The crowd viewed from the 1st balcony
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

Today was the Indiana Midwifery Association's rally in support of legalizing Certified Professional Midwives in Indiana.
G went upstairs to take this photo for me. I was downstairs organizing the food for this event. It was a hugely busy day, and I am grateful for friends who watched my kiddos so I could work at diong a good job at this.
K and F were my special morning helpers, they were sooo cooperative, and watched out for L and a few of the other kiddos. I really needed their co-operation as we had a zillion things going on at once.
I am glad to be involving K and L and their curiosity about state government in this work with this legislation. When this bill passes next year, it will have been over a years worth of homeschooling about it!

We had a calm day today.... a little reading, a little math, a little errand running! We are pulling together organization for catering the Midwifery Rally this Thursday. K is interested in the cause, it's been interesting talking to her about it.
I have been reading so much about ipods and podcasting that I now realize that I need to make a pilgramage to the Apple store sometime this week. I have overwhelmed myself with the possibilities. I need a real human to talke to, not just my computer screen.
It has strengthened my ideal of homeschooling in a participatory culture environment though. I want for my children to be a part of the information as we learn it- not just mere sponges. Podcasting will be a part of our learning, in which format we go with, and how I spend as little money as possible getting started are the issues for me. : )

L and A hold hands
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

L enjoyed being out and about in the woods, and A was so sweet to him, holding hands down the path!
L is so comfortable with the variety of ages of the kiddos in our WellSpring Co-Op. He enjoys the company of pretty much anyone willing to play or sing a song with him.
I love watching him with his friends lately, he seems so grown up.

Janet shows us traditional sap collecting
Originally uploaded by annamaren.

WellSpring went to Southeastway Park today, to do the Maple Syrup workshop there.
I love Southeastway park, their outdoor ed program is wonderful. K did one of their summer camps last summer, and has been looking forward to going back. She rememebered Janet and Chris, the two teachers who worked with our group.

K brainstormed some questions she had about Italy and what it was like to really be there at the Olympics, into some questions for Scott Swan, a news reporter from Indianapolis. He answered them all!
Olympic Questions (for WTHR reporter, Mr. Scott Swan)
1. Did you have fun at the Olympics?
I ALWAYS HAVE FUN AT THE OLYMPICS. I HAVE ATTENDED FOUR OLYMPICS (LA '84, SLC '02, ATHENS '04 AND TORINO '06) FOR ME, IT'S THE BEST ASSIGNMENT BECAUSE THE ENTIRE WORLD IS WATCHING. THERE ARE GREAT ATHLETES, WONDERFULLY COMPELLING STORIES AND BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. I LOVE TRAVELING AND MEETING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
2. What kind of food did you eat in Italy?
LOTS OF PASTA. PIZZA EVERY OTHER DAY - SOMETIMES TWICE A DAY. TONS OF BREADSTICKS - THEY ARE THIN AND VERY CRUNCHY. I TRIED THEIR VERSION OF ICE CREAM - GELATO. IT'S WONDERFUL. CREAMY AND VERY RICH.
3. What did you drink in Italy?
MY DAILY FIX OF DIET COKE WAS SOLVED WITH "COCA-COLA LIGHT." I ALSO ENJOYED TASTING ITALY'S FAMOUS BAROLO WINE - A RED.
4. Did you meet many of the people who were in the Olympics?
I MET SPEEDSKATER JOEY CHEEK, FIGURE SKATER KIMMIE MEISSNER AND JOHNNY WEIR, SPEEDSKATER CHAD HEDRICK.
5. Did you take any pictures at the Olympics?
I TOOK TONS OF PICTURES. CHECK OUR BLOG ON WWW.WTHR.COM.
6. What did the houses look like in Italy?
MY FAVORITE HOUSES IN ITALY ARE LOCATED IN THE ITALIAN ALPS. THEY LOOK LIKE TINY VILLAS. MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN TORINO LIVE IN APARTMENTS.
7. What was your favourite part about your trip?
MEETING ATHLETES AND GOING TO THE ALPINE VILLAGE, SESTRIERE. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK IT'S A POSTCARD. WE TOOK A CHAIR LIFT TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN WHERE THE SKIERS BEGIN THEIR RACES. I TASTY DONKEY SAUSAGE - PRETTY GOOD.
THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST.
(K was also impressed he signed his e-mails “Ciao from Torino. !” She sounds so sweet when she practices saying that!)

NBCOlympics.com - WTHR - WTHR Daily Blog
This is our local team of reporters in Italy, bringing the Olympics home for us Hooisers!
Our family has enjoyed the program that they have put together, the Olympic Zone, which airs a half hour before the national coverage of Olympics. Through the "Olympic Zone" we have had fun wondering what it would be like to visit Italy, and what it would be like to attend the Olympics one day.
We have been e-mailing with one of the reporters, Scott Swan, who has been kind enough to answer K's questions about being at the Olympics in Torino! I'll post K's questions and his anwswers in another post.
We have had so much fun with the Winter Olympics, it will be kind of sad when it's all over!