Academic Year in Review: 2013 - 2014

Here is the Academic Year 2013-2014 in Review Followed by pictures. 

As you might have gathered in a previous posting, the Fall was rather busy (both emotionally and schedule wise). The girls chose band as their elective: M. wanting to play the trumpet and I. the French horn. We rented a French horn for I., while one of the guys across the dock from us surprised us. He used to be a professional trumpet player until an accident occurred, making it impossible for him to play any more. He had sold all of his trumpets save for one silver coronet. Hearing her desire to play trumpet, he worked out a deal with M. If she would care for it, and play it, she could "rent" it for free. If there came a time in which she no longer wanted to play, she was to return it to him. This was a deal that was a "win-win" for both of them. And we parents stood by mouthing "Wow."

E. continued Middle School as an 8th grader, continuing to play his trombone. This year he added playing with the Stage Band which practiced before school (7:00 a.m.) two mornings a week. In addition, he started a Coming of Age (Confirmation) program at the little church we attend. What we like about the Coming of Age process is that the entire focus is working on faith development, helping the students make their faith their own. Consequently, the students are assigned a mentor with whom they meet with regularly. In addition, all the kids going through the process, their mentors, and the pastor also meet once a month. At the end of the process (this year it was May 4th) the students and their mentors lead worship and the students share their faith/credo statements. Through out the process, there is no pressure to join the church. Joining the church is a separate process that occurs at a later date. We felt this freed up the students to work on what they really believe rather than worry about whether they were ready to join the church or not.

For the girls, there was a pause in ballet over the fall. Their instructor was ready to start-up her classes in January. This continued to be a highlight of their week.

E. and his mentor (V.) spent Saturdays working on building a dulcimer (which has turned into an on-going project). It was delightful to watch the relationship between E. and V. develop. We're thankful for all the mentors we have had over our years, and the way that people are continuing to step up for our kids, too.

E. participated in Track and Field again this past spring, deciding to do some running events this year. Last year he focused on field events. It was fun to watch him grow through the process.

In addition, the big high-light for his year was participating in the 8th Grade Trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. They visited Stanford, Berkley, Alcatraz, multiple history and science museums, etc. Perhaps at some point, he'll wish to share this adventure as a blog post. In the meantime, the girls are looking forward to being asked to participate in a few years.

In addition, there were the band concerts, the end of the year ballet recital, J.'s uncle's retirement party, and one of J.'s cousin kids getting married in Spokane. Some of J.'s cousins have moved back from Hawaii and came to visit. Finally, let us not forget E.'s eighth grade graduation. All in all, not a bad way to end the Academic year.

Enjoy the pictures:

6th Grade Band Concert: 23 Jan 2014

Unfortunately, I. had the "crud" this night, that's why she is "missing" in this photo.

We guess you don't hear them playing in this video. Mr. G. always has a student introduce him and he comes out and bows to the band, then bows to the audience. He has just be introduced here.





















7th and 8th Grade Band Concert (23 February 2014)
This concert was canceled due to snow fall. Poppy had come over, so it meant, snow ice-cream and lanterns. Poppy was invited to stay with some friends' of ours, so that he didn't have to be alone in the same hotel he and Nana shared when visiting us. What a sense of hospitality! These photos were taken at our friends house.








This lantern was made by making a pyramid out of snow-balls, then setting a lit candle inside.




























E.'s make-up Band Concert (4 March 2014):

Low Blow, with E. giving a solo.














Easter Dinner

E. working with V. (through out the spring)

At this point they were busy planing down the sides and working on gluing up the bottom and tops.





















E. at a track meet:

Hawaii cousins visit in early May:

Coming of Age Sunday (4 May 2014):


We might note that this was a busy week for E. He just returned from the 8th Grade San Francisco Trip on May 3rd.

6th Grade Spring Band Concert:



Aloha Oi

7th and 8th Grade Spring Band Concert:


 A stage band piece ...

















A full band piece ...

















One of the band's marching pieces ...
















E's 8th Grade Graduation:

The girls ballet recital (June 2014)

Pre-recital stage makeup.

Post dance poses. Poppy was able to join us for this great day. Gramma and Grampa could not make it due to caring for J.'s grandmother who was needing more and more care. We missed them but understood, too.

Teacha L.

 J. couldn't help but share this preschool picture of "Teacha L." by one of her students.











The Yacht Club Blessing of the Fleet

L. wanted to share this photo of J.'s official duty this May for one of the local yacht clubs.















We had a great gathering at J.'s Uncle A.'s Retirement Party (31 May 2014)

"Am I taller than Grampa yet?"


















"I know my feet are bigger!"

Yes, they have been for some time.

The three siblings together.

A photo of everyone present on Uncle A.'s side.

And J.'s side of the family (minus a sister back east who couldn't make it).

J., L., Auntie KT, Auntie A. and Uncle M.

 Ah, Grandpa and the grand-kids.












A son of one of J.'s cousins got married in Spokane, which was another great time to gather as extended family.

These kids clean-up well, eh?

The kids with Auntie K, who they missed seeing at Uncle A's party a few weeks before.

Boogey it down, girls!

Projects - Over Spring Break (Table, Painting and Ventilation)

Two of our dear friends are teachers with a college student child studying abroad this semester. They decided that they’d go see her over Spring Break, and wondered if we’d mind house sitting and caring for their delightful golden retriever. Of course we said yes. It gives us another chance to work on projects!

In particular: we did some painting of E’s quarter berth.
And we’ve been wanting a new table. In fact this has been a project that has been on J.’s list since we moved aboard, but he kept putting it off for more “important” (whatever that means) projects. But this time around, M. had made a comment something along the lines of “is Dad ever going to make a new table?” So, L. and J. made a trip to the hardware store looking for wood choices. Hmm … how to make this work. Frankly, they're were things we could use, but none looked quite right.  Well, one thing led to another, and when J. was next down he noticed some neat knotty pine that was already glued together and some southern long leaf yellow pine. A shipment must have come in between when L. and J. were both there and now. With the use of modern technology (camera phones and texting) L. could be a part of the decision making process.

Anyway, here is the end result. When both sides are folded down, one side forms a bunk board for the double bed, when the other side opens up the pathway forward and aft, while at the same time gives something to lean against in a sea way. In the meantime, there is also a shelf underneath. The pictures should give a good “telling.”

In addition, we’ve been wanting some ventilation into the cupboards, etc. So, after looking at some fret holes in various instruments, J. came up with the following pattern and instituted it into the cupboards and shelves.

Nana's Passing

It is with sadness that we write this posting. It is with a sense of grace that we write this posting.

L.’s mom, the kid’s Nana, passed away just prior to this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations (November 23, 2013). The funeral was then held on the 7^th of December 2013. 

Nana was first diagnosed with non-smoking lung cancer in January 2012. She was on a genetically matched oral chemo drug for cancer treatment that was quite effective until June of 2013. At that point, she decided to proceed with a more typical round of chemo. We knew this when taking the Alaska Cruise via Holland-America. In fact, she was recovering from her first treatment when we went. It was important to her for her grandchildren to see the glaciers (something so remarkably old) before they melted. We also knew this through out our cruise down to Gig Harbor and back. A reality of the cruise that L. and J. lived with was thinking through alternative plans. "How do we get L. to her folks if her mom takes a turn for the worst?" 

Nana continued this round of chemo through the summer but it was found to be ineffective by August. She tried another round of chemo (different concoction) just before visiting us for the Fall Birthday Celebrations. She was so nauseated on the way home, that after much thought and prayer, she decided to proceed with Hospice care. Our experience with Hospice and the Hospice Team was absolutely fantastic.

We made a trip over to the Eastern side of the state to visit with Nana and Poppy in October. This was a good time to be together. It was the last time J. and the kids would see Nana. J. was quite aware of this and thinks Nana knew this, too. We haven’t asked the kids if they felt this way.

In November L. and her sister both traveled to Nana and Poppy’s home to spend the long weekend with them together.

Nana died very peacefully and gracefully on November 23 with Poppy, her husband of 47 years by her side. Nana’s funeral was held 7 December 2013, and while full of grief was a great time to be together.

We all came back over a few weeks later to spend Christmas with Poppy and Aunt S.

Nana was quite an amazing woman. Though we write this at a later date (postdating this entry) we continue to miss her and are grateful for knowing her and the way she touched our lives.

From our October visit:

From the weekend of the funeral:

From Christmas:

Merry Christmas from the MERGANSER Crew

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

J.L.I.M.E.

L., I., E., M., & J.

Snow on the first day of Christmas Break!

The local school was out for the winter/Christmas break yesterday afternoon. Good timing, as a storm was scheduled to come through. It was supposed to start snowing sometime between midnight to 2:00 a.m. When J and L looked out at 4:00 there was snow and it was still coming down. The temperatures were to climb today and start raining by 11:00. (How can the weather folks be so precise? Turns out they were slightly wrong, still snowing at 1300.)

Here are some photos I. took this morning:

Hope you are enjoying some down time were-ever you are.

Christmas Blessings,

J.L.I.M.E

And the kids couldn't resist making a small snowman!