Red Bluff 2010

This was our last day before school started back after Easter break, and we decided to go to Red Bluff. We had a blast!

We always head down the easy trail on the far side, go over the train tracks and down the stream, and end up at the Pearl River. From there we come back up the stream, travel down the train tracks, and end up at the derailed train cars. Then it's back up the stream to the bottom of the bluff. Ian usually loses a shoe during this stage, as there are several places that look solid but when you step on them your foot sinks to your knee! Once at the bottom of the bluff, the kids play on the dunes for awhile. Although steep, it is pretty safe because even if you fall the sand is soft and the slope eases you to a stop. Once we start climbing out, it is very intense because every step sinks into the sand so it takes 4 climbing steps to equal one regular step. We end up on a thin ravine back where we started and have to shimmy our way out onto flat land. Yay! It is scary, but a great morale builder. Our own Mt. Kilimanjaro!

See the slideshow below, and click the full screen button in the lower right after it starts playing.

Happy Easter!

We had a great Easter this year! We usually just use plastic eggs with candy in them, but this year we actually dyed real eggs. It was a learning experience. None of our eggs looked at all like the examples on the box, no matter how long we kept them in the dye. But we did have some other super-camo eggs that are textures like rocks, grass, wood, etc. We put out 182 (including 6 prize eggs) and found 176.. Not bad!
See the slideshow below, and click the full screen button in the lower right after it starts playing.

Pink Eye and Chicken Pox

Emily has come down with Pink-Eye:

Keighly seems to have Chicken Pox:

UPDATE: It is not Chicken Pox as we thought. After going to the doctor, we found out it is a skin virus called Pityriasis rosea. Not itchy, but has to run its course.

Happy Birthday!

We combined Uncle Andrew, Aunt Angie, and Chandler's birthday party into one and celebrated in their new house! Here is a slideshow of the day's activity (watch full-screen by hitting the button on the bottom right after you 'Play').

Our Pinewood Derby 2010 car

This year, Ian went with an original design for a Pinewood Derby car.

Behold! The Perry The Platypus Pinewood Derby Car!

We don't have the wheels on yet, but it is supposed to be Perry the Platypus riding a skateboard. The race was supposed to be today, but it got postponed until next week. Unfortunately we will miss it as we will be out of town.

Painting for Church

Keighly's Sunday school class got to create paintings to hang in their new Sunday school classroom. Keighly's is a Bible. Here, Incredi-Mom writes in the verse so Keighly can paint it in.

Snow! Again!

For the second time this winter, we have gotten snow!

We made a very tall franken-snowman in the backyard, then made a snow family in the front. Here is a slideshow of our fun (watch full-screen by hitting the button on the bottom right):

The snow is fun, but I don't see how people deal with it all the time. But, we had fun while it was here.

Strike!

While we were in Lumberton checking in with my grandmother Mama Flo, the kids became fascinated with the gas heater. It has been there as long as I can remember. We have central heat and cooling, and just a space heater or radiater here and there, so the kids aren't used to an open flame heater.

The heater puts out tons of heat, and if you aren't careful it will burn the hair off your legs (if you are in shorts). You light the heater the old-fashined way, with matches. When the kids saw the matches, each of them wanted to light one. Mama Flo said it was OK as long as she helps them.

It must be a wonderous feeling to strike a match for the first time. You are holding a stick, you scratch the tip, then a small explosion ignites the tip. Wow!

Ian was the first to give it a go, and after much scratching he managed to actually strike the match. He looks kinda worried here that I may not take the picture before it burns his finger!

Keighly went next and had no problem striking the match.

Little Emily went last, and with much help from Mama Flo she managed to strike the match.

I am proud to say no children, grandmothers, or furniture was harmed in this experiment.