Aquarium Visit

We took a day trip to Chattanooga for Home School Day at the Aquarium (while the pet sitter came to feed and play with the puppy.) We met a couple other home-school family friends. I don't know why they all look so strange in this picture!

We got "behind the scenes" passes and got to see where the food is kept and prepped (including zip-lock bags of frozen mice and rats, mealworms, and various fish.) We got to go to the top of the huge tank to see how and where the sharks are fed, and Daniel got to try on SCUBA gear.

We got to feed shrimp to the rays in the sting ray exhibit.

I got to be part of a bird show, holding a dollar bill for a cockatoo to come and get and then bring back. I realized later that I stared straight ahead and never looked at it on my arm. I think I would have screamed if I had seen it perched there!

We saw the IMAX film Born to Be Wild, about saving orphaned chimps and elephants. It was a great story. The chimp champion is Birute Galdikas, who I studied in Anthropology class in college. (We are both older now....) My favorite part was seeing the other orphaned elephants who have been re-introduced to the wild come to see the three youngsters ready to start this phase of their life.

All in all it was a fantastic day!

Tonka Trucks

Daniel and Emily's big sister gave them these Tonka trucks when they were adopted almost eight years ago. They have been "riding" them for years, but took the trip to a whole new level today.

Cummins Falls

I heard about this place on the news in early August. It is rated in the Top 10 swimming holes in America. The land was purchased and it will become a State Park next year, but for now you can visit in a guided hike offered once a month. I figured it would be neat to go before it got busier, so I signed us up. They even said Ruby could come!

We had a great day. It was quite a hike into the falls and swimming hole, but well worth it. We had to hike through the woods, and then through the water for 3/4 mile. Ruby wasn't too sure of the water, and got chilled, so I carried her most of the way there and back. We were glad to have brought snacks and plenty of water!

This is me. Afraid of heights and much closer to the edge of the top of the falls than I'd like!

Eddie, Daniel, and Emily played in the falls while I sat with Ruby. Then Eddie and I traded places.This is a nice view of the swimming hole. Cold and refreshing!

Color Blind

I'm beginning to wonder....

We named our golden retriever Rosie.

We named our black lab Koko.

We named our brown retriever mix Ruby.

People must be kind not to ask us if we are color blind.

We have our reasons. Rosie was named after the golden retriever in a story in Reader's Digest that we read just before we got her. Koko was named after the Anasazi flute player and gorilla who knows sign language. Ruby came from a dog named Rudy who Emily met this summer. I guess that is enough logic for us.

The Wizard of Oz...

... and Ruby Slippers -- our new DOG!

Emily has wanted another one for awhile. Eddie wanted a puppy that was trainable, not one already with bad manners, and a smaller breed. I wanted a dog, but not the work of training one, and a larger breed like our old dogs. Daniel didn't want one at all.

Last week Emily asked to go to the pound to look and Eddie agreed. I looked online at some shelters/pounds around here. One had beagle mix puppies - NO! Another had a sad-looking "brown retriever mix" so I picked to go there.

And we came home with her. About two minutes in a room with this little 7-pound cutie and Eddie was mouthing to me that we needed to get her. Turns out her mom was a golden, and they think her dad was a black lab as all her brothers are black. (Our old dogs, who both passed away last year, were a golden and a black lab, so this pup was a combination of our much-loved companions.)

Ruby looks like a chocolate lab -- brown coat, brown nose, light brown eyes. She is very sweet and snuggly. She is learning quickly and is finally getting into eating so she can gain some much-needed weight!

More Camp

Last week Daniel and Emily went to afternoon pottery camp at Cheekwood, another excellent program. They learned all about throwing clay, making designs, wheel speed ... making something out of nothing. We cannot pick up their creations yet as they must be fired in a kiln. Can't wait to see them!

Daniel was followed around by the youngest kid in the class (younger than the age limit, so why he was allowed in I do not know) who claimed he was his best friend ever. He was hit repeatedly by a girl, and I had to explain that this meant she liked him. I could not explain WHY girls this age do that to express affection, but he found the meaning to be true. He listened to a boy who would rather play video games than go to church for 3 hours on Sunday.

Emily was a little evangelist, inviting her friend (who lives an hour away from us) to church, telling her about God, and giving her a Bible.

Perhaps the seeds will grow in others because of what was planted by the words of my children. I can only hope!

Both kids had discussions about

Camps

This past week both Daniel and Emily had camps.

Daniel had tennis camp in the mornings. You have to be nine to attend, so he has been waiting two years to be able to go! He learned a lot and had fun with a few of the kids. He also got to drink Gatorade since it was so hot, which was a first, and a favorite! Each day the coaches watched for particular behaviors and prizes were given at the end of each day to one child in each group. On Tuesday, Daniel won the prize for Listening for his group and got a gift card for a free hair cut (at the place where we go already, too!) Friday the prizes were for things like "Most Improved." Daniel won the top prize of the week, for Sportsmanship, and got a $20 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods. Eddie had the red-eye home from Alaska the night before so he was able to be there on Friday, so we both got to watch him play and receive the award. Our eyes got leaky.

Emily had an all day science camp taught by the public school teacher of one of her friends. They attended together, and enjoyed each other's company as well as the activities each day. Each day Emily would tell us about the things they made and did in the car, and at home she would show us how to do some of the things, like making duck calls out of straws. It was neat to see her so excited and happy. The family had three dogs, so Emily also enjoyed petting them every day. The treats -- brownies, cookies, Rice Krispie treats, etc. -- weren't bad either.

Daniel and Emily are rarely apart so it was neat to see them get to do their own thing and then tell each other about it.

I spent mornings (while both were in camp) at the library working on my science class for this year. I put together notebooks for the kids, make quizzes and final exams, and note cards for review games. It is a load off my mind to have that done!