Hot Springs National Park

We hit our next National Park over Labor Day. We went with the Smith's our park-hopping friends who we traveled to Big Bend with last year. It is so fun to have friends willing to take these adventures with...and in this case friends who have done it before. They went to Hot Springs National Park last year and found Ouitchita State Park, a gem of a park to camp at. Hot Springs itself isn't much but that coupled with the great time we had camping and boating (we rented a pontoon boat) made for an unforgettable vacation!

Tal and Brooklyn tearing it up on the tube (did you know you could tube behind a pontoon boat)

Andy gave all the kids their official boat driving test.

In addition to tubing we took several swim breaks. Tal and Naomi both did backflips off the side of the boat! Andy and I had to step up to the challenge...even Calvin attempted a flip!

That look of concentration is priceless.

The obligatory family picture with the National Park sign.

Inside one of the bathhouses. These are pretty cool.

Love this shot of Calvin.

The gang.

Trying out a tub in one of the bathhouses.

On the road again. It's a 7 or 8 hour drive.

First Day of School.

I can't believe that two of my kids are already in school. The dynamic has officially shifted at our house as we learn to juggle the demands of mothering growing children. Tal started 1st grade. We loved his teacher Mrs. Hadley, but they dissolved his class after a month due to low enrollment. After a few tears he has settled into his new class with Mrs. Edson nicely. He did come home a few days after the switch with this story:

Tal: Mom, something bad happened today at school. (this is a typical beginning to his stories)

Mom: Oh, really? What?

Tal: (very sad) Well, I got left at recess.

Mom: What? How did that happen?

Tal: Well, I guess I didn't hear them call our class name. And I didn't realize my class had gone in until a long time after. Then I asked a teacher and she said I would have to wait and go in with her class.

Mom: (I could tell he was really upset) Did you cry?

Tal: A little. But I tried to wipe the tears away before I got to class so I wasn't embarrassed.

Seriously? It was just one of those moments you want to gather your kid up in a big hug and hold on to them forever.

Naomi, has done really well in Kindergarten. We weren't sure whether she would be ready for school but she thrives in structured environments where the rules are clear...so she has adjusted pretty easily.

Calvin is in pre-school and loving it. He cries everyday he doesn't get to go to school with Tal and Naomi but I have loved having some time with him.

Even Elisabeth is going to a Mothers Day Out one day a week at Calvin's Preschool. I don't know how she feels about it since she's short on communication but I am loving it. It's like finding an oasis in the middle of a dessert...just a chance to take a breath.