Fire Department Homeschool Field Trip

We set out on a blistering hot, humid day for a homeschool field trip to a local fire department. There were a few activities for the kids, the hit of the day being able to aim the huge fire hose at wooden cutouts of flames!

As we were standing in line for the flame-shootin', Matthew turned around to look at people coming out of a small trailer. With them came billowing smoke. This was the place where we could go in a see how it is to be in a burning building and how easy it is to get turned around. We would also be able to hear what a hurricane sounded like (useful info for Florida, methinks!) However, Matthew's eyes got as big as dinnerplates when he saw the smoke. He seriously asked just what was going on in there. I told him, then asked, "So, do you want to go in?"

"NO!"

I knew the others wouldn't be up for it, so I hustled over to let the leader know the Marble family would NOT be participating in that activity!

The boys also enjoyed being able to climb into a real firetruck and poke around. The FD didn't offer free rides, which I was glad of, because, again, my kids would not have enjoyed that. Well, Rachel probably would've! :)



The offending smoke-filled trailer. Wouldn't it freak you out, too?




Setting up the wooden flames for Matthew's turn up to bat.






Matthew was the only one who was brave enough to shoot the flames, but Stephen supported him with lots of cackling laughter!



Rachel sweatin' it up in the stroller.






Junior firefighters!



Matthew front and center during the talk.



A thermal "gun" to locate bodies in smoke-filled buildings.




"Jaws of Life"



Timothy inspecting for safety!

What is this, Mama?

That is the question Matthew asked me as he pointed to something on the floor a few weeks ago. I was washing dishes and turned around to see what looked like a scorpion. I tried not to drop my dish and kept my composure as I told Matthew to not pester it.

"It is a bad bug, Matthew, called a scorion. Where did you find it?"

"It was on the computer desk, then it fell on the computer chair right next to Stephen. I picked it up by the tail and it dropped down on the floor."

(silently shrieking in my head that he picked it up BY THE TAIL.)

I found a small glass jar to capture it in and tried to take the best photos I could. Sorry for the quality, but I wasn't about to let that thing out!

After looking it up on the internet, I found out that the only type(s) of scorpions that are deadly to people are located west of the Rockies. The other types, however, deliver a sting similar to wasp's but a touch more painful. So I have heard!

Hurricane Ike

These are really late in coming, but here are some photos of BEFORE Hurricane Ike touched down in TX. It was such a massive storm that it caused quite a bit of storm surge around here. Thankfully, no water entered our house.





Looking to the right from our backyard.



Timothy checking out our backyard. The water came up a little higher than this, almost to the bottom of the top portion of the birdbath!



Boys checking out the water in the street.



In the back of our home and neighboring homes. See how the bay just oozes into our backyard?






Our house is the one with the blue van. :)

More of our Neighborhood

Here are some photos of a street in our neighborhood that also got flooded. The amazing thing is, these were taken yesterday (Monday). Today (Tuesday), the water is pretty much all gone! I think we live atop a big sponge...!

Gustav

We fared pretty well with Hurricane Gustav. We didn't get evacuated, as the storm's path went west of us, into Louisiana. I googled New Orleans and Panama City, and they are about 5.5 hours apart. With that in mind, I couldn't believe the strength of the wind that blew on Sunday night! Dave had to work late, as what he does for his casual job is to help the logistics guys when things like this happen. The wind was a steady, howling wind. I went onto our screened porch, and it just about took my breath away! I had the boys come out with me for a bit and we all just listened to the wind. When palm tree fronds are blown in the wind, they sound really odd-like no tree I have heard before. The leaves on the trees I am used to have a gentler, rustling sound. The palms sound rougher and louder.

After I put the kids in bed, I couldn't get to sleep with the wind. I tried to, but all I did was lie in bed, wondering if it was a tornado. I finally fell asleep around midnight, with Dave coming home an hour later!

When we woke up in the morning, there was water in our backyard. Water came closer still than what these photos show, but didn't come up to the house.






After looking out the back, I looked out the front and called to Dave to come out and see the end of our street!




Water from the bay coming in back of the houses.




The blue house is 2 houses down from ours (on the opposite side)!




Some neighbor boys checking out the water, too.

Frogs!

There are a lot of frogs around here, of varying sizes. On one of the first walks we took around the neighborhood a few weeks ago, the kids kept asking, "What is that?" or "Did you see something jump?" It was dusk, so we had to really strain our eyes to see, but there were frogs everywhere you looked, hopping around in the grass! The boys made it their mission to catch a frog to walk home with. Not only did we see those frogs, but there are always a couple frog buddies that hang out on our windows no matter what time of day it is. The first night here, I went to take a drink of water at the sink and almost dropped the mug when I looked up and saw three frogs plastered to the glass on the outside! They are tree frogs, and they sing at night. When you go outside in the evening, they are really loud.

Here are some photos of one of the lurkers, hanging out on our window:




These itty bitty frogs were found yesterday while on our walk around the neighborhood to see the flooding:

Ropin' The Wind

That is what it is like to get four children 6 and under to sit still for a photo!







Success! :)