Doing the Best I Can

I'm not against vaccines per se, but I am against so many in such a short period. For example; the first few rounds of my son's shots I spread out over a couple weeks instead of doing them all in a day. I for one don't like to medicate that much at one time, so if I wouldn't do it, why do it to my kids? Additionally, it bothers me that in just 4 years they have increased the recommended vaccines significantly. How can you tell me that my 12yo, my 8yo, and my 4yo are fine without these other 15 or so shots, but my newborn baby will not be okay without them.

To my kid free friends: this is all very 'weird' I admit. When I was planning a family I knew I would never co-sleep, my kids would never be spanked, I would follow anything my Dr. advised no matter what, and my kids would all be in preschool, and if I could arrange it, in charter PUBLIC schools.

Now, I'm a mommy. I watch children that were born to my friends at the same ages as my kids, come down with RARE cancers, autism, and other terrible illnesses. I do my best to get all facts and make the best choice for my children because they can't make this choice for themselves. I do everything in my Mommy power to make sure I do more good than harm, though it's easier said then done.

I experience schools that are so overwhelmed with students and test scores, they don't have time to actually teach, just force memorization for the standardized tests. There are good teachers out there, even great ones, but they are overwhelmed, outnumbered, and under appreciated. Students are being sent to school by parents (again, not all of them) too lazy to deal with raising their own kids. "It's too much work, let the teachers teach them what's wrong and right".
I am doing my best, to make sure my children have every opportunity to learn, to learn from life, not just tests, and to teach them what it is to be a good human, even if that makes them a minority

I may not have it all right, and I know I look like a tree hugging freak (lord knows I used to think it about others), but I am a baby wearing, co-sleeping, home schooling, real food growing mama who is doing the best that I know how. I know one day when you have kids you will do the same for your children, even if it's nothing like how I do it for mine.

We're Going to Disneyland

Or so I hope.
My mothers have been given the eminar to go to a eminar in southern eminar for work. What does that mean? Work will pay for the hotel and gas to drive there. My kids (or my oldest who still remembers visiting when he was little) frequently asks when we'll get to go. My response is usually when hell freezes over or something to that effect. For a family of 6 the cost is around two-grand not including gas or food. That's just to get in see the park and find somewhere to sleep. Um, I don't have that kind of money lying around.

Now, I would love to take all my kids to Disneyland every year because I do believe the magic is pretty incredible but it's not practical. I'm grateful the boys have been a couple times each before I was in their life and I myself have been once, but that trip was miserable so I don't count it much. Let me clarify, Disneyland was great, but one of my classmates stole all my cash before we got to the park so I spent the day hungry, begging for food, and annoyed at the situation. I did enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean and the magic that is the Peter Pan ride (that I tried to capture on film and realized it ruins some of the magic) but overall my memories are not great. Back to present time, my daughter is getting more and more interested in Princesses and we've been talking for at least a year about how we wish we could take her at this 'perfect' age. Why haven't we gone then? Time away from work, time away from school, scheduling conflicts with a two home family, money, and car issues. Enough hurdles for you?

Wow, I went off on a tangent.

Anyway, so my mothers are heading down to Southern California for this seminar and are planning to spend a day or two in the parks and enjoy a belated honeymoon of sorts. Fast forward to today, just about a week before they leave, and I find myself with an invite for Bug, Moose, and myself to take the remaining 3 seats in their car and the extra bed in their hotel. Um, free board and gas with the opportunity to let my daughter meet princesses? Um, count me in!

Oh yea, and they have discount prices for the actual park entrance! This may actually be totally possible. Now, just to figure out how to get the kids home from school everyday; what to eat while away with keeping on a budget; and how to pack for 3 people while only taking of the space of 2. Easy.

My husband is amazing. He agreed to pick up the kids on our days and their mother is going to take care of the rest of the time. I've done some research on how to cook meals in a hotel room and I'm bringing my Nuwave stove-top for anything that can't be made in a coffeepot. Luckily, I am well versed at budget meals on the go.

Huzzah! We're officially going to Disneyland!