Lessons from a 6,000-Mile-Long Trip

New discoveries awaited us on our 6,000 mile road trip last month.   Our trip covered the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and a brief jaunt to Ontario (to sign real estate papers).  We certainly experienced America afresh, since we had become accustomed to the flatter landscape and fewer options where we live in Saskatchewan.

After crossing the border into North Dakota, the kids loved mixing their own soft drinks with the new custom soda machines at restaurants.  Peach Sprite was their top pick.  We also discovered how challenging it can be to find accommodations for a family of six.  The mid-range motels often worked best for us because we could get a suite for less than the cost of two rooms.  Maybe some day we will take on the challenge of camping, but our childhood memories tell us to proceed with caution.

As we made our way across the midwest, we enjoyed seeing some of the World Cup soccer matches.  I was impressed to encounter so many soccer fans in Columbus, Ohio.  Unfortunately it was difficult to find radio broadcasts of this worldwide sports phenomenon when we were in the minivan (which was a lot).  Do Americans really love baseball so much?  I guess I was oblivious.

Takeaway #1: Carry Protein

One practical thing that worked well for us was buying high-quality meat jerky as a protein snack on the road.  It helped us make it beyond the next highway exit when we wanted more options for where to stop and eat.  Being the exotic meat aficionado that he is, my husband bought kangaroo, ostrich, bison, and venison jerkies.  No Slim Jims for us.

Takeaway #2: Think Inside the Box

While searching a big box store for a travel container for baby wipes, I was astonished to find that a zippered case travel wipe pack cost nearly four dollars ($3.77 I believe it was)!  Nope, not gonna do that.  But I needed a container that would find in my purse--without robbing me of so much cash.  It took time to search and ponder what to do, but I settled on a refillable green plastic soap case that cost less than a dollar.  It served us well throughout the trip!

Takeaway #3: State Parks are Worth Exploring

En route to my parents in Oklahoma, we thought it would be fun to stop at one of Missouri's caves.  We avoided the steeper prices at the caves you see advertised on billboards.  Instead, we had a wonderful tour of Fisher's Cave, which was less flashy and more scientific.  Just what we wanted.  As an added bonus, the motel at Meramac State Park offered us a more affordable (spartan) room that slept six.  Getting off the interstate a few miles was definitely worth it for us.

In Oklahoma, we visited a park I remembered enjoying as a girl with my parents, Red Rock Canyon.  Even my two-year-old now has memories of our adventures hiking and swimming there.  I am so glad we went, and thankful that the weather was not too hot to consider spending time outdoors.

Upon Reflection

We were thankful to connect with family and friends we had not been able to visit in three years, and many got to meet our youngest daughter for the first time.  What's more, we celebrated a golden wedding anniversary for my parents-in-law and the wedding of our oldest niece.  It was an important trip, but not a vacation per se.

My husband and I returned to Canada feeling like we needed to get away more often.  Even if it's just to the nearest larger city in our our province.  Refreshment needs to happen.  We got a taste of it at family camp in May, which was helpful.  But we are nearing the end of summer wishing for more.

What do you consider to be the difference between a trip and a vacation for you? 

This post may be linked here.

The Summer that Was and Wasn't

Kids are back in school, Labor Day is behind us, and leaves are starting to fall.  I am simultaneously feeling:
1) wistful that we did not have a "real" summer vacation,
2) guilty that we never got into a good routine for our summer days together, and
3) relieved that the burden of structuring my time and that of my children is no longer mine alone to bear.

Rather that obsessing over what I did not accomplish or what was not feasible, I want to cultivate a spirit of gratitude.  There were a lot of very good things that happened this summer, and some of them were even on my summer "bucket list."  Here are the things that come to mind.

In July:

• My husband's parent's came for a visit.
• We explored the Saskatchewan Science Centre for the first time.
• Grandparents babysat while we went out for a dinner date in the big city.
• I got my official Canadian passport!
• I was able to switch my part-time work schedule and get to know some fascinating co-workers.
• We found and picked a pitcher-full of local Saskatoon berries!  I've been itching to do this since our arrival in Saskatchewan last summer.  With the fresh berries we picked we enjoyed Saskatoon berry applesauce bars and berry topped pancakes.

In August:

• My parents came for an extended visit.
• We went out to celebrate our 13th anniversary while my parents babysat. 
• We went on a family history tour to see the area where my mom and grandparents were from.
• My husband got to teach new EFL teachers in Cambodia.
• The kids and I went strawberry picking.
• Friends let us tend and harvest the produce in their garden while they were away.  I've missed having a garden of my own. 

• We made lots of yummy jam.  My mom brought us more delicious jam from her kitchen.
• My mom also helped us catch up on laundry.  Yes, we can actually see (part of) the laundry room floor now!
• My husband finished the first draft of his Ph.D. dissertation!  We started this grad school journey six years ago, and now the end is in sight.
• I got a second-hand (or third or fourth-hand, more likely) bike that works--and it was free!
• We finally got an offer on our house in Nebraska!  It's been 12 months since we packed up and headed north.

There are still a few question marks in our lives right now.  When will our house deal finally close?  Will we continue to rent here or will we dive into the local, more expensive real estate market here in Saskatchewan?  Will my husband graduate in December?  If so, will we risk traveling in December to attend the ceremony?  Should I keep working part-time after the house closes?  We need wisdom and patience from above.   Seasons of waiting and uncertainty are hard.  I am ready for closure.  Nevertheless, God is good, all the time.

Whole Wheat Sand Dough Castles

None of my four children like feeling bored (including the baby), and I dread hearing about it.  However, because of our upcoming move to Canada, I am more uptight than usual about their penchant for messy projects.  Still, we've managed to make a few things, which I will share when I can, though I cannot predict when.

A few weeks ago I chose to do a project that would help clean out my cupboards--sand dough.  The recipe is adapted from those trendy cloud dough recipes.  But what I had in my cupboard (which most people would have tossed once the expiration date had come and gone) was:

• Stone-ground whole wheat flour (old)
  
• Vegetable oil (older)
  
  

And what we made were these sandcastles:

We unintentionally left the dough outside and then it rained.  And along came a heat wave.  So the dough got icky fast.  I recommend keeping it indoors when not in use.  It might last a week or so, possibly longer if kept in the fridge.

Ordinary play sand or sandpaper castles are more durable, but the supplies needed aren't what I'm trying to clear out of my cupboards.  Another project that accomplished the same cupboard-emptying goal was our earthworm "dirt".

Are you a saver or a tosser?

Vanilla Sprinkle Ice Cream Bites

Ice cream sandwiches are the ideal summer treat in my world.  They are cool, sweet, and easy to assemble.  And they be eaten without a dish, which means less clean up!

All you need are these three ingredients:

• Vanilla wafers or cookies
• Vanilla ice cream
• Candy sprinkles

These colorful bites may be tiny, but they are just as delicious as my other favorite, Summer Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches.  Stay tuned for more ice cream variations in the weeks ahead.  As my husband likes to say, "There's always room for ice cream!"

I am also sharing this at Tasty Tuesday.

Our Alphabet Hunt = Backyard Treasures + Sidewalk Chalk

A few thoughts spring to mind when I think of spending the summer with my kids:

Anticipation of fun; apprehension about the change in routine
         Books to read; boredom to battle
                 Creative outdoor activities; creepy crawlies to study up close...

Last summer we made up songs and had fun together, with a bit of structure thrown in to keep the time from slipping away too haphazardly.  I intend to return to the summer activity calendars from Thriving Family again, but also am looking for more ways to spur fun and learning.

And happily, now I've got another resource in The We Teach: Summer Learning E-book. I joined the We Teach form to download it for free. 


 

The e-book is brimming with 25+ ideas to get our summer off to a great start. Today I'll share our variation on an idea from the literacy section of the e-book.  I loved Amy Mascott's idea to have a backyard alphabet hunt.  We simply made our hunt paperless.

What we did:

1.  Instead of a roll of paper we used pavement and sidewalk chalk.  We made a grid to write in the 26 letters.

2.  We filled in the grid with corresponding objects.
                                                                                                         

"R" is for rope,"V" is for vine, "W" is for wrapper, "S" is for stick...

Our "A" specimen was prone to wandering off the grid.

3.  We took Amy's idea one step further and tried to see what words we could spell with just the filled letters.  For a kinesthetic experience, we jumped on each letter square while spelling the word.  Fun for all!

Find more inspiration at Show and Tell this week!

Summertime Pursuits: Gardening and Sketching

Nature’s rhapsodic effect on me is evident the moment I step outdoors.  My anxiety level plummets almost instantly.  When I return indoors, I may be inspired to write about the pleasures of gardening or the satisfaction gained by sitting and sketching a leaf.  And I have, in truth, written about both.  You will find my thoughts in these pieces at AC:

• What Remains: A Gardening Poem

• Sketching Nature as a Summer Hobby:  The Art of Seeing

My version of outdoor living doesn’t require owning a cushy patio set.  Blades of green grass beneath my feet are enough.  Line drying my clothes in the warm breeze (preferably barefoot) and picking fresh berries are what I savor doing the summertime months.  How about you?  What are you looking forward to in these months ahead?

Summer Craft Ideas to Do Outside

Summer is getting closer and closer, with Memorial Day serving as the kickoff in my way of thinking.  In 2011, that weekend marks the end of school, at which point I will be back to spending all day with my three energetic children.  Thankfully, we share some common loves, like crafting, nature, and berry picking.  Ever since the weather warmed, for instance, my son cannot stop talking about summer and inquiring when the berries will be ready to pick.

When we are not picking strawberries, mulberries and raspberries, among other things, we will be doing some crafts in the summer months.  Preferably we'll bring our materials outdoors, though some crafts are not compatible with the summer breezes.  Choosing projects with materials that are less likely to be blown off the table is key.

Craft projects that, in my opinion, can be made outdoors:

Patriotic Pinwheel Bracelet

Spider Web Lacing
(a perfect compliment to The Very Busy Spider)

Ribbon Wrapped Ring Toss Game

Pistachio and Pasta Art

Bejeweled Boxes

Sandpaper Castles

Recycled Snack Boxes
(handy for our jaunts to nearby parks)

Gumball Bracelets
(a great way to use up parade candy)

We will surely be spending time indoors as well, and I hope to make more effective use of my "Jar O' Fun" idea this time around.  My plan is to have the kids draw out ideas at the end of each week and then slot those activities into the coming week.  That way we can create a workable schedule and make sure we are stocked with any necessary supplies.

How do you plan to spend your days this summer?

I am also linking to Friday Flair and Penny Pinching Party.

10 Things to Savor from This Summer

1. Sun-kissed tomatoes from our garden

2. Sweet pea bouquets

3. Snoozing in my Vietnamese hammock

4. Sweet-smelling clothes from the line

5. Summer Spice Ice Cream Sandwiches

6. Stories illustrated and told by my sanguine 5-year-old

7. Sounds of "yee haw!" as my daughters rode like cowgirls in the backyard

8. Scrumptious homemade raspberry pie and jams from St. Joseph Island

9. Seeing my grandfather and grandmother in Ohio

10. Stone necklace my husband gave me on our 10th anniversary

What are you savoring?

Summertime Crossroads

After 7 months away, I spent the morning as a substitute IEP instructor once again. I would like to transfer my confidence and enthusiasm for teaching into a drive to get my house in order, which is my real day job. For some reason, though, performing before an audience motivates me, while working on daily tasks at home does not. How can I increase my motivation at home? Any ideas?

Meanwhile, my daughters are finishing up with school, and starting next week we will have to decide how to arrange each day together. I am looking forward to these weeks, hoping to do activities that will help them develop spiritually, morally, and creatively. Yes, it is a daunting challenge, which is why I was thankful to discover a daily calendar resource in the latest issue of Thriving Family magazine. These summer months are such an important time to work on shaping their character, and I need to take all the help I can find to get on track and stay focused on what's important.

So the start of summer seems to be another crossroads for me. Will I use my time with my three children wisely and intentionally, making the most of every opportunity? Or will I drift and allow distractions to divert our attention from what we need most--obedience and a closer connection to God.