Float

 When looking for an activities for the Cousin Crew I have to weigh a number of factors, including cost and the age of all of the participants. It is really hard to find activities that please and excite individuals aged 9-19 without completely breaking the bank. When I found a Groupon for floating down the Shenandoah River, I thought I had stumbled upon the perfect summer activity.

After all, it was blazing hot so splashing in the cool water sounded inviting. I know that the kids are adventurous but not necessarily physically active, so floating in a tube was going to be preferred to a rapid experience where they would have to work. I've never done an official float, but it was advertised as the best lazy river of your life, so I figured it would be my speed. I signed us up and our adventure began.

Now obviously I knew that the float was in the river so I anticipated dirt and some random creatures. I was woefully unprepared for the number of rocks. Despite the amount of rain we have received this summer the river was low. It was so low that we ended up beaching ourselves on rocks throughout the 'float.'  Between being stuck on rocks and the low water level, we only moved if we paddled and kicked or walked with our tubes.  Our 45 minute float took us 2.5 hours!

Paddling quickly tired out my arms, so I opted to hold onto the raft and hop through the experience. That was a mistake of epic proportions. I was completely unprepared for the slippery and precarious river bottom. I was constantly losing my balance and scraping/cutting my legs. About 1/2 through the experience the suction on my leg broke leaving me even more compromised. I was now struggling with trying to keep my leg on while balancing on invisible, slippery and sharp river rocks.

Exiting the river was an experience I hope to never repeat. To say I struggled would be an understatement. I was slipping and fell on my knees and side on several occasions, leaving me even more bruised and bloodied. I was disappointed that none of the staff even attempted to offer assistance, but I suppose that should be a story for the Groupon review. 

The Cousin Crew had a great time on the float because they have fun regardless of the situation. They really just love doing things together and can make anything an adventure. I feel like I have been put through a paint can shaker. Every single part of my body hurts, from my fingertips to my foot. 

I think I'll keep my floating to a pool from now on.

Cousin Crew 2023

 Please forgive my missing posts. The past few days I have been away with the Cousin Crew. Between the activities and the spotty wifi, posting was a near impossibility. Those kids keep me busy! I thought it was hard wrangling everybody when they were young. It hasn't become easier as they are encroaching on adulthood. 

Their ages become inconsequential whenever they are together. Individually they communicate as almost-adult, but when they are together they dissolve into a gaggle of giggling silliness. It is exhausting (and expensive,) but I love every moment!

Monday was spent hanging out around my house. We went to go bowling and the kids hung out at the mall for a few hours. In the evening we played games and they howled with laughter telling stories and remembering past adventures.

Tuesday morning I woke everybody early, packed up the car and headed to West Virginia. We began the day with a float down the Shenandoah River. (That is an adventure I will detail in another blog. Yikes!) After our float we headed to an adorable cabin Air B&B in the woods. Equipped with a fire pit and a hot tub, I knew the kids wouldn't need anything else for entertainment.

Their cell phones and the televisions weren't turned on during our stay at the cabin. Instead the kids played games and were just plain silly. Timmy was absolutely delighted to be part of the action. Being a member of the Cousin Crew is one of his proudest allegiances.  

Yesterday morning we packed up and headed to an all-you-can-play 1980s arcade in Maryland. I loved schooling the kids in the arcade games I grew up playing. Okay, schooling may be a bit of an exaggeration. I may not have been the most skilled, but I was definitely the most animated.

After the arcade we parted ways with my niece taking my nephews back to PA and with us heading back to Virginia. I wish the adventure could have lasted longer but school starts next week. The next few days are going to be hectic as I try to get everything ready for the new school year. As always, I feel woefully unprepared!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I had a wonderful weekend accomplishing very little. I have a lengthy to-do list to get the kids ready for the school year and I should have spent the last two days tackling it. Instead, I found myself on the couch watching Netflix and taking a long nap. It has been a long time since I've had such a lazy weekend and I think it was exactly what I needed!

On Saturday we didn't do anything that required us to leave the house. On Sunday we were all forced to put on real clothes so that we could venture into public for Robby's band performance. His mini-show was brief (sometimes these performances are an all-day affair) and enjoyable. He did a great job! I am so impressed by the confidence that has emerged over the past few years. His first time walking onto the stage he was shaking and his eyes were swelling with tears. Yesterday he jogged on and rocked like a seasoned pro. 

Today Scott returns to work for more meetings. The never-ending stream of teacher prep meetings has been draining for him. I know that he will be relieved and feel more centered when the students return on Wednesday. He always prefers to be in front of students than to be sitting in an in-service session.

While he is busy at work, I'll be bustling around the house in preparation for the Cousin Crew. This year they are coming down to Virginia for their annual adventure.  Aunt Peggy's week of fun is about to begin!

Friday

 Happy Friday!

I cannot express how much I am anticipating this weekend. This will be the first weekend in 5 weeks where I have not been setting up a table and trying to sell FlexyFriends. With the exception of Robby's performance on Sunday, I have absolutely no plans and I could not be happier. 

I am hoping to spend tonight on the couch, sipping a glass of wine and losing myself in something trashy on Netflix. I would love to declare that I'm going to spend Saturday repeating Friday night, but in reality I will probably end up cleaning. Regardless, it will nice to be at home and not in the heat or in a crowd trying to sell plastic toys. 

Anxiety

On the positive side, Robby is finally feeling better. While his cough persists, his fever and general malaise has faded. If everything continues on this path, he should be feeling himself again by the weekend. The timing could  not have been better because his band performs on Sunday. I would hate for him to miss it because of the nagging cough!

With Robby on the mend, my thoughts are begrudgingly beginning to look forward to the impending school year. Yes, I view it as impending instead of upcoming. I wish that I could look forward with optimistic anticipation. Instead I keep conjuring the memories of last September and the turmoil of those first few weeks of school. 

Logically, I know that this year will be different. We are all familiar with the schedule, the expectations, the flow and the technology. Last year we jumped into the ocean completely unprepared. This year we are seasoned pros and have tamed the tide. I keep reminding myself of this fact but it is doing little to quell my anxiety.

My Back-to-School angst has grown to such an intensity that I am waking up panicking about the coming months. My email inbox has been been accumulating a variety of welcome emails, packets, helpful information and student handbooks, none of which I have the emotional bandwidth to tackle. I really need to figure out a way to combat my anxiety because I don't want it to rub off on the kids.

Sick Koopa

Robby has been on antibiotics since Sunday but he is still plagued with a cough and a fever. My poor Koopa is miserable and there is little I can do to provide relief. As if being ill in the summer isn't bad enough, we have had to postpone the Cousin Crew adventure. Talk about devastated! 

We may have to postpone the Cousin Crew, but I am determined to make an adventure a reality. Timmy in particular has been looking forward to the adventure for months. When we told him that we had to delay I could see the disappointment wash over his face. It broke my heart. Thankfully we have a few weeks left of summer so there is still time to recover and adventure. 

While I was hanging out at home with the kids Scott 'enjoyed' his first day at school. Unlike other years, we didn't feel the same end-of-the-summer remorse when he left for work. Instead we were both energized to get the last year over with and to move on with the next professional adventure. Hopefully this year will be smooth and easy for him. After 30 years in Special Education, he deserves an easy year!

Last First Day

 Our weekend at the mall was a rousing success. We purchased the space for Friday and Saturday with the intention of sticking it out until the end.  We figured we sat in the miserable heat and humidity the weekend before so sitting in the middle of a mall would be a cake walk. To our shock and delight we ended up packing up mid-afternoon on Saturday because we sold out! 

Unfortunately Robby was sick throughout the weekend, limiting his time at the booth and his ability to enjoy his success. Because we sold out so early on Saturday we were able to come the same day, allowing me to take Robby to his pediatrician on Sunday morning. He has another respiratory infection and is feeling miserable. I'm glad that we were able to start him on antibiotics yesterday instead of waiting until this morning to go to the doctor.

Although I was deflated leaving my Mom's house early, it was nice to arrive back in Virginia on Saturday evening instead of on Sunday. Not only were we able to get Rob to the doctor a day earlier, but Scott was able to get centered and ready for the upcoming school year. Today marks his last first day of school- year 30.

He promised that this year he will really retire!