We’ve been reading Shakespeare this fall — from the Usborne “Stories of Shakespeare” — and our boys are loving them. We also caught a performance in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax this summer of “Love’s Labour’s Lost” which was terrific.
Then Tennille stumbled across these “Shakespeare 4 Kidz” DVD’s at the library and wow, what a hit! Macbeth and A Midsummer Night’s Dream came alive through compelling music and terrific acting. Our kids are loving them (especially Micah). We are hoping to find more!
We are enjoying a few days of family fun with Tennille’s parents in Creston. Today, the boys and I built snowmen, though for some of them you have to use your imagination (in fact, for a couple it reminded me of seeing figures in clouds — imagination sorely needed!). Lots of fun.
Ethan built his own snowman today.
And Micah and I joined together to work on this peace activist, plunked down beside the driveway where everyone could see him.
Well, it’s been a few weeks since I posted, and a lot has happened.
A few days after Ethan’s Birthday, Tennille’s grandmother died after a battle with cancer. She, along with Grandpa Jake, lived up in Vanderhoof, BC. From Calgary, this is a long drive. We headed our Thursday morning, thinking (like idiots) that we’d go through the parks. We were turned back after Banff because 93 through to Saskatchewan Crossing was closed due to heavy snowfall. We had already left late morning, and by the time we got back to Hwy 22 to swing back toward Jasper, we were mid-afternoon. However, we pressed on, arriving in Jasper by 10 pm.
The next day we traveled to Prince George (this was the nicest weather day of our travels), and had a glorious visit with Troy and Sue Lee, our IVCF staff at UNBC. The boys had a great time with their boys (who are a bit older), and Tennille and I had a good visit with Troy and Sue. It’s so encouraging to hear what is going on for them in their student ministry.
We arrived in Vanderhoof Saturday morning, re-connecting with Tennille’s family and then switching into funeral mode. The boys were very eager to participate in the service, spending lengthy time viewing Great Grandma in her coffin and talking extensively about all that was going on. I’m glad the boys, who faithfully prayed for her multiple times every day for months, were able to have that kind of closure, saying goodbye for now. Our boys openly discuss the fact that Jesus has promised to give Grandma a new body, and that someday she will get one back — that’s the Christian hope!
We buried Grandma Thiessen in a country cemetery outside Vanderhoof. The boys were eager to participate, taking it all in and reflecting on it over the next few days.
We headed back to Jasper on Sunday, coming through terrible weather to arrive in Jasper and catch the last few minutes of the Grey Cup with my mom and dad, who drove all the way from Grande Prairie to meet us for the night in Jasper. That was a real treat! The next day we headed for home, enduring some of the most treacherous roads we’ve ever been on (remind me to avoid Hwy 2 between Edmonton and Calgary whenever possible!).
It was a grueling trip, but we are glad we made it. Celebrating Grandma’s long, faithful life following Jesus, joining with family to say good-by, was a privilege. Getting to visit Troy and Sue was a bonus we thoroughly enjoyed.
We celebrated Ethan’s ninth birthday on Saturday. As we are coming close to Christmas, we decided (after consultation with Ethan) to host a party where all the kids made gingerbread houses. Each family unit got one to make, and then they took them home with them. I think it was a success – the kids seemed to really enjoy it. Afterwards we had “cake” (which was simply Smarties ice cream because Ethan doesn’t like cake) and opened gifts. All the kids were from the neighborhood and it reminded us again of how good it’s been to move into Dalhousie.
We started our day as a family with pancakes, complete with the Big Pancake E (M was served on Oct 6). Ethan helped me make the pancakes, donning his chef apron to complete the look.
All the kids made gingerbread houses for Ethan's party. It's amazing to see the wonderful (?) diversity of design within a pretty tight parameter of style (four walls, roof, etc).
Ethan has always hated cake, so this year we kept it simple and he loved it.
Ethan was delighted and thankful for all the cards and gifts recieved. Here he holds a handmade card from his good friend Charlotte.
My friend (and supervisor) Susie dropped off some delightful stories on CD when she was here this week. They are Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden, and Little Women produced by Radio Theatre, the same folks that brought us the amazing Radio Theatre version of The Chronicles of Narnia. The boys are riveted to these classics, listening to them all in a matter of days.
We are currently enjoying Anne of Green Gables as a family – I feel like we are doing it old-school, gathering around our CD player, eating popcorn and listening to radio drama. It’s the good stories that give shape to our imaginations. What a delight!
We have a deep tradition of "Special Nights" where Tennille and I read to our boys. However, we've both been sick with colds, unable to read for long periods of time. So, we switched things up to listen to the Anne of Green Gables Radio Theatre version.
We read from an older version, featuring both black and white, as well as full-color, two-page illustrations scattered throughout.
We just finished reading Usborne’s The Adventures of Ulysses, retold by Anna Claybourne and marvelously illustrated by Jeff Anderson. I picked it up a couple weeks ago at Goodwill, and I’m so glad I did! The boys absolutely loved the epic story, begging me to keep reading whenever I attempted to put the book down. I’m no Homerian expert, but I thought the retelling really captured the heart of the story and I know it completely captivated the boys (which is what really matters at this point). From the gouging of the Cyclops’ eye to the final battle in Ulysses’ own courtyard, the boys were transfixed by the characters and the tension of the story. The fantastical creatures, the interactions of the gods and goddesses, the battles and the bloodshed, and the bravery and cunning, drew them in and held them fast.
Micah’s only complaint was his name as “Ulysses”–he was accustomed to his name as “Odysseus” from an audio book of Homer’s Odyssey we had enjoyed last year on a family trip. Funny how first experiences stick in our memory.
I found the prequel Tales of the Trojan War on our shelves, so we’ll see if they want to read that next.
Last night we enjoyed our boy’s Halloween Piano Recital — kids were in full costume and playing their spooky tunes. Ethan played “Happy Trick a Treat”, a composition of his own, and Micah played “Boo I Scared You” from All Things Halloween Level One. They both played very well, better than we had heard them in practice. It’s very good that they can play in front of a crowd, developing confidence and esteem as they continue to develop their skills. It was a lot of fun!
Ninja Ethan, with his piano instructor, a 70's Rock Star
All dressed up and ready to play
Here we are in mid-October. Learning at home (and abroad) continues . . . our boys are loving the freedom of learning in a flexible way, and all the time they get with mom, dad, and each other.
I enjoy reading educational blogs as well as books – they are encouraging and inspiring to Tennille and I as we nurture our boy’s love for God’s amazing world. One that I follow put me onto a recent Maclean’s article published on alternative education, focused particularly on high schoolers. It’s a quick read, with interesting comments by other readers. Enjoy.
Ethan wants to learn to crochet, so Tennille guides him along
The boys are loving their piano lessons with Mrs. L. They are excited to practice, daily, without us pestering them to do so. Mrs. L is inspiring and flexible, adapting her style to their strengths and weaknesses and always encouraging them to love the music! Here are few pictures from today’s lesson.
Beautiful hands and the art of playing well
Mrs. L plays along, inspiring them to hear the sounds of what can be
Every lesson ends with an (unprompted) resounding "Thank you for the wonderful lesson!"
On the way home, Micah remarked that he “wants to learn lots of instruments” and that he is already beginning to compose a song for when he’s a conductor . . . It all begins with love.
On Saturday, our good friend Hillary took the boys to the Kickoff Dinos football game at McMahon Stadium. The boys had a terrific adventure (and the Dinos won!).
