Update and Video

Hello everybodee!
We just found this neat video of our great little town. We want to share it with you. It shows what it looks like here and gives some background. Perhaps it will entice you to come and visit us sooner rather than later. We all know that you are dying to come up to the great NW and visit someday. Maybe this will help light a fire.
Click Here
Also we wanted to let everyone know that we are doing well. We added 2 new members to our family: Cali, and Kizzy. They are stray barn cats, kittens really that the children adopted and they adopted the kids, so It's official. They are really patient. They let Fern drag them all over the place and play with them. It's quite cute. Only problem is that we think Henry might be allergic to cats, we'll see.
Lyn's new sewing business is going quite well and news of it is spreading quickly thru the community. She named it "Resergence" mispelling intended, (for those who don't know much about sewing, there is a machine called a serger.)
My bro Riley is coming home from Alaska tonight, we are planning on taking Henry and climbing Mt. Pilchuck this weekend. It should be EPIC. It's supposed to be great weather and there will be nearly a full moon. I am looking forward to watching the sun go down and the moon go up. According to NASA this week the moon will be the biggest and brightest now more than anytime in the next 20 years. They call it a "Super Harvest Moon"
Anyhow we hope that you are all enjoying the fall and doing some fun stuff too.

End of summer catch up

So to start off my poor Trooper died a while back, the water pump blew up, literally. The thing that was notable about that is that he was just about to hit a big milestone, or more appropriately a BIG mileage: 250,000! I had my camera ready and every thing, but then BlAm! 249,999.5 and D-E-A-D! Oh well we got it fixed and all is well now.


Also the kids went camping with Gma and Gpa Nelson this summer. That was really ambitious on their part for taking 5 grand kids under the age of six camping for 3 days, but they all loved it. We met up with them on day 4 and went out to see Mt.St. Helens. It was quite awe-striking. It had been 30 years since she blew her top and still there is very little that is able to grow in the area. The power of nature is seriously amazing. Hear are some pics of Helens and the kids.




We have had a very busy summer. We have had great times camping and hiking and playing at our beach. I think that we have been to the beach most this summer. Usually we go down there for 3-4 hours. The kids play in the sand and wade in the river. It's chilly but it's so much better than all the chemicals and stuff that you would get at a lukewarm swimming pool. It is neat that there is so much here on our road taht we don't HAVE to go much of anywhere. We even have a wonderful Blackberry patch to pick from.

Business has been busy for me this summer. I have helped a lot of clients thru the design process and now they are all entering the installation process; I should have nearly $100K of install happening this fall! Not bad for the first year of biz. Next year things should really take off as the search engines pick up my site and as my reputation grows. That's exciting.

This weekend was Fern's 4th B-day. My parents (Nelson) came over and my sister too. we had a fun day and enjoyed seeing Fern and her characteristic exuberance in opening her presents.


We are loving life out here. We feel so blessed that we were guided to this place. Life is so much richer when it is simpler. Sometimes we get things too complicated. It doesn't need to be that way. When I lived in El Salvador, I noticed that despite them being the 2nd poorest nation in this hemisphere, that the people of that country were very content. After many months pondering on it, I realized that the more 'things' you have the more things that you have to worry about. Remove things, and unnecessary programs and time wasters, like TV, and life slows down and you can breathe and sense the peace and happiness that the universe provides. anyhow, a closing pic. Enjoy

Great speech debunking the wisdom of our education system

This is a great speech. This young woman has a lot figured out, in my opinion. If you would like a new view on this subject read on. I have personally felt as she for a long time. That's why we homeschool.

[The following speech was delivered by top of the class student Erica Goldson during the graduation ceremony at Coxsackie-Athens High School on June 25, 2010]

-Here I stand-

"There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years.” The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast – How long then?” Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”

This is the dilemma I’ve faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.

Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn’t you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.

I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contend that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.

John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, “We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness – curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don’t do that.” Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.

H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not “to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. … Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim … is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States.”

To illustrate this idea, doesn’t it perturb you to learn about the idea of “critical thinking?” Is there really such a thing as “uncritically thinking?” To think is to process information in order to form an opinion. But if we are not critical when processing this information, are we really thinking? Or are we mindlessly accepting other opinions as truth?

This was happening to me, and if it wasn’t for the rare occurrence of an avant-garde tenth grade English teacher, Donna Bryan, who allowed me to open my mind and ask questions before accepting textbook doctrine, I would have been doomed. I am now enlightened, but my mind still feels disabled. I must retrain myself and constantly remember how insane this ostensibly sane place really is.

And now here I am in a world guided by fear, a world suppressing the uniqueness that lies inside each of us, a world where we can either acquiesce to the inhuman nonsense of corporatism and materialism or insist on change. We are not enlivened by an educational system that clandestinely sets us up for jobs that could be automated, for work that need not be done, for enslavement without fervency for meaningful achievement. We have no choices in life when money is our motivational force. Our motivational force ought to be passion, but this is lost from the moment we step into a system that trains us, rather than inspires us.

We are more than robotic bookshelves, conditioned to blurt out facts we were taught in school. We are all very special, every human on this planet is so special, so aren’t we all deserving of something better, of using our minds for innovation, rather than memorization, for creativity, rather than futile activity, for rumination rather than stagnation? We are not here to get a degree, to then get a job, so we can consume industry-approved placation after placation. There is more, and more still.

The saddest part is that the majority of students don’t have the opportunity to reflect as I did. The majority of students are put through the same brainwashing techniques in order to create a complacent labor force working in the interests of large corporations and secretive government, and worst of all, they are completely unaware of it. I will never be able to turn back these 18 years. I can’t run away to another country with an education system meant to enlighten rather than condition. This part of my life is over, and I want to make sure that no other child will have his or her potential suppressed by powers meant to exploit and control. We are human beings. We are thinkers, dreamers, explorers, artists, writers, engineers. We are anything we want to be – but only if we have an educational system that supports us rather than holds us down. A tree can grow, but only if its roots are given a healthy foundation.

For those of you out there that must continue to sit in desks and yield to the authoritarian ideologies of instructors, do not be disheartened. You still have the opportunity to stand up, ask questions, be critical, and create your own perspective. Demand a setting that will provide you with intellectual capabilities that allow you to expand your mind instead of directing it. Demand that you be interested in class. Demand that the excuse, “You have to learn this for the test” is not good enough for you. Education is an excellent tool, if used properly, but focus more on learning rather than getting good grades.

For those of you that work within the system that I am condemning, I do not mean to insult; I intend to motivate. You have the power to change the incompetencies of this system. I know that you did not become a teacher or administrator to see your students bored. You cannot accept the authority of the governing bodies that tell you what to teach, how to teach it, and that you will be punished if you do not comply. Our potential is at stake.

For those of you that are now leaving this establishment, I say, do not forget what went on in these classrooms. Do not abandon those that come after you. We are the new future and we are not going to let tradition stand. We will break down the walls of corruption to let a garden of knowledge grow throughout America. Once educated properly, we will have the power to do anything, and best of all, we will only use that power for good, for we will be cultivated and wise. We will not accept anything at face value. We will ask questions, and we will demand truth.

So, here I stand. I am not standing here as valedictorian by myself. I was molded by my environment, by all of my peers who are sitting here watching me. I couldn’t have accomplished this without all of you. It was all of you who truly made me the person I am today. It was all of you who were my competition, yet my backbone. In that way, we are all valedictorians.

I am now supposed to say farewell to this institution, those who maintain it, and those who stand with me and behind me, but I hope this farewell is more of a “see you later” when we are all working together to rear a pedagogic movement. But first, let’s go get those pieces of paper that tell us that we’re smart enough to do so!"

What we've been up to

OK, so life has been very busy...it's summer time!!! The sun finally came to Washington and we have been outside as much as possible. Our garden is growing like crazy and our chickens are starting to lay eggs. Even our rooster started laying eggs! (Apparently we're not very good at telling chicken gender either...i.e. 7 day cat...) We continue to love life on the farm. You know you want to come visit...

Our chickens are pretty funny. Here they all are posing for a picture. Aren't they all so beautiful? (Maybe this is something you discover more when you own chickens...bless their fuzzy little butts.)

They helped keep Caleb company while me and the kids went down to Utah for the annual cousin family reunion, hence the chicken portraits.

Between me and my sister and her kids, we added 11 people to my parent's house--I'm sure it seems awful quiet now that we are gone :)

Here is Fern snuggling/mauling cousin Sarah. Good thing kids are made out of rubber...


First off, notice that Fern is color coordinated with the very loud skate rink decor--that's our Fern! Fern has discovered a new interest--roller skating. She actually has quite good balance on the skates--walking around on them at least. She was really sad when it was time to give the skates back, but I told her we would take her again another day. Possible future roller derby girl? (If you know Fern, you know what we are talking about...)


Beautiful Big Springs hike. Thank goodness for a double jogging stroller and baby bjorn--Fern was done after about 20 feet...and it was 4 miles long!


We celebrated Grandpa's 94th birthday with a party. He is so strong and active for his age--even for someone 10 years younger...


Henry enjoyed 'digging' for dinosaur bones at the museum.


Fern thought the shark was pretty cool (perhaps partly because Henry was scared of it...actually MOSTLY because of that...that's Fern)


It's always awesome to see Mt. Rainier--the kids kept taking pictures of it from the airplane. Caleb claims that he could live to be a thousand years old and never tire of seeing the mountain.


My great travelers after the flight home, excited to see dad again. (Dad was happy to see them too--he didn't enjoy sharing his meals with the chickens all that much.)


This is just a pic for Riley, showing that we are using the Yukon the way it was meant to be used.


Caleb taking the kids off to play in the river (or more appropriately, at the side of the river, as it is ice cold water...) leaving me with three hours to read. Not sure when the last time was I had that long to read....it was really nice :)


Here is a cool stack of rocks (cairn) that Caleb and Henry built. You can also see the beauty of our secret camping spot. You are literally almost completely isolated from any other people. Awesome.


More camping pix--Henry claims that this was 'the best fire ever.' Caleb and Henry built it without using any paper. Next year they are going to try not using a match either.


Ferny showing her coordination? foot to head? who knows...just Fern.

Well, that is about all for now. Caleb's business is doing well. Check out his website--it is pretty impressive (the link is on the right of this page).

Happy Henry day + random other stuff

Hello everybody--happy wet Juneuary to you all. We've been having cold, wet, and dreary days here. The weather man predicted 10 days of sun, which would have been great, but we only got 1 of those...but we've still been having fun. When the sun does come out, we pack EVERYTHING into the day. One day we were outside from 9am until 10:30pm.

Fern feels very grown-up to ride on the "buddy bike" attached to Caleb's bike. She holds on quite well and has her own helmet now (which is pink with an added ribbon on top and Hello Kitty drawn on the side) and loves to go fast and go over bumps. She'll be mountain biking with Henry and Caleb in no time.


One day while biking, Fern heard a sound and insisted on stopping and seeing what it was. We found an abandoned cat hiding in the grass. Long story short, we ended up taking it home. They named it Gracie even before we got home. Gracie's claws were too long--she got caught on everything she stretched on, then she started getting sick, so we took her to the vet to see what could be done--they told us it would take $125 or more to take care of her, so we left her there. (I mean it was a "him"--apparently Caleb is not very good in determining gender in cats) He is now healthy and in a nice home--not ours--and probably with a better name. We call him our 7 day cat. The kids sure loved him though and the cat was quite tolerant of being carried around by Fern.


We continue to love our new home and surroundings. It is so beautiful. I think we shall never leave...Our garden is doing great (besides almost drowning in all the rain--did I mention that we need some more sun?)


So, we celebrated "Henry day" last week (as his birthday usually gets lost in the midst of Christmas preparations). We had a great day in Seattle. We went to the Pacific Science Center, where they had a circus exhibit. Henry got to put on a safety harness and walk on a tightrope up in the air. I couldn't believe that he was so brave! He seemed to be a bit more confident after this.


Then we went out to eat at Buca di Beppo (thanks to coupons and credit card rewards it was free!) an Italian restaurant. Henry got sang to (which he thought was totally cool--he loved the attention) and got a brownie with ice cream, along with a candelabra while he ate it. (Henry asked if there was going to be candles--the server was in a hurry and said "candles? you betcha", hence the candelabra.) You should have seen Henry beaming--so cute.


Back at home Henry had requested an iceberg cake with penguins. It turned out cool, but not quite as cool as the volcano cake last year...but what can top that?


What a happy boy! I love this facial expression of pure excitement and happiness. He got what he wanted--legos. We feel lucky that we have a boy who got a pack of mints and a small box of legos and was completely content. What a great kid :)


Love when snapshots work out so well! The lighting and composition worked out nicely and it was just a quick shot...cool. Caleb's business has recuperated the startup costs and is looking promising. Feel free to check out his website (there is a link to the right)--there are lots of pix of his work. And if you live in the Seattle Eastside area, feel free to tell everyone about him.

Anyway, hopefully the sun is shining on you and hopefully it will come out here also!

Will the rain ever stop?...

OK, so Caleb usually does the updates...but I beat him to it this time!

Well, it's almost June and it just keeps raining... We've been working on our garden whenever we can and now I'm hoping that my seeds and plants don't drown! It's looking pretty good now. The rhubarb is starting to recover, carrots and lettuce are coming up and much more. I think I need a bigger garden though--it's pretty packed this year! The weeds are crazy and I'm trying to keep up with them, but I think they are in cahoots with the rain--they know that if the paths are muddy, I will not be weeding...

The garden--all those happy plants in the front are potatoes.

We let Henry and Fern plant some of the plants and they loved that!

Henry loved to use his backhoe for weeding and planting. He is a super worker and a great help!

We adopted 3 more chickens to join Goldie and Betsy: Lucy, Rosy, and Moonsmile. (I'm not sure where Fern got "moonsmile", but I like it!)

Between the garden, starting up grounded landscape design, still moving in (yes, this process takes FOREVER...there are always those boxes full of stuff that you have no idea what to do with, but you know that you can't throw the stuff away...), and the day to day necessities of figuring out what to eat, cooking, eating, cleaning, reading, organizing, etc. life is really busy! (and not everything gets accomplished...) I have just come to the realization that there will NEVER be the "right" time to take a break and that I just have to do it...now when am I going to? not sure, but realization is the first step :)