I added this to my Georgia post, but thought it deserved it's own post as well.

We have found a cool way to explore the national state parks.  It's the Jr. Ranger program. 

If you haven't done them yet, it's pretty cool!  You get a booklet (I think this one was a few dollars) and your child has to do so many of the activities.  They range from easy search word puzzles to finding information in an exhibit or along a trail or watching a video.  When they're done, they turn it in and get a certificate and a pin badge.  Some even give a fabric patch.  Connor has done 3 so far.    He got one here at our local state park for doing the booklet during summer camp, but you can do them at anytime.  He also did one in Albuquerque last year at the Petroglyphs.  He loves Civil War stuff and got do earn another badge at the Kennesaw State Park in GA.  They had a demonstration and video.  I think it's a great way to learn about different areas and events, plus they're neat side trips on vacation!  And since most are outside, they're a great place to burn off some energy.

They also have Web Rangers.  Where they can earn badges by completing activities online.

Check out http://www.nps.gov/learn/ to learn more about them.

We finally got to spend our first night at the camp!!!  We are getting it stocked.  Mattresses on the floor.  No sofa.  We do have counter stools that I painted the night before, so atleast we have somewhere to sit to eat.  It rained most of the time we were there.  So the kids got to watch Brady Bunch and Mary Poppins.  Then the boys got to do one of their favorite things--play in the mud while sister watched from the door.  I'm sure she was dying to get out there, too!  She got daddy to take her for a long walk (on his shoulders) and had lots of his time and attention to read books and snuggle.  Just what we wanted the camp for, family time!

Her birthday was during the week, so we kept it low key.  We gave her a dollhouse and she's having lots of fun with it.   Here's a picture of her in her favorite outfit playing with it.

On the weekend, we had her grandparents over for pizza and cake.  She chose to dress up as a princess.  It's the first time she's wanted to play dress up! 

Here's our new camp coming down the road.  Notice how dirt the road is, it doesn't look this pretty after a heavy rain....

And here it is being backed into place:

And here it is in place!

Here's the view from our front door:

The boys entertained themselves by reenacting battle scenes:

And of course baby girl was her cute self.  Don't you love her matching mosquito bites on each cheek.  She is an absolute magnet for them and the camp is overrun with them.

When Troy went in search of the cats, he entered the yard through the back gate behind the barn and look what he found--a hornets nest, a gigantic one.  He used an entire can of spray on it and it didn't phase them.  We called the exterminators and they made short work of it.  So here's a pic of it after he sprayed it and then a couple a few days after the exterminators exterminated it!

Oh, and about the cats... we found one badly decomposed by the barn under a trailer.  We never did find the other one.  We put out  lost cat fliers in neighborhood mailboxes.  Did you know you're not suppose to do that?  I got a lovely call from a very nice postal worker letting me know and wishing me luck on finding our cats. 

Our camp is in!  They delivered it yesterday.  I took a picture with my cell phone, but forgot to go back and take one with my regular camera.  I may be going out there tomorrow.  I'll try to remember.

Now we have to get the electricity, a/c, and water & sewage hooked up.  Hoping to be able to stay there next weekend!

Our mobile home is in town!  I just need to go take care of insurance, finalizing the loan, and signing a few more things with the mobile home company.  They may be able to deliver it THIS AFTERNOON!!!!

How heartbreaking for the kids.  We came home from our GA trip to find 2 of our cats have gone AWOL.  DH went to a few houses near us, but no luck.  Neither of them has his/her collar on, we found them in the yard.

We're going to make fliers today and put them in mailboxes around us.  My oldest came into our bed sobbing last night.   It just broke my heart!  It is so hard to not be able (nor should I) fix all their hurts.  I just held him and let him cry and prayed over him...

Click HERE to see some pics of our trip to GA! 

We had a blast playing with our friends and catching up.  The girls did great together!  We really just laid low for most of the trip.  We spent time at the pool, went grocery shopping, did a field trip to the Kennesaw State Park.  My oldest loves Civil War stuff and they had a demonstration and video.  He also got to earn another Jr. Ranger badge.  If you haven't done that it's pretty cool!  You get a booklet (I think this one was a few dollars) and have to do so many of the activities.  They range from easy search word puzzles to finding information in an exhibit or along a trail.  When they're done, they turn it in and get a certificate and a pin badge.  Some even give a fabric patch.  Connor has done 3 so far. 

I also got to see my friend's dance studio!  Wish we lived there, I'd LOVE for my girls to take dance from her...

Sorry, it's been weeks since I've posted.  I feel like I've blinked and the past 4 weeks have flown by.  Lets see, what have we been up to? 

Yes, Shaoey is potty trained!  She made the decision and never looked back.  She even stays dry at night!  WOW!

We have done about 3 weeks of school.  We have switched to more Charlotte Mason and LOVIN' it.  Short lessons, read alouds, notebooking, Latin (my 10 yr old is really enjoying it!).  We're still pretty ecclectic, but definitely more CM.

I am actually posting this from my friend's house in GA.  We travelled to China at the same time to get our daughters.  They are from the same orphanage.  They have 3 boys and a girl.  We got here on Thursday and are headed home tomorrow.  11 hours!  My kids did great on the way up here, praying they do as well on the way home.  Shaoey didn't have any accidents the whole way here.  We miss daddy!  It's time to get home.  The kids really got along well, very few arguments- amazing with 5 boys ranging from 8 1/2 to 14 and 2 almost 3 yr. old princesses!

I heard from our mobile home company that our mobile home is in!!!! Praise God!  We are hoping to have it delivered the end of this week, maybe get all the hookups hooked up next week, and be able to stay in it the following weekend!  How cool!

I guess that's it for tonight.  I'll try to post some pics of our trip on Thursday.  Tomorrow is a complete driving day. 

And, Amy, I'll do my "tag you're it" when I get home!  Loved reading yours.

We are on day 2 of potty training and doing GREAT!  I wasn't planning on doing it yet, because I didn't think she was ready.  Yesterday she changed her pullup 6 times before 9:30 am and most were not wet, so I figured it was a ripe time.  I asked if she wanted to wear panties and she said yes.  She went all day yesterday with no accidents, even naptime!  Today she went with dad to the store for 2 hours and came home dry (and running for her potty).  LOL!   We even did #2 today!  Way to go, mama's baby!  (That's what she insists I call her....)

The Reckless Faith video is a little long (about 10 minutes), but SO worth it!  Please take a moment to watch it.  And if you get a chance check out the other 2 by her at www.godtube.com.  There's Gaby's story about adoption and Joel's story about God's amazing answer to the prayers and faith of a child.

The old mobile home is G-O-N-E, gone!!!!  Yea, God!!  They moved it yesterday.  We went out there this morning to see it and it looks GREAT!  Now we just have to finish cleaning up the junk left by the previous owner and cut a few trees to fit the new mobile home parallel to the camp, not perpendicular like the old one.

Here's a picture with it gone.

We've been doing school the last 2 weeks.  And I am attempting a schedule!  We do Bible time from 8-8:30 and table time (math, copywork, Language Daily Grams) from 8:30-10.  That's where things get out of whatck.  We have tried doing our creative outside time from 10-11:30, but it just doesn't feel right.  It is so hot to do it in the afternoon, but that's when it feels good/right.  So I think we'll be making some adjustments.  Then from 11:30-12, we do either art or music.  Lunch.  Then either 106 Days of Creation Science or Story of the World.  It just seems to easy... I guess we'll just continue to refine it.

If you see anything you think I'm missing, let me know!

Then this morning, one of the boys comes running out of their room yelling something about the cat eating their pet beta fish...

Apparently the bowl was knocked over and no fish to be found anywhere...

What a grey Tuesday.  One year ago today, mom died.  She had surgery at the end of March.  Went straight to ICU for 2 weeks, then we transferred her to a long term acute care facility.  On Mother's Day, we went in to find that she had had a stroke.  It was still another 5 weeks before she passed.  We had all said our good byes.  We knew it would be that night.  I had packed my bible and journal and address book.  About a mile from the hospital, I heard the song "Walking her Home."   I felt a wave of cold pass over me, the cold of fear and death.  When I got to the hospital, the nurses stopped me.  They had just been getting my number to call me, mom had died about 5 minutes before I got up there, the same time I heard the song.  I still can't hear that song without breaking into sobs.

My sister Charlotte and I put flowers and a balloon on her grave on Sunday after church. 

Then to add to this, we've been caring for the baby bunnies.  We got up and ate and started school work (I know, what was I thinking?).  Around 10, I went to feed the bunnies.  As I was lowering it down from the top of the fridge, I saw one bunny laying allong the side of the "cage."  I knew the instant I saw it, that it was dead.  I removed the towel off the top and there was the other bunny, dead.  What a day for death... 

I have been a wreck all day.  My husband and the boys took them outside this evening and buried them.  I couldn't go. 

We only worked on Saturday again this weekend.  We were burning ourselves out too quickly.  Thankfully it was uneventful in the way of creatures this time; no more snakes, spiders, or babies to nurse.  We did break down and buy a riding mower, so I got to cut grass this weekend.  Troy attacked some more of the bank and it is looking great.  Probably one more 15-20 foot section and that's it, we'll leave the rest of the growth.  There is an amazing breeze that now comes off the river.  It feels SO good as it washes over you.