Nifty Clifty, Part One

The first camping trip with our pop up camper was a huge success.  I certainly feel as if I have done something this weekend.  One of the benefits of camping is that it forces you to move more than usual.  Check out these stairs we climbed.

And these!  These nearly did me in.

But, I did it and it was worth it to see the Lower Falls at Clifty Falls State Park, Madison, IN. 

I'll post some of my favorite pictures in a couple days. Right now I am busy with lessons, laundry and putting things aright for next time. Plus, I need to get ready for Mother's Day. We're hosting a cook out.

Ta-ta For Now!
Jenn

This Week At Home

In which we anticipate the first camping trip of the season and it rains incessantly.

Sunday:
The glorious Resurrection Day!  After church and Sunday school, we enjoyed the company of 6 extended family members and a big ham dinner.  Thankfully, by this time I was feeling better than the previous few days.   The kids learned how to play Mario Party thanks to a cousin bringing her copy. What else can you do when it rains on Easter?   

Yummy!

Monday:
The rain, waking up to a cat howling at midnight, coughing during the night, eating too much white flour and sugar on Sunday, no caffeine this morning all left me dragging today.  Although, I must report feeling nearly well today.  I am thankful for the antibiotics.  We had a normal school day.  The rest of the day we spent just enjoying our time at home with no where to go.

We started to contemplate our camping get away this coming weekend.  We have reservations at our favorite park, 3 hours north on Lake Michigan.  However, the weather up there is going to be cooler and windy with a chance of rain.  Another favorite park, a little less than 2 hours south of here is predicted to have less a chance of rain and temperatures 20 degrees warmer than the lake.  So, right now we are  weighing our options. Looks like we will be going south, unless a weather miracle happens. 

Military Night at AWANA last week.

Tuesday:
Another rainy, windy night with more rain predicted.  We are home today working hard on our lessons. Yes, we will only have two days of lessons this week.  We are enjoying life and school is not going to get in our way.  (Typical mood for this time of the year, eh?)

We started two books this week, a short biography of Louis Braille and an historical fiction book based on Man O War's lineage.   These will be our last two books to read aloud this school year.  In fact, we only need 9 more school days to reach the required 180, however, I am not going by that number.   I plan to end our school year the third week in May. (Can you hear the cries of, "Oh! Mom!") 

I plan to restart our lessons the first week of August.  We won't be going full steam at that point. I like to ease back into things.  And we are going to keep doing math all summer.  It's just better that way.  And of course we'll be reading, a lot.

Wednesday:
No school today!  Going to visit Grandpa who just moved back to Indiana a couple weeks ago. Changed our reservations from one park to the other park.  The weather difference is just too great.  We will see our lake at the end of May.  *sniff, sniff*  And yes, today is another day of rain!

Thursday:
No time for school today.  It rained all night.  I wanted to mow the lawn today, but it is too wet.  Anyway, must get ready to camp tomorrow!  Need to get food, pack, and tidy the house.

Twins separated at birth?

Friday:
Jeff has today off, so we are loading up the van, attaching the camper and are on our way to camping adventure number one of the season!  It has been months and months of waiting for this moment.  I can't believe it is here.

I hope you have a blessed weekend!  I am sure to have loads of photos to share next week. 
Jenn

Visiting Grandpa!

We are just so excited to have our Grandpa and Grandma back living in Indiana.   So, we took the day off and went visiting.  They live an hour and a half west of us, so much closer than California!  Unfortunately, Grandma had to work today.  Hopefully we will see her soon. 

Ryan and Grandpa

Of course Mr. "Ryan" Computer Guru had to install the latest (until tomorrow) version of Ubuntu on his Grandpa's laptop. 

 Wyatt and Chowder

And there were the adorable puppies to play with, too.  That was so fun!

Flooded Wabash River

After a wonderful lunch at IHOP, We went to a nearby park to see the Wabash River, which is above flood stage with all this rain we've been getting.

Fun playground!

The happy bunch!

We had a great time!  Thank you, Grandpa!

Wordless Wednesday: The Three of Them

photo by Nana

David Livingstone, a Man of His Era

We have just finished  an excellent book about David Livingstone from the Christian Heroes Then and Now series called,  David Livingstone, Africa's Trailblazer by Janet and Geoff Benge.

David Livingstone has been criticised for not being much of a missionary or husband and father.  It is my opinion that he was just a man of his time, who had a God driven desire to plant Gospel seeds to previously untouched African natives. He did not feel called to stay in one place and water those seeds.

David  was an explorer.  He loved science.  He felt this love lead him closer to his Creator. He felt a strong leading to go into the interior of Africa, places where no other missionary dared to go.  He was driven to bring them the Gospel message. And during the middle 1800's, it was not uncommon for men to be absent husbands and fathers in order to do their work to provide for their family. It was common for missionaries to send their children back home for many years of schooling. 

At a very young age, David worked in a factory for 14 hours a day.  He lived in a one room apartment with his mother, father and siblings.  He could not go to school until after his shift in the mill was over.  He lived in a very harsh environment.  His father refused to allow him to read books about science as it was thought science and religion were not compatible.  His Grandfather gave him the books he craved behind David's father's back. He worked for 4 years just to save enough money to go to one term of medical school.  After that his brother helped him to go. 

When David finally arrived at his mission station in Africa, there were 40 converts.  The missionaries had been there for 20 years!  He soon learned it was very difficult to get converts as no one wanted to give up their traditions to do so.  He longed to go deeper into Africa and find people who had never heard the Gospel message.  He was not the typical "veranda missionary" who was afraid to leave the mission station's front porch and this caused friction between he and other missionaries. 

David had planned all along to be a single missionary, but God had other plans.  He met and married Robert Moffet's daughter Mary.  She had been born in Africa and raised by her missionary parents. She shared David's vision of going deeper into Africa to touch the lives of those who have never seen a missionary.  He even brought her and their subsequent children along on several dangerous treks, until one such trek he almost lost their oldest son to malaria.  Mary also gave birth and lost a little daughter.  After these events, he insisted, despite Mary's protests, that Mary take the children to Scotland.    She had never lived in a European country and this was hard for her.  They were separated for 4 years.

During that time, David struggled with malaria, strife with other Europeans who wanted to take his native friends as slaves, and loneliness.  But he overcame those things.  He also started working for the British government, looking for a way to open more of Africa.  He made many discoveries and made some mistakes.  He made huge personal sacrifices in order to open new areas in Africa to the gospel.  He was very interested in stopping slave trading.

This book has caused me to once again become lost in a missionary's story.  The author's consulted Mr. Livingstone's journals.  They had access to his heart motives.  His life was greatly celebrated by the entire world as a dedicated missionary explorer. 

"In the course of his wonderful career, Livingstone served three masters.  As a missionary, he was the sincere and zealous servant of God.  As an explorer, he was the indefatigable servant of science.  As a denouncer of the slave trade, he was the fiery servant of humanity."  Lord Cruzon

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter my friends.

Rejoicing this morning that He is risen, indeed! May you have a wonderful day celebrating this most wonderful gift from above. 

Here is my favorite song for your listening pleasure!

This Week At Home

In which the mother is still sick. 

Sunday:

I stayed home from church.  I hate staying home from church.  But, I was so congested and having coughing fits, which left my head pounding.  I am glad I spent the day resting. Although, I hate missing church. 

The celebration cake for end of tax season.  Made by Grace and her nana.

Monday:

Hooray for less coughing!  My energy was still low, but I did not cough all day, like yesterday.

Also good news regarding my grandma.  My mom went to see her today and they had taken her off one of the drugs they had her on and she is a changed woman, back to her happy self.  I had a feeling or at least some hope that she was taking something that was not agreeing with her.

We got to all our normal subjects and added art.  Sunday brought great fortune in that we found our art curriculum that had been missing for a year since we moved! 

Today was also the last dance class for the regular season. A summer session will start soon.  It is on new day, not ever the same and the time is different.  Do you think I will remember?  Ha!  At least my husband will be off work to take her.  He is better than I.

Tuesday:

It's National CPA Day!  Not really, but we celebrated with our favorite CPA, as he had the day off.  Office closed.  No more tax season!  No school today! 

So what do you do on a rainy day and one of you is still not feeling her best?  We took the van in for an oil change which turned into a really big repair bill.  We did a little Easter basket shopping.  And Grace made strawberry freezer jam with a little help.  After that, we just took it easy. 

Wednesday:

You know you are in trouble when the tornado sirens go off right when you get the kids to bed.  They proceeded to go off again two hours later.  If you can get to sleep with all all the thunder, lightening, rain pounding on the windows, good luck!  And then, at 5:15 AM, you wake up hearing an alarm going off somewhere in the house.  Our oldest had accidentally set his alarm to go off.  Of course, he did not hear it AT ALL!  So this is how Wednesday starts.  Did I mention that I am not feeling my best, still?  Congestion and exhaustion are now my normal mode of operation.

Made some "healthier" blueberry muffins today for a snack.
Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together:
1/2 c. unsweet applesauce
2 eggs
1/2c. milk

Combine in a second bowl:
2c. whole grain flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt

Add wet and dry. Fold in 2 and 1/2 cups blueberries.  Divide into (12) lined muffin tin.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  Serve warm!

*Side note:  The original recipe called for 3/4 c. of sugar and no cornstarch.    I substituted 1/4 c. of the sugar with the cornstarch for bulk as instructed by my master baker.   I really wanted to try this method to decrease the sugar we are eating.  I'd like to try honey instead of sugar next time. I will need to consult my master baker for that ratio.  The kids loved them.  That's a success.

Thursday:

Up early to go get the van from the shop before work.  Still fighting sinus congestion.  Wondering if I am going to have to give up and go see a doctor.  (**Note, I broke down and will be starting an antibiotic tonight.  Hooray!  It's been 2 years since I have had to have one. )Tried the neti pot once more, hoping it will make this infection go away.  Still taking tons of vitamin C among others.   Finished the book about David Livingstone.  More about that on Monday.  Need to work on a list for the market today.  Also need to catch up the laundry.  It's a sunny day, making the day's tasks more pleasant.

Please forgive the whiny tone of this post.  I am just not feeling well, still.  Also, I decided to post my wrap up early this week because of the upcoming holiday this weekend.   We are taking tomorrow off and I will be busy getting food and cleaning the house the rest of the week.

Have a great Easter, 
Jenn