Another Day. Another Picture.

Here's to being more in-touch.

 If you wonder why I don't seem to understand you...its because my hearing is slowly but surely fading away. On the bright side...we have hopes that they are indeed musical! =)

 The boys' new game is "hunting" Tana. Which basically just means that they find her and try to get her to move. It looks like they are going to hit her, but they in fact are too afraid to get close enough to ever do any damage.Tana tolerates it, but I usually step in after they have "hunted" her a couple of times (read: made her move to 2 different rooms).

You can't quite see the curtain of water but we went out on our bikes to ride and literally watched this storm move in right over our heads. The thunder was amazing and the boys liked watching the rain come down the street to our driveway. We took a little drive to find puddles which was great fun.

Photo of the Day 2

I have heard that having small little meals throughout the day is better for your health. Perhaps the same is true of blogging. Small little blogs is better for the blogs health? We'll give it a try.

 Playing with Dad's old wind up toys.

 Sunset behind a tree on the Isle of Hope, south of Savannah. A church down there hosted a night out for soldiers that served a nice dinner for the adults and distracted the children in a big gym with pizza, ice cream and lots of toys.

 This is how we do shopping. =D

Jaxter - the "ever helpful" one. Making dinner for us - cheese cake with grapes (he got that chesse from the freezer!)! Fortunately I was able to talk him into quesidilla. 

Photo of the Day

Well...6 photos of the day. I have just 2 minutes while the boys finish eating before I need to clean up so I thought I'd do a short little blog.

 

 Desmond found one of our science activity books and one of the recipes was for making a ballimp (yes, I know that it not how you spell it, that's how old the book was - hailed from my Grandma Young's teaching days).

This is how we started the day off - looking at books together! Hoorah for brotherly love.

 Jaxter has been battling a cold, so tired he fell asleep sandwhich in hand! (Don't mind the mess in the background, we go through that cycle every day - boys make a mess, then later we clean it up.)

Desmond's latest obsession: paper airplanes. I made one of these, can you tell which one? (I'll give you a hint, its the best, albeit not the most used, one.)

 

Trying to get rid of the last of our Costco produce before it goes bad: plum/peach upside down cake. Pretty good if ya' ask me (and a fool proof recipe if the boys can help me and it still turns out well!). 

=D

Thoughts on today

Today we went to a "Back to School Fair". Desmond is only a pre-Ker but they had lots of information and resources that are of interest to us.

Most significantly: a baby alligator, a baby turtle and a baby snake. Definitely the highlight of today. =D

 

 This is when we were halfway through the line waiting for our turn at "reptile world" and for school supplies that they were handing out. There was another room behind us with just as many waiting. Crazy.

Other recent happenings (since I'm already blogging)

 I made parachutes for the boys and they had grand fun jumping and "flying".

 An oldie but a goodie: making ramps/hills for our cars and tractors to go on.

We recently went to Ft. Lee, VA to visit an old childhood friend of mine and to tour some of the history on the east coast. We had a lot of fun with her family (their boys are the same age as ours) and learning about some of our early American History.

 Exploring a replica of a ship from the Revolutionary War Era.

 Reenactors. Yes, they shot off the canon.

 Yes, it was very loud. They actually did a "practice" where they did imaginary ammunition and we couldn't get Jax to take his hands off his ears after the dry run. That boy just doesn't like loud. Which is ironic because he is loud.

 Jax: so tired. Tana: so sneaky!

 Another beach day (Des was actually not fully healthy but we didn't realize it until half way there).

 Jacksonville, FL.

 Crazy birthday party. This isn't even all the kids that were there!

 Our new post-church, post-beach (bad) habit: ice cream. Its just so hot!

 And now you know what Jax will look like as an old man. =)

 We have done a favor for some friends by dog sitting a couple of times while they have been out of town. Its been a good lesson for the boys in dealing with animals. Their confidence has increased greatly and they know how to tell her "NO!". She's still a puppy so she gets told that a lot. =)

 Running the library reading program's obstacle course.

The boys have had these "books on tape" (the 2000s version of it) and so.... they have been read many *many* times. Can you tell?

Our best take home prize from the fair today was scissors!! Jax has been cutting things ever since we got home. =) And he can't do it without a little help from his tongue!

A Final Note:

My children are growing up. They know how to help me set the table, clear their spots and many other tasks. This looks like just a normal fridge but go ahead and count how many kid cups are in the picture - 5. That's right, 5! They put their drink (be it juice, milk or water) in the fridge to be saved for later. Don't know how we ended up with 5 but.... it made me laugh and that in and of itself is worth it, I s'pose. =)

Goings ons

 Boys helping Dad put together Jaxter's new Strider bike (on sale cuz it was orange!). 

 Jaxter testing his new wheels.

 Silly boy!

 Look, Mom, I made a home!

 Military Twilight Tatoo - A Fort Stewart tradition with band and soldier reenactors.

 Posing with a gun. 

 Sitting in a helicopter. One of the perks of being a military family.

 

 Another perk...

 We have done a favor and dog sat for some friends. The boys watched the dog from afar for awhile, they since have gotten a little more comfortable with Roxie and know how to "boss" her around now. 

 I've been big into making a lot more from scratch, both for economic and domestic reasons, the boys like to help when its a sweet (and fairly fast) project.

 July 3 at a military installment includes a "salute to the states" which boils down to a display of the flags, narrative, music by the band and lots and lots of canon shots (much to Jaxter's chagrin).

 July 4th! Huge celebration on post. Inflatables, water slides, petting zoo, food, food, food, games, prizes.... 

 We like to visit beaches, this particular visit we caught a little crab. We've also caught a little fish.

 Another beach...St. Simmon's Island.

 Our new post beach habit ... ice cream!

 Being robots!

 Touch tank at our local acquarium in Savannah.

Sunset on river street in Savannah.

Gnats!

Perspective is everything.

I recently completed a Bible study that guaranteed that there was positive in every situation.  This is a Biblical concept (I Thessalonians 5:18 and others). I myself have said that any significant growth in life is usually painful. Some circumstances are obvious in their positive, others not so much.

Recently I was convicted to put this theory to the test.

Several weeks ago we started seeing signs for road side peach stands. One Sunday we decided to patronize one these and get some peaches! Finally! We were going to get some Georgia peaches, fresh from the tree. We even told the boys, "We are in Georgia and they have the best peaches in the whole United States!" (We've been working on geography.)

We arrived home, washed a peach and cut it up to partake. It was awful! Apparently Georgia peaches don't get really good until July (so I was told by a local). Desmond even called me on it and said "Mom, I don't think Georgia has the best peaches!"

Fast forward a few days and we suddenly notice gnats hovering over said peaches. Hmmmm. Washed the peaches really well. The next day we still noticed bugs. So I washed them again, peeled and baked them in a cobbler.

Slowly but surely I start noticing these bugs more and more and this last week they got to the point and that even the boys were noticing! Yuck.

Now here came my conviction. I was really upset, angry even, that these people had sold us peaches, they didn't taste good AND they had introduced gnats into our home. I got really good at killing gnats (even impresses Marc) because I was so mad that I would want to "get 'em".

Then the Lord whispered in my ear, "Give thanks for all things." What?!

Fine. Ok, Lord, thank you for the gnats because.....  And then my mind went blank, because why? What good had come from from these nasty bugs annoying my every kitchen endeavor?

I could be thankful they hadn't spread ALL over the house, or that they hadn't been a disease ridden species. But to give thanks for what they were? Stumped.

That night, though, as Marc and I battled side by side to set up gnat traps (see pic below) and to clean every. single. nook and cranny in our kitchen and dining area, I started to see the light.

Here are my 2 thanks for gnats.

1. Marc and I have been really busy but suddenly we had a project to do *together* and one where we could chat and get caught up while doing it. Praise God for gnats.

2. I have really wanted to get better at cleaning up after meals. I always clean up *eventually* but the boys are usually off and running and so I get distracted from cleaning up right away. I have even prayed that God would help me remember to clean up immediately after meals so that we are ready to go at the next meal. Well, with the gnats I HAVE to clean up right away to prevent them feeding and breeding. Praise God for gnats.

It is bittersweet and sometimes very difficult to give thanks for unwanted and even painful circumstances but in the end we serve a God who is faithful  and works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

P.S. The gnats are almost gone and I praise God for that, too. =)

One of our gnat traps - vinegar and dish soap, they are attracted to it and then just drown. Pretty cool, huh? But also kinda gross.