In August my husband kindly offered to take our family on a pilgrimage of sorts to our country's capitol, Washington DC.  The plan was to be gone for a month and I really didn't believe it would happen.

Guess what?  It did.  After a whirlwind of planning and wrapping up loose ends - we flew away from our home on October 22.  I had no idea what to expect from being gone from our home for 30 days.  I have lived in this town since I was a small girl - attended elementary, jr. high and high school here.  I married here and all my children have been born in the same hospital - two in the same room.  I am truly blessed - however, the prospect of being away from home was very exciting. 

We stayed in a rented house for two weeks in DC and experienced city life - complete with no vehicle.  That was a stange experience - going grocery shopping without my giant grocery getter (Excursion).  We learned how to expertly pack the stroller with our supplies and get it on and off the Metro without spilling it all.  It was awesome to be in the city during the elections - what a different perspective we got by getting out of our comfort zone.

After our 14 day tour of duty in the city we rented a car - (woo hoo) and headed for the countryside.  We toured Mount Vernon, Monticello, Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown - just to name a few.  Down in the Colonial triangle - we were so thrilled to spend four days in a 18th Century farm house.  What an experience that was!  The house and the grounds were so beautiful with fall colors.  It was a treat for this evergreen-living family. 

Our last week was spent back up in the DC area - but we were ready to go home.  We were severely homesick.  I know - we are wimps, some of you travel or move all the time with no complaining.  We love travelling - but we love coming home.

This was a trip of a lifetime and I'm hoping the fruit of our labor will be harvested for years to come with situations like this... We were home just a few days when I found my two youngest using metal poles from the porta crib as guns over their shoulders.  My 7 dd was chanting "hut two three"   when she suddenly pauses.  She grabs a rectangular pillow - tosses it in the middle of the floor and says "now we are guarding the tomb of the unknown soldier".  It was a precious moment to realize she "got" something like that.  Nevermind - the soldiers guarding the tomb are a bit quieter than my clan. 

We are getting back into the sit-down side of schooling.  I did attempt to do some school on the road - but as expected - over projected what we would get done.  There just wasn't time - with a field trip every day.  Good news is - we can do all the recording of our travels now - no serious lesson planning for a while.  We have a lot of "meat" to work with.

I hope to have a few minutes to check around to my "friends" and see what you all have been up too.  Have a very Merry Christmas season!

H