Bekah's Senior Trip

A few weeks ago, we took our final "Senior Trip," a tradition in our homeschool that started out rather unintentionally, but became something of a rite of passage for each of our high schoolers. 

Here is how our Senior Trip tradition began:

The summer before Kristin, our oldest child, was a senior, we decided to take a family vacation to Niagara Falls. It is something that we had been wanting to do for a while. But we suddenly realized that this particular year (1997) should be the year because who knew if we'd have the opportunity  to travel together after Kristin graduated?

Kristin's Senior Trip to Niagara Falls, 1997
(We do not know the lady wearing the red shirt. 😄)

So two years later as Ryan was heading into his senior year, we asked him if there was anywhere that he would like to go. He chose a trip to Skyline Drive, Luray Caverns, and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

Ryan's Senior Trip, on Skyline Drive, 1999

Between Kati's junior and senior year, she spent the whole summer living with Ryan and his family in northern California. They traveled some while she was there, including a camping trip to Crater Lake in Oregon. Even though we did not share this experience with her, we considered it her senior trip!

Kati at Crater Lake, 2010

And now, of course, Bekah is a senior!

When you are the baby of the family (and that family has an age span of nearly 21 years!), there are  plenty of things that your older siblings have done that you have not!

You've never been to an amusement park, Bekah? Are you sure? 

Remember the time we went to the Museum of Natural History? Oh, you've never been there? 

You mean you haven't done      fill-in-the-blank   ?

Oops.

So when it came time for Bekah to choose a senior trip, she wanted to stay closer to home and grab some of the experiences that she had only heard about! And she didn't want day trips. She wanted to hang out in the big city (cities) and fill the days. We were going to visit museums . . . as many as we could do in three days!

On Day One, we visited the National Aquarium in Baltimore, located on the beautiful Baltimore Harbor. When we arrived, we were surprised to learn that we qualified for "Maryland Mornings," a limited time offer in which Maryland residents who purchase their tickets before noon on Monday through Friday receive a substantial discount. Yay!

A view of Baltimore Harbor, seen from a window in the National Aquarium
Photo by Kati

We spent our day exploring exhibits of a tropical rain forest, coral reefs, and "extreme" creatures of Australia. We saw jelly fish, puffins, a sea turtle, and rays. We watched a dolphin training demonstration. We all loved the multi-story shark tank where you see several species of sharks (and other fish) swimming up close! 

Photo by Kati

Photo by Kati

After we left the Aquarium, we meandered across the foot bridge over to a large Barnes and Noble . . . not for the books, I'm afraid, but for some cold, liquid (and caffeinated) refreshment at their Starbucks cafe!

Photo by Kati

On Day Two, we went into Washington, D. C. via the Metro. Bekah had big plans for that day. She wanted to tour three different museums!

Photo by Kati

We began at the International Spy Museum, this one new to all of us, not just the "baby." We spent several hours learning about the world of espionage through exhibits about disguises, famous spies, codes, and much more. There was also an entire section dedicated to the fictional James Bond. My favorite part of the museum was the gallery called "The Secret History of History" where we learned how spy activity impacted history, from Moses to the Trojan horse, from Harriet Tubman to Elizabeth I.

Photo by Kati

From the International Spy Museum, we went to the Museum of Natural History. Bekah had researched the galleries ahead of time, and had chosen the ones that she wanted to visit. We explored the Mammals exhibit and the Ocean Hall on the first floor. (I am still amazed at how evolution theory is presented as fact in the exhibits at this museum. Perhaps I shouldn't be, but I am. Yet another reason that I am glad that we homeschooled our children!) 

Photo by Kati

Upstairs, we spent some time at the Live Insect Zoo, which made Kati happy! (She loves creepy crawlies.) We made a quick pass by the mummies and the dinosaurs, and we saw the Hope Diamond. The girls had gotten (free) tickets to walk through the Live Butterfly Pavilion, but the time slot they had would have meant that we would miss the last museum on the list for Day Two. We let Bekah make the call and she reluctantly chose to move on.

Photo by Kati

Our last stop of the day was the National Air and Space Museum. Due to limited time, we made sure to prioritize the things we most wanted to see, but we ended up seeing quite a bit! We began with The Wright Brothers & the Invention of the Aerial Age, but we saw The Spirit of St. Louis and we  visited galleries on Early Flight, How Things Fly, Sea-Air Operations, World War II Aviation, and the Great War in the Air.

Photo by Kati

While looking at the WWII planes, Bekah asked me a question about one of the planes. While I struggled over an answer, she said, "No. I'll ask Dad." 🤣

Dad supplying a knowledgeable answer. 

Day Three took us back into DC. Our first stop (which also ended up being our last) was the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Ron and I had been to the museum before, but this was a first visit for both Kati and Bekah.

There is so much that could be said about this museum. It is incredibly, incredibly moving . . . from beginning to end. It mind-boggling to see the rather rapid evolution from tolerance to persecution to  absolutely unspeakable horror. It was a somber visit. Much to learn, much to ponder.

Photo by Kati

One of the most meaningful parts of the museum for me was the little theatre area on the second floor where you can watch a video of Holocaust survivors sharing their own stories. (You can actually see some of these interviews . . . and more . . .  ~here~. Heartbreaking and inspiring.)  

Photo by Kati

We had planned to visit the Museum of the Bible on this trip, but we spent a great deal of time at the Holocaust Museum and we had hoped to leave the city before rush hour. We made a quick decision to return for a day trip sometime this spring.

Although our first "senior trip" was a happy accident, these became a meaningful part of our children's high school experience. Senior trips were something to look forward to. They were a rite of passage. They were meaningful times to spend together as a family. And they were times to make happy memories. 

A senior trip was another way of finding joy in the homeschool journey!

Five on Friday

Gathering some big and small joys from the past week with another Five on Friday post! (I may be squeaking in just under the wire, but it is still Friday!)

{one}

Perhaps because it had been so hot until last weekend. Perhaps because I am enjoying more simplicity in my decorating. Perhaps because I am not rushing time and am choosing to ease into each season. Whatever the reason, I have not done a lot of fall decorating this year. But on Saturday, I added a few autumn touches, including a pair of wheat bundles on the mantel. It feels simple and just right. 

{two}

At a family gathering this past summer, Peter said that he wished he could drink some coffee, so we told him we'd invite him to share coffee with us some Saturday morning.

And if you're drinking coffee, why not have some donuts too? 

 {three}

We had another of our Shakespeare Reading Days this week. This time we read a comedy, As You Like It. We'll do another play in the spring, and then I'm retiring. 

{four}

Ron and I succumbed to this bag of fall temptation. What do you think? Would you try them?

{five}

I have watched this video so many times since a friend shared it. (Thank you, Paula!) Beautiful, encouraging, comforting words of truth. Maybe you'd like to listen too . . .

May your weekend be mercy-filled! 

Sunday Snapshots: October Birthday Celebration!

Away for the first part of the week, coming back to two days filled with school activities and house projects, we hit the ground running on Saturday morning with a list of things to do in preparation for our October Birthday Celebration. 

However . . . Ron was still "project-ing" and Kati was away for the weekend. Which left Bekah and me to do all the things. And we are the slow pokes. Hmmm . . .

The day kind of looked like this:

1) Coffee and donuts with Peter. (Ron went to get him. I took him home.) 

2) Bake the cake (Bekah). Take Peter home (me).

2) Go to the farm stand to buy a pumpkin for the front step.

3) Come home and start cleaning.

4) Decorate for fall. Because it finally feels like fall and I'm in the mood.

5) Decide the mantle needs wheat sheaves this year.

6) Run to HomeGoods for wheat sheaves.

7) Go to Marshalls for wheat sheaves. (The ones at HomeGoods were either too tall or too short.)

8) Slip in Old Navy so that Bekah can look for a fall dress.

9) Come home and start cleaning.

10) Finish decorating for fall.

11) Bemoan the fact that Kati is not here to keep us on task.

12) Clean!

13) Frost the cake (Bekah).

14) Get Chipotle for dinner because it's getting so late. 

15) Continue cleaning and table setting and party planning until we run out of Saturday. 

And that, my friends, is how I do parties.

And I love it! 

It is so worth it. Every single time.

Gathering with my people. Sharing a meal. (This one was pizza, per request of one of the birthday boys.) Sharing time together. Watching the babies. Sharing conversation and laughter. Often a mini concert. (This time, four piano solos.)

  

When death comes to someone who is your own age, you are reminded, yet again, that is is important to live and love well. To make good memories with your people. To rejoice in the gifts that the Lord has given. I think that we will never be sorry for the time that we take for people.

Here are some glimpses of our gathering on Sunday in which we celebrated our October guys: our grandson Ben and my Dad. 

So thankful for these moments . . . 

Five on Friday

It has been a busy week here, and the weekend promises to be full too. I may just have time for quick chat via a Five on Friday post! Some of my blog friends have been doing these and they're always fun to read. Here goes . . .

{one}
The first part of the week was spent on Bekah's "senior trip."

We spent several days in Baltimore and Washington, D. C. and visited as many museums as we could fit in. We walked our legs off got lots of exercise, and we learned so much and enjoyed our time together.

(I'll tell you more about our senior trip tradition in a separate post.)

{two}
The weather today is deliciously autumnal! After Steamy September and many days of Hot-tober, it is a relief! I am loving it.

{three}
Eek! I just dropped my baby Kati (who is totally not a baby . . . but she is to me . . . ) off at the airport. She is off on a weekend adventure. (His name is Andrew.)

{four} 
With his remaining vacation days, Ron is doing a few projects. He is painting and weatherstripping all three exterior doors. He is also putting a couple of coats of polyurethane on the ladderback chairs that are on our sun porch. A few weeks ago, some of our grands took lunch out to the sun porch and when they went pulled out the chairs to sit down at the table, there was black mildew on them! I told you it was "Steamy September"! This was our third summer in this house and never have we had any problem with mildew before this one. Last week we washed and rinsed the chairs and now they're ready to be sealed.

{five}
We are making preparations for Sunday's October birthday celebration!

Ben had his own birthday party last Sunday in honor of his milestone birthday. This year he is double digits! It was his turn to receive a "treasure box" made by Papa and get ten gifts from Papa and Gran. It is such fun for us to do something a little special for each grandchild's tenth birthday. There will be another tenth birthday in January! (Papa had better get to work on the next box!)

So on Sunday, we will celebrate our October boys: Ben and Gampy, my dad, who is a tad older than ten! Good times!

May your weekend be grace-filled!

More Changes in the Kitchen!

Two years ago, I told you about our plans to s-l-o-w-l-y make changes to our kitchen. Although the Pineapple House kitchen had a charming vintage vibe, our own style is a little more simple. We came up with a list of changes we wanted to make to the room, over time, to make it fit both our decorating style and how we wanted the room to work. 

BEFORE: charming kitchen with a vintage vibe

BEFORE: shortly after we moved in

"Slow" was the right word, but progress has been made! Here are some of the things we have checked off of our (kitchen) list since we have moved to Pineapple House: 

✔ We replaced the refrigerator and dishwasher with new stainless steel models.

✔  We replaced the cook top with the double oven range we had bought for The Farmhouse a few months before we moved, and removed a lower cabinet in the process.

✔  We removed the wallpaper and painted the walls antique white. 

✔ We painted the trim. (Actually ~ahem~ we've painted it three times. Ack! The current color is Benjamin Moore's Kangaroo. Long paint story here.) 

✔  We hung a new chandelier over the island. 

✔  We constructed, hung, and painted interior shutters. 

✔  We removed the wall oven and created an alcove for the microwave.


All of these changes had been completed the last time I shared an update. 

And then . . . 

✔  We took down the little shelves around the window and replaced the curvy molding with a simple frame. (I know that so many people loved those vintage shelves and the molding, but they just did not fit our decorating style. If you loved them, please forgive us!)

✔  In May, we painted all of the kitchen cabinets with Kangaroo by Benjamin Moore. 


And when Ron was on vacation in September . . . 

✔  Demo! (Removed the old countertop and sink.)

✔  We put beadboard paneling behind the countertop and stove, and around the window.

✔  We installed walnut butcher block countertop and backsplash.

✔  We installed a new enameled cast iron sink and a bridge faucet. 

We decided to go with butcher block countertop again, as we had at The Farmhouse. We love the way wood adds warmth to a kitchen. This time we chose walnut from Lumber Liquidators. It is actually darker than I had imagined, but I like it, and I think I will like it even more as time passes and the wood develops patina.

I have not finished styling the kitchen. With so much neutral, I am trying to add in some color without going over the top. I have asked Ron to make a cover for the toaster oven (not currently on the counter), disguised as an old apothecary cabinet. I'll paint and distress it. That will add some subtle color. I am also pondering where I could add some fabric, for color and softness. I hadn't planned on having curtains/valances, but that is a possibility.

As much as we loved our big farmhouse sink in The Farmhouse kitchen, we decided to use a drop-in sink this time. We are all tall-ish people, and the deep farmhouse sink was just too hard on our backs! I did want a single bowl again, because that allows plenty of space to wash (or soak) something big like a cookie sheet or a frying pan with a handle. We found this sink online at Signature Hardware.

We wanted a high arc faucet and we wanted separate handles. Ron preferred a bridge design. I had been shopping for a polished nickel faucet, but then Ron found this one in black with white cross handles and my search was over!

There are only a few projects left on the original list . . . and they all involve this south wall of the kitchen shown below.

• Move the washing machine down to the basement.

• Move the refrigerator over to the space where the washing machine sits now. This will involve some re-configuring of the upper cabinets. But it will allow us space for a longer section of countertop instead of two short sections on either side of the fridge.
• Build a drawer and cabinet unit to fill in the empty space.

Granted, none of the remaining items on our list is simple!

But we'll keep plugging away at it in our slow and DIY sort of way, and in the end, we'll (kind of) have a new kitchen!

I already feel more at home in the Pineapple House kitchen. It feels like my space now. And I am happy to use it to serve my family, my friends, and anyone else who the Lord puts in my path!

Sunday Snapshot: Judah

While I am working on a post about our most recent kitchen updates, I'll show you this sweet boy.

Judah at 5.5 weeks (photo by Bekah)

I am melting! 

(This grandparent thing just doesn't get old.)