O Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree? In September?!?  Yes, you read that title correctly.  I said Christmas Tree.  Quick:  Where will the United States Capitol Christmas tree come from this year?  You've got 5 seconds to answer.  Go!  1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

Can't guess?  Why, the Colville National Forest of course!  Providing the White House's mammoth holiday tree is pretty big news around here, and the whole town has come together to be a part of this historic event.  Even the kids have gotten involved by making hundreds of ornaments that will decorate the tree.  The theme for the decor is "Sharing Washington's Good Nature," and both our kids and a neighborhood friend wanted to participate.  The fact that they were to make their ornaments at Grandma Nancy's workplace didn't hurt either!

Here are the kids crafting their ornaments:

Annabel's ladybug is first,

followed by Thane's dragonfly:

True, neither of the ornaments were created with traditional Christmas color choices, but I'm fairly certain that both will stand out in the crowd!

Kids Play

Of course, the majority of our summer free time has been spent playing.  Annabel has continued to develop her creative side this year, and our home is filled with scores of handmade treasures (see her colorful fairy wings made from a styrofoam take-out box below):

She has also spent a lot of time reading, another of her passions.  She even enrolled in the local library's Summertime Reading Program, which required each child to read a total of 20 hours in 20 minute increments.  Of course Annabel isn't really reading yet (she just finished preschool), but at her age it was acceptable for parents to read to the kids.  Annabel finished the program with a few weeks to spare, and she was awarded "Super Reader" status for her efforts.

Don't worry - all of her swimming, crafting and reading activities didn't diminish her amiable spirit as is evident by her new friendship with Smokey the Bear.  Smokey recently celebrated his 69th birthday, and the kids were on hand to participate in the festivities.

Thane was busy as well, although he prefers to stay outdoors as much as possible.  Apparently with the summer heat, Thane felt that clothing was definitely optional at our place.  (Yes, that is my kid riding his bike au natural down the driveway.  And no, he did not remain naked for long!)

 

My little pep talk on bike safety must have hit a chord as Thane's item of choice at a yard sale a few weeks later was a helmet.  This multipurpose accessory also serves as a watering can, Spider man mask, cowboy hat and football helmet. 

 

Lastly, Thane spent a bit of his idle time contemplating his future.  While his aspirations of being a fire truck (not a fire fighter, but a fire truck!), a cowboy and/or a carpenter change from day-to-day, his desire to be a tractor man has remained fairly consistent.

 Time will tell!

Learning Curve

Both Annabel and Thane will be in school this year.  If you hear a high pitched squeal emanating from the west, that would be me shouting "Hallelujah!" as I perform the Happy Dance over and over again!

Thane is in preschool 3 mornings per week at Johnson Christian  School. He seems to be adjusting fairly well, although he's already had a few sick days. 

Annabel had testing last week, so she didn't start until this morning.  She is wiped out from her first full day of school, but she had a great day. 

 

As for me, I spent the day patting myself on the back for making it to this momentous time.  Ha!  It turns out that my self congrats were a bit premature. Annabel came home with her dress on backwards and with a very soggy lunch because I neglected to screw her thermos cover on tight.  Clearly she is more ready for this than I!

Gone Fishin'

Another one of our favorite summer pastimes is fishing.  While not the most patient of anglers out there, both of the kids thoroughly enjoy fishing with Jordan.

One of our favorite fishing holes is located in the Little Pend Oreille Wildlife Refuge, located a few short miles from our home.  The fishing (or should I say "catching") may be better elsewhere, but we love the drive through the refuge.  We've seen bears, elk, deer, moose and numerous other animals as we've driven to and from Potters Pond. 

Encompassing over 42,494 acres of land, Little Pend Oreille consists of lakes, ponds, streams, a river and acres of woodland and pasture.  One much beloved spot of ours has an old, delapidated cottage on it.

 

Ruins such as this are common sights here.  While it is sad to watch someone's hard work and craftsmanship crumble with neglect, such sights also serve to remind me of the labor, pluck and pride that homesteaders displayed as they hacked out a life for themselves in the wild. As we consider leaving behind the home we have spent the past 5 years building, the grueling lives of the people who settled this land hold a place of respect in my heart.  Let's just hope that our home doesn't end up like this!

Summer Bounty

We were a bit apprehensive about planting a garden this year, as we were uncertain if we would be here to reap the harvest.  Thankfully we planted a small patch, and we are reaping the rewards of that decision.

We've been canning quite a bit, too, and I've had loads of help this year.  Here's Jordan and Thane prepping tomatoes for spaghetti sauce.

Thanks to Jordan's parents, we had a huge amount of raspberries with which to make jam, syrup and sauces.

Lastly, we all love eating fresh veggies for dinner every night.  A big favorite in our house is our french salad that we make once a week. 

The kids help harvest, clean and prep the vegetables and eggs - but they especially love eating the fruit (er, vegetable?) of their labor.  Bon appetit!

Swim Club

Once again, the summer seemed to soar by at the speed of light.  It's hard to believe that it's time for school to start!  The temperatures out here have been hotter than normal - we had hot, dry heat in the mid-high 90's for almost 7 weeks straight.  Given the heat, Annabel & Thane were especially glad to get in the pool for another round of swimming lessons.

 

 

Another way we beat the heat was spending as much time as possible at one of the numerous refreshing rivers and lakes around here.  We went boating with some friends, and Annabel & Thane had their first water skiing lesson.  Annabel did especially well, and it's absolutely safe to say that any athletic ability she has came straight from her Dad!
 

We also discovered a new lake, Sullivan Lake, which is nestled in the mountains about 50 minutes from our home.  The water there is literally crystal clear, and there is a small air strip located directly behind the beach.  Lucky for us, a plane came in for a landing while we were enjoying our picnic.  Here's Thane waving to the pilot.

It's cool and a bit terrifying to watch a plane fly only 25 feet above you.  Thank God for happy landings!