California, Here We Come!

 Two weeks in one! We spent the last two weeks first preparing for California, and then being in California. So much fun!

Monday the 14th we took the car in for a check and oil change before going on the 1500 mile drive. It was a good thing we did, since the engine mounts were breaking and needed replacing. It was good to have everything checked out (we did NOT have a wheel explode on the drive home this time, thank goodness).

However, when Mike went to make the appointment, Alison said that the best day would be any day but Monday. Oops, that was all they had available. So we borrowed Grandma Sheila's car and Mike helped Alison drive everyone to and from Classical Conversations in two shifts. It actually went pretty well, to Alison's relief. The kids were good about it. (We did leave all their carseats in the car when we returned it to Grandma Sheila, but Mike and Sara went back and got those later.)

Tuesday and Wednesday the kids started getting ready for California, we made a food list, and Mike went to Winco to buy all the food. On Thursdays, normally we do history on the drive to and from Grandma Julie's and then read picture books and do a craft while we're there, but Grandma and Grandpa were already in California, so we were home this week. Since we're doing the American Revolution, Alison let the kids watch Liberty's Kids while she went shopping and made lists. (Liberty's Kids is an awesome TV show series on the American Revolutionary War, if you haven't see it.) 

Friday morning we went to nature group, and then we spent all afternoon and evening packing (and dropping off Rocket at the dog sitter's) so we could leave bright and early Saturday morning. We actually got out the door about when we'd planned to, and it only took 12 hours to drive. I think this is only the second time we've done it without a nursing baby, and it's really nice! 12 hours and 1-2 stops for gas seems so short. :) We listened to Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians book 4, which was awesome and kept us all engaged. Alison decided to try out doing most of the driving and letting Mike deal with the children, and she decided she really likes that division of labor. Mike says both jobs are equally hard work, so since Alison prefers driving, he's fine being in charge of the kids.

Then we were in California! It was awesome! We had perfect weather and lived on the beach all week. The kids found SO MANY sand dollars, and Grandpa Craig and Rea saw stingrays, and the kids caught hermit crabs and dug up live clams - and, of course, we saw dolphins. It was great. 

The kids are mostly so big now that it's getting much easier to do this - most of them can run themselves back to the bathroom when needed, and many of them can mostly look out for themselves and not be held on to all the time. Boo is not exactly one of those yet - she stuck pretty close. She had a bit of a fever Sunday night and just slept all day Monday. Other than that, when she did go off on her own, it usually ended up with Grandma Julie's craft supplies being trashed or someone's lovey being stolen or other typical 3 year old things. But she did use the toilet sometimes, which was more than we expected, and she and Victoria and Lydia were really cute playing together. 

All the kids had a good time with their cousins. It's nice to have so many close in age to play together. Mike and Alison also had fun staying up late and talking or playing games with Becky and Chauncey and Katie and Josh and Craig and Julie. It's always so great to spend time together.

The talent show is always fun. Boo danced, and Gideon sang a made-up song. Timmy showed off his reading progress - he knows that with his dyslexia, he's behind other kids his age, but he was very proud of what he could do, and everyone was very excited for him working so hard and being proud of it. Sara put a super-sour warhead in her mouth and smiled while sucking it, and Rea showed off her book Ever and taught everyone some ASL signs. Alison showed off her Classical Conversations Essentials charts and the kids helped her sing some of the first chart. Mike sang Nobody Don't Like Christmas and the kids sang along with him too. It was so nice.

The drive home wasn't too bad. People were a little tired and grumpy, but we all enjoyed listening to Alcatraz book 5. We waited to listen to this one until the next one was out, but we have a couple of weeks before book 6 comes in on hold at the library. We're glad we don't have to wait a whole year!

We went to church and picked up Rocket and unpacked today. Tomorrow we're back at CC, so hopefully that will go well. The kids were being very difficult before we left, and we decided not to try to change things up until after the vacation in case that was enough to reset everything. So we'll find out this week!