Trippin' Down the Road

Just for Fun

2011-01-30T17:25:00.000-05:00

Just for fun, I just took a crash course in watercolor painting at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. I’m not really a painter but I thought it would be fun to give it a try and the class was a real steal with a Groupon deal (maybe I’m a poet).

During the 6 hour class our instructor, Cathrine Southall, did a great job of teaching us some basic techniques including washes (wet on wet) and glazing (wet on dry). We completed several color samplings, painted a real apple and even worked on a composition from a chosen photo. I was pleased with the outcome overall. It was quite a fun class. If I didn’t already have my hand in several other arts/crafts, I’d probably be tempted to take another class and continue developing my skills. However, I figure there will be time for that once the kids have moved out and I’m looking for things to do. Someday. . .

Anyway, I’m in love with the VACR – love that place and wish I could afford to take more classes there. I was really tempted by the most recent Groupon deal but let it sneak past – too bad. The kids are also taking classes there – animation – and loving it.

Vet Training

2011-01-07T17:47:00.001-05:00

Homeschooling has taken an interesting turn at our house. Veterinarian training has been mandatory this week. Catheters, cones and crates . . . life at our house has been centered on the patient. When to administer the meds, monitoring the urine output, mixing up the enticing entrees to induce eating – it’s all about Bentley.

He came home from the vet on Tuesday; less than 24 hours after having emergency back surgery for a herniated disc. The problems began about a week beforehand when poor poochie started acting strangely. After two visits to our vet and $400 later, x-rays revealed that he had some “narrowing between discs in his back.” After two days of rest, Prednisone, Tramadol, and Sucrulfate the condition worsened and hubby and I were reduced to laying on the floor beside our pained pooch all night watching him suffer (it was a Sunday night and not much could be done) until daylight when we could get him into the car and back to the vet’s office and then off to the Emergency Center for surgery.

At an additional cost of $3200 and an estimated 6-12 week recovery, during which time we’d have to support his hind end everywhere he went, some discussion ensued before going forward. He’s a fabulous pet, is only 4.5 years old and is an integral part of our family. Besides, who needs vacations (or food and gas) or sanity? It’s all overrated!

Anyway, he’s home. We’re on day 4. Pooch is regaining some power over his hind quarters – enough to stand for a few seconds, and is following doctor’s orders (and mom’s and dad’s). He’s such a good boy! It’s been quite comical at times - trying to manage a leash, catheter, and towel support all at one time while he’s leading his front part out of the crate and we’re trying to get his back part to follow closely behind (so to speak). Scott has taken the night duty, sleeping downstairs beside the patient while me and the kids are doing school work in the kitchen where we can keep an eye on him at all times during the day. Of course we're praying for a full recovery but nothing is guaranteed. We're committed either way.

It remains to be seen how we will manage the days when we all need to be out of the house. Grandma is on standby for babysitting. . . It’ll be much easier once the catheter is out (which might be tonight judging on how much of it has worked its way out all ready and I’ve talked to the surgeon about just pulling it out the rest of the way – Ick!). But I'm sure we'll find a way to manage. 2011 has gotten off to an interesting start.

Launching the New Year

2011-01-02T11:21:00.002-05:00

After the paper and presents have been put away for another year and the ball has dropped while we all looked on in disbelief at the plastic face of Dick Clark, it seems that all the fun has come and gone and another holiday season is at an end. . . But wait!. . .it’s New Year’s Day. . .we stumble out of bed, stuff something in our pie-holes, grab coffee, and head out to a local school soccer field where our friends are already setting up the launch pads. Our friends, the Walsh family, began a New Year’s Day tradition in 2003 that has quickly becoming one of our favorite annual events.

The New Year’s Day Rocket Launch is quite a blast (pun intended). Many of our homeschool friends and other Walsh family friends turn up with rockets in hand. The dads are at the ready with the kids nearby and the countdowns begin. 10, 9, 8. . . Blastoff! The rockets shoot skyward and the children take off, eyes focused on the moving target, as they race across the field to catch the falling remains (some of which are never found –like ours).

Dan Walsh getting ready to launch the newest family- created rocket

Success!

After a few hours of launching and running, launching and running, launching and . . . . we all head over to the Walsh home to refuel with Pizza, soups, desserts and friendly conversation . We've been launched into 2011.

Poochie Blues

2011-01-01T17:20:00.001-05:00

Bed rest for 3 weeks! How do you keep a dog down?

Our pooch, who looks like he’s ancient but is only really 3 years old, has come down with a bad back. After many days of the hang-dog blues and several trips to the vet (and $400, ahem) we’ve established that Bentley has some bulging discs in his back that are causing poor poochie lots of pain. 6 pills a day and bed rest for 3 weeks. . . how does one accomplish such a thing, especially with 2 children in the house who love to romp with him (thus maybe explaining why he has a bad back in the first place). To boot, the meds are making him have to urinate about every 20 minutes and we have to take him out on a leash now to keep him from running like a maniac around the yard (the pain killers seem to be doing their job). It’s this or risk a ruptured disc that would require surgery.

Sadly enough, I’ve been in his shoes (or booties). I had a ruptured disc years ago and was parked on my mother’s couch for 3 weeks while she waited on me hand and foot. It was unbelievably painful – so I know what you’re feelin’ pooch. And Mom, if I haven’t said ‘thank you’ recently for those weeks of servitude – let me just say ‘thank you again – you saved me from some serious back surgery.’ Let’s hope I can do the same for my four-legged friend.

New Years Resolutions

2010-12-30T22:15:00.000-05:00

It’s been way too long since I posted here. Of course this blog was first created to document our 4 month trip around the U.S. This time last year we were scrambling around trying to get everything in order before we took off. It’s hard to believe we left, travelled for 4 months and have been back for 8 months. It seems like the blink of an eye.

However, 2010 is starting to fade into the distance and 2011 draws ever closer, so I figured it was time to get writing again.

The New Year always feels like an opportunity for new beginnings. It probably has more to do with the break in typical activities (homeschooling, running the kids to various events, etc.) and the chance to actually slow down enough to have a coherent thought than it does with the beginning of a new year. But the holidays always leave me feeling closer to family and friends and wanting (like last year) to do a better job of getting together with both. Thus begin the resolutions.

My husband and I have a long standing tradition of writing down our New Year’s resolutions in a booklet we update annually on New Year’s Eve (or thereabouts). We have our personal resolutions of course which always include some form of body renovations. Then we have our family resolutions which usually have a financial focus. Can anyone relate here? It’s always interesting to pull this book out of hiding on the eve of January 1 and see what resolutions we actually accomplished during the previous year. I love knowing what my hubbie’s goals are and where he wants to go in life and I think the family goals help us refocus on our common interests. Of course it’s also interesting to go back say 10 years and look at what we wrote then versus now. It’s funny how our goals get more realistic as time goes on. I guess we’ve learned to include at least some things we know are obtainable. It’s sort of like adding things to a list that you’ve already accomplished and then marking them off just so you can see the progress you’ve made (yes, I actually do that sometimes). I have friends who strive to get their Masters Degree, enter an Iron Man competition or . . . I have to admit that none of mine are quite that ambitious. They usually read something like – ‘survive another year of homeschooling,’ ‘learn how to spin fiber into yarn,’ or ‘try to squeeze some exercise in my days.’

Anyway, tomorrow I know I’ll be marking at least one thing off of last year’s list – “Travel for 4 months across the U.S.” -- yippee! This year’s goal -- I’m finally going to quilt the 9 quilt tops sitting in a heap in the sewing room closet.

So here’s to all of you who are setting your goals for the year! May you all accomplish your dreams (or at least a small part of that dream) in 2011.

Happy New Year!

Losing Track of Time

2010-04-12T00:04:00.027-04:00

Bandon, OR, and on to Seattle

Leaving the redwoods behind felt leaving behind old friends. There’s a peace to those forests that is unexplainable. Maybe it’s the wisdom and energy they contain. Some of those trees have lived thousands of years. Can you imagine what they’ve witnessed in their lifetimes?

I’ve started to lose track of time. . . what day is it, what month is it? We've changed timezones three times now.

We continued up the Pacific Coast Highway admiring the meetings of sky, ocean and land. It only gets more beautiful as you head north. We met up with some good friends that had moved to Oregon a few years ago. They live in Bandon, OR – a wonderfully charming town that lies along the coast and, I’m glad to report, has not one Target nor Walmart. Somehow this place has managed to keep its old-town ambiance. It really is lovely. We spent a few memorable days with our friends and as we pulled away, I found myself muttering my favorite phrase of the trip “I could live here.”

Face Rock - can you see it?

We stopped off at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA on our way to Seattle. A great place to see some phenomenal glass artists at work and learn the history of glass blowing.

We quickly hurried up to Seattle to see my brother and my S-I-L. We were glad to make it before they leave the state in a couple of more weeks. We appreciated them putting us up in the midst of their move (hey, what’s 4 people moving in when you’re trying to pack?). The weather wasn’t great so we didn’t get to see too much of the city but we managed to make it down to Pikes Place Market. What a trip! I know I’ll someday want to go back without a husband and children in tow (man they can slow a shopping girl down!) but we had a great time milling around the fish and flower markets, the craft and clothing vendors and the coffee and donut shops. I even had my picture taken at the original Starbucks coffee shop.

Making the turn and heading east felt really strange. It marks the beginning of the end of our “Cross Country” trip. I think we all felt a little sadness. It helped that the landscape driving from Washington through Idaho and over to Montana was remarkable. We came over the Cascade Mtns. through the Snoqualmie Pass.

It was snowing lightly but there was a nice base of snow already on the ground and the landscape looked like a winter Christmas-tree-filled wonderland with crystal clear rivers running freely through its midst. The camping, historical sites, museums, and time with friends and family make a trip memorable but it’s scenes like this that make the act of travelling so magical. You know you’re witnessing a single fleeting moment of beauty that you will never see again.

Kerby coming out of the slide at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort - a stopover on our way out of Anaconda,MT. The springs there give forth water at 168 degrees Fahrenheit so it's mixed with cold water to keep the 4 indoor and outdoor pools at 94 and 103 degrees. It was novel swimming in bath water while looking at the snowy mountains in the distance.

We’re now in Bozeman, Montana surrounded by the mighty snowy-covered Rocky Mountains. It’s cold here and the air is extraordinary - crisp and clean – it just makes ya feel energized. We’ve been in a resort, a house and now a hotel for the last 7 nights. Although I’m not looking forward to bundling up in all those layers again (esp. when I know it was in the high 80’s at home today), I’m so ready to get back into my camper and be one with the outdoors again. We’re all feeling a bit stir-crazy I think and ready for a hike. Funny we don’t feel that closed in feeling the pop-up and it’s half the square footage of this hotel room!

I must be dreaming

2010-03-30T02:57:00.000-04:00

3/24-25/10
After visiting St. Lobos State Reserve in Big Sur I’m not sure there’s anything left to look forward to. Surely there can be nothing more stunning! We spent a day there climbing on the rocks, exploring the tidal pools and being mesmerized by the crashing aqua waves. It really is the ‘greatest meeting of sea and land’ around.

We’re just leaving San Francisco and our 18th campground (I know, can you believe it?) headed for the land of redwoods. San Francisco was wonderfully entertaining. We spent 2 days in the city hanging out on or near the Fisherman’s Wharf – both days gorgeous weather-wise. After driving around the city and visiting China Town, we made our way to the 1-block section of Lombard St. known as the “most crooked street in the world.” Driving down it as well as walking up gave us not only great exercise but an awesome view of the city below. What a neat place it would be to live.

Yesterday we rented tandem bikes for the day and rode them along the bay and over the Golden Gate Bridge. Standing there on the bridge looking out over the bay out to Alcatraz seemed somewhat surreal. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to see if I’m really conscious! San Francisco reminded me a lot of our time in New Orleans – mainly because of all the people and side-street acts going on around every corner. One of my favorites was a group of 4-5 guys who, with heavy bass music in the background, sit at a small booth and paint Golden Gate Bridge scenes using spray paints on poster board. They do them in about 6 minutes. It’s incredible to watch. They sell them for $5.00 each (way too cheap in my opinion) so of course I bought one that we had watched come to life.

As I type we’re driving through the hilly Sonoma and Napa Valley areas admiring all of the vineyards that seem to go on endlessly. The vines are bear of fruit but are pruned and ready for new growth. I’m sure the growers are thankful for the recent heavy rains here after three years of drought. It should get things off to a great start. Glass of vino anyone? I’m looking forward to taste-testing some local vintages along the way. Hear that hubby?

Rocky Road

2010-03-27T21:47:00.002-04:00

San Luis Obispo and Big Sur
We’ve had an amazing few days playing on the rocky coast; finding cool anemones and beautiful starfish (one more than a foot across). I never thought I’d like the jagged coast after being brought up on the smooth white shores of VA but I have to say I love it.

After leaving the LA area we continued up the coast via the Pacific Coastal Highway passing briefly through Santa Barbara which I’m sure I would have loved had I had time to be courted. However, finding parking on one of the quaint little town streets for our Expedition with pop-up in tow apparently wasn’t in the cards. For when, after circling several blocks, we finally found a spot, it turned out to have a 15-minute limit which barely gave us time to walk briskly around the block. We seized the opportunity but that pretty much concluded our Santa Barbara adventure.

We had better luck in San Luis Obispo, which immediately went to the top of my “where I’d like to live” list. We camped in a wooded state campground nestled between the hillsides and the local botanical gardens -- a lovely college town and not far from the charming streets of “downtown” where we’d heard they host a “Farmers Market” every Thursday evening. Coincidentally we were there on a Thursday (wink). The market was well worth the planning. The main street running through the town is blocked off for several blocks and vendors of every nature set up their booths while local shop proprietors move items onto the sidewalks and post signs for market specials. Tables of fresh produce share the curbs with food vendors, realtors, political campaigners, and performing artists. There’s something for everyone and it was apparent on this beautiful evening that nearly “everyone” was in attendance as the streets became quite crowded.

One of our favorite attractions was a narrow alley between two buildings. The walls (and some of the windows) had been colorfully decorated with thousands upon thousands of pre-chewed wads of gum. Joelle was the first to notice it and quickly announced “Mom, Mom, look! It’s Bubblegum Alley!” as though she had been expecting to see that very thing. As she and Kerby excitedly rushed down the alley she informed me that she was indeed familiar with such anomalies and had read about them in one of her National Geographic Kids Magazines. While I’m not sure I agree with one passerby who replied to his friend’s obvious disgust, “I think it’s beautiful,” I have to admit it’s at least interesting to look at.

Continuing along the PCH the following day heading toward Big Sur, the coastal views got better and better - what an amazing shoreline! The California coast really is breath-taking. Like the Grand Canyon, you really can’t experience the grandeur anywhere near in pictures the way you can in person on a brilliantly sunny day. It reminded me quite a bit of Ireland when Scott and I were there in 2000 – the rolling green hills, the jagged coastline and the crashing waves. Had I known the west coast had such beauty maybe we’d have foregone Ireland all together. We stopped briefly along the way to explore Hearst Castle at San Simeon. While the visitor’s center offers tours for a mere $72 (for the 4 of us), we chose instead to view the massive architectural wonder, sitting on its 200+ acre hillside lot, from a distance and watched a movie explaining its origins and 90 year history.

A second more spontaneous roadside stop involved us getting reprimanded by the local park ranger and nearly getting ourselves a citation. Driving along we spotted a large group of seals lying belly-up on the beach and couldn’t resist the opportunity to get a closer look. Pulling over and following a path down to the seaside where some were frolicking in a tidal pool while others lounged lazily on the warm sand, we were able to walk right into the midst of them. While we photographed them, sat only feet away on the sand from several and laughed at the funny antics and raspberry sounds they made, little did we realize that we were breaking the law. After about 20 minutes a ranger yelled from his truck on the nearby Hwy 1 for us to “clear the area.” Doing so immediately and walking back up the path from which we’d come, the ranger met us half way and gave us a long dissertation on the reasons why we shouldn’t be where we had just been and why he could give us a citation. In the end we escaped ticket free but wearing the “look of shame.”

At the end of the day, we’re settled once again in a lovely campground where we’re right next to the Big Sur River and encircled by Redwoods – more beauty – what can I say? It just keeps getting better.

Glitz and Glamour

2010-03-26T01:58:00.000-04:00

Malibu Beach and Hollywood - as usual this post is outdated since I typed it a week ago and am only now actually posting it. . . but anyway, here's where we've been. . .

Days 74-76 3/14-3/16
Once again I’ve persuaded Scott to extend our stay in our current location. I’m in heaven here (Los Angeles). Blue skies and low 80’s, gentle breezes, waves crashing not far away, flowers and chirping birds all around – why would I want to leave? Okay so gas is $3.19/gal., milk is $4.30/half gal and a bundle of 5 sticks of firewood is $5.00 . . . . the Starbucks still costs the same.

We did the Hollywood thing yesterday. Seeing as how we couldn’t make it 5 paces without being approached by a Hollywood Tours representative shoving fliers at us, we stalled for a good deal and hopped aboard an open-top “bus” along with 6 other people for a 2 hour ride. Zipping around in and out of traffic we briefly stopped at many of the rich and famous stars’ homes (Tom Cruise, Hallie Barry, Keanu Reeves, the late Michael Jackson, and Bob Barker to name a few) to get a glimpse through the gates, trees and shrubbery of the mansions in which these stars occasionally live. We even saw a few paparazzi waiting in anticipation near some homes and we passed the condos where Brad Pitt stayed for a reported 4 months after his break with Jennifer. A slow ride down Rodeo Dr. allowed us to get as close to some of the world’s best known designer shops as my wallet will ever allow and a drive going nearly straight up gave us a close up viewing of the famous HOLLYWOOD mountainside sign (which we were told is about to become surrounded by houses and condos if the city is unable to secure the property which was recently sold by the private owner for a mere 3.5 million to a private buyer who is now generously offering it to the city for only 20 million). And of course we walked the star-lined sidewalks in search of our favorite names. Kerby and Joelle enjoyed the bus ride but got little from the names being thrown around since none of them related to Miley Cyrus, Daniel Radcliff, or the Jonas Brothers.

As I write this I’m being frequently distracted . . . lizards running by my feet and doing push-ups on a nearby wall (not sure what that’s about), a hawk raiding a gold finch nest while being attacked by two crows, and a crow flying overhead with a large white tissue (or is that a flag of surrender?) in its beak. . . very distracting but I'm still loving it here in this Malibu campground.

Anyway, we finished the day off by heading out to Pasadena to join some friends, Jennifer and Josh, at their place where we enjoyed a big bowl of yummy “taco soup” - a family recipe - and caught up on the details of their young careers and upcoming wedding May 1st. Josh, who currently works at Dream Works as an animator, but previously worked for the creators of Veggie Tales gave us an on screen demo of how he creates the magic. It was quite cool. He’s recently worked on the upcoming film “How to Train Your Dragon” and is currently working on a sequel series that sounds exciting (which I’d tell you about but, then I’d have to kill you so I won’t). Jennifer, after graduating from Seminary and becoming ordained is working in a local church and anticipating future possibilities. We had a great time with them.

Coast to Coast

2010-03-14T01:21:00.006-05:00

Kerby and Joelle exploring behind our campsite in Bonita

Days 70—73 Written 3/13/10
I loved the desert with its unique beauty and jagged mountains but I’d forgotten what joy warm sunshine and green valleys also bring. It’s funny, coming into California after being in TX, NM and AZ all this time; it’s like crossing into another dimension. The landscape is so different.

San Diego looking from Point Loma Light House

We took a ride up the road to Point Loma Light House and Cabrillo National Monument (named after the Spanish explorer who is believed to be the first European to step foot on the west coast).

Left to Right: Scott/Tank, Kerby/Bobby, Nan/Stanley and Joelle/Pawny

On Scott’s birthday, which happened to be yesterday, we went horseback riding in a rural area of San Diego at a nearby ranch. For an hour we rode peacefully (the 4 of us and a guide) through the green fields. It was a clear and sunny day in the 70’s - apparently the typical day in Bonita – not a bad place to hang out. After taking months of horseback riding lessons at home, Kerby and Joelle were thrilled to mount up and sit in the saddle once more. It was great fun for all of us.

Stuck in LA traffic. . .

Playing on the west coast (our campsite is right above Kerby and Joelle's heads in the top pic)

This afternoon I finally put my feet in the Pacific Ocean for the first time. We arrived at Malibu Beach RV Park (right on the Pacific Coast Hwy) around 3:30 and, after setting up, wasted no time in getting down to the shore (which is just across the road and easily seen from our hillside campsite). The water was much warmer than we anticipated. Still too cold to swim (at least for me) but warm enough to wade in. The kids were ecstatic to be at the beach (a family favorite). We spent the better part of an hour splashing around and enjoying the Malibu scenery then headed off for a fresh seafood dinner at a nearby beachside restaurant.

We’re looking forward to a few more nice days here where we plan to take in some more sun and sea, catch up with one of Scott’s former students who’s about to be married and is eager for us to meet her future husband, and see the LA sites (if we can negotiate the traffic – it’s murder out here).

Mountains. . . . Desert. . . . Beach. . . I don’t know. . . I love them all!

Charting New Territories

2010-03-14T00:53:00.001-05:00

Kerby and Joelle Chart our Travels

Days 68- 69 Written 3/10/10
We awoke to about 50 degree temps and bright sunshine this morning. I’m looking out the back window of our camper at the beautiful, green, and lush rolling hills of San Diego, CA—quite a contrast to the barren grey flatness of the desert we’ve seen over the last 3 weeks. We arrived here (Sweetwater Regional State Park) after leaving LasVegas behind yesterday. It felt like coming home after being cooped up in a hotel room for the last 6 nights. We were all really missing our PUP. Funny, I thought on this trip we’d be begging for the conveniences of hotel rooms with their t.v.s and private baths, but we much prefer the cozy space, fresh air and the king-size beds of our camper. We're glad to be "home" again.

Las Vegas was a wild and crazy (and kind of creepy) place. But we had fun getting a small taste of the 'Sin City'. We stayed at a "family friendly" hotel casino (as if there were such a thing in Vegas) called Circus Circus. It had lots of kid friendly attractions (including some circus acts) that amused Kerby and Joelle. We didn’t leave any richer (I’m sure that’s a huge surprise to all of you). We left a little poorer but not much – I am after all, with Scott. How much do you think he’s going to let me gamble!?! It was fun to at least sit at the slot machines and take a little risk. I can see why people get jazzed from it – it’s a rush when you win (even when you’re already down); it gives you that little bit of hope that keeps you hooked. I think Scott was afraid to leave me alone for too long (I can't imagine why).

The detour to Vegas afforded us the opportunity to travel over the Hoover Dam which we thought we were going to miss this go round. There's a lot more too it than I thought there would be. It's quite a feat of engineering and an amazing site. I wish we'd have had time to get out and take a tour - I think it would have been quite educational and entertaining.

I don’t know if the economy is to blame or if this is normal San Diego lifestyle but, there are quite a few individuals/families living in the campground. The CA park system regulations, like most, allow guests to stay for 21 consecutive days, requiring them to vacate for at least 7 days before returning. It appears that some of these folks though have permanent shelters here, whether it be an RV, tent or pickup with a shell, it seems obvious that many of them haven’t moved in months. I spoke to one such “resident” and she told me that they “had saved enough to either get a place or upgrade their camper (an S10 with a camper shell)” but, they weren’t sure which they wanted to do. I guess living in the state park must not be too bad. I have to admit that this particular park is pretty nice and with the temperate year round weather, if I had to live in a park, this one would at least make the top ten.

Driving into Bonita (San Diego)

Birthdays and Big Ditches

2010-03-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

Days 62-67
Leaving Alamogordo we made a stop just down the road at the Three Rivers Petroglyphs site – an area where visitors can access over 20,000 petroglyphs (images scratched into the surface of rocks) created by Jornada Mogollon people between 900 AD and 1400 AD.

It was also here that we spotted our first (and so far, last) Roadrunner. He was quite entertaining as he teased the camp host's leashed dog. We were told that the camp host often feeds the bird raw hamburger meat which explains why he was eager to approach us. What a unique member of the feathered family.

Albuquerque, being a big city, seemed like a logical destination for a birthday bonanza the next day – Kerby turning 10 and Joelle turning 9. We celebrated in style from our camper. The kids awoke early to balloons and other celebratory decorations and enjoyed chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast after which we spray-painted their hair in sparkling orange and green giving them a festive birthday look. Leaving our campsite, the first stop was the Page One Bookstore (their choice – gotta love that!) where we killed a couple of hours and the kids picked out a few books to replace those they’d just finished. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Quiznos and then on to the next stop – Hinkle Family Fun Center. This place was a gas – two big buildings offering everything from laser tag, go carts and mini-golf to arcade games, virtual computer games and bumper cars. We did it all, running from one fun thing to another. Afterwards we made a stop at the local Target where the kids spent the birthday money their grandmother had given them. Thankfully they didn’t want huge toys that we’d likely not have room for in the camper but instead bought two DSi game cartridges (easy fit – the DSi is redeemed!), then it was off to Applebee’s for dinner. We ended the day by watching the 5th Harry Potter movie (we’d just finished the book a few days earlier) and enjoyed some chocolate-dipped strawberries for dessert. All in all I think the kids had a great day and, as always, Scott and I had a blast too. We all fell into bed exhausted and happy ready to move on down the road the next morning.

Laser Tag

Joelle in the pod ready to play a virtual robot-blasting game and then doing the "happy dance" after her 3rd hole-in-one

Next stop – Williams, AZ and the Grand Canyon. I won’t write much here since Scott did a great job summarizing this awesome experience on his blog (www.fixedmoments.blogspot.com), but this was certainly one of the highlights of the trip thus far. The kids at this point are getting overloaded with “amazing” sites and while they thought the canyon was “cool” they certainly didn’t get the awesomeness of where they were. I guess at age 45, after years of yearning to see this big ditch, being here is a little more impressive for me than for my 9 and 10 year old kids.

We’re staying in a local hotel for 4 nights due to the cold night temps up here – a little chillier than we wanted to battle. Although having a private shower and a t.v. is nice we miss our little pop-up and are ready to get back to camping. There’s something to be said for only being a canvas’ thickness away from the open air – it feels like you’re so much more a part of the world.

Desert Oasis

2010-03-04T23:09:00.014-05:00

Our map on the side of the camper -- getting more filled in every week.

Days 54-58 -- 2/22-26/2010
We spent another few days making our way across the great state of Texas – moving on to Odessa where we’d already planned to hunker down in a hotel for one night to escape the unseasonably cold temps but, ended up staying for two nights due to 5 inches of snow that fell while we slept (our first thus far – snow that is, not sleep).

Snow in Odessa, TX

On 2/24 we finally made our way to the other side of Texas and crossed into New Mexico. The drive proved more interesting that I had anticipated.

We all marveled at the busy “nodding donkeys” (oil pumps) that dotted the flat landscape in every direction. We also admired the vast number of wind turbines to both sides of the highway as we continued west. As we progressed further into the desert we became awestruck. Never having been in the desert before, I was mesmerized by the sheer distance I could see looking in any one direction.

Behind our campsite

The sunset in Lake Brantley State Park

We landed a campsite in Lake Brantley State Park’s Limestone Campground in Carlsbad, NM – a beautiful desert park built where a living sea once flourished. The entire park sits atop 3,000 acres of limestone that was formed from the remains of sea life millions of years ago. Though among the desert, the park boasts a 2,500 acre lake. The sunset on the first night we were there was enough to make me fall in love with the west – colors that just can’t be captured by a camera (though we tried). The kids enjoyed the landscape as well – running around between the prickly pear cacti and the other prickly flora down to the lakeside. It really is beautiful in a way that I had not expected – presumably even more so in the spring months when the cacti are in bloom. I wish we were going to be here to see it.

While there, as planned, we visited Carlsbad Caverns. Walking over 800 feet down into a magical underground world was like nothing else we’ve done. It boggles the mind to walk among such majestic structures knowing that they were formed over 200 million years ago – kept a secret from the world until Jim White discovered them in the late 19th century and single-handedly put them ‘on the map.’

Entrance to the Caverns

Leaving the Park and the Caverns behind was hard to do. We could have explored much more but, we forged ahead toward Alamogordo, our next destination. The drive took us up, over and through the Sacramento Mtns, up to 8,400 ft, where the snow base on the small ski slope there was of 62”. The town at the top of the mountains, Cloudcroft, is absolutely adorable and Scott and I have vowed to return there someday sans kids

Laid peacefully at the bottom of the Sacramento Mtns., with the San Andres Mtns. on the other side, lies the town of Alamogordo where we secured camping accommodations for four days and from which I write this blog. My heart soars when I look around at the stark contrasts of the barren land against the dark jagged peaks that meet with the cerulean blue of the sky – it is unbelievably beautiful here. I think I could easily live here (of course I'm saying that in February when it's about 60 degrees and not 110).

Approaching White Sands National Monument

Kerby making "snow angels" in the sand

A 4-mile hike across the white dunes

Yesterday we visited the White Sands National Monument just down the road. The 275 miles of white wonder is breathtakingly beautiful We saw very few other people which made it seem even more special - like we had the world all to ourselves. Not only is it beautiful but it's lots of fun too - who needs snow?!?

The REALLY BIG State of Texas

2010-02-27T11:09:00.004-05:00

Days 44-50 2/16-21/2010

Still in Texas - For Fat Tuesday we headed into the capitol city. Strangely enough, after all the celebrating we’d run into thus far, we didn’t see much for celebration on the actual day. However, there were lots of signs in the city promising music and festivity after sunset. Having not planned ahead, we really weren’t sure what we wanted to do while in Austin but easily filled up a day with interesting endeavors. First we toured the capitol building – the largest in the US (by square footage) and second tallest in the nation (second only to Louisiana). We learned lots cool facts about the state - that it's the only state that was once its own republic (which explains the pride they exhibit openly).

They do everything BIG in Texas, right down to their door hinges and chandeliers in the Senate and House chambers.

Can you see that the light bulbs spell out T-E-X-A-S ?

Where Texas law is made

One of the more famous governors of TX.

Every governor has a portrait hanging on the curved walls in the central dome of the capitol building. Each time a new portrait is hung (after the governor has left office) all of the paintings are moved/rotated toward the top of the dome (like a spiral) to make room for the newest portrait at the bottom. We wondered about who might have that fun job. There are LOTS of portraits. Yikes, what if you dropped one or got them in the wrong order!

Following up the capitol tour we headed further into the city for a bite to eat, ending up once more at a Mexican restaurant (the Iron Cactus). After having our fill of enchiladas, tacos, beans, rice and some sort of deep fried avocado/chicken thing that was quite good, we took off for a long walk around Lady Bird Lake, or “Town Lake” as the locals call it, to burn some calories. We were in good company with hoards of Austiners (and their dogs) who were out walking, biking and running – enjoying the gorgeous day. Later we ventured to the local Whole Foods Market (one of the largest I’ve seen) to purchase some produce and desserts to share with friends we were meeting up with that evening. After hoofing a few more blocks in the city, it was time for an early dinner. So we headed to a local downtown joint– Stubbs, famous for its BBQ. Actually, the pork BBQ was great but none of us, I’m sorry to say, were impressed with the beef BBQ -- too many years of eatin’ good ole’ Virgini’ and North Carolina pork I guess. We finished off the day sharing coffee and dessert with our friends Meagan, Richard and baby Gideon at their beautiful high-rise condo on the edge of downtown --a great way to end the day.

Moving on and heading north, we landed in a very unique location between Dallas and Fort Worth. The campground is named for the grounds of a very large flea market that runs the length of its southern border –called Traders Village. Every Saturday and Sunday, on over 100 acres, over 5,000 vendors open there “booths” (basically large storage units) and sell everything from produce and boots to dining room tables and used tools.

The campground itself is nothing to brag about – basically another large concrete parking lot with a few grassy strips separating the sites. In addition to the shopping bonanza right next door to our campsite, we were also blessed with an airfield also bordering the campground and apparently home to a helicopter building facility that tests their newest item off the production line each weekday morning around 7 a.m. What we presumed were about 20 copters taking off one after another and then hovering over our camper, we were told was probably just one copter being tested for flight certification over and over again (and probably a military chopper at that). Nice way to wake up – NOT!

Friday morning we met up with one of Scott's former students and friends, Marion, who is now an associate pastor of a local Presbyterian Church. After giving us a tour of the beautiful church, Marion drove us down to the Fort Worth Stockyards where we witnessed one of the twice-daily cattle herding that takes place down the center of the street. We managed to eat yet another Texas BBQ meal (pork this time and very tasty), did a little shopping and tried our first ever fried pickles (something I'd definitely eat again - yum!)

Joelle sittin' atop ole' "Pecos Bill"

Kerby and the Bucking Bronco

Eating Fried Pickles - Yummy!

We ventured over on Saturday morning to see what kind of deals we could score at Traders Village (mostly run and supported by the Hispanic community). There were some great buys and had we the space we’d have bought a few things. Joelle scored, what we refer to as, an ear brassiere and a leather wallet while I was suckered into a chopper, mixer, blender, smoothie maker, salad spinner, thing (you know, the ‘as seen on t.v.’ thing) -- made some great coleslaw and salsa while Scott rolled his eyes.

Sunday we headed into Dallas to see the “Grassy Knoll.” We were pleased to see that the 6th Floor Museum was open (and crowded). The museum is located in the Book Depository where Oswald fired his fatal shots. We took the self-guided audio tour which walked us all the way through JFK’s life from the time he entered the presidential race until he was tragically assassinated right outside the Book Bindery as the motorcade turned the corner off of Houston St. The museum is very well done and we all found ourselves teary eyed as we watched the videos of our nation (and others around the world) morning a life that was cut short so early. Of course we’re all aware of the tragedy that took place that day back in 1963 and we’ve all seen and read bits and pieces of the events but, to get the whole story from beginning to end at one time, complete with video and audio, and stand in the place where the shots were actually fired is an experience I don’t think any of us will soon forget. Unfortunately they don't allow photography in the museum so I don't have any pics to share here.

Doin' it up BIG in Texas

2010-02-17T12:50:00.002-05:00

Days 39-42 2/11-14/2010

The San Marcos River right behind our camping site

We arrived in San Marcos in the midst of a cold, grey and very wet day but the gods must have been smiling down on us since the only pause in the downpour was at the very moment when we arrived at our campground and needed to set up. We decided on this location for 2 simple reasons - we have friends who liver here and because it's equally between San Antonio and Austin. We made good use of remainder of the day by getting the laundry done and allowing the kids to swim in the indoor heated pool – quite a treat when it's so nasty outside.

The campground here (Pecan Park) is great -- one of the nicer ones (as far as amenities go). It’s located on the San Marcos River and they’ve done a great job of leaving lots of nature intact so it doesn’t have that open parking lot feel that seems indicative of so many of the private campgrounds. The kids have had fun wading and playing in the creek that runs between our campsite and the river behind us. We thought about canoeing the river (there's an outfitter nearby) until we noticed the aluminum canoe wrapped at a 90 degree angle on a nearby rock. It's a pretty unruly river with quite a current - plenty of white water.

On Friday afternoon we met up with our friends Megan and Richard Jones and met their 12 wk. old baby Gideon for the first time – quite the cutie. Megan gave us a tour of the new McCoy’s Building Supply office headquarters as well as one of the local stores. She even gave the kids a short lesson on lumber basics out in their lumber yard. It was great to see the impressive operation in person after hearing about it for so long. Not to our surprise, after speaking with many of their employees, it was obvious that the McCoys are great folks for whom to work. Later that evening, joined by Megan’s folks, we all had a fabulous steak dinner at a local steak house called Texas Reds and enjoyed catching up with these friends we don’t get to see very often.

The San Antonio River Walk

Lunch at a local Mexican Cafe overlooking the river

On Saturday we headed into the long awaited city of San Antonio where we spent hours walking along the river walk which -- not only beautiful, but also a great place for shopping, eating and people watching. The gorgeous sunny day brought out tons of locals and tourists alike which made walking the narrow sidewalks a bit treacherous since there are no curbs or railings keeping you out of the river. If you’re walking on the wrong side, one slight bump from a passerby could land you in the San Antonio with a splash and lots of laughs from the on-looking restaurant patrons. Thankfully, we managed to avoid providing such entertainment but instead had loads of fun eating local foods, shopping, and even watching a Mardi Gras parade floating down the river--our second chance to load up on beads.

Mardi Gras floats heading down the river

Kerby and Joelle finding their own kind of fun - the air vents along the sidewalks of San Antonio - whatever blows your skirt up. . .

And of course we remembered the Alamo-the fort at which 189 Texans including Jim Bowie and David Crockett fought for Texas' independence from Mexico. Most interesting for us was the "History Shop" (a little hole in the wall) where a to-scale model of the fort is on display in the same room as an under-glass archeological dig that's shows many of the weapons and artifacts that were found in that very spot where the battle of the Alamo took place. We listened to a narration (by none other than Phil Collins) that explained much of the battle. It was quite educational.

On the way home (the camper is now “home”), we stopped by Cavender’s Boot World at the local outlet mall and Kerby, Joelle and I all left with new western cowboy boots – a pricey endeavor but I had promised the kids (and secretly myself) boots for our birthdays. Somehow I just couldn’t talk Scott into getting a pair – not the cowboy type (who’d have guessed).

And during the few minutes we've not been running around seeing the sites, I tried my hand at some Origami

Doin' the Bayou

2010-02-17T10:27:00.002-05:00

Day 38 -- 2/10/10

Lake Charles - our campsite on the Bayou

Having driven from Lake Charles, LA and eating more than our share at a local steakhouse – Texas Land and Cattle (you have to eat a little beef here in cattle country, right?) we’re just settling in for the night. We don’t eat steak often but I know a good steak when it touches my lips, and that was good steak! I hate paying good money for mediocre food but I’ll give this restaurant, no doubt a chain here in the State of Texas, 2 thumbs up. Good service, great food, reasonable prices.

We’ve checked into a La Quinta for the night (also a 2 thumbs up for a cheap hotel room). We’re just passing through Houston on our way to San Antonio for a week. Just after driving through downtown to get to the west side of the city the most notable thing to me was the highway system. They’re quite impressive with their main highways running through town (basically I-10) and the service roads running parallel on both sides allowing access to stores and businesses. In other words, you can jump right onto the highway at practically any intersection, speed down the highway, avoiding the stoplights and traffic, and jump off right where you need to be or you can mosey along on the service road and take your time. It seems a very efficient system. Additionally big cast metal stars embedded on all of the bridge and highway supports express the “proud Texan” image. We even have a choice of Texas-shaped waffles for breakfast in the morning here at the La Quinta!

I’m liking the Lone Star State thus far. I’ve heard so much about San Antonio that I’m looking forward to getting there tomorrow and checking it out in person. My friend Kristi has given us quite a list of “must-dos” so we’ll not be lacking direction. We also have friends here that we’re looking forward to seeing and spending some quality time with (especially their new baby boy). So, it’s on to more adventure as we make our way west. . .

Pre-Mardi Gras Fun

2010-02-05T23:04:00.002-05:00

After an entire day in the camper listening to 30 straight hours of the deluge taking place outside we were all thrilled to get out this morning for another day in the French Quarter. Today is Friday and I can't tell you how different today was from Wednesday when we were there before. There were loads more people and we could definitely see and feel the Mardi Gras energy everywhere. We stopped on the way into town to goggle at some floats that were gearing up for a parade later tonight -- quite the works of art. Once in the Quarter, after more beignets, pizza, bread pudding,lots of walking and a carriage tour of the Quarter, we caught up to a parade making its way through the gridded streets. We enthusiastically weaved in and out of spectators to stand in strategic positions where we might collect some of the beaded necklaces that were being tossed about playfully. Kerby acquired quite a few. I guess the paraders just couldn't pass up his winning smile. It was a blast and a great way for the kids to experience the fun of Mardi Gras (albeit early) without the drunken and lewd acts that typically accompany the annual festivities.

Tomorrow a.m. we leave the park and make our way toward the western part of the state for a couple of nights before heading for the Lone Star State. The kids have talked enlessly about going to Texas. I'm not sure why they're so excited -- the only thing I can figure is the horseback riding they've been doing recently back home has seeped into their bones and made them long for a taste of cowboy country. Anyhow, I've promised them each a pair of nice western riding boots, and heck, who wouldn't be excited about that!

City of the Saints - NOT!

2010-02-05T21:43:00.000-05:00

We woke this morning in our new home – Bayou Segnette State Park, Westwego, LA. A much nicer campground than the one we left behind – large sites and actual grass and trees. Later we took the Algiers Ferry across the Mississippi river to the French Quarter and spent a day indulging the delights of New Orleans. First stop – Café DuMonde for café au lait, hot chocolate, and beignets – yum! In and out of shops on St. Peters, Chartres, St. Ann, Decatur, and of course Bourbon streets – what fun and enlightenment (especially for the kids - all the posters and t-shirts-lots of questions being asked!). Off to another café for Po Boys, Jambalaya and Gumbo – triple yum!. . . more perusing the streets, watching the jazz musicians, drunks, magicians, and other lively sorts. . . into a candy store for pralines and other goodies and back home again on the ferry just in time to escape the rain starting outside. Another night of being lulled to sleep by the pitter-patter on the “roof.”

Crossing the Mississippi by ferry

Cafe du Monde

This magician was great and we ended up running into him over and over again. Kerby and Joelle got a private show while waiting for the return ferry. He was quite a character. Kerby said he wished the guy was his brother. I have no doubt we'll see him again tomorrow - I'm looking forward to it.

Smoking Time Jazz Band

(liked them and bought their CD)

Our self-made Marti Gras masks

(I'll go out and get the beads later :-)

History First Hand

2010-02-04T00:01:00.001-05:00

Days 20 thru 30 - 1/24 – 2/2/2010

The last week and a half have flown by in a flurry of activity. I’m awakening from a cold induced coma that caused a few of those days to disappear into a foggy mist somewhere but I’ll try to recount our movement.

We arrived eagerly in Atlanta (or more specifically Duluth), GA on Sunday 1/24 in the middle of a heavy downpour. We spent the next 4 days in the lap of luxury – the kids happily playing with their adorable 4 year old cousin, Scott and I sleeping in a cozy king-sized bed in the privacy of a real bedroom, and all of us eating like kings and queens while my sister and niece spoiled us with delectable meals, one after another. To keep the kids from going stir-crazy we ventured out to a local mall which resulted in 4 pair of Crocs for $30.00 (now that’s news) and some pooped out children. Well worth the trip. We had wanted to visit Stone Mountain, one of the main attractions in the area, but found out at the last minute that most of the park was closed. So, we opted to tour the World of Coke, Coca-Cola’s exhibit detailing the history of the world’s first bubbly beverage first created in 1886. However, our favorite part was the tasting area where we were encouraged to try as many of the 64 beverages (sold worldwide) on tap as we wanted. My favorite –Kingsley (England), Joelle’s – Cherry Coke, Kerby – Fanta Magic (from ?), Scott – a couple of the Asian varieties.

Thursday, 1/28 we left Atlanta for the great southern state of Alabama where we would receive an up close and personal education on the Civil Rights Movement of the 50’s and 60’s. Along the road toward Montgomery, we stopped at the Nat’l Historic Site of the Tuskegee Airmen – a small humble building in the middle of nowhere, filled with images capturing the heroic African American men who risked their lives to help a country that saw them as little more than consumable weapons of destruction.

Sunday we ventured into downtown Montgomery where we stood on the very corner where the church, at which Martin Luther King, Jr. was minister, along with the Women’s Political Council organized the bus boycott the day following the arrest of Rosa Parks on Dec. 1, 1955. Just one block away from the church, in its largess, sits the capitol building – the first capitol of the Confederacy (no it wasn’t VA). Being a Sunday afternoon, there were no people about so we took our time milling around and letting the irony of the moment engulf us – the four of us, an interracial family, standing on the steps of the capitol of the Confederacy, looking down on the church where so many brave men and women stood 55 years ago in a fight that would eventually allow us to be the family we are today. I’m certain the kids could in no way get the magnitude of the moment but it wasn’t lost on Scott or me.

We followed up this momentous occasion with a visit the next day to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute -- one of the best museums I’ve ever experienced. It walks you through the Civil Rights Movement using films, pictures, video interviews, life size sculptures, and artifacts all displayed beautifully to tell a brutal yet inspiring story. The kids got a lot out of it but said it was “creepy,” which I’m sure it was for them. I can only imagine what feelings the images conjure for people of color. Unfortunately the institute allows no photography so we are unable to share the remarkable exhibits there but, they will be etched in our memories for years to come.

One of the most enjoyable displays in the institute was a video capturing an incredibly talented and unusual artist while he paints a portrait of MLK, Jr. The painting hangs in the museum right beside the video screen. It’s amazing to see the painting coming to life while glancing at the actual finished piece. If you have a chance, check out the guy’s website http://dennydent.com/. He's totally amazing.

Just outside and up the street was a very nicely done park called the Freedom Walk consisting of a circular stone path along which are placed bronze statues. Each statue depicts a frozen moment in time during the African American's fight for equality in the south.

While in Montgomery, Scott and I have gotten a taste of what it’s like to be in the minority. The campground in which we were staying was in a very depressed area of the city (you have no clue what you’re getting when you’re shopping for campgrounds via the internet and a Good Sams catalog). “The Woods” as it was so misleadingly called, was 1 block from the major highway that runs through the city and located just yards off a main thoroughfare (reminiscent of Midlothian Trnpk) – lots of dead malls and boarded up houses. The Woods is basically a 3-4 acre gravel parking lot with a bathhouse and electric/water hookups every so many feet. So we stayed our 3 nights and then added another just for good measure. Hey – I was sick the first two days, hardly leaving my bed, and we spent one day doing Joelle’s hair in the laundry room. Anyway, it was an experience going to the local WalMart for groceries but the location gave us great access to the things we wanted to see while there and, since we weren’t caught in any crossfire, it was a beneficial experience.

The Woods Campground - hmmmm

Tuesday 2/2/2010 (yesterday) we drove further south toward New Orleans. The sun is shining this morning as I write this entry. Soon we’re off to experience the excitement of a town in the throes of celebrating not only Marti Gras but also the upcoming Super Bowl in which their home team will be playing. My first visit to the city of the saints – I’m excited.

Still in the Sunshine State

2010-01-25T12:33:00.002-05:00

Day 15 – Monday 1/18/10
Went canoeing in the Everglades/10,000 Islands area and through a Mangrove tunnel today. It was quite a paddle – Kerby and I in one canoe and Scott and Joelle in the other. It was a perfect day for it except for the winds which were gusting up to about 30 knots, making it a little tough out in the open areas, especially when coupled with an incoming tide which we fought on the return paddle, it was quite exciting. I have to admit I’ve never paddled in choppy waters like that prior today. Luckily for me, Kerby was in the front so I couldn’t see the panicked expression that I’m certain was plastered all over his face! Paddling into the mangrove tunnels was cool. We didn’t see anything too exciting (other than more dead fish from the freeze) but it was beautiful and very peaceful. Unfortunately neither Scott nor I took our cameras so the only images are the ones in our minds.

Day 16 – Tuesday 1/19/10
Traveling today – left Chokoloskee Island and headed for Homasassa Springs. I really felt sad as we were leaving. I felt so cozy with the little community there even after only a few days.

We took the slow route up US 19 most of the way so we could see the little towns along the way. It made for a long day and we didn’t really see anything that wowed us. The woman from the German couple we encountered in Chokoloskee had shared with me how disappointed they were, during their U.S. travels, that so many of the towns all looked alike – same stores, same restaurants, etc. I have to admit that she’s right. As we drive along we see the Walmarts, the Pizza Huts, the McDonalds, the Home Depots, the Cracker Barrels in every town. I know from my own travels in Europe that their countryside is not as monotonous. It makes me sad that we’ve moved away from the individualized markets that add such diversity to the landscape to the cookie-cutter cities in which we now live.

However, on a happier note, we did stop along a “beach” of sorts near Dunedin for a short walk and found a dead sea urchin (okay- that’s not really “happy” but we thought it was cool to find one) and a rather large dead iguana (not really a happy thing either but cool just the same).

My husband "the buckethead." This was in an old museum - Smallwood Store -- in Chokoloskee.-
Mr. Smallwood was an intersting guy who worked with the local Indians. His "store" served as the local trading post -- some junk but also a lot of cool old stuff. . . And a wax figure of Mr. Smallwood.

A manatee snout

Day 17 – 1/20/10 – First full day in Chassahowitzka River Campground in Citrus County, FL. Kerby is thrilled that we finally have a fire pit. Until now we haven't been able to make campfires which was very disappointed for my little pyromaniac. We visited the nearby Homasassa Springs Nature Park today. There's a wildlife walk where you encounter many indigenous species like bobcats, panthers, key deer, and black bears. The bird area was the most amazing though. I could have stayed there all day watching the flamingos, egrets, pelicans, herons, roseate spoonbills and cranes. I thought about how much my mom would have loved it – seeing all those birds in one place. We were able to get a good look at the manatees there as well. The park is on the Homasassa River where there are 7 springs feeding over 2 million gallons of warm water into the river each hour. The water temperature is an even 72 degrees year round so the manatees come here to stay warm during the winter months. Apparently they can’t survive water temps any lower than about 67 degrees. We were able to watch them from an underwater observatory as well as from an above ground deck observation area. Almost as amazing as the manatees, the number of fish that are attracted to the spring-warmed water was quite impressive. Huge schools of tropical fish swam gracefully among the manatees, giving us a great view of many fish we’d never seen before – sheepshead, black drum, jacks, and snooks (one of the favorites here).

Day 18 -- 1/21/10 – The area we’re in seems to be a bit depressed – lots of marinas and boat-tour businesses -- people trying to survive off the water – lots of run-down looking places and quite a few confederate flags hanging in various and sundry places (quite unsettling). It’s quite beautiful here however, in its own way – lots of vegetation and wildlife and of course you can’t swing a cat without hitting water. We had a nice size black bear last night getting into one of the dumpsters in the campground. We didn’t get to see him but we heard him grunting at one point and assumed that’s what we were hearing. It was confirmed by one of the other campers who actually caught him in the act. I even found bear scat in the woods very close to our campsite! And we finally caught a peak of the “pesky” armadillos that are so common around here. When we’re sitting by the campfire at night, we can hear them rustling the leaves all around us and caught one in a beam of light from our flashlight a couple of times. Funny looking little things!

We went swimming with the manatees this morning – definitely the highlight of our trip thus far. We used a really cool outfit called River Safaris. A woman named Alicia owns it with her husband and they have a wonderful place. Several of the captains are also artists, as are the owners and they display or sell lots of really unique gifts in the front of the shop. I was tempted by many of them but was reminded frequently by my on-looking hubby that sacrifice was necessary if we were going to afford the swim.

We were told that Citrus County (also where the Crystal River is located), is the only county in the nation where swimming with the manatees is legal. Since they are endangered and for their protection, there are lots of restrictions when swimming with them – you can only touch them with one open hand. You can only move to within a body’s length of them and then let them come the rest of the way to you. If they move away, you are not allowed to follow them (considered harassment). You can’t bother them if they are resting on the bottom of the river (Also considered harassment). They come up for air about every 5-7 minutes when they are active but only every 15-20 minutes if they are resting. There are actually “manatee police” in kayaks that keep watch to be sure no one is harassing them and they also have sanctuaries marked off with buoys where the swimmers are not allowed. Sadly enough the manatees are recognizable by their scarring. Most of them have been hit at least once by boat propellers – their biggest threat. When swimming with them we could easily see and touch their scars – so sad!

Anyway, we had an amazing experience with them while snorkeling. There was a mother and baby that seemed especially interested in us. The baby seemed fond of having us rub his belly. It was surreal floating there with them so close – they’re so huge yet so gentle and sweet (and luckily for us, very curious). Each of us had a face-to-face encounter (literally) and it was something I’m sure we’ll never forget.

Big Cypress Nature Preserve

2010-01-18T20:32:00.002-05:00

Joelle with an alligator tooth and a "scoop" (the bones on an alligator's back that absorb sun and helps the gators digest their food)

A few pics from our exploration yesterday in the Big Cypress Nature Preserve.

For Mom. . .

For Janice. . .

A note for our SOTJ friends - We miss all of you guys and wish we could have all of you here with us for one BIG camping trip! Now THAT would be a field trip :-)

Tropical Breezes

2010-01-17T11:14:00.003-05:00

My long lost nephew - Butch - so good to see him again!

Kerby and Joelle with their friends Ryan and Stephen at Tortilla Flats restaurant

Me and my good friend Susan - don't know what we'd have done without her hospitality.

The Hotel Williams is a classy joint and you can't beat the company.

Day 12 – 1/15/10

Made it to the Everglades. Man, is it ever gorgeous down here. I’ve got Buffet entering my bloodstream and I’m ready for a Margarita! We had a hard time finding a campground that would take us last minute. It never occurred to us that it would be difficult to find a campsite this time of year – but then, we forgot where we were – snowbird country. However, we found a place with a vacancy that’s right on the water (Chokoloskee Island, right beside Everglades National Park). It’s very different from the county park campground that we just left behind in Orlando with all of its trees and open spaces. This place is a marina and the campsites (most of which are permanent winter homes) are very, very small and everyone is right on top of everyone else. It’s actually a pretty cool place though – a fishing village of sorts and the scenery (when you step away from the campsites) is stunning. I’m sitting here in an open air shelter right on the water surrounded by palms and cool (70-something) breezes. Not only have I shed my long johns but I actually have on shorts and a short sleeved t-shirt. Life is good! I could definitely get used to this.

Today will be a laid back day. We’re all exhausted from the running around in Orlando and are really in want of living the typical Florida beach lifestyle (if only for a day). The kids are riding their bikes around the campground and looking for fossils. This island is really a large mound of shells created by the Calusa Indians 2,000 years ago. Many of the shells are fossilized. There’s an old store/museum nearby that we plan to visit and learn more about this area. We might go for a hike in the glades - the national park entrance is just 3 miles away. It's supposed to rain tomorrow so we'd probably be smart to go today (or extend our stay a few days - which I could easily go for).

We're missing our pets so we had to find some temporary fill-ins.

The recent cold snap lowered the water temperature here to 48 degrees which killed many of the fish in these shallow waters. There are hundreds of catfish and shrimp floating in the water – very sad! Needless to say, the people (and fish) here are very thankful for the current warmer temps. We haven’t had much of a bug problem yet but I’m sure with the rising temperatures they’ll soon return.

Our neighbors are from Germany and have been travelling around the world for 3 years in a huge truck (no kids). It’s a Mercedes Benz military vehicle of some sort that the guy converted inside. It’s really quite astounding. The truck is 46 years old and has been shipped all over the world – Africa, So America, Asia, the Caribbean Islands. . . quite cool. They are actually headed to Baltimore from here where they’ll ship back to Germany and this adventure will conclude. People really are incredible – the things they do.

Our German neighbors - coming to the end of a 3 yr long world tour in their 46 yr old Mercedes monstrosity.

Catching our Breath

2010-01-13T17:49:00.003-05:00

Day 11 – Wednesday 1/13/10

I’m kind of losing track of time. I haven’t had access to the internet for several days, thus no posts. I thought I had posted a couple after we left home but apparently they didn’t make it on the site. So if you want to get caught up I just uploaded 5 new posts. Sorry for the delay!

We’ve checked out of our beautiful camping spot and are spending another night at our friends’ house (much appreciated). We needed a day to catch our breath (not to mention find somewhere to stay on the gulf coast side of the state – our next destination). We’re planning to go out to dinner tonight with our hosts and spend some quality time. Looking forward to that!

Missing everyone back home.

The Magic of Disney

2010-01-13T17:40:00.004-05:00

Day 10 -- 1/12/10

We spent the day in Epcot today. The last time we were in Disney was 5 years ago and the kids were just 3 and 4 years old. Needless to say we spent most of our time in the Magic Kingdom that go round. This time we had the pleasure of seeing all the wonders of Epcot - or at least a few of the wonders of Epcot. We could have spent at least 3 days there alone and have vowed to come back when we can do just that. Two days at Disney is just tourture but we made the most of it. My favorite thing in Epcot-- a ride called Soarin' where you virtually fly over some of the most beautiful land in the western U.S. Kind of cool since we'll be seeing much of it from ground level in just a few weeks. I also really enjoyed the different countries. We waited to do that portion of Epcot until much too late in the day. Next time that will be first on the agenda. What a neat way to get a taste of the different cultures. So fun.

I was happy to see a replica of the Terra Cotta Soldiers - it made missing the exhibit in D.C. not so bad.

Japan - This woman was amazing -- sculpting any requested creatures from hot "candy" in about 2-3 mins. Her creations were incredible and much to the delite of the onlooking children (young and old alike).

Oh Boy!

2010-01-13T17:20:00.000-05:00

Days 9 -- Monday 1/11/10
We had such fun today revisiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom. We spent the night with our friends (who live just minutes from the world of Mickey – quite convenient) and buzzed right over there this morning. We had a great time riding rides, watching the parades and eating really expensive and unhealthy food.

Kerby and Joelle taking the pirates' oath with Cap'n Jack Sparrow

Blast Off

2010-01-13T16:49:00.000-05:00

Day 8 – Sunday 1/10/10
We headed over to the Kennedy Space Center today to check out our space program. What an impressive place! We had a blast (hee hee). Actually we did do the Launch Experience (simulator) which they say is pretty realistic. I can’t vouch for its authenticity, but I will say it was lots of fun. The shuttle Endeavor was on the launch pad and while we couldn’t get a great look at it, it was pretty special just knowing it was out there and getting prepped for its launch on February 7. It’s totally amazing all that goes into building, moving, launching and returning these things. I never really appreciated it before now. We learned a ton about the older rockets, the newer shuttles and the International Space Station.

I bit of trivia - apparently this flag on one of the NASA buildings is the largest flag in the world. The stars on this flag each measure 6 ft. across. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/vab_flag.html

The Sunshine State

2010-01-09T13:56:00.055-05:00

This would be a picture of my happy husband as he walks out of the Sun Coast RV store in Jacksonville with a new crank (only $10)! Yea!

AARC moose coming into the big city of Orlando!

Day 5 - 1/7/10
Lovin’ it here in Orlando. Somehow all the palms make it seem warmer than it is -- they just look warm. The campground we’re staying in (Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake) is gorgeous and we hardly notice all of the gargantuan buses around us (not!). Lemon, orange and Clementine trees are all around us and full of fruit that needs to be picked before it freezes (a dirty job but someone has to do it). Beauty and free food - what more could we want? Okay. . . maybe a little warm weather would be nice.

Me climbing in a clementine tree - just trying to rescue the fruit before it freezes.

Enjoying the fruits of my labor (tee hee)

Trying to stay warm takes lots of fleece

We’re one of two pop-ups in the whole campground. Funny enough the other PUP houses a homeschool family as well. I have to tell all my homeschool friends – this family homeschooled all 11 of their kids (nope, no typo there!) in New Hampshire before any of the schools even knew what to do with homeschoolers. I bowed down to this mom (who looks not a day over 40). She’s one of our pioneering moms who paved the way. They have the same PUP as ours though it’s seen a little more action, understandably so. They only have their “babies” with them on this trip – the three youngest – 19, 18, and 16. I’m amazed at how sane and young the mother is – I promise to try and figure out her secrets. Scott wants to interview them. . . . we’ll see.

We stopped briefly in St. Augustine on the way down to Orlando. We didn't spend a lot of time because we didn't want to set up the PUP in the freezing dark - not fun. But we were able to stroll down St. George Street and walk over to the oldest port in the U.S. We even got to see the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the U.S. (not much different from the pubic schools of today. . . just kidding).

Who's cranky now?

2010-01-09T13:54:00.015-05:00

Day 4 - 1/6/10
On the road to Orlando, having left Savannah. Unfortunately we didn’t see much of Savannah. I’m still trying to figure out how a 2 hour drive from Charleston to Savannah turned into 7 hours in the car. One cause – we realized as we pulled into the Savannah area that we had left something very important back in Charleston (no, it wasn’t the camper, but it’s close). We realized that someone (who shall remain nameless) forgot to take the crank handle out of the back of the camper when he were done closing up. Apparently it jiggled out and is laying somewhere on the highway between Charleston and Savannah. To make things even more interesting we learned (after visiting and calling several RV dealers) that Fleetwood (who bought out Coleman) has now gone out of business so no one sells Fleetwood campers any longer and thus very few will have the crank that fits our pop-up. Without the crank to raise the pop-up we’re pretty much stuck to hotels. Luckily we had already planned to stay in a hotel last night since it’s so dang cold and it just didn’t seem worth the work of setting up for one night (especially when we’re freezing our booties off).

So, we’re on the road to Orlando by way of Jacksonville where we think a guy has a crank that will work. I’m sure he won’t charge us much since he knows we’re 600 miles from home and totally dependent on getting this crank. Ha!

Scott just read an article on the AP about how this cold snap in Florida is lasting longer than they’ve seen in years and is threatening the crops. Needless to say, we’re feeling a little irritated that the two weeks we’ll be in FL there’s going to be record lows the entire time. At this point we’re starting to laugh though. What are the odds, really?!?

We’re enjoying the landscape – the beautiful live oaks covered in Spanish moss, the palm trees, the flowers. We had a great dinner last night at my cousin’s house in a beautiful area of Savannah. It was great spending the evening with them and catching up. Their boys, Collin and Evan, were the perfect hosts and Kerby and Joelle enjoyed them immensely.

Okay, time to get some schoolwork done while I have them trapped in the car (insert evil laugh). More later.

2010-01-04T22:25:00.003-05:00

Day 1

We did it! We actually left Richmond and have officially embarked on our journey. I can’t believe it’s truly here. I’m totally psyched!

It was 17 degrees this morning when we left. We kept hoping for warmer temps as we headed south but it never got above 40 even in the mid afternoon. Needless to say, here we are, camping in Charleston, SC and it’s in the low 20s. Our little heater is working hard but not exactly making things toasty in here. I’ve got on long johns, fleece pajamas, a hat and wool socks and I can tell it won’t be enough. Scott has on a black ski mask (which makes him look like a ninja). The kids are asleep under about 5 layers of fleece blankets. Dang it’s cold!

However, we had a nice surprise that warmed our hearts if not our toes. The campground we’re in (James Island County Park) does a Festival of Lights every holiday season and tonight was the last night. It was quite impressive. We drove around and enjoyed the last of the festive holiday event. This is a great campground. We’ll definitely be back for a longer stay sometime in the future (during a warmer season!)

Day 2 - 1/4/10
Woke up to continuing freezing temps but the important thing is that we did wake up. There was some doubt in my mind at several points during the night.

We went into downtown Charleston this morning, walked around, shopped in the market and then grabbed a bite to eat at Moe’s. Charleston has such an old time charm with all of its row houses, quaint restaurants, galleries and waterways. I love it here.

Kerby decided to test out a wall-scaling tactic that he read about recently in the book “Crispin and the Cross of Lead” since he had access to some narrowly spaced brick walls.

Not something you can see every day in Charleston – a water fountain that’s working on becoming a glacier.

We also took the kids to one of our favorite spots – a place we first (and last) saw 11.5 yrs ago on our honeymoon. Angel Tree is a 300-400 yr old live oak that is now preserved and protected in a small park environment. I wonder how many storms, people, animals and insects this tree has experienced in its lifetime.

We leave tomorrow a.m. for Savannah, GA to join my cousin for the evening. They have two sons about Kerby and Joelle’s age. Should be fun.

Cold Feet?

2010-01-02T08:58:00.004-05:00

Brrrrrr! I’m thinking about how cold it is out there and how nice and toasty it is in here by the fire. Record low temperatures across the southern U.S. but, we won’t let it stop us. . . maybe delay us for a day or two. . . but not stop us! We’ve all been feeling a little melancholy about leaving all of our friends, family and pets behind. It’s been hard to say goodbye even though we know it’s just for a short while. Friends and family have been so generous with gifts, visits, and hugs (not to mention, taking care of all of our pets while we’re gone). We’ve gotten a great send-off.

The Christmas decorations are all put away. The pets have all been delivered to their temporary homes. We blasted off a few rockets at the Walsh's annual New Years Day Rocket Launch. We’re mostly packed up at this point with only a few last minute items to be added. It’s been an interesting exercise —figuring out what we “really need.” Of course Kerby “needs” his Star Wars figures, Joelle “needs” her fingernail polish and 3,000 markers, Scott “needs” every electronic gadget we own and I “need” my 6 pairs of shoes and 4 knitting projects. It’s amazing what we think we can’t live without. I dare say we may not have room for food or people on this trip. Though I'll admit, it ain't easy to squeeze 4 month's worth of clothing into a 20"x15"x10" bin. What's the old addage. . . 10 lbs. of ---- in a 5 lb. bag. If you want to challenge yourselves this New Years take a few minutes to create your own list. What would you “really need” to feel secure when away from home for four months? You might be surprised by the things that make the cut. Of course, the things I thought I’d want to take 6 months ago are not at all the same things I find myself packing now that the moment is here. I hope I find that I didn’t need nearly as much “stuff” as I thought I did. When did I become so attached to material things and comfort? The funniest part of it is that we’re packing as if we were taking off to some remote and deserted corner of the earth when the truth is we’ll probably never be more than an hour away from a WalMart (sad but true).

Another challenging task has been deciding what we’ll eat on this trip. On top of limited space, we have a very limited budget and we’ve all agreed that we’d rather spend our money on fun instead of food (aren’t they really just one and the same?) However, this of course excludes things like beignets at Café du Monde, fried peach pies in GA and authentic Mexican food in San Antonio (all worth-the-splurge according to my friend Kristi) but, beyond that, how does a family of four eat healthy while camping for 4 months? To date, our camping menus have consisted mostly of hot dogs, hobo packs and s’mores – not exactly health food! But I’m convinced it’s not impossible to produce healthy, and even tasty, food from a pop up. The crock pot, Dutch oven, microwave and toaster oven should help a bit (smile). Who says you can’t have it all?

No cold feet here (not yet anyway). We’re ready to go! See ya on the road.

2 Years in the Making

2009-12-20T13:08:00.006-05:00

Officially I began this blog as a way to document "The Big Trip." It's been a long time getting here and now our departure is less than 2 weeks away.

In 2008 my husband reminded me that he had an upcoming sabbatical in 2010. Being a homeschooling family, there's little that prevents us from traveling save my husbands job. With 4 months off from that responsibility we were free to roam. I conjured images of tropical Caribbean cruises and romantic Paris retreats until I came to my senses and remembered the other two things that keep us from such things - our 8 and 9 year old children. The Louvre and the Caribbean quickly faded and a new idea began to form -- the image of the four of us crammed into an SUV, RV in tow, driving across the great U.S. of A. What could be more appropriate for a homeschooling family in the midst of studying American History?

I remember sharing this idea with my husband who basically laughed at the thought. And so it began -- me planning and sharing with all of our friends how excited "we" were about our upcoming cross country trip in 2010, while my husband stood nearby rolling his eyes and muttering under his voice "Uh Huh." Oh, don't get me wrong -- there were rainy evenings when we'd sit and talk about the trip (much like we'd discuss winning the lottery which we never play) but while I was imagining all the wonderful possibilities my spouse was busy pointing out the obstacles (not the least of which was money). Saving greenbacks has not always been my forte. It was apparent I'd have to resolve this small issue if I was going to win his support.

After months of creative accounting and recreating our spending habits, I was finally able to convince my spouse that I was, indeed, able to save a dollar or two. After 10 years of marriage I think he was quite impressed with his new penny-pinching wife and thus, the window of possibility began to open. And so the real planning began. What had previously been only speculation of where and how we'd travel, became a full-time preoccupation and research project. Terms and acronyms such as horsepower, tongue weight, towing capacity, GVWR and CVL became part of our everyday conversations as we worked diligently to educate ourselves about campers and tow vehicles.

Conveniently, the annual RV show was in town and gave us a great opportunity to get a closer look at all the wonderful possibilities. So after touring the 40 ft. models with their drop down 50" t.v. screens, formal master suites, and $200,000+ prices, we ventured to the back of the show where the real possibilities awaited us -- the 10, 12 and 15 ft. pop-ups. Whoo Hoo! I'll admit there were some mental gymnastics involved in making the leap from a 400 sq ft apartment on wheels to the 90 sq ft space we were suggesting we live in for four months. Visualizing the four of us eating, sleeping, hanging out on rainy days -- living in this space, day-in and day-out, for 120+ days was no small feat. But we soon embraced the idea with open arms and our search ensued for a "gently used" PUP (as we learned they were called in RVing circles).

Of course finding the right PUP meant that we needed something with which to tow it home. Although we entertained the idea, it didn't take long to confirm that the Mazda MPV minivan sitting in our driveway wasn't quite up to the challenge.

We now have a Ford Expedition with a nice tow package sitting in our garage, an old but well-kept Coleman Niagara PUP sitting in our back yard (the neighbors love us!), our pets all have temporary homes (thanks to some very generous friends), and our friends have given us a warm send-off. It's been quite a journey and a lot of work just getting here. There have been many moments when I asked myself "What were we thinking when we decided to leave for this trip just after Christmas?!?" There's been no small amount of chaos in trying to prepare for both. But, I'm looking forward to spending a lot of quality time with the three people I love most in the world and that will be worth every moment it took getting here.

Christmas is just around the corner and our departure date approaches -- 13 days and counting. . . SO LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!

A New Holiday Tradition

2009-12-12T22:34:00.004-05:00

Last year we ventured out in early December for a little fun down the road. Great Wolf Lodge - an indoor hotel/water park was offering great deals to homeschoolers during the first two weeks of December. We took the bait and spent 36 hours in a wild & wet indoor water world and had a blast.

We enjoyed it so much last year that we decided to make it an annual pre-Christmas tradition (as long as the rates last). So this past week we made another trek down to Williamsburg for more of the same fun.

Almost as much fun as the water -- running around the Lodge in Christmas 'jammies.'

And of course visiting with the big guy is always a winner.

Thank God!

2009-12-09T20:52:00.023-05:00

Relaxed atmosphere, family fun, great food (that someone else cooked), it's all something for which we can thank God! This year my brother and his wife hosted the feast. Like myself, they both love good food and I can always count on them to come up with some unique and yummy accouterments to compliment the traditional dishes. This year they started our meal with an amazing roasted corn and red pepper crab soup and ended it with a rich lemony cheesecake. From beginning to end, it was a treat for taste buds everywhere.
Richard was home from his first semester at Old Dominion University and Kerby and Joelle were happy to see their cousin. They spent quite a bit of time getting lessons on riding 'longboards,' apparently a popular means of transportation around the ODU campus.

2009-11-08T20:01:00.003-05:00

Halloween was wrought with scary tricks this year. The Swine Flu hit our house on the 29th - Joelle was the first to fall. We normally celebrate the night with long time friends Johnny, Michele and Savannah but we had called them to tell them to stay far away from our haunting grounds. It was too bad really. Kerby, Joelle, Savannah and another neighbor had all planned to dress as Dalmations. One of the other neighbor kids was the dog catcher (Horace or Jasper) and I, of course, was the evil Cruella DeVille. Poor Joelle. . . it was all I could do to get her into costume and out the door (as she was determined to trick-or-treat) but she didn't last long and was back on the couch - one sick little puppy.

On account of weather

2009-09-25T19:02:00.005-04:00

We had planned to visit Williamsburg, VA today but on account of the rainy weather, we ended up going to the Science Museum of Va instead. Not all was lost. The shark exhibit was fun; the sand sculpture was especially impressive. We practiced our Segway driving skills. And the cow eye dissection was very educational (albeit gross!).

Then there was the finale of going to The Dairy Bar for lunch and some of the best milkshakes in town. Yum!

Recently . . .

2009-09-21T21:30:00.001-04:00

A friend and homeschool dad in the group was kind enough to include us in his newest endeavor. He recently invited some of us over to witness his building a mountain banjo from scratch. Tim is an accomplished musician and his love for banjo music inspired him to make his own instrument. It was amazing to see this work of art in progress which began with just a simple round wooden cheese box. He's promised to show us the finished product and provide us with a clip of music played on his new creation.

We started back to co-op 2 weeks ago. This year we'll study topics such as Earth Science,

Entrepreneurship, and Cooking, to name a few.

We love our Co-op!

We also recently visited some nearby farms to get a taste of the good life, practice our milking skills, and meet Stevie the Watusi Steer.

Learning in Depth

2009-09-08T17:42:00.000-04:00

Today we began a 10 year journey. Today each of the kids was assigned a topic of study that they will research and explore over their entire educational career. The project is called "Learning in Depth" and it's a project created by writer and educator Keiran Eagan. The idea is to assign a child a topic of study as they enter their first year of primary education (1st grade) and they study that topic throughout their schooling.
Mr. Eagan believes that our kids are educated to know a little about a lot of things but end up with no in-depth knowledge about any one thing. He wants to see kids graduating from high school with expert knowledge on at least one topic.
We're a little late getting started here as Kerby and Joelle are entering 3rd and 4th grade. However, the hope is that 9-10 years of study on one topic will give them a pretty firm foundation of knowledge on their respective topics.
You can see in the pictures that Joelle's topic is WATER and Kerby's topic is ENERGY. Their assignment today was to list all the things that they already know about their topics.
If you want to find out more about Keiran Eagan's Learning In Depth project, visit this website: http://www.ierg.net/LiD/

Homeschool Hilton

2009-09-07T18:46:00.002-04:00

Camping at Bear Creek Lake State Park

Here we are in front of our "Homeschool Hilton" as Scott likes to call it.

It sure beats the tent camping we've done for the last 12 yrs.

I don't think we'll ever go back to the tent.

Cookin' Up Somethin' Good

2009-09-04T10:28:00.005-04:00

We spent most of Tuesday this week in "Cooking School." The kids along with one of their best friends, Savannah, cooked a mouthwatering Mexican meal from scratch (chicken cottage cheese enchiladas, Spanish rice and sopapillas). The moms coached but did nothing else to help. The three chefs worked hard for 5 hours in order to sit down to a delectable meal for about 20 minutes (a lesson well learned).

2009-08-29T13:55:00.001-04:00

Meet our family:
Scott (Dad)
Nan (Mom)
Kerby (9 yr old son)
Joelle (8 yr old daughter)
Bentley (our goofy dog)
P.J. ("Bonkers the Cat")
Dutchess (our 8 yr old grumpy rabbit)
Prof. Lupin (our 4' long beautiful Corn Snake)

This blog was inspired by an upcoming family trip. We are leaving our east coast home for four months and traveling west across the United States in search of adventure. We'll be making this trip via a Ford Expedition and a Coleman Niagara pop-up camper. There's been much planning over the last two years that will make this dream a reality very soon. We're very excited about the challenges and possibilities that lay ahead. This blog will serve to capture not only this adventure but all of our homeschooling joys - past, present and future. Enjoy.