Fort DeSoto

The view at the top of Ft. Desoto

It is safe to say that camping is now becoming a pastime for our family.  Our children love it, and Jeremy and I tolerate it enough to make it into a really nice family weekend :)

This weekend was our long anticipated trip to Fort DeSoto, on the southern tip of the St. Pete peninsula.  This campground is so popular, that you have to book a site months in advance.  We finally see why.  It was a wonderful weekend.

Since it gets dark around 6:00, I knew Jeremy wasn't going to make it to the site before then, so the kids and I went early and set up our brand new, condo sized tent together.  It was a challenge, but we did it (mostly with Nicole's help).  It did not help that it was threatening to pour on us at any moment, so our work was a little rushed.  But we did it...we got our new tent up.

Our Tent!

Just after the tent went up, our friends pulled up to camp beside us for the weekend.  Jessica and I have been friends for so long, that we don't even remember when we first met.  We do know that we played softball together starting around age 9 or 10.

The kiddos, exploring near the water.

So, Jess and her family joined us.  It was their first time camping as a family!  It could not have been any better.  Our children are all about the same age, and they love each other, so it was easy to keep them entertained.

keeping the little ones busy while their mom and dad set up.

Our first night was quickly met with darkness.  I made a tin foil meal, that I happened to think was quite delicious.  It was potatoes, carrots, onions, and ground beef, with some Montreal season on top.  I wrapped those ingredients up in foil, tossed it in the camp fire, and we had a yummy little dinner.  I'll be trying more varieties of these.

My foil dinner- yumm-o!

Of course, we all had roasted marshmallows, s'mores, and the boys ate a 'mallow dog'.

Weird flash, but, having fun with friends.

'mallow dogs!

The next day, after breakfast

Nothing better than camp fire bacon...well, I cooked it over gas, and it got burnt, but you know...it's the experience.

, we went to the pier and tried our hand at fishing.  The kids were very excited, but it took nearly an hour and a half before anyone caught anything.  However, we saw lots of dolphins (they loved the strong current around the pier).

Finally though, after many lost shrimp, Nicole hooked a fish.  Unbelievably, she hooked it on a fresh water lure!

Reel it in!

It turned out to be a very nice sized Spanish Mackerel.

We created quite a ruckus as we all shrieked with excitement, that many others on the pier came over to watch.

Can you see the pride?!?

Nicole was so excited!

I love this picture!  Great moment!

Writing in her journal.  First it said, "I am not catching anything.  I am mad."  Late she got to write, "I caught a fish.  I am soooo happy!"

After lunch, we went to explore the fort.  There is a long history with Fort DeSoto, that maybe we'll try to learn about next time ;)  For now, we just had fun pretending to be prisoners,

Help!  They've been captured!

playing with the old cannons,

That's Aleyah's little face at the end!

Checking out holes in the walls,

Finally, some young male bonding going on.

Nicole and Ashlynd found a lizard that was hurt.  Nicole put a band aid on it : /

and climbing trees.

Although my heart was pounding, and I occasionally freaked out, I really liked that the kids were climbing trees.

Tree huggers ;)

Hannah made it!  (Jeremy is standing on the roof of a shelter, don't tell!)

Aleyah made it too

There's Ashlynd

Finally, Nicole made it to the top.

Nate's turn.

Once we got back to the camp site, we needed a little down time, so I did a craft with the girls.  We made little bags out of duct tape....it was cute, and fun for them.

They all loved their bags, and put their little lovie animals inside.

We had more s'mores that night, and there was not as much food out for the coons to steal (they actually got into my cooler the night before and ran off with my bacon!  Pesky things!)

Nicole and Ashlynd were trying to think of a way to trap the raccoon. 

But, she ended up with a crab on her head.

Sunday morning consisted mainly of cleaning up and breaking camp down.  Nicole was very helpful.

And, the other girls did some more crafts.

While Nathan ran around the site like a crazy person.

We had a really great time.

An Ode to our Sofa

After 9 years, we are finally letting go of our favorite living room furniture. It was given to us by our friends, Mark & Michelle Helweg. This sofa & chair have given us comfortable rest when we have been sick and after surgeries, has welcomed friends, family, and acquaintances into our home. They have been the seat of choice for hundreds of weekly men's Bible studies. There were a place of physical rest after long days at work, delivery of three babies, and mourning two losses. Jeremy first told me that he loved me while sitting on the chair at the Helweg's house, before they were even ours:) Although I realize that they are only couches, they have been a blessing since the first day we received them. We have outgrown them and need to move on, but as the set leaves our home today, they carry with them many memories. The cushions have caught our tears and our laughter. More recently, they have become a source of fun for our children as they build forts with the cushions and pillows, practice acrobatics, and wrestle together.

Thank you Mark and Michelle for passing them on to us so many years ago.

 — 

And.....here is our new sofa!

Besides the fact that I will never purchase something from American Signature Furniture again, I love these sofas!  We can finally all sit together.  Jeremy and I can sit comfortable with one another, and still lay down or see the TV if we are watching a movie (which we haven't yet....can someone add a few more hours to our day?).  I am super happy with it!

Just being silly together

A few weeks ago, the girls went to a birthday party where they got their hair put up in a fancy hair do.  Since then, we've had fun trying our own styles as well.

The other day, we did a sideways french braid.

Sassy!

I thought it looked cute.

Then Nicole added a headband, feather, and dress up outfit to look like an Indian.

As always, school is more fun when you are dressed up.

We went to the museum and played in the theater area.  The kids love that section.  We dress up and act out our stories.

The girls, with their friend Claire

Nate is a frog, hahaha

Nicole really likes to run the lights and sound.

Nicole has been enjoying the nice weather lately and been outside a lot.  She has created her own rope swing.  Here she is...chillin like a villain.

Nathan had his last day of nursery last Sunday.  He will be moving on to the older class with Nicole and Hannah next week.  After 7 1/2 years of working in the nursery, I will now serve there without any of my children being with me.  It's bitter sweet.

I bought Nathan a Pez dispenser the other day.  He calls it a Candy Machine.

CC weeks 10 & 11, and other random school work

Week 10 of CC, our community did sunprints.  The kids thought it was pretty neat.  We had extra paper, so we did a few more sunprints at home with some neighborhood friends.

Nicole, walking her sunprint to the shade to be deactivated

Our review game- puzzler.  Students form groups and race to put together a puzzle of the world or USA.  In order to earn the pieces, they must answer a memory work question.  Then they roll a die that tells them how many puzzle pieces to receive.

Lunch with the girls:)

This past week, our community made constellation viewers.  This is one of the coolest projects we have done so far.

 At the clear, lid end of the pringles container is a paper with holes poked out to make the constellation.

 At the tin end, we tapped a hole with a nail.  Now they can look up and try to find the constellations.  Here are the directions that we used.

We also went to our monthly science class at Crystal Springs Preserve.  This month, we dissected owl pellets (which we have done before in CC).

The girls really enjoyed playing a game to learn about the five owl species in Florida, and then listening and mimicking their calls.

Hannah is enjoying her new math curriculum.

Hannah made a graph about transportation in our neighborhood.

Hannah and her little friend Viana, reading together outside

Nate is practicing writing his name, using scissors, and general CC information.