Back in the Saddle

For about three days, anyway!

Monday was unpack and laundry. That, of course, melted into Tuesday as well. As all good laundry days do...they tend to spill over into other days. But we've been enjoying ourselves along the way. I attempted, and was pleasantly surprised to discover, that I can put all three bikes and the stroller in the back of the van...very carefully. So Monday we walked/rode 1.5 miles on the Haul Road along the ocean. Today, tuesday, we waited until after dinner so that Josh could join us and hit a different part of the road. It was gorgeous! The wind is holding back the smoke from the california fires so we have nice clean air to breathe. Unlike the rest of the state! We stopped to check out the sea lions resting on the rocks just off-shore. So fun! April and May is their pupping season, but we were not close enough to see the little babies.

Today we also all worked on new lapbooks. This will probably be a repeating event on this blog. Josh is starting to get excited about them too. They are really just a fun way to do a book report. I think it is good to teach the kids how to pull information from their reading and present it in an organized fashion. Logan did his pirate one (with my help) and it has turned out SO cute. He's very proud of it. Hannah is about 1/2 way finished with her dolphin one. Brynne has put Felicity on hold. She read the books, but she also read some Magic Tree House books so she is doing a triple lapbook on the three Magic Tree House books that she read. Whew! There was a lot of cutting, pasting, printing, writing, and reading going on in this house!

We'll be getting in three school days this week, and then take off for two weeks for our family reunion trip. I have some fun educational games for the kids to do on the trip. I bought a great little thing at a bookstore near Yosemite (while waiting for our car to get fixed) that should help pass the time. The link goes to the British version. I couldn't find the American version online.

Kenna seems to be all better from her illnesses. She has just had such a rough month. It started in mid-May with itchy rashes that came and went. Then in June she had her 6-month immunizations and reacted poorly to those (fevering for three days). She also had a nasty cold the day after her shots. The cold lasted for what felt like forever. I was getting worried because for over a week she hardly drank or ate - probably taking in only about half the calories she normally would. Finally, as time neared for our departure to Yosemite, she seemed to be making headway towards a true recovery. The day before we left I felt that she was truly better. Her runny nose stopped while we were up there. And I noticed that her first tooth had cut through while we were up there. YAY! I know that can explain the ear-rubbing and the cold. Her rashes also went away. Can teething cause rashes? I don't know but her skin is looking much better. I told Josh that she's just allergic to Fort Bragg. :-)

I'm off to put my little baby in bed. She's been sleeping so much better lately. Waking up at night now that we're home, but I think she's catching up on missed calories from being sick. During the day her naps are GREAT - and she's putting herself to sleep. YAY!!!!! This all makes life SO much easier!!