Such a pleasant day

Today was such a dreary day when it started.  I kid you not the fog was so thick you couldn't see but a few feet in front of you.  But as the day progressed the fog lifted and by three o'clock it was so sunny.  Our outdoor thermastat said it was fifty degrees.

So the kids, decided to take advantage of the sun and go out.  We still have some pretty deep drifts of snow in our yard.  Some of the drifts are so deep that they come up to Cassie's hip still.  They tried playing volleyball but the ball kept making its way down the hill so they decided to snowboard down the hill. 

As you can see there are areas of the yard that are free of snow.  There is hope that we will see the ground soon.  However, I don't think we will be snow free by the official start of spring, March 20th. 

After the girls snowboarded a while they came in to see if they could go see if the neighbor kids could play.  BUT before they could get out of the yard, by foot, the neighbor kids arrived on their bikes and wanted to know if they wanted to go for a bike ride.  So, we got the bikes down off the garage hooks and they went for a bike ride in their snow pants and snow boots. 

Happy Birthday Cassie!!!

Well, fifteen years ago today, and eleven days late I might add, Cassaundra Taylor Jackson was born.  She weighed in at 7 lbs. 11 oz. and became known as our baby Big Gulp!! 

This is to you, my darling daughter,

We were so excited about our new roles as parents even though we had no idea what to expect.  Those first few days, I mean weeks, okay really months were more work than I think either one of us had ever imagined.  Being first time parents, we didn't know what to do with every little cry, wimper, sigh, or gurgle, but we figured it out.  There were some memorable moments for your father and I, and over the years we have shared those stories with you.  Hopefully we haven't scarred you - LOL!  It is hard to believe that today you are 15, but it is a joyous moment.  I have watched you blossom into a beautiful young woman and I am very proud of you.  You have this wit about you, yet you are very grounded and have a good head on your shoulders.  I don't worry about the choices you will make in these fun-filled teenage years because I know you know in your heart what it is to be wholesome and you will make the right choices.  I hope you have an awesome year as you look forward to the next milestone in your life.  I love you very much.

Love, Mom

Bubba,

        Fifteen years ago, my life changed. I became a father for the first time. I did not know what I was doing and I did not know how I would take care of a new life. There are times even now, fifteen years later that I still don’t know what I am doing, or how I will take care of you, but all I have to do is look into your eyes as I did when you were brand new, and I know that I will figure it out.

      Cassaundra, you have brought joy to an empty life. You have brought life into a mundane existence. Your life enriches all other lives that you touch. I will still continue to make mistakes as your dad, but I will never make a mistake by loving you. Your first fifteen years have gone by quickly, but they have produced quite a young lady: A beautiful young adult with a faith only matched by her personality. You are a blessing to this family, and if I ever do let you date, you will be a blessing to a significant other as well.

      May your next 15 years be as happy and fulfilling as your first fifteen have been. Never lose the desire to try new things and continue to grow in your appetite for knowledge. Happy Birthday to you, but even more so, happy birthday to us. We are the happy ones on this day, because we get to say you are our daughter.

I love you,

Dad

Today we celebrate and reflect on birthdays past . . .

Where has the time gone????

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUBBA!!

Up close to the mule deer . . .

Well, the kids and I went to town to order their glasses and pick up some groceries at Wal-Mart.  On our way home, just the road behind our house, we were entertained by the mule deer running along side us.

Mackenzie was the little photographer in the front seat getting all these great pictures.

We drove very slow along side them and tried to get some good pictures.  They'd startle every once in a while, but they never darted in front of me.

Here they are standing in the neighbor's, to the back of our house, front yard and looked right at Mackenzie.

Now, they decided it was time to bolt. (The house with the green roof is ours.  See, it's a ranch with a walk out basement.)

They were neat to watch trotting and then bouncing along.  They move like antelope when they are running/fleeing; otherwise they were at a casual trot.  Cassie said they look like a cross between a llama and a  donkey (hence, the mule ears that make them the mule deer).

They finally, cut through our back six acres, the one in the lead jumped the fence while the latter one crawled through. 

Running through our field to the other side, the road we live off.

After we passed them they jumped the fence again and off they go. 

Is that what the sun looks like???

Well, yesterday we finally saw the sun.  We haven't seen the sun much lately - I was beginning to think we were back in Ohio.  We've been covered with fog, dreary gray sky, and NO sun!!  They said the other day, that this is a record, having fog for 53 days.  Some mornings we'd wake up to a thick fog that would thin out over the morning and just leave dreary gray skies or we'd wake up to a little bit of fog and then it would move in and become a thick soupy fog for the greater part of the day.  It's been very yuky and apparently way out of the normal.  As many have said, this is just "weird" weather.  We keep telling people it is because we are here. 


Two days ago we woke to fresh new snow and snow flurries on and off all day. YUK!!!  I have to say what has amazed me is the amount of snow that has melted even though we have only been in the high 20s and the sun isn't shining continuously during the daytime hours.  But of course, with that melting snow comes MUD, another huge YUK!!  During the snow season (which I'm not even sure it is over, yet), the snow was so deep in our driveway I had gotten stuck a few times.  Well, when our driveway was a pool of mud, I was just waiting to get stuck.  You see, I'm sure there will be a point during this melting season (I would like to call the 'mud season') that I or Jay will get stuck in our driveway. 


The last two days, the mud has been covered with that fresh new layer of snow, but it was not just snow it had become a snowy muddy slush.  Luckily, we didn't get stuck, but there was plenty of slipping and sliding in the driveway as we would turn into it and then into the garage area.  Now, yesterday there was a truck that came out to get the unused 500 gallon propane tank and on his way out, backing out, he got stuck at the mouth of our driveway.  What worries me is if that big massive heavy truck can get stuck in our muddy driveway, what about my 'mom' vehicle, or maybe that is why he got stuck because he was big and heavy.  I don't know.  All I do know is every where that is not paved or concreted is just a muddy mess!!  Even our church parking lot is just a swamp of mud!


Well, anyway, yesterday we finally saw the sun!!!  It was such a pleasant sight and the kids decided to take advantage of the warmth and sunshine and go out to play for a little bit.  You see, yesterday, they had the day off of school because Cassie's birthday is Sunday, and the house rule is if your birthday doesn't fall on a school day then you get to pick which day to cancel school because we do NOT do school on birthdays.  Forget being the star student for the week or the day, we just flat out CANCEL school for a day!

Yes, I know there is still A LOT of snow on the ground.  Now it has become somewhat soft and slushy, Cassie's foot/leg got stuck deep within.  I'm not sure if we will see the yard until we get back from Ohio.  I'm hoping that the snow is all but gone when we get back and it would be even nicer if the mud has dried up too, but I've been told not to get my hopes up.

LOL . . .

I tell you, each of our kids have so many little quirks that make us laugh and just enjoy being in their presence.  I get such a joy out of watching Mackenzie do her crafty thingy she likes to do.  As many of you know, kids sometimes say or do the darndest things.  Well, the other night Mackenzie brought out her craft bin and took up shop at the little 2'x4' folding table in our living room.  You can't see by these pictures, but she meticuously organized her things on the table, but what we just adored, more like chuckled about, was the attire or accessory she adorned. 

I so wanted to get a picture, but her older sister kept trying and she kept hiding her face.  So, I thought I could stealth attack, but as you can see, she was quicker than my finger (stupid focus and red-eye features!!)  .  .  .

She even went as far as threatening to take my picture - she knows I highly dislike having my picture taken!!

But, finally she gave in and let me get a picture of her in her . . .wait for it .  .  .  GOGGLES!  I guess one can't be too safe when doing craft projects.

Once she gave in she decided to ham it up and goof off for the camera  .  .  .

LOL

Homeschool Field Trip

We have been here for over five months and have not really interacted with any homeschoolers.  Before we got here I tried to tie into the local home school support group, and once we got here I paid the membership fee and got connected.  Well, at least I thought we were connected.  We received the member directory (seems to be several families in the surrounding areas) and were getting the monthly newsletter, but I hadn't gotten fully connected.  I was a little discouraged because we're so use to being connected with other homeschoolers back home through our co-op, Girl Scouts, teen parties, local programs, etc. and we really haven't found those same outlets here. 

The support group is not the same as a co-op so I was, still am a little, feeling discouraged about our homeschooling opportunities here.  Don't get me wrong a support group is great for homeschoolers, but we are so use to having weekly and sometimes multiple weekly activities with homeschoolers back home.  Now they do meet twice a week for phys. ed. classes, but that isn't really what we are looking for.  Back home our co-op had enrichment classes one day a week from 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., then there might be a field trip or social gathering, or some other event, and there were several Girl Scout troops composed of kids from co-op.  Plus the local libraries, the Columbus Art Museum, the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, the YMCA, and other facilities offered homeschool enrichment classes or activities.  We have not found those same opportunities here either.  Oh, and there wasn't only one co-op in the area there were multitudes of them so, you could find the one that fit your schedule or needs.  Matter of fact, we had just tied into another one that offered junior high and high school classes like school subjects.  Depending on what one was looking for they could find a co-op to meet their needs back home.

Unfortunately, there aren't any co-ops here in the Bismarck area, or at least any that I am aware of.  I think it probably has something to do with the way their governing code is written about homeschooling.  It is unfortunate because they could gain so much from such an opportunity.

Okay, now that I am off that tangent, let me go back to my original reason for this post.  I thought I was connected to the home school support group, but I wasn't fully connected.  It was brought to my attention that I wasn't receiving weekly email updates.  Well, I got in contact with the right party and guess what  . . . I don't feel as disconnected homeschooling here now because they do get together and do things.  I just wasn't getting the info until now.  So, the other day an email came through about an upcoming field trip to the Tesoro Mandan Refinery and we jumped on it.  The kids are so tired of being cooped up & wanted to meet some other area homeschoolers. 

Jay took Mackenzie and Zack and they gathered together in a training room to listen to info about the refinery,  BUT look at all these kids . . .

There are so many and what a great group to try and start a co-op with.  The only problem is, which it is a major obstacle, I don't even know where to start or how to get it off the ground!!  I so want the kids, not just mine, but all these and any other homeschool kids in the Bismarck area to have a wonderful homeschool experience with their peers. 

Okay, anyway they visited the Mandan Refinery and it seems that our two took away some facts.  They are both in the process of writing reports on their experience at the refinery.  Unfortunately, there wasn't much to see, but they did take a few photos of the outside tanks and refinery property.

The kids said they were a little bored, but they did learn a few things and it was nice to see other homeschool kids.  We are so excited about the upcoming field trip on April 2nd (yay, before we leave) to check out behind the scenes at the Dakota Zoo. 

It's official . . .

As you know from the last post, Cassie sent in the paperwork to hold her spot as a ZooAide at the Columbus Zoo & Aquariam for this summer's program.  She got up bright and early Friday morning, the deadline day, and called her contact at the zoo to let her know she had made arrangements to be in Columbus for the summer.  Well, no answer just voicemail.  So, she then emailed she could still be part of the program and the paperwork was going out Priority Mail (postmarked with the deadline date).  She wanted to make sure her spot was still her spot.  Unsure, she called again, but this time left a message giving verbal commitment.  So we waited and she called her contact and even the main ZooAide office a few times Friday to no avail. 

We knew we did all we could do on our end, having made the arrangements such last minute (next time I won't wait if I have a thought).  But you know, who's to say had I put it out there earlier, and Jay & I had more time to think about it, we wouldn't had talked ourselves out of it.  So we waited with her till we heard some news.

Well, she got it Sunday morning before we went to church.  The church service was later for us because Jay was part of a pastor swap - no, not any reality thingy - and we had some extra time in the morning before going into Bismarck.  So, Cassie decided to check her emails around 9:40 a.m. CST, and apparentley, her contact at the zoo had emailed her three and a half hours earlier to let her know she was in receipt of everything she needed and she was glad Cassie was going to be a part of the program again!!

So, it is OFFICIAL . . .

This is from her first summer volunteering in the ZooAide program.

               Cassie will be in Ohio till mid to late July as she gets to do what she loves and volunteer at the zoo.  Unfortunately, Jay will say goodbye to her when the kids & I leave for our 33 day field trip on April 5th and then the kids & I will get to spend a month with her before we say our goodbyes to her on May 2nd. She will have the month of May to buckle down on school - we'll be doing it via Skype and hopefully Grandma can help her there too - before the zoo program starts in June.  She will hopefully get to spend some much needed time with friends, too.  So, I am calling out to my homeschool buddies & families in the Columbus area to please embrace her while she's there.  We will miss her, but she will have a great time!