One Week Was Not Enough

Sigh. We're back at it this week, but our week off of school was SO nice! We camped Monday-Wednesday and then just took Thursday and Friday off to play/do laundry/relax. This morning we'll be cracking the books again, but only until we get a few days off for Thanksgiving.

We camped with some friends and the girls all worked on earning their camping badges for their  Keepers of the Faith club. One task we had them do was set up a tent by themselves.

All the big girls with the finished project! Ages range from 12-4.

We had so much fun we barely took any pictures! Plus that first night we were too cold. It was a brisk 44 degrees that first night and may I just say, that is a BIT cold for tent camping?

The last morning we went fishing in the same spot we fished in 2 years ago and I could not believe the effects of the drought!

See that big log laying there? Mark that in your mind.

Now, let's look at that log 2 years ago:

Do you see it in front of Little Bit there? Yep. This was all part of the lake 2 years ago.

Two years ago...

 Last week...

We just couldn't get over how this:

 Could turn into this:

But it was a fun time camping. I love camping.

Then we ended the week with a bang. Sweetheart was playing baseball in the backyard with her cousins and she tripped on one of the bricks that edge our garden and fell into the garden, cutting herself up on the bricks in the process. She has a pretty good gash on her knee, which was handled with butterfly bandages, and lots of scrapes and cuts.

Good thing it's back to school today--we couldn't handle much more fun!

Time for a Break!

Uh, not from blogging. Obviously, I've BEEN taking one of those! No....we've got a camping trip coming up and I am so excited! It's time for a break from school, from housework, from being here every day, from errands, from work. We need a vacation!

We're going with some friends this year and that is always much more exciting for the girls. We'll have 6 kids running around and keeping each other busy and it will be nice. The weather will be in the high 40s-low 50s at night and the high 70s in the day--PERFECT!

This particular family we are going with, along with our girls, have started a Keepers of the Faith club. (They have all girls too). So the first badge our girls will be earning is the camping badge. Yesterday was our first meeting and one of the things they had to do was plan the meals. Um...that was really easy for them! They did it quickly and didn't miss a thing! Us Moms decided it was because they always go grocery shopping with us (being homeschoolers) so they know a thing or two about it.

That, and they like to eat.

So, next week is our camping trip and week off from school and then....I plan to be back to blogging!

We'll have nearly 70 school days under our belts by then. Not too bad.

Also, I'm ready for the holidays...Thanksgiving, Christmas.

Notice I did not say prepared. I said ready. Big difference.

What Might Have Been

**Edited: S pointed out to me that a "hookworm" was something that grew inside you or burrowed under your skin. Oops. I meant "hornworm." I fixed it. And here is a visual of one we caught last year for reference of my nap buddy.

So I took a nap yesterday.

It was glorious.

And then I happened to open my eyes before I rolled over and what did I see?

Beside me on the mattress, was a quart glass jar with a HUGE hornworm in it and a note from my daughter, "Look what I found Mom!"

Did I mention there was no LID on the jar?

And we don't have one of those fancy mattresses that you can put a glass of wine on and then jump and it won't spill?

Oh my. WHAT if I had rolled over without opening my eyes???????

Let's not go there.

Why I Like Big Kids

I have mourned the passing of Sweetheart's childhood....always. Every year I was a mixture of sad and happy as she kept growing up and advancing in age. But, looking back, the years between 7 and 10 things didn't change ALL that much.

I mean, she was taller.
But she still liked a lot of the same things. Her favorites stayed consistent for a long time.
She still had the same little personality.
She looked similar--just a bit older each year.
She was still my baby.

But 12? Twelve has been something else. I mean, you can't deny the very obvious physical changes going on. She is becoming a young lady. And she has glasses now. And I just cut her hair. And she's 5' 1".

And she only asked for 1 toy for her birthday. And she can't really think of any toys she wants for Christmas. I don't even know what to do with that.

But having a big kid is pretty cool too. She is very helpful. She can reach almost anything. She can follow directions 200% better than her 9 year old self could. And she can go fishing until 10:00 at night with Daddy.

And that's pretty cool.

I just wish she would still fit on my lap. Humph.

Remember Me?

Hi. Been awhile, I know! We're just plugging along getting behind on schoolwork, never keeping up with the dirty dishes in the kitchen, and doing just enough laundry each day to get by.

And you?

It's beautiful outside, but actually being out there makes 3/4 of our family sneeze.

We spent too much money over the weekend and now must be very careful until pay day. (Saw Courageous! It was so good!!!)

I have no idea what I'm making for dinner tonight because for the first time in probably 4 or 5 months, I didn't make a menu plan this week.

I don't want to drive to piano lessons today.

I really need to get going on Christmas gifts.

Right now, I need a shower and to get dressed.

Surprise! We rearranged 3 rooms of our house over the weekend. I know you are shocked. TRY to act surprised.

Pet birds make a mess. I think I need a Dustbuster or something. Do they still sell those?

I need a maid. Just for one day.

We need to drag out the clothes tubs and have the girls try on fall/winter clothes. I'm sure Sweetheart will have at least 2 things that fit her from last year.

I can't find my glasses case.

There is no place to put a Christmas tree this year.

Someone needs to invent a machine that will wash your clothes and then automatically switch to a cycle called "DRY." All in the same machine. Why must it all depend on me moving them to the next machine? (And why is that so hard?)

That enough random for you? That's all I got today.