A (Rare) Quiet Moment

Camped Out

We survived camping. And to be truthful, there's nothing good to be said about sleeping outside when it's only 42 degrees. Especially when your husband stops to pick up ice bags on the way and puts them on top of your sleeping bag. But you don't discover this until bedtime. And so you not only spend the night freezing and trying to forget all the warnings posted everywhere about bears, but also twisted like a pretzel trying to avoid wet spots.

Now, on to the positives. The rest of the experience was actually a lot of fun. We went with several other families, so the girls were able to jump on their bikes and explore the park with their buddies. There was a beach on a beautiful lake, and Isaac was able to dig in the sand for so long that he actually fell asleep sitting upright. We went canoeing, played lots of games, ate lots of good food, and spent hours talking and laughing around the campfire.

The kids can't wait to plan the next trip. And there most likely will be a next trip. That's the only way we can justify buying so much equipment that we had to pile our clothes on top of the car and attach an extra rack to the back. But next time, I get to decide where to store the ice.

And They Call This Fun??

We're going camping. I'm trying to remain calm and have a positive outlook.

Sure, it's supposed to be in the low 40's at night. But the days will be warm.

Yes, we'll be sharing space with bugs, bears, and who knows what other creepy crawlies. But we'll be safely zipped behind a flimsy sheet of vinyl and netting.

I could go, but it's almost midnight and I haven't finished packing. I have a 3 page "camping checklist" to complete, and I want to make the most of this last remaining night in a comfortable, warm bed.

Wish me luck.

Animal Farm

One thing about moving to a new area is having to find new doctors/dentists/veterinarians. So far, we've been through 3 pediatricians, 2 family practitioners and at least 2 dentists. The vet was the only doctor who had impressed us on the first visit. But it was all a little overboard - the bells, the whistles, the two hour wait, and the big fat bill.

So when Max turned up with a hurt foot, Scott was quick to steer me towards a vet's office he had passed on the outskirts of town that he thought might be better suited for us. It was a "small operation" and he was "sure I could be in and out pretty quickly". I admit, when he told me to call ahead to make sure they see small animals, some alarm somewhere in my head should have sounded. But I was still hung up on the part about getting in and out fairly quickly - always a priority with Isaac in tow.

Well, I showed up at this "small operation" and walked right smack into the middle of an animal circus. The first person we encountered was a man sitting just inside the door with a cat carrier just like ours. Except, when he turned the carrier toward us so that Isaac could get a good look, there wasn't a cat inside. It was a pig. A pig that looked just like Wilbur. And the lady walking in behind me had two goats. The other 30 people had just about every other creature known to man - all barking, squawking, growling, whining and hissing in unison. And Isaac, with all this sensory overload, started spinning and howling right along with them. The only two quiet creatures in the whole place were me and the pig.

Looking on the bright side, I have to admit that we were actually in and out quicker than we would have been at the other place. And I certainly didn't have to be concerned with Isaac being too loud and disturbing everyone else.

But I'm still hung up on what Scott meant by implying that this place would be a perfect fit for us. ?????

My parents and Kim have been here since Wednesday, and even with the rain, we had a nice visit.

Besides exploring some of the local history and spending a day in Philadelphia, we had down time where we were able to just hang out. The girls splurged on UNO and learned that being competitive is in their blood. Isaac enjoyed some extra reading time with his grandmother. And even Gracie enjoyed a little extra attention from Aunt Kim.

I enjoyed an early birthday celebration and found that turning 29 is really enjoyable with family around.

Moving Up

A big boy bed for a (sniff, sniff) "big boy".

Announcing...

It was Katherine's turn to be the radio broadcaster at her school. She was excited to wear the coveted "Cub Cast Broadcaster" badge all day.

Her trivia fact: An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain. (Sounds like some of the people I came across while out running errands yesterday.)

Measuring Up

While Katherine was doing her homework, she walked over to me with a ruler in her hand. Without a word, she proceeded to remove my shoe, measure my foot with her ruler, and then scribble something on her paper.

She returned to the table without explaining what she was doing, so I followed to see what she had written.

She was answering the following math problem:

____ inches are in a foot

A New Spring

Spring has arrived. We've got dogwoods in full bloom, grass and trees turning green, birds chirping loudly, and other plants and flowers showing their colors.

We can go outside without freezing. The kids can run and play and slide and swing. Scott and I can sit under the big tree out back and watch them. We can feel the warm sun and enjoy being outdoors again at long last.

And I can discover, while preparing supper, that a little boy with pockets will find a way to bring some of the great outdoors inside with him. And these surprise guests get the ride of their lives in the back of a bright red fire truck. I know, earthworms in the kitchen...not so lovely. But it comes with the territory. It is what it is.

Camp

Dead tired. That about sums it up for me.

Dylan had a Girl Scout's camp on Saturday. Up by 5:00 a.m. Home around midnight. In between, everything from boating, hiking, rock climbing, and archery. Oh, and let's not forget candle making - the only part of the day I managed to keep up.

For Dylan, it was wonderful memory making. For me...well, I'm just thankful that when Isaac reaches this age in another 10 years or so, it will be Scott's turn. I'll be busy weaving baskets.