405 + 301 Weeks

I am updating late this time, as I'm not even home, I'm off on my travels!  I left on Wednesday morning, and I have been having an amazing time.  Tons of driving, tons of walking, lots of exploring, and zero stress.  Which makes up for all the stress from before I left!  Getting everything organised for the kids was really stressful, getting their schedule for the week written out so Jeffrey and Lolo and Dida know what is going on, getting their bags packed for swimming, and horse camp, and whatever else they have on while I'm gone.  I thought saying goodbye to them would be dreadful, but the day before I left I had the brainwave of dropping the kids over to Lolo and Dida's for the night before so they could have tv in bed as a special treat, and they weren't even phased by me walking away for a week!  That was my biggest relief.  Since then they have been kept very busy, and we have only had a couple of crying phone calls.  It is funny to talk to Jeff, because tonight he sounded as exhausted and exasperated as I usually do, and he suggested we send them to boarding school!

This past week the kids started joint horse riding lessons as well as their single lessons.  We have the funding, and they just love it, so we figured why not?  Arley's trotting improved so much just from following Carmie around, so it was a good move, and his confidence has definitely been bolstered.

Also this week Jeffrey brought home the most massive box for the kids to play with.  They cut windows into it and decorated it, and they have literally been playing with it all week.  Arley even piled cushions inside it and slept in it one night!  Poor little Arley, he was so sick one day, he was throwing up all morning.  It passed in a day, but he was so sick, the poor thing.

Carmie had her second assessment by the psychologist, who has ruled out autism, but is certain she has ADHD.  She told me that us homeschooling Carmie is hands down the best thing that we could do for her, which was so nice to hear.  Sometimes we don't have as much emotional support as we would like with our decision, so it was redeeming to hear a professional say that.  She said that Carmie would be that kid in school who was never sitting still, always in trouble but never really knowing why.  She also said that she thinks Carmie is a little Einstein, but we won't know the extent of her intelligence because we have decided not to do the IQ testing.  We have a bit of work to do with our quirky little girl, but we'll get there.

I am off to bed now, as I am exhausted.  I have been getting up early and hitting the road to get in as much exploring as I can.  I had a night in Adelaide, then I drove to a place called Victor Harbor, and had a night there.  This morning I explored the coast and then headed up the Murray River and I'm staying in a town called Mannum, in a house right on the river.  It's pretty awesome.  Tomorrow I'm exploring the Murray some more, and then heading over to the Barossa Valley for a few nights.  I cold pinch myself!

Here are a few more horse riding videos of the kids, because I can't help myself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WiwGIoUpTU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRwSSyiYFy4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3aVI1wcqZ4

I just found this 3 second clip on my phone, sent form Jeffrey, and it made me smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZQhnNpnloM