Lately when Maggie Beth is talking, she still babbles a lot, I will say, "Maggie Beth you sure have a lot to say."
She will say to me, "No, Mommy. Maggie's tawking (talking) to Ewi (Eli)!"
First let me apologize for the quality of my photos. I forgot my camera and so I had to use my phone for the pictures we took.
We went to the Dinosaur Store in Cocoa Beach on Friday. I packed my kids a lunch and we got there around 11:30 a.m. and the activity area opened at 11, so we were set to explore.
We first checked out the store and saw skeletons of dinosaurs such as an Ichthyosaurs and an Allosaurus and a skull of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops.
The boys were paleontologists and dug for fossils in their fossil pit. The mulch/dirt got everywhere.
They put some puzzles together.
Checked out their reptile area and saw some alligators, snakes, lizards, and tortoises.
We had a great time on our field trip. We stayed for more than two hours and the people that worked there were so nice to let us eat our lunch in their reptile room. They also let us take a sneak peek at their Egyptian room. We saw a mummy case. The boys were kind of scared, they thought that a real mummy was inside so they would not get very close to it. They were so funny.
A couple other interesting quotes from Neil Cole's article:"The reason that kids aren't an interruption for us is simple: There's nothing to interrupt! Our time of learning and discussing God's Word isn't a monologue by a gifted teacher that demands silence and respect. Instead, it's a community time that involves the entire family, including the children, so there is no such thing as interrupting it."
"The reason why many of resist having small children in our church meetings is that we believe that the experience could be disruptive. We've been trained to think that what goes on during a worship service is sacred and holy and not to be upset by loud children." My quote on this, "Our God is bigger than any 'disruption' and He can move through it or use it."
One thing that I have desired for a long time is to have a family role model......since I did not grow up really in the church.......how do I raise my children to love God? How do I parent in a godly way? Neil Cole's quote from the article, "For the most part, the church isn't helping with the situation. We may have programs, seminars and books to help teach about parenting, but we aren't getting good examples in church. How could we when we send the kids off to classes with other kids their age, while parents go to another class? We aren't in situations where a new parent can actually watch a seasoned vet respond to his/her children and teach by example." Oh.......mentoring!!!
Another interesting quote and articles that I found on-line is:
"We, as parents, need to take back our right to be our children's spiritual directors. We owe it to our children."
Wednesday evening after dinner we took the boys back over to the skate park to actually try to learn how to skate board.
Place: Brevard Art Museum Date: 7/29/10
Purpose of the field trip: To learn about different types of art and artists.
Goal of the field trip: Learn two different types of art that can be demonstrated at home.
___Talked about how to behave: no running and no touching any pieces of art
___Get useful items together (snack, camera, drinks)
After: (report and follow up):
__Did you achieve your purpose and goal of your field trip? Yes, we saw the Otherworldly Art of Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor.
This whimsical exhibition of surprising imagery reveals the otherworldly art of Jerry Uelsmann and Maggie Taylor. Collaging recognizable imagery in unexpected juxtaspositions, Uelsmann's photographs are produced using conventional darkroom techniques. His composite photographs of nature, the human figure, exterior and interior environments, and human relationships evoke myth and magic and are considered to be masterpieces of 20th century photography. (Text from Brevard Art Museum http://www.brevardartmuseum.org/).
Taylor's work, which also utilizes collage, reflects her imaginative ventures into digital technology. (Text from the Brevard Art Museum website http://www.brevardartmuseum.org/). Images are located on website as well.
__Some new words we learned: collage and abstract
__Children's favorite part: Hezekiah liked Maggie Taylor's picture of the lady pulling her head off and she did not have a neck.
Follow up learning experience:
Hezekiah created a collage. He named it the Food Experience.
These pictures are portraying the curls of progression.
What do these curls remind me of? Joy. Yes, these curls make me joyful. Maybe because of the kid they are attached to.
I have been doing a devotion and it has been on the heart of rebellion. Yes, my heart can be very rebellious. Anyhow, the verses that I read have really been recalled over and over in my head since I read it over a week ago. The verses are from I Thessalonians 5:16-18, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Sometimes I wonder exactly what God's will is for me. Like open doors, shut doors and think often there is some big decision to make and so forth. What I learned though to be in God's will does not necessarily mean that I have to be in some certain spot. Instead I can be anywhere. His will for me is to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in everything. That is God's will for me. I found that amazing. This is some good stuff, let me tell you some astounding stuff.
For over a year I have been driving down US1 passing this "cool" skate park that is all indoors (www.theparkatmelbourne.com). I have been wanting to stop by and check it out and it is really maybe 3-5 miles from our home. So we stopped by this evening.
Since I have 2 boys, I figured someone might be interested in trying skateboarding. Especially those high energy someones. I was right. Oldest high energy one now has a new skateboard, helmet, and is desiring to return to skate park tomorrow to conquer all tricks. I am hoping that we do not end up with broken bones! We practiced some this evening on the carpet. I showed oldest how to push with one foot and stand on the board. Let me just interject here that I tried once to skateboard in high school and found it difficult mostly due to my fear of getting hurt, but I am all for letting Mr. Hezekiah try it. Really though, I do not want to watch in fear of him getting hurt. Oh my the dilemmas of mothering.
Hezekiah, Eli, and Maggie Beth were pretty much in awe of the skaters and their tricks. I was in awe of the cool atmosphere of the skate park.
I guess Eli liked the art and atmosphere too.
So here are some pictures of me doing the Triathlon. Page was so sweet to get the kids up early to bring them up to Titusville for the event. They got there just before my wave got in to swim. It was so nice to see my little family cheer me on.
Here I am doing the swim. None of these pictures are very flattering. I really do not like pictures of myself. But this is a goal that I have had for years and I am really so excited that God enabled me to actually fulfill one of my goals. I am going to try and train for the longer ones. Maybe then I will like pictures of myself (ha ha ha......you know lose more adipose tissue!).
Here I transitioned for my bike ride. The bike ride was really nice through some neighborhoods around the YMCA there. Everyone was so encouraging. Lots of "Go 71!" "You are doing great!" "Keep it up!" So, since everyone was encouraging me I did the same. Everyone was so nice! It was neat because this triathlon is a family tri, so some families did it together and some kids competed too. Hezekiah thought that was really neat......so maybe in the future he will want to swim, bike, run or even do a portion of it.
Here I am coming in from my bike ride to transition to the run, for me instead slow jog. It was funny because from the swim in my wave I was the first out, but the bike ride I saw some of my wave passing me. Then I would see a couple from wave 5 or 6 pass. But I kept going. I even jogged my whole time, but by the end I saw a couple people from wave 10 or wave 11 passing me by. But it is alright they definitely have done this kind of thing before. I was just super thankful that I was able to do my run. Woo wee......if you know me that is the hardest for me.
Here are my boys following me back to the transition area to gather my things. I had to take a dip back in the pool after I did my run.
I was up at 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning to travel to Titusville. Got there at 5:45 a.m. Check-in started at 6 a.m. Then I had to get painted (number and wave on my arm and legs......the marker and numbers are still on me). Once I did that I got my bike ready and warmed up for the swim. It was a fun day and I am thankful for Page, my kiddos, and my friend Casey coming and taking the time to cheer me on. I think Page and Casey are going to do it with me next year! Cool huh!
Oh, Magpie you are just beautiful! My sweet curly headed baby, you are just beautiful love!
We got to see Eli's work on exhibition today. Here is a picture of the jungle he made.
His snake that he painted.
His alligator.
His lion.
He had a bag full of art he brought home today. He made a puzzle piece crocodile, a manatee, shark and jellyfish, giraffe, toucan, jaguar, and more! So cute!
