymore, it sort of reminded me of my own summer at the ranch. Granted, we weren't working during the Depression, we didn't help rebuild a piece of land, a community, a country...But we lived and worked together away from each of our own personal lives, just sharing that time, together. And it didn't last either, but it prepared us for things we'll go through in the future. Just like in the book, where the author subtly hints to the coming of World War II, that they were preparing for something more, and these boys who would be the men to fight it.
It's a good book.
And today was, afterall, Halloween. Halloween is great until you get to be about 13. Trick or treating is one of the greatest things ever though. Mom spent the day making Elly a costume, and it was beautiful. She was an Indian Princess. She had a fringed dress with beads and bells and embroidery. It was so neat. In her headband she had a feather from Dad's turkey that he got last spring. She wore a beaded leather belt too, and just looked so cute.
I picked up a book while I was a the library called Hitch and it is by Jeanette Ingold, who also wrote Mountain Solo and The Big Burn, two other books which I enjoyed immensely. I wrote about The Big Burn when I read it last year. Hitch is about a seventeen year old boy from Texas who joins a CCC [Civilian Conservation Corps] crew in Montana during the Great Depression. It weaves an amazing story about these boys who mostly joined because they had to; they desperately needed a job. How for six months they learned, lived, worked and built together. In the book there are some great moments where their work goes beyond just a job, it's not about politics, it's about what people really need. When the main character, Moss, reflects on how different it will be when they all leave and won't be together anymore, it sort of reminded me of my own summer at the ranch. Granted, we weren't working during the Depression, we didn't help rebuild a piece of land, a community, a country...But we lived and worked together away from each of our own personal lives, just sharing that time, together. And it didn't last either, but it prepared us for things we'll go through in the future. Just like in the book, where the author subtly hints to the coming of World War II, that they were preparing for something more, and these boys who would be the men to fight it.
It's a good book.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Amazing Grace
I am currently listening to a version of "Amazing Grace" by Alabama. Hmm. I love this song.
Today I was home alone except for Uncle Dave. Everyone else was up at Pinkham. I woke up and read my history book first. I am reading A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. The chapter I read today was called "Drawing the Color Line" Zinn discusses how Africans came to be enslaved in the New World. The Americas were in desperate need of manpower to cultivate land and crops for food. Indians were in their own land, and Whites were in their own European culture, making it hard to impossible to make them slaves. Africans however, were made morally and physically helpless in the face of this force, because they were taken away from their land, their culture, their families, and treated as less than human. This is not to say they were completely cooperative. Who could be? They put up their own resistance, in their own way. The chapter focuses on the fact that if racism isn't natural, then it is a consequence of certain conditions. Those were the conditions that made it possible to enslave a certain race for over 200 years.
Then I made myself an incredibly little lunch. I toasted a piece of bread in a pan on the stove with olive oil, salt, garlic, and alpine touch. Then I sliced a not-quite-ripe tomato and fried it in the same pan with some garlic salt and lemon pepper ground on it. Then I put the fried tomatoes on the toast and ate it like a sandwich. Green Fried Tomatoes...who woulda thought?
I spent the afternoon cleaning and re-arranging Elly's room. I made her a little chair/couch in the corner with pillows, Grandma Lempi's couch cushion, and Erika's pillow. It's her little reading corner. Her crates of books are on either side. I strung up some colored Christmas lights and moved around the dressers. I bought her some pretty little purple and white carnations! Then I neatly folded and laid out all of the new clothes Mommy and I bought her on the bed. Seeing her face and hearing her giggle when she saw it all was PRICELESS!
Youth group was great tonight. We had our first Iron Group night of the year. Iron Groups are just the small groups within the large group. When you have 75 kids showing up on any given Tuesday, it's hard to connect with them all. So once a month we have Iron Groups, where we meet and get to know eachother as a little family. This year Chad and Nadine are leading the a group of all Jr. High age kids, and I am helping lead it. At first I didn't really want to do it, but I am very glad I decided too. It'll challenge me to step out, do something different, really get to know people. Lead, and love them! We mostly just got to know eachother and play games. We had a really good time, actually. Chaemous, Ethan, and Shirley are also helping lead.
I need sleep. *twas grace that taught my heart to fear, twas grace my fear relieved*
Today I was home alone except for Uncle Dave. Everyone else was up at Pinkham. I woke up and read my history book first. I am reading A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. The chapter I read today was called "Drawing the Color Line" Zinn discusses how Africans came to be enslaved in the New World. The Americas were in desperate need of manpower to cultivate land and crops for food. Indians were in their own land, and Whites were in their own European culture, making it hard to impossible to make them slaves. Africans however, were made morally and physically helpless in the face of this force, because they were taken away from their land, their culture, their families, and treated as less than human. This is not to say they were completely cooperative. Who could be? They put up their own resistance, in their own way. The chapter focuses on the fact that if racism isn't natural, then it is a consequence of certain conditions. Those were the conditions that made it possible to enslave a certain race for over 200 years.
Then I made myself an incredibly little lunch. I toasted a piece of bread in a pan on the stove with olive oil, salt, garlic, and alpine touch. Then I sliced a not-quite-ripe tomato and fried it in the same pan with some garlic salt and lemon pepper ground on it. Then I put the fried tomatoes on the toast and ate it like a sandwich. Green Fried Tomatoes...who woulda thought?
I spent the afternoon cleaning and re-arranging Elly's room. I made her a little chair/couch in the corner with pillows, Grandma Lempi's couch cushion, and Erika's pillow. It's her little reading corner. Her crates of books are on either side. I strung up some colored Christmas lights and moved around the dressers. I bought her some pretty little purple and white carnations! Then I neatly folded and laid out all of the new clothes Mommy and I bought her on the bed. Seeing her face and hearing her giggle when she saw it all was PRICELESS!
Youth group was great tonight. We had our first Iron Group night of the year. Iron Groups are just the small groups within the large group. When you have 75 kids showing up on any given Tuesday, it's hard to connect with them all. So once a month we have Iron Groups, where we meet and get to know eachother as a little family. This year Chad and Nadine are leading the a group of all Jr. High age kids, and I am helping lead it. At first I didn't really want to do it, but I am very glad I decided too. It'll challenge me to step out, do something different, really get to know people. Lead, and love them! We mostly just got to know eachother and play games. We had a really good time, actually. Chaemous, Ethan, and Shirley are also helping lead.
I need sleep. *twas grace that taught my heart to fear, twas grace my fear relieved*
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Chacos & Pottery
Today Elly and I spent our Thursday together at the Ceramics Annex that is in the Stumptown Art Studio. SAS is a non-profit art center, and they have "Paint Your Own Pottery" as a continuous fundraiser. You can go in and choose one of their plain white pottery pieces...they have everything. Figurines, tea pots, wine decanters, mugs, margarita glasses, plates, platters, light switch covers, beer steins, serving and mixing bowls... Then you go grab a tile that serves as your palette, pick your colors and go sit at a table, each with its own pot of brushes. When you are finished you leave it with them for a week so they can glaze and fire it. Each piece is a different price, and all the funds go to support the studio. The studio holds classes for adults and kids. I had never done anything with pottery, and it was amazingly enjoyable. I painted a gravy boat and Elly painted a cowboy boot. The studio also has walk-in glass fusing. Here you take bits of glass and can make tiles, plates, pendants, candle-holders, wine stoppers, and more by arranging the different colors and then firing it through a kiln, which melts the glass together. I want to try that next time!
This morning I met with Nadine. Bless her! She is one of the neatest women I know. I am so glad I have her in my life as a mentor and friend. Today we just basically talked. A little bit about everything. We talked about the house on Skyles Lake owned by Rick Hubble. I called him yesterday and talked with him about the house. He owns a house that isn't finished yet, but he isn't using it for anything. I've talked to Dad, Mom, Sandy, Keith Haas, Nadine and a couple other people about maybe leasing and using it for ministry. It could serve as a base for Athelas. We can house people there, host events and dinners. It could be used as a meeting place. We could rent it out. It's all just really exciting. Rick lives in Salt Lake, but is coming up here to Whitefish this weekend, so hopefully we can meet with him.
Yesterday I went to City Brew and spent some time just working on stuff. I looked on the internet for the Alaskan Icefield Expeditions website. AIE is based on the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau, and the Denver glacier in Skagway. They helicopter guests off of a cruise ship and bring them on dog sled tours on the glaciers. Anyway, a bunch of people who work there came to the ranch and told Mom and Dad all about their company. They are hiring for next summer. I also looked on the Youth Encounter website about their community based teams. They have their Captive Free teams that travel around and do events, but the community based teams I think are essentially trained the same way, but they stay in a community for up to a year, and work with the local church. I think that would be wonderful for our church. There are a lot of ministries that they can be involved in. There's Athelas, Potter's Field, Trinity Camp, Dickey Lake Camp, Hungry Horse Camp, and so many other ministries. They can work with Chad and Nadine and do things at the Edge. I just there is so much they could be used for. It would be really neat!
While I was out, I finally mailed my Chaco sandals to get repaired. The soles started peeling and I hadn't even had them a year! So hopefully I'll get them back soon. I noticed they were peeling back in July, but I had to wear them out to the end of the Chaco weather season before I could mail them in. Haha. Now that its cold and October, I figured I'd waited long enough.
Yesterday I also worked on my design project. It's not going very well, however. I really don't know what else to do. I'll write about that later.
I'm going to go wash out the paint I got in my hair at the pottery place. I am blue!
This morning I met with Nadine. Bless her! She is one of the neatest women I know. I am so glad I have her in my life as a mentor and friend. Today we just basically talked. A little bit about everything. We talked about the house on Skyles Lake owned by Rick Hubble. I called him yesterday and talked with him about the house. He owns a house that isn't finished yet, but he isn't using it for anything. I've talked to Dad, Mom, Sandy, Keith Haas, Nadine and a couple other people about maybe leasing and using it for ministry. It could serve as a base for Athelas. We can house people there, host events and dinners. It could be used as a meeting place. We could rent it out. It's all just really exciting. Rick lives in Salt Lake, but is coming up here to Whitefish this weekend, so hopefully we can meet with him.
Yesterday I went to City Brew and spent some time just working on stuff. I looked on the internet for the Alaskan Icefield Expeditions website. AIE is based on the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau, and the Denver glacier in Skagway. They helicopter guests off of a cruise ship and bring them on dog sled tours on the glaciers. Anyway, a bunch of people who work there came to the ranch and told Mom and Dad all about their company. They are hiring for next summer. I also looked on the Youth Encounter website about their community based teams. They have their Captive Free teams that travel around and do events, but the community based teams I think are essentially trained the same way, but they stay in a community for up to a year, and work with the local church. I think that would be wonderful for our church. There are a lot of ministries that they can be involved in. There's Athelas, Potter's Field, Trinity Camp, Dickey Lake Camp, Hungry Horse Camp, and so many other ministries. They can work with Chad and Nadine and do things at the Edge. I just there is so much they could be used for. It would be really neat!
While I was out, I finally mailed my Chaco sandals to get repaired. The soles started peeling and I hadn't even had them a year! So hopefully I'll get them back soon. I noticed they were peeling back in July, but I had to wear them out to the end of the Chaco weather season before I could mail them in. Haha. Now that its cold and October, I figured I'd waited long enough.
Yesterday I also worked on my design project. It's not going very well, however. I really don't know what else to do. I'll write about that later.
I'm going to go wash out the paint I got in my hair at the pottery place. I am blue!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Productivity
It's amazing what being HOME can do for you.
Today I woke up and met Pam, Ian, Brennen, Lauren, Courtney and Patrick for breakfast at Coffee Traders. Pam had a book and the topic this morning was about friends. The coolest part was just sitting there together and praying. That is so ESSENTIAL; prayer and fellowship.
When I got back I spent some time cleaning and doing dishes, and reveling in the gorgeous blue sky and sunshine! I did Lesson 6 review in my Algebra 2 book. I couldn't figure out how to find the radius of a sphere when they gave me the surface area...which I thought I could do. That really confused me, because I just couldn't get the right answer.
I then took my little puppy for a walk. Since Ivan is almost 11 years old, he isn't quite a puppy anymore, but he's mine all the same. The weather was wonderful. I think sunshine fuels people.
Tackling the project of installing Rosetta Stone language program on my laptop was next. It went quite flawlessly, and pretty soon I was up and running. I'm doing French II right now. I really like that it is self-paced, and it just keeps track of where you are. It also teaches you like you learned your native language as a child. It has lots of pictures, sounds, and matching. It's an excellent program.
It was so nice to just get lots of little things done today. I made this month's Melaleuca order, cleaned my bathroom, washed my sheets, finally paid Sandy for my Reliv, went to the dentist and got three fillings...That one wasn't so nice. Well, not as bad as I thought. I was definitely dreading it. But I got to listen to my cd player through it all, and Rush of Fools kept me calm. :) The worst part is the three hours of having a numb face. It's fun not being able to talk quite right and feel like your lip is three times its normal size.
Youth group was really great. I am very excited to be part of it! Part of this ministry. I'll write about Iron Groups and the Core later.
I'm going to go watch Sum of All Fears, hopefully with French subtitles. -Krista
Today I woke up and met Pam, Ian, Brennen, Lauren, Courtney and Patrick for breakfast at Coffee Traders. Pam had a book and the topic this morning was about friends. The coolest part was just sitting there together and praying. That is so ESSENTIAL; prayer and fellowship.
When I got back I spent some time cleaning and doing dishes, and reveling in the gorgeous blue sky and sunshine! I did Lesson 6 review in my Algebra 2 book. I couldn't figure out how to find the radius of a sphere when they gave me the surface area...which I thought I could do. That really confused me, because I just couldn't get the right answer.
I then took my little puppy for a walk. Since Ivan is almost 11 years old, he isn't quite a puppy anymore, but he's mine all the same. The weather was wonderful. I think sunshine fuels people.
Tackling the project of installing Rosetta Stone language program on my laptop was next. It went quite flawlessly, and pretty soon I was up and running. I'm doing French II right now. I really like that it is self-paced, and it just keeps track of where you are. It also teaches you like you learned your native language as a child. It has lots of pictures, sounds, and matching. It's an excellent program.
It was so nice to just get lots of little things done today. I made this month's Melaleuca order, cleaned my bathroom, washed my sheets, finally paid Sandy for my Reliv, went to the dentist and got three fillings...That one wasn't so nice. Well, not as bad as I thought. I was definitely dreading it. But I got to listen to my cd player through it all, and Rush of Fools kept me calm. :) The worst part is the three hours of having a numb face. It's fun not being able to talk quite right and feel like your lip is three times its normal size.
Youth group was really great. I am very excited to be part of it! Part of this ministry. I'll write about Iron Groups and the Core later.
I'm going to go watch Sum of All Fears, hopefully with French subtitles. -Krista
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
SENIOR YEAR!
Right. So four months after my last post, and I am still as unorganized, forgetful, and bouncy as I was before. Like right now, for instance. If I was organized I would be writing my plans for the year in bulleted format, for all to read. If I wasn't so forgetful I would have already written my plans a few weeks ago. And if I wasn't so bouncy, I would have continued writing in a journal all the things I've learned, seen, and experienced this past summer. Four months has, however, brought me through to the infamous 'Senior Year' of high school.
Here I am. I have had an amazing summer, one where I laughed and cried more than I ever have before. I think I've grown up a little bit. I am a senior, and it's kind of odd to think about. For one, I don't feel old enough, big enough, or quite as intimidating as I should be. Or rather, as seniors have always seemed to me since I was in Kindergarten. Secondly, it is odd because my senior year won't include the usual scenes that comes to mind; I might go to the Homecoming football game, but I won't be painted green and gold. My senior picture will finally be printed in color, but not alongside 150 others bound in a book. And thankfully, I won't be walking down an aisle wearing a cap and gown. Not that I have anything against highschool graduations, I'm just more than slightly glad I don't have to participate in one. Homeschooling isn't for everyone, it's just what I have chosen; what works for me. The scenes that will play out in my senior year are going to be completely new, unpredictable, memorable, and I cannot wait to experience them.
Here I am. I have had an amazing summer, one where I laughed and cried more than I ever have before. I think I've grown up a little bit. I am a senior, and it's kind of odd to think about. For one, I don't feel old enough, big enough, or quite as intimidating as I should be. Or rather, as seniors have always seemed to me since I was in Kindergarten. Secondly, it is odd because my senior year won't include the usual scenes that comes to mind; I might go to the Homecoming football game, but I won't be painted green and gold. My senior picture will finally be printed in color, but not alongside 150 others bound in a book. And thankfully, I won't be walking down an aisle wearing a cap and gown. Not that I have anything against highschool graduations, I'm just more than slightly glad I don't have to participate in one. Homeschooling isn't for everyone, it's just what I have chosen; what works for me. The scenes that will play out in my senior year are going to be completely new, unpredictable, memorable, and I cannot wait to experience them.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Angola
Today was a beautiful day. Absolutely gorgeous. I woke up at 8:30 and the first thing I noticed was the sun shining! Erika and Aaron got home last night from their roadtrip, too. This morning I was doing my African study and found a site called RISE International. They build schools in Angola, mostly. Angola has suffered through a 27 year civil war, through which all the schools have been closed. An entire generation has grown up not knowing how to read and write. RISE builds schools, trains teachers, and supplies textbooks. They are a Christian organization out of the midwest, Iowa I believe. It costs them $12,500 to build a school and provide textbooks.
I also memorized some more countries...Chad, Cameroon, Equitorial Guinea, and Gabon. Woo hoo!
I read am still trying to finish The Greatest Generation, my Tom Brokaw. Interesting book, I'll tell you more about it when I finish.
The other day I did an Algebra test, but I am so disorganized I lost the test answer booklet. Hmm.
Speaking of being disorganized, Erika found my Rosetta Stone cd that I have been missing for months. I'm trying to load it onto this computer since I had had it on Randy's laptop before. Hopefully I'll get that working.
I had piano lessons today and learned how to play "Jericho". It's fun. I also learned about relative scales, and Jericho is in the key of A Minor, which is the relative minor of C major.
Erika and Aaron had a slideshow of all their southwest pictures. The southwest is amazing. I had never heard of Goblin Valley! That was really interesting. And the towers in Capital Reef. God made some beautiful things when he created this earth.
I'm about to run off to youth group, so that's all for now. Goodnight!
I also memorized some more countries...Chad, Cameroon, Equitorial Guinea, and Gabon. Woo hoo!
I read am still trying to finish The Greatest Generation, my Tom Brokaw. Interesting book, I'll tell you more about it when I finish.
The other day I did an Algebra test, but I am so disorganized I lost the test answer booklet. Hmm.
Speaking of being disorganized, Erika found my Rosetta Stone cd that I have been missing for months. I'm trying to load it onto this computer since I had had it on Randy's laptop before. Hopefully I'll get that working.
I had piano lessons today and learned how to play "Jericho". It's fun. I also learned about relative scales, and Jericho is in the key of A Minor, which is the relative minor of C major.
Erika and Aaron had a slideshow of all their southwest pictures. The southwest is amazing. I had never heard of Goblin Valley! That was really interesting. And the towers in Capital Reef. God made some beautiful things when he created this earth.
I'm about to run off to youth group, so that's all for now. Goodnight!
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
MASQUERADE! and poker.
It's been a busy weekend! I am continually amazed at what you can learn by just living!
Chad and Nadine had a "Poker Night" at their house on Friday. Chad is the assisant football coach for the WHS football team. On Friday, about 40 football players showed up at his house to play poker. It was just a night to get those guys into Chad's house, to serve them, build relationships, and let them know they are loved and cared for! Some of us from the Core helped served. We hung curtains between the kitchen and the rest of the house, and us girls just took care of them. It was amazing! I got there around 2 that afternoon and frosted cookies, read books to Camren (Chad and Nadine's five year old), set up tables, counted poker chips, printed rules off the internet, hung up posters, unpacked 30 cases of energy drinks, and made and served lots of yummy appetizers! So I learned how to make bruschetta [i should learn how to spell it too!] We had toasted sourdough bread that we put a tomato, a piece of mozzarella and basil on. We broiled them for a few minutes. They were really good! It was so much fun to SERVE them. We took care of them. We brought drinks and food around like every five seconds. And it all looked so pretty! I hope they felt special! Then they played Texas Hold 'Em for almost 5 hours. Of course not everybody, because it was a tournament, but the last game didn't get over until midnight!
Saturday Mom and I went to the International Gift sale at the Mennonite church in Creston. They have an organization called Ten Thousand Villages. They gather crafts and gifts handmade in villages around the world. All of the items have a tag that says in which country it was made. I got Kari her birthday present there. An anklet and cloth napkin from India. Mom also got me a cookbook. It's a cookbook about eating locally and in season. I'm excited to use it and learn!
We also went to the dollar store in C. Falls and I got spray paint to make my mask for Masquerade! Saturday night a bunch of us met at the church around 9 to play Fugitive in the dark. It was so much fun! We had a surprise party for Kari with cake, and then went up to their house to watch Deja Vu. It was a very provocative movie.
Sunday we had church. Mom, Brennen, and I had a good talk during Sunday School. We decided we can't wait until we get to go to heaven and meet a bunch of cool people! like George Washington and Esau! We continued reading Genesis. I love that. We just take out our Bibles, read and discuss. Mom is so good at making connections and things make sense. I have realized how deep, how emotional, how essential Bible stories are. It's just life, raw and pure and right in front of you. I think a lot of people have forgotten how to read the Bible. It's really amazing. We talked about Jacob and Esau and how Rebekah helped her favorite son, Jacob trick their father. How God had made known to her that Jacob would rule over Esau, and she intervened.
Sunday afternoon I went to the youth center and helped set up for the Masquerade. Anna and I spent two hours taping plywood boards to paint. They had painted a bunch of boards white, and we taped off squares that would be painted black. We ended up with a pretty sweet looking black and white checkered floor! I never knew how you would go about making it look like that, and taping it off. It turned out awesome.
Monday I went out to lunch with Kari, Angela, Andrea, Hilary, and Lainey. I went to the Chinese place early and ordered for all of them so that when they got out of school and got there the food would be ready. We did have to wait a few minutes, but not long, and it was really good! After school at about 3:30 a bunch of us went to the youth center to decorate. It was intense! there was definitely a lot to do! The band was setting up and practicing at the same time, so we had to waltz around them to get everything done. Ladders, thumb tacks, drum sticks and microphones don't mix well on one stage. You know those shiny round balloons that you can buy at grocery stores that usually say stuff on them? I never knew you could blow them up with straws...On Monday I also worked on my Africa study. Mom and I talked about how few countries we actually had heard of, much less knew where they were! I'm not going extensive into every country, but while I memorize where they are on the map, I look them up on Wikipedia and have kept a Word document off just a few facts that I've read. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, but it is estimated that 90% of the population is Christian. Interesting, huh? And the Democratic Republic of Congo was named Zaire from 1971-1997. Silly.
I have not done Algebra for a while, so I spent some time Monday doing review problems from past lessons. It came much easier the second time! I spray painted my mask on Monday. It's silver now, and I added some cool black and red feathers to it that I got at JoAnns. And I hot glued a stick to it. It looks cool!
Tuesday I woke up and went to the youth center again to help Nadine. We hung up the huge mask on the black curtain behind the stage. Then we blew up balloons. Almost 70 of them. I had never used a helium tank before, so now I know how! And Nadine showed me an easy way to tie them...I was definitely slow when we started! Then Lisa came and we tied ribbon to all the balloons. Lisa and I then got to be creative and decorate the stage with balloons! We had fun cutting up some gold material and tying them together with that. We stuck peacock feathers in the bouquets of balloons and put them on some pillars on the stage. It was entertaining, especially when we let a few balloons go on accident, and I had to climb on a ladder to get them from the ceiling. But it looked great. I came home and laid outside on a blanket, while Mom sat on the porch and Elly was learning how to ride her two-wheel bike. I did my Habitudes book, and talked it over with Mom. I did more work on Africa, too. I printed off my Transactions record from the bank, and used it to plan my finances and budget. I highlighted all the things I spent money on that wasn't necessary, and then estimated what I will be making this summer, and how much I have to pay each month in all the things I owe people and am committed to. This helped after reading those Bank Account, Savings, and Credit Card books I got from the library. After that I potted some of my herbs! I am very excited for that, and look forward to taking care of them, and then using them! I've read lots of good ideas for different uses for all the various herbs. Gail and I had piano lessons as well. I'm learning how to play O Sole Mio! It is in the key of F major, and starts out with three very fun fermatas. Gail and I couldn't decide how to spell it, but we decided on Fermata. I'll check later and see if we are correct.
Tuesday night was Masquerade! I wore by dress that Katie made me for my party, wore lots of black eyeliner and sparkling gold eye shadow all over. And of course, my mask. They had the whole place decorated. Before service they had a professional photography taking pictures in front of a red curtain. There was really good punch and mask cookies. Downstairs they had a food game. There were 7 different foods that were "masked". They all looked like something, but tasted like something else. Such as root beer that tasted like soy sauce. And red jello, that REALLY looked like real jello but tasted like ketchup. There also was cauliflower mashed potatoes and mustard banana cream pie, among others. It was some what disgusting! Service went really well. The band played at the beginning and sounded amazing, like always! They played a really good Yellowcard song...Chad's message was really good. He talked about how we all hide behind masks, in different places and around different people. How we are scared, lonely, or we don't really like ourselves. Some of us are scared that if people know who we really are, they'll leave at any second. He used the monologues that we recorded last week, and they sounded good. His point was that God wants us for who we are, and he is the one we don't need a mask for. He loves us for who we are, and he talked about being who God created us to be. We all mess up, but we don't need to be perfect for him. Once we go to him, he's the one that fixes us, we can't fix ourselves. We don't need to hide.
I know this was superlong, but I've been running around a lot! It's been exciting...
Chad and Nadine had a "Poker Night" at their house on Friday. Chad is the assisant football coach for the WHS football team. On Friday, about 40 football players showed up at his house to play poker. It was just a night to get those guys into Chad's house, to serve them, build relationships, and let them know they are loved and cared for! Some of us from the Core helped served. We hung curtains between the kitchen and the rest of the house, and us girls just took care of them. It was amazing! I got there around 2 that afternoon and frosted cookies, read books to Camren (Chad and Nadine's five year old), set up tables, counted poker chips, printed rules off the internet, hung up posters, unpacked 30 cases of energy drinks, and made and served lots of yummy appetizers! So I learned how to make bruschetta [i should learn how to spell it too!] We had toasted sourdough bread that we put a tomato, a piece of mozzarella and basil on. We broiled them for a few minutes. They were really good! It was so much fun to SERVE them. We took care of them. We brought drinks and food around like every five seconds. And it all looked so pretty! I hope they felt special! Then they played Texas Hold 'Em for almost 5 hours. Of course not everybody, because it was a tournament, but the last game didn't get over until midnight!
Saturday Mom and I went to the International Gift sale at the Mennonite church in Creston. They have an organization called Ten Thousand Villages. They gather crafts and gifts handmade in villages around the world. All of the items have a tag that says in which country it was made. I got Kari her birthday present there. An anklet and cloth napkin from India. Mom also got me a cookbook. It's a cookbook about eating locally and in season. I'm excited to use it and learn!
We also went to the dollar store in C. Falls and I got spray paint to make my mask for Masquerade! Saturday night a bunch of us met at the church around 9 to play Fugitive in the dark. It was so much fun! We had a surprise party for Kari with cake, and then went up to their house to watch Deja Vu. It was a very provocative movie.
Sunday we had church. Mom, Brennen, and I had a good talk during Sunday School. We decided we can't wait until we get to go to heaven and meet a bunch of cool people! like George Washington and Esau! We continued reading Genesis. I love that. We just take out our Bibles, read and discuss. Mom is so good at making connections and things make sense. I have realized how deep, how emotional, how essential Bible stories are. It's just life, raw and pure and right in front of you. I think a lot of people have forgotten how to read the Bible. It's really amazing. We talked about Jacob and Esau and how Rebekah helped her favorite son, Jacob trick their father. How God had made known to her that Jacob would rule over Esau, and she intervened.
Sunday afternoon I went to the youth center and helped set up for the Masquerade. Anna and I spent two hours taping plywood boards to paint. They had painted a bunch of boards white, and we taped off squares that would be painted black. We ended up with a pretty sweet looking black and white checkered floor! I never knew how you would go about making it look like that, and taping it off. It turned out awesome.
Monday I went out to lunch with Kari, Angela, Andrea, Hilary, and Lainey. I went to the Chinese place early and ordered for all of them so that when they got out of school and got there the food would be ready. We did have to wait a few minutes, but not long, and it was really good! After school at about 3:30 a bunch of us went to the youth center to decorate. It was intense! there was definitely a lot to do! The band was setting up and practicing at the same time, so we had to waltz around them to get everything done. Ladders, thumb tacks, drum sticks and microphones don't mix well on one stage. You know those shiny round balloons that you can buy at grocery stores that usually say stuff on them? I never knew you could blow them up with straws...On Monday I also worked on my Africa study. Mom and I talked about how few countries we actually had heard of, much less knew where they were! I'm not going extensive into every country, but while I memorize where they are on the map, I look them up on Wikipedia and have kept a Word document off just a few facts that I've read. Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world, but it is estimated that 90% of the population is Christian. Interesting, huh? And the Democratic Republic of Congo was named Zaire from 1971-1997. Silly.
I have not done Algebra for a while, so I spent some time Monday doing review problems from past lessons. It came much easier the second time! I spray painted my mask on Monday. It's silver now, and I added some cool black and red feathers to it that I got at JoAnns. And I hot glued a stick to it. It looks cool!
Tuesday I woke up and went to the youth center again to help Nadine. We hung up the huge mask on the black curtain behind the stage. Then we blew up balloons. Almost 70 of them. I had never used a helium tank before, so now I know how! And Nadine showed me an easy way to tie them...I was definitely slow when we started! Then Lisa came and we tied ribbon to all the balloons. Lisa and I then got to be creative and decorate the stage with balloons! We had fun cutting up some gold material and tying them together with that. We stuck peacock feathers in the bouquets of balloons and put them on some pillars on the stage. It was entertaining, especially when we let a few balloons go on accident, and I had to climb on a ladder to get them from the ceiling. But it looked great. I came home and laid outside on a blanket, while Mom sat on the porch and Elly was learning how to ride her two-wheel bike. I did my Habitudes book, and talked it over with Mom. I did more work on Africa, too. I printed off my Transactions record from the bank, and used it to plan my finances and budget. I highlighted all the things I spent money on that wasn't necessary, and then estimated what I will be making this summer, and how much I have to pay each month in all the things I owe people and am committed to. This helped after reading those Bank Account, Savings, and Credit Card books I got from the library. After that I potted some of my herbs! I am very excited for that, and look forward to taking care of them, and then using them! I've read lots of good ideas for different uses for all the various herbs. Gail and I had piano lessons as well. I'm learning how to play O Sole Mio! It is in the key of F major, and starts out with three very fun fermatas. Gail and I couldn't decide how to spell it, but we decided on Fermata. I'll check later and see if we are correct.
Tuesday night was Masquerade! I wore by dress that Katie made me for my party, wore lots of black eyeliner and sparkling gold eye shadow all over. And of course, my mask. They had the whole place decorated. Before service they had a professional photography taking pictures in front of a red curtain. There was really good punch and mask cookies. Downstairs they had a food game. There were 7 different foods that were "masked". They all looked like something, but tasted like something else. Such as root beer that tasted like soy sauce. And red jello, that REALLY looked like real jello but tasted like ketchup. There also was cauliflower mashed potatoes and mustard banana cream pie, among others. It was some what disgusting! Service went really well. The band played at the beginning and sounded amazing, like always! They played a really good Yellowcard song...Chad's message was really good. He talked about how we all hide behind masks, in different places and around different people. How we are scared, lonely, or we don't really like ourselves. Some of us are scared that if people know who we really are, they'll leave at any second. He used the monologues that we recorded last week, and they sounded good. His point was that God wants us for who we are, and he is the one we don't need a mask for. He loves us for who we are, and he talked about being who God created us to be. We all mess up, but we don't need to be perfect for him. Once we go to him, he's the one that fixes us, we can't fix ourselves. We don't need to hide.
I know this was superlong, but I've been running around a lot! It's been exciting...
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Stir Fry!
I ended up working 8 hours today! But I had an interesting time, and I know how to make sauce for a stir fry now. It was fun. You want to know how I did it too? So you get a frying pan and turn it on pretty hot. Pour some wine [i used chardonnay, but i guess you can use whatever you want], some soy sauce [i used garlic soy sauce], and some rice vinegar. It'll be smoky, smell nasty, and bubble lots. Turn the burner down to Lo. Mix water and corn starch until it's a milky white. Stir into your pan. It'll thicken really quick. Grate some ginger over, and taste. I am very vague, using the word some. Blame this on my Mom. You have to taste and pour in whatever more it needs. Then add some salt and pepper and you are done. That simple. My Mother has taught me the guess and check theory for cooking. We strongly believe in it.
That's all for now.
That's all for now.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Ketchup
So...
Today is list day of a few things I've done that I feel have contributed to my education. :)
-I am chief herb planter for the Kaarre estate this year. This is an ongoing project and I haven't actually PLANTED any yet, but that will happen soon. I have picked my seeds. I made an Exel program with all the herbs I am going to plant and what they need; such as: how far to spread them out, how deep in soil to plant them, days to germination, days to maturity, notes about harvesting and storing, etc.
It's really fun, actually. I'm excited, and I'll keep you updated on how it goes.
-Grandma and Grandpa are amazing. I spent some time up with them. I went for a walk with Grandpa and just talked. He told me last year he got a pretty good price for his cows: $1.20 per pound. We talked about his new mares and how much stud fees cost. We walked to check on the cows and saw a new calf that was born that day. Grandma taught me how to sew a hook and eye on my dress.
-A few weeks ago I had gotten an book from the library about Wildflowers and their names, and where the names come from. It was cool because it reviewed a lot about flowers that I learned in biology last year, such as the parts of a flower. But I learned that the name for Forget-Me-Nots comes from an old German legend. And that Black Eyed Susans really don't have black in them; its a dark brown or purple.
-I've finished a couple books I was reading. One was a Dear America diary about a boy who was a witness to the battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War. Another was called From Baghdad, With Love. That was written by a lieutenant in the Marine Corps who found a little puppy while he was serving in Fallujah, and his fight to get him out of Iraq and home. It was a really well written book, and told ALOT about the war, the military, and what really is going on over there. And the dog is adorable!
I also finished Shane, by Jack Schaeffer. It was so good. In a way it was just a cute story about a boy growing up, but it turned out so much deeper than that. It just cut to the plain truths about people, respect, character and life. I loved it.
-Yesterday I cooked breakfast by myself, and made muffins for the first time. They turned out really good, and I found out I could actually trust myself in my own abilities! It went okay, not perfect, but nothing disastrous happened. And then I cooked dinner with Brina, and I made AWESOME rolls. I seriously think they were the best bread I ever made. Yum. But Brina and I did a good job, we got everything done super quick, and made it to the gazebo without mishap. I did rolls, baked potatoes, corn, marinated steak, salad, and mixed berry angel food cake. Yum.
-I'm still working on geography of Africa. I realized that not very many people know anything about Africa, and I have never heard of some of the countries. I like it, and I'd like to go there some day.
-I'm also still working on reading Acts. Luke is with Paul and Silas and Timothy now, because he refers to them as "we". I'm continuing Habitudes for Core, and read the "Tight Rope Walker" the other day. It talked about trust, and was a really good chapter. It kind of went with Pocket Change, saying that there is a difference between being liked as a friend and followed as a leader. That's something I really agree with.
-Sudoku continues to frustrate me.
-My 12 Daughters of Democracy scrapbook had kind of come to a halt. I didn't know where to find pictures for a few of the women. But I worked on it for a long time the other day and got a summary done for one of the women, so now as soon as our printer is fixed I can type it up, print it, and have those pages completely finished!!
Alrighty, that's all for now. Off to watch Elly's puppet show.
Today is list day of a few things I've done that I feel have contributed to my education. :)
-I am chief herb planter for the Kaarre estate this year. This is an ongoing project and I haven't actually PLANTED any yet, but that will happen soon. I have picked my seeds. I made an Exel program with all the herbs I am going to plant and what they need; such as: how far to spread them out, how deep in soil to plant them, days to germination, days to maturity, notes about harvesting and storing, etc.
It's really fun, actually. I'm excited, and I'll keep you updated on how it goes.
-Grandma and Grandpa are amazing. I spent some time up with them. I went for a walk with Grandpa and just talked. He told me last year he got a pretty good price for his cows: $1.20 per pound. We talked about his new mares and how much stud fees cost. We walked to check on the cows and saw a new calf that was born that day. Grandma taught me how to sew a hook and eye on my dress.
-A few weeks ago I had gotten an book from the library about Wildflowers and their names, and where the names come from. It was cool because it reviewed a lot about flowers that I learned in biology last year, such as the parts of a flower. But I learned that the name for Forget-Me-Nots comes from an old German legend. And that Black Eyed Susans really don't have black in them; its a dark brown or purple.
-I've finished a couple books I was reading. One was a Dear America diary about a boy who was a witness to the battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War. Another was called From Baghdad, With Love. That was written by a lieutenant in the Marine Corps who found a little puppy while he was serving in Fallujah, and his fight to get him out of Iraq and home. It was a really well written book, and told ALOT about the war, the military, and what really is going on over there. And the dog is adorable!
I also finished Shane, by Jack Schaeffer. It was so good. In a way it was just a cute story about a boy growing up, but it turned out so much deeper than that. It just cut to the plain truths about people, respect, character and life. I loved it.
-Yesterday I cooked breakfast by myself, and made muffins for the first time. They turned out really good, and I found out I could actually trust myself in my own abilities! It went okay, not perfect, but nothing disastrous happened. And then I cooked dinner with Brina, and I made AWESOME rolls. I seriously think they were the best bread I ever made. Yum. But Brina and I did a good job, we got everything done super quick, and made it to the gazebo without mishap. I did rolls, baked potatoes, corn, marinated steak, salad, and mixed berry angel food cake. Yum.
-I'm still working on geography of Africa. I realized that not very many people know anything about Africa, and I have never heard of some of the countries. I like it, and I'd like to go there some day.
-I'm also still working on reading Acts. Luke is with Paul and Silas and Timothy now, because he refers to them as "we". I'm continuing Habitudes for Core, and read the "Tight Rope Walker" the other day. It talked about trust, and was a really good chapter. It kind of went with Pocket Change, saying that there is a difference between being liked as a friend and followed as a leader. That's something I really agree with.
-Sudoku continues to frustrate me.
-My 12 Daughters of Democracy scrapbook had kind of come to a halt. I didn't know where to find pictures for a few of the women. But I worked on it for a long time the other day and got a summary done for one of the women, so now as soon as our printer is fixed I can type it up, print it, and have those pages completely finished!!
Alrighty, that's all for now. Off to watch Elly's puppet show.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tours, Capoeira, and Les Schwab
Did you know that Capoeira is a Brazilian dance like martial art? Or that it takes approx. 34 minutes to walk from Les Schwab to my house? Or that Christina Aguilera has 14 back up dancers and 5 caterers on the road with her tour right now?
This past week was really fun, tiring, and hilarious. I worked every day, but it was really nice actually. Besides waking up at 5 am!
I was really surprised how much I LEARNED just being there. I learned how to make potato pancakes, for example. And one of the guests is a tour accountant for a bunch of bands. I talked to her for hours! And learned a ton about her job and being on tour (hence Christina Aguilera)
I'm also continuing to read through Acts. It's an amazing book of the bible. I bet they all are once I get around to finishing them! Paul right now is re-capping how Jesus died and rose. Which is really neat to be reading right after Easter! I've also done my Habitudes book for the Core.
I picked up a book at the library called Real U Guides: Bank Accounts and Credit Cards. It's really helpful, and I understand them a lot more. I took a piece of paper and divided up my next paycheck for what it all needs to be spent by, such as Car Insurance, Car Payment, Offering, Dance, Compassion Child, Savings, etc.
I also got a movie from the library about Bascom Lamar Lunsford. He was a folklorist, musician and dancer. He was born in 1882 and spent most of his life perserving Appalachian songs, dances, and culture. He started a Folk Fest in Asheville, NC, videotaped, recorded and learned hundreds of songs and dances. He would go stay at people's houses and sit on the front porch with a fiddle, banjo, guitar or whatever else they had and sing and play songs. It was really interesting. They filmed a bunch of the dances, which I loved! Dad watched it with me, and I told him we should take a guitar and a video camera and spend a couple weeks on the Appalachian trail.
I had piano lessons yesterday and am learning a song called Chiapanecas. Gail and I had a fun time trying to pronounce that.
Well, that's all for now. I'm going to go in search of the Arc'Teryx number I lost to get Erika's jacket replaced. I've been trying to do this for the past 2 weeks!
-krista
This past week was really fun, tiring, and hilarious. I worked every day, but it was really nice actually. Besides waking up at 5 am!
I was really surprised how much I LEARNED just being there. I learned how to make potato pancakes, for example. And one of the guests is a tour accountant for a bunch of bands. I talked to her for hours! And learned a ton about her job and being on tour (hence Christina Aguilera)
I'm also continuing to read through Acts. It's an amazing book of the bible. I bet they all are once I get around to finishing them! Paul right now is re-capping how Jesus died and rose. Which is really neat to be reading right after Easter! I've also done my Habitudes book for the Core.
I picked up a book at the library called Real U Guides: Bank Accounts and Credit Cards. It's really helpful, and I understand them a lot more. I took a piece of paper and divided up my next paycheck for what it all needs to be spent by, such as Car Insurance, Car Payment, Offering, Dance, Compassion Child, Savings, etc.
I also got a movie from the library about Bascom Lamar Lunsford. He was a folklorist, musician and dancer. He was born in 1882 and spent most of his life perserving Appalachian songs, dances, and culture. He started a Folk Fest in Asheville, NC, videotaped, recorded and learned hundreds of songs and dances. He would go stay at people's houses and sit on the front porch with a fiddle, banjo, guitar or whatever else they had and sing and play songs. It was really interesting. They filmed a bunch of the dances, which I loved! Dad watched it with me, and I told him we should take a guitar and a video camera and spend a couple weeks on the Appalachian trail.
I had piano lessons yesterday and am learning a song called Chiapanecas. Gail and I had a fun time trying to pronounce that.
Well, that's all for now. I'm going to go in search of the Arc'Teryx number I lost to get Erika's jacket replaced. I've been trying to do this for the past 2 weeks!
-krista
Friday, March 30, 2007
the Park
Yesterday morning I woke up, put on my sunglasses, hopped and my car and drove to Blakenship. Erika healed my cough with some cayenne pepper and ginger. Then we took a drive up to the park. It was beautiful! Sunny, blue skies, clear lake, white mountains...We went bouldering, blading, and trespassing!
We found a big rock near the lakeshore and I climbed up it. Then we sat on top of it and drank hot choloate with cayenne and real whipping cream! It was soo good... Then we realized we were probably on private property. Whoops.
The road was too rocky and rough to actually enjoy rollerblading on. So we discovered a bike path that goes from West Glacier to Apgar. It was so smooth! We probably bladed about 1 1/2 to 2 miles. It was beautiful. Reminded us both of the Schafer-Morrison trail. PURTY!
We took lots and lots of pictures, though. That was fun, we would just trade the camera back and forth.
Today I went to work, and then met with Lisa for lunch. We went to Mama Blancas, which I had never been to. It was really good. Some awesome corn on the cob! And black bean soup. Yum. It was great to meet with her and talk.
I'm off to bring Elly to the library!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Scatter-brained
So I am terrible at this whole remembering to write thing. It is something I need to work on.
I'd like to write about my trip week. I went to Missoula on the 12th to visit Katie. We had a lot of fun! I learned how to play a game that I don't remember the name of...but it was kind of like Cover Rummy. We spent the day sewing a shirt, which was really cool. I designed it, and she sewed it. I might try to put a picture in here if I can find out how. Then she taught me how to use the sewing machine. I sewed a headband and a bag. It was almost like second nature. I had never used a sewing machine before, but once I knew how it seemed almost natural. Of course, I still can't sew straight, but... :)
Then on Thursday, the 15th, I left for Helena with the Assembly of God youth group. We went down for District Fine Arts Festival. I had written a story, which I will post as well. Fine Arts is a nation-wide program within the AG church for its youth groups. We spent 3 days in Helena. It was amazing! I saw so many people using their talents to portray the gospel in so many different ways! Human video, drama, vocal, short sermons, stories, photography, art, instrumental, essays, composition, Christian band...I learned so much just hanging out during the two days of competition! My favorite I think was human video. Human videos are choreographed movements to music. The music must have lyrics and at least one person in the group has to be singing, or lip-sync, to the words. The two large human videos from Whitefish were one that put bible stories together [creation, adam/eve, jonah, tower of babel, prodigal son] and the second was Counting the Cost, which was about different martyrs. That was my favorite, and they made it to nationals. It started out with Jesus and the sermon on the mount, and then Stephen getting stoned, the apostles who were beheaded and crucified upside down, Joan of Arc, the End of the Spear, and Cassie who was killed in the Columbine school shooting. It was awesome, really powerful and really well done.
I came back from Helena early and went to The Cottage Inn with the family for St. Patrick's day and listened to Cup of Tea. They are so good, and it is really interesting to listen to them. I danced in my head! It was great to be able to count, tap your foot, and anticipate the music.
I'll write about more later. But that was my trip week!!
I'd like to write about my trip week. I went to Missoula on the 12th to visit Katie. We had a lot of fun! I learned how to play a game that I don't remember the name of...but it was kind of like Cover Rummy. We spent the day sewing a shirt, which was really cool. I designed it, and she sewed it. I might try to put a picture in here if I can find out how. Then she taught me how to use the sewing machine. I sewed a headband and a bag. It was almost like second nature. I had never used a sewing machine before, but once I knew how it seemed almost natural. Of course, I still can't sew straight, but... :)
Then on Thursday, the 15th, I left for Helena with the Assembly of God youth group. We went down for District Fine Arts Festival. I had written a story, which I will post as well. Fine Arts is a nation-wide program within the AG church for its youth groups. We spent 3 days in Helena. It was amazing! I saw so many people using their talents to portray the gospel in so many different ways! Human video, drama, vocal, short sermons, stories, photography, art, instrumental, essays, composition, Christian band...I learned so much just hanging out during the two days of competition! My favorite I think was human video. Human videos are choreographed movements to music. The music must have lyrics and at least one person in the group has to be singing, or lip-sync, to the words. The two large human videos from Whitefish were one that put bible stories together [creation, adam/eve, jonah, tower of babel, prodigal son] and the second was Counting the Cost, which was about different martyrs. That was my favorite, and they made it to nationals. It started out with Jesus and the sermon on the mount, and then Stephen getting stoned, the apostles who were beheaded and crucified upside down, Joan of Arc, the End of the Spear, and Cassie who was killed in the Columbine school shooting. It was awesome, really powerful and really well done.
I came back from Helena early and went to The Cottage Inn with the family for St. Patrick's day and listened to Cup of Tea. They are so good, and it is really interesting to listen to them. I danced in my head! It was great to be able to count, tap your foot, and anticipate the music.
I'll write about more later. But that was my trip week!!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Death by Dessert (and routers)
Today I attended Brennen's school play, Death by Dessert. It was so cute! And we got to eat really really good chocolate cake. Brenny did a good job, he's a good actor.
I also spent a good portion of my day in Kalispell. We went into the two most dangerous stores any member of our family could ever go into: Blacktail Books and Snappys. (These are two particular stores...any store than is either a bookstore or an outdoor gear store is equally deadly) We spent long period of time in both. The best part of the day might have been the pretzel bites from the mall though. Yum.
We had to stop by our internet service office to get a new router and secure network put onto our laptops. I learned how to do that, so that was neat. I am getting internet on my laptop again, since it has been out for a week.
I proved Momma wrong today by finding a FEMALE betta fish in Wal*Mart. hehehehehe.
Other random things were done today such as reading my book, doing laundry, playing cribbage with Brina for a long time, practicing piano, making my Melaleuca order, showing Dad a really neat part of Riverdance, EATING A PASTY!, and reading the next part of Acts. I've just been going through Acts and I'm in the middle of chapter 8. Stephen just gave a summary of Abraham and Moses. That was cool because we are going through Genesis in sunday bible class right now too.
Well, I'm off to bed. Samsonite (the cat) is laying on my lap right now and I don't think she'll take too kindly to my removing her from her comfy spot. Oh well. Night, Krista.
I also spent a good portion of my day in Kalispell. We went into the two most dangerous stores any member of our family could ever go into: Blacktail Books and Snappys. (These are two particular stores...any store than is either a bookstore or an outdoor gear store is equally deadly) We spent long period of time in both. The best part of the day might have been the pretzel bites from the mall though. Yum.
We had to stop by our internet service office to get a new router and secure network put onto our laptops. I learned how to do that, so that was neat. I am getting internet on my laptop again, since it has been out for a week.
I proved Momma wrong today by finding a FEMALE betta fish in Wal*Mart. hehehehehe.
Other random things were done today such as reading my book, doing laundry, playing cribbage with Brina for a long time, practicing piano, making my Melaleuca order, showing Dad a really neat part of Riverdance, EATING A PASTY!, and reading the next part of Acts. I've just been going through Acts and I'm in the middle of chapter 8. Stephen just gave a summary of Abraham and Moses. That was cool because we are going through Genesis in sunday bible class right now too.
Well, I'm off to bed. Samsonite (the cat) is laying on my lap right now and I don't think she'll take too kindly to my removing her from her comfy spot. Oh well. Night, Krista.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Whoops!
There has been a delay in postings. Whoops. There is no possible way to go back over the past weeks and figure everything out, and record it. If at times in the future I remember something, I'll post it. Otherwise, I'll start with today!
Today, I met Patsy at 10:30 at Coffee Traders. We went for a walk on the "new" bike path that goes back around the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, and a nice long walk. Then we went to Loula's for lunch. It was a lovely morning.
I came home and worked through my weather book. I put on sunglasses and went outside to gaze at the clouds. I shouldn't call it gazing, however, because it was pretty intense examining. I attempted to identify the type of clouds they were. I'm keeping a log in the back of my weather book with the date and the type of clouds on that day. I wonder how accurate I am? But the book goes on to explain what you can safely assume from types of clouds and their formations, and activity. Pretty interesting.
I played guitar and piano for quite a long time today. It was lovely. I played my piano song the right way for the first time today! Whoo hoot!
I baked Oatmeal (C)Raisin Pecan cookies today. They were pretty darn good. Momma liked them anyways! We brought them over to church for soup supper.
I watched the "Lord of the Dance" Irish dance show by Michael Flatley on video today. I got it from the library. It was, ... interesting. Amazing dancing, but interesting costumes, story and choreography. It was incredible to watch, though. Makes me want to dance!!
I got a book at the library yesterday too, about rock climbing. It was basically like a big kid's storybook. But it was really well done book. Just the design, captions, and explanations. It was fun to read. I actually learned quite a bit about rock climbing. They had drawing and diagrams of all the protectiona and where the different ones are best placed. They showed climbers doing different techniques and moves. It was really fun!
well, that's all for now. maybe i will remember to update this more often. guten nacht.
Today, I met Patsy at 10:30 at Coffee Traders. We went for a walk on the "new" bike path that goes back around the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, and a nice long walk. Then we went to Loula's for lunch. It was a lovely morning.
I came home and worked through my weather book. I put on sunglasses and went outside to gaze at the clouds. I shouldn't call it gazing, however, because it was pretty intense examining. I attempted to identify the type of clouds they were. I'm keeping a log in the back of my weather book with the date and the type of clouds on that day. I wonder how accurate I am? But the book goes on to explain what you can safely assume from types of clouds and their formations, and activity. Pretty interesting.
I played guitar and piano for quite a long time today. It was lovely. I played my piano song the right way for the first time today! Whoo hoot!
I baked Oatmeal (C)Raisin Pecan cookies today. They were pretty darn good. Momma liked them anyways! We brought them over to church for soup supper.
I watched the "Lord of the Dance" Irish dance show by Michael Flatley on video today. I got it from the library. It was, ... interesting. Amazing dancing, but interesting costumes, story and choreography. It was incredible to watch, though. Makes me want to dance!!
I got a book at the library yesterday too, about rock climbing. It was basically like a big kid's storybook. But it was really well done book. Just the design, captions, and explanations. It was fun to read. I actually learned quite a bit about rock climbing. They had drawing and diagrams of all the protectiona and where the different ones are best placed. They showed climbers doing different techniques and moves. It was really fun!
well, that's all for now. maybe i will remember to update this more often. guten nacht.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentine
Happy Valentine's Day! Just a quick update before I forget, of what I have accomplished lately.
I worked today at the Bar W Guest Ranch. We cooked a dinner. Steak with peppers, red potatoes, a green salad, strawberry angel food cake with chocolate covered strawberries, garlic bread, green and yellow squash sauted with purple onions. (and I wish I could've eaten it all!)
I really need to go to bed, but a quick list:
I continued reading "Yukon Quest".
Finished Lesson 5 of Algebra 2, and started Lesson 6. Lesson 6 contains problems with decimals in word problems. Tomorrow I'll put an example up.
Took Elly to Montana Coffee Traders; every Wednesday at 10am they have Children's Music.
Sudoku!
Practiced piano and guitar.
Went to Youth Group at Assembly of God. Tim Bach was there and spoke.
Had a Mardi Gras party at church!
Nighty Night.
I worked today at the Bar W Guest Ranch. We cooked a dinner. Steak with peppers, red potatoes, a green salad, strawberry angel food cake with chocolate covered strawberries, garlic bread, green and yellow squash sauted with purple onions. (and I wish I could've eaten it all!)
I really need to go to bed, but a quick list:
I continued reading "Yukon Quest".
Finished Lesson 5 of Algebra 2, and started Lesson 6. Lesson 6 contains problems with decimals in word problems. Tomorrow I'll put an example up.
Took Elly to Montana Coffee Traders; every Wednesday at 10am they have Children's Music.
Sudoku!
Practiced piano and guitar.
Went to Youth Group at Assembly of God. Tim Bach was there and spoke.
Had a Mardi Gras party at church!
Nighty Night.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Yukon Quest
I'm back after a wonderful weekend. I didn't post on Friday, because I was up Pinkham with Brina. We had a lovely time. To recap the weekend:
Thursday night I had piano lessons with Gail. I learned about blues chord progressions, the I, IV and V7 chords, and played a blues song. It was hard at first, but, like most things, got easier with practice. After piano, I went to dance. I take Irish dance classes in Kalispell from a lady named Sally Conrad. She teaches Celtic Cross Dance School, and also gives guitar lessons. She's an amazing teacher, really laid back, and quite entertaining. Dance is 45 minutes, but goes by incredibly fast. We do hardshoe and softshoe. I couldn't tell you which I liked better. In softshoe we get to do very lovely dances and pretty moves, and it seems to flow. But in hardshoe we get to make lots and lots of noise with our feet! which is always fun.
Then after dance I went to Erika's house where she was housesitting. We looked at pictures, ate cookies, and watched the movie "That Thing You Do". We started another movie, but didn't finish it. Anyway, on Friday Brina and I left for Pinkham. We drove up there and started a fire right away, and spent a good while bringing in firewood. After that we sat in front of the fire and talked for 8 hours. We got up to make dinner, which just consisted of burning hammukukko, and rapidly stuffing jalepeno poppers into our mouths.
Saturday morning we went up to Grandma's and ate lots of shaped hotcakes, and talked with her and Grandpa. Then we went to 4 Corners for beer battered fries and gravy, and came home. And Sunday being just the usual sunday it is, that was my weekend.
Today, Monday, I woke up and spent a good many hours reading "Yukon Quest: Treasure of the North" by Tracie Peterson. I felt silly wasting so many hours sitting there telling myself a story, but reading is so addicting. The book is the first in a series (of four, I think) about women who travel to Alaska. This one is mostly about Grace Hawkins and Karen Pierce. Karen is Grace's governess, and together they travel to Alaska to escape Grace from an arranged marriage to a man who beat and threatened her. While in Alaska they meet Bill Barringer and his two children, and Peter Colton. Both the Colton and Barringer famalies have a story of their own. The book takes the story on from the point all three parties meet.
I decided to get a few things accomplished today that have been needing attention for a while. Such as the mess that happens to occupy my room, and the matter of Erika's broken jacket I needed to send back to Arc'Teryx to be repaired. It had snowed all day today as well, so Elly and I went out to play with the dog and the new inches of white. Snow angels are definitely the best. Elly set up a dance studio in the kitchen, so we spent much time dancing together. We wrote out dance moves, and I showed her a few of my Irish moves, a bit slower, and she loved learning them.
Algebra continued to make me frustated, and then elated when I actually figured out how to do it. I didn't finish my entire lesson, but got a fair amount done, with lots and lots of help from Mom. We spend a bit of time talking and scribbling through our different learning styles before we actually get through a problem. But it's all for the better, we learn how to do it. It's kind of fun when you get the hang of it. (I never thought I'd say that)
Well, I think that's all for now. I might go watch part of the movie Riverdance. I'll tell you how it goes tomorrow.
Thursday night I had piano lessons with Gail. I learned about blues chord progressions, the I, IV and V7 chords, and played a blues song. It was hard at first, but, like most things, got easier with practice. After piano, I went to dance. I take Irish dance classes in Kalispell from a lady named Sally Conrad. She teaches Celtic Cross Dance School, and also gives guitar lessons. She's an amazing teacher, really laid back, and quite entertaining. Dance is 45 minutes, but goes by incredibly fast. We do hardshoe and softshoe. I couldn't tell you which I liked better. In softshoe we get to do very lovely dances and pretty moves, and it seems to flow. But in hardshoe we get to make lots and lots of noise with our feet! which is always fun.
Then after dance I went to Erika's house where she was housesitting. We looked at pictures, ate cookies, and watched the movie "That Thing You Do". We started another movie, but didn't finish it. Anyway, on Friday Brina and I left for Pinkham. We drove up there and started a fire right away, and spent a good while bringing in firewood. After that we sat in front of the fire and talked for 8 hours. We got up to make dinner, which just consisted of burning hammukukko, and rapidly stuffing jalepeno poppers into our mouths.
Saturday morning we went up to Grandma's and ate lots of shaped hotcakes, and talked with her and Grandpa. Then we went to 4 Corners for beer battered fries and gravy, and came home. And Sunday being just the usual sunday it is, that was my weekend.
Today, Monday, I woke up and spent a good many hours reading "Yukon Quest: Treasure of the North" by Tracie Peterson. I felt silly wasting so many hours sitting there telling myself a story, but reading is so addicting. The book is the first in a series (of four, I think) about women who travel to Alaska. This one is mostly about Grace Hawkins and Karen Pierce. Karen is Grace's governess, and together they travel to Alaska to escape Grace from an arranged marriage to a man who beat and threatened her. While in Alaska they meet Bill Barringer and his two children, and Peter Colton. Both the Colton and Barringer famalies have a story of their own. The book takes the story on from the point all three parties meet.
I decided to get a few things accomplished today that have been needing attention for a while. Such as the mess that happens to occupy my room, and the matter of Erika's broken jacket I needed to send back to Arc'Teryx to be repaired. It had snowed all day today as well, so Elly and I went out to play with the dog and the new inches of white. Snow angels are definitely the best. Elly set up a dance studio in the kitchen, so we spent much time dancing together. We wrote out dance moves, and I showed her a few of my Irish moves, a bit slower, and she loved learning them.
Algebra continued to make me frustated, and then elated when I actually figured out how to do it. I didn't finish my entire lesson, but got a fair amount done, with lots and lots of help from Mom. We spend a bit of time talking and scribbling through our different learning styles before we actually get through a problem. But it's all for the better, we learn how to do it. It's kind of fun when you get the hang of it. (I never thought I'd say that)
Well, I think that's all for now. I might go watch part of the movie Riverdance. I'll tell you how it goes tomorrow.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
fire, weather, and equations
This morning, after a wonderful breakfast of Momma's bread toasted with cinnamon and sugar, I finished reading "The Big Burn" by Jeanette Inglold. It is about the Idaho (and rest of the northwest) wildfires in 1910. It is written through the eyes of three different teenagers. Seth, a black soldier; Jarrett, a young man who leaves his home and his father to fight fire; and Lisbeth, falling in love with the land she helps her aunt homestead. The book tells the story of how these three different people come together while fighting the same fire.
I finished "The Big Burn" and read a few pages out of my "Basic Essentials: Weather Forecasting" book. It is a Falcon Guide, written by Michael Hodgson. I learned about coalescensce. Coalescence is the process by which water droplets inside a cloud become large enough that the pull of gravity is stronger than the lift of moving air. Then, they fall as rain or snow. The book also had a really good diagram and description of seasons, and the position of the earth and poles toward the sun. During the spring and fall equinox, the north and south poles are equidistant from the sun. During the summer, the north pole is tilted toward the sun. During the winter, the south pole is turned toward the sun. This goes on to help explain shorter vs. longer days, colder vs. warmer days, and many other things associated with weather.
My algebra lesson today is world problems and fractional parts of numbers. Here is an example of a world problem we did: The number of boxes was doubled when the new truck was unloaded. Then, 7 more boxes arrived. The resulting number of boxes is 13 less than 3 times the original number. How many boxes were there to begin with?
I learned how to set up the problem like this: 2b + 7 = 3n - 13.
To add fractional part of a number to this concept, we did this problem:
One-fifth of the rodeo cowboys rode black horses. If 30 cowboys rode black horses, how many cowboys were there in all?
I learned to set it up like this: 1/5 x C = 30
Well, that's all for now.
I finished "The Big Burn" and read a few pages out of my "Basic Essentials: Weather Forecasting" book. It is a Falcon Guide, written by Michael Hodgson. I learned about coalescensce. Coalescence is the process by which water droplets inside a cloud become large enough that the pull of gravity is stronger than the lift of moving air. Then, they fall as rain or snow. The book also had a really good diagram and description of seasons, and the position of the earth and poles toward the sun. During the spring and fall equinox, the north and south poles are equidistant from the sun. During the summer, the north pole is tilted toward the sun. During the winter, the south pole is turned toward the sun. This goes on to help explain shorter vs. longer days, colder vs. warmer days, and many other things associated with weather.
My algebra lesson today is world problems and fractional parts of numbers. Here is an example of a world problem we did: The number of boxes was doubled when the new truck was unloaded. Then, 7 more boxes arrived. The resulting number of boxes is 13 less than 3 times the original number. How many boxes were there to begin with?
I learned how to set up the problem like this: 2b + 7 = 3n - 13.
To add fractional part of a number to this concept, we did this problem:
One-fifth of the rodeo cowboys rode black horses. If 30 cowboys rode black horses, how many cowboys were there in all?
I learned to set it up like this: 1/5 x C = 30
Well, that's all for now.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Operation Blogger: Day 1
This is a blog, mostly made to keep records for myself. A fun way for me to remember what I've done and am doing with my life and education. I'll put up pictures and updates and journaling of what I do on a daily basis. Let's hope it works!
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