Ready For School

Mara in her brand new school dress with her brand new haircut. ("Like Loe and Allie's" only I couldn't bring myself to let Anna cut it that short. She seems happy with this, thank goodness.)

Mara's "class." Allie, Mara, Madeline and Jadyn (left to right)

Learning the five senses in science included making a book about them. Mara was so excited to get out the crayons, glue and scissors.

First Day of School

Much too quickly Mara has reached school age. I'm still breathless when I think of how fast the last 3.5 years have gone since that bright and lively toddler joined our family in December of 2004. Maybe since we missed the first 18 months of her life, it seems like the pre-school years have gone by even faster than they did with the first three girls. But time will march on no matter how we might try to hold it back and so it is time for Mara to start Kindergarten.

For many reasons we decided we'd like to give home school a try with Mara and Ailah. After some research and talking with other home schooling parents, we came to the conclusion that we were not good candidates for "traditional home school." We were excited to discover the Colorado Virtual Academy (COVA) which is a charter school through Adams District 12, and, therefore, a public school. It is known as a "distance learning" situation because all the work is done here at home, just like a home school family might do. We are provided with the curriculum (K-12, a core-knowledge program,) and a computer "free of charge." (Paid for with tax dollars because it is a public school.) We have access to a teacher should we run into problems I can't get Mara through, but otherwise Mara's education is in my hands. Much to our astonishment, this program seems to be frowned upon by many in the traditional home school community. So we find ourselves at the "bottom of the educational food chain" as Jeff puts it, because we aren't "doing it right" according to either the home school or the "brick and mortar" group. Oh well, life wouldn't be normal for us if we weren't going the wrong way down a one-way street, especially where our kids education is concerned. We always seem to find ourselves following a different path than the rest of society. (At least we're not starting a charter school this time. We did learn that lesson the first time out.)

However, having said that, we are quickly finding a warm, welcoming community among other COVA families. We feel quite fortunate to have found 3 other Greeley girls beginning kindergarten with COVA this fall. We, the other moms and I, decided it would be fun to give the girls a more formal "first day of school" than just sitting down to the computer one day. So on Thursday we all met at The Egg and I, girls all in their first-day dresses, for a celebratory breakfast. We had a great time, if a little noisy. The restaurant had wisely set us up in a back room all by ourselves once they saw the group of 4 moms and 7 kids aged 5 and under. The girls held out through breakfast in a very lady-like fashion, but lost it while we moms were chatting afterward and became a little noisy and rambunctious.

Mara and I actually started a few lessons on Wednesday, just to get our feet wet. Then after breakfast on Thursday we did a few more. Yesterday was the COVA fall kick-off at the zoo (more on that later,) so we didn't do any lessons. We're behind, but it looks like we will easily catch up since many of the first lessons focus on things Mara has already learned. Today I will spend some time creating a schedule for Mara, Ailah and I so we can be more organized this upcoming week. I think that will make a huge difference in how much we get accomplished.

Mara had a great time with her work, and is just thrilled to have a brand new desk and a computer that is "all my own." I had fun working with her and seeing her face light up when she caught on to a new concept for the first time. We're both looking forward to an awesome year!

Michigan

Jeff, Katelynn and Ailah were able to take a trip to Michigan for cousin Jenn's wedding. We all wanted to go, but we just couldn't afford it this time. They had a great time traveling from Detroit (nearest reasonably priced airfare,) north to Pickford in the Upper Pennisula for the wedding. I think they thought they were on vacation or something. They HAD to visit the Motown Museum, of course, because "its in the book." (1000 Places to See Before You Die in the USA and Canada.) They also spent a day at Mackinac Island, one of our favorite Michigan haunts, and visited the Sault Locks in Sault Ste. Marie. And, of course, Jeff managed to track down a light house he hadn't visited yet in the U.P., for a tour. But rest assured, they did actually make it to the wedding; we have pictures. They were missed and I was glad to have them back when they arrived safely at DIA last Monday evening.

Motown Historical Museum

Mackinac Island lies in the Straits of Mackinac (MAK-i-naw) where Lakes Huron and Michigan meet, just to the east of the Mackinac Bridge. It was originally a military outpost built by the British in 1780 to hold off those pesky American upstarts, (apparently it didn't work.) It was also a huge fur-trade depot at one point but during the Victorian era it became a vacation spot and that is what it is today. (Though you can still tour the fort.) The Main Street is a bit touristy, with lots of fudge shops and such, (Mmmmmm!) but the rest of the island is just beautiful. Cars have been banned since, well forever, so it is clean and quiet with horse-drawn carriages and bicycles the only forms of transportation. Once, a really long time ago, when we were all much younger, we actually rode bikes around the circumference of the island with Katelynn in a seat on the back. A charming place we highly recommend if you ever find yourself in northern Michigan. Oh and it's also in "the book."

Point Iroquois Lighthouse; Brimley, Michigan

Jenn and Ken tie the knot. Congratulations!

Turning Five in Durango

Okay, I promised a report on our "staycation." So now, an entire month after we traveled, I'll attempt to remember just what transpired. Thanks to the " we don't want to mar our ice-scape" wacko-environmentalists we are plagued by in this country (it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to,) the gas prices and airfare were too high for us to take the vacation of choice this year. But thanks to Jeff's job, we were able to hitch a ride to one of the more beautiful parts of Colorado to enjoy a few days of relaxation and family time together. (Your tax dollars at work, Colorado residents. Thanks!) Jeff obviously had to spend the weekdays working but we valiantly vacationed on without him during those hours.

We (all but Katelynn because she is an adult now and has one of those pesky jobs,) started with a beautiful drive through the mountains to Durango. It was a very nice day, both little girls doing an awesome job of riding without complaint or motion sickness for the 8-hour trip across this huge state. What a charming town! They have done an amazing job of revitalizing their downtown Main Street with wonderful little shops and great restaurants. Nikki, Mara, Ailah and I actually were able to keep ourselves busy for the better part of three days with shopping, enjoying Cold Stone, Starbucks and touring the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge train museum. And we didn't even break the bank buying stuff. Nikki is my tightwad kid so we had more fun thinking about what we might buy than actually doling out the cash. However, I allowed myself to spend most of the budget for Ailah's upcoming birthday in a great little toy store and Nikki indulged her latest hobby at the bead store.

On the weekend, while Jeff wasn't working, we took a trip up to Silverton. We thought about taking the train but decided 8 hours in a confined space with a 5 and 2-year-old didn't really sound like fun. And at $75 a pop, we felt a drive was much more appropriate. The scenery was beautiful and Silverton is the cutest little town. It was cooler there; the higher altitude and typical mountain weather made for a chilly, rainy afternoon. But we enjoyed lunch in a fun little cafe and shopped the main street. (Because we didn't have enough shopping in Durango.)

On the way there, we had to stop at Honeyville, a factory that produces wonderful products from local honey. We hoped to have a tour, but the "guy that does that" was on vacation. We enjoyed looking for the queen bee in the glass hive, tried a dozen flavors of honey, sampled a few types of honey wine and bought several gifts. (Okay, we bought some stuff for ourselves too, I just couldn't pass up the chocolate honey sauce. MMMMMMMM!!!!!!)

Since Mara's birthday was while we were in Durango, we had celebrated at home with Katelynn, Grandma and Grandpa before we left. However, we couldn't let the day go by without making it special for her. She had a button to wear that announced to the world that she was 5 and I gave her some cash to spend on whatever she wanted. We ate lunch at Mc Donald's (still her favorite place to eat,) and, best of all, Nikki made a "tent" for her to camp out in the hotel room. The next day she told me she didn't feel five. When I asked why she told me she just thought she'd feel different and thought she'd be "bigger." Sorry kiddo, I don't think it is in the cards to be tall. However, there may come a day you are "bigger" than you want to be. We celebrate having Mara in our family and thank God everyday for giving us the gift of a joyful, vivacious and fun-loving child just when our family needed a bright spot. She is such a great kid!

We ended our trip with a few nights in Montrose. Nice little town, but not much to do there. However, Jeff only had one day of meetings there so we kept ourselves entertained with swimming and checking out the downtown area. There is an awesome steak house that Jeff frequents whenever he is in town. He took us there for our last "on the road" dinner. The adults enjoyed the food, Mara and Ailah were thrilled with the balloon "animals" made to order. Actually, Ailah was happy with both--who would have guessed a not-quite-two-year-old with only 4 molars could eat half of my prime rib?

On the way home, we took a side trip to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It is my sense that this is a much overlooked National Park, not one you hear much about, even in Colorado. This place truly illustrates God's awesome power and creativity. Though we were, as usual, slammed in the face with the "millions and millions of years ago" propaganda, we ignored it and enjoyed the beauty God has created for us. Anyone who finds themselves traveling the western slope of Colorado should make an effort to take a drive through this park. It is gorgeous if a bit scary when the spouse leans over the lookout guard rail with the 5-year-old on his shoulders.

Okay, so that was our vacation this year. Well, at least for Nikki, Mara and I. Jeff, Katelynn and Ailah are even now, as I write this, wandering the hinterlands known as the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. They are there for Jenn's wedding tonight. Congratulations, Jennifer!! This was the vacation we all hoped to take, but alas, it wasn't in the cards. Jeff had a companion (BOGO) plane ticket so he and Katelynn split the cost for the trip. Ailah just barely was able to take advantage of the "under two flies free" benefit the airlines surprisingly still allow, so she went along. We really wanted the family to be represented and this was the low budget way to do so. I know it is good for Jeff to have the opportunity to introduce Ailah to his family, but I am really missing her! A lot!

Life is nuts around here right now. We are attempting to get ready for Mara to start school next week. She will be "attending" the Colorado Virtual Academy, a distance-learning school. That means she will be learning here at home and I am her "learning coach." But it technically can't be called home school and I'm not technically her teacher because it is operated under the auspices of a charter/public school. I'm calling it home school anyway, but don't tell any of those touchy NEA types. They hate home school. Well, actually the majority of Americans are wary of and have little good to say about home school. Whatever. I'm trying to learn to smile graciously and change the subject when we get that horrified look after people ask Mara where she will be going to school this year. I know home school parents have been facing this for years, but I've never understood the attitude and still don't. But more about starting school later. I'll try to post "first day of school" pics in a timely manner next week.

The train museum

The tent

Silverton from a nearby hillside

Resting in Silverton

I think I take too many scrapbook pictures. Mara wouldn't rest until we took pictures of them on these bronze horses. "You'll want them for the book, Mom."

We always get a little silly on vacation.

See that water WAY down at the bottom?

So did Ailah and she was insistent I get her down to the "waa." I had trouble holding on!

Trying To Be Brave

When Ailah came home from China, she was deathly afraid of all animals, stuffed or real. She has done very well in overcoming this fear though she still bristles when Phil walks into the room. So when we put the two girls onto this bench in front of the original Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Durango for a photo op, she tried very hard to sit next to the enormous stuffed bear while I tried to get both of them smiling and looking at the camera at the same time. But by the time I'd snapped a few pictures she had moved as far away as possible and given up the brave game face.

Going. . .

Going. . .

Gone!

So Much Fun

We have had so much fun the last month that I just haven't found time to blog. Really! I know that most of the time I just don't get around to it, but this time we've just been so busy that one activity has come right on the heels of the next. Hmmm. . .so where to begin.

I'll start with our Fourth of July celebration. We chose to enjoy the Stampede parade from the comfort of our living room, watching the first hour on television. Later we made our way to Denver to enjoy 4th of July activities provided by the City of Northglenn in a neat park just a few blocks from Katelynn's house. It was a hot, hot, hot day so we stayed in the shade as much as we could. The girls found a fun splash fountain in the playground area that cooled them down for awhile. Unfortunately, the adults just stood in the sun next to them baking and taking pictures. As we wandered a few booths set up in one end of the park, Mara spotted and begged for a blow-up pink unicorn. My protests went unheeded in the face of two big sisters and Dad pleading on her behalf, so the unicorn joined our family. In the end, it was well worth it just for the pictures it provided. The evening was topped off by an amazing fireworks display while we enjoyed Sonic drinks in the perfect evening weather. Despite some rather unpleasant teens sitting nearby smoking and loudly sharing their large vocabulary of foul language, (I'm sure they just wanted to illustrate what true individual freedom really means,) we were able to celebrate the freedom and riches we enjoy in this wonderful country. We are so appreciative of our forefathers and their wisdom and courage creating this country.

We spent the next day roasting at the Stampede just to get an annual taste of this huge Greeley event. Somehow it doesn't feel like we've really celebrated the 4th if we don't attend the Stampede or the parade. It was dollar ride day at the carnival, so Mara and Ailah got to enjoy some of the kid rides as well as a turn at the Ferris Wheel. Mara enjoyed everything she rode, Ailah not so much. We fondly remember our trip to Disneyland when Mara was this age. She rode the carousel as many times as we would let her and begged for more. Ailah rode this carousel exactly once and when we asked if she wanted to go again, she vigourously shook her head with an obvious look of distaste on her face. These two kids are as different as could be from start to finish. I mostly just enjoyed that stampede food though the prices really are becoming prohibitive. Yikes!

I'm going to end this here just to get something posted. Come back soon for the next installment of Summer 2008, the Stoll family "staycation."

Celebrating America

Sheer joy--a cool splash of water on a very hot day.

An all-American kid

Unfortunately, personal freedom no longer includes legal use of sparklers in our neck of the woods. But since there is a proud tradition of revolution in our country, we always allow the kids to perform just a few illegal acts every 4th of July. Ailah was in awe of the sparklers and handled them like a pro. She thoroughly enjoyed her first Independence Day as an American.