Busy Beavers

We have been busy. Chasing down flu shots (mission accomplished, both seasonal and H1N1), attempting to stay healthy (for the most part), keeping the house running, and so on and so forth. We had several days off from school in late October, ice skated some, had doctor's appts., done yardwork, sorted "stuff" and given it away, and so much more. And we've also been studying beavers. I do a monthly environmental science class for both Dante and Constance's classes and Beavers were our topic for October . They're really (really) cool to learn about and even Vivace and Patience got in on the fun. Check out this link is to a fun video I discovered online prepping for the class. We also got to see Beavers! (the Imax movie) on Netflix a few nights ago. They loved it and Vivace keeps telling me about it in detail whenever anything reminds him of it.

Below are a couple pictures of Constance and her class. They are chopping down trees (carrots), gnawing on bark (chocolate covered pretzels) , and reading stories in their beaver dams. We had way too much fun! We even built beaver lodges here at home!







The following picture of me was taken by Dante's teacher - I was being dressed as a beaver. Note the webbed feet, the "waterproof fur" (ok so it's blue...), the orange"ever growing" teeth for gnawing, the goggles to demonstrate their 3rd eyelid (clear so they can still see, but which protects their eyes from the water when they swim and from wood chips when they're gnawing down trees!). There are many other attributes and adaptations God has given these creatures to make them uniquely suited to their habitat and role in the animal kingdom. I was duly impressed!




Interestingly, I noted the fact that we call them "busy" but they know how to take time to play. It would seem they understand the appropriate balance between work and play. Perhaps we can learn something from them about working hard, yet not so hard that we "forget" why it is we're working? (to take care of our family, to be able to eat, so we can swim safely... ). Anyway, God sure knows what he's doing in how he creates all these creatures and the world in which they live. I love learning about them and sharing that with my kids (and anyone else who'll read or listen!)

The Great Pumpkin . . . Race?

Yes, indeed. We learned on Friday during a field trip with Constance's class, that one of the uses for giant pumpkins is to enter them in the "Great Pumpkin Race" on Lake Champlain. It occured yesterday, and no we didn't attend, but I think we should. Get a load of these pictures, just to give you an idea. What fun!

Ice is hard

I'm taking skating lessons this fall. One minute before my very first lesson was up, my feet slid out from under me and I fell my full height, straight backwards, onto the ice.

Ice is hard.

It hurt.

They tell me my head made a VERY loud crack you could hear clear across the rink when it hit, no mistake.

I am very thankful I have just a mild concussion with very few symptoms. After the major concussion I had two and a half years ago, I know how bad it could have been, and am very thankful God spared me the nausea, dizziness etc. I am completely functional (tho' tired and slow!). And I'm excited to get back on the ice when I'm ready.

All four kids, even my preteen, have just one thing to say. It's unanimous: "Mom, you should have been wearing a helmet!"

Next time I will. Did I mention ice is really (really) hard?!

Back yard fire

 
 

We used our home depot gift cards from Christmas to buy the driveway sealer, so this opened the door to our real gift ... a new outdoor fireplace from Lowe's. This will help clear the brush in the yard.

Dad seals the driveway

 

This photo was taken on September 6th, which was in the middle of a long stretch of dry weather. Perfect for sealing the driveway. A much easier experience than the first time about 5 years ago. We spent a little more for some better stuff. Much better coverage. This time 3 buckets covered instead of four. The finish is more solid, and I didn't have to stir it!

I Won!

Patience signed up for an after school knitting club last January and I got to tag along with the other munchkins for an hour each Tuesday for about six weeks. Everyone except Vivace tried it out and it was fun. I learned how to knit, something I've always wanted to do, and now I supposedly can help the kids when they get stuck. I learned the knit stitch and one of Dante's teachers gave me a pattern for a dishcloth. I was so proud of myself! I can knit dishcloths! And it keeps me awake during sermons (not that they're boring but I listen better when my hands are busy so it's been a great occasion to practice and my attentiveness has been greatly improved).

Ok, so anyway, a neighbor of mine caught wind of my 'achievement' (probably because I came crawling to her for help one Sunday afternoon). She works with a local refugee resettlement group, and the local yarn shop was doing a "knit a quilt square" project to make blankets for the refugees, most of whom come from warmer climates (Senegal and the like). So I agreed to knit a square. What a stretch that was. I had to learn to purl, and to calculate gauge (still not sure of that... and I really struggle going back and forth between knit and purl - must be doing something wrong there). It was a challenge, but it was good practice. That said, it took me TWO MONTHS (mid March to mid May!) to finish that square. But I did it! Again, I was so proud. It was plain solid rose color. Nothing fancy. There was no way I was going to finish if I had to learn anything else new so I stuck with "boring". But it was done by the deadline (more or less) and it was relatively nice - pretty even and only one accidental yarn over "oops" that I decided we could live with (and they agreed). There were several hundred squares donated (mind you some folks churned out a dozen - I did ONE!). They were able to make several nice sized blankets and it felt good to help in a real way while getting necessary practice!

So 15 minutes ago (and four months later) my phone rings and it's the yarn shop. You see, each person who knit a square got entered in a raffle. And I won one of the raffles! I have no idea what I have won, or if I'll even know what it is, but they have "set aside a few items for me" and I can't believe I won! Wow. What fun. I learned how to knit - it has blessed me - I blessed some poor person I'll never meet with a plain block - and now I get a "prize". What a rewarding new hobby I've found. I'm really encouraged. And I'm definitely blessed.

Now to keep working on my knitting. . . . . :-) Dishcloth anyone?
-Shiloh

A Father's Grace