We got up a little extra early today because we needed to get a few things done so we could go  to Venture River Water Park in Eddyville, KY with some other homeschool families! 

The boys switch chores around every so often.  So this morning Jake fed & watered the horse and made sure to spray him with fly spray and then fed & watered our barn cat, Lucy.  Joe fed & watered the dogs & chickens.  Even though they have seperate chores, they still have to help each other.  They have to drag the hose up to the barn to get the water up there for the horse & cat and then it takes both of them to move our chicken tractor (moveable chicken pen) so that the chickens are on fresh grass.

We had gotten most of our gear ready the night before so that part went pretty smoothly, but I'm trying to get us all in the habit of straightening up the house before we leave.  It is so much nicer to come home to that way, but it sure is hard to keep the boys on task while they're in a water park state of mind!  We did manage to get it all accomplished and only forgot 3 things on our way out the door - a game to return to our friends, Jon's life jacket and the digital camera.  As usual we survived without the things we forgot, but I've got to come up with a system for getting things out to the vehicle.  When it comes to the forgotten item, someone always thinks someone else brought it out.  Any ideas?

The water park was so wonderful.  It's a small enough water park that I felt secure in letting the older kids go with their friends on the slides, while I stayed in the little kids splash & play area with my little guy.  All of the kids had a great time, but I was especially happy for the youngest.  He so often has to tag along with his older siblings and their friends, but today he was in hog heaven.  Water, little kiddie slides, tunnels and fountains - he enjoyed it all.  And I love watching all of them have a good time.

We stayed all day - 11:00 - 6:00!  Jon was asleep before we were out of the parking lot.  We had to make a few stops on the way home to find a car manual since my husband needs to do some work on our minivan.  We got home and Billy (the horse) was waiting for us by the fence.  With this heat, he stays where it's cool so I'm glad that it's nice and cool in the early evening so that he comes up to say Hello.  We had some carrot sticks in our cooler so we stood there at the fence feeding them to him while the sun went down.  It's just so peaceful and quiet here.

After everyone got baths, we sat down for a late, late supper and watched The Pacifier.  It was cute and funny.  I kind of get tired of seeing movies where the kids are bratty and out of control, but yet in this movie, the kids pull together and straighten up as the bodyguard guy teaches them.  Too often with my middle school, public school students, I saw parents that had already given up on their own kids.  They just deemed them out of control or self centered.  I was shocked at how many parents were ready to "wash their hands" of the children & their problems.  Those kids were difficult children, but they deserved better. 

We have got to keep sharing with other parents (whether homeschooling or not) that they can and will make a difference in their child's life.  They just have to spend enough time with their children to get to know them, make the sacrifices that need to be made, go back to biblical parenting, get involved & stay involved.  Well I know that's not ALL they'll have to do, but with God's help they can stay the course and enjoy the blessings of a close tight-knit family.  I know that it's been great for us.  Today was one of those memory making kind of days and I just thank God that He drew me first towards home and then to homeschooling.  I never knew what I was missing.