Been such a busy time with school and life that we have forgotten to keep track of any of it here. The winter has been so mild (I hesitate to say it, since we are certainly not into spring yet) that we have had opportunities to hike and be outside quite a lot. Lately we have been going on rockhounding hikes which we have all enjoyed. To the kids it is like treasure hunting. We have found jasper and lots of quartz crystals and even some petrified wood. The kids have their eyes on a hike a bit farther away that will involve hunting for geodes and thunder eggs - maybe this spring we will have time to do it!
Snow and winter weather aren't far away and after a 45 to 60 minute drive we find ourselves on a mountain with all the snow we could want. The older kids have had some skiing opportunities and Anne and Pati caught some serious air on a sledding hill (still black and blue, but no bones broken).
School has consumed a lot of our time and energy and we are so happy to be involved with two different groups of homeschoolers here. We have enjoyed starting new relationships and the help and accountability that come from shared goals and class times.
Last weekend was the AWANA Grand Prix here in town and it was such and exciting event! We will have to post some pictures of it later. The kids worked hard on their cars and are full of plans for next year.
Our main project, which has overlapped into every area of living and schooling is in Ephesians 4:29.
"Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification, according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear."
Focusing on building each other up and keeping rotten speech out of our mouth has been the topic for a couple of weeks now, and projects and games and accountability to help us do that have been frequent. Living with people is just not easy sometimes :)
