I've nothing so impressive for this one, just a few thoughts on changes in the past five years:
Kansas Dad now has tenure and two director-level jobs at the university. He's teaching a lot, including in a masters program, and trying to travel to give some talks around Kansas as well.
With all his teaching and family travels, our gardens have been lower priority, but the kids wander the property and discover all sorts of interesting things.
We went on a Grand Adventure in 2016, driving and camping for a month to visit the western United States. It was amazing and addicting. Since then we've gone on at least two significant camping trips a year and have now visited fifteen national parks and even more monuments, historical sites, preserves, and state parks.
We saw a total solar eclipse.
The kids are now 13, 11, 9, and 7. We're still homeschooling and now have an 8th grader, a 5th grader, a 3rd grader, and a 1st grader. Everyone's in school! I'd say I'm a much more confident homeschooling mom now except that I'm fairly terrified about high school coming up in a year.
Second Son has one of his top two teeth and the other is coming. We can almost see it!
First Son takes care of the chickens. First Daughter is in charge of the bread and muffin baking. They all do weekly chores so I pretty much never mop the floor or vacuum anymore. Only every now and then.
First Son started taekwondo in the fall of 2014. Then First Daughter started. Then Kansas Dad. First Son and Kansas Dad are both red belts now and within a year of a black belt, if they progress as quickly as possible. First Daughter is a blue belt ("halfway to black belt!" she says).
We have chickens, a frog, a dog, and a bearded dragon. Next on the list: a parakeet.
I quit my job a few years ago and will never stop homeschooling because Kansas Dad says I have to get another one if I do.
