Seriously, I am the worst blogger ever. I read a pretty good list of blogs regularly, multiple times per week (or when my twitter feed tells me someone has posted something new). I am and will forever be amazed by those of you that blog regularly along with full time jobs, multiple children and everything else. I feel like to even consider blogging regularly would require some sort of outside hired help...an assistant, a nanny, a chef, ghost blogger, something. So, I guess I just accept that I am terrible at this.
So...since last time...school has started back up again. Yay! The last couple years were a little rough for the youngest, she just wasn't prepared to be away from me for long days and she's not a fan of the unknown. This year, second grade, she's a pro. She rides the bus, has joined running club and has a nice set of friends with party invites on the regular. She's really grown into her second grade self and it's super fantastic. No one cries when they get on the bus. It's so awesome. I am still giving her one half of a children's dramamine in the morning to combat bus motion sickness, but I feel like she'll eventually grow out of that as well. She's just gotten back some testing scores and she's also/still doing really well academically, so that's also fantastic. She's still catching all the colds, but her little body is doing better at fighting them each time, so her immune system is helping and also thanks to children's nyquil (dries her up, so cold doesn't automatically mean vomit anymore).
The oldest is now in seventh grade. This is the first year she's changing classes each period and managing dressing for gym. So far it's been really great. Each kid also 'checks out' a Chromebook for the school year, to do their homework etc (who are they kidding, all they do is watch Minecraft Youtube videos) and that's working pretty well. She takes her responsibility for it pretty seriously, keeps it charged, and tries not to forget it. Before school started, she mentioned that one of her friends had pointed out her hairy legs, so I made it a point to show her how to shave her legs, etc...and the other day I reached out and tested a leg. It was not smooth. She said 'Yeah, I got lazy. It's just a lot of work...so...' which I find to be super hilarious. Peer pressure got her to shave and now she just isn't going to worry about it as much. I love it. She's still doing really well in classes (as far as I know, who comes up with these grading systems) and still enjoys playing flute in the band (even though she complains always about lessons and practicing). She's joined Art Club and loves that as well.
I am really really enjoying being able to put each kid on her bus each morning, and get to work right away, without worries about an upset kid or what might come up during the day. They've both just grown so much, and it's really just wonderful. Yay for happy smart kids.
Awhile back we started talking about camping. The husband used to go camping all the time with his family as a kid, in popups and travel trailers. The in-laws now have a 2 bathroom RV which the girls love to camp in. They usually get a few local trips in during the summer, between the in-laws trips to other places. The husband remembers it so fondly, we've decided we think it's something we should do over the next few years. Before the oldest gets too old to go (has to work, thinks we're uncool, etc) and try to get some travel in, and some monument/national park experience. So, in order to do that, we had to consider trading in the 2009 Chevy Colorado. Originally we traded a Nissan Titan for the Colorado, to save on gas, awhile back, but now we need a full size truck again if we're going to pull anything. So the plan was to get something used/older, that would work, while we paid off my car. So the husband went looking. He found a really super nice - NEW - Chevy Silverado High Country (with a towing package) at a local dealer, and the deal paid my car off, so we get a new truck that can pull anything, pay off my car and still only have the one vehicle payment (until we buy that camper of course). Not quite the plan I counted on, but I think it's going to work out beautifully. So now...to find the perfect camper. Our plan is to go to a couple local RV shows over the winter and figure out exactly which models and floorplans we like and then make a buying decision towards the end of winter so we can hit the ground camping in the spring. We want bunks for the girls, and at least a partially separated bedroom area for us, so we're considering travel trailers and fifth wheels with those options. It's been fun searching and we're looking forward to the in-person shows and finally picking one to buy. We'd like to go to Mt. Rushmore, Canada (to see sister in law), Disney (we have 3 free 2-day tickets) this year. So anyone with opinions on campers and/or campgrounds for us - feel free to email me or find me on twitter.
I wanted to do something crazy but not insane with my hair, and I've seen a lot of twitter ladies doing some undercoloring or highlighting with bright colors. So I opted for a vibrant purple, on the underneath half of my hair. I love it. I wish I could see it without using a mirror, and I sort of maybe wish i'd done a little more, or a streak on the top part, or something just a little more noticeable. Next time maybe. It's still cool and I love it.
This morning, I keep hearing this super annoying beep. I thought for sure there was a meter maid or something outside reading hte water or electic meter or something. Beep Beep. Beep. Beep Beep. Beep. Over and over and over. Nope. It's our cordless phone. It's no longer able to sit correctly in its cradle for whatever reason, so it's connected to charge, then disconnected, then connected...then ahhhhhh stop. So my solution was to use a coaster and the wall to make it stop. I had to prop the phone up somehow so it could 1) charge and 2) STOP BEEPING. Why does it lose its ability to sit correctly in the cradle? I do not understand that.
Ok, that's it for me for now. Obviously for awhile probably since I'm so terrible at this. I shall continue to read ya'll and every few months, remember to do it myself.
