Gabby Goes to "School"

Carrying the green Froggy backpack on her back and a basket in one hand, Gabby was ready to go to "school."

Gabby: I’m going to school, Mommy! I’ll take the school bus. Take me to the bus stop, please!

Mommy took her to the “bus stop” which was in the living room. Gabby got on the “school bus” which was the couch.

Mommy: Bye! Have a great day!
Gabby: Bye!

Gabby sat on the “school bus” for a little while. Then she was back from school in the "school bus" and Mommy went to pick her up at the "bus stop."

Mommy waved to Gabby. Gabby got off the “school bus” and ran to Mommy. She handed Mommy the basket.

Gabby: Mommy, this is a surprise for you.
Mommy: Thank you! Do you have a great day at school?
Gabby: Yes.

Gabby held Mommy’s hands. They walked "home" happily.

The Stinky Potty

Rebecca and Gabby love to go camping. They had a great time at every camping trip. The only thing they don’t like about camping is the restroom. Because there is no flushing at the camp site the restroom doesn’t smell well and there are some flies in there. Gabby called it “stinky potty.” She plugged her nose and refused to use it. Fortunately Mommy brought her the little potty. So she could use that in the tent. Mommy also brought a basin for Rebecca to use. When they left the camp site Rebecca, Gabby and Mommy waved goodbye to the “stinky potty.” They couldn't help laughing. Maybe they'll see it next year.

Picnicking

Gabby: Mommy, are you hungry?
Mommy: Yes.
Gabby: I cooked some food for you.
Mommy: Great!

Gabby showed Mommy a toy plate with some toy fishes on it.

Gabby: Do you like fish?
Mommy: Yes.

Mommy wanted to “eat” the fish.

Gabby: Not yet. We’ll have a picnic.

Gabby put down the plate and fish on the floor.

Gabby: Don’t eat it yet, Mommy!

Gabby started to lay down a blanket on the floor. Mommy helped her. Then she moved the plate onto the blanket.

Gabby: Come and sit down, Mommy!

Gabby and Mommy sat down on the blanket. Gabby gave Mommy a plate and some fish.

Gabby: Mommy, eat it!

Gabby and Mommy “ate” the fishes. They had a great time playing picnicking.

Goodbye, Summer 2010!

Last weekend Daddy, Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby joined a group camping trip in Payson. The trip was organized by the Church Fellowship Group. It last three days and two nights. The elevation of the camp site is 7700 ft above the sea level. While it is very hot in Phoenix, it is much cooler there. It rained every afternoon when they were there. On the first day when they arrived, the mountain was coved in clouds.

There were 11 families went camping. It was a carnival for the kids. Rebecca and her friends visited one tent after the other. They played games. Gabby loved to pick up the twigs and rocks on the ground and she was busying doing that. At night they lit a bonfire. The kids put marshmallows on twigs and heated them on the fire. Soon they left to play on their own. The parents then sat down around the bonfire to chat. They played a game in which two killers killed one person every night and the police and the public worked together to find out the killers. Daddy played this game, but Mommy didn’t. She was with Gabby.

On the second day they played by the Willow Lake. Daddy rented two rafting boats. So they did boating. They also did fishing, but caught no fish. They tied a piece of chicken meat to one end of a twig and caught some crawfish using this device. The caught crawfish didn’t live long. One crawfish lived till the next morning, but it died after Gabby and two other boys played with it for a couple of hours while the parents were busying cleaning up. It was sad. Mommy dug a hole and buried it. Before leaving for home they went to the Woods Canyon Lake and caught some more crawfish there. They put four in a water bottle and planned to pet them, but they died on the way home.

On the way home Rebecca said there was no place like home, but Gabby wanted to go back to the tent.

This was the last weekend in this summer. They came back home on Sunday night. Rebecca’s school started on the next day. Goodbye, summer 2010!

If You Can Say Nothing Nice

Gabby: Thumber?
Rebecca: Yes, Mama.
Gabby: What did your father talk to you this morning?
Rebecca: If you can say nothing nice, say nothing at all.

……

The above is a little dialogue which Rebecca and Gabby learned from the movie Bambi. Thumber is the name of a little rabbit. The following is a little conversation between Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby.

One day Rebecca was upset and crying.

Gabby: Mommy, what is Sister doing?
Mommy: She is whining.
Rebecca: Mommy, I don’t want you to tell Gabby that?
Mommy: What do you want me to tell her then?
Rebecca: Say nothing.
Mommy: OK. If I can say nothing nice, say nothing at all! I got it.

Gabby's Presents

In the afternoon when Mommy and Rebecca pick up Gabby at her classroom, her teacher hands Mommy a few pieces of paper stapled together. The first page is her activities and behavior of the day. What do they do? How does she feel? How much does she eat? How long does she sleep? They usually learn letters and numbers. Gabby always is cooperative and feels great. She eats some and sleeps for about 2 hours. The other paper is Gabby’s work at school. Most of the time it is a coloring page. Sometimes it is a little art work, such as an animal mask made from a paper plate.

Seeing Mommy is holding her paper, Gabby always says, “I made it for you, Mommy! I colored inside the lines.”

“This is awesome!” says Mommy. Gabby’s presents always make her feel very sweet in her heart.

Sharing

Kids are taught to share. At school they are taught to share with other kids. At home they are taught to share with their siblings.

Like all the other kids, Rebecca and Gabby have been taught to share. At home Daddy and Mommy have been teaching them to share toys or snack with each other. They have been doing very well in sharing, and Daddy and Mommy are very proud of them.

Sharing is not only a lesson for kids, but it is also for adults.

On a Saturday evening Daddy and Mommy took Rebecca and Gabby to eat McDonald’s for dinner. Mommy was not hungry, so she just asked Daddy to order her a McFlurry. Daddy ordered Happy Meals for Rebecca and Gabby and a hamburger for himself. They sat down at a table and started to eat. Mommy’s McFlurry looked yummy. First Rebecca wanted to taste some, then Gabby wanted to do the same. After that, they wanted to taste more.

“Mommy, save some for me!” said Rebecca, afraid that Mommy would finish it all.

“Save some for me too,” said Gabby.

“Hey, girls! This is my McFlurry!” said Mommy.

“Mommy, you got to share!” said both Rebecca and Gabby at the same time.

Well, what can Mommy say? This is what she and Daddy have been teaching them to do.

When Gabby Is Hungry

On the way to the camp site Daddy bought bubble gum. Every a few hours Gabby would say she was hungry.

When Gabby was hungry, what did she want to eat?

Mommy: Do you want some Cheetos?
Gabby: No.
Daddy: Do you want some crackers?
Gabby: No.
Mommy: What do you want to eat?
Gabby: You tell me what I can eat.
Mommy: Bubble gum?
Gabby (nodding her head): Yes. I want bubble gum.

At home Daddy bought popsicles. In the afternoon when Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby got home Gabby would say she was hungry.

Mommy: Do you want some crackers?
Gabby: No.
Mommy: Do you want some cookie?
Gabby: No.
Mommy: What do you want to eat?
Gabby: I want a popsicle.
Mommy: OK. You can have one.

A few minutes later Gabby finished her popsicle.

Gabby: I am still hungry.
Mommy: Do you want some crackers?
Gabby: No.
Mommy: What do you want to eat?
Gabby: A popsicle.
Mommy: OK. You can have another one, and this is the last one.

The Antelope Canyon

This was the last day of the camping trip. Daddy, Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby would take a tour to the Antelope Canyon.

At the breakfast they prayed for Allen and a safe trip back home. It’s amazing how this little prayer worked. On the way back home a tragedy almost happened to them, but God didn’t let it happen. A little more detail will be mentioned later.

After the breakfast Daddy and Mommy were pulling down the tents and getting everything loaded on the minivan. Rebecca and Gabby were playing in the minivan. It took about 2 hours to clean up everything. Rebecca and Gabby were doing very well entertaining themselves while Daddy and Mommy were busy.

Leaving the camp site, they went to the place where the tour to the Antelope Canyon would begin. They rode at the back of a truck and part of the road was dirty. While the Grand Canyon is wide and deep, the Antelope Canyon is the opposite. It is a small crack in the rock. It is very narrow. At some places it can only allow two people walking through side by side. It is dark in there, and the sunlight shines through the narrow crack and creates a very special light effect. Maybe it’s this strong contrast of darkness and brightness in the canyon that have attracted many tourists every year. The tour guide began to play his flute when they came to a place. The slow and soft music of flute echoed in the canyon. At that moment the canyon and the music seemed to be telling people the unpredictability of the things on the earth.

Such a beautiful place could be dangerous. At the end of the canyon, the tour guide told them that the Antelope Canyon could get flooded on rainy days. The flood comes so fast that you can't run away if you are in the canyon. A tragedy happened before in which some tourists were killed.

After the tour they ate lunch at McDonald’s. It was 1:12 pm that they set out for home. At a scenic view point they stopped to take some pictures. Mommy was trying to get hold of Gabby because the view point was very close to the freeway and it was very dangerous if she ran around. Thinking Mommy was playing a chasing game with her, Gabby started to run. She was running faster and faster. Mommy grabbed her right before she got to the freeway!

Daddy, Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby got home around 6:30 pm. They stopped at Allen’s house first to drop their tent. He was still not good.

Thank God for a safe trip back home! Many things are unpredictable, but God is in charge.

The Rainbow Bridge

The Rainbow Bridge was the scenic site they had planned to visit on the second day of this camping trip. Taking a boat is the only way to get to the Rainbow Bridge. Daddy had already reserved a boat at a boat rental in Big Water, Utah, which was about 20 minutes drive from the camp site. He had planned that the first thing in the morning was to get the boat with Allen’s Daddy.

They woke up before 7:00 am in the morning because the sun was already shining and the birds were singing. Daddy and Allen's Daddy didn't go to get the boat as planned because Allen still didn't feel well. His feet were swollen. Daddy cooked breakfast for the two families. It was rice soup and steamed buns. After breakfast Allen's Mommy and Daddy had to take him to the Emergency Room for a check. So Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby went with Daddy to pick up the boat. Rebecca was a little excited about that because she could go to a different state.

The boat can fit nine people. They also had to rent a truck to tow the boat. When they were back to the camp site, Allen’s family was not back yet. So they loaded the food on the boat and set for the dock by themselves. At the dock Daddy drove the truck and the boat into the water first, then he got the boat off the trailer and drove it to the boarding area to load Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby. Then he had to drive the truck to the parking lot. When Daddy got aboard, it was about 11:00 am.

Daddy was the Captain who drove the boat. The boat was a little bumpy. It’s nice to look at the cliffs by the lake and let the breeze blowing on the face. The Captain tried to get to the Rainbow Bridge, but it was too far. They had to return to the dock to get Allen’s family. The doctor at the ER said Allen got virus that caused his stomach ache, swollen feet and joint pain. At the dock they ate lunch and talked about Allen’s disease. After lunch they navigated on the lake for a couple of more hours and then it’s about the time to return the boat.

Daddy and Allen’s Daddy went to return the boat while all the other people were waiting at the camp ground registration. Gabby found an antler which was actually a twig. After returning the boat, Allen’s Daddy and Mommy decided to go back home because of Allen’s situation. They left without pulling down the tent which Daddy and Mommy would pull down and wrap for them on the next day.

Daddy, Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby went to swim in the lake. The water was a little cold. They only swam for a little while. At the registration Mommy, Rebecca and Gabby took a 15-minute shower which cost $2. It was about 7:30 pm when they got back to the camp site. Daddy cooked steamed buns and instant noodles for dinner.

They were told there was fireworks that night, but they didn’t go. They went to bed after the dinner. Daddy and Mommy were worried about Allen. Daddy called Allen’s Daddy and got to know they just passed Flagstaff. Mommy prayed for Allen.

They didn't see the Rainbow Bridge, but that's ok. Caring a sick child was more important than that.

The Horseshoe Bend

The horseshoe bend is the first scenic site during this camping trip. Located at the downstream of the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, the horseshoe bend is a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River. There is about 1.5 mile walk from the highway to the horseshoe bend. The two families got there around 4:00 pm. Looking down at the horseshoe bend from the top makes you feel scared because the cliff is very deep. Little kids cannot get too close to the edge by themselves. They saw a few boats down on the river and a little house at the bank. The boats and house looked very small.

After leaving the horseshoe bend there was a little more driving to get to the camp site. It was about 6:30 pm. Mommies started to cook. They used portable gas stoves. Daddies started to setup the tents. The kids were watching a cartoon movie called The Adventures of the Little Carp. The dinner was instant noodles. After the dinner, they ate watermelon. They saw a lot of stars in the sky, which they didn’t see very often at home. They went to bed around 10:00 pm. The tent was very spacious. Rebecca and Daddy slept on one air bed, and Gabby and Mommy slept on another. Rebecca fell asleep very fast. Gabby was a little excited, but she also fell asleep very soon.

Allen didn’t feel very well. He had stomach ache, and his stomach ache started when they were at home one day before. He cried in the middle of the night. His parent gave him medicine and a few minutes later he stopped crying. The first night was not very quiet.

The Lake Powell

The Lake Powell is where Daddy and Mommy will take Rebecca and Gabby to camp this weekend. They will go with Allen's family. Allen has a little brother whose name was Benny. Benny was three months younger than Gabby. The following is some information about the Lake Powell.

The Lake Powell is located near the border of Utah and Arizona. It stretches from the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona up the Colorado River through Utah, past the San Juan confluence to Hite for a total of 186 miles. It has more than 2,000 miles of shoreline, more than the entire west coast of the United States. The sparkling blue waters of the Lake Powell are framed by towering rock formations and soaring red cliffs. Each year millions of visitors flock to the area to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and numerous water activities including boating, water skiing, scuba diving and fishing.

Can you imagine such a magnificent lake did not exist 50 years ago? The Lake Powell was created in 1963 when the Glen Canyon Dam held back the waters of the Colorado River. Remarkably, it took 17 years for the lake to fill the canyon to the high water mark (3700' above sea level). It was named after Major John Wesley Powell, a civil-war veteran and explorer who did the first exploration on the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.

Originated in Colorado, the Colorado River meanders through Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California and then enters Gulf of California. Several dams have been built along the Colorado River beginning with Glen Canyon Dam. Other dams include Hoover Dam, Parker Dam, Davis Dam, Palo Verde Diversion Dam, and Imperial Dam. The impoundment of Hoover Dam created the Lake Mead. Last summer when Daddy, Mommy, Grandma, Rebecca and Gabby went to Las Vegas they passed Hoover Dam. Since the construction of the dams, the majority of the water is diverted away from the Colorado River. The last drops evaporate in the Sonoran Desert, miles before the river reaches the Gulf of California.

The dams have destroyed the natural habitats for wild lives. But why they were built? They were built for water supply and generation of hydroelectric power. Several cities such as Phoenix, Tucson, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego have aqueducts leading all the way back to the Colorado River. The Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal, which begins at Parker Dam and runs all the way to Phoenix and then Tucson to supplement those cities' water needs.