Carey Jane Clark

Family Pastimes

September 12, 2011 by Carey Jane Clark

Max the Cat Some time ago, I stumbled on this company, and we just can’t get enough of their games! The company developed out of company owner Jim Deacove’s philosophy that competition isn’t necessary to make games fun.

Instead, Family Pastimes‘ games foster creative, cooperative play. They’re a wonderful, fun way to develop logic skills.

We were hooked with our first game: Max. The goal of the game is to prevent Max the cat from eating the three little critters: a mouse, a bird and a chipmunk. Children have to work together to prevent this misfortune. They must think about the number of moves in which the cat can catch each one, and when the cat gets too close, tempt him back to the porch with kitty treats. Ultimately, each critter needs to make use of the paths and shortcuts to get to his own home before Max catches him. Rather than having their own game piece, children work together to keep Max at bay. We bought Sleeping Grump at the same time.

After that, I stumbled on Granny’s House in a Salvation Army Thrift Store in Hong Kong. I was excited because we were really enjoying Max and Sleeping Grump, but didn’t know when we’d get back to Canada to buy any more of these wonderful games.

When we returned to Canada from China, we purchased Snowstorm (very Canadian), and while on the road recently, we found two new ones: Caves and Claws and Berries, Bugs and Bullfrogs.

The selection of games for the various age ranges and the various scenarios children can play with is amazing, considering they all spring from the imagination of one man! We’re already making a wish list for the next game we want to play. Maybe Let’s Make Pizza!

I Remember

September 11, 2011 by Carey Jane Clark

I was pregnant on 9/11. I remember how it affected me, hearing all the stories of women whose babies would not meet their daddies. I wanted so badly to be one of the people lining up to give blood, but that’s not something a pregnant woman is allowed to do. I wanted somehow to express to those grieving that I felt their pain and was doing something about it. Instead, I stayed up far too late mesmerized by the horrifying images on the TV screen. And praying.

Months later, when those images had been played and replayed perhaps millions of times, I found I couldn’t look any longer.

A month and a half after 9/11, my husband and I and another couple traveled to Pennsylvania on vacation and took the opportunity to visit New York City. It was my first time there. We stopped to ask directions from a group of police offers, and they actually thanked us for visiting.

We didn’t try to go to ground zero–it felt like intruding on the grief of others, like voyeurism. But from our vantage point atop the Empire State Building, I was stunned to see smoke still billowing up from ground zero. At first I didn’t believe that’s what it was, until one of the uniformed men standing by confirmed it. It was too much to take in. It still is.

But I remember. And I still pray.

September 3 in 30, Week 1

September 10, 2011 by Carey Jane Clark

Oh the challenge of settling into routine again! I’m not sure who it was harder on, me or my kids. But some great learning did happen this week. We settled into our lighter routine. We’ll add more as we go along. Next week we add grammar and writing. The week after we’ll get into French and Latin as well.

This week, we started our new science curriculum, and also cracked open our new Canadian history curriculum. I think everyone was equally excited–except Sprout. I’m going to have to work a little harder on engaging her in some of the group aspects of our curriculum where she’d rather slip off and putter with playdough or host tea parties for her favorite “stuffies.” She’s doing well with the things I can give her individual attention on, though.

Here’s how I’m doing with my goals:

Settle into homeschool routine. (As noted above.)
While traveling this week, I read five days’ worth in one day, then the next two days got bogged down again. I will catch up. I am determined. I have been incredibly comforted by the readings this week in a situation we’ve been facing, and I’m determined to see this through.
Continue revision. Lost a little steam here for reasons which shall be explained in a future post this week, but I’m still plugging away. I’m on chapter 27 of 35.

How are you doing with your goal-setting? Has back to school been a bonus or a minus?

Vacation Pics

September 7, 2011 by Carey Jane Clark

We had a wonderful time while we were away the last 11 days. We traveled six hours to Tobermory, Ontario, stayed a few days with friends, then along the shore of Lake Huron to Windsor, where we visited with more friends. Along the way we had a two-day camping trip and a lot of fun. We should have taken a shortcut through the States, but Sprout’s passport needs updating. We’re going to do something about that this week!

Here are some of the pictures from our adventures:

Pretty little view from Kincardine, Ontario. Too bad the sun wasn’t shining then.

Just one of the many, many buildings devastated by the tornado that hit downtown Goderich, Ontario just a week before we passed through.

Sprout tries out the hammock at our campsite near Grand Bend, Ontario.

What are your favorite memories of summer 2011?

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