Day-to-Day Grind

It's kind of nice when there isn't some big to-do to report on. Just life, whizzing by as normal, well our new normal.

The boys are bogged down with homework every night and most of the weekends. Alex takes a break from the grind to swim on Mondays and Wednesdays and attend 3D print club on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Andrew has soccer about 3 days a week, but never seems to know when his games are. The coaches are not very good about communicating that with the kids. I honestly don't think they know. Typically, I'll get a call/text about 3pm saying, "practice only" or "no practice - game". Monday we showed up at 4:45 as instructed, only to find out that the game before us started late (5pm) and we wouldn't play until around 7pm. Well, the whole team was there so we stayed. I sat on the bleachers until 8:30 when we finally finished up. With this type of homework load, that makes for a late night.

Needless to say, we have many late nights finishing up homework when we have after-school activities. I think it is so important for these boys to have something other than school work to break up the monotony. So we plow through, stay up late and get things done. We're finding it harder and harder to get by with only one computer. Both boys need it every night. So far the tandem dance has worked. "Ok, you're work isn't due until Friday, so let your brother use it tonight, his is due tomorrow." We may have to break down and buy a second one. Oh vey!

We're gearing up for Week Without Walls in a week and a half. The kids have most of the things they need, but we're struggling to locate sandals this time of year. Summer is just around the corner, but sandals are no where to be found. They have a version of Crocs here, but my kids would rather walk barefoot on glass than wear Crocs...

Alex will be rafting the Maule River from the mountain to the ocean, for a week of team building, camping and exposure to local tribal food and traditions.  He'll be in a group of only 9th graders. The group is coordinated and led by a professional educational tour group, but 3-4 teachers from the school will be there as well. Alex earned his canoeing merit badge in scouts, so he's eager to give rafting a go. From the photos taken during last year's trip, it looks as if they also have kayaks for the kids to use. The guides said that the water flows fast enough that the kids don't have to constantly paddle their way down, but nothing dangerous. The only time rafts flip, is when the kids make them. They haul their gear on the raft with them, so hopefully they don't try and tip it when their stuff is on board.

Andrew gets to go to the Galapagos Islands. This is a dream destination for him and he couldn't be more excited. They will fly, take a boat, bus and train to get to where they need to be. He'll be also traveling with the tour company and a few teachers from the school. His trip, however, will have 10-12 graders. It is also a significantly smaller group. They will camp one night, but spend the other nights in various hotels. They will take part in an ecological training course and explore the island. They will snorkel with the sea life, including turtles and sharks. It will be an adventure of a lifetime!

So Greg and I will be home alone, while the kids travel... That didn't seem right at all! So Greg booked tickets today for he and I to head to Buenos Aries. I can't wait to explore this romantic part of the world with the man I adore. He has the hotel booked, a ride from the airport and arranged to exchange pesos. He has a colleague that is from that area that is helping him plan the trip, which is so nice. We want to get as much squeezed in to our 3 nights as possible. We'd love to stay longer, but we have to leave after the kids depart and be back before Alex returns. Oh well! 3 nights is better than 0 nights :)

Well - off I go, back to the grind. Booster Club meeting, soccer practice, homework, swim, church. All in one crazy little bundle! It's amazing how much we can cram into our lives after 3pm...