Fab 5

I don't know how much my little heart can handle this week. This boy has had a momentous week. First week of preschool and now his birthday today. He turns 5 today. He was sooo excited he couldn't sleep last night. I went to Bible study but Blake said he kept coming out and saying he needed to "go potty", "needed a drink of water" routine so he could come out and hopefully espy his gifts.

1st Day of Preschool

Carter did a great job going to school today. He greeted them and hung his lunch up on his hook. He went right away to some kids on the floor and started playing. He was very excited when he came home too. He had fun on the monkey bars and playing with new people. I however, had a harder time adjusting. As soon as we walked out Avery started crying. She said she would miss me but I know her tender heart knew she would have a lonely mommy. She offered to stay home with me while the other kids went to school a couple times this summer. I was fine until I got home. I shed a few tears and prayed for my babies! God has blessed us greatly.

First Day of School

It seems like just yesterday children all over America were uttering some rendition of, "No more pencils, no more books..." It's hard to believe we are easing back into the rhythm of school schedules. My husband authors a blog. In this blog on August 3, 2012, he pens a letter that we would, and have given our children's teachers. If you wish to read it, click on "The Write Project" blog located on the right-hand side of this page located 3rd down on my blog list. Only 129 days, 4 hours, 55 minutes, and 12 seconds until Christmas Break.

Fountain of Youth

Ashland, Oregon has a fountain in the middle of the "town square" where sulphery, soda water bubbles forth. At some point in history Ashland tried to forge it's way as a spa town but things didn't bubble up to their expectations. It's suppose to possess many healthy minerals for all things healing but bottling it was not a success. Apparently people did not want to drink stinky water. We all had a lap of it. Upon first taste, well. . . it stinks. We all know how olfactory and tasting senses are in an iron-glad partnership. It smelled like rotting eggs and it tickled the tongue. I wasn't prepared for the fizzy, soda-like effervescence that prickled my tongue. But I have to admit, once I got past the sodium-like, stinky, bubbly taste, I still didn't like it. My oncoming cold went away though. No, that didn't happen either. It was however, a fun experience that I'm sure the kids will remember. I've heard that taste and sounds and smells play a big part in connecting with our memories. I have to think that some day when my children get the opportunity to drink rotting soda, they will think fondly of that day.

Emigrant Lake

We camped here for a few nights. It was in Ashland, Oregon. It was a great spot to swim since it was warmer than our other spots. The only disadvantage to the place was the wind. It was quite windy, it really picked up in the afternoon. Blake and I spoke with the camp host and he said they have been there since May and he hasn't seen a day without wind. This is also the place where Blake threw out his back. It wasn't fun for him to hobble around for the next few days. Fortunately we didn't have to leave for a few days so his back was good enough to pack everything up when we were ready. He was a trooper and hardly a complaint came out of him. He still went to the lake and swam in the water with all of us.

Redwoods

Not a Happy Camper

Camping together isn't all peaches n' cream. We had a great time together and really enjoyed exploring things but not without a few glitches along the way. We came back home with stories of stinging nettle, bee stings, raccoons eating a lot of our food one evening, time-outs, and a sore back (Blake threw his out and hobbled along for the last week). One of our biggest stories of the trip involved Carter. In the picture collage you can see our third place we camped was in Ashland, Oregon. We had a beautiful site overlooking Emigrant Lake. On the first day we arrived we realized we needed some flotation devices if we were going to enjoy our time at the lake. One of the devices was a floating, golden chair. We called it "the throne." Meteorologists probably could have forewarned us that it gets pretty windy in Ashland. It was warm enough to want to swim but there is quite a breeze blowing through too. One day we were at a cove that we had to drive to but it wasn't far. We used the wind to our advantage by swimming out a ways and letting the wind usher us back to the cove. The next day I realized we were right by a nice cove of our own which wouldn't have public access, with the exception of fellow campers. So we set up camp and the kids hopped right on their tubes and thrones. On this particular day the wind was blowing the other direction though. Carter was sitting like a king on the throne and wearing his arm floaties. Soon enough though he started drifting. We told the girls to get him. But the wind kept taking him beyond their reach. Blake, with his sore back, took the bright pink raft and ran into the lake after him. A man and fellow camper offered his long board to Blake but we didn't want to bother him. So off Blake went paddling his little heart out trying to stay afloat on the flimsy, pink raft. Soon our good Samaritan realized Blake was not going to reach Carter and even if he did, it would be too long of a swim back. So he set off on his long board, passed Blake up and was able to get both of them. By this time though, they had almost reached the other side of the lake. An onlooker with a boat offered them a ride back to shore, thankfully. I knew Carter was never in danger but I know it was more panicky for Blake to try to paddle to him and have him always a bit out of reach. We learned not to drift very far that day. Not after Kenna gave him a little shove a half an hour later or so and he started drifting again. Carter was never worried but he did declare after Blake dove in AGAIN to get him, "I don't want to float that far again."

Camping Neighbors

Our camping neighbors in Point Reyes were great. Gary and Kris were a very helpful resource for us. They frequent this area every year so they were full of information. They also invited us over to roast marshmallows a couple of nights. One tip they led us to was to a maritime historic site. This was one of the locations where they translated Morse code. This place closed down about 12 years ago or so but open up once a year on the anniversary of their closure. They had a few people sending out and receiving messages. One "expert" explained all the different models of the devices. It was a very neat learning experience because the kids and I read "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart this past school year. In the book 4 gifted children try to save the world. In the story they communicate to their friends using Morse Code. The trees lining this driveway is the path leading to the maritime building.

Pierce Pt. Ranch 2

Pictured is part of the ranch and our trail we took behind it.

Pierce Point Ranch

"Give a two-clap for..." is often heard in our home or car from Blake. He often likes to give a shout-out to someone for doing a great job. Well, I would like to give a two-clap for our kids. We went to an historical farm in Point Reyes where we were able to walk around a farm that used to run in the late 1800's. Also known around that area is a Tule elk preserve. We took a trail behind the farmstead that wends its way around the cliffs. It was a bit foggy so often we could hear the waves crashing below us but we couldn't see them. We must have hiked about 5 or 6 miles that day in search for the elk. We spotted a couple herds. The male herd was an awesome site as we can see there antlers silhouetted in the fog. We probably got as close as 30 yards from a herd. The kids were troopers and really did a great job. Jacie was the MVP of the hike and was often seen giving Carter a piggy back ride. P.S. The ironic thing is on our drive to Crescent City, our next leg of the trip, we saw male elk sitting on the lawn in someone's yard and got pictures of them lounging around where we were probably 10 yards away (and separated by their fence).

Oysters

Love 'em or hate 'em, that's what it was like for our family. I was so proud of a couple of our kids for trying the oysters. As you can see in the picture, Kenna got as far as poking and prodding it but couldn't quite get herself to try one. We visited an oyster farm at Drake's Bay on the way back from our trip to the lighthouse. There were oyster shells everywhere. The beach looked like it was a huge oyster shell. It was very interesting to learn how they farm and harvest them.