A busy summer

The three oldest kids just got home from a 4-day Pioneer Trek. For four days, they pushed and pulled handcarts over the hilly and rocky Barlow Road, which actual pioneers used to get around Mt. Hood in the old days. They dressed like pioneers, ate like pioneers and slept like pioneers. They loved every minute of it, even though it was really difficult. They all learned a lot, and hopefully will remember these things for the rest of their lives. Some things they all learned:

1. They CAN do really hard things.

2. Oatmeal isn't so bad if you are really, really hungry

3. Being woken up by a mob at 11:30pm and forced to move your camp another 1.5 miles down the trail in the dark is scary and annoying, but they got a glimpse of how the Mormon pioneers felt being forced by a mob to pick up and move.

4. Just when the handcart seems too much for you to push up a steep hill, angels will come from nowhere and assist you.

5. Crossing 40-degree water with a handcart full of provisions is cold and hard, but possible when everyone works together.

It was a great experience for all of them, but I sure missed them while they were gone. My 2 drivers and 3 of my babysitters were gone. I had to drive the little guys everywhere and take them all with me. Not that I minded, but the little guys prefer to stay home and play rather than run errands with me.

Also, last week was the last day of school for Noah and Sav. Their charter school has a 200-day school year, with only a 6-week summer break. I have loved everything about their new school this year, but I can't say I'm crazy about the short summer. But Sav explained that it was actually fine, because by the time they got out of school, all the other kids were already bored with their summer, and now she has 6 weeks to have fun and not be bored. What a great girl. The kids love their school, even with the long days and long year. When a 2nd grader is doing long division and has a complete understanding of the ins and outs of fractions, you know the school is doing something right, even if they go to school into July.

The rest of the summer is going to be wild. Noah has cub scout day camp this week, and I just dropped of Abram and Jacob for their scout high adventure. They unpacked their trek stuff, and then packed up for a 5-night 6-day 340-mile bike ride on the Oregon coast. They will start today in Tillamook and put in 60-70 miles a day until they get to California. They will get home late Saturday night, and we'll be off on our next adventure the following morning.

We'll get up early and drive to Utah for Mark's family reunion at Bear Lake. Then we'll come home late Friday night so Joel and Jacob can get ready to go to scout camp the following Monday morning at 5am. They will be home for 3 days, and then it's off to Belize. I figured that Jacob has 4 nights left sleeping at our house this summer. That's pretty sad for me, because he's pretty much awesome to have around.

I just hope my 2 boys will be safe on their bikes this week. I can't wait to see them Saturday night. I'm sure they will be just a tiny bit saddle sore.