The Feeling of Freedom

 This girl is SO READY.

She's been practicing in parking lots since she was in 6th grade. 

Hours?

Oh. 

She's got her hours. 

And she passed with flying colors.

The forgotten week

That five days in between Christmas and New Years is just weird. Routines are off, meals are a hodge podge of leftovers, stale treats and heating up tater tots. 

It's no man's land.

We're in a holiday fog.

We managed a few things...

AJ picked up her official driver's permit!

I'm working on my paint by number. It's coming along,

The ward held their ice skating party....it was "winter raining". 

I sat in the truck. I draw the line at watching ice skating and getting soaked. I had a nice nap and Megan took pictures for me! I know I'm lame and totally no fun.

Even though I bark at her alot and tell her to "stop parenting your sisters", I am really glad that she's so good at stepping in when I am snoozing in the truck. 

We held our 3rd annual Power Hour at the gym and Mark set it up so that there was a big rowing race at the end with little boats to show who was winning. It was super cool. People suffering on the floor is a sure sign. 

I'm glad this weird week is over. Lets take down the tree and get organized. 
 

AJ on the road

 Guess who passed the learner's permit??

She's been driving for two years in the elementary school parking lot....but now she's legal!

An Eclipse Sandwich

The path of totality came across the US for the last time in the next 20 years. Next time we have the opportunity, Ethan could be sending a kid to college. Everly will be 31. 

We aren't gonna miss it, by dang.

Mark had his USAW training, so he didn't get to go with us. Megan couldn't get out of her classes, so we packed up the truck and set out for Beaver Springs Campground in southeast Missouri, just us four. 

It was a VERY long drive...but they found ways to pass the time. 

We arrived around dinner time and set up camp. We made a quick dinner...stew over rice, and the girls cashed in for the night. All that sleeping really wore them out. 

Next morning, we were up and ready for our breakfast sammies, pop tarts and cocoa. I was smart and brought super easy food that I could have made by other people in a factory and purchased at Costco by me. I'm a smaht lady. 

Right next to our campsite was a RC track. Todd brought a car and we rented one from the business savvy homeschooled son of the camp hosts. I salute you, off the grid family! It was well worth the 8 bucks. 

The other awesome part of the campground was the multitude of prime hammocking trees.  And the camp hosts didn't feel compelled to moniter our strap width or fire height every hour on the hour. It was wonderful. 

Todd and Courtney set off on a hike and I enjoyed a quite moment to do exactly nothing. The pups played a game in the tent and get this...they were getting along. 

And laughing. 

It was a camping miracle.

Finally, it was dinner and we were able to surprise Courtney with her birthday cake we hid in the truck for two days. It wouldn't be camping without celebrating a birthday in the woods!

50 years old!

We spotted a drive-in about 15 minutes away from the campground and we decided to go and watch Back to the Future just for kicks. 

The place was pretty cool and old school. 

They were pretty happy that I said yes to popcorn AND soda. I was in a "why not?" kind of mood. 

We set up our chairs 

And tried to get comfy in the back of the truck. But soon it got very cold and with the speakers not working, most of us ended back in the cars listening over the radio and hoping the batteries wouldn't die. 

Monday morning....ECLIPES DAY!

We got up and started packing up the camp so we could get down and claim a prime eclipse-viewing spot on Clearwater Dam.  Little did we know that we didn't need to rush. Folks were not clamoring to spend 4 hours in the sun. They just strolled on down about 30 minutes before totality. 

We ended up squatting in an empty campsite nearby, while the kids went hunting for geods down by the water. I donated my toothbrush for geod scrubbing purposes. 

I was understandably concerned that one of my kids would permanantly damage their eyesight when they inevitably forgot to put on their glasses before looking right at the sun. Being a mom is A LOT sometimes. 

I'm happy to report, that no retinas were burned this weekend. 

When it was getting close, I let Todd and Courtney drive the truck with all the kids in the back so we could jump the barrier and watch from the dam. The kids were super stoked...it's been a lifelong dream to risk their lives being rednecks.  I rode back there too so as to save their lives in the event they forgot not to jump out while traveling at high speeds. 

I don't really know what to say about it because it can't do it justice. 

It was SO COOL.

As the moon moved in front, it got darker and cooler. The girls stopped looking for geods long enough to look up and check the status. Aidan worried out loud that they might miss it if they didn't stop looking for sparkly rocks! 

But there was no reason to worry. When totality hit, it took our breath away. I've never seen something so awe-inpiring. A 360 sunset and the most beautiful glowing circle in the sky. 

This picture just comes nowhere near what it looked like. I'll never forget it. 

This is a photo taken by the James Webb Space Telescope: 

And then it was over. 

We packed up the rest of camp and started to long drive home. It felt like it took us forever to get out of those Missouri hills. We lost service and were not actually sure we weren't heading to Florida for awhile. 

But we made it and it was totality worth it!

Laney behind the wheel

 It's happening!!!

Laney is driving to school and mom WILL NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT, be in the vehicle. 

I think they look pretty confident, no?

Moon Lake. The Women Hit the Road

Mark busted his knee. He's in no position to drive for two days or exist in the woods for any amount of time. But Moon Lake calls and we shall go. 

Megan helped to drive. My ability to trust is growing! Don't let the boys see or they will be mad!

But, my dears, this world is so beautiful. 

And also very silly. 

We had the best time picking music and stopping when we pleased. We were in awe of the view at Flaming Gorge. Breathtaking!

We are excellent packers. We managed all our stuff AND groceries for the week. Walmart pickup in Vernal for the win!

Moon Sweet Moon. 

Getting reacquainted with the cousins. 

Everyone around the fire. I wish I could describe the feeling I have when I'm here with my people. 

I'm home.