Monthly Archives: November 2011
Austin’s “bar Mitzvah”
Austin’s “Bar Mitzvah”
October 15, 2011
Turning 16 is a pretty big deal. I wanted to do something for Austin to honor this “rite of passage.” We had all heard of a Bar Mitzvah from TV and so I looked into it a bit more. The word “Bar” means “son of” and “Mitzvah” means “commandments”. Now I am not big on following rituals and traditions from any culture but I kind of just took the idea and went my own way with it. In a nut shell, for Jews this is the celebration of a Jewish boy becoming a man and therefore responsible to keep God’s law and he is no longer under the covering of his parents spiritually. This usually happens around 12-13 years old. I would not have thought of my child as a man at 12-13 but at 16, I do. Austin is a very wise and responsible young man. I am extremely proud of who he has become and I do consider him mature enough to start making decisions for himself. What better way to tell him that… throw him a party!
I wanted him to be clueless to the fact that the party had anything to do with him. Just so happens this year Feast of Tabernacles fell on his birthday week. I just had him thinking everyone was coming over to join in the feast day with us. His birthday is the 12th but Saturday worked out better for everyone to be able to make it.
We barbequed and all ate our fill outside by our “Sukkot”, then while I had Austin taking in some of the leftovers, I snuck his gifts out.
Gators! Martin Dies Jr. State Park
“Gators!” Martin Dies Jr. State Park
October 1, 2011
It was a packed house for the “Gators” class at Martin Dies Jr. State Park. A boy scout troop was there which is not the “norm.”
I had Austin sit by Anna to guard her from being bumped with her broke arm and Adam sat beside him. The place was so packed Stewart and I decided to stand at the back of the room to take pictures.
Once everyone got situated in the now “to small” building, Ms. Katherine began.
She asked for volunteers to help out with a skit. My kids being as shy as they are did not volunteer but Ms. Katherine called Adam, so he timidly went up, looking at me for reassurance. I give him a nod and a smile and he was fine.
Astronomy
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Astronomy
September 25-27, 2011
We were studying about “Astronomy” in science and so that took us out to the “Long Bridge” with our telescope in tow to see what we could see!
We set up the telescope and started to look around at the brightest stars.
End of Summer Hike
End of Summer Hike
September 24, 2011
This has been such a hot summer that with the 107* weather we have been cooped up inside under the air for too long. It was time to “GET OUT!” It is almost the end of summer and the weather cooled a bit so I was anxious to get on a hiking trail. The easiest one to go on was the little one at Boykin Springs. We have been here several times but it never seems to get old. Always something new to see. The wonderful thing about nature is it changes constantly.
The rocked spillway is mostly dry from the drought, we walk across the stone bridge without fear of getting wet .
Oh Happy Daze 