No homework!

Because today is Wednesday and most of our school is going to the Cardinals game at Busch Stadium tonight.  We get to go down on the field during the 7th inning and sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game.  Nervous!

GO CARDS!!!

Ten on Tuesday: Things to be Thankful for

Well, things I am thankful for.

1) A warm or cold (depending) house with electricity and running water.

2) A good school with good teachers and good friends where you can go every day and know that you are in a safe environment where you don't have to work on the same thing everybody else is and it is okay if you are smart.

3) Food that will nourish your body and fill you up so that you can be productive in your work and not be all grouchy or tired.

4) Water and milk (and other things to drink) so that you can stay hydrated and so your body may properly function.

5) Clothes to wear so that even though Eve ate the apple and became ashamed, we may not have to suffer in such humility.

6) A warm, comfortable bed to sleep in so that in the morning you may be well-rested and able to carry our God's will.

7) Books to read that are entertaining and keep us busy, and sometimes teach us a lesson.

8) Friends and family who will always be there for us and provide for us, help us, teach us, care for us.

9) A Holy Book to study and learn so we can know what He requires of us and prepare us for His coming.

10) A savior who saves whoever believes and a God who forgives if we forgive and is faithful if we are.

Glad Tomorrow's Not Monday

Because I really wanna sleep in so bad.

Sorry, Mr.  Teacher, but I'm not ready for school yet.  Within good reason, because the weekend isn't over. 

And I have Girl Scouts tomorrow, at Mrs. W's house, which I love.  We are having a badge ceremony and are going to plan the bridging ceremony for the people (me!!!) who are going to be Cadettes next year. 

Now I'm going to bed.

Ten on Tuesday: Things to Bring Camping

Again, sorry I totally took your blogging idea, Mrs. W.

1) Water bottle.  And maybe a caribbeaner to clip on to your pants in case you don't have a backpack on a hike.

2)  Bandanna.  You use it to dry your hands on.  This might also come in handy for a number of other things--bandage if you sliced your arm open on something, sling if you broke your arm, and of course to tie your hair back or keep ticks off.

3)  I think baby soap is a good idea, like instead of shampoo and all of the other soaps.  You can use it for hair, body, face, AND it won't get all gross like bar-soap.

4)  A piece of rope or bungee cord.  I like to use it to tie my pillow and sleeping bag together so everything is easy to keep together and carry.

5)  Mess kit.  You put all of your non-breakable food stuff (plate, bowl, cup, cutlery...) in a mesh (dunk) bag.  After you've rinsed all your dishes off, you sometimes dunk the whole bag in water/bleach then hang it on a line to drip-dry.  Caribbeaner or clothespin to hold it to the line.  Best camping idea possibly ever.

6)  Shoes for inside tent or lodge.  Really, the floors are gross, so you want something other than your poor socks on your feet.

7)  Poncho/raincoat and rain boots.  Especially if you're going camping with our troop, it's bound to rain.  Although we've broken our bad weather streak this past weekend.  Yea.

8)  KEENS if you have them.  They're like the BEST SHOES EVER.  Waterproof, SUPER comfy, and great for hiking.  I've figured out that they don't smell if you rub them with tea-tree oil.

9)  Always jeans for the fall, winter, and in spring with a backup pair of shorts.

10) A book to read/activities to do in case it rains.

Science Fair

BLUE RIBBON, BABY!!!

GS Camping

This time I have pictures.

My daisy friend was Laney (not her real name...) .  She was so cute!

The beds.  I was next to Abigail and on the other side of me were the Bridget[t]s.

The shower house was next door.  But, if you use the shower house, you have to clean the shower house.

We stayed at Petite Chalet, which according to Genevieve means small castle in french.  I think that is hilarious for whatever reason. 

The fake Indian names are pretty funny too.  Like, we stayed next to Tanda, Ahwenasa, and Kiamecia, all permanent tents.  Heh.

The daisies came out for the day but didn't stay the night.  We climbed up a 'mountain' on Pioneer Trail, elevation like 815 feet or something.  Poor daisies.  Then after that we went on a creek walk where most girls found interesting rocks and fossils, which of course had to be shared afterwards.  Molly found a wolf spider, so of course everyone had to crowd around and get their look at something that might bite them and really hurt. Bah, who cares about safety?

So then the daisies went home and there was an all-camp campfire.  Luckily, I got to stay behind with one of the Bridgets.  Phew.  And that was fun. 

In the morning it was fantastic because nobody got up and stomped around and slammed doors or whispered so loud that you would be able to hear them with your fingers in your ears.  It was good.  Then we (the juniors, not brownies--that's against the rules) did archery.  Mrs.  Wissinger was happy with Cedarledge's equipment, I think.  They actually had a bow stringer, unlike Tuckaho who had a bucket with everything thrown in it.  Good.  Only thing was, the targets were SO easy to hit 'cause they were only like less than 15 feet (or something, I'm bad at judging distances) away.  But it was good. 

And I had fun.  That's the important part, right???

PS  My science project got a blue ribbon!!!!

Three on Thursday (totally stole that title idea from Mrs. W... sorry!)

1)  I have an awesome pun.  Well, it's knot as awesome as it wood have been yesterday, but still.  May fourth be with you.   You have to say it aloud.I'm reading this book, The Phantom Tollbooth, which is chock-full of puns. The watchdog (he keeps track of time), the mountains of ignorance, the island of conclusions (you get there by jumping)... love it!

2)  We have a field trip tomorrow.  There is a naturalization ceremony at the courthouse downtown tomorrow, and my class gets to sing God Bless America and The Star Spangled Banner!  We get to dress up fancy!

3)  Girl Scout camping this weekend!  Getting better at packing, didn't bring ANYTHING extra except for extra socks.  All in one backpack. 
The brownies and daisies are coming though, all energetic, bouncy, talkitive people.  Yay.

Jesus Freak

That would be me.  And if you don't know Him, I can definitely hook you up.

In the Bible, Jesus says that "I AM the way, the truth, and the light.  No one comes to the Father except through the Son."  Without faith it is impossible to please Him, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and He rewards those who come to Him.

I could go on all day doing this.

Is Jesus your savior???

Well...

It's a new month.

And, that's really all that I have to say.  Except for

I really want some Ted Drewes or something. Also

My mom is going organizer-weirdo crazy.  I don't blame her.  Really.  And

Actually a scone would do in place of Ted Drewes.  Oh

I am very excited to see how my science experiment will do in the science fair.  I won't tell you what it's about... yet.  Just because (very not-likely) one of you might might might might be a judge or something.   Just sayin.  Maybe after it's over I will post my logbook here or something, but

A piece of chocolate would also be fine.  Hmm, I'll let you know.  It'll most likely be a piece of chocolate.  Darn. 

Esther is Cute!

She said, "Oh, am I cute?"  Then I took a picture and she said, "Oh, can I see it?  Oh, so cute!  I'm riding a bike!"

I just can't get enough.

Easter (continued from yesterday's post)

I just love grandma's house.  In the middle of nowhere, though not far from the nearest town with a gas station.  Perfect.

It actually gets dark.  Quiet.

And it's beautiful.  I just love giong outside.  You think you're alone.  Then you take a listen.  You're not.  I hear the sound of a white-throated sparrow call resound through the timber.  I will never tire of that sound.

The trees all look like they're dead.  But they're not.  One morning you'll wake up, and it's like God just nudged them and whispered, "Okay, it's time to wake up guys."  So pretty.

It doesn't really fit into the whole nature tree-hugger theme here.  I wish it was a horse, but I just love to ride the four-wheelers.  It's so fun.  My uncle cut paths all around in the tall grass in his yard.  I just love to zip through and listen to the dog panting behind me.

Easter

On Good (why do they call it 'good?'  It's horrible!  It should be called Horrible Friday.  Although what was accomplished was very 'good.'  Anyhoot.) Friday we went to Church.

On Saturday we just mingled around and did chores etc.

On Sunday morning we got up and stumbled over ourselves down the 16 stairs to see what the Easter bunny brought.  I got chocolate (!), a puzzle, more candy, and my mom is going to take me to get a new cross necklace (my old one broke :0( ).  After that there was no time to hunt eggs.  We hurried to dress and ready and grab all our stuff (this is all happening at like 7 o'clock).  We scurry out to the car and drive drive drive (vroom vroom) to Illinois.

Once we get there, we get to Church (on time!).  We sing, then the kids go downstairs to Sunday school.  I love that Church.  It's so awesome; small (SMALL, really.), and your buisness is everybody's buisness.  I especially like how we testify and we could really go on all day.  And Tommy is always saying, "Can I get an Amen on that?"  "Sing Halleliua!"  I love it.

So after Church, we run down to grandma Judy's, then up to grandma Linny's for lunch.  And the Easter bunny apparently made a stop there too.  Stuffed, we go back down to grandma Judy's for (sigh) dinner.  At her house (this time) there isn't as much food, but still awesome food.  Ham sandwiches and hard-boiled eggs  (of course).  Farm fresh!  From Lula, who has, wait for it, chickens!

For desert-PINK STUFF!  My favorite.  I could eat that stuff all day.  Really.  And there was cherry chocolate chunk cake too!  Could it get any better?

After that we went down to uncle Joe's to play and (almost) watch Ponyo.  Of course, more junk food.  And since Lent is over, we played VIDEO GAMES!  (I gave up video games for Lent.) 

Then it's back up to grandma Judy's for bed.   Slept like a rock, and I had Bubbles the dog to keep my feet warm.

More tomorrow, it's time for me to get off now.  I had so much fun!

Such a Wierd Tradition

Not Easter itself.  The eggs.

We broke out the fingernail polish this year. 

But don't even get me started on the bunny.

Last night my momma was making jokes about the bunny.  She was telling The Story, and, just joking around, she said, "...  and on the third day...  a giant rabbit came and rolled the stone away!"  We all started laughing.  "What?  It couldn't have been a little garden bunny!"

Oh, mom.

So tomorrow, it's kinda jam-packed.  We'll get up at like 6:30 and come downstairs and do the egg thing and baskets.  Get dressed, take all our stuff out to the car.  We're going to take breakfast with us. 

So when we get to our destination, a 700-person town smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, we're going to church.  Then, we go to grandma Linny's for lunch with my dad's family.  After everybody leaves and stuff, we go to grandma Judy's for dinner with my mom's family.

She's making mustard ham (don't tell Abigail that's what she puts on it)  and pink stuff!  My family has a weird idea of 'salad.'  They think salad is marshmallows and Jell-O with a few maraschino cherries with cool-whip on top.  Really.  I don't even know what's in the pink stuff.  But it's so yummy.

Then in the morning we get up and drive back and get to school, but late.  Oh well, it's not like I have perfect attendance anyway. 

And right now I am loving all the white-throated sparrow calls I can hear right outside my window.  It is making me happy.  It's really spring!

Knots!

Because frankly, I can't get enough of them.  At school I tied a hangman's knot (useful for a hitch) and Mr.  Matt said, "What's with all of these kids tying nuaces?"  My dad taught me.  Well, he tied one and showed me and then I figured out how to tie it.  Anyhoot.

This is a half-hitch.  Heh.  You use it to begin ALMOST EVERY SINGLE KNOT.

Sorry, it's kinda blurry.

This is a clove hitch.  It's made of two opposing half-hitches.

I didn't take my own picture of that one only because I didn't really have anything good to tie it to.

This is a bowline knot.  It doesn't slip, so it is known as a 'life saving knot' because of that.

This is a climbing knot (I really don't know what it's real name is), which also doesn't slip, thus is used for rock climbing.

This is a climbing knot hitched to a handle (not that you would use a handle to go rock climbing).

Note that the knot is kinda doubled over, that's because you have to thread it through it's self (does that make sense?) for it to be complete (not slip).

This is a hangman's (really the name according to my dad; I don't know if that is the real name.  I assume so because Mr.  Matt called it a nuace and that's basically the same thing.).

It has a large loop that slips so I have found it is useful to hitch onto things.
It is VERY annoying to take apart....................................................................................

This is the hangman's hitched to a handle.

And, the all important square knot.

The granny knot is like the cousin of a square knot, but whenever I try and tie it I get confused and mess up or just end up tying  a square knot.  So here is a picture I found on the Internet.

I think it looks exactly the same.

There is also this one called the bowline on a bight, but I just don't get that one....

I Hear...

I hear

It almost storming outside and

It being very windy and

The artificial wind... air conditioner and

The blaring television, would you mind turning that down, Abigail?  Goodness you'll wake Esther up and

I also hear this song going over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over in my head and I only know one verse, and

 I also keep dreaming music, not like my own music that I made/dreamed up (although that would be AWESOME), but songs like the one in my head right now, thankfully usually more than one line long and

Speaking of dreams I had a weird one.  So for the Science Fair we have these sequence numbers.  In the dream I was reading the bible out loud to my dad and I read something like, "I'm down on my knees," but in the dream I saw the number.  Hmm.

Sure, there's another way you can do it.

I'm setting the twist on the YARN I MADE.  I can't believe I know how to do that.  But really.  Hung from the pot rack weighted down by a tin pitcher. 

If you really wanna know howta make yarn, you can look here.  (I hope Mrs.  W doesn't mind me linking!)

Bento

Now long past my tummy.

Well.

Well.  I don't know what to blog about.  I really don't.  But.  I don't know.  I think I will change the look.  We'll see.  Yes.  I think I will.  Maybe.  If it will load in less than like 15 minutes.  Well.  I've been meaning to.  But it wouldn't load.  Well.

Park

Well.... Esther would say, "parkswhinsliiiiiide," (parkswingslidealltogetherreallyfastlikeit'soneword).

Anyhoot, we went to the park (swingslide).

This is the bike rack, but really?  Two suns?

They have a lilac too!

(that red thing is a pole on a trellace ;^) )

And the tulips were so pretty!!!

I think I am going to make one of the tulips my new screensaver or something.  So pretty!

You Can Tell it's Spring When.....

You get April Showers-ed

You go on walks

We get the walking sticks out

Our neighbor puts her moth balls out to 'keep the squirrels away.'

Things turn pink

Our lilac blooms!