Danielle Reads: Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi

This would be my first time to do a book review on a blog but, anyway the most recent book I've been reading Kenny and the Dragon by Tony Diterlizzi. It was given to us from Cole's best friend, Nathan. He said it was either a very early or a very late birthday present.
This is some of the things they do and say in the book. It starts out when Kenny's father storms into the kitchen shouting that they have to move. His mom says why? He replys I saw one of them things in one of Kenny's books he thinks about what it might be when he can't find out he asks Kenny. It was a dragon Kenny goes up to see it when he finds out its friendly and named Gramhe. He becomes best friends.  But old pops possom and the king aren't as easy to convince, and Kenny has to find a way to save his new best friend!  
I like this story because of its edgacation as well as friendship.

How We Will Participate in National Fishing and Boating Week

This is my National Fishing and Boating Week contest entry sponsored by Take Me Fishing and the Outdoor Blogger Network.

National Fishing and Boating Week is still three weeks away, but it's also the first week of summer vacation for my kids,

 so we have been planning this week since last August!

And we are counting down the days!

Top 10 Ways We Will Celebrate

National Fishing and Boating Week!

10.  Attend the Martin Dies, Jr. State Park 17th Annual Fish Flop, a fishing derby for kids ages 3-12 on B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir in Deep East Texas among the Cypress trees! 

9. Canoeing down the Angelina River, north of the state park.  Then paddling along the Walnut Paddling Trail.

8,  I grew up trot line fishing with my Dad in an old V hull aluminum boat my grandfather made back in the 1950's.  I love that boat!  We are going to take it out on Lake Livingston. 

7.  The Walnut Creek Paddling Trail in Grand Prairie just opened this week! Really excited to try it out!

6.  Take our "new to me" catamaran out on Lake Arlington.  You can fish on a catamaran, can't you? 

5.  Canoe the new River Legacy Paddling Trail, and hopefully catch a few fish!


4.  We are heading up to Turner Falls for our annual camping trip!  We will fish along Honey Creek, and hopefully not fall off the waterfall! The kids use little nets and love the brightly colored fish they pull out of the cold, clear water!  The blue crawfish are also a favorite to catch (and release)!   

3.  Fishing along the Washita River in Davis, Oklahoma

2.  Throwing in a line at Lake of the Arbuckles at Chickasaw National Recreation Area!

1.  Taking out the boat on Lake Worth for a day of fun in the sun, fishing, swimming and tubing!

It is also the first week of

our town library's "Summer Reading Program". 

We are going to curl up at night in our tent, and read

 "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", and

 "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn".

I think these go along nicely with the theme!

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River Legacy Junior Naturalist Program End of Season Picnic

Cole joined the Junior Naturalist Program

at River Legacy this year. 

He has had a fantastic time!

His favorite activity, after snacks,

 was the Crime Scene Investigation, where they solved

the case of a dead possum that had been poisoned

by ingesting leaking antifreeze from a car. 

Tonight was the end of the year celebration. 

Hot dogs and chips!

Rocks for Leo to climb on!

  This boy loves rocks!

They played soccer...

Cole received a certificate of completion!

They found the M-U-D!!

Slop, slop, squish, slurp!

Look at those cute little muddy toes!

I should be glad it's only on her feet!

We went on a night walk!

They found a little snail on a log!

What's down there?
Leo is looking down into a little creek, hoping to find a bat.  We tried to tell him that bats are up in the sky, and there were plenty flying above our heads.  But he just wanted to look down. 

The Trinity River runs through the park,
unfortunantly it was too dark to get a good picture. 

That's one of the problems with night hikes!

Mexican Hats and Indian Blankets!
They are similar, but the Mexican Hat looks like a ..... mexican hat.
The Indian Blanket is the state wildflower of Oklahoma.

Danielle caught a lightning bug!
The kids ran around a small clearing for nearly an hour,
chasing the little bugs!

Just as they should!

"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night."  ~  Crowfoot

Today's Puppy Pics!

Look at these precious pups! 

Danielle was pushing them up and down the street

in her little doll stroller!

Cole's Science Fair Project - Chicken Run!

Cole's school is having a Science Fair. 

His project is to test the memory of chickens.

He is running them through a maze!

John and Cole building the maze!

 Measure Twice, Cut Once!

Remember those sweet little chicks from about a month ago? 

 They are now HUGE!

He better make an A!

Girl Scout Power! Our Community Garden Adventure Begins!

Our Girl Scout Troop voted to rent a "box" at a local Community Garden, and grow food for the food pantry. 

A few weekends ago, we held a bake sale to earn money, and our Careers Try It, for the garden.

We visited Mansfield Nursery to purchase plants and seeds for the garden!

Danielle and a little tomato plant. 

Dillon helps us out to the car with all our new plants!

Vickie helped us pick out lots of great plants! 

 Thanks, Mansfield Nursery!

East Broad Outreach Center!

Here is our new "box"!

It doesn't look that big, until you start pulling weeds!

Lots of weeds!

Lots of possibilities!

Transformation from girl to gardener!

Emily brought us a plaque to dedicate our garden!

Danielle taking on a supervisory role - Not!!!

Get down and get your hands dirty!  

The girls were originally overwhelmed with all

that was needed to be done!

But they got in and got to work!

Moms and a Dad pitched in, too!

Loading the wheel barrow with organic soil!

Look at the difference!

We are growing girls!

We only had a little bit of newspaper to lay down between the old soil and the new.

As a science experiment, we are going to observe if fewer weeds grow on the side without newspaper. 

It's amazing all you can learn in a garden!

The girls then spread some hay on the ground, to serve as a weed barrier and aid in soil drainage!

Adding the new soil!

Planting bean seeds along the center. 

Tomatoes, Egg Plant, Okra and Cucumbers!

Look at these proud girls!