Fire Weather

Today there was a Fire Weather Warning/Watch due to how dry and cold it is. Daniel, Papa, and I were in the house when we heard the page for a woods fire. We got to the station as quick as possible! The fire was on Silver Springs road off of 214. Someone's backyard fire had apparently gotten out of control and begun to spread into the surrounding woods. Papa, I, and some others came arrived on scene in Attack 10, and Daniel rode with a volunteer on Tender 109. I stood by the truck watching the firefighters battle the flames. The fire was constantly shifting due to the mild winds in the area, so it took a while to settle it down. Once it was "out" I got to help with mop-up. Mop-up is the stage where everything is smoking, but there's little to no flames. I was able to ride on the walkway of one of the Brush Trucks, and "mop-up" the hot-spots with my hose. I also shoveled sand onto some of the smaller hot spots that couldn't be reached by the Brush Trucks. By the time we were finished and had got back to the Station, 3 hours had elapsed! I was surprised that it took so long--time had flown by quickly!
Being a Fire-Explorer is a lot of fun, especially when you get to participate in Fire Calls. And everyone knows that right after a call, a firefighter is hungry... so Daniel, Papa, and I headed home to help finish making homemade burgers!

Doodle 4 Google Contest

Google has put out a drawing contest in which normal schools and homeschools may enter. The goal is to draw a logo for the Google website (using the Google symbol) that explains "what you wish for the world". The google website says: "If you're a teacher at a homeschool, you can submit up to two entries for your students." I will defenitely be entering, along with one other sibling.
There are several age groups:

Kindergarten - Grade 3
Grade 4 - Grade 6
Grade 7 - Grade 9
Grade 10 - Grade 12

More information can be found at ://www.google.com/doodle4google/info.html
To register visit: http://doodle4google.appspot.com/register
Prize information is here: http://www.google.com/doodle4google/judging_prizes.html

-Written by Joseph

Bookshelves Part 1

Yesterday Daniel and I went over to Mr. Gordon Swenson's house, to work on the family bookshelves. All of the bookcases have been assembled and five have been sanded -so Daniel and I have been sanding the bookshelves down. The first day I went over, I sanded One bookcase. The next day, Daniel and I sanded a total of four bookcases. (Two each) Yesterday, we sanded down about 22 shelves (not bookcases-shelves). We still have about 20 left to go! Today we should be going over to sand some more.

-Joseph
Edited By Daniel

Civil Air Patrol Squadron Awards Banquet

Daniel, Papa, and Capt. Beaukleman.

Me and Gregory Smoak
Thursday night was the Gainesville Composite Squadron Awards Banguet. Papa, Anne, Daniel, Nehemiah and I were able to attend. Daniel was promoted to Cadet First Lieutenant! We all had a fun time, talking and eating with our friends. -Joseph

Family Fire Ends

The Family Fire, has ended after 170 hours of burning. That sets the record of over 1 week! The very last night it was burning, Daniel added wood from one side of the fireplace to the other. It was loaded! It blazed for quite a while. We had to let it die out, so that we could clean the fireplace out before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, in December, we can set a record of two weeks!
-Joseph Cook

Skirmish Woods Coming Soon

Our Family, and several others, have been putting together a movie called "Skirmish Woods". It is still in the works, but the producer has passed the script down to the editors, they have approved it, so now the Producer, and film manager, are going to put the finishing touches on it, before they shoot. We will film once all of the props are intact, which should be early or mid 2009. There is a trailer below that I created about our movie. We borrowed the music from Facing the Giants! -Joseph

Joseph's Poem

Heaven Poem

Heaven’s a place that’s unseen yet real,
That shines like the sun with a glorious appeal.
The saints above, worship our King,
Who’s Savior of all, and made everything.
Some leave us below, to worship on high,
But it is okay, even though they did die.
The ones, who remain, must spread the good news,
Through every small village, and cities so huge.
The task will be finished, and we’ll sing on high,
And leave this old earth, to soar to the sky.
We’ll meet all the saints, and those been redeemed,
And worship in heav’n, our Lord, Christ the King

Joseph (12) wrote this poem yesterday. He helped me scan it onto the computer so we could share it.