2008JeffJourney

Maybe We Can Just Live Here

October 31, 2009

M was convinced that we could just pack up our home and move right into High Falls State Park.

No question that it is beautiful, but an afternoon of hanging out together was about all we could justify on the calendar.  It rained on and off. L&I finished up Bound for Oregon, an inspiring based-on-a-true-life story of a family moving from Arkansas to Oregon by covered wagon. They lacked the conveniences of the indoor bath and the luxury of turning on the heater on a damp, chilly afternoon. We do have so much to be thankful for!

 

In between drizzle we biked and hiked. But all too soon we packed up to head back to our home.

“I Just Love Our Camper!”

October 29, 2009

Location: High Falls State Park, GA: We’ve hiked here in the past, but this is the first we’ve camped at this beautiful state park. Located right off of I-75 makes it easy to get to. Our friends picked the site away from the river due to the gnats and mosquitoes. Despite the rain we found plenty of trails to explore and were happy to reacquaint ourselves with camping in this spot.

***

  

***Wouldn't you like to know what this smile is all about???

It may have been a bit of overkill to finagle a camping trip just because we didn’t want to get up early enough to make it on time to the planned field trip, but we went ahead with the preparation and didn’t regret it! We pulled our camper out of storage on Wednesday and amazingly enough, it was in great condition. Just the sight of it brought back pleasant memories for several of the kids.

Upon arriving we decided to head out while there was still light to see the falls around the dam and the natural falls further down the river.  Little did A- know what she was getting in for and opted to hike in her fwip fwops.  Between collecting every nutshell spotted and losing her flip flops on the trail we made s-l-o-w progress.

 

***A- collecting nuts in her "fwip-fwops."

 

*** Our faithful photographer

*** J pondering the falls

Our camping buddies agreed to host the first night’s dinner.  We tried to keep with the Konos Kids Pioneer theme by doing a campfire meal. It wasn’t quite the fare of the Oregon Trail, but our modernized version made the kids pretty happy.

Pizzaritos           From The Scout's Outdoor Cookbook

1 jar pizza sauce

8 flour tortillas

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces sliced pepperoni (or whatever toppings you'd like. Among other things we added hamburger and onion)

Preparation in Camp:

1. Spread approx. 3 T pizza sauce onto each tortilla.

2. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cu shredded cheese and top with pepperoni slices (or other toppings).

3. Tuck tortilla sides in and roll like a burrito.

4. Wrap each pizzarito in two layers of heavy duty aluminum foil, and back over coals for approx 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Laundry, Boo-boos and the Beach

April 6, 2009

Location:  Larry and Penny Thompson Campground.  We finally had time to check in.  What a rigmarole!  Money changing hands several times until we finally got it all figured out.  This is a campground that many people live in for up to three months at a time.  We met some friendly campers doing laundry.

 

Boo Boo's

 

A took a spill running on the pavement at the campground.  She has been a trooper.

Taking the suggestions of E's Spanish Teacher we drove out to Key Biscayne for an evening at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and hung out at the beach near the light house.  Sand, Surf and Sunset.  Who could ask for more!

 

 

 

 

From Flood to Drought

April 3, 2009

Location:  Red Bingham State Park:  Even though we pulled in in the dark, we picked a great site.  It was a pull though and quite roomy.  This would be a fun park to explore by bike, kayak and walking.

Destination:  Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, FL

Read Aloud: Star of Light by Patricia St. John

Great camper breakfast: Oatmeal in the crockpot.  At home put all the ingredients you like in a Ziploc minus the liquid.  The night before put the package of dry ingredients in the crockpot with the liquid and put on low for the night.

Another Camper Meal: Meatball subs (I made the meatballs at home and put them in a Ziploc with the sauce) Warm the bread and Meatballs up.  Everyone enjoyed this, though it was messy.

We awoke this morning to sunny skies.  After a breakfast of oatmeal we set out to explore the campground.  We found several sites completely submerged under water.  On the way out we saw several gopher tortoises that the park is famous for and stopped to photograph the flooding around the lake.

 

**Site #35 was completely under water

 

*** The canoe rental house at the lake

We headed down 75 with the rest of the world and spent an hour in stop and go traffic due to construction.

 

*** Lunch entertainment - Waving in the Publix parking lot with orange skin grins.

Yet again we pulled into our campsite in the dark, but we were thankful that we remembered to stop at the grocery for the bread for the meatball grinders.

We were surprised to see the sign posted - Due to drought there is a campfire ban.  In a days drive we've seen flooding and drought!

Plan vs. Reality

 April 2, 2009

 

Destination: Reed Bringham State Park, Adel, GA

Memorable Quote:  “I hate thinking; it’s SO confusing!”  Student puzzling over a math problem

Read Aloud:  Star of Light by Patricia St.John

 The Plan:  Leave at 2 p.m. Drive 3 ½ hours.  Enjoy a picturesque state park.  Eat a carefully planned and prepared meal

 The Reality: 

 4:30 p.m.: Leave home under threats of severe weather and tornado warnings.

 5:30 p.m.: Call the campground.  Receive message, “Though the lake and trails are flooded, the park is still open.”  Also, “Contrary to rumors, the dam has not broken.” Hmmm … We contemplated driving to drier ground and finding a Wal-Mart parking lot in which to set up camp.

 9 p.m.:  Tired and hungry we neared exit #39 and decided to check out the campground.

 

9:30 p.m.:  Settled into a puddle filled site as the rain begins to fall heavier. We check the map and realize we are above the dam and will not be affected if it gives way. Realize we forgot to stop at the grocery for the bread for the meatball grinders.  Eat cereal.  Go to bed.

Off into the Rain

April 2, 2009

After days of meal preparation and packing, we're off into the rain.

We've made:

Ingredients for chicken soup (diced chicken, broccoli and cooked brown rice - individually frozen)
Banana and Good Morning Muffins
Meatballs for Meatball subs
Chili
Hard Boiled Eggs
Diced Cooked Chicken (frozen) to make Chicken Salad later

Dry ingredients were packed up to make:
4 batches of Blender Pancakes
6 loaves of bread in the bread machine
1 package of oatmeal mix to put in the crockpot

This plus staples should feed us for the next five days.

On The Way Home

Date: Friday, November 28, 2008 - Monday, December 1, 2008

Added:  NC, VA, MD, CT, & PA:  5 more states to our camper USA map this trip!

Audio Books:  The cheers go up as we finish Uncle Tom's Cabin, also finish The Misadventures of Maude March and Red Moon at Sharpsburg by Rosemary Wells. We finish the ride with a few light books: Tonight on the Titanic, Buffalos Before Breakfast and Tigers at Twilight by Mary Pope Osborne

Location:
#1:  Packed up in Trumbull, CT leaving C&N to spend a little more time with family

K&A on Grumpa & Grandma's front steps

#2:  Jonestown Pennsylvania KOA - We stopped in the dark and the challenge was to back into a spot covered with fallen leaves.  J&K stood and marked out the obstacles and called directions to this very spatially challenged driver - yikes. Thankfully we made it into the space snug for the night.

#3  Frostburg, MD - stop for snow. A says, "ow"  She thought the snow looked prettier than it felt.

#4 Meadowbrook Mall, Bridgeport, WV:  Forgetting that we'd compete against the mad holiday shoppers we decided to stretch our legs and get lunch at the mall.  We were quickly reminded how wise we are to avoid shopping with the crowds!

#5 Kentucky - my sister's home for two nights - great time, no pictures.

#6 Home on Monday: 4:30 p.m./ 5 p.m. Friends arrive on their way home from FL. They help us unpack, hug and read to the children, encourage us with their tales of their missionary travels, and spend the night.

Now to press on in the homestretch till Christmas vacation....

Worship, Hospitality and War

Date:  November 23, 2008

Location: Manassas, VA & Bar Harbor RV Park and Marina in Abingdon, MD

Junior Ranger Badge: The one and only of the trip: Manassas National Battlefield

Audio Books:  Misadventures of Maude March & finished reading Bull Run by Paul Fleischman (Mr. Fleischman tells the story of the first battle at Manassas through short first person accounts of their involvement with the war.)

Weather: 30's, clear blue skies, beautiful!

10:45 a.m.:  We actually packed up the camper and made it to church on time!  (http://www.novagrace.org/)  After researching online we found a PCA church nine minutes from the campground - Spriggs Road Presbyterian Church.

We were met at the door by a very friendly congregation.  Our first conversation went a little like this:

(a bit of inquiry as to L's battle wound...)  Man:  "I have a M--- too.  He is a bit taller though."

Man:  Do you have a N---?

S:  Yes, we do.  How old is your N---?

Man: He'll soon be 20.

S:  Mine is 19 too.

Man:  How many kids do you have?

S: 8

Man:  We do too.

We also discovered that we both have 4 girls and 4 boys and that we home school.  :-)

Another connection was that one of the elders was an elder in our church at home around the time we moved to the area.  We didn't know each other but had many mutual friends.

After an encouraging time of worship we were invited to join several families for lunch.  What an example of gracious hospitality was demonstrated by one who could push aside the clutter a week brings and graciously whip up lunch for 26 on the spot.  We spent a delightful afternoon getting to know each other a wee bit.

3 p.m.  We pulled the kids away from the games, toys and new friends and resumed our itinerary - a tour of Manassas National Battlefield Park.  In furthering our study of the Civil War we wanted to see this place where both sides were (over) confident that the battle would be quick and victory sure.  Civilians even brought picnics and sat on nearby hills to watch the battle unfold.  How naive they were, and how quickly this war took its toll on families and towns!

** K&M work on a Jr. Ranger Badge

**A was not captivated by the museum.  She opted to nap in Daddy's arms.

Though we could have spent hours exploring, time only permitted a quick survey and a stab at completing the Junior Ranger books.

7 p.m.  After getting around DC and through Baltimore we realized we would arrive in CT around 1 a.m.  We stopped for dinner and searched for a local RV park. 

9 p.m. Once again we are sheltered from the frigid winter air (though the thermometer read 30 degrees, the ocean air felt colder).  After setting up C busied himself with writing his book while the rest of us sipped hot chocolate and watched Superman I. (The kids love that cable!)

NC to VA

Date:  November 22, 2008

Location:  Travel Trailer Village at Prince William Forest Park (http://www.nps.gov/prwi/planyourvisit/ttv.htm) We were happy to find the bathrooms heated and clean.  The driveways for the campers are very short.  We fit ours in end to end. The faucets for hooking up are heated, but we decided to just make due without water in the camper. C&S explored a few trails on foot on a morning walk.  This would be a great place to bring mountain bikes and explore the dirt roads throughout the forest.

Weather:  A bit warmer - 30's in the day.

Audio Books:  Uncle Tom's Cabin.  We listened to the first third and due to the weary brains of the kids we switched to a lighthearted wild west story, The Misadventures of Maude March by Audrey Couloumbis. During our devotions we are reading aloud, Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris.

A day of travel: listening to stories, sleeping, family worship**, stopping for gas (again and again), the drivers' loading up on caffeine and snacks... The most exciting thing was the removal of L's stitches.
 
**Family worship is not the worship of the family, but a time set aside each day to worship God together.  Our routine changes with the ages, attention and interests of our kids, but here's what we are doing now:  Sing several hymns that we become familiar with over the month, read from scripture (now finishing up the book of Luke), sing a song to help with memorization of the order of books of the Bible, read a portion of Do Hard Things and finish up with prayer.

Packing up the RV again

Date:  Friday, November 21, 2008

Location: Franklin, NC - Cullasaja River RV Park (http://www.campnc.com/)  This park was perfect for our purpose - to visit family up the mountain.

Audio Book:  Uncle Tom's Cabin  Harriet Beecher Stowe

Weather:  Freezing was an understatement!  The temperature went down to 12 degrees that night!

"Why don't we ever leave on time?"  This was the question of the morning as we finally rolled out of town at 11:30 a.m.  This meant we ate lunch with Aunt Donna and Uncle Guy at 4 p.m. in their amazing "fortress on a mountain" - as C referred to it.  They have recently finished building a round house to escape the heat of Florida and creatively store the four creatures shot in New Zealand that grace their walls in the living room.