El Aserraoero x4

We prayed for clouds and headed into the 100+ degree heat at Six Flags!! We were determined to use our tickets thru the reading program!! We missed it last year... with the surgery route!! We covered in sunscreen & hit the park!

Their first & only roller coaster was a bust! Neither girl enjoyed Judge Roy Scream... an older wooden coaster... bumpy....


We took many pics with these ageless characters!

This year we had a wonderful time riding El Aserraoero over & over & over & over!! That last time we just had to make a picture run!! Ladybug supports a frown... translation, that's her afraid look!!! They both were thrilled to ride it 4xs.!!!

Our fast pass made this possible!!!

Daddy's ride was Superman!! That waiting in line to be dropped like 20 stories!!! Not me!!!

We waited a bit with the absolute luxury of a fast pass.... as we waited we measured the girls... would they? could they ride?

Lovebug made the cut!! She was tall enough, but unwilling to ride it!! Like her mama!

Very disappointed... Ladybug fell short. She was so saddened.

Eventually, Hubbie gave up his ride for his girls!! He was our Superhero!!!

We enjoyed a 3D trip to the moon!! It was great to get off our so tired feet!

We left the park at dark.

Dinner at a BBQ spot was fun as a small boy was wowed to be around caped hero's!! We enjoyed his excitement & gave him our batman cape!! It was one of those God appointments!! What would my girls do w/ a Batman cape!?!

I'm so thankful we had a blast!! Hope you enjoy our perspective!!! Grace!! ss

House Hunt Lessons

We've recently looked at 2 houses...

Our goal is to cut Hubbie's travel time & move to the other side of town...

Little House-
The first house was a cute little house on a big 1 acre yard. The house became very small when I realized I had to drop 3 rooms to move!!! Drop my loved sun room... my formal dining that's covered in crafting.... and my 4th bedroom that's my Chicago Red Library.... Oh, that's alot to loose.

It also was an 80's house with the icky popcorn ceiling! I already have that ceiling....

Neat 90's-
The second house... was beautiful!!! Here's the description.... 2400 sq. ft. , 4 bedrooms 3 baths, (split MBR) high ceilings, hardwood and tile floors, built l998, with a very neat landscaped yard (about 1/2 of the acre, with remainder in big trees) and a very nice gunite, SALT FILTERED pool. It has an aeorobic system.

It already has our gas logs... and a wonderful sitting area on the back side of the thru fireplace!! The back patio was spacious... the salt pool sounds just like what Ladybug needs... she reacts to chlorine pools.... Here the girls also enjoyed a first time play on a Wii...

I told Hubbie... the home is beautiful!! And very much a DUAL income house....

Lesson- I don't want to be in a dual income house... then we'd have a house only to sleep in... no living in.... no homeshcooling... no life..... for us. I've asked God to remove the images of that house!! Maybe someday a 90's home will be ours.

Today I'll enjoy my girls playing in the back yard with the neighbors girls. I'm thankful for my sun room where my computer sits. I'm thankful Hubbie's driving a good gas mileage car and pray it lasts!! I'm thankful for our home!!

I'm also challenged to declutter.... I could not sell as if even if I wanted to!! The piles & boxes.. the unfinished project in limbo.... When we finish school... these will be my priority!! and my very big challenge!!

Grace! ss

OH Finally Home

Ther's no place like home. There's no place like home. If only I could close my eyes, click my heels three times.... and be home!!

In Texarkana I wondered if we'd ever make it home. Nerves were frazzled at best. I was tired of being folded up like a knot in the car. My ice cream stop gave us time to walk a bit.... sugar for the last hundred miles...

We ordered a pizza once we hit 259 & it arrived as we were in the midst of unloading. All on the driveway chalk messages welcomed us home. Wow!! How fun!!! The girls LOVED it and they were so loved by it!!! Thanks Aunt Jolene & Jen & Josh!!!!

My couch has residence in my car until it has a designated location.... Oh, I've not posted that yet.... (more OH to come!!) It is a OLD horse hair couch.... it was so cute!! Now it is in pieces for MY PROJECT. Anyone know anything about recovering/restoring one of these???

We even did a lion share of unpacking!! Now laundry is started... and Hubbie is back at work. I woke this morning wondering where I was. It is good to be home! I have one cucumber :) tomatoes are one in the garden and up front weeds have tried to win in our absence!!

Grace!
ss

OH8 Ohio Phone GPS

Tripping and a GPS go hand in hand in my book.


Yet we passed birthday, anniversary & all... and no GPS. I'd even been clipping ads! Then it did not seem right to make a Father's day gift for what I wanted....


We debated the usefulness of a GPS. Hubbie wanted the PC variety. That would do me absolutely no good with out him... like my recent Ikea trip! I don't want to be dependant on a PC in the car....


We looked into new another phone company, Verizon, that had seemingly cool GPS systems... but in the evaluation the monthly cost was way more than our current plan... no go. If there's something I don't want... it to increase a monthly expense!


Sprint??? Do they have a GPS? In our store they were inept at best. Yet this was our cheapest available option..

We had a Sprint Phone & Web was already enabled... and used often for email & such.... so we downloaded the application and were ready to go.


We used the Sprint GPS free trial on my phone heading north. Cool!!! Through Nashville it showed us just what roads to take and we hit each one. Yet when we were stopped in traffic in KY it was totally useless. We finally headed on back roads & then the GPS had no signal... KY back roads with out a map... humf.... It cost us about 3 hours... Sprint was not the best in that area, humf!

Heading home Sprint's own GPS had a nation wide outage! Yuck... I've downloaded a Mapquest version... it lacks traffic info... but has been a little help...


It did remind me of what I liked about Sprint GPS... good traffic info... and it totally navigated us around traffic one day in Cinci... I could also find the cheapest gas which I think the Grands would have been thrilled about. My biggest critique of it would be availability... too many times we were totally in the dark with out signal or whatnot...


In the end of our tripping. I don't want invest in a GPS... and maybe the phone GPS will improve... at 2.99 a day's use... it will take many days to equal a handheld device..

Now, I've found many downloadabe applications for Travel GPS and some of these I'm eager to try...
TeleNav GPS Navigator, AAA Mobile , Garmin Mobile

Some of the programs were harder to hear... I've wondered how much it would help if I was solo...

I've seen them running from $3/day, $5/month & $10/month... I'm just using them on occasions... so a one time hit of $10 is much cheaper than other options.

Here's some info on GPS for your phone!!? Cell Phone GPS Navigation Hits the Mainstream

Finding our way home!! Grace! ss

OH7 Ohio A Couch

Biking... we rounded the neighborhood as the lightening bugs glittered.

I peddled past a cute couch on the curb... circling around I looked at this quite old little couch with a great rose wood piece across the back... The yellow matches an antique piece I have... Oh, no... I call K back & speak with the gal putting it out...

She purchased it at an auction with the intent to recover. It was is old & filled with horse hair(!!??)... then it was rejected by her husband, a big man, and it was ousted to the curb for trash. (Would trash men really pick up a couch?? They said a firm yes.)

Surely we cannot fit it in the minivan.... I was ready to give it up. That must have been a grand challenge to Grand'Pa. He spend the evening pulling out handmade square nails and pulling apart the very well made couch.

Oh, no!! I have a couch to take from OH to TX. Where will I put it? Where will I work on it? I know not. I can imagine this as a cool project for the girls and I... I'd like to get it done this fall.. and either put in one of their rooms... or even sell it... I hope we can get it back together!!!

Taking apart this part... the couch is peculiar!! The nails are ALL SQUARE!! It is heavy and all wood frame! It's put together very very well as the guys work into the night taking it apart!!

Oh!! Now what am I going to do with it??!!! Weeks later it is yet!! in my car!!! Alas, it must come out soon!!!

Packing more than we brought!!! Grace, ss

OH6 Ohio Six & Eight Tripping

We've traveled many times with these girls.


I especially remember when Lovebug was tiny. Mom & I headed to Arlington for a sewing convention... She cried the whole way home. We'd stop & check her... rearrange her & she's quiet... put her back facing backward... As we started again she'd wail... That was a long trip.


The frequent 200 miles to our closest family has been filled with memorable moments. The only time they slept started about 30 miles from our destination. Alas, they do not sleep in the car (like their mama). Even when we start in the night... they yet don't sleep. Our best travel help has been a DVD player. Then we're challenged what was worth the hours invested. The best movies have been our home movies thru the years.


Now... 6 & 8 is Great!!!


They've traveled good. They've enjoyed all our adventures. That is an amazing statement!!! They've been a JOY!!!! We've had the usual attitude adjustments. Even this morning we had the weekly meltdown as Ladybug decided her only Sunday dress was tooooo tight. To Daddy's surprise she did wear it... to get orange juice :)


We had tons of movies & cd & Adventured in Odyssey. We watched only 2 movies. We listened to lots fo Adventures in O! I'm thrilled they've finally aged enough to enjoy them!!! We've collected these adventures since we started making that 200 mile drive!!


We read Robin Hood and enjoyed that!! That was even schooling!!


The biggest enjoyment was the 100 mile goodies.

I pray the joy of this trip repeats!!! Grace!! ss

OH5 Ohio 20th Reunion

There were some 100 of Hubbie's class at his reunion!! Add spouses and the VFW building was over full & stuffy. It was good to hook up with Bill & Sandy... They are standing right by Hubbie.

A stark reminder of those years gone... "If someone didn't speak to me in HS, they did not speak to me now." It seemed so many were playing the same HS games. That was sad.

20 years makes me ponder! Has it really been that long!? What connections are really left with the years gone bye?

The 80's music was too LOUD... Is that a sign of age...

I've sent some e's to classmates as I head into my reunion. I've seen friends that I've not seen in so many years. Friends I'd worked with thru 5 years at Chick-fil-A.

I'm much happier than 20 years ago. I would not trade anything to go back. I love my husband & girls. Life today is so much better... by God's grace!!!



Thanking Him!! Grace! ss

OH5 Ohio Twinkle

"What was your favorite part of the trip..."




"At the airport there was a bird named Twinkle because he sang twinkle twinkle little star. I started to grump about not wanting to be there but he made me happy. "



A truth of vacations!! We can travel the world over and see the depths and heights!!! Dinosaurs & caves..... ships... and more.... and their favorite spot was a trip to visit a singing bird!!! This of course was a free trip..... The bird is merely the pet of a gal at their local airport!!!



Wish we had a pic... we'll have to get one from the Grands!!



Twinkle!! ss

OH4 Ohio Lightening Bugs

The dusk sky lights up here in OH and we MUST chase lightening bugs!!!

This evening the girls chased with friends and filled their glass jar with lightening bugs!!

They have to be the best bugs... all glow and no bite. The more that 30 were not enough to generate anything more than amusing intermittent lights. One has escaped brightly right by Lovebugs pigtails....

Squeals & laughter reigned as they ran across yards in the hunt. There's oh so many more lightening bugs here... dozens light across the yards. I only see the occasional ones at home... Maybe we could bring our jar home??

Oh, we must free them!

Grace! ss

Balloon Chasing

Oh, I wish, I wish....

We have so enjoyed getting up early... like 6... and with girls in gowns we've chased the hot air balloons. Hubbie has taken off work for the adventure. Then we'd breakfast at IHOP or so and call it a day at like 10!!!


2006 We caught Bud E. Beaver. We saw him launched and traced him around town. North of town he came down in some fields and we helped flaten him down. Wow! That was the year. We learned the no flip flops for ballooning.


Last year rain and wet fields cancelled the event... And this year we'll miss it!! Alas, we are on an alternate adventure to be sure!! OH!! I thought of hitting IHOP as a reminder but even the discussion led Lovebug to want to be there!!


Happy Balloon Chasing to ya!! Hope you catch them!!


Grace! ss

OH4 Santa Maria

Wow! Today we boarded the Santa Maria in Columbus, Ohio. A replica of the Columbus' ship from 1492.

What a small ship to sail the Atlantic!! This is a comparison to the 98' ship & an aircraft carrier!!!

Ladybug really liked the block & tackle display!! Hubbie enjoyed it too!!

Today we'd call the high look out the Eagle's Nest... There's a small ladder off the left side called Jacob's ladder too!!

I've looked and looked for a Columbus map... here the best of them for his first journey!!

It was a 2+ hour drive to the Santa Maria... I'm so glad we found our ship after wandering thru Columbus for a bit!! My GPS helped us get back on the right track... and it was right even when Grand'Pa disagreed.... Thanks Grands for helping us find it!!! Grace! ss

OH3 Our Creation Battle

Sometime I know I'm in a battle... but most of the time I'm oblivious....


As a Christian I know there's a spiritual battle around me... for the lives of those I love.... for the heart of this nation.... a very real and present battle... especially in this election year...


Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11-12


Wednesday we were in that battle. I think we were caught in a cross fire.


Background: Hubbie is passionate about Creation! He's studied it over. He's been under great teaching... He's taught others.... He's collected books & videos & cds more than I can even track... He's debated this too.... He's talked with friends like minded & not.


One factor in this trip.... a must do was the Creation Museum. We moved it up in the week's schedule to make sure it was not dropped...


Battle: Hubbie was disengaged. The morning was not what he'd have planned. By no fault it just was not going his way. I tried to encourage... I tried to back off.... As we entered the Creation Museum... he was essentially absent. He distanced himself from the girls and I by giving us our tickets to "go our own way."


I was grieved... and hurt... and so bewildered. This was what he too had been excited about. Only none of that was evident. I tried even yet to encourage him to join us... to lead us... to no avail. I wanted to leave him... but I had no peace. My battle was not to get mad...


Turnaround: After a couple hours we took a break to headed out for lunch. In that time God worked a turnaround!! Hubbie then joined us to go back to thru the museum! He reclaimed our tickets and we stuck together. It felt like he'd claim us now!! His change was from darkness to light.


Challenged: Wow! What brought his change? Over lunch he called a friend and received a "kick in the pants." Yea! His heart change was dramatic.... God was working. I'm so thankful for a husband that loves God... he was not happy to wander in darkness.... God's light dispelled our darkness.

Reminders: Oh, I want to be an agent of God's hand. I want to be a voice for His word. I pray for God to give me a glimpse of what's really going on. I pray that I spend my days focusing on what really was important... I pray to recognize when my bad attitude is caught in that battle.

Under construction!! In God's word & By His hand... Victory is won! Grace! ss

OH3 Creation Museum!!!

We finally made it to the Creation Museum in Kentucky.... They say it is within 2 hours to 2/3 of the nation... alas, we're outside that range!!!

Thankfully from the Grands it was merely 45 minutes. We spent the entire day there and even closed them.

We walked the museum. Time and again they presented how your world view matters and directs your ending point. Holding science with a cultural reference takes the information to a ending of millions of years. Looking a the same information believing the Bible guides you to a very different landing point. All determined by your world view.

Oh, I want my girls to more than understand what I believe. I want them to know the Bible. We recognized so many of the verses we've heard there today.

They had a great Noah room!! We looked at all kinds of angles on the ark....

Enjoy our trip!! Hope you can get there too!!!

Grace! ss

OH2 Ohio Cincinnatus

Today we told the Grands The Story of Cincinnatus! This reading is from Baldwin's 50 Famous Stories (part of AO1). This is great history not to be missed in Cincinnati!! Alas, they've seemed to lost the link to the history.







We embarked to find the statue today! After meandering all around the river, we finally landed at Sawyer's Point on the river in Cinci and found in his bronzen glory... Cincinnatus.

Do catch up with us & follow that link to read this great story!! We'll never forget it!! George Washington is even call the American Cincinnatus!!

Tripping!! Grace! ss

Ohio Cajun?!?

Hey I (Hubbie) took the girls down to the creek where we used to go and catch lots of crawdads, (mudbugs)...

They were there to learn to catch the little critters... guess who had the most fun???

We caught eight total, and ladybug was impressed. She went over after I showed her how to hold them and caught this critter from the bucket and so we took a photo with him, I am holding her hand up so you can see it, I am not holding the crawdad.

We had fun even though we did not catch as many as I was hoping to get. I suppose we would have eaten them if they would have been more than a single mouthful.

OH1 Ohio Bike Gold Star

Today we took a jolly trip to Gold Star!

Grand'pa suggested we bike it over. I was shocked to see enough bikes for all of us to ride come out of their shed. We brought the girls bikes. Grand'ma decided to be backup and drove the truck with an extra bike!

This was the must hit place to eat. Hubbie grew up w/ Gold Star. I enjoy it. Lovebug is hooked too!!

After Gold Star Chili we had to head back past Flub's Ice Cream!










This made a great first day in Ohio! All enjoyed it to the max!! And this was a stay home day!!

From Yankee Land! Grace! ss

OH Ohio Mammoth Cave

The biggest cave in the world!! I've seen the pics.... stalactites & stalagmites!! Have you driven past it on I65 going north?? So many we've talked to have never stopped!!

I was shocked and thrilled when hubbie took the exit!! This would really be a detour from our destination!! Oh fun!!

We descended some 300 steps into Mammoth Cave in KY!! Wow that's a spot to really get lost! Our 2 hour tour did not plumb the depths of the biggest cave on earth!!

Hubbie did great to get the girl's hoodies... as we climbed below this hot summer day the temp was remarkable cooler!! I wish we could do that thru this hot summer!!

Lovebug hesitated each step we headed into the depths of the earth. She was uneasy with our descent. The path was tight and often hubbie had to hunch over... or turn sideways to fit thru. Steps and more steps down we went. It was slick...

Eager Ladybug lead the way. We were in a group of 3 bus loads. Our tour was the New Entrance Tour.

We did not get to see the river... maybe that's a next time??!!! When we passed by heading home we thought of the River Styx Cave Tour... that will have to be another vacation!! We saw people who'd been in the cave for like 8 hours with hard hats with lights on!!! Wow!!! Check out the Tours here...

That top to bottom is a column in the cave. They are not to be touched or the rocks will die....

True to form... Ladybug ended the tour with a bug!! Amazing all who saw that red eyed bug!



I felt smaller today than ever I did in my life for I've returned from exploring caverns... scooped out underneath the green hills of Kentucky. There is only one word in the language to describe Mammoth Cave, and that is "mammoth." Billy Sunday, Evangelist

Mammoth Fall! Ouch! Yikes... Somebody has to fall.... we slipped thru the cave.... Well, it was my turn... as we unloaded from the bus... I fell on the steps out of the bus... ouch... the stairs were imprinted on my back. By God's grace I was only bruised and not injured! The recovery time gave the girls time for a project...

Animal Scramble: ekutry, erde, knaes, lutter, nocorca

That was one of the projects for the Junior Ranger program. We shared our one pen and both girls became Junior Rangers!!

We hopped back in the car for a mere 3 hours to the Grands.... Only to add 3 more hours sitting in traffic!! We explored back roads Kentucky... and my GPS was without signal... not helpful!! We finally made it to the grands at midnight!!!

Thanks to Hubbie for taking us off the beaten track!

Tripping among God's wonders! Grace! ss