"I can't believe I did it!"

The day got a wild start.....I didn't go where I expected to go and I DID end up going to do a walk through on the new chapel. They asked me to jot down everything that I thought needed to be fixed. Once you take possession of a new military building you cannot have anything fixed for a year. I found 3 pages of things I think they need to address. BUT the new chapel is going to be beautiful and such a GIANT leap up in comfort etc.....though I hate to see our old WW2 chapel go.

ANYWAY - I didn't think we'd get school done - but we did. AND I got to hear the above title too.... Zander finished his knight book. Yes, the lapbook is properly folded and off the vise.

Cover - he was so excited he went for my camera and took the photo himself. LOL



Our finished lapbook from Unit 1. I had to drag Zander to sit and work on this, but he is very pleased with the finished product. Maybe he'll be more interested in future ones?

Meanwhile, Nolan is feverishly practicing to be able to write his name in cursive in a tiny spot before his 10th birthday - the day he gets his personal military i.d. Yes, I realize most teach this in 3rd grade...but I've discovered that many of my boys are simply not ready for it then.

It's been a full day. A great day. I need to go get ready to run to base. This is our second week of our new PWOC study on the Psalms of Ascent. I really love digging into the Psalms. I also love that several ladies have asked how to make the study "deeper" than the written study. YES!

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

That's MY Big Brother

Josiah dropped by this afternoon to fill out his taxes. Our internet connection is more dependable than the one at the apartment.

He also brought the DVD of his jump for the little ones to see.

Oy Vey, Zander was speechless.

Stacia on the other hand had a terribly serious question, "Why did they throw my brother out of the plane?"

Jared told her, "He was naughty and wouldn't wear his seatbelt." ::snort::

Oh great! I asked Jared what we will do if our move requires a plane trip. He told me that she'd be good and wear her seatbelt.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Jared Update

It was a hard lost game.....but they did play into overtime.

Jared is quite colorful this a.m. and refuses to show me the "best bruise". His loose teeth are tightening back up. His nose is still sore...but I don't think it is broken. ::snort::

....and this is FUN? I'm not so sure about the basketball but the visiting was fun. Deja and I....maybe discussing some fans tendency to make a ruckus.....but um...I am not this short in real life. I'm quite sure I'm Deja's height.

OK, lousy photo, but I wanted one of Deja and me.

Cindy, these are taken with the regular smaller lens that comes with the Nikon D70. I do think that if we are going to continue taking sports photos we need to invest in a mongo lens like you did. The big ones gets closer but is fuzzy on sports mode and is hard to focus with action.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

TREES!

I caught Arielle in a unique reading nook Sunday afternoon.

Monday was exciting. Mike decided to "trim" our overgrown tree in the front yard.

(The above is what happens when Mom interferes with MEN'S work for a blog photo. ::snort::)

Stacia is saying, "Jared, you don't cut any more of my tree!"

Mike is contemplating how to take the last two big branches out without having them land on the house....this will be a 2 day job. I was glad Jared had the little ones come inside when he went outside and climbed up the back of the house to get on the roof. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Sunday Afternoon

Mike and Nolan spent time putting together Nolan's Christmas Present. They had hoped to fly it on Monday but a wind kicked up just as they started. ::sigh::

We're hoping he'll get to try it out before we move.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Between Heaven and Earth

It all started with a girl named Mel (who works at Chick Fil A). Mel decided she wanted to go sky diving. She told her boyfriend. Casey sent a text message to Josiah, which he received just as he got into bed.

"Wanna go skydiving in January?"

Cy responded, "Sure". Anything seems like a good idea at mid-night I guess. ::snort::

Today was the day. They all drove to San Marcos. They received instruction. They were harnessed to an instructor. A camera man jumped out with each of them. Josiah has 116 photos and a dvd. . . and an experience he'll not soon forget. Just as they were boarding a plane someone came down and landed in the pool. ::snort::

Notice the man to the right with the camera duct taped to his head - there was only one instructor tall enough to jump with Josiah - this young lady.

Casey on the right, Josiah behind
I can't believe I'm about to do this! He was the first one out of his group.
Bohonkus' in space
This isn't so bad!
::snort:: The Old Man look
Can't get away from those Longhorn fans


Land


I can never again use my famous line, "If all your friends jump off a cliff, would you?" Josiah has proven, given the proper thrill factor and circumstances, that he just MIGHT. AND he'd be the first one over the cliff! ::snort:: (OK - for those who don't know Josiah - he's very level headed and wouldn't follow his friends off a cliff.....he'd lead.)

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

Got A Call...

at about 1:00 p.m. saying that Josiah was about to jump. We've not heard a word since. I guess he and his two friends were all calling their families before they jumped. ::snort::

We're hoping to watch the jump on DVD tonight if they get back in time.....and they really ARE talking about doing this again to celebrate Jamin's graduation. Krista says she'll jump with them. We're not sure the military will allow Mike to jump. Mike says he "doesn't know why anyone would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane," but then he's a pilot.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.