Brittney's Graduation

Another homeschooling family we know in central NL has a daughter 11 days older than Brittney. They wanted to do something to mark her graduation from "high school" and asked if we'd like to join in with them....which we did.

There are many things I like about homeschooling, but one thing...it allows each child to develop into who they are and doesn't push them in to being like everyone else. This was evidenced in many ways but really shone through with their choice of dress. Each had a very different style from the other and neither felt pressured to dress like the other one.

Here are some pictures. I took these with my phone and can't get the captions to line up with the pictures, but you'll see them as you scroll through them. The cake was really beautiful -- even had a cool pink grad cap on it!

Jake made a speech to his sister. I told him I had to read it first. He said he wasn't going to write it, just wing it as he went along and he wanted it to be funny. I responded with funny is ok, but not silly and reminded him that he didn't want to embarrass himself. He didn't miss a beat and came back with, "No, but I want to embarrass you." Sigh..... He didn't embarrass anyone though, it was a lovely speech to his sister. He did mention that he and Tyler were Brittney's brothers, but that Brittney liked him best (which drew a lot of laughs ha ha)

Lots of balloons. The other mother made the cap and gowns. All in all a nice night. Thanks guys for inviting us!

Click on the pictures to enlarge them


Brittney and Sara at home before...




Brittney

Sunrises and Icebergs

I posted these on my facebook page, but for those of you not on my fb, I'm posting them here too.

A recent sunrise Click on pictures to enlarge...



A couple of icebergs that have stopped by for a visit. There are a lot off shore, but at present too far out for a picture. Hopefully, there will be a lot more in the days and weeks to come.

This one is a bit blurry and the iceberg appears small, but comparing it to the boat behind it, puts the size into perspective.

My favourite time of day...

is early morning. I love watching the sun come up over the ocean.

First, the dark sky gets a warm red glow. Soon after, the sun peeks up and before long, the sun seems to be sitting right on the ocean. Watching this *almost* makes me believe...it is a flat earth ;)

From a few days ago... (click pictures to enlarge)...































Different day...but love the way the sun sparkles on the ocean...



Sun is starting to go down...love the pink/mauve/blue sky and pink/mauve/blue ocean

Back to Blogging

It's been awhile...my poor neglected blog.

It's been a very busy, emotional couple of months. We were busy getting Tyler squared away for college. Preparing before we left home was lots of work, but there was even more work once we arrived there.

Before leaving home, Tyler indicated his church denomination of choice and we researched a church in the area. I made contact with them well before we left home, letting them know we'd be visiting with them and about Tyler living there for school etc. They were very nice in their response to me and were even nicer in person. Very welcoming and many "mothers" stopping to reassure me he'd be well taken care of. A few people offered rides each week and indicated they'd make sure he had a way there. He felt comfortable there right from the word go.

We spent a weekend in the city...looking around and getting him familiar with his new surroundings. We met for lunch with our very first piano teacher (who also now lives in that city).

The day we dropped him off, was a very emotional one for all of us. It's one thing to go to a new school, but when it's far away from home, it adds a whole new dimension.

It's been just over three weeks and aside from the usual settling in pains, he seems to be doing very well. He likes his classes, his professors, his class mates and his room mates. He's meeting people at the church and attending events there. One family in particular has been really nice to him....driving him to and from church each week and even treating him to lunch one Sunday after church.

He got 100% on his first Photoshop assignment (but claims it was the first one so the professor wasn't too tough on them...hmmm...)

He's made an oral presentation and feels comfortable with the job he did on that (takes after me ;) lol )

Here is his first 3D Modelling project (animation class). He says it's challenging but fun. (Click to enlarge)



Keep up the good work, Ty!

Around d' bay...

We quite often hear the response, "Around d' bay". This can be in response to, "Where do yo live?" "Where are you from?" "Where are you going for the weekend?" "Where did that happen?" Almost everything can be answered by "around d' bay". I've often wondered, exactly what that meant...so today we decided to take a drive....around d' bay. It was a beautiful day and Brittney and Jake were away at Spring Forth. We headed out around 8:00 and what a beautiful drive it was. We went up to Grates Cove...which is the other peninsula across the bay (or is that around d' bay) from where we live. So cool to see 'our' peninsula from the other side of the bay.

Click on the pics to enlarge them...

Sunrise from our deck before we left...



Newfoundlanders are very proud of their athletes and whenever one does something spectacular...they get a lot of things (roads, lookouts etc.) named after them...


I believe this ship, stuck here, is The Kyle

Closer up


A write up about Danny Cleary, located at the Danny Cleary Lookout


Looking north at the Danny Cleary Lookout



Newfoundland is home to some of the most interesting town names ever. Here is one --Heart's Content. I think it would be sooo cool to live in a town named "Heart's Content". Can you imagine telling people the name of your town while giving your address.


And...some random shots taken as we made our way up the coast (or is that... around d'bay ;) )


The water was absolutely gorgeous shades of turquoise, navy blue and bright blue.











Finally...up at the tip of the other Peninsula -- Grates Cove. What a cute post office! So tiny.






Across the bay is the peninsula we live on (only the other side of that peninsula)
















Another town with a cute name. Cupids.

There is also Heart's Delight and Come By Chance...to name just a couple. I'd be really interested in learning the history behind how these towns got their names. Hmmm...I sense a homeschool history lesson in the making ;)