Epic Trip

We started planning this trip with just wanting to get out and visit our Grandmothers and other family, but it soon morphed into an Epic journey of crossing the United States.

We started this journey at the Puget Sound. Eventually we'll get to the Rhode Island Sound, so instead of going ocean to ocean, we're going sound to sound.

The kids actually started the journey about two hours before we left.  They were so excited they sat in the car, waiting for us to be ready and eating half the candy we had been saving for our trip.

Just traveling 9 hours from our home we saw mountains, plains, deserts, lakes, rivers, gorges, more mountains. It was amazing how fast the scenery changed. 

We stopped here by the Colombia Gorge for lunch.  We got out of the car and the first thing we saw was sign saying watch for rattlesnakes.  We braved the rattlesnake infested area and hiked all the way up to these statues. 

It was a little scary on the way up.  The ground was rocky/sandy.  It was even scarier on the way down.

After this picture was taken, Lura jumped off the rock, losing her balance and almost fell down the cliff.  It was a looooooooooooonnnngggg way down.

Everyone made it up there. Sam stopped a quarter of the way up because he didn't want to see the horses and it was really, really hot. (We were shocked by how hot it was, just 1 hour before we had stopped at a fruit stand and it had been nice and cool, perfect weather).  Sam eventually made his way up, but only because he demanded to know why it was taking us 20 min.

We made it to Missoula last night and will spend the next couple of days in Yellowstone.

My one talent

My only true talent is braiding hair. I have three boys and a little girl who doesn't like braids.  Bummer.

Helpful Info for the Greek Hero

"If you are a Greek hero be warned there are no happy endings for you. You really have to be warned there really are almost no happy endings for Greek heros." - Super A

It's Been a While

It's been a while since we had a good working camera. I'll have to update our life in a blur later in exchange for this post which will feature Super L's special surprise that I've been working on a couple of min. here and there.  I finished it Sat.

Here's the back

I wanted to add a video of the twirl factor, but Blogger has changed it's format and I can't find a video symbol.

I used  Sewing Clothes Kids Love To Wear by Nancy Langdon.
This is not a dress to put together in an afternoon.  It's a dress that takes a couple of days, so be prepared.  Love the results though and Super L does too.

Super L's First Day of School

The new backpack (Aunt Sarah must be jealous).


The long walk to the bus stop



Waiting (the bus was 15 minutes late)

Getting off the bus after a great first day.



Super L says, "My first day of school was great. I learned the stuff that my teacher knows is dangerous like sticking scissors in your mouth. Making friends is easy all you have to do is say hi and talk to people."

Getting Ready for School

We're preparing a study area for school.





We still have some work to do . . .

We'll get some stools, lights and maybe a small desk for Joshua.

Ape Caves

We went to the Ape Caves. Super A says, "I forgot, all about the Ape Caves. I was so disappointed that there were no man eating apes, to feed Samuel to. I went through a narrow cave and saw a cavern at the end.

(the picture makes it look bigger than it was)

"Only super S and I could fit back here. I wish super L was here."

Super S Says"I made to the very end of the cave and it was tiny.


"The cave was dark and cold, very cold. Also little drops of water, actually big drops of water, kept falling on my head. (but there were no giant fish)"


Super L says, "This little hole was the littlest hole. Last year I was 6 and I could barely fit through the hole. This year was the greatest year meeting new friends. At the big cave it was good, a couple drops fell on me. I tripped and fell, but I am OK. That cave had a small tunnel at the end but I didn't get to see it. "

Super J has nothing to say but this is what he looked like while he was playing in the small tunnel that is a lava casting of a fallen tree. . . .



Here is a picture of all of us.

Super A's B-Day Party

Super A finally had his party today. It was a GAMMA-WORLD party

Super's A and his quests in the time machine.


They were transported to the post-apocalyptic world of 2559. Where they fought a mutant three-headed frog.


Good thing they were wearing the strange black plastic armor.



They defeated the mutant monsters, repaired the time machine and made it home in time for cake and presents.

Super A’s Rust Experiments

Rust Experiment #1:

We wanted to know how metal rusted so . . . we put nails in water, boiled water, oil and air.

After 48 hours the results were . . .

1 Nail in oil . . . No rust what-so-ever

2 Nail in water . . . Bottom of the jar was stained with rust and the nail had a little rust

3 Nail in boiled water . . . Some rust in water and the nail was really rusty

4 Nail in air . . . tiny bit of rust

Conclusions: Nails rust in contact with water and air. Oil may protect nails from rusting. Air may make nail rust because of water vapor in the air. Water makes nails rust given enough time.

Experiment #1.5:

We wanted to know if vinegar would take the zinc off of a galvanized nail. We soaked the galvanized nail in vinegar until it stopped bubbling (it took a while before it started bubbling). Then we put the pre-soaked nail and a galvanized un-soaked nail in water.

Results: After 24 hours

1 Galvanized nail pre-soaked in vinegar: Is rusting.

2 Galvanized nail not soaked in vinegar: not rusting.

Conclusions: Zinc came off of the nail soaked in acid. Zinc is a very good way to prevent nails from rusting.

Experiment #2:

We wanted to know if oil would prevent a nail from rusting and if salty water would make a nail rust faster. We put a nail in oil that was floating on top of water, with part of the nail in water and part in oil. We put another nail in salty water (water mixed with 1tsp of salt) and a third nail in plain water.

Results . . . come back tomorrow.

Today

Super J has been spending a lot of time here.


And our house is definitely starting to smell. We are running out of clothes because all I do is wash Super J's clothes.

We made these cool playdough cookies today. I was totally inspired from another blogger. I wish I could remember who that blogger was. If it was you feel free to say so! Here's the recipe.
Ours look nothing like the recipe's, but what we truly make with playdough (except for mine, I tried to make it look like the recipe, because that's how creative I am with playdough).


This pic. is of the stuff Super A made. The thing in front is a bow and arrow. The ball at the end of the arrow will explode into fire when it hit's it's target. The thing just behind the arrow is the guy that shoots the arrow. I don't know if it uses it's arms or legs for shooting.



Here are pictures taken after I put Super A in charge of taking pictures of the cookies.

That's pizza on her face. We had just eaten lunch.

The flour we used for the cookies.

Cookies going in. You can also see from this picture our top secret pizza sauce recipe. Shhh... and how often I clean the oven. Again shhhh...

I guess there was other stuff on the table? Oh wait, that's the floor.

A pot? Hmmm...that has nothing to do with the cookies.


And what the heck is this???? I didn't even know we owned something this shade of yellow! If you know what it is you win a prize!! But since your answer will be non-verifiable we won't actually be responsible for sending you a prize. Seriously though, don't let this stop you from guessing.


I am racking my brain as to what this is.....

Sweaters

I found these two beautiful sweaters on Linky Thursday from StacySews. (Link to StacySews is no my sidebar). I would love t make them. They are gorgeous. I'm afraid, though, if I were to start making these beautiful sweaters they would just end up halfway done and then they would sit for 5 or 6 years before I'd get around to finishing them...or not.

Starting and Finishing

My friend is so close to finishing the Sew Liberated Apron that I've been helping her with. She'll finish up the bias binding at home. Look how nice it turned out!! The other side is a nice rich brown color. (I didn't get her permission to put her face on my blog, I hope it's alright that I put her body on it.)


Seeing her apron makes me want to make another one exactly like hers!

The gift group I'm starting will start with b-day crowns. I've never made one, so I played around with felt while my friend was working on her apron. Super J's birthday is next month so I started with his crown. Not sure I really like it. It's a good thing I started a couple of weeks before teaching the class!



Super J started and finished his pin project. I'm always finding myself saying things I never thought I'd say. Like today when I told him to put on his shoes and he could come back and play with the pins. You should know this was a lot less dangerous than what he wanted to do which was sticking the pins into the crown as I was sewing it in a super strong machine.



Super L also started and finished a project. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but she worked on it for 3 1/2 hours. I think it maybe a castle of some sort? She says I can take a picture of it when she's done. (She took the pic. herself, it is her creation after all :) )

Good News

The good news: Super J doesn't use diapers and loves his underwear!!! YAY
The bad news: Super J doesn't use the potty and I think the house may be starting to smell. BOO

What Have We Been Up To?

Let's start with Valentines.


Look all the sweet presents from my family.



This is a craft apron going to a girl who participated in a swap with me. (I've had it done for a while and will send it soon). I hope she likes it.


The next two pictures are of birthday presents. Super L picked out fabric for the letters.
The pillow case was for a boy who is active in all sorts of sports. You can't tell from the pic. but one of the fabrics has hockey stuff on it and another has bowling pins/bowling balls. (I spelled his name wrong, luckily I only had to add an extra T ).



Super L and I made this doll from Stitched in Time. I'm not sure if I like it, but Super L was so excited to give this gift! She stuffed the legs and arms and helped pick out the hair. She really wanted to keep this doll, but she also really wanted to give this special doll to her friend.


We stuffed this little doll into this cute bag that looked like a purse.



I don't have a picture, but I also hemmed two pairs of pants for a young missionary.

I am teaching a friend how to make this Emmeline Apron. Here's mine.


Here's the other side.



Super A went with Super L to her school's Sleepy Read. It was a little sad, (for everyone else that is) to be the only homeschooled child there to win one of the three door prizes.



And last, Super S was selling personal potato stamps for 25 cents. Interested? We were!











It's hard work getting the cuts just right.


Here's my personal stamp. Now everyone in the family will know who this note is from. oooohh, I've just had a great idea for a Christmas presents!!



So, this is what we've been up to. What have you been up to?