Wait! that 's got to fit in there too!

A couple of days ago I asked the kids to pack their toys they want to bring in a box. I told them that they are limited to the size of the box and that's all they can bring. Rivers packed. She went through her toys and stuffed animal making three piles as she went along: one to keep, one to give away and one to pack away for our return. She organized her American Girl doll clothes and packed the one she wanted to bring along with her dolls. She picked through her Barbies, stuffed animals and packed all her Calico Critters. I helped organize and cut down her art supplies. Stephen quickly grabbed his legos, magna-tiles and a few board games. The children are done and now it's my turn. How can an adult have so much trouble packing her toys when the children packed theirs with so much ease? I've got my yarn and knitting supplies. Can't go without that. The beading supplies would be great- we could make jewelry to sell or give as gifts. I have to take my guitar. I've always planned on learning on the boat. Where is my sewing machine going to fit? I need to sew curtains for Rivers' cabin and I plan on doing some canvas work. How do I pick which cookbooks to bring? Books should go into a separate box - but they are so heavy! Which reference books do we bring? AARRRGG!!!!!!! My biggest stress right now is overloading the boat. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Possible Delay

Things never seem to go quite as planned. The original plan was that Friday, February 26 was going to be the kids last day at Mamaroneck Avenue School and we were going to drive away to the boat on Wednesday the 3rd. Yesterday, Stephen brought home a permission slip for a field trip to the Beuhler Challenger and Science Center. I thought this trip was going to be mid-March and had already told him he couldn't go. Now I find out that the trip is Friday, March 5. It looks like such a cool field trip - I want to go too! Rivers does NOT want to stay in school one more week. I told her that if she stays at home next week that she has to start home school right away and it won't be playtime. I'm sure I can find plenty of work for her that won't require too much teaching for a week since I will be frantically packing and cleaning. She is very behind on her French a la Rosetta Stone and she can work on her typing lessons, and don't forget about workbooks! Also reading- I forget that reading is part of school. She is such an avid reader that I sometimes have to threaten her to put her book down- "Rivers, if you don't put that book down and eat, I'm going to hide it!" I think I can easily find a week's worth of less supervised school work.