Today was also a long day according to Atreyu just now. I just put the kids to bed. I don’t think the day itself was long, I think this evening was, because Atreyu and I battled about reading.
Today was our first “no movie” day in a long time. The kids did very well considering, maybe that’s why our evening was so hard. They’d been using their brain all day instead of shutting it off.
Oh yeah! It rained heavy last night and my bed got a corner wet, so I wasn’t too sad to get up, especially since it wasn’t exactly cold out either. Atreyu was the first to wake up. Galixy took a little while. I spent the morning cleaning and organizing which didn’t take very long. Then we headed down the road. I didn’t really have much of a plan in mind besides maybe better wetter. We made it out of Utah and through that Arizona corner in one stretch. Right as we got up to the Loves 20 miles outside Las Vegas, Galixy said he wanted a break. I could only agree. Stormy weather just cleared in time for the break.
I would’ve assumed that with all the hard rain and then driving, my bed would’ve been more wet after driving than before, but it felt ok upon my inspection. We had a cheesy broccoli rice (noodle) lunch and a wicked dance party before we headed towards finding a playground. That was a bit more of a task. Picking parks off google maps is very hit or miss. Some green spaces are just sports fields, others cemetaries, then the super trashed playgrounds with little to no equipment all make that diamond of perfect play area all the more elusive. Even checking out park pictures can be very deceiving and frustrating. Apparently Las Vegas really values their sports fields. Two attempts to playground. By the second location was a little bit of grass and a couple things to climb on, so I resigned to that. Especially since the trees looked awesome.
Chikkie roamed there a little, but didn’t follow us to the equipment. We didn’t go far after the park either, just a bit down the road to a walmart, quieter than a truck stop. Also Kingman is supposed to have rain until tomorrow about noon. I’d rather go through there than Needles, CA. So I’m taking a moment to slow down. I made potatoe soup for dinner. Galixy ate little of it, but mowed the salad. Atreyu chowed down on both. My belly was so full I couldn’t even eat my half of a chocolate cookie. The boys wanted to watch a movie after dinner, but I said that we would read books and then watch movies as a reward for Atreyu’s awesome tries. He got very frustrated. I got more frustrated. I’m terrible. I ended up tossing “Leaves of Grass” at him and telling him to read that. He obviously didn’t want to and struggled with “leaves”. There was more to it. We dragged the 8, 2 line pages out to take an hour. He’d sound out all the letters to a word correctly, then look at the picture and say something completely different that went along with the picture. I ended up tearing the last page off the book, so I could fold the page and exclude the picture. He said it helped. It seemed to help. I’ll fluffing cut off all the pictures if that’s what it takes.
In the time it took to read that book, I ended up doing the dishes, too. Then we brushed teeth and read 5 more stories. Now they’re in bed. thank heavens! Chikkie went out (at the walmart! but with harness and slick street cat skillz, so I assume he’ll be fine). I should let Rhea go potty again too before we go to bed. It’s only 8:30 but I feel pretty ok going to bed early whilst on the road. It feels different when in a house. I was thinking earlier that we’re so cut off from the outside world and maybe even reality with the houses we construct. I mean, sure it’s supposed to keep us safe from the climate and undistrubed by winds and rains and cold so we can carry on the things we assume are important. Who am I to decide what’s important anyway? I put way too much stress on Atreyu for reading. I think being able and willing to read is super important and handy. Try explaining that to a 5 year old. It’s hard now, but it will get easier with practice.
bam! I’m so done for tonight. Tired. HAD to add and post something tonight at least, for having “missed” yesterday. Gonna add some pictures. Gonna send some love through these words… (READY?? seeeending!…… fire! love love love) Loving you! stay grateful.
Good night!
Matilda the Bugus 