NERD ALERT

The countdown is on....

3

 MONDAYS left until school is out for SUMMER VACATION!

 But they have a few tasks to complete before then like

--a few more field trips 

--a couple class parties

--an awards ceremony

----FINAL EXAMS----

educational Sunday

Busy, busy, busy Sunday running all about town.

On our way to our destination.....

Bam has to go to his home school religious studies class in the Far North East Heights.

 He is due to complete his religious education in the Spring.

 We're all looking forward to this milestone.

✞

Faith, honor, family and education are essential to happiness.

空手道

Week 2 of Sweetheart and Cookie's after school karate lessons.

They are learning the basic karate introduction moves very quickly

They seem to have the determination and drive to learn.

Renshi Mark (their instructor) and Sensei Anna knows exactly how to teach children so they understand and want to learn more.

--RESPECT for the MIND, BODY and SPIRIT--

"kiai--気合!"

Sweetheart learning her blocking stance

So far I am very pleased with the their lessons. 

Sweetheart and Cookie look forward to attending after school. 

They are always excited to learn something new in karate.

Plus they're keeping up well with both their school work and their karate lessons.

Smiling :-)

That's ahlattawatta!!

It's another day of FUN in the HOT, HOT Summer Sun....
(Try to guess where we are from just the first two photos below)

This place is very popular with the tourist....

We're almost there.....

"Red Maple Leaf" 

Any guess yet.....

Yes! We're at Niagara Falls!!!

I love that you can see Bam's reflection

This sign says it all; 'Welcome to Niagara Falls'. What family road trip would be complete without a stop to a popular national park like Niagara Falls.

(www.niagarafallsstatepark.com)
(www.nps.gov/nifa)
 (http://www.niagarafallslive.com/facts_about_niagara_falls.htm)

Bam is so excited!!

The rushing and roaring of the waterfall was more louder than any we've ever heard!
Absolutely AMAZING!!

It's crazy that the railing isn't more back away from the edge.....

The mist from the falls is everywhere and quite cooling for a day like today's triple digit heat.
We were all soooo very....
 Exhilarated
 Energized
 and
 Exciting

"Mommy can you believe that Ontario, Canada is literally a stones throw away!"

"I don't think this water will ever stop flowing Mommy"

"I can't wait to journal about this!"

The vortexing whirlpool is mersmerizing....

Vortexing whirlpool???
Yes...
The huge volume of water rushing from the Falls is crushed into the narrow Great Gorge, creating the Whirlpool Rapids that stretch over a mile. The water surface drops 50 ft. and the rushing water can reach speeds of 9 miles per second. In a Whirlpool, you can see the "reversal phenomenon." When the water travel over the rapids and enter the pool, then travel counterclockwise around the pool past the natural outlet. The pressure builds up when the water tries to cut across itself to reach the outlet and this pressure forces the water under the incoming stream. This swirling water creates a vortex or whirlpool.

check out this live webcam link below
(http://www.niagarafallslive.com/Niagara_Falls_Webcam.htm)

Niagara Falls Landscapers are they fearless or  just crazy!

Did you know........

1. The Niagara Falls has a 167 foot height (or 52 meter drop)
2. Niagara Falls in the second largest in the world next to Victoria Falls in Africa.
3. One fifth of all the fresh water in the world lies in the four Upper Great Lakes-Michigan, Huron, Superior and Erie. All the outflow empties into the Niagara river and eventually cascades over the falls and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean.
4. Niagara Falls attracts 12 million visitors every year to marvel at her beauty
5. The volume of water is 600,000 U.S. gallons per second or 32 feet per second, that go over the Niagara Falls. This causes the water to fall at between 280 and 2,509 tons of force at the various falls.
6. The falls create 4 million kilowatts of electricity which is shared between Canada and the U.S. Niagara Falls is the largest producer of electric power in the world.
7. The Niagara Falls consist of the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls and the Horse Shoe Falls.
8. The Horse Shoe Falls are known as the Canadian Horse Shoe Falls but actually 1/3 of it is on U.S. Territory according to the United States Geological Survey.

THIS IS A DEFINITE MUST SEE!!