Our new place

For those of you who had been wanting to see our new rental place: Here it is! We really like it. It looks a lot smaller than it is. There's an upstairs with 2 BR and a fairly large basement as well. Maybe I'll take some time to take pics of those later.

My friend Melody painted the barn painting in the back. I love it, Melody!

The kids have always slept together and even though we had the space this time, we still put them together. This BR is downstairs, right next to our Master BR, so we can be close to them. The two BR upstairs function as our play and school room.

Here's the wardrobe my parents gave me when I left for the US the second time. It's old (like 200 yrs) and beautiful! Thank you so much, it means a lot to me! My friend Debbie painted the pretty tulip painting. I love it, Debbie!

We like the heated floor tiles in the bathroom. :)

These are the 2 boards that I had been wanting to finish since the 4th year of med school (2yrs ago). My friend Jamie in Spokane has a vinyl business, so I painted them and she made the letters. She gave us the last one (FHE) as a goodbye gift. Thanks, Jamie!

Classical Christian Education

Remember when I was so sad to leave the kid's previous school? I had no reason to worry, as both Luca and Leea, as well as Lincoln and I love their new school.

Before moving here, we had come for a day to check out their new potential school. We checked into the public school and a Christian school, returning home with very mixed feelings and knowing I wouldn't want my kids to attend either school.

The decision was made, I was going to home school. Until one day, a few weeks before school started, we were looking for houses in our new town. We drove by their new school and we both said, let's check it out. We immediately liked everything they had to say and after talking to the teachers, we were settled.

I knew about the school they attend now, but their web page made it look like a very stiff school, compared to the school they had just attended in Spokane. Plus we had never heard about the learning style. Indeed they're both VERY different, but we have discovered a new wonderful way for our kids to learn: Classical Christian Education

Now they receive an excellent education (and we think it's even a low cost program compared to what other private schools charge in Spokane) and one bonus we all enjoy is a 4-day school week. They get so much done in their small classes, that Fridays can be used for whatever you want (the older kids have a lot of homework though). It's my home school day now. I found it a very nice compromise. We get to go on field trips, do whatever I think the kids need to work on and we have Spanish with our native speaker that day as well.

The kids have not complained once since they started. They have wonderful friends and are in a Christian environment all day long. The pray and bless their day and food. I even like the school uniforms. Growing up with girls bullying me about my clothes, I find it only an advantage. One thing less to worry about.

We're really happy to have found such a wonderful place for our kids.

Leea with her teacher

The "Schultuete" is a German tradition. Kids receive it there from their parents when they start school. It's usually filled with little toys and candy. Leea started Kindergarten this year. Luca got one last year as well.

Luca with his teacher

Black Lake

We became friends with Leea's old ballet teacher in Spokane. She's a retired Neonatologist, that now lives close to our new place. What is amazing is, that her ballet school is completely free to anyone. Her philosophy: If you've got a talent, share it! Isn't this awesome? She's taught ballet for many, many years, even while she was working as a doctor. Luca and Leea both took lessons from her and loved her. She's kind and fun, yet firm and they did a wonderful rehersal, right before we went to Germany. I'll have to dig up the video. She said we're always welcome to come hang aound and explore her property and use her equipment (canoes, kayaks and paddle boats).

Here we are canoing with kayak paddles. It works great! We had been thinking of buying kayaks, but now we don't have to for a bit longer.

The kids were so excited for the real horsie rides! Eva, dear sister, you could come ride western style with our friend!

Beautiful waterfall on the way home.

Summer in Spokane

This is how we enjoyed our last few weeks in Spokane. We all hung around like sloths and enjoyed the warm weather! :) Here's Leea's example.

The kids loved climbing grandma's apricot tree...

...and running through the sprinkler. Don't know what had happened to their swim suits this particular day, but underwear worked just as well.

The top of Mt Spokane. You can see all the surroundings lakes from here.

Huckleberry Picking on Mt Spokane.

Grandma not only helped to take care of the kids, but without her help, we would have had even less berries. It took us a few hours to pick a little less than a gallon. That's how hard these little suckers are to pick. But it's oh so worth it!

We all ate while we picked, but only the kids showed obvious signs of berry intake in form of big red stains around their mouths.

Beautiful Mt Spokane wilderness

Mmmm, huckleberry muffins!

A lifetime garden to nourish your life

I just found this on our local 4 H newsletter. You can grow this garden all year long, over and over with the results of becoming a better person!

The Garden…A lifetime garden to nourish your life:

First, plant six rows of squash.

1. Squash dishonesty in all its forms.
2. Squash prejudice.
3. Squash fear.
4. Squash negativism.
5. Squash gossip.
6. Squash apathy.

Then plant five rows of lettuce:

1. Lettuce be kind.
2. Lettuce respect each other.
3. Lettuce be grateful.
4. Lettuce be patient.
5. Lettuce be faithful to our beliefs.

Add three rows of turnips:

1. Turnip to do your share.
2. Turnip to vote.
3. Turnip to help others.

For spice, plant three rows of thyme:

1. Thyme to teach and play with your
children.
2. Thyme to learn and grow wise.
3. Thyme to think about who you are and
why you're here.

Finally, finish off the garden with two rows of
peas:

1. Peas of mind.
2. Peas in your relationships.

If you care for this garden, it will produce all