Peaceful End to Busy Week

We woke up to the most glorious weather today.  I cool front had come through during the night and it was only 71F, with a high of 81F expected.

Chris had worked hard organizing the garage yesterday and needed a lighter work day.  Therefore, we decided to go to a park a bit farther from the house today.  The drive would allow us to sit a bit longer.

We went to White Deer Park today.  The park has two entrances and we chose to park near the "Rustic Playground" and Nature Center.  The Rustic playground was a hit with the kids.  It has a huge slide (about thirty feet) down a hill and most of the equipment is made from wood to blend with the surroundings.  It would be a nice place to go on a hot day too since there was a lot of shade.

Next, we went on a walk through the woods to the other side of the park.  The wood trails are very primitive but clear.  They also have paved trails which we used on the way back.  All the trails are short in length.  The second playground is situated along an oblong grass area bordered by a huge wild flower garden that I'm sure must be quite the site in the spring.  The equipment here is also unique but made of traditional materials.  The spinning doughnut was a big hit.

The crisp breezes made our visit enjoyable even after the sun began to reach its climax.  It was a truly relaxing way to finish a very busy week.  Here's the recap of what we did earlier this week:

We are officially up to full-speed for our new year of homeschooling (more on that soon), so that occupied our time Monday to Wednesday.

Tuesday evening was Jared's baseball evaluations.  He didn't actually have to go because Chris will be his head coach this season.  Chris on the other hand had to go to all sessions and the draft afterward, which made a long afternoon for him.

Wednesday was Lance's evaluations.  Chris was kind enough to take all the kids for that, I don't think Thursday would have gone as well had I not had those couple hours to relax and unwind Wednesday night.

On Thursday was our first day of SEEK, the new co-op we've joined for the fall. The day starts with worship time and an opening assembly.  The band is comprised of older children in SEEK and quite good.  Titus was jammin' and it clearly kept the attention of everyone else.

After opening assembly everyone splits up to attend their two classes for the day (even me).

For Lance it was "Hooked on Fishing" (He's been wanting to learn to fish for a long time) and "Let's Play Sports"(Where he sweated out an our of soccer).

For Jared it was "Living on My Side of the Mountain" that will be full of activities related to the book and "Celebrating Thanksgiving" which started with him being able to give a speech, something he enjoys a lot.

For Titus it was "Dramatic Expressions" a public speaking/ manner class and "Community Helpers" where he got to dress-up as a Construction worker for his first day.

Amber and I started out in the same class: "Honeybees" (A room full of two year olds).  The moms must help-out or lead a class for one hour then do bible study or some sort the other hour.  Amber did exceptionally well in the class, I'm glad I get to be with her each day.  The highlight was when her friend Lily's class and her's got together on the playground so they could play.  Amber had no issues with me leaving (though I did it quietly) and then I joined my "New Member Class" where I enjoyed listening and conversing with other moms new to SEEK.

We didn't have time to hang around after the classes were done because we had to get home to our guest Will who was already at the house hanging with Chris.  Somehow the boys managed to gather up their reserve energy and play with gusto through the afternoon.

Friday, would normally be a day of recovery but not this week.  We had to get up early again, this time to go Rock Climbing.  I wasn't sure what this place would be like, so I child-swapped with a friend leaving Amber and Titus with her while I took her two oldest with my crew (with incl. Pieter also).  It worked out great; Amber got to hang with her best bud Lily and neither Lauren or I had to chase little ones around the facility.

Speaking of the facility it was great; big, clean and cool!  The staff was friendly and clearly had a passion for climbing that they were enthusiastic about sharing with the kids.  One unique item they had was mechanical belay, so I didn't have to belay and could just sit back talk with the other mom's and watch the fun.  By the end of two hours everyone was exhausted, with sore hands but happy hearts.  They have a homeschool day once a month and I think I'll make it a part of our normal monthly schedule.  Now that I've been there, I'll definitely bring Titus next time.  He had a great time at Lily's but I think he'd have even more fun at the rock climbing.

Beside Chris cleaning/organizing all the sports equipment in the garage on Saturday (a task that included a fair bit of construction), the kids had a blast using their slip and slide for the first time since we moved.   So that about finishes off the re-cap of our busy week.

Historic Yates Mill County Park

Today we went to explore Historic Yates Mill County Park.  It's about 15 minutes from from our house (the good news).  The park is located on a wildlife preservation site, which meant Sarge could not come today (the bad news).  

Inside the visitor center, there is a beautiful hands-on exhibit showcasing the history of the mill and the traditional process of water milling.  The boys were most interested in the dress-up boxes.

After exploring the museum, we decided to walk the Mill Pond Trail, which was a little over a mile around the lake.  There are three trails but due to our late start and the heat of the day we chose the shortest of the three for today.  The forest fauna was different than that at Hemlock Bluffs and Bass Lake Park.  There was a greater variety of water plants and animals in particular.  The signs mentioned the presence of eels and beavers but all we saw today was a big bull frog and a turtle; maybe next time.

The end of the trail dumped out by the old Mill.  Its a beautiful scene with big rocks and the historic building. It reminded us of the Smoky Mountains.  Lance even caught a minnow by hand.  Chris took Amber to the top of the dam and was lifting her up and down joking "Now your over the lake, now your under the lake." till she, in her special way, told him to "Sssssttttttop Daaaaaaddddy".  

The Mill was not open for tours while we were there but we got the schedule and will be coming back soon to see inside and explore another walking trail.

PROJECT NEWS:
In the yard, Chris and the boys finished stair-stepping the landscape walls for the garden.  The boys all enjoyed helping dad cut the wood beams.  With that done I can say the walls are now ready for us to add all the good dirt for our spring plantings.  Only thing left beside dirt is to build the one planter box near the house and the supports for the blackberries.

In the house, we had been trying to figure out what smelled so off in the boys bathroom all week.  After much spraying and cleaning all we could figure was that the old toilet just needed to be replaced.  We did some research after our hike today and decided on the right toilet for us (AS Champion 4, that could flush 20 golf balls, if you were curious).  Online they said you had to buy the seat separate but when we got to the store the "No Slam" seat was included.  If you know my boys, a "No Slam" seat is going to be a nice feature.  Another nice surprise was that due to some signage issues, we got it for $40 less than advertised online (BONUS!).  

The boys helped/supervised the replacement.  Turned out the old toilet really needed to be replaced.  Beside the obvious nastiness, the wax ring had completely disintegrated, a leak was just a matter of time.  From what we saw when removing it, we are pretty sure its the original toilet, making it 28 years old.  As a result, I think we'll recoup the toilet costs in water savings rather quickly.  So for all those reasons, I'm glad we replaced the toilet.  However, after the installation the smell was still there.  Strangely, the smell had moved to around the sink now, instead of around the toilet.  After more sniffing, we discovered the smell was coming from the boys kick boards for swimming!  Chris had moved them away from the toilet to the counter during installation :-P  .  The kick boards are now in the garage.

It's an Elephant!

Saturday was very rainy.  Unlike last weekend, it was too rainy to be outside at all.  Yet we still managed to be productive, returning and replacing the boys' ceiling fan and completing other small projects around the house.  However, come Sunday morning we all needed to get outside.  So as Chris put it: I "jumped" on him in bed and announced "Let's go the zoo!".  It was still cloudy and drizzling a bit but I figured that would keep the crowds down.
And it did!

We had never been to the NC Zoo. All we knew was that it was about an 75min. drive west of here; just outside of Asheboro. As we approached, we realized it was definitely outside of Asheboro as we wound our way through rural North Carolina, which was a pleasant surprise.  After we arrived I discovered that its the world's largest natural habitat zoo siting on 500 acres, so being rural was required.

The entrance to the zoo reminded me Animal Kingdom with long walk over a bridge spanning a waterway.  As it turned out the zoo was celebrating is 40 Year Anniversary this month and so we got some free stuff and discounted admission.  We have become one of those "big families" where it is really cheaper for us to buy a family membership than one day admission, so we went ahead and did that without ever being in the zoo.  (Sort of like most things since we've been here - LOL).

I was expecting a small zoo like the Brevard Zoo in Florida.  A place that we could go through in about 2 hours; I was wrong.  The zoo is split into two halves and they say to expect to spend 2-2.5 hours in each half.

Titus wanted to see the zebra first so off we went in that direction.  The zebras were toward the back of the enclosure and we continued on.  The next thing we saw was quickly and enthusiastically identified by Amber. She was running and waving her arms in the air yelling "It's an Elephant!".  Needless to say she was quite pleased at her discovery.  I'm very glad there was no way for her to get over to them or I think she would have tried.

As we continued to explore the zoo, the next big draw was the Gorillas.  The babies were playing right next to the glass and it was quite a hoot to watch.  The keepers were there as well, telling us all about the dynamics of the troop and the new member that was coming soon.  We learned that gorillas don't mind snakes and they've seen the large female on a rock with a black racer curled up next too her.  The younger ones will throw the racers around in circles making them dizzy but we found it interesting they never mess with the copperheads.

We stopped for lunch at the halfway point.  The food was pricey but tasty.

When we continued on, we stopped at the honey bee exhibit.  While the kids climbed in a "hive", I bought some raw honey from a local bee keeper.  Then the boys ran off to the second domed area of the day - to look unsuccessfully for a road runner.  However, I found the animal that made me laugh the most, a Chuckwalla Lizard.  They are the puffer fish of the desert.  Apparently, when threatened they go into a crevice and blow themselves up so that they can't be dragged out by a predator.

Next Jared wanted to see the buffalo.  This is a huge enclosure with four viewing areas. We didn't see the Buffalo till the forth.  Unfortunately, they were all sleeping in the shade against the fence.  Jared was hoping to see them on the move; maybe next time.  But we did see the geyser go up.

Now we were approaching the other entrance to the zoo, and this was clearly the original section.  They are working on a number of areas to update and expand them, such as the polar bear exhibit.  It will be neat to see all the changes when they are done.  One thing they had updated already was the playground which the kids enjoyed while Chris and I sat for a bit.

There are nearly 5 miles of trails to walk, so its no surprise we spent 2.5 hours on each half and still didn't manage to see everything.  We decided since I had a blister and it was getting late we would take the shuttle back to the the entrance where we started and leave the rest for our next trip. Our next trip is already being planned by all the kids with great anticipation. Amber in particular keeps asking if we can go again.

A Rose may be a rose, but what's that?

After the Parays left, it rained for the next two days.  On Saturday Chris did manage to get the last 8 cu. yds. of mulch down in the yard between with some help between the heavy rains.  Come Sunday, we all needed a diversion/break.  So I decided we should go check out the JC Ralston Arboretum at NC State.  It turned out to be just the thing.

We avoided visiting in the past because of concerns over the "Rules of Etiquette" posted on the website.  With those type of rules we thought it may not be child friendly but our concern was thankfully unfounded.  Like everything else around here, they we pleasantly laid back and family friendly.  As a bonus admission was also free.

The boys ran ahead with their sister in tow to explore.  Chris and I enjoyed discovering a wide variety of new flowers.  The gardens were extensive, varied and quite beautiful.  We were even able to take some notes from their vegetable gardens of the different varieties of vegetables that seem to be doing particularly well compared to other varieties they were growing.

Remembering Sunshine!

Our friends the Parays left last night.  Today it is raining, which matches the mood of every member of my house today.  Ironically its raining in Florida as well.  I could let it get me down but I have decided to bring out the sunshine instead by remembering the great time we had together this week.

The Parays arrived on Sunday.  That meant I could pick them up this time and Chris could stay home with Little Miss (our car is too small for everyone to come).  I was so excited talking to Mae on the way home I missed the exit (oops), but since the next exit was the Farmer's Market we decided to make a side trip.  The Cookie people had already left for the day but Mae found a good deal on okra, tomatoes and "Last One" (my understanding of how this type of Spinach is pronounced); which she made into a native Filipino dish for us later in the week (which was quite good by the way).  When we got home Chris had been following me on "Find My Friends" so he had a good chuckle.  We laughed a lot this week, I needed that.

Monday was scheduled to be the last warm day of there stay, a cold front was expected in the evening that would drop the temps to upper 70s for the rest of the week.  This made for rather perfect weather for everything but swimming.  So we went ahead and got up early to go swimming before the front came through.  A kind friend had invited us to use their pool, which has this great big slide  The kids had an absolute blast. They played, and played, they even created an obstacle course/mini Tri they had us time.  While they played Mae and I sat in the shade talking and talking.  Little Miss had stayed home with Miss Holly so I was at my leisure and it was really nice.

Monday evening, I found myself in an unusual position, watching someone else cook in my kitchen.  Mae made Adobo and the dish I mentioned above (with shrimp for them, without for us).  Everything was absolutely wonderful.  I'd like to say I finally learned how to make Adobo but I think I'll need a few more lessons.

Tuesday morning, Mae and I escaped to walk and talk at Hemlock Bluffs while the boys and girls played at home.  Much to Mae's chagrin the only animal we saw was a baby copperhead on the way out.  I found it interesting that it ran from Sarge but when I left Sarge behind with Mae to go a little closer to identify it, it curled up and turned on me.  Apparently they don't like dogs, good to know.  After our walk, we drove around a bit and went to a local Farmer's market I'd wanted to check out for a bit.

Tuesday evening.  We took our now regular pilgrimage to Corbett's Burgers and Soda Bar.  Our neighbor had generously lent us their van so we ALL able to go for the first time, which was really neat.  Yum! Yum!

Wednesday, we decided to take a trip to the NC Museum of Natural Science because Matthew mentioned he has an interest in science and there's nothing like it in Florida.  This time again we left Little Miss at home with Holly, which was necessary from a seats available in the car standpoint but it also allowed me to really see the Museum myself.  When we went last time we were only able to see part of the main building.  This time, we were able to explore the exhibits in both buildings.  We ended up spending over 45 minutes in a lab class doing planned experiments and using real scientific tools like pipettes.  The place is so child friendly, they even had the experiments set up for different age groups so Titus could fully participate and the older boys could still be challenged a bit.

Thursday, we hung out around the house.  Mae and I got in two nice long walks around the neighborhood.  She really whipped me into shape with all the walking we did each day this week.  I needed the exercise, and it was easy because the time passes quickly when you're talking with a good friend. The kids were all the same way, I don't remember any bickering they just had fun enjoying/treasuring each others company for the week.  Strange as it seems, each visit they make to North Carolina seems to bring us even closer together as a family. Now we just have to start counting the days to the next visit.

P.S.  Due to my multiple miss turns, being a distracted, chatty driver this week, Chris drove them to the airport on Thursday LOL

Rabbit Day Book Review - July

Chris read two historical fiction books to the boys this month.

The Black Fox of Lorne by Marguerite De Angeli was our first read aloud this month.  It takes place about 900AD in Scotland during the reign of Malcolm I.  It deals with the life of the Scots, the English and the Vikings.  The book was a huge success, everyone liked it.  I was very pleased to hear Chris and boys discussing the book and knowing they had no idea where it was going next.  This book starts out quick and never really stops.  In addition to history, the book covers sibling bonds, doing the right thing and Christianity.  This author also wrote "The Door in Wall", which we will read later this year.  It is not easy to find, but well worth the effort.  I found my copy at AbeBooks.com  I've having better luck there than Amazon lately but that can change anytime.

The Little Duke by Charlotte Mary Yonge was our second read aloud this month.  This takes place in Normandy, France, two generations after it was given to the Viking Rollo, around 940BC.  It's a wonderful book of historical fiction, personal growth and forgiveness.  This book is a bit more history than adventure, but the boys enjoyed it equally well. This book is available for free on Guttenburg and the Kindle.

Lance's independent read this month was Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffery.  I actually bought this book knowing nothing about it except that it was written by my favorite childhood author and it had a horse on the cover.  Like the author, I'm not fond of the traditional tales of King Arthur that focus more on romance and mythical issues.  It is for that reason that she wrote this book.  She wanted to write a book that was more history.  It centers around how Lord Artos (King Arthur) came to power.  It does this through the eyes of a young boy who entangles himself in Lord Artos plight.  Lance really enjoyed the book, his favorite part was the final battle.

Jared read two stories of independent read this month.  The first was a family favorite he asked to read, The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White.  This falls on my list of books every child should read.  When my friend Mae and I first read it aloud to our oldest children, it endeared itself to all of us.  When we visited Boston many years later, second only to seeing the scene of Robert McCloskey's book, was seeing the scenes described in this book.  Jared enjoyed the read just as much.

Jared's second read was Minstrel in the Tower by Gloria Skurynski.  This was s simple book to get Jared into the spirit of the Middle Ages.  It deals with two children searching for their uncle to help their ailing mother and the trouble they face along the way.

For Titus I got a very special book called the The Squire and the Scroll by Jennie Bishop.  He liked it so much that he had me read it every night for over a week and many times since.  It's an analogy about living by the bible, using traditional middle age elements and characters.  I'm glad he had me read it so many times because each time we were able to talk a little bit about the different analogical references.

Now for the boys top library picks.

Bats at the.... by Brian Lies. The boys really a kick out of this series.  Each time they find a new one they get all excited.  They are very cute books.

Who's on First by Bud Abbot  The boys have this one memorized, they couldn't stop laughing.

Diary of a Wombat by Jackie French This was adorable.  Chris and I are convinced this is based on their real experiences with wombats.

Lego Adventure Books by Megan Rothrock  Each time we go to the library Jared looks for another book in this collection.