Review: WriteBonnieRose

We are crazy people ... so we homeschool year-round. :) Okay, so we don't work as hard in the summer as we do during this year, but we keep on keepin' on. And that means the opportunity to keep reviewing fun new things like the Learning About Science Collection, Level 1 from WriteBonnieRose.

Learning About Science Collection, Level 1 is a $12.00 downloadable product featuring over 172 pages of science materials for kids in grades 1-3. There are seven different books in the study on the following topics:

• Familiar Plants and How They Grow
• Fruits and Vegetables Around the World
• Animal Habitats of the World
• Our Senses and Systems and How They Work
• Learning About Life Cycles
• Earth: Layers, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
• Exploring States of Matter

Each of the books is approximately 12-24 pages long. I took a picture of my seven-year-old first-grader with two of the pages she did in the very first book listed above. (Please overlook her eyes closed in picture two :)

Abigail REALLY enjoyed this unit. And to be honest, my four-year-old pre-kindergartener could have done some of this as well. I'd need to read it to her, but she could totally do some of the tracing and coloring. In addition, I think kids older than third grade could enjoy this as well and see some important science concepts reinforced.

And this is just the beginning of the different sets crew members reviewed for this particular review.

The other reviewed funded include: 

• Learning About Science Collection, Level 1 (This is the one I reviewed!)
• Learning About Science Collection, Level 2
• This is a continuation of the Level 1 materials designed for you 1st-3rd grader. It contains 163 pages of learning on topics like: 
• understanding food chains
• why animals hibernate
• how plants grow and how they help us
• a closer look at body systems
• the cycle of water and types of clouds, 
• the solar system, 
• forces and simple machines, 
• scientists and the scientific method. 
• Learning About Science Collection, Level 3 (Print)
• This is 135 pages designed for elementary students. I did not see an age listed on this program, but from what I could tell it could fit with kids from about grade 1 through 5. 
• kinds of animals and how they live
• what's going on inside plants?
• life in the ocean's hidden zones
• forecasting and understanding the weather
• discovering rocks, minerals, and crystals
• exploring the earth's landforms
• energy and its many forms
• Learning About Science Collection, Level 3 (Cursive)
• This is identical to the collection featured above except it works on cursive and NOT print.

One thing I really like. These books do NOT discuss origins or age of the earth. If you want to explore the topics in this book from a Creation Science worldview, a free download is included with links to numerous free resources to help you do that. (Our family holds a slightly different view of creation than other Christians.) We absolutely believe the Bible to completely be the word of God. However, we don't believe in a 7-day creation -- in other words, we believe the earth is much older than some Christian Science programs indicate. It is nice that we can discuss this in the way that works best for us and not be "forced" to follow along with a curriculum. This would also allow non-Christians to use the program successfully as well. 

Also all measurements are given in both English and metric. Another feature I really liked!

Now here is some exciting news! You can save FIFTY PERCENT -- that's right 50% -- on the bundled package of Learning About Science Levels 1, 2, and 3 by using the coupon code REVIEWCREW50 through August 15. This means you can get each set for for about $6 per book. And remember, each of the sets include well over 150 pages of learning exercises.

Tuesday Truth

Summertime Hannah!!

Hannah came downstairs wearing long pants for a summer outing today.

I told her to go and change. She came back down in a ballet leotard, tights and leg warmers.

I sent her up again and she came back down in her "tries to wear it everyday outfit" which you can see if you scroll to the post below this one.

So I sent her up a fourth time. "No pants or long sleeves shirts!" I said.

So she put together this outfit (above). I told her this wasn't great for an outside activity in July. But I told her I would compromise. She could wear it if she brought a tank top and shorts with her. She found one of her sister's toy bags and did just as I said.

P.S. Now I want to add to this story. We went to hang out at a friends' house and let our dogs play. She changed into her shorts and tank-top but then took off the shorts to put the striped pants back on. Thennnn on the drive to our next location she started sobbing. She was stuck in the shirt pictured above because she tried to put it on while in her seatbelt and her arm got stuck.

P.S.S. This gal!!!!

Our Hannah Joy

She's been starting to do her own hair and jewelry. :)

A visit from our Turkey buds

Oh how they grow. Oh how time flies. My boys' very first friend was a young man named William. I became good friends with his Mom, whom I affectionally call "Stebbs". Once upon a time they were very small. Today, they are in their 9's and 10s.

William came out to help us move the sheep. He did an amazing job and lasted longer than my boys!

Five years ago, Stebbs and I got pregnant about the same time. Her Graham is now five -- about six weeks older than my Hannah.

Graham and Hannah accidentally twinning it in American t-shirts at Yoder's.

We took the kiddos to one of our favorite places in Greenville: The Greenville Green County History Museum where the kids are able to have a blast in their "pioneer days" play area. 

We adults had just taken an awesome downtown walking history tour with our friend Ruth Kross the day before. I meant to take pictures of this but forgot ... again! John took some of the knowledge back and was passing it along to the boys during their imagination adventure.

"So many UGH moments," I said back.

"Do you think this is normal?" I asked JB.

"What?" he asked in reply.

"So many UGH moments," I said back. 

"Ugh?"

"So many moments of like seriously? Did that really just happen?"

"It's normal for farmers," He said in reply. "We are dealing with big equipment and animals. Our odds of having these moments goes up I would say."

I'd say he's right.

This past week "the guys" (meaning JB, Grampa, and Tijmen) took turns bringing the last of our pigs to be butchered. We went from having over two dozen pigs about three months ago, to now, officially, having zero. 

Seeing them through the trailer we borrowed from Mr. Billy filled me with such a wide array of emotions. I don't like seeing an animal die. I really don't. And yet, I know it is part of the circle of life and part of the type of farming we are doing. (I've also learned, ironically enough from a vegetarian that stayed on our farm that not eating meat doesn't solve the problems of the land. In fact, in order to raise another food to feed people without meat, entire habitats must die to make room for these vegetables ... but I digress ...) 

I also felt incredible "relief." JB works off the farm FULL-time. This means that when we don't have a volunteer here, the pig work falls primarily on me. And I don't enjoy the pigs. They don't bring me joy. And life is too short to spend time doing things that don't bring you joy if you don't have to. 

So for about two months now, we've been slowly getting our pigs processed and seeing them leave our farm. This includes "Mama" pigs that we really thought would be with us for years.

Our last two pigs leaving our farm.

We had made the decision a few months back to stop doing pigs at the Bauernhof. It was a hard decision. We love our pigs. We love what they do for our land. But they are expensive and the hardest animal to manage on the farm both in actually handling the animal and the time involved in caring for them. We knew it was the right move. And yet making the move is hard.

The truck pulling into the processor.

However, this is where the drama comes in. Taking the pigs to the processor went fine. Plan A went off with ta hitch. But returning home? Not so much. Dad called us to tell us that Mr. Billy's trailer (we still haven't purchased our own trailer on the farm yet) went flying off the truck and into a ditch on his way home. Check it out (thanks to some photos Mr. Tijmen snapped): 

Believe it or not, the trailer had very little damage. We truly were blessed that Dad and Mom in the truck or someone driving near them wasn't injured in this accident. And then we got a double gift when the trailer was towed out with next-to-no damage.

I can't say the same for the dog's outside kennel gate. Shortly after dealing with the cacophony of pig trailers, check out what Ritter managed to do. We were eating dinner at Grampa and Grama's house, and I told the kids to stay outside so the flies didn't keep getting in and Sidge disobeyed to come in but it was important. Ritter was running around the yard out of his kennel. 

That darn lug of a dog managed to tear the whole gate straight off the brick wall. Seriously? 

Farming is HARD. The more land and things you own and are taking care of, the more possibilities there are for things to not go quite as planned. I am just not sure I will ever get completely used to that fact. I'm trying. But it's exhausting. 

I have written past posts about how "the best laid plans" are sort of pointless: 

• A farming example of the best laid plans
• The Plan "B"

For now I'll just keep on keepin' on:

Review: Smart Kids Media: Smart Kidz Radio

I want to share with you a different kind of review today. This one is from Smart Kidz Media and is called Smart Kidz Radio. It isn't really a homeschool product per say. Instead it is a media option for your child that is completely good for them!

Smart Kidz Media has many award-winning educational products, but this review is specifically about one of their education offerings -- Smart Kidz Radio which offers what they call an "edutainment" radio station for kids using songs to teach kids valuable life skills.

Here's how it works. A parent logs in to either; (1) the Smart Kidz Radio App (which will be available soon but wasn't available to me for my review); (2) the website via an internet browser. And then your child listens to ad-free music. That's it. Super simple. In addition, while not quite available yet, there will be an on-demand section which will allow your children to play some on-demand stories at their leisure.

Designed for children in the 3-12 age bracket, it is completely FREE! Yes, you heard that right. FREE! However, the on-demand portion will be $3.99 a month (or $39 for a yearly membership.) This membership will give you access to over 1,000 children's songs and stories with specific programs falling into categories like Bible stories, fairy tales, life skills, or bedtime stories, etc.

I used this program with all four of my children, and the results were as follows:

1. My four-year-old loved it and would listen to it often.
2. My seven-year-old liked as well. She didn't go to it as much as my four-year-old, but she enjoyed it.
3. My ten-year-old boys thought it was too young for them, and they weren't very interested.

I'd like to add that my husband is usually a pretty intense critic of radio and shows that are not done "up to snuff." He has a low tolerance for Christian stuff that is just sub par. He, however, thought this was very well done. He thought the message was positive and that it truly met his "media gold standard." Trust me. This means a LOT! 

I want to suggest that this is a good option for little kids. I actually think the age range should be 2-8. As the on-demand and podcasts are perfected, I think this might fit children in the older range a bit better. 

Please take some time to check Smart Kidz Radio out on Facebook or Twitter. We want more GOOD STUFF for our children. And this is one of those things.

A screen shot of what things look like when you are logged in!

Baptism

My oldest three kiddos were baptized over the weekend. 

Abigail had been asking to be baptized for quite some time. We kept telling her she could wait, be older, think about it, and every single day she asked again. 

The only thing is, she's an introvert. Doing it in front of church just felt too big to her. So we talked about doing it in our cousins' pool. Once Abigail solidified her decision, Sidge soon followed, and then Isaac.

We decided to just have JB do the baptisms, and we let the kids just invite a couple of people: Grampa and Grama, our neighbors (Billy and Ms. Gay), Uncle Ray and Nate who were in town, and Tijmen and Anni -- two of our favorite people. 

Here are some pics Grama took of the event. I decided not to take out my camera and phone so I could simply watch. :)

What She's Teaching Me (with the help of others!)

Hannah with our "Aunt Anni"

I continue to struggle with Hannah.

Not in a "she's driving me crazy" way (although that sometimes happens of course) but in a "What do I do with her?" type of way.

From the time she was very little, she didn't like to do things that all the books tell you a two/three/four-year-old would like to do.

From the time she was very little, all the things that had worked with my first three kids, did diddly with Hannah Joy.

It has actually been other people who have given me ideas with her. They've suggested things (or even initiated them) and in my mind I am thinking: She's four. She can't do THAT.

And then she does. Take my friend Anni for example. She had the idea to sew with Hannah. Sew? Like with a needle and thread.

YES! And not only did she actually sew, she sewed well, she sat and focused for well over an hour, and she started threading her own needle.

(Let me compare that to Abigail who started sewing at the same time. Abigail has always been an "old soul" but she can't focus nearly as long as Hannah at anything that isn't a sport: gymnastics or ballet particularly. But Hannah can sit in a chair when the right activity comes along and go and go and go.)

I honestly was so blown away by what Hannah was doing that I had to take a video to show everyone what she was doing. Quite something.

Tuesday Truth

On Belay: Why Not?

I am incredibly excited to add a new Blogger to my rotation. I met Shelby Mathis while our husbands were stationed together in the Azores, and she has also come and worked on our farm! She will be posting on Mondays!

I started a new book recently by founder of Noonday Collection, my fave fair-trade jewelry on the planet, Jessica Honegger (if you haven't heard of Noonday, it was started by an adoptive mom as a fundraiser to help bring her son home from Rwanda and since has flourished as a powerhouse business that has built a marketplace for artisan partners to sell their goods here in the States.) The book is called Imperfect Courage, and it's about pursuing a life of purpose by leaving comfort and going scared. 

"Imperfect Courage" has so far been a huge reminder to me that I should appreciate my "why not?" people. They're the ones that don't simply comfort me when I think I have failed -- they asked why I took "no" for an answer. They're the ones that don't let me quit when something gets hard -- they want to know how to help and support me. They're the ones that don't let me worry I will have to go into something risky or scary alone -- they ask how they can pray and when we can have coffee together next. They're the ones that ask that catalytic question that propels me into the unknown. And the unknown is where the magic happens.

___________

Wendi is one of my "why not" people.

I initially met Wendi one Sunday morning in October on the side of the road in Porto Martins in the Azores. I was connected with her just days before through the Lajes Air Base spouses' Facebook group. I was new to the island, and posted a plea for someone -- anyone -- to take me to church with them that Sunday. My husband was on night shift, we didn't have a second car yet, I lived in a little town 10 minutes from base, and I was desperate for connection in this unfamiliar place where I was soon going to be living alone once my husband left for deployment. Wendi was one of the first to offer me a ride to the base chapel that Sunday, and since she lived in my town and said she could make room in her car for me, we planned to meet outside of the cafe at the top of the steep cobblestone road up from the boat dock.

On Sunday morning, I walked the short distance to the possibly sketchy rendezvous location. As the cars she described rounded the corner, I waved to both as Wendi signaled me over to her van. The other carload of people waved to us and rolled away. I said a quick prayer this woman wasn't a serial killer and wondered if she was thinking the same, bringing all those reinforcements to our meeting! I hopped in the passenger seat of her van. I was relieved she had several kids with her, so I assumed I would live through trip.

On the way to base, we exchanged the overseas base meeting usuals, "where'd you come from?", "when did you get here?", "what's your husband's squadron?" I learned the names and ages of all her children -- including Hannah -- born only a month earlier on the exact day I arrived on the island. And that her in-laws had just moved in with them! And that this was their first time back to church as, now, a family of 8. It dawned on me the backup car was so I could fit with them. I'd never felt so welcomed. A stranger asked for a ride, and Wendi and her whole family had said, "why not?"

I know now what Wendi's "why not?" would fan into flame in my life:

The three incredible women who would disciple me to this day, including Wendi.

The group of friends who became like sisters and brothers.

The circle of people that would form a holy home church in Porto Martins.

The place I'd launch from for some of the most important ministries of my life so far.

_____________

Lane's second deployment wasn't a long one, but it was a hard one. We hadn't even gotten our household goods shipment when he received the orders. We hadn't gotten our car by the time he left in November.

The deployment was supposed to last only 5 months, and they prepared to come home just about on schedule. They had the date, so I planned to welcome Lane back to this beautiful island I'd grown to love as home. We told our parents we were going to visit Missouri soon on his R&R. But as sure as the sun will set, the plans will change.

About a week before their planned arrival, Lane called to say they were going to be delayed. There was a paperwork mix-up and they would have to stay in Ramstein, Germany for at least five days to get their weapons cleared for travel back to the Azores.

It was less than a week. On one hand, it had been over five months, what's five more days? On the other hand, FIVE MORE DAYS?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

I got the news right before heading over to the Storey's house where our small group met. As I set out the plates and silverware for dinner, I complained to some of the women about the delay, about the change of plans, about the deployment. I was over it, and it felt unfair, but these trusted friends who'd taken me in and walked with me through those five months were a safe place to vent my beef with the Air Force that day, I thought.

"Why don't you just go to Germany?" Wendi asked casually.

It occurred to me this had never occurred to me. I had never once considered myself capable of doing that. I'd never been to Germany! Or mainland Europe for that matter! I instantly thought through the logistics and decided it sounded scary. Could I really just go there? Wouldn't it be super weird since he's in a hotel with lots of other single guys on his team? What if their plans change again? Would I be able to figure out how to get from Frankfurt to Ramstein two hours away? Would I even be able to get on base? Could I navigate from Terceira to Lisbon to Frankfurt on my own?

Wendi suspected my internal dialogue of doubt. "Seriously, Ramstein is super easy to get around. I stork nested there when I had Abigail. You'll love it. Oh, and I'll call my friends who live there and you can probably stay with them."

I'm sure my eyes were bugged. I met her ideas with doubt, and she met mine with generosity and encouragement. My mind was still churning through the "what if's" but the more she talked, she gave me the confidence to try something I'd never tried before, go someplace I'd never been, to do something that was outside of my comfort zone. She made me realize I'd regret not going.

I went to Germany and got to the base just fine. Lane and I had an unceremonious reunion in front of the base gate security guards, and I was granted access. He ended up in his own hotel room, and I got to meet all the guys he'd spent every waking hour with on this tour. We had a wonderful few days exploring small villages, trekking to castles, and growing a sense of confidence that would write many future travels and adventures into our story. 

Wendi was right. I would've regretted missing this. And because this trip spurred so much in me for travel and exploration, I wonder what my trajectory would have been if I hadn't gone to Germany.

Would I have gone on that epic England adventure to Devon and London on my own?

Would we have made the three-country backpacking trip on R&R instead of going home to the States?

Would I have said "yes" to that life-altering trip to Israel/Palestine?

Would we have planned on thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Would we have gone on that formative climbing roadtrip last summer?

____________

The Trail beckoned us. It promised freedom and quiet and adventure and a dang cool story if we actually finished it. When Lane got out of the Air Force, we were going to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

Sometime in the spring of 2016, I shared on Facebook my excitement about starting the trail the following year. Wendi said the trail was less than an hour from their farm, and she'd love to plan on meeting us at a trail intersection so they could see us and bless us with food! I thought it would be so awesome to see familiar faces and have some respite in those first few hard weeks of conditioning on the trail. I also wondered if side-tripping for some rest at their farm would be possible because I really wanted to see them and their new life!

In our last few months in Albuquerque and the Air Force, we talked a lot about the trail. Our life pointed us to get on the trail and successfully complete it, but we honestly didn't have a lot of plans for after. We thought we'd move to Austin or Denver, or where ever Lane could get into film school. We had time to figure it out, we thought.

We made it to Missouri to kill some time before training, prepping, and planning for the trail. We'd spend the fall, winter, the holidays, and once the new year rolled around, it would be a countdown to mid-March when we could make our way to Georgia. We hoped living with our parents in Missouri would allow us to save money, take a deer to make food to dehydrate, and spend some time near the family we'd moved away from long before. 

I made a visit to Missouri the month before we were scheduled to move. I talked at length with my parents about our arrangement to live with them, where we'd store our household goods, and how we would make this work. Ultimately, it looked like it wouldn't. It was a "no" we weren't expecting, but sometimes that can open better doors anyway.

Lane and I had to start thinking about a place to live and store our stuff. It would have been silly to rent a house and unpack for a few months only to pack again before or after the trail to move somewhere else. Again. We craved freedom, not being locked into contracts in our hometown. Definitely not paying rent. We wanted temporary and flexible, and something a little radical. So I reached out to the woman whose "why not" had gotten me into some pretty great situations before.

"Do you need some farmhands this fall?"

Of course they did, Wendi replied. Our help on the farm would cover room and board. And I could keep freelancing while there. And we could potentially stay the whole fall and winter up until we hit the trail if it was a good fit. If we wanted.

WHY NOT?!

So the following week when the packers came to load our Missouri-bound stuff, I gave the address of my uncle's old diesel shop where we would store our stuff, unpack what little we could get by on, and make a cozy temporary home in the shop until we left for Tennessee.

In September, I'd go to the Kitsteiner Bauernhof and learn more about chicken processing and pig feed than I'd ever planned to learn. By November, I'd be leaving with fewer thoughts about farming and much more about family and parenting and homeschooling and hospitality and church. I had watched Wendi and John live their dream on this farm, and I wondered how we could do the same.

Sometime in those quiet, early nights in mid-October, Lane and I had separated ourselves enough from the military and family life to consider our future. After the farm. After the trail. We ultimately decided we didn't really want to do the AT anymore. We wanted to move to Denver and start school and build my design business and get on with our professional lives earlier than we ever thought. And somehow, that's all ended up being the freedom we desired.

Wendi's "why not?" brought us into her home and carved out space for dreaming. I'm not sure we could've had that same conversation anywhere but that peaceful farm mere miles from the trail we thought we were aiming at for so long.

_____________

I've gone scared a lot in my life, and I've found the biggest impact, biggest purpose, biggest joy and life are found right there: in going scared with imperfect courage.

In having the courage to publish, start, move, travel, show, submit, or say something brave and imperfect just to see what it can do.

In not waiting for a sense of fearlessness that's likely never coming. 

In just going for it anyway. 

Sometimes it just takes a nudge from God found in a book or a friend. Sometimes it takes a "why not?!"

Climb on,

Shelby

P.S. In addition to encouraging me to go, travel, or move, Wendi's been asking "why not?" about my writing for much longer than I have. So grateful for this little space I've gotten to share with you on your incredible platform. Please never stop asking me to get out of my comfort zone!

Books I read on our vacation to Maine!

I loveeeeeddddd this book. 

Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson was just truly awesome! I don't often read a book that I think: I need to send this to twenty of my favorite book readers. But that is how I feel about this one. Just stupendous!

A debutante and a physician are thrust together and apart during the Civil War as they both make choices to help end slavery and free those they love and even those they don't know. 

(I honestly don't want to write too much more because it doesn't need much more than that.)

But I will say this. From everything I could find, this was Tara Johnson's first novel. And it was simply amazing. She painted the characters beautifully. She incorporated the Lord and a love for God seamlessly into the pages. 

I truly canNOT recommend this book enough. Honestly, this one is going to stay in my library for my daughters to read someday. A beautiful cover. A beautiful story. A beautiful book. I hope Tara writes some more!

P.S. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I grabbed A Seal Called Andre in a Maine gift shop while on our trip. It was delightful, informative, interesting, educational, and just plain sweet. If you like animals and are interested in anyway in how their minds work, I strongly recommend this piece to you. I read it in just about 24 hours. Delightful!

I also read the book Love Story by Karen Kingsbury. I was majorly hooked on Karen Kingsbury about five years ago and read ALL of her "Baxter Family" books. But then I got a little overdone on it and took a break. This is the "prequel" to the Baxter family. You can read it in any order although it will give you some teasers about books written before chronologically. A really sweet story -- very typical Kingsbury writing.

This book is listed last for good reason. I picked this up on a 50% off rack at the airport. I should have left it there. Anything is Possible truly ranks as one of my least favorite books I have ever read. I finished it because it was a best seller and I kept thinking: There has to be something amazing that is going to happen and connect everything.

But it never happened. It was SO depressing. The stories were so scattered. There did not appear to be any connection or resolution. I seriously finished it and went: "What just happened?" Disliked GREATLY with NO recommendation. 

Less than ideal

What happens when a folding table is delivered to your house and it sits in the rain and the box gets wet and you go to pick up the box with table inside and the bottom of the box falls apart and the table falls on your foot and you are wearing flip-flops. 

Swelling has spread out more. Absolutely can't walk on it at all. Pain is fine now but I'm stuck in bed.

Ughhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

How a city girl, gone country grieves (and raises cows): One Day

 How a city girl, gone country grieves 

(and raises cows)

I met Kimberly through farming. She, like me, has been dropped into this life and is learning to love it just like me. She is a Christian, however, our pasts are nothing alike. I've asked her to share her story on my Blog over the next weeks or months or however long it takes. It is filled with much grief and loss but will hopefully make you laugh and smile and grow and grieve along with her.

One day..... Mother won't be joining me for coffee... the kids' room will be empty... I will spill tears over my husband's grave... I will see grandchildren grown... family gatherings will go from parties to funerals... one day I will draw my last breath and leave this world behind. Today is someone's "one day". On this day, in this hour, with this breath let me thank You God for all You have brought me through, all You will take me through and all that You are that I have blessed assurance of one day being in Your presence for eternity. Hug your parents, kiss your children, call your siblings and especially love on your spouse; praise God in this day for all you have for "one day" will indeed come for you too, and what you didn't have won't matter near as much as what you do.

Kimberly

Princess Ballet Camp

While we were in Maine enjoying our anniversary week, Hannah participated in the Princess Ballet Camp at Central Ballet. She's a funny kid that Hannah. She doesn't want to take ballet during the year, but she loves the princess camp where she gets all kinds of fun toys and treats. :) 

Even more exciting, however, was that Abigail was able to serve as a "helper" for the camp. She was so excited about this and it was so good for her. This is a big move for Abigail, and I'm so proud of her.

You can see Hannah with her hands above her head in black, and Abigail in blue touching her nose to her toes.

Another shot of the two girls.

Hannah walking with Ky-le. 

Hannah and a new friend. (A huge thank you to Veronica who did the girls hair each day!)

Abigail preparing to help