Grandma

My daughter may never forgive me for the picture of her snuggled next to her newborn son, but what a breathtaking picture.  I sit in a quiet room holding this baby, that my child carried in her for 9 months.  He is tinier than any baby I have witnessed and my feeling seem indescribable to me right now.  This invisible thread of love weaves itself through yet another generation.  I am pulled by several layers in each direction now.  I worry now not only for what my daughter struggles with but also this tiny baby.  He lays on my chest while she sleeps and I can't even summon the courage to be tired.  The world is spinning it teeters on the edge of collapse, a veritable implosion of selfishness and yet I sit here in a quiet corner rocking the future and witness a new generation of selfless mothering, giving up your wants and desires for something greater.  The hand that rocks the cradle, does indeed, rule the world.  How hard will it be for Gavin to navigate the injustices of life?  If my love is not enough to save his mother from the cruel harsh injustice of life, can it possibly change a grandchild? 

School Starts

This year I decided to work on reading.  I want my boys to love reading as much as I do, or at least know how to understand what they are reading.  So we spend a couple of hours reading each day.  Each taking turns.  It is wonderful to hear them improve. Getting lost in the story.

Walked and walked and walked

I grew up singing all about how much pioneer children walked, well I am here to tell you George Washington was no different.  The grounds of his birth home were beautiful and amazing.  We chased goats , watched baby foxes, and saw bald eagles.  It was amazing.  What a great family day and we even learned a little bit about our beloved 1st president of the United States of America.  And I don't care what that guy said he did not just marry Martha for her money. 

What do you do to kill time??

So Tony had his interview at 1pm.  We were heading out to boondocks after so we had to hang in town for a couple hours, so what do the kids think we should do?  Volunteer at the food bank!!! We missed it so much.  Today we sorted some groceries and sorted through many many boxes of apples.  Picking out the rotten ones and throwing them away.  Some seriously fun family time!  I found the tiny apple and fell in love.  It reminded me of a Roma tomato.  It is the little things that get ya through a two hour interview that turns into 3.5 hours for your husband,  that let's you know how worth it that 2300 mile marathon trip was.  I will never do a marathon trip again!!!  Until the next time I have too. 

Family Time North Carolina Style

So this park was practically perfect in every way except the spots were as off level as we had ever seen.  But the view was amazing.  The dogs rocked it in an open field or on the beach every day.  Adam and Lilly took the kayak out to go fishing and fished from the shore, and fished and fished and then went fishing.  And to wrap up the relaxing family time we had a rousing game of scrabble.  Bailey vs. Robinson.  What I failed to tell them before they started was my extensive history in the game of scrabble.  The push to get 50-100 point words and my abundant knowledge of two and three letter words.  They held their own and it was a close game.  Fun was had by all, even Tony who fell asleep at the next table.

You just Gotta

Sometimes when your traveling along the highway of life you just gotta stop and see some of the weird and query things out there.  And yes while the man standing next to Adam (Shawn) is a little weird that is not what I am talking about.  This little Mexican town is in South Carolina.  It is a tourist trap with lots of picture taking opportunities.  If you live in an RV and have no self control when it comes to trinkets don't stop.....but if you find that stuff nothing but insufferable clutter by all means stop.  I can't say I wasn't drawn in.  I walked away with a bottle of water, but the pictures were so much fun.  All of the attractions were closed apparantly we weren't in season.  However this is the best time to stop and take pictures with all the animals.  Sometimes you just gotta stop and stare, because Everything is Awesome with friends!!!

Friends we meet

It was a dreary day at Legoland when we met the Bailey's.  Pretty down to earth people with fantastic kids.  I was even willing to overlook the teenage daughter.  But we began traveling together and on a particularly tough day somewhere in the Carolina's she made this amazing soup for dinner.  This was resteraunt quality stuff and made me feel like $1,000,000.  See in my life it is the little things that matter.  To me it's more than soup.  It is a friend who sees your rough day without words.  There are amazing people traveling out here on the road.

Sheldon Church

The oldest church in America.  Or the ruins rather.  It was built and burned twice and when we were there they were taking pictures for a wedding.  A magnificent monument to what America is founded on.  And an intense metaphor for life.  I walked around looking at the gravestones and was humbled by how many young children were buried there.  As I visited this monument with 4 of my 8 healthy children I found a new respect for those who started our great country.  They built and rebuilt based on there faith.  Knowing only that they were doing it for the future. And I can't help but ask myself what kind of a future am I building for those who will come after me in future generations?

Banana Eating Contest

In another rousing activity austin came any with the grand prize.  Why you ask?  Cause he ate a banana faster than anyone else,  years of practice went in to making him the grand champion master that he is.  Why just today I caught him practicing for his next race.

The End of an Era

Loving v. Virginia

Today on our quest for history we had the chance to stop in the middle of the road.  A place called Central Point, Virginia.  A beautiful, peaceful little spot outside of Fredricksburg .  It amazes me that a town so little and insignificant could play such a big role in my life.  This is where two people were arrested, the Lovings, simply because she was black and he was white and they were married.  I am truly grateful for their willingness to stand up for what is right so I could enjoy my blissfully happy life with the man of my dreams. What a fun stop on the road of life.

Cautiously Optimistic

The hopelessness is palpable in the air.  The vast difference between poor and rich is evident as you drive down a back country road.  But you would never know it when you talk to the people.  We have left Florida! Having survived our first winter in Florida, we moved slowly North and by North I mean a back country road in South Carolina.  Having lived in the South many years ago when in the military, I always feel like I am holding my breath, waiting for the differences between the races to rear it's ugly head.  Though I am cautious, I am cautiously optimistic.  In the South they are friendly, gracious, and kind, but they do not open up the way people do out west.  They clothes their mouths around strangers politely nodding yes, ma'am or no ma'am.  But that is all.  However I can't help but wonder if it is me or them? Do I close up waiting for people to judge me because of my choice in men?  Because of my beautiful children?  Or am I open and free with my life, thoughts, and words the real me.  The me I strive to be.  We will slowly wind our way North the next few months, I wonder if the oppression in the air will lighten or will it increase as the humid stagnant air of summer increases? 

More on laundry

It seems that no matter the life you live procrastination is your bitter enemy.  While I normally love a few hours of solitude at the laundry house.  Today I have so much else I can be doing.  Tomorrow is moving day so we have to pack in last minute outings, two days worth of school, and laundry all into one day.  While most people can do a load and continue about their business I am trapped in,the laundry mat until it is finished.  Even with four washers running it takes two cycles to get it all washed.  So I calculate my time like any overworked mother and; like any overworked mother I fall woefully short. I have birthday dinner with Alek on AJS birthday.  Movies with Adam and laundry. Since the dog decided to pee on my bed and I have one son who wets the bed, my laundry stacks to the moon.  I am however grateful that I have minimized the pile that no one seems to know who it belongs to. No one actually wore it and my favorite, girl clothes that are most defiantly not mine.  All of the clothes I wash now are used, beloved, and definitely dirty.  So I sit and wait for the washer to tell me it is time to get up and switch.

Science

We finally ventured out of our little bubble and followed our friends to a science museum.  It was so neat to see the learning happening with all the fun to go along with it.  They spend the first hour in a room with magnets learning about electricity and other magnetic things.  It was inspirational.  We also went to a small planetarium and looked around the universe and all this was after a fabulous lunch of Thai food.  So many experiences in one day and I didn't even tell you about my new phone.

It is going swimmingly!

People often ask how is life on the road.  My reply is varied as the weather, today however I would say it is going swimmingly.  This camp ground we are at requires me to be with my 11 and 12 year old constantly.  I am not even sure they are allowed to go to the bathroom by themselves.  Before you judge me these are the last  two of eight children, I know very well what my kids are capable of.  But I digress.  So the last two days I have spent a couple of hours at the pool.  Yesterday I got in for awhile and did a little exercise, today I am shivering wrapped in a towel.  But as I sit here watching them play I am excited for what they are experiencing.  At the beginning of this adventure a fine and knowledgeable woman told me that her greatest joy of this endeavor are that her children were each others closest friends.  At the time I couldn't comprehend that but seven months later I see it beginning to happen.  My kids will tell you it is because there is no one else to play with, to which I reply I don't care how it happened, I am just happy it did.  The change is coming slowly.  They are playing in the pool together playing video games together.  Sometimes they even hang out and talk in the trailer because there is nothing else to do and I find as I watch them that this too is one of my greatest joys.  Siblings is a forever relationship.  So these games of tag and rescue the drowning swimmer are more than just play, they are the best kind of living.

Legoland

If these pictures do not express the day of fun we had I do not know what would.  Asher and Austin got to meet some great friends.  Adam hung out with a great group of teens and well As you can see Alek was picking up the ladies.  I may have ended up a little sunburned, but a sunburn in February is a sign of a good life in my book. 
For those of you concerned with my children's social lives there were 150 people at this roadschool event. They all met great friends and had a blast.  We are off to more great adventures. 

Clean???

If I asked you which one was clean that would seem like a silly question right.  Well these two puctures are both definitions of clean to my two teenagers on the road.  And you would be surprised at which was which.  I was.  My teenager who leaves everything laying around a swath of droppings from the front to the back actually cleaned the kitchen.  The one who always puts his stuff away so his brothers dont destroy it, and has his stuff perfectly organized was the messy one.  What more proof do you need that my ways are confusing to theor young impressionable minds.  I am just thankful that the clean kitchen is the one who has to clean the kitchen this week. I shall enjoy it while it lasts.

Savoring the Marrow

I spend alot of time lately just staring at my children.  I know it sounds creepy but they are literally growing up right before my eyes.  The subtle changes in their Jaw line, height, or facial hair leaves me in awe. I can never get back these last seven months, but guess what. I don't need to.  I play games with them, laugh and cry with them, and play with them.  I am savoring the marrow of what I have left in the world of parenting children and it feels marvelous.  Today we blogged about a crane, shot a game of pool, and learned to make biscuits and gravy together.  Today.  I missed so much of my first four children's lives.  While I do get to peer through the small window of their adult lives I am grateful for this time.  This time I have to truly get to know them as children.

Crane

These birds walk past our home everyday.  Yesterday Asher took some video of them.  So I told him if he took that video and figured out what these beautiful birds were and wrote a paragraph about it, that could be his school for the day.  I thought he would be excited.  He just had to take what he was already doing to the next level and it was simple just a little googling.  But apparantly I was very wrong.  It led me to a few hours of school pondering.  Mainly, how do I turn my kids into those kids, you know the ones I am talking about.  The ones who have their own YouTube channel with 1000 followers, who are doing a scientific project on lowering our footprint, while writing a children's book, all while being extremely sociable and humbly cheerful.  As my mind created this child whom I have yet to find,  I realize my goals have take on a life of their own.  When I do this, which happens more than I car e to admit, I like to take a step back and count the blessings.  Here they are my children have youtube channels.  They are accomplishing schoolwork, my husband has a job,  my kids are getting along better than they ever have.  They socialize with each other, which is more important to me than their having friends, and not something they did before we got on the road.  While they fight me constantly on projects they have to get done and chores, this proves they have fight and tenacity they will need to navigate the next 15 years which will be some of the toughest. 
So if you are still with me while I ramble on you will have learned that my children are absolutely normal and flat out amazing all in the same breath.  I am grateful for each and every one of them.

Rewards

We are settled nicely into our home for the next two weeks.  Our system of me nagging the kids to do schoolwork and chores while they run in every direction possible firmly set in stone.  I have decided to include things that make me better in every part of my day.  Not just my kids who make me look like the world's best mom, but me.  The who I am when they aren't around.  You would think that at forty I would have this figured out a bit, but I have found at 40 is the time to figure it out.  Now I have already established in my 20's and 30's that I am not a housekeeper.  The keeper of the home that anyone can swing by and see in perfect order, not me.  In fact I am the home where you wonder what that smell is, most of the time it's boy, but sometimes I find other menacing smells.  However I have found that if I spend a small amount of time focused on this each day in my tiny house that things don't get away from me.  I wish I could blame it all on my kids but I am as equally responsible.  I don't put things away as soon as I am done.  I don't make things a home as soon as they come in, and I don't put everything away nice and tidy.  This however doesn't make me a horrible person, it simply makes me human.  So in an effort to fight this inhumaneness of my humanity, I have decided to write a list each day of things to get done.  I did this awhile in my 20's and it seemed to work for me.  Unfortunately in my current life I rarely have anything that motivates me to accomplish the list.  I am not motivated by the crossing off the list. I am mostly motivated by food.  Which I am trying to eliminate as a reward.  So I need a new list of rewards for doing things that I should find joy and accomplishment in just doing for my family.  So bring it on, how do you reward yourself for a job well done?  How do you pat yourself on the back for doing those things that don't give you joy and happiness in the task? 

A tale as old as time

So are you tired of hearing about my car issues?  Well I am equally tired of having them.  Believe it or not we went to a mechanic be for we started we got everything fixed and ready to go and still have excessive car issues, but what can you do with a. Vehicle that has 250,000+ miles?  So until we can sell her, we push forward fixing and patching and moving forward. This week we spend the week parked behind a wonderful family friends car shop.  We are far enough back that we are out of sight and to top it off the car has been in the shop for the Better part of a week.  Oh and did I mention a computer died?  So I am trying to educate and entertain my children with one computer, no water or sewer hookups, and extremely nice neighbors.
I keep reminding myself it could be worse. It could be freezing cold or insanely hot.  We could be paying an arm and a leg for an rv spot that doesnt like kids.  We could be completely out of income and no way to make money.  All of these possibilities are fears.  Instead we fight boredom, go on insanely long walks and try to get as much schoolwork done as possible, and we play games lots of board/card games.  This isnt the picture perfect life I had envisioned but it is everything I wanted in real life HD!

Barbara Manatee

In an concerted effort to play tourist we all went to the local bridge to see the Manatees swim by.  I say concerted effort because by and large our self contained oasis of whichever thousand trails we happen to be at generally amuses us.  With swimming pool, good friends, activities, and pool tables we find it rarely necessary to head out.  But I forced myself this time after all seeing the manatees at Crystal River is one of the top 40 things you must do with your kids.  We did not swim with them as tempting as it was with my boys and their propensity for getting into trouble the nightmare of  $100,000 fines kept me  awake for most of the night.  So we watched them from a safe distance on the bridge. We saw little families and single swimmers.  It was so neat to see such a large creature in its natural habitat.  So after watching these lovely creatures we got pizza and went back to our simple routine of enjoying each others company.  Join us next time for.....the adventures of sleeping next to a auto shop......until then may you always find adventure, peace, and love where ever your wheels take you.

Spring shackle whatchamathing

In a never ending effort to keep our streak of something breaking everytime we hit the road. We got a flat tire on our way to Crystal Isle.  No big deal right?  After tracking down $159 for a tire we wanted to get on the road again, but after a brief inspection we realized the tires on the opposite side were super close together.  We thought maybe it was from the flat tire.  So very slowly we drove 1/4 mile up the road to a car repair shop parking lot.  Yep that is me thinking ahead.  So we checked again and still to close so we inspected further and we found these metal pieces hanging down. Not something I could fix so we prepared to hang out for the weekend.  After mailing pictures to a wonderfully nice stranger l, who was also a mechanic we got a name.  The spring shaft bolt thingamadoohicker.  Ok I added the last part of the name.  The auto place couldnt fix it for us because there mechanic got his foot run over that weekend and was out of commission, but the orange tractor shop right next door had two brilliant men who could weld the piece back for me.  A couple of hours and $200 later we were on the road.  The car shop only charged me $2, but Florida state tax was $196.... slight exaggeration,  but I thoroughly miss Montana, it is what it is, mentality. Adventure in grownup land was exhausting and rewarding.  Now back to my relaxing reality!