Its Pumpkin Patch Time!!

A blink and September was gone and we were working our way through October pretty quickly.  We needed to take some time to make our annual fall outing to a "pumpkin patch."  That seems a bit odd to call it a pumpkin patch, we did take a hayride around the pumpkin patch 

 

but that was really just to catch our breath between the all the great activities spread out through these beautiful acres.

The giant spider web!

A good old horse tire swing always brings a smile!

A zip line was conquered by all three, even the smallest who has the biggest fear of heights.

Can you tell me what it is about hay bails that make you want to dash of skipping along the top of them?!  I couldn't stop smiling...

...neither could she!!

I mean, does it get any better than this?

YES, once you get to the other side it does get even better!!!

Of coarse we had to tackle the giant corn maze.  (I was no help at all.  I just followed behind taking pictures and making sure we didn't lose anyone.)

It was a sweet sweet day for sure!!

October 6, 2013

Packing Up Some School Kick-off Memories

 As September comes to a close, I think I better pack some memories into the treasure box.

This year Sophie is taking a step off the homeschool path we have walked since she was four.  She is still homeschooling but instead of attending Classical Conversation Co-op she is loving every minute of Artios. Artios is a fine arts co-op where Sophie gets to focus her learning on music, art, history and that which has pumped through her since the day she was born... drama!

 Haleigh and Mackenzie are enjoying  their days at Classical Conversations.  I am enjoying watching their weekly presentations and learning along with them.

The weekend before we kicked off our first full week of school we spent some time with Gran and Meeps in Charleston.  We took the opportunity for our first official field trip.

 Patriots' Point was an amazing experience.

The Congressional Medal of Honor Museum is located on board the historic aircraft carrier USS YORKTOWN.

We toured the Medal of Honor Museum, it was a lot of fun watching the girls connect history they have learned over the years with the museum artifacts and information.

The USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) was the tenth aircraft carrier to serve in the United States Navy. 

 

 

We felt so small on the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier.  It was overwhelming to try to wrap my mind around being on this ship for months on end and living in the spaces and conditions we toured.  It made us all much more thankful and thoughtful of the men and women who serve our country!

 I ABSOLUTELY love this attitude and have reminded my girls often of this as when we come up against a hard day.  "The difficult we do right away.  The impossible will take a little longer."

CLAMAGORE is the only GUPPY III submarine preserved in the United States.

The LAFFEY (DD-724) was named for the first LAFFEY (DD-459), sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942.

What a great way to kick off the 2013-1014 school year!!

I Want To Be A Pinch Of Salt... Just Like Her!

It was beautiful, hard, and overwhelming to realize the blessing I was given by her being my Grandma!

I have started and restarted this post several times.  How do you put into words a heart that is breaking, rejoicing and realizing all at the same time?

Breaking because one of the most special people in my life will never again hold my hand, sign off our phone calls with a double kiss, or ask "how are my babies?" as she did every day since the first great grandchild was born till the day her words left her. 

Rejoicing that she is with Jesus! That she is at the feet of Jesus seeing His face. That she is in a new body without aches, without struggling to get the thoughts from her mind to her mouth.  That she may be running through beautiful fields (she liked to sleep after she had her stroke because she could run in her dreams.) "Thank You Jesus for taking Granny home!" these words have echoed during meal prayers around our table and oh are we thankful!!

Rejoicing because I did have such a special relationship with her.  She was a part of every big event in my life; from cheer leading competitions, to graduations, to my wedding, setting up my kitchens as we moved, moved and moved again, and of coarse she was there for the birth of my first baby.  She wasn't there just for the big ones though, she was there for so many everyday days.  In my younger years when I would wake up "on the farm" she knew how to make me feel like the most special kid in the entire world on just a regular day.  (I guess I'm reconsidering and feeling like every day I did wake up on the farm was a special day! )   In the later years she was there for several phone calls even in the same day when I was happy, lonely, frustrated, sad, celebrating or just needing to talk to one who loved me no matter how I was feeling.  So many times I would say, "I need to ask my Grandma because she is very wise."  You see, her formal education level made her feel less than wise, but I disagree wholeheartedly!  I remember several times calling and expecting her to just agree with me  and my opinion on things.  However, she would wisely talk me through seeing another perspective than the one I was stomping my feet from before I even knew it, my perspective was changing, softening. Oh how she guided me through the big and the not so big.

Realizing how she loved so many so well!  Our family is close and it is a given that she poured her love out on us.  But there were so many stories of how she loved others well, not just others but Jesus.  She did things to love His children, His church, His gospel and many of these acts she did without anyone knowing until the day of her beautiful celebration!  I am realizing it doesn't always have to be grand or over planned, just do something to show someone love and the Lord will bless it and carry it forward to touch many. 

I am also realizing how deep the memories grip of that precious country church and the faces, though much older now, are still recognized as sweet friends of Grandma's who greeted me so kindly and genuinely when I was just young visiting her church.  When it was time to leave the church that day I wasn't sure just how to walk away.  That place that holds so many precious times by my grandma's side, the clear picture of the choir no more than twelve strong (with her in the center)  that pops into my mind by the second measure of certain hymns, the experience of the most touching foot washing service followed by the Love Feast (Passover Feast,) and now the place we told her goodbye for the last time.  How do you walk away?

I pray I walked away changed.  I know I am much of who I am today because of who she was is to me, but I want to be a bit different.   I saw a clear ripple effect of her love for her friends, family, and Christ.  Will I have that effect on those I love so dearly?  Will I be "a pinch of salt to this world" the way Pastor Donnie described Grandma or will I be the one always defeated by the to do list, the schedule, the routine?

 I want to love well, I want Christ to be honored through my life and my days, I want to be a pinch of salt just like Grandma!!

"Its Here!!"

 Friday while Sophie was away at camp a long awaited delivery was finally made.  BUT we knew we couldn't dare open the goods while Sophie was away.  It just sat there, taunting us all.  We waited.  Saturday I picked Sophie up from camp and on the drive home told her "the package had arrived!"  

However, Saturday was not a good one for Mark at work and he didn't arrive home till after 10:00.  Of coarse the girls were in bed already. The box continued to sit. Surely Sunday would be the magic day we would all be together to open this brown box full of treasure.  Wrong, it was after 11:00 when Mark got home that night.  

But FINALLY Monday morning we were all home. together. and it was TIME!

 Several weeks ago during our vacation Mark found a special family activity for Friday evening.  We ventured to Pincu Pottery for a family pottery class.  

There we each crafted several pieces of pottery, some from the clay slabs and two bowls each on the spinning wheels.

 When we left Pincu Pottery our many pieces were still in raw form.  They would dry, be painted, then baked before they were shipped from the mountains to our home.  Finally Monday with great anticipation the unpacking began..

 Haleigh's snail is precious, "The first snail ever to be formed at Pincu Pottery turned our too adorable!" wrote Elise the potter/ teacher who led us through our evening.

 Mark's mug turned out remarkable.  He really does drink his coffee out of  it!

 Sophie's mug is one of my favorite pieces for sure!  The textures and pick of color just makes it perfect for a cup of hot chocolate.  You can't help but smile when you drink out of it!

 Elise encouraged us to really use all the pieces and remember the fun family time we had when we formed them all. 

I'm so glad she did encourage us to really use them.  It definitely makes dessert night more special when its served in our family handmade pottery!!

Camps, camps, and more camps!

Leading into summer each of our girls had picked a camp.  A camp, ONE camp each plus church camps, that was it.  Three local camps took squares on the calendar pages of summer.  Haleigh was the first to attend camp.  She had a great time at Animal Detective Camp at Roper Mountain Science Center!

Just a few weeks into summer an email popped into my inbox with an exciting camp being offered that would have been Sophie's pick above all if she had known about it when we were in our planning stages.  Artios Outpost, a camp that travels to each of the Artios locations around the nation.  Once Mark and I looked at the camp and he agreed to adding another camp to the list we told Sophie it was a go.  She counted down the days!  The morning of this camp she jumped out of bed and exclaimed, "Mom, this is the first day of my life dream!"  This would obviously be a drama camp!  BUT it was so much more than just a drama camp.  Each day they had praise and worship, devotionals, exercise, games, and drama.  At the end of the week they wrapped up camp with a sweet production.  Sophie beamed all week!

Next Sophie's violin teacher offered a strings camp in the evenings one week and really encouraged Sophie to take part.  By the end of the week this small group strings musicians performed a concert that developed quite nicely just as sweet friendships grew during the week.

Sharing a week with Sophie's evening violin camp Mackenzie attended Zoo camp.  She has tagged along many a year as Sophie and Haleigh cut their camp teeth in zoo camps, it was finally her turn!  Crazy about Kiko Zoo Camp sent the campers on a hunt for the baby giraffe who "must have left her area to visit all her friends around the zoo."  Each day the campers found a clue to point them in the direction of Kiko so they could lead her back to her mom and dad.  She had a great time even through the heat of the June afternoons.

We put the breaks on a bit as we headed to Grandma and Poppy's to just be for the week.  It was nice to just slow down!

We topped off our week with a visit to my sister's new house where we spent time with all the cousins, aunts, Grandma, and Poppy.  Uncle Mike grilled for us and broke out the slip and slides.  The only bad thing was.... it just wasn't nearly long enough that we were all together!

We came home from WV just in time to head out on vacation with Daddy!  Oh it was a sweet time full of adventures.

The week after we were home brought the camp we had actually given to those camp calendar squares before summer began.  Sophie was more than ready, after all the anticipation since February sign ups, for American Girl Felicity Camp.  There they learned some old time dances, baked over the open hearth for a grand tea party on the last day of camp, and learned to cross stitch.  The cross stitching has continued ever since.

The next week took Haleigh and me to Look Up Lodge.  It was such a sweet time!

And that brings us to this week....

Yesterday I took Sophie to Camp Big Time.  It hit me a bit hard.  You see, she is officially attending her first sixth grade event.  Yep, we have arrived at sixth grade, that would be middle school.

As I type she should be finishing up ropes course time and going into lake activity or horseback riding.  I will join her tomorrow for some great fun and teaching as we segway into this new chapter and stage.

A few more quick trips to grandparents' and reunions are still ahead on those calendar squares but they are shifting now to look more like lesson plan squares.