Joy has to be a priority!!

I need to thank Pastor Chuck for that wonderful quote, "Joy has to be a priority". Two weeks ago as he was finishing a sermon series on "Play" he said this and I knew that it would be the title of my next post!
I think there is a period in the life of every "mom" in which she forgets to put a priority on her own joy. We are so busy raising kids and enjoying their "joyful' moments that we tend to put a priority on their happiness. Don't get me wrong.....I have been plenty happy watching my kids enjoy themselves but I often failed to branch out on my own and develop my own "play bucket list".

A "play bucket list" is a list of things that I have always wanted to do for enjoyment. Some of them I have never even mentioned to Sir Bill!! So, here is my list....I figure if I make it public I will actually be held accountable by one of the ten people who actually read this!!!!

1. Learn to shoot a pistol.
2. Drive a combine (or other piece of large farm equipment)!
3. Hike in as many of the US states as I possibly can.
4. Learn how to really play bocce...not just pretend!
5. Camp at least once a year.
6. Fly Fish.
7. Make my own fishing lures.
8. Rock Climb (baby steps at first, people).
9. Become an expert cookie and cupcake baker. I'm pretty close to that already!
10.Climb Trees. At one of those places that actually puts you in a harness!! I'm not stupid.
11. Learn to dance......with Bill. Problem is I don't think this is on his bucket list.
12. Walk in 5ks for charitable events.

Twelve is enough for now. I'll keep adding to my list though...and I'll let you in on a little secret.....I've located a combine!!

Just a note. I know the pictures have nothing to do with my bucket list but I wanted to share some of Christian "the king of joy". He knows how to play and he does it well!

Montgomery Park in Montgomery, Ohio!

Wednesdays are a special day for us. It is Anna's day off from gymnastics and a short school day for us. Well, I make it a short school day so we can get out and play!!
We are on a mission to find the best playground in the tri-state area. So, many of our Wednesdays include trips to different neighborhoods! Let me say up front that a great playground should always have a great treat possibility nearby!!
Montgomery Park is on the corner of Montgomery Road and Schoolhouse Road. For your treat pleasures The Original Pancake House and Aglamesis Brothers Chocolates and Ice Cream are within walking distance!!

We love it when playgrounds include the "not so ordinary equipment". This one has many of the newer and unique pieces. There are two large play sets. One encourages strategic climbing skills while the other allows kids to test their balance in a number of different ways!

Kids can spin and balance to their hearts content!! Anna really enjoys spinning. That is why we save treats until after we are finished at the park!!

Montgomery Park also has preschool play equipment along with mini backhoes for sand digging. I loved those cute little things but Anna's legs were a little to long to fit on the baby backhoes!! I was a little tempted myself to get on but could see myself getting stuck and having to ask the park crew to rescue me!!

A really nice basketball court sits in a shaded area and there is also a small baseball field. Restrooms are on the premises and many picnic tables, too.

Very nice park!! We would rate it a "7" on a 1-10 scale!! So give it a look!!

The End of a Season

Most people mark the end of fall by the calendar - December 20. I however mark the end of fall by the date that all those darn leaves are cleared from the property!! You see, we have about 3 acres with about 20 mature trees and it takes us pretty much a whole month and a half to clear them off! Many of my friends comment on how beautiful our home and property are but are soooo happy they are not the owners of all those leaves that fall each autumn! So when they are finally off of the trees and off of the lawn we have our ceremonious picture taking event. I had to have Grams and Gramps get in on the action. After all they have been raking these leaves for --oh, about a 40 years! (not sure why they wouldn't sit down in the pile though, party poopers!).
Anna and the pup were next to have their picture done. It was a hot fall day. Can't you tell by the 12 inch tongue hanging out of the dog's mouth? She's probably dripping slobber all over those leaves that Anna will jump in later!!!


Even that crazy couple below stopped long enough for a photo-op!

Now this is the only remaining pile in the yard! Yahoo! We will leave this one as a drop zone for Anna's zip line and a place for the pup to lose all of her outdoor toys!!

Now that the lawn is clear - Bring on the Snow!!

Day Trip - Dayton, Ohio - Riverscape

Our final destination was to Riverscape part of Dayton's metro park system. Riverscape is right along the river and is home to this spray fountain!
Anna enjoyed herself and lucky us - she had the fountain to herself!! I imagine during the early afternoon hours this place is packed. It has a wonderful view of the river and the landscaping is awesome!!

Out on the river are a number of water jets that send shooting water across the river. The central geyser sends water shooting about 200' in the air! Very impressive and fun to watch. Paddle boats and bikes are available for rent here. They also offer laser light shows at various time throughout the warmer months. Also, the Dayton Dragons minor league baseball team plays very close to this park!! So, I know we'll be heading back up in the future!

This was a great one day vacation!! Three different places all in one day! We came home tired but enjoyed every single minute of our time in Dayton!

Day Trip - Dayton, Ohio - Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

After an enjoyable morning at Cox Arboretum we had planned to visit the metro park Riverscape. It was still cloudy and chilly (not enjoyable weather for running through water fountains!!). So, we decided to find this museum in Dayton that many other homeschoolers have told me about. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is another Dayton gem!! I am very sad that we had not taken advantage of it when my kids were younger. Many great things are found inside including a reduced fee admission price if you belong to the Cincinnati Zoo! Yahoo!!

There is so much to do here that I couldn't explain it all. Anna spent a good half an hour at the color wall. This screen was amazing. Since I am not techno savvy the best I can tell you is that Anna's movements were recorded and then changed into various color combinations and placed on the big screen!! She had the whole room to herself and used the opportunity to do many gymnastics skills and watch them back on the color wall. Below is a press handstand and above is a press handstand (in red) split into four with added color!! Let me tell you the price of admission was worth the fun we had at the color screen! It took back handsprings and front walkovers to a whole new level!!!

Boonshoft works hard at making learning fun. Below, Bill is explaining some sort of water pressure thingy. Bill is good at explaining stuff!! He reads all of the printed materials at all of the museums so he is up to snuff on much more than I am!!

They also have a wildlife of Ohio exhibit which was quite informative. Zoo Keepers come out a various times during the day to offer animal shows. The otters are too cute to miss!!
After Boonshoft the weather turned hot and sunny and even though it was getting close to rush hour we decided to take Anna downtown to the river! Next post, Riverscape.

Day Trip - Dayton, Ohio - Part One- Cox Arboretum

A few weeks ago we took a little road trip up to Dayton, Ohio. There is so much to do in Dayton but on this particular day we decided to concentrate on Cox Arboretum and Riverscape. Unfortunately, the day started out a bit cloudy and chilly; but, fortunately, we were able to change our plans a little and include one more indoor stop - The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery! I'll concentrate on the Cox Arboretum for this post. Wow, what a beautiful place!! About 3 - 4 miles of walking trails intermixed between amazing landscaping. Beautiful flowers, mature trees and little ponds were around every corner. Above, Bill and Anna are chasing each other through a shrubbery maze. The edible garden area is a must see. Both older and younger members of any family would enjoy a picnic here.

Cox Arboretum also is the home of a small butterfly house. We spent a good 20 - 25 minutes inside finding many caterpillars, butterflies and moths. Volunteers were available to answer our questions.

I believe the house is open during the summer months and closes right after Labor Day. Anna enjoyed her time here. I think she would say that her most favorite thing was the border collie, Zip, who guards the ponds and keeps the geese away!! Very enjoyable trip!!

Next stop, Boonshoft!!

Road Trip to Oxford:Part Two - Treasure!

Treasure! We collected and observed a lot of great stuff on our creek walk. Below are a number of the fossils that we collected: brachiopods, bryozoa and horn coral. I was the expert finder of horn coral!! Too bad I can't make money off of these! Anna and Bill were the experts at finding the live animals. Leave it to me to find "the dead and fossilized ones". Here is a little newt in Anna's hand.

This one is a little crayfish. Bill has the talent of picking up just the right rocks with these little guys underneath. Anna held one but this is a pic of a bigger one in the water. Anna wouldn't hold the big ones.

Finally, our toad friend. Actually, we had many toad friends for the day. Anna named each one. I think this is Hoppy. Maybe its not Hoppy. They all looked quite a bit alike. We also saw many snakes and one deer. I'd say we loaded up on treasure during this adventure!!

Road Trip to Oxford, Ohio: Part One

On Wednesday we decided to take a little jaunt up to Oxford, Ohio. We go up about 3-4 times a year to visit my old stomping grounds, Miami U. Go Redhawks!!! But for this trip we had a different adventure in store for us. Creeking at Pfeffer Park! Before I go any further, check out the muscles on this girl. Mercy!We had a lot of fun exploring. Some parts were deep enough for Anna to throw in her tube and relax. She was able to relax after we forced her to tolerate the four inch fish which swam within. Mercy.

She had a great time once she conquered her fear of what awaited her in the deep, deep water(about three and half feet!!!).

Most of our time at the park was spent looking for wildlife, fossils and enjoying the great outdoors. Next post - part two with all of our treasures.

Outdoor Toys

So after my last post on child's play I thought I'd write about "the best outdoor toys" in the history of our family. By far, at least in Anna's mind, is the Zip Line!! We are a fortunate bunch to live on about 3 acres and have ginormous trees and have a child that is able to climb big ladders! But I think other families could take advantage of a zip line even without some of these things. Our neighbors with much younger children have a zip line that is closer to the ground to accommodate feet touching. This picture of ours is a bit deceiving, Anna's feet don't really come that close to the ground. The exercise benefit of this is great, too. Cause after you zip down, you have to pull the handles back up to the top!

Our most recent outdoor toy purchase is called a Twizzler. It is a handle bar that is attached to a rope. It also is hung from a tree but I'm thinking it could be hung from anything just so it hangs five or more feet off the ground. Sorry I have no picture yet but it is really a pretty simple toy that packs a big punch. If you hate amusement rides like The Tea Cups at Disney then this toy is not for you.
Really, this toy is not so much for me! Two spins and I feel like I'm going to throw up! The first time I was on it I had just finished a big salad - not good! But, believe me, kids LOVE it! Anna will spin herself over and over and still come back for more. Added bonus, it will also swing you while you spin. Big plus - it was $25 dollars! Cheaper than the amusement park!

Our other favorites for outdoor play would include: fort/tree house, wiffle ball/baseball, mud, butterfly net, scooters, dirt, water hoses, sidewalk chalk (simple, but versatile), sand, pogo stick, slip and slide (which Christian says is the "best for playing pickle" because it creates a lot of mud) and rocket balloons!

One last toy to mention that Anna received at Easter. It is called a Sky Ball and is about as big as a softball. This baby will bounce about 30 or more feet in the air! Even on its second or third bounce! Not sure about Anna but I am in love with it!

Fire Starters

Starting fires has always been reserved for the men in our family. Mainly because it brings out the manliness in them. Same as using the chainsaw and heavy equipment. Then they stand around and admire all of their manly work.
Well, on Memorial Day I made it known that we were roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire pit (because that was the only food I had left in the house). Sir Christian was away; Kind Sir Bill was constructing an email: and I was getting impatient to eat. So.....Anna and I decide to start the blaze ourselves.

And let me tell you it was a mighty blaze. The flames shot about 7-8 feet in the air ( I think because we lit pine branches!!). We stood there watching our beautiful creation - admiring our hard work - and then did something no man would ever think of - went in and grabbed the camera!! Cause you know we girls have to scrapbook about this!!

PS. Please don't scold me for allowing my child to play with the flame. She is almost 13 and, well, she is my youngest and I have loosened up quite a bit over the years. Besides, we have found just one more activity to bond over.

Garden Wisdom

Here is the Garden Wisdom for the day..................START ONE!!
Don't these asparagus spears look tasty? We have been harvesting these babies for two months and let me tell you - they are yummy!! Boil for one minute, drain, submerge in ice cold water, dry, dip in ranch dressing, and enjoy!! Makes me cry just thinking about it!
Asparagus not your thing? Try this easy crop - lettuce. You don't even need a piece of land. Just plop those tiny seeds into a patio planter and enjoy!!! While your planting the lettuce you might as well put in a pepper or tomato plant. When everything ripens you'll have salad right outside your door!! Miraculous.

Don't forget the kiddos. What kid doesn't want to play in the dirt? Anna has gone garden crazy. The pic below shows her putting in one of ten pepper plants. She was wondering if gardening seemed a bit "nerdy". I told her who cares when asparagus is $1.29 lb. and we are getting it for FREE! Garden nerds RULE!!

Planting Season

I think every kid should experience growing a garden. It is one of those 100 things that every child needs to do before they grow up. Anna had a friend over in the fall and she noticed a small pumpkin sitting on our kitchen counter. The friend was in disbelief that we grew it in our own yard!! She thought pumpkins could only be grown on huge farms and bought at the market!!

This week we had some warm dry weather so Anna Leigh enlisted the Grams to help her plant lettuce. Grandma and Grandpa offer the best gardening wisdom so we are very fortunate to have them right in our own backyard!! Actually, they offer some of the best wisdom in regards to just about everything so we are super lucky that they live right next door!!

Anna will probably plant tomatoes, peppers of all varieties, zucchini, yellow squash, wild flowers, and of course pumpkins (with Gramps!) as the planting season continues. I'll keep you posted with garden updates!

Treasure Hunting!!

Have you ever seen the 1985 movie The Goonies? The one where the kids find the treasure map and head out on an adventure? I always wanted to be one of those kids......And for the past two years I have lived my dream!!! Well, sort of. I am a letterboxer!!!

Letterboxing gives you all of the "thrill of the hunt" fun that was present in the movie without any of the danger and kid quirkiness. Well, maybe some of the quirkiness depending on who you take letterboxing with you!!

Letterboxes are hidden all over the world and you can find their "clues" on various websites. My favorite is http://www.atlasquest.com/. Clues lead you to a box filled with a stamp and a logbook. Once found you put the stamp mark in your logbook and you place your signature stamp in the logbook that is hidden. Understand? Pretty easy and pretty much a great time! This is a picture of the letterboxing stuff - clue, stamp books, my stamp (in the shape of Ohio), Anna' stamp and the hidden stamp. My stamp is hand carved by my super talented husband!!!

Yesterday, we found "The Grabby Ghost of Promont" box in Milford, Ohio. The Promont is a beautiful Victorian house built in 1865. Tours are given and apparently there is a bit of a ghost story told about the house. So the stamp inside the letterbox was related to this story. Very cool.

Anna Leigh took all of the pics. My favorite is the one below of the front doors. Through the front doors you can see all the way through to the back wall of the house. An amazing stained glass window is on that back wall and Anna was able to capture it. Lots of fun!!!

The educational benefits of letterboxing have been super. Letterboxing allows us to visit interesting places in our own city that we may not even know about. It has also been great when traveling - finding new and fun places to visit some with historical significance. And following the clues given are great for critical thinking skills!! A great hobby with great benefits!!!!

Snow Days!!

Over the past week we got about 10 inches of snow! Our almost 3 acres was beautiful especially with the ice covering the trees!

Anna Leigh, Bill and Savvy enjoyed it the most. Bill and Anna Leigh went sledding about 3 times and Anna Leigh and her sidekick, Savvy, enjoyed the park next door.

We let Savvy off of her leash at the park and she ran like a crazy dog!!

Her favorite thing to do was to run up the ramp of the playground equipment and slide down the slide! She would do this over and over again! Here is a pic of her waiting at the bottom to greet Anna Leigh!!

One of my new favorite activities was night hiking over to the park with Bill, Anna Leigh, and Savvy. The snow and ice covered park looked amazing in the moonlight! Great memories!!!