Happy Valentine's Day

Nothing says love like flowers (at least for girls)

so Megan decided to make some lollipop flowers for Valentine's Day.Tyler went for a more robotic theme(boys and their tools)

and constructed a robot Valentine's box and lots of little robots

made from various candies to give away.

Megan's Valentine Bouquet

Kaylee went for a more involved lollipop flower with
a double blossom.

Tyler's robotic Valentine's

Tyler's Nativity

Ahh . . . it's mid- Februay and I should be posting Valentine's pictures and our snow day pictures (both of which are pending)

but here I am sending one last Christmas wish off.

Christmas seemed to float by in a blur with all

of the moving and visitors and activites

and so I kept one last piece of my favorite holiday out:

Tyler's nativity.

Unfortunately he thought the day we moved in

I would be able to put up Christmas decorations

which was of course, impossible.

So Tyler took matters into his own hands

and made his own nativity

with whatever scraps he could find,

for all to enjoy

until Mom and Dad could get their acts together.

Tyler's nativity scene

The shepherds tending their sheep

The wise men and their gold, frankincense, and myrhh.

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus

The star over the stable and the angel proclaiming His birth.

Creation Station

Some of Tyler's latest paper and tape creations. I love his attention to details, like the back of this robot complete with an "on" and "off" button. Here's the master robot constructed from cups, a box, paper and tape. I love the center storage compartment that closes with its own latch.
After several snowfalls, Tyler decided we needed an indoor snowman and so constructed this one from paper plate, tape, paint stirrers, and various clothing items. For quite some time it has been our target for our foam love sac balls.

The front side of the mini-robot. Someday Tyler hopes to create robots that will do his Saturday morning chores.

One of many airplanes constructed from paper and tape and lego wheels. He also made and Orville and Wilbur Wright airplane that closely resembled the original that made the first flight in Kitty Hawk complete with Orville flying. However, Trent destroyed that one. We have several different models hanging around our house (he taped them to the ceiling with string) and I marvel at all of them. I don't believe he had drawn the details onto this one yet, but you get the idea.

Dog for a Day

Last Thursday we heard a tremendously loud howling while eating breakfast. We commented that the coyotes seemed very close, like they were right in our backyard. Unable to resist a peek, Greg pulled the blind cord down, lifting the blinds and blurted out, "why is there a dog in my backyard?" Olympic sprint runners couldn't have matched the speed of Kaylee and Tyler and Megan as they leaped from their chairs racing to open the back door. There sat a sweet, golden cocker spaniel dog wagging its tail with pleading eyes. Even without pleading eyes and a sweet temperament, my children would have welcomed a stray animal of any sort. Scrambling the kids found a bowl for water and scraps of food. We reasoned the dog must have wriggled under the fence to our backyard and was covered in mud from the recent rains. The kids pleaded to give him a bath so they could bring him inside. Impossible to refuse so many pleading eyes! And they couldn't go to school if there was a dog in the house; so they took a school holiday.

The dog was fully tagged and so Greg began calling all of the numbers while the kids played fetch, gave the dog a complete tour, and snuggled this sweet dog. He was very friendly, gentle and free with kisses. Just after lunch we learned our dog for the day was named "Cody" and belonged to our nighbor a few lots down. We were sad to see him go, but thankful for our dog for the day.

See you around Cody!

TOO much CHURCH!

After coming home from church Trent literally crashed.

Right in the middle of all his toys.

Right in the middle of the game room floor.

Sometimes feeling so much of the spirit just knocks you right out. Until next Sunday . . .

sweet dreams Trent!

Ode to Camp Grady

The official "Camp Grady" Song
Composed by Kaylee, Lily, Katarina, Halle and Liana
Sung to the tune " Hello Mother, Hello Father"

Hello Mommy, hello Daddy.
Here I am at, Camp Grady.
Camp is very entertaining.
And they say we'll have some fun if the boys stop complaining!

We have a cabin, with a view.
Without curtains, what to do?
Where are the locks on our bathroom doors?
Have they been hidden underneath the floors?

There is something, just so - ewww!
All the trails have, piles of poo!
When you're walking, just be careful-
Or you might step in a great big pile-ful!

We went hiking, to Hell's gate.
All the cactus, I really hate!
Looking over- Devil's cliff:
I was nearly frozen and scared stiff!

We have to wear, our tree cookies.
While all the boys are- playing hookie!
You remember- Brady Disher?
A search party is being led by Mr. Fisher!

Take me home, oh Mommy, Daddy!
Take me home- from Camp Grady.
Don't leave me out- in this forest.
Where I might get eaten by a . . . "possum!"

Wait a minute! The boys stopped whining!
We are learning- and we're playing.
Now we're hiking: gee that's better.
Mommy, Daddy kindly disregard this letter!

Camp Grady Spruce

What an adventure! Camp Grady Spruce= Masses of 5th graders packed into rustic cabins in the middle of possum kingdom with unidentifiable camp food and absolutely no sleep. For Kaylee and I, it was worth every minute. Camping is always an adventure and our experience was nothing less. The morning flag raising at freezing temperatures, amazing star gazing at night, memorable skits by the campfire, a treacherous night blind hike, earthy counselors who fearlessly led us everywhere, and kp duty setting up the tables with a "trick" to catch someone.

Kaylee and I had a fabulous adventure while Daddy watched over the home front. As soon as we arrived at camp we unpacked, hung curtains over the windows of walls, decorated the cabin with streamers and tried out archery and fire building. Our cabin overlooked the man-made lake that was created from a damn of Brazos river.

We took our first adventure after lunch to Devil's Island through Hell's gate by taking a boat across the lake from the camp. Nature captivates and amazes me and every plant was new to me. One cactus had a purple fig the kids used to paint their faces a glorious deep magenta. That evening we practiced star gazing in a dome and then worked out our constellation skills in the brillant night sky.

The second day was spent hiking from one team building activity to another, where the adults were not allowed to offer input. Watching the kids struggle through was extrordinarily difficult especially when the answer was apparent. After lunch, we learned about man and the Environment which wasn't a politically laden agenda at all. I learned about native trees, plants and animals and lots of animal dung. After dinner that evening our cabin brought the house down with our own rendition of "Hello mother, Hello father" camp song. I was so proud of our girls.

The third day we practically ran up Johnson's peak, which they define as a mountain, but if you're from somewhere other than the plains, it is NO mountain. A hill perhaps. The climb was rocky and full of limestone steps and cliffs and rose to 1,300 feet. Tall for Texas, I suppose. Before we knew it, it was time to pack up and load on the bus home.

Johnson's Peak
The view of Brazos river from Johnson's peak

Another view from Johnson's peak

Hell's gate and Devil's island

Our star cabin #3