Ft.Vancouver

Finally, we were able to go on an adventure with our favorite Jedi. Those two ladies are popular let me tell you, they're always running around ^.^ We went to Fort Vancouver down in southern WA. We took a two mile-ish historic walk around town. This time it wasn't my fault the camera didn't come. I actually put someone else in charge and they forgot it. Thank goodness my sweet girl remembered her camera and we did get some pictures. Here is Ft. Vancouver through the eyes of an eleven year old.

Don't die without having a dock.

I have a good friend who always says, don't die without having a dock. Never having a dock in my whole life, or being on one, I just didn't understand this. After this weekend, I totally get this. The whole family went down to visit my mom who was visiting at my brothers house. Once we got there, we went down to a reservoir and went out on my dad and brother's boats. My kids got to go innertubing for the first time ever.

Now that was an adventure in itself. When we got there, my kids went down to the launch and I said I would be there in a second, I needed to hit the potty first. When I got back, they had already taken off with my brother. AAAAHHHH!!! So I went into my dad's boat and we met them out there. First adventure: me, all of me, climbing from one boat to another. Not a pretty sight, but I did it. The kids were already on the innertube which is a three seater deal with handles. My thrill seeker and my boy were on with their cousin who is a veteran tuber and as soon as I was on, we took off. Once we got the hand signals figured out they did pretty good. When it was time to trade place, we pulled them in and the boy looked a little green. Lets just say, it wasn't his cup of tea. So then a little bit of sibling rivalry kicked in and my cautious child got on. Now I thought for sure she wouldn't go on after her roller coaster experience. But on she went. My brother took it pretty easy and she kept asking for more speed. Soon she was bouncing around, no problem. I was shocked and pleasantly amazed. Then my new adult got on and if she smiled any bigger, her face would have broke. My husband can't swim. Not that he doesn't want to or hasn't tried for his whole life, but something about his physiology just won't let this poor man stay on top of the water. But he is the best father in the whole wide world. When baby girl said she wanted to try, he put on a life vest and on he climbed. My heart was so full watching them out on that thing. Both of them really enjoyed themselves. After their turn we went back in for lunch.

Here is where I had my second adventure. Instead of going back to the launch, they moored next to the picnic sight. Where there is no dock. Where you have to climb out of the boat and walk in the water. For those of you who don't know, I have this thing about lake water. I don't do lake water. It is just gross. So yeah, not my idea of cool. Well the other thing was, how was I going to get my big self out of the boat with any kind of dignity. Let's just say, it didn't happen. My dear sweet husband tried to help. That didn't really happen either. I got one foot on the ground and it was all slimy and slippery down there. As I tried to lift my other foot out of the boat, my sweetheart was pulling me out. My already out foot was sliding down the cement ground below and the inside foot was refusing to leave. Well, lets just say there was a really big splash and somewhere on the bottom of the reservoir is my favorite pair of sunglasses. To paraphrase Monk "Lake in my shoes!" I was so grossed out! And would you believe no showers anywhere in that park! I had to just sit there and let lake water dry on me. So sad.

After lunch, we went back out and I had to get back in the water again. Getting in was a bit easier, no plunging. The kids did some solo riding. When the Bear was out, she wanted faster and bumpier. Her sister was doing flag duty and turned to me and said "she has some serious thrill issues dude." Yup. Her cheeks were so sore that night. Then all three of my little girls got on together. I wish I had the camera, but I didn't want to drop it in the water in case I fell in again so my new adult had it on the other boat. They are hooked for sure. Guess who wants a boat and intertube.

Which brings me back the what my friend said. Don't die without a dock. My brother and I got a chance to talk while the kids were whipping around. He said that the reason he got the boat instead of quads is because it was something they could do as a family and talk and visit and enjoy together not just next to each other. And that is the experience we had. We visited with each other. We played with each other. We learned about each other. We became a little bit closer. When we visited our friend on the lake with the dock, we experienced peace and happiness and joy. When we played on the toys off the dock with my family this week, we experienced joy and excitement and bonding.

Not that he has ever been wrong the whole time I've known him, but Brad is right. Don't die with out a dock. I can't wait to have our own.

Peaches

The local fruit stand is selling 26 lbs of fresh peaches from Yakima for $18. This is where I got my peaches last year that died in the great canning debacle. So I got 2 cases. We ate a bunch. Then my 2 oldest daughters and I did some canning.

The cans waiting in the oven.
The peaches in hot water then cold so the skin comes off.

Then cut into chunks and put in jars with a simple syrup and then they look so pretty.

Then we made some jam. It was a little more messy.

Here is what we got when we were all done.

The Big Bully

Went to the park that has a cool water feature with the kids and some friends this week. We heard the famous sonic boom of the President's protectors. Very exciting. It was a great time had by all. Wish I hadn't forgot my camera. AGAIN.

At one point my son and I were sitting next to a daycare group getting ready to leave. One little girl about nine comes running up in tears.

"AWWBDSFEXVSVAETF ... and he was very strong (making muscles with her little arms which is the only reason anyone knew what she was saying);A;SDFJE FF; DFKFJAW;OIEFJA!!!!!!!"

All her little friends come running up and start asking who was it.

"Was it that kid in the green shorts with no shirt on? That one right over there?"

"YYYYYEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!" sob, sob, sob!!!

"OH, he is really mean, he was calling us cabbage heads!" The teacher looks at me and tries and succeeds at holding back a smile.

"Yeah, he's a big bully!"

My son whispers under his breath to me, "Get the pitchforks!"

Man, oh man I was holding back a big guffaw. I gave myself the hiccups!

On and on they went about this really mean kid who calls people cabbage heads.

Meanwhile, the kid is backing away slowly and has a stick in his hand. He looks terrified.

My son whispers under his breath to me,"They're after blood, he better run!"

Now that just wasn't fair. If I had water in my mouth, it would have sprayed. Praise God, I didn't and all that came out was a Ha!

Soon, the daycare kids loaded up in the cars and off they went.

I wonder what story her parents heard that night.

I made this!

I've been felling pretty homemaker lately. Too much time on creative peoples blogs ^.^ If the house would clean itself and someone would just volunteer to do those things which I don't like doing, I would be so creative!

We have a little friend who is 5 that has an amazing tiered skirt. All of us LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. But I didn't know how to do the whole gather thing so we just admired from afar, and well quite frankly from up close too.
So we were at this resale store and we found this awesome skirt.
Well really in our minds it was part of a skirt because who really in their right mind would ever wear this as a skirt. (That is the prude in me that I am very proud of by the way.) We bought it hoping someone we know would be able to turn it into what we were thinking

Then I found out the secret to machine gathering. Very loose tension and biggest stitch. WOW!

Off to Joann's and we got some cool fabric in the remnant section...
and after hitting a bunch of places online, found a formula for the tiered part and wHallA!

I made this!

In the quiet of the morning, before the hoard arises, I praise God for this week that has passed all to quickly. I thank Him for the growth in my children, physical, mental and spiritual. I thank Him for an easy fix on my sweethearts eye and praise Him for the quick healing He is going to make of the wound. I praise Him for knowing what type of weather I needed, cool and sunshine. I praise Him for safety as we traveled on the busy roads. For being able to spend one on one time with each of the kidos this week without it costing an arm and a leg, I praise God. For the Sabbath that forces me to stop, I am eternally grateful.

Sunnyside

We finally got a sunny day were in the great PNW. To be honest, I was kinda okay with the yucky weather cuz I was a little on the not well side. Being stuck inside when it is nice makes being sick even worse. So today, I am feeling so much better and the sun is out. We haven't done nearly enough adventuring this summer. Everyone wanted to go somewhere, but we have time constraints so we just went to a local beach on the sound.

It is very pretty there, lots of green grass and clean toilets and places to play. Since the tide was out a bit, lots of beach too. There was some kind of hawk that came by three times and grabbed a fish and then flew around the peninsula with it in its claws. I was amazed by how far it flew with it. But my children were oblivious to the whole thing as they splashed around in the water.

They are all so different and yet so predictable. Baby girl took no time to make new friends and leave the group. The cautious one who only goes as far as I told her, only daring after everyone else, keeps coming back to check in and show me her treasures. The next one is bold, the only one to come with a swimsuit, out in the water, pushing the limits. And the boy finding stuff, mostly seaweed, and creating props for the game he just created for them to play. The artsy one is drawing in the sand, putting shells and rocks in beautiful shapes and patterns.

There were lots of others at the beach. As I watched them, I wondered what my children will be like all grown up. Will they be hanging out with all their friends at the beach being silly and somewhat obnoxious? Will they be good mommies and daddies playing with their little ones in the water? Will they tell their kids to go ask Grandma? Or will they be sitting up on the grass in the shade, reading a book. Will they always find joy being together as a family? I wonder where their predictable personalities will take them in this world.

I have been blessed to enjoy every stage of childhood that my children have gone through. I don't long for those past. I am glad to be through with those stages of my life. Maybe that is because I am so looking forward to seeing what comes next.

I'm hungry

I have another of those strange things that I really like. Hold down the moanings. It isn't as bad as you might think. It is that skinless hot dog also known as Spam. Yes, it's true, I really like Spam. Soon after becoming a kosher household, we discovered Turkey Spam. Yup, it is yummy. We eat it instead of breakfast sausages and in stir fry and in sandwiches and omelets and just plain, although I have to eat it cooked. My kids will eat it raw...I can't eat a raw hot dog either. So there you have it. Spray pancakes, Jello and Spam....but not together.^.^

Carrot Tops

"Mom, are carrot tops edible" 7yrold

"I don't know" sleepy mom

"Well could you look it up" persistent 7yrold

"Where?" trying to put off persistent 7yrold mom

"Right there type 'are carrot tops edible'" way too smart 7yrold

"Okay" must be a good homeschooler mom

"Which one?" to tired to pick mom

"Wiki is always good" smart 7yrold

"You read" good homeschool mom

"Yup, they are.....HEY GUYS THEY ARE!" the child the rest of them sent in to find out the answer from the tired mom