I hate to admit it...

But signs of fall are are creeping in! One of the many things that fascinate me about nature, are trees. I am NOT a 'tree hugger'. But I am intrigued by the way the Lord has made them self-preserving. They make and store their own food, and when the ground gets hard, they store their own water. Like a camel. You don't have to be a scientist to enjoy the beauty of the fall colors in the trees. Reds, yellows, golds, and browns, even purple. But here is a little something that might make you appreciate them more. So in my own words...

Water enters each leaf through microscopic tubes in the leaf's stem. Near the end of summer, a thin layer of cork like stuff seals off the ends of the tubes. Without water the green color (chlorophyll) fades and disappears. Then the yellow (xanthophyll) and orange (carotin) colors can be seen. These colors are all there all of the time(in little packages called chloroplasts), but the green over powers all the others.

The plant's food, sugar, is carried out by sap to other parts of the tree to be used during the winter months. But sometimes, some of this sugar is trapped in the leaves when the tubes seal, causing the leaves to turn red or purple.

Pretty amazing isn't it? This is only the one aspect of trees and their leaves and how it all works, and how they benefit us! I encourage you all to consider doing a tree study as part of your fall curriculum this year. But don't forget to make sure that you highlight the most important thing!

That GOD is the one who created and orchestrated all of nature, and that He has given us just one more way to praise Him and give Him the glory for His awesome handiwork in the trees.

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom though hast made them all. The earth is full of thy riches.

~Psalm 104: 24

On Backing Out of the Clarke's Driveway...

With Samuel in the car....

Samuel: "Umm..Miss Emily?"

Me: "Hmm?"

Samuel: "That is our car, so it would be good not to back into it."

Me: "Don't worry, we're being very careful."

Samuel: "OK, 'cuz that's our trooper car. It's our car, and it's a trooper. So that's why it's called a trooper."

Later....

Me: (laughing at something else he'd said,) "I love being with you Samuel, you always make me laugh!"

Samuel: "Yea, but I don't know why you laugh."

Me: (Laughing again at his utter sincerity)

Samuel: "I love you Miss Emily"

Me: "I love you too."

Sigh...Awww...

Now that's a precious moment.

I was walking through the park one day...

Yesterday the girls and I took all the the Clarke kids to the park for the morning/part of the afternoon, while Mrs. Clarke did some home school planning at home.


LOTS of PB n' J sandwiches for the picnic lunch.

All ready! Sandwiches, plates, cups, phone, band-aids and a frisbee. (and pepper spray, that's as close to carrying a gun as I can get right now! :)

"Can we pleeese go on the swings first Miss Emily? I want Josh to do an under-dog to me." ~Samuel, age 4

Going down 'the dark slide' on wax paper to make you go faster!

To old for going down the 'the dark slide'? Never.

Exploring the creek. The water was so nice and cool, especially to 9 hot, sweaty kiddos.

Trying to get up the nerve to explore the tunnel

That slide is just irresistable!

Mrs. Clarke gave us some money to walk to the Cenex gas station to buy "a treat"

Say, "hyper!" :)
We all had lots of fun and after Mrs. Clarke brought the little ones home for naps, the other five came here to swim for the rest of the afternoon. I hope you're all having fun in the sun!

PS,

Thanks Samantha and Ali for all your help with the little guys!

If you could gain weight just by looking at something...

This would probably be it! This cake is so yummy, but so rich, I only make 2-3 times a year. It's simply entitled: Chocolate Cake. But, looks can be deceiving. It's ingredients include dark cocoa powder, more cocoa powder, milk, eggs (those of us on diets insert groan here) sugar and... the unexpected but truly secret ingredient, 1 cup of brewed coffee.

MmmMMmm. Chocolate 'n coffee. That's all we're going to eat in heaven you know. :)

Oh, did I forget to mention the frosting?? Oh yes, more cocoa powder, milk, a little butter,

(ok alot, but my conscience and the number on the scale are already bothering me...) vanilla and "some" powdered sugar.

Put it all together and..Voila! A cake you can call..well... I asked each female family member (except Eloise and Elsie ;P) to describe it with one word, and here's what they said. Scroll down, scroll down.

Mom: Luscious

Samantha: Scrumpcious

Ali: Divine

I only asked the girls because everyone knows that women are the true authority on chocolate :)

Hope you're all lovin' summer!

I'd give up chocolate, but I'm no quitter!! ~Unkown

Samuel and Meg

Yesterday I was blessed to be able to spend the entire day with Sam and Meg Clarke as the parents and the rest of their family were gone. We had fun going on walks, playing with chalk and playdough and I had fun playing 'house' for a day! I got there at 9am and and we spent the morning outside, came in for lunch and played with playdough. Then after they went down for naps, Samantha and Brad came to stay with them while I ran to fiddling lesson.

After I got back Samantha and Brad went home and Ali stayed with me. After dinner they watched Tom and Jerry while I cleaned up and then we got them ready for bed so when their daddy came home he didn't have to worry about it. Then they wanted to play outside so we put shoes and coats on over their pj's and out we went! Mr. Clarke and Josh got home around 8:30pm and mom came and brought us home.

I hope you all get enjoy the company of life's biggest little blessings, from time to time,

(or all the time if you have them in your family:) and realize what a precious, precious gift the Lord has given to us in these sweet little ones.

(thanks for the great pics Ali!)

Be Strong!

Be strong! We are not here to play, to dream, to drift; we have hard work to do and loads to lift. Shun not the struggle; face it. It's God's gift.



Be strong! Say not the days are evil - who's to blame? Or fold your hands as in defeat - O shame!
Stand up, speak out, and bravely, in God's name.



Be strong! It matters not how deep entrenched the wrong, How hard the battle goes, the day how long. Faint not! Fight on! Tomorrow comes the song.



~Maltbie D. Babcock

Saddle and Paddle

I've been looking for some kind of shore excursion that would interest us girls when we go on our cruise. The guys are all going fishing together (fun for them) but the only thing that I could find was fishing, fishing, some kind of town tour or gold panning expedition (can you say 'blah'?) or, you guessed it, more fishing.

So I emailed the travel agent that booked our cruise and she found something that made us all but scream with excitement! It's called Saddle and Paddle. Here is the description from the website:


"Experience the beauty of Canada's Yukon Territory by highway, horseback, and canoe. With your mountain guide at the wheel, your mini-bus climbs the Klondike Highway, following the White Pass Trail of '98. You'll view pretty waterfalls, glaciers, and peaks that adorn this famous thoroughfare. Crossing the summit, you'll follow a string of jewel-like lakes into Canada's Yukon Territory. Saddle up at the corral for a guided trail ride to the edge of the Watson River to see the remnants of mining days. Back at the lodge, meet the Dutch family that has made their home here in the Yukon, and enjoy a hearty meal complete with your host's famous apple pie! Then, it's a short stroll down to the lake where your two-person canoes await for a scenic guided paddle on picturesque Spirit Lake. On your return, stay in downtown Skagway for shopping, or return to your ship with plenty of time for other activities."

Because its activity level is marked 'strenuous' mom isn't sure it's her thing. :P
So Ali and Samantha and I will probably do it together and then mom would meet us in downtown Skagway. So we are very excited and can't wait to see if it would all work out.

Hope you're having a blessed, rainy Saturday!