Camping AGAIN!

We've been camping. Took the kids to the pathfinder camporee.

It was fun. Lots of work for me as I planned and executed all the meals for two clubs.... and I had Hayden and Drake. Christina was able to join us. It was the first time we had seen her since she went to Idaho.

We are so thankful for our tent trailer... LOVE having my little home away from home. It's especially nice with little kids to take care of. Hayden and Drake love camping and they were not ready to be done. They were exhausted and cranky and totally done physically, but begging me not to take them home yet. I think part of the reason it was so hard to go home was their Daddy had moved into a bigger house over the weekend and change is scary and hard still.

Life jackets are a must! This boat ramp....  Hayden took off his socks and shoes to dip his toes in the water and got way more than he bargained for. This ramp is covered with algae. One step and he was down. He stood up and took another step and went sliding down the ramp backwards. I saw the look in his eye... and I made quick steps towards him just as he slid backwards another foot. So much for dry shoes. I stepped towards him into the water and suddenly I was skating wildly down the ramp, past the kid with those big brown eyes open wide with fright... sliding, sliding almost waist deep! A kayaker paddled quickly towards me and stopped my downward glide before I completely fell in just as I heard a splash behind me. Christina, our trusty lifeguard slid in down low and scooped up Hayden. So glad he was wearing a life vest. So weird that I could do nothing to grab the kiddo.

Steve and I are taking the tent trailer on a get away, just the two of us tomorrow. We'll be back by the weekend. Brianna is keeping the kids and Vanessa will help in the evening. We try to keep these little get aways short so as not to wear out the girls.

Brianna is doing well teaching the twins. She's very strict about whining and fussing and huffing and puffing. These kids are doing so many push-ups, sit-ups and burpees they have got to hurt. Whenever they get negative she has them on the floor in a flash working those muscles... Negative is their main mood, so you know, it's been a little rough, but it is GETTING BETTER.

Brianna is strict about time, too. Both twins have taken turns at missing out on stuff because they were not ready when the clock struck the hour. Bri just leaves without them. Their first class of the day is PE at the high school track at 6:30 am where Brianna is coaching a little group of homeschoolers. Monday is art class and she has two classes of kids. Wednesday is homeschool group and Brianna teaches one class. Then of course, there is Therapy on Tuesdays.

The TWINS are cleaning the kitchen every day. If they are too slow they don't get to go on the library outing or whatever is planned for the day so they are learning to move along. I'm seeing a difference in their ability to help. Missy is, at this moment making applesauce. She is being taught all the steps and has to do everything herself except the parts that use the stove.

The door alarm has been a lifesaver. Missy has had some real crabby days... so crabby I thought to get respite while we went on the campout. BUT just saying that Missy decided to do a 180 and became an angel child ~ for two days. She was SO good and so pleasant to be around. It was so nice to see that it is possible. I let her choose a treat at the grocery store. She chose caramel flavored rice cakes. I didn't think to read the label. And my husband isn't on board with this, but I am certain it affected her. She turned into El GROUCHO out of control. She screamed non-stop all Friday.  It was unbelievable. I was so glad for the door alarm because she was more than any of us could manage to be around for very long. I read the label later. Artificial this and artificial that and all this stuff that I had been keeping her off of. Of course, then it was too late to get respite. However, she was fine on the campout. James wet his pants at the campout every day.... and since he packed his own suitcase we had a serious lack of clothing. On the last day he smelled so bad that I told him he had to have a shower before we could leave. HE threw himself on the grass facedown and proceeded to have a two year old tantrum. It's quite the scene for all the campers to see. There's no shame somehow. Eventually Vanessa picked up his arms and i picked up his feet and we carried him into the shower and washed him and all was fine again.  There again, no shame at all. Both of the twins completely lack modesty and I can't figure out how that does not come naturally to them.

 Brianna and I joined a cross training class for ladies in the morning at 5 AM in the elementary school gym. Several of our friends are doing it too. Okay, wow. I am thinking I am going to be sore tomorrow. (*understatement of the year!! I can't move!) I have been slowly learning to run. I started off in July walking more and adding a few minutes of running here and there and slowly built up using a 5K app on my iphone. It was great until the end it upped the progress too quick and just when I had ONE run left to complete the series on the app I could NOT do it anymore. Had to take a break and go back to walking and biking. My knees and feet hurt too much. They are back to feeling okay, so I'm going to back up and work up again, but I think I needed some strengthening exercises to help me build muscle in the knees and ankles and figure out how to manage the plantar fasciitis. So far I have lost 6 lbs and working very very hard to do that. I lost more inches than pounds so maybe it was more than 6 lbs of fat. :-) One can hope.

Well, I'm off to get the tent trailer ready for our next excursion.