The Squeeze is On!

It's June! This means we head out in just three short weeks. Fortunately, we're still on track with preparations. Here what the next three Fridays look like for us:

Next week- The movers come to take all our furniture to storage.
Two weeks- The house will be scoured from top to bottom in preparation for the renters.
Three weeks- We hit the road!

In the midst of all that we have an eighth grade graduation, Cub Scout crossover ceremony, visit to the veterinarian to make sure the dogs have all their paperwork for international travel, orthodontist appointment, dentist appointment, DAR meeting, choir concert and banquet, renter walk-through, will signing, and a homeschool conference. Not to mention all the meetings at work for my husband and visiting with friends to say "See you later!"- Crazy, to be sure, but all good.

This week has been low-key here on the home front. Monday was Memorial Day so everyone had the day off. Our family spent part of the day packing and the other part at a local retirement community where our youngest and his Cub Scout Den performed the flag ceremony for their remembrance barbeque. It was such a joy to see the older generations interacting with our young guys. The boys made cards for the veterans and gave them out after the ceremony. If only you could have seen the faces of the veterans and how proud the boys were. So touching!

Also, as of this week we've officially made it through our first homeschooling year! Hooray! Testing was on Tuesday and I think it went pretty well. Our youngest was nervous when I dropped him off but was having a grand old time when I returned. Apparently he made a new friend and they finished early. We'll get the results in a few weeks.

It's amazing how many things we've done together this year. We put together a Shutterfly yearbook and were blown away after seeing it all in one place. He loves having his own book for his friends to sign- and this year he made A LOT of new friends! I'm thinking next years book may be slightly larger (to say the least!)....... I'm totally up for the challenge!

- Jen

Sunny Days

Western Washington summers usually begin after July 5th. Before that you can count on sweatshirts and soup. Well not this year! This past week has been filled with 80+ degree days and everyone has been out enjoying the sun. It's truly an amazing place to live, especially when everything is in full bloom and alive with activity. Here are a few pictures (taken by me) to give you a glimpse.

View of Seattle from the ferry

 

One of our seasonal residents near Anacortes

Snoqualmie Falls

 

Totem pole at Beaver Lake 

On a clear day "the mountain" (Mt. Rainier) reveals itself. Usually it's veiled by cloud cover. Sometimes when it's really clear, and if you're in the right spot, you can see both Mt. Rainer and Mt. Baker at the same time. Two sleeping giants, blanketed by snow, trees, meadows, and animals. Magnificent.

This was taken during one of our spring trips to Mt. Rainier. Seattle is very close to both the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges.

 This sign about sums it up!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). This weekend is our State Conference and that's where I am right now. Once a year we all gather together so the chapters can give updates to the State Society on what we've been up to all year. It's also a time to honor special people who are making a difference in their local communities. At the various meals we sometimes have speakers, demonstrations, or hear music. One of my favorite memories was when the dancers from the Chemawa Indian School came up from Oregon to dance for us. They are so talented and it was an honor to meet them. Chemawa is just one of the schools supported by the DAR. http://www.chemawa.bie.edu/

Since I'm busy at State Conference, this will be a quick update. Here's the skinny on where we are in our preparations for the trip:

- I've been busy boxing up dishes, books, quilts, and more for storage. After realizing how many books I've packed, I can officially declare myself a bibliophile.

- Since the original person we spoke with about renting our house hasn't signed on the dotted line, our house has reverted back to showcase mode for house hunters.

- We've been going from one appointment to another to make sure everyone is current on their dental/physical/eye/vet check ups. We'll be gone for more than a year, after all.

- The camping fabric has been turned into pillowcases for the trailer. One more week until we pick it up!!

We'd love to hear from seasoned RVers about things we should know. Should we join an RV club? What should we avoid? Any tips in general? Let us know! We'd appreciate it! Only 63 days to go....

Now I'm off to give my Junior Membership State Report.... busy, busy!  Have a great weekend!

- Jen

Being Productive and Dying of Boredom

Today is the last day of "Second Winter Break" and I'm happy to report that everyone is FINALLY fever free! Believe me, after two weeks on the couch, the kids are eager for a change of scenery. Our youngest came down with the fever last week, a few days after we celebrated his half-birthday. He has a summer birthday and since he's the only one who will be celebrating two birthdays away from home, we said he could have a half-birthday party. He had a great time and felt special with so many friends helping him commemorate his upcoming transition to double-digits. One friend even gave him a Lego travel trailer set. How fun is that?!

Last weekend we also received the call that the tile was ready, so we braved the rain and picked it up even though my husband still felt crummy (he's not one to sit around unless he's on death's doorstep).  We went with a porcelain tile that looks like natural stone for the floor. I'm excited to show you when it's finished! Once the floor is in, we'll be ready for the shower tile and cabinets. It's amazing, and a little scary, how fast the time is going and how much we have left to do.

In anticipation for our trip I've also been stepping back from various volunteer roles. One role, as Washington State Junior Membership Chairman for the DAR, will be finished in May. That's D.A.R., not dar. It stands for the Daughters of the American Revolution. My final state report was due to the National Chairman this week, so I finished that and was able to send it in on time (phew!). In case you are wondering, a Junior is a member between the ages of 18 and 35. These women are involved in all sorts of wonderful activities serving their communities. If you're not familiar with the DAR, you can check out our website at www.dar.org

Overall, it's been a productive but "booooooooooring" break from school (according to the kids). I hope you've all managed to avoid the yuck and are doing well. Back in the saddle again next week!

- Jen