One of those rainy days...

You know it is one of those rainy days....

On those rainy days, sometimes camping out and
watching a movie is the best thing you can do

The kids are rambunctious and full of energy. Being trapped in the camper, our home, 'Arrakus' to us, tests the limits of controlled chaos. I fully expected Jen's hair to be completely white, and Dos bouncing off the walls from the sheer confinement.

I was greeted with none of that. Jen and Jr. were on the couch reading a book together. Tayla ("T-Rex") was playing with her naked barbies. Don't ask me why they are naked. Rest assured that if you buy this child a Barbie, it will inevitably end up naked. I think, clothes on these figures are just extra wrapping to her. Either way, she was having a great time playing with them.

Jen had stewed chicken on the stove cooking away while I sat and unwind. Uno and Dos were out making new friends and riding their bikes. The weather had been clear for just a short hour and they took full advantage of getting on the bikes and 'vamoosing' away.

Funny thing these kids. They were so worried about not having friends, or being able to make new friends. But not a week goes by and they have made numerous new friends and pen-pals. Is it still called pen-pals when they just email each other? I digress.

I remember the fears of family members that our kids were grow up awkward. They were afraid are children would turn into the 'social pariah' of weirdness. Rest assured, my kids are socially healthy, have tons of interests, and can make friends at a drop of the hat. I challenge the notion to say my kids are better at making friends that 'normal' kids. You see, my kids don't have a social ladder to climb. My kids don't have to have approval from others in order to fit in a specific pecking order. My kids are kids, and can be just that. My kids are not pressured to fit into a specified peer group. My kids are 'free range....'

Free range? Doesn't that sound ultra hip and veggie? Oh dear, does that mean I am a hippy? Well, so far I don't dress like one, I still like to hunt, shoot guns, and guns shows are second or third most important events to attend other than church and evening supper. But yes, I am a little free range I guess. I am happy my kids are home schooled, and I am happy my kids are free to explore the world instead of confined to a specific geographic location. Just this last month, you would be amazed if you could see what I see in my kids eyes. It is like a world is unlocked to them. They have explored, done things, and seen many new things that they would never had a chance to see without this opportunity to be with me on the road.

Art and History Night

The Board Game of Se-net

Tonight turned into Art History night...

We started the evening with chili on the stove and an evening of sharing. Kids were in rare form for sure. We had a stressful day. Tonight we planned a simple evening filled with quiet times of reading, or other less involved activities.

Jen had to deal with our 'black pyramid' and had to flush the tank again. I had a brutal day answering the phone and fixing user issues. I think the quiet time was much needed as I really didn't want to have a lot of noise in the background. Spend a day in a cramped room surrounded by unhappy folks and dealing with critical issues does that to you.

I started the book 'Midnight in the garden of good and evil' and Momma-San went to bed early leaving me with a disquieted and rambunctious group of minions. No problem I thought. My book will have to wait. Uno asked for a game of Se-net. She is enthralled with everything Egyptian. She got this really cool book with fold outs and activities that she bought from her trip to the Museum in Chicago.

She told me the rules, we played. It was surprisingly fun. Much like a mix of chess, Othello, and 'Sorry!' all rolled into one. I like playing board games, the problem with two person games is that everyone else wants to play. Trying to keep T-Rex, the most annoyed minion who wanted to play, occupied was a tough job.

I haven't sketched in years, this was my result

That is when we turned to art. T-Rex was satisfied coloring in her new coloring book. Uno and Dos wanted me to teach them how to draw. We spent the next hour and a half working on drawing the human head and how to sketch things so that they eventually come out the way they wanted to.
In the end, all off to bed. I settled the minions down with a little struggle, and I am off to bed.

Indiana Dunes and the Jr. Ranger Program

Officially, we have told the kids that school starts next week. This will allow us to fully try out road schooling and determine whether or not this is something we want to do for the long term. I will say however, I am very impressed with how the kids are adapting. They have come from having their own rooms to a much more cramped living space. Our living room is combined with kitchen and dining room which means that we multi-purpose everything.

However, each of the children have a designated place to use for learning and working. 'Defined' spaces means a lot to our children as we are still fighting constant 'mines' over property. Just last night we had an Epic battle over an extra blanket being used during a movie of  'Mirror, Mirror' we rented from RedBox. 'It's Mine,' got in the way of a peaceful evening only to be settled by me turning off the TV and reminding the children that we are all in this together and that sharing is an absolute must. Finally, they calmed down and peace was restored.

The Indiana Dunes has been a huge draw for us. The kids love adventures at the beach. From climbing Mt. Baldy, to just playing on the beach, the kids seem to love it. I am actually even more impressed with the Indiana Dunes Junior Ranger Program. They have booklets that you can get in their office or download. The kids explore and learn about the lake shore, the beaches, plants, birds, and other historical information. From there, they fill out their booklets to turn them in and get their Junior Ranger badge.

Earlier last week, I had the chance to climb Mt. Baldy and it was a fun adventure for all. There is so much to do and see. It has also provided us with an endless list of 'to do's' and 'to see's.' What better way to spend an evening than a sunset walk along the beach with the wife as the kids scamper and play in the surf?