"F" Week

It's been a long week..."F" week was a challenge. Michael has had a cold all week, so it's been a pretty light week. We took one day off for Daniel's birthday (he's been sick all week, too). I had planned to go to the zoo, but due to sickness that fell through. I'm glad it's a three day weekend.

Forks and food collage

 

New game

 

Fingerprint fish

 

 

 Foot "F"

Nuts and bolts play

 Writing an F

Field Trip Friday: Edisto Beach State Park Environmental Interpretive Center

Obviously, we did not travel to South Carolina this week, but I couldn't resist re-posting from our beach trip last year.  I'll be fighting beach fever the rest of the weekend.     For more field trips, check out Field Trip Fridays here.    
  This place had all kinds of great displays of local shells and animals  

  There were interactive things for kids to touch, listen and see.  Michael was really scared of this plastic crabs in one of the drawers.   

  All kinds of animal displays- alligator, loggerhead turtle eggs, flounder, horseshoe crabs...

I love this picture of a terrapin!

  Can you find the flounder?
  A big boat...  

Very interesting conversation going on...

The resident racoon


This was a very cool interpretive center.  It was free and had tons of hands-on activities for kids of all ages.  We spent somewhere between an hour to an hour and a half here.  The staff was very friendly and answered my kids questions very thoroughly.  It was well worth the time to visit!

The big 1-0...Happy Birthday, Daniel!

The big 1-0...it's unfathomable.  

It seems like just yesterday I brought you home from the hospital.   I can't believe how much you've grown just in this last year!

Grown in stature but also in character as well...

You bring so much joy and laughter to our lives...

We love you, dearest son for all the crazy, 

zany things you've done,

the enthusiasm you have for a new book series or new things to learn, how you love dessert, the way you adapt to your limitations, your desire to be more like God everyday, and how comfortable you are with yourself, even in all your goofiness! 

We pray that you will become a great man of God, above everything else you accomplish in this life.  We love you, but He loves you so much more!

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

Sigh

It's been one of those days...where I just can't shake my tiredness and moodiness.

I've got 2 kids--one on the couch and one upstairs lying down (for probably only 10 minutes at most) ...the littlest one started with mild cold symptoms yesterday.  Not down for the count, by any means, just snotty and under the weather.

One in the kitchen starting to make her brother's birthday cake for tomorrow (a new recipe, layer cake=supervision), presents to wrap, blog post to get ready, special day to plan, laundry to put away, etc. etc. etc.....

But all I want is a cold compress for my head, a hot bath and a early bedtime...oh, and chocolate I'm not allowed to have.  

School is good...fair projects will be over soon...my husband keeps unloading the dishwasher every night...I'm blessed in every sense of the word.  Yet, I feel like griping about something...not sure what.  Overwhelmed. 

Today, I just need a nap really bad...but we all know that's not going to happen! 

Movin' Me Down the Highway

Sometimes it's the little things that bring back so many memories....

Hearing Jim Croce singing I Got a Name takes me back to my childhood and my dad...just like Carolina in My Mind, Cats in the Cradle,  and so many 70s songs. 

I took a bite of a blueberry bagel with melted cheddar cheese and I was instantly transported to 10 1/2 years ago...visiting my father-in-law.  We had bagels, good cheese and Sunny Delight every morning for breakfast...it was my ambrosia.  I was starving that entire trip...I came home sick as a dog and found out on New Year's Eve, I was pregnant with Daniel.  

Sometimes we'll be playing Pictionary or Trivial Pursuit and I'll go back to my teen years-visiting my dad and playing.  He was so competitive...the un-defeatable champion.

I hear a country music song on the radio and immediately know if my brother likes this song.  I call him just to say I heard "fill in the blank country song" and thought of you.  He says, "Oh yeah, I really like that song."  

 
"Memories-good or bad, shape who we become as a person."

Fall is always the season of anniversaries for me...Daniel's birthday next Wednesday, my dad passed away 14 years ago next Thursday.  Tera's birthday a month later.  Then, this year marks 15 years since my brother Terry passed away.  

A season of anniversaries, memories and remembering...

This has become one of my life verses in the last couple of years: 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;  

Isaiah 43:2-3a

Eeeeee!

Elmo

Elephants:  here and here

Earth and eagles

 

 Egg- Life Cycle of  a Chicken---not exactly scientific but cute!

Tera gathered big/little things for Michael to sort

Hair brushing practice

I love these 2 piece puzzle sets.  They are so easy for kids to put together and works on matching at the same time. 

We played "I spy with my little EYE!"  and "I hear with my little EAR!"  

We went on 2 "field trips" and Michael slept in a few mornings this week, too.   That was nice!