Tis The Season

It will soon be Christmas and we are busy preparing for the big day. I'm almost finished my shopping and that feels really good...no stress! When the kids go back to Barrie next week I will be busy wrapping! Katie will help me with the baking and we'll be done! This past week we went to the lighting of the bay festivities. They had a big fire on the beach with different choirs all singing Christmas songs. It was a cool night so they served chilli, soups and hot chocolate. And of course Santa made an appearance. Katie had already visited with Santa at the mall...she insisted we go to talk to him and she actually sat on his lap(this is a big deal if you know Katie). She didn't want to tell him what she wanted for Christmas...all she wanted to know was where his reindeer were. They took a picture but if it weren't for Santa it would be a great mug shot of her! She took it very seriously! The kids picked out a tree this year and we've set it up outside and the lights are up. It's looking very festive!

Katies First Photo

What happens when you let your three year old use the "really big camera"? Great things of course! Katie has been wanting to take pictures with mommy's camera for some time now. So the other day I spent some time with her and here is her best shot. She now officially has the photography bug that has bit her siblings. I can't wait to see what else she comes up with.

Swimming with Stingrays

One of the highlights of our trip was swimming with the stingrays...it was something we could all do together. It's hard to believe you are out in the ocean away from everything and there's a huge sand bar with fifty stingrays swimming around. Ali of course was jumping off the boat and gone before the rest of us even had our snorkeling gear on. Katie had no reservations either..she loves being in the water and because the water was so clear she could see everything. Maddy has done some snorkeling before too so she had a great time watching and touching the stingrays. We also did some snorkeling on the reef ...waves were a bit rougher here but lots of fish...and of course Katie and I hung out on the beach for a while.

Those of you who really know Ali will not be surprised to hear that he took his lizard catching to a whole new level while we were in the Grand Cayman. He happily disappeared for hours looking and catching all types of geckos, lizards and iguanas. The hotel staff were quite happy to have him around, encouraging him to catch everything he found and pointing him in the direction of more. As I was lounging on the beach one afternoon I heard Ali calling me from behind...you could hear the happiness in his voice! This was what he brought to me. Sigh. I am not particularly fond of reptiles, but have always encouraged Ali's passion for them. It was so great to watch him crawl through bushes and up trees to get a glimpse of something he spotted, and to see the true joy he experienced doing it. Thankfully the hotel staff also always seemed to be around to clean his scrapes, cuts and bites he endured during this week!

A Sneak Peak

We just came home from our holidays in the Grand Cayman. I'm working on getting my photos sorted so I've just got a sneak peak right now...I could fill pages with photos of everything we did...we had such a great time! Here's a few to get started...

The Week in Review

Wow...time is somehow flying by right now and I can't seem to keep up with the blog these days. Right now the kids and I are sitting in a hotel at LAX waiting to catch a plane tomorrow. YUP...we're going on a holiday! I'm laughing as I type because it seems crazy to say we are taking a holiday when we are travelling the way we do right now. But the truth is, although we move around from place to place, we are still living a regular life when we park it. We still have to clean the house, go grocery shopping, the kids still do the regular activities they always have...it's still real life stuff. So we are going on a real holiday. Tomorrow morning we will get up at a ridiculous time (3am?) and hop on a plane to meet Bill in the Grand Cayman Islands. We are all excited to just hang out and relax...no cooking and cleaning for any of us! That's a real holiday! We're also excited because Gramma and Grampa are coming out to see us all well. We haven't seen them for a long while so it's big anticipation here. We'll also be celebrating Katie's third birthday while we are there! She's getting so tall our little monkey! On Halloween the older kids were telling jokes (found on candy wrappers) so Katie makes one up all by herself...

"Why couldn't the ghost eat dinner?"

"Because he didn't have a fork!"

Ah...to be three!

The kids have been really busy since Halloween. We have joined a group in Long Beach that does historical reenactments...so the kids are learning swording right now. If you know Maddy and Ali, then you know how appropriate this really is. Even Katie is allowed to participate. We've also started regularly attending the DragonTree Homeschool Park Day...they are the largest consistent gathering of unschooling families we've ever seen...at least 20 families are there very week. For the past few weeks there has been a dance instructor giving the kids hip hop lessons at the park. It's been fun and entertaining. Ten days into November and we are at 29 books for our 100 book challenge...yikes...I think I am going to have to pick up the pace a bit on this one... I have also been getting out and meeting new people...I've joined the local knitting group and meet with them every week for chatting and knitting. It's nice to find people who share an obsession! So I guess you can see why the blog is a little neglected these days! It's okay...I love being busy as along as we throw a few quiet, still moments in there for us all to breath!

The one year mark...

A year ago we traded this:
For this: and we're loving it!

This week we celebrated one year on the road. I have to admit it has gone by very quickly. When I look back at all the places we've been and the people we've met I have no regrets about choosing to do this. It has been such an adventure! And it appears we've come full circle...one year ago we began this journey in California and a year later we are in California again. We've been here six weeks now and the kids are already asking where we are going after California. Interesting that they don't ask if we are going "home" anymore. What we've all come to realize during this year is that "home" really is wherever we are...all of us together. We've come to like that every couple months our back yard changes, and we meet new neighbours, new friends. That certainly doesn't mean that we all don't crave a little more indoor space...the kids would love a bigger room, I'd love a bath tub...but these things don't really compare to what we are experiencing together. How long will we continue? That seems to be the question everyone is asking us these days. And we have no answer. I can't imagine living in a house right now and not being able to just pack up and go whenever we want. This lifestyle suits us still...we are enjoying our freedom and not ready to give that up. Maybe one day...

100 Book Challenge

Thanks to Tracy and Sharon who led me to this great challenge. You can find it on www.home-grownkids.blogspot.com if you'd like to join us. I love to read...and i will read just about anything! Right now i'm reading The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer...just finishing it up actually...and I have a ton of books waiting to be read so this challenge should be great for me. What I am excited about is that the kids asked to participate too. While they all enjoy reading, they seem to go through phases where all they do is read, read, read....or they read nothing at all. It seems they are in the reading phase right now! Maddy is reading Twilight, Ali is reading Vampires:The Occult Truth, and Katie is reading Pumpkin Soup. We've decided for this challenge we would limit the picture books that we read with Katie...we could have the 100 done in a week if we included them! Next week we will be going on holidays so we have 8 hours of flight time and a week of relaxing to enjoy some books....now to decide which books to take!

Visiting The Farm

SIGH....


Okay ... we are down another computer...unfortunately it's mine...so I'm at the kids mercy of getting a little "computer time"...they are very generous so it hasn't been a big problem. However all my photos are on my computer and I can't post any pictures on the blog. The good news is how much more we get done in a day without my computer though...who knew! This past week we've done lots of baking, lizard catching, swimming, the beach,tree climbing and just goofing off...we finally made it to the pumpkin patch too. it really was an interesting trip because it was so different than doing it in Ontario...not only did we get great pumpkins, we also picked onions, beans, carrots and radishes! We did the normal corn mazes, hay bale play too but we are not used to being able to pick our own local produce year round...and so close to us! This will probably become a regular activity for us since everyone had a great time and we had some yummy veggies to make with dinner! The kids also got their electric scooters this week and have been zipping around as fast as they possibly can. I must admit I tried them out and can see why they are always on them... I just don't go as fast as them!

Halloween Crafts

The beginnings of a new garden...

I normally try to get the blog updated every few days. This has been difficult lately as Ali's computer is in getting fixed...again...did you know Katie now weighs enough to crack the entire keyboard if she stands on a computer?...sigh...So Ali has been using my computer...a lot...thank goodness Bill had the smart idea to get the extra warranty on the kids laptops...we've used it!!

I'm managing to snag a few moments when I can convince him it's absolutely necessary for me to check my emails (and facebook if I can get away with it!). So I will have to get the pictures up later but for now I can update you on our week. Saturday we all went to Huntington Beach...we have an annual pass so we can laze around for the whole day on the uncrowded beach...the kids are always happy to play in the sand and water and Bill dug these huge holes with the kids that had everyone stopping and admiring them. They were deep enough that you couldn't see them when they were inside them! Sunday found us at Camping World...one of our favorite stores of course...I really needed some outdoor lights so we could stay outside longer in the evenings...it gets dark too early for me.

Monday the kids planted a garden. We bought a bunch of pots and soil and the kids all picked out plants and seeds to grow. The big pots have flowers to decorate our yard and the smaller ones have carrot seeds and bean seeds. Katie picked out a tomato plant and they all helped plant some herbs to make a little herb garden. Gardening is one thing I think we all miss about having a permanent home and yard...this should help!

The kids have also been busy making Halloween decorations. This week we put up a giant spider web, some orange lights, ghosts and lots of spiders! More spookiness to come! We will visit the pumpkin patch this weekend so we should have some great pumpkins to add.

Later in the week I went out with the moms from the local homeschooling group. It was nice to meet new people and get the inside scoop for activities the kids can participate in the area. In the next few weeks we will be trying out some new groups and activities and see how it goes. The kids never complain about trying new things that's for sure! On Friday we went to the beach with some new friends. The kids really enjoyed hanging out together and we've already made plans to get together again to do the San Diego Zoo. The beautiful sunshine and sound of the ocean made up for the parking ticket I got....hmmm...something about me and California I guess...hope this is it for the traffic/parking tickets!! Another weekend approaching...at least Bill be driving for the weekend so I'm safe for a couple days!!

Ali can be found reading just about anywhere these days!

Meeting New Friends

This week we joined up with the Orange County Unschooling group at an amazing new park near us. I can't believe we never found this park before! It certainly pays to hang with the locals! Katie liked the two story sand box, and doing the crafts that some of the other families brought. Maddy practiced for a while and mastered the stilts, and Ali...well... give the boys something to wield and it's like they've always known each other! It was great just to hang out with like minded people for the afternoon..we look forward to becoming regulars at this park day!

Saving the Seals

One of the kids favorite places to go near here is the Pacific Marine Mammal Centre. This place really is great...right now they are rehabilitating three elephant seals, eight sea lions and three harbor seal pups. If it's not busy the staff usually will take the children behind the fences and talk to them about the animals and what they do to help them. This week while I was chatting with one of the volunteers she invited the kids and I to come to the releasing of three seals that were fully recovered and ready to re-enter the ocean. What a great opportunity, as this is generally not open to the public. I assured her we would be there! So Sunday morning we left at 7:30 to go to the beach and be part of reuniting the seals with the ocean! It turned out to be an extremely joyous and emotional experience as we watched these little ones scamper across the sand and swim off...we watched them for quite awhile swimming, jumping and just playing! And the three of them stayed together the whole time. This was probably one of the most exciting things we have experienced since being on the road, and we are so thankful to the centre for inviting us!

We've been in Newport Beach now for one week, and we've slipped into a somewhat familiar pattern...eat, sleep and beach! I'm sure the novelty will where off at some point, but every time we head out to go somewhere the kids all ask "can't we just go to the beach instead?". Can't blame them...

This time around things are a little different for us. Last time we were here in Newport Dunes we were with our travelling partners the Goodman-Caines. This time we are on our own. The kids have already met some people, both new and familiar faces, so they are off playing...but I definitely get to see more of them now. And they are eager to go out...I always have company whether it's the grocery store or a walk. I'm really enjoying that! It's also nice to be close to Bill's work. He's always up and gone early and home early in the day so we have lots of time to enjoy with him. We have started going for walks every evening as a family... it's good exercise and a great time for us all to goof around and laugh!

We arrived in California two months earlier this year so the weather is also different...the Santa Ana winds means temperatures of 90 degrees....most often we are over 100 degrees...we are definitely soaking up the sun! No complaints here!!

On The Way...

We're four hours from our new home...sure we could have made it in a crazy three days but honestly, I finally just had to call a pit stop. We've been boondocking it since we left... At this point...day three of our forty hour trek across the country (again!)...we are in need of a few things...showers top the list right now! So we are in Vegas staying at the rv park we were going to visit on our previous trip out here but never made it. Funny that they assigned us a site and it was on "California Rd". After showers for everyone we went out for real food...well...not road food anyways and then back to relax before bed. Being so close to California means we can finally get a good nights sleep and leave a little later in the day.
It's been a fairly quiet ride out here. Unlike any of our other long hauls, we've had no rain, no winds, just really nice weather to drive in. I slept though a lot of the mountain driving so my nerves are still intact too! And for once Maddy's ears are not bothering her...yeah! We had some incredible scenery going through Colorado and Utah...enough to keep the drive interesting for everyone. And the weather right now...at 11pm...is HOT! Long day so I'm off to tuck in my kiddos while Bill either wins or loses my fortune at the casino!

Hangin With Family and Friends

Our last two weeks in Ontario were spent visiting with friends and family as much as possible! Good times!

Anticipation

Anticipation is building as we prepare to leave our familiar stomping ground of years gone by. The RV is finished with the scheduled maintenance, the wallet is now a bit lighter but the piece of mind is worth it as our journey across the continent for a second time is about to begin. Not sure what route we will take, but I am sure Lisa will have us on a new path, yet to be travelled so that we see new places and things. We are not planning stops or stayovers, the kids want to try and go long and far during the beginning. A case of Red Bull in the fridge and we are ready to roll! This time of year is also a tough one with the two year anniversary of Mom's passing. I am also anxious "to get out of Dodge" before September 25th arrives. Mom continues to enjoy the view from the front windshield so I would rather have her with us on the warm sunny shores of California before the snow flies.

Happy 13th Ali!

It's hard to believe that Ali is turning 13 today. We are so proud of our "man-child"! As many of you know Ali is our wild and wacky one. He's quick to joke, laugh and doesn't mind making a fool of himself for a laugh! He loves adventure...if there is a snake or lizard he will find it. If there is something to climb he'll climb it. And if there's water around...he's in it! If he can build it or blow it up he's happy! But there is so much more to our Ali. If you are lucky enough to be friends with Ali then you are rewarded with someone who is extremely loyal and protective. He is always there when you need him and he will always have your back. If you are family you are even luckier because you get to witness his free spirit and generous heart. He is passionate about what he believes in and will always give you an honest opinion. His energy is endless, his joy for life evident in everything he does. And thirteen years ago today he gave me the greatest gift imaginable....motherhood.

It's been a couple weeks since I've been able to even get on the computer. It all started on the Monday when Maddy went to get her braces. She sure looks cute in them! The novelty for her however lasted about six hours...after that it was seven days of torture! Poor thing didn't eat for a week and was extremely uncomfortable...and asked everyday to go back and get them off...by day eight she was back to eating most things. Unfortunately she caught a cold this same week... I'm sure you can imagine what happens when a nasty cold gets into a 500 sq. ft. house with five people in it...yup...everyone was sick. Thankfully for the most part it was quick to pass...I'm the only one left with it and at least I can tolerate it. Just when we thought things were on an upward swing, poor Maddy got a bacterial infection that required antibiotics...which would have been okay except on day six of a seven day treatment she broke out into hives. So she's allergic to the antibiotic and is covered with hives and swelling...itchy and painful. Man I wish I could erase these two weeks for her...

Familiarity

Life here has taken on a familiar look. We seem to have picked up right where we left off when we left....the kids joining in on the regular homeschooling activities and spending time with family and friends. It's interesting because one of the things I love most about being on the road is the unpredictability of life...that each day is different and we never "plan"...we just do. My kids on the other hand are loving this more "scheduled" life. They like knowing that every Monday we go to the library program, that every Wednesday we go to the homeschooling park day...and the rest of the week they are busy planning what we will do on our usual off days. So often we end up at a friends house, meeting someone for lunch, taking classes...well you get the picture. I find it amusing because when we are on the road they never asked what are we doing tomorrow, or tried to plan anything. Instead they would awake each morning...well okay sometimes afternoon!...and ask each other what what do you want to do today...and off we'd go. Another big difference is that I feel like we are constantly rushed these days....we have to "be" somewhere all the time. On the road we were never in a hurry. In fact most of the time we never even knew what time it was. Being back has made me realize that I prefer to take it a day at a time and just go with the flow of whatever life throws at us. But right now the kids only have a few weeks left to "pack it all in" before we leave...and I see how happy they are doing it all... so I will happily taxi them around to enjoy all the things they are passionate about right now and I will have a smile on my face while I do it!

Happy Birthday Great Grandma!

Not sure what to call this picture! We were at Auntie Cindys for a barbecue and the kids played in the sprinkler...this was about as high as it was allowed according to Katie! She's definitely not a water baby!