Orienteering

Haley has our map, her best friend Meghan has the compass. Lead the way guys!
Haley w/ her walking stick. She always finds the best one like her Grandpa.
We stopped for lunch along the way and even w/7 kids,1 dog and 5 adults we came in 2nd !
(we weren't trying to be good, we just are naturally :)

We let Jordan find the last marker of the day. He was so proud !!!

Happy Cow Creamery

This was a really awesome field trip. It was rather far away but it was well worth it for the info we learned and experienced. The kids loved it. Especially Jacob!
Say "mooo..." kids!
They bottle their own milk in their old grain silo. It is really the best milk I've ever tasted and their story is really awesome how they transformed their farm. Click on the title to read more about it.
These were the "mama" cows who were due with their baby's any minute.

My Little Man

Jackson wants to pray about everything. Isn't that awesome? He asks if we can pray all the time. The other day he had a fever and he felt so yucky. He said, "Mommy, can we pray? I really don't feel good and I think that will make me feel better." Of course we did and he didn't say another thing about feeling yucky and he didn't whine anymore all day.
We had a get-together with our SS class and it was an 80's theme we were supposed to dress for. I decided to get those stick on nails from the $ store. They looked hidious but were perfect for that theme. Anyways, Jackson said in his worried -about- mommy- tone,"You put super glue on those. They'll never come off!" He was very worried about it all evening. I kept making comments about how I hoped I could get them off before church the next day.(not thinking of my ultra sensitive son listening to me speak out loud to myself)He was worried still after we got back home. "I sure don't like those mommy. Are you sure they'll come off?" I assured him they would and that it will be OK. Later on after I'd tucked them all in bed, he came out and asked,"Can we pray for you mommy? :) I don't want you to have those nails and I don't want it to hurt when you get them off." So, we sat there, my little man and me, and he prayed for exactly that. He's an awesome guy and I pray he always trusts the Lord as he does now.
Needless to say, I'll never put fake press on nails on ever again even if it was part of a costume. I want my boys to remember the good stuff that they love about me and as far as Jackson knew, I had permanently changed his Mommy and he didn't like it. Poor guy.
There are countless times like these that he wants or needs to pray. It's rather convicting at times.
I'm just so thankful and amazed for the love and trust he has in Jesus Christ and pray that it will never change.

This Boy.........

Jackson is an absolutely hilarious child. Dosn't this picture just exude that?!
He's always moving and that makes homeschooling all the more interesting.
But the reason for this post is to tell you about todays "words of the day" by Jackson.
He was reviewing question and exclamation marks. I guess I've never pointed to one and asked him its name. Well, today I did, and here are the answers.
"Jackson, what is this mark and how are you supposed to read when you see it?"
"It's a questionmation mark and you're askin' a question." (question mark)
I'm laughing but explain the real name and move on.
"So, what's this mark and how do you read when you see this one?"
"It's a collectionmation mark and I don't know." (exclamation)
Now I can hardly breath cause I'm laughing so hard. Maybe its one of those"got to be there"things, but it was hilarious to Haley and I, and I knew at least Dad would appreciate it.
He's a funny guy and makes me laugh alot but this can't- stay- still business can get a bit on my nerves. He can stay still in church, but I guess his view out the kitchen window is just calling him to get out there and go wild.......................... imagine that!

Apple- Cranberry Muffins

These are really yummy.
1 3/4c. plus2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar divided
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (I use my egg replacement recipe b/c of Jordans allergy)
3/4 c. milk
3/4 c. applesauce
1/4 c. melted butte or margarine
1 c. fresh cranberries (I've used craisins before and they work fine too.)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine 1 3/4 flour, 1/4 c sugar,b.powder,b.soda and salt in medium bowl.
In small bowl, combine egg,milk,applesauce and butter; mix well
Add egg mix to flou mix; stir just until moistened. Batter will be lumpy;don't overmix.
In small bowl, toss cranberries w/ remaining flour. Fold into batter.
Spoon batter into 12 greased muffin cups.
In measuring c. mix remaining sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle the tops of muffins.

Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Cool if desired but they're really good warm too.

Just another day

Do you like Jordans shirt? We got it at Bubba Gumps Restraunt in Charleston.

Jacob, Jacob and More Jacob

Jacob the climber.....
Jacob the cheese......
Jacob the muffin taster........
Jacob the" bad bo" with his foot on the table........
Jacob the cutey pie.....

Go Panthers!

Jackson was able to go to his first pro football game with Daddy at the Bank of American Stadium. He was so psyched!
Dell got the tickets from Bank of America for free and they had good seats too.

Fall Festival 2007

Jackson, how buff you are!
Is that Jack Sparrow?
The cutest wench I've ever seen.
Arrr, mateys!!- Jordans chosen statement of late.

Riverbend Farms

Can you hear the whine?
Please read with a Southern drawl accent: "Hey Haley! Watch these fish! Their eating my spit!"

It's so funny listening to little Brittany talk!(this is exactly what she said too.)Coming out from the coolest slide in the world. It was made out of big plastic pipe coming down from the silo they no longer use. It was fast and fun!
The " playground," Riverbend style.

Lazy Five Ranch

The kids that attended the Lazy Five Field Trip

Lazy Five Ranch

Feeding the giraffes was our favorite!!
Jordan would've been fine if I'd left him there!
Jackson was more of the nervous one.
Meghan and Haley shared their bucket and were able to pet him too.
These kids disobeyed the instructions to not touch the zebras. They are lucky they didn't lose a few fingers or get a bite taken out of their hand as they had happen to one kid that didn't listen.

Lazy Five Ranch

The kids had the time of their lives feeding all these animals!
Jacob was happy unless the wagon stopped in the hot sun.
Meghan(Haley's good friend) Haley, Jackson and Jordan.

Snow Play, Everyday

The kids loved the snow and wanted to stay outside the whole time. Oh how I wish we were lived up north again!!!!