Vacation is almost over

Hubby starts his new job Tuesday, we are all excited and nervous. You see he spent 15 yrs in the Army and is going head on into the civilian world. I know everything will work out. Back to the fun stuff, we got into the car , decided to leave the city limits and head to Emmett. Instead of heading up on hwy 55, we went around on the 84 fwy. It took us through Fruitland? Payette? Somewhere in the country......

Somewhere on the 84 fwy and yes it gets cloudy in Idaho and yes my kids think it's the end of the world when it does. 

We got off some exit pointing to Emmett & Fruitland, we had to get off the fwy anyways because it was shut down due to an accident.  

An Alpaca farm! Finally, I feel like I live in Idaho for real!! I don't know about you but the background scenery is beautiful.

Then after we passed all that we made it to Emmett and checked out this house for sale I seen on the Internet. Oh boy, we laughed. Not because it was in the complete middle of nowhere, it looked NOTHING like the picture. Emmett is a cute little town in the country and I would live there if we were either retired or had a job in the town because that hill you take into Boise looks like it would be a hot mess in the winter, not something I'd cross everyday when there is snow and ice.


Yesterday the weather was ugly and raining all day so we decided to take the kids to The Discovery Center in Boise. It was fun, hands on and we learned some cool science stuff.

The Discovery Center is right next to the river and a big park, I packed our lunch hoping to go there afterwards but of course it started to rain, the wind picked up and it was cold for a minute I thought I was back in Washington.

New season, new life

Today marks two weeks since we moved to Idaho, it seems like yesterday that we got in the car and left Washington during a bad downpour storm. It has been amazing so far, we have been so busy trying to unpack and settle, we haven't had the time to explore much yet, the kids have made friends in the neighborhood and are quickly settling. The first day of spring was beautiful, windy and cold but pure sunshine, that's all that matters. We spend the day getting the garden bead ready, the kids filled the bird feeder , planted a Butterfly Beth and played treasure map hunt.

Filling up the bird feeder

All hung up

Sitting in her favorite tree

The beauty of spring 

Burying treasure

Her Butterfly Beth is all planted

Helping me lay dirt in the garden bed

Are you crazy!?

Yes we are! I haven't updated the blog because life just got in the way. But now we are facing one of the most biggest challenges in our lives. We are leaving the active duty for national guard (not really by choice), but we are talking about someone who was in the military for 15 years. It's really hard to explain the emotion to the civilian world. We spent months trying to pin point exactly where to go next. It was a very hard decision not to go back to California, as much as we miss our extended families A) It's not affordable B) we don't have a place to stay and  taking in a family of four is a lot. We really enjoy living in the North West and the Army left us here for 6 long years, so this is the life the kids have known.

 The reason why we aren't staying in Washington is the constant overcast weather, I tried my best to accept it, I just can't. Eight sunless months out of a year is just too much for me, I need sun! Then we thought about Oregon but again the weather in the parts we wanted to live is the same as Washington. So then came Idaho,  Montana, Wyoming, Utah and at last Texas. Idaho just really stuck out to us and I have friends/met people from Idaho each single person has talked about how great it is and I have came across a lot of Californian's living there. It's beautiful, it's cheaper, it's smaller and it's the country, so why not? Fast forward, here I sit today typing this and just in 16 days we will be on our way to Idaho and to start a new life. And no we have never been there!

  So did you ever want to move away from home? What's holding you back? You only live once,  maybe we aren't so crazy after all.                                                                                                                                        

Our third year of homeschooling

I can't believe this is our third year of homeschooling! While it wasn't something I planned to do, it just seemed like the right thing for our family. We also love the freedom and not having to stress about finding a good school each time we move. Heck everything is about to change less then a year! Getting out of the military, jobs, moving to who knows where yet and more likely  college.
Now back to the topic of homeschooling, I am changing things, as I learn last year we did way too many boring dry workbook pages. This year we doing more, oh lots more hands on. Notebooking, lapbooks, more art projects and way more nature studies. I also asked each child what they would like to learn/create this year. Sophia said she wants to make a big poster size coral reef (our aquarium/zoo membership is handy!) C.J. said he wants to make his own map of our local area. Don't worry we do have a set curriculum for the "main subjects" We are using:

Horizon's phonics in 1st and 2nd grade
Horizon's math in 1st and 2nd grade
History: Story of the World Vol. 1 Ancient times along with the activity book for both kids.
Science: Apologia's Astronomy along with the Jr. notebook (worth buying), we are trying the immersion approach, so that means we are studying Astronomy for the whole school year.

Filling out here first day of school interview, she wants to be an artist when she grows up.

This year C.J. is all about playing with his friends, still sporting his mohawk and look forward to traveling/moving. This kid loves road trips so he is look to be a driver. When he grows up.

I would say the kids had a great first day, we started with our core subjects, then mommy  left to her dentist appointment, don't worry I didn't leave them home alone, daddy was able to babysit. After lunch we did our first science project of the year, making a solar system out of balloons. The kids did a great job blowing them up and painting. I am also trying to step back a little more this year, I believe the whole of a teacher is to guide them not do it for them.

Painting the balloons for the solar system.

The solar system, the kids and I went over how Pluto is no longer a planet. Our book said it is for us to decide, so it was a yes we will at least learn about the former planet. 

Chamber's Creek

The other day I made a wrong turn while driving, I came across a park sign and people walking down with floating rafts. Being an outdoor fanatic I had to look it up online and take the kids the following day. It turned out to be a fun place, we even had so much fun floating up and down. The best part this place was a hop and skip away from home.

The Pacific North West is just so beautiful during the summer and not to mention perfect weather temps around 70-80 degrees. This is why I do not travel out of state during the summer, come visit me instead!

He said this park is pretty awesome mom.

She likes it too.

Playing in the creek

The kids playing will it sink or float away.

His chair and his Kindle, even the Mr. was having fun.

A day in downtown

It has been raining for about four days, I guess as most people say summer starts in July out here. I took my kids downtown to visit the Wagon shop and the museum. Boy did they have fun, talk about cheap and free entertainment. Steilacoom is the first town built in Washington and they sure take pride in it.

 At the museum downstairs they have an old school room, kitchen, a piano from the 1900, a barber shop and sewing set up. Everything is hands on, the lady showed the kids how everything works and they played a good hour with everything.

If you are into the Pioneer days or looking for free ($2.00 donation is suggested not required) entertainment, go the the beautiful small coastal town of Steilacoom. The Wagon shop & museum are open from 2-5 pm every Wednesday during the summer along with the Farmer's Market (Wed. 3-7). And on the weekends 1-5pm, it is a great small town to stroll while making your way to Sunnyside Beach for some play in the beach or the play ground. 

 By the way I blogged straight from my phone since that is where my pictures are. The Blogger app is pretty awesome! 

Our weekend

Saturday was such a perfect day, when the sun comes out here in the NW you better hurry and make your way out! The hubby is working a super CRAZY schedule this summer, ok well it still feels like winter here today. Anyways we decided to try out a park we have never been to because it had a playground, lots of grass, shade, hiking trails and a creek. It was such a nice place and so quite. We had a picnic lunch, relaxed, the kids hiked, played on a steep hill and in the creek.
 After the long day we headed home, as we waited for the super moon to make its appearance the most amazing sunset appeared out of nowhere. I took some from the yard but I hopped in the car for a mile drive down to the beach for more pictures, I barley made it in time.

They kept climbing up and sliding down

 Eight months of rain brings beautiful wild flowers. 

The creek was COLD

Our backyard view, amazing sunset.

PJ's and all, it was too pretty not to pose for the sunset.

Sunset on the Puget Sound

Our view of the Super moon.