The Eruption of Mount Gherkin

I picked up a kit, "somewhere," and simply couldn't give this one to Airman's Attic or put it in storage during the great purge of 2015. I tucked it into the back storage area of the Caboose.

Michael rescued the kit and we set about building our own Exploding Mountain. This was a Smithsonian kit - and we LOVED that it used casting material to build the volcano rather than the old fashioned plaster of Paris.

The next day the Gherkins painted the mountain. Stacia especially liked the glow in the dark paint.

As often happens when you have a cool event or activity planned - it began to rain....and rain and rain for the next several days. We love the rain. Praying it helps with the drought around here.  Mount Gherkin is truly amazing - it has the ability to MOVE....and that it did from spot to spot while we waited for a good day to finish the activity.

Finally - a nice day. We began the eruption right as the camp host stopped by for a visit - he is a retired math teacher/special ops Army guy who has been very friendly to the children. It was fun to share the eruption with him. 

It was fun - not quite as explosive as we'd imagined....well as Michael and the kids had imagined. Being the instigator of many out and out science FAILURES, I was satisfied. They tried Diet Coke and Mentos next....

This was also deemed not to be as spectacular as expected. I, of course, was thrilled it worked at all. This merely proves once again that it pays to monitor your expectations. ::snort:: 

Cookie Train

Christmas is such a fun time of the year.  We've found it quite possible to continue our traditions, though some have had to be modified. I wasn't sure how cookie baking would go in the Caboose. 

Our cookie sheet was too big to fit in the oven. I left it at a thrift store.

The brick I keep in the bottom of the oven to even out the temp doubled well as a cookie sheet. We were a bit worried the oven would be uneven without a brick on the bottom - but we rotated often.

This was a girl project....the boys were still busy with school.

Stacia's favorite part was delivering cookies to neighbors. Most of our neighbors are couples and four large cookies were perfect for a sweet surprise. 

My favorite comment of the day came from Betty, full-timing over a decade, "You're brave! I've still not tried baking cookies in the RV."  

We Have LIGHTS!

Mr. Tom loaned Michael and Nolan his ladder to put up our Christmas lights.  There's a gap where we plan to attach a lighted wreath.

Not sure why the front looks so funky

"How's School Going in the Trailer?"

Each has a back pack and they fit under one of the benches when we aren't using them

This is a question we often receive.  Many full-time families have young children. They "road-school" in the sense of letting life's experience become the education. We believe in that mode of education, and we ARE utilizing the advantages of it to an extent.  However, we have an 8th and 10th grader.  There are certain subjects which simply have to be covered, and we can't be quite as flexible with the road-schooling as we would be if they were all in elementary school.

We are committed to making the most of the unique experiences which come our way through full-time RV'ing. We are also committed to maintaining a high level of academics for our older children.  Our previous six home-school graduates have all been accepted into college and have done well there. We are committed to being sure we provide Nolan with the same level of education so that he has the same opportunities if he should desire them.

It has been noted we had a WHOLE LOTTA fun in Washington and Oregon during September and October. We racked up oodles of school days and lots of amazing field trips. Many of them tied in with history or science. Some were just plain ole fun.  During this time the kids kept up with "table school," but we didn't worry too much about doing "full weeks" of the rest of our book school (history, lit, art appreciation, church history, science). We have noted we get MUCH more work done in the trailer. Many of the distractions we are used to are gone.  Neither Michael nor I have any outside ministry commitments during this season. We have found campgrounds to be great places for school. Many of our neighbors are Senior Citizens. They are genuinely interested in how we are making the lifestyle work for us and are supportive of our choices. The kids are well-behaved and polite, and they enjoy chatting with them.  The rest of our neighbors seem to work during the day, and their kids are in public school- lots of quiet/undistracted time for school.

Our plan has always been to stop for extended times and get a LOT of school work done during those times. That is just what we are doing. We are averaging 1.5 - 2 weeks of "book school" and 1 week of table school (math and English) each week. By the time we leave Beale, we will be 6 -9 weeks ahead in our book school - we're way ahead on our number of days.  When we hit the road and are having more real-life educational experiences again, we'll slow down to .5 a week of book school during travel/heavy exploring weeks.  It's been our practice to school year round. We'll do the same throughout the summer, and we have no doubt we'll finish the year just fine - with a lot of extra field trips.

My biggest worry with taking a year or two to full-time while we pray about the next step and get Michael set on a great course of treatment was that we'd let school fall by the wayside.  As Michael is starting to feel better, he is doing some of the grammar and math with the boys.

This is our 27th year of homeschooling. We were well aware of the challenges we'd face and made plans to cope with the challenges.

In truth - this is one of the best school years we've EVER had. Thanks for asking. 

When Making Your Bed......

 ...Is a jut bit more complicated than expected. We've been storing the sleeping bags flat, under the kids' mattresses.  It's been raining and cold and so they were using them, but the weather is getting nicer. Stacia went to make her bed and realized she was going to need some help. LOL 

Farewells

Air Force bases are full of turnover - it's the way of life.  That doesn't make it easier, just familiar.  When I left in August - I expected the goodbyes or see ya laters for this group was done! Surprise.

"X" and I often joked last year she would be the "last to leave." God has a sense of humor. She said goodbye to me in August. I said goodbye to her tonight. I doubt she'll be back to say goodbye to me again when we leave Beale in Feb....or March...

We went over in the afternoon so the boys would have one last "youth play date," and all could say a farewell. "X"  was the Protestant Parish coordinator and worked closely with Michael during our time at Beale, she was also a special teacher for Stacia and close friend to me..... Mr. X was away for over 2/3's of our time together - but we've sure had fun with him once he got home. We are blessed we were able to be back at Beale at the right time to say a "real goodbye" to this family.

So.....in the evening we headed across town to say a "real goodbye" to X with an Italian dinner at Jennifer's.

Part of the Gang...Jen and X in front, Hope, Mindee, Me, Maria and Rachel

It was a fun night to relax, laugh and share with old friends and to honor X and the role she played in each of our lives.  I have been wanting to connect with Maria and it was wonderful to have that opportunity last night, as well.

Two treasured Chapel Gals

I taught X to hug, she taught me to smile, and no one taught the camera to focus.

Seriously, emotions are high. Friendships are valuable and treasured. This is the friend who simply came over and sat with me those first days when the possibility of Parkinson's was raised and we still weren't sharing what Michael's tests were for....she just came and sat and stared at the trailer and dreamed with me....and never pressured for info Michael didn't want shared.  This is the woman with whom I spent hours cleaning and organizing chapels. This was my partner in Daniel teaching.....and retreat planning.....and Wednesday lunches. This is my fearless co-partner in snake chasing. ::snort:: This is a woman who knows how to be a friend.

Beale is a lonelier place this morning.

My heart however is much bigger for having had X in it for two years.

*Yes,  *I*  know her name  - but you don't need to know it. And, X, I know you'll eventually read this - just grab a tissue and smile. God did a good thing when He crossed our paths.  Thanks again, for.everything. 

Reminder from the "Wiseman"

Our unique traveling Wiseman reminded us this evening that Jesus is Pur - the Holy Lamb of God. He is worthy of our worship today and every day.

Everyone likes a hunt....

Is he in the media cabinet? 

What about the food cupboard?

Some really get into the hunt...taking apart seats

Perhaps under the dinette benches?

Finally, found on top of the PUR filters

What's this sitting on the filters behind the Instant Pot? 

Where will Gumby, the Wiseman, show up next? Only time will tell.