The One Stupid Problem With Homeschooling

Actually there are two problems, the first being that I never get surprised by cute little cards or gifts the kids make in school for Mother's Day.

However, that's not the problem I wish to address in this post.

No, one of the biggest problems for me as a homeschooler is that I have absolutely no idea what sort of schedule the public schools are or are not keeping. Therefore, when we planned a 3 day family getaway to Boston this week, we did not realize that it was winter school vacation and that 843,692 other families decided to also spend the "holiday" in the Boston Area. Even more specifically they all converged on the Boston Children's Museum the very same day we did.

It was crowded, LOUD, crazy, LOUD, chaotic, LOUD, claustrophobic, LOUD, and confusing. And did I mention it was LOUD?

Oh well, being the Groovy clan we are, we had fun anyway!

We stayed at the Red Roof Inn in Woburn, MA. It's not a 5 star hotel, but it was clean and affordable, the indoor pool was fabulous, and the staff was truly couteous and wonderful. It didn't offer a continental breakfast, but we brought our own bowls and cereal and milk and snacks, so we were fine. Other guests headed a block down the road to Panera Bread. If you and your family decide to head to Boston, we highly recommend the accomodations!

Here are the girls relaxing on the beds. Looks like Floyd and Teddy were pretty tired too after the 3+ hour drive there.




As a side note: Floyd was a little leary of staying at a Red Roof Inn. Last time we did so - in Vermont - he got left behind! It was over a month before that Inn managed to mail him back to us!

Here are the girls at the pool. It was clean and warm and wonderful. They are giving their "Flamingo impersonations" for their mingo loving big sister, Funsocksgirl.



Several months ago, Mulletman scored an extraordinary deal in a local store that was closing down: Brand new, name-brand suitcases for $5 each. The girls were SO psyched to finally get to use them. Unfortunately, it seems Girly-Girl isn't quite sure how a suitcase works. Here's hers in the hotel room:



Note to self: teach Girly-Girl that her stuff goes IN the suitcase, not beside it!

Of course, more exciting than using new suitcases. Better than running every floor of a five story hotel. More exhilarating than unlimited indoor heated pool use. More tantalizing than visiting the great children's museum of Boston:

Is......RIDING THE SUBWAY!!!!!!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!!!!




Then there was the museum itself:









After all that excitement and noise and activity, we were all exhausted. Fortunately, Teddy is a bright fellow and he drove us back to Maine while we all dozed.



And you'll be glad to know that Floyd made it back safely as well. :-D