Everyday Experimentation

Being a bio major, I recall disliking O-chem, Bio-chem, and chem1, chem2 & chem3 - yet I had to take 'em. Pete treated us to Chemistry set this summer and it's actually been fun! Here, we took baking soda and vinegar

and mixed them in a bottle...and STAND BACK...
A gas filled the ballo0n. We made CO2 from a liquid and a solid! Time to check density: We filled a balloon with air and then dropped the balloons at the same time. We discovered that CO2 is densest and sinks quickly. The air balloon sinks slowly because it's about as dense as the room air and a Helium balloon floated/rose because it was less dense than air :-)
Here, pepper flakes floated on top of water. With just a touch of bar soap, we broke the surface tension of water and the flakes scattered immediately! very cool. Do all liquids mix together? We stirred water and oil
and learned that they will separate. Oil floats on top since it's lighter than water. Water is heavier than oil and sinks to the bottom.

I've learned something about myself with all this. That I truly enjoy hands on learning. I remember being in college & grad school thinking to myself, I wish I could be a "student" the rest of my life. Continually learning.

Birthday Brainstorm

The boys have been planning birthday party activities since last night: a marbles game, a treasure hunt led by Toucan, and more. We celebrated Tita Marn's birthday with her today. While on our hike, lemons were picked and the 3 of them made home made lemonade!

A homemade game was "Pin the birthday hat on the Marnie!"

Dessert was ice cream, chocolates, and we baked a quickbread and sang to our celebrant!

Happy Birthday Tita Marn!

Genesis 2:18

"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper comparable to him".

I am on assignment from God to help my husband. I commit myself to actively choose God and His ways. I want the choices I make to reflect God as my ultimate priority. I am on assignment from God to help my husband. My primary role each day is to help Pete, to share his responsibilities, to respond to his nature and to wholeheartedly cooperate with him in God's plan for our life together.
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Those words I transposed from Elizabeth George's "A Woman After God's Own Heart". About a year ago I wrote them onto paper and taped them into the medicine cabinet to have in view daily. This is an area that I continue to grow in. I am not what I used to be; and I am not yet all that God has planned for me. I am a work in progress. I am thankful for God's faithfulness!

"Dive" into the River [double-click here]

"Dive." Lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman:

The long awaited rains have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground and carved their way to where the wild and rushing river can be found and like the rains I have been carried here to where the river flows. My heart is racing and my knees are weak as I walk to the edge I know there is no turning back once my feet have left the ledge and in the rush I hear a voice that's telling me it's time to take the leap of faith so here I go.

I'm diving in, I'm going deep, in over my head I want to be. Caught in the rush, lost in the flow, in over my head, I want to go. The river's deep, the river's wide, the river's water is alive. So sink or swim, I'm diving in.

There is a supernatural power in the mighty river's flow. It can bring the dead to life and it can fill an empty soul and give a heart the only thing worth living and worth dying for. But we will never know the awesome power of the grace of God until we let ourselves get swept away into this holy flood.

So if you'll take my hand we'll close our eyes and count to three and take the leap of faith. Come on, let's go!
Dear Pete, We are so proud of you for being our protector and sheild. When you are ready to take the leap of faith and dive in, sink or swim, and "In over your head you want to go", we'll dive in with you! love,gina

Light

This past week, the four of us have been learning about LIGHT including scripture, history, qualities and....

learning has been coming to life!

The boys have learned to make a "motor" with a battery, rubber bands, wires, and clamps using a Science Wiz kit.
We learned that we need light to see color. They colored discs, spun the discs on the motor to "add the colors" and make a new color!
We visited a lighthouse today to see light in action. Pete read the story "Beacons of Light" on the way.
This Fresnel lens directs light in a way that shines it brighter.
God gave us His Word to give us direction in life. "Thy Word is a lamp to my feet,and a light to my path" Psalm 119:105

"BUILT TO SERVE":

I liked Pete's comment that "Jesus, too, was BUILT TO SERVE"

The boys climbing down the narrow, steep staircase doesn't stop them from moving assuredly yet quickly.

The boys & their cousin outside Captain Israel's home/Lighthouse.

Behind us is the view that the Lighthouse keeper & his family would see from their home:Lighthouse keepers & families protect ships and sailors from the rocky shores.

Psalm 5:11:"But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy.

Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You."

Be Still

Along came the season of summer and an opportunity for downtime together for the boys and I. Sometimes the quietness of the day are the endearing ones. I very much enjoy the company of the Lord, my husband, and my children. What a blessing to have both when its time for our "alone time with God".

The boys choose whatever outlet they like: worship through song, dance; learning God's word through bible stories (acting/puppeteering, reading, drawing, or play.). Above is drawing and here is "Joshua" and the wall of Jericho:
I get to smile when I see the creativity of "dancing" to worship songs between puppeteering a bible story:
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

2010 Independence Day!

This was a day sweet fellowship morning 'til night.

The inland weather was just right for hours of swimming in cool water

Friends, fellowship, food, and relaxation.

The kids' napped heavily as we traveled to our next stop at the World.

and were raring to go in no time. The fireworks were huge and up close from the cushy seats and we snacked on popcorn, cotton candy, cookies - totally indulgent.

Happy Birthday America!

waiting for

We had planned to enjoy fireworks for our younger son's birthday and unexpected changes got in the way. So, 3 weeks later; our evening of fellowship was worth waiting for.

Biking

On cooler summer evenings, our activity of choice is cycling. The kids' speed along happily and Pete & I get to jog along. We are hoping to run a 5K together and this would be a way to train and enjoy exercising as a family.

1 Corinthians 9:24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Boys

Father's day was interspersed with opportunities for boys to be boys and hang out with other dads, including Lolo, the kids' ninong, and my godfather Ninong Jerry. The boys threw the baseball, football, & big balls back and forth and even putted golf balls sometime throughout the day. We also had some water time on a motor boat:

The kids desired to use the oars and "row the boat" which gave them a bit of control with steering and directing the course.

We are blessed with a life that is rich and abundant with connections and quality time with loved ones. I take it day by day and do my best to keep my eyes on God's love that is the giver of these priceless gifts from above. It would be a shame to take any these blessings for granted.