Absence

New job. No time. Sorry.

4th Annual Not Back to School Picnic

Clear your calendar now so you can come to the 4th Annual Not Back to School Picnic sponsored by IAUnschoolers Yahoo Group.

Come and enjoy the beautiful Raccoon River Park and visit with homeschoolers (unschoolers and other methods) from across Iowa.

The 600 plus acres of parkland provide active and passive recreational experiences, along with several hundred acres of natural areas for wildlife. There's something for everyone! Lots of wide open spaces for running and imaginative play, modern playground equipment with water features and a large climbing sailing ship is available to cool off and spark the young ones' imaginations. There are modern restrooms and a Nature Lodge nearby!

Blue Heron Lake, a 232 acre lake is the center piece of the park, and provides boat access for area fishing enthusiasts and water lovers. The park also features a 700 foot beach that is open for public swimming throughout the summer during daylight hours. It's an excellent place to cool off on a hot summer's day. The beach does not have lifeguards on duty.

Who: Homeschoolers who want to celebrate the first day of NOT going back to school!

What: Potluck Picnic (Bring a dish to share and your own beverages and tableware.)

Where: Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines -- 2500 Grand Ave. -- Coneflower A Shelter

When: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 -- Noon - 4 p.m.

Why: This is our 4th year and every previous year our turnout has been amazing! This is an opportunity for Iowa homeschoolers to meet, visit and reconnect! New homeschoolers are encouraged to attend and will have the opportunity to talk to experienced homeschoolers (unschoolers as well as other methods.) The park is easy to find and has wonderful accommodations! Be sure to bring swimwear for the kids as there are water features in the playground and a swimming beach (NO LIFEGUARD.)

Please feel free to pass this announcement along to other lists and Iowa homeschoolers!

If you have any questions, please email Chris at: iaunschoolers at gmail dot com

Happy Independence Day

My personal feelings about patriotism for my country vacillate quite violently given current events, usually. My emotions about being a citizen of this country can swing like a pendulum from year-to-year, and day-to-day depending on what my government is up to and how aware I am of their dealings with the rest of the world and policies towards its own citizens. For me, feelings of patriotism and national pride have been harder and harder to come by over the last decade but recently I felt a surge of both welling up inside of me.

A couple of months ago, Zach decided that he wanted to read a biography about each president of the United States beginning with George Washington and progressing in sequential order. To supplement his reading, he asked me to help him find good documentaries about the presidents and or American History relevant to the periods about which he is reading. Last week Zach finished reading his George Washington biography and we've been watching the PBS production of Liberty! The American Revolution.

I must admit that refreshing my memory about the events and principles on which the U.S.A. was founded has done wonders for my feelings of patriotism and pride. I have hope that the future leaders of our country can help us, as a nation, refocus ourselves on the principles of equality and liberty for everyone that separated our fledgling government from the rest of the world 232 years ago and started a movement that has spread and been emulated over the years to the benefit of countless millions of human beings around the world.

Sure, I know there are lots of problems in our country and problems that our country's actions have wreaked upon innocents of the world but when I look back on the early days, months and years of our nation's history I feel a glimmer of hope and pride that one day it will feel right again to wave my American flag patriotically and hold my head a bit higher knowing that I hail from the land of the free and the home of the brave. The future is looking a little brighter because I've been examining the past a little closer.

Finally, a holiday for unschoolers

Write it on your calendar! July 24th, 2008 is the first annual Learn Nothing Day!

School kids have weekends, summer breaks, in-service days and field days but when do unschoolers get to take a day off? It just isn't fair! Despair no longer! Now there's a day designated specifically to give unschoolers and homeschoolers alike a well deserved day off of learning. Don't miss your chance, it comes around only once per year! Plan well, clear your calendar, stay up late the night before so you'll be too tired to learn on Learn Nothing Day!!

It's Friday!

1. Birthdays are once a year things.

2. Fall is my favorite season because there's relief from the hot humidity and beautiful leaves.

3. I feel my best when I'm exercising regularly.

4. I always say that I don't do favorites when my daughter asks me what is my favorite food!

5. First impressions are usually deceiving.

6. The best piece of advice I ever received was listen to your babies, they aren't manipulating you when they cry, they need your help.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to more home improvement work, tomorrow my plans include making potato salad and Sunday, I want to house shop!

Where The Hell is Matt?

In case you haven't seen it yet -- Matt Harding's new Dance 2008 video finished just last week! (Get your tissues in hand.) This is the High Definition version. To see it on YouTube go here:

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

A couple photos

Driving home Sunday from St. Paul, MN after Zoe's regional baton competition. Hair still up and eye makeup smeared. Note to self: booster seat might be a good idea.














Zoe missed out on playing with her good friend today because she's come down with a sore throat and fever (103º F last night!) It's a big bummer because her friend is moving away tomorrow! Alas, they can still play World of Warcraft together. Zoe was getting tired sitting at her desk so I set her up on her bed. Note to self: recover bench.

I Love That Guy!!

[Here's another recycled post. If you're on my local unschooling list consider yourself warned.]

Tonight, Zoe and I were snuggling on her bed. Her tummy was hurting and she wanted me to rub it. She started asking questions. I can't even remember the questions she was asking before she asked, "... and what is it with color and light?" Huh? I asked her if she meant how do color and light work and she said that that was what she meant. So, I explained to her about white light being all the colors of the spectrum together and that when we see a color that is the color that is reflected back at us and the other colors are absorbed. And she was all like, "say what?" So then I pointed at the Link poster (you Legend of Zelda fans know who I'm talking about) on her wall and told her that the mostly green light was being reflected and the other colors were being absorbed. And she was all like, "huh?" Then I remembered that I have a little plastic prism, and I could show her with a flashlight how the white light is made up of all the colors of the spectrum but then I remembered that I'd packed away my little plastic prism because we're trying to get our house ready to put on the market. So then I remembered that we have a little solar-powered turning crystal that hangs in the south window of our living room so I reminded her of how when the sun shines on it we see rainbow colors reflected on the wall. And she was all like, "Um, yah, so what are you trying to say?" sigh. And then I remembered that I had a great Usborne book on Light and Color but alas, it is packed away too -- all in the name of decluttering and staging -- a bit prematurely though.


So then... I turned to Google. And now I quit rubbing her tummy and got up off of her bed to google, "Color and Light" and "Spectrum of Colors" and all the websites coming up just weren't any help. Too many words, not enough images. So I think, "Maybe somebody has made a science video about color and light," and so I went to YouTube and searched, "Color and Light" and how psyched was I when this video showed up? Of course!!! Bill Nye the Science Guy!! I love that guy!!! And there's all three parts to his episode on Light and Color. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Zach walked into the room when we were halfway through part 1 and he was all like, "I remember that guy! I loved that guy!!" And so we started it over again. Then the three of us watched the entire Bill Nye the Science Guy Light and Color episode. Part way through part 2 Zoe said, "Oh, I get it." Whew!

I love that Bill Nye the Science Guy and I love YouTube but most of all I love unschooling!

Quests

The kids have been having all kinds of adventures lately -- harvesting from nature, exploring foreign lands, learning new recipes, befriending characters from all over the world, cooperating on long quests, dancing, cheering each other on as well as lots of typing and spelling for Zoe. Yep! we've finally hopped on the World of Warcraft train and it's a thrilling ride!

I think it's sweet that Zach and Zoe like to sit side-by-side as they venture on their quests. Zach carries Zoe's computer up to his room where he's constructed a temporary computer desk for her so that they can talk while they explore their realms together.

Concepts and vocabulary they're learning about and exploring through playing WOW: alchemy, herbalism, leather working, jewelry crafting, mining, blacksmithing, map reading, trade, and many more I've yet to hear about.

They're both loving the game and immersing themselves in it but they're also consciously taking breaks to help out around the house, get outside for fresh air and exercise -- all on their own volition.

We're Relatively Dry

Schuyler was checking so that made me feel good. It's a sunny, windy day here -- good for drying out basements. Last I heard there was a breach of a levee near downtown that caused some flooding in a neighborhood near North High School. Last night our Mayor (West Des Moines not Des Moines) said that this is the first time we've experienced so much rain without flooding in historic Valley Junction. The levee reinforcements and heightening seemed to have done their job.

Those living east of us, in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City (where University of Iowa resides) are much less fortunate. Cedar Rapids is underwater and I've heard officials say things like, "Power may be out for months," and "Cedar Rapids is lost." What can I say but, unbelievable and so sad.

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Visiting Greece is high up on my bucket list.
2. My favorite quote is "Personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a checklist of acquisition or achievement;" it's from J.K. Rowling's Harvard commencement speech.
3. My children inspired me to start blogging.
4. Strawberries are best just picked.
5. I was afraid of losing Zoe in the last dream I remember having.
6. The most enjoyable time to go for a walk is early in the morning on a secluded nature trail.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to chillin' with my peeps, tomorrow my plans include house hunting and Sunday, I want to see the sun shining!

Weather

[This is a post I sent to our local unschooling list -- so if you're on that list, here it is again -- enjoy or skip!]

I love weather! I respect it's power and I feel for all the people in our city, state and region who have been affected so negatively by the severe weather we've been experiencing these last couple of weeks. It seems that we may be experiencing the second 500 year flood in less than 15 years! How bizarre is that?

I've been shopping online today for weather alert radios. I discovered that there is new technology called "S.A.M.E." that allows the user to program their weather alert radio to only alert them for certain emergencies and certain locations. Cool!

I asked for a "weather station" for Mother's Day and I received a thermometer and rain gauge - LOL! My rain gauge has overflowed! My basement is overflowing too -- LOL! Not too badly though -- just streams of water coming in around the foundation and heading for our drain. I'm thankful that we don't have standing water in our basement like I know so many people do. I'm thankful that we live on high ground and don't have to worry about flood waters or evacuating our home like too many people do. If you're one of those people, you're probably not reading this email, but I still wish you safety and little-to-no loss or damage to your property. If you know of people, who need help in the way of replacement items such as clothing or toiletries etc. you can announce that here.

My kids aren't as interested in weather as I am but they absorb a lot because I'm constantly looking at radars and talking about various weather related topics. Zach remembers a little bit about the floods of 1993. He was only two years old but he remembers going on "water hunts." We lived in Des Moines then and our water was out for 12 days. We would head out to fill our containers with drinking water from the National Guard's huge water bladders set up around the city. Fortunately, it looks like we won't have that problem this time, thanks to higher levies and improved flood preparations.

Last week, Zoe and I were talking about alternative sources of energy and I was explaining hydroelectric systems. I prompted her to remember visiting the Saylorville spillway in year's passed but she couldn't picture it so I made a mental note to take her by there some day soon. I think I'll wait awhile. The video linked below shows the spillway splashing up onto the observation area -- and I bet they're not letting people go hang out there now.

Enough of my weather rambling -- I thought I'd share some weather links with you in case you and yours are thinking and talking about weather as much as I am.

http://www.kcci.com/video/16588831/index.html -- KCCI TV news does a quick helicopter tour of some of the flooding around Des Moines - Birdland Marina, Grays Lake, DSM Waterworks, Saylorville Spillways

http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/ -- NOAA's Graphic Weather Forecast is fun to mess around with, especially if you're wondering what the weather is going to be like later in the day. You can see temperature, wind speed, preciptation, humidity and lots more!

http://www.almanac.com/weatherhistory/ -- Old Farmer's Almanac Weather History -- plug in a zip-code and a date and see what the weather was like in that place and time -- from 1946 up to two days ago.

http://www.intellicast.com/ -- Intellicast is an overall excellent weather resource

http://www.wunderground.com/ - Weather Underground is another good source of weather information. A couple of years ago during all the hurricanes that were slamming the southeast, there was a fantastic Weather Underground blogger that offered very accurage forecasting and weather analysis. My mom and step-dad, who live on a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico and whose island was directly hit by H. Charley, relied on that particular blogger a lot. Unfortunately, I think he's left the Weather Underground.

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/index.htm -- Weather Wiz Kids is a site designed with kids in mind. I haven't delved into it deeply but they seem to have some good, simple explanations of various weather phenomena.

What weather related websites do you like to frequent? Your kids?

The Old Man is Snoring

It's raining again. I've collected 10" of rain in my rain gauge in the last week and it sits underneath the canopy of the American Elm out back.

News reports say that some of our lakes and rivers are going to peak above 1993 flood levels -- and that's without further rain. Des Moines is sitting pretty okay though thanks to all the improvements made after 1993. Still, the emergency spillway at Saylorville had to be opened. Towns like Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids and Mason City are being evacuated. I think I read that Mason City has lost it's water treatment plant to flooding.

We have water in our basement for the first time in all of the fourteen years we've lived here. At least now maybe Rick will agree that we should tear out the carpeting. Fortunately, we anticipated the water seepage and Rick and I spent an hour or two rearranging the boxes that are stored in the basement. Plastic boxes on the bottom, cardboard on top of those. So far the water is just streams running for the drain. I hear so many reports of people with standing water in their basements -- I don't understand why their drains don't remove the water?

You can read news reports about the flooding here: http://www.desmoinesregister.com

If You'd Like to Help

By now, if you're a regular reader, you've learned that Jeanne Schoonover, a homeschooling mom who lived near Norwalk, was killed a week ago in a tragic car accident. Jeanne was a friend to many, her kids are our kids' friends, her husband is Rick's volleyball teammate and in general their entire family has touched so many people in the central Iowa homeschooling community and beyond that I've decided that it is appropriate to post this here if it can bring them some support and even the tiniest bit of relief.

The Reverend Julia Rendon of the Schoonover's church, Crossroads United Church of Christ in Indianola, is coordinating offers of assistance for Jeanne's husband Mike and their daughters, Caroline, Maddie and Martha. If you feel moved to offer your assistance, of any kind (doing laundry, running errands, taking meals etc.) you can contact the Reverend by calling 515-961-9370 and leaving a message or you can e-mail her at julia at ucciaconf.org or pastor at crossroadsucc.org. (replace the word "at" with the @ sign.)

More immediate needs of the family can be checked on here
Please let Reverend Rendon know if you can help out. They are currently in need of dehumidifiers -- aren't we all?

Also, you can make memorial contributions to their church at: Crossroads United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 811, Indianola, IA 50125

Flooding Emotions

It rained 4-1/2" here last night! Four. And. One. Half. Inches! Add that to the 1-1/4 inches of rain on Tuesday night. That's a lot of rain! But nowhere near the amount of tears that are being shed in Jeanne's memory.

We attended her family's visitation tonight. The church was filled to the brim with people who loved and cared for Jeanne and her family. It was heartbreaking to see her girls but felt right to hold them tight for just a few moments, their tear-streaked faces buried in my shoulder. I rubbed their backs and whispered how sorry I was. The sweet things. Zoe gave Martha a little Webkinz and told her she was sorry too. We'll be holding Jeanne's family in our thoughts tonight and tomorrow as they soldier through these most difficult days and we'll wait, ready to help with a meal or running an errand or whatever we can do to ease their burden over these upcoming weeks and months of healing and adjusting to their changed lives.

After the visitation we headed to Indianola to see a little friend in her first recital. The recital was joyful and raucous and a good mood lifter for the kids. We high-fived our little friend after her performance and handed her a chocolate rose to congratulate her on her hard work! Her recital took place at the same place I last spoke to Jeanne, three weeks ago - while we were watching our own girls' recital. Three years ago Zoe, Zach and I attended Madeline and Martha's recital there. All the sparkly costumes and colorful bright lights shining on all those happy faces -- Zoe was sold! Their recital was the reason Zoe started twirling baton. Jeanne helped me navigate the mysterious waters of dance studio consumerism. She warned me away from competition teams -- expensive, time-consuming, too much focus on hair and makeup. I appreciated her warning but there was no deterring Zoe - she needed to perform more than regular classes would provide the opportunity for.

I've enjoyed watching Jeanne's daughters progress and shine on stage each year too. It was a nice feeling to share this celebratory occasion with her family each spring.

We stopped for sandwiches on our way to the recital this evening and somehow the topic of conversation turned to singing. Suddenly, out of nowhere, tears started flooding my eyes. Rick and Zach were sitting across the table from me and noticed but I gave them the "hush" stare and turned my face away from Zoe so she wouldn't see this sudden rush of emotion that caught me off guard. Jeanne had a beautiful singing voice. Tears.

Zoe cried in the car after the visitation and her brother hugged her in the backseat. They've been asking questions as they come up. They're mostly concerned with how their friends will cope with the loss of their mother. They've both shed tears of empathy and sorrow. When Zach thinks back on the times that he spent around Jeanne, years ago when our lives were more intertwined with hers, he begins to cloud up. Jeanne was his Battle of the Book coach, she had a way with kids of all ages. She was interested in their thoughts and opinions and she listened intently to what they had to say.

Well, I have so many more thoughts and memories swirling around in my head but I don't know if I'll put them down here. I've been sharing them with friends as they check in with me and we talk about the woman Jeanne was and the countless people whose lives she touched. There are so many people who knew her more deeply and intimately than I did and I imagine my memories and thoughts of Jeanne pale in comparison to the the stories and anecdotes they could share. So I'll end this with my fond farewell to an amazing woman who left us too soon. You'll always be missed, Jeanne, and never forgotten.

"As is a tale so is life. Not how long it is but how good it is is what matters."
-- Seneca

In Memory

The world lost a beautiful human being Tuesday. Our friends, the Schoonovers, lost their rock. Jeanne was the epitome of graciousness and talent. She devoted her life to her family and her three lovely daughters. Everyone who came in contact with Jeanne was touched by her cheer, her wit and her intelligence. I feel a loss for words to describe how sad her untimely and tragic death is for everyone who knew her. My heart goes out to her family.

Her obituary in the Des Moines Register.

Norwalk

Jeanne Marie Schoonover, 44, died Tuesday, June 3, 2008 from injuries of an automobile accident.

A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, June 7, at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 3820 SW 9th Street, Des Moines. Visitation will be 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church.

Jeanne was born December 1, 1963 in Lincoln, NE to Kenneth and Mildred Kruse. She attended Carlisle High School graduating in 1980. In 1986 she graduated with a nursing degree from the University of Iowa.

Jeanne lived in Ft. Collins, CO from 1987-1993 and worked as a registered nurse at the Poudre Valley Hospital in Ft. Collins.

Jeanne is survived by her husband, Michael; her daughters, Caroline (17), Madelyn (16), Martha (8); her parents, Kenneth and Mildred Kruse; her sister, Barbara Millunzi; and her brothers, Michael, Daniel, and David.

Memorial contributions may be made to Crossroads United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 811, Indianola, IA 50125

The Male of the Species

There's her handsome fella'.

We're going for walks, gaming (Boom Blox, I Love Katamari, Mario Kart Wii,) reading (Warriors 6th book of 1st series, Silverwing, 9/11, etc.,) sorting and purging files and researching American History documentaries to add to our Netflix Queue. Any recommendations?

Baltimore Oriole

This pretty lady showed up and has been drinking from my humming bird feeder a lot today! I saw her mate hanging around for a short visit earlier this morning but I haven't seen him again.

My stepdad reported seeing a bird with a lot of orange on it and I thought it might've been an American Redstart but now I'm 99% certain it was the male Oriole. I mistook a Tennessee Warbler's song for an American Redstart's song for weeks and weeks and just discovered how wrong I was when I was able to follow the song and find the yellowish-green little guy in our American Elm out back. Maybe there is no American Redstart around here -- but I'm happy to have discovered the Tennessee Warbler and the Baltimore Orioles!

The ABC's of Meme

Accent: it's all relative isn't it? Minnesotans would say I have a southern accent and Missourian's would say I have a northern accent. TV news reporters try to speak like we do here.

Breakfast or No Breakfast: Breakfast everyday alternating between oatmeal w/fruit or All Bran w/craisins & 1 cup of coffee.

Chore I Don’t Care For: I'm not sure if this counts but I really avoid serving dinner. I'll cook it but ask Rick to serve it. I'm more than happy to clean up too.

Dog or Cat: I have neither but would prefer a smart, working-type dog eager to please, if I did.

Essential Electronics: cell phone, iMac

Favorite Perfume: CK1 but not on a daily basis. Just when I'm feeling extra feminine.

Gold or Silver: Silver except my wedding ring which is gold.

Handbag I Carry Most Often: big black vinyl thing I bought from Target. I liked that it had a built in light that turned on when I opened it, like a refrigerator! But the battery wore out and it's irreplaceable so now it's a big, dark, cavernous pit that is so hard to find things within.

Insomnia: Not often but when I do it's 'cause I'm worrying about whether or not I've screwed up my kids.

Job Title: Self-employed bookkeeper and Supervising Teacher

Kids: Zach & Zoe

Living Arrangements: married, 2 kids - 3 bdrm, 1 ba, 1-1/2 story in the suburbs

Most Admirable Trait: i don’t know — i think that’s something other people would determine

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: I shoplifted repeatedly over a period of a few weeks when I was nine years old. A guilty conscience caused my hair to fall out and eventually I confessed. I was banned from Woolco - for life!

Overnight Hospital Stays: never

Phobias: nothing diagnoseable

Quote: Don't Worry, Be Happy

Reason to Smile: health, home, family

Siblings: John 3 years older

Time I Wake Up: 7 - 8 a.m.

Unusual Talent or Skill: none, I'm pretty boring that way

Vegetable I Refuse To Eat: green peppers

Worst Habit: overeating

X-Rays: just the usual wellcare type stuff

Yummy Stuff: good Italian, Mexican and ice cream!

Zoo Animal I Like Most: sea lions

Animals of all kinds

My mom and step-dad left this morning, headed to Indianapolis to visit my step-sister and her family. They were here for a week. During that week we crammed a year's worth of central Iowa tourism in between bouts of movie watching, dinners - both home cooked and restaurant meals, Scrabble and Clue game playing and lots of conversation.

Wednesday we went to the Zoo. It was a beautiful day and I'm glad to have that activity, which we've no interest in doing more than once per year, over and done with! Along with lions, tigers, sea lions, macaques, and giraffes we saw loads of other captive wildlife and the kids slurped their slush puppies. Zoe said, "The giraffe has a blue tongue just like Zach's!"




Thursday, Zach, my folks and I toured the Salisbury House -- a 42 room, 22,500 sq. ft. mansion built in the 1920's but modeled after the King's House
in Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.

On another note, our wildlife menagerie has expanded! Thursday morning, as I sat in my kitchen reading , I heard a peculiar sound coming from my backyard. I thought it sounded a bit like a quack but engrossed as I was in my reading I ignored it. A few minutes later Rick drew my attention to the backyard where we saw a pair of mallard ducks waddling about. The female was obviously trying to flee the attentions of the male and would occasionally turn to face him, stick her neck out forward and low and issue a quick "back off buddy!" quack at him, before she continued her attempt to walk away from him. They hurdled the chain-link fence and landed in our neighbor's yard which fortunately was empty of it's usual occupant, Titan, the boxer dog!