New look

I decided to mess around with Blogger's new design tool. I wanted a blog with a bit more color. So I will probably change it back to white again soon, so what?!?

Tomatoes!

I LOVE summer for one main reason: garden-fresh, fully ripe, sun-warmed tomatoes... Mmmmm...

I love living on BLTs...

...tomato salads, bruschetta, and homemade salsa. ahhhhh...

Is there anything better?!? Praise the Lord, the God of creation, for making tomatoes! :)

Thoughts on Home Schooling

A good friend of mine turned me on to a method of home schooling that I'm getting really excited about. The more I debated home school or public school, the more I wasn't sure which I really wanted. Home school seems so daunting and so "teacher-dependent" that I was certain I would fail at doing it well. Public school is convenient and, however coersively, already paid for.

Now enter an important video series: The Truth Project. A very excellent series by Focus on the Family that does it's best to expose the lies of the world and the Truth that scripture has laid out for us. This series has turned my heart more than ever to home schooling, since the ONLY absolute truth we have is scripture and therefore everything we "know" should be based upon it.

Talk about a daunting task.

Now enter the creator of the method my friend mentioned: Charlotte Mason. In some resources she is referred to as "the mother of home schooling," although it is clear that home schooling existed before her books were published.

I've requested a hold on her 6 volume book (!) at the library and will let you know what I think, but from the sections I HAVE read she seems to have a very unique and amazing way of teaching children that requires very little preparation on the part of the teacher (as far as breaking everything down and spoon feeding it to them).

I think I can do this. Really.

Camping at Bulltrout Lake

We finally braved a family camping trip with Esther this year. We weren't sure how she'd do but are pleased to say that she LOVED it. She's definitely going to be an outdoor girl.

The guys (Aaron, Dad, and a friend, Wes) had been backpacking for a few days already and then my mom, Esther and I went up to meet them. We met at Kirkham Hot Springs, where we swam, had lunch, and Esther got to experience chipmunks firsthand. She ran around trying to catch them, then we showed her how to feed them. She was thrilled when, finally, a chipmunk took some food right out of her hand. No picture of that one. :(

Then we drove to our campsite, about an hour away, Bulltrout Lake. We had dinner, Creole Chicken and Dumplings, and set up camp. The next day we hiked up to Sawtooth Lake. It was about 8 miles roundtrip and Esther did really well being carried around all the way. Friday we did nothing and loved every minute. Saturday we packed up camp and stopped at Redfish Lake on our way out.

Gnawing on a chicken bone. Mmmmmm...

Ready to go hiking

Halfway up to Sawtooth Lake, smelling the flowers.

Looking at more flowers.

Sawtooth Lake with Mt. Regan in the background.

Essie with Grampa, who carried her most of the way up and back.

Naptime, on the way back down.

Aaron calls this the "welcome to parenthood" sandwich. All the "stuff" that Esther didn't eat, pieced together so he could eat it and it wouldn't go to waste. :)

What?

Esther sitting on her stump (see video at the end).

On the beach at Red Fish Lake.

Tentatively testing the waters. It was cold, hence the hot chocolate in my hand. :)