Burcusa Family Musings and Adventures

Saturday, April 23, 2022

annual birthday questions

We have a 10 year old!


She decorated her "snake cake" :)

Favorite color:

Age 3 - blue and green and white and red and purple

Age 4 – pink

Age 5 – all of the colors in the rainbow except orange and red

Age 6 - rainbow

Age 7 - gold

Age 8 - light blue

Age 9 - teal

Age 10 - teal

Favorite toy/game:

Age 3 - playing with baby things

Age 4 – playing Kristoff or Prince Hans

Age 5 – dragon Legos

Age 6 - Legos

Age 7 - my new Wild Kratts toys
Age 8 - Legos

Age 9 - legos

Age 10 - legos

Favorite food:

Age 3 - mac and cheese

Age 4 – mac and cheese

Age 5 – mac and cheese

Age 6 – mac and cheese

Age 7 - mac and cheese
Age 8 - mac and cheese

Age 9 - cheese sticks

Age 10 - mac and cheese

Favorite drink:

Age 3 – moose hair (?!?)

Age 4 – milk

Age 5 – chocolate milk

Age 6 – chocolate milk

Age 7 - chocolate milk
Age 8 - ice water

Age 9 - sparkling apple juice and/or milk

Age 10 - root beer

Favorite movie:

Age 3 - Happy Feet

Age 4 – Sleeping Beauty

Age 5 – Finding Nemo and Finding Dory

Age 6 - The Lion Guard

Age 7 - Lion King
Age 8 - Frozen 2

Age 9 - don't know

Age 10 - don't know

Favorite TV show:

Age 3 – Caillou

Age 4 – the car one

Age 5 – My Little Pony

Age 6 - The Lion Guard

Age 7 - Wild Kratts
Age 8 - Wild Kratts

Age 9 - Wild Kratts

Age 10 - Camp Cretaceous

Favorite song:

Age 3 - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Age 4 – Jasmine ("A Whole New World")

Age 5 – Twinkle Twinkle

Age 6 - Twinkle Twinkle

Age 7 - Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
Age 8 - Six: The Musical

Age 9 - John Denver music

Age 10 - The Holly and the Ivy

Favorite book:
Age 3 - You are a LION (yoga book)

Age 4 – Anna and Elsa

Age 5 – My Little Pony (the Pinkie Pie one)

Age 6 - Green Eggs and Ham

Age 7 - Harry Potter
Age 8 - Warriors

Age 9 - every book I've ever read

Age 10 - every book I've read

Favorite outfit:
Age 3 - blue and white

Age 4 – my twirly dress I have on now

Age 5 – sparkly things

Age 6 - dresses

Age 7 - costumes
Age 8 - pants and a shirt

Age 9 - this snake dress that I got for my birthday

Age 10 - a snake outfit

Best friend:

Age 3 - Eden and Asher and Evan

Age 4 – Eden

Age 5 – Eden

Age 6 - Aleena

Age 7 - Allie
Age 8 - Allie

Age 9 - Ivy (cat)

Age 10 - Allie

Favorite holiday:

Age 3 - Christmas and Easter

Age 4 – my birthday

Age 5 – my birthday

Age 6 - April

Age 7 - my birthday
Age 8 - my birthday

Age 9 - my birthday

Age 10 - my birthday

What I take to bed each night:

Age 3 - a cat

Age 4 – pajamas

Age 5 – a stuffed animal like Rainbow Dash

Age 6 - myself

Age 7 - a stuffie
Age 8 - Wolfie

Age 9 - Wolfie

Age 10 - Wolfie, my pajamas, Fantastic Mrs Fox, my blanket, my sheets

When I grow up, I want to be:

Age 3 - a diamond

Age 4 – a princess

Age 5 – a junior ranger

Age 6 - nothing

Age 7 - a scientist
Age 8 - a history teacher

Age 9 - I don't know

Age 10 - something that has to do with snakes

I'm afraid to:

Age 3 – monsters

Age 4 – bears and alligators and dinosaurs

Age 5 – nothing!

Age 6 - be by myself

Age 7 - kill stink bugs
Age 8 - go on the walk we did earlier today

Age 9 - take my feet off the ground without Mike holding me when I'm on a bike

Age 10 - I don't know

I'm proud of:

Age 3 - ??

Age 4 – Daddy

Age 5 – myself!

Age 6 - mommy and daddy

Age 7 - building Lego sets
Age 8 - all the Legos I have

Age 9 - being me

Age 10 - being able to read high level books

Something I do really well:

Age 3 - cookie monster

Age 4 – watch a movie

Age 5 – Legos

Age 6 - cleaning my room

Age 7 - keep on trying
Age 8 - Legos

Age 9 - read and/or play Legos

Age 10 - play legos, read

This makes me happy:

Age 3 - an Easter bunny

Age 4 – when I have love around me

Age 5 – doing Legos

Age 6 - hugs

Age 7 - when staying up late, going to sleep
Age 8 - Legos

Age 9 - Ivy (cat)

Age 10 - a lot of things - playing legos, my parents.

This makes me sad:
Age 3 - a cow hit me

Age 4 – when someone hits me or bites me or pinches me or kicks me

Age 5 – when it's nap time

Age 6 - when somebody hits me

Age 7 - getting hurt
Age 8 - Wolfie not going to bed with me

Age 9 - when a playdate ends

Age 10 - I don't know

Favorite time of day:

Age 3 - movie time

Age 4 – playing with Eden

Age 5 – lunch time

Age 6 - dessert time

Age 7 - dessert time
Age 8 - 3pm

Age 9 - 3pm

Age 10 - 3pm

Dream vacation:

Age 3 -??

Age 4 – to the princesses! (i.e., Disneyland)

Age 5 – Disney World

Age 6 - to Mitra's house

Age 7 - living in a jungle and swinging on vines
Age 8 - to go to Florida again

Age 9 - seeing a green anaconda

Age 10 - with snakes

Favorite thing to do with Mommy:
Age 3 - play with her

Age 4 – play Candyland

Age 5 – cuddle

Age 6 - be outside playing tag

Age 7 - read books
Age 8 - snuggles

Age 9 - snuggle and/or read

Age 10 - read

Favorite thing to do with Daddy:

Age 3 - play with him

Age 4 – play Candyland again!

Age 5 – play Legos

Age 6 - build Legos

Age 7 - build Legos
Age 8 - read Warriors and do Legos

Age 9 - practicing archery

Age 10 - Kiwico boxes

Sunday, April 17, 2022

We crossed the halfway point! We used yesterday's hike to talk about our experiences so far. Overall, Rose described the 52 hike challenge as "not very efficient," explaining that she thought we could make better use of our (limited) time together by "playing games instead." So we reviewed that the purpose is not only to spend time together, but also to move our bodies so our brains and hearts could be healthy and strong. Then she decided that it's been "maybe kind of efficient" after all.

We also discussed our favorite - and least favorite - hikes to date. Her favorite was the "hike" (that was actually a bike ride) at Shark Valley in the Everglades. My favorite was the Anhinga Trail at the Everglades. Her least favorite was ??? while my least favorite was the Mosquito Hell Train in the Everglades. Interestingly, all of the ones that have stood out so far have been ones we did in Florida!

Finally, we had our big Easter dinner a day early. We are so tired of all this snow, but it was a good excuse to bake and cook all day :)

Happy Easter, Passover and Ramadan everyone!

That's a bunny, a rainbow and an egg :)

52 Hike Challenge Kids Edition Checklist - DONE

hike #1 - 1/1/22 - 2 miles, out-and-back from home - 1. Journal about or discuss with an adult what you hope to gain by taking the 52 Hike Challenge journey.

hike #2 - 1/2/22 - 1.3 miles, down the dry river bed and up the road - 16. Touch five trees on your hike (remember to stay on trail!)* we touched 103 trees!

hike #3 - 1/9/22 - 1 mile meandering around our house - 33. Opt Outside. Let an adult know where you’d like to go next.

hike #4 - 1/15/22 - 1 mile meandering around our house - 42. Use your imagination on the trail.*

hike #5 - 1/22/22 - biking around the Craig campground - 40. Hike a loop trail.*

hike #6 - 1/29/22 - 1.75mi bike/hike at Giant Springs State park - 7. Hike in a state park.*

hike #7 - 1/30/22 - 2 miles, out-and-back from home - 36. Bring a toy and have an adult photograph you with it on your hike.

hike #8 - 2/2/22 - 1.25 mile nature hike at Long Key State Park (Florida) - 11. Hike with a family member you haven't hiked with yet.

hike #9 - 2/3/22 - hiking and snorkeling at Dry Tortugas NP - 5. Hike in a Nationally designated area. Examples include: National park, National preserve, National monument, etc.*

hike #10 - 2/4/22 - hiking around Bahia Honda SP - 12. Take a friend on a hike.

hike #11 - 2/5/22 - kayaking at Biscayne NP - 4. Hike near a body of water. Examples include: ocean, lake, river, or creek.

hike #12 - 2/6/22 - Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail at Everglades NP (2 mi) - 27. Adventure to an iconic spot. Examples include: bridge, stairs, landmark, etc.*

hike #13 - 2/6/22 - Guy Bradley's Mosquito Hell Trail at Everglades NP (2 mi) - 43. Go camping (the backyard works too!)*

hike #14 - 2/7/22 - biking the 14-mile Shark Valley Trail at Everglades NP - 18. Go on a 3 mile or more hike.

hike #15 - 2/12/22 - 1.3 miles, down the dry river bed and up the road - 49. Hike with a pet on a pet-friendly trail.

hike #16 - 2/25/22 - 1 mile (what we call the "G-loop with an extra driveway loop) - 32. Bring a new friend hiking with you.

hike #17 - 2/26/22 - 2 miles - out-and-back from home - 39. Hike an out and back trail.*

hike #18 - 2/27/22 - 2 miles out-and-back from home - 2. Learn the Seven “Leave No Trace” principles and apply them on the trail.*

hike #19 - 3/6/22 - 1.1 mile, down the dry river bed and back up again - 8. Find a heart shaped item on the trail. For example: rock, leaf, etc.

hike #20 - 3/12/22 - 1 mile (G-loop with an extra driveway loop) - 22. Go outside at night and stargaze.

hike #21 - 3/29/22 - 2.65 miles from our house down to the parking lot to pick up my car - 13. Enjoy a meal on trail.

hike #22 - 3/27/22 - 1.2 miles down the dry river bed and back up again - 30. Take a Spring hike and look for wildflower blooms.

hike #23 - 4/1/22 - 2 miles out-and-back from home - 44. Go on an urban hike around your neighborhood. (not exactly "urban" for us, but it is our neighborhood!)

hike #24 - 4/2/22 - 3 miles at First Peoples Buffalo Jump state park - 31. Go on a birding hike. Count the amount of times you see birds.

hike #25 - 4/8/22 - 1 mile at the Lewis and Clark museum (to/from the Giant Springs) - 37. Hike to or in an historical place.*

hike #26 - 4/9/22 - 2 miles out-and-back from home - 14. Bring a book and read, or have it read to you, on your trail break.

hike#27 - 4/16/22 - 1 mile out-and-back from home - 26. Journal or discuss with an adult how you feel about being halfway through your 52 Hike Challenge.

52 Hike Challenge Kids Edition Checklist - YET TO DO

3. Hike to a waterfall, even if there is no water flowing.

6. Hike outside of your city.

9. Join a group hike and draw your favorite memory from the day.

10. Join a non-profit event to volunteer on the trail. Examples include: building a trail, maintaining a trail, native tree planting, etc.*

15. Share three things you’re grateful for on your hike with your trail buddy.

17. Scout for wildlife. Examples include: birds, lizards, chipmunks, etc.

19. Observe the flowers along the trail and draw them without picking them.

20. Go on a geology hike.*

21. Observe the rocks on your hike and draw them.

23. Observe the animals on your hike and draw them.

24. Go on a full moon hike (make sure to bring a headlamp and park is open.)

25. Put on your rain jacket, waterproof boots and go on a rain hike. Don’t forget to jump in some puddles.

28. Become a trail steward! Volunteer to clean up a park or pick up trash on a hike.

29. Observe the trail’s micro details and draw them. Examples include: mushrooms, snails, tree moss, leaves, pinecones, plants, etc.

34. Bring a sketchbook on your hike and draw something you're inspired by.

35. Go on a designated nature walk.*

38. Learn about the 10 essentials and pack them in your day pack.*

41. Go on a geocaching hike.*

45. Spend an hour playing at the park. Examples include: beach, local park, etc.

46. Share the 52 Hike Challenge with another kid hiking on the same trail.

47. Have someone take a photo of you at your hike’s destination.

48. Hike in a canyon.

50. Hike in a forest.*

51. Hike in a desert.

52. Journal or discuss with an adult your thoughts or feelings on completing your 52 Hike Challenge!

53. Bonus: Hike in the snow.

Saturday, April 9, 2022

hikes #25 and #26

Yesterday I was once again a substitute teacher for EFC (our homeschool) while Mike is taking a hunting class. Rose and I had a great day exploring the Lewis and Clark museum, walking along the river, seeing the Giant Springs, and feeding beautiful trout at the fish hatchery!

We also treated ourselves to an excellent lunch of poutine (for me - along with a side salad), mac&cheese (for her), and the fanciest milkshake I've ever seen!

Today we went out for our standard weekend out-and-back hike from our house. I didn't realize we were already at the halfway point, so we didn't do the real hike #26 for the challenge. Instead Rose brought a joke book along and read jokes to me along the way. (What is spelled with 8 letters, but only has one letter inside? ...... an envelope!)

Now we're off to go sell some Girl Scout cookies! Wish us luck as the weather changes from the 75 degrees we had yesterday, to the 45 we have today, to the 6-10" of snow we're supposed to get between Monday and Tuesday. :(