Apple Pickin'

Our first 'real' CHE adventure: We joined the rest of the Christian Home Educators group for a trip to the Upton's Farm for some apple pickin' time.  It was such a wonderful experience.  There were dozen of kids running around the field searching for apples.  Mr.and Mrs. Upton were so gracious, giving of their time and resources for a great teaching experience for the children.  There were already hundreds of pounds of picked apples being cut and squished for delicious cider.  Mr. Upton told us about the process of pruning the trees and what different things can make apples undesirable for selling.  We were then set free to walk around the orchard and get as many apples as we could possibly carry.  I came straight home and turned our freshly picked fruit into a warm apple crisp.  How amazing to to teach our children the benefit of hard work by showing them how God made the trees to produce fruit, and we have to tend to the fields and work together to keep the trees growing healthy and keeping the weeds and bugs away.  It's hard work to get out in the hot sunshine and find fruit that is ripe and unblemished.  But at the end of the day, our efforts provided us with good food to fill our bellies.  I've said it before, I'll say it again.  It really is a beautiful life.

Under Sea Adventures

Our last stop for our weekend get away was to the Undersea Adventures in Crescent City.  Half way home, it was the perfect spot to get out of the car for a bit and stretch our legs.  My brave little girls had no fear reaching their arms in to pet the sharks or to pick up starfish. ("They're SEA STARS, mom!", corrects Talullah)  Even Havanna got a kick out of the fancy tricks by the seals and sea lion.  All in all, we had an absolutely fabulous trip.  I am so happy that we had a few days away, as a family, to spend quality time together laughing and making memories.  Isn't that what life is all about?

Look, mom! No hands!

Nighty Night.

                           Annabelle is obviously craving attention.  Will someone please hold me?!

Foggy day at the beach

To prove that Havanna was there, too.

Sisters so sweet.

The Downey's

LOVE!

My sweet, big girl.

I squatted low to get a good shot.  She misunderstood and copied my squat.

Daddy loves his girls!

Love father, like daughter.

Posing pretty.

I'm a bird.  Say I'm a bird!

I love those fingers clutching daddy's hand.

We had to climb ALL those stairs to get to the beach.

This is Face Rock.  Can you see the face?

It's cold out there!

It was beautiful, even through the fog.

On the 2nd day of our vacation in Bandon, Oregon, we spent hours on the beautiful beach.  Our hotel was across the street from the beach, and it was awesome to hear the crashing waves each morning as we walked to breakfast.  The weather reports had declared rain all weekend, but we were blessed with dry skies.  We didn't mind the cool temperature or the incredible fog, not one bit.

West Coast Game Safari

It's a bobcat!

It wanted to pounce the girls bouncy skirt.  Maybe tutu's wasn't a wise choice today...

We got to pet a baby bear.  So, so cool.

And a raccoon, a skunk, possum, and ferret.

These animals are SO cool, sister.

Just because.

It doesn't get much sweeter than that.

They fed deer and goats.

The goats came to say hello to Havanna.

Look, mom.  A ferret!

Of all these wild animals, what does Talullah like best?  A baby goat.

I just love her, mom.  Can I have one for Christmas?!

A wallaby.  Can I have one of THESE for Christmas?!

There was a lion behind us.  I swear.

My husband speaks ram, obviously.  The loved him.

This guy was seriously aggressive.

Our highlight of the weekend vacation to Bandon, Oregon was heading to the West Coast Wild Life Safari.  Definitely worth the time and money to get there.  We stayed for nearly three hours, and these little girls would have gladly stayed longer.  The rest of the trip, they begged to go back.  We were able to pet a baby bobcat, cougar, bear, skunk, raccoon, ferret, and possum.  There were heard of deer, goats, rams, llamas, and peacocks that you could feed.  We saw leopards, wallaby's, lions, camels, reindeer, chimpanzees, and a zebra.  Berlyn did get her finger nipped while feeding the deer, but once she finished crying she was brave enough to try again.  There was a moment of disaster when she also dropped her little princess toy into one of the cages, but I saved the day when I wiggled my arm through the wire and fished it out.  She was most upset about the goats going to the bathroom on the ground, telling them "No, no, goats.  Potty chair."  Talullah's eyes grew wide when we came across the caged zebra.  "I've always wanted to see a REAL one, mom"  And although I thought petting a cougar and a baby bear were pretty much the coolest things ever, that hardly phased her.  The baby goat that followed her around took center stage in her mind.  It's all she talked about the rest of the day.  She could care less about any animal after that.  "Can I have one for Christmas?!?!"