Silly!

The 4th of July... Friends, fireworks and silly string!

The next stop on the "Epic Summer Road Trip" was a visit with our MN nest.  I say nest, because this truly feels like where we began. 

These are the people that we began our homeschooling adventure with, came to faith with, and our bonds have lasted through many years (and miles!)

These women.  They have successfully launched children, are still raising them, and are true heroes of the faith.  I am forever grateful for their influence in my life!

The traditional 4th of July celebration has been going longer than anyone can remember.  It's just what we do on that day... no invitation even needed.

Of course, it wouldn't be the celebration without the silly string fight! 

Or ending the evening in prayer.  Powerful, transformational,  and who we are.

And, the kid picture.  Watching them grow up has been a great privilege of my life!

Thank you Jenny, for gifting me with this blog when we left 10 years ago...

There's no place like home...

Next stop on the Epic Summer Road Trip - MN!

There's truly no place like home, and this is definitely home.  The Bentz Clan gathered to celebrate Herman & Joyce's 66th Anniversary.

So grateful for their legacy...

AR love

Our first stop... Arkansas!

We love getting to come back to this beautiful state and our beautiful people. We lived there for 5 years, such sweet memories.

It filled our hearts, spending time with people we love like family!

These women!  I call them my "Steel Magnolias".  They are soft, sweet, and fierce.  I do NOT know how I would have survived the past few months without them.  They have surrounded me, prayed for me, lifted my arms, and barely a day goes by without a text, call, or email from one of them.  We may be miles apart, but we are never far in our hearts!

And, I praise God - my daughters have a bouquet of their very own magnolias themselves!

On the Road Again

We braved it... the long road trip to MN.  I was majorly intimidated to drive all that way, with 7 of my kiddos, all alone.  But, we did it!

I will be updating you on our trip over the next several posts.

Here's my first Bentz Bunch Travel Tip:

 *Rent a travel car!  My van is nearing 250,000 miles and I was not certain I could rely on it for a cross-country trip.  I got a deal from my sweet aunt, who works for Enterprise, and it was the BEST money ever spent!

Apparently, passenger vans are a hot rental commodity, and they couldn't deliver what I had ordered.  Instead, I got to drive a 2019 Yukon XL - which the girls nicknamed "Yukon Cornelius".  It had only 2,500 miles on it.  WOW!  It's been about 20 years since I've gotten to drive that new of a vehicle.

It may have been a bit tighter for the passengers, but I was in comfort all the way!  With all the fun features and gadgets...how did I survive with out seat coolers?

We made it all the way there and back - and I drove every mile!!  I even parallel parked it in downtown Kansas City, MO (on the first try...thank you backup camera, and teenage son directions being yelled at me...)

I'm spoiled.  But, I'm great at Tetris, and packing!

And, coming back to my real vehicle was a bit of a disappointment!

Vacation...Homeschool style - The End!

Don't want you to think that our vacation was ALL learning!  We had lots of fun playing too!

My brothers-in-law actually built a WATERSLIDE in their backyard for our Fourth of July celebration!  I'm not talking about slip-n-slides strung together... an actual, big-time waterslide (that they re-purposed from a waterpark hotel)! 

 

 

 It was a wild ride (and a bit bumpy) down the steep hill of their backyard and into the Mississippi river!  The bigger you are, the faster you fly.   Lots of scrapes let us to nickname it "The Bloody Mary".  The kids LOVED it, Josh must have gone down a 100 times.  He'd get to the bottom and sprint back up the hill to go again!  I was a bit of a scaredy-cat, but went down anyway.  Don't want to live your whole life wishing you had just taken that wild ride, do you?  (my ankle is still recovering...)

We played on the river all.day.long.  It truly doesn't feel like summer vacation until we are on the boat!  Sam got right up waterskiing and did a great job. Fun times on the tube too...

 

How many kids can you fit on one tube anyway??

 

 

 

Watch out for the "River Shark"!

 

 

When is our next vacation... I need one!

 

 



 

 

Vacation...Homeschool Style- Part 2

A highlight of our vacation was our visit to the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN.  If you every get close enough to visit - do NOT miss this opportunity!

"The National Eagle Center is a world-class interpretive center located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Wabasha, MN. We are home to five rescued eagles, four bald eagles and one golden eagle. During a visit to the National Eagle Center, you can experience these magnificent creatures up close."

My son Luke, who has always been fascinated with eagles, was overjoyed to visit his feathered friends (we stop here frequently - since Grandma lives in the same city!).

 



 The National Eagle Center is filled with hands-on exhibits to teach more about these amazing creations.  You can climb inside a life-sized nest,  test the force of an Eagle's talons, experience their powerful vision, and more.











My cute little nestlings...

  

 

One of our favorite parts of the visit is the education session.   We even got to see Columbia eating her lunch - a big chuck of fresh fish! 

Luke had written a poem dedicated to The Eagle, and he gave the National Eagle Center a copy.  I have to brag a little... he's a wonderful writer (age 13) and he's homeschooled!  He gave me permission to share it with you as well.

The Eagle  

By Luke Bentz

There is a bird, who above me soars,

While I walk on valley floors.

Far above my head so regal,

Soars the calm, majestic Eagle.

 

He flies through joy, through grief, through strife,

He’s been above me all my life.

And when I’m consumed in despair,

His watching shadow is always there. 

He flies with me from dawn till dark,

The bird is with me on this journey that I embark.

He soars higher than any kite,

And never ceases his noble flight. 

He never stops, he never stalls,

And he never ever ever falls.

Far above my head so regal,

Soars the calm, majestic Eagle.  

 

 

 These are his two favorites - Wa'shaka the Golden Eagle and Columbia the Bald Eagle.

 

Our Family Picture with Columbia



 

Did you miss Part 1 of the fun?  - read it here.

Vacation...Homeschool Style - Part 1

We just got back for our annual (well, almost annual) trek to MN to escape the heat of AR summer.  Like most homeschoolers, we can't just vacation - we have to add education!  Don't get fooled - we actually like it this way.  :-)

We had a wonderful time with family and friends.  I decided pictures are worth a thousand words:

First stop: Grandma & Grandpa - with a bonus of my "little brother" and nephew!

 

 

Grandpa took us to the trucking company he works with, and they let us explore a truck and trailer. You really have no idea how HUGE these are, until you climb inside.  We got quite an education about how everything we buy gets moved from place to place...

 

 

Some Cousin Time!

 

Then, since the boys had the morning - the girls determined the afternoon activity.  A visit to Pepin, WI to see the birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder!!  I was beyond excited to share this with them, we've been reading my childhood copies of the books together this past year.

 

 

 

But...that was only one day!  You'll have to come back to hear about more of our MN adventures!