Tubing

We just got back from a weekend of camping and tubing down the Itchetucknee River. What fun! The Iche River is a spring fed river that maintains a constant temperature of 72 degrees. In other words... it's cold! Or if you are an optimist- refreshing. We drove up on Friday evening and were able to set the tent up before dark. We spent the evening roasting hot dogs and marshmallows and met a relatively early bedtime. Our usual camping trips have been with cub scouts and our group tends to be the rowdy type that stays up late. We were up early so we could get a quick breakfast before heading out to get in line at the north entrance of the park.

The park only allows a certain number of tubers on the upper stretch of the river in order to maintain a more pristine natural state. After making it to the upper river, the kids were able to swim in one of the springs while we waited for the drivers to return from taking the cars down river. Once the drivers returned we headed for the river. Upon entering the water, the bigger kids, Sully included, caught the current immediately and were quite a distance in front of us for the first stretch, which took around 3 hours. We exited the river midway, where the cars were parked, and had a picnic before embarking on the second half of our journey.

The first portion of the river was so clear you could see the bottom. We used goggles to watch some of the wildlife underwater. The surrounding land was covered in various types of trees, cypress being among those I recognized, many draped in Spanish moss. We also saw turtles, fish and water birds including a wood stork. The kids in Sully's group enjoyed jumping off of fallen trees into the river more than appreciating nature. The outside temperature was quite warm, mid-nineties I think, but the water kept us cool so it was a very pleasant ride.

Kevin and I were trying to keep track of Nathan and to stay together as much as possible. This independent risk taker was sure to push our hands off as soon as we had hold of his tube. Kevin ended up hooking him from underneath with his feet. Nathan was in a tube with a bottom and was decked out in a life vest. We just discovered he can swim without floaties (a subject for another post) but weren't taking any chances with the river. The current was quite mild but no place for a novice swimmer.

After our run down the river we returned to the campsite and cleaned up just in time for a major storm. Kevin and I contemplated staying for about a minute and a half but after I picked up a pillow and water POURED out we decided to head home. We were home and sleeping in dry beds before 10 pm! All in all a really good trip.

Belgian Malinois?

My super-sleuth son Sully (I must be into alliteration lately) figured out after studying the dog breed poster at obedience school that Duke is not a German Shepherd mix but what we believe to be a Belgian Malinois (MAL-in-wah). He sure looks like one especially when compared photo to photo with a German Shepherd. And he seems to fit the temperament description- one website calls them Mali-nuts because of their sometimes obnoxious behavior... that's definitely our dog!

Speaking of obedience training...
My high expectations were almost dashed about 30 seconds after walking into the training center last week when "devil-dog" showed up- that's Duke's alternate personality. He gets a little excited with the prospect of playing with other dogs and when faced with around 15-20 dogs, he was beyond wild. In no time, I was standing there bleeding from the gashes in my arm caused by his behavior. Okay, they were really just scratches and I now know he needs his nails cut but we were very close to turning around and walking out with no training. Luckily he calmed down enough for me to pull him out of the corner and into the ring. After so much difficulty with him, I was thrilled to find out that a class requirement is to maintain the same trainer for the duration of the 8 week course. Actually it's probably good for me to be the one "in control" because he already seems to listen to Kevin better that to me. Once in the ring, however, he completely redeemed himself, which seems to be another pattern with him. He is a dog made for training! After what I'll call "the episode" he got down to business and was heeling like a pro! Next week I'll just wear long sleeves!

Here he is playing with the toys sent home for him today.

Interesting Book

Hungry Planet, a book I just discovered at our library, is a fascinating account of families from various parts of the world who are photographed with a week's worth of food. It was almost voyeuristic to have such an intimate view into the kitchen cupboards of others. Especially fascinating to me were the places in the world without cupboards or even kitchens as we know them. The boys both enjoyed looking at the foods, even when marvelling at the "gruesome grilled guinea pig" called cuy from Ecuador.

29 Degrees

... the difference in temperature between here and the city.
We drove into the city today to get hot dogs- yes, they are worth the drive! The best hot dog place in America is a little under an hour's drive from us and we make the trip once or twice a year. We were going to combine the trip with a visit to either the botanical gardens or the fort but it was just too hot. 100 in fact!! We did, however, stop to visit Kevin's former neighbors, a very fun and hospitable couple who are a joy to talk to. The boys had a good time petting the cats and Baker, the dog, and left with candy for themselves and treats and toys for Duke. On the way home we were watching the van thermometer, which was hovering in the high 90's until it flipped to 100 where it remained for quite a while. As we left the city, the temperature began to drop and did so consistently until we were close to home where the lowest number we saw was 71!!! I have to admit it was raining at home but 71? In late July? Unheard of! Well, maybe it's heard of but it's none too common in my experience. We wanted to rush home to open the windows

... if only it hadn't been raining.

Roseate Spoonbill

I had seen this guy hanging at the park earlier this week so when I went yesterday I tossed my camera in the car hoping to get a shot. The first time we saw these birds was on a trip down one of the birding trails along the nature reserve. There was a huge flock of them. I've never seen a solitary spoonbill but maybe he thinks he's an Ibis? I love these prehistoric looking birds- Florida is a great place for birdwatching.

The foggy looking shots are just my camera lens fogging over because of the heat.

Small Tragedy

Nathan was sad to wake up this morning to find his hermit crab had died. "Crabby" was with us for several years and was preceded to hermit heaven by his comrade "Uncle". He was a good crab and only pinched once. We'll be holding a burial in our backyard this evening.

In other news, both boys are battling summer colds and have been lying low this afternoon but will be attending obedience training for Duke tonight. I don't think I mentioned the dog has graduated from Puppy-K and been promoted to official "Obedience Training". Tonight will be our first night and I expect he will do well. Expect good things! I took him for a walk last night and he was fabulous... I'm not sure if its due to Kevin working with him or the medieval looking collar I used.
Daddy, unfortunately, is working late tonight and will miss this class. The dog seems to listen to him much better than he does the rest of us.

Weigh In... I don't know what week we're on...

I missed posting last week but I've maintained since I last posted. I miss my Pilate's class but I'm attempting to fill in the gap with other exercise. So not much to report... no progress but not backsliding either.

Hot, Hot, Hot

That's what it's been in our neck of the woods and after hearing from friends and family elsewhere, it seems to be that way all over. We're back to having our afternoon showers and actually drove home today teetering on the edge of a storm. As we were coming over the bridge, the river to our left was the background for a raging tempest while the river to our right was sunny and calm. Those of us on the bridge had to swipe a few drops off our windshields but remained, for the most part, dry. I don't know if this happens in other parts of the country or not but it seems to be a pretty common occurrence here... one side of the street may get rain while the other is high and dry. We were able to spend a couple of hours at the pool with some friends, however, before the clouds blew in our direction and the bottom didn't open up directly over us until we were home and well inside. Now the sun is back out.

The boys finished up a second round of Bible School this week, which they really enjoyed. All I can say is VBS has gotten much more elaborate than when I was a kid. I remember games, Bible stories of course, and a snack, which consisted of either orange popsicles or 3-4 of those butter cookies with holes in the middle that we'd put on our fingers as rings. This past week's theme was cowboy ranch for Nathan and a kind of fun boot camp for Sully, complete with barn and hay bales for the former and camouflage with an obstacle course for the latter. And the snacks? S'mores and ice cream sundaes! YUM! They both had a great time and Nathan has already asked if they can attend next year. From the boy who is still a little unsure of attending things with out one parent or another relatively close by, this is a big step and a pretty telling statement about how much fun he had.

The Weaver and Closing

You may have already read about how much Nathan loved weaving in my previous post- here are the pictures to go with it.

After all the activity, closing time was spent in song and dance around the well and gathering with their tribe for prayer.

Again, I have to sing praises of how fun, creative and really an overall good experience this Vacation Bible School turned out to be. So much work went into the whole production, I was very impressed. The boys will be attending another Bible School next week with friends and while I'm sure they will have a good time this will be a hard act to follow.

The Marketplace and the Sea of Galilee

Finally the second portion of the VBS story...
They visited the Sea of Galilee and the Galilean Marketplace.

The offerings at the sea included fishing, rope making and working on a fishing net. Sully enjoyed the net almost as much as Nathan liked weaving. While Sully spent the entire time working on the fishing net, Nathan tried all the activities.

After their seaside journey, they joined some hunters who showed them different techniques including javelin throwing and slingshots. Here they are trying to hit a target with a slingshot.

Then off to the marketplace...
The fellowship hall was decked out with terrific decorations that transported the kids back in time.
Assignments were made upon entering the marketplace for bread makers and for one of the tribe to gather water from the well. The bread makers went into the kitchen where they pressed out pita dough that was then baked and brought to the tribes during closing time. The water was gathered from clean two-liter bottles that were tied to ropes hung over a well made of stone pavers.

The shops included a sandal-maker, jewelry-maker, weaver, toy shop, pottery maker, stonemason, a shop where they could hand the "fish" they caught on a mobile, and a wood-worker's shop where they could make menorahs. They also had an open air food market with fruits and bread to try.
Here they are making sandals...

Synagogue School (VBS)

A Seder plate and Matzoh for everyone helped to explain the Passover, and a tiny bit of Matzoh (not enough to go around) demonstrated the time that Jesus made a little go a long way when he fed the crowds.

This lesson, which was particularly memorable, was on leprosy and how Jesus healed the sick. The "rabbi" put mud on his hand and then shook hands with the kids and explained that the unclean lepers were not allowed to be touched and how Jesus not only touched but healed them. Nathan immediately tucked his arms into his shirt and completely avoided the mud. Sully, of course, was right in there with a vigorous handshake.




Notice the look on Nathan's face and that his hands are nowhere to be seen.


After the mud, the rabbi pulled out a pitcher of clean water and explained that this water would wash the mud like Jesus washed the lepers clean and healed them.

On the way out Nathan explained that when he saw the mud he thought, "No way am I shaking his hand." When he saw the water he wished that he had but he wasn't going to take the chance that he'd be unable to get the mud off.

Independence Day

I hope everyone had a terrific July 4th.

Come to Galilee

As promised here are some photos of the most awesome Vacation Bible School I've ever witnessed.

The theme was Galilee by the Sea and the church transformed their fellowship hall to a Galilean marketplace, the youth building became the synagogue school and the sand pit, with a boat, fishing nets and scenery, was the sea.

They began each evening by gathering with their tribes outside, sitting on blankets. Sully and Nathan were in the tribe of Judah... Sully thought it was especially cool because of this shirt that he got for Christmas and loves. They were led in song and dancing (hand motions) as a group and then turned to their tribes to experience some rituals that the tribes of Israel would have practiced. Those that I remember include lighting the "oil lamp", "kissing" the Mezuzah, and smelling the spices.


After tribe time the kids went to the marketplace, the synagogue school or the sea. They had lessons in the school, games at the sea and crafts in the marketplace.

While I had planned to make this only one post, I find that I have so many pictures that I will break them up into several posts so look for the second installment soon.

Weigh-in Week 8

Wow! Eight weeks already! This week, hands down, has been my best week so far. I'm down 3 pounds!!! - needless to say I'm very pleased. I'm one pound away from having lost 10 so next week I hope to be there. After that I've got another 20 to go then I'll be 1/3 of the way to my ultimate goal of losing 30. Last night was my last Pilate's class for a while but I'm pulling out the tapes this week and Kevin is looking at an Elliptical machine on craigslist that I plan to use for more than just a clothes hanger. I also have great intentions of getting up early and walking 2 miles but I'm not there yet.