Life as a Yowler

We are on the road again. I have had several weeks off from traveling and it’s been very relaxing and nice. I’ve fallen into a routine of school with the kids and even some exercising and healthier habits for myself….and Brandon too. It’s just so much easier to eat healthy and exercise at home.  I considered sitting this trip out and letting Brandon go himself. However, I’ve become obsessed with crossing states off our sticker map. It’s my goal to make it to all 50 states with the kids. Brandon told me we will travel to one we haven’t been to before…..North Dakota. “Sigh! Fine we will all come along!”(not to be a brat. I actually do like traveling. I just also love routine. It’s the Gascho in me.)

Look out North Dakota…..you are next off our map. Also, Minnesota has been crossed off since this picture was taken.

During our time off from traveling, Joah got a buck his very first morning out in the stand. He got one last year too, so I didn’t think too much of it. Then Brandon told me Joah did everything 100% by himself….as in picked up the crossbow, held the crossbow, aimed the crossbow, and pulled the trigger by himself while Brandon sat and watched. Say what? I can’t even believe how much this boy has grown up. He just turned six. He was very proud of himself, and I was very proud of him too. He did great! And now we have a bunch of meat to put in the freezer. We eat venison very regularly. I love that it’s organic and it’s lean. I’ve learned how to prepare it and all of us like it.

After Joah got his deer, Caed wanted to hang with the boys and help them clean everything up and get it off to the processor. Brandon took the boys out for lunch to celebrate. I took the girls to the park. The Cass City Park is Brielle’s favorite because of this big red swing.

We had a family outing day to Saginaw. It was our first since trying to eat healthy. We chose to eat at Panera Bread for the healthier options. The girls behind the counter gave each kid a free cookie just because. They were sure grateful.

Isla got a yogurt instead.

We went to Story Hour again this week.

We camped out at the RV to watch the premier of This Is Us. We got rid of TV channels at home, but Brandon got channels for the RV. I have been giving him a very hard time for that, until Tuesday night(the premier of my favorite show). Then I was thankful for his ridiculous luxuries. How cute is that little Caed in my glasses?

I didn’t document all of the healthy meals we ate this week, just a couple. Here is beef barley soup. By the way Brandon has lost 18 pounds in 9 days. I have lost 3.5 pounds. Life is unfair.

Here is the bug devouring her beef barley soup.

Taco Salad is our go to meal. It’s quick and easy. Every member of the family loves it.

Especially this little bug. By the way I haven’t starved any kids yet, but I have never been more tempted than with this one. She is by FAR my messiest eater. She loves to touch everything, squash everything, throw everything, and maybe somewhere in the process taste everything.

For our dessert cravings lately, we’ve been making energy bites.

We have come prepared on this trip with our school. While we are driving down the road, is the perfect time to do the workbooks. 

We have even had some reading lessons with Joah. He’s been working hard to teach Brielle to read. I told him he needed to teach along with his reading reward program we started this week. He earned the reward so quickly, I felt he needed to do some more work. He didn’t complain. He loved being the boss.

There’s a long story about his reading reward program we started. We went to Cabelas during our family outing day. Joah saw a cap gun he wanted and he begged and begged for. Both Brandon and I said no. You can’t just get that for no reason. It gave me an idea to start a reward program. I told him when he reads 50 books, I’ll take him back to get the gun. The little booger wizzed through reading 50 books in 2.5 days. Now let’s keep in mind that he was reading 2 books per day before that, and fighting me on that. Claiming “mom, there is no point in learning to read. It’s not like it’s going to help me out in life.” 😳 Come the reward program, he literally spent all of 2 afternoons and 1 morning reading and reading. That little motivated fart achieved. He improved his reading skills greatly. Brandon took him to a Cabelas along the way on our trip. We told him he now needs to read 100 books for his next reward. It should take him about 1 week.