My Favorite FREE iPad Apps

 

"Goodnight Safari" is absolutely adorable! The trees in the Savannah shake when you touch them, and the mama giraffe twist her neck and lifts her legs, while you help the baby giraffe feed on the leaves of a too tall tree. You give a baby rhino a bath and help a baby zebra find his mother. Our 3yr old LOVES this book. You can choose to Read Alone, or Read to Me. You can purchase more Learning Activities...but I'm good with free. ;)

The "Endless Alphabet" is my FAVORITE! It is so educational. You choose a letter and the monsters run through the word and all your letters get scrambled! Then you must fill the word back in. I love that when you touch the letters they make the letter sound. So as they add them back, not only are they spelling the word, but they are learning the sounds to read. Once the letters have been replaced to their original places, they cheer and take you to the next page where they read the word, and act out the meaning of the word, then give the kids the definition. Super cute! All of our kids love this app, and beg to play it.

The letter wiggle, stretch, and make the silly sounds.

New words are added weekly! 

 

Such a FUN, & EDUCATIONAL App! 

 This "LEGO" app is cute. Best for a young audience, but our older kids still play it. You build a lego truck and as you speed down the road, you pick up lego pieces, and earn new vehicle pieces...like a helicopter, or new pieces to your truck. Very simple, but the kids seemed entertained by it. So I guess that is the most important factor when picking an app for your kiddos {after your approval of the app, of course!}. :) 

Hoping that these come in handy during our flights in the next week! We have the blessing of heading to Hawaii for 3 weeks on Monday! So very excited to have the homeschooling trip we've always wanted to take our children on. We will be hiking to waterfalls, volcanoes, and to the beach! Many memories will be made on this trip...one that will not soon be forgotten. {And I'm so thankful my work travels with me! Another reason I love my job...I can do it as needed while I'm gone.} We will get to tour coffee plantations, wildlife zoo, and even get to volunteer with a non-profit org, helping people with disabilities and their families enjoy a day at the beach, for a snorkel day! It will be neat to see our children serve others and see the change in their hearts because of it {and Bob & I as well}. 

So that is what we will be up to in the rest of this month! 

Blessings ~ Heather

My Top 3 Places to Travel...

Where might they be you wonder....?

Well needless to say, I surprised myself by deciding upon 3 that did not include hot beaches year round, skin smelling of coconut, sweat & hibiscus, drinks with umbrellas, monkeys swinging in trees, zip lines in the jungle or music with steel drums. Awhile ago I might have picked 2 out of 3 to be some tropical paradise, but as of now these are what it would be. Although these all do have beaches & sunshine, or at least a beautiful lake or two! :)

#3 GREECE



#2 ITALY
Although I think I might gain a few (alright a TON) of weight being here. Gelato, fresh bread bakeries, delectable desserts in so many shapes forms and flavors!!


Imagine staying at a B&B eating old family recipes, sipping wine (well if I drank wine, it would be an experience...lol) Let me dream! :) Looking out on the valley below wishing there was a villa...awaiting your company in which you fall in love with it (the house) and proclaimed "I'll take it!" (Yes, I know too many movies!)


#1 AUSTRIA The hills are alive with the sound of music...awhawhaaaawh

The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds
that rise from the lake to the trees
My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies
from a church on a breeze
To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over
stones on its way
To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray

I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more

Can't you just picture yourself like Maria, spinning and singing and breathing the cool crisp fresh air? Boy I love that movie!


Do you think the bell hop wears Lederhosen in this hotel? Yeah, me either, but wouldn't that be a hoot? :)

Well these are my dreams. What are yours?!

Memorial Day Camping

The Boys are ready to go!


Sunday, we got the wild idea to take the kids fishing/camping out on the island at Swift Lake. Bob's dad drove us out to it with the boat, and we fished and ate! Luckily, Alexis, Ty, and Gabe all caught a fish by the end of the night.

Ty's big catch! He reeled it in all by himself. :)
Alexis' big catch! This was a second attempt at a fish. The first one got away...
Gabriel's night fish. He caught the biggest one! 14 inches long, but he wasn't very happy about getting the picture taken. :)
Ty, Alexis, Daddy, Gabe, and Grandpa with their catches.
Alexis and Addison goofing off Monday morning. Maybe the Fruit Loops make you "fruity?"
Grandpa, Gabriel, and Daddy fishing for more trout.
Our camp site on the island. Grandma is hanging out with Addie while we moved out by the logs for better luck.
Mommy and Addie...her trademark smile!
One last look at our island on the way back to the docks.

Zoo with Nana & Papa

Welcome to the Oregon Zoo!
Kids playing on all the animals
Friday the kids got to go to the Oregon Zoo with Nana & Papa! It was a beautiful day for a "field trip."
Bald Eagle
Gabriel, Ty, Nana, and Addie
New baby elephant that they got to watch feed with the mommy!