"I'm leaving, on a jet plane.."

Apologies for the lack of post, we've been super busy the last few weeks.

Why?

Well, we're leaving. On a jet plane. To Europe. Tomorrow!

Mom started another blog that she'll try to keep updated on our two week adventure, right here:

http://schaefereuropeanadventure2010.blogspot.com/

Please pray for us, and we'll "see" you back home in two weeks!

"I wanna hold your hand.."

"Hey Lena," Gregory asked, "Do you think you think I could hold your hand?"

"'Cause I need some help goin' up the hill."

(Title lyrics from I Want To Hold Your Hand by The Beatles)

"Come on in boy, sit on down and tell 'bout yourself.."

I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately.. Our church hosted a retreat this weekend and we were busy preparing for it last week.

This little boy is such a talker.

He was talking to Grandma yesterday and told her all about his day on Saturday, and his day yesterday. He talked about how he went to a birthday party, and all about what was in his goody bag. He explained to her all about how it was not his birthday, but he still got a present, the goody bag.

He is so silly.

I was talking to him today, about, you know.. Everything!

I asked him if he was excited about going to Europe soon.. and he said not really.

"Because, in Europe I'll have to eat really, really grose things, like Frog legs and TOMATOES! Ewww!"

When actually this silly boy has told us that he was super excited about trying all the different foods.

"And Lena!

"Did you know, that in, umm.. Italy we can eat ice cream for dinner, lunch

and breakfast!"

Really? Who told you this?

"Oh, my dentist girl."

"And Lena, did you know, I have pwoblems saying my awws (Rs)?"

"I can't say my awws. I'm like Bawbawa Waltuws." 

Yes, he really said this. He can say his R sound now, but a while ago he was embarrassed that he still couldn't say his Rs right, and we told him that he was only five and there are adults that can't say their names correctly, because they can't say their Rs. And he remembered. This silly, silly boy.

"Do you know what I'm going to be when I grow up?

"I'm gonna be a Astronot-Painter.

"I'll go to space, and I'll paint the moon, and planets and stars and the sun!

"An' I'll make these awesome dark sun glasses so that I can look at the sun, really close!"

Amazing!

Talk to you later you crazy little boy!

(Title lyrics from Cleaning This Gun by Rodney Atkins)

"It's a brother and a sister kinda thing.."

Our family has always enjoyed playing games. It get's kinda crazy around here sometimes, as we're extremely slightly competitive. This could be why we like these games so much. One of our new favorites is:

Jordan gave it to us for Christmas knowing how amazing it is.

The goal is to use every single one of your letter pieces in a huge crossword puzzle, no names, abbreviations or slang terms are allowed (e.g. "Yo" or "Sup.")

You start with 15 pieces, and try to put them all together into words as fast as you can!

The first person to do so correctly shouts "Bananagrams!" and each player grabs five more pieces. You can now try to add it to the words you've already made, or sometimes you just can't. So you need to re-assemble your puzzle to fit the new pieces.

It gets rather insane occasionaly. Like, when you have two more pieces left and you can not fit them in ("Come on guys, how 'bout we all can put back just two pieces, okay?") or when you have a Q and you don't have one U, so that just isn't fair at all. At all. Or you just know that ''Vet'' is a word of it's own, it is so NOT an abbreviation for Vetranarian! Or when you could just swear that apple just came out with a new thing called an ifeet, these shoes which play music, so you can totally put that lonely I in front of feet. Yes, we come up with many different excuses. but it's still pretty awesome.

You could even say it's educational, 'cause you know, you spell things.


(Title lyrics from Me and My Gang by Racal Flatts

"See the lights, see the party, the ball gowns.."

Isaac was invited to his (our!) friend MacKenzie's prom...

Thank you Jordan for the pictures!

(Title lyrics from Love Story by Taylor Swift)

"Bal bal atra, habesne lanam?"

"She knows Latin? What a woman!" this quote from an episode from the BBC's show Robin Hood, which we've been watching, made us laugh. This year Jordan and I have taken online classes, Ancient Greek - Jordan - and Latin - me! 

At the beginning of the school year, Mom told me about our friends teaching an online class for Latin. Knowing that the Latin would help me in many different ways, I began my adventure with Latin.

I picked up on the alphabet and the pronunciation pretty quickly, as it was very similar to English. As we went on, it became harder, but throughout the year I've learned so much.

Each week for homework, Mrs. V. has asked us to find English derivatives which were new to us from the Latin words of the current chapter. Knowing the Latin root has implanted it in my brain, and my vocabulary has increased so much this year!

In preparation for the Europe trip we're taking this June (I'm sure I'll talk about this sometime) I have also been learning French. French, like English, also has a Latin root, and knowing the Latin has helped me tremendously while learning French.

Are you interested in learning Latin or another beneficent ancient language? Here is our friend's website: http://clrchomeschool.com/

"She knows Latin? What a woman."

(Title lyrics from Bal Bal Atra, or Bah Bah Black Sheep in Latin)

"And it's still raining.."

It was hailing..

Very hard.

We wanted to go outside.

But somebody decided to get sick, and Mama didn't want that somebody to be outside.

Especially during this crazy hail storm.

The thunder roared as we watched the ground filled with little pellets of hail.

And he decided he would very much like a piece of hail.

I told him not to, but he went anyways.. and when he came back, it had already melted.

The End.

(Title lyrics from I Will Praise You in this Storm by Casting Crows)

"Mama you taught me to do the right things.."

Happy birthday Mama! We love you so much, and we are so blessed to have a mother as wonderful as you!

"And remember Mama, you are my sunshine!"

(Title lyrics from Mama's Song by Carrie Underwood)

"I bless the rain.."

I wonder how the grass can be so bright of a color. Doesn’t it look like God pulled the “saturation” bar to the top? Not just the grass, but the daffodils. And the trees.. It has been raining here for the past few days. Beautiful rain. It leaves the world colorful and completely refreshed.
Besides enhancing the spring colors, the rain is appreciated in other ways right now. Due to our lack of snow this winter, there is a well, lack of water in the bay. It has lost it’s dried up swampy look, but compared to where it has been this time of the year, the water is quite low.
May 2008: Thanks to the rain, the lake will be flowing with splendor in no time.

For now let’s enjoy the glorious weather.

..rain!

(Title lyrics from Africa by Toto)