Waiting

We should be past the Mason-Dixon line by now, well into our second day of the trip and nearing my Mom's house in Pennsylvania. Instead, we're still home where I've been nursing a couple of extremely painful toothaches, a cold and mastitis. For the past week, I was desperately drinking lots of fluids, popping vitamin C and resting as much as possible determined to be in good health for the trip. But, unfortunately, it wasn't enough. I thought I had everything beat and then right before we were supposed to leave, my body gave up and everything hit at once. So here we are. Waiting. The suitcases are still packed and sitting in the living room. I'm on an antibiotic, resting and hoping to leave tomorrow. The kids are really hoping we leave tomorrow. Right now, I'm still not sure.

Right before we were supposed to leave a wonderful friend gave Dominick this whole trunk filled with K'NEX pieces.

He owns a few sets already but this was quite a stash! So while they're disappointed in the turn of events, the K'NEX have kept Dominick and Aravis more than occupied while they've been waiting.

 This is what my very sweet children made me when they found out I was too sick to leave.

moving jeep

 This is a hurdle because they wanted to jump over hurdles.  They took it to "the place in the house where you can run far" (I wasn't aware there was such a place) and hurdled over it again and again.

 moving ferris wheel

This is a working box fan that Aravis modeled after our own box fan.

 And Xury has loved all the new things to climb on. She's spent hours sitting on top of my suitcase.

And Tanner has been busy being me, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the baby, packing, doing laundry, washing diapers.....she's been AMAZING!! She's stepped in and kept everything up and running as well as I would have. We never would be ready to leave tomorrow without her. Now we're all just hoping and praying I'm ready to leave tomorrow!

Our Last Week At Home For The Summer

The kids and I make a big trip up to New York state every summer to stay at our family's cabin at a campground on a lake. We leave next week for our two and a half day journey so this week, my time has been spent packing, planning what we need to bring, purchasing things for the trip, laundry, getting haircuts, etc. We'll stay for a good part of the summer, so between that and the long car trip, there's a lot to plan and think about. This year, with an almost one year old, there's a lot more to plan and think about. I have no idea how we're going to fit everything in the van when her stroller already takes up half the trunk!  Part of me is not looking forward to the trip with a baby (and a hamster! I know, I'm nuts) or caring for a little one in more primitive living conditions, and by that I mostly mean cramped quarters and no bathtub. We're excited though, and I can't imagine spending my summer anywhere else.

Xury had some fun with water while I got a few things done

Dominick, Xury and I managed to squeeze in one last trip to the zoo with some friends.

Aravis has been spending every waking second with her friends before she leaves which included a trip to the children's museum.

 where they played some olympic sports

 hung out in the kennel

 rode a police motorcycle

 

 and worked and shopped at the grocery store.

This was the first time Xury was old enough to get down and play too and she loved it!

 Tanner and Dominick have been working on a bigger cage for her poor cramped bunny.

 Eventually, they want to add legs and a lower level but for now they bunny is very happy with her new home.  I still have a lot to do to be ready and don't feel like I have nearly as much done as I should have, but the kids have been a great help. They cleaned out the van this morning and cleaned up the yard and Tanner has been helping with Xury and helping out around the house. I am really blessed to have such amazing kids!
I'll try to continue blogging while we're up there but I might just be too busy reading and enjoying a quiet cottage to keep up.

Lego Art

Today we went to an art exhibit featuring the art of  Nathan Sawaya with our homeschool group where the medium was Legos. 

 

For someone who loves art and Legos, combining the two might be the coolest thing ever! 

 My favorites were the one dimensional Lego paintings....

I am completely intrigued by his ability to convey such depth and detail with so few colors and the limitations of only using squares of Legos. I may try to imitate the idea using graph paper and make some of my own. Then again, I have several unfinished paintings laying around so there's a good chance I won't.

My Lego loving kids liked it too, although I think they were just as happy to play with the legos afterward

and make some creations of their own

 Tanner's

 Aravis made a horse in a pen

Then we headed to a park across the street to splash in the fountains, play in the playground

 and climb trees.

Aravis's tree climbing treasure

After a few hours at home for a little rest and a little supper we headed back out for the drive-in with some friends to see The Avengers and Men in Black 3. Despite a severe thunderstorm, slightly fussy baby and a dead battery we enjoyed the movies and had a lot of fun. It was a long, busy, thoroughly enjoyable day.