Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger

I feel like a huge failure.  I want to write every day but I never do.  So many thoughts and deep feelings and I don't record them.  Not here, not anywhere and I am sure it will be a regret.  So, I last wrote on March 11th and of course it's been over a month and many things have happened.  Most of all, I have enjoyed time with my family and friends.  It's been incredible.  Normally when you visit home, you have limited time and you must only visit the immediate family.  This trip has allowed time with people I wouldn't normally get to see.  It's allowed for connections and time to sit and talk.  I love my family and friends and as I leave each one, I feel sad.  I hope for renewed chances to connect and grow deeper relationships with each one.  Technology can allow this chance to stay in contact, but time may not.  I hope when I return home and get back to real life....I will have more time to stay connected.
I know this is not the greatest blog, but at least it's a return to the forum and maybe I'll do better.  I'm going to try.

Church is Like a Box of Chocolates

So, we have tried our best to attend church every Sunday, wherever we are.  In the words of my friend Erika, after all we do each week, shouldn't we spend a couple hours focused on God on Sundays? We've been fairly successful and have attended 4 out of the 5 Sundays in the mainland.
It's been a very interesting part of our trip. Each Sunday has shown us a new town, type of church, and each church has had it's own personality or style.
The first Sunday found us in Tacoma.  We attended a church that happened to be having a breakfast and though we were late, five different people offerred us food.  There was a guest speaker and he recited entire books of the Bible, acting them out.  It was amazing and interesting.
For the second Sunday we were in Ashland, Oregon.  It was a beautiful building with a very slow paced service.  There was slow hymns and a long long message.  The people were friendly but we lost Kealia to slumberland half way through.
The third week we went to church in Monterey and that was the funniest of all.  It was SPEED church.  So fast! The music was fast and loud and like a rock band.  The message was spoken by a speed talking preacher.  The welcome of guests was a quick spin around of, "Hello, Hello, Hello."  The closing and departure were the funniest of all as everyone was half way out the door before the preacher could be done.  Don't get me wrong we liked it, we were on our way to the aquarium...it was just funny.
We skipped the fourth Sunday, but we attended today, in Phoenix Arizona.  Actually, I think the church we went to was outside Phoenix in a smaller area and it was a Methodist church. It was our first traditional service in a giant church with everyone all dressed up and organ and piano music with a choir.  I think it was my favorite church so far and I loved the message.  It was about how suffering leads to character...
I'm so glad we went.
Over the years I've discovered that for me, there's no perfect church.  There always seems to be parts you love and parts that are a bit different than you are used to.  The main thing is...at church, you find yourself amongst fellow believers.  It's a comfortable place, if you let it be.  You truly never know what you're gonna get, but like chocolate...it's gonna be pretty good, no matter what.

Kissed by a Camel

Yesterday was a very fun day.  We started the morning by working on some writing assignments the girls had and I must say they weren't easy.  They were at it for about five hours and I was helping them and doing my own work as well.  That part wasn't so fun, but it was productive which is always a good feeling.  Then, as a reward for our hard work, Kealia really wanted to go to a place called Bearizona.  It was a bit pricey and it is just getting started as a business.  They have the nicest employees with great friendly customer service.  They also have lots of bears...as you drive through the wildlife park.  It was ok.  Not really the greatest, though the girls and I were having the greatest time just enjoying ourselves and trying to find the animals.  After we left, we decided we would go to the Deer Farm Petting Zoo.  Now, only I wanted to go to this but I must say, I made a good call.  It was much more affordable than Bearizona and you could buy a huge bucket of food for the deer.  When you step outside on the path, the deer come running.  You feed the deer and walk around to see a pig, a camel, a bison, reindeer, miniature donkeys, a coatamundi, and more.  It's very fun and the animals are up close and all around you.  As we were leaving, the owner arrived and she's a very fun and enthusiastic lady.  We immediately liked her.  When she found out we were from Hawaii she insisted we kiss a camel.  Coming off of our missing Hoover dam experience, we all said "Yeah, we want to kiss a camel."  This meant putting a carrot in our mouth and letting the camel take it out of our mouth with hers.  Her name was Gracie (the camel).  So, that's what we did.  I'm sure in our entire lives we will probably never kiss a camel again.  I'm proud of my girls for doing it and me too.
As I planned this trip for eight years, I often would wonder if it was going to be like what I expected.  I would try to imagine it.  So far, it exceeds my expectations!

Avoid Hoover Dams

            So, if you have been following our trip, then you know that we had a little mishap that led us up a logging road and it really, really scared us. In one way, it was a really good thing because it taught us to not blindly trust our GPS. It also taught us to listen to our instincts, to be cautious, and to not go in too far before turning around. That experience on the logging road has kept us from similar dangerous situations. We are doing our best to not make the same mistake twice.

            On the other hand, because we were scared, sometimes now we let fear keep us from seeing wonderful sights. Today, we were supposed to see Hoover Dam. As we turned off on the road to go to it, it was along the edge of a mountain and we started making references to the logging road. As the road went further, we discouraged ourselves. Finally, we turned around. We weren't sure if we were going the right way. We weren't sure if Hoover Dam was coming yet. We let our fear dictate our path. In the end, we missed the dam. We are not coming back this way, so we have missed this opportunity. It's not like it was the Grand Canyon, but it was Hoover Dam, a marvel of engineering and human ability. So the lesson is to not let fear steal the opportunities of our lives. We only get one shot for each day. I want to make the most of each day. I want to love my kids the best I can. I want to love my husband the best I can. I want to serve God the best I can. I don't want to almost do things. I want to avoid Hoover Dam from now on. Not the actual place, but the experience I had or rather, didn’t have, there.

I'll see you at the Grand Canyon, where I'll be taking it ALL in.  

Proud Road School Mom

Thought I'd take a few minutes this morning, as a quick break from my work, to write a short blog about how proud I am of my family...Not really bragging, but just a moment for me to acknowledge to myself and whoever may choose to read this that I am incredibly impressed with my loved ones.
This morning, we had to drop Hana Girl off at this beautiful private school in Claremont, California to take a standardized test, in hopes of becoming eligible for potential academic scholarships.  It's not the way she wanted to spend her morning, but she went willingly and with her best effort to do her best.  Kealia and I are waiting for her in a nearby Starbucks, where Kealia is working diligently on her math.  I'm writing thank you letters and reports.  I just feel proud of their school efforts even on the road.  They are reading, doing math, and taking the science they learn from various science discovery centers seriously.  Kealia even read a book to me while I drove and it was so enjoyable.
We've also taken the time to pray together daily, read scripture from the Bible together regularly, and share little gifts of Hawaiian candy or other items with strangers.  These random acts of kindness are often initiated by the girls.
Also, I'm very proud of my husband.  I know it must be hard to be without us, though his blood pressure has gone down, and I'm not sure what that means...
He's been so supportive and encouraging and we talk all the time.  I know not all husbands would be like this and I'm very grateful he wants me to live my dream.  Each time I become scared or discouraged I call him and he is there to keep me going and lift my spirits.  I know we are only one month in and challenges may come and go, but I'm so grateful for all he does for us.  We even prayed together with him on Face Time and it was almost like he was with us.  I'm also glad he has his kids back home that visit him, help him with the land, and make sure he's doing well.
I guess that's it for now, just having a moment where I stop and look at what's happening and think...
Thank you Lord and this is good.
Aloha,
Alana

Happiest Place on Earth

"We're Going to Disneyland!"  My girls have heard this several times in their lives.  They and I do realize we are extremely fortunate to have had the chance to go to this wonderful place about eight times.  It's more than most kids (living in Hawaii) get to go.  We love Disneyland.  We went there for the first Christmases after losing Darel....it made the holidays a little easier to take.  We went there with Darel when Hana Girl was little.  We went there with my students and it was fun to see the big kids really get into the spirit.  We went there about a year and a half ago to regroup after Mike's surfing accident.  It's been more than just a good time for us.  It's been a place to treasure the moments of having a toddler, a place to reignite a spirit of happiness, a place to acknowledge our family unit.  It might sound cheesey but we love the feeling of Disneyland.  Each time we go, we are grateful.
I was thinking about the slogan of Disneyland, and I realized that what makes Disneyland the Happiest Place on Earth, is that it's a time to be with people I love with only one plan....to enjoy.  Life is so busy, we rarely have the chance to just enjoy.  This entire road trip has so far been like that...except for all the work...but I am really enjoying my time with my girls.  You'd think at some point we'd run out of things to talk about or laugh at hysterically...but not so far.  (The most recent was in Target...I thought these people were from Hawaii, but they weren't- so it was a huge Uncle Jimmy moment)
Anyway, I digress...but my thought for today is:  We're going to Disneyland, the happiest place on earth.  Fact is, anywhere with my family is the happiest place on earth.

Tired, So Tired, So Tired

Each day, at the end, I pray thanks and gratitude for the day.  Usually, it's about all I can utter because I'm so very tired.  This is exhausting, but very wonderful at the same time.  Right now, the work schedule is heavy, but I'm hoping it will slow down a bit at some point.  Not exactly sure when that will happen.
We had our first bout of sickness.  I knew it would happen, it was bound to.  Hana Girl got a stomach bug, but seems to be fine now.  She was a trooper, saying she's fine, even when she was green.  Her color is back and we only missed one school visit, so she could get the rest needed to recover.
So, yesterday we worked all day and today we took life easy easy.  I did quite a bit of planning and arranging and the girls some homeschooling.  We had a nice lunch a mellow evening and will get back to busy, tomorrow.
There are so many things I'd like to write about as I drive, but can't type and watch the road at the same time.  I would like to quickly comment on my experiences with driving here in the mainland....It's a challenge, but not as bad (so far) as I predicted.
Bye for Now...I'm going to bed.

Small Towns and Long Roads

I'd really like to write about my feelings about all of the small towns we've passed and all of the long roads I've taken, but I'm just too tired.  I need to find a way to write my blog while I'm driving and all the thinking is going on in my head.

Good Brother

I've had the wonderful opportunity to spend the last five days with my brother, his wife, and my niece and nephew.  It has been so nice to spend time with family.  I'm always somewhat envious of my friends in Hawaii that are surrounded by all their family members.  It always seems like so much fun.  I know it must have its moments, but for the most part...you really just can't beat being with family.  One especially fun thing has been seeing my brother with his little boy and girl.  He's such a good dad!  It's heartwarming to watch.  I'm very proud of him.  So grateful this trip has provided the chance to be with family members.

Worship His Majesty

A day at Yosemite. You know that movie, "Vacation," with Chevy Chase, and he goes to the Grand Canyon, and he gets out of the car, takes a look, nods his head twice and then they jump back in the car. I have to admit, that's something I can relate to. Beautiful landscape, scenery, or even oceans don't always evoke as much appreciation from me as they probably should. Today, we went on a full day tour of Yosemite National Park. Having had more than my fill of mountain driving on the edges of steep cliffs with twists and turns like spaghetti tangled in the meatballs, I signed us up for the full package: driver, guide, and education all in one. So, after not breathing for most of the ride down into the valley, I was finally there and able to look around. It was AMAZING! All I could think of is God's magnificent creation. I was completely overwhelmed and even moved to tears. This completely surprised me. I surprised myself. I didn't know I had it in me. I think living in Hawaii, a place of such beauty, I have almsot become "used to it." This was a different beauty. It struck me. It was powerful and huge and inspiring and wild. I really loved it. I'm so glad I visited Yosemite National Park. I was going to cut it....that would've been a great loss. Most of all, I feel such a great sense of how big and powerful God is. His Majesty. It made me desire to Worship His Majesty. Grateful and Thankful and Amazed.

We're the Candleabra Tree

I know, I know, I know...I have to do better with the blogging.  I'm good on FB, but not so much here, and I've been told (a few times) that some people don't have Facebook.  I promise to do better.  So, day before yesterday, I visited all these crazy sights (designed just to be crazy and fun for tourists) along the northern California coast.  It was a very fun and interesting day.  Many things stood out for me, but I'm going to keep it brief...I loved the Trees of Mystery because it was amazing to see the tall redwoods and the unique trees.  One tree in particular was a Candelabra Tree.  It had a tree growing horizontally, and from that tree there were about four trees growing vertically.  It really struck me how the horizontal tree was feeding the vertical trees nutrients from the earth while the vertical trees fed the horizontal tree with photosynthesis from the sun.  It's neat how the strengths of one helped the strengths of the other and vice versa.  I think this works in life with me and Mike and with me and the girls.  When you recognize your strengths and the strengths of your partners and then work together, it's a beautiful thing.  So, on this trip, Hana Girl is the detail girl:  she keeps our accounting and daily budget, she makes sure we're on schedule(though we dont' always listen to her) and she has us completely organized.  Kealia is the joy and enthusiasm/ Cruise Director.  She is the one all gung ho to do all the unusual and fun things.  So, we drive to the home built entirely from one tree trunk and Hana Girl says, "I'll wait in the car," and Kealia's enthusiasm kicks in and gets us all going and soon we're skipping to the tree.  I'm the one that is focused on safety, manners, homeschooling, and being the mom. I vacillate between being more like Hana Girl and Kealia, but it varies depending on the situation.  Back to the tree...Hana Girl is the horizontal steady base.  Kealia is in the clouds and soaking up the sun.  Together, we're a perfect team!  Loving being with my girls!  

Expectation vs. Reality: Yes, Yes, and Yes

Wow, so blogging on the road is fairly difficult.  I just don't have the time.  I imagined this trip for so long I just wasn't quite sure what it would actually be like.  So, I thought I'd make a blog about how the trip is meeting what I had imagined.
*So, so far, it's easier than I expected.  The driving has its moments, but if it's not raining, and it's daylight, then, it's not bad.  I don't even mind rush hour because it means we can go slower.  Sometimes it's a challenge for me to keep up the 70 mile per hour thing but other times, I find myself going faster.  It all depends upon how far I'm going.
*Visiting friends has been the highlight.  I felt a little nervous to see people and to STAY and feel like an imposition on people I haven't seen in a long long time, but it has been wonderful and my friends have shared a ton of aloha with us. The Rogers, the Andersons, my former students, Deison, Lauwa'e, and Cheryl.  I've also loved having a hotel room, to just catch a breath.
*Our van is a tad bit more crowded than I had imagined, but I think we'll do some downsizing today.  It's very nice to have our own van.  It's like a relief or a piece of home.
*Food has been fun and delicious and amazing.  We are trying very hard not to overdo it, and though it hasn't been healthy food, we have tried to not eat toooooo tooooo much.  We walk a lot, also, which hopefully is doing something.  We've also done a good job of getting our rest.
*Budget-so far, ok.
*Keeping up with my work is ok.  I sometimes would rather be doing other things, but priorities....that's all I can say.
*Meeting fun people-YES!  Lots of happy, kind, fun, and funny people.  There are standouts! and there are the everyday friendly folks!  We love them all.
*Freedom from everyday life is also fun.  We have work, we have schedules, but it's different and it's something I am really grateful for.
*Me and the girls stuck in a van...well, sometimes they get mad at me, and sometimes we get mad at Kealia, and sometimes we get mad at Hana Girl, and sometimes Kealia and Hana Girl fight.  I tried something new...I let them have a whole fight and I didn't say a word.  It was hard; however, at the end, they were fine, they got over it, and so, maybe I'll try that some more.  The best part of us...we don't stay mad.
*Missing Mike-Ugh!  That's ALL I can say!  Much much worse than I expected.  Awful.  Twice I've checked air fares to come home and see him...but, I'm hanging on.  FaceTime HELPS!  We get Mike on the phone and pass him around.  It's kind of like he's been shrunk into a little guy the size of the phone and we show him around and the girls say, "I want daddy now," and we give them the phone.  It's funny.

*Is it still exciting?  Yes.  Am I glad we're doing it?  Yes.  Am I happy to keep going?  Yes.
So far, Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Running in Circles, Eating Donuts, Flying Fish, Gross Gum Wall

Today we played tourist in the city of Seattle.  We started our morning at a leisurely pace, which was nice for a change, and found our way to, Top Pot Donuts.  We were attracted there by the giant donut on top of the building.  Knowing that we are already planning on visiting donut places throughout the trip, we were excited for our first donut visit.  It did not disappoint.  They were delicious, the atmosphere was coffee shop relaxing.  Of course, the friendliness we experienced yesterday, proved to be present again today.  Oh, I didn't tell you about yesterday!  It was unbelievable.  I don't have time for all the details, but I will tell you that our town car driver was very kind and went out of his way to show us some sights as we drove to Matson to pick up our car.  When we got to Matson, everyone was very friendly.  I had to go around to the back to get the van and my girls waited out front.  A guy named Cookie bought my girls donuts.  Another guy named Joe, insisted they go inside, and when I told him that I had told them, but they weren't listening, he forced them inside.  (They weren't being defiant, just trying to have good manners.)  Then, my battery wouldn't start, so the Matson guys jumped my car.  They were worried about us, so Joe drove his car for me to follow him, all the way to a gas station, near our place we'd be staying.  He even called to check on us later in the evening.
There was more to yesterday, but I better move on with today...well actually, I'm going to let Kealia tell you about today.  She wrote a beautiful journal entry...so the rest is by her:

Even though this has been only my 2nd day of my trip, I'm only starting my journal today and tomorrow, we go to Tulalip.
Today, we did a lot of tings.  We went to the top of the space needle and I have pictures to prove it.  We ran outside around about five times.  Then when we got back down to earth, we went to Pike's Market.  We watched them throw fish and crabs.
Then, next we went down to the Gum wall.  it's a combination of some really gross gum, a covered old movie theatre, and a lot of support from Seattle community.  What I really think is that a group of kids always used to hang out there so they started sticking gum on the wall, too lazy to walk to the trash can.  Later, it became abandoned from all the graffiti and gum and became a world land mark. ( I actually stuck gum on the wall too! Hee Hee)
The last thing we did was go to the Pacific Science Center.  There were so many different exhibits.  My favorites were the butterfly house and the live bugs.  I really liked the Butterfly House because there were so many different species.  I liked the live bugs because I got to hold alive Madagascar Hissing Cockroach.  There were millipedes, cockroaches, centipedes, scorpions, and bees.  There was also a type of stick bug.  There was also an Awesome Psychic Powers show and it was funny and cool.  The guy was not really a magician but taught us about the scientific method.  His last trick was so hard, but eventually I figured it out.  This was my exciting day in seattle.  Hope that you have a day like this too.

The "But" Hurts

In about a week, I could change this title to, "The BUTT Hurts," because though I drive to Kona or Hilo for about an hour one way, at least once a week, I'm sure it will be nothing compared to the driving I'm about to begin doing.  This title though, is more fitting for how I feel now...today...when the, "But," hurts.  

So, I know I'm fortunate to be able to take this amazing trip around the United States for 5 1/2 months.  And I know it's going to be the trip of a lifetime.  I'm sure I'm going to see amazing sights, beautiful scenery, and gorgeous landscapes.  I know it's a great educational experience for the girls.  It will indeed be great to see my family and friends all along the way.  I'm certain I will enjoy the many museums, science centers and farmer's markets in fabulous cities.  Spending this quality time, at this time, with my girls is invaluable.  I am aware that this is a chance to make a difference as an educator and give future students opportunities.  BUT...(And that's the "But," that Hurts)...

I'm really sad to leave my wonderful husband and best friend, Mike.  I miss him already and it hurts.  This trip seemed like such a great idea for the last eight years while I was planning it, but now the reality of having found a love that brings me so much strength, hope, happiness, and just plain old fun, makes the trip feel like a separation and leaves me feeling a sadness that I had not expected.  We planned this trip before we met Mike and I told him about it on our 2nd date, but not until the last couple of months has leaving him for this adventure, really set it.  To make it worse...he's so supportive and encouraging...telling me to go and make him and Darel proud.  A double whammy!  Who would want to leave such a selfless, generous, and humble man...not to mention very handsome and constantly funny.  So, yeah, yeah, yeah, to all the things I mentioned first, but man, does the BUT hurt!  

Buh Bye Cat Litter

So, I'm set to depart in a week for this Big Adventure.  When I see people they always ask me, "Are you getting excited?"  I answer honestly that "Yeah, I am," but I also really love my life right here and right now.  I'm not looking forward to leaving the beautiful place I live, the church I enjoy attending, the home that is so comfortable and full of laughter, the job that I actually unexpectedly miss more than I thought I would, the daily activities we enjoy, the beach, my puppy Cupcake, my friends, and Most of All, my wonderful husband.  I think the one thing I'm really looking forward to is NOT changing the cat litter.  Each morning as I'm scooping...I'm thinking...just a few more days and I don't have to do this anymore.  And that, is the only thing I can think of that I'm happy to get away from.  Yes, I'm excited...but I'm going to be happy to come back, too.

Adding Sticks to the Nest

Right before you have a baby, expectant parents often go through a process called, "Nesting." They have an urge to clean, organize, and prepare their home for the new baby.  I think I'm experiencing a similar phenomenon.  I'm only going to be gone for 5 1/2 months, but I feel the need to go through all my closets and drawers, organize my papers, have medical check ups, revisit and update my will and more.  I feel the need to have everything in order before I go. It's a change from how I normally do things which is to think of it, but not actually do it...procrastination.
One thing I really notice that's different, is the way I love my husband.  I know I'm leaving him for a long time and I know I'm going to miss him so much!  So, I've noticed that little things that used to irritate me, don't.  Small arguments that may have been larger in the past, aren't.  There's no time to be mad because our time together before the trip is short.  I don't want to waste my time with him, not enjoying him.  I also want to do nice things for him...make sure dinner's ready, arrange date nights, send him text messages.  I'm thinking that maybe this is how I should be all the time.  As someone who has lost one husband and nearly lost another, you'd think I'd NEVER take him for granted, but life happens and I forget how very blessed I am.  Knowing we will only be side by side for a couple of more weeks and then it'll be a few long months apart, brings a great awareness to how very fortunate I am.  I think appreciating Mike is the best nesting I'm doing. I think I'll try to make this a way of life, because appreciation breeds contentment and happiness.  I'm going to miss Mike so much, but I'll worry about that once I'm on the road.  For now, I'm going to text him a smile and buy tickets for a date tomorrow night.

Talking to Strangers

I've always talked to strangers.  Some say, I've never met a stranger because after a few minutes I think they're my friend.  I love talking to people and hearing their story.  My kids are used to it, they don't always love it, but they accept it.  So, I talked to a couple of strangers yesterday.  Salesclerks at the mall.
First one I'll tell you about was in shoes at Macy's.  I exchanged my cute furry boots, that I'd actually never wear,  because I just feel too old to wear boots with my jeans tucked in to expose the furry band.  So, I was trying to find just the right boots for the trip.  The sales girl asked where we were going to which I gave my usual answer, "Around the United States for 5 1/2 months."  Her response surprised us!  "I did that!"  She then went on to say how much she loved it and how much she learned.  She told us the places she went:  Disneyworld, the Grand Canyon, the Empire State Building, Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, and more.  I asked what kind of car? A volkswagon van.  Who did she go with?  Her dad.  How old was she?  9 and she still remembers it all.
Wow, 9 years old with your dad all around the U.S?  She told me, "He had cancer, so he wanted to take me."  He lived only about a year more after the trip.  She had tears in her eyes and so did I.  She said that now she really understands, now that she's older, what it meant to him and her, and how grateful she is.  That's no stranger...that's someone who values life with gratitude.

Homeschooling is CRAZY!

Homeschooling should have another name:  Crazymaking!!!!
We've been at it for three days and staying home all day for three days is absolutely crazy!!! We've reached delirium and we know this because we alternate between bouts of screaming, dancing, and laughing hysterically.  We've danced, sung, and eaten way too much food because the "school cafeteria/our kitchen" is open all day long-and the food is better here.
We try to be disciplined and stick to a set plan and curriculum, but there's a tv here and Facebook, and You Tube, and Itunes, and snacks, and Wii, and animals to pet, and laundry, and on and on and on.
Things I've learned:
1.  13 year old girls cannot learn Algebra from their mothers-if the mother is absolutely NOT sure of what she's teaching.  So, Mr. Pilarsky on You Tube has become Hana Girl's new math teacher.  We like him and so far, he likes Hana Girl (because he can't see her roll her eyes to him)
2.  I'm good at teaching Kealia's math.  So far.  I think.  I really have no idea.
3.  Vocabulary is all three of our greatest weakness, as we just were trying and trying to determine the meaning of the word, "puny" and we couldn't figure it out because we thought it was a Filipino word for something that makes you laugh.  "That joke was very puny." (funny)
4.  After taking a Reading Comprehension test, Kealia and I were reviewing her missed questions and when asked about the mood of a passage, (which I read) we couldn't determine the answer.  When we looked up the answer and found out it was-Humorous-, we reread and I guess I could see it but Kealia said, "That does not make me laugh." which made me laugh, and laugh.
5.  We are going through school withdrawals!!!!  We even miss the people we don't like!  WE are going stir crazy!
6.  Homeschooling is hard.  It makes you gain weight.  It makes you crazy.
I admire all those people out there doing this....I don't know how you do it.
Well, we have to go.  We need a field trip.  We're going to study something out there....outside, out of this house.
I'm sure homeschooling will go better once we get on the road.  Hahahahaha, yeah, because then we won't be trapped in a house...just in a minivan.  Should be much better.