Corn Maze 2011

Saturday, we let the kiddos dress up and made our annual journey to the corn maze.  So fun!  But we never actually made it to the maze part of the corn maze.  They had so many games.  We couldn't do everything.  It was definitely system overload for their poor little minds.  They wanted to go everywhichaway, and it was a blast watching them enjoy themselves.  I'm very thankful we didn't lose anyone! ;-) 

It's almost like a fall-themed fair with a corn maze.  So much to do.  So little time. 

Everyone posing.  Most of the eyes are open and everyone is making an acceptable face. 

Daniel playing in the spider's web.  We had to convince Grace that there wasn't an actual spider occupying this web.  She said it would be big if there was one.

Three of the boys bouncing away!

This was Hannah's idea.  She wanted to get buried in the corn!

Then, we went home and watched the GA v. FL game!  A wonderful Saturday, for sure!

Learning

I'm playing and learning about my new camera (Well, it's not 'new' new, but it's new to me.) and the new photo editor.  The effects are fun!  Love it!

GA Aquarium

So we started our homeschool year planning to study Flying Creatures first semester and Swimming Creatures second semester, but our bird population has dropped, dropped, dropped.  Their absence was messing up all the planned experiments.

So we're switching midstream to Swimming Creatures.  We went on a field trip to the GA Aquarium, and it was awesome.  We may have to go again before we're done with this study.  It was very crowded, and I wonder if it's always so crowded.  I'd like to get in there and go a little slower next time.  I'd like to get the kids to really look and observe all the amazing creatures that are in there.  It's a spectacular sight!

We went through each exhibit except one, and we watched the dolphin show.  Amazing!  We'd just completed an impromptu study on dolphins getting ready to go see Dolphin Tale which was a very good movie, by the way. 

The only problem we had was when the beluga whales kept going to the bathroom, and Daniel started giving everyone the play by play.  He's not quiet either...Everyone, and I do mean everyone, heard the play by play, and the kids laughed and laughed.  But the adults kept giving me looks that said, "Don't you teach your kids any manners?"  Bodily functions are just hilarious to kids, but the whales were big...so everything...everything was big.  I have to admit that it was kinda funny.

We'd just finished reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, so seeing the penguins was very appropriate...even if they were African penguins rather than Arctic penguins.  They were very cute swimming and playing.  The only problem was the high school kids who were completely oblivious to everything going on around them.  They crowded the "crawl through penguin viewing area" that is meant for children.  I was getting irritated with them...

The kids enjoyed everything.  We had an amazing time!  The dolphin show made me want to become a trainer one day...

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

My sweet Daniel,

My, how seven years has flown by!  In a nutshell, you're a crazy little nut who keeps me laughing...and makes me want to pull my hair out and run screaming to the hills...but mostly, you keep me laughing.

I think you've grown a foot this year, and you're solid as a rock.  You've developed a fascination with acrobatics, hand stands, and flipping around like a crazy man.  You like to break dance to any song you can find with a funky beat, and I continuously wonder where on earth you learned how to contort your body into the strange formations you seem so fond of.  But again, you make me laugh and smile, and I hope I will always remember how you were able to do all the crazy things you do.

This year is your first official school year, and you're far more focused with your schoolwork.  As long as I have stuff for you to do, you're busy with it.  You still seem to have ants in your pants and can't quite sit still while you do your work, but you're doing it and doing your best while you're at it.  Such a breath of fresh air it is to see your good attitude regarding your studies.

Photo credit- Laura Roush Photography

And for the most special thing of all... you wanted to join the church this year.  After our annual meeting and communion service, you quietly told us that you thought you wanted to be in the church.  The fact that you wanted to whisper it in my ear told me this time was very different than all the times you've had questions in the past.  We asked you what made you want to join and had the preacher said something that had it on your mind.  You replied with the story of a preacher's dream...He was watching soldier beating Jesus, and he ran to try and stop the soldier from hurting Jesus.  But when he turned the soldier around, it was himself...You told me you felt like you were the soldier.  You told me you felt so bad for the way you treat people sometimes.  And for days, you'd come to me every time you did something you felt bad about.

You were antsy about being baptized but told me how much better you felt afterwards.  It was a very special day for you and for us as we had the privilege of seeing you baptized into the Old Baptist Church.

You are precious to us, and I'm thankful the Lord saw fit to bless us with you.

Love you, Daniel

Apple Pickin' 2011

We didn't actually pick any apples.  The weather was beautiful that day.  Sunny, windy, warm. But the place was crazy crowded. So we chose some apples off the table inside the apple and produce barn.  The air smelled like apples, though, so we pretended we had picked them off the actual trees.  Next year, we're going to try and go a little earlier in the season and plan to stay a bit longer.
(Left)Trying to get them all to pose and smile with the amount of commotion going on around them was difficult.  Daniel was trying to eat all the strawberry ice cream before he had to share. (Below) Grace perched in her favorite spot.

That week during our family unit study time, we read every book I could find in our library about apples.  The boys pretended not to be as interested as they really were.  They're always like that when I'm doing a preschool-type unit study.  We talked about who else but Johnny Appleseed.  I thought about apples, dreamed about apple pie.  I was disappointed in how crowded it was at the farm, but we did let the kids help pick out the apples, take pictures, and ride the slide.  Well, three out of the four rode the slide.  Daniel didn't really want to do it. Go figure.  He's usually my little dare-devil.  Ethan took Grace by the hand because the climb was a bit steep.  He's such a good big brother to his sisters.

Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake

Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake

1/2 c. light brown sugar (or honey crystals)
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar (or honey crystals)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mashed pumpkin
2 c. all-purpose flour (or soft wheat or oat flour)
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract

Mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts in a small bowl; set aside.  In a large bowl, blend together butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, and pumpkin; set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients except vanilla in another bowl.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat until smooth.  Add vanilla and mix well.  Pour half of batter into a greased tube pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 brown sugar mixture.  Add remaining batter; sprinkle remaining brown sugar mixture on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Let cool before turning out of pan.

This moist, delicious coffee cake with a cup of piping hot coffee on your front porch will make you wish it was fall all year long!  Seriously, this a perfect fall breakfast!

Fun!

We had gone to my folks for lunch and playtime Saturday, October 8th.  It was a wonderful lunch of chili, rice, cheese, sour cream, and chips!  The best part...I didn't have to cook!  It was awesome.

My little "poser!"

She was feeling great by Saturday!  She'd just had the tooth pulled on Thursday.

Love it when they all play like this... And for a moment, no one was fussy about anything.

Deep in thought

This is Daniel.  Perpetually in motion...

Trip to the Dentist

Grace did have the tooth pulled back on October 6th.  There was no way we could wait until the following 11th.  She'd been doing great, but Wednesday she started complaining again.  Thursday morning, she was in pain.  I was sure it was getting infected again, so they were able to work her in that afternoon.

Taking it out was an awful experience.  She wouldn't inhale any nitrous oxide, so she was completely aware of everything.  The spot was numbed, of course, but she knew what was going on.  She screamed and fought the whole time.  I was in a nearby room and could hear her being strapped onto the board.  I was about to cry as hard as she was.  I think if they had worked with her a little longer, she would have taken some of the gas.  That kind of irritated me.  She wanted me to drive home while I was holding her, so buckling her into her carseat was quite an ordeal.

We aren't used to any kind of commotion, and she's not used to being subjected to that kind of situation.  When she finally calmed down, I asked her if it hurt, and she said, "No.  It scared me."

I kept expecting her to feel bad and sore, and she may have been a little sore.  But she said it felt better after they took it out.  So she made the connection that they did help her.  Traumatic though it was.  

Here's to hoping she isn't completely, crazy-terrified of dentists for the rest of her days!

29

photo credit:  Laura Roush Photography

I turned 29 for the first time today.  I love my husband and our children.  I love our life!  I am incredibly blessed with wonderful family, church family, and friends.  I couldn't ask for a happier life!

Happy Birthday to me! ;-)

The tooth has to go.

I took Grace to the pediatric dentist this past Wednesday, and she said the tooth must go.  It's broken, not cracked, and there's no way she can crown it.  She'll need a space maintainer once her back molar comes in completely, so I'll need to watch for it to grow in a little more.  I was hoping they could do it all at once, but the broken tooth needs to be taken out as soon as possible.  The dentist is hoping to use nitrous oxide to get her relaxed in order to numb the area, but they're fairly certain she'll have to be restrained during the actual extraction.  Anyway, Lord willing, we'll head to the dentist October 11th early in the morning.  I have a feeling that it will be an interesting day. Poor baby.