Writing Stories

Bridget has taken to writing stories for me.  Many of them revolve around a naughty little dog.  I am loving these and just wanted to share one of them here to bring everyone else a smile too.  :)

A dog did not get his way.  So he got in his car.  Then he got in big trouble.

Bridget wrote this one this morning and told me, "I like this story so much that I think I'll even save it for my kids!"  I love that she is always looking ahead and wants so much to be a mommy one day.

The Perot Museum

Our first big field trip of the new year was to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, an incredible and brand new museum right in the heart of downtown Dallas.   There is so much to see at this museum!  I don't think you can do it all justice with just a one-day visit.   The museum itself is an architectural wonder...one of the highlights for some of the kids was the escalators that go up the side of the building:

 We had a group of about 35 that met us there, and we also had scheduled a Lego: Simple Machines class for while we were there.  Our teacher was an adult who never wanted to grow up...and now he gets to play with Legos all day long.  He was perfect for the group!  

 

The kids enjoyed talking about what a simple machine is, what it does, and where they might be found.  Then they were set free with a set of Legos and a set of plans to build their own machines.

  They started with a lever, moved onto a wedge, and finished with a gear assembly.  

Then they were allowed to make up their own creations or pick from more elaborate plans.  The kids LOVED their time in the Lego room.  

  We had a picnic lunch outside (thankfully the weather was PERFECT!).  There were so many of us, and so many public school groups there too, that we ended up splitting up a little during lunch.  The kids enjoyed the outside area of a stream, pond, frogs and huge musical instruments while they ran around during our lunch break.  

 My favorite exhibit inside the museum was the human body hall.  They have slices of human bodies, head to foot...one of the most incredible things I've ever seen.  

   All of the kids really enjoyed the engineering hall, where they could program robots, play computers that controlled musical instruments, build roads and create a light show.  It was hard to leave that area!

Other fun highlights were the dinosaur area and the bonus bird level.  The kids loved being able to 'build their own bird' as they worked their way through the kiosks. 

In the weather area, the boys enjoyed being weather forecasters, reading off of a tele-prompter and seeing themselves on screen.

The sports hall might have been our favorite, even though our time there was cut short as we had to step outside to give a friend with a dead battery a jump-start.  They have a motion room where they film you while you attempt a sports move, then they send your video to a computer where you can watch it in slow motion.  You can also play a video side-by-side of a professional athlete doing the same move, to compare.  So fun!  The kids enjoyed the race track, where you can be timed while you race against your friend as well as a cheetah, a dinosaur, or a professional athlete on screen.  Seriously fun to watch!

We left without exploring all of the exhibits, but we hope to have the chance to go again soon!  Maybe we won't have such a big group next time, however.  ;)

We had some friends riding along with us (Sarah, Haven and Kate).  On the way home, the six children in our car were getting a little restless and wild, so we stopped at a nice rest area to run around.  That helped, and we were able to end the day on a really fun note!  

Field trips are so fun, and exploring the world with friends is the best! 

Policeman Jonah

Last night Jonah announced to me his intention to become a policeman when he grows up.  

He just had a few questions.

#1  Do I have to go to college?  (No, but you should.  You'll be more prepared and make more money as a college graduate than you would otherwise.)

#2  How will I know who the bad guys are?  Like, when do I pull out my gun?  (You'll go to the police academy, have lots of training, and you'll most likely know who the bad guys are.)

#3  But really, how do I know when to pull out my gun?  I don't want to shoot the wrong person.  (Yes, that would be bad.  You'll only use your gun if someone's life is being threatened.)

"I see," he said, "So when I see someone pull their sword out and try to stab a girl, then I know I should pull out my gun and stop them."

Um...yes, I think you've got it!  Lol!

Cub Scouts

Sam and I ended up being Cub Scout leaders for the 2011/2012 school year.  We were in charge of the Tiger Cubs (Jonah's troop).  Henry was a Bear Cub in another troop.  I'm not exactly sure how we got signed up to be the troop leaders, but we did enjoy the experience-especially the super cool shirts.

 Jonah was the reason we got involved with cub scouts in the first place.  

 He had heard about it and thought that it would be the very best activity for him.  Since Henry was involved in other sports at the time, we initially told him that he couldn't be in cub scouts, but it turned out that he could go on the same nights that we were there with Jonah.  So it actually worked out wonderfully for everyone!  Bridget came along with us to Jonah's class and was able to participate in the crafts and snacks and games.

The meetings were fairly structured but required a lot of parent participation-and our group's parents weren't very interested in participating.  So we just tried to keep it fun and get the requirements done as best as we could.  :)  We set up a snack rotation, planned games and crafts, and made sure the kids were earning their patches and beads as we went along.  We were also required to set up one field trip a month.  We went fun places like the fire station, and the local Christian radio station:

The cub scouts also had a chance to be in a parade!  When we got to the meet-up place the morning of the parade, it was raining and kind of cold.  Both my boys decided they wouldn't prefer to be in the parade after all, so we opted to watch from the sidelines. 

 Some of the meeting were super fun, like the one where they brought in "The Creature Teacher", who let everyone touch a tarantula.  Yuck!

Before the big cub scout camp out, we had a tent-building meeting.  The kids really enjoyed learning to put up a tent, and we packed them each a s'mores snack in a ziploc to enjoy while they played.

Near the end of the school year, we had one final meeting and had everyone come to our house for a bonfire.  The kids roasted marshmallows, met our goats, and ran around outside for a while.  We had mostly city kids in our group, and they all really enjoyed coming out to our place and having some freedom to enjoy nature a bit.  They all had so much fun!  

   It was fun to be a cub scout leader for a season, but at the end of the year Sam and I passed the torch to another parent to take over the leadership.  We decided that since we have so many other activities throughout the year that cub scouts wasn't the best one for our family.  We also spend lots of time outdoors and enjoy the experiences they were focusing on as a family.  We are thankful for the year that we had with such a fun group! 

Bridget the Bookworm

 One thing I learned quickly when I first met my husband (and his family!) was that I had better use proper grammar or I should expect to be corrected.  (This is all in good humor, of course, and I have to admit that it's a trait I rather like.  I've always been kind of particular about getting words right.)  One of their pet peeves is improper use of adverbs (think "I feel bad about.." vs. "I feel badly about..."). 

So it should be no surprise that my children have always spoken well and used correct grammar (for the most part) since they were toddlers.   Bridget cracked me up with this one today...

She has a book reader that reads the words aloud to her when she flips the pages.  I was in the kitchen working and I could hear her play the same page over and over, about five times.  Finally, she said, "Mom, come listen.  There's a problem!"

I assumed the problem was a low battery and that it wasn't moving on to the next page properly.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  She wanted me to listen because they used the word "townsfolk" and she thought that sounded downright wrong.  "Mom, can you believe they messed up like that?  It should be 'folks' not 'folk'.  So silly!"

She didn't exactly spot an error this time, but I imagine in no time she'll be following in her father's footsteps and correcting my mistakes!    :)

More goat babies!

After the surprise of Nancy's babies, we were constantly on the lookout for more (since we had 3 other female goats).  A few weeks after Nancy, Mama had her babies.  We named them Strawberry the Shortcake (Bridget's choice), and Louie (Sam's choice).  They were both as sweet as their mama and turned out to be super friendly as well.

After Mama, it was Goldie's turn.  Goldie has always been a little skittish and hasn't appreciated human interaction, but she required a little help during the birth of one of her kids.  That is something I never thought I would do!!!  She was in great distress and starting to give up, so I helped pull one out.  Her babies were named Rocky and Dixie, and we really didn't ever get them to be anymore people-friendly than their mama ever was.  They looked just like their mama with the dangling "goat jewelry" hanging from their necks...so cute.  

The father of all these goats was a young billy named Buck.  We didn't keep him long after the mamas had their kids as he was waaaaay too aggressive with our own kids.  

A full two months after the first kids, our last goat Ashley finally had hers.  She had two, a boy that we can't remember what we named, and a girl that Bridget named Spongebob.  Ashley and her babies were even more skittish than Goldie and hers, so we really never got to spend any time handling them or playing with them.  

Such a fun experience to be a part of kidding season! 

Kids (the baby goat kind)

2012 started out with some exciting news at home...our goats all had kids!  We suspected they were pregnant but we weren't quite sure when they would give birth.  So imagine our surprise when the kids and I came home one afternoon to find this in our front pasture:

 We were so excited!  The mama (named Nancy) was standing kind of nearby, making lots of grunting noises and half-heartedly licking her new babe clean.  I wasn't sure what to make of that. 

  I immediately texted Sam to tell him what was going on, and then I called my friend Robin.  (She lives nearby and I knew she and her kids would enjoy the miracle we were witnessing.)  Sam suggested I grab some towels and try to clean the kid, and Robin said she would be right over.

Well, I thought that Nancy was ignoring her new baby, so we got him all cleaned up.  We were all just amazed by this new little critter, helplessly trying to stand up.  Meanwhile, Nancy was giving birth to a second kid!  Just moments before Robin showed up, the second one was born, looking a lot like his brother but with spotted ears. 

Nancy took turns cleaning up her kids and was quite protective of them.  She actually turned out to be the best of our mamas, and her babies were the sweetest of the bunch!  We named the first one "Don" and the second one "Diego."

It was such an incredible day!  When we got up that morning we had not idea we would get to see the miracle of birth...in our own front yard!  What a special surprise.

Our kids and the goat kids had so much fun together...the goats liked to suck on Bridget's hair (I think they thought they could nurse that way!) and they loved to climb up on the kids backs.  Having goat kids was one of the best experiences we've ever been a part of.  :)

 

Upwards Basketball

Henry played on his first ever basketball team with a local Upwards group this year.  It was so fun!  He had a great team and a nice coach.  He already knew some of the kids and made friends with the others...they had a great time together. 

Upwards is a great league for those that want to focus on learning the game as well as sportsmanship, teamwork and godly principles.  

Sam spends lots of time shooting hoops with Henry out in the yard.  It is so fun to have boys take after their daddy!  

Henry scored quite a few goals and really improved on offense this year...way to go, Henry! 

Springtime in Texas

When spring hits around here, we get pretty busy. Not only does it come earlier than I expect every year (I grew up in the North!), but it also brings with it beautiful (perfect, really) weather, kids sports like soccer and t-ball, field trips to the zoo and nature preserve, park dates with friends, and so much more! And this year we are getting licensed to be a foster home, and that has added even more to our schedule! Busy is good, though. Here are a few of the highlights from our fun, full spring! :)

The nature preserve with Ethan and Ella...one of our favorite spots to ride bikes!I was able to attend a refreshingly encouraging women's conference (Momheart) in Dallas with my mother in law and good friend. The picture cracks me up because when we walked up to the horse statue, they both instictively stuck a finger in it's nose!
One of the many trips to the zoo on a sunny, windy day with friends!
We went to a friend's house to feed their animals while they were out of town, and we were surprised to find a brand new baby goat! That was a real treat.
Another trip to the zoo, with Bridget's friends this time.
Bridget with her buddies Mckellee and Emma...sweet little girls!
Flags over Bridget's bed...I think I was needing a creative outlet!
Picnic with Kelly and kids...love it!
Hanging at the play area of the zoo with Jordan and Matthew.
And one last shot of the nature preserve. The boys found a matching set of deer horns while we were there! :)

Mrs. Lee's Daffodil Garden

It's springtime in East Texas! Which means the daffodils are blooming at one of our favorite places...the daffodil fields. About 45 minutes from where we live, this place is a treasure that the kids and I look forward to enjoying every year. Once again, it didn't disappoint. The bright, beautiful blossoms positively glow when the sun shines on them...and they go on and on for acres. Such beauty!

Every year I've been there I've been able to snap a picture of me and the kids, and it's become a tradition. We try to take it in about the same spot every year, but this year there was a guard nearby warning everyone away from the flowers ("They won't grow back this year if they're trampled, ya know.") so we had to take it quickly and get out of there. ;)

My friend Beth was able to join us for a relaxing afternoon picnic. It was lovely, even though it was a little bit breezy and on the cooler side of comfortable.

Lest you think the daffodil garden is all about flowers, let me set you straight. There is also a lake with a path going around (and over) it. The kids enjoyed fishing some kind of greenish, mucky substance out of the water and bringing it to us. For one horrifying, brief moment I thought Bridget might actually eat it after we said it looked like Jell-o. I think hope she was only teasing us.

There is also a replica of a pioneer cabin on the property. It's set up inside with a kitchen area, tools and beds and is very interesting to walk through and inspect. The kids have enjoyed this part even more since reading the Little House books! It's so fun to see history come alive for them.
Beth encouraged me to have my picture taken among the daffodils with Bridget. I initially resisted, but finally relented...and it became my favorite picture of the day! Here's me and my girl, exploring the hills of flowers. :)

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! I love the transition from winter to springtime, beginning with subtle little signs and quickly progressing to amazing shows of glory like the daffodil fields.