Fall Break 2017

Months ago Joe requested the week of Thanksgiving off because the kids' schools are on break that week. And believe it or not we had all these kids so we could spend time with them. And I do mean we...not just me:) Initially it looked like he had the week approved. Then the chief residents told him that too many people had the week off and he couldn't have the week off. He would have too choose a different week in October. But the thing is the kids didn't have time off in October. Taking a week then would have completely defeated the point of Joe's vacation week. Grrr. To say I was incredibly frustrated with residency and threw a big fit (in the privacy of my own home and out of ear shot of my children) would be an understatement. There's a reason residents are called residents. Because they practically reside at the hospital. And our kids are really noticing this. They need dad time. They already get plenty of mom time. Everyone has had their fill of mom.

And then we got a little miracle. One of the chiefs offered to switch blocks with Joe - allowing him to take vacation in November. Family time was restored!

Honestly we didn't know what we were going to do with that week. We just knew we needed time together. A few weeks before Joe's vacation week a friend asked me what we were going to do. Charlotte heard the question and answered for me. She informed our friend that we were going camping because "that's what we always do for fall break". If by always she means one time two years ago...then yes, yes that is what we always do:) All the kids seemed excited about the possibility of camping PLUS I know from experience that Joe relaxes more if we actually leave our house for his time off so I booked our campsite and packed our gear. Ok the packing I did the night before. Nothing like procrastinating big time. But we made it. And had a grand time. 

The campground  was one that was recommended to us by church friends. Joe and I didn't love it, but the kids did. Not enough privacy for our liking. But they loved the "forest" behind our site and spent hours finding, collecting, and trading sticks. We also went on a few "hikes" as a family. 

Basically we relaxed together as a family. No schedule. No phones. No outside demands. It was lovely.

The days were perfect. Low to mid 70s. The nights were COLD! Tent camping in the low 30s is not for the faint of heart. Levi slept great all night in his pack n play. The rest of us...not so much. Joe and I have an air mattress and each night we ended up with cold little bodies in our sleeping bags with us. We are thinking it might be time to invest in more air mattresses and sleeping bags that zip together.