Updated Family Bio

Looking at my sidebar I realized I have not updated our family bio in over a year - not much will have changed for me and Serona but kids change so much these days. Some of this will be repeat information for some of you. For the others, welcome and enjoy visiting with our family.

There is Serona (the dad), he is recently turned 30 and still dealing with it. He is a senior computer programmer and manager for a software company. He has two undergrad degrees in Political Science and Philosophy and a graduate degree in Communications, and is also a former debater. His interests are reading, writing (especially fantasy and science fiction), keeping up with current events and politics (especially RIAA and anything Wifi or tech related), blogging (Cyber::Ecology), playing gamecube and XBox, anything and everything Star Wars, acting (he does on average two shows a year), wine tasting and biking (on occasion he bikes the 10+ miles to work) to name a few.

Then there is me, Mother Tenn, also 30 and a Stay at Home Mom. My undergrad studies were in Environmental Politics and I have an MA in Communications with an emphasis on Social Movements and Argumentation. My current interests are in reading (see recent reads), blogging (here and a few others), journaling (I maintain 5 journals actively: a prayer journal and a journal for each of my children, as well as an online journal for Serona and I), vegan and vegetarian cooking, research (especially children's health, breastfeeding, parenting and homeschooling), breastfeeding advocacy and support, hiking, biking, crocheting, yoga, pilates, water aerobics and bible studies.

Next come the children: Rhiannon, Ciaran, and Sirah. Rhiannon is a precocious 5 and a half year old (the half is very important to her) girl. She enjoysbeing read to (anything and everything), reading to me or her siblings, field trips, butterflies, and playing board games (Monopoly and Clue Jr. are current favorites). She is a performer at heart and always wants to be the center of attention. School is going well for her. We have made progress in reading, addition, subtraction and handwriting this year. She enjoys learning about history, geography and science as well. Her favorite composer is currently Vivaldi and her favorite artist is still Monet. We read many children's storybooks and good literature. Lately we have been reading the classics abridged and then listening to them unabridged on tape. Most recent favorites include Black Beauty, Heidi and Peter Pan. In addition we are working through the following for curriculum:

My Abc Verses - Susan Hunt
Growing Phonics Reader Bible
First Language Lessons - Jesse Wise
Story of the World and Activity Guide
- Susan and Jessie Wise Bauer
Phonics Pathways - Dolores Hiskes

Miquon Math - currently orange book

Next meet Ciaran, our three and a half year old son. Ciaran is an energetic little boy who is full of energy, empathy and artistic and athletic abilities. He loves Frogs. He has a passion for frogs unlike any I have seen before. He loves them and can tell you nearly everything about them. His room and many of his toys and books are around the theme of frogs. He also enjoys bike riding, cars and being read to. His favorite thing in the world is to play with his sister in whatever imaginary game they have concoted for that day. He learns in very hands on ways and is starting to write his name. He learns best when playing games or activities and when he wants to. We are still playing with the Letter of the Week with him. Focusing on one letter a week and building all our activites and themes around that. His favorite of course was f when we did nothing but frogs. He is also very artistic, loving paint, markers, clay and whatever else he can use creatively. Currently he enjoys Beethoven and Mary Cassat. He is always smiling and it is contagious.

Then there is Sirah our one year old. She is busy, busy busy and fun, fun, fun. She loves little stuffed animals and is hardly ever seen without one or preferably two. Her favorites are dogs and she loves ours. She will lay down on the floor between the two of them and let them lick her and just play with them. She has the cheesiest and best smiles, especially when the camera comes out. She wants to be involved in everything and climbing on top of everything especially counters and tables. She likes to play the name that body part game and is using her words more frequently now, though she still seems to prefer standing and pointing while screeching. She has begun enjoying listening to books and some of her favorite are any of the touch and feel or sparkly books as well as goodnight moon and quick as a cricket. She is a lot of fun, though sometimes still quite challenging. She wants to be in the middle of everything especially what her siblings are doing.

Rounding out our family are our Australian Shepherds, a two year old male and a 7 month old female. They are loving, patient and friendly though fiercely protective of the kids. They love to run and spend time in the yard.

We are Christian, environmentalists, social justice advocates, vegans and vegetarians , right-leaning, techies, wired, outdoors loving, non tv watching, attachment parenting, extended breastfeeding, cloth diapering, crunchy granola, friendly, funny, highly educated, readers, researchers, and usually right. :) So come get to know us and stay awhile. We love having you.