Monday, July 4, 2016

Our 2016 homeschooling video

I'm going to pause my updates on our trip to the US to say...We are on the other side of end of year homeschool reporting!! Yay!

I don't know why I get so nervous about it; the government officials that oversee all Taitung County homeschooling families are very supportive and accommodating. But somewhere deep inside, I wonder: "Will this year be different? Will they suddenly decide to look very closely and discover that we didn't accomplish even half of what we so foolishly aspired to do? Will they close their folders and announce, 'I'm sorry, but your kids must enter the school system this year. You, as parents/teachers, have failed.'?"

Well, for this year's reporting, we did fail...to get our video to work. But no matter. We still had a slideshow. And they didn't seem to mind. They are so nice!  We finally got it working, though. I'll post it here for the record (since this is a homeschooling blog after all).




Saturday, May 21, 2016

NY

We spent the first few days in New York with Sara and Emmanuel. I haven't felt culture shock for years, but I think that's what I was experiencing in this magical, mysterious land.



But first, I need to mention a part of the journey that the kids and I anticipated almost, ALMOST as much as the destination. Do all MK's love flying? My memories are of KLM Airlines. Many hours of yummy food, a movie!, and fun little toys for kids. The glow of my fond memories rubbed off onto J,A and L, so now they love it too. 


All the girl cousins squished in a corner, enjoying togetherness.


I think we had just come back from taking Evelyn to school. We are right outside S and E's apt in Brooklyn. This corner is the best corner in NY, in my humble opinion. It's so alive with sunlight, space, cute shops, and fascinating people.


Emmanuel took us up to the roof to see the skyline. I think he's showing Joseph the Statue of Liberty.


Of course!


Anna delighted in being a mom to Andrew...

    
...and Lenore. She loves to nurture.




Joseph wanted to try taking Evelyn to school (about two blocks away) by himself. I think Ken kept a healthy distance of a few meters.


Sara actually let us take the two youngest cousins out and about with us while she went to the dentist! We went to the library, and then back home. We did it!


We went to see Ground Zero. Beautiful. We took the subway. Scary.

   
Even Ken fell under Andrew's spell. That grimace is a grimace of affection.


Those few days were so cozy, exciting, strange, relaxing, exhilarating, and fun!

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Good times in NY and Lanky

We spent a glorious month in the States with family in November (sans tour group. But I'm still holding onto that dream...)  I need to record as many memories as possible before they fade. But not tonight. I need to go to sleep.




We love you, family!!