Mowing shoes, pandas, and homeschool

Just a few cute stories and a quick update...please excuse the typos, I'm short on time.

As I'm sitting on the couch today putting on my adorable (yeah right) mowing shoes when Holden asks to watch me mow the grass. Let's back up! I didn't tell him I was going to mow. I asked him how he knew I was going to mow the grass. He said because of the shoes I was putting on. Cliff used to mow the grass 100% of the time until the past few months. So I guess he catches on quick! I asked him how he got so smart and he said he was just born smart. I'm a sucker for the brainy and cute ones.

Another cute incident happened with Holden today (4.75 years). He was riding his bike and while he was stopped to get help with his helmet he asked me to read a label on his bike. It was a safety message about wearing helmets and at the bottom it said Made in China. He said what's China? I told him it's a country in Asia. I said you know where Asia is right? He said yes. That's where polar bears are from. Well we had watched the Amazing Panda Adventure a few months ago and so I knew he meant Panda Bears and I didn't correct him. A few seconds after he said polar bears he corrected himself and said oh I mean panda bears. I was blown away that he remembered! Well he also plays a game on-line called, Clever Island and within Clever Island there's a baby animal rescue game. He can rescue animals from Asia, Australia, or South America. So I see him making a lot of neat connections.

Another neat thing happened today. A neighbor girl (6) asked me if we do homeschool at home right now. I said yes we learn something everyday (stole that from Lydia Graber... :O). She asked how and I told her we watch movies, read books, go places, and talk about things. Plus I said we do art projects and housework. Well there's a lot more we do but I tried to be to the point. She was not rude in her wonderings. She was just curious. I thought it was a pretty cool interaction. Not sure what was going thru her mind but she didn't say anything else so I think I must have answered what she wanted to know. We were just walking by the street on our way home from a neighbors when this happened. I didn't even know she knew we were homeschoolers (unschoolers...whatever...we don't label ourselves that way to neighbors. They don't need to know everything!).

Something cool: A friend, Rachael, invited our family to join her family (Jason, Marc, & Ana) at a Native American pow wow tomorrow. We're exited! We've been busy mowing grass, and doing other projects so we can go. Cliff has to work for the Navy Reserves tomorrow too. He is still trying to line up work for the next week or so. I have put some items on Ebay. It was a tough choice but we really need the money. I told him if we get much further behind on bills we will have to start selling furniture we plan to sell at some point anyway. It feels like things are moving fast here.

Cliff has had some job offers that are quite far (like Arizona). Well Camden's 2nd birthday is on Oct. 4 and Cliff wants to be here. It is making things very interesting. I think he is starting to see why waiting to fix up some things on the house is slowing things down on selling and getting an RV. Plus he is in a lot of pain. He has tennis elbow in both arms and hurt ribs (long story). He will mend but all these house projects he wanted to do and still wants to do are not helping his situation. There's no way we can afford an RV until we get the equity from selling the house. Or we have to use the equity to clean up our credit then use credit to buy the RV. That way is harder b/c we would have to rent a cheap place which will only prolong things even more. I'm trying to think outside the box and be patient. He is not finding any decent job opportunities here either. Cliff has been reading websites and blogs about traveling with family in an RV. He is excited but nervous. This will be a big change! But we have had so much encouragement from people who have done this and said they don't regret it at all. Seeing the country with family over an extended period is an awesome experience few get to do. I feel we have been given a great opportunity and don't want to lose it!

Photos: my mowing shows; Camden and Ana hugging and posing in another pic at Beaverdale Park on 9/7/2006. Camden is a love. He loves going up to kids and giving hugs. Ana is still not sure she is o.k. with him doing this. What a doll for playing along!