A Petting Zoo Like No Other!

     A few days ago, my sweet children were playing outside. It was a good day for catching critters, so they decided to set up a petting zoo. When they had everything together, they called my husband and me over for the grand opening. And boy was it grand!!!
     Across the entrance, they had a ribbon tied (some bias tape from my sewing stash). Silas cut the "ribbon" and we all clapped! Oh, but that wasn't all! You know how sometimes doves are released? Well, Silas opened his net and out flew a dragonfly across the clear blue sky! He worked with what he had, you know. Ha! We gasped in amazement!
      Then we were allowed to enter and see the exhibits. First up was a beautiful turtle which Camden named Vinder, because his coloring reminded Camden of a vine. Yes, my kids are awesome!

 Next, was a cup of worms. Oookay then.

 Finally, were two "racing lizards" named Lightning and Cutie. They caught lightning (the super sized one) the day before, but didn't want to let him go until they caught another racing lizard to race him against. (I have a policy that we only keep wild critters for 24 to 48 hours. There have been a couple exceptions though. Thankfully another racing lizard was found the next day, and I didn't have to think about making an exception.)
Lightning is on the top left and Cutie is on the bottom left.

 The kids are constantly catching little animals around our place, but I enjoyed seeing them make them a part of their creative play! They have also used them for their emergency animal rescue, but sadly bugs (especially grasshoppers) usually don't make it out of the rescue station alive. I wish I had caught pictures of the ribbon cutting and the dragonfly release, but I wasn't expecting all of that. But oh how I love their creativity!

A Beekeeper's a Beekeeper No Matter How Small

     A while back, when I was homeschooling my oldest child in kindergarten, we were doing a one week unit study on honeybees. Thank you My Father's World! As was a routine occurrence for us back then (tougher now that I have my little ones), we went to the library and checked out all of the books we could find on the subject. Well...that wasn't enough. Silas took such an interest that we began YouTubing honey bees. Then, we called people who knew people and went on a beekeeping field trip with friends and family in tow.
     This friend of the family was very knowledgeable and GREAT with the kids!

 

      This "week long" study turned into months and now it's been a few years. And now my husband and son just finished up attending a series of beekeeping classes.
     Well, last summer, Silas finally talked his daddy into beekeeping. Now we have thousands and thousands of pets. Honey Bees! They are a true testament to how amazing God is! The fact that they do what they do and they do it well! How creative and detailed God is! There are many verses in the Bible on honey, which lets us know the importance that God puts on them too!
     In the beginning of this journey, we learned all about the biology of the bee. We learned how they run a hive, who does what job, and reasons why they are so important. We read about beekeeping too, but being out in it helps us learn so much more at a much deeper level. I love to learn about most anything, but to see my children (Yes, my other kids are now interested.) have such a passion for learning gives me such joy!
     These are some pictures of  my husband, my five-year-old (Camden), and a friend of the family who got into beekeeping the same time we did. We were doing a routine hive check. At the time, we only had one kid suit, so that's why Silas isn't out there. We had to take turns.

 Here they are just opening up the hive.

 

My husband is inspecting a frame to make sure all is healthy and well. 

 

 Now everyone is inspecting.

 

     Camden is using the smoker to calm the bees. Although, I think he got a little too close! Oh well. He's learning! 

 

Here's a look into a hive. 

 

     If you look close, you can see the bright white shiny larvae inside many of the cells. After each one gets good and fed for a while, a worker bee will seal up the cell. Then the bee will mature before it chews through to get out. You can see the covered cells.

 

    

      You can also see a couple of new adult bees emerging from their cells and getting ready for their first job, which is cleaning the cells.

 

  Bee's everywhere!!!  

 

 

 Camden is using the brush in attempt to clean bees off of his daddy. It's a horse hair brush, so as not to hurt any of the bees. But, with Camden, anything is possible!

 

Now he is brushing the bee's from the top, so that when the next box is set on top, no bees will be injured in the process. 

 

     As you can tell, these next pictures were taken by a way better photographer than me. My sister-in-law captured these of  my amazing husband rehoming a swarm of bees who decided to park in a bush right beside our church doors as church was letting out.

 

Kind of like a bundle of grapes!



     So, you see, our family has embarked on an interesting journey. I am sad I don't have any pictures of Silas, the one who started it all. I will be sure to post some pictures of him beekeeping, the next time he gets out there.

     Have I learned anything from this journey? Absolutely! A million things! But there is something I would like to share with you. I know this may seem a little extreme to let our little ones talk us into something like this, but I do want to use this post to encourage you. If your child has an interest, whether it be photography, or cooking, or piloting a plane, please pay attention. Am I saying go buy your little pilot an airplane? No. But sometimes, go beyond the pretend play. Study with them. Take trips. Meet people. Don't ignore it, and don't squash their interests because they seem too extreme. Many kids are interested in things that go beyond what kids are supposed to like. It's fun to imagine, and some things will have to stop there. I really can't help Camden have a dinosaur zoo right now. But, I know that I can expand his knowledge and he can go places, and he can meet people. And who knows, maybe I'll develop and interest in that too. Our whole family loves our new hobby. Maybe you'll love your child's new interest too. If not, I can promise you this. You will love watching your child love it and watching him dig deeper and discover! An indescribable feeling!!! Plus, it may be an avenue that God uses for our kids to help us live a little! 

 

 

A Bliss Post

Today...A post for Bliss.
Age: 3 years 7 months

1. Bliss' current favorite book is Inside, Outside, Upside Down. It's a Bernstein Bear book. Her favorite quote, "Momma! Momma! I went to town, inside, outside, upside down!" She has to say that part. Her hand usually goes over my mouth just in case I might try to steal her part!

2. She likes "the ice song" (Frozen Heart) from Frozen, and wants to listen to it over and over and over. The other three kids like it even more than she does. Pretty sure most people just skip over that one on the sound track.

3. Jungle Book 2 is a favorite movie right now. She likes the bear and the girl.

4. She loves to sing songs. I love to hear her sing, but am not sure others can appreciate it quite like I do. Ha! Ha!
5. Bliss has some cysts on her vocal chords. That is what causes her to sound so raspy. The doctors are working on a plan to get to the bottom of everything so that she can begin to heal.
6. Bliss is in Speech Therapy and, though she still has a long way to go, she's making huge progress!
7. When she needs to use the restroom she says, "I need to go peep."
8. She nicknames people. Sometimes on purpose, and sometimes because she can't pronounce their real name and it comes out pretty comical!
9. Bliss loves wearing leggings, but calls them panty hose.
10. Her current favorite color is purple.
11. She got a cute little haircut.

12. She likes both, but prefers almond milk to cow's milk.
13. She has one volume. LOUD!
14. Bugs and lizards fear her.
15. She has a My Little Pony towel her dad surprised her with. She calls it her towel blanket. That way she can cover up with it at night. She will not use it as a towel.

 

16. She is uncomfortable being complimented on her looks. Not sure why. That is a bit difficult for me. Love everything about my baby girl. And that includes her physical appearance.

 

Ta Ta for now!



 

 

Goodbye 2013!

     For the past few weeks leading up to the new year, all I could think about was how 2013 was a really bad year for my family. Zeb has spent most of his little life sick. We’ve had to process news about some medical things going on with Camden and then turn life upside down to help him deal. Bliss had to start speech therapy, and we found out she has something wrong with her voice box. The treatment hasn’t been working, so we are back to square one.  I have had to battle some postpartum depression (and frustration because my baby weight is NOT coming off).  Add in homeschool, a busy husband growing his business, some other things I don't care to get into, plus everyone’s normal pressures of life, and you can see how things might be a little nerve-wracking.

     I was just ready to move on and turn a new page. I know nothing magical happens between December 31^st and January 1^st, but I was anxious to have something symbolic of a fresh start. Then last night before bed (I did not stay awake to bring in the New Year), something hit me. Zeb has been sick a lot, but not with anything life-threatening. Camden does have a nervous system disorder, but God has put us in a great position to help him learn to cope and learn to live life “normally”. Bliss does has something going on with her voice box. But without articulation issues and needing therapy, her therapist wouldn’t have been there to tell us she thought there was a problem, and we wouldn’t have sought help. Homeschooling has been a HUGE challenge this year, but I am so blessed to be in a position where I can be my children’s teacher and have some flexibility and teach them in a way that is best for them. Matt has worked a lot, but his business is booming, and God is beginning to reveal to us the next step we need to take with it. And, through all of this, I have had friends to support me and offer me encouragement. These things are praises!

     Also, I have learned a lot from this year. Many people make New Year’s resolutions. They plan what they want to happen in the future. I, instead, am going to list what I learned in the past. Accomplishments in my book!

     This past year:

·        I have learned even more patience.

             - from helping Camden work through his sensory meltdowns.
             -  from schooling a child with dyslexia and some obsessive behaviors
             - from having four kids. Ha! Ha!

• I have become even less judgmental, and realized more that things aren't always what they seem.  I have learned to think about not just people’s actions, but the reason behind their actions.

             -due to some things going on with another family member

       - due to my child having issues that many misinterpret as bad behavior from lack of discipline.

·        It has become more evident to me that everything happens for a reason.

       -by way of Bliss needing speech, but it becoming a doorway to discovering more serious underlying issues.

·        I have learned to be more careful about saying things I don’t mean.

       - I battled a lot of bad feelings for several months after Zeb was born, and said things I can't make people forget.

·        I have learned that I can’t do everything on my own. I always tell my kids, “There is only one of me and four of you.” But recently, I have finally started telling myself, "There is only one of me and four of them." That is big for me. I have to get help even if I have to pay for it, and I don’t like to spend money. I’m only one person though, and if it blesses my family, it is money well spent. 
      -I plan to continue get a babysitter once every week or two so I can clean, grocery shop, prepare freezer meals, or go on a date. 

• This past year is just another reminder that GOD IS FAITHFUL!

     Many of these lessons seem so cliché. Sure we hear them all the time, but do we really take them to heart? This year, I have really taken them to heart. I have really grown. This has not been my only bad year. I have had some doosies in my lifetime. I always tell people, though; I wouldn’t change my past because it is what has made me the person I am today. It has put me in the place I am today.

This is the place I am today.

I think I’ll keep it. While I welcome a more restful year this year, I can truly say, it is well with my soul.

P.S. I’m sure I will make some resolutions for the year like many others, so let’s pray for positive changes for one another. I have been encouraged from seeing people who have had a transforming  year this past year.