Thursday, October 17th

Scarlett had been asking for a few months to try rock climbing, after seeing the rock wall at a mall we visited and more recently at the Atlanta Zoo.  Jim had done some searching and found a place not far from us that was running a Homeschool Day promotion with half-price climbing!  It's only once-a-month, so we had the date marked on our calendar and the kids were thrilled on Thursday morning as they would finally get to try their hand at rock climbing.  The promotional pricing was from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., so we were able to get all of our schoolwork done in the morning before heading out.  What a great place!!  The kids had a blast and although a touch nervous at first, they eventually found their pace and were scaling the walls in no time. 

Sissy was reading to Lincoln from one of the baby's books, and Cupcake was curled up on the chair with them.

Scarlett is doing such an excellent job of reading!  I'm so proud of her hard work and fluid read aloud style.

Finally, with math, reading, Timeline card review, memory verse work and more over and accomplished, it was time to hit the road.  We were so glad that daddy was able to take a long lunch and take us!  It was the perfect weather to head to an indoor event - the weather was chilly and rainy; also perfect for Waverly to use her new Columbia jacket :-)  She looked sooo cute!

The facility's website had been very clear that only 5+ year olds were allowed to climb, but they were supposed to have a great play area.  But when we arrived, they let Linc get geared up after all!  Truthfully though, he wasn't too keen on climbing and spent almost all of his time in the awesome play space.

These two girls, though, were awesome climbers!

Bottom of one wall. The girls spent at least an hour working this wall - going again and again and again until they could do it fluidly.  We met the Phillips crew there and the kids all enjoyed the challenge, and I was proud that no one got frustrated or discouraged but instead just kept working at it until they mastered it (or close).  Victoria never made it *quite* to the top to ring the bell, but she just kept at it and was really close - at the end on our way home she told me, "I think next time I will get to the top!" :-)

Fun rope swing area~

Lincoln did take a few tries to climb the wall - it was strange, because he was such a smooth, confident climber, but he would get up only three or four feet and say, "I'm done."  That was it.  He would just climb beautifully and stop cold and no amount of cheering him on or persuading him to go a bit higher would convince him :-p

Scarlett was climbing pretty well but would get 25 feet up or so and start looking down and freeze up.  Olivia was the first to make it to the top and ring the bell, and I think it inspired Scarlett to keep working and pretty soon she was scaling all the way to the top also and was so proud of herself :-)  I loved that the kids cheered each other on!  Such sweet friends! (Judd was a funny one, too! First time climbing and he just zoomed right to the top like a mountain goat, lol. Then I don't think he ever did it again - it was like "okay, I did it, now I'm done.")

Fear has been vanquished!

Sis climbing with such focus.  Even though she never made it to the top, she LOVED climbing and asked when we could come back :-)

All smiles~

Back at home, Scarlett asked me to take this picture and send it to Ms. Amanda for showing to Olivia - she had told her friend about the new kitten, but much like her daddy the day before I think she got an "uh-huh, sure" in response and wanted to send proof ;-)

The stare-off :-o