The Many Emotions of the Andrew Boys

Naptime, it's a good time

Naptime is something of a new concept to me. I know I have had kids for five years, but it's only been the past year and a half or so that I have been at home with them during the day, so I'm still really enjoying this nap thing. I think other countries that do "siesta" really have the right idea. A quiet time during the afternoon to recharge. I've had times where I nap right along with the boys, and other times it's a welcome break to do my own thing. I feel lucky that my kids enjoy their naps and actually nap at the same time. It's been hard for Wesley these past few weeks to be at school all day without one. I can tell he is really, really tired and run down. Hopefully his little body will adjust. We have really been going since school started, it seems as if there is always someplace to be. These moments, when the house is quiet, are like a little treasure.

The Great Labor Day Campout

We braved a campout with the whole family this weekend. It was hard work but so much easier than I expected! There were a total of 7 families, with 15 adults and 11 kids all 5 and under: The Andrews, the Hudgins, the Leons, the Seefeldts, the Williamsons, the Moores, the Combs and Larry Kravitz. Quite a wild ride. The kids had a blast getting dirty and playing nonstop, and they actually slept pretty well, we only had one middle of the night family conference. lol

Thomas and Miles:



Natey all bundled up:



Us with the Hudgins:


Jonathan a.k.a. The "Pied Piper"


Thanks fellow campers for the great memories!

Homework!

Another new thing to add into the evening...the daily homework Wesley has to do for kindergarten. He's had homework before, in preschool, and he was always dragging his feet to do it. But somehow THIS homework is much more exciting. At least for the time being. I was amazed at the care and precision he put into coloring and writing his letters...he spent a long time picking the proper azul and amarillo crayons, and coloring in the lines...this is not like him, he's not usually my artistic child. I have to say I am impressed! Of course Thomas had to do a page as well (Thanks Marian for the phonics exercises), and Nathan sat in his bouncy chair and watched the happenings.


Tonight Jason had church so I was running the three ring circus by myself. Doing chores, making dinner, doing baths and homework for three requires stamina and a whole lotta patience. We worked together, and we did it! I am proud of us!

Camping with Wesley

This Friday night my friend Jonathan Hudgins (www.familyhudgins.blogspot.com), his son Jacob (also 1 of 3) Wesley and I went on an overnight camping trip in the Redwoods. It was kind of a right of passage for our two boys who just entered kindergarten.















I have to tell you that I am extremely proud of Wesley and Jacob! We probably pushed them too much for their age (4 & 5) but they both made it and had relatively good attitudes - we hiked in 2.8 miles to the campground and another 2.8 back out. This was not just a flat trail either. It was alot of ups and downs. We kept motivating them by talking about Yoda and Luke Skywalker.















"This is your training" We told them. "You guys are young jedis in training." It worked for some of the 3 hour walk each way. But at other times they would say, "I don't want to train."

In any case, we had fun. I have say that it was quite possibly the worst night of sleep I have ever encountered. First of all, I took a child's sleeping bag because it was the lightest I had. Then I didn't have a mat. So every fifteen minutes I would shift from my right hip to my left hip. Then when both hips were raw from the rocks beneath I would lay on my back. Because the sleeping bag was about 4 feet long I would take about 5 minutes to stretch out (because I was curled up in order not to freeze the rest of the time) and the sleeping bag would come to the middle of my chest. It is quite comical now that I look back. But I was (am) sore and tired.















In addition to that there was poision ivy lining most of the 2.8 mile trail in and out. It was a constant game of trying to not touch a vine. At one point, we had to take off all of our backpacks as it was so thick (through a part of the trail) then carry the backpacks ahead and each boy. Again as I write this it sounds crazy - but it was alot of fun.




Wesley on top of Goat Rock. The view was incredible!














At the beginning and end of the trail!