Where we are headed. . .

I am a strong believer in adventure.  It doesn't have to be all out, around the world, live by the seat of your pants adventure.  It does have to be out of the ordinary, out of the routine of daily life, whatever that may be.

We homeschool, or so it is called because we don't attend a brick and mortar school.  I know it is controversial, and that isn't what this blog is about.  We have decided to go on adventures all the time!  Well, not all the time, but a lot.  When I was first theorizing about this years goals, I looked online for ideas on short road trips in the Pacific Northwest.  I am sure there are dozens of useful sites on this topic ranging from AAA to blogs, but I didn't find what I was looking for.  So I thought it would be a great thing to do with my kids, a learning experience.  Yep, always exploiting all of those that I can!

So we have decided to go on road trips (or some kind of trip) once a month for the year of 2012.  We accomplished this in January, and are about the head out on our trip for February.  March is planned and is a bigger adventure outside of the Pacific Northwest.  We have a few more in the works, but not actually planned yet.  The trips will not be extravagant, we will often stay with friends or family.  We will camp if possible and try to stay in nice, though reasonably priced hotels when necessary.  The point is to learn something, experience something without blowing the budget.  It is also an experiment, so we will see how it goes!

The Adventurers are:


Lyle:  Dad and Trip Analyst.  This is the guy who fully supports the trip plan and approaches the prospect with enthusiasm and logic.  He cheers us on, gets in the car, and does most of the driving.  He also diligently researches opportunities in goal areas.  Here he is, inspiring his family by winning his division in a race last summer.  He encouraged us all to run, run, run!!! And we did!  He has us signed up for more 5k races this summer, 1k and 1 mile for the kiddos.


Andrea:  Mom and Trip Designer.  I am the one who has a million ideas, half a million starts, and I'm working on finishing some of them. . . That is why I like the photo of Lyle above, finishing and winning.  I help by supplying the ideas and getting them up and running, he helps by making things work out the way they should.  I choose the destinations and try to steer us toward some educational goal, take the pictures and try to make it all a really great time for everyone. I am also in charge of the budget for the trips, for better or worse.  I am the one that says, "We can do this.  Remember, we can do anything!"

Bug

Bug:  Big Brother and Lead Explorer.  This is the ever curious, always analytical, sometimes cautious member of the exploration party.  He keeps things from getting too wild, but enjoys the adventure as much as any human could.  He is always eager to learn something and figure out how to apply it and integrate it into what he already knows.  I hope to have his input on things in the blog to inspire other kids to learn about the things he has seen.


Bean

Bean:  Little Sister and Lead Imaginarian. Always ready for an adventure of any scale, this little explorer loves to see and do and try everything.  She makes up stories and games to entertain bored travelers while in route and adds interesting spins to just about everything.  I hope to have her input on the blog too, on the creative things she sees while on our adventures.