Windjammer Weekend, Camden ME 2011

First a visit with some pirates!

They gave the kids a coin each.

Kanoa wore his own pirate hat for the occassion, until it got too windy and we needed to put it in our bag for safekeeping.

Angelique, Lewis French and the Mary Day schooners (left to right)

On the Angelique

Li surprises Makana by sneaking onto the next ship when she isn't looking.

It is not this crowded in our town usually!  Wow!

Mom visited over the weekend! 

Love this view with Mt Battie in the background.

Check out my new wheels!

Come Boating in Belfast, Maine

The boathouse

We watched for a long time as they got ready



And looked for things in the water...found seaweed and little floating crab apples.

Makana was going to try and row too.  I was wondering how this would go.  Was she strong enough?



Makana ended up sitting next to Azure to enjoy the ride instead of row as she fell when her oar got stuck.  The tides were very strong this day and they had alot of trouble getting away from the dock.  Once they were out though, away they went.  They had a great time!  Makana and Azure loved sitting next to each other!  They got to sit next to Quinn and try rowing with her for a bit of time on the way back.

Choosing High School - First Full Day



Found this nice note this morning.



Katie went to school for her first official day of high school today and she enjoyed it very much.  She went yesterday, but it was a freshmen only half-day.  I was glad she wanted to tell me about her experience and her day.  She said that she likes some of her teachers and classes, but doesn't like Spanish 2 or Health.  She had been a little nervous about being a freshman as she heard people refer to them as "fresh meat" and heard that they aren't treated nicely by older students.  However, the students (both older and younger) she has met so far have been very nice. 

Last night was the evening parents could come to school and follow their child's schedule.  Jim went with Katie and got to meet the teachers and hear about five minutes of what each class was about.  The health teacher invited parents to come into any health class anytime.  Jim told Katie he'll save her a seat (wink). 

Some of the classes use no books at all, like science class.  The laptops aren't ready to be given out yet and Jim said that the school made it seem like this was a big deal - the kids would have to take notes.  He said that it seems like the schools have changed since we went. 

We do know one teacher at the school who teaches the fashion design and discovering foods classes.  She is so nice and I do hope Katie enjoys those classes. 

Frog On Glass Door

This was a cool thing to see!  The underbelly of a frog!

8/28/2011

Neuc, Sabbathday Shaker Village



8/26 - Our room at Neuc conf...what a mess!



We stayed one more night then we had planned at the conference (yeah!).  On our way home Saturday, we went to a portfolio review sesson (where I met some really nice families!) at Pinelands (which reminded me of Delicious Orchards in NJ a little bit) and then went to the Shaker Village that we had heard all about by listening to a cd.  The cd was called Like the Willow Tree: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce, Portland, Maine, 1918 (Dear America Series) by Lois Lowry.  It was such a captivating cd that we loved to put it on the minute we got into the car and sometimes wished our car rides were longer just to hear more!  Here's a review of it online: http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/9780545144698.asp 

We thought that we would take a tour of the Shaker Village, but when we found out that you could not leave the tour and that it is more of a serious, quiet tour mostly appropriate for those who can remain quiet and are older (like over 12 or something), we decided to take the self-guided tour instead.  I didn't get to read nearly as much as I had wished to because the kids needed us, especially Kanoa who was full of energy.  We did get some pics though.  Here they are.  And I do wish someday to return and take the tour - that is, if there are any Shaker's around then as there are only three left today and they all live in this village, "The Chosen Land."  Maybe some of the kids will be able to go on the tour at that later time too.  It would be so fun to share that experience with them.  Oh, I read part of a book called, "Chosen faith, Chosen Land : the untold story of America's 21st-century Shakers" by Jeannine Lauber.  It said in the book that the Ken Burns documentary had some errors in it including that the Shakers called God "Mother/Father God." The book said that they actually did just say God, not "Mother Father God" but that it is true that they did think of God as being both genders.

This photo reminds me of something Li said on 9/9/2011 and I am inserting it here.  As we were cooking in the kitchen, he said he likes to do many different things each day so he gets good at many things, like the Shakers did.  He said they were smart to do that and he wants to do that too.  He wondered if he would be good at whatever he does when he's older.  Then he said after some thought, "The Shakers are smart, but they don't rely on happiness. They need more happiness." 

8/20 - Misc Kanoa pics

Kanoa enjoying some computer time.



Katie holding Kanoa, who loved wearing Wolfgang's hat.  We eventually found Kanoa his own black hat to wear.