Renters and Quilts

We've found a renter! That means that we'll be leaving in 77 days no matter what. I had mixed feelings about showing our home. On one hand, it meant that we had to drop everything and let strangers walk through our house. Our sanctuary. They had the opportunity to criticize and comment on the home we love. They had access to our personal space and possessions. It's a bit of a vulnerable spot to be in. On the other hand, our whole family had to work together to make the house consistantly spotless and show-ready. It was really nice to enjoy it at it's best, with everyone pitching in to keep it that way.  Now that it's spoken for, we're back to "Whose day is it to do the dishes?" Oy!

I've been on Craigslist this week, selling all kinds of things that we don't need anymore. I love how it makes space in our home and also puts money in our pockets for things we might need or want on the trip. Our oldest son has a few items he's selling because wants to buy a certain laptop to help him with movie-making. He's a pretty responsible kid (proud mom!) and I have no doubts that he'll reach his goal. I love watching his process when making a big decision. He does extensive research on the item he wants and then looks for all the options to get it. Which brand and model are best? Does he want a new computer or would it be just as good to buy a refurbished one? Who should he buy it from? Is it really worth the money? Oh, if only we all (myself included) were that discerning about what we spent our money on! I only pray that he continues to use such wisdom in all his life choices.

We pick up our trailer at the end of the month and I'm just itching to get my hands on it to make it "ours". Like I said, we'll be packing only the bare minimum, but there are personal touches we can add to make it more comfortable (and fun!). I bought some trailer fabric to make pillowcases. It's the little things, people.... ;-) It's flannel and so soft!

Next week I'll show you the completed bathroom project. My husband has the before pics on his phone and I want to make sure you can really see the transformation. All we have to do now is add the hardware to the cabinets, which will be done this weekend. Instead, I'll show you pictures of the quilt tops that were finished this week. I'll be dropping them off at the quilter in a few minutes, which leaves only one more to finish before we go!! Hooray!!

This quilt is for my new nephew. I bought the plaid homespun blocks at my guild's annual show this year. I've been a member for several years and the members are seriously talented- like international show winners talented. Sometimes little orphan blocks end up in the boutique. Who am I to say no when they are calling my name? So, they came home with me and this is what I did with them. I think he'll like it. Plaid is always so homey. Plus, it works as great camouflage in case of baby "accidents".

I added some Moda graphic prints as borders. Dots make everything more fun!

This Alexander Henry print has been "maturing to perfection" in my stash, as Nan from Pots and Pins www.potsandpins.com would say. I love these cowboys! They're perfect for the back. I'm a big fan of Alexander Henry and their novelty prints.

This top is for the daughter of a dear friend. When her oldest was just a baby, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was a really hard time for their family and she walked through it all while pregnant. I made a quilt for her son during the hardest days to add what little comfort I could. I'm thrilled to say that he's healed and going strong today! In his honor, I'll encourage you all to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets. If this little guy can go through what he did, then we can handle a little bit of discomfort now and then. You might just save a life like his!

Now that that chapter is over, I thought it high time his little sister received her own quilt. Rainbows are so joyful, don't you think? This pattern is called "Tangled Tracks" by Kristin Gassaway for Connecting Threads. It was fun to put together. I see days of picnics on the lawn, blanket forts, super hero capes, and many other activities ahead for this little quilt! I'm so thankful that they're now able to enjoy the fun days- together. <3

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

- Jen

Walkin' on Sunshine

There's only one word I can use to sum up the Pacific Northwest. Glorious!  There's a resolute majesty in the snow-capped mountain ranges. Peaks silently remind us that we live in the Ring of Fire. Glaciers sparkle with ancient blue ice. Magic permeates rainforests that are filled with various plants in shades of green, and animals who move silently, but imposingly. Evergreen trees fairly drip with moss and lichen. Tribes of people, who have been here for more generations that I can count, spin wondrous tales that stir the imagination. An abnormally high concentration of artists create beautiful works to delight the eye, mind, and palate. Boats glide through the water alongside breeching whales and curious sea life to deliver the catch of the day. A new generation of farmers explore how to be responsible, sustainable, and chemical-free. Yes, there's no doubt that I love this part of the world. I'm in awe every time I step outside!

I was going to get around to writing about Washington eventually. After all, it's where we've made our home. If we are going to take you all on a trip around North America with us, it needs to begin where we've established our roots. Now seems like as good a time as any. Especially since we've been enjoying warm, sunny days and the landscape is awash with blossoming trees, fragrant flowers, and musical bird song. Where we live, you can get to the ocean, mountain pass, farmland, city, and desert all in under two hours. One, if you don't count the desert. Because of this, we have a wide variety of things to see and do. I could make a list of all the popular tourist attractions, but I think I'll save that for the travel guides. Everyone knows about things like the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Instead I'll just highlight a few places that are buzzing around this time of year.

Today is the official start of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. The blossoms came earlier than expected this year, but if you visit now you'll see beautiful fields filled with every color imaginable. In fact, Roozengaarde is the largest daffodil, tulip, and iris business in the world! To learn more, visit: http://tulipfestival.org/  and http://www.visitskagitvalley.com/upcoming-events/spring/annual-skagit-valley-tulip-festival/ While you're up there, and if you're like me and love quilts, be sure to visit the La Conner Quilt and Textile Museum. http://www.laconnerquilts.org/ It's just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Here are a few pictures from our pilgrimage last year.

One of my favorite reasons to visit Skagit (other than the Tulips)  is driving to Edison, WA. It's a teeny-tiny artist colony in the middle of Bow farmland. Within this itsy-bitsy town is a bakery called The Bread Farm. http://www.breadfarm.com/  A dear friend introduced me to it and I'm afraid I'm severely addicted to their graham crackers. They're like buttery, crisp shortbread... my mouth is watering just thinking about them. We especially like them frozen. The bakers are nothing short of artisans and they hold to a local, sustainable, organic point of view. The quality is unmatched and I love their charitable hearts.

We happen to live by Fall City, home of Pete Nelson from the show Treehouse Masters. http://www.nelsontreehouseandsupply.com/ I see his wife from time to time. Did you know that on top of building all those fabulous tree houses for other people, his family runs a bed and breakfast and you can STAY in one?! Yep. It's true. It's called Treehouse Point. If you aren't able to stay there, then make sure to book a tour ahead of time. They like to keep things peaceful for the visitors, so space is very limited. http://www.treehousepoint.com/

April and May is geoduck season on the Hood Canal and we love going up to dig for clams and mussels. Just remember that if you would like to do something like this, you will need a permit first. Oh, and wear close-toed shoes. The oysters are like razor blades! Here are a few pictures from one of our trips.

Here's your first picture of our kids. They love trying to find the tiny holes in the sand where you can find clams. You can only find geoduck clams when the tide is ultra-super-low.

This was the result of that trip. Yum, yum!!

Produce stands have started popping up, which means cherry season is almost here. The farmers markets will begin in May, which means we'll get to explore the new stands soon. Last year there were things like tea soda, crocheted dolls from someone's grandmother, the Molly Moon's Ice cream truck, and more. We can't wait!

As far as trip preparation goes, we had our fireplace serviced and several rooms were painted this week. There have been three walk-through's and we may have a potential renter!

84 days to go.....

- Jen 

Booked

It's official! We've secured all stops on our trip. We will be in Alaska, the Wyoming/Idaho border, Arizona, Florida, Maine, and last, but not least, Kentucky!! The trip will end with the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. You can see more about it here:  http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEmono/TSE2017/TSE2017.html
Then we return home. We'll be at each stop for approximately two months and will be visiting surrounding cities/states/countries while there. I can't wait!!! (Okay, I can. After all, I still have to get this house packed up!)

When we were looking at places for our last stop "in the middle", we came across the listing for the house in Kentucky. We contacted the owners and it turns out that they are "world-schooling" their kids and are currently helping at an orphanage in the Caribbean. I love that! It's great to hear about what other families are experiencing around the world. I especially love that they're helping people along the way. I've never been to Kentucky, so it will be interesting to learn more about it firsthand.

This week we scheduled the painters to come in and freshen up a few of the rooms. The upstairs bathroom is 99% finished. The pictures have come off the walls and have moved to storage. Boxes are slowly building up to join the pictures. Multiple trips have been made to the donation center and the house is looking more and more like a blank canvas every day.
As of today, 91 days to go.....

Wishing you all a wonderful Easter!

- Jen

Double-Digits and Counting...

The fact that I'm a day late should tell you how this week went. I feel like I've been running from one thing to the next non-stop!

Cookie season is winding down for the Girl Scouts, so our daughter has been busy with site sales. Their troop leader is a cookie season dynamo and made sure the girls were organized and ready. If you haven't bought your cookies yet, make sure to pick some up quickly because this is the last weekend!

I love how the girls decide what to do with the money they earn. I wasn't in on the planning meeting this year, but last year they were able to buy over $300 worth of supplies for a local animal shelter- on top of paying for a trip to Great Wolf Lodge! It was amazing. They loved being able to make the calls on where their money was going. That's the whole point of cookie sales. The girls learn how to set goals, run a business, learn how to deal with rejection, budget money, and then plan where their money will go. All valuable experiences to prepare them for the future.

Our youngest son and I were invited to the retirement community where our new friends from the pool live. We were generously treated to a tour and lunch. It was fascinating to find out that the woman who gave us the tour was a doctor before retirement, and was the only woman in her class. We take so much for granted these days. Did you know that women didn't even earn the right to vote across the United States until 1920? That's less than 100 years ago!! What a wealth of knowledge and experience we have in our older generations. It's a shame we don't spend more time with them. My son was most amazed by a man who is 100 years old.

House improvements have been going full-steam ahead. When my husband isn't at work, he's in the upstairs bathroom grouting, or sealing, or scraping, or something. It should be complete within the week and is looking fantastic! I can't wait to show you! Below is a small peek.

The vanity counter was installed yesterday, and as I type, my dear husband is installing new glass doors for the bath/shower. The cacophony from drilling and the guys on our roof cleaning out the gutters is deafening. A small price to pay for the progress being made!

We reached a milestone this week. 100 days. We now have less than one hundred days until we hit the road. A little scary, but I have every confidence that we can be ready in time. Our first walk-through from potential renters was this morning. It's getting more real every day!

- Jen

Contractors and a Slobbery Pillow

Slowly but surely we're making progress toward being ready for our departure date. Nothing monumental happened this week but a lot of little cogs were set in motion. I made calls to contractors for gutter cleaning, bathroom counter measurements, yard work, and so on. These little things will add up to make all the difference in how our house functions while we're gone, and hopefully, how it will look when we return. The goal is to list the house for rent soon, so we'll be starting the "Quick! Someone is coming by to look at the house- pick that up!" mantra. I'm sure our kids will love it and be completely on board.....yeah right. ;-)

Volunteering with our oldest son at the Food and Clothing Bank last weekend was fun. It's good for him to see how these organizations work and he totally stepped up. When I was a child, I was one of the people standing in line- so I'm especially thankful for the opportunity to help now. As an adult, I can appreciate the impact places like this make for families who are just trying to make ends meet and stay together. When I was younger, though, I was ashamed and embarrassed because I thought my friends would make fun of me. If you've never known what it is to struggle, then it can be hard to empathize with those who are struggling.  I can honestly say that I'm thankful for that experience because it taught me that no one is "better" than anyone else and you can learn something from every situation. I now have the drive to serve others, knowing that we are the same.

Once we were given the tour, several of us were assigned to the clothing area, which was perfect for me and my affinity for order. There is a door in the side of the building where people can donate bags of clothing and other items. The pile can get pretty big, so it needs regular sorting. The nicer items were hung on racks so people can look through them easily. All the clothes with holes, stains, pet hair, or smells (yes, smells...) were either donated to the Salvation Army or thrown away. For the most part, people donated really nice things and only a few items needed to be thrown away. I'm not sure why anyone would donate their old, slobbery, stained, ripped pillow- but there it was. Thank goodness for gloves! I can't give the Food and Clothing Bank enough credit. They really do care for the people in our community and work hard to make a difference- and they do!

Coming up: Girl Scout cookie site sales and more house projects... It's going to be a busy week!

- Jen

The Fun in Functional

Do you remember my shameless plug for my online Thirty-One Gifts party? Well, I'm thrilled to say that it went even better than I anticipated. Because of the enthusiasm of my friends, I was able to check off quite a few items from my wish list- FOR FREE!! Hooray!! In case you aren't familiar with this company, they sell products that include storage solutions, bags, and fashion accessories. I absolutely love their mission statement, ethics, and quality. You can find their site here: http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/ I'd be happy to put you in touch with a few consultants I know if you're interested in something.

Well, the fact is that I'm quite addicted. A friend hosted a party a few years ago and I didn't want to buy anything because I didn't like the fabric pattern choices at the time. I'm a quilter so design is a serious thing for me. Plus the products seemed too pricey. After all, I've never been one to care about expensive purses and bags. BUT my friends' consultant (Hi Kate! ;-)) wouldn't let me off that easy and convinced me to buy the hostess gift that my friend didn't want. It was a pink gym tote that had a handy zipper compartment for shoes at the bottom. I felt a little guilty shelling out $35 (normally $80-ish) for a bag when I could have bought something at the local big brand store for less. Let me tell you, that bag changed my whole perspective! The quality was so good that I ended up using it for EVERYTHING- airport carry-on, overnights, the beach, paperwork, and much more. It's still going strong, whereas anything I would have bought at the big brand store would have been long gone by now. So the price has meant spending less and wasting less in the long run and I still love my tote. That's how the addiction started. Recently, my sister-in-law became a consultant. Even though I'm pretty loyal to my original consultant I still want to support my sister, so I hosted the aforementioned online party.

Here are a few of the items I was able to get for free. These products will be helpful for just about every aspect of our upcoming trip. The trailer will need to be carefully organized and we'll have to be mindful of what and how we pack clothes-wise. After all, we'll be participating in a wide range of activities over the course of the year. Since we'll be visiting local scout troops, my son's and daughter will need to keep their uniforms handy. Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, in particular, have several small, easy-to-lose items. For example, my boys are forever searching for their neckerchief slides and books. To solve this problem, Thirty-One offers this little gem called the "Hang-It-Up Pocket."

It's a zipper pocket that goes over your hanger. I had ours personalized and like the neutrality of the gray striped fabric, but they have other options too. As you can see, the pocket is pretty big, so it holds all the accessories for each uniform. It also has that little loop at the bottom in case you need to hang pants or something. On the back are two large loops that could hold ties, scarves, or anything, really. I normally hang the boys' shirts directly over the pocket, but displayed it like this for the picture so you could see how it works. Here's how it will look during the trip. Handy, no?

Another item that will come in handy are these "Your Way Cubes". They fold down flat and have chalkboard fabric on the front. This is perfect for us because we can take them with us wherever we go and change the writing as needed. At the moment, they are being used in our pantry. A LONG overdue addition. I was about to go insane because of the snack food avalanche that attacked me every time I went to get out a box of cereal. Now we can remove whatever we want without trying to catch something else. I've discovered a few added bonuses, too. Because we can't see everything, we aren't "boredom eating" as much. Also, we are eating a larger variety of items because when we want something, we have access to everything- not just whatever's on top. Win-Win!

I have many more items that I was able to get for our trip, which would have cost a fortune if I hadn't hosted a party. There are still things I need to save up for but I can honestly say that they are worth the cost. I really do use Thirty-One products every. single. day. and they're all well made and useful. Plus, I love the fabrics and personalization choices that have come out in the past few years. No, I don't work for them. This is just a review of something I've come to love. :-)

In case you were wondering what our family has been up to this week, we've had a whirlwind of scouting activities. My daughters' Girl Scout troop participated in a service project with Mountains To Sound Greenway http://mtsgreenway.org/ where they planted trees at Lake Sammamish State Park. It was a muddy-wonderful mess! My youngest sons' Cub Scout pack put on a carnival for the younger scouts and did a great job. Tomorrow my oldest son and I will be volunteering at our local food bank as part of his Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge and then he has an igloo-building outing. It's an exciting time in our home and I'm so thankful I get to be a part of the lives of these kids. Who knows what amazing changes they may bring to the world we live in?

- Jen

Preserving the Past

What can I say? I'm a total sap. I'm sure if you looked up the word "sentimental" in the dictionary, my picture would be used as a reference. I've saved school pictures, letters, cards, origami-style notes and more because I like remembering people and meaningful events. Each item in my collection holds a memory. Some good, some bad, but all part of my life story. Every once in a while I'll go through this collection and throw away things that no longer have meaning- things that may have been important to me as a child, but I can no longer remember what they were for. It's good to clean house to keep the important things close and let go of the rest. This trip is giving us the opportunity to do just that.

Packing up our home for storage means sorting through these items. I have four different categories of mementos that were organized and boxed up this week- mine, my husbands, my kids, and our family history. I love family research and treasure those old black and white photos from days gone by. Documents like birth/marriage/death/baptism certificates give us clues we need to piece together the stories of our ancestors. It's so sad to run across old pictures of people at the antique store with no clue as to who they were or where they came from. Please make sure to write on the backs of your pictures if you are the keeper of these precious identities! Also, make sure to scan them so they can be enjoyed by the whole family for many years to come. There may be only one picture of "so-and-so" but with a database everyone can access, everyone gets to enjoy it and the original can remain safe.

Since these old pictures and documents are fragile, they must be handled and stored with care. The picture above is how I organized my genealogy research this week. I took advantage of some local sales on shoe boxes (specifically made to store photographs) and clear plastic bins . Then I got to work coating my floor with piles of paper and documents. Paper can get heavy quickly, so I made sure the bins were small enough to carry if full but big enough to keep everything together. Each bin contains one or two shoeboxes with labels on them for quick reference. There's also enough room in each bin for corresponding family history books and albums/pictures that are too large to fit in the shoeboxes.

Here's an example of the contents of one of the bins:

- Shoebox 1- Pictures of my fathers side of the family
- Shoebox 2- Pictures of my mothers side of the family
- Large photographs and documents
- 2 family history books that either mention or are about these families

After a lot of sorting, writing on the backs of pictures, and reorganizing, I can now find what I need quickly and efficiently. This system is perfect for storage because aside from being easily identifiable, the bins will keep everything dry and free of pests. It's also great because once we return I can take each bin and just place it back on the shelf for easy access. Functional AND sustainable. My favorite! :-)

Soap Box Note: While sorting through everything, sometimes you run across things that might mean more to someone else. Everyone has that family member who "inherits" everything and never wants to share. I implore you to not be that person. If you are blessed enough to be entrusted with these priceless heirlooms, then please make sure to keep what is precious to you and send the rest to the most relevant people. Space will be freed up for you, but more importantly, you are giving a gift to someone who will treasure it. You really don't need 5 copies of your great grandfathers photograph if you have siblings and cousins. You really don't need your uncles' report cards if you know his family would take care of them and appreciate them more.

My great aunt sent me my grandparents marriage certificate a while ago. I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me that she trusted me with it. It has now been scanned for our whole family to reference and enjoy while the original is safely stored. On that same note, I've spent this past week sending envelopes filled with pictures to other family members because those pictures rightfully belong in their hands. In sharing, everyone benefits. Also, you just never know if you might have the key to someone else's mystery. Something to think about.

- 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

Deconstruction and Decongestant

Last weekend we made the decision to remodel the kids' bathroom. It was dated and didn't flow well (the space, not the water ;-)). You know that room you always plan to change but it ends up being the last one you get to. Yeah, it's that room. We discussed our plan of action and visited the tile store. After looking at hundreds of samples, laying them out all over the showroom floor, and finally placing the order, we happily headed home to start prepping the space.

Remember how I told you that my husband can do just about anything? Well, he can. And so he got to work deconstructing the bathroom to get it ready for the new shipment of tile and vanity/sink that are on the way. Existing tile was broken up, the counter/sink/cabinet were removed, and sheetrock was ripped out. It was quite a sight to behold. Dust was flying everywhere in the room, deafening cracks rang out as he broke apart the tile..... and then there was the debris. So. Much. Debris. Luckily, he has a wife who is happy to help. And so I hauled away bucket load after bucket load.

Here is a picture of the bathroom as it stands now. The lighting will be much better when there's something worth seeing. We will be taking out those beams you see in the center of the room to open the space up. One of the past owners separated the toilet/shower area from the vanity/sink area so their kids could get ready for school at the same time. Functional for them, not so much for us. So, the space will become one room again and we can't wait!

Along with demolishing the bathroom, Sunday brought with it that nasty virus that has kept my two oldest kids on the couch all week with fevers, congestion, and general yuck. Doesn't it just figure that the minute we render a bathroom unusable, someone gets sick?!  Apparently there are lots of sick kids at the moment, so teachers have gone easy on the make-up homework assignments (which we are grateful for). We have second winter break next week which should give our kids enough time to get better and catch up. My dear husband came home with the virus last night, so we'll be taking a break from bathroom work.

As a side note, I have a shameless plug. I've also had an online Thirty-One Gifts party over the past week and it ends tomorrow, February 13th. If you are interested in beautiful organization and storage solutions as well as stylish bags and jewelry, let me know and I'll be more than happy to send you the link. My sister in law is a consultant and she's in the process of trying to buy a house, so I'm hosting a party for her to help grow her business. That, plus I have my eye on a few things for our trip and the hostess credits will help me with those. :-)  I love their products and you will too (trust me!) Come on by and check it out!

- Jen

Education and Roadschooling

This year I've been homeschooling our youngest son (9). It's been a series of experiments to see what does and doesn't work for him. Some things have worked right off the bat and others we labored at until I realized it was time to abandon the original plan and try something else. We have our good days and our not-so-good days. Overall though, I think it's been the best thing we've done this year. Don't get me wrong. I love the elementary school our kids have grown up in. The teachers are wonderful and we have a supportive community with many resources. As a parent, though, it's my responsibility to be paying attention to my child and what he needs to help him succeed for the future. This year he needed to explore and grow at his own pace and in a different environment. Rather than tell you about the challenges, I'd like to tell you about a few of the successes.

In September we started swim lessons. He HATED getting his face wet. New things can be scary and until this year he just wasn't ready to "take the plunge". Fast forward to today- he's swimming laps! I can't even begin to describe the joy and pride that fills his face when it's time to go to the pool. Being able to take lessons when everyone else is at school has made all the difference. It's quieter and there is a seniors aquatics class at the same time. My little guy has become buddies with all the "grandpa's" and he loves it! In everyday life we interact with people of all ages so I think it's wonderful that he's able to experience this time with them. It gives him an opportunity to form relationships and learn from others who have lived longer and have valuable information to impart. How much we miss when we only interact with people who are most like us (age, gender, skin color, background).

Our son is also becoming more aware of self-management and how to apply what he's learning to every day life. He recognizes the difference in how much better he can focus when we're in our quiet home sitting at the table for schoolwork, as opposed to somewhere busier and full of new things to look at. Math has never been a problem for him but now he's exploring how you can get creative with it, like in cooking! Last week he made delicious brownies for my quilt group without any help from me. He was so proud of himself! He's learning to read and write cursive which is important in signing documents to distinguish yourself from others. This year he even learned how to address envelopes. It may sound like a silly little thing, but I was shocked to learn my middle school age children had no idea how to do it.

This sweet boy can now pronounce his R sounds, thanks to the fantastic speech therapist he's been seeing while his siblings are at school. We are able to see plays, visit museums, read books, meet with other homeschooled kids at the park, and just "be" instead of rushing from one thing to the next, worrying how we're going to fit it all in before we collapse at bedtime. If he needs a nap one day, he's able to take one. It's made a huge difference. I now feel like I can handle roadschooling all three next year without the overwhelming self-doubt that can come from jumping into the unknown of homeschooling after traditional schooling. Believe me, there are days when I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. There are days when I feel like we've done nothing and I'm failing him. Don't make the mistake of thinking our life is all roses and sunshine. The thing that keeps me going is looking at the progress he's made in the past six months and how much he's learning about himself and his own capabilities. I have no doubt it's giving him the confidence he will need on his journey into manhood to stand up for what he believes in and to know that he's able to do so much more than what someone else might say. Hopefully, it's also teaching him empathy for others and to realize that there is a lot to learn no matter what age you are.

When we return for the 2017-2018 school year, we'll reassess where we are education-wise. Most likely, our kids will return to the local schools. Since our oldest will be in high school, we need to plan ahead for the credits he'll need to be on track with his peers. We also need to be aware of the laws regarding education in each state as we travel. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is a valuable resource for this. http://www.hslda.org/  We'll also be working with the local high school so our son can transition seamlessly. We have every confidence that all three kids will return with a better understanding of the country we live in and the world around them. It's an exciting opportunity and I can't wait to see what unexpected gems we pick up along the way!

- Jen