Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Mountain Trip: On the Way Home

"Your righteousness is like the great mountains;Your judgments are a great deep; O LORD, You preserve man and beast."

Psalm 36:6



We all left "Celebrate the Glory" around 4:30. Mommy and Daddy decided to take a stroll down "Memory Lane" and so we drove through Farmville, VA - where they went to college. We had dinner at Pino's Pizza which is right across from Longwood College (the college they attended). They told us about how they would often come and eat here and then go a couple feet away to Char's Frozen Yogurt . They showed us where they each lived, where they sang (in the show choir) and where they learned. It was really neat!



Waiting for the pizza






Seth's Hand-Drawn Airplane





The sky on the way home




Tired Lydia (she hardly slept the whole day!)



This was my last post on our Mountain Trip. Tonight we're planning on moving our rooms around (that consists of moving all furniture into a different spot than before!) and it's one of our favorite things to do! Tomorrow we're going to Trinity's birthday party (a friend) and then having some other friends over Saturday night and Sunday!



Willingly Jesus',
Kimber

Monday, October 20, 2008

1st Place Winner!



Well, I seem to have some issues in getting Kimber to put herself in the blog posts sometimes so for once I'm going to post something. For all those who don't know, our family went on a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains for an event called "Celebrate the Glory" this past Saturday. There, at the base of the gorgeous mountains, we listened to different speakers and enjoyed seeing and meeting other large families. To get on with what I'm trying to say, Kimber entered a photo contest there and, you'll never guess…she got 1st PLACE in the youth division!!! One speaker there was Ken Jenkins (he's a pretty famous photographer; a lot of cards and post cards have his pictures on them). He was kind enough to share his photos and experience.

To say the least we are very proud of her accomplishment and hope she will have many more!


WE LOVE YOU KIMBER! GO GIRL! And may God use the great gift He has given you to show other people His awesome power and beauty!


A Daughter of Jesus,


Hannah Wassenberg

Mountain Trip: Celebrate the Glory!

"But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven."
Deuteronomy 11:11
Well, Saturday morning dawned bright and clear! After clearing up our room and packing up the car we left for the 45 minute drive to our conference. We were supposed to arrive at 9 A.M so I could enter my pictures in the Photo Contest but we were a little late. Daddy and the boys entered me a couple minutes after we arrived though. Lining the "parking lot" (also known as an open field) were all these big buses and vans (plus some mini-vans)! That was pretty exciting; homeschoolers (and large families) ahead! There was actually a van 99.9% exactly like ours! They provided a small breakfast of bagels (blueberry, plain and cinnamon raisin), apples, bananas and teas of all sorts.

Seth and a Bagel


Alexis with some Tea ( 1 of 20) :)

It was a beautiful day but the wind was cold and piercing and since the event was outside most of the time (only 2 inside rooms - not counting bathrooms) we were all very cold. Alexis is what we call "cold-blooded" meaning she gets cold a lot quicker and in greater magnitude than the rest of us. She was constantly drinking piping-hot flavored teas!



Caleb with a Bagel


Talking together during a break.

Mr. Marc Jantomaso: director/coordinator of "Celebrate the Glory!"

simplydevoted.com


The Durocher Family (14 altogether).

durocherfamilyministries.com


The event site at "The foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains."


Unfolding Drama: Mr. Rozeboom acting out when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness when the poisonous reptiles came to bite the Israelites. See Numbers 21:4-9 for the whole story. While you were watching them act you couldn't help but be....


...enjoying it. Eden looks a little tired though!

As, Hannah has already mentioned (ahem) I entered the Photography Contest. The picture of Alexis standing in the sunrays in our backyard won 1st place. Mr. Ken Jenkins graciously donated all the prizes. I received a beautiful calendar of the Smoky Mountains, 2 postcards and a really cute picture of a baby bear putting its paw up against a little pine tree, all were shots that he had taken!

(And for you all to know, 1st place wasn't achieved by anything I did but by the gift the Lord has given me.)


Mr. Jenkins and I.

I attended one of Mr. Jenkins classes and I really enjoyed them! Mr. Jenkins is the most humble man I have ever met; gives all the glory to Jesus for his photography skills and none to himself. I know the Bible doesn't talk about men having a gentle and quiet spirit (that's for the women :) but something about him just pointed you to Jesus and His Word without a you-gotta-do-what-He-says attitude. Just a humble, gentle asking! He pointed to the Scriptures often and said the Lord leads him in his photography and shows him Scriptures later that give the pictures a greater meaning. I really enjoyed listening to him; his love for the Lord filled the room whenever he spoke.

kenjenkins.com

We would've enjoyed the day much better if it hadn't been so cold, but otherwise I think we enjoyed it! (I'm not sure if we're going next year)

Willingly Jesus',

Kimber




Mountain Trip: Friday Night

After hiking up Humpback Rock and driving through the mountains we arrived at our Inn, checked in, got comfortable and relaxed for around 30 minutes - just to rest after the day.

Our Room


We went to "La Caretta's" Mexican Restuarant for dinner.
They had the best service of all the restuarants we've went to. We had about 6 waiters (alternately) come by every 5-10 minutes and ask if we needed anything. We arrived, ate and left in about 40 minutes! And that was when the restuarant was completely full! I don't think the waiters rested one moment, there was always a table to clear, guests to seat, people to serve, take orders etc. The food wasn't the best, but it was cheap and came in pretty big proportions (we were all full!), which was great!



There was a Dairy Queen two restuarants away from our Inn and after Mexican, ice-cream is the best!!! So, daddy bought us a small vanilla cone and it was REALLY good!

Seth licking Away!


Alexis and Eden


Josiah with ice-cream on his nose!



Here's a video of everybody licking their icecream!



Willingly Jesus',

Kimber

Mountain Trip: Roadside Pictures

"Its leaves were lovely, Its fruit abundant, And in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, The birds of the heavens dwelt in its branches, And all flesh was fed from it."

Daniel 4:12



As we were driving through the mountains to get to our Inn, in a town near Lynchburg, we would stop frequently at Overlooks and just along the steep road to get some pictures of the beautiful Fall scenery!

Those pictures are below!









Wild Blueberries...

we think. Mommy tried some (and she didn't die!) and she said they were very sour and tasted like a blueberry. We weren't quite sure if they were blueberries though!







Orange and Green colored leaves!


And the picture isn't altered in any way (other than lighting) - that is the exact color!




A Huge wasp nest.

Daddy found this as we were driving along and it was HUGE!




Evergreen Needles.




This was taken by an overlook.




A tree growing out of the rock! :-O





Mountain Flowers




Don't jump!!!!


(Daddy and Caleb)




Mountains




Ol' Reliable - not really.








An interesting array of red-leafed plants with some sort of bud.



Willingly Jesus',
Kimber

P.S - Yesterday we canned 14 quarts of greenbeans!
Family News:
Lydia turned 7 months old on Sunday!




Mountain Trip: Humpback Rock

"They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered."
Genesis 7:19
After a wonderful breakfast Friday morning, made by daddy, we all started piling things in our huge van. Sadly, it was raining (below picture) and so most everything we were bringing outside, to the car, was rained on (even though I was the umbrella girl - let's just say, I need some practice!)!

Rain

Hannah prepared to read!

We all brought books (Henty's and the Bronze Bow plus some other magazines and, of course, the Bible!). I finished a whole book (300+ pages) in 2 days!

It was about 3 hours before we arrived at the Visitors Center at Humpback Rock. After some potty breaks we piled into the car once again to head for Humpback Rock!


A beautiful tree by the Visitors' Center and Eden.

Here's some background on Humpback Rock and why we choose to hike it.

Daddy and Mommy once climbed Humpback Rock when they were in college (Longwood University) with one of Mommy's room-mates and some friends. I wish I could post the pictures - daddy was being silly as normal! :-) So, they decided we were going to hike up Humpback Rock to bring back memories and also to enjoy the Fall scenery as we advanced to the top.

The hike is on the scale of "Moderate to Strenuous." Lydia was carried by me (Kimber) for a few minutes and then she was put in the Ergo with mommy and stayed there the rest of the time. It was so cold that she hardly made any noise! Josiah was carried by daddy in many different positions when the hike became harder.

Alexis on a Tree Branch.


Caleb with a Mountain in the Background.

This picture is in the parking lot connected to the trail for Humpback Rock.

Left to right: Seth, Alexis, Caleb (on top) and Josiah (on bottom) by a tree.
(Also in the Parking Lot)


All of the children. (Oops! missing Lydia!)

Left to right: Caleb, Alexis, Hannah, Seth, Josiah, Eden and Kimber

If you can't tell all of us are wearing lots of layers - it was really cold out. I had on 5 shirts and many of us had multiple sweaters and coats!


Some Fall Trees


Lydia all cozy in a nice warm coat!

(We didn't have a pink or purple coat for her so the red one worked just fine!)


On the trail!

It started out pretty easy and then got slightly harder without any steps as we advanced. At one point some of us had to bend over pretty far as we went up the path but that was for a short time.


Josiah


Leaf-covered Trail


Taking a break!


Josiah and a rock.

Josiah was removing stones from our path hence the stone in hand.


Daddy and Josiah lagging behind.

Well, Josiah has such short, stubby legs that he couldn't walk as fast as us! He did a good job as we walked though!



Seth enjoying a short rest.
We tried to take it easy as we went up so we wouldn't be breathless when we got to the top.


Hannah


Mommy and Lydia


Looking down the trail


Josiah and Daddy

This was one of the steeper parts. The rocks sometimes were not lodged firmly in the ground so they would shift as we walked on top. Thankfully no one was hurt other than myself (Kimber). I was trying to go up a really steep part and also take pictures at the same time, so I wasn't looking where I was going and I went up the muddy side. Now, mud is more slippery than solid stone so.........I fell and scraped my knee. Thankfully it didn't hurt that much!

(I didn't scrape anything else because of all those layers I had on!)




Josiah enjoying a little rest on a log.


Hannah and Caleb


Another slightly steep part with lots of rocks and mud!

We're there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After about 40-60 minutes of hiking we reached the summit of Humpback Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!


Caleb, Seth and Hannah enjoying the view below.


Wow! What a view!!!!!!!!





At the edge of the rock enjoying the beautiful Fall scenery!


Eden


Mommy and Lydia!


Everyone except Mommy on Humpback Rock!


Another view.

Those feet in the picture....when we got to the top one of the littler ones came running up and said "Mommy, there's a man in a hammock up here!" And there was. There was a recently-graduated man reclining in a hammock between two rocks. Yikes! He seemed to enjoy it. I don't know if I would. Thankfully he was kind enough to let us make as much noise as we liked without being bothered. When it started drip-dropping he nonchalantly just pulled part of the hammock over himself and looked as if he was going to fall asleep! Suspended between two rocks! :-) He survived, nonetheless!






The other side of the mountains with a hardly-visible road on the right.


Hannah


Lydia

(This was her first time hiking!)


Josiah and Daddy.

Mommy was nervous the whole time because one of us could carelessly step over the edge and....I don't need to put the rest on here. Thankfully, Jesus kept us all safe!


Enjoying the view and weather together as a family.




Daddy helping mommy down the rocks as we turned back.

Some funny stories:

As we were about half of the way down the mountain, three men in their prime were huffing and puffing their way up the hill - sweat beads on their forehead. "How much longer?" they asked out of breath. "Are we half of the way up?" another asked. "Almost there - about 1/3 of the hike left," daddy replied. "Okay, thanks," replied the first as they huffed and puffed their way up the mountain to the top! We're thinking that they were going to try and set a "world record" and see how fast they could get to the top. Obviously, it was a little bit more difficult than they thought!

--

As we were again, going back down the mountain, people kept asking us how much farther. One couple in what seemed to be their 50's were watching all of us (especially the younger ones) go down the mountain as they sat on a bench.

"They all made it up?" the grandfatherly-looking man said.

"Yep!" daddy answered.

Heaving a sigh and looking at his wife like "if they can do it, I guess we can."



Hannah and Eden setting up lunch.


Josiah after a fall.

We had a great time together. One of our favorite things to do is hiking and this was no different!

I'm going to be updating about the rest of the weekend all this week so stay tuned!

Willingly Jesus',
Kimber