Update

This is my daily weekly monthly update. I really mean to update more often but I always think

• I need to get those pictures onto the computer to add to the post
• When the next event gets done I'll have even more to blog about
• I can't share that. It's not blog appropriate
• I don't have anything worth sharing. Plus I'm sure no one reads this anymore

or any number of excuses. But here I am. If only to remind my kids of this summer since I don't scrapbook.

Last month my southern sister came up to Yankee country for a girls weekend. There was lots of relaxing, kayaking, beading, and henna to be remembered. There was the "remember when" conversations, along with the solving of all life's problems, and analyzing everything to death. But that is who we are and what we do. At times it's nice to catch up with your original family when life has separated everyone with lifestyles, or physical distance. Good times but I am glad to be home where I belong.

The three youngest went to camp the day after I got back from the girls weekend. They had a great time and came home a little bit more aware of God in their lives. I love that they have a great time with all the activities at camp, but what I love more is that it opens up more conversations about the truth of Christ. Rara was homesick for the first time this year, but she decided that it was probably an attack from Satan because he would not want her to be there having fun and learning about Christ. She's never been homesick before, so maybe she's onto something.

I also was able to go kayaking with a wonderful group of ladies, one of whom is back on furlough. It was such a pleasure to be able to share the kayaks with some ladies who needed a quiet morning in nature. The problem came when these women were not quiet, but having splash fights and laughing so much that they scared all the wildlife away!

That is how my days in Paradise are going. I am truly blessed

Update

I know I need to get more committed about posting. Not because I have so many interested readers who are waiting for some witty comment out of my mouth. Those people who came for that gave up a LONG time ago. I just have this need for a creative outlet, and since most of mine are geared for the 9 long winter months we have up in these here parts, I haven't had any outlet for my creative genius (ok, not so genius, but, whatever!)

So here's the update of our lives...

My two youngest were baptized on the 6th. Pastor was suddenly nervous about baptizing J-Bird when, while they were in the changing room before going to the baptistry he asked Pastor if he could do a cannonball into it. Rara went first and when J-Bird came out he had a strict warning that no cannonballs were needed. Picky picky!

We had some blue jay parents ready to be empty nesters and kicked those babies out or the nest. We had what I think was two different babies land at different times on our slip n slide and sit there for a long time, one for most of the day. We went to bed and it was still there. We are hoping that it flew away instead of becoming lunch for a neighborhood cat. I wouldn't let the kids touch it, but they enjoyed being as close as they could to it.

Other than that, if you are looking for us, you can find us at the pool, or on the river kayaking. Speaking of which, I need to get ready. We are heading out again today, this time a new river. Hopefully I'll be able to get some great pictures to share. Anyone up to going out with me???

FYI

Just to let you know...

If...

your family enjoys kayaking, but is just getting into it and figuring it all out...

and if your husband decides he wants to see how the dog will do kayaking...

and if his plan is to get a blow up raft and put the dog in that and tow it, having one of the kids sit in the raft holding the dog...

and if you have never seen this dog around big bodies of water so you don't know if it likes it...

then...

...you may have a dog that does not like the raft

...the dog may jump out of the raft a couple times

...the dog may crawl up onto the tandem sit on top in the middle of the lake

...the dog will keep shaking all the water off, but it is now in a kayak with you, spraying you.

...the dog may kiss solid ground when you finally reach shore again.

I'm just sayin'

My Birthday

Yesterday we went down to my dad's house to celebrate his birthday. Since my birthday is today there were some presents waiting for me there as well. Becca gave me Digital Photography Workbook for Dummies and Digital Photography: An Introduction two books that will be very helpful in helping me really learn how to do this photography thing the way I want to. Gina gave me a great tripod for my camera. It has some features I have not seen on other tripods (not that I've looked a whole lot either). The tripod was on my wish list. My mom combined my two passions and got me a water proof case so I can take my camera with me on my kayak. Woo Hoo!

After that mom, Becca and I hopped into the kayaks mom and I brought to dad's, paddled to the other side of the lake, portaged across the road to the river, and paddled down to moms house. It was the first time I was out in our tandem kayak, and first time out this year.

Now I'm REALLY remembering why I love kayaking.

Paradise.

Wordless Wednesday--View from my maiden voyage in the new kayak

We had a girls night out last night. My mom, three sisters, and myself went kayaking on a chain of lakes that my mom's cabin is on. We had a great time!

We are all super beginners, but that doesn't stop women like us! Some of my sisters have never been on a kayak, and the others had limited use. That did not stop us from paddling to all four lakes on the chain, getting off at an island in Island Lake (what else would you call it) to stretch, and much on trail mix.

One of the highlights was the jousting match. Yeah, you read that right. Jousting in kayaks. With people who have never been on a kayak before.

Here's how it worked.

They paddle away from each other, turn around facing each other, then paddle as fast as they can towards each other. When they get close, they splash each other.

I never claimed we were adults on these girls night out times!

We got back in time, cleaned up the boats, and grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant down the road. Good food. Great conversation. The poor waitress dumped a tray of our drinks as she was setting them down on the tray holder thingy. Nobody got wet, but she was so embarrassed. Then we talked about what we have all done waitressing. My sister dumped a tray of drinks down a mans back once. This was nothing.

We are hoping to go again. I figure if I rent a kayak enough, I should get one for free, don't you?

I woke up in the middle of the night hurting. Bad. My first thought was I guess I'll just post...

Can't move my arms. Will explain when it's better.

But once I got moving I am feeling better. So now for the explanation.

I went kayaking for the first time last night with a group of ladies. There were 18 of us. I have to say, this was not a scary thing for me. I was really looking forward to it. I love the water. I love adventure. They assured us we would not tip. And hey, I am not bringing my family, so I get a break. Sounds good to me.

We get there and there are 16 kayaks to choose from (four were brought by some in our group). Most everyone has never been kayaking so picking one was figuring out what color you wanted. I know there were different styles but when you've never done it before, that means diddly.

We get a couple instructions on how to paddle. Then get in our kayaks. Mine felt a little tipsy, but I guess that is what kayaks are supposed to feel like, right? We get paddling. Figuring out how to steer is the biggest obstacle for some of us. If you have more strength in one arm, you tend to drift that direction. At least that's my theory.

We paddle across the lake and are looking for this swampy little marshy area that is a passage way to Dark Lake. Totally cool. We all have to stop before we go in, just to regroup (our group had 10 in it). I was about to hit someone's boat so I throw my paddle into reverse.

Wrong thing to do...but the water felt great!

Yeah, I tipped my boat. Not a bad thing in my world.

Except...

I tipped in a pretty shallow area. Which would have been a good thing.

Except...

There was 6 inches of muck at the bottom of the lake right there. And the only panic attack I've had, it had to do with underwater ickies. So I'm trying to keep my whole body up away from the muck in 3 feet of water while our wonderful guide tried to clear some of the water from my boat and get it tipped upright. During this process I lost my brand new, never opened bag of trail mix. It was tied onto the boat, but one of the other paddlers *edited to give credit where credit is due*who was "helping" me helped herself to my snack! A small price to pay for not having to swim back across the lake. (In reality she did ask and I gave her my permission to munch and share the snack). **If anyone ends up posting the pictures of my swim I will post them here. Only great friends would take the time to take a picture before helping!**

We did get back onto Dark Lake where there was a boat of men, who probably were thinking their fantasies were coming true because all of a sudden, out of the marsh comes 10 female paddlers. So they start yelling. Some of the women start getting real uncomfortable with the "Ladies, come here and have a beer!" comments and the waving. I was about to scare them off myself. It would have been so easy. "Hey guys, Jesus loves you! Come here, we have some literature we would like to give you!" That would have sent them running for sure. But they left on their own.

We did make it back to the campground we took off from. We were probably on the lake 2 1/2 hours. When we were done, I was not real sore. But it did hit later. Apparently, I'm not real used to paddling like that.

I did have a great time and plan on doing it again. I called my mom to see if she would want to go, but she is resting up right now. She was going off the rope swing, landed hard on her foot. It's not broke, but she can't walk on it real well.

I wonder where I get my adventurous spirit from.

Off to the pool today. Are you feeling sorry for me yet? ;-)