Sturgeon Tower

Sturgeon Point Lighthouse has a museum in the house portion of the lighthouse and you can climb the tower.  What makes this tower special is that it still has the original Fresnel Lens.  I forget the exact amount it is worth but it was over a million dollars.  Most lighthouse lens' have been removed and put into different museums and replaced with a new lens.

Once at the top of the tower, the view is just beautiful.  It overlooks Lake Huron.

Blessings!!

Little White & Red House

Daddy... What is this little building??

 You mean they used to go OUTSIDE to use the bathroom??

*smile*

Old Schoolhouse

As we were peeking in all the windows, there comes a man walking down a path towards the school house.  He sees us looking in all the windows and asks if we would like to take a quick peek inside.

WELL OF COURSE!

He told us that there was as many teachers, that taught in that school, as years it was opened.  Why?  Because most of the teachers were women.  They would move to the little town to teach, meet a man, get married and quit teaching to start their families.

Love old schoolhouses...

Peek-A-Boo

Back to Tawas... We took a day trip to Sturgeon Point Lighthouse and on the grounds there was this old school house.

The only problem was that it was closed so all we could do is peek in the windows...

 Hi Babe, I see you...

Catching Up...

I am back from a wonderful 3 week long camping adventure with the kids and gearing up for another adventure.  LOVE camping this time of year!  Our next adventure is our annual voyage up to the UP.  Last year it was in the 70's (which was very abnormal) this year looks to be almost the opposite, so grabbing the winter jackets, gloves, and making sure there is enough propane to keep the furnace runnin!

My goal was to have my blog caught up by the time I leave, which doesn't look like it's going to happen.  I have yet to blog about last year!!  Ugh!  But life has a way of speeding by without me even realizing it.  And blogging sadly gets pushed to the back burner most of the time.  I will however try and get some posted before I leave again..... It's on my "TO DO" list.

So this summer my children have discovered a love for country music (Thank You, Uncle Jim and Aunt Kerri).  Good thing Kev and I enjoy it too because all I hear every time I get into the truck is.... "Mom, can you turn on country!"  There are a few songs I turn the channel for, but some of them have slipped by so if you hear Tyler singing a song about beer in Mexico, I apologize.  Our families new theme song is Pontoon by Little Big Town.  Every time it comes on we all break out into song.  Micah even told me that he wants a cowboy hat, I asked him if he would really wear one and he said "Yes, especially if we move out to the country."  Gotta love that kid.  We are currently on the lookout for a new hat band for Jilli's cowgirl hat (Mrs. Butler, your name has been mentioned SEVERAL times regarding this).  Girls, have you ever seen the BLING western belts?  I saw one this past weekend down in Indiana that I LOVED.  I would totally rock that belt, the only problem was that it was $89!!!  Kevin even loved it and thought for a half second about getting it until he saw the price.  I might have to break out the glue gun and go bananas with Jilli's crafting jewels...

Last night Micah was looking at a book and said "Mom, this book fascinates me."  Then this afternoon he was looking online for a book and said "I am amused by these prices Mom."  I love the words he uses and when he chooses to use them.  He cracks me up.

So I think that is all the new news.  My parents are still getting a taste of big city livin.  I think we need to send Tim and Melissa on a Vacation after all of this :)


Blessings!!

The Fire

The other night Kev and l were enjoying a fire with friends.  At one point a piece of wood fell out of the fire pit. The piece of wood quickly died down in intensity. By the time Kev got it back in the fire there wasn't a flame
to be found on it.
As I was laying in bed thinking about that piece of wood, it reminded me how quickly we lose our spiritual fire when we walk away from fellowship with other believers.  We cool quickly and quickly forget what it was like to be on fire for God.  I also think once away from the fire we try to fill up our lives with things that we think will bring that warmth back.  But that warmth is artificial.
I was amazed at how quickly that same piece of wood once added back in the fire started burning like it had never left.
That piece of wood gives me hope. Why? Because there are times I feel like I start to fall away and lose heat.  I try to handle life on my own... and that never works.  It doesn't take much for me to find that fire again when I tap back into The never ending flame.  Listening to praise music, reading the Word, praying, worshiping with other believers.  One or all of those things ignite me.
I am so thankful that when I fall out of the fire, I am welcomed right back in. It's a blessing to be loved by such a forgiving and loving Father.

My Mom

Stopping in really quick....

My Mom was out in New York City visiting Tim and Melissa when she fell and broke her hip.  She had a partial hip replacement on Sunday and will be unable to travel home for a month.  We started a Carepages for her so if you would like to keep updated on Mom please visit...


www.carepages.com/sherivandyk/carepages

Blessings!!

School Update

School has been going really well... We have had some up's and down's but over all our new schedule has gone pretty well.  This year Micah is playing a bigger role in the schooling of Tyler and Jilli and it has surprisingly gone quite well (after some bugs were worked out).  He is very patient with them and works hard at helping them to understand whatever they are working on.  He is a natural teacher!  I have yet to hear the "aww Mom, we don't want to do school today."

It has been fun to discover that spelling is the favorite subject of all the kids.  They must not be mine.. I HATE spelling, I LOVE my mac and the little red dotted line under all mutilated words.  My Mom and sister are amazing spellers, but God left that chip out of me.  I am sure there will come a day when I have to ask them how to spell a word!

That's the quick update for today.  Be back soon!!

School Started

Yesterday I sat down with my friend Jodi to plan our school year.  We worked on the schedule for 5 hours... We started school on Tuesday, but come tomorrow, things are going to get very interesting!!

More on this picture later!

Here We Go...

Today we started down the road of orthodontics (for the boys).  I just wanted to note that here on my blog so that I knew the exact date we started down the road of being in the poor house for the foreseeable future.  We are now accepting donations.  I could quite possibly do a fundraiser as well... I have yet to put my eyes back inside my head from the sticker shock... good night.