Museum of Natural Curiosity-MMMmm!

With the generous $100 from Allan, I accompanied the Stevenson clan to the Museum of Natural Curiosity during their visit. For four hours we were introduced to five areas that tickled our senses.

They were the Rainforest, Waterworks, Scientific feats, Kidopolis and Discovery Garden.

Everything was 'hands on'. Each person could touch, feel, experience, climb, jump and enjoy to their hearts content. The marquis sign has the words, 'Mine Craft', that Kade made, by using the letter squares. Some adults sitting on a bench down below, read it, chuckled and commented on it.

In Jungleland several rope bridges had to be crossed. Here Emma is afraid to step out onto it. Mom is telling her, 'It is the only way back.' Eventually she made it across and into the waiting plane. Noah had no problem climbing up and across the rope bridges. The boys really had fun on the elastic tree canopy. Three or four stories high one climbed onto the top one and gradually slipped from one section down to the next as the elastic cables stretched wide and they dropped through.

We spent an exciting day at the Museum and vowed to return again for another go at it. Because there is always curiosity enough to go around many times. Smiles took us home.

Never Too Old for The Trampoline

Breann really got into the action on the trampoline recently. You would think she was a teen again, with the high flying jumps and antics. I couldn't resist to click several photos and laughed hard at how comical she was.

It's not often we can relax and let our hair down enough to really enjoy the moment. Allan and Henry can be seen in the background returning from visiting the neighbor's dog. Which Henry loves and is now saying, 'Dog!' All the while, Breann was jumping wildly and loving it.

Our twenty nine year old trampoline has served us well. Breann was five years old when we got it for Christmas. Many hours of fun, friendships forged, stress released and games were enjoyed on it with siblings, friends and neighbors.

Awaiting the Alarm

Our building maintenance man said he needed to test the alarms. Our Safety Manager decided that it was a perfect time to have a 'Fire' drill, to see how well the employees responded. I was aware of the plan and had time to decide what to do to prepare. I made a list of items: Turn off the phone system, get my phone & purse, grab my coat, leave building. Gary said it would begin in five minutes, but it was much longer.

Oh, the anticipation, drove me crazy while sitting, as I imagined hearing the alarm ring. But it didn't go off! Waiting is annoying, but knowing and waiting causes anxiety. Now I know why the Lord, doesn't want us to know our death date. We would be worrying all our lives and forget to LIVE! I kept working and waiting and waiting...

Finally the shrill sounding alarm blew and methodically I did everything as planned. As the employees walked to the rear of the building, and met in our appointed groups, Miles, checked his items off. Mr. Safety deemed the drill a success. I forgot to take photos with my phone, so all these pictures are from the internet.

Exude an Attitude of Gratitude

It is a perfect time to review the blessings enjoyed this year. Let it bubble up out of your person like a giggle held in or a twinkle in the eye.

Push disappointment and discouragement to the back of your thoughts. Let gratefulness sit in the front seat. Invite Thanksgiving and Patience along for the ride, too. They don't care who you are, what you have or where you live. Quality time with them is the best of the best.

Buoyed on their shoulders, you will clearly exude your attitude of gratitude that will be contagious and everyone will want to have it, too!

I'll Take Four for Four-Wheeling

Let’s go four wheeling to the sand dunes my husband plead. “We’ll take the fifth wheel and watch the sunset of red, Then ride Little Sahara’s hills and valleys instead. Me: Why not stay home and enjoy our king size bed? It’s having fun together. Just us!” He said. So we did and are way out ahead!

Yep, we went four wheeling to Little Sahara. It's been about seventeen years since we went there. There was just as much sand, but a much older Jory. Sarah and Max came, too. Up and down the hills we went. Around and around the trails, too. Allan tipped over landing face first in the sand, while the machine toppled head over heels away from him. That was a huge blessing, to be injury free. We came away with all bones in tact, fortunately.

'0' days since last injury" a sign on the road to the dunes read. We weren't a part of the group. Yeah!!

Jacob Lost a Tooth

Jacob not only lost his first tooth, he lost three at the same time. They literally fell out of his mouth while he was sleeping. Most children loose their first tooth during kindergarten between five and six years old. Jacob is seven and one half. It is a family gene from the Stevenson's side.

He is happy as can be to finally join the lost a tooth club. The $5 was pretty exciting, too.

Quilting Cats

With Emma's fifth birthday looming on the horizon, I decided to make her a quilt from some fabric I had on hand. I needed to buy some material to go on the back. While at the store, I called her mom to see what Emma liked. Kittys and dogs are her favorite. I bought bumble bees and hearts. When I got home it didn't match the original piece, even though I took it with me. What was I to do, after spending $33 on the new pieces. Every time I wanted to begin the project, I had the distinct feeling to wait until Monday. On Monday I should go to The Fabric Center, close by my house. There I would find just the piece I needed. This happened several times. Consequently, on Monday I went directly to the fabric store and did find some beautiful kitten panels. The original piece will wait for another day.

I immediately went to work cutting, piecing, zigzagging until five panels were ready to sew together. One kitten was used for a pillow. Tuesday I cut and sewed in the early morning, on my lunch hour, breaks and every spare second until the quilt top was completed. That evening I put it on a machine quilter at my sister-in-laws and stitched away for ninety minutes. I had a deadline to make of Wednesday at 3pm where the quilt had to be completed to ship by FedEx to Washington. Next up was preparing the binding. Getting up at 4am, I attached the binding. The hand stitching was done at work and quilting around the kittens. I felt divine intervention of both my grandmothers who were great quilters, helping me along the way. This piece was created in just a few days, but it was like Michelangelo said, 'It was waiting to be created. My hands were just the guide to the work.'