Home!

I thought I would close out this phase of our travels by saying, "We're home!" We officially got home Halloween evening. We were home in time to get the trailer parked and mostly unloaded before the little ghosts, goblins, and one precious angel were out. However, we weren't home in time to dress up ourselves. Fortunately, we have very easy going children, and the kids were content with handing out candy and not receiving. How blessed am I? Very, in every way imaginable!

I've been cleaning and washing and putting away, reorganizing and remembering a dozen more things I must do sooner rather than later. I'm thankful to be home, and even more thankful that I put a moratorium on activities this week. I just need time to find my new groove. So far, so good. I've made dinner and done dishes every night this week, and I'm back to my daily morning walks. Once I get my vacuum cleaner back with a new clutch, life should be golden!

Off to Yellowstone!

After a fun filled week in Montana, I think we're finally off to Yellowstone! We've been to Glacier National Park, Great Falls (Missouri River, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center), Helena (including the Cathedral of Helena), Bozeman (Museum of the Rockies), and Deer Lodge (Grant-Kohrs National Historic Ranch).

Now, time for a change of pace...Yellowstone and more school. Life is grand! Always remember to take time to enjoy the precious little things. LD told me yesterday, "I still have a little bit of baby in me. I like to snuggle."

Back on the road!

I'm finally heading out of the great northwest. Montana, here I come! The cool thing? I'm going to drive right through Wallace, Idaho. I lived there as a child and have many fond memories of that town. Among other things, Mount St. Helens erupted while we lived there. We cleaned ash for weeks and weeks. That's also where I learned to ski...ah, fond memories.

Off to hitch the trailer!

A whole new day.

I'm somewhat thankful yesterday is over. It was interesting and busy, but not in a way you might imagine. We tried to let "the big girls" have a sleep over...meaning Little Miss was allowed to sleep in the house with her cousins. There are 7 (yes, seven) girl cousins, and one girl foster child in the house. Cousins 1, 2 and 5 share a room. #5 ended up having to sleep elsewhere since the big girls were so loud. By 10:30pm, we finally gave up and sent LM back out to the trailer so all involved could get some decent sleep. Ah, the joys of raising giggling little girls! I think all the rain and being shut up in the house must have increased their squirrelly-ness levels. :o)

Today is another day. So far, so good. I was hoping to leave today, but I'm not sure how far I will get. Although I may prefer to leave today to avoid commute traffic in the morning. It's not easy being the only adult making decisions on this trip. I need another head considering the options...and not the confusing input of 4 kids who have 4 wildly different ideas. Oy!

I'm trying to check off all my electronic chores before we leave. If I can get those off my plate, I think I'll feel better about moving on. And maybe I'll have a plan again sometime soonish...

About yesterday.

Yesterday really was a nice day overall. The end was a little hectic, but reading a book (we're currently reading "The Lightening Thief" by Rick Riordan) and curling up in bed seemed to curb the wiggles.

After investing in new wiper blades, we headed off to the Kingston/Edmonds Ferry. We made it with plenty of time to spare, meaning we just missed the last ferry, so we had a chance to walk around and get lunch. Since it was such a short ferry ride across Puget Sound, we stayed in the car, eating lunch and listening to more of our current bedtime book.

The drive out to North Cascades National Park was beautiful. The wind had picked up and was blowing maple leaves every which way. It was quite peaceful, and brought back childhood memories for me as we swept through the leaves piled high on the road. We saw horses, cows, goats, more horses and a fox during our drive. We also saw several waterfalls...some very impressive, some just inspiring a passing "aw...." We stopped in the Newhalem Visitor's Center and picked up four Junior Ranger books. Two kids managed to finish theirs before the visitor center closed.

We backtracked to Sedro-Wolley, Washington for our overnight stay, where things were a bit hectic. Now, we're about to pick up and drive around the Cascade Loop...through the northern part of North Cascades National Park, and then looping around through the southern tip and back across the Sound...just in time for a birthday party for Lil' Penguin. My niece has been a penguin for most of our 2 week visit. It's very cute and endearing...and sometimes frustrating as she won't respond to her name, only to "Penguin." :o)

Until next time!

So much for that idea...

I had wild plans of a well thought out and written post for tonight. Unfortunately, I don't think that will be happening. I'm in a hotel room with 4 very loud and energetic kids. My frustration level is obnoxiously high, since we've already moved rooms once due to a complaining downstairs neighbor. I asked for a ground floor room. I'm on the second floor. I asked to be away from other patrons. She put me directly above someone who apparently needed to be asleep before 7pm in order to rise early tomorrow. I give up. Aside from duct taping my children, I'm at a loss to curb their loud enthusiasm and elephantine foot steps.

I've also decided my helper behavior (my desire to help those around me who need it) is side-tracking me from my goal...Canada and the rest of my trip. So I've determined to pick up and get back on the road. I started today by heading out across the Sound (Kingston to Edmonds) and then up into North Cascades National Park. I'm in a hotel overnight, and will continue our adventure tomorrow, completing a Cascades Scenic Loop, recrossing the Sound (Edmonds to Kingston) and returning to Bremerton in time for a birthday party for our second littlest niece...she turns 3 tomorrow.

Saturday we'll go see some steamer trains. Sunday, church. Monday...underway, shift colors.

The plan.

The deal is, I no longer have a plan. The plan has left the building. Or maybe the state. I'm not sure where it went, but it's gone.

The plan used to be that I would finish up here, then head into Canada, over to Banff, Calgary, then Saskatoon. Then it was to be Glacier, Yellowstone, Arches, Grand Canyon and then home. Now...well, now I'm not sure what the plan is.

There are several options. First, I could do day trips, or an over night trip into Canada and possibly up to Alaska (maybe up to Skagway). I would leave my trailer here at my brother's and just tool around in the truck.

Second, I could continue on as planned, despite wondering if my head is screwed on right. It is getting late in the season, snow is going to start falling soon, and many things are already shut down for the season.

Third, I could scrap Canada and Alaska all together and head home along the coast, or back the US route previously planned, or...so many options!

In any case, the plan is, I don't have a plan. I was going to leave tomorrow. But now my brother has been yanked for another business trip, leaving my SIL to do a birthday party by herself on Friday. I think we'll hang out for a princess party, and then after the weekend, I'll make a plan. That's the plan, anyway. Maybe.

Again? So soon?

Really, nothing notable has happened since I last posted, but I figured since I have an internet connection, I might as well use it.

This week we have been heavily focused on school. It has been nice to have a routine and the space to spread out and really get into our work. And the weather has been more than pleasant here. Lately there's been less rain and more sun and even some beautiful clear skies at night. I love to lay in my bed and look out the window up into the night sky. I've seen countless falling stars, watched a satellite pass overhead and enjoyed the peace of knowing my husband is (relatively) safe on the other side of the world.

In other news, we seem closer to deciding on a mid-deployment meeting point and time. I have a plan for the kids, a destination, even a time frame. Our destination is Rome, and we meet on our 15th wedding anniversary. At the moment, this all feels a little surreal. Perhaps as the time draws nearer, it will become more real. Maybe when I pack. I'm definitely excited and know this will more than make up for our lack of a honeymoon. :o)

Did I ever mention why I've stopped our trip for the moment? The details are fairly boring (unless you would find it amusing that MM put a stick through the awning to drain water for me), but I decided with all the rain we were getting I really needed to have a functional awning. So last Friday we came in to town (Bremerton), got measured for a new awning, which should be shipped this Friday. We should be able to have it installed next week, and then head off for Canada. I'm so glad our travel itinerary is flexible enough to include time for random stops. It's nice to have no deadlines, no obligations, nowhere to be by a certain time.

Just checking in...

It seems this time around, it is much more difficult to post to my blog regularly. I began to ponder why this was, then realized, this is a whole different type of trip.

In 2007, I traveled in the van, stayed in hotels, and had wifi wherever I went. This time, I'm traveling in our truck, towing the trailer, dry camping in far out of the way, remote parts of the country, usually totally with out internet or even phone access. I suppose it makes more sense that this is the third time I've even turned on my computer in the last 6 weeks of my trip.

So please forgive my lack of blogging. I had terribly good intentions...and I do think my time is being wisely spent...on my kids and on myself. We're having a wonderful time, learning ever so much, doing quite well with school, and enjoying our time together, without electronics. It's really peaceful, actually. No television. No computers. No handheld games. Just good old fashioned books, dirt, and the great outdoors.

Back to Diamond Lake. I feel it deserves a special mention. My high hopes of sharing the thrill of fishing with the kids was short lived, I'm afraid. The day we arrived, it poured as we attempted to fish from the shore. We caught a few snags and one unsuspecting moored boat. The next day, it also poured, but we braved the rain and cast a few times from the shore. At one point, our poor Little Dude cast his line and said, "Well, that was pitiful. Ugh!" I couldn't help but laugh right out loud at his total disgust regarding his ability to cast. That particular attempt ended about three feet from his toes. He wasn't impressed.

The third day was sunny, but cold, so we opted for a morning horse ride through the forest. That boosted their spirits enough that they were eager to try their hands at fishing again. This time, I rented a 16 foot boat with an outboard motor. I was done taking hooks out of trees and mooring lines. I was certain we would have much better luck out on the lake. Armed with power bait and 4,695 different types of lures, we set out. We fished near shore and away from shore. We trawled, we sat very still, we watched boats on either side of us bringing in as many as 3 fish at a time. Alas, it wasn't our day for trout. Not even a single nibble was to be had. Good thing we went horseback riding earlier. At least one part of the day was exciting!

Since then, we've been to Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier and most recently, Mt. Olympus. We're still studying volcanoes. At the moment, I'm in Bremerton, WA vising my brother's family. I've got a few things trailer-wise to take care of before we move on, so that's our focus at the moment. I'm using this time to catch up on the mundane aspects of my life, like balancing the checkbook and downloading pictures to my computer. Soon enough, we'll move on, but for now, it's nice to wash dishes in a dishwasher, plug into an electrical outlet, and have hot water on demand...not just when I remember to relight the water heater after changing campsites. Life is good!

Time to move on...

I got my electrical issues straightened out yesterday, so it's time to move on to our next stop. I think we'll go to Diamond Lake. It's where I remember going fishing every year as a kid. I caught my first fish there when I was 2. I remember being terrified the fish would bite me...fish have teeth! I'm hoping to share some of that excitement and wonder with our kids.

It's also time to refocus on school and get a new routine. I think the change in weather will help with that. It's chilly and rainy out, so perfect for snuggling in for a good lesson or two inside. We have so many new things to learn!

So for now, so long to all things electrical, and hello to a more relaxed pace. Until next time!

Land of electricity and showers

I'm temporarily back in the land of showers and electricity. And food I don't have to cook. I swear I had the best slice of Costco pizza the day we came back into town!

Since I've been back in town, I've ironed a half a million tablecloths, done laundry, had my phone hard wiped and reloaded, attended a wedding and a myriad of other things. Truly, it's been both a busy and a happy time. My cousin, once or twice removed or second or something, got married today. I was so happy to see her walk down the aisle with her father into the arms of her loving, new husband. I cried. The kids looked at me funny as the tears streamed down my face, but I just couldn't help it. The wedding was beautiful, the bride was beautiful, the vows were beautiful. I missed my own husband something fierce today. I'm a little bit sad and missing him more than I care to admit.

I'm not sure I have the time or energy to update all we've been doing. The short story is we went from Lake Tahoe to Lassen National Park. There the kids earned their Volcano Club patch, a Junior Firefighter patch, a Green Junior Ranger patch and their Junior Ranger badges. From there, we headed up north to Lava Beds National Monument. Again, they earned their Junior Ranger badges, but also earned a Night Sky Junior Ranger patch.

In Lassen we learned a lot about volcanoes. We even walked through an enormous lava tube called Subway Cave. After getting to hike a cinder cone, learning the four major types of volcanoes and otherwise whetting our appetites for volcanoes, we just had to learn more! So off we went to Lava Beds National Monument, where there are more than 750 lava tube caves to explore. We also learned a lot about the only California Indian War...the Modoc Indian War. Our hike was lead by a Modoc indian who detailed the war and all it entailed. It was fascinating and eye-opening.

In general, we've been learning oh-so-much and having so much fun! We've seen hot days, and snow and everything in between. We've seen wildlife (coyotes, deer, elk), and learned the difference between a ground squirrel, a golden mantled ground squirrel, a chipmonk and a chiccory. And we've had pine cones chucked at us from high up in trees! Some of those squirrels can be pretty darn aggressive!

In any case, please don't let the lack of posting trick you into thinking we aren't having much fun. We are! I just so rarely have the chance to sit and write about our day. This is an entirely different trip from my last long trip with the kids...oh-so different!

Loving hugs to those who read! And for my sweetheart...a picture of me. :o)

First day of school!

I promise I'll get back to last week, but I thought I would start with today, since I actually have a spare moment (but only one) and internet access.

Today was the first day of school. LM is in 7th, MB is in 4th, MM is in 2nd and LD is in 1st. We started the day in the Topaz Lake, NV area. My parents own a house near Topaz Lake, which makes a convenient place to stop and stay while enjoying the beauty of the surrounding area, including Lake Tahoe.

Back to school...today we focused on math and writing. I didn't want to overwhelm the kids going straight from lazy summer days to structured school days all in one fell swoop. So we're easing in. Math and writing today, math and reading tomorrow, math, reading, writing and science the day after. Soon we'll be into our full school routine and everything will be chipping right along. The beauty of homeschooling on the road is that I have few distractions. No piano lessons, no karate, no classes, no religious ed. Just school. Just nature. Just us on an adventure. I can deal with that.

Currently, we're in Diamond Springs, CA at my parents' other house, my childhood home. We're home overnight to let my parents take care of bills and the garden and sundry other things. Then tomorrow, we'll head back to Topaz Lake by way of David Walley's Hot Springs for a dip in the pool and various hottubs. Wednesday we'll head out to Lassen National Park for a week of hiking and learning about what makes Lassen so special.

Life is good. I thankful to be able to provide this kind of an experience to our kids, and thankful for those around me who make it possible...especially my husband.

Catching up!

Ok, I finally learned how to tether my phone to my computer...or vice versa. Now it's time to catch you all up on events!

Sunday, 15 August 2010

Today was the big day…time to leave home for a long time. I woke up extra early…well before the alarm went off. Then I packed. And packed. And remembered a few more things I needed to do, pack, print, send…oh my, the list was endless! I knew I had an 11 hour drive ahead of me. But I also knew I needed to get everything done.

By noon, I was beginning to see the end of packing and organizing. We grabbed a quick lunch and then headed out. I was hoping for a smooth trip…unfortunately that wasn’t the case. As we started the drive (meaning we were still on our street), I noticed my speedometer wasn’t working. I pulled over and turned off the truck to see if that would reset it. No such luck. I drove up and over the hill, then turned around and went home.

I wasn’t sure if I should unpack and stay home until I got the speedometer fixed, or just wing it. I decided to wing it. Today was my parents’ 40^th wedding anniversary and I really wanted to just get out of town and on my way. I went inside and got my GPS…the one I knew provided a speed indicator. Armed with my trusty GPS and a healthy sense of adventure, we got on the road once again. This time, it was a bit better. Although my speedometer eventually started working again, it was reading 5 mph off. Well, better than nothing, I suppose.

The trip wasn’t too eventful, thankfully. There was one momentary slow down for a roadside car-b-q. We drove through the desert…it was 104* at one point…hot! We drove, and drove and drove. The kids wanted to watch a movie while we were driving. I agreed, as long as I got to choose. I chose Tom and Jerry. The kids laughed and laughed and rewatched their favorite episodes. It was fun to listen to!

Eventually we passed Mammoth. The change in altitude was quite noticeable, as was the change in smell. If you’ve never stopped to smell a Jefferson pine, then you have no idea what I’m talking about. If you have, then you know how pleasing it was to smell the fresh woody vanilla aroma as we entered the higher elevations. It was intoxicating and rejuvenating. I knew I was close to my destination. We continued on past Mono Lake, and finally into Nevada.

At 11:15, we finally pulled into David Walley's Hot Springs Resort and collapsed into bed. What a way to start off a vacation!

Better late than never...

Well, instead of stressing myself out about how much I needed to get done, I just decided to leave when I leave. Looks like it will be noon instead of 7am. Oh well! So, an 11 hour drive...I'll pack some caffeine. :o)

Let the fun begin!

Too busy to blog!

Crazy busy just touches the tip of the iceberg of my busyness. Holy moly! Needless to say, I'm packing and organizing and running around like a mad woman. The frustrating thing, is I keep sending boxes overseas, only to discover that I forgot yet another vital part of the package. So I send another one. And tomorrow, I'll send a third. Darn it, those customs forms are a pain in the neck...I need to get a hold of myself and think before I seal and send!

We now have 4 swimmers in the family...two of which passed the official swim test to be able to go in the deep end of the pool on their own. A third may pass it tomorrow. And the fourth...well, he's just a wee widdle guy. I don't expect him to pass the grueling test anytime this summer. But he can dive, and that's awfully adorable as well. I posted a video of his diving on Flickr...just don't ask me to link, that would be the last straw!

Life is good, and moving fast!

The beauty of having nothing planned

Today was unusual in that I had nothing planned. No obligations, no errands to run, no commitments to keep. It was a much needed break and a very low key day.

I think all four kids were exhausted from their respective weeks of activities. LM and MB came back from camp happy, excited, exhausted and just a little bit sick. Thankfully, it was nothing like last year, when LM came home with H1N1 and MB came home with pneumonia. This seems to be your run-of-the-mill common cold. Unfortunately, LD also seems to have his own version from VBS this week. So today was a day of lazing around in jammies, watching cartoons, playing with Legos and then playing on the Wii.

Meanwhile, I spent the morning and part of the afternoon cleaning out the trailer, organizing what we're taking, and packing some non-perishables. I feel pretty good about what I got accomplished today. It takes me one huge step closer to being ready to leave. There are still many things I need to get done, some big, some small, but I'm confident I'll be ready when the time comes.

Today also marked the last little bit of yard work/construction I wanted to have complete before I left...the last 3 feet of fence. Our dear friend, John came over and finished building it. The fence looks amazing. After 3 months of hard work (mostly on John's part), phase one of our yard demolition/redesign/landscaping project is complete.

The next thing on my list is to get ready to take school on the road. There are books to check through, supplies to organize, paper to be packed, lessons to be planned. I think we're going to learn a lot this year and I can hardly wait to get started!

Thoughts on Thursday...

It seems my life revolves around one thing...the kids. I suppose that is true, and quite possibly how it's supposed to go. My husband and I brought them into this world, and it is our responsibility to see to it that they are raised to be self sufficient, capable, competent young adults. That's what our parents did for us. That's our duty to our own children.

I guess when I was a kid, I saw all sorts of possibilities for the future. The door was wide open, and I got to choose to do whatever my heart desired. My heart lead me to the Naval Academy. From there, my heart lead me down many paths, some good, some less than desirable. My head lead me through and enabled me to earn my BS in Political Science. I had dreams and aspirations, most of which have not been realized, and probably never will. And somehow, in all of that, I found the Lizard, and fell in love. Life certainly hasn't turned out the way I planned, and that's okay. I kind of like how it has turned out.

We've been through a lot together in our nearly 15 years of marriage. However, I wouldn't trade a moment of it for something different. Everything happens for a reason. I may not immediately know the reason, and I assume sometimes the reason will never come clearly to me...but everything does happen for a reason.

There's a quote by Erma Bombeck that I particularly enjoy. I've always thought she had a fresh, down to earth, realistic take on life, and this case is no different.

"Maybe all I could do was mother.... And yet, why did I feel so fulfilled when I bedded down three kids between clean sheets? What if raising and instilling values in three children and turning them into worthwhile human beings would be the most important contribution I ever made in my lifetime?" ~Erma Bombeck

I think that sums up today rather nicely. I mothered. I took the kids to VBS, then to swim lessons, then to karate. Little Dude is still under the weather, so he skipped karate and opted for some extra snuggle time. The three of us said our prayers snuggled together, holding each other for comfort and warmth. I rocked our youngest until he was nearly asleep, then gently tucked him between clean sheets, tucked a well loved Chip under his arm, and then kissed him good night. It doesn't get any better than that.

This time God has given me is so precious. I'm so thankful to be the guiding beacon in our children's lives. I'm so thankful to have a husband who is willing to stand up for what he believes in, and who provides for our family, come what may. I've been richly blessed with four healthy and happy children, and one loving and devoted husband. This is the wealth I have stored up. The love of our family is what will sustain me when nothing else can.

A new day, a new adventure.

Today was unique, different in every imaginable way. It started before my alarm woke up, when Little Dude crept into my room, and asked, "Mommy, please can I snuggle with you?" Poor thing has a stuffy nose and couldn't sleep. So we snuggled until it was time to get up and head out to VBS. On our way to pick up some friends, he told me, "I brought I headache with me this morning. I wish I didn't." His comments are so endearing and so very precious.

Later today after swim lessons, he told me, "Mommy, I don't feel like 100%. Only about 1%." He really is feeling fairly miserable today. I think tomorrow will be a day of rest for him. He's just so sad and pitiful when he's sick. I hope getting him in bed early tonight will help him kick whatever it is he's got.

I managed to get to karate tonight, expecting to be tested for my next belt. This has to be the most drawn out karate testing I've ever known. I found out I was on the list over a month ago...and still haven't tested! I'm glad for the reprieve, and hope I can catch a bit of practice in the next week. Tonight was the first time in nearly two years that I've practiced self defense in class. I'm still a bit leery of involving my wrist in risky activity. In fact, I braced up before we got too far into class. It's a good reminder for me, and those around me...it's still tender, and if I break my wrist again, there's no guarantee it will be fixable. I think I'll exercise a bit of caution. Maybe someday, it will feel normal again and not twinge at the slightest provocation.

Ah, life. It's never dull!

Honey-do list update...

Earlier I posted the start of my honey-do list. It's changed, so I figured I should let the world know. Because the world cares...or something. :o)

• reinstall the downspouts in the back yard done
  
• reinstall the Bose surround sound in the living room
• get a few things down from the attic done
  
• put a few things back up in the attic done
  
• give me a back massage

Since I'm about to leave, we can skip the surround sound. But I really need the back massage. Kitty happy paws just aren't cutting it.

A busy day.

Today was both a good day, and a rough day, all wrapped into one. The good:

• My morning walks...always refreshing and re-energizing
  
• Littlest two monkeys are enjoying VBS, and I'm enjoying a bit of time to get things done
• I got the chest freezer cleaned off...and can actually get to it and get things out
• Swim lessons are fabulous: Little Dude put all the pieces together today and really started swimming! Mighty Man has discovered he can swim completely across the pool...and back. I'm so proud!
• I made it to open workout at the karate dojo this morning...I do remember some of this stuff. Maybe there's hope for my test after all?
• As of this morning, I'm down 6 pounds of the nearly 15 that I gained just before The Lizard left. That feels pretty good!
• Our life is full, we're busy. LM and MB are off to camp, and MM & LD are busy, busy! VBS 9-12, swim lessons 2:30-3:10, other swim lessons 3:50-4:20, karate 4:30-5:30. And busy keeps us out of trouble, for the most part.
  

The not-so-good:

• Saying goodbye as The Lizard left the country. Cell phones with iffy coverage just don't let you say goodbye properly.
  
• The tears.

I know I need to just let go and have a good cry, but I feel conflicted. I'm trying to portray a strong, competent woman. I think I'm doing a pretty good job. But I know I can't hide and suppress all my feelings indefinitely. I'm learning that it's easier to just let go and cry, then pull myself together and move on. The catch is, I don't want the little guys to be concerned. I want them to know that their mama will always be here, a beacon of strength and a tender-hearted shelter when they need to have their own come-apart.

While we do talk about how mommy feels, I rarely let down my guard until I'm alone. And then I feel terribly alone. It's usually late, after the kids are tucked securely into bed, and much too late for a phone call (my father was adamant that phone calls were not to be placed after 8pm. Period.). Thankfully, even in my most lonely hours, I feel the love and support of those around me. I feel the prayers holding me up. I know I have friends who would welcome a phone call, no matter what the hour. I know that I have only to ask, and nearly anything under the sun will be done for me. And I sincerely thank all of you who are there for me: spiritually, emotionally, physically, electronically...you mean the world to me. ♥

In other news...here's the quote of the day:
"That's ok, mommy. I put my kazoo in that pocket in my underwear."