Our Last Spring Break!

Spring Breaks around our house over the years have generally been pretty low-key affairs.   The dates  tended to sneak up on us (probably because they're different every year) and we often would start Spring Break week with zero plans. Over the course of the week, we'd usually manage a few little daytrips here and there, but historically most of our Spring Breaks have been spent pretty close to home.   I'd like to blame this lapse in planning meaningful Spring Break treks to the fact that we homeschooled and weren't as focused on school schedules as most people, but honestly it was no different before we started homeschooling as well!  

This year {the last Spring Break I'll ever have with any kids still in school}, I actually thought of it a few months beforehand and  made plans!   {Yes, I'm proud of myself for remembering this year.}  I coordinated with my sister, Kristina, and together  planned a trip to Sedona, Arizona with her.    At the time, I assumed it would just be Ellie and I joining in with the adventures, but Glen's work situation made it possible for him to join us as well. 

Here's a little glimpse at how our week went.   You should definitely be impressed about how we kept it low-stress and fun, but still had meaningful activities planned.       

  First off, I brought a big basket of kids' books and games from home, so I could read to the littles.   I read to them as often as they would let me and while we didn't play many games, we did get in a very rousing round of Cards Against Humanity (family version) that got everyone laughing!   

 Their favorite books included, "Officer Buckle and Gloria,"  "Slip the Otter," "Edward the Emu," and "The Adventures of Salt and Soap."    

Glen also bought some mini "lego" kits to do with the boys, but that ended up a bit of a fiasco.   They had teeny tiny pieces, which made the kits very tedious to put together and way too hard for the boys to help with.   And then after he had spent hours putting them together while they watched, they immediately started pulling them apart to play with them.  It was still kind of a bonding experience, but not quite as interactive as Glen had hoped.  

The boys were obsessed with Ellie and she often had three little shadows following her around.  

We also went on a couple really cool hikes....   

One was to one of the world famous "vortexes" of Sedona.   There's A LOT of hoo-woo stuff around Sedona and vortexes are one of them.   Apparently some "spiritualist" had a vision one time that there were special places where the earth's energy vortexes upward  and Sedona is full of them.   They're {mostly} unmarked, so you have to know where you're going.  We hiked to Cathedral Rock and found one up and around the corner from the marked "end of the trail".

  It was actually really cool, because it was a gorgeous vista AND people were quiet and treating it with reverence.   I didn't feel any surges of energy, but honestly it was a nice quiet place to reflect and to feel the spirit.    

I say most vortexes are unmarked, but we did find this one with a sign hanging over a random bench.  I'm pretty sure it is a joke, but it did make us laugh!   😂

Glen and I went on a 5-miler by ourselves and saw some pretty spectacular scenery along the way...

One day we took a back-country hummer ride with a tour guide who was as hoo-woo as hoo-woo gets.  We are pretty certain that of the "facts" he told us during the tour, approximately two of them had any basis in reality.  

What were some of the facts he told us?   That Washington DC wasn't part of the US and that you needed a passport to get there.   That Johnny Legend tried to live in Sedona, but was spiritually incompatible and his house burned down by the forces that be (yet somehow it's not in any news' sources).   That the earth floods every 27,000 years as a cleansing ritual.   That DC, Sedona, and Jerusalem are all on the 33rd parallel, which gives them a spiritual connection (none of the 3 cities are actually on the 33rd parallel).  Etc.   

I guess you could say that the hummer ride was fun, but the tour was a bit weird, albeit authentically Sedonan.    Any local we talked to would mention when they were "called" to come there and there are shops for aura readings, fortune telling, and crystals on every corner.     

On a more normal note, we  got ice cream a couple times...

I sent a few postcards (surprise surprise!)...

We enjoyed lots of beautiful scenery...

We visited Montezuma Castle National Monument, which was an old Indian dwelling built right into the cliffside...

And right as we were getting loaded into the cars to go home, I snapped this quick selfie which Kristina dubbed "The Miracle Photo".   Apparently it is an exceedingly rare occurrence to have a picture with every member of her family smiling and somehow I managed it in this quick selfie on the way out the door.    Just call me a miracle worker.  Haha!   

We got back home on Saturday evening, then went full-speed ahead getting ready for Easter dinner, which included shopping at very overcrowded stores and trying to figure out what we were going to make {for our dinner and for Emma's  } along the way.   Don't ask about why we were cooking Emma's dinner too....it's a long story!    In the end, we ended up smoking 5 chickens...

And a whole bunch of other food too.   Here is  a picture of our dinner....

Emma came home for approximately 30 minutes...

and her dinner looked pretty much the same as ours, except  it was at her apartment  with a bunch of her friends.  

Cami and Garrett both had to work on Easter Sunday, but it looks like Lucie and Annie had a pretty good Easter!  :)

After our dinner we stopped by my Dad's grave and found it completely obliterated.  The temporary plaque was in pieces and all the decor was crushed.   It was clear to see that they'd plowed through it to access a new gravesite, but it was very shocking to see and we {especially my mom} were pretty upset by it.   We've already contacted the cemetery and they are going to replace the plaque.   And the mayor of Alpine hand delivered some flowers to my Mom to apologize, so that was nice. 

  

This picture has nothing to do with Easter or Spring Break, but here's a cute shot of Lucie toting around the little backpack we got her in Portugal.  😍

So that's it.      It took be 25ish years or so to figure it out how to plan a Spring Break-- just in time for my last kid to graduate and for Spring Break to be a complete nonissue in my life evermore.   Oh well. It was fun while it lasted!   :)  

Gratitude Week #1

Every Thanksgiving our family does an activity of some kind to help us to focus more on gratitude.   We've done gratitude trees, a blessing box, going around the table, etc.   Although the actual activity varies somewhat from year-to-year, the concept has always been very similar.   This year we decided to try something a little more personal.

Shortly before Thanksgiving, Glen and I issued a challenge to our family to keep a daily gratitude journal through the end of the year.   Being a person who has always enjoyed keeping a journal anyway, I  have found it to be a surprisingly exhilarating challenge!   I think most of us are pretty good at listing off the obvious answers of family, God, and home when asked to name the things we are grateful for, but I have loved the challenge in finding something note-worthy in each and every average day.  Even the days when I am so busy I can hardly think straight.    Or I'm hormonal and grumpy.   Or  just plain tired! 

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Here's a glimpse at my  journal:

WEEK #1

Day 1--(11/24/14)--I am grateful for a gorgeous day with unseasonably warm temperatures.   The kids and I went on a long walk and enjoyed being outside together.  

Day 2--(11/25/14)--I am grateful for Spencer’s good check-up today at the oncologist.  This appointment marks almost 30 months in remission and I am thrilled for his continued health.

Day 3--(11/26/14)--I am grateful for the beautiful snowfall and the opportunity to get a lot of things accomplished around the house.  

Day 4--(11/27/14)--THANKSGIVING DAY--I am grateful for a beautifully peaceful day, a family who loves to cook,  and lots and lots of delicious homemade food (made by the family who loves to cook).  

Day 5--(11/28/14)--I am grateful for leftover pie, which if you didn’t know makes for a great lunch!  It was also fun to see the excitement of the kids as Glen put up the Christmas tree!

Day 6--(11/29/14)--I am grateful for the opportunity I had this afternoon to help someone in need.   I am also grateful for good friends and the time we spent with them this evening.   

Day 7--(11/30/14)--I am grateful for the testimonies of those around me.   I’m not one to get up to bear my own testimony very often, but I am inspired by others and always leave testimony meetings with a stronger desire to do better.     

I am also grateful to live very near one of the best hospitals in the DC area.  It was a HUGE blessing when Spencer was sick and proved to be a great blessing today too, when I took Glen to the same hospital to address his odd symptoms.

WEEK #2

Day 8--(12/1/14)--I am grateful that all of Glen’s medical tests have come back normal and that he can return home from the hospital this evening.   It was a stark reminder of how hard it is to have someone in the hospital and I am extremely grateful for Spencer’s, and everyone in our family’s health.  

Day 9--(12/2/14)--I am grateful for our ward’s book group and the opportunity it gives me to stretch my mind to read great books that I probably would never naturally be drawn to.   We read “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President” by Candice Millard, a nonfiction book interweaving the lives of James Garfield, Alexander Graham Bell, and to a lesser extent Garfield’s murderer.   It was a fascinating read and I am ever in awe of authors who can present nonfiction material in an engaging way that draws you into the story so fully.   I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion and left with  a newfound appreciation for how far the medical field has come, as well as for some great men and women, none of whom I previously knew much about, who have made our country and world a better place.

Day 10--(12/3/14)--I am grateful for the opportunity to take a 20-minute nap this afternoon.  It’s not often that I let myself check-out like that, but today it was a necessary evil so that I could continue functioning on an even minimal level.   I consider early morning seminary to be a huge blessing, but boy does it make me tired!

Day 11--(12/4/14)--I am grateful that we got to spend time with Matt and Karey and family today before they took off this evening for their 3-year stint in England.  We will miss them very much.  

Day 12--(12/5/14)--I am grateful to live so near so many amazing places--both cultural and historical!  Today we saw a performance of the Nutcracker performed by the National Ballet at Catholic University.  Although I was somewhat familiar with the story through the kids’ storybooks, this was the first time I’d ever seen it performed.    We all agreed it was cool to watch, but even already knowing the storyline, the story was very confusing to follow without any words

I am also grateful to have wonderful ladies to work with in YW.   We had a presidency meeting today and once again I am in awe of their hard work and dedication to not only serving the young women of our ward, but also to living the gospel every day!

Day 13--(12/6/14)--I am grateful to have gotten caught up on some housework.  After a couple of “off” weekends, our house was pretty much thrashed.  I’ve been a step-behind the housework all week! I finally got a bunch of laundry done, the kids finally did their Saturday chores, and I’m hoping that the dishes are done with overflowing out of the sink.  

I am also grateful for good friends who not only are kind, but thoughtful too.  

Day 14--(12/7/14)--I am grateful for a wonderful day at stake conference, for the opportunity we had to take long (and brisk) walk around Burke Lake.  I am also grateful for the two bald eagles we saw as we were walking!

1-1/2 Year Check-Up!

Happy early Thanksgiving to us!

Spencer had his 18-month check-up today at the cancer center in Harrisonburg
and we are thrilled that all is still good.

It was interesting to hear while the new oncologist was reviewing his file with him, that she kept mentioning how aggressive his treatment protocol had been.  Finally I asked and she informed me that adults with AML are not treated as aggressively as pediatric patients, because their older bodies can't handle the damage the chemo does to their organs.  I had no idea!

After his appointment, we piled back into the car for some Grilled Cheese Mania (our favorite H-burg restaurant) and met the owner for the first time.  After the delicious dinner (I got the Mama Mania sandwich--which was a perfectly spicy, pesto, tomato, and fresh mozzarella panini) we took the two hour drive back home, wherein I finally gave way to Cami's begging and let her drive the last 20 miles or so. 

Now we are all back under one roof again for the first time in nearly three months. It is an amazingly comforting feeling and my heart is nearly bursting to think that we've got a blessed ten days together!



Clinic Stats:  
Weight:  73 kg    WBC: 7.5    RBC: 4.53  Platelets:  162   Hgb:  15.3



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Glen's Facebook update this evening:
 I believe in miracles. I've seen too many of them in my life to deny. My 18-year old son just had his 18-month check up to see how he's doing in his battle against Leukemia. Well, Spencer remains cancer free! First of all, congrats Spence - we love you!!! Second, there's a story in the "Good Book" about 10 lepers that had contracted a hideous, degrading, embarrassing, ostracizing and life shortening disease. As Christ passed by them, he was filled with compassion and physically healed all 10 of them. Only one of them returned to thank Jesus for restoring his life back to him. Christ told that one individual that his gratitude allowed him to be healed spiritually in addition to being healed physically. Today, I say thank you to my God for the miracle of healing my son and helping him remain cancer free for these past 18 months. The odds were not pretty when we started this journey, and to see Spencer healthy, in college and cancer-free, well, to me is an amazing miracle. What a great way to head into Thanksgiving to have this (and so many other things) to be grateful for!

Mystery Lights

Look! 

What are those glowing orbs in the night sky? 

Are they stars?  Or a UFO?  Maybe a couple of cats? 

Oh wait!  I see a face!  Is it a creepy alien?  

Or a couple of stalkers trying to see what my next blog post will be about? 

Nope....

it's just my hunny and a couple of kids sleeping in the tent set up in the backyard. 

They were supposed to be at a ward campout while I stayed home to get Spence and Cam off to their Saturday morning activities (SAT and cc meet), but DC rush hour traffic proved to be too much for these fair traffic campers and instead they watched "Brave" at the dollar theater and came home to do their camping.    Ellie opted to stay inside and sleep in Daddy's spot on the bed next to me. 

Everyone missed out on their annual Spam burgers cooked by Bruce, but I'd have to say that the nonstressful traffic coming home (approximately 22 feet) and spider free restroom facilities more than made up for that small sacrifice! 

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Family's List of Recommended Books

I am a bookworm by nature, devouring books in single sittings when I can.  In elementary school, I went through a phase of reading a book-a-day and sometimes my mom actually had to tell me not to read so much.    While motherhood has definitely slowed the volume of books that I read, reading is still something that is an important part of who I am and for the sake of my sanity, something that I have to make time for no matter how busy life gets. 

A couple of my kids (Spencer and Emma) have taken after me in this regard, reading voraciously whenever they can, but with the other three kids it's a little more of a push to get them to read.   They like books when they're reading them, but they're not as likely to select it as their activity of choice.  So to me it is a beautiful thing when I walk into a room and am greeted by this sight.....

Shortly after taking this picture, I got the idea to make a list of our favorite books--partially to capture the moment in time, but also to share with all of you some of the books that we like the best.  I asked each person in the family what books they would recommend and why.  I tried to use their own words whenever I could, but you will note that some of us are a little more verbose than others.  :)   Since we're always looking for new material to read, feel free to leave your recommendations (for adults or kids) in the comments. 


Glen's Reviews
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain-- Intriguing research about how exercise affects our status of mind. It addresses how exercise has proven to be effective in treating common ailments such as stress, ADHD, depression, aging, addiction, and many other ailments and a great facilitator to increase learning. If you want a clinical study that's sure to inspire you to get moving, this is a great read. It is a little heavy on the medical terminology, but I have read it twice now and will likely read it again.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen-- If you have any inkling for a passion to run, this is a great book.  It chronicles the true life experiences of Christopher McDougall in his quest to become an ultra marathoner. Among other stories, he talks of his experiences with the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico, a native Mexican tribe of Indians that have held distance running as a part of their everyday life for centuries. This book is fun and fascinating for the runner in you.

Lone Survivor-- This is an inspiring and humbling true life story of Marcus Luttrell, a Navy Seal member. Marcus Luttrell is the leader of a small elite team of Navy Seals that were given a true mission to covertly enter Afghanistan and apprehend or kill a head member of Al Qaeda believed to be very close to Osama bin Laden. During the course of the mission, something goes horribly wrong and the book is the true experiences of this Navy Seal team's struggle for survival. WARNING - this book has some colorful language you might expect to hear on the battlefield and some very real description of war sequences. It is however a very real insight into who I believe our military heroes are and the hell they are asked to live through on occasion to preserve and protect our freedom as well as the freedoms of peoples all over the world.

Lara's Reviews
These is My Words--This story is of a woman living on the American frontier in the 19th century.  I loved the characters, the romance, and the beautiful life she forged amongst the harshness of that time and place.    

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption --I sat incredulous through most of this book--incredulous that one man could endure so much.  Incredulous that men could be so evil.  And incredulous that someone could rise above all the evils/hardships he faced and do so much good. 

Book of Mormon--I have read this book again and again in my life and I am always amazed at some piece of wisdom I've missed in past readings.   This book goes hand-in-hand with the Bible and is an account of Christ's visit to the people living in the Americas.  I consider this book to be the most influential and inspirational book I've ever read. 

Edenbrooke--I'll be the first to admit that this book was cheesy and predictable, but I also found it charming and fun.  If you are in need of a light and clean romantic read, this book is perfect. 

Spencer (17)
Inheritance series--Spencer says that these books are "exciting and interesting" and he wants to be a  book reviewer when he grows up, so he can get paid to give such enlightening and descriptive book reviews. 

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy --Spencer finds this book quite entertaining and quotes from it liberally.  He recently talked Glen into reading it too which is helping Glen to understand a little more Spence-language.  He has yet to convince me. 

Cami (15)
The Goose Girl -- This book is full of good old-fashioned romance and adventure when a princess finds her life and kingdom in jeopardy.  She has to keep herself in disguise and use her unusual gifts to save herself and her kingdom. 

The Last Song --This book is as sappy as most Nicholas Sparks' books, but as always it's an engaging story that will make you cry.  

Emma (11)As you can see, Emma is quite a bookworm who enjoys a plethora of different genres. 

Boston Jane: An Adventure --She liked it because it was a romance, historical fiction, and an adventure all in one book. 

Dear America series--These books are historical fiction stories about girls living through famous moments of history.  It gives you a glimpse of what it might have been to live through them through the eyes of a child. 

Saving Zasha --A historical fiction book about life in post-World War II in Russia and a boy's journey to save a German Shepherd, which are forbidden in Russia at that time because of their affiliation with Germany. 

The Underland Chronicles --Written by Suzanne Collins (the same author as Hunger Games),  these fantasy books have adventure, strange creatures, and an everyday boy who becomes a hero.  Emma loved this series. 

Alex Rider--a series of mystery books about a boy who helps his uncle and  becomes an undercover spy. 

Adam (9)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory --This is a book I read over and over again when I was a kid, so I was so excited when Adam recently discovered this classic tale too.  I would skip watching the movies, since they are a bit odd, but this book is full of fantasy and imagination that will draw in even the most reluctant readers to its fantastic story.

Geronimo Stilton books--It's all about fun with these these popular chapter books.  They're fun adventure stories with full-color illustrations and fonts to match the words.    Adam says they're among the most popular books among boys his age and the school library was all checked out of them after only one day. 

Ellie (7)
Little House Chapter Books (easy readers )-- Based on the original Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, these easy-to-read books are Ellie's favorite right now. She wants me to mention that she loves books that are based on real stories. 

The Josefina Story Quilt (easy chapter book)--This book is a touching account of a little girls' joys and sorrows as she crosses the plains with her family.  Although there is a sad moment, Ellie absolutely loves this book. 

My Chincoteague Pony- (a picture book)--a sweet story about a little girl who goes to buy a pony at an auction, but does not have enough money.  The crowd feels her disappointment build as she bids unsuccessfully on pony after pony and then chips in to help her buy it.  Afterward she saves her money all year, so she can help someone else buy a pony the following year. 

Favorite Picture Books
Edward the Emu--a fun story about an emu in the zoo who decides to try out being other animals for a time.  In the end he realizes that he being the emu is the best.  We love the rhyming cadence of this book and at any given time some of my children have had this book memorized. 

Caps for Sale--a classic story about a cap seller who gets his caps stolen by monkeys while he is taking a nap.  My kids find this book wildly funny. 

Make Way for Ducklings --I loved this classic book when I was a little girl and now my own kids love  it too, especially after a visit to Boston and seeing some of the scenes from the book in real life.  The story is quaint and realistic and the illustrations simple yet beautiful. 

If You Find a Rock--I love the gorgeous pictures in this book almost as much as the simple but elegant text describing  rocks in a way that everyone (child or adult) can connect with.  Although not scientific in the slightest, it is perfect if you have any rock collectors in the house.