Leaving...on a jet plane!...

I am writing this mostly for journaling purposes, but if you care to read... :)

Can't believe it is finally here. We are all super excited to take a vacation like this. We have never done anything like this with the kids, nor did we ever think we would. I always said I would NEVER take my kids to Disney.

Why? One, because they don't have TV or tons of friends who have gone, so the desire wasn't there. They get excited when we take them to Lake Placid or Albany for the night and the hotel has a pool... and Two? STINKIN' EXPENSIVE! We always said that if we were going to spend the money it would be on a missions trip. Aparently, the LORD thought we needed this because it wasn't in our planning.

Growing up some of my BEST family memories were our vacations. My dad always made sure we got away. Guess where we went one year? FL. Oh, and Disney. I remember it like it was yesterday. So. Much. Fun.

We have been blessed! Over and over with regards to this trip. This really ISN'T something we ever thought we would do, but the LORD (and I am not sure why. I guess because He is so much bigger than I even can imagine and have trouble thinking He would care to bless us in this way. What a dumb thought.) ... but He decided to bless us in this way and worked it all out.

As I sat with a friend who had just taken a trip there she explained the "ins and outs" to me I could feel myself getting more and more excited. The kids sat around the computer the other day watching videos of the parks (Disney and Sea World) and I have to say, I haven't seen even Dallas that excited in a long time. I was getting teary-eyed thinking about it and watching their excitement. I know, I'm a dork.

I am nervous, I have to admit. I am a Speculator girl. This is my comfort zone. Going to PA is a stretch. I make myself do it. I am not scared of flying, just nervous at the thought of doing something none of us ever do. Fortunately, the kids are just plain excited so I just am going to sit back and enjoy watching them have fun!

I also HATE the heat. With a passion. It makes me draggy. I prayed for weather in the 60's and sunny. Guess what? THAT IS THE FORECAST!!!! Matter of fact, all three days in the parks are low 60's and sunny. HEHA!

We are also blessed to not only stay with our good friends in FL but to have our friend Daryl who we miss like crazy come and spend the week with us. She is going to the parks with us and just hanging out.

So...we will have lots of pictures when we return. Lots to tell. If anyone DOES read this (I only have like 10 people who can even get onto this blog!) pray for my eye please. It is really bothering me and PRAY for patience. I have a girly that canNOT control herself when excited. I know it is coming though, so I have already been praying. :)

Well...

Lots going on here. Counting down the days until we leave for FL! I don't even care how hot/cold it is there. We are going away! Haven't done a vacation like this with the kids, EVER. Such a blessing.

Meanwhile...
We are spending as much time as possible with very close friends of ours who are leaving as soon as we return from FL. They live at our house (almost!) and are such a part of our family that it will be super hard to see them off. We know that they are doing what they feel God wants them to do, but we are still gonna miss them!

Dallas and Michael finished their b-ball season. Now I have my hubby and two older boys home by 3:30 each day. We just invested in really nice hockey skates for all so now the last few days have been spent playing hockey with their dad and friends at the town rink. Although the skates were expensive, we are learning that some things are worth investing in JUST so we can do something with our kids that they love (it helps that we actually love it too). So much more to say about this, but...another time.

Dallas finished the season with 130 points!



Michael did great in b-ball too for his first year. He had several baskets! He continues to "wow" us with his beautiful photos. Here are a few samples:


Ethan continues to want to do whatEVER his brothers are doing. He has been skating too. He and Sabrina are taking ski lessons through the town and doing great. They can both ski independently and Ethan was skiing down the big trails even last year. It will be so fun to all ski together. Sabrina is almost there.

I just started Ethan in 1st grade Math. It looks like that is what he was already doing so we are doing some jumping to figure out where he should be. He is so easy to teach. He is reading everything he can...including things that are just laying on the table....papers, bills, etc. So funny.

Here is a sample of him playing something on the piano. He is so cute.

Ethan's Question...

Ethan is learning Baa! Baa! Black Sheep on the piano. He is obsessed with the words to the song. Here are the words...

Baa! Baa! Black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full,
One for my master
And one for my dame,
But none for the little boy
That lives in the lane,
Baa! Baa! Black sheep have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.

The first day we were playing it he just sat staring at me while I sang and played. When I got done he said, "He's mean."

I paused. "Why is he mean?'

"Because he didn't give any to the little boy."

"Oh," I said, "I guess you are right, that doesn't seem very nice."

End of discussion.

Next day...

Ethan says, "Why won't he give one to the little boy? He must still have one bag left over. I mean, where did the third bag go? He said he gave (and now he is reading the words to me) one to his master and one to the dame. He must have one bag still. Why can't he share it with the little boy?"

"Sorry, Ethan. That is a good question but I have no idea." At this point I am laughing because he actually did the math and figured out that he had a bag left over. This is really bothering him.

Today he says, "I still don't like that he won't share with that little boy. Where is the last bag of wool?"

Good question.

I have a question too. Different subject. How in the world does Ethan know how to read contractions without reading it as a contraction. For example...when he sees "it's" he reads "it is" when he sees "they're" he reads "they are". When he sees "haven't" he reads "have not". Do kids just know this? He WON'T read it as a contraction. How does he know that "haven't" is the same as "have not". I never taught him this. He scares me sometimes.

Weekend...

We had a great weekend. Very full, very busy, very tiring...but fun. VERY ready for Monday morning.

Friday was beautiful. It has been for the last week (until yesterday). Fall in the Adirondacks is unbeatable. The Ministry Center is breath-taking. I am drawn to that place and want to stay! We were there a lot this week.

Friday morning we were at the barn. We walked the donkeys down to the lake and spent time enjoying the beautiful scenery. We hiked up my mom's mountain (that's what we call it) behind her house to the lean-to and ate lunch looking at this:



After that, we ran home, grabbed girly off the bus and headed out to the boys soccer game. It was so beautiful and soooo much fun to watch all three of them (Tyler plays too) play together. They won 5-0!

Saturday was spent, again, up at the barn in the morning when four of us had the opportunity to ride. Dallas and I rode Pearl (the HUGE spotted draft horse) and Ethan and girly rode Snickers the cute pony.

That's me!

We finished at the barn and I got the chance for a night out with the girls to go shopping and have dinner. We didn't get home until almost midnight.

Last night our youth group did a progressive dinner for our senior citizens in the church. That is always so much fun. We love serving them in that way. It was a great night.

Today is back to normal...we are headed to the barn!