tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2259484979196651452024-02-18T21:38:09.622-05:00kt-the-robinKatie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.comBlogger421125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-69081620873853313792023-04-15T17:32:00.004-04:002023-04-15T17:36:44.351-04:00Last Day in Utah and the Journey Home: Canyonlands National Park<p>Our Utah trip has come to a close and we made it back home after a total of 20 hours in airports and on planes as well as over 1,000 miles of driving. It will be a trip written on our hearts for years to come.</p><p>Our favorite arch was Double Arch and our favorite hike was to Corona Arch. We prefer hikes that require dirt roads and climbing over rocks opposed to walking up stairs carved into the stone. All things wild prove to be worthwhile. </p><p>The boys were intrigued by the fact that you could see red desert rock right in front of you and also snow-covered mountains next to them. I was surprised by how there were mountains, buttes, and huge rock formations everywhere--it was not just a vast plain with a mountain here and there. They jutted forth and crowded in all over landscape.<br /></p><p>On Thursday morning, the weather gave a noticeable shift. It was overcast, windy, and cooler. Sand blew in everywhere, rusty ghosts hovering above the road. We checked out of the townhouse and visited one last adventure: Canyonlands National Park. The drive took us up the road and to the west where we found more greenery than Arches. Cows grazed in the open pasture and one crossed the road before us. </p><p>The rangers were so nice this trip and treated Jack like a celebrity for helping us get our free fourth graders' park pass. They said, "Oh, wow! You have a <i>fourth grader</i> on board?!" It was really sweet.</p><p>First up was Mesa Arch. It is a short hike and we got in line to take a picture by the arch. You can see the canyon in the background of the arch. Afterward, we walked to the side and looked over the canyons below. I could have stayed a lot longer just sitting and taking pictures, but it was getting crowded and we had more to do.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52816169895_bc63b8800a_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52816169895_bc63b8800a_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815761196_e4c676216c_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815761196_e4c676216c_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p>We drove on to Upheaval Dome. Evidence points to this crater having been created by meteor. It's origins are not fully known. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52816213278_a9f221fbeb_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52816213278_a9f221fbeb_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Lastly, we went to Grandview Overlook. The viewing area was a little crowded, so we walked over to the side to take pictures. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815199412_ff7ed5080d_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="800" height="556" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815199412_ff7ed5080d_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815199607_ce9fa4801a_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="800" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52815199607_ce9fa4801a_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p>Canyonlands was unique in its own way and it was nice to not have to hike too, too much with our sore legs. The perfect way to close out our trip. It was definitely growing more crowded as the day went on. From there, we drove four hours back to Salt Lake City to stay the night in a hotel in preparation for our 6:00 AM flight.</p><p>We all felt like we would have enjoyed another day or two in Moab. There is so much to do, and it felt like we barely began to cover it all. However, I know we pushed the boys with multiple hikes every day (and no rest days), so it was time to get on home and see all our critters again. </p><p>The flights home were mostly uneventful, which is always good. Tiring, but uneventful. Around 5:30 PM, we arrived home and felt relieved to sit in our backyard with our dogs, chickens, and trees. The yard is a mess, full of pollen and dirt, but it was refreshing to see trees and feel that sticky humidity. The trip was incredible, and we are blessed to feel content to be home.</p><p>So, what's next? Eliot and Jack really want to go to Sequoia. I need a couple of years to forget how nauseous I feel on planes and we'll need to save up. I do have enough points to cover at least one plane ticket. ;)<br /></p>Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-88462104686144260632023-04-12T21:04:00.005-04:002023-04-15T21:00:15.449-04:00Utah Trip Days Four and Five: Arches National Park<p>As is the same for many people, Arches National Park inspired our trip to Moab, Utah. It was our main destination. I had never been to a national park before and wasn't sure what to expect, especially since we could only travel for spring break (didn't want to deal with the heat of summer) and it is one of the most popular parks.</p><p>From April until October, you must purchase your ticket with an assigned entry time in advanced. We bought tickets for two days as soon as they went on sale. I imagined it would feel like a crowded theme park, but it hasn't been too bad.</p><p><b>Arches Day One</b> <br /></p><p>We got up in time for our 10:00 AM entry time and picked up donuts from The Donut Shop. Eliot and Jack enjoyed sugar twists and Chris picked out a coffee and a maple. We wanted to try Doughbird, but it happens to be closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday--the only days we are here! However, the boys loved their donuts and were quite happy. We had extra time and sat at a viewing area of the Colorado River as a skydiver glided down. <br /></p><p>Fortunately, I was very wrong about the crowds. The line to enter the park was reasonable--only about four cars ahead of us. Jack is in fourth grade and got us a free National Parks entrance pass. </p><p>First up was Balanced Rock. We watched <i>Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade </i>in preparation for our visit and Jack said that Balanced Rock probably wasn't as big as it looks from the movie. He changed his tune when he saw it in person--he said it was bigger than it looked in the movie.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373886_98d6d6ef13_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373886_98d6d6ef13_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p></p><p>From there, it is a short drive to Double Arch, the Windows, and Turret Arch. We hiked up to Double Arch first and played Indiana Jones again. Double Arch is huge and so much fun to crawl up the rocks and explore. The view was incredible too. It is all just too much to take in.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810826548_0b6b4034d4_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="799" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810826548_0b6b4034d4_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810826343_c61d804e8f_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810826343_c61d804e8f_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810779060_7924e9be19_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="799" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810779060_7924e9be19_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p>We walked over to the Windows and watched chipmunks run all around the rocks. The crowds were increasing, which were fine for still enjoying the arch, but making pictures difficult. Chris took Eliot down on a trail while Jack and I dangled our legs over the edge just to make Chris sweat a little.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373291_9cf48fb5ff_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="799" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373291_9cf48fb5ff_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373366_f134bd31bd_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373366_f134bd31bd_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I didn't expect a whole lot from Turret Arch, and it wasn't necessarily on my "list," but we enjoyed this one even more than the Windows. Maybe it was because there were less people and we felt like we could explore more and take more pictures. Eliot is starting to look for opportunities to take pictures on his phone too, and we took one of each other.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810571279_756867840e_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810571279_756867840e_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810570824_c5611814bd_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="800" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810570824_c5611814bd_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373111_7a3b4bd067_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810373111_7a3b4bd067_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810372811_c7f7c135c4_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52810372811_c7f7c135c4_c.jpg" width="799" /></a><p>By then, Eliot was feeling quite bad and asking to head home. It was hot and he needed to try to rest up (and probably take some medicine). I felt like we could have done more, but we did knock a lot off our list for the day. We stopped by the welcome center to buy patches for the boys.</p><p>We took it easy for the rest of the day while Chris went for a run. Eliot has been dealing with chronic nausea and stomach pains for about six months. He had been doing kind of OK during our trip. Around 8:30 PM, he was in real trouble and started throwing up. This continued until 12:30 AM. Poor kid... He woke up feeling, errr, bad in the morning, but not throwing up anymore.</p><p></p><b>Arches Day Two</b><p></p><p>Delicate Arch was our goal for the day. Since Eliot was not doing awesome and Delicate Arch is an incredibly strenuous hike, I wasn't confident that we would make it, but he really put in his best effort. Delicate Arch is such an iconic arch that we didn't want to miss it. Eliot grumbled a bit along the way, yet he pushed through.</p><p>Here's where the crowds really kicked in. Chris said he felt like we were on a pilgrimage--and I had thought the exact same thing. We trudged forth up and up and up. It was about 80 degrees and a tough hike. I felt like Chris and I were at max parent-level or a "don't be like your parents" Progressive commercial because every time the wind blew, he or I would say, "Oh, that breeze feels nice." Just trying to keep these kids going and positive. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813070345_bca8278aa7_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813070345_bca8278aa7_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813071965_b0e9c8be63_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813071965_b0e9c8be63_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p>After we finally conquered most of the uphill, we hiked along the narrow path with a wall to the right and a large drop-off into a canyon on the left. Chris doesn't do heights. He doesn't do narrow either (and it grew much narrower than this picture). When we had two-way traffic going, it became... a bit. He asked the boys to keep one hand on the wall.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813159984_d681996c9a_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813159984_d681996c9a_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p>Around the corner and there it was: Delicate Arch. And probably like 150 people, many of them waiting in line to take a picture. I'm big on pictures and not big on crowds; however, I wanted to ensure we got some nice shots to remember our time here. Who knows if we'll ever be back. If we do return, my boys won't be nine and twelve anymore: they'll be someone else.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812855529_48991d4559_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812855529_48991d4559_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812660166_38a00461ac_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812660166_38a00461ac_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812100677_03a5506ce1_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812100677_03a5506ce1_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p>We walked back to the shade and sat down to rest before going back down. Jack (who is usually very positive in general) said he didn't think the hike was worth it because of the crowds--that he wasn't able to enjoy the arch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813114053_019e719a9c_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813114053_019e719a9c_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>I had him stand and took pictures at our resting area. Then he turned around and asked, "Can we climb up there to that arch?" Chris said it looked dangerous and I said, "Yeah, let's not. You keep looking that way, Chris. Jack and I are definitely not climbing this way." And we climbed on up. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-den4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/341281739_1164754937548793_6169470353937415891_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=-b_FkGBZspsAX_a5Tes&_nc_ht=scontent-den4-1.xx&oh=00_AfAJz9f3C10kYzNOwXh9EgbQS3rdXThDCQGw64qWhFO2UQ&oe=643CE0CA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://scontent-den4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/341281739_1164754937548793_6169470353937415891_n.jpg?stp=cp6_dst-jpg&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=-b_FkGBZspsAX_a5Tes&_nc_ht=scontent-den4-1.xx&oh=00_AfAJz9f3C10kYzNOwXh9EgbQS3rdXThDCQGw64qWhFO2UQ&oe=643CE0CA" width="800" /></a></div><p>And then something really cool happened. Jack looked out at the view and he could see Delicate Arch. It was his own private viewing area. Eliot climbed up too and they got the view they wanted without crowds and I got those pictures I obsess over.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812854894_cccebb8275_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812854894_cccebb8275_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812854634_dc3356df7f_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812854634_dc3356df7f_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>Another person came and took our spot, so we headed back down. On the way, we viewed the petroglyphs near the Wolfe ranch.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099837_a0cefa346b_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099837_a0cefa346b_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099602_a770f9c389_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099602_a770f9c389_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>As our time at Arches came to a close, we stopped by Park Ave for pictures. We are checking out tomorrow morning to begin our long trip home. I feel like we would have made use of another day. However, we did a lot and I feel kind of hiked-out myself. I'm sunburnt too. Don't tell my dermatologist. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099492_b06fce6a7f_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52812099492_b06fce6a7f_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813070020_f82575de69_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52813070020_f82575de69_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p></p><p>We rested up at the townhouse and then washed the rental car. It was BAD and Chris and I were nervous they might charge us extra for returning it so muddy. We did a little shopping for shirts and books, and then we had dinner and shaved ice at the food truck park. Eliot is still not feeling well, but better than last night.<br /></p><p>Tomorrow morning, we check out and will go by Canyonlands National Park. Then we'll drive two hours to Price to go to a dinosaur museum. Then onto a night in Salt Lake City to fly out early the next morning.<br /></p>Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-80245591209607022462023-04-11T09:17:00.001-04:002023-04-11T09:17:13.282-04:00Utah Trip Day Three: Wilson Arch, Dino Tracks, and Corona Arch<p> Today was our transition from Monticello to Moab. We packed up in the morning to check out of the dome and braved the creek-road one last time. Staying in the dome was a fun adventure, but we were looking forward to being able to come and go without worrying about getting stuck and also not having to drive as far. And Chris was going crazy not being able to go for runs every day. You may ask, "But if you're doing multiple hikes every day, doesn't that count?" No, it does not for Chris. Ha.</p><p>Wilson Arch is a small stop off the side of the road on the way to Moab. The arch is huge (way bigger than it looks in pictures). You could just take pictures from the parking area or hike up half-way or go all the way to the top. Jack was ready to run up while Eliot was more cautious. I told him that we could go as far up as he wanted. Then Chris, Jack, and Eliot all took off running up the steep cliffside.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808579098_2d9fa34713_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808579098_2d9fa34713_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>We went all the way up to the top and enjoyed views of the road and what looks like a small ranch behind the arch. Chris took the above picture of Eliot and me while he and Jack began climbing down. Wilson Arch is definitely worth the stop, and Eliot even said it was his favorite hike of the day.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808573718_893062033b_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808573718_893062033b_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808325289_96814c24c1_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808325289_96814c24c1_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808122191_b359a1c00e_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808122191_b359a1c00e_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808573468_b7c9eb2cf5_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="800" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808573468_b7c9eb2cf5_c.jpg" width="534" /></a></div><p>We continued on to Moab and arrived about 11:20 AM, leaving us four and a half hours until we could check into our townhouse. I planned out a couple of hikes off Potash Road, which is near the entrance to Arches.</p><p>I read about some dinosaur tracks near the Poison Spider Trail parking lot off Potash Road. I promised the boys that it was a short walk (like 0.2 miles) to the tracks. What I didn't realize (probably because I have read so many trail reports on different hikes) is that it is a strenuous 0.2 miles with a rocky, steep, narrow path that requires some scrambling. It wasn't bad, but just not what I told them to expect. Eliot and Jack enthusiastically ran ahead, not entirely intuitively following the trail, sending Chris and I into a bit of a panic. No one got hurt; we all survived. It was quite tricky getting down, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808589733_6fa58df946_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808589733_6fa58df946_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808589588_234ed9f405_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808589588_234ed9f405_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808341564_a9b6fd7203_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808341564_a9b6fd7203_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808341534_69b34f0651_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808341534_69b34f0651_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>A little farther down Potash Road is the Corona Arch and Bowtie Arch parking lot and trailhead. The lot was pretty full, but there was enough parking for us and a handful more. I had read a lot of great reports for this hike and was really excited--probably looking forward to this one more than anything throughout the trip. The boys were intimidated by the idea of hiking for three miles after already having done two hikes, being in the car so much, and the heat. I also think they were more than ready for lunch. They did it, though, and the hike did not disappoint. We crossed railroad tracks, used a chain to climb up a steep incline, climbed a ladder, and more all while surrounded by awesome red rock and a canyon in sight. You get to see Pinto Arch, Bowtie Arch, and Corona Arch on this trip.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52807608182_bd7a978056_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52807608182_bd7a978056_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808570235_36184534af_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808570235_36184534af_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808163431_0b5ce76685_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808163431_0b5ce76685_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808366299_f3f2108dba_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808366299_f3f2108dba_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808613848_c20d3a2eb8_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808613848_c20d3a2eb8_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808365769_33830142ca_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="800" height="548" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52808365769_33830142ca_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p>On the way back to Main Street, we pulled over to see some pteroglyphs carved into the wall. I took some pictures, but I haven't uploaded them yet because I'm lazy. I suspect there is a lot more to explore on Potash Road than we'll be able to take in.</p><p>We still had a couple of hours left before check-in. We got lunch and went to the rock shop where Jack and Eliot put their money together to buy a cave bear tooth. Chris browsed the bookstore and the boys said they were <i>still</i> hungry. The food truck park right by the bookstore offers many options. Jack and I split a pizza while Chris and Eliot got quesadillas followed by gelato for the boys for dessert. By then, we could go to our townhouse!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52809620324_6514e17391_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52809620324_6514e17391_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>The townhouse is in Moab, but just outside the Main Street area. We can get to the shops quickly without the noise of the road. Sometimes you go off the grid and sleep in a dome; sometimes you stay in a townhouse with a foosball table and a pool pass. It's all about balance, right?</p><p>Great day in Moab and we've barely scratched the surface. And we haven't even been to a National Park yet either! Up next: two days at Arches National Park. <br /></p>Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-80768377529072466302023-04-09T22:33:00.009-04:002023-04-10T10:54:08.724-04:00Utah Trip Day Two: Bears Ears National Monument<p> Our first full day in Utah was dedicated to exploring Bears Ears.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804614817_6e07e68e02_z.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="640" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804614817_6e07e68e02_z.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>I woke up early and, as usual, Eliot got up before the sun, but it was 4:00 AM Mountain time. We stargazed through the dome and had some special time together. Meanwhile, Jack snoozed until around 7:45 AM.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804369845_8498aff10b_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804369845_8498aff10b_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804783012_33513156ba_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804783012_33513156ba_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>As the sun rose over the dome, a rooster crowed and the boys saw a coyote and a rabbit behind our dome. The temps got down to about 25 in the night, freezing most of the water on the dirt road. Getting out was a bit easier than arriving; however, we knew it'd be difficult again to return after the road thawed.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805086922_1fbd7237f9_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805086922_1fbd7237f9_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p></p><p>Bears Ears is about an hour away. We planned a hike to House on Fire, which would require a day-use hiking permit for Cedar Mesa. We couldn't just buy one online ahead of time because all permits must be validated by a ranger. I worried that the office might be closed since it was Easter, but fortunately they were open. After buying our hiking permits, Chris pulled over to the side of the road to let me take a picture with the... bear's ears. Something like five different Native American groups named this area all in different languages, but the names each translate to the same title: Bears Ears.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805597689_85532651d4_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805597689_85532651d4_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><p></p><p>Be sure to plan ahead extensively before going to Bears Ears. There will be no cell coverage there to check on maps or details. I mapped out our directions with Google Maps before and took screenshots and also downloaded a map of Cedar Mesa. House on Fire is in Mule Canyon in Cedar Mesa. The closest ranger station is Kane Gulch. You must pay in exact cash for permits, and if you want to buy anything else (books, magnets, etc), they only take cards.<br /></p><p>The ranger said the parking area and trail head was clearly marked, but there were so many cars that they must have been blocking the signs. We drove past the parking area for a good mile on a bumpy dirt road before deciding we had gone too far and turned around. The trail itself was pretty easy. It followed along a small canyon that we crossed a few times with some water at points. We dressed in hats, hoodies, and jackets since it was cold in the morning at the dome, but it quickly warmed up. Dressing in layers is the key, I suppose. We enjoyed checking out the interesting rock features and nooks along the way.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804614047_b318550d47_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804614047_b318550d47_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805620108_c201bff90b_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805620108_c201bff90b_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805576355_0d9f417c2a_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805576355_0d9f417c2a_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804615032_66412322ff_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804615032_66412322ff_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p>After a mile, we came upon House on Fire, known for the "ceiling" above appearing to be in flames when the sun hits it just right (around 10:00 AM).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575715_f54b8781cc_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575715_f54b8781cc_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805619783_61ea5964c2_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805619783_61ea5964c2_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575880_0a5ae9ab87_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575880_0a5ae9ab87_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p>Jack and Chris went on the trail a little more through a slot of sorts. It looked really fun, but Eliot excessively worried about rattlesnakes all day for some reason. After a lot of begging from us, Eliot pushed himself and went through with us. I'm so glad he did because Chris noticed some handprint art above us. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to see any handprints during our time in Bears Ears.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805428329_31eac4009d_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805428329_31eac4009d_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575440_2a00702b40_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="799" data-original-width="533" height="799" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575440_2a00702b40_c.jpg" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805428189_137017a8e9_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805428189_137017a8e9_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>From there, we hiked back to the trailhead and had lunch in the car. Then we drove to another part of Bears Ears to see Newspaper Rock.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575075_06d6a87705_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52805575075_06d6a87705_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p>It was time to face the road home to the dome. The temperature had risen all day and we were concerned about the melted snow turning the road to mud even more. The owner of the domes said they had something like ten feet of snow rapidly melting and pouring down from the mountains. Ah. When we arrived back at the domes, the road looked more like a flowing creek and the owner (looking very stressed) was working to create a ditch to divert the water. He apologized again, but we made it to the dome and decided we wouldn't leave until it was time to check out the next morning. </p><p>After some relaxing, we hiked down the mountain behind our dome to play in the snow until everyone got wet socks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52806095085_ff9ff7c871_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="800" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52806095085_ff9ff7c871_c.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52806138928_8f1b9dd20c_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52806138928_8f1b9dd20c_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div>While the dome was complicated with the road and a bit away from everything, I enjoyed our time here. It was a unique place to stay and felt very special. Tomorrow morning, we check out of the dome and head to Moab for some adventures. Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-37180440255204775202023-04-09T08:27:00.002-04:002023-04-09T08:27:24.835-04:00Utah Trip: Getting There<p> We made it to our dome in Monticello, Utah yesterday evening about 7:20 PM Mountain time. The area is absolutely beautiful and we are all amazed by how blessed we are to get to experience this place. Jack and Eliot say it looks like Alaska (which kinda shows that we've never been to Alaska), but I'm glad that they are impressed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804358785_805f7dc1b9_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804358785_805f7dc1b9_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The morning started off at 2:30 AM. The boys did a great job getting up. I just told them one time that it was 2:30 AM. They got up, went to the bathroom, put on their shoes, and waited to leave in the den. I'm a horribly nervous traveler and I just get worse the more I travel and older I get. I take Dramamine before flights to avoid vertigo for weeks after the flight, but that makes me even more tired. I'm a bit of a mess, and all the flights and driving were quite the intimidating ordeal, but I knew we had to get out there.</p><p>And it was so worth it. And we haven't even done anything yet other than be at the dome.</p><p>After flying to Salt Lake City, we began our drive to Monticello. We rented a "standard SUV" and picked out a Jeep Grand Cherokee. It would have been nice to get a Rubicon or something, but I couldn't find any available to rent from the airport. So, Grand Cherokee it was.</p><p>Jeep Week in Moab is wrapping up, so we wanted to be outside of town a bit to avoid the crowds. We chose this dome in Monticello to feel a little like camping and enjoy some seclusion. On the way, we stopped in Provo to pick up some groceries. The dome has a fridge, but it is all solar-powered, making cooking kind of limited and the next day would be Easter (and most places closed?). </p><p>We drove what felt like forever. Every time we looked at the GPS, it seemed like more and more time was added. The closer we drove to Moab, the more interesting the landscape and we said we were amazed or a-mesa-ed.</p><p>Finding the domes wasn't too difficult, but then I finally understood why everyone was asking if we were going to Utah to ski. Snow covered the ground and mountains. And it was melting. And the dirt road became a mud road. I pretty nervous to drive on these roads in a rental car that I didn't know, but for some reason Chris and Jack said they believed in me. Kicked it into four-wheel drive and we just went for it. What else could we do? I'm definitely going to try to find a car wash before returning the Jeep.</p><p>The boys were so excited to explore the dome and share it with their grandparents. There is a queen-sized bed with a loft with two twins. We have a bathroom and little kitchen nook with a fridge and microwave. Everything we need. And of course an amazing view of mountains with a fire pit and grill. We are staying two nights here before renting a townhouse in Moab.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52803958451_181aa780d2_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52803958451_181aa780d2_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804408483_fc9b0753c8_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804408483_fc9b0753c8_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804418873_2c343c4f87_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804418873_2c343c4f87_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>We were all so tired, yet also not. We managed to stay up late enough to see the stars come out and I took a few photos with the "real" camera. Chris kept me company as I set up the long exposures and shivered in the cold. I used to dabble in photography a lot more, but now it is mostly all kid-centered. It was nice to be outside with Chris doing things we used to do before kids: spend too much time taking pictures. Coyotes yipped in the distance.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804358610_3a3df924b9_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="800" height="556" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804358610_3a3df924b9_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804212149_1213273c2c_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="799" height="533" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804212149_1213273c2c_c.jpg" width="799" /></a></div><p></p><p>Chris and I decided to sleep up in the loft in case the boys needed to
use the bathroom at night--the ladder seems tricky in the dark. And of
course Eliot was still on eastern time, so he woke up at 4:00 AM
Mountain time. I turned on the gas heater to warm the dome and we looked
at the early morning moon-lit sky together. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804369845_8498aff10b_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52804369845_8498aff10b_c.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-74992140584611109122023-04-03T14:21:00.004-04:002023-04-04T12:11:11.129-04:00Days until Arches<p>Remember when I used to blog? Oh yeah. I stopped for a few reasons, but we have a trip coming up that I definitely want to remember.</p><p>Blogging began to feel repetitive between posting for family on Facebook and Instagram. I don't post on Instagram anymore, really. I also felt that I wanted to protect my kids' privacy and not share their struggles or experiences.</p><p>If anyone is out there still reading and wondering, a lot has changed since I last wrote five years ago. Eliot is now 12 years old and in middle school. He still loves dinosaurs, but decided that being a paleontologist might be an unrealistic dream. Now he hopes to attend the Coast Guard Academy after high school or become a Nuclear Sub Officer in the Navy. I am encouraging him to keep an open mind about the future, of course. ;) He is a Boy Scout and the bugler for his troop (but he plays the trombone). He has an interest in environmental studies and conservation as well as animals--he somehow convinced us to buy chickens and is advocating for us to move to a farm so he can raise goats. Eliot isn't playing soccer these days, but runs four times a week to hopefully join the track team at school.</p><p><img alt="No photo description available." class="x85a59c x193iq5w x4fas0m x19kjcj4" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="320" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/316802378_10102130453980322_8880862398484185142_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=cVv-5HDBQAUAX_zyabk&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=00_AfC4Ph-9AAhR9ckPjZ4bKcmAC_zP3WKt1L-LCz3FyLb3oQ&oe=643016A7" width="234" /> <br /></p><p>Jack is nine years old and in fourth grade. He and Eliot are best friends, but have such opposite personalities. We struggled for two years with migraines and nausea, but he conditions are mostly under control! Because of this, he stopped playing soccer (sunlight and exertion were triggers). He is part of a wrestling club and hopes to wrestle in middle school. We take it one day at a time with his migraines. He is a Cub Scout and can join Eliot's troop next spring. He is very excited! Jack has interests in dinosaurs, geology, animals, and all things nature.</p><p><img alt="No photo description available." class="x85a59c x193iq5w x4fas0m x19kjcj4" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="320" src="https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/320436519_1210634246330474_2375598403214189108_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=PKGeUoW0RQkAX_0ycTo&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfAMVlAsfbx_nFhCMZTOUI9W16k0w56XhhgE_jMnuCREkw&oe=642F69F3" width="237" /> <br /></p><p>And about this trip...</p><p>I know I won't be able to track all of the details with simple Facebook posts, and I hope we can remember our trip and all the details. As a kid, I camped with my family most weekends, and I always wanted to make a cross-country trip to the Grand Canyon. It remained on our to-do list, but we never made it there. This spring break, we are going on our big "The Robinsons Go West" adventure. We're flying to Utah to visit Canyonlands National Park and then Arches National Park.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb_Y_aEzG5EzsR6rYU_Pueu6hT1e0pJIpezdqDryVLOjUyaj4zK32xJCmSbPolW7aI5Y2hTsA_MVBxxCdlboU8pPG1q9XSoRTvp7iArPl8K5kGdlfiz03JUfotuEF2V3KFbpSJFxGN74S_xMFRZH21QqABEseQc8MjxlO2GAQxPs0lMSmA1l__Tlr/s2483/map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="2483" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtb_Y_aEzG5EzsR6rYU_Pueu6hT1e0pJIpezdqDryVLOjUyaj4zK32xJCmSbPolW7aI5Y2hTsA_MVBxxCdlboU8pPG1q9XSoRTvp7iArPl8K5kGdlfiz03JUfotuEF2V3KFbpSJFxGN74S_xMFRZH21QqABEseQc8MjxlO2GAQxPs0lMSmA1l__Tlr/s320/map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Chris and I are so bad at forcing ourselves to travel because the money could always be used to elsewhere (so many medical bills!); however, we are making it a point to travel with our boys and have some great experiences. We enjoyed a couple of trips to Venice, Florida to hunt for shark teeth and last summer, we went on a waterfall trip to the mountains of Georgia. We talk about those trips and memories all the time. This year, we figured the boys are big enough to tackle some of the trails out west (hopefully I am too) and make more memories.</p><p><img alt="May be an image of 2 people, people standing, body of water and nature" class="x85a59c x193iq5w x4fas0m x19kjcj4" data-visualcompletion="media-vc-image" height="426" src="https://scontent-iad3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/295268053_10102041503946902_1298190833502757175_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=0debeb&_nc_ohc=s_aQGFhvkTwAX-O4jvi&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.xx&oh=00_AfBxW1VfvogAfKpGL7HVXBmPAMKgEqVyUxJCRauJM9Mjfg&oe=6430EE27" width="640" /> <br /></p><p>I am very nervous, though, about all of the logistics of the trip. That anxiety has certainly been overshadowing my excitement about this big adventure I dreamed of for, I don't know, 30 years? When Jack got off the bus the other day, I asked how he was feeling as I track his migraines and nausea daily. He said, "I'm feeling... <i>excited about Utah!!!!</i>" And I knew that I really needed to put my worrying behind me and engage in the fun with the boys as we get closer to leaving. I mean, I have taken care of most everything that I can. We're quite prepared. I have our park entrances booked, got our parks passes, booked the Air BnBs, booked the rental car, booked the flights (obviously), have our clothes mostly planned, have our BAGS mostly planned, will get our fiery furnace permits in two days when they become available... I even plan to take a carry-on with extra clothes and essentials in case the airlines lose our luggage. I guess my biggest worry is the travel in general. It will be nine hours of travel by air followed by five hours of travel by car. And our flight is at 5:15 AM. What a grueling day ahead of us. I'm certain it will be worth it in the end, though.<br /></p>Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-82760616362345761162018-08-31T08:19:00.000-04:002018-08-31T11:09:26.813-04:00Why I Let My Son "Abandon" a BookSharing literature is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. This summer, I set up a summer reading plan for both of my boys. Eliot picked out a couple of chapter books, I selected two based on reading level, and then we acquired a few more throughout the summer. He read six chapter books this summer. It was supposed to be seven, but I let him "abandon" one of the books. I always have encouraged him to finish a book that he starts, but not this time. And here's why.<br />
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At the end of first grade, Eliot tested at a fourth grade reading level, but he was teetering on a fifth grade level. That means he can read on his own at a fourth grade level while his "instructional" level is fifth grade. I looked for a good fifth grade book to be a challenge for him. We would read it together. I hoped he would come across new words that he had not seen before. We would work together and his reading level would grow. My favorite book in fifth grade was <i>My Side of the Mountain</i>. In fact, I think that along with <i>James and the Giant Peach</i> were pretty much the only books I enjoyed throughout my intermediate school years. <i>My Side of the Mountain</i> is about a boy from New York who runs away from his city apartment to live off the land in the mountains. He captures and trains a falcon to be his companion. I dreamed of Eliot reading the book and loving the falcon friend. I dreamed of us going camping and Eliot carrying the book in his heart while playing in the woods. Well, reading the book didn't go as planned.<br />
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Eliot loves animals. He loves learning about new creatures. He names every spider he sees. He is also PASSIONATE about taking care of the environment and animals. When he sees woods being cleared, he scowls. He berates construction workers creating a new road. He gets angry when he sees tree companies removing trees in the neighborhood. He angrily recounts stories of other kids stomping on ants at recess. And garbage? Oh, if he sees litter at a park or the beach, he begins yelling about litter bugs and shouts, "CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! Can you believe someone just LEFT this here?!" I should have thought about that when we read the book....<br />
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Reading <i>My Side of the Mountain</i> was going very well at first. Eliot began using his bookmark to help keep his eyes on the line straight. He was not stumbling over words at all. If we came to a simile, I would ask what it meant and he would describe it back. After reading, he would make predictions of what would come next. Before we read, he would tell me what was happening when we left off.<br />
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Then we came to the part with Frightful the falcon. In the book, the boy captures a baby falcon from a nest. After Eliot finished the chapter, he looked at me with a stone serious face. "I don't like this book." I asked why. It was the falcon. He said that Sam should not have <i>stolen</i> the falcon. He said that the bird belonged with its family. He was almost in tears. The words of the Wild Kratts (a PBS nature show) ringed in my ears. "Animals belong living free and in the wild." We say this quote a lot as we collect sandfiddlers at the beach and then let them go, or when we collect lightening bugs and then let them go, or hold an inch worm and then let it go, or when the neighbor had a raccoon in her attic and then let it go. For years, the boys have explored and looked for creatures and then<i> always let them go</i>. Of course Eliot would feel upset by Sam taking the falcon. Eliot kept using the word "stolen," but I, for some reason, never thought of it that way.<br />
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We continued to read the book anyway. Each time that I said we needed to read, Eliot would sigh and say he didn't like the book. Now, sometimes it takes a little arguing with Eliot to read. It takes arguing to get him to do anything because he often gets stuck or "sucked into" whatever he's doing, whether it is playing video games, drawing a picture, creating with legos, organizing Pokemon cards, or whatever. This was different, though. He kept saying he "really didn't like" this book. When I asked if it was hard, he said no. He said it was easy for him. It always came back to Sam stealing the falcon.<br />
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We made it to page 90. We were more than half-way done. If he finished the book and took a Read'N'Quiz test on it at school, it would be worth six points. He never asked to quit the book, but I told him that if he really didn't like it, we could abandon it. He said, "Can we just not read anymore books that has people stealing animals?"<br />
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I wanted Eliot to love the book. I also want him to love to read. He did not love the book--and that's fine--but I did not also want him to dislike reading in general because of one book. I didn't want to push him away.<br />
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We set <i>My Side of the Mountain</i> aside. Eliot is only seven. It is the first book that I let him abandon. One of my goals for the book was for him to grow in his vocabulary as well, which he did. I need to learn to set aside my expectations as well. I want to share the things I love with my children, but if they don't love them like I do, I need to acknowledge that they are individuals. I want to learn more about them--more about what they love. And this shared experience with Eliot taught me even more about my son. He is truly passionate about the right and fair treatment of animals. He's a conservationist. He's an environmentalist. He's an advocate for animal rights. And he's a vegetarian (almost vegan, but he eats yogurt)!<br />
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Eliot has read two books in the Catstronaut series. I got the third book the other day, and the next book in the <i>Bad Guys</i> series just came out too. I had pre-ordered it for him. We still have a few days left of summer break and I'm sure he will rip through those books along with the <i>Dragon Masters </i>book that he is half-way through (and started yesterday). These books are all so easy for him--too easy, even--so I'll let him read some easy books and we'll select his next challenge together. This time, I'll be sure to select a book that doesn't include stealing a falcon.Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-87982600122848751512018-08-17T11:26:00.001-04:002018-08-17T11:39:00.909-04:00Teaching Jack to Read: Tools and a Plan that Worked for UsWhen I prepared to send Eliot off to kindergarten, I did not realize what would be expected of him so quickly. I focused on letters, phonetic sounds, and numbers. We reviewed shapes and colors. I never really thought about sight reading. My niece and nephew had learned to read with "keep books," small books that used a lot of repetition with just a few words. These little, paper-back books were stapled together and the students would "keep" them. I figured that since my kids attended school in the same city, we'd have a similar process, so I wasn't worrying about it.<br />
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But I was wrong. At Eliot's school, they focused HEAVILY on sight words with word wall words. Students were all assigned a handful of words each week to memorize. They did not focus on phonics much until later with a "word study" each week in place of spelling words. The "word studies" had words that followed phonic rules, so students would organize words based on that phonetic sound. I'm not saying one is right and one is wrong, but I had been preparing Eliot with a different system in mind. The school expects kindergarteners to be reading by the end of the first nine weeks, so I felt incredibly behind.<br />
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Eliot caught up quickly and was reading at a second-grade level when he finished kindergarten (and a fourth--almost fifth--grade level when he finished first grade), but I wished I had taken a different approach in the beginning.<br />
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The second-born always gets to benefit from the mistakes and lessons learned from the first-born, right? As Jack finished up pre-K4, I did a lot of research into different methods of teaching kids to read. I wanted to include a balance of phonics and sight words. It certainly helped to know the strategy that would be used to teach him in kindergarten.<br />
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I found a few really helpful tools that we have used, including apps, books, and writing.<br />
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<b><img alt="Image result for homer app" class="rg_ic rg_i" id="pZ_WxecjT0DaOM:" 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" 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<b>Learn with Homer App</b><br />
<b> </b>To work on letters, I subscribed to the Homer app. It is about $7 a month, and parents can set up a "pathway" for kids based on their learning goals. The app includes lessons on letters with videos, games, tracing activities, and more. Multiple children can log into the app and have their own pathways. The app also has ebooks that the children can read or have read to them. I liked Homer a lot, but I began using it after Jack already knew most of his letters. It would have been more useful earlier on. I would definitely suggest it, though, if you are starting out.<br />
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<img alt="First Little Readers Parent Pack: Guided Reading Level A: 25 Irresistible Books That Are Just the Right Level for Beginning Readers" class="s-access-image cfMarker" data-search-image-load="" height="218" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61ysIPZAHNL._AC_US218_.jpg" width="218" /></div>
<b>Scholastic First Readers Books</b><br />
At our school, kindergarteners are expected to be reading at a "D" level by the end of the year, but how do you even know what a "D" level is? One way that Scholastic measures their books and reading levels is with letters of the alphabet. When Eliot was in kindergarten, I discovered these box sets organized by the alphabetical reading level. I started with D, and then bought E and F. After Eliot mastered those, I just cut him loose on whatever he wanted to read because he was reading just about anything by that point. To prepare Jack this summer, I bought a box of level A books. Each book has a couple of sight words that are emphasized with repetition. Jack's confidence is built up as he reads a real book. You can get a pack of 25 little books for about $16 on Amazon. I should probably get him the B box!<br />
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<b>Usborne Very First Readers Pack</b><br />
I also worked through Usborne's Very First Readers books. I really liked this approach. The books are meant to be read with your child. The parent reads the page on the left and the child reads the page on the right. The books follow a purposeful plan of introducing small sight words while also teaching phonics. After the child can read the book two times successfully on his or her own, you move onto the next book. It is so fun to watch your kid approach a book that seems challenging at first and then master it. For us, we just had to make sure that Jack wasn't simply memorizing the story since the first book is rather simple. I made him point to the words as he read them. Usborne books can be purchased through a seller, Amazon, eBay, and probably other places as well. I got the set of 15 hardcover books for $35 on eBay. It's a little pricey, but I think it is a well thought-out program and the books are well-made. Usborne has other sets and reading levels, but we have not delved into them beyond this set.<b> </b><br />
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<b>Writing Books Together</b><br />
I had trouble finding books that were at Eliot's level when he first started learning to read. So many of them seemed too simple or too advanced. Instead, we wrote our own books. He loves to be creative, so we would write books about our pets, dinosaurs, Godzilla, and more. I intentionally included some sight words that he was working on in school as well as some extras that I thought would be helpful to learn. Eliot took pride in our stories, and it was the first time that I could really grab his attention and get him engaged in the reading process. I have done this with Jack as well. He comes up with a topic, we brainstorm together, I write the words, we draw the pictures together, and he colors them. Then we practice reading our books.<br />
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Teaching a kid to read can feel like a huge, impossible task, but if you take it slow, try different approaches, and stay positive, they will get there! <br />
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Jack has come a long way with reading this summer. I tried to let my boys have unstructured play and laze around this summer too because I think that is important since the school year can get so busy between homework and soccer practice. I make it goal to gain new knowledge over the summer instead of losing it, though, and I am so excited to see what Jack is capable of this fall in kindergarten.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-58156748186494535162018-02-20T14:22:00.001-05:002018-02-20T14:23:42.645-05:00Listening, especially when it doesn't make senseMy boys talk a lot. Constantly. We are working on not interrupting, but it is common for them both to be talking to me at the same time. When Jack has to wait his turn, sometimes he face palms and whines. He does wait, though. And sometimes Eliot runs into a room and starts telling a story without first gauging to see if someone else is speaking.<br />
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I'm all about teaching them when it is appropriate to speak. And sometimes it can be draining to listen to all of the little inconsequential details, but I know that listening intently to my sons speak is incredibly important for both now and later.<br />
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Jack attends speech therapy for an articulation disorder. He was slower to begin talking and has had trouble speaking. When Jack speaks, I must pay close attention and listen. Sometimes I don't know all the words he is saying, so I try to pick out words I do understand and help follow his narrative from context clues. It can be hard to fill in the blanks, especially when it is all day, but it is important. It is important that he feels that he has a voice. It is important so that he keeps trying.<br />
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When Eliot gets off the bus in the afternoon, I want to hound him with questions. I want him to know that I care--and I have missed him so much! A lot of times, though, he isn't interested in recounting the ho-hum of the day. So, I ask questions, but follow his lead and give him space. He wants to get home, eat a snack, and play with his brother. As he eats his snack, though, he'll start opening up to me and tell me about things on his mind. I have learned where his boundaries stand, and I need to respect them. It is important that I remain available.<br />
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I want to support my boys, but I have learned that sometimes offering support comes more in the form of listening than giving advice. Last week after basketball practice, Eliot walked over to me with his water bottle in hand and I could see frustration all over his face. "I didn't like that practice," he said. I told him it was OK, that we'd get to the car, and I wanted to hear everything he had to say--I told him that I wouldn't speak until he was done talking. Practice had been fine--no one was mean to him--but I knew he needed to vent and didn't need me to interrupt him to tell him that he was wrong. It is important that I let my sons know that they are heard and their thoughts are valid.<br />
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I am lucky in that my boys tell me <i>everything</i>. They tell me about the levels on their video games, the toys they want, things they want to do, how their tummies feel, and so much more. It can be difficult to keep up at times, but I try to show that I am listening (and not playing on my phone) whenever they need to speak. And then sometimes they tell me very important things, like things they are afraid of, worries about school, frustration, hurt feelings, or a friend who was talking about self-harm (which I reported to the teacher).<br />
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This openness about trivial things turns into openness about bigger things. I work to establish my availability, concern, and interest today so when life grows more complicated when they get older, they know I'm always here to listen for as long as they want to speak.Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-31033335637284536092017-10-18T12:35:00.000-04:002017-10-18T14:32:37.909-04:00Kids' Book Series You Might Not Know AboutAfter finishing kindergarten, Eliot worked hard all summer to meet his reading goals by filling out a reading chart. Sometimes kids are ready for the next step in reading before you even realize it. On a whim, my husband suggested that we buy Eliot his first chapter book while walking through Target one day. We chose the first <i>Magic Treehouse</i> book, and, sure enough, Eliot ripped through the book in two sittings.<br />
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Ever since, Eliot has been devouring books at a rate that I couldn't keep up with. I'm always looking for new chapter books series for him, but I couldn't find much "new" online other than <i>Captain Underpants </i>and <i>The Boxcar Children</i>. Don't get me wrong. I love <i>The Boxcar Children</i>, but I wanted to see if there was anything more recent out there. So, here are some book series that Eliot and I have loved so far! <br />
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<b>The Bad Guys.</b> I think this series might be our favorite. <i>The Bad Guys</i> is about a team of "bad guy" animals who decide that they want to be good. A wolf, shark, snake, spider, and piranha team up in this graphic novel. And the books are really, really funny. The books have lots of pictures, but also a lot of words per page, so kids aren't too overwhelmed with all the words. There are currently four books, and Eliot and I have already pre-ordered book five!<br />
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<b>The Last Firehawk.</b> <i>The Last Firehawk </i>series is rather new. The first book came out
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are four books announced in the series (so far). When I saw this book on the Scholastic website, I immediately thought of the <i>Redwall</i> series. I mean, who doesn't like talking forest animals? I really appreciate books published by Scholastic. The books are labeled by "interest level" and "reading level." Also, each page has a picture to keep readers engaged. The font is large and easy to read. <br />
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<b>Dragon Masters.</b> We have just read the first book in this <i>Dragon Masters </i>series, but we have two more on the shelf. We're planning to start Book Two tonight! It is also published by Scholastic, which helps us keep going with pictures and large font. I also like the series because it poses questions of character development. The reader can draw parallels between Drake (the protagonist) and his dragon. By the end of the book, the reader is questioning who is "good" and who is "bad." As the series continues, I am sure that we will see changing character dynamics and analyze conflicts other than external conflicts.<br />
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<b>Doodle Adventures. </b>I also bought this on a whim at Target. Doodle Adventures tell a story in a comic and allow the reader to participate. It's kind of like Choose Your Own Adventure except you get to draw yourself into the story. The speaker addresses you (the reader) and you create a "file" on yourself, give yourself an "agent" name, and engage in the story. For example, if you need to cross a river, you might draw rocks to step on or a bridge or a rope--whatever you want! It helps keep the reader interested and creative by working on drawing and spelling as well.<br />
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<b>Narwhal and Jelly.</b> These graphic novels are a quick read. Eliot read the two books in one sitting each. Eliot actually read the whole first book to his class, and all of the kids loved it. The drawings are simple and aesthetically pleasing while the story is about two unlikely friends--and it's rather funny. The next book comes out in March!<br />
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<b>My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish. </b>According to Amazon, this series is suggested for ages 7 to 10. It has less pictures and many more pages, so when Eliot gets reading fatigue, I read a couple of pages too and encourage him that, yes, this is harder, but he is doing something BIG. We're just a few chapters in, but Eliot thinks it is funny and really likes it. These books might be good if your early reader is looking for a challenge.</div>
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Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-72416406719577763932017-07-23T12:25:00.000-04:002017-07-23T12:29:41.242-04:00Why I Tolerate Excessive Body Humor from My SonsWhen the nurse heard I just found out that I was expecting a boy, she said, "Your troubles are just beginning." I thought it was rude and discouraging. <i>Who says that?</i> However, I continued to receive those reactions and I learned they were referring to many "boy" issues, like fighting, loudness, messiness, and more. And body humor.<br />
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I'm not a fan of body humor. Or slap stick. Or sexual humor. It isn't because I think it is vulgar or offensive, even. No, it's too easy. A person can burp loudly and we're expected to laugh? There is no cleverness in it. I didn't expect to have to endure excessive body humor when my boys were babies. I mean, I was dealing with plenty of poop in their diapers, right?<br />
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I have learned, though, to accept body humor because beginning these conversations can lay the foundation for helping them in the future. You see, sometimes we joke about things before we feel comfortable enough to discuss them seriously. We test the waters to see a reaction before we continue the conversation. My boys fortunately don't make fart jokes (thank God) or laugh about poop much, but if they do, I don't tell them we don't talk about poop. There have been times when they have given me extensive reports on their bowel movements, including notes on its texture, smell, color, and more. Yeah, pretty gross, but I do not want to shame them about their bodies and how they work. If I can encourage open communication, they will feel like they can tell me or their dad if they have a problem or something is wrong without shame.<br />
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To be honest, I had an infection when I was 10, but didn't know it. I assumed that I had leprosy. WebMD and Google didn't exist back then, so I couldn't diagnose myself. I didn't tell my parents. It wasn't their fault, but I was too embarrassed. I suffered until it cleared up on its own--and I was lucky that it did clear up. If I had told my mom, I could have easily gotten relief quickly with the appropriate medication. But, as I said, I thought I was going to be sent off to a leper colony.<br />
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I also have to teach my sons that there is a time and a place for certain jokes and conversations. Around me is a safe place. It is not appropriate at lunch, school, or at soccer practice. I currently am trying very hard to teach Jack that it is not OK to repeatedly <i>try</i> to burp every time he drinks. I have to admit, though--it is pretty funny when he burps and blames it on the tree frog in his belly.Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-38238077748708763452017-04-23T14:36:00.001-04:002023-04-03T14:27:25.138-04:00Coming Back from the SilenceI have really fallen off of blog world. It has been partially a measure of privacy for my boys. I didn't mind sharing their milestones, our adventures, and my thoughts when they were babies, but as they grew into kids with social lives, I felt like I was making choices for them. I didn't think it was right for me to share their struggles. Even stories about our accomplishments are incomplete without also mentioning where we can from.<br />
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Also, our little family has been working through questions and where we want to go in life and how we should get there and responding to challenges in "adulting". I am happy to say that Chris and I have always worked together for the best for our family and while we've had to look at a lot of different options, we're generally on the same page. We will hopefully be having some changes come fall with additionally opportunities, but I will write about that as it all unfolds. (No, we're not quitting our jobs. We love our jobs. No, we're not having another baby.)<br />
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So, what to do with this little space on the internet? I have been blogging since I was 11--that's 19 years--so I don't really want to stop. Much of my identity is wrapped around mothering my boys, and I don't want to overshare too much information about them. I'm not sure what I'll write all the way, but I will write from time to time.<br />
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Lately, we have been very busy with the boys and I have been working on trying to be a better, healthier "me". The garden is in full swing with bulbs returning. Chris is constantly tidying up the yard by cleaning up pollen, fertilizing the palms, and more. The boys are both in school (and doing great! Eliot can read and is excelling in math!), playing soccer, and taking part in the Healthy Kids Running Series. <i>More thoughts and posts to come!</i><br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-55658199615905636072016-10-20T13:40:00.000-04:002016-10-20T13:40:34.366-04:00Summer Meets Fall Meets Indian SummerIt's been a long time since I've updated. A lot of times, I plan to write something, but then time keeps going. And I ask myself, "Who really cares?" Well, I know I will be happy to look back on all of this.<br />
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The summer went by rather quickly, I suppose, but our family squeezes everything out of summer that we can get. We usually open the pool mid-March and it is still open now. In fact, we are having an oddly warm week this October, so we've been able to swim rather easily.<br />
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In the middle of the summer, I sprained my ankle pretty bad. It still hasn't healed all the way, but for a long time, I couldn't really walk anywhere, so we weren't able to enjoy the beach as much. I couldn't swim in the pool either (just stand around) and had to take six weeks off of running. I was so frustrated because I could hardly even walk downstairs. I never realized how horrible it can be to <i>have to</i> rest--and also how impossible that is with to two little boys. Chris tried to do his part in taking the boys on adventures, though, and they went peach picking, blueberry picking, and all of that.<br />
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Our biggest adventure lately has been adjusting to school. Whoa. I didn't realize how hard it would be to juggle all of the schedules in the house. Eliot goes to afternoon kindergarten and Jack goes to preK3 three days a week. They are both in school at the same time for just one hour three days a week. It makes working from home rather difficult, but I know it'll get easier from here after this year (kind of). Eliot decided that he didn't want to play soccer this fall, and while I was disappointed at first, I am glad to have our weekends open and also not have to worry about practice in the evening. I do miss soccer and I might tell him he has to do SOMETHING in the spring, but it has been nice to take a season off.<br />
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Eliot loves riding the bus to kindergarten. My biggest worry was the bus for him, yet it is his favorite part of school. He's doing well and never complains about going. He gets really excited about all of the rewards systems, like earning "pennies". He's recognizing words and loves to write books. He recently wrote a book about all of our crazy pets for a Reflections contest. When I was a kid, I wrote lots of stories and drew pictures, so it has been fun to watch him grow and trend toward writing as well.<br />
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Jack had a slightly rough start to PreK3. He cried the first few times, but now he just goes without looking back. He adores his teachers, which I think makes a big difference. Jack just turned three at the end of June while Eliot was a few months shy of four when he started preschool, so I try to keep that mind. Eliot had trouble adjusting too--and it took longer as well. Jack always comes home with a smile and stories to tell about school. He is always excited to show me the crafts he's done at school.<br />
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I am still teaching English full-time online and also adjunct at the community college. In fact, in just six weeks, I will have been teaching at my community college for two years! I've come a long way from the days when Jack would cry at the front door each morning when I left to drop Eliot off at PreK3, head to teach, and get home in the afternoon when Jack was napping. When I think back to that, balancing work seems like it has gotten easier. I'm always trying to balance being a great professor, a good wife, a decent housekeeper, and (of course) an excellent momma. Some days, it is harder than others when I'm tired and met with constant backtalk and having to say, "No no no. Stop stop stop." The boys tell me I'm "the best mom ever," which I know is a hyperbole probably mixed with some manipulation, but I'll take it.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-79482560241862522662016-05-27T20:56:00.000-04:002016-06-27T20:57:45.824-04:00Preschool GraduationPreschool graduations always seemed a little silly to me. The kids aren't actually getting a degree. In fact, we are celebrating the kids entering kindergarten with the event that follows finishing high school. It's this weird, circular, backwards tradition that makes me feel dizzy. Really, though, I'm probably the only one who overthinks it.<br />
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Anyway. Eliot had his preschool graduation this past weekend. He still had two more days of school left, though. It was nice to have an end-of-the-year program and recognize how far he has come since I wrote my blog entry two years ago about enrolling him in preK-3. And then I look back at the photos of him on his first day, and, man, he is like a different kid. Truly, in two years, they grow so much.<br />
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I remember being so nervous about him starting school when he was three. I felt a bit guilty too, always second-guessing if it was the right choice. He cried when I dropped him off for the first couple of months. Looking back, I know it was worth it. These past two years have helped him to grow socially, get used to school structure, and learn a TON. Now he loves school and walks down the hall by himself. He is excited to start kindergarten and got tour a school bus. I am not worried about him moving on to kindergarten at all--he is ready.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-15790244055195529872016-05-20T11:00:00.004-04:002016-05-20T11:08:14.848-04:00You Can't Be Anything You Want When You Grow Up: Cultivating an Interest in Science<br />
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People complain about how millenials all think they are special rainbow butterfly snowflakes, and part of that is we were all told that we could be anything we wanted to be when we grew up. That is a nice thought, but it isn't necessarily true and can be damaging. We can't all be the President. I probably couldn't have been a mathematician. Everyone has limitations, whether it is intellectual, financial, physical, and so on. With enough will power, I believe people can overcome many obstacles, but I try to be more helpful in a practical sense as my boys grow up.<br />
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<i>I don't tell my sons they can be anything when they grow up. I tell them that they will have to work very hard and I will do my very best to help them achieve their dreams.</i><br />
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Growing up, my parents always took a great interest in my passions. I loved to write and draw. They would read my stories, tell me how great they were, and also give me suggestions for revisions. Their praise didn't end with saying, "You're such a special, unique snow flake." Instead, they tried to help me grow. When I was 10, I took an interest in computers and developing websites. This was 1995, so the internet was quite new. I watched part of some documentary on O.J. Simpson in which the narrator said O.J. was following in his father's footsteps. One night while I was loading the dishwasher, I borrowed the phrase and told my dad that I was following his footsteps by hoping to work with computers when I grew up. I expected him to be happy, but he replied with an abrupt, "No." His career centered on computers, which we all benefited from financially, but he knew that wasn't me. My parents always told me that I was either going to go to college or had to have a clear, specific alternative plan for a career.<br />
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Obviously, I didn't go into the tech field. Instead, I continued writing and reading. I majored in English at a small liberal arts college, earned my M.A. in English, and then also my doctorate in Education. Now I am an English professor by day and a writer and doodler by night.<br />
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Like my dad, I want my boys to find their own passions. I read to them, write stories with Eliot, and we love to draw together. However, Eliot says he wants to be a Paleontologist. I don't just say, "You can be whatever you want to be." Instead, I tell him, "That's really great. If you truly want to be a Paleontologist, go to school, and work hard, I believe you can. And I'll do whatever I can to support you."<br />
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It doesn't stop there, though. I have been working on teaching Eliot to read over the past few months. As an English professor, I can teach him all about literature and writing, but I hope to inspire in my weaker areas as well. I honestly did not excel at math in school. I found zoology and marine biology to be incredibly inspiring, but most other sciences bored me. Give me the animals, please. If Eliot is going to be a Paleontologist, he will need to double major in both Geology and Biology. He will need to have an understanding of computers and statistics. I can read to him, help him draw, write stories together, and even explain statistics, but there is much more to learn in other fields. And I'm not trying to fully invest in this one career idea--didn't we all want to be Paleontologists?--but I think it is important for me to try to help inspire an interest and understanding outside of my own comforts.<br />
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While school is out this summer, I'm trying to give him some scientific experiences. I'd love to send him to a dino day camp, but the only local one I found is for eight-year-olds--and it is full anyway. Eliot and I went to the planetarium this week and learned all about Mars. I'm not too
concerned with him retaining all of the information--it's a lot! More
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spark his interest. My hope is that if I can ignite a passion for learning in him, he can use that to intrinsically motivate himself when school gets difficult. So, here are just some of the science-y summer activities I have looked into.<br />
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The planetarium<br />
In our area, we are very lucky to have a planetarium open to the public. Each month has a different "show," so I plan to take Eliot once a month. <br />
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Netflix documentaries<br />
Netflix has a ton of documentaries, especially animal ones. We usually end up watching a few a week in the evenings after dinner. <br />
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Day camp at the Virginia Aquarium<br />
We are members of the aquarium and go quite a bit. They have three-hour "day camps" for five-year-olds for only $30 a day. I plan to sign Eliot up for at least one session.<br />
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Day camp at the Virginia Zoo<br />
We are also members of the zoo. For kindergarten students, they have a couple of three-hour, week-long day camps to explore various aspects of animals and the zoo. This is $180 for members, so I'm not sure if I am going to sign him up, especially since it is a week long. Maybe I can find a different "behind the scenes" option for him because he just loves animals.<br />
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First Landing State Park<br />
At the bay, the state park has lots of small educational activities for kids. In the summer, there is something going on almost every day. They even cast nets in the bay to see what they can catch (and of course release again).<br />
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NASA Kids Club<br />
NASA has some supplemental material for kids as well to work through: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html#.Vz4BJeTL-OV <br />
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Our own nature walks<br />
Of course, we don't necessarily need a "guide" to engage with science and nature. We can do it on our own as well. We go for walks in the woods and try to make observations. I tell the boys everything I know from identifying trees, how trees reproduce, what kinds of animals could live there, and so on. We've had a good time catching critters in our little nets at the Narrows and learning about crabs, mollusks, jelly fish, and more. When we go kayaking, I give the boys binoculars and tell them to keep an eye out for wildlife. We often see osprey, sparrows, cranes, and all kinds of birds. I tell them that they are being like Wild Kratts.Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-68045570567544480652016-05-02T22:31:00.000-04:002016-05-02T22:31:34.331-04:00Walking into 30The past couple of months have been a swirl of changes. I will turn 30 in July. I haven't felt too bothered by the number, really, but lately I have watched the symbols of my youth fade away much earlier than I expected.<br />
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It started with a car. My car. 2003 Volkwagen Golf. I bought my first car in high school. I worked at a Fuddruckers to make my car payment and pay car insurance. One day on my way to work, the Golf sputtered and the engine light started flashing. It actually would cost more to fix than the car was worth. We traded it in and bought a Tacoma. It seemed so odd because the Golf was only about 12 years old. It had low mileage. I thought it would last much longer.<br />
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Losing my car wasn't necessarily an emotional event. It was just a car. It stood for a lot more to me, but it was just an object. I just didn't realize that my car had gotten old on me. And that kind of meant that I was getting old too.<br />
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And then there was Bendy. Our dog. I got Abed-nego as I was entering my senior year of undergrad. He was my and Chris's first "baby" before we had babies. We took Bendy with us everywhere. We went on hikes, camping, and trips to the beach. Since he was a dachshund, we knew we needed to keep him thin and fit to avoid back injuries. We did not allow him to go down stairs or jump off furniture. Chris and my dad even made a ramp for him to get on our bed. The dog was so feisty and stubborn, but he loved us fiercely. He accepted our babies as our family grew. Then again, out of nowhere, he showed signs of a back injury. We tried everything, but he had nerve damage, affecting his right hind leg. The vet said all we could do was try to manage his pain. We gave him four different medications, but the damage kept spreading. He was constantly crying. We fought to get him to drink and eat. He quickly lost all use of his back leg. He couldn't even stand, let alone walk. He started losing control of his bowels. So, just one month before his tenth birthday, we said good bye. I thought he would have lived much longer.<br />
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I didn't know how to not cry all the time, so I started renovating our kitchen. I painted all of our kitchen cabinets, the doors, and the trim. I sat in the garage painting cabinet doors while the boys slept in their beds. I thought of our Abed-nego as a puppy and also in our last days together. I gritted my teeth and wanted to ask him why he had to go and get hurt. Why did he have to end this way so soon, so fast? So early. Ten years is OK, I guess, but I really thought we'd have more time. And then I looked at my hands and wondered how I got here. So much of who I was has gone. My car. My dog. My roles. What is left of me as a "twenty-something"? I am nearly thirty. I am stepping into a new chapter. It isn't a bad thing, but I had hoped to bring some things with me. Like my dog...<br />
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This point in life is so full of joy and also so hard. I'll just keep doing my best.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-12683845818203990602016-04-02T22:35:00.000-04:002016-05-02T22:36:02.532-04:00Spring Clean-up and Garden PreparationAll winter, I dream of sunshine and plants and gardening. I wish for warmth (and fortunately we had a really mild winter), but researching plants and planning the gardens makes it easier to get through.<br />
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In February, we had quite a few warm days, so we worked on cleaning up the mess that winter had left us. Weeds growing between the brick pathways, mulch and dirt washed away by the rain, bricks needing to be pulled and re-set, bushes needing pruning, leaves to be bagged that had been keeping the bananas and elephant ears warm, and more. Even if the clean up isn't the most fun (and seems to endless), it felt so good to be working today establishing order.<br />
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Cleaning up!</div>
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So many gumballs to pick up!</div>
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March was really quite warm and spoiled us. We opened the pool on March 7th and heated it up. The boys were able to swim at least three days a week with hot days coming here and there.<br />
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The pool looking like alligator juice on opening day.</div>
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One rainy day, we decided to put the truck to use and drove down to Walker's Palms in North Carolina to check out a new shipment of NC-grown palms. We picked up two 30-gallon Sabal minors, which were huge! They are super hardy, but they are not a trunking palm. That is, their fronds grow up and look like the top of a Sabal palmetto, you could say. Chris also picked out two Sabal lousianas (trunking and very hardy), a few seven-gallon NC Sabal palmettos, one triple-trunk 15-gallon Sabal palmetto, and a saw palmetto. Planting these around the yard gives a nice feel of fronds and palms all throughout the yard. I'm excited to watch them grow over the years, but I love how it makes it feel tropical all throughout. Eventually, as more perennials return and we will in the beds more, we'll have some lush layers. I remember a couple of years ago when we drove down to Florida, we saw native Sabal palmettos growing with saw palmettos at their feet. The saw palmettos looked like baby palmettos all around. I loved how wild it all looked.<br />
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We had lost our pindo in the retaining wall last summer. Following a brutal winter, the pindo fought hard to recover. We trimmed off a lot of fronds and it did put out new growth; however, since our yard is so shady, I think it was struggling with a lack of sunlight. Then last July, we had a crazy amount of rain. Pindos prefer less rain, and we did our best to help with irrigation. The hard winter, less sunlight, and torrential downpours were enough to kill it off. It was one of Chris's favorite trees and a great piece, so we debated a replacement for a long, long time. If we put in another pindo, I worried that we'd just lose it in a handful of years. So, I persuaded Chris to try a different route than a palm. (Gasp!) We picked up a nice, full loquat tree in a 30 gallon pot. Loquats are cold hardy and produce fruit if the winter is not too harsh. We have one out front that is fruiting. Their leaves are cold hardy and remind me of a magnolia, which is my favorite tree. Of course, the loquat doesn't fill up the whole retaining wall area all the way, but I planted some lilies as well and hope to fill it more with elephant ears and maybe a hibiscus.<br />
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All the palms in the yard are looking really great, though. This past winter really was not bad and we didn't even end up wrapping the palms at all. We kept an eye on the weather, but decided it wasn't necessary. (The wrap v. don't warp argument is for another time). The winters of 2013 and 2014 were quite rough with dipping below zero and multiple snow and ice storms. In the spring, the palms took time to recover. They lost a couple of fronds from burnback. The fronds on the windmills sometimes bent down from the weight of snow. It took a couple of months in the spring to fill back out again with new growth. This year, though, everything looks mostly untouched. Even our sagos are so full with long growth that Chris trimmed them up some. Our one windmill (which was four feet tall when we planted it in 2013) is flowering with at least half a dozen seed pockets--probably more.<br />
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Super cold hardy Sabal minor.</div>
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Silver saw palmetto in front of the loquat tree. Not quite as hardy, but being by the retaining wall should help establish a nice micro climate. Also, since it is so small, it will be easy to protect. </div>
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Windmill palm flowering</div>
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The bananas have been growing back for a couple of weeks and the canna lilies are returning as well. I can see a couple of elephant ears re-emerging. As I said, our yard doesn't get as much direct sun as other yards, so the bananas do not grow as quickly, but I'm happy to see them back. I know the yard will look like an amazing jungle eventually.<br />
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I know the "clean up" isn't over yet. The pollen is falling like crazy and won't finish up until May. Then we'll likely spread mulch. This year, we have so many perennials returning that we won't need to buy much in the way of plants--maybe just some elephant ears, hostas, and such. I have some orchids and ginger plants coming by mail order that I got off ebay for quite cheap. <br />
<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-25615168003069318442016-03-04T20:28:00.001-05:002016-03-04T20:31:50.490-05:00North West River-ingWe stand at the odd place in between seasons. I remember the past couple of months of March feeling drab and wet and not spring as early as I'd like. Truly, March is still winter, but I am trying to take advantage of every ounce of sunshine.<br />
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Last summer, we bought a double kayak, which was something Chris and I had been dreaming of since before we got married. We took the kayak out about once a week or more exploring new places and it felt like such a vacation. Jack loved it (and often fell asleep) while Eliot was scared, but we made it work. This past week, we had some very nice days, so Chris and I took the kayak out alone (only the second time we've ever been without the boys) to the Northwest River. Everyone always warns you to look out for snakes at NW River Park, but we put it in at Bob's Fishing Hole. It just cost us two bucks to use the ramp and on we went. No snake sightings. While most boats went out to the left, we paddled to the right and quickly came upon an old rail road bridge. Chris was nervous about going under it, but I assured him we'd be just fine. Sure enough, we fit under without even ducking and our boat didn't scrape any rocks along the bottom. We were able to paddle along for about an hour before we headed back to pick the boys up from my mom's house.<br />
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My teenaged Golf recently died (RIP), so we bought a Toyota Tacoma. One of the many things I have been excited about has been using it for kayaking. With a bed extender, we were able to easily transport our double kayak. Honestly, we probably would have paddled more last summer if it hadn't been such a pain getting the kayak on the roof of our SUV. Now I know we can quickly and easily get ready for a trip, so I'll feel more spontaneous.<br />
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There's something really special about kayaking. I'm so glad that Chris and I both love it, even if we don't paddle fast and just drift along. There's no pressure; we just like being together. On a boat. In the middle of nowhere. Hoping we don't see snakes. It doesn't make sense, really, but we have fun. As I watched him strap down the kayak as we prepared to head home, I felt grateful that we grow together as a couple. It is important to find someone with similar interests as you--or at least someone who will get excited about your interest even if they don't care of it themselves--but it is also a beautiful thing to find someone who will <i>grow</i> <i>in new interests</i> with you.<br />
<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-19655421463976661812016-02-13T20:20:00.002-05:002016-02-13T20:20:25.874-05:00Five YearsLast month, we celebrated Eliot's fifth birthday! It's one of those big birthdays because it sounds so <i>big</i> and means that school is just around the corner. However, I feel like we eased into it because Eliot is in his second year of preschool anyway. When he turned four, I said that he had seemed that old for a long time anyway. As it is with five.<br />
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Eliot has done so many really big "kid" stuff this year. He's doing great at soccer. He plays (and beats) video games on his own. Sometimes he seems like such a teenager because he wants to watch Youtube videos of other people playing video games, but I don't let him indulge in that much. Eliot ran a few races this past spring and fall, and is an amazing swimmer.<br />
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Eliot is doing well in school. When he gets to class, he is always a bit shy, but the kids excitedly greet him and set up games. He tells me all about the games they play at recess. Sometimes I don't even realize how much he is learning until he surprises me with his new knowledge. His teacher has been assessing and making recommendations regarding school, and they said he is doing awesome and is definitely ready for kindergarten. His teacher is especially impressed with how well he can write his name.<br />
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Eliot's favorite thing in the world is still dinosaurs. He loves watching Jurassic Park, playing with dinosaurs, writing stories about dinosaurs, impressing everyone with his dinosaur knowledge, and more. He knows the names of so many dinosaurs and facts about them that I can't even keep track.<br />
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He also really likes to play outdoors, dig in the dirt, swim in the pool, and go to the beach.<br />
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Eliot always has a plan or a design or an explanation for something. He has clear preferences and will <i>strongly </i>tell you how he thinks it should go. One thing we have been working on is getting him to accept that we can't always do his plan right away and sometimes no just means no. Although Eliot can be difficult to work with at times, he truly is the sweetest kid. He is so kind-hearted and gentle. He is always happy to cuddle me. He is sweet and empathetic. He just adores Jack and happily plays with him. They tease each other sometimes, but they're so good one another.<br />
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He has learned some tough lessons about sports and soccer lately. While he had a rough season in the fall at first and kept giving up too early, he really turned it around and has developed into a team player. Most of the fall season, he would complain that he didn't have fun if he didn't get goals. Some kids were being pretty tough bullies, but I told him to keep trying. At the end of the season, he got a few goals and was really excited. He had a much better attitude and would hang in there instead of quitting. This winter, he played indoor soccer with his team. He stopped talking about "his" goals so much and started trying to help his team get goals. The whole "team player" concept finally sunk in. I'm excited to see how spring outdoor soccer will go. Then next fall, he will step up an age group.<br />
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To celebrate Eliot's birthday, we had a Jurassic World birthday party. I made a cake with an edible t-rex image and also a fossil dig cake with crumbled up nilla wafers as sand. Birthday parties honestly stress me out because I'm not good at directing activities and the kids all ended up wanting to play video games. Arg. I caved and let them, but I wish we could have gone outside or something. Oh well. He had a good time.<br />
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I can't wait to see what "five" has in store for him. Eliot tells everyone that he meets that he is "five now" and that "Jack is two and calls all drinks 'juice.'"Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-23175639824979504422016-01-26T20:22:00.000-05:002016-02-13T20:22:42.414-05:00Christmas, the New Year, and a BirthdayChristmas Eve was a warm day. I have struggled to take a family photo each Christmas Eve and of course this year I do not take one either. I was very disappointed in how little photos I managed this holiday season. I didn't take a photo of one of the boys putting the star on the tree because Eliot begged to decorate the tree early in the morning before school. We had a good time together decorating it, but in the rush of the morning, I enjoyed our moments together instead of taking pictures. Then on Christmas Eve, I felt pulled in so many directions that I didn't even take a picture of us all. I did manage one photo of Chris and the boys (which is still on the camera) because they all wore Hawaiian shirts since it was so warm.<br />
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Eliot had so many questions about Santa this year. I feel like a horrible parent, but I just don't "feel the magic" when it comes to perpetuating the Santa story. I love the lights, the greenery, and celebrating Christ. I just can't muster up creating elaborate explanations for Santa. I didn't tell him Santa wasn't' real, though. I just asked him what he thought and let him develop his own ideas.<br />
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We did a lot of other Christmas traditions, though. We walked through the lights at the Botanical Gardens. One of our neighbor is quite famous for having an insane Christmas light set-up (like, featured on TV famous), so Chris walked to their house with the boys most nights. We went to Busch Gardens for Christmas Town. On Christmas Eve, we had dinner with my parents, sister, and her family. My aunt and uncle came in town for a visit the day after Christmas and then Chris's parents came to visit shortly thereafter. It was great to see everyone.<br />
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Before I knew it, we were in 2016! 2015 had been a good year for us. The boys continued to grow. Eliot finished up his first year of pre-K and then entered his second year while Jack started Parent's Morning Out once a week. I started working part-time at the community college in addition to my full-time job, which has been fun in a new challenging way. Chris finished up his doctorate in the fall and also ran over 1,000 miles in the year! I can't begin to imagine what 2016 will hold for us. I'm not planning too many changes or anything, but I hope to continue to grow more healthy.Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-9064699600161305822015-12-11T17:16:00.001-05:002015-12-11T17:17:54.848-05:00Thanksgiving Re-cap and ReflectionsI haven't been updating recently for a number of reasons. Of course, I am simply so busy that whenever I plan to write something, it must wait and then it seems so off topic and late. However, keeping track of the years and documenting the life of my family is important to me, so I figured I should write about Thanksgiving even though it was a couple of weeks ago.<br />
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So, yes. Thanksgiving.<br />
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The past couple of years, we have hosted both of our families for Thanksgiving, which has been really nice, but this year, Chris's parents rented the beach house in the Outer Banks that we have stayed at a few times. It was a nice change of pace and the boys love going to "Mawmaw's beach house". They don't quite get that we don't own it. When I explain renting to Eliot, he just says the owners are so nice to share with us. Um, well, no, but. Sure. OK.<br />
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My parents ever-so-kindly allowed our dachshunds to stay with them for Thanksgiving and we took Marlowe down to the beach house. She gets very excited about visitors and has been known to steal food off of the counter, so I didn't want her to ruin my parents' dinner. Two dachshunds is enough--they didn't need a lab too. Ha. We headed down on Wednesday afternoon. It quite literally took me SIX HOURS to get everything ready for just a two-night trip. How? I don't know. Maybe because I would get the boys dressed and then walk in the other room to pack. When I returned to the den, Jack had gotten his clothes messy with food and Eliot threw his socks off into some infinite abyss of dog hair. Ugh. I would pack the bags and then Jack (who was just really excited) would UNpack the bags. Traveling with kids is insane. Insane.<br />
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BUT WE MADE IT. After we got settled in, we headed to see <i>The Good Dinosaur</i> movie, which was kind of a big deal for us because Eliot has not been able to go see a movie since he was about two years old. Eliot doesn't handle loud noises well, so whenever I'd try to take him to a movie, he'd run out screaming with a trail of pop corn behind him. It was bad. We made it work this time and he just covered his ears some. Jack did a fantastic job and sat the whole time.<br />
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On Thanksgiving, we walked down the beach and had fun playing in the sand and getting a little wet. Just a little. Marlowe may or may not have--OK, she did--eaten half of a pie and some rolls, so she was officially banned from the kitchen area if there was any food out. We managed to piece together a great Thanksgiving dinner despite cooking in a kitchen that was not our own. <br />
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On Friday, we had Duck Donuts for breakfast, took a walk on the beach, and slowly packed to head back to home and start thinking about Christmas decorating.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-57377508164744943482015-11-13T15:41:00.001-05:002015-11-13T15:45:45.150-05:00Life LatelyI have really been slacking big time when it comes to blogging. I guess I have felt repetitive when it comes to posting on Facebook and Instagram. Photos can be rather self-explanatory, but I won't always flip through old photos online to remember who we were.<br />
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A lot of happened lately. Simple things. Big things.<br />
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We traveled through fall still embracing warmth for the most part--and I am so glad. Chris has been taking lots of photos of our gardens. The tropical plants are doing great and thriving with the warmth. They are at a peak of sorts with all of spring and summer's growth. In fact, in one neighborhood, the gardener cut down his banana trees in anticipation of the cold. Here's the thing: it has been so warm that they grew back! I love it! At the same time, the leaves around town have definitely turned and are falling. Our pool is disgusting. Yes, we have not covered it yet because we have been so busy and haven't had a moment without the kids around to cover it. So, I've been dipping the net in to get out a reasonable amount of leaves. Not much luck.<br />
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The leaves and cool water have attracted frogs, I think, in search of a place to hibernate. While playing outside, the boys and I rescued frogs on two different occasions. We put them in a plastic critter box and released them at a neighborhood pond.<br />
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I've tried to take advantage of nice days outside and played with the boys in our amazing new treehouse. I have been promising Eliot a treehouse since we moved in over two and a half years ago. We found an awesome local company that builds custom playsets, and it was way less than anything else I had found and about the price of us building it ourselves. So, that is the boys' birthday and Christmas presents for the year (or two. or three). The boys have had fun piling leaves at the end of the slide and crashing into them.<br />
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Somewhere in there, we all got sick. We all took turns feeling crummy, but fortunately it didn't last long. Then I somehow caught it again.... I was so sick that I didn't even take the boys trick-or-treating on Halloween. I just hid in bed while Chris took them around the neighborhood. Jack almost slept through Halloween, but I woke him up and helped get them dressed as Jedis. Chris said they did good and that Jack really got the concept of taking candy and saying thanks. Well, he said "bye" with a sucker hanging out of his mouth, but it's the thought that counts. Ha. I kind of hate Halloween because my kids go bonkers about candy. I rarely let them have candy, so on Halloween, it's nuts around here. Fortunately, they got really picky (they would only eat Starbursts, M&Ms, and Smartees), so it's pretty much all gone.<br />
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A couple of days after Halloween, it was time to head to Lynchburg for Chris's dissertation defense! We had been looking forward to this trip for a long time, but since I was sick, we had to post-pone the trip by a day and didn't do much on our "list". We hoped to climb some mountains, see some friends, visit some family, drive by our old house, and more. And as we were packing to go out of town, I realized I was breaking out in a rash on my hands and feet! I thought maybe the rash was hives, but as time went on, they formed into blisters. I ignored it the best I could and pushed on. We were able to go to a park when we got in town, swam in the hotel pool, and then the next day I took the boys around campus with my boss while Chris defended his dissertation. So, we did see SOME mountains. And Chris passed! He was officially called a doctor. Afterward, we headed to his boss's office to talk for a little bit, but Jack was so ready for a nap and we were all hungry. We just walked back to the car and drove home. The next day, I went to the doctor and it turned out to be hand, foot, and mouth disease! It's a virus that mostly just toddlers get, so I'm sure I got it from the kids, but, man, it was crazy. I STILL have it on my hands a little--12 days later--but it doesn't hurt anymore.<br />
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Since we've returned home, we've kept pretty busy still. Soccer is over; Eliot started swim lessons. Eliot and Jack have kept busy building train tracks. We went to the zoo on a particularly warm day. We played putt-putt too, which Eliot was great at and Jack was stoked to throw his ball and hit things with his club. Cool... In October, we went to Jamestown for a day trip. The other night, we went to see Wild Kratts live, which is a pretty big deal because it's their favorite show ever and we never go to movies. Both boys did awesome! In the day-to-day, it feels like nothing is going on, but when I look back, we have made some awesome memories.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-78206486876193057072015-11-04T15:55:00.000-05:002015-11-04T15:55:14.530-05:00A Boy's Life: FallWe hold onto summer as long as we can, but the gardens seem to hit their peak in October. They have been growing since summer and the first frost hasn't come to bite the bananas, cannas, and elephant ears yet. The weeds are not growing as quickly, but the leaves slowly clutter the yard--and clog the pool.<br />
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I love playing in the yard with the boys. The bananas tower over them as they weave in between the plants. It must feel like a jungle to them. Recently, I fulfilled my two-year promise to them and had a treehouse built (for their birthday and Christmas presents for the next year or so). It is the stuff of dreams, and we've all had a blast climbing the ladder and sharing picnics in the house and rushing down the slide. I know they'll love it for years to come. Chris even put a chair on the deck up there to sit while doing work.<br />
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Lately, Chris has been using the camera more and taking lots of photos. He's doing great, and it has reminded me to take pictures too.<br />
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It's hard to believe that we just have a few more weeks left of soccer season for Eliot. He's done a great job on the field and I am amazed by how big in looks in photos. For the first half of the season, Eliot grew disappointed if he didn't "win" a game (score a goal), but I tried to keep reminding him that it's all for fun and about teamwork. If his team gets a goal, then HE gets a goal too, but the league doesn't even keep score at this age. He grew so discouraged by teammates stealing his ball (it is just peewee soccer, afterall) that he said he wanted to quit. I told him he had to finish the season, but could sit spring soccer out. Just agreeing to that somehow changed his attitude or something because his approach completely changed. Instead of pouting when he lost the ball, he'd keep up with the group. He clapped whenever anyone scored a goal. And then he starting scoring each game too, which really helped.<br />
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And Jack will be old enough for soccer next fall.... We might wait until the spring season for him so he's a little old. I'll just have to see how he is at that point, but he is so eager to get to play too.<br />
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Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-58946572031552853792015-09-26T20:21:00.000-04:002016-02-13T20:21:31.112-05:00Dear Jack: Two Years, Four Months<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Jack,<br />
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This month, we made a new move for you. A while ago when we were on vacation in the Outer Banks, you figured out this cool trick where you could CRAWL OUT OF YOUR PORTACRIB. Well, that was terrifying. And I knew it was only a matter of time before you applied those portacrib escape skills to your regular crib. Sure enough, when we returned home, you were shimming that foot over the side and escaping like it was nobody's business. So, we transitioned your crib to a toddler bed. That was all well and good for a while until you kept crawling on top of Eliot's top bunk bed over and over again. Uh oh. I was so afraid that you were going to get hurt, so we unbunked them and put one in your room. So, now you are officially in a twin-sized bed!<br />
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Your biggest change this month was starting school! You are going to the same school as Eliot once a week for a few hours as part of a Parents' Morning Out program. You are more independent than Eliot and I think the fact that you have seen Eliot go to school there has helped, but you did really well. You were not so sure for the first couple of weeks, but you barely fuss anymore. I think it's good for you to get some extra play time with other kids and it will make your transition to preschool easier next year. I had a rough time with it at first. I really wrestled with the idea of sharing you--I didn't quite feel ready. You are doing wonderful, and I am confident that it was the right choice.<br />
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You've really gotten into painting since you started school as well. I let you do water colors at home somtimes, but you get to use all kinds of paint at school. When you come home, you try to get in your backpack and say, "Paint! Paint!" You have brought a painting home to show me.<br />
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One of your favorite activities is exploring with flashlights. You like to take them in the dark hall, in the closets, in the laundry room--anywhere that is dark. Sometimes we take flashlights to the beach at night to look for crabs.<br />
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This semester, I have been teaching twice a week at the community college during your naptime. I hate to say good-bye and you cry at the door when I'm trying to leave, but then we have the best cuddles when you wake up from your nap. You are always either so amazingly happy or angry, going so fast and snuggling up, extremely attentive or totally uninterested. It's always one way or the other, and I am so thankful that I get enjoy all of your love and affection still even as you grow from a toddler to a boy.<br />
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Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225948497919665145.post-44928660972770516732015-08-26T15:07:00.000-04:002015-12-27T15:50:33.584-05:00Dear Jack: Two Years, Three MonthsDear Jack,<br />
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At two years and three months, you are our adventurous son. You are always ready to go exploring in the woods or paddling. Recently, we bought a kayak, and while Eliot is always nervous, you get so excited to ride in the boat. I was surprised how well you did (and how you didn't tip us over). You just sit in my lap and let me paddle as you look around.<br />
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You are still our wild child. I think sometimes that you were meant to be raised by wolves. When we go to the zoo, you just want to chase the geese and peacocks. I always wondered what you would do if you caught them. Well, apparently you would throw things at them. Sigh. It is tough wrangling you and your brother, but you have a lot of fun.<br />
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Still, you must be civilized to a certain degree because you recently have gotten super stoked on accessorizing with hats. You love hats! You want a hat with every outfit. Your head is a little on the big side, so we had to buy new ones since Eliot didn't have any hand-me-downs to offer. It works out well, though, because your skin is so light that wearing a hat helps protect your face. The hats also tend to make you look like a teenager, which is weird.<br />
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You have become an absolute pro at getting your hair cut. You get so much practice because I need to get your hair cut every four weeks, but I try to push it to six. Your hair grows so fast and it is so fine (still like baby hair), so it quickly turns into a mullet. I'm not about to let that happen.<br />
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This summer has been amazing with you. We have had a blast splashing in the pool, and you just sit on the steps playing until someone can help you jump off the side (over and over and over for all eternity). We've explored the woods. We've eaten icecream and crushed ice. You love the beach and chase the waves while screaming. We feed the seagulls and, of course, chase them too to give them their exercise. You collect shells and give them to me for safe keeping. Fall is just around the corner and you'll be going to a Parents' Morning Out program once a week, but for now (right now) it's just the four of us finding new adventures every day.<br />
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<br />Katie Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11423761224299969290noreply@blogger.com0