The Ferens Farm

As long as I can remember the importance of family has been instilled in me.  It was obvious in my family growing up that nothing came before family.  It was expected that I would choose a family event over something with friends and, for the most part (besides a few times in high school), I made this choice.  It is not just my immediate family that feels this way, the Haskins’ family as a whole places a high importance on family.  Because of this we have an annual family reunion where nearly everyone is present, nearly every year, and there are around 100 of us by now!  We spend the weekend on family property camping along the river in Rochester, WA.  My kids play with my Dad’s cousin’s kid’s kid’s!  Since I began going to this reunion around 5 years of age I have never missed it, I think this is the only thing I have done every August of my life for the last 25 years!

Every year the reunion looks a little different, depending on which family (we are broken into 3 groups based on which if the 3 brothers your family originated from) is in charge that year.  But there are a few things that are consistent: family golf on Friday; community breakfast, river float, softball, and BBQ on Saturday; community breakfast, worship service, egg toss, candy in the hay, family trivia, and community lunch on Sunday.  As you can guess when 100 get together  there is a lot of diversity and not everyone does everything, but that is okay.  We don’t have any major family arguments or tension.  We are all fairly accepting and very loving and it is fun.  I am so thankful to be part of such a “functional” family and pass on this legacy to my kids.  I LOVE my family, all parts of it, and so do the kids, it is a special blessing to be part of this kind of family here on earth.

This year’s reunion was HOT, around the mid 90′s all three days!  We spent a lot of time in the river and the shade, doing a lot of  trying to stay cool.

One “extra” thing we did this year was the kids tie-dyed shirts, here are my 4 kids sporting their shirts at home.

We made it to Seattle this weekend, it has been nearly 3.5 years since we were there last time!  The trip was motivated by a doctor’s appointment we had at Children’s Hospital for Ally.  Since she began walking we have noticed she walks with her toes pointed in (called intoeing) and since she still hasn’t grown out of it we wanted a specialist to examine her (turned out she is just fine and will continue to grow out of it!).  Since it is a big deal to take 4 kids to Seattle and get to an appointment by 10am we made a night of it.  We headed over on Sunday night and, thanks to Priceline, we stayed in a 4 star hotel in downtown Seattle, on the 17th floor, facing the water!  It was very fun, the kids LOVED watching the city out the window and looking for “stretchy buses” driving by.  When we got to Seattle, we checked into the hotel and then headed to Pike Place Market before it closed.  We met up with a good friend Anne Marie  for a walk through the market and dinner.  It was great to expose the kids to the variety and culture the market provides and even better to see Anne Marie!  Back at the hotel we took a dip in the swimming pool, which was located on the 28th floor.  It was so fun being that high up and swimming.  The kids wanted to know how they got the water all the way up there!

The next morning we headed to our appointment and then spent the rest of the day at the Seattle center playing at the Children’s Museum.  The kids were so interested in all the city had to offer.  They couldn’t believe how big it was and kept asking, are we still in Seattle? as we drove around.  It was fun to watch them as more of the world opened up.  They were interested in all the buildings and didn’t understand why the trees in the city had to be planted, as opposed to just growing where a seed fell.  We had a great time all together, hopefully it isn’t another 3.5 years until we make it back!

Austin was with us too, he is on my back in the other Ergo, out of sight of the camera.

This is a photo taken in downtown Seattle on out last trip, April 2007.

This last weekend was the second annual 4th of July camping trip with friends from our Marriage Bible Study and our first trip as a family of 6.  We had a great time, despite the weather.  The weekend was full of sitting by the fire, eating, talking, bike riding, eating, playing, entertaining (kids), running from the smoke, roasting marshmallows, and did I mention eating?  The kids were so happy to be outside.  What is it about the great outdoors that makes kids so “in their element?”  I’m not sure, but I am thankful for it none the less!

Zac and Zoey had a great time on their bikes.  This weekend marked Zac’s one year anniversary of knowing how to ride a “2 wheeler.”  He has come such a long way in a year!  We gave Zac the freedom to “ride the loop” without us and he was in heaven.  I could tell he felt “big” with this ability to roam, semi unmonitored.  I always wondered when he was little, how would I know when he was ready to do “big boy things” like go in a bathroom alone, or walk and get the mail without me, well, all of the sudden I have realized, now is the time (as long as I am not too far away).  It is fun watching him stretch his wings but still obey the rules, I am proud of his choices so far.

Along with all the camping food we ate, we also got to enjoy fresh calms from the beach where we were camping, cooked over the fire with butter.  Zac helped dig and eat these, he had a great time.  When we were eating the clams we also had fresh crab from the bay and the next day Zac and Brandon picked local oysters and we had those that night with dinner!  Zoey ate about 8 oysters!  It was a local seafood fest!

Brandon, Zac, August and Simon on an expedition!

I even got on a bike this weekend, it has been so long, but it is true, you never forget!

Zac eating S’mores (the helmet rarely left his head all weekend, never know when you might need to ride!)

Austin loved his first camping trip, even though he was a bit under the weather.

All bundled up and ready for bed!

We have been home from “vacation” now for nearly two weeks and I feel like I have finally recovered.   Don’t get me wrong, I had a good time and look forward to getting away again as a family, but I learned a few lessons during this trip that I will not soon forget…

When I think of a vacation I envision resting, taking a break from your normal life, decreasing the stress level, eating good food that I didn’t make, having fun, and being together.  Because we had not gone on a family vacation since Zac was a baby I foolishly had the above thoughts in my mind heading into the trip.  I knew the drive would be stressful, but for some reason I hadn’t thought about how challenging the logistics of the actual trip would be.  The meal planning, lunch packing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, discipline, organizing, etc. that I do on a daily basis was following me to San Diego!  I didn’t escape it at all, in fact I had to do all my “normal” stuff in an unfamiliar setting with only a fraction of the things I normally need and use.  I have to say that I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t fully realized that this trip was going to be just like doing my normal life, just somewhere else.  The first morning I was there I found myself wondering, what was I thinking?  Why are we here?  I was up at 6am, doing laundry and fixing breakfast…where was the relaxing and resting part supposed to fit into this plan!?!  That is when it dawned on me, I forgot the nanny!

After this first morning with reality set in, Brandon and I had a talk.  The only chance that this trip was going to feel any different to me would be if he fully engaged in a way that he doesn’t normally.  Brandon is a great dad, a wonderful husband, and an amazingly hard worker, I needed him to step in and be my team mate during this week long “vacation” or things weren’t going to go well, at all!  How did he respond to this???  PERFECTLY.  He totally stepped up to the plate and we enjoyed the rest of the trip working together as a team.  What an awesome husband I have, I am truly blessed through him.

We had both left the house hoping for a “traditional” vacation, what we got was a family adventure!  As a team Brandon and I had a great time juggling the kids, making it all work, and trying to squeeze in a little rest.  I just feel silly that we hadn’t anticipated the challenges we faced once we got to San Diego.  I think I was so preoccupied with the thought of the drive down (which went amazingly well) that I put zero energy into thoughts about the reality of our situation, 4 kids 5 and under, trying to manage outside of the regular routine.  No wonder we haven’t vacationed since Zac was a baby, we can’t!

So the take away is this, if you want a “vacation” the kids must be left at home…if you want an adventure pack up the babes, jump in the car, and go off and explore…you have NO IDEA what is in store for you!*

*This advice is directed at me, for future trips, so I don’t become disillusioned by the thought of relaxing!

We are home, it feels so nice.  Getting home after a long and fun vacation is kinda like slipping into new clean sheets in your own bed, it’s comfortable and familiar, but fresh and crisp at the same time.  The kids were so excited when we pulled into the driveway last night at 6pm, they were ready to see their house, play with their toys, and not be strapped in their car seats.  I have to say, the kids did AMAZING on this trip.  They FAR exceeded my expectations, Brandon and I were thinking they might have done better than us!  Here is the total car crying time lineup (this includes the trip to AND from California):

Zac: less than 5 minutes

Zoey: NONE, that’s right, miss cry at the drop of a hat didn’t cry AT ALL in the car…simply amazing…now if I could just get her to do that at home!

Ally: less than 30 minutes (pretty good for a 2 year old)

Austin: less than 45 minutes (this includes even the “I’m hungry” cry)

Brandon and Cory: none, but we were tempted a few times!

Today is filled with laundry, putting things away, cleaning the car, and relaxing, but life starts again tomorrow.  What a great trip, it was so fun, thanks to Grandma and Grandpa for the condo and to Uncle Nate and Aunt T for the fun times!