Our House in the Middle of Our Street

I've had the privilege to take care of a large community garden plot that is just west of our new church family, Northwood Alliance in Blaine. I'm not sure how large the square footage, but it's got it's own well, a nice greenhouse behind, and at least 15 rows and a few mounds of plants. I've always wanted a plot of land but up here prices are even worse for land than back in Nebraska. I know it's a 'far off dream' but I haven't let it die yet. In the meantime, something I can do to make that dream a reality is to help with the community garden. It helps to take ownership of how it turns out, and with daily watering, I'm invested. I have watched this garden over the summer and it is something our family shows off with pride when visitors come.  I'll try to explain the views as you see them in the photos. The top photo is looking south from the back fence where the green house is. The photo above (with the black trash bags) is

Like I mentioned the other day, I have two reviews this week on educational products that Educents is offering over the next few days. The second product I wanted to try out for myself is an online program called Games For Language . Above is the YouTube short with the French language, the program I signed up for. I have been able to review this for the past week, and I have one week left in my trial period, in which I am hoping to finish Level 1 on my own time, for my own pleasure and catching up! From the company, this program is for, "beginners who like a challenge, adults and teens who may already have a background in the chosen language, or learners that want a fun way to complement another course, an affordable but effective program, seeking useful language based on real life situations, and that tune out lengthy grammar explanations".   I would say that's a pretty fair assessment of this program. I'm about half-way through the French 1 version, in

A few months ago I found a daily flash deal (i.e. Living Social) that was nothing but educational materials called Educents . The great thing about these daily deals are they are easy to spend about 15 seconds glancing over, and can save you major money on things you might have bought for full price. I'm a big believer in not buying things just because you have a coupon for, but that you actually need. I won't use the coupon just because it's $1.50 off. If I wouldn't have bought it in the first place, I'm still loosing money, not saving.  In the past few months I have bought one product, at at least 50% off, and I would have bought it, or something similar, for much more. I've been happy with my purchase, which was a virtual pre-reader French video program that the kids now have access to for 1 year. If I didn't already have 3 out of these 5 magazines coming monthly in our home, this deal would be my second purchase.  I've written many time

Lukka tossing a stone into the Oakanagan Lake up in Peachland, British Columbia Every year I make a small bucket list of fun, silly, or intentional things I want to be spending my time on through the year. I add one thing to the list per year after my birthday. Since I just had my 28th birthday in March, this year's list is called " 28 Before 29 ". These things aren't necessarily huge, significant, or always growths in certain areas, just ways for me to focus sparse free time. People who always say " I wish I had time for that " actually do have time, they just don't organize, plan, and capitalize on it like they might want to. These yearly lists help me do exactly that.  Quite a few of these have been crossed off already, and three or four more will be crossed off within the month when my mom and her husband visit at the end of July! I have a life-long bucket list, but those are goals that might take 5-year increments, or even long

This picture has nothing to do with book reviews, I just thought I'd let you in on a little secret. People really do take their dogs paddle-boarding here. It's a thing. The dogs even wear vests. That must be a rule. Anyway . Books: I have a lot of reviews do to, and I'm going to follow suit of my friend Kerri and just do a multi-review post. Here are a few of the books I've finished in the past few weeks. * The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova is a large novel based in Eastern Europe and is a piece of historical fiction mixed with thriller tendencies. It's a 'history' of the myth of Dracula, and the two main characters, a historian, and an anthropologist who continue to look for him throughout the ages. One of my best friends had recommended this book for years and finally bought it for me to enjoy at my own pace. I usually have trouble finishing a fictional book within the 2-3 week time period that the library gives, so I was really glad to

We all read what we're interested in, and we spend time learning about that which fascinates us. Today I'd like to share with you some of Anikka's interests, and what she's been creating in recent weeks. I saw a post on FIMBY , one of my favorite homeschooling blogs, about sharing her children's art with the world. They were so proud of their work, and she was happy to give them the space on her blog to do so. I loved this idea and had just never thought of having our own show & tell art projects displayed here on the blog.  The picture up top is Anikka's first free-standing art piece she's made. If you can't tell, it's a princess (witch's) hat. The instructions were in a magazine she got from the library, and other than drawing her a circle and helping her apply it with tape to the bottom of the funneled hat top, she did everything else. It is decorated with washi tape, marker, ribbon, yarn, and a feather on top. She still has it u

 Today Stefan and I are celebrating eight years of marriage. Eight isn't fancy or 'special' by any means, but it's another notch, another milestone, and worth celebrating. We were able to go out for dinner and down to the Blaine pier on a date last night, but these photos are from the previous month's date, when we spied a huge 'full sky' rainbow with a beautiful sunset.   Stefan had been on this side of the marina, but I never had. I had never even seen it before! It was a nice boardwalk that extended to the end of the marina, with benches, railings, and some tourist information. A nice walk along the water, just on the opposite side I was used to.   Isn't that just a beautiful rainbow? Unfortunately the iphone Stefan has couldn't take a picture of the entire sky with the rainbow in it--we would have had to be in the water to get that shot! After eating dinner this evening, we bought some favorite chocolate (dark for him, pea