Bend Update

After we left Brookings, we headed over to Bend for some housekeeping.  RV repairs, furniture replacement, doctor appointments, haircuts, re-stocking homeschooling books, purchasing necessities, taxes, and other paperwork are all on the "To Do" list this month, along with visiting family.

It feels good to get so much accomplished!  It feels good to be out of the allergy fog, and to be looking ahead again.  We have some work to do to get back to the level of energy and ability that we had before our winter in storm-central, so we are making a point of getting out each day for sunshine, fresh air, and exercise.  That feels good, too.

The kids had a list of things they wanted to do when we got to Bend, so they have been keeping busy. We are taking advantage of Grandma and Papa's house for baths, baking, and the ability to spread out!  Jordan especially has missed having a bath, so I'm encouraging her to soak it up while she can. Jackson is leading the charge to explore the parks here, and we have made several outings for that. We've also been to two different branches of the library and walked around the shops downtown.  The girls got a "wocket" at a boutique and they all picked out a candy at Powell's Sweet Shoppe.

Powell's Sweet Shoppe

Artwork-lined alleys in downtown Bend.  Jackson's takeaway from the art:
"Mom took our picture in front of a dumpster!"
Ha!

Jeff has been busy with a big project at work, which he is excited about.  Every spare moment, he is learning and programming, off in whatever land software developers go to when they create.  He really loves his job, which makes me happy, and he's getting to work face-to-face with his boss, which is fun for him.

I am enjoying being able to be outside.  The last time I was able to be outside without headaches and allergies was last November, in Arizona.  I love the cold desert air here, and how the stars and moon look so close at night.

Swinging at a park near the eye doctor's office.  The girls said they are too old for the park now.  ;)

The RV park that we are staying at is very nice, with great amenities.  We have been utilizing the gym, the spa, and the kids have been asking to go to the clubhouse in the mornings for free hot chocolate and coffee.  We haven't done that yet because I don't like starting the day off with a big sugar rush (and subsequent crash), but I'll let them go soon.  They also have a great dog park that is more forest-like than most parks.  Our dogs love it here!

Drake Park
Jordan and Megan entertained us with a "tour" of this "Monument to remember the great wheel makers of the past."  There was a lot more to the tour that I can't recall.  Something to do with Pilgrim's and aliens working together to get rid of tardigrads.  The girls sure can spin a tale!

We were having some trouble with the hot water heater and discovered that we need to replace the element in it, so that's a small project for this weekend.  Jeff switched it to work off the propane for now, so we are still able to do everything normally. Being in the desert, though, I'm nervous about running out of propane in the middle of a cold night.  I keep asking Jeff if he thinks we need to fill up, "Just in case."  He keeps reassuring me that he's watching it.  It's weird, the things that I get concerned about vs. the things I don't.

Other things on the roster:
Build the girls' new beds
Swap out the old couch for the new one
Fun Friday outings with the homeschool group
Drive to Sunriver to renew our ASTC Passport membership
Dental appointment for me
State testing for Jax
Finish planning the next leg of our travels
Visit the Dippin' Dots store in Old Mill to see what all the fuss is about.

Full-time Families just developed an app to get in touch with others in the group who are in the same area as you, so I used that and found another family that is here in Bend right now.  We are planning to get our families together before we leave, which should be fun.  I've also got next year's homeschool books arriving this week and next, so I'm organizing that, and putting last year's books (and whatever else we don't need) in storage at my parent's house.  Just odds and ends type errands, but there are a lot of them!

The neat thing about doing everything in one big rush is that once we head out, we will be completely caught up on everything.  We did the same thing last September, before we left for Arizona, and it was so nice to not have any nagging tasks I needed to take care of.

So that's what we've been up to and what we think we're going to be up to for the next few weeks! Love and miss our family in Brookings!