"Keep me as the apple of Your eye." Psalm 17:8a

This is "apple month" and our older son asked if we could make today a Johnny appleseed day! Sure, why not?

We learned about Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman, who was a pioneer, missionary, and gardener. He planted millions of apple trees during his lifetime (1774-1845).

John Chapman's work was important to the new settlers moving West after the American Revolution - apples were a staple to many families.

Then we enjoyed an apple pastry that just happened to be on hand.Mmmm

Making fresh apple juice:

From the juicer straight to the glass:

How does fresh pressed juice taste?

The verdict is: "Yummy!"

Older brother's turn slicing on his own:

Fresh cut apple slices down the chute:

One apple's juices poured into a cup:

Excited to see if he likes it:

Taste test: Approved!

Cheers!

A Solar "LookOut"

Since our lighthouse visit, we've learned more about "light" through telescoping. The simplest telescope uses two lenses to make things look bigger. The lens closest to the eye is called the eyepiece and closest to the object is the objective lens:

Off we headed to see a telescope with a 200 inch diameter lens!We enjoyed the beauty of Hume Lake on the way there:

and mountain vistas and windy roads

then a short hike to the dome that houses the telescope:

We looked for snakes, squirrels, and lizards on the way. The red ants were busy and could carry things 4 times their size!

The kids couldn't keep their eyes off all those ants {smile}:Once inside the dome, we enjoyed the former world's largest telescope:

We were inside when the heavy dome rotated. It was so cool to see that since it's hard to imagine all that tonage moving over our heads.

A 200 inch mirror on the bottom reflects the light back up to the "eyepiece" where the image is received:A pic on the way in and out:

Outside was another telescope with which we could see the "solar flares" on the sun. "O give thanks to the Lord...that made great lights..sun...by day...moon and stars...by night.." Psalm 136:3,7,8-9

and visualize the red spectra of Mercury's atmosphere.

I'm so thankful for the opportunities that we have to be alongside our children learning with them as they grow in knowledge. I am humbled by the miracle of life and honored to be a part of the Lord's plan to care for these kids and teach them in the way they should go. Since they were born, time has gone so fast and will continue to. I know there are moments that I've taken parenthood for granted. I'm relishing it at this moment though :-)

"You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name. You are amazing God" ~Chris Tomlin

Bedtime Thoughts

It's on my heart that our children learn to see themselves as "God sees them". I want to give our children an identity based on God's truth.
One of the ways we teach our children who God says they are, we wrote out God's words onto extra large sheets of paper and stuck these to the ceiling above their beds.

Before they drift off to sleep, I do my best to read them the words like: "I am accepted. I am secure. I cannot be separated from the LOVE of God."

What peace to meditate on these truths as our last thoughts of the day - truths that define your personal significance to God and your God-given identity. Got this idea from Neil Anderson's "Who I Am in Christ" list; found it in a hand-me-down book Celebrations of Faith by Randy & LisaWilson. I'm blessed by hand-me-downs!

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."