There's no place like home

We have had so much fun having school at home! Our teacher, Mrs. Hathaway, is very helpful and SCVSC is very supporive. We sleep till 9 (well I get up earlier) and start school at 10 am! We are usually done with Math, History and Language Arts by 1 pm. We have a late lunch then and the twins play outside and/or read independently. Pete has science with them twice a week in the evenings and they have music on Sundays at primary. In the afternoon, they usually have a project (either art or health or history related) or "own your own" work (similar to homework but hey...all our work is at home!). It is fun..takes all my time but enormously satisfying to me to spend it with them! and I love afternoon naps and can take one now (with NO GUILT!!!!!) while Andrew does PE everyday at the track with the twins (and assorted coaches kids) while he also helps coach the Gilbert High Cross Country team. So we are off to a GREAT START!!!!!

SC Virtual Charter School (SCVCS)

Everyone thinks I'm crazy (no news break there!) but I have NEVER been a mom that counted down the days till school started. It sounds weird but I actually LIKE hanging out with my kids! I'm not a homeschooler freak...in fact, I pretty much disagree with most reasons people homeschool and I think structure and accountability are good things...but having said that, let me remind you that I homeschooled Patti in the 3rd grade, fought for LaNelle to be out on medical leave most of the 9th grade, homeschooled Patti again for the first 1/2 of 8th grade and homeschooled Peter for 1/2 of the 11th grade. There was a unique reason for each time and except for Peter, we did it through the school district and stayed with their curriculum to the tee.

There is no good reason to pull the twins out of public school. Except I miss them. Nursing school robbed me of 3 years of their life...they were fine with lots of attention from a brood of older siblings and the best Dad in the universe but I missed them! Now, I work weekends and traditional school only allows me a couple of hours with them each weekday and it just isn't enough! We have had a fabulous summer and I am just not ready to lose them to a traditional school schedule...but they are both extremely smart and neither do I feel qualified to spearhead their education.

So to the rescue comes SCVCS. It is a SC charter school, part of the SC Board of Education. The curriculum is K12 (an internet homeschool curriculum...very good and ridiculously expensive...check it out at www.k12.com) but the twist is that SC pays the tuition and provides (at no cost) the supplies, books, work sheets, etc down to rocks and dirt for the science experiments...delivered to our door. I log in daily to get assignments and lesson plans but the twins have a certified teacher that keeps up with them, their progress and is available for any questions. They take all tests on the computer except for the standardized tests and those they take at the elementary school. They have to complete 180 lessons in each core subject but can move up or down a grade according to their level in math and language arts. Soccer practice and games count towards PE hours and Primary singing time towards music. All together, they have to complete 6 hours a day for 180 days but when, which and where are up to us. So we can visit Kalib and Grandma in NC or hang out at the beach with Daddy Tom and DeeDee as long as we have computer access. (I have missed being with extended family because of school/work constrictions!)

I'm their primary "learning coach" but Pete is the science teacher...he is excited about that actually and will incorporate the lessons into weekend field trips while I sleep.

the down side? Well, obviously, I will have no free time but I tend to waste that anyway. I have lots of family and friends they can visit when I need a break...they are not babies but very self-sufficient almost 8 year olds! another down side? socialization. We'll have to work a little harder to keep them connected to friends but the up side to that is WE control what kind of friendships they develop. They like learning, like reading, are wildly excited about a virtual school and so we are going to attempt this!

Wish us luck!!!!!! I'll keep you posted...

A Lowcountry girl at home on the River!!!!!

Ok...I hate posting pics of myself for obvious reasons but this was the one thing I did all summer JUST FOR ME!!!! but as it turned out...it was everyone's favorite activity. Ok, so we really were kids on the Santee Cooper and this is the North Edisto but a lowcountry river all the same!!!! We had more gators and no dolphins but other than that...I felt at home and so peaceful!!!!!!! and I ached with missing my grandparents...

Andrew helped Aunt Laurel catch her first fish and she was so excited she did a dance...and we all howled with her!!!!
Andrew was okay with the "catch and release" concept since we had no way to cook them but he was not letting this baby fish keep his morsel of shrimp bait!! He yanked it out of that fish' tiny mouth before throwing him back in!!!!!
We anchored off this little island to swim and play
Pete was wishing he had his metal detector!!!!!

If you want to fish, anchor near a wreck...
and look for waiting sea gulls...they know where the fish are...and the sting rays and sharks too!!!
Andrew was so happy to be on the water...he would have fished all week!!!!
Connor quickly became proficient with the reel!
and he caught his first fish too!!!!

A gorgeous picture of Sarah Beth soaking in the rays!
she loved her turn to "drive"
and Connor loved turning and twisting!
Connor takes a break from fishing to eat a sandwich
and every lowcountry kid knows how to go crabbing!!!!

Uncle Floyd and Andrew checking out the charts before we leave!
Connor loved the boat!
Connor spotted the first of many many many
dolphins...bottlenose dolphins love to play in the North Edisto and there were tons all around us...it was so fun to watch and Uncle Floyd is an expert at making noise on the boat's side that brings them right to the boat!
We were loading our skiff as a big ole boat was unloading huge fish and icing them down with a big tube that shot out crushed ice...the fishermen were a little rough to look at but they were nice to the kids and it was fun to be at a tiny fishing operation way back in the woods on Wadmalaw Island...if you want good times, go see Mark at Bohicket (not Bohicket Marina..they are the citified fancy guys...go to Bohicket boat rental and adventure) on Cherry Point Rd on Wadmalaw...if you aren't as comfortable as we are on the river then he'll take you on a charter tour...or just come get me and I'll be your guide and I'll go for free!!!!!!hahahahha

Isle of Palms and Whirlin Waters

Father and son...we are so glad to have Andrew home for now!
they loved the big bucket of water!!!
taking abreak for some hydration!!!!

making a drip castle as the tide goes out
just too cool for words...seeking the shade on that hot hot day!
the sun was too bright for you to see the ocean just beyond the deck railing
Connor loved his Mahi Mahi...he is a seafood fan!

We had so much fun in Charleston...we took a carriage ride on Monday and then spent the day at Isle of Palms on the beach, we spent Tuesday at Whirlin Waters (I fell asleep in the Lazy River ride there!!) and later Pete and the kids went on a late night Ghost and Dungeon walking tour (I don't do ghosts...I HATE scary movies, books, TV shows, etc), on Wednesday my brother came and we returned to our roots...we spent the day fishing and swimming off a boat in the North Edisto river...with schools of bottlenose dolphins!, Thursday we lazed around our condo, did a little shopping at the market and Sarah Beth and I had High Tea at a fancy hotel with my brother and sister-in-law (Okay they had tea, we had a coke float and fresh lemonade!), and we also played in the fountain and relaxed on the porch swings at the waterfront park. And all week long we ate and ate and ate...Charleston has FABULOUS chefs...I had my favorite breakfast of shrimp and crab etoufee with grits and fried green tomatoes with remolaude sauce!! Now it doesn't get any better than that!!!! We did a lot but there is so much more to do in America's BEST CITY!!!!!!! If you have never been, come visit me and I will drop everything to take you to one of my favorite places on earth!!!!!

Charleston, SC August 2008

I love Charleston and I LOVE that I was born in the South Carolina lowcountry...there is no place on earth as beautiful...at least in my opinion!!
Now this is our condo in Charleston...the twins love the spiral staircase but I could do without it!!! (we all know I have a lazy streak!)
Sarah Beth in her new clothes Aunt laurel bought her at Talbot kids! They went shopping on King Street in 100+ degree weather!
The twins and Andrew enjoying breakfast in bed (bacon egg and cheese biscuits from Dixie Supply right across the street)
The fountain in our courtyard...we were a block from the market and we just loved our location!!
We took a carriage tour...I think Andrew is missing his buddies in Idaho or maybe he's just deep in thought contemplating our rich heritage?????

Yellowstone Park July 22, 2008

Okay so I had pretty much decided we'd skip Yellowstone this trip since Connor and I had spent the day at Bear Country and gas prices were so high and I'd spent so much already but I overheard Connor whisper to his new bear (with a sigh) "I really wanted to see that Old Faithful!" We had checked out books at the library for the trip and Connor had read several books about Yellowstone. I just couldn't disappoint him...especially since he didn't whine or complain to me at all about my decision! So, on our last full day in Idaho, we travelled an hour to West Yellowstone. I'm so glad I did and I will glady work the few hours it will take to pay for our one day excursion!!! We stopped for lunch there (note Connor's new Black bear on the Bison...he named him Rex Pnel Sheridan (Rex for Rexburg and Pnel (rhymes with laNelle) for Peter, aNdrew, stEven, kyLe). He adores his brothers!!!!
The paint pots at Yellowstone...the picture doesn't do justice...it was bubbling and steaming EARTH!!!!
And this beautiful pool of water is BOILING water erupting from the center of the earth...
Can you believe this???? It is an EAGLE's nest...and we saw the Bald Eagle soaring above but I was driving and didn't get a picture!!! How awesome! My mom would have been ecstatic here!!! I thought of her all day!
The kids on our one long hike through the paint pots...I laughed later when we met up with the Bryants by happenstance (unbelievable!) because they had been there too and Jillian said her Dad wanted to stop at every site that steamed and she was ready to just put a pot of water on the stove for him!!! I know how he felt though because I was in awe the entire day and I kept repeating, "This is so pretty, this is so gorgeous" I am so very thankful we went and I am already planning a much longer return visit with my entire family!! Go if you can...it will make you very aware of this incredible beyond imagination perfectly planned and gorgeous God given and CREATED earth!!!!!!!!

A Mother/Son Day

So I made appointments for the girls to get pedicures and then realized that Steven would be at work and Andrew taking finals and Connor didn't want a pedicure (imagine that!!) so I decided he and I would have a date! He chose Yellowstone Bear Country outside of Rexburg...we had a fabulous time! He loved the petting zoo...
the animals were really sweet!

Then we drove 3 miles an hour through the park and look what we saw!!!
I let Connor stand up and look out of the sun roof but when the bears came up to the volvo, I jerked him back to safety and closed the top!!!!!

My favorite bear of all!!!!!!!!!
Afterwards, I let him make a black bear (build-a-bear) and we had so much fun together! It was worth all that overtime just to see his face as he experienced this great experience...I wished over and over that Pete, Peter, Heather and her family could have been with us!!

SLC trip

It was Connor's second flight and so he enjoyed showing everything to Sarah Beth...they were excited to see the Jet loading our luggage...Patti's was easy to spot because Daddy Tom and DeeDee gave her cool black striped luggage with big white polka dots!
The early morning start caught up to the twins and they slept for half the flight!
We walked about 2 miles from our hotel (because we were too early to check in) to visit an I-Max theater...Connor was mesmermized by this exhibit that showed how the earth was in constant rotation.
The view from our balconey at the Sheraton in downtown SLC.
It is becoming a tradition to visit Temple Square and eat lunch at the Joseph Smith Building...it is delicious and the view is spectacular!!

We flew in on Wednesday and took a shuttle to the Sheraton where we left our mountain of luggage with the Bell man while we took a walk. We ate an early lunch at a cool little Italian restaurant (It was a late lunch time to us!). Then we walked 2 miles to a science museum and went to an I-max theater...I fell asleep but the kids loved the 3-D movie about sea creatures. We walked all the way back to the hotel and checked in. After a COLD swim and a shower, we walked to Temple Square. The twins loved it and I couldn't quit crying...I have no idea why I was so emotional when I've been many times but I was! We had a great meal on top of the JS Building and then we walked back to our hotel...the altitude was killing us by now and we were more than ready to get our rental car!!!! (which we did the next morning before heading to Idaho! it was a volvo cross country wagon that I fell in love with but it is way out of my price range! ) Our good friends...well, they are really family, the Brooksbys, came to visit and then we just collapsed and slept!

More of 4th of July

4th of July at the Whetstones lake house...Kevin took the twins out on Jackie's new SeaDoo...he was so sweet about it and they LOVED it!

We haven't been able to be at the Whetstone's 4th of July party for a few tears so it was really nice to be there...I had to leave early to go to work but Pete and the twins loved every minute!