Photo by Chunky Monkey Photography

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Vacation is OVER!

We had a fantastic road trip!  We saw so many great sites, visited with great friends, and had lots of quality family time.  I was so worried about being cooped up in a car and tiny cabins together for so long but it was not bad at all.  It was actually quite nice.  Besides our visit in southern California with friends, my favorite place... I think all of our favorite place was our Colorado stop.  The weather was perfect.  The scenery that God created was awe inspiring.  Southern Utah was pretty high on the list, too.  And the Grand Canyon is SO not "just" a hole in the ground.  It was truly awesome!  I really miss the road trip.  I am already planning (in my head) our next one.  And longer visits to our stops places... two to three days just wasn't enough to soak it all in.  And a winter trip so we can see snow.  I tried to talk James into quitting his job and selling the farm (HAHAHA!) and us just becoming homeschooling gypsies but he said no.  <insert sad face here>  Oh well.  I will have to just talk him in to traveling every year. 

Phew... we are back to school in HIGH gear folks!  We took an extra week off when we got back because Momma couldn't get her butt in gear.  Then I looked at the calendar and realized I had miscounted *gasp* our school weeks when marking off our school year.  That makes us another week behind if we want to keep our end date the same... which I do.  So starting yesterday we are packing in as much as the kids can stand.  We normally only have sit down school work from 10-2 with a break for lunch.  We are packing in an 8-3 schedule this week and probably next week along with doing read alouds at our normal time and at bedtime.  If we get too bogged down before this two week period is up I'll reevaluate the calendar and maybe shave some time off our some of our school holidays or just do a long day once a week til we get caught up.  Or just extend our end date.  Or .. I don't know.   :) 

Henry has started back up in soccer. He loves is and is quite good at it.  We are playing in a different league this time and so far it's okay.  I do like our previous league better but it's not in Daddy's district so he wouldn't be able to watch the games when he is on duty.  This league he can.  It's also a little bit closer to home so that is nice.  Nelson isn't getting to play any sports right now.  The one baseball league we could have played in is just too far in the opposite direction of soccer and I couldn't stretch myself that much.  He waited until after sign ups were over to tell me he decided to do soccer so he is just taking a break from athletics.  I personally am looking forward to basketball season starting.  It's in doors.  And if even if it wasn't, it's just cooler weather so it's nice.  I gave Jack the opportunity to play soccer too but he chose not to.  He has been really bashful lately and I think playing with a big group of kids he doesn't know just didn't set well with him.  Maybe next year!  Now, if they had a team for 2 year olds, Kash would have been all over that!  He looooves to play soccer in the yard and he is not shy at all. 

James isn't playing soccer either.  But he is back to work in full swing.  We are also working at the land on his days off.  We have a garden going... sort of.  I'll explain that in another post.  We are still living in the same place and still hoping to sell and build and all that fun stuff.  Some changes will hopefully take place soon.  We had a realtor before we left on our road trip.  She didn't  work out so now we are hunting for another one.  Blah blah blah.  I am trying to be patient and not complaining which is hard to do sometimes!  I know this is all going according to God's plan and in His time...  I just have to remind myself sometimes. 

That's all for now!