Washington DC

 Yesterday while in PA we went to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC. We visited first Museum of Natural History where we saw the mammals and ocean life exhibit and some dinosaurs. We walked by the capital and the Christmas tree and then we went to the botanical gardens as well as the air and space museum.

Books

 These are some unexpected book recommendations that we have found this year and love. The Wild animals of the north is a series that includes Mountains of the world and Wild animals of the South and has some really neat pictures and facts about animals. The Thanksgiving books are ones we have enjoyed the last couple years, listening to Focus on the Family radio Theatre Squanto and also a book about Squanto from Eric Metaxas. Lighthouse Christmas is a story based on a true happening of people that would fly gifts to lighthouses in New England for Christmas to thank them from their work and we found it this week very sweet story.

Thanksgiving 2018

This year, we went to the Lyons family for Thanksgiving and spent a few days visiting with some extended family over there. We took many walks and let kids jump and play in leaves. We also enjoyed a Thanksgiving Eve soup and salad dinner with a few friends from church. On Thanksgiving, we took our traditional our hike in Mount Airy Forest. Then we also handed out spiced pumpkin bread to our neighbors and little cards that said we are thankful for them. We also spent a day helping Grandma set up her Christmas tree. We are thankful for all the many ways and Lord has provided and worked in this year.

Christmas Tree

 No more real Christmas tree for me this year.  On impulse, I bought a fake one at Home Depot at 6am on Black Friday.  I realized getting a real tree is too pricey and the needles are a mess.  I think I got a good deal, the kids love it!  We just put it up tonight!

Day 8, Masada and Dead Sea

 Day 8-  We hiked up Masada the great fortress on the top of the mountain. A few of the group decided to climb it and we made it in about an hour. Then we had a tour of the ruins on the top. We also had lunch and stopped at a resort along the Dead Sea and got a chance to float in the water. The bottom was very hard for feet as it had salt deposits everywhere. After floating in the Dead Sea and feeling very oily, we jumped into the pool to cool off. Then we headed to and Getty where we were going to hike to a waterfall but there was a threat of flash floods so we took the bus to an Overlook to see the waterfall instead. Here is a picture as well of Ariel are Israeli guide with Michael he has done a great job with the two of them showing us around Israel. Lastly we got a chance to ride on a camel, look at the teeth of that Camel. Yes the camel was in the desert at a gas station near Jericho. I love the beauty of the desert Wilderness areas of Israel along the Dead Sea, you can see the Moab mountains of Jordan across the sea.

Day 7 Old City

Day 7- We hiked into the old city and went around the Jerusalem Jewish quarter and then we took a tour of the Western Wall underground tunnel. We went up to see the Western Wall and then went through the tunnel area Underground. We then went on the ramparts walk some of the old city and went through some of the shops.