August 18, 2012

• Summer Break continues

   

  We have been enjoying the change of pace that summer brings with it.  In the course of the past couple of weeks, we have done various things.  We have gone to a park where the children could play in water or on playground equipment.  The night we went to the park, we were also treated to light displays that included a water, light and music show.  We have gone to the beach.  Maya did so well floating around in the sea water.  The boys also did really well swimming too.  We have hosted a cook-out and been invited to a barbecue.  We have spectated a huge firework display and we have participated in doing fireworks.  We have helped to host a kids' club overnighter as well.

  We still have a couple of weeks left before we hit the books again.  Next week Corey heads off to some training for the week.  I am not sure what the week holds for the kids and me.  Tomo's bike is now fixed, so it may be possible for us to take a bike outing from time to time.  We are fortunate to live near a major thorough way that has a very wide path on the side of the street for pedestrians and bicycles. The path is separated from the street be about a 6 in concrete "curb".  I feel pretty sure that Tomo and Skyler can both ride their own bikes safely along this route with me.  This is good for me because riding with an extra 35 kilos worth of kids on my bike gets to be VERY tiring and I cannot carry anything else on the bike but kids in that case.

  Naturally we tried to take in as much of the London Olympics as we could, but it seems that I am the most enthusiastic about the Olympics in my home.  Hopefully that will change someday as the kids grow.  We are working on a lap book that covers the Olympics day by day.  This is our summer "study" project.  The boys are working on it together with me supervising.

  We have also had the opportunity to talk with the cities head of education about our homeschooling the kids.  To be sure, they would very much prefer us to put our kids in school, but the gentleman was understanding or maybe accepting of us choosing this route.  He emphasized that compulsory nature of education in this country and stressed to us the obligation we have to see that our children get educated.  We asked of we should submit documentation of what we do, but he said no.  He did say that we may get visited by the kids' teachers as our children are still technically enrolled in the local schools.  They are on the roll, but they will just be marked absent every day.  That seems a bit bizarre to me, but that is how it works.  The teachers may stop in from time to time to see that we are doing school and to check on us to see if we have need of anything.  We will have access to some resources, namely, the Japanese language study books for the kids.  We look forward to more openness between the school system and our family here.

  Orchestra is still in a bit of a trail period.  Last night it started to feel more like I belong there.  I will make my official decision by September, and it looks like the orchestra will have a concert in November.  My understanding is that the November concert is a more family oriented one and I could gather that from some of the songs that we have been playing in practice.  The other big concert is in June and it seems to be the more formal and classical in nature of the two.

  Also enjoying the high school baseball tournaments.  Today I am watching the Niigata team play a team from Kochi.  The Niigata team is struggling, but the game is on hold due to lightening.  Actually, I am waiting on little bit to finish her nap.  Once she wakes up, we will head into Robin's place for a game day time.  

  • 2:09 am
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